#anyelle fic
Text
Covetous | Chapter 1
Rating: E
Pairing: Macelle (Father MacAvoy x Belle) or Nostelle (Nosty x Belle), who is to say which
Summary: Father Joseph MacAvoy wakes up in a library across town with no idea of how he got there. When the kind librarian doesn't kick him out immediately, he considers that maybe there's more to life than alcohol.
Notes: I'm setting this as though The Tournament never took place and MacAvoy just contined on his downward spiral. Also, this fic was originally posted as a one-shot here but there are no notable differences. This will not have spoilers for The Tournament but it will have spoilers for Safe, kind of. Also, I'm sorry for my poor geography. Pretend anything geographic that doesn't make sense makes sense :') Also, this contains Nosty from Safe!
tws: alcoholism, homelessness. If I missed a warning, I'm so sorry--please let me know and I will add it ASAP!
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It was a new bar this time. Father MacAvoy had finally been kicked out of his usual pub, so he’d had to find another one, one that didn’t know about his reputation. The only one he could find had been The Rabbit Hole, and he considered removing his collarino before walking in, but he was too unsteady to do anything near his neck.
That was how he’d ended up kicked out at closing time with hazy memories of being told that every pub in Greenwich was locking its doors to him. He staggered along the streets, vomiting occasionally—sometimes even into bins—until he had to stop and sag against a wall. Was the church even in this direction?
Didn’t matter. He’d either make it home or die on the way, and at this point, he didn’t care which.
****
The floor he woke up on was hard, but it didn’t feel like concrete. Had he made it back to the church? No, because the light he could see through his eyelids felt florescent, and there was no florescent lighting there.
He curled up, bringing his knees to his chest, and tried to press his face closer to the floor. When he heard the click-click of footsteps, though, he lifted his head, prying his eyelids open.
Flooded with light, his head felt raw and tender, and he pressed his hands over his eyes with a mousy whimper he hadn’t intended to make. There was a sigh, and then more click-steps, and then silence until the light was gone. Hesitant, he opened his eyes again, and it was dark enough that he could look around.
The first thing he saw was a bookshelf, and when the dizziness faded and he could move his eyes again, he saw more bookshelves. The dividers between sections told him this was a library, not a shop. The only library he ever went to was in the church, and he wasn’t even sure where this library could have been. The only places he went were people’s homes, the grocery, and the pub.
A pair of legs wandered into view, and he almost choked on his tongue. Did it count as lust if the legs surprised him?
“Are you awake?” a voice said, and he curled up. Why did she have to shout? “I’ll get you some water, then. I don’t know if you saw, but there’s a bin by your head, just in case.”
He made a noise, and the legs disappeared in a series of clicks that reverberated around his skull. There was no vomit around him, so at least that hadn’t been the reason she’d left the bin—unless it was somewhere behind him. He could have been anywhere in the library.
He couldn’t lie here forever. It was only a matter of time until the librarian kicked him out like all of the diners did, or called the police to carry him out. Maybe if he spent the afternoon sobering up in a jail cell, he’d stop drinking.
Ha. Fat chance of that.
With a groan, he wriggled across the floor like a snake that hadn’t yet digested its last meal. When his forehead touched the bookshelf, he stopped to start the long process of heaving himself into a sit. By the time the legs got back, he was hunched over with his back pressed to the books and his arm around the bin.
“You’re sitting up. Good.”
He tried to nod, but his head was too heavy to move, so he grunted. Above the legs was a red and white dress that came to a rest at the knee, cinched around a curvy waist. If he tilted his head just a bit, he could see a face, too, but it was too pretty and twisted in disappointment, so he focused on her knees.
“Here. Drink some water.” She knelt, and his stomach lurched, but he reached a quaking hand toward the cup she held anyway.
“Thank you,” he managed before pressing the cup to his dry lips. His throat wanted him to chug, but his stomach did not, so he tried to half-gulp, tongue lapping against the water like a dog. When he drained the whole cup, he started to throw it away, but cool hands stopped him.
“Do you want more?” she asked.
He wanted to lie, to deny the fact that he was both intruding in her space and taking advantage of her hospitality, but he was too thirsty. “Yes. Please.”
****
By the time she returned, he was retching into the bin, so she left the water glass and disappeared. It must have been almost time for the library to open, though even if there had been a clock near him, he wouldn’t have been able to focus on it.
He hung over the bin, clutching it to his chest like a lover, but he was mostly just dry heaving by the time she came back with a plate of toast.
“Eat,” she said when he tried to wiggle away, sounding like a long-ago memory of nuns during Sunday school.
“Oh, no, I—you’ve been too kind already.”
“Then don’t think of it as kindness,” she said, setting the plate down next to him. “Eat so that you don’t throw up all over my floor.”
She produced a paper towel from behind her, and started mopping off his mouth. He wasn’t so scummy as to let a strange librarian wipe off his sick, and he gripped the paper towel to do it for her.
“Your hands are shaking,” she said, leaning back onto her heels. The thought of even trying to balance like that made his throbbing head ache more.
“Just need a little pick me up,” he said, folding the towel up when he was finished with it.
“Unfortunately, this is a library, and we are fresh out of alcohol, so you’ll have to settle for water.”
She looked at him, face set in a hard line, and he swallowed. Water it was, then.
****
He laid on the floor, legs propped against the wall, and drank water half upside-down. The librarian said this would help his headache, and it was making his stomach feel a little better too.
“Thank you,” he said, blinking up at her. At this angle, he should have had to work hard not to look up her skirt, but the thick fabric blocked his view every time. Maybe this was God easing up on punishing him for the drink by not making him exert effort to preserve this woman’s modesty.
“Are you feeling up to standing yet? Maybe making it to a chair?” she asked. “The library was supposed to open half an hour ago.”
“Oh, fuck, I’m sorry,” he said, and then his stomach lurched. His stupid mouth—he should have died last night. “I’ll get out—if I could just take some water?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, you’ll never make it far. I just want to move you to my office.”
He didn’t know what to say to that. Instead of speaking, he thanked God for guiding him to collapse in the library where there was a sympathetic miracle, and started to shift to his feet.
****
Her office was cluttered and the chairs were uncomfortable, but it was quiet and softly lit, and anything was better than the dirty floor. He nibbled on toast and sipped water while she opened the library up, grateful that he wouldn’t have to sit in some diner with the knowledge that he couldn’t pay for anything they served him.
There were books all over the tiny room—and not library books, either, but books that he was sure belonged just to the librarian. Why she needed a second room of them just for her was beyond him, but then, so were most intellectual endeavors right now.
He was starting to feel like he might be able to leave soon as long as he could look at a map first and figure out how to get back to the church from here. A taxi would be nice, but he couldn’t pay for one, so a bus would have to do.
The librarian popped her head in, and he almost up-ended his water cup in surprise. “How are you feeling, Father?”
“Better. Good enough to go home, I think.” It wasn’t lying if he didn’t pretend to be positive about it.
“Do you work at St. Rita’s?” She jerked her thumb toward the side wall, indicating that it must have been near, and in that direction.
Had he really made it all the way to St. Rita’s? How had he gotten this turned around? “No—St. Joseph’s.”
The woman snorted, and his instinct was to bow his head and make himself look smaller. “I don’t think you can make it yet, Father. I don’t want you dying on the way. You can stay here all afternoon, I don’t mind.”
He took a bite of toast, too overcome in his hung over state to speak. God had sent him a blessing—or guided him to a blessing, really—and he couldn’t even string two words together. He was a joke.
****
“My name is Belle,” she said, popping her head in. “Do you need anything other than toast?”
Belle was a pretty name. He should probably say something in response to her, instead of staring in disbelief at the fact that pretty Belle the librarian was offering him things other than toast. He was lucky if he was offered use of a free water fountain usually.
“Uh—MacAvoy. Father Joseph MacAvoy.”
“Father Joseph and St. Joseph’s?” She chuckled to herself, then shook her head. “Sorry, you probably get that all the time.”
“It was one of the reasons I picked it, actually,” he said, feeling his stomach lurch with the extra talking. “Couldn’t make a decision, so I figured it was a sign.”
“Seems as good a reason as any.” She walked around the desk and took a seat in the swivel-chair, big and plush enough to dwarf her tiny frame. “Do you live on this side of the city?”
He shook his head, then squeezed his eyes shut when he grew to regret the action. “I don’t really know how I got here.”
She made a noise, and he wasn’t sure if it was disapproval or sympathy. Disapproval was more likely, but at least she wasn’t looking at him like the waitresses did at all his usual diners.
“Do you usually drink like this?”
He could have lied. The thought fluttered across his mind, but the thought of lying made him anxious—he wasn’t particularly good at it. She would know. “Yes.”
“Why?”
He finished his toast, and took a tiny sip of water. Maybe a confession would be good for his soul—a confession not bleated to the middle of his bathroom with his head in the toilet. “I don’t know. It’s easier than dealing with my failures, I guess.”
“What failures?”
He looked down at his water cup, and gave a mirthless chuckle. “I’ve let my church fall into disrepair. No one comes to mass anymore. I don’t even hold mass anymore. I drink too much. I have no money. I wind up in places across town that I didn’t even know existed.” He shook his head, slowly this time. “I’m worthless.”
Belle stood up, and he wanted to sink into his chair. She was going to insist that he leave now, that he take his sorry arse out of her library and go muck up some other building.
Instead, she stopped behind him and ruffled his hair as if he were a young boy who’d done something precious. “You’re not worthless. You’re just a little lost.”
‘A little lost’ was an understatement, but MacAvoy didn’t protest, just closed his eyes and leaned against her hand. It had been so long since someone had handled him without being rough and even longer since someone had touched his hair.
“I’ll be back in a bit, okay? I have to go set up a reading room for a school visit. There’s more bread in the cupboard, and I think there might be some jam in the fridge.”
“Okay,” he said, stomach sinking at the thought of her leaving. He never wanted her hand removed from his head. “Thank you.”
“It’s not a problem.”
****
It should have been a problem. There was a lavatory connected to Belle’s office, and five minutes after she left saw him curled around her toilet, heaving up the toast he’d just finished. He needed more whiskey, but the bottle he kept in his jacket had disappeared. He suspected that it had had help.
When he was certain that he had nothing left in him to lose, he flushed the toilet and went to rinse his mouth, wobbling on sweat-slicked legs. Maybe he would die here in this library. It wasn’t ideal, but at least it wasn’t an alleyway.
“Father?” Belle’s voice was followed by two short raps on the door. “Are you all right?”
“I am now,” he muttered, glaring at himself in the mirror. He looked gaunt, with dark circles under his eyes and ghostly cheeks. “I think that was the worst of it.”
“I have some mouthwash in the lower cupboard, and paper cups as well. You’re welcome to use it.”
“Thanks.” He lowered himself inch by inch until he was eye-level with the door, then opened it. Inside was all manner of things—toilet rolls, tissue boxes, jugs of soap to refill the dispensers, a first aid kit. He retrieved the mouth wash with shaking hands, then a paper cup, and his stomach lurched at the idea of harsh mint.
He managed to swish it around in his mouth for fifteen of the suggested thirty seconds, spitting it out when he felt a gag coming up. When he finally stumbled back into Belle’s office, she was sitting in her chair with a bottle of cleaner.
“Do you want to shower?” she asked, and he almost fell back into the lavatory.
“What?”
“There’s a shower in that far stall. You’re welcome to use whatever soap and shampoo is in there.”
It would be nice to be clean, but all of his clothes would still be grimy. Maybe he should just wash them in the shower too. Maybe he should stay in Belle’s shower for the rest of his meager, pitiful life.
“Sure. Thanks.”
“I’ll spray your clothes.” She held up the cleaner. “It’s not a wash, but it’s better than nothing. It’ll disinfect, at least.”
“Thank you.” He wobbled back toward the bathroom, but paused in the doorway. ‘Thank you’ felt so inadequate.
“It’s amazing, what you’re doing,” he said, trying to draw on the ability to talk that had gotten him into the priesthood. “Not many people would do this.”
Belle flushed, shaking her head like he’d just told her she had toilet roll stuck to her skirt. “Anyone would. It’s the right thing.”
He smiled. It was nice knowing there were people who thought that way without having taken any vows.
****
The shower helped more than anything, and instead of putting on his clothes, he let Belle spray them and hang them outside while he walked around wrapped in a clean towel. It was nice to be clean.
He made himself another piece of toast and curled back up in the chair. There had been men’s shampoo in the shower, much nicer than the generic that he usually bought for himself. Did that mean there was a man who worked in the library? Someone who shared a shower with Belle?
Unbidden, the image of Belle sharing a shower with a faceless man—who, from the back, looked a lot like Hugh Grant—sprung to his mind, and he flushed, fumbling to cross himself. He shouldn’t be thinking of anyone like that, much less his savior. Besides, Belle didn’t seem like the type of person to just share showers with her coworkers.
Maybe she was married. He hadn’t thought to check her hands for a ring, but it would make sense. She was beautiful and kind, with the kind of fluttering eyelashes that could drive a man to buying expensive jewelry and making eternal vows. He would have to look at her hands.
And maybe ask for coffee. His head was starting to beg for it.
****
Apparently, there was a coffee carafe in the library, and Belle brought him a cup as soon as he mentioned it. He wanted to be more self-sufficient, but she didn’t want a man in a towel wandering around her library, and truthfully, he didn’t want to wander around.
Belle didn’t seem to mind taking care of him anyway. It was good for her soul, he reasoned, and it was doing wonders for his as well.
She wasn’t wearing any rings, but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t in a relationship. Maybe she was planning on getting engaged. Maybe he could officiate at the wedding, waive the church-renting fee in repayment of her kindness.
That’s what he would do. He would get his act together—maybe Belle would allow him to see her once a week or so for a chat—and then the church would understand having to do this. It was perfect.
****
“Belle,” he said the next time she sat down. His coffee cup was empty and his body ached all over, but he thought he might have been done throwing up.
“Hmm?” She was turned to her computer, probably pulling up a web catalogue or something.
“I want to thank you, for all of this.” He gestured around, and she looked up from her screen with a frown.
“You did. Several times. And you’re welcome—it’s no trouble at all, really.”
“I see that—you’re not married,” he began, wishing he had the wood of confession between them so that he would not have seen her startled jump and hurried glance at her ring finger.
“No, I am very single. Sometimes people think I’m engaged to the library, though.”
A tingly feeling spread along his spine at that confession, but he ignored it. “Well, I can’t officiate at that wedding.”
“Pardon?” She tilted her head at him.
This conversation would probably have gone a lot more smoothly had he not been wrapped in a towel. He swallowed, fiddling with the edge of it.
“That’s really the only thing I can offer you in return. If you wanted to get married in my church, we could do it for free.”
Her smile lit up the whole room, and the knot in his chest eased a little. She didn’t think he was creepy for talking about her future marriage—although a stupid part of him had hoped she might look a little scandalized at the thought of a relationship.
“That’s very thoughtful of you, but even if I was getting married, I couldn’t accept.”
He frowned, forehead creasing. “Why not?” Was his kindness less acceptable than hers?
“I’m not Catholic.”
There was silence, and then a strange buzzing filled his head. He had not factored this into his thought process. “What?”
“I’m not Catholic. I’m Protestant.”
Protestant? He had not foreseen this.
****
The door slammed open, and MacAvoy jumped, clutching at his towel before it could slip away from his thighs. Was Belle angry now? He turned, but instead of Belle, there was a wild man in a kilt stomping toward the mini-fridge.
He should say something. Would Belle want a thug who smelled like stale mud rummaging through her things?
The man whipped around and hunched his shoulders, like a tiger about to pounce, and his bright-eyed gaze froze MacAvoy to his chair. His upper lip lifted in a snarl, and he flipped the mustard jar in his hand as though he meant to stab him with it.
“Well, well. What do we have here?” He threw his shoulders back, swaggering closer like he owned every inch of space around him. MacAvoy could only stare, wishing he was dressed and maybe a little bit drunk to stop his shaking.
“Oi, where are your manners? I asked you a fucking question.” He slapped the mustard onto the desk before grabbing MacAvoy’s chin and yanking his head forward.
“I—I—” He just wanted to cross himself, but he couldn’t move, and all he could think was please, please, please, please, please.
“What, are you stupid and naked?”
“Please,” he wheezed, shaking like a wet dog. “Please don’t hurt me.”
He tugged harder on his chin, and MacAvoy gulped. “I’ll consider it. Who are you, and what the fuck are you doing in Belle’s office?”
“F-Father MacAvoy.” He swallowed, feeling his Adam’s apple bob along his taut throat.
“A priest, eh? Forsaking your vows for some carnal pleasures?”
MacAvoy blushed from the roots of his hair to the backs of his knees. “N-no! I passed out a-and Belle found me! That’s—that’s all. I swear.”
The man tilted his face to the left and then the right, making his eyes water with pain, but then dropped him and backed off. MacAvoy all but melted back into his chair, wishing he could disappear.
“So a disgraced priest, then?” He picked up the mustard and went back to the fridge.
“Yes.” The admission hurt, but it was overshadowed by his relief at still having a head, and as soon as he could move his hands again, he rubbed at his throat. “But I’d like to try again.”
“It’ll never work. You’ll have to change cities. Once everyone knows you’re a fuck-up failure, everyone expects it of you.”
MacAvoy swallowed, watching the man pull out sliced cheese and ham. “That’s not true,” he said, though there were about fifteen pubs that would contradict him.
“It is, and the faster you learn that, the better you’ll survive. Take it from me.”
“And who are you?” He tried to ask gently, so that the man would know he was genuinely curious and not trying to slight him.
He whirled around, kilt belling out in a flash of tartan, and then sank into a bow. “Nosty, at your service.”
MacAvoy was glad that he was no longer looking like he meant to take a fatal bite out of his neck, but he was still wary. The smile he tried came out as more of a grimace. “It’s very nice to meet you, Nosty.”
“Oi, don’t fucking lie to me, priest. You don’t want God to smite you.”
MacAvoy swallowed. It wasn’t a lie, not completely—Nosty seemed like the sort of person he could help, and he wanted to be drawn to help people. On the other hand, Nosty also seemed like the sort of man to bite the hand that feeds him.
“Here.” Nosty bounded over, sandwich in one hand, and bottle of something red and a spoon in the other. “You’re hung over?”
“Uh—aye. A bit, yeah.” ‘A bit’ was an understatement.
“Try this.” He held the sandwich between his teeth, and then poured a measure of the red bottle’s contents into the spoon.
MacAvoy reached a shaking hand out for it, too terrified to disobey, but even more terrified to actually put it in his mouth. “What is it?”
“Hot sauce. Eat it, it’ll help.”
It didn’t occur to MacAvoy that he might have been pulling his leg until the spoon was up against his lips and it was too late to not ingest any. With a quick prayer, he slurped down the spoon’s contents.
For a few seconds, all was quiet. Then, a fire flared in his throat and he wheezed.
“Oh, fuck.” He gasped for breath, clawing at his throat like that would somehow relieve the burn. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
He coughed, and Nosty thumped him on the back.
“Just ride it out, Father,” he said, words thick through his lunch. “It’ll be over soon.”
“Water! Please!”
“Jesus, for a man whose supposed to be smart, you sure are fucking stupid. Water won’t help.”
He let out an incoherent whimper that was meant to be another ‘fuck,’ and groped at the air like he could use it to smother the flames in his mouth. Then, the door opened, and Nosty was standing to block him from it before he could even see the swish of Belle’s skirt.
“Nosty!”
The delight in Belle’s soft voice froze the fire in MacAvoy’s throat. Belle liked this hellion—she liked him enough that she was happy to see him terrorizing her office. It made his stomach as hot as the rest of him.
“Hey.” Nosty spread his legs, bony backside in MacAvoy’s face, and crossed his arms. “I see you took in another stray. You turning this into an animal shelter?”
“Neither of you are animals.” She started towards them, stepping around Nosty to see MacAvoy, curled into the chair with red-rimmed eyes and pasty lips. She lurched forward, pressing a hand to his forehead. “Father, are you all right?”
“Fine,” he wheezed, just proud enough not to tattle on Nosty.
She stroked his hair back, and then her eyes fell on the bottle of hot sauce. “Nosty, what did you do?”
“Just trying to cure his hangover, sweetheart.”
MacAvoy closed his eyes, clutching at his towel, and focused on the feeling of Belle’s hand on his head. He did not want to be in the middle of this anymore.
****
Belle peeked into the empty office half an hour or so later. MacAvoy had been napping, but it was hard to doze for long when he was naked in a tiny chair, so the sound of the door opening woke him.
“Sorry,” she said, raising a black bundle in her hand. “Your clothes smell a lot better now, if you want to get dressed.”
“Thank you.” He accepted the bundle, warm from the sunshine.
“You’re welcome to stay here as long as you like. If you want to stay until closing, I’ll drive you to the church.”
He shook his head, swallowing the bile. “You’ve already done too much for me.”
“Father.” She leaned against the door, arms folded. “You, of all people, should know how to accept kindness. Let me drive you.”
He swallowed. She was right—it was his job to teach people to be as kind as Belle, and here he was, not even letting her do what she wanted. “Okay. Thank you.”
“Great.” She pushed herself off the door.
“Wait, Belle!”
He hadn’t thought this through, and wasn’t prepared for her to return her attention to him, one eyebrow arched in question.
“Hmm?”
“Can I see you again?”
He was unaccustomed to being smiled at, but Belle was looking like he’d just proposed. He could almost imagine her saying his name the way she’d said Nosty’s—he would gladly be one of her strays, if it meant they could spend time together.
“Of course. Maybe I’ll even come to you next time.”
****
It was time to venture out into the library. MacAvoy was dressed, collar in place to dissuade any aggression on Nosty’s part, and he was feeling like he either needed a drink or some air. Since there was no liquor, air would have to do, and the quiet library was the perfect place for his still-sensitive head.
He wandered around with the care of someone who feared breaking his own legs, shuffling between bookshelves with no direction in mind. Maybe he would find Belle and listen to her talk about the library.
A wisp of red between two shelves caught his eye, and he was certain that it was Belle’s dress. He shuffled around to the aisle, mouth open in anticipation of a greeting.
When he saw her, he froze. Mouth still open, he could only stare at Belle pressed against the shelves, pinned there by Nosty’s knobby knees. MacAvoy’s first thought was that Nosty was a heathen, forcing himself on Belle—he needed to save her, to protect her. But even someone as inexperienced as MacAvoy couldn’t ignore the way Belle’s hands curled around Nosty’s leather-clad elbows or the possessive tenderness with which Nosty cupped her cheek as he pressed soft kisses into her berry-red lips.
[chapter 2]
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Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV), The Last Enemy (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: David Russell/Lacey French
Characters: Lacey (Once Upon a Time), David Russell (The Last Enemy), Gaston ( is mentioned )
Additional Tags: Romance, Making Out, 'I would kill for you' type of relationship, Developing Relationship, Relationship Goals, ( I'm kidding ), ( or maybe not... ), Anyelle, Russellacey, Established Relationship
Series: Part 1 of Russelle/Russellacey
Summary:
David confronts Lacey about the prick that's been pestering her.
#rumbelle#anyelle#anyelle fic#russellacey#lacey french#david russell#when I watched TLE I was surprised to find there are no Anyelle/Anyem fanfics with David Russell#so... I decided to fix it 😅#comments are always appreciated!
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Breaking Cycles - Epilogue
This is it, folks! One more fic all wrapped up.
Read on AO3
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TMI Tuesday?
I’ve got an hour to kill. Any questions for me?
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90 RUMBELLE + 10 ANYELLE/ANYEM FICS I THINK ABOUT A LOT
I enjoy finding interesting fics to read through rec lists, so I decided to make one myself. I've only been in the fandom for less than two years and I still have a lot to read, but these are some of my favourites so far.
1. Acceptance by Silential
Storybrooke, 9537 words, E
Rumple has gained some weight and feels self-conscious about it. Belle shows him that she loves him anyway.
2. Accord by sira_underhill
Creature AU, 7546 words, M
Rumplestiltskin is a dragon.
3. A Little Help by Crysania
Dark Castle, 2025 words, E
Table sex (poor table).
4. All I Want For Christmas Is You by lizandletdie
Non-magical AU, 16919 words, T
Neal asks Belle to pretend to be his terrible girlfriend so that his father would say please date anyone but not this one. This doesn’t go as planned.
5. Alone In My Tower by Crysania
Enchanted Forest AU, 8450 words, E
Belle’s father locks her up in the tower until she agrees to marry one of her suitors. She summons the Dark One to help her.
6. Always One More Time by Bad_Faery
Non-magical AU, 54001 words, E
Due to certain reasons Gold has excelled in oral sex and puts an online ad offering his services.
7. Any Just Cause or Impediment by suchadearie
Non-magical AU, 15287 words, E
Belle is about to marry Whale and thinks his best man, Gold, hates her (it’s actually the opposite).
8. Anything by whereismygarden
Enchanted Forest AU, 2719 words, E
A deal with the Dark One turns into friendship and then into something else.
9. A Streak of Luck by WorryinglyInnocent
Enchanted Forest AU, 27998 words, T
Belle is cursed, and she goes looking for the Dark One hoping he could help her.
10. Baby It's Cold Outside by rowofstars
Non-magical AU, 14407 words, E
Gold and his housekeeper Belle are stuck in his house due to a blizzard.
11. Balancing the Books by BarPurple
Non-magical AU, 3302 words, E
Angry oral sex in the library.
12. Braided Leather and Smooth Skin by ZionAngel
Storybrooke, 5010 words, E, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Rumple has nightmares about Belle being whipped, and she suggests to fight fire with fire.
13. Buried Treasure by Emospritelet
Storybrooke, 19860 words, E
Lacey decides to distract Gold from his thoughts about Belle and hides his ring in an interesting place.
14. Buttoned Up by nerdrumple
Non-magical AU, 24343 words, E
Belle doesn’t feel beautiful, but it doesn't stop her from masturbating at her workplace. Gold accidentally witnesses it.
15. Chevalier by oceanofdarkness
Dark Castle, 2363 words, E
Gaston comes to rescue his fiancee and sees something unexpected.
16. Dark Castle series by extree
Dark Castle, 23354 words, G, T
Dark Castle fluff.
17. Darkest by ScarletteStarlett
Dark Castle, 1847 words, E, Rape/Non-Con
Rumplestiltskin is as dark as he claims to be.
18. Dark Heart by Emospritelet
Non-magical AU, 122667 words, E
Two years ago Gold and Belle broke up, and she left town. Now she is back, and apparently she has a baby.
+ 19. Twisted Fate by Emospritelet
Non-magical AU, 110565 words, E
Everything pre-breakup is the same as in "Dark Heart", but at some point Belle manages to tell Gold she is pregnant.
20. Dark Lover by woodelf
Storybrooke, 2932 words, E
Rumbelle roleplay (with dirty talk).
21. Desperate Souls by rowofstars
Non-magical AU, 25227 words (7/? chapters), E
Belle needs money, so she agrees to do some lingerie modelling for Gold.
22. Discreet by whereismygarden
Dark Castle, 1721 words, E
Rumple catches Belle masturbating.
23. Double the Meaning by BarPurple
Dark Castle, 1936 words, E
Flirting through double entendres.
24. Essays by RosexKnight
Non-magical AU, 3977 words, E
Instead of an essay Belle turns in an erotic fairytale retelling.
25. Fair Trade by Anonymous
Enchanted Forest AU, 3233 words, M, Rape/Non-Con
Villagers make a virgin sacrifice to Rumplestiltskin.
26. Five Times series by lizandletdie
Non-magical AU, 11644 words, T, E
Belle has a crush on her new neighbour but constantly makes a fool of herself in front of him.
27. For a Good Cause by rowofstars
Non-magical AU, 5968 words, E
Chubby Belle and the green dress.
28. From Shattered Places by lizandletdie
Historical AU (non-magical), 124553 words, E, Rape/Non-Con
Lady Belle was raped by Nottingham. Mr. Gold offers her his hand in marriage of convenience.
29. Hang On Me by nerdrumple
Non-magical AU, 2930 words (1/2 chapters), E
Gold is going to hang himself when suddenly he sees Belle through the window.
30. Head over Heels by B_does_the_write_thing
Non-magical AU, 7338 words, E
Belle finds out that her boss Gold has never received a blow job.
31. Her Angel by Kelyon
Enchanted Forest AU, 8475 words, G
Belle flees from her own wedding and comes across a spinner and his son.
32. Homecoming by rowofstars
Enchanted Forest AU, 5850 words, G
Rumple goes home from the war and wonders if he would be welcomed by Belle and their newborn son.
33. Hot Cocoa and Stolen Kisses by Kelyon
Non-magical AU, 19715 words, E
Lacey tries to connect with Mr. Gold through hot chocolate.
34. In Dreams of Him by mareyshelley
Creature AU, 14958 words, E
Gold is an incubus.
35. In the Blood!Verse series by Megara Bee (Megara_Bee)
Vampire AU, 48780 words, E
Belle makes a deal with Gold, a local vampire, and he drinks her blood, but not in a usual for vampires way.
36. Layered by TheStraggletag
Non-magical AU, 9017 words, E
Mary Margaret, a famous actress, wants her wedding dress to be made by Gold, a famous designer, but doesn’t want paparazzi to know she’s getting married, so she asks her friend Belle for a favour.
37. Legal Binding by Of_Princes_and_Savages
Non-magical AU, 3375 words, E
Lawyer!Gold and his secretary Belle have fun in the car.
38. like an open book. by SerenaLyon
Dark Castle, 7782 words, E
Light BDSM in the Dark Castle.
39. Liminal Space by rufeepeach
Non-magical AU, 18997 words, E
Midnight bonding of two broken hearts through an act of vandalism in a parking lot.
40. Lipstick Kisses by mareyshelley
Non-magical AU, 39060 words, E
Lacey has broken up their secret relationship with Gold, but now she has another secret.
41. Love Me Before The Last Petal Falls by DeliriumsDelight7
Hanahaki Disease AU, 5697 words (1/4 chapters), M
Unrequited love makes Belle cough up flower petals.
42. Married to the Magic by Crysania
Dark Castle, 11076 words, E
Accidental marriage through drinking some strange tea.
43. Midnight Rides by Maplesyrup
Non-magical AU, 8406 words, E
Belle and Gold often take night rides in his car, both thinking that the other isn’t really interested.
44. Mr. Good Mood series by lizandletdie
Non-magical AU, 23250 words, G, M, E
Belle spends a night with an older man and soon realises he is her friend's father.
45. Necessary Roughness by Shipperqueen
Storybrooke, 8598 words, E
Belle pretends to be Lacey so that Rumple could be rougher with her.
46. Neverland by Emospritelet
Non-magical AU, 79107 words, E
Belle wants her first time to be special, so she hires an escort. She definitely doesn't expect her teacher to show up.
47. Nightcap by Mrs_Stiltskin (Lady_Belles_Teacup)
Storybrooke, 2616 words, E
PWP with lactation kink.
48. Not A Prince by LicieOIC
Storybrooke s2, 2515 words, E
At least someone comes to the library to unchain Belle...
49. Of Greasepaint and Flyers by Bad_Faery
Non-magical AU, 14041 words, E
Circus AU.
50. Old Names and New Titles by rufeepeach
Storybrooke, 4277 words, T
Belle and Gold babysit Henry.
51. One Small Spark by Bad_Faery
Dark Castle, 5471 words, E, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Regina didn’t lie about the clerics.
52. On the Shores of Loch Katrine by PhoenixTalon
Non-magical AU, 53036 words, E
To inherit his grandfather’s estate in Scotland, Gold needs to get married.
53. Our Way to Fall by nerdrumple
Non-magical AU, 17670 words, E
Belle wants her mother’s necklace back, and Gold suggests her to do something shocking for it. He doesn’t expect her to agree.
54. Pages of Reverie by chippedcupwrites
Dark Castle, 2002 words, T
Belle stumbles upon a book with a sleeping curse and sees strange fairytailish dreams of herself and someone else.
55. Red Lights by rufeepeach
Non-magical AU, 30855 words, E
Gold is a 45-year-old virgin and hires an escort to finally experience sex.
56. Refuge by Fyre
Dark Castle, 13024 words, M, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Belle, desperate and scared, comes knocking at the Dark Castle doors.
57. Representation by AngelofDarkness1605
Storybrooke, 18711 words, M
Watching porn together turns out to be good for the relashionship.
58. Room to Breathe by Bad_Faery
Non-magical AU, 10124 words, M
Gold is a hoarder, Neal hires Belle to help him declutter.
59. Sacrifice by guinevere_grey
Dark Castle, 4755 words, E
When Rumplestiltskin claims her as his price, Belle expects him to have sex with her, but time goes by, nothing’s happening, and she loses her patience.
60. Santa Baby by lizandletdie
Storybrooke, 3859 words, E
Gold and Lacey celebrate Christmas with anal sex.
61. She Can't Help It by wonderwoundedhearers
Enchanted Forest AU, 7453 words, E
Ella Enchanted AU.
62. Shelter From the Storm by lizandletdie
Non-magical AU, 49605 words, M, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
They meet at a domestic violence shelter.
63. Sparks by Emospritelet
Dark Castle, 9291 words (5/? chapters), E
Rumple, Belle, and a little dragon in the Dark Castle.
64. Swipe Right by B_does_the_write_thing
Non-magical AU, 1972 words, M
Annoying loved ones make Belle and Gold try online dating.
65. Tattercloak by DeliriumsDelight7
Enchanted Forest AU, 41320 words, T
Retelling of the fairytale “Allerleirauh”.
66. Temptation by MelissaBosquez
Dark Castle, 6157 words, E
Rumple is like, be careful with my things, maid, or I’ll spank you! Belle is like, hope this doesn’t awaken anything in me…
67. The Best Ideas are Found in Books by JediAnnieScrambler
Enchanted Forest AU, 977 words, E
Belle masturbates to a picture of the Dark One and accidentally summons him.
68. The Big Tease by TheNaughtyScandalousScorpio
Dark Castle, 14537 words, E
Belle finds an interesting book.
69. The Caretaker by TheStraggletag
Non-magical AU, 23093 words, E
Sugar Daddy AU.
70. the course of our fate by bayloriffic
Non-magical AU, 53445 words, E, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Belle is a prostitute, Gold is a cop, Gaston is the worst.
71. The Cradle Will Rock by Bad_Faery
Non-magical AU, 4251 words, E
All Gold wanted was a child, not to fall in love with the surrogate mother.
72. The Enchanted Florists by B_does_the_write_thing
Non-magical AU, 4339 words, T
Belle asks her boss Gold to go to her ex’s wedding with her.
73. The Essence of Life by Bad_Faery
Enchanted Forest AU, 8727 words, E
Belle is unhappily married to Gaston and wants a child. The Dark One can help.
74. The Finfolk's Bride series by chippedcupwrites
Creature AU, 3397 words, G, T
Rumple is a merman.
75. The Future's So Bright by ThatRavenclawBitch
Storybrooke, 46183 words, E
Belle and Rumple got divorced after s6. Three years later Belle wants another baby.
76. The Gods of Our Shores by Lady_Therion
Creature AU, 9054 words, E
Belle makes a deal with Rumplestiltskin. Who lives in the sea and has tentacles.
77. The Nanny by ThatRavenclawBitch
Storybrooke, 16511 words, E
Belle and Rumple are divorced, and Belle is looking for a nanny for their daughter. Rumple sees an opportunity.
78. The One Where Belle is a Real Estate Agent and Gold is a Ghost by RosexKnight
Ghost AU, 2901 words (2/? chapters), G
Belle, a real estate agent, tries to sell Mr. Gold’s house, but it’s hard because Mr. Gold is still kinda there.
79. The Pages In Between by ThatRavenclawBitch
Non-magical AU, 30395 words, E
Gold has a crush on his new tenant. Finding a lingerie magazine with her half-naked photos doesn't make it easier.
80. The Queen's Request by B_does_the_write_thing
Enchanted Forest AU, 8550 words, E
Queen Belle has witnessed an act of oral sex between her handmaidens and wants to experience that herself. Her useless husband Gaston sends to her a peasant from a local village.
81. The Rare Books Crises by tinytorso
Non-magical AU, 3731 words, E
Books help Belle attract Mr. Gold’s attention.
82. The Safest Place by TheStraggletag
Dark Castle, 5184 words, T
Due to some timey-wimey baby Gideon appears in the Dark Castle.
83. The Spirit of the Trees by woodelf
Creature AU, 7320 words, E
Rumple is a tree spirit, and Belle is a curious woman.
84. To Have and to Hold by ThatRavenclawBitch
Non-magical AU, 36632 words, E
Belle and Gold want to divorce but have to pretend to be together for the sake of Neal’s wedding.
85. Travelling Light by francoeurs
Enchanted Forest, 12847 words, E
During her adventures Belle meets Rumple again, and they continue the journey together.
86. True Scotsman by WorryinglyInnocent
Non-magical AU, 1559 words, E
Wearing a kilt has certain advantages.
87. Virgin's Blood by lizandletdie
Dark Castle, 5542 words, E
Belle finding an interesting book is the best premise for PWP (with BDSM).
88. Waiting Game by Emospritelet
Non-magical AU, 29842 words, E
Lacey offers Gold (her college friend Neal’s father) to wait for Neal in her room.
89. you owe me. I own you. series by SerenaLyon
Storybrooke s6, 7052 words, E
Jealous Belle decides that Rumple owes her 42 orgasms.
90. Your Mileage May Vary by Endangered_Slug
Non-magical AU, 3557 words, T
At Neal’s wedding Milah is annoyed by a loud couple in the hotel room next door.
ANYEMS
(I definitely need to read more of that lol😅)
1. Beast!Rush series by Bad_Faery
SGU, 40325 words, E
Rush has pricked himself with some alien bush and starts acting like an animal.
2. Breaking Cycles by DeliriumsDelight7
California Solo, 154826 words, E
Lachlan returns to Scotland and meets a pretty librarian (who turns out to have a lot of inner demons too).
3. Fragile by Emospritelet
SGU, 6689 words, E, Underage
Rush goes to a bar before starting a new job at a school and meets Belle. Nothing can go wrong, right?
4. How Do You Sleep? 'Verse series by ifishouldvanish
California Solo, 56286 words, M
Threatened with deportation, Lachlan contacts his estranged wife Lacey he married some years ago.
5. If Only for a Moment by ifishouldvanish
Hamish MacBeth, 5320 words, E
Cockblock brigades exist everywhere including Lochdubh, and Belle has to fabricate a crime to get some time alone with Hamish.
6. Let's Spend the Night Together by ifishouldvanish
SGU, 10334 words, E
Lacey is Rush’s roommate. Rush can repair stargates but can't repair heaters, so they have to find a way to keep warm.
7. The Books That Bind by TheScholarlyStrumpet (equipoise)
Hamish MacBeth, 3525 words, T
Belle, a new librarian, and Hamish find a shared interest in books.
8. The Fractures Within Us by Lady_Therion
Summer, 4880 words, M
Shaun is prescribed physical therapy. Belle is his therapist, and she is mute.
9. The Oldest Profession by orphan_account
The Legend of Barney Thomson, 10067 words, E
Belle is a prostitute who needs a haircut.
10. The Sweetest of Sins by snafumoofins
Operation: Endgame, The Tournament, 3220 words, E, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Hiero has a crush on a local priest.
#rumbelle#rumbelle fic rec#anyem#anyelle#will probably make another part (who knew a tumblr post can only fit 100 links lol)#I know most of these are very popular and obvious and everyone has already read everything and the fandom is barely alive but whatever#I tried to put everything in the alphabetical order (mostly)#not sure about everyone's tumblr urls so not adding any
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Does anyone know a website for making fake MySpace or Something Awful screenshots? I can do it in GIMP if I have to but it’s so much easier on those sketchy fake screenshot websites
#or if anyone has period-accurate MySpace or Something Awful screenshots that they wouldn’t mind me editing the hell out of#I want to include some in my fic for Flavor™️ since some of it happens in the equivalent of the early 2000s#and I’m trying to avoid having to digging around the wayback machine for MySpace pages that I think fit the vibe#Something Awful won’t be too bad since it was just a forum (and therefore had no custom HTML themes/pages AFAIK)#but the MySpace screenshot spoofing intimidates me.#anyway I might start a tag for my V*anyel/St*fen nuclear weapons AU at this point. hmmmm#gay herald in a squirrel suit
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2024 Chipped Cup Awards - Masterlist
Here, once again, are the winners of the 2024 Chipped Cup Awards
FLUFF:
Family: Tea and Roses by @thatravenclawbitch
Comfort: Struck By a Golden Arrow by @avatoh
Fix-it: Ritual by @peacehopeandrats
Reunion: A Dream is a Wish by @rowofstars
SMUT:
Kink/BDSM: On The House by @kelyon
Romance: Brandy, Apples, and Spice by @rufeepeach
Comedy: Accidents by @peacehopeandrats
Threesome: Fulfilling a Fantasy by @thescholarlystrumpet
First Time: Queen Takes Knight by @emospritelet
PWP: In the Dark and Wicked Hours by @rowofstars
ANGST:
Death: Strong for Belle by @desperatemurph
Hurts So Good: To Have and To Hold by @thatravenclawbitch
Misunderstanding: Unexpected But Not Unwelcome by @tickletorso
ROMANCE:
Date (overall) Lost and Found by @peacehopeandrats
Courtship: The Sweetest Dream by @threepwoodmarley
First Meeting: Portrait of the Heart by @chippedcupwrites
GENERAL:
One Shot: Pages of Reverie by @chippedcupwrites
Series: Lover’s Leap by @eirian-houpe
Novel Length: Mountains, Streams, and Magical Things by @peacehopeandrats
Short Fic: Babysitting by @timelordthirteen
Holiday Centric: Brandy, Apples, and Spice by @rufeepeach
Remix: Our Masks by @lotus0kid
Crossover: A Blade for Belfrey by @eirian-houpe
Dark Castle: Marble by @peacehopeandrats
Storybrooke: Leaving Storybrooke by @peacehopeandrats
"Missing Years": The Tent of Infinite Adventure by @peacehopeandrats
Wish!Verse: Deception by @eirian-houpe
SPECIAL CATEGORIES:
Golden Lace: The Storybrooke Whisky Appreciation Society by @threepwoodmarley
Woven Beauty: Undefined Desires by @worryinglyinnocent
Background Swanfire: To Have and to Hold by @thatravenclawbitch
Afterlife: Granted by @peacehopeandrats
Drama: Love Me Before the Last Petal Falls by @deliriumsdelight7
Supernatural/Sci-fi/Horror: The Cunning by @mareyshelley
Comedy: Lacey and the Tramp by @chippedcupwrites
AU-Original: Wretched Beginnings by @poorobscureplainandlittle
AU- OUAT: Tales of Gold by @JurisLadyAnna
AU-Other Media: The Black Swan by @deliriumsdelight7
Creature: The Finfolk’s Bride by @chippedcupwrites
Unexpected Twist: Contract by @kelyon
Bobby Squared: A Blade for Belfrey by @eirian-houpe
Trope: Love Me Before the Last Petal Falls by @deliriumsdelight7
English Language: To Nurse by @charon53
EVENTS
RSS: If You Will Be My Queen by @eirian-houpe
Fluffapalooza (Fic): The Tea Shop by @peacehopeandrats
Fluffapalooza (Art): Kiss Me Again, It’s Working by @milaeryn
Monthly Rumbelling: The Landlord and the Princess by @Rumplerose (AO3)
CHARACTER AWARDS
Belle: The Not So Dark One by @charlotteashmore13
Dark One!Belle: Rags to Riches by @alphashley14
Lacey: Sore Hearted Souls by @nerdrumple
Spinner!Rumple: Witch and Spinner by @Strummer_Pinks
Dark One!Rumple: Gilded by @eirian-houpe
Wish!Rumple: Once There Was a Wish by @peacehopeandrats
Mr. Gold: The Caretaker by @thestraggletag
Detective Weaver: Forgery by @peacehopeandrats
Baelfire/Neal: A House Built With Love by @of-princes-and-savages
Gideon: Finding You by @clarahue
OC Rumbelle Child: The Zoo by @peacehopeandrats
Villain: Cora in On the House by @kelyon
BFF/Wingman: Mountains, Streams, and Magical Things by @peacehopeandrats
ART
Fan Art: Kiss Me Again, It’s Working by @milaeryn
Graphic Art: And Love is When Someone Who Even KNows Your Scars Stays To Kiss You by @chippedcupwrites
AU In Art: Belle Isn’t Fascinated by the Idea of Marrying Gaston by @notonlymice
Fluff Art: Belle French and the Dork One by @chippedcupwrites
Angsty Art: In My Memory It Doesn’t End by @ace-cf-cups
Comic/Graphic Novel: Wearing Each Other’s Clothes by @angelqueen13art
Use of Color: Kiss Me Again, It’s Working by @milaeryn
Video: Your Beauty Never Ever Scared Me by @chippedcupwrites
SUPERLATIVES:
Best Artist: @chippedcupwrites
Best Author: @kelyon
Best New Author: @ace-cf-cups
Best Rumbelle Fic: The Language of Flowers by @deliriumsdelight7
Best Anyelle Fic: Let’s Spend the Night Together by @ifishouldvanish
Best Anyem Fic: Tyger Tyger by @shakespeareanhoneybadgers
Rumbelle Lifetime Achievement: @jackabelle73
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February Prompts
Yay, we survived January - Let's make February a good month for fics!
Moodboard:
Non-smut: Game night with friends
Smut: Battle, berry, sports, hypnotize
Random: (Movie quote): "The key to a woman's heart is an unexpected gift at an unexpected time." - Finding Forrester (2000)
gif:
A reminder for all:
If the prompts are 3-5 words you don’t have to include all of them. Imaginary bonus points if you do :) but zero stress they just have to include a couple in some fashion so it fits the prompt.
If the prompt is a quote you can include it at any point, it doesn’t have to be the opening line.
If the prompt is the image moodboard (multiple images) you can be inspired by one of them, be inspired by two, be inspired by the lot, get a feeling from the thing and not one of the images specifically - it’s all good. There is no wrong way to approach this.
If the images on the moodboard are of Robert or Emilie’s non-rumbelle characters (eg Rush, Macavoy, Claire, Heiro…), don’t feel you have to use that character. They’re just there for a bit of variety.
Anyelle and anyem are welcome if you do want to use them, though!
if you are inspired by the gif prompt, similarly, your creativity is your only limit. It’ll be a real treat to see you might come up with.
Happy Rumbelling!
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What’s the slander squad?
The Stalk Squad are a few people—possibly even just one person—who are currently combing through my blog (which has been up and active since 2011) hunting for problematic things I’ve said to prove I’m an evil person and that my blog is a wretched hive of scum and villainy. There is a post currently going around the ST fandom that is worthy of quite the eyeroll if you know me at all. It’s a big mix of out of context caps from my blog and straight up lies, such as:
“Phoenix wrote a fic about 11-year-old Erica and 20-year-old Eddie!” Didn’t happen. I ship Erica with Dustin and Eddie with Chrissy. No one else.
“Okay, well Phoenix SUPPORTS fics about 11-year-old-Erica and 20-year-old Eddie” Nope. (I am vehemently against censorship, which means supporting dead doves and dead dove writers, so if you think I’m going to point at another writer who writes disturbing content so y’all can harass them? Forget it.)
“Phoenix AGES UP Erica to write smut about her!” Never wrote smut about Erica. Have written her at ages 16, with a crush on Dustin, and as an adult with two kids. Again. With Dustin.
“SHE REC’D A FIC ABOUT ERICA AND EDDIE” I rec’d a fic featuring adult Erica and adult Eddie that several friends of mine, who are more polyamorous with their Eddie ships than I am, really enjoyed. I haven’t read this fic. Because I like Hellcheer and Dusterica.
“She has a fic about 16-year-old Chrissy and adult Eddie” yep, I sure do. They ain’t real, friends. (Really enjoying a fic about Anna, from Grace Van Dien’s film Roost and Michael, Joseph Quinn’s character in Hoard and can I just say I love that Hellcheer is following in its parent Rumbelle’s footsteps in trying out Anyelle? Anyway, quite the disturbing age difference between Anna and Michael, and it is deliciously creepy, and guess what, no one is getting hurt because THEY AIN’T REAL.) (Yes, I have just decided Rumbelle is the parent of Hellcheer. The Rumbelle pipeline is REAL.)
“She rec’d a dead dove fic about Chrissy and Eddie” An anon linked me this fic to which I responded with a vague eyeball emoji. (I clicked on the fic, read the tags, decided they would be triggering for me, and did this wild thing called exiting out of a fic and moving on with my life.) Because you can do that. You can look at a fic and go “gross” or “this gives me the ick” or “wow this is violently triggering to me, sure glad the author utilized trigger warnings and tags to forewarn me about the content, thank you author, peace out”.
“She weaponizes her trauma as a CSA victim” I am literally just existing. I don’t send anons, I don’t send hate, I mainly just stay on my feed and answer asks that I get sent or occasionally explore the Hellcheer tag. I have been open about being a CSA victim, which makes the P*%$ accusations particularly galling. I would hazard a guess that creating a post to “callout” someone in an attempt to encourage others to harass, bully, and doxx someone else would be far more in the realm of “weaponizing trauma” than me stating I am a CSA victim and I am very against censorship of any kind, whether it’s Ron DeSantis banning books or teenagers whingeing about AO3 content they can easily filter out but are too used to being spoonfed algorithmic content.
“She ate the pretend fake baby of one writer and Eddie Munson!” Actually this is true, I did eat that baby, it was delicious sautéed in butter.
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For Your Consideration
In light of the fact that the nomination deadline has been extended, I am going ahead and putting some suggestions out there for fics that could be nominated. I've chosen some of my lesser known fics for this purpose.
Time's Curse
Never fall in love - such is the admonition given to Rumplestiltskin. Blue sees fit to interfere with his plan to reach a world without magic by sending him there herself so that he can pursue his quest to find his son, but he is not alone in this world without magic, nor does it appear that he is entirely free to live his life as he would wish. In the course of his seemingly fruitless search for Baelfire, Rumplestiltskin takes a job as a history teacher at an exclusive private school, and there meets Isabelle - the French teacher. All of a sudden that interdiction against falling in love seems to be really important.
Could be nominated for:
Drama
Angst - Hurts So Good
AU (Other Media).
On Whose Hands?
Belle has no memory of how she has so much blood on her hands, but it seems the townsfolk have turned against her, blaming her for some unseen crime. Rumplestiltskin, under the control of the Dark One's Dagger, held by Zelena, suddenly appears and makes matters a whole lot worse. Canon compliant variation of what might have happened when Rumple was trying to warn the people of Storybrooke of Zelena's dark intentions during the time he was her prisoner.
Could be nominated for:
Angst - Hurts So Good
Angst - Misunderstanding
Tuesday
When you go poking around in time, you might sometimes find that it pushes back, as Nick Rush finds out… the hard way.
Could be nominated for:
Best Anyelle
Secret of the Seas
Belle and Ruby take a much needed vacation, treating themselves to a fourteen day cruise. Jefferson is Head Mixologist aboard the ship, Secret of the Seas, and Gold is Deck Nine Supervisor, and amid much flirting, and false starts, holiday romances and forbidden loves ensue. Written from the Rumbelle Bingo prompts: Bed sharing, Vulnerability, Jefferson, Pesky Royals, Roses.
Could be nominated for:
Threesome
Polyship
AU Original
Nobody Knew
Nobody knew the true cost of living with two lives in your head in a world where everyone else has forgotten one of them. Nobody except Jefferson, and when he'd finally reached the end of his rope and exacted his revenge on Regina for being the one to hurt so many people just to get her own happy ending, what could he do than give his all - give everything to reunite his two closest friends, and return to them the gift of true love?
Could be nominated for:
Angst - Hurts So Good
BFF/Wingman (Jefferson)
AU: Once Upon A Time
Modern Wonders
Revenge, they say, is a dish best served cold, and when Regina casts Rumple's Dark Curse, just a few words here and there creates Storybrooke in a very different place, with a very different atmosphere, and very different issues to deal with. Alliances and enmity permeate the lives of the citizens of Storybrooke, (and beyond), as they tiptoe around the various dangers they face every day. Who is awake? How can they break the curse within a curse? And what of the power struggles rife both within, and outside of Storybrooke itself.
Could be nominated for:
AU - Other Media
Scattered
Casting a spell, any spell - at least the ones that involve more than just the wave of a hand, or worse, the wave of an irritating fairy’s wand - takes time, and patience, and the right ingredients, and… just like any recipe, if you get it wrong, it doesn’t mean the cake won’t cook, rather then will, just with unexpected or unintended outcomes. All of Rumplestiltskin’s careful planning and manipulation, all of his hopes and dreams turn to dust; ashes in his bitter heart in the blink of an eye… in the fall of an equine heart. Belle exchanges one terrible prison for another, and it’s one she is desperate to escape, and though Rumple’s fate as The Savior was severed from him centuries ago, sometimes fate itself has a way of finding an alternate route home.
Could be nominated for:
Best (Worst) Villain (Gaston, or more subtly Regina)
The Price
All magic comes with a price, but this is one price that Rumplestiltskin is more than willing to pay.
Could be nominated for:
Unexpected Twist
Seven Tastes
Jefferson and Grace visit the Dark Castle to try and persuade Rumplestiltskin to celebrate the Winter Solstice. What begins with a hidden sprig of mistletoe leads through the emotional rollercoaster of a lifetime, that ends in a beautiful redemption.
Could be nominated for:
Best Holiday-Centric
Angst - Hurts So Good
Methedhênlû
Rumplestiltskin is wisked away just as he is approaching the Dark Castle, and after a surprise visit from Jefferson, on a very strange day, Belle follows soon after. They find themselves in a world where darkness is approaching unless a sacrifice is made, and all because a king is unwilling to join the war; would much rather save his own, than become a hero and save the world.
Could be nominated for:
Crossover
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Covetous | Chapter 4
Rating: E (I changed it for the whole fic, it is not specific to this chapter)
Pairing: Macelle (Father MacAvoy x Belle) or Nostelle (Nosty x Belle), who is to say which
Summary: Father Joseph MacAvoy wakes up in a library across town with no idea of how he got there. When the kind librarian doesn’t kick him out immediately, he considers that maybe there’s more to life than alcohol.
[chapter 1] [chapter 2] [chapter 3]
tws: alcoholism, homelessness. If I missed a warning, I’m so sorry–please let me know and I will add it ASAP!
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Belle parked as close to her building as she could, hardly seeing the curb as she searched for Nosty. She’d given him her address and he promised to meet her here after she dropped off Joseph. A small part of her thought he’d bail again, but too big a part of her had hope.
He wasn’t outside, but then, she didn’t actually know how fast he could walk. Maybe he hadn’t made it yet.
She climbed the stairs to her second floor flat, watching out the window even though that wouldn’t help. If Nosty was going to show up, he would make his presence known when he was ready. He wouldn’t just wait for her to find him.
As she unlocked the door, she half expected him to jump out and surprise her from inside, but her flat was as empty as it had been when she’d left that morning. Deciding to have hope, she locked it behind her—it would have been in character for Nosty to sneak in if it was unlocked—and shed all of her work clothes on her way to the bathroom.
She touched up her hair and lipstick, then added another layer of mascara before looking for an outfit. She wanted to wear something more special than she wore to work, but she was prone to wearing all her nice clothes to the library since she had nowhere else to dress up. All of her coworkers wore jeans most days, leaving Belle as the only one in heels and skirts.
Someone knocked while Belle was still standing in her underwear in front of her closet, and she felt like she could float out the window. Was he here? Was it really him?
Making a quick decision, she grabbed a dress with no zipper and yanked it over her head as she jogged to the door, careful of her makeup and hair.
“Coming!” Along the way, she picked up her discarded clothes and shoved them into her dad’s room—the spare room, now.
Standing in front of the door, she smoothed out her dress and swallowed. If it really was Nosty on the other side, this was about to change their relationship forever. It was almost a bigger step than the first time they’d kissed.
If it wasn’t Nosty, she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t cry.
She straightened her back and took a deep breath before opening the door. The hall was empty, but she had no time to process this because then Nosty was there, real and true and solid, lips tilted up in his affectionate sneer.
“You are here!” She opened the door wide and he sauntered in, taking in the room.
“In the fucking flesh.” His gaze lingered on the window, and she wondered if he was calculating his exit options. “I was eavesdropping on your neighbors. Fucking nutters.”
She couldn’t stop her giddy grin. He was here, in her apartment, and he hadn’t been trying to hide from her—he’d just been drawn in to her neighbors’ loud conversations.
“If you’re here long enough, you’ll probably hear them having sex,” she said.
He finally turned back to her, raising both eyebrows. “What’ve you got, some fucking perv hole to listen?”
“Our bedroom walls adjoin.”
He wiggled his eyebrows, and then slung an arm around her shoulders. “All right, give us a tour then. Can’t believe it took you this long.”
“My sincerest apologies.” She ducked out from under his arm so she could take his hand, surprised when he followed her to the kitchen with no protest. She showed him the fridge and where the cups were, hoping he’d feel free to eat and drink as he pleased, and then he let her tote him back out to the living room.
Before her father died, this flat had been his. She’d lived in a studio to save up money after grad school, but once he got sick, she moved back into her childhood bedroom, and then when he passed, inherited the whole thing. When he’d owned it, the only real decorations were family photos—mostly of Belle in various life stages. Now, she had taken down most photos of herself except the ones her dad had loved the most, and the walls had blank gaps waiting to be filled with art. She’d added rugs to the living room, a bookshelf that covered most of the wall, and replaced the old threadbare furniture with a plush red couch and reading chair.
Nosty let go of her hand and sidled over to the bookshelf. At one point, it had been organized by genre, but she couldn’t just reorganize the whole shelf every time she added something, and with no family or friends, most of her disposable income went toward new books, so it was haphazard. Some places even had books in a stack instead of shelved neatly.
“Who’d have fucking thought.” Nosty chuckled, running his finger over the spine of a fantasy novel.
“What?” She chewed her lip. She’d been called all manner of things for living in books her whole life, even by her own loving dad, and while nothing bothered her anymore, she wasn’t sure she could take any cutting words from Nosty.
“Me on a fucking date with a nerd.”
She had to laugh because Nosty was still touching the spines of books like he couldn’t quite believe how many there were, and because now, after months, she recognized the tint of affection to his voice.
“Don’t you want to see the rest?” she asked.
“I’m self-guiding it now.” He left the bookshelf, wandering over to a cluster of graduation photos. Some were the professional headshots taken by the school, and some were pictures of her and her dad or her and her grandparents.
He zeroed in on one from her undergrad graduation where she stood between her two roomates, all three of their arms around one another. It was the only photo with anyone in it who wasn’t family.
“Who’s this?” he asked.
“My old college roommates,” she said. “I haven’t talked to either of them in years.”
“Why not?”
She shrugged. She didn’t really know why she kept the picture up, except that it reminded her that she had once had friends, people to spend time with outside of work.
“We lost touch.”
He took her hand then but kept his eyes on the photo wall as they meandered toward one of the blank spaces she’d left.
“What was here?”
“Nothing. My dad had way more photos up, so I took some down thinking I’d hang art or something.”
He touched the blank space, then moved on, brushing his hands over one of her throw pillows as they passed her reading chair.
When they reached the hall that led to the two bedrooms, he stopped, and she thought he would say something, but he just looked between the rooms, then pulled her toward hers.
“Another bookshelf?” He dropped her hand, heading for the small shelf she kept by the bed as a nightstand. It contained books she was currently reading, books she planned to read soon, and some of her favorites.
“I thought it looked nice,” she said, and as Nosty rushed past her bed without a glance, she had the sudden realization that not only had Nosty actually come to her home, he was now in her bedroom.
Maybe he realized it at the same time she did, or maybe this had been his plan all along, because he spun and sauntered toward her. She’d never been barefoot with him before, and he dwarfed her this time when he pulled her to him by the hips.
“So, how long do we stay here before we hear anything interesting?” He jerked his head toward the wall she shared with her neighbor.
Her arms rested on his chest as they always did, and she was about to answer when she realized it wasn’t as soft as it usually was, and something poked her in the wrist. She moved her hands back and found buttons. Buttons.
“What’s this?” She traced a finger down the crisp white seam, marveling that it had taken so long to notice.
“What’d you think took me so long to get here?”
Something caught in her throat. She traced the buttons, blinking and blinking and blinking because, if she didn’t, she was going to cry, and she didn’t want Nosty to think he’d done anything wrong.
“Belle?”
She slid her hands up his chest to trace the lapels and the bit of Nosty’s chest exposed by the open collar.
“You dressed up for me.”
“What, was I supposed to wear some manky old tshirt on our first date?”
He’d probably stolen it—that was probably what had taken so long—but she found she didn’t much care. The system had failed Nosty so much that he lived on the streets. She didn’t begrudge him a shirt, especially since he’d stolen it because he was taking their date seriously. Their first date.
“You look good.”
“Yeah?” His fingers trailed up her side and then her neck until he could lift her chin. “How good?”
His wolfish grin told her exactly what he wanted, so she kissed his collar bone, then stood on her toes to kiss his lips. He cupped her cheek, holding her close, but then she leaned away.
“Oi, that’s it?” he asked. “One little kiss? I’m wearing a fucking collar.”
“Aren’t we supposed to be going on a date?” She couldn’t stop smiling, and even Nosty’s grin didn’t wane.
“What, this isn’t good enough for you, hey?”
“I thought we were going to the cinema.”
He groaned dramatically, letting go of her waist so he could take her hand again and lead her out of the bedroom. “Fine, let’s go.”
“Any requests?” she asked, tugging on his arm so he’d pause for her to get shoes.
He considered for a moment, eyeing her closet with interest while she pulled a pair of sandals out. “Nothing violent,” he finally said.
There was not a lot about Nosty that could have truly shocked her, but his admitting that he didn’t want to see violence did it. She ducked to hide her smile while she slipped her shoes on.
“That’s perfect,” she said. “I don’t like violence either.”
Before he could make another move, she stood on her toes again and grabbed his face, kissing him like she’d spent all day waiting to be kissed. Then, just as he was responding by gripping her hips, she pulled away.
“What was that for?” he asked, sounding, for the first time, a little breathless.
“I just really like you,” she said. “That’s all.”
His eyes jerked back and forth across hers, like he was quickly reading a disclaimer, but then he settled. “Lucky me.”
****
Nosty didn’t hold her hand on the eight blocks to the theater, and he walked like he was afraid someone might steal the sidewalk from him. This was probably the closest to seeing him in his natural habitat that Belle would ever get, so she didn’t complain, just kept up while she told him all about a school visit she was planning for next week. She might have worried she was boring him, but they spent much of their time talking about the library and Belle’s life, and he always had insightful questions. Sometimes Nosty told stories, but she could tell he altered them, made them more palatable to a sheltered woman like her.
When they arrived, he eyed the growing Friday night crowd.
“Need a smoke.” He pulled a cigarette out of the inside pocket of his jacket and a lighter from his kilt.
“I’ll go get the tickets?” she offered.
He nodded, still scanning the sidewalk as he lit up. She squeezed his forearm before heading to the box office, trying not to stare at him as she walked away. He was just smoking. He wasn’t going to bring her all the way here only to abandon her while she was buying tickets.
Since they didn’t have a plan, she chose the movie that would be starting soonest, which happened to be a romantic comedy. It was better than the slasher film starting around the same time.
Nosty was still waiting for her, cigarette finished, looking no less antsy.
“Popcorn?” She handed him his ticket and it vanished between his fingers like a magic trick.
“Aye, if you want.”
She couldn’t help feeling guilty that brash, cocksure Nosty felt so out of place somewhere as basic as the cinema, but that made it even nicer that he’d come at all. He’d changed his shirt, calmed himself down, and now he was standing in line with her to get popcorn and sodas.
The moment they sat down in the dark theater, she felt him relax. Even so close to the showing, she’d managed to get an aisle seat near the back, so Nosty had the open air on one side and Belle on the other.
He popped the foot rest out. “Jesus fuck.”
“What?” she asked, following suit.
“Last time I went to the cinema, it was all fucking folding chairs compared to this.” He reached across the arms and tapped her on the belly. “I was gonna be romantic and put me fuckin’ arm around you, but I guess this is all you get.” He pinched her this time and she laughed, scooting out of his reach when he wouldn’t let up.
“You can romantically put your arm around me later,” she said. “How’s that?”
“Might need convincing later,” he said. “Now that I know you took me to the cinema so we could sit a meter apart and take a fucking nap.”
“We can still hold hands.” She offered hers to him, palm up. “And then later, we can sit at a romantic corner table in a candlelit restaurant and talk with our heads close together.”
“Not the same,” he said, but he took her hand anyway.
****
MacAvoy thought he was going to take a few sips of the vodka and pass out immediately, but he hadn’t counted on his body being used to pushing itself until he was more alcohol than human. He laid in bed fully-clothed, wishing he had something more than this to drink.
His monthly stipend wouldn’t be coming until next week, and he didn’t have much money left to live on. A smart man would take the money and buy cheap, shelf-stable foods to eat. MacAvoy considered, as he lay in bed trying not to wonder if Belle would be frightened of Nosty’s monstrous cock, that he could be a smart man. If he knew what a smart man might do, he had the capacity to be one.
In fact, he was counting on being smart enough to remember that Belle didn’t work tomorrow.
So he dragged himself out of bed and found one of his stashed-away tenners. He ignored the glares he received at the grocery as he added tinned beans, bread, and eggs to his cart. He could have added a few more things, but if he used money he actually had on alcohol, he’d be less likely to get kicked into a gutter, so he bought the cheapest handle of gin they had.
Impressed with himself, he lurched his way home and put everything away, then flopped back on the bed and gulped more vodka.
“Belle, I hope you’re okay,” he wheezed into the empty room. He still had her phone number in his pocket, and he caressed it with shaking fingers.
She’d said not to call tonight, but what if his deviant fantasies weren’t images sent from Satan but visions sent from God? Visions that, were he to ignore them, foretold Belle’s horrible fate?
He only needed one more sip of vodka to convince himself of this, to imagine Nosty with fangs and claws capable of ripping out Belle’s poor, devoted heart.
When he called, though, it went straight to voicemail. He didn’t leave a message; he just shrugged out of his shirt and closed his eyes.
****
It wasn’t the best movie Belle had ever seen, but she and Nosty both laughed, holding hands through most of it. They sat in the theater through the credits until it was mostly empty, then Nosty stood and offered his hand.
“So, was it everything you hoped?” he asked while he helped her up.
“It wasn’t bad.” She picked up his trash, stuffing his empty popcorn sleeve into hers and then adding the empty soda cups.
“I mean our date, hey?” He wiggled his eyebrows, but there wasn’t the same swagger in it as usual. He wasn’t just talking.
“Is it over?” she asked. “I don’t want it to be.”
With his free thumb, he reached up and wiped something underneath her eye—probably some rogue mascara from when she’d teared up near the end.
“What’s next then?” he asked. “I’m no fucking romantic, so you’ll have to lead this one.”
Privately, she felt that he was wrong, he was a fucking romantic, but she didn’t say anything. “I’m hungry. Do you want to go out or eat in?”
He started down the steps to the exit, still holding her hand but no longer looking at her. “There’s no restaurant dark enough to keep people from seeing us together.”
“So?” Was he embarrassed of her? He probably thought she was embarrassed of him since she always insisted on secrecy in the library—but that was her job. She could be fired if she was caught making out on the clock.
“So, I’ve got bad table manners.” He let go of her to skip down the rest of the way, whirling at the bottom of the steps to watch her descend with his arms folded. When she reached the final step, he grabbed her hips, putting them at eye level.
“No you don’t,” she said. “We’ve eaten together loads of times.”
“You keep forgetting, sweetheart.” He kissed her on the throat. “I’m an animal. The monster you invited over your threshold?”
“Maybe I like monsters,” she said. “Maybe I don’t believe that monsters are exactly what they seem.”
He kissed up her neck until he could tug on her earlobe with his teeth, and as her knees buckled, she was keenly aware that not everyone had left the theater.
“Fine, love,” he hissed into her ear, and she thought she might faint. “Let’s go.”
Dinner was a quick affair. Without reservations, there was no way to get into a romantic, candlelit restaurant, so they went to a little burger joint, and Nosty relaxed a fraction.
Belle leaned toward him. “Are you afraid of me?” She popped a chip in her mouth, raising her eyebrows.
“Wee fucking bird like you?” He took a gulp of his beer. “Fat chance.”
“Why are you so skittish tonight?”
“Not fucking skittish,” he said. “Just alert, hey? Don’t want you to get fucking snatched or summat.”
“Don’t trust me to defend myself?” She jabbed a chip toward him like a sword, and he swiped it from her and ate it with a teeth-baring grin.
“I’m sure you’re a fierce bint when its called for,” he said. “But a fucker what sees me’s not gonna try anything with you.”
She watched him with narrowed eyes, then took a bite of her burger. “I don’t think that’s the whole story.”
“Yeah?” He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Tough shite, that’s the best you’re getting out of me.”
“I think that you’re nervous because you think I won’t like you out here in the real world,” she said. “That’s why you were jealous of Joseph. Because you think if I had any other option, I wouldn’t pick you.”
“S’a fine fucking tale.” He drained his pint. “You spin it all by yourself?”
She plucked a chip off his plate to make up for the one he’d taken of hers, feeling as on top of the world as she’d felt all night.
“It’s not true, you know,” she said. “I could have hundreds of options, and I’d still pick you.”
He watched her from his leaned-back chair, over his crossed arms, down his nose through narrowed eyes. “You don’t know that.”
“I do know that,” she said. “I knew it as soon as you kissed me the first time.”
He turned his head, watching the restaurant, and then glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.
“Hurry up and finish.” He picked up the bit of burger he had left and gestured for her to do the same.
“What’s the rush?” she asked, even though she obeyed.
He plunked his chair back down, resting his elbows on the table. “I’m tired of not being alone with you.”
****
The closer they walked to Belle’s flat, the more Nosty touched her. He started with one arm slung across her shoulders, and by the time she was unlocking the front door, he had one hand across her stomach, one in her hair, and he pressed open-mouthed, toothy kisses to her neck while he held her against him.
Somehow, despite this, she got the first door open, and then climbed the stairs without losing any contact with his hands, and as she fumbled with her own key, he closed his teeth around her pulse and she whimpered.
“You’re mine tonight,” he growled, and she didn’t even know if she’d be able to unlock the door, but then his hand was on hers and he was taking the key from her. She blushed at how helpless she became whenever he focused his full attention on her.
“Nosty,” she said as he finally got the door open and they stumbled in. “I don’t think we should—tonight.”
“That’s okay, sweetheart.” He shut the door behind him and pressed the key into her hand before sliding his other hand more possessively around her waist. “Some days, I don’t even fucking know where I’ve been.”
She didn’t have much time to be relieved that he understood because her brain and body wanted to focus more on the rough sound of his voice in her ear. “We’ll get tested together,” she managed.
“Whatever you want.” He nudged her forward, toward the couch, and then at the last second, sat himself and pulled her on top of him.
He shifted to hold her across his lap, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Will you stay tonight?” she asked.
“I’ll do whatever you want, Belle,” he said, and she thought he might have meant it. “You want me to fucking strip naked and sleep at your feet? Fine.” He kissed the apple of her cheek, then her earlobe, lowering his voice to his quiet growl. “You want to lie back and spread your legs so I can eat your cunt ‘til dawn?” He licked her ear and she thought she might die. “Just say the fucking word.”
“I want you to hold me.” She brushed her thumb down his jaw. “Just hold me.”
He cradled her head in one hand and brought the other to her cheek, brushing his thumb across her lower lip.
“Nothing else?”
She shook her head. “I feel safe when you hold me.”
He kissed her lips, then down her neck, and she thought he might bite her again, mark her as taken for anyone to see, but he just kissed his way back up to her ear.
“Safe from everyone but me.” He tightened his arms around her and she hoped he never let go.
#anyelle#anyelle fic#macelle#nostelle#macelle fic#nostelle fic#new update#covetous#anyelle fanfic#anyelle fanfiction
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“Victor!”
He barely made it through the door when Belle appeared at the top of the staircase, making the small part of him that wasn’t mesmerised by her beaming smile wonder if she was waiting for his arrival by the window ( and he would be lying if he said his heart didn’t skip a beat at the thought… he couldn’t quite remember if anyone ever waited for him before, without malicious or selfish intents not that he was anyone worth waiting for without them ).
The sight of her hurrying down the steps and towards him made him tense up, though, as it awakened more than unwelcome memories… because the last time someone hurried towards him like this, jumping into his arms the moment he stepped through the door, it was Elektra and that was the day he found out ( more like confirmed to himself, really, because the subtle signs were always there, he was just too in love to be anything but wilfully ignorant ) that she didn’t love him but merely used him as a pawn in her plans, someone to do all the dirty work for her and then run back to her side like an obedient fucking dog begging for scraps of her affection as treats for a job well done…
His blood was beginning to boil at the memories - the pain, the pure agony of that love, far worse than any pain he could ever experience physically - but then Belle was in his arms, so warm and soft ( that he knew without needing to feel her against him… though he certainly would love to ) and pure, and her lips were meeting his in a very enthusiastic ‘welcome home’ kiss - the kind of kiss Elektra would never give him - and as it deepened and he had to plant his feet more firmly on the ground to keep himself and his precious beauty from falling over, he thought of Elektra no more.
#rumbelle#anyelle#renbelle#anyelle fic#renbelle fic#my fic#my writing#my creations#here we go... my first renbelle 🥺#with a side of elektra bashing sorry not sorry#renard#belle french
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Breaking Cycles - Chapter 21
Lachlan fidgeted with the thick links of his silver bracelet as he watched passengers pouring onto the airport terminal from the jetway. All of them had the same tired eyes and stiff postures he’d had when he made the long, uncomfortable trip from L.A. to here.
Anxiously, his eyes darted back and forth, searching for the forms of his daughter and ex-wife. No sign of them. He tried not to consider the idea that they’d just said “fuck it” and stayed home. Which meant that of course he was dwelling on it.
A warm, reassuring hand wrapped around his forearm. Looking to his side, he saw Belle’s clear blue eyes and warm, reassuring smile.
“They’ll be here,” she murmured.
Read on AO3
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The Worst That Could Happen - Chapter 5
AO3 Link
Summary: Nicholas Rush has been told to lighten up or face repercussions in his professional career. Lacey French is in desperate need of a wedding date. A blind date provides them both with an opportunity. From the prompt “Rushacey blind date”.
[Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4]
In the end, Rush took a half-day on Thursday, heading north on the I-95 around two in the afternoon. It was just under a four hour drive to Storybrooke, most of the way straight highway. He only had to look at directions on his phone once he exited, taking a twisting forest path through dense green trees. After twenty minutes he was worried he was lost, certain there was no town up ahead, only more greenery. But, before he could fret too much, he saw a sign to the side of the road. “Welcome to Storybrooke”.
The forest finally gave way to small wood framed houses, increasing in frequency as he approached the center of town. It was late afternoon and the sun was starting to set, casting white clapboard and red brick in shades of gold. The houses soon started to be joined by businesses, a fishing supply store here and a convenience store there. Soon he had turned on to Main Street, a quaint little downtown that looked plucked from another era entirely. Main Street seemed to lead down to a wide bay dotted by boats in the harbor, their colorful flags fluttering in the evening breeze.
It was a far cry from Boston, even further from Berkley, Glasgow, anywhere he’d ever lived. It was like something from a story where a plucky female detective investigated murders that rocked the small, closed community.
Rush shook his head. What was supposed to be so great about small towns anyway? No wonder Lacey hadn’t expanded her business. She needed to be somewhere with clients if she wanted to design clothing.
Lacey had given him an address for where to meet her and he’d assumed it was her home. That soon proved incorrect as he turned off Main Street to find 910 Maple.
He stopped the car, parking on the curb and climbing out to look around. Rather than the house or apartment building he’d been expecting, he was faced with a two-story shingle style cottage, its gray paint starting to fleck away in places. Hanging above the small porch was a wooden sign bearing the name Granny’s Bed and Breakfast. He’d noticed a Granny’s Diner on Main Street and the two businesses seemed to back into each other, connected by a late addition to the original buildings.
Rush sighed, walking around to the trunk of his car and pulling out his suitcase. Well, it was Gold’s, in actual fact. He hadn’t owned anything he could hang his borrowed suits in and Gold had insisted his beloved clothing make the trip in style. He hoisted the garment bag over his shoulder and slammed the trunk shut, shuffling up the cement steps that led from the curb up to the B&B.
So Lacey had booked him a room, he supposed. It was just as well, considering he and Lacey barely knew each other. She’d hardly want a strange man sleeping on her sofa no matter how harmless he seemed.
The entrance to the inn was small and slightly musty. He couldn’t imagine there was much use for a hotel in a town as small as Storybrooke, but he’d expect there to be other guests with a wedding in town. From what he’d gathered, the bride was far from local.
There was a small desk nestled under the stairs, a row of recessed key cubbies set into the wall beside it, each bearing a key attached to a shiny brass fob. Rush wasn’t sure he’d ever stayed at a hotel with an actual key rather than a plastic card.
The desk was currently empty and the little bell set atop it made barely a sound when he tapped it, certainly not enough to summon anyone to his aid.
Rush stepped away from the desk, looking around and straining his ears for any sign of life. Perhaps the eponymous Granny was busy in her diner.
He thought he could just make out a mumbling of voices proving he wasn’t alone in the inn when it was punctuated by a loud laugh, well a guffaw really, and he immediately recognized it as Lacey’s. He wasn’t sure how he could recognize the laugh of a woman he’d only known for two short weeks, but he could picture her accompanying smile, her head thrown back, eyes filled with mirth. Rush smiled in spite of himself, following the sound down the hall and into a cozy lounge.
Lacey was seated on a red damask sofa, sagging a little in the middle from use. She had a china tea cup balanced on her knee and a wide smile on her face. Across from her in a high wingback chair was a plump old woman with a graying bun piled up on her head. She had a pair of bifocals hanging around her neck and a thick khaki cardigan wrapped around herself for warmth. Granny, he presumed.
“And speak of the devil, here he is!” Lacey cried, motioning at Rush with both arms spread wide, her tea nearly sloshing out of its cup. “You made it!”
“Uh, I did,” he said, dumbly, nervous as always when faced with Lacey’s full attention. She was smiling at him as if she was genuinely happy to see him and though he knew it was most likely an act, he couldn’t quite stop his own smile at the sight of her.
“So you’re the one who swept in and stole our Lacey,” the old woman said, leveling him with a hard look. Rush turned to face her.
“I haven’t stolen anything,” he returned. “I’m just here for as long as Lacey will have me.”
Granny regarded him for a long moment, before giving a curt nod and standing up.
“Let’s get you checked in, shall we?”
It was the work of moments to get Rush checked in, one of those shiny brass key fobs in hand, even with Granny leveling mild threats at him if he treated Lacey badly.
“She’s mildly terrifying,” Rush said once they were headed up the stairs and out of ear shot.
“Who, Granny?” Lacey asked. Without waiting for an answer she gave a flippant wave of her hand. “She’s harmless. Unless you insult her cooking, that is.”
“Is she your grandmother?”
“No,” Lacey said with a shrug. “Everyone just calls her that since she runs Granny’s Inn and Diner. I don’t think she was the original Granny though. It may have been her mother? Or grandmother? I don’t know. She’s my friend Ruby’s biological grandmother but she fills the role for most people in town. Ruby’s mum split when she was six and Granny raised her. Me and Belle’s mum died when we were 13 and she kind of took it upon herself to mother us too.”
“I didn’t realize you lost your mother so young,” he said. “That must have been difficult.”
“Oh,” Lacey said with a shrug. “I mean sure, it sucked, but it is what it is, right? And we still have dad.”
The last was said with a little eye roll that belied her words. Rush could well understand complicated feelings about fathers.
“And here we are,” Lacey said once they’d reached the end of the upstairs hallway, motioning at the door with a brass number 3 on it. Rush used his key to unlock the door, having to force it slightly with the side of his foot.
The room was small but clean, a little too floral for his tastes. There was a double bed in the middle of the room, a small antique desk beneath the window that looked out toward the forest, and an armchair in the corner next to a lace doily covered rickety side table with a rotary phone on top.
But the thing that most arrested Rush’s attention was the presence of a small duffle bag sitting in the middle of the bed.
“I think Granny gave me the wrong room,” he said, turning to Lacey as she followed him inside.
“What are you talking about?” she asked, stepping around him to throw herself bodily onto the bed, the springs creaking loudly beneath even her slight weight.
He motioned to the suitcase next to where Lacey was sprawled across the bed.
Lacey followed his gaze.
“Oh, that’s mine.”
Rush blinked.
“What?”
Lacey pushed herself up on the heels of her hands, giving him a look like he was somehow stupid. Rush was not stupid.
“It’s our room,” she said slowly.
“Why are we sharing a room?” he returned, just as slowly.
Lacey shrugged. “Because we’re dating, silly. It’d be weird if we didn’t sleep together.”
“I apologize,” Rush said with a little shake of his head. “But I’m a little confused. I assumed I was staying here at the inn because having a strange man in your home was an issue. Why are we both staying here?”
“Oh!” Lacey exclaimed, sitting forward. “Sorry. I figured you didn’t want to stay at my dad’s place. That’d be…awkward.”
“You don’t have your own place?” he asked, before realizing how that sounded. “Sorry, no judgment. I’ve heard it’s hard out there for…millenials.”
Lacey snorted a laugh and Rush winced at how terribly old he must sound.
“No, I had my own apartment,” Lacey said with a nod. “But I’m back with my dad for a bit. Once Will left town I couldn’t afford rent by myself so…” she trailed off.
“You lived together?” he asked. It seemed every time he got more of a glimpse of Lacey’s previous relationship, the more involved it was.
“Yeah, well we were together almost four years. At some point you move in together or you split up.”
“F--four years?” he stuttered out. “You never told me that.”
Lacey blinked.
“Look, Lacey, I need to know what I’m getting into here. You and Will were together for four years? You lived together for some of that time? What, were you ever engaged?”
“No!” Lacey exclaimed. “It was never that serious.”
“Four years and a shared apartment isn’t serious?”
“We were never gonna get married,” she countered. “It was fun and easy, but not earth shattering. We were…glorified roommates. With benefits. Not even great benefits, in case you were wondering.”
He wasn’t.
“Regardless,” Rush continued. “You were together a long time and now, only a few months after your split, you’re attending his wedding. Have you thought this through?”
“Yes!” Lacey exclaimed, hopping up from the bed, the creaky springs bouncing wildly. “Yes, we were together for a while. Yes, he dumped me. Yes, he’s getting married to someone else in an infuriatingly short time span. But I don’t love the guy, okay? If I ever did, those feelings ended long ago, before the relationship did. Right now what I need is a nice, stable boyfriend so I don’t look pathetic and Ana doesn’t get weirdly jealous and decide not to wear my dress last minute. If you don’t feel comfortable with that, well, you can go.”
She pointed to the door of the room, her chest heaving and blue eyes flashing.
“I just want to know what I’m getting into,” he repeated.
Lacey took a deep breath, her arm dropping to her side.
“I’m sorry,” she said with a little nod. “I didn’t mean to snap. I’m just so fucking tired of people asking me if I’m okay. I’m great.”
“Okay,” he said, unconvinced. He crossed the room to where a small wardrobe stood, and hung up his garment bag inside. “What now?”
Lacey gave him a big smile. “Free booze and crab cakes, baby. Who doesn’t love a wedding? We’re gonna have a blast.”
Rush just grunted in response. He’d never been keen on weddings, but at least there’d be an open bar.
“Oh shit,” Lacey said, glancing down at her watch. “I need to get dressed for tonight.”
“What’s tonight?” Rush asked.
Lacey’s eyes widened.
“Did I forget to tell you? There’s a little party at the diner for the out of town guests.”
“You told me about the rehearsal dinner and you told me about the wedding, that’s all I packed for. I didn’t bring any extra clothes,” Rush said, glancing down at his jeans.
“What you’re wearing is fine,” Lacey assured him. “It’s just Granny’s. It’s a diner.”
“Then why are you changing?” he asked with a pointed look at her leggings and sweater.
“Because I’m a fashion designer,” Lacey crooned. “And people expect me to make a spectacle of myself. I’ll just be a minute!”
She grabbed her bag off the bed, heading into the en suite bathroom and Rush sat back against the rickety bed, the mattress groaning beneath his weight. He tested it a bit, bouncing himself up and down.
It was a good thing he and Lacey weren’t an actual couple. If they tried to get up to anything on this bed, the whole bloody town would know.
It took Lacey twenty minutes in the bathroom with her makeup bag to be ready for the evening’s events. Her dress was store bought, but heavily altered. A fitted black mini dress, she’d opened up the back, using ribbon to criss cross across her back and ending in a bow right above her backside. Paired with her signature heels, it was, perhaps, a little dressy for the gathering at Granny’s. But then again, Lacey had never shied from attention of any sort. Everyone would be looking at the happy couple in any case.
Her stomach churned at the thought, and Lacey squashed down the feeling, smiling at herself in the bathroom mirror instead. There, that was almost how she usually looked.
When she came back out to the bedroom, Rush was seated on the bed, scrolling on his phone. He’d changed his shirt, she noticed. The rumpled blue one he’d been wearing was replaced with a crisp white button down that stood out beautifully against his tanned skin. He looked up at her as she entered, stuffing his phone into his jeans pocket.
“Wow,” he said, his eyes widening slightly. Lacey smiled, pleased by his reaction.
“Not too much?” she asked, twirling to show off the back of the dress she’d worked so hard on.
Rush stood up from the bed, grabbing the brown suede blazer beside him and shrugging it on.
“You, um,” he cleared his throat. “You look nice.”
“Oh Nick, you’ll make me blush,” she said with a wink at him. He shuffled awkwardly, glancing away from her, and Lacey took pity on him.
“Come on,” she said, grabbing him by the elbow and steering him out the door of their rented room. “Adventure awaits!”
Granny’s Diner was, predictably, packed, and Lacey could feel Rush tense up beside her as she opened the door, laughter and the smell of sizzling meat spilling out into the chilly evening. She looped her arm through his, trying to feel confident enough for the both of them.
She whispered names and tidbits of information to Nick as they maneuvered their way through the crowd.
“That tall one with the red streaks in her hair is Ruby,” she whispered into his ear while feigning a flirtatious moment. “Granny’s granddaughter and my oldest friend. The blonde next to her is Ashley. Don’t get stuck in a conversation with her unless you want to be bored to death.”
“Thanks for the warning,” he mumbled back.
“Oh, and here comes the bride,” she intoned, stepping back from Nick to welcome the approaching Anastasia.
“Lacey!” Ana called, her voice a little too loud. There’d been a lot of that in the last week, smiles just a little too wide, excitement just a little on edge. Lacey could have excused it as pre wedding jitters if she didn’t know the truth. Ana was trying desperately to be okay with her presence.
“Hi, Ana,” she said, before being pulled into an awkward hug. She patted the taller woman’s back twice before stepping away. “You look beautiful, as always.”
Ana glanced down at her cream colored shift dress. It was chic and simple but rather than looking plain, Ana sparkled in comparison.
“Thank you!” she exclaimed, grabbing hold of Lacey’s hand. Her eyes slid across to Nick and she gave him one of those overly sincere smiles. “And you must be the professor!”
“And you’re Mary Anne?” he joked. Lacey snorted.
Ana looked confused. “No, I’m Anastasia,” she said, pumping Nick’s hand for all he was worth. “The bride. I’m marrying Will, I believe you’ve met.”
She gestured over her shoulder to where Will was chatting with a few of his mates.
“Of course,” Nick said smoothly. “My apologies.”
“Oh no,” Ana said with a wave of her hand. “I’m so glad you could make it. Please come in, eat something, have a drink. This weekend is all about me, but tonight is about you, the guests!”
“Oh, thank you,” Nick said, looking slightly startled, as though he was staring into the sun and having a hard time not looking away.
“Ana!” someone called from behind them and she grabbed both their hands. “Excuse me,” she said with a brilliant smile and then swanned away with a slight wave in their direction.
“Wow, she is…”
“Gorgeous?” Lacey interrupted, interpreting Nick’s thoughts. Every head in the room swiveled to follow Anastasia. She didn’t have to dress in over the top frocks or towering heels to get attention. She was one of those rare creatures who entered a room and immediately commanded it. Of course Nick had noticed. He wasn’t blind. She wasn’t sure why it annoyed her so much.
Nick looked down at her. “I was going to say chipper,” Rush said with a wry twist of his lips. “Do you think if she keeps smiling like that her face will get stuck?”
Lacey let out a startled laugh, squeezing Rush’s arm before steering him toward a friendlier face.
Ruby was leaning back against the diner counter with a glass of champagne in one hand and a bored expression on her face that split into a relieved smile when she spotted Lacey.
“Oh thank God you’re finally here,” Ruby said, pulling Lacey into a side hug. “I’m supposed to be a guest at this thing but Granny keeps making me hand out hors d'oeuvres. Let’s grab a bottle of champagne and split.”
“No can do,” Lacey said, grabbing Rush’s hand and pulling him to her side.
“Nick, this is my friend Ruby, Rubes, this is Dr. Nicholas Rush. My boyfriend.”
“Pleasure,” Ruby said, holding a red nailed hand to shake his. Her eyes cut across at Lacey, her eyebrows raised in a question.
“Nice to meet you, Ruby,” Rush said, drawing her attention back to him. “I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting any of Lacey’s friends yet.”
“Oh really?” Ruby asked. “I didn’t even realize Lacey was dating anyone.”
“It’s still a new thing,” Rush said with a shrug. “And you know Lacey, doesn’t want to make a big thing of it.”
“Yeah,” Ruby said, unconvinced. “Lacey is so understated.”
Lacey grinned widely, wrapping her arms around Rush and leaning her head against his shoulder.
“I just wanted to keep him all to myself for a bit.”
“Oh, hey, Lacey,” came a voice from beside them. “I didn’t realize you were coming tonight.”
Lacey spun to see Ashley Boyd, holding a tray of beef and caramelized onion canapés. She grabbed one, stuffing it into her mouth and speaking around it.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Ashley’s eyes darted to where Will was standing and back to Lacey.
“Well…” she began.
“This is my boyfriend,” Lacey cut across her. “Nick Rush.”
“Oh,” Ashley said, looking at Rush with startled blue eyes. “Hello.”
Nick graciously shook her hand.
“So, how did you two meet?” Ashley asked, setting the tray of canapés down on the counter next to Ruby.
“Nick works with Mr. Gold at the University,” Lacey supplied. “Gold and Belle set us up on a blind date about three months ago and, well, fireworks.”
“Oh I don’t think there were any fireworks on your side, sweetheart,” Rush said self-deprecatingly. “But I was certainly awestruck to be on a date with you. Still not sure how I got so lucky.”
Lacey could feel herself blushing at the compliment and worked with it, giving him a soppy little smile.
“That’s so sweet!” Ashley said, before Granny barked at her from behind the bar to pass the canapés again.
“Excuse me, guys, work calls.”
Ruby took a long sip of her champagne, her eyes never leaving Lacey as though she was trying to read her mind.
“Hey, Lace, can I talk to you for a minute?” Ruby asked, her smile strained. “Alone? Excuse us, Dr. Nicholas Rush.”
Ruby grabbed her hand, lugging her toward the back of the diner by the jukebox.
“What are you doing?” Lacey asked.
“Who the hell is that guy?” Ruby returned, motioning toward Rush.
“Dr. Nicholas Rush,” Lacey said with a shrug. “My boyfriend.”
Ruby narrowed her eyes.
“You said you’ve been dating him for three months,” Ruby pointed out. “So how come I distinctly remember you telling me about a one night stand you had with some twenty-two year old three weeks ago?”
Lacey swallowed, buying herself a moment.
“We weren’t exclusive then,” she said.
“Oh bullshit,” Ruby cried. “Where did you find that guy?”
“I told you, he’s friends with Gold,” Lacey said truthfully. “Belle set us up.”
“You’ve never dated an older guy before.”
“Well I’m twenty-eight years old,” Lacey pointed out. “Maybe I’m sick of slumming it with pathetic boys. Maybe I want a real man for once. It seems to be working out for Belle.”
Ruby raised an eyebrow. “And the two of you have been known to want the same things,” she said, sarcastically.
At Lacey’s silence, Ruby gave an exaggerated huff.
“Fine. He’s your boyfriend,” she said, making air quotes around the word. “I’ll go along with it if it’s what you need right now. But you do owe me an explanation at some point.”
“Can’t wait,” she deadpanned at Ruby’s retreating back.
She stood there for a moment, feeling like she’d been knocked off her groove. She hadn’t expected anyone to see through her ruse quite so quickly. She knew Ruby wouldn’t tell anyone or try to embarrass her, but the more people who knew her secret, the higher the chance she’d end up looking like an idiot.
At least Will and Ana didn’t seem to suspect anything. The bride-to-be was sipping a glass of white wine with a gaggle of adoring buffoons circled around her. Will was on the opposite side of the diner with his own crowd of well wishers. He looked happy. Happier than she’d seen him in a long time.
She wished that didn’t make her want to shatter something.
Instead she opted for a drink, grabbing a glass of champagne off a tray at the bar and swallowing down half of it in one gulp. Then she stood up a little straighter and headed for Will's group. She needed to say hello at the very least.
Rush was standing awkwardly next to Will, surrounded by a few of his friends. He had a beer clenched in his fist and looked at her rather hopelessly as she approached.
"Lacey," he said, and she didn't think she imagined the relief in his voice. She wondered how he'd been drawn into conversation with Will in the first place. She could only hope he wasn't so annoyed with Will and his friends that he abandoned this whole scheme.
“Dr. Rush was just telling us all about academic life,” Will said with a slight twist to his lips. “Never knew you to go for the brainy types, Lace.”
“I didn’t go to college,” boomed Will’s friend John, a giant of a man they all had to crane their necks to see. “Yeah, just wasn’t for me.”
“I think finishing high school is a prerequisite for getting into university, mate,” Will said, slapping his friend on the back.
“Oh and where did you go to school?” Lacey cut across Will. “If I remember correctly, your Facebook profile says you attended the “School of Hard Knocks”. Where is that located? Seattle?”
Will opened his mouth with an undoubtedly witless retort, but was saved the embarrassment by Rush.
“Academia is just another job,” he said. “No better or worse than any other. My father was a dock worker in Glasgow and I did my fair share of manual labor in my youth. I’ve nothing but respect for honest work. Frequently it pays better than teaching too.”
That earned a round of agreement from Will’s friends.
“You know how much underwater welders rake in?” Will’s friend Robin asked. “A guy I used to work with went to diving school and now he’s making six figures.”
The other men all gave suitably impressed grunts of approval and Lacey resisted rolling her eyes.
“Thrilling conversation, lads,” she said, stifling a fake yawn.
“Oh, I apologize,” Will said sarcastically. “Are we boring you?”
“You?” Lacey shot back. “Always.”
Will snorted a laugh. “Well let's get some tequila in you and you can end the night giving half the diner a lap dance.”
“That was one time, you asshole,” Lacey laughed, giving Will a playful shove at the memory of her 24th birthday. “And it wasn’t a lap dance, it was a table dance. Get it right. Granny had me banned for a full 6 weeks.”
Will’s friends all laughed at the memory and for a split second, it felt like life had gone back to normal, to six months ago when everything still made sense. Until they were interrupted.
“Hey, you, I thought I’d lost you,” Ana said, walking up and placing a hand on Will’s shoulder.
“Never,” Will said with gusto, wrapping his arm around Ana’s slim waist and kissing her cheek.
Lacey felt the smile on her face freezing like she was in rictus.
“What’s so funny over here?” Ana asked, glancing around at them all.
Will swallowed uncomfortably. “Oh nothing, just remembering a time Lacey made a fool of herself.”
Ana glanced at Lacey with raised eyebrows.
“That’s me,” Lacey said, raising her champagne glass in salute.
“Hmm,” Ana said, turning back to Will with a pretty little pout. “I’m heading back to the house. I have an early morning tomorrow and I need my beauty sleep.”
“Aw, babe, it’s so early still,” Will groused.
“I have yogalates at 6 and I will look dreadful if I don’t get seven hours sleep before then.”
“Not possible for you to be anything but perfect,” Will said, nuzzling his nose against Ana’s.
Lacey had to clamp her lips together to keep from chucking up her champagne and canapés.
Ana let out a tinkling little laugh, pecking Will on the lips.
“Oh, stop, darling,” she said, lightly slapping him on the chest. “You need to get your sleep too. The last thing we need is you showing up to the wedding completely sleep deprived because you’ve stayed up until the wee hours all weekend, you night owl. Lacey, I’m sure you remember what he’s like.”
Suddenly all eyes swiveled from the happy couple to Lacey. It was Ana’s first public acknowledgment of Lacey’s status as Will’s ex.
“Um, yeah,” Lacey said, unsure of where the conversation was headed.
“But of course that was ages ago. I’m sure his habits may have changed as he matured.”
Next to Ana, Will’s eyes widened, his head dipping almost imperceptibly into a nod. A clear sign she was meant to agree with Ana’s misconception.
“Ages,” she repeated flatly.
Will gave her another little nod.
So, he still wasn’t being honest with his fiance. Lacey felt a bubble of anger rising up in her stomach to be in this position yet again. But never mind all that. She just had to get through the next couple of days. Then she could never see Will or Ana again. Then she could forget this whole horrid thing and, hopefully, move on to bigger and better commissions. Enough to get her own place. Enough to leave Storybrooke entirely.
“Not so sure about matured, though,” Lacey couldn’t help the barb. “There’s something to be said for experience, after all, and Will is certainly lacking in that regard.”
She turned to Rush still standing silently at her side, cupping his cheek with her hand before pulling him down for a kiss. His beard was scratchy beneath her palm, his lips parting in shock as she dipped her tongue into his mouth. His hand came up to cradle her waist, giving her a firm squeeze that also served to push her away slightly.
Lacey stepped back, breaking the kiss as the other assembled guests looked around awkwardly.
“Anyway,” Ana continued brightly, “beauty sleep and all that. I’ll see you tomorrow at the luncheon, Lacey?”
“Of course,” Lacey said, still wrong-footed from Rush’s reaction to her kiss.
Ana gave them all one last brilliant smile as Will walked her to the door.
“I think that’s our cue, too,” Lacey said, downing the remnants of her champagne. Rush was tense beside her, and she needed to free him from this charade as soon as possible before he blew their whole cover. “Goodnight, everyone.”
Rush followed her silently out of the diner and back out into the chilly spring evening.
Rush was quiet on the short walk back to the B&B and Lacey was desperate for something to say to break the tension. Rush had been selling their fake relationship so well up until the end when he’d almost physically recoiled from her. It couldn’t just be the kiss. She’d kissed him before and while surprised, he’d seemed to enjoy it.
They trudged up the stairs and to their shared room at the inn and Lacey couldn’t stand the idea of spending the night with someone who wasn’t speaking to her.
Rush’s shoulders were hunched, his hands buried in his jeans pockets, his face inscrutable. He looked like that miserable man she’d first met in the bar in Boston weeks ago.
“What’s the matter?” she blurted out once they were in their room. “I get the feeling I did something to upset you and I’d rather just know what it is.”
Rush half turned to glance at her, not giving her the benefit of looking her full in the face.
“It’s nothing,” he said, his hands still stuffed in his pockets.
“Please don’t do that,” Lacey said with a sigh. “Something you should know about me, I’m a frank person. I don’t play games and I don’t make you guess what I’m feeling. I’d prefer the same courtesy.”
“Fine,” he said, spinning on his heel. “You made me uncomfortable tonight, are you happy?”
Lacey just blinked.
“I’m sorry,” she said after a moment.
Rush shook his head. “Look, I know it’s technically what I’m here for, but having you stuff your tongue down my throat to upset your ex boyfriend’s new fiance at her wedding party felt ever so slightly morally reprehensible.”
“So this is about Ana,” Lacey said, crossing her arms against her chest. “I suppose she’s got you in her thrall too already. And you’ve only just met her. I suppose it’s no surprise Will is ready to marry her after only a few months.”
“This isn’t about Ana,” Rush countered. “Though she seems like a perfectly nice person and I'm unsure what she’s done to piss you off so badly.”
Lacey didn’t have an answer for that. It wasn’t Ana’s fault. She hadn’t known of Lacey’s existence when she met and fell for Will. She hadn’t even known they’d ever dated until recently and she still didn’t know the extent of their past relationship. None of this was Ana’s fault. But she was just so bloody perfect. Lacey was used to being desired, to men finding her attractive. She’d never felt ugly until she stood next to Anastasia. She’d never been a jealous person until that striking blonde had showed up. She was wildly jealous of Anastasia, for everything she was and everything Lacey wasn’t.
“I dated Will for four years,” she said. “And he broke out in hives at the hint of any sort of commitment whatsoever. He didn’t even go to Belle and Gold’s wedding with me because he was so freaked out by marriage as an institution. But he’s willing to marry her? Some girl he barely knows?”
“You wanted to marry him,” Rush accused.
“No!” Lacey shot back. “I never even thought about it. If he’d ever asked I’d have laughed in his face. But having someone so soundly reject you stings. Forgive me if I think I’m owed the right to be a little salty about all this.”
Rush took a deep breath before nodding.
“Could you just not spring any more surprise kisses on me?” he asked, tentatively. “We can hold hands and dance and flirt, but no more of that. You made me feel…” he trailed off, seemingly unable to find an appropriate word.
Lacey felt suddenly small, like the tiniest most insignificant person in the world.
“Yeah,” she agreed. “No more kissing. I’ve got it.”
Rush gave her another stiff nod before going to the wardrobe and shrugging off his blazer to hang it there.
That was the end of that, then. No kissing. No rubbing her “relationship” in Will’s face. Suddenly the weekend didn’t seem so fun.
After a quick trip to the bathroom to clean up and change into her pajamas, Lacey found herself lying in bed beside Rush, the awkwardness between them almost unbearable. She wasn’t sure how to approach him now. She’d played too fast and loose and made him uncomfortable. He was a good man doing her a massive favor and she’d alienated him after an afternoon. She was a completely shit person.
“I’m sorry,” she said aloud, unsure if Rush was even still awake on the other side of the bed with his back to her. “I really am.”
“I know,” he returned, his voice sleepy. “It’s alright.”
It wasn’t though. And she didn’t know how to make it so.
“You’re an excellent kisser, by the way,” he said into the darkened room. “That’s not what this is about.”
She stared at his back in the gloom, wondering where he was going with this.
“Thanks?” she said, her statement sounding like a question.
Rush snorted a laugh.
“I just didn’t want you getting the wrong idea,” he continued. “Under other circumstances…” he trailed off, letting the statement hang in the air.
“Yeah,” Lacey agreed.
She rolled over on the creaky mattress, putting her back to Rush. Maybe if Gold had set them up when they’d had no ulterior motives. Maybe if she’d been a fully functioning adult. Maybe…
Lacey drifted off to sleep on the thoughts of what might have been.
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RUMBELLE + ANYELLE/ANYEM FIC RECS part 2
In celebration of the fact that two years ago today I decided to finally watch ouat (suspecting I might fall for rumbelle but not expecting I would fall that hard lol) here is another part of fic recs. Thank you everyone who has written all the wonderful stories I’ve read (or will read in the future); without you my existence would’ve been much bleaker.
RUMBELLE
1. Alterations by ifishouldvanish
Non-magical AU, 29931 words, M
Belle asks her friend Gold (a single father who, having troubles with work, lives with his controlling mother) to alter a dress for her upcoming wedding.
2. Away to Me by Crysania
Non-magical AU, 106748 words, E, Minor Character Death
Belle needs money, and Gold needs help on his farm.
3. Bare Facts by BarPurple
Non-magical AU, 7514 words, E
Sunbathing naked can lead to some interesting results.
4. Between the Sheets by suchadearie
Storybrooke, 3686 words, E
Belle confesses that she fantasises about having sex in front of someone.
5. Birthday Feast by lizandletdie
Storybrooke, 4421 words, E
Kitchen sex is interrupted.
6. Blind Faith by Maplesyrup
Non-magical AU, 21464 words, E
Blind businessman Gold hires an assistant.
7. Brandy, Apples and Spice by rufeepeach
Dark Castle, 10013 words, E
Celebrating Winter Solstice in the Dark Castle.
8. Bright Ideas by rufeepeach
Storybrooke, 7451 words, E
Belle suggests trying a strap-on.
9. Brimstone and Mistletoe series by ThatRavenclawBitch
Non-magical AU, 12501 words, E, M, T
Father Gold has a crush, which is mutual.
10. Childhood Traumas by TheStraggletag
Storybrooke s6, 2290 words, M
Gideon witnesses something he wasn't supposed (or wanted) to.
11. Children of the Enchanted Forest by ComradeGiddyBiscuit
Creature AU, 6535 words, E
Lady Belle wants to make a deal with a local forest god.
12. Closing Time by Bad_Faery
Non-magical AU, 157352 words, M
Belle's father is sick, and she marries Gold for money.
13. Collateral by rufeepeach
Non-magical AU, 2646 words, E
Moe doesn't have the money he owes to Gold, and Belle suggests Gold an alternative way of paying.
14. Comforts of the Household Gods by intrikate (girlmercury)
Dark Castle, 4141 words, T
The Dark Castle turns out to be even more magical than Belle thought.
15. Compound Interest by Saathi1013
Cursed s1 Storybrooke, 7323 words, M
Lacey takes a job in Gold's pawnshop.
16. Contract by Kelyon
Non-magical AU, 5753 words, M
Belle and Gold discuss the nuances of their new BDSM relationship.
17. Control by ChloeWinchester
Non-magical AU, 5143 words, E
To fire up their relationship, Milah wants to watch her husband have sex with another woman.
18. Coward by wonderwoundedhearers
AU, 1345 words, G
Jumanji AU.
19. Cumulation by AngelofDarkness1605
Non-magical AU, 6152 words, E
Gold acquires a Sybian saddle for his shop and claims he has no idea what it is. Belle shows him.
20. Dark Spring by nerdrumple
AU with the elements of supernatural, 25810 words, E
Gold needs to marry; then things turn strange.
21. Doubt by lizandletdie
Storybrooke s4, 2054 words, G
Belle is pregnant, but Rumple doubts he is the father.
22. Electrical Impulses series by Bad_Faery
Storybrooke, 11854 words, E
Rumbelle + femdom.
23. Falling by DelilahBlueEyes
AU, 490 words, T
Labyrinth AU.
24. Fever by rufeepeach
Dark Castle, 3478 words, E
Belle thinks the potion she has drunk was a cold medicine (it wasn't).
25. Finding the Fun by tinytorso
Storybrooke after s6, 5563 words, T
Belle and Rumple try to make life exciting again.
26. Fuel for the Fire by tjmystic
Storybrooke, 4617 words, E
Watching porn together.
27. Game of Thorns by TheStraggletag
AU, 8605 words, M
Game of Thrones AU.
28. Guide Me Home by TheStraggletag
Non-magical AU, 14260 words, E
Gold is lonely and homeless, but it’s going to change.
29. Handprints by rowofstars
Non-magical AU, 10173 words, G
Gold is a window washer.
30. Heatstroke by Emospritelet
Non-magical AU, 55490 words, E
Lacey, new to the town, accidentally witnesses her neighbour sunbathing naked.
31. Inheritance by rufeepeach
Non-magical AU, 180188 words, E
After five years of travelling Belle returns to Storybrooke to deal with her past (her deceased father’s shop, her ex, and his son she used to babysit).
32. It All Comes Tumbling Down by Bad_Faery
Cursed s1 Storybrooke, 43440 words, M
Rumple is ready to help Regina with the curse under one condition: Belle would be comfortable in the new life.
33. Juicy by tjmystic
Dark Castle, 6888 words, E
Belle consumes a lust-inducing fruit.
34. Keep the Change by rowofstars
Storybrooke, 2927 words, E
Angry sex in the pawnshop (golden lace).
35. Kiss of Life by Emospritelet
Non-magical AU, 82138 words, E
Hospital AU.
36. Knowledge is Power by Emospritelet
Storybrooke s4, 14788 words, E
Queens of Darkness lock Belle and Rumple in his shop so they could resolve things between them.
37. Lacey and the Tramp by chippedcupwrites
Storybrooke, 1498 words, T
Lacey brings home a stray dog.
38. Live Wire by Kelyon
Ghost AU, 14738 words, T
Belle is a spirit haunting Gold’s house through electricity.
39. Lullabies and Exiles by bayloriffic
Dark Castle, cursed s1 Storybrooke, 7325 words (3/? chapters), G
A baby appears in the Dark Castle just before the curse. In Storybrooke Rumple becomes her father, and Belle becomes Lacey, her nanny.
40. Mr. September by ThatRavenclawBitch
Non-magical AU, 13766 words, E
When Gold was younger he did some nude modelling for a calendar. Now he really doesn't want anyone to find out about it.
41. No Satisfaction by ThatRavenclawBitch
Storybrooke after s6, 8714 words, E
It’s very hard to have some time alone in Storybrooke.
42. Number 9 by Emospritelet
Storybrooke after s6, 6114 words, E
Rumple makes a potion so that Belle’s stamina in bed could match his.
43. Over The Counter by rufeepeach
Storybrooke, 5782 words, E
Pawnshop roleplay.
44. Parent Teacher Conference by rowofstars
Non-magical AU, 23178 words, E
Gold is attracted to his son’s teacher.
45. Penance by Emospritelet
Non-magical AU, 218307 words, E, Underage, Minor Character Death
Gold is a teacher, and Belle is his student.
46. Picking Up The Pieces by WorryinglyInnocent
Cursed s1 Storybrooke, 2132 words, T
Gold believes that his wife has committed suicide, and then he meets Lacey.
47. Portrait of the Heart by chippedcupwrites
Enchanted Forest AU, 12707 words, T
Rumple is given a locket that shows its owner a ‘caretaker of their heart’.
48. Primal Desire by ZionAngel
Dark Castle, 5507 words, E
Rumple spills a potion that activates his primal instincts.
49. Receipt In the Bag? by ifishouldvanish
Non-magical AU, 3655 words, T
Lacey works at the Dark Star Pharmacy and flirts with Gold a lot.
50. Rumple & the Real Girl by nerdrumple
Cursed s1 Storybrooke, 6687 (5/? chapters), E
In cursed Storybrooke, Gold is sent a sex doll by mistake.
51. Sacrifice by Emospritelet
Cursed s6 Storybrooke, 47366 words, E
Belle offers herself to Gold to pay the rent.
52. Seal of Love by Endangered_Slug
Creature AU, 4950 words, M
Rumple is a selkie.
53. Seeing Red by KillerKueen
Non-magical AU, 6445 words, E
Belle is on her period and very horny.
54. Shadow Manor by suchadearie
Non-magical AU, 75346 words, E
Gold marries Belle so that she would bear him an heir; Belle’s reasons for marrying him are more complicated.
55. Simmer by woodelf
Storybrooke, 4023 words, E
Summer PWP with sex toys.
56. Size Doesn't Matter by lizandletdie
Dark Castle, 3414 words, E
Rumple gets shrunken but it doesn’t stop him from satisfying Belle.
57. Sleeping Arrangements by TheStraggletag
Non-magical AU, 2058 words, G
Gold has insomnia, and he searches for someone to share a bed with.
58. Slings and Arrows by rowofstars
Enchanted Forest AU, 15838 words, E
Spinner!Rumple and tavern girl!Lacey.
59. Soapy Water by MarieQuiteContrarie (SeaStar1330)
Dark Castle, 12779 words, E
Doing laundry turns into sex.
60. Soothing by rufeepeach
Dark Castle, 1673 words, E
Lap sex in the Dark Castle.
61. Storm Warning by Emospritelet
Non-magical AU, 5331 words, T
During a snowstorm, Belle is trapped in the university with professor Gold.
62. Strong for Belle by desperatemurph
Non-magical AU, 4454 words, M, Major Character Death
Belle doesn’t survive the childbirth.
63. Tamed, Wild, Caged, and Feral Creatures by merripestin
Storybrooke, 12339 words, E
Belle’s first days after the curse is broken, with the flashbacks to the EF.
64. The Ballad of Lacey French by Bad_Faery
Cursed s1 Storybrooke, Major Character Death
Mary Margaret tells Emma why Mr. Gold has beaten Moe French.
65. The Commuters series by B_does_the_write_thing
Non-magical AU, 5019 words, T
Unconventional ways of meeting on the road.
66. The Dark Floofs series by JunoInferno
Enchanted Forest AU, Storybrooke, 4248 words, T, M
Rumplestiltskin is experiencing troubles with his hair, so he summons a local hairdresser.
67. The Deal by TheStraggletag
Storybrooke, 4148 words, M
Belle has made a deal with Mr. Gold to have a child.
68. The Dungeon by WorryinglyInnocent
Dark Castle, 1338 words, E
Belle explores the dungeons and finds something interesting.
69. The Fire Down Below by woodelf
Dark Castle, 2723 words, E
Rumple spills lust potion.
70. The Gift That Keeps On Giving by Bad_Faery
Storybrooke s2, 2792 words, E
Belle is given a vibrator and wants Rumple to show her how it works.
71. The Hands-On Approach by prissygirl
Dark Castle, 7209 words, E
Belle can’t sleep at night, and Rumple helps her relax.
72. The Incubus by Crysania
Dark Castle, 3407 words, E
Belle is visited by an incubus in the Dark Castle; Rumple is concerned.
73. The Language of Flowers by DeliriumsDelight7
Non-magical AU, 29682 words, M
Belle comes to Storybrooke to deal with her father’s debt and accidentally has a one-night stand with his creditor.
74. The Mask by nerdrumple
Enchanted Forest AU, 12802 words, E
Belle impersonates the Dark One.
75. The Ninth Button by Maplesyrup
Storybrooke, 4906 words, E
Ruby confesses to Belle that she and Gold used to have sex under the curse.
76. The Sounding Sea by mareyshelley
Creature AU, 33034 words, E
Rumple finds an injured mermaid.
77. The Things We Do For Love by woodelf
Storybrooke, 9067 words, E
Rumple is trying a cockstrap.
78. The Third Girl by rufeepeach
Enchanted Forest AU, 2887 words, M
What if Belle wasn’t Rumple’s first caretaker?
79. Unskilled But Caring Hands by rufeepeach
Dark Castle, Storybrooke, 2346 words, T
After dealing with many babies in the Dark Castle, Belle has her own.
80. Warmth by rowofstars
Storybrooke, 1118 words, G
Belle is on her period and wants to cuddle.
81. Watching series by rowofstars
Non-magical AU, 8688 words, E
Belle notices her neighbour watching her and gives him a show.
82. What You'd Thought Lost by DeliriumsDelight7
Non-magical AU, 111560 words, M
Belle and Emma exchange their homes for a while (The Holiday AU).
83. What You Know by Bad_Faery
Non-magical AU, 7058 words, E
Fantasising about Belle, a local librarian, inspired Mr. Gold to start writing erotica.
84. Where is My Mind? by ThatRavenclawBitch
Non-magical AU, 22343 words, E
Belle wants to seduce her boss, Mr. Gold, and pretends to be her twin sister.
85. Who Favor Fire by marchionessofblackadder
Dark Castle, 14141 words, G
Rumple brings home a dragon’s egg.
ANYELLE/ANYEM
1. "and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.” - LotR by wandering_gypsy_feet
California Solo, 30552 words, M
Lachlan meets Arianwen’s therapist, Belle.
2. Cell Block Tango by smartgirlsaremean
Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School, 2955 words, M
Frank is arrested, being mistaken for Lachlan. In jail, he meets Lacey, who mistakes him for Lachlan too.
3. Contact by Bad_Faery
SGU, 4863 words, E
Aliens did something that made Belle and Rush constantly crave physical contact.
4. Inner Steel by WorryinglyInnocent
Brick, Trainspotting, 2236 words, M, Major Character Death
Begbie gets out of jail and wants to know what happened to Emily, a prostitute he used to know.
5. My Favourite Mistake by HistoireEternelle
SGU, 6864 words, E
Gold/Belle/Rush threesome.
6. One Small Step at a Time by WorryinglyInnocent
Remember Me
Ally’s new case as a social worker is Mr. Gold.
7. Splash by ddagent
Hamish MacBeth, High Noon, Monroe: Class of '76, 3982 words, E
Hamish, Phoebe, and Tom are having fun.
8. Strengths and Weaknesses by DeliriumsDelight7
28 Weeks Later, 4656 words, T
Belle and Don are hiding from the infected together.
9. Student-Teacher Conference by WorryinglyInnocent
SGU, 1466 words, E
Rush and Lacey talk about their fantasies.
10. The Barber and the Librarian by TheScholarlyStrumpet (equipoise)
The Legend of Barney Thomson, 1615 words, G
Barney moves to a new town and is very interested in a local librarian.
11. The Offering by TheStraggletag
Hamish MacBeth, 4661 words, E
Something strange is happening in Lochdubh. Also there’s a new librarian.
12. These Still Waters by Lady_Therion
Summer, 2342 words, E
Belle and Shaun meet when she is swimming in the lake.
13. Turn! Turn! Turn! by sfiddy
Summer, 25299 words (12/? chapters), M
Shaun, lonely and lost after Daz’s death, meets Belle, the new town librarian.
14. Whispers by WorryinglyInnocent
SGU, 5133 words, E
Belle is pregnant, and for some reason everyone on the ship is too polite to ask who the father is.
15. Wide Awake by WorryinglyInnocent
Remember me, 2484 words, E
Ally accidentally hears her roommate Lacey having sex with her boyfriend, professor Gold. They invite her to join them.
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Showdown Rules
1. The author is not permitted to reveal their identity at any time. If you squeal, you forfeit. If you squeal on anyone else, you forfeit.
2. The deadline for each round will be clearly stated when prompts are announced and posted at the top of the blog. If you fail to meet the deadline, you forfeit.
3. The fic must be a minimum of 1,000 words and not exceed the limit for the round. There's a little wiggle room if your fic exceeds the max by only a few words, but please try to keep it under the max.
4. No bashing. Positivity only. If we catch an author bashing the others, you forfeit.
—————————————————————————————
PROMPT REQUIREMENTS:
1. Since the fics are meant to be short, we can’t box in our writers if we want variety.
YOUR PROMPT CAN BE NO MORE THAN 4 WORDS.
4 WORDS.
YOUR PROMPT CAN ONLY BE UP TO 4 WORDS.
Everyone is encouraged to submit a prompt–including non-competitors! Feel free to submit as many as you like! But they can only be 4 words long.
Please make sure when you send in prompts that you specify whether a string of words is to be 1 single prompt or separate prompts. If you’re sending prompts via Anon Ask, please be specific in your wording so there is no confusion.
We will be drawing 3 prompts at a time, per round. Each author is expected to fill all 3 prompts within their fic. HOWEVER for multi-word prompts that are several separate ideas or images, do the best you can. You do not have to use every single word you are given.
2. This event is intended only for Rumbelle pairings. We love Anyelle, but, we can only accept Rumbelle, Golden Lace, Woven Beauty, or Woven Lace fics to even the odds for our contestants. Not everyone in this fandom writes Anyelle, and not everyone writes every Anyelle pairing.
3. The prompts may not specifically ask for smut. Not everyone is comfortable with reading/writing smut. We would rather leave that to the authors’ choice.
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