knightsoflegend | Valentine's Day }{ Open post

[ yeah sorry astrid, belle is going to just stare like she has no idea what she's looking at at first, and then she's going to just... back away to follow him without accepting your gift. .__.

as they head down the steps, she tentatively takes his arm again, though now she's hyper-aware of whether he seems weirded out by that or not, and she's not pressed so snugly to his side, because of the sex elephant in the room now. ] I... don't think she honestly intended any ... disrespect.

[ with a rueful awkward smile: ] I suppose it... is Valentine's Day. She's probably seen her share of couples heading off tonight. [ there's a certain levity to the comment and also a sort of lingering question under that levity. DO THEY COUNT AMONG THOSE COUPLES OR WERE THEY THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE??? IS THIS DATE???? WERWATEY???? ]

[Yeah, he rolled so terribly that he... has no idea how to read that. He glances behind briefly, thoughtful.] I imagine she has.

[But because he doesn't know what she's implying, he has to be the idiot who asks directly, because he failed his will save to not just blurt it out.] Is that what this is?

[It's not hard to read his expression, because his will save was just that terrible. He looks a little perplexed. Like he's worried he's about to be the butt of some joke. Girls like Belle don't invite guys like him out... DO THEY???]

[ she stops with him at the bottom of the steps, to look over and try to read his own expression. he looks so bewildered that she's equally uncertain how to interpret his reaction. he could be suddenly offended into being woman-trapped into a date he didn't ask for with a much younger woman that he couldn't actually take seriously, or... well who knows what he might think, SHE DOESN'T PRETEND TO KNOW HIS MIND OK. so she asks very carefully, but with no small hidden spark of hope in her eyes: ] I-if it were, would that... would that be alright with you? [ her heart feels as if it's in her throat, as she's suddenly aware these evening plans of theirs could be about to be cut devastatingly short. FINGERS CROSSED. ]

[He blinks and then his expression softens and he tugs her a bit closer, inviting her to get all snuggly with his arm again. No will save in the world is high enough to hide the hope that crosses his face- he's a cynical bastard by nature, but Belle doesn't seem to have any tricks up her sleeve. This is real- it's something. Maybe a date. Probably a date.

Definitely a date.] I wouldn't be unhappy to hear it, actually.

[ her own eyes widen just a bit, and then a very bright smile splits her face as her fingers curl more tightly against his sleeve. with his resting cynical-bastard face, it's been rare to see him looking so hopeful about anything, and having that expression fixated on her, well... it prompts a swelling emotion in her chest that she's only happy to hold onto. ]

Well, then that makes two of us. [ there's that confidential edge of relief that usually comes in sharing a long-kept secret to the way she says it, and she happily resumes the walk, pressing slightly nearer to him as they head towards the garage. she ducks her smile again a bit as she admits: ] Do you know, I don't think I've actually ever been on a... a date before. Not by this world's definition, I mean. So this is rather exciting. [ yes, it's exciting because it's your first date, belle, not because it's with the guy you have a major crush on. very convincing. ]

Well, that makes two of us... That I can recall, anyway. [If he's never had a date in his entire life, then there's a problem somewhere, but he didn't date in Storybrooke and he hasn't shown any interest in that sort of thing here... until now.

But it seems rather ridiculous to admit as much. So maybe he just forgot ALL THE DATES.] So I suppose it's an adventure for us both.

[He at least rolled a semi-decent wis check to kinda get those crush vibes and that makes him smile more. He is the anti-Rafael.]

[ the admission seems to put her even more at ease as they stroll inside the garage. ] An unexpected benefit of our clean slates, I suppose.

I told you there were some. [ she nudges him gently with a playful elbow, encouraging him forward to the car, since she doesn't even know which one he signed out. ] I hope you're not opposed to playing it all a bit by ear. I-- hadn't really planned on this. [ nor does she yet have a perfect grasp on all the modern inconvenient things like... reservations and shit, even if she had. ]

[He signed out the Aston Martin, let's be real. Because he's James Bond. Or a James Bond villain. We just don't know. But yes, that's the car he's leading her to.]

Actually, I think not having everything planned makes it all the more exciting. There's no expectations. [He opens the door to the car for her like a gentleman.]

And therefore no disappointments. [ she slides into the car, with a grateful smile for his gentlemanly gesture. really, she's just all smiles. she kind of can't turn it off, even when he closes the door and makes his way around the car and she's all alone for a few seconds. in fact, it might be even wider when he's not looking, shh. ]

[Yeah, the private elation is a mutual thing, because as soon as he starts circling around to the driver's side, he looks like a giddy dork, only to compose himself by the time he gets inside. He's cool. Totally.]

Do you have a preference or shall we just drive until something strikes us?

[He's pretty cool with that. But he'd be cool with whatever senpai says uguu.]

There has to be plenty to do in London. We could head into the city and ... see what we can find?

Now that sounds like my kind of evening.

[Because it has to be special and even with the whole "nothing planned means no disappointments" idea, it could still be a disappointing evening. And he'd like to avoid that.

Luckily Gold didn't crit fail or utterly bomb his drive check, so they'll even have a smooth ride the whole way. Yaay.] I do want to thank you, Belle. I don't think I would have ever gotten the courage to ask you myself.

[It's a sheepish admission, one he's certain won't be awkward now that they're both mutually kind-sorta admitting there are feelings there.]

It certainly took me awhile. [ yeah this is not a new development, surprise. she studies the dash as if it's the most interesting thing in the world. ] To be honest, I might not have ever even done so, if Emma hadn't said something, some time ago.

[If Gold were not 100% committed to keeping his eyes on the road, he would have Stewie Griffin-headtilted at her right then and there. As he cannot look away, he just slow blinks.]

Emma Swan? [MAYBE THERE ARE TWO EMMAS???]

She said something months ago, but I-- I wasn't certain I believed her.

[He's quiet for a moment, because he can't think of a single instance where he ever said a word about it to her. He is apparently oblivious to how obvious his puppy dog staring was. When he finally speaks again, it's gentle, but curious.] What exactly did she say?

Not much at all, really. She merely suggested it was... unusual that you would spend so much time in the library, and that you might-- [ she glances up at him with a small smile ] -- might be there for another reason.

[OKAY WOW. PEOPLE NEED TO STOP SAYING THAT. MAYBE HE ALSO.... LIKES BOOKS.

Although the awkward way he clears his throat suggests that maybe he does not like books as much as he wishes people would assume he likes books.]

Well, I, uh... I do enjoy our little chats. [Except they are way past excuses and shiftiness, so he presses on.] I just never could quite figure out how to go from there.

[A beat.] And I honestly didn't think anyone noticed.

You're a difficult man not to notice. [ how's that for bold. c wut she did thar. ]

Am I? [He manages to spare her a glance, looking... legitimately puzzled. It's sort of unfounded, really, because he's aware of his own presence. Everyone in Storybrooke feared him, but this isn't Storybrooke and he always figured he was noticed less than some of the other Knights.

But she... probably wasn't talking about how scary he is. He's so dumb.]

[ his confusion is apparently adorable to her, and her smile twitches up more as she admits: ] Since the very first day I met you.

I've yet to meet anyone else who's ever left such an impression. [ a beat ] In this world or the last. [ it's said with a sort of simple honesty that's difficult to argue with, but she glances back at him. WAS THAT TOO MUCH. MAYBE SHE SAID TOO MUCH. ]

[He focuses on the road and there's a second where he looks a little terrified of the notion and he can't imagine why. Then it slowly shifts into a contented, happy smile.]

Well, the feeling is mutual. Ever since we met, I can't help but feel like being around you is right somehow. As if we were always meant to meet.

[Now it's his turn to look like he's said too much.] It sounds ridiculous, I know, but I've always been a big believer in fate.

[ ajfka;fj;a ] That doesn't sound ridiculous at all.

But I have a question that might. I... I only just realized that I've no idea what your name is, beyond Sir Gold.

[That gets a chuckle out of him.] No, that's a reasonable question, actually. When I first arrived here, "Gold" was the only name I could recall, so I took it upon myself to choose a first name for the sake of... uncomplicating things. Auric seemed right, at the time, so that's been my name ever since.

Auric. [ she repeats the name, as if trying it out. ] Is that what you'd prefer to be called?

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