Valentine's Day }{ Open post

[asap]

WHO || Characters in the log [open or closed]
WHAT || VALENTINE'S DAY
WHERE || ALL AROUND THE CASTLE
WHEN || 2/14
HOW || DO WHAT YOU WANT

It's Valentine's Day! All around people are happily snuggling up with their loved one or drowning their feelings in booze and/or ice cream. Give out cards or chocolate or commiserate with other single people! Whoo Valentine's Day!

Comments

[undealt]

[I ROLLED A WILL SAVE TO SEE IF HE'D LIE AND HE ROLLED A SIX, so... clearly he just wants to crush Belle's dreams. Or he's too self-deprecating to think he'd make a good Prince Charming.]

Rumplestiltskin. [ye...ah. Good thing he has to keep his eyes on the road, so he doesn't have to look at her and see her CONFUSED FACE.]

[untethered]

Rumple... Rumplestiltskin? [ yeah she basically just fails at saying that all over town as if she were regina, it's pretty adorable. it's clear that she's never heard that ridiculous name in her life. ] What an odd name for a fairy tale.

[undealt]

You've never heard of it? [This time he does look at her, so he can look... oddly hopeful. A head-on collision was risked just for puppy eyes.]

[untethered]

I can't say I have. But there are so many stories in this world, and I've only been able to try and catch up with them for the last few years.

Who is he?

[undealt]

Well, it's a dreadful story. [No, really, he would feel that way even if he had his memories, because it's so inaccurate.] He's an imp who spins straw into gold.

[Maybe he'll get away with just that. WHO WANTS TO BE AN IMP? NOT HIM FOR SURE.]

[untethered]

[ raised!eyebrow ] An ... imp? [ yeah, that is clearly the important part here. ] You look a bit tall for an imp. [ wait no this is not a joking matter, is it? yes it is ] But... what's so dreadful about making gold out of straw?

[undealt]

Not so much that as the story itself. It's a bit contrived. [siiigh. here we go.] As I recall, it was something about a woman's father boasting his daughter could spin straw into gold and a greedy king imprisoning her in a tower until she could produce the desired result. As she couldn't do as her father promised, she expected her days were numbered, but Rumplestiltskin came to her in her tower and made a deal with her- he would spin the straw into gold in exchange for something of hers. This continued until she had nothing more to give beyond her firstborn child. She eventually married the king who had imprisoned her and bore him a child and when the imp came to collect, she begged to be released from the deal. So he provided her a counteroffer- if she could guess his name within three days, she could keep her baby. Naturally, she couldn't think of anything, but a page wandering the woods came across Rumplstiltskin singing around the campfire, believing his game to be won. During his song, he revealed his name, which the page reported back to the young queen. She guessed the correct name and in a rage, Rumplestiltskin split himself in two.

[He basically read the entire story after Emma told him and it stuck with him.] So, as you can see, it's all a bit ridiculous for her to think that could be me.

[untethered]

[ belle listens with the tiniest little frown on her lips, but she doesn't look worried about the story's implications. just somewhat bemused by the whole thing. ] It... doesn't sound very much like Emma, believing in such a strange story. Did she say what made her think such a thing?

[undealt]

Just that the entire town of Storybrooke seems to be populated with people from fairy tales. Her son had a book of them- one might even say he believed in them very strongly, from what I recall. As Emma doesn't remember him, perhaps she just... remembers the things he told her. After all, losing your memories of a person doesn't erase the effect they once had on you.

[untethered]

[ his words seem to strike some kind of chord with her, and she glances at him out of the corner of her eye again. ] Like an echo, of what they were to you.

It's sad to think that she's forgotten her son. But I imagine it might be worse if her... if she did remember.

[undealt]

Indeed. [He smiles a bit, though that smile fades completely at the thought of Emma being separated from a son she could actually remember. Like something about that makes her summation of things hit home. An echo.] Well, the boy has an adoptive mother, so he wouldn't be alone in the world. That brings little consolation when you know you may never see your child again, however.

[untethered]

[ she nods, looking lost in thought. ] Well. Perhaps you're right then, that she simply wishes to hold onto him in some small way in the corner of her memory that can't lose him.

After all, that story doesn't sound anything like you, aside from the fact that your name is Gold.

[undealt]

An odd coincidence, most certainly. [He laughs it off. He's been holding that whole revelation in since Bermuda and now that he's been able to laugh it off with someone, it has less of a hold on him.

And somewhere in all of this they have made it into the city. /HANDWAVES TIME. He goes quiet once they have to start looking for something and eventually ends up heading to the park after catching a glimpse of a sign. Impulsive decisions are us.]

[untethered]

[ INTO THE PARK THEY GO, and she takes his arm again as they're walking, all romantic and shit. ] Almost like a slice of home, in the middle of the city.

[undealt]

Was this what it was like there? [He smiles down at her.] Storybrooke did have this lovely forest at the edge of town. I used to landscaping when I had some time to myself. Property values and all-

[Something catches his eye and he trails off as he stares at it] -that.

[It's pretty clear what he's staring at. This statue is sort of noteworthy, though why he has that look on his face is anyone's guess. Even he's not certain.

He gently pulls his arm out of her grasp and limps closer to it, walking around the base and frowning.]

Piper... [he murmurs under his breath, as if clinging to a scrap of memory that's too fuzzy to get fully.] No. [His eyes flick up to the face of the child at the top of the statue and an unfathomable frustration vies for dominance with his confusion.] Pan.

[untethered]

[ belle is just like da fuck at his visceral reaction to this... adorable statue, but she'll walk up slowly behind him after he speaks and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. ] What is it?

[undealt]

[yeah, that is a good reaction to have, belle.]

I don't know. [He squints.] It just feels wrong somehow- like being deceived. [He shakes it off.] One more thing I don't remember. After that shadow in Scotland, I thought I was done with all of these phantom memories.

[Hilarious, considering he just accused Emma of having them.]

[untethered]

Have you tried... asking Emma about them? I know you said you don't think she remembers everything perfectly, but maybe she has some idea...

[undealt]

I don't think my pride would've allowed it. [AFTER SCOTLAND. He spares another glance at the statue.] But perhaps it wouldn't hurt.

[untethered]

Would you like me to talk to her?

[undealt]

If you'd like. She might be more capable of honesty around someone who doesn't think everything she says is nonsense. [i am gold's expression of sheepish derp.]

[untethered]

I think she listens to you more than you know.

[undealt]

[He links her arm again and begins moving away from the... adorable statue that seems to symbolize great personal anguish.] How do you mean?

[untethered]

Call it a hunch. But I don't think she'd get so upset with you if she didn't actually care about what you had to say.

[undealt]

That is true.

[He walks in contemplative silence for a moment before something catches his eye- a large screen set up in the park where people are huddled together, watching a film. He stops and stares at it for a second before an idea forms in his head and he turns back to Belle.] That could be interesting.