Work Text:
Belle French was comfortably sitting in her favourite armchair reading one of her favourite books, the weather was cold outside but she was enjoying the fireplace and a really heavy blanket so she didn't really mind.
It was a cold winter evening and the Sun had already settled down showing her a magnificent starry night view from her window.
Belle smiles and kept reading her book but before she could get to the best part she heard a nervous knocking on her front door.
She closed the book and got up.
"Yes?" she asked opening the door.
"It's me dearie! Mr.Gold!"
Mr. Gold?
What did Mr. Gold want from her at that hour?
Belle looked at him.
A man in a dark suit was standing in front of her he had snow on his coat and a pair of very red cheeks.
"Mr. Gold? Are you drunk?" Belle asked a bit worried.
"Absolutely not dearie..."
His voice was muffled, he was staring at her squeezing his eyes trying to focus.
Definitely drunk.
Belle was kinda amused by that, seeing the feared landlord Mr Gold being that drunk wasn't something common to see.
"Dearie... I came here at your door to ask you..." Mr. Gold stuttered before tripping over his own cane and falling right on his face on her porch.
"Mr. Gold!" Belle kneeled down next to him.
The man was snoring.
He fell asleep.
Belle couldn't leave him in outside like that so she decided to bring him inside.
She managed to carry him to her sofa and lay him down.
She grabbed her heavy blanket and immediately wrapped his body in it.
Once he was all settled she sighed and sat on a chair next to his sleeping figure.
She stayed by his side the whole night and the next morning Mr. Gold woke up with Belle uncomfortably sleeping on a chair next to the sofa he was lying on.
He moved a hand to touch the blanket he had on and then gasped realising what had happened the evening before.
He moved to get up and run away from that house before she woke up, acting like nothing happened but he was stopped by a pain in his head.
He really had way too many drinks the day before and he was now suffering the consequences of it.
He grabbed his head letting out a groan which inevitably woke Belle up.
She smiled.
"Oh! You are awake!"
Mr. Gold felt extremely embarrassed.
"I... I'm sorry... Miss. French I..."
Belle playfully pressed her finger on his lips.
"Relax! It's all right Mr. Gold!" she said.
He shook his head.
"I'm... pathetic... I forced you to take care of me..."
Belle placed her hand on his cheek.
"Hey it's ok really, it was no problem for me"
Mr. Gold looked around as he was desperately trying to find the right words to speak.
"Is there something you want to tell me? Why did you were drank and out of my house?"
Mr. Gold felt even more embarrassed than before.
"I mean... If you don't want to tell me you can..." Belle said.
"I like you!" the man blurted out.
Belle blushed.
"Excuse me?"
"I... wanted to ask you out but... but I didn't know how so I went to the rabbit hole and..." he was stuttering trying to explain himself without sounding creepy.
After the initial shock Belle smiled.
She knew Mr. Gold for a while now and they were pretty close.
"You silly" she said kissing his head.
Mr. Gold stopped talking and looked at her.
"Of course I want to go out with you! All you had to do was ask" she smiled.
Mr. Gold's cheeks became warm.
"Really?" he asked.
Belle moved next to him and hugged him tightly holding him close to her.
"Of course, You are so silly Mr. Gold" she smiled.