Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was the 15th of February and "The Pack" (as Red had affectionately labelled them) had gathered at Snow's to discuss the relative success of their Valentine's Days. Belle grinned as she looked around at her friends, convinced she could guess what happened just by looking at them. Snow was beaming with happiness as it had been a significant improvement on the last Valentine's Day she had spent in Storybrooke, her True Love not being married to another woman and all. Red was not at all trying to hide the massive hickey on her neck and well, everyone had seen Jefferson's extravagant contribution to the day and the rather embarrassed Emma was sitting quietly sipping on her cocktail.

 

"So girls, how was everyone's day yesterday?" Snow exclaimed, content that everyone had a drink and was comfortable.

 

Red grinned, almost too many teeth showing for Belle's liking. Sometimes the wolf in her was so close to the surface. "My day was amazing, he finally let me try this thing I've been wanting to do for ages! It involved me pulling my leg way up..."

 

"Whoa, sister!" Emma interrupted. "We so do not need that image, thanks."

 

"Aw." Red pouted prettily over the rim of her glass. "And I was so looking forward to explaining how flexible Archie is."

 

Belle wrinkled her nose and smiled at the same time. "I cannot imagine Archie doing anything like that, let alone giving you a hickey that size."

 

"Mm, you like?" Red exposed her neck so everyone could admire it. "Nothing sexier than being marked by your mate."

 

Emma laughed. "You are an animal sometimes, Rubes."

 

"What can I say?" Red laughed with her, not offended in the least. "It's a part of who I am. But it wasn't all sex, Archie packed us provisions and we went and had a moonlight picnic in the woods, it was beautiful."

 

"Lucky for him it wasn't a full moon, hey?" Emma smirked.

 

"I'll say." Red grinned. "Otherwise it would have been really interesting."

 

Snow shook her head in an amused way. "Well, Charming went all out yesterday. I came home to a beautifully set table, candles flickering, music playing and the most mouth-watering smell coming from the oven." She sighed wistfully. "It was perfect. And afterwards was just perfect too."

 

"Ew, Mum, no!" Emma cried. "Please, just no."

 

"How do you think you were made, young lady? At least we keep our love behind closed doors." Snow teased. "I nearly died when I woke up yesterday and saw what Jefferson had done."

 

Belle smiled at the indulgent look Snow gave her daughter as she topped up her drink. It had taken a while but Emma had finally gotten used to the idea of being a princess, not to mention having parents who looked to be only a few years older than herself. It warmed Belle's heart to hear them exchange banter so lovingly and know that Emma was shaping up to be a fine leader, just like her parents. And if there was anything more adorable in Storybrooke than the broship between Henry and his grandfather Belle had yet to see it.

 

"I know." Emma groaned. "I told him I didn't even want to celebrate it and the more I tried to downplay it, the bigger and more ridiculous his plans got."

 

"That's Jefferson for you." Belle smiled. "Yes is no, no is yes...un-birthdays are more important than actual birthdays."

All the woman laughed as they remembered the huge event he had planned for the town the month before, a street long tea party for everybody's un-birthday. Unfortunately it had been Whale's ACTUAL birthday and much hilarity had ensued when Jefferson had refused him entry to the street. Red poured herself another martini and passed the jug around.

 

"Yes. Well. He can be a little...extravagant." Emma said, smiling in a happy way that Belle had never seen before. "But he means well. And he loves me."

 

"He certainly does!" Red laughed. "I didn't even know there were that many hats in the world, let alone Storybrooke."

Belle giggled, remembering her own surprise when she had walked outside to see thousands of hats strewn about the town, each one of them embroidered with something that Jefferson loved about Emma. It had taken the couple most of the day to round them all up and for Emma to read them all. One of Belle's personal favourites was the cute fedora with the words "The way she looks when she's tied up" stitched tenderly on the side. She was sure there was more to that than the obvious but had yet to ask Emma about it.

 

"Did Henry get any Valentines?" Belle asked, hoping to put Emma out of her misery. Secretly though, Belle thought the blonde loved such open displays of love. It had been something missing form her life before she got caught up in this crazy world.

 

"He sure did." Emma beamed. "You know Melody?"

 

"Ariel's daughter?" Red asked.

 

"The very same." Emma nodded. "Henry spent quite a while making her a jewelry box decorated with seashells."

"It was the sweetest thing." Snow took over. "He handed to her so shyly and she just grabbed him and hugged him tight."

"Aw." Belle cooed. "That's perfect."

 

"Not bad for his first Valentine." Emma grinned proudly, gulping at her own drink.

 

"And what about you Belle?" Snow asked gently. "Does Rumpelstiltskin even celebrate Valentine's Day?"

"He does, though he's not overly fond of Cupid." Belle giggled. "Too closely related to the fairies so I'm afraid it was he who gave Cupid that black eye."

 

"I knew it." Emma growled. "Poor Coop was a mess."

 

"I know." Belle sympathised. "But what was he thinking trying to decorate our house with paper hearts and streamers?"

"He probably thought you were really into it, a house that colour." Red chuckled.

"Mm. Well. Rum only punched him. It could have been worse."

The three women looked at her in disbelief.

"What?" She huffed. "He could have been a snail."

 

"That would have hindered the spreading of love significantly." Red slurred. Belle wondered just how many martinis she'd gone through.

"Rum got me this." Belle said softly, pulling out a simple Valentine's card covered in gold leaf from her handbag.

 

Red grabbed the card out of her hands. "Let me see, let me see!"

 

"Be careful!" Belle cried even as the tall brunette plonked herself down between Snow and Emma and began to read out loud.

"To my dearest Belle, I will love you forever. Rumpelstiltskin. That's it?" Ruby pouted. "Not nearly as gushy as I was hoping for."

 

"Was...was that everything?" Snow strived to keep the pity out of her voice. "Did he buy you a gift?"

 

Belle shook her head, making her curls sway as she reverently took the card back. She ran traced over the indented spinning wheel, rose and book on the front of the card and smiled secretly. It might not have been as excessive as Jefferson's declaration of devotion, or as pro-active as Charming or Archie's plans for their partners but for Belle it was all she needed. Written words had always been Rumpelstiltskin's forte, he lived by them and they were as much his as hats were Jefferson's. As they were Belle's, she supposed, the disproportionate amount of time she spent reading spoke volumes for her love of the written word. Rum had never been one to recite poetry or even tell Belle he loved her as often as she would like. His card though, was a contract, it was concrete and it was a pledge that he would never break. Forever was an awfully long time and he had sworn that she would be his light and world for the rest of their lives. She looked up at her three close friends and included them in her secret smile.

 

"No, no presents but this." She held up her left hand and showed them a perfectly formed gold band around her finger engraved with one word: Forever.