The Fish

By RosexKnight

He was not jealous. The Dark One did not get jealous of a fish.

There was a new addition to his home when Gold got home, it seemed. One that was currently sitting on the table by the window, where Belle normally set a sizable stack of books as she read. However the stack had shrunk considerably to make room for this new addition.

This new addition that was flaring its gills at The Dark One as he peered into the tank.

"Belle?"

"One sec!" She called, and Gold heard the oven shut before she appeared, an oven not in her hand and her apron covered in flour.

How did she make baking look so darn cute?

"What's this?" He asked, pointing to the small tank, the fish swimming back and forth, flaring its gills every now and then.

"A fish." Belle said with a warm smile. "He's a betta. Isn't he gorgeous?"

"I meant what's it doing here?"

"He is my new reading companion." She said, walking to the tank.

The fish immediately swam to her, it's long find flowing as he circled. Somehow the fact that his gills didn't flare at Belle made him frown.

"Is he now?"

"I thought he was too pretty to not have a home." Belle said. "The shop keeper said no one liked him. Something about his color. But I loved him."

Gold glanced back at the fish. He didn't know much about them but he didn't suppose it was particularly beautiful. Its find were long and flowy, yes, but an odd combination of gold and green tipped with some black every now and then. It's scales were the same dull gold color, and the only thing Gold even liked about it was it's oddly blue eyes.

"He kinda reminded me of you." Belle said. "He was grumpy when I picked him up, but it seems he warmed up to me well."

This was ridiculous. The way the fish flared its gills at him but not at her. The way it circled and chased her finger as she traced the glass of the tank. The way she giggled when it splashed or blubbed.

He was not jealous of a fish.

The Dark One was not jealous of a fish.

"I haven't named him yet." Belle said with a pout, oblivious to the way Gold was glaring at a fish. A fish! "I was thinking of naming him after you but then it'd be confusing when I talked to him…"

She was going to be talking to him?!

Gold opened his mouth to say something. To somehow tell her the darn fish couldn't stay. At the very least needed to be put in the library rather than the main room. But then something in the kitchen beeped.

"Oh! Cookies are done. You want one, Rumple?" She asked as she stood.

All he could really do was nod as she gave him a kiss on the cheek and scampered off. He wondered for a moment of she suspected his ridiculous envy, but then the fish splashed and was flaring his gills at him again.

"You make no mistake." Gold said. "She's mine."

And he walked away from the tank to find Belle in the kitchen. Perhaps if he kissed her silly he'd feel better.