Tying Knots and Stealing Tricks

Written by: Adventure-Seeking-Juliet

When: For the six months of Rumbelle anniversary celebration

A/N In which Belle teaches Bae to tie his shoes. I meant to make him younger, but this ended up coming out. I hope it's what you wanted. :)

Prompt: Belle teaches little Bae how to tie his shoes.-riskpig

"It gets easier, I promise," Belle was saying," I didn't know how to tie the strings either, until your papa taught me." She was kneeling on the ground next to a young, brown-haired boy. He had a look of deep concentration plastered on his face, and despite his obvious frustration, he was still fiddling with the strings dangling from his new shoes.

After another failed attempt, he sighed, dropping the strings altogether," It's no use, Belle. I can't do it!" Belle simply smiled up at her step-son, shaking her head. She had only known Baelfire for a few months, but even she knew he wasn't the type to give up so easily.

"Yes you can, Bae," Belle replied, " If I can figure it out, you can." She took his shoe laces in her hand once again and went through the motions, hoping to spur him on," See? It's not that hard. It just takes practice."

Bae watched her hands easily glide the strings into the right place, then he untied the knot and tried himself. He made the first cross, but when he went to loop together a piece of string, the other string slipped from his fingers. "Ugh," He slapped his hands on the ground," Belle, I don't understand what I'm doing wrong."

Belle frowned," Honestly, I'm not sure either. Here," She picked up the strings and handed them back to him," Try again."

Bae sighed and repeated his motions, but once again fell short when it came time to decide how many loops should be made and where they went.

"Hmm," Belle reached out and took hold of the strings again," You've almost got it, except for the loops." She absentmindedly tied and untied the laces a few times while she thought," There is one trick your father taught me...it's rather embarrassing, though."

Bae's eyes lit up," I'll try anything. I just want to be able to tie my own shoes." He stared at Belle for a while, who was smiling to herself, as if laughing at an inside joke only she understood. He touched her shoulder, a bit weirded out by her momentary silence," Belle?"

She grinned at him, proving she had been perfectly alert the entire time," Alright, I'll make you a deal."

Bae groaned softly," A deal? You're starting to sound like papa." Despite his serious tone, he was grinning back at her. He was too much his father's son to turn down a perfectly good deal," What are the terms?"

Belle laughed, capitalizing on her victory," You know Bae, I think you're right, I've been spending too much time with Rum. I'm starting to enjoy deal making a bit too much." The two shared a look for a moment, then busted into peels of laughter.

"I-think," Bae struggled to speak between his fits of giggles," that makes too of us."

When their laughter had died down, Belle cleared her throat, and in the perfect imitation of Rumpelstiltskin, with both authentic hand flourishes and high-pitched giggles, said," Everything comes with a price. The terms of this deal are rather... special. I will show you this trick, but you must promise to never, ever, tell your father that I've stolen his tricks."

He snickered," I accept the terms. Will you help me now?"

Belle leaned forward and lowered her voice in a conspiratorial whisper," I'm going to tell you a story about a bunny. First, you have to secure a knot for the bunny's head. You take the laces and make an X," She explained, slowly trying the strings together in demonstration," Then, the bunny has to have ears! What's a bunny without ears?" Belle looped one lace into an ear, then the other,"You have to make the bunny ears tight, so they don't fall off."

Bae interrupted her," But why would they fall off? I've never seen a bunny's ear fall off before."

Belle giggled," You enjoy being cheeky, don't you, Bae?" Her step-son nodded, enjoying her exasperated sigh," Well, if you must know, it's a zombie bunny."

Bae laughed," How did it become a zombie?"

Belle mock glared at him," Questions are not a part of our deal!" Bae stuck his tongue out, acting several years younger than his actual age. Belle, to his surprise, stuck her tongue out right back at him," Now, this is the important part, so pay attention. You make another X with the bunny ears, then you slide one ear under the other and pull."

Belle pulled the strings through, proudly showing off the tied laces," You try."

Bae did so without complaint, and although his hands were quite as sure as his step-mother's, he managed to pull the strings and loop them almost perfectly, resulting in a lop-sided knot.

He didn't even notice the knot's unbalanced appearance, he was too busy grinning at Belle," Thanks!" He jumped up enthusiastically and walked around the living room a few times, enjoying the look of his tied laces.

Belle looked on the scene, smiling quietly, until Bae stopped in front of her," You're a great mother, Belle." He lurched forward, hugging her tightly. It had been a long time since Bae had had a motherly figure in his life. Belle made sure to wipe the tears from her cheeks before he looked up.

From a corner out in the hall, Rumpelstiltskin wiped his own away. His smile was richer and happier than it had in a long time, and as usual, a bit mischievous. He couldn't wait to let Belle know he had heard all about her "stealing his tricks."

A/N I tried out a different style of writing on this prompt. An anon on tumblr gave me some pointers about my writing, but I was a bit confused about what he/she meant. I hope I understood correctly. Let me know if it's better or worse?