Marital Bliss? Chapter 23

A/N: What year since the last update?! I'm not crazy - you're crazy! XD

...I have no excuse. Let's just get to the chapter. Thank you so much for your patience. I hope it was worth it.

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Stranger Danger Part 2

Damn you, Miles Gold.

Damn you and your perfect body and that kind heart of yours.

And damn the secret that lies deep beneath it, a secret so awful, you couldn't possibly believe it to be true...not as the man you currently are, that is.

A tick of the clock in the living room signaling that another minute had passed - despite its noise being only slightly louder than a pin dropping on a wooden floor - assaulted Rumple's ear with all the ferocity of a falcon seizing its prey. While normally something he wouldn't even notice, when left with nothing but his thoughts, that maddening sensation was the only stable thing his mind could find to latch onto.

The past half hour had been what had honestly felt like the slowest of Rumple's life. Words that sailed away minutes upon minutes ago vibrated through his head like a series of echoes through a tunnel. The only bit of solace Rumple could take was that Miles wasn't around to make things more complicated. Yes, he was somewhat spared from further distress as Miles had decided to go take a nap before the party. He'd asked Rumple to join him, but Rumple had managed to weasel out of it by saying that he wanted to finish a book. The worst was over.

Or part of it, at least. His thoughts were truly the worst of the present situation and they would not be swayed so easily.

I might actually love him.

How the fuck did that happen?

He knew exactly what had happened. Miles had just been who he always was, at least under the curse. But it was more than that. There was something that Hook provided Miles with, an extra layer of passion that lit a flame for their physical relationship that refused to be put out, an aggravating stubbornness that tortured Rumple as well as made him respect his husband, and a bit of impulsivity that when paired with Miles' already very much existent love for his husband, ended up with Rumple being both surprised and touched. And because of that, time after time, he made himself vulnerable to Rumple and through an unexplainable mix of stubbornness and patience, made Rumple come around to being vulnerable around him.

That conniving bastard.

Just then, memories began to overtake Rumple - memories of Miles consoling him over the chipped cup, asking him about his son, assuring him he wouldn't be pressured into sex, and explaining why it was the he loved him so much poured through his mind like rum into an empty flask. Every bit of those were genuine, and Rumple knew it. There were many things he was good at and spotting a liar was one of the best.

No, not a conniving bastard. Not even close.

But just as Rumple accepted his own case, he shook his head.

The quarrel between feelings and denial played on in his head. It was a battle Rumple could tell where denial was slowly yet surely being pummeled by feelings, and yet still, his sense of denial - ironically enough, led by fear - refused to bow down so easily.

Was this love?

It was an understandable enough question to ask. Rumple was no stranger to love that turned out to be otherwise and love that never passed on, and if both had anything in common, it was that the origins of feelings were similar and tricky to differentiate at the start.

He thought about how things were between Belle and himself. Their bond was one of True Love after all, at least for the moment where their kiss started to dissolve his curse. It only made sense that, should he love Miles, his feelings for him would in some way mirror the larger aspects of those he held for her.

So what had bound he and Belle's souls in such a way? Rumple knew that just like the real love Belle described, it came in layers. While Rumple didn't know how to begin to explain Belle's attraction to him, he had spent plenty a sleepless night thinking it over, and at the moment, he concluded that at the very least, there was a physical, mental, and emotional attraction between them.

Now did that exist between himself and Miles?

A physical attraction was there, and Rumple would never deny it again. While he tried to protest it as much as he reasonably could, Rumple had truly lost himself in every part of Miles. He had a nice body, one that infuse Rumple with pure, raw desire. What was once an incredulous amount of flinching every time they so much as touch was now turned on its head. It was now the case that in addition to just accepting Miles' shows of affection, Rumple found himself regularly giving Miles' well toned torso and flawless face long glances and warm touches, savering the different sensations of his body like a food connoisseur savored a cut of fillet mignon. Even the casualness of their shared kisses had become breathtaking. They were so far from the chores that they used to be and his former repulsion towards them was a memory he now often found hard to recall. His lips lingered on Miles' for seconds upon seconds longer than they had to. The way Miles hugged him became more and more soothing. Rumple's eyes always closed in his embraces now as he breathed the scent of his husband in. Not only that, but if Rumple could have more, he always took it. And Rumple was quite aware that that was well returned. For those first two months, Miles gave no slack as he initiated most to all forms of their intimacy and even after things had started to equal out between them, Miles' fervor hadn't dropped for a second. And the way Miles held him and embraced him only served to strengthen Rumple's already growing feelings of fondness into a force more powerful than the Hammer of Hephaestus.

And Rumple loved it.

A mental attraction could be spoken for as well. It was no secret that Rumple was far from a gregarious man, and while his cursed counterpart did care a bit about changing that, that resolve only accomplished so much. He knew he was cruel and both personalities greatly reveled in it to a great extent. The social isolation just happened to be a consequence of that and Rumple and Robert accepted that well enough. But Miles provided him a companion, and one neither Robert nor Rumple could do without. Miles was something of an open, frank book. Despite him calmer demeanor and execution of communication, Rumple was hardly wanting for his perspective on things. Rumple had seen plenty of that in the past, but the exchanges being made not out of desperation for his help, but out of genuine trust - or at least as genuine as could be said for a cursed romance. And Miles was smart. When he and Miles conversed, the talks that they had were as engaging as the world's best mystery, and could stretch on for hours, just the two of them verbally sparring or just discussing the news of the day. Unlike so many in Rumple's life, Rumple never found himself bored or over saturated with the information Miles forwarded about himself and his life. On the contrary, the little tidbits of Miles that he got - information he could only assume rang in some way true for Hook - fascinated him. It made waking up to see him a daily adventure in its own right. Not only that, Miles was funny! He seemingly never ran out of quips, always had something to say about every little situation they encountered, and most of the time these days, they left Rumple with at least a smile on his face, if not a full on chuckle.

And oh, did he love it.

He loved it so much that thinking about it too much hurt.

How about an emotional attraction?

...There, problems started to pile up.

The biggest of those was that their entire relationship - if it could even be called that - had been built on a lie. Granted, the lie had been imposed on not only Miles, but Rumple as well, but he certainly had a part to play in the façade once his memories were restored. In that vein, far too much of the recent past between the two of them was fictional, at least on Rumple's side of things. He'd played a part, and now it appeared he was now embodying the very persona he needed to imitate. How would that affect them going forward? Was that to be their future - Rumple loving a man who lacked the capacity to express his true self's feelings?

Obviously not. The curse was destined to be broken anytime now - Rumple was counting on it. It was the fallout of the matter that shook Rumple to his core, and brought out a cowardice he took far more comfort in ignoring than facing.

It begged the question too - how much of a part would Miles' feelings play towards the man who Hook would be after he reclaimed his memories?

Rumple knew that there was a pretty clear answer to that question, and it wasn't one that did any favors for him.

And admitting to love meant that when the time came, that answer would be partially his to deal with.

He had considered the events that would follow the Dark Curse breaking for some time now, and truthfully, the theories he'd come up with had evolved as the months progressed forward. No longer would he and Hook part ways remorselessly as he had once dreamed they would. It wouldn't even be a parting of ways with muted sadness as Rumple began to suspect would happen roughly after he'd left his malicious feelings behind.

Speaking of…

Not to mention, there was the matter of Hook's revenge. These long and insightful months had done plenty to soften Rumple's resolve towards Hook, but he was willing to bet that a cursed persona would do little for Hook in that regard.

How could he deal with Hook coming after him with nothing but scorn in his eyes if his own reflected adoration?

And what would happen if Hook discovered that said adoration of Rumple's was even there? Would it be a source of simple mockery or disgust, or corrupted into something more malicious like leverage?

A tragic picture could only start to form in his mind before Rumple felt his heart drop in his chest and a weight of tears bulge at the bottom of his eyes, waiting just that bit longer for Rumple to give them the go ahead to fall.

But he wouldn't.

No, I have to put this aside.

Rumple growled into a hand that was now pressed against his face. This was too much to deal with at the moment, and he needed to think about something else before he gave into emotions that could be tracked by Hook's kinder counterpart. That would be one conversation Rumple wasn't sure he could hold. While so many of his dilemmas had been easy to explain away, the discovery of strong romantic feeling with someone who he already shared a life with wasn't one of them.

Thankfully, as luck would have it, he had precisely the thing, or rather, person to focus on. Soon enough, Rumple and Miles would be at the party, and the party was where one August W. Booth would be too.

While Rumple had anticipated and looked forward to a break from August during these few hours, in the face of these new questions and...feelings, August had once again become a topic Rumple was more than happy to entertain.

He tried to anticipate August's moves. August was often alone, from what he saw. However, Rumple knew he couldn't rely on that, not when Emma and the other acquaintances he'd likely made around town thus far were around.

However, if luck was on his side, Miles might hopefully be among them if Rumple could make things so.

It's not that Miles would be someone to worry about. He'd do anything for him.

Because he loved Rumple.

And Rumple loved him.

Maybe, damn it.

…

Maybe…

It has to be maybe...

Damn you, Miles Gold.

"Rob! You ready to go?" Miles called out. From the muffling of his voice, Rumple could tell that he was barely out of their room.

Speak of the devil.

"I am," Rumple all but stuttered out. He looked in the general direction of the stairwell helplessly, wincing as he started to hear the creaking from above that told him the distance between he and Miles was ever closing. A small moment was all Rumple could take to prepare himself to see his husband again, and it somehow felt even shorter than that.

Would he be able to maintain the low profile he'd been keeping intact for months now, and how would he feel if the answer to that was an easy yes?

No answer to those self-imposed inquiries felt right, and Rumple was in no hurry to confirm them.

However, by no fault of his own, Miles would require some sort of answer and he was in charge of giving it.

Reluctantly, Rumple rose from his armchair and met Miles at the base of the stairs.

Miles, just as Rumple knew he would, grinned at Rumple as soon as he entered the room. "Looking good, dear, as always"

Attempting to smiles as best as he could - a feat performed rather easily, much to his chagrin - Rumple nodded. "As do you."

More than anything right now, Rumple wanted to not mean it. Not meaning it would create something of a chasm between them and some much-needed space for his heart that would be all its own. Alas, he couldn't. Miles, without even trying to, had made it impossible to do so just by changing his clothes. With the poise of the pinnacle of high modern society, Miles was dressed in style from head to toe. A dark blue button down shirt rested below his favorite black leather jacket and a pair of fashionable dark jeans flawlessly hugged his legs as snugly as a koala bear on a tree. The outfit was simple, but highlighted Miles' body in a way that attracted Rumple's gaze like a moth to a light bulb.

This is just getting unfair.

As if to torture him more - and Rumple knew it wasn't and that only made it worse - Miles wiggled his eyebrows in that flirtatious way of his. It was as quirky as it was sexy, and the perfect thing for one loving husband to give the other to show that the passion of their love was still very much alive. "Need to look my best when I've such an attractive date on my arm, am I right?"

"You flatter me, Miles," Rumple attempted to dismiss, a light scoff under his words and with an equally light shrug coursing through his shoulders.

Miles looked to not be having any of that, for but not two seconds afterwards, he took hold of Rumple's cheek and kissed it. Rumple almost hated how the touch of Miles' lips felt like a fluttering rose petal and nearly turned his cheeks that color in the process of the gesture.

"It's only 'cause it's true, Rob," Miles said, his stare lingering on Rumple's for a touch longer than it needed to - not that it was helped by Rumple's inclination to do the same with all the fervor Miles had given him.

Damn you, Miles Gold.

"Now," Miles continued. "How about we head out?"

Rumple nodded, trying to keep his apprehension out of his breaths and just barely succeeding. "Of course, dear."

Tonight would be many things, but despite how he felt when he entered the house earlier today, the idea that any of it would be easy was now a faint dream. Even if his plan worked perfectly, it would only be because of Miles and the little things about him that now threatened to leave Rumple's heart trembling with want for him.

And as Rumple followed his husband out the door, practically helpless, one persistent thought banged against the front of his head like a gavel in a judge's hand.

Damn you, Miles Gold.

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Rumple was never a fan of social situations.

To be fair, they and their attendants more often than not weren't a fan of him, so Rumple considered it something of a wash.

But no matter who was less of a fan of each other than who, what didn't change was that mutual the disdain made the notion of attending a party quite uncomfortable.

If today's trying to beat the unholy hell out of me, it's not doing a bad job of it.

Mary Margaret's celebration was well underway by the time Rumple and Miles arrived. All throughout the apartment, people were fully engaged in conversations, the smell of hor d'oeuvres wafted all the way to the furthest reaches of the loft and even beyond the constraints of the door, and decorations cascaded over the walls like curtains upon windows. In the case of the latter observation, they were crude, but to their credit, the last-minute nature of this celebration made them a bit more understandable, as was the fact that many of them were likely put together by fourth graders.

Rumple's eye caught Miles when a particularly wide smile overtook his features. As if ignoring a grin like his, beautiful in design and execution alike, wasn't tough enough on a regular basis, tonight of all nights had made it impossible to do so, especially when he'd rather stare at his husband than most anything else going on in the vicinity.

Fortunately though, as Rumple soon discovered, the smile wasn't intended for him.

He turned to Rumple. "Want to go over and say hello to Swan and Mary Margaret?"

In truth, Rumple was anxious at the prospect of spending more time with Miles. However, getting he and Emma closer together would only facilitate his plan. From there, August could more naturally be brought up in conversation and should he happen to just be there, that would only be better.

After all, the more the merrier.

"Let's," Rumple said, unable to contain the satisfaction in his voice, but lucky that it was disguised by the very circumstances of their visit. Together, they walked over to the pair of friends.

"Hey!" Miles called upon reaching Emma and Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret gave him a hug.

Damnit! Why is he so nice?

In an attempt to not relive the conflicts of love that had been overtaking him all evening, Rumple shifted his attention to Emma, but he regretted the move instantly. Emma was staring at him in that same way she always did when she suspected he was up to no good.

Despite the fact that he was, in fact, up to no good, he didn't want her to know that, especially not now.

What, if anything, would she try to pull here?

August was across the room by himself. If there was any chance of roping him into a talk, it was now.

Rumple made a move to start a conversation with Mary Margaret, but Emma interrupted him before he could even speak.

She-devil.

"Hey, Gold." Emma called with that tone of hers that blurred the lines of casual conversation and serious interrogations, "Can I talk to you for a second over there?" Emma asked, pointing to a deserted part of the loft. "We need to go over a few documents from yesterday."

No, you can't.

Emma Swan was many things, but a good liar, she was not - at least, to his ears. Rumple knew for a fact that he'd filled his legal documents out as well as any of the best in his field, and there wasn't so much as a hair out of place.

But with the way Emma looked at and spoke to him, no one would believe that bit of truth so easily, no matter what they thought of his skills. Clerical errors happened, after all, even to the best of them.

Rumple, however, thought himself even better.

"Must we at a party?" he inquired. "Why don't we all just enjoy the night? I'll just come by the station tomorrow morning and we can sort all this out."

He'd hoped the peer pressure he may have induced with that would be enough to dodge whatever Emma had in store for him.

It was one of those few times where he would admit that he underestimated her resolve.

"Come on," she encouraged. "It'll only be a minute and I'll save you the trip. After all, you're a busy guy. I'm sure you've got plenty to do tomorrow."

Maybe so, but nothing's more important than what I need to do now.

Rumple's eyes shifted back to August. He knew if he didn't get him while armed with his 'friends' now, he might lose the chance to do it at all.

But with Miles and Mary Margaret able to hear Emma's inquiry so well, Rumple, bound by the very peer pressure he'd hoped would bring down Emma, shrugged in relention. "Of course," he said, trying with all his might to keep his voice chipper.

You'll pay for this, Miss Swan.

Emma led Rumple to the opposite side of the loft. It was away from the crowds enjoying the party in the main room, which was a relief, but any satisfaction Rumple could take from that vanished upon looking at Emma's face. She sported an expression as bold as her yellow bug that confirmed his inference - whatever they were about to talk about had nothing to do with legal documents.

Damn this girl. She's too nosy for her own good. Oh, how I'll make her pay with that favor she owes me.

Rumple hadn't considered his favor in some time. With Emma at his command for a single time, it was so tempting to keep it at bay in case of an emergency.

The only problem was that he had no idea when that would happen. Emma would break the curse on her own suredly and once he had his magic back, he'd be set.

...Well, once he had Baelfire, that is.

Maybe that's what I could use her for.

Rumple had far too little experience with The Land Without Magic to successfully navigate it - that much he could admit - so maybe a tour guide of sorts wouldn't be a bad idea. Emma seemed well versed in the realm and if Sidney's reports were anything to go on, she'd been through a lot of it. Maybe some of her knowledge could come in handy when the time came for him to at last find his son. At the very least, it would make traveling around relatively faster than if he were simply left to his own devices.

But that was a matter to be considered later. For now, he had to deal with her asinine questions.

"Was it you?" Emma stared quite intently at him in the aftermath of her inquiry.

What is she up to?

"Was what me?"

Emma's eyes narrowed and her steely gaze made her almost seem like a true force to be reckoned with for a second. "Did you make Kathryn suddenly materialize?" she elaborated, "'Cause it sure played that way to me." Before Rumple could even start to answer, Emma continued. "Was that the magic you were going to work?" It felt weird to hear his own words echoed against him, but that appeared to be one of Emma's many talents.

And then of course, much to Rumple's admitted amusement, she kept going.

"Because if you kidnapped that poor innocent woman just to let her go-"

Okay, enough of this.

"Are you proposing I'm working with Regina or against her?" Rumple interrupted.

Try figuring that out for yourself.

Emma took on frazzled features as she came up with an answer.

"I don't know. Maybe diagonally."

Rumple, at a loss for how else to react, quirked his brow.

Diagonally?

And they say she doesn't have any imagination…

"Well, you keep working on that one," he replied, unable to keep the smirk off his face as he spoke. Emma sighed, but thankfully for Rumple, didn't walk away, instead apparently choosing to observe the party from the outside.

Rumple took the moment alone that he was granted to look at the rest of the partygoers.

Immediately, he took notice of one person not in attendance, someone he was happy to see no sign of.

While Henry was clearly in attendance - and Rumple made a mental note to talk to give him a lecture about schemes involving him and his shop sometime in the future - Regina was nowhere to be found. It wasn't a bad thing and Rumple honestly would've found it more surprising if she was there. He pondered whether she knew about this get together or not, but given Archie's presence at the party as well as Rumple's observations of the family's routines, he was pretty sure it was the latter.

He then looked over at Miles who was now engaged in a comfortable conversation with Mary Margaret. Too caught up in his earlier thoughts, Rumple wondered if Miles, Emma, and Snow would remain friends when Hook was at last properly out to play. Honestly, Rumple wanted it to be so. He knew he himself would have no presence in his cursed husband's life and after Hook's villainy was exposed, who knew how many of Miles' friends would stick around. Emma and Snow, given their respective sense of understanding and forgiveness, might be his best shot. With any luck, Hook would see that too and be careful as to not lose their friendship.

Whether the maintenance of that friendship was in any way dependent on Rumple's life staying intact was another matter entirely.

Damn, were their lives complicated.

Enough about Miles already!

As if he could ever stop thinking about him.

Well, perhaps the other person who plagued him today could help with that...

It didn't take long for Rumple to find August again. August made no attempt to hide his presence at the party. However, Rumple couldn't just saunter over, for unlike the sun, August's craftiness didn't fall during the night, especially after what he likely found to be a close call earlier that morning. He was currently conversing with Henry, in practically the center of the festivities, forcing Rumple to keep himself at bay.

A bit cowardly, if you ask me, to use a boy as a shield, but clever all the same.

I must give him credit though. He knows how to protect himself.

Rumple turned to look at Emma who was actually gazing upon the same scene he had just been.

...Maybe this could work to my advantage.

"Well," Rumple said, "now that you've got your questions for me out of the way, there's something I wanted to ask you about, if it's all the same to you."

"It's really not," Emma shot back.

"Humor me."

"You're not exactly funny."

"It has something to do with Henry." Emma turned to him, now very much alert.

"What are you planning, Gold?"

"What do you know about him?" Rumple asked her, ignoring her question as he pointed at August.

"Goes by 'August,'" she said. "He's a writer." She turned to look at him, a certain glint of wistfulness in her eye as she went on. "Typewriter wrapped in an enigma wrapped in stubble." Emma then turned her attention back to Rumple. "Why?"

"He was poking around my shop today," Rumple said. "August Wayne Booth - clearly a false name. If there's one thing I know about, it's names."

Emma looked at him, clearly unimpressed. "Writers go by pseudonyms. What does it matter?"

When people are lurking around my things, it matters a great deal.

But Rumple knew better than to say that for fear of arousing Emma's suspicion too deeply. After the debacle on Valentine's Day, Rumple learned to keep his handling of his revenge plots close to his hand, lest he attract too many prying eyes.

"You trust him?" he asked instead.

A rarity when it comes to you, Miss Swan...

"Yeah. A lot more than I trust you." Emma then shot Rumple a final look, as to definitively end their conversation before walking towards its very subject.

Crap.

Rumple didn't know whether Emma was aiming to talk to Henry or August or both, but the latter options had him on his edge.

But suddenly, a savior of Rumple's own came.

"Hey, Emma!" Miles called. "Barely got to talk to you earlier! How've you been?"

Emma turned around, grinning at Miles. They then started talking, with Emma only throwing a wave over to Henry, who went over to them.

A breath Rumple didn't know he was holding released itself as he looked upon the scene.

Thank you, Miles.

With a swelling heart as he gazed at his husband, Rumple nearly forgot about August.

Sweet Merlin, was he lucky…

Rumple then blinked harshly.

He didn't even know that you needed help.

Stop making something out of nothing.

But in a way, it made the act even more romantic.

The two of them were completely in sync.

Despite every command for it not to, Rumple's heart began to flutter.

Damnit. This could be love.

Miles waved him over. Rumple headed towards the three of them.

"How you doing, love?" Miles greeted him. He stood close to Rumple, but didn't hold him. And Rumple knew damn well why - the thoughtful bastard he was. He'd been so careful to not subject Rumple to unwanted touches that Rumple almost wished he would, just so he'd have something to complain about.

But no. He has to be Mr. Perfect.

Rumple blinked once more.

He's not perfect, not even close.

Even as he made the comment to himself, something felt just a bit less than genuine about it.

Sure, Miles wasn't perfect.

But Rumple would be damned if he didn't admit that he wasn't far off from it.

And Rumple was already damned beyond belief.

"Perfectly fine," Rumple answered, faking a smile. "How about you? Are you having fun?"

"You bet! Oh, look at how happy Mary Margaret is, Rob."

Rumple looked at her. Indeed, Mary Margaret was smiling quite brightly at her school children, particularly at the grandson she didn't know she had as he presented her with the bell.

"You really came through for her," Miles said, placing a hand on Rumple's shoulder. "I'm so proud of you."

Fighting the urge to blush in the face of that proved itself to be quite the daunting task.

How was he supposed to accomplish anything with Miles talking to him like that - like he himself hung the stars in the sky, and looking at him with the gentle stare of a sleepy puppy?

And if that wasn't bad enough, Emma silently excused herself for the conversation, though Rumple was relieved to see her not going in the direction of August, but was instead following her son.

Speaking of…

August sat at the same table he'd been at for the past few minutes with only one major difference - he was alone.

Hmmm. Perhaps this could be my chance.

"Miles," Rumple said. "Have you met August?"

"Never formally, but we've had some encounters in small bursts."

"I've heard he's one of Emma's friends. Why not go over there and introduce yourself?"

Miles looked to August and seemed ready to do just that when suddenly, he turned his attention over to the front door where Rumple's gaze followed.

What's this all about?

As Rumple observed and listened in on the ensuing conversation as best as he could, he realized that exactly what it ended up being was an obviously unwelcome appearance by one David Nolan. At the moment, Emma was doing her best to ward off his company and while Mary Margaret and many of the guests didn't seem to notice his presence, a number of them did, and unfortunately, Miles was part of that population. Rumple was just about to ward Miles off from going over there, but before the words could even hope to leave his mouth, Miles was already on his way.

There's that kind heart of his, once more wreaking havoc on my life and my plans.

Why do I think I've fallen for him, again?

Rumple followed Miles, more desperate than he'd like to admit to achieve his goal of securing Miles' and August's proper introduction.

"Hey Henry, why don't you go home with David?" he could hear Emma say as he approached.

"Okay," Henry answered without a moment's hesitation.

While Henry ran down the stairs, Emma gave David a quick apology, one David seemed to accept well enough.

Oh, thank God that's over.

As the door was separating David and Henry from the rest of the group was slowly closing, Rumple caught something out of the corner of his eye - Miles. That unforgettable and unmistakable furrowing of his brow told Rumple that Miles had picked up on something no one else in the group had, or were willing to admit.

No, this was over. Miles, stop…

Emma had apparently caught onto it too.

"Everything okay?" she asked quietly.

"I feel conflicted," Miles said.

Rumple bit his lip.

Conflicted how?

"Conflicted how?" Emma inquired, beating him to the proverbial punch.

"Mary Margaret didn't deserve what David did to her. She was incarcerated and scared and alone and he turned her back on her like a rotting old loaf of bread. I should hate him for that."

"But you don't?" It was said as more of a statement of fact than a question.

"It's a bit more complicated than that, lass," Miles said. "His wife was presumed dead, thought to be murdered." He then turned to Rumple. "I can't help but think how I'd have handled it if you were in Kathryn's shoes."

"You'd have never cheated." It wasn't even a question. While Rumple was fine to fight the emergence of real feelings on his part towards Miles, he knew Miles' faithfulness to him to be true with every fibre of his being and wouldn't even try to deny it.

"That I wouldn't have," Miles reaffirmed. "But separated or not, if my husband was found to be murdered and even if someone I cared for were a suspect, with evidence piling by the seconds like the way it did here, I know I would've asked a few questions at the very least."

Of course you would've.

Emma sighed. "I can't say I wouldn't do the same either."

"I don't think they should get back together - at least not now," Miles elaborated, "but I get what he was feeling and what happened. It was tough all around."

Just before the door clicked shut, Miles caught it with his fingers and Rumple, caught in the middle of his two companions, couldn't do a damn thing about it.

What is going through that mind of yours, Miles?

"So what are you thinking?" Emma asked, in far kinder words that Rumple mentally mustered up.

"Maybe I should go too - see what's up with him, you know?" Miles offered.

"Why?" Once again, Emma beat Rumple to the punch.

"While we know it's best for him not to seek out Mary Margaret just yet, David doesn't seem to be picking up on that. If I go with him, perhaps I can find out what, if anything, he plans to do with her and maybe stop him if he's attempting anything that might do more harm than good."

"You sure about this, Miles? You don't have to."

Miles nodded. "I know. But someone needs to check on him. Kathryn's still recovering and if you talk to him, Mary Margaret will know right away, and she's been through more than enough already. Right now, all he's got to talk to is Henry, and as we know, the boy's got a golden heart, but his imagination has a tendency to…"

"Make people believe in things that aren't true," Emma finished.

"Aye. Some damage control might be good for David while Mary Margaret gets the chance to recover. May as well be me who sees to it." Miles turned to Rumple. "Would that be okay, Rob?"

No. I need you here.

But with Emma looking at them both, attentive as ever, Rumple knew he could give but one answer.

"Of course, Miles," he nearly rasped, incredulity lining his throat like mucus. "I'll see you at home."

Instead of a kiss, Miles took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Looking forward to it. Love you!" he said as he loosened his hold and headed downstairs.

Rumple turned back into the party.

Damnit!

"You okay?" a voice asked from behind him. Rumple looked back to see that it was Emma who spoke. "You didn't say it back."

Are those words to be my eternal curse?

"Aren't you a little eavesdropper?"

"Only when it concerns someone whose words should probably be paid attention to."

"Well, since your ears are so good, surely, you hear me when I'll see him at home. Once we're together again, I'll simply say it then. Unlike some of the more annoying couples in this town, neither I nor my husband feel the need to shout our adoration for all to hear, whether they want to or not."

"Whatever you say," Emma finished with a shrug before starting to walk away.

As Emma left, the fallout of Rumple's evening truly hit him.

He was without any real information on August, distrusted by Emma, and now even without Miles by his side to make the rest of this celebration the least bit more bearable.

And all of that didn't even begin to scratch the surface of the implications of his most recent feelings towards his husband and hs fake life.

Well, I can safely say now that tonight's been a complete failure.

Rumple was never a fan of social situations and if this party offered him anything - and it really didn't - it was a reaffirmation of that very fact.

But that didn't mean he was about to give up just yet.

After all, tomorrow was another day, right?

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Discomfort wasn't something Miles Gold felt everyday.

He'd had his fair share of it, of course throughout his life. His husband was maligned by much of their town, his disability occasionally made for some uncomfortable interactions, and there were just the odd awkward moments that plagued most everyone everywhere from time to time.

Those instances of discomfort were irregularities, and so discomfort affected him in much the same way it did everyone else.

That was all just a part of being human.

But it had been a while since he'd truly felt it, and as he sat in a car with Henry Mills and David Nolan, that very discomfort and all of the emotions that played chaperone to it returned tenfold.

Henry, who Miles thought would make the trip better, was currently only making things worse. He'd pestered David over how he knew David would 'win Miss Blanchard back.' Miles was relieved to see David dodging the questions and telling Henry they'd be put on hold, but Miles could tell that Henry's encouragement inspired more in David than just the very same discomfort that it had given Miles.

No, it also inspired a sense of confidence, and that's what Miles had feared he might see when he asked to tag along on the drive.

Mary Margaret had been through nothing short of hell these past few weeks. The last thing in the world she needed was one more bout of misery and humiliation to top off that particular iceberg. Miles wanted to believe that David felt the same - he seemed like a nice enough bloke, all things considered and Miles knew he did truly care about Mary Margaret - but after everything that had happened over the past week, Miles wasn't optimistic about any and all future associations between those most star-crossed of lovers.

But, he truly meant what he said at the party to his husband and Emma. Miles, due to necessity, had to let go of a lot of the anger he had for those who doubted Mary Margaret during her case in order to still function in this sometimes far too small town of theirs. And that meant acknowledging that there was sympathy to David's plight that shouldn't be dismissed so easily.

So he'd keep himself open and do his best to nudge David's plans in the right direction.

Discomfort aside though, the trek to the Mills' residence wasn't all bad. It had been a while since Miles last saw Henry and the drive provided him with a nice opportunity to check up on him. He looked happy enough at the party, certainly happier than the previous time they'd caught up now that he and Emma were able to speak regularly again. Henry's bits of conversation with him and overall mannerisms over the course of the drive only served to reinforce that notion. Additionally, a few remarks about Operation Cobra had been exchanged between the three of them, though truthfully, Miles still had no idea what it was outside of the surface level explanation he got from Emma. Thankfully - for him, at least - David didn't appear to either.

The night was dark when they arrived at Henry's house, though illuminated well in the distance by the porch lights Regina had kept on. Miles could see Regina's silhouette through the blinds of the living room.

Regina…

Miles was still far from happy with her after their fight from a few weeks ago. As if her words weren't bad enough, as if the fact that she hadn't even attempted an apology wasn't bad enough, he now had a suspicion that rivaled Emma's that she was somehow involved in Kathryn's kidnapping.

And to think, now her son was about to go home to her.

That fact left Miles thoroughly unamused.

Henry, as he tended to always do, left the car with a quick goodbye, making Miles subconsciously smile. He had such a unique energy that Miles never knew how to quite describe. He was never impolite, but in that same breath, was always looking forward to his next move. Sure, like any kid, he got sad or sidetracked from time to time, but it never seemed to last long when it came to Henry, and that fact revealed itself a lot over the past few months, especially when he was in the company of those he loved.

Miles didn't regret his and his husband's decision to not have or adopt children, but if different decisions were made or reached and the two of them found themselves with a child in their midst, he'd appreciate if that child was even a little bit like that one-of-a-kind kid Henry Daniel Mills.

It was only when Miles started to feel the car moving that he realized that Henry was gone and he and David were alone to talk.

In that instance, his desire to be blessed with a living embodiment of Henry Mills' spirit was now increased tenfold.

But that person wasn't about to show themselves any time soon, and now, it was time to put all that talk Miles had given to Emma and Rob to the ultimate test.

Now was the time to speak one-on-one with David Nolan.

David was the first to talk.

"Hey, do you have any idea what Operation Cobra is?"

While not brass tax, it was a rather welcome start to the conversation.

"Henry thinks we're all fairy tale creatures," Miles explained. David gave his answer a hum.

"That's interesting," he remarked. "So who are you? And who am I?"

Miles quirked his lip. "According to Emma, I'm Captain Hook."

David looked at him, almost incredulously. It looked like he was waiting for the punchile of a joke, but upon receiving one, returned his stare to the road.

"Really? Seems a bit insensitive."

"Apparently, there's more reasons than just my hand for it," Miles said, shrugging.

The next logical question was out of David's mouth but one second after Miles gave his response.

"And any idea who I am?"

"From what I've gathered, Henry thinks you're Prince Charming."

"Then Mary Margaret is Snow White," David assessed, grinning.

Oh God…

Miles knew something like this was coming. He knew it needed to, but dammit, it couldn't have come up in a way more drenched in fate and destiny than if it had tried to!

"According to the hyperactive ten year old child, yes," Miles said, placing as much emphasis as possible into Henry's descriptors.

David didn't seem to be swayed to drop his optimism so easily.

In truth, Miles didn't expect him to.

It didn't mean he didn't wish for it.

"We've to talk, David," Miles said, as frankly as he could. David turned to look at him. There was an innocence in his eyes that made it almost difficult for Miles to even return the stare. "You need to slow down with Mary Margaret."

The sigh that left David's lips was far too expected.

"I get why you think so Miles - you and everyone else-."

"And her too."

David's words stopped, as if cut off by a knife's edge. Apparently now after being forced to evaluate his words, he put in a bit of thought into the next of them.

"Miles," David started after a couple of moments, "a few months ago, you told me not to let grievances bottle up, and when they threatened to hurt people, that's when you have to put in the most work."

"Things were less complicated back then," Miles answered. "I didn't know you were having an actual affair with Mary Margaret, and there wasn't a murder accusation for one that never happened. Situations change, Dave." The two of them sighed, and a pause overtook them for a long moment.

"I don't want to leave her hating me. I don't want her to think that it's not eating at from the inside that I doubted her. It's like you said, Miles, people aren't mind readers. She could be thinking anything about me right now, and it's killing me that the most likely word she's thinking is 'traitor.' Miles, I love her. Even after everything she and I have been through, I love her so much."

Miles nodded his head. "I know, Dave. Emma does too, and I bet even Mary Margaret knows on some level. But you need to give her time. She's trying to get back to her life after - I can't even imagine what that must have been like. She needs some room to breathe, to get the stench of suspicion out of her mind. It's not just forgiving you, Dave, it's moving on from the past week - from all the doubt and distress and fear."

"You think I'm putting my own feelings ahead of hers," David assessed.

"You're not doing it on purpose-"

"But I'm still doing it."

Taking a deep breath, Miles admitted his companion's accuracy.

"A bit."

"Maybe showing up to the party wasn't the best idea."

Miles smirked in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Yeah," he said in a teasing manner. "Probably not your best plan - right up there from running into the woods after waking up from a coma."

"Not my fault!" David defended, his tone matching Miles'. "Those doctors had me on some intense medicine!"

The two chuckled for a bit before giving way to another pause - one more comfortable - upon dying down.

He's not so bad. Intense, but I'd dare say this town is full of those sorts of people.

"What am I going to do?" David asked. It wasn't necessarily a call for advice, but by virtue of them sharing a car ride, it kind of was.

"I never said love was easy," Miles said. "Hell, the other week, I had to talk my husband out of assault."

David's eyes shot upwards like rockets. For a second, he remained speechless before he was able to finally croak something out. "That's…that had to be rough."

"You have no idea."

"You must mean a lot to him."

"You think so?"

"Of course. Gold doesn't seem like the kind of guy to listen to just anyone, and I bet that's especially true if he's angry. That says a lot about you if you can calm him down like that."

"Thanks, Dave." Miles looked at David. His sadness permeated the air as richly as oxygen. "You okay?"

David sighed. "I just wish she'd talk to me, or she'd let me talk to her. I know this isn't the end of us, Miles."

"If it's meant to be, then it'll happen in due time."

"What if that time never comes?"

"It might not," Miles admitted.

"Then what?"

He knew David wasn't going to like the answer he was about to give, but it was one that needed to be said all the same.

"Then you accept it and move on."

"I don't think I could live without her, not here."

Not here?

Looks like there's a bit of leeway to be entertained.

David Nolan, perhaps there's hope for you yet.

Miles gave a hum. "There's something beautiful about this world, Dave," he commented, prompting another hum, coming this time from David. "It's big and you can go most anywhere you like in it with just a bit of money in your pocket."

"You forget. I'm a recently hired animal caretaker and just came out of a coma a few months ago. Money's not something I have."

"I could lend you some." The offer was instantaneous. Even Miles was surprised by how fast he spoke and they were spouting out of his lips.

But he meant it.

Who knew if it was for David's sake or Mary Margaret's sake or just in an attempt to bring some shred of normalcy back to this town, but whatever the reason, Miles wanted to be part of the solution.

David turned to him, disbelief not overtaking his features, but undeniably present all the same. "Really?"

"There are benefits to being married to the richest man in Storybrooke, a somewhat more flexible budget among them."

"I guess shouldn't be too surprised."

Miles chucked. "I honestly haven't had to do any serious banking apart from taxes since my honeymoon. But yeah, I can lend you some money to help you get on your feet. Where were you thinking of going?"

Sure, it wasn't his money, but Rob wouldn't hold it against him.

"Well, if I go," David said, clearly emphasizing the uncertainty of the matter, "I was thinking about Boston. Kathryn told me she's not moving into the apartment she picked out. Maybe it would be a good place to make a fresh start. But before that…"

"Mary Margaret." Miles guessed.

David's brows furrowed as he stared out into the road with all the determination of a marathon runner. "I just need to try one more time with her. Wouldn't you with Rob?"

"Until I could never speak again. I get it."

"Thank you."

"Anything for the pursuit of True Love."

"I want it so badly, and I just know Mary Margaret and I could have it. We're meant to be together, and I know that sounds crazy, but I also know it's true."

"And I hope that you two get that chance, though maybe give it some time."

"I can't do that," David said, shaking his head.

Miles groaned. "Dave, did you not hear a word I just said?"

"I know, I know," David attempted to dismiss. "

"Do you now?" Miles retorted.

"Look, showing up to the party was a bad idea, but I can't just stay away forever. She's already doubting me. If I wait too much longer, she'll give up on me completely, and I can't let that happen."

Miles sighed, relenting. "Then promise me at least that you'll behave yourself. I don't want my mate to get stuck in a jail cell for stalking. Given what you did, I can't imagine Emma would be all that lenient with your sentencing."

David gave him a look, as if surprised by the fact that Miles called him his 'mate.' In truth, Miles was surprised that he said it, but whether it be a matter of pity or genuine kinship, he had trouble talking himself into rebuking the title he had just bestowed.

"Would you bail me out?" David asked, now smirking.

"Hmmmm," Miles mused in a thought that was just as serious as it was mocking before smiling. "I suppose I could for a mate."

"And mates are mates for life, am I right?"

Miles chuckled. "That you are. But you better promise me you'll behave."

"Fine," David teased. "I will."

As David turned the next corner, Miles' house came into view. While a relief to be home, the journey there wasn't as awkwards as he thought it would be. David...was complex - passionate, bold, frustratingly stubborn, even - but Miles could hardly find it in him to hate him by any means. After all, he was just a man in love and more than anything, Miles understood that.

"Thanks for coming with me, Miles and...for everything."

"You're welcome, David. And best of luck with you and Mary Margaret. I hope you figure things out, mate."

"Oh, I will." Miles offered him a sad smile for his determination and a look that tried to communicate that should he be unable to do what he set out to do, his offer for an escape to Boston still stood. He wasn't sure just how successful David was going to be, but he knew that for them of all people to commit adultery like they did, it had to come from a place of love.

Maybe that would be enough to bring them both happiness.

Regardless, as David drove away, Miles only hoped that he took care of himself, no matter what means that pursuit entailed - for both his and Mary Margaret's sakes.

And in that moment, despite how peculiar his and Rob's relationship was, he felt incredibly grateful that in this uncertain world, the one thing he felt truly certain of was that he and his husband had a love that was true, pure, and though not without the occasional hardship, undeniably unobstructed.