Fandom: Once Upon a time.

Pairing: Rumplestiltskin/Belle

Disclaimer: Characters are not mine.

Summary: Rumpelstilskin gets more than he bargained for when he teaches Belle about one of the many modern conveniences in his home.

NA:/ Next Shortfic. At the end I decided to call this fic series: Missing moments and quotidian things. It's a sequel of Ripped hearts; Wells, hugs and encounters.

Falling in the Shower

Rumplestiltskin had been relaxing on the couch until he heard frenzied footsteps. He looked up from his paper to see his new housemate taking a manic walk all throughout the first floor, going in and out of rooms, through doorways, and up and down the hall.

Her brows were furrowed and body tense. He'd never seen her lose her composure, even when he had taken her by surprise in the dark castle with one of his jokes. Any other woman would've either gone crazy, or feel scandalized by his macabre humor, but she was different. Belle was unique. She went from a seemingly nervous girl, to a strong woman who laughed at his jokes. Hence, seeing her reacting this way to some matter was a rare site indeed.

He put down his paper and sighed. He slowly rose from his seat and moved to the doorway, waiting for her to pass again so he could discover the cause of her unrest.

He stepped out into the hall when he heard approaching footsteps and watched as she walked toward him. She was looking at her feet so he'd almost expected her to collide with his body, but she stopped in front of him, just enough to make their clothes brush against each other.

She let out a desperate grunt and he caught her gently by the shoulders. "I can't." She shook her head looked at him. He couldn't understand why she was so distressed. "Are you sure there isn't a lake nearby?" she asked hopefully.

He furrowed his brows. There was the lake question again. She'd asked that last night. "No, but there's a sea."

"The seas here aren't private. They're full of fishermen and villagers."

"What's wrong with that?" She squirmed nervously in his arms and remained silent. "You have nothing to fear Belle."

"It's not that." She pulled from his grasp and took couple of steps back. "I—It's that . . . I stink," she muttered. Rumplestiltskin's eyes widened. He hadn't really paid much attention. "It's been four days since I left that place, and I haven't found any place where I can clean myself."

"Belle, you ca—"

"Do you know how long I've been without a bath? More than twenty-eight years. I smell like that sheep stuff you use to repel water." She turned around, likely ready to begin her pacing again.

"Love, there's a —"

"They just let me use a basin of water and something called sponge," she interrupted again as she faced him. He carefully grabbed her arm to pull her towards him.

"Don't do that, you'll smell me!"

He ignored her. "Why you have not tried the shower?" She remained silent, frowning as if she was trying to place in her mind the object to which he was referring.

"The shower?

He gave her a soft smile. "Knowing how curious you are, I thought you would've already discovered it." He took her hand. "Come with me. You'll love this."

Rumplestiltskin led her upstairs and to the second door on the right. He opened it, revealing the bathroom. She released his hand and entered the room, fascinated by it and inspecting it carefully. She'd seen a toilet before of course, in the hospital, but it hadn't occurred to him that they wouldn't allow her a proper bath or shower.

Belle cautiously ran her hands over the marble tub and stared at the handles as if they were a sleeping dragon. "This is so interesting," she whispered in reverence when he came to stand behind her.

"It's better than a lake," he said.

She looked over her shoulder at him. "How does it work?"

He grinned at the curious sparkle in her eyes. "It's simple. You have to plug the hole with that plug there, and then you turned the faucets. The one with the red mark is hot. The one with the blue is cold. You adjust them until the water is at your preference." He pointed at each object as he mentioned them. "Then you strip, get in and relax. You wash yourself with soap that's there." He pointed to some bottles on a shelf by the tub.

"Oh, that's the smelly stuff you had me pick out at the drugstore."

"Yes, It will improve that rancid odor of yours," he said, making sure to use a humorous tone.

Belle turned around and tried to make a vain attempt to get angry, which resulted in a strange grimace when she contained her air and laughter between her puffy cheeks. He leaned down and kissed her cheek and she let out the air with a sign.

"I'll be able to go out after a bath?"

"Of course. You're not a prisoner Belle. You've never been."

"Sleeping for a week in a dungeon doesn't count?" she asked sarcastically.

He pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows, feigning indifference. "It was part of the dark castle experience."

"Okay, fine. But I think you just didn't trust me."

"It's normal that I didn't trust you. You were a brave and naive woman who was sacrificing herself to a monster to save a bunch of ungrateful people," he said while trying not to show anger. He should have doomed the kingdom when he found out his Belle was repudiated when she went back to her family. His love for her stopped him.

She muttered something and then gently pushed him toward the door. "Well, at least you got your revenge." He cringed when he heard the pain in her voice, but he wasn't going to apologize for something he didn't regret. And no, Regina was still out there so he hadn't gotten his full revenge yet.

"I couldn't help myself. I know it's not to your liking, but taking away the only thing I had left of you made the pain overwhelming."

"I understand," she whispered. "I know why you did it." She took his face in her hands and he closed his eyes.

"You will be safe when you go out. I'll know if something bothers you." He kissed her cheek and left the room to let her have fun with the new experience of taking a bath.

-/-/-

Rumplestiltskin closed the door behind him, resisting the urge to go back inside to make sure she'd be okay. He let go of the doorknob with reluctance. He had to let her do things she would've normally done by herself, but that didn't mean concern didn't invade him. He didn't want to leave her, not after everything that happened, but she needed her space to adjust to the world.

He suddenly realized something. He'd forgotten to explain the function of the shower. He shrugged. There was no need. She was smart. She'd figure it out. He would've asked if she needed help, but being there with her too long was an affront on her intimacy. An intimacy that probably wasn't respected in the hospital basement.

He would give her space and well-deserved freedom. He didn't want to be present so much that it reminded her of her times of servitude. But his willingness to give her freedom didn't appease his concern that something could happen to her in there. After all, it was a new experience, and she could slip and break something or hit her head and drown in a sea of water and bubbles.

He shook his head. She was going to be fine because she was not as delicate as she looked. He had seen her strength hundreds of times in his castle and adored her for it. When he heard the water running and a happy giggle coming from Belle, he closed his eyes, delighted by the sound. It was confirmation that he was doing the right thing. He took one last look at the door and headed downstairs to prepare a succulent breakfast for the mender of his cracked soul.

-/-/-

Belle watched with surprised as a stream of water felt from the tap. The process of water distribution in this world was wonderful. In her world, to have a tub full of water required much effort from the maids. They had to go get the water, heat it, and then pour it in the tub. Now, just a turn of a knob was enough.

She looked around the room and her eyes fell upon the shelves, studying the unusual utensils there, some of which she bought with Rumplestiltskin. On another shelf, several bottles were stacked neatly in a line, some with drawings and others without. She grabbed them one by one, discovering new smells, some were relaxing, some strong, and others nauseating. She remembered the words he used, such as body wash and bubble bath. In the end, she poured a few of the ones she liked into the water.

In a few seconds, the water was covered with foam as if it was magic. She extended a finger and one of the transparent bubbles busted on contact, splashing a bit into her eyes. Her body reacted and she jumped back.

She took a deep breath and, with courage mustered, she stepped forward to deal with those bubbles. She grabbed a handful and observed them carefully until they disappeared gradually, leaving her hand wet and smelling wonderful. She twisted the faucets that controlled the water and after testing the temperature with her hand, she undressed and carefully lowered herself into the bubble water. As soon as the water covered her body, all her muscles loosened. It was so relaxing she could've stayed hours with her skin submerged.

Minutes later, she opened her eyes lazily, listening to the distant sound of the kettle on the stove, and smiled. As much as she liked those relaxing and funny bubbles, right now she would rather have him with her. She knew he was keeping himself at a distance so she could better adapt. She was grateful for the freedom, but she wanted to discover the new things with him. His presence made her feel safe and loved.

She released a long breath and sat in the tub. She reached for the piece of metal he had called a shower and studied it.

She raised the crank and watched the shower with expectant eyes. She waited patiently and, after a few minutes, frowned at its stubbornness to give her water. She started touching everything that made up the shower as she held the showerhead in front of her to watch for any changes.

She turned the crank side to side, raising it and lowering it without respite, frustrated because she could not find the way to turn on the shower. But she wasn't going to give up. After inspecting the large metal object near the connections, she found something round that seemed loose. She lifted it and before she could react, the shower spat ice water into her face, forcing her to drop the object. She dove under the bubbles to protect herself against the cold-water attack.

When she returned to the surface, she observed the shower moving like a snake on the ground while it soaked everything with the poison shooting from its many eyes. She moved forward, trying to catch the head, but it slipped from her hand. She had to find a way to stop the thing.

"Belle!" The door to the bathroom opened and Rumplestiltskin rushed inside. Before she could warn him, the shower's head flew upward, squirting him in the face with frigid water.

She heard him curse and, like a prince in shining armor, he halted the shower snake thing by stepping on its neck. He leaned over and pressed the button that woke the shower and then returned the head to its proper place.

When he didn't look at her, she knew it wasn't because he was angry. She still smiled at him, expecting him to go. He turned to do so, but his shoes slipped and he tumbled toward her. Half of his body landed in the tub, and head dunked under the water and bubbles. She hurriedly reached down and lifted his head up with her hands so he wouldn't drown.

She slicked his wet hair away from his face, trying not to laugh at the dumbfounded look that took over his expression. "Are you okay?" she whispered as she caressed the stunned man's cheeks.

"I'm fine." He put his hands on the edge of the tub and pulled himself to his feet, gripping the sink since his cane was out of reach. He grit his teeth as pain shot through his leg, but he made sure not to show the ache on his face. He looked down at his clothing, the top half soaked with water and weighing him down.

Rumplestiltskin cleared his throat in an attempt to regain his composure. "You aren't hurt are you?"

"No, I'm okay." She smiled at him. "Thank you," she whispered.

"'No matter," he replied, shaking his arms to downplay the matter. "If everything is fine, I'll leave. I have to change and finish making breakfast."

He moved to turn around but belle grabbed his tie to stop him. He looked at her, confusion on in his face. She tugged gently and he lowered himself closer to her.

"Stay." When he opened his mouth to reply, she placed a finger on his lips. "I think I'm going to need a little help," she whispered. "Will you help me?"

He nodded and didn't resist when she pulled him to her and their lips met. He shrugged off his jacket, enrapture just as much as she, while the soap bubbles floated in the air, keeping them company as they had an adventure in the shower.

NA: This is dedicated to my dear friend, also my beta. You know how much important you are for me, and how much I'm learning from this, from your writting, from you just being you. I love you, no matter what :)