dear_mun | (no subject)

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I'm no stranger to being locked up. As captivity goes, I suppose this isn't so bad. You at least let me out to stretch my legs. I do wish you would stop making that library joke, though. It's really not that funny.

It's all right if you don't get it perfect the first try, you know. There's plenty of time to practice and get it right. I don't think I'm that demanding.

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Library joke? Seems a bit bland to be humorous. [ What is funny about books :| ]

[Her cheeks turn slightly red] Blandness is not the problem with this particular joke.

Although I do wonder why you'd associate the word bland with a library.

The actual problem being?

[ look he's a huntsman and before that a soldier, reading, while capable of it, is not particularly a great concern ] ...They're not particularly exciting places. Nor comedic.

Vulgarity. I'm not a bitch.

[She's not offended, just curious. She steps a little closer] You must not have been in the right kind of library.

[ blink ] I'd need to know you better to say, but you don't seem it.

[ a noncommittal shrug ] Can't say I've made a point of bein' in many of variety.

Well, thank you. [She looks amused when she says it.]

I guess it's different for different people. To me, a library is a place that can take you anywhere, even if you have to stay in the same place. [A pause, and then she ducks her head, smiling a little self deprecatingly] That probably makes it clear how little I get out, doesn't it?

Better you than me with that joke, I suppose. [Wow, Belle. How very helpful.]

Better no one, really. [Tilting her head slightly] Have we met?

Now, we can't get that lucky.

Not particularly, but I'm aware of who you are. [:T] I'm Isabelle Beaumont. [A half-assed curtsy here.]

I'm afraid I don't have that same advantage. My mundane appears to like keeping me in the dark about some things, I think. [A proper curtsey] I'm - just Belle, I suppose. It's nice to meet you.

You and I, we're... A bit alike in some ways. [Belle looks her over and sniffs.] Not all of them.

How often do you manage to get yourself locked up?

[The sniff doesn't really bother her, to be honest. She knows who she is] I'm assuming you mean more than just the name.

[A sigh] More often than not, it's starting to feel like. I'm starting to wonder if there's some sort of sign floating over my head that I can't see.

A beast, right? Your father probably sold you off to him, as payment for something. [Her nose twitches.] You saw the man beneath, too, I'm sure. It's the same old, tired story.

Don't you ever try to, oh I don't know, escape?

No, my - my father didn't sell me. Our town was in danger of being destroyed by ogres, but he refused to make the deal. I made it instead. [There's a pause] He never was a beast. Many things, but never a beast.

The first time, I made a deal. Another time, I was trapped for twenty eight years with no memory of anything. Not even my name. For all I knew, that cell was the entire world. This time...this time, I'm not sure there is an escape. How do you escape from another person's mind? I can't exactly make her stop thinking about me.

That's a noble cause. [Actually said with a hint of honesty. Being heroic is cool.] You're pretty naive, aren't you?

[A snort.] You have worse luck than I do. And that's saying something.

If there's something I'm good at, it seems that noble causes are at the top of the list. In the end, I think the entrapment I volunteered for was preferable to the one I was heading towards before. At least it was my own decision. [She flushes slightly, but her expression is a little rueful] I'd like to disagree with you, but I think that if I did, that would only make me more naive.

[Oh no sadface :c] I'm sorry to hear of that. Your bad luck, I mean. I get along fine, mostly.

Which probably makes it all the worse, honestly. To volunteer to be locked up, thinking you are helping in some worthy cause. It's a terrible prison to fall into. [She arches an eyebrow.] Just a tad, I'm afraid.

[Rolling her eyes.] That is the destiny that was drawn for me. There's not much that can be done for it.

I think that depends, really. In going with Rumplestiltskin, I was able to help people. [a self deprecating smile] Be a hero, so to speak. Had I not, my town would have met its destruction. At best, I would have been stuck in a loveless arranged marriage. Maybe I was locked up, but I had the freedom of choice. For a little while, at least.

[She frowns a little] You think it's your destiny to have bad luck?

[A smile.] I was in a situation a little similar to yours. Except my chance to be a hero was never really my choice. It makes someone a little bitter about silly girls and their silly ideals of heroism. [Belle. You're like. A baby compared to her. Shut up.]

It's what destiny seems to have woven for me. Asking would probably not be something I'd enjoy. I'm not particularly fond of witches.

[ not going to comment on the "locked up" part, though his expression visibly darkens ]

It would seem our mundane's humor has the breadth and capacity somewhere in the "extremely limited" range. [ though bitches do love libraries ]

Oh - I don't think it's that bad. But it certainly could be better. [Little smile for you, Mr. Gold. Because she rabus you]

[ he returns it ]

Yours, sweetheart, I believe has some leverage over mine. In a word, puns.

[Her expression becomes slightly pained]

Honestly, I think they're as bad as each other on that front. At least when it comes to their enjoyment of them.

[ he grins even wider ]

The nasty side of enabling, it seems. When someone laughs, they begin to attribute it to good taste.

[Her smile remains small, but there's a twinkle in her eye. She likes seeing him like this, teasing rather than outright meanspirited. Almost happy] At least they've found something to be happy about. Even if their sense of humour is a little...ah, wanting.

[ he clears his throat, suddenly looking...almost awkward ]

Yes, well. Happiness is a rare thing, that.

[Her mouth twists to the side a little, and she takes a single step towards him] Not so rare as you seem to think it is, Rumple.

I've had quite a bit of evidence to the contrary, dearie. Don't forget my main pool of customers.

I don't think it's as rare as they seem to think it is, either. [And she smiles again] A teenager just called me naive.

Edited 2012-12-04 01:14 (UTC)

[ he clicks his tongue, his voice sounding more reminiscent of his Fairy Tale self ]

Now, now dearie. If everyone had happiness it wouldn't nearly be so sought after. Supply and demand is a very important principle in times like these.

[Oh, now she's frowning. WAY TO GO BRO] Has anyone ever truly bought happiness from you?

Their idea of it, maybe. Turns out it's not always that easy.

The - the headspace, as they call it, is a much preferable version of captivity to a tower.

It's true. But it's still captivity, in the end.

I - a part of me feels a little safer this way. As silly as mundanes can be, I think I have been in worse circumstances.

Hopefully yours will be kind to you.

[A gentle smile] I'm glad you're able to feel safer, then. It's a terrible thing, to be afraid or uncertain of where you stand all the time.

I can always hope. [a beat] Oh, I'm Belle, by the way. What's your name?

[ she nods several times. ] That is what my brother tells me. H-hope is the most useful thing one can have in trying times.

I'm - I'm Rapunzel. [ and a bow of the head. ] It's nice to meet you, Belle.

You should always hold onto that. Your brother sounds like a good man. [Yes because you can tell these things from a single comment, Belle]

Rapunzel. That's a lovely name. [She returns that head bow with one of her own] It's nice to meet you too. This place really isn't as bad as some I could think of.

He - he is. I wish I'd known him all my life.

Belle is a prettier name, though. [ she licks her lips nervously. ] Where else have you been? I mean to say - what is worse?

Oh, you haven't? [She pauses] I'm sorry, that's none of my business.

[A smile spreads across her face, and she shakes her head] They can both be pretty, you know. [Her smile fades somewhat, though] It's less where I've been, and more where I haven't. The freedom to really explore on my own is a new one for me.

No, no, I offered the information! I - I tend to say things before I think about them, and I -- I talk about myself too much.

Well, anyway. I know how that feels, new-newfound freedom. [ rapunzel tries to smile hopefully with hands clasped tightly around each other. ]

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