Once Upon a Time 1. Father and Son

**Summary:** Gaston likes meeting new people. The little family is definitely more than interesting.

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**A/N:** Chapters are not in chronological order as they are a collection of one-shots and prompts of the Stupid Cupid verse.

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Gaston likes meeting new people. Better if it is some random stranger on a gloomy day. They hardly fail to amaze him with the stories that flow from their lips. Oh, nearly half of them are lies, but that does not mean he is not amused by the tall tales. Today is one of those days. A father and son sit opposite him in the cramped café, waiting for the sudden downpour to pass.

They tell him stories of the son's adventures at his school, of how he climbed the school tree and nearly broke his arm and of how he courageously stops a boy from bullying a girl named Emma. Said son proudly points out that he helps out at his father's tailor shop during the weekends.

"Baden Gold, stop that this instant," his father warns when his son starts to blow bubbles into his drink. The result was instantaneous, but a few minutes later the grating sound of slurping a glass full of ice breaks the conversation between Gaston and the father.

"That's the sign that we'll need to start going. Promised this lad here I'll take him to the park. It was nice meeting you Gaston," the father says. Holding out a hand they say their goodbye and the older man and his son head to the counter to pay for their meal.

Gaston watches the pair navigates through the crowded café and out into the street. The boy happily skips alongside his father who is tightly holding his cane and doing his best to not slip on the slippery path.

"Who are those people?"

Tearing his eyes away from the window he is greeted by a blinding smile from a slightly wet brunette.

"Dearest sister you are late as usual."

"Oh, stop teasing me. Who are they?" Taking a seat next to him his sister looks at him expectantly.

"Random strangers, a father and his son. Maybe we'll bump into them at the park because that is where they're heading."

With a slight maniacal glint, his sister hastily puts a ten dollar note on the table and then proceeds to drag him out of the café.

"Belle, where are you–Ouch, don't dig your nails into my arm!"

Soon the pair finds themselves sitting on a park bench. Belle's eyes wildly scanning the park for something while he is fuming silently and waiting for his sister to apologise. A few meters away he spots a sandy-haired man who moves with a slight limp and teaching a little child how to fly a kite. Gaston cannot tell from his distance if it is the father and son he met earlier. Belle will have a field day if he admits that his eyesight is failing. She has been trying to get him to check his vision for over a year. He is able to ignore her infuriating bossiness over the issue for a year; he is not going to admit it now.

Out of the corner of his eyes Belle starts to fidget. When the child faces their direction a brilliant smile quickly blooms on his face–there is no mistaking it, even for someone suffering from short-sightedness. The child waves at them and suddenly breaks into a run–heading to where they are sitting. Recognising the boy as Baden Gold, Gaston was about to greet the boy when he but all he sees a blur of blue that is his sister running towards the boy.

Apparently the two are already familiar with each other for his sister scoops the boy up and twirls him around. The same surprise look on Baden's passes over his father's. Shyly smiling at Belle, the father walks towards the pair. Ah, so this must be the adorable little family his sister has been actively talking about these past few months. Their names must have slipped his mind. Then again, one should not talk like a Class 5 freight train most of the time, especially when the listener is constantly sleep deprived and suffering from a cold.

The older man looks unsure of how to act and simply stares at Belle like a lovesick puppy. Oh, this is good. Adjusting his rumpled clothes, Gaston puts on his best overprotective brother face and proceeds to meddle in his sister's love life.


	2. Brother and Sister

**Summary:** Belle is acting weird, very weird. Gaston decides to investigate.

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**A/N:** Chapters are not in chronological order as they are a collection of one-shots and prompts of the Stupid Cupid verse.

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Many have told him countless times that he has a beautiful sister. Together with his good looks, people constantly praise the siblings on their 'fortune'. Gaston knows his handsome face and smooth talk help him get out of some tough situations, but he is more than that. They are more than that.

Others see him as nothing but your usual brainless burly male but that's not who he is through Belle's eyes. Belle has the ability to see through people's hearts. She lives according to her own laws and to quote Rumi, 'I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think'; just like their mother.

A loyal friend and a caring brother pass through Belle's mind when describing him. Well, those were what she told him; he does not know if it still holds true for he has been quite boorish with her these past few months. Gaston knows he can be quite thickheaded and his insecure narcissistic side sometimes rears its ugly head, but he genuinely cares and supports those he loves.

He has been in and out of relationships before you can say 'Gesundheit', and most of these women are only interested in parading him to their friends. Not that he minded having his ego stroked; he just wishes their conversation would flow into different topics that do not fall under 'muscles' and 'diet'. Belle has lectured him on his tendency to fall for superficial beauty one too many times that he can recite it with ease. She hates it when he does that and he usually finds himself smacked on the head by thick book or anything Belle can get her tiny hands on.

Six. That is the number of relationships he had that he starts to believe real love is non-existent. So convinced was he that he fails to notice when he was in one. That relationship did not end well, blasé on his side and tears on hers. Belle's words ring true; he is a fool with nothing but an empty heart for companion.

It hurts to hear those words from his sister but she is right. Ugh, it is best not to think about Jillian and their shattered relationship. He will figure out what to do with his heart and his ladylove after a few days of some needed sleep. He does his best thinking then, right now, he needs to figure out what is going on with his dear little sister.

Belle can be quite clumsy. No, scratch that. She has always been clumsy, falling off a ladder that is only three feet high, tripping over her stupidly towering heels, bumping into a lamppost, and the list goes on. These past few days he notices she has been ... different. She now walks with certain lightness in her steps, as if she is floating. Then there is the sudden blush blooming in her cheeks accompanied by a slight smile on her lips. Sometimes she will have a faraway look when she is reading, which he does not remember ever happening in his thirty-two years of being her brother. Belle gets so engrossed in her reading that it is hard to get her attention unless it is a life and death situation. That is when the alarms in his head go off and Gaston decides to pay closer attention to his sister. He does not think it is love because she has never behaved so with the previous two louts that she called boyfriends. Such alarming change in his sister's behaviour triggers Gaston's curiosity.

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On day one of Gaston's investigation, he follows Belle to the library and café. His sister interacts with pretty much anyone and everyone who is willing to strike up a conversation with her. None of their interactions looks anything more than platonic to his slightly myopic eyes, unless you count in the googly-eyed looks from the old flower shop cum café owner. Gaston does not think Belle has an illicit relationship with a married man in his sixties, especially when said man looks too much like their late grandfather. That train of thought leaves him feeling queasy and the sudden urge to bleach his brain. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Gaston heads back home and hopes tomorrow will provide him with answers.

As much as Gaston hopes for a different result, day two proves to be the same as yesterday's, but he perseveres in the name of his sister's mental health.

After a week of observing and stalking, Gaston is no closer to figuring out why his sister is behaving differently than when he started this investigation. Then again, he had been doing said activities while under the influence of fever medications. He thinks they might have addled his senses. Sod it, he'll just ask Belle. It is better to get his answer from the horse's mouth than risking his life crossing the streets in his fevered state.

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The following week finds Gaston drowning in medications. All thoughts of the change in his sister's behaviour and the question he meant to ask her are forgotten. Belle busies herself in the kitchen while he sits at the kitchen island, slurping on a leftover herbal chicken soup.

Today, he is more than certain that his mother must have had love affairs with a magical snowman and a leaking tap while she was pregnant with him. What else can explain why he is still suffering from a runny nose and a fever? Belle suggests that he goes for a complete body check-up, but he waves off her concern.

"No doctor. I'll be fine," he whines. It grates his nerves that a mere fever degrades him to a whining five-year-old.

The sound of a slammed cabinet breaks the stillness of the little apartment and causing the ever-present dull pounding in his head to increase in intensity. The pain doubles when his sister deliberately slams myriad of kitchen utensils on the countertop.

"A normal fever does not last more than a week, Gaston," Belle counters and turns towards him, looking as menacing as their late mother does.

Silence is Gaston's only response.

Belle rolls her eyes and turns back to the countertop. Her dainty hands reach for a knife sharpener and a chef's knife.

"You have yet to get your eyes checked," she growls and starts to sharpen the knife forcefully. Gaston notes the thinning of her lips and the telltale shimmer of unshed tears.

"Belle, stop worrying over your idiotic brother and tell me about your week."

His sister slaps the utensils she is holding on the countertop and lets out a sound that is a mix of a bark and a growl. Walking to the refrigerator and opening its door with more force than necessary, she takes out a broccoli and some carrots before stomping back to the counter. Her hand hovers over the knife block before she settles on the cleaver and begins chopping the broccoli. The sound of vicious chopping beats in rhythm to the pounding in his head; she most probably imagines they are his body parts.

Gaston watches as the tension slowly disappears from Belle's posture as she goes through the motions of making a new batch of chicken soup.

"I met a family a few weeks back, a father and his son," Belle says after a full fifteen minutes of silence. Gaston's ears instantly perk up. Busy warring with his fever he completely forgot about his investigation. The smile that he associates with her change all those weeks ago slowly crawls its way to her lips.

"They're from Scotland and the tales they spin will make your imagination run wild! I've read Scotland's folklore, but to hear it in their Scottish accent makes it more magical," Belle says in one breath.

"Have you heard of Sawney Bean?"

When he shakes his head, Belle goes into her storytelling mode and tells him about Sawney Bean and his cannibalistic family. Soon, his finds himself half-heartedly listening to his sister as she feeds him one Scottish myth after another. Occasionally, she'll tell him of the Scottish family she met. Ah, so this Humphrey man and his son, Marius, are the ones that cause his sister to glow with happiness. Wait. Humphrey and Marius or were their names Godric and Theo? He really wishes Belle would stop talking. His brain is unable to process much at this point.

In the coming weeks, Belle sometimes slips in stories about Tom and Jerry–that is what she calls the little family for he finds it difficult to remember their outlandish names–in their conversations. Belle's eyes appear brighter and a smile graces her lips whenever she talks about them. He is amused. He is glad. There is no denying it: Belle's in love. Now, he just needs to figure out if the father feels the same and pummels him if he does not.

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'Twas a fine September morning when he decides to spy on his sister, hoping to catch a glimpse of this mysterious Mr Tom. Intent on his achieving his mission, Gaston walks with long strides. Turning at corner, he bumps into a petite woman with red curls. He was about to apologise profusely when his mind registers the tiny woman glaring at him is none other than his Jillian. His heart skips a beat and his brain refuses to function.

Dumbfounded, Gaston can only stare at her and she appears to be doing the same. Both of them must look like idiots to the passers-by. When his brain finally functions, its first thought is to scream at him to grovel at her feet. Mr Tom and Belle can wait; right now, he needs to salvage what remains of their relationship. "If there is one in the first place," his mind supplies.

Putting on a brave face and a smile–he hopes it is a smile and not a grimace–Gaston greets Jillian. Jillian looks slightly perplexed by his greeting; maybe she is baffled why he is acting as if their fight never happened.

Jillian's countenance suddenly changes. A dark cloud shadows her face and she then stomps on his shoe with the heel of her boot that results in a loud yelp from him. Sashaying away like Jessica Rabbit Gaston can only stare after her like a brainless fish. It looks like he has a mountainous work of grovelling to do to get back in her good graces. Steeling his nerves, he ignores that pain in his foot and quickly runs after her.

Sunlight passes through the high windows in a quiet corner of the library Gaston was initially heading for. Two lone figures stand near one of the windows, an auburn-haired woman and sandy-haired man. The woman smiles softly and brushes away the hair that falls over the startled man's face.


	3. Unwanted Bedmate

**Summary:** A weird dream leads to unwanted discoveries.

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**A/N:** Chapters are not in chronological order as they are a collection of one-shots and prompts of the Stupid Cupid verse (my apologies if this chapter comes off as rather lazy).

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All he sees is darkness and he wonders if his eyes are closed. He is unable to sense anything. There is no odour, no taste, no sound ... there is nothing. He cannot move nor can he call out to someone for he has forgotten how to do so. It is when despair starts to crawl its way into his heart that he feels something tangible. He feels something brushing against his cheeks. A breeze!

Soft breeze caresses his cheeks and its gentle song sings in his ear. Like a child taking its first tentative steps, his senses awaken.

He greedily takes in these sensations before his mind opens up another and another.

Whiff of something familiar reaches him. He recognises what it is: the smell of the morning dew hanging on the edge of a blade of grass. With this recognition, memories of rolling in the grass and of dancing in the rain flood him. As the scent increases in intensity, it causes his head to spin. He neither groans nor wishes for the recollections to stop, not even when he finds it difficult to breathe. These are precious memories that need to be cherished and remembered.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

He welcomes the varying smells that now war their way up his nasal. Slowly, his body relaxes and welcomes them like an old friend. He goes through the process of identifying the scents and the memories each evokes.

His mind is busy cataloguing each scent and memory that he knows not how much time has passes. Does time have any meaning wherever this place is? What is he doing here? Before his mind wanders further, he registers the prickly sensations on his hand and the warmth on his face.

He finds that it is warmer at his nose and the intensity decreases slightly as it spreads across his face. He smiles as he starts to remember. He vividly sees the image of her standing in front of him. The shy smile that plays about her lips and the sincerity that burns brightly in her eyes are made all the brighter with the sunlight kissing her features. Tentatively, she raises her hand. Gently, oh so gently, she brushes away the stray lock of hair that covers his eye.

She takes a step forward and then another. Each step brings her closer. Closer. Closer.

Another light touch.

Another shy smile.

His breathing quickens and so does his heart. She comes closer and closer until he can see the light freckles scattered across her nose. He should do something. He wants to do something, but all he manages is to repetitively clench and unclench his hands.

Open and close. Open and close.

He suddenly feels prickly grass tickling his hands as he continues to will his hands to do more than the repetitive actions. This unexpected sensation causes the memory of her to fade and he whimpers at the loss.

His eyes! He needs to open his eyes and find her. He does not like this feeling of loneliness her absence causes.

He does not know how he manages it, but after continuous internal screaming, he manages to will his eyes open. The sudden onslaught of bright light temporarily blinds his sight and he instantly closes his eyes. White dots against an expanse of darkness start to appear behind closed eyes. Only when the dots diminish does he slowly squints his eyes open.

Taking in his surroundings, he sees that he lay under a tree with leaves that appear to be dancing to the melody of the breeze. Remembering he has limbs, slowly and unsteadily gains control over them and pushes himself off the grass and circles on the spot to look what lies beyond.

The tree is the only one of its kind for all he sees is a field of tall green grass that stretches to infinity. Only when he looks up does he notices the cloudless blue sky. Its colour reminds him of her eyes. Her sincere blue eyes. Eyes that hold warmth and affection for him. It is then that he remembers what it is that he intends to do.

He knows not which direction will take him to her but he doesn't care. Staying here and doing nothing is a fate far worse than trudging through the sea of grass of unknown perils.

Tinkling laughter rings in the air when he first steps into the field of grass. Its melody beckons him to find its source. He runs through the field shouting her name repeatedly until he enters a clearing with a lake that is not more than ten strides away from him. He does not recall ever seeing this place when he surveys the landscape from the small hill. Turning around, he sees not the field of grass that he came out from. In its place is a forest of tall pine trees. Where is he? What happened to him? Did he die?

The sound of laughter disrupts his train of thought and he swivels to what he thinks is the source.

He notices ripples forming on the lake's surface. Like an entranced man, he walks towards it. Reaching the edge of the lake, he then bends down and tentatively touches its surface.

The lake feels odd to the touch. It is smooth and reminds him of a human skin. That is not possible. Why does it not feel wet? Tilting his head and knitting his eyebrows together, he continues his stroking motion. He gasps when his action brings about a moaning sound. Very odd indeed.

He was about to pinch the water surface when his hand is roughly jerked by an unknown force. Moments later, pain blooms in his cheeks and he lets out a startled cry. At the edge of his mind, he hears someone grumbling unintelligibly.

"Get your person off me, Gold," someone growls in his face, assaulting his nose with their reeking breath.

Groggily, Gold opens his eyes only to be confronted with a red-faced Gaston. Gold finds himself half on top of Gaston who is wedged in between him and Belle–he thinks it is Belle under the white blanket as he remembers her falling asleep next to him–on the mattress that is laid out on the sibling's apartment floor. The sudden tightening on his left hand brings Gold out of his musings. Gaston is tightly holding Gold's left hand above his head while his other hand has wandered somewhere under Gaston's back.

"Oh, umm ... sorry," is the only response that he can manage.

Both men are busy trying to extricate themselves from one another that they do not notice a camera phone that peeks out underneath the white blanket. Only when its clicking sound breaks the silence do the men realise they have been photographed.

A giggle emanates from the body under the blanket.

"BELLE!"

In an instant, Gaston bodily throws Gold off him and scrambles to rip the blanket off his sister. Belle may be clumsy but today proves that she can be quick–although not graceful–at removing herself from underneath the blanket and at dodging Gaston's hands. Safe from her brother's clutches Belle runs to her bedroom.

"I am going to upload it to my website!" she shouts before locking the door, causing her brother who was running after her in his red rage to bang into it.


End file.

Once Upon a Time, Romance