#OUAT Stickers

[hooked-on-swanics]

This project has meant more to me than I can really explain, and this dumb little reel I made does not really do it justice, but I had a lot of fun making it anyway

“there’s always a crisis” ouat sticker sheet

[gay-strawberry]

love it when notebooks cant even close because theyre so full of fun stuff

[rems-writing]

Thar he goes

Pairing: siren!Wooyoung x sailor!reader

Summary: Back on my OUAT bullshit lol

Warning(s): slight mentions of almost drowning, Wooyoung being clingy

Genre: Cracked out fluff

Nets: @blossomnet @mirohs-aurora-society

"BRING BACK THE MERMAID!"

"AND WHAT?! YOU'LL WIN HER OVER WITH YOUR RAINBOW KISSES AND UNICORN STICKERS?!"

"MAYBE THAT'S WHAT WE KIND OF FUCKING NEED RIGHT NOW!"

"SHUT UP, YOU USELESS SAILOR!"

Ooh. You had enough of Regina's bullshit. You let go of the rigging and tackled the Evil Queen. Surprised by this, she tried to blast you away with her magic yet you were quicker and smarter. You placed a black leather cuff on her wrist and when she tried to flick her hand, no magic came out.

"HA! MAYBE NOW YOU'LL LEARN THAT ALL MAGIC IS USELESS SO FIGHT ME LIKE A WOMAN, BITCH!"

"WHY YOU - "

Regina tackled you but you sidestepped just in time for the Queen to actually tackle Mary Margaret (Snow White) instead. You cackled at the two women throwing hands at each other until you felt something sharp being pointed at your back. You turned around to see David (Charming) angrily pointing a sword at you.

"YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE! ARE YOU ON REGINA'S SIDE OR OURS?!"

"I'M ON THE SIDE OF LIVING, YOU BASTARD! DON'T POINT THAT THING AT ME!"

"BREAK UP THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM NOW!"

"LET THE SLAGS HASH IT OUT, YOU WHINY PRINCE! GOD YOU WERE SO MUCH BETTER WHEN YOU WERE ABOUT TO FILLET THAT BITCH!"

"DON'T CALL MY WIFE A SLAG!"

David charged at you and you sidestepped quickly once more, regretting it slightly when he ran into your captain by accident.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL, Y/N?!"

"SORRY, HOOK! WELL... NOT REALLY! YOU DESERVE IT!"

"FOR WHAT?!"

"FOR MAKING ME GO THROUGH THIS CRAP!"

Hook was now charging at you with his sword in his hand. Realizing the 'oh shit i fucked up' moment, you grabbed a rope and swung over to where Emma was trying to keep the Jolly Roger steady.

"EMMA, YOU'RE THE ONLY TOLERABLE ONE AT THE MOMENT SO I'MMA WARN YOU RIGHT NOW! WE'RE HEADING INTO DANGEROUS TERRITORY!"

"WHAT COULD BE MORE DANGEROUS THAN THIS STORM?!"

As if on cue, singing voices could be heard from the depths of the sea. The rest of the group stopped fighting and stood still as the singing voices grew louder and louder. Only you and Emma could resist the singing, which would explain the apprehension on her face as eight men appeared on the boat after a brief flash of lightening passed by.

"SHIT!"

You quickly ran down to the group and your eyes widened when you saw one of them reach out to caress Mary's face with webbed hands.

"HANDS OFF, SCALY MOTHERFUCKERS!"

You shoved him to the side and felt his catlike eyes pierce your soul.

"I'M SORRY! YOU'LL THANK ME LATER!"

You slapped her, then Regina, then David, and finally, your captain. Emma grew shocked as they tried to snap out of it.

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?!"

"IT WAS EITHER THAT OR THEY ALL DIE FROM EITHER DROWING OR A SINGLE BITE!"

"THEY'RE STILL HERE! WHAT SHOULD WE DO?!"

"PROTECT THEM AS THEY SNAP BACK TO REALITY! I'M GOING WITH THEM!"

"I'M NOT LETTING YOU GO WITH A BUNCH OF SIRENS!"

"JUST TRUST ME!"

With that, you dove off the ship and the sirens followed you in after, almost drowning you in the process when they dove in. The last thing you could recall was a mop of dark hair hovering over your sinking body.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Unicorn stickers? Seriously?"

"Yeah. That's exactly what Regina said to Snow."

A high-pitched laugh, followed by other laughs, filled the hollow siren grove while you retold the story of how that mermaid basically caused chaos aboard the ship.

You didn't necessarily drown. You only pretended to drown so you could escape the chaos of those enchanted forest crackheads and your equally stupid captain. You felt scaly arms wrap around you and a chin land on your shoulder and you looked down to see your favorite siren with the witch cackle he emitted earlier.

"Yes, Wooyoung?"

"I want attention."

"But you already have it."

"Well I want more~"

His whines and pout made the other seven sirens groan in annoyance and you hushed them. The siren with the cat eyes then asked something.

"So what will happen once they stop Peter Pan? Will you help them escape Neverland?"

"Perhaps. But they seriously need to work together if the Savior wants to save that son of hers."

"Speaking of which, how did she not know that Neal's real name was Baelfire?"

"San, be for real. Imagine you're on a date in that Land without Magic and a man introduces themself with the name Baelfire. Besides, after going through that portal, he's gotta blend in somehow."

"Ok ok. Lemme follow up with this. How did August, or Pinocchio I should say, know that Neal is Baelfire?"

You thought about that for a moment before shrugging.

"Meh. Don't know, don't care. Anyways, lemme know if that ghastly crew of adult misfits find their way off Neverland so I can help my captain man the Jolly Roger once more. Maybe I'll find a way to get your siren asses to Storybrooke. That Ariel chick did. Might as well give you guys a place to live, right?"

The seven of them cheered while Wooyoung hugged you tightly.

"Thanks, doll." He said affectionately and kissed your cheek.

"No problem, Woo. All within a day's work I suppose."

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Saturday, November 23

DAWN VOICEOVER: Nobody knows who I am. Not the real me. It's like, nobody cares enough to find out. I mean, does anyone ever ask *me* what I want to do with my life? Or what my opinion is on stuff? Or what restaurant to order in from? No. Underline. Exclamation point. Exclamation point, exclamation point. No one understands. No one has an older sister who's a slayer. People wouldn't be so crazy about her if they had to live in the same house with her every single day. Everybody cares what she thinks. Just 'cause she can do backflips and stuff. Like that's *such* a crucial job skill in the real world.

~~BtVS 5x02 “Real Me”~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Let's Do Some Living After We Die (Buffy/Angel, G) by buffytargaryen

Scenes From a Possible Future (Buffy/Angel, E) by a2zmom

Change of Plans (Buffy/Angel, T) by fatalfae

A Different Kind of Death (Buffy/Angel, T) by MamaBewear

Impatience (Buffy/Angel, M) by NicHawkins

Sun in the Storm (Buffy/Angel, T) by bonniesfire

[Chaptered Fiction]

say you'll always wonder, Chapters 1-4/4 COMPLETE! (Buffy/Angel, T) by claddaghrings

Fading, Chapter 1/? (Ensemble, M) by FriedaBerlinFan

Broken Angels, Chapter 2/? (Angel/Cordelia, Wesley/Lilah, Buffy/Spike, Arcane xover, T) by King_Of_The_Multiverse

Changing Fate, Chapter 30/? (Spike/Wesley, T) by velja

Queen of Hearts, Chapter 2/7 (Cordelia/Willow, not rated) by Murderpart1

hit rewind, Chapter 85/? (Buffy/Spike, M) by untiljanuary

First War part 3: Rumors in Rhine, Chapters 24-38/38 COMPLETE! (Willow/Tara, T) by Nonkosherian

Potential Friend: Season Two, Chapter 5/22 (Buffy/Angel, T) by srmcd1

Smoke and Leather, Chapter 8/? (Spike/OC, Buffy/Angel, Buffy/Riley, M) by EagleAlwaysFliesAlone

The Prophecy, Chapter 5/? (Buffy/Angel, E) by bookxish

The Queen's daughter, Chapter 51/? (Buffy/Faith, OUAT xover, not rated) by Dragonprincess19961

After Life, Chapter 13/? (Buffy/Faith, E) by Alwaysandforevermylove

The Right Swipe, Chapter 16/? (Buffy/Giles, E) by DancingAngel0013

For Science, Chapter 1/? (Buffy/Riley, Buffy/Adam, E) by mattilamb

In the Company of Witches and Slayers:, Chapter 179/200 (Willow/Tara, E) by VladimirHarkonnen (TheLightdancer)

A Switch in Time, Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by BloodyThorn

Lucidity, Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Soulburnt

Oh My Goddess, Chapter 12 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Maxine Eden

The Science of Being Yours, Chapter 10 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Maxine Eden, ClowniestLivEver

Open Your Heart & Close Your Eyes, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Melme1325

The Bad Penny, Chapter 4 COMPLETE! (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by OffYourBird

Christmas at the Folly, Story 2: Sunny Sides (Buffy/Spike, 13+) by myrabeth

A Man in Shadow, Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, 13+) by Zab Jade

Oh My Goddess, Chapter 12 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Maxine Eden

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork: Btvs - 6x15 “As You Were” (Buffy/Spike, worksafe) by o-cm-draw-o

Artwork: Together (Buffy/Angel, worksafe) by lalaithquetzallicaresi

Artwork: you’re welcome if it was based and also made by furries (me) (Angel/Cordelia, worksafe) by artsying-ifer

Artwork: Episodic art for BtVS 3x10 “Amends” (worksafe) by revello-drive-1630

Gifset: Buffy the Vampire Slayer // Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out (Buffy, worksafe) by 5bi5

Gifset: - Hiding, Florence and the Machine (Buffy/Spike, worksafe) by theveryunlikelywonderland

Stickers: [Drawing of Buffy and Spike kissing] (worksafe) by deandraws

Video: Interview with the Vampire – Part 2 by Slayin It with Juliet Landau

Fanvid: Spike - Only Girl In the World (Buffy/Spike, slightly NSFW) by Nina When it Rains

Fanvid: Willow & Xander - Like A Prayer (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) (worksafe) by TheOverLookedOne

[Reviews & Recaps]

buffy first watch update! [S2 - Surprise] by selkiemaidenfae

Angel - Episode 5.12 – You’re Welcome by rock-and-compass

SOMETHING BLUE EPISODE OF ALL TIME by edgarallanhoetry

I find it remarkable the extent to which everything in Buffy season 2 just kind of…works. by quasi-normalcy

PODCAST: S4. Ep16/17. Players/Inside Out by Investigating Angel

PODCAST: You Can Say the D Word (S5E7) by It Stakes Two

[In Search Of]

ISO: does anybody have any spangel/spangelus fic recs with either no smut, or smut that’s easily skippable? requested by xaeyrnofnbe

[Community Announcements]

Revamped IWRY Marathon 2024 — week three masterpost by iwillrememberyoumarathon

[Fandom Discussions]

spike and buffy are so funny because they were bespelled to get married [...] by messedupdoilies

[anon ask] Which [AtS] season is your favorite? And if you had to choose: Cordelia or Fred? Gunn or Wesley? answered by missielynne

I think a fun Buffy/Angel villain could have been the spirit of capitalism feeding off of Black Friday shopping frenzies by lindseymcdonaldseyelashes

[ask by coraniaid] BtVS for the favorite things ask game? answered by moistvonlipwig

For a whole lot of seasons 2, 3, 4 and 5, Angel the Character is arguably my least favorite character in Angel the Series by ohrupie

Lowkey disappointed Buffy didn’t have to keep up the ruse of being in a band with Spike for longer. by keeloca

Halfrek and Spike interaction (spoilers) by Tsole96

What was everybody’s opinions of Dark Willow by The_forgotten-soul

The First Evil by PaleHorseman101

Why was Spike's hair back to natural when he got his soul back and then bleached again the next episode? by bringouttheolives

Angry/upset Giles is terrifying by authenticriver

Favorite Anya lines… by Mergy_0314

How would describe Buffy Summers's journey in every seasons ? by Cailly_Brard7

What do you want to see in the potential new project??? by emomarvelnerd14

Favorite Spike-centric episodes by phover7bitch

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

PUBLICATION: The 15 Best Buffy the Vampire Slayer Villains, Ranked by CBR.com

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Join the editor team :)

[thehayhaylstorm]

Hi!! Everyone loved the Once Upon a Time drawing and I’m definitely noodling in how to expand with it I absolutely love drawing it

We hit over 100+ followers on tiktok!! Once I get stickers designed and printed I want to do a celebratory giveaway on tiktok. If you guys are interested I’m thehayhaylstorm there

Bought cool paper to make art prints potentially!

I’ve had the idea of BG for kids for a while but there’s now way I could ever get that published for obvious reasons but I had an idea about maybe a calendar or bookmark series???

I started making the Karlach OUAT sticker :)

[roselyn-writing]

Finished my sketch! This outfit is inspired by OUAT Evil Queen Pilot episode, I love that outfit so much that i drew my OC with it, with a little touches of mine, I added stars stickers because i was afraid to mess the cape 😩 I added a Black Rose frame to give more depth! I like the results 😍😍😍❤️🤝🏻

[jackabelle73]

Love and Happiness, ch 9

Fandom: OUaT/Rumbelle

Rating: Teen

Word Count: ~3,200 for this chapter; ~31,800 total so far.

Ch 9 on AO3

A/N: this chapter is for @reolf for their birthday. I'm so lucky to have you as a friend. <3

-

Walking into Storybrooke Island University Library felt like coming home. 

Belle stopped just inside the doors, closing her eyes and breathing in the smell of thousands of books. It was a little ritual she had, just taking a moment to remind herself of how lucky she was to be here, in this fortress of knowledge. The small sounds of a working library washed over her… patrons’ feet tapping on the floor. A hushed conversation from the circulation desk. High-pitched giggling from the children’s section. Books being stamped as they were checked out. 

“Belle! You’re back!” 

The Head Librarian’s voice made her open her eyes. Archie Hopper stood before her, arms loaded with books. 

“Yes. My honeymoon is over, and I have my husband’s permission to work. I’m hoping that I can resume my internship here.” 

“We could certainly use your help,” he nodded. “Two more staff members have left in the past month, either to get married or because they are expecting a baby.” 

“Oh, really? Who left? Here, let me take some of those for you. I’ll walk with you and you can catch me up on everything that’s happened.” 

She followed him down an aisle, helping to reshelve books as he told her about the staffing changes and everything else that had happened in the past month. He was called away to deal with an irate patron, and she finished the chore on her own. It didn’t feel like a chore at all, really. She loved this work. 

She paused in the act of stepping down from a stool, attention diverted by a book at eye level. The Bear and the Bow, the spine read. The cover showed a large bear, towering over a woman with long red curly hair who was notching an arrow into her bow. The woman looked not at all afraid, glaring back at the bear with defiance. 

Hmm. This must be a new acquisition since she’d been gone. A bit of heroic fantasy would certainly be a nice break from all the historical and legal texts she’d been reading for the past month. It was a wonder that the book was on the shelf at all; a story featuring a courageous heroine was not the sort that Queen Regina normally allowed in her library. Tucking the book under her arm, she walked slowly down the aisle, scanning the book spines to see if anything else caught her eye. 

The quiet click of a door closing carried to her ears as she pulled down another book for closer inspection, right before Henry Mills walked around the end of the bookcase. 

“Mrs. Gold!” he gasped, pulling the large book he held close to his chest and staring at her with wide eyes. 

She spied a distinctive red sticker on the spine of the book he held. Only books kept in one section of the library had that sticker, and there was only one door that Henry could have just exited. 

“Henry… did you take that book from the government archives?” 

“My mom asked me to pick it up for her,” he claimed. 

“Mmm. I doubt that, considering how tightly that area is regulated.” She held out her hand, and he surrendered the book with a sigh. “How did you even get in there?” 

“My mom’s the Queen and Mayor,” he shrugged. “I have my ways.” 

She wanted to ask him more about his methods, but restrained herself. 

“If it were up to me, I’d let you take it. I’m not one to inhibit the pursuit of knowledge.” 

“So I can have it back?” he asked hopefully. 

“You’d never make it out of the library without getting caught. There’s a sensor embedded in the spine, that will set off alarms as soon as you walk out the door.”

“Really?” He peered at the book as if he could see the offending piece of security. 

“Yes, really. You’d better go, Henry. I’ll find a way to get this back where it’s supposed to go.” 

He gave one last glance at the book she held, before he turned away. He’d only taken two steps before he turned back. 

“You won’t get in trouble, will you?”

“No. I’ll be fine, Henry. You should go.” 

He nodded and left. Belle looked both ways to be sure no one else was near, before peeking at the title. The Mills: From Laborers to Ruling Family.  The author was listed as Isaac Heller. Flipping through, Belle got the impression of a tell-all book, in the style of a tabloid. How in the world had this gotten published? No wonder Henry had been interested… but why would it be kept in the tightly restricted government archives? 

Curiosity gnawed at her, as she tried to think of some way she could get it out of the library without being caught, so she could take it home and peruse it at her leisure. When no ideas presented themselves, she sighed and went to the circulation desk, mentally rehearsing the lie she would tell Archie. 

*

“Can we talk freely here?” Belle asked, as they entered the house that evening and hung up their coats. 

“The house should be safe. I had Dove here all day, watching for anyone who might try to plant a listening device.” 

“Good. I want to tell you about something that happened at the library.” She launched into her tale, finishing with, “I told Archie that I found it on a table near the government archives, and had no idea how it got there. He praised me for turning it in.” 

By this time, they were sitting down to a dinner prepared by his housekeeper. With their honeymoon period officially over, Mrs. Potts had returned to her duties. Whatever she’d cooked for their first post-honeymoon dinner, it smelled delicious. 

“And young Henry didn’t tell you how he got in?” Mr. Gold asked.

“Only that he had his ways,” Belle smirked, amused by the idea of the Queen’s son defying the rules. 

“Hmm. Well, all children go through their rebellious phase.” 

“Did Bae?” she asked, hesitant but she felt that he needed to talk about his son. When had he last had anyone in his life that he could talk to about his son, and the devastating loss of him? 

There was a barely perceptible pause in the motion of his fork, as he scooped up more food. 

“Only a little,” he said briefly, then immediately followed it with, “you didn’t tell me the title of this contraband book that Henry had.” 

She nodded, accepting that he didn’t want to talk further about his son, before reciting the title. 

“Really? That book?” He actually smiled, a rarity for him. 

“You know it?” 

He chuckled. 

“I have a copy in my library. I’m surprised you haven’t run across it already.” 

She dropped her fork with a clatter. 

“Where in the library?” she asked, already sliding off her stool. 

“Miss French, it’s been there for over a decade. I doubt it will disappear while we’re finishing our meal.” 

“Oh. Right. Of course.” She returned to her seat, abashed at her questionable manners. “I just… get excited about books.” 

“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” he said wryly.

Belle was able to laugh at herself, picking up her fork to resume eating. 

“I was really surprised to see that book in the Government Archives. I only skimmed through it, but I would expect that the Queen would want all copies destroyed.” 

“Most were, believe me. My guess is that Regina held on to one copy so that she had proof of the lies Isaac Heller told about her family. Should he ever attempt anything like that again, she could submit evidence in court that he’d done it before.” 

“What a miserable pair of women. It’s sad. Nothing has ever been enough for them. Nothing will ever make them happy.”

“You’re correct about Cora. Had she ever achieved all the power and status she craved, then perhaps she could have been happy for a while… but then she would have wanted more. Power feeds on itself and is always hungry. Regina, though… she might be a different story. There’s a glimmer of hope for her to change, because she’s found something that makes her happy.”

“You mean her son.” 

“Yes.”

“I saw them together, the day of our interviews. She really loves him. Anyone could see it.” 

*  * * 

Weeks passed, during which their lives settled into a surprisingly mundane routine. They rose each morning, had breakfast together, and drove into town, where they went their separate ways for the day. 

Belle had resumed her studies, and only took a couple weeks to catch up on the work that she’d missed while on her honeymoon. When she wasn’t at school, she was at the library working at her internship. It was a relief to settle back into her former routine and realize that she was still on schedule to graduate on time. 

At the end of the day, she would meet Mr. Gold at his shop, and they would share the ride back to his house -- which she was increasingly beginning to think of as not just their house, but their home. They would share stories of their day over dinner, and usually spend a quiet evening together in the den. She would study or read, while he worked on his rental ledgers or sat with his own book. 

Their life together was wonderful, Belle had to admit. It was nearly perfect… if not for the shadow of a government threat hanging over them, and the worry over Bae’s safety. There was no way to know if Mr. Gold’s aunts had been able to deliver the crucial message to his son. They could only hope, and wait, knowing all along that they might never get confirmation. The best they could hope for, Mr. Gold told her grimly, was that nothing would happen. No change meant that the government hadn’t captured Bae. 

It was an imperfect solution, and Belle could tell that the uncertainty was taking its toll on her husband. Though he was as kind to her as always, she caught him sometimes staring off into space when he was supposed to be reading, and the grim twist of his mouth said that he wasn’t thinking happy thoughts. She’d heard him walk past her door in the middle of the night, and surmised that he wasn’t sleeping well. 

She knew he had continued his work to aid the Queen behind the scenes. She wasn’t happy about that, but accepted it as necessary to insure Bae’s safety. For now, they were biding their time. Hopefully, one day soon, they could talk again about challenging the government’s unfair practices, but now was not the time. Not when his son’s safety was at stake. 

*

“I think I found something!”

Belle rushed down the hall toward Mr. Gold’s office, arms wrapped around a large book, and turned into his office just as he was exiting in response to her call, causing the two of them to collide. She rebounded from the impact and would have ended up on her derriere, if not for his quickness in wrapping an arm around her waist to steady her.

She found herself pressed against him, with only the book she still held forming a barrier between their bodies. His face was so close that she could feel his breath when he exhaled, and she realized with mortification that she was staring at his mouth. She forced herself to raise her focus to his eyes and found him staring back at her, his face reddening.

She stepped back and he released her immediately.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, and thank you for catching me. I’m sure that would have been a very undignified fall.”

“No matter,” he assured her, using one hand to smooth his waistcoat. “You said you found something?”

“Yes! It’s in here.”

She passed him to enter his office, no longer feeling like a stranger in his work space. There was a small table by the window, and it was there that she laid the book and opened it to the bookmarked page in the sunlight.

“That’s a very old book,” he commented, reaching out to touch the yellowed page edges.

“Yes. And even this is only a reprint of the original, which is hundreds of years older.”

He gave the words themselves only a quick glance before turning to face her. “You’ll have to tell me what you found; you know I can’t read this language.”

“Right. So… we know that the current constitution, including the arranged marriage law, is based on a model of government established hundreds of years ago, written down in a book that our previous ruler dug out of an archive somewhere.”

“Yes. Always seemed a bit convenient that she found a document that described a government that gave her exactly what she wanted.”

“Very convenient… and badly translated.”

“How so?”

“This section here--” she outlined a paragraph with her finger without quite touching the page— “is the basis of the marriage law. The modern translation of these words reads, ‘the government shall choose for each citizen a life partner, and offer whatever support necessary to insure the success of each marriage.’” She opened her eyes, only then realizing that she’d closed them as she recited the words by memory, and saw Mr. Gold staring at her, lips parted and body tense.

He cleared his throat and glanced down at the book between them.

“So you’re saying that’s not what this book says?”

“It’s not how I would translate it, no. I read it as, ‘the government shall support each citizen in choosing their life partner, and offer whatever support necessary to insure the success of each marriage.’ Mr. Gold… they reversed the verbs in the current translation. There’s a world of difference in meaning between ‘support’ and ‘choose’ and they reversed them!”

“How sure are you of your translation?”

“I’m very sure of how I translated this book. The problem is, this is a later edition of the original. It’s very common for each edition to have minor edits, or changes in translation. What we need is to see the original.”

“Do you know where it’s kept?”

“According to my favorite professor at university… in the Government Archives of the University Library, where I have my internship. It’s theoretically possible to receive access to the documents kept there, but permission is granted to very few. The most commonly approved applications are from academics and scholars, like my professor. That’s how she knows where it is; she’s seen it there.”

“Hmm….” He leaned back against the table, tapping his fingers on his cane as he thought. “It’s unlikely that either of us could be approved to see these documents. There are other ways, though. How about you let me work on that? You’ve done your part by finding this information, and translating it. My skills are more suited to procuring items of value, especially those most difficult to procure. I’m going to enjoy this challenge. Well done on your part, Miss French.”

He gave a small salute as he went back to his desk, and the wink that accompanied it made her stomach flutter. He picked up the phone and started dialing, his attention already intent on his task, so she picked up her research and left, closing the door behind her.

*

The clock next to her bed read 2:08 when she opened her eyes, wondering why she was awake. She got out of bed and went to her door, opening it a crack to look out in the hallway. It was empty, but the light from downstairs told her that Mr. Gold was awake. 

Wrapping a robe around herself, she went downstairs and knocked on his closed office door. She didn’t wait for his answer before opening it and stepping inside. 

“Miss French. What are you doing up at this hour?” 

“Wondering why you’re up at this hour,” she countered. 

He sighed. “I’m sorry if I woke you. I found myself unable to sleep, and thought I might get some work done.” 

“You’re worried over Bae,” she stated. He simply nodded. “I can’t imagine how hard it must be, to not know. Can I help in any way?” 

“I’m afraid there’s nothing that anyone can do, Miss French.” 

“Well, I can keep you company, at least.” She saw him start to protest, and cut him off. “You shouldn’t be alone. Just let me grab a book, and I’ll sit with you.” 

He only nodded acknowledgement when she re-entered his office, The Bear and the Bow in hand, and made herself comfortable on the small couch that she’d never seen him use. She didn’t try to draw him into conversation, but focused on her book. She felt his eyes on her occasionally, but continued to read, till her eyes grew heavy and she let her head fall back against the cushion. 

She didn’t know how much later it was, when he shook her awake, whispering her name urgently. 

“Miss French! Miss French, you must wake up now.” 

His panicked tone chased away the last traces of sleep-induced fog. “What is it?” she asked, sitting up. A blanket fell away as she did, and she had the passing thought that Mr. Gold had covered her as she slept. 

“Someone is in the house.” 

“What?” She was fully awake in an instant. 

“I heard footsteps upstairs. I need you to stay here, and lock the door, while I investigate.” 

He stood up from where he’d been bending over her, and for the first time she saw a gun in his hand. The sight made her go cold; she’d never known that he owned a gun. He strode toward the door as quickly as his injured leg allowed, and left, closing the door behind him. 

What danger was he walking into upstairs? She couldn’t stay here, safe behind a locked door, and let him take all the risk. Not when she could possibly help. Crossing to Mr. Gold’s desk, she scanned the items in plain sight and grabbed a glass paperweight in one hand, a silver letter opener in the other. 

As quietly as possible, she left the office and tip-toed up the stairs. Mr. Gold was already out of sight, so she hurried to the top and looked down the hall, to see him pressed to the wall outside Bae’s room. A light shone from beneath the closed door. She moved to the wall herself, and crept closer. She was still several feet away from Mr. Gold when he turned suddenly, opening the door and pointing the gun into the room.  

“Stop where you are!” he commanded, and Belle shivered at the menace in his voice. “Turn around with your hands up, or I shoot!” 

“Don’t shoot!” A man’s voice. “It’s me, Papa. It’s Bae.” 

The color drained from Gold’s face, and the hand holding the gun fell limp to his side. 

-

[dunaloves]

I think my Hook sticker needs a... life companion or something... ;) What do you think?

[ouatsqincorrect]

Snow: I think I worked out a plan.

Regina: All right, count me out.

Snow: You haven't even heard it yet.

Regina: See how I've learned?

[secretlovepez]

New stickers inspired by Regina Mills [ here ]

[hooked-on-swanics]

realized it might have been a dick move to just upload the little shitty reel video when honestly??? i just want to show off these silly little doodles to people who get why i love this dumb little fairytale soap opera so deeply, you know?

i guess what I’m trying to say is that my sticker shop might not ever even open, so this isn’t an advertising attempt or anything (and it would be a kind of shitty attempt tbh). it’s just that sticker sheets happen to be my artistic comfort zone (it’s a long story). So, when i wanted to try my hand at ouat fanart, this is what came out. and so why not just 💀 post the damn png

anyway so yeah idk if i will ever sell these anywhere— i would love to, but it’s a question mark and i don’t want to like be weird about how I’m posting this bc i just,,,,,,,, this particular project was more fanart to me than designing something i wanted to try to sell.

so my POINT is: fellow ouat fans, I made a thing for you to maybe look upon with your eyeballs, if you wish to. i made a doodle for each central/main character (watch me have forgotten someone glaring, and i am so sorry if i did!), plus some that connect characters together (like the apple, the hot cocoa with cinnamon, the book, etc.). i bet you can tell which item i drew last, because i got better at drawing through the months i worked on this, and i think it’s pretty cool too that i can see the progression in my own art.

anyway sorry for the wall of text. just wanted to sort of clarify that i’m not trying to sell anything atm and also just to post it like a normal person 🫡

[livvyofthelake]

if u guys knew what my bedroom looked like you would understand everything about my personality. i won’t show you but literally these walls explain everything about me

[initiala]

Killian Jones would 100% unironically be the one with road rage yelling “if you’re going to ride my ass, at least have the decency to pull my hair”

[lonesomedotmp3]

you don't get it I have to hit him over the head really really hard with a frying pan so it makes a cartoon bonk sound followed by birds tweeting around his head. and then get him an ice pack and green tea with honey and watch the ouat pilot with him. I need to shrink him down into a tiny little guy and put him on my bookshelf with his legs dangling along the edge. I need to put him in lukewarm water and let him soak for 35 minutes before wringing him out over the sink. I need to eat him. I need to run him over with a car and then peel him off the side of the road like a sticker. I need to fold him like a pretzel and then dunk him like a basketball. I need to scramble that man like eggs. you don't get it

[jackabelle73]

Return Notice

Fandom: OUaT/Rumbelle

Rating: G

Word Count: ~1,800

Summary: A donation to the library gives Belle insight into the mysterious Mr. Gold.

A/N: This is a @rumbellesecretsanta gift fic for @lotus0kid. Their prompt was: If found, please return to... Lotus, I'm sorry this is late. Real life stuff got in the way. I hope this answers your prompt.

* * *

The box was directly in front of the library doors, where she couldn’t possibly miss it. “For donation” was written in large letters across the top. Christmas Eve seemed like a strange time to donate books to the library, Belle thought. The building wasn’t even open today; she was only here for a moment, to pick up a gift that she’d been hiding in her desk for weeks.

She leaned over the box so she could unlock the library doors, then managed to push it inside. It was a large box, and quite heavy. Flipping on a light, she opened the box to peruse the contents.

She could tell at first glance that many of the books were for children. Several well-known board books caught her eye, worn and frayed from a toddler’s rough treatment. There were beginning readers, chapter books of the sort read by middle school children, and YA novels. With the exception of the well-gnawed baby books, they all seemed to be in excellent condition.

She picked up a copy of The Velveteen Rabbit and opened it. On the inside cover was a sticker. If found, please return to Baeden Gold, it read. The name had been filled in with careful childish print.

Gold?

The only Gold she knew of in town was Mr. Gold, the forbidding man who owned and ran the pawn shop across the street. He also owned most of the property in town, but those two facts made up nearly the sum total of what she knew about him. He seemed to take pride in keeping to himself; the only time he interacted with other humans was when he was collecting rent or conducting business in his shop.

Curiosity piqued, Belle flipped through the book in her hands, and then immediately went back to the front, where handwriting had caught her eye. On the blank page preceding the copyright information, there was a note.

Dear Bae,

You are the only reason that I ever became Real.

Love always, your Papa.

Belle read the inscription a second time, her eyes filling up with tears. Mr. Gold had a son? One that he loved very much, if this note was anything to go by. Yet she’d never heard anyone speak of the man having a son, or any family at all.

She picked up another book at random, and flipped through it. A photograph fell out, and it confirmed her guess. It showed Mr. Gold, younger than she’d ever seen him, holding a small boy by the hand. Written on the back in the same handwriting she’d seen in the book, it said, Papa and Bae, age four.

She tucked the picture back in, and turned to the front of the book. Another label with the name Baeden Gold, and on the next page, another note.

Dear Bae,

I know you long for more adventure than Storybrooke can give you. Till you grow up and go out into the world seeking your own adventures, perhaps you can live vicariously through stories like this.

Love, Papa

She turned the book over to see the title. Treasure Island. Plenty of adventure to be had in that one. Had it been enough to satisfy a young Baeden, as his father hoped?

She chose several more books at random, finding the same name labels and handwritten notes in each of them. If there was one thing Belle French knew about, it was books. And she could see Bae’s entire life documented in this box. These books had been chosen with care, starting when the baby was too young to focus on the pages, continuing through childhood, and ending – as far as Belle could ascertain – when the boy became a young adult. Till he left home, perhaps? Why had he never come back? She was sure she would have been aware if Mr. Gold had a son who visited.

She looked out the window to the pawn shop across the street, where the lights were still on. Everyone knew that Mr. Gold stayed open late on Christmas Eve, and even opened on Christmas Day, for those last minute shoppers each year. That wasn’t the only reason, she realized now, standing there with the box of books at her feet. Mr. Gold stayed open all the time because he had no one to go home to. He’d clearly had a family, once, but not in her lifetime.

Why would he give away the books of a son that he clearly loved?

Without stopping to think about it, she snatched the first book she’d looked at from the box again, and crossed the street.

The bell above the door jingled as she entered the shop. Inside, the warmth welcomed her. She’d forgotten to put her coat back on when she left the library.

Belle stopped in the middle of the room and looked around. She hadn’t been here for years, not since she’d accompanied her father on the day that he asked for a loan from Mr. Gold. The visit had been fraught with tension, and soon after that, her father warned her to always stay away from Mr. Gold. As a good and dutiful daughter, she’d done so… until this moment.

The tap of a cane warned of the man’s arrival, before the man himself came through the curtain that separated the showroom from the back of the shop. His eyebrows raised as he regarded her with interest.

“Miss French. You’re not one of my Christmas Eve regulars.” He planted himself behind the counter.

“You have regulars for that?” Belle asked, distracted from her mission by the thought of people who consistently waited till Christmas Eve to buy gifts.

“Indeed I do, but I would not have expected it of you.”

“And what makes you think you know me?” she asked, curious. “We’ve never even had a conversation before now.”

“I make it my business to know about everyone in this town, Miss French. Surely a librarian would agree with the saying that knowledge is power.”

His dark eyes bored into hers, and she was suddenly reminded that she was dealing with the most powerful man in town. Had she made a mistake, coming here?

“I’m not here to shop,” Belle said, speaking before she could lose her nerve. “I came to ask you a question.”

He regarded her for a moment before giving an elegant wave of his hand.

“By all means, proceed. I confess to some curiosity about what question could be so urgent that you’d accost me in my shop on Christmas Eve.”

Belle walked up to the counter and placed The Velveteen Rabbit on its glass top.

“Why are you trying to give away all your son’s books?”

At sight of the book, Mr. Gold went eerily still, his face guarded. When he spoke, his voice was softer than before, yet there was a subtle threat in his tone. A warning.

“My reasons are not your concern, Miss French. I donated books to the library. Shelve them for others to borrow, or throw them in the rubbish bin, but don’t bring them back here.”

He turned and moved away, aiming for the curtain again. Belle sensed that if he walked through that curtain, that she’d have missed her chance forever.

“Why are you trying to forget the only person who’s ever loved you?”

He spun around, snarling, and Belle took a step back from his obvious wrath.

“What would you know about who loved me?”

Gathering her courage, Belle tapped the book cover. “The only reason you became real,” she reminded him.

He closed his eyes, and looked… embarrassed?

“I forgot that I wrote in that,” he murmured.

“You wrote in all of them,” Belle said. “At least, the several that I looked at.”

He moved closer again, but slowly, like his burst of anger had tired him.

“Every year for his birthday, and again at Christmas,” he said, in a near-whisper. “No matter what other gifts he received, I would always give him a new book. I would write a note in it. Even before he could read, I wrote those notes.”

He laid a hand on the book, gingerly, as if it might burn him. Belle waited, but no further information was forthcoming.

“That sounds like a wonderful tradition,” she said finally. “I’m sure Bae appreciated it.”

“I thought he did… till I lost him.” His hand withdrew, clenched into a fist.

“I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“He’s not dead. I said he was lost to me.” He was still looking at his hand on the book, but his eyes were unfocused. Was he remembering all the times he’d read this book to his son?

What had she been thinking, barging into his shop and bringing up painful memories?

He removed his hand suddenly, stepping back and resuming his formal manner like a well-fitted suit.

“Miss French, I’ve changed my mind about donating the books to the library.”

She nodded. “I understand. I’ll see that the entire box is returned to you after the holiday, when I’ll have help carrying it.”

“No, I don’t think you do understand. I don’t want the books back. I want them destroyed. You must have a system in place for that.”

“Destroy them?” she asked in horror. The very notion of destroying perfectly good books was a sacrilege to her.

“I’ll pay you for your services,” he offered.

“I don’t… no. I don’t want your money,” she stumbled over the words.

“I need a guarantee that no one will ever see these books, Miss French. Or what they contain. Destroying them will ensure that.”

“What they–” And suddenly, she understood. The words she’d meant to say, died on her tongue. She took a breath and nodded, trying for her professional librarian voice. “I understand, Mr. Gold. You have my word that no one else will ever see these books.”

“Thank you, Miss French.” He was already turning away. “If you wouldn’t mind seeing yourself out, I have work to do.”

He was gone through the curtain before Belle had moved from her spot. She picked up the book and returned to the library, where she contemplated the box by the door.

With effort, she managed to push it across the floor into her office. Using a large marker, she crossed through the existing words. Instead she wrote Property of Belle French, and taped the box firmly shut.

At the first opportunity, Belle planned to move this box to her own storage unit for safekeeping. Mr. Gold could change his mind one day, and if he did, the books would be waiting for him. In the meantime, the citizens of Storybrooke never needed to know that their town Scrooge had anything other than a lump of coal where his heart should be.

He’d been right. Knowledge was power. Belle would use her power to protect.