#stiltskin family bonding

[smartgirlsaremean]

Stiltskin Family Bonding Chapter 13 - When You Wish Upon a Star

Fandom: OUAT

Pairings/Relationships: Papafire, Believer Fire, Henry & Rumplestiltskin, mentions of Rumbelle

Rating: N/R

Summary:  The Stiltskin boys bond in a variety of ways. Sometimes it goes well, other times...not so much.

AO3

Chapter 13: When You Wish Upon a Star

The press of people around them was nearly suffocating, and Rumplestiltskin tried to hold perfectly still and ignore his son’s worried looks. He’d never been fond of confined spaces, and that discomfort had only intensified since the events of the previous year, but this was a short journey and he could endure almost anything for his boys. The ferry had held even less appeal for him than the monorail, so here they were. Henry stood a few feet away, his face practically flattened against the window, and Rumplestiltskin smiled in spite of his discomfort.

Leaving Gideon and Belle for even a day had seemed unthinkable, let alone for the entirety of this vacation, but Belle had been adamant.

“Henry needs to spend time with you and his father,” she’d said. “He’ll be grown before you know it! It’s only four days, and Gideon and I will be waiting here for you when you get back.”

Rumplestiltskin hated how very much he needed that reassurance, even as he appreciated that Belle understood his fears. Nightmares about losing the two of them had plagued him for days after Gideon’s birth - sometimes Belle announced that he was unfit as husband and father and disappeared, and other times Gideon was simply gone and Belle didn’t remember they’d ever had a son. Worst of all were the dreams in which he seemed to wake up cold and alone in a great empty bed with no sign of his family anywhere.

“We’re almost there!” Henry reported over his shoulder. “I can see the castle!”

“Great, keep us updated,” Neal said, sidling a little closer to his father. “You doing okay, Papa?”

“Fine,” Rumplestiltskin said, shifting his weight to his good foot.

“It’s just - it’s been awhile since you had to use that thing. From what I hear, the park’s pretty big.”

Rumplestiltskin looked down at the gold-handled cane and tried to speak pleasantly. “I’ve walked miles with this cane.”

“Well, yeah, I know, but…”

Ladies and gentlemen, we are approaching our station at the entrance to Main Street, USA, gateway to the six lands of the Magic Kingdom. Smoking is not permitted at the Magic Kingdom, except in designated areas. Please consult your guide map or ask a cast member for locations. If you’re standing, please hold onto the handrails and stay clear of the doors until the monorail stops completely and the doors open. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Magic Kingdom monorail station.

“We’re here!” Henry turned away from the window.

Ladies and gentlemen, please collect your belongings, watch your head and step, and take small children by the hand. We hope you enjoy your day at the Magic Kingdom!

“Need me to hold your hand?” Neal teased Henry, and Henry frowned.

“He said small children, Dad,” the boy pointed out.

“Yeah, I know.” There was a flicker of something in Neal’s face, but it was gone almost as soon as it appeared.

They lumbered out of the monorail with the rest of the crowd and headed for the elevator, Henry practically vibrating with energy. As they were walking through the large stone archways, however, Henry stopped and looked up at his grandfather.

“Uh...Grandpa? They have...y’know...they have, like, wheelchairs and scooters and stuff.”

“Do they?”

“Yeah.” Henry shifted his weight. “I thought maybe you…”

“I’ll be fine,” Rumplestiltskin said tersely.

“But…”

“Hey, look, maps,” Neal said quickly. He grabbed one and shook it open. “How do we want to do this?”

“Oh, I already planned it all out,” Henry said.

“You did, huh?”

“Yup. I wanna see everything, so I figured we should have a plan. I call it Operation Sidewinder. We kind of zig zag around.”

“Ok. So where to first?”

“This way!”

Henry was quiet as they left Cinderella Castle, and he grew quieter still as they made their way around FantasyLand. Neal kept one anxious eye on him, unsure what had upset him, and another on his father, who was doing his best to hide his grimaces. No matter what Rumplestiltskin said, it had been a long time since he’d walked without magic, and none of this could be good for his ankle. He was trying to figure out how he could salvage what was turning out to be a total disaster of a trip when Henry suddenly stopped.

“The Mad Tea Party!” he said. “I’ve always wanted to ride this one!”

Neal looked doubtfully at the wildly spinning teacups. “I dunno, you’ve had a lot of cotton candy.”

“Come on, Dad, please? It’s one of the most famous rides in the park!”

Neal faltered when Henry stared at him, his eyes wide and beseeching. “Yeah, sure. But if you puke everywhere I’m taking pictures.”

Henry dashed away to stand in line while Neal and Rumplestiltskin followed more slowly.

“It’s good to see the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“Huh?”

“How many concessions did you wheedle out of me with a look like that?”

Neal smirked. “I only used my powers for good.”

“For a good time, maybe.” Rumplestiltskin shook his head. “He’s so like you.”

“Yeah, he’s trouble.”

“You were never trouble, B - Neal. At least, you never meant to be.”

Neal didn’t quite know what to say to that, so he nodded at the line. “Are you gonna ride that thing?”

“No, I’ll wait for the two of you.” Rumplestiltskin grinned. “One of us has to be able to walk straight.”

Grumbling, Neal joined his son in line. The teacups spun fast and long, and Henry did look a little green around the gills, but at least he didn’t actually throw up. The kid seemed to be in a better mood, and they made their way past the kiddie area, ate lunch at Be Our Guest, and were walking past Prince Charming’s carousel (Henry had snickered a little at that) when he suddenly stopped dead in the middle of the street. Rumplestiltskin nearly knocked him over, and Neal was quick to grab his father’s arm to keep from falling down.

“What is it, Henry?”

“Nothing,” Henry said quickly. “Sorry. Let’s...go the other way.”

Neal frowned and looked at his father, only to see that Rumplestiltskin had frozen too, his face unreadable. “Papa?”

“Come on, Grandpa, let’s just go,” Henry said grabbing his grandfather’s arm and pulling slightly.

Neal followed his father’s gaze and felt his heart drop.

Of course.

“Peter Pan’s Flight.”

“Aye. Let’s go,” Rumplestiltskin said hoarsely, turning to follow his grandson.

They walked in silence toward the Princess Fairytale Hall, and only once they were standing in line did Henry speak up again.

“Sorry. I forgot about that one.”

“You’ve nothing to apologize for,” Rumplestiltskin told him, squeezing his shoulder gently.

“This place isn’t really what I thought it would be,” Henry said after a second’s thought. “I should have known better, I guess, but I thought...I thought it would be more real. I mean,” and he looked up at his grandfather, “you’re not even here. At all. And that’s crazy because none of this would ever have happened without you. My mom wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be here.”

Rumplestiltskin stared open-mouthed at his grandson for a moment, and Neal blinked back tears. He’d thought of that himself over the last couple of years - that as terrifying as his youth had been, as lonely and desperate as he’d felt, the slightest change and he would never have met Emma, and she’d never have had Henry. He hated that he had to acknowledge that anything good had come of his father taking the Dark One’s curse, but the proof was standing in front him. He cleared his throat and stepped forward, since it seemed that his father’s brain had momentarily short-circuited.

“Yeah, they got pretty much everything wrong, but we can still have fun,” he said. “Like, let’s go see the princesses and then we can tease your mom about petitioning for them to add a Princess Emma character. A princess in jeans and a red leather jacket.”

Henry grinned. “She would hate that.”

“We could take pictures of the princesses and then Photoshop their real-life heads on them.”

“Yeah! And we could get pictures of all the Caribbean pirates and Photoshop Hook’s head onto all of them!”

“Now you’re talkin’!” Neal ruffled Henry’s hair. “Whaddaya say, Pops? Ready for some good old-fashioned Disney fun?”

Rumplestiltskin smiled. “Yes, I do believe I am, though I have one question.”

“What’s up?”

“What exactly is Photoshop?”

[violetfaust]

“Rumple embraces his role as a grandfather...”

...according to Kitsowitz, on whether Rumple will have a relationship with Henry and Lucy. 

(As an aside, I think it’s bullshit and Rumple/Henry will have almost no relationship in S7. But that’s a subject for the lies blog, so in the meantime we will pretend we can take Kitsowitz at face value.)

But how in the world can he do that, if Henry has spent the last ten to fifteen years in another realm?  Especially if Rumbelle spend some (or all) of the three years preceding Henry’s departure from SB traveling the world?

He can’t...in this world.

But what about time spent elsewhere?

Say, FTL2.

There are some good arguments that Rumbelle in the bts scenes of 7.4 are leaving to see the rest of the Land Without Magic--they leave in the Caddy, they have luggage. But just because they are starting with this world doesn’t mean that they have to stop there. As many wonders as this planet has to offer, I don’t believe that Belle would never want to visit magical realms such as Agrabah and Oz. 

According to Lana, the SB storybacks in S7 take place five years after the S6 finale--ie. one year after Henry went off exploring. The Rumbelle SB flashback is three years BEFORE Henry leaves. One year in SB = say twelve years in EF2 for Henry. So if Rumbelle settled in EF2 a year (our time) before Henry’s big adventure, that would be plenty of time for them to age up, giving us a Gideon who is then twelve (not too far off from Aaron Starkman’s age) and is twenty-five or so by the time of Curse #75 (maybe I’ll just call it the HH Curse), or not too far off Giles’s age. It could also give us a toddler Alice who would be in her late teens/early twenties by the time the HH Curse hits.

And OF COURSE given Rumple’s luck, something will happen to create a wall between EF2 and the LWoM--because I refuse to believe that Henry would just not bother to get in touch with his moms for fifteen years, not even to invite them to his wedding or introduce  them to his daughter.

So Henry and Rumbelle family are more or less trapped in EF2 for a decade together, probably working all the while to find a way for Henry to visit home, and that’s when Rumple and Henry (and Rumple and Lucy, and the Rumbelle family with Henry’s family in general) develop the close relationship they should always have had.

And maaaybe the awful danger that is threatening Henry is something related to the Dark One? Or maybe the reason that Rumple doesn’t show up with Regina/Hook/(Emma?) in FTL2 is that he’s  already there, and working on Henry’s trouble elsewhere? Or he’s being threatened (or is threatening) and that IS Henry’s problem?

Also, magic grandpa explains why Henry’s motorcycle never runs out of gas...I’m just saying.

[swanqueeneverafter]

Sins of the Past Pt.14

Camelot. Courtyard. (Finally arriving back at the castle, Lancelot leads the knights into the courtyard where Morgana has been addressing the people.) Morgana: (Directly to Lancelot:) "As your Queen, I expect your allegiance and devotion." Lancelot: (Dismounting his horse:) "Is that right? Well it just so happens that there is but one Queen that we recognise. Long live Queen Quinevere!" Knights: "Long live Queen Guinevere!" Morgana: (Coldly:) "I will give you one more chance to pledge your allegiance to me." Lancelot: "Long live Queen Guinevere!" Knights: "Long live Queen Guinevere!" (To Morgana's dismay, several of the villagers and courtiers begin to chant along with the knights.) Morgause: (Stepping in:) "Perhaps this will help you change your mind." (Morgause raises her hand and several soldiers raise their crossbows.) Lancelot: (Defiantly:) "Long live Queen Guinevere! (Using her powers, Morgause forces the soldiers to turn and point their crossbows at the unarmed villagers:) No!" (Before the men can shoot however, a battle cry is heard as Xena and Gabrielle arrive. Hurling her chakram, Xena disables the crossbows while flipping in mid air and catching the weapon upon its return.) Gabrielle: (Seeing the glint return to Xena's eyes:) "I guess I don't need to ask if you're ready to fight." Xena: (Drawing her sword and twirling it:) "Bring 'em on."

(A battle breaks out between the soldiers loyal to Morgana and the knights. Xena and Gabrielle evening up the odds for Lancelot's men. Somehow managing to remain unnoticed amongst the fighting, Merida raises her bow and points it towards the balcony. Knowing that she'll only get one shot, Merida is torn and unable to decide who to shoot before reinforcements arrive in the courtyard.) Morgana: "Take them to the dungeons! (To Morgause:) Have Lancelot brought to the throne room." Morgause: "Yes, Your Highness." (Morgana leaves the balcony while Morgause watches with a satisfied smile as the rebels are rounded up below.) Neverland. (Armed with her own bow and arrow, Tiger Lily leads Regina and Emma through the uneven terrain as they carry Maria between them.) Emma: "So you mean to tell me that since Pan left, magic has pretty much disappeared from Neverland?" Tiger Lily: "Mostly, yes. There are still pockets of magic scattered across the island, but not many." Regina: "Obviously Pan's hideaway is one of those pockets and once we're back inside it, we can poof ourselves back home." Emma: "Is that why you're still here? You were stranded once the magic left?" Tiger Lily: "No, mine is a self imposed exile. This existence, where I am far from the temptations of magic, suits me much better." Emma: "Is that because of what happened with Rumplestiltskin? Is that what drove you away?" Tiger Lily: (Shakes her head:) "Those events took place hundreds of years ago, Emma. I continued my duties as a fairy godmother to countless children after Rumplestiltskin." Regina: "So what caused you to give up that life?" Tiger Lily: (Stops walking and faces them:) "There was another child who’s fate was forever altered by my actions. A beautiful baby girl was born to the King and Queen of a powerful nation. All was well at first, until the day it was discovered that the girl held magical powers. The King had come to power at a time where the people were distrustful of magic. Indeed, it was the King who had ordered many people, including children, to be drowned if they were discovered to possess magic." Regina: "The Great Purge. You're talking about Uther Pendragon?" Tiger Lily: (Nodding, continues:) "Queen Ygraine begged me to save her child from that same fate. And so, under the cover of darkness, I smuggled the infant Morgause out of Camelot and gave her to the High Priestesses of the Old Religion to raise. Uther was told that the child had died and I swore an oath never to reveal my actions to anyone. After that, I left my life as a fairy behind me, determined never again to play a part in ruining another child's life." Emma: "You know, if she and Morgana hadn't just put a bounty on my head, I might've felt sorry for Morgause." Regina: (Looking behind them:) "Speaking of which, it seems we have a few bounty hunters on our tail." Tiger Lily: "Lost Boys. Quick, this way!" (Regina and Emma follow Tiger Lily while the hollering of the Lost Boys draws ever nearer.)

Arendelle. (With everyone now awake and the party cancelled, Elsa is pacing worriedly as she learns that Lily hasn’t been seen or heard from. Anna speaks to Hook and Rumplestiltskin who were called to aid in the search. Kristoff is casually holding onto a chair, attempting to remain calm.) Elsa: "So, no one has heard from Lily? There's been no sightings from anyone in the castle?" Kristoff: "Since you asked me ten seconds ago? Nope." Hook: “Something is definitely going on here. First my wife goes missing, now my daughter.” Anna: (Suddenly grabbing him by his shirt:) “All right, Mr. Pirate Man, think! Who have you messed with that would want to take their revenge on you by kidnapping Lily?!” Kristoff: (Helpfully:) “And Maleficent.” Anna: “Her too. (Shaking Hook:) Well?!” Elsa: “Anna! Release him this instant!” (With a growl, Anna releases Hook. Kristoff takes her hand and moves her away.) Hook: “It’s all right, love. I’ve been asking myself the same question since I got here. The truth is, I just don’t know who would want to do this.” Rumplestiltskin: “There is the possibility that this has nothing to do with revenge. We don’t even know if the two disappearances are connected. Maleficent could simply be spending sometime alone. Perhaps she’s in the Forbidden Fortress as we speak?” Anna: “Well, Lily has definitely been taken. She wouldn’t just get up and leave my sister’s birthday party. We’ve been working on it together for months!” Elsa: “I can't just sit here. I'm going after her.” Kristoff: “Go where? There are no tracks to follow.” Elsa: “That’s impossible. Lily can’t just have vanished.” Kristoff: (Sighs:) “I don’t suppose there’s any point in trying to stop you?” Elsa: “You can't. I'm the queen.” Rumplestiltskin: (Cutting in:) “Which is exactly why you need to stay in Arendelle. There has already been one Queen overthrown today. Until we know exactly what’s going on, we can’t rule out any possibility.” Elsa: “You think someone kidnapped Lily in an attempt to get me to abdicate?” (At that moment, a guard enters without knocking, clearly with important news.) Guard: "Your majesty. I apologize for barging in like this, but we have news from one of our scouts.” Elsa: (Hopeful:) “Have you found Lily?” Guard: “No. But they discovered something else in their search.” (He hands Elsa a leather wrapped piece of parchment. Elsa reads the report on the parchment.) Anna: “What does it say?” Elsa: “Lady Helen, or at least the real Lady Helen, was found dead in the outskirts of the forest.” Kristoff: “Well that's one less person to interrogate. Look, I know every inch of those mountains out there. Let me go and start the search for Lily.” Elsa: “No, you're not going anywhere. It's too dangerous. If Mr. Stiltskin’s right and Lily was taken because of me then the kidnappers would be only too happy to capture my brother in law too." Kristoff: “So I'll be real careful.” Elsa: “You're staying right here. As you said, I am the queen of Arendelle. So let me be the queen and handle it.”

A Cave. Location Unknown. (Much like Elsa, Lily is seen pacing. Unlike Elsa, Lily is confined to a cage. Grabbing the bars, she shakes them violently, screaming to be let out. Crouching down in the corner of her cell, Lily attempts to metamorphose into her dragon form.) Balinor: (Entering the cave carrying firewood:) "That won't work. (Lily opens her eyes and stares at the man:) That cage is designed to keep you contained in your current form." Lily: "Why am I here? What do you want with me?" Balinor: "That can wait. I was told you didn't get to eat anything at your fancy party. (Indicates the firewood:) So I'm fixing dinner." Lily: "I have powerful allies. Friends and family who will come looking for me. My mother-" Balinor: "We know about your mother." (They stare at each other, Balinor dropping his gaze first.) Lily: "What have you done with her?" Balinor: (Walks away:) "Don't worry yourself needlessly tonight, little one." Lily: "Where is she? Do you hear me? What have you done with her?!"  Wonderland. Grendel's House. (Still sitting on the kitchen floor and struggling with her bonds, Ella looks to Will who continues to stare at the images playing over and over within the knot.) Ella: “Will, let's get out of here. I can't find my mother if I'm dead. Forget the knot.” Will: “We've got to have it. Let me talk to him. Don't worry. I'm good with monsters.” Ella: “No. This is for me, and I say we find another way.” Will: “This is for me, too, and we're doing it. (Cheerily:) Excuse me, Mr. Grendel? That woman that you've been looking at, she's quite lovely.” Grendel: “Stop talking.” Will: “Do you know her? Does she have a name?” (The Grendel growls and stalks over to Will, raising his hand. Then, his attention caught by the images playing in the Forget-Me-Knot, The Grendel calms, watching.) Young Woman: “Tell it again, dear. I love that story.” Young Man: “I would gladly tell it to you-” Grendel: “Forever.” (The Grendel sighs as the young couple kiss.) Will: “She was yours, wasn't she? You loved her. (Grendel growls:) Losing someone you truly love, it can change you.” Grendel: “How do you know?” Will: “Because the way you look is how I felt. Believe me, I understand what you're going through.” Ella: (Whispers:) “Keep talking. It's working.” Will: “I say that the only way to move on is to leave the past behind ya. Looking through that knot, thinking about her, seeing her, remembering her. It hurts too much! You want to move on, you have to let go of the hurt. It's the only way.” Grendel: “I don't want to move on.” Will: “Sometimes you don't have a choice. It's for the best, mate. Trust me.” Grendel: “Silence! (He grabs an axe, pointing it at Will:) Dinner time.” (The Grendel walks over to the fireplace and adds another log to the flames.)

Storybrooke. Mayor's Office. (Snow White stands with her arms folded, clearly ready to argue.) Snow White: "Just admit it. You feel embarrassed about the jousting competition and you don't want to show your face at the camp site." David: "I am not embarrassed. Aladdin won fair and square. He got to his feet before I did. I have nothing to be ashamed of." Snow White: "No, of course not. Neither did Humpty Dumpty." David: (While Snow sniggers with laughter:) "Oh I see, you're enjoying this. All right, laugh it up. (Snow does, continuing to laugh:) I refuse to be embarrassed by something you're partially responsible for. (Snow continues to giggle, using her hands to mime David trying and failing to get back to his feet:) You know what? Fine. You want to hear an embarrassing story, how about this..." Storybrooke. Recent Past. Outside Swan-Mills House. (Emma waits outside for David to pick her up in the police cruiser when she receives a call.) Emma: "Hey, 'Gina, what's up?" Regina: "Oh, nothing, just missing you. We both are." Emma: (Smiles:) "Yeah? You guys still in bed?" Regina: "We sure are. Want to see?" Emma: (Looking around to make sure she's alone:) "I'd love that." Regina: "Hang on a sec." (Emma waits a moment, then receives a photo of Regina and baby Maria laying in bed together.) Emma: "Aw, you look so comfy, now I'm gonna miss you both even more." Regina: "I know, but we'll be right here waiting for you when you get home." Emma: (Smirks, looking back towards the house:) "You know technically I'm still at home." Regina: "Then come back to bed." Emma: (Sighs:) "You know I can't. They're short-handed at the station. (David pulls up alongside her:) David's here, I better go." Regina: "Hm. Well all right, but only if you call me that name I like. (Emma, seeing David stepping out of the car, mutters something unintelligible:) What was that? I couldn't hear you." Emma: (Louder:) "I said I love you, Smoopsie Poo." David: (Standing behind Emma:) "Damnit!" (Emma spins around to face her father, utterly mortified.) Regina: (Magically putting herself on speaker:) "I told you I could get her to say it." David: "Yeah, yeah you did." (David passes by Emma, walking to the front door and posts twenty dollars through the letterbox.) Emma: "Wait, you guys set me up?" (Emma receives another photo, this time of Regina with her tongue out and the caption: ‘Sorry, Snuggle Bunny.’) Regina: (Chuckling:) "Have a good day, Sheriff." (Regina hangs up.) Mayor's Office. Present. Snow White: (Having listened to David's story:) "Well sure, that's a little embarrassing, but you can bet Emma didn't just take that lying down. And that's all I'm saying, David. Yes, you were humiliated, but that doesn't mean you can just hide out here all day." David: (Putting his hands up:) "You're right, of course you're right. I'll see you tonight." (David leaves and Snow returns to her paperwork.)

Mayor's Office. Recent Past. (Stuck in a boring council meeting, Regina sits behind her desk reading through a stack of papers while Snow White makes her closing statement. Although used to tolerating her former step-daughter/current mother-in-law's long, rambling speeches, Regina isn't exactly thrilled to be forced to listen to one less than a week removed from the end of her maternity leave. After reading the same sentence for the third time and still not understanding it, Regina glances up to see Archie asking Snow a question that will undoubtedly prolong the meeting for at least another ten minutes. Resignedly, Regina returns her attention to her papers. After finally managing to read through the document, Regina places it face down on her desk before picking up another. The next document in question is actually a letter market 'urgent', written in familiar handwriting. Looking up once more to check it isn't time for her to speak, Regina slices open the letter and begins to read.)

Dear Mayor Swan-Mills,

Please can you help me as I have nowhere else to turn. It seems I have spent the whole day baking and yet have no one here to taste the 'forbidden fruits' of my labour. As you can see from the enclosed photograph, the kitchen really did become quite hot, but I managed to keep my apron on regardless.

Hoping you are well, Emma

P.S. Maria is asleep and if you're not home in five minutes, I'm starting without you. xxx

Regina: (Practically jumping to her feet:) "This meeting is adjourned." Archie: "But I was just-" Regina: "I said we are done here!" (The members of the council meeting begin to file out of the office while Regina starts stuffing papers frantically into her bag.) Snow White: (Concerned:) "Is everything all right?" Regina: (Distractedly:) "Hm? Oh, yes it's fine. I just have to leave, immediately. (As Snow continues to stare at her:) Really, it's nothing. Your daughter's laid out a lovely spread... (An explicit image flashes in her minds eye:) Er... I mean she's in heat. (Gasps:) I mean Emma's prepared something hot and I have to go and eat her. I mean the meal! Oh, whatever!" (As a flustered Regina disappears in a cloud of smoke, Snow shakes her head knowingly, not having been fooled for a second.)

Neverland. Present. (Still too far from Pan's Hideout, Regina, Emma and Tiger Lily decide to take a stand. Placing Maria's carrier on the ground, they turn to face the oncoming group of Lost Boys.) Lost Boy 1: "Over there!" Emma: "Listen, we don't want any trouble and clearly we're not going to fight you." Lost Boy 1: "There's only one thing we want from you." Regina: (Stepping forward:) "If you think I'm going to let a group of unwashed adolescents claim the bounty on my wife's head-" Lost Boy 1: "Bounty? What do we care about a bounty? We're here to make you pay for what happened to Pan." Storybrooke. Main Street. (Presumably headed towards the mines, Happy and Grumpy walk down the street with their pickaxes over their shoulders. At the sound of horses approaching, the dwarves turn to see three knights arrive on horseback.) Grumpy: (One of the knights dismounts and draws his sword:) "Didn't anyone ever teach you not to mess with a dwarf and his pickaxe?" (Grumpy swings and is quickly disarmed. Happy's axe is taken from him without a fight. Forced to their knees, the dwarves look up to see the third knight remove his helmet.) Third Knight: "Didn't anyone ever teach you to kneel before your betters? Now, tell me where Emma Swan is."

[teaespensonawards]

Official 2019 T.E.A. Nominations

Yet again, CONGRATULATIONS to all of our nominees!

Since the list is hella long, it’s below a Read More. Look around, discover new fics, art, and authors, and consider long and hard what you might vote for in the next few days! 

(Note: The rule about a fic only being allowed on the ballot twice has been suspended this year as a result of tired/dumb/overwhelmed mod issues. This rule will return next year.)

Voting will begin on January 25th.

FLUFF

Family

Gold's Adventure in Parenting, by @ethereal-wishes Precious Moments, by @jackabelle73 Belle's water breaks at a party, by @lotus0kid Tuesdays at French Theater, by @prissyhalliwell The Naming of Dinosaurs, by @worryinglyinnocent Blue Christmas, by @ishtarelisheba Espresso Shots, by @thestraggletag  Hear Me Still, by @betweenpaperpages 

Comfort

Walking After Midnight, by @nerdrumple Belle notices she's going gray, by @lotus0kid The Bond Between Us, by @sarashouldbestudying Sleeping Arrangements, by @mariequitecontrarie Ever After, by @boushh2187 True Nature, by @thestraggletag

Fix-It

The Life You Save May Be Your Own, by @thatravenclawbitch Reprise, by @little-inkstone Mother Knows Best, by @mariequitecontrarie It All Ends Well, by @worryinglyinnocent If Tomorrow Never Comes, by @mariequitecontrarie

Reunion

Home Again, by @ifishouldvanish Knight in Shining Armor, by @thecompletebookworm The Bookshop Owner, by @imgilmoregirl  Until Last I See You, by @magnoliatattoo Five Days in Hell, by @celticheartedfangirl Marbled, by @worryinglyinnocent Leaves of Memory, by @0ceanofdarkness

Best Child Fic

Old Friends, by @rumbellegem15 The Naming of Dinosaurs, by @worryinglyinnocent Babysitting Debacle, by @ryik-the-writer The Mayor's Chair, by @worryinglyinnocent

SMUT

Kink

In Heat, by @prissyhalliwell The Party, by @worryinglyinnocent Best Seat in the House, by @timelordthirteen  A First for Everything, by @magnoliatattoo Closing the Circle, by @emospritelet

Romance

Making A Splash, by @ifishouldvanish Gold in the Afternoon, by @nerdrumple Soapy Water, by @mariequitecontrarie Life in Detail, by @ishtarelisheba Baby It's Cold Outside, by @timelordthirteen  Deseo, by @thestraggletag

Comedy

No Satisfaction, by @thatravenclawbitch You're Fired, Miss French, by @poca-staks SENT, by @poca-staks

Threesome

Love and Trust, by @emospritelet Room for Three, by @worryinglyinnocent

Best First Time

Dripping in Gold, by @maplesyrupao3 Gold in the Afternoon, by @nerdrumple The Wolves Were Always Lurking, by @ishtarelisheba Bravery Will Follow, by @emospritelet Storybook Romance, by @standbyyourmantis

Best Afterlife Smut

The Heart of a Hero, by @mrs-stiltskin Coming Home, by @scribbles-by-kate

PWP

Midnight Rides, by @maplesyrupao3 Take Me Lost, Make Me Found, by @thatravenclawbitch Off Duty, by @emospritelet Parent Teacher Conference, by @timelordthirteen Ask Me No Questions, I'll Tell You No Lies, by @standbyyourmantis The Fire Down Below, by @woodelf68 Yes, Your Honor, by @celticheartedfangirl

BDSM

A Dozen Roses by @ladybookwormwithteeth The Spinner in Chains, by @mrs-stiltskin Tell Me About It, by @lotus0kid The Ring, by @timelordthirteen 

ANGST

Why?

Love Makes Us Sick, by @thatravenclawbitch The Unresolved, by @of-princes-and-savages Cogs, by @maplesyrupao3 Fairy Tales & Happy Endings, by @standbyyourmantis

Death

Belle and Gold meet at grief counseling, by @lotus0kid Ghosts in the Snow, by @theoneandonlylittlebird We'll Have to Muddle Through Somehow, by @thatravenclawbitch Things Unknown, by @bellegold Cogs, by @maplesyrupao3

Oops

Spoils of War II, by @bad-faery 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, by @justanoutlaw All I Want for Christmas, by @timelordthirteen 

Hurts So Good

The Unresolved, by @of-princes-and-savages Things Left Unsaid, by @emospritelet XVII (I Do Not Love You), by @thestraggletag Enchanted Tales with Belle, by @bad-faery Fever, by @celticheartedfangirl

ROMANCE

Best Date

The Worst That Could Happen, by @thatravenclawbitch Bottle Episode, by @standbyyourmantis Dripping in Gold, by @maplesyrupao3 Swipe Right, by @standbyyourmantis

Best Courtship

Walking After Midnight, by @nerdrumple The Pages in Between, by @thatravenclawbitch A Match Made in Heaven, by @worryinglyinnocent Bellissima, by @standbyyourmantis

Best First Meeting

Gold in the Afternoon, by @nerdrumple A Princess in Theory, by @elanorjane A Match Made in Heaven, by @worryinglyinnocent Best Failed Date Ever, by @barpurplewrites Swipe Right, by @standbyyourmantis A Life Unexpected, by @celticheartedfangirl Bottle Episode, by @standbyyourmantis

GENERAL AWARDS

Best One-Shot

Who Says Dark Ones Don't Dance?, by @ifishouldvanish Vows, by @maplesyrupao3 Take Me Lost, Make Me Found, by @thatravenclawbitch The Plant Sitter, by @mrs-stiltskin Where the Sea Takes You, by @thecompletebookworm Why Not?, by @betweenpaperpages S.O.S., by @celticheartedfangirl

Best Drabble

I Won't be Home for Christmas, by @thatravenclawbitch The Ornament, by @timelordthirteen 

Best Post-Ep fic

The Life You Save May Be Your Own, by @thatravenclawbitch Marigolds, by @mariequitecontrarie It All Ends Well, by @worryinglyinnocent Our Better Decisions, by @theoneandonlylittlebird

Best Comedy Fic

Spin Me a Tale, by @ifishouldvanish The Pages In Between, by @thatravenclawbitch Receipt in the Bag?, by @ifishouldvanish Mistaken Identity, by @thestraggletag

Best Movie AU

The World is Not Enough, by @wierdogal Bellissima, by @standbyyourmantis Zootopia AU, by @thestraggletag Elevated Hearts, by @b-does-the-write-thing Life in Detail, by @ishtarelisheba

Best Book AU

221B Avonlea Street, by @wierdogal

Best TV Show AU

Black Roses, by @ifishouldvanish Storybrooke Hyperion Teaching Hospital, by @wierdogal

Best AU Inspired By Other Media

Bellissima, by @standbyyourmantis This Secret is Safe, by @thatravenclawbitch I Must Be Warmer Now, by @ifishouldvanish

Best Historical AU

A Night to Remember, by @tinuviel-undomiel The Image of Her, by @mareyshelley Vows, by @maplesyrupao3 Behind the Eight Ball, by @ishtarelisheba Once Upon a Time in the West, by @joylee56

Best AU

Kiss of Life, by @emospritelet How Soon is Now?, by @nerdrumple Nothing Ever Changes in Storybrooke, by @standbyyourmantis A Face for Radio, by @b-does-the-write-thing Dark Heart, by @emospritelet

Best AU!OUAT

Ties of Blood, by @thestraggletag Writing Our Own Stories, by @wierdogal Outside In, by @lotus0kid Passing Inspection, by @mariequitecontrarie

Best Series

Alterations 'verse, by @ifishouldvanish Ruins and Battles, by @toseehowthestoryends Love on Ice series, by @elanorjane Fake Fiances and True Love, by @of-princes-and-savages The Fairy Belle series, by @prissyhalliwell The Lynchpin Universe, by catspook The Gold Family, by @mariequitecontrarie The Floofy!verse, by @woodelf68 Where is My Mind? 'verse, by @thatravenclawbitch

Best Holiday Fic

A Card for Mr Gold, by @timelordthirteen The Midwinter Lady, by @lotus0kid Selective Santas, by @of-princes-and-savages Let It Snow, by @standbyyourmantis A Visit from St. Nick, by @betweenpaperpages

Best Remix

The Housekeeper, by @b-does-the-write-thing

Best Crossover

Through the Vortex, by @wierdogal Warmth and Desire, by @celticheartedfangirl

Best Dark Castle

The Sorcerer's Apprentice, by @standbyyourmantis Mirrored Memories, by @mareyshelley Terrific, by @lotus0kid When the Clock Strikes Twelve, by @mariequitecontrarie

Best Storybrooke

Kiss of Life, by @emospritelet No Rest for the Wicked, by @elanorjane Nothing Ever Changes in Storybrooke, by @standbyyourmantis The Moment of Truth, by @leni-ba

Best Travel

A Life Worth Living, by @woodelf68 Going Back to the Great Wide Somewhere, by @wierdogal

Best “Missing Years” Fic

Who Says Dark Ones Don't Dance?, by @ifishouldvanish A Life Worth Living, by @woodelf68

SPECIAL CATEGORIES

Best Golden Lace

So a Lawyer Walks Into a Bar, by @ifishouldvanish Command Me to Be Well, by @magnoliatattoo I Must Be Warmer Now, by @ifishouldvanish

Best Woven Lace

Vodka and Peppermint, by @thatravenclawbitch Things Left Unsaid, by @emospritelet

Best Woven Beauty

What the Heart Wants, by @mareyshelley Vigilante Rose, by @elanorjane Doppelganger, by @celticheartedfangirl The Awakening, by @joylee56

Best Rumbelle Poly Ship

The Darkness Within, by @worryinglyinnocent

Best Background Swanfire

The House (Castle) Always Wins, by @wierdogal Bae, Emma, and Henry live in their car outside Belle's library, by @lotus0kid Flip A Coin?, by @wierdogal

Best Side Pairing

Ruby/Ariel, This Secret is Safe, by @thatravenclawbitch Tiana/Merlin, Once Upon a Time in the West, by @joylee56 Astrid/Leroy, The Unresolved, by @of-princes-and-savages

Best Afterlife Fic

The Heart of a Hero, by @mrs-stiltskin Coming Home, by @scribbles-by-kate Partners Beyond the Grave, by @wierdogal First Christmas, by @boushh2187

Best Crack!Fic

Receipt in the Bag?, by @ifishouldvanish Everyone Needs a Hobby, by @woodelf68

Best Drama

Walking After Midnight, by @nerdrumple Outside In, by @lotus0kid Heartstrings, by dragonbat Fairy Tales & Happy Endings, by @standbyyourmantis

Best Supernatural

How Soon Is Now?, by @nerdrumple Dark Sight, by @maplesyrupao3 Lack of Reflection, by @barpurplewrites The Darkness Within, by @worryinglyinnocent

Best Creature AU

The Sounding Sea, by @mareyshelley Heavenly Bodies, by @maplesyrupao3 The Pharoah and His Priestess, by @wierdogal The Wolves Were Always Lurking, by @ishtarelisheba Storybook Romance, by @standbyyourmantis

Best Unexpected Twist

The Bartender, by @timelordthirteen An Unknown Road, by @lotus0kid A Real Hero by @lotus0kid The Image of Her, by @mareyshelley

Best Dark One Lore Fic

Forgotten Lore, by @thestraggletag The Darkness Within, by @worryinglyinnocent

Best Bobby Squared

Dark Halves, by @worryinglyinnocent First, Do No Harm, by @iatethebiscuit

Best Trope

Finishing Stitch, by @ifishouldvanish The Worst That Could Happen, by @thatravenclawbitch Swipe Right, by @standbyyourmantis Wrong Room, Dr. Rush, by @theoneandonlylittlebird

Best Meta

Rumbelle Ethics, by @ifishouldvanish 25 Fucking Stupid Writing Choices OUAT Made, by @celticheartedfangirl

Best Prompter

@anonymousnerdgirl

EVENTS

(All fics in these categories are limited to 2018 events only.)

Rumbelle Secret Santa

Wishful Thinking, by @rufeepeach The Great Storybrooke Christmas Bakeoff, by @spottytonguedog Alone for Christmas, by @winterswanderlust Beauty and the Baker, by @little-inkstone Picture Perfect Bride, by @idesignedthefjords How Soon is Now?, by @nerdrumple Never Too Late, by @wierdogal

Rumbelle Christmas in July

No Satisfaction, by @thatravenclawbitch Mission: Storybrooke, by @of-princes-and-savages California Soulmates, by @elanorjane Behind the Eight Ball, by @ishtarelisheba The Plus One, by @joylee56 Notes, and Lines, and Letters, by @sieben9 Cruising Altitude, by @applejackcat Puffin, by @beastlycheese

May Day Menagerie

Aillte, by @lotus0kid The Pharaoh and His Priestess, by @wierdogal Merfolk Rumbelle AU, by @nropay

Fluffapalooza

Gideon chips the teacup, by @we-aim-to-misbehave I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, by @worryinglyinnocent With This Broom, I Thee Wed, by @joylee56

Monthly Rumbelle (Non-smut)

Please Don't Leave Quite Yet, by @rumbellegem15 The Thing Between Us, by @worryinglyinnocent Best Failed Date Ever, by @barpurplewrites The Naming of Dinosaurs, by @worryinglyinnocent If Tomorrow Never Comes, by @mariequitecontrarie

Monthly Rumbelle (Smut)

Patience is an Overrated Virtue, by @worryinglyinnocent Dreamy, by @mariequitecontrarie After Party, by @timelordthirteen  The Fog of Mars, by @barpurplewrites

Rumbelle is Hope

Hope for the Hollow, by @itssandgirl Rumbelle planting their roses, by @rumbellecomic The Domestic Life of the Dark One and His Lady, as observed by Emma Swan, by @worryinglyinnocent Car Kicking Reduces Stress, by @wierdogal

CHARACTER AWARDS

Best Belle

Heavenly Bodies, by @maplesyrupao3 Spin Me a Tale, by @ifishouldvanish Her Heart, by @lotus0kid Ties of Blood, by @thestraggletag

Best Dark One!Belle

Through the Veil, by @theoneandonlylittlebird The Spinner in Chains, by @mrs-stiltskin

Best AU Belle

The Sounding Sea, by @mareyshelley  The Pages In Between, by @thatravenclawbitch

Best Lacey

So a Lawyer Walks Into a Bar, by @ifishouldvanish Command Me to Be Well, by @magnoliatattoo Vodka and Peppermint, by @thatravenclawbitch

Best Detective Weaver

Vigilante Rose, by @elanorjane First, Do No Harm, by @iatethebiscuit Doppelganger, by @celticheartedfangirl The Awakening, by @joylee56

Best Dark One

The Sorcerer's Apprentice, by @standbyyourmantis Kiss, by @nerdrumple Deseo, by @thestraggletag Soul Deep, by @barpurplewrites

Best Mr. Gold

Belle and Gold meet at grief counseling, by @lotus0kid Disrupted, by @theoneandonlylittlebird Dark Heart, by @emospritelet A Visit From St. Nick, by @betweenpaperpages

Best AU Gold/Rumple

Counting Stars, by @galactic-pirates Nothing Ever Changes in Storybrooke, by @standbyyourmantis Closing the Circle, by @emospritelet

Best Spinner!Rumple

Fractured Blue, by @maplesyrupao3 The Spinner in Chains, by @mrs-stiltskin The Plus One, by @joylee56 Finding Home, by @thecompletebookworm

Best Woobie!Rumple

Brimstone and Mistletoe, by @thatravenclawbitch Hear Me Still, by @betweenpaperpages Home Again, by @ifishouldvanish Fractured Blue, by @maplesyrupao3

Best Wish!Rumple

Echoing Hearts, by @mareyshelley

Best Baelfire/Neal

The Exchange, by @rumbellegem15 Bae and the Bear and the Bow, by @wierdogal

Best Gideon

Babysitting Debacle, by @ryik-the-writer  Lion!Gideon, Zootopia AU, by @thestraggletag Best Beloveds, by @woodelf68

Best OC Rumbelle Child

Olivia Rose Gold, Star-Crossed, by @celticheartedfangirl Jenny Gold, Accidental Magic, by @woodelf68 Tabitha, A Life Worth Living, by @woodelf68

RATINGS

Best of General Audience

Handprints, by @timelordthirteen 

Best of Mature

Let It Snow, by @standbyyourmantis  Something Old, Something New, by @winterswanderlust 

ART

Best Fan Art

Rumbelle on the Beach, by @ripperblackstaff Teacup Garden, by @staypee Don't worry pop, i'll take care of mum/we'll meet again, by @nropay Peace ooot Dearies, by @delintthedarkone Jedi Master Rum Gold and Jedi Knight Belle French prepare for battle, by @galactic-pirates

Best Cover Art

All of Me, by @wizzygold The Fairy Gardener, by @timelordthirteen 

Best Graphic Art - Gifs

Detective Weaver - then and now, by @virgidearie Rumbelle: Have You Ever Been In Love?, by @timelordthirteen  Color, Brilliance, and Strangeness, by @ifishouldvanish Telephone speech from 2x16, by @agentsphilinda

Best Graphic Art - Still Images

Teacup Garden, by @staypee Taking a break from building their home, by @staypee Papafire art (i'll find you bae), by @nropay

Best AU in Art

He watched his wife in the mirror, by @virgidearie Belle and Ogilvy, by @virgidearie Mer!Rumple with a Mer!Belle, by @foxmurphy

Best Fluff Art

The Pretty Librarian, by @virgidearie Happiness, by @virgidearie Teacup Garden, by @staypee Taking a break from building their home, by @staypee Rumbelle Sims, by @celticheartedfangirl Dark castle, magic mishap, blankets, by @jenitosam Where it allllllll began, by @delintthedarkone

Best Angsty Art

Not much longer to wait, darling..., by @delintthedarkone I miss you - We miss you too son, by @virgidearie Because of course he kept her bones, by @staypee

Best Smutty Art

I knew you'd make it home, by @virgidearie Love, by @virgidearie Trust, by @virgidearie

Best Comic/Graphic Novel

In most fairy tales they said third time is a charm, by @nropay Because of course he kept her bones, by @staypee Belle Protects Rumple AU, by @nropay

Best Dark One Form

Rumplestiltskin's 5 different personas, by @ripperblackstaff Glitch!Rumple, by @nropay

Best Use of Color

Detective Weaver, by @ripperblackstaff Papafire art (i'll find you bae), by @nropay Rumplestiltskin's 5 different personas, by @ripperblackstaff

Best Video

The Rumbelle Movie, by @poca-staks Shut up and Dance, by @darkinerry Tale as Old as Time, by @wondertwinc The Dancing (Queen) King, by @poca-staks

Best Artist

@virgidearie @ripperblackstaff @staypee @nropay 

BEST AUTHOR

@b-does-the-write-thing @of-princes-and-savages @timelordthirteen @mariequitecontrarie @wierdogal

BEST NEW AUTHOR

@sieben9 @idesignedthefjords @elanorjane @mareyshelley

BEST RUMBELLE FIC

Dark Heart, by @emospritelet This Secret is Safe, by @thatravenclawbitch Enchanted Tales with Belle, by @bad-faery Echoing Hearts, by @mareyshelley

BEST ANYELLE FIC

Wrong Room, Dr. Rush, by @theoneandonlylittlebird Homecoming, by @emospritelet Aillte, by @lotus0kid Cell Block Tango, by @smartgirlsaremean If Only for a Moment, by @ifishouldvanish Rival strip club owners, by @lotus0kid Morning Glory, by @mariequitecontrarie

BEST ANYEM FIC

Let's Spend the Night Together, by @ifishouldvanish Lacey has concerns about Danny's suits, by @lotus0kid The Worst That Could Happen, by @thatravenclawbitch Bloody Lace, by @of-princes-and-savages

Rumbelle Fandom Lifetime Achievement Award

@standbyyourmantis @ifishouldvanish @timelordthirteen

Newbie Spotlight

[Newbie spotlight will be announced along with category winners.]

[woodelf68]

Misc. OUAT fics

This is the stuff that doesn’t fit on the strictly Rumbelle rec list. General OUAT, young Rumpel, Grandpastiltskin and more!  (alphabetical by author)

Blood and Iron by @amuseoffyre -- Granny’s story, from the beginning, when the wolf came for her. Special mention of Granny/Rumple scene because apparently that works for me. 

Rumple and the Spinsters ‘verse by @annievh -- Rumple being raised by his Aunties Flora and Fauna, who might be a little more than they seem.

A Knack For Losing Everything by @antikryptonite -- a rewrite of Manhattan. Rumple finds his son, Emma finds an old lover, and Henry finds out he has a dad. Meanwhile, Belle works to keep Rumple from losing himself when the shawl which kept his memories intact over the town line is stolen by the person who stabbed him. And it’s not Hook this time around. 

The Spin Me a Yarn series by @barpurplewrites  -- In which knitting becomes the new thing for certain SB residents. 

The Lynchpin Universe by Catspook -- Season rewrites starting with the premise that the original curse swept up teen Bae from NL and brought him to SB. You want a shady Blue Fairy being called on her manipulations? Dwarfstar? Papafire? A fantastically written August? Get them right here!

Memories Keep You Near by @crossinginstyle -- A pregnant Snow goes through the magic tree with Pinocchio and must forge a new life for herself until Emma’s time comes to break the curse. 

First Step by dragonbat. -- Mary Margaret realises how badly they’ve all treated Gold and goes with baby Neal to apologise. Also:

Heartstrings (season 4 AU -- Emma, Belle, and August go to Gold’s aid in NY and to decide his fate)

Passamaquoddy Impromptu (season 3 AU -- Emma takes Gold out of SB instead of leaving him under Zelena’s control. Pete’s Dragon crossover.) Patterns (Emma wonders if the dark curse never fully broke, trapping them in a repeating cycle of events)

We’re Going In a Different Direction by Ellynne-- Persephone takes over the management of the Underworld from her Uncle Hades and Makes Some Changes. Also Saving Baelfire (a saving Bae from Zelena fic)

All I Needed by @galactic-pirates (stillsearching47) --   When Emma tells her high school sweetheart Neal that she’s pregnant a month before graduation, she didn’t know what to expect. What she finds is a family, and a place to call home.

Prompt: Henry finds a stray dog, Gold helps him keep it. by @lotus0kid. 

Truly Becomes Dust by @mysticknightsofscotland​ -- What if Milah had taken Bae with her when she left?

Impressions by Nym (@wibblywobblywritery) -- Neal’s thoughts shortly after coming to SB

Cinnabons by paradigmparadoxical -- Season 2 AU of Gold, Emma, and Henry going to find Bae in NY.  More and better interaction between the characters than in canon. 

Perigee by Rhinegold (@thestorieswesay) -- Rumpelstiltskin/Granny Lucas

All That Remains by @rufeepeach-- general OUAT/Golden Swan friendship (in the wake of Neal’s death, Gold and Emma form an unlikel bond.) Also:

 Burning Bright (season 5 rewrite in which Neal is still alive and becomes the Dark One instead of Hook)

First Christmas-- @severina2001 -- Gold gifts Henry Neal’s old ball for Christmas 

The Camping Trip and Stiltskin Family Bonding by @smartgirlsaremean -- Fluff featuring Rumple, Neal and Henry

Where In the World Is Rumplestiltskin? by @spottytonguedog -- some Rumbelle, but mostly general OUAT. The Dark Curse has broken, and Snow is the first to wonder where their former prisoner is. 

Broken Hearts by teacupsroses -- Grandpastiltskin, set after Belle banished Rumpel over the town line. Also:

For Love of Family  -- Henry and Gold share a talk at Neal’s grave.

The Consequences of Inaction  -- Henry gets fed up with some of the adults around him. Set during the Underworld story.

Generations by @woodelf68— Henry/Gold bonding at Neal’s grave. Angst/fluff mix. Also:

Addendum — An extended version of the deleted scene between Henry and Rumpeltiltkin from 4x02. Also:

Bargain by — Henry wants a birthday present for Emma. Gold has just the thing, and a special price for his youngest and cutest customer.

Manhattan Redux — an alternate scene between Gold and Henry in New York. Gold’s dying, but Henry refuses to let him give up.

What The Storm Brought — It was a dark and stormy night. Henry discovers what it left behind.

Like Father, Like Son — A taste for a certain checked shirt seems to be run in the family. Neal/Henry scene.    

In Which Rumpelstiltskin Receives Help From An Unexpected Source -- The Rumbelle Deer comes to Rumpel’s aid when Belle forces him across the town line. Because there’s nothing like adding a little crack to canon. Based on the ending of 4x11.  

Brother – Neal might be gone, but he isn’t forgotten. Future Rumbaby fic.

Small by worryinglyinnocent Alone in a car at the town boundary, Mr Gold waits for a delivery that will, one day, change the lives of all Storybrooke forever. A very small delivery…Also:

Full Circle “Emma remembers the man who started it all. Emma remembers Rumpelstiltskin. That’s not his real name, of course…” An alternate way in which Emma found Storybrooke, based on the theory that Regina allowed Gold one trip out of town to collect Henry. What if he’d made a little detour?

Once Upon A Different Time -- Full cast season 3 rewrite written in episodic format.

[therumbellehappyendingaward-blog]

The Rumbelle Happy Ending Awards – Winners!

Thank you to everyone who voted and helped spread word about this event, the fandom surprised me again. Congratulations all winners, you are really loved! Here is the masterlist.

*Categories with two winners had the same number of votes.

FLUFF

Best Fix-It

The Life You Save May Be Your Own by @thatravenclawbitch

Best Comfort

The Gift of Magi by @findingtallahassee

Best Date

The Worst That Could Happen by @thatravenclawbitch

Best Happy Moment

Quia Parata Sunt Omnia by @thatvermillionflycatcher

 ANGST

Best Exes

Dark Heart by @emospritelet

Best Misunderstanding

Dripping in Gold by @maplesyrupao3

Best Post-Belle’s Death

Coming Home by @scribbles-by-kate

Best Love and Hate

Unfailing Faith by @mrs-stiltskin

Best Reencounter

The Bookshop Owner by @imgilmoregirl

 AO3 TRIGGER WARNINGS

Best Underage

Reckless Abandon by @rufeepeach

Best Rape/Non-Con

Old Habits Die Hard by @dowehaveadeal

Best Major Character Death

A Safe Place by @lotus0kid

Best Graphic Descriptions of Violence

Death Becomes Her by @crysania

 FAMILY

Best Gideon

The Bond Between Us by @sarashouldbestudying

Best Baelfire

Caged Love by @sarashouldbestudying

Best Belle/Rumple original child

Rose – The Dark Children by @imgilmoregirl

Best Family Long Fic

Heat of the Moment by @thescholarlystrumpet

Best Family One Shot

To Keep Out The Dark by @rufeepeach

Best Pregnancy

Heat of the Moment by @thescholarlystrumpet

 SMUT

Best First Time

Bravery Will Follow by @emospritelet

Best PWP

Off Duty by @emospritelet

Best Threesome

Love and Trust by @emospritelet

Best Romance

A Dozen Roses by @ladybookwormwithteeth

Best Hate-Sex

Dark Heart by @emospritelet

Best Kink

The Party by @worryinglyinnocent

 AU

Best Movie AU

The Parent Trap by @imgilmoregirl

Best TV Show AU

Home by @winterswanderlust

What Once Was… by @barpurplewrites

Best Modern AU

The Tie That Binds by @ishtarelisheba

Best Curse AU

Shape Of Love by @Rumpelstiltskin_wait

Best Creature AU

Heavenly Bodies by @maplesyrupao3

Best Historical AU

Dark Sight by @maplesyrupao3

 BEST OF THE BEST

Best Drama

Angel’s Unaware by @ethereal-wishes

Best Angst

Dark Heart by @emospritelet

Best Hurt/Comfort

I Must Be Warmer Now by @ifishouldvanish

Best Series

Reckless Abandon by @rufeepeach

Best Roleplay

The Fate of Pierrot by @thatvermillionflycatcher

 ART

Best Sketch

Sea wizard by @nia-sketches

Best Manip

Lust by @virgidearie

Best Digital Art

Precious Moments by @licieoic

Best Gif-Set

I miss you - we miss you too son by @virgidearie

Best Graphic Art

The Gold Family - King of Loopholes by @nropay-gallery

Best Cosplay

wizard world chicago - @klairabelle, @delintthedarkone, @druidkitty, @snafu-moofins

Best Fan Video

Rumbelle Forever / OUAT/ Belle & Rumplestiltskin by @spellbound

Once Upon A Time There Was a Beast by @allicamallison

Best Artist

@virgidearie

 SPECIAL MATCHING

Best RushBelle

Love and Trust by @emospritelet

Best WovenLace

Off Duty by @emospritelet

Best Rushacey

The Worst That Could Happen by @thatravenclawbitch

Best WovenBelle

Off Duty by @emospritelet

Best GoldenLace

Recovery by @justadearie

 BEST SIDE-PAIRING

Best Swanfire

Waiting Game by @emospritelet

Best CuriousArcher

Stolen Books and True Love by @imgilmoregirl

Best Gidrick

The Light That Waits by @likehandlingroses

 GOLDEN CATEGORIES

Best Author

@emospritelet

Best Rumbelle Fic

Dark Heart by @emospritelet

Best Anyelle Fic

Let’s Spend The Night Together by @ifishouldvanish

No Light Over London by @lotus0kid

Best Commenter

@ultimatefan

[smartgirlsaremean]

To the anon who submitted the Stiltskin Family Bonding prompt about a week ago (maybe longer)...

I LOVE your prompt and it is never awkward to receive one! I am definitely going to write it when time and inspiration combine. I just wanted to let you know that I’m not ignoring it.

[smartgirlsaremean]

Stiltskin Family Bonding - Chapter 12

Fandom: OUAT

Relationship: Papafire (this chapter, at least)

Rating: N/R

Summary: The Stiltskin boys bond in a variety of ways. Sometimes it goes well, other times...not so much.

AO3

Chapter 12: No Rush

A Tumblr anon prompted: When he looks after the pawnshop alone, Neal has to deal with the customer who keeps saying bad things about Rumplestiltskin.

Neal hated it when his father left the shop on rent day. For one thing, working in the shop wasn’t exactly his dream job, but until someone else in town decided it was safe to hire the son of the Dark One he was stuck there, earning a completely unreasonable wage considering that he mostly polished things and updated record books. The only reason it didn’t totally suck was that he spent most of the time talking to Rumplestiltskin. They had nearly three hundred years to catch up on, and Neal had realized that he couldn’t expect to understand or forgive his father without talking to him.

The best part of the day, of course, was in the late afternoons on Tuesdays and Thursdays when Henry would come in to sweep and dust. It was good in a weird kind of way, hanging out in dim, dusty shop with his family as if they were just regular guys running a family business. Sometimes he wished that were true - that they were plain old Mr. Gold, Neal, and Henry - and eventually Gid. Gold and Sons, Pawnbrokers. Or maybe they could rename the shop entirely in case the new baby was a girl.

Spinning Wheel Antiques, maybe. Or just Gold Antiques.

Anyway, it was rent day and Neal thought it was kind of hilarious that his father still took Dove and made the rounds, as if direct deposit wasn’t a thing. Rumplestiltskin could grumble about late payments and people trying to take advantage, but Neal knew there was a part of him - and not even a very small part - that loved the drama, the theatrics of rent day. The grim, shady landlord showing up and demanding wads of cash and threatening to toss delinquents out into the street. His dealmaking days were more or less at an end, but Rumplestiltskin was a showman, and he’d always had a dark, sinister sense of humor.

The bell on the front door jingled, and Neal groaned. Few people came in the shop anymore, and Neal didn’t like dealing with those who did. He didn’t have his father’s shrewd business sense or Henry’s guile, and he really didn’t like the idea of making people pay for things that were technically theirs to begin with. He walked out from behind the curtain and saw a man he didn’t know bent over and peering through one of the glass cases.

“Can I help you?” he asked.

The man straightened, a mulish look on his face. “Yes. I’ve come for my sword.”

“Uh.” Neal glanced at an umbrella stand that was full of swords. “Could you be a little more specific?”

“That one.” The man pointed at a sword with a gold hilt, studded with rubies and emeralds. Neal pulled it out of the stand and held it up, and the man drew a deep breath. “That’s it,” he said. “I thought it was lost forever.” He reached for the sword, but Neal drew back, raising his eyebrows.

“That’ll be fifteen hundred,” he said, his grip tightening slightly when the man’s eyes flashed.

“Fifteen hundred! For my own sword!” the man exclaimed.

“For one thing, I don’t know for sure that it’s yours,” Neal said.

“You doubt my word?” the man said, drawing himself up to his full height.

“Well...yeah. I kind of have to. I mean it’s not like there are serial numbers on these things, and I doubt you have any proof of ownership.”

“A man of honor would not require any of those things.”

Ah. A prince, or a nobleman at least. Neal thought he’d noticed a certain...prickishness about the guy. “Well, what can I say? I’m just a lowly peasant. Honor was never really in my budget.” He shifted his grip on the sword, holding it not quite at en garde, and studied it carefully. “This is a pretty expensive sword to just...give up. What’d you get in exchange?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Well, it didn’t just show up on its own. You had to have made a deal with it. So what’d you get? Power? Riches?” He looked the other man up and down and smirked. “Good looks?”

The prince/nobleman/jerk turned red. “That is none of your business.”

“Okay, no problem. Doesn’t matter anyway, the price is the same. Fifteen hundred.”

“You’re just like your father, aren’t you?” the man sneered. “I should have known not to expect any better.”

“Any better than...what?”

“We can all see through him now,” the man said, leaning over the glass case. “Back in our world he dressed himself up in fine silks and leathers and flourished his magic and made us all fear him, but we all know who he is: a peasant, with no more claims to greatness than a common beggar. A coward who hides behind his stolen magic and his powerful friends.”

Neal clenched his jaw, willing himself to stay calm. There were an awful lot of expensive things in here, and it wouldn’t do to break them.

“He’d better pray his magic never forsakes him,” the man continued. “I’d like nothing better than to cut him back down to size.”

Of course, Rumplestiltskin could always magically repair whatever ended up broken.

“Did you seriously threaten the Dark One in front of his son?” Neal asked. “While I’m holding a sword?”

“As if you would know what to do with a fine weapon like that,” the man scoffed. “Gutter rats like you barely know which end of the sword is which.”

“I know a few things,” Neal said. He grasped the hilt of the sword and reached out, carefully placing the tip on the man’s chest, over his heart. “The pointy end goes in the other guy, right?”

The man’s eyes widened. “Are you threatening me?”

“No,” Neal said. “I’m challenging you.”

“How dare you…”

“Me?” Neal scoffed. “You’re in my father’s shop, insulting both of us, demanding something for free. And I’m the jerk in this situation?”

The man opened his mouth to reply, but froze, his eyes widening in something like terror. Neal didn’t have to look back to know that his father must have returned.

“Well, well, what have we here?” Rumplestiltskin’s voice was quiet and calm, but Neal felt goosebumps crawl over his skin. “A dissatisfied customer?”

“I - I only want what is mine,” the man said.

“That’s all anyone ever wants,” Rumplestiltskin said, approaching the counter. “Unfortunately, our definitions of what is yours appear to differ.” He placed his hand on Neal’s arm and pressed gently, and Neal let the sword fall to his side. “This sword, for example. You sold it to me, and it is therefore mine. The fact that you regret that does not negate the transaction.” Rumplestiltskin clasped his hands before him and raised one eyebrow, smirking. “Unless you have two thousand dollars to hand, I’m afraid your sword will remain in my possession.”

“He said fifteen hundred!”

“I tend to charge more when death threats are involved.”

The man wilted a bit. “I can - return tomorrow. With the money.”

“We look forward to it.” Rumplestiltskin grinned. “Pleasure doing business with you.”

The man huffed and walked away, slamming the door as he went. Neal took a deep breath and replaced the sword in the umbrella stand.

“Well, that was fun. I almost expected him to slither out of here.”

Rumplestiltskin shrugged. “There was no reason to dirty my floors.”

“You didn’t always need a reason.” Neal studied his father. “You really do...have things under control, don’t you? The curse, I mean. You’re more...you than you used to be.”

“I’ve lived with this curse for three hundred years, son,” Rumplestiltskin said wearily as he pulled out a thick ledger.

“Yeah.” Neal fidgeted with a pen. “If you could get rid of it, though...would you?”

Rumplestiltskin was quiet for a few minutes, and Neal thought he’d gone too far, but then the sorcerer sighed and shook his head. “Once upon a time I’d have said no. I’m not a brave man, and the thought of facing this world without magic frightens me, but…” He looked up at Neal, his eyes wide and glistening. “But I see the beginnings of gray in your hair. Henry and Gideon grow more each day, and Belle’s getting laugh lines around her mouth. And I…” he waved a hand up and down his own body. “I stay the same.” Rumplestiltskin leaned against the glass case and stared at the ledger without appearing to see it. “Every day I grow closer to losing all of you and...and that’s more terrifying than anything I can imagine. To be truly alone, to lose all that I hold dear. I don’t want that.”

“Well, there’s got to be some way, Papa,” Neal said. “What about True Love’s Kiss?”

“We’ve tried,” Rumplestiltskin sighed. “Over and over, we’ve tried. But the Curse - it’s grown stronger, more resilient. It weakens a little, and then it’s back, as strong as ever. Belle is at her wits’ end.”

Neal thought of the fairies, but dismissed that idea immediately. The last time he’d gone to the fairies for help, it hadn’t gone so well.

“We’ll think of something,” Neal said. “We have time, after all. There’s no rush.”

Rumplestiltskin smiled slightly and then looked away, his eyes dark and sad. “Aye. No rush.”

[smartgirlsaremean]

Stiltskin Family Bonding - Chapter 11: Spinning

Fandom: OUAT

Relationships: Rumple & Henry, Charming & Henry, Sheep Boys

Rating: N/R

Summary: The Stiltskin boys bond in a variety of ways. Sometimes it goes well, other times...not so much.

AO3

Chapter 11: Spinning

Prompted by ghostwriter107: Would love to see David's reaction to walking into the shop and finding Rumpel teaching Henry how to spin. I got the feeling that the heroes thought only they had something useful to pass to their grandson.

David winced a little as the bell over the shop door gave a jaunty jingle. He didn’t have anything against Rumplestiltskin anymore, but his memories - cursed and otherwise - of this shop weren’t exactly pleasant. He avoided coming here when he could, but Henry was late getting home and Snow had been busy trying to convince Emma to at least consider a royal wedding in Storybrooke, and David was more than happy to leave that conversation behind.

Henry had been spending more and more time at the shop lately, and David supposed that was only natural. Before Neverland, the boy had rarely seen his father and other grandparents, and they were, after all family. That wasn’t as hard to swallow for David as it was for Snow, but it was still strange to think of the Dark One as a part of his family. Henry was always reminding them about the Golds, pointing out when they’d been left off guest lists (or inviting them himself if time was running short), and they all felt a little guilty about it, but Belle and Rumplestiltskin were...odd, to say the least, and David would be lying if he said he wasn’t occasionally concerned about what the old warlock could be teaching him - magic, dealmaking, duplicity, and any number of questionable skills. No one could deny that Rumplestiltskin was one of the cleverest people in town, but...

When no one responded to the sound of the bell, David walked slowly around the shop and marveled at how neat and organized everything seemed. Before, there’d been no rhyme or reason that he could see, but since Belle’s arrival (and especially since Henry and Neal had begun working in the shop) it seemed Rumplestiltskin was being forced into a semblance of order. For years the Dark One had answered to no man or woman, but his tiny librarian wife and his son and grandson held him in thrall as if they had magic never before seen.

Where was everyone, anyway? Rumplestiltskin wasn’t usually this lax about customers in his shop. A low sound caught his ear and he walked closer to the doorway of the back room, frowning when he realized that he could hear voices. If they were here, why weren’t they coming out to the front?

He peeked around the edge of the curtain and his eyes widened. Henry was seated on the bench of a spinning wheel, his expression fierce with concentration as he slowly fed wool into the orifice. Rumplestiltskin stood just behind him, and as David watched, he put one hand on Henry’s shoulder and pressed down lightly.

“Relax your shoulders, m’boy,” he said quietly. “You’ll be in an awful lot of pain if you stay so tense.”

Henry took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his shoulders slumping ever so slightly as he followed his grandfather's advice. A moment later, he swore under his breath when a large lump appeared in the yarn on the bobbin. “This is impossible,” he grumbled.

“You were doing well until you lost focus,” Rumplestiltskin said. “Everyone has a difficult time at first.”

“Did you?”

“Of course. This time, relax your right hand a bit and allow the wool to come out smoothly.”

Henry was silent for a little while, concentrating on the slide of wool and the whir of the wheel. Rumplestiltskin appeared to watch the wheel as well, his dark eyes serious and sad. “Can Dad spin?” Henry asked suddenly.

“Ah...no. Your father never learned.”

“Oh.”

Silence reigned in the back room once more, and David considering announcing his presence, but then Henry spoke up again. “Dad said you used to make his clothes.”

“Aye.”

“Could you make me something? Or maybe something for the new baby?”

David glanced up and saw that Rumplestiltskin was wrestling with some very strong emotions. “I - well, I do have something, but...”

“Wait, you made me something? Really?” Henry dropped the carding and jumped to his feet. “Can I see?”

Rumplestiltskin looked as if he didn’t quite know what to do. When Henry raised his eyebrows and asked again, the sorcerer shook his head and approached a trunk near the back of the shop. He pulled something out and approached his grandson, his face wary and uncertain. “You’re a bit old for such things, I’m afraid,” he said, holding out a small bundle of shimmering fabric.

Henry took it and shook it out, and David swallowed against a sudden lump in his throat. It was a blanket, white as snow and shining with golden threads, Henry’s name embroidered in black on one corner.

“ Wow ,” Henry said. “Is that - did you spin the gold?”

“I did.”

“This is amazing.” Henry folded the blanket. “Thanks, Grandpa.”

Rumplestiltskin’s mouth quirked up at the corners. “You’re welcome.”

David stepped back from the curtain, aware that his hands were shaking slightly and his eyes were a little damp. As quietly as he could he strode back across the store and stood by the door; he took a deep breath, swiped at his eyes with one hand, and then opened the door and closed it forcefully. “Gold?” he called. “You here?”

Rumplestiltskin walked out from the back room and raised his eyebrows. “Shepherd,” he said dryly. “Here to rescue the young prince from the lair of the beast?”

David fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Just checking in. It’s almost dinner time and we haven’t seen Henry all day.”

“Ah, yes. I’m afraid the time did rather slip away from us.”

Henry appeared, the blanket tucked under one arm, and grinned at him. “Hi, Grandpa. Wait ‘til you see what Grandpa Gold’s been teaching me!”

“You’ll have to show me later,” David said. “We need to get moving or your grandmother’s going to send out a search party.”

“Okay.” Henry turned to Rumplestiltskin. “Thanks again, Gramps.”

Rumplestiltskin nodded, and Henry darted around David and out the door. David turned to follow him, but his conscience pricked at him and he turned back to the sorcerer, who was still watching him with slightly wary eyes. “You, uh...do you and Belle have plans this evening?”

Rumplestiltskin raised his eyebrows.

“Well, it’s just...we haven’t had you guys over for a...a, uh, family dinner yet, and…”

The Dark One’s eyebrows were now approaching his hairline.

"I mean...if you would like to come over for dinner, that would be…we’d love to have you.”

Rumplestiltskin smirked. “Does her Majesty know you’ve extended this invitation?”

“No,” David admitted.

“Ah. Then I most certainly decline”

“Some other time?” David could feel his face reddening under Rumplestiltskin’s unfathomable stare.

“Perhaps.”

David could feel the tips of his ears burning as he ducked out the door, but he knew he’d done the right thing. He only had to glance at the blanket under Henry’s arm, the golden threads glinting in the sunlight, to remember that.

[smartgirlsaremean]

Stiltskin Family Bonding - Chapter 10

Fandom: OUAT

Pairing: Swanfire

Rating: N/R

Summary: The Stiltskin boys bond in a variety of ways. Sometimes it goes well, other times...not so much.

AO3

Chapter 10: Dreamcatcher

Euphoriapotion on AO3 prompted: THIS CHAPTER IS SO MUCH FUN I CAN'T ALSO I NEED THIS FIC ABOUT NEAL PROPOSING TO EMMA

A/N: Okay, so this one is not actually about the Stiltksin boys bonding, but it WAS prompted and...I couldn’t resist.

Emma let out a long breath as she approached the yellow bug, rolling her head around on her shoulders. There hadn’t been any major catastrophes in Storybrooke in over a year, but the post of sheriff was still a demanding one. Petty crimes were still occasionally a problem, but mostly she had to hand out parking tickets and settle disagreements and disputes and...well, maybe she was imagining it, but Hook seemed to get himself brought in for drunk and disorderly a lot.

Well, David could take care of that little problem. He was on night shifts this week and Emma was looking forward to going home, putting her feet up, and wondering what the hell she’d gotten herself into with another baby on the way.

Not that she wasn’t happy about it. She was. Henry was absolutely over the moon, thrilled at the prospect of a little brother or sister. Neal - well, she was pretty sure Neal was happy. He said he was happy, anyway, and she knew he wasn’t lying. But it was all so soon. They’d only officially been together a few months, and - well, they’d been careful, but apparently not careful enough.

That was all her fault. She just hadn’t been able to face the prospect of collecting a prescription for birth control from Sneezy the Dwarf. Some things were too weird, even for the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming.

She slid into the driver’s seat and sighed again, letting her head fall back and her eyes slip closed for just a moment. She could do this. Of course, she had absolutely no idea how to be a mom. Henry didn’t count, really; he’d waltzed into her life practically grown and since then she’d just more or less been along for the ride. This kid was going to be hers from the very beginning and she and Neal were going to be completely responsible for it.

That was pretty terrifying.

Emma shook her head and opened her eyes and leaned forward to start the engine. She would be fine. She had her parents, and Neal and Regina, and...Rumplestiltskin, of all people. (Emma was pretty sure that if he weren’t so deeply invested in maintaining his mysterious, dangerous Dark One image, he would have jumped for joy when that stupid gold thread wound its way across Henry’s tapestry.)

Something flashed in the corner of her eye, and she turned to look at the dreamcatcher hanging from her rearview mirror. The sun had caught on something hanging from the center of it and she frowned, leaning closer. Her heart stopped in her chest when she realized what it was.

It was a ring.

And not just any ring.

Her mother’s silver ring glinted at her from the center of the dreamcatcher, the clear green stone sparkling in the sunlight.

“Hey.”

Emma gasped and nearly jumped out of her skin, then whipped around to glare at Neal, who was smiling nervously at her from the back seat. Her eyes narrowed as she took in his appearance.

“Really? Your old gray hoodie? That’s what you’re going with?”

He shrugged. “Blast from the past, right?”

“Neal…”

He climbed over the seats and settled next to her, still wearing that irritatingly attractive grin of his, and Emma knew she was done for. She’d known they’d make it official eventually, but for some reason she didn’t think he’d be so...romantic about it.

“I’m glad you kept the dreamcatcher,” he said suddenly, his eyes fixed on the the object in question. “I always wondered if you did. I hoped you had it with you, that it helped you keep some of the bad dreams away.” He glanced at her, his face serious. “I’m sorry, Em.”

“Don’t,” Emma said. “I know why you did it.” This was not how she’d expected this conversation to go, and now she was a little worried. What if the ring was not what she thought?

“Never again, okay?” he said. “From now on, whatever’s in front of us, whatever destiny has in store, we’ll face it together.” He reached out and plucked the ring from the center of the dreamcatcher and held it out to her. “Whaddaya say?”

Emma shook her head, her eyes swimming, and leaned forward, pressing a firm kiss to his lips. When she drew back, his eyes were glistening too and she snorted, taking the ring from his hand and slipping it onto her finger.

“Not bad, Cassidy,” she said, admiring the way the ring reflected the sunlight.

“Yeah, I practiced a little,” he said. He leaned back in the seat and grinned at her. “Your mom couldn’t get that ring off her finger fast enough when I told her what I was planning.”

Emma laughed. “I’ll bet. What about Dad?”

“He hugged me and told me he couldn’t wait to teach me how to sword-fight properly. I’m still working out whether or not that was a threat.”

“Henry’ll lose his mind.”

“Yeah. He’s been dropping really broad hints for a couple of months.”

“What’s your dad going to think?”

Neal snorted. “Are you kidding? He’s been just as bad as Henry, only less subtle.”

“Oh, no.”

“The shop’s been pretty unbearable the last couple of weeks.”

“Well, now they can get off your back,” Emma said, starting up the car. “Let’s go home and tell them, get it out of the way.”

Neal smiled. “Home. I like that. We made it, baby.”

Emma returned his grin. “Yeah. We did.”

[smartgirlsaremean]

Stiltskin Family Bonding - Chapter 9 - This is Halloween

Fandom: OUAT

Relationships: God, so many. Papafire, Henry&Neal, Rumple&Henry, Rumbelle, Swanfire, Swan Believer, just...the entire Stiltskin/Charming/Mills clan shows up at some point or other

Rating: N/A

Summary: The Stiltskin boys bond in a variety of ways. Sometimes it goes well, other times...not so much.

AO3

Chapter 9: This is Halloween

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, @zapiarty​ mentioned Halloween as a possible prompt. Here it is!

“There’s something really weird about Halloween here,” Emma said as she watched Henry put the final touches on his Incredible Hulk costume.

“That’s kind of the point of Halloween, isn’t it?” he asked.

“Well, yeah, but...out there,” Emma waved a hand, “little girls are putting on their Cinderella dresses and their Belle ballgowns and...those people are here. I picked my baby brother - Snow White’s son - up from Cinderella’s daycare today, where he was hanging out with her kid and Sleeping Beauty’s baby. I just...our lives are really weird, that’s all I’m saying.”

“Aren’t you ready yet?” Neal appeared in the doorway, excitement coming off of him in waves. “We gotta go, we’re gonna be late!”

Emma turned and raised an eyebrow, her eyes flicking over him once. “Tony Stark. Nice.”

“Yeah, well, if you’d just borrowed one of Regina’s suits you could have been my Pepper Potts, but way to ruin the theme.”

“Right, because I am totally Pepper Potts material.”

Neal huffed. “Since you’re not dressing up there’s nothing left to wait for, right? We can go now?”

“What is your deal?”

“Belle promised me Papa would be at the party with her and Gideon and she gave me a little sneak peek of what Pops is wearing and I have to document this for myself.”

“Grandpa Gold dressed up for Halloween?” Henry said incredulously. “As what?”

“I can’t tell you that, it’ll spoil the surprise, but we have to hurry because who knows how long he’ll stay and I need to see this you guys, come on!”

Emma and Henry rolled their eyes as Neal herded them to the car.

Granny’s was packed. Henry had declared himself too old for trick-or-treating, and as there were several teenagers in town who felt the same way, Granny had offered the diner as a gathering place. Henry, Grace, Ava, and Nicholas had spent the whole morning helping her decorate and set up refreshments, and now it seemed every person in Storybrooke over age twelve had shown up to celebrate.

At first Neal couldn’t find his father anywhere, but then he heard Belle’s voice coming from the hallway leading to the bathrooms. He stopped for a moment to listen when he heard his name.

“Rumple, we can’t go yet, we haven’t even seen Neal.”

“I can live with that disappointment,” his father replied. “I know you sent him a picture, so this outing was completely unnecessary.”

“Do you remember telling me you had a complicated relationship with Granny? And most people in the town?”

His father was silent.

“And I said they just needed to get to know you as I did? This is part of that.”

“No one is going to start liking me simply because I made a fool of myself at a Halloween party.”

Neal turned the corner then. “Hey, Pops! Happy Halloween.”

“Neal.” Rumplestiltskin sighed. “Well, go on. Have your laugh.”

The sorcerer was dressed in a long tunic and breeches under a billowing brown robe, and on his back in a baby sling was Gideon, dressed in similar clothes but with a green woolen hat on his head. Two long ears stuck out on either side of the hat.

Smothering a laugh, Neal tried to speak normally. “You look great. How many times has Belle watched those movies, now? A hundred?”

“I love Star Wars,” Belle defended herself.

“You love Han Solo,” Rumplestiltskin grumbled.

“What can I say? Apparently I'm drawn to cranky, self-proclaimed swindlers who try to be selfish but make the right choices in the end," Belle said.

The lines around Rumplestiltskin’s mouth softened and his cheeks reddened slightly.

“How’s it goin’, Yoda?” Neal asked Gideon. The baby smiled widely and waved his arms. “Come see your nephew.” With a relieved glance, Rumplestiltskin began to remove the sling, but Neal stopped him. “Oh, no you don’t. Henry’ll never forgive me if he doesn’t get to see you in costume. Come on.”

“Where - where is Henry?”

“Out there somewhere.” Neal gestured at the dining room and Rumplestiltskin blanched.

“I can’t…”

“Sure you can. Walk out there, head held high, find your grandson, say hello. Talk to David and Archie, avoid Jones, don’t get in an argument with Granny.”

Rumplestiltskin sighed. “I’ll try.”

“No,” Neal said. “Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

Belle giggled and Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes before following his son out into the diner. The sudden hush and shocked stares Rumplestiltskin had anticipated never quite happened - he supposed he looked so different in costume that most people did not at first realize who he was - but there were certainly a few uneasy glances and murmurs. Henry’s wide grin when he saw them made things a little better; he didn’t think he’d ever seen his grandson look so happy to see him.

“Whoa! That’s cool!” he said, flicking one of Gideon’s knitted ears. “Did Belle make that?”

“Belle can’t knit a thing to save her life,” Belle said, smiling. “That hat is your grandpa’s handiwork.”

“You knit?” Henry said incredulously.

“Of course he knits,” Neal replied. “He spins and weaves and knits and sews. Where do you think that old shawl of mine came from? Or any of my clothes when I was a kid?”

Henry was staring at him with wide eyes, and Rumplestiltskin felt his face reddening.

“I didn’t know that,” the boy said at last. “I mean, I knew about the spinning but I guess I didn’t realize...that’s pretty awesome.”

Neal nudged his father. “Maybe you could show him sometime. You still have that wheel in the shop, right?”

“Ah...yes…”

“Really? That could be cool.” Henry looked past his grandfather’s shoulder and grinned. “Hey, there’s Grace. I’ll be right back.”

“We won’t see him again for the rest of the night,” Neal said, watching as his son made a beeline for his friends. “You guys gonna head out?”

“Ah…” Rumplestiltskin glanced around and caught sight of his wife talking to Ruby, her eyes shining and her smile wide. “No. Belle doesn’t get much time to see her friends...at least not since Gideon was born. We can...we can stay a little longer.”

“And you’re not having as terrible a time as you thought you would,” Neal smiled. “Just admit it, Papa. You don’t hate this. Maybe one day you’ll even like being part of a community.”

Rumplestiltskin grimaced, but did not snarl or snap when David appeared and struck up a conversation. Neal moved to one side, took out his phone, and snapped a few pictures, then went to find his fiancee. Since Henry was apparently going to be busy for the rest of the night, maybe they could duck out early. For an hour or two, at least.

[smartgirlsaremean]

Stiltskin Family Bonding - Chapter 8

Fandom: OUAT

Relationships: Papafire, Henry & Baelfire/Neal Cassidy, Henry & Rumplestiltskin

Rating: N/R

Summary: The Stiltskin boys bond in a variety of ways. Sometimes it goes well, other times...not so much.

AO3

Chapter 8 - Lesson

Anonymous said: Stiltskin Family Bonding prompt: How do Neal and Henry react when they find that Rumplestiltskin **still** watches their practice of sword fighting after their camping trip?

“Nice!” Neal cheered as Henry pretended to pull his sword from Neal’s prone body. “You’re coming along.”

“Really? You’re not just letting me win?” Henry smiled and stood back so that Neal could stand.

“Of course he’s not.” Father and son whirled to see Rumplestiltskin standing a few yards away, a small smile on his face. “He’s simply that bad at swordplay.”

“I’ll have you know I held my own against pirates and Lost Boys for a long time,” Neal said indignantly.

“Impressive.”

“So what, I guess you’re a master swordsman,” grumbled Neal.

“Well, I did best both Jones and Prince Charming,” the sorcerer said humbly.

“You had magic on your side.”

Rumplestiltskin shrugged. “Magic or not, your footwork is sloppy and your form needs work.”

“Y’know what? Fine.” Neal tossed his father the wooden sword and took Henry’s from him. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

With a smirk Rumplestiltskin swept him a bow and settled into what Neal was forced to admit was a pretty intimidating en garde stance. Shaking his head, Neal mirrored his father’s actions and waited. Silent seconds stretched between them, and Neal began to get antsy as his father’s smile widened into an almost taunting grin. Finally Neal lunged, and then stumbled as his father’s parry knocked him off balance.

“Your stance is too narrow,” Rumplestiltskin said, settling back into en garde. “Set your feet a little wider to give you better stability.”

Grumbling, Neal lunged again and, while he didn’t stumble this time, he wasn’t able to defend himself against the sorcerer’s riposte and he felt the wooden sword tap his side.

“Withdraw sooner so you can defend yourself,” Rumplestiltskin said. “Speed and accuracy are the key.”

“Stop teaching and start fighting,” Neal growled.

Shrugging, Rumplestiltskin attacked, and though Neal did his level best, he was soon on his back on the ground, the point of his father’s sword held at his throat. “That wasn’t half bad,” Rumplestiltskin said reassuringly.

“Oh shut up.” Neal knocked the point of the sword away and stood, brushing grass off his shirt.

“That was awesome,” Henry breathed. He was staring at his grandfather with huge, shining eyes, and Neal tried not to smile at the way Rumplestiltskin stood up a little straighter in the face of his grandson’s admiration.

“Care to go again?” Rumplestiltskin asked, and Neal almost refused, but then he recognized the timid, hopeful light buried deep in his father’s eyes.

“Yeah, why not?” he said instead, and watched as a genuine smile bloomed on Rumplestiltskin’s face. “And, uh...maybe talk me through some of that footwork you mentioned.”

When they finally parted ways, all three were tired and sore and dirty, but Neal figured it was worth it to see his father smile like that again.

[smartgirlsaremean]

Stiltskin Family Bonding: Chapter 6 - Family Business

Fandom: OUAT

Relationships: Papafire, Neal & Henry, Rumplestiltskin & Henry, Rumbelle, Swanfire

Rating: N/R

Summary: The Stiltskin boys bond in a variety of ways. Sometimes it goes well, other times...not so much.

AO3

Chapter 6 - Family Bonding

A Tumblr anon prompted: Stiltskin Family Bonding: Does Neal have a job now?

“I hate this,” Neal grumbled, wrestling with his tie.

Emma leaned against the bathroom door and smirked at him around her toothbrush. “I think you look hot. In a stuffy businessman kind of way.”

“He never cared about this stuff before.”

“Really. Rumplestiltskin. The man of leather and dragonhide and bright silk shirts.” Neal quirked an eyebrow at her and she shrugged. “Henry’s book is illustrated, and Mom and Regina like to tell stories.”

“Well, there wasn’t a whole lot of leather and silk when I was growing up.”

“Oh. Yeah.”

Neal tugged on the bottom of the jacket and sighed. “I mean, I guess I get it. He wants to project a certain image. I just don’t know why I have to.”

“You want to sell priceless antiques in a hoodie and torn jeans?”

“You solve crime in skinny jeans and a red leather jacket,” Neal retorted. “I mean, not that I’m complaining.”

Emma rolled her eyes and went back into the bathroom to finish brushing her teeth. Glaring at his reflection one last time, Neal picked up the jacket lying at the end of the bed. “I have to go or I’m gonna be late. See ya for lunch?”

“Granny’s?”

“No, the other diner in town.”

“Funny.”

Neal shrugged the jacket on and left, wondering when exactly he’d become so domesticated.

“Don’t tell me I’m gonna have to sweep.”

Rumplestiltskin raised his eyebrows at his oldest son, who was eyeing the broom with intense loathing. “Well, someone has to, and unfortunately my former maid now runs a rather successful daycare and has no interest in working for me again.”

Grumbling, Neal snatched up the broom.

“That was a quip, Bae,” Rumplestiltskin said, reaching out to take the broom from his hands. “Henry comes in and sweeps up about twice a week.”

“Oh.”

His father gave him a bemused smile. “Are you that desperate for a job that you’d sweep my shop?”

“I’ve got a kid on the way, Papa. I have to be...stable and stuff. I’ve never been a dad before, not like this - I mean, I love Henry, but I wasn’t around for the hard stuff, y’know? Diapers and midnight feedings and teething. How did you -” He broke off abruptly and ran a hand through his hair.

Rumplestiltskin raised his eyebrows.

“Did you freak out? When you realized you had a little human to take care of?”

Sighing, Rumplestiltskin looked down at a watch on his counter and traced a finger down the length of the chain. “The circumstances aren’t the same, Bae. In my case - your mother and I had hoped for a family - before I went away to war, at least. You were wished for...prayed for...all I ever wanted out of life. I...freaked out, as you say...when I thought I was doomed to leave you fatherless, but from the moment Milah placed you in my arms you were the center of my world.”

“You were like that with Gideon, too,” Neal smiled. His father had been captivated by his younger brother, to the point that Belle had had to draw up a schedule for holding and rocking the baby, or Rumplestiltskin might never have put the boy down.

“It doesn’t go away, that feeling,” Rumplestiltskin said, his eyes still fixed on the watch. “Your children will always be the center of your world. Even when you can no longer pick them up and soothe away every worry and care, you still wish you could.”

“Well...giving them a job and not making them scrub floors is a good substitute,” Neal muttered, poking a finger at the mobile hanging from the ceiling. He couldn’t see his father’s face very well, but he thought he saw a twitch around his mouth that might have been a smile.

“Start in the back,” Rumplestiltskin said at last. “Check my inventory list against what’s actually there. When you’ve finished that, we’ll inventory the front.”

“Got it. Thanks, Pops.”

Neal strode into the backroom, glanced around the room at the mountains of junk piled nearly to the ceiling, and sighed. He was going to be here awhile. But with his father just outside and his son coming in after school every few days, he didn’t think he’d mind.

[smartgirlsaremean]

Stiltskin Family Bonding: Hot Chocolate

Fandom: OUAT

Relationships: Papafire, Henry & Rumplestiltskin, Neal & Henry

Rating: N/R

Summary: Henry takes his dad and grandfather out for hot chocolate.

AO3

A/N: So this is going to be a little series of drabbles that take place in the same completely non-canon universe as The Camping Trip. Basically the Stiltskin boys will hang out and bond and screw things up and occasionally actually talk to each other. I could be persuaded to add Gideon into the mix at some point too. Any ideas for bonding moments are quite welcome!

This first chapter is for Zappy, who left lovely comments on AO3 and gave me this idea!

Zappy: "...Tbh you could write these three having cocoa together at Grannies and I'd eat it up."

Chapter 1: Hot Chocolate

Rumplestiltskin eyed the mug in front of him dubiously. Across from him, Neal took an enthusiastic sip. Henry watched him, smiling widely, and Rumplestiltskin saw Neal hide a grimace behind the mug.

“Good, huh?” Henry said eagerly.

“Yeah, it’s...it’s great.”

“Come on, try it, Grandpa!” Henry turned shining eyes on his grandfather.

Oh, that look was truly unfair. He didn’t stand a chance and never would. Rumplestiltskin had always been fond of Henry, but since the revelation that the boy was his kin, the only offspring of his beloved Baelfire, the sorcerer would gladly walk through fire for him, and everyone knew it.

Rumplestiltskin lifted the mug to his lips and sipped, trying, like Neal, to hide his grimace. He enjoyed sweets in general, but the combination of chocolate, whipped cream, and cinnamon was cloying.

“So?” Henry prodded.

Nodding his head, his grandfather adopted what he hoped was a pleased expression.

Henry’s face fell. “You don’t like it?”

“No, no, I like it,” Rumplestiltskin said hastily. To prove it, he drank more deeply, fighting the urge to gag with every gulp. Neal watched, horrified amazement in every feature. “It’s, uh...very...very good,” the sorcerer said at last, showing Henry the empty mug.

Grinning triumphantly, Henry turned to his father. “Told you.”

“I can not believe you just did that,” Neal said, gaping at his father. “You hate hot chocolate.”

“What? No, I don’t!”

“You’re a tea drinker, always have been!” His eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Did you turn it into tea when I wasn’t looking?”

“Of course not!”

“He drank the hot chocolate, Dad. Now pay up.” Henry held out his hand.

Grumbling, Neal fished out a twenty and slapped it into his son’s hand.

“Wait...you…” Rumplestiltskin looked from his son to his grandson in bewilderment. “You…”

“You can get your tea and latte now. Thanks, Grandpa!” Henry waved the bill in the air and rushed from the diner towards the bookshop.

“Did we just get conned by an eleven-year-old?” Neal asked.

“We did indeed.”

Rumplestiltskin couldn’t quite help a proud smile. When he glanced across the booth, he saw that Neal was smiling too.

[smartgirlsaremean]

Anon, I got your prompt for Stiltskin Family Bonding and I love it and it is like half-written in my head already! I have one more prompt to fill before yours, and then I am all over it. I just don’t want you to think I didn’t get it/don’t care. It’ll happen, I swear!

[teaespensonawards]

Nominations - 1.20.19 - part 2

The last of our official nominations!

CONGRATULATIONS, ALL NOMINEES! 

So many last minute nominations. So. Many. I did this round of them for hooours in the wee hours of the morning, so if there are any mistakes or problems, please let me know, and I’ll fix it. Also, if there is a work that you don’t want on the list, or a change that needs to be made to title formatting (capitalization up or down, for instance), now is the time to let me know.

The list is... long. It’ll be behind a Read More this time because, yeah, so many. 

The full list of all nominees together will be posted within the next couple of days, so keep an eye out for that to give you an idea of what you might want to vote for!

Speaking of which - voting will begin on January 25th.

Homecoming, by @emospritelet (BEST ANYELLE FIC)

Cell Block Tango, by @smartgirlsaremean (BEST ANYELLE FIC)

The Darkness Within, by @worryinglyinnocent (BEST RUMBELLE POLY SHIP)

Bae, Emma, and Henry live in the car outside Belle's library, by @lotus0kid (BEST BACKGROUND SWANFIRE)

Outside In, by @lotus0kid (BEST DRAMA)

A Real Hero, by @lotus0kid (BEST UNEXPECTED TWIST)

Espresso Shots, by @thestraggletag (FLUFF - FAMILY)

Fractured Blue, by @maplesyrupao3 (BEST WOOBIE!RUMPLE)

The Spinner in Chains, by @mrs-stiltskin (BEST DARK ONE!BELLE)

The Sounding Sea, by @mareyshelley (BEST AU BELLE)

Through the Veil, by @theoneandonlylittlebird (BEST DARK ONE!BELLE)

The Sorcerer's Apprentice, by @standbyyourmantis (BEST DARK ONE)

Best Beloveds, by @woodelf68 (BEST GIDEON)

Lion!Gideon, Zootopia AU, by @thestraggletag (BEST GIDEON)

A Life Unexpected, by @celticheartedfangirl (ROMANCE - BEST FIRST MEETING)

Receipt in the Bag?, by @ifishouldvanish (BEST COMEDY FIC)

I Must Be Warmer Now, by @ifishouldvanish (BEST AU INSPIRED BY OTHER MEDIA)

The Ornament, by @timelordthirteen (BEST DRABBLE)

I Won't Be Home for Christmas, by @thatravenclawbitch (BEST DRABBLE)

An Unknown Road, by @lotus0kid (BEST UNEXPECTED TWIST)

The Life You Save May Be Your Own, by @thatravenclawbitch (BEST POST-EP FIC)

Our Better Decisions, by @theoneandonlylittlebird (BEST POST-EP FIC)

Rival strip club owners, by @lotus0kid (BEST ANYELLE)

If Only for a Moment, by @ifishouldvanish (BEST ANYELLE)

Lacey has concerns about Danny's suits, by @lotus0kid (BEST ANYEM)

Ask Me No Questions, I'll Tell You No Lies, by @standbyyourmantis (EVENTS - RSS)

Wishful Thinking, by @rufeepeach (EVENTS - RSS)

California Soulmates, by @elanorjane (EVENTS - RCIJ)

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, by @worryinglyinnocent (EVENTS - FLUFFAPALOOZA)

Merfolk Rumbelle AU, by @nropay (EVENTS - MAY DAY MENAGERIE)

Brimstone and Mistletoe, by @thatravenclawbitch (BEST WOOBIE!RUMPLE)

Belle's water breaks at a party, by @lotus0kid (FLUFF - FAMILY)

The Bond Between Us, by @sarashouldbestudying (FLUFF - COMFORT)

Ever After, by @boushh2187 (FLUFF - COMFORT)

Reprise, by @little-inkstone (FLUFF - FIX-IT)

The Bookshop Owner, by @imgilmoregirl (FLUFF - REUNION)

Until Last I See You, by @magnoliatattoo (FLUFF - REUNION)

Best Seat in the House, by @timelordthirteen (SMUT - KINK)

A First for Everything, by @magnoliatattoo (SMUT - KINK)

The Heart of a Hero, by @mrs-stiltskin (SMUT - BEST AFTERLIFE SMUT)

Deseo, by @thestraggletag (SMUT - ROMANCE)

SENT, by @poca-staks (SMUT - COMEDY)

Please Don't Leave Quite Yet, by @rumbellegem15 (EVENTS - MONTHLY RUMBELLE (NON-SMUT))

Ghosts in the Snow, by @theoneandonlylittlebird (ANGST - DEATH)

Once Upon a Time in the West, by @joylee56 (BEST HISTORICAL AU)

Wrong Room, Dr. Rush, by @theoneandonlylittlebird (BEST TROPE)

The Great Storybrooke Christmas Bakeoff, by @spottytonguedog (EVENTS - RSS)

Best Failed Date Ever, by @barpurplewrites (EVENTS - MONTHLY RUMBELLE (NON-SMUT))

True Nature, by @thestraggletag (FLUFF - COMFORT)

The Awakening, by @joylee56 (BEST DETECTIVE WEAVER)

The Mayor's Chair, by @worryinglyinnocent (FLUFF - BEST CHILD FIC)

Closing the Circle, by @emospritelet (SMUT - KINK)

In Heat, by @prissyhalliwell (SMUT - KINK)

Coming Home, by @scribbles-by-kate (SMUT - BEST AFTERLIFE SMUT)

Enchanted Tales with Belle, by @bad-faery (ANGST - HURTS SO GOOD)

Fever, by @celticheartedfangirl (ANGST - HURTS SO GOOD)

The Awakening, by @joylee56 (BEST WOVEN BEAUTY)

Ruby/Ariel, This Secret is Safe, by @thatravenclawbitch (BEST SIDE PAIRING)

Coming Home, by @scribbles-by-kate (BEST AFTERLIFE FIC)

Everyone Needs a Hobby, by @woodelf68 (BEST CRACK!FIC)

Home Again, by @ifishouldvanish (BEST WOOBIE!RUMPLE)

Hear Me Still, by @betweenpaperpages (BEST WOOBIE!RUMPLE)

Olivia Rose Gold, Star-Crossed, by @celticheartedfangirl (BEST OC RUMBELLE CHILD)

The Fire Down Below, by @woodelf68 (SMUT - PWP)

Let It Snow, by @standbyyourmantis (BEST OF MATURE)

A Match Made in Heaven, by @worryinglyinnocent (ROMANCE - BEST COURTSHIP)

Mistaken Identity, by @straggletag (BEST COMEDY FIC)

Command Me to Be Well, by @magnoliatattoo​ (BEST GOLDEN LACE)

Doppelganger, by @celticheartedfangirl​ (BEST WOVEN BEAUTY)

Astrid/Leroy, The Unresolved, by @of-princes-and-savages​ (BEST SIDE PAIRING)

Partners Beyond the Grave, by @wierdogal​ (BEST AFTERLIFE FIC)

Forgotten Lore, by @thestraggletag​ (BEST DARK ONE LORE FIC)

Leaves of Memory, by @0ceanofdarkness​ (FLUFF - REUNION)

Yes, Your Honor, by @celticheartedfangirl​ (SMUT - PWP)

A Dozen Roses, by @ladybookwormwithteeth (SMUT - BDSM)

The Plant Sitter, by @mrs-stiltskin​ (BEST ONE-SHOT)

Where is My Mind? 'verse, by @thatravenclawbitch​ (BEST SERIES)

The Midwinter Lady, by @lotus0kid​ (BEST HOLIDAY FIC)

The Housekeeper, by @b-does-the-write-thing​ (BEST REMIX)

Marbled, by @worryinglyinnocent​ (FLUFF - REUNION)

Why Not?, by @betweenpaperpages​ (BEST ONE-SHOT)

Jenny Gold, Accidental Magic, by @woodelf68​ (BEST OC RUMBELLE CHILD)

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, by @justanoutlaw​ (ANGST - OOPS)

Spoils of War II, by @bad-faery​ (ANGST - OOPS)

First Christmas, by @boushh2187​ (BEST AFTERLIFE FIC)

The Darkness Within, by @worryinglyinnocent​ (BEST DARK ONE LORE FIC)

Tell Me About It, by @lotus0kid​ (SMUT - BDSM)

We'll Have to Muddle Through Somehow, by @thatravenclawbitch​ (ANGST - DEATH)

Things Unknown, by @bellegold​ (ANGST - DEATH)

All I Want for Christmas, by @timelordthirteen​ (ANGST - OOPS)

Kiss, by @nerdrumple​ (BEST DARK ONE)

Belle and Gold meet at grief counseling, by @lotus0kid​ (BEST MR. GOLD)

Counting Stars, by @galactic-pirates (BEST AU!GOLD/RUMPLE)

The Exchange, by @rumbellegem15​ (BEST BAELFIRE/NEAL)

The Ring, by @timelordthirteen​ (SMUT - BDSM)

Tiana/Merlin, Once Upon a Time in the West, by @joylee56​ (BEST SIDE PAIRING)

Dark Halves, by @worryinglyinnocent​ (BEST BOBBY SQUARED)

25 Fucking Stupid Writing Choices OUAT Made, by @celticheartedfangirl​ (BEST META)

@anonymousnerdgirl​ (BEST PROMPTER)

Beauty and the Baker, by @little-inkstone​ (EVENTS - RSS)

Puffin, by @beastlycheese​ (EVENTS - RCIJ)

Gideon chips the teacup, by @we-aim-to-misbehave​ (EVENTS - FLUFFAPALOOZA)

After Party, by @timelordthirteen​ (EVENTS - MONTHLY RUMBELLE (SMUT))

The Domestic Life of the Dark One and His Lady, as observed by Emma Swan, by @worryinglyinnocent​ (EVENTS - RUMBELLE IS HOPE)

Spin Me a Tale, by @ifishouldvanish​ (BEST BELLE)

First, Do No Harm, by @iatethebiscuit (BEST BOBBY SQUARED)

Alone for Christmas, by @winterswanderlust (EVENTS - RSS)

Picture Perfect Bride, by @idesignedthefjords (EVENTS - RSS)

Mission: Storybrooke, by @of-princes-and-savages (EVENTS - RCIJ)

Cruising Altitude, by @applejackcat (EVENTS - RCIJ)

With This Broom, I Thee Wed, by @joylee56 (EVENTS - FLUFFAPALOOZA)

Patience is an Overrated Virtue, by @worryinglyinnocent (EVENTS - MONTHLY RUMBELLE (SMUT))

Rumbelle planting their roses, by @rumbellecomic (EVENTS - RUMBELLE IS HOPE)

Hope for the Hollow, by @itssandgirl (EVENTS - RUMBELLE IS HOPE)

Ties of Blood, by @thestraggletag (BEST BELLE)

So A Lawyer Walks into a Bar, by @ifishouldvanish (BEST LACEY)

The Pages in Between, by @thatravenclawbitch (BEST AU BELLE)

The Fog of Mars, by @barpurplewrites (EVENTS - MONTHLY RUMBELLE (SMUT))

Her Heart, by @lotus0kid (BEST BELLE)

Command Me to Be Well, by @magnoliatattoo (BEST LACEY)

Vodka and Peppermint, by @thatravenclawbitch (BEST LACEY)

Making a Splash, by @ifishouldvanish (SMUT - ROMANCE)

Take Me Lost, Make Me Found, by @thatravenclawbitch (SMUT - PWP)

Belle and Gold meet at grief counseling, by @lotus0kid (ANGST - DEATH)

Vigilante Rose, by @elanorjane (BEST DETECTIVE WEAVER)

Doppelganger, by @celticheartedfangirl (BEST DETECTIVE WEAVER)

Deseo, by @thestraggletag (BEST DARK ONE)

Disrupted, by @theoneandonlylittlebird (BEST MR. GOLD)

Dark Heart, by @emospritelet (BEST MR. GOLD)

Something Old, Something New, by @winterswanderlust (RATING - BEST OF MATURE)

The Image of Her, by @mareyshelley (BEST HISTORICAL AU)

Finding Home, by @thecompletebookworm (BEST SPINNER!RUMPLE)

First, Do No Harm, by @iatethebiscuit (BEST DETECTIVE WEAVER)

Closing the Circle, by @emospritelet (BEST AU!GOLD/RUMPLE)

Where the Sea Takes You, by @thecompletebookworm (BEST ONE-SHOT)

I Must Be Warmer Now, by @ifishouldvanish (BEST GOLDEN LACE)

Terrific, by @lotus0kid (BEST DARK CASTLE)

The Moment of Truth, by @leni-ba (BEST STORYBROOKE)

Vigilante Rose, by @elanorjane (BEST WOVEN BEAUTY)

The Darkness Within, by @worryinglyinnocent (BEST SUPERNATURAL)

Soul Deep, by @barpurplewrites (BEST DARK ONE)

A Visit from St. Nick, by @betweenpaperpages (BEST MR. GOLD)

Tabitha, A Life Worth Living, by @woodelf68 (BEST OC RUMBELLE CHILD)

The Plus One, by @joylee56 (BEST SPINNER!RUMPLE))

The Spinner in Chains, by @mrs-stiltskin (BEST SPINNER!RUMPLE)

@b-does-the-write-thing (BEST AUTHOR)

Detective Weaver, by @ripperblackstaff (ART - BEST USE OF COLOR)

Tale As Old As Time, by @wondertwinc (ART - BEST VIDEO)

Trust, by @virgidearie (ART - BEST SMUTTY ART)

Glitch!Rumple, by @nropay (ART - BEST DARK ONE FORM)

Dark Castle, magic mishap, blankets, by @jenitosam (ART - BEST FLUFF ART)

Mer!Rumple with a Mer!Belle, by @foxmurphy (ART - BEST AU IN ART)

Detective Weaver - then and now, by @virgidearie (ART - GRAPHIC ART - GIFS)

Telephone speech from 2x16, by @agentsphilinda (ART - GRAPHIC ART - GIFS)

Papafire art (i'll find you bae), by @nropay (ART - BEST USE OF COLOR)

Fan Art Travel Book, by @ripperblackstaff (ART - BEST FAN ART)

Shut Up and Dance, by @darkinerry (ART - BEST VIDEO)

Papafire art (i'll find you bae), by @nropay (ART - BEST GRAPHIC ART - STILL IMAGE)

Don't worry pop, i'll take care of mum/we'll meet again, by @nropay (ART - BEST FAN ART)

Color, Brilliance, and Strangeness, by @ifishouldvanish (ART - GRAPHIC ART - GIFS)

Rumplestiltskin's 5 different personas, by @ripperblackstaff (ART - BEST USE OF COLOR)