Price To Pay (Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold x Reader)

Chapter 15

The night passed slowly. A nurse came in and informed you that he'd be awake in a few hours. It was only when she was replacing it that you noticed the bandage on his head. You craned your neck to see how bad the injury was. There was a considerable gash on his head, just above his ear. A queasy feeling rose in your stomach when you realized how close that had been to devastating. The nurse must've seen the horror on your face, because she smiled gently. 

"Don't worry, honey. He's going to be fine." 

"I... I know," you replied, returning to your seat. 

"Is he your... Father? Uncle?" 

Your stomach sunk. "Um, he's a friend." 

She nodded, and you noticed her cheeks flush. She didn't say anything else, just quickly finished replacing his bandage and left the room in a flourish. You kept your eyes trained on the ground as she did so. When she left, you looked back at the peaceful body of Mr. Gold. You stood up and put your hands on the edge of the bed. 

"What am I gonna do?" you said quietly, not so much to him but to yourself. "I came here for a new start and I've already got myself tangled up in something I didn't even ask for." You turned and leaned against the bed, facing the nightstand. "I can't believe I fell for you..." Your fingers touched the note in the pocket of the jacket. "...But I did." 

You took his hand and ran your thumb over the ring that he always wore. You wondered why he wore it. Where had it come from? A family member? Another lover? A question that you'd have to wait to get and answer to. 

You returned to your seat and rested your head on the bed. Before you'd even realized it, you were asleep. Though you didn't know it, Mr. Gold carefully removed his hand from yours and placed it on the top of your head, stroking your hair with what strength he could muster. 

"(Y/N)," he whispered, mostly to himself. "I promise... What we have is worth it." 

"What happened to you, dearie?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean, why is it exactly that I found you half-dead at my doorstep?" 

"Oh." You stopped walking for a moment and looked down at your feet. Your dress still had blood spatters on it, and you wondered if the stains would come off. "Cornelius, he... Tried to have the curse lifted. I knew it wouldn't work - he brought a witch in to do it while I was sleeping." 

Rumplestiltskin had stopped and turned around. Now, he looked down. He almost - almost - looked guilty. When he spoke, he said, "He's rather stupid, isn't he?" 

You laughed and took a step towards him. He turned and continued walking, this time next to you instead of in front of you. "Yeah, he's ridiculous." 

He smiled and said nothing. You passed through a large set of doors and into a big room that was mostly red velvet. The curtains were thick and long, reaching from the top of the room to the bottom. The carpet was heavy and soft. The furniture was dark wood with the same velvety red cushioning and covering. 

"Your castle is beautiful," you commented. 

"Why, thank you," he replied. "But not nearly as beautiful as you are, dearie." 

You smiled and looked down, not knowing what to say. Since when was Rumplestiltskin anything but cold and self-glorifying? 

"Come," he said, offering a hand. "Allow me to show you to your room." 

"My room?" 

"Well, you didn't think I would let you sleep in the dungeon, did you?" 

You took his hand and followed him through the room. He led you down another hall and towards a flight of stairs. You gathered your dress beneath you and began to climb, with him leading you and keeping you steady as you went. At the top, you took a left and headed down a short passage. He said nothing the entire time, and you didn't have any words left. Each hall seemed more grand than the next, and you wondered if he had decorated it on his own. 

He pushed a door open and you stepped in. You almost gasped aloud. Everything was grand, furnished with beautiful furniture in dark wood and accented with your favorite colors and flowers. There was a small sofa, a vanity, a huge bookshelf, and a large canopy bed. Little candles lit the room, and a window had a view overlooking the mountain and the villages below. 

"This is... Breathtaking," you said, stepping into the room. You gazed around in wonder, and you felt that there wasn't enough time in your life to take in all the details. Even the bookshelf was filled with more books than you could read in a lifetime - two lifetimes, even. 

"You... Like it?" 

"I love it!" 

"Then it's yours." He waved his hand, and a vase filled with daisies and wildflowers appeared on a little table next to you. You smiled at him, then fingered the petals. They filled the room with a sweet fragrance. He seemed to be containing a smile as he stepped closer to you, his hands folded in front of him. 

"So. Now that I'm here... What's next?" 

"You start work tomorrow," he informed. "I'll explain everything tomorrow." 

"In the meantime?" 

He smiled. "Would you care to join me for dinner? Say... Half an hour?" 

"I would love to." 

He bowed deeply. "Then I bid you farewell, Miss (Y/N)." 

You curtseyed in return, smiling. "Farewell, Rumplestiltskin. I shall see you once again shortly." 

He took your hand and kissed it gently, then waved his hand. He disappeared in a cloud of smoke, and you found yourself unable to suppress your smile as you stood there in the beautiful room that he had gifted to you. 

lol r u guys seeing the connections yet :))))