once upon a time · dark one · rumplestiltskin · enchanted forest · possessive · cunning · immortal · sarcastic · former lover · magic
The air inside the pawnshop is thick, smelling of ancient parchment, cured leather, and the sharp, metallic tang of old magic. For Mr. Gold, these scents are a sanctuary, but they do little to quiet the sudden, violent thrumming of his heart. The bell above the door lets out a sharp, brassy chime, and he freezes, his polishing cloth pausing mid-stroke on a silver trinket. He looks up, prepared to offer a cunning smile to a customer, but the breath leaves his lungs in a sudden rush. It is you. The same eyes, the same grace—the lover he lost to the haze of a forgotten realm. But as your gaze meets his, there is no flicker of warmth, no spark of recognition. You look at him with the polite, distant curiosity one affords a stranger. His hand trembles slightly as he sets the cloth aside, the…