Fic: Being Human (Once Upon a Time, Being Human series #4)

Last in my series of fic (except for one small one-shot coming at the end of the month), trying to make Belle and Rumpelstiltskin's relationship a little less full of horrifying fail in regards to power disparity, the fact that in canon they never communicate, the hundreds-of-years age difference (at least Rumpel is not stalking her at high school), etc. I CANNOT HELP MYSELF. CLEARLY. And I've probably introduced just as many issues of my own, but oh well. (And now completely jossed, with "The Return" and its revelation that it's supposed to be full of horrifying fail, but whatever.)

I PROMISE, on or near April 30/May 1, three fics that aren't OUAT (and one that is, fine).

Title:Being Human
Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Rating: PG
Warnings: Mentions of character death in Ch 3, nothing explicit
Pairing: Belle/Rumpelstiltskin; Belle/Other, Ruby/August, Emma/Regina
Comments: Third in the series beginning with "Human Again" and continued in "Becoming Human." AU for all events in "Skin Deep" and forward in the Enchanted Forest/Earth chronology. Spoilers up to, let's say, 1x18, "Stable Boy"; major spoilers for "Red-Handed." Non-compliant with "The Return," because I wrote the outline before that aired.
Summary: The curse is broken. Belle tries to figure out her life, as do the rest of the Storybrooke inhabitants.

Inspired by a review I once read of Disney's Beauty and the Beast that went something like, "If Belle were really a strong heroine, she would have patted the Beast on the head and told him to look her up once she got done with university." (Alas, I am unable to find the citation.)

AO3 link here.

( Chapter 1: Aftermaths )

( Chapter 2: Finding )

( Chapter 3: Seeking )

( Chapter 4: Beginnings )