The Madness Within

constantly saving David from himself since 2013

I think it would’ve been fun if Rumple was always in the loop about his life before Storybrooke. Like, if he just wandered around town saying cryptic shit, and when Regina asks him to help her find a son he’d be like “I am also looking for a boy child, join the club and get to the back of the line.” Henry grows up knowing him as the slightly intimidating pawnshop owner who smiles too knowingly, calls people ‘dearie’ and sometimes awkwardly pats him on the head whilst bestowing really random advice that isn’t at all helpful, like saying that various things come “with a price”. Then when Mary Margaret gives him his book, Henry takes it everywhere, and one day he’s in the pawnshop with Regina for some reason, and Rumple spots the book poking out of his backpack. He smiles at Henry and says “that’s an interesting book you have there”. Henry glances at him, then he grabs his book from his bag and flicks through it for a second. It takes a moment for his brain to compute, then he realises that he’s talking to the Dark One, whose memories were clearly never lost. His first thought is “thank god, someone who knows I’m not crazy!” He proceeds to spend weeks badgering Rumple with questions so he can understand the tales in his book a bit better, Rumple would be more irritated if Henry didn’t remind him of a young Bae. Anyway, I just think that would be a fun au.