Once Upon a Time I Was Falling In Love

Thank you!

Yeah it's nice! I only do selective roleplaying on a couple of blogs, but it's still a nice distraction and I think I'd miss it too much to stop completely!

Hey there!

Apologies for the late reply, I haven't been online a lot because of a death in the family, but other than that I'm doing well! Glad to hear from you! How are you doing?

“I don’t doubt it,” he grinned, gesturing for her to continue walking with him. They would soon be at his cabin so he could put his things away. He wanted to be able to just give Belle his full attention, to make sure she got the adventure that she deserved whilst they were doing this. 

He was pleased she felt she could share about her Mother and, as she commented about missing her, he reached out to gently touch her shoulder, smiling softly as he did so. “I can imagine you do, you sound to have had a lovely relationship with her.”

Realising that he probably shouldn’t touch her - he knew etiquette didn’t really call for it - he carefully drew his hand back, gesturing with it a moment. “This ah, this is me. Sorry if i’s a bit of a mess,” he spoke, though it wasn’t bad. He was sharing the room with three other people and luckily they were all quite tidy. It was only polite, and not as if any of them had much luggage they had been able to afford to bring along.

“We did,” She offered a smile in return, the thought of her mother no longer reducing her to tears. She was still grieving, of course, but Belle had learned to appreciate the fond memories that they had shared, and on most days they overtook the sad ones of her passing.

Glancing down at where his hand was resting on her shoulder, Belle felt a warmth spreading from the same spot all the way through her chest, and if it hadn’t been too much she would have asked him to linger a little longer.

“Oh please. Don’t worry about that,” She then replied with a smile. “I really don’t mind.” In fact she had to admit that it was nice to see something that wasn’t perfectly tidy. It showed that someone was actually living here, and that it didn’t just exist for show.

“Now, are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

He smiled back at her, the way she looked at him making his stomach do flips. She was such a beautiful woman, it was impossible for him to be anything but smitten, wasn’t it? He couldn’t help it. A harmless little crush. Well, harmless for her. For him? A bit of a broken heart at the end of the voyage, but that wasn’t something that he could help. 

Nodding as he waited for her to fall in to step with him, Robert hummed as he pictured it all. It sounded beautiful, as did the thought of Belle making him an apple pie. Not realistic, he was sure, but he could dream. “I’d really like that, Belle. Not often I get to have an apple pie.” Especially not made by a woman as fabulous as her.

“Do you mind talking about her?” he asked, not wanting to upset her by getting her to do so if she found it difficult. He was curious though, and would like to hear about her Mother even more, if she wanted to share.

“Well, I promise you it will be the best apple pie you’ve ever had.” Belle replied with a smile. It might not have been something that would actually happen, but till, they could both dream, right? She had often fled herself into the safety of her books, and really, this was much the same. As long as they were on this ship together, she didn’t have to think about what was ahead.

“She was wonderful.” Belle then continued. “Smart, and kind...and fierce. She was the best mother I could have asked for, and I miss her terribly.” Her father had never been the same after everything that had happened, he had struggled every day, and Belle had done her best to keep it together. Still, she had often cried herself to sleep at night, and that ache, though it had lessened over the years, was still there. 

Shaking his head at her, Robert grinned. “You fit in by not fitting in. I know that sounds like it’s contradicting itself but it’s true. All of us down here, we’re the ones that don’t fit up there. If you’re here with us, even just for a visit, you fit with us because you’re willing to come spend time where we do.” To him that was more than enough. That told him that she had a good heart, that she wasn’t looking down on him or the others on the ship.

“Really?” he asked, smiling wide. “What kind of pies did she make?” he was curious to learn more about her, about her Mother and the kind of person and influence she had been on Belle. Seeing how she smiled when she spoke of her told him that she and Belle had had quite the relationship.

Belle had never complained about having money, it was enough to keep her comfortable and to buy her all the books she wanted, but it had never been essential to her happiness. When her father had gotten in trouble with his business, she had been worried about him, not about losing the comfortable lifestyle. And she was marrying Gaston because it would save her father’s business, not because she wanted to be someone’s little housewife. “Thank you,” She then found herself smiling as she followed him, the thought of her mother a mix of sadness and warmth and comfort.

“Oh, all sorts.” Belle then chuckled, “We had apple trees in the garden though, so she used those most frequently. I should make one for you sometime,” of course she was aware, as much as him, that they probably wouldn’t be seeing each other again once this ship docked, but it was a nice thought, anyway.

Her excitement was contagious, leaving him grinning widely at her. This was exactly what she deserved. A life that was exciting, that was giving her the kind of joy that he could see on her face right now. He had only known her a couple of days now but he already knew that he utterly adored her. How could he not when she was such a wonderful woman?

“Now with you looking like the lady you are, we might get a few looks on our way down… but if we’re sneaky about it, we’ll get you through without questions. Then I promise you, when you’re on those lower decks with me, you’re going to have a blast.” Everyone he’d met down there was nice to him, so he fully expected them to be the same with her.

He grinned then as he paused in thought, walking with her to lead her exactly where he’d said. He wanted to put his things down which was on the way but then they’d be totally free to just have fun. “Could even grab a currant bun or biscuit down on our level. See if it can compare?” He offered, shrugging a moment. “Personally? Best currant bun I’ve had is on this ship.”

Belle was fully aware that she did not belong where he was taking her, but the truth was: She didn’t feel like she belonged on the upper decks either. She did not care for all the fancy dinner parties and talks about the newest gossip. All she really cared about was her father, and having enough time on her hands to sit down with a book so she could enjoy it. 

“I will do my best to fit in,” She smiled as she followed him around, feeling more and more excitement building up inside of her, her stomach doing flips. “That sounds wonderful!” She then smiled. “My mother used to...she used to bake quite a lot, she made the best pies I ever tasted.” She had even spent some nights teaching Belle how to bake when neither of them had been able to sleep.

“So anything you recommend, I’d be glad to try.” 

Smiling back at her, Robert just shrugged. He was just hopeful that she would - even if not fully trust him yet - would trust him enough to let him take her on an adventure around the ship. “Great. Because we are about to explore this ship. Especially the parts we’re not mean to,” he grinned, waggling his eyebrows at her. “We have a lot of life and experiences to cram in on this voyage, so why not start with some real adventure?” he asked.

Gesturing for her to come with him, Robert had to fight back a further grin so people didn’t get suspicious of them. “I’m gonna take you down the Saloon deck, right in to Scotland Road. I’m going to put my things in my cabin and then you’re going to see everything on the decks you wouldn’t normally see. There might even be some people playing some music in our little 3rd class general room.”

“An adventure?” Belle asked, not quite able to hide her excitement. Despite knowing what would wait for her on the other side of the ocean, she had been happy about getting to go on this journey, because it would be an adventure outside of her books, one she could live herself, but then things had turned out to be differently than she had expected. Now, however, it seemed like she might be able to get her adventure after all. “I can’t wait!”

Smiling she followed him, her heart beating a little faster inside her chest as they fell in step next to each other. Something was telling her that this was going to be a day she’d remember for the rest of her life, something she’d be able to think of when the days got grey and dark.