bootlegexcalibur | ❝ the oldest movie i ever saw was the one we wrote together ❞

Being sent here by Audrey was a cruel joke. He was sure that she didn't mean to send him here, but it seemed that there was no turning back now. This Belle seemed different from his mother, and he hoped that he'd actually get to know her. How many Belles existed in this world? He was going to find out sooner or later it seemed. Unless this was a dream. He pinched himself and winced, so he knew it wasn't a dream he was wide awake currently.

"Well, that's good that you don't think I'm crazy. This place is different from the place I am from." He took some of the fruit off the plate and started to eat it slowly, it tasted really sweet like back home so that was a good sign.

"You want me to tell you about home? Alright I can do that." He wasn't sure where to begin. "Home is basically a magical kingdom called Auradon. My father sent all the villains to live on the isle of the lost including their kids." He paused for a minute to take another drink of his tea. "I was becoming King when I turned sixteen that's how things were in my family and my first decree, I chose four kids from the Isle to come to Auradon. I'm an only child. My mother would have liked this place she adores books."

He shook his head. "I don't recognize them at all. My Snow White is a bit different. David is just Prince Charming. This place is similar to Auradon we just live in a castle instead of a town. I also attend the private school my parents built."

Realm-hopping detected, Belle took a knowing sip of her tea. What he described might not have been identical to her experience, but it fell close enough that it resonated, and the part about books in particular. She took a quick, prideful glance around her library, a sense of relief washing over her that he had at least something familiar.

Belle wasn't from here either, after all, and Ben's tale of Auradon sounded close enough to the Enchanted Forest to provide some context — and although Belle clearly knew about alternate worlds, alternate versions of herself were something she hadn't had the pleasure of becoming acquainted yet with. She wanted to provide some words of comfort, some sense of common ground, but something pinged her as more urgent.

"You were sixteen?" she asked, eyebrows shooting up. Even being nobility herself, Belle can't imagine having that weight so young. Her father had sheltered her (or made every attempt to); the throne and the responsibility of a kingdom hadn't even been a realistic option for her until she was at least ten years his senior. She places her teacup down, fingers still on the handle, rotating it on the table. Hesitantly, she adds, "And what about your father?"

"Yes. I was sixteen. I wasn't really looking forward to becoming king to be honest. It was all part of the family lineage or that's what my father told me at least." He was too young to have that weight put on him. It made him want to run away a few times. He knew that his Kingdom needed him, but he deserved to have some type of teenage life, right??

"I don't even know if I'm ruling right. My parents think I am and so does my girlfriend. I just don't know. I'm always confused." at the mention of his father he looked at her and sighed a bit. "My father wanted to spend more time with mom. I'm close with him but he did have anger issues time to time. I was upset that he put all the villain kids on the isle along with their parents. I got them to change their mind when I invited four children whose parents were horrible villains."

He was probably talking too much but Belle did ask. "Does this place need my help with anything?"

His words about his father turned in her mind; that didn't sound like Rumplestiltskin, even if the anger issues were quite on the nose. The concept of a second chance, though — he must have gotten that from her (or rather, his own Belle, although she wasn't quite sure how to process that one just yet. If she could overcome Lacey, though, she could overcome anything). Belle's heart swelled at the idea that Rumple could have such a bond with a son in another life, possibly, hopefully. The talk of villains and rulership, all of it sounded so similar and yet so many lives ago.

Belle sighed, mouth quirking in an expression meant to be reassuring, and through a surge of boldness she reached out to squeeze his forearm. He was a good kid. She had a sense.

She said, "Well, there are certainly no kings here," as she removed her hand, settling it back on her side of the table. "Or — none actively ruling, at least. Think of Storybrooke as something of a collective. It... sounds like you might be familiar with a good number of us. Maybe younger — or different — versions of people from your world. Luckily, you're not the first person to wind up here unexpectedly. We've all had to adapt to this life, as strange as it might sound."

Idly, Belle turned her teacup by the handle and asked, "What were you doing before... immediately before you found yourself here?"

Ben had so many questions. Though he was really happy that there weren't any kings here as he didn't want to be a ruler. He could easily hang out here and just relax. "I'm not the first? That's a little unsettling. How did all of you end up here if you weren't from here? I know you used to live with grandpa in a farmhouse. He was a builder." Though this version of his mother seemed different. He wasn't sure what it was about her either.

"I was arguing with my ex. She stole a staff and a crown, and it made her become evil. She kept trying to pressure me into getting back with her when I love someone else. Then I remember coming here." He shrugged he wasn't sure how Audrey did this to him and he wasn't even sure how he'd get back. Though did he really want to go back? He could be a regular kid here and that was something he always wanted to be. He'd fit in.

"I am curious about the beast here. If you could tell me about him. I am familiar with all of you. Just where I'm from everyone looks different and different backgrounds it seems."

Objects with the capacity to sway one's morals — Belle's heart sank. Ben was safe here, of course, but that wouldn't necessarily stop the evil from spreading throughout his realm, or even leaking into this one, if Ben's presence was any indication. A crown and a staff. Belle made a mental note to debrief the Charmings on the artifacts later.

More fittingly, perhaps, her mind drifted to Rumplestiltskin's dagger, and she nearly leapt out of her chair so great was her impulse to get up, to physically look at the weapon that remained tucked away in her office. Belle kept herself seated but nearly choked on the next sense of tea that she took. The boy certainly did have a sense of timing (and an interesting choice of words, certainly; it had been quite a while since Belle had heard that moniker for him).

"He — ah — he doesn't live here. Not anymore." She placed her cup back on the table and neatly folded her hands in her lap. More than anything, it was a way to hide her fidgeting. "We were all brought here by a curse cast by Regina. You might know her better as the Evil Queen. Most of us lost our memories for years, but when the curse was broken, we were able to find each other again. He —" Belle cut off suddenly, her voice wavering. "He crossed the town line. The magic in place, he can't come back here. His — his name is Rumplestiltskin."

"A curse? I do know the Evil Queen. She's my best friend's mother. Her name is Evie. I don't know the Evil Queen well... but I know of her at least." He wasn't sure how he'd tell Evie that her mother was completely different here, but he'd have time to explain that eventually. He might be stuck here forever which he really wouldn't mind even though he wouldn't see Mal or anyone else ever again. Here, he wouldn't be King Ben anymore. He'd be just Ben and maybe he could have a normal life. If he was allowed to stay for a while and figure things out.

"Are you upset that he crossed the town line? I don't know why he'd leave you behind. My dad really loves mom back home. So, I don't know why he'd leave you here. That doesn't sit right with me. Not sure what I'd do if I ever met him." He would protect Belle she was like his mother so he'd do anything he could to protect her at least. "I'm sorry he hurt you like that." He bit his lip nervously and looked out the window. He wanted to know more about this place he was dropped in. "Rumplestiltskin? I've heard that name before but never used for my father." He was going to have to learn a lot about this place. It was a bit confusing.

"Could you show me around? I want to do some exploring." He was also tired, but he wasn't sure if he was going to stay with Belle. Most likely he would be staying.

"I —" Something stopped Belle's words as though something wascaught in her throat, and she forced a smile, busying herself with organizing the remaining fruits on the tray. Swished the dregs of her tea inside her cup. Anything to keep her busy, to focus her mind away from Rumplestiltskin. "'Upset' might not be the right word," she finally continued, but she blinked several times to blot the sting from her eyes, finally settling with, "It's complicated."

He wanted a tour. Her head canted, a small bit of confusion as his words landed, but he wanted a tour, and Belle was more than open to the distraction that came along with that.

"Of course," she said, gratefully moving the plates about again, as if the table wasn't organized. And she stood up, roughly pushing in her chair, and gestured to the library as a whole. "You've probably guessed that this is the library," she said, a grin showing itself as the distraction settled in. "Storybrooke's a small town — but I'll show you what I can before it gets too late."

Ben took a couple of more sips from his tea. Tea always calmed him down no matter what kind of stress he was under. He also took a few more pieces of fruit and slowly ate them.

“Complicated relationships are never fun. My last one was always complicated.” He didn’t like hearing that this form of his mother was dealing with that though. He also wasn’t going to offer his help as he didn’t want to screw anything else up.

“Yeah, I’ll have to do more exploring here at some point. Libraries are always my favorite place to go especially if I want peace and quiet.” He noticed how many books she had here and nodded a bit. “Small towns aren’t horrible. At least that I know of.”

"It could be worse." Belle folded her hands and offers a genuine smile. As much as Storybrooke and its inhabitants seemed to value her research, it was nice to actually receive some validation to that end. Even if he wasn't her son (not right now, and not in this reality, at least), it showed that something was consistent across the realms.

"I — um — there's a room above the library," she admitted. "I sometimes use it when time gets away from me here, but it might be easier if we can get you a room at Granny's." Regardless of how large the place looked, Belle had her doubts that he'd want to spend his first night in an unknown place on a cramped cot. Comfortable living quarters it was not. "Here. Let's figure out what you need, and we'll work from there."

Belle seemed to move in periods of rushing and stillness, and she hurried over to the counter, grabbing the library's keys and tossing them around her finger. She nodded to the door, ready to lead him down the main drag.

"Technically I could've been sent somewhere horrible. That's what she wanted for me at least since I wouldn't give her the life she wanted back. I just didn't love her anymore." He loved Mal and he knew not everyone agreed but it was who he wanted to be with. He was at least happy that he was here with someone familiar even if it wasn't his mother, it was still a Belle.

"If you think me staying at a place called Granny's is better then that's fine with me." He didn't want Belle to feel uncomfortable especially since they didn't really know each other. "That works for me. I only came here with these clothes so..." He was going to his best friend's birthday party but at least he looked respectable. Or tried to at least.

He walked outside of the library and waited for Belle outside. He looked around it was a quaint little town. That's what the Charming's told him at least. "So, the Evil Queen sent all of you here. Why did she send you to this place in particular?"

❝ the oldest movie i ever saw was the one we wrote together ❞

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