What you did is not who you are. (Tag Eric)

He smiled back to her, and started rubbing her back softly. He found some knots and started rubbing them. He worked at each individually, massaging firmly untill they were almost gone... As he massage her spine, he didn't crossed below the waist level, but he had to hold himself to not kiss her neck or shoulder.

''There... You feeling better?'', she asked gently as he squeezed her shoulders playfully.

Belle chewed her bottom lip as he started to work on her back. However, as he actually managed to get most of the knots out, she couldn't help but groan and let her eyes fall closed. She was almost surprised as he kept from doing anything other than what she had asked. But, she was also glad -- maybe she was right about her theory on who he really was.

As he squeezed her shoulders, she sighed out a breathy groan of a mix of relief and pleasure, glad to be done with the pain in her back. She turned on the couch and slouched against his side. She rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes still closed. "Your hands are amazing," She mumbled with a small smile. "Thank you," She added, opening her eyes and looking up to him through her eyelashes.

Eric rested his arm loosely around her shoulders, his massaging skill was a good call when he wanted to get laid before... But in this kingdom, woman seemed to fall on his arms as like Belle said before.

''Thank you... If you want to know what else I'm amazing at, don't be afraid to ask'', he joked looking down to her with a small smirk. ''You're welcome''

Belle smirked at his words and rolled her eyes. She leaned up and kissed his cheek softly before sighing and laying her head back onto his shoulder and curling up against his shoulder. She always had been one to get cold easily. "Eric...thank you...for...not treating me like those other girls," She said quietly. "As crazy as it may seem...I trust you," She paused and looked up at him, her eyes gentle and pleading. "Don't ever abuse that. Alright?"

He smiled softly, and his smile turned playful as he said, ''I've always wanted to have a little sister'', he joked, and kissed her forehead. He felt he mustn't let Belle down, the last woman that trusted him didn't end so well... He couldn't do the same with Belle.

Belle laughed gently, rolling her eyes as she leaned against him. "Brothers don't want to sleep with their little sisters, Eric," she pointed out, poking his side with her finger before giggling gently. She found herself tired, the massage having relaxed her enough to realize just how little she'd slept in a long time. She hadn't been able to sleep well since her attack -- and that was months ago! She frowned at the memory and curled closer to him out of reflex. She found herself dozing off as she leaned against him, enjoying the warmth he gave off. How was it she was able to want to be around him? He was a rapist -- hell, he'd done almost the same to Odette that had been done to herself months back. But, despite the fact that he seemed to not care about what he'd done, she could tell he did. Maybe that was the reason. Or, maybe she really had lost her mind.

''That's the point Belle... If I saw you as my little sister, I would never try to lay with you'', he said with a small chuclke, and looked down to her as she curled into him. She looked like falling asleep at any moment, and he got calm gazing at her. He never felt this peace since before he left his hometown, so relaxing his muscles seemed very easy now and he slowly got asleep as he leaned his head on hers.

Belle smiled sleepily before she yawned like a small child. It was nice to feel so light for once. Sure, when she was with Flynn she could have happiness. But, she always stressed over him blaming himself for her scars. That never left her mind, even when she tried. For once in the longest time, she was able to have her mind cleared. It was odd with Eric -- she didn't have to think about anything. It was easy -- like breathing. With one final small yawn, she fell asleep there with him.

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When the sun rose, Belle groaned sleepily, turning her head and hiding her eyes with whatever soft material she was leaning against. As she cracked an eye open, she blinked, slowly waking up and remembering what had happened the night before. She rubbed her eyes and yawned a bit, sitting back and looking at Eric. "We fell asleep," she mumbled the obvious. She soon realized she was cold out of his embrace and quickly returned to it, shivering slightly.

Eric made a face when a strong light hit his eyes. His head was leaned to the side and he struggled to keep with his eyes closed, but he started wondering what was that light. He opened one eye and saw the sun rising upon the horizon, he yawned and tried to remember why he slept sitting on the couch. As soon he looked down he remembered of last night, and smiled, ''It's the first time I wake up with the woman I went to sleep'', he joked.

Belle scoffed, smiling as she ran her fingers through her hair. "You're horrible," she said with a smile and shoved his shoulder gently as she got up. "I'll be right back," she said softly as she got up and made her way to her bedroom. She changed her clothing into a pair of soft, long black pants and blouse that covered her shoulders and arms. Most all of her outfits covered her skin these days.

"Are you hungry?" She asked, walking into the kitchen and rummaging through what food she had. "Er...if you are, 'fraid you'll have to eat somewhere else. I need to go to the market," she sighed.

''Thanks...'', he winked and stretched his arms and legs once she left his side. He sat straight and rubbed his face while he tried to take away all was left from his sleep. He took the bowls from last night dinner and put on the vat, and he washed them. This was a old habit he got from his mother.

''How about if I prepare the breakfast... I need to go to the castle anyway, to check on the horses. On my way back I could pass by the market and bought something for us to eat''

Belle blinked, watching with surprised eyes as he washed the dishes for her. She smiled a bit, glad to see a glimpse of that good guy she wanted to find. "Hmm...how sweet," She giggled gently. "I...well, that would be helpful, actually," she admitted, rubbing her arm. "Just, don't buy anything fancy. I'll pay you back," She nodded, walking with him over to the door and leaning against it once it was open. "Be careful, all right?" She requested.

He smiled widely, ''Don't worry about paying, you made the dinner... We're even...'', he said with a small shrug and nodded at her request, ''I'm a big grown boy, remember?, he chuclked and kissed the top of her head before he walked back to town.

Flynn appeared right where the two slept together, looking down at a box, twirling it in both of his hands. The box looked old, about 10 years old, but still in great conditioned. He doesn't look at Belle when she walks back in. His face looked completely empty of emotion, silent almost, as he was before he meet Belle. The usual cloak around his shoulders and his hair more tassled then usual when he saw Belle. It fell over his eyes, so she could only partially see his expression.

(( Reference off of this photo :3

))

Belle smiled a bit as she watched Eric go. The second she turned around though, she gasped, jumping back a bit and then letting out a shaky breath and a small laugh. "Flynn? When did you...get...here..." she trailed off, her smile falling slowly as she saw the expression on his face -- or rather, the lack of anything. She furrowed her brows, glancing at the box he was holding and feeling her stomach knot up. "...Flynn?" She repeats, her voice begging for him to respond as she slid her arms around her sides, her pulse beating roughly.

"The day that I found you, naked, broken, bleeding..." He whispers, but barely enough so she could hear him. He remembered her batter body, sliced everywhere that it made his heart stopped in an instant. "All I could think about is how I was this close to saving you. This close for you to never have to go through that ever. And ever since that day, I vowed to make sure that what happened to you could never happen again to any other close friend I have and to make sure that there's a smile on your face everyday. A geniune, carefree, smile. But by now, you probably guessed that I've broken both of those a long time ago..."

Belle stared at him, instantly knowing what this was about. "Flynn, I..." She looked away from him, hating that empty expression. She swallowed the lump in her throat and shook her head. "You were watching, weren't you?" She whispered, her heart squeezing at that thought. She knew he noticed every night how she would become silent and lost in thought. If he'd seen her last night, so relaxed and calm...She knew why he was acting like this. "Flynn...If I wanted a guy like Eric who could make me smile everyday, I would have turned you down the day I met you. But, I didn't. You make me smile every time I see you -- don't you know that?" She questioned, her voice shaking slightly.

"I did until I saw how it took him nearly two minutes to make you smile that perfect smile you had before the attack. The smile that I never could or can get out of you because I constantly remind you of the attack." A flash of pain and hurt shows in his eyes before he shakes his head and looks back down.

Belle flinched back as she saw the pain on his face, her heart thudding in her chest. She closed her eyes for a moment, her lips trembling as she tried to get a grip on her emotions. "You're wrong, Flynn," She whispered. "He does remind me of what happened...the only difference is that he doesn't care -- why the hell that makes me want to be around him, I don't know," She mumbled.

She looked back to him and sighed. "Flynn...when I look at you and see that look -- the one you get whenever you look at my scars...It kills me because I know I can't take those images out of your head," she whispered. "I want to be the only one who has to deal with those images -- that pain...Knowing that you won't let me do that..." she shook her head. "I don't want to know you blame yourself for what you couldn't control. I don't want to see that pain in your eyes. I want to think I'm the only one in the world who knows it happened. I want to forget it," she whimpered. "Eric...even with what he did to Odette...he avoided the topic completely -- there was no reminder. He makes me laugh because he's got the same smartass personality I do. You make me laugh and smile because I love everything about you. I only lose my smile because I know you're not always happy -- and I know it's because you can't even look at me or my scars without blaming yourself and thinking of the attack."

Belle's arms tightened around herself, like she was literally trying to hold herself together. "What's that?" She asked, knowing he would know she was referring to the box he held.

Flynn closes his eyes tightly, wishing he could give her just that. Wisihing he could only forget the images and let Belle only deal with the pain. But he could never, not until the day he died. He wanted to be there, every step of the way, even if it meant killing himself each time he saw her cry or flinch.
Flynn places the box onto the table and slides it towards her. "It's my Grandmother's. A couple of days before she died, she gave this to me. Her last dying wish was for me to be happy. When she gave me this, she wanted me to give it to a girl special to me. Someone who I will die for eachday just to make sure she's perfect and happy. Someone who I will call my wife one day..."

(( ))

Belle looked to him, then at the box. She hesitated as she heard him speak of the box's contents, but eventually did pick it up and open it up. Her breath caught in her throat a bit, the necklace truly beautiful. She stared at it, not able to find words. The second she saw a drop of water land on the piece of jewelry, she closed the box and set it back on the table.
She took in a shaky breath and closed her eyes. "When you meet a perfect, happy girl, she'll be quite lucky," She whispered, sitting onto the ground and holding her sides once again.

"You are my perfect, happy girl Belle. It just hurts to know that I can't help bring it out of you." He whispers also before getting up just as she sat down. He grabs the box and pulls out the necklace. He unclasp it and softly places it around Belle's neck. He kisses her cheek soflty.

Belle looked up at him, ignoring her watery eyes that made his image blurry. She swallowed the small lump that had formed in her throat and watched as he got the necklace out. She whimpered softly, feeling his kiss against her cheek. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck before he could move away and buried her face into the crook of his neck. "You do make me happy, Flynn..." she whispered.

"Not as much as I wish I can..." He whispered. How much he wanted to wrap his arms around her but he knew that if he did, he would never let go and he would walk through that door. Flynn couldn't promise Belle that he wouldn't hurt Eric in any way and he knew she'd hate him for hurting him.

Belle's heart ached as Flynn refused to put his arms around her. "Flynn..." She whimpered, her voice begging as she held him closer. "Please..." She whispered, her broken tone conveying the ache she felt from him being distant. She didn't care if Eric came in -- and neither would Eric. She knew Flynn would take off. That thought only made her choke on a small sob as she hid her face into his shoulder. She knew what she was getting herself into with Eric. But, for once, she was given the chance to actually help someone -- to do something good and useful...She couldn't give that up.