Hey everyone(:

So this is my first RumBelle fanfic and I'm really excited about it! Tbh I just finished OUAT not too long ago I came up with this idea after I finished season 2 (The feels were exploding everywhere I was dying)!

Please don't be too harsh. This is my first fanfic EVER. :') thanks!

Summary: After a horrible accident, Belle becomes blind. In a desperate attempt to see again, she goes to see Rumplestiltskin, and makes a deal with him to stay in his castle while he formulates a potion to cure her blindness. What she doesn't expect, however, was to fall in love with someone she can't even see.

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Once Upon a Time or any of their characters. This story idea, however, is my own :)

Chapter 1 – Misguided Affections

"No Papa, I refuse to marry Gaston!"

"Why Belle? He's perfect! I've met him, talked to him, and fully trust him to rule Avonlea alongside you with the upmost diligence and pride."

Belle tried her best to hide her disgusted expression. "Are you kidding me Papa?! Gaston's putting up a front to try to impress you. When you're away, his arrogance bubbles out of him! Papa, he's suggested that I stop reading my books because he wants me to be a 'pretty little wife.' You know how much I love books! I don't need a man to tell me what to do." She looked at her Papa with a pout, and Maurice couldn't help but laugh.

"You know, I wasn't trying to be funny." Belle scowled, eying her Papa warily, "You know I don't pass ill-judgments on many people. I always try to see the good in every person I meet. With Gaston, however, finding it is very difficult. I still haven't found any admirable qualities yet."

Maurice just smiled and shook his head. "Just give him a chance, please. For me, Belle. See him tomorrow, per his request, and don't be too glum about it. You've only met him twice, and at formal functions, where you can slip away quite easily." Belle's lips curved up into a smirk before she could stop herself.

"This is your chance to really get to know him," the king continued, "after tomorrow, I promise I won't bother you about him anymore. I know I said I would let you marry someone you truly love, but you're almost 23! Many princesses your age have been wed already: take Snow for example."

"But," Belle cut in, "she's truly in love with Prince Charming! That's not the same thing."

Maurice sighed. He obviously wasn't going to win this argument. "Belle, please, just go with him tomorrow. He just wants to get to know you better."

Belle sighed in frustration. She had first met Gaston at her Birthday Gala, in which he approached her, and afterwards, continually followed her, and deemed, without her saying so, that they were in love with each other. She's rejected him politely without being overly rude on several occasions, but he was blind towards her obvious refusals. And he doesn't even compliment her personality. Gaston always gushed about how beautiful she was, or how lovely her eyes were in the sunlight, but never about her intellect, or for who she truly is. He would always make comments about something that should be changed about her, not about what should be kept.

But, for her father, Belle would see Gaston once more. Belle loved her Papa very much, and this favor wasn't too much to ask for. Anyway, one day with him wouldn't hurt, right?

...

When Belle arrived back in her room, a letter was waiting for her, with her name written elegantly on the front. Her initial excitement for the letter dissipated when she saw who it was from.

Gaston.

She fought the urge right then and there to burn the letter. Her rational judgment, however, overruled her rash thoughts, and she opened the letter despite her reluctance to do so.

My dearest Belle,

Meet me tomorrow under the large Magnolia tree that's not too far from your castle.

It will be a sunny day tomorrow, and I thought it would be nice to have a picnic.

See you then.

Love always,

Gaston

Belle couldn't help but smile a little. Despite being so long ago, Gaston had remembered what she had said on the first day she met him; she said she loves reading under the large Magnolia tree, especially on a warm sunny day.

Even so, she still found herself dreading the "date" she was to have the following day.

I don't think it'll be that bad, she chided to herself. You're just dreading it because you don't know him well enough yet. Papa's right, I've never given myself a chance to get to know him.

If anything, Belle just wanted to be friends, not lovers. The only reason, she figured, that she disliked Gaston so was because he and her father were pressuring her to be more than just friends.

I just hope, Belle thought, that Gaston will be accepting of that concept.

But Belle knew better. Her instinct told her that he wouldn't be pleased with being "just friends."

She shivered. With all the negative thoughts swirling in her head, she was beginning to feel nervous and uneasy. She opted to walking to one of her favorite spots in the castle, which was a small garden within the confines of the castle walls, and climbed onto sturdy tree to read her current book, in order to whisk herself away from her troubled reality.

...

After Belle left in a huff, Maurice couldn't help looking at the baby pictures of his beloved Belle. She had grown up so fast, in his eyes. It seemed only yesterday that she was just learning how to walk; that she said her first word, which was "Daddy," or read her very first book all by herself, which was Beauty and the Beast.

He couldn't help but laugh at that memory. Cyrene warmly encouraged Belle to keep reading after that, and they would read fairytales together as a family as a result. They had never thought that introducing their beloved Belle to books would turn her into a partial recluse, but as many quirks as his daughter had, he still loved her any way, and wouldn't change her for the world.

Maurice saddened a little as he thought of his late wife, Queen Cyrene. She was a lovely mother; her world revolved around Belle, and she was very adamant that she received little help from the servants while Belle was an infant. From the diaper changing, to the caring of Belle in the middle of the night, it was Cyrene who took care of her. Everything changed when a terrible sickness plagued the Queen when Belle was only 4 years old. He missed her so much, and her last words forever ring in his mind.

"Promise me that Belle will always be smiling, and happy, like she is now."

Tears threatened to spill out of his eyes. His wife was so dear to him, even after death, which is why he refused to marry again. Belle even said herself she'd understand if he were to take a new wife, but Maurice refused to love another woman in the same way. He wanted, naively, to keep her "alive" by refusing to love another woman. And to put Belle's happiness over his own.

Part of him wanted to keep Belle all to himself-to be his little girl forever. But, he wanted to marry her to a man who could make her happy, and ensure the success of the kingdom.

My dear Cyrene, he thought, I sincerely hope Gaston will be the key to all of Belle's happiness. Even if I have to suffer in this castle alone.

...

After sending the letter, Gaston inwardly cursed. He realized he forgot to include one important thing in his letter: to tell Belle not to bring a book to the picnic. He silently hoped that she would have enough manners to do so, but past history wasn't looking too bright for him.

Books poison Belle's mind, he thought bitterly, it prevents her from being a proper woman.

It infuriated him to no end that every time she was anywhere around him, she would either avoid him, or use a book as a "way out." During the rare event that he did see her, she'd be by his side, only because he would come up to her. Her presence beside him would only last for a moment, however, because a split second later, he would see her run "sneakily" towards a dark hallway with a book in tow.

She has a thing for me, I know it, Gaston thought arrogantly, it's just she doesn't know how to approach me. I mean, who doesn't like me? The famous Gaston! It's probably because Belle's shy that she avoids me at parties. It's easy to do that with a lot of people in the room.

If Belle was another woman, he would definitely have gone after her, followed her to anywhere she went. But this was Belle. To Gaston, she was delicate, like a porcelain doll. She was someone who should be complemented endlessly, and should be treated like a princess at all times. She was definitely not someone who can handle the "real" stresses of the world, nor be able to read about them.

He smiled inwardly to himself. She was unlike any other woman he'd met. Most women would literally throw themselves at his feet, begging him to take her.

But Belle? She didn't seem interested at all. In fact, she rejected his obvious advances.

He licked his lips hungrily. She's a challenge.

If there's one thing Gaston loves, it's challenges. From hunting the largest bear in the forest, to lifting the heaviest object in his kingdom, he's been constantly challenged his entire life. But, the challenges within his own kingdom were easily attainable. Belle, however, was the most difficult challenge that he's ever had to conquer.

And he was going to do anything to get her.

a/n – Not gonna lie, I modeled Gaston heavily on Disney's version ^^; but I think I fleshed him out enough to the point where we understand his motives. In Disney's version, his obvious reason for wanting her was because she was beautiful, la da da. But they never really explain how the two met—it kinda just happened in the movie, you know?

Please rate and review! I'll really appreciate it :)