ask-charming-david - Tumblr blog

[ask-charming-david]

Is this how everything's going to be? When bad things happen and we win, bad things happen again to separate us? I just found you. I'm not ready. I--I can't leave.

Emma I...

I'm not ready, either. I never will be. If there was any choice... I need you to know how much I love you, how much I've always loved you, since before you were even born.

[ask-charming-david]

I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me.

I'm sorry. I am. I just... I didn't want to trap you here.

[ask-charming-david]

Happy Father’s Day to my girls’ RP papas! ♥

[ask-charming-david]

I'm sorry you can't leave the island. You deserve your happy ending with your entire family.

Thank you.

I wish... well. It doesn't matter. As long as Emma and Henry get home safe, that's all that matters.

[ask-charming-david]

Well, I hate to say I told you so but you should have said something to your wife sooner, mate.

I'm interested in marriage advice from the pirate who kissed my daughter, mate.

[ask-charming-david]

What's your favourite book?

The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I love the movies, too. 

[ask-charming-david]

Is it weird knowing that Rumplestiltskin is also Henry's grandfather?

Yeah, it’s really weird. Henry and I tried plotting out our family tree together, and it’s a mess. Regina is also both his step-great-grandmother and his adoptive mother? Best not to think about it too much. 

[ask-charming-david]

Do you think Mary Margaret's heart is going to turn black after what she did?

Absolutely not. I’ve killed people, and so has she before. She made the wrong call, yes, but it was an act of defence, not evil. She was also manipulated into it by Gold. Cora would have kept coming after us, again and again. She shouldn’t have done it, but things aren’t always so black and white. 

[ask-charming-david]

Do you ever want to have another kid?

I don’t know. Maybe someday. Right now I want to focus on getting to know my daughter and my grandson. 

[ask-charming-david]

Would you like me to help you with Neal? I can hide a body!

That’s okay, but thanks for the offer. 

Turns out he’s actually really good with Henry, and he and Emma are getting along better now. But I’ve got my eye on him. 

[ask-charming-david]

That’s... a lot to unpack. Okay. 

So. You’re saying Lacey... why do you need to embrace your darkness to woo Lacey, exactly? 

ask-charming-david​:

Am I? 

Why?

Of course you are. 

I have… what appears to be an impossible decision. In order to woo Lacey, I must embrace my darkness. In order to satisfying and bond with my son, I must not. He’s also afflicted with good character and morals, so I imagine you’ll say I should play nice and find another way with Lacey, but that other way failed. What do I do?

[ask-charming-david]

Am I? 

Why?

@ask-charming-david​ from here.

It… went.

You’re some sort of gatekeeper for morals, yes?

[ask-charming-david]

We need a chat. I need a chat. A private one.

Sure. How’d it go with Belle? 

[ask-charming-david]

ask-madhatterjefferson​:

ask-charming-david​:

David let out a long sigh. Okay. Jefferson was anxious, that much was abundantly clear. He’s said a few times now that he wanted rules. The lack of them seemed to be exacerbating his anxiety. But the idea of imposing rules like Jefferson was a slave or a child felt so deeply, deeply wrong to him. They were equals, David should not be imposing rules and regulations on him. 

But… if that’s what Jefferson needed to feel stable? What other choice did he have? They could at least discuss it. Simple things, things that were good for him, that he’d likely choose to do anyways. “It’s okay. You have nothing to apologize for. Would… would you feel less anxious if we came up with some…” gods, he didn’t want to say it, “some… rules? For you?” He’d been stripped of his free will for so long, David supposed he could understand how a sudden lack of structure might leave him feeling untethered. “If it would really help, if it’s what you want, we can do that.” He watched the way he held himself, anxious. Would… would he want a hug? He’d ask him, once they figured the rest of this out.   

He looked up at the question, a bit of his relieved disbelief oozing off of him for a moment, then he got a grip on his ability again and locked his emotions up. The situation was hard enough as it was without making mistakes like that.

“Yes? Please, David?” He couldn’t dare to believe it yet, but a bit of hope came to his eyes, to his posture. He still hugged himself, but his shoulders sagged forward a little less. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t have missions. Everything’s confusing. Things are different. I look at them and think they’ll be something, but they’re always little off. Or a lot. Things are never what I expect them. I don’t… I don’t know. I’m lost,” he repeated, hoping against hope that David would understand and help. His metal fingers dug into his bicep hard enough to form bruises.

He had no idea why he trusted David this much, to speak this openly to him.

David was surprised when he felt the waves of relief and disbelief coming from Jefferson. He'd kept such a tight reign on his powers since he found him, it was rare for him to feel emotions coming from him, so David knew he’d made the right call. Jefferson was truly deeply relieved at the suggestion. He could see it in his eyes, too, and the way his shoulders relaxed a bit. So if that’s what he needed, that’s what they were going to do. It all made sense, what Jefferson was saying, and David heart broke all over again. His once confident, happy friend was so lost. David would be the one to find him, and to help him find himself. 

He nodded reassuringly, “Okay. I understand. Thank you for explaining that to me. I know it isn’t easy,” he said reassuringly, meeting his eyes with a small, gentle smile. He loved him. God, he loved him. His eyes dropped to where Jefferson was digging his metal fingers into his arm, and he reached out slowly, telegraphing his movements to make sure Jefferson saw what he planned and what he was going to do, and settled his hand gently on top of his metal fingers, hoping to still them. “Why don’t we start with you not hurting yourself, okay?  

[ask-charming-david]

ask-madhatterjefferson​:

ask-charming-david​:

“It’s okay. It’s okay, Jefferson.” He watched the way he ground his hands together – self-soothing, maybe? An outlet for his anxiety? “I know. I know you don’t know how right now, and that’s okay. I’ll help you. Whatever you need, I’m here. And there’s no rush.” Gods, he wanted to hold him. He wanted to sooth his fears and his anxieties. “How can I help?” He would do anything to help him, he just hoped he wasn’t going to ask for something that wouldn’t help, something that David would never do, like hurt him. 

He lowered his head, unable to look at David. Not like it mattered. His vision swam with the colors of David’s emotions. David was so loud, even when he said nothing.

“I just told you,” Jefferson said, defeated. He did, and was said no, and then David basically encouraged him to ask again. But why for? Was this some kind of test, or just a way to play with him? To get a chance to deny him again? Jefferson’s lips trembled, but he sighed. “Rules help. Corrections help. I’m sorry, David.”

He used his name instead of a title. But it seemed pointless. His hands slipped up on his arms, under his sleeves - metal on skin, skin on metal. Hugging himself, to an extent. He wondered how it would feel if David did that to him instead. He bet it’d be nice; but that was also a pointless fantasy. He’d never be brave enough to ask something as outrageous as that.

David let out a long sigh. Okay. Jefferson was anxious, that much was abundantly clear. He’s said a few times now that he wanted rules. The lack of them seemed to be exacerbating his anxiety. But the idea of imposing rules like Jefferson was a slave or a child felt so deeply, deeply wrong to him. They were equals, David should not be imposing rules and regulations on him. 

But... if that’s what Jefferson needed to feel stable? What other choice did he have? They could at least discuss it. Simple things, things that were good for him, that he’d likely choose to do anyways. “It’s okay. You have nothing to apologize for. Would... would you feel less anxious if we came up with some...” gods, he didn’t want to say it, “some... rules? For you?” He’d been stripped of his free will for so long, David supposed he could understand how a sudden lack of structure might leave him feeling untethered. “If it would really help, if it’s what you want, we can do that.” He watched the way he held himself, anxious. Would... would he want a hug? He’d ask him, once they figured the rest of this out.   

[ask-charming-david]

ask-madhatterjefferson​:

ask-charming-david​:

David’s heart squeezed as Jefferson spoke, as it so often did when he spoke of the horrors of Wonderland. The punished him for thinking. Gods. How would they have even known his thoughts? Or did they just punish him for the sake of it with that as a bull shit excuse? And they’d punish him when he hadn’t even done anything wrong, just as a reminder. He wanted to burn the whole organization to the ground. And then Jefferson was asking for correction to stop him from… from what? What constituted a mistake in his mind right now? 

David’s eyes widened for a moment before slamming shut. Master. He felt sick. His heart hurt, and he simultaneously wanted to hold Jefferson in his arms and never let him go, and find the bastards that did this to him. His hands squeezed into fists in his lap, wanting so desperately to reach out, but knowing his touch would be unwelcome right now. He made his hands relax after a moment, not wanting Jefferson to see, and opened his eyes again to look at him. “Please don’t call me that.” His voice was low and broken. He swallowed, making sure his voice came out calm and normal when he spoke again. “I’m not angry at you. It’s okay. But please… just call me David, okay?” He gave him a weak smile. “And you haven’t been causing problems. You can think and say whatever you like. There isn’t… some allowed pattern of behaviour or thought here. You’re your own person. You’re your own master, Jefferson.”  

He expected bright red anger. Instead a nauseating, green disgust emanated from David, mixed with ochre pain and blue sadness and yes, there was the red of anger but also… he also got purple, for some kind of longing that Jefferson wasn’t sure he understood from David.

Jefferson just didn’t understand. Anything.

“I’m sorry, David.” But it was the point. Without corrections, he’d keep making mistakes like that. He’d called David ‘Sir’ before and was told to not do that, to use his name. Jefferson… well, he didn’t forgot, but he wasn’t reminded of that, so he slipped and made a mistake by not using David’s name.

Originally posted by pooslie

He clasped his hands together, wriggling his wrists to grind his palms against each other, to ground himself through his own touch. Self-soothing.

“I can’t,” he admitted through gritted teeth. “I don’t know how to do that, David. I’m… I’m lost.”

“It’s okay. It’s okay, Jefferson.” He watched the way he ground his hands together -- self-soothing, maybe? An outlet for his anxiety? “I know. I know you don’t know how right now, and that’s okay. I’ll help you. Whatever you need, I’m here. And there’s no rush.” Gods, he wanted to hold him. He wanted to sooth his fears and his anxieties. “How can I help?” He would do anything to help him, he just hoped he wasn’t going to ask for something that wouldn’t help, something that David would never do, like hurt him. 

[ask-charming-david]

ask-ifwehaveavocados​:

ask-charming-david​:

David nodded a few times with a vague hum of acknowledgement, looking unseeingly at the tv, staunchly avoiding her eyes. He knew that, obviously, and Ruby knew that he knew. He’d known for a long time. She’d told him a long time ago. It was obviously an inane leading question, and she could probably hear his stupid racing nervous heartbeat. “That’s… that’s good.” He paused, took a breath, completely aware of how stupid and not-casual he sounded. “So, uh. Just curious. No reason. Um. How’d you know? That you were bi.”

Ruby reached for the remote and turned off the TV she knew neither of them was watching. This was a serious conversation. She had come out to him nearly twenty years ago and he hadn’t asked questions, just accepted it and immediately became her wingman when they were out at bars. She hadn’t told him before because he hadn’t asked and because he and Snow had gotten together around the same time she came out to him, but he was her best friend and she knew she could tell him anything. “Well, I always knew I was attracted to men. Then one night in college Snow and I went out to some party. We got really drunk and walked back to our dorm together. Before I knew what I was doing I was kissing her. It was… magical almost the way it opened my eyes. But she let me down gently and told me there was someone else she was interested in.” Ruby grinned and nudged David so he knew he was the one. “After that though I realized I had always noticed girls the same way I did guys. It wasn’t until that night that I realized it meant I was attracted to them and could act on it. And I’ve been acting on it ever since.” She gave a little shrug to finish her story and looked to David to gauge his reaction.

David’s eyebrows went up, and he finally looked at her when she told him about the kiss, distracted from his nervousness by surprise. He was speechless for a moment, the beginnings of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “That’s... really sweet.” It was nice to hear that Snow had already loved him -- he knew that she’d loved him almost from the start -- well, after their bumpy first encounter -- but it was nice to hear a new story about her, from back at the beginning. And he was glad that, though it of course didn’t work out -- Snow and David had always been meant for each other -- that Ruby’s first kiss with a girl was someone who loved her, even if it was in a different way. If he’d known before Snow had been killed, David was sure he would have teased them both about it in a kind way, coming from love and family and understanding.