Rumple and Belle (RumBelle)
Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale, but that's not the only reason I enjoy watching Belle and Rumplestiltskin on screen. The writers explained that Belle and Rumple's relationship was based on the idea of bringing a beautiful soul and a corrupted soul together. The result was Belle and Rumplestiltskin. Belle is bright and happy while Rumple is twisted and depressed. Convinced that no one can love him, Rumple shows a fear of bringing anyone close to him, but does exactly that when he makes a deal with Belle that she will go with him forever and clean the castle for the rest of her life to save her people.
Belle catches on that Rumple is lonely and she, being the curious person that she is, slowly attempts to get to know him, and help him see what she sees. To Belle, Rumple is not a monster, but a misunderstood and lonely person. She tries to convince him of that and almost succeeds until Rumple's own illusion of the world gets in the way.
Rumple's fear of being around others and allowing them to know him blinds him to Belle's genuine affection and convinces him that she only wants to find his weakness. This plays on later in the series when Belle tells Rumple to make a promise he doesn't keep and continues to try convincing him he isn't a monster.
Their relationship is complicated and confusing, but both Belle and Rumple find understanding about one another and learn at the same pace what a relationship is like.
