Chapter Text
It had been two days since Rumple had returned to a normal mental state and to her storm cellar. With the Dark One’s son gone from his brain, Zelena had hoped he would finally see clear, finally recognize the greatness in her plan and her, but alas, her puppet stayed stubborn. He would sit in his cage and snarl at her and only do as he was told when directly commanded.
But tonight would change that. Tonight she had prepared something special.
He silently glared at her over the table, a big, steaming slice of meat pie in front of him.
“What’s the matter?” Zelena asked. He hadn’t been eating right for days, surely his favourite food would help his appetite. She had even gotten the fancy wine and picked out a nice suit for him.
“Don’t tell me you’re not hungry.” She tried to lighten the mood with a joke. “And anyways, you’re not getting up until that plate is empty.”
“Do I have somewhere to be?” He asked. Good . He was already getting used to her commands. Although not used enough. Zelena gripped the dagger.
“Eat.” She commanded.
Her puppet bowed his head, picked up fork and knife and deliberately and slowly started to dissect the food. He carefully brought the first bite up to his mouth, then a second, a third. He tried to hide it, but Zelena could tell how much he enjoyed it. Not a single word of appreciation tough. Probably because he was too focused on the food.
Eventually the slice was gone. He politely dabbed his mouth with his napkin and started to rise.
“Well if that was all then, I’ll be in my -” “Not so fast.” It irked her. Not even getting a compliment. No thanks, just as always.
“Sit.” She commanded him and watched with satisfaction as he plopped back down with a grimace.
“I said you can leave when that plate is empty.” She gestured towards the remaining wedge of pie in the middle of the table.“I didn’t say your plate, deary.”
He stared at the food with widening eyes.
“Despite, you can’t tell me, you’re already full.”
Surely it would take a lot more to satisfy the Dark One. Especially of his favourite food. Luckily she had baked a big pie. Rumplestiltskin had always been a greedy man. A whole pie for himself. Secretly he enjoyed the idea, Zelena knew it. She placed a second slice of pastry on his plate and gave him a smile.
“Please. Don’t hold yourself back on my behalf. I want you to relax.” She held up the dagger. “ Or do I have to make you?”
To her satisfaction, she didn’t need it for the next two slices.
They hit a bit of a bump when half of the pie was gone. He was on his fourth slice,stabbing it mostly with his fork, his other hand on his midsection. He stifled a burp and looked at her. “Don’t you have a town to terrorize? What is your game here?”
“As I said, I want you to enjoy yourself.” She responded. She gestured at the pie in front of him. His eating speed had slowed considerably. “Is something wrong with it?” It was starting to get cold. Maybe she should reheat it for a bit. He did specify that warm pie made him happy after all. His little girlfriend had probably fed him nothing but warm pies to get to him.
He stifled another burp and grimaced as he tried to sit up straighter.
“It’s not the pie I take issue with.”
Zelena rose, angry like a stung bull. She stepped over to him and looked down at her puppet. He had stopped using the napkin a while ago, crumbs smeared over his face and spread all over the nice suit with no regards for her efforts. He couldn’t even sit up right. He had gorged himself on her hard work and now he was mocking her. her. After all she had done to bring him back. After all she could do for him once her spell was cast.
On closer inspection, she could see his belly pushing up against his waistcoat, see how every other breath would make him whimper and squirm and pain him a little more. Clearly he had bitten off more than he could chew. Pathetic .
She gripped the dagger harder, tears of frustration in her eyes. ”You know I tried really, really hard to make this evening nice for us but you decided to be a greedy pig with no regards for manners. Now pick up your knife and eat like a proper man.” He groaned as his hand left his belly. ”And no more picking apart your food. Just eat.”
To her annoyance, he only decided to get louder during his meal, letting out muffled groans and choking a few times, interspersed by the growling and gurgling of his overfilled stomach.
By the second to last slice, Zelena had pulled her chair over to him and unbuttoned his waistcoat. It had hidden the result of his gluttony well so far but now she could see his belly beneath, straining against the buttons of his shirt and bulging out over his pants. Every bite pushing it out a tiny bit further, like a balloon, slowly filling up with gruel. His belt had been well fitting before, now it seemed like it was restraining him from expanding further.
With one hand firmly on the dagger, Zelena reached out with the other and let it slide over his rounded gut. She found it quite firm. She couldn’t help but poke it. It wasn’t as taut as expected, clearly he still had some room. Her puppet let out a burp, followed by a groan, but didn’t slow in his eating. She pressed another spot. Another moan. She started to massage the bulge. At least he seemed to appreciate that.
“Does this please you, puppet? Be honest.”
“Yes.” he panted, then crammed another piece of pie into his mouth.
Her hands wandered down towards his belt. “I could open this too. I bet it would be a relief, don’t you think?” He opened his mouth and a few crumbs fell out. “Don’t speak with your mouth full.” she added and it snapped back shut. “Gods, did no one ever teach you manners?”
She played with the buckle a bit. “Now on the other hand, I could make this a lot tighter too. Don’t want you to look all disheveled during this nice meal now, do we?” She enjoyed the flash of horror crossing his face.
“Now now, I’m only kidding, puppet.” She gave his belly a hearty slap and watched him almost spit out the remaining crumbs of filling he had just pushed beyond his lips. The constrictions of her command forced him to use the napkin after he had emptied his plate once again.
Zelena opened the belt and button and watched as his engorged middle surged forward, exposing the flesh of his swollen underbelly.
“Despite, you’ve done so well .” She poured him another glass of wine as a peace offering.
“We can only hide so much of our true nature. I know you appreciate all I’ve done, deep down. Drink, it will soothe you.” Zelena couldn’t read the look he gave her, as he wordlessly sipped the wine, but she liked to think it was one of understanding.
“Now, with the extra room, I’m sure you will appreciate this too, puppet.” She said, as she placed the final slice on his plate, giving him an encouraging smile.
The last slice did in fact not go down easily.
It frustrated her.
She knew he thought he had to play this game, convince her of his suffering, he was a trickster after all, but a simple thank you really wouldn’t have killed him, even if it was beyond his nature.
Instead he gagged and choked and groaned, his stomach under her hand churning and growling like an angry cat and swelling just the slightest bit more. Really, it hadn’t even been that big of a slice. Certainly nothing compared to everything he had so greedily devoured before. When he was done with his show, he pressed the napkin to his lips again, although longer this time. Glaring at her.
Still unhappy? Was he still not sated? Well there was certainly enough of a mess left to clean up.
“Look at you. FIlled to the brim, bursting out those nice clothes I picked.” She snarled, motioning at his open pants and straining shirt buttons. “Close to bursting yourself, judging by those noises and it’s still not enough.”
Zelena grabbed the metal plate the pie had been sitting on, cold crumbs of meat and dough still clung to it.
“After all my efforts I’d at least appreciate some help with cleaning.” She handed him the plate. “Clean this up, will you, deary?”
She watched amused, as he rose again, this time with quite some effort and a sloshing, protesting gut before she added. “With your mouth. Lick it clean.”
His face actually fell at that. Had she misjudged?
Maybe it was the meat pie after all? Maybe in truth he hated it? Maybe his cute little caretaker had ruined his appetite for it a long time ago?
While Zelena was left to wonder, he lowered himself carefully back into his seat and got started on his task.
FInally, the plate fell to the ground with a clatter and he leaned back out of breath and sweating. He didn't even try to stifle the loud burp leaving his mouth.
“That’s a good boy.” Zelena patted his hardened stomach, despite the lack of manners. The overtaxed organ gave a strained noise. Another low whimper slipped from its owner's mouth.
Zelena clapped her hands together “Now for the dessert.”
In one swift motion and without warning, her puppet bent over, spewing parts of his meal back onto the floor. She dodged the onslaught just in time to avoid having her shoes covered in vomit.
“My my, how rude.” She snapped. And after all the work she had put into it. Angrily she gripped the dagger.
“Get back into your cage you ungrateful imp.” With a grimace he got up, staggered towards the door while pressing one hand against his mouth and steadying his distended gut with the other.
Zelena watched him go face burning with anger and embarrasment. Well that hadn't gone like she'd expected at all. With a flick of her wrist she removed the mess.
Definitely the meat pie then. That was it. He must have found a different comfort food in all those years.
She just had to find it.
And then he would come around.
They still had a few weeks until Snow White’s baby would be born after all.