Feeding Swans isn't so bad

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Having taken the lead thus far Elle wasted no time as they passed the gate into the park to hurry over where the pond was, greeted by the usual excited honking of six swans, while they seemed normal something about them seemed different dignified even as they made their way over to Ella as she fished out a paper bag from her purse and opened it.

Smiling she turned holding it out to Mr. Gold with and encouraging expression inside was a plastic liner wasn't bread and such like people tended to feed birds but vegetables still warm as well spinach sliced potatoes broccoli and mixed in where some of the pellets from the pet store she gestured again nodding as the swans waddled forward curiously knowing there was food and clearly questioning why it wasn't their yet.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

Gold had to ask himself how he got into this & then he remained himself, he fallowed Elle when they got to the swans, he did as Elle suggested he drew he threw some food to the swans. Oddly he did find joy in it, but he though it best to not make it so clear that he had. After all he could just see, someone coming by he could only imagine what they would be thinking, after all he was not to far form thinking the same thing.

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As the food became visible the swans leery at first of the new comer soon waddled towards him eagerly shifting Elle touched his hand lightly before he tossed the next handful. Moving she drew some out and crouched holding her hand out, the swans watched before moving over each carefully pecking the food from her hand. As she watched over then she had a mixed expression, at peace, and in pain.

She had no idea why she felt this way, weak somehow as she fed them. She remembered every day, she came every day, and tended them took care of them and yet some how she always felt like she was doing soemthing wrong or not doing something she glanced up at Mr. Gold and gestured for him to join her, she was glad at that moment for being mute, she didn't think he'd be able to understand she didn't even understand herself why swans brought her such a mix of joy and helpless misery, she moved holding the bag to him again weather he choose to crouch beside her or not before holding her hand out with more food.

One swan the smallest of the bunch (though not by much) waddled over to Mr. Gold looking up at his questioningly before pecking at his pant leg curiously, Elle didn't bring people often, sometimes older school children where invited to watch but just on person was a break in routine and the birds where clearly curious.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

Gold could not say it would not be a day of surprises, at her touch it was something he really did not expect though, he did well to not show it. He watched her, of course he knew the truth one thing about remembering is he knew, it was he just could not say.

He watched Ella, as she saw her crouch, he saw her motion, but he was not so quick to think to join her, how ever he saw the smaller of the swans come up before it started to peck at his pant leg, well it was clear who had who trained here.

But, he did threw some more food to the swans Gold was better around children & animals, though others he could not say he was not so, kind to.

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She smiled watching him a moment before handing him the bag and fishing out her note book 'See? they like you, not just because you have food either, animals are very keen, they don't much like my step mother did you know swans can growl? they did at her it surprised me... they don't like the Mayor much either I'm not sure why she seems nice enough though, she kind of frightens me a bit to, she can be kind of intimidating. holding it up for him to read she had kind of a sheepish expression moving to pull it back once he'd read it to write some more

'I'm not sure why maybe it's because everyone wants to be special, but, I feel like These swans are special and because of that I can be special for them, is that weird? I think, everyone has something that makes them feel special, The swans like you, I like you, others like you, That's what I wanted to show you, because your special to even if other people can't see it or don't want to.' this she wrote blushing brightly maybe she was being to forward she wasn't sure but she didn't really mind either, she did like him, she respected him and admired him a bit to being as strong as he was or seemed anyway.

She sighed watching the bird while he had a chance to read her words knowing nothing of her real connection to them, of why being with them brought so much joy and sadness.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

Gold read her words "I cannot say I knew that" Of course he could agree with them, on the mayor it was just not something he said. "We each find something that makes use feel special, some take longer to find then others & I still tell you there is only a few that I could say might like me in some since, the rest just tolerated me, it has always been that way since I became there land lord & maybe even before"

It was true, there was only like a handful of people that might like him & the rest just feared him, so they left him be. He only hand one enemy here & the was the mayor though for the time she appeared to be doing something or planing, so he had to be ready for if she did something.

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she smiled a little proudly for having taught him something new pulling back her note book and writing That's true I just I felt bad I feel like I might have made you think about it and hurt your feelings, I like you a lot and really respect you also I wanted to make you feel better.' she wrote showing him with an honest earnest smile

'well I've always respected you but you've been the landlord forever so I don't really know you from before so I couldn't really say but I think I'd have liked you before to.' she wrote nodding as one of the swan waddled over laying it's head in her lap looking up with blatant expectation she smiled plucking out a chunk of potato and feeding it before moving and standing carefully folding the now empty bag and looking at him as she tucked the sack into her purse the swans made noises waddling around them satisfied there was no more food they watched curiously a couple already heading back for the water while one, the biggest and undoubtedly the one in charge and the same one who had sat it's head in her lap pecked lightly at her hand rubbing it's beak against her fingers as if in thanks, it eyed Mr Gold for a long moment before waddling forward and doing the same action and promptly leading the others off.

'They like food, steamed spinach an potato's are best, if you ever want to come feed them just don't bring bread or crackers it's an empty filler and dosen't give them any of the nutrition they need.' she wrote showing with a soft smile.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

He heard her words "My feelings are not so easy to be hurt" Of course if anyone did he hid it well, so one could never really say they hurt him. He did not miss the smile she gave, of course he did not repay it more in his nature then, the idea not to. "I have been a landlord for some time, before that it was more buying much of Storybrooke" Of course he could not say many would of liked him any better, then before they came to Storybrooke there he in many ways was worse.

Of course Gold could not say that having his hand picked out how ever soft, did not draw his attention way form Elle, of course it was not long before all the swans appeared to decided to leave heading back to the water.

He read her words "Yes, it makes since much like any animal it is best to feel them what they would find in the wild or what will give them the same as the foods they would find in the wild"

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Elle looked at him a long moment as if trying to figure him out before finally nodding looking out towards the lake then back at him writing 'Your a good land lord and fair, I stand by that no matter what anyone else might say.' she wrote with a firm nod and a smile before pausing seeming to think before shaking her head what ever it was it wasn't important enough to add

'They liked you, I told you they would, those six are different they seem to stick away from the other swans at firs I thought maybe they where sick but the vet says their fine, so I just take care of them. I kind of feel like I have to I should. But it's like I said they can tell your good, you might do things diffrently but it dosen't make you a bad person or mean.' she wrote out smiling before making a distressed motion

"I'm sorry Your probably really want to get back to work and I'm here jabbering away, um... are you, well you said it's not easy but, do you feel a little better?' she wrote out asking blushing a little sheepish she was keeping him and a little shy to ask what she thought of as a kind of forward question.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

He read her words before he spoke "And I still stand by, that few think as you do" Of course everyone had there own thoughts, he had not been out to make friends in his dealings in ether world, how Elle had such a vision of him he did not know perhaps her goodness just had not been washed away when they came to this world.

With her words on the swans he spoke "It could be that, they are just threw own group & not all swans get along perhaps something happened to them that just makes them leery of others of there own kind"

He nodded lightly to her words "I suppose I do feel a little better, but you are right I should return to work. It never really ends, but I should get all rent that is to be payed to day picked up, cannot have Storybrooke, thinking I have forgotten"

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'Well then They're missing out.' she wrote with a nod conceding he was probably right, though she felt bad to think people thought so lowly of him. 'I almost forgot, there has been a bit of rattling in the pipes lately when I use the kitchen sink, It's gone on for a couple weeks now I think it may need a plumber.' she wrote out having compleatly forgotten looking sheepish

'probably, at least they have each other and me to take care of them.' she wrote with a happy smile before nodding as he agreed he did have to go and finish collecting rent

' oh yes if your not prompt they might just think your being generous can't have that.' she wrote with a teasing smile before waving 'don't forget to come over for cake, you can bring Miss Abi if you like or I can wrap some for you to take to her, have a good afternoon.' she wrote enthusiastically crouching to grab her shopping bag, and waving again, she had to head to the grocers now she wanted some time to sit a read for a bit before icing the cake.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

Gold read what she wrote "I will send a plumber out to cheek that, for you" He smirked "I am sure they enjoy your company" His smirk only grew with her words on being prompt "No, could not have it at all"

With her words about Abi, it was to clear to him that it was likely few did not know of Abi & likely the fact she was staying with him, of course it was more a concern on what people could be saying about Abi, as for himself he could care less. "I will ask her & you have a good afternoon as well" With that he moved to leave, there was not many more places to go for rent, but he knew it was best to pick it up.