Someone came up with an interesting theory on Belle on tumblr http://whatifqueen.tumblr.com/post/71781084171/belle-doesnt-like-rumplestiltskin-to-see-her
Belle doesn’t like Rumplestiltskin to see her cry.
Every time her eyes have filled with tears and her facial features start to wobble, she either leaves the room she’s in or tries to control herself until he’s gone before giving in. Every time.
The first time he catches her at it, she’s alone — she’s supposed to be sleeping and likely assumes he’s doing the same, which gives her the opportunity to give in to her feelings in her little cell without worrying about being seen or heard; a mistake, as he apparently doesn’t sleep and instead stays up spinning. When he bursts into what is essentially her room, she quickly wipes away her tears and tries to hide the fact that she was ever crying in the first place but to no avail — he’s caught her out and she snaps at him for pointing out something she doesn’t want acknowledged.
The next time tears start to well up and the time after that, she leaves the room. When he tells her that his power matters more to him than her, when she calls him on his bullshit, she turns on heel and leaves the moment she’s said her piece to keep the tears from spilling down her cheeks right in front of him. And the same thing happens when she takes him to task for unleashing the wraith and slipping back into old habits, when he snaps at her and diminishes the importance of their relationship in his anger — she walks right out that door to keep him from seeing her in that state.
Even when he’s finally emotionally honest with her about his reasons for creating the curse in the first place and tells her the truth about Bae, she can’t let him see her cry. She looks to the ceiling as he walks away to get herself under control before holding out the offer of reconciliation in the form of a hamburger date; then, as he walks away after accepting her tentative olive branch, and only then does she allow her face to crumple, indicating that she’s about to start crying in earnest.
Whether it’s because of reasons of pride or because she doesn’t want her emotional state to draw attention away from what he’s feeling or the reasons fluctuates depending on the situation, I don’t know — but is it any wonder she cries the hardest she’s ever cried in her life when she believes he’s gone forever after sacrificing himself to take out Pan?
Belle only allows herself to cry when he’s not around and that’s as “not around” as it gets.
All magic comes with a price!
Keeper of Felix