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    KAELYN FIRST MET Rumpelstiltskin when she was thirteen.

    She had been living with Malcolm and the spinsters for around a year, the happiest and lightest she'd felt in years, even if it was spinning thread all day just to then flit around town in the setting sun with Malcolm, when they were joined by a smaller boy. His name was Rumpelstiltskin, a hideous name apparently given to him by his father out of spite, which fit the bill as the man in question abandoned his son with the spinsters on a random afternoon at their doorstep.

    They were, of course, too nice to send him away and had taken him in as their third lost child to raise without a second thought, Kaelyn and Malcolm watching apprehensively through a window as the boy cried for his father who wasn't coming back while the spinsters had ushered him inside. Within days, the boy had joined them at the wheels, and turned out to have a natural gift for spinning. Kaelyn was a bit annoyed by the new talent, but was nowhere near as bitter as Malcolm, who had insisted on the pair excluding him out of pettiness.

    Kaelyn felt a little bad, but wasn't about to fight Malcolm on it as she did love their one-on-one ventures into the town after a day of spinning. They had developed a bad habit of stealing, something it seemed neither could quite grow out of, but mainly because the spinsters didn't have as much as they probably needed to support three children. Thieving then reselling was a common tactic, but food was also common in desperate times. During her first winter with the spinsters, Kaelyn had eaten less than she had in her entire life, no matter how much better her life was with them.

    In the same year, Kaelyn had never once slipped up and revealed her abilities to Malcolm, past experiences being too harsh for her to trust anyone else again with that information. She'd, luckily, come a long way since her time with the Carroways and getting sick over just holding her abilities back. They were far more refined from her time spent with Ajax and his group, however sick that made her feel. Both the memory of the man and what she'd ultimately done to him had haunted her for months afterwards, and she'd sometimes wake choking on imaginary blood or feeling his hands on her.

    Either way, the thirteen-year-old brunette was far better off than she had been in years, and every time she looked at Malcolm, she was reminded of how lucky she was to have met him and how much she owed him. Even if he denied it and didn't think it was that deep, Kaelyn held him nearer and dearer to her heart than she probably cared to admit. After all, he was technically her first real friend.

    Every time the pair left together after a day of work, Rumple would watch them with sad eyes, Kaelyn occasionally meeting them apologetically, before they were off.

    "We need to take him with us," Kaelyn would often say, because she knew she was right.

    "We don't need to," Malcolm would reply, indignantly, as always.

    This time, the conversation was happening as they scaled a roof to sit on the flat part at the top and watch the sunset, Malcolm with a stash of biscuits under his overcoat and Kaelyn with a new stolen ring on her finger. She still wore the one from her meeting with Malcolm, glinting in the glare of the evening sun.

    "It would be nice to," Kaelyn huffed, pulling herself up the last bit, swinging her leg up to fully get herself over. She shuffled into place next to Malcolm, who'd been ahead of her, as the pair overlooked the forest past the edge of town, sky turning brilliant hues of blues and pinks. Kaelyn took a deep breath, a breeze flittering through her hair and across her cheeks. It was moments like these she felt more content with life than ever.

    "I don't care," Malcolm said, harshly. He removed the biscuits from where he'd stored them and offered one to Kaelyn, who accepted it wordlessly. "Stuff was fine when it was just us two," the boy added with a shrug, taking a bite of his biscuit with a crunch.

    "Stuff can be fine with him, too," Kaelyn said, quietly. Malcolm gave her an annoyed look. "He's one of us now. I don't think he's even gone into town once," the brunette girl insisted, letting herself sound exasperated.

    "Fine." Malcolm relented. Kaelyn grinned. "Don't give me that look. You know I can't hold anything back from you."

    "I know," Kaelyn jeered. Malcolm smirked and gently shoved her shoulder, the brunette letting out a yelp and almost overbalancing and falling down the eave of the roof, if not for the boy's hand holding hers tightly. She gaped mockingly at him, the boy bursting into laughter at her face, and she quickly joined in.

    When they returned home later that night, as per his word, Malcolm immediately went looking for Rumple, who was seated in the garden looking up at the stars. Kaelyn trailed behind her friend, nervous of what he was about to say. They rarely talked to the boy outside of small talk, and Malcolm and Kaelyn excluded him so much they'd gotten used to having conversations when he was around as if he wasn't. The three even shared the one room in the cottage and they somehow avoided him.

    Upon seeing that the pair was actually heading towards him, Rumple snapped to attention and looked at them wearily. He had a head of curly, sandy-brown hair and big, brown eyes that always looked like he was on the verge of crying. He was also incredibly small, being the same age as both Kaelyn and Malcolm but shorter and skinnier than both of them.

    "Rumple," Malcolm said, sharply. "Can we call you that?"

    The boy blinked at the pair. "Sure," he said, unsurely, wringing his hands together in his lap.

    "Great. How would you feel about going into town with us tomorrow afternoon?" Malcom said to him, voice so dry and forced Kaelyn had no further doubts he was only doing this because she'd asked.

    "Really?" Rumple said, eyes lighting up.

    "Yes, really," Kaelyn finally spoke up from behind Malcolm, giving the smaller boy a reassuring smile.

    "I'd love to!" he exclaimed, finally letting himself grin.

    As Kaelyn and Malcolm headed back inside, she sent him a grateful look, to which he simply rolled his eyes and dismissed it. No matter, seeing Rumple's face at being included had made it worth it.

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    AS MUCH AS HE TRIED to hide it the next day, Rumple was clearly excited for the evening. He went through his daily tasks so quickly he was left buzzing around over Kaelyn and Malcolm's shoulders as they finished up, clearly holding back from asking anything or annoying them too much for fear of them changing their mind.

    The sun was still shining when they were done, farewelled the spinsters, and disappeared down the cobbled path of the cottage and towards the town, Rumple trailing the pair silently but still vibrating with energy. Kaelyn and Malcolm chatted amongst themselves, occasionally including Rumple, about what they were doing. As per Kaelyn's request, they weren't doing anything extreme or illegal, simply just wanting to take the smaller boy around town for a first time. Malcolm had been disgruntled, but relented.

    Rumple's eyes were wide as he took in the place the pair always disappeared to, the cobbled streets and stone buildings, the plaza with the fountain, stalls from all corners of the realm. It reminded Kaelyn of when she'd first arrived, so unaware of what was about to happen. She had lost her spark for new people since Ajax's group had taken her in, but it was people like the boys in front of her that reminded her it could still be okay to let people in.

    Malcolm disappeared at some point, slipping away to do his own thing. Kaelyn didn't mind too much, as she was showing Rumple around in much the same way Malcolm had when she'd first arrived in town. The brunette was kindly directing Rumple to the best florist in town when Malcolm grabbed her shoulders from behind, causing her to jump.

    "Idiot! Don't do that," she snapped, even Rumple getting startled next to her.

    "Shh," Malcolm hissed as the girl fixed her indigo eyes on him. He looked at Rumple warily, and tugged on Kaelyn's arm. "Come."

    She shot Rumple a reassuring look before letting herself trail after Malcolm around the corner, the pair poking their heads around a stone wall to look at a line of shops in front of them, both with residential areas built on top of them with staircases on the side. Malcolm was looking at them intently, but Kaelyn couldn't quite see the importance of what she was looking at.

    "What is it?" she finally asked.

    Malcolm looked vexed. "Look at that shop. Butcher and a jeweller. Same back door."

    Kaelyn could briefly distinguish that upon a closer look. "Yeah, so?"

    "So," the blonde boy drawled. "There's three of us now. We can pull off heists, real things."

    "How?" Kaelyn asked, suspecting her friend already had a plan.

    "Spend the next week or so studying the movements of the workers then one day at dusk, we strike. Rumple takes watch, while you go to the butcher, and I head into the jeweller," Malcolm explained dramatically, giving Kaelyn a smug look. "Food and money, all in one."

    "It's a bad plan," she said, dryly.

    Malcolm rolled his eyes. "We'll figure it out."

    "Bet you're glad to have him around now," Kaelyn said, snidely, as the pair headed back to where Rumple was being overwhelmed by the bunches of flowers in his arms.

    "Shut up," Malcolm hissed as they re-joined the smaller boy, who looked like he hadn't thought they were coming back for him.

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    THE NEXT WEEK PASSED, Malcolm persistent in his endeavour to monitor the strip of shops, while Kaelyn hung back with Rumple and continued to show him around town and help him get his bearings. He was an incredibly soft-spoken boy, and mainly just listened to Kaelyn ramble until Malcolm slid back in and made his regular snide remarks.

    The pair had not yet told Rumple about the so-called heist, which Kaelyn knew was beyond amateur and probably didn't deserve to be called that, and it was almost an unspoken agreement to not mention it to him. He had started to talk to them during their time at home, too, talking as they spun and chattering innocently before they all fell asleep.

    Malcolm still appeared disgruntled by his presence, but clearly put up with it because Kaelyn wanted him to, which she silently appreciated.

    By the time a week had passed, Kaelyn and Rumple were playing cards with a stolen deck in their room, when Malcolm burst in, eyes glinting. He had memorised the shifts, their movements, the backdoor entrance, everything. Rumple had glanced across at Kaelyn, with such innocence she couldn't meet his eyes.

    As they moved into town towards the strip of shops, Malcolm leading the way, Kaelyn ignored the guilt of bringing Rumple into their plan. This was what life was like, if he was truly going to be apart of it with them.

    As it would turn out, Rumple was not so innocent, for while Malcolm explained to the smaller boy how he would simply wait outside and whistle three times if he saw anyone, he immediately went, "Are we at least stealing anything good?"

    Kaelyn just took it in stride as Malcolm froze, looking at the boy in surprise, pausing mid-explanation of his plan. "Yeah. Bit of money, and some food to barbecue for tonight," the brunette girl told him.

    "But we can't be seen, okay? Anyone sees our faces, we're dead," Malcolm cut in, firmly.

    "Okay," Rumple nodded. "Dad used to steal all the time and used me as a look out."

    "Were you good?" Malcolm asked, but Kaelyn rolled her eyes and ushered him away. They didn't necessarily have time to waste.

    Malcolm easily opened the window with his small knife, sliding it up and slipping in, Kaelyn following close behind, before they split; Malcolm heading for the jewellery and Kaelyn for the butcher. She opened the door to the back section with her magic, looking at the meat hanging on hooks, trying to decide which cut to choose, as she was only big enough to manage to carry one.

    However, three consecutive whistles sounded from outside, and Kaelyn bolted from the backroom, not bothering to close the door behind her as there was no way to do it quietly and quickly. She went for the window, but the door nearby it rattled and she dived underneath the counter of the butcher, pressing her back as far back as she could, breath shaky.

    Heavy footsteps entered the conjoined shops, and she barely moved her head to see the large shadow enter the entranceway. Where had they gone wrong? Had Malcolm messed up? Had he missed something dire? Rumple's warning hadn't even been ineffective, the store owner clearly was just quick.

    "Thief!" bellowed a loud voice, and Kaelyn flinched as she realised he must've seen the open window. His shadow faded away into the other store, and from her peripheral, Kaelyn, to her horror, saw Malcolm dive behind cover, visible to her from her angle. And, with him, was Rumple.

    The store owner had clearly gone for the more valuable side first, and was patrolling the rows with heavy footfalls, drawing ever nearer to the boys. Kaelyn's eyes widened as she looked at Malcolm and Rumple, the former covering the mouth of the latter, who wasn't as used to life on the streets as they were. Malcolm finally caught sight of her, a small sliver of her face hidden under the counter, meeting her eyes.

    "Go," he mouthed, sharply glancing at the one, easy exit; the door the shop owner had left open. Kaelyn swallowed thickly, considering it for only a second, before looking back to her friends. They would get caught, and if they got caught, they were as good as dead. Even if just their faces were identified, they were damned. Everyone knew everyone in town, and crime could be punished harshly.

    Power simmered under her skin, a feeling so unfamiliar but so at home for her, as she met Malcolm's lush green eyes across the room and could only hope that, somehow, he was different. That he wouldn't hate her for what she was about to do.

    With a pointed movement of her hand, a spark of indigo and an unnatural gleam to her eyes, the window at the back of the store shattered. The store owner swore loudly and ran to look, and Malcolm and Rumple sprinted, unseen, to the exit, Kaelyn trailing them. By the time the trio were home, the store owner was still bewildered and searching for the thieves, who hadn't even gotten away with anything.

    Kaelyn didn't have the stomach to ask why Rumple had been inside, or to ask if Malcolm had managed to get anything, she could only feel her heartbeat in her head and the shame she always did when someone new saw her power. No one said anything as they fled, and Kaelyn couldn't read the energy of the situation.

    Rumple looked brighter than Kaelyn had ever seen him, and as they slowed down outside of town, the sandy-haired boy turned to her and gave her a wide, excited grin. "Why didn't you say you had magic sooner?" he exclaimed, the trio finally coming to a halt. "We can use it to help us!"

    "No," Kaelyn said, immediately. "I don't want to hurt anyone with it ever again," she elaborated, thinking desperately of Cielle, of Ajax's blood coating her, of all the troubles and pain it had caused her. "It's bad. It brings bad things for me," she concluded, voice detached.

    Kaelyn looked desperately to Malcolm, who looked more stunned than Rumple. "Look, I wish you'd told us sooner, too," the blonde sighed from beside Kaelyn, who gave him a slightly hurt look, as he wouldn't meet her eyes. He bit his lip, before looking to the smaller boy. "But, Rumple, it's her choice."

    "Yeah, but imagine how you could help us," Rumple persisted. "Magic doesn't have to be bad, Kaelyn. You can use it to your advantage." Kaelyn looked at him evenly, the words sinking in in a way she hadn't quite considered before.

    "She said no," Malcolm snapped at Kaelyn's silence as she was stuck in thought, Rumple seeming to realise he'd crossed a boundary and going quiet. The blonde placed an arm around Kaelyn's shoulder, which was slightly awkward as they were still equal in height at their age, but it was a physical indicator that nothing had changed. Kaelyn looked to him, frowning. "Thank you for saving us," he told her, gently.

    She just blinked, a feeling blooming in her chest she'd never felt before. Acceptance.

    "Don't tell the spinsters about this. Please," she finally spoke, voice soft.

    "What are friends for?" Rumple said with a reassuring smile. Malcolm, surprisingly, didn't reject the statement, allowing the trio, for a moment, to collect themselves together as friends.

    And Kaelyn could only allow herself to feel safe for a moment, for the first time feeling like her magic didn't have to be hidden, or anyone else's but her own. Acceptance.

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so remember when i said an update would take a while? well i lied i had a mental health episode and wrote this as free therapy. that's all. also thank you for 10k reads on this fic it means a lot!

again i know flashback chapters aren't a fave, but they start to become more important now cause the gang's all here. but, as always, a present day chapter is prewritten and will be published in the coming days.

as always, thank you for the continued support on this book and please consider voting or leaving a comment, however random, if you enjoyed!