There are so many versions of Rumbelle I’d be here all day if I ran through all of them. I’m going to go with my headcanon for them which basically springs from the early seasons. Hope that’s ok 🙂
Who asks the other on dates: Belle. She’ll say “fancy doing x, y or z later?” or spot an advert for something and ask if he wants to go, or she’ll hear about something (*cough* ok mostly read about something* she wants to try and she’ll bring it up. Rumple is more the ‘accidental date’ kind. In that they’ll just happen to walk in the direction of the beach and see an amazing sunset, or he’ll just happen to have a table booked when Belle says she’s hungry etc. He doesn’t like to presume, so he always waits for Belle to make the first move in terms of wanting to spend time with him.
Who is the bigger cuddler: Rumple. Belle likes snuggling a lot but Rumple’s just a big teddy bear (so long as they are alone that is!). He reaches for her in the night, if she stays, and she wakes up in his arms no matter how they fell asleep. It’s not something he dares do when he’s awake so she makes sure to hug him as often as possible. The happy soft sigh and how he nuzzles into her hair always makes her heart skip a beat.
Who initiates holding hands more often: Definitely Belle. Rumple loves holding her hand and it’s not even something he minds doing in public. His reputation only matters when it comes to the safety of his family (Rumple believes a healthy dose of fear about him helps with that) but they get enough disdainful looks as it is. Belle doesn’t like those looks either because Rumple goes on a “I’m a beast sweetheart, no matter what I look like in this realm, and my claw in yours …” (she always interrupts then and reminds him for the Nth time that she fell in love with him in the old world). They’ve settled on a middle-ground of linking arms and are both happy with that.
Who remembers anniversaries: Rumple. Belle tries but in between cursed years and time spent in other realms she thoroughly lost track. Rumple smirked and enjoyed surprising and spoiling her tremendously for the first year. After that Belle had written down the dates he used and (in between curses) did her best with them. Unfortunately because of all the frozen time sometimes the dates moved leaving her to huff in frustration. Rumple says everyday is a gift with her in his life. Belle always has to kiss him for that and has settled for sometimes doing a “just because” special time for the two of them.
Who is more possessive: Bizarrely it’s Belle. I say bizarrely because most people would say Rumple. However the only time he’s ever challenged Belle’s autonomy has been when he’s been terrified for her safety. Rumple only wants Belle to stay if she wants, and secretly he believes she’ll walk out one day, and decide he’s too much trouble. Whereas Belle stakes her claim in a few different ways. She’ll commit Rumple to help with things without asking but she’ll also guard him against the unreasonable. The time the Charming’s asked for help four days in a row they found themselves being given a pile of books (as Belle just had to help a little) and a firm admonishment not to come back for at least a week unless it was life and death.
Who gets more jealous: Neither of them. They aren’t jealous people. Rumple just wants Belle to be happy. He would give her his blessing to be with someone else if that would make her happier. Belle I think has the capability to be jealous. I think if she saw someone putting the moves on Rumple she’d make it very clear that Rumple was hers, but that has never happened. If Rumple thought about it (which he hasn’t) he would say nobody wanted to proposition the Dark One, and Belle would probably say something about it being their loss.
Who is more protective: Rumple – slightly. It’s quite close though. Belle won’t stand for anyone badmouthing him around her. Legitimate complaints are fine (she does know what he can be like) but out and out insults are not. She draws a line and doesn’t hesitate to tear strips off anyone who crosses it. Rumple is obviously more concerned with physical safety. Belle understands his point and they’ve had several fights because she doesn’t want to stand on the sidelines – she wants to be his partner in all ways – and he’s just terrified. Usually Belle can get through to him by quite logically pointing out that the safest place in the world for her to be is right by his side.
Who is more likely to cheat: Neither – never!
Who initiates sexy times the most: Rumple would say Belle because he doesn’t believe he initiates. Belle would dispute that and say he most definitely does! It’s not verbal or physical but the heat in his eyes, the flutter of his spinner fingers, how he moves – she knows when he’s interested and all it takes from her is a heated kiss, a close embrace or a wandering hand and Rumple loses all reservations. Once he knows she wants him, he never disappoints.
Who dislikes PDA the most: Rumple. He’s a private man and he doesn’t like the disparaging comments. Belle doesn’t like them either but she likes to prove publicly to him sometimes that she isn’t ashamed of him.
Who kills the spider: Rumple. Belle knows she should be afraid, and she isn’t really, but she just doesn’t like how fast they skitter away and how sometimes when she reaches for them they crawl onto her. It reminds her too much of the tower or the asylum where she was imprisoned. Fortunately she only has to start to say his name with intent and he’s by her side. The spider gets dealt with, she gets a hug, and all is well.
Who asks the the other to marry them: Well in an alternate world where 3B never happened I would still say Rumple. It wouldn’t be done in haste, in desperation to hold onto the one good thing left in his life, so in many ways asking would be 10x harder. Rumple is terrified, sick with nerves and totally out of inspiration. He wants it to be special. This is the final moment that mends things between father and son as after Neal sees him like this he knows without a doubt that his Papa has returned.
It was the phonecall to Belle that started the process as Neal was surprised Rumple could still love like that. He loses all hesitancy seeing his father unable to form words he’s so panicked. Neal consults with Emma but it’s Henry that comes up with the idea. In the movie the dance led to ‘the beast’ letting Belle go, how about ending it with asking for forever? Rumple transforms the cabin and Belle smiling through tears reminds him she promised forever once before and jokes saying “nobody breaks a deal with me remember?”
Who buys the other flowers or gifts: With Belle’s father running the flower shop they don’t tend to exchange formal flowers and Rumple conjuring up a rose lost some of it’s allure when he admitted the truth about Gaston. Belle likes wildflowers anyway, they bring the outside in and help her feel free. Rumple leaves a small posy for her at least a few times a week at the library. Belle early on put her foot down about gifts, it’s Rumple she wanted and not his magic or his wealth. They mostly share their time and their interests. Belle will give him a book she enjoyed so they can talk about it together, or quite often she’ll read to him. Just quiet time snuggled together.
Who would bring up possibly having kids: Rumple. He didn’t mean to he was reminiscing about Bae and let slip “our children one day” he was immediately horrified but before he could stammer apologies Belle beamed. She hadn’t known how to bring it up and she’d been unsure how Rumple would feel. He had a grandson now and starting over might not hold any appeal. She wanted a life of her own, she wanted to travel etc. but she really wanted a family with her true love. They don’t start right then as they are happy being a couple but decide within a year or two for sure.
Who is more nervous to meet the parents: Neither because there wasn’t the opportunity. Colette was dead before Rumple and Belle met, and Rumple met Moe the same day he met Belle for the first time. Malcolm/Pan was dealt with and there was never any introductions done. Both Rumple and Belle hope Fiona/The Black Fairy will stay in her dark realm.
Who sleeps on the couch when the other is angry: Rumple wishes with every fiber of his being that it was him, he would never want to kick Belle out of the room, it should be him but it’s not. Belle is always the one that walks away needing her space. He at least convinced her to use a spare room and not the couch, he was concerned she would be cold and uncomfortable.
Who tries to make up first after arguments: Rumple which sometimes leads to the argument lasting even longer. Belle doesn’t mean to get irritated it’s just if she’s already angry over whatever they were fighting about, her patience with him is very limited. She loves him dearly and they always wind up in a big mess of apologies when they are both ready to make up. Once that’s done they have a reasoned discussion and fix whatever the issue was, it’s relatively rare that the discussion sparks another argument but it has happened.
Who tells the other they love them more often: Rumple. At first he said it quietly, just whispering like she wasn’t supposed to hear. It was like he thought that soon he wouldn’t be able to say it, so he wanted to make sure that she knew. He never goes anywhere without saying “I love you” and never ends a phone conversation without it either – no matter who is listening. It’s the one thing he doesn’t budge on. He’s not worried if Belle doesn’t say it back but he doesn’t want her to have any doubt as to his feelings.