From Tumblr: Anon Ask - Does ABoT!Rumple have sexual performance issues?

[nym_wibbly]

Hope you don't mind a question about BOT Nym! I wondered how it is that Rumple, with all that insecurity, has no "performance issues" with Belle? Is it something he worries about at all?
~ Anonymous

I don’t mind at all!

The thing is, Rumple’s not afraid of anything he can control. That’s why he loves magic, loves being the great manipulator - it makes him feel safe and confident, and capable, when he has control. While he has practically unstoppable magic and a tender, sympathetic partner who he can reasonably expect to be understanding of his problems, he’s not worried about his sexual performance. It doesn’t feature in his estimation of his self worth, except lightheartedly when he’s teasing Belle with his greater knowledge/experience. He can certainly tell his own dick what to do if it comes down to it.

Take that crutch away, give him a reason to worry about it… give him a reason to think that he’s not pleasing or satisfying his partner, that he might lose them because of it, or that he needs to pretend to be more capable/confident than he really feels… Well, Rumple can blow anything out of proportion pretty fast, and when he overreacts, the consequences can be catastrophic, most of all for him. But he doesn’t always do that when he’s pressed or troubled. In some ways, he’s very mature (which I think is what ABoT!Belle responds so strongly to at first). Although his long lifespan has made him world-weary, it’s also made him pretty self-assured in many ways. He draws on his experience.

Now that he’s without the Dark One, now that he has to deal with his bad leg and human stamina, he’s unsure. Not freaking out, but not so sure that he can give Belle what she needs. Belle, of course, is like, “we’ll make it work, it’s fine, I’d still love you if parts started dropping off”, and she means it. Nothing complex or complicated or nuanced - she just means it. That doesn’t fit with Rumple’s past experience of an intimate relationship, but they’re fine as long as he can trust in her love.