Should I be writing something else? Yes. Am I? No, because I'm garbage.
Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time. Or Spider-Man. In fact, I don't even own this body. I'm only possessing it to write this ficlet.
Henry's obsession with Spider-Man had almost been out of the blue, starting with just a television commercial.
He had been five at the time, his bedhead hair ruffled and slightly frizzy like it had been rubbed on by a balloon, a cereal bowl in his hands at he sat on the couch. Eating on the couch had been a privilege earned only on Saturday morning during cartoons, though.
"The first time you make a mess is the last time you get to do it," Mommy had warned.
His caramel colored eyes shone with excitement as he intently watched the television screen. He had on a loose fitting gray shirt and his Christmas themed pajama bottoms, even though it was the beginning of May.
"Mommy, what's that?" he had asked, pointing to the advertisement for an action figure he had never seen before. Regina was sitting right next to Henry, a cereal bowl in her own hand.
"Well," Regina had started, waiting to hear the product be named. "That's... Spider-Man." She prayed she had gotten the name right, but Henry didn't notice any hint of doubt in her voice.
"Spidey-Man?" said Henry. "Can I have it? I'll be super good and make my bed and brush my teef and flush the pottie―"
"We'll see," answered Regina.
Henry looked up at her, giving her the best puppy eyes he was able to muster up.
"We'll see," she repeated.
About a month later, as Henry turned six ("Am I all grown up now?"), he unwrapped one of his several presents to see the very action figure he had asked about so long ago.
"Spidey!" he had screamed, his voice filled with joy, and he quickly tried to rip open its plastic casing with his bare hands.
"Henry, honey, let me open it for you," Regina said, carefully taking the present from hosting fingers and walking over to the counter, grabbing a pair of scissors and cutting open the case as Henry bounced on the balls of his feet right next to her, his nose barely peeking
from the start of the marble countertop.
"Here," said Regina, giving Henry the now-free toy. Henry instantly grabbed it, squealing, automatically starting to run through the huge mansion and make exaggerated airplane noises without a second thought.
In the course of about six months, Henry has changed his bedroom comforters, toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo, slippers, pajamas, a few shirts, and almost every conversation he was in into something about the spider-themed hero. Christmas was nearing and Henry walked up to his mother one night, a peculiar look on his face.
"What is it, sweetheart?" Regina had asked, swiveling around from her office desk with paperwork on it to the direction of her son.
Henry took that as his invitation to come in, and stood almost toe to footie pajama bottom with his mother, starting with, "Well, I love Spidey, right?"
"Yes," she said.
"And you love me, right?"
Regina's expression melted quicker than Granny's chocolate chip cookies in your mouth. "Of course, Henry."
"Well that means you love Spidey."
Regina, thought for a second before saying, "Hmm... I guess it does."
"Well then you gotta get some Spidey stuff!"
Regina raised an eyebrow, a playful look in her eyes. "Henry, I don't think I would like Spider-Man products as much as you."
"Well," Henry said. "Then that's my Christmas present! To you! You should get... uhh, Spidey... jammies! Spidey jammies! Because you love Spidey!"
"Oh, Henry," laughed Regina, ruffling her son's hair. "Okay."
Henry whooped in celebration.
"Now go brush your teeth!"
"Okay!"
A few days later, Regina knew she would get weird looks as she got Spider-Man pajama pants in an adult size, but she decided to pay attention to Henry's chants of "Spidey! Spidey! Spidey!" instead.
After all, Henry loved Spider-Man, and Regina loved Henry. So that meant Regina loved Spider-Man.
Hope you enjoyed!