Huge thanks to Brittany for the beta!
If you haven't read The Outsiders, you should. But this resembles an exchange I've experienced personally and one that felt perfect for this family.
Tuesday. Prompt 222: Roland goes to college.
Finding out he was accepted into Columbia was the greatest and scariest moment of Roland's life. His parents were bubbling with nerves behind his desk chair, waiting for the email to come through, as their internet connection was the slowest it had ever been in his life.
He kept clicking the link, but the damn thing wouldn't load. Give it a moment his father soothed as they watched in anticipation. And finally when the first word that grabbed his eyes was congratulations, his Mom's hands were gripped gently on his shoulders, shaking him excitedly with a half-squealed, Roland, you did it!
His last semester of high school flew by. Football games, final exams, and a prom very ironically Fairytale themed. He went back and forth about his costume for the event, but it just didn't feel right to be anyone else but Robin Hood. It's safe to say Robin spent the better half of his evening wiping away not-so-subtle tears, but when his girlfriend, Alexis, turned up at the door donning a gorgeous, red velvet gown and very proudly told his mother that she was The Evil Queen, all bets were off.
Regina's mouth dropped open at the sight, touched and even more emotional, gasping when she realised. Alexis looked a dream that night, eager to smile brightly and tell Regina, "I'm you! But a bit more evil than you, of course," while sporting the best fake growl she could.
"We're you guys," Roland said, smiling proudly. "If it wasn't obvious." He linked his arm through his girlfriend's and stayed silent for a moment, letting them take it in.
"It felt right," Alexis added merrily.
Robin was clearly touched by the gesture, a hand on his chest and a puff of breath blown through his lips. "Now, if you want to be authentic," Robin said after clearing his throat, "Alexis, you need to ignore his your charm this evening."
"Hey," Regina scolded playfully, giving Robin a swift swipe to his forearm. "I did no such thing."
Robin focussed all of his attention to Regina, bending the short distance to be almost nose to nose with her. "How exactly do you remember it?" Robin teased.
Regina grinned, building up her retort, but Alexis burst out laughing, gripping onto Roland's hand.
"So, I'll be home at two?" he asked through a bout of soft chuckling, directing Regina's attention to him.
"Oh, nice try, Outlaw." She clicked her tongue and considered it for a moment. "But, I suppose for one night we can extend your curfew."
She looked to Robin for confirmation, and he happily agreed. They had no reason not to trust him and, the truth is, the most mischief Roland was ever capable of was asking for two cherries on his milkshake at Granny's.
"Have fun," Robin nodded, snapping one last picture before they left.
Every day after that is a blur. Before Roland knew it, summer was over and they were parking outside his freshman dorm room with a car filled with boxes of keepsakes and new sheets for his bed.
They unpacked in near silence, and his room slowly became his new home, but with every picture frame placed and hanger hung, it really dawned on him that this was it. His new adventure is about to begin and in the morning, his parents wouldn't be there to chat with him over breakfast and ask him about his day.
"I think we're almost done," Regina says softly, patting against his forest green comforter for the millionth time. "And we have a long drive back."
Robin has been playing with the coathangers, just shifting them side to side hoping to prolong the inevitable, but he agrees, "Yes, I guess we should consider hitting the road."
"Right now?" Roland blurts against his will.
Regina smiles sadly in his direction, walking the short way to cup his face delicately. "Like a bandaid, remember?" She'd been saying it for weeks. It would sting at first, but the faster it happened, the easier it would be. "I put the lasagna in your fridge."
"With red pepper flakes?" He asks.
"Is there any other way?" she retorts, shocked that he'd considered her prepping without them - she knows they're his favourite.
She smacks a kiss to his cheek and stares a second too long. Noting the tears gathering in her brown eyes, he tilts away, whining the drawn out Mom that she's surely used to by now.
"Alright, alright," she chuckles lightly, fixing the way his shirt is settling on his shoulders and hugging him briefly, whispering, "Go hug your father."
Robin's still by the built in wardrobe, his hands stuffed nervously in his pockets, but he easily removes them to open his arms wide for Roland's embrace. It's a tight one, one that Roland doesn't think he could weasel out of if he tried, not that he wants to, especially when Robin mumbles a soft I'm proud of you against his mopped curls.
"I know," Roland replies. "Now, get out of here before I pack this room back up and drop out before my first class."
Robin laughs, his torso bouncing up and down against Roland. He reaches for Regina's hand, and they walk to his door, looking back just once with a soft wave goodbye before closing his door.
He takes a moment to exhale, taking the time to look around his new home for the next year. It has Regina's touch right now and it'll probably never look this way again considering that he inherited Robin's messy nature. She's made his bed, tucking in all the corners tightly so that when he slips inside he's cocooned nicely, and she's sweetly made sure his favourite book The Outsiders was on his bedside table - he's read it religiously since he was an early teen after Henry gifted it to him.
He's a few more things though. Dropping to the floor, Roland reaches far under his bed for the suitcase he smuggled in and hid before either of them could notice. It bounces on his bed when he swings it up, and he unzips it quickly, placing the borrowed items from home out on his bed.
A picture of Marian, of course, the mother who couldn't be here today but would be bursting with undoubtable pride. A copy of Henry's first screenplay to place next to his book, something he'd regrettably not had time to read over the summer. An arrow from the plethora Robin kept in the cupboard, a reminder him to stay focussed and hit his target. And what would his new home be without a reminder of Regina, the woman who has loved him unconditionally since before he even arrived in Storybrooke. He snuggles the monkey she conjured for him into the corner of his bed for whenever he feels alone, and to always remind him that anything he fears might not be as scary as he thinks.
He exhales deeply, happy to have these little things scattered around him now, and he stands to admire the good job they all did unpacking, then there's a soft knock at his door, a hesitant thing.
He's obviously not expecting anyone, but there's a flutter in his stomach when he opens up and Regina is standing there with something folded up in her hands.
"For if you ever lose hope," she tells him simply, giving him the wadded piece of paper before ruffling a hand through his hair a final time and walking back down the hallway.
He unfolds the page in the doorway, taken aback suddenly by the gesture of giving him something that she has treasured so much. She's given him the taped together Page 23 that has been hidden away in her office for years. He's honoured to have been given something so special, something to remind him that even in the darkest of times, he should never forget that his happy ending will always find its way to him, just like Regina's did.
Carefully, he strategically places the page to balance upright amongst the frames on his desk. And he has to snap a picture on his phone. He sends her a text with the picture attached and a simple message that reads: Thank you. I love you.
And her reply is simpler, a nod to his favourite novel: Stay gold.