A/N: I was prompted by the lovely lala-kate on tumblr.
Pairing: Henry and Roland, Phrase: I don't get it.
So here it is… You should get some Dimples Believer brotp with Mills Hood Family feels (and of course a dash of Outlaw Queen).
Thanks to Tiff (bless her heart) for being my beta and is the only reason you can get through reading this without the jarring mistakes.
Ever since Roland was a small baby he had been a curious one. His inquisitive eyes would take in the sights before him. He would make his way around, half crawling and half dragging his tiny body, his small pudgy hands grabbing at anything within his reach before peering at it suspiciously (sometimes giving it a hard bite for good measure). It wasn't long until the Merry Men learned that they had to keep their eyes on him all the time.
As years past, the boy grew increasingly interested in all matters, frequently asking brain stumping questions like "why is the sky blue", "why is Uncle John called Little John when he is not little anymore", "why are we always running from the scary men in black suits" and "why does my hair keep growing while Uncle Tuck's doesn't".
Robin, as much as he loves his boy – and heavens be his witness, he does – could no longer provide his son with the answers to all the questions. All he could do was wrap his arms around his boy and tell him honestly, "I don't know, my boy. Maybe someday you will find out and tell your papa about it", to which the boy would frown and reply "I don't get it" before trotting off to his next mystery.
The questions continued to pile up after they were swept by the second dark curse. Worse still, the questions he now asks include modern technologies with which Robin himself and the Merry Men are unfamiliar. Much to Robin's relief, this is where Henry steps in.
"I don't get it. How does Regina get the hot rain to fall and stop every time by pressing the round thing?" Roland asks, his dimpled little face screwing up in confusion.
"That is actually called a shower. We use it to bathe ourselves. You can turn on this knob here to make the water warmer or colder. The water is collected somewhere far away and travels through the long tube thingys around the walls and under the ground into this thing so when we press on this round button, it releases it."
Roland beams at Henry, clearly impressed by the older boy's knowledge while Robin sits watching in wonderment. He wonders how long it will take before Henry surpasses his own placing in his son's heart, just how Regina has already.
Days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months, before long, both boys – or rather, young men as they would have him call them – have develop a strong bond. Roland thinks the world of Henry while Henry has taken him under his wing, much to their parents delight. The questions though, they never cease. What started as questions on advances in technology like, "I don't get it, what is a TV and how did the people get into the box?" expands to include questions on familial ties like, "I don't get it, why do you have two mamas? And why did Uncle Will say Regina is also your great grandma?". Eventually Roland adds questions involving ethical behavior like, "I don't get it, why did we have to lie to Regina about going to the nice shop with lots of rings in it?", and even logistics like, "I don't get it, why can't I ask Santa for a baby sister for Christmas?".
Surprisingly, Henry always manages to answer the younger boy's questions with a straight face, as bizarre and difficult as they may be. So much so in fact, that Robin has labeled Henry "the wise young man from the mountain". However, there comes a day, when even Henry is unable to answer a particular question.
They are both sleeping when it happens. Or at least, they were, until Henry is rudely awakened by his stepbrother's persistent nudging.
"Henry! Henry!"
He groans as he pulls a pillow over his head before mumbling, "It's late, Roland. Go back to sleep..."
"But Henry… I don't get it…"
He frowns, still unwilling to open his eyes, surely whatever questions Roland has can wait til morning, but he knows – he knows, that Roland will not give up until his questions are answered so he decides to indulge in the boy's request. Sighing loudly, he rubs his eyes before opening them (or at the very least, attempting to open them), barely making out Roland's shape in the darkness.
"What is it, Roland? What don't you get?"
"What is that noise? Did you hear that?" Roland asks, crinkling his nose and furrowing his brow as he concentrates.
"Noise? What noise?"
"Listen, there it is again!"
Henry straightens his back and tries hard to oblige.
It starts as a slow and soft thudding sound, which then picks up its pace, increasing in speed and volume. The sound, in itself, would have been difficult to discern; that is, until a distinctive moan erupted at the end which was almost instantly muffled. Henry's eyes widen in horror as he blushes furiously.
He urges Roland to return to bed before scrambling back into his, wincing before he covers his ears with his pillow, "I don't get it either". Oh how he wishes he didn't.
- END -
LOLOLOLOLOLOL~
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you like it! :D
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