Growing up was hard, reaching that point of acceptance and discovery and contentment, but growing up in a family like Henry's?
Well, it was a little bit more complicated than a time-worn scrapbook of pictures and a few pencil marks etched onto the doorframe.
It was a frustrated gaze thrown his way when he interrupted a conversation everyone else thought was more pending than his own needs, or a gentle nudge in the general direction of his room when trouble was around, or even the slow, subtle smile Emma managed when he didn't understand something. It was being preyed upon each and every second by lurking enemies looking for weaknesses, or being used by certain grandfathers, or being shoved into an afterthought when something big happened.
It was, to put it simply, far more frustrating than any other childhood, and Henry was already dreading the next time something bad came his way, like Pan or Greg and Tamara. But most of all, he was dreading his overpowering curiosity, which, at the moment, was the driving force behind his current predicament.
...
"You need to establish trust, first thing," Charming offered casually, smiling as he sipped his early morning coffee, leaning against the kitchen counter in his plaid robe. His short hair was tousled, and Snow lovingly reached up to brush a light strand from his forehead, smiling as she clutched her steaming mug of coffee like a cherished possession.
"He's wondering how to ask a girl out, Charming, not how to keep up the relationship," she laughed as she circled over to the sink.
"It's the same thing," the prince sighed, smiling crookedly at his wife. Henry, sitting at the kitchen table with his chin resting against his palm, quickly excused himself, thinking he needed better advice.
...
"Be nice, I guess. That's really the only way to win a girl over," Emma murmured in between bites of peach cobbler, closing her eyes for a moment in bliss as she smiled satisfactorily, the waves of her blonde hair glinting golden in the lighting of the living room. Henry looked down at the storybook in his hands, staring at the countless stories lying dormant on the aged pages, countless lives captured in swirling tendrils of ebony ink.
"I mean, being rude isn't going to get you anywhere." She turned, her brows furrowed, and swallowed her next bite, pointing her slimed fork at her son, her grey eyes bright.
"What girl are you trying to get, anyway?" Henry, eyes rounding and cheeks burning, made quick work of leaving, and left the front door swinging open in his wake.
...
"A girl? What girl?" Regina exclaimed questioningly, fixing her shirt collar as she gazed at her reflection, the strong smell of apple pie wafting into the foyer from the warm kitchen. She brushed her dark hair back, checking that her makeup wasn't a complete mess, and turned, ruby lips pursed expectantly as she stared down at him. He swallowed, shaking his head, and smiled uneasily.
"You know what, never mind. It's nothing, really. I…have to go," he stammered nervously, swiveling to hightail it out of there, but she reached forward and caught his jacket, gently turning him back to face her as she kneeled down to meet his eyes, her brown eyes surprisingly caring as she grabbed his shoulders soothingly, smiling teasingly.
"Any girl would be lucky to have you, I'm sure. Just be yourself around her, and it'll be fine."
He smiled at her, glad that the rare moments of kindness she carried within her could peek through every now and then, and he dismissed himself with a wave as she left for a meeting with Hook, Snow, and Emma.
...
The click of his cane was loud in the silence of the shop, and Gold smiled down at Henry as Bae sat behind the counter, his elbows pressed to the glass despite the signs taped to the cases admonishing the action, his mocking smile bright and amused.
"So, let me get this straight. You want to ask a girl out, but don't know how, so you're coming to us?" Bae asked seriously, his brow raised in contemplation as his father turned to look out the door window at a certain librarian crossing the street.
"Do you like her?" Gold asked absently, his eyes tracking every movement Belle made, her brown hair tossed about her face by the summer breeze, her cheeks wind-worn and rosy. Henry took a seat beside his father, raising the stool a bit so he could see Gold from across the wide expanse between them.
"Of course I do. She's amazing," he said dreamily, and Gold blinked, turning to give his son a meaningful gaze, which Bae returned, starting to laugh as his serious mask broke apart. Henry looked up to him, surprised.
"It's not funny. I know I'm young and all, but still-" Bae put up a hand, clutching his stomach as he laughed harder, his eyes gleaming.
"It's ok, kid. We're just laughing, that's all. Get the girl flowers, or candy-every girl likes candy. Maybe throw in a few compliments, be a gentleman. You two will be dating in no time." He patted Henry's back reassuringly before standing, putting on his sunglasses.
"I have to go meet Emma for some "top-secret savior stuff"-whatever that means. I'll see you later," he muttered to his father, turning to go out the rear entrance, disappearing past the dusty curtains hanging in front of the back room.
Turning back to Gold, Henry leaned against the case, and sighed, tapping his small fingers against the glass, compelled by his sudden boredom to at least do something, and the man turned back around to stare at his girlfriend, headed toward his shop in her heels and the new dress he'd bought her a few weeks ago.
"You really don't even have to do that, Henry. Just make her laugh, make her smile." He spared a glance at his grandson, and Henry knew more than he knew anything else that the warmth in the Dark One's brown eyes was for Belle and Belle only, and he realized what a miracle that was, in and of itself.
"Happiness can go a long way."
And that, admittedly, was the best advice Henry thought he'd ever gotten.
Please R&R! Feedback of any kind is always appreciated! ;)
Prompts are welcome!
Prompt: Henry is seeking answers to growing up-type questions (this could be the birds and the bees, how to talk to girls, or something else entirely) and asks all of his various parents and grandparents. He gets a very different answer from each. (by nezumipi over on Tumblr)
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