How to Talk Love With Your Kid
Eugene loved evenings like these. Sitting in Rapunzel's study while she finished up some of the infinite paperwork that came with running a kingdom, enjoying the cool breeze coming through the open balcony doors, book in his hands that he wasn't really paying attention to. Just him, Rapunzel, and their son.
Who, thankfully, was sitting on the thick rug in front of his mother's desk, actually reading, instead of off getting himself into trouble elsewhere in the castle. Small mercies.
Though some of that troublemaking spirit was probably his fault… he had been the one to teach the kid most of his climbing and sneaking skills. Even if he did occasionally try to shift the blame to 'Auntie' Cassandra. He was sure she had at least a little to do with it anyway. (And of course, he knew better than to blame Rapunzel, even if she could be the worst of them.)
But back to loving the evening. The peace, the quiet… in their busy lives, times like these were to be appreciated.
"Was it love at first sight between you two?"
For as long as they lasted, anyway.
Rapunzel and Eugene shared a Look—the question seemed to come from nowhere—and turned to their eight-year-old son. Rapunzel set aside her pen.
"Where'd that come from?" Eugene asked. In answer, Curran held up the book in his hands. Squinting, he could make out that it was some sort of anthology featuring love stories—there were little hearts on the cover, along with what looked like a stereotypical prince and princess. He was a little surprised that was what his son was reading, but then again, he was pretty sure that their love—his and Rapunzel's—was making the kid some kind of sappy romantic. It was actually kind of great.
"A bunch of these talk about love at first sight and knowing they were meant to be together when they first meet. Was it like that for you guys?"
A glance toward his wife revealed that Rapunzel looked amused. Eugene was pretty sure he did too. "No, kiddo, it wasn't like that," he answered.
Curran actually looked kind of disappointed, and Eugene was quick to add, "Don't get me wrong! There was definitely attraction there—major chemistry, if I do say so myself—"
"You do," Rapunzel interjected. Eugene decided to ignore that.
"—I woke up tied to a chair with this gorgeous lady threatening me with a frying pan—and they weren't so well-known for their effectiveness as a weapon in those days—and it was definitely pretty cool, but it wasn't love at first sight."
Curran gave his father a somewhat doubtful look and turned to his mother. Rapunzel laughed and moved to put away her work while Eugene pouted; of course their kid turned to her for facts. "No, it wasn't love at first sight for me either. I thought he was some sort of rapscallion come to steal me and my hair from my mother. Though he was kind of cute." The last bit perked Eugene up quite a bit, especially when she came over to sit cuddled up to his side on the loveseat that he thought of as 'his' (it was very comfortable). He looked down at her with a smile.
"Love kind of… snuck up on us, I guess you could say," she said, her green eyes laughing and soft as she stared back at him.
"Yeah, and whacked us over the head with one of those frying pans." Rapunzel huffed a laugh and leaned their foreheads together. God, he loved his wife.
There was a moment of silence and then: "I want to fall in love like that," from the boy beaming at them from his seat on the floor.
Startled out of their moment, Eugene and Rapunzel laughed. "Having it hit you like a frying pan upside the head?"
"Yeah! Sounds a lot more real than this stuff." Curran pointed at the book in his hands. "Lot more fun too."
Sharing another laugh, the two moved onto the floor with their son. "Well then, I hope it happens that way for you," Rapunzel said, hugging him.
"Just try to make sure she knows how you feel about her as soon as you know too," Eugene said, scooting around to sit on their kid's other side.
Curran looked at him with squinty eyes. "I could wind up liking boys. Then it'd be a 'he' I'd have to tell."
For the second time that evening, Eugene and Rapunzel shared a Look and turned to their son as one. Eugene asked, "Do you like boys?"
"I don't know yet. That's why I said I could." The 'duh' look he gave his father was kind of insulting.
"Well," Rapunzel said, clearly suppressing laughter at the consternation on her husband's face, "it doesn't really matter either way."
Eugene only needed about a half-second of contemplation to come to the same conclusion. He shrugged, an easy smile on his face. "How about you read us your favorite out of these?" He gestured to the book.
Instead of doing so, Curran closed the book and grinned at them. "I'd rather hear about you and Mom."
Surprised, but pleased, Eugene grinned. "Well, in that case…" he straightened up, putting on a serious face. "This… is the story of how I died…"
At Curran's look of horror, he amended, "But don't worry! The truth is this is actually a very fun story! Besides, I'm still clearly alive, aren't I?"
That didn't completely wipe the look off his son's face, but it did seem to mollify him. It'd have to do.
"Now, this story starts with the sun…"
A/N: Hope you enjoyed Curran and this little conversation between Eugene, Rapunzel and their kid. I like him a lot and hope to write some more about him and his parents.
For some of Curran's misadventures as a teenager at school, check out RedButterfly33's The Swan Princess.
Thank you for reading!