Author's note: Completely overwhelmed by the responses to the first chapter!
Chapter 2
It was Henry's idea to watch a movie.
Shortly after wet coats were hung up to dry over the bathtub and bowls of soup were passed around, an awkward silence descended over the apartment.
"Maybe I should go out and see if I can shovel a way out." Emma suggested, plunking her bowl down on the counter. As there weren't enough seats for everybody, she, Killian, and David were hovering awkwardly around the kitchen.
"Great idea!" David declared. "I'll go with you."
"As will I," Killian replied, already reaching for his leather coat.
"What a lovely idea." Gold said, already halfway out of his chair. "Wouldn't want to impose."
"Maybe if we're all lucky you'll get stuck outside." Regina muttered. "Wouldn't that be a shame."
"Why don't you do us all a favor and choke on your soup?" Emma snapped.
"Hang on." Mary Margaret cut in before World War III could erupt in her apartment. "There's no way anyone's going outside in that storm. And Rumplestiltskin, you're all welcome, really."
"That's what he's afraid of." Killian whispered to Emma.
More awkward silence.
"This soup is delicious." Belle said to Mary Margaret after a moment. "I must get the recipe."
"Um, actually it's from a can." Came the reply. "But I'll be happy to show you which one."
"Oh, of course." Regina cut in icily. "Because that's the only type of soup Ms. Swan is capable of making. But when it comes to ruining people's lives, well let's just say she's very talented at that."
"Hey, for your information I didn't even make the soup." Emma retorted. "Mary Margaret did. And I'll have you know that thanks to all of the fake memories I got from you, I'm actually a pretty good cook now."
"Not as good as I am."
"You know what-" Emma began, but a loud growl from the table caused her to stop mid sentence and look up.
"Why don't you wait your turn, pirate?" Gold was glaring at Killian like he'd just committed a(nother) horrible crime.
Killian stood frozen, with his hand outstretched towards the pepper. On the other side of the table, Gold's hand was similarly extended.
True to his changed nature, he narrowed his eyes but grudgingly muttered, "My apologies, mate. Didn't mean to cut in."
"Are you sure about that? Sticking your hook where it doesn't belong seems to be a real habit of yours."
"Any more soup, anyone?" Mary Margaret asked loudly, pushing her chair back and standing up. "Anyone?"
"I'll take some!" Belle declared in an obvious attempt at detracting everybody from the tension.
Emma stomped over and picked up the pepper shaker. "That was over three hundred years ago." In a smooth motion, she dumped about half of it's contents into Gold's soup. "Here, that should be enough."
"That's too much." Gold complained.
Regina clucked her tongue disapprovingly and turned away in disgust. "It's nice to see you all acting your true ages."
"Well, we can't all be uptight stick in the muds."
Mary Margaret turned to David. "Help me." She hissed, her voice becoming panicky.
But David had a small grin curving around his face. "Why? This is pretty entertaining." He leaned back in his seat with his soup and continued to watch the drama unfold.
"David, seriously!"
He stuck out his tongue in a surprisingly childish gesture. "Make me."
"Now I know why you act like such a child." Regina said to Emma.
"Regina, stop. It wasn't her fault, she was only trying to save a life." Killian insisted.
"Stay out of it." Gold snapped, clearly only bothering to speak up because he wanted to get a rise out of Hook. On his other side, Belle was pulling on his arm, trying to get him to quiet but he was ignoring her.
Mary Margaret met Henry and Belle's eyes across the table; they were clearly her only allies, as they looked as worried as she did. Emma's hands were curled into fists while she and Regina glared darkly at each other. Gold and Killian were no better. The former gripped his cane while the latter looked about three seconds from lunging straight at the other with his hook outstretched.
"Hey, I have an idea!" Henry all but shouted, causing everyone to stop mid retort and look towards him. "Why don't we watch a movie?"
A little while later, both Belle and Henry had tears in their eyes, though for completely different reasons.
"In what way is this considered entertainment?" Gold quipped. He looked more like he was gearing up for a root canal rather than watching a silly family movie. "This is torture."
"Lighten up, Gold." Regina said from the armchair, which she'd claimed before anyone else could. It was one of the best chairs in the apartment and she apparently knew it. "This is supposed to be funny." As if to reaffirm her words, she snickered when Gaston pranced on the screen, bursting into song. "That's some eating disorder."
"What?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Listen." She paused while Gaston continued his song about eating the five dozen eggs every morning. "That's disgusting."
"I think the eggs are still raw, too. And in the shell." David added.
"And he's bragging about how he's so good at expectorating. Sounds more like bingeing and purging to me." Regina finished with a rather impressive eye roll. "Although that did add a certain touch of humor to this movie."
"Easy for you to say. You aren't portrayed as a loser who couldn't afford a simple shirt. That cape is an atrocity that should be burned. And a prince?" Gold continued, apparently oblivious to the dirty looks thrown at him as he interrupted the movie yet again. "Since when was I a prince? I am no prince."
"What's wrong with being a prince?" David cut in.
"Nothing, except for the fact that they are lazy and entitled."
"Hey-" David began.
"Oh, you can calm down. You weren't a real prince to begin with." Regina replied. "And shut it, Gold. Quit interrupting the movie."
"I'm sorry," Gold said, turning to Regina. "Are you actually enjoying this?"
"If by this you mean seeing you suffer, then yes absolutely." Regina said with an icy grin. "This is the most fun I've had in a while."
"That's just sad." Emma spoke up.
"I believe nobody asked for your opinion, Ms. Swan."
"Oh, everybody asks for my opinion."
Regina didn't reply, only rolled her eyes rather impressively and contorted her body so that she couldn't see the blonde any longer.
"What's so funny, Henry?" Mary Margaret asked as she noticed the tears of mirth that Henry was struggling yet completely failing to hide.
"Nothing," he said. "just the way all of you are analyzing it. It's just a movie."
"You'd be offended if your complete life story was entirely inaccurate, lad." Killian said. "From what I've gathered, this Disney has failed at capturing my true dashing nature."
"Oh, you have no idea." Emma muttered.
"You know, Mom," Henry started, turning around from his spot on the floor so that he could look at Regina. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself because we're watching Snow White next."
Regina blinked. "Oh no we're not. I refuse."
"If you refuse, then we're not watching this atrocity any longer." Gold said.
"Oooh, the big bad Dark One can't handle a silly children's movie?" Hook taunted, causing David to snort loudly.
"You know, funny that you say that, actually." Emma said. "Because I think Henry has a copy of Peter Pan somewhere. It's about time you find out what a waxed mustache and perm really means."
"Oh, no. Anything but that." Killian said dramatically.
"Now it sounds like someone else is scared." Gold said dryly.
"I am not!" Killian declared. "That's it, love. Bring on this other Hook. I've traveled through portals and defeated scores of bloody beasts. I can surely handle an imposter."
"You may say imposter," Henry said, munching through a handful of popcorn. "but that is how everybody thinks of you."
"This movie is so inaccurate," Gold muttered, sounding absolutely annoyed. Onscreen, he was now watching his Disney alter-ego stare at the enchanted rose. "I do not remember that happening."
"But look!" Belle pointed excitedly at the screen. "It's our cup, Rumple. He has a name and everything."
"That may be true, but just look at me!" On the screen, the Beast was now roaring, destroying things.
"I don't know, looks a lot like you when you get mad." Killian said. "Don't you see the resemblance?"
"Do you really want to lose the other hand, pirate?" Gold hissed.
Killian half stood up as though he was about to take his chances and attack the older man, maybe, but then loud, dramatic music began playing, causing him to look up.
"Awwww." Belle crooned as she watched her onscreen alter-ego dance around with the Beast. "You know, that dress is incredibly accurate. They didn't get everything wrong."
"Just most things." Was all Gold said, but it was clear that even he was just the tiniest bit enchanted by the scene as he allowed Belle to rest her head on his shoulder and clutch his arm.
"No," Belle argued. "they got the library book part correct."
"That they did." He agreed. "But the rest of the movie leaves a lot to be desired."
Author's note: Whoever correctly guesses the next movie they're going to watch, I'll bake them cookies.