The microwave beeped to signal the end of the popcorn cooking. Belle opened the door and took out the bag. Handling it carefully she poured the snack into a bowl, hearing Henry call from the living room that the movie was ready. Belle smiled as she grabbed the bowl and headed into the room, joining her husband on the love seat.
"Alright, so we're going to skip the previews for the other movies." Henry said, pointing the remote to the DVD player.
It was actually his mom's DVD player that she let Gold borrow. Henry said that it would just be easier to watch the movie at Regina's house but Gold just mentioned how he really didn't need his former student seeing him watch a Disney movie. Henry and Belle laughed at the idea but knowing how the whole town would possibly try and blackmail him, whether it was safe for them or not, Belle agreed to just having the player moved to his house for the night. It wasn't all that difficult either since David helped move it and set it up at the pink Victorian, but Henry had agreed to keeping exactly what they were watching a secret from the rest of his family.
"Why?" Gold asked.
Henry didn't answer, knowing why his grandfather was asking. Belle had told Henry how Rumple kept trying to get out of the night by making up excuses or some crisis that needed his attention. Henry almost felt bad for the old man but was also glad that Belle was on his side. She had really been wanting to see the movie ever since Henry mentioned it in last week's dinner and knowing Belle, she could get Rumple to do anything. Even sit through an hour and a half long Disney movie that depicted their story, true to the history or not.
A few seconds later the movie began playing and Henry took his spot on the floor. Although he insisted, since there also wasn't much sitting room with all the antiques, Belle threw some pillows and a blanket down for Henry. So he had made his own little set up on the floor while Belle and Gold took the love seat. Another reason Regina had always been nervous of Henry hanging around the Golds was because they were always tactile, though Henry didn't really know what that meant. But he did know that their flirting wasn't near as bad as his mom's and Robin's. Or even his other grandparents. The worst was Emma and Hook, which Henry still couldn't get use to seeing. Mostly because he didn't really like Hook being with his mom but if she was happy, he guessed he shouldn't really complain.
They watched the stained-glass scene began the story and Gold snorted.
"At least that part is better than the original."
"Why?" Belle asked. "Because you have someone else to blame?"
"Yes." Gold said factly.
Henry chuckled on the floor and Belle just pursed her lips, trying not to smile at her husband's dry sense of humor.
"I'm just surprised they made you an actual beast."
"Actually, he's a combination of different animals."
Henry gave off some facts about the movie that he learned during some research because he knew that Belle would be curious, and he wanted to impress his grandmother; to show her that he was smart too. Belle laughed at him, which made him smile in return.
Gold and Belle were a little thrown off when Henry began to sing along to the opening song and pointed out the different characters the movie showed, laughing at their humor. Gold snickered at Belle in the movie, commenting how it had pretty much nailed her as a character, mentioning how she was always reading during her time in the castle. The only difference was that she wasn't as aware of her surroundings in real life, always being clumsy and bumping into things. The boys laughed at her which caused Belle to playfully hit her husband with a pillow she took off the floor.
The real humor came when the movie introduced Gaston and Belle could only laugh.
"Rumple, if you thought they had me correct, that pinned down Gaston even better."
"So was he really that...dumb?" Henry asked, smiling wide.
Belle joked with Henry, telling him quick stories that often involved his vanity. Suddenly, Belle sat up a little straighter and looked at Rumple.
"Rumple, I was actually talking to my father a few weeks ago. He told him that Gaston had left to...rescue me from you-"
"Like he could even try." Henry joked. Gold agreed with a smirk.
"Yes, well, father said Gaston never returned."
Henry's ears and attention perked and looked up from the floor at his grandparents, wondering why his grandfather had suddenly gotten quiet.
"Did he ever come by the castle?" Belle asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Not sure." Gold continued to 'watch' the movie.
Belle hid back a smile, knowing she would get any information out of her husband later. So she turned her attention back to the movie and watched as her movie father rode Philip-a horse that seemed familiar during their year back in the Enchanted Forest-through the woods, coming across the Beast's castle.
They were introduced to the enchanted characters, but the biggest smile on Belle's face came when a certain little teacup appeared on screen. Gold laughed at his wife's amusement.
"So you really have him? Chip?" Henry asked excitably.
"Yes I do."
Belle quickly got up and made her way to a cabinet, coming back to the couch shortly and handed Henry the teacup, telling him to be gentle with it.
"I don't think he could do more damage to that cup that what it's already been through." Gold teased.
They laughed at the other characters, causing Henry to name the grandfather clock that stood by the front door Cogsworth, and Belle even mentioned how she and Baelfire had met Lumiere during their missing year.
"Though he wasn't as openly polite as in the movie. He did try to trick us."
"What do you mean?" Henry asked, watching Belle carefully setting the teacup back in the cabinet.
Belle slowly closed the door and made her way back, noticing her husband's ever so subtle troubled face, and told Henry that she would explain later. She also made a mental note to remind her husband about a certain promise she made to the candle in exchange for his help. Although she feared her husband wouldn't agree since the candle had tried to trick them and inevitably played a part in his son's death.
Belle told Henry some more moments she experience while she worked in the Dark Castle. He never seemed to mind though, always listening with open ears and wide eyes, not paying much mind to the movie. He didn't care much if they were really watching it or not either because he was really just enjoying being with them and listening to Belle's stories.
They did continue to watch the movie through the wedding scene and Belle meeting the Beast, though Henry didn't bother to ask Belle if his grandfather really did act like the Beast. He guessed there was some things he didn't need to know. But both Belle and Gold asked why Gaston got his own song, which Henry laughed at. It was actually a good question.
The movie went by surprisingly quick, with Henry asking questions and Belle answering gladly, but somehow seemed to slow when the iconic dance scene came on. Belle nearly jumped in her seat and practically squealed with delight when the familiar tune played.
"That dress looks familiar." Gold winked at his wife. He was glad Henry was on the floor, not able to see them.
Belle snuggled up closer to her husband as the song played, thinking back to that moment in the lakeside mansion. She didn't think it would hard to talk her husband into a second, more proper, honeymoon.
They watched Belle return home, and Gaston and the town storming to the castle, laughing as they all got their butts kicked by furniture. And both Belle and Gold watched in their own amazement at the Beast's transformation.
"They got the long hair right." Belle winked at her husband, who merely smirked.
The movie ended, but the night didn't. Henry continued to ask questions afterwards about what was real or not, asking for more stories about Belle's time in the Dark Castle, mentioning how their story was the less detailed in the storybook.
"I'm not surprised." Gold said.
They spent the next hour telling stories. Henry even mentioned about a sort of sequel to the movie, one that was placed around Christmas time and was in his personal opinion, even better. Then it was time for Henry to call Emma to pick him up.
"Maybe next time, we can all have a big family dinner." Henry smiled wide, quietly enjoying his grandfather's shocked expression. Belle laughed, telling him that everyone should talk about it first before jumping into something rather...dangerous. Henry laughed with her. Emma drove up and he said goodbye, giving Gold and Belle a hug, glad more than ever that he got to spend more time with them. Emma took him back home to the loft where they were greeted with a crying Neal, making Henry wondered if there would be a similar greeting at the Gold's house in the future.
I love this! It took awhile to get it just right but I think I got it perfectly! At least they aren't acting as awkward like last time, but hey, it was there first dinner. I was smiling big and giggling as I was writing this because it's just so cute! Please review :) and let me know if you caught the hint for the next chapter.
