Operation Save mom, these moments between an Evil Queen who kind of sucks at being nice to people and an Orphan that gets a taste of family
I don't own OUAT.
Henry behaves like he has eaten three chocolate bars, six donuts and four bear claws. He is running from one part of the mansion to the other ( his mom's voice is hoarse from all the 'Henry! Stop running, you are going to break your neck' variations she has been shouting at him) , basically jumping with impatience, unable to sit still.
He just really, really wants this to go well. He wants it more than he wants the new game and he has be had been (before Mom lied to me before What else did she lie about before Mom is a -?) begging for that for months. Saving his mom is just too important for anything to be allowed to go wrong.
The only thing that calms him down is checking his list, so that is what he is doing ( his mother has never looked more relieved that after hours of jumpiness he is finally still, calm and not busy 'tempting fate') now: he is sitting on his chair, flipping through his notebook while is mom is in the kitchen doing something.
Operation 'save mom'
Phase ' '
1, encourage mom to talk to Emma
2, ask Emma questions while mom is near (finger crossed that mom likes the answers)
3, diverge attention, slip away
4, keep an eye on them in case they ruin it
Henry bits his lip as he stares at the list. It is too short and he really does not know whether it will work. Mom might not want to talk to Emma (or just mess it up, because she is oddly bad at making anything but small talk – and even her small talk skills are non-existent because her smiles are always fake and everyone who knows his mom even a little just sees she is uncomfortable and those who do not –and he is quoting Ruby here, who looked terrified when realizing he had heard- think she has 'a stick up her ass').
He makes a quick note.
Ask Ruby for help? She is not really that afraid of mom/everything. Also, she probably has some experience in –gross!- flirting/ might know a way to get the two of them together. Internet is really no help so I need options. I just need her to convince mom won't make good on her threat of 'bringing her to the vet' (whatever that means. Mom's threats are weird. For such a terrifying super villain she is kind of awful at threats)
He flips a few pages back, sighing with boredom and nerves high-strung with tension. Just one last time checking whether he has finished the preparations .
Operation 'save mom'
Phase ' '
Bring Emma the clothing auntie Kathryn said mom would like
-I did this , but the conversation basically went like
'kid , what the H- uh what are you doing here? ' ( Emma is really bad at not swearing around me)
'I brought clothes that mom would like' (she looked at the clothing with this really suspicious and kind of hateful look, like she thought it would come to life and strangle her again like happened that one time according to the newspaper)
'when did I hire you as personal shopper? I think I would remember that conversation..',
'You did not. And technically, if you would have, you would have hired auntie Kathryn'
'Your aunt picked my clothing?'.
'Well yeah, she knows exactly what my mom likes. They sometimes go shopping together'.
'uh okay. Listen kid, these clothes are way too fancy to wear while I work on cars or toilets. I might get oil on them or gross toilet water or worse. So thanks but no thanks okay? And really, please tell me you did not snuck away again because-
'auntie Kathryn is outside. She really thinks mom needs to get laid so that is why she is helping'
[ Emma sputtered and spilled the orange juice she was getting me over herself]
[ then snorted and said something about 'plenty of people would offer' then threw me a really guilty look and apologized for scarring me. Then refused to tell me what exactly 'getting laid' meant after I explained auntie had been muttering it under her breath ]
[ more refusals and whining ]
[ I left the clothes at her house and left]
[ auntie also did not want to explain and told me it would be our secret that she ever even said that because 'your mother would destroy me if she ever found out']
So I do not think Emma is going to be wearing the clothes we picked. ( or bring flowers like I suggested because 'that is really cheesy and your mom might actually laugh in my face if I did that. Does she even like flowers' .She is pretty hopeless)
-Sneak inside mom's room to clog her toilet' [basically do everything to keep Emma here]
.Yup. Mom is probably going to figure out in no time that I am the culprit but it is worth it. And she is so not going to risk solving the issue with magic because she is still doing the whole 'lie to your child like an asshole' thing. Asshole is a bad word, but she deserved it.
-figure out Emma's favorite food (mom asked)
. I did , apparently 'anything with a healthy bit of grease- she rolled her eyes when I said that was a paradox because grease is not healthy- or something sugary'. She has really bad eating habits. Mom sneered when I told her. She is totally going to make something Emma likes though.
Apparently the last item on his list is 'wait until you go absolutely nuts' because that is what he has been doing for hours, ever since he woke extra early this morning for Preparations. He sighs again.
" Mom? When is Emma coming?".
" If she is on time, miss Swan will be here any moment Henry" she calls back from the kitchen. Henry rolls his eyes. Emma was only late once. Because she was beaten up bad guys. Then again, his mother probably considers that terrible excuse considering that she is –
He does not like thinking that. Even if it is true, she is still his mom . She is still my mom. And Emma is going to save her
He keeps repeating this like a mantra because she is the woman who wiped away his tears and made his favorite food and listened to his stories with rapture and he cannot ever accept losing that woman. His mother.
Ding! The doorbell rings. He practically shoots out of the chair , feeling like Usain Bolt as he pulls it open before his mother has even finished her usual 'do not run Henry, you might fall and hurt yourself sweetheart' line.
Emma laughs. " Wow kid! Do you also have superpowers?".
" Y-eah.. sort.. of" he pants, grinning. He opens the door further. " come in".
His mother walks towards them and for a moment , he is afraid that she has heard Emma's do you also have superpowers ' joke, but she is wearing a (small. But real!) smile as she comes towards them. She probably wouldn't if she knew Emma's identity.
Emma gives his mom an almost shy smile. " Hi! How are you?".
His mother turns to him first, dropping her smile for a moment to seem more strict " Henry sweetheart, stop running in the house". She turns to Emma then, picking up that small again. " Miss Swa-".
" Emma" Emma interrupts, then shrugs at his mother's sharp look . " Miss Swan sounds like- " her eyes suddenly dart over to him, her cheeks just a little bit red and she seems to struggle to think of something to say" Uh well it sounds .. very distant?" she says finally, sounding like she is asking the both of them a question .
Henry decides this is a good time to leave them, especially because his mother has that rare look in her eyes that looks like a different version of the expression she gets around auntie Kathryn sometimes. The one that follows mostly teasing sarcasm.
Also, his mom made apple turnovers.
The voices fade away until all he can make out, is the tone and emotions of them. His mother's voice is warmer than usually, dry but also with the slightest hint of teasing. Emma's voice is filled with slight exasperation but mostly amusement. It is kind of nice to listen to, but he ignores most of their bickering/ discussion as he opens the oven door.
He nearly burns his finger getting the turnovers from the oven and-
" Really kid?"
"Henry! I told you".
Whoops he is kind of caught right now. He turns around with his most innocent expression, wide eyes and a smile he hopes is as adorable as possible. His mom, standing in front of the threshold with her arms crossed over her chest and her lips pursed sighs. Emma, behind her and leaning against that threshold, chuckles.
His mom walks over to him, taking the tray from him and pushing it back into the oven. " You only get to taste this when I pronounce them ready and after Miss- Emma has had some".
Henry grins. His mother apparently lost the name discussion ( he also notes how Emma basically preens as his mom calls her by her given name and sends him a wink). Noted and ready to be written down he thinks, because his mom is notoriously stubborn and loathes to lose discussion but she is still sort of smiling.
" I definitely want some" Emma says, rushing forward at the promise of food.
His mother arches her eyebrow. " Patience, dear. You can have some when they are ready"
" I really don't- ".
" You are not going to eat them before I say so". His mother smirks slightly. " You have not even worked for them yet".
Emma sends a hopeful look towards the oven. " Yeah, but I work better when I actually have had something to eat. Especially something sweet".
" I am sure your work will be sufficient without sweets Emma".
Emma grins widely, her eyes sparkling. She seems to have forgotten the apple turnovers, now turning that excited puppy look to his mom. " Such high praise".
" Quite. More than you possibly deserve".
"Hi! You haven't even seen me work yet".
" Exactly. I did not invite you at half past eleven to beg for treats, I invited you to fix my son's toilet".
Emma rolls her eyes. "Sure. Show me the room then".
Henry tries to stay behind, but Emma gently pushes him forward. " You too kid, give me the grand tour of your room".
" There is really not much to see, but okay".
–
Turns out that Emma is a bit of a klutz. She stumbles over her own equipment and nearly falls into his mother's arms (instead keeping herself upright with one hand against the wall, very close to his smirking mother). She keeps warning them about the wet floor, only to nearly slip herself ( his mom actually does grab her bicep to steady her then, keeping it there before slowly retracting it) . Then his mom leaves and Emma suddenly loses all clumsiness which makes Henry think two things. Either she is being clumsy on purpose ( to what? Fall in mom's arms ? ) or mom makes her clumsy (probably not in the evil supervillain way -even if it seemed to amuse mom).
More things he needs to write down in his notebook, really. So much stuff to write down in his notebooks. For example:
Emma throws herself in front of mom when the toilet half-explodes, water torpedoed into the air like the toilet is a geyser. She immediately turns around to check on mom. His mom is her usual sarcastic – 'really mi- Emma it was hardly bullets flying towards me' – self but there are little smiles she keeps pushing back , that only last 1/100 .
That particular moment ends with Emma looking down at herself with a disgusted look – "Please tell me that is only water and not like Brussels sprouts or whatever drivel your mom makes you eat"- and his mother threatening Emma if she moves even a hair because "I will not have you dirtying my mansion". Then there is the fact Mom gives him permission to pick a shirt for 'miss Swan' while she picks one of the towels and starts drying Emma's toiletwater-covered skin.
He runs back and promptly hides behind the open door: his mom is scolding Emma but her hands are very gently drying Emma with the towel and Emma is rolling her eyes but smiling at the same time. He lingers for a moment, tuning out the bickering and focusing more on the little things like his mom's hand that are gentler than she is around anyone but him and Emma's small smile that is so affectionate.
My plan is so working he thinks, feeling more brilliant than he can ever remember feeling. Even when he got A's that made his mom gloat and look at him with such pride "well done, mi principito" .
Of course he feels a lot less brilliant when he stumbles unexpectedly and interrupts the moment.
His mother steps away from Emma and walks over to him, taking the blue shirt from him. She kisses his head, smiling like a thousand suns when he doesn't shrug away. He used to, the first months that he discovered it. But now he has decided that she can be saved and besides, he kind of misses his mom. Pulling away and rejecting her is awful , not least because of the 1/1000 moment that she gets this torn look
She touches his chin carefully, her smile kind of flicker-y like a flashlight with a dying battery. She seems loathe to pull away but she finally does, walking over to Emma and handing her the shirt. " Here".
" Uh thanks. Should I- ".
" We will be outside. I have to get the apple turnovers out of the oven ".
The rest of the day (yes day because Emma eats more apple turnovers than Henry thought possible and then refuses to move for an hour, and then she shows Regina how to fix cars and then of course she has to fix Regina's toilet and it is almost dinner time so 'you might as well stay for dinner Emma' and then he just has to show her his new game while mom sits in the room to cheer him on and distract Emma to make him win) is wonderful. Mom and Emma bicker and tease and (he is like 99.99% sure) flirt and sure mom is still bad at being genuine and friendly and easy but Emma doesn't seem to mind. She definitely does not throw him the 'do not leave me alone with her' looks some of the townspeople give him whenever they are around his mom.
At the end of the day, there is some flimsy excuse for why Emma will have to return again and Mom is still smiling a little and Emma is grinning and he feels so hopeful.
At the end of the day, he writes in his notebook
Operation Save mom, phase ''
Moments;
-The toilet explosion (mom is never gentle with anyone but me. Emma had this really odd look , but it was definitely a Good look.
-Emma is looking at the car and suddenly wipes two fingers that are black with oil or whatever over mom's cheeks. She laughs hysterically. Mom yells, but it seems more for show than anything else.
-Emma bending over the car, gesturing animatedly as she tries to show mom how to fix cars or whatever.
-Mom cutting the apple turnovers, Emma swarming around her, joking 'I am doing all the work here! I need food". Mom cutting of the tiniest bit imaginable, teasing her , reminding her 'my son is a growing boy'.
-At the table, Emma praising mom's cooking and mom looking a little smug. She takes a napkin and wipes at the crumbs on Emma's lips/cheeks/even nose. Then pulls away and offers Emma the napkin, saying 'I am still not your caretaker'. But her voice is almost warm and Emma merely smiles.
-Mom is in the threshold, looking at Emma who is instructing me. She looks contemplative and then she thinks something and it is a realization but what?
-Mom narrowing her eyes at me as she says 'I do wonder where this issue with my toilet comes from. There was nothing wrong with it this morning' and Emma biting her lip not to laugh, avoiding my gaze . Mom isn't even scolding, just smiles at me with exasperation or something.
-Emma's disbelieving, bright smile as mom invites her for dinner. Mom's weak attempt to pretend like it is nothing, like she doesn't even like Emma.
Summarized: there definitely is something. I hope it lasts. Today was good.
Don't forget: get Ruby involved. Visit auntie Kathryn.
He hears his mom on the stairs and quickly closes and hides the notebook, grabbing a comic to pretend like he is reading. His mother remains at the threshold for a while, then walks towards him. She sits down on the bed, smoothing his hair back.
"It is late" is all she says. She still seems calmer, more relaxed than usually.
" Yeah. Mom?".
There is that look in her eyes again, that she gets nowadays whenever he calls her 'mom' or accepts her touches. He doesn't know how to describe it. He just know it only occurred when he started to pull away, to think that she was evil and that he was a horrible person for loving someone like her
" What is it Henry"
" What did you think of Emma today?".
She gets really silent and thoughtful for a while, then says " she is different".
' Yeah. She is pretty funny huh?".
His mom's lips twitch. " In a certain way, yes".
" Can she come over more often?"
For a moment, there is something dark and hard – villainous- in his mom's eyes. Then she takes a deep breath and says " I don't know- why do you want that darling?".
He cannot say 'because you are evil and I am scared and you lied and everything sucked and Emma is going to make it better and protect us' so instead he says 'I don't know. You seem to like her. I like her".
His mom relaxes and he wants to hug her , so relieved that her eyes aren't dark like that anymore. "She is already invited".
" Yeah, but after that. I mean, I don't want her to come over one more time, I want her to come over all the time".
His mom starts to stand, then bends forward to kiss his forehead (end this conversation) and he panics and slips a little. " She just seems good for you".
" Henry-" she seems startled, pained almost and he can't look at her so he looks at the wall. " I just- I mean, it is just a lot of fun, the three of us. That is all. I don't- ".
He doesn't know to put all this confusion inside him into words so he just looks at her and understands. It seems to work because she smiles and kisses his forehead again. " I will ask her".
"Thank you mommy, love you" he says sleepily, his eyes already closing. She nods. " Of course, mi principito". He is already asleep
"Anything" she whispers
