"You don't have to come, you know." Emma smiled, straightening his tie.
"And you didn't have to do up my tie for me. I guess we both like doing things for each other." Gold smiled, covering her hands with his and bringing them down to swing between them.
"There's a huge difference between tying a tie and going to a party where your girlfriend's parents want nothing more than to string you up." She cocked an eyebrow, giving him a mock glare.
Imp that he was, he just smirked back. "They can only string me up if they can catch me."
"Yet another reason for you not to go. You can't behave yourself long enough to get through the night." The sheriff shook her head, but a soft smile belied her chastisement.
Gold pulled away, swinging his suit jacket over his shoulders and shrugging it on, then walking to the door. "I promise, I'll be a good boy."
Emma snorted, following him to the door of his "pink palace" and entwining their arms. "Like there is such a thing with you."
Gold smiled, flicking his wrist to open the door. He marched out, practically dragging her with him as she came up with a myriad of reasons they shouldn't go. He was determined to do this, though, for her. She loved him for it, though she hadn't told him. After she broke the curse, it had taken a long time for them to establish trust between them; now she would see whether he trusted her enough to relax himself. The cool night air and his warm presence were the only comforting things in a world of doubt while they strolled down the street towards a very specific apartment building: Mary Margaret's - Snow White, Mom, whatever - apartment building.
It was David's birthday, and he was going to get a big surprise.
/*GoldenSwan*\
Gold raised his hand to knock, looking over at her for confirmation one last time. Emma bit the inside of her cheek, but nodded her head tentatively. She nearly ran when his knuckles hit the wood, rapping the door lightly. He hid it better, but he was just as nervous as she. Her parents knew they were dating - as much as they detested it - but she had never actually shown up to their loft with the Dark One in tow. What should she say, anyways? 'Hey, Dad! I brought the most evil sorcerer in your world to your birthday because. . . well, surprise!' That didn't seem like it would have the desired effect.
Emma felt Gold's hand slip down her arm to grasp her own. A light squeeze of reassurance was the last thing she felt before the door swung open. There stood her father, Prince Charming, with a pink sash around his torso that read 'Happy Birthday, Princess!' and a golden crown slightly lopsided on his head. His big, bright, gleaming smile withered into a scowl as he examined Gold from head to pointed toe. Charismatic as always, her boyfriend adopted a crocodile smile, showing off all of his teeth, and eyed Charming right back, lingering on the sash.
"Surprise!" Gold's smirk widened, "Princess."
Charming growled, shoving the door open further so that he could step into the hall, ready to wring Gold's neck. Emma bravely stepped out in front of him, pulling her red leather around her tighter in her nervousness. Charming's face softened just a bit, and Emma shot a quick glare over her shoulder before bringing her eyes back to her father.
"Hey, Dad!" Emma made a conscious effort not to voice her earlier thought of greeting. "Happy Birthday!"
"Thank you, Emma." Charming engulfed her in a bear hug, leaving no room to breathe. She could feel him shooting Gold a glower over her shoulder. "I'm so glad you came. Now why is he here?"
"Emma!" Her mother's voice came from the doorway before Snow stepped around her husband. "How nice of you to join us! And Rumple, thank you for coming."
Snow smiled warmly at both of them, though it was slightly forced as she gave Gold her 'where's-my-bow?' look. He smiled back - a real smile - and Emma was thankful for his respect for her mother. In fact, Snow White was his third favorite royal, after Henry and her. He still wouldn't tell her exactly which royal was his favorite. Sneaky imp.
"I know I wasn't invited-" Gold began in his best placating tone, probably about to throw Emma under the bus.
"No, you weren't. So why are you here?" Charming cut across, letting his daughter go so that he could puff out his chest.
"I'm getting to that." He huffed slightly, but kept his voice even and patient. "Emma wished for me to join you all tonight. And I promised her I would be on my very best behavior."
Charming snorted in derision, but Snow spoke before her husband could get a chance to. "Well, you're welcome any time, so we're glad-" Snow shot a very wifely glare at Charming. "-that you could make it. Please, come in. You're not the last to arrive, so we haven't started yet."
Snow stepped aside, dragging Charming with her, to let them in. Gold's fingers brushed Emma's lightly, but she just curled her digits into her palm. He gave her a questioning, and slightly hurt, look, but she just looked at the ground. Her parents were right there, no need to make it worse. Hopefully understanding, he pulled his arm back to his side and looked straight ahead while the door was closed behind them, shutting them into their social cage for the evening.
"The snacks are over there." Snow pointed to a table on the right side of the room, pushed up against the wall. "Feel free to help yourselves."
"Thanks, Mom." Emma looked around the decked out apartment. "Everything looks amazing."
"Too bad you couldn't join us for decorating; Red had fun, though." Snow smiled brightly at her daughter.
"I can see that," Emma muttered while she scanned the loft again.
There were blood red ribbons taped to the ceiling, red tablecloths on almost all of the surfaces, and a read banner hanging where Mary Margaret's you're-out-of-jail sign had hung reading 'Happy Birthday, Charming!'
"So, David's sash?" Emma asked with a small smile.
Snow blushed, looking slightly ashamed. "It was the only one they had left at the store. Nearly everyone has an April birthday. Neal's is next."
"Oh, yeah. I've got that one covered." Emma was sure her smirk mirrored her boyfriend's, and that theory was confirmed by Snow's worried look. Her mother was roughly five seconds away from asking her if she needed therapy.
"Where's Rumplestiltskin?" Snow asked pleasantly.
She was ringing her hands, though, so Emma could easily read between the lines. 'Where's the fire? Is everyone alive? The cake better not have a chunk missing!' Her parents were such terrible liars, and Charming wasn't even pretending.
"I should go make sure everyone's limbs are still attached." Emma pointed to the groups of people talking throughout the loft and walked away awkwardly.
As it so happened, she ran into someone else before she could find Gold. Someone who smelled a lot like rum and fish.
"Emma, love!" Hook gave her a toothy smile. "So nice to see you."
Before she could respond, he moved forward and hugged her, very much the same as her father had done. She squirmed a bit, trying to breathe against the onslaught of affection. Just when she thought she would black out, though, Hook let go rather abruptly.
"Hands off." Gold growled, his hand still positioned in the back of Hook's leather jacket.
Emma would have placed bets on the fight that was about to occur, but she thought that might ruin David's party. Plus, Gold was clearly already winning with that piercing glare; Hook sure looked like something was impaling him.
Emma braced her hand on her boyfriend's arm soothingly. "You know, I think I saw Neal over by the cake. Someone should go make sure all of it's still there."
"Yes, tell him I said 'hi,' I'll be over as soon as I'm done adding more metal appendages to the Good Captain's body," Gold snarled, fingers contracting in anticipation of a magically burst.
"Well, actually, I was thinking you could go check on the state of the cake, and I could continue a lovely, very non-tactile conversation with Hook." Emma put her hands on Gold's shoulders, forcibly turning him to look at her.
His 'I-will-raze-this-realm' glare turned into one of his 'as-you-wish' smiles. If she didn't know any better, she would think Hook wasn't the only dread pirate here. Her boyfriend listened, though, and walked off to go greet his son. So she turned back to the person most likely to ruin this evening and pasted on a smile.
"Hey, Hook, how's it been on your ship?" Emma asked, searching for something more to say.
"Great; it would certainly be better if I had some company," Hook winked, straightening his coat.
"Maybe you should find a nice lady to spend time with. I'm sure there's someone here who would love to party with you." She spread her hands, gesturing to the party around her.
Hook visibly pouted. "Oh, but I already have someone in mind. She's a firecracker; I like 'em hot."
"Well, if she's single, go for it." Emma smiled tightly.
He grinned. "She will be, don't worry."
Huffing out a breath, Emma spouted an excuse and walked off as fast as she could. This party was going to be a disaster if it went on for too long. She saw several familiar faces around the apartment as she greeted people as cordially as she could manage: Ruby, Archie, Marco, Granny, Leroy, Astrid, Mother Superior, the other six dwarves - she couldn't remember their names since she had never watched Snow White in any of her foster homes - Neal, and a few others that came to celebrate their prince. It was strange, being in a room with people who she had thought he knew; people who would have been her family. Ruby - Red - would have been her godmother. She was considering taking Archie up on his offer for therapy; it might even make her mother feel better. He was one of the few people who accepted her relationship with the Great and Terrible Dark One.
"Emma." An affable Italian accent greeted her from behind. "So nice to see you."
Emma turned to see Marco, August, and Archie smiling at her. "Oh, hey, guys. How are you?"
"We're doing wonderfully, thank you for asking." Archie spoke in his usual soft, warm tone. "How are you?"
"Trying to make sure my boyfriend doesn't set anything on fire." Emma smiled jokingly, but they all gave her sympathetic looks.
"I think I saw him hanging over there with Neal." August pointed to the stairs.
Emma nodded her thanks before briskly walking across the room. Neal and Gold were sitting on the stairs talking quietly, but both of their faces brightened when she came over. Neal stood up to give her a hug, and this time, Gold happily let him; he did look uncomfortable, though. They had had that conversation numerous times, but Emma didn't think it ever got any easier for him. Really, she should be the only one complaining. She was dating her ex-boyfriend's father. Her kid's grandfather. Whoops.
"Neal, thanks for coming." Emma let him embrace her.
This hug was nice, warm and comfortable. He smelled like the woods on a rainy day, and his arms brought back so many good memories. She may not be in love with him anymore, but she would always love him. He would always be a part of her home, just like Gold, Henry, Snow, and Charming. She couldn't imagine a world without any of them, it just didn't exist any longer. And for once, that was just the way she wanted it.
"Of course, I wouldn't miss my-" Neal looked back at Gold uncertainty, wanting clarification. "Um, Charming's birthday."
"He's your. . . father-in, uh, strange ways'." Gold tilted his head, thinking over that statement. "Your. . . well, if Emma and I married, he would be your step-grandfather-in-law."
"That. . . is a truly disturbing thought." Emma exhaled slowly. When Gold gave her a small frown, she rushed to clarify. "The Charming thing, not marriage." Gold then raised his eyebrows, and the sheriff blushed, fumbling with her words. "Not that I want to- I mean, not that I wouldn't- but maybe, if we wait? Or never! Just whate-"
Gold silenced her with a hand to her shoulder, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled at her. He gave her a light squeeze, gently massaging her shoulder to release the tension.
"I know what you mean."
Neal looked unbearably awkward, so Emma broke the sudden silence. "You two didn't get into the cake, did you?"
Her friend smiled at her. "Without Henry? No, of course not. If we were going to plan Grand Theft Cake, we would need our main schemer."
"With both of you as his father figures, I'm afraid of how he'll turn out." Emma snorted.
"Us?" Gold let go of her shoulder, pressing his hand to his chest. "We teach him how to bake cookies and help little old ladies across the street."
"Then why did you come home with singed clothes last week?" She leveled the boys with a playful glare.
Gold waved his hand dismissively. "Spell gone wrong."
"On your guys' day out? With you three?" Emma's eyes darted between the two giving her innocent looks.
"We were just showing him what not to do." Neal smiled, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck, a nervous habit he seemed to have picked up from his father.
"Uh-huh. And that's why my boyfriend came home with a tail." Emma rolled her head, giving them both a sideways look.
Gold coughed into his fist, straightening his tie, and staring at a point to the right of her forehead. Neal tapped his fingers against his leg, staring at the ceiling like it held the secrets of the universe.
"That's what I thought." Emma smirked victoriously.
The door opened, then closed, and Emma turned to see Regina, Robin, Roland, and Henry walk in.
"Speak of the devil." Gold's heart melted in his eyes.
"Hey, kiddo." Neal ruffled his son's hair when Henry came over to join them.
"Did you have fun at your mom's?" Emma gave him a hug when he turned to her with a bright smile.
"Yup! Robin taught me how to shoot a bow!" Henry beamed at her.
"And your boy's a natural, too." Robin said, coming up behind them.
"Hey, Robin. Thanks for keeping the miscreant occupied, I know he enjoys learning all the different trades of his family." Emma gave Robin a friendly hug.
"It wasn't a problem. The boys get along splendidly, though I think I might be missing a few items. Thieving seems to run in the family," he laughed.
Emma was about to refute that statement, but stopped short. Nearly everyone had been a thief at one point: she and Neal had stolen many things when they were together, Snow had actually been a bandit, Gold had stolen a few things the year he spent homeless before his aunts adopted him, Robin was a thief, Regina had taken - forcibly, so just stealing without the sneakiness - several things in the Enchanted Forest, and Red had nicked a bit back when she was a reckless teenager. Charming was the only one she couldn't think up a good thievery story for, but she was sure he had stolen a few things.
"Yeah." Emma ran a hand through her hair. "Henry is doomed to grow up as an evil warlord with a felon, evil queen, Dark One, and two thieves as parents. Neal better pick an angel, or the kid's done for."
"Have you met me? How could I possibly live with an angel?" Neal raised an eyebrow at her skeptically.
Emma smiled at him sweetly. "You're right. You'd probably steal her halo and prop it up with your devil horns."
Gold snickered while Neal stuck out his lower lip, mock pouting. Henry laughed at his dad and earned a bunch of tickles, which only made him laugh harder. Watching everyone, Emma felt nothing but happiness flood her chest. She closed her eyes, holding back tears. She never thought she'd be happy, but now she had a family, a home, love. No one in any realm could possibly beat what she had, and she finally accepted that. Everything was perfect.
A warm hand intertwined their fingers, and someone pressed a soft kiss to her temple. She felt warm breath and smelled leather and spicy cologne.
"I told you I would behave," Gold whispered in her ear.
She leaned her head against his shoulder in response, soaking up his heat. His breathing was even and whole and real, just like him. She knew that if she opened her eyes and looked at him, she would see love, admiration, and hope reflected back at her. Gold had told her on multiple occasions that he couldn't quite believe how lucky he was, and now, in this moment, she knew exactly how he felt.
"I love you," Emma whispered.
His even breathing hitched, and she heard him slowly let it out before his head rested on top of hers. "I love you, too."
"I don't want to be all cheesy, like my parents, but I wasn't sure it was possible to have a soulmate before you." Emma buried her face further into the soft cotton of his suit jacket.
"Soulmate, huh?" he murmured against her head.
"Yeah. I'm not usually into that kind of thing, but there was this one foster home that had a sign that I never forgot." She smiled in memory.
"What did it say?"
"'A soulmate is someone who you carry with you forever.'" Emma recited.
She could feel Gold's smile on her hair. "I like that."
"Right next to it, they had a sign that said 'keep calm and load your shotgun.'"
Gold laughed, a deep, rich, genuine sound that she knew she would never get tired of hearing. It sent tingles down her spine, and she looked up to see mirth dancing in his eyes. It made her smile and laugh, too.
"I don't want to upstage your father, so I'll wait to do it properly, with flowers and music and everything, but now is perfect. Marry me?" Gold looked at her shyly, a small smile toying with his lips.
Instead of answering right away, Emma stood there quietly for a moment, replaying his words in her head. Then, she jumped into his arms, kissing him soundly on the lips. His bad leg - which had been only partially healed by magic - buckled, and he sat down hard on the stairs, Emma landing in his lap. She carded her fingers through his hair while he looked at her hopefully.
"Yes! Of course I will." Emma kissed him again. "What would I possibly do with a knight in shining armor? I definitely prefer my imp in polished leathers."
"Would you be abject to me wearing leather pants at the wedding?" Gold's silly smile split his face in half.
"Certainly not." Emma felt her own dopey smile claiming her features.
"Who wants cake?" Snow yelled over the din in the loft.
Everyone sang 'Happy Birthday' to Charming before he blew out his candles. And if anyone heard Gold say 'dear, Princess' while he sang, they didn't let on.