The second chapter of the day! Enjoy!
Prompt from princessdeleon: Robin having a "father" moment with Henry. Something big.
"I think I'm in love." Henry blurted out, not remotely sure where to start the conversation.
He had just turned 17 and everything in his life was backwards. Not magically. Ever since they helped Elsa control her magic, things in Storybrook were normal. Well as normal as they could be. After all, Henry was the grandson of Snow White, Prince Charming and Rumpelstiltskin, his mother's were the former Evil Queen and the Savior, and his step-dad's included Captain Hook and Robin Hood. How normal could his life really be? So when it came to the simple concept of his romantic feelings he was at a loss of how to deal with them. Hence why he was going home today to talk to the man who had claimed the heart of one of the most impossible person to get to open up.
"Henry!" Little Cordelia ran to her biggest brother. She wrapped her arms around his legs and refused to let go. "You were gone for a long, long, long, long, long time this time!" Truthfully he had only been gone for about three days, but the four-year old had yet to grasp the concept of time. She giggled as he lifted her up into his arms. She placed her hands on his cheeks and formed a serious look on her face. It had a resemblance to Regina, with her short dark hair framing her small face. "Don't do that again. I don't like it."
Henry just laughed at his little sister. "As the princess wishes." He knew that he could say that and she would be none the wiser when he slept over at Emma's again. Placing a kiss on her forehead he asked, "Do you know where your Papa is?" She pointed over to the stairs. He put her down and headed that way knowing she would be following. When he reached the hallway he ran into his mother.
It was always a pleasant surprise when her son came home unexpectedly. "Henry! What are you doing here?" She had a laundry basket in one hand, clearly intending on doing it, but gave him a half hug as best she could.
Instantly his cheeks went red. He tried and failed to calm the flopping of his stomach, but he was really nervous to have this conversation. Moreover, he did not want to have it with his mom. She would ask too many questions and probably go and threaten his crush with destruction of happiness if anything happened to her prince. No he would definitely wait to tell her his problem. "Uh, nothing really. Just had a quick question for Robin. Is he up here?"
The Queen saw her son's reaction and smirked a little. He was hiding something, but she would let it go for now. Plus if Henry was going to talk to Robin she could get it out of her thief later. There were very evil ways that she could torture it out of him. "Yea. He is in Roland's room putting up a shelf." She pressed a kiss on her teenager's cheek before taking an unhappy Cordelia downstairs to keep out of the boy's hair.
As told, Henry found his stepfather in Roland's room. The younger boy was still at school. Henry cleared his throat to get Robin's attention.
Robin merely shot a glance to see who else was in the room. "Ah, Henry, what can I do for you?" He only had one screw left to put on the shelf and was finishing up when the lad must have entered.
"I think I'm in love." Henry blurted out, not remotely sure where to start the conversation.
Robin slightly chuckled to himself as he turned to the boy. Henry looked as if he had swallowed a thorn-bush. It was the same look he had when he approached Charming about loving Regina. The two had become quite close over the past years. That closeness caused Robin to confide in the Prince, but that was a memory for another time. The conversation at hand was not one he expected to have with his step-son. "Why did you come to me with this? I would expect you to ask your grandpa." The statement was not one of annoyance, but curiosity.
Henry paced a bit. "I thought you would know more about difficult people. I mean you married my mom. The former Evil Queen. Grandpa is great when it comes to love, but it was easy for Grandma to fall for him. I think my situation will be closer to yours." He gave the thief a sheepish smile.
Another chuckle left Robin's lips. "I'm not quite sure 'easy' is the word your grandparents would use, but alright then. What makes you think you are in love?" He crossed his arms in front of his chest. Love was a serious business and needed to be addressed as such.
Henry shrugged. Truth be told he did not know what he was feeling. The girl in question was a scary prospect. Well, not so much the girl, as her father. Henry had fallen for Grace, the one and only, Mad Hatter's daughter. So he was nervous, and excited, and freaked out, all at once. "I don't know. I just can't seem to stop thinking of her. When she is around I can't seem to form a sentence. Heck even a simple hello is a problem." The teen sat on Roland's bed, his head in his hands. This was one of the most embarrassing moments in his life.
The thief could not help but smile. "Well, it looks like you have the love bug pretty bad." The thief put a reassuring hand on his stepson's shoulder. "I promise it is not the end of the world. Who is this girl?"
Henry didn't want to answer at first. It was his secret that if told suddenly he felt everyone would know. Including her. But he knew that if he kept it to himself then Robin could not fully help him. "Grace. Jefferson's daughter."
"I see. A difficult situation." Robin knew the Mad Hatter well, he was one of his wife's closest friends. He also knew how challenging the man could be. Henry had his work cut out if he really wanted to pursue Grace. "Well, my suggestion is just to be yourself. That's how I won over your mother." He gave a smile and sat next to Henry. "Take it slow. You are still young and have many more adventures to go on before you take love too seriously."
Henry considered this advice. "You really just were yourself? There is nothing more to it?" It was hard to believe that the Thief had won the Queen through something as simple as that.
Robin chuckled. "Henry, there is nothing more attractive to a woman than a man who does not hide who he is." He took a minute to think of other things that happened between himself and his wife before continuing. "I also had the added benefit of saving your mother's life a few times." He gave a wink in jest.
Henry let out a small chuckle. "I guess that helps. Being all heroic and everything." The teenager let out a sigh of relief. If all he had to do was be himself, then he would win Grace over in no time. Everybody liked him! He turned to his stepfather and gave him a small hug. "Thanks Robin." He smiled as he left, passing his mother on the way out, Cordelia choosing to follow him out rather than her mother in.
"What was that all about?" Regina pressed herself against her husband as his arms came around her middle.
Robin knew that he would have to elaborate later, but for now he would keep her in suspense. "Just guy stuff." Before she could question him more, he captured her lips in a passionate kiss that left both parties breathless.
Well that was cute! And a pretty big moment for Henry!
Hope you enjoyed! R&R!