Birthday memories
Maneater asked for a oneshot of Snow being pregnant on her birthday but doesn't want to be sad because she knows it's not good for Emma.
Charming watched as his wife opened the carefully wrapped presents Emma had selected for her mother. She'd even gone to the hassle of making sure some were 'from Neal' so Charming could focus on his own gifts to his wife. Charming had kept his presents very low-key, knowing how much Snow hated birthdays. Watching the scene in front of him, anyone else might be fooled into thinking Snow loved her birthday and the excitement that came with it…but not Charming. He knew his wife too well. He knew that the smile plastered on her face was fake and could see that she was carefully blinking back tears. Of course the hormones caused by their third child growing inside her didn't help matters, but this day would always be hard for Snow. She would always want to forget it existed, it reminded her too much of her mother's death.
"This was so thoughtful of you Emma." Snow said, pulling Emma's face towards her and kissing her forehead. "Thank you, and thank you for my breakfast in bed. It was delicious, sweetheart."
"Me too! Me too!" Neal squealed delightedly, scrambling up onto his mother's lap. Snow gave what Charming knew to be a half-hearted chuckle, kissing his forehead too.
"Yes, you too baby." She answered him. Charming knew now was the time to sensitively step in.
"Well since you 'helped' Emmy make the breakfast, you can help her clear it up and wash the dishes little man." Charming said, helping him and Emma pile up the dishes before he ushered them out of the bedroom. He shut the door behind him and when he turned round again Snow's face had fallen. She was not able to show her true emotion surrounding her birthday in front of her children, not wanting to spoil their efforts or make them feel guilty about enjoying their own birthdays. He got onto the bed beside her and automatically started rubbing circles on her rapidly swelling belly. "How are you really feeling?" He asked her. Snow snuggled up to her husband, letting a few tears escape the corners of her eyes.
"Not great." She admitted. "But she went to so much effort, I couldn't reject that."
"I know." He said understandingly. "But I'll have them back off for the rest of the day. Say I want to give you a surprise." Snow smiled genuinely and reached up to kiss her husband, her Charming.
"I love you so much." She breathed, not believing her own luck at finding such a wonderful man. He smiled, returning her kiss.
"Not as much as I love you." He said, getting up to gently suggest that Emma might want to take Neal out for the day. Who knows? Maybe he would give his wife a surprise, it just didn't have to be connected to her birthday.