gloriouscurse | If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share. [Thanksgiving Day in the City]

Never had Regina had an abundance to be thankful for. Henry, of course, she was glad every day for him. Under the curse they'd had this holiday together, though it had always been just them, and after it broke the holidays had fallen to the wayside as event after event happened in Storybrooke. Then there was the year spent back in the forest, and though everyone knew what it was, there hadn't been much to celebrate. Or if anyone had, Regina certainly hadn't taken part in the festivities. She'd had nothing but newfound vengeance. In her life before, there was no such thing as 'Thanksgiving' and the last large meal she'd had, the last grand gathering, had been the king's birthday and she couldn't have cared less if she tried.

This year is different. This year there's family and friends of the family and things to celebrate. There's Henry getting to have a holiday with all three of his parents, there's Robin and Roland and a happiness that has managed to settle into Regina's belly and slowly allow her to relax. She hasn't had a terrible dream in weeks, and maybe she's started to let herself believe that this could be how her life is. She finds herself wanting it, the warmth Cora's home never allowed for, the laughter she's denied herself, and so she works hard at it, cooking and baking. Henry's with her in the kitchen in the morning after spending the day before hunting wild turkey with Robin. There are appetizers out by eleven: parmesan and cream cheese pumpkin puffs, deviled eggs and veggies with homemade dip. The wine and drinks are flowing by noon, and at three, dinner is served with traditional fare: turkey and stuffing, mashed and sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, real cranberry sauce and everything in between. She'd urged her guests to bring food they enjoyed too. Dessert is during mid-cleanup and includes Henry's no-bake pumpkin pie, an apple pie, pecan, and sweet potato.

The dull chatter in the room, the occasional laughter and the noise of whatever people watched on television during Thanksgiving all lended itself to make her step back and watch for a moment, eyes suspiciously damp. She's truly thankful, because she never thought she'd have this.

[ooc: Treat as gathering! Lots of mingling and tagging one another.]

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"Oh, sh— hey!" he says, catching the swear before it pops out. He takes her hand and shakes it. "Delsin, good to meet you. Henry and I met at Emma's birthday. He's a cool kid! Really smart. Super enthusiastic." He's got nothing but appreciation for the kid, though. He makes Emma happy. That's all that matters.

"Delsin, I've heard your name before, it's nice to meet you," she smiles. "I think I do remember seeing you at Emma's party, now that you mention it." It makes her happier than she can say to hear those things about Henry, and her entire face lights up.

"'Super enthusiastic' is probably one of the best ways I've ever heard to describe him," Regina realizes with a laugh. "He certainly keeps me on my toes, and even more now that he's a teenager. I'm completely unprepared for whatever it is boys go through from now through eighteen."

"Hey, you need any help, say the word, okay?" he offers, holding up a hand. "I'll help any way I can." This is Henry they're talking about. He may not know the kid very well yet, but Emma adores him, and Delsin loves Emma like a sister. He'll do anything for Henry.

"Thank you," Regina says genuinely, a little floored at the kindness, but starting to slowly try and realize she can have friends here. She's not her past, and she has a future.

"Now, does that offer extend beyond Henry and to the dishes?" she asks with a quirked eyebrow. She's teasing, she'd never expect a guest help her clean. "At the very least, please volunteer to take some of this food out of my apartment and back to yours."

He laughs. "Sorry, I barely do dishes at my own place. I buy paper plates for that." Dinner, and the only cleanup is tossing it in the trash? Yes, please. "But I will gladly take home your tasty, tasty food. In bulk, if that's easier!"

It doesn't matter much about the cleaning, she certainly has magic enough to take care of it. But she smiles brightly at his offer to take him enough food to hopefully give her room in her fridge. Crooking a finger for him to follow her into the kitchen, she then gestures to her counters that are overflowing with food.

"Please, help yourself. I had no idea exactly how many people were coming today and I...may have gone overboard."

"There is no such thing as overboard with big holiday feasts," he assures. The Akomish may not have celebrated Thanksgiving, but that didn't mean the Longhouse wasn't filled to the brim with potlucks for other holidays. Delsin misses gatherings like this, and the food is damn good. He's not going to turn down taking it home!

"Well, at this rate we'll freeze the turkey and have it again for Christmas." She won't, she's already sick of it and will be ready to never have it again after a week of turkey pot pies, and soup, and sandwiches.

"I hope you and your date enjoyed yourselves. Have you had dessert yet?

"I grabbed a slice of pie for each of us when I grabbed our meals, but, uh, I'm happy to take more off your hands?" He grins winningly. Delsin seriously loves this food. He'll probably just take all of it home, if Regina would let him.

Well, maybe not all of it. He'd let Emma take some. For Henry.

Reaching into the fridge, Regina pulls out an entire apple pie. "Please, take this. There's plenty of left over pie here." Hopefully he has no idea about her history with apples, and hopefully no one tells him.

It's just that she made it without thinking, and five people here wouldn't touch it.

Delsin's eyes widened. "Oh shit, the whole pie?" he asks. His voice is somehow both surprised and delighted, and he breaks into a grin as the surprise fades.

She can't help but laugh. "Do you get home cooking often?" Regina asks, wondering if he's of the Emma Swan diet plan that consists of mostly take out.

She's totally right. "Not so much, no," he admits with a laugh. "I'm more of a microwave noodles or Poptarts sort of guy."

"No wonder you're friends with Emma," Regina smirks, though she doesn't mean it.

"I'm glad you enjoyed the food here. I've never done anything like this before. Not for so many people."

"Hey, you did a great job," Delsin says sincerely. "I think it's safe to say you're a natural at hosting parties." He grins. Maybe he's trying to brown nose, get more food. Maybe.

"I suppose some of my upbringing came in handy today. But I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, and I'm glad to have met someone Emma knows," she says with just as much sincerity.

"Now, I'd be a terrible hostess if I didn't go back out and mingle, but seriously, anything left on the counters, feel free to take."

And there was a lot, he has choices because Regina can't keep all of this in her home.

"Trust me, you'll probably be barren by the time I'm through here," he jokes, except he's not really joking. He grins, though, and gestures for her to lead the way out of the kitchen. He'll get back to mingling, too, if only so he doesn't abandon Liz for the entire party.

If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share. [Thanksgiving Day in the City]

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