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

[gloriouscurse]

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.]

Comments

[cassidyneal]

The thing was, Neal wouldn't be around when Henry went back. From what he could tell, especially with the way Regina was with this guy? Robin would be. And if he was good to his kid, that was all that mattered.

"Yeah, but I can tell you he definitely gets that from Emma," he replied, squinting a little as he rubbed a hand over the back of his head. "Took her less than five minutes to get better than me at pickin' locks."

He had no idea how to go about saying he was damn glad Robin was around, that he took an interest in Henry without it getting too serious or too much for where they were. Somehow though, he'd let the man know.

[thiefwithhonor]

"Impressive," Robin laughed. He knew little of Emma's past, though he had heard some things from Regina. Everyone seemed to have a past, though, and he thought little of it - he was a thief himself, after all. "I imagine both he and Roland will surpass me with enough practice. It seems only right, I think."

Roland was eager to go out with them one day, especially now that Henry was involved. The boy had taken a fondness to him, and Robin was grateful Henry did not seem to mind.

"Perhaps you should come see him shoot one day," he offered after a moment, hoping he was not overstepping any bounds. He understood things were a bit complicated, but he couldn't imagine Henry wouldn't enjoy showing what he'd learned so far.

[cassidyneal]

"We pass on our best qualities to our kids, right?" Neal had no idea what that meant for him, what he'd received from his own father. Maybe in that case it was what he learned not to do. He wondered too what Henry would get from him. Hopefully not the car stealing, pick-pocketing part.

"I definitely wouldn't mind tagging along just to see. We were working on sword fighting for a while back home, but the bow seems a little more practical. People still use it, anyway. Not so much a sword."

After just a brief pause, Neal continued. "It's good there's people who'll teach him stuff back in Storybrooke."

[thiefwithhonor]

"One would hope," Robin said with a nod. He certainly hoped Roland only would gain the good qualities in him, the one Marian had once helped him see. "I am sure he would enjoy learning the sword though, regardless."

From what he knew of Henry, he seemed to want to learn whatever anyone offered.

"I'm happy to teach him, and that he took an interest when I offered," he said in response, with a slight smile. "He means quite a bit to Regina. I'm glad we get along and that he gets along with Roland, too. My boy's taken quite a liking to yours, you know."

Roland had rarely been around people even close to his age before here. It was nice to see he had apparently found someone to look up to in Henry.

[cassidyneal]

"I'm pretty grateful Henry ended up with someone who raised him to be who he is now." People could say what they wanted about the woman, evil or no, but Henry was kind, polite, considerate, knew a lot. Neal was self-aware enough to know that he had nothing to do with that.

"Seems like Henry's gonna get used to havin' you around I think. By the looks of it, I mean." He raised a curious eyebrow but it wasn't his business so he wouldn't push. And it wasn't like he took issue with his kid being around Robin at all.

[thiefwithhonor]

Robin smiled, knowing Regina would appreciate the sentiment very much. For all that had happened, he knew even when she was at her worst, Regina had loved Henry. Children changed a lot of things. Robin knew that all too well.

"I hope so," he said, his gaze shifting toward Regina, who was busily seeing to the guests. His smile softened briefly before he turned to look at Neal again. "In a capacity people are comfortable with, of course. I would not like to overstep things - I've made it a point to speak to Emma any time I think to offer something like lessons, and I'll of course extend the same to you now that you're here."

[cassidyneal]

"I trust you with my kid," Neal said without hesitation. Running things by him was good, it was appreciated and warranted, but he knew if Regina trusted him, it was all good.

"I had no idea there was wildlife like that here. Enough wild turkey to feed all these people? How many birds was this?" The turkey had been carved before dinner, so he wasn't sure. But considering the amount of mouths to feed, he was impressed.