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"I confess that I heartily believed that you were exaggerating when telling me of those feline monsters," Robin admitted easily and drank in Regina's smug grin. The tigers seemed as though they could take on a dragon and were quite the intimidating sight even with reassurances that the public was quite safe. That lazy yawn looked to be able to swallow his son in one mighty gulp.
Roland had been so eager to see the animals of this world and neither father or son had really believed the tales of the great cities and their massive populations.
They believed it now.
Franklin Park Zoo was a cacophony of sound and color with thousands of people milling about, each different and yet making a grand whole. They clung to their favorite Mills, Henry seeming to enjoy Roland's overeager company, the smaller boy dragging him bodily from one exhibit to the next, chattering on endlessly about the books he'd seen in Storybrooke about the creatures. Robin was content to ramble along in their wake, Regina's hand warm in his, and occasionally let himself be dragged into the excitement of his boy. Even the long car ride to the city of Boston had enthralled them, so many of the strange vehicles, so many impossibly tall buildings made of shining glass, so many simply strange things.
Though in time, even Roland's energy finally began to wane and he objected sleepily to being scooped up and carried to the shade of a tree to doze in his father's arms. With a kiss for Robin and a smile for Henry, Regina quietly volunteered to go in search of something to eat, her regal stride vanishing into the crowd.
"It's cool that you're so easy-going with her," Henry spoke up awkwardly, picking at the summer-stressed grass and pretending to not notice Robin's besotted grin.
"I assure you, lad, I've annoyed her often enough. But getting past the armor was worth it. You did a good job, teaching her to care."
Ashamed by how rocky a path that had been these last few years and pleased with the compliment, Henry tried not to squirm. "Yeah, getting past the armor was worth it, you're right."
That said, the teen was content to sprawl out with his tired feet in the sunshine and relax while Roland dozed peacefully against Robin's chest. That was how Regina found them, though Robin opened his eyes to smile as he recognized her footfalls even through the noise and crowds.
"I see the chaos hasn't dulled your senses, archer," she teased and handed over a brown box to a stirring Henry and the strange, clear plastic containers of water to Robin before settling primly to the grass. At least sausages in bread were something Robin knew, though why they were called 'hot dogs' baffled him. Being gently roused made Roland whine until a hot dog was placed in his hands and all was well with the world once more. Scrambling away from his father, he imperiously took over Regina's lap to chatter at her, since clearly she had missed out on his endless and mostly one-sided conversation. Henry watched his mother pet the boy's curls and nod along to the stream of words, her smile soft. In them, he saw himself, memories hazy of doing just that with the woman who had always been his mother. Even through the tangled yarn of his real past and memories of a life with Emma, his heart knew her forever and nothing could ever really change that. The insanity of his life since being handed the storybook had tried often enough.
"Are there peacocks here, Regina?"
Roland had been desperate to see the colorful birds since seeing them on the television. No matter that his companions had explained to him that the birds were probably avoiding the noisy crowds, he was still so very hopeful.
"Well, there's an exotic bird house not far from here that might have them. And if not, there will be other fancy birds. Will that do?"
Solemn as only a small boy can be, Roland nodded and scrambled to his feet to do his best to help her up. Regina humored him, handing over her half-eaten meal to Henry and allowing herself to be dragged off. "Join us when you're done, dears!"
Robin watched them go, the son he adored with all his soul and the prickly, surprisingly warm woman he'd slowly fallen for. What sharp edges he'd not managed to soften up-- Robin hid a wolfish smile behind a cough and a drink from the water bottle-- Roland had, with his sunny disposition and endless enthusiasm. Wrapping up their meal, the men-folk went in search of their family members, Robin marveling at the enormous tent shape made of nets to keep the birds contained and the double sets of doors that did the same. In the crush of people, Roland had to push through to get to his father, babbling in incoherent delight and gesticulating the way he'd come. Hoisting the boy to his shoulders, Robin ignored his discomfort not just from the crowd, but from having Roland so exposed. But that was an archer's worry and had no place here.
Henry led the way to Regina, who watched the flashy peacock with a half-smile that warmed her companions.
"Isn't he beautiful, Papa? Isn't he? With such a fancy tail!"
"Like a goose dressed in a king's finery," Robin enthused for his son, garnering smiles from nearby patrons. "He's even a crown of feathers."
For what seemed like the first time all day, Roland fell quiet in the presence of the animals whose pictures had enthralled him in books and on the television. Elbows planted on Robin's head and his little chin in his hands, he marveled at the shining peacock, who strutted and called stridently across the pond of water that separated them. The Mills duo contented themselves in keeping company with their new loved ones, enjoying the simple things of this world they so often took for granted.
That was a bonus Regina never thought of when she had let her heart be wooed again. Learning to love this world of no magic through their eyes. Robin did not ask questions of the slender, asking hand that coaxed his head down so that Regina could kiss him lingeringly while the boys shared commiserating looks. "Thank you," she murmured against his lips, stroking his chin and Roland's strong little leg.
Henry didn't fight being pulled into the hug, nor Roland's leaning over precariously to kiss both Mills on their heads.
It was a day they would all hold dear.