𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓛𝓸𝓼𝓽 𝓟𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓼𝓼

Snow Drifts

Brooklyn leaned against the counter, tapping her fork against the wooden top, her eyes staring at the empty plate in front of her.

David, who was holding his newborn son looked over to her, sighed. "Brooke, once you're finished eating, you put your dish in the sink." Rolling her eyes, the girl begrudgingly straightened herself, throwing the small plate into the sink with a huff. Resisting the urge to scold her, David turned to his eldest, noticing how she seemed out of it. "Emma, you okay?"

"What? Yeah, of course." The blonde asked, smiling at her parents. "You guys gonna finally tell me the name of my little brother, or should I just keep calling him 'hey there'."

"I'd say 'stinker' suits him more." Brooklyn muttered, rounding the counter as she joined the three. Mary Margaret rolled her eyes, laughing softly.

"Remember, he's just a baby."

"Well, the thing is, there's sort of this tradition. Back in the Enchanted Forest, when a new royal is born, you usually announce the name at a coronation ceremony."

Emma looked over to her sister, her eyes narrowed. "We would have don't it with you both, if we could have."

"You're not gonna hold him out in front of the clock tower and present him like Lion King, are you?"

"Of course not." David chuckled. "In fact, we've decided to forgo all pomp and circumstance for a nice..potluck at Granny's."

"The important thing is to mark the occasion. Remind ourselves, that after all that we've been through, we're still together..as a family." At her words, Emma looked down, her face dropping ever so slightly. Brooklyn, of course noticed this, though deciding not to say anything as she knew she couldn't change her sister's mind.

"Well, what about Brooke? How come you didn't announce her?" Emma asked, trying to take the attention off of herself.

"Technically, I wasn't born a royal." She answered, Emma looking to the girl. "Just a little bastard baby born in the forest. Ha. Ironic." The two parents looked at her with knowing looks, Brooklyn raising her arms in defence. "It was a joke."

Just then, the door opened, Henry walking in with a news paper. "Hey, check it out. I think I found us a place."

Everyone turned to the boy, Brooklyn sharing a certain look with her parents. "You're looking for apartments?"

"What do you think?"

The blonde took the news paper from her son, staying quiet. "Yeah, Emma. What do you think?" Mary Margaret asked, hoping her daughter would somehow change her mind.

"It certainly isn't the forest." Brooklyn muttered, Henry giving his aunt a confused look. Emma, however, only grabbed the boys shoulders, turning the her parents.

"I think, your grandparents can't decide what to call your uncle. And, they are using a fairytale tradition, to try to buy themselves some time."

Henry laughed, the woman sharing an amused look with her sister.

•••

Everyone, now at Granny's sat around the end booth as Henry read out his book to his uncle. "And, that's when the bandit snow whit, lept on top of the carriage, and stole the princess jewels. As the princess chased the thief on horseback, through the treacherous forest.."

Brooklyn, who was sat opposite her mother and nephew groaned, throwing her head back lightly. "Really, I can't hear the kids name yet, but I have to hear this story again?"