OutlawQueen One Shots

Homeless Christmas

Prompt - Homeless Robin & Roland around Christmas

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It was one of the coldest nights since the winter had started, and there was nothing more than wrapping both of their blankets even tighter around the young boy that Robin could do. The little money they were given by random people had finished a few days prior, when Roland's stomach broke the silence with a loud grumble. The harsh snowstorm made Robin haul the little boy in his arms, in a futile attempt at warming him up, but his own body was beginning to give into the cold and shut down. The pavement they were sitting on had once been covered in newspapers and a few cardboards, but the snow managed to soak through, forcing the man to get rid of them. Their clothes were soiled and mostly covered in holes, but there was no way Robin could afford a change of wardrobe at that moment.

The two had been homeless for almost three years, since the death of Roland's mother. Although the young boy did not understand much, his father was deeply affected by the passing of his wife. It started by him missing work because there was no motivation left to get out of the bed, and only spiralled since. It did not take more than a couple of weeks until Robin was informed that he needed to clear his office by the end of the day. The first night on the streets was his wake-up call, when Roland told him that he was afraid. However, getting another job when there is no address to write down on the application and the clothes you wear to the interview might as well be thrown away, there are little chances of actually getting the job.

On a particularly tough night, Robin considered leaving his son with a social worker, hoping that he would be put up by a family, in a real house. That thought quickly vanished when he remembered his own childhood in foster care, which was not among Robin's favourite moments. He started taking up frivolous jobs, such as picking up the rubbish in the parks, or doing housework for other people, and that brought him a few hundred dollars. This was how Robin and Roland made it through their first two winters without a home, only using the money he managed to earn. The man found a motel owner who was willing to have them for the winter, in exchange for most of the money Robin earned.

When their third winter began, they found out that the motel owner would not put them up again if Robin could not pay on the spot.

He could not.

Watching the Christmas decorations being installed and paying attention to all the people who were in a frantic search for the perfect gifts for their families had to be the worst part for Robin. As a father, not being able to provide for his son and not offering him a proper Christmas celebration was considered the worst failure. Bunches of children passed by everyday, each of them holding huge boxes or bags filled with gifts, but Roland never commented, he never did. Three Christmases passed since they lost their house, and the only gift Robin could afford to give his son was a cup of hot chocolate with little white marshmallows. The boy always offered to share it with his father, since he never got his own, but was always assured that he could have all of it.

When she noticed them for the first time, Roland and Robin were asleep in each other's arms, trying to hide themselves from the cold. Regina was in a rush, she only had a few days left until Christmas, and several gifts still needed to be bought. She would not normally pay much attention to the homeless people she passed by, but always fished in her pocket for some spare change to give them. When she saw them, that changed. The man's face was contorted in a painful grimace even while asleep, and the grip he had on the child was fiercely protective. The small piece of paper in front of them had a few scribbles on it, but Regina had to get closer to them so she could read it.
"Please help me get his Christmas chocolate"

Instead of going her own way, Regina found the nearest supermarket and hoped they would not have left by the time she returned. Her basket was then filled with food, a warm sweater for each of them and two thick blankets. After she paid for the items, Regina also put some money inside the bag and slipped a note with her phone number on it, telling Robin to give her a call if she could help in any way. That was the first time she ever saw them, which brings us to the beginning of the story, when the harshness of the snowstorm made Robin spare a few coins for a pay phone to call the woman, Regina, if the name she wrote down was real.

"Regina Mills," the voice on the other end of the line answered.
"Uhm, this is Robin... Robin Locksley, you wrote your number on the piece of paper inside the bag," he said.
"Oh, it is nice to finally hear from you. Listen, the weather outside is absolutely horrible, do you have any place to go?" Regina quickly asked.

Twenty minutes later, four days after Christmas, Regina was stepping in front of the two again. When Robin saw her, he could not help but admire her beauty and the kindness she was emanating. Her clothes were obviously expensive, and judging by the way her hair looked, Robin assumed that she probably never did it herself. However, while he was absorbed by the woman in front of them, Roland had already begun a conversation with her. The child was captivated by her, and against all the refinement Robin thought she would display, Regina sat on the ground next to the boy and wrapped an arm around him.

Robin did not catch the beginning of their conversation, but his attention was quickly caught by a slight tremble in his son's voice.
"I guess I am not good enough, Santa never came to me," Roland said.
Without blinking an eye, Regina was there to reply to the little child's self-accusations. If it were not for her to be there, Robin would not have known what to tell his son.
Before speaking, Regina's eyes went wide in surprise and she let her mouth fall open.
"I think you might be the boy I have been looking for. Tell me, what is your name?" she asked.
"Roland," the boy said as he wiped a tear.
With a wide smile, addressed both at the child and his father, Regina leaned closer to Roland, whispering in his ear, loud enough for his dad to hear as well.
"Santa told me that he had been looking for you everywhere for so long, but never managed to find your house, so he just let all of your presents at my place and told me to find you!" she exclaimed excitedly.

To say that Robin was shocked was an understatement. Yet, they were given another piece of paper, this time an address was written on it, and instructed to be there in a few hours. During those hours, Regina Mills became known as the woman who managed to put together a Christmas celebration after only finding a single open store to buy the gifts she promised Roland would find. When Robin and his son entered her home, the decorations were still put up, the lights on the tree were shining brightly and the fireplace provided a warmth the two had not felt in months. Next to the tree, a bunch of presents with name tags were waiting to be opened.

Ever since that year, the Locksley men spent their Christmas with Regina, next to the fireplace, after feasting on one of her delicious recipes and sipping on countless mugs of hot chocolate.
Well, it would be odd for them not to be together during that period, taking into account the ring that Robin managed to put on Regina's finger months ago.