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A smile curls onto Regina’s lips as she lifts her head from the pillow, and watches as Mal tucks a lavender blouse into a black pencil skirt. She doesn’t say anything; she just watches--watching the way Mal’s long fingers select an earring, watching the way she tips her head ever-so-slightly as she reaches for her earlobe to put on the earring, and watching the way she turns her head to examine how they look.
And she looks gorgeous.
Her hair is swept up and off of her neck, knotted in a low bun; and the skirt she wears hugs her hips and stops just below her knee. Her makeup--as always--is subtle with the exception of dramatically red lips, and even from the bed, Regina can smell the soft scent of her perfume.
“You’re awfully dressed up for a Saturday morning,” Regina says as she gets out of bed--scrunching her hair as she joins Mal in front of the mirror. “Do you have plans that I don’t know about?”
“Hmmm… I don’t know if I told you…”
Regina presses a feathery kiss to her shoulder as her arms slide around her waist. “Tell me what?” She asks, already having forgotten what she’d asked, and enjoying the warmth of being pressed against Mal.
“Just that I’m going to head over to the pawn shop for a little while,” Mal says as she leans back into her. “Belle is doing some cataloguing early this…” Her voice trails off as Regina tenses. “Do you want to come along?”
Regina just blinks. “No, I don’t,” she says, her voice suddenly curt as she begins to bristle. “It’s Saturday and Henry’s with Emma, and… I sort of assumed that we’d get to enjoy some time alone together.”
“Oh,” Mal murmurs in reply, looking at her thought the mirror. “Well, you know, we could have some alone time later on.”
Regina blinks again. “You’re… seriously going to turn down sex for… hanging out at the pawn shop.” She pauses and her shoulder square and she pulls back. “Which, I have to say, it seems you’ve been doing a lot of lately.”
Mal turns to face her, her brow furrowing as she tilts her head. “You’re… jealous?”
“Should I be?”
“Oh, come on, Regina,” Mal says, reaching for her hand. “You know…”
She pulls away, her head shaking as her chest tightens as her voice rises. “Do I?”
“Regina…”
There’s a pang of something unpleasant at her core--this has been going on for weeks. Admittedly, she hasn’t be around very much lately--she’s been working late in preparation for a fundraiser and Snow had so kindly volunteered her to help out with the school play. There were too many nights that she’d come home to leftovers covered in foil or arranged in tupperware and too many mornings she’d have to leave early. Lunch dates were cancelled, and reluctantly, Mal found other ways to entertain herself during the day.
Saturdays though--Saturdays had always been her salvation. The promise of spending a whole day with Mal--cuddling under the covers and trading kisses and dozing well into the afternoon, had made the long work week bearable--and now, it seemed even that would be sacrificed.
“Are you doing this because I haven’t been around lately?”
“What? No. I just…”
“Or maybe you have a thing for a certain shopkeeper?” It takes everything in her not to grimace--and she knows that it’s a preposterous claim--but now that she’s said it, now that she’s implied the accusation, she has to own it--and there’s a little bit of her that wonders if shiny objects aren’t the only thing bringing her into the pawn shop day after day.
“Regina,” Mal says, almost gasping at the thought of it. “You can’t be serious.”
“Do you really want that to be your answer?” She returns, crossing her arms over her chest as her jealousy begins to bubble up beneath the surface. “You really want to be coy?”
Mal’s eyes widen. “You know perfectly well that I wasn’t attracted to scaly men even as a dragon, and I am certainly not attracted to them now.” She scoffs indignantly. “I can’t believe you’d even think that I had a thing for Rumplestiltskin.”
“And what about the other shopkeeper?”
“Belle?”
Regina nods--and she feels herself holding her breath. “Isn’t she the reason you’re up so early and dressed…”
“Wait just a second,” Mal cuts in--and something in her changes. “You honestly believe that I’d cheat on you?” Regina just blinks, choosing not to respond because deep down, she knows that it’s untrue. “Of all people, you should know know that Belle isn’t my type.” Regina watches as Mal softens a bit and takes a little step toward her. “I mean, sure, she’s adorable but she’s adorable in a cavity-inducing sort of way.” Taking a breath, Mal reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, letting her hand slowly linger at her cheek. “You know I like a little fire.”
She struggles not to smile. “Then why have you been spending so much time with her?”
A glint of excitement flashes in Mal’s eyes and her little grin brightens. “I just love the shop--all of the things there. There are drawers and drawers of old coins. Some are silver and some are gold and others are brassy! And there’s this little ivory lamp that glows so beautifully when it’s lit up--and then, there’s a knight’s armor. It’s all put together and made of tin, and when it catches the light--oh, Regina--it’s so beautiful.” Mal takes a long breath. “And the smell of those old leather books! I just…”
A little laugh escapes her and a smile tugs up at the corner of her mouth, betraying her. “So, you… spend all day just… milling around the pawn shop..looking at things?”
“Yes,” Mal nods, her voice full of exuberance. “It’s just so…"
Regina doesn’t even try to hold back--she laughs out as her hand slides over Mal’s hip, kneading gently. Leaning up onto her toes, her lips brush over Mal’s and she smiles at the feeling of her warm breath on her lips. Mal responds, her hand slipping to the back of her neck as she draws her closer--and then, she pulls back.
“I thought we were fighting.”
A grin twists onto Regina’s lips. “We’re we?”
“I think we were.”
“Oh…”
“You were jealous.”
Regina feels her cheeks warm. “A little…”
“Does this mean the fight’s over?” Mal asks, a little laugh behind her words. “And did you just admit that you were wr--”
“Yes,” Regina cuts in. “You don’t have to say it out loud.”
Mal rolls her eyes, but she presses closer and her lips slide against Regina’s jaw. “You know,” she purrs as Regina’s head falls back, giving her more access. “Now that we’re over the fighting we can move on to… other things.”
“Other things…”
“My favorite thing…”
“And what’s that?” Regina asks as her hand slide down Mal’s back.
“The part where we make up.”
Regina laughs as she spins away from her, taking her hand and tugging her down onto the bed. Mal rolls onto her side and Regina stays on her back--a for a split second that glint of exuberance shines again in Mal’s eyes--and then, Regina reaches for her and pulls her down into a kiss.