Work Text:
"You've cut your hair?"
It had been months since Regina last saw Narda after their.... nasty breakup that was totally her fault. She had accepted the fact that she won't see the woman ever again. But here she was, with a new haircut, and smiling at her like the argument never happened.
"Yeah, for a change." Narda replied. The older woman was trying to decipher the other's tone of voice. If she was mad, or sad. But really, Narda sounded genuine.
"Oh, okay. Looks good on you." Regina timidly replied, suddenly feeling shy.
The younger woman just smiled and shrugged, like she was used to it. Regina wonders when and where she cut her hair. When she heard from Brian that Narda have returned, she made an excuse to visit the airport just so she could see her. A bad decision but what could she do. She missed her dearly.
Now they've met, Narda carrying a luggage that was too feminine for the younger woman's usual taste and Regina with nothing but her phone.
When Regina noticed Narda was not gonna say something more, she tried to initiate a conversation again.
"Uhm, how are you?" Fuck. So fucking stupid.
"I'm great actually. Thanks for asking."
Regina was hurt. Narda didn't ask her back about how she were. She wanted to say something more, so that the younger woman would keep talking to her but she noticed her hand. She has a ring. A new one that wasn't theirs.
Just when she was about to ask her about it, a soft voice spoke from the behind Narda.
"Love! There you are!"
Regina blinked twice. Her heart speeding up and her hands are shaking in anxiety. She watched as Narda turned around towards the voice with eagerness.
"Ishna!"
The woman came walking towards them. She was pretty and tall. Her hair black and short just like Narda's and she carried herself so confidently. And yes, Regina noticed she had the same ring.
"You couldn't even wait for me?" The woman said teasingly and poked Narda's arms.
"Come on, you know me." Narda chuckled.
Regina had to clear her throat to remind them of her presence. The younger woman then turned to her, and motioned the other woman to come closer.
"Oh yeah, Ishna, this is Regina. My former boss."
Former boss.
"Regina, this is Ishna, my fiance."
Fiance. Regina didn't even bother to hide her wide eyes. Narda has a fiance. Fuck. She was too late.
"Oh." was the only word she could articulate at that moment. Her heart was twisting in pain.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Regina." Ishna said with genuine amusement and bowed.
The older woman had to force herself to speak, despite the thorns in her throat.
"Thank you. Nice to meet you too. I didn't know that Narda had a fiance." she spat.
"She had asked me three weeks ago actually. And we've only told her closest friends."
Closest friends?
"Love, I can't wait to finally meet Brian and Mara!"
Oh. Brian knew about this and didn't bother to tell her.
"We'll meet them tomorrow, I just wanna rest right now." Narda said with that familiar pout of hers.
"Gods, you're such a baby! Let me take that," Ishna snatched the handle of the luggage from Narda's hands "I'll go find us a ride now. I think you should catch up with your friend for a bit." With a polite smile, Ishna left the scene.
Regina was breathing heavily now. Her hands still shaking.
"N-Narda?" She hates how her voice cracked. And her eyes are stinging.
The younger woman seemed confused which kind of pissed off Regina.
"So you disappear for months and come back with another woman." Her voice was accusatory. "Who is also your fiance."
"Uhm, yes?"
"Really, that's it?"
"What? What's wrong with that?"
"Fuck you, Narda."
Narda frowned. "I don't get it Regina, why are you angry?"
"You're with another woman!"
"She's not an 'other woman' she's my fiance and as far as I remember, we've broken up. So I really don't understand what's gotten into you."
That seemed to stop the Regina. She looked at Narda with pleading eyes, bordering something carnal.
"B-But what about me?"
Narda sighed softly, like she was trying to make sense of what was happening.
"You broke up with me Regina."
"And I regret it, I regretted it that night, and I regret it now... I wanted to talk to you for months but you disappeared on me."
"That's literally what you wanted." She didn't catch what Narda whispered.
"Look, Narda. I still love you."
The younger woman stared at her in shock.
"Regina, I'm sorry."
Regina closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry. "F-for what?"
"I just don't love you like that anymore... and I have Ishna now. She's wonderful and I like to spend my life with her."
"You've just known her for months." Regina whispered in defeat.
"And I love her still."
"Narda please." she begs. Tears forming in her eyes.
"I'm really sorry Regina."
"Why?"
"Huh?"
"Why was it so easy for you to forget me?" The older sobbed. "I wanted to say sorry Narda.... I wanted to make it up to you. I still have your things at home. I... I just."
Regina cried, not able to talk clearly. "I thought I could still fix us."
"It was never real between us, Regina. You said so yourself."
The woman shook her head repeatedly. "No no no. I never meant that, Narda you were- are everything to me. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
The younger woman looked around, trying to see if there are people noticing them. There were few and she sighed. They shouldn't see the CEO of Nueva Esperanza's biggest company like this. It's like Regina forgot they were in a public place.
"Maybe we should talk another time? You see, people are watching us. Please Regina, go home."
Somehow, that made the older woman cry harder. Narda's eyes widened for the umpteenth time. They were starting to draw attention. She sighed and grabbed the Regina's wrist, dragging them away from the growing crowd.
When they reached a more secluded area, Narda let go of Regina's wrist. She paused for a moment before taking a deep breath. The younger woman pulled Regina into a soft hug. "Come on Reg, don't go crying about me now. I... Let's just start anew okay? I'm not mad at what happened anymore. We can still be friends."
The older woman hugged her back, but tighter, like she didn't want to let go. She buried her face in Narda's chest and murmured something inaudible.
They stayed like that for a while, until Regina reluctantly pulled away from the hug. She looked at Narda with her slightly swollen eyes. "I'm sorry for almost causing a scene, Baby- I mean Narda."
"It's fine," Narda assured her. "But you really should go home now. And Ishna might be looking for me already."
Regina sniffed and wiped her own tears, trying to not think about how Narda used to do that for her.
Let me try one last time.
"I have no chance at all?" she asked the younger woman. "As in zero?"
Because if there's even one inch of chance, Regina would take it. Narda... Narda is her life now. How is she gonna survive without her?
Narda shook her head with a sad smile. "Zero." she answered. "I'm sorry."
Regina swallowed a sob and nodded. "Okay. Okay."
"I really need to get back to my fiance now, see you when I see you." the younger woman bids goodbye and left her there.
She clutched her chest as she watched Narda and her fiance happily enter the car.
She lost.
She was used to Narda always coming back to her, even after a nasty argument. Narda always came back. And Regina would always promise her she'd get better.
And now that she's certain she's better, Narda didn't come back to her. Narda found a new home. And it's obvious to anyone she looks happier now.
Regina lost the love of her life.
And she has no one to blame but herself.
---