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Regina is growing rather tired of chasing after Miss Swan all the time. It seems to be all she does lately, which is even more evident when one considers the fact her mind is betraying her as she traipses after the blonde idiot, defending Emma's chosen method of coping. If she has learned anything at all about the woman, and she has learned plenty, the most glaring thing is that Emma Swan is a runner—or rather, in this special case, a particularly quick walker.
Her dress catches and Regina huffs, pausing to flick away the offending branch while her eyes remain glued to the back of the not quite so elusive other mother of her son. If not for what happened prior to the last couple of minutes, she would be tempted to stop and give up the chase before it has even truly begun, even if deep down she is secretly pleased with the confession given, albeit forced, not so long ago beside the well.
Emma wants to embrace the darkness for her, and though she knows it is wrong to encourage such a ridiculous notion, she can't help a purr from escaping as Emma's words repeat themselves in the back of her mind. Despite what everyone wants to believe about her, the Evil Queen is not far from the surface, and she is very much intrigued by the woman who has spent the past two years wreaking havoc on her life.
Many things can be said of the Evil Queen, and being a masochist is certainly one of them.
Entering the clearing where blonde curls disappeared only seconds earlier, she comes to an abrupt stop, brow creasing with a frown as she peers about. She turns, wondering if Emma had decided to sneak up on her, frown deepening when she is met with nothing more than the trees she'd passed on her way there.
A growl rumbles in her chest.
If Emma wants to play, then play she shall.
"I know you're here, Emma." She conjures a fireball in the palm of her hand, eyes narrowed as she scans the tree line. "You have until the count of 1 to show yourself before I set this entire forest on fire." She would do it, solely because she finds the current ruler of Camelot to be a repulsive little cretin, who she's fairly certain is drugging his wife.
Not that she cares.
"5."
She is also fairly certain Guinevere is in love with another, and really, at least have the decency to kill the man before you're unfaithful to him.
Or be smart and get someone else to do it.
"4."
Regina smirks at the thought, sending a wayward fuck you down to the ground where she is certain Leopold resides in Hell where he belongs, along with her selfish, egotistical mother and countless other horrors from her past who'd finally gotten what they deserved.
Her smirks turns to a sneer and the, "3," drops more harshly from her lips before she shakes her head.
She has an almost-Dark One to find and no time to dwell on such memories.
"2."
Emma is here, of that she is certain. She can feel her, and she knows it isn't one way, which begs the question of why Emma is even bothering to hide. She supposes that may remain one of her life's greatest mysteries; why Emma bothers. Not simply now, but in general. Surely Emma has learned by now that Regina always gets what she wants.
Surely.
"1," she growls and her arm snaps out in the next instant, fireball flying toward the tree in which she senses Emma is somehow hiding. There is a curse, and then she's looking up. Emma sits high up in the tree top, at least thirty feet from the ground.
"I warned you," Regina reminds her, eyes flicking back down to where flames have engulfed the trunk of the tree.
"Put it out," Emma demands and Regina cocks an eyebrow, tilting her head back. She could, of course, tell Emma to do it herself. She wants to embrace the darkness, so what better way than have her use her magic to save herself?
She'd done it to save Robin, but this is where she draws the line? Herself? Honestly.
Regina sighs and flicks her wrist. "Get down here," she snaps, head dropping as she rolls her shoulders. Emma is the childish one, not her; throwing tantrums and running from her problems as though she isn't a grown woman.
Emma drops to the ground, barely more than a foot in front of her and Regina's brow rises even higher than before. If she didn't know better, she'd think Emma had already embraced the Dark One. There is no way she could have done that otherwise without breaking the bones in her legs, not from that height.
"Interesting," she murmurs, ignoring the quirk of Emma's mouth as she circles her. She sniffs, sensing the faint hint of dark magic at work and nods to herself. Emma is closer to the edge than she first thought. "Run away from me again and you will not appreciate my response."
Her warning is met with a soft chuckle she isn't entirely certain she's meant to hear, but she does, and the Evil Queen surges, a hand raised and fingers clawed before Regina even realizes. At the last second, she draws back, nails merely brushing through those golden curls as the hand drops to her side and she exhales a frustrated breath.
Emma Swan might be a pain in her ass who can take a punch better than most, but the Evil Queen is far worse than a mother worried about losing her son to the most infuriating woman she has ever met. "Tell me why your feelings for me means embracing the darkness."
Emma stiffens at the question, jaw rippling in refusal. Regina reaches up, knowingly this time, and flicks the side of her head. Emma whips around, a sneer on her lips that has Regina smirking. If Emma thinks she can scare her into backing off, then she has another thing coming.
"The sooner you answer my questions, the sooner you can start running again," she taunts, ignoring the slowly growing anger in Emma's expression. "If I am to be blamed for your choice, the least I deserve is an explanation. Don't you think?"
Her expression changes, a flash of guilt contorting her features until Emma regains control and her face becomes blank. "I don't deserve you," she says, as if stating a fact and not the most idiotic thing to ever leave her mouth.
Both brows rise, incredulous. Regina has thought of a hundred different reasons to explain why Emma doesn't want to let go. Even after discovering she is the driving force behind the decision, she thought maybe the darkness was merely a cover, for Emma to be free with herself—to be true without worrying about what everyone else might think.
She hasn't contemplated much on her own feelings in regards to Emma, or what might come of it, but she knows how important everyone's opinion is to her. She knows how judgmental people can be—especially those in Storybrooke, especially the woman's parents. If anything, she is the one who will never deserve someone as courageous, as kind and warm, and caring—
There isn't a single person in their world or any other, she is certain, who would disagree with her.
Except, perhaps, Emma.
Apparently.
"Of all the asinine things you've ever said…"
Emma stares back at her, unblinking—almost unaffected, if not for the slight widening of her eyes. Regina laughs. Surprise. Emma is surprised that this is her reaction? "You are an idiot," she says, stifling a chuckle in the next instant as Emma jerks back as though struck.
She shakes her head as Emma opens her mouth, cutting her off before she can argue or—whatever it is she intends to do. "You are," she insists. "You are the most intelligent, dumbest person I have ever met, Emma Swan. You don't deserve me? Do you even remember who I am?"
Finally, Emma blinks, forehead creasing with the start of a frown. "You're Regina," she replies, voice so soft Regina has to strain to hear it. Emma is staring off over her shoulder, but at her continued stare, their eyes meet and her breath hitches and Emma continues. "You're the mother of my son, the woman who gave me a second chance to be something—to mean something. You made my life hell for a while, but you did it out of love, out of fear of losing him."
Emma takes a breath before more words fly from her mouth. "You still think you're the Evil Queen, but if that's true, I don't see why that's such a bad thing. Evil Queen, or just Regina, there is a love inside you that anyone would be envious of—that anyone, even the Savior, can only hope will one day be sent her way."
Regina averts her gaze, tears in her eyes as a lump forms in her throat. Every word hit something deep inside her, belief—truth dripping from every syllable as they wrapped around her heart. It isn't true. Her love is dark and twisted, and no one should want it, especially not someone like Emma Swan. If anything, she should run, as far and as fast as she can because if she did—if she let herself love Emma, then she would grab hold of her and never let go.
"You're wrong," she murmurs, refusing to look into those eyes she can feel boring in to the side of her head. "My love is toxic."
She refuses even as she hears movement, and then there are fingers sliding beneath her chin. Emma turns her head and she squeezes her eyes shut, a tear slipping free only to be brushed aside as Emma strokes her cheek.
"That isn't true," Emma whispers before lips press to her forehead and Regina gasps, confusion in her gaze as her eyes snap open. Emma pulls back with a small smile, thumb still tracing her cheekbone as she says, "Your love is a miracle, Regina Mills, and this Savior is unworthy."
Her head shakes back and forth in denial, barely able to stifle her sob as she searches bright emerald eyes. Emma's eyes have been dark for so long, she'd almost forgotten what they looked like when Emma smiles. She knows this look. She has seen it a hundred times before; In Storybrooke—pre and post curse. In Neverland. She swallows, hard, and tries to find words.
"But the Dark One is worthy?" She has no idea where the question comes from, but the fact she can speak at all has relief surging through her.
Emma's smile dims but she shakes her head with a chuckle. "No," she admits, "the Dark One is simply tired of hiding and no longer cares to."
Merlin tells them how to rid Emma of the Dark One—True Love's Kiss—and Emma had smiled, as if she'd already known the answer. Regina aches because Hook is dead and even though Emma thinks she loves her, Regina believes he had a better chance of breaking that curse than she did. She tries to convince Emma, along with her parents that Merlin is right and they should go to Hell to try and rescue him, but Emma is adamant.
She tells them, in no uncertain terms, that Hook was never her True Love and she was never his. In the quiet of her room where Emma visits later that night, Emma tells her about all the times Hook spoke of Milah and how, even after all these centuries, his love had shone through as he regaled her with stories of their adventures together. When she asks, Emma smiles and admits that she did love him, and that he loved her in the ways he could. She would miss him, but more as a friend than anything else.
"We were lonely," she confesses, shoulders lifting in a shrug before she brings the glass in her hand to her lips. Emma sits near the window while Regina leans against the headboard of her bed, trying not to interrupt. Emma glances at her, another smile on her lips as she says, "Misery loves company, right?"
Regina inclines her head because even though she loathed Hook, she can understand wanting to be with someone out of fear of being alone. Emma can do better—better than Hook, and certainly better than her, but she isn't going to be cruel and point that out. She won't deny her relief, however, hearing Emma admit she's always known he wasn't her happy ending.
"Is that why you won't save him?"
Emma sighs, resting her elbow on the window sill as she turns her head and stares out into the night. "He's with Milah now," she reasons, pausing to take another sip before adding, "He asked me to let him go. He made his choice, and I don't begrudge him it. "
A thought occurs to Regina then and she frowns, uncertain how she feels about it even as she asks, "Do you think I should have let Robin die?" Her chest aches with the question, but no where near as much as she thinks it should—not like the thought of Emma remaining the Dark One for the rest of her life.
Even with the distance between them, she can see the tension in Emma's form. She thinks Emma might not answer but barely a minute passes before she hears the quiet mutter of, "Maybe." Emma turns before she can question the answer, mirroring her confusion. "You think he should be with Marian?"
Regina blinks. Yes. She thinks that. Of course, she thinks that. He chose Marian, over and over again. It was only when his hope truly died that he'd bothered to choose her. "She was his True Love," she says, keeping those thoughts to herself.
"And you're still…"
Emma trails off and Regina shrugs. If she is being honest with herself, she resents him. She hates that she is second choice to a dead woman, but what can she do, exactly? No one else wants—wanted, her mind corrects—her. Emma wants her, if her words in the forest can be believed, but the two are in no way comparable. Emma is better than all of them, Robin included.
"We're soul mates," she drawls, flicking her wrist and summoning the glass from Emma's hand. She can't be bothered getting up and if this continues, she needs a drink; the least Emma can do is share since she started them on this path.
Emma nods and within seconds, another glass fills her hand before she rises and crosses the room, landing on the bed with a bounce that brings an automatic scowl to dark lips. Emma offers an apologetic smile, but nothing else, and lounges back, resting on an elbow as she sips her drink, a thoughtful look on her face.
Regina watches the transition from thoughtful to curious. She waits patiently, draining one glass, and then another as it seems to refill on its own. She's starting to feel a buzz and wonders at what exactly it is she's drinking, and where exactly Emma finds these things, before she realizes Emma is staring at her, amusement in her eyes.
For a brief, foolish second, she's horrified at the idea that Emma might be able to read her thoughts and then closes her eyes, chest expanding as she readies the exasperated sigh she gives a moment later. Emma did something to her drink, she's certain of it as her eyes flutter open.
Emma smirks. "Soul mates, huh," she says, catching the drink as it slips from Regina's fingers and she passes out.
As the door to her room flies open, Emma jerks upright before the sleep has fully cleared from her mind. She rubs her eyes tiredly and, with a yawn, attempts to focus on her visitor. Regina stands before her bed, hands on hips, a vicious sneer on her lips, and Emma grins as the memories of last night slowly come rushing back to her.
She'd worried, briefly, that Regina would simply accept what she'd done, and then avoid her for the rest of her life. She is rather glad that isn't the case, hence the grin—though the sight of a pissed off former Evil Queen is certainly reason enough for that. "Did you want something?"
Regina bares her teeth in a growl and Emma shivers, delighted. Regina might scare everyone else, but not her. Never her. She raises an eyebrow and Regina all but shouts, "You drugged me."
Emma shrugs. It had been late, and after that depressing conversation, she figured Regina likely wouldn't be sleeping any time soon. Of course she drugged her. "You looked tired."
"We were in the middle of a conversation!"
Regina does shout this time, which only amuses Emma more. She grimaces, however, remembering said conversation. "Yeah, about Robin," she replies and rolls her eyes. "Pass."
"Pass," Regina repeats, practically seething at this point. Emma half expects her to start foaming at the mouth as she pushes her blankets to the side and swings her legs over the edge of the bed. "You came to me. You started the conversation to begin with!"
"About True Love, not about your blockhead of a beard who probably spends an hour trying to decide which shirt allows him to blend in with the trees best." Emma scoffs, turning in time to witness Regina looking away, cheeks tinted pink and—oh.
Emma laughs and Regina folds her arms, leveling her with a glare that has absolutely zero affect. She stamps her foot upon realizing this and Emma slaps a hand over her mouth in an attempt to stifle her second bout of laughter. Regina is seriously adorable when she's trying so hard to stay angry and Emma sighs, unwilling to give up entirely as she lets the smile remain on her lips and drops her hand to the bed.
"I considered cursing you," she admits, and knows immediately it was the wrong thing to say as Regina turns on her heel. Emma launches from the bed and catches her around the waist as she hurries to say, "You shouldn't settle. He doesn't deserve you either."
"So what," Regina snaps, twisting in her arms and shoving her in the chest. "I should be alone because you think I can do better?"
Emma stumbles back but she doesn't let go and as her knees hit the bed and she falls, she takes Regina with her. Regina gasps before she starts to struggle, demanding to be let up. Emma shakes her head and tightens her hold. "I'm better," she says. Regina freezes, eyes wide as she stares down at her. "I love you. I am in love with you. I have been since the day we met and I don't deserve you, but of the two of us? Yeah, I do."
Regina's eyes cloud over but her jaw clenches and Emma sees the flash of anger in them. She reaches up and touches her cheek, surprised when Regina leans into her palm and closes her eyes. "I was going to prove it to you," she continues. "I can't beat a soul mate but maybe if I was your True Love…"
The eyes snap open and Regina looks down at her, incredulous for all of half a second before the looks turns curious. "You want to know why I didn't," Emma guesses and after a moment, Regina gives a reluctant nod. "Choice."
At her frown, Emma explains, "You think you have to be with Robin because of pixie dust and some stupid looking tattoo and for a second, I wondered if I could change your mind but then I realized I would just be following another path set by fate that steals your choice and that wouldn't be fair to either of us."
Regina sighs and pushes against her. Emma releases her, confident she won't run and glad she's right when Regina simply rolls on to her back and stares up at the ceiling. "So you decided merely to give up and drug me instead?"
Emma chuckles, head shaking as she turns on her side. "You really did look tired." Her face hardens when she adds, "But I didn't—I won't give up. I just wanted you to know I'm a choice and if you do choose me, then I want it to be because you want to and not because you think you have to."
Regina doesn't speak again for a while and the only sound Emma hears is their breathing, out of rhythm but on their way to synchronization. Her eyes drift down and she watches, transfixed, as Regina's chest rises and falls and Emma slides her hands beneath her cheek. Regina is, perhaps for the first time in her life, completely covered and Emma doesn't care, still drawn to every part of the woman, bare or otherwise.
Regina doesn't choose her. Not at first. They return to Storybrooke, Emma still very much the Dark One, and Regina spends more time with Robin Hood. Emma keeps her word. She doesn't give up and she visits the mansion a couple of times a week, annoyed when Robin is there more than half the time, but as cordial as she can be in front of Regina.
The gloves are off when she's left alone with him, but after the third time, Regina barely lets either of them out of her sight and Emma smirks because Robin must have actually told on her like a 5 year old who runs crying to their mommy because someone was picking on them. She's smug, and not once does she bother to hide it, so it doesn't surprise her when Regina calls her on it.
"You promised you could be civil," she says, fluttering about the kitchen in an apron as she prepares dinner.
For once, the sentient pinecone is at the treehouse—or wherever the hell he lives, and Emma is finally being treated to a night where it is just her, Regina and their son. Emma had almost turned the invitation down, too tired to even pretend to be civil after the week she's had trying not to burn the town to the ground because dear god the citizens of Storybrooke are annoying and how in the hell had she put up with them before she became the Dark One?
The second Regina mentioned Robin wouldn't be there, she'd changed her mind.
"I was civil," she replies, sniffing indifferently when Regina shoots her a disbelieving look. She was. If he bathed more often, she'd never have compared him to the men's bathroom at the Rabbit Hole. "Don't start on me because your soul mate enjoys smelling like piss covered dirt."
Regina turns and stares at her and alright, fine, Robin doesn't smell that bad but what does Regina expect her to do? Apologize? Emma grimaces and averts her gaze into the backyard. The day she apologizes to Robin Hood, is the day she punches him in his stupid, undeserving face and pretends it's an accident.
The day comes a lot sooner than she expects, and it just so happens to be the day she had the thought because not 10 minutes later, Robin appears on Regina's doorstep, having invited himself to dinner and Emma's first thought is hell no. He's walking into the kitchen behind Regina, and Emma is up before she even realizes what it is she intends to do. Her fist connects solidly with his nose and she hears her name gasped from behind as she steps over his sprawled body without looking back.
Now, Regina has a reason to fawn all over him and Emma refuses to torture herself by staying.
And she sure as hell isn't apologizing for it.
Regina refuses to speak to her for a week.
Emma would almost care, if not for the satisfaction she gets from spotting Robin over the next seven days. Regina might have been able to stop the bleeding and fix the break, but she could do nothing for the bruising. Emma is floating on cloud nine and even her parents badgering her about looking happy for the first time in months isn't enough to bring her down.
Regina appears at her door on the seventh night and the flicker of emotions—anger, disappointment, exasperation, amusement—are what turn out to be enough and Emma steps back, wary of the unexpected appearance but unwilling to turn her away. In truth, she did care. Of course she did. She loves Regina and she just wants her to be happy, but Robin Hood? The man can't make up his damn mind. He loves his wife, he cheats on his wife, and he loves his wife again. Oops, but wait; his wife is Zelena but surprise she's pregnant and his honour demands he stay with her.
Fuck Robin Hood, and fuck Regina for choosing him.
"We broke up."
Wait. Rewind. Unfuck. Unfuck.
Emma shakes her head. "What?"
Regina sighs, taking off her coat and passing it to her. Emma is on automatic pilot as she takes and hangs it before following Regina into the sitting room. "I was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. He kept telling me he loved me and that we were soul mates meant to be together, and I kept remembering what you said about choice but… part of me just wanted something easy."
Emma wants to protest but Regina knows her. Well. Regina knows her well, and knows exactly what she is about to say as she fixes her with a stare and states, "And you, Emma Swan, are anything but easy."
Which is—fair, she supposes. She doesn't say it out loud, but she doesn't need to, well aware of the soft smile and raised brow as she slumps down beside Regina. She doesn't think she'd be more difficult than someone who constantly chooses someone else and speaks of a code he constantly breaks, but whatever. She isn't easy. She's the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, other mother to a son she gave up for adoption who found her 10 years later and brought her back to this hell hole where she'd locked horns with his other mother for the better part of 2 years.
She's the Dark One.
"You should have seen his face when I suggested he might want to call before he decided to show up next time." Emma rolls her head along the back of the sofa, sees the spark in brown eyes, and grins. "But you still shouldn't have hit him."
She shrugs, grin still firmly on her lips. She refuses to regret it. "He shouldn't have interrupted family night," she says. She looks up at the ceiling and adds, "And you shouldn't have let him."
"No," Regina agrees with a sigh. "I shouldn't have."
The silence stretches for a few minutes, both lost in their thoughts before Emma exhales loudly and asks, "So what now?"
"I've spent the last three days going over our time together," Regina replies. "Yours and mi—"
Emma stares at the side of her face, irritation contorting her face as she interrupts, "You broke up with him three days ago?"
"I—" Regina turns to her. "Yes?"
"What the shit, Regina." Emma pushes up from the couch and starts to pace. Clearly a week is too long to go without hitting someone. "You weren't mad at me this whole time?"
Regina frowns. "I wasn't mad at all," she admits. "Don't tell me you spent this entire week pouting because you thought I was mad at you."
Emma pauses, turns, and chews her lower lip thoughtfully. She considers lying but—really, the truth makes her feel better despite knowing Regina will think she's immature, which is nothing at all new. "I spent most of it laughing at Robin, actually; that bruise is a thing of beauty."
And sure enough, "You are a child," Regina drawls but Emma doesn't the miss the smile. She would notice that thing from space.
At least she bathes.
She plops back down, a little closer than before, knees almost touching. "You were saying—about our time together?"
Regina nods, body turned towards Emma as she places her hands in her lap. "As I said before, I kept going over what you said to me in Camelot about choices and… you may not realize this, but I have chosen you… repeatedly, since the day we met."
Emma's smile is faint but Regina notices and her look is questioning as their eyes meet. "I actually wasn't sure you realized it," she explains and sighs, leaning back. "I was kind of hoping there was a pattern when I admitted how I felt…"
"That I would choose to love you, as I've chosen you in everything else," Regina finishes and Emma nods. "I did. I just didn't know it yet."
"No," Regina growls, sighing for the umpteenth time. "Snow, I am not dating your daughter, nor are we sleeping together."
Snow continues to stare at her, eyes narrowing the more her suspicion grows. Regina huffs, emotions seesawing between exasperation and amusement because not only does Snow look suspicious, but if she isn't imagining things, she'd also seen a minute spark of disappointment in eyes much like her idiotic daughter.
"Now if you don't mind," she says, gesturing to the papers spread across her desk. "I have work to do."
Reluctantly, Snow rises but when she makes no move to leave, Regina sighs and glances up at her. "You would tell me, wouldn't you, Regina?"
Regina grimaces. "Absolutely not," she snaps and shudders at the thought of it. "The last thing I'd want is your interference in my love life, now get out."
Snow pouts but backs away and Regina refuses to look anywhere but at her hand before the click of the door reaches her ears. She breathes a sigh of relief and quickly pushes her chair back. "Out."
Emma pops up from beneath her desk with a grin and Regina rolls her eyes as hands clasp her knees. Emma stands but rather than step out from between her and the desk, she leans forward. Regina eyes her warily. "What do you think you're doing?"
"You're about to kick me out and I want a kiss before I go," Emma purrs, capturing her lips before she can protest.
Regina's eyes flutter closed and she sinks into her chair as she reaches up and threads one hand through Emma's long, golden mane. They've done little more than kiss, but every time, each kiss feels exactly like the first. They haven't broken any curses, but if this keeps up, Regina is certain it is only a matter of time before they banish the Dark One together.
When the kiss breaks, Emma pulls back and Regina swallows at the twinkle in those eyes. "What?"
"Your eyes are doing that thing again," she chuckles before Regina slams them shut and a whine bubbles from Emma's throat. "I like it."
"That's because you're a pervert," Regina husks, tongue swiping her lower lip to chase away the feeling of Emma's warm breath.
"You look at me like you want to magic off my clothes and bend me over your desk, and I'm the pervert." With another albeit briefer kiss, Emma straightens and Regina forces her eyes open. "Okay, crazy lady."
"Don't forget to pick up our son from school," Regina reminds her as Emma walks to the door and opens it.
Emma's face darkens as she turns to look back at her over a shoulder. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," Regina answers immediately. She will never hold anything Emma does against her if done in the protection of their son, nor will she allow the rest of her town to cower in fear of the new Dark One. "Just… try not to glue any more children to the side of buildings."
"No promises," Emma mutters before the door closes and Regina smiles to herself, shaking her head as she returns to her paperwork.
"Mom, will Emma be coming to dinner?" Regina pauses to look over her shoulder and raises an eyebrow. Henry stares back innocently and adds, "She's been here almost every night this week."
She considers it. It hadn't occurred to her to invite Emma because, as Henry had said, she'd been there almost every night for the last week but if he wants Emma there, then she doesn't see the harm and she certainly wouldn't mind her company. "Would you like to call and ask her yourself?"
He beams at her and she points to the counter where her phone sits, smiling to herself as she returns her attention to the vegetables that still need cutting if she hopes to have their dinner ready some time before tomorrow morning. Her mind had wandered at some point, minutes before Henry entered the kitchen as she thought of the woman her son now rambles to on the other end of the phone.
Giving Emma a chance is turning out to be the most wonderful— delightful— absurdly glorious decision she's ever made. Emma is sweet, thoughtful and beyond tempting, the darkness inside of her doing nothing to subtract from the woman she remembers Emma being before her dreaded sacrifice. If anything, being the Dark One simply magnifies Emma's mischievous side and it is a side that Regina finds herself thoroughly drawn to.
"Never fear!" Regina jumps, startled as she spins on her heel to take in the sight of Emma, hands on her hips and a crooked grin on her lips as she emerges from a plume of smoke and says, "I, is here."
"There is a door, you know," Regina drawls, sounding unamused despite the smile she fails to prevent. Emma sighs and with a dramatic flourish, vanishes seconds before the doorbell chimes loudly through the house.
Regina and Henry share a look, neither able to hide their amusement. The doorbell chimes again, the sound barely settling before Emma finds a rhythm and continues pressing, a strangely familiar tune filling Regina's head as she shakes it and rolls her eyes. "Do go and answer the door before your mother breaks something."
Henry grins, passing her her phone before he dashes off, ignoring her call for him not to run inside as she hears Emma's voice a moment later, followed by their son's laughter. She bites her lip, rolling her eyes for the second time in less than a minute as her chest warms with affection. She may have had her reservations in Camelot, but Emma is quickly proving herself to be the lovable dope Regina always suspected she would be given the opportunity.
"Honey, I'm home?"
Regina looks up, all hope to resist Emma's ridiculous charm gone as her grin remains firmly on her lips. "You're an idiot," she says, and breathes a laugh at Emma's pout. "Come here."
Emma does, her smile stretching from ear to ear as she rounds the counter. Regina forgives her the cocky swagger, conceding that if there was a right time for it, then now would be it as she grabs Emma by the hips and crashes their mouths together. Before they can fully enjoy it, however, she hears a gasp and quickly pulls back.
"Sorry!" Henry squeaks, hand flailing as he swiftly backs out of the room with a rushed, "Continue. Homework. Call me when dinners ready. Love you, moms!"
Regina stares at the doorway as she attempts to process his words. Emma chuckles and Regina blinks, her attention drawn to the sound as she turns and raises an eyebrow. "Did he just—"
Emma smirks and interrupts, "Give us his blessing to continue making out?" Regina nods wordlessly, eyes wide and Emma laughs again before wrapping arms around her waist. "Does it bother you?"
Regina frowns. It certainly surprises her, but does their son accepting a relationship between them bother her? Not in the slightest. Assuming, of course, that is what he thinks is going on and doesn't think it something more untoward. Her son is many things, but an oblivious idiot is a gene that thankfully skipped his generation. "No, but what if he thinks we're simply sleeping together?"
"He'd be doubly wrong," Emma responds wryly and Regina slaps her chest. "What? He would!"
"Keep it up," Regina warns, "and kisses will be all you get for the rest of your life."
With a snort, Emma leans in and nips her lower lip, eyes flashing as she purrs, "You say that as though I shouldn't be perfectly content if that's all you deign to give me."
Regina swallows, the tension between them suddenly heavy as the words roll around in her head and something sticks in the back of her throat. The amount of sincerity in Emma's expression leaves little room for doubt that she means exactly what she said, and Regina finds herself torn between awe and the desire to cry at just how perfect Emma is to her in that moment.
Sweet, thoughtful, and the biggest fool Regina has ever known. "I just know I'm going to hurt you one day," she murmurs regretfully.
Emma smiles and raises a hand, cupping her cheek as her eyes flutter shut. "And every moment until then will be worth it," she replies and Regina surrenders, sinking into the kiss as Emma seizes her lips.
After all, she thinks before thought leaves her entirely, what is love without pain?