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"No," Regina said, taking the flowers from her hand before she sauntered off to the kitchen.
Emma blinked, first at her hand and then at the retreating back of the woman she—well. In that moment, she was torn but they'd been dating for 9, 10--11 months and she was fairly certain the correct answer to do you want to be my valentine? Is yes and not… not whatever the hell Regina was playing at.
Shaking her head, she forced her feet to follow the infuriating woman and as she entered the kitchen, she watched Regina place the flowers in water. Her mouth opened and closed multiple times before she found her voice. "What do you mean no?"
Regina turned, the bouquet of iris and tulips sitting in a brilliant cut glass vase as she sat it down on the counter. She'd been delighted by Emma's appearance at her door, immediately drawn to the beautiful arrangement of red and purple, but the delight had dampened the second Emma opened her mouth and reminded her what awful day it was.
Valentines Day. Regina inwardly scoffed. As if such an asinine tradition would hold any appeal to her. She wasn't going to let some random day of the year dictate her relationship and how, or when, she chose to celebrate the love she held in her heart for the blonde idiot, and if Emma had a problem with that—well. Emma would just have to get over it.
Tilting her head, she studied the placement of flowers before, with a satisfied nod to herself, she finally looked up and replied, "I believe my answer was perfectly straightforward, dear." Honestly, where was the confusion? "Thank you for the flowers, though."
"Thank you for the…" Emma huffed and waved her hand before she folded her arms across her chest. "No valentine, no flowers."
Regina stared at the now empty spot, and growled. Her gaze rose slowly and Emma felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. "Do you know what day March 14th is?"
Emma frowned. "Aside from it being the day Killian tried to propose, and you called him a jackass, said I was too good for him, and then proceeded to turn him into a literal jackass in the middle of the diner?"
Regina hummed, an unapologetic grin spreading across her face. "Aside from that, yes." As far as she was concerned, she'd made it up to Emma tenfold that night, and if she wanted a repeat, she damn well better give her flowers back.
Seeing the wheels turning in her head and, after a few minutes, Regina sighed. If she continued to wait, they could be standing there until Christmas before Emma figured it out. "Remember dinner," she said, dropping her voice as she walked up to her and added, "Remember after dinner."
Emma's eyes widened a split-second later in realization, and then panic. Regina smirked and patted her on the cheek, purring on her way out of the kitchen. "No flowers. No March 14th."