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Emma had never done this whole ‘royal ball’ thing before.
She was wearing a corset. It was tight, and it itched around the laces, but she looked good. Her mother had tried to insist that she wore one of her old dresses, which, in Emma’s opinion, were too.. well, snow white. She wasn’t really a fan.
So, as per usual, Regina had pulled through. Where her girlfriend had refused point blank to let her buy her a new dress, she had compromised with her. Again. She had sent one of her old ‘Evil-Queen’ outfits to get resized and refitted for her girlfriend to wear, and she looked stunning.
She had tried her best to keep away from her for a while – talking to people, to the other guests at this grand ball, but all night her eyes just kept travelling back to her girlfriend, looking ravishing in her dress.
She pulled her aside after a while – she just couldn’t resist – kissing her as she moved her to her feet, away from the glass of wine she had been nursing all night.
“My darling, you look positively radiant.” she practically purred, already half-drunk and powerful at this time of night.
Emma smiled, and pulled the other woman in for a kiss.
“Thank you. Could we go and get some air? It’s boiling in here.” she asked quietly – she loved the environment, the lights and he music, but so many bodies packed into one room only did one thing – generate warmth.
Regina was quick to agree. Anything to get away from the conversation and the politeness of the evening. Anything for alone time with her beloved.
“Yes, my love. There’s a balcony on this floor that should be free.”
Emma paused – a balcony?? She was more thinking the courtyard – but she nodded, and let her girlfriend pull her away towards this supposed balcony.
Once they were out in the cold air of the night, Emma relaxed, and then pouted up at her girlfriend.
“You did these laces too tight. I can’t breathe.” she whined playfully, knowing very well that Regina had pre-gamed this event because she despised balls if she wasn’t the one hosting them. But she had used her sad little puppy eyes, and she’d given in in moments. She was so soft for her, she found it adorable.
“Darling, that’s how tight they’re supposed to be. You’re not supposed to be able to breathe, you’re supposed to have a tiny waist.” she teased, but nevertheless she untied the laces, and let them looser.
Emma took a deep gulping breath at the newfound use of her lungs, and then grinned up at the other woman.
“Awee, you do love me.”
She heard the music change inside – heard the laughter of people inside. She turned to her girlfriend.
“Can I have this dance?” she’d pretend to know the moves. Pretend to know how to move her body, if only to be in sync with this beautiful woman.
“You may.” the Queen teased, and pulled her inside again without looking back.