#lovefromoq

[violet-bridgerton]

Happy Valentine’s Day!! 

Made for Zoya on Twitter for @lovefromoq

[evilqueens]

Happy Valentine’s Day to @InsideParrilla on Twitter! Sorry for the late posting, I had school today. 

This whole thing became a monster, so I guess this can be considered the start of a new verse for me. It’s based on one of my favorite book series, Delirium.

I really hope you enjoy the beginning, and I will be posting the entire first part this weekend. (: I hope you had an amazing day today, and many thanks to @lovefromoq for putting this event together! 💕

(link for ao3)

Regina still cries sometimes. The anniversary of her father’s death is one of those times.

She wonders if that’s something that would upset him. Anyone else would find it alarming, perhaps even enough to report her. But her father had always been a bit more lenient about these things than anyone else, despite the surgical procedure he’d had that was supposed to make him feel otherwise.

It was twenty years before her father had been born when the government had identified love as an official disease. An umbrella disorder under which many other disorders had been reclassified as symptoms, like depression, anxiety, insomnia. And by the time her father had turned eighteen a cure had been all but perfected to keep the public safe against love.

It’d become a mandatory operation — a surgery on the brain, performed on the spot of the head just behind the ear. It was a clean procedure by the time her father had gotten it, leaving behind nothing but three small dots as evidence. A scar most people wore proudly as the mark against amor deliria nervosa.

The wind picks up as Regina stares out at the tides, stinging her tear-stained cheeks and making a mess of her hair. She takes a quick glance around to make sure no one’s there to witness her crying. But she knows she’s safe; it’s too cold to be at the beach. She used to complain whenever her father would drag her out here during temperatures like this, claiming the cold air was refreshing for the mind.

And detrimental to the immune system, she would argue. Then he’d wrap an arm around her — unusual for Cureds, to show any sort of physical affection — and make some sort of teasing compliment about how good a doctor she is. Usually followed by some ridiculous quip of him having learned not to fear everything in nature just because it might pose a danger to him.

The longer Regina has thought about that, the deeper it seems to ring true.

Her father had never outwardly supported the cause against the deliria — not the way most everyone else does. He didn’t cringe away from talk of the deliria the way most people around Regina do. He had secret stashes of banned books and music that Regina had rifled through on more than one occasion when she was younger. The bulk of it had been made well before the official classification of the disease, and the books glorified it, their authors unaware. And the music was full of haunting melodies belting the ugly effects of the deliria that still send a shiver down Regina’s spine whenever she thinks about them.

She never knew why her father held on to those items. It wasn’t safe by any means, and had anyone else ever come across the stashes Regina’s sure he would’ve been accused of being a Sympathizer, a resister to the fight against the deliria.

She brings a hand up behind her ear, rubbing at her procedural scar. She’d gotten the cure two months after her eighteenth birthday. Procedures before the age of eighteen aren’t generally allowed — too many dire side-effects can occur. Though doctors are working hard to make the cure safe for everyone, for now people have to wait until at least eighteen — sometimes older, depending on results of a mandatory physical — unless under extreme circumstances.

Regina used to fear getting the cure when she was younger, more than contracting the deliria itself (though she’d never admit that to anyone). Though she’d never fallen victim of the deliria, her anxiety before the cure had been through the roof, and it had taken everything in her to suppress the panic that had welled up in her the day of her procedure.

She remembers one of the nurses helping her that day had caught a stray tear before Regina could wipe it away, and had tried to ease her worries. “After this, you won’t have reasons to cry again. You’ll be safe.”

Regina scoffs now at the memory, wiping away another tear. Out in the cold, deserted beach, with nothing but sad memories to keep her company, she wonders what she’d done to warrant being so unfortunate.

She also can’t help but wonder what that nurse’s misconception means for her safety.

—

Regina’s first thought about the new nurse on duty is that he’s gorgeous — and she’s immediately alarmed by it. It’s not the first time she’s had that thought about a person, but it is the first time it’s felt anything but objective. The first time since having been cured, anyway.

He’s not very tall. On the days she wears heels (which is more often than not), she’s almost eye-level with him. She thinks this makes things more difficult for her. It gives her a better view of his blue eyes, and the dimples that often peak out when he speaks or smiles (and he smiles a lot, more than anyone else around here).

The tingle she’d felt shoot up her arm when he’d shaken her hand and introduced himself as Robin was one she’d had trouble shaking off for the rest of the day.

She avoids him at first, irritated at the way his gaze leaves a warm feeling in her chest. She’s dismissive, and doesn’t let herself spend more time than she needs to in his immediate proximity. She cuts any conversations with him short at the first opportunity. She doesn’t meet his eyes when he speaks to her, opting to busy herself with whatever’s close by. One day he catches her without anything around for her to toy with, and she finds herself mentally connecting the dots of his procedural scar as he goes over a form with her.

He calls her out on her elusiveness one day.

“I’m cured, you know,” he comments out of the blue while she fills out a prescription form.

She looks up in confusion as he leans an elbow on the counter next to her. “What?”

He smirks at her, the appearance of his dimples causing an unwanted distraction. “Ever since I started here, you’ve been avoiding me like we’re a pair of teenagers. So I just wanted to let you know that I am cured, and you have nothing to worry about.”

She fights down a blush, bristling at his accusation, even though it’s more or less true. She bites back, “I’m perfectly aware.”

“I don’t have any other disease either, for the record,” he quips before she can say anything else. “I was cleared before being allowed to work here.” His smirk doesn’t let up.

“I’m sure you have a clean bill of health.” She glares at him. “And I’m not avoiding you,” she lies. She rips the prescription form off its pack with more force than necessary.

“Could’ve fooled me,” he mutters as she moves around him to get back to her patient’s room.

She throws another glare over her shoulder. “Well you’ll have to excuse me if I have better things to do here than stand around and chat with you.”

She leaves before he can respond, unwilling to give him a chance to point out that her hasty retreat helps his point more than hers.

Determined to prove him wrong, Regina stops dodging him after that. Robin notices, she can tell by the amusement in the smiles he gives her for the following week, but he thankfully doesn’t comment on it. He takes full advantage of the end of her evasiveness however, engaging her in more conversations. And she wills her heartbeat to steady when he’s standing too close, or when his voice lowers to throw a joke or a light tease in her direction.

She watches him, in spite of herself. He has a warm demeanor, one the kids he tends to pick up on immediately. He doesn’t cross the line of propriety, but he tends to near it more often than not; comments here and there that one might consider more playful than than what’s considered normal. He’s drawn a giggle or two out of children before — but aside from a sideways glance from uninterested parents, no one seems to notice anything particularly out of the ordinary. And it occurs to Regina more than once that the only reason she’s noticed it herself is because she pays him too much attention.

And he’s noticed, she thinks. Or perhaps, he also just pays her more attention than he should. In any case, he takes any opportunity he can to talk to her. From often needless information on the children he’s prepped for her to see, to offhand comments about the weather, not a day goes by that he doesn’t attempt a conversation while they work together.

She thinks it should bother her — she’s never been one to have patience for those on the chattery side, her low tolerance for the secretary Ruby being a good example. And as it is, her encounters with Robin do leave her annoyed — but not so much with him. Instead she’s irritated at how unbothered she is by his presence, at how she might even like it.

She’s too aware of him when he’s near. Aware enough to become familiarized with the timbre of his voice, and the shade of blue his eyes are. Aware enough to know that he smells of pine trees, and that the bottom circle of his procedural scar is a just a little bit crooked (and she wonders where he got his procedure; were they careless about it?). She feels his absence more than she thinks she should on his days off, and it leaves her feeling a little off-kilter going those days without talking to him. She’s too aware.

She’s treating a little boy with an ear infection one day, a particularly bad one that she can only assume worsened due to negligence. Her guess is all but proven when Robin exits the examination room and tells her that the reason the boy wasn’t brought in sooner was because his mother had a short business trip to make. The lack of interest from the mother in question is apparent when Regina enters the room and barely receives a reply to her hello.

It’s one of the most common side-effects of the Cure — for people to be unable to form a parental attachment to their children. It’s not new for Regina to come across parents who aren’t particularly worried for the well-being of the children they bring in. There are extreme cases, of course, ones she’s allowed to report if the child’s life seems to be in imminent danger. But those are rare, and despite the unwanted tug in her heart at seeing this little boy feeling so obviously miserable, she knows there’s not much she can do besides prescribe him his antibiotics.

She can’t help casually asking for assurance from his mother that the boy will be monitored and given his medicine, however. She’s told that the housekeeper will be put in charge of administering the boy’s medication, but the answer doesn’t do much to relieve the tightening of Regina’s chest as she clears them both to leave.

She fills a paper cup with water she doesn’t think she’s gonna drink, trying to buy herself time to better compose herself.

“I would assume the housekeeper will be diligent about the medicine,” she hears Robin lightly say. She looks up to see him reach for a paper cup of his own as he continues, “If only to make sure she keeps her job.”

“I’m sure he’ll be fine.” She tries to school her face, but the way he looks at her tells her she doesn’t succeed.

He gives her a smile. “He seemed like a trooper,” he agrees. “I think I even saw a bit of a smile when Ruby handed him his lollipop in the waiting area.”

The corners of Regina’s mouth twitch up despite herself at the notion, and the invisible weight on her chest lightens up a little. It’s replaced with a different form of anxiety at Robin’s next words, however.

His smile fades, and he studies her for a moment before softly declaring, “You care about these children.” There’s a certain weight to his words that Regina can’t discern, but it leaves her feeling uneasy.

She stays silent, unsure of how to respond without sounding defensive. Because she suddenly feels defensive — the unidentifiable meaning in his comment has her feeling almost accused. And though she’s not exactly sure of what, she’s also not sure she can truthfully say she’s not guilty.

The corners of Robin’s mouth twitch up again. “It’s refreshing,” he tells her. “At least someone around here is good at their job.” He gives her a playful wink.

It doesn’t fully ease the anxiety of his earlier implication, but the compliment still warms her. The anxious flip flopping in her stomach takes a lighter tone. Almost like butterflies.

[emmaline91]

Hopin’ and Prayin’ and Wishin’

Here is my @lovefromoq gift for @findingtallahassee 😘

The shadows blanket the road this far out. They stretch from the tops of the evergreen trees and cast most of the road in darkness. Except for tonight, there are a few bright beams filtering down from the full moon in the sky. The only sounds come from the crickets and wildlife beyond the pines and it’s a solitary, lonely kind of peaceful.

She’s made a habit out of coming here; slipping out just after Henry’s gone to sleep and spending a precious few hours hoping. Hoping for what, she isn’t quite sure. Maybe for the resolute acceptance of how things have turned out. For her heart to stop aching and move on already. Sometimes even, she’s loathe to admit, she wishes for a freak accident that would take Marian away and right the universe again.

But mostly, she hopes he’ll appear out of thin air, grinning how he does, as he steps back into Storybrooke and into her life.

She knows it won’t happen, that he might as well be in another realm altogether. She understands why he’s gone, respects it even, but it doesn’t keep her from peering out down the road and wondering where on the other side he could be tonight.

The pavement is cool beneath her thin slacks but she likes sitting at the very edge where she can pretend the red line in front of her crossed legs is the only barrier keeping them apart. As if the two of them sit apart, the protection spell a curtain that only need be pulled back and they’d be face to face. She lifts the flask next to her and the moon beams off its shiny surface as she indulges in another sip. She’s not drunk, but the alcohol numbs things just enough, blurs the edges so she doesn’t actually cry. And it would be all to easy to let herself embrace her emotions and sob in self pity.

He was supposed to be her second chance; her redemption for the awful woman she’d been—and he was, for however brief a time. His integrity made her better. His morals brought her back to that seventeen year old girl she once was. Just “Regina”, not “Her Majesty” or “The Evil Queen”. He saw the real Regina under all those layers of guilt and anger and regret. And perhaps what makes her feel more despondent than anything is that she’ll never get a third chance. She got so unexpectedly lucky with Robin. She didn’t deserve him to begin with, but only he could have been her soulmate. Only he could understand every sordid detail of her past and still have the audacity to not only love her, but choose her.

Regina runs a hand through the front of her dark hair as she sighs. She misses him. She misses having another person unconditionally in her corner, misses not always feeling like the third wheel, misses the smell of damp earth and aged redwood.

She wants to scream to the heavens, or this “author”, or whatever higher power there might be that it’s so unfair! Only she knows damn well how fair her pain is; how cosmic and condemned her story has read. It’s her punishment for choosing revenge when she could have chosen forgiveness. Daniel’s death was the great catalyst of her life. And while she knows there are many who let their grief morph into hatred, there had been another way. It would have been harder, maybe taken longer, but she might have come out the other side a better person; a hero.

She won’t make that mistake again.

While it feels just as bad as it had years ago, even worse actually; she cannot tarnish what Robin stood for, just to try to ease the ache. If anyone was undeserving, it was that man. He had made mistakes the same as any of them, sure, but he worked for his redemption. Robin had found a way to do what she never could. He turned his pain into purpose. A purpose full of love and selflessness and renewal.

And now he’s been hurt once more, entangled in the web of her retribution; collateral damage for the penance she was paying. He had not known just what loving the Evil Queen would cost him, even if she had truly made a change. Yet, he had opted to accept the shit hand he was dealt and if only it weren’t for her he wouldn’t be hurting because of it. He might even be overjoyed to have his late wife back; his family reunited.

She prays for that as she slowly pushes herself to her feet now. She decides it’s the only thing she can do to wish him well, Marian too. If only she could have granted him a memory spell before he’d gone so he could forget about the wreckage she’d brought into his heart. Of course, her thief would never have taken the easy way out. And Regina can’t help but to hold on to the thought of him remembering her, remembering the true, sacred, magical connection they shared.

She suddenly has to lift her fingers to her face to brush away an errant tear. She will not feel sorry for herself, at least not anymore tonight.

Staring out down the still, vacant road out of Storybrooke, she sniffles and squares her shoulders to reign in her emotions and she hopes above all else that Robin finds the kind of happiness she knows he deserves.

This chapter of her story is closing, and she needs to let the dust settle on the pages and find a way to move on. If her heart is going to take it’s time mending, then she must stop her late night visits. She has a son at home and new, delicate friendships, and a town that seems forever under threat, and a population of people who she owes debts so great she may never repay them. But she must try.

She turns on her heel and heads back to her silver benz parked just off the shoulder, opens the door and gives one last, longing gaze down the vacant road.

In her mind, the protected barrier shimmers and parts and her handsome thief appears, Roland at his side, tiny hand clutched in his. Regina abandons the door, unconsciously letting her feet carry her forward a few paces. She let’s her eyes slip closed and smiles wide with the image of them behind her lids.

“Regina”, he says.

And it’s not until she reopens her eyes that it occurs to her the tone of his voice had not been quite right.

“Regina!”

As if awaking from a dream, her focus snaps back to reality and he’s still in front of her, rushing towards her more accurately, his arms outstretched. The the next moment she can feel him against her chest, can smell his woodsy scent right under her nose.

“Oh thank God, Regina!”, he nearly cries in relief and it’s all she can do to catch her brain up to what’s happening. Maybe she’d had more to drink than she thought? He pulls out of the embrace, but doesn’t completely withdraw his touch. He must have sensed her shock, perhaps too overwhelmed to see her to notice she didn’t hug back.

“Regina?”

Her eyes scan over his body, willing herself to believe it’s really him, but they land instead on the dimple faced child grinning up at her.

“Gina! We come to visit you!”, his little voice hits her ears and she raises her eyes back to Robin’s anxious gaze. The acceptance breaks around her and she throws her arms around his neck, afraid he might disappear.

“Robin!”

It’s the only thing she manages to say while she’s this overcome with emotions. He holds her back, just as tight and whispers her name quietly against her head and she finally finds her voice.

“Wha—why—what are you doing here?”, she breathes in disbelief. Her hand falls to Roland’s head below and caresses his locks to finally acknowledge him, but she needs to grasp her current reality before she makes a fool of herself.

“It’s Zelena”, he tells her with a bit of disdain, “We’re all in danger. I had to come back to warn you all, to help fight”

He glances down at his now frightened son and lifts him into his right hip for a soothing hug while Regina blinks in confusion.

“What are you talking about? Where is Mari—“

“We can’t talk about it now”, he cuts her off urgently, gesturing with a discreet nod to the boy in his arms. “Listen, I promise I will explain everything later. But we don’t have a lot of time to gather the others and make a plan”.

He slides a gentle hand down her arm as if to assure her it’ll be alright despite his ominous warning. Roland wiggles in his grasp and his father sets him on his feet a moment before he bounds off a yard or two and squats down to examine a rock on the pavement.

“I’m just so happy to see you, Regina”, Robin cups her cheek in his chilled palm, “didn’t think I would again”.

His words rush off his tongue before his lips are pressed to hers, desperate and needy, fueled by the current perils only he knows they face and his all consuming love for her. It is a reunion kiss that can only come from resolutely believing they’d be separated permanently.

Regina responds with all the heart she can muster, their lips moving fluidly together as if the last few weeks had not eclipsed. When they finally break for air they are both grinning like fools, foreheads resting together as their breathing falls in sync, and she swears she suddenly feels whole again, as if her arm had been missing and has just now been returned. She lets the feeling wash over her, soaks it in selfishly for a minute because she knows how fleeting this absolute contentment is now.

There are still a thousand questions running through her head, a dark cloud churning and billowing over their little town and every life in it, but with Robin’s hand in her own things feel possible.

She tightens her grip and they start toward her car, ushering Roland away from his picture in the dirt as they go. They let their hands slip apart to round the car and Robin opens the back so Roland can hop inside excitedly, insisting that he’s mastered belting himself in. Once he’s safely buckled and shut in, Robin pulls his handle but catches Regina’s eyes over the hood.

They both have a flurry of emotions hidden in their expressions, but one sticks out above them all and Regina knows this one to be the only true importance in the world.

“I love you”, Robin declares, the lines around his eyes wrinkled from the joy on his face.

Her chest swells with such happiness that her dark eyes moisten with tears and she doesn’t care that her voice cracks when she finally speaks the words herself.

“I love you”.

Fin.

[lala-kate]

From End to Beginning: Ch 5

Here is the rest of your @lovefromoq gift @drevazambrano!  I do hope you enjoy it and that your Valentine’s Day has been fabulous so far. :D

The entire story can be read on either AO3 or ff.net.  

She can’t breathe.

He’s there, no here, right here, right in front of her, in her house, standing with their son...just...here…in her house....How?  Why?

“Robin?”

Her lips are numb as his name escapes her, traveling on a puff of air released by a shock so profound she cannot move. He’s looking at her as if she’ll shatter, and maybe she has, she just hasn’t realized it yet.

“Regina.”

She closes her eyes as his voice trails up her body, wrapping her in talons from the past that led her to the present in which they now stand. Then she blinks her eyes open and stares back at him, taking him in, wondering what he’s thinking, afraid of thinking too much herself lest she short-circuit and collapse onto the floor.

“How?”

Neither of them have moved, their gazes fixed on each other, the air between them thick enough to keep them upright.

“It was me.”

Henry’s voice pulls her out of her stupor, and she shifts her focus to her newly found son, , blinking in confusion as he looks from his feet back to her.

“I found him,” Henry continues. “Last night after you went to bed. I told you I was good at finding people, and…” He pauses, looking sheepish and somewhat ashamed. “I sent him an email.”

Facts spin about her with the ferocity of a whirlwind, throwing her off-balance as she tries to catch up.

“An email?” she echoes, licking her lips.

“I’m sorry,” Henry adds. “I should have told you this morning, but I had no idea that…” He cuts off and looks at Robin before taking a step in his direction. “I didn’t think he’d drop everything and just come.”

She blinks repeatedly, staring from one face to the other, father and son, past and present, cause and effect.

“You dropped everything?”

She isn’t at all sure that she’s actually spoken, but Robin’s face cracks open, and he hangs his head.

“I did,” he admits with a self-depreciating shrug. “Twenty-one years too late.”

Then he’s crying, and she’s gaping, trying to put pieces together that shouldn’t fit but do. He’s upset, he’s here, he dropped everything to see their son--his son, the child he’d given her, the son she’d given away. He’d driven here immediately because he wants to know him, to see him, the boy he’d lost because she hadn’t been able to find him.

Damn it all to hell.

The room is too hot, her skin too raw, and she needs air--fresh air, sea air, so she bolts out the front door and sprints towards the ocean, the one body of water large enough to carry away her guilt and drown a bruised conscience. She’s knee deep before she realizes that she’s sobbing, and she drops down so the waves caress her thighs, tugging on her sundress as they leave her for destinations unknown.

Just like he had all those years ago.

Her face is as wet as her body as the salt water from within meets what surrounds her without. It’s too much, coming face to face with her life in one room, staring regret in the eye, hearing lost chances speak for themselves. She sinks further into the sand, allowing the surf to caress her breasts, just as he had the summer that led them all back to each other right now, and she longs to fly away with the gulls, to simply spread her wings and float above self-reproach and bruised emotions.

If only things were that easy. If only life responded to wishes.

“I’m so sorry.”

His voice blends into the sea, but she stares straight ahead into the horizon rather than into his eyes.

“You, God, Regina...I had no idea...I mean, I should have considered...I should have thought...fuck.”

It’s his curse that makes her look at him, that allows her to see that he’s on his knees as well, and she can’t help but wonder if they look like sinners praying for absolution to a sea god just beyond their reach.

“I know,” she manages, swallowing the thick moisture left behind by tears. “And I did try, Robin...I…”

“I know,” he states. “Henry told me, and I have no doubt that you did your best to track me down, to let me know that...that we were going to have a baby.”

Her tongue thickens as she feels how she felt when writing him out of desperation, as she prayed this letter wouldn’t be returned to her like the last one, as she wondered where on earth he’d gone off to and why he hadn’t thought to let her know.

“Why?”

The word drifts out of her mouth, over her lips and into salty spray, it’s implications hitting him with the force of high tide.

“I was ashamed.”

She doesn’t expect that.

“Ashamed? Of what--of what we’d done?”

He turns towards her as a wave presses them backwards, but they hold their ground as sand vanishes from beneath them.

“No, never, not that.” He looks back towards the sky, rubbing the beard that reminds her that they’ve lived lifetimes apart. “It’s just that...everything went to hell after you left that summer.”

A laugh pushes its way out of her.

“You can say that again,” she returns, closing her mouth to avoid swallowing salt water. He hangs his head, his chest collapsing into itself, and she realizes she just delivered a blow he’s already felt.

“You have every right to hate me,” he says, his eyes still downcast. “I don’t blame you at all. Christ, I hate myself right now.”

Her heart starts racing until she can’t think.

“I don’t hate you,” she manages. “I’ve never hated you, I just…” She pauses, trying to swallow, trying to breathe, trying to put into words what she’s spent a lifetime trying to outrun. “What the hell happened, Robin? Where did you go?”

The next wave is strong, and it nearly knocks her over. Then his arm is around her, lifting her out of the water and up off the sand, keeping her steady in a world that feels off-kilter.

“My mum,” he begins once he’s sure she’s alright. “She was diagnosed with cancer right after you left.”

Of all of the scenarios she’s imagined over the years, this has never been one of them.

“Oh my God,” she breathes, trying to process an unknown truth. “Robin--I’m sorry.”

He’s quiet, too quiet, and she fears the worst before he clears his throat and looks back at her fully.

“Thank you,” he manages. “It was rough for a long time. We had to leave and move in with a cousin--medical bills, you see.”

More pieces organize themselves in her mind, clearing a portion of her vision that’s been clouded for two decades.

“I took on extra jobs,” he continues. “Trying to make ends meet, trying to take care of her, trying to pay medical bills. Thank God she got better, but things were touch and go for a long time.”

Waves lap at her feet, reaching just past her ankles as his words work their way inside.

“That’s why you weren’t at your address,” she breathes, watching as he nods and dares a look at her once more. “But why didn’t you tell me?”

He swallows and stares back at the horizon into a time she knows he wishes they could step back into and refine.

“You were going to Vassar.” The last word breaks as it leaves his mouth, crumbling into ash as a sob tears its way through his body. “I thought...I thought you could do so much better, that I was doing you a favor, that I’d...that I’d only hold you back.”

Speech deserts him and he cries without restraint, taking a step away from her and towards the sea as if the salt can cleanse him of past mistakes. She stares at his back, at his shoulders, at a head now dropped in defeat, and she dares a step toward him, just one, maybe two as her fingers reach out and make contact with his arm.

“I had to leave Vassar,” she states, amazed by how calm her voice sounds.

“I’m so sorry,” he returns. “God, Regina, if I could do it all again, if I could just go back and send you a fucking postcard with my new address…”

Her grip on his arm moves from gentle to firm.

“I wish you had.”

“God, so do I.”

Eyes lock as the next wave hits below her knee, letting her know she’s already in deeper than she realized.

“Did they kick you out? Your parents, I mean?”

She closes her eyes to the pain of abandonment, hearing him gasp as she nods her head.

“I moved in with an aunt in New York,” she says. “And watched my future disappear while my waistline grew.”

He shakes his head before burying his face in his hands, unable to hold back the waves of grief on which she’s floated for years.

“I should have been there,” he says, wiping his eyes with his arm.

“I wish you had been. God, Robin, I needed you so much.”

Her own damn breaks then, her grip on him tightening even more. Then his hands are on her arms, holding her up, seeking forgiveness, needing more than she is capable of giving until he embraces her with measured hesitation before pulling her fully into his chest.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispers into her hair. “So very sorry.”

Her scalp tingles, her nerves alight, then her own arms wrap around him as if he were a piece of driftwood and she a swimmer lost at sea. His tears baptize her head as hers mark his chest, an odd sort of blessing taking root as wave after wave pushes the tide forward onto new ground.

“I’m sorry, too,” she manages.

“What in God’s name for?” he questions, still holding on to her as if his life depended on it. A piece of her soul tears as the words make their way up her throat.

“For giving him away.”

He’s still holding her, and she grips him even tighter, pouring a lifetime of guilt out and onto his shirt.

“You did what had to be done,” he assures her. “You gave him his best chance, and look at how he’s turned out.”

She’s nodding through tears, knowing he’s right but hurting all the same.

“I know. But I missed it all.”

His palms flatten on her back as one moves to cradle her head. A wave licks at her thighs as they stand there, like a deserted plank from an old pier too stubborn to be knocked over, too damaged to be claimed by anyone but each other.

“I know,” he whispers. “So did I. And that’s my fault.”

“No,” she breathes, pulling back so she can look at him. “It’s our fault. I helped to create him. It wasn’t just you.”

He closes his eyes, the pain on his face almost too much for her to take in, and she realizes that he’s the same boy she loved with everything she had back when the world had been simple. Trembling fingers reach out to touch his face, his scruff, his cheek, and he leans into her touch as if it’s the only thing on earth that can repair what’s damaged inside.

“We can’t change the past, Robin,” she mutters. “Believe me. I’ve tried.”

His lips press together as he nods, knowing she’s right, wishing to God that she was wrong.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers again, his hand still in her hair. “I know I can’t say it enough, that it will never be enough…”

“It is,” she interrupts. “It has to be. Don’t you think?”

He looks at her as if she holds his life in her hands, just as she cradled his child in her womb years ago.

“I don’t deserve your forgiveness,” he whispers, his forehead nearly touching hers.

“I don’t know what either of us deserve,” she breathes, watching as he breaks open again before she pulls him back into her arms. “But I forgive you, Robin.”

There are no secrets left between them now.

They can’t know that he’s watching them, that he’s crying tears of his own as the two people who’d given him life try to repair what his conception and birth broke apart. They don’t realize how he sees them, as two lovers torn apart by what should have brought them together, as two halves of a whole that now miraculously includes him.

They don’t hear as he steps out onto the porch to feel the very breeze billowing over them as they cling to each other in an odd sort of benediction. But he hopes they sense the words he whispers into the wind, words he knows they both need to hear from him more than once, words he didn’t know he’d believe and embrace until he’d met and spoken with them both.

“I forgive you, too.”

[lovefromoq]

Reminder that the deadline to sign up for the Outlaw Queen Valentine’s Day Exchange is January 15!

We’ve got some really creative gift ideas - you don’t have to be an artist/writer to participate! Physical gifts, playlists based on OQ or people’s art/fic, even long, detailed reviews on a portfolio/story have been suggested as gifts - all really thoughtful! Keep them coming!

If you have any questions feel free to DM us or send an email to oqsecretadmirer@gmail.com :)

[ariestess]

Chapters: 8/8 Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Maleficent, "Hyde" Evil Queen/Wishverse Robin Hood, Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Maleficent/"Hyde" Evil Queen/Wishverse Robin Hood Characters: Evil Queen | Regina Mills, Maleficent (Once Upon a Time), "Hyde" Evil Queen, Wishverse Robin Hood (Once Upon a Time), Lily | Lilith Page Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Double Dating, Foursome - F/F/F/M, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations Series: Part 2 of We All Wanted This Summary:

A double date for Regina, Maleficent, Queenie, and Robin turns into something more than any of them ever expected.

[audreysl0ve]

Love, From OQ Master Fic post!

By the Grace of Fire  @the-notsoevil-queen's gift for @gonewasanytraceofit synopsis:  Outlaw Bandit with a dark twist - When Regina met Tinkerbell, she found herself lead to a tavern where a man with a lion tattoo, her second chance, waited for her. She took a chance on love, and ran away from the King with Tink by her side. But the Queen has kept the truth about her dark magic a secret, even from Robin, and it may just put everyone she loves in danger.

A Valentines Day Surprise @believingispowerfulmagic‘s gift for @sweetsmiles1  Synopsis: Regina makes a birthday wish for Robin to come back.  

A Kiss to Set her Free  @ariestess's gift for @rcgalbeliever  Synopsis:  For the first time since that fateful night in the stables, Regina feels a stirring of hope that love could be hers again as she finds herself standing outside a village tavern.

Signed Sealed Delivered: Valentines Day  @audreysl0ve‘s  gift for @the-notsoevil-queen Synopsis:  Set in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered verse: First Valentine’s Day after getting back together as a couple

Wildflowers @ofpumpkinspices' gift for @Illseeyouthrough (deactivated) Synopsis: Regina owns a flower shop.  Robin is a frequent customer, who also becomes an employee of sorts. :).

So This is Love blt_tana (twitter) gift for @spiral-nebula Synopsis: Robin and Regina have a sexy, (not quite so) lazy morning

Post-its and Paperclips: Valentine’s Day @brookeap3's gift for @repellomuggletum15  Synopsis: Set in the Post-its verse, Robin and Regina celebrate their first Valentine’s Day.

There’s Something There (That I Simply Didn’t See): @dee-thequeenbee’s gift for @theonewithoutaclue  Synopsis:  A Play in Two Acts – Where Love Overcomes Hate, and Two Lonely Souls Find Each Other

I Don’t Think I Can Say Goodbye: EmeraldHardy8 (twitter) fic for @queenmills101  Synopsis:  A Valentine's Day inspired OQ AU. Love is all around us even when one of us won't be here for very much longer.

Happy Valentines: Evil_Outlaw (twitter)’s : gift for @ankareeda Synopsis: Missing Year Valentine’s Day. Lots of DimpesQueen

Moments: FraiseDandelion (twitter)’s gift for @lala-kate Synopsis: The Hood-Mills family have a domestic moment, while Regina thinks about their struggle to get to where they are today.

Before Sunrise @ghostofstartraveller776's gift for @jenningz  Synopsis:  Coffee before dawn and long work days can wear on anyone—even a superwoman like Regina Mills, single mother and business executive. She finds quiet solidarity for her hectic days from an unusual source: the nameless resident in the building across from hers who seems to share her unholy schedule. (Modern/Non-Magical AU)

The Dark Forest @glindalovesshoes' gift for FraiseDandelion (twitter)   Synopsis:  "A man is lying on the sheep's wool, unconscious, bleeding. His face looks as pale as the white wool, which is already drowned in blood from the wounds on his body. The shaft of an arrow is sticking out of his shoulder, the shirt he is wearing ripped and soaked in blood. Regina bites her lip before she makes a decision. What does she have to lose?" OQ AU

As Long As We’re Together @gonewasanytraceofit‘s gift for  @audreysl0ve Synopsis: Canon Valentine’s Day: Regina and Robin have a heart to heart about Regina’s inner fears/insecurities.

My Songs Know What You @the-alpha-incipiens‘ gift for @glindalovesshoes   Synopsis: DragonOutlawQueen. Mal, Regina, and Robin make a sex tape that David accidentally finds (and watches)  

My Grumpy Valentine @gray-autumn-sky‘s gift for @believingispowerfulmagic  Synopsis:  Henry explains Valentine’s Day to Robin, and that Regina has never much cared for the holiday.  Robin is intent on changing her mind.

Happiness Can’t Be Arranged @gray-autumn-sky‘s gift for @ghostofstartraveller776 Set during the Regency Period, Henry and Cora arrange a marriage for their daughter in an effort to save their family’s name and estate.

Heaven Sent a Hurricane @idoltina‘s gift for @mysterious-song  Synopsis:  After a spectacularly terrible Christmas, a hidden gem of a New Year, and a surprise meeting, Robin finds the course of his life in Holiday Land vastly altered. By the time Valentine’s Day comes around, he’s more miserable (see: overwhelmed, terrified, doubtful) than he ever wanted to or thought he would be. And while the prospect of a night in may make a rather dull holiday for most, Robin finds that coming home to Regina might be just the thing he needs 

Coffee  @illseeyouthrough’s gift for @Evil_Outlaw (twitter) Synopsis: A Valentine's Day set up that goes terribly...right? Outlaw Queen AU.

Valentine’s Day inlovewithlanap (twitter) gift for blt_tana (twitter) Synopsis: Regina works in a flower shop and Robin is a frequent client who finally summons the courage to ask her out.

Capturing Light @yamariah  gift for rockchalk4583 (twitter) Synopsis:  He never thought he'd capture the moonlight again. She never thought she'd capture the sunlight again. But when Robin and Regina meet via grief counseling, "never" becomes a word they'd forget.

An OQ Mixed Tape @jenningz's gift for @sydsorbet  Synopsis: Robin surprises Regina on Valentine’s Day

Storm Front @lala-kate  gift for @starscythe Synopsis: A thief goes in desperate search for a cure for his son, and finds a resilient queen whose broken heart is in equal need of healing

Untitled @littlejoregal gift for politeregal (twitter)  Synopsis:  Takes place right after 6x10. Spoilers from the promo of 6x11 included.  

Blooming Most Recklessly @loveexpelrevolt gift for @belleoftheballpoint Synopsis:  Five universes, five something-like-love stories; Or, four times Regina and Robin deal in flowers and one time they deal in hearts. [Storybrooke, pre-curse, Missing Year, Camelot, Outlaw Bandit]

I Love You LucyLovesOQ’s (twitter) gift for @ouater Synopsis: Set in the missing year,  as the castle prepares for a Valentine’s Day Ball, Robin and Roland care for a grieving queen

Stumbling @oparu's gift for @brookeap3​  Missing Year DOQ: Maleficent and Regina struggle with losing their children, and seek comfort in each other, Robin, and Roland.  

Heartbreak Cupcakes and the Color Pink @outlawqueenbey‘s gift for @trina-deckers Synopsis: Valentine’s Day Dimples Dragon Call Me Anytime Synopsis: Canon verse: 4B.  on Valentine’s Day, Maleficent visits a lonely Regina, and intends to perk her up with alcohol.  A surprise phone call changes the course of the evening.  The Most Fortunate Man Synopsis: Robin feels (and gets) lucky on Valentine’s Day

From Cupid with Love @quillerqueen‘s gift for @the-alpha-incipiens  Synopsis:  Once upon a time in the Missing Year, Regina has a kitschy holiday, a mystery secret admirer, and certain urges to deal with. Robin's role in each is not quite what she'd expect. 

Four Walls and a Roof: reachfortheschuyler's gift for WoolGrillRegal (twitter) Synopsis: The Walking Dead AU: Robin and Regina do their best to protect their family in the zombie apocalypse 

Last Hope @regal-pixiedust's  gift for @teresa-ortiz  Synopsis: A happily married Robin and Regina battle Cora’s hurtful words, and make a very important decision

Untitled rockchalk4583 (twitter) gift for @ouatbones Synopsis: High School AU.  Love triangle between Graham, Regina, and Robin 

The Colours of Out Love: An OQ Valentine’s Story @spiral-nebula's gift for @littlejoregal Synopsis:  For Robin it’s red, for Regina it’s something else. Some brief moments from Regina and Robin’s first calm Valentine’s Day. Post season 6, Robin is alive. Robin’s point of view.

Second Chance @colferwesley gift to @loveexpelrevolt Synopsis:  Regina starts to work in a pub, meets with the singer, Robin and they develop a friendship. But is that all?

(Im)Perfect Timing @teresa-ortiz  gift for @dee-thequeenbee Synopsis:  Robin doesn’t let Regina’s sickness put a damper on Valentine’s Day 

The Moon is Silver The Sun is Gold theonewithoutaclue’s gift for @regal-pixiedust   Synopsis: OutlawBandit: A stubborn bandit and an apologetic thief find home in each other. 

Requited @smolderandsass' gift for @reachfortheschuyler Synopsis:  College AU.  Two friends struggle to express what they mean to one another  before graduation.

Old OQ: Valentine’s Day @trina-deckers’ gift for @oparu Synopsis: Regina suffers from Alzheimer's and, on Valentine’s Day, can not remember her husband.  Robin keeps their plans and honors the holiday nonetheless.

Eleutheria  @repellomuggletum15​  gift for @quillerqueen  Synopsis: Regina, a Princess of Egypt, is given away in marriage to Alexander the Great's most trusted warrior.

Valentine’s Day WoolGrillRegal (twitter) gift for inlovewithlanap (twitter) Synopsis:   Robin and Regina celebrate a very special Valentine’s Day.  AU. 

Love, From OQ @x-wishesonfallenstars-x gift for @soligblomma  Synopsis:  Robin and Regina spend a day navigating being a normal Nuclear Family in the down time between villains - kids interrupting them and all

Cupcakes, Carnations, and Handmade Cards  @mysterious-song‘s gift for @outlawqueenbey Synopsis: Missing Year AU: Valentine’s Day is hard for Regina.  A thief and his son are set on making the holiday hold a little less heartache.

[soligblomma]

We all have at least one person in the world that had managed to mend a broken part of your soul.

The Road Less Traveled by @ofpumpkinspices // #LoveFromOQ @oqcelebration

[believingispowerfulmagic]

A Valentine’s Day Surprise

Happy Valentine’s Day to @sweetsmiles1! I was your Love, OQ Secret Admirer! I hope you enjoy the fic I wrote for you and that you have a great Valentine’s Day! 

cc: @oqcelebration

           “Happy birthday, Mom!” Henry entered her bedroom, carrying a tray loaded with pancakes and coffee.

           Regina sat up, smiling at her son. “Henry. You didn’t have to do this.”

           He gave her a look as he set the tray down over her legs. “It’s your birthday. Of course, I want to celebrate. And breakfast in bed is tradition. Eat up!”

           She chuckled and cut into the pancakes, a sign her little prince was growing up. When he was younger, her breakfast was usually cereal and orange juice. He eventually graduated to toast and learned to make coffee. Now, he was making pancakes. What would he be doing next?

           “Thank you, Henry,” she said. “This was so thoughtful.”

           He grinned, folding his legs underneath him to look at her. “What else do you want to do? It’s your special day.”

           She chewed her pancake for a bit, carefully wording her answer. “I think I just want to have a normal day, Henry. That’s all. No fuss, no distractions. Just go on like it’s any other day.”

           “But it’s not another normal day,” Henry insisted. “It’s your birthday and we should celebrate, Mom.”

           “We are celebrating. You’ve made me breakfast and then we’ll have some cake tonight, just you and me. Okay?” Regina tucked two fingers underneath his chin, smiling at him as she prayed he would back down.

           He sighed, his shoulders sagging. “Is this about Robin?”

           “No,” she said, meaning it. “You know I’ve never been big about celebrating my birthday. I’d rather celebrate yours.”

           “Because I’m worth celebrating,” Henry replied. When she nodded, he then countered: “I think you’re worth celebrating.”

           Her heart melted and she put the tray aside so she could hug him. “If it means so much to you, then I guess we can go to dinner at Granny’s and you can invite the Charmings. How’s that?”

           His smile lit up the room. “That sounds great, Mom. I know everyone will appreciate it.”

           “Yeah, yeah,” she replied before holding up a finger. “I draw the line at Granny’s wait staff singing to me. Do we understand?”

           “Don’t worry, Mom. It’ll be a quiet affair. I promise.” He hopped off the bed. “I need to go call Grandma. You enjoy your breakfast.”

           Once Henry was gone, she pulled the tray back and dug into her cooling breakfast. It was just one dinner with the Charmings. She figured the worst that would happen was an off-key rendition of “Happy Birthday” over the cake while the entire restaurant tried not to stare. It seemed tolerable.

           She hoped.

Regina took a deep breath before opening the door to Granny’s diner that night. She had spent the afternoon pampering herself in anticipation (and at Henry’s insistence she relax), soaking in a bubble bath and then using a facial mask as well as other products for her skin. Dressed in red, her power color, Regina definitely felt confident.

It still didn’t mean she was prepared to spend an entire evening with the Charmings and their annoying optimistic tendencies.

She stepped inside and spotted Henry waving at her from one of the booths. Regina waved back and started to head toward the booth. The other patrons nodded in acknowledgment of her, a change from just a few years prior when most wouldn’t have made eye contact with her. As she approached the booth, one waitress smiled as she passed. “Happy birthday, Madam Mayor.”

“Thank you,” she forced herself to say. She then turned on her son. “What was my one condition?”

He grinned. “Relax, Mom. We had to give Granny the cake, so everyone found out. But I made it clear that there is to be no singing.”

“Don’t worry, Regina,” Emma piped up. “I think it’s a bit embarrassing to have the staff sing to you as well.”

Snow beamed up at Regina. “Thank you so much for letting us come to your birthday dinner. It means a lot.”

“I guess it does,” she agreed, sliding in next to Henry. It felt both strange yet right to be celebrating with her stepdaughter and her family.

Hook cleared his throat, picking up the menu. “So, Your Majesty, what will it be for your special day?”

“And don’t think of ordering something super healthy,” Emma added. “Calories don’t count on your birthday.”

Regina gave her a look over the menu but couldn’t help her amused smile as she perused the options. Granny’s menu hadn’t changed much over the past thirty years but she still looked every time, just in case something new had snuck its way onto the list of offerings.

In the end, she decided to have a grilled chicken sandwich and French fries. It was enough to keep Emma from teasing her and they all soon fell into an easy conversation as their food arrived.

By the time their dishes were cleared away, Regina felt quite relaxed. Though she wouldn’t admit it out loud, the dinner had been exactly what she needed for her birthday. She rubbed Henry’s back, smiling at him in gratitude. He must’ve picked it up because the smile he gave her back seemed a bit smug.

Granny approached the table, carrying a red velvet cake with lit candles. She placed it down in front of Regina. “Now, I know you don’t want my staff to sing, but can a few friends sing for you?” she asked.

Regina bit her lip before sighing. “I guess. Just as long as it doesn’t turn out to be the entire diner.”

“Fair enough,” she replied. “But it’s just everyone at this booth. Is that fine?”

“Yes,” Regina conceded. “Just...not so loud.”

Granny rolled her eyes. “Okay. On three. One...two...three…”

The singing wasn’t too bad and Regina found herself cringing only once. It was blissfully short and then Granny was saying: “Make a wish and blow out the candle.”

Surrounded by her smiling family, Regina realized she had no choice. Yet she didn’t know what she was going to wish for. Maybe she could just blow out the candle without making a wish…

You know what you want. What’s the harm in wishing for it? asked a traitorous voice in her head that sounded suspiciously like Tink.

It won’t come true. It can’t come true. I’ll just end up with a broken heart, she argued with herself.

Come on, Regina. You’ve seen the power of wishes. Just believe.

“Regina?. The candle is starting to drip wax over the frosting,” Emma said. “Make a wish and blow.”

Regina glared at her but took a deep breath. She blew out the candle as her wish echoed around her mind:

I wish Robin and Roland would come back to me.

Everyone clapped and Granny picked up the cake. “I’ll go get this cut up and be right back.”

She walked off as Snow pulled something from her bag. It was a small wrapped box with a purple bow on top. “I know you probably didn’t want any gifts, but I found this and knew it was for you.”

Curious, Regina unwrapped it and lifted the lid. Sitting on a bed of cotton was a beautiful tan father with dark brown tips. Her heart beat faster as she picked it up, rolling the feather between her fingers. “Is this…?”

“I think so,” Snow said. “It looks like a feather from an arrow and both David and Hook said it looked like the ones they saw on Robin’s arrows.”

“It must’ve been floating around Storybrooke since Zelena lost it,” Henry said, smiling at her. “And now it’s come back to you.”

Regina smiled, holding the feather to her heart as she looked at Snow. “Thank you. This means a lot to me.”

Granny returned with a tray laden with slices of cake. “Okay, who wants a piece?” she asked.

As the others reached for their slices, Regina tucked the feather inside her purse. Perhaps her wish had come true after all, even if not in the exact way she had meant.

Zelena showed up on her doorstep and few days later, rocking a fussy Peanut in her arms. She had dark circles under her eyes and looked paler than usual. Regina frowned. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“Robyn has been crying all the time,” Zelena said. “I think she’s teething and I’m the one feeling the pain.”

“Trust me, Zelena, your pain is nothing to what she’s experienced. Do you have a teething ring or teething biscuits for her?” Regina asked, taking her niece into her arms.

Zelena frowned, digging through her diaper bag. “I think I have something in here. But I don’t get how a plastic ring is supposed to help her.”

“You’re supposed to put it in the freezer. The cold will soothe her sore gums and give her something to bite on.”

“Oh,” Zelena replied. “They don’t tell you that.”

Regina sighed. “You can always ask for help. No one can parent without it. Trust me.”

“Even an expert like you?” Zelena snapped.

“Trust me, I was no expert when I first adopted Henry,” she replied, bouncing the girl. “I made plenty of mistakes with him.”

“Like not revealing your true self to him?”

That surprised Regina and she gaped at her sister. “What do you mean by that?”

Zelena smirked as she approached. “Your other, better half said she regretted hiding herself from Henry, which was why he pushed her...you...away. She warned me about doing the same thing with Robyn.”

“Is that why you were housing her? Turned Archie into a cricket again?” Regina asked, concerned. “So you could show your daughter how wicked you are?”

“Yes,” Zelena replied, grinning with happiness. “Can you imagine what a pair we would be?”

Fear and disgust filled Regina. And then anger burned inside her. “This is what Robin feared you would do. This is why he didn’t want you to raise her.”

Zelena’s smile dimmed. “Well, he isn’t here, is he?”

“And whose fault is that?” Regina snapped back.

“You can’t keep blaming me for that,” Zelena argued. “Hades threatened you and Robin took the blast. May I remind you I kept Hades from finishing the job?”

“We shouldn’t have been in that position in the first place, Zelena! We warned you that Hades had ulterior motives, that he wasn’t too be trusted. You barricaded yourself and Robyn with him in my office. You didn’t give us much of a choice.”

“You could’ve chosen to trust me,” Zelena yelled back. “You could’ve let me handle Hades.”

Regina shook her head. “The entire town would be in the Underworld if we let you do that.”

“Don’t be dramatic,” her sister said, sneering.

“I don’t think I am,” Regina replied. She looked down at her niece, realizing she had been chasing a damn feather when her last remaining connection to Robin was his sweet daughter. A sweet daughter who was now in danger. “I don’t think I can let you keep her, Zelena.”

The air crackled with tension as the temperature seemed to drop several degrees. “You can’t do that. I’m her mother,” Zelena said.

“I have to consider Robyn’s best interests. Especially since Robin isn’t here to do that,” Regina replied.

Zelena let out a humorless laugh. “Like you actually give a damn. You certainly haven’t since he died.”

“I’ve been busy,” Regina protested weakly, though she knew Zelena was right. She hadn’t paid much attention to Robyn and it almost cost the girl so much.

           “Well, I think that’s been enough,” Zelena said, trying to take Robyn from her aunt’s arms. “It’s time for us to go.”

           Regina took a step back, holding Robyn closer to her chest. “You can leave. Robyn is staying here. With me.”

           “On what grounds?”

           “Where should I begin?” Regina countered. “You’re sharing a house with my evil half, plotting with her and have admitted to me that you hope to make Robyn as wicked and evil as you two.”

           She swore steam came out of her sister’s ears. “You can’t just take her from me! I’m the only parent she has ever known!”

           “That’s a lie and you know it. Robin did everything in his power to take care of this little girl and keep her safe.”

           “Which is why he foisted her off on the fairies and followed Emma down to the Underworld,” Zelena said.

           Regina wanted to pull her sister’s hair out. “We went over that. And at least we made arrangements for her. You just leave her in the cabin while off helping the Queen.”

           “I have that farmhouse charmed and warded to kingdom come. I can hear Robyn cry anywhere in this town and can be by her side with a wave of my hand,” Zelena argued.

           “That’s not good enough, Zelena. Babies need constant attention. She’ll be crawling soon--and then walking. If she’s teething, she’s probably already trying to put things in her mouth. What if she puts the wrong thing in there and you’re not around?” Regina asked.

           Zelena scoffed. “Like you would be any better? You’re always running around with those so-called heroes. What would you do with Robyn?”

           It was a valid question. Regina looked down at her niece, who had fallen asleep despite the argument going on around her, and knew what her answer was in her heart. “I’d limit my help to whatever I could do while keeping an eye on Robyn. And if need be, then I would get her adequate care. I would put her first.”

           “We’ll see,” Zelena snarled. “We’re not done yet, little sister. Not by a long shot.”

           She dropped the diaper bag to the floor and then flicked her wrist, disappearing in a cloud of green smoke. Regina sagged into the nearest chair, still rocking Robyn. She smiled at the baby girl before kissing her forehead. “Don’t worry, Peanut. I’ll keep you safe. Just like your daddy did.”

           Regina adjusted to having a baby in the house again. It was easier with her magic, able to conjure up a nursery and all the supplies she would need. Baby Robyn didn’t seem to notice the change in her caregivers, making Regina feel guilty that she had too many changes in her short life so far. However, she knew it was best that Zelena not keep the baby girl with her. Not if she was reverting to her wicked ways and determined to raise Robyn to be the same.

           She owed it to Robin.

           It was difficult not to rush off with the others when something came up now. Regina often had to hold back, remaining with Peanut while she did research. The baby didn’t seem to mind, enjoying bouncing in her carrier while Regina played with one of her tiny feet. And if Regina was needed, Henry or Belle often stepped in to watch Peanut for a few hours.

           Peanut was also too young to notice that her aunt couldn’t bring herself to call the baby “Robyn” and had resorted to the nickname she had given her hours after her birth. No matter what Regina called her, Peanut lit up at the sound of her voice and would try to reach out for her, wanting a cuddle.

           Regina always obliged.

           “You look happy, Mom,” Henry said one night. They were sitting on the couch together, him watching a movie while she fed a sleepy Peanut.

           “Hmm?” She looked up, noticing her son watching her with a smile on his face. “What?”

           “It’s just since Peanut came, you’ve been happier. Even when you’re frustrated that you can help like you once did,” he explained, moving closer to her.

           Regina paused, thinking it over. “I guess I am. I’ve been so focused on what I lost, I neglected what Robin left behind.”

           He nodded. “I always wondered why you didn’t try to keep her. I couldn’t tell if it was because you were giving Zelena a chance or because she reminded you too much of Robin.”

           “I guess it was both,” Regina admitted. “And then I was so focused on my evil half, I didn’t stop to think about the most innocent person involved in this.”

           “I don’t think the Evil Queen would ever hurt her,” Henry offered. “She may have some questionable parenting beliefs, but she’s a mother at heart. Just like you.”

           She melted at that and kissed her son’s cheek. “Thank you. But the Evil Queen is focused on tearing this family apart and Zelena is borderline neglectful, not fully understanding what a baby needs. I should’ve fought harder for her.”

           Tears sprang to her eyes as she thought of an adorable young boy with an unruly mop of dark curls, sparkling brown eyes and irresistible dimples. “I should’ve fought harder for Roland too.”

           “You didn’t have much of a choice,” Henry assured her. “The Merry Men chose to go back and you had agreed it was best for Roland to stay with those who knew him and Robin best.”

           “I know, but he once asked me if I was his new mommy. Robin and I told him that he could consider me that if he wanted. Because I saw him as another son. And then I allowed him to go away. What kind of mother does that?” She bit back a sob.

           Henry stood and got the tissue box, handing it to her. Regina pulled out a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. “Thank you. And I’m sorry. You’re the kid, I’m the parent. You should be unloading on me, not the other way around.”

           “It’s okay,” he replied. “Besides, I’ll keep that in mind for my next round of teenage angst.”

           She chuckled as someone rang the doorbell. Henry jumped up. “I’ll get it. You focus on Peanut.”

           He left the room and she eased the bottle from between the baby girl’s lips. She brought Peanut to her shoulder, patting her back. A soft burp came from the girl followed by a big one. Peanut then settled down, her little face buried in the crook of Regina’s neck as she hummed softly to the baby.

           “Where’s Regina?” For a moment, she thought she was hallucinating Roland’s sweet voice. Then he appeared in her living room, beaming at her. “Regina!”

           “Roland!” she replied, letting out a little laugh. “My little knight is back.”

           He nodded, climbing onto the couch and hugging her. She wrapped her free arm around him, enjoying the feeling of having both of Robin’s children in her arms.

           It felt perfect.

           “Regina,” Little John said, appearing in her living room. He clutched his hat in his hands as he watched her.

           She smiled at him. “Hello, Little John. I’m surprised to see you here.”

           “I’m sure,” he replied, looking nervous. “We’ve been trying to get back here almost from the moment we got back to the Enchanted Forest. It took some time to find a way back, though.”

           “Why?” she asked, confused. Were things so bad in the Enchanted Forest that they were forced to come back?

           “Because I missed you,” Roland replied, leaning against her shoulder. “I wanted to come back to you.”

           She bit back a sob as she kissed his forehead. “I’m very glad to have you back.”

           “I’m sorry,” Little John said. “I shouldn’t have taken him from you.”

           “You had every right to. I’m sure Robin would’ve wanted him with you. You’ve known him since he was a baby,” Regina replied. “Though I do wish you had stayed here in Storybrooke at least.”

           He nodded. “A few us have come back. We’re staying at Granny’s so we’re close to Roland.”

           “You mean…” Her question died on her tongue.

           Little John knew what she wanted to ask. “Yes, Roland is going to live with you. It’s what he wants.”

           “Can I, Regina?” he asked, still leaning against her.

           She kissed his head. “Of course you can, sweetheart.”

           Little John said good night to Roland and assured him that he was just at Granny’s. Roland, though, was happy being back with Regina and he played with his little sister as Henry showed the older man out.

           Henry returned, sitting down next to his mother. “Looks like we have a full house again,” he said with a smile.

           “We do,” she replied, feeling her cheeks start to hurt from how big she was smiling. It fell a little as she grew concerned. “Are you okay with that?”

           “Of course. This house has always been too big for just the two of us,” he replied, grinning. He laid his head on her shoulder now that Peanut was resting against her breasts. Regina just sat there, enjoying having all her children home safe and sound.

           Perhaps the feather wasn’t her wish being answered, but this--having Robin’s children with her, having that bit of his soul always by her side once again.

           As always, Valentine’s Day snuck up on her. She didn’t realize what day it was until she woke to find Peanut was not in her crib. Fighting her rising panic, Regina rushed downstairs to make sure Henry had taken the baby and not Zelena, despite all the wards and charms placed around the house to prevent that. Relief flooded through her when she saw Peanut sitting in her carrier, kicking her feet as Henry and Roland placed some pancakes on a plate.

           “What is going on here?” she asked, hands on her hips.

           Roland ran up to her, holding out a red paper heart. “Happy Valentine’s Day!”

           “Oh,” she said, taking the heart with a smile. “Thank you so much.”

           “Henry and I made breakfast while Peanut watched. Since she can’t do much as baby,” he continued, taking Regina’s hand and leading her over to the table.

           They ate their pancakes as Roland chatted about his upcoming day at school. He loved going there and interacting with the other kids. And he loved that he was learning how to read, just like Henry.

           When they were done, Henry helped clean up as Roland entertained his sister. Regina kissed her eldest son’s cheek. “This was sweet. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he said. “I’m taking Violet out tonight and so I knew I wouldn’t be home for dinner. I wanted to do something special for you.”

Though it pained her to think of her little prince all grown up and going on dates, Regina hugged him. “I love you, Henry.”

“I love you too, Mom.” He then stepped away and held out his hand to Roland. “You ready for school?”          

Roland nodded before hurrying over to her. He threw his arms around her waist, hugging her tightly. “I love you, Mom.”

Her heart skipped a beat and she crouched down to hug him tighter. She ran her fingers through his curls. “I love you, too. Have a good day at school.”

“I will.” He kissed her cheek before running after Henry so he could get his coat and backpack.

Once she saw her two boys onto the bus, Regina turned to Peanut as she closed the door. The baby girl gnawed on a teething biscuit and she kissed her forehead, smelling the baby shampoo she used during the girl’s bath the night before. Regina had never been one to celebrate Valentine’s Day, usually just getting handmade Valentines and then a small dinner with Henry. Even when she had Robin, there was always some crisis that had prevented them from celebrating. She had always thought there would be another year, which seemed so foolish in hindsight. Now, though, with her two boys and the sweetest baby ever, Regina felt a bit more festive than usual.

“What do you say to an Auntie and Me day?” she asked the baby, holding her phone. “You and me going to the park, maybe that parent and me swimming class…?”

Peanut clapped and Regina called her assistant, telling her to hold all her calls and to inform everyone she was taking a personal day. “Spending Valentine’s day with a special someone?” her assistant asked.

“I am,” Regina replied, bouncing Peanut. She let out a happy gurgle. “You go spend it with someone special too.”

“Thank you, Madame Mayor. Have Valentine’s Day,” the woman said before hanging up.

Regina set down the phone and started to head to Peanut’s nursery. “Let’s go get ready for our special day, hmm?”

The baby laughed in response.

Peanut took to the water like a fish. When the session ended, Regina had difficulty getting her out of the pool. She kept screaming and trying to squirm out of her arms to get back in. Regina had to hold her tight, trying to soothe her. “We’ll come back, baby girl,” she whispered. “I promise.”

Her words did little to calm Peanut, who fought her as Regina took off her little bathing suit and put her in regular clothes again. She fussed all the way to the car and let out little cries of indignation until Regina pulled into the park. Once she saw the trees, the girl brightened and she kicked her legs as Regina took her out of the car seat. Chuckling, Regina held Peanut close. “You really are your father’s daughter, aren’t you?”

She put Peanut in the stroller and they went for a walk through the woods. By the time they got back to the car, Peanut was sound asleep and it was time to pick up Roland from school.

Once back at the mansion, Regina unclicked the carrier from the base in order not to wake Peanut. She let Roland in and he stopped short, pointing to the floor. “Mom, what’s that?”

“What’s what?” she asked before following his finger. A red rose petal lay on the floor and as she scanned the area, she saw a trail of them leading to her dining room. Her brow furrowed in confusion, unsure who would do this and coming up with only one solution:

Queenie wanted to mess with her.

She pressed her finger to her lips and motioned for Roland to follow her to the living room. Regina put down Peanut and then had him sit next to the carrier on the couch. “I need you to stay with your sister, okay?” she asked in a whisper.

“Okay,” he whispered back, placing a hand on Peanut’s leg. “I’ll keep her safe, Mom.”

Regina kissed his forehead before following the rose petals, conjuring up a fireball as she entered the dining room. It died out, though, as she took in the man laying out her fine china: Tall, with thick blond hair that was graying at the temples, and matching blond scruff that felt wonderful against her skin. Bright blue eyes that always seemed to be able to look right into her heart and soul. Dark green sweater over a white shirt paired with black pants.

It was impossible. He couldn’t be there, in her house. Which meant only one thing…

“How dare you?” Anger and grief bubbled up and she almost screamed in a primal rage.

He looked up, blue eyes wide in surprise. “Regina! I didn’t hear you come in…”

She lunged at him, gripping his sweater in her fists and giving him a shake. “How dare you! This is too far, even for you.”

“Regina, I don’t understand…” He sounded so confused and somewhat scared but she didn’t care.

Queenie was an excellent actress.

“Drop the act, lose the glamor spell,” she snarled. “Now is not the time for your games. Not this one, not today.”

Strong arms gripped her shoulders and he pushed her back a bit, blue eyes looking into hers. “Regina, I don’t know who you think I am, but I can assure you it’s me. Robin.”

“Robin’s dead,” she sobbed. “Don’t play with my head and my heart. Please.”

“I was dead. I know that. I remember that. But I’m not anymore. Something brought me back, Regina,” he said. “I’m here now and this is true.”

Even those familiar words, so reassuring before the Curse of Shattered Sight, now only brought more pain. She couldn’t trust them. Queenie had all her memories and would know everything Robin had ever said to her. Tears streamed down her cheeks harder.

Perhaps Queenie finally found the way to break her.

“Is this because I took Robyn from Zelena?” she asked between sobs. “Are you trying to punish me on her behalf?”

He raised a hand to cup her cheek. “I know a way to prove I am who I say I am. Okay?”

Before she could protest, he pressed his lips to hers. Her heart skipped a beat and the familiar fire ignited low inside her. Queenie could take on his appearance, mimic his mannerisms, recreate his voice and parrot back his words, but she could never kiss like him. Nor would she smell of forest, of pine and fresh air.

This was real.

This was true.

Robin was alive.

She broke the kiss, still crying but for a whole new reason. Cupping his cheek, she smiled. “You’re back.”

“I am,” he said before furrowing his brow in confusion. “Who did you think I was? And why would that person be avenging Zelena?”

“It’s a long story,” she replied with a chuckle before kissing him again. “I still can’t believe you’re here. How?”

He shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. The last thing I remember is your face right after taking the hit from the crystal. And then I was standing in the middle of the woods. It was clear seasons had passed and I rushed back to where I thought my Merry Men had made camp.”

“They went back to the Enchanted Forest. A few have come back…”

“I know,” he said. “I found Little John. He told me about what had happened and how much time had passed.”

She nodded before frowning. “How long have you been back?”

“Not long,” he assured her. “Maybe a few days. When I realized Valentine’s Day was so close, I plotted the perfect way to reveal myself to you. Apparently, there are other circumstances I probably should’ve been aware of.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “And I’ll tell you all about it later. First, I think there are two other people who will be happy to see you.”

Robin grinned, nodding. “Roland and Carina.”

“Carina?” Regina tilted her head. “You had a name for her?”

“Yes. I thought of it while in the Underworld. I was staring up at the sky, wishing there were stars. And then I thought of the constellations, recalling one called Carina. I know it’s part of a ship but I remembered hearing that as a name, it meant ‘beloved,’” he explained. “And I thought about the awful circumstances that resulted in my daughter, that she would have that and who her mother was hanging over her. I wanted her to always know that she is loved and wanted.”

Fresh tears streamed down Regina’s cheeks. “Zelena named her Robyn after you...but I could never call her that. I nicknamed her Peanut.”

He chuckled. “While that’s a cute nickname and I’m honored my name was passed down to her, I think she should have her own identity. And I’m biased toward Carina.”

“Me too,” she agreed, taking his hand. “Come on. Let’s go share her new name with her.”

They entered the living room together. Roland looked up from where he was entertaining Peanut with a rattle, eyes widening when he saw who was with Regina. He jumped up and raced into Robin’s arms with a joyful shout of “Papa!”

Robin held him close, tears now streaming down his face as he assured his son he was alive and wasn’t going anywhere. As he did that, Regina took Peanut from her carrier and brought her over to her father. She was quickly rechristened Carina and nestled in his arm as he leaned forward to kiss Regina.

Though Henry was missing, out with Violet, Regina still felt like her family was whole again.

That night, Regina put Roland and Carina to bed after a Valentine’s dinner of lasagna and wine. As she stepped out of Roland’s room, she heard soft music coming from her bedroom and headed down there. The lights were dimmed and Robin had placed several candles around her room, little flames flickering to cast an alluring glow.

She closed the door as he held out his hand, looking a bit sheepish. “Granny found Red’s old iPod and let me borrow it, so the music may not be our tastes, but I thought it appropriate…”

Listening, she heard Christina Perri’s voice singing about loving someone for a thousand years and she smiled, nodding. “I’ve heard this song,” she said. “I guess it is appropriate.”

Taking his hand, she let him pull her close and sway her in time to the music. She rested her forehead to his with a small smile. “I’m so glad you came back to me.”

“Me too,” he whispered. “Though I really am not sure how.”

She chuckled. “I made a wish. On my birthday. I wanted you and Roland to come back to me. And now you have.”

Robin tucked her hair behind her ear. “I have. And I think after everything we’ve been through, you’ll understand why I can’t promise you that I’ll never go away again. Because if I had to do it all over again, Regina, I would step in front of that beam for you without a second thought.”

“I know,” she said, the same dread and sorrow building in her as she thought of Robin’s lifeless body on the floor of her office.

He tilted her chin up so her eyes met his, shining with love through the dim candlelight. “But I also like to think that the universe keeps trying to make sure we end up together. So I promise to stay by your side for as long as the universe allows me the privilege to stay there.”

“I promise to do the same,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. “And before the universe decides to fuck me over again, I just want to say I love you. I realized I never said it…”

Robin pressed his finger to her lips. “You may have never said it, but I knew it. Actions speak louder than words. So do your eyes.”

She kissed him, nibbling his lower lip to get him to open his mouth to her. He did so easily and her tongue swept his mouth as she started to unbutton his shirt. Robin tugged at her shirt as well, sensing where she was heading with this.

They broke the kiss so he could pull the shirt over her head, depositing it on the floor with his own. Robin kissed her neck as he removed her bra, warm hands cupping her breasts once they were free. She busied herself with undoing his pants before she lost all conscious thought and just surrendered to the fire building inside her as Robin sucked at a pressure point.

Regina kicked away her skirt as he stepped out of his pants, trying to keep his hands on her at the same time. They fell onto her bed together, now both in their underwear. He pushed himself up on his elbow, eyes looking over her body as his hands roamed it. “As beautiful as I remember,” he breathed.

“You’re just as I remembered,” she replied, taking in his toned chest and the muscles built up after years of shooting arrows. “And you’re all mine.”

“Absolutely.” He rolled over, hovering over her as he grinned down at her. “Always.”

She swallowed, pulling him down by his neck to crash their lips together again. He was already hard against her and she could feel her panties growing wetter despite no attention paid lower than her breasts yet. Heat coiled low inside her, waiting for a release.

Robin kissed his way down her neck and then in the valley between her breasts. As he went lower, she writhed in anticipation, enjoying the feel of his scruff dragging across her skin again. She moaned as his tongue dipped into her navel, sending a teasing jolt to her core.

He peeled her panties away, tongue flicking out to taste and tease her before he removed the garment completely. Robin slid his hands up her legs, urging them further apart as he slid between them. She bent her knees as she drew up her legs and he gave a broad lick to her sex, making her whine out his name. It made him chuckle before he continued to suck and lap at her clit.

Regina’s toes curled and she grabbed at her blanket, her hips rising up to meet Robin’s tongue. Sweat began to trickle down her face and she closed her eyes as she felt the coil tighten as she continued to moan, babbling nonsense.

A finger slowly entered her and she almost shouted in frustration. Robin was teasing her, tormenting her, making her feel everything and forcing her to wait for the release her body was now trembling for. Her back arched as he curled the finger, brushing against her g-spot before it pulled out again.

His lips left her clit and she opened her eyes, meeting his as he raised his head. “Are you close, lovely?” he asked, voice husky. She could only nod, not trusting her own voice to work. He chuckled. “Good.”

She watched as he ducked his head down again, his tongue flicking at her clit as he inserted two fingers this time. Regina cried out, feeling her walls tighten around them. He pumped them slowly, lips closing around her overly sensitive nub again. Rational thought fled her mind and she careened over, yelling his name as she came.

Robin let her ride out her orgasm on his fingers, bringing her down. She lay there, trying to catch her breath as he shucked his own boxers. He then lay beside her, kissing her damp hair. “I’m so glad I can hear those sounds again,” he said.

She hummed, wrapping her fingers around his cock and she began to pump lazily. He was already rock hard in her grasp and her thumb brushed the precum already leaking from his tip. But neither was rushed to do much about it, enjoying kissing each other as she tasted herself on his tongue.

He nuzzled her as she tried not to cry again. “I’m so scared this is just a really, really good dream,” she admitted. “And that if we fall asleep, I’ll wake up and you’ll be gone.”

“Understandable. I felt the same way the first few nights after we came back from New York,” he murmured.

Regina paused. “You did?”

He nodded. “I would wake up several times, reassuring myself I was back here, with you, and not still miles away.”

“I used to do the same then too,” she confessed. “And I feel like I have to do that again.”

“One day, maybe we’ll be able to fall asleep and trust that the other will be there when we wake up.” He kissed her forehead.

She let out humorless chuckle. “We have such fucked up lives.”

“Well,” he said, smiling, “no one can accuse us of being boring.”

This time, her laugh was sincere as she curled closer to Robin. He wrapped his arm around her and hoisted her on top of him as she let out a little squeak. “What are you doing?”

“I want to see you,” he replied. “All of you.”

She smiled, rising up to straddle him. Her fingers toyed with his nipples as his eyes roamed her body with unhidden lust. “Like this?” she asked, purring.

He swallowed as she dragged her folds over his cock, letting him feel how wet she still was. She took his hands, bringing them up to her breasts. “What do you want?”

“You,” he croaked before licking his lips. “I want to be inside you. Please.”

She grinned as his thumbs flicked her nipples. “Well, I think that can be arranged.”

He groaned as she sank down onto his cock, letting him fill her completely. She reached down to clutch at his shoulders, taking a few deep breaths as she reacquainted herself to the feeling of him inside her. Robin was patient, massaging her breasts as he waited for her to move again.

After a few minutes, she began to move, letting him fill her over and over as she picked up a fast pace. She wasn’t going to draw this out like he had earlier. Not with the fear that this could all be taken from her at any moment. And as good as this was, as it felt, she wanted to spend as much time curled up in his arms as possible.

“Regina,” he moaned, the sweetest sound she had heard since Roland called her mom. “Harder.”

“You sure?” she asked, panting already.

He groaned, hands sliding from her breasts to her hips as he met her with his own thrusts. “Yes, please.”

Regina picked up her speed, feeling herself climbing to that high again. She moaned, knowing she was close and hoping to take him over with her. “Come with me,” she panted.

Sitting up, he kissed her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He trailed wet open kisses down her neck as stars exploded before her eyes. She came again with his name on her lips, feeling him spill into her only a few moments later.

They collapsed back onto the mattress, Regina laying on top of Robin. Her ear was pressed to his chest, his heart racing under it. It assured her that he was truly alive and it soothed her.

“I look forward to a lifetime of this,” he said, kissing the top her head.

“Mind-blowing sex?”

He chuckled. “Well, yes. But I meant lying here with you in my arms.”

“Oh,” she replied, smiling as she played with his chest hair. “I guess I look forward to that too.”

“You don’t sound too sure about that.”

“I’m still not sure this isn’t some wonderful dream, remember?” She sighed, closing her eyes. “I’m trying to remain cautiously optimistic.”

Robin laughed. “I like that. Cautiously optimistic.”

Sleep tugged at her and she rolled off him, landing on her side of the bed. “We should get under the covers,” she murmured.

“Okay,” he said, kissing the back of her neck. “I’ve got it.”

He wrapped them in the blankets and spoon against her. “Good night, Regina.”

“Good night, Robin,” she replied. “I hope I see you in the morning.”

“You will,” he promised, arms tightening around her. “You will.”

Regina woke up the next morning to soft kisses being trailed along her shoulder, up her neck and then someone nipping at her ear. “Good morning, lovely,” Robin said, voice hoarse from sleep.

She rolled over, smiling as she saw him lying next to her. The sun backlit him, casting a beautiful glow around him as she rubbed his cheek. “Good morning,” she replied.

“I told you I would be here.” He grinned.

“Yes, you did.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m so glad you are.”

Robin kissed her. “Me too.”

She continued to kiss him, pulling on top of her. As his lips found her pressure point again, Regina wondered how he was going to top this Valentine’s Day next year.

She couldn’t wait to find out.

[brookeap3]

Post-its and Paperclips Valentine’s Day

A/N: For my lovely, dear, wonderful friend @repellomuggletum15... Happy Valentine's Day from your OQ Secret Admirer as well as a Happy Early Birthday! I hope you enjoy this little snippet into Robin and Regina's lives in this verse as you celebrate. Mwah! Also, thank you to Lisa and Hollie for the beta! #LoveFromOQ @oqcelebration

{ ffn } { ao3 }

She’s not really one to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Quite honestly, Regina has always found the holiday to be a little lackluster, obnoxious. All those people with their sappy, manufactured love and romance for one day out of three hundred and sixty five a year. It’s not something she’s really bothered with, for the most part, just another day like any other. Perhaps she relaxes in the evening with a glass of wine, maybe she invites Mal over when the blonde doesn’t have a hot date of her own. There’s even been a year or two where she’s booked herself a nice spa day with a bit of self pampering.

This year is different, however. Because this year she has Robin. And as cliché as it may or may not be, Regina finds herself wanting to do something nice for him. In the two months they’ve been dating he’s shown her an endless number of romantic gestures, a multitude of little ways that he appreciates her and she wants to do the same for him. Particularly when she knows he has something planned up his sleeve. The man’s been anything but subtle for the last several days.

One of the many things she loves about him.

No. Not loves. Likes. One of the many qualities she likes about him. Because it’s only been two months and it’s entirely too early to be having those types of thoughts, even subconsciously. However much truth may lie within them. Regina’s not quite ready to admit the depth of the feelings she’s rapidly discovered for this man.

So she buys red and white candles, several quality and expensive bottles of wine, and the fixings for one of Robin’s favorite meals. One that she happens to be most skilled at making. Hadn’t that been a nice discovery the first time she’d cooked for him?

Regina even takes a quick pit stop while out on her errands to swing through the lingerie department at Nordstrom's, picking out a rather risque and sexy set that she can’t wait to have Robin take off her.

On her way home, despite not being one to make a fuss over the holiday, Regina finds herself looking forward to this Valentine’s Day.

. . .

Regina dresses with care come the morning of Valentine’s, choosing a red, flattering blouse that she’s certain Robin will appreciate, taking a bit more time with her make up and finishing off the look with a bold red lip.

When she gets to work, however, she’s immediately pulled into a meeting and doesn’t get a chance to show off for Robin.

After an hour and a half in Jefferson’s office going over their latest account for West Guard Global, brainstorming and creating a few mock up ads they can refine for the presentation next week. When she gets back to her own office, Regina’s jaw drops for several long seconds as she comes to a halt in the doorway, staring at the far wall where there’s a tack board set up.

There’s a heart outline created from light pink post-it notes, scribbles over each of them, and a single iris in a slender silver vase sitting on her desk beside her monitor.

Once Regina’s gotten over the initial surprise of the little display, a slow smile spreads over her face, warmth rising up within her belly as she takes a few steps toward the board. Robin must have snuck in here and put all this up while she’d been otherwise occupied. She should have expected it of him, especially when she knows his fondness for decorating her office with the little squares, but she’s still startled by her own reaction to sweet gesture.

Stopping a step away, Regina leans forward to read what he’s written on the notes today and her pulse begins to quicken, heart swelling with affection. Her eyes race over a few of the notes, catching several words here and there before they land on the one at the top, the bottom point of the two symmetrical arches. My favorite things about you…

Regina takes more care to read each and every one of them after that, her eyes roaming from one to the next following the path of the post-its around the heart. Your smile. The way you laugh with my son. Threading my fingers through your hair. That spiced apple scent of your shampoo. How you tuck your nose into my shoulder. Waking up with you.

They go on and on. Compliments and observations that he’s gathered and hoarded over the time they’ve been a couple. It overwhelms her for a moment, as she realizes how much thought and care Robin had put into making this. Clearly it’s something he’s been planning for a while now.

Turning to her desk, Regina reaches out to feel the petals of the flower between her fingers, soft and smooth and the smile on her face grows even wider. They’re her favorite; unique and so much better than the generic roses one usually receives for Valentine’s Day. The fact Robin both knows and embraces that tiny detail of her personality, cares enough to give her something special, only strengthens the feelings growing within her. She bends her head to sniff at the bloom, letting the familiar scent fill her nostrils.

Immediately turning on her heel, Regina quickly marches back out into the hallway, past Leroy and Ruby’s desks straight into Robin’s office. He’s on the phone, but smiles at her and holds up an index finger as she nods and silently shuts the door behind her. She waits there while he finishes up with the person on the other end of the line, her hands grasped on the door handle at her back, leaning against it as she watches him.

“Yes, I will have the designs sent over to you this afternoon, Mr. Xavier.” Robin scribbles something on the notepad beside his keyboard, nodding along with whatever the man is saying. “Of course. I think you’re really going to love them.” Nodding, Robin’s eyes move from ink and paper to land on Regina again, roaming up and down the length of her body admiringly.

She’s wearing a silky red blouse that dips into a v down her chest, perfectly modest enough for work, but showing a nice amount of skin as well. The black pencil skirt she’s paired with it molding to her curves and hugging her hips, her stiletto heels showcasing her toned calves. It’s festive enough without being overkill and the desire that whips through Robin’s clear blue eyes when they meet hers after his perusal is enough to have heat spreading through her. It was a solid choice this morning.

“The same to you. Have a great day, sir.” Robin states, his eyes never leaving Regina’s as he lays the phone back in it’s cradle and grins at her. “Good morning, lovely.”

Without saying a word, Regina releases her hold on the door and strides over and around Robin’s desk as he spins in his chair to face her. Leaning down over him, she crashes her lips to his in a heated kiss. Her arms wrap around his neck, resting on his shoulders as one of her hands inches up into his hair at the back of his head. Robin lets out a quiet moan in the back of his throat that Regina swallows into her own mouth with an answering one of her own.

Tilting her head slightly to the side, nose brushing over his cheek she deepens the kiss for another minute, molding her mouth to his and allowing her tongue to peek out and play with his. Coffee and peppermint mixing in an odd, but appealing combo. When she pulls away, she nudges his nose gently with hers, affectionately, grinning when Robin chuckles and a burst of hot air gushes over her lips. “Well, hello to you too. What was that for?”

“For being the wonderful, kind man that you are.” Regina answers, shifting until she can sit on his lap, her arms still entwined around his neck. She doesn’t even care if it’s an unprofessional and silly move, not when Robin’s arms circle around her waist in response.

He smiles up at her warmly, one hand reaching up to toy with the ends of her hair, brushing over her shoulders. “I take it you saw my display then.” At Regina’s nod, Robin’s smile brightens several notches and that hand slides deliciously down her spine to rest on her hip once more. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“You romantic sap.” She chuckles, though still deeply moved by the words that he’d written about her. And those three pesky little words that fill her heart, but aren’t quite ready to be set free yet, bubble up on the tip of her tongue as she alters them a degree and whispers to him, “I loved it, Robin. Thank you.” In fact, Regina is so pleased with the entire gesture and Robin, that there is barely even a twinge of the embarrassment she thinks perhaps she ought to feel at him so openly demonstrating their relationship. He had done it at work after all and nothing about it or what they are doing is at all professional. They aren’t breaking any policies, and every damn person in the office has figured out that the two of them are together by now, but it’s still not entirely appropriate. She doesn’t care though. Couldn’t bring herself to take it down even if she wanted to, not yet.

“Good.” Robin replies, beaming. “Mission accomplished.” And then leans forward to buss his lips against hers again, lighter, less passionate than the one she’d given him, but with no less feeling. When he withdraws, Regina chuckles at the smudge of deep red lipstick that’s stained the skin around his mouth and licks her thumb before rubbing it over his lips and chin in an attempt to wipe it away.

“You know Ruby is going to tease you mercily for it though.”

Shrugging a shoulder, finger tips drawing lazy, random patterns over her back, Robin states, “I can take it in order to see that smile on your face.” They both laugh and then Regina leans in to kiss him again, slower this time, savoring every second.

Slowly extracting himself from Regina’s intoxicating mouth, Robin smiles at her. “Since you’re here… do you have any plans this evening? I’d like to take you out if you’re up for it. I made us reservations at that bistro you like, thought perhaps we could have a fancy dinner out.”

“Actually,” Regina draws, stroking her thumb on the side of his neck, just below his ear, “I was thinking I might make you dinner instead.” Regina slips a hand down to lie on his chest, playing with the knot of the blue silk tie he’s wearing today, noting how the shade matches his eyes quite handsomely. Her voice is a bit hesitant as she admits, “I would kind of like it to just be the two of us tonight. Alone. Rather than at an overcrowded restaurant,” she blushes, “ I’d like to do something special for you for a change.”

Robin shakes his head jocularly, assuring her, “You do that every day. I don’t need anything else.”

“All the same,” Regina laughs, “I want to plan something for you rather than the other way around.” Angling her neck to brush her lips over the shell of his ear, she whispers into it, “I might even have a few surprises in store for you.”

“Well that sounds quite a lovely way to spend the evening.” Robin answers, desire stabs sharply in his gut as her breath tickles his ear and her breasts press against his chest. He wants this woman with a fiery passion and if it weren’t the middle of their work day, coworkers milling about outside of the too thin walls of his office, he might indulge them both in a little mid morning romp. Instead, he teases them both, one of his hands kneading over the curve of her ass in his lap while the other trails a fingertip down the neckline of her blouse, over her exposed skin to hook lazily over the top button just between her breasts. “There’s just one minor hiccup, however.”

Her confused expression meets his, a little crinkle caved between her brows, “Hiccup?”

“Roland.” Robin answers with an amused twitch of his lips, explaining to her, “He asked to see you this morning before I dropped him at preschool. Apparently, he’s been working on a present for you in class.”

Regina’s heart melts, murmuring, “Really?” almost too quietly for Robin to hear.

“Yes. He’s quite excited about it as well.” He answers. Though Robin hasn’t a clue what his child has concocted to give his girlfriend, the thought behind the gesture, that he’d chosen Regina to create something for, both amuses and delights him.

Considering for a moment, Regina tilts her head to the side, her dark locks falling over her shoulder again, before she offers, “What if I went with you to pick him up today? I could see him and then you could come over around seven? That should give me enough time to put everything together.”

“That,” Robin says, placing a quick peck to her lips, “is an excellent plan. Roland will love that.”

Regina grins. “Great.” Then another thought occurs to her and she frowns a tad and asks, “Do you have someone to watch him tonight if you come over?” Granted, he’d already been planning to take her out and Robin is a responsible father so surely he’s lined up some form of babysitting for the evening, but Regina can’t help but make sure.

He nods, then smirks at her with a touch of playfulness to his expression. “Yes. John has graciously offered to look after him.” Wiggling his eyebrows at her, Robin adds a suggestive, “All night, should the need arise, I was told.”

One dark, thin eyebrow lifts as she studies him, “Planning to get lucky are you?”

Robin’s rich and deep laughter is too much for Regina to maintain the straight face she’d been attempting when he replies, “Those were John’s words not mine.” lifting both hands in surrender before winking at her and adding, “It is always my hope though, I will admit.”

It’s obvious that he’s merely teasing, having a bit of fun with her, and the open, light-hearted reaction it draws from her is only another reason that Regina finds herself falling for this man. “Well you’re off to a good start.” She tells him honestly, thinking to the post-its decorating her office now.

A knock on the door breaks them out of their little cocoon, dragging them back to the reality of work and responsibilities. Robin calls out for whoever is on the other side to wait one moment as Regina reluctantly climbs off his lap, smoothing out a few wrinkles on her skirt as she smiles down at him. “I’ll meet you up front at four?”

He nods, reaching out to grip one of her hands in his for a moment, bringing her knuckles to his lips and placing a light kiss to the soft skin there. Regina is positive there’s likely an adolescent, love-sick look on her face at the moment, but she doesn’t mind, not when Robin brings her this much happiness.

When she draws her hand from his grasp and turns to stride back to the door, twisting the knob and swinging it open, Ruby glances between her and Robin, an impish expression on her face that Regina chooses to ignore as she slips past them and heads back to her office.

. . .

It’s unseasonably warm today, and the sun is shining, the last vestiges of bright, shining rays of light before it dims into the beginnings of twilight. So she waits by the car while Robin runs inside to retrieve Roland. They’d agreed that it would be more fun for her to surprise him that way, rather than her walking in with his father. Her hands are tucked into the pockets of her pea coat as she leans against the side of Robin’s Audi, her own Mercedes parked right beside him. For a few minutes she daydreams a bit, staring up at the fluffy white clouds and clear blue sky until an enthusiastic squeal of her name draws her attention to the little boy sprinting across the sidewalk to her.

“R’ginaaaaaaa! You’re here!” Roland takes a running leap toward her and she just barely manages to extract her hands from her pockets to open her arms to catch the brunt of his weight as he collides with her. It makes her laugh, burying her face against his neck for a moment before he’s stepping back and bouncing eagerly. “What are you doing here?!”

“I heard you wanted to see me.”

His dimples pucker in this cheeks as a grin spreads across his face. “Yes! I made you something!”

“Did you?” She gasps in mock surprise, smirking up at Robin as he finally joins them, standing just beside Roland on the sidewalk as he frantically squirms out of his backpack and drops it to the ground, kneeling to dig inside of it, searching for something.

He pulls out a handful of crumpled papers that Robin sighs at as he watches his son squeeze them, further wrinkling them before dropping them to the side walk. Then it’s a fistful of candy and paper valentines that Regina is positive will have Roland bouncing off the walls before bedtime tonight. Good luck with that one, John, she thinks to herself before the boy finally lets out a whoop of glee, brandishing a large pink piece of paper.

Popping back up on his feet, Roland opens the construction paper, holding it out to her with both hands proudly. It’s been cut into the shape of a heart, with different red and blue colored paper stips woven into it to form a sort of quilted patchwork. There’s a smaller heart cut out in the very center, a carefully written note in thick black marker.

Valentines, valentines,

Pink, red and blue,

I've made a pretty one

Just for you!

“Will you be my valentine, R’gina?” Roland asks her seriously, tilting his head and biting this lip the same way that Robin does, and her heart completely shatters and bursts with love for this little boy. It’s possibly one of the sweetest things anyone has ever made or done for her, both the simple children’s craft and his charming offer. Thinking of the pink post-its adorning her tackboard, Regina can see where Roland gets it.

Dropping down to one knee so she’s at Roland’s level, Regina gingerly takes the paper heart from him, holding it between her fingers and admiring it. Her gaze lifts to his, a sunny smile lighting up her face as she tells him, “Of course I’ll be your valentine, Roland! I would be honored.” She looks back down to the valentine, asking him, “Did you write all this yourself?”

“Uh-huh. Well, Miss Belle helped. I did all the strips by myself though!”

Drilling a finger in his belly to tickle and make him laugh, Regina grins. “Well, you did a wonderful job. I love it. Thank you very much.”

Robin is smiling down at them, eyes filled with love and affection as he watches the two of them interact. Roland’s never really had this before. A mother figure. A woman that he can look up to, who cares for him. He’d been only a year old when Marian had gotten sick. Not enough time for either one of them. So while  he’s heard the stories of his mother, loves her as much as a toddler who’s never really known her can, he hasn’t had this sort of female attention and affection. It would seem that now he does though.

It's only been two months of being together, of getting to know one another on a deeper level and there’s still so much to learn and discover. But Robin thinks he just might be falling in love with this woman. Perhaps he might have even started the descent long before that night they'd spent stuck in their office.

Brought back from his musings, Robin blinks at his son, stutters a confused, “What?” at the twin stares of indulgence from them both. Roland giggles and Regina smirks knowingly at him. Caught. A light blush tinges his cheeks as he listens when Roland repeats his question asking if Regina can come over and play with him. As much as it saddens him to deny him, Robin shakes his head. “Unfortunately not, I’m afraid. We need to let Regina get home.”

Pouting slightly, Roland looks between his father and Regina, his lower lip welling up. Before he has a chance to protest, however, Regina grabs his attention and promises, “We can have a play date this weekend. How does that sound?” Looking quickly to Robin for permission, to which he nods his agreement.

Roland thinks for a few seconds, internally debating whether that is a sufficient compromise before he nods, curls bouncing. “Okay!”

Her clear laughter rings through the late afternoon and then she’s telling him, “Come here. Valentines get kisses.” Regina informs him matter of factly, both arms sneaking out to grab him about the waist and tug him closer to her, so she can pepper noisy kisses all over his face, smacking her lips dramatically, causing Roland to chuckle and squeeze his eyes shut.

“Alright. Time to go.” Robin says, as reluctant as he is to break the two of them up.

Regina watches at Robin maneuvers Roland into the car, helping him into his booster seat and strapping him in, tossing in his backpack to land on the seat beside him. When he shuts the door and turns to her, she slants her head to the side and smiles, letting him reach for her hand, jerking her so their bodies are flush against one another.

“I’ll see you at seven?” She asks, leaning her body into his and tilting her chin up for a kiss.

Robin bends his neck so his mouth meets hers in a quick kiss and replies, “Definitely.” They part ways, Robin opening the driver's door as Regina blows Roland a kiss as he rapidly waves his hand at her from his booster in the back seat.

. . .

Everything is perfect. Exactly as she’d imagined it.

Not that she’s been imagining this evening a great deal. Well, not much anyway. But Regina’s put a good amount of thought and care into creating a romantic setting for herself and Robin for the night, and she’s rather proud of the end results. Especially when she knows Robin is the type to appreciate the work that went into everything.

The table is set with a ruby red cloth, two tall white taper candles placed on silver candlestick holders in the center, a fragrant bouquet nestled between them. She’s set out her good china because why shouldn’t she use it every now and again? That’s what it’s for right? There are other candles scattered around the room, short fat ones, taller, thicker ones, that create a flickering glow that is both cozy and flattering. A playlist she may have spent more time creating than she would willingly admit to plays softly from the speaker in the living room, bleeding into the kitchen and dining area.

Turning to check on the lasagna dish in the oven, she slips the door open a crack as a gush of hot air flies up into her face. A quick glance shows the lightly bubbling layer of cheese on the top and Regina nods in satisfaction as she shuts the door again and turns the oven off. The dish should stay warm enough trapped within the confines of the oven until they’re ready for it. Robin should be here any minute as it is. Regina’s already opened a bottle of red wine, letting it breath on the counter as she turns to double check her appearance in the reflection of the microwave, fluffing her hair a tad, soft curls falling around her face. She rubs her hands down the sides of the tight black dress she’s wearing. The sleeveless one that boasts a deep neckline and a slit that runs from the hem just above her knees upward, stopping just a few inches short of her hip. She hasn’t worn this one for him yet, has been saving it for a special occasion and Regina can’t wait to see what his reaction to it will be.

She hopes it knocks his socks off.

The doorbell chimes, ringing merrily and echoing through the house as Regina grins in anticipation, just a touch shy of over eagerly making her way to the front door. When she swings it open to reveal Robin standing on her porch, she allows herself a moment to take in his appearance. Despite the low-key aspects to a dinner at home, he’s dressed up for her. Wearing that blue suit that’s somewhere between the realm of royal and navy blue, a crisp white shirt, and thin black tie to complete the ensemble. Lord, he looks sexy. Heat pools in Regina’s belly at the mere sight of him and the fleeting thought that perhaps they could skip dinner altogether and she could just take him up to her bedroom fickers along the outskirts of her mind for a moment.

He’s smirking at her, his own eyes raking over the form fitting dress she’s donned for the evening, heat flaring through and darkening those blue eyes she adores. “Good evening, milady.” Robin greets, flourishing a bouquet of purple irises for her enjoyment, the same as the one he’d given her earlier today.

Regina chuckles, reaching out for the arrangement and burying her nose amidst the blooms for a minute, fluttering her eyelashes flirtatiously at him as she responds, “Thank you.” and gestures for him to come inside.

As soon as he does, Robin sneaks an arm out to hook around her waist, drawing her body flush against his, crushing her flowers between their chests, but when she catches the look in his eyes, Regina doesn’t really mind. Then his mouth swoops down on hers and every thought she has flies straight out of her head, brain emptying like a lemonade pitcher on a hot summer day, only to be filled with the taste and sensation of his lips against hers. Teeth scrape and nibble along her bottom lip, eliciting a low, arousing moan from Regina.

By the time Robin swipes his tongue one final time through her mouth, teasing her before pulling away, her head is spinning. A few loose blooms fall slowly to the floor between them as Regina struggles to regain her sensibilities.

“You look absolutely stunning. Thought I would get that out of the way so we can focus on dinner.” Robin tells her cheekily. And Regina scoffs, as if she’s not going to be thinking of that kiss, of everything they could be doing to each other all through their salad and pasta. Though, if Robin’s not-so-coy expression is any indication, that had been his plan all along, despite his attempts to say otherwise. At least she knows the dress is a hit.

Raising an eyebrow at him, she jokingly retorts, “That was one hell of a greeting.”

Robin chuckles, shrugs his shoulders and lifts his palms innocently, something she knows him to be anything but. “You’re a hard woman to resist, Regina Mills.” Is all he says as way of an explanation. As far as they go though, Regina thinks that is a fair one to be made.

The two of them stand there grinning at each other like fools for another thirty seconds before Regina lifts the bouquet in her hands. “I should put these in water.” She heads for the kitchen, certain Robin will follow.   Sure enough, as she turns to look back over her shoulder to inform him, “Dinner is almost ready. I just have to toss the salad together.” and just like that, he’s trailing after her.

He sniffs at the air curiously and Regina chuckles again, but is quite pleased when recognition comes into his eyes. “Is that your lasagna I smell?” He asks hopefully, not quite able to mask the reverence from his voice.

“Indeed it is.” Regina replies, heading straight for the cabinet to the far left to retrieve one of her crystal vases. Robin’s murmured Bless you, causes her lips to tip up as she turns to the right L of the counter and holds the vase beneath the faucet. “Feel free to pour that wine if you’d like.”

Moving further into the kitchen, he brushes a hand across the small of her back lightly, absent-mindedly on his way to the cabinet to her left, grabbing two glasses from the shelf and turning to round the counter on the other side of the sink to face her once more. Regina arranges the irises into the vase and then sets it to the side, moving to pull out the makings for their salad. Lettuce, tomatoes, olives, some shredded carrots and mozzarella cheese. Laying it all out in front of her as Robin pours them each a generous helping of wine and watches her work.

“How was Roland when you left? On a sugar high from all his Valentine’s candy from school by the time John got there?” Regina asks as she works, looking up to meet Robin’s light blue gaze when he makes a slight sound of uncertainty.

“A tad upset I’m afraid.”

Regina frowns as she drops tomatoes into the large bowl she’s tossing all the ingredients into. “Why?”

“He didn’t realize I was seeing you again tonight when we parted this afternoon. Was a bit surly over the fact I get to have a playdate with you before he does.” Robin says it in as serious of a tone as he can manage, but there’s a gleam in his eyes, a silent play on words that neither one of them can keep from laughing at.

A playdate indeed. Regina thinks as her lips twitch and she struggles to contain her amusement. “Well perhaps I’ll have to come over sooner than this weekend to appease him.” She answers.

Robin grins, sipping from his wine before replying, “I think that is an excellent idea. You’re welcome. Any time you’d like, Regina. Roland and I would both love to see you more.”

Eyeing him from beneath her lashes, sprinkling the last of the cheese over the other veggies, she comments, “You see me every day.” They work together. She and Robin have some sort of interaction on a daily basis. Granted that doesn’t extend to Roland all the time necessarily, but Robin is not deprived of seeing her.

“That’s at the office.” He says, setting his glass on the counter and stepping around it once more now that she’s finished. Weaving his arms around her waist,   Robin interlocks his fingers together at the base of Regina’s spine as her arms wrap around his neck. “It’s not the same. We’re busy and in meetings. There are always people around. It’s hard for me to do this whenever I want to.” He mutters quietly, lowering his mouth to hers, pressing their lips together firmly. Robin’s tongue runs slowly along the seam of her lips, urging them open and then lightly massaging into her mouth when she grants him access. His embrace tightens, squeezing her body marginally closer to his, so that they are pressed together entirely, before he breaks the kiss to tell her, “I can’t get enough of you, Regina. I always want more time.”

It’s ridiculous the way her heart flutters and picks up speed. A combination of his heady, addicting kisses and his sweet, genuine words. She wants that also, to feel like this forever. Cherished and appreciated. Wanted. In more ways than one.

Eventually, she regains her voice enough to tell him softly, “I would like that.”

“Perhaps we can arrange it then.”

Nodding, swallowing the sudden lump of emotion lodged in her throat, Regina clears it, smiles and then steps out of his arms. “I’m sure we could.” Glancing down to the bowl of lettuce to her left and then back to him, she says, “Let’s eat.”

Robin helps her set the remainder of the table while she pulls the lasagna out of the oven, transferring two squares of it to their plates before they take their seats. Side by side, Robin on the end while Regina takes the seat on the adjacent corner rather than the one across from him. They’re closer this way, it’s easier for them to have a conversation, and for Robin to toy with her fingers in between bites, stroking his thumb over the top of her hand, hooking his fingers around hers. He keeps it up until halfway through their meal when he threads their fingers together, curling his around her hand, palm to palm and smiles at her.

“Tell me a story from your childhood.”

“What?” Regina asks, puzzled. It’s an abrupt change of topic from the latest Alessia Cara music they had been discussing and how Regina has listened to it a countless number of times. “I want to know you better, Regina.” Robin answers, smirking at her, pleased to have thrown her off course it would seem. “To learn something new about who you are, what made you who you are today. How you became this fascinating woman I am absolutely smitten with.”

Well she can’t very well argue with that, can she? Her heart beats a quick rhythm in her chest and Regina picks up her wine glass, taking a long sip before asking, “What do you want to know?”

“Anything. Whatever you’re willing to share with me.” His voice is quiet, patient. There’s no pressure. And if she decided that she didn’t want to tell him anything, Regina knows he wouldn’t push her. But she wants the same thing, for him to know her on a deeper level. Regina trusts herself to be open with him. And, truthfully, she’s just as smitten as he is.

But they’re having a pleasant evening, a wonderful dinner, in fact, and she doesn’t want to ruin the mood. So she won’t share any of the painful parts of her past. The uncomfortable and hurtful spats with her mother, the loneliness she struggled with as a child. No, she’ll save those for another day. Oddly enough, Regina doesn’t think that she would be ashamed to share that part of herself with him though. She hasn’t had that feeling or inherent certainty that she’s safe to be vulnerable with anyone for a very, very long time.

Settling on a memory that never fails to make her smile, Regina begins with, “I loved astronomy as a child. Went through a phase when I was about… oh, probably, ten or so, when it was my absolute favorite thing. I was totally obsessed and my father loved to indulge me, particularly when I showed such a keen interest in something.”

Robin’s eyes are focused on her, his hand still joined with hers, thumb stroking along the outer edge of her palm. “Astronomy, huh? I never would have guessed.”

Laughing, Regina grins at him. “Yes, well I eventually grew out of it. Took up horseback riding instead and that ending up being my main focus. Although, I still enjoy learning about the stars and space. The galaxy is a fascinating place.” She takes another quick bite, as Robin follows suit and does the same before continuing. “Daddy took me to visit The Natural History Museum one weekend. We spent the whole day there in the Hayden Planetarium. I couldn’t get enough. Begged him to stay until they kicked us out.”

Regina smiles at the memory, the excitement and wonder that she had felt that day, sharing it with her father. It had truly been a perfect day. The familiar ache of missing him flashes through her for a short moment. It only lasts for a minute, thankfully, but Robin must see it on her face because he brings their joined hands to his mouth, pressing his lips to her skin softly. “He sounds like a wonderful man. I wish I could have met him.”

“So do I.” Regina tells him. Daddy would have loved Robin. Particularly, how happy he makes his daughter. She can picture the two of them, sitting together in front of a football game on a Sunday afternoon, laughing and bonding, Roland helping her in the kitchen, trying to talk her into one more cookie. It’s a lovely image. And a pang of longing shoots through her before she shoves it down.

Clearing her throat, Regina withdraws her hand from his and takes another drink of her wine, tilting her head at him as she asks, “What about you? What were you like as a kid?”

A mischievous smirk slips across Robin’s features as he says, “Oh I was a rather delinquent child.”

Regina arches her eyebrow, “A troublemaker were you?”

“Oh most definitely.” Robin laughs, making her grin and shake her head at him as she takes another bite of meat and cheese and pasta, scooping it up onto her fork and popping the delicious combination into her mouth. “I had something of a ragtag gang in my youth. John and I used to like to steal trinkets from our parents’ rich friends and then sell them for cash.”

That surprises her, it’s not something she would have expected from him. Robin is generous and kind, doesn’t seem the type for criminal activity. But Regina responds with her initial question first, “John? I didn’t realize you two had known each other for that long.”

“Oh yes. He’s been my best mate since we were five. Met on the playground our first day of kindergarten and have been inseparable ever since.”

She smiles at that, happy for him that he has someone who knows him like that, who grew up with him. The oldest friend Regina has is Mal and she’s only been in her life for the last thirteen years, let alone nearly three decades. It’s sweet though.

“So what did you two do with the cash after you hocked what you stole?”

“We donated the money to local food banks.” Ah, and that sounds more like the Robin that she knows. The one with a huge heart. Still, it surprises her some to hear that’s what he’d chosen to do with large amounts of cash as a teenager. Many would not have.

Leaning forward, resting one of her forearms on the table, Regina tells him, “You are a very special man, Robin Locksley.”

He grins at her, mirroring her pose and replies, “So are you, Regina Mills.”

They spend the remainder of their meal all smiles, laughing and changing the subject to other lighter topics. What they might do this weekend. Regina thinks it would be fun to take Roland to the new children’s movie that’s playing, and Robin cheerfully agrees.

When Robin scoops the last bite of his lasagna into his mouth, with a satisfied hum as Regina watches him, sipping on her wine, she asks, “Would you like any more?”

Wiping his napkin at the corners of his mouth as he chews, Robin shakes his head. “I’m quite full. It was spectacular as always, milady. And as you know my favorite. Thank you for making it.”

“You’re welcome. There are brownies for dessert.”

There’s a naughty glint in Robin’s eyes as a slow chesire cat like grin forms on his face. His hand finds hers once more, teasingly running the tips of his fingers over the back of her hand as he tells her, “I had something else in mind for dessert, actually.”

Oh. Well then.

Heat settles in the pit of her stomach, moving even lower at Robin’s words. “There’s a fire going in the living room. Would you like to move this in there?” Regina asks, her elbow resting on the table as she leans toward him again, wine glass in one hand as she tilts her head at him before taking a sip. Dinner has been lovely and she’s feeling loose and happy. Two things she’s never really experienced before on Valentine’s Day. Well, once. That year that she’d had Daniel in her life. But never again since that one day.

That dopey, adorable, kissable grin that has Robin’s dimples winking out smiles back at her and Regina’s stomach flips. She wants to do that. Kiss that smile off his face until she’s driven him wild. “That sounds lovely.” Robin answers her, standing to hold out a hand for her own. They’ll do the dishes later, she decides and places her palm within Robin’s open one.

They bring their wine glasses with them, and the bottle, topping off the raspberry colored liquid as they settle in on the couch, but it isn’t long before they are long forgotten in favor of focusing all their attention on one another. Robin’s hand rests on one of the thighs Regina has tucked beneath her, slowly and teasingly rubbing his thumb back and forth over her bare skin, inciting goosebumps across her flesh, as he kisses down her jaw, along her neck.

Regina hums, angling her head to grant him more access to her sensitive skin when he starts to suck lightly at her throat. Shifting closer to him, her hand grasps onto his hair, steadying herself.

“You are so bloody beautiful.” Robin breathes after a few minutes, his eyes roaming all over her body, settling on her face as his hand on her thigh ventures upward some to cup her hip and pull her closer to him.

It’s not enough though. She wants to feel him, more of him than she presently can at least. So she smirks at him and then tosses her leg over his hip, adjusting until she can straddle his waist. The hem of her dress rises dangerously high, that slit expanding and exposing even more of her leg to him, the edge of her red lace panties just barely visible over her hip. “You may have mentioned it.” She teases, rubbing her hands up and down his chest as he groans at their new position.

His palms slide up and down her thighs, heating her skin as Regina rocks subtly against his growing arousal. Fusing his mouth to hers again, Robin lets himself drown in the warm, delicious flavor of her mouth, tasting the bitterness of the wine they’ve been drinking and something that is completely Regina. He’s addicted to it and her.

Their mouths mold against one another, tongues swirling against each other, and Robin feels himself getting harder with every grind of her hips on top of his. He needs her desperately. A little tipsy himself, his movements are slightly fumbled as he rakes his hands over her body. Thankfully, Regina doesn’t seem to notice or mind much. One palm rubs over her thigh as the other inches its way up her torso until he can cup one of her breasts in his hand, squeezing gently and loving the tiny moan the action wrenches from her.

When she breaks away from his mouth so they can both gulp air into their burning lungs, Robin makes a disgruntled sound. Before he can kiss her again though, Regina drops her forehead to his, panting heavily as she asks quietly, “Are you staying tonight?”

He supposes they never had come to a final conclusion about that, had they? Had teased each other, been subtly implying it throughout the day and evening, but had never firmly decided. Robin had been planning on it, if Regina wanted him to, unable to bear the thought of not being in her bed tonight. And he’d packed a bag just in case, had left it in the car upon his arrival. “Do you want me to?” Robin asks.

Regina’s breathless snort and teasing, “Is that not obvious?” accompanied with another roll of her hips over his, makes Robin chuckle and groan simultaneously.

“Then I would like that very much, milady.” He answers, gripping his hands beneath her thighs and standing quickly, much to Regina’s surprise as she instinctively wraps her legs around his hips. The move aligns his erection with her aching center more directly and they both moan quietly as Robin begins walking in the direction of the stairs.

He gets distracted at the bottom step, however, Regina’s lips on his throat driving him crazy, and he has to take a minute to press her against the wall, bucking his hips against her as he brings his mouth back to hers. Regina’s ankles are locked around his hips, just below his ass and she uses her grip to push her hips against his in response. Their kiss is a bit sloppy, decidedly needy, but neither one of them can bother to give a damn when white hot desire is coursing through their veins.

“I want you so much, Robin.” Regina moans into his mouth, licking at his bottom lips. There’s hot, liquid fire pooling between her thighs with each passing minute.

Briefly, Robin considers taking her right here. Fucking her against this wall before taking her upstairs to ravish her for a second round. But that’s not what he wants this evening to be about, as much as it would probably please them both. He wants to have her in her soft, comfortable bed, to worship her body. Still, he reaches a hand between their bodies, rubbing lightly over her clit through her panties, the bottom of her dress now bunched around her hips, and Regina’s head falls back against the wall as she gasps, her mouth dropping open.

Robin’s teasing is affecting him just as much as Regina, and he’s painfully hard in his slacks now. He wants her out of this dress. Now. So he readjusts his grip on her and plants his lips on her neck, biting lightly once before he’s taking the stairs as fast as he can manage without killing either one of them.

By now he’s familiar enough with the layout of her house that it is quick and easy to find his way down the hall to her bedroom, nudging the door open with his foot and letting it swing back all while Regina swirls her tongue along the outer edge of his ear and tortures him just a bit with images of her using that tongue other places.

It seems Regina has similar ideas because as soon as he stumbles to the bed, falling down on it with her, she’s switching positions with him, straddling his waist again as she kisses him. Her teeth scrape along his jaw, over his chin, then bite into that tempting lower lip of his as she whispers seductively against his mouth. “I’m going to have my wicked way with you.”

Thank god.

Robin thinks, his mind going blissfully blank except for the feel of her body atop his as she starts to pepper kisses down his throat, using her tongue and teeth to drive him wild. Though a part of him is torn between wanting to enjoy whatever it is she is about to do to him and the strong desire to do the same to her.

He at least wants her naked. All that creamy, olive skin on display for him. So he grips the hem of her dress, dragging it upward before she can wiggle out of his reach in her descent. Regina laughs, aiding him in its removal. She sits up fully then, sitting on her feet and calves between his legs as his eyes rake over the red lace bra that does wonders for her tits, piling them high and spilling over the edges. Rosy nipples strained and visible through the material. Those blue irises darkening to a deep navy shade with desire.

She lets him look for a minute, smirking at him and tossing her hair a bit flirtatiously as she asks, “Do you like it?” He hasn’t seen this particular piece. It’s new. Purchased specifically for this moment. But if the way he’s looking at her is any sort of gauge, Regina’s little stint into the lingerie department the other day had been well worth the trip.

Robin sits up then, closing the distance between them once more until his face is a mere few inches from her own, his voice rough and aroused as he tells her, “I love it. Looks fantastic on you.” One finger trails a path along the edge of her bra, starting at her shoulder and down the strap, across one breast and then the other before he cups them in his palms and thumbs at her nipples through the thin fabric.

It creates a delightful bit of friction that Regina groans at. But she has other plans and will not let Robin distract her for long. Shoving at his shoulders, he flops back down to the bed, and she laughs when he raises an eyebrow at her and gives her a wry expression.

“I’m having my way with you, remember. No touching.” Robin nearly pouts at that and Regina snorts as she pulls the hem of his dress shirt free, suit jacket long forgotten on the living room couch, and begins to deftly slip the buttons. Inch by inch, his toned abdomen comes into her view. Golden skin and the smattering of light blonde hair that starts just below his bellybutton and continues downward.

God, he’s attractive, Regina thinks to herself when she’s released the last button and pushed his shirt off his shoulders, observing as Robin wiggles out of the sleeves and let’s it drop off the side of the bed. Running her hands over his arms and biceps, Regina admires the firmness of the muscles, the ripple of them when she makes a sweeping gesture and slides them down his chest and over his stomach. How on earth she managed to resist and deny her attraction to this man for so long she will never know. Not now that she knows what she had been been missing.

Her attention shifts to the button of his slacks, releasing it and teasingly sliding his zipper down, lightly brushing over the bulge in his pants. She strokes a fingertip over it, smirking when Robin tries to bite back a moan. Regina enjoys this, teasing him. He so often does the same to her, she’s learned it’s one of his favorite activities in fact. To tease and arouse her, slowly, drawing out her pleasure.

With a bit of help from Robin and a brief maneuvering in their positions, they rid him of his slacks and boxer briefs together. His erection springing free. Reaching for him, Regina strokes up and down the hard, solid length. His skin soft beneath her palm, veins pulsing. Her gaze lifts to meet his where he’s watching her through heavy-lidded eyes.

A wicked gleam flashes through her own a moment before she lowers her mouth to his cock. Swirling her tongue around the head before taking him deeper into her mouth. Robin groans, a guttural sound that echoes her own arousal, wetness gathering between her thighs. She enjoys doing this to him, having him at her mercy, bringing him the type of pleasure he so thrills in bestowing upon her.

And Regina had wanted to do something special for him tonight, to show him a bit of extra attention. This seems a fitting way to achieve that goal.

She scrapes her teeth lightly over his skin, a mix between something salty and male filling her mouth when she wraps her lips around him again. Her nails scratch lightly over his thighs, adding to the stimulation she’s giving him. Quiet moans rise up out of his throat, growing louder and clearer with each up and down motion of her mouth on his cock.

When she adds one of her hands, gripping it around the base of his shaft and begins to twist up and down while sucking him harder, hollowing her cheeks, Robin nearly loses his mind.

It feels incredible. Warm and wet. Liquid heat that engulfs him, so reminiscent of how it feels to have her wrapped around him, their bodies joined. Her tongue is unbelievable, drawing indecipherable patterns along his shaft, sliding down to lick at his balls as she strokes him up and down, squeezing gently around him.

Engulfing her mouth around him once more, Regina sucks firmly, focusing on her task with renewed vigor. Her tongue runs along the underside of his cock as she bobs her head up and down, faster and faster, harder and all of a sudden it’s too much, Robin can’t hold back any longer, gut tightening, his reign on control a thin tether that is a second away from snapping. “Fuck, love. Feels so good. You need to stop. Please. I’m... Regina— “

She releases him with a wet pop, smirking at him knowingly from where she kneels between his thighs. His head is thrown back, chest rising and falling rapidly with the effort it takes for him to keep himself in check, hands fisted into her sheets. Satisfaction whips through her, mounting when he tips his chin down and opens those intense eyes to find hers.

Lifting himself off the bed enough to circle his thumb and index finger around her wrists resting on his thighs Robin pulls her to him for a fierce kiss. Stealing the breath from Regina’s lungs. “You’re going to be the death of me.” Robin pants when their lips separate, hot air ghosting over her mouth while they catch their breath. Her laughter is breathless an amused as he quickly rolls them across the bed, her legs wrapped around his waist as they end up with Robin on top of her.

He devours her mouth then. Hotly, passionately. Robin could happily drown in the taste of this woman and he wants all of her all at once, hands stroking quickly over her bared skin, sliding beneath her back to skillfully unclip the hook of her bra, releasing it with quiet pop. One of his hands rests beside her head, bracing his body over hers as the other pulls the material from her body and tosses it across the room, continuing to kiss her. His hand palms her breasts, pinching her nipples and tugging at the hardened peaks. The way Regina arches her spine into his touch, gasps into his mouth, it’s just as painfully arousing as her mouth around him had been.

Moving to suck and lick at her pulse point, Robin rocks his hips against hers, his cock rubbing over her clit through her panties. And that’s something that needs to go. Slipping a hand between their bodies, he rubs over the lace between her thighs. She’s soaked. Her panties damp and ruined as he hooks his index fingers around the material and drags them down her hips and legs, tossing them aside.

Then he runs his index fingers between her folds, her hips bucking up into his touch as Regina moans, hands gripping at his shoulders, moving up and down his biceps. “Mmmmm… yes. That feels good.” She cries when Robin circles her clit with his thumb, slipping two fingers inside her.

Pumping lazily, Robin crooks his fingers, thumping against that spot that he knows drives her crazy, a mewling sound of pleasure breaking free as she moves her hips against his hand, seeking more friction. “That’s it, love. Just enjoy it.” Robin doesn’t disappoint when he adds a third finger, stretching her, warming her body up for what’s to come.

“Robin—“ Regina pleads, desperate for release.

Christ, she’s beautiful like this. Hair messily scattered across her pillow, eyes screwed shut as she absorbs the pleasure he’s giving her. He’s not given her near enough attention so far. Something he vows to rectify immediately.

Robin starts to return the oral favor, the overwhelming urge to taste her nearly impossible to deny himself of, particularly after the way she’d toyed with him. He wants to make her scream, to hear her pant and moan while he licks and sucks at her warm cunt. Pulling his fingers out of her, Robin slides down to rest between her open thighs. But Regina’s needy whine of, “No, no. I want you. Now. Please, Robin. I want you inside me.” stops him in his tracks.

Torn, Robin hesitates. She’s gasping, chest heaving as she stares down her body at him, a light flush over her skin. He wants that too, but he can see how wet she is, glistening in front of his face and he’s desperate to run his tongue over her. More than anything and he knows she’d been getting close, it likely won’t take long for either one of them once he does that. So he tells her, “I want to taste you. Let me make you come this way, darling. Then I will fuck you silly.”

Oh god. The phrase repeats itself several times in her head as Regina struggles to string coherent thoughts together. Her body is aching, pulsing, throbbing with a deep need and all she wants is Robin, to have him thrusting inside her while he brings her to those heights of pleasure. But how is she supposed to resist an offer like that? She would have to be a complete fool and the last thing Regina Mills would ever be described as is foolish.

So she nods, only twice before Robin’s lips wrap around her clit and suck forcefully. She moans, frantically grabbing at the wrinkled sheets around her, just as Robin had earlier as a futile attempt to ground herself. It feels amazing. He’s so damn good at this. Hands splay over her thighs, opening her to his attentions more as he switches from sucking to flicking his tongue over the sensitive nub. And she’s close. So very close.

Robin’s tongue drifts down, dips inside her and thrusts into her a few times, the sensation of which sends shivers through her entire body, reverberating from where his mouth is on her sex to the tips of her fingers and toes. “Oh— Robin, mmmmmm.” Her thoughts are a jumbled mess as he licks at her, unable to focus on anything other than how he’s making her feel.

When his fingers find their way back inside her, driving into her as he circles his tongue around and around her clit  licking over it with the flat of his tongue in a way that produces mouthwatering sensations, Regina nearly loses it. Another minute of that, the dual stimulation and she feels herself tipping over, walls fluttering around his fingers as her thighs tighten around his head instinctively, trapping him between her thighs. She comes with another cry of his name, while Robin continues licking at her, letting her ride out her orgasm and lapping up the new burst of wetness that gathers.

Lord, she’s sexy. A goddess. Perfection. Everything that he could ever have asked for and more and Robin has no idea what the hell he’d done to be so lucky to be here with her. For her to be his.

He pulls away from her, panting lightly and peppering kisses to the soft, heated skin of her inner thigh as he catches his breath. Painfully, hard now, he takes a minute to muster up some control before he kisses his way up her body and fuses his mouth to hers.

Regina can taste herself on him, an arousal in and of itself, and she groans, clamps her arms around his neck and holds him close to her. Hooking a leg over his hip, she gyrates her hips against his, reveling in the way his cock is nestled between her folds, sliding against her clit.

Burying his face into the crook of her neck, Robin moans. There are three words on the tip of his tongue that want to escape, but neither of them are ready for that quite yet. Now is not the time for that little revelation. It’s too soon. But they are there all the same.

Instead, he whispers into her ear, “You are incredible.” Bites her earlobe and then makes good on his promise, reaching a hand between their sweaty and slick bodies to grip his cock, angling it at her entrance. Taunting her for a minute by pushing in an inch and then withdrawing, doing it a few more times before Regina’s whiny moan of his name makes him chuckle and Robin thrusts deep and hard inside her.

When their bodies are joined, they both let out matching groans. It’s perfect. Exactly right. Every time they come together like this it’s better than the last, produces a feeling inside each of them that this is exactly where they belong. Robin begins to move, a few shallow thrusts at first, letting Regina adjust to him before he draws farther back and then in again.

Each delicious pass of his cock inside her feels amazing, a wet slide that has desire gathering deep inside her again. Sparking from where their bodies are joined and filtering out. Through her belly, her breasts, her thighs, heating her skin. She’s just come, but already Regina feels herself getting closer and closer to that peak once more.

Her nails scrape over Robin’s hip, digging into the skin there as he enters her over and over again. He’s keeping his pace even and steady at the moment, something Regina enjoys, even as she craves something a bit harder, a touch harsher. Wants more, more of him, of the razor edge of pleasure they are teetering on. One of his hands strokes through her dampened hair, pushing it away from her face as he looks down at her, such affection and care in his gaze that it revs their love making up a notch.

Bending his head down, he kisses her, tongue sweeping into her mouth, echoing the movement of his cock inside her and Regina surrenders to the sensations building within her body. She rubs her own tongue over his, tasting him as he moves inside her over and over again. Their chests and torsos are pressed together, the coarse hair on his chest tickling her aching nipples as they brush over the hard points.

She wraps her legs around his hips, changing the angle at which he’s driving into her, and the shift has him dragging over her clit with each thrust, causing a deep moan to fall from Regina’s lips as she breaks the kiss.

Robin’s mouth immediately moves to her neck, sucking at her skin that tastes of salt and just a bit like the perfume she’d been wearing earlier in the evening, less prominent now with their activities. “You feel so good, Regina. Magnificent. Spectacular. Fantastic.” Praise sputters from Robin as he pounds into her faster, he’s getting close, wants to make her come again, around his cock this time so he can feel every jaw-dropping second of her walls constricting around him rather than his fingers.

His voice drives her crazy, particularly when he’s spilling compliments at her, when he’s thrusting deep and hard inside her and Regina groans, her fingers tugging a touch violently at the hair at the base of his skull to anchor herself to him.  

“So do you.” She tells him, voice deep and raspy, which only serves to make Robin growl, biting into her skin. “I love the way you make me feel, how you feel inside me.” His hand squeezes her breast, slips lower to rub at her clit as Robin’s mouth kisses down her body to take one of her nipples into his mouth. It moves them from this gratifying drive of pleasure into overdrive. “Oh god, yes, yes, Robin. Mmmm...harder, faster, please. I’m so close.”

Doing exactly as she says, Robin pounds into her harder and faster, her passage nearly dripping as he slides easily and effortlessly in and out of her. He sucks at her nipple, circling his tongue around it and biting lightly, flicking his tongue over the nub. Between that, his thumb rubbing over her clit and the feel of his cock inside her Regina is completely helpless to the onslaught of sensations assaulting her body. It only takes a few more thrusts and then she’s crying out and clenching tightly around him as she comes.

Robin’s hips continue moving inside her, rubbing at her as he helps her ride out her orgasm, forehead pressed between her breasts, struggling to hold himself back as her walls flutter around him. It’s a lost cause though, particularly when Regina uses her grip on his hair to pull his mouth to hers for an intense kiss and then Robin is following right behind her, coming with a low, desperate growl into her mouth as he spills inside her. The two of them riding the last waves of release in sync.

Collapsing on top of her, they lay there for a few minutes, trying to regain their breath after the intensity of what they’d just done, Robin softening inside her. His head rests on her neck as she lazily strokes her fingers up and down the toned muscles of his back. She feels phenomenal. Like her entire body is liquid and golden.

Mind-blowing sex will have that effect.

Eventually, Robin musters up enough energy to roll off her, settling back on the sheets beside her and reaching for her. Regina happily turns back into his arms, resting her head on his chest as his arms wrap around her.

“Wow.” Robin’s voice mutters quietly into the night around them. They hadn’t bothered with the light when they’d come in, too preoccupied with each other to care or think about such things. The room is dark, only the silver of the moonlight illuminating it.

Regina smirks against his skin. Wow is right. She’s warm and sated in his embrace and it’s been a wonderful day. The best Valentine’s that she’s had in her entire life. “Mmmhmmm.” She hums sleepily, slumber dragging her under as they lay there.

Laughing, Robin presses a kiss to the crown of Regina’s hair, the subtle apple scent of her shampoo still lingering, and he smiles. “Happy Valentines Day, lovely.” As he pulls the sheets back up over them, Regina snuggles closer, adjusting to the most comfortable sleeping position and tossing a leg over one of his, her arm draped over his chest. Then echoes the words back to him.

“Happy Valentines Day, Robin.”

[violet-bridgerton]

Happy Valentines Day! 

 Here’s my  @lovefromoq gift to you @lanasoutlaw! Hope you have an amazing Valentine’s Day!

[evilqueens]

                                            ---and i know for me, it’s always you.

for @colferwesley,  from your secret admirer 💕 (@oqcelebration)

[quillerqueen]

From Cupid, With Love

Happy Valentine’s Day, @the-alpha-incipiens! :) It’s been an honour to be your OQ secret admirer, and I hope this little story brightens your day! Psst - there’s even a little smut to be had, eeek! ;)

@oqcelebration

'Tis not my holy day—and yet in essence it is.

For me 'tis business as usual, even today, even with a world full of non-believers. Barbarians, the lot of them. The threads of their lives intertwine, their hearts connected by an intricate web one could easily entangle themselves in—and they have. And they shall.

On this misty morn, I descend from the skies on feathered wings, a menace to some, a gift to others, my golden bow strung and quiver heavy, and make for the dark castle bustling with life.

No shield, magic or not, can stop me.

She's going to murder Snow White. Rip her pathetic heart from her chest and mount it on a wall amid the atrocious sea of reds and pinks. If it's hearts they want, well then they can damn well have a real one instead of the ridiculous paper cut-outs the simpering princess and her uncharming husband have plastered Regina's hallways with on this wretched day.

Regina had explicitly warned them to do nothing of the sort, but no one seems to have taken her threats to outlaw the bloody farce of a holiday seriously.

"Come on, Regina, it's fun," the god-awful girl reasoned, as if that settled the matter. "The people need to have a good time sometimes—between this witch and her winged beasts, we all can use a bit of positivity, don't you think?"

And yes, sure, fine. Let them have positivity. Let them have music and merrymaking. But what happened to good old-fashioned balls? Ones that are not, preferably, Valentine's dances? Not that she'd ever consider attending one of those either—certainly not after the fiasco that had been Yule.

No, not again. Let them have their stupid celebration of love. Regina is staying away from hi—it all.

Sequester herself in her chambers she shall—and to hell with Snow's well-intentioned lovefests and hope speeches.

Regina's stomach rumbles, loud and crude, and that's the snowflake's fault, too. Must she go overboard every single time? Must every dish from fruit to pastry be cut and served in the shape of hearts? Can she not have provided one sensible option for people with actual taste, not to mention with a reasonable contempt for clichéd holidays?

Pacing furiously, Regina tries to tame the magic crackling at her fingertips—a necessary feat if she's ever to conjure herself sustenance without accidentally burning the place down. On a particularly sharp turn, she catches a glint of silver from the corner of her eye, and rounds on the tray resting amid her satin sheets.

It's not supposed to be there—she certainly hasn't put it there.

Continue on ff.net

[lovefromoq]

If anyone is interested in signing up of a possible second group to do a a fandom wide gift exchange, let me know.  We had a crazy amount of participants. I think a lot of people didn’t expect that, and a few are saying they had regrets over sign ups.  I can match ya’all if you want.  Just DM me!

[ariestess]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood Characters: Evil Queen | Regina Mills, Robin Hood (Once Upon a Time), Regina's Father | Henry Mills Sr., Little John (Once Upon a Time), Widow Lucas | Granny Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, Bandit Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood, new home, first home, Shared Home, Surprises, Family Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Illnesses, Mentions of past miscarriages, Background RedWarrior, Background Femslash, Love from OQ 2021, Love From OQ | Outlaw Queen Secret Admirer (Once Upon a Time) Series: Part 4 of her freedom Summary:

Robin bites back a sigh at her reticence to be intimate with him even now, more than a year after the death of the king and the dissolution of her royal marriage. But then he remembers the surprise he has in store for her and her father, and his mood brightens.

[audreysl0ve]

Love, From OQ Master Art Post

Below are links to all the amazing art gifted as part of the Love from OQ project

ale__nena’s (twitter) gift for LucyLovesOQ (twitter) Missing Year Manip  https://twitter.com/ale__nena/status/831570219109715968  

@ankareeda‘s gift for wishesonstarsx (twitter) Paris AU Manip http://ankareeda.tumblr.com/post/157244888510/love-from-oq

@belleoftheballpoint‘s gift for @smolderandsass Missing Year Painting https://twitter.com/bellofthebpoint/status/831474721082527744 http://belleoftheballpoint.tumblr.com/post/157231554825/happy-valentines-day-smolderandsass-hope-you

@outlawqueenmanips  gift for EmeraldHardy8 (twitter) (artwork) Wedding Manip https://twitter.com/CarolinaMR9/status/831552135489810432 http://outlawqueenmanips.tumblr.com/post/157239948305/manip-for-the-outlawqueen-gift-exchange

@darkbloodheart’s gift for @yamariah (tumblr) OQ Romantic Movie Posters https://twitter.com/fredsmyangel/status/831487346570846209

@badskin  gift for @darkbloodheart OQ Looking Fierce in Modern Clothes https://twitter.com/myaauuu/status/831742996592865281 http://badskin.co.vu/post/157263769169/sorry-im-late-for-this-but-nevertheless-happy

@queenmills101 gift for ale_naa (twitter) Outlaw Queen Video (Shape of You) http://linkis.com/www.youtube.com/Ngfuf

@ouater’s   gift for @badskin Regina and Robin dancing manip https://twitter.com/ouater/status/831464815721840640

 politeregal (twitter) gift for @ariestess (tumblr) Video to celebrate the beauty and potential of OQ!   https://twitter.com/politeregal/status/831532448626438146

@rcgalbeliever‘sgift for @colferwesley  They’ll Take their shots, but we’re bulletproof -gifset http://serenities.co.vu/post/157286392830/rcgalbeliever

@soligblomma gift for @ofpumpkinspices   Gifset based on The Road Less Traveled by @ofpumpkinspices https://soligblomma.tumblr.com/post/157227108559/we-all-have-at-least-one-person-in-the-world-that

@starscythe gift for @gray-autumn-sky  Manip Inspired by the Fanfic “Meant to be Yours” https://twitter.com/starscythe/status/831554437000884224

@sweetsmiles1 gift to @idoltina Beautiful OQ Necklace https://twitter.com/glitterbugg/status/831595644074749952