Prompt Party Prompt #84. Robin proposes to Regina on a bridge.
and #16. No one dies and everything ends happy
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"Where are we going?" Regina giggles, locking her fingers between Robin's warm hand as he leads her toward the pond. It's cold out, the water nearly frozen over. He'd wanted to take her somewhere special for this though, a place where he could truly tell her how he feels about her and everything she's given him. It's become their spot; a place where they come so often now, having picnics with their children or taking leisurely strolls hand in hand along the water's edge, to celebrate the fact that they're both still breathing, able to live their lives together in bliss as they should've always been allowed to do.
She'd saved his life, more times that he can count, but especially after they'd stealthily made their way into Regina's office so many months ago, discovering that Hades was waiting for them, ready to obliterate his soulmate. It wasn't something he could entertain the thought of, losing her; it was unimaginable. So, he'd done what he does best as a hero and jumped in front of her, begging the devil himself to use that thing on him and not her. Her gasp from behind him almost made him turn around to look at her one last time, but he stood brave, ready to accept the fate he was choosing for himself. At the last second, however, he felt her hand on his bicep and the pull of her magic that he still wasn't quite used to. She'd poofed them, his daughter included, to the safety of the bridge. It overlooked a peaceful pond, a place he'd brought Roland so many times before to feed the ducks and play. He'd sunk to his knees, letting them bang onto the wooden surface below him and wrapping his arms around Regina and his daughter, crying together over what they could've lost that day. Each other.
They try not to think about it too much, the idea of one of them dying for the other is too much to bear. Too painful a thought, because they each know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if the occasion were to arise again, they'd both willingly give up their own lives to save the other. That's what true love is, a sacrifice. It's giving up everything for the person you love.
"Care to take a walk in the moonlight?" he'd asked earlier tonight, wrapping his arm around her as they left dinner. They'd enjoyed a quiet evening alone at Granny's while Snow White babysat the kids. He'd cuddled up beside her in the back booth, the furthest away from prying eyes as they could get. They loved this booth, giving them the perfect vantage point to spy all the happenings of the place around them, but secluded enough that they could talk openly with one another.
She's guarded, his Regina, always has been. She opens up to him, of course, but she's never truly let anyone else in the way she has Robin. Tells him that often, and he loves her for it. He's so thankful that he was chosen to be her soulmate, her other half, and he's even more thankful that she chose to follow her heart and let herself love again.
Giving him her most elusive smile, she chuckled out a, "Perhaps," as she took his hand, standing from the booth.
He's glad she agreed, despite the cold weather, seeing as he'd set everything up earlier in the day for this very moment. No one really comes by the pond now that it's so cold in Storybrooke, so he figured his set up would be safe for a few hours.
As they make their way up to the bridge, he hears her gasp. He's lined the bridge's railing with white lights, casting a beautiful dance of shimmers onto the frozen ice below. There's a blanket waiting for them on the railing, knowing that she'd be cold but wouldn't admit to it.
Robin chuckles, telling her simply, "I wanted to bring you to our bridge."
She narrows her eyes suspiciously, but with a small smile playing on the corners of her lips, and lets go of his hand, wrapping an arm around his waist. She snuggles into his shoulder as they come to a stop, standing atop the very center of the wooden structure. "And the lights?"
He shakes his head, his love was never the most patient of sorts. Robin scoffs, untangling their arms and reaching for the red and green plaid blanket. He wraps it around her shoulders, murmuring an, I know you're cold. She gives him a wry grin, the edges of her gorgeous brown eyes softening as she looks up at him. "Thank you."
He shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly, telling her, "I wanted to do something special for you tonight." He leans in, pecking his lips to hers before landing them on hers again, more fully this time and letting it linger just a bit more. She smiles into his kiss, and he loves that, loves that his kisses always bring out her beautiful smile.
She pulls back, reaching her hands from under the blanket and taking hold of both of his. "What's the occasion?"
Robin shrugs again, giving her digits a loving squeeze, and saying, "Just wanted to do something nice, something more romantic to end our date night."
They're raising two boys, a teenager and a high spirited six year old, along with sharing custody of his baby girl, so finding time alone has been a challenge. Luckily there's been no villains or monsters to destroy since Zelena murdered Hades almost a year ago. Life in Storybrooke has seemed to settle down, the biggest problem lately being the power outage that blackened the whole town a few weeks ago. Another reason he wants to do this tonight, wants to show her just how much he loves her before life gets crazy again and they go on on another magic filled adventure. They get away plenty of times together, always making a point to share a meal with no kids when they can. He didn't want tonight to feel like any other date night, though, had wanted it to be a memorable evening for the both of them.
Regina smiles at that, biting her lip and tilting her head to the side. His affectionate words always have this effect on her, and he never truly understands why she's still shocked by his undying devotion and love. Knows she's had a hard life, knows she's lost more than most have in a single lifetime, but all he wants to do now is let her know just how wonderful he truly thinks she is.
Pulling his hands away, he clears his throat and reaches into the breast pocket of his jacket. Her eyes widen slightly, and he's almost certain her hears a hitch in her breath as he pulls out the small, black velvet box.
He grins down at her, tears pooling in his eyes. Sinking to one knee, he pops open the box, revealing a stunning diamond ring all for her. "From the moment I met you, you drove me mad, but there was always something different about you." She chuckles lightly at his words, brushing her hair to one side. He goes on, telling her how he always felt this inexplicable pull toward her, later finding out about the pixie dust. "Pixie dust may have labeled us as soulmates, but you, my love," he vows, placing a kiss to her knuckles, "you gave me a second chance. A chance to love you, and a chance to prove to you that you deserve to be loved."
Her tears that have gathered in her eyes slip free, cascading gently down her cheeks. She shakes her head and takes a deep breath, trying to reign in her emotions like she's done so many times before.
"You've loved me hard, and you've loved me well. I never thought I would find a love like this ever again." He breathes in, taking a shuddering breath. After Marian, he never thought it was possible, but then Regina came swooping in so many years ago, turning his life upside down and inside out in all the best ways possible.
"I love you with my entire being, my whole soul, Regina," he declares. "I want to spend the rest of my life proving just how grateful I am that you chose to love me." Straightening his shoulders and holding up the little box and little higher, he asks, "Will you marry me?"
Her lips split into a broad smile, a smile that could rival the sun, he thinks. Her tears fall from her cheeks onto the red of her blouse as she begins to nod wildly at him. "Of course," she chokes out, "with my whole heart, yes."
He slips the ring onto her finger, standing up to wrap his arms around her. He nuzzles into her warm hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. A scent he gets the pleasure of smelling each morning, and now gets to do so everyday for the rest of his life.
Robin pulls back, crashing his lips onto hers. The blanket around her shoulders falls to the bridge's planks as she lifts her arms up, encircling them around his neck. Her fingers tangle in the hair at the nape of his neck as he brings one hand up to run through hers. His other hand stays planted on her hip, giving it a loving pulse.
Their tongues mingle, tracing the contours of each other's mouths. He already has it memorized, has every part of her body memorized, but he's so thankful that she's granted him the access once again. She moans into his mouth, deepening the kiss. Their tongues retract after a few moments, closing their lips around the other's, letting them slide together in celebration of this new life they are about to begin.
He pulls back, panting out cold clouds of breath in the space between them. Her warm breath mixes together with his, reminding him just how cold it is out on this bridge. They stare into each other's eyes for a beat, taking each other in. Robin brings his hand from where it's settled into her hair around to her cheek, wiping away a tear that has escaped again.
"I never thought I'd have this," she muses wetly, giving him a knowing look that sends his mind back to their time of sharing secrets in front of the fire in her office; a time when he knew he was going to fall hard for this woman. She giggles, bringing him out of his memory as her hands move up to wipe off both cheeks. "I love you so much, Robin."
"I love you, too, my love." He smiles at her, saying he wanted to propose here, on this bridge, the place that held so much meaning for them. A place where she'd brought them, saving his life and giving him the chance to love her longer than he was about to be given all those months ago. "I told you in the tunnel that day that you are my future," he murmurs, stroking her hair, "and I meant it." He hadn't had much of a future with her the second he stepped in front of her that day, protecting her with his life, wanting to give her a future even if it was without him, but her magic had saved him, saved them, and now he's able to make good on that promise of a future together.
She smiles softly at that, tears glistening on her eyes again and telling him he chose the perfect spot to cement their future together.
Robin beams, pleased that he chose a place that she approves of. "Come on," he mumbles, bumping his nose against hers and wrapping the blanket around her shoulder once more. He lets his arm rest on top of the plaid material as he stuffs his other hand into his jean pocket. "Let's get out of here."
Regina nods, holding up her hand to look at her ring again before placing her arm around his waist and saying with a content sigh, "The boys aren't going to believe this."
Kissing the top of her head, he smiles, knowing the boys already know, had, in fact, helped pick out her ring and are waiting at home with Snow to celebrate with them.
And celebrate they will. Forever.