"You can be with as many other women as you want, Regina! I don't care about that. But why the hell would you want to be with men? You're supposed to be a lesbian!"
"Supposed to be?! Wow, I sure picked a fine one, here. Misandry and bi-erasure, all rolled up into one neat little package. If this is acceptance, you're doing a piss-poor job at it." Regina was fuming. Yes, it was understandable that being polyamorous would be a hurdle to get over with anyone, a deal-breaker for some. But that clearly wasn't the problem, here. "You knew from the beginning that I am biromantic, Mal!"
"You claimed to be poly as well, but you were acting pretty monogamous with me -"
"Now you're complaining I was spending quality time with you before branching out to juggle someone new? You are unbelievable." Regina stormed over, getting right in her face. "You are one fucking sexy woman, and I may have been blinded by that fact three times over now, but never again. I don't need sex to be happy, but I do need someone who won't erase part of me to make me fit neatly in their own little box. Someone who takes my word for what it is without making assumptions I actually meant otherwise. Have a nice life without me." As she got near the door, she shouted back over her shoulder, "I am not the Evil Queen anymore!"
After slamming the door behind her, Regina walked at a brisk pace down the streets of Storybrooke. The cool air nipped at her cheeks while tears prickled at the corners of her eyes. She had loved her, but she could now see they clearly hadn't had the healthiest of relationships. Any of the times they were together.
Regina shook her head as she turned the corner, mentally berating herself. Suddenly, the sound of barking pulled her out of her thoughts. She whipped her head around, trying to find the source. It was rather late for a dog walk. She frowned when she spotted the dog by itself. The dalmatian trotted up to her, raising onto its hind legs once it reached her, rubbing its nose against her stomach and whining.
"Where's your owner, Pongo?" Regina asked, affectionately scratching behind an ear, not even minding the paws on her clothing. Something didn't seem right. Pongo wasn't leashed.
After a few more scratches and pets, Pongo returned to all fours before turning and darting off back towards the direction he'd come.
"Pongo!" Regina started chasing after him in her heels, not wanting to lose sight of him.
Five minutes of good cardio later, Regina finally caught up to him and grabbed onto his collar. That should hopefully make sure that didn't happen again. "Alright," Regina panted. "Come on, boy." Once she had her bearings, Regina began leading Pongo in the direction of his owner's office. She supposed he didn't actually live there, but though her curse created the town, Regina didn't know exactly where everyone lived. Even after three something decades.
From then on, Pongo was fairly well behaved, though seemed worried as he continued to whine every few moments. Regina wasn't very familiar with dogs, but she did know they had a greater perception of certain things than people did. They were similar to horses in that regard.
Regina and Pongo reached Archie's office just in time to see the man in question sit down on the couch presumably used by his patients. His head went in his hands, not seeing them.
Regina cleared her throat in the open doorway.
Archie lifted his head up wearily, then saw Pongo and his face lit up. "Pongo!"
The dog was wagging its tail so fast, straining against Regina's hold on the collar so hard it nearly made her stumble a few steps. Regina released the collar, and Pongo ran over to Archie, leaping on him and licking all over his face.
Archie hugged Pongo and gratefully accepted the kisses, but eventually stood and approached Regina, towering over her even in her heels. "I've been looking for him all night and nearly gave up. Where did you find him?"
"He found me, actually. I wasn't sure you'd even be here, but everything seems to have worked out." Regina sighed, lowering her eyes.
"Pardon my asking, but is everything alright, Madame Mayor?"
Regina laughed thickly. "Is it ever?" She sighed again. "No." She moved to the door, but instead of leaving, merely closed it and leaned against it. She thought for a moment before looking at him. "Off the record?"
Believing he understood what she was asking, Archie grabbed his glasses and put them on, then reached for a paper pad. "Sure," he answered.
Regina shook her head. "You don't need that."
Archie paused, then withdrew his arm, not grabbing what he'd been reaching for. "Alright. Permission to keep the glasses, Madame Mayor? They're quite helpful in assisting my vision."
Was that a smirk? Was that… Did Regina detect sass in the town shrink? She couldn't help but chuckle. "Yes, you may keep your glasses." She moved to sit on the couch. Pongo immediately curled up next to her and placed his head on her lap. "Hello there," she whispered, stroking his head a few times.
Archie sat on the other side of Pongo. Not his usual spot, but the mayor had made it clear she wasn't looking to be shrinked, so to speak.
Regina looked at Archie. "So, what happened?"
"Oh. I… Well, I took a nap and I guess the door wasn't entirely closed, as it was wide open when I woke up and Pongo was gone. Usually if I nap and he needs to go out, he'll wake me up first, but not this time. Maybe he got himself lost. Chased a squirrel too far or something. I truly felt I'd looked everywhere," Archie explained.
"Well, he's back now. Not entirely sure why he's cuddling up to me, though."
"He knows something's bugging you," Archie stated simply.
Regina's lips twitched at 'bugging' coming from a cricket. It was lightly humorous. Then she sighed at the truth of the statement. She idly pet Pongo as she gathered her thoughts and let them out,
"For the longest time, I've been pining for True Love, and I thought it only looked a certain way. Romantic, with one other person. But everyone who I think it's supposed to be, or who I'm told it's supposed to be… It just doesn't work out that way. But there's also the familial kind. I know because I have it with Henry, as he has it with Emma. Though it makes me wonder… Are we only allowed one type? From what I can see, both Emma and myself don't have the greatest track records with relationships, so maybe we're both only allowed the familial kind with Henry? Look at the Charmings, they've got the romantic kind with each other, but I don't think they have the familial kind with either Emma or Neal. So, maybe we're only allowed one? But then, Henry gets both me and Emma, so that makes me wonder… if people can have more than one familial True Love, can people have more than one romantic True Love? I'm probably looking in all the wrong places, either way..."
Archie blinked a few times, taking in the ramblings. They made some sense, but there was more to it that wasn't being said. "You just said you're looking in all the wrong places. What do you mean by that?"
"I… Well, I kept thinking I loved Maleficent, but she doesn't accept all of me. Only part of me. Not even the part most would think. I don't know what your private life is like, but how's your take on sexuality?"
Archie blinked again, not expecting such a blunt question of that nature from Regina. "Well, it's fluid and changing. Many people struggle with it, but there are also many who don't. It's something everyone interprets differently, even the physical acts." He'd counseled many, many people who were struggling to come to terms with what they felt they were when it was different than what they or others thought they should be.
"Would you understand the term, 'poly biromantic lesbian'?" Regina asked.
"A woman who loves more than one person at a time, is romantically and/or emotionally attracted to both men and women, mainly if not entirely only attracted physically and/or sexually to women," Archie provided the answer as easily as if the question were about the color of the sky.
"So, it shouldn't be much of a surprise if that woman happens to be in a relationship with a woman and wants to also be in a relationship with a man, right? Or vice versa? When the other person already knows they didn't sign up for monogamy."
"Shouldn't be in theory, but in actuality, jealousy will commonly rear its head in the first partner when it's known a second is being sought after. Especially if the first partner doesn't have a second of their own nor plan to have another."
"Alright, well, specifically, Maleficent didn't care about me being with other women, so if it's jealousy, it's oddly targeted at an entire gender. She was angry at me for wanting to be involved with a man, too. But that's how I've always been. The poly part is a bit new, but isn't it just general common knowledge now that I cast the curse as part of my revenge for the male fiance I lost?"
"Not as common as you seem to think. Many don't think beyond the evil they see in someone to wonder how or why it's there in the first place. You've come a long way, Regina, but many of us don't have the slightest idea why you were the Evil Queen, we just know the fact that you were."
"Oh."
"Maybe in your immediate, closest circle it's common knowledge, but to the rest of us… Well, that was news to me. As I recall, you weren't much for talking to me, just sending Henry to me. I know you more as a public figure than as a person. Or, at least, that was the case before you walked in the door."
The more Regina thought about it, the more she realized he was right. She didn't really have a wide circle of friends. Her circle basically consisted of the Charmings, which included Henry and Emma, beyond the obvious, previously Maleficent, though she was done with that, reluctantly Rumple and therefore Belle, Hook… Robin before she sent him and his 'family' away. Maybe Granny and Ruby. That was a rather small and depressing circle. She supposed she should check in on Zelena's pregnancy, but she'd been done with Robin and would leave that side of it alone. She bitterly hoped Maleficent would be a better mother than she'd been a girlfriend.
"Hello?" Archie touched her shoulder. "Anyone in there?"
Regina snapped out of her thoughts. "Uh, sorry. I just realized how incredibly small my circle is." She shook her head then glanced down at the hand on her shoulder. "So… What is your private life like, Dr. Hopper?"
Archie nearly choked on his own saliva. "There's not much to tell. I date sometimes, but not often, as I don't seem to be the most attractive option in town. That doesn't really bother me, though. I've never felt a need for the presence of romance or sex in my life. I'm happy enough with Pongo being my constant companion and just being free to live my life the way I want to live it, not constantly being forced to do my parents' bidding. I've never needed a partner, marriage, or children to feel complete. They're all bonuses to me."
Regina smirked. "Yet, you appear to be blushing."
"Because I have eyes, and glasses, and one of the most beautiful women in town is sitting here asking me about my private life. I'm sure you'd be blushing, too." Archie didn't need the presence of romance or sex, but he wasn't a monk, and Regina was very attractive.
Regina felt butterflies at that response. She cleared her throat. "Well, I should be going. It's late and it seems we've both had long days." She carefully lifted Pongo's head off her lap so she could move off the couch and leave without so much as a backwards glance.
Because she needed to walk away and wait a day or two without acting on impulse in the heat of the moment. She needed to sleep on it a night or two to determine if she really felt an attraction to Dr. Archibald Hopper, or if she just liked the pretty words that had come out of his mouth.