"Are you sure you don't mind?" Regina asks, looking at Robin through the mirror, watching as he lies back on the bed, watching as she finishes getting ready. He props himself up on his elbow and a small smile twists onto his lips, as his eyes linger over her—admiring the tight pencil skirt she's wearing. "I mean, I know I've been…seeing Mal a lot lately."
To be fair, that's somewhat of an overstatement and though she realizes that, it doesn't stop the soft pangs of guilt she feels as she watches Robin through the mirror.
Over the past few months, she and Mal have met a handful of evenings for drinks. They've met for lunch here and there—and sometimes Robin joined them—and every now and then, Mal had been invited over for dinner. The three of them got on well, and the kids—particularly Roland—enjoyed the stories that only a fire-breathing dragon could tell. She fit into their lives easily and despite the sordid past she shared with Maleficent there wasn't any awkwardness there with her and Robin—and if there was, he didn't let on.
"Of course I don't mind," he insists, his eyes moving up to meet hers in the mirror.
"She's just been so…lonely lately," she tells him with a little shrug. "With Lily taking that job in Boston and…"
"I understand. You don't owe me an explanation," he interjects with an easy smile. "She's your friend, Regina. You never seem to mind when I go out for drinks with the Merry Men, so why would I mind that you're going out for drinks with Maleficent?"
"Well, she and I will be alone and…"
"And I am not seeing a problem," Robin tells her plainly.
She nods and feels her shoulders tense a bit as she turns to face him and leans against the edge of the dresser. "Because, it's…just…different with Mal," she says, not entirely sure why she feels the way she does. He arches his eyebrow at her reply and a smirk form on his lips. "You and John and Will were never lovers."
"That was a long time ago…"
"Not really," she counters. "That night we spent together in my vault was less than a year ago…"
Robin chuckles softly, "Well, I'll give you that one…"
He shrugs his shoulders dismissively—he's known about her past with Maleficent for quite some time and he knows all about the brief little affair they'd had while he was in New York. When she told him about it—one dark night in Camelot—he'd been relatively unbothered by it and she'd been surprised that all he had to say about it was that he was glad she'd had someone to comfort her while he was away. She nodded and cuddled in closer, grateful for his understanding and good nature. And when they'd returned to Storybrooke and they ran into Mal at Granny's, it had been Robin who'd greeted her and introduced himself, shaking her hand and smiling warmly.
He sits up and holds his hand out to her and it takes only a moment for her to cross the room. He reaches out, pressing his hand to the small of her back, drawing her in as he looks up at her. "And I suppose it's lucky for you that I am not the jealous type."
"I am lucky," she agrees, smiling down at him as he pulls her close.
"Look, the last few months have been stressful for all of us," he begins. "Our little foray into the Underworld notwithstanding, you have a stressful job where an entire town depends on you, you have friends and family who are constantly finding themselves in the strangest sorts of trouble, and we have three kids at home who…"
"Who I am leaving you alone to tend to…"
"Regina, relax," he cuts in. "If you're feeling guilty about me being left to take care of my own children, you shouldn't," he tells her with a light chuckle behind his words. "Besides, Henry and I have made plans of our own while you're out for the evening. It involves a lot of greasy food and root beer and a stack of DVDs that I know very little about, but judging by the covers, wouldn't be your cup of tea."
"Okay, fine. I…won't feel guilty about it, then." A grin twists over her lips, "Especially when the alternative is to be ignored all evening by my family."
"See—you going out with Mal tonight is a win-win for all of us."
She laughs as little and pushes her hands over his shoulders, leaning down and brushing her lips over his, and smiling as hands slide down over her ass, rubbing gently over the fabric of her skirt. She sucks softly at his bottom lip, nipping gently as she leans into him. She pecks at his lips and then pulls back, offering a regretful smile for having to end it then.
"I told her I'd meet her at eight and it's already seven thirty," she tells him as she withdraws. "So, I should go."
Grinning, he pulls her back to him and stands. His fingers slide into her hair and his lips capture hers, pulling her into the sort of kiss that would almost certainly lead to more if she weren't on her way out the door. He pulls back and she lets out a breath as her cheeks flush. "I want you to have a good time tonight," he reminds her. "No guilt, okay?"
She nods and feels a fluttering in her stomach as she smiles at him. He offers her a little wink, then steps around her, leaving her to finish getting ready…
Regina arrives at the Rabbit Hole only a few minutes after eight and Mal is seated at a table on the patio in a secluded little corner. Regina smirks a little as she watches her, sipping on a martini and staring off into the crowd. Her legs are crossed and her hair is pulled back into a low bun at the nape of her neck, and she looks so regal and poised…and beautiful.
Taking a short breath, Regina pushes herself forward and joins her at the table, tipping her head curiously as she takes a seat in front of two untouched drinks. A grin twists onto Maleficent's lips as she informs her that the drinks are for her—the ones she missed while Mal waited.
At that, she laughs a little and takes a long drink of the first martini—and Mal flags down the waiter to order another.
She drinks the two martinis quickly and Mal slows down, taking small sips as they fall into a comfortable conversation. Mal asks about the boys and the baby, and she asks how Lily's new job is going—and then, it goes on from there. By the time she finishes her third drink her head is getting a little fuzzy and her laugh is getting louder, and Mal still seems so cool and collected.
"Do you remember that one summer," Mal begins as she smiles over the rim of her glass. "That…little game we used to play?" Regina's lips purse as her eyes meet Mal's—she does remember, but can hardly find the words to admit it and she's somewhat caught off guard by the mention of it.
Since ending their affair all those months ago, when Robin returned from New York, they haven't talked much about that part of their lives, when all those years before, in another time and in another place, they'd found solace in each other—and with solace came comfort and pleasure, fun and mischief, and even a sense of belonging.
"I just…found myself thinking about that today," Mal says with a dismissive shrug as a sly smile tugs at the corners of her mouth. "That first time it was the thick of summer and so hot, and so much like tonight." Mal continues as she watches as Regina shifts in her seat, likely knowing—and enjoying—that she's struck a chord.
"And what exactly prompted this little bout of nostalgia?" Regina asks, her brow furrowing in curiosity. "That was…a lifetime ago."
"It was," Mal agrees, almost regretfully, as she turns to look at the crowded bar—decidedly ignoring Regina's question as her smile deepens.
There's an odd stirring at her core—a swirl of feelings she can't quite decipher—as she remembers…
That first time had been such a good night and Regina was feeling light and dizzy, and completely unburdened. She and Mal had been drinking in celebration of the summer that was before them—because for the first time since her marriage, Regina would have a taste of freedom. Leopold and Snow would be summering in a neighboring kingdom, and she had been left behind.
They'd found themselves in a seedy little tavern, just on the outskirts of the kingdom, both drunk and inhibitions waning—and it was then that Regina made the off-handed comment about being glad not to have to warm the king's bed for a couple of months. Mal's eyebrow had arched, and she'd laughed a little—they usually didn't talk about Leopold, much less the duties Regina was expected to fulfill as queen—and then Regina confessed that the worst part of it all was how boring and unsatisfying it always was for her. Her cheeks had flushed slightly as Mal casually inquired if that meant she'd never had an orgasm when she was with a man, and when she shook her head in response as Leopold was the only man she'd ever been with. A mischievous grin formed on Mal's lips, and she told her that tonight, they were going to play a little game.
Regina had gone along with it, despite flushed cheeks and trembling hands. They ordered more drinks and scanned the room and spent some time looking around the tavern, picking out the men they found attractive. That first time, they spent awhile doing this—trying to find just the right man, someone they guessed would be able to properly satisfy the both of them as well as speculating why.
When they'd picked their choice, Mal had approached him—flirting shamelessly and gesturing back at Regina with a wry smile that made her stomach flutter and her skin tingle. He'd joined them at the table for more drinks and it wasn't long after that that the three of them were in a room above the tavern that Mal had rented for the night, pleasuring each other in ways Regina hadn't even thought possible.
"You never answered my question," Regina says, sipping her drink as she eyes Mal.
"Oh?"
"Don't be coy…"
"You like it when I'm coy," Mal counters, grinning mischievously. "So, tell me, Regina—honestly—does you thief really keep you as happy as it seems?"
"Of course he does," Regina says easily, though taken aback by the question and even more so by the context of it. "You know that." Mal nods a little as her eyebrow arches. "Can I…ask you something else, then?" Regina nods as Mal's grin deeps and something flashes behind her eyes. "Don't be upset…"
Regina rolls her eyes, as her fingers trace the rim of her glass as Mal's smile curls up again.
"The other day, when we were all having dinner and he was kneading the dough for that delicious apple pie you made," Mal begins, her voice dropping an octave. "I just couldn't help but wonder if he's as skilled with those hands as he seems." Regina's eyebrow arches as Mal leans in a little, her grin deepening as her voice drops again. "Because if he is, you are a very lucky woman."
Regina's mouth suddenly feels dry and her breath catches in her throat and again, she feels that odd stirring of feelings that she can't quite place. "You were thinking about…Robin and I… together…"
It's not a question, but a statement and Mal laughs a bit as she leans back at her chair. Her eyebrow arches as she sips her drink, watching as Regina shifts in her seat. "Something like that…"
"Something like that…" Regina repeats, unsure of what surprises her most—the fact that Mal has very plainly admitted fantasizing about her and Robin together or the fact that she's very much unbothered by it; in fact, she's quite the contrary. Catching her bottom lip between her teeth, she tips her head. "You still haven't answered my question." She blinks, glancing around the room to make she won't be heard, "Because it sounds like you're hinting at wanting to have a…a threesome."
"Hmm, now there's a thought."
"Mal…"
"Well, it certainly wouldn't be the first time we did something like that." She shrugs, "It'd just be a onetime thing, of course." Another grin twists onto her lips and a little tingle runs up Regina's spine as their eyes meet. "It's not my fault you and I have the same taste in men."
Regina laughs a little, crossing her ankles—that was certainly true and the attraction between the two of them was obvious. There were a thousand ways this could go wrong, yet as she sat across from Mal, dizzy from drinking and hot from the warm summer air, she couldn't think of a single one.
A smile pulls at her lips as she considers it—and a thrill runs through her. She can practically feel Mal's soft lips settling in the crook of her neck and Robin's tongue sliding against hers; she can feel their hands and their breath and…
"And you don't find the idea of the three of us unpleasant." Mal's eyes widen a little. "I was only…sharing a favorite fantasy that gets me through the day, but you…you're actually considering it."
"You were doing more than sharing a fantasy," Regina says as she reaches for her glass, still eyeing Mal and still caught up in her own fantasy. "Perhaps," she begins in a coy voice as she takes a slow sip of her drink and looks out into the crowded room, purposely averting Mal's eyes. "I…I just think it's fun to fantasize."
"But wouldn't it be more fun to…do more than just fantasize about it?"
"Perhaps…" Regina replies, looking back at her as a grin tugs onto her lips as she thinks of what it would be like to see Robin and Mal together. "…it would be."
"Do you think…Robin would be interested?"
"I…don't know," Regina admits truthfully. He's never been the jealous type, as he'd reminded her that evening. He hadn't flinched when she'd told him about the brief, but torrid affair she and Mal had when he was in New York and he was unfazed by Mal's continuing presence in her life. And he liked Mal—they were on their way to becoming friends, if they weren't there already. With another, long sip of her drink, she finishes it and sets the glass onto the table. "But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask him."
"Let me know what he says," she replies, leaning back as she cradles her nearly empty glass and flags down their waiter to order yet another round.
Regina stumbles into the house, kicking off her shoes and guiding herself into the living room.
The light is still on, the menu for one of the movies he and Henry watched glows on the screen and Robin is asleep in an arm chair. He's in his pajamas and his head is tipped back, and in front of him on the coffee table are the remnants of the greasy food he and Henry had prepared for their movie marathon. She grins and reaches for the remote and struggles to find the correct button to blacken the screen and turn off the DVD player. When she succeeds she smiles victoriously, then turns to Robin as a grin tugs over her lips.
She takes a step in, stumbling a little in spite of her bare feet, and sits on his knees. She reaches out and rubs the back of her fingers against his stubbly cheeks, her grin deepening as his eyes begin to flutter. Leaning in she brushes her lips over his, smiling against his lips as his hand slides around her hip.
"You're drunk," he murmurs as his eyes open.
"Very drunk," she corrects.
He chuckles softly, "So, is it safe to assume you and Mal had a good time together."
"Yes."
"Good," he says, pulling himself up a little as his hand slide around to her back. "I'm glad."
"You're…really okay with this? With me spending time with her?"
"You know that I am."
Regina chews at her bottom lip as her heartbeat picks up. "Are you…sure?"
"Yes," he nods, laughing a little as he pulls her closer. "Besides, I like Mal."
"How much?" She takes a breath. "How much do you like her?" Robin blinks and tips his head curiously, and again her heart begins to beat faster. "Do you…find her attractive?"
"Yes," he says easily.
"Oh," she murmurs in reply.
"Regina, what…"
"We were reminiscing tonight about this…thing we used to do together, years ago and…" She inhales a breath. "And we were wondering if you'd be interested in…a threesome." He blinks and immediately, she feels herself sobering. Her mouth goes dry and her heart beats faster and faster as she tenses. "Oh, god. Robin, please forget that I…"
"Yes."
"What?" She blinks. "You…what?"
"Yes," he repeats slowly as a smile edges onto his lips. "I would be interested."
"Oh…" she breathes out, suddenly relaxing as she tries to processes what's just happened. "You're…you're sure? You don't need time to…to think about it?"
"No," he says easily. "I don't."
"Why not?" She hears herself ask, as her eyes meet his—surprised to find his blue eyes shining back at her and surprised to find her voice piquing in defense. "This isn't something…to enter into lightly."
"Regina," he begins, laughing gently as he hugs her a little closer. "My hot girlfriend who I adore just asked me to have sex with her and her hot friend. There's not a lot to think about. Besides, it's just sex."
"But, what if…what if this changes things," she asks quietly, holding his gaze as her heart continues to beat rapidly and her fingers rub slowly over his chest. "What if…"
"Not all change is bad." He leans in and kisses her forehead. "Besides, I love you and nothing can change that."
"You don't know that."
"But I do," he says easily, rubbing his hand gently over the thin shirt that's tucked into her skirt. "Can I ask you something?" She nods. "Have you and Mal been sleeping together?"
"No," she says quickly, her smile fading. "Not since you came back." She shakes her head and tries to keep herself from stiffening. "Why would you…think that?"
"Because you were feeling so guilty," he says. "And because I see the way she looks at you—and the way you look at her."
"Oh…" She looks away. "I didn't…"
"It's okay," he tells her. "I wouldn't have minded—though I'd have preferred to have been told."
"But there wasn't anything to tell."
He nods, "I believe you." Again, he squeezes her closer and smiles softly. "Can I ask you something else?" She takes a breath and nods. "This wouldn't just be sex for you, would it? You still have feelings for Mal."
"I'm in love with you," she answers in reply.
A grin twists onto his lips and he laughs softly. "That isn't what I asked you."
"Robin…" she begins, suddenly uncomfortable. "Mal is just…"
"Regina," he cuts in gently. "I'm not upset. I told you, I'm not the jealous type."
"How did you know?"
"Like I said," he starts, as his hand rubs gently back and forth over the small of her back. "I see the way you two look at each other. And, you don't just turn off feelings."
"But, you and I…"
"Are fine," he interjects, smiling again as he tries to put her at ease. "I don't believe that people have a limited capacity to love, so I don't believe that you having feelings for her somehow takes away from what you feel for me." He takes a short breath and quickly releases it. "Besides, this wouldn't be my first time doing something like this." Regina blinks and her eyes widen a little. "Marian and I…had an open marriage."
"I didn't know that," she murmurs, her voice piquing as her drunkenness makes it seem more interesting than she intends and it makes him smile. "So, the two of you…shared partners?"
"Not exactly," he tells her. "We just…had an understanding. I was away a lot, so we agreed that if we met someone else who we were attracted to, that was okay…as long as in the end, we returned to each other."
"Oh…so, you didn't actually know the other people."
"Not…exactly," he laughs.
"I just…if we do this, what if it's awkward or you have regrets or…"
"I doubt that. It's not awkward between Little John and I…"
"Marian and John were…"
"Lovers," he finishes with a nod. "It worked for us—and this could work for us."
"You're…sure?"
Robin nods and offers her that soft smile that sets her at ease. "So much of your life has been spent being denied love and affection, of being denied pleasure and things that made you happy," he says. "I would never deny you any of that."
"I really love you," she tells him, finally relaxing as her nervousness is replaced by a soft tingle of anticipation. "And I am really turned on right now."
Robin laughs, leaning in and pecking her lips. "Well, I don't have to tell you that I feel the same…"
"So, what are we going to do about that?" She asks, still too drunk to be embarrassed by the way her words slur.
"Instead of telling you," he begins as his arm slips underneath her knees, lifting her as he stands, and she laughs out at the sudden movement as her head spins. "I think I'd much rather show you."
Two nights later, they decided to do it.
It's easy enough to arrange for the kids to be out—Emma and Killian are always willing to take Roland and Esme when they take Henry, and though it's a standing offer, it's not one that either Robin or Regina use very often. But tonight, they did, and there were no questions asked.
Admittedly, Regina had been grateful for that—her stomach had been in knots for the entire day and it wasn't something she could dwell on for too long or she became antsy, fidgeting at her desk and shifting nervously around her office. When she got home, the kids had already been collected and Robin was in the kitchen, standing over a pot of sauce. He turned to her and kissed her cheek, then raised the spoon up for her to test the sauce. It was calm, acting as if this weren't any different from any other night that they'd spend alone together. Looking around the kitchen, she notes the bottles of wine—and before she can even process it, he's pouring her a glass.
It helps her to relax and she takes off her blazer, grinning as Robin takes her in. She leans against the edge of the counter as he turns back to the stove, attending to the vegetables in pan. He'd promised to take care of the meal—something light and something that allowed for a lot of wine—and he'd certainly delivered.
Once she's finished the glass, she finds that she's loosened up considerably and her nerves have quelled. When the doorbell rings, their eyes meet and for a moment, they hold one another's gaze.
"If you change your mind, it's okay," he reminds her, as he leans in and drops a soft and fleeting kiss on her lips. "And if you decide that this is a onetime thing, it's okay." He pecks her lips again, "And if you decide this is something you'd like to continue, that's okay, too."
"You're sweet."
"I can tell you're still nervous," he says, as he takes her hand. "But there's no reason to be."
He tugs her toward the door and she follows him, her stomach fluttering with nervous anticipation as he opens it. Mal is standing there in a black cap-sleeve dress and red lipstick, and she gives them both a sultry smile as Robin invites her in. He closes the door and without saying anything, Mal turns to her, sliding one hand over her hip and the other slides into her hair as she offers a soft, languid kiss. Regina feels Robin's hand on her back, and then a moment later, Mal breaks the kiss and turns to Robin.
Regina's licks her lips and lets out a shallow breath as she watches them kiss, watching the way they touch each other—glad when jealousy doesn't creep up within her.
Mal pulls back, looking first at Robin, then glancing back at Regina as grin curls onto her lips. "How's that for an ice breaker?" Both Robin and Regina chuckle in response and Robin reaches for Regina's hand, and the three of them proceed into the kitchen.
Robin goes back to preparing the Pasta Primavera and Regina pours them all some wine. Mal takes it upon herself to set the table—and it feels so normal. Regina smiles as she watches Robin and Maleficent exchange smiles when she leans in to smell the sauce, like this is something that they've done a thousand times before, as if nothing unusual were about to happen. Regina reaches for the colander, rinsing the noodles, finding herself pleasantly surprised when Mal drops a quick kiss onto her jaw as she passes, and Robin smiles softly at the interaction.
They have dinner, and that too, feels normal—they talk about the usual topic. Esme is teething and Roland is begging for them to let him sign up for a touch-football league. Henry's applied for a position on the school paper and is anxiously awaiting the reply that will come at the end of summer, and Lily's job is going better than she'd even imagined.
The three of them finish off a bottle of wine and dinner winds down, they clear the table and clean up the kitchen before retreating into the living room with a fresh bottle of wine. Mal works on uncorking it while Regina lights a fire at the hearth, and Robin selects some soft music. They all settle on the couch with their respective glasses of wine. Regina's in the center with Mal and Robin on either side of her—and that's how it begins.
Soon light touches turn to more—Robin is kissing her and Mal's hand has slipped beneath the hem of her skirt as her lips suck gently at her earlobe. Regina's hands are roaming—one unzipping Robin's pants as her fingers slip inside and the other rubs at Mal's inner thigh. They're all breathing heavily when she breaks the kiss and pulls away from them, suggesting that they go upstairs, where they can stretch out and be a bit more comfortable.
Leaving the wine behind, they go upstairs and as Regina looks back over her shoulder, she sees Mal checking out Robin's ass. She smiles and continues to lead the way, letting them in and shutting the door—something she knows she doesn't need to do, but gives her more of a sense of privacy and sets her at ease. When she turns back, she finds Robin pulling Mal into a kiss, his hands rubbing over the thin fabric of her skirt. Regina stands there for a moment, watching and enjoying the view—and taking another breath, she pulls at the zipper of her skirt, not removing it, but loosening it.
Moving behind Mal, she tugs down the zipper of her dress, appreciating the way Robin's hands move seamlessly inside of her dress, sliding against her skin—and then, he breaks the kiss. Robin pulls off his shirt as his lips find her jaw and he pushes her skirt down over her hips. Mal's lips find her shoulder, and she loses herself in their kisses and touches.
Their clothing is lazily removed, traded for warm lips and roaming fingers. Regina edges back onto the bed as Robin loops his fingers into the sides of her panties, slowly pulling them down her legs, as Mal's hand kneads her breast and her lips suck gently as hers. Her fingers slip into the front of Mal's lace panties, slides through the sleek warmth of her as her thumb seeks out her clit.
Regina lets out a soft moan as Robin slides into her, and she watches as Mal bites down her bottom lip, watching as Robin's cock disappears inside of her and he begins to thrust. Mal lets out a shallow breath as she settles at Regina's side, kissing her neck and jaw as Regina's fingers slide between her thighs. Soon, two of her fingers are inside of her and her thumb is pressing at her clit, and her breath is growing more ragged. Mal's lips continue to suck on Regina's neck as she grinds against her hand—and the only thing Regina's able to think about is how good they both feel.
It's no surprise to her that she comes first—her orgasm ripping through her and leaving her trembling as Robin slips out of her. She takes a few breaths as she tries to come down from her high—and when she does, she finds that Robin has settled on the opposite side of Mal. They're kissing and their hands are roaming over one another—and a shiver runs through her—they look so good together.
Her fingers are still curled inside of Mal and she slowly withdraws them, her hand sliding up Mal's stomach to one breast while her lips find the other. She feels Robin shift on the bed and he positions himself between Mal's legs, pressing the tip of his cock against her wet lips. Regina first looks up at Mal, who's swallowing hard in anticipation as she presses her head back into the pillow, and then she looks at Robin—for a moment their eyes meet and she smiles and nods, as her pushes into Mal, sinking into her and making her moan. Mal's fingers slide between Regina's thighs as Regina returns her attention to her breasts, as she loses herself in the moment.
It doesn't take much for her to come again, and by the time Robin and Mal have finished one another off, they're all breathlessly sated. They're a mess of limbs with Regina once again in the center. Regina turns her head and kisses Robin, before rolling onto her side and cuddling into Mal, kissing her softly as Robin cuddles into her back—and again, she loses herself in the feeling of them, and her final thoughts before drifting to sleep are about how right this feels.