Author's Note: This is a special little story I promised delovelie over on tumblr. Fluffy feels abound.
Standard Disclaimer: I own nothing. Otherwise, this would be canon instead of fanfiction.
Regina sat at her desk, steadily making her way through the massive pile of paperwork stacked neatly in the metal bin on the corner of her desk. The pile had seemed quite daunting when she had first come in that morning, but her dutiful efforts had decreased it significantly. For such a small town, Storybrooke managed to accumulate a surprising amount of documentation. She suspected the townspeople did it to exasperate her.
Regina sat at her desk, steadily making her way through the massive pile of paperwork stacked neatly in the metal bin on the corner of her desk. The pile had seemed quite daunting when she had first come in that morning, but her dutiful efforts had decreased it significantly. For such a small town, Storybrooke managed to accumulate a surprising amount of documentation. She suspected the townspeople did it to exasperate her.
Feeling another throb in her temples, this one more painful than its predecessors, she set the pen down and brought her fingertips up to massage her aching temples. Slow, light circles kept the impending migraine at bay. She relaxed her jaw, not realizing how hard she had been clenching it, and relieving some of the pressure building in her head. A glance at the clock told her she didn't have long to go before five o'clock. Sighing, she closed her eyes and cradled her forehead in her palms. Maybe she could leave a few minutes early. No one would know. She was her own boss, after all…
Quiet footsteps approaching from down the hall piqued her curiosity. They were even and growing louder as her mystery visitor approached. Her eyes slowly opened and she took in the sight of her husband approaching her with a bouquet of forget-me-nots, the thin stems tied together with a silver ribbon. Regina grinned, her migraine quickly forgotten. Of course he would come to visit her. It was their first wedding anniversary. How thoughtful.
"Hello, my love" he greeted her with a gentle kiss to her forehead, brushing aside the errant locks that had swept into her eyes. She smiled up at him, cupping his cheeks with her hands as she brought him down for a real kiss.
"Hello, dear" she murmured, the headache still pinging dully at the back of her skull. "I wasn't expecting you here so soon." Her casual tone did not quite mask her curiosity.
"I thought I'd surprise my lovely wife at work" Daniel replied, taking one of her hands in his own and playing with her fingers. "Is that a crime?"
Regina's head gave a resounding throb in response. "Only if you don't give me the aspirin bottle in the top drawer" she groaned, her eyes squeezing shut again from the pain.
Daniel frowned, opening the drawer and retrieving the aforementioned bottle, shaking out two small white pills, which Regina downed with a hasty gulp of water from her water bottle. She still looked a bit peaky, barely able to keep her eyes open. Was her office always so bright? Another groan escaped her lips, and Daniel quickly took charge, positioning himself behind her and working his calloused fingertips deftly at her pulsing temples. His fingers were magical, she mused, as each circle they traveled around her temples eradicated more and more of the pain. He was so good at that.
Regina didn't hear the quiet moan slipping through her lips, but Daniel did, chuckling. He increased the pressure, keeping up his ministrations until Regina could open her eyes again, the edges of the room sharpening as her vision refocused. She smiled in relief as she realized her headache was gone.
"Thank you," she said, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. Daniel smiled, brushing yet another stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"Anytime, love. I hate to see you in pain" he said, still looking at her with concern.
"I know how to handle my migraines" she replied, shuffling the papers scattered around her desk into a pile and evening out the edges, placing them into the "yet to be completed" bin, which was thankfully much emptier than it was this morning. "There," she said, mostly to herself. "That's enough for today."
"I'm sure Storybrooke will be able to manage one night without its tireless mayor burning the midnight oil" Daniel teased, helping Regina stand. Regina snorted in response, leaning into the arm he wrapped around her waist.
"I'm not so sure, but I'm glad you're here for the vote of confidence" she smirked, swaying loosely as he led her in a freeform dance. He picked up the flowers he had placed on her desk and presented them to her. Regina smiled softly as she took them, her true youth betrayed by the sparkle in her eyes.
"Forget-me-nots…you remembered," she said softly, a wistful awe in her voice.
"Of course, darling. How could I ever forget when you'd always pick them from the meadows and weave them into your hair?" He asked, motioning to do just that with a flower he had separated from the bouquet. Regina giggled; not quite the dignified mayor at the moment.
Daniel smiled. "But today is quite a special day" he prompted, looking at her expectantly.
"Our anniversary," she said proudly. "I hadn't forgotten, dear." It was true. She had left him a generous pan of lasagna on the counter for lunch, as well as a steaming plate of apple turnovers; both of which she had gotten up at the crack of dawn to prepare. His favorites.
"I quite enjoyed that lasagna" he whispered against her skin, moving his lips down to her neck. "But you know I'm a sucker for something sweet" he got out between feather light kisses down the sensitive column.
Regina stifled a moan. "I can think of something sweet you can taste later" she replied sultrily, the words barely audible through her breathy voice.
"Is that a promise?" He asked, nipping gently at the soft skin. Regina felt her knees give way slightly.
"If it is the last thing I do" she promised, lolling her head to one side and humming contentedly as he continued to tease her. Suddenly he stopped, leaving her with a wet spot where his lips had been, and a growing fire in her belly that she couldn't quell.
"You'd better have a very good reason for stopping" she warned, her eyes flashing darker in her frustration.
"Don't worry, my love. I promise it's only for a little while" he said, pecking her cheek gently, feeling her smile under his lips. He took the jacket off the back of her chair and held it out for her to slip on, then turned her around for another kiss, lingering on her lips, suspended together in a blissful state of ethereal eternity. There was only the two of them, their lips pressed together, arms wrapped around each other tightly, but with no urgency. What did time matter when they were together?
Regina hummed contentedly into the kiss, the sound prompting Daniel to return to reality and check his watch, making a startled noise when he saw how late it had gotten. He pulled away from her quickly, grabbing her hand and tugging her toward the door.
"We'd better go, hon" he said, glancing at his watch again. They'd miss their reservation. Regina raised an eyebrow curiously.
"Where are you taking me?" She asked as they headed toward the car. He opened the door for her, waiting for her to sit down before heading over to the driver's side and getting in, sticking the key in the ignition and stepping on the gas.
"You'll see, my love" he said, turning onto Main Street. Regina watched out the window as all their familiar haunts passed by, surprised when they kept driving. Where on earth were they going?
Finally, he pulled into the parking lot of the little Italian restaurant that had opened last year. She remembered when the owner, a petite but fiery Italian woman, had submitted her paperwork for the property, but had never actually eaten in the restaurant. Granny's was so much closer, and with her busy schedule, convenience trumped all. Now that they were here, she allowed curiosity to take over her as she peeked inside. White crisp linen tablecloths graced the tables, with decoratively folded napkins guarding the polished silverware. Two glasses were placed at each table setting.
Daniel interrupted her observation with an arm wrapped around her waist, guiding her toward their table; a secluded, candlelit little thing by the windows. Rose petals were strewn on the tablecloth. Regina couldn't help melting a little inside.
"Do you like it?" He asked, pulling her chair out so she could sit. Regina beamed up at him.
"It's perfect" she said, tucking the napkin into her lap. "Thank you, darling."
"I wanted to make our first anniversary special" he replied, motioning a waitress over and ordering a bottle of champagne while Regina perused the menu.
When the waitress returned, he poured a generous measure of champagne into the wineglasses and held his out for a toast.
"To my dearest Regina" he said, raising the glass higher. "We beat the odds and lasted after high school ended, even with you going away for college. Here's to the first of many wedding anniversaries."
"Hear, hear" Regina said, her eyes slightly misty as she smiled and clinked together their glasses, bringing them down for a small sip. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to end up with someone like Daniel. Her mother harped about how she could do better, but Regina honestly didn't see how that was possible.
The waitress returned and they placed their orders: balsamic glazed chicken with vegetables for Regina, and a hearty steak for Daniel. She watched him as he sipped his champagne, smiling softly.
"Are you okay, my love?" He asked, reaching across the table to grab her hand.
Regina nodded. "I'm just…thinking" she mused, her eyes getting that faraway look they got when she became absorbed in her pondering.
Daniel squeezed her hand, bringing her back down to earth. "About what?" He prompted, giving her hand gentle squeezes to keep her grounded.
"Mother" she hummed, still stuck in her thoughts, a slight frown shading her features.
"She can't do anything to us now" Daniel reassured her, grabbing both her hands in his. "Remember?" He held up his left hand, the light glinting off the wedding band he wore on his finger. "We made vows that she can't do anything to break."
Regina smiled, the corners of her mouth crimping down, not entirely convinced. "I know…I still worry though. It feels too good to be true."
He brought a hand to her cheek, caressing it and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I know it does. But it is true. We're married. You're my wife, and I'm taking you out for a fancy Italian dinner, and then a special surprise afterwards" he hinted, knowing how she loved the feeling of anticipation.
"Oh are you now?" Regina asked, cutting into the chicken that had finally arrived and bringing the bite to her mouth. It was tangy and sweet and juicy. She made a mental note to give her compliments to the chef when they were done.
Daniel confirmed with a nod.
"Can I get a hint?" She asked, her curiosity thoroughly piqued. He shook his head.
"Dinner first, surprise after" he said, cutting a bite of steak and biting into it, groaning at the flavor.
"I think we may need to come here more often" Regina said, lost in a haze of succulent chicken and tender vegetables. Daniel nodded, swallowing the food in his mouth.
"I think you're right" he replied, chasing the butter sauce around his plate with a piece of steak, earning a good-natured shake of her head.
They finished their food in between stories about their day. Regina filled him in on the day's bureaucratic mishaps, waxing eloquent on the evils of paperwork. Daniel had a particularly stubborn student today.
"You should've seen the way he looked at me when I told him he had to clean up after his horse when it made a mess" he said in disbelief, making a face and shaking his head. "You'd have thought I told him to climb Mount Everest."
Regina chuckled. Some of the children who took horseback riding lessons didn't realize that having a horse meant taking care of it. "Horses aren't just fun and games. They're pets like any other, and they take hard work" she said, thinking back to the horse of her youth. Rocinante, she had named him, after the horse in Don Quijote. She imagined herself riding off into the horizon and going on crazy adventures just like the eponymous overly idealistic adventurer.
Daniel smiled. "That they do" he said, waving for the check. After they paid, he took her back to the car. Regina smiled, savoring the feeling of a full stomach and a heart overflowing with love and gratitude. She felt a wave of calmness overtake her and settle inside her chest. No one but Daniel could make her feel that way.
"Thank you for dinner" she said, smiling broadly at him. He returned her smile, starting the car and pulling out of the restaurant.
"It was my pleasure" he said. Regina noted that he wasn't driving towards their manor.
"Where are we going?" She frowned in confusion. It looked like he was going towards…but that couldn't be.
"Don't want to spoil the surprise, do you?" He winked at her, continuing towards…yup, she confirmed, the Storybrooke stables.
Feeling her excitement grow, Regina leaned forward as she saw the familiar outlines of the stables rise around them. Wondering what he could have in store, she got out, enjoying the balmy breeze blowing in the meadows. They were completely alone, the other instructors and the students having gone home when the sun went down.
He led her towards the stables, her anticipation amplifying with every step. "Sweetie, what are we doing here?" She asked as they entered, excited and a bit apprehensive.
"You'll see" he said, walking her towards a stall, the hay crunching under their feet. A beautiful brown palomino waited expectantly, nuzzling her when she approached.
"Well hello there" she chuckled, patting the horse's muzzle. She looked at Daniel. "What's his name?"
"I figured I'd leave that up to you" he said. Regina looked at him blankly, waiting for his words to register. He couldn't have…no. He bought her a horse. She swallowed, the emotions clumping in her throat.
"Daniel…you didn't…"She was at a loss for words. A horse…she knew how expensive horses were. Her own when she was younger had been a present from a wealthy uncle for her quinceañera. "We can't afford this" she said finally.
Daniel shrugged. "I may have been putting some money aside every month. For a while now."
Regina looked back at the horse. She took a sugar cube out of the box Daniel was holding and offered it to the horse, who scarfed it down all too readily. Regina laughed, reaching up to pet the horse's head. She could already feel herself bonding with the horse. She turned toward Daniel.
"You didn't have to-" she started.
"I know. I wanted to" Daniel said simply, putting a saddle on the horse and tightening the bridle. "How about we take him for a ride?"
"I'd like nothing better" Regina agreed, mounting the horse and feeling Daniel get on behind her. His arms wrapped securely around her waist.
They took off at a leisurely pace; a slow trot around the grounds. Storybrooke really was quite lovely in the summer evenings; the warm air and the dusk lending a mystical air to it. It was almost like a fairytale, Regina thought, leaning back into Daniel and humming in contentment. They rode for a while in silence, letting the chirping of the crickets fill their ears and the gentle breeze caress them as the horse (her horse, she thought, with a thrilled pang) trotted around the meadows. Eventually, she spoke again.
"Thank you for this wonderful evening" she said, still looking forward. "It was a dream come true. Your surprise especially."
Daniel smiled. He could tell how much Regina missed Rocinante. She was miserable after she sold him, rationalizing that the money would be more useful to her as a broke college student than a horse. "You're welcome, my dear. I love it when you smile."
Regina chuckled. "Well, my dear, you'll be the one smiling when we get home. I have a few surprises of my own for you." And with that, she dug her heels into the horse and sped their return to the stables.
A/N 2: What did you think? Please leave a review and let me know! I'm also on tumblr as foreveranevilregal. Feel free to talk to me on there as well!