Okay, so I'm not entirely happy with this and I wanted to have it done hours ago, but here's some Valentine's sort-of-fluff. Technically it continues the Operation Team Moms story that started with Christmukkah, but it could easily be read as a stand-alone.
There's a hint of Red Beauty that wound up way less subtle than I intended, but it's still easy to ignore if that's not your thing.
February 11th, 2015
"Ma, you can't write that!"
"Why not?" she asked defensively. Regina couldn't help the small upward quirk of her lips at the sounds. Coming home to a noisy house full of love and family-and the occasional playful bickering… it was something she couldn't have imagined even a few months ago.
"It sounds too… flirty."
"I thought Paige was the one you liked?" The brunette rolled her eyes affectionately at the confusion in the blonde's voice, listened closely while she hung up her coat in the hallway.
"I don't want her to know that," Henry countered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Right, yeah, the girl you're crushing on knowing how you feel, sounds awful."
"Just because you and Mom finally got your act together doesn't mean everyone else has to couple up."
"What do you mean 'finally got our act together'?" Emma asked indignantly. Regina smirked as she finally entered the kitchen where her family sat at the counter.
"I think he's referring, dear, to the fact you were hopelessly in love with me."
"Was not! I just liked you is all." Their gazes met and Regina quirked an eyebrow. "Okay, liked you a lot. But it's not like I was "hopeless." I dated! I didn't… pine."
"There was a little pining," Henry commented. Regina grinned ferally, teeth glinting. Her son noticed and was quick to add, "Mom wasn't much better."
"I beg your pardon!"
"Come on Mom, you dated Robin for what, two weeks? Are you really telling me keeping everyone away after Ma brought Marian back was all about him?" Regina glared but stayed silent. "You were mad at Emma, and you missed her. And you pined."
It was Emma's turn to smirk as she slipped an arm around Regina's waist. "So you missed me, huh? What did you miss most? My lovable smile, or my irresistible wit?"
Regina rolled her eyes but didn't move out of the easy embrace. "I think it was the atrocious leather jackets. Or perhaps the hideous sheriff's uniform."
"Hey, you designed those uniforms, so whose fault is that?"
"If you recall, this world was meant as a torture for everyone but me. The uniform was merely one piece in the sadistic tapestry."
Suddenly, Emma was pulling her closer. Regina instinctively leaned down for kiss, but to her surprise the blonde's mouth moved to her ear just before their lips met. Emma's throaty whisper quickly distracted her girlfriend from her momentary disappointment. "Sadistic huh? I wouldn't mind seeing that."
Regina felt heat rising through her body, and as Emma pulled away, knowing gleam in her eyes, she felt eternally grateful for the golden skin that rarely showed a blush.
Regina self-consciously cleared her throat before turning to her son, composure back in place. Her eyes roved over the mess of brightly coloured construction paper, glue, scissors, markers, and stickers. It had been at least 4 years since she'd seen him make art projects beyond drawing comics.
"So Henry, what is this you're working on?"
"Ma's helping me make Valentines, for school."
Dark eyebrows rose. "Valentine's Day?" she scoffed. "Such a childish holiday. I don't know why the town insists on celebrating it; we were much more sensible in the Enchanted Forest, none of these foolish holidays about love and romance." Regina slipped out of Emma's embrace and moved to fill a glass of wine, missing the way the younger woman tensed as she continued. "Truly, it is a holiday for teenagers, and romantic idiots like your grandparents."
"Right, yeah. Stupid," Emma agreed, voice flat.
"It's just for school," Henry mumbled, looking slightly dejected.
Regina's face softened as she returned to the counter and looked down at her son. "Yes, of course," she murmured, empty hand reaching out to briefly rest on the top of his head. "You enjoy it while you can, dear." Without another word she was gone, off to her study with her glass of wine, leaving mother and son far more subdued than when she arrived.
February 14th, 2015
Regina looked down at her phone curiously when she heard a beep. She opened the text and her confusion only grew.
Hey Mom, what time are you coming home?
Henry never asked when she would be home without a reason. It was rare for her to work on the weekends these days, now that Snow was Mayor and she only an unofficial aide, but she couldn't imagine what Henry needed her at the house for.
I don't know dear, she typed back, before dinner probably. Do you need something?
The response came in quickly and she couldn't help a small smile: Nah, Ma and I just miss you.
It was true that had spent weekends together of late. Sundays were unofficially family days, most often spent with Snow and Charming, but Saturdays were usually just the three of them unless Emma had to work. Even when they did nothing, having them all in the house together felt good in ways she was started to get used to.
She looked at the stack of papers on Snow's desk that she had meant to get through before the end of the day and sighed; the town was no longer technically her responsibility, but she still felt a duty to finish what she started, and to ensure that Mayor Blanchard wasn't screwing things up too badly. She wouldn't be able to leave for at least a few hours yet.
I'll try to be home by 5. It's a lovely day outside dear, she added, you and your mother should try to enjoy it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Backpack?"
"Check."
"Toothbrush?"
"Check."
"Deodorant?"
"Maaaaa."
"Hey kid, it's not my fault you're finally starting to smell like a teenage boy. Belle might be family, but no one should have to put up with that."
"Fine," he huffed, turning to run back upstairs.
Emma glanced at the clock on her phone for the fourth time in 10 minutes. She still had nearly two hours until Regina would be home, plenty of time to get Henry and Neal over to Belle's and get ready. Selfish though she knew it was, it was nice to have someone single who could watch the kid on Valentine's, when her parents needed alone time as much as she and Regina did. Not that Ruby couldn't have babysat, but Emma assumed her friend had a hot date lined up that she'd be reluctant to trade for the company of a 13-year-old and an infant, no matter how cute.
A moment later Henry bounded back down the stairs, backpack slung over one shoulder.
"Ready?"
"Ready."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"So, you know the drill with Neal, eats every three hours, needs to be burped. Henry eats every three hours too, but he burps on his own."
"Mommmm."
"What? She's practically your grandmother, you're not allowed to get embarrassed."
"Nobody else has twenty year old grandparents," he grumbled.
Belle smiled awkwardly. "That's alright Henry. With… your grandfather gone," she stumbled slightly over the words but barreled on, "let's just be friends, shall we?"
Henry smiled and nodded, looking slightly relieved. They felt into an awkward silence that was quickly broken as a familiar brunette came rushing towards them from the back of the house.
"Em! Hey!" Ruby greeted in delight, pulling the sheriff in for a hug.
Careful not to squash her brother, who was resting against her hip, Emma gave a quick squeeze before pulling back and giving both women a questioning look. "Hey Rubes, what are you doing here?"
"The house is too big for just one, so Ruby's been staying with me," Belle supplied quickly. Her pale skin flushed faintly and Emma wondered if Rumple's absence was still a sore subject.
Ruby helped Emma set up Neal's pack-n-play while Belle put his bottles in the fridge and Henry questioned her about their plans for the evening. As the two women worked (and they were definitely not struggling), Emma took the opportunity to ask her friend what was really going on.
Ruby shrugged. "You know how sick I was of living with Granny. And Belle's good company."
Emma sensed there was more but decided not to push; the werewolf was never one to keep much to herself, and she was sure to tell Emma the rest when she was ready. She decided to move on to a subject Ruby was sure to have more to say about. "So what are your plans for tonight? Got some big date with a sleazy guy?"
"Ew, no," Ruby dismissed, as if Emma hadn't seen her making out with seedy guys in public at least half a dozen times. "I'm so over the guys I used to date. I thought I stay in tonight, help Belle with the baby."
Emma's eyebrows flew upward in shock. There was definitely more to this story than Ruby was telling her. Luckily, Henry was at least as sneaky as she was and was sure to report back anything he found out. Whatever was going on with her friends, she was bound to know before long.
For tonight, she had another brunette to worry about.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was a quarter past 5 when Emma finally heard the front door open. She checked the room for what felt like the 15th time and took a deep breath in and out.
"Henry? Emma?" Regina called curiously. The house was nearly dark except for the light she'd turned on in the entryway, but a dim glow came from the back of the house. Slipping out of her heels she looked around, but everything seemed perfectly normal.
She followed the faint light down the hallway, breath catching when she finally entered the dining room. Tealights were scattered about the room with two tall candles in the center of the table, a dozen or more tiny flickering flames casting small dancing shadows. Rather than a plate at each end of the long table, there were two plates sitting together, each with what appeared to be pancakes and scrambled eggs-the only things Emma knew how to cook. A small heartshaped box of chocolates, a bottle of champagne, and two wine glasses sat between the two place settings.
Regina's eyes took in the sights before finally settling on the blonde in the corner, shifting nervously from foot to foot, wearing a deep red dress Regina couldn't recall ever seeing before, one hand hidden behind her back.
"Emma?"
"Hey," she greeted her girlfriend shyly, pulling her hand from behind her back to reveal a rose the same colour as her dress. "Welcome home."
Regina took one step closer and reached out to take the rose from Emma's hand, still too far for any contact except the brief brush of their fingers.
"This is.…"
"I know." Emma glanced down and took a deep breath before meeting Regina's gaze.
"Yeah, okay, Valentine's Day is stupid, and it's for teenagers and sappy romantics like my parents. But just once… I guess I wanted to be one of those sappy idiots. And I know that's not really us, but you make me feel that way Regina. You give me butterflies, and half the time it feels like all I ever want is to see you smile. So maybe just… Maybe for one night we can be sappy idiots together?"
Slowly, a smile spread across Regina's face until lit up her eyes. She reached out towards Emma and the blonde readily clasped their hands together, fingers threading together easily. Regina tugged slightly and Emma walked forward until they were mere inches apart. The older woman leader in and pressed her forehead against her girlfriend's as their empty arms slid around each other's waists.
Dark eyes sparkled in the candlelight, and Regina's voice was as warm as the flames. "You are an idiot, Miss Swan. But you're my idiot."