Tumblr Prompt: Maleficient helps Regina, who is confused about who she is in love with (Emma or Robin), discover what and who she really wants.
The dark haired mayor sat at the diner counter poking holes into the top of a syrup soaked pancake slice, watching the liquid sweetness fill the scrapes she was making.
"Well… didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?"
The poor pancake suffered a vicious fork stab at the sound of Regina's new company.
Only Regina's eyes whipped to the side yet she held her composure of an elbow on the countertop and a confused head propped into a palm.
"My mother was too busy grooming me for royalty to allow much play of any kind." Regina looked down at her breakfast and sneered, "Let alone permit me to have such a sweetly fattening treat to be consumed at all."
"Boo-hoo, we all hate Cora." Maleficent snorted and then draped her coat over the adjacent counter stool. "Is anyone invited to this pity party?"
With a dirty look, Regina straightened and dropped her fork with a clatter.
"What are you doing here, Mal? Shouldn't you be teaching your newly found offspring dragon etiquette?"
"Let's not be surly, Regina. You used to confide in me."
A wicked smirk planted itself on Regina's lips and her eyes sparkled with a teasing glint. "Dear, that was before I cast the curse of all curses, one I remember obtaining through an easy fought battle with you."
Maleficent quirked an eyebrow at Regina's obvious attempt to engage her and the corner of her mouth tipped up as well. Despite their unfriendly demeanor and all the grudges that could be held between them, the older blonde knew Regina quite well and understood her; even could oddly call her "friend" though she was almost certain they would kill each other if the stakes were high enough. Maybe not.
A cup of hot coffee was placed in front of her by the diner's matronly werewolf with a dirty look and she waved her fingers dismissively at the graying haired portly business owner. Taking a sip, she perused Regina's wordless stare into her plate with the heavy frown cut in her forehead and Mal felt a wave of impatience take over.
"Let's cut the crap, Regina." Maleficent placed her cup onto its saucer and leaned over to speak specifically for the brunette's ears. "Which one is it going to be, hmmm?"
That seemed to snap the former Queen out of her reverie and that sharp frown was directed at Maleficent now.
"I surely have no idea what you are talking about. Which what?"
"Which blonde are you going to choose, my dear? The one your head tells you to or the one your heart tells you to?"
She thought she saw a flicker of fear in Regjna's eyes and it amused Maleficent. The nail was hit on the head. The dragon sorceress hungrily eyed a muffin that was stored under a glass dome and with a wave made it appear on a plate in front of her. Granny noticed the action and crossed her arms in reproach glowering at Maleficent. Mal just rolled her eyes and ordered loudly, "Put it on the mayor's tab."
When she smiled wickedly at Regina she noticed the woman had corrected her agape expression by closing her mouth and sipping from her cup as if she could will the conversation away.
Mayor Mills would have no such luck as the neatly dressed blonde was enjoying herself at the expense of her old friend's discomfort. "Now, come Regina. You're on your way to becoming a hero now. And heroes are steadfast and true." That last bit could not disguise a hint of mockery. "They also tend to follow their hearts, which I must say I always envied them for. And I dare say it's the same for you. You were never good with following your heart, Regina. Being with that forest oaf proves it."
Regina's loud sigh continued to tell Maleficent exactly what she needed to know. Poor Regina. Her friend had thought about this before; probably agonized about it in private if Maleficent had to guess.
"Let's play a game shall we?" She had already nibbled through half her muffin and was sipping her coffee. "Imagine this. The thief and the savior are dangling from a cliff and you can ONLY save one, which one do you save? Who did you think of first?"
Maleficent watched as pained misery crossed the younger woman's face and she knew it wasn't for the struggle of who Regina would save because she knew that Regina knew who she would grab for instantly. It was the struggle of what she should do with that information now that it was no longer only private to her. Somehow thoughts like these voiced from outside one's head made it more real.
Maleficent smiled and placed her nearly empty coffee cup down. With a melodic tilt in her tone she teased, "You chose the sheriff, didn't you?"
The muscle in Regina's jaw worked angrily and she sent a murderous look toward her old friend. "You know I think I liked you better when you were a great big pile of ash."
"You should tell her, you know."
The older blonde slid off the stool and slipped into her jacket. "Some friendly advice, Regina. Follow what your heart is telling you, not your head. You can either be content with what fate has dealt you or you can be truly happy by taking what it is that you want. Fate be damned." After she prepared for her departure, she recognized the brunette chewing her lip in determination and she was pleased to see Regina planning her next move; not just sitting around and settling but her eyes were alight with bold resolve. Welcome back, old friend. She wanted to place a hand on Regina's shoulder in encouragement but didn't. Too much too soon after all that has happened. Instead she quipped, "Thanks for the coffee and the muffin." With that, she turned on her heel and exited the restaurant.
Regina contemplated her next move, nodded and set a $20 bill by her plate. Taking a deep breath, a plan in mind, she pushed and pivoted herself onto her booted feet and went off in search to speak with Emma Swan. She had something extremely important to reveal to her.