A/N: Hi, so this was in my head for a while but as just a cute little ficlet and it turned into well... this.
Regina and Emma's seven year old daughter gets her first pair of glasses and she's none too pleased. Her mothers try to cheer her up.
It's a little longer than I intended but I hope it's still enjoyable.
I own nothing. I just gave Regina and Emma a little girl who needed glasses. Sorry for mistakes. Okay, here goes.
See? Still Cool
"You look so adorable, Sweetheart." Regina whispered as she lowered herself so that she was face to face with her seven year old. The little girl looked up at her with furrowed brows. Her wide hazel eyes had a sadness to them and Regina's heart sank. She didn't exactly know how to make it better. She placed two fingers under her daughter's chin that had her other mother's cleft in it and lifted so that the little girl could look her in the face. "What's wrong, Eliana?"
The little girl's lip quivered and Regina felt the impending doom of a meltdown. Not a temper tantrum but a sad, miserable crying spell. Which was worst than a tantrum. The little one sniffled and stared at her mother. "Everyone is going to make fun of me."
"What?" Regina asked, appalled by the idea that anyone would even dare tease her little princess. "Why would they do that?"
The child gave her mother an incredulous look then gestured to her face. Regina nodded at that point. She reached out and adjusted the thick frame pink glasses on her daughter's face. "No one is going to tease you. Lots of people wear glasses."
"Like Dr. Hopper?" The little girl asked with a tilt of her head. Regina hummed, pushing some light brown hair behind her daughter's ear.
"And Granny."
"But those are grown ups." Eliana pointed out. "No one is going to tease them. I can't be cool with these." She frowned and Regina sighed.
"You're so beautiful, Sweetheart." Regina said firmly. "You are perfect. Those..." She gestured to the glasses. "...will not take that away from you. Do you understand?" The little girl nodded. "I doubt that anyone would even notice them."
The little girl looked skeptical but still asked, "You think?"
Regina nodded with a smile. "I do, besides if anyone says anything that you do not like, you could always tell them that your mommy will throw them in her dungeon."
The little girl's brows came together and her lips pursed. "But we don't have a dungeon."
"They don't know that." Regina said with a wink.
Eliana nodded and tried to smile at her mother's joke but failed. She still looked down and worried her lip between her teeth. "Okay, mommy." She sighed as she kicked at a rock on the concrete.
Regina sighed heavily. She hated that she couldn't make this better. It's just new, she kept telling herself. She'll get used to them. She pulled her daughter into a hug. The little girl squeezed her back tightly, holding onto her for dear life and she buried her face in her mother's hair. "Don't forget that you are a princess. You are royalty and no matter what, you hold your head up high and you always show strength." She then added in a quieter voice. "And if that fails just remember to always hope for the best."
"I know." Eliana sighed. "Grandma always says to have hope that things will be okay."
Regina pulled back and looked at her daughter. Once upon a time she would have hated the idea of her daughter taking advice from Snow White but things are different between them now. Better. And after all Snow is Eliana's grandmother. "Yes, well... She does have a point. Hope is a powerful thing and it'll get you though anything. Never forget that."
The little girl nodded, still eyes still sad. Regina frowned and got to her feet. Eliana slipped her tiny hand into hers and they continued to the car. Her spirit needed a little lift, that was for sure.
Regina reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She sent out a quick message. She knew that if she couldn't fix this on her own then Ellie's other mother definitely could help.
She strapped her little girl into the back seat and they started off to 108 Mifflin. Eliana was uncharacteristically silent the entire drive. The little girl is usually singing and giggling or telling Regina jokes and stories. She's never completely silent. Her attention stayed on the window and the passing streets of Storybrooke, her brows drawn together, obviously in deep thought.
Regina's eyes kept darting to the rearview mirror so she could get a look at her sulking second grader. The little girl was sporting a permanent frown. Regina didn't like that at all, it felt strange to not see that smile that's always on her little girl's face. Luckily for her, the drive from the optometrist to their home was a short one.
She looked at her daughter again as they parked in front of their house. The little girl was still pouting. Her perfect brows still drawn together and her bottom lip poked out. Her daughter was truly a vision. It was not difficult to believe that she was created out of true love magic. She was magic.
"Baby," Regina sighed as she unhooked her seatbelt and turned so she could address her youngest child. The girl looked up at her as she tried to push her thick bangs out of her eyes. She needed to get them cut again. Regina had to remember to set some time aside for that. "You're gorgeous, you know that right?"
The smaller brunette frowned and when her mother raised a brow she nodded. "I guess."
Regina nodded partially satisfied. "Absolutely nothing will change that because... what?"
The girl smiled a little. "Because my beauty is in here." She pointed to her chest.
"Exactly." Regina said with a nod. She always taught her children that beauty is on the inside as a lesson to always be kind. "And looks aren't important because...?"
"This." She pointed to her body. "Is a shell to protect what's inside, what's truly important, our spirit, who we truly are."
Regina smiled. "Nicely said, my love."
Eliana grinned at her and for a moment she appeared to have forgotten her dilemma then before Regina could breathe a sigh of relief, the frown was back. Regina sighed and hung her head. This is going to be harder than she thought.
She got out and walked around to help her daughter out. The little girl looked up at her from her place on the sidewalk and pushed her glasses up her face. Her mother found the gesture to be utterly adorable. Regina automatically went to fix her little pink dress and white cardigan that matched her tights and shoes. Regina never thought she'd create someone who liked pink so much but here she was, standing beside Eliana Rhyan Swan-Mills. This child had changed a lot of things.
She took the little girl's hand and they stepped through the front gate. The trip up the path was a quiet one which was completely uncomfortable and worrying for Regina because usually the child would be skipping ahead of her mother, chatting away about her day.
She was relived when they reached the door. Maybe seeing Emma would cheer up. She pushed it open and the two of them stepped inside.
"Emma, we're home!" She called from the foyer as she took Eliana's sweater from her.
She was busy helping Ellie out of her shoes when she heard the little girl giggle for the first time. She looked up to see Emma sliding across the foyer in her socks. She slid straight through and almost hit a wall. Regina snorted and went back to helping the little girl.
"Hey Ellie." She heard Emma say in her normal cheery tone that she uses when talking to their youngest child. "What's up, kid?"
The little girl's face lit up and she grinned a grin that was one thousand percent Emma. "I didn't know you wore glasses, Mom."
At that Regina looked up at Emma's face. Sure enough, Emma was standing there in her regular uniform of skinny jeans, a tight tank top and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail but Regina's eyes widened and a loving, affectionate smile graced her lips when she noticed Emma was wearing wide, square, black framed glasses. Those green eyes twinkled when they met Regina's and they shared a knowing smile.
Regina had to admit that although Emma was extremely sexy, there was something about the glasses that just added to it. Regina was intrigued. She's never seen Emma in glasses and she was now determined to see it more often.
"Well, I've always worn glasses. It was hard when I became a bail bonds person because of the running and stuff so I started wearing contacts." Emma explained. "But I always held onto these bad boys."
"I like them." The little girl said with a wide smile. Emma returned it and pushed her glasses up her nose in a movement similar to the one Ellie had done only minutes ago.
"Thanks Kid." Emma said with a grin.
Regina placed a hand on her daughter's back and whispered loud enough for Emma to hear as well, "What was that you said about cool people not wearing glasses?" She asked knowing that her daughter thought Emma was the coolest person to grace the earth. Now the child thought they were both cool, as most young children see their parents as the coolest people to ever live but Emma with all of her running and tumbling around the house, wrestling with both Ellie and her brother, lifting weights that weighed more than the little girl and doing spontaneous pull ups in the doorway, made the little girl see her blonde mother as more of a superhero.
"I take it back." She said turning to Regina. "I'm sorry." She wrapped her arms around her neck and hugged her mother tight. Regina chuckled and rubbed circles on her back.
"You're fine, Honey." Regina whispered. The little girl pulled back. She smiled at her and Regina was glad that her spirits were lifted. No seven year old should be that stressed out.
The smaller brunette then ran over to Emma with her arms outstretched. The Sheriff chuckled as she scooped her up into her arms and gave her a squeeze. The little girl giggled and it turned into a delighted shriek when Emma blew a raspberry on her cheek.
She giggled some more as Emma tickled her side. It was nice to see the little girl cheering up a little. Regina watched her girls with a smile. The little girl was squealing in elation which was in total contrast to her mood earlier. She had totally forgotten about her problem as the blonde attacked her dimpled cheeks with kisses.
Eliana eventually settled down and Emma looked over at Regina. They shared another smile. "Hi Baby." She said finally.
Regina chuckled. "Hello Sweetheart." She returned and blew her sheriff a kiss. Emma grinned wide.
They had been so concerned with their distressed child that they hadn't even greeted each other properly.
"They're cool." Eliana said touching the frames of her mother's glasses.
"Mine?" Emma asked in a surprised tone that made her daughter look up into her eyes and nod. "Look at yours! They're awesome." She pushed the pink glasses up the bridge of the girl's nose.
Eliana smiled. "Yeah?"
"Everyone is going to love them!" Emma said excitedly.
"Think so?" The little girl asked with a tilt of her head.
Emma tapped her nose with her finger. "I know so."
The child's smile widened. "Kay."
"I'm going to wear mine more often too." Both brunettes raised their brows in question. "Yep."
"Okay." Ellie said again, putting her face in Emma's neck like she had done with Regina earlier.
Regina and Emma shared a few expressions as they communicated without speaking. Regina nodded and Emma returned it.
"What do you say we go grab some ice cream?" Emma asked into her daughter's hair.
Ellie sat up and looked Emma in the face then back at Regina, receiving twin nods. "Yay!" She exclaimed throwing her arms into the air.
Emma laughed. "Nice." She turned to the stairs. "Henry!" She called upstairs.
"Yeah?" Came their son's very adult sounding voice.
"We're going to get ice cream. Wanna come?" She called back. She didn't get a response. Instead she heard a loud commotion of things falling over, his room door closing loudly and the heavy footfalls of his shoes as he shot down the stairs.
He reached the bottom step and Regina snorted. "I'm sorry." She said. She found it amusing that despite him being nineteen (soon to be twenty), he was still very much a kid. Something he got from Emma of course. "Just you..." She shook her head with a small smile at his grin. "My little Prince."
"Moooom." He groaned and Eliana giggled.
"I'm sorry." Regina chuckled, knowing that Henry thinks he's too old for that stuff. That's why he rarely visits from college. "Its just that you're-" she gestured to his almost six foot, very muscular form. He's clearly going to take after Charming. It never crossed her mind that one day she'll be looking up at her son until it hit her like a double decker bus. She was getting emotional.
"I know, Mom." He winced at her watery eyes.
She heard Emma whisper to their daughter, "Don't grow up. I don't think your mom would be able to handle it."
"I won't." Ellie said firmly. "I will stay with you and mommy forever."
Emma saw Regina smile out of the corner of eye. "Don't do that." She teased. "I kinda want your mom and I to have the house to ourselves eventually." She caught Regina's glare and she knew that if she had been standing beside her, she would have gotten an elbow to the ribs. She smirked triumphantly.
Before Ellie could inquire about her statement her attention was pulled by her brother. "Whoa!" He exclaimed. "Sweet specs, Ells." He held up his hand so she could high five him.
"Thanks Hen." She said with a wide smile. He returned it. Ellie's confidence was returning. It was wonderful.
Henry clapped his hands together. "I thought I was getting free ice cream."
"I never said anything about free." Emma pointed out, handing the girl over to him. "But yes, we're getting ice cream." She added as she disappeared from the foyer.
Henry shook his head and rolled his eyes. Regina smirked and started putting Ellie's shoes back on while he was holding her but she didn't get to before they disappeared from her hands and reappeared on Eliana's feet.
"Ellie!" Regina exclaimed. "What have I told you about freewheeling magic?"
Henry snorted at his sister's mischievous expression.
"Not to do it." She sighed.
"That's right..." Regina said with a nod. She honestly hadn't expected her daughter's powers to manifest so quickly but they had and now she and Emma were constantly playing damage control. "Unless it's an emergency."
"Okay Mommy." Eliana said softly. "Sorry."
"Very good." Regina said with another nod.
The little girl continued to grin at her brother and he shook his head with an amused smirk.
"I mean, your sister is more patient than you are and she's an elementary schooler. Geez." Emma said entering the room as if picking up from where she left off when she left the room.
"Love you too, Mom." He chuckled. Emma smiled at him and patted him on the shoulder.
"Let's go!" She said suddenly. "Everyone out."
Regina shook her head and pulled the front door open as Emma ushered the kids out of it. When she tried to follow them out, a hand wrapped around her wrist and she was pulled back into Emma's arms.
"Hi." Emma breathed and Regina simply smiled.
"I could've sworn we said hello to each other already."
"Did we?" Emma asked trying to sound innocent and failing, as her arms tightened around Regina's waist. She stole a kiss and pulled away. "I don't recall..." She muttered before stealing another.
Regina just chuckled and kissed her back. They were eventually interrupted by a chorus of 'ewwws' coming from their children.
Emma groaned. "You'd think they'd be used to it by now."
"No one ever gets used to seeing their parents' PDA." Henry pointed out and his mothers rolled their eyes.
"Anyway," Emma said detaching herself from her queen. She smiled at her daughter. "Let's go show off your new specs."
Eliana scrunched her nose at the statement then smiled when she realized that Emma was still wearing hers and nodded eagerly. The child started pulling Henry down the steps.
Emma took Regina's hand and they followed them out.
"Thanks for that." Regina said and she kissed Emma's cheek. "She was so worried and you just made her forgot all about it. You saved the day yet again."
Emma shook her head. "We fixed it. It's what we do. We're a team."
Regina smiled and leaned in to kiss Emma's cheek again but the sheriff turned her face so their lips met in a chaste kiss. Regina chuckled as she pulled away. Emma was always slick like that and she didn't mind it one bit.
"That we are." She whispered against Emma's lips before they met hers again.
"Moms!" They heard both of their kids yell.
"Oh hush. We're coming!" Emma yelled back and Regina rolled her eyes. "I swear!" She grumbled.
Regina chuckled as they met up with their kids. She was just glad that their day was saved as well as their daughter's confidence. She didn't think she could do it without Emma. She was right. They were a team. They could get through helping Ellie get used to her new glasses, which she already appeared to be doing. Maybe they could even get her to actually like them? Maybe...
Man, I remember when I got my first pair of glasses... lol.
Anyway,
Thanks so much for reading. Leave a review if you like. Let me know what you think. :)