Prompt- Swan Queen. Regina stubbed her toe. Maybe little fluff.
"Damn it!"
Emma jumps slightly at the loud cry that carries over from the other room. She was about to take a sip of her cocoa, but in the sudden jerky motion that comes with her surprise she ends up dumping some of it out of the mug and having to hop backwards to avoid getting splashed by the hot liquid. She gives the wasted cocoa a forlorn look, before she throws a towel on the tile floor to soak up the spill, resolving to come back to finish cleaning it later. After she's investigated the source of the pained shout from what could only be Regina.
She makes her way from the kitchen into the hall and calls out to pinpoint Regina's location, "Hey, Regina? Was that you? Where are you?"
For a moment she gets no answer, but then Regina's voice cuts through the silence, "My study." The response is terse and angry, and Emma braces herself for what she might find. When she enters Regina's study at first she doesn't see her, but then she notices a head of dark hair just poking up from behind one side of the large wooden desk. Emma crosses the room and maneuvers around the sofas to see Regina sitting on the carpet, back pressed against the desk and clutching to the shin of her left leg. It's tucked tight against her chest and the foot is lifted enough off the ground to dangle limply. Regina has her eyes closed and she's biting her lip so hard Emma worries she's going to draw blood.
She crouches beside the brunette and softly says, "Regina?"
At the sound of her name the other woman startles a bit. Emma watches the transformation on her face take place; in an instant any trace of pain is erased and her stoic mask is firmly secured. Before the blonde can say anything else Regina coolly states, "I'm fine."
Emma knows better than to dispute that, at least not until she knows why her girlfriend is curled up on the floor gripping her foot in pain. "Okay. But what happened?"
However, as she's speaking the sheriff places one hand on Regina's shoulder. The olive skinned woman immediately reacts; she pushes Emma's hand away and repeats frigidly, "I said I'm fine, Miss Swan."
The blonde blinks once, twice, and waits. She knows Regina will tell her when she's ready, and after a few moments her patience is rewarded.
"I stubbed my toe on this infernal desk." When the mayor speaks she throws a dark glare at first her foot and then the desk, as if she's trying to decide which one to blame. Emma nods silently, considering this information for a moment. Even though she's not letting it show anymore, Emma saw how much pain Regina was in when she first stepped into the study. And the fact that Regina hasn't stood up yet, or really that she had to sit at all indicates to her that the brunette must have done a number on her toe somehow.
Emma clears her throat quietly before cautiously asking, "Can I take a look at it?"
Regina narrows her eyes and regards the blonde savior suspiciously. "Why?"
"For my own peace of mind?" Emma knows Regina can see right through her, but she gives her biggest, goofiest puppy smile hoping that'll do the trick. The former queen rolls her eyes, but she acquiesces, so Emma shuffles on her knees until she's sitting directly in front of the other woman. She gently removes Regina's left shoe and wonders how the woman can even feel her toes in the first place in these ridiculously impractical and uncomfortable pumps, but she has the good sense to keep that to herself.
Regina hisses as the shoe comes off and her toes are released from their prison, and Emma winces in sympathy when she gets a look at the toe in question. The mayor's pinky toe is bent at a funny angle and is already turning black and blue. For a minute Emma just stares at it, and when she speaks she sounds almost impressed.
"Jeez, Regina. How did you even manage this?"
She looks up though when she feels the queen's livid gaze burning a hole in the top of her bowed head.
"Ah, right. Not important. Okay well clearly this toe is broken. We have to take you to the doctor."
"I'm fine," comes spilling out of Regina's mouth acidly, like a reflex.
"It's okay if you aren't." The sheriff places one hand on the darker woman's right thigh gently and waits for Regina to make eye contact before she continues, "You don't have to always be okay, and especially not with me. I love you. We can take care of each other, right?"
The queen holds her fierce stare for a few moments before her shoulders sag; she releases all the air in her lungs with a whoosh and stares up at the ceiling briefly. But when she drops her chin to connect with Emma's gaze again there is an almost undetectable smile tugging at Regina's lips, and her deep brown eyes have softened. Emma thinks she can see a spot of relief mixed with gratitude in them.
"Alright," Regina relents. Emma stands then helps pull the other woman to her feet. She brings the brunette's arm around her shoulders and wraps her own around the queen's waist. The sheriff allows Regina to lean her weight on her, and they begin limping awkwardly out of the study with Regina all but hopping on one foot. They've progressed almost to the front door when Regina speaks up.
"Wait, Miss Swan. I am not leaving the house with one shoe on. We need to go back and get my other shoe."
"Regina. No. Those shoes are feet murderers even when you've got ten unbroken toes, you're not putting them back on."
The brunette rolls her eyes harder than before and scoffs, "Well what do you suggest I do? I'm not going outside with one shoe. I'm certainly not setting foot in a hospital barefoot, that's revolting."
"Just, wait here a moment." Emma guides Regina over to a wall she can lean against before separating them and disappearing up the stairs. When she returns she has a triumphant grin on her face and she's holding up Regina's slippers.
"And I am definitely not wearing my slippers out of the house, Miss Swan."
"Oh come on, Regina. It's no big deal, no one in the ER is going to give a rat's ass about what's on your feet. Just put on the slippers. It'll be much easier for you to walk than in one pump, and it won't smash your toe even more." The blonde holds them out closer to the other woman who eyes them resentfully for a moment before snatching them reluctantly from Emma's grip. She'll never admit to the relief of slipping out of the second four inch heel and into the soft, comfortable slippers.
The couple resumes their earlier position, Regina propped against Emma, and head outside. As they're approaching the bug, Regina speaks softly.
"I love you, too."
Emma doesn't say anything, she just smiles brightly and presses a soft kiss to the top of the brunette's hair.