Authors Notes: This is just a random quick story that I wanted to share. As always, reviews, favs and such are much appreciated.
Emma is good at many things.
She can locate people (sans locator spell), she can fit a whole bear claw in her mouth (Henry bet her she couldn't), she can throw a paper ball into a trash can from 20ft (Regina wasn't impressed but, her dad was) and, she can hold her own in a verbal repartee against The Mayor (again, Regina acts like she's never impressed but, her smirk says otherwise).
But, there is one thing Emma cannot do.
She cannot, for the life of her use a bow and arrow.
And so, it was upon the great confusion of all when, at the Miner's day festival, she tried her darn hardest to shoot one at a stall.
"Ma, you know you're going to be terrible at this," Henry says, trying to keep step with his mother.
Emma's face however, is set to determination, "Kid, there is no fail in trying," she replies.
Henry stops to catch his breath, being a 17 year old who had grown up on various foods and a lot thereof, has finally caught up on him. Meat sweats are a thing right?
"O.k Yoda, but don't come crying to me when you gouge your eye out with the back of the arrow," he breathes out, causing Emma to finally, gratefully stop her actions and look at him fondly.
The entire sentence is all Regina and Emma is suddenly reminded how much the other woman has influenced their son in the best of ways.
"Why are you doing this anyway?" He suddenly asks, internally pondering if the mixture of cotton candy and meat on a stick was a good idea.
His mother just shrugs her shoulders awkwardly, "Because, it's a skill I should learn," she replies factually, eyes averted.
Henry narrows his eyes, trying to detect if she's lying to him, there is something more to his Ma's words however, it doesn't feel quite right to question it yet.
"So is cooking a basic meal," he responds instead.
Emma sharply turns to look at Henry, "Was that a sexist joke, son?"
"What? No!" He bursts out, horrified that anyone would ever think him intentionally sexist.
"I'm just saying that I can still see the scorch marks on the counter from when you boiled water."
"Well, no one told me that I had to keep an eye on the pot. Watched water never boils and all that," Emma grouses.
Henry raises a brow, another trait learnt from his other mother and, Emma can't help but love him that little bit more, even if his next words are, "Scorch marks ma, you burnt water. Burnt."
Emma just rolls her eyes, "O.k wiseass, you going to come and cheer me on?"
Henry looks at his Ma for a moment and tries to understand why she's so determined to complete this task. Just the other day, Robin was telling him and his other mom how shooting a bow was much more difficult than what films and t.v makes it out to look. Then Robin and Snow had partaken in a shooting contest whilst mom was the unofficial referee and Emma was the one who grumpily held the targets.
And just like that, something inside Henry's true believer mind clicks.
Oh.
Oh.
There was another shooting contest about to happen, but not between Robin and Snow, Henry thought, eyeing Emma as if he had just figured it all out.
He looks at Emma and feels the nervous energy roll off her in waves.
He decides to not follow her; there are some things that adults need to figure out and sometimes, they need to go their own way.
"I'm going to meet up with Violet," he informs her, turning an endearing shade of red. He toes the rubble on the ground and Emma knows that this particular trait was from her.
"My son, the romantic," she faux swoons.
He scrunches his face but doesn't rise to the bait, "Good luck ma! Remember, check your stance and breathe!"
She waves her son off and hopes that he'll be ok.
When Emma approaches the stall, the owner tips his hat to her.
"Good day Sherriff," he greets with an unlit pipe in his mouth.
"Hey Bob, one game please," Emma replies whilst retrieving her wallet from her back pocket. She places a twenty on the counter idly wondering if she could bribe the man into letting her win somehow.
Bob looks at the money on the counter and frowns at the request. He leans in conspiratorially to the woman, "Sherriff, this isn't a gun stall," he states quietly so as not to embarrass her.
Emma crosses her arms, "I'm here to use a bow and arrow."
"Oh," Bob replies, scratching his temple in confusion, he had never ever known the sheriff to use a bow and arrow, "Are you sure? Because, I think I saw a stall with those foam guns over there."
"Why is everyone against me using a bow and arrow?"
Bob scrutinises the woman's form objectively for a moment, he knew that she was strong, if vanquishing numerous evil's from the town was any indication. However, he also knew that she was a little clumsy, if seeing her trip over her own two feet whenever the Queen was around was any indication.
Bob and the dwarf's at the ol' waterhole have spent many a nights snickering at how the sheriff has the resilience of a dragon but, get the Queen in her sights and she's as timorous as a puppy learning the world.
"Have you ever shot an arrow before?" he asks Emma.
"No. That's beside the point, but you're a carny, shouldn't you be encouraging me to relieve me of my money?"
"Not at the health risk of the entire town," he murmurs quietly though, not quietly enough because Emma glares at the man.
"Oh come on, what's the worst that could happen?"
"Famous last words," Emma hears from behind her and she doesn't have to turn around to know who it is.
Emma sees Bob take his hat off and bow low, "My Queen."
"Yes, hello Roger," Regina knows fully well that the man is named Bob. Perhaps it's her need to act like royalty in front of the peasants or perhaps she just likes messing with people however, she has never called him by his actual name. Not that either of them mind.
Regina glances at Emma, "Miss Swan."
"Regina, hey," she replies. Emma notices two forms beside Regina, "Robin," she nods cordially and then, she sees Roland.
"BUDDY!" she exclaims whilst enveloping the small boy in a hug.
She picks him up and tugs him into the crook of her arm, taking in the presence of such a delightful child.
"Emma! Daddy and Regina and me wrote our wishes on axes and then, we put the axes in a stone and then, the Blue fairy blew it up!"
"Oh, wow Rollie, you wrote on axes? How strong were the pencils?" Emma exclaims in wonder, causing him to giggle at the silliness of adults.
"No silly, the axes were made from paper."
"Of course they were, what did you wish for?"
"I can't tell you that, 'derwise it won't come true," Roland states as if it were the most known fact in the world.
"Otherwise Rollie," Emma corrects "and hey, I can't argue with that logic."
He grins at Emma and she can't help but melt at his adorable features, "So, the Blue fairy blew up your wishes?"
"Yup!"
"Blew up ey? Like, how…you're going to blow up with laughter?" And then, Emma proceeds to tickle Roland, causing him to erupt in that high=pitched childish glee that toddlers are renown for.
"No, 'gina, stop Emma!" Roland squeals.
Emma turns to Regina, ready for a reproach but, when she sees the other woman's face, she knows that none will come. If Emma were to deconstruct the strange look that Regina was giving her, she'd probably describe it as loving, fondness and perhaps a little wistful. Clearly directed at Roland she surmises, the boy is almost as cute as Henry when he was younger.
Roland squirms in her arms to reach for Regina who takes him instantly. Emma makes extra effort to not think about how effortless Regina cares for children or how close their bodies needed to be.
"You know that this isn't a gun stall right?" Robin asks Emma suddenly.
Emma shakes her head to bring herself back to equilibrium.
When she processes the man's words she does her best not to glare, "Right."
Regina places Roland on the ground and directs her attention to Emma, "May I ask why you're shooting a bow and arrow? Surely you weren't put up to this by Snow."
Emma tilts her head to the side and casts a quizzical glance at Regina, "What? What does Snow have to do with this?"
"She was heralded as one of the best Archer's in the realm."
"Oh. No. This isn't some asinine attempt to make her proud of me, thanks for the vote in confidence, by the way."
Regina gravitates a little closer to Emma, an unconscious attempt to quell the inadequacies that the other woman plays off sometimes.
"I never said that you couldn't do it Emma however, I have never known you to do it either,"
Instead of answering the question, in part because Emma doesn't know the answer and equal part she does and just doesn't want to answer it, she asks one of her own to Regina.
"Hey Regina, if I won you something, would you keep it?"
Regina blinks, surprised by the sudden question, "I…suppose?"
Emma grins toothily and shrugs her shoulders, "Good enough for me," she turns to Bob like a warrior about to braze into battle, "bow me, my man!"
Bob who had watched the entire scene looks back and forth at Emma and Regina, he knows that they're a unit; everyone in town knows that they are the strongest when they are together. However, he feels that in this specific circumstance, he should default to Regina.
He lands his questioning gaze to his Queen who, in return gives an imperceptible nod.
Bob sighs and mentally counts the hours before his shift ends. He takes the offered twenty from the sheriff to replace it with a bow and arrow.
"Good luck sheriff," he says earnestly and then makes a few paces to stand outside the stall.
Emma barely notices Bob's exit, instead, she adjusts her stance and, for inspiration, she mentally recalls all the movies that she's seen people draw a bow and arrow. She doesn't believe she could pull off a Katniss Everdeen without pulling off half her lip, nor does she believe that she could pull off a Legolas without losing a leg in the process.
Come on Emma, you can do this. She encourages herself.
She stops her inner monologue to bring herself back to reality, she inclines her head to briefly look at Regina.
"Hey Regina, watch this," she smirks at the other woman.
In her mind, she likes to pretend that Regina is swooning just a little bit.
She doesn't miss the way Robin shields his son behind him.
Ass. (Even if it's justified.)
She's about to let go when suddenly, she feels a hand on her shoulder.
And now, dear reader, what occurs next is something out of a really bad film or piece of fiction.
Startled, Emma's stance and hold on the bow becomes askwed, she let's go of the arrow causing it to project not at the mark intended but at another.
The arrow, seemingly possessed by a mind of its own strikes a lone glass bottle sitting at the top of the stall. In doing so, the arrow reflects and becomes redirected at another target.
Another very blonde, tall and Sherriff looking target.
And then, finally the arrow skids against the targets right temple.
When time continued on again, Emma doesn't immediately feel the tear of her skin because the first thing to hit her is the sheer incredulity of what just happened. But after she has somewhat regained her thoughts, she feels the blood trickling down her face.
She can faintly hear the arguing of "thought she was going to hurt herself" and, "You should know better than anyone than to startle an archer with an arrow in their hands."
Emma blinks a few times because of fucking course it was her mother who had interrupted.
Suddenly but not startlingly, she feels a gentle hand take hold of her wrist, "You're coming with me," she hears.
And then, they're off in a puff of purple smoke.
When they regain their presence Emma notices that Regina and herself have been transported to the Sherriff's office. Why this place and not say, the fully equipped medical tent at the festival is beyond Emma.
She feels Regina push her down gently onto her desk chair, encouraging her to take a seat or, not hurt herself further.
"Wait here," Regina commands and maybe it's because Emma's injured but, she thinks that she hears concern in Regina's voice.
Emma sits at her desk and idly wonders if there's a prize to be won for shooting yourself with your own arrow.
Regina returns with a bottle of peroxide and cotton swabs making Emma wince in anticipation. She uncaps the lid and begins her torture or, treatment on Emma's brow.
"This is the person whom I've employed to keep our town safe. Someone who injures themselves with a bow and arrow which, I'm fairly certain are made from balsa wood."
Emma blinks, "How do you know what balsa wood is?"
"Henry has made many many birdhouses."
Regina continues her work on Emma's brow, holding her chin lightly between her thumb and pointer. She briefly wonders if her fingers are too rough for the Sherriff because her touch hasn't always been the most welcomed presence. But then, the other woman has never flinched from her before, always reacting in defiance or, a reluctant acceptance.
Now, however is just consent.
And that means so, so much to Regina.
"And just what, possessed you to do such a thing?" Regina asks.
"I thought it was a good idea at the time ok?"
"Yes, I gathered as much but, why Emma?"
"I wanted to win you something," Emma replies petulantly.
Regina sighs, this isn't the first or probably the last time her sheriff will do something idiotic but damn, if that didn't just cause something to erupt in her.
"As good as your intentions lay; I just cannot have you injured," Regina says this with such conviction that it makes Emma's heart thump wildly in her chest. She looks at Regina in awe for a moment because, what else can you do when someone who doesn't love often, shows their conviction when they do?
Regina seems to catch her lapse because she tugs on Emma's chin so that she's facing forward and not at her. Regina unnecessarily clears her throat, "Because then who else would I entrust to save the town?" she attempts to recover.
Emma sighs in defeat, "Why not just get Robin?"
Regina blinks and pauses her nurturing, "What does Robing have to do with…" She takes a closer look at Emma and notices that the other woman has turned a charming hue of red.
"Wait, were you jealous? Is that where that tragic attempt proliferated from?" Regina finally asks.
"Yea…no?" Emma replies bashfully.
"Charming Sherriff," Regina comments sarcastically.
"Mills, Mayor," Emma ripostes back.
Regina unsuccessfully tries to open a Band-Aid twice before depositing it on the cut, "Just how hard did you hit your head?"
"I've hit my head and had more amnesia spells than I can count, I'm pretty sure I have the resilience of concrete at this point."
"I always knew that your skull was thicker than the rest of us," Regina comments with a smirk. When she notices Emma's playful glare, she puts her hands up in mock surrender.
"Don't give me that look; you left that wide open."
Regina caps the peroxide and studies her handiwork, whereas Emma looks at anywhere in the office but her.
"You didn't need to try and beat Robin," Regina suddenly whispers.
Emma could try to save what was left of her pride and deny the inner desire to just beat Robin at all costs but then, it would be at the cost of lying to the one woman who she never wants to lie to.
"Yeah but, I just wanted to try," she admits.
Regina smiles and takes a seat on the desk, close enough to Emma that she notices that her outer thigh is touching Emma's shin, outlining each other's bodies. "No. You didn't need to try and beat Robin for my affections Emma," she states.
Emma tilts her head in response like a damn Labrador and Regina can't help but shake her head fondly.
"Roland wanted me there, who am I to deny a 5 year old?" she states.
"He is pretty cute," Emma concedes quietly staring at anything but feeling Regina's cool breathes fanning the rush of blood to her cheeks.
Emma does however catch Regina rolling her eyes.
Regina knows that Emma is questioning things, her life perhaps or, her relationships with people, with everyone.
"Do you know why you're here Emma?" Regina finally asks and then she gives Emma a look.
Emma however doesn't seem to understand the sentiment or, she's just heavily not in the right frame of mind when she answers.
"I thought it was because I worked here. Unless this is your way of firing me?" She says this whilst looking around the room, rightfully knowing that The Mayor would never fire her.
Regina just sighs and takes Emma's hands into her own, "Emma, you're here because you are the most courageously bull-headed person I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. Realistically, you know you shouldn't do the things you do but, you do it anyway. Not just for the town, not just for your parents, or Neal, or Henry, or me. You just do it. You're here because you're wanted Emma, just as you are. You don't need to prove anything to me or Henry."
Emma looks away bashfully because yeah, what the hell do you say after that?
"I'm sorry that I ruined your day and that I didn't win you a prize," Emma ends up murmuring.
"You didn't ruin my day," Regina replies reassuringly.
Emma is still looking away from her and something in Regina desires for Emma to look at her. Not at the mayor, the Evil Queen, her mother's old nemesis but at her, Regina Mills a culmination of all those things.
Someone that Emma and only Emma has understood.
"Would you prefer a consolation prize, Sherriff?"
The sudden vulnerability that Regina glances Emma with makes her pause for a moment so, she just nods dumbly in reply.
And then, Regina leans down and presses her lips to Emma's, without reservation, without second thought. It is an act as if on impulse but so familiar.
It isn't erotic, it isn't passionate, and there isn't any tongue.
Even though Emma is seated, she can still feel her knees go weak and her heart soar.
It sort of feels like a True Love's Kiss.
Or maybe that's just hopeful wishing.
When their lips depart, Emma immediately seeks out Regina's eyes, hoping that she sees the very same emotions that she knows are bubbling inside her. And when she does, she's not disappointed.
Regina smiles and years from now, Emma will recall this day as a 'falling in love again' moment.
"Hey wait, you have magic," Emma suddenly states.
Regina nods her head slowly, either because Emma just stated the obvious or because she's a little incapacitated at the moment.
"No like, you could have just healed me."
And then, Regina, Regina fucking Mills, blushes, because yes, one of the most powerful sorceresses in the world could have just healed her but opted to not.
"I may have temporarily had a lapse in memory."
Emma laughs and silently makes a promise to herself to fail more often because right now, she feels a lot like a winner.
Congratulations on making it to the end. Thank you for reading.