A/N(1): This is my first fic in this fandom and I hope I've captured the characters well enough. I'm a big fan of softie!Regina. Enjoy!
It was a lazy afternoon, the iced tea sweet on Emma's lips as she leaned back against the apple tree, Regina's head in her lap. The mid-spring sun and the slight breeze caused the shadows of the first blossoms to dance across the relaxing women.
"My branch is growing back," Emma hummed absently, her fingers following the moving shadows across the other woman's cheeks.
"Your branch?" Regina's eyebrows raised but her eyes remained closed, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Emma sat up a bit straighter, knowing that she was being baited. "You know, the one I tackled with the chainsaw."
Holding back a chuckle, Regina allowed her grin to spread, albeit with a flash of hurt in her eyes as she looked up at her lover. "I am fully aware of the events of that day, Miss Swan."
"I'm sorry," Emma sighed softly. "I know now how much it means to you. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings like that. If I had known then-"
"Hush, love," Regina said gently, reaching up to wipe away the worry from Emma's frowning face. "I'm quite proud of you, actually. You knew where to hit me where it would hurt. I'm not mad anymore."
The blonde chuckled. "When it's grown back to how it was before, I'll feel better about it."
Regina merely hummed in response, closing her eyes again. She let out a content sigh as Emma's hands scratched at her scalp, a gentle massage of sorts.
Both women were completely content, Emma gazing across the garden Regina so lovingly tended to every Sunday after brunch. Emma would help out every time, but mostly she got in the way of Regina – not that the older woman would ever admit that she enjoyed the way Emma always asked the same questions.
"I love you," Regina whispered suddenly, and Emma's heart skipped a beat. Every time she heard those three words was like the first time.
"I love you too," she whispered back, a gentle kiss falling atop Regina's head a moment later.
"I've been thinking," Emma started gently, watching the other woman's face carefully, "when we get married, we should do it out here, under the tree."
As expected, Regina's eyes flew open. "And why exactly do you assume I will marry you when you haven't even asked me yet?"
"Oh, yeah!" Emma made a show of slapping her forehead. "D'you wanna marry me?"
Regina sat up, crossing her legs and facing Emma. "Now you listen to me, Emma Swan," she began, her voice dangerously low. "This is no way to propose to a Queen, much less this Queen. I demand a do-over."
Emma chuckled. "Sorry, your majesty."
With an expectant look on her face and practiced patience, Regina folded her hands in her lap, clearly daring Emma to continue.
"Fine, you can have a do-over. Gimme a sec," she grumbled as she started digging through her pockets.
Regina's eyes widened so much that Emma snorted. "You don't have to look that surprised, babe."
Carefully holding the black velvet box in her palm, Emma slowly raised her eyes to meet Regina's. "Love of my life, Regina Mills, the queen of my heart and mother of my son, all I ever wish is to make you happy and give you everything you deserve, including the fairy tale wedding I know you've always wanted." Slowly Emma opened the box, revealing the green Peridot ring glowing brighter than the afternoon sun. "My mother gave me this ring when I told her that I was planning on proposing, and as soon as I touched it, it started glowing whenever you were near. I love you, Regina, and I want to spend the rest of eternity with you by my side. Which is why I will now ask you one of the most important questions I can ever ask."
Regina's eyes were watery, her breath held as Emma looked at her with pure love radiating from her.
Emma took a moment to compose herself. "Regina Mills, will you make me lasagne for dinner?"
There was a moment of silence, and then Regina's face twisted into a scowl and Emma burst out laughing.
"That was so worth whatever punishment you're gonna dream up for me," Emma managed to gasp out.
Regina was not amused. "Oh, I will punish you, alright. I am marrying a child," she huffed, crossing her arms across her chest.
Emma rolled her eyes. "I haven't asked you yet, you can't accept when I haven't asked."
"So ask already!" Regina snapped.
"Will you marry me?"
"Of course I will," Regina growled.
Emma surged forward, the ring flying off to the side as she literally tackled the other woman to the ground. "Now you're stuck with me," she exclaimed, and promptly started smacking open-mouthed kisses all over her fiancé's face and neck, causing the older woman to giggle with delight.
"You are insufferable," Regina grumbled, but her voice was filled with emotion, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
"You said yes," Emma whispered before kissing Regina sweetly. "And I promise that I will never touch your tree again."
Regina cupped Emma's cheek gently. "I'll cut this tree down myself if I had to, in order to spend eternity with you, Emma Swan."
"There will be no need for that," Emma rested her forehead against Regina's. "I appreciate the sentiment, but this tree has the best damn apples I've ever tasted."
"Now you want my lasagne and my apple turnover?"
Emma nodded seriously. "And maybe some of that apple cider of yours, too. We have to celebrate. The party starts at seven."
"What party?"
"Our engagement party," Emma said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Ruby and Henry took care of it all."
Regina pushed against Emma's chest, both women sitting up again. "You were so certain I would say yes that you've already planned the engagement party?"
"So many questions," Emma said as she started searching for the discarded ring, finding it quickly because of the bright glow it emitted. She reached for Regina's hand and slowly slid the silver band onto her finger.
As soon as it settled on Regina's finger, it glowed impossibly bright for a second, then went back to its natural state. The air crackled with electricity and both women leaned in at the same moment to share a kiss filled with all the passion and love they felt for each other.
As they pulled apart, Regina pushed Emma back to lean against the apple tree once more, returning to her previous position with her head in the other woman's lap. Emma's hands automatically resumed the light scratching at Regina's temples.
"Snow really gave you the ring, just like that?" she asked in a small voice.
"Yup," Emma hummed, still smiling. "David cried, of course. It was his mother's."
Closing her eyes again, Regina finally let the tears fall. Emma gently wiped them away.
The rest of the afternoon passed in relative silence, every now and then Regina would open her eyes to find Emma's loving gaze and the would share a sweet kiss, enjoying the easy silence and as the light started to fade, they made their way back into the house hand in hand.
Inside, Emma wrapped her arms around Regina, nuzzling into the other woman's neck. "I love you so much," she breathed.
"I love you too," Regina said into Emma's hair.
"This is going to be an epic story to tell tonight."
Regina stiffened. "Don't you dare."
"Come on, you loved every second of it."
With a resigned sigh, Regina shook her head. "That I did, my love. And I know how much you're going to enjoy telling it several times to anyone with ears. I won't be able to stop you, will I?"
"Not a chance," Emma grinned. "Besides, it's not like we've ever done anything the traditional way."
"So Ruby helped plan the party, did she?" Regina sounded a bit concerned.
Emma stepped back, taking Regina's face in her hands. "I made her swear on her cape that there will be no strippers of any kind. I can't guarantee that for the bachelorette's though."
"Oh, I'll have a nice wolf rug for my office if that happens," Regina said with an ounce of venom in her voice.
"Baby, you can't skin my friend," Emma chastised lightly.
Regina rolled her eyes. "I didn't specify that it would be her pelt, per se. Just something of an intimidation tactic to make sure she knows my stance on the matter."
"You're wicked and I love it," Emma placed a kiss on Regina's nose and grabbed her hand, leading her to their bedroom. "Now, put on some sexy panties and let's get going, you can be my personal stripper when we get back. Henry's staying with my parents tonight."
"How about I don't put on any panties and I'll make you beg for it," Regina said in a voice that dripped pure lust.
Emma nearly missed the last step on her way up the staircase. "You're idea is so much better than mine," she replied, pinning Regina against the wall. "I can't wait to make love to my fiancé."
"Then what are you waiting for?"
Emma captured smirking lips in a bruising kiss. The party could wait.
A/N(2): Let me know if you want to see how a tipsy Emma tells everyone with ears how she proposed….