A/N: This was a little something I was working on for Valentine's Day but I got swamped with real life. I'm basing this off of the 100 Ways to Say 'I Love You' post on Tumblr. It's beautiful, and I want to OQ all of it, haha! So this story will consist of little drabbles, some really short, perhaps some longer. Some will be AU, some will be canon, it'll just depend. I hope you like it! Here's to 100 chapters!

I don't own these two beautiful characters, though I wish I did. I own all these mistakes thoughhh.


1. "Take my coat, it's cold outside."

This entire evening has been a disaster.

Regina has been subjected to these events for as long as she can remember - the opening of the art gallery last year, her mother's re-election. Regina can't even muster up a shred of excitement for her own birthday anymore. It's nothing more than a sorry excuse for her mother's rich, powerful, elitist acquaintances to show up at their house, drink too much overpriced alcohol and boast about how much better off they are than each other, and all Regina would have to do was breathe without permission for Cora to scold her viciously.

She begged her father to let her stay home tonight. He feels for her, he really does, but Cora extinguished any talk of Regina spending the night in the comfort of her own room before it was even properly established.

So that's why she has slipped out of yet another Mills event wearing a ridiculous ball gown that is far too much. At least she managed to convince her mother of the colour this time; it's her favourite, a sweet sky blue. Now if only there was a way for her to get home and away from this dreaded experience.

"Why do you look like you want to be here as much as I?" A voice asks from behind her, an accent she recognises instantly.

Robin's parents own a catering business that Cora has fallen in love with, and rightfully so - his mother's creations are heavenly. Only now they are all subjected to the grim events, Robin especially since he always offers to walk around offering drinks to horrendous people who look down at him.

She laughs pitifully at his question. As always, she's slipped away to an empty room and just like every other time, he's found his way to her wallowing, ready and willing to provide ordinary company instead of being interrogated by faces of old men whose names she has no desire to remember about her future endeavours.

"Your mom outdid herself. Truly," she compliments quietly, staring out at the dark sky from the window. She considered slipping through the door onto the balcony, she'd kill for the fresh air, but in nothing but this dress, she'd freeze.

"I'll be sure to pass along the sentiment," he smiles gratefully and sits on an abandoned dining chair to her left.

Regina has always appreciated how he sits with her on nights like this, but she's never known the right way to thank him. Sometimes they just sit in complete silence, nothing more than simple reassurance that she's not alone. And it appears that tonight will be another one of those silent encounters. Though it's not long until his name is being called, the next round of drinks are ready.

"Are you staying?" He asks, standing up straight, waiting patiently for an answer.

She's not quite ready to face the music again, so she shakes her head, continues to stare up into the darkness of the night sky, "I might slip outside."

"Here," he says quietly and she turns to see him shedding a layer. "Take my coat, it's cold outside."

He drapes his warm jacket over her bare shoulders and he won't allow her the chance to politely decline his warmth. Instead, she crosses her arms over her chest, tugging on each lapel as she ventures outside until she's no longer exposed to the cold and icy evening.

She's no idea how to get his jacket back to him, she'll just have to leave it where he found her. Only this time, she leaves her number carefully written on the servers pad in his pocket along with a sweet, scribbled thank you.


Hope you like it, guys! More to follow - Chapter 2: "Stay Over"