A/N: This first ficlet just sort of wrote itself after I made a set of manips. I'd like to think it could be part of a future chapter of Thrive, but it's far too early to tell, so for now, it's on its own. Enjoy :)
The Kiss
"You really want to pursue this?" she asks, her voice no more than a whisper. "A relationship with the Evil Queen? I've done terrible, horrible things, Olivia. Things you can't even imagine…" Her voice trails off and she seems to be looking far into nothing now, lost in memories of a former life.
"Hey," the sergeant's voice pulls the queen out of her dark thoughts, "look at me." She lifts the mayor's chin with gentle fingers as she says, "you're not her anymore, I know that now." Regina opens her mouth, prepared to retort but the sergeant quickly places a gentle finger over her lips, effectively silencing her before she manages even a word. "We've both suffered enough, and I think that maybe this — us —" she says as she waves her hand between herself and the mayor, "is our chance. We've been struggling to survive for so long, Regina, and I think that… I think it's time to move on. You and me, together, maybe we can be more than survivors… perhaps it's our turn to thrive."
They stare at one another in silence for what feels like an eternity, but it's not painful or tiring, it's actually quite comforting… almost beautiful and neither woman truly wants it to end. They don't need words anymore, their eyes are more than enough to communicate what they're both feeling in this moment. Olivia leans closer, searching the mayor's eyes for any hesitation, seeking permission to link lips she's tasted only once before in a promise of the future. Regina smiles in answer and her eyes sparkle and she feels something indescribable, something not unlike love and care.
Just as their lips are about to meet, the queen whispers "I'd like that." It's an unnecessary declaration, one that had already been made through eyes and unspoken promises but it adds to the moment, making it even more special, memorable. And as their lips connect in a tender caress, they both know that they can do this, that together they can find what they never thought they would.