Chapter Two: The Morning After
The couple awoke as they did any other day; their naked bodies intertwined for warmth against the chill of that February morning. Robin's strong arms held Regina in a tight and loving embrace as her lashes fluttered, revealing her captivating brown eyes. His blue orbs were bright with happiness, even more so now that she was awake beside him.
"How long have you been up?" She asked, sleep still evident in her tired, raspy voice. She stretched her limbs, but snuggled closer to him when she felt the cold air grazing her spine.
He held her closer to him and moved his palms along her skin to provide heat for her under the blanket, "Not very long. I didn't want to wake you. I'm sure you're exhausted from last night."
She hummed as the memories of their evening of passion flashed before her eyes, the heat she felt only hours prior building once again in her core at just the thought. She placed gentle kisses along his jaw as she said, "I could have gone another round."
He laughed and squeezed her tight, "After all the yawning you did after the second round, I'm surprised you even made it through the third."
Silence filled the air as they held one another close, smiling at the familiar feeling of being close to the person they loved. The pitter patter of little feet were heard in the hallway as they made their way sneakily toward the kitchen. Regina smiled, realizing that Roland was going to swipe a snack that might spoil his breakfast.
"You raised quite the little bandit, Doctor Locksley," she said with a smile, hesitantly sitting up to get a start on her day.
He followed suit, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and placing gentle kisses along her spine, "We can't all raise princes, Your Majesty."
Regina turned and smacked his chest playfully as she stood. Robin chuckled as he leaned up on his elbow, his smirk changing from one of amusement to one of admiration as he stared at his lover's exposed, naked body. He watched her as she lifted her arms to stretch once more, pulling her hair above her head before allowing the natural curls to fall gracefully against her delicate shoulders. She turned her head toward him, catching him staring, and decided to tease him just a little bit that morning.
She turned her entire body to face him then, causing his eyes to widen to ensure he didn't miss a single bit of the sight: her firm breasts with their pointed nipples from the chill in the air, her tight abdomen with the deep definition of her strong obliques, her voluptuously wide hips that led to her smooth thighs; he was the luckiest man on Earth. Robin Locksley was in love with the most beautiful woman in existence and he'd be damned if he ever took her for granted.
He stood from the bed, his member standing firmly at attention to show just how attracted he was to the woman standing before him. He leaned forward, pressing their bodies together as he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist.
"Good morning," she whispered with a smirk, pressing her lips against his.
He moaned into her mouth, pulling apart just enough to mutter, "A good morning it is, indeed."
Their passion was strong, but this kiss was one of love and hope; of a new beginning in their new home; of their undoubted admiration for one another.
"You are the most beautiful woman my eyes have ever had the privilege to look upon," he said, his tone quite sincere as it exuded his undying captivation with her.
She blushed upon hearing his words and held him closer to her as she whispered, "I love you."
"And I you," he responded before capturing her lips in another deep, tender embrace.
"Roland John Locksley," Robin appeared in the archway of the hall just before the kitchen as his son sat atop the counter reaching for the secret stash of dark chocolate. The little boy froze in his place, knowing he was caught just before accomplishing his master thievery. "No sweets before breakfast. You know the rules."
He approached his son and lifted him from the counter, kissing the side of his head before placing him on the floor. The child sulked, but made his way into the living room to plop down on the couch. Regina entered in her robe, her hair lifted into a loose bun at the top of her head and her glasses perched on the bridge of her nose.
"Good morning, my Little Thief," she smiled at him knowingly and leaned down to kiss the top of his head. She whispered, "After breakfast you can have one."
Roland looked up at her with a grin and nodded excitedly. She chuckled at his innocence as she walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to get started on breakfast, "Any requests?"
"Bacon!" The boy shouted from his spot on the sofa, leaning over to the coffee table for the remote. He turned on the television and was immediately enthralled with his morning cartoons.
"And for you, Outlaw?" She asked, turning her gaze in Robin's direction as her body remained bent over in the fridge.
A conniving smirk spread across his face as he approached her, placing his hands on either side of her hips and leaning over her. His lips were inches from her ear as he replied, "You."
She hummed, wishing they could return to their bed to resume their actions from the night before. She sighed and said, "Unfortunately, that's not an option."
"Fine," he pouted, causing Regina to stand and face him with a soft laugh. He wrapped her in his arms and continued, "I suppose bacon and eggs will have to do."
She nodded and pecked his lips before whispering in that sultry tone that drove him wild, "For now."
He released her from his grip with a sigh and joined his son on the couch as she prepared their morning meal. Regina was relieved she'd begun unpacking the kitchen necessities the day before or she would have been scrambling to find what she needed. She placed the pan on the stove and plopped a spoonful of coconut oil into it. She turned on the gas and watched the flame ignite to melt and heat the oil before placing the slices of turkey bacon to sizzle in the pan.
"How do you want your eggs, my loves?" Regina called to them as she pulled the carton of eggs from the fridge and placed them on the counter beside the bowl.
"Scrambled," Roland said, his eyes still focused on the TV as he snuggled into his father's side. He jumped up suddenly and added, "With lots of cheese!"
She chuckled and replied, "Cheesy scrambled eggs, coming right up."
"Do we have veggies?" Robin asked, looking in her direction.
She gazed up and lifted her eyebrow at him as she whisked the eggs in a bowl, "Do we have veggies? Really?"
Robin laughed and rephrased his question, "What vegetables do we have, love?"
"Peppers, onions, broccoli. You name it, we have it," she began. "Do you want an omelette?"
"If it's not too much to ask," he replied with a smile. "Peppers and onions sounds perfect."
She nodded and blew him a kiss. He sighed, enjoying the comfort of their relationship and the way their family just worked as if it had been this way since Henry was born. At the thought of the teenager, he heard heavy footsteps dragging their way down the hall. He turned his head and greeted the sleepy boy, "Morning, lad. How did you sleep?"
"Eh, could have been better," he muttered as he took his seat beside Roland.
"Really? You worked hard yesterday. I imagine you were exhausted," his mother said from the kitchen as she plated the younger boy's scrambled eggs.
"I was, but I kept hearing this banging against my wall throughout the night," he said absently.
Regina and Robin locked eyes from across the room, both their faces growing a deep shade of pink with embarrassment. They'd have to be more careful if they didn't want a grumpy teenager complaining to them each morning. She turned back to her task of cooking Robin's omelette when she said, "Well, I'm making bacon and eggs if that makes you feel any better."
"The smell is what woke me up. Can I have an omelette?"
"Sure, sweetie. What do you want inside?" She called back, flipping the new slices of bacon she placed in the pan. The already cooked slices were on a plate covered by a paper towel so they would stay warm.
"Ham and cheese, please," he called back through a yawn, stretching his limbs and rubbing his hand over his abdomen.
"Can you and Roland set the table? Breakfast will be ready in a minute," she said and watched as both boys stood and ventured into the kitchen.
She was busy making sure the omelettes didn't burn as she cooked them while she flipped the bacon one last time before placing it on the plate with the others. Their children worked together making sure they had enough napkins and utensils for each of them while Robin approached his beloved from behind, "Is there anything I can help you with?"
She plated the omelettes and turned, handing them to him before placing Roland's plate of scrambled eggs on his forearm just above the lion tattoo. She smiled, "You can serve."
He nodded obediently and took the plates, placing them at their designated spots for each person. Regina got busy cracking open a few more eggs, but separated the whites from the yolks. Her family had a history of cholesterol issues so she found peace with eating egg whites as she got older; better to be safe than sorry. She whipped up her egg white omelette with vegetables before turning off the stove and taking her seat across from Robin. She placed the plate of bacon at the center and the children barely blinked before reaching forward and taking their slices by the handful.
The family was quiet for a few minutes, the men digging into their breakfast feast while Regina admired them lovingly. This was her family; her family in their new home. She was nostalgic yesterday, reminiscing over memories shared with her son in Apartment 13. But today was a new day and she was happy to be home with her two sons and the love of her life, excited to create new memories to last them a lifetime.
They spent the remainder of the day unpacking the rest of the boxes in various rooms and organizing their belongings accordingly. Robin completed his task of setting up the bookshelves while Henry and Roland finished the kitchen for their mother.
She used her time to organize the walk-in closet for her and Robin. She chose the bigger side, knowing she would need it for the exuberant amount of clothes she insisted on keeping, while Robin's suits and university clothing hung on the opposite side. She put together the shoe rack they'd purchased for him. He told her not to bother, but she'd seen what his closet looked like in Apartment 8; she refused to have even the slightest bit of disorganization in their home and especially not in their closet.
She placed each show neatly on the rack that was now lining the wall below his clothes. It was starting to look very nice and she was quite pleased with herself. Her shoes were more of a hassle because she had so many. Some that she didn't wear as often were kept in their boxes stacked along the back wall while her more frequent pairs were place atop a rack of their own parallel to her lover's.
When that was complete, she moved on to unpacking their bathroom. Aside from the soap they'd used the night before, the rest of the daily hygienic necessities were still packed neatly in their designated boxes. There were two sinks in the master bathroom so she organized Robin's belongings in the cabinet below what she called 'his sink' and did the same at the one she decided was 'her sink.' They were side by side, but she preferred to know where everything was rather than mixing their things and having to struggle to find them later. She placed their toothbrushes in their shared holder and couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. They lived together; it was official, especially now that they had their own bathroom.
She moved on and unpacked her hair and makeup supplies, setting them on the vanity that was now able to fit in the bathroom rather than the bedroom. They'd purchased matching bedside tables and decided to keep her hold one in Robin's apartment for his brother John to either sell or keep for himself. Robin entered the bedroom just as she was putting the final touches on their room.
"Wow," he said with a nod, clearly impressed with how quickly she was able to work, "It's really coming along."
"We just need a dresser for in here. Our clothes don't entirely fit in the closet and the one we already have is full," she chuckled.
He shook his head and pulled her into him, "Why don't we use the drawers of the night stands?"
"Then I won't have anywhere to hide my chocolate," she said with absolute seriousness, causing Robin to roar with laughter.
"And we can't have that," he kissed the tip of her nose and continued, "I'll look around on my way home from work this week."
"Thank you," she smiled and rested her head comfortably against his chest.
"I started hanging the photos in the living room. I hope that's alright with you," he said.
Regina lifted her head and looked into his eyes, her face clearly expressing her confusion, "Of course that's alright."
"I just know how particular you are about those things," he pushed a stray piece of hair that fell loose from her bun behind her ear.
"It's our apartment, Robin. This is our home, not just mine. I trust your judgment and you know what I like," she smiled and he nodded, pulling her closer to him.
"That I do," he teased, nipping her jaw seductively.
She chuckled from deep in her throat, wanting him to take her at that very moment, but knowing he wouldn't; not because he didn't want to, but because he knew he couldn't. She sighed, "Don't you ever rest?"
"It's impossible to rest when I'm with a woman as desirable as you, my love," he quipped, sucking at her neck.
She moaned softly and turned her head, realizing the door was wide open. She pulled away slightly and turned his head to the door. He huffed out in frustration and she leaned forward to kiss his cheek, "Don't think too much about it, babe. We don't want a repeat of what happened to you last night."
"Heavens no," he shook his head immediately, cringing at the mere thought of the pain he experienced before that blessed shower she took with him.
She smirked and took him by the hand, "Come on. Let's spend some time with our children."
"Those blasted kids of ours ruin all the fun," he muttered playfully to which Regina responded with a fit of laughter as they exited their bedroom.
After supper, the boys took turns showering while Robin and Regina cleaned up the remnants of their meal. She glanced at the duplicate appliances and remembered she had an idea she wanted to share with her lovely man as he assisted her with the dishes.
"I was thinking we could pack all the extra appliances we have into a box and save them for whenever Henry moves out," she stated, taking a dish from his hands after it was scrubbed and placing it in the dishwasher. "What do you think?"
"I'm sure he'll continue to stay here while he's at Columbia," he chimed playfully. Regina pushed against him with her hip and he chuckled, "In all seriousness, we could save them until college, in case he decides to go somewhere outside the city. But I think we should just toss them if he stays close and buy him new ones after he graduates."
"That's a good point," she nodded and wiped her hands on her apron as he leaned forward to start the dishwasher.
Their sons came rushing back into the kitchen after their showers and Regina smiled as she opened one of the island drawers. She pulled out a measuring tape and a pencil as she said, "Line up. We have one more thing to do before bed."
Roland and Henry exchanged confused looks before shrugging and deciding to do what they were told. Robin leaned on the counter and watched as she stepped forward, "Roland, you're up first."
"What are we doing?" The little boy asked.
"It's our first day in our new home so we have to start a height chart," she said simply before continuing, "Stand here against the wall, nice and straight, and I'll tell you how tall you are."
She placed her hands gently on his shoulders and lined him up so the edge of the wall where the kitchen met the hallway was against the length of his spine. She leaned down and marked just above his head, "Okay, you can move now."
Regina knelt down and placed the tape against the floor as she pulled it up, stopping when she reached the faint pencil line she created only seconds ago. She smiled, writing his name and the number as she said, "Three feet, eleven inches."
Roland was always much smaller than most kids his age, but he would grow with time. Henry stepped forward next as Regina stood, lining him up the same way she did with her youngest son, and lifted herself on her tip toes to mark above his head. She handed the tape to her oldest, making him bend to the ground this time as she pulled it up to the line. She wrote his name and height, "Five feet, six inches."
"Woah," Roland covered his mouth, realizing how much bigger his brother was than him, "You're really tall, Henry."
"You will be too someday, pal," he said with a smile, happy to have grown since the last time he checked.
"Come on, Robin. It's your turn," she stated and he took a step forward. He leaned his back against the wall and allowed her to position him correctly. She tried standing on her toes to reach above his head, but he was too tall. He chuckled and leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her upper thighs and lifting her into the air. He was sure to stand up straight as she used the pencil to mark his height. He slowly placed her gently on the floor, stealing a quick kiss before stepping out of her way.
Regina handed Henry the tape again and he said, "Maybe you should bend down this time since you can't reach that high."
She raised her eyebrow and stared narrowly at her son as a warning, but he was right; she was much too short to get an accurate number. She bent down and touched the floor while the teenager reached up and stopped the tape at the pencil line, "Five foot nine on the dot."
She nodded and stood to write his name and the number to the highest point she could reach on the wall; it would have to suffice. Robin took the pencil from her hands and turned her to face him, "I believe you're next."
She straightened her back against the wall and pushed back until she felt the edge of the wall digging into her spine. He leaned down and marked the wall before pulling her into him by the hips. Henry bent down and Regina took the top of the measuring tape to line it up, "Five feet, five inches."
"Actually," Robin stepped forward to read the measurement over again. He chuckled, handing her the pencil, "I believe it says five feet, four and a half inches."
"We have to be precise, mom" Henry said with a smug grin on his face.
She sighed and wrote her name followed by her accurate height as the men behind her all laughed at her expense. She added the date to each one before placing the tools back in their designated drawer. She leaned against the counter to admire the new chart, happy to have the addition of Roland and Robin to the wall. She pulled her children close to her and leaned her head on her lover's shoulder.
It was an excellent first day in their new home and this was the only way she ever imagined it would end. Regina smiled, looking forward to the many wonderful new memories they would create together on the journey ahead.
