A/N: Based off of a personal head canon that Regina is bisexual. Not intended to offend anyone who thinks that she or Emma is gay.
"You're gay?!"
"Shh!" Regina hissed through gritted teeth, eyes darting to the doorway between the kitchen and the living room, where Robin, Killian, and Charming were sitting, chatting amongst themselves quietly. She turned back to the few dishes in her hands that she had been rinsing off, rolling her eyes as Emma and Snow stared into the back of her head.
"I'm not gay," Regina whispered harshly, drying her hands and turning towards the two women sitting in front of her. She leaned back on the kitchen counter, gripping the edge firmly, squeezing as the knot in her stomach tightened.
"But you just said, with Maleficent-"
"It's complicated," Regina cut in, "And besides, we don't use labels like that in the Enchanted Forest. You just kind of… love who you love. We don't talk about it. So drop it." She dropped her eyes to the floor as she grabbed her drink from the counter beside her, sliding into a seat at the kitchen table across from Emma and next to Snow. She drummed her fingers on the rim of the glass, ignoring how Snow's eyes flickered up to her repeatedly.
"Regina, it's okay," Emma muttered, "I wasn't judging you. I'm just…. Surprised."
Regina looked up at the blonde who was smiling softly at her, and it was true, not a hint of judgment filled her eyes. "Why do you care?"
"It's interesting," Emma paused, her eyes darting as her thoughts wandered. "It's not every day that Maleficent and the… Queens of Darkness, or whatever you want to call them, stroll into town. And now I hear that you have a "past" with one of them?" Emma raised an eyebrow, and looked over to her mother before grinning at Regina. "I'm intrigued to know how that happened."
Regina scoffed and looked down at the drink in her hands, twirling it lightly to watch the amber liquid swirl around the glass. "It's not that interesting of a story. I met Mal at a… difficult time in my life." She tilted her head up slightly, locking eyes with Snow beside her and slightly grimacing as she admitted, "I had just married the king, and I was…. Lonely."
Snow seemed to process what she'd just heard, and her eyes widened. "Wait, so you were-" Regina shot her a warning look and she stopped before the sleeping with could pass over her lips, "getting to know Maleficent… while you were married to my father?"
Snow looked between Emma and Regina, flustered and at a loss for words. Regina shrugged, and took a sip from her glass.
"I just had no idea," Snow breathed, sitting back in her chair. Emma looked to her mother, guilt passing over her face from pushing the subject to this point, and glanced back at Regina, who looked surprisingly comfortable.
"It wasn't like that at first," Regina said softly, winning Snow's attention again. "She taught me magic, listened to me, helped me when I was feeling trapped. She was the only friend I had for a long time. And then years later things just… changed." She focused on the table, on the dead air between them, as she lost herself in the memories floating across her mind. Looking back up at Emma she took a long breath and exhaled quickly, letting her shoulders sag slightly.
"So yeah, I guess I did love her." Her face softened as she looked at her friend across the table, tension releasing from her shoulders at her confession. "I wouldn't call myself gay, but my past with Mal is a part of me, so I'm something I suppose. I never really thought about it."
Snow smiled as she looked up at her former stepmother, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. The three sat together in silence for a moment before a roar of laughter from the other room broke the still air.
Looking up over Emma's head, Regina could see Robin in the living room on the couch next to Killian, holding his side as he laughed. Her heart swelled as she watched him, the crinkles at his eyes and the dimples in his cheeks catching her eye. As he caught his breath he looked up and noticed her watching him, and flashed her a charming smile before turning back to Killian to continue their conversation.
Regina smiled to herself, and continued to gaze at him as she whispered, "But I'm definitely not gay."