Chapter 7.
Here we are! Another chapter to this little story. We will shake things up for everyone in SB very soon! Enjoy!
Regina linked her arm in Gold's , chocolate hues washing over the town in the light of day. Everything felt different now - as if she had just woken from the curse, the shock of opening her eyes to this world an entirely fresh experience. Even the town square had a different tone to it. Archie walking Pongo down the street, eyeing the two with contempt that caused the former mayor's heart to speed up for the slightest second until Gold brought her back to the reality of being near him with just the hum of his voice as he bid the cricket a good day. Her free hand slid down to the swell of her stomach as she caught sight of Belle leaving Granny's with a paper bag in tow, her eyes slanting the second she locked eyes on the two making their way closer to the diner. "Morning." Regina kept her tone neutral while she glanced back at Gold who had held back a few paces to slip past his ex wife and into the diner behind the former mayor.
Belle however, turned quickly on her heels and followed them into the establishment much to the couples dismay, especially when her voice boomed much louder than was needed. "Rumple." The bookworm tugged on his arm, cutting off his journey towards the counter where Regina had slid onto one of the stools, her fingertips toying with a menu that Granny had hesitantly placed before her the second she saw the two of them come in. "Is it true?" Belle's voice broke as she spoke, as if she hadn't been the one to cut ties with Gold. "Are you...with...her?"
"I am..." he spoke slowly before turning his head so that he could catch sight of Regina who was watching on with an expressionless facade on her features. One he could semi-remember having taught her long ago. When he brought his attention back to his former wife, though they had yet to actually sign any divorce papers, and nodded. "...with Regina. How is our son?" He motioned towards the swell of Belle's stomach, the only concern etched in his eyes as he stood before her.
"Growing every single day and giving me a few kicks in the process." She couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips as a light shown bright in Gold's eyes. Which she was quick to push away the second she remembered their current predicament. "How do you expect yourself to fight darkness if you're in bed with it?"
He couldn't miss the venom in her words nor the clear as day bite in them. "Forgive me, were you around when she split herself just to prove to everyone that the belief they pushed onto her was for good and not harming her psyche? Then were you there when she once again, split her own heart to give that darker version of herself something good to weigh out the part of herself she felt was missing?" The tone that was once complacent was now rising slightly in octave as he stepped forward just a hair. "The last time I checked, Belle, you were the one reminding me that I could never be the man you wanted. Why should it matter to you who I'm in bed with?"
That was when she stepped closer, pushing herself up on the tips of her toes to whisper so no one could hear the words coming out of her mouth - lest it ruin everyone's picture perfect image of her. "If you ever want to see your son, you'll leave her and actually prove to me that you've changed." And with that, she turned towards the door and walked out of the diner, intent on seeing results after a threat like that.
Gold chuckled to himself, reveling in how the tables had indeed been turned. Now she was the one making threats to keep him on a leash, to make sure he was miserable enough to change into someone she wanted him to be. The one thing that she had failed to notice, was that he already had begun down that path with Regina. His darkness is still a part of him and in accepting that ( because Regina had never made kicking his darkness to the curb a clause in their relationship ), he has learned how to better control his urges to deceive or to use the dagger.
When he found himself settling in at the counter, his digits reaching to tangle in Regina's, that's the moment Granny began to shake her head and mouth something to Ruby who was standing back waiting for a dish to be handed to her so that she could bring it to one of the tables. This was something that reminded him of their time in the Enchanted Forest, when they had ruled with an iron fist. Fear and dread was a constant in the faces of those they came across, only now that they had travelled such a long and arduous road, he wondered what they saw so dangerous about the two of them at present.
"I want something sweet this morning." Regina's voice pulled him out of his reverie as she began to absentmindedly stroke his hand with the pad of her thumb, warmth pooling through his limbs at the tenderness of her touch. "What are you craving?" Her chocolate hues sought his looking hopeful. "Some pancakes with syrup? A chocolate chip waffle?" The more she named off, the closer she leaned into him, her red lips sending his mind elsewhere and for the shortest of moments, he felt like they were alone in the universe together.
Do you deserve her? His darkness asked while their lips brushed against one another. Or do you crave her power? He hadn't expected the less savory side of himself to keep poking it's nose out into the matters of his love life, but since they had been intimate it had been more so apparent and making it's thoughts known. He knew the truth. He did deserve her and at times, yes, he finds himself drawn to the power that their creation is practically leaking - but with or without that power, he felt a true deep longing for Regina and always had. This sort of thing had been a long time coming and she had restraints where her darker half did not - which mirrored his.
"What are you thinking about?" Her voice pulled him from his thoughts and it was only then that he realized, she was now leaning so much into him that the magical aura around her was snapping at his, toying and pulsating with it. Shaking his head, he leaned in and pressed his lips onto hers - despite the sounding gasps from inside of the diner, he placed his hand on the back of her head and deepened the lip lock, pushing his tongue past her lips. He could feel her gasp at how it felt to be showing such a public display of affection near those who didn't quite approve and at how the air around them seemed to smooth out like velvet, causing their heads to feel light.
At the chime of the bell over the door, the two broke apart and peered in the direction of who had just entered Granny's. Eyes fell upon Emma and Henry, the former hovering at the entrance with a hand on the boy's shoulder as if to tell him not to go any further. Much to Emma's dismay, he ran forward towards Gold and signaled something by bringing his forefinger to the side of his nose and swiping at it. Gold in return did the same gesture and Henry then slid up onto the stool next to him. Emma watched on in pure shock as he motioned for Granny and said he wanted the largest ice cream sundae anyone could conjure up and that Gold would be paying for it.
"What's this all about?" Regina asked, a smile tugging at her lips as she watched Henry make himself comfortable - ridding his shoulders of the wait of his backpack and handing it to Gold for him to place it beneath the counter next to their feet. The entire situation looked familial, as if Henry were his son - when in fact the truth was more mind boggling to those who got hung up on his outer appearance. But Regina knew his true age would have given him more than just a grandson by now if he had allowed himself to love and be loved earlier on.
Gold turned to look at Regina, his hand reaching for hers once more. "We had a small bet going. If Emma would avoid you all day or if she would openly act like nothing were bothering her. Clearly, Henry won. She has been avoiding you all day." The slight confidence in Emma that he held now was wavering the further she allowed herself to be subjected to the thinking of everyone else in this quaint town.
"I think-" Emma began but the second Henry shot her a look that both neither Regina nor Gold could see, the blonde's lips pursed and she moved to take the stool next to her son. "I'll have the same and Gold will pay. Right?" When she shot Gold a glare that he had seen many times over, he merely shrugged and gave a nod. "Are you two just doing this to mess with us all or are you actually.."
"Miss Swan." Gold turned to face her, fingers clasping together at his front as he looked her in the eyes with as much of a neutral expression as he could muster. "And anyone eavesdropping. We're not doing this to make you curious, we are not doing this to put you all on edge, we are not doing this to make you all laugh at a later date when you think you've clearly been dragged along. Why on earth you would think we would go so far as to get her pregnant in this fake jest you all have dreamed up, is beyond me. Regina and I; have decided that, regardless of your quibbles with it, we're happy and if that is something that doesn't matter to you - then do us the honor of keeping your mouth.." He turned to face the sea of people who were looking up over menu's or newspapers, listening in on his declaration. "...shut. If you want to spread this moment to your neighbor or the likes so that we do not have to keep repeating ourselves, you may."
Regina's eyes settled on his features as he moved back to where he had been sitting, eyes on the menu that lay against the counter where they were seated. She wondered for a moment if everyone continually reminding them of their past could possibly push them to lash out in a less savory manner. The thought was gone the second she heard Henry exclaim excitement upon the arrival of the two sundae's. In truth, they were huge, bigger than any sundae she had ever seen in her life. "What are you thinking of getting?"
"The number twelve looks nice for breakfast. Fruit, eggs...sausage.." He sighed out, glancing up at Granny and giving her a nod, which she quickly took note of the breakfast number platter and then shot a look in Regina's direction, the brunette held up two fingers letting her know which one she would be ordering.
"Is that your breakfast?" Regina asked, her tone low but still inquisitive as her better judgement finally kicked in. Looking over in Henry's direction, she watched the boy shake his head before pushing a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth, resulting in giving Regina the impression that he looked similar to a chipmunk like this. A giggle escaped her lips as she gave a slight nod before reaching for Gold's hand again, which they had seem to continually part from holding in the commotion of the morning. "Do you want to talk about what Belle said to you that gave you a few extra gray hairs?"
He chuckled as her free hand reached up to stroke along the strands nearest his ear, clearly loving the new hair cut regardless - when no one else, save for her evil counterpart, had noticed when he first chopped off his signature locks for a change. "She's using the power of bearing my child to it's advantages." He stated, his voice low so that only she could hear - causing Regina to lean in slightly towards him to catch every word. "But it won't work. That boy is still my son and I have until he is born to come up with a plan so that I will be able to see him."
"And you will find a way. She can't keep your child from you. You have rights." She whispered, her fingers tightening around his, sending the message that she would be here for him through it all no matter the outcome. "Even if in our culture, it doesn't really cover the whole splitting from your wife who's pregnant and wanting to still see the child. In our land, love is something that doesn't part ways."
"It was love at one point but what Belle and I share now is necessity. We don't want to be together, but she knows I want to see my child and I know that she wants him safe beyond a shadow of a doubt." He shifted where he sat when his order had been placed down in front of him, his free hand reaching for his fork as he thoughtfully skewered a sausage link. "We're both playing on that knowledge and using it to our own advantages."
Regina could see the turmoil in his expression and the way of which he held himself, she knew him enough now to realize when he was giving himself or others a hard time in his mind. "You're the most resourceful man I know. You will find a way to sway her from keeping the child from you. When have you never gotten your way?" She asked, turning now to dig into the chocolate chip pancakes that had been laid before her.
He thought on it for a moment as he chewed on the sausage that tasted more of home than anything had in this world for a long time. He missed the hovels, regardless of the cold drafts or smells in summer. He missed Bae and meat pies and being allowed the first bite. One thing he didn't miss was being labeled a coward by any and everyone who didn't take the chance to get to know him. Glancing over at the object of his affection, he searched her face to locate his happiness once again, her glistening chocolate hues as they lit up when she bit into her sweet breakfast and her smile when she notices he's watching her.
