okay, my silent little ducklings, i've a question for you.
i've about nine prompts currently waiting to be started.
do you want to see a swanqueen romance story or a little!emma story first?
you get to choose so let me know!
ESESES
Regina was glad she had surprise attacked Emma in her office. It'd been a week and they had become pretty public with their dating. They held hands in the streets, dared to kiss in the open, and had a blast on so many different kinds of dates. There honestly hadn't been a day they'd gone without some sort of inventive date. The possibilities in Silver Swan were endless.
Around their third consecutive date, a man started hanging out in Mrs. Potts's shop whenever she was there. At first he seemed interested in pottery, and Mrs. Potts never minded him. Something seemed off about him though. Regina couldn't figure it out until he started bringing up Emma. She was in the middle of making a figurine that required all her focus when the annoying man started in.
"Aye, lass. Emma hates children. Surely you must have seen her around tormenting them."
How this conversation had come up, Regina didn't know. Emma didn't hate children. Did she? She was so good it hurt sometimes. There was the scene at the market yesterday where Emma froze a child's face because the boy wouldn't stop making grotesque faces at them as they tried to walk. She had warned him though three different times. That didn't mean she hated all children right?
"I can see ya thinking, lass. You must realize I'm right. Emma hates children because she can't have any of her own."
"What are you even talking about? Emma would have told me if she had a problem like that." Regina was growing more and more upset. There seemed to be some truth to what he was saying, but she didn't want to believe it. Her concentration broke, and with it, the figurine crumpled under her fingers.
"Emma has fertility problems. She has huge, painful cysts that could kill her and the baby if she ever got pregnant. Just ask anyone. They all know."
Regina glared at him, wiping the clay off her hands on a towel. "What else do you know about Emma?"
The man smirked, playing with the hook he had in place of a hand. He was going to ruin whatever this girl had with his Emma. If he couldn't have her, no one could. At least this woman seemed easy enough to manipulate.
Regina went to the office after her talk with the man. It took her an hour to run into Kat. The blonde immediately noticed something was amiss.
"Regina, what's wrong?"
"I heard some people talking in town, about Emma."
Kat raised an eyebrow. "This doesn't sound promising. What about Emma?"
"Does she really go to lots of crazy house parties? They said she drinks a lot. I've never seen it, but she never stays out of town anymore."
"Well, Emma does like to unwind on the weekends. Sometimes on Thursdays as well. I mean her friends are Ruby and Belle. She doesn't drink a lot though, unless she's really upset about something. All bets are off if Emma is in a bad mood. That's why she has a bunch of designated people looking out for her. Emma has been staying here instead of her home because she wants to help you adjust and spend time with you. Not going out to party also pleases her parents. It's a win win for her. "
"She has a love of poisonous flowers? Why does she like burning things? I didn't peg her as being fascinated with fire."
"Whoa, whoa, what are you talking about? Emma doesn't burn anything but incense and candles. She isn't a fan of fires at all. She also isn't a flower person in the slightest. She only likes calla lilies, sunflowers, and dahlias. Who have you been hearing these things from?"
Regina frowned. She didn't offer any answers to Kat's questions, instead barreling on with her own. "Does Emma like children? She froze some boy's face in town yesterday because he wouldn't stop making faces at us."
"You're probably talking about Devlan. The boy's parents asked Emma to temporarily freeze his face because he's a horribly mannered brat who enjoys making faces at people nonstop. Emma loves children. A few sets of parents ask for Emma's help in certain things because she has magic, and it can steer the little ones into behaving versus harsher discipline. It's not fair that Emma has to step in for these issues, but it's expected of her by people here."
"She doesn't like ripped jeans and flannel then?"
"Regina, Emma is a big fan of jeans and flannel. She likes it both in her own wardrobe and in yours. Emma likes rock shirts and Nike shorts. She owns more dresses and skirts than the entire mall here. Emma can get dirty with the best of them, but she has a flare for all things feminine. Emma loves your wardrobe. She talks about your clothes nonstop. What is the real problem here?"
"Can Emma get pregnant? Does she have issues that could kill her or the baby?"
Kat's jaw dropped before she tried to recover. "It's no secret that Emma has fertility issues. We try and have some decency and not bring it up. It upsets her greatly that her chances of having children are almost nonexistent. She wants to be a mother more than anything. This is something you should discuss with Emma, not me. Whoever is telling you these things, they're mostly lies to ruin your relationship. These things are meant to hurt Emma. Be careful who you listen to."
"Hey, what's going on?"
The pair turned to look at Emma who was studying them curiously. "Emma, Regina wants to take you to the drive-in and watch Uptown Girls with you. Chinese food included and everything." No way was Kat getting in trouble or dragged into this.
Emma looked down at her outfit. "Ew! I can't go to the movies in this skirt. You give me twenty minutes after work is done to change. I haven't seen that movie in ages. I'm so excited!"
ESESESESESESESESESESESESESES
Regina kept her knowledge of Emma to herself. She certainly didn't want to ruin the good mood Emma was in around her. Everyone in Glen Haven at some point or another kept complimenting her on the good effect she was having on Emma. If they ever got to a point where they wanted children they could always discuss it then. For now, Regina decided she was just enjoying being with Emma.
Every day up to the second airing for Regina they hung out every free moment. Emma was gone a lot with school, but she made it work. They made it work. Emma had big plans to celebrate Regina's fully clean slate and acceptance into Silver Swan.
Regina was still nervous though. Emma had assured her it was going to be so much easier than last time, but she still didn't like getting up in front of all these people she knew at one point in time. Luckily Emma had her father show up early.
"Mija, you have nothing to worry about. You walk up on the stage. You reintroduce yourself again with your new name. You tell the people your new job. You get all the documentation to make yourself legal here. It's really a piece of cake. Afterwards there literally is cake."
Henry pulled Regina in close. "Kathryn let slip that you have been hanging around some shady people. Only shady people who are up to no good talk about things with Little Swan that are none of their business. You forget all you heard. You just got to this point. No need to upset people or get kicked out so soon. Emma is as good for you as you are for her. Got it?"
Regina nodded. "I think I'm finally ready to tell her how I feel about her. I just can't get what I learned out of my head."
"Regina, there are still people here who dislike royalty simply for the sake of disliking royalty. They want to see Emma hurt. You don't want to hurt her. I'm sure whatever was said was very convincing, but let it go. Emma will reveal her own truths in her own time. There's nothing you two can't overcome in a modern and magical world. Just relax and have fun!"
Emma ran over and pulled her into a hug. "It's time, G. I'm right there with you. Don't be nervous. I love you!"
Regina allowed herself to be dragged onstage at Emma's insistence. She stayed there until all other business was done before Rupert addressed her. "Everyone, our newest town member is going to reintroduce herself. Her penance is over. She is redeemed, and is now a full town member. Regina, if you will."
"I'm Regina Cisneros, heir to No Man's Land and to Summerland. I am both a sculptor and a businesswoman. I am no longer the assassin."
Everyone in the room cheered, taking Regina by surprise. She hadn't expected such a welcome, let alone a genuine one.
Emma walked over to Regina during the party as the brunette attempted to mingle. She waited until Mac walked away before wrapping an arm around Regina's waist. "I've big plans for us tonight. Come out with me."
Overwhelming feelings shattered in that moment for Regina. Holding in all this knowledge from Emma, combined with the stress Regina put herself under for this airing, and then seeing the outline of the plan to welcome her to the town fully in Bae's folder, it was finally all just too much. She'd wanted, expected, Emma to treat her differently, special, above every other person to have gong through this airing. Instead, she'd seen a generic document entitled New Town Member Protocol. She honestly felt so crushed. All her emotions for the past few days just boiled over.
Regina spun to face her, fire in her eyes. "I heard how you celebrate with every new town member. I saw the protocol form in front of Baelfire. I'm not going on some premade dinner congratulations at Sal's. I don't even like onion flowers!"
"You really think I wouldn't make this special for you? Seriously? You have a new identity, a new job, your father back, a home…. I have busted my ass making sure your transition here was seamless. You really think I would have put so much effort into giving you the best I could only to have it end with a cookie cutter welcome dinner? Un-fucking-believable!"
ESESESESESESESES
Kat found Regina knocking back shots at The Rabbit Hole. Olivia had told her Emma and Regina had gotten into a fight. She wanted to make sure at least one of them was okay. It had to be Regina since Emma had fled Silver Swan.
"What'd you do?"
Regina looked up from her empty glass. "She was going to take me to Sal's just like everyone else. I saw the itinerary in front of her on the table. I thought we were special. I don't want some standard thing everyone gets."
"Okay, Princess, listen up! You aren't any different than any other town member. Dating the actual princess doesn't give you any special treatment. I know Emma's let you get away with that, but I'm not Emma. Shame on you for thinking she'd go through so much just to give you the standard treatment now!"
"You mean she wasn't? But I saw-"
"You saw the standard plan that the rest of her family was going to do for you. They can't treat you any differently than any other member or people would protest. No one wants nepotism claims, and I doubt you want people here discrediting you because they think you're getting special treatment. Emma can get away with something more personal though since you two are dating. You really think Emma would take you to Sal's knowing you don't like the food there?"
"She really was going to do something special for me?"
Kat rolled her eyes. "Idiot! Of course she was! Emma loves you. Despite you never doing your paperwork and your sloppy office attire, she thinks the sun shines out your ass. Emma had a romantic dinner at La Estacion planned. She booked a private table in the back with candles and some fancy ass drink. There was going to be some art thing or other she kept real secret about. Ella helped her plan that part. It was going to end with dessert under the stars on a blanket overlooking the town. It was really all so romantic I could rot my teeth out."
"I fucked up."
"You did. Blame it on your magic going a bit haywire. It tends to make people moody. How are you going to fix it?"
Regina stared Kat down. "I know you know where she is. Take me there."
Kat made Regina change into black leather pants, a red corset top and black boots before taking her out of town to Newark, New Jersey where Emma actually lived. Kat dismissed Graham when they arrived outside the house party. Regina's jaw dropped as she took in the scene.
"This is what Emma's into?"
"Told you, she parties when she's upset. You really did a number on her refusing this date and thinking she of all people would treat you like a nameless, faceless statistic. She told you she loves you. She honestly has never put forth so much effort into someone. Emma doesn't expect anything in return, but her hopes get high and you kind of seem to crush them a lot."
It took twenty minutes of squeezing around people and going to different rooms of the house to find Emma, wedged between two brunettes as they grinded to the music together. Regina saw red, literally, and more than just the streaks in the tall one's hair. She stormed over and pulled Emma to her.
"Hope you girls don't mind I cut in. This one is mine!"
Emma frowned. "Regina, what are you doing here? I'm trying to have fun."
Regina pulled Emma close to her. "We will have fun dear. I apologize for my stupidity. I apparently am having magical mood swings. Let me make it up to you." She crashed their lips together. People around them whistled and shouted, but neither paid notice.
"Em, you okay?" Ruby asked. She didn't want her best friend feeling forced to be with someone.
"Yeah, we're okay. Enjoy the party." Emma let her eyes roam over Regina's outfit. "I know I will!" Emma knew all about magical mood swings. She really couldn't fault Regina for overreacting to a situation when magic prevented her self control. She didn't want to be mad at Regina or fighting with her, so she let it go and tried to focus on the here and now.
The two danced together and shared a few drinks. Both were pretty buzzed by the time they abandoned the pretense of dancing in favor of grinding together and making out, arms wrapped around one another without a millimeter of breathing room between their bodies.
Kat knew she should have stopped them, or at the very least taken them out of the party. She lost track of them after Frederick showed up. What was the worst that was going to happen anyways? Being Regina's only close confidant outside Henry and Emma, Kat knew they'd all but had sex yet. Two months and she was surprised everyone didn't burst into flames being around their tension. Besides, she had her own partner to be with at the moment.
ESESESESESESES
poor regina leaps before thinking. at least she always tries to fix her rashness.
la estacion is a real restaurant in my county. fabulous mexican food served in a train car.