Snippet from before the Camelot. Fix It Day 5
He's watching her from the doorway, leaning silently against the frame as she stomps and twirls in a pastel dress, that while exquisite, is a costume on his strong-willed and stunning queen.
One-Two-Three. One-Two-Three. Stop. Sigh. Start.
One-Two-Three. One-Two-Three. Stop. Throw something. Start.
One-Two-Three. One-Two-Three. Stop. Scream. "Robin."
His name comes out as a sigh, weak and tired, but she can't bring herself to be bothered to put on airs with him. Fingers reach out to trace her jaw and she melts into his touch, lets his hand cradle her face.
"You look beautiful, Milady," he runs his thumb over her cheekbone, slips fingers into her hair loosening the bun at her nape, "If not a bit frustrated."
Throwing her hands up in the air, Regina turns away from him facing the mirror she'd been practicing into. "I just spent the last 2 hours with David learning how not to make a fool out of myself and it's like I've forgotten anything. I can't do this! Why can't I do this?" She's close to tears; angry, frustrated, tears that she absolutely will not let fall.
Robin grabs her hands and wraps them around his neck, moving his own to her back and pulling her against his chest. "First of all, there is nothing you can't do," he kisses her forehead before taking one of her hands in his. "Second, dancing, especially a waltz, is nearly impossible to do alone." He doesn't move yet, just holds her against him and lets her breathe.
"It's not just the dance," she says quietly, hating to admit defeat even to him.
"I know," he says simply, letting his forehead rest against hers and beginning a slow, steady sway she barely notices.
"I knew this wasn't going to be easy. I knew we couldn't just come here, wave a wand and get Emma back, but I—"
"—was prepared to fight a battle, not go to a ball," he finishes for her, knowing her battles aren't fought with gowns, but with fire.
"Yeah." Her head rests against his shoulder
"So don't think of tonight as a battle," he steps her back, left, turn, and then holds her again. "Look at it as gathering intel on our potential adversaries."
"And if I fall on my face while I'm gathering intel?" she asks with a raised eyebrow, even as he spins her and effortlessly returns her to his hold.
"I'll never let you fall, Milady." Robin kisses her again, quick and chaste as he guides her by the waist. One-Two-Three. One-Two-Three. His smile goes wide, dimples deep as he tells her, "Regina, you're dancing."