Kiss
"Mom, how do you know when you're supposed to kiss a girl?"
Regina paused in the doorway. Why did Henry have to ask heart attack worthy questions at bedtime? She had no clue how to answer that. The mayor turned around and folded her arms. "Why do you ask, Henry?"
"I don't know, I just get the feeling Paige wants me to kiss her. But I don't how, or when." Henry sighed. "I don't know anything about this stuff!"
Regina hid her smile. First loves, or whatever this was, are always such complicated things.
"How can you tell she wants you to?" Regina rubbed her thumb over her silk robe. At least she still fit this (most days).
Henry shrugged as he sat up in bed. "I just can."
She found it amusing how he attempted to get answers from her without showing her his cards. The mother sat on the edge of Henry's bed, waiting for him to try again.
"What was your first kiss like?"
Regina blinked. That was not a question she expected. She cleared her throat. "It was interesting. I was just a girl then. I didn't know anything either," she smiled.
"Did you like it?"
Regina scrunched up her nose. "No, actually. We were both inexperienced. I knew what my mother would say if she caught me, so I kept my distaste to myself." She chuckled. "But everyone's first kiss is like that. No one knows what they're supposed to do. It's like that even if you wait for your true love."
Henry rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know if she is."
Regina nodded. "No one does in the beginning. Prince Charming and Snow White didn't know either, and look at them now." She paused as she gathered the courage to ask the question the family, mainly her, had tip-toed around for months. "Do you like her?"
Immediately Henry nodded his head.
"And how could she not like you," Regina finished with a smile, brushing back the boy's bangs. He needed a haircut soon. "Even if you like each other, there's nothing saying you have to kiss right now, especially if one of you doesn't feel ready. But if you do, just know that it won't be perfect and that's okay."
Henry nodded. "Thanks Mom."
Regina kissed his forehead. "Try to get some sleep. I love you."
"Love you too."
Regina shut the door softly behind her as Robin exited Roland's room. They stared at each other for a moment. Robin pointed behind him. "A long bedtime story."
Regina pointed behind her. "The birds and the bees, light."
Robin smirked. "Kissing?"
"How did you know?" she asked as she went over to him.
Robin met her halfway and looped his arm around her waist. "It's about time he started asking."
Regina rolled her eyes. "He's still too young."
"But you didn't tell him that."
"He would have just gotten upset. He's a lot like Emma when it comes to hearing things he doesn't want to."
Robin chuckled. "As are you."
Regina lightly smacked his arm. "Anyhow, it was much easier to just tell him that it would be awful. Because it will."
Robin shook his head. "It isn't always. My first kiss was with Marian and, until I met you, it was one of the best kisses of my life." He opened the door to their room. Regina hung her robe on the hook as soon as it shut.
"Just make sure you don't tell him that." When she turned, Robin's arms came around her waist. Hers fell to rest on his shoulders. Robin leaned his forehead down until it pressed against hers. "What is it?" she asked in a whisper.
"I love you."
"I love you, too." The kiss Robin gave her was far better than any she shared with another man, and she was perfectly okay with that.
