Gold woke up with a light kiss from his wife and the smell of coffee.
"Get up, sleepyhead." Putting the breakfast tray on the nightstand, she sat down on the edge of the bed and bending over she kissed him again.
"When did you manage to get away from me?" Gold asked sleepily.
"Right at seven in the morning,", the Queen smiled, "as soon as Gideon woke up. We already had breakfast, played, read, watched cartoons and we can no longer wait. We want to decorate the tree. And we planned to do this with you, so get up!"
"What time is it now?" He wrapped himself tightly with the blanket.
"It's almost eleven o'clock." she glanced at her watch. "Half past ten."
"I'll sleep for another half hour." Gold yawned.
"You have to sleep during the night," the Queen pulled the blanket off him a little, "and not look at these little numbers at midnight." She nodded at the plasma hanging opposite the bed, on the screen of which -as usual- stock indexes crawled silently.
"They are more interesting at night." He pulled again the blanket almost up to his chin. "And is it even worth getting used to a night's sleep? In a month, our night's sleep will end again, for the duration of the next four months at least for sure, and there - how lucky we are."
"So you, therefore, sleep now for the future?", the Queen grinned. "Get up!"
"Come here; lie down with me for a couple of minutes." He lifted the blanket. "I like waking up next to you."
"Not a chance! Gideon is alone in the living room, I need to go back to him.", the Queen retorted.
"Our living room is not the most dangerous place in the world. Besides, he is busy watching cartoons." Gold patted the sheet next to him. "Lie down."
"Okay." the Queen surrendered, taking off her robe. She ducked under the covers, pressed her back against her husband's warm stomach and threw back her hair, freeing her neck for a kiss. "You do understand that tomorrow this won't work, right? Tomorrow we both will have to get up at seven, right along with Gideon, to unpack the presents all together, as it's customary on Christmas."
"What will you be packed into?" Gold asked, kissing her neck and slowly stroking her thigh.
"Maybe I will give you something else as a present." She snuggled closer to him.
"Pity." He slid his hand up and beyond his wife's thigh and carefully put two fingers inside her. "I was already hoping for a festive packaging."
"That can be arranged, too." She rubbed herself against his palm. "What would you like as a package?"
"Well, I don't know." He trailed her neck with kisses, from the back of it to her shoulder and then back up again, caressing her with his fingers nonstop. "Something not very bulky that can be easily removed."
"Is it that simple?" The Queen was surprised. "I thought you would have more sophisticated wishes."
"I'll think about it again." He removed his hand, causing Regina to make a disappointed moan. "Maybe without packaging at all, as I like it." He entered her smoothly and began to move inside her slowly.
"But it won't be interesting." Regina objected, jerking sharply towards him.
"Tshsh" He held her by the thigh. "Are you in a hurry?"
"Rumple…", she groaned and arched to meet him.
"There is a time for everything." He still held her thigh with one hand and placed two fingers on her clit with the other. "And we are in no hurry." He continued to move just as slowly, making the Queen moan with impatience.
"Someday I will remember this for you." She shook her hips up and down but then he pinned her to the bed.
"I have no doubt.", he breathed into her neck.
He had no more strength to talk. He himself could no longer endure. Desire spread in colored circles before his eyes and ringing in his ears. Another minute like that and he broke down, sharply increasing the pace, rushing into her as if he wanted to be entirely inside her.
"Rumple…", the Queen moaned through the orgasmic haze.
She clenched around him so much that for several seconds he could not move. A moment after that, he himself reached his peak, pouring into her with a groan, almost losing consciousness from the pleasure. For a while they both lay silent and barely moving, trying to even out their breath.
"Well, now you'll definitely oversleep until noon." the Queen finally said with mock discontent.
There was a ringing from the living room.
"It looks like Gideon has already begun decorating the Christmas tree." The Queen jumped out of bed, picking up a robe from the floor. "I'll go join him before it's too late." She tried to slip out of the bedroom quickly, dressing herself along the way. "Have breakfast and then come to us.", she winked at her husband at the door.
"Off course." Gold smiled after her, rising on his elbow and putting a couple more pillows under him.
Sitting on the reclining bed, he took a cup of coffee from the tray. He couldn't remember a time before when he felt like he does now. This moment. At all. In this house, with this woman, for the first time in his life, he was fine. Without getting any derogations or assumptions thrown at him. Just fine. Every day. Every minute. All the time. After so many years, his wife finally appeared. Who just loved him. Without any conditions. She just wanted to be with him simply because she was good next to him. He bathed in her love. Out of habit, fearing that it might suddenly end. But it did not end. Every day, every hour, she loved him. And it was so strange and so unusual. Amazing.
In addition to coffee, there were fresh crispy croissants on the tray that Regina had managed to bake this morning, a rosette with apricot jam that she had recently made herself and eggs in a basket with perfectly runny yolks, just like his dad had prepared for him as a child. She knew and remembered everything. Having finished breakfast, he got dressed and went down to the living room. Gideon sorted out with interest the balls out of one of the boxes. The Queen, standing on a chair and balancing on one leg, was trying to evenly wrap a Christmas tree with a garland with luminous bulbs. She once again threw a loop of garland stretched out on a string, trying to direct it to the right place of the opposite part of the tree.
"And which one of you is more dangerous to leave alone?" Gold said almost to himself, heading for his wife. "I think you shouldn't do this." He went close to the Queen, ready to catch her.
"Why?" She looked at him between outstretched arms. "I always do that: first the light bulbs and then everything else. If you hang the decorations first and then the garlands, the wires will be visible, it will look ugly."
"I'm not talking about the light bulbs." Gold said softly. "Get down from there."
"Oh, there it is.", the Queen smiled. "And you still can't raise your hands up, did you know?" She asked with a grin.
"Get off." Gold repeated. "You may fall. Say what needs to be done: I will do it."
"But you could fall as well.", Regina shrugged.
"Seriously, Regina, you're making me nervous." he held out his hand. "I can't, my blood pressure. Get off immediately!"
"A blackmailer." The Queen laughed, grabbing his hand and climbing down a chair. "Here, do it." She handed him a garland. "Distribute it somewhat evenly." While he hung luminous garlands, the Queen, along with her son, sorted out and hung decorations where there were already light bulbs put. The larger balls went closer to the stem. Mixed with red, blue and gold equally. At the very ends of the branches hanged cloth made angels. Then they added some beads and some sparkly tinsel. As soon as they finished the Queen looked at the tree meticulously. "Well, not bad at all." she concluded. "Do you like it?" She turned to her son.
"Yes!", the boy answered, looking enthusiastically at the Christmas tree.
"That's the most important thing.", the Queen smiled. "Tomorrow Santa will bring you a bunch of presents." The boy muttered something inaudible. "Everything you want." the Queen assured him. "Because Santa knows everything about you!" She turned to her husband "Shall we take a walk?"
"Let's." Gold agreed. They walked slowly along the alleys of Central Park, looking at the snow-covered trees decorated with festive lights. They visited the Christmas market there, bought several baubles and Christmas sweets. They walked around the ice rink near Rockefeller Center but decided to refrain from skiing, much to the Queen's dismay. On the way home, they stopped at several farm shops and liquor stores.
"Aren't you tired?" Gold, as usual, took off her boots in the hallway.
"On the contrary," the Queen smiled, "I just cheered up. Take care of Gideon for now as I get dinner ready." She picked up the bags and headed for the kitchen. An hour later she appeared with two glasses of Chianti in her hands at the living room, where Gold was playing with their son. "A little more patience, everything will be ready soon." She handed one of the glasses to Gold. "How are you two doing here?"
"We're having a great time.", he smiled, hugging his wife. "Although without you, of course, it's not as marvelous as it could be."
"Not for long.", the Queen smiled.
"You definitely don't need any help with dinner?", her husband asked.
"I do and you are already providing it, entertaining Gideon." Regina smiled. She drank from her glass, set it on the mantelpiece, and fluttered back into the kitchen.
"You can set the table now.", she informed her husband, glancing out from the kitchen. "Dinner's almost ready."
"Come on.", he smiled at his son, raising him in his arms. After he removed all the porcelain plates, salad bowls, gravy boats, crystal glasses, exotically painted dishes, forks for pot roast and fish, knives for meat and butter from the shelves, Gold placed them on the table and explained to Gideon what everything was intended for. Soon, all these were filled with roasted poultry, lamb medallions, a variety of salads, sauces, sweet cakes and red dry wine.
"Are you sure the three of us need so much for dinner?" He hugged the Queen as she entered the dining room once again.
"It's Christmas.", she waved. "A Christmas dinner should have plenty on the table." All three finally sat down. The Queen mainly fed her son while Gold could hardly choose between the wide variety of dishes. "I will lie him down and return.", the Queen said after a while, picking up her sleepy baby in her arms. "Come on, the faster you fall asleep, the faster Santa will come." she informed her son.
"Yes!" Gold nodded after her, pouring another glass of Chianti and adding another portion of veal and salad. Regina was perfect. Regina was the epitome of everything he had ever dreamed of. And he could not believe that was all happening to him in reality. Christmas miracle it was.
"Well, how are you here?" After a while, Regina appeared behind him and leaned on him over his chair, hugging his shoulders.
"Regina." He pressed his cheek to her hand on his shoulder. "You are incredible. You are everything someone could only dream of."
"Did this someone drink too much wine?" Regina grinned.
"You are a witch in all the realms.", he leaned back in his chair.
"That much is clear", she blushed and kissed his temple. "Come lie down."
"With you? Together?", Gold clarified.
"Together.", Regina reassured him.
"Merry Christmas, Mr. Gold.", she whispered in his ear at the bedroom while lying next to him and hugging him.
"Merry Christmas, my sorceress." He reached for her a kiss.
"I love you." She kissed him long and tenderly.
"And I you." He settled in her arms, falling asleep.
"I love you more.", she whispered softly, listening to his steady deep breathing.