I decided to take a break from writing angst and revisit this story for a little fun. Still reading? :)
"I do miss our family, but are you sure we can't just poof back to your mansion and have 24 hours completely alone? No royals to meet, no one to overhear, nowhere to be," David grinned and felt her laugh softly in his arms at the question.
They sat on a chaise lounge under the covered balcony of her bed chamber in Agrabah, soaking up the ambiance of the warm night. There was the faint sound of music playing from another part of the castle and the curtains that encased the balcony were just sheer enough to let moonlight seep in, but still allow them privacy. They'd been there for hours, enjoying their last night, and David couldn't have been more content.
"As tempting as that sounds, I might've already told Henry we were coming back tomorrow morning, after our final meeting," she tilted her head to look at him, sitting tucked between his legs with her back leaned against his front and her own legs stretched out in between his. "I'm sorry," she scrunched her face with the soft murmur and he squeezed his arms around her waist playfully.
"Hmm," he squinted teasingly at her. Judging from the flicker of regret in her eyes she appeared to find the idea enticing, and it meant enough to him that she was just as eager to continue exploring their new relationship as he was.
"How can I stay mad at that face?" He sighed with a quiet groan of feigned frustration before grinning and pecking a playful kiss to the corner of her mouth.
David's chest warmed when she smiled and ducked her head almost bashfully, turning her gaze forward to the night sky. It amazed him how she radiated such confidence in her daily life and work, was even downright brazen in the bedroom, but could still be thrown by such small, tender gestures. There was always an element of surprise in her expression when he showed her affection, followed by a brilliant smile or sometimes an adorable flush, and it reminded him of just how neglected she'd been.
It felt so wonderful to feel this way again, and he had only been alone a tiny fraction of the time Regina had. He craved to make her feel loved and appreciated, to make up for all she deserved but hadn't received. Daniel had died before she was able to truly experience her first love and her short time with Robin had been tainted by his wife's return and Zelena's pregnancy. Had anyone ever doted on her before? Showed her off proudly? Made her feel special? Her reactions surely didn't indicate she had much experience being on the receiving end of such things.
During a time that should've been nothing short of bliss after finally finding her soulmate, she'd been made his mistress instead and was forced to watch him share a child with her sister. Even back then, before David's feelings for Regina were romantic, he'd been irritated by the thief's treatment of her. He hadn't been able to fathom how Robin simply gave up and moved on mere weeks after leaving Storybrooke. He remembered thinking, if it had been him and Snow in that situation, he would've been fighting just as hard to get back to her—certainly not taking someone else to bed.
Now that David had fallen for Regina, he understood the thief's lame choices even less and disliked him considerably more.
"What are you thinking about, Charming?" Regina asked, pulling him from his thoughts.
He tilted down to press a kiss to the top of her head and heard her hum, "How'd you know I was thinking?"
"Your body gets tense. You always carry your stress in your arms and shoulders. I can usually tell your mood from your body language alone," she replied, casually skimming her fingers along his forearms that remained wrapped around her torso.
"Someone's sure spent a lot of time checking me out," he goaded and gave her another squeeze.
"It's hardly checking you out to notice your Neanderthal behavior," she quipped back. "But you may want to relax, Dear. I suspect smoke may start coming from your ears next if you keep thinking so hard."
"Oh, a dumb Charming joke—how original," he mocked playfully and nuzzled his chin into the curve of her neck, grinning when she squirmed at his evening stubble tickling her. "You really need some new material."
"I like to think of that joke as a classic," Regina sighed with an amused tone and he knew she was smiling, even though her back was to him. "Truth-based humor is timeless, after all."
"God, you are such a little shit," David smirked and pushed her hair from her shoulders so he could press his lips to her neck.
Regina laughed out loud then and the sound made his stomach stir. "Having second thoughts, Charming?"
"Never," he chuckled into her skin as he began peppering kisses there.
"Really?" she asked and her voice was quieter, carrying no traces of her amusement from seconds ago.
He realized then what she was asking and that her anxiety was catching up with her. Life had taught her to expect the worst and she'd immediately assumed the shift in his mood meant something bad for her. It made him ache.
"Really," he said softly but surely and paused his kissing to rest his chin on her shoulder, "I was just thinking about the past...You deserve so much, Regina."
She exhaled a pent up breath and shook her head slowly, the back of her hair brushing against his chest with the movement, "I don't know how you of all people could ever say that and mean it in a good way."
"I'm serious," David murmured and resumed kissing at her neck when she tilted her head to the side. "You deserve to be treated well and told nice things. To be considered, doted on, appreciated, loved...and," he paused to slowly kiss the sensitive spot behind her earlobe, "...taken care of."
Regina's breath hitched at the kiss and the shift in his tone, down a few husky octaves, as his hands roamed from her abdomen to the tops of her thighs.
"And you feel up for the job?" She tried to sound light-hearted, but it came out breathy when his warm hand slipped under her pajama blouse and splayed over her stomach.
"Oh, you have no idea how thoroughly I plan to take care of you, Regina," he grumbled distractedly against her skin and felt her shiver, confirming that his attention to her neck was not in vain.
It was the quickest way to turn her on, he'd learned, and already had her trying to refrain from squirming now. He smiled to himself and ran his hand up further, cupping a breast to massage gently. Tugging the delicate string of her silky pajama top with his free hand, he exposed more olive skin and ducked to nibble at it.
"Is that so?" Regina tried to keep her voice steady but failed, feeling her belly tingling in anticipation at the direction things were headed.
"Mhm. As long as I have a say, you'll never want for anything," he mumbled as he trailed kisses down sloped shoulders and nipped at the toned muscle there.
"Mmmm," she let out a moan and curled her back, pushing her breast harder into his hand. "David…"
He heard the barely stifled plea in the way she said his name and smirked against her skin, brushing his thumb over the nipple until it pebbled hard. His other hand slipped under her silky top to happily pay her other breast the same attention and she gave another delicate moan.
"You need something, Regina?" He cooed, toying and tugging at her nipples with his fingers as he leaned forward, forcing her to sit up slightly straighter. She obliged eagerly, skin breaking out in goosebumps when he kissed a trail down her spine, between her shoulder blades and over each one.
"Bastard," she huffed under her breath but he heard the humor in it as her back bowed again, pressing her breasts firmer into his palms.
"Really? I thought we were past the name calling," he grinned as he made his way back up to the nape of her neck and slid one hand from her breast, skimming down her abdomen.
"S-smug bastard," Regina corrected with a breathy smirk and turned her head to the side briefly, showing a glimpse of her smile as her nails dug into his thighs where her hands rested.
"You're right. Making the Queen stutter turned me kind of smug, didn't it?" He teased and tilted his chin out so he could nibble gently on her earlobe, delighting in the mewl she gave.
It made him want to hear more, so he slid his hand further down her abdomen and over the silky pajama-clad apex of her thighs, cupping her firmly. She moaned, quiet and low in her throat, nothing compared to how vocal she normally was. Stubborn, he mused—but he was patient. He'd get her there.
David continued kissing and nipping over her neck and upper back as he started rubbing his hand over her pajamas in a slow, firm movement.
"We are outdoors, need I remind you?" Regina whispered, but made no effort to stop him.
"Under a private, covered balcony, behind curtains and fully clothed," he murmured near her ear as he brushed his lips over it.
"Mmmphh," she exhaled and her legs fell open wider at his reassurance, hips jerking up softly towards his hand.
David continued his ministrations on her breasts with one hand, going back and forth between the two as he massaged them, tweaking her hard peaks. She hissed when he gave one a firmer tug and her hips twitched again, causing his hand to press more firmly against her pajama bottoms. He groaned, feeling the hot dampness of her core seeping through the silky fabric under his fingers.
"David," she gritted his name again through a clenched jaw and squeezed his thighs impatiently, causing him to smile.
He decided to show her some mercy then, moving his fingers to find her swollen bud through the pajamas and began circling it firmly. She purred and gripped his thighs harder, palms digging in for leverage so she could lift her hips enough to rock with his stroking.
"Mmmm, Regina," he hummed and bit down on her neck before sucking firmly, knowing she was too far gone to chastise him. He smirked, envisioning the testy look she'd give him later when she berated him for the hickeys and he reminded her she could easily magic them away.
A desperate little whimper escaped her then, making his cock twitch where it pressed against her back and he groaned, realizing she was even more worked up than he originally thought. He circled his fingers more intently over her clit through the fabric and heard her breath hitch, a telltale sign he'd grown familiar with.
"Don't stop," she whispered and dug her nails into his thighs as her body strained and he answered with faster rubbing, keeping the circular rhythm he knew she preferred.
It only took a few more moments of stroking until Regina gasped and shuddered hard, thighs straining through her climax before she collapsed back against him.
"Who knew…" she mumbled breathlessly after a long silence.
"Knew what?" He teased, grinning to himself as he paused his circles and flattened his hand over her core again, using his palm to keep pressure there as she twitched through the aftershocks.
"That you'd be so good with your hands," she smirked and let her head loll back against his chest as her fingers relaxed and her hands rested gently on his thighs.
"I think you found that out pretty early on," he grinned.
"Shut up."
David laughed and began to massage the breast he still cupped in his hand, hearing her whimper. He moved his other hand up, dipping his fingers beneath the waistband of her pajama bottoms and sliding them down.
"Hmm," he smirked when he moved his fingers lower, feeling them separate the sticky fabric of her panties from her wet slit.
She hissed and her back curled, knees bending as her legs drew up and her thighs fell open wider. He took the opportunity, moving his own legs between hers and bending them at the knee, forcing hers legs to spread wider and drape over the outside of his thighs.
"God," she muttered and dug the back of her head into his chest when he began circling her hardened clit once more.
"So wet," he exhaled slowly, watching her body wind tight again in record time, still primed from her first orgasm.
Regina moaned urgently, pressing her hands flat against the chaise outside of his thighs to brace herself and rock her hips up. He hardened considerably at the choked noises she made while he tugged at her nipples and worked her clit relentlessly.
It took very little coaxing until he heard her breath hitch sharply and she stiffened again, straining and whimpering through another powerful orgasm.
"God, I could do this for hours," he groaned at how slick she was, pausing his circles when she hissed from overstimulation, "Especially once I get you home, in the privacy of your bed."
Regina gave a long, sated sigh and he grinned, deciding to end her brief respite by moving his fingers again, gentler this time. She whined and muttered something unintelligible, body curling towards his touch.
"I want you just like this, with your legs draped over my knees, so I can spread your thighs wide," he spoke quietly near her ear and slid his fingers down to probe at her entrance. "but you'll be completely naked. So I can watch you soak the sheets when I make you come over and over again."
"Fuck, Charming," Regina gasped incredulously, momentarily wondering how the man had ever been mistaken for a gentleman. He knew exactly what he was doing and it was torture. Pure, sweet, wonderful torture. Torture she was sure she could become addicted to.
"How does that sound...Hmm?" he taunted and pushed two fingers into her, knuckle-deep.
"Wh-what?" She stuttered, rendered entirely incapable of processing his words while he toyed with her. Her sensitive clit ached for friction and her walls clenched around his fingers, gripping and pulling desperately for more.
David chuckled quietly into her neck and sucked down on a sensitive spot, making her knees bend tighter over his thighs to curl her pelvis up, beckoning his fingers deeper. He answered her body's request and slowly slid the full length of his digits into her, curling them towards her inner wall as he started a gentle push and pull motion with his wrist.
He groaned to himself when he looked over her shoulders and watched her hips rocking towards his hand buried in her pajama shorts. It would be glorious to see when she was completely bare, but only being able to feel and hear his fingers pumping into her tight, dripping heat felt just as erotic.
"Yes, like that, don't stop," she rasped and undulated in time with him as he plunged deep, scraping his teeth over her skin.
"I am so hard for you right now," he murmured into her skin and moved the side of his thumb to stroke her clit, making her strain and grind harder in response.
Louder, throaty noises began to erupt from her and she whimpered his name in a plea for help, struggling to stay quiet so they wouldn't be overheard. He relished in the needy sounds but refused to let propriety distract her, moving his hand from her breast and clamping it over her mouth to muffle her cries.
Regina unraveled at that, clamping harshly around his digits and letting out a sharp cry into his palm. Her torso bowed rigidly away from his front and the back of her head pushed into his chest while she keened. She curled her fingers into the cushion beneath them as her hips faltered wildly out of rhythm and David buried his fingers firmly, pushing relentlessly. He groaned into her neck, his cock aching, when she bore down on and contracted around his fingers with a gushing climax that pushed him out of her entirely.
"Oh my god, Regina," he growled and raised his head to look over her shoulder once more, seeing she'd soaked clean through her pajama bottoms. "You came so hard," he rasped and inhaled a deep breath to collect himself as she slumped back against him, spent and trembling.
"I am going to take you to bed now," he said, tone gravelly with arousal, and watched her intently until she gave a nod of consent. He wasted no time then, scooping her up as he stood and carried her into her bed chamber in just a few long, urgent strides.
Regina's pleasure-hazed mind sharpened instantly when he threw her onto the bed, witnessing the raw need that had darkened his blue eyes. She used her feet and elbows to scramble further back on the mattress, sitting up just long enough to chuck her top over her head. His gaze bored into her as he stood at the edge, ridding himself of his own clothing, and her breath hitched when his stiff length sprung free from his boxers.
There were no traces of the gentle prince she knew as he raked her body with his eyes, his shoulders tense and jaw clenched in primal desire. Her heart thumped wildly in excitement when she shimmied her bottoms over her thighs and he jerked them from her grasp, pulling them down her legs impatiently. Well then.
"There's the shepherd," she barely finished taunting before he climbed down over her and hooked an arm under her waist, filling her to the hilt with one swift, deep thrust. She yelped and arched up to him, anchoring her thighs on hips and digging her nails into his well-muscled back, hearing his groan of approval.
"You're so hard," she moaned as he braced his free hand just above her head and slowly rocked his hips forward, working her open as she enveloped his girth.
His gaze locked with hers, watching her intently as he curled his hips and gradually lengthened each thrust. He was impressively hard and thick, leaving them both breathing raggedly by the time she'd adjusted. She stretched tightly around his cock, feeling so blissfully full of him. Her slick walls already wanted to spasm, sporadically twitching and gripping and relaxing around his shaft.
"Don't hold back now, Charming," she whined and squirmed underneath him at the promising, pressured heat flickering deep in her core, begging to be stoked.
Her stomach burned when he didn't even give his usual smug grin at her impatience, but instead pulled out halfway and rutted into her firmly with an expression of unharnessed lust. A deep groan rumbled from his chest and she hissed in approval, body writhing and pelvis tilting, welcoming him deeper. She clung to his back as they picked up a brutal pace, bucking against him frantically, pushing against his merciless thrusts.
"Fuck, yes, yes, yes!" she chanted in broken sobs, scratching at his shoulder blades as he pounded, hearing the sound of his thighs slapping against her ass. "Oh god, David, yes! Harder, fuck me, yes!"
"Goddamnit, Regina," he growled, almost accusingly, at how riled she was getting him by begging for more. He cursed under his breath in disbelief but granted her request gladly, gripping the edge of the mattress above her for leverage, driving into her harder and hearing her strangled wail of approval.
David held her torso flush against him with an arm locked under her, his forearm flush with her lower back and hand curling around her hip, digging his fingers in bruisingly to keep his hold of her through her bucking. She cried out breathlessly, clawing from his shoulders down to his ass, trying to keep up with him but losing control of their rhythm when her body began to twitch and falter.
"Y-es! D-david!" She sputtered and gripped his ass to pull him deeper, tilting her pelvis up and hiking her thighs higher at his sides. The movement spread her wider, opening her up and changing the angle so that his cock hit the heavy button of pleasure pulsing inside her. "I'm going to—I'm—I'm coming!" she cried suddenly and her body quaked.
David roared when she clamped violently around his cock, coming hard and wet, her body shaking and convulsing, "Fuck, yes, Regina, yes!" He hissed as he plunged himself to the root and his hips strained, emptying himself inside her with his own powerful release.
"Oh," she gasped at the tremors jolting from her core throughout her limbs. David collapsed onto his forearms over her, head falling to the side of hers. "Oh god," she moaned softly at the overwhelming high as euphoria bubbled up in her chest and a laugh escaped her.
"David will do," he grunted breathlessly, his forehead resting in the curve of her neck. "Or Charming."
"That was all shepherd," she purred, grinning wickedly as she ran soothing fingers over the raised scratch marks on his back. "I'm not convinced you aren't still trying to kill me. There was nothing refined about that."
"Complaining?" He teased and lifted his head to look down at her.
"Hardly," she smirked, eyeing his arms as she ran her palms up them slowly, "More impressed that you've been holding that in to play such a respectable prince all of these years. I always knew you had it in you."
"Hmm," he hummed and his lips curled, eyes twinkling with amusement and adoration.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone the dashing Prince is no gentleman."
"And I won't tell anyone the respectable Queen begs for it. Deal?"
Regina's lips parted in mock offense, tracing fingers over his jaw as she laughed, "Deal."
"Well, well, well," Regina's dark counterpart wore a shit-eating grin when Regina looked up to see her and Zelena standing in the doorway of her mayoral office. "Look who's back."
"And looking radiant as ever," Zelena's lilted voice was especially suspicious as the pair prowled towards the desk, eyeing Regina up with mischievous expressions.
"Really, Regina. Did you do something to your hair? It's so...shiny," Queenie raised her eyebrows curiously and tapped a finger on her chin, glancing at Zelena, "I can't quite place it, but something is different about her."
"You're right, sis," Zelena took on the same look of concentration and squinted at Regina, "New skincare routine, maybe?"
Regina rolled her eyes and dropped her pen on the desk, leaning back in her chair with a halfhearted glare as she braced herself for the obnoxious interrogation. "Yes, actually. It's called minding your own business."
"Not familiar with that one," Zelena said and glanced at Queenie questioningly.
"Never heard of it," Queenie shrugged and their gazes fixed back on Regina, "Must be good. She's glowing."
"Yeah. Almost like she's spent weeks in foreign lands getting shagged good and proper," Zelena smiled wickedly. "I have to say, I'm getting some very Eat Pray Love vibes here," she made a motion towards Regina.
Regina sighed and tried not to laugh at the two clowns. She knew they would continue prodding until they got the details they searched for, but she intended to stall for as long as she could. When they learned how to broach adult conversations, then she'd give them one.
"I see the two of you have continued movie nights without me."
Zelena and Queenie snapped their heads to share a look of sheer delight when Regina didn't vehemently deny being well-sexed after her trip.
"Tell us everything," Queenie demanded and sat down in the chair opposite her desk.
Zelena followed suit, plopping down in the chair next to her, "Well, I'm fine with her sparing some details," the redhead scrunched up her nose.
"Not me," the forest Queen shook her head, "Please, spare me the judgmental looks. I've been curious about Charming's skills for decades now. I deserve closure."
"Ugh, fine. Guess I've survived worse," Zelena rolled her eyes and looked to Regina who watched them unamused.
"Spill it," the wicked witch nodded and both women perched on their chairs, waiting impatiently.
"Spill what?" Regina shrugged her shoulders and feigned the same cluelessness they faked when they'd entered her office.
"Don't be cheeky," Zelena groaned loudly, tilting her head back in frustration.
"Really, Regina. It's not cute," Queenie sighed.
"And to think we saved watching the new Maleficent film for her—only to be treated like this," Zelena glanced at her partner in crime, acting persecuted.
"You're both children. You know that?" Regina couldn't help but chuckle softly at their playful petulance.
"Possibly...So, when did you get back?" Queenie asked, shifting the conversation.
Regina caught the calculated look in her eyes, despite the casual expression. "This morning."
"And you're already here, working?" Zelena scoffed.
"All of the kids are in school and most of the adults have jobs," Regina rolled her eyes, "Besides, I have a lot to do finalizing the agreements between realms and action plans to put policies in place."
"Snooze," Zelena faked a yawn.
"Have you seen anyone yet?" Queenie shrugged.
"Henry brought Lucy for lunch during her school lunch break."
"What about little Neal? I bet David was excited to see him," Queenie asked.
Regina smiled warmly before she could help it and nodded, "David is picking him up early from school so they can spend the afternoon together before the welcome home dinner Granny's hosting."
"Should we expect any big announcements tonight?" Zelena interjected.
"None that I can think of."
"Too bad Granny doesn't serve fairy wine," Queenie said pointedly, lips curling into a devious smirk, "That always gets us talking. Doesn't it, Regina?"
"You've talked with Tink?" Regina's mouth dropped and she stared, "She told you?! That meddling, good for nothing fairy—when will she learn her lesson?!"
"I heard it was quite the night," Queenie goaded.
"What David and I do in private is no one's concern. It's especially not for some fairy to be gossiping about," Regina snapped, irritated at the thought of Tink betraying her trust.
Queenie and Zelena's expressions suddenly turned into that of a child's on Christmas morning and they burst into laughter.
"Oh, you find it funny to discuss my private life behind my back?" Regina barked incredulously.
"Genius," Zelena complimented Queenie under her breath with a satisfied smirk.
"What?" Regina snarled.
"All Tink told me was that the two of you had a great night imbibing and catching up during your visit," Queenie grinned like the Cheshire Cat, "But what's this that you and David were doing in private?"
Regina realized then what the calculated look in her counterpart's eyes had been and let out a half-laugh, half-growl of frustration. Distract from the subject, make people more at ease, and then coax them into accidentally divulging what you want to know. It was a classic manipulation tactic she'd used as the Evil Queen and she felt like an idiot for playing into Queenie's use of their own strategy.
"Sounds like Tink got quite a show," Zelena practically levitated from her seat with interest, "Did she walk in on you two in your chambers?"
Regina felt heat creep up her neck and exhaled loudly, giving up on trying to stall them any further. It wasn't that she didn't trust them, but the aspect of everyone knowing was intimidating and she didn't know if she was prepared for all of the questions. And god knows her counterpart and sister would have plenty.
"It wasn't...my chamber," she rolled her eyes and looked at her desk, fidgeting with straightening her pen parallel to her file folders.
"David's then?" Queenie tilted her head curiously.
"No," Regina sighed, stifling a smile at their collective gasp and looking up to see them grinning wildly. "It was...the downstairs hall, in an empty room, I think—I don't know exactly.."
"Let me get this straight—you let the shepherd shag you in random rooms of someone else's home, like shameless commoners?!" Zelena lectured judgmentally before her mouth spread into a chuffed grin, "I have never been more proud to call you my sister."
Queenie snorted and Regina laughed.
"Really, I'm getting a bit misty," Zelena waved her hand at her eyes to fan away fake tears.
"Idiot," Regina muttered in good humor.
"Now, will you fill us in and quit wasting our time? I have a baby to feed in-" Queenie arched a brow at the clock and gently prodded at one of her breasts with a grimace, "-one hour."
"Ugh," Zelena puffed out her cheeks as she sized up Queenie's chest. "That's nothing. I had absolute udders after I had Robin," the redhead turned back to Regina then with an angelic smile, "Right—go on, sis,"
"Classy," Regina shook her head at the two of them, "How am I the only one of us that ended up with any decorum?"
"Oh, please, don't let our vulgarity distract you from telling us how the shepherd plundered you all over the realms," Queenie replied dryly and Zelena gave an amused huff.
"I can't stand either one of you," Regina gritted and smirked, feeling herself loosen up a bit. They meant well and she knew she could trust the pair fully. It just wasn't something she voiced out loud to them, lest their heads get too big. They were already obnoxious and meddlesome enough.
"As Tink mentioned, fairy wine was involved," Regina defended herself and leaned back in her chair.
"We've had some good times on fairy wine," Queenie grinned salaciously before seeing Zelena's raised eyebrow, "Think red wine horny, but with a dash of magic."
"Ahhh," Zelena nodded in comprehension and smirked at Regina. "Did you stumble into the wrong room, you trollop?"
"Well, sort of," Regina hesitated at how undignified a confession she was about to make, "I went looking for David and found him in the stairwell, and...lets just say, I wasn't patient enough to make it to either one of our rooms."
Her sister and counterpart snorted loudly in amusement and giggled, eyes sparkling giddily.
"How did Tink find you?" Zelena pleaded for details.
"Well, I thought I'd enacted a silencing spell, but I was...distracted."
"Dick-stracted, you mean?" Queenie jumped in and Zelena chortled.
"Hilarious," Regina deadpanned and swallowed a laugh.
It surprised her to find she kind of enjoyed dishing about her romantic escapade. She'd never really had stories of adventurous romps, or the friends to laugh over those stories with. The closest she'd gotten to girl talk was Snow's enthusiastic support of her sleeping with a married man. But unlike that situation, David was available and there was no shame in what they'd done. It felt oddly nice to share and, for the first time, she began to understand this aspect of friendship.
"So Tink heard you screaming the house down?" Zelena mused.
"You were that loud?" Queenie's eyes widened at Regina's nod, "He must be good."
"Tink thought we were one of the fairy's," Regina laughed, "She walked in already lecturing and didn't notice us until she stepped on a piece of discarded clothing."
The pair guffawed at that and Regina found herself grinning at their reactions.
"I wish I could've seen the look on poor Tink's face," Queenie snickered, "She's such an innocent. I bet she was mortified!"
"Tink, innocent? I'm not buying it," Zelena snorted, "Trust me, faeries are freaks."
Queenie arched an eyebrow curiously at Zelena, "We'll revisit that later," she joked and looked back at Regina, "I wanna know more. Was that the first time you two had sex on the trip? Or did you get your head out of your ass sooner?"
"Do you want to hear this or not?" Regina asked testily and watched Zelena slap Queenie's arm in warning not to ruin it for them.
"I think what your dear counterpart meant to ask is when did you stop holding back with the shepherd?" Zelena asked sweetly.
"Well...we made a truce early on in the trip, to try to get along and be...friends," Regina nodded, diverting her gaze as she thought back on it, "And we did just that until DunBroch. There was an incident with some clansmen who were upset that I was there and David, like an idiot, put himself between me and their swords."
"Always the heroic prince," Queenie mused.
"Mhm," Regina hummed in agreement, "I was able to heal him, but it drained me and I passed out before I could really verify he was alive and well. When I woke, I had flashbacks of Daniel and Robin in Camelot, and began to panic. Worrying maybe I hadn't brought him back, or that he may not be fully himself—like Daniel," she frowned and cleared her throat, "It was...upsetting, to say the least. I realized how foolish I'd been to hold back out of fear. I already had feelings for him and I couldn't deny them any longer. So, when I found him and he was alright, I just...caved. I told him I wanted to try."
"Bloody hell—I don't know if I need popcorn or tissues for this," Zelena exclaimed.
"David was receptive to the idea, I take it?" Queenie smiled hopefully at Regina and she nodded. "So are you officially dating?"
"Yes…" Regina said and bit on her bottom lip to keep her smile from looking too giddy, "But we want to speak with our kids first, before anything goes public. So keep it to yourselves until we can make sure the family is okay with it," she warned firmly.
"Oh yeah, we wouldn't want the poor, unsuspecting family to be blindsided by this," Queenie snickered again.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Regina frowned.
"You and Charming have been about as subtle as two bulls in a China shop," Zelena cracked.
"Well, of course the two of you know— I told you. And David spoke with Emma, but that was before we were truly seeing one another," she shrugged and her brows furrowed, "I still need to speak with Henry and Lucy, and young Henry, and David needs to explain it to Neal. Not to mention how everyone else might react."
"Oh, Regina," Queenie laughed and shook her head, "You really have been caught up in all of this, haven't you?"
"What?" She glanced between the two of them, brow creasing.
"You didn't stop to think of what a coincidence it was that Robin pitched her little forest project and suggested David assist you?" Zelena smirked.
"Robin—?" Regina's mouth dropped. She'd been had.
"Yep," Zelena said proudly. "And she thought of that all on her own. Well, her and Alice. They noticed you and David making googly eyes and decided you needed a nudge."
"And we weren't even aware of the girls' plan until we recruited them for Operation Jungle Boy," Queenie added.
"Operation Jungle b..." Regina mumbled in confusion before it clicked and her eyes flashed dangerously, "John?! John was in on this?!"
Zelena threw her hands up, as if expecting to dodge a fireball, "No! Not technically. Alice and Killian simply mentioned you to John when he came in for the wedding festivities, but that was it. John pursued you on his own when he saw you at the Rabbit Hole."
"Which worked perfectly, since it made Charming insanely jealous," Queenie added smugly.
"Who else knows?" Regina gritted out and crossed her arms in a huff.
"Uh, lets see—Robin, Alice, you said Emma and I'm guessing she told Hook, Killian, OG Henry," Zelena held up a finger for each person before pausing, "and anyone else with eyes and half a brain cell."
Regina shook her head in disbelief, "I specifically told the two of you no meddling."
"That's never been my style," Queenie smarted, "You should know that."
Zelena shrugged when Regina looked to her next, "Me? I'm just a nosy bitch."
"Unbelievable," Regina muttered with a disapproving look at both of them.
"Is it really, though?" Zelena asked cheekily.
"So I want to see my counterpart happy—big deal! Take me to the guillotines, why don't you," Queenie muttered dramatically as she stood, but Regina saw the humor and warmth in her eyes.
Her counterpart was happy for her, and so was her idiot sister.
"This is where being good gets you," Zelena took the stage with her own exaggerated sigh.
"Please, like either of you would know anything about that," Regina replied snidely, watching Zelena stand.
"Come on, Zelena. She's taken up with a Charming now," Queenie narrowed her eyes playfully, "Too good for the likes of us."
"I think we're quite lovely," Zelena tilted her chin up.
"Off with you," Regina waved at them, refusing to laugh at their theatrical displays. The conniving little shits didn't deserve to be let off the hook that easily.
"You hear that? Dismissed by the supreme ruler herself," Queenie cracked to Zelena before they fixed Regina with satisfied grins and disappeared in puffs of purple and green smoke.