Prompts: First date + first official public event together + midnight walk

Also, a reminder: I don't take prompts here on FFn or any of my social media except for Tumblr, so if there's anything you'd like written for this verse or any other, you're more than welcome to leave the prompt there. My username is on my profile, and I have anon on, so you don't need to have a Tumblr to leave a prompt. Thanks!

As it stands now, for this AU I have one big prompt and about a half dozen little ones left to do, so you won't run out of MP content just yet.

However, I will be posting the MP epilogue very soon, so keep an eye out!

And now, have some fluff =)


It's tradition for the president to celebrate the 4th of July by paying tribute to the United States Armed Forces and war veterans. This year, that celebration involves hosting military heroes and their families for a day of barbecuing, music, and a stunning view of the National Mall's fireworks display from the South Lawn.

Regina is nervous the entire week leading up to it, because aside from all the fanfare, this is also the first live, publicly televised event she and Robin will take part in since the shooting.

Elsa is supportive, insists she knows she's ready for this, that there's nothing to it, just a short speech right before the concert starts (they're bringing a bunch of country legends to perform for the guests, a special treat David helped procure), but her words fall on deaf ears, Regina's nerves closing in as the day approaches.

Because what the Press Secretary fails to understand, is that this is not about the shooting, it's about Robin.

This will mark their first official public event as a couple, a very symbolic moment when you've been hiding your relationship for two years, and while Elsa has insisted that the public approves of them, (adores them, is the term she'd used earlier that morning, not that it helped lessen Regina's trepidation), the thought of showing themselves to everyone after sneaking around for so long is a foreign one, and it's bothering her.

"You alright?" Robin asks from behind her, just as they're about to leave the room and head downstairs.

"I... don't know," she answers truthfully, and as always, he can tell exactly what's bothering her, does his best to make it better.

"It does feel a bit strange, doesn't it? To be out in the open like this."

"A little."

"If you'd rather I stay, I don't min—"

"No! No," Regina interrupts, because as nerve-wrecking as this will be, she'd rather face it than go back to keeping her love for him in the shadows. "I want you there. It'll be like a date! Our first official date out in public."

"Are you sure you're ready for that? I really don't mind waiting," he insists. Wonderful, stubborn man.

"I'm sure. I love you, and I meant what I said, no more hiding."

Besides, she reminds herself, she has nothing to be ashamed of.

They stroll out to the South Lawn with Roland skipping ahead, his hand firmly grasped in Ashley's as they head to one of the many barbecue stations set up all around the lawn.

Robin tugs on her hand, makes her look up at him, at his smile, and her nerves settle somewhat.

She's expecting people to talk, to make remarks about their being together, to ask annoying questions, but is greeted instead with well wishes and comments on how much of a relief it is to see her fully recovered. It eases her anxiety to see soldiers and citizens engage in conversation with Robin, asking him about England, about his work there, some kind, elderly women even ask about Roland and request that the boy give them a tour of the space, prompting Regina to smile as she watches him join them, the boy scampering off happily as he points to the different things he likes about the place.


"Madam President?" Tuck interrupts shyly a half hour later, just as Elsa is introducing her to a few veterans, "Mr. Locksley is asking for you."

"Ah, is loverboy jealous you're spending time with us handsome devils?" one of the older men asks her, his voice gruff and cheerful, the comment meant as a joke, a welcome one.

Regina giggles, shakes her head, "Are you trying to make my boyfriend jealous, Mr. Darling?" she retorts, and it's the first time she's called Robin her boyfriend in public. It feels... nice. Natural.

"Of course I am, and he should be! I'm about to steal you away," the man presses on, offering his hand and asking her for a dance, much to the amusement of his peers, who all shake their heads and laugh as they wait for her answer. Regina turns her head to Tuck.

"Tell Mr. Locksley I'm being romanced by a war hero, I'll be there later," she jokes, and the Chief Usher grins at her, nods his head in acquiescence, and then he and Elsa walk back to the other side, where she can see Robin talking to some of the children that have come celebrate with their parents.

Regina dances with the man as his friends watch, smiles as he clumsily twirls her around and sways their joint hands back and forth to the rhythm of the oldies being played in the background. In one of their many turns, she's swapped from one pair of arms to another, and suddenly it's Robin who holds her, the movements becoming more fluid as the song slows and his easy steps take over.

"That's cheating, son," she hears Mr. Darling say just behind her, and Robin chuckles, takes his eyes away from hers to look at the older man.

"You, good sir, were attempting to take something very precious from me. Wars have been waged for less."

The man laughs, tells him Well played, and Robin then looks back at Regina with that boyish smile of his, the one where he bites the tip of his tongue as he grins toothily at her, and it melts her, has her lifting her head from its perch on his chest to kiss him chastely on the lips, forgetting their audience until the group of elderly men start catcalling and woohooing their enthusiasm, making her blush as she sinks her face into Robin's shirt.

"Look at you two adorable lovebirds," Mr. Darling's wife says as she joins their little soiree. She's sweet in her words, smiles as she greets them and chastises her husband for messing around with the president, to which Regina merely shakes her head and grins, telling her it's fine, that she had a fun time, then watching as they go in search of food, leaving her and Robin with a rare moment to themselves amidst the bustling about of guests and staff.

The press is situated by the very entrance of the lawn, with some cameramen near the stage, setting up for when the concert starts, so they're somewhat alone, secluded by the trimmed trees that line the far-edge behind which they're standing, and Robin wastes no time in using this to his advantage, wraps his arms around her waist and kisses her cheek, making her squirm a bit.

"Someone could see," she tells him as he moves to kiss her neck.

"So?" he asks against her skin, and she asks herself that very same question then, realizing she's uttered her warning not because she's nervous they'll get caught, but because she's used to it.

"Sorry. Force of habit," she apologizes, smiling and letting her own hands travel up the length of his arms, until they're looped around his neck as he leans closer and dots a kiss on the tip of her nose.

Everyone is in front of the stage at seven sharp, ushered there by Tuck and Elsa, who then announces that the presidential speech is about to begin. Regina steels herself for it, swallows nervously as flashbacks of the last time she stood on a stage before a large crowd invade her mind, but Robin is there, holding her hand, breathing reassurances in her ear before he leaves her to it, stands to the side of the stage with Roland and offers her a supportive smile just before she begins to speak.

She opens with a short statement about the independence of the United States, then thanks all the soldiers and veterans for their service, tells them how admirable their endeavors are, because they've kept their country safe, at great risk to themselves, and publicly acknowledging that is the least she can do. They clap, smile, and then she closes by thanking their families for providing the love and support that their heroes need, her last few sentences ringing loud and clear among the people gathered below.

"My job is insignificant next to everything you've done, everything you continue to do, and I thank your families, your mothers and fathers, wives and husbands, sons and daughters, I thank your friends, and everyone else who's ever had an inspiring role in your life, everyone who has ever given you something to fight for..."

At that, she turns, stretches out her hand and waits for Robin to move closer and take it. When he does, looking a bit stunned at her little display of PDA, she squeezes, drags him closer, keeping that hand of his in hers as she turns back to the mic and wraps up her speech, Roland now standing between her and his father, his tiny body pressed nervously against her leg as he looks on at the crowd.

"Freedom, and hope, and love. That's what I want us to celebrate today, it's who we are as a nation, and it's all because of you. Thank you."

They clap, cheer, and aww at the image of her and Robin holding hands as the lights dim and they leave the stage, with Roland walking slowly in front of them as the first country star in the lineup begins to sing.

The show is fantastic, and everyone seems to have a good time, fireworks erupting at the very end, illuminating the space in whites and blues and reds, their light bathing the crowd. People marvel at the display, children gasping and pointing out their favorites, hyped up on candy and sodas as they sit on the shoulders of their parents. It's beautiful, a true family day, filled with laughter and that wonderful feeling of togetherness, of home. Regina couldn't ask for a better night.

Her favorite part though, is after everyone is gone and the lights have been turned off, when Roland has been put to bed with an exhausted smile and a kiss, and she and Robin are standing at his door, watching him sleep peacefully in his bed.

Robin's hands find hers, bring her knuckles to his lips, and she smiles as he murmurs, "I've an idea."

"Do you?"

"Well," he says as he lets go of her hands and brings her closer, arms wrapping around her waist as hers do the same, his breath deep as he continues, "the cleaning crew's just left, it's a beautiful night, we have the South Lawn to ourselves..."

"And?"

"And I was thinking... perhaps I could take you for a walk in the moonlight?"

She smiles cheekily, looks at him, squeezing him tighter for a moment.

"Perhaps," she answers, still smiling as she lets him lead her away, down the stairs and out into the yard, where the glow of the stars is dulled by the moon, big and bright against the near-black backdrop of the sky above them.

Her shoes are off, held securely in Robin's free hand, and the grass is warm and soft under her bare feet, his other arm wrapped around her shoulders as they walk, her own arm around his waist and her hair flying everywhere when the wind hits it. It's longer now than she's ever had it before (haircut appointments weren't that important during the whole recovering-from-near-death thing, apparently), but she likes the length, likes the way Robin can't resist the urge to run his fingers through it, playing with the dark tresses even now, as they move around the lawn in companionable silence.

"It's beautiful out here," she whispers after a few minutes, pausing in her strides to look around at the moonlit gardens.

"Beautiful," Robin agrees, but he's not looking at their surroundings, he's looking at her, and the pure love in his tone as he says the word brings tears to her eyes. Regina moves to stand in front of him, her arms loose around his stomach as both his hands cradle her face, her shoes now left forgotten on the grass.

"Were you okay today? I know we got separated for a while, but..."

"I was great. Quite a hit with the older ladies, if I do say so myself," he answers, making her exhale a laugh, her eyes closing when he leans in to brush their noses together.

"I'm glad."

"You're glad a bunch of elderly women were flirting with me?" he jokes, making her laugh again.

"I'm glad it didn't feel awkward for you," she amends, kissing the tip of his nose, eyes closing again as he nuzzles her neck.

"Was it awkward for you?"

"I thought it would be, but... no. When Mr. Darling kept saying he was going to steal me from you, it felt like the most normal thing in the world, like people had always known. Turns out I was nervous over nothing."

"Good," Robin says with a smile, ducking his head down to kiss her, but Regina stops him, raises a skeptical eyebrow at him.

"You think it's good that a sweet old man was hitting on me?" she claps back at his earlier quip, and he laughs, presses himself closer to her.

"If it made you feel more at ease with all this? Yes."

"It did," she assures him, and then closes the gap for that kiss she'd interrupted, her lips lingering on his as they breathe each other in.

It's nearing midnight when they finally make their way back to the house, pausing every few steps to kiss and touch, the late breeze cooling the warmth of the summer evening.

Their room is an iceberg when they finally get there, thanks to Robin's constant need to blast the A/C (a habit Roland's starting to pick up as well, she's noticed), but Regina can't really fault him for it, loves that she can cuddle up to him even on the hottest of summer nights, and she does just that when they finally climb into bed, resting her head on his bare chest as his arm wraps around her shoulders.

"Good night, my love," he whispers against her forehead, landing a kiss there.

"Mmm, good night," she mumbles drowsily, and falls asleep to the rhythm of his heartbeat, content to be here, in his arms, where she's safe, and loved, and happy.