Based on this Tumblr prompt: "Regina holds a ceremony to welcome back the US athletes from the Olympic games... maybe a splash of jealous husband?"


Regina's childhood dream was to be a swimmer.

The moment she'd learned how to swim in school, she was obsessed. She'd watch competitions sitting in her living room, wearing nothing but her bathing suit and cheering on her favorites with her father. She couldn't have been more than five or six years old, but she remembers it so vividly. How mesmerized she'd be by the way they moved on the water, by the speed and the thrill of the race.

Her mother, of course, had not shared her wishes. She'd said if Regina wanted to get into sports, she'd have to choose something better. Something expensive and equestrian, and for a while Regina was excited about that, too. She'd always loved horses, enjoyed her riding lessons as she grew up, but it wasn't what she wanted most.

She supposes it all worked out for the best, considering her current job, her current life. She doubts she would've had Robin and Roland in her life had she chosen to go the competitive swimming route.

Nevertheless, she lingers by a TV whenever she catches one of the races during the Olympics. Watches as her country's representatives take the gold and cheers along with the staff, who all smile in amusement at her giddy display.

Robin says that he finds it adorable, bops the tip of her nose with his finger and kisses her when she excitedly tells him about her favorite female swimmer shattering the world record. He even joins her for a few laps in the White House pools whenever she feels the itch.

But when he catches her and Ruby ogling the swimmers on TV and commenting on their physique, Robin's excitement dwindles. Regina worries she may have offended him, but Ruby quickly shuts down her nervous train of thought, throwing one of those comments that have made her a trusted friend, rather than an employee.

"All due respect, ma'am, you're married, not blind."

Regina chuckles at her candor, and when she next sees Robin, he seems himself again, so she doesn't really think much of his deflated Olympic mood.

And then the day arrives where she's to welcome the athletes home, and her husband's sour disposition makes a reappearance.

There's a special luncheon at the White House, where she will dedicate her afternoon to Team USA and congratulate them on their prowess. There will be press, and pictures, and Elsa makes sure everything is set in perfect order with every reporter allowed inside, while Ingrid sees to every detail of Regina's schedule for the day.

Everything goes according to plan, except Robin is acting strange. He doesn't seem angry, exactly, more like... dejected somehow. Regina tries to get him to engage, introduces him fondly to the gymnastics team, and he's perfectly polite and pleasant, but ends his socializing as quickly as possible and then retires to a corner, talks to the Secret Service agents posted by the doors.

She's a bit confused by his demeanor, and then the male swimming team is introduced to her, and she notices how intently he's watching her, how he scowls when one of the young men in the group shakes her hand a little longer than usual.

"Congratulations," she tells them all, "you've made your country proud."

"I would hope we've made you proud as well, President Mills?" the same swimmer asks, smiling as he walks up to her.

"Yes, of course," she says with a laugh, "I'm very proud of all of you."

Throughout the afternoon, that same young man keeps trying to talk to her, to keep her attention. Regina is flattered and highly amused by the way he looks at her, as if in awe of her, but then she notices Robin is watching the same interactions. He doesn't seem to find them quite as funny as she does.

She's halfway across the room, walking toward him, when that same swimmer is suddenly standing in her path.

"So, your assistant tells me swimming is your favorite sport. What style do you prefer?" he asks, and Regina sighs, gives priority to her presidential duties and answers the question.

"Butterfly, probably, even though I can't swim like that," she says good-naturedly, smiles at him politely.

"Oh, I could totally teach you sometime!" the young man says eagerly, "I'm sure you'd learn fast."

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that," she tries to deflect, but he shakes his head before she's even done talking.

"I bet you're a talented swimmer, I could definitely give you some tips, teach you butterfly..." he keeps talking, and Regina can't help but notice just how handsome he is. If she remembers correctly from the bio sheets she read before entering the event, he's twenty-four years old, born somewhere in Wisconsin (or was it Montana? New York?). His hair is dark brown, eyes green and alight with wonder. During the broadcasts of the races, Ruby had commented that he had the looks of a Disney prince, and looking at him now, Regina can't help but agree. Chiseled chin and strong jawline, perfectly defined cheekbones and nose, a body she knows is to die for, even though he's wearing a jacket at the moment.

It seems, however, that he thinks she is the hot one in the room, his smile mischievous as he suggests swimming lessons again, promises to teach her all the proper techniques. She's once again flattered by the attention, but still has to resist the urge to guffaw at his too-obvious advances. She shouldn't find it so funny, should really be scolding him for hitting on a married woman, a married president, but he's a kid, and he's cute, and it's harmless, so she merely gives him a polite laugh, tells him she'll think about it, and excuses herself.

When she finally continues on her way to Robin's corner, she notices he is no longer there.

"Ingrid, where's Mr. Locksley?" she asks her assistant, who gives her a somewhat enigmatic smile as she answers.

"He went for a walk in the Rose Garden. He said he needed some air."

"Of course he did," Regina mutters, sighing before excusing herself and going off to find her husband.

He's standing in the garden with his back to her, arms crossed and face turned upwards, catching the sunshine with his eyes closed. His hair looks golden in the light, the color of his skin warms up, and there's this air of peace about him that makes her smile tenderly.

She sighs as she walks toward him, and the click of her heels on the marble steps alerts him to her presence.

"Hey, shouldn't you be inside?" he asks curiously.

"You're right. I should be," she tells him, but doesn't move, still poised on the bottom step while Robin walks to her. "But I was told my husband needed some air and left the event."

Robin sighs then, shakes his head at her. "It's nothing, don't worry. You should go back."

"Robin, are you jealous?" she asks point-blank. Because there is no time to dawdle here.

"Look, I know it's ridiculous, okay? That's why I left. I know he's harmless, and I trust you, and feeling like this is stupid."

"And yet you still do."

"Because I'm an idiot, and I am head over heels in love with you, and I can't help it. You find him attractive, I know you do, and it shouldn't bother me, but it does."

Regina has heard countless times how angry her friends get any time their husbands or boyfriends display this kind of jealousy, has always listened to them whine about it and show their annoyance. But now that it's happening to her, she's just... amused.

She smiles softly, walks the rest of the distance between them and gently runs her hands up his chest and around his neck, holding there as she leans in close.

"Oh, I think he's very attractive," she admits, because they made a pact long ago to never keep things from each other, and they've both held their end of it ever since. "I mean, he's handsome, an Olympic gold medalist, and he's sweet, funny even..." she trails off, her lips finding his neck and landing a kiss there, then grinning into his skin when he swallows, reacting to her.

"But..." she says as she stops her attentions and looks up into his eyes, "...he's no Robin Locksley."

She winks at him then, bites her lower lip as she waits for his reply. To her relief, Robin lets out a quiet laugh, loops his arms around her waist and presses her closer to him, lips falling into hers in a soft, sensual kiss Regina feels all the way down to her toes.

"Mmm," he says as he pulls back, still smiling as he lifts his chin to place a sweet kiss on her brow.

"What do you say we blow off the whole reception," she asks, kissing the pad of his thumb when it rises to run over her lower lip, "and just go up to the residence?"

"As much as I would like that," Robin whispers, "it wouldn't be right. And Elsa would kill us."

Regina sighs defeatedly, nods into the scant space between them, her nose brushing his with the movement.

"You're right," she finally admits. "Are we okay?" she asks him then, because she will not leave his embrace until she's one hundred percent sure she has shattered this bout of self-doubt that seems to be plaguing him.

"More than okay," he replies, making her smile just before he kisses her again. "Sorry I was being a arse."

"You weren't," she assures him with a laugh, "just a bit grumpy."

"I love you," is all he says in return, and Regina doesn't think she'll ever get used to this, to the tingly fluttering she feels in her chest, the little giddy somersaults her stomach does when he says those words.

"I love you," she echoes. "Only you."

Robin smiles, places one last kiss on her lips, and follows her back inside.