A/N: Well, this is me being a responsible undergrad and choosing to update a fic instead of finishing my assignments. Priorities people! But alas, I did want to post this before things got really stressful at uni, I mean, it only started a week ago and I'm already overwhelmed with assignments and presentations (wtf!) Also this chapter is considerably shorter to what I usually post but there is a reason and that reason is 1) I think of stories as two parters and well for me this chapter is kind of like an introductory chapter to the second part of the fic (this is all in my head, people), and 2) I wanted to give you guys something because it's been three months since my last update (sorry!)

I had other scenes written down that I'd planned to put in here, but I much prefer having them on the next chapter.

Once again, thank you for all the reviews, follows and favorites! Hope you beautiful people enjoy this one!

This one's for Tiffany, who knew I wouldn't post this chapter before her birthday (that was a month ago) even though I told her I would :) (That girl knows me better than I know myself)

All mistakes are mine (and I'm absolutely sure there are tons!)

Enjoy!


|Chapter 8: Awareness|

It starts with a flicker in her heart.

An upbeat whenever his touch grazes her skin, whenever his lips ghost over her, raising goosebumps on their wake. It starts by that, a mere flip of her heart that has nothing to do with the arousal she is experiencing, nor with the quick flickers of his thumb across her clit.

Regina had blamed it on the wine and the whole cheerfulness that came from celebrating her best friend's birthday amongst three dozens of family members well into the night. But soon the wine had left her, had been replaced with his ghosting fingertips, ghosting kisses and she soon found herself wondering, just wondering if her feelings for Robin had grown deeper, bigger, different than what she had anticipated.

Sure, she'd had a freakout a few months ago, when he suggested they should get married, but now, weeks after she accepted said proposal, admitting that it was in fact a good idea, she's wondering just how great a life next to him will actually be. How wonderful he makes her feel by just being right next to her.

How she is undoubtedly falling in love with her best friend.

"Hmmm, you're drifting," Robin whispers, his nose rubbing against her center in the most delicious of ways, nuzzling there, dropping a small kiss to her inner thighs before he meets her gaze.

Regina simply shakes her head and swallows hard.

"I'm just afraid your mother might walk in on us."

And they should be, she thinks, they should be afraid of Rose walking into his room expecting only Regina to be there, after all, his mother had already prepared the couch of the den for him.

"It may be your birthday, but Regina's our guest of honor here so, she gets to have your room, no buts!" The blonde woman had said once Robin and Regina arrived, excited at the prospect of getting to spend more time with, not only her son, but one of her favorite gals too.

Truth is that ever since Rose met Regina a few years ago, she'd been entranced by her, both women bonding over their love for concocting the most delicious of pastries. Content to just share recipes with one another and create new ones. So obviously Rose had been more than excited of having Regina stay for a weekend, after all they barely saw each other, but have always managed to keep in touch.

"I locked the door and it's nearly four in the morning," Robin interrupts her thoughts, "I'm pretty sure she's on her fifth dream by now." He winks as he crawls up her body, smiling devilishly at the way she swallows hard, her eyes holding a glint of excitement as he settles on top of her, his hardness pressing against her dripping center.

Robin just stares at her and caresses her cheek, lowers his head to capture her lips in a soft kiss.

Regina's aware of how this is verging on love-making. She's aware of how his tender gaze travels the length of her body, how his right hand keeps moving south and south, a loving expression on his face the moment his middle finger probes her warmth, his lips finding hers again as he starts a teasing flickers around her entrance. Tracing it with his finger tips, pushing teasingly his index finger into her and moaning against her mouth at how warm, slick and simply perfect she is.

"Stop thinking," Robin murmurs against her lips after a second before pulling his index finger from her depths and breaking the kiss.

Regina's about to protest, tell him that she's in fact not thinking but he's arching an eyebrow in challenge before his hand wraps around his shaft, rubbing the head teasingly against her entrance. Up and down, up and down and he just sighs at how incredibly amazing her warmth feels against him.

He's become addicted to this, much like her, to this skin on skin contact between them, to no barrier between them, to this connection that seems to grow and feast whenever they're doing this.

"I love this," he says as he rubs himself against that tight bundle of nerves, the feeling of her clit against his head driving him mad with wanton, his eyes closing tightly as she moans out a 'me too'.

Slowly, inch by inch, he delves into her warmth and she hisses, grabs at his shoulder blades and just stops him from moving.

"Wait," Regina says, closing her eyes tightly as her inner thighs tremble against his hips, as she bites her lower lip in an attempt to reign in her emotions. This would be the first time she's doing this with him like this; with her heart beating faster inside her chest, with her stomach a jumbled mess, and her thoughts convincing herself that —oh, she's definitely in love with him.

Robin nods atop her, and just stays like that, caressing the crease of her forehead, dropping a kiss on the corner of her mouth before giving her a peck on the lips properly, his right hand attached at her hip and holding on for dear life as he tries to control himself from pounding relentlessly into her, trying to refrain from the addicting dance of making her his once again.

Regina starts rolling her hips underneath him after a moment, causing him to growl and move his hands from her hip to her inner thigh, holding her still, pressing her further into the mattress as he breathes through his nose. He takes a moment to compose himself, to avoid finishing this way quicker than he had planned to.

Funny how she had been the one that needed a minute a few moments ago, but now he's the one squirming on top of her with the delicious friction and slick warmth that surrounds him.

But after a few seconds, and after feeling her flutter all around his shaft, he starts moving. Slow languid thrusts that have Regina's back arching, begging for more, but he won't give in to her pleads, won't give into the quick movements of her hips, instead he stills for a moment, untangles her left leg from around him and moves both legs to the side, pressing onto them to keep her from moving them as he continues with the slow strokes.

The angle is amazing, so fucking amazing, and Regina swears she's seeing stars.

But he is taking quite some time.

His cock slowly sinking into her before he pulls back quickly almost completely and repeats the motion. She hates that he has so much control over her, over her boy, over her emotions, over—oh!

Regina cries out, her eyes rolling to the back of her head and legs pressing against each other tightly the moment he rams back into her, quicker and with more force than before, filling her to the hilt, stretching her so deliciously that she actually lets out a laugh, a delirious one followed by a guttural groan as he repeats the movement again, quicker this time.

"You like that?" He groans, his eyes staring directly into her tightly closed eyelids as he leans in and kisses the corner of her mouth, his hips never losing the rhythm he's set.

Mmmm yes, she finds herself eagerly mewling against his lips before he parts from them with a bite on her lower lip.

He's straightening up, one hand holding her legs in place while the other kneads her bottom as he resumes his movements, adding a few rolls of hips that have Regina's jaw slacking and reaching blindly for a pillow to pull to her face, muffling the yelps and moans that were starting to grow in frequency and tone.

And how, praise Jesus, how can one try against all mighty to not have feelings for this person? To not love him when he is fucking her so damn good? When she is babbling inconsistencies against a feather pillow whenever his cock hits that damn sweet spot inside of her? How can she not have feelings for her best friend when he is so adept at making her see stars and the moon and fucking Jupiter by just a simple press of thumb against her tightly coiled bundle of nerves?

Oh, she finds herself letting out, pillow now away from her face as she pants, the tightly coiled muscles being the evidence of her soon to follow orgasm.

But it's when he starts talking, it's when he starts muttering in that deep voice of his how she's the most gorgeous creature he's ever laid eyes on, I love the way you feel around me, Regina you're so wet, That's it, and those growls, those feral growls that always do a number on her, it's only then when Regina chances to take a look at him, to actually see him as he makes her his for the umpteenth time.

And his face is so damn perfect, as cliché as it sounds, his brows knitting together and tongue coming to wet his parched lips as he winks at her and keeps on fucking her or loving her, Regina does not know.

Perhaps she's being royally fucked, perhaps she's just madly in love, but all that Regina knows is that when Robin's eye meet hers, she closes her eyes and waits for the mouth searing kiss, the tight pull on her clit and that delicious friction inside her that catapults her over the edge. The squeeze and tremble of her insides always enough to send him towards oblivion quickly, loud groans leaving his lips, hips losing rhythm, body slumping forward and quaking as he leaves open mouthed kisses across her jaw, whispering I'm sorry with each one of them.

"It's okay, we're safe," she finds herself replying, a stupid thing but quite necessary at the time.

Her hands start rubbing his back after a second, letting out a satisfied sigh when he drops a kiss to her hair, a sense of calm filling her the moment he pulls away from her, limbs a trembling mess, her arms rubbing his back as she sighs happily and bites her lower lip.

"I'm a sticky mess," she pouts and Robin simply blushes before quickly standing up and grabbing a towel from the closet.

The ever gentleman wipes himself and her off of their release before throwing the towel to the floor and joining her on the bed. Robin winds his arm around her middle, pulling her body flush to him, her back to his front as he lands a soft kiss on her hair.

"Thanks for coming with me."

"You mean two minutes ago or?" she teases, an amused smile playing upon her lips as she loops their fingers together and closes her eyes.

"Sassy," he snorts, and shakes his head, dropping another kiss to her hair before breaking apart from her to pull the bed covers over them and settling once again behind her.

They stay like that for minutes, both content to just lay like this for the rest of eternity—both aware of the fact that things are obviously changing between them.

But both too afraid to come forth with their inner thoughts.

"Robin?" Regina's low voice calls out after a few minutes of laying in silence, and turns around in his embrace to face him.

Robin hums in response, half-lidded eyes looking at her, a satiated expression on his face as her right leg slides between his and right hand lightly traces his hairline. He hums in appreciation, his eyes closing once again.

For a moment Regina considers opening her heart to him, letting him know her deepest feelings and fears, but one look at his content face is enough to convince her that this emotional conversation will have to occur on another occasion.

But soon.

So instead she shakes her head and drops a kiss against his lips, hand moving to lightly scratch the back of his ear as she murmurs,"Happy Birthday, monkey ears."

Robin just chuckles, drops a peck against her lips in a silence thank you before pulling her closer to him and resting his forehead against hers, both intent on getting at least two hours of sleep before he has to part away from her to move to the couch downstairs.


|Present|

It's incredible how just one touch, one simple press of lips can ignite in them a flame long ago left dormant, but that's now growing in ferocity, growing in warmth as it travels from the deepest recesses of their mind into their beating hearts, spreading that sense of awareness throughout their whole body.

It's a dangerous game they play.

A press, pull, and nibble against lips that have them moving incredibly closer towards one another.

Regina's atop of him now, her arms circling his neck as she pulls him closer, Robin's arm tightening around her waist as he does the same.

And they continue this, this dangerous, almost deadly game. A game that will have either one of them —if not the both of them— hurt beyond comprehension.

But their bodies are desperate for one other.

Their mouths addicted to one another.

So they don't part.

Not when his touch is ghosting over her back, tracing circles with his fingertips as he tries and tries to not lose himself completely on this, on her.

But Regina's far gone.

Her touch skimming lower down his back, fingers deftly finding the hem of his button up as she tries to pull on it a little.

"Regina," he whispers against her lips but it falls on deaf ears because she's biting on his lower lip instead as she grinds her hips directly against his. The movement is enough to cause his eyes to roll back into his head, his fingers now holding her hips for dear life.

They say that to err is human, and by God are they making a huge mistake.

Robin knows this, deep down he knows that this is wrong beyond comprehension, that this will complicate things even more between the two of them.

But bloody hell!

Regina's coming alive on top of him, moaning lowly against his lips as she kisses a little more, bites and plunges her tongue into his awaiting mouth, softly caressing his tongue, her taste invading his senses.

God, Alpha and Omega, she's grinding against him and he's quickly hardening underneath her, the friction so, so good even with several pieces of clothes separating them. But God, he can still feel her, can feel her warmth rising, can feel her nipples peaking, can feel the dampness there, and his mind is in a whirlwind of memories. Memories of their most incredible encounters, memories of how tight and incredibly perfect she felt around him.

He missed this, even as fucked up as it sounds, he missed this, and he wants nothing more than to sheath himself in her. Nothing more than to love her fully, passionately, the only way she deserves to be loved.

And Regina? Regina wants it too because she's reaching between them for the hem of his button-up shirt, lightly splaying her palm against his abdomen and scratching there, her body immediately relaxing against his as a sigh leaves her lips, always affected by the warmth that emanates from him.

But it's when she's reaching for his belt, carelessly pushing her hand into his pants and grasping him that Robin's breath hitches, the sudden movement of her perfectly tight hand around him reminding him of the situation they're in.

Of what they're about to do.

Of the consequences that come with this.

Frankly Regina deserves more than this, more than a quick fuck in the living room, even more when she's marrying another man in just a week.

Marrying another man.

A week.

Robin breaks away from her lips, his own instantly missing those of hers, and he sighs as he nuzzles at the skin of her neck, his heart aching at the prospect that he has to let her go, sooner rather than later.

But God she's twisting her wrist around him, softly pulling at his length and moaning all the while, and that's too much for Robin, the guilt gripping him like a vice as he holds her softly by the wrist.

"Regina," he mutters, sighing against the soft skin of her neck before he drops a kiss there, allowing himself just that one thing.

"We can't do this," he whispers slowly, breath mingling against hers in the small space between their lips as he rest his forehead against hers, him taking deep breaths and swallowing down the regret that comes from breaking them apart.

But he has to do it, otherwise they would be… well, certainly in a much more compromising position.

Regina's eyes fly open, disappointment written all over her face before it's quickly overcome by surprise, then fear, then embarrassment as she looks down at her hand inside his pants. Quickly she loses her grip on him and pulls her hand from his pants, as if they'd been scorched by him, and desperately backs away from him.

"Oh God," she murmurs almost terrified as she looks at anything but him, hands pushing her body backwards until her back rests against the coffee table.

"Regina," Robin whispers the moment he sees her distress, concern written all over his face as he calls her name once again, trying to pull her from the trance she's found herself in, but not moving closer to her, afraid that if he does she'll end up running away from him.

Even though Robin knows it is bound to happen, sooner or later.

"Oh my God," she murmurs softly, her hand coming up to cover her mouth, a look of utter disbelief on her face as she closes her eyes, not wanting to see him, not wanting to face any of this.

"Hey," he whispers again, trying, but failing, to get her attention.

It's almost like she's panicking, quickly standing up to pace the room, the background music still playing a soft tune and what a change of fate this has been. Nearly ten minutes ago they have been dancing, they have been carefree and just enjoyed each other's presence and now? Well Robin is quite afraid and at the same time sure that Regina will walk away from her own apartment to deal with her thoughts and guilt.

But instead she paces the room, not finding it in herself to leave even though her head is begging her to do so.

God

Not only did she kiss him, but she lost herself to the familiarity of it all and touched him, all of him and God, did she want nothing more than to lose herself completely in all that was him!

That thought alone acts like a catastrophe on her for she closes her fists and bites her lower lip deep in thought, only to groan inwardly at the fact that they still taste like him. That intoxicating taste uniquely his, that pinewood scent characteristically of him that she's only now aware of it surrounds her, all of her. Regina tries against all mighty to take deep calming breaths, but his lingering scent only serves as a reminder of what has just transpired between them. She shouldn't be this alarmed about it, it was after all just a kiss. Just a simple press of lips against lips with the occasional bites, moans, grasps, scratching—

Oh no he's standing up from his place on the floor too, his palm going through his hair and Regina chances that minute to look at him, really look at him, his bulge— the visual evidence of their recent encounter— very noticeable and Regina closes her eyes once again, her left hand shaking a little bit as she closed the fist more tightly, memories of how perfect he felt while she stroked him filling her. All warm and hard and just the perfect size for her soft hands—

"Robin, I didn't mean to." Regina finds herself saying quickly, way too quickly, desperately trying to rid her head out of that certain line of thought. It'll do her no good, none at all, it'll just complicated things a bit more—if possible.

"I know, Regina, neither did I," Robin says, his hands moving to his pockets as he swallows hard and eyes the stereo a few yards away from him. He quietly walks towards it and lowers the volume.

"I'm so sorry," Regina whispers after a moment, her eyes welling up with tears at the situation they find themselves in.

"Regina, " Robin calls out as he turns and tries to get her to look at him. Seeing her obvious distress, he throws caution to the wind and just walks to where she stands, stance guarded, fingers twiddling and face turned downwards.

His hands wrap around her wrists, softly caressing the skin there with the pad of his thumb, trying to gain her attention. Regina looks at him them, her eyes vulnerable and Robin offers her a small smile before he shakes his head.

"It's been a night of different emotions mixed with sleep deprivation, wedding fiasco and soft music, it's fairly normal for something like this to happen, especially given how long we've gone through without spending some quality time with one another," he finishes with a shrug, his face bearing the most calm expression ever as he waits for Regina to react, to calm down.

Regina just sucks in a deep breath, and when Robin pulls her to an embrace, tears gather around her eyes again because damn it, she can try against all mighty to convince herself that this is absolutely wrong, but her body and heart always betray her and relax instantly against him.

And for a moment she accepts the fact that while she tried to bury down her feelings for him long ago, his presence and the way she's obviously reacting to him, the way she seems to have lost all control over herself, is proof enough that she did not do a good job at it.

She needs to push them down deeper. She needs to distance herself from him for the next few days.

Or the catharsis that will follow will be ultimately their undoing.

So Regina takes in another deep breath and swallows down the lump in her throat (like she did a long time ago), before she nods and pulls away from him.


Thoughts?

I've thrown two small easter eggs.