For Day 8 of OQ Prompt Party
#21: Friends AU, #26: Fake Dating & #227: Regina asks her friend Robin to be her fake date to a family event
Based on the episode where Ross and Rachel go to Barry and Mindy's wedding.
"I'll be your best friend," Regina pleads.
Robin scoffs, taking a sip of his coffee. It's especially good today and he'd be able to enjoy it if Regina wasn't asking him the same question ten times. "I'm already your best friend."
"Come on, Robin, please. It's humiliating enough that I was invited to this thing. It'll be even worse if I show up alone."
"So, just don't go. It's your ex's wedding…and he's marrying your ex-maid of honor. No one would blame you for not going."
"And that's exactly why I need to go," Regina insists. "If I don't, everyone is going to be pitying me and talking about me behind my back. At least if I go and have a handsome guy on my arm, they'll keep their mouths shut."
"Don't think I missed that sly sucking up," Robin says. "And the answer is still no."
Regina sighs, slouching down on the couch and bringing her latte to her mouth. "Fine. Guess I'll just go alone in that hideous bridesmaid's dress and embarrass myself. Not like I didn't do enough of that last year."
Robin fights a smile, watching her pout around her cup. She really has come a long way from a year ago. Running into the café in possibly the ugliest wedding dress he had ever seen. Her eyes darting around, looking for Robin's sister, Mary Margaret. The two had been best friends in high school, drifting apart after college. Mary Margaret hadn't even been to the wedding that Regina ran from. And yet, as soon as Regina felt panicked, she knew she had to find someone familiar. It took a bit to get the story out of her. She was due to marry a sweet and handsome man, Daniel. On paper, he seemed great. But something about it didn't seem right to Regina and she decided to bolt the morning of. That alone caused her mother to disinherit her. With the help of her new friends, Regina got a new job and has been living with Mary Margaret ever since.
Now, only a little over a year after the disaster, Daniel is getting married. To Regina's college friend and former maid of honor, Kathryn. As if that wasn't weird enough, they had asked Regina to be in the wedding party. And for some reason that Robin cannot understand, Regina agreed.
He takes in her faux pout, knowing that she has so much dread about attending the wedding. The easy answer is just don't go. Yet, Robin knows he'll never understand the complexities of the circle Regina left behind. This means a lot to her and she truly has no one else that can go with her. Or at least no one that would be believable. Sure, David or Will might offer to go but they are definitely not Regina's type. Mal and Mary Margaret have said they'd attend but Regina turned them down. To impress this circle, she needs an actual date.
Robin has always hated seeing Regina sad. He's only a year older than her and Mary Margaret, so they tended to spend a lot of time together. It'd be impossible to hide that he had feelings for her back then…or even now. There had been that kiss before she left for college…and that one time together the night she showed up at the café in her wedding dress. Both such vulnerable times and they agreed neither were ready for a relationship. Robin's divorce wasn't even finalized yet and he had a baby on the way. Regina was still wearing her engagement ring. Yes, they were so much better as friends.
And yet it'd be too damn hard to pretend to be her boyfriend when that's what he wanted more than anything.
"Fine," he says. "I'll go."
But he's going to do it anyway.
Robin hates weddings. He was so thrilled when Marian said all she wanted was to elope in Central Park. They're overpriced, crowded and you have to buy the fifth blender the couple is going to receive. After his divorce, Robin's distaste for weddings only grew.
There he stands, in a stupid suit that itches. He had to borrow it from David and it's a little too tight in the legs. At least the ceremony is over and he can avoid watching Daniel make goo-goo eyes with Kathryn. He's never met them until today. They're nice, but too society for him. Regina was once one of these people but she's landed closer to earth in the months since.
She's still off taking pictures with the rest of the bridal party, leaving him alone. Robin drifts to the bar, grabbing a beer. Maybe they can cut out soon enough.
"Robin Locksley?" He looks up in time to see Henry Mills walking towards him. A bit of relief washes over Robin. Out of Regina's parents, Henry is definitely the better one. Timid and unable to stand up to his wife but still kind. "I have to admit it was odd to hear you were coming."
"Just things you do for your girlfriend."
Henry casts a skeptical eye. "You're dating Regina?"
Robin takes a long swig of his beer. He's always been such a shit liar. "Yup," he says, once he's swallowed. "Three months now."
"Oh, she didn't mention that."
Of course she didn't. "We've wanted to keep it pretty quiet. It hasn't been very long since she and Daniel broke up, or since my divorce."
"You're divorced? I remember hearing from your mother that you and Marian were very happy together."
"We were, until she realized she was a lesbian."
That's enough to quiet Henry. Robin feels a little bad. He's got nothing against him, but he already doesn't want to be here. Regina already didn't want to finalize on a story and now he's left to fly solo. Henry drifts off into the crowd and Robin fumbles through his pocket, finding a few pictures of Roland in the group chat. Things were bumpy in the beginning when Marian left him for Elsa. Robin wasn't sure if they'd ever get along but this baby has brought them closer together. Elsa clearly loves that little boy like her own and they do everything to make Robin a part of his life. They'll probably never be best friends, but at least they all get along.
"That suit is grabbing at your crotch."
Robin drops his phone back into his pocket in time to get a glimpse of Regina. Her raven hair has been swept up in a bun, held by a fury of wildflowers. The teal sleeveless taffeta gown with a brown sash tied around the middle does nothing to bring out her beauty, but does go with the color scheme. The reception is being held in a mud brown renovated barn that smells like fresh paint. Horses mingle outside.
"Thanks, wildflower," Robin snarks back.
Regina scoffs, pulling at the flowers and by extension, messing up her hair. "Apparently these are the kind horses like."
"Kathryn's really a horse girl, huh?"
"You wouldn't imagine." She manages to get the flowers out and stomps them onto the ground. Her hair is now a mess and sticking out everywhere. Robin tilts his head and she pushes past him. "Pictures are done. I need to drink." She turns to the bartender. "Tito's."
"Rough morning?" Robin asks, leaning against the bar.
"Kathryn keeps apologizing to me. I'm not even upset, if they're happy, then they're happy…thank you," she nods to the bartender and takes a long sip. "Though watching them recite those vows made me gag." A frown crosses her face. "I don't understand why. I don't love Daniel anymore."
"I felt the same way when Elsa and Marian got married," Robin says. "I was happy for them. I don't have feelings for Marian anymore…but it still feels weird. They're moving on and happy, when you wished that it could've been you first."
"Exactly! It's not for lack of trying, but I don't know."
Robin stares at her, a lump rising in his throat. "Yeah…I feel you there."
Regina glances back at the dance floor. There's a few people swaying to the light music that the band plays. The bride and groom have yet to have their first dance, but no one else cares.
"Wanna dance?"
Robin wants to say no. He hates dancing just as much as he hates weddings. But instead, he slips his hand through Regina and follows her out onto the floor, playing the part of the fake boyfriend he is. Her arms loop around his neck and her head falls against his shoulder. Robin allows himself to press a kiss to her hair, a real bit of affection from him.
"Thank you for this," she mumbles. "I know it's hard for you."
"There's nowhere else I'd rather be."
"You're too good to me, Robin. You're a really, really nice guy."
Robin shakes his head. "I don't know about that. I just like to see you happy."
She lets out a content sigh and pulls away a bit, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
"I guess I just have to hope you'll be there when I'm ready for this to be real."
And oh God, how he wishes that too.
