Outlaw Queen Shorts

The Willow Myth

Authors note:
An AU in which Robin and Regina's office have an annual themed dance.

Her hair has fallen slightly. The curls more like waves now, soft and delicate and framing her face against the warm yellow glow floating from the tea lights above their heads. 'Summer Ball' had been the theme of this year's annual dance (a tradition upheld by the company which started long before Regina had worked there) and as she admires the candle-lit tables - her cream dress fluttering about her legs in the light breeze blowing in through the open doors - a hand lightly grips her elbow.

She turns her head, but the pinewood scent is familiar and so when her eyes meet his, two shining pools of blue, she isn't surprised at all. Her lips quirk up into a smile, cheeks now a little rosy from the wine which has been continually refilled since the beginning of the night.

The double doors lead out onto the garden, where lanterns light a flagstone path cutting across the grass. Her eyes drawn there as she stands beside him, shuffling so her shoulder brushes his. Smooth, her sober self chides but she can't bring herself to listen.

"Regina," She can hear the smile in his voice.

(There's been something tangible in the air between them since Robin joined the team, she can't pinpoint it - she can, but she hasn't, not yet - and leaning into him while she's more than slightly drunk will do her no good.)

She leans in further.

"Have you seen the garden yet?" His accent liquefies the words, makes them run over her skin like silk ribbons. She looks back at him shaking her head, and he holds out his hand in offering for her to take. His hand is warm when she drops her fingers into his palm, a tingle makes its way up her arm and he lifts his gaze from their joined hands to her eyes - he feels it too. They brush past the moment, an easy chuckle falling from Robin's lips as he tugs her gently in the direction of the doors. He links their fingers as they move and it has Regina smiling to herself, reveling in the way his thumb traces lines over hers.

The garden looks beautiful. Breathtaking. Regina's eyes light up with the flickering light of the lanterns, and the willow tree at the bottom of the garden is glowing with fireflies - fairies, Regina thinks and then scoffs a laugh at herself because she really has had a lot of wine. They stroll along the path - Robin steeling glances at her every now and then like she won't notice, but she does and it has a strange bubble feeling settling in her chest.

"There's a myth, you know," He says when they reach the end of the path and stand facing each other under the tree.

"What myth?"

"The Willow Myth." Regina narrows her eyes but a smirk pulls up the left side of her mouth as he peruses her face (slowly, lazily, maybe he's just as intoxicated as her) and finally brings his gaze to meet hers again. "Legend has it, that on the evening when the moon can be seen through the gap in its branches," he points to the sky, and sure enough, the silver sphere is in full view, the willows leaves feathering across its surface every now and then in the wind, "the Willow will grant someone a wish."

"Well," she starts, "you have to close your eyes to make a wish."

Robin takes one last look over her face, his tongue darting out to wet his lips before he acquiesces. His eyes drop shut and his lashes cast faint shadows on the top of his cheeks, the lazy smile still turning up the corners of his mouth. Regina steps forward, grasping his other hand too, and busses her lips against his. For a moment, it's nothing more, just their lips so close but barely touching, breath mingling and washing over each other, and then Robin threads his hand into her hair and and deepens the kiss - the warmth of his skin and the taste of lingering wine making her dizzy.

They part with a smack, and Regina gulps in a breath of air that doesn't quite clear her hazy mind. Robin drags the backs of his fingers down her cheek as the breeze wafts stray hairs around her face, cool against her flushed skin, and the willow's shadow dances across them.