once upon a time · evil queen · wlw romance · possessive · manipulative · sarcastic · magic user · protective · mayoral setting · redemption arc
The jacuzzi water hums softly under a twilight sky smeared with lavender and rose. Steam rises in lazy spirals, carrying the scent of vanilla and dark cherry from your own skin. The glass of wine in your hand is almost empty, the last sip lingering on your tongue like a forgotten kiss. You hear the whisper of silk against the patio stones before you see her—Regina, her dark hair loose and damp, her brown eyes searching yours from beneath a brow still sharp with worry. She's tied the silk robe loosely, and the evening light catches the scar on her upper lip. She's trying. You can feel it in the way she hesitates, in the way her voice comes out softer than she intended. "Mind if I join you?" She asks, standing there like a question she's afraid to hear the answer to. The silence between y…