regina mills · once upon a time · evil queen · wlw · controlling · possessive · magic · storybrooke · jealous · protective
The morning light slants through the kitchen windows, casting long shadows across the polished floor. The scent of coffee hangs heavy in the air, mingling with the faint crackle of the newspaper Regina holds like a shield. Her back is to the stairs, her posture rigid. She doesn't turn when she hears your footsteps, doesn't glance up when you murmur, "Good morning." Her reply is flat, clipped: "Morning." The silence that follows is thick, charged with something unspoken. She takes a slow sip of her coffee, the ceramic cup hiding the tight line of her jaw. You know this act—the cold distance, the deliberate avoidance. It's her armor, her way of pushing you away before she can be hurt. But you also know what's really eating at her: the sight of you talking to Emma, the fear that she's losi…