Holdouttrout

 Once Upon a Festive Giving Exchange 2017

Title: Below (AO3, FFN)

Pairing: Outlaw Queen (sort of–read the note as well as the summary, please)

Characters: Regina, Snow, Belle, Zelena, Emma

Summary: Robin didn’t just die; his soul was erased. But nothing is ever truly gone–not if you have a savior, a sister, a nemesis, and a librarian on your side–and enough hope to hold yourself together at the end.

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 3,100

Note: for @laura-p-g, for the @onceuponafestivegifting. I really hope you like this–it’s sort of all about OQ without being a really shippy fic–it doesn’t end with a true happily ever after ending, after all. I saw it more as a celebration of friendship between these lovely ladies–and about the lengths they’d go to to make things as right as they could.

 

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 Title: through the woods she carries you home

Fandom: Once Upon a Time

Relationships and Characters: Snow Queen friendship, Dragon Queen romantic relationship (background), Lily is here and threatens Snow but I don’t know what to call that.

Words: 2,300

Summary: It would be moments before Regina bled out either way, and deep down Snow knew there wasn’t time for help to come, not unless help could find them in the middle of the woods, in the dark.

Notes: My eternal gratitude to @shinewithalltheuntold, who read this for me and seemed to think it was pretty decent and also pointed out possibly my worst typo yet. Remaining typos are my own fault (especially because I fiddled with this after she read it). My thanks also to @knightedrogue, who isn’t going to de-friend me just because I refused her excellent title suggestion: ‘Snow and Mal’s Totally Bogus Journey,’ which she made BEFORE I told her who the characters were in this fic, thus proving she’s clairvoyant. 

Read it: AO3 or FFN

As always, I tag the Queen of Dragon Queen: @oparu

@witchpieceoftoast prompted me to write Swan-Mills family snow day and @wig257 prompted “Regina gives Emma a hot chocolate with a surprising added kick” which seemed like they belonged together, honestly. Then I started to think about how I’m always writing first kisses and really I should mix that up a bit. The following is a bit light on the “family” part of the prompt, but Henry is in it!

…

Emma and Henry looked through the window with matching frowns, watching snow hurtle from the sky. It didn’t so much settle on the ground as obliterate it. A snow day had seemed so exciting when it was announced; Storybrooke had snow, of course, but it was usually not enough to close schools or keep people from work.

Today was an exception, a true blizzard with white-out conditions that had everyone huddled inside, including the sheriffs–although David was at home and Emma had gotten herself stuck over at Regina’s.

Henry sighed. “I can’t believe it. First snow of the year and we’re trapped inside.”

“Totally with you, kid,” Emma said. She’d already considered (and rejected) walking home, but there wasn’t really anything there, and it wasn’t like she had seriously considered it anyway–it looked really bad out there.

No, it looked like she was going to be here for at least a few hours if not all day. This meant spending time with Henry, which was always nice, but it also meant spending time with Regina. That would have been fine a week ago, but now things were a bit fraught between them. She’d come over today to check in with Henry but also to… test the waters a bit.

“Well, maybe it’ll get nicer later,” Henry said, turning in his seat and picking up a notebook and pen he carried with him everywhere these days.

Rolling her eyes at how easily Henry gave up moping–so not like her in that way–Emma got up from her perch and wandered over to the other window. She wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t like the weather would be different over here. She wondered where Regina was. She wasn’t going to go looking for her.

She wasn’t.

She wandered the other way, and then wandered right down the hall and into the kitchen.

Regina was pouring a pot of hot chocolate into three mugs. Emma waited until she was done before shuffling awkwardly into the kitchen.

“Hi,” she said.

Regina startled–just a little. Placing the pot into the sink, she turned around and indicated the mugs. “I thought…”

Regina looked almost as uncomfortable as Emma felt. She said, “I was going to take one to Henry.”

Two of the mugs, Emma saw, were in keeping with the kind of mugs Emma would expect Regina to have–perfectly pristine and white, a little boring but obviously quality. The third was black with beat-up yellow lettering that said STAR WARS.

Emma stuck her hands in her pockets and rocked back on her heels. “Oh, yeah, good idea. Thanks.”

Regina gave her a funny look but just took the Star Wars mug and left for the living room.

“Thanks?” Emma muttered to herself. Oh god. What was wrong with her?

The other two mugs were still on the counter. Emma would have thought Regina had taken the other with her to the living room. She could hear Regina and Henry talking in low voices. Should she take them both in? She thought that would probably be the nice thing to do. She picked on up and took a sip.

It burned. Emma choked, not expecting the strong taste of mint and booze that came with that first sip.

“That is definitely not cinnamon,” Emma said to the mug.

“I suppose I should have warned you,” Regina said from behind her.

Emma turned. “You think?” She took another sip. This time, she was able to appreciate the combination of flavors. She raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t have thought you were the spiked-chocolate-in-the-morning type.”

Regina shrugged and took the other mug from the counter. “Maybe I thought we’d both need it if we’re going to be spending the day together,” she said.

Emma’s pulse picked up. She turned the mug in her hands. “I guess things have been a bit…”

“Tense?” Regina finished. She took a sip of her own mug.

“… tense between us lately.”

“They don’t have to be,” Regina said.

“They don’t?” Emma said.

Regina stared down into her mug, Emma getting the distinct impression she was avoiding meeting her eyes. “Of course not. It’s not that big of a deal; we’ll just pretend it never happened.”

Emma blinked at her. “Not that big of a deal?” she said.

Regina huffed out a breath. “It doesn’t have to be–”

“Regina,” Emma protested. “That’s not–I don’t think I can just pretend it didn’t happen!”

Still not looking at her, Regina’s shoulders hunched. “Okay, fine,” she snapped. “I’m sorry, then. I apologize and it will never happen again. I just… made a mistake.”

“Wait, what?” Emma was more confused than ever. This conversation was quickly getting away from her. “You made a mistake?”

“Yes, okay–I thought–well, I clearly misread the situation, and–”

“You–whoa. Wait. I’m the one who freaked out, not you,” Emma said. “You didn’t do anything wrong. At all.”

Regina shook her head. “I shouldn’t have assumed.”

Emma saw a way out of the confusion. She said, “You didn’t assume anything that wasn’t true.”

“I did, I assumed–” Regina stopped as Emma’s words finally sank in, looking up at her for the first time. “What?”

Emma put down her mug and took Regina’s, setting it beside hers. “I said, you didn’t assume anything that wasn’t true.” She swallowed and took her hand.. “I just wasn’t expecting–which is not the same as saying I didn’t want–”

“But you–” Regina looked down at their hands, and then back up to Emma’s face. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

“Yeah, because I thought you were going to kill me,” Emma said. “Because I took off like a chicken shit and ran, not because you kissed me.”

“Not because I kissed you–” Regina repeated in a monotone. “Not because I–” her eyes narrowed, her expression hardening.

Emma braced for impact.

“You let me think–Emma, it’s been a week!”

“Hey–I thought you were already mad at me. I was giving you space!”

“Oh, no, you are not going to get off that easy–” Regina stopped suddenly, a horrified look on her face.

It took Emma a second or two to realize the double meaning. She snorted and said, “I would hate to presume,” and then Regina was laughing, too, little gasps that turned into full-throated laughter.

God, Emma loved Regina’s laugh.

She was still holding Regina’s hand, so she gave it a tug and then Regina was right there–not laughing any more, and then they were kissing. A proper kiss this time, because Emma was expecting this one and not standing there like an idiot. She was pretty sure Regina had already forgiven her, because she was wrapping her arms around Emma’s neck opening her mouth and this might be the best snow day ever.

…

The thing about being angry was that it was a lot of work. She’d forgotten that, in the two decades or so since she’d burned a wasteland around her castle. The reason why she’d held onto her apathy for so long wasn’t because getting revenge against those who had wronged her was so difficult; it was because the next stage–the stage where she got angry and threatened everything they loved, blah blah blah–was exhausting.

It was the girl who’d done this to her. She’d creeped into her castle and berated her for sitting around and wallowing, and she’d had a point. She was also pretty, which was definitely one of Mal’s weak spots.

And yes, being more present had its advantages. She could turn back into a dragon again, which was more than nice. Food tasted good again. She’d hunted again and struck terror into all who saw her. She liked that part.

But now she found herself watching with growing concern as Regina, instead of being fueled by anger into making her own destiny, started to be consumed by it in turn. Mal had known anger could turn that way, too, and she grew more cautious about her own.

When she felt her curse on Phillip break, she didn’t mention it to Regina and instead planned to let him reach his princess and wake her.

Title: I’m in Love with Your Car
Fandom: Once Upon a Time
Pairing: Swan Queen (Emma/Regina)
Category: Nonmagic AU
Words: 1,500
Summary: Regina’s in town for a conference and needs a ride. Emma drives for Uber as a second job. The Romantic Cab (well, Uber) Driver AU no one knew they needed.
Notes: @foreveranevilregal said they liked AUs, so I was brainstorming and clicking on a random AU generator when “Romantic Cab Driver AU” came up. Why my brain latched onto this idea I’m sure I don’t know.

Links: AO3 or FFN

So @oparu and I got to talking about crackfic (and the criminal lack thereof in Once Upon a Time Fandom), and then we talked about favorite tropes and about how Forced Marriage hits a little close to home for Regina, probably, and wasn’t nearly as funny as it ought to be. So then I said that I could buy it with Emma and Regina if it wasn’t a Swan Queen fic and they were still with their respective significant others but had to pretend to be in love because of Reasons. And then I wrote this (it has both Captain Swan and Outlaw Queen, FYI):

Villain: I’m going to destroy you and your happiness… and then the entire town for good measure. You’re no saviors, you’re just pathetic whiners who can’t even take care of one measly little Dark One–

Henry: Hey! Don’t talk about my moms like that!

Villain: Your moms? They are married? It’s True Love? ALAS MY PLAN IS FOILED FOR SOME UNBELIEVABLE REASON!

Emma: What? No–

Villain: OH GOOD I KILL YOU NOW.

Emma: I mean you don’t know the power of my … love… for this woman. *elbows Regina*

Regina: Oh yes. Much tension.

Emma: Sexual tension. Give me a kiss, honeybunches.

Regina: …

Emma (in a stage whisper): Regina, come on.

Regina (also in a stage whisper): Did you brush your teeth?

Emma (hissing): Regina!

Regina: Fine. *gives Emma the quickest peck on her lips ever seen* I can’t get enough of you, my little bearclaw.

Emma: *mouths ‘little bearclaw?’ back at Regina before sighing theatrically* You say the sweetest things.

Villain: I can’t believe this. Foiled by lesbians. Again. First Oz and now this. I’m going to get some coffee.

The Villain stomps off to get coffee and decides to stick around Storybrooke, meaning that Emma and Regina have to keep up the facade.

Several weeks later, Emma is having lunch with Hook at Granny’s. Not paying attention to their surroundings, they kiss. Unfortunately, the Villain chooses that moment to walk through the door.

Villain: *gasps in outrage* I have been deceived! You aren’t truly in love with Regina after all!

Emma: Uh oh. Wait! Wait! You don’t understand. I… am weak. *she hangs her head*

Regina enters the diner, with Robin.

Emma: You see, I love Regina, I do. It’s just that… she’s not enough for me. In bed.

Villain: *gasps*

Regina (feigning disappointed outrage): Emma?

Emma: Regina? I didn’t–I’m sorry, I just–

Regina: You couldn’t tell me?

Emma: I didn’t want you to think there was anything wrong with you.

Regina: I see. Well, if I’m being perfectly honest, you’re not enough for me, either.

Emma: What?

Villain: What?

Regina: *shrugs* You always want to cuddle. I hate cuddling. And you do that thing every time.

Emma: That thing? You love that thing!

Regina: Not really, no.

Emma: I can’t believe this.

Robin and Hook, in unison: Me, neither.

Regina: Maybe we should…

Villain, leaning in eagerly: Break up? Fight? Allow me to destroy your happiness?

Regina: open up our marriage.

Emma, obviously struggling not to laugh: You… you mean that? You’d do that for me?

Regina: Not for you… for us.

They embrace.

Villain: *groans*

I was clicking through my WIP folder, as one does, and this little thing caught my eye. So I had @oparu look it over to make sure I wasn’t manufacturing it into something it wasn’t and decided to post it tonight.

Once Upon a Time, Snow Queen Friendship, 600 words. Mentions of infertility and abuse–but overall it’s fairly light.

****

It wasn’t something you asked people, but that had never stopped Snow White before.

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Title: Blanket Fort
Fandom: Once Upon a Time
Characters: Emma, Regina, Henry
Summary: A storm that leaves Storybrooke without power and Emma winds up spending the time with Henry and Regina in an unexpectedly warm and comforting place. Swan Queen friendship (not ship!), Regal Believer, and Swan Believer, with a positive mention of Captain Swan, too.
Notes: This is for @oparu, who made a joke about me writing her a fic and then had to come up with a prompt when I took her seriously. That’ll teach her. The prompt was: “there’s another power outage, no one’s fault, downed tree or something and Henry hangs out with his moms and a lantern.”

Read it: AO3 or FFN

Title: If at first you don’t succeed (ask a friend for help)

Fandom: Once Upon a Time

Pairing: Swan Queen

Words: 5,500

Summary: While attempting to retrieve a magical object from a heavily protected maze, Emma gets trapped in a chamber and needs… intimate… help from Regina to escape.

Notes: Sometimes I feel guilty because I don’t actually end up writing the smut that y'all deserve. Not today. :-) My thanks to @knightedrogue for her alpha and beta on this one, and for telling me it was sexy. (By the way: the total count for this fic? TWENTY.)

Read it: AO3 or FFN

Title: Cocoa, Conversation, and Commitment

Fandom: Once Upon a Time

Pairing: There’s a lot of talking about Captain Swan but this is NOT a Captain Swan fic. Unfortunately, it’s not exactly a Swan Queen fic, either, but it’s meant to lean that way.

Summary: Emma guesses Hook is going to propose and tells Regina about it, who worries about what Emma’s going to say at least as much as Emma does.

Notes: I made a promise on Deadline that the first person who guessed which line was the reason I wrote that fic I’d write them a ficlet. Of course, I intended this to be a short, 500-word-max thing. I also intended to actually follow the prompt the winner, MCMXCV, gave me (which was to write “vulnerable Emma feelings”). Instead, I wrote a 2,000-word fic with Regina and Emma worrying about Hook proposing to Emma. There’s not even any kissing to sweeten the deal, MCMXCV. So sorry!

Read it: AO3 or FFN