hunnyfresh - Letters from War

"Just one?"

He contemplated it for a moment, glancing between his own glass and Henry's hopeful face before shaking his head. "I value my life."

"They won't know," the teen argued, his voice cracking in his defense. "They're still taking pictures."

August chortled and guided Henry away, whispering something about when he turns sixteen when Ruby, torn away from Belle's side to be the MC for the evening, tapped the microphone at the podium beside the head table near the windows overlooking the beach and called everyone to their seats.

Emma and Regina were about to come up.

"Nervous?"

"Excited."

Regina pressed her forehead against Emma's as the glow from the illuminated stairs silhouetted their features. Strands of hair had escaped from her chignon bun, the bottom of her dress was spotted with sand and dirt from their shoot on the beach, and she was fairly certain there was a pebble in her heel, but she didn't care. She once thought this day was just for show, allowing their friends and family to see them wed, but smiling at Emma, walking down the aisle toward her, marrying her, she finally realized what all the fuss was about.

"Me too," Regina whispered against pink lips, brushing them together just slightly. She leaned back and took Emma in once more. Seeing her at the head of hall with a smile so wide it made her own cheeks hurt sent a flurry of butterflies deep into her stomach. They fluttered so rapidly, she could have sworn they would have lifted her up and flown the rest of the distance to Emma. "Have I told you that you look radiant?"

"Radiant is a new one," Emma admitted playfully. "Beautiful. Gorgeous. Though my personal favourite from today has been delicious."

Regina giggled as Emma dove for her neck, peppering kisses there as she lazily draped her arms around the younger woman's shoulders. They could hear Ruby announce their presence and their guests clap in time with some music, but Regina was fairly certain she could forego being the perfect hostess for a moment if she could relax into the embrace of her wife.

"Ready, Mrs. Swan-Mills?" Emma whispered against her jaw when she trailed her lips up there.

Regina nodded and linked their fingers together. "Ready, Mrs. Swan-Mills."

Together they stepped onto the stairs just as Ruby announced "Presenting Mrs. And Mrs. Swan-Mills!" Their guests cheered the moment they were visible, and Regina nearly blushed under their enthusiasm.

She hadn't really taken in the venue when she walked up those steps an hour earlier, her gaze dead set on green swirls shining happily at her. Whether it was the ornately decorated hall with its purple and red hanging paper lanterns or the guests themselves, standing by their tables surrounding the dance floor, Regina felt a myriad of emotion wash over her. As a child, she and Kat had spent nights lying awake planning their perfect weddings. Grand affairs. Ice sculptures. Doves released into the air as they made their way out of the church. It had once been her dream. But this small wedding in a clubhouse overlooking the ocean with the handful of friends and family they had collected over the years was just perfect .

As they stepped onto the main hall, their arms wrapped around each other's waists, Regina grinned when the table closest to them seating Emma's former squad momentarily stopped them when one of them held his hand up for a high five.

"Nice job, Swan!" Emma smirked and leaned over Regina to palm his hand.

Regina smiled at the young man, attempting to put a name to his demeanor when the burley Argentinean man beside him leaned in closer and spoke softly she barely caught it. " Cuidar de ella."

Regina looked surprised for a moment, but the hint of pride quirking on his otherwise stoic face had her nodding back and whispering, " Si, señor ."

She led Emma forward when the blonde looked confused by the quick conversation, but as they waved and smiled to their guests—Emma's director from the youth center for disabled children; Mary Margaret Nolan (sans David) and her heavily pregnant belly; Alicia Stevens and Dr. Caleb Mitchell; Jefferson and Paige Hatter, Robin and Roland Locksley, Marco Borelli, and Gwen du Lac—the moment was forgotten in favour of arriving to the middle of the dance floor. For a brief second, Emma looked uncertain as she studied the floor under their heels, but when the beginning bars of a familiar Aerosmith song blared from the DJ's speaker, the blonde looked up with a grin on her face, pulling Regina close.

"This song reminds me of you," Regina teased as they swayed to and fro along the dance floor.

"Hopefully without the death."

"Definitely without the death."

They chuckled pressing their foreheads together, swaying until the end of the verse before Emma unexpectedly gripped Regina around the waist in time with the chorus and raised her up. Regina yelped surprised and reached quickly behind Emma's neck, but the younger woman's hold was strong. Somewhere in the back of Regina's mind, she could hear the crowd hollering, but all she could process was how entrancing Emma was. When Emma circled them around the floor, slowly lowering her inch by inch, Regina was content to let her arms drape lazily over the blonde's shoulder. "Where did you learn how to do that?"

"Kathryn may have introduced me to the dance instructor she went to for her wedding," she shrugged, letting her nails rake lightly against Regina's exposed back.

"Remind me to give her my compliments."

Emma chuckled and easily took up the lead, guiding Regina closely around the floor. When the chorus hit again, Emma lifted their arms and spun Regina so her back nestled perfectly against her front. Regina had to chuckle at that because how many times had they danced around a room at home in the exact same position. She let her head rest against her wife's shoulder and traced the flesh-like feel of the hand settled on her hip. Emma swore she could never feel with it, but the breathy shudder against Regina's neck as her thumbs caressed the artificial limb made Regina wonder. " I just want to hold you close— "

Regina laughed out loud but held firm.

" —feel your heart so close to mine. " As the bridge sped up, Regina felt Emma tug on her waist, and surprisingly in time, the blonde spun her out and brought her back in, lifting her in the air once more and spinning them until the bridge faded into the chorus. Emma's pleased smirk was contagious as she brought Regina back down.

"When have you been practising?" Regina asked, genuinely intrigued, holding onto the back of Emma's neck, swaying to the rest of the song.

Emma coyly shrugged and leaned forward until only the barest of centimeters were separating their lips. "I am so happy," she whispered breathily with a hint of astonishment.

Regina held tighter and lifted her chin to place kisses on Emma's eyelids and down the middle of her face before hovering over her lips. "I'll make sure you are every day," she promised.

"Even when it's hard?" Emma wondered quietly.

"Especially when it's hard," Regina promised.

"I love you," Emma breathed. "Have I told you that yet?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure..." Regina shrugged playfully.

"I love you." Neither Emma nor Regina needed the sound of clinking glasses to join their lips in a sweet kiss. Sighing happily against Emma, Regina closed her eyes and fell into her embrace, their lips separating only to find each other again. It was slow, and methodic, and intense, and right, empowering her, lifting her up and knowing that they could battle through anything. The last thirteen years had been a whirlwind of emotion, yet Regina couldn't wait to see what the next sixty had in store for them. They had all the time in the world to figure it out. They were together. Finally.