Archive of Our Own

"We should check on Henry."

Emma just chuckles and continues perusing her menu. "What are you thinking about for dinner tonight, babe?"

"He was sniffling a good deal today. I hope he's not coming down with something."

"Mm-hmm." Emma's eyes remain on the menu as she flips back and forth between a couple pages. "I know the chicken cacciatore is good, 'cause it's what I usually get. Just gotta remember to ask for no mushrooms." She makes a face and sighs, furrowing her brow. "Hey, the veal piccata sounds really good all of a sudden. Have I had that here before?"

"Emma…"

"You don't have an issue with me eating veal, right? I mean, I know Mallory would be wanting to inspect the farm where the--"

"Emma Ruth Mills-Swan, are you even listening to me?"

Emma's head snaps up to stare at her wife. "What the hell, Regina? You don't just middle name someone for the fun of it."

Regina snorts inelegantly. "I wouldn't have to do it if you'd actually listen and answer me. And for the record, you know I don't care if you have the veal. This restaurant is ethically sourced--"

"And you already checked into the farm where they buy their meat." Emma chuckles again. "Why do I bother to ask?"

Regina's smirk softens. "After all this time, you really should know better. And that, my beloved wife, is why I middle named you."

Emma drops the menu on her plate with a fond grin. "Just call. You won't choose a meal until you know."

Regina reaches into her purse to pull out her phone and dial. It rings twice before being picked up. "Jessica, it's Mrs. Mi--"

"Save it, Little One," comes a voice Regina doesn't expect to hear. "I’m in charge now. Go back to your little date with Blondie."

"Mallory? What are you doing there?" Fear grips her heart as all of the worst-case scenarios fill her mind. "What happened? Is Henry okay? And Jessica?"

Emma stares at her wife, a frown tugging down her lips. "What the hell? What's wrong with Henry and Jessica? Do we need--?"

Regina holds up a hand to stop Emma from saying anything further. "Mallory, what happened?"

"The girl called me about fifteen minutes after you left. She had a soda that she brought with her that--"

"She got a migraine, didn't she? Why didn't she call me?"

The sigh echoing over the phone is so very Mallory, and it eases the worry already squeezing at her heart. The words that follow do so even more. "She knew how much this date night means to you, we all do, and she didn't want to ruin that. She called me to see if I could assist, so I drove over, got her and the youngling in the car, took her home, and then dropped Henry off at the arcade for the night with a hundred dollars and wished him the best of luck. I'll have him home and his new wife settled in before you get back though, don't worry."

"Mallory Evelyn Drake, you better be kidding right now."

Emma whistles softly and mutters, "Damn! You're middle naming Mal?!"

Mallory's rich laughter carries across the call as easily as if they're in the same room. "Of course, I'm kidding, Regina. Well, mostly. I did take Henry with me to get Jessica home. Her mother texted me to say she took her meds and is resting. And we did stop by the arcade on the way back. I helped him win a special prize, but I'm not allowed to say what it is yet. That's for him to tell you, not me. We've got dinner heating up as we speak and he's behaving admirably."

In the background of the call, Regina can hear her son call out, "She's making me eat broccoli on my pizza, Mom!"

Regina chuckles. "Broccoli on the pizza? Oh, Mal, I thought you only did that to Emma." She grins at the disgusted look crossing Emma's face. "Who, by the way, is giving you what I assume is an identical expression to Henry's."

"He is her son," is the quick, wry retort. "But seriously, I've got things under control here. Enjoy your dinner and movie with Blondie. Tell her the veal is safe to eat, since I know she keeps dithering on that every time you go to Giovanie's. And I'd highly recommend the Pinot Grigio with it, as daring as that option is. Or maybe the Alsace Riesling, if they have it."

"I don't know what we'd do without you, old friend."

"I know. Now get off this phone and enjoy your wife."

Before Regina can respond, the call is ended. She stares at her phone briefly and shakes her head before returning it to her purse. A soft throat clearing from across the table pulls her attention back to her wife with a soft, sheepish smile. "Mal has everything under control. Jessica accidentally brought a bad soda with her and--"

"And got a migraine," Emma says, cutting her off. "She grabbed a Coke Zero instead of a regular Coke, didn't she?"

"Mal didn't say either way, just that it was the soda. She's home now and resting and Henry is about to be spoiled rotten by his favorite auntie."

Emma rolls her eyes. "I'm definitely having a beer with dinner. He'll be hopped up on sugar when we get home."

"Get the veal with a glass of Pinot Grigio or…" Regina glances at the wine menu. "Oh, they don't have the Alsace now, so go with the Pinot Grigio per Mal. She said it's an unconventional choice, but good, nonetheless. I think I'll have the Fettucine Alfredo with scallops tonight."

Emma makes a face. "Hope you brought your toothbrush. You're not kissing me with scallops breath."

*****

Mallory disconnects the call and turns to look at her godson. "All right, youngling, your mothers are assuaged that you're safe. Now it's time for us to go over the rules."

"We did that in the car though," Henry whines, a twinkle in his eyes.

"And you weren't actually listeni--"

"Yeah, I was! And you're still putting broccoli on my pizza!"

Mallory stares at him, a brow quirked, for a long moment. Her lips twitch when he starts to squirm. "You were, were you? So, you heard me say that I would only put broccoli on your pizza if you didn't tell me that I'm the best auntie you've got? Because I didn't hear you say that, so I know you weren't listening."

Henry's head drops in defeat. "Okay, okay, so I zoned out for part of it." He glances up at her from under the shaggy bangs that are in desperate need of a haircut, eyes wide and seemingly innocent. "You know, you are the best auntie I have, Auntie Dragon. What can I do to prove it?"

"You really are your mother's son, aren't you?"

"Both of 'em!" His grin is infectious.

"You're not wrong there. All right, let's go over the rules one more time. If you pay attention properly, we'll take the broccoli off the pizza, but you still have to eat it on the side."

Henry's lips part, as if to protest, but no sound comes out. He slowly nods his head and holds out his right hand. "Shake on it?"

"You're lucky I like you, youngling," Mallory replies wryly as she shakes his hand. "Now, as for the rules…"

*****

"How's your nasty scallops, babe?"

Regina rolls her eyes and finishes chewing her mouthful of food. "You used to work as waitstaff, didn't you? It's like a gift to know to ask a question when someone's mouth is full of food."

Emma simply shrugs and fails to cover her smirk. "I've had a lot of jobs, you know that." She spears another forkful of veal and pasta. "This is really good. Remind me to thank your bestie for the suggestion."

"You can do so tonight when we get home. I'm sure she'll love the praise." Regina smirks and glances at her watch briefly. "We've another thirty minutes or so before we have to head to the theatre, especially if you want your snacks for the movie."

Emma nods enthusiastically as she shovels yet another forkful of food into her mouth. Her plate is nearly empty, and Regina half-expects her wife to lick it clean based on her enthusiasm for the meal. It's little wonder where their son picked up the habit, but she's known this for nearly eleven years now. Her exasperation is fond, her love for her wife and son beyond measure. She signals their waiter for the check before finishing her wine.

"No time for dessert then?" Emma asks, sounding as dejected as Henry when he doesn't get his dessert as punishment. And, just like their son, she suddenly perks up. "Wait! That means I get extra snacks for the movie, right?"

"I married a child…" Her love is clear despite her words. "Yes, Emma, extra snacks for the movie. I swear, I have no idea where you put it all."

"But you know how I like to burn off the calories." Emma waggles her brows and licks her fork clean. "I mean, I never hear you complaining. Usually you're beg--"

"That's enough, Emma," Regina hisses, glancing around at the tables surrounding them. "Clearly I'll be driving tonight. You've had too much to drink already. If you fall asleep during the movie…"

Emma snorts and shakes her head. "Not a chance! We're seeing Wizard of Oz on the big screen again tonight. I haven't done this since I was much younger. Besides, you think I'm gonna miss my chance to make fun of your sister?" At Regina's dark look, Emma holds up her hands in acquiescence. Emma and Zee may not get along all that well, but they both adore Regina and Henry …and both would go as far as murder to keep them safe. "Okay, that was going a little too far. Maybe I did drink too much tonight. Sorry, babe."

"Thank you, Emma."

"But you know I'd say it to her face if she was here, and she'd laugh her ass off at it."

Regina shakes her head and finishes her glass of wine. "I am surrounded by children…"

Emma smiles sheepishly and waves down their waiter again for the check. She pulls out her wallet and slaps a black AmEx down with a flourish. Her pride as the waiter takes check and credit card to process is palpable. "Have I mentioned how much I love doing that? Thank you for letting me pay tonight."

Resting her chin on her palm, Regina smiles softly at her wife. "Well, it is your turn, my love, and I know how much you like to take charge in things like this. Our son has picked up a similar habit, right down to the flourish you make when you present the card."

"He's really cute when he insists on paying, isn't he?"

"He's growing up too soon…" She can feel the melancholy settling in.

"Hey, no, don't think like that." Emma pauses to look for the waiter before reaching across the table to take Regina's hand and squeeze it tightly. "He's always going to be your little prince and my little bud. That will never change, not even with he's in his forties and giving us grandkids."

Regina blinks several times against the tears stinging in her eyes and squeezes back. "He has to be at least in his fifties before he does that. I am too young to be a grandmother."

Emma pulls their joined hands closer to her, dotting kisses on each of Regina's fingers to punctuate her words. "You are beautiful and strong and the most incredible woman I know. Not that we have to worry about it for a few years yet, but when Henry does give us grandkids, you'll be the most beautiful grandmother to walk the face of the earth, and I'm still gonna be the luckiest woman alive to have you as my wife."

"Emma…" The tears slip down her face now, and she reaches for her napkin with her free hand to clumsily dab at her eyes. "I'm going to ruin my makeup."

"You know you don't need to wear any, Regina, and you'll still be the prettiest girl ever in my eyes."

*****

"All right, Auntie Dragon," Henry says as he walks into the den where Mallory is sipping her tea. "All the dishes are in the dishwasher and it's running. I wiped down the countertops and the sink."

"And the floor?"

"Swept up my mess and even ran the Swiffer over it to get up any sticky mess I mighta missed. So… Please?!"

Mallory stares at him for a long moment, and he fights the urge to squirm. She takes another sip of her tea eventually and sets her cup on the coffee table. "All right, youngling. You did everything I required without complaint or procrastination. You even went above and beyond with the Swiffer thing. That shows initiative."

"Yes!" Henry punches the air with his fist.

"But, Henry, bedtime includes brushing your teeth and tucked in by ten-thirty, so your mothers don't get us both in trouble. You still want me to come watch you, right?"

Henry moves quickly, wrapping his arms around her neck and kissing her cheek. "Thank you, Auntie! You really are the best auntie in the whole world. I promise I won't complain or try to stay up later than ten-thirty."

Mallory chuckles and dots his face with kisses, smirking when she sees her lipstick leaving marks on his face. Based on Henry's delighted giggles alone, the decision to redo said lipstick before he joined her has proven to be a good one. Only when he breathlessly utters Uncle! does she let up and grab her phone for a quick picture of his lipstick-imprinted face.

"Go wash your face, youngling, while I send this picture to your mothers as proof that you aren't being tortured this evening."

Henry giggles at the picture, then races toward the bathroom. "You're the best, Auntie Dragon!"

Mallory just chuckles and calls out, "I have trained you well!" She pulls up the group chat titled Married and Nauseating but I'm Perfect and types out a quick message of We're fine before attaching the picture of Henry and sending it off.

The ping of a response is, unsurprisingly, instantaneous. Even less surprising is the fact that it's from Emma. Mallory glances at it and rolls her eyes at the message: You best not steal my kid away, Mal! But glad he's having fun with you! She quickly sends back the winking emoji with the tongue sticking out.

"Okay, I'm all clean now!" Henry announces as he steps back into the den. His hair is damp and sticks up in several spots. The towel in his hand scrubs at hair and t-shirt collar alternately, and she wonders why he didn't just shower and change into his pajamas. "I got it all, right?"

Mallory studies his face for a long moment before nodding. "You did. Excellent job, though your overall washup routine is a bit sloppy. You want to go change into your pajamas and slippers while I decide what we're going to watch?"

Henry glances down at his shirt and grins sheepishly at her. "Yeah, I'll go change. Um, we could do a movie …or I could kick your butt in Mario Cart." He turns and races toward the stairs, cackling laughter trailing behind him.

"He is more like Blondie than either of them realizes," she mutters to herself as she starts flipping through her Netflix list on the family account. She grins as she sees a few new entries that she most certainly didn't add herself. Judging by the additions, she's pretty sure Blondie added them because Regina still doesn't always get her sense of humor, not even after all their years as best friends.

*****

"I can't believe how much I ate…"

Regina just chuckles and pats Emma's leg as they wait at a red light. "I told you not to order three appetizers, my love."

"Yeah, but they're so good!"

"And the portions are huge, especially compared to most of the restaurants I've taken you to over the years. I don't know why you think you can eat it all."

"I didn't eat anything all day intentionally, so I'd have extra room."

Regina squeezes her hand briefly before returning to driving as the light turns green. "You do realize you say that every single time with the same outcome, right? It's the definition of insanity."

"Is not! Why are you such a brat tonight?" Emma's tone deepens with her next words. "Are you itching for a little punishment?"

"I am doing no such thing! Do you need me to middle name you again?"

Emma laughs loudly, head thrown back as much as she can, and the sound echoes in the car. "You're bright red right now, babe. Are you feeling a little needy? Do we need to sit in the back row? Y'know, slide my hand into the slit of that skirt, up your inner thigh, and sink my fingers so deep until you leave skirt and seat soaking wet?"

"I--" Regina tries to resist the urge to squirm, to show Emma just how much of an effect her words have. "We are not going to behave like some miscreant teenagers, Emma. We are, well, I am more refined than that."

Emma snorts. "Yeah, we'll see how far that gets you when we get into that dark theatre, babe."

Regina goes quiet, concentrating on getting them safely to the theatre for their movie. No need to be reckless and get themselves hurt or worse. Her mind traitorously plays out the very scenario Emma suggested, and she finds herself growing more turned on and curious to give it a shot, despite her better judgment. She can never stay mad at Emma for terribly long, not when her wife is so damned good at getting under her armor to the soft, squishy bits that are completely head over heels for her, even after all this time.

"Hey, Regina?" Emma asks as she pulls into the parking lot and turns off the engine. "You know I was just teasing, right? We don't have to… I mean, we're here to watch a movie we both love and share some popcorn and a Coke, right? I mean, I didn't think--"

Her words are cut off as Regina launches herself at Emma, lips branding her with a soul-searing kiss. She is no longer driving, no longer in a moving vehicle, and she can finally kiss the woman she loves like her life depends on it. And who knows? In some way, it probably does. Her fingers move up into that silky golden hair, fisting it in her desire.

When they finally part from the kiss, foreheads resting together, both are breathing heavily. It takes a moment for Regina's fingers to unclench from Emma's hair, and she licks her lips to murmur, "Sorry. Not sure what came over me."

"Do you hear me complaining? I love it when you get all riled up and kiss me like that. If it were possible, you woulda just gotten me pregnant from that kiss alone."

Regina just laughs at that, the sound of it high and airy. She is in over her head. Stupid hormones. Stupider heart. She closes her eyes briefly to take a deep breath or two before meeting Emma's gaze again. The love and desire simmering in those mossy eyes nearly is her undoing, like every other time Emma's turned that look on her. She debates ditching the movie and finding a seedy motel where they can just get their lust out before going home.

"Babe? You okay?"

"I-- I love you so much."

"Right back atcha," Emma replies without hesitation, reaching up to cup her cheek. "What's going on behind those pretty brown eyes of yours? Do we need to skip the movie and head home? You know it's okay if we cut the night short, right?"

Regina shakes her head and presses a gentle kiss to the palm of Emma's hand. "No, it's nothing like that. I'm just really considering breaking one of my rules tonight, that's all."

Emma's smile grows brighter. "Are you gonna eat the popcorn with butter?!"

"You know I always eat the popcorn with butter, idiot. I just don't always dress so nicely."

"Yeah, why did you dress so nicely for dinner and a movie?" Emma's eyes grow wide at Regina's self-conscious shrug. "Wait! Are you really gonna let me get a little handsy during the movie? I'm shocked …and a little turned on, not gonna lie."

Regina studies her face for a long moment. "You want to brag to Mallory."

"Maybe a little?"

"Emma Ruth Mills-Swan!"

"Hey, no middle naming me for being honest!"

*****

"Oh, come on! That's not fair!"

Mallory chuckles and continues to manipulate the buttons on her controller. "Something wrong, youngling?"

"I was beating you! What are you doing?"

Her chuckles go louder, turning into a cackle as she crosses the finish line. "And that is three for three. What do you say to another one to see if you can beat me? I'll only play one-handed."

Henry's eyes narrow. "Hey, that's what I say to y-- Oh." He pouts, but resets the game anyway. "How much have you been practicing?"

"Enough to beat you tonight."

"But you didn't know you'd be here tonight."

She leans over to press a kiss to his hair. "No, my sweet youngling, I didn't. I just wanted to be prepared for the next time your mothers wanted me to watch you. Can you blame me?"

Henry just grins and settles closer on the couch to snuggle into her side. "I like it when you watch me, and not just 'cause you spoil me." He glances up at her, a serious expression on his face. "I really mean it when I say you're my favorite auntie, you know."

Mallory pulls him closer in a one-armed hug and kisses his hair again before resting her cheek there. "I know you mean it, Henry, but I hope you don't act mean or naughty with your Auntie Zee. She loves you every bit as much as I or your moms do."

"No, I'm good with her, too." His nose scrunches up. "She just doesn't like to play my games like you do."

"I like your games, to be quite honest." Her next words are whispered in an exaggerated way. "And I like that I can beat your mom at them, too." Henry's delighted giggles set off her own laughter. "But that's just between you and me, right?"

Henry crosses his chest with a finger and nods. "Yep, just between us." He shifts then, dropping his controller to his side to be able to hug her tightly. "I love you, Auntie Dragon. Thank you for not treating me like a stupid little baby."

The hug is returned quickly and wholeheartedly. "Oh, Henry, I have loved you since the moment I knew you were coming. I've never treated you like you're stupid because you're not, and I never will. You're a smart young man of whom I'm very proud, I want you to know and remember that. You can always come to me with any problem you have, and we'll discuss it like grown-ups, up to and including how to explain whatever it is to your mothers, but you must be honest with me. Deal?"

"Deal."

Henry goes quiet for a moment, chewing at his bottom lip in a nearly exact replica of his blonde mother. Mallory studies his face as he works through whatever is going on in his head. She knows that this young man is very much the product of both of his mothers and his father. Two of those three need time to process things, while the third tends to go off half-cocked with her emotions guiding her. She simply waits until he's ready to continue their game, knowing from past experience it will pay off handsomely.

*****

The movie hasn't even gone technicolor yet, and Emma's hand is resting on Regina's bare knee. The gentle massage is more calming to Regina than she expects, which is something she forgets every single time until it happens again. Her mind is not on the movie, not entirely, and she keeps replaying Emma's little "threat" in the car. Head shifting to rest on Emma's shoulder, she glances around to see that everyone in the theatre is entranced by the movie. A soft smile curls up her lips as she gingerly shifts in her spot, legs spreading slightly. The movement causes Emma's hand to jostle and slide toward the inside of her knee.

"Babe?" Emma whispers, fingers still automatically stroking along her skin.

"Yes, my love."

"You sure about this?"

Regina considers her question for a moment or two before she nods. "I'll use the safe word if I need you to stop."

Emma's hand leaves her knee long enough to cup her cheek, tugging her close for a kiss. Regina pours everything she feels for her wife into that kiss, fingers tangling in beloved long tresses. She barely holds back the squeak of surprise when Emma's hand returns to the inside of her knee, trailing teasing fingertips lightly up her inner thigh as she kisses her way along Regina's jaw toward her ear. The softest of inhales is the only sound she makes to indicate what this is doing to her.

"Em…" She barely hears herself say the word, so she's certain no one around them has either.

"Shh, just relax."

Emma's whispered breath is hot on her neck as she nods in response. She can feel her body ramping up in all the best ways, and she hopes that Henry will be deeply asleep when they get home. But if he's not, they'll just have to continue this game just as quietly as they need now. Her legs shift further apart, and she feels more than hears the slit in her skirt rip wider. Fuck! In the next minute, as Emma’s fingers glide closer to the heat between her thighs, Regina makes a decision and lets that slit rip a bit more with a whispered "Em, please…"

"I've got you, babe. Just relax and enjoy the movie."

Regina settles back into her seat, eyes on the screen as Emma's fingers sink home into wet heat.

*****

"I did it!"

Henry is on his feet, dancing around the den with his controller in his hand. Mallory watches him with a fond smile. She lets him dance for a while, noting how his eyes are starting to droop.

"You certainly did. That was a difficult level, and you beat it all on your own."

Henry's yawn is loud and cracks his jaw. He rubs at his eyes. "Is it bedtime then?"

"Mm-hmm. It's a little early from our deal, but that's okay. You've had a big night tonight, youngling."

He flops on the couch next to her, snuggling into her side with another yawn. Mallory wraps an arm around him, rubbing his back. The warmth of his body going heavy tugs at her heart, and she wishes for the days when she could cradle her godson in her arms and let his little sleepy sounds soothe her soul.

"Love you, Auntie Dragon," he murmurs, nearly passed out already.

"I love you, too, youngling, more than the sum of all the stars in the sky."

She carefully gets to her feet and pulls Henry into her arms. His little arms and legs wrap around her tightly, his head heavy on her shoulder. She makes her way through the house and up the stairs to his bedroom. Taking her time, Mallory removes his hoodie and slippers before settling the covers over him.

"Teeth…"

"Shh," she murmurs, tucking him in properly. "I will tell your mothers that I let you go to bed without a shower or brushing your teeth. It'll be my fault, not yours. Just sleep now, sweet boy, and dream of fantastical dragons and knights for our stories."

*****

"Can you walk?"

"I'm fine, Emma."

She was, in fact, not fine in this present moment. Her legs are all rubbery feeling, her sex molten fire between her thighs, and her lungs burn with the need for oxygen. On the other hand, she can feel the euphoria settling over her and wants to simply fall into it and never leave.

"Let's just sit here a little longer and wait for the theatre to clear out, okay?" Emma chuckles softly when Regina hums in agreement. "Close your eyes and just rest a minute, yeah? I'll wake you when you're ready to go home."

Regina hums again and lets her eyes drift shut. She doesn't sleep, this isn't her bed, but she floats on the edge of consciousness, reliving the mind-blowing orgasm she had when Emma somehow managed to get her entire fist in the game without either leaving their seats. She hasn't felt so full in a long time, and certainly not in public. The fact that she didn't actually scream when she came still stuns her.

The thought of going through all of that again once they get home sends her nerves on fire again. She won't have to worry about screaming this time. That's what pillows are for. Her fear is that she'll just lose consciousness at the intensity of the next orgasm.

"Least I'm gonna sleep like the dead," she murmurs with a giddy giggle.

Emma chuckles and drops a kiss to her temple. "Guess that means I'll have to take a raincheck on another round tonight, hmm?"

"I can stay awake for that."

"No, babe, I don't think you can." At Regina's feeble protests, she grins and kisses her wife sweetly. "It's okay. We'll plan another date night, maybe have Mallory take Henry to her place for the night, and then you and I will have so many orgasms, we'll lose count. How's that sound?"

"Like heaven."

*****

Regina doesn't remember getting out of the theatre, or into her car, or the ride home. None of it. She's in a fog of endorphins and the desire for sleep as she leans heavily on Emma to shuffle into the house.

"Well, look at what the cat dragged in."

The sarcastic drawl is comforting. Regina's not sure she can properly respond, but waves lazily at her best friend.

"I gotta hand it to you, Blondie," Mallory says as she leans in to sniff the air. "I didn't expect Regina to be debauched in a movie theatre. I should babysit my godson more often if you're gonna do this to her."

"Yeah, whatever." Emma shifts her grip on Regina. "How about you help me get my wife up to bed and tell me how it went with the kid tonight?"

Mallory's heels click on the floor, moving closer until Regina feels another strong body propping her up. "Love you both," she murmurs.

"I love you, too, Little One. Just relax and let us get you upstairs now. You can tell me all about it in the morning over breakfast. I'm taking the guest room tonight."

*****

"Wakey-wakey, youngling," Mallory calls softly as she watches her godson slowly leaving dreamland. "Your mothers are exhausted and likely will be quite hungry when they wake up. How about you and I make breakfast for them?" When Henry mumbles and rolls over, she grins. "I'll let you cook the bacon, which means you decide how burnt it is."

That gets him upright and rubbing at his eyes. "Bacon? I get to cook the bacon?!" His bright grin is infectious as he stands and reaches for hoodie and slippers. "But who's gonna squeeze the OJ?"

As they head downstairs, Mallory simply sighs happily and says, "You still can while I cook the eggs, just like we always do."

"Oh yeah!"

They step into the kitchen and begin a routine they've been doing since Henry was three. Each step is precisely followed as they gather utensils, pans, and ingredients. She swears she could set a clock by their routine, one that she actually learned while she and Regina were in college. She watches him like a hawk as he cooks the bacon, but lets her godson learn his lessons in working with hot grease. One small mark on the back of his left hand is his only wound, and his bacon looks and smells perfect.

"All right, youngling, you do the juice while I do the eggs. Actually, can you man the Keurig for your mothers' coffees?"

"I got it, Auntie. Mom even lets me make her coffee now sometimes."

Pride at just how well-behaved he is as he grows into his young adulthood pricks hotly in her eyes, but no tears fall. She's not that sentimental, that's all Regina's realm of experience. "I'm impressed. Regina's rather particular about her coffee. She doesn't even let Blondie make it for her." Henry's giggle is telling, and she turns around to see the subjects of their conversation standing sleepily in the doorway. "Speak of the devils, and they shall appear. Good morning, sleepyheads. Go sit down at the table. The youngling here is serving you today."

Henry grabs bowls of fruit to set at his mothers' spots before they even sit down. Mallory notices Regina moving a bit stiffly, Emma supporting her with an arm at her waist. It takes everything in her not to snicker or tease her best friend, especially with Henry in the room. She'll figure it out for later.

"Mom, are you okay? Did you get another back spasm? Did you have Ma ice it for you?"

Oh Henry… Such a sweetly innocent question. May he never learn the actual answer to that.

"It was a bad chair at the theatre, sweetheart," Regina replies softly as she settles in her chair. "I'm sure a heating pad and some rest will fix me right up."

"Or a little hair of the dog," Mallory mutters, turning back to the stove. "All right, you two lazies, how do you want your eggs?"

Breakfast order confirmed, the kitchen falls into a comfortable silence borne of years of shared mornings like this. Henry shuttles food and dishes back and forth as needed, taking time out to make coffee for both of his moms. Once the eggs are done, Mallory starts to plate up their food as Henry begins to clean up the dirty dishes.

"Bud, aren't you gonna eat?"

"I've been snacking and taste testing everything with Auntie Dragon this morning. I'm good, Ma." At Mallory's soft clearing of her throat, he smiles back at his mothers. "But I'll come sit with you once I get these dishes in the dishwasher and the counter cleaned up."

"Mallory, I don't know what kind of magic you worked on the kid, but thank you."

She just laughs. "No magic involved, Blondie. The youngling obeys me respectfully every time I'm here."

Emma snorts and digs into her eggs. "Whatever it is, this is really good, and the kitchen looks great. The bacon is perfect. Since when did you make properly blackened bacon?"

Mallory smiles as she sees Henry's spine straighten where he's washing a pan. "I didn't do it. That was all your son's handiwork."

"Wait! Seriously? Kid, this bacon is perfect."

Henry finishes his work before turning to face his adults. "Auntie Dragon let me cook it all by myself. I only got this tiny—"

"Mallory, did you let my son get hurt with bacon grease?"

She chuckles and reaches across the table to pat Regina's hand. "I didn't let anything happen. I was watching him the whole time, and he did just fine. It was one tiny spatter of grease that we iced right away. I know better than to break your child, Little One."

Before anyone can say anything else, Henry dutifully walks over with a huge grin lighting up his face to show off his war wound to his mothers. Regina, as is her fashion, checks him over thoroughly in case any other burns or cuts were missed. Satisfied he's all right, she pulls him into a tight hug and whispers something that Mallory can't hear. Not that it matters, as she knows it's just Regina reassuring herself and her son that all is right in their world.

And really? All truly is right in their world. For all four of them. And another successful date night is in the books for Regina and Emma. Life is good.