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thefictionallawyerwhowrites · 3 years ago

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i LOVE sightless and soundless! please write a chapter where they practice together then make dinner together. cuteness prevails!

Thank you so much for a prompt and your love for this story! I really hope you’ll like this chapter, too! Please, if you have any more prompts, feel free to leave them in my askbox! :)

Nice reading!!

Sightless and Soundless (6)

Regina’shand is insistent against Robin’s thigh, beating the rhythm to him despite hercurrent state, despite her trembling chin and teary eyes. She doesn’t thinkhe’s aware of how she’s feeling at this moment, doesn’t think he would beplaying if he was.

And Reginais grateful that he doesn’t know. The last thing she wants is to talk about it.

To behonest, she’s been a mess for a few days now because Henry is finally comingover to stay with her and if Emma hasn’t changed her mind during the week, theboy will stay with Regina until tomorrow evening.

Theyhaven’t spent so much time together since he was taken away.

Regina’sbeen ecstatic at first, she couldn’t stop thinking about it, couldn’t stoptalking about it. However, with each passing day, she came to a realizationthat it may not be as good as it seemed at the beginning. After all, she’sbarely capable of taking care of herself (she’s getting better at it, she justneeds more time to get used to the dark) and now Henry will finally see justhow weak she’s become.

She’s beenstruggling with self-loathing from the moment she lost her sight, but heremotions got out of control completely during the week. She started crying overstupid things, even the drop of a hat could make her tear up.

It made herangry. Regina Mills is not afraid, embarrassed or weak. She’s strong and readyto fight, she does not give up easily and yet she lost herself, she can’t finda reason to fight anymore because everything is just too much, too hard, andshe’s so tired of her traitorous thoughts that she cannot keep it together.

She knewthis day was going to be a disaster and she agreed to help Robin practiceanyway.

Now shewishes she hadn’t.

Closing hereyes tightly, Regina tries to quiet her mind. Instead, she focuses on therhythm she’s beating, on the wonderful sounds that are filling the whole roomas Robin plays. He’s wonderfully good at it (she’s known it already, she’schecked out his performances on YouTube after that first night they’ve met).

Every note,every staccato and legato is perfect, every sound is heavenly beautiful, and hedoesn’t hear it, he doesn’t hear anything; he’s cursed not to hear just howwonderful he is.

Theemotions he puts into this symphony are indescribable and before Regina knowsit, tears well up in her eyes.

She cursesherself mentally because she’s not supposed to cry, she’s supposed to be strongand try not to scare Robin away with her weakness. She likes him, and shethinks he likes her too, but she does not think that even he would be willingto be with someone who’s as pathetic as she is.

Inhaling,Regina rests her head against his shoulder and closes her eyes, tries not tothink about anything but listen and feel instead.

All of asudden the music stops and all she can hear is her labored breathing, her shakyinhales and exhales.

She didn’teven realize she was crying.

Robinshifts a bit, and Regina lifts her head up from his shoulder, quickly wipesaway the tears from her cheeks and tries to put herself under control.

“Regina?”Robin’s confused voice reaches her ears at the same time his warm hand toucheshers. “What happened? Is everything alright?”

She sighs,feeling anger bubbling up inside her – she’s ruining everything in her life,including their practice and relationship with this wonderfully talented man.She has to inhale deeply and count to ten, then exhale, repeat it a few timesuntil the anger becomes less consuming, until she’s strong enough to say, “I’mfine.”

For amoment, Robin doesn’t say anything, but she knows he’s staring at her for hiswarm breath is reaching her face, his (wonderful) forest scent is invading hernostrils. He’s staring at her, gauging her reactions and she bows her head downself-consciously, letting her hair hide her face, cursing herself over and overagain.

Robin ismoving then, turning and walking away, and Regina wonders just what he’s doing.Is he leaving? Did he get tired of her already?

But thenshe feels the couch sinking from the weight and after a moment Robin’s arms arewrapped around her as he whispers that everything will be alright. He kissesthe crown on her head and her forehead and her cheeks and nose and she tries tosettle down, to let his touch ground her and not let her freak out.

“Is itabout Henry?” Robin asks after a while of silence. It wasn’t hard to figureout, Regina thinks, after all she’s been talking non-stop about her son and todayshe hasn’t even mentioned him.

Feelingcalmer, Regina frees herself out of Robin’s embrace and straightens a bit, nodsher head. She’s not sure if Robin can hear her, doesn’t know if he has hisphone in his hands but she inhales and tells him anyway, “Henry has only seenme a few times after I became blind. Tonight he’s coming over and he’ll see mein all my glory, Robin. He’ll finally see just how pathetic I’ve become.”

She hasprobably never felt this useless, not even when her mother used to remind herhow pathetic she is every single day.

How is shesupposed to explain to Henry that they’re going to eat pizza because she cannotcook anymore? How is she going to survive not seeing his cute face when hetells her about his life with his new mom?

It was areally bad idea to invite him here.

“You’re notpathetic,” Robin disagrees, his voice strong and steady. So he’s had the phonewith himself, after all. He touches Regina’s hand and she wraps it around hisinstinctively, hoping to find some comfort in his hold. “You’re struggling butit’s alright. Henry is a smart boy, I’m sure he won’t mind if you dropsomething or do something not right.”

“Robin, I’mhis mother,” she shakes her head, her voice shaking, “I’m supposed to be anexample, not… this,” she motions to herself and feels bile rising up herthroat. Damn it, she’s going to be sick if her mind won’t be quiet.

“You’rewonderful, Regina,” Robin says, and if she could, she would roll her eyes athim. “You’re the strongest woman and your son will not see you as pathetic orweak. He’ll see you as a hero who chose to fight for a second chance; a herowho chose to fight and live again no matter how badly hurt she was.”

Reginafeels tears collecting in her eyes for different reasons now.

What didshe do to deserve Robin?

Shereleases his hand and moves hers up to his arms and shoulders until she cupshis cheeks. Robin smiles a bit until she feels his dimples, and she’s so damnsure he did it on purpose, just to make her smile. Shaking her head, she pullshim closer until their lips touch.

“What’sHenry’s favorite food?” Robin asks when their lips part, and Regina imaginesthat he’s smiling now, his dimples appearing on his handsome face. She smilestoo. “I cannot help you much but at least I can help you prepare dinner foryour son.”

“You don’thave to,” Regina shakes her head, her palms finding their place on his cheeksagain, thumbs finding those dimples and she exhales, feeling warmth spreadingall over her, much calmer now. God, she’s weak for this man. “You already do alot for me, Robin. I will never be able to repay you.”

“Nonsense,”Robin shakes his head and presses his lips against hers one more time. Thistime, she parts her lips a bit, deepening the kiss, and Robin’s arms tightenaround her, holding her closer.

When thekiss breaks, Robin rests his forehead against hers, and Regina’s hands leavehis face and rest on his shoulders while she struggles to catch her breath, astupid smile spreading across her face.

“So, whatare we making tonight, milady?” Robin asks, and Regina cannot see his face,cannot feel it but she knows he’s smiling.

“Lasagna.”

She has torepeat the word a few times to him for the phone got lost when they werekissing, and she doesn’t know if he really doesn’t understand her or just makesher repeat the word for fun but she doesn’t mind. She likes his playful side,likes it even more now when it’s keeping her from having a panic attack.

“Is it theright time to admit that I have never cooked anything else besides omelet?”Robin asks as he helps Regina stand up, his voice teasing and she cannot helpbut slap him on the shoulder, chuckling.

(…)

Robin madeRegina sit down on the chair and not move a finger. She insisted that she wantsto help, the reason to prepare this meal was to make her feel better and she’llfeel terrible if she just sits there, commanding for Robin.

He’d pitiedher then and passed her a knife and an onion. She was extremely cautious whiledoing her task for the last time she cut an onion, she accidently cut herfingers and the wound was so deep, it required stitches but Robin does not needto know that.

Robinstarted telling stupid jokes and stories to her then, every few minutes turningaround and kissing her nose and forehead and cheeks, keeping her mind busy,keeping her self-loathing at bay.

However,when Regina hears the doorbell, the knife falls down from her hands to thetable, her heart starts beating wildly in her chest, her hands shaking as allthe feelings from before come back.

The meal isnot prepared, she’s sure she looks like a mess, and Robin is still here.

Damn it.

“Henry’shere,” Regina whispers to herself, standing up from the chair, and grips theedge of the table with shaky hands to steady herself. “Robin, we haven’tfinished preparing lasagna, and –“ her voice is shaking, her mind is overworkedand she feels like she’s going to be sick again.

“Calmdown,” Robin says, his voice steady and calm as it always is when she’spanicking. He takes her hand in his, gives it a quick squeeze, “Take a deepbreath and go open the door. I’ll make sure not to burn anything until you comeback.”

Right.

She can dothis.

Reginainhales shakily, nods her head, then exhales and inhales again until shefinally forces her body to turn around. She walks to open the door on shakylegs, holding the wall for support.

“Mom!”Henry exclaims, throwing himself into her arms as soon as she opens the door.She returns the hug, wrapping her arms around him tightly, feeling tearscollecting in the corners of her eyes for the umpteenth time today.

“I missedyou so much, my little prince,” she whispers, her arms tightening around theboy.

They standin each other’s arms until a shattering sound from the apartment startles bothof them, makes Henry pull away from Regina.

She shiftsher weight from one leg to another uneasily, and explains, “My friend is here.He’s helping me to make dinner.”

Henrydoesn’t say anything, only hums in response and Regina sighs, curses herselffor not asking Robin to leave before Henry came.

However,she smiles at Henry and takes his hand and they both walk into the apartment.The boy leaves his backpack in the living room and then they make their wayinto the kitchen, Regina’s heart threatening to jump out of her chest the wholetime.

It’s beenonly two years since Henry lost his father and he may not be thrilled about theidea of another man in his mother’s life.

This day isa disaster, Regina thinks bitterly.

Robingreets Henry as soon as they step into the kitchen, making Regina’s heart stopfor a moment. She would give everything away just to see Henry’s face rightnow, just to see how her son reacts to meeting the same strange man for thesecond time.

Henrygreets Robin back and from the sounds she thinks they’re shaking hands, andRegina feels as if a very heavy stone was lifted off of her chest. At leastHenry doesn’t sound grumpy.

“Would youlike to help me?” Robin asks Henry as Regina sits down on the chair again. Herson must agree because another chair is moving and then he’s sitting down,telling that he’ll finish cutting the onions.

Regina’seyes fill with tears again but she blames the onions.

(…)

The eveningturned out quite well. Henry surprised both Regina and Robin when he insistedthat Robin has to stay and try the lasagna. Robin didn’t object, of course, andjoined them. The meal was not as good as it could be, but Regina praised theboys, feeling indescribable warmth in her chest because her son and her…potential boyfriend were getting on so well.

However,when Robin had to leave, Regina felt as if her heart was going to jump out ofher chest. They hadn’t talked about how they were going to introduce themselvesto Henry (Robin was not even supposed to meet Henry in the first place). AndRegina feared that if Robin kissed her goodbye, everything may crumble down.

But hedidn’t. He just hugged her and whispered that he’ll see her soon, bid them goodnight and left.

Reginasighed in relief.

(…)

After aquick break down while changing into her pajamas, Regina makes her way toHenry’s new room. She keeps her hand pressed against the wall no matter howpathetic it makes her feel but it seems better than to fall onto her face infront of her son.

When she finallysteps into the room after a few stops in the hallway to calm herself down, shehears the pages turning.

He’s reading.

Tearscollect in her eyes again as she remembers how she used to read to Henry everysingle evening, book after book, story after story. He had an overactiveimagination, her little prince, and these stories fascinated him to no end.

She’s sureif she hadn’t broken down a few minutes ago, she would be crying now.

“I likeRobin,” Henry says when Regina clears her throat and walks further into theroom, sits down on the edge of the bed. She smiles a bit at his words, butdoesn’t say anything, lets Henry continue. “He’s funny and a musician and hehelps you.”

For a briefmoment, his words make Regina feel pathetic again, but she forces herself toremember Robin’s words, she forces herself to think that Henry sees her like ahero that she’s not. The tears fill her eyes again but she forces a smile,telling Henry that Robin is a good man.

“I missdad,” the boy says suddenly, his voice a little shaky.

Those tears,that have been threatening to fall, finally spill free but she doesn’t botherto hide them, she doesn’t bother to pretend that the loss of her husbanddoesn’t hurt her anymore.

Instead ofwiping them away and faking a smile, she lies down on the bed beside hernot-so-little prince and finds his hand, takes it and squeezes. “I miss himtoo, baby. Every single day,” Regina admits and presses her lips in a thinline, swallowing down a sob.

Wordlessly,Henry moves closer to her, curls into her side, his head rested on hershoulder, in the way he used to do when he was a little boy, in the way he usedto do when their lives weren’t ruined. Regina wraps her arm around her son andkisses on top of his head, feels his body trembling. She only tightens herhold, and wishes that one day it won’t hurt that much anymore.

It doesn’ttake long until both mother and son fall into a dreamless sleep, finallyfinding peace again in each other’s embrace.

#regal believer #oq ff #oq #outlaw queen

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