Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Just a quick oneshot that my Beta and I discussed last night over coffee.
Special thanks to SassySaviorSwag as always.
Here's a quick filler for those of you don't know about this little historical tidbit.
Throwing or presenting an apple to a woman was seen as a marriage proposal in Ancient Greece. The story begins with the goddess of discord Eris, who was irritated by the fact that she wasn't invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. In retaliation for the lack of an invitation, Eris threw a golden apple into the throng at the wedding, the words "for the most beautiful one", inscribed on the apple. The three goddesses Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena laid claim to the apple. Paris of Troy was chosen to determine who deserved the apple and received bribes from each of the goddesses. Paris ultimately chose Aphrodite and her bribe. The apple was considered sacred to Aphrodite from then on and choosing to toss or present an apple to a woman became a form of declaring love or proposing marriage.
Regina gave a smile as she added her last apple to her basket and made her way back towards her home. She reflected on the past year of her life, beaming as she thought of how different things had turned out for her.
Here she was a year later, happy and in love. She had Henry back in her life and with him came Emma Swan. Once they finally cleared up all of their issues they began dating, entering into a steady and loving relationship that was beneficial to each of them.
It was for those reasons that Regina decided that she wanted to take her and Emma's relationship to the next level. They had been dating for over a year now and were in a stable and steady place.
Regina entered the mansion and sat the basket of apples down on the counter in the kitchen before taking a seat at her breakfast bar and giving a sigh. She wanted to propose to the blonde but wanted to do so in a very romantic and classic way that held something of interest to the blonde as well. She wanted something that screamed, Regina; but also wasn't too flashy or over rated. Not to mention the fact that a large portion of the brunette was absolutely terrified the blonde would say no.
Regina's eyebrows scrunched together in thought as she thought of the possibilities. Her eyes flickering to stare at the basket of apples that rested on the counter in front of her.
"That's it!" Regina exclaimed happily as the thought finally hit her. She gave a bright smile before grabbing an apple from the basket and rushing out of the house towards the sheriff station.
She knew that Emma should be getting ready to go on her lunch break soon and wanted to catch the blonde before she went to Granny's and she needed to do this before she lost her nerve or began to second guess herself.
She made good time and entered the station, apple in hand, and made her way towards Emma's office.
"Yeah that's fine Mrs. Potts, I'll be right there." Emma said with an exasperated sigh before hanging up the phone and grabbing her coat.
"Am I interrupting dear?" Regina asked with a smirk as she watched the blonde frantically put on her coat.
"Actually just heading out babe. Leroy is drunk already and is hanging out, in every sense of the word, in front of Mrs. Potts house." Emma explained quickly.
"I brought you this." Regina said softly, holding up the apple with a bright smile, hoping that Emma would get the reference.
"Thanks babe." Emma replied quickly before grabbing the apple and kissing the brunette on the cheek, "I'll see you at dinner."
Regina stood, confused, as she watched the retreating form of the blonde leave the station.
"Well that went well." Regina muttered to herself before exiting the office and heading back to the mansion.
She was sure that Emma would get the reference to the apple, considering the blonde was a total Greek mythology buff. Perhaps she hadn't done it correctly? She could've sworn that presenting an apple to a woman was considered a marriage proposal in Ancient Greece.
Regina's shoulders slumped slightly before she walked back to the mansion, pondering how she could make it more obvious.
Attempt #2
Regina eyed the apple in her hand and patiently awaited Emma's return to the office. This time she was hoping that she wouldn't be interrupted. Regina glanced at the clock and figured that the blonde should be arriving in the next few minutes from her lunch at Granny's.
"Hey babe," Emma greeted with a bright smile as she entered the office, quickly moving to Regina and giving the brunette a firm kiss.
"Mmmm hello yourself Sheriff." Regina replied with a bit of a purr. Emma gave a smirk before she kissed the woman again, a little more force behind the kiss, which made Regina give a throaty moan.
"What're you doing here?" Emma muttered against the woman's lips.
"I brought you something again." Regina replied, their lips hovering close together as she brought the apple up, making them pull back.
"An apple again?" Emma asked with a smile as Regina handed it to her. "You trying to tell me something?"
Finally she is getting it. Regina thought with a smirk.
"Actually yes." Regina replied, a hint of nervousness in her voice.
"Yeah?" Emma asked with a smirk before taking a bite of the apple and then presenting it back to Regina, offering her a bite as well.
The brunette eyed the apple before taking a small bite. She had barely swallowed the bite when Emma's lips crashed into hers once more, taking her breath away.
"Emma I-." Regina tried, gently pushing at the blonde's chest.
"Yeah?" Emma asked as she kissed a trail up the brunette's neck before lightly biting down on her pulse point and making her groan.
"Ugh never mind." Regina growled out before grabbing the blonde and pulling her close, sending them toppling over the desk in a tangle of legs and limbs.
Attempt #3
Regina walked into Granny's, becoming quite irritated with her plan of proposal to Emma. She carried another apple with her and was determined that this would be the last one and that Emma would finally get it.
"Hey Regina what can I-." Ruby started but was cut off by Regina's hand. The brunette walked around Ruby and headed towards the counter where Emma sat.
"Hey babe." Emma said with a grin as Regina approached her, stopping just in front of her and taking her hand and opening it palm up.
Regina plopped the apple down in Emma's hand and stepped back, staring at her expectantly.
"Another apple? Babe I know you worry about my eating habits but unless the apple is in a pie, I'm not gonna keep scarfing them down." Emma said with a smirk before raising the apple to her lips and taking a bite.
Regina gave a roll of her eyes before she gestured to the apple and gave Emma a pointed stare.
"What?" Emma asked with a mouth full of apple. She glanced down to the apple and then back at Regina who gestured once again and gave a harder stare.
"Forget it." Regina growled out before turning on her heel and walking out of Granny's in a huff.
"What did I do?" Emma asked Ruby as they watched the brunette walk down the street.
Ruby just gave a shrug to Emma before going back to waiting tables.
Attempt #4
Regina hauled a basket of her precious red apples down the street towards Granny's. She had given Emma the cold shoulder the night before after her last failed proposal and today she was determined to seriously get the blonde to recognize what she was trying to do.
Regina opened the door to Granny's and walked straight over to Emma's spot at the counter.
"Hey babe." Emma greeted with a small smile, not noticing the basket of apples.
Regina quickly lifted the basket above Emma's head and dumped the contents over top of her, allowing the apples to topple over Emma one by one. They hit the floor with tiny thuds, drawing the attention of all of the patrons in the diner.
"Regina what the hell?" Emma squeaked out as the last apple fell and hit her on the head before landing in her lap.
Regina's mouth opened in shock and closed quickly before her nose scrunched up in a sneer.
"Seriously Miss Swan?" Regina demanded out, gesturing to the slew of apples that pooled at Emma's feet.
Emma flinched at the title, seeing as how Regina only ever used it whenever she was in trouble for something.
"Babe what is with you and these damn apples and why did you just dump a shit ton of them over my head?" Emma demanded back, gesturing wildly at the apples.
"Ugh sometimes you are such an idiot!" The brunette huffed out.
Regina's eyes narrowed and she let out a frustrated growl before throwing her hands in the air in defeat and storming from the diner.
"CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" Emma yelled out, standing and giving an apple a hard kick, sending it flying through the air and straight at Granny; hitting her in the head.
Granny's eyes narrowed in on Emma and the blonde gave a sheepish smile and a tiny wave before rushing from the diner.
"What is with those two?" Granny asked Ruby, rubbing her head slightly.
"We'll know soon enough, but Emma has to figure it out first." Ruby replied with a wink, having already caught on to what Regina was trying to do.
Attempt #5
Regina gave a growl as she marched down the street, spotting Emma and Henry chatting wildly up ahead, just outside of Granny's Diner. She watched as Snow and Charming approached the two and joined the conversation.
Proposing to Emma, although failing miserably, was not something she wanted to do in front of the Charming couple. But drastic times call for drastic measures, and Regina was not only running out of apples, but was running out of patience with the blonde. Fortunately the Charmings entered the diner, leaving just Emma and Henry standing outside.
"Emma." Regina called out as she approached. Once the blonde turned to look at the brunette with a small smile Regina hauled the apple straight at the blonde's head.
The apple hit her with a thud and then landed in Emma's hands as she let out a painful groan.
"SERIOUSLY WHAT IS IT WITH YOU AND THESE DAMN APPLES WOMAN!" Emma yelled out before throwing the apple down to the ground and smashing it.
Regina stared down at the apple, a distraught look crossing her features as she eyed the mushy fruit. Her eyes flitted back up to meet Emma's hard stare, clearly irritated with Regina's antics.
The brunette felt tears well up in her eyes as she stared at the blonde. Her shoulders slumped dejectedly and she gave a tired sigh.
"Never mind Miss Swan. It doesn't matter." Regina replied before giving a wave of her hand and turning to walk back to the mansion, disappearing in a puff of smoke halfway down the block.
"What the hell has gotten into her?" Emma asked, her voice laced with sadness at the fact she had somehow unintentionally upset the brunette.
"Seriously Ma?" Henry asked with a roll of his eyes.
"What?" Emma asked in confusion before Henry pulled out a book from his backpack and put it in her hands.
"Turn to the marked page." Henry instructed, his eyes watching as Emma did what he said, "I wondered why mom was acting strange with her apples and I thought it seemed familiar to me and now I know why."
Emma scanned the page and slapped a hand to her forehead.
"Ugh Regina is right. I am a total idiot!" Emma groaned out, "This is actually really romantic and something I would love and just ugh!"
Henry shook his head before grabbing the book and putting it back, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and looking to his ma.
"You'd better go and apologize." Henry instructed before walking off down the street.
Emma quickly ran to City Hall, sliding around the corner and barreling towards the tree. Her eyes frantically searched the empty branches before landing on the last red apple. She quickly grabbed it and turned on her heels, heading straight for the mansion at a fast pace.
She flung the door open and headed toward the study, assuming that was where she would find Regina sitting, she was right. The brunette sat holding a glass of her apple cider in her hands, her back facing Emma as she sat on the couch.
"Hey." Emma stated softly, causing the brunette to turn and look at the blonde.
As soon as their eyes locked Emma tossed the apple at Regina, it hitting her in the head and bouncing onto the couch.
Regina's eyes narrowed and she was about to scold the blonde, thinking the woman was trying to get back at her from her earlier shenanigans.
"You know you're supposed to catch it to accept." Emma stated softly with a smile.
Regina's eyebrows creased in confusion before her eyes widened in realization.
"You mean-?"
"Toss me the apple Regina."
Regina bit her lip shyly before picking it up and examining it. Her brown eyes sought green and she gave a small smile as she tossed the blonde the apple, Emma smoothly catching it with a smirk.
The blonde gave a bright smile before walking around the couch and sitting down next to the brunette.
"Yes." Emma stated simply before leaning in and capturing Regina's plump lips in her own.
"Took you long enough." Regina muttered against the blonde's lips.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking that you would use an Ancient Greek marriage proposal on me." Emma replied with a chuckle, their foreheads resting together.
"I wanted something different… something old fashioned like me and something that you thoroughly enjoy." Regina said with a smile.
"Well you could have just asked you know."
"I thought you would say no."
"Did you still think I would say no?" Emma asked referring to Regina's apple antics.
Regina cast her eyes downwards and bit her lip shyly before giving a slow nod.
"Well then you clearly don't realize how much I love you. Because I just said yes after you repeatedly pelted me with apples." Emma replied with a chuckle before kissing Regina once more.
"It does make an interesting story though dear."
"Whatever you say Eris."
"I didn't have anything inscribed on it." Regina retaliated.
"Mhmm."
"I would have written the same thing as her though." Regina replied with a small smirk.
"Oh really?" Emma asked before allowing their lips to hover each other once more.
"Mhmmm."
"So… I am the most beautiful?" Emma asked, placing a kiss on Regina's lips.
"Yes."
"Am I the apple of your eye?" Emma asked as she placed kisses down Regina's neck.
"Yes dear." Regina replied with a throaty chuckle.
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away?"
"That makes no sense to this situation dear." Regina replied as she titled her neck to give Emma more access.
"Would you like me to taste your forbidden fruit?" Emma whispered in Regina's ear, making the brunette shiver and moan.
"Now we are talking Savior." Regina replied before pouncing on Emma and beginning her assault.
Getting pelted in the head with apples just to be proposed to, and then having crazy hot engagement sex?
Totally worth it in Emma's opinion.