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A crunching sound and loud impact cause the yellow Volkswagen Beetle to grind to a halt. The young, blonde-haired woman in the driver’s seat had frantically steered the car out of the way of the animal moments before. Her knuckles had tensed around the steering wheel as she braced herself for the impact, her body jolting forward as the car finally stopped. Screeching tires are now the only sound pulsating through her ears.As the car came to a stop on the side of the road, she looked at her surroundings to survey the initial damage. Concluding it was safe to step out of the vehicle, she removed her seatbelt, relieved that it wasn’t another car or a person she had hit. The door creaks, rattling as the metal is shoved forwards. Stepping out of her car, feet dragging along as if on autopilot, her leather ankle boots scraped against the tarmac on the road as she gathered her bearings. The car that was following not far behind her pulls into the side of the road. Her hands are still shaking slightly as she walks around her car, assessing the damage and finally seeing the evident puncture in her tire caused by the impact. “Shit!” She curses to herself. As she kneels down inspecting the wheel, a familiar man’s voice is heard behind her, evidently concerned about the woman but still trying to offer some comfort. “Nothing we can’t fix, Em. We’ve got hours before we arrive so it’s not a problem.” She doesn't turn around to answer him. Instead, she continues inspecting the damage to her tire, wishing that the longer she stared at it, the quicker the problem would fix itself. “Shouldn’t have happened in the first place. It’s gonna cost me more money now.” “Emma, don’t worry about the tire, it can be replaced.” He reassured her with a weak smile, as he now crouched down beside her.“Yeah, but college isn’t cheap, Dad. I don’t need this bill on top.” Emma had already spent a year in college and had quickly learned how expensive it gets. Sighing in defeat; she cannot even meet his gaze for fear of disappointment. “Oh, that poor little guy!” Her mother’s high pitch voice is suddenly heard meters away as she checks to see if the fox that was hit is still breathing. Emma simply rolls her eyes at the grating voice behind her, but still hopes that the fox is okay nonetheless. “We’ll cover the cost of the new tire, in the mean time, I’ll help you change this one. Come on.” Emma’s father offers. As he opens the trunk of her car to collect the spare tire, she joins him. After what feels like the longest tire change ever, it’s finally sorted out about 30 minutes after the impact had occurred. Emma asks her dad to double check the newly fitted tire, mostly because she doesn’t trust her own judgement at this moment, and two heads are better than one, as her father tells her. As her father double-checks her work, Emma’s mother decides to join her, placing an arm around her for reassurance. Her priorities have finally returned from the dead fox to her daughter. “Your dad is right, Emma. We’ll get you a new replacement tire, it’s not a problem.” As much as the words were well meant from the older woman, it was the last thing Emma wanted to hear right now. It was slowly starting to feel more and more like pity. “Still, it shouldn’t have happened. I don’t even know if it was a good idea to bring my car to college this year. It’s not getting any cheaper to run with gas costs. Now this! It could’ve been way more serious…” The younger woman breathed a deep sigh, already exhausted by today’s events. She knew her energy would climb as soon as she’s in Boston, seeing her friends again. “Mistakes happen all the time. No one’s perfect. You can’t change the past, but what you can do is still make the future better.” The older woman says with a reassuring smile. Emma only manages a weak smile in response. She may not always agree completely with her mom, but still values her kindness and wisdom. A few moments pass until Emma’s father is satisfied with the tire. Once everyone is ready, they return to their vehicles and continue the rest of the journey to Massachusetts. Meanwhile, in a small student house in Boston, drama is brewing faster than a spell in a witch’s cauldron. Outside the house are two new cars, a bronze Bentley Mulsanne, and a silver Range Rover SV, both being unloaded. An older man with silver hair is unloading one of the cars, instructing his staff on where to place the bags and boxes in the house. Inside the property, an older woman with a disgusted expression struts around the house in her Gucci high heels. She has the same reaction to the place that can only be likened to stepping in dog shit. Her eldest daughter, Zelena, is much more thrilled and even relieved to be moving in. As much as she loves her mother and stepfather, she is much preferring her freedom and independence granted by studying away from home. She only wishes college was longer than four years, and being in her third year, she finally realizes how short-lived student life is. Zelena runs upstairs to work out which room is hers. She moved into new accommodation this year with her friend Ruby, whom she’s lived in student accommodation with since the first year. After the first year of meeting for the first time as roommates in the student halls, to last year living together with two strangers, this year they opted to live in a three-bedroom house with Ruby’s good friend, Emma. As Zelena finds her room, she thanks the staff for helping with placing her belongings. She sits on one of the stronger boxes and tries to call Ruby. “Hey Rubes, just wondering what time you’re going to be back. Oh, and we’ve just arrived in case it wasn’t obvious. Saying that, you might want to wait a few hours. Mum doesn’t approve of the house. Anyway, talk soon, mwah!” As she ends the phone call she notices her sister now stood in the doorway frowning at her. “You know you could’ve just text her that, right? You didn’t have to call,” the young woman with dark shoulder length hair says as she leans against the door frame, cringing with her arms folded across her chest. “Unlike you, Regina, people don’t just shrivel into an anxious mess every time a phone rings.” The smirk stretching across the woman’s lips was enough scorn for the both of them. “Oh, please, you only prefer to call because you enjoy listening to the sound of your own voice,” she replied with a contemptuous scoff. Zelena simply rolled her eyes at the remark on instinct before beginning to unpack one of the nearby boxes. “As opposed to being the human equivalent of a lettuce every time I have to call somewhere…” Now raising an amused eyebrow as she notices in the box she’s opened is her stuffed monkey plush. The woman sneakily tosses the plush at Regina who flinches and shrieks. Zelena bursts with laughter as the brunette hits the plush as far away as possible, only to launch it back to her. Regina has always loathed that plush with a passion. She knits her eyebrows in frustration, moodily tossing it back in Zelena’s direction before shuddering at the sight of the monkey. As Zelena places the monkey on the nearby shelf she says to her sister, “speaking of enjoying your own voice, keep Mum busy, will you? I’m bored of her constant whining.” “Oh, but it’s inhumane that there isn’t a marble worktop or a butler!” She says, mocking their mother. “Oh my god, stop it, Gina. Seriously!” Regina smirks before sending a sarcastic salute in her direction. She heads out of her sister’s bedroom and down the stairs. As she is walking, she can hear her mother lecturing the staff outside. “Do you need to get your eyes tested? It clearly has an ‘R’ on it, not a ‘Z.’ Why would Zelena need Regina’s kitchen utensils?” Regina’s mother complains to the tired-looking, apologetic staff, her tongue sharp enough to cause whiplash. About an hour or so later, the family locks the house and heads to Regina’s dorm to help her move in. As the Bentley pulls up to the car park, nerves begin to boil up for Regina, reality beginning to sink in. What if it’s horrible? What if I don’t like the people I’m living with? What if they don’t like me? If I fail or drop out, what happens? Regina’s panicked thoughts suddenly disperse as she hears her name spoken. “Regina! Come on, we’re here. Let’s get the keys, your father and Zelena can wait by the car.” “Actually, Mum, I was hoping to go with Regina. It’s her first day and I want to be there for my little sister.” Zelena interjects without looking up from her phone, hoping it was enough to save the brunette from dying of embarrassment at her mother’s generally off-putting behavior. “You will, but after I’ve seen it, Zelena. It’s better if a grownup goes with her,” Cora sharply says, as if she’s sucked a lemon. Henry, Regina’s father, steps out of the car. He begins unloading boxes, any excuse to avoid a brewing argument, knowing full well it was the calm before the storm. “I’m 25, how am I not an adult?” Zelena argues back with a matching look of scorn in her mother’s general direction. “I’m her mother.” The older woman practically hissed at the sheer audacity of her rebellious eldest daughter. “Well maybe you should ask Regina what she wants… Regina?” She says looking around for her younger sister. As Cora and Zelena undo their respective car windows to peer out of, Regina appears, almost as if by magic. “Actually, Dad’s coming with me,” the young brunette replies, trying to hide a smug smile. As much as she loves her sister and mother, they were often far too similar in levels of irritation. “We’ll be back in a bit,” Henry adds, closing the trunk of the car and doing his best to escape, showing his true feelings about the entire situation. Between trying to avoid arguments with his wife about the smallest of things and hiding his bubble of emotions about his youngest daughter finally being out in the world on her own two feet, he was certainly trying his hardest to hold it all together for everyone’s sake. He was also incredibly relieved for the help of his stepdaughter, Zelena, who provided enough distraction to take some of the weight off of the others. Although, that wasn’t her responsibility, and the man did admittedly feel some guilt for this. “What do you expect us to do? Sit here and wait?” Cora huffs in disappointment, her tongue as sharp as a viper. It was a warm and sunny day in the city; however, the sharpness of her tone was enough to send shivers down his spine. “You mean like you suggested Henry and I do just a moment ago?” Zelena retorts, to which Cora instantly scowls, as if she had almost expected the capricious remark. “Well, you can always help get some of the boxes out of the trunk,” Regina slyly suggests. Her father replied with a matching knowing smirk, showing their resemblance. “Good idea, Regina.” “No, no. You both continue. I’m going to call Daniel and see how the horses are doing back home.” The suggestion of manual labor was an instant defeat of any argument, as far as Cora was concerned. She quickly scrolls through her contacts to find Daniel’s number. Zelena, meanwhile, tags Regina in her Snapchat story wishing her luck. ‘Not that you’ll need it,’ she writes after. Regina and her father grin as they leave, carrying some of the bags and lighter boxes. When Regina moves into her single room, her nerves seem to ease for a while. She believes she’s the second person to move into her suite at Apley Court -- the finest Freshman housing Harvard had to offer. She briefly meets her first roommate. They introduce themselves and quickly exchange pleasantries before continuing to unpack in their respective rooms. A few minutes later, Zelena and Cora arrive at Regina’s room to help out. Cora seems to approve of her younger daughter’s accommodation much more than Zelena’s. Regina goes into the kitchen to begin placing her plates and bowls in her given space. Her sister follows closely behind as an excuse to get away from their overbearing mother. “If I had a dollar for every time she said this place is better than yours…” Regina remarks as her lips thinned. “Don’t, just don’t. I wish I’d brought my noise-cancelling earbuds in the car,” Zelena simply states with a sigh, crossing her arms across her chest, mimicking her sister from earlier. “Less than an hour until they leave,” the brunette suggests in an attempt to comfort her older sister. “Oh, believe me, I’m counting down the seconds.” Zelena emphasizes the last word, causing her sister to laugh under her breath. “Did Ruby call you back?” She finally changes the subject to something less depressing, much to Zelena’s relief. “Yeah, she’s meeting Sheriff at the house to help her move in.” “Sheriff?” “Emma’s nickname,” Zelena clarifies, which is met with a raised eyebrow from the brunette. “Oh, right.” “Yeah, she’s great!” She replies with a suggestive tone that her sister seems to either completely not notice, or potentially just ignored. “Why’s she called Sheriff?” Regina asks, curiously pondering the nickname. “Long story. I’m sure she’ll tell you at some point if you ask her… Anyway, you’ll love her. Actually, let me show you!” Zelena enthuses while scrolling through her phone to find Emma’s social media. It wasn’t like she hadn’t shown Regina before; in fact, she had even seen Emma tagged in Zelena and Ruby’s stories on Insta and Snapchat many times in the past. Still, she certainly wasn’t about to complain anytime soon about being shown more photos of the beautiful woman. As the older sister scrolls through Instagram, she finds a picture Emma posted recently to show Regina, who is almost instantly taken aback by the blonde’s beauty in the photo. In the image, Emma is surrounded by woodland trees that appear to extend for miles. Her golden, wavy hair shines brighter than the sun, her olive-green eyes more like the never-ending forest. Her outfit, Regina thinks, would give Lara Croft a run for her money. Well, the Angelina Jolie film version, not the Alicia Vikander one, although both were definitely, uh… is it getting hot in here? Wait! Why am I comparing Emma to Lara Croft? Snap out of it, Mills! Her thoughts are cut off by Zelena clearing her throat and giggling at the younger woman’s staring. “Earth to Regina?” “Sorry, was just… those trees look familiar,” she attempts to lie, failing miserably. “Oh, the trees! For sure… The heart eyes have nothing to do with the beautiful blonde that you were staring at?” “I wasn’t staring! I was… thinking.” “Mhmm... You don’t need to tell me what you were thinking about, Gina,” she teases, at which Regina instantly scowls. A blush and warmth rises in the brunette’s cheeks which makes Zelena cackle loudly. The conversation is cut short when the sound of Henry and Cora disputing where to place things becomes audible. “See what I mean about paper thin walls?” her sister says, and Regina reluctantly nods in agreement, having hoped for a long time that her sister had been hyperbolic about it. “That’s gonna be tricky,” she contemplated out loud, nervously biting her bottom lip. “Good luck if you bring any ladies over.” Zelena wiggles her eyebrows suggestively, taking every opportunity to tease her. “Shush, my new roommate might hear you. I don’t want her to know.” “She’s gonna find out if you bring people over, Gina. Especially with the walk of shame the next day.” “Well, then I’ll just have to be extra careful.” “Robin says that all the time.” “Eww, no, stop. I don’t wanna know about that.” “I meant when he’s driving in the city. What were you on about?” Zelena feigns innocence. “What you two do in the car is none of my business.” An hour or so later, Henry and Cora are continuing to drag out their goodbyes to Regina. Zelena, on the other hand, is stood texting her friends, waiting for her mother and stepfather to leave. They’re acting like she’s leaving the country permanently. It’s not like they won’t text or call every week, Zelena ruminates with an eye roll at the perpetual farewells. Henry and Cora say a quick goodbye to Zelena as they drive off, at which she manages a swift, obligatory wave to the Bentley as it exits the car park and heads out of the city. “The first twenty times were enough, surely?” Regina complains to her sister with a sigh. “At least they showered you in affection.” “I think the word you’re looking for is smothered.” “True, but they do it because they care. You’re the baby of the family, that’s why,” Zelena teases. “Yeah, like I need reminding.” Regina sulked like a petulant teenager for a moment, making her sister chuckle at her whining. “Anyway darling, I’ll let you settle in. If you get bored, you know where I am,” Zelena replies while hugging Regina, deciding to make her way home now that Emma and Ruby had finally arrived. “I’ll have to Google Maps it a few times first, I think.” Her sister contemplates for a moment before suggesting, “tell you what, I’ll meet you here tomorrow and we can do the journey together, if you like? You can see Ruby and maybe meet Emma.” “Uh, yeah… sure. What time?” “After lunch?” “Your idea of lunchtime is very different from mine,” Regina replies, raising an eyebrow knowingly. “2:30?” “That works.” “See you tomorrow,” Zelena replies with a joyful smile that was a tad too wide for Regina’s suspicions, but nevertheless she manages to dismiss the thought. “I’ll text you at 1 so you don’t forget.” “You’re the best, Reggie,” Zelena calls out to her sister as she heads off in the opposite direction. “I know,” Regina calls out to her, before adding: “Also, seriously don’t call me that,” with a half-joking frown. Her sister, of course, completely chooses to ignore her, walking away to grab an Uber. Once Zelena is gone, Regina heads back into her apartment and makes her way to the kitchen to get a drink. As she enters the kitchen, she meets another one of her roommates, in her suite, Archie. They talk for half an hour, getting to know each other, discussing where they’re from and what they’re studying. Regina learns that Archie is studying psychology. Meanwhile, in Zelena’s house, the fiery redhead is at her wit’s end. The smell of burnt meat and tomato sauce fills the kitchen. The aroma sifts through the air as the microwave door swings open. The inside of the microwave looks like something out of a horror movie. She wasn’t sure if it was a miracle or a concern that it hadn’t set off the smoke alarm. Concern, definitely need to check they’re actually working at some point, or we’re seriously fucked, she decides after a moment. Ruby knits her eyebrows at the sight of the food that’s exploded, sighing as she puts on the pink floral oven gloves. Removing the burnt meal from the microwave, she leans back in disgust. Turning around to place it in the trash, she notices Zelena standing at the doorway. “You’d think after three years away from home you would’ve remembered to pierce the cellophane on the package first.” Zelena pinches the bridge of her nose as she closes her eyes. Ruby tosses the meal into the trash bag. “I couldn’t find any knives, so I just hoped for the best.” You literally work in a diner, Zelena contemplates to herself. The exhausted redhead sharply opens the kitchen drawer next to the microwave, she points at the drawer before glancing at the contents, blinking several times in horror and confusion. “They’re right… What?!” “I checked the other boxes but couldn’t see them.” “Well, where’s yours?” “You told me not to bring them because you had too many!” “Oh, for… Well, they have to be around here somewhere!” Zelena huffs, storming out of the kitchen into the lounge. As she rummages through the boxes, a different voice is heard behind her. “What’s going on?” Emma folds her arms as she stands in the doorway, suspiciously eyeing the box that Zelena is hastily searching through as if the world is ending. This time it’s Ruby’s turn to exaggerate. “Cutlery has vanished into thin air!” “It can’t have just vanished!” Emma narrows her eyes and creases her brow as she joins Zelena in searching through the boxes. “Ruby, are you gonna make yourself useful? What are you doing?” the redhead asks, her voice elevating on the second question, confused by the fact Ruby had apparently decided to just stand and stare at her phone. The woman in question stands behind the sofa, scrolling through her cell. She manages to give a quick enough answer, before Zelena could become even more impatient. “I’m gonna send a message to Regina and see if she got them by mistake.” “Call her,” Zelena demanded almost instantly. “You know she hates phone calls,” Ruby reasons, glancing up from the device in her hand to look at her. “Bigger fish to fry.” The woman huffs before returning to rummaging through the box. Ruby dials Regina’s number. Surprisingly, after 5 rings, Regina picks up the call. “Hey Ruby, what’s wrong?” Regina says at the end of the phone, startled by the intrusion. “Hey so we can’t find any of the cutlery here, could you check your boxes to see if it’s there by accident?” The other brunette’s attempt to sound sweet must’ve actually worked. Despite Regina’s sigh, she heads to her room to check to see if there’s any boxes that need unpacking. She unlocks her door and looks around her room for less than a minute. Meanwhile, on the other end of the phone, the sound of Zelena becoming shorter-tempered resonates through the speaker: she is repeatedly tapping her boot on the wooden flooring, her eyes piercing through Ruby as if they were arrows, and the woman was her next target. “She says everything’s already unpacked.” Ruby relays the message to her sheepishly. “Really? Mum and Henry didn’t leave a single box to unpack,” Zelena mutters under her breath. “Wait, I’ll double check,” Regina replied, almost as if she had read her sister’s mind. While she searches the underbed storage, Ruby’s phone is mostly quiet, minus the odd dragging noises from boxes being pulled out. “Nope, this is definitely not cutlery,” Regina confirms, staring at the explicit contents lying in front of her. “You’re certain?” Ruby asks in an anxious, hushed tone, dubiously glancing from Zelena’s back to Emma’s eyes, both of which are fixed on her with a similar expression. “Well, I don’t think your knives would be from the Adam & Eve Shop, so…” Regina says as she closes the box. Ruby tries her hardest to stifle her laughter. “Did she find them?” Zelena asks with hope in her eyes. The brunette only manages to shake her head chuckling to herself. “Seriously? Pass the phone here.” Emma glances between Ruby and Zelena the entire exchange as if it was a live game of tennis, before checking a different box to keep herself busy. As the redhead picks up the phone from Ruby, she places the call on speakerphone. “Regina, darling! You’re on speaker,” Zelena obnoxiously announces, placing her hand on her hip, having no time for her sister’s usual dramatics. “Oh thanks,” Regina mutters under her breath, just audible enough for Zelena to hear. “Did you check all of your boxes?” Her tone at this point is beyond patronizing; it was bordering on infantilizing. “Yes, I’ll even go check the cutlery in the kitchen to make sure it isn’t yours,” the brunette grumbles. Her sister didn’t need to see the eyeroll, she could already feel it piercing into her. “Thank you. Green gingham pattern,” she simply states while watching Ruby and Emma, who are still searching in the boxes, occasionally glancing in the redhead’s direction. “Since when did you get into cottagecore?” Regina mocks as a devious grin etches across her lips. “Shut up and look, will you!” Shouldn’t have put me on speakerphone, then! Regina thinks, entering her shared kitchen with a victorious smirk. Her sister at the other end of the phone now paces the room back and forth while awaiting her reply. After a few painful moments that feel like a century to the impatient and stressed redhead, she finally gets a response. “No, mine are red and sitting in the drawer. Sorry.” Everyone in Zelena’s house sighs with disappointment. “Did you check the boxes upstairs? I know one of the staff confused our boxes earlier.” Regina adds after a moment, recalling the conversation she overheard this morning. “Want me to go check?” Emma interrupts, no longer crouching from investigating the cardboard box. Zelena agrees and thanks her. When Emma has gone upstairs, the redhead switches off speakerphone mode, much to the brunette’s relief. “Well, if you need me, you know where I am,” Regina says after a moment, making her way back to her room, hoping to finally get some peace and quiet without her sister’s usual amateur dramatics. “Thanks for looking. Love you.” “Love you, too. See you tomorrow?” Regina asks. “Of course. Bye,” Zelena says, still deflated, before hanging up and handing the phone back to an irritated Ruby. Ruby always acted like the world was ending without her phone being glued to her hand. Less than a minute after the phone call ends, Zelena and Ruby receive a message in their group chat with Regina on Snapchat. They both simultaneously open the notification in their respective phones.
Witches Who Wear Pink
Evil Queen sent a message.
Evil Queen
You could’ve told me Emma was there, I wouldn’t have made the joke
Red Riding Hood
The cottagecore one? It was hilarious XD x
Wicked Witch of the West
It’s fine, I’ll get you back for that at some point
Red Riding Hood
On the plus side, Emma thought it was funny 😉 xx
Evil Queen
Her voice is like silk, what the hell? Seriously, why didn’t you mention she sounds as gorgeous as she looks?
Red Riding Hood
Regina has a type 😉 😜 xx
Wicked Witch of the West
So basically Emma is the whole package then? 😜
Evil Queen
I didn’t SAY that.
Wicked Witch of the West
You practically did
Evil Queen
Don’t twist the narrative
Red Riding Hood
Ooh it’s not ‘don’t twist my words,’ it’s ‘the narrative’ 😉
Wicked Witch of the West
Don’t forget Rubes, she’s Ivy League now
Red Riding Hood
Very good point, Zee 😉
Evil Queen
I’m muting the chat 🙄 Ruby and Zelena chuckle at the message before locking their phones. The pair head upstairs to help Emma with the search, hoping that their efforts won’t be for nothing. Sometime later, in Regina’s student dorm, the brunette is eating dinner with two of her new roommates, Archie and Elsa. The three of them sit at the dining room table eating their respective meals, getting to know each other. Regina is the first to break the ice. “So, Elsa, you’re from Norway, right?” “Yeah, Arendelle. I’ve lived there most of my life,” she says with a smile. “It seems really beautiful from what I’ve seen online about it,” Archie adds to the conversation. “It is! If you haven’t seen it in person, it’s definitely worth visiting. I can tell you the best places to visit.” “It’s actually been on my travel bucket list for a while,” Regina begins to say, but is cut off by the sound of the apartment front door opening and a loud conversation being had in the hallway. “No, you totally missed it. You should come to Felix’s frat party tonight, and when it gets boring, we could always gatecrash and trash someone else’s place… Oh come on, there’ll be so many sorority girls there. If you wanna get over someone the easiest way is to get under someone else… Hold on. I’ll call you back. People are here,” the voice says as the person enters the kitchen with disgust. He looks at his new roommates up and down with a judging look before offering a fake smile. “I assume you’re not homeless and that you’re actually the roommates. I’m Malcolm, but everyone calls me Peter Pan because I never stop partying.” Or maybe it’s because you act like a whiny man-child, Regina contemplates while trying to hide her contempt. “Nice to meet you, Peter. Did you move in earlier today?” Archie says, standing up and offering Peter a handshake, to which he declines with a look of scorn. “Oh, no. My father paid extra to move in a week early,” he replies without looking up from his phone, already tired of the conversation. “Wait, you can do that?” Archie frowns in confusion, looking round at Elsa and Regina for an explanation. “For the right price,” the man simply replied without even so much as glancing up from the screen. “It’s not just what you know, it’s who you know,” Regina supplies, joining the conversation. She raises an eyebrow and offers Pan a knowing look as he glances at her for a moment, surveying her features for a sign of familiarity. It was then that the penny dropped for the man, and the air in the room suddenly became icier than the glaciers of Arendelle. “Ah. Well if it isn’t Regina Mills. You’re taller in your photos. I’ve heard all about you.” “Well, I hope some of it was good,” she jokes. “The youngest daughter of Cora Mills—the infamous former Mayor of Underbrooke.” “Infamous? You’ve been reading too many conspiracy theories.” “What was it the Underbrooke Daily Mirror wrote? That’s it, ‘the disgraced former mayor of Underbrooke whose leadership was crushed like a grape.’ No doubt she isn’t sorely missed.” “Because Underbrooke Daily Mirror is known for its reliability, integrity, and quality news reporting!” she scoffed. “Of course, don’t believe everything you read. I’m sure Cora is a respectable and successful businesswoman now. Then again, I can see you clearly inherited her lack of charm and common decency, so I won’t hold out much hope for your future.” The room is so quiet they could hear a pin drop. As Peter and Regina continue their standoff, Archie and Elsa glance between them, unsure what to do next. “Anyway… Nice to meet you all, or something. Have a good night,” Peter adds before practically waltzing out of the kitchen. Regina closes her eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath. As she opens her eyes, she apologizes to Archie and Elsa. “You have nothing to apologize for, Regina. He didn’t have to make those snide remarks,” Elsa chimes in to comfort her. “I know I shouldn’t armchair diagnose…” Archie begins to whisper in case Peter is nearby. “Archie, you’re the most qualified in the room.” “Thank you, Regina, but the point still stands.” “What were you going to say?” Regina adds. “Shush!” Elsa says before pointing towards the corridor, referring to Peter’s bedroom door closing loudly. “So, is everyone excited for Frosh?” Elsa says loudly, trying to mask the silence.Archie and Regina loudly mutter in agreement while keeping an ear out for Peter’s exit. As the apartment door clicks shut, they all pause for a few moments to make sure he’s gone. Once they have made sure he’s definitely left, they continue their conversation. “It seems he has some unresolved arrogance issues… and something else I can’t quite place yet… either way, I think we should proceed with caution around him.” “He’s definitely not one to cross.” Elsa anxiously clasps her hands together. Later that evening, Regina gets ready for bed. She brushes her teeth and changes into a black tank top with a green and red poison apple on the front, along with red pajama shorts. After exiting her in-suite bathroom, she ambles back into her room. Using her phone as a flashlight, she makes her way to her bed and pulls over the covers. After about twenty minutes of scrolling through Instagram, seeing so many of her friends’ posts about college parties, she decides she’s seen enough. She locks her phone, placing it on her bedside, before trying to get some sleep. It was only her first day at college, and the chaos had barely even begun.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After what felt like a long night tossing and turning, Regina finally manages to fall asleep at 3am, only to be woken up by the shrill blare of her alarm a few hours later. She tosses and turns in her sleep, trying to avoid waking up until her mind finally is alert enough to struggle to find her phone. With her eyes still half shut, she fumbles around the nightstand for her phone before managing to find the lock button to snooze the alarm. She rolls over onto her side and pulls her plush teddy bear closer to her chest before nestling further into her pillow.With the offending noise gone, the tension in her shoulders begins to melt away, her eyelids fluttering closed as she exhales a deep breath. The previous events mere moments before start feeling like a distant memory as she begins to gently fall back to sleep. The sound of birds chirping in the distance becomes fainter; a glimmer of light burns against her closed eyelids, inspiring flashes of colorful bright swirls begin to form in her mind, before dissolving into the ether. She twists and turns for a moment, squinting her eyes tighter, forcing her mind to quieten. As her mind relaxes, her body stops tensing, gently curled up in a ball with one arm under her pillow and the other around her teddy bear, she finally manages to drift back into a gentle slumber…
Bzzzt! Bzzzt! Bzzzt! Bzzzt!
A frustrated hiss escapes her lips as she sees the bright white light from her phone. She stretches to reach for it, firstly gripping onto the bedside table before fumbling again for her cell.
Where… Ah! Stop it! For…
Bzzzt! Bzzzt! Bzzzt!
As she stares at the screen through her still blurry vision, she manages this time to press the button to turn off the alarm rather than hitting snooze. As lightly as possible, she places her phone back down on the table before rolling onto her back, relieved that the shrill of her alarm had stopped shrieking like a banshee. Letting out a deep sigh, Regina folds her arms across her chest while staring up at the ceiling. The glow of the morning sun simmers through the room’s grey roller blinds. After ten minutes of lying in bed, Regina decides to shower for the first time in her new dorm. She was never one for sleeping in, anyway.Steam quickly fills the bath with overhead shower, as the brunette slowly undresses, still trying to wake herself up. Once she carefully steps inside, the warmth is so inviting. The water enveloped her toned, olive skin. The tension in her shoulders from the less-than-comfortable dorm mattress eventually drifted away, with every droplet of water that washed over her.Once she finishes her shower, she is relieved by the comfort of her fluffy crimson bath towel wrapped around her like a warm hug. Eventually she gets dressed so she can finally open her blinds to allow the morning sun rays to radiate into her room.Regina admits that she was grateful her mother paid extra for the view from her bedroom. It was definitely worth it to see the sun rise over the buildings in the morning and fill her room with natural lighting. If she is going to call this place home for the next year, at least it is somewhat aesthetically pleasing. I should take a picture of this view, she contemplates to herself. After a moment of staring out into the city, she grabs her phone from her bedside. After snapping about ten photos that look practically identical, she sits on her bed and sorts through the images she’s taken, settling on the first one she took as the one to keep. She quickly highlights the others and deletes them before sending the photo to her parents, then uploading it to her snapchat story. A few seconds later, she gets a notification from her mother. It was as if the woman had been staring at the phone like a hawk all morning awaiting a message from her.
Mother
Surprised you’re even awake, Regina. 10:07
Regina can practically hear the scorn in the message from over 270 miles away.
Mother
How was your first night in Boston? Your father has already left for work. 10:08 The young woman instantly sends back a reply.
Regina
It was good! 10:08 Having gotten the courtesy message to her parents out of the way, Regina goes into the kitchen to finally get some breakfast. She was hoping this wasn’t going to become a daily occurrence, but knowing her mother, it likely would. As she enters the shared living space, she notices Elsa sitting on the sofa reading a book. “Morning, Regina,” Elsa acknowledges briefly before returning to her book. “Hey Elsa, how are you?” “I’m good! You?” “Yeah, just gonna make some coffee, do you want some?” “No, thank you. I’ve got tea.” She gestures to her cup without taking her eyes off of the page. While Regina is brewing coffee, she decides to have oatmeal with strawberries for breakfast. Her mother would no doubt be unimpressed by this meal choice as she wouldn’t consider it healthy. Zelena, however, would insist later on that it certainly wouldn’t last, especially as exam season hits.After preparing her coffee and food, the brunette sits at the dining room table to eat her breakfast, occasionally sipping her espresso. Elsa, meanwhile, sits in the living room, her reading glasses on the bridge of her nose and feet curled up on the sofa, totally engrossed in the narrative of the story she’s reading.As Regina spoons another mouthful of oatmeal, she checks her phone notifications, hoping it hadn’t been disruptive to the other woman while she was reading. Regina decided that it would actually be better to return her phone to silent; partly out of courtesy, mostly because she hated it being on loud anyway. In fact, she usually only took it off silent when she was awaiting something important.
Snapchat
Red Riding Hood sent a chat
Red Riding Hood
WTF! Can’t believe you got that view from your dorm! ❤️
Evil Queen
Luck of the draw I guess 😉
Red Riding Hood
BTW Zelena went to Robin’s frat party last night, she’s still drunk x
Evil Queen
Not even hungover? STILL drunk? Great 🙄 now she won’t be able to meet me at 2:30
Red Riding Hood
I’ll text you and meet you if she doesn’t, as long as you can handle Zelena feeling sorry for herself. Xx
Evil Queen
I’ve had years of practice with that!
Evil Queen
And thanks Ruby. Appreciate it ❤️
Red Riding Hood
Anytime gorgeous ❤️ When Regina finishes her breakfast, she places her phone in the right pocket of her grey jogging bottoms. She quickly does her washing up, before saying goodbye to an oblivious Elsa, who doesn’t even notice she’s being spoken to. Regina smiles in amusement, relieved that her phone notifications hadn’t been a distraction to her, before making her way out of the dorm.As she heads back down the corridor towards her room, the entrance to the apartment suddenly swings open. Regina practically jumps out of the way, narrowly missing being launched into a wall by the oncoming door, as a very drunk Peter stumbles into the apartment. He is wearing a leather jacket over one arm, a bandana around his head, and sunglasses that mask most of his face, his neck and white t-shirt both covered in lipstick stains. The smell of alcohol was so pervasive, even from a few feet away. She dives out of his way as he walks, Peter merely grunting before fumbling with the key for his room. “Morning, bitch!” He slurs his words at Regina before stumbling into his room, tripping over his own feet, launching himself somewhere on the floor as the door firmly clips shut behind him. A loud thud and crashing sound erupts from Peter’s room. Regina dashes over to his closed door to try and find out if he’s okay, mostly because she wanted to see the karma of his own actions. Elsa appears from the living room with her book in hand to see what the commotion was about. When she notices the noise coming from Peter’s room, she simply shakes her head disapprovingly before heading back into the kitchen. “I’m fine!” Peter shouts from the other side of his door. Regina just rolls her eyes with an unsurprised scoff before returning to her own room. Because it’s Saturday, she decides to relax on her bed and rewatch one of her DVD box sets, eventually settling on Supergirl . Around midday, after watching three episodes of the show purely for her crushes on most of the women in the cast, she checks her phone to see numerous notifications. Her first instinct is to open the message from her father on WhatsApp.
Papá
Hey Regina. Great to see the photo of the view from your window! I hope you’re settling in well. What are the people like that you’re living with? Hope to hear from you soon. Que te vaya bien! Love Dad xx 12:05
Regina begins typing a reply. ‘Hola Papá! I’m settling in ok! Seeing Zelena and Ruby today. Most of my roommates are ok, apart from one guy who thinks he’s better tha…’ Regina pushes the backspace on her phone keyboard.
Regina
Hola Papá! Settling in ok. Seeing Zelena and Ruby today. Had dinner with two of my roommates last night. We agreed to go out one day next week to a book club near campus. Hope you’re doing ok too. Talk soon xx 12:24
After Regina sends her reply to her father, she checks her other notifications including a WhatsApp message from Ruby.
Red Riding Hood
Zelena literally just crashed. She probs won’t be able to get you. Wanna come over this evening? We’re either gonna cook Lasagna or order pizza x 12:10
Evil Queen
Sure, sounds good. Can you still meet me tho? 12:26
Red Riding Hood
Zelena would curse me if I didn’t and you got lost. What’s your address? 12:29
Regina sends Ruby the address to her accommodation, and soon receives a reply thanking her, letting her know she’ll be there around 5pm. Regina offers to give her a tour of her dorm, and Ruby gleefully accepts. At 4pm, Regina is looking at her outfit in the full-length mirror on her wall. She’s spent the last 30 minutes narrowing down her outfit choices from seven to two. She knew if she even dared to mention this to Ruby or Zelena she would never hear the last of it, and that they would tease her about wanting to make an impression on Emma. First impressions were important, but she knew that it wasn’t exactly what they would be tormenting her about. She keeps scrolling back and forth between the photos she took of the two remaining options. The first is a grey sleeveless hoodie with blue skinny jeans and a black leather jacket. The second is a red plaid shirt with a black tank top and black skinny jeans. Still standing in this morning’s jogging bottoms and oversized band T-shirt, she knits her eyebrows in frustration. Finally giving in, she scrolls through her contacts to see who she could ask for fashion advice that won’t lead to merciless teasing. Her thumb comes to a halt over a name that she contemplates for a moment. A satisfied smirk crossed her lips as she sends a WhatsApp message to her friend for advice.
Regina
Hey so I know you’re probably busy but I need some fashion advice 16:06
Mulan
Don’t wear silk near bonfires because it’ll burn. 16:07
Regina
Great advice, thanks 16:07
Mulan
You’re welcome 😉 also don’t wear silk rock climbing because it’ll tear, and you’ll end up flashing your bra at your date. I will not be making that mistake anytime soon. 16:10
Regina
I’m not even gonna go there on that one. 16:11
Mulan
My date, not me, I can’t stand silk. 16:12
Regina
I can’t decide between two outfits 16:13
2 attachments
Mulan
What’s the occasion? 16:16
Regina
Going to Zelena and Ruby’s new house 16:17
Mulan
Party? 16:17
Regina
Nope. Zelena is still asleep from going to Robin’s party last night. 16:18
Mulan
How is the wicked witch these days? 16:18
Regina
She’s good. I still need help choosing this outfit tho 16:20
Mulan
What’s the fuss anyway? It’s not New York Fashion Week or whatever the straights do for fun 16:21
Regina
Meeting their friend Emma for the first time 16:22
Mulan
Is she straight? Zelena and Ruby don’t have many of those 16:22
The fact that Mulan could’ve been referring to friends in general was no surprise to Regina, let alone straight ones.
Regina
They think she isn't straight, I'm not sure. I haven't met her so, your guess is as good as mine. 16:22
Mulan
Cute? 16:23
Regina
Kinda hot and muscular, looks toned in her photos. 16:24
Mulan
So totally your type then 😉 16:24
Regina
Rude! 16:25
Mulan
Well, the first screams needing to do laundry this weekend. The second is totally gay, unless you’re straight then it’s autumn hipster vibes 🙄 16:27
Regina
Amazing! Thanks 16:28
Mulan
Of course, oh and you better tell me if she’s even hotter in person 😉 16:29 Regina was mildly regretting her choices already. Less than an hour later, the young brunette gets a text message from Ruby letting her know she’s near her student hall. Almost as soon as she glanced at the message, she grabs her keys and heads down to meet her. As the door to the building widely swings open, she’s greeted with Ruby’s tall, slender frame leaning against the wall near the entrance. She doesn’t notice her for a moment, too busy admiring her freshly painted red nails that match the newly dyed streaks in her long dark hair. In fact, she had gotten them both done yesterday while avoiding Cora when Zelena had moved in. Truth be told, she couldn’t stand the woman at the best of times, after various run-ins with her the last two years.As soon as Regina speaks to her, Ruby instantly looks her up and down, completely ignoring the greeting to comment on her attire. “Damn Regina, did you have to wear your gayest shirt?” She teases with a shit-eating smirk. “Second gayest, actually,” Regina jokingly replies as she reopens the door to the main building that, annoyingly, had just closed moments before. “As if that’s actually possible,” Ruby mutters, just audibly enough for the shorter brunette to hear. “Hey, it’s not my fault I have good taste.” Regina, of course, wasn’t just referring to fashion.
As they continue their conversation while walking down the hallway, Ruby looks around the corridor and notes the display with the floor plan. “How many floors? Oh, and please don’t tell me we’re taking the stairs?” Regina offers an apologetic look at Ruby’s groan of taking the stairs. The pair ascend the marble staircase which Ruby rolls her eyes at, because of how pretentious it is. By the time they had reached the second floor, the taller brunette freezes on the spot, realizing just how unfit she had become since studying. After ascending to the next flight of stairs, Regina notices that the sound of Ruby’s heels had stopped reverberating against the steps. She quickly returns to where Ruby is standing, now staring in shock. “What floor are you on?” She asks staring up at what seems like a never-ending staircase. “Only fourth.” She replied with a nonchalant shrug. “ONLY! Regina, these aren’t kitten heels. Could’ve warned me, you bitch!” “Ugh, don’t. One of the guys in our apartment called me that this morning.” “Wait, what? Seriously?” Ruby knits her eyebrows; Regina simply nods as a sigh leaves her lips. They continue their journey to Regina’s dorm. “Why didn’t you tell me? I’ll punch the bastard in the face.” “Hey, get in line!” Regina raises her hands in surrender. “That bad?” She sympathizes. “He was super rude to everyone yesterday, came in still drunk this morning, called me a bitch and literally crashed in his room. ”
Ruby cringes at the thought as they arrive at the fourth floor, before continuing on to Regina’s apartment. As they enter, Ruby doesn’t even attempt to hide her jealousy over the dorm. “Okay, so I know Zelena jokes about how you’re the favorite, but seriously, Gina.” “Yeah, I know, I know. Just don’t go there,” she replies with an exaggerated eye roll. After the noticeably short tour of the apartment, they sit in the kitchen drinking coffee, waiting for rush hour traffic to pass and gossiping about everything they haven’t had a chance to catch up on. Around 6PM they decide to leave Regina’s student apartment and make their way to Ruby’s house. The bus ride isn’t so bad, but as they walk up the sidewalk to the house, Regina can’t explain the nerves in her stomach that she is attempting to hide.
It's fine. Emma’s probably not even gonna be here. If she is, she won’t stick around much. What if she’s hotter in real life? Oh gods, I hope I don’t say something stupid.
As Ruby fumbles with her keys, Regina looks around the driveway and up at the windows looking for hints showing whether or not Emma was there. Before she really gets a chance to, however, the taller brunette unlocks the door and the pair step inside the surprisingly warm building. “Oh yeah, by the way we’re having pizza. We still have no cutlery for lasagna and Zelena was meant to get them today but she’s… well… you know.” “In Spanish we say ‘borracho como una almeja,’ which means ‘as drunk as a clam,’” Regina interrupts, which manages to make them both laugh almost simultaneously. “Apparently your mom and dad found the cutlery in the trunk of one of their cars. They sent Zelena money to pay for new ones,” Ruby grumbles as she wanders over to the large mirror on the back wall of the living room to check her makeup. As Ruby glances in the mirror, she suddenly frowns at her own appearance as if horrified by the sight of her own reflection. “Kinda glad they’re not gonna use it as an excuse to travel the 4 hours to check up on us,” Regina replied after a moment, now joining her in the well decorated living room. “Cora showing up unannounced, never! ” Ruby places her hand on her chest, offering a mocking shocked reaction. As she turns back around to look at her reflection in the mirror, she cringes at the sight of her patchy makeup once more, debating whether to leave it or go and resolve the problem. Ruby turns her head to look at Regina. “I’m just gonna fix my face, can’t leave it looking like this.” She gestures to her makeup that she had decided was unacceptable to be left in the condition that it was. “You look great!” Regina tries to reassure her.“Easy for you to say, you don’t have eyebrows that look like slugs.” She raises an eyebrow for emphasis. “I’ll be back in a bit. Help yourself to anything in the fridge.” She quickly strides across the room in her high heels. As the taller brunette heads upstairs, Regina decides to sit in the kitchen at the dining room table. She scrolls through her Instagram when the sound of the back door opening and loudly clicking shut filters through the air. As soon as she manages to look up from her phone, her gaze is met with toned legs in tight fitting shorts standing in the kitchen doorway. Her eyes travel further up to see a blonde woman out of breath looking confused at her. Almost instantly the brunette swallows, feeling as if the air had been sucked out of her throat from the sight of the gorgeous person standing in front of her. She didn’t even know how it was possible for anyone to have that effect over her, let alone a person she had just met.That person in question stares back at her, never removing her gaze for even a second, her glittery emerald eyes gleaming back at warm chestnut. There was a softness and familiarity in them that Regina can’t quite place. It felt like she had known the beautiful woman her entire life yet couldn’t fathom why or even how that was even possible. It had been a long time since she had felt anything like this for anyone.
And for good reason. No distractions, Regina. You’re here to study, not lust over the first attractive woman you catch sight of.
As she realizes how long she must have been staring, Regina clears her throat as the slightly taller person tries to catch her breath. “Emma, right?” Regina questions almost rhetorically, knowing full well who she was, having seen her many times in photos before from Zelena and Ruby. But she tried to at least seem polite, since they hadn’t formerly met. The blonde nods as she bends her knees and rests her palms on her thighs for a second. She holds up her index finger, indicating to give her a minute, which of course Regina does, being far too captivated by the sight before her. Regina had a surprising amount of life experience for a 22-year-old, but suddenly she felt almost like a teenager again, filled with raging hormones. Get a grip, Regina. What the hell is wrong with you? She scolds herself, averting her eyes for a moment. Almost instantly her attention is drawn back to the blonde. She must’ve been around the same age, maybe a bit older , Regina contemplates, looking at her toned features and well-built biceps accentuated by her tank top. With her other hand Emma opens the fridge door and grabs the nearest bottle of water. She finishes half of the bottle before closing it once more. Regina again can barely take her eyes off of her. Everything about Emma was so toned and perfect, even as sweat was dripping down her forehead and biceps. “You must be Regina. Zelena mentioned you might come over, but I seemed to have misjudged my jog…” Her voice trailing off as awkwardness filled the mind about how exposed she was in front of her at that moment. In a gym she would mind much less, but this was her house and Regina was a guest who probably didn’t want to see her like this. At least that’s what Emma had convinced herself, even as the other woman spoke. “Wouldn’t have mattered if plans hadn’t changed because my sister didn’t crash until 12:30.” “Either way, I’m sorry you had to see me like this. If I’d known, I would’ve gone for my run earlier.” She gestures to her attire after offering an apology. The brunette’s eyes almost instantly trailing closely over where she had motioned, albeit momentarily. You might be sorry, but I’m definitely not… Regina muses to herself trying to regain decorum. “It’s okay! Please don’t apologise for your outfit. It’s totally understandable. Just so you know, Ruby’s in the bathroom, if you needed to…” “Good to know, thanks,” Emma interrupts before finishing the bottle of water, wanting to change the subject or get some air the first chance she could get. She quickly strides out of the kitchen to the back yard to put the bottle into recycling as an excuse to recompose herself. As she enters the kitchen again, she continues her conversation with the brunette who has returned to scrolling through her phone. “So, are you staying for dinner?” “I am. If you’re okay with that, of course? Ruby’s idea, apparently it’s pizza because my sister was too drunk to buy cutlery,” Regina replies as she locks her phone, placing it back on the table to give Emma her full attention. The other woman chuckles as she leans against the worktop near the sink. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” “She’ll remember to buy them when she goes to make cereal and realizes she has an ounce of milk left, no spoons, and no actual cereal.” “Reminds me, one time she actually got so drunk, we couldn’t tell if she was too hungover to notice or just didn’t care that she tried to make porridge with vodka. The thing is, it probably would’ve worked if she had actually drained it properly.” Regina laughs, shaking her head. As she does, Ruby finally appears in the kitchen with her freshly done makeup. She definitely hadn’t been loitering and eavesdropping their exchange so she could tell Zelena all about it later. Nope, definitely not. “Oh good, you’re back. I’ll do the introductions. Emma, this is Regina, Zelena’s half-sister. Regina, this is Emma, our housemate,” she says as she joins Regina at the table.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After Ruby joins Regina at the table, everyone chats for a few minutes, mostly about Zelena’s drunken antics (because it was the main thing they all had in common). Turns out they had all seen the fiery redhead passed out in a stolen shopping cart with a bottle of vodka at least once. Eventually Emma excuses herself to shower and change out of her sweaty clothes. She had already forgotten about how awkward she had felt meeting Regina earlier, now that they had gotten a brief chance to get to know each other. Regina, on the other hand, hadn’t. She is left with intrusive, lustful thoughts from the mental image of the blonde's earlier entrance, and struggled to snap herself out of it. About twenty minutes later, a freshly-showered Emma and a very hungover Zelena, who had just about woken up, finally join Ruby and Regina in the kitchen. “Why didn’t you text me? I would’ve come to get you!” A half-asleep Zelena says to Regina, oblivious to her lack of sobriety and better judgment. “You were literally passed out asleep in the hallway. I had to carry your sorry ass to your room,” Emma chimes in with disbelief, folding her arms with a scoff. “I wasn’t that drunk,” Zelena replies, and is almost instantly met with a skeptical look from Ruby and Emma. Regina, meanwhile, is still hanging on every last syllable of what the blonde had said. “I’m sorry, did you just say you had to carry my sister?” Regina asks, recalling the conversation as she locks eyes with Emma. It was like electricity surged through her veins as their eyes met from across the table. It felt like something had jolted awake inside her at the sudden glance. “I couldn’t just leave her there, that’s a trip hazard!” She justified with a concerned squint, unable to read Regina's emotions. Was that jealousy? Surely not… Concern? Yeah, that’s definitely what it was. She probably thinks I'm lying to try and sound interesting because she can't believe I’m strong enough to carry anyone, let alone her sister. That totally makes sense now that I think about it. She ruminates to herself.
Holy shit! She can carry Zelena? Wait, I'm smaller than Zee. That means she could carry me, Right? Snap out of it, Mills! Say something, quick! You don't wanna look like even more of an idiot–
“Could’ve carried her to the sofa,” the brunette suggested with a dismissive hand gesture that the blonde watched with careful consideration, curiously fascinated by the woman. “And risk her puking over the new rug your mom bought? Are you crazy?” she says after a moment of consideration, trying to appear remotely responsible and rational. Whether it was successful was a whole other matter. “Okay, fair point.” Regina mentally makes a note of the marginal victory for the blonde. “Still would’ve been an improvement. It’s hideous,” Zelena chimes in before stumbling from her chair in the kitchen towards the sofa in the living room. Ruby, meanwhile, has been quietly and shamelessly watching the exchange between Regina and Emma, storing it in her mind to tease them about at a later date. “Isn’t it vintage?” Ruby asks, now getting up to help Zelena to the sofa before the redhead becomes a danger to herself.Although the Mills family could afford any medical bills (they had the best medical insurance available), Ruby didn't fancy a trip to the ER, nor the conversation with Cora that would come from Zelena hypothetically faceplanting into the glass table in the living room, which of course the older woman had also supplied. “Still hideous,” Zelena manages to slur in an exhausted reply. She needed sustenance, and soon. She wasn’t one to be messed with in general, let alone when she’s hungover and hangry. “Looks like someone skinned a cow.” Ruby replies, cringing at the sight of the rug laying on the floor in the living room. She and Zelena had spent most of yesterday joking about the easiest place to hide it. “Wouldn’t surprise me if she did,” Zelena agrees, her eyes barely able to stay open now. She could give Dracula a run for his money. Ruby contemplated as she glanced at Zelena, who was now laid on her back on the sofa with her arms across her chest. The redhead generally hated the sun, could only sleep in a dark room, and ironically hated garlic; that was all the proof Ruby needed to insist the woman was a vampire, much to Zelena’s irritation. “If she did, it would be with her bare hands because it looked at her funny,” Regina adds, having now joined them in the living room to actually inspect the rug that had become the newest hot topic. The rug itself was made of cowhide, and even though it was luxuriously soft, the pattern was quite an eyesore. “Why do I get a feeling I probably shouldn’t meet her?” Emma asks, closely following behind Regina, who doesn’t even seem to notice the blonde. Regina wasn’t entirely sure why she hates the rug — she couldn’t work out if it was because she disliked the style, the impracticality, or whether it just reminded her too much of her mother’s influence in their lives. Either way, everyone was in total agreement that it had to go. Regina shakes her thoughts from the rug back to Emma. “You’re unlikely to,” she offers. As she turns to look at the blonde, her breath suddenly hitches in her throat, suddenly aware of just how close they are. The scent of dark chocolate, creamy vanilla, and spicy citrus fruit floods her senses as she tries to regain her thoughts. She isn’t sure how good her poker face is at this very moment, whether her eyes have given away how much Emma is affecting her.
Pull yourself together, Regina! You’re better than this. You can’t start fawning over this woman.
“But if you do, be warned, she treats everyone like Marmite,” Zelena says. Her eyes are firmly closed as she slumps on the sofa. Ruby stares at her momentarily with concern etched on her face. In fact, the tall brunette is trying to work out the last time Zelena had eaten or drank anything. She soon realizes that she was going to be spending most of this evening being the redhead’s executive function for her. “Huh?” Emma removes her intense gaze from Regina onto Zelena, relieved for the distraction. “She either loves you or hates you,” Zelena explains, still with her eyes closed. “What’s Marmite?” Emma leans over to ask Regina, suddenly greeted by the scent of apples. Is that her perfume? Shampoo? Shower gel? Damn it, Swan. She’s talking; quick, focus! “It’s the weird jars in the cupboard with the yellow lid, Zelena packed like a year’s supply with her,” Regina replies, pointing towards the kitchen cupboards. Yellow jar? Lid? Cupboard. Something… great work, Jackass. You had one job . She scolded herself after the brunette had looked away. “Well thanks for the warning,” the blonde says after attempting to regather her thoughts. “About Marmite or Cora?” Zelena interjects, reminding Emma and Regina that they’re not the only two people in the world right now. “Both,” Emma says almost instantly, being shaken from her thoughts. Regina and Emma probably wouldn’t have even noticed their surroundings if Zelena hadn’t actually said anything. To say that it is driving them both mad at how drawn they are to each other would be an understatement. They are far too preoccupied with watching each other’s every move, utterly enthralled and captivated by one another. It is almost intoxicating, like their own brand of aphrodisiac. Regina’s mind is still screaming like a siren at how it is possible, and Emma is just confused, which is fairly normal in her life, but it doesn’t mean that she enjoys the feeling. Oh, no. She is determined to get to the bottom of this fascination with the beautiful brunette that stands before her. At 7:15PM, everyone is still in the living room, but they have finally settled on their order from the pizza restaurant. Zelena is the main culprit for taking the longest to actually decide, because ‘there’s so many amazing sides’ and ‘it has to compliment the pizza toppings.’ Ruby had assumed it would probably be Emma who looks at takeout options like a kid at Christmas, and moving into this area gave them so many more options to choose from now which was definitely one of the pros of this student house. “It’s cheaper to pick up the pizza than have it delivered.” Ruby says as she looks at the order on her cell. “I’m happy to drive,” Emma suggests, pulling her car keys out of her red jacket that she had brought down with her after showering. “We don’t have any snacks or alcohol, either,” Ruby adds as she pulls her card out of her wallet to pay. “I’ll grab some, then,” Emma replies while standing up from her chair, trying to resolve the issue. “It’ll be quicker if someone else grabs alcohol while you get the pizza,” Zelena bellows from the sofa which makes Ruby smirk behind her hand. “Ok, so who’s gonna come with?” the blonde asks as she puts her phone in her jacket pocket, patting them to make sure she has everything. “Somehow I get a feeling they’ll refuse me,” Zelena says, barely able to sit up. “I can’t unless I use my fake ID,” Ruby adds while completing the food order. “That leaves me, then,” Regina says, anxiously rubbing her ear, glancing down at her feet for a second before looking up at Emma. “I promise I’m a safe driver,” Emma says reassuringly, with a smile that seemed to ease at least some of the brunette’s concerns.That was the thing about Emma, something about her energy and how she held herself was oddly comforting to Regina. She barely knew her, but from what she had seen and heard, she felt like she could trust her, despite her own reservations about people in general. “Well, you can’t be any worse than Zelena,” she replies as she walks in the blonde’s direction. “Hey, I passed my test!” Zelena shouts before wincing in pain from her oncoming migraine; the woman was the epitome of a storm in a teacup. “I’ve seen how you drive. Unless there’s an emergency, I wouldn’t get in the car with you, either.” Ruby says to Zelena. “We good to go?” Emma directs the question to Regina as she holds up her car keys. “Yeah, definitely. Before they start fighting,” she replies, gesturing towards Ruby and Zelena, who are now quarreling on the sofa. Zelena may be hungover, but that has never stopped the redhead from getting into a fight, physically, verbally, or otherwise. As soon as they step out the door, the brisk early autumn air clings to them both, as they leave the warm house. For a street full of student housing, it is surprisingly quiet for a Saturday evening. One house at the top of the road has a few people in party outfits entering the property, but other than that, it is oddly quiet. That is, until Emma begins to pull sharply at the stiff garage handle that makes the metal shudder at the intrusion. Parked in the small stone-colored garage was Emma’s yellow Volkswagen Beetle that shines brighter than the sun. As Emma opens up the garage door, Regina raises an eyebrow in disbelief at the sight of the car. Wow! You could light up New York City with how bright that piece of tin is, Regina contemplates before quickly masking her reaction; she doesn’t want to offend Emma mere hours after meeting, especially not when the woman is behind the steering wheel. I really hope this isn’t going to be a long journey. The brunette ponders for a moment, and not just because of her newly discovered doubts for her safety in the hunk of metal that is somehow passing its inspection. Once they’re both sat in the car, Regina tries to make small talk, partially to distract herself from the contraption she is in, mostly because that sweet scent of chocolate, citrus, and vanilla have flooded her senses once more. “What made you choose yellow?” She asks as she puts on her seatbelt. “What?” Emma asks, checking her mirrors. “Your bug, yellow… bold choice.” “I like yellow. Is that a problem?” The blonde asks as she’s driving down the street. If she doesn’t like the color then I can’t wait to find out what she thinks about how I got it… Emma ruminates before turning left. Regina panics for a second. “No! No. Just thinking I couldn’t pull it off… it suits you.” She replies, flustered. “Thanks.” Emma dubiously raises an eyebrow. “It goes with your hair.” The brunette adds while glancing out of the passenger side window. “Mhmm.”
Note to self, never attempt to make small talk ever again, Regina concludes in her mind as she avoids looking in Emma’s direction. Emma simply chuckles in amusement, as the other woman leans her arm against the door. The rest of the short journey is quiet, minus the radio gently playing in the background. It isn’t enough for Regina, though, who is still mentally replaying the terrible conversation in her head while continually cursing herself. It is only as they arrive at their destination that her ruminating thoughts are dispersed, and by none other than Emma’s voice. “Apparently, you asked Zelena why she calls me Sheriff,” Emma says as she tries to break the silence, thinking it would be the best conversation point. The brunette, however, disagrees. She had already put her foot in her mouth once, and she certainly doesn’t want to now seem nosey or like she is prying into the other woman’s personal life. “I’m surprised she even mentioned it,” Regina replies without removing her eyes from the view in the window.She is acutely aware that the car had stopped moments ago, but has convinced herself that if she stares really closely at the random ginger cat that was sitting by the trash can past the parking lot, the awkwardness between the pair would simply go away, as if vanishing into thin air. Does that happen in real life like it does in the movies? she questions for a moment. Of course it fucking doesn’t, you idiot , she concludes, realizing that at some point she would have to look at the woman talking to her. “She talks about you a lot.” The blonde means it as a compliment, but the brunette wasn’t about to see things that way. “I dread to think what she’s been saying about me.” Her glance flickers from Emma back to the windshield, wishing that the ground would just swallow her up right about now. “Oh no—good things… nice things…” Emma tries to reassure her. Regina’s creeping suspicions are growing, she knows where the conversation is likely going. Something in her spine tingles – a feeling far too familiar. And then the penny drops. Regina realizes her sneaking suspicion is right: Zelena outed her. “Oh Gods, she already told you.” Regina runs her hand through the back of her dark hair, anxiously avoiding Emma’s gaze. Her eyes tightly close as she takes a deep breath, bracing herself for rejection. Emma suddenly panics, realizing how personal and rude that must’ve seemed and how Regina must be feeling right now.
Oh my God! Oh shit, I can’t imagine how she’s feeling right now. I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable, but I suck at this kinda thing.
“In her defense, she didn’t mean to. It’s not like it’s any of my business. I don’t have an issue with it.” The pause of silence in the air for a few seconds felt like it lasted a lifetime. I’m going to murder Zelena… Was the first thing that crossed the brunette’s mind. It had to be her. Ruby wouldn’t be so callous, but why couldn’t she even let me tell Emma myself if I wanted to? It’s not like it’s any of her business. Regina realized that she would have to break the awkward silence and put Emma out of her misery. Emma meanwhile had gone mentally into overdrive as she realized her mistake. Her anxiety suddenly went through the roof when she realized that she might have put the woman in a precarious position, especially if she wasn’t out yet. Just because she had the odd conversation with Zelena on the topic, didn’t mean that it was public knowledge or even something she wanted to talk about. “Regina, I… I’m sorry, that was completely, way out of line. It’s totally not my place to bring up something like that. It’s your life and completely none of my business. I hope I didn’t upset you…” Her words are cut off by the sympathetic smile beaming back at her. Regina couldn’t stay mad at her, even if she had been a little rattled by the situation.
I could just tell her… I mean if anyone would understand it would be her. Especially since she literally just came out to me, so it seems natural that I do the same, right? Yeah! I can do this. I’m gonna tell her! Come on, Swan! You can do thi-
“I mean, in Zelena’s defense— even if she hadn’t told you, the plaid would’ve given it away, surely?” Regina gestures to her outfit, offering the blonde a smirk that had never been more reassuring. Nope, can’t do it. It’s fine! I’ll tell her eventually! Although I should probably tell Zelena and Ruby too. Oh that’s gonna be an interesting day... Emma yields, biding her time. Instead, she decides to joke back and forth with her; much to Regina’s relief. “Now all you need is the beanie and the eyebrow slit!” Emma quips, joining in with the light banter.She is greeted by a scoff from the brunette who replies, “I have a bit more class than that.” Pinching her thumb and index finger close together while crinkling her nose at the idea. Emma frowns. “Isn’t that basically just code for high maintenance?” Regina’s eyes widen as a gasp quietly escapes her lips. The response is so sudden, Emma almost believes she’d dreamt it. Amber eyes glancing away from hers is the only confirmation that it wasn’t her imagination. As the smaller woman chuckles to herself, Emma simply raises an eyebrow, feigning innocence. A smirk draws across the blonde’s lips, relishing the moment of the small victory. Despite losing against Emma’s banter, Regina is pleased that at least her own jokes had been successful, only to be confirmed when Emma blatantly looks her up and down, making the brunette chuckle under her breath. Now that the mood has finally changed, they realize that it is nearly time to go inside and collect their food and step out of the car. At least the journey wasn’t a disaster. The conversation, however, was definitely less than desirable, Regina concludes as she firmly shut the door. Now standing by the car that miraculously still hadn't fallen apart, Regina completely changes the subject by commanding, “you grab the pizzas. I’ll go to the store and meet you back here,” She strides off in the direction of the convenience store a few doors away from the pizza restaurant. Still mentally replaying the conversation, she forces her mind to stop daydreaming comebacks she could’ve used, because even though she cared that the blonde had won that round of teasing, she knew there would be plenty of opportunity to get her own back. Regina certainly wasn’t about to give her all of the satisfaction. Ten minutes later, they're both in the car and heading back to the house. Regina had been incredibly efficient at getting the snacks they needed from a list that Ruby had sent her a few minutes ago. As Emma focuses on the road, Regina can’t help but occasionally steal glances at her. The car journey back is different this time— it didn’t have the awkward energy of their previous conversation. Regina is thanking her lucky stars that she isn’t entirely consumed by the butterflies growing in her stomach.Once back in the house, they place everything they brought on the table in the kitchen. Regina organizes which box of pizza belongs where. Emma grabs the snacks and freshly baked cookies, takes them through to the living room. She places them on the table in the center of the space as the redhead, still on the sofa, ogles longingly… at the food, of course, not Emma. The blonde definitely wasn’t her type; Zelena had concluded that a long time ago. The redhead finally finds the strength to sit up, taunted by the aroma of chocolate chips.Ruby begins to pour alcohol after having practically snatched the plastic bag from Regina’s grasp on entry. She asks Emma if she wants a beer, but she declines, offering to stay sober so she can drive Regina back to her apartment later. Soon enough, everyone is sitting down in the living room, eating pizza and chatting with Netflix playing in the background. At some point during the evening, Emma excuses herself to use the bathroom, which Regina uses as an opportunity to lecture Zelena and Ruby. “How convenient that you couldn’t carry the pizzas while Emma bought the alcohol.” Regina tenses her jaw, looking at Ruby, who almost spits her drink out while stifling her laughter. “And you just had to tell her I was gay, didn’t you?” Regina glances over at Zelena, who does manage to choke on her drink. Red wine slides down her lips, which she effortlessly scoops back up to her mouth with her ring finger. “It was months ago. She met Mal by accident that time I ran into her, and Mal kinda left me no option but to explain she was your ex,” the redhead tries to justify, quickly noticing how tense her sister has become by the whole situation. “Still could’ve warned me that she knew. You know I don’t like strangers knowing my business.” Regina huffs before taking another sip of her drink. Her eyes were like fire, more scorching than the flame-colored hair of her sister. “She’s not a stranger,” Zelena argues with a sneer. “When it happened, she was!” Regina counters almost instantly, knowing it was exactly what her sister was going to say. “Alright, I’m sorry. I just thought you’d tell her and she would act like she was hearing it the first time,” Zelena huffs. She glances at Ruby with pleading eyes, asking for backup. “Yeah, well I worked out that she knew when we were talking in the car.” The brunette folds her arms in frustration, glancing away from the conversation towards the door as if expecting to be interrupted at any moment by Emma’s return. “Interesting choice of small talk, Gina,” Ruby quips before taking another bite of pizza, her smirk masked by the slow chewing of the bite she had taken. “Meaning?” Regina’s eyes darken as annoyance boiled in her veins. “Confined space, flirting, coming out to someone you just met,” Ruby teases as she exchanges a sadistic look with Zelena. “Hey, I never said I was flirting!” Regina points her finger accusingly at them both. “You didn’t need to!” Zelena quips, causing both she and Ruby to laugh. Regina rolls her eyes, refusing to see anything funny about the matter. Suddenly, the bathroom door opens with a loud squeak from the door hinge. They swiftly change the subject, taking the sound as their cue before Emma returns. As she rejoins them downstairs, Emma this time decides to sit opposite Regina, as Zelena and Ruby are conveniently sitting next to each other, laughing like hyenas at something they were talking about. “You’ve got a year of that, you know?” Regina says to the blonde, gesturing in Ruby and Zelena’s direction. “Nothing I’m not used to.” Her nonchalant reply is punctuated with a casual shrug as she grabs another slice of pizza. “Oh? How so?” Regina inquires with a curious eyebrow raise. The blonde quickly gulps down her mouthful of pizza so she can answer the brunette’s question. “Well we already spent a year practically living together. Used to crash at each other’s places after frat parties and stuff. When Zelena was helping run Alpha Epsilon Phi, she and Ruby would look out for people at parties. After Ruby left the sorority, we would just hang out and end up crashing at each others’ places and becoming close.” “So how did you end up living together this year?” “Zee, Rubes, wanna tell this story or shall I?” The blonde says to the giggling duo who are watching a TikTok video, pretending to be completely oblivious to the exchange between the pair. Ruby of course agrees, handing her phone to Zelena, who is absentmindedly scrolling through the videos. As she turns to face them, she takes a deep breath, knowing this was going to be a heavy conversation. “Well, after Dorothy broke up with me, she pulled out of the contract stupidly last minute…” Not surprised, with her track record. Regina muses to herself, but thankfully it doesn’t show on her face as she continues to listen to Ruby’s story. “The deposit was secure, thanks to Zelena. Well, technically your dad, but you know. Details.” The smaller brunette nods in agreement, resting her hand on her chin. “Anyway, we needed someone else for the contract as it’s for 3 people and your mother had already sorted your accommodation before you could even have a say in the matter, so I had to find someone else. Then, I remembered a few weeks back that Sheriff was looking for somewhere to stay for the year. Thankfully she still was, so we agreed it would be the best option for all of us.” “And now Emma gets 6am wake up calls when Zelena comes home,” Regina replies, glancing from Ruby back to Emma, who hadn’t stopped glancing at her since the conversation had begun. “Pretty much. Don’t even have to set mine on a weekday anymore,” Emma jokes, just loud enough to awaken Zelena from her TikTok trance. The redhead isn’t sure what annoys her more, being disturbed from her doom scrolling or the fact that they weren’t constantly singing her praises. Her sneering doesn’t go unnoticed, and they all burst out laughing. After their laughter has died down and Ruby has rejoined Zelena in watching TikToks, Emma takes the opportunity to try to get to know Regina better. “So, Regina. You got into Harvard? That’s pretty impressive.” Emma says to her casually, opening the conversation. “Oh, thank you! Yeah, I’m studying Government with a focus in Public Policy.” She replies while nervously rubbing the back of her neck. “Hmm… Not what I expected,” Emma admits. “Really? What exactly were you expecting?” Regina asks with a curious glance. “I don’t know. Maybe History? Or Art? History of Art?” She replies, quickly glancing in Ruby and Zelena’s direction for assistance, but the pair once again choose to completely ignore the conversation. “Something a bit more fruity you mean?” she teased in a facetious manner with a knowing smirk. “No, no! I just meant because every time Zelena mentioned you it was always about a museum or art gallery you were at.” Her response is genuine, but Regina still has her doubts. Despite this, she still has to give the woman credit for the impressive save after she had literally just fed her to the sharks. “You’re not far off,” Zelena interrupts, taking the cue of her name being spoken as an opportunity to rejoin the conversation. “Huh?” Emma looks confused for a moment, trying to work out how art history and public policy were remotely similar. “Last year I almost went to study Art History at Brown University,” Regina clarified. “Art History? At Brown? Your mom must’ve been so happy and pissed at the same time,” the blonde replies. Regina chuckles. “She was! Insisted it was a waste to study that at Brown, but it was partly to spite her just because I could.” “You must’ve really loved art to wanna major in it, especially there.” Regina agrees, now placing her nearly-finished beer back down. “I mean I did, and I still do, but it’s also my mother’s fault. Growing up, I spent so much time at art galleries and museums. It was how I would avoid her when she was doing elections, so her shock was so unnecessary when I told her my study plans.” “Now I remember! She’s a politician, Zee mentioned it before,” Emma quickly cuts in, before mouthing an apology at the realization. “Used to be; she dropped out of politics to focus on the family business,” the brunette corrects, glancing from Emma to Zelena, who has returned her attention to her phone, while Ruby is engrossed in the episode of True Blood she is watching on the TV. “What made you change your mind about Art History?” Emma asks, bringing the subject back. “Well my mother didn’t want me to, quote, ‘end up like Zelena,’ jumping from degree to degree each year. It’s part of the reason I didn’t go to college straight out of high school. I didn’t fully know what I wanted to do with my life, so Mother steered me towards work experience. Then, I went to some protests with Zelena and Ruby and realized I actually wanted to use my political and legal knowledge to help others instead.” “Zelena made you watch Two Weeks’ Notice , didn’t she?” It was meant as a joke, but Emma hadn’t expected the response. “Yes, let’s entirely blame a mild crush on Sandra Bullock for my career choices,” Regina deadpans, causing Emma to chuckle as a blush rises in her own cheeks. Did someone turn the heating on? Emma mentally questions. “Mild? Sure,” Emma suggests with a smirk that Regina rolls her eyes at. “So I ended up doing an unpaid legal internship at Storybrooke City Hall. Good thing I did, because it really helped my applications to study at Harvard and MIT. I wasn’t sure if I would get offers from both, but thankfully I did. Anyway, what about you? What are you studying?” Regina takes the opportunity to change the subject, desperately wanting to learn more about Emma. “Criminal Justice.” Emma anxiously brushes a lock of hair behind her ear, avoiding her gaze. Usually when she says this, most people assume she wants to become a cop, and she has met her fair share of people who hold strong opinions on that. Regina may have been a tad surprised, but she certainly didn’t show it. No, instead she laughs. “Oh that’s perfect!” Her voice is like velvet as it reverberates in her throat. “What?” Emma looks utterly bewildered. She’s holding a slice of pepperoni pizza, the cheese oozing down the sides, attempting to make its escape. “You’re studying about how to spot crimes and you live with two petty criminals: my sister, who has gotten out of speeding tickets by flirting and wearing a push up bra, and Ruby, who’s used fake ID since she was 16 to buy alcohol and cigarettes.” “Oh! Yeah, I know. I get it. I once went to my Contemporary Social Problems course knowing Zelena had a stolen traffic sign in her room, and Ruby had brought me beers the night before.” She rolls her eyes at the irony. “Just please don’t tell me you drove to the lecture drunk?” Regina asks with genuine concern. Emma instantly raised her hands in surrender. “No, of course not,” she replies with a mouthful of pizza, causing the brunette to shake her head at her lack of manners. “Couldn’t risk her Bug getting damaged,” Ruby chimes in as the episode of True Blood is finishing, after having spent the last ten minutes frowning at how similar Pamela resembled Regina’s ex, Mal. Regina simply scoffs at the idea that Emma’s priority would be the pile of metal she drives rather than her own life. “Oh, don’t act innocent, Regina. You told me you’d been sneaking into the stables with Henry’s cider since you were 15,” Zelena says. “I wasn’t judging.” Regina holds her hands up in surrender, rolling her eyes at the redhead. “Not much you werent!” Zelena retorts, unconvinced, which is met with another of Regina’s famous eyerolls. “So what do you wanna do after college?” the brunette asks Emma, blatantly ignoring her sister. “I don’t know, maybe work as a bail bondsman or help rehabilitate youth offenders. Something like that. What about you?” “Well, my mother wants me to run the family business— we have a law firm with offices all over New England— but I want to actually be the first Latina Mayor of Storybrooke. I really think I can help the community bring new people in and reform the town so everyone has a better quality of life.” “Oh, that’s awesome! You’re totally gonna be mayor someday, and you would win so much of the youth and LGBT vote.” Regina beams at the compliment, trying to hide the sneaking blush rising in her cheeks. Thankfully, Ruby and Zelena had grown bored of the conversation a minute ago — Zelena especially at any mention of work— which spares the brunette from some mild teasing. “Thank you! I hope so. After everything that happened with my mother when she was Mayor of Underbrooke, I just hope that I am not judged for being her daughter, especially after her election defeat. Have you heard the saying ‘The Twin towns of Maine?’” “Not really, sorry. I don’t know a lot about what goes on in Maine,” Emma admits with a weak smile of apology. She wasn’t sure why, but she wanted to impress the brunette in some way. Regina continued, “Basically, Storybrooke and Underbrooke are rival towns on everything. They’re so similar, it’s like looking in the mirror. I’m actually surprised there hasn’t been more copyright lawsuits between the two towns. Anyway, when my mother lost the Underbrooke mayoral election and we moved, the only way I knew we had left was the massive sign that said ‘Welcome To Storybrooke.’ She didn’t exactly leave on the best of terms, but when we moved to Storybrooke it was a new start yet still familiar. Similar problems with agriculture and businesses, small town attitudes, and there’s not enough for young people to keep them there. I guess that’s why most people either move away the first chance they get, or before you know it, you blink and suddenly you’ve stayed for 20 years.” “So you don’t think you’ll stay in Boston after graduation, then?” Emma asks with genuine fascination. “I honestly don’t know. I’ll go where the work takes me; wherever I can make an improvement to people’s lives,” she replies with a smile which was met with a nod from Emma. As the night draws on Ruby and Zelena are becoming tipsier. Regina takes this as an opportunity to ask Emma if she will take her home, and of course Emma agrees. She grabs her keys as Regina says goodnight to Ruby and Zelena, thanking them for inviting her over. “You didn’t have to stay sober for me,” Regina says to Emma as they’re now sitting in her car. “No, I know. Only seemed fair since plans changed, and your sister said she wouldn’t want you to take an Uber alone this late,” the blonde replied while focusing on the journey. “Well, then I owe you one.” “It’s nothing, really.” “No, no. I mean it.” “Well, if you answer my question from earlier, we can call it even,” Emma says as they stop at the red light. “What question’s that, then?” Regina asks, genuinely confused. “The one about being high maintenance,” Emma adds as the lights change. Regina rolls her eyes at the question. Of course she thinks I’m a pillow princess.
A smirk rises across her crimson red lips. “That depends on who’s asking,” she practically purrs, seeing how far she can push the conversation. “Oh, it’s like that, is it?” Emma questions, excited by Regina’s suggestiveness. She puts on her right turn signal, heading down the road towards Regina’s student accommodation. Regina straightens her back in the chair. “Of course. Didn’t you know? I’m a queen; I’m a little bit more refined.” The blonde blew air out of her nose. “No hope for us mere peasants then?” she replies, now pulling into the car park of Regina’s student halls, mildly disappointed that the conversation would soon be drawing to a close. “You’re not a peasant.” Regina mentally curses herself, squinting her eyes shut. Literally on the school debate team for 3 years and that’s what you come up with? Moron. “Well, that’s my college yearbook quote sorted!” Emma chuckles, trying to lighten the mood. “If you use it, you better credit me,” the brunette manages to joke, pushing her own insecurities aside for a moment. “Have to now, I’m in the presence of royalty.” Her teasing managed to actually make Regina smile, something she wishes already to see so much more of: the way her lip curls at the side of her mouth, as a small smile etches across her features. “What can I say? I choose my company wisely.” “Speaking of company, Zelena’s having a party at our house in two weeks. You gonna be there?” As much as her tone seems casual, Emma is already quietly hoping that Regina would be. “No. She already asked me yesterday, but I’m actually going to a book club with two of my roommates. Sorry.” Her shoulders droop at the slight shift in Emma’s mood, before Emma could try and mask her reaction. “Another time, I guess?” she says with a hint of disappointment. “Yeah, I’m sure there will be plenty more where my sister is concerned.” Regina brushes a loose strand of hair back behind her ear that had fallen out of place. Emma watches her hand grace gently over the lock of dark hair, as the air shifts from anxious to something else entirely. She can’t quite place what it is yet, but she will in time. “I mean, she was VP of AEPhi, so it kinda comes with the territory.” Regina rolls her eyes and cringes at the response, making Emma chuckle, her face lit up at the shared dislike at sorority societies. Their eyes meet again as emerald eyes gleam in the light, but this time there is something else buried inside their stolen glances. A fire; a passion; something boiling deep within them as if a spark is lit every time they so much as dare to look at one another.But it doesn’t last. As the brunette suddenly drops her gaze, tearing her eyes away from Emma’s, she regathers her thoughts as she realizes just how long they must’ve just been sitting there. “Thanks again for dropping me back. I really do appreciate it.” Regina smiles. She wishes that she could stay longer and get to know her, but she knows that it won’t be tonight. Emma had already gone above and beyond by dropping her home safely, and she doesn’t want to keep the woman out any longer than she needs to be. “Anytime! It’s good to actually meet you in person, put a face to a name after everything Zelena had told me,” the blonde replies with a smile that was so delicate that if Regina wasn’t watching her so intently, she would’ve missed it. It makes her heart flutter with sheer delight. “You too! Anyway, I’ll let you get back. Thanks again…” She says, stepping out of the car. “Oh! And uh, drive safe,” she adds while standing, still holding the door open, letting the colder Boston wind fill the vehicle. “I will, don’t worry. Hope you have a good night, Regina.” “I’ll try to. Goodnight, Emma.” As she closes the door she awkwardly waves at the car before turning around and striding quickly towards her student block. As Regina walks back to her apartment, she can’t help but smile to herself, biting her lip, recalling the conversation in the car. She doesn’t realize it now, but the fun is only just beginning. Even Regina Mills can’t truly anticipate what the universe has in store for her.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Just what I need!
Regina rubs her eyes in frustration as she stares at her laptop screen. Sat at her desk, she rests her elbow on the table while she scrolls through the rest of the message. It was an email from her professor, informing everyone that because he has the flu that today and Monday’s class will be canceled, as well as his office hours, until he is back at work.
A week before our assignment is due, he cancels two classes, and he might not even answer our emails!
Regina opens her phone to search for the same email, takes a screenshot and posts it in the class group chat. Within seconds a swarm of replies flooded the chat, which she had expected. She quickly added a reply, questioning if anyone was considering asking for an extension on the assignment for the whole class.If Regina’s fingers type any faster, they will probably catch fire. She has a creeping suspicion that by asking, she would end up being nominated to email the professor. At the same time, she is relieved, knowing that the job will be done properly if it comes from her. As suspected, the group chat nominates her, so she gets started on an email draft.Once she finishes the articulate email she has drafted to send to the professor, she reads through it three times just to be sure. Satisfied with her email, she finally sends it off. Regina feels unstoppable this morning as she stands sipping her coffee, staring out of the kitchen window and looking at the view. The sun is already beaming high in the sky, cascading down onto the buildings. As she sips the steaming espresso in her mug, she gazes down at the other students leaving their accommodation blocks. Regina had already gotten dressed for class when she’d received the email about the class's cancellations; and she decides there is no point wasting the day. After confirming in the class group chat that she had sent the email requesting a class-wide extension, she instantly switches back to WhatsApp to send a message to Ruby and Zelena. The only reason that the two of them are awake is because they’re miraculously actually in a lecture for once. Regina honestly wondered if the world is ending when they say that. After a few minutes, she receives a reply from her sister.
Witches Who Wear Pink
Wicked Witch of the West
Can’t believe you’re actually complaining about having a long weekend off 9:46
Evil Queen
It’s not really a long weekend when your assignment is due in a week 9:46
Red Riding Hood
I wouldn’t have even started it yet 9:47
Evil Queen
Ruby, exactly how are you still in college? 9:47
Red Riding Hood
Hey! Trust the results, don’t question the method! 9:47
Wicked Witch of the West
Since you no longer have class today, that means you’re gonna come to the party later, right? 9:48
Evil Queen
Can’t sorry. 9:48
Wicked Witch of the West
Why not 😭 😭 😭 9:48
Evil Queen
Book club 📖 9:49
Red Riding Hood
Nerd 🤓 🥱 😴 💤 9:50
Evil Queen
Oh no! 😱 How will I ever recover from that insult? 🙄 9:51
Wicked Witch of the West
Emma will be there 😏 9:51
Evil Queen
Yes, she informed me when she dropped me home the other week 9:52
Red Riding Hood
She was disappointed you said you weren’t going. I really think she does want you to be there x 9:53
Evil Queen
Yeah, sure, like a hole in the head 🙄 9:53
Red Riding Hood
She really did say that, not that you’ll ever believe me, Regina 🙄 9:54
Wicked Witch of the West
If you change your mind, you’re always welcome, darling 9:54
Evil Queen
Appreciate it 💖 9:55 Regina locks her phone as the conversation reaches a natural stopping point. Zelena and Ruby have admitted defeat in trying to convince her to go to the party, but only because they know there will be plenty more opportunities to get Regina to socialize more.After packing her rucksack with her laptop and the books for her assignment, Regina makes her way into the heart of the city. She decided that she wanted to check out the city’s public library, in case they had other books that would be helpful to her studies. On the walk, Regina is amused to run into Emma, who is on her way to work. The last time they saw each other was last week. Emma had been on her way to a shift at the bar, while Regina had been on her way to her book club with Elsa and Archie. This was also the day that Regina discovered that Elsa and Emma were step cousins, as the pair would mention to her and Archie later on, when they were at the bar after the book club meeting. Emma steps out of her car as Regina sees her, the younger woman looking up at the sound of her name being spoken. “Hey, Emma!” Regina calls to the blonde, who is in her own little world. Emma blinks repeatedly as she shakes her head, turning in the direction her name was spoken. As soon as she sees the person behind the voice, her face lights up with joy. “Hey, Regina! No class today?” She smiles at the brunette. Her day had been off to a rough start, but it is somewhat made better by seeing the woman standing a few steps away. “No, actually. I was supposed to, but then I had the pleasure of receiving an email from our professor canceling because he caught the flu. So instead I’m off to the central library to work on the assignment.” “Oh, fun!” Emma replies with an eye roll. She initially thinks about elaborating which part that was aimed at, but then realizes that Regina knows. “What about you?” the brunette says as she sweeps a lock of hair back behind her ear. Her eyes meet Emma’s gaze once more, holding it there as if analyzing everything about the beautiful woman standing in front of her. “I’m working until 6.” She gestures in the direction of the bar that they’re both outside of. “Wanna swap?” Regina jokes as her sultry voice suddenly becomes lower, oozing with sarcasm. Emma scoffed, rejecting the offer and scrunching her nose at the idea of writing Regina's assignment for her. “I’ll take lifting crates of beer over an essay on the fall of Marxism or whatever other boring thing you’re writing about any day.” “It’s actually on the Foundations of Political Theory. We’re looking at what political institutions best express the democratic values of equality, freedom, deliberation, and participation,” Regina supplies as she lifts her rucksack strap higher on her shoulder, her hair steadily swaying in the gentle breeze fluttering through the autumnal air. “You can definitely keep it.” Emma places her hands in the pocket of her red leather jacket as a means to stop her fidgeting, slowly beginning to realize just how different they both were. She was so drawn to Regina despite that, or maybe because of it. Emma, relying on grants from her college and only managing to afford to go at 20-years-old, after saving since before she turned 18. Regina never having to worry about bills a day in her life, having her parents pay her entire tuition fees, living in the best accommodation money could buy. They were as contrasting as night and day. “That’s fine! I’d rather write about how democracy is a human right than deal with a load of drunk, rowdy customers anyway,” Regina smirks while trying to avoid lingering mental images of Emma’s strong biceps easily lifting crates of beer. Her mind begins to wander to questions about just how strong the golden-haired woman is, but before she could even begin to ponder this, Emma changes the subject. “Hey, wanna maybe, I don’t know, grab lunch later today?” She interrupts Regina’s thoughts, who is suddenly aware of the time and her surroundings. Regina’s eyes burn brighter than the sun, filled with delight. “Sure, I could probably use a break from studying at some point.” “Well, if you give me your number, I’ll text you what time my break is when I check the schedule,” Emma suggests, doing her best to act rather casual, handing her phone to Regina. The spark that runs through their hands as their fingers gently brush is unmistakable. Emma’s eyes lit up at the sudden contact that pulsates through every fiber of her body. Before either can say anything, the moment is gone like a sudden bolt of lightning – there and gone in a flash, leaving only a memory of the impact in their minds.Emma blinks twice at the sudden thrust of her phone being placed back in her hands, she glances down at it and realizes that Regina had placed her number in the phone but not sent a text. The blonde quickly fumbles with her cell as a blush stretches across her cheeks, trying to quickly send a message to Regina. When the brunette receives a message in return, she mentally curses herself for fumbling with the phone in her pocket, trying to look calm and collected as she takes it out and saves Emma's number from the text. After managing an awkward goodbye, (neither wanted to mention it ever again, and both hoped no one else had the imponderable joy of witnessing) Emma finally heads into work and Regina continues her walk to the library, both of them with blushes creeping up their neck and heating their faces.The warm air and sound of crunching leaves greet Regina as she continues down the sidewalk, towards the library. Once there, she goes to place her phone on silent and notices a message from Emma.
Emma Swan
Hey, Your Majesty, my boss has put my lunch for 2:30. Is that ok for you? X 10:45
‘Your Majesty’? Really, Emma? For your sake I hope that isn’t secretly a pillow princess or diva joke, Regina ruminates to herself with an eye roll, before sending a reply.
Regina Mills
Hello, Miss Swan. 2:30 is perfect for me. Where would you prefer to meet? Perhaps at the café opposite the bar? 10:53
Why does Regina send text messages like work emails? Surely she’s not all work and no play? Maybe I’ll ask Zelena and Ruby later, Emma contemplates for a moment while considering her next message to the brunette.
Emma Swan
Works for me! See you then x 10:54 Settling down for a few hours at the library with her laptop and a pile of books, Regina continues to work on her assignment. At 2PM, the brunette decides to put her things away and make her way to the café early, dreading the idea of turning up late. She arrives about ten minutes before the start of Emma’s lunch break, much to her relief, and grabs a table near the back for them. After sitting down on one of the wooden chairs, she sends a message to the younger woman, letting her know where she is for when she arrives. Just after 2:30, Emma joins her. “Hey, did you order already, or…?” the blonde says, gesturing towards the counter while striding towards the brunette. “No. Thought it was easier to wait for you,” Regina replies while standing up to meet her, questions running through her head about whether she should’ve ordered instead. If they weren’t a meter or so apart it would be clearer that Regina is actually slightly taller than Emma today, as she had opted to wear 3-inch boots. Paired with smart trousers, a black blazer, and a red blouse, she looks like she is dressed to run for mayor, and is definitely overdressed for the small café they are in. It’s only now that the blonde actually notices this, or anything that Regina was wearing, actually. She was far too oblivious to her surroundings this morning to even pay enough attention to what she dressed in, let alone what Regina had on. Especially because of how flustered she was running into Regina at all.Emma, on the other hand, blends in better because of her work attire. The bar lets her wear jeans as long as they didn’t have holes, and she is wearing the company polo shirt, as she grew tired of when the men would ogle her in the low cut t-shirt they provided.Regina had thankfully already settled on her order before the other woman had arrived, and Emma always orders the exact same thing every time she comes here. As they make their way to the counter to place their order, Emma can’t help but wonder if all Harvard students dress like Regina does, or if this is just a Regina Mills thing. Then again, she recalls last when she saw her cousin Elsa with Archie and Regina, all dressed very similarly for book club, which at the time she presumed was maybe just standard entry attire to the event.Emma has been to very few book clubs, and even then it wasn’t voluntarily, so she has no idea, at least at an adult level, what they are like. When she was in highschool, the teachers tried to push her to attend, but she always found it really claustrophobic, and the students weren’t very welcoming of her. After placing their orders and sitting back at the table, the air seems different, although neither can place what it actually is that is lingering between them. “So how’s work?” the older of the pair asks, opening the floor for Emma to speak. As much as she detests small talk, it feels like the most natural conversation starting point. At least it isn’t as tedious as asking about the weather, Regina reassures herself. “It’s been a slow start, but stock check usually is. We had a larger delivery than normal but I think that’s because of classes starting,” the blonde replies with a shrug, slightly stunned Regina had opened with small talk, based on their previous conversations. “I’m surprised The Wish Realm would be busy because of classes starting. It doesn’t seem like the usual kinda student bar.” Emma lip curls in amusement on its own without a second’s thought. “It’s not. That’s why we think it’s becoming more popular; it’s usually people wanting a relaxing place away from students.” “Okay, that makes more sense,” Regina concedes. “How’s the Political Theory essay going?” Emma says, changing the subject. “Better than I thought it would, actually. I found a book called The Origins of Political Order by Francis Fukuyama which I can use to pull apart the key events in each time period.” She enthusiastically gesticulates with her hands as she speaks, which leaves the blonde entranced by her passionate response. The way Regina’s eyes beam with happiness makes Emma’s heart flutter, watching the woman’s features with piqued interest. Much to her own relief, the food finally arrives, giving her heart a chance to return to a slower heart rate. The smell of freshly baked bread fills the air as their plates are placed down in front of them. As they’re eating, Emma continues the conversation. “Democracy goes back to Ancient Greece, right?” she says, frowning as she mentally starts to question if she has that correct. “Did you Google that, by any chance?” Her tone is darker than before, and Emma isn’t sure if it is from irritation or sarcasm. She can’t tell if the eyebrow raise is in amusement or if she has actually annoyed her. “No actually. We covered it in one of our classes; our degrees aren’t that different.” “You covered it in a class, yet you had to ask me?” The brunette frowned, as if the notion left a bad taste in her mouth. “It was mentioned for thirty seconds in our introductory class in first year, so forgive me for not being certain. I’m sorry I asked…” the blonde grumbled. Regina’s eyes open wide at that, and she mentally curses herself for upsetting Emma. “Sorry. That was rude of me. I didn’t mean to offend you, Emma.” Her face falls as she anxiously fidgets with her hands. “Oh, you didn’t! Don’t worry, it’s all good.” Emma replied softly, trying to reassure her, despite her own mildly hurt feelings. She instantly reaches out to touch Regina's hand before quickly withdrawing it, rejecting the idea. The gesture in her mind was well-meant, but Emma was anxious enough already about it being too much or too personal to Regina. “Really?” Regina’s eyes now question. Her staring feels like she is delving into the very depths of Emma’s soul. The blonde nods, offering a gentle smile of reassurance to her. It must help, because Regina offers a weak smile in return before glancing away. If Emma hadn’t been staring intensely into the brunette’s eyes, she never would’ve caught it. There was a flicker, just for a second. Exasperation lurked there, suggesting something really was amiss. “You know, part of my job is being a good listener, if you want to talk about it,” the blonde suggests, which causes Regina to look up at her. “Yes, but you’re not at work right now, are you?” She replies, seemingly wanting to avoid the subject. “True, but I like to think at this point we’re friends. So I’m offering, friend to friend, to listen.” Marginally tilting her head, a slight smile etched across Emma’s lips just for a second as their eyes met, before she quickly glanced away, fearing how her eyes might betray her. It is a losing game and Regina knows it. The patience, the kindness; that smile so earnest it could melt even the coldest of hearts. She knows Emma isn’t about to give in. Regina is strong-willed— oh, there was never any question or doubt about that— but Emma makes Regina feel like playdoh when it came to stubbornness. “It’s silly.” “Try me.” The blonde urges, still refusing to give in. Sighing in defeat, she finally tells the woman what is on her mind. “I’m still annoyed that our lecturer hasn’t answered my email about a whole class extension, especially since he’s canceled two of our classes and all office hours a week before the assignment is due.”
I should say something to her, but I’m worried it’ll come out all wrong. I annoyed her once and I don’t wanna make things worse. Maybe I should try something else! We’re friends, she’ll tell me if it’s a problem.
The blonde reaches over to her for a moment, placing her hand on Regina’s forearm. She is surprised at how cold her skin feels against her warm palm. The slightly older woman looks up at the sudden physical affection, surprised by the spontaneous touch. “Hey, even if you don’t get an extension, you’re totally gonna breeze through it. You probably sat half of your exams with your eyes shut and still got straight A’s,” Emma says before begrudgingly withdrawing her hand. The spark that hums in her veins from where their skin had met lights her body aflame. The brunette chuckles, brushing a strand of her dark locks behind her ear. “You flatter me, Miss Swan,” she says, glancing back down at her plate for fear that if she so much as looks back into those emerald eyes, she will reach across the table and kiss Emma right here. “It’s the truth,” Emma states with a smile that melts Regina’s heart. A small smile of Regina’s own sweeps across her lips. “Well then, you’re too kind.” “Now who’s flattering?” the blonde teases, but Regina isn’t about to give her the satisfaction of acknowledging the flirty question, especially after she had worked too hard to hide how charmed she was by Emma. “So, do you normally work on Fridays?” the brunette asks, promptly changing the subject as heat begins to rise in her cheeks. A satisfied smirk crosses the blonde’s lips at the realization that Regina has suddenly changed the subject, and to nothing but her least favorite subject of them all, small talk. Looks like I won this round, Emma notes, leaning back in her chair as she folds her arms across her chest. “Well, I’m always scheduled for delivery day; I have to be there for stock check,” she replies with a casual shrug (which didn’t go unnoticed). Gotta put those arms to good u… Get your mind out of the gutter, Regina! Quickly shaking her thoughts away, the brunette manages to shift the subject almost effortlessly. “So that means you’re on lifting duty for my sister’s party later, then?” “Oh yeah, but only so I can secretly compete against Robin to see who can lift more.” There is a confident twinkle in her stunning sea-green eyes that mesmerizes Regina. “Oh— you, hands down. If we're choosing teams, I'd pick you. You'll wipe the floor with him! You can tell him I said that.” “Tell him yourself!” “If I was going to be there, I would…” Regina mutters, fearing she will disappoint Emma once again. The blonde noticeably slumps her shoulders. “Still haven’t changed your mind, then?” “Sorry. I still have plans to go to book club, and I don’t really wanna let Elsa and Archie down. That reminds me, I should double check with your cousin what time we’re gonna meet,” Regina adds, before sending a message to Elsa. “Well it’ll still be happening when you’re done. You could come over after book club?” Emma tries to convince her. She’s not giving up that easily. ‘Stubborn Swan’ has been her nickname for many years, something she had relished in since her adolescence, and she isn’t about to hand over that title now. “I seriously need to try and finish this assignment,” Regina replies. It is then that the penny drops. Raising an eyebrow, Emma asks, “You really don’t wanna go to this party, do you?” She doesn’t realize until this very moment how much she adores the way Regina bites her lip when she’s nervous. The brunette is now offering Emma her full attention. “No offense. I don’t like parties at the best of times. If the assignment wasn’t for the class that was canceled, I could probably get away with putting off the work, but as it is I can’t. I’m sorry.” Emma knows it is a losing game; however, she was far too competitive and just a tiny bit immature to bow out graciously. She really, really wanted Regina to come to this party because she wanted to spend more time with the brunette and get to know her better. But Emma would also always completely respect her choices. “It’s fine. College comes first.” She knew how seriously Regina took her education and how much the woman disliked parties. They didn’t speak of the matter further, realizing that it was near the end of Emma’s break and neither wanted it to end on a sore subject. As Emma’s lunch draws to a close, she puts her jacket back on and checks her pockets to make sure she has everything. Regina joins her as she double-checks her backpack. “This was actually kinda nice,” Regina says as she stands up from her chair. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. We could do this again sometime?” Emma suggests, relieved that her company had at least been happy enough to have stayed and entertained the conversations they had. “Definitely! I normally have class until 1 on Fridays, but if our schedules match up, we could do this next week if you like?” the brunette suggests. Stepping out into the fresh autumn breeze, Emma pulls her jacket across her chest to conserve some body heat at the sudden blast of air. Regina, on the other hand, doesn’t even seem fazed by the weather, or at least if she is, she doesn’t appear bothered by it. “Yeah, that would be great!” Emma replies enthusiastically. “Well, I hope you enjoy your book club later, and don’t burn yourself out worrying about that essay.” She accusingly points at the brunette. “I won’t burn myself out.” Regina rolls her eyes, mildly offended at the implication. Emma skeptically raises an eyebrow. Regina raises her hands in surrender. “It’s my first big essay; once I’ve gotten it out of the way, I’ll be a lot happier.” “Alright, I’ll choose to believe you. Thousands wouldn’t.” The brunette scoffs at the sarcastic remark, but before she can even conjure a clever reply, the blonde adds, “Oh, and message me if you change your mind and do wanna tag along.” “You’ll be the first to know,” Regina replies as a small smile tugs at her ruby red lips. “Is that a promise, Your Majesty?” Emma asks with a knowing smirk, which is greeted by an amused raised eyebrow. “Of course, Miss Swan ,” Regina replies, the name rolling off her tongue effortlessly. She doesn’t even attempt to hide the seductive way she looks Emma up and down, before turning on her heel to walk in the other direction. Emma chuckles, looking down at her feet for a moment before glancing back up to watch the captivating woman confidently stride away without looking back. Placing her hands in her pockets, Emma strolls back into work to finish her shift. Regina decides that she has all she needed from the library, so she chooses to return to her student apartment to finish her essay there. On the walk back, she receives a message from Elsa in the group chat with her and Archie. They have all purposely left Peter out of the roommate chat because they have extraordinarily little they want to say to him. His recent behavior seems to only get worse every time they interact. Regina opens the message as she waits for the lights to change at the pedestrian crossing.
Elsa
Hey, I just wanted to say I’m really sorry. I know we all agreed to go to book club again today, but I’m still staying with my sister. Unfortunately, we got the flu recently and didn’t want to risk passing it on to you both, so that’s why I’m not at the apartment at the moment. I’ll let you know when I’m back. 15:17
Regina
I hope you feel better soon, Elsa. Please don’t apologize; it’s not your fault. We totally understand and appreciate that you told us. Stay safe x 15:19
Elsa
Thanks, Regina. You too! 15:20 Regina arrives back at the apartment and crashes on her bed as soon as she enters her room. Feeling exhausted from the stress of her looming deadline, she decides to take a nap so she will have more energy to write her essay later. She gets up from her bed to close the roller blinds. Removing her blazer and leather ankle boots feels like a hefty task in comparison to placing her phone to charge on the nightstand. Laying back down on her bed, her eyes slowly begin to close, and she drifts off into a gentle nap. 2 hours later, a groggy Regina is startled awake by the loud sound of her alarm. She had totally forgotten about the reminder she had set to wake her up for book club. The dark haired woman quickly switches it off as her heart slowly begins to stop pounding so furiously in her chest. She rubs her eyes to wake herself up more, stretching her legs simultaneously. After a few minutes, she feels alert enough to check her notifications. She closes the ones with BuzzFeed articles before noticing a message from Archie asking if they could go to book club next week instead, as he wants to play Dungeons and Dragons with some friends. Regina agrees before checking the rest of her notifications. She finally sees an email from her lecturer which she swiftly opens.
Meanwhile, at Emma’s student house, the last preparations for the party are underway. Ruby lays out snacks, realizing that most of them will probably end up crushed into the furniture, and that she or Emma will be cleaning it all up tomorrow. “Shit, Cora’s rug!” Ruby dashes into the living room to roll up the rug and hide it in her room, away from guests. She knows full well that if anything the Mills matriarch purchased gets even so much as a stain, it will lead to a fate worse than death. After she goes back downstairs and enters the living room, she speaks to Zelena, who’s setting up a Spotify playlist. “Why the hell would your mother buy an expensive rug knowing that its insurance would be more than our rent?” Ruby crosses her arms defensively. “Her attempt at a party deterrent, probably?” Robin, Zelena’s boyfriend, jumps into the conversation, holding a small crate of beers. Zelena corrects him while putting the playlist on shuffle. “Hardly, my darling. She finds any and every excuse to throw a party. Have you forgotten she celebrates the horses’ half birthdays with summer soirées?” “Makes sense that she has money and wants to flaunt it,” Emma joins in the conversation, carrying a noticeably larger crate of beers than Robin. Ruby smirks. Meanwhile, Robin frowns in concentration at the invoked weightlifting competition while carrying the liquor through to the kitchen.After Emma and Robin unload the beers in the kitchen, they go to store the empty crates in the basement. As they do so, Emma gets a notification from one of her friends’ Snapchat stories being updated. Absentmindedly, she opens it, instantly wishing she hadn’t. A mile or so away, in her student apartment, Regina isn’t having much luck. Her plans to have a peaceful evening finishing her essay has had limited success thus far. After staring at her laptop screen intensely for 20 minutes, having barely written 15 words since early this afternoon, she sighs. Her phone lighting up with a notification would normally bring her reluctance; however, the distraction when seeing the sender’s name was welcomed. That was, until she read the actual message.
Emma Swan
If I Venmo you $20 will you come suffer through this party with me? 18:35
Regina Mills
Oh, wow! Is this the day my sister has actually managed to throw a bad party? Did she puke up on the cow rug? 🤣 What happened? 18:36
Emma Swan
My ex, that’s what. He’s in the background of a photo on a friend’s snap at a party across the street. He’s meant to be in Bali, or Barbados. Not Boston. Now I’m nervous that he’s gonna turn up here. 18:37
Regina Mills
Tell Zelena and Ruby, they’ll have Robin on standby in case he turns up 18:37
Emma Swan
He’s a friend of Robin’s… 18:37
Regina Mills
Yeah, but Robin insists he’s friends with everyone. Is it one of those he says they’re friends but it’s more acquaintances, or are they actually friends? 18:38
Emma Swan
The difference is, they go back years. They were high school friends. He’s the reason Zelena and Robin got together. Well, sort of. We used to go on double dates and stuff until we broke up 6 months ago. 18:40
Regina Mills
I’m really sorry, Emma. Anything I can do? Do you want to come over? Xx 18:40
Emma Swan
No, it’s fine. I’m sorry I bothered you with that x 18:41
Regina Mills
Hey, you weren’t bothering me with anything. I’m always happy to listen. It’s a shit thing you’re dealing with. Just wish I could be more help x 18:42
Emma Swan
Honestly, you messaging me right now is more than enough xx 18:42
Regina Mills
You know now that I think about it, you could’ve got my number from Zee or Rubes before today 😉 x 18:44
Brilliant, now you’re flirting with a straight girl. 10/10 for stupidity.
Emma Swan
True but sounds better if I actually get your number from you 😜 xx 18:45
Regina Mills
Oh it’s like that is it? 😉 xx 18:45
What is wrong with me? Why can’t I stop flirting with Emma? Pull yourself together.
Emma Swan
Something like that 😏 xx 18:46
Regina Mills
Well then I’m glad to have helped x 18:47
Emma Swan
Thanks for the distraction, your majesty 😉 xx 18:48
Regina Mills
You’ve said that three times today, it better not be an omen 😉 x 18:49
Emma Swan
Would I do that to you? 😉 also, I presume the principles of Liberace got boring if you’re messaging me 😜 xx 18:50
Regina Mills
I know you’re trying to annoy me, but I can’t help myself. Fukuyama wrote about how he believes that liberal democracy is the final form of government. Liberace was actually an American pianist. 18:51
Emma Swan
Yeah I know, my dad loves his music, but question still stands x 18:52
Regina Mills
Which one? I presume the first was rhetorical 😉 and the second? Well I haven’t had a chance to tell you that my lecturer emailed back 30 mins ago and gave us a week’s extension. Now I’ve got two weeks to finish it! Xx 18:53
Emma Swan
That’s awesome! Relaxing evening then? Oh wait, what time’s book club? X 18:54
Regina Mills
7 but I’m not going. 18:55
Emma Swan
What? Why? You were so excited to go! X 18:55
Regina Mills
Your cousin has the flu, she’s staying with her sister. Archie made plans to play D&D so I’m gonna work on this essay then watch some Supergirl, I think. 18:57
Emma Swan
I like that you knew about my cousin being sick before I did. And, well, I’m not gonna ask about if you’re gonna come to the party. I respect that you don’t want to x 18:59
Regina Mills
Well I do actually live with her, Miss Swan. Also thank you 💖 x 19:00
Emma Swan
I’m still on alcohol duty so I’m sober until 8, did you want me to get you anything from the store and drop it off? I know what hibernating to finish an essay is like. 19:03
Wait, was that too weird? Shit. Can’t delete that now, she’s seen it. Fuck. Shit. Oh God she’s typing. Emma, breathe.
Regina Mills
Thanks, but I think I’m all good, I’ve honestly got enough snacks in here to survive an apocalypse XD 19:04
Emma Swan
Alright, well I hope you have a good night, Regina x 19:05
Regina Mills
You too, Emma! Xx 19:05
Emma locks her phone and joins Ruby in the kitchen. Of course the younger woman asks her why she was gone for so long. She was worried that she had disappeared. Emma ends up explaining that she was messaging Regina, omitting the details about her ex. No wonder she was gone ages; too busy flirting, Ruby thinks.
At 8PM, guests finally start to arrive for the party. Within an hour, the house has nearly 30 people. Zelena certainly knows how to throw a party, but even Ruby isn’t certain who some of the people are, until she sees them socializing with Robin. Zelena is playing beer pong in the kitchen, Robin is chatting with people in the living room, and Emma is in the yard talking to some of her classmates when she unexpectedly gets a message from Regina.
Regina Mills
My roommate is an idiot. Is it too late to accept that offer? 21:08
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The party is in full swing while Emma is in the yard talking to some of her classmates. Suddenly she gets a notification on her phone. The sound of her cell vibrating in her pocket almost makes her jump. She quickly grabs it and checks the message.
Regina Mills
My roommate is an idiot. Is it too late to accept that offer? 21:08 Emma’s face lights up before a devious grin forms on her lips, deciding to tease her.
Emma Swan
To fight my ex? Not at all 😇 xx 21:09
Regina Mills
You know exactly what I’m referring to 🙄 x 21:10
Emma Swan
It’s not too late, I’ll let Ruby and Zelena know you’re on your way if you like? Xx 21:12
Regina Mills
Please, I appreciate it. Thank you 💖 xx 21:13 Emma makes her way into the house, looking for Ruby and Zelena. She finds the brunette sitting by the stairs, taking selfies with the newest snapchat filter. She relays the message from Regina which makes the younger woman beam with happiness. The blonde eventually discovers Zelena and quickly informs the redhead, who drunkenly jumps for joy at the fact that she finally got her own way. Regina arrives in an Uber about fifteen minutes later, wearing a burgundy short-sleeved oxford shirt, black ripped skinny jeans, and black sneakers. She had quickly gotten changed in between messaging Emma earlier, trying to ignore that she was casually messaging while standing in just her bra and underwear. As the front door swings open, the eruption of sound from the party assaults her senses, causing her to take a step back, blinking several times. Ruby greets her at the door with a hug, tightly squeezing her until Regina feels she is about to break. As she finally lets go of her, Ruby firmly grips onto the smaller woman’s shoulders. Pulling her at arm’s length to look her up and down, she says “now that has to be your gayest outfit, surely?” The smaller woman chuckles warmly. “Did you expect anything less?” She says, suggestively raising an eyebrow. The taller brunette simply shakes her head before pulling Regina into the kitchen to grab a drink. Ruby hands her a beer before they make their way towards the backyard, insisting she wants all of the gossip about why she changed her mind. “I swear, Peter’s attitude is getting worse by the day. It’s like he’s purposely finding new ways to provoke us. He almost gets under your skin… honestly that man is more irritating than a splinter.” Regina says to the other brunette, after relaying the convoluted story as concisely as she could. Ruby scoffs. “That’s putting it politely,” she replies before taking another sip of the beer. Having overheard the conversation, Zelena sloppily pulls her sister into a tight hug, narrowly missing spilling their drinks. “What man? What did I miss?” Zelena says, launching into the conversation as she pulls away. Regina appears relieved the moment that the hug is over. She loathes human contact at the best of times, but especially when it involves having her ribcage crushed as means of affection. After a moment of recapturing her thoughts, she answers her sister’s questions. “Peter, my stupid roommate. He purposely brought friends over for pre-drinks at the apartment, and the first hour of them being gross was bad enough.” “Eww,” Zelena cringes. “Still, you’re here now! Forget about him. He’s dog shit!” she says with a nonchalant shrug. “Zee’s right. If it doesn’t bring you good energy, inspiration, or orgasms, it doesn’t belong in your life,” Ruby adds, downing her drink with one quick chug. Regina, meanwhile, manages to choke on hers. She splutters as the liquid splatters onto the grass, much to Ruby and Zelena’s amusement. The redhead cackles at her sister’s mishap before she excuses herself to go and get another beer in the kitchen. She had decided earlier not to waste her good wine on the ‘uncultured’ guests, especially the sports students Robin invited, sticking to the copious amounts of cheap beer they had brought instead. Once Zelena goes back inside, the conversation between Regina and Ruby picks back up. It was mostly just catching up from earlier about Ruby’s date she’s got planned with a woman she matched with on Her and Regina’s essay progress. “So where’s Emma?” Regina asks Ruby, trying and failing to sound nonchalant. The taller brunette chuckles, checking the time on her phone. “15 minutes, impressive,” she says with a smirk, placing her phone back into her pocket. Regina on the other hand frowns, glancing at her with confusion. “Come on, Regina, I’m not stupid,” she adds. The older brunette, however, is still clueless. “Well, enlighten me, because apparently I am.” “She’s really why you’re here, isn’t it?” She asks while rubbing her thumb over the neck of her empty beer bottle, approaching the subject with caution. “What?” Regina’s reaction is barely readable on her face. Anxiously gulping before starting her next sentence, Ruby stares down at her own feet for a moment. “Well, you know? Having lunch together, texting, now you’re here when you could’ve been at book club…” Regina looks shocked, stunned even. She raises her hands defensively, still gripping her half full bottle in one. “Hey! No! You’ve got it all wrong. Elsa’s ill, Archie wanted to play D&D, so we decided to leave it this week. That’s all.” Ruby simply shakes her head in disbelief. “Is that really the best you can come up with?” “Excuse me?” Her mouth is agape; she is beyond offended at this point. “If that's what you've chosen to convince yourself.” “I haven’t ‘convinced’ myself of anything, Ruby!” Her tone is dark and a low growl hums in her throat. “You know, Regina, sometimes you’re so predictable. You’re such a useless lesbian.” Regina rolls her eyes. “You’re one to talk! Also I am not that useless!” “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn't realize that you're still in denial about your crush.” “You seriously think that? I’m not that dense!” She scowls at Ruby’s immediate scoff. Ruby didn’t even acknowledge her reply, she just raised an eyebrow at her. “I’m not! I’m very aware that she’s even hotter in person,” Regina clarifies, folding her arms across her chest and looking away from the younger woman. Ruby bursts out laughing. “Shut up!” Regina grumbles under her breath, scowling as heat rises in her cheeks. Zelena exits the house again, striding back towards the conversation. At Regina's face and Ruby's laughter, she raises a brow. "Did I miss anything good?" she asks, eyes glimmering mischievously. Ruby managed to formulate a response between chuckles. “Your sister was just insisting that there’s nothing going on between her and Emma.” Regina immediately scoffs at the sheer audacity of her friend, but before she can say anything, she’s cut off by the brashness of her sister. “Well, your girlfriend went upstairs, as she had a phone call,” Zelena teases with a knowing smirk. “She’s not my girlfriend.” The scowl Regina offers her doesn’t even phase her sister; in fact, Zelena just chuckles. “Ha! Maybe not yet, but we’ve all got bets on it,” Ruby replies with a shit-eating grin. Do they really have nothing better to do? Regina asks herself, shaking her head. She is more than done with this conversation. The brunette is all too aware of their dedication to tormenting her. As Regina finishes the rest of her drink, she attempts to end the conversation with some dignity. “Well you’re all gonna lose, because I don’t date straight girls.” The space between them falls silent, as if the air has been sucked out from their lungs. Zelena and Ruby gasp with disbelief that Regina had even contemplated saying what she did. There are very few things that could ever phase the pair, but somehow, Regina has succeeded. “Now that’s just rude,” the taller brunette says, still stunned. “How is it rude? She has an ex boyfriend, and it’s not like she’s shown an interest in any women!” Zelena frowns for a moment, stepping forward to ask, “Regina, just how shit is your gaydar? At what point did your brain fall out of your head and you became more dense than your shitty roommate?” Ruby purses her lips with approval, nodding her head in agreement. “I’m serious!” Regina practically snarls at this point, no longer wishing to entertain her sister’s idiocy. Ruby scoffs, coming to Zelena’s aid. “Seriously in denial.” Taking things a step further, the redhead steps forward and reaches for Regina’s forehead to place her hand against it. “Are you sick?” “What?! No! Get off me, Zee.” She pushes her sister’s hand away, knitting her eyebrows in frustration. “Obviously something is wrong with your head if you haven't noticed by now. Emma is very clearly bi,” her sister replies in her own defense, trying to hide a smirk twitching at the corner of her mouth. Sweet Aphrodite, I’m a fucking idiot. Why didn’t I even consider that Emma could be bisexual? “I simply hadn’t realized,” she tries, praying it comes off as nonchalant and not hopeful. “Still, there’s nothing going on between Emma and I, and there never will be.” Regina folds her arms. Zelena huffs, and Ruby chuckles. She could never tire of seeing the Mills sisters quarreling. It is an easy form of entertainment, in good supply. “What?” Regina asks with a huff similar to her sister’s, throwing an irritated glance in Ruby’s direction. An amused grin etches across the taller brunette’s features. “They said the same thing about Callie and Arizona in Grey’s.” “And yet, they still broke up,” Regina dramatically replies. “When you get together, then start worrying. Honestly, no point stressing about a potential breakup with someone you aren’t even dating yet.” Zelena tries to reassure her. Both she and Ruby are awaiting Regina’s next reply in denial, but actually she may have moved onto the next stage: acceptance. Regina contemplates what they mentioned for a moment, silently pondering what was said. Perhaps Ruby and Zelena’s hope isn’t as ill-placed as she had assumed. “You’re right…” Regina replies with a weak smile, after a few moments of careful thought. “Really?!” Ruby and Zelena say, almost simultaneously; to call them stunned is an understatement. It isn’t the first time tonight that Regina has managed to surprise them both with her newfound openness to new things. First coming to the party, and now this? Honestly, they are certain at this point that the world must be ending. “Yeah, of course. I mean, we can’t break up if we are never together in the first place.” A smirk etches across the brunette’s crimson lips. Zelena clicks her tongue in annoyance; she should’ve seen it coming. At this point, she has crouched down, placing her head in her hands, trying to hold onto the last strand of sanity left in her. “Oh, come on! You just have to find a way to flirt with her more,” Ruby says, trying to encourage the shorter brunette not to give up hope. Regina, on the other hand, simply scoffs. Zelena, still crouched down, looks up at her sister. “Not sure if you’ve forgotten, Gina, but to get a girlfriend you do actually have to talk to girls.” Her voice oozes with sarcasm. “Do you have proof that she’s actually not straight?” Regina asks with an ounce of hope in her inflection. “Working on it,” Zelena and Ruby say simultaneously as they both grab their phones. “So no,” Regina replies through gritted teeth, a little deflated, but mostly disappointed at herself for getting her hopes up. If she isn’t straight, it’ll be great to have another sapphic friend in this city, Regina manages to convince herself, looking around as more people begin to congregate in the backyard. “Relax, you’ll have plenty of time to U-Haul,” The taller dark-haired woman replies with a smirk, nudging Zelena, who had returned to her normal height. “I’m not being a straight girl’s experiment.” Regina’s tone is sharper than daggers, ice-laden like a winter’s morning the day after fallen snow. Ruby reaches a breaking point. Regina is sharp, but something has snapped within Ruby that means there is no going back. There was a line, and Regina had crossed it. The younger brunette’s tone suddenly changes from goading to enraged. “Regina, seriously, stop it with the straight girl comments.” Fire rages through her veins like an animal ready to pounce. But before she can berate her further, she hears her name being called from across the yard. Ruby takes a deep breath, letting her anger flurry away, before heading in the direction of some college friends calling to her. After Ruby walks away, Regina does genuinely feel guilty about what she said. So much so that she surprisingly nods in agreement when her sister scolds her for being petulant and rude. She knows she has to apologize later, but now isn’t the right time. Zelena’s face suddenly lights up. The redhead has just had an epiphany that she is bursting at the seams to announce to her sister. “I’ll ask Robin! He might know if Emma’s had any ex-girlfriend’s!” Zelena’s grin can only be compared to that of the Cheshire cat while she begins texting her boyfriend. Regina’s face is like a deer in headlights as she suddenly tries to stop Zelena, who just manages to push her away. She holds her phone at arms-reach, effortlessly typing one handed as she blocks her shorter sister’s attempt to snatch it with the other. “Regina! It’s no big deal. Besides, it’s great that you’re getting back out there. Especially after everything with…” Regina’s face suddenly feels colder, as if someone has walked over her own grave. Her arms instinctively wrap around her chest to try and hold herself steady. “Don’t say her name. Please. I don’t wanna think about her today.” Zelena’s expression shifts, offering her a sympathetic look, nervously gulping at the sudden guilt. She raises her hands in surrender, dropping the sensitive subject of Regina’s ex. It had taken Regina a long time to get over what Mal had done to her.Before she can apologize and resolve the issue, Robin saunters into the yard. He wraps his arms around Zelena’s waist, quickly kissing her neck. The redhead softly laughs, tilting her head back. As he spins her around to face him, she quickly kisses him on the lips. Regina instantly looks away from the couple’s PDA, trying to hide her cringing and sudden nausea in her stomach. She wasn’t sure what bothered her more, the intimacy itself or the public affection that she is in far too close proximity to. “I missed you, my darling,” he says to his girlfriend as they pull away. “You better have!” Zelena purrs. “Someone pass me a bucket,” Regina deadpans with a look of disgust. “Regina, good to see you!” Robin says to the brunette, completely ignoring what she had just said. Much to Regina’s reluctance, the pair exchange pleasantries and small talk that reminds her why she hates socializing. It isn’t just the noise and fake smiles, it's also the mundane conversation; a waste of breath as far as she is concerned.By the time they have finished engaging in tedious small talk, she is just about ready to leave and make an excuse before her sister drags her into something else that she doesn’t have the energy for. It is already too late, however– Robin changes the subject, reminding them why he came to speak to Zelena and Regina in the first place. “Oh, and to answer your question: not sure. Killian at one point did say before he got with Emma that he thought she was dating some woman. But that’s all I know. Sorry,” he says with a shrug and an apologetic smile for not being able to offer more help. Zelena thanks her boyfriend before giving her sister a look of ‘I told you so.’ “Doesn’t prove anything,” she mutters to Zelena before heading inside to find Emma. Regina makes her way down the hallway, pushing past various people. She enters the kitchen to see what looks like athletic students playing beer pong. Emma is stood in the corner by the beers and almost instantly notices her. Her mouth stretches into a small smile as she sees Regina looking around the kitchen. The blonde quickly rushes over to her with a sudden spring in her step. Relieved to see her, Emma asks the brunette if she can hug her, which, surprisingly, Regina happily accepts.Regina has never been great with physical affection, but now, she can’t understand why she has the desire growing within herself to be held by Emma. She hasn’t craved or missed physical touch or intimacy in nearly two years, but suddenly the urge to do that and even to have that shown publicly swelled in her heart. She isn’t sure what it is about Emma that makes her feel that way. It is all so new for her.She loves the way that Emma smells of vanilla and coconut. They are so close that Regina can’t tell if it is a perfume, shower gel, or shampoo, but one thing is certain; it has become her new favorite scent. As they pull away, Emma peers into her eyes, as if searching for something, but Regina doesn’t know what. Before she can ask, the blonde gestures over to the corner, suggesting they should go over to it. Regina follows closely behind her. So near in fact, that her breath shudders as their fingers accidentally brush. She mentally curses herself, scolding her mind and body for how it is reacting to Emma. Standing in the corner in closer proximity certainly isn’t helping. Regina is almost amazed at how she manages to focus and stay calm while they catch up on what they’d missed. The older of the two explains about Peter, and Emma eventually shows Regina what her ex looks like. You know, just in case.
Meanwhile, in the backyard, Ruby has rejoined Zelena and Robin, hoping to continue teasing Regina; the previous irritation has already been forgotten, or at least stored away for later. The taller brunette finds herself disappointed when she can’t see Regina outside anywhere. “Where’d the useless lesbian go?” Ruby asks the pair. “What do you mean? You’re right here,” Robin frowns before jokingly nudging Zelena. “Oh, you meant Regina!” Robin and Zelena feign surprise. It is only when Ruby rolls her eyes that they gesture towards the kitchen window, where in the corner they can just see the brunette happily chatting with Emma. “Why’s she being a ‘useless lesbian,’ anyway?” Robin asks, never one to shy away from the latest gossip. “She’s in denial about her feelings for Emma.” Ruby replies to Zelena’s boyfriend, cautiously eyeing the window to make sure the pair are still there. “And that it’s possible that Em could actually like her in that way,” Zelena mentions before taking another sip of her drink. “From how they’re acting, she must be completely oblivious, then,” Robin says, nodding at the window. “She’s not; that’s the thing. Regina definitely knows, and she’s doing everything in her willpower to fight her own feelings because she’s scared,” Ruby replies, looking down at her drink. She's lost count of how many she's drunk. “Her ex really hurt her, and thankfully you didn’t see how messy that was. She doesn’t want a repeat of that, but can’t see that Emma isn’t Mallory,” Zelena solemnly says, almost in a whisper. “Ugh, Mal was such a bitch. There’s definitely a reason everyone calls her Maleficent.” Ruby adds, taking another large gulp of her beer. Mal isn’t even Ruby’s ex, but even the mention of her name is enough for the brunette to need a drink. “If Emma isn’t straight, do you think Regina will come to her senses?” Robin asks with genuine curiosity and consideration. “Honestly? I don’t know. It’s the first time she’s even looked twice at someone else since her breakup.” Zelena shrugs “That was months ago, surely?” He questions with a frown. “Two years, actually,” the redhead replies. Her attention is suddenly drawn towards the back gate, and she peers closer to try and see the person lurking nearby. The last thing they need right now is a police raid for underage drinking, knowing half of the people there would be in trouble. Her mother has bailed her out of so many problems and financial issues over the years and she isn’t about to go groveling to her for more.
All of a sudden, a crashing sound and glass smashing is heard in the living room. In the kitchen a few meters away, Emma instantly goes to investigate, Regina closely behind her. The brunette tries to move people out of the way as the blonde grabs the broom and trash bag to clean up the shattered bottle of vodka. Thank fuck it isn’t carpet… Emma thinks to herself. After making sure everyone is alright, Regina excuses herself. She explains to Emma that she will let Ruby and Zelena know what happened, leaving the blonde to clean up the vodka spillage. She is mildly disappointed in having to leave her; she was enjoying the time they were spending talking. If it wasn’t for the broken bottle, they probably would still be happily chatting in the corner of the kitchen, without a care in the world. The brunette makes her way into the yard but instantly wishes she hadn’t. Stood over by her sister and Robin is a tall man with dark hair and a leather jacket. Ruby’s distance confirms her suspicions before she has even informed her that the man is Emma’s ex. Regina confirms that she already knew because Emma had shown her a picture, before changing the subject back to what had just happened in the living room. “Shit! That’s a twenty-dollar bottle of vodka!” Ruby mutters before continuing to gossip about their friend’s ex. As the smaller brunette looks over in their direction, still half-listening to what Ruby is talking about. Zelena gestures for Regina to come over, having now caught her sister’s eye. She anxiously glances at Ruby, then back at her sister, before confidently striding over to the redhead. “Bottle of vodka got smashed in the living room. Sheriff’s clearing it up,” Regina mutters, just audibly enough for Zelena to hear. Calling her Sheriff now, are you? Zelena smirks for a split second, and if Regina wasn’t looking right at her, she could’ve sworn it never happened. The brunette simply offers an unimpressed eyebrow raise in her sister’s direction. She isn’t ready for round two of teasing, especially not with how close Emma’s ex is in proximity. Regina goes to make her excuses to head back inside the house, but before she could even utter a single word, an unfamiliar voice is heard behind her. “I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced. I’m Killian Jones,” the man says behind her. Regina shuts her eyes and counts to three before turning on her heel to face the man. “This is my sister, Regina,” Zelena quickly jumps into the conversation, introducing the pair. The man holds out his hand to offer a handshake and Regina instantly plasters on her fake smile that she has rehearsed at many formal events her mother used to drag her to. She quickly accepts his handshake before reminding herself to use hand sanitizer later. His hand is almost clammy, and even from there the strong smell of rum and fish lingered around him. What the hell did Emma see in this man? Regina asks herself before shaking the thought from her head. The words tumble out of his mouth like verbal diarrhea. “Regina? I’ve heard a lot about you! Call me Hook; all of my friends do. Zelena mentioned you were coming to Boston this year.” Regina can’t tell if this is his normal behavior, or if he’d maybe had too much to drink. First Peter Pan, now Hook? What is it with this city and fairy tale nicknames? Or is it just a student thing? Wait, could they know each other? Can’t be a coincidence that they have nicknames from the same story, can it? Regina asks herself, as so many questions flooded her thoughts. “Yeah, I got into Harvard, I’m studying Government focusing on Public Policy.” She does her best to sound polite, treating the conversation as if it is one of her mother’s business partners attempting to make small talk. She isn’t judging his social skills as such, as she isn’t much better at it herself. Rather, there is something about his energy that makes her uncomfortable.The way he stares at her, she can’t tell if he is sizing her up as competition or his next target. Either way, she isn’t comfortable with his attempts to get to know her.While Regina is attempting to survive the conversation with Killian, Emma has now made her way back into the kitchen, disposing of the shattered glass in the trash bag. The music is getting louder, thumping in her ears; the cheers and shouting from the party guests filling each room of the student house. She’s used to the noise at this point, having worked in a bar for so long. Even her natural instinct as a bartender kicks in as she checks the alcohol supply on the kitchen counter. After counting the bottles and cans, she realizes they needed more from the basement. Striding out of the kitchen to make her way to the basement to collect more alcohol, Emma has to pass the hall and the open back door. Thankfully, she doesn’t notice her ex talking to Regina in the backyard, or it would make things a shit ton more complicated. The conversation in the backyard drivels on, much to Regina’s disappointment. She is doing her utmost to avoid causing drama and attempts to look vaguely fascinated in what Emma’s ex has to say. Her years of being in school theater performances and appearing interested at her mother’s perpetual dinner parties has often served her well. However, this conversation is testing every ounce of her abilities. “Running against your mum to be mayor one day, eh?” His arrogant smile makes Regina uneasy. He’s like the human embodiment of a brain fart, she thinks. It isn’t so bad when she can zone out during the stories Killian liked to tell from his high school days, but every time he throws the conversation open to her, her stomach twists into knots. She doesn’t want to share her personal life with someone she just met, let alone her friend’s ex, of all people. Why he is here in the first place, she has no idea, beyond what Emma had mentioned earlier about him still being friends with Robin. She will probe her sister about that later, but right now she has to find a way out of this dire conversation, and fast. “Doubt it. My mother has no plans to return to politics,” she says with a shrug, taking another sip of her beer, hoping it will give her enough strength to endure the rest of this conversation. “Future President, then?” he replies with a schmoozing smile, attempting to get Regina to joke along with him, but her demure expression remains unfaltering. “So, what do you do?” she asks, quickly trying to change the topic so she won’t have to talk about herself much more. It is much easier to get the man to talk about himself than she first thought, as he instantly begins to happily converse about his own life. “Oh I travel, you know? I have my own boat, so I can go anywhere, really. Zelena mentioned that your dad has one. What was it? Azimut 52?” “54.” Regina corrects, nervously scratching her ear. She doesn’t want to seem rude, despite patience depleting by the second. “54!” He wolf-whistles, which draws Zelena back into the conversation like a sudden bolt of lightning, and Regina subconsciously scowls at the sound before realizing it isn’t aimed at herself. “I’ve been thinking of selling my Catalina 22 and getting a better motor yacht. My girlfriend wants one with more rooms for when our baby grows up.” Regina suddenly feels very cold as the blood drains from her face. She blinks several times, trying to process what she has just heard. Girlfriend? Baby? Oh my… I swear to fucking Hades if Emma doesn’t know then I’ll… Wait, shit! Emma!
Regina suddenly shakes her thoughts back to reality, hoping that the pause hadn’t been unnaturally long. “You’re gonna be a dad? Oh well, congratulations!” Regina replies to him as her voice trembles slightly. As soon as it does, she quickly exchanges knowing glances with her sister, eyes practically pleading for help. As Zelena comes to her sister’s rescue, the brunette woman makes her excuse to leave to get another drink. Definitely gonna need one after that. What the fuck just happened? Regina quickly makes her way into the house, her mind in turmoil as she squeezes past the people loitering in the hallway. Remembering the handshake earlier, she quickly dashes to the bathroom to wash her hands and try to gather her thoughts. Eventually she tries to calmly search each room for Emma, trying not to cause alarm with the other guests. She looks like she has seen a ghost, and September was too early to blame it on Halloween. She finally discovers Emma in the kitchen, in the same corner from earlier. “You good?” The blonde asks while offering Regina a beer. The concern on Emma’s face over the disheveled expression from Regina causes an anxious knot to twist in her stomach. “Not really.” She gratefully accepts the drink from the taller woman after thanking her, but it wasn’t enough after what she had just witnessed. “Makes two of us, I can’t stop worrying that Killian’s gonna turn up at any moment,” Emma mutters, opening the bottles. The blonde was exhausted between clearing up the vodka that made her feel almost lightheaded from the smell, and the continuous worry about her ex possibly arriving. “I think I should probably head home soon, but I have to tell you something first,” Regina replies nervously, in almost a whisper. “What is it? Why do you wanna go home? Did something happen?” Emma’s eyes open wide with concern. “I don’t wanna talk about it here,” the brunette says, nodding in the direction of the college students around them who just piled into the room. “Wanna go talk about it somewhere more private?” the blonde suggests without taking her eyes off of the crowd. Regina agrees almost instantly, much to Emma’s relief. Her priority in that moment has become Regina’s happiness, as if she is the only other person in the world right now. Emma begins to try pushing past the crowd of people standing in the kitchen. She turns around to notice Regina struggling to push past the tall college guys. She quickly goes back over to her, offering Regina her hand to pull her through the crowd. The second their hands touch, Regina’s feels so warm against her palm. And that unforgettable spark runs through her veins as their fingers gently lace together. They manage to make their way out of the kitchen, still holding hands as they push past a few people in the hallway to head upstairs to Emma’s room.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
She’s still holding my hand. Should I let go? Emma thinks. Her hands are so soft, like velvet. Regina, I don’t know why, but I feel so safe when I’m with you.
Maybe she sees it written all over Emma’s face; the softness in her eyes at the feeling of their fingers lacing together. Maybe Regina strokes her thumb because the spark that ran through her veins makes her feel so alive. Maybe they just want to cherish the small moment of comfort and solace they have found in each other. The sound of the party fades into the background as Emma shuts the door behind them. Her room isn’t how the brunette expected it to be at all. Then again, Regina didn’t fully know what to expect. Emma is a marvel, an enigma, a contradiction; all wrapped into one.As the blonde sits down on the edge of her bed, Regina glances around the room, taking in the sight. The wall by her desk has a set of photos, including some of Emma with Zelena and Ruby, but the one that catches her eye is the photograph at the far end: Emma posing with a man and woman, surrounded by trees. "My parents.” Emma’s voice pierces through the brunette’s thoughts. “I’m sorry, I should’ve asked if you’re okay with me looking at those.” Regina’s eyes dart away from the photos and back to Emma, who is weakly smiling, trying to offer some reassurance.“It’s fine. I wouldn’t have invited you in here if it was a problem. I trust you.” There is something so earnest about the way Emma beams at her that it makes Regina’s heart swell. “Well that means a lot. And I trust you, too, Emma.” Emma feels like a magnet being pulled towards Regina. Instinctively, the younger woman joins her over by the desk as the brunette stares at the middle photo for a moment. “That was when I was 15. The guy is my foster brother, August. He’d just graduated from college. And that’s Ingrid, our foster mom; Elsa and Anna’s aunt. She looked after us for the last few years we were in the system,” Emma explains, much to Regina’s surprise. The brunette suddenly turns around to face her. “Wait, you were in foster care?” She is doing her utmost to hide her shock, but it seems that tonight, she is entirely wearing her heart on her sleeve. When Emma and Elsa had previously explained that Ingrid was Emma’s stepmother, they had left out the details of Emma’s background. “Pretty much since birth,” she mutters, just audibly enough for the brunette to hear. She is apprehensive about Regina’s reaction, knowing the stigma that is sometimes held about kids in foster care. “That photo of your parents…?” Regina gestures towards the photo before glancing back at Emma. Golden curls fell in front of Emma’s eyes, as she slightly bows her head to avoid her gaze. “It’s a long story...” “I’m sorry, I wasn’t… It’s none of my business.” Regina anxiously runs her left hand through her dark locks. She steps away from the photos as a peace offering to the blonde, whom Regina has never seen look as small as she does right now. Guilt bubbles in her stomach. She feels she has crossed a line, seeing how Emma’s body reacted to the questions. Emma takes a deep breath, sighing on the exhale. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, because I do. It’s just been a rough day, and talking about that won’t make it any less difficult.” She hadn’t fully known what Regina’s reaction would be, but she is surprised at the sudden reassuring affection from the brunette, who laces their fingers together after a moment. At first it is hesitant, her thumb brushing over Emma’s index finger, but when the blonde doesn’t flinch or pull away from the touch, Regina decides to take her chances. The second that the warmth of her own fingers connected with Emma’s caused her heart to quicken.Emma hasn’t noticed until this very moment how Regina’s eyes glimmer like the stars in the sky, as the blonde looks up at the woman who had started to reply. “I understand. Thank you for trusting me, Emma, and letting me be in here. I really can’t stand the thought of being out there right now.” She nods towards the door, where the muffled sound of the party below has become like a monotonous hum. “It’s fine, honestly. Feeling’s mutual.” As Regina lets go of her hand, Emma almost instantly misses the feeling as her fingers slowly pull away. As she does, Regina begins to fidget, her hands beginning to tremble ever so slightly, wringing them together. “I need to tell you… I saw your ex in the backyard. I did everything I could to get away from him without it seeming obvious but that’s when he started talking to me. I literally only spoke back while trying to come up with an escape plan and then Zelena swooped in to save me, that’s when I came back to warn you… I tried to get away from him, I swear…” She raises her hands in surrender, the guilt slowly eating away at her by the second. Emma instantly goes over to her, placing her hands on Regina’s biceps, trying to calm the brunette’s nerves. “Hey, I believe you!” Her voice is so warm, comforting… gentle. The younger woman doesn’t give it a second thought as she reaches up to tuck a loose strand of Regina’s hair behind her ear. The second Emma's pale fingers brush against olive skin, Regina’s heart begins to thump loudly in her chest— so much that she hopes that the other woman couldn’t hear it. Chestnut eyes, once glassy from holding back tears, now appear relieved at the blonde’s kindness. After a moment of regathering her thoughts, the brunette continues in an almost breathy whisper. “He said something, but I don’t wanna tell you if you don’t want to talk about him.” Her eyes falter, the younger woman now looking down at her feet. “What did he say?” she replies with a stressed sigh. The brunette's reply is almost a whisper. “He’s having a baby with his girlfriend.” Emma takes a deep breath. “And what do you want to know?” she asks slowly. Regina nervously swallows. “Did you know?” “Yeah, I did... We broke up in March. She had come back into his life around February and had asked him to get back with her. I’m not sure when she’s due, but Zelena said they posted an ultrasound on Insta a few months ago.” “Wait, but that means that Zelena, Ruby, and Robin know…” “Since he and Robin are friends, Zelena isn't saying anything yet. She said she's waiting to find out the due date before she 'does anything to him.' If he has cheated and Robin stays friends with him then Zelena and Ruby will tear them both to shreds.” “Yeah, well, they’re not the only ones,” Regina replies, defensively folding her arms, which makes Emma chuckle at the brunette’s loyalty. “What are you gonna do, launch an army of angry lesbians at them?” They both simultaneously burst out laughing at Emma’s joking remark. As Regina sits down beside Emma on the edge of the bed, the younger woman instinctively places her arm around the brunette’s shoulder. Emerald eyes glanced at the dark-haired woman, still studying the tension on her face. “You don’t have to tell me, you know? I won’t push you.” Emma begins the conversation; her smile so kind and comforting. “Zelena slipped up earlier and mentioned my ex. It wasn’t anything bad, it’s just the last thing I needed to hear. It’s not like I haven’t moved on, I just…” “Don’t wanna be reminded of her?” Emma asks. Regina slowly nods in agreement. “I totally get that,” Emma says. “I happily moved on with my life, and I’m doing so much better… and yet Killian’s still here, bringing his drama and baggage with him.” “It says a lot more about him than it does about you, Emma.” Meanwhile outside, Ruby spies a few frat boys on their property, looking for attention. She goes to call them out, Killian not far behind her. It is Peter, Regina’s roommate, who starts the argument. “Well, if it isn’t Lezzy Lucas,” he jeers. She steps towards him, clenching her jaw. “Say that again, I dare you.” Her eyes darken with rage. “You’ve already overstayed your welcome, Peter. Get lost.” Killian instantly steps in front of Ruby, much to her annoyance. “Fix your eyeliner, freak,” he taunts. Upstairs in Emma’s room, Regina and Emma can’t help but overhear the commotion, instantly going over to the window to see what’s happening. Regina’s eyes go wide before settling into a scowl. “Shit, that’s Peter, my roommate!” “Come on!” Emma quickly grabs Regina’s hand without giving it a second’s thought, pulling her away from the window towards the bedroom door. Dashing down the stairs, Emma jumps down half of them, quickly making her way to the front door. Regina, a few seconds behind her, tries to catch up, slamming the front door as soon as she steps outside. Ruby has never looked so relieved as she sees the pair arrive, before she quickly rushes off to the backyard to find Zelena and Robin. Emma is not about to pass up the opportunity to protect her home from scrawny idiots like Peter, and it is extra satisfying that she gets to defend Regina from the man who has been making her life difficult. Emma squares her shoulders, now standing taller. Her eyes narrow like a hawk as she stares Peter down. “This is private property, and you’re trespassing.” “Ooh, look at that, isn’t she feisty?” Glancing away, he sarcastically nudges one of the frat boys. His goading has the effect he had hoped, inciting a scowl from Regina. Regina almost instantly steps in between them, her eyes piercing like daggers. “Leave her alone,” her voice rumbles, like subdued thunder. “Or what?” He steps forward, arrogantly goading her with a smug smirk across his lips. She doesn’t even think twice before lunging forward, ready to punch him. As if Emma had a premonition, she quickly grabs hold of Regina. She pulls the brunette a meter or so away. Regina, wrapped in Emma's strong grip, naturally fights against the restraint. Peter looks to his two friends for validation, who quickly copy his facial expressions. “Need your girlfriend to fight your battles for you, Regina?” Emma holds Regina close and tries to talk her down. “Leave him; he isn’t worth it,” She whispers to the brunette, who is breathing heavily from the struggle. Oddly, it is some comfort to her to feel Emma holding her closely. “That’s it! Hide behind someone else like your mother always did!” Peter mocks with a pout that twists into a sadistic smirk. “Just leave them alone,” Killian says to him, showing everyone his fruitless attempt at intimidation. Peter laughs at the sound of Killian’s voice as if it is nothing more than a ringing in his ear. His head slowly turns to the side with a confused frown at the sheer audacity that Killian would even speak to him, especially after what had happened last year. “See, yours is even less impressive. Blondie’s a tiger and you’re a terrier,” he says with an air of disdain. As quick as a flash, Zelena storms into the front yard with Robin, ready to attack anyone who so much as looks at her strangely. She thrashes towards Peter like a raging bull; her eyes now as dark as a storm. “Hey, fuck face! Piss off unless you wanna be a punching bag.” Zelena grits her teeth, as if to restrain herself from snapping his neck. “Lads, fancy some target practice?” Robin calls over to some of the sports students, pointing in Peter’s direction, completely unfazed by the possibility of his girlfriend strangling the offending man. Regina calmly steps towards Peter. Sizing him up, she says, “Alright, you’ve had your fun, ‘Peter Pan.’ Now take your ‘Lost Boys,’ and get lost.” Her tone was sharper than a blade, and her eyes as cold as stone. Holy shit, Regina! That’s actually kinda hot, Emma contemplates, her pupils dilating with desire. Peter doesn’t say anything. He simply smirks, which comes as a surprise to no one. Shrugging his shoulders in renounce, he places his hands in his pockets before walking off in the opposite direction. The frat boys closely scuttle behind him like a pair of scolded dogs. Robin asks a few of the sports students at the party to stay out front, making sure Peter and his crew continue to walk away and don't come back. Ruby finally manages to make her way back to the front yard, leaning against the wall to keep her balance as she becomes light-headed. By the time Zelena tries to establish what happened, Emma has moved a few steps away from Regina, much to the brunette’s disappointment.While Ruby tries to see through her blurry vision, Robin and Zelena are focused on trying to get the rest of the story from Emma. But before they can gather all the details, Killian’s phone suddenly pings, intruding on the conversation. “Got a problem,” he announces, his voice slicing through the gentle breeze like a knife. It doesn’t have the impact he had hoped. As he turns around, he notices Ruby, who has stumbled away from the wall to join them.“Yeah, so have we.” Robin’s voice grates with irritation, as he and Emma simultaneously grab hold of Ruby, who looks like she is about to collapse. The young woman looks as pale as a ghost, the color drained from her face. Emma reassures Robin she’s got Ruby, as she places the brunette’s arm around her shoulder, while using her other arm to hold her by her waist. “Got a text from a mate, someone called the police at their party and they think it was Peter,” Killian announces to the group. “Thought you might wanna know,” he adds with an arrogant hand gesture, waiting to be thanked. “You think he might’ve been buying time and done the same for Zee’s party?” Robin asks the darker haired man. Now satisfied that Emma can take care of Ruby, he steps towards Killian to continue the conversation.“Wouldn’t put it past him, bloody weasel that he is.” Killian runs his hand through the back of his hair, clenching his jaw with contempt. It wasn’t the first time he had been head to head with Peter, and it certainly wasn’t going to be the last. He wasn’t called Captain Hook for nothing. Robin begins trying to conjure the best plan of action. “I’ll get everyone back to mine, and we’ll have the party there. Zelena, we’ll have to announce something, and fast. What are the rest of you doing?” He questions to everyone still standing in the front yard. Killian quickly glances around the street before looking back at Robin. “I’ll help you get people out and then make my way to the new party at your place. That rum isn’t going to drink itself.” “I think I’m gonna sleep,” Ruby manages to muster, practically hanging off of Emma, who still supports her weight. “Want me to stay a while and clear up?” Regina asks Zelena, nodding in the direction of the house. The redhead softly replies to her sister. “You don’t have to do that, darling.” “No, I’d rather do it. Besides, that way I can make sure Ruby’s okay,” Regina replies with a small smile. Emma joins in the conversation to speak to Zelena. “I’ll stay back as well and tidy the place. If you need me, you know where I am.” “Alright; battle stations, people!” Robin says, loudly clasping his hands as they all head towards the front door. Regina takes Ruby from Emma, who is slightly amazed at how much strength the small brunette has. She helps Regina place the taller brunette’s arm around her shoulder as they enter the house. Killian decides to stand at the front door, keeping an eye out for the cops, finally being of some use. Emma opts to do some crowd control of the people to let Regina guide Ruby upstairs. Meanwhile, Zelena and Robin use their height to their advantage to climb over furniture and students sitting on the floor, heading into the kitchen. “Okay everyone, listen up! Party’s over,” Zelena announces, her arm wrapped around Robin as they stand on the kitchen table. The pair have never been more relieved for the high ceilings of the dated property. The disappointed crowd naturally starts booing and heckling. “BUT! But… the after party’s about to start at mine!” Robin shouts with joy. The crowd suddenly erupts in drunken cheers like it was kickoff at the Super Bowl. “Let’s go! Come on! NOW! Grab your booze!” Zelena commands as the crowd begins to disperse. Emma reluctantly teams up with Killian to help usher people out. If it means that he will be leaving her house quicker, the few minutes of working together would be worth it. She decides to take the upstairs while he remains at the front door. She definitely doesn't need him up there, potentially looking into her business.Regina has successfully helped Ruby to her room, making sure she had everything she needed and wasn’t going to dramatically tumble out of bed. Once she leaves Ruby’s room, she can’t help but notice Emma, looking stressed at the top of the stairs, staring in the direction of where Killian is standing. “Hey, you good?” she asks her, placing her hand gently on Emma’s shoulder to try to draw the blonde away from her ruminating thoughts. Thankfully it works and she shakes her head, bringing herself back to reality. “I will be.” Her reply is almost a stressed huff as she nods her head in the direction of the vacating guests at the door. Killian notices the exchange between the pair and frowns for a moment, clenching his jaw. He folds his arms in irritation as jealousy boils inside him. Emma and Regina exchange a knowing look, both wishful that Emma’s ex would be leaving sooner rather than later. The blonde chuckles in amusement at the sudden déjà vu. "It's funny how jealous he's always been, especially considering he's the one who broke up with me." Regina nods in agreement before they both dashed down the stairs. Emma stands by the doorway, as she wasn’t about to risk a standoff between her ex and Regina. At the same time, she didn’t want to risk Killian taking the opportunity to be looking into her things, based on his track record, so she decides to keep him in her sight by standing by the door. As she aids in ushering the next few people out, Killian goes to speak to her before swiftly changing his mind. Emma pays him no attention, much to his annoyance. So he decides it’s his time to leave, showing some people how to get to Robin’s along the way.Regina seems to enjoy the adrenaline rush caused by the chaos, as she runs around the house, dodging out of the way of the last few people in her effort to get a jumpstart on the cleaning. Zelena stops her in the kitchen, quickly grabbing the brunette’s arm and pulling her back. “Hey, I owe you one,” Zelena says as she draws her into a quick hug. “It’s fine. Love you.” The brunette hugs her back without even attempting to pull away, much to her sister’s shock. I’m calling that the ‘Emma Effect,’ Zelena muses to herself with an amused smile. “Love you, too,” the redhead replies as she pulls away, dashing after Robin, who’s calling after her from outside. Now that all of the guests have finally vacated, Regina begins cleaning up the kitchen, starting with putting the trash into bags. It isn’t until the front door firmly closes that she is suddenly reminded of Emma’s presence. The first thing Emma does is close the curtains in the house and turn off the lights in the rooms that they aren’t currently tidying. It takes the pair 45 minutes after everyone has left to finally finish cleaning the house. It definitely isn’t how either of them had expected to spend their evening. Emma hadn’t planned to clear up until the next morning, and Regina certainly didn’t anticipate going to the party in the first place, let alone clearing up after her sister’s guests.Once they have tidied the house, they both make their way to the bathroom to wash their hands in the sink, they were from cleaning up. Regina cringes, hating getting her hands dirty. She is already planning to text the group chat to schedule a manicure date. The only part she is dreading is the fact they will use it as an opportunity to talk about Emma, and suddenly the nail beautician will have the latest gossip about her personal life.As Regina lathers the soap between her fingers, Emma finds herself almost captivated by the motion of olive fingers rubbing together. Heat rises in the blonde’s cheeks as she anxiously glances away, hoping Regina wouldn’t notice the flush on her face. When Emma finishes washing her own hands (and dismissing her previous intrusive thoughts) she goes into her bedroom, spying out of the window to see if there’s any signs of the cops. With no trace of them, she tells Regina, who is now standing on the landing waiting for her return. When Emma joins her to explain, it is the first time they both seemed relaxed all night. “Don’t wanna make things weird, but can I hug you?” Emma asks Regina, nervously brushing a loose strand of her golden hair behind her ear. “After today’s events, you look like you definitely need a hug.” The brunette teases before nodding in agreement to her question. Emma smiles weakly before stepping forward and drawing Regina into a warm embrace. Her heart quickens at the feeling of the brunette’s body against her own. She wraps her arms around the smaller woman’s shoulders, gently pulling her close. Regina instinctively rubbed Emma’s back with her thumbs as they try to find the most comfortable standing position. To Regina’s surprise, the younger woman settles with her head resting on the brunette’s shoulder, almost burying her head in the brunette’s neck.Lost in her arms like an enchanted forest, Emma never wants to let go. She has spent most of her life running, but now she has even more reason to stay. Regina can’t remember the last time she had felt like this. The smell of Emma’s perfume floods the brunette’s senses, the enticing aroma of lavender, nutmeg, and pine dancing around her, until they finally break away. The moment could never feel long enough, but neither would ever admit it. “Is now a bad time to ask if you enjoyed the party?” the blonde asks as they pull away. “Honestly, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. If I was in my apartment I would’ve just worked on my assignment and watched some Supergirl.” “Oh, did I tell you? I’ve finally finished season 2 of Supergirl! ” Regina’s face lit up with sudden shock and simultaneous joy. “Wait, you started watching the show?!” “Yeah, I only started it last week after you suggested it. It’s so good! I can’t believe Alex proposed to Maggie! Also, please tell me this isn’t the end of ‘Karamel?’” Her eyes search Regina’s for answers. “You know I’m not giving you spoilers, Miss Swan.” “Ugh, fine. Watch it with me, then?” the blonde suggests with hope-filled eyes. “Now?” Regina glances at the time on her phone, realizing how late it is. “Yeah, why not?” Emma casually shrugs, hoping that Regina will stay a while longer. Regina contemplates the suggestion for a single moment before agreeing. What’s the worst an episode or two can do? Besides, it’ll be nice to have someone to watch and discuss it with, she convinces herself as Emma sets up the show on her laptop in her room.Once it is ready to start, they both settle in on Emma’s queen-sized bed as the first episode of season 3 begins. Time seems to pass quite quickly as the pair become engrossed in the plot. The first episode was definitely worth the hype, Emma concludes when it ends. Regina agrees with her without giving any future spoilers away.Regina settles into her usual silence in the second episode, offering very little in response to Emma's questions. Emma isn’t certain if it is because Regina doesn’t have an opinion, or if the answers to her questions could potentially ruin the episode. In fact, by episode 3, Emma decides the silence between them had become too deafening. The blonde tries to strike up conversation on a fairly neutral topic. “She’s really missing Mon-El.” “Yeah…” Regina sounds a tad too disinterested for Emma’s liking. “Sorry, do you not wanna watch it? I don’t mind turning it off.” The blonde gestures to the screen, now looking straight at Regina. The brunette shakes her head, trying to avoid the subject. “No, no. It’s not that.” “What is it, then?” Emma asks with genuine curiosity and concern. The brunette sighs, feeling a little bit awkward about her next sentence. “I guess now would be a good time to mention I ship SuperCorp…” She nervously scratches her ear. “Lena Luthor and Kara Danvers? Why am I not surprised?” Emma says, almost rolling her eyes, much to Regina’s disappointment. She knows I’m just messing around, right? It was just a gay joke. Oh wait, she didn’t laugh. Did she not find it funny or did she think I was serious? I wanna ask, but I don’t wanna make things weird. But if I don’t ask and she assumes I meant it, then she might be upset. I’ll ask her later… Emma concludes after struggling with her anxious thoughts. Of course she didn’t feel the same way about them… Regina scolds herself, sighing in defeat. As the episode draws to an end, Emma begins to feel cold and decides to put on a hoodie from her wardrobe. As she sits back down, she asks Regina if she wants to watch another episode. “Wait, what time is it?” the brunette asks while searching for her phone. Emma checks hers first. “2am,” she replies. Regina’s eyes go wide, like a deer in headlights. “Shit! I really should actually get going.” “You don’t have to; you can stay here if you’d like? I can set up the sofa bed,” Emma suggests after a moment. “No, no. I told myself I’d only stay an hour, and well… here we are,” she nervously chuckles. “You’re gonna go home and risk running into Peter after what he did earlier?” Emma asks with genuine concern. Regina’s eyes instantly shut as a groan escapes her lips. “Ugh, that little cockroach. Totally forgot about him.” “Stay the night. We have the space. Besides, Zelena would curse me if I didn’t make sure you were safe.” Regina can’t believe what she is about to say, or how quickly she had decided. “Okay, but only because Zelena probably has a black candle around here somewhere.” They both chuckle. “The actual mattress has barely been used. I don’t think your sister even knows it’s actually a sofa bed. She tends to use the couch more as a crash mat after nights out.” Emma mimics falling for emphasis with a hand gesture accompanied with a whistle, causing Regina to shake her head in amusement. “I’m more worried now that Zelena is gonna come back drunk, see a sofa bed, and think she’s in the wrong house.” The brunette frowns at her own sudden realization. Luckily, Emma manages to somewhat reassure her. “Well, her last Snapchat was her playing beer pong, so it’s safe to assume she won’t be back here until… late morning? And that’s if she doesn’t decide to just crash at Robin’s,” the blonde replies with a confident shrug. “Not sure if I should be concerned or impressed that you know my sister’s drinking habits.” “I prefer the latter.” Emma smirks. “Of course, you do.” Regina scoffs, rolling her eyes at her. “I’ll go set up the sofa bed,” Emma says as she gets off her mattress, arching her back and rolling her shoulders at the tension gathered in them from sitting too long. “Honestly, I can just crash on the sofa as-is,” Regina replies, now standing up with her. “It’s more that I’m hoping if Zelena does come back, she will see the sofa bed and realize she’ll have to sleep in her room and not collapse on the floor like a starfish.” “You have a lot more faith in my sister than I do,” the brunette deadpans. “Oh, and um, if you want to change clothes, you can borrow some of Zelena’s. Or mine. Whatever you prefer,” the blonde adds. Regina thanks her before first heading into her sister’s room to get a change of clothes that would be more comfortable to sleep in. She rummages through Zelena’s pajama drawer before taking out a pair of shorts that she had borrowed many times before. After Regina had discovered she had a half-sister, she was surprisingly grateful that she had someone to share clothes with. As she searches for a pajama top, the brunette realizes there aren’t any in the drawer. Knitting her eyebrows, she goes over to the wardrobe and starts looking for a T-shirt.
No sense of organization; that’s nothing new. Seriously, is that mine? Zelena, you bitch! Two of my shirts are in here! Wait, is that my favorite top? You’re such a liar, Zee, you said mom donated it to Goodwill. I’m taking this back; I’ll get the other shirts next time.
Regina makes her way into the large bathroom, still reeling about her stolen tank top that she quickly changes into. After she does, she remembers that she needs a toothbrush. The brunette saunters downstairs to ask Emma if she has one. “Emma, don’t suppose you have a spare toothbrush, do you?” the brunette questions, leaning against the living room doorway. Emma, meanwhile, has stopped attempting to tuck the sheet in on the mattress to instead look over at her. “Don’t let Zelena see you wearing that; it’s her favorite tank top,” she says with a nod in the brunette’s direction. “I know. She stole it from me .” The brunette practically hisses the last word. The blonde simply raises an eyebrow, not even surprised that Zelena had stolen it in the first place. Emma knows what it is like having an older sibling by spending the last few years of her childhood in a foster placement with August, who had been like a brother to her even before they had the same foster mother. “I have some new toothbrushes in my room. I’ll grab one. By the way, did you wanna continue watching Supergirl ?” she asks Regina, secretly hoping that she would agree. “If you want to, I don’t mind,” Regina replies with a shrug, afraid of taking liberties by making a concrete decision. “I mean, I like having someone to discuss it with. Do you wanna carry on watching it on my laptop? Or we can put it on the TV down here.” “Whatever you prefer.” “Help me out here.” Emma sighs. “I mean, if the TV has better image quality, then it makes sense to watch it on there.” “Bigger screen, too.” “Hey, it’s not about the size, it’s about what you do with it.” Regina smirks as Emma looks stunned for a second. Did she just?... Emma’s thoughts stopped as fast as they had started, shaking her head, when she noticed the brunette had already left the room. She quickly dashes after her, abandoning the half-made sofa bed for the time being. They both make their way upstairs, Regina a step in front of Emma. The younger woman goes to her bedroom. Regina is in the bathroom, waiting for her to return with a toothbrush. To her surprise, the golden-haired woman offers her a choice between two. “Red or blue?” “Red,” Regina answers without hesitation before taking the toothbrush. “Don’t tell me. Because of The Matrix, right?” Emma had expected the brunette to roll her eyes at the question. Instead, Regina sends her a shy grin. As the brunette glances away, she clears her throat. Taking a step back, she gestures towards the bathroom sink. Emma nods, avoiding her gaze before stepping past her to head back downstairs. Something was hanging in the air between them, but for the life of her, she couldn’t work out what it was. Nervously biting her lip, she makes her way back to the living room to finish making up the sofa bed. After Regina brushes her teeth, she goes back downstairs so the pair can continue watching Supergirl. She grabs an extra blanket to wrap around her body while using the one on the mattress to cover her feet. The blonde mentally makes a note that Regina is a blanket hoarder from the way she wrapped them around herself. They settle on the sofa bed to watch some more Supergirl, now on the large TV screen. Emma beams to herself at how content and comfortable Regina looked. The younger of the two starts the next episode while Regina tucks her feet under the blanket.It doesn’t take Emma long before she concludes that this season, much to her disappointment, has some pacing issues that weren't present in season 2. This is another episode that struggled to keep momentum going and to make the story engaging. Normally, she would turn it off and watch something else… but seeing how relaxed Regina is next to her, watching what Emma presumes is her comfort show, is all that she needs to stick with it. She is genuinely grateful to have Regina in her life, she thinks, and to have something in common to share with her. This episode, however, is far too tedious for her own liking. She knows that Regina loathes small talk, but hopes what she is going to say is personal enough to actually gain her interest. “So, my birth mom basically bulk-brought a load of toiletries in case of guests. I guess she wanted to be helpful,” Emma says during a slower scene of the episode, trying to make conversation. “But now you have enough toothbrushes to survive a millennium?” Regina jokes, tearing her eyes away from the screen. Emma chuckles at the question before nodding in agreement. “I think my birth parents are also just making up for lost time, getting to be a mom and dad now. But it’s still kinda weird.” Regina empathized. After finding out she had a half-sister when Zelena showed up on their doorstep 7 years ago, their lives had changed forever. Nothing could have truly prepared Regina for that. “It can’t be easy to adjust to, especially getting used to someone always being around. It’s like you start to wonder how long it is until you disappoint them.” “Exactly! It’s not even something they’ve done, it’s just instinct at this point.” “I always knew that I had a half-sister. Mother would always talk about how it was her biggest regret, giving Zelena up. I thought that I would maybe never get to meet her, or that I would have to search for her myself when I was an adult. Then, when I was finishing 9th grade, Zelena, being 18, decided that she was going to contact our mother and get some answers about her adoption. Nothing could prepare me to go from being an only child to having an older sister boss me about.” Regina letting anyone tell her what to do? That, I refuse to believe, Emma insists to herself, while still continuing to listen to the brunette’s story. The older of the two continued. “It felt like we grew up in two different worlds and at first; we fought a lot, especially for mother's attention. In the end, what brought us together was when we realized that no matter what we did, it was never going to be good enough for our mother. If we hadn’t, we would still probably be fighting now. Zelena taught me a lot and I’m glad that we became close. I would be lost without her.” The blonde smiled at Regina’s story. She knew it couldn’t have been easy for her to talk about it, and the younger woman felt honored that Regina was willing to share that with her. “Please don’t tell her I said that last part. I will never hear the end of it.” She asks with pleading eyes, knowing that if Emma did, Zelena would take every opportunity to tease her about the sentiment, as and when it suited her. Of course, Zelena and Regina both knew that in their hearts; but sappiness wasn’t something they often shared. They drew the line at saying ‘love you’ when they were leaving; preferring the method of constant banter to show affection. In fact, the last time Zelena had been soft-hearted with Regina, the younger sibling didn’t let her live it down for 6 months. Zelena had thought it was a good idea to tell Regina that she was her best friend. Conveniently, Regina dropped it into conversation at the most poignant times, much to Zelena’s irritation. “Your secret’s safe with me, Your Majesty,” the blonde quips with a smirk that’s swiftly met with Regina’s famous eye roll. The pair seem to have forgotten the show they were supposed to be watching, especially as Emma continued to open up to Regina, much to the brunette’s delight. The younger woman continued: “No, but, seriously, I get it. Not just the sibling teasing stuff, but what you said about struggling to be close to your mom. When I met my birth parents, I realized that actually I was a lot more like my dad than my mom. I could just relate to him better.” “I’m closer to my dad than my mom, too. He’s always been so patient and kind.” “So that’s where you get it from,” Emma exclaims with sincere eyes, making the brunette blush. “You’re too kind,” Regina replies, nervously glancing away, as her eyes fill with desire at the compliment. She’s far too sweet. I don’t think my heart can handle it, Regina mentally notes as she returns her gaze to the blonde whose eyes were twinkling back at her. “It’s the truth,” Emma gently insists with a soft smile. Before the conversation can go any further, they’re suddenly interrupted by an explosion on the TV. A red cape flies across the screen as the pair remember what they are supposed to be watching. The next episode had begun, much to Regina’s excitement. She jumps with enthusiasm as she sees the episode number. Emma gasps in shock at the sudden burst of emotion, instinctively gripping tighter to the pillow she was clutching for comfort. “This is one of my favorite episodes this season!” Regina bundles herself up further in the blanket. When Lena Luthor appears, Emma suddenly realizes why. She shakes her head for a moment until she notices Regina’s face light up while watching the billionaire brunette on screen. A smile escapes Emma’s lips while watching a mesmerized Regina for a moment. At some point during the night, Regina settles down and rests her head on the soft pillows. The last thing she remembers is shutting her eyes while a scene with Kara and Lena talking becomes quieter, her mind drifting into a gentle slumber. As the episode ends, Emma goes to discuss the episode with her. “Okay, I can totally see why you love that ep… Regina?” she asks in a whisper. After turning to see Regina wrapped up in the blanket like a burrito, peacefully sleeping, Emma switches off the TV and quietly tries to stand up without disturbing her, making her way out of the room to go upstairs.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As night turns into day, the sun begins to pierce through the curtains in Emma's house. Regina stirs at the disturbance from the curtain, scrunching her nose with her eyes still tightly shut, as if offended that the sun would even dare to cast itself in her mere presence. She rolls onto her stomach and tries to pull the blanket further over her, shielding her body from the beaming light. She yanks the fabric from underneath herself and manages to successfully pull it further around her arms, and torso. It was almost perfect…Her mind screeches at the realization that there is one problem with her ingenious plan: her icy feet are now exposed to the air.
Oh, for fuck’s sake!!!
It is the final straw, and she wrestled herself awake just enough to gather some of her bearings. She tries to pull herself out of her blanket burrito, thrashing about with the fabric tangled in between her legs and the pillow, limbs flailing ineffectively.
Shit! How did this blanket get so tight?
She hoists herself out of the fabric as elegantly as an elephant doing ballet. Regina has always tried to appear poised and graceful, but today she is trudging around Emma’s living room in a daze, blearily blinking at her surroundings and stumbling out of the living room.
Practically falling into the kitchen, she finds Emma already awake and sitting at the table, fully dressed and scrolling through social media. Regina is awaiting a snarky response at how she has haphazardly entered the room, but it never comes. Instead, however, the brunette is left feeling almost exposed in front of the beautiful woman who looked effortlessly composed. Years of her mother’s incessant lecturing about ‘dressing appropriately’ stuck in her mind. Growing up, Regina had been raised to always be dressed ‘modestly’. She was rarely ever allowed to go to sleepovers and when she did, she was taught to only wear pajamas when she was sleeping. Her mother’s influence still impacted her life as an adult; making her feel more vulnerable. It wasn’t so bad last night as they were both in loungewear, but this morning Regina feels incredibly underdressed in front of Emma. She stood in her sister’s shorts and her own tank top that Zelena had stolen from her. The silence isn’t much help, as it leaves Regina to stew in her own feelings. “Morning, Your Majesty,” the blonde teases as the brunette plods further into the room. The older of the pair grumbles a reply, sitting down at the kitchen table. As soon as she does, Emma stands up and goes to make coffee, offering to make Regina one as well, which the brunette accepts. “Did you even sleep?” she tiredly asks Emma, unable to mask the yawn that tumbles out. “I got about 5 hours. That’s average for me,” the blonde replies with a shrug, before turning around again to face the kitchen counter. “Are you sure you’re not a vampire?” the brunette manages to tease even as she is still waking up. Emma chuckles warmly. Peering to her right to look at Regina from the corner of her eye, her attention is drawn to the way Regina is sleepily slumped over the table. As Emma does, she is greeted by a beam of sunrays filtering through the blinds. “Can’t be. That sunlight would’ve turned me to dust if I was.” She gestures at the light glaring through the kitchen window. Regina groans with dismay at the brightness of the sun irritating her eyes. After she glanced where Emma had directed her to look, she sank further into the chair. “Sorry to disappoint,” Emma jokes at Regina’s complaining, handing the brunette her freshly-brewed coffee. “How did you know how I take my coffee?” Regina scowls, suspiciously glancing down at the mug for a second before looking back at her. Even half asleep she’s as sharp as knives. Why am I not surprised? Emma contemplates for a moment before replying, “Zelena once told me you both drink coffee the exact same way: as dark and bitter as her soul. She then nearly threw the iced latte at me and went to get an espresso. Not forgetting that in a hurry.” “And you still chose to live with her? Wait! I got it! You committed a heinous crime. Living with my sister is your community service! Why didn't you say that sooner?” She remarks with a sadistic smirk. Emma laughs warmly as she sits back down opposite Regina. A grin stretches across her lips. They continue to chat at the table, sipping their coffees as the steam rises from their mugs, until Ruby’s presence interrupts them. Last night’s alcohol had really taken its toll on Ruby. As soon as she tries to form a coherent sentence, her mind starts spinning. Ruby was still building up her tolerance to drinking and last night she was still testing what her limit was.Emma and Regina instinctively exchange knowing looks, before standing up simultaneously to grab her arms so the young woman wouldn’t collapse. The alcohol was still in her system and she was in no fit state to be stood up. Luckily, they both manage to help her back upstairs to her room and getting everything she could need to feel better. There was a fine line between nursing a hangover and needing medical attention. For everyone’s sake, they were hoping it wouldn’t come to the latter. Potential alcohol poisoning and taking an underage drinker to the ER would definitely spell trouble for them.Ruby was appreciative of the fuss they were making, and if she wasn’t so hungover, she would be teasing them about how Regina stayed the night. Instead, as soon as her head hits the pillow, she is once again out for the count like a bear in hibernation. After making sure that Ruby is alright, Regina decides to brush her teeth and get dressed. Emma, meanwhile, begins to put the living room back to how it was. Regina wears the tank top she took back from Zelena underneath her shirt from last night. After putting on her jeans, she tosses the shorts she borrowed from her sister into the laundry bag in the redhead’s room.When she heads back downstairs, finally feeling less exposed, she notices Emma is now sitting on the sofa. She’s picking a show to watch on the TV, scrolling aimlessly through the Netflix catalog. What happens now? Do I just go home? Do I talk to her about yesterday? Where are my manners? I should thank her for letting me stay. Regina mentally concludes. As the brunette enters the living room, a sudden rumbling sound escaped the other woman’s stomach. They both simultaneously chuckled; the blonde admitting she doesn’t have the energy to make food. Regina sits down on the other side of the sofa and checks the time on her phone. Seeing that it’s 10:30 AM, she begins hastily googling something. Emma presumes she is looking at transport times to head back home, but curiosity gets the better of her. She finally asks Regina what she’s looking for. “I was gonna suggest we go to brunch. There’s a great place not far from here. We can either catch the bus from the next street or get an Uber,” Regina replies after a moment, realizing that Emma would likely still be over the drink driving limit. Emma sheepishly declines with an apologetic smile. “I would, but I have to start budgeting a bit more.” “That’s ok, I was offering to pay for–” “I’m sorry, Regina. I really can’t afford it this month.” Emma confesses, glancing down at her hands that she was nervously fidgeting with. “Our meals.” Regina says, now finishing her sentence. “No, no. That’s totally unfair!” Emma’s eyebrows knit into a frown and stubbornly crosses her arms. Regina’s voice had started out confident, but by the end was almost a self-conscious whisper. “My way of saying thank you for helping me out yesterday and letting me stay, and putting up with my snoring...” Her anxiety about ‘behaving appropriately’ that had long been drilled into her from her mother was still taking its toll. The situation had been entirely innocent, yet the connotations flooded her thoughts. Regina laying in bed in very little clothing was all that she could think about. Emma nervously rubs her ear lobe. “Actually, you didn’t snore.” She admits, after pushing her previous thoughts to the back of her mind. “Oh...” Regina’s cheeks instantly grow hotter. She attempts to hide her face with her brunette locks that fell in front of her eyes, as she looks back down at her phone. Emma can’t stop herself from biting her cheek in amusement, especially as heat rises in Regina’s cheeks. “Look, I just feel bad that you’re gonna pay for brunch and I can’t offer the same hospitality in return,” The blonde confesses, seemingly trying to get the conversation back on topic. Emma had spent so much of her life being independent and fending for herself that she still struggled with other people trying to help her. It was partly from a place of pride, partly because it felt like pity to her. The brunette looks up from her phone to face her. “What! That’s not… Emma, I…” Regina sighs for a second before continuing. “Like I said, it’s to say thank you for letting me stay the night. I don’t want you to feel bad because your generosity is different,” she replies with a weak smile that she hopes will ease some of Emma’s discomfort. “Also, as stupid as it probably sounds, I was hoping to spend more time with you,” the brunette self-consciously adds before glancing away again to distract herself, worrying her confession was too much. Emma barely gives it a second’s thought before replying to her. “Well, when you put it like that, then how can I refuse?” Her face lit up when she saw the brunette’s delicate smile dash across her lips, beaming in delight herself. She believes she will never grow tired of seeing Regina happy. It is slowly becoming one of her favorite things.The moment is short-lived; less than a minute later, Emma is starting to think that Regina’s favorite pastime was arguing. Oh, wait... she’s Zelena’s sister. Arguing is DEFINITELY her hobby. Hold on, didn’t Her Majesty say she was on her high school debate team? Uh, when did I start unironically calling Regina that? Sort your shit out, Swan! She miraculously manages to keep her thoughts to herself while Regina presents her argument of why an Uber would be more convenient and comfortable. A few minutes later, Regina ends up yielding on the bus-or-Uber dispute between her and Emma. Because Emma and Regina both were still over the drink-driving limit, there was no way either of them were comfortable with the idea of driving. The blonde insists that she feels bad enough that Regina is buying brunch, let alone spending ‘a fortune' on an Uber, when they could take public transport. Eventually they agree to catch the bus from the next few streets on, as it should arrive in the next ten minutes.Regina grabs her things while Emma messages Ruby and Zelena to let them know where they are going for when they will eventually wake up. She doesn’t want another incident where Ruby or Zelena call their sorority to send out a search party, again. After the last time, Emma always makes sure that if she doesn’t message them directly, she puts on her Snapchat location.After locking the door, Regina and Emma head towards the bus stop, discussing the episodes of Supergirl they watched yesterday. The younger of the pair tries to work out which parts of the last episode she had seen that the brunette had missed once she fell asleep.The bus ride isn’t a long journey. Regina had been to the restaurant before, but not from the route they had taken, so the streets and their surroundings are a refreshing change of scenery.Now having arrived at the restaurant, Regina is relieved it isn’t overly busy, so they have a better choice of table. As Emma has never been there, Regina wanted to make it the best experience possible for her. “That’s another good thing about this place— if you get here at the right time, you can choose your seat,” she says to the blonde. They’re seated near the back of the restaurant, an area that they had both simultaneously set their hearts on. As their menus are placed in front of them, the blonde looks around at the various photographs and art on the walls, taking in her surroundings and mentally agreeing it was definitely the best seat in the house. After a minute of looking around the room, appreciating the smaller details, she finally picks up the menu to look at the options before her stomach can protest in hunger. It isn’t until she reads the menu that the younger woman frowns. Emma realizes that the menu doesn't list prices, meaning she can't just choose the cheapest option, so that Regina doesn't spend too much on her. “Is it normal for them not to put prices on everything?” She gestures at the menu, turning it around to show the brunette. “Oh, it's a set menu because it’s bottomless brunch for 90 minutes. If it has a price, it means it’s not included in the cost.” Regina clarifies, looking up from her own menu to be met with excited, angelic eyes gleaming back at her. The blonde continues, trying to contain her enthusiasm rather unsuccessfully. “Are you suggesting I can have all-you-can-eat pancakes and French toast?” Even if her voice hadn’t given it away, the look of hope in her eyes at the realization of the other woman’s statement certainly did. Regina’s lips curl into a smirk at the corner of her mouth, subconsciously twirling her hair around her finger. “If that’s really what you want, yeah, of course.” Emma’s mouth slightly hangs open in awe, before she excitedly whispered to Regina, “I think I’m in love with this place already.” She is barely able to contain her happiness. Regina tries to hide her own grin at the blonde’s infectious smile, burying her face behind the menu. The way Emma’s smile stretched across her lips, eyes sparkled brighter than any star had ever shone in the sky, even the warmth of her energy was enough to make Regina’s heart feel like it might combust. After a few minutes of deciding and each getting their first plate of food, Emma attempts to make better conversation with Regina. “You do realize Zelena’s probably just gonna steal that tank top back.” She says, gesturing at the brunette’s outfit. Regina had looked up at the sound of her sister’s name being mentioned. Almost instantly was she drawn to how beautiful Emma looked, staring back at her. The blonde’s eyes were a gorgeous green that ran deeper than the depths of an enchanted forest, but their expression was still guarded, even nervous, somehow. Realizing she had been staring a tad too long, Emma quickly picked up her knife and fork to slice into her French toast, maple syrup oozing down the crusts. “I give her a week until it goes missing again.” Regina replied after a moment with a nonchalant shrug, before collecting some salad leaves on her fork. “Definitely looks better on you though.” Emma blurted almost instantly which made the brunette stop what she was doing. Regina inhaled a sharp breath, before clearing her throat. “Oh… thank you.” Managing to smile weakly with a slight blush tinting her cheeks. Would look even better on your bedroom floor… Stop it, Mills! Regina thought, as she abruptly shook her head. It was as if she had been awakened from a trance as she blinked several times; while simultaneously hoping that Emma isn’t secretly psychic. It was only then that it had occurred to the younger woman what she had said. “I didn’t mean it like that!” She replied in an attempt to backtrack on the implication. Regina offered a bewildered frown. The brunette’s eyebrows knitted with confusion, concern written over her face. “Like what?” She asked, leaning forward and locking eyes with Emma. “I uh.. like… in a weird way.” The blonde managed to muster, anxiously rubbing her neck in a fluster. Heat boiled in her stomach; tingling with anticipation. The brunette didn’t seem to notice, instead chuckling at the remark, as she leaned back in her chair. Regina traced her elegant fingers down her throat, exposing her neck for the blonde to take in the view before her. “I didn’t take it as such, Emma.” She says with a mischievous smirk, sweeping a strand of her dark locks back behind her ear. The blonde glanced around the room feeling like she had died and stood at the gates of the afterlife. Is Regina flirting with me? No… she can’t be. That’s ridiculous, Swan! She’s just… being really friendly. Clearing her throat, Emma quickly conjured a reply. hoping to distract herself from the intrusive thoughts now collating in her mind. “Good… good! Because I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.” Regina ended up coming to her rescue, acknowledging the other woman’s shift in body language. “Miss swan, let me reassure you that in contrast to some of the things I’ve seen and heard, that is nothing in comparison. For example, if I recall I mentioned that I’m gay, when I had known you for what? An hour?” “True, but as far as awkwardness goes, the first time we met I was sweaty after a jog and still in my gym clothes.” She countered. The brunette would normally raise an eyebrow in amusement, instead she found herself distracted by the memory that had played on her mind at night, time and time again. The day they had met, she had been patiently awaiting Ruby’s return from the bathroom. Regina had managed to keep her mind occupied with scrolling through Instagram, when the back door suddenly clicked shut. Almost as soon as she pulled her eyes away from her screen, she was met with the sight of gorgeous, toned legs in tight fitting shorts, leaving very little to the imagination. As her eyes trailed further up, she couldn’t help but stare at the toned biceps. The blonde’s chest was panting heavily, accentuating her features, clinging for dear life to the fabric of the tank top that begged for release. It was almost torture for Regina who mentally pleaded to keep her own breathing under control, at the mercy of her own desires. Before she could indulge in the memory further, she realized the silence between them had become deafening, as Emma seemingly cleared her throat for the second time in a few minutes, shaking Regina’s thoughts back to reality. Emma swiftly shot back, “so when it comes to awkward conversations, I guess we’re pretty even.” Before the brunette could even conjure some form of reply, suddenly the blonde was shaken alert as if she had been jolted with a thousand volts of electricity. Reality had dawned on her. Emma’s brain was filled with a million thoughts a minute, her mouth hung open in a desperate attempt to articulate words and string them into a sentence. She almost dropped her knife and fork as she interjected, raising her hands in surrender. “I… I… didn’t mean that you telling me you’re gay made me feel awkward because it definitely didn’t… I meant…” Emma anxiously glanced around the room to see if people were staring, wishing that as if by magic a sinkhole appeared that she could pull herself into. Regina cut in before the younger woman could continue. “…about questionable conversation topics. I understood.” Offering the blonde a small smile, in hopes of consoling Emma’s arising panic. The other woman anxiously nodded between taking a few shaky breaths. “I… I just didn’t… want you to think that I meant you telling me that, made me uncomfortable, because it didn’t, I promise.” “I know, dear.” She replied warmly. Brushing her hand gently over Emma’s, she cautiously places her palm over the younger woman’s fingers, afraid of scaring her away. They had held hands the day before, but things then were so different. Yesterday was an escape from everything. Today, an aftermath. Emma glanced at the hand that was hovering over her own, before peering back at Regina who looked only marginally more composed than she did. There was an uncertainty in the brunette’s eyes she had never seen before. An apprehension and fear that flickered across her face, until Emma returned the affection. The slightest of touch, so simple, yet Regina had never felt more alive. The moment Emma’s thumb traced over her own, it was as if their hearts were on fire. The hum of electricity coursed through their veins, igniting the spark like a beacon of hope. Until it was gone. “I’m sorry, I suck at this.” Emma gestured absentmindedly, pulling her hand away. She felt it in her heart, there was no question of that. It was too much for her right now. Regina raised a curious eyebrow; her hand still tingling from the loss of Emma’s touch against her own skin. “At what?” She questioned with genuine confusion and curiosity. “Conversation, I guess.” Her sigh was almost a whisper. “Hmm…” Regina muttered for a second before asking, “do you want my feelings on that?” Emma only managed to nod in agreement. “I actually disagree.” Regina admits which doesn’t give her the reaction she expected. She had hoped it would at least be somewhat reassuring to the younger woman. “You don’t have to flatter me.” Emma says while avoiding the brunette’s gaze. She kind of expected her answer, but it wasn’t enough to change her mind on the matter. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” The older of the two states, raising an eyebrow, awaiting a response. Emma surprisingly nodded before the brunette continued, “on the contrary, I hate small talk and I can’t say I’m great at conversation myself. Yet when I’m with you I’ve never found it to be difficult. In fact, I guess I’ve always felt comfortable talking to you.” Emma smiled weakly, now looking up at her. “I uh… that was unexpected, but thank you, Regina. I appreciate it.” She replied almost in the same whisper as her sigh had been earlier. The brunette beamed a small smile, her eyes glimmered with hope and comfort. As the diners around them continued to chat at their respective tables, the pair peacefully enjoyed each other’s company in the moment of quiet. The moment was short-lived, as suddenly the younger woman got a text message which caused her to clench her jaw. Regina gritted her own with frustration, questioning if they were always going to be interrupted, every time they shared a moment. She doesn’t mention this, of course. Instead she chose to continue to eat her kale salad she had briefly abandoned to hold Emma’s hand, that she was already sorely missing holding. “Apparently Peter didn’t even call the cops yesterday on any of the parties. Robin found out it was some other guy.” Emma reveals the news, much to Regina’s surprise.“Oh, great (!) so we panic cleaned for nothing!” She huffed, stabbing some kale harder than anticipated. Emma’s face scrunched into a frustrated frown. “Makes me wonder if Hook actually knew that. Maybe that was his plan all along, just to get at me.” Whether it was frustration, jealousy, or well-meant advice, Regina couldn’t stop herself from trying to get Emma not to worry about Killian. She knew this is what he wanted: to show up when Emma was living her best life to try and bring her down a little. In Regina’s mind, it was Hook’s attempt to feel better about himself and his own insecurities. “He really doesn’t deserve your energy, dear. Believe me, you’re worth so much more than what he has to offer.” Emma sighed, “I know. Sorry, probably not the best idea talking about my ex.” “Look, I just meant more if it doesn’t bring you positivity, then why are you dwelling on it? You deserve better. So much better than what he put you through. Yes, maybe there was a time he had more to offer in your life, but you’ve clearly outgrown him.” “That’s what everyone says.” The blonde admitted. “To be honest, you’re too good for Hook. You know what else? You always were and he knew that.” “Can’t believe I used to think I wasn’t good enough for him. How the tables have turned.” “Hindsight is a powerful thing.” There’s a look of sadness in the brunette’s eyes, only for a second, before dispersing into the ether. If Emma hadn’t been staring longingly into Regina’s eyes, she never would have caught it. In that very moment, the younger woman understood so much more about Regina and her life. “Thanks, Regina. I really do appreciate it.” The blonde replied, once the brunette’s mood had shifted. “The advice or the brunch?” Grateful, glimmering eyes shimmered like diamonds. “Both. All of it. Everything.” She beamed. Regina warmly chuckled, her voice was like caramel. “You’re too kind.” She’s perfect and beautiful, funny, smart, and I’m… Oh fuck… I’m really falling for Emma Swan. Regina blinked several times as her feelings began to flood her thoughts. Emma didn’t know it yet but she was already entirely enthralled, enchanted even. There was something about Regina that made her feel things she knew she shouldn’t feel. It was too dangerous, too risky. As the younger of the two completely changed the subject, her words sliced through the brunette’s thoughts like the edge of a knife. “You know I realize I don’t actually have you on Instagram.” “You can add me but I don’t really use it a lot. I tend to use WhatsApp, Snapchat, and TikTok more.” “Don’t tell me, you're the queen of Lesbian TikTok.” She smirked, almost instantly being shushed by the brunette who had immediately blushed at the comment. “Maybe”. Regina raised a suggestive eyebrow. “Most of my algorithm is lesbian TikTok, Sarah Paulson and SuperCorp. Oh and occasionally Ocean’s 8.” She added. “Ha! What do you know? The only Ocean’s movie I haven’t seen.” “WHAT?!” The older woman said a tiny bit too loudly. Now glancing around the restaurant to see if people were looking at them, a few people did for a second before returning their gaze back to their own tables.“I’m sorry!” Emma says apologetically with a mouthful of French toast. “That is a crime against humanity, Miss Swan!” The brunette exaggerates, now wide eyed. The blonde quickly swallowed the food in her mouth so she could reply. “Every time I go to find it, they’ve taken it off streaming sites!” She said in her own defense. “We have to watch it! I have it on 4k, Blu-Ray, and I think I’ve still got it somewhere on DVD.” “You’ve got it? OMG! Seriously, you’re amazing. When can we watch it?” Emma practically bursts with excitement. Regina didn’t even attempt to hide her grin at the compliment. “Whatever day’s best for you, dear. A weekend I presume?” She gently brushes a lock of dark hair back behind her ear. Glancing down at her plate, knowing her eyes would betray her, if she dared to look at Emma in that very moment. She’s like a fairytale! Regina mentally told herself. It felt almost inevitable to her; she knew she was falling harder for Emma Swan with every waking moment. Having nearly finished her French toast, the blonde asks Regina, “is this gonna become our thing? Watch stuff one of us hasn’t seen then discuss it over food?” She questions with hope in her inflection. “I mean, I’m up for that, if you are?” The brunette replied with a nonchalant shrug, trying to play down the situation in her mind. “Definitely! I’ll check my schedule in a bit.” Emma says before excusing herself to use the restroom. As the blonde does, Regina occupies herself with her cell, reading the messages she’s received from the group chat with Zelena and Ruby. She didn’t want to seem rude checking her phone during brunch, but welcomed the distraction when she was alone at the table.
Witches Who Wear Pink
Wicked Witch of the West
Bottomless Brunch? Seriously Gina? You pretentious bitch 😉 12:03
Evil Queen
Shut up, it’s worth it for the heart eyes Emma makes at French toast. 12:15
Red Riding Hood
Enjoy your date 😉 x 12:16
Evil Queen
NOT a date 12:16
Wicked Witch of the West
Rubes, don’t rock the boat, they’ll work it out eventually 😜 12:17
Red Riding Hood
Well they’ll probably be rocking something later 😉 xx 12:17 The brunette blushes at the last message, while glancing around the room to see if Emma was returning. She sips her hot coffee while sending a stern reply to the group chat. This only makes Zelena and Ruby tease her further. As she locks her phone, she finds herself riddled with anxiety.
It’s not a date, Regina, you’re just saying thank you, can’t start getting excited like Emma does when she sees French toast and her beautiful face lights up. Oh Gods! Pull. Yourself. Together. It’s NOT a date. NOT a date. NOT a…
“Hey, how long do we have left? Do you think I have time to get some maple pancakes?” Emma asks, now returning to their table with a smile that melted Regina’s heart. Regina looks flustered for a second by the interruption. She quickly recomposes herself, hoping Emma doesn’t notice, or at least doesn’t bring it up. “Yeah, we’ve got another 40 minutes, you’re all good. I’m gonna get some more kale salad anyway.” “I’ll grab it for you if you like?” The blonde asks sweetly. “You don’t have to!” “No, I know. I want to! Just trying to be nice,” she replies, genuinely wanting to be helpful. “You’re always nice, Emma.” the brunette compliments. “Extra nice then!” The younger woman says with a grin. As Emma heads towards the food area, a small smile crossed Regina’s lips the moment that the blonde had turned her back. When the blonde returns with a plate stacked with three maple pancakes and Regina’s kale salad, they continue their conversation from earlier. “Sorry, I wasn't sure how much food you wanted, so I guessed.” She admits, placing the brunette’s salad in front of her. “It’s perfect!” She replies with a delighted grin. Her eyes were warm, like honey, in the restaurant lighting. Just like you… Regina muses, subconsciously biting her lip. “Oh good! I’m glad!” Emma beams with delight, placing her own plate down. “So what other lesbian movies haven’t you seen?” Regina asks as Emma sits down in her chair. “Ocean’s 8 isn’t a lesbian movie!” She retorts. “If you haven’t seen it then how can you be so certain?” The brunette smirked, testing the waters. She was keen to find out if Emma really wasn’t straight like Zelena and Ruby keep insisting. “Do I look like the kinda person who sits around watching chick flicks and lesbian rom coms?” Emma asks, raising a curious eyebrow. “You can never judge a book by its cover, Miss Swan.” She replied, expecting a sarcastic response. In fact, the brunette was surprised when it didn’t happen. Instead, Emma chuckled. Regina returns a raised eyebrow, her own curiosity getting the better of her. “What? What is it? What’s so funny?” The brunette leaned forward, desperate for a reply. “Ruby was right, you really do have an answer for everything.” The brunette scoffed at the comment. “Well I did help win the national championship in my school debate team.” Pausing the cutting of her pancake, Emma laughs. Regina’s cheeks flushed. She folded her arms, as her eyebrows furrowed in irritation. “Stop it, you’re being unfair.” The brunette’s attempt to sound stern was halted by her voice cracking in her throat mid-sentence. It hadn’t worked as Emma continued to chuckle. After her laughter had died down, a small smile escapes Emma’s lips. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.” she states with newfound confidence. “And you still haven’t given me your Instagram.” Regina replies, changing the subject. Still blushing, she shyly hands her phone to the other woman who hadn’t taken her eyes off of the brunette for even a second. The moment their fingers brushed, Regina couldn’t ignore the unmistakable flutter in her chest. The spark that pulsed through her body like a bolt of lightning causing her fingers to tremble at the shock. Her breath hitches in her throat as she tries to slow her breathing. If Emma were to look at her right now, she knew her eyes would give her feelings away. Emma couldn’t deny it to herself either. She had known from the first time their hands had touched that something lingered between them. “Oh is that all it took to be forgiven? You only have to call Her Majesty cute and she’ll let you off?” The blonde replies with an eyebrow raise. Dark chocolate eyes mischievously glimmered. “I never said I forgave you. I’m just biding my time.” “You sound like a Scorpio.” The blonde suggests which makes the brunette chuckle at the astrology remark. Now I see what Emma talks about with Zelena and Ruby. She considers for a moment before offering her a response. “Scorpio Mars believe it or not.” Regina replied, pushing some of her kale salad around her plate.The younger woman’s face lit up at the realization. “OMG! Why does that make so much sense for you?” The brunette warmly laughs, tilting her head slightly. “Passionate, driven, determined…” “Ruthless, domineering, suspicious.” Emma teases. “I said I hadn’t forgiven you and you’re still pushing it, Miss Swan.” “Proving my point though.” “We’ve got 30 minutes left.” Regina replied matter-of-factly, after checking her smartwatch. Choosing entirely to ignore the younger woman’s previous remark. “Oh crap, my pancakes!” Emma says, remembering her food sat in front of her. “Wait, you take my phone, add me on social media instead.” She offers, unlocking her Samsung and passing it to Regina, before handing the brunette her iPhone back that she had left in front of herself accidentally. Once Emma has finished her food, Regina passes the blonde’s phone back to her. She had added her on everything, as the younger woman would insist with her mouth full of food. When they go to pay the bill, Emma tries to convince Regina to ‘ at least let me pay my half’. Regina declines the offer simply by scowling at her. After the brunette pays the bill, the pair make their way out of the restaurant, walking closely side by side. Regina checks her phone to see what time the bus back to her student dorm is. “Just under fifteen minutes until my bus arrives, it’s a different stop but only 3 streets away.” She shows Emma the bus stop on Google Maps. “Can I walk you? It’s on my way into the city, I wanna go into work and see if I left my headphones there.” “Sure, I appreciate the offer.” Regina says with a delighted smile, before they both head towards the bus stop, gently strolling down the street.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As Emma walked Regina to the bus stop, she asked the brunette a question. “You mentioned earlier on the bus that SuperCorp was perfect for fanfiction and fanart. Why do I feel like you’ve got like a secret account making fanart or something?” The brunette blinks repeatedly a few times, processing what Emma had just said, before conceding, “ok, maybe, not so secret.” She mutters as a blush rises in her cheeks. “I knew it!” The blonde exclaimed, beaming with delight. “Good deduction skills, Sheriff.” The brunette replied with a smirk, softly chuckling at how happy Emma was. “You’re gonna start calling me that now?” The younger of two asked neutrally, placing her hands in the pockets of her red leather jacket. Normally Regina’s smirk would be met with a chuckle or a sarcastic quip from Emma, but this time it wasn’t, making the brunette anxious. “Unless you don’t want me to, of course.” Regina replied as she nervously chewed her bottom lip. As her heart began to beat faster, the younger of the pair answered earnestly. “No, it’s fine. It’s sweet that you want to.” Attempting to mask the blush rising in her cheeks, Regina replied with a scoff. “I’m not sweet, Miss Swan.” “I didn’t say you were, did I?” She suggestively smirks at the brunette who simply shakes her head. Every fiber of Regina is fighting the urge to tell Emma how she truly felt. It was the only thing on her mind at that moment. She knew it was too risky and the odds were stacked against her. As much as she would continue to listen to Emma talk, as they walked to the bus stop, her mind wouldn’t stop ruminating about why she couldn’t tell Emma, and everything that could go wrong if she opened up about her feelings to the beautiful woman walking beside her.
I barely know her.
She probably won’t feel the same way.
Have you entirely forgotten that you don’t even know if she likes women like that?
She could just be being really friendly.
It could ruin things between us.
You did not come to college to jump into a relationship. Mother will be furious, you know this, Regina.
Hello, she lives with your sister and Ruby. It could make things awkward for her living with them if you tell her and she doesn’t feel the same way.
Maybe she’s just an ally to the community.
It’s not like a relationship could happen between us anyway. You can’t just date your sister’s housemate, there should be laws against it!
Gods, Regina! You’ve known her for exactly three weeks, you can’t just tell her how you feel.
It was at that moment that she realized that Emma had stopped talking and was awaiting a reply. Regina had missed the entirety of what was said. They stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “I’m really sorry, Emma. My mind was elsewhere.” The brunette confessed. “It’s fine! I just assumed you were deep in thought about your essay or something.” “It’s not ok, Miss Swan. I should’ve been paying better attention. You deserve at least that.” She replied, glancing away albeit only for a few seconds. As soon as Regina looked back, she could see that Emma was now standing directly in front of her. The blonde instinctively placed her hands on either side of Regina’s arms which caused the brunette to inhale a shocked breath. Chocolate brown eyes blinked several times at the realization that Emma was holding her. Their faces were now so close that Regina almost forgot how to breathe. “Hey, don’t beat yourself up.” The blonde tried to reassure her with emerald eyes that glimmered like gemstones. Her husky voice had instantly drawn Regina’s attention back to her. The late summer breeze this morning had been a breath of fresh air, now the warmth of the sun beaming down on the blonde woman’s features made Emma look more radiant than ever. Just for a second, nothing else in the world mattered to Regina. Until, like a candle in the wind, the moment was gone. “I was mostly just explaining about how crazy busy the bar is gonna be tomorrow because the Patriots are playing against the Steelers.” Emma added after clearing her throat, having now taken a step back from the brunette, as she realized how close they both were. “Either way I should’ve given you more attention.” “I mean… I had that all through brunch, and right now, don’t I?” The blonde replies with a small smile curling at the corner of her lips. “That you do.” The brunette replied as she nervously brushed a lock of chocolate hair behind her ear before the pair continued to stroll down the sidewalk. “You know, you never actually told me how you got your nickname.” Regina says as they continue walking, swiftly changing the subject, before her feelings could take over. “Alright, story time, I guess. Just… be warned, it probably sounds kinda silly.” “Sometimes we need silly things to break up the monotony of life. Either way, it’s fine with me if you’re happy to share, of course.” Regina’s reply sounded more like something her sister would say, but it was an idea she did truly believe in. “Careful, Your Majesty.” Emma warns, much to Regina’s surprise. The brunette raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Whatever for, Miss Swan?” She asked with mild concern. “All you need is a British accent and that could’ve been mistaken for Zelena.” The blonde teased. Emma had continued to stride along a few feet until she realized that Regina wasn’t following closely alongside. The wind in the air suddenly swirled, picking up pace as it tumbled through the atmosphere. The blonde pulled her jacket around herself more tightly, as the wind bustled around her.Regina had stopped and became rooted on the spot. Her hands were placed firmly on her hips. The brunette’s mouth hung open in shock and horror at the realization that with every day spent around Zelena, the similar they were becoming. “Sorry.” The blonde replied, masking an amused chuckle, albeit rather unsuccessfully. Regina instantly threw a look of disbelief in Emma’s direction before continuing to walk to the bus stop. Once they had arrived, Emma glanced around their surroundings for a moment to see if anyone was in earshot. It was surprisingly quiet for early afternoon on a Saturday, much to her own relief. Emma wasn’t used to telling people stories about herself because she always feared getting close to anyone. Her entire life she had been abandoned by people she cared about. As she got older, it was easier to push people away. Something was different now. She had more stability, and there was something about Regina that made her long to be closer to her. The younger woman knew that Regina struggled to open up to people. It was somewhat a relief to be able to share this with her, because she had the same anxiety about opening up. “When I was in group homes I would watch old detective movies and westerns on TV. Not because I liked them, but because it was peace and quiet, as the other kids didn’t. My foster brother, August, thought I loved them. So, he started getting me detective and mystery books. Then, Ingrid, our foster mom started doing the same, when she saw that I was missing some in a collection.”Regina smiled and nodded as Emma continued to explain. She had a feeling she knew where the story was going, so the brunette tried to mask a knowing eyebrow raise, in case it made Emma feel like she was rambling.The blonde slightly shifted closer towards Regina, as she continued to talk. “When I eventually found my birth parents, it was kind of ironic that my dad was working as Deputy Sheriff in Ellicott City.”This time the older of the pair couldn’t help but smirk. As Regina raised an eyebrow, Emma rolled her eyes before chuckling under her breath. “Wait, Ellicott City? I’m sure I’ve heard that somewhere…” the older of the two interjects, eyebrows knitting in concentration. “It’s in Maryland. Lots of old buildings and hills.” Emma elaborated. Regina’s face suddenly lit up in realization. “Oh, now I know why! It’s got the oldest surviving train station in the U.S. I read about it!” Regina replied with a grin, her honey molten eyes as sweet as caramel gleaming in the sunlight. Warmth swelled in Emma’s heart, her own eyes glimmering like gemstones. How is it possible she looks even more beautiful when she’s happy? The blonde mentally questions. Emma’s heart was a protected treasure, but it was slowly being stolen by the incredible woman sitting beside her. Neither of them knew it yet, but they would, in time. “That’s the one! Anyway, my dad was impressed with my detective knowledge, so he jokingly nicknamed me Sheriff as if I was ten, despite the fact I was an adult. Still, it was kinda sweet of him.” Emma admitted, hoping that her remark about her dad didn’t make her sound petulant. “Then it just sort of stuck?” The brunette asks to which Emma nodded her head in agreement. “He would call me Sheriff on the phone or by text sometimes. It wasn’t long before Ruby and Zelena picked up on it and would do the same.” “So you must really love murder mysteries after reading all those books (!)” The brunette teased, nudging the blonde who mockingly scowled. As Regina chuckled at the other woman’s scowl, Emma rested her head on the older woman’s shoulder for a moment. For Emma, it had felt good to be able to share that with Regina, no matter how silly she felt the actual story was. It was still an important part of her life and she loved that she had grown close enough to Regina to be open with her about her past. What Emma hadn’t mentioned was that she had spent so much of her life being judged for her background. She was worried how others could perceive her differently, if they knew what her life was like growing up. So when she had a second chance at making a life for herself, and some stability, she began to hide away her past to shield her own heart. It had taken Emma a long time to feel she could trust people with that information again. Even now, very few people in her life as an adult know about her childhood. “Thank you for telling me.” Regina softly says, placing an arm around Emma, knowing how difficult it must have been for her to share that story, even if she wanted to. The affection had been so reassuring for the younger woman that she instantly leaned into the touch; letting out a comforted breath of relief. As the blonde pulled away from the delicate touch, she continued the conversation. “It’s the least I can do after you paid for brunch.” Emma admits after a moment, still feeling awful that she couldn’t afford it. “No, no! Emma, don’t feel you have to tell me things as means of repayment. That’s definitely not how it works. You’re my friend, you don’t owe me anything, and like I told you; that was to say thank you for yesterday.” “I still feel bad.” The blonde confessed with a sigh, anxiously looking down at her feet. “Well don’t. Besides, if you really wanna make it up to me, you’ll tell me your schedule so we can watch Ocean’s 8.” “OMG I nearly forgot! Shit. Wait, I’ll check my schedule right now.” The blonde says, scrambling for her phone to open her emails. After opening the email from her boss, she quickly scans the message. “You said weekend, right? Today I’m working from 6-11 PM. Tomorrow I’m at 4:30 PM until 1 AM. Friday I’m on a split shift because of class. What about next Saturday? I’m working until 6PM, but you could come to mine for 7 and stay the night, if you want?” Emma suggests enthusiastically, wanting to spend more time with Regina. She really hoped this was going to become a regular thing and not just an idea in passing. “Next Saturday works for me. The 4K is a 2 disc with Blu-ray, or did you want me to try and find the normal DVD?” “No, the 2 disc is good because then if we watch it downstairs we can watch in 4K or if we watch it in my room it’ll have to be Blu-ray.” After setting it in their calendars, the brunette’s bus finally arrived a few minutes late. As it does, they hurriedly say goodbye. The blonde pulls Regina into a quick hug to thank her again, causing the brunette to smile with joy. Breathing in the scent of Emma’s perfume, it was so alluring to Regina’s senses. The smell of lavender, pine needles and nutmeg had been so inviting.Once they pull away, the brunette makes her way to an empty seat on the bus. Emma meanwhile began to stroll into the city.Regina spends most of the journey recalling brunch. How she had felt watching the blonde’s face light up with excitement at the menu. How Emma had been charming and so considerate. There were so many things she adored about the woman. When she arrives back at her student dorm, she is mildly reluctant to stop daydreaming, knowing she had to try and push through on her essay. The good news now was the lack of distractions at her student apartment. The place was silent, as she entered her dorm, much to her relief.After Emma had made her way into the city, she had a spring in her step while strolling into her workplace. Normally she would be scolding herself for leaving her belongings, despite knowing they were probably safely tucked away in her locker. However, today when she arrived at the bar, her heart was full of happiness. Emma’s instincts had been correct, as she opened her locker to discover her headphones exactly where she had left them. She picked them up and placed her headphones around her neck.Strolling out of the staffroom and towards the customer exit of the bar, she thanked her boss out of courtesy again on her way out. Emma knew she probably would have collected them later during her shift, but didn’t want to risk forgetting about them again. She also noticed that they only had 20% battery left, so fortunately she had picked them up. They would need to be charged up before work, if she wanted to use them on her journey home later on.As Emma is making her way back home from the bar, she receives a message from Regina on WhatsApp. She jokingly changed the brunette’s nickname on it this morning as something to do while waiting for her to wake up.
Madam Mayor
Now that I think about it, after years of watching hours of Charlie’s Angels, Columbo, and reading all of the Agatha Christie books, it’s no wonder you ended up doing criminal justice 😜 xx 14:12
Sheriff Swan
Batman as well xx 14:13
Madam Mayor
Doing Batman were you? 😏 😉 x 14:13
Sheriff Swan
Reading Batman comics and watching the movies, it’s not like I was screwing Ben Affleck 🤣 x 14:14
Madam Mayor
No, muscly men don’t seem your type, if the no-good pirate is anything to go by. 14:15
Sheriff Swan is typing…
Madam Mayor is typing…
Madam Mayor
I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I completely crossed a line there. 14:15
Madam Mayor
Please forgive me x 14:15
Sheriff Swan
Lmao 🤣 honestly, all good. But you’re right, slender brunettes with a sprinkle of sass and a bit rough around the edges tends to be my type. Not muscly, brooding billionaires with an inferiority complex. Xx 14:17
Madam Mayor
Batman having an inferiority complex? Never! 😱 😝 xx 14:18
Madam Mayor
Anyway, as much as I love talking to you, I should work on this assignment. I’ll message you tomorrow if that’s alright? Xx 14:18
Sheriff Swan
Perfect! How about I text you tomorrow when I’m on my break at work? You can update me on your essay progress xx 14:20
Madam Mayor
Didn’t realize you cared so much about my studies, Miss Swan 😉 xx 14:21
Sheriff Swan
If it’s important to you then of course I do 💖 x 14:22
Madam Mayor
Well, what do you know? Emma Swan is secretly a softie 😜 x 14:23
Sheriff Swan
Don’t shout about it 😉 xx 14:24
Madam Mayor
Your secret’s safe with me, Sheriff 😜 💖 xx 14:25 As their conversation came to a natural end, Regina returned to her essay writing, now placing her phone on do not disturb. Emma read the final reply from Regina a second time. Seeing her messages always made her heart flutter. She wasn’t sure why but she loved rereading their conversations.A few hours later, Emma found herself back at The Wish Realm. She enjoyed a fast-paced quick-thinking job, but today’s shift was not one of those. She was sober to work, the alcohol from last night having left her system hours ago. Yet she wished she wasn’t stuck at the bar. Emma ended up enjoying last night, not letting the drama of Peter and Killian dampen her evening. She loved this morning with Regina, seeing the brunette being sassy while half asleep had been the icing on the cake, especially with the surprise of brunch. In fact, Emma genuinely wished she could have spent all day with Regina, just being in her company. Instead, tonight’s company was the regulars at the bar discussing their predictions on the score of tomorrow’s NFL game. The night seemed to drag and in the quiet moments she tried not to daydream. When Emma awoke the next day to the sound of her alarm, she craved for nothing more than a few minutes longer in bed. No rest for the wicked, as Zelena would say. She thinks to herself, stirring her body awake. She pulls herself from her slumber, sitting up in her bed. Stretching her arms, she simultaneously extended her legs, trying to wake herself up. Finally feeling more alert, she makes her way downstairs. “Oh shit!” Emma exclaimed as she entered the kitchen. “Why are you awake? Did someone summon you from the pits of hell to sell their soul?” She asks, stunned to see Zelena’s awake and sitting at the table. “I would say my mother but I’m sure she doesn’t even have one.” Zelena grumbles; slumped over her coffee. “Do you think she’s already put in her application to be the devil’s new PA?” Emma joked. The redhead scoffed. “New PA? She wouldn’t touch admin work with a barge pole. ‘Cora Mills - Ruler of the underworld’ is a much more likely title.” “What did she want anyway?” Emma asks with concern laced in her inflection. “She called to tell me that she’s visiting next month as she’s on business in Boston. I warned Regina, you can imagine how she took it.” The redhead replied with a frustrated sigh. “Oh that’s gonna be worse than our house inspection.” The younger woman says with a groan, after brewing herself a cup of coffee. Emma knew that the woman was more meticulous and house proud than the letting agency. Her concern, however, was actually meeting Zelena and Regina’s mother. The pair had never met, which she has long suspected has something to do with Zelena’s handiwork, hearing how intolerable Cora could be. “I’m going for a smoke, coming with?” Zelena asks, gesturing to the back yard. Emma agrees since it was a beautiful day outside, and she could use the fresh air, after the hours she had worked at the bar this week. Sitting at the garden table and chairs, the redhead rummages through her dressing gown pockets for her lighter. Her cigarette was loosely hanging out of her mouth. Zelena started cutting down how much she smoked, but her mother was often a trigger for her to crave a cigarette. Emma sits opposite Zelena, sipping her coffee, while the older of the two manages to finally find her lighter. After exhaling a puff of smoke, Zelena breaks the silence between them. “So… apparently you’re dating my sister.” Emma suddenly splutters hot coffee over the grass. “What? Who told you that? No!” The younger of the two looked utterly stunned, panicking on the spot as anxiety fuelled through her veins while trying to work out where even the suggestion could have come from. Until the blonde realizes how her comment sounded. ”Not that there’s anything wrong with dating Regina, obviously. Anyone would be lucky to have her.” She offers as clarification, hoping to neutralize the situation. Zelena cackled loudly. “Just as I thought. Killian’s full of shit, nothing new.” She shakes her head in amusement, watching Emma’s reaction like a hawk. Memories of Friday night flooded Emma’s mind. She recalled how Regina had told her that the guy in the front yard was her roommate. Everything seemed to happen so quickly after that, squaring up to the man, Regina trying to attack him and then... “Oh God! Peter! He started being a piece of shit and Regina tried to punch him. I managed to stop her and calm her down. Hook was there, being as useful as…” “A chocolate teapot?” The redhead interjects with a question. “What?” The blonde replied with a frown, already feeling like it was too early for Zelena’s mental gymnastics. “If you poured hot water into a chocolate teapot it would melt, making it entirely redundant.” “So why not just say redundant?” She replied in a frustrated tone. “It’s a figure of speech, Emma!” The blonde rolled her eyes at the redhead’s sudden huff. Before Zelena could invoke a new round of verbal sparring, Emma returned the conversation back to the previous topic. “Anyway! Peter accused me of being Regina’s girlfriend and before I could say anything you stormed in and…” “Told him to piss off after calling him fuck face.” The redhead recalled, cutting in. Emma nodded, amusement lighting up her eyes, the previous squabble already forgotten. “Well, you could do worse than Regina.” Zelena teased. The younger woman simply shook her head in disbelief that the feisty redhead would even make that comment. Who am I kidding? It’s Zelena, there’s no stopping what comes out of her mouth. Emma thinks to herself, concealing her thoughts. Hold on! Didn’t Regina say something like that yesterday? She considers for a moment. So she’s not adverse to being suggested to be dating my sister. Maybe she really is bi and hasn’t said anything. Could be that she doesn’t like labels. One way to find out… Zelena contemplates, watching Emma’s reaction.
“What’s on your mind?” The redhead curiously questions, after a moment of silence. “I was just thinking, Regina and I were discussing something similar at brunch yesterday.” “Oh, yes, how did your ‘not a date’ with my sister go?” The older woman asked with a raised eyebrow, a smirk now escaping her lips.
Oh my god, does Zelena know? I haven’t come out to anyone, not even Lily…
“It wasn’t a date.” Emma simply stated. Sipping her coffee, she attempted to avoid the redhead’s gaze, knowing her eyes would soon betray her. “Oh I know, I just assumed that you two were posting about the brunch on Insta to make it seem plausible to your exes. You know, especially after what Peter said. No doubt Mal will end up hearing about it in one form or another from somewhere. Honestly, that bitch knows far too many people. Wouldn’t even surprise me if Killian started helping her, now that he’s fully convinced himself you’re seeing Regina.” Zelena concludes, much to Emma’s intrigue. So she knew it wasn’t a date but said it anyway? What are you up to, Zee? Emma questions in her mind with a frown before realizing that she had to give Zelena an answer. “You really think Hook would sink that low?” The blonde questions, already knowing the answer, but still wanting to hear it for herself. She aimlessly glides her thumb around the rim of her mug, as steam rises from her coffee. Zelena’s eyes suddenly became darker. She tapped her cigarette on the edge of the ashtray as if composing herself. A flake of ash flurried away, “for his sake, I hope he doesn’t.” her eyes returned to normal almost as quick as a puff of smoke. “Yeah well if he does, Regina would probably set an army of angry lesbians on him.” Emma replies with a smirk. They both burst out laughing, scaring the nearby birds away. After their laughter settled down, Zelena continued the conversation. “For what it’s worth, you’d have mine and Ruby’s blessing, if you two did get together… Fucking hell, I made us sound like a married couple.” “Maybe in another life.” Emma suggestively says as she quickly downs her coffee. She stands up as the older woman looks bewildered at the revelation. Oh my god, what am I even saying? Emma internally asks herself. Before she could retract her statement, Zelena quickly swooped in with a reply. “What? Me and Ruby or you and my sister?” Her mouth hung slightly open, hoping that her suspicions about Emma’s sexuality were about to be confirmed. Emma was once again torn between coming out and staying in the closet. She really wanted to tell her friends, but she knew that it was too much right now. She was still coming to terms with how strong her feelings were for Regina which often tumbled out at any given notice.The blonde simply shrugged before heading back inside the house. She almost instantly regretted her choice, knowing it left more questions than answers. As she hears the redhead shouting her name, telling her to come back, she begins to panic. Oh fuck, what have I done? Emma nervously contemplates as she quickly deposits her mug in the kitchen, and makes her way up the stairs. The older of the pair jogs after her, having abandoned half of her cigarette in the ashtray outside. Zelena had never been fond of exercise, unless it involved retail therapy, fighting someone for the last pair of shoes, or in this case, chasing after someone for the latest gossip. Running up the remaining steps, Emma quickly dashed into the bathroom and locked the door. As she begins running the water in the shower, she hears a thudding sound on the other side of the bathroom. “Emma! Emmmmmmmaaaaaaaa! Blondie! What did you mean? EMMA!” Zelena beckons from the landing. She was still stunned by the possibility she might be right. That not only her friend might not be straight, but that Emma could also have feelings for Regina. “Emma, I know you can hear me. You can’t hide in the bathroom forever, Swan!” The redhead adds, unrelenting on her thumping on the door. The blonde sighs, shaking her head at Zelena’s reaction. Emma turns on her waterproof music speaker, before getting undressed to have a shower. She had no doubt that the rest of her day would be just as eventful. After being informed by her sister about their mother’s visit next month, Regina was ready to channel her irritation into a compelling writing session. She was determined to get a strong grade on this assignment, hoping it would ease some of her mother’s constant nagging. Regina knew she would never be able to tell Cora all of the things she had gotten up to so far since being at college. Fearing the wrath of her mother’s opinion, even now. On the plus side, after having a late breakfast of oatmeal with fresh fruit, she manages to get a few hours of writing done. At 4:15 PM, Emma arrived at work a few minutes before the start of her shift. She thought about messaging Regina early, seeing how she was. Instead, she decided to keep to her promise of messaging during her break. Her shift certainly was engaging, after the Patriots marginal victory against the Steelers at 14 – 17. The regulars at the bar were proudly celebrating their team’s win with many rounds of drinks. It kept Emma busy, which is what she wanted, detesting slow days at the bar. The adrenaline rush from busier days at work always made her day go quicker. At 22:30, Emma finally gets to take her break. As she ate her leftover pasta she had made at lunch time, Emma sent a message to Regina for the first time all day, excitement twisting in her stomach.
Sheriff Swan
Sup, your Majesty. I just got on my break. Well, actually I just reheated my pasta so I got on break a few minutes ago. Anyway, sorry that this is so late in the day. I really hope that I haven’t woke you x 22:37
‘Sup?’ That’s a new one for you, Emma. Regina contemplates for a moment as an amused smirk etched across her lips.
Madam Mayor
Not at all, Miss Swan. Actually I’m still staring at my laptop, so your distraction is welcomed. I was starting to wonder if the bar was working you into the ground 😉 x 22:39
Sheriff Swan
Haha! No, all good, don't worry. It’s definitely been super busy though because the Patriots won. How’s the essay? Hopefully further along than when you started xx 22:40
Madam Mayor
So I saw! I’m at half the word count now, so not doing too badly xx 22:41
Sheriff Swan
Very liberating 😉 😜 okay I’ll admit that was a terrible attempt at a pun about liberalism 🤣 xx 22:42
Madam Mayor
I should rename you Captain Cheesy, not Sheriff Swan 😜 🤣 xx 22:42
Sheriff Swan
Seriously, you named me Sheriff Swan? Xx 22:43
Madam Mayor
Problem with that, Sheriff? X 22:43
Sheriff Swan
Nope, not at all, your Majesty 👑 xx 22:43
Madam Mayor
Oh Gods! Please don’t tell me that’s what I’m saved as? Can you imagine trying to explain to Ruby or my sister why I’m called that in your phone? 🤣 xx 22:45
Sheriff Swan
Hahahaha no. You’re fine x 22:45
Madam Mayor
Come on, fair’s fair. Tell me what I’m saved as! 😘 xx 22:45
Sheriff Swan
You really wanna know? Xx 22:46
Madam Mayor
Don’t tease me, Sheriff 😉 xx 22:47
Sheriff Swan
Ok, fine… Madam Mayor 22:47
Madam Mayor
OMG! Seriously Emma? 22:48
Sheriff Swan
What? Do you hate it? 😰😨 x 22:48
Madam Mayor
Surprisingly, I thought I would, but I don’t. It’s cute 💖 x 22:50 Cute because it’s you… Ugh, stop that. Regina’s thoughts are interrupted by the sudden ping of her phone again.
Sheriff Swan
Well, I’m glad you like it 💖 I mean we both know you’re gonna be a fancy ass mayor someday 😉 x 22:51
Madam Mayor
You’re sweet! 😘 by the way, I’m sorry I wasted most of your break with this ridiculous conversation x 22:55
Sheriff Swan
OMG no! Don’t be! Honestly, it was actually exactly what I needed. I can always rely on you to make me smile😊but sadly I do have to get back to work soon. Talk tomorrow, your Majesty 😉? xx 22:57
Madam Mayor
Well I’m glad! 🥰 not sure if I’ll still be awake when your shift finishes, if not, I hope you sleep well Emma. Talk tomorrow 💖 xx 22:58
As her conversation with Emma came to an end, Regina decided that she was happy with today’s writing progress. Calling it a night, she saves and backs up her work before shutting down her laptop. After getting ready for bed, Regina lays under her duvet. Staring at her social media, she decides to reread the messages from Emma. Everything about how her heart fluttered, when she read the messages, flooded her mind with anxious thoughts. Even how she smiled every time she saw Emma’s name. The way her eyes lit up every time she saw the beautiful woman. She knew, deep down, what was happening.
Can Emma ever like me as more than just a friend? Can I really even do this? Can I fall for someone again?
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It was Tuesday and Emma was in the kitchen making breakfast, before her class in 2 hours’ time. She’s too busy slicing strawberries to notice that Zelena has entered the room.
Emma had never been the biggest fan of fruit and vegetables. After years jumping from foster placements and having one or two pushy foster parents, she grew a dislike towards healthy foods that would take her years to overcome. She wanted to change her lifestyle when she turned 18 and had since then been working on that.
Emma was entirely blaming Regina for the fact that she had brought strawberries specifically. The brunette had texted her yesterday and midway into the conversation Regina realized she was out of strawberries for her parfait. This in turn stuck in the younger woman’s mind and swayed her shopping list. The pair actually ended up agreeing to go shopping together, much to Ruby and Zelena’s amusement. The redhead would later tease the blonde about how Regina was rubbing off on her, simply to be met with an eye roll from Emma. This morning, however, the conversation was different.
“Emma, can we talk?” The older of the two asked, leaning against the kitchen door.
Emma jumped at the sudden sound of Zelena’s voice. The blonde places the blade safely down on the surface. As she turns around to face the other woman, she leans against the worktop.
“Sure, what’s up?” She asks casually, while observing the redhead’s nervous disposition.
Zelena fidgeted with her hands as she continued to speak, “look, I didn’t want to say anything while Ruby was here because I already know her thoughts on the matter.”
Emma frowned with confusion. “Right…”
The redhead continued. “Probably not the best place to start this conversation but… The thing you said last week about you and Regina, and me and Ruby…”
Emma’s eyes instantly opened wide with horror. Her mouth hung open as she tried to grapple words from her mind and form them into a coherent sentence. “I… Oh god, it was a joke! Zelena, I was joking, I didn’t mean to…”
Great(!) Now I’m gonna look like a real asshole when I eventually come out. Zelena’s gonna think that I lied to her.
The blonde ruminated.
“No, I know! I know.” The redhead replied, raising her hands in surrender before continuing. “I just... Well I thought about what you said about relationships I guess and… Oh, fucking hell, why did I decide to do this today?”
Agreed. It’s way too early for a deep conversation…
Emma contemplates to herself. The blonde blinked with confusion, but nevertheless waited patiently for Zelena to continue.
The older woman begins to muster the courage for the difficult topic. “Well there’s no easy way to explain this…” she glances around her surroundings, hoping the ground would suddenly swallow her whole.
This has been happening way too often recently…
Emma silently ponders at the realization of how many heavy chats have been had the last few weeks. The younger woman decides at that moment to sit down on the chair opposite Zelena. She didn’t say anything, just continued to listen, while the older woman described the situation.
“After the incident with Killian turning up at our party and seeing how much it bothered everyone, I realized I’m not as ok with this as Robin is… being around him. Like what if you’d decided to go to the party and he tagged along, it could’ve done
so much
damage.”
“Zelena, we’re adults.” Emma begins to say with a sigh, briefly squinting her eyes closed. She really didn’t want to discuss her ex at the best of times.
The redhead continued. “Yes! With boundaries and some level of self-awareness. Or at least, I’d hope at this point your man-child of an ex has learned some… anyway, the point is, sometimes I don’t understand Robin. He says he’s friends with Killian because he’s done nothing wrong but will try and keep him away from our group for your sake. Then in the next breath let him come to
both
parties. As if that isn’t going to open up more wounds. Hardly fair, is it?”
The younger of the two holds up her index fingers, gesturing for her to give her a moment to reply. “I get what you’re saying. I don’t wanna sound like I’m defending either of them, ok? Hear me out. Just something to think on.”
Zelena huffs low in her throat that was almost a growl, before silently nodding in agreement.
“Robin
didn’t
invite him. Hook just showed up! When he did, did you and Robin talk about that? Did you discuss what should happen? Ok, with everything going on, maybe there wasn’t time. However, with Robin’s party it’s different because they are still close friends.”
The blonde paused for a moment to see if the redhead was still listening. She was, albeit begrudgingly, already regretting bringing the conversation up. Killian was a pain in the neck, as far as they were both concerned.
Emma raised a curious eyebrow to Zelena who had clenched her jaw. As the older woman gestured for her to continue, Emma exhaled the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
“Hypothetically, let’s say I went to that party and Hook said he would. If neither of you stepped in and suggested one of us shouldn’t, if it was going to be an issue, I think then there would be a much bigger problem. But Regina, Ruby, and I didn’t go. So as far as Robin is concerned, there’s no reason he can’t spend time with you and Killian. Zelena, I totally get after what happened, Killian makes you uncomfortable…”
The conversation was only interrupted by the loud scoff that Zelena made. Her eyes darkened with contempt about Emma’s ex. “Understatement” she mutters just audibly enough for Emma to hear.
The blonde chuckled warmly, “If you had things your way, he would be shipped off to the nearest desert island.”
“Desert island? That’s too comfortable for the mangy pirate!”
“Ok! Ok! I get it.”
“Put it this way, if the prick was on fire, I wouldn’t even piss on him.” The feisty redhead retorted.
Knowing him, he’d probably enjoy it if I did… oh that’s fucking disgusting! Why would I even think of that? Ugh, what is wrong with me? Actually, best not to even ask that.
The redhead concludes.
Only Zelena could start a conversation about parties and end it with Hook on fire.
Emma briefly ponders, before swiftly changing the subject. She knew if she didn’t, the whole thing would spiral out of control like a tornado.
“The point is! If you want to adjust that boundary in the friendship group, then something will have to change.” The blonde confesses.
The silence that fell was almost deafening. Worry bubbled in Emma’s veins, as she had never seen the older of the two be so quiet. Zelena was like fire on a cold winter’s day. In that very moment, Emma had been the icy blast of air that extinguished the flame.
The redhead sat with knitted eyebrows and narrowed eyes. She hadn’t just spat out what the younger woman suggested, as if it was a piece of gristle. In fact, she was stewing in her thoughts, as more and more came to the boil. Her mind added more ideas by the second: from how much weight Emma’s points had, to ideas on how to try and not have everything fall apart.
After a few moments that felt like hours to Emma’s nerves, the older woman puts her out of her misery. “You’re right…” She slowly states, as she exhales a deep sigh.
“Wait, seriously?!” Emma blurts, as a shocked frown stretches across her face.
Did Zelena actually compromise on something? The world must be ending!
The blonde mentally concludes.
Once the younger woman had time to process what had just happened and return to normal, Zelena continued. “It's definitely something I should raise with Robin, there’s no question about that. At the same time, if we start cutting Hook off more, it’ll be harder to keep tabs on him. Especially since we’re close to finding out if he cheated or not. You know that I don’t trust him at all. I’m worried he’s purposely pulling a double bluff. Attempting to sabotage things between us all while also trying to hurt you.”
Emerald eyes glanced away for a moment before returning the redhead’s gaze. “Until there’s concrete proof, all we can do is be cautious. If a party’s gonna draw him here, then, maybe we should throw fewer parties.” She knew it was only a temporary solution, but it was better than what they already had.
“I think my liver is inclined to agree with you.” Zelena admits making the younger woman chuckle.
They looked down at the table for a moment before back at each other. Emma can see in Zelena’s eyes that she’s using every ounce of her strength to not say what’s truly on her mind. The younger woman doesn’t mention this. After a few moments of silence, the older of the pair concedes, giving in to the nagging in her conscience.
“Relationships are hard and I hate to say it but with Hook being in Boston, it’s put more of a strain on my relationship with Robin. Why do I feel like I’m having to compete against the no-good pirate for my boyfriend’s affection? You know it hasn’t always been sunshine and rainbows, but this hasn’t helped. I love Robin so much, but sometimes it feels like he’s choosing a drunken, lazy schmoozer over our relationship.”
Aimlessly tapping on the table to distract herself, the older woman frowned. If she hadn’t been watching her own pale fingers press onto the polished oak table, she would’ve seen the sympathetic smile from Emma.
If Emma was honest with herself, she really didn’t know what to tell Zelena. It’s not like she had the best experience when it comes to healthy relationships. In fact, her dating track record was better suited to
Jerry Springer
than
The Millionaire Matchmaker
. She was rattling her brain for something to offer Zelena some comfort.
As it turns out, Zelena wasn’t actually waiting for Emma to say something. She just wanted a space to vent.
“Sorry, sometimes I forget that it's your ex I’m bad-mouthing.” Zelena confessed.
“It’s fine. He does kinda deserve it. Although it’s less fun for me being reminded how bad my taste in men is.” The blonde admits as the redhead offers an apologetic look.
“Why are men so difficult? Being with women was
always
easier. If you haven’t tried it, you should.” The redhead boldly suggests.
Emma of course knew Zelena was exaggerating about how dating one gender was easier than another. There was no doubt that all relationships come with their share of challenges and obstacles. What she had become almost oblivious to was what Zelena was trying to get at.
The older woman was determined to test the waters by seeing how the younger woman would react to the idea of dating a woman.
Emma did everything in her power to not give her feelings away. She successfully managed to raise a curious eyebrow that left it open enough to interpretation, much to Zelena’s frustration.
Seems I’m going to have to do better than that.
She thinks to herself before continuing her conversation with Emma.
“Who knows, maybe in ten years’ time when I’m 35 and Ruby’s 30 if we’re both single we’ll just marry each other instead! Adopt two cats and run ‘Granny’s Diner’ together!”
“I’ll tell her you said that!” Emma quips with a shit-eating smirk.
“Don’t you dare!” The redhead replied with a faux scowl that was given away by the grin that twitched at the corner of her mouth.
“Alright, your secret’s safe with me. Only because I know it’s nearly a new moon and I don’t wanna know what curse you’ll put on me.” She replies with a knowing eyebrow raise.
“Me? Never!” Zelena mockingly gasped. “Darling, the only spell I would cast is a protection spell, or maybe luck. I told you, all about the positive vibes this year,” the redhead says with a sarcastic peace sign.
The younger woman doesn’t laugh, in fact, she frowns for a moment. Glancing off towards the window, before suspiciously side eyeing the woman. “I thought you said it was your villain era and revenge season soon?”
A knowing look is exchanged between the pair, as Zelena attempts to mask a chuckle. “Did I say that? I don’t recall…” She says, entirely in denial.
“So when the two cats you adopted with Ruby have kittens, you’ll literally be grannies running Granny’s diner!” Emma jokingly suggests which causes the redhead to groan at the insinuation. The older of the two had always feared growing old and settling down.
“I dread the idea of being anything but the fun aunt who gatecrashes the wedding after spending 3 months in Tenerife sipping margaritas. I draw the line at parenthood and you might as well kill me now, if I live long enough to witness becoming a grandmother.” Zelena darkly suggests.
Emma chuckled. “Your headstone better say: ‘Here lies Zelena Mills. She died doing what she loved most: Drinking Vodka in a shopping cart, hurtling down the motorway.’”
“Well, at least it won’t be boring!” She replies with a smirk. Whether that was about the headstone or method of death was another matter.
Emma presumed both, before she returned to the sink to wash her hands. After drying them, she goes back to the counter where she had been slicing strawberries for her pancakes.
“I’ve got enough batter for pancakes for both of us if you wanted some?” She suggests to the older woman, now changing the subject.
“Sure! I appreciate that, thank you. Are they better than the ones at bottomless brunch?” She asked with a suggestive eyebrow raise. Zelena was determined to get some answers still about what Emma had mentioned last week, having not given up so easily.
Emma had been radio silent about her ambiguous remark that implied her sexuality. Even now as the blonde smiles to herself at the question, she feigns obliviousness to what Zelena was getting at. To her, it was obvious that Zelena wanted to try and gather her feelings about Regina. As well as what that meant for her sexuality. She just wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction. The day would come that she would tell Zelena, but today wasn’t it. Last week had been tough and that was the last conversation she wanted to have. Yet, in true Emma Swan style, on Sunday, she had proverbially shot herself in the foot. In fact, she had spent the rest of the weekend mentally scolding herself for what she had said. She knew her feelings for Regina were growing every day that they spoke, but she was more worried at what cost. Coming out was one thing, but having a crush on your close friend’s sister was another.
“The ones at brunch were good, and definitely top 3 in my favorite pancakes. The French toast however, I don’t think any will ever compare to that.”
The redhead gasped suddenly, causing Emma to almost drop the knife she was holding. To her relief, she managed to grip the knife tighter, as it began to slip from her grasp, before it could fall onto the chopping board.
Once Emma had recomposed herself, Zelena continued. “Don’t let Regina hear you say that! She makes the best French toast.”
Emma rolled her eyes in disbelief. She was worried the gasp was because of danger, not because of French toast. Then again, she should’ve expected it with Zelena’s flair for amateur dramatics.
“And I make the best pancakes!” She swiftly said, still refusing to look at Zelena as they spoke. Partly because she didn’t need more distractions, partly because she knew her face would give herself away.
“Well then you should make them together sometime!” The older of the two suggests.
Pancake and French toast date!
Zelena doesn’t say this out loud because she knew she had to be delicate about this.
It didn’t take a psychic to know the suggestion of it being a date would send Emma into a spiral. In fact, Zelena had spent the last day and a half on and off trying to work out the best way to approach the conversation sensitively. She wasn’t sure if it was better to try and go down the ‘you can talk to me about anything’ route, or just outright ask what she had meant the other day. The latter at the time was a bit abrupt and her heavy knocking on the door as if she was breaking the door down was
definitely
detrimental.
“Maybe.” Emma replies casually enough, as she returns to making the pancake batter.
Zelena now stood up and went over to assist her, helping by heating up oil in the frying pan. They didn’t speak anymore on the subject.
The rest of the week would go rather quickly for everyone. Regina had finally hit the essay word count by Thursday afternoon, much to her relief. This meant it gave her a week to make any changes before submitting the assignment.
Emma was also thrilled that the week wasn’t slow. She woke up on Friday with the happiness of knowing she would be seeing Regina tomorrow evening. After Emma’s class at college on ‘Psychology of Personality’, she eats her lunch on campus which consisted of yesterday’s leftovers, before quickly making her way back to work to finish her shift.
Her boss had placed her on a split shift that day because he needed someone to do the other half of the stock check. Emma knew she would be exhausted by the end of it, and still had to be at work at 2PM the next day. She just wasn’t ready for the same conversation topic
every
Saturday of ‘how will the Patriots do?’.
Emma both loved and loathed the Superbowl. She enjoyed watching it, but hated how it was the only thing people at the bar wanted to talk about on the weekend. There were only so many times she could repeat her answers to the same questions that her regulars liked to ask her before it began to get tedious.
By Friday evening, Emma was counting down the hours until she would be watching Ocean’s 8 with Regina and eating takeout.
I should message Regina and ask what we’re thinking of getting tomorrow…
Emma contemplates for a moment. While on her way to work, she sends a message to the brunette on WhatsApp.
Sheriff Swan
Hey just wanted to double check we’re still on for movie night tomorrow x 20:31
Madam Mayor
Of course, Miss Swan. I was going to message you the same actually x 20:32
Sheriff Swan
Oh good! 🥰 By the way what takeout did you wanna get? Xx 20:33
She quickly locks her phone before continuing her journey to work. Once she has arrived at the bar, she checks her phone in the staffroom.
Madam Mayor
Not sure. I’m craving either noodles or a burger at the moment xx 20:35
Oh shit! I better check my bank account.
Emma thinks to herself before she quickly opens her online banking app to check her balance. Glancing around at her surroundings, she quickly puts her back to the wall to make sure no one could look at her screen if they entered. After checking her balance, she concludes
I should be fine as long as there’s no unexpected hefty bills before I get paid next week.
Sheriff Swan
Awesome! We can look at both tomorrow and then decide x 20:46
Madam Mayor
Perfect! See you tomorrow 💗 enjoy the other half of your shift xx 20:48
Sheriff Swan
I’ll try to! See you tomorrow, Your Majesty xx 20:50
After her long day, an exhausted Emma drives home. Her boss had actually let her keep her Bug parked in the staff car park, while she had gone to class earlier on the bus. It was actually cheaper and easier than trying to find somewhere near campus to park.
It’s 1:20 AM when she’s quietly trying to put the key into the lock. To her surprise, the front door suddenly swings open. On the other side of it is Ruby who looked more exhausted than Emma did.
The blonde was confused why she was still awake, considering the last few nights the brunette had been asleep before midnight. However, she pushes that to the back of her mind while trudging inside and upstairs, as Ruby locks the door. Emma brushed her teeth before sleepily stumbling into her room and practically crashing on the bed wearing most of her clothes still. She managed to kick off her boots, sluggishly pull off her jeans, and drag herself under the duvet, still wearing her polo shirt. Emma struggled to put her phone on charge, fumbling with the cable to try and plug her cell in. After a few tries she manages to do so. The phone flashing up the charging notification to confirm this. Moments later, her eyelids grew heavy, drifting into a deep slumber.
The next morning, Emma’s blaring phone alarm startled her from her sleep. Nearly falling out of bed to turn the alarm off, she groans at the sudden intrusion from the dream she was having.
I really need to get this sleeping pattern fixed.
She thinks to herself as a frustrated grumble escapes her lips.
Emma knew this wasn’t likely for a while because of the amount of extra shifts at work she was doing. She wasn’t quite sure how she managed to get so much of her college assignments done this week. After realizing by the time work finished later today, she would’ve done nearly 32 hours at the bar on top of her full time study, when her usual hours were capped at 20. She needed the extra money so she could have more time off next month and not worry about bills when she would be paid in October. As if it wasn’t bad enough that October was going to be busy with her friends, she had to make sure for her own peace of mind that she wouldn’t struggle later on.
Emma closed her eyes, hitting her head gently against her pillow. Not to try and go back to sleep, but to gather her thoughts.
Why the hell did I set my alarm for 10 AM when I don’t have work for another 4 hours? Oh, wait. I still have to submit my essay and do some laundry. Fuck! This job is draining me, but it pays too well to give it up, and I can’t stand retail or barista work…
Emma would eventually drag herself out of bed and into the bathroom. After showering, she finally felt alive enough to grab toast for breakfast, as that was all she could manage to make this morning.
Sat at the kitchen table with her laptop, she bites another piece of toast while reading through her essay, double checking everything. 20 minutes later, Emma had finally submitted her essay online, downing her coffee in triumph.
“One down. 50 million to go.” Zelena jokes, entering the kitchen, having noticed the younger woman had sent off her assignment.
Emma mumbled in agreement before knitting her eyebrows with concern.
Is the world upside down? That’s 4 days Zelena has been awake before midday, and it’s a Saturday! Did I enter an alternate universe and just didn’t notice?
The younger woman briefly contemplates.
“Ok, who are you and what have you done with Zelena?” She blurted without giving it a second’s thought.
The redhead frowns for a moment at the obscure question. “Huh? Oh! Is it because I’m awake at the
other
11 O’clock on a Saturday where there’s daylight?”
The younger woman nods at Zelena’s question. “Pretty much. Either vampires are now immune to sunlight, or Ruby needs a new head canon.” Emma suggests, which was met with a scoff from the older woman.
“Oh, she still insists I’m a vampire then?” Zelena asked with genuine amusement at the ridiculousness of it.
“Yeah, but I know the grim reaper works all hours of the day and it can’t be that either. I’m still betting you’re working for Lucifer.” She jokes, adding to the incredulous conversation.
Bold of you to assume I work…
Zelena muses for a moment before continuing. “So what you’re saying is
you’re
secretly the grim reaper?” The redhead retorts with a sarcastic smirk which Emma rolls her eyes at.
They were never quite sure how they had always come back to this conversation, but ever since it had come up almost a year ago, they never seemed to completely drop the subject. What had started out as a joke about Zelena’s hatred of the sun, ended up being a rabbit hole conversation about the possibility of the redhead being a vampire.
The conversation had brought the group closer together. It had been after a night out when Emma was crashing on their sofa because it was 3am and she didn’t want to get an uber back to her student dorm. The trio had been sitting chatting in a circle for hours, barely noticing the time. None of them knew it then how solid their friendship would become and that they would end up living together.
“Well, I’m off to have my hair and nails done. Robin and I are going on a date this evening to a new restaurant.” Zelena clarifies, showing Emma her crimson nails with chipped nail polish.
“Oh fun!” Emma replied with a casual shrug.
“Don’t forget Ruby’s not back until tomorrow evening, she’s visiting her granny for the weekend.”
“That’s why she was awake so early! What time did she leave?”
“I think she said Mulan picked her up at 4 this morning. Rather her than me.”
“Agreed.”
Ruby had met Zelena in their first year of college, but the thing that had brought them closer together was when Zelena had morally supported her when her grandmother lost her business. Ruby had never known her parents and was raised by her grandmother who owned a diner. It had been a difficult year financially, and as a result, the diner had to shut down, due to rising rent costs. Zelena had suggested that she could speak to Cora for help, which really was the last resort in Ruby’s mind. She didn’t trust the woman but knew she was as shrewd as her own granny, when it came to business.
Begrudgingly, Widow Lucas struck an arrangement with Cora that felt like doing a deal with the devil. Ruby still didn’t like the Mills matriarch, but she was grateful for the help. The agreement was that Ruby and her grandmother would move to Storybrooke and open the diner and B&B where an old café used to be. Cora would cover their transportation fees and helped secure a good deal on the unit from Mr. Gold who owned far too much in that town for anyone’s liking. In return, Cora would receive 10% of the annual profits the diner and B&B would make.
It’s not like a wealthy woman such as the Mills matriarch needed the money. For her it was the principle. She wanted to feel needed and valuable to people. If it meant throwing money at the situation then she would be happy to oblige.
Ruby thought it might be a large culture shock moving to somewhere as quaint as Storybrooke. To her surprise, it didn’t stun her as much as she had anticipated. She loved that the town had a nearby forest area where she, Zelena, and Regina would often go perform spells during the full moon. It wasn’t Boston, but it had people she loved living there which made it feel like home.
After a moment of silence that felt too long for the redhead, Zelena suggestively raises an eyebrow. Leaning against the kitchen doorway, she states to the blonde, “so it’ll just be you and Regina tonight watching Ocean’s 8.”
Emma does her best to withhold a suspicious eyebrow raise. Instead, the blonde manages to give the redhead a nod of acknowledgement.
Admitting defeat at the realization she wasn’t getting the answers she desperately wanted, she shrugs it off for the meantime. Zelena had almost forgotten how stubborn the younger woman could be. She was used to how strong-willed Regina is, having lived with her sister for long enough. Yet, she was still adjusting to Emma’s own efforts.
“Anyway, enjoy! And don’t work too hard, I swear you spend more time at work than you do anywhere else these days. I’ll see you tomorrow sometime.” The redhead quickly hugs the blonde before heading out.
After sauntering out of the house and locking the door, surprisingly, Zelena caught the bus. Her sister and stepfather would be impressed, albeit taken aback that she had even considered it. Her mother, on the other hand, would faint at the suggestion of public transport.
Note to self, next time I want to give mother a migraine, I’ll tell her I took the bus into the city.
She contemplates with a devious smirk, glancing out of the window.
After the quick bus ride into the city, Zelena calls her sister on the walk to the salon. At first she thought it would go to voicemail, but it actually didn’t. Regina, rather reluctantly, picked it up by the final ring.
“Must you insist on calling me?” The brunette grumbled from the other side of the phone.
Oh, I was looking forward to singing an obnoxious song for the voicemail. A day of Bippity Boppity Boo stuck in her head.
Zelena thinks to herself.
“Nice to speak to you too.” She says with an eye roll that Regina didn’t need to see to know what she was doing.
“Hold on, why the hell are you awake at this hour?” the younger woman asks, completely flawed by the realization.
The redhead scoffed. She was almost offended at people’s disbelief that she could actually choose to be awake during the day at a socially acceptable hour.
“I’m getting my hair and nails done. Robin and I are going to this charming little Italian restaurant tonight for a date.”
“He must be trying to get into your good books then.” Regina suggests with a smirk.
“Very much so. I called him out on it recently for canceling our date plans so he could get wasted with the no-good pirate.” She explains with a hint of irritation in her inflection.
“Does Hook have any redeeming qualities?” Regina asks before immediately questioning why she even said that.
“I’ll let you know if I ever find out.” The redhead replies with a scoff, causing her sister to chuckle.
“So that means you and Rubes won’t get to see Sheriff’s reaction to Ocean’s 8.” The younger woman says, now changing the subject. She sat aimlessly fiddling with her pen between her fingers, trying to distract herself from the fizz of emotions sparking inside her. A mix of excitement and nerves being the main culprits for the chemical warfare.
“I’m afraid not. So, you and Emma have the
entire
evening to yourselves.” Zelena doesn’t even attempt to hide the insinuation. She knew full well the effect Emma had on Regina.
The brunette wasn’t having any of it today. It was too close to meeting up with Emma that she needed to get her emotions under control. She promptly changes the subject before her sister could say anything. “Did you hear that Mulan’s taking Ruby on a date tomorrow?”
“WHAT?!” Zelena shrieked so loud that passersby turned to look. She simply offered a scowl when they did, before continuing her conversation.
“Yup!” Regina confessed with a shit-eating grin.
“Fucking finally!” She almost yelled with delight.
This time a woman with a baby in a pram tutted at her to which the redhead rolled her eyes. As soon as the woman was out of earshot, the redhead changed the subject to gossip about her instead.
“Can you believe this?! Some woman just tutted at me in the street because she had her baby in the stroller. That’s a 2-month-old baby, Karen; not a child with a vocabulary. Don’t worry your precious little cherub’s first word won’t be bugger, or something.” Zelena complains, as she continues to stride along the sidewalk, utterly irritated by the disapproving look the woman had given her.
The brunette chuckled in amusement. “I guarantee if you ever have kids, that’s exactly what would happen.”
“Oh god, don’t you start! Emma joked earlier about… actually never mind…”
Regina’s face instantly lit up at the sound of her sister mentioning Emma. Her heart began to flutter at the thought of the blonde.
“No, no! Go on. What were you joking about?” Regina asked far too enthusiastically for her own liking. Her keenness to hear more about Emma would usually lead to an amass of teasing from her sister.
“Honestly, it needs context and it’s a long story. Remind me to tell you tomorrow.” She replies almost dismissively, much to Regina’s disappointment.
“Fine, fine. I’m holding you to that, though.”
“Anyway, back to the topic of Mulan.” Zelena says with genuine curiosity.
Regina almost burst with joy, practically shouting down the phone, “So basically Ruby was looking for a gift for her Granny’s birthday and anyway that led her to running into Mulan a few weeks ago who helped her out with making the present. Anyway, they’ve been texting on and off for a few weeks and Mulan finally found the courage to ask her out!”
They both simultaneously squealed with excitement. The sound reverberated between their phones causing a static feedback noise.
Once the pair had calmed down, Zelena continued the conversation. “You know what that means? We’ll definitely have new gossip to talk about next week. This is so exciting!”
“I’m thrilled for them! Ruby deserves this after what happened with Dorothy.”
“I’m excited for them too, you know? Not just for the gossip. I am genuinely happy for them… Anyway, darling, I’ve got to go! I’m just about to go into the salon. I’ll text you later! Mwah! Love you!” she says blowing kisses down the phone in a hurry, as she realizes where she was.
“Love you too” Regina manages to say before her sister hangs up.
After doing laundry and having lunch, Emma made her way into work. At this point she was no longer counting down the hours. It was more like minutes. Surprisingly, most of her shift was clearing and wiping tables, or the occasional trip to the basement for more beers. Grabbing her red leather jacket, as her shift ended, she checked her pockets for her phone to see it had a message on it from Regina.
Madam Mayor
Got Ocean’s 8 and my stuff to stay over. I actually have my toothbrush and clothes this time 😉 anything else you need me to bring before I catch the bus? Xx 18:03
Sheriff Swan
Only yourself 😉 just about to drive home, want me to pick you up? Xx 18:07
Madam Mayor
No, I’m good! Thank you 😘 x 18:08
Sheriff Swan
Really, you hated my driving that much? Xx 18:09
Madam Mayor
No 🤣 it’s just out of your way that’s all 💗 x 18:10
Sheriff Swan
Honestly it’s not a problem xx 18:11
Madam Mayor
My bus will be here in 10 minutes before you’d even get here x 18:12
Sheriff Swan
No worries your Majesty 😉 👑 see you soon! 💗 x 18:13
After Emma had arrived home and gotten changed, she anxiously sat on the sofa waiting for Regina to arrive. A sudden notification ping from her phone made her jump. It was a text message from Ingrid, her foster mom.
Ingrid
Hi Emma! Just wanted to see how you were this week as August and I hadn’t heard from you. I’m sure you’re busy but don’t overwork yourself. Hope to hear from you soon x
Emma began to type out a reply before deciding it might be nicer to actually call her. After three rings, Ingrid picks up.
“Emma, sweetheart, how are you?” The warmth in her voice always seemed to soothe her.
“Hey mom! Sorry I haven’t texted much. I’ve just been super stressed with work. I took on extra shifts this week and dealing with my assignments while trying to keep on top of things in the house. Anyway… How are you?”
“Darling, why did you take on extra shifts? Is it getting too busy at the bar?” The inflection in her voice changed just enough for Emma to notice that it had become inquisitive.
“No! I just… It doesn’t matter.” She says, trying to shake off the topic with limited success.
“Emma.” Her tone shifted from curiosity to concern which the young woman knew she wasn’t going to be able to alleviate so easily.
The blonde sighed, wishing she hadn’t called. But deep down she knew she couldn’t avoid the conversation forever. When Zelena of all people would notice how much she was working then it must almost be obvious to everyone around her. If Emma was honest, she preferred having this conversation with Ingrid than David and Mary Margaret.
She took a deep breath before continuing. “It’s just with everything planned next month I wanted to make sure I had enough money. David and Mary Margaret had to buy me a new tire because mine had a puncture. Then freshers I
really
tried not to spend too much. I just wanted to show I can be independent and also not feel like I'm missing out with my friends…”
The older woman on the other side of the phone sighs, feeling like she had let her foster daughter down. It broke her heart hearing Emma feeling like this. Ingrid had always tried to give Emma every opportunity to have a normal life, from the moment she came to live with her. Emma had missed out on so much in group homes. Ingrid had always done her best to help Emma feel like she belonged, after her foster daughter had spent so much of her childhood feeling like an outsider.
“Second year is always a lot more challenging than first year, Emma. It’s a big jump in the workload. I don’t want you to struggle with your grades, because you were working too hard at the bar. You need to have time for yourself too, to make sure you have the energy to study.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I’m just finding it hard to get a balance.” She replied as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Pacing the room, the sound of her boots reverberated as they connected with the floor.
“Sweetheart, you have nothing to apologize for.”
“I know…”
“Are you working this weekend?” Her foster mother patiently asked.
“I finished at 6. I’m not back in work until Monday evening.”
“Ok, that’s good. I’m glad to hear that. What are you going to do this weekend? Are you spending time with Zelena and Ruby?”
“Well I submitted another assignment this morning. Zelena’s at Robin’s this evening and Ruby went home for the weekend as it’s her Granny’s birthday. Actually, Regina’s coming over at 7 and we’re gonna watch a movie and get takeout.” Emma’s face lit up as soon as soon as Regina came to mind. She nervously bit her lower lip as she realized how the brunette made her feel. The sound of Ingrid’s voice was what brought her back to reality.
“Regina, that’s Zelena’s sister, right? The one you went to brunch with?” The older woman asked with genuine fascination. She wasn’t checking up on her but was still approaching the subject carefully, knowing how Emma felt about being asked personal questions.
“Yeah, it was her idea. She paid, and wouldn't let me, as it was to say thank you.”
“Well that’s so kind of her!” Ingrid’s voice beamed down the phone. To tell the truth, she was relieved that Emma was starting to trust other people enough to let them into her life, knowing how difficult it had been for her.
“Yeah, she really has a heart of gold.” Emma admitted as a blush tinted her cheeks. Even thinking about Regina made her feel warm and fuzzy inside.
“I’m glad you’re having fun and getting your assignments done. I just don’t want you to burn yourself out from overworking.” Her foster mother replied with a slightly more serious tone.
“I won’t, I promise, mom.” She tries to reassure her, although it felt more like she was trying to convince herself instead.
“Alright, well, message or call me next week when you’re free. Say hi to Regina for me!”
“I will!”
As the phone call ended, Emma breathed a sigh of relief having got that off her chest. She was grateful for Ingrid still being around and supporting her. As she sat back down on the sofa, suddenly her phone pinged. She thought it might have been Regina letting her know that she was off the bus. Instead it was a PayPal notification from her foster mother.
‘You received $40 from Ingrid Fisher.
Hope you have a relaxing weekend. I know takeout can be expensive so I hope this helps. If you need anything, you know where I am x’
Emma instantly sent a text to Ingrid thanking her. As she does, she receives a notification from Regina which she opens as soon as she receives it.
Madam Mayor
Bus just dropped me off, ETA 4 mins x 18:50
Sheriff Swan
Great! See you soon xx 18:50
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
True to her word, Regina arrived exactly 4 minutes later. She didn’t get a chance to ring the doorbell before the front door swung open. An amused smirk stretched across Regina’s lips at Emma’s eagerness. The moment that Emma’s eyes lit up with delight, Regina knew she was smitten by the beautiful woman.
Emma had already changed out of her work clothes before Regina had arrived. Now standing in gray cuffed joggers that bunched up around her ankles because they were too long, and a black tank top that accentuated her toned biceps, she smiled warmly at the older woman.
Regina could barely take her eyes off of her. The brunette swiftly swallowed as she realized she was staring. Quickly pulling her rucksack higher on her shoulder; chocolate eyes flickered away from shiny emerald to recompose herself. It was short-lived composure because as soon as her gaze moved elsewhere, Emma’s voice captured her attention. The sound of that husky tone filled Regina’s ears with desire. Her eyes dilated at the way Emma’s voice felt like home.
As soon as the blonde asked if she could hug her, Regina agreed with newfound enthusiasm. Stepping into each other’s space always felt like two magnets drawn to each other. Regina’s arms snaked around the woman’s neck, as Emma buried her face in the older woman’s shoulder. There was no mistaking it this time how heavily their hearts were beating in sync. The loud thud thundering in their chests filled the space between them.
Emma thought that she had died and gone to heaven, as the scent of apples and cinnamon flooded her senses. Regina’s perfume was crisp and warm. It reminded the blonde of hot apple pies on a winter’s day. There was something so familiar and comforting about all of this that the younger woman hadn’t realized just how badly she needed this today. Regina had become one of her safe spaces and she was no longer afraid to admit that to herself.
“Is it weird to say I missed you?” The younger woman softly asked, pulling away.
“Of course not, I’m amazing, Miss Swan.” Regina suggestively raised an eyebrow, her lip curling at the sides of her smirk. Emma chuckled, closing the front door.
“I missed you too, by the way.” The brunette softly added, hiding her blush that tinted her cheeks. Striding into the living room, she placed her rucksack down next to the sofa.
Emma wouldn’t admit that she had taken the opportunity to look twice at Regina in her attire. The blonde secretly adored most of the brunette’s wardrobe, and not just because Regina was wearing it.
Fuck! How does she make every outfit look incredible? Although I’d much rather she was wearing nothing… Snap out of it, Swan! She mentally scolded herself.
“I’m honored, Your Majesty.” The younger woman teased, masking her desire as quickly as it had arrived. It was immediately met with a curious eyebrow raise from Regina.
“As you should be!” The older of the two joked with a smirk.
Emma simply rolled her eyes at the sarcastic remark, burying her true feelings. She would never actually admit how much she enjoyed calling Regina that nickname.
They both simultaneously sit down on the sofa. The brunette pulls out the Ocean’s 8 case from her bag beside her: waving it enthusiastically at the blonde. Emma abandons all manners to grab the disc case.
Instantly turning her attention to the cover, she almost bursts with excitement. “OMG! Cate Blanchett’s in this? Now I see why
you
would say it’s definitely gay.”
The brunette scoffed as a chuckle escaped her lips. “I told you!”
“I know, I know. You win!” The younger woman concedes with another eye-roll. As she does, Regina turns her head and gestures to her ear, grabbing the other woman’s attention.
A smug grin escapes the brunette’s lips which makes the blonde want to kiss her so badly. “I’m sorry, Emma, could you repeat that? I didn’t quite hear you properly!”
Desire flooded every ounce of Emma’s body. She knew she had to do something quickly before her feelings took over. The blonde glares in hopes that it’s enough to defuse the flirty air between them. Just to be on the safe side though, she redirected her attention to the disc case, so she could at least avoid the other woman’s gaze.
As Emma turned over the box to read the synopsis on the back, Regina studied her intently, completely enthralled by the captivating woman.
“I’m sorry, where the fuck are my manners?” Emma says as she now places the disc case down.
Regina muses to herself, remaining completely straight-faced.
In the gutter, like my brain every time I see you…
The younger woman adds, “I should’ve asked; did you want a drink or something?”
“Sure!”
The sultry sound of the brunette’s voice flooded Emma’s thoughts with temptation. The younger woman quickly regathers her thoughts. Standing up from her seat, she gestures towards the kitchen, “Great! What do you want?”
“Whatever you’re having is fine.” She warmly replied with a smile.
Emma confidently strides out of the room. As the taller woman entered the kitchen to collect two cold beers from the fridge, she couldn’t fight the intrusive thoughts swimming in her mind.
How am I so shit at this? I know it’s been a while since I’ve done… Well, whatever the hell this is.
She contemplated with a sigh.
Regina had made herself comfy on the sofa when Emma returned from the kitchen.
“I assume you haven’t started hating beer since last week?” She says as she hands the bottle to the brunette.
“Wow! The Sheriff’s drinking. Not working tomorrow then?” Regina asks as she gratefully accepts the beer from the younger woman.
“Not until Monday evening. If they call tomorrow I’ll tell them I can’t make it. I just want a weekend where I’m not working my ass off.” Emma says as she plonked herself down on the other side of the sofa.
“Well, good! The hours you worked this week, a break is the least you deserve.” Regina replied, feeling reassured that Emma wasn’t working herself into the ground.
She was concerned when Zelena mentioned the other day how often Emma was behind the bar recently. Hearing that Emma was actually taking her days off came as a relief to Regina’s ears. Her attention now, however, was drawn to the bottle she was holding. Frowning in frustration, it had just occurred to her, on further inspection, that it wasn’t a twist lid.
I'm not gonna pry it off with my teeth.
The brunette mentally concluded with knitted eyebrows.
“Don’t worry, Your Highness. Help is on the way.” Emma sarcastically teases. Using her bottle opener keyring that she had grabbed from the kitchen drawer earlier; she swiftly undoes the dark-haired woman’s beer.
As Regina rolled her eyes, the blonde smirked at her reaction.
“The correct term is ‘Your Majesty’ for a queen. Highness is for a princess.” The brunette remarks.
The younger of the two shrugged, continuing to poke fun at her, “I stand by what I said.”
Regina scoffs, shaking her head at the audacity.
“I’ll hold you to that!” She replies with a faux warning. Her eyes darkened with desire that even Emma couldn’t deny this time.
Anticipation ached in Emma’s body, wishing for release. Every second that their lips weren’t connected was becoming like torture. She had to distract herself and
soon
.
“Oh, I don’t doubt it.” The blonde managed to muster a reply while effortlessly opening her bottle of beer. It had been enough to block out the lustful ideas toying in her mind.
Regina meanwhile would be slightly impressed by the fact the bottle opener has multiple functions if she wasn’t too busy smirking about its theme. “Seriously, you even have a Batman bottle opener?” She asks, pointing to the wing-shaped device.
The blonde grinned, before handing it to Regina to inspect. As the brunette peers closely at the device, Emma continues to discuss it. “It’s a multitool bottle opener. The middle part opens bottles, the top right is the keychain, and then the points of the wings have a flathead and crosshead screwdriver.”
This time it’s Emma’s turn to raise an eyebrow, as Regina scoffs again.
“Ok, I’m not gonna lie, that is
kinda
impressive.” She says with a shy grin, gently handing the bottle opener back to its owner.
“I’m sorry, Regina, could you repeat that? I didn’t quite hear you properly!” Emma smugly replies. As she offered a satisfied grin, she was immediately met with one of Regina’s famous eye rolls.
Regina wasn’t ready to admit to herself yet that she would go to the ends of the earth if she had to, just to see Emma happy. She loved seeing the carefree side of Emma more than words could say.
“Should we pick somewhere to order food from?” The younger woman suggested to the brunette who had made herself comfy on the sofa by cuddling one of the cushions.
Regina suddenly perks up from her seat to open her phone and talk about the options. “Okay, so I’ve narrowed it down based on the options to two noodle places and two burger restaurants. So the first noodle place has a 70-minute wait currently but is 1.5 KM distance from us, the second noodle place is a 30-minute wait, but it’s about 3.5 KM away. This burger place is about 30 minutes’ wait but it’s around 4 KM away. Whereas this one is a 45-minute wait and 2 KM.”
Why is that so attractive? Regina Mills is totally my type. Oh fuck, I’m screwed, this is a disaster! So much for not falling for the sister of one of your best friends. Damn it! Why did Zelena have to have such an incredible sister who is way too hot for her own goo–
“Earth to Emma?”
The blonde quickly shook her head, bringing herself back to reality. “Yeah, I was listening! You said you narrowed it down to four options, um… two have longer wait times, but the others are further away.”
As she inspected the suggestions closely, Emma added, “The last one has some amazing burgers. It’s probably the better burger option that can be delivered to us.”
“Ok, so we’re going with them then?” Regina asks to which the blonde nods in agreement. She hands her phone to Emma so she can decide on her order.
As the younger woman scrolls through the menu, she stops suddenly to ask Regina a question. “They do sides where it’s 50/50 onion rings and fries, wanna get them and share?”
You’re being incredibly adorable right now; I can’t handle it. Stop being so cute, Swan!
Regina beams to herself, quickly trying to shake the thought away.
“Sure! Are they just plain though? Or do they bury them under a mountain of cheese?” She manages to ask, hoping that the heat rising in her cheeks wasn’t showing on her face at how attracted she was to Emma.
If it had been written on Regina’s features, Emma certainly didn’t notice. Or at least bring it up if she had.
“They have plain, chili, or cheese options. But if you want plain we can do that.” The younger woman says while selecting to add them to the basket.
She chose her burger and the drink, adding those as well, before handing Regina her phone back. After having chosen their food, the brunette paid and sent the order to the restaurant. Regina had anticipated the conversation about paying the bill, based purely on brunch last week.
“I’m just trying to be nice, Emma. I like your company.”
“And I’m just saying you don’t have to buy me food every time you want to be around me.”
“I know, I just… I’m trying to be helpful!”
“Are you suggesting I can’t afford it?”
“No, that is NOT what I’m saying. Don’t twist my words, Emma.”
After spending nearly 5 whole minutes debating the situation, Regina finally relented and let Emma send her half via PayPal. Regina meant well, but it was becoming evident how their love languages would sometimes clash. Regina’s love language was gifting and paying for things, whereas Emma’s was physical touch and words of affirmation.
Emma’s pride mixed with her fear of missing out was something she was still working on overcoming. Regina understood this and didn’t mean to upset Emma with the offer of paying for food again. Regina herself was struggling to adapt to Emma’s love language, but she wanted to try to see if she could accept that type again. It was always something the brunette had struggled with. From her mother’s love often coming across as conditional, to how her ex, Mallory was cold and lacking affection. The closest she had adapted to affection was occasionally allowing the people closest to her to hug her. Even that still made her feel anxious at times.
Emma was trying to trust people enough to let down her walls. Whether that was talking about her past, or occasionally letting people help her when she couldn’t do something herself.
Regina and Emma felt like they came from different worlds, thrown together to try and make sense of their connection.
They both felt like they needed to let off some steam. Emma excused herself to use the bathroom to give herself a moment after their dispute. Regina instead opted to message her group chat with Zelena and Ruby.
Witches Who Wear Pink
Evil Queen
Did I seriously just spend 5 solid minutes arguing with the Sheriff about who’s paying for our food? Yes, yes I did. 19:35
Wicked Witch of the West
I’m guessing based on the fact you’re messaging us about it, that you lost. 19:36
Evil Queen
We agreed to split the bill. 19:36
Red Riding Hood
Aww, Gina’s sad her girlfriend won’t let her pay for everything. Xx 19:37
Evil Queen
Seriously? How many times do I have to say this? Emma is NOT my girlfriend. We aren’t dating. I don’t even know if she’s not straight, let alone if she’s into me. 19:38
Red Riding Hood
I get what you’re saying. You aren’t dating and you’re mad about it. That’s fair enough, as you should be! 😉 Xx 19:38
Evil Queen
😡 😡 19:39
Red Riding Hood
😂 19:39
Wicked Witch of the West
😂 😂 😂 Rubes you’re hilarious! Anyway g2g, date time. Love you both! 😘 19:40
As Regina goes to lock her phone she gets a notification from Uber Eats with a confirmation of their order and an estimated delivery time.
“ETA 45 minutes, Swan.” The brunette said to Emma as she entered the living room a few minutes later.
“Awesome! We could watch an episode of Supergirl while we wait if you want? Saves pausing the movie.”
“Ooh definitely! Where are you up to now?” Regina replied as Emma grabbed the TV remote to turn on Netflix.
“Lena and James just got together. It’s kinda weird, I should like it but he was degrading her only a few episodes ago and now they’re dating? I hate to say it but please tell me if they break up soon?”
Oh, Emma. If only you knew.
Regina mused to herself with her best poker face.
“You know what I’m gonna say.” She replies with a raised eyebrow.
“I know! You’re not gonna answer that. I’m just thinking out loud.”
The brunette scoffed. “And trying to see if I react to give the plot away.”
Emma huffed in defeat, before starting the episode.
Early into the episode, Regina was slightly surprised that Emma asked her a question. Normally the blonde would wait until Regina said something, but maybe she felt comfortable enough just asking her things now that they spent more time together.
“You shipped Sanvers, right?” the younger woman asked casually, still staring at the screen.
“Yeah, I really did… don’t tell anyone this, ok?” Regina replied, which made Emma instantly tear her eyes away from the TV.
The younger woman nods in response.
Regina let out a breath she was holding before replying in a whisper, “I cried when they broke up.”
Emma’s eyes instantly went soft which caused the brunette’s cheeks to become warmer.
“That’s so precious!” Emma coos as a grin dashes across her lips.
“Shut up!” She jokingly mutters while trying to hide her embarrassment by burying her face behind the cushion she was holding.
The blonde simply returned her attention to the show instead of teasing her. It was only when Regina had managed to get over her shyness at her confession that Emma decided to continue the conversation.
“So I presume SuperCorp is your OTP in Supergirl now?” She asks without glancing at Regina, hoping it would help her in some way.
“Rhetorical question.” The brunette deadpans, making the blonde chuckle.
“Who do you ship?” The brunette asked almost instantly after.
“I’m not sure yet, but I know it’s not Lena and James. They’re gonna have to change the circumstances before I would even consider GuardianCorp.”
Regina seemed satisfied with the answer and hummed in agreement. She settled down further into her seat as they continued to watch her comfort show. As they watched
Supergirl
, the brunette couldn’t help but notice the similarities between Emma and Supergirl, beyond the obvious blonde hair and
amazing physique
which Regina regularly liked to remind herself of. Emma looked at French toast with the same heart eyes as Kara Danvers looked at pot stickers. Her kindness and how she tries to see the good in people are identical to Supergirl. The brunette adored the way the blonde’s eyes lit up when she was watching the show and how much more invested she was. She loved seeing this side of Emma, the feisty, brilliant, happy side of her whose smile was brighter than New York City at night.
Regina would normally be more focused on the screen, especially when Lena Luthor appeared, but she wasn’t sure what was suddenly making her feel restless that day. There was something about the connection between her and Emma that kept her feeling alert. Normally that spark only coursed through her veins when they touched, but today it was alive as they were sitting a meter away. The way Emma’s energy flooded her space made her crave closing the space between them. She wanted to be so near to her that their hands would delicately touch.
Suddenly Regina’s interest piqued at the blonde’s body language. Her stomach began to flutter as soon as she snuck a glance at the other woman who was transfixed by Alex Danvers now on screen. Emma had subconsciously bitten her lip when Alex started talking to Sam on screen about being a Doctor before she joined the FBI. Something inside Regina started tingling as she looked twice at the oblivious woman across from her. It would take every ounce of her strength to ignore it. She knew how badly she wanted Emma and yet still didn’t even know if Emma felt the same way about women, let alone about her.
After eventually managing to ignore the desire growing inside her, with twenty minutes of the episode left, the brunette decided to open up the conversation about the show.
“You never asked me why I ship SuperCorp.” She says casually, without tearing her eyes away from the screen.
“I just assumed you ship every possible sapphic pairing.” Emma jokes with a casual shrug. If she hadn’t been fixated on the characters on screen, she would’ve had time to notice the brunette’s expression change.
Maybe it was the stress of her mother’s impending visit that made her more irritable. Perhaps her frustration at not knowing how Emma felt about her had taken over. Who knows? It might have been that the stereotype got on her nerves. Either way, Regina doesn’t manage to hide how annoyed she is. Her mouth hung open in shock at the younger woman’s remark.
“¡Cómo te atreves!”
Emma blinked numerous times in fear and confusion, tearing her eyes away from the screen to look at the exasperated woman who sat beside her. “Holy shit! Did you just insult me in Spanish?” She hadn’t expected Regina to be angry at what she said, let alone tell her in her native language.
Oh fuck! I just realized how that sounded to her. She doesn’t know I’m not straight. She thinks I’m stereotyping her and not being sarcastic. Ugh, this is a fucking mess! I’m such an idiot. How do I tell her that I didn’t mean it like tha–
Emma’s thoughts are interrupted by the brunette’s voice.
Almost instantly, the older of the two offered a look of apology. “Sorry, I snapped. I didn’t mean to. Sometimes when I’m irritated it just comes out. I uh… for context I said, ‘How dare you!’”
“I thought you were calling me an ass or something.” The blonde sheepishly admits.
“No, that would be ‘Culo’. ‘Cómo’ in this context meant ‘how’.”
“Oh man, I’m gonna have to work on my Spanish. All I remember from high school is Papas Fritas.” She says to the brunette, leaning further into her cushion now for comfort.
As the negative energy dissipated, Regina’s eyes studied her expression for a moment, unable to read Emma’s emotions. “You took Spanish in high school?” She asked with genuine curiosity whilst trying not to make Emma feel uncomfortable. She understood how difficult it was for Emma to open up about her past.
The younger of the two nodded before explaining, “It was mandatory in 9
th
grade. Taking a language, I mean. It was Spanish or French. The French teachers hated me, so Spanish was really the only option that wouldn’t get me kicked out for so much as breathing.”
The brunette couldn’t contain her enthusiasm. Not only did she have something else in common with Emma, but maybe it was something that would bring them closer together. “Well if you ever want someone to practice with, let me know. I’d be more than happy to help!”
“Thanks, Regina. If I do take it up again, I promise you’ll be the first to know.”
“The offer is always open. My dad taught me, but I don’t know if I’m as good at teaching it as he is. Obviously, no pressure. I just meant if I can help, I will.”
“Well, you can’t be any worse than that stupid green bird on Duolingo. Harassing little shit that he is.”
The brunette chuckled at the blonde’s remark.
“Yes! So Zelena told me when she was learning through the app. She started learning it there because she wanted to see if she could get used to it and surprise my dad and me. One day she got so worked up when she confused masculine and feminine that she would explain what happened and would ask me to teach her. So, when she would
still
muddle them, instead of kicking off at an anthropomorphic bird, she chose to vent at
me
.”
“Definitely sounds like Zelena… I can’t say I’m gonna be any better at learning it, but, I promise I wouldn’t call you names in Spanish.”
“No, English is just fine.” The brunette jokes.
“I’ll save insults in Spanish to the expert, I think.” Emma retorts.
“I didn’t
insult
you though, did I?” She quips with a smirk.
“True. But! I would have deserved that if you did after what I said.”
“Emma, I…”
“It’s fine, Regina. Don’t feel bad. I uh…”
It’s ok! I can do this. Oh my god! Can I really tell her? I don’t want her to find out from anyone else. It’s better to tell her now before it all becomes complicated. I want her to know because I trust her.
The blonde mentally convinces herself as anxiety boils in her veins. Her heart rate leaped as her breath became shakier. She suddenly swallowed which instantly drew the brunette’s attention.
Regina wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, but she knew that something was eating away at Emma. She wanted to comfort her but knew that right now the younger woman just needed her to be patient and listen. So instead, she sat quietly and waited for the younger woman to speak.
Emma exhaled, “Even though I’m not straight, I still shouldn’t have made the joke. It was insensitive of me, I’m sorry. I still have a lot to learn.”
Emma’s heart thumped loudly in her chest. Her eyes became wider with anticipation. She didn’t fully know how Regina would react to what she had just told her. It was a lot for Emma to take that step, but part of her was at least slightly relieved to say it out loud.
Regina couldn’t quite believe her ears.
Had she been dreaming?
No…
It was
real
.
Oh gods! This is amazing! Emma’s not straight, Zelena and Ruby were right. She just came out to me, this is huge. Say something!
She began softly with a small smile on her lips. “Emma, I’m honored that you told me. I know first-hand how difficult it can be. I appreciate that you felt you could. If you want to talk about it, anytime, we can.”
Her reaction was everything that Emma needed at that moment. She felt like she was entirely weightless like she was floating on cloud nine. Emma couldn't stop smiling. She wanted to cry with joy.
The younger woman mentally beams,
Regina got it! She understands me! She sees me as who I really am!
She looks so relieved. Is this new for her or has she known for a while and only now started to explore it?
Regina wonders for a moment, silently pondering. The brunette didn’t want to make a fuss about what Emma had said unless that’s what she wanted.
She left it open for her to decide, still staying mildly on topic enough for her to change it, if she wanted to. “Again, I’m sorry for how I reacted earlier. I admit that I did think you might’ve been stereotyping me when you said you assumed I shipped every possible sapphic pairing.”
“It was sarcastic, but then I realized that wasn’t clear. It definitely sounded worse because I hadn’t told you I’m not straight. To be completely honest, I’d known for a while, but you were the first person I properly came out to.”
Regina’s eyes lit up with surprise. Her heart fluttered at the confession. There were no words to describe the joy she felt that Emma confided in her, that she was the first person Emma felt comfortable saying it aloud to.
“The fact that you trusted me enough to feel you could tell me means so much to me, Emma. I promise you, from the bottom of my heart, I won’t say anything to anyone else. I know what it’s like to have that taken away from you.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it, Regina, honestly. I almost came out by accident last week to Zelena and she nearly hammered down the door.”
“She did WHAT?!” She snarled as anger flashed in her eyes.
“Yeah, it was a bit much, I won’t lie.” Emma sheepishly confesses, nervously shifting in her seat.
“Gods, she knows better than that! What did you say that led her to nearly breaking the door?” She asked with genuine concern.
“I don’t wanna get into it.” She anxiously admits.
“Shit! I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. Please, forget I said that. I just don’t want you to think you can’t talk to me about things. But also, whatever you need, I’m always here, Emma.”
The blonde glances away for a moment, as a nervous exhale escapes her lips. She subconsciously pulls the cushion closer to her body. Regina instantly recognizes the shift in her body language as she has often reacted the same when she’s bottling her own feelings.
“What’s wrong? You don’t have to tell me. I won’t judge, either way.” She softly says to the younger woman.
The blonde lets out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. “Don’t feel you have to, ok?” She says with a pause at the end, trying to work out Regina’s reaction.
The brunette nods in agreement, before gesturing for her to continue.
“Can I have a hug?” The younger woman asked in almost a whisper.
Regina melted from how soft Emma was being at that very moment. Her heart fluttered as a gentle smile crossed her lips.
“Of course, dear.” She replied with glimmering eyes that shone like stars in the sky.
She instantly opened her arms for her to lean into. Emma quickly shuffled across the sofa before leaning into the embrace. She buried her head in the crook of the brunette’s neck with a delighted hum. Regina contently sighed as she gently placed her arm around the younger woman who was now closely cuddling into her side.
Emma’s life for a time seemed so calm and peaceful. A weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She couldn’t imagine being anywhere else right now. Nestling further into Regina’s arms, she couldn’t believe how happy she felt. Everything for a moment in her life was perfect.
With five minutes left of the episode, their food delivery arrives. Regina suggests she’ll answer the door, so Emma can finish the episode. As the brunette organizes the food, the blonde offers to put on Ocean’s 8. Regina agrees, thanking her for the offer. Sitting back down on the sofa, Emma chuckles to herself, as the brunette grabs some fries and an onion ring.
They finally settled down to watch the movie. Emma wouldn’t even contain her enthusiasm as she pressed play. Regina, on the other hand, was more excited about seeing Emma’s reactions, rather than the actual plot. Not that Regina had ever actually watched Ocean’s 8 for the plot. She didn’t care much for heist movies. What she did care about was seeing Sandra Bullock flirting with Cate Blanchett and Sarah Paulson, Cate Blanchett looking incredible in pantsuits, and Rihanna effortlessly stealing every scene she’s in. She loved most of the casting choices, much like Emma does, as she discovers later on while they discuss the movie.
A third of the way into the movie, Regina becomes distracted by a message on her phone that she had turned on silent. As Emma is watching the movie, she asks the brunette a question about something she doesn’t understand.
“Is Tammy’s husband gonna buy that about the stolen goods being from eBay? Like, come on! Seriously?”
Regina doesn’t hear her, distracted by her cell. Emma frowns for a second before a devious idea crosses her mind. As she was tossing a few French fries into her mouth, she quickly threw one in the brunette’s direction. Narrowly missing her head, instead hitting Regina’s nose before falling onto her lap.
“Hey!” She replies with a flinch, before instantly throwing the French fry back at her. Emma chuckles, tossing the French fry into her mouth.
“Eww! Emma, I touched that.” Regina cringed, which made the younger woman burst out laughing. She loved the way the brunette’s nose crinkled when she was unimpressed.
“Had worse in my mouth,” Emma suggested, after swallowing the French fry.
“Oh, I don’t doubt it!”
“Bitch!”
“Seems we’re even on insulting each other today.”
“Not a contest, Your Majesty.”
“Could’ve fooled me.” Regina suggestively raised an eyebrow, a smirk stretching across her lips.
“You didn’t answer my question.” She replied, seamlessly changing the subject.
“Sorry, dear, I missed it. What was it you asked?”
Emma always felt fuzzy and warm when the brunette had called her dear. Regina likely knew this but certainly gave no indication.
“Debbie asks Tammy how she explains all of the stolen goods in the garage, Tammy says she gets them from eBay. Would her husband seriously buy that idea?”
“I don’t know. He’s never seen, and to be honest it’s not the only convenient plot device.”
Emma sighs, returning to watch the screen, mildly disappointed with the answer. “I can see why you don’t watch the movie for the plot.”
“It’s also not real life, Miss Swan.”
“Wow (!) I never would’ve thought of that until you told me. Thanks, Your Majesty. I was today years old when I learned movies aren’t real (!)”
Regina rolled her eyes at the sarcastic comments, before aiming an onion ring at Emma’s head. The blonde flinched at the impact, as the onion ring hit her ear. Regina’s warm laughter flurried through the air. The previous moments were already forgotten, as Emma’s heart melted at the brunette’s laugh. The only thing that mattered at that exact moment was how happy they both truly were.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Regina hadn’t anticipated waking up to glaring sunlight after only managing 4 hours of sleep, all before her 10 AM alarm. Her eyes blearily blinking at her surroundings, frustrated and confused by the intrusion of the sunlight. She also hadn’t anticipated waking up with her head buried in Emma’s shoulder as the blonde’s arm was firmly snaked around her waist.Then again, Regina hadn’t anticipated most of last night, opting for once to just see how things go, following in Ruby’s footsteps for a change. Regina of course wouldn’t dream of following in Zelena’s footsteps – her ‘fuck around and find out’ mentality wasn’t an approach she would strive towards.At that very moment, nothing felt more reassuring than the strong arms that gently held onto Regina’s side that made the brunette want to snuggle further into the touch. Their breathing was in sync like their heartbeats had been when they hugged yesterday. The blonde sleeping soundly beside her, the brunette sighed peacefully against the crook of her neck.Her mind was fuzzy as she tried to recall last night’s events. Yesterday almost felt like a hazy dream to the young brunette. What started as a relaxing evening watching Ocean’s 8 and throwing onion rings and fries at each other. Because friends totally do that when they’re not listening, it’s definitely not flirting at all… Regina had mentally insisted to herself most of the evening.It ended up somehow becoming a heated discussion about what makes a movie a ‘classic’. Realising that many conversations with Emma would quickly turn into a discussion or heated debate with very little in-between, Regina still wasn’t ready to confess to herself how much desire flooded through her body every single time.After Ocean’s 8 had ended they continued to watch Supergirl (and by continued, it was more background noise until Lena Luthor and Alex Danvers appeared, because they were too busy discussing which of the characters they both found attractive).At some point during the evening, Regina attempted to find out what other movies Emma hadn’t seen. What the older of the two wasn’t prepared for, was discovering that Emma fell asleep halfway through ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. “You can’t be serious? You fell ASLEEP during The Devil Wears Prada?” Regina questioned with a horrified facial expression, making no effort whatsoever to hide how insulted she felt by this. “Oh come on, Regina! You of all people can’t be offended that I slept through that. It’s all about clothes and it’s not gay, so why are you complaining?” “It’s a fantastic movie about the impact of fashion and challenging status and social norms.” “Alright, I admit that it’s progressive for the time, especially having a gay actor playing a gay character.” “Stanley Tucci isn’t gay” “WHAT?!” “I know! That’s what I said, when I found out.” “You’re fucking kidding me!” Regina smugly shook her head. Emma meanwhile began to furiously google if this was true. “OMG! The man is an incredible actor. I’ve been fully convinced he was gay since his performance in Burlesque.” Regina smirked in triumph at the blonde’s response. Her victory, however, as usual, was short-lived. Tumbling into another debate like Alice falling down the rabbit hole into Wonderland, after giving her reasons as to why she thinks Emma needs to watch The Devil Wears Prada. It was all going so well, until the brunette made a rather bold statement. “It’s a classic!” The blonde shook her head in disbelief. “Psycho is a classic, The Godfather is a classic, Singin’ In The Rain is a classic. But some movie from the noughties about clothes is not a classic.” The brunette’s eyes darkened with a mixture of frustration and desire. “Oh, would you look at that, Emma Swan is now a movie expert with her textbook cinema studies list of blockbusters. Don’t tell me your favorite director is Tarantino as well?” Emma scoffed at the question. “That’s just rude! I am not a cliché.” “Could’ve fooled me.” Regina sarcastically quips as she stares down at her phone. She was desperately searching for what streaming site The Devil Wears Prada was on. Emma knew even her quick thinking couldn’t talk her way out of this one. Her brain was trying to think of any movie that she could counteract with instead of having to spend nearly two hours trying not to drift off while Miranda Priestly insults Andrea Sachs. However, Regina’s fingers were faster than the blonde woman’s thoughts. “It’s on Netflix and Disney+” Regina simply stated with a gleeful grin. How would Emma react to those gleaming eyes, that adorable smile, or the way her heart would melt at the brunette’s reaction if she agreed? She knew Regina would drop the subject if she said no. At the same time, part of her wanted to give the movie another go for her. Maybe it won’t be so bad with someone else to talk about it with? Gotta be worth a shot, right? She mentally tells herself in Regina’s defense. Besides, Meryl Streep is kinda hot when she’s angry.
As soon as Emma gently sighed and nodded in agreement, Regina could barely contain her excitement. The blonde chuckled as she handed the TV remote to Regina so she could put the movie on. As Regina began to type in the search bar for the movie, Emma offered to get them both another drink, to which the brunette gratefully accepted. Making her way into the kitchen, Emma checks her cell to see if she has any messages. Scrolling past the notifications from Zelena on her date, she sees a message in the house group chat from Ruby on Snapchat where everyone was affectionately nicknamed by Zelena and never dared to change it.
Welcome To Hell
Kaiser Chiefs sent a message
Kaiser Chiefs
How’s everyone’s evening? Xx
Bri’ish
It’s been so wonderful! Thanks for asking, Rubes. Robin brought me flowers and paid for the whole meal 😍💖
Kaiser Chiefs
Great. Super happy for you, Zee.
Kaiser Chiefs
Hey Emma, how was Ocean’s 8? Xx Did something happen between Ruby and Zelena? Ruby’s acting different around her… Emma mentally ponders before sending a reply.
Welcome To Hell
Miss Marple is typing…
Miss Marple
It was actually really good! I really enjoyed it, although Regina’s somehow managed to convince me to sit through 2 hours of The Devil Wears Prada 🙄 wish me luck 🤞
Bri’ish
It’s totally worth it, you won’t regret it Em Emma quickly picked up two beers from the fridge after placing her phone back in her pocket, before making her way back into the living room. As soon as she had entered the room, the blonde noticed that Regina had the movie ready to play while awaiting her return. She sat down beside the brunette and was instantly met with a smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts. Offering her the drink and quickly glancing away, distracting herself with finding her bottle opener to try and control the butterflies in her stomach. She nervously fumbled with the bottle opener for a second before regaining composure to open the lids. Moments later, the pair would soon settle down to begin watching the movie.At first, the only thing Emma found that would make The Devil Wears Prada more tolerable was Regina’s presence and during a slow scene, the smaller woman subconsciously cuddling up to her, under the blankets to keep warm. The movie had started with Regina on one side of the sofa bed holding the TV remote, and Emma on the other, having stolen most of the blanket. The younger woman trying her best to follow the plot and surprisingly beginning to enjoy the premise. At one point, she couldn’t help but notice how similar Zelena looked to Jocelyn, but when she mentioned this to Regina, the brunette simply shrugged. As the movie went on, Regina would slowly try to steal more of the fabric, gently tugging it in increments when she was sure Emma wouldn’t notice. This, however, would have limited success, because as soon as Regina was distracted, the blonde would take more, leaving the older of the pair feeling cold and frustrated.How, when, or why it happened, neither were particularly sure; but eventually they would end up snuggling in the middle of the sofa bed, somehow more oblivious to each other’s feelings for the other.The blanket was tightly bound around them with Emma’s arm around Regina who had cuddled into her chest to keep warm. How on Earth Emma was meant to focus on the movie now, she wasn’t entirely sure. She would find herself struggling with keeping her breathing at the same pace when Regina loosely draped her arm around her waist.By the end, Emma mentally concluded that The Devil Wears Prada wasn’t as bad as she first thought, although the blonde had not admitted to herself yet that it may have something to do with the fact that she watched it with Regina; and if asked to recall the plot, would struggle after finding herself distracted by the gentle affection from the tired brunette.As the night would draw on, they would spend hours watching the brunette’s favorite movies, and some of Emma’s in return. What Regina and Emma hadn’t prepared for was the blonde falling asleep on the sofa bed next to Regina just before dawn. Regina usually would mind, generally preferring her own space. However, she wasn’t about to admit that she was finding comfort in the blonde being near her. Sharing the same bed wasn’t how she anticipated the day would end, but Regina certainly wasn’t complaining. Affection having never really been Regina’s strong suit; she was surprised to find it relaxing being so close to Emma. It was now minutes away from Regina’s 10am alarm going off, she had finally managed to wake herself properly from her slumber. Carefully switching off her alarm before it could wake Emma, she gently taps the screen and presses ‘skip alarm’. The blonde seemed so quietly content in her sleep that Regina didn’t want to disturb her, especially with how sleep deprived Emma must be recently with all the overtime she had been doing.In that moment, Regina realised she would protect Emma, no matter what the cost. Laying back down to rest her head on the pillow, she closed her eyes, enjoying the blissful moment.About thirty minutes later, the blonde laying next to her would begin to stir. Regina continued to keep her eyes closed as Emma slowly began to open her eyes.The blonde slowly blinked to gather her surroundings. She was confused why there was so much light streaming into her room. Did I forget to pull my blackout blinds properly? She mentally considers for a moment.In the fragments of her vision, she can just make out a chair to the side that she knows isn’t in her bedroom. Must’ve fallen asleep on the sofa last night… wait… didn’t Regina stay? The blonde questions as her vision begins to restore. Glancing at her surroundings, she notices that not only is she laying on the sofa, that her arm wasn’t wrapped around a soft pillow, but actually draped around Regina’s waist.Anxiety poured through her veins. Her heart began to beat faster, as her breathing grew heavier; she gently tried to ease her arm from around Regina’s waist without disturbing the brunette. She hoped that she would be able to leave the sofa bed or at least turn over before Regina was awake, unbeknownst to her that the brunette was well aware of the situation, having had the same anxious thoughts thirty minutes ago. “Emma?” “Shit! Uh… hey, Regina. Sorry, didn’t want to disturb you.” The blonde blurted, swiftly catching the glass bottle that she managed to almost knock off the coffee table in fright. “No more than you did last night.” The brunette replied with a small smirk on her lips. “I’m sorry I – “ “I’m just teasing, Emma. We stayed up until dawn watching movies. We were both gonna crash at some point. Although I don’t think the sofa bed was designed for two people to share.” The blonde blushed at the reply. Heat rose in her cheeks that she knew would be written all over her face. Daring not to look in Regina’s direction, the blonde coughed before turning around to appear as if she was looking for something.
Smooth, Swan. Real smooth. Getting flustered by Regina’s remark that was totally innocent.
“Looking for something, Miss Swan?” Regina asks with genuine curiosity. Emma’s thoughts were swiftly brought back to reality as she replies “my uh – my phone. It’s uh…” “In your hand, Emma.” The brunette replied nodding in the blonde’s direction. Emma nervously laughed as an anxious smile crossed her lips. Much to the blonde’s relief she managed to avoid any other awkward situations that morning. Regina meanwhile would return to her student apartment just after midday to finish working on an assignment that was due next week. Emma’s attempts of convincing her to stay a while longer were futile, albeit much to the reluctance of both parties. After having spent yesterday evening and most of today with Emma, Regina began to realize just how much she loved the time they spent together, no matter what it was that they did. Several hours later at Boston train station, Ruby’s 6:30 PM train was delayed, much to Zelena’s annoyance. The redhead was pacing the station platform awaiting the tall brunette’s arrival. No matter how many times she checked the arrival time screen or her watch, it wouldn’t make time pass any quicker. At 6:41 PM, the train finally pulled into the station. As soon as she stepped onto the platform, Ruby practically dashed towards the impatient redhead like the ending of a cheesy rom-com. “Fucking hell, you have no idea how much I missed you!” The redhead confesses while tightly embraced the brunette. Ruby rolled her eyes as she pulled away. “Don’t lie. You actually missed having someone to gossip with, not necessarily me.”Zelena smirked. “Okay that too! But I did genuinely miss you. Also as much as I love my sister, she’s far too much of a prude.” She admits as they made their way towards the exit. “Alright, tell me everything!” Ruby says as soon as they step out of the station into the colder-than-usual Bostonian air. The clouds in the sky had tried to rain but hadn’t had much luck. The forecast, however, had predictions of showers for Saturday, just as Cora was due to visit. Zelena gushes for most of the journey back to their student house about her date with Robin and the latest gossip she has. Although they were both surprised to discover that neither had any news on Regina or Emma’s second ‘not a date’. Ruby is the first to pull out her keys to their student house, turning them in the lock and letting the redhead enter first. The older woman repeatedly sniffed the air, as she entered the living room. Ruby frowned for a moment in confusion as to why the redhead was doing her best impression of a sniffer dog. Zelena announced her thoughts loudly “well it doesn’t smell of sex”. Ruby instantly pinched the bridge of her nose, squinting her eyes shut. “So you’re assuming Emma’s not straight and what she said wasn’t just her playing along?” “Oh for fuck’s sake! Not you as well. The evidence was right there when she made the joke!” Zelena replied between gritted teeth. “What’s wrong with you? Don’t answer that!” Zelena chose to completely ignore the brunette’s remark and proceeded to search high and low in the kitchen for evidence. After a few moments of watching Zelena make a fool of herself, Ruby relents, curiosity and frustration getting the better of her. “You’re not seriously still looking are you?” The younger woman asks folding her arms. She’s stood in the kitchen doorway observing Zelena who is inspecting the empty trash bag. “I thought there might be a sign, alright? You know, batteries, candles, massage oil, anything.” “That would be a bit excessive.” “Oh that would be excessive (!) my mistake, Miss Marple.” Zelena mocked the younger woman before scowling. Her eyes were as cold as ice, staring as sharp as daggers. If Zelena glared at Ruby any longer, the brunette thought she might turn to stone. It was only when the taller woman blinked that Ruby tried to clear the air between them. “You know, there is another way we could find out?” Ruby replied, referring to Zelena’s sister. “Risky… Regina might take it as spying. You’ll probably have to disclose some level of secret information about your own life as collateral. And drunken stories about kissing your ex probably won’t cut it.” “I’ll think of something. More importantly, where is Emma?” She asks glancing around the room, realizing just how quiet the place was. Zelena chuckled as she read a message on her phone before showing it to Ruby.
Sheriff
I wanted to let you know I’ve gone to the library. I couldn’t find a book for my essay and decided to stay for a few hours. I’ll be home by 9. 19:07 “I think Gina’s starting to rub off on her,” The brunette remarked to the redhead. “That’s not the only rubbing off they’re doing.” Ruby rolled her eyes as if it was as natural as breathing. The redhead suddenly laughed so loud she cackled. Ruby couldn’t help but giggle at the contagious laughter. The older woman quickly sends a reply to Emma while still chuckling at her own remark.
Wicked Witch of The West
No worries, darling! Ruby’s cooking noodles, we’ll save you some. 19:48
“Oh, come on! That’s so unfair. I’m the one who’s had to travel 4 and a half hours.” Ruby retorted after reading the message that Zelena showed her. “I brought alcohol and your favorite chocolate.” The redhead almost instantly responded as if she knew exactly what the brunette was going to say. “Fine! You win this time.” Ruby replied with a sigh of defeat. The unimpressed look was wiped off her face as soon as Zelena hugged her. She softly chuckled at the redhead’s sudden affection. Zelena was determined to get answers about Emma. Unbeknownst to her yet, she wouldn’t have to wait much longer before Emma would open up to her. However, when she does, things will never be quite the same again.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It was Saturday, October 1st. The day had been set in Zelena, Ruby, Emma, and Regina’s calendars as ‘the start of the apocalypse,’ or something as dramatically dystopian. Cora’s visit was happening, and there was very little they could do about it.Emma had barely slept, spending most of the night tossing and turning with dread. Just as the blonde finally managed to drift off, Zelena came home from another of Robin’s frat parties and proceeded to vomit in the kitchen sink. Ruby had woken up to the sound of the redhead retching, and after holding the older woman’s hair back, began to clear up the mess. It wasn’t like any of them were going to get much sleep anyway.When Zelena rose in the morning like a vampire from a coffin, she had a drained facial expression. After she had showered and then cooked the closest to a full English breakfast she could get in the U.S., she seemed as right as rain.Speaking of rain, the forecast had actually been accurate, for once. The damp conditions outside were predicted until midafternoon, and so far that morning, showed no signs of slowing down.Zelena and Emma laughed when Ruby would announce how apt the weather was for Cora’s arrival. The lighthearted energy wouldn’t last long though. Panic erupted throughout the house when Zelena had received a text from Cora saying she would briefly come over this morning, as a meeting got rescheduled. “Quick, hide the fags!” Zelena shouts to them from the living room, remembering she had left them on the table earlier. Emma stood in the kitchen suddenly gripped tightly to the plate she nearly dropped on the floor. “Wait, why am I hiding?” Ruby asks with a serious expression, masking her sarcasm. “Don’t be a twat! You knew exactly what I meant.” Zelena said gritting her teeth, storming into the kitchen like a bat out of hell. “Been a long time since I’ve been in the closet.” Ruby replied with a smirk, as she grabs the cigarettes from the middle of the kitchen table. “True. That’s more my thing.” Emma replies, trying to lighten up the mood. “Oh please, the closet was as glass for you as it was for Regina.” Zelena retorted almost instantly. “You’re an ass! You know that, right?” Emma snaps back which caused Zelena and Ruby to chuckle. She wasn’t in the mood for their teasing today. “Love you too, darling.” The redhead replied with a wink. Emma continued, after offering Zelena a scowl, “firstly, that’s just rude about Regina. At least, don’t say it behind her back.” Aww, protective over your future girlfriend. How sweet! Zelena mentally muses, masking a smirk. “It’s an inside joke she uses!” The redhead protests. The blonde chose to ignore the statement, until Regina could actually confirm that. Instead, she proceeded with what she was saying, before the feisty redhead could interrupt her further. “Secondly, I told you and Ruby in person the day after I told Regina. It’s not like I don’t trust you all. I just don’t like labelling my sexuality yet. This is still new to me.” She sighs, placing the plate down on the draining board heavier than anticipated. “But if you were to label it?” The redhead curiously questioned. “ZELENA!” Ruby hissed, coming to Emma’s defense. “No, that’s not the label I’d use.” Emma smirks, chuckling to herself. The redhead mockingly appears offended, clutching her necklace like a republican at a gay wedding. Something her mother probably would do. Suddenly Zelena’s phone pinged loudly. Usually it was a welcomed sound, but not in this instance. “The bitch from hell is on her way.” Zelena simply stated as she read the message. Ruby jokingly decided to arm herself with a frying pan, as means of protection against Cora. Yet all she managed to do was make Emma frown and Zelena raise an eyebrow. “What? It’s the start of the apocalypse! Gotta arm ourselves!” The brunette explains in jest. Slowly prying the pan from Ruby’s hands, Emma suggests after a moment, “well, that might be effective. I just don’t think you can win against a lawsuit for assault and battery.” “Em’s got a point. My mother has some of the best lawyers in Maine on speed dial.” The blonde’s stomach was suddenly in knots, anxiously twisting like branches in a forest. Emma’s body tensed with nerves, unconsciously gripping tighter to the handle of the frying pan. Ruby almost instantly notices how withdrawn the blonde has become. “She won’t hate you; you’ll be fine! And if she doesn’t like you, it’s probably a good thing.” She chimes in, attempting to ease some of Emma’s nerves. “Alright, so it would be better if she does like you, but it’s not the end of the world if she doesn’t. She dislikes a lot of people. Then again, I’m sure the feeling is mutual in most cases.” Zelena says with a casual shrug. “Please tell me you’re exaggerating?” Emma asks. She suspiciously glances between the pair while nervously scratching the back of her neck. She received a response far too quickly for her liking – apologetic smiles albeit reluctantly. They all wished it definitely wasn’t the case. After finishing up in the kitchen, everyone arrived back in the lounge; the last room to inspect. “Oh come on! This is stupid!” Emma confesses with a frustrated groan. “Yeah, we know. There’s tidy and then there’s Cora Mills tidy. She’s so anal about cleaning, she’s probably got a mop shoved up her ass.” Ruby replied with an eyeroll. “That would explain a lot actually.” Zelena admits in agreement. “Surely if things were not up to her standards, she would just hire a cleaner to do it for us?” Emma questioned, trying to regain some composure before the allegedly obnoxious woman arrived. “Trust me, you don’t want that. She’d use it as means to spy on us.” Zelena says leaning against the door frame to check the ceiling and walls. “So we just hire our own?!” Emma suggested suddenly, sharper than she had anticipated. “No chance! She would find out and still manage to bribe them somehow.” Ruby replied while scurrying over to the sofa to plump up the cushions. “Seriously? She’s that overbearing?” Emma asked peering out of the window to see for any signs of the Mills matriarch’s Bentley. Ruby and Zelena almost simultaneously took a deep breath. There it was, laid bare in front of them, the truth, and the weight of the situation. The one thing they would have hoped to ease Emma into. Instead, it had been slung in front of them, like a cat dropping roadkill as a present for its owner.How would Emma take it? If she had known about an unhinged, rich lady possibly snooping into her life before she signed the tenancy contract, would she still have agreed? Maybe that questionably legal, windowless room with a shared bathroom down the hall would have been more appealing, if she knew what she was walking into with Ruby and Zelena.The truth of the matter was this; she had become close to Zelena and Ruby last year and heard stories of Zelena’s mother that she had put down to alcohol-induced exaggerations on the redhead’s part. At that time, she mostly saw Zelena drunk or hungover, so it wasn’t a difficult conclusion to come to.As far as Emma was concerned, she could take Zelena’s word for it, when she said that she wasn’t really on Cora’s radar. At this point, she wasn’t sure how she had managed to avoid meeting the obnoxiously rich woman until now, but she was certainly relieved. Zelena no doubt had something to do with it, to ensure that Emma had the privacy she so badly needed and rightly deserved.When Zelena had mentioned that Emma would be their third housemate, the Mills matriarch immediately wanted to know about her. She insisted it was simply to protect the family and their assets. Miraculously, the young woman had managed to keep a lot of Emma’s background out of Cora’s knowledge, because frankly it was none of her business. Cora was satisfied when she learned that Emma was hard-working, tidy, and didn’t have a criminal record.Somehow the young redhead had orchestrated a way to avoid any unpleasantries or sudden meetings between her mother and Emma, in hope of giving the situation the best chance. She didn’t want Emma to feel rejected by Cora, knowing how much she just wanted to be liked for who she was.Zelena knew the odds of the situation. Especially how Emma was definitely the type of person that her mother wouldn’t approve of, making her much more the person Zelena would happily befriend. However, there was still some hope in the redhead’s mind that Cora could actually approve of her friend. Or at a minimum, neither approve or disapprove. Emma had a ruthless independence to her. A natural charm that had a way with people. With Ruby and Zelena’s hopes of Emma and Regina eventually dating, they were both secretly keen to have Cora not disapprove of Emma. At this moment, there was only one thing pushing into Zelena’s mind, like the start of a migraine: could she actually pull this off and keep the friendship group together? Or was this meeting about to tear everything apart at the seams? “Basically all of the fun things about university will vanish. If she gets wind that I’m breaking my promise to her, she’s gonna pull my tuition and make me move back in with her. Regina would likely end up the same, if mother finds out just how much time she’s been spending with us instead of studying until she drops.” Zelena honestly admits, but wholeheartedly wished it wasn’t the case. Emma shudders at the thought, knitting her eyebrows with concern. Oh great! Zelena and Ruby weren’t kidding about her being a rich, control freak. Ruby tries to reassure the blonde who was starting to become anxious of her affiliation with the Mills family. “Hey, on the plus side, she has less leverage in Boston than in Maine!” “Remind me why I can’t suddenly be busy and why I even have to meet her?” The blonde asks with a huff. “It’s not that big of a deal! She’s just stuck-up with an over-inflated ego. You’re used to dealing with people like that, Em.” Ruby suggests. “Look at it this way, you would end up running into her eventually. All of mine and Regina’s friends have had the displeasure of meeting her. At least this way we can make sure it’s not sprung on you. Making a good impression now, so she’s off our backs later.” Zelena adds, now placing her hand on Emma’s shoulder. Emma didn’t enjoy this at the best of times. Far too often growing up adults would place their hand on her shoulder to comfort her when she received bad news, time and time again. Slowly, but surely, her mind would associate the two, regardless of people’s good intentions. “Where’s the dog shit rug she brought?” Zelena questions, after removing her hand from Emma’s shoulder to glance around the living room one last time. “Cowhide” Ruby corrected. “Same difference.” Emma peers in the direction the redhead was looking. The last time she had seen it was a week ago, when Robin had decided to play ‘hide the cowhide’ with the rug. “Is it not still in the basement?” The blonde asks with a frown. “I thought you put it in your room, Zelena?” Ruby suggested, now anxiously pacing the hall. Her nerves began to boil over so she couldn’t even manage to call the redhead by her nickname. Suddenly, the bronze Bentley Mulsanne that Cora was steering pulled up into their driveway. If life was a cartoon, or even a comedy, thunder would rumble and lightning would strike at this very moment. Emma was relieved that her own car was hidden in the garage. She didn’t want Cora’s first impression of her to be based on the vehicle that was slowly costing more to repair from becoming a death trap than it was actually worth. “Oh, just what we need(!) Emma check the basement. I’ll check upstairs. Ruby, distract her!” The redhead commanded before sprinting up the stairs two at a time, while the blonde quickly jogged to the basement. The sudden knocking on the front door caused the young brunette to jump. She quickly dashes over to the door, before halting just a few inches away. She slightly pulls down her short skirt, before yanking the front door open. Stood in the doorway with a stern look, steel blue eyes met her dismissively. The older woman’s frown suddenly shifted to a plastered fake smile that Zelena had often referred to as her ‘government grin’. “Miss Lucas, how wonderful to see you awake so early for a change!” The woman said impatiently waiting to be let in by the younger woman. “May I come in?” She stiffly asked, gesturing in her direction. “Of course, Mrs. Mills, do come in. Can I get you something to drink?” The young brunette asks as politely as she could manage between slightly clenched teeth. The dark-haired older woman strides into the kitchen as she notices the living room door is closed. Much to Ruby’s relief, she had remembered to do so, before she dashed out of the room earlier. “No, thank you. I was just wondering where my darling daughter is.” The woman remarks while glancing around the naturally lit kitchen. “Which one? There’s two.” Ruby asked, stalling for time. “Zelena, the one you live with.” Cora replied slowly. Is she intentionally testing my patience or still lacking common sense as much as she was before? The older woman contemplated for a moment while awaiting a response from Ruby. “Of course, how silly of me. She’s upstairs, I think she misplaced something and said she was going to look for it.” The young woman replied with the first excuse that came to mind. This is more painful than pulling teeth. Ruby thought to herself, trying to keep as much distance between herself and Zelena’s mother. Much to the young brunette’s relief, Emma appeared in the kitchen doorway, having now left the basement. “Sorry, can’t find Zelena’s bracelet, it wasn’t where I thought I saw it.” The blonde quickly lied, jumping into the conversation she had overheard, to save her friend. “Oh, let me introduce you. Emma, this is Cora Mills, Zelena, and Regina’s mother. Cora, this is Emma Swan, our housemate.” Ruby gestured to them both as Cora raised an eyebrow at the golden-haired young woman stood before her, before returning to her well-rehearsed grin. “How delightful to finally meet you, Miss Swan. I’ve heard a lot about you!” Cora says going over to her and offering her a handshake. All bad, knowing my luck. Emma mentally concludes. The young woman gives a firm handshake in return. Meanwhile, in her bedroom, Zelena thankfully had discovered the rug. She was still adamant that her mother only brought it as a test to see how responsible she could be. Cora had insisted that Zelena proved she could grow up and take responsibility for her actions, if she still wanted her tuition fees paid for. One of the ways she did this was making her eldest daughter stay in her degree, after hopping from course to course the last few years. This year’s interim test, Zelena was pretty sure, was looking after the resented rug. The object in question needed more TLC than the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.While creeping down the stairs, she was doing her utmost to avoid being spotted by her mother carrying it. In the kitchen, Cora was keen to start asking Emma questions. Ruby recognized that look of determination in the older woman’s eye. Before the Mills matriarch could say anything, Emma quickly cuts in. “Zelena’s checking upstairs, in case the bracelet was where she thinks she last saw it.” Emma fabricates more of an alibi, while trying to change the subject from an impending interrogation. Cora shook her head disapprovingly. “Honestly, that girl would forget her own brain, if it wasn’t screwed on.” She quickly swiped the table with her glove, searching for dust, before taking a seat on one of the dining room chairs. That’s not all that’s screwed if she sees that rug missing. Ruby thinks to herself, avoiding the Mills matriarch’s steely gaze. She could give Medusa a run for her money. Emma, meanwhile, begins to try and make small talk with Cora. “So, Mrs. Mills, Zelena mentioned that you’re here on business.” The mature woman simply raised an eyebrow in boredom at the question. Her pleasantries were more turbulent than their Wi-Fi on a good day. “Yes, to recruit a new potential lawyer and a few staff members. All rather tedious, but my husband wanted someone trustworthy to make the pitch. It could be a rather lucrative step for the company, if we can get them to sign.” More money in the Mills mansion... Ruby thought to herself, clenching her jaw to try and force the intrusive thought from her mind. As Zelena was rolling the rug in the living room, she could hear her mother talking about work and instinctively rolled her eyes. Once it was laid properly, she quickly left the room as quietly as possible. “Oh, there you are, Zelena!” Cora says, swiftly changing the subject. She gracefully glides over to her daughter, kissing her once on the cheek, before returning to her seat. They quickly exchange pleasantries as if on autopilot. “So you managed to find your bracelet then?” Emma asks pointing to the redhead’s wrist. Ruby who was stood behind Cora, gestured to Zelena to keep the excuse going. “Oh, yeah! It was upstairs where I thought it was.” She says, before indicating towards the bracelet resting on her wrist. “Would’ve been a ball ache if you didn’t.” Ruby suggests, completely forgetting she was in the presence of Zelena’s mother. “Watch your language!” Cora tutted, turning around with a stern look seeped across her face. “Oh shit, sorry.” Ruby replied almost instantly. The Mills matriarch blinked several times, stunned by what she witnessed. Everyone turned to look at Ruby with mixed responses.As if she was frozen in time, Emma had found herself pinned to the spot, doing everything in her power to not respond. Zelena couldn’t help it as she burst out laughing. Cora almost instantly responded with a look like daggers that confirmed to Emma that it was definitely the Mills Matriarch’s default reaction. The redhead quickly came to her friend’s aid. “Mother, you know Ruby has always sworn like a sailor.” “Manners cost nothing.” Cora firmly stated. Her lips thinned as she offered another disapproving look. Zelena cuts in with a random fact she had read on twitter, “they say that people who swear are more intelligent.” Her mother didn’t reply, instead, she returned her attention back to Emma. “Tell me, Miss Swan, did your parents raise you much the same?”
Oh shit! She had to start interrogating me. Fuck!
“Well… my last foster mother always talked about the importance of manners and making a good impression.” “Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that you were in foster care. That must have been difficult for you. No stability, familiarity, or consistency.” Cora’s attempt to sound sympathetic still somehow had a patronizing undertone. Emma had to try and remind herself what Zelena had warned her yesterday. “If she frowns, she’s confused or offering pity. If she scowls or gives any signs of sounding rude, that’s just her natural reaction. You get used to it.” “It was at times. I was lucky to end up with Ingrid, after my foster brother August went to college. I got placed with her, because they thought it would give me some familiarity when he would come home and visit.” “She never adopted you?” “No, it’s complicated…” “And what about your birth parents?” The older woman pressed about the sensitive subject further, causing Emma to anxiously shift from one foot to the other. “Mother, please. Emma doesn’t need 21 questions about her childhood.” Zelena interjected, frustrated at her mother’s pestering. “I don’t mean to pry. It was more if you hadn’t found them, maybe we can help.” The mature woman suggested which made Emma feel uncomfortable. Mother, for the love of god! You just met her! Zelena mentally mutters, as she pinched the bridge of her nose, squinting her eyes shut. Ruby walked away quickly excusing herself, offering a weak excuse of needing to call her Granny. It was better than the alternative. She really was trying to keep a lid on her frustration.Emma was slowly becoming tired of the amount of questions Cora kept presenting. Out of fear of repercussions, the young woman tried her best to remain pleasant and answer the queries.Much to everyone’s relief, Cora stayed for less than an hour before making excuses of running important errands, and meeting with Regina. However, this wasn’t before she had seemingly shown her approval of Emma that she would repeatedly refer to as ‘Miss Swan,’ much to the young woman’s irritation.She never enjoyed when much older people referred to her as that. It reminded her of the many people in authority she had often loathed and challenged. It always felt patronizing and undermining to her, growing up, and it was still an opinion she held. It wasn’t a problem when her friends used it in passing. Only those much older or in power that it became off-putting.When the Mills matriarch stood up from her seat, everyone almost subconsciously did the same, as if a judge had entered a court room. “Miss Swan, I would very much like it if you could join us for dinner today. You too, Miss Lucas. It would be splendid if you both can make it. I’m sure we have much to discuss.” Cora announced, as she placed her gloves back over her hands that she had removed earlier. “Oh I really don’t want to intrude, Mrs. Mills.” Emma said in her own passive aggressive way, while nervously fidgeting with her hands. “Not at all. It would be my pleasure for you to dine with us.” She simply stated. “You don’t think I’m going to lower the standard, do you?” Ruby quickly interjects. Cora quickly cleared her throat. “Of course not, Miss Lucas. Why would anyone ever think that?” I’ve seen trees less wooden than your performance, Mother. Zelena contemplates to herself, glancing between Ruby and Emma with apologetic looks. “Well I’ve been told that some of my manners are lacking at times.” Ruby quickly added, rubbing salt into the wound. Zelena bit down harshly on her lip, fighting the urge to laugh. Cora seemed to be almost seething between each ragged breath, trying to remain composed. “You still work in customer service do you not? A waitress at your grandmother’s diner. I’m sure if you can work in such a charming little place, then you’ll flourish at dinner.”Her attempt at masking how called out she was definitely failed. Even when Cora tried to remind Ruby that she had helped secure her employment and her grandmother’s business wasn’t enough leverage for her now burned ego. She soon, however, plastered another grin across her face that caused Zelena to instantly roll her eyes. “Well, Granny hasn’t fired me yet.” Ruby replies lightheartedly, matching Cora’s false grin. “Excellent! Well, that’s settled then. Pick up is at 6.” Cora says, almost flouncing out of the room, heading for the door that Zelena had already opened for her. She thanks her daughter, before waving towards the house, as she stepped back inside her Bentley. While the expensive vehicle was pulling out of the driveway, Zelena slammed the front door harder than she had anticipated. “Marvelous woman, I voted for her!” Ruby says aloud, as the redhead stormed into the kitchen. “You did not.” Zelena scolds. She was glad to see it made Emma laugh. They were all relieved that Emma’s initial introduction to the Mills matriarch was over. A few hours later, Emma was pacing up and down her bedroom. Now biting the nail on her thumb, she tries to work out what she owned that she could wear. Emma had always been told off as a child for biting her nails, but couldn’t help slipping into the old bad habit, when she was trying to keep a lid on her nerves.The conversation with Cora couldn’t have gone that badly since the woman had invited her and Ruby to join her, Zelena, and Regina for dinner in a few hours’ time. The only issue was that she hadn’t been to many dinner events; beyond the odd event with her birth parents, when she visited Maryland. Other than that, she had only been to 2 formal events with Ingrid, her foster mom. The closest experience she had growing up was make believe tea parties, as a child in group homes. A boy there named Jefferson would often use the dress up box to dress like the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland, holding tea parties with the plastic tea set.Her anxious thoughts were briefly interrupted by the gentle sound of a knock on her bedroom door. Continuing her pacing, she calls out to the person on the other side, informing them that they can enter.The door begins to creak open. On the other side of it, a guilty looking Zelena offers her a sympathetic smile. At this point, Emma was sick of their efforts to make her feel better. It was beginning to feel more and more like pity. Zelena seemed smaller than usual, especially now as she couldn’t meet Emma’s gaze. “I’m sorry. My mother really has no filter. Even when she tries to be sensitive, she still manages to put her foot in it.” “Well I didn’t have to answer, but I didn’t want to lie either. I was just hoping I wouldn’t have to answer those things so early into our first meeting.” She replied, resigned, and mildly exhausted at this point. “She really shouldn’t have asked in the first place.” Zelena says while gesturing towards the bed, as if asking if she can sit. The blonde simply nodded before continuing to pace the room. If Emma continued at the rate she was going, she would surely begin to wear out the carpet fibers. “I just assumed she ran a background check on me and found out anyway.” The younger woman sheepishly said, looking away to continue striding up and down the room. The older of the two understood entirely where Emma was coming from. The things she had warned her about Cora, it’s no wonder it crossed Emma’s mind. There was no question that it was something her mother would actually consider doing. “She probably did and just wanted to see if you lied.” Ruby added with a disapproving head shake, now joining the pair in Emma’s room. “No, I think she didn’t this time. I believe her reaction to what Emma said was genuine; and you both know I rarely give her the benefit of the doubt.” If this was Zelena’s attempt to comfort Emma, it wasn’t very successful. She was still completely unaware it was the last thing the young woman wanted in that moment. “I would’ve preferred it, if she had, in all honesty.” Emma grumbled. Defensively folding her arms, she’s suddenly rooted in the middle of the room, surveying the atmosphere. “I’m really sorry, Em. I promise she won’t be around much and we will try to do better to get her to drop the subject next time.” The redhead added, trying to at least alleviate some of the tension. The blonde offered a weak smile, fighting against her own frustrated anger. She wasn’t annoyed at Zelena and Ruby. It wasn’t their fault their efforts were making her feel worse. She just didn’t have the energy to explain it to them. “Yeah I’ll just open my mouth more. That’ll definitely distract her.” Ruby chimed in with a smirk. “On the plus side, you get to see Regina.” Zelena teased. The bad news is you probably can’t flirt with her when Cora’s there. Ruby mentally concluded, trying to hide an amused smile. The next half an hour would pass rather quickly, as they began to get ready for when Cora would be collecting them later on. They still hadn’t quite worked out what the transport arrangements would be, at this point. Cora’s car wasn’t big enough to seat all of them.Emma was persistent there was no way she could drive her Bug, for risking the wrath of Cora Mills’ judgement. Best case scenario, it would lead to unbearable questions about the safety of the vehicle, while the Mills matriarch tries not to choke on her caviar. Emma didn’t want to even begin imagining what Cora would do in the worst-case scenario. While Zelena applies her lipstick, she says to Emma as the blonde entered Ruby’s room, “Gina’s gonna go ballistic, when she finds out what mother asked you.” “On second thoughts, I’ll wear the sluttier dress. Might help distract Cora from asking more stupid shit. Not that what you said was shit, Emma. I mean what happened was shit, to you, and how Cora brought it up, but you know what I mean?” Ruby rambled as she put the dress she was holding back in her wardrobe. “My mother’s straight, Ruby.” Zelena says without taking her eyes off of the mirror. Emma snorted – her attempt to hide her amusement failing miserably. “I meant so she can lecture me about how I dress and blame my ‘poor childhood’, or whatever bullshit her twisted mind comes up with.” Ruby replied while stripping down to her underwear. Why they had ended up congregating in Ruby’s room, none of them were entirely sure. Initially Zelena had gone in to borrow some of Ruby’s hairspray and ended up finishing her makeup there instead. Emma had joined them to query the dress code. This wasn’t like brunch with Regina, or the many house parties Zelena had thrown. She didn’t want to dress inappropriately and leave Cora room to make more presumptions about her. “Speaking of clothes: what the hell am I supposed to wear?” Emma asked more bluntly than she had intended. “If in doubt: dress up not down. It’s better to be overdressed than underdressed. But you also don’t want to look like you’re overdoing it. Classy, refined, a bit understated.” Zelena said to the blonde. “Or you can always dress a bit more conservative.” Ruby added in language that Emma understood. Emma’s face lit up at the brunette’s suggestion. “I can work with that!” She declares, before quickly dashing off towards her room to find something appropriate. As Emma opened her underbed storage, this was the only time she was thankful that her birth mother had lectured her to take a few smart attire options to college. Mary Margaret had always dressed more conservatively. It was something she had tried to enforce more into her daughter, much to Emma’s reluctance. Emma felt like her birth mother was trying to mold her into her idea of what her daughter should look like, rather than the person she actually was. Even if it wasn’t Mary Margaret’s intention, Emma sometimes wondered if her birth mother felt shame towards her and how she turned out.It was then that she pulled out the flowing red floral dress. She instantly knew it would be perfect for the occasion.Pairing the floral dress with dark tights and black ankle boots, she quickly applied her neutral lipstick. She often wore very little makeup because she preferred a low maintenance routine. Her skincare regime was already long enough. Adding an extra few minutes to her makeup, to sort her eyeliner, and getting the perfect smoky eyeshadow wasn’t something she would normally do. Today, however, was an exception. She needed it to look effortless yet still elegant. Finishing the final touches to her makeup and hair, she quickly takes a photo in her full-length mirror, before sending it to her family members. Zelena had returned to her own room when Emma made her way over to her. “How do I look?” The blonde asks, before nervously biting her lip, gesturing to her outfit. The redhead doesn’t notice at first. She was distracted by her eyelash curler. “With your eyes… OMG! Emma!” Zelena was stunned by the outfit the blonde had chosen. “It’s bad, I’ll change it.” Emma winced at the sudden, strong reaction. “No, no, no. Sweetie, it’s perfect! I just didn’t expect it.” Zelena says dashing over to her. “From someone like me?” She asked, arching her eyebrow. The redhead placed her hands on either side of the younger woman’s shoulders. “Darling don’t start picking fights. I’m on your side here.” “I know, I know, I’m sorry. This shit makes me nervous and as much as this flouncy thing is pretty, it isn’t helping.” Zelena chuckled at the blonde’s description of her attire. She couldn’t help but still feel bad for what Cora was putting Emma through. Ruby was used to it at this point and knew how to impress or irritate, having very quickly worked out what made Cora Mills tick. Regina, of course, would be on hand to help; and Zelena wasn’t about to let her mother entirely get her own way. Between the three of them they would protect Emma. Normally the blonde would be the one keeping them all together, but this time it was their turn to return the favor. The moment is interrupted by the sudden ping of Emma’s phone. It was a message from Regina letting her know she had arrived back in her apartment, after her mother had dropped her off. Zelena smirked at the small smile that stretched across Emma’s lips, knowing full well whom the message was from. There was only one person who could make Emma smile like that. “Shit, Swan! What aisle of Goodwill did you find that in?” Ruby suddenly says, striding back into the bedroom wearing a very short black cocktail dress that left very little to the imagination. Her lipstick almost matched the shade of Zelena’s hair. “Actually it’s not from Goodwill. Mary Margaret gave it to me for my birthday a few years ago and insisted I brought it with me.” “Good job she did, it’s smoking hot.” Ruby flirtatiously looked her up and down which Emma rolled her eyes at. “Thanks, I guess… Anyway, I said I would meet Regina and bring her back here before we all went to Cora’s grilling session.” “Is that the exact wording you used?” Zelena joked with a grin. “No, but I wish I did now.” She admits, before dashing out of the room in excitement at the prospect of seeing Regina. “Have fun with your alone time with Regina.” Ruby beckoned to the blonde. If Emma had heard her, she didn’t respond. The only sound the brunette got in return was the heavy thud of the front door closing.The lingering clouds began to clear, as Emma made her way towards the garage where her Bug was still hidden from view. The drive to Regina’s was quicker than expected from a lack of traffic on the roads. Emma was listening to the radio, loudly singing the song blasting from the speakers. After she had pulled into the car park and parked the car, Emma sent a text to the brunette letting her know she was here. Soon after she received a reply asking to meet her outside of her student block so she could let her in.As Emma stood outside the student halls, she tensely rubbed her neck. She wasn’t sure how much of her nerves were from her outfit or seeing Regina’s reaction. Then, as the entrance to the halls opened, October eyes suddenly met her gaze. It was as if all her anxieties melted away at the sight of the warmth of those dark chocolate eyes and the beaming smile from Regina’s cherry red lips.Regina’s first reaction was to look Emma up and down, albeit not subtly in the slightest. She wanted to take in everything about the stunning woman in front of her. Especially as Emma’s eyes twinkled brighter than aurora borealis. The brunette knew in that moment she was helpless to how she felt about Emma. She couldn’t deny her feelings much longer.At first they didn’t speak about Emma’s outfit, or Cora. Instead, the older of the two decided to tell the other woman about the list of things she had planned for them to watch during their weekend movie session. Of course, Regina was hoping it would be enough of a distraction, having instantly sensed Emma’s nerves about today.It wasn’t until later in Regina’s room did the blonde express her anxieties. “I feel like a giant strawberry in this.” She gestured to her dress, while Regina quickly glanced at her, before returning her attention to her wardrobe.“I thought you liked strawberries?” The brunette asked with genuine curiosity, while continuing to pick out a blazer. “I don’t mind them; I just don’t want to feel like one.” Emma said with a sigh, as she slumped her shoulders. Emma hadn’t noticed that Regina had stopped what she was doing to go over to her, until the warmth of Regina’s hands brushed over her own. Regina gently squeezed Emma’s hands, as she made circles with her thumb on Emma’s index fingers.The younger woman wasn’t sure how the brunette managed every time to dissolve all her fears. With Regina, anything felt possible, as she looked intensely into her eyes that felt like staring into paradise. The room was so quiet and yet it felt so alive, bursting with energy. “Thank you for doing this.” Regina spoke, shaking Emma from her thoughts. “I know this is out of your comfort zone, but honestly I’m ridiculously grateful. When mother told me she had invited you, I was really relieved to know I would have you there for company. I swear, Emma, that we will try to make this as enjoyable as it can be. Even if it means Ruby offering the staff a lap dance just to see Cora’s vein burst in her forehead.” The last part was meant as a joke, but Emma still had to blink several times to process what she had said. “The fact that we know Ruby would do that is what makes me think you’re only half kidding.” The blonde replies with a sudden smile stretching across her face which was instantly met with Regina’s own, beaming back at her. After Regina let go of Emma’s hands and stepped away, she picked up her red blazer from the wardrobe. It definitely wasn’t a coincidence how similar in shade it was to Emma’s dress, because it was the exact reason she had actually chosen it. All that was left to do was to put on her heels, having sorted her black cocktail dress, jewelry, hair, and makeup before the other woman arrived. “What do you think, Miss Swan? Passable?” She smirked as she emphasized the last part of her question. Emma’s face lit up brighter than New York City. “Are you kidding me? You look incredible!” Her enthusiasm is incredibly infectious. Regina noted to herself with a shy grin. “Not that you don’t look incredible every day, because you do.” Emma adds, trying to quickly save herself. Luckily, she had succeeded because it made Regina beam with joy. A smile that made Emma feel like they were the only two people in the world, in that very moment. The brunette nervously glanced down at her feet for a moment, before looking back at her. “Thank you! I uh… I know it’s not your usual style, I just hope you feel that you look beautiful, because you really do. I mean you always do, no matter what you wear, Emma; but you still do. And, uh, I’m gonna put the shovel down now…” The last part of her sentence was almost a whisper just audible enough that Emma’s ears could still register what was said. “I appreciate the compliment. As much as I like the dress, I just find it so restrictive to move in. I never really understood the point of them, but they always look beautiful. If this is what it takes to make things go better, then it’s worth it.” The blonde admits. Everything seemed fine for them both as they finally left Regina’s student apartment and made their way to the staircase. It wasn’t until the second flight of marble stairs they descended did Emma’s mood shift. She tried her best to contain her own fretting that was slowly taking over in her mind. However, it was as if Regina had read her thoughts because she instantly reached out to the blonde to try and reduce her nerves. Neither mentioned the gentle hum from the spark that ran through their fingers. The sensation normally so fleeting, like a cinder of ash, suddenly burned like flames billowing in a crackling fireplace.Initially, Emma thought that Regina would stop holding her hand the second they would exit the building. It wasn’t until they had made their into the car park, fingers still comfortably interlaced, did it occur to them both that neither truly wanted to let go. “It’s the one time I’m relieved Mary Margaret kept on at me to bring something a suburban mom would wear.” Emma says gesturing to her outfit with one hand, still very aware that Regina was gently holding the other. “Every day she sounds more like one of those art therapists who tells you to get in touch with your feelings.” Regina stated with an ounce of loathing in her inflection. “She’s a kindergarten teacher, same difference.” Emma joked. The brunette chuckled warmly at the response, before following up with a different question. “Did Ruby end up wearing something that looks like the rug my mother brought?” “You’ll have to wait and see for yourself.” She teased. Regina grinned. She couldn’t wait, knowing it would be to provoke her mother in some way. “Is there a reason you chose to meet me after class and not just wait until I got to your place?” The brunette neutrally questioned, as the pair finally reached Emma’s car. “You really wanna know?” Emma asked anxiously glancing away, as they both now sat in her car. “Of course I do, Emma.” She warmly replied, placing her hand on the blonde’s bicep for reassurance. “Oh, not Miss Swan. Emma this time.” The younger woman sarcastically says, as she gently shrugged away the brunette’s hand from her arm. Her attempt at deflecting from the inevitable conversation was met with a suspicious raised eyebrow from Regina. As much as the rejected affection mildly upset her, she was much more concerned about what her mother had done to make Emma curl back into her shell. The older of the two knew something had already happened. It was written all over Emma’s face. The hurt in Emma’s hunched shoulders wasn’t just from the change in her attire. There was a glimmer of fear and sadness in the corner of her eye that Regina had noted earlier but didn’t want to press her about. Now, all she could do was offer her the patience and space she needed.Emma knew she would crumble if she glanced into Regina’s eyes. The same eyes that always felt like a warm hug. The younger woman took a deep breath. “Honestly, your mother is kinda intimidating and after how this morning went, I needed a distraction, especially from Ruby and Zelena’s constant attempts to make me feel better. The first 3 hours were enough.”As much as Emma trusted Regina, deep down, she knew, she was afraid of feeling helpless. She was doing everything in her power to stay strong enough to endure dinner with Regina’s mother. These type of events always made her feel out of place, something she hoped she would eventually build more confidence about. Regina had sensed this and tried to lighten up the mood. Knowing that sometimes it helped, she joked with Emma instead. “Yeah it’s kinda weird getting reassurance from the two people who make ‘Mean Girls’ look like ‘The Princess Diaries’.”The blonde chuckled. “You’re telling me. I’m used to fighting wannabe Regina George’s. I can’t say Zelena and Ruby are my usual type of friends, but they do have some redeeming qualities.”“Don’t tell them that.” Regina joked.A small smile spread across Emma’s lips. “I won’t if you won’t.” She replied. A blonde wave of hair swooped in front of her face, as she slightly turned to look at the brunette who was already intently watching her.If Regina wasn’t looking directly at her, when she gently reached to move the out of place hair back behind Emma’s ear, she never would’ve caught the moment that forest green eyes softened like a doe.Regina strongly held her stare for what seemed like a lifetime. It was as if she was watching, waiting, wanting something to happen. She just wasn’t sure what. Time suddenly seemed so fast as the moment felt like forever and yet not long enough. Her eyes fell, no longer meeting the other woman’s gaze, when Emma glanced away to look out of the window.The brunette wanted to reach out to her again. To touch her arm, trying to reassure her. Anything that would make this pain go away. Regina had already spent so much of her life filled with pain and suffering. She knew Emma had too. But never more in this moment had she vowed to do whatever it took to make some of that pain go away. She didn’t know why she felt so strongly about Emma, but one thing was certain was she wasn’t willing to lose her.As the blonde woman put her seatbelt on, Regina began pulling on her own to click it into place. “So what exactly did my mother say to make you wanna run away and move to a new country or something dramatic.” She gently asked the younger woman further, purely out of concern.It’s going to be a long journey. The blonde thought to herself, knowing they were only a 10-minute drive from the house.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The sudden shouting from downstairs confirmed Regina’s arrival, mid rant about Cora. “I’m going to kill her!” Regina snarled, finishing her sentence with clenched teeth, like a serpent ready to attack. Zelena saunters down the stairs, as if Regina’s sudden outburst was as natural as breathing. “Join the queue, darling.” The redhead says with a shrug, as she pulled Emma into a hug, completely bypassing her sister. Regina throws a sinister scowl at her sister, making no attempt to mask her anger. “I’m at the front of it!” She demanded. The redhead scoffed, as the three of them reached the living room. “Oh, please, it’s practically my birth right. You know, since I was expelled from mother’s birth canal first.” She says in an attempt to lighten up the mood. It must have done the trick, because Regina’s sudden pause for thought meant that silence resonated through the house once more. Zelena wouldn’t confess how satisfied she was seeing her sister offer a look of disgust at the realization of what was said. As far as the older sibling was concerned, Regina being grossed out was better than seeing her try to shoot fire balls from her eyes. “I can’t believe she would say those things to Emma! After giving you up, you’d think she’d know better.” Regina replied to her sister. “Are you even remotely surprised, really?” Zelena asks Regina, before glancing at Emma who was staring sheepishly at them. “Honestly, I’ve heard worse...” The blonde interjects. Regina’s sudden realization at what she had done took Emma aback. The quick shift in the brunette’s mood definitely caught Emma by surprise. “Emma, I am so sorry. That was really rude and insensitive of me to rant. I shouldn’t have reacted like that. My mother just frustrates me to no end and that’s not an excuse for what I said, I just…” “It’s fine.” “But I just…?” “I don’t care about the outburst so long as you let me hug you right now.” “You know, if you’re ok with that.” The blonde quickly added as an afterthought. “Why?” The brunette softly asked. “Because I kinda need a hug that isn’t gonna crush my ribcage like Zelena does. No offence, Zee.” Emma says glancing from Regina to Zelena. The redhead who was now stretched out on the sofa simply shrugged. She was far more interested in seeing her sister and Emma figuratively dance around their feelings for each other. Regina pulled Emma into a light embrace. She was desperate to hold her close, fearing that if she let go, she would somehow lose her. The brunette was taller than Emma today, as she had opted to wear four inch heels. The blonde wrapped her arms around the now taller woman’s shoulders, while Regina found her hands sinking to Emma’s waist to hold her steady. Very platonic of you… Zelena thought to herself. She threw a knowing eyebrow raise in Regina’s direction, as Emma had her back to the redhead. “You know that dress really brings out your eyes, Em, especially in the natural light. Wouldn’t you agree, Gina?” Ruby mischievously asks, as she strolls into the room. The sound of Ruby’s voice interrupted the intimate moment between the pair. Until then, they had almost forgotten their surroundings. Regina reluctantly pulled away from the embrace they were locked in. She didn’t want to fully lose body contact with Emma, so she leaned against the younger woman’s shoulder for comfort.It was Emma’s turn to support Regina this time. Lightly gracing her hand over her waist. At first, her hand hesitantly hovered, before gently resting her palm to support her.The immediate touch caused Regina’s breathing to shift. Her body felt like it was on fire. She wanted to feel Emma’s hand glide all over her, caressing her skin that would be left so warm to touch. She somehow managed to keep a straight face, even as heat rose in her cheeks. Emma managed to conjure a reply from her constant anxiety-driven thoughts. “Again, you can thank Mary Margaret for that. I feel like I’m dressed like a giant zit.” “Well, then you should probably get your eyes tested. You look amazing!” Ruby beams, trying to reassure her. The clock on the wall had slowly come to resemble a ticking time bomb in Emma’s mind. Counting down the minutes until disaster would strike. “I don’t feel it and it’s still not gonna be enough. Cora’s still gonna look at me like I’m a walking charity.” “Obviously let’s hope she doesn’t. At least, when this is over, we hopefully won’t have to put up with her very often.” Ruby managed to muster in response, which was still better than what was going through everyone else’s heads. “Hey, if she hands you money with no strings attached, you should take it! She’s not the selfless sort.” The redhead half-jokingly suggested. Regina glared at her sister with gritted teeth. “Stop that! You’re not helping.” “It was a joke!” Zelena scorned. “Yeah, well Emma’s never had to endure our mother before and this isn’t a trip to Wendy’s.” Regina replied, coming to the blonde’s aid. Regina was wishing that the situation wasn’t so difficult. She had already spiritually reached out to Athena last night in hopes of wisdom and good strategies for dealing with her mother today. Yet, Regina’s perceptiveness and patience felt like it was running out. “Alright, I’ll play nicely… for once. But only because you’re really helping us out by not running away to Australia or something.” Zelena jested, accusingly pointing at Emma. “I don’t know, there’s still time.” Emma deadpanned. It wasn’t long until concern flooded her eyes at Regina’s hurt reaction. “Regina, I was kidding.” She tried to reassure her, as the brunette dashed out of the room, heading towards the backyard for some much-needed air. “What was that about? She joked about it earlier, I swear!” Emma asked with pleading eyes to Zelena and Ruby who were less stunned than the blonde was. Ruby nervously scratched her head. “Perhaps, but the situation probably feels more likely in her mind now.” She offered in response, before heading after Regina. “You wouldn’t be the first to walk out of her life, that’s all.” Zelena quietly says, while dread bubbled in her veins. Emma nervously fidgeted for a moment before staring back at Zelena to ask her a question. She seemed so small as she spoke, “that wasn’t even a joke when Regina said it, was it?” Zelena shook her head, confirming the worst. “It’s not quite as dramatic as it sounds. Well, actually, I guess that depends… Regina’s seen so many people come and go, now she sits and wonders how long it is until they leave.” “I can understand that.” The blonde quietly muttered. “Definitely doesn’t help that Cora gets under people’s skin sometimes, making it harder for my sister to make friends and keep them. The difference between Regina and I is she was raised by our mother. Whereas I was given up for adoption, as you know; so I didn’t have the same upbringing. Mother means well, more often than not. She just holds people to high expectations. She can be a bit overbearing, especially when you don’t see eye to eye.” Zelena admitted. “What happens when she doesn’t approve of your friends?” Emma asked in a hushed tone. “Depends, really. She’s usually just a bit passive aggressive like she is with Ruby. Unless you really do something that angers her.” “Is that it? Then why are you and Ruby making this seem as important as meeting royalty?” The older of the two nervously bit her lip. Looking down at her feet for a moment before meeting Emma’s gaze once more. “Because mother isn’t the best when it comes to LGBT people, not just acceptance but also saying the correct thing… and in general she can be particular about whom her children date.” The sound of glass shattering in her mind flooded Emma’s thoughts. Her heart began to thump faster in her chest, adrenaline pumping in her veins. Date?! Emma mentally concludes with her mouth hanging open, her hands beginning to tingle with anxiety.
“You’re not seriously suggesting that Regina and I…?” Her voice began before trailing off at the sudden interruption from the redhead. Zelena replied, as hard as nails. “Well, we can’t just ignore that you have a type, Emma! If Ruby couldn’t flirt her way out of a paper bag, you would totally be into her!” “Just because I have a type doesn’t mean I’m attracted to Regina!” Emma sparred. “Sassy, sarcastic, socially awkward brunette, sound familiar? The biggest difference is Killian wears more eyeliner. Bonus points that Regina and Hook both have boats, but ours is definitely better. Our yacht makes your ex’s sailboat look like a canoe.” “That doesn’t mean-“ “Who exactly are you trying to fool at this point? It doesn’t take a genius to work out that you look at my sister the way you used to look at Hook.” Emma’s eyes shot open wide. Oh god! Is it that obvious to everyone? I’m so screwed and gonna lose Regina forever! Emma panicked in her mind as her anxiety began to boil over. The blonde suddenly groaned, unable to take the stress any longer. “Ugh, I’m gonna fuck everything up like I always do! Please don’t tell her, Zee. She’s gonna hate me and then I’ll lose her!” Zelena tries to ease her concerns, taking a step towards her. “You know I wouldn’t do that to you. You’re not gonna lose her, Emma. I promise, you’re doing great. Better than you think!” Emma instantly notices this and takes a step further back in a fluster. “Even if Regina doesn’t hate me, your mother might. What if she doesn’t approve of me? Cora could really make my life hell.” The redhead tries to reassure her, now reaching out for Emma’s arm with her hand. “None of us will let her.” It was normally out of character for her, but Zelena had concluded that desperate times called for drastic measures. Emma shrugged her arm away from Zelena. Her eyes suddenly began to water, mentally cursing herself, as she’s trying to keep it together. “Until you all don’t want me around either.” She confesses, blinking away tears. Zelena looked horrified at the insinuation, “what? Emma that’s not… We wouldn’t and definitely don’t think that. We never have.” It still wasn’t enough for the blonde, who was quickly beginning to admit defeat. The younger woman refused to believe Zelena. Emma storms off upstairs to her room. She didn’t want anyone to see her like this. The redhead calls after her, “Em! Come on, it’s alright! Emma!” Zelena huffed, running her hands through her luscious auburn curls that cascaded down her shoulders. Meanwhile, in the back yard, Ruby is trying to console Regina who was sitting on the garden chair with her head in her hands. The tall brunette was crouched uncomfortably in front of the shorter woman. “Babe, Emma doesn’t hate you and she’s not gonna leave. She’s probably just as afraid as you are!” The younger of the two said with kind eyes. She has one hand on Regina’s knee for comfort, the other occasionally trying to pull down her cocktail dress. The last thing she needed was to give the thirsty frat boys next door something to fantasize about. Gotta hope Zelena hasn’t scared Emma off or this will all have been for nothing. Ruby mentally tells herself. “You don’t know that!” Regina muttered between muffled sniffles. Ruby placed a reassuring hand on the smaller woman’s shoulder. “Trust me on this. When have I been wrong about people before?” Zelena suddenly stormed into the back yard. Hands flew in every direction, as she gesticulated her emotions. “For fuck’s sake! Why must mother ruin everything?” Ruby instantly tears her eyes from Regina to peer at the redhead who had interrupted the heart to heart. You literally had one job, Zee! Ruby mentally concludes. Now standing up, she glances around for pervy looks from her sexually frustrated neighbors that she had caught on more than one occasion lusting over her. “Where’s Emma?” Regina asked in a panic, ignoring the frustration from her sister to focus on more pressing matters. Zelena continued, “I hate mother more than–“ “Sunlight?” Ruby jokingly asks, cutting into the conversation. “Oh, bite me!” The redhead retorts with a scoff. “Hmm, that’s more your thing than mine.” Ruby sarcastically quipped with a smirk. Regina shoves herself between the pair of them. “Shut up, both of you! Zelena, where’s Emma?” She says, now having captured their attention. Emma was sat on her bed with her knees drawn closely to her chest, hugging them tightly. Growing up her coping mechanism was to try and appear strong around other people. As a result, even now, she struggled to let her emotions out. Peering out of the window in front of her, she seemed to stare off into the distance. She knew no answers would be found there, but it would bring her some peace. That peace, however, was short-lived. She’s snapped away from her impending thoughts by the sound of heavy banging on her door over and over, as her name was spoken. Can’t catch a break today. Or ever, recently. Emma mentally concludes. “Come in, Rubes.” Emma says after a moment. Almost instantly, the door swung open. As swiftly as the door was opened it was shut by a firm kick from one of Ruby’s heels. Emma simply looked down at Ruby’s sparkly red shoes, while the woman strode into the room with prowess. The blonde grumbles, “I’m not going” to the brunette. Normally at this point Ruby would roll her eyes, but today she didn’t. “Come on, Swan, what’s bothering you? Zee won’t tell me, and her royal highness is crying because she thinks she’s gonna lose you. So, tell me why you’re sulking here, instead of lusting over Regina downstairs." Now looking up at the younger woman, Emma mustered a reply, “it’s nothing! And I don’t lust over Re…” Ruby snorted in disbelief, arching her eyebrow. “I don’t!” Emma said more firmly. "If you insist…" Ruby said with a scoff, now taking a few steps towards Emma. “Gonna mess this shit up like everything else in my life!” The blonde explained, while the brunette sat down beside her. “Oh, don’t give me that crap! I’m not here for a pity party. If you believe I’m leaving you here in this state then think again. I am not sitting in some fancy restaurant, putting up with her royal bitchiness Queen Cora the Cu.. ow! What was that for?” Ruby looked offended at the sudden nudge from Emma. “I get it! You’re not leaving without me.” Emma huffed before continuing. “I just know that she’s gonna hate the ground I walk on.” The brunette scoffed. “Oh, give me some credit! If she’s going to hate anyone, it’ll be me, more than she already does. Besides, I’ve had a few more years practice.” A mischievous grin crossed her red lips, as her mind began to conjure ideas of how to irritate the matriarch further. They surprisingly fell into an initially comfortable silence. Until seconds turned into a minute, becoming increasingly awkward with every second. “I don’t wanna talk about it.” Emma muttered, trying to break the uncomfortable energy. “Well that’s fine. As long as you don’t spend the whole time looking like you stood in dog shit. We have enough of that with Cora.” “That’s doable because I’m still not going.” Emma folded her arms in petulance. Ruby matched Emma’s body language, folding her arms. “Well then I’m not going either. We’ll just say you’re sick and I’m looking after you.” She replied, as golden hair was suddenly sprawled against her shoulders. Emma had decided to rest her head against Ruby’s shoulder for support. “Really?” The blonde quietly muttered. The brunette contemplates for a moment, as she placed her arm around Emma. “We could… I’m just not sure Cora will buy it; and it won’t stop her from arranging something else.” Emma groaned in frustration causing the brunette to chuckle. “Hey, remember what Zee said last week, ‘there isn’t much this family won’t stop at to get what they want.’ It’s Regina I feel sorry for.” “Why?” Emma asked softly; worry glinting in her eyes. “Because believe it or not, she really wants you to be there. If you think you’re scared, you should’ve seen her earlier. I haven’t seen her that upset since her breakup with Mal.” Ruby admitted, hoping it would coax the blonde out of her bad mood. “She’s got nothing to be afraid of.” The blonde suggested rather weakly in her own defense. The younger woman scoffed again in disbelief. “Oh, so she doesn’t have to worry about losing you then? For Christ’s sake, Emma! Will you please get your head out of your ass? Regina is crazy about you. So what that she used to live her life under her mother’s thumb. Now, she doesn’t give a shit about Cora or her stuffy opinion. What she does care about is you and there isn’t much she won’t do to see you happy.” Emma blinked several times, completely stunned by what Ruby had said. No teasing, no resentment. One of the many things she loved about Ruby, her blunt honesty. But she still felt like she had to make sure. “How much have you had to drink?” The blonde asked with mild concern, but mostly curiosity. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Swan (!) You’ll be happy to know I haven’t touched a drop since that pool party last week.” Emma seemed satisfied with the answer, offering the brunette a hum of approval before Ruby changed the subject. "Is that what you were really worried about? Regina, and you…” The blonde sighs, the sound cutting off Ruby’s words before the brunette continued what she was saying. “Emma, if this about the teasing then I promise…" “It’s not that… well, it sort of is.” Emma started before Ruby interjected. “Zee and I will drop it…” “Rubes.” “Scouts honor!” “Ruby!” She firmly stated. Her lips thinned in irritation. “What?” The brunette obliviously asked in a nonchalant manner. “I know that you and Zelena were joking but the truth is… I like her. That’s the problem.” Ruby’s eyes suddenly shot open wide, glimmering with excitement at the sudden confession. “You like Regina. As in–“ Emma nods slowly. Ruby’s mouth hung open. “Oh my fucking God!” She said with a shriek. “Emma’s just fine.” She teased with a chuckle which caused Ruby to roll her eyes. Ruby launched Emma into a tight hug, narrowly missing smudging the blonde woman’s makeup. “Took you long enough to work it out! But either way, I’m so proud of you!” She beams, as Emma smiled for the first time in what felt like forever. As the blonde pulled away, the brunette continues the conversation, almost bursting with excitement. “I can’t wait to tell Zelena! Wait! Can I tell her?” Emma rolled her eyes while attempting to mask a chuckle. Her attempt failed as soon as the tall brunette sent a smile in her direction. “She already knows.” The blonde replies which instantly captured the younger woman’s full attention. The brunette gasped. “Oh, come on! Now that’s unfair!” She whined as petulantly as Emma had earlier. “Hold on, Rubes.” The brunette huffed at Emma’s response before gesturing for her to continue. “She told me she knew when you went after Regina earlier. I couldn’t deny it to myself any longer, let alone Zee.” “What a bitch! I wanted to be the first person you told!” She half-jokingly sulks, causing the blonde to grin. “Ruby?” The older of the two says, drawing the brunette’s attention once more. “At your service.” She teasingly replied. “Please don’t tell Regina. I don’t want to lose her as a friend. Even if she could like me back, I wouldn’t want to risk destroying our friendship.” The brunette sighed before nodding in agreement. She wasn’t giving up. In fact, Emma’s confession had given Ruby more hope for the situation. Once Emma had calmed her nerves about dinner and Ruby had managed to convince her to still go, the pair made their way back into the garden. In the back yard, Zelena was still trying to console Regina. The brunette woman’s eyes were still red from crying as she rested her head on her sisters’ shoulder. Suddenly Regina looked up at the sound of Emma’s voice, as the blonde entered the garden. “Alright, let’s do this!” Emma says shakily, still managing to offer a small smile. As soon as Emma entered the garden, Regina had dashed towards her. Ruby, who was a few steps behind Emma, finally caught up, now joining Zelena. Ruby continued the conversation, “ok, plan of act–“ her words swiftly halted when she saw that Emma and Regina weren’t listening. The pair were too busy locked in each other’s tight embrace. After Regina had darted towards Emma, she instantly pulled her into a hug. The younger woman found herself on tiptoes, slightly stunned, as she wrapped her arms around the brunette’s shoulders. Almost immediately as she had, Regina gently placed her hands on Emma’s waist to hold her steady. “Hey! It’s ok! I understand. I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” Emma said calmly, trying to reassure her. Emma unconsciously stroked Regina’s hair, trying to comfort her. The scent of the brunette’s perfume filled her senses, causing Emma’s body to tingle with delight. Neither wanted this feeling to end. Nothing else in that moment seemed to matter to them. They had everything they needed right now. Zelena and Ruby watched Emma and Regina, waiting for the pair to finish their hug. “Platonic, my ass!” Ruby whispers in the redhead’s ear, causing Zelena to stifle a laugh. “I don’t even hug Robin like that.” Zelena muttered back quietly. “God knows who they’re trying to convince that they only want to be friends.” “How long do you think it’s gonna take them to work it out?” She whispers in Ruby’s ear, causing the tall brunette to smirk. “Well, Em insists there wouldn’t be anything more than friendship between them.” Ruby replied to the redhead. Zelena leaned closer to the brunette’s ear, “Regina’s just as bad. Bets on who caves first?” She cheekily suggested, making Ruby’s eyes mischievously twinkle. As Emma and Regina finally pulled away, Ruby and Zelena continued as if nothing had happened. Ruby cleared her throat before she continued what she was saying earlier. “Right, so, action plan… Action plan… Action pla– Zelena, what have we got?” “Right! Yes! So Mummy dearest is going to show up in her Bentley that she loves like it is her own child. Thank god it isn’t a people carrier, or we would all be sitting in it listening to her obnoxious drivel.” “She’d have a stroke before she stepped foot in one.” Regina deadpanned. “Don’t get ideas, Rubes.” Zelena mockingly scolded. “She even prides herself on having never taken an Uber.” The redhead added. “Cora’s always drove or had her chauffer to take her somewhere.” Regina confirmed, much to Emma’s shock.“Your mom has a chauffeur?” Emma asks with disbelief. Stunned was an understatement for how she was feeling. Her stomach was already in knots, and this revelation hadn’t helped. The amount of money the Mills family had was starting to make her feel almost nauseous. “Had. After Sidney retired, mom and dad decided that the money allocated to a chauffeur would be better spent on recruiting and hiring new staff at the Boston office of the law firm.” Regina replied. “Aww, Sidney! I used to make his life hell with all those shopping sprees.” Zelena reminisces. “Actually, he said it was one of the highlights of the job. Apparently, you wanting to go shopping was an easy day at work, in comparison to mother’s errands.” Regina corrected her sister, much to Zelena’s delight. “Wait, so is that why she’s in Boston?” Emma asks. “Part of the reason, yeah. She’s planning to be more frequently travelling between the Boston and Maine offices.” Regina confirms. “Back to the point! There isn’t enough space for all of us in Cora’s car.” Ruby interjected. “We definitely can’t use mine.” Emma admits. “Nor can we have any suggestion towards it, if we can help it. The last thing we need is Cora insisting she will buy Emma a new one. We know what that car means to you, Em.” Ruby replies which everyone nods in agreement with. “Mother will complain that I didn’t bring my car, but it’s totally impractical for college. So someone should suggest that two of us take an Uber. She won’t love the idea, but we have to make it seem like the most viable option.” Regina added, now pacing up and down the garden. Zelena follows on from what her sister has said. “Our main priority is keeping Emma out of the Bentley. Unless of course, you want more interrogating before dinner.” She says to the blonde. “I’d rather stick pins in my eyes.” Emma deadpans. “It will more than likely end up that Ruby and Emma take an Uber. Which means Regina and I endure mother’s torturous journey to the restaurant. Personally I would prefer it if Ruby ends up in the car, because let’s be honest here, she is the best at giving mother a migraine.” “I’ve got an idea!” Ruby interjects, causing everyone to look at her with curiosity. Once she had everyone’s attention, the young brunette continued. “I might choke before I finish the sentence, but, I could ask her if I could be in her car, because I’ve never been in a Bentley before. We know she wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to show off her wealth.” “But that still doesn’t stop her suggesting Emma also being in the car.” Zelena confesses with a frown. Everyone pauses for thought for a moment. The only sound that could be heard was birds tweeting in a nearby tree, and one of the neighbors playing heavy metal two houses away. “I have an idea! But you’re not gonna like it, Zee.” Regina sheepishly admits. Once the plan was settled, it didn’t leave them much time to relax before Cora’s car pulled up in the driveway. The sound of the tires crunching on the gravel alerted them of her presence. As soon as it did, they all quickly darted into the house. The plan had gone better than they all had predicted, which was definitely a compliment to their teamwork. Or maybe it was because of Regina’s offering to the goddess Athena.Ruby managed not to choke when she asked Cora if she could sit in her car. The Mills matriarch beamed with delight at the question and was surprised at Ruby’s newfound politeness. Regina was slightly smug about the fact that she had convinced her sister to take one for the team. Having Zelena insist that their mother must tell her about the next event in Storybrooke that she and Regina must attend. Her sister had already suffered the same conversation a few hours earlier. As far as Regina was concerned, the least she could do was return the favor to her sister. Emma was just glad that the Mills Matriarch thought her suggestion of two people being in an Uber for safety was a ‘sensible idea’. The Mills matriarch insisted on waiting until the Uber had collected Emma and Regina before they headed off to the restaurant themselves. It would also give her more time to discuss the details of the business dinner with her eldest daughter, much to Zelena’s exasperation. As soon as Ruby slid onto the backseat of the Bentley, she whistled while staring in awe at the cream leather interior. “Wow! OMG! This is so beautiful, Mrs. Mills.” She blurts almost instantly, genuinely impressed by what she sees. Ruby couldn’t stand the woman at the best of times, but even she couldn’t deny that sometimes Cora Mills had a sense of style.Cora raised an eyebrow in surprise before managing to smile. She loved when people appreciated her taste and her wealth, more than she cared to admit to even herself. She also somewhat hoped this was actually the start of a better connection with Ruby. They never seemed to get along in the past, which both cared very little for. That was until Cora realized that her relationship with her own daughters would be better if she was less frosty about their choice of friends. She really was trying to be more accepting of those who were different than herself. Emma and Regina arrived before the reservation at the restaurant. While the brunette was waiting for the payment transaction to go through, Emma messaged Zelena requesting an ETA, wanting to know how long she had with Regina before the chaos would commence. Regina wasn’t surprised that her mother had given her cash so she would pay for their Uber knowing that her mother completely ignored her explanation about Uber being cashless. She had thrown enough money at her that it could pay the fare both ways during rush hour with plenty left over. Once the pair had stepped out of the car, they made their way over to one of the walls near the entrance of the restaurant. This way they could still see the Bentley arrive, but also talk more privately. “Regina, about earlier…” The blonde began before she was cut off by the brunette. “Emma, it’s fine, really. I overreacted and I’m sorry. I was scared of losing you. I know how unbearable my mother can be.” “I understand, really. I just want you to know that I will always be a part of your life, for as long as you want me to be. I’m terrified that I’m gonna mess this up and lose all of you. I’ve spent my whole life being pushed away and losing people I’ve cared about. In the end, I just walked away before I could let anyone get close. As stupid as this probably sounds… The difference now is I have more reasons to stay.” “It doesn’t sound stupid at all. Actually, it makes total sense. Is it bad that I kinda hope that someday I will be one of those reasons that you stay?” “You already are, Regina.” The blonde confirmed with a small smile, relieved that Regina had asked. The brunette’s smile dashed across her lips. A warmth in her body made her feel fuzzy. “Well, I appreciate that… I’m not sure how else to explain this other than I don’t want to lose you, especially if it’s because of my mother. She controls so much of my life and I’m sorry that you got dragged into all of this.” “Hey, it’s ok! I know the weight of the situation. Zelena already explained Cora’s expectations of you both. I know I am not the usual type of person she would approve of, but…” “Maybe she’s changing? I mean she did invite you. Mother adjusted the booking and everything so she–“ “Can’t view me that badly?” “I would go as far as saying she must in some way approve of you, if she’s willing to let you dine with us.” “Because it’s not the money with her, it’s the principle?” The blonde asked with genuine interest which Regina slowly nods in agreement to. “If we can get through dinner, she should be off our backs, at least for a while. Some good has to come from this.” Regina tries to reassure her. Still not entirely sure why I should have to bend over backwards to make this woman approve of me, but if it means supporting Regina then it has to be worth it. The blonde mentally concluded as she takes a deep breath in, before exhaling. “Let’s hope so.” She replied with determination glimmering in her emerald eyes. “Ready?” The brunette asked with a weak smile.
“As I’ll ever be.” The blonde replied while nervously fidgeting with her hands. Regina instinctively reached out to her, placing her hands over Emma’s, in an attempt to ease the younger woman’s nerves. As her thumb stroked over the blonde’s index fingers, that unmistakable spark jolted through their veins, before settling into a gentle hum. It was no longer an anxious shock that surged through them. Now, it was like a burning candle. A flame that ignited the attraction between them. A heat that prickled in the body, bursting with anticipation. A warmth that flushed their cheeks with desire.Emma wanted nothing more than to reach out and kiss Regina. All she could think about was imagining what her lips would taste like over her own. She yearned to feel Regina longingly melt at their lips connecting.The moment that their hands fell from each other’s grasp, it was as if they had been holding their breath. A sudden breeze flooded the space between them. Desire twinkled in emerald eyes as they stared intensely into dark eyes that were like a hollow void of mystery. While the blonde took a step back, the brunette offered a small mile to comfort her.In the corner of her emerald eyes, Emma saw Cora’s Bentley pull into the restaurant driveway. “Oh fuck, here we go.” Emma announces to the brunette, while the Bentley pulled into a parking spot. “Took the words straight out of my mouth.” Regina confessed. “Why do I get a feeling, if it’s straight, it didn’t come from you?” The blonde joked. “Either of us, if we were honest.” The brunette admits with a smirk. Emma glanced down at her feet for a moment as heat rose in her cheeks. Regina did her best to hide a victorious grin. The loud click of the car door drew their attention to the Bentley. It was Zelena who had staggered out of the vehicle, like a bat out of hell. The redhead took several deep breaths, as she made her way over to the restaurant. “Showtime (!)” Emma deadpans as Zelena now strutted towards them. Zelena had managed to survive the journey and not almost shrivel up and die of boredom at the conversation with her mother. Turns out it was about a tedious evening dinner before thanksgiving that Cora is making her and Regina attend. To say she was unimpressed was an understatement. Twenty minutes in the car, half of which was Cora outlining the details of her three course menu she had planned for the event was more than enough. The Mills matriarch’s voice had soon come to resemble that of a blender in Zelena’s mind. They all attempted to hide their amusement when they saw Ruby hard at work distracting Cora. Still a few meters away, Ruby was chatting to Cora who already regretting her decision. The Mills matriarch felt like she had a migraine coming on from Ruby’s blathering. “You’re an absolute cow, you know that?” Zelena mutters to her sister who stifles a chuckle. “If I had the pleasure of listening to a conversation about foie gras, so should you.” Regina says with a shit-eating grin that makes her sister scowl. After they arrived at the restaurant and Cora gave the reservation name, they were seated at a round table with six chairs. Zelena and Ruby had already strategically planned avoiding having Regina and Emma next to Cora. As soon as the Mills matriarch sat down, Zelena and Ruby instantly sat down either side of her. Regina and Emma conveniently made their excuses to use the washroom so Cora could not object to Ruby sitting beside her. Once the pair returned to their table, everyone began to look at their respective menus. Regina had already talked Emma through the menu during their uber trip that the blonde had checked online to spare some of her nerves and anxiety.After the waiter took their orders, Cora began to ask questions at the table. Starting with Zelena, her college course, and how her relationship was. Emma was doing her best to not become increasingly uncomfortable by the entire situation. Regina recognized this and quietly began to discuss with Emma about her written assignment as a distraction. The blonde was relieved for the distraction.20 minutes after they had ordered, their food arrived. Ruby took the opportunity to make Cora increasingly uncomfortable by this time flirting with their waiter. If the Mills matriarch clenched her jaw any tighter, her teeth would shatter. “Stop that!” The Mills Matriarch hissed through clenched teeth in Ruby’s direction. Zelena and Regina swallowed back a smirk, glancing down to avoid reacting. Emma instinctively grabbed Regina’s hand under the table to remain composed. The brunette was slightly stunned at first before gently squeezing the blonde’s hand to reassure her. As soon as Regina returned the affection, Emma’s heart rate began to race. She nervously gulped before trying to return her attention to the table but her mind was distracted by her hand being interlocked with Regina’s. Eventually, when everyone proceeded to eat their meals, the brunette would let go of her hand, much to both of their disappointment.The atmosphere was peaceful and thankfully lacked the awkward tension that had lingered since they had arrived. Halfway through their meals, Ruby continued to converse with Cora.“Hey, Mrs. Mills, maybe I could use my natural allure in your meetings to help with recruitment?” Ruby chimed in which caused Regina to stifle her own laughter.Emma was doing everything in her power to keep it together as she glanced down at her food, tightly holding her fork. Zelena nearly choked on her drink, blinking furiously to fight back tears of laughter. “Do you know, Miss Lucas, that might not be a bad idea.” The matriarch remarked. Ruby and Emma’s eyes suddenly went wide in disbelief, Regina attempted to hide her surprised reaction to Cora’s response by quickly taking another bite of her food. Zelena’s sudden coughing resonated through the air. She did her best to clear her throat for, fear of choking on the air that had been sucked out of her lungs at her mother’s reply. “Sorry, it’s just a bit hot.” The redhead quickly made up an excuse which seemed to be accepted by her mother who was wearing a cheery disposition. “It was a joke, I was joking–.” Ruby began to explain before being cut off by the mature woman. “I certainly wasn’t. What a wonderful idea! You could shadow me for a day and if it goes well, who knows, maybe there’s a career for you in business in the future.” Emma glanced at Zelena, who glanced at Regina, who glanced at Ruby, who was staring in shock at Cora’s revelation. “Really?!” Ruby managed to say almost an octave higher than her usual pitch. “I never joke when it comes to business.” Cora replied in a serious manner. Ruby was stunned to absolute silence for the first time in what felt like forever. She wasn’t sure if she was annoyed or delighted. She knew she couldn’t stand the woman, but if she wasn’t mocking her then it seemed like Cora might have started to actually show the younger woman some appreciation. Regina managed to cut into the conversation. “Mother, you can’t just invite Ruby to your work, there’s protocols and paperwork to be–” “You don’t think I know that, Regina? I’ve been doing this while you were still in the cradle.” The older woman scoffed before returning the conversation to Ruby. “So that’s settled then? I’ll make some calls to my assistant and she can get the paperwork to you by the middle of next week?” Ruby only managed to nod in response, still completely stunned to silence at the events that had occurred. Regina rolled her eyes at her mother’s response, only for her irritation to dissolve at the sudden squeeze of her fingers from Emma.After a surprisingly positive conversation and the matriarch offering to also buy desserts, the energy between everyone seemed better. Once everyone had placed their dessert orders, Zelena and Ruby excuse themselves to go outside and smoke. The Mills matriarch seemed unimpressed with Zelena after trying to get her daughter to give up the vice. The redhead didn’t seem to care in this moment if it meant she would be able to endure the tedious company of her mother for longer, it would be worth the nagging. Zelena and Ruby both make their way towards the door to head outside to the smoking area of the restaurant. “I’ve got a bone to pick with you!” Ruby lightheartedly says to the redhead as they are stood outside. The redhead offers a cigarette to the brunette who surprisingly declined. Has Ruby suddenly turned over a new leaf? The redhead mentally queries with a frown for a second. “But you said-“ “Yeah I just needed some air away from your mother.” “What am I supposed to have allegedly done this time?” Zelena asks with an eyeroll. “I’m still annoyed with you. I wanted to be the first person Emma told!” She mockingly replies, causing the redhead’s lip to curl in amusement. “I was as surprised as you are! Meanwhile, my sister is still in denial about her feelings. Mother being here isn’t helping.” “The sooner Cora leaves, the better.” Ruby admits. The redhead nods in agreement as she exhaled another puff of smoke. “Speaking of mother, I’m pretty sure even she can see how infatuated Regina and Emma are. I really need them to get their shit together and kiss already. This romcom is getting painful to watch.” “Yeah most lesbians U-Haul by third date. They could’ve been engaged and living together with two cats by now.” “Instead we’ve got two idiots pussy footing around each other.” Zelena muttered as she flicked a piece of ash off her cigarette with her nail. “It’s like Carol Aird and Therese Belivet all over again.” “Huh?” “Two hopeless romantics who clearly want each other yet still have no clue how to tell the other. They even have the weird ex who doesn’t know when to piss off.” The brunette clarifies. “I have no idea about anything you just said.” Zelena admits with a puzzled expression. “How have you never seen ‘Carol’?” Zelena simply shrugged at the question. “Oh we’re so watching that when we get home!” Ruby beamed with delight that she was going to get to show Zelena one of her guilty pleasure movies. It’s not like Zelena had much choice in the matter if she hadn’t wanted to. Truthfully, she did want to see it. Not just because she had just googled the cast and seen how hot they were. About an hour later, Zelena, Ruby, Emma and Regina were back at the student house. They had said their goodbye’s to Cora who would be heading to the office to “get my assistant to send the paperwork to you, Miss Lucas.” Reminding Ruby of their conversation earlier. The four of them had all gotten into an Uber for the journey home. As soon as they got into the house and closed the door Ruby and Zelena cheered. “Finally! It’s fucking over!” Zelena announced, much to everyone’s amusement. “I think she liked me.” Emma admits feeling momentarily proud of herself. "And, there's her first flaw… lack of good judgment." Zelena teases. Emma instantly rolls her eyes. “I mean she did invite you to dinner which was a promising sign.” Regina reiterates. “Not that you had much say in the matter.” Zelena replies. “Anything to keep the peace.” Emma admits. Everyone was gathered in the kitchen as Ruby opened a bottle of wine in celebration. “Is the alcohol necessary?” Regina asks with a raised eyebrow. “It is when we are celebrating success.” The redhead chimes in, coming to Ruby’s defense. After everyone received a glass of wine that was generously poured by Ruby a bit too close to the rim, they made a toast. “To Emma. The first friend that Regina and Zelena have made that even the infamous Cora Mills approved of.” They all carefully clinked glasses. Zelena insisting that everyone has to make eye contact with her because she doesn’t “want to get 7 years bad sex”. “Make that both of us.” Ruby replied. “What?!” Zelena asked, stunned. “When?” Emma questioned in confusion. “Who?” Regina replied wide-eyed. “Did you seriously think that Mulan and I only chatted in the car on the way to Maine?” Ruby remarked with a smirk, circling her finger around the rim of her wine glass. Zelena’s mouth hung open, partly from shock, mostly from surprise that Ruby hadn’t mentioned it until now. Emma chuckled in amusement. Regina was torn between cringing in disgust at the mental image of Ruby’s insinuation and smiling about Ruby being happy with someone. For the first time in what felt like a while, everything was good. For a moment, they all couldn’t be happier.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It was Wednesday, October 12th. Emma was at the bar doing her shift, relieved to be finishing at 6pm, rather than driving herself into the ground with more overtime. She was happy that this month she would be able to focus more on her studies and have free time with her friends. Even though Emma typically doesn’t celebrate her birthday, she was pleased that she wouldn’t have to work on the actual day, later in the month.The Wish Realm was quieter than usual, which she didn’t mind because it gave her time to chat with her regular customers and to occasionally swap with Kristoff from being behind the bar, in order to clear tables. As long as she had things to keep herself occupied, she didn’t mind quieter days at work. There had recently been rumors at the bar that the deputy manager might be stepping down, which could mean an internal promotion for a member of staff. Emma was secretly hoping that her loyalty and dedication to the job would allow her to get that promotion if the opportunity arose.Meanwhile, in Emma’s student house, Regina, who had joined Ruby and Zelena after her lectures, is trying to stop her sister shriveling up from boredom like a wilting lettuce. Zelena had actually impressed everyone by going to every single one of her lectures and attending the optional ones as well for a whole week. In a shocking turn of events, the socialite had also rejected going to not one but two frat parties. The prospect of free alcohol was not enough to tempt her on these two occasions. Robin was slightly irritated that Zelena wouldn’t be going with him, mostly because of the hosts and his housemates asking if there is ‘trouble in paradise.’ When Killian agreed to attend, however, he seemed to mind less about his girlfriend declining the invitation.Zelena had decided to focus on her studies on her own merit, because she wanted to get a good grade, and actually was enjoying the current modules she was studying. This in turn made Ruby almost emulous. Being the fiercely stubborn woman that she is, she decided to see this as a competition of who could get the best grade between her and Zelena on their Classics assignment. Zelena actually had no interest in the competition, but she wasn’t going to admit this to Ruby. As a result, the pair had barely been up to their usual antics and meddling. They had rarely even teased Emma or Regina for one reason or another, much to Regina and Emma’s relief. In fact, all four of them had spent extraordinarily little time together since Cora’s visit earlier in the month.Even though Emma and Regina had barely seen one another this week, they still managed to message each other at least twice every day and kept their snap streak going. It was usually of a photo on their walk to their respective campuses, or in Regina’s case, a photo of the pile of books she was currently reading for her lectures, while Emma opted for more scenic photography of things that captured her interest around the city.Now, Regina was spending some quality time with her sister and Ruby; despite how undesirable she found a lot of the conversation topics to be.Zelena was slumped in her seat on the sofa. “Oh my god! I swear, if we don’t do something interesting this week, I will pull my hair out.” She insists as she folds her arms. Regina did her utmost to not roll her eyes in response. “You could always dye it instead of pulling it out!” Ruby says with a smirk to which Regina raises a curious eyebrow. Ruby whispers something in the smaller brunette’s ear who manages to mask a giggle with a cough. “I’ll happily be your hairdresser if you do!” Regina joked, a mischievous grin curling at the corner of her lips, contemplating dyeing Zelena’s hair green from Ruby’s idea. “Perfect plan!” The other brunette suggested with a scheming smile. Zelena chooses to ignore the pair and return to the previous conversation topic. “Seriously though, we should do something fun this weekend. Something different.” “You wouldn’t like any of my suggestions.” Regina admits, now sitting down next to her sister on the sofa. “This is true. If I ever want to be bored out of my skull, I’ll consult you first for ideas.” The redhead jokingly replies. While Zelena and Regina are mentally sparring, throwing insults in one another’s direction, Ruby, on the other hand, is leaning against the living room wall and appears to not be focused on the conversation. Instead, she is scrolling through Instagram. A few minutes pass and Zelena and Regina are no further than where they started, after beginning to brainstorm ideas. The older of the two slowly becomes more frustrated by the minute. Tension in the room began to fizzle. Between Zelena’s impatience and Regina’s struggle to conjure ideas, an argument would soon erupt. “I’ve got it!” Ruby announces, slicing the tension in the air like a knife before any fighting could actually ensue. “Oh thank God for that! We’re all ears, darling.” Zelena confesses. She and her sister almost immediately lean back in their chairs and coincidentally cross their legs while folding their arms. “The local escape room has a deal on. It’s only this Saturday, but it’s $20 per person instead of thirty.” “Oh that actually sounds like fun!” Regina instantly confesses. “It’s a miracle! Ruby found something that even Regina enjoys that isn’t watching paint dry.” The redhead deadpans. Regina doesn’t verbally respond, instead, she simply scowls at her sister. “One problem.” Regina admits after a moment, sheepishly glancing between Zelena and Ruby. The pair almost instantly groan. “Just please tell me, whatever it is, it doesn’t involve mother.” Zelena says, practically pleading for mercy. “Mummy dearest has been hanging around like…” Zelena pauses for thought, clicking her fingers to cling to a thought that suddenly dispersed from her mind. “Moss to a damp wall?” Ruby asks in jest. “She literally gave you a job, Rubes.” Regina reminds the younger brunette. “I was going to say like leeches during the Middle Ages, but yours works too.” Zelena admits to Ruby with a chuckle. “Oh! I haven’t had a chance to ask, how is the job going?” The redhead continued. ‘Haven’t had a chance to ask?’ Seriously, Zelena, it’s been a week since Ruby started there, what is going on with you two? You’re usually inseparable. Regina mentally ponders while waiting for the younger brunette’s response. Ruby elects to ignore Regina’s statement, opting to answer Zelena instead. “Well, Cora hasn’t fired me yet.” She replies lightheartedly. The Mills matriarch had been impressed by Ruby’s hard working manner and good customer rapport, especially with the potential new clients. So much so, Cora had offered Ruby a part-time contract during term time at the law firm, working as an Administration Assistant. Cora had implied that if she is successful at the progress review that Ruby could receive a promotion. It had only been a few days since the Mills Matriarch had returned to Maine, meaning that everyone could feel relieved for a short time. Cora Mills making frequent trips to Boston was something they were all going to have to grow accustomed to. “Anyway, the good news is that it doesn’t involve Cora.” Regina confirms. “Thank fuck for that.” Ruby and Zelena replied almost instantly. As soon as they did, the pair burst out laughing at the similarity. Regina simply rolled her eyes at their hysterics, irritated at how the simplest of things would cause the pair to erupt into uncontrollable laughter. Regina clears her throat before continuing the conversation; hoping that her cough would end the raucous giggling. “The bad news is that Emma probably won’t be joining us. Emma’s cousin Anna is coming to visit this weekend, so she and Elsa will be spending time with her.” “Great (!) We’ll either have to think of something else or go without her which could possibly make her feel pushed out.” Ruby grumbles, huffing at the prospect. “Never mind that.” Zelena says with a dismissive hand gesture in Ruby’s direction. “More importantly, how on Earth did you know about this and we didn’t?” Zelena asks her sister, stunned at the knowledge imparted by her younger sibling. Regina’s lip curls in the corner at the victory of knowing more than her sister, the self-proclaimed queen of the gossip. “Well, it’s quite simple. I live with Elsa, and she’s my friend, we talk about the things we have in common, one of those things being Emma.” The brunette replied while unconsciously twirling a strand of her dark hair. As soon as Emma’s name left her lips, Regina felt as if her stomach was full of butterflies fluttering with joy at the mention of her name. Ruby changes the conversation back to the topic of Emma and Regina, before winking in Zelena’s direction. “You know, it probably also helps that you and Emma talk every day.” “At least twice a day, actually.” Regina confessed with a shy grin. “I think you’ve chatted with Emma more than I’ve spoken with Robin this week.” Zelena suggests, trying to coax more details out of her sister without scaring her off. It wasn’t very often that Regina willingly shared this type of information, and Zelena was hinting at the subject precariously. “Yes, but he’s in your bad books at the moment.” Regina replied, oblivious to her sister’s conversation intentions, as the blush that tinted her cheeks began to fade. “Seriously? What did he do this time?” Ruby asks, rolling her eyes at the anticipated drama. Zelena nervously rubs her neck. “We’re just going through a rough patch, that’s all.” She says, trying to avoid the subject. “What happened?” Ruby asks, frowning in concern. She instantly moves in closer towards the redhead and places her arm around Zelena to offer her comfort. As the redhead leaned into the tall brunette’s touch, something felt different this time. For a fleeting moment, Zelena felt a warm almost fuzzy sensation inside, as her heart rate began to quicken at the simple gesture.After taking a moment to gather her thoughts, she explains “he wants to party all the time, and if I don’t actually start doing better in my assignments, at worst I’ll get kicked out and have to listen to my mother’s nagging. At best, she will set her lawyers on the Dean to get me reinstated.” “Ok but you’ve forgiven him for way less in the past, what’s different this time?” Ruby frowns, her eyebrows knitting as she asks the question. Zelena sighs. Regina almost instantly argues against the taller brunette’s point. “Robin’s being a bad influence, isn’t that enough reason? Self-care and maturity, there’s another. Just because my sister put up with his excuses before, doesn’t mean she has to tolerate it now.” Zelena chimes in almost as soon as her sister comes up for air between her rant listing of reasons, “he’s being so unsupportive of me, it’s so imbalanced between us at the moment. I supported him with his dreams, and in return he shows no interest in mine. He’s currently also joint at the hip with Hook.” There is an awkward twinge in the air at the mention of Emma’s ex. They were all very aware of his closer than usual proximity and how much strain it was beginning to place on them. “Okay, I yield! I wasn’t judging. I take back what I said before. That’s definitely enough evidence. What an absolute shithead!” The tall brunette admits. “There’s more, it’s a bit petty, but also needs perspective.” The redhead admits. Ruby gestures for her to continue. The redhead takes a deep breath in to compose herself before exhaling her anxious thoughts away as best that she can. “Hook posted another photo on his socials showing the baby clothes he’s brought his future daughter. The way Robin was busy liking and commenting on all the posts, you’d honestly think they were going to raise the child together. Also, we all know there’s a chance that Hook cheated on Emma with Milah, and sometimes Robin is so insensitive to other people’s feelings, I just get so annoyed...” Ruby quickly interjects before the redhead could tumble into another emotional outburst. “I get it. The whole thing is kinda sucky so you’re not really talking to him.” The tall brunette says before returning to the previous topic with the first deflective conversation she could think of. “But, I’m almost certain Regina and Emma have been talking more this week than I’ve spoken to Mulan.” Ruby provocatively suggests which instead of encouraging Regina to open up more, simply added fuel to the fire. “That’s totally different. You’re dating Mulan and trying to play it cool.” Regina retorts, wishing that just once she wouldn’t be probed or teased about the woman she was more drawn to by the day. “And you and Emma?” The other brunette gently asks, glancing now in Zelena’s direction. The redhead gives her a look of daggers, hoping that Ruby would heed the warning. “It’s not like that. We’re not like that.” Regina confesses with a glint of sadness in her inflection. “Like what?” Ruby asks, feigning naivety. Oh well, that’s that plan out of the window then. Nice one, Rubes… Zelena mentally concludes. Regina’s anxiety bubbled in her veins. Her mother’s words flooded her thoughts.
‘Do not let your sister lead you astray. You are there to study and get a world-renowned education; not to be out cavorting and throwing yourself at the first person who shows you any interest. Love is a weakness, Regina. There is no margin for error here. Do not allow your heart to rule your head.’
“A couple, dating, whatever you want to call it.” Regina replies, avoiding the pair’s gaze, her heart sinking as her mother’s words etched further into her mind. “Screwing?” The redhead teases. All the subtlety had been extinguished; in part because of Ruby but officially buried by Zelena. “I am not sleeping with Emma!” The older brunette protested with a darkened tone in her voice, albeit harsher than intended. Internally it made the brunette wince. Her pain, however, was short-lived. “Not yet!” Ruby and Zelena instantly replied before simultaneously bursting out laughing. Regina rolled her eyes, exhaling a deep sigh. As soon as the laughing begins to disperse, Ruby quickly rushes over to Regina to hug her, at which the smaller woman slowly reciprocates the affection. The younger of the two issues her a quiet apology, to which Regina accepts with a small yet grateful smile. Once Ruby had returned to sitting next to Zelena, Regina receives a message from Emma which she checks almost instantly; much to the others amusement. The older brunette is barely able to contain her excitement as she begins to explain to her friend and her sister, “I’ll mention the escape room to Emma. She’s just asked to do a study session together at my place!” Ruby instantly snorts while Zelena giggles, at this point the pair couldn’t help it. They were genuinely so glad for Regina finding some happiness with Emma, although they weren’t always the best at showing it. Regina replies with a huff. “You’re both terrible people, you know that right?” The pair instantly gasp, feigning offence with a mocking shocked expression. “I doubt we’ll ever recover from such a slight.” The redhead sarcastically remarks as an amused smirk crosses her lips. The small brunette looks down at her phone to check the time, before gesturing towards the door. “Anyway, I’m gonna go because the bus will be here soon.” Excitement bubbled in her veins at seeing Emma for the first time this week in person.It wasn’t an excuse per se, but it was a good enough reason to get out of further teasing from the duo who seemingly had nothing better to do; or perhaps were making up for lost time, barely having an opportunity to tease Regina recently. “Her shift doesn’t finish for another hour.” Ruby smugly replies, sharing a knowing look with Zelena who does her best to conceal a devilish grin. “I know, but I said I would grab food for us, so I need to go into the city before I meet with her.” Regina responds in her own defense. She knew she wasn’t going to get out of it that easily. “Well, that’s certainly cozy.” Zelena teases to which Regina would normally ignore or roll her eyes at but today she decided to respond instead. “I’m sure Emma’s sick of living on pasta and toast so I was going to get takeout for her that she would like.” The brunette explains. “Hey! What about us?” Ruby jokingly proclaimed. “I miss her, ok?!” Regina exclaimed in a sudden outburst. “Aww!” The pair reply with sincerity at the heartfelt confession. The blush that tinted Regina’s cheeks were the only response they received as she responds to another message from Emma that not only filled her with delight but also relief to have a distraction from the ever-growing tedious teasing. “I love that we’re second best now.” Ruby sarcastically replies to Regina’s silence. The older brunette begins to explain, before being cut off. “Sorry, that was…” “Emma.” Ruby and Zelena interrupt before the brunette could finish her sentence. “She’s asked me to grab her books that are on her desk since we’re going to study.” If you even manage to get any studying done… Ruby ponders for a moment. “Well, knock yourself out.” Zelena replies as she returns to scroll through her social media. “I presume you don’t mean literally.” Regina remarks with a raised eyebrow. Zelena jokingly hums in contemplation, offering her sister a sarcastic smirk. Regina scoffs before turning towards the door. The smaller brunette begins to make her way out of the living room, before going through the hallway, and dashing up the stairs to the blonde’s bedroom. As soon as Regina opened Emma’s door, she was greeted by the brightness of natural daylight gleaming through the window. The magnolia colored walls that is filled with photos has more pictures than before. She couldn’t help but notice the more recently taken photographs: some from Zelena’s parties, a photo of Emma, Elsa, Archie, and Regina when the trio went to Emma’s workplace after book club. In fact, Regina was surprised by the number of photos she had taken with Emma, let alone that she wanted to display them as memories to remember. It was then that Regina notices a photo from nearly two weeks ago when Cora came to visit. The photo in the student house after the dinner where they were all celebrating. She wasn’t used to this level of socializing but missed being so close with someone and making happy memories. It hadn’t occurred to Regina how much those memories meant to Emma as well. The brunette recalls parts of a conversation with Emma during Cora’s visit.
“The difference now is I have more reasons to stay.”
“Is it bad that I kinda hope that someday I will be one of those reasons that you stay?”
“You already are, Regina.”
Regina smiles to herself at the memory for a moment before her thoughts return to the task at hand. She goes over to the younger woman’s desk and picks up the books, as described by Emma in her message. Carrying them safely, closely held to her chest in one hand, she uses the other to close Emma’s bedroom door on the way out. The brunette saunters down the stairs, careful to not damage the possessions.After making her way downstairs, Regina gently inserts the books into her rucksack before placing the bag straps on her shoulders. She says goodbye to her sister and Ruby who before she leaves make sure to tease her further, relishing in the opportunity to banter with her. Ruby and Zelena pause expectantly for a few seconds to make sure Regina has definitely left. As soon as the coast is clear and Regina could be seen from the window further down the street, the pair continue their idle gossiping. “Okay, even you have to admit that it’s kinda cute, Zee. Regina and Emma studying together.” Ruby begins, turning enthusiastically to face the redhead before continuing. “Who knows? Something might happen between them. Especially as Regina’s favorite things are in one setting: studying, and Emma.” “I can’t believe my sister, the hermit, has more of a social life than I do. Have I accidentally fallen into some alternate timeline? Does the multiverse actually exist? Did Marvel get it right?” Zelena asks, making no attempt to hide her disappointment at her lack of social life. If mother could see me right now, she might actually for the first time in her life be proud of me… oh, what a horrifying thought. Zelena contemplates for a moment, frowning in disappointment, before the sound of Ruby’s voice brought her back to reality.
“Seriously though, if those two studying together is not the most coming-of-age romcom cliché going, then I don’t know what is.” Ruby adds. “Very true… Wanna double that bet on who gives in first?” Zelena jokes. A few hours later, after Regina had met with Emma and the pair had dinner, they were studying in Regina’s shared kitchen, as the table allowed for more space for the number of books they were using for their assignments. They were discussing their classes and found a common interest in social studies, as Regina has recently been learning about liberal democracy. “I remember last year I had a liberal democracy class where we looked at how some theorists claim that liberal democracy often fails to address deep economic inequalities and social injustices.” Emma says as she discusses the topic with Regina. “Yeah, basically some left-wing critics argue that the system is overly focused on procedural democracy. So things like elections, while overlooking economic equity and social justice.” “So they neglect substantive democracy?” Emma asks. “Exactly!” Regina replies with an enthusiastic smile at the shared knowledge. Suddenly, at the squeak of the kitchen door opening, Emma and Regina simultaneously glance over to where the sound came from. They’re met by Elsa who is still carrying her rucksack on her shoulders. “Oh, didn’t expect to see you here, Emma.” Elsa admits, surprised by her cousin’s presence in her student apartment. “Is that a complaint?” Emma jokingly teases. “Not at all, cousin.” She replies to the younger woman before bringing Regina into the conversation. “See, Regina, in Norway, we would describe Emma as ‘flittig som en maur’ which translates in English to ‘as diligent as an ant’.” “I’m guessing it’s because ants are industrious?” The brunette remarks, before glancing back to her books. Elsa hums in agreement. Emma, meanwhile, frowns in confusion. “I think that’s a compliment.” Elsa offers her cousin a small, understanding smile. “I just mean it’s nice to see you here instead of working more overtime. You know how much Ingrid worries.” “Yeah, well, no doubt my mom will be relieved to hear I’m not doing any overtime this week or next.” Emma remarks. “That’s good to hear. Anyway, what were you both talking about before I arrived?” Elsa asks, glancing between the pair. Regina looks up from her books to rejoin the conversation. “Social justice and liberal democracy,” she explains to her housemate. “Well, that sounds more interesting than anything my sister has been going on about lately,” Elsa says, as she decides to join them at the table, sitting on one of the chairs between them. “Oh God, she’s not still seeing Hans, is she?” Emma asks with a concerned expression. “No, but she’s dating again, and being the hopeless romantic that she is, it’s all she wants to talk about.” “Maybe she won’t spend the entire time talking about her dating life when she’s here.” Emma suggests which is met with an incredulous scoff from her cousin. “Yes, well, we will have to hope there’s enough going on that she doesn’t decide to marry another man she’s just met.” Elsa responds, rolling her eyes at the end of her sentence. Regina’s eyes widen at the sudden remark. “I’m sorry, what?!” she asks, stunned. “She didn’t marry him, but my sister’s definitely the type. Anna got engaged to Hans after knowing him for a week.” The young blonde clarifies. Regina blinks several times in confusion. “You’re kidding, right? You can’t marry a man you’ve just met!” “That’s exactly what I said!” Elsa replies, relieved that Regina agrees with her. “I think she’s been watching too much Married at First Sight.” Emma suggests. “Well, I can see she’s gonna get on swimmingly with my sister. I think Zelena’s on season 5 of that show now. Oh, speaking of, you both just reminded me.” Regina began to say, before waiting for the other’s attention, so she can continue. Regina struggled with social cues at the best of times but felt this had mildly improved since going to college. Elsa and Emma turned to listen to Regina before the brunette continues. “Zelena’s losing her mind…” “When is she not?” Emma jokingly interjects to which Elsa raises a curious eyebrow, while Regina smirks. “She’s already a few sandwiches short of a picnic, so it shouldn’t be long, but I’ll let you know.” The brunette mischievously retorts, making Emma chuckle. “You better tell me before anyone else!” The blonde jests, offering a faux accusatory finger point at the brunette. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Miss Swan.” Regina replies with a small chuckle, unconsciously leaning closer towards Emma who was sat opposite her. “I’m glad to hear it, Your Majesty.” The blonde teases with a grin causing the brunette to nervously blush at the affection. Elsa glances between the pair with a fascinated yet mildly confused expression.
‘Your Majesty’? What are they doing? Is this flirting? I don’t understand. I’ll ask Anna when I see her, she’ll be able to make sense of whatever this is. The younger blonde mentally concluded while still half listening to the conversation. Regina continues what she was going to say before the conversation had gone on a tangent. “Anyway, Zelena wants to do something fun this weekend and Ruby suggested the local escape room because on Saturday it’s twenty dollars per person. I mean you might have plans, but if you didn’t, we wanted to see if you’d all like to come along.” Grinning with delight, Emma excitedly expressed at the suggestion. “Ok that does sound super cool!” Elsa ponders this for a moment before saying, “It’s definitely more my cousin and my sister’s thing than mine, but if Emma and Anna is agreeable then I’ll do it.” “Ask her now so she has time to think about it.” Emma suggests to which Elsa agrees, grabbing her phone from her pocket. “I’ll message her.” The young blonde says as she begins to type out a response on WhatsApp. “Call her, it’ll be quicker.” Emma advises, much to Elsa’s dislike, which she offered with a disapproving look aimed in her cousin’s direction. “That’s way too distressing. Also, texting is quicker.” “THANK YOU! Finally, someone who gets it!” Regina responds with relief to Elsa’s remark. “I don’t get what the obsession is with talking on the phone when there’s so much better non-verbal technology.” The brunette continued, wildly gesticulating as she spoke. Emma meanwhile does her best to mask a small grin, unable to contain how happy it made her seeing Regina talk passionately about her interests, even if it is her loathing of phone calls. Emma had truly missed seeing Regina this week. She loved when they messaged but adored being around her even more. It filled her with joy sharing the same space as her. “Right, and it’s so awkward.” Elsa responds in agreement. Regina replies with an exasperated sigh. “Gods, I know, and small talk.” They both make a disgusted noise at the prospect. Emma glances down for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. She’s brilliant, funny, caring, even my family like her, she’s perfect… Oh God, I really am falling for Regina. Is there any way she might feel the same way? I think my heart might burst if she does. She mentally concludes, nervously smiling to herself. In response to Elsa’s message, Anna had suddenly sent an enthusiastic voice note about how exciting the idea of the escape room is. She also included a rather long one-sided conversation tangent about her journey tomorrow, much to everyone’s amusement. From Anna’s message alone, Regina was beginning to realize just how chaotic the escape room session could be. An hour or so later, Emma informs Elsa and Regina that she should be heading back to her house as it’s getting late. Emma says goodbye to her cousin before the latter makes her way to her room. Regina nervously fidgets with her hands, trying to hide the disappointment glinting in her reflection at having to say goodbye to Emma. As she offers to see the blonde out of the apartment, it was as if the energy in the room had shifted. Regina stepped outside of her apartment with Emma, after offering to walk her out. Emma was grateful for the extra time spent with the brunette, but the hardest part was always saying goodbye. Once the pair had made their way down the stairs and along the hall, they stop at the exit of the building. “Honestly, thank you for this. It was super helpful studying with you.” Emma confesses with a small smile etched across her face. The brunette nervously beams back at her. “Anytime, Miss Swan. I don’t usually enjoy studying with other people; however, this was a nice change. I appreciate your insight and your company.” “I’m glad! I hope this doesn’t sound strange… I really enjoy spending time with you, Regina.” The brunette’s heart began to thump loudly in her chest. Does she mean.... no! She can’t. She means as friends. We have a really close friendship, that’s all.
Regina nervously swallows before managing to conjure a reply. “Likewise, Emma. I really love our friendship. I’m so grateful for you and getting to be a part of your life.” Friendship… of course. How stupid of me… Emma reluctantly ponders to herself for a moment before trying to read the energy between them. Do I just say goodbye? Do I hug her? What do I… her thoughts are interrupted by the sultry sound of the brunette’s voice. “Anyway, I should let you get back.” Emma gestures in the general direction of the car park as she spoke, “yeah, of course. Thanks again.” Regina curtly nods, taking a step back to offer more space between them. The pair awkwardly wave goodbye. The twinge in the air felt so strange for both of them. It was as if something was missing. It didn’t feel right. They had spent so long wanting to spend time together and yet goodbye pained them both every single time from the day they had met. Regina begins to make her way down the hall, her contemplations bustling with a plethora of emotion. I need to get this idea out of my head that Emma could like me back! It’s going to entirely ruin our friendship. Ugh, but Zelena and Ruby insist that it could be possible for her to feel the same way. Is it too soon? I don’t even know anymore. Gods, I adore her. This is totally unfair and I…
“Regina?” The blonde calls out from down the hall, hands fidgeting in her jacket pockets, taking a deep breath in. Her voice instantly pierces through the older woman’s tumultuous thoughts. The brunette turns around on her heels almost instinctively. It was as if the sound of Emma’s voice could pull her near. In so many ways they were opposites, yet, like magnets so drawn to one another, unable to fight against their desire. “Yes, Emma?” The brunette manages to muster, eyes gleaming like a perpetual sunrise. “This is gonna sound stupid…” “I can assure you, Emma, nothing you ever say could sound stupid. Whatever you want to tell me is always important to me.” The blonde nods in acknowledgement, anxiously glancing down at her feet for a moment. “Would it be ok to hug you?” Regina’s eyes opened wide with mild surprise. Her heart began to thump heavily in her chest. She wanted nothing more in that moment than to be held in the woman’s arms. Longing to be close to her, even for just a fleeting moment. “Of course, Miss Swan.” The brunette agrees, slowly moving closer towards her. As soon Regina was a few feet away, Emma softly pulled her into an embrace. Regina slowly wrapped her arms around Emma’s neck; the warmth of her breath tickling against her ear. It had only intended to be for a moment, but as soon as her arms went around the other woman, she felt a gasp fill her lungs at the comfort of being in each other’s embrace. It was then that they both realized, neither of them wanted to let go. Emma’s hands rested on the brunette’s lower back, gently holding Regina a fraction closer. Hearts fluttered as breathing became deeper. It felt like time had become still, as if the clock would stop ticking. The moment almost didn’t feel real to Regina. She thought that any moment now she would wake up to the dreaded sound of her alarm, and the dream would fade. The sound never came.The feeling of Emma’s hesitation as her finger’s traced the small of Regina’s back was real.The tremble in her own breath at the comforting touch was real.The feeling of never wanting to let go was real.For a fraction of a second, it felt like the weight of the world fell from their shoulders. Emma could’ve sworn she could feel the world turning on its axis, the planet falling through space. When they reluctantly pulled apart, the air between them felt heavy with words left unsaid and true feelings unexpressed. Desire lingered in their hearts and minds, yet it was hidden from their faces. Fear had prevailed once more.The entire journey home, Emma couldn’t shake the thoughts in her mind about whether that hug was more than she had hoped. That there could be something more between them.Now, on the other hand, she was stood outside of her student house. The sky was dark like an inky abyss, only lit by the faint gleam of the moon, and a few small stars in the sky that twinkled like diamonds. As the blonde looked up into the atmosphere, she couldn’t help but think of how much it reminds her of Regina. A constellation of allure and a paradox of intrigue. Emma had read so many detective stories, and yet, Regina was to her one of the greatest, most beautiful mysteries ever written.Her thoughts are brought back to reality, as the sound of the TV inside the house playing music faintly which could be heard from where she was stood outside. It pushed through her mind. She hoped that Zelena and Ruby were asleep or had gone out and accidentally left the TV on, so she could avoid a teasing session from them. Closing her eyes as she took a deep breath in, she felt cold, soothing air fill her lungs. Holding the breath for a few seconds before exhaling a warm breeze into the ether. Emma slowly opens her eyes. She steps forward towards the front door, now fumbling with her keys in her hands, and awkwardly manages to twist the key into the lock. Gonna have to keep an eye on that latch in case it becomes faulty. I hope that our Landlady will fix it and doesn’t make us pay for a replacement. Fingers crossed that it doesn’t come to that. Emma mentally concludes, closing the door behind her with a firm thud. As soon as the sound of the door closing resonated through the house, the blonde was greeted with a melodic singing of her name from Zelena. “Emmmmmmmaaaaaaaa” the redhead vocalizes, elongating the blonde’s name as a new inharmonious melody. The redhead was actually a classically trained singer; however, tonight was not one of those days that she would flaunt her impressive repertoire. Emma instinctively rolled her eyes, opening the door to the living room. The blonde is greeted by an amused smirk from Zelena who was sprawled across the seats on the sofa. “That was totally not creepy at all, Zee.” The blonde remarks, causing Zelena to cackle at her response. As Emma sits down on the arm of the sofa, Zelena sits up, now only taking up one of the seats. Instead of joining the redhead on one of the seats, Emma remains put on the arm of the sofa, before continuing the conversation. “Where’s Ruby?” The blonde asks, glancing around the room in case the brunette had decided to try and scare her as a bad prank. “She’s upstairs changing into pajamas.” Zelena explains to which Emma nods in understanding. It was as if the mention of her name could summon the tall brunette. The sound of Ruby heading down the stairs could be heard from the living room. “I’m guessing Swan’s home based on the sound of your screeching serenading, Zelena.” The brunette beckons as she makes her way towards the living room. “Congrats, Inspector Clouseau on your amazing detective skills.” Emma sarcastically remarks. “Ooh!” The pair reply in mock exclamation before giggling at their own similarity. Emma rolled her eyes, doing her best to hide an amused smirk at their reaction. “Regina warned me you two were in one of those moods today.” “Of course she did.” Ruby replied with an unsurprised scoff, now sitting down on the sofa next to Zelena. “How was your delightful studying session?” The redhead asks, doing her best to mask an amused grin. “It was interesting, my assignment is nearly done actually. Oh and I found out that Regina and I had both studied a bit about Liberal Democracy and its limitations.” Ruby mischievously glanced at Zelena before replying to Emma. “Surprised you managed to get anything done and didn’t just stare longingly into Regina’s eyes.” “I do not!” The blonde exclaims in irritation, causing Zelena and Ruby to erupt into laughter. “Also, thanks for the suggestion of the escape room.” Emma says as the pair’s cackling dies down. Ruby almost instantly leans forward with hopeful anticipation. “Does that mean you’re coming along?” She asks, wide-eyed with excitement. “Well, I spoke to Elsa and Anna, they’re both happy to join us, so all three of us will be there.” The blonde confirms, accepting the invitation. Ruby squealed in enthusiasm, grinning from ear to ear. The next morning, Regina awoke in her room to the frustrating sound of her alarm. She had already fallen asleep later than usual which hadn’t helped. Last night she found herself struggling to drift off. As a result, she had been lying in bed, staring up at her ceiling, trying to make sense of her connection with Emma. A mix of pessimism, reflection, and wishful thinking had filled her mind until exhaustion eventually took over.The brunette huffed at the intrusion from her slumber. She awkwardly shifts onto her side. Her eyes squint to try and gain clarity of her surroundings, as her hand rummages for the snooze button on her phone alarm. Finally managing to switch off the alarm, Regina rolls onto her back. Placing her hands by her sides, she sighs. This degree is going to make me reliant on coffee to stay awake. She mentally concludes with a frustrated groan.
Regina manages to shower and get dressed ready for her morning lecture. After making her way into the kitchen, now fully dressed, she makes an espresso with the expensive coffee machine her mother had brought. Regina packs her bag ready for her morning lecture and an invigorating study session. She agrees to walk to campus with Archie, her housemate, after he suggests they walk together since they are both leaving around the same time for lectures. The walk to campus wasn’t long, but the brisk stroll with the autumnal breeze fleeting through the air made the journey refreshing. When the temperature was like this, Regina loved it. It was the perfect balance between warmth and breeze that wasn’t too cold, nor too humid. The route was mostly peaceful as majority of traffic was further out towards the motorway. Even having Archie to talk to for company made a nice change, as she was able to avoid small talk, instead getting to discuss their interests.After an intriguing lecture on Public Policy, Regina makes her way to the campus library for a research session on the lecture she just had, and to write up her notes that she had made. Regina had already reserved a study pod for the session and offered in the Political Science group chat for people to join her if they wanted to use the study pod. About 90 minutes later, and nobody joining her in the study area, she decides that she has made good enough progress this side of lunch on her research.She packs up her bag, carefully placing the notes that she had made into the relevant section of the extendable file folder, before carefully placing the folder into her rucksack that was growing heavier by the day. After double and triple checking she has everything, Regina makes her way out of the study pod and the library into the foyer.As Regina makes her way through the campus foyer, she notices over by the stairs a person she recognizes. At first glance, Regina believed it couldn’t be true, that her mind was playing tricks on her. At the top of the stairs making their way down was a face all to familiar. Someone she hoped to never see again.
No! Gods, please no! Anyone but her…
Dread filled her body, anxiety bubbling in her veins. Her heart began to pound quickly, palms tingling from the sudden blood rush. She suddenly struggled for breath which made her feel nauseous, almost lightheaded. A ringing sound began to chime in her ears, as her hearing became muffled.
Mallory…
Regina’s mouth opened in shock to try and gather her breath. She quickly glances around at her surroundings to see if anyone was looking this way and if her ex had seen her. She was hoping she could get away, avoid running into the woman who had broken her heart and made her question everything she thought she knew. The first woman she had ever loved who helped her explore her sexuality. The woman had manipulated her and tossed her to the side as if their relationship had meant nothing. The same Mallory Drake who had told her that their love was a lie, that she never even cared for her was in the same building. It had all coming flooding back to her mind. The hurt she had felt. The spiteful words that Mallory had said. Regina had worked hard to build herself back up again, to move on with her life and grow into the incredible woman she is today.Without giving it another second’s thought, the brunette dashed in the opposite direction, nearly colliding into two women as she made her way down the corridor. She goes over to the vending machine where the water fountain was stood, filling up her bottle with shaking hands. She hoped that the cold water would be enough to regulate her senses.Her fingers trembled as the water gushed into her water bottle. As soon as the bottle was nearly full, Regina takes several mouthfuls of the liquid, being careful not to gulp it too quickly and gasp for air. After drinking a quarter of the fluid, she takes several deep breaths to regather her thoughts.As she managed to recompose herself, she carefully places the lid back on her water bottle before carefully inserting it into the bottle holder compartment of her rucksack. Slowly strolling back the way she had come; she glances around her surroundings for any sign of the woman. Seconds turned into a minute as she realized that it was as if the woman had vanished into thin air. Perhaps she had imagined the whole thing, her mind playing tricks in her sleep deprived state. The brunette pondered the prospect that maybe it was a figment of her imagination. As she finally manages to calm her thoughts, Regina is thankful to see that there was no signs of Mallory Drake in the foyer. She breathes a sigh of relief, tugging her rucksack straps closer to her chest. She begins her walk back along the foyer, heading for the exit. She remains vigilant as she looks around the campus, just in case her eyes had betrayed her. Finally stepping out of the foyer and onto the outside sidewalk Regina was met with the gleam of the midday sun in the sky. The sound of chatter from students on campus either talking on the benches or walking past her. Regina’s mind is suddenly jolted alert at the vibration of her phone in her pocket. She fumbles with the device in her hand, managing to open the message. It was from Emma who had replied to Regina’s snap she had sent earlier about her productive studying session. Emma sent a snap back with the caption. “See! Even on four hours sleep you’re incredible! The most badass person I know! (Probably) 😎” Regina chuckled to herself at Emma’s reply, grinning as she sent a response. Her happiness, however, was short-lived. Her blood suddenly ran cold at the mention of her name. Heart pounding heavily in her chest at the familiar voice. Regina nervously swallowed at the sound of her name being spoken. She felt trapped, cornered, flooded with fear. How can she be here? Why is she here? Why can’t she leave me be? A small voice in Regina’s head demanded, asking questions her thoughts had no answers to. Mallory’s voice was crisp and cunning, slicing through Regina’s mind like a dagger. The way that the blonde’s tone felt like a serpent, slowly smothering with every spoken syllable. “Hello Regina.”