AN: Hey, guys. Well, this is my first fanfic outside of anime, so all feedback appreciated. Not quite a one-shot, but two or three chapters should cover it. Enjoy!
Summary: Emily/Naomi fluff. The summer has gone well so far, but now Emily and Naomi have to face two major challenges – and their names are Rob and Jenna Fitch. Can they accept Naomi as part of Emily's life? Rated for typical Skins language.
Sharing Emily
Naomi woke up first, as always. She stared up at the ceiling for a few moments, basking in the company of the warm breathing lump of duvet beside her, the fabric gently slipping back and forth against her skin as it did so. Naomi allowed a smile to appear on her face. Yep, bed was definitely better when you were sharing it.
She turned to look at the lump, gently pulling the covers down a little so she could see her girlfriend better. Emily had a knack for bunching the duvet between her legs, but other than that she didn't really have a sleeping position. Or rather, she was such a restless sleeper that discovering the state of her girlfriend before she woke up had almost become a game for Naomi. Emily always swore afterwards, often cutely defensive, that she never did it in her own room at home. Naomi always joked that she was lying, but liked to believe the redhead did it because she was subconsciously happier to be herself around her.
Smirking, she sat up a little to survey the sight before her. Emily was turned away from her, a hand under her cheek. An oddly boring pose today, the blonde mused, but the duvet was still between her legs. Sighing, she lay back down, staring at the back of her neck; at the glint of those gorgeous red locks in the morning light. Unable to resist, she started toying with them – something she did a lot. Something about that patch of skin just captivated her completely.
Emily awoke, but her eyes remained closed, revelling in the contact. "Why do you always do that?"
Naomi grinned. "Because it's a free fucking country."
"Yeah," scoffed Emily. "I mean, what's the world coming to when you can't even feel up your girlfriend in her sleep?"
"Fuck off! I'm trying to be romantic," Naomi laughed. "So stop pissing on the parade and enjoy it."
Emily went quiet and the two lay in silence for a while, Naomi's hand still running through her hair. Then Naomi spoke up, her voice full of mock – and admittedly some real – apprehension.
"So… today's the day."
Emily groaned. "Oh, don't remind me."
The summer holidays had been running smoothly so far – Naomi and Emily were finally out properly to their friends, and Naomi had, thank fuck, stopped running from her feelings. However, Emily's parents still didn't know that they were together – or even that Naomi still spent any time with Emily at all. After the 'run, Simba and never return' talk from Emily's mother and the outright avoidance tactic from the girl's father, the couple had decided to just play it safe for a while. Or rather, give Emily time to reassert her sanity with them before they dismissed their relationship as Naomi's bad influence again.
Of course, tonight was going to be the fabled second attempt, and even Katie was in on it. Since the twins' legendary bust-up at the Love Ball, she had come to accept her sister's relationship, and had even started to be more civil to Naomi. Well, there was a discussion about how if she ever hurt Emily, Katie would break her face, and she still always told them how disgusting and wrong it was for them to show affection in public, but it was certainly better than before. Still, even if she hadn't been the Katie equivalent of nice, they needed her for tonight. She was the big gun – the one her parents would listen to, and the one who would fight Em's corner.
Back in the bedroom, Naomi laughed out loud. "It's alright for you. They'll just ignore you. I'm the one who's going to get it."
"If by 'ignoring' you mean having me exorcised!" Emily protested, giggling.
The blonde rolled her eyes. "Christ. I knew it was a mistake letting you watch 'Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit'."
Emily burst out laughing. "It could happen."
"No, Emily," Naomi sighed in pretend exasperation, "it will never happen."
There was a long silence. Finally, Naomi spoke up again. "Nailing me into a cargo crate and sending me to Timbuktu; that might happen."
"Aw, don't!"
-----
"Morning, you two." Mrs Campbell glanced up at them, smiling. She was sitting at the table reading the newspaper.
"Morning," the pair responded in tandem. It was difficult to hear over the sound of the kettle boiling, but Naomi's greeting was wry where Emily's was cheerful but coy. Gina made to get to her feet as the bubbling ceased.
"No, it's okay, I'll get it," Emily offered quickly. "How do you have it?"
"Oh, white with two sugars, sweetheart, thank you – uh, what do you think you're doing?"
The last part was directed at her daughter, who had shuffled right around the table and sat down opposite her without a second thought. Naomi just offered her signature 'what?' expression as she picked at her fingernails. "What?" There it was.
"Honestly, leaving the guest to make the tea by herself! I thought I'd raised you with manners."
Naomi raised her eyebrows freshly. "Yeah. And Kieran knows all about how good you are at making strangers comfortable, doesn't he?"
Gina opened her mouth to say something, but Emily got in first as she carried over the tea. "Hey! Don't say stuff like that, she's your mum!"
After setting the cup down by Gina and the milk next to the cereal box, the smaller girl went around to sit beside her girlfriend, who rolled her eyes with a smirk but didn't argue.
"Ooh, pretty, polite, nice to me and knows how to shut you up…" her mother commented. "Hate to tell you, love, but if you don't marry her of your own accord, I'm going to make you."
Naomi cleared her throat and bit her lip as she glanced at a blushing Emily, but it did little to stop the smile spreading across her face.
Gina had to admit that she thought Emily was an absolute godsend. It was the fact that her daughter, who put on such a face of apathy most of the time, could be heard laughing in her room whenever they were together, that tipped Gina off to their relationship in the first place. From the first time the girl had stayed over actually. Something about Naomi leaving the house at stupid o'clock in the morning and the other girl following her an hour later looking like a recently kicked lovesick puppy was something of a giveaway.
However, she was only told in the summer, the day after the Love Ball. The pair had come downstairs together, which admittedly was nothing knew these last few months, and as Emily had started for the door, Naomi had hesitated. Their big argument about coming out still fresh in her mind, the blonde had in a moment of impulse decided to reinforce her intention to stay with Emily by introducing her properly, as a lover rather than a friend. After all, having met Emily's mother, Naomi knew with even more certainty that her own, the queen of human rights, wasn't going to be a problem. Sure enough, Gina had reacted well, and now their house had become more of a second home to the mousy girl.
Of course, mused Naomi as she poured cereal for the two of them, there were certain drawbacks to her mother's pro-gay attitude. Like the incessant information sheets on homosexuality that she posted under Naomi's door. Oh yes. Gina, rather mortifyingly, liked to 'help'.
"And, um, thanks again for the leaflets, Gina. I'm sure they'll be… useful." Emily's gratitude was clearly forced as her voice tailed off and she shrank into her first mouthful of cereal. Naomi snickered. Oh Em, how you like to humour interfering souls.
Gina failed to notice the embarrassment lacing the girl's words. "That's alright, Emily. I like to help. So what are you two up to today?"
Naomi flashed her mother a look that was clearly about to be accompanied by a comment about minding her own business, but Emily just pulled her spoon out of her mouth and said with a level of sarcasm, "I've been summoned to spend the day with my family."
"Oh. Well, that should be nice."
"Hopefully." Gina noticed her take a sidelong glance at Naomi as she said it.
"Is that a regular thing? Naomi and I just tend to muddle along when it comes to spending time together. Whenever we're both free, you know?"
Emily smiled. "Mum used to be really into it, but since Dad started his gym he's been working all hours. 'You'll only get Fitch with Fitch' or something." The redhead did unenthused air quotes as she said it.
"Nice he does what he loves I suppose."
"Yeah, I s'pose. But it means we haven't had much chance to do the family thing."
Gina nodded in understanding. "Oh, right. So is Naomi going with you?"
Naomi's orange juice nearly came out of her nose at that one.
Emily cast a worried glance at her coughing girlfriend, but then fielded the question. "She's coming for dinner, actually."
Gina didn't know that Emily was still in the closet to her parents – although not for lack of trying to pick the lock with coat hangers. Thinking about it, she didn't know about Naomi's current track record with Emily's parents either, although that conversation was to be had in the pretty immediate future.
Presently, Naomi noticed with a pang of dismay that Emily, human vacuum, had already finished her breakfast: she would be leaving soon. Then Emily started to drink the milk straight from the bowl. Naomi burst out laughing.
The redhead blushed a little at the way she had forgotten all concept of etiquette, but still scraped together enough dignity to ask, "What?"
"Classy," Naomi cracked, grinning.
"Shut up," Em laughed.
"You gonna make me, then?" Naomi rose an eyebrow at her, but her girlfriend only managed a half-smile in response.
"If only," she murmured wistfully, taking the blonde's hand in her own. "But I have to go."
Reluctantly she rose from her chair and picked up her bowl in her other hand, the couple's hands slipping apart as she placed it in the sink. "It was nice speaking to you again, Gina," she said with a smile on her way to the doorway. Naomi took it as her cue to follow.
"See you again soon, love," Gina called in response.
Closing the door into the kitchen behind them, Naomi exhaled loudly. She stared at the back of her girlfriend's head. Emily seemed to feel it, because she turned around.
"Don't huff," she chastised lightly.
Naomi shrugged, maintaining the distance between them. "Just fucking hate sharing you."
She said it with a smirk, but the sentiment behind it was very much real.
They stared into each other's eyes for a moment. Then Emily took a step forwards, and Naomi followed suit, and suddenly they were hugging, Naomi's arms tight around her girlfriend as she played absentmindedly with the tips of her hair again.
"Jesus," Em whispered into her shoulder. "I'm fucking bricking it."
"Just enjoy yourself." Naomi closed her eyes, murmuring the words into her ear. "You don't have to worry about it till I get there."
She pulled away and rested her forehead against her girlfriend's. "And I will be there," she said firmly. "No blurting it out early just 'cos your mum slags me off, alright?"
Emily sighed, but nodded. The gesture caused the girl's hot breath to tickle Naomi's nose. It was too much for the blonde, and she moved in to kiss her, her hands slipping from the redhead's shoulders up to her jawline to intensify it. Eventually, and with much difficulty, she pulled away.
"Besides, nothing like your girlfriend fucking you on the dinner table to prove you're not faking it."
Emily groaned. "Please, God, don't be serious!"
Naomi scoffed, grinning. "Of course I'm not fucking serious! I'd love to see Katie's face if I did, though."
"You really wouldn't!"
"I'm pretty sure she's given me worse."
They both laughed emptily, suddenly more aware of the shorter girl's impending departure. A silence stretched between them.
"Bye, Naomi," Emily said finally. Naomi reluctantly opened the door for her.
"See you later. Love you."
"Love you too."
And with that, Naomi watched her girlfriend disappear down the pavement and out of sight.