Hey guys!
Let me first say that I'm sorry to all of you Skyline readers! There is a slight delay but I'm working on a new chapter and it should be up soon.
This is me making it up to you! This fic has a funny story to it… I was on YouTube and somehow I came across a thing called The Legends Football League (also known as the Lingerie football league) or in its abbreviation, The LFL. At first I was shocked, unable to stop myself from cringing at the sometimes crazy amount of aggression and violence (and almost nakedness). After I got over the initial cringiness I came to the conclusion that it's pretty hot (in its own bizarre way) and could make a good story.
And that's how we arrived to this point. It started as a one-shot, a mid-size one, but the next time I looked at the word-count it was already around 20k. Not a one shot then…
The story will be a little crass at times, mostly during and as part of the game (sexual innuendos and connotations, physical and verbal violence) but overall it's a pretty light story. It might feel a little unconnected (time jumps) at first (since Emma and Regina don't know each other yet) but it will settle once we dive into the story.
It's a sport's related story so I do recommend watching even if just one video of the LFL just so you get the general idea of this controversial sport. It does, unfortunately, contain some OutlawQueen but you'll see pretty soon that it's tolerable.
Well I think that was long enough ;)
Enjoy and please let me know how you feel about it. (and excuse any mistake related to football- I'm not American so my research had to be quick and shallow, hope I didn't get anything wrong)
"I just don't understand how you would do such thing without consulting me first!"
The tones are high and extremely unpleasant and she is glad Roland isn't home.
"I didn't do anything yet. But, I am informing you that I plan on accepting that offer."
"This is a mistake" she determines and she so desperately wants to grab Robin and shake him out of whatever haze he is in at the moment. Instead she takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
"Why would you do such thing to your career?" Honestly if she can't talk some sense into him she might as well try and convince him using his love. Not for her of course, she is on a much lower level. She means his love for football.
"The pay is good" he reasons and she rolls her eyes.
"We don't need the money, I make more than enough for the both of us."
"And you think I'm just going to sit here and do nothing while you support this house?" ugh, that sexist idiot.
"Keep your job then"
"I can't!" he lifts his arms and smack them on his thighs in an act of desperation "I can't go another year as an assistant coach, I refuse to! The head-coach gig was mine and they snatched it right from under my nose. I'm not going to sit there and watch them laugh at me for yet another year. I can't be stuck at the same position anymore, I need a change."
"So your change is getting out of this sport?"
"What are you talking about?" he frowns "The LFL is a legitimate sport."
She snorts, because does he really consider this a valid argument?
"A bunch of masculine women running around in their underwear is a legitimate sport?"
"Have you seen them play? They are more athletic than half of the NFL players."
"I've seen enough to know that all they represent is violence and sexualization of women."
"Can you, for one second, stop being this cartoon of feminism and support your husband for a change?"
And this is the final straw. She grabs her purse and her coat and charges out of the room, anger oozing off of her in waves.
How dare he? She? Not supporting? He can go to hell, because all she has done, for years now, is be the good wife and she's had it.
She fishes out her keys and unlocks her car. Once in a heated environment she reaches for her phone, hands shaking as she dials the number she knows by heart.
"Regina?" Kathryn answers and that's her cue. She bursts into tears, her breathing rapid and eyes swelling.
"I can't" she says and her voice wavers so badly it's barely understandable "I can't do this anymore" she cries into the phone.
"Oh honey, where are you?"
"In my car" she sniffs and it is so unladylike and her mom would probably disown her for doing this.
"Don't drive like this, I'm coming to get you" and she hangs up.
She sits there quietly, staring ahead. After a couple of minutes she composes herself just enough to make a call to Marian. She asks her to drop Roland at their house since something came up and she won't be able to. Of course, Marian is being the doll that she is and agrees right away. Regina thanks her and ends the call. After that it's only a matter of minutes until Kathryn arrives.
She engulfs her in a tight hug and leads her to her own car.
"Come on" she rubs soothing circles on her back "Let's do some shots"
"Ruby" Emma gestured with her head towards the entrance. The brunette quickly jumped off the stool she was sitting on moments prior and made her way behind the counter.
"Hi, what can I get you?" she took the order with her wolfish grin intact, taking the money and depositing it in the till. "Why don't you go sit down and I'll serve it to you once it's ready?"
Ruby started grinding the coffee while shoving the pastries in the heater. She pressed the button and the steaming dark liquid started to fill the cup, its aroma arriving all the way to where Emma was sitting with her now lukewarm coffee. Ruby took the glass from the machine and filled the rest of the remaining space with milk, drawing a leaf using the foam. She balanced the coffee, tea and both pastries on a tray and made her way to table. After making sure everything was okay she got back behind the counter and cleaned the filter from its use.
"So you were saying?" she picked the conversation up and Emma quickly gulped down the coffee in her mouth and excitedly said
"That we start training again in a couple of days." She sighed "God how I've missed it. I'm so out of shape."
At that, Ruby full out laughed. "You? Out of shape?"
She leaned over the counter and squeezed Emma's biceps, finding them rock hard. Not that she is surprised. Even when Emma is off season she keeps a pretty tight workout regime. Starting with long runs every other day, weight lifting and then moving on to use every single piece of equipment in the gym.
Emma nodded "Out of shape Ruby. If I don't bulk out enough the big girls will snap me like a twig"
"Don't worry" Ruby dismissed "You are fast, you can dodge them any day"
"Yeah well, I kinda have to or else they'll break my neck"
They both shared a laugh, despite the fact that Emma wasn't kidding.
"Why mom?" Roland wailed.
"Because I said so."
He looked at her with his big brown eyes and she was this close to giving up. But she can't, she will not take her son to watch half naked ladies tackle each other.
"But it's tradition!" he said with such confident, as if that fact alone will make her back down.
"We'll make new traditions." She smiled at him "How about we go watch a movie?" she tried to soften the blow but her baby boy wasn't buying it.
"No!" he stomped his feet and turned to run up the stairs "I hate you! Daddy would've let me!"
A moment later she could hear his door slammed. Usually she wouldn't allow this kind of behavior but she does feel sorry for him. She sighed. Football was Roland and Robin's thing and now it's taken away from him. The only misconception here is that somehow she is the bad person in this scenario and not her idiot of a husband who spends his time coaching girls in skimpy outfits how to beat the crap out of each other.
She made her way to the cabinet and pulled out a glass of wine. Looks like she starts drinking early today.
"Hey kiddo"
"Hey mom"
Henry entered the coffee shop with a backpack hanging on his shoulder. But just on one since apparently it's not cool to put the straps on both of your shoulders. Kids.
She kisses him on the head before ruffling his, already too long, hair.
"Ready?" she asks and he nods enthusiastically.
She steals a glance at the clock "Your dad should be here any minute. Do you want something to eat?" and of course he does. He picks a particularly chocolaty croissant.
"You sweet tooth" she shakes her head.
"I got it from you" he blames and she smiles because he is right, it is from her. She flicks her finger and swipes a large amount of the chocolate on top and he immediately makes a face.
"Hey!" he protests.
"Clam down, just a little taste"
"Who is really the kid here?" he questions and she chuckles in return.
"That would probably be me" she lifts her hand in an admission.
The bell chimes and Neal enters the store.
"Hey buddy" he says and Henry goes for a hug. Looks like hugging your dad is still socially acceptable but god forbid you hug your mother.
"Hi dad"
"How are you?" he asks, patting his back.
"Good" he looks up at him and smiles "Did you download the next Harry Potter movie?"
"I sure did"
"Cool!" Henry lifts a fist in the air.
Emma sticks her hands in her back pockets and waits for them to finish hugging. Eventually Neal turns and sends her a tentative smile.
"Hey" he greets and she tilts her head in reply.
"How are you?"
"I'm good, I'm good"
"Does the league start anytime soon?" and just like that Emma's face light up.
"Tomorrow actually"
"Awesome"
"Yep" she is rocketing back and forth on her heels. They are in good terms, excellent terms even, but it's still quite awkward, it's bound to be.
"Let me know when the first game is." he wraps his hand around Henry's shoulders and squeezes him in "We'll be there to cheer you up, right Hen?"
"That's right" Henry confirms.
"You go have some fun" she says and right before they're out the door she adds "And don't forget the questions you have for Neal, for your school project"
"Alright Ma" he says and they're gone.
"All I'm saying is that you should come and watch, just once. Still find it unworthy of your time? Don't come back. Just remember that I supported you when you went for a more demanding teaching job, despite it hurting my time with my wife."
She sighs and takes a sip of her wine. Roland is passed out on the couch, exhausted after hiss soccer practice. She sits next to the table and Robin is by her side. They finished dinner but she still hadn't gathered enough energy to get up and start cleaning everything so instead she sits down and listens to her husband trying to talk 'some sense' into her. She should've started with the dishes, this is much worse.
"Fine" she relents because she can't fight anymore. She used to be such a force to be reckoned with, she muses, her word was the last word. But Robin wore her down, a fight after a fight, another disagreement, another strained talk. She is exhausted, tired of fighting all the time, even if she is right. She has no spirit left so she surrenders.
"But I can't come tomorrow, I have papers to grade for Monday"
"Okay" he seems at least partially satisfied "Come sometime during the week, when it's comfortable"
'It's never comfortable' she wants to scream, and 'you shouldn't have taken that stupid job' and 'you're supposed to think a little about what I want, it is my marriage too.'
But she doesn't, so she nods and he gets up and kisses her on the cheek. He leaves the room and she is left with a tower of filthy dishes to wash.
"Hey everyone, I'm Robin and I'm your new head coach"
"He is handsome" Tayla whispers in her ear and she shrugs in return.
"I guess, if you're into that kind of thing"
Tayla chuckles "That's right, I forgot you're a cookie lover". Emma frowns in return.
"You guys keep coming with those stupid names, don't you have anything better to do with your time?"
"I can do you" she cocks her brow suggestively.
"You know my rules"
"Yeah yeah" Kayla rolls her eyes "You don't fuck your teammates"
"That's right"
"Well," she smacks Emma's behind "Let me know if you ever change your mind"
Robin kicks their asses. They're only half way through the practice when he starts yelling at them that he is used to train guys and he has no intention of lowering his expectations one bit. So she pops her mouth guard back in, ignores the sharp stab of pain in her lounges and starts sprinting across the field.
They're all exhausted when it ends but it's Friday night so they stop at the local Irish bar to chug a beer or two. Or four.
When she gets home she has to fight her dropping eyes from taking over. There is no way she is going to bed like this, she stinks.
When her head hits the pillow it is only a matter of seconds before she is asleep.
A pretty light start, but things will get moving pretty quickly. It won't be long until I post the next chapter since I have them lined up. Tell me what you think? :)