Title: Hey, Jealousy
Pairing: Swanqueen
Rating: T
Summary: Regina is forced to acknowledge her feelings for Emma after she realizes Emma's desirable aspects are noticed by other people.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or anything on OUAT.
The bell above the diner let out a gentle chime as the door opened to allow the Mayor to make her entrance. She quickly scanned her surroundings, not letting her eyes linger any longer than necessary on the true reason she had wandered into the diner. Emma Swan sat at the counter, her fingers tapping idly as she awaited Ruby's return. Her eyes remained locked forward as she fought to stop her body from doing exactly as it had for the past month. Regina took her seat in a booth to the blonde's left. They could see each other out of their peripheral, but they had yet to make eye contact.
Ruby rounded the corner with a to-go cup in her hand; there was no doubt in Regina's mind that the blonde had stopped in for a drink, and Ruby had simply been talking her ear off. Yes, it had made Emma late, but it wasn't in her nature to be rude.
"Here you are. One large hot chocolate, extra whip, and," the brunette smirked as she popped the lid off of the cup and reached for a small container to her left, "Extra cinnamon."
She shook the brown powder into Emma's cup, with a bright smile. Regina was steadily watching the two women and, truth be told, she really wanted nothing more than to put ruby back on her leash. A loud laugh broke Regina from her thoughts, and her eyes shot to Emma's hands; the soft hands that she had grown so accustomed to holding. That damn dog had her paw resting atop Emma's hand. Emma had reached for her wallet when Ruby had dropped her hand to grip Emma's and informed her, "Don't be silly, Emma," the brunette winked with her final statement, "It's on the house, Sheriff Swan."
Emma quickly jerked to attention as a voice she hadn't heard in weeks shot needles through her skin. The Regina she had been experiencing didn't speak that way anymore. She was sweet, and even in the bedroom; she didn't hold any malice in her tone. She knew that Regina could see Ruby's hands, and she had hoped that Regina had seen it for what it truly is – two friends enjoying each other's company. However, her hopes were crushed as she heard what little was left of the Evil Queen making herself known.
"Miss Swan, a word." Regina stood behind Emma, never making eye contact. Her eyes were drawn to the brunette standing on the opposite side of the counter. "Now."
Her tone was assertive, and left absolutely no room for questions. Emma quickly jumped up and began to follow her lover, "Of course, Madame Mayor."
The two made their way out the front door, and around to the back of the diner, Regina leading the way until Emma had had enough. Strong fingers encircled a dainty wrist as she stopped the woman from walking away. Her head turned to catch the questioning look shining from green-blue eyes.
"What's going on? Are you okay?" Emma's sincerity let the brunette know that she really hadn't noticed.
"I am fine. However, if Miss Lucas wishes to maintain possession of her hands, she will learn to keep them to herself. " Regina's tone was serious, and her jealousy was clearly on display.
Emma couldn't help but allow herself the pleasure of touching Regina. Her left hand gently cupped a flushed cheek, as her right slid from wrist to fingers to intertwine with their partners.
"You know, you're really sexy when you get jealous." Emma tried to make light of the situation, but Regina wasn't finished.
"I came to the station at eleven, just as I have every Tuesday for the past six weeks, only to discover an empty office." She avoided eye contact, keeping her gaze high, and her chin raised. "I assumed that you had been called out, so I waited a few minutes, and sent you a text message to see if you would be returning soon. After waiting over forty minutes, I decided to grab a bite to eat," Her eyes finally met Emma's, and the cold demeanor caused Emma to drop her hand to Regina's shoulder. "Imagine my surprise when I walk in to see you here, and then that little tramp touching you."
"Okay, you really need to take it down a bit. Ruby is not a tramp, and she was just being friendly. Okay?" Emma's hand went back to Regina's cheek in an attempt to force eye contact. "Look at me, baby," and finally their eyes met, " I didn't forget about today, I was simply working and I lost track of time."
Emma took a step forward, causing Regina's back to hit the wall before the younger woman was flush against her front. "Would you like me to make it up to you?" The joking tone was gone, and Emma's serious gaze led Regina to nod her head. "I was going to get lunch and surprise you with flowers." Emma stepped as close as possible, crowding Regina's personal space, and then allowing their lips to brush.
"I ran out to try to get everything in time. I asked for a drink because the food wasn't ready when I got here." Regina started to relax. Her forehead rested against Emma's as the two women carefully examined the other's eyes.
"I haven't been up here in a while since you've been packing my lunches, and sending me out with those delicious lattes in the morning." Emma tucked a strand of hair behind Regina's ear.
The brunette let out a soft chuckle, her head remained bowed as she spoke, "I like taking care of you."
"I love that you take care of me," their eyes were drawn together as Emma gently lifted Regina's chin, "But, I can promise you that no matter if I'm here at the diner or not, Ruby is just my friend."
Emma's words were heard loud and clear, but that didn't mean that Regina believed them. Arguing was out of her hands right now. Emma was too close to her, their lips barely a whisper apart, and there was just something about the young woman that Regina could not resist. They had hated each other, and then they had been civil for Henry's sake; but through all of that it had only taken a few seconds of close proximity to cause both of them to trip over their own feet.
She pushed off of the wall, and slammed her mouth against Emma's. Soft, plush lips crashed against the sheriff's as she attempted to lock her hands in Regina's hair. The kiss was quick, and rough – the way it always was when they were in public. The two would make sure that they were completely secluded once their desire had reached its pentacle, and then they would clash. Teeth nipping at lips, and tongues pushing deep into the others' mouth, hands would roam for a moment and then it would be over; leaving them both wanting more, but knowing that they could be caught at any moment had always forced them apart.
There was a moment when Emma started to pull back and she was quickly corrected. Regina's hands firmly held her against her body, their mouths still firmly attached, as Regina let out a gentle moan. Lips separated long enough for Regina's to find the soft hollow of Emma's throat, and slowly worked her way to Emma's ear.
"I don't think I can wait until you get home tonight." The slip did not go unnoticed by the blonde, but she clearly thought of Regina's mansion as home, she just didn't want Regina to freak out.
"Need me to come home early tonight?" Emma managed to husk out between shuddering breaths as Regina assaulted her neck.
"I need you right now, " Regina's teeth grazed Emma's ear lobe as she spoke.
"You know I won't tell you no, baby." Emma was so caught up in the moment that she hadn't heard the back door slam, or noticed Ruby pulling a huge black trashcan.
"Then you had better-" Regina's words were cut short as Emma heard the dumpster lid shift, she pushed the older woman backwards, causing her to stumble in her expensive heels.
The moment was immediately ruined. Regina turned on her heel and headed up the alley leading back to the sidewalk. Emma was hot on her tail calling out her name in a desperate attempt to explain, but it all fell on deaf ears as Regina held her head high and walked right past the diner, and continued her trek back to her office.
Regina knew why Emma had pushed her away, they had decided to be discrete about the entire relationship; but that didn't change the fact that Regina's feelings were hurt. No matter how inappropriate it was, Regina pulled the decanter from a shelf behind her desk, and slowly poured a few fingers of cider into a crystal tumbler before taking her place behind her desk and reviewing a few budget cuts before the town meeting in a few days. A small buzzing noise pulled her attention to a new e-mail that was sent only seconds before.
Regina,
I really wish you had given me a chance to explain earlier. Did you not see Ruby outside? You told me to that this was a private matter, not to be discussed in public, and I respect that. I just don't know what I was supposed to do. I really hope that you aren't angry, because I have a nice surprise for you tonight, if you still want it, that is.
If at all possible, could you be home around five, today? I think that would give me enough time to fit everything in, and still get you and Henry into bed at a reasonable hour.
Always yours,
Em.
Regina pondered for quite a while before deciding that the blonde was right. She had asked for discretion, but here lately, she was really beginning to rethink the entire thing. Originally, Regina had feared the response of the people around them. Deep down, she was deathly afraid that someone would convince Emma that Regina wasn't worth the hassle. It wasn't until today, when Regina had felt as if someone was encroaching on the woman she was growing to love, that she had realized that Emma was the type of woman to be proud of. Emma would stand by her no matter who thought poorly of their relationship, and she should do the same.
Emma,
I'll be home at whatever time you need me home. I have about five more emails to review before I can make my way home. Please, make sure that Henry's homework is finished before we begin any activities that may take us well into his bedtime hour, as you have expressed your concern for an early start time.
We have a lot to discuss tonight after Henry gets to sleep. I do hope you aren't too terribly angry with me for my behavior; I'm simply letting my stress, and emotions get the best of me, dear.
You're very special to me, Emma. I'll see you in a few hours.
R. Mills.
Emma had twiddled her thumbs for the twenty minutes it had taken Regina to come up with a response. As she scanned the email, she became more confused. The professionalism that was showcased in the email was something Emma had loved to see fall away once they had started dating, but here it was once again. She had apologized for her behavior, but she had also mentioned that they needed to talk after henry went to sleep. That couldn't be good, could it? Emma had such high hopes about tonight, and yet here she was, a few hours before her plans took affect and she was second guessing herself.
One thing about the email gave Emma a small glimmer of hope, "You're very special to me, Emma."
Regina had long since finished her small glass of cider as she loaded up her briefcase and pulled her blazer back over her shoulders. The short drive home would probably fly by due to her nerves kicking into overdrive as she counted down the minutes to her "surprise" afternoon with Emma and Henry. She was thrilled to be spending the day with her two favorite people, but since she wasn't quite sure what is on the agenda for the next few hours, she's nervous.
It seemed like only seconds had passed by the time that she made it to her front door. She smoothed out her black pencil skirt, and ran a few fingers through her hair before stepping into the foyer. She was immediately swarmed with the smell of garlic, and tomatoes wafting its way in from the kitchen. It wasn't unlike Emma to help with dinner, but this was the first time Regina had come home to Emma making dinner on her own. Placing her case and coat into the closet, Regina slipped her heels off and began rolling her white sleeves up to her elbows. She crossed the kitchen threshold to a lovely sight.
Emma stood directly in front of the oven, her hair pulled into a ponytail, with a small braid in the front - keeping her bangs from her face. Her outfit of choice was much different from her everyday attire; however, it was very similar to her sleepwear. Small black shorts hugged her hips, ending very closely beneath her ass. A white tank top gave a great view of the red lace bra beneath the sheer fabric.
"Henry, you better be getting that work finished. You aren't going to be able to help me at all, and I haven't even changed yet!"
Regina let a gentle smile fall across her lips at the cuteness of the situation. She quietly took her place behind Emma, allowing her hands to rest against Emma's hips before her mouth quietly whispered into the blonde's ear, "I'd be perfectly okay with you wearing this outfit all of the time. Especially if you're going to make food that smells this delicious."
Emma smiled and slightly melted into Regina's arms before two plump lips began to press soft wet kisses against her neck.
"I still have to finish dinner, and get dressed, you better stop that before our son gets in here." Emma tried to keep the authority in her voice, but there was no way she could convince herself that she truly wished for Regina to stop.
"Let me finish dinner, and you can go change." Regina spoke gently in between kisses.
"That's… Are you sure? I was supposed to be doing this all for you. I don't want you to have to do anything but enjoy it."
"Then you go get dressed, and I'll just stand here in case anything starts to burn, okay?" Regina supplied a solution with a small chuckle falling from her lips.
"Fine, but after I change, you have to go up and change as well. Deal?" Emma turned to face Regina, extending a hand to seal the deal.
Regina leaned forward, pressing their lips fully together for the first time in hours, "Deal," she whispered before her lips softly slid across Emma's one last time before pulling away.
She watched the blonde leave the room, and quickly caught herself checking every pot on the stove, and then the oven. It was obvious that Emma had made pasta of some sort, and there was certainly garlic bread in the oven. She was about to dip into the sauce when a strong hand slid over her own and pulled the ladle away from the pot.
"No taste tests, your majesty. It's nowhere near ready, yet."
Using her slight height advantage, Emma turned Regina and pressed her back against the sink. Their lips met in a heated kiss; lips pulled between teeth, and tongues gently massaging each other before they came to their senses. Emma broke the kiss, and gave Regina specific instructions.
"Go upstairs and put on those black yoga pants that I love, and one of my tank tops."
It was then that Regina's eyes caught a glimpse of Emma's wardrobe change; baggy dark grey sweatpants, and a solid white V-neck t-shirt.
Upon re-entering the kitchen, Emma was nowhere to be found. Their son was loading the dishes that were once littering the sink, and the countertops into the dishwasher.
"Good afternoon, Henry. Have you seen your mother around here?" Regina questioned as she made her way through the kitchen to rest at the breakfast bar.
Henry continued on with his chore for the night, "She's setting up in the other room. You have to stay in here, though."
"And may I ask what happened to the food?" Regina couldn't help but wonder where the delicious food had gone. Her hunger was slowly making its presence known.
"It has to bake for another fifteen minutes. You came home a bit early." Henry kind of shrugged, as he kept moving, "You know, I never thought that you two would ever be able to be in the same room together. I'm really glad that you guys are getting along so well. It's good that you both have someone."
Regina didn't really know what to say. They hadn't exactly explained to Henry that they were dating, but Emma barely spent any nights at the Charming's apartment. She had most of her belonging in the mansion, and they were all stowed away in Regina's room. If her parents asked, she was staying in the guest room, so that she could spend more time with Henry, but Henry knew the truth. They had discussed that what happened in their own home was not to be spoken of with other people. Henry knew how to keep a secret, and as long as his mothers are happy, so is he.
"I am, too, dear. She makes me very happy." Regina replied, and Emma swooped in just in time to catch Regina's confession. She chose to pretend that she hadn't overheard the conversation, and kept her smile bright and cheery as she leaned over to pop the oven door and check the dish.
"Just a few more minutes and then we can eat, and begin the night." Emma smirked at Henry, before directing a genuine smile in Regina's direction.
Dinner was beyond delicious, and Regina hadn't enjoyed a meal cooked by anyone other than herself, or granny in quite sometime. The baked ziti marinara had been a huge hit, and Henry had helped himself to thirds before the meal was over. It was interesting, and new to all of them: a family sitting around the table discussing their day like average Joes. When they were together, everything else seemed to fade away - no fairytales, no evil queens, no saviors, and no princes trying to break curses. They really were a family, and that was what Emma had planned this night to be all about.
As Henry pushed his plate away, Emma turned to leave the table. She walked toward the kitchen, leaving Henry and Regina for a short period of time.
"I can clearly see that you enjoyed your dinner, dear." Regina smiled at Henry as she took a sip of her water.
"That was amazing. She had to have practiced that. No one can follow your recipes that well."
Henry was about to speak again when his blonde mother appeared at his side with a glass of red wine in her hand, "Henry, start clearing the table, I'll be in there to help you in just a second."
Almost as if they had been doing it their entire life, Emma stood next to Regina, and Regina's hand came up to rest around the back of Emma's thigh. Henry gathered the plates and the utensils and wandered into the kitchen, clean up wouldn't take long.
"This is for you," Emma placed the wine glass in front of Regina, and bent at the waist to capture the brunette's lips for a brief moment.
"I'm going to help Henry get this cleaned up, and then we'll head into the back room."
As Emma began to stand up, Regina swiftly gripped the blonde by her shirt, and brought their lips back together. The kiss wasn't rushed, and there wasn't a single trace of lust to be found. They stayed, lips locked together, until the scuffle of feet approaching brought them slowly apart. Eyes locked together, Henry simply grabbed the pan full of the leftover ziti and started back to the kitchen.
There was something different happening behind those brown eyes, and Emma couldn't quite put her finger on it. So, she let her fingers tuck loose wisps of hair behind Regina's ear before placing a soft kiss to her forehead, "I'll be right back to get you."
She couldn't recall a time when she had been this well taken care of. Even as the queen, she hadn't been treated this nicely. Maybe it was because it was Emma and Henry, the two people she most desperately wanted to be loved by. Her mind wandered off to a place where she could see a future with her happy little family; another baby on the way, and Henry learning to change diapers in preparation; shiny wedding bands adorning she and Emma's fingers. She was getting way ahead of herself, and a crease of worry began to work itself between her eyebrows.
Emma could see the look of happiness shifting to worry as Regina's thoughts took her away. She would have given anything to know what was running through the darker woman's head. She brought her body next to Regina's and squatted down next to her. A strong hand gripped her thighs and brought her out of her troublesome thoughts. Regina's eyes locked with Emma's, and the younger woman opened her mouth to say what she had been dying to tell Regina all day.
"I know that this is new to you, it's pretty new to me as well. I wanted tonight to be all about us – our family. You and Henry make me so unbelievably happy, and I think it would be a great idea to start a tradition. Once a month, we get together, and do something as a family. I know that we have dinner - almost – every night, but it was kind of short notice, and I wanted to do it tonight. Now, you're going to come into the back room, and we're going to relax on the couch, together, as a family, and watch a movie. So, pick a number between one and five."
Regina was a bit stunned. She hadn't expected this at all. Honestly, Regina had thought that dinner was her surprise. She was in awe of the thought Emma had put into this, and Henry as well.
"Four? Is that a good choice?" Regina didn't quite know why she was guessing numbers, but she went with her gut.
"HENRY! NUMBER FOUR!" Emma shouted over her shoulder toward the back room.
"All of them are good choices, babe. They're your top five movie picks, but not necessarily in order." Emma winked as she offered a hand to Regina, and brought her to her feet. Immediately, her hands wound around the brunette's waist and Regina's fingers slid softly against Emma's cheeks, cupping her face gently. Their eyes met as Regina began to speak.
"I don't know what I ever did to deserve someone like you, but I can't lose you."
The sadness in her eyes was not lost on the younger woman. She pulled Regina closer, placed a soft kiss to her forehead, and used her right hand to lift Regina's chin. Refusing to meet Emma's eyes, the blonde took drastic measure and spoke sternly to the Queen.
"Look at me, Regina, right now."
Emma's tone caught Regina off guard, and she lifted her head, trying to fight the onslaught of tears daring to rush forward. She found nothing but love staring back at her.
"I'm not going anywhere. Okay?" Emma's eyes were full of conviction, but Regina knew that by the end of the night, she would have a real answer.
Emma started to speak, only to once again be interrupted by their impatient son, "Are you guys coming?!"
Almost an hour into the movie, Henry was completely asleep, with his head buried in the armrest, his feet tucked underneath Emma's hip. Regina was leaned into Emma's left side, with an arm draped around her shoulders. The young boy had begun snoring, and Emma made the move to wake him, and get him up to bed. He made little fuss before finally seceding from his mother's and heading to bed. Emma followed to make sure he made it okay, and when she returned; Regina had stretched most of her body out across the couch.
"Where exactly am I supposed to sit, Madame Mayor?" Emma smiled as she offered the small joke to her girlfriend.
"Come here." Regina offered a hand to help the younger woman get situated.
Emma's body was positioned over Regina's; her left leg was between the couch and Regina's right leg, while her right was pulled over Regina's right hip. Her calf was resting against dangerous territory, but neither of them could've cared less. Emma's right hand had begun twisting designs against the exposed skin of Regina's midriff.
It wasn't until her lips brushed against the older woman's clavicle that Regina took her eyes off of the movie.
"Emma… Henry-"
"Is asleep upstairs," her right hand slid up smooth skin to gently tease the area beneath the tank top, "Kiss me, Regina."
This time, when their eyes met, there was no denying the lust that was clearly Emma's motive. Regina carefully lifted her neck to reach Emma's lips, and soon their kiss was bordering on something that should never happen outside of the bedroom. Roaming hands finally gripped Regina's knees, spreading her legs and allowing the sheriff to shift fully between them. Emma's stomach began pressing firmly against the queen's center, and only then did their lips separate. Regina released a hard gasp as her throbbing center received the attention it had been craving for hours.
Emma slowly rocked her body against Regina's. It wasn't until she began twisting her hips with each thrust that Regina requested that they stop.
"Please, I can't do this here. Take me to bed, Emma."
Tiptoeing up the stairs, the two women had separated long enough to stay quiet while their son was in earshot. Once they hit the bedroom, the entire mood had changed. Emma closed the door, and Regina walked to the vanity to remove her make-up. Whatever had been bothering her earlier had reared its ugly head, and Emma could tell that she would have to turn the charm up a bit to get what she had been waiting for.
Regina stood, walking to Emma's side of the bed; she gently placed her hands against Emma's shoulders. The blonde tilted her head to catch Regina's eye, and carefully, the older woman slid against Emma to straddle her legs. The position normally would garner a much different reaction from Emma, but the look in her lovers' eyes told her that this was more intimate than she knew. There was something working its way out of Regina's head, and Emma knew it was one of two things: Regina was happy, or Regina was about to push her away.
Deep brown eyes glimmered with emotion as she reached down to cup Emma's cheek. She knew what she was going to say, but she also knew that it could change everything. She could be making a huge mistake. There was only a small amount of doubt in her mind, and it really wasn't the doubt that had her really questioning what she was about to say. She had never been an open person, yet here she was, about to allow herself to be put on display.
"You have no idea how much you mean to me, Emma." The words were spoken in a slight whisper. Regina cleared her throat and spoke again, "You will never understand how much…" her words trailed off as she closed her eyes. She took a deep breath before opening them.
Emma's hands gripped at Regina's thighs before she carefully pushed their lips together in a sweet kiss. The kiss did exactly as Emma hoped, and Regina regained her confidence.
"I want you to be mine. I want everyone in this town to know that you're the one that keeps me smiling. I want to walk around town with your hand in mine. I want to take Henry to the park, and not have to sit with a huge gap between us. I want your parents to stop asking when you're coming home; because you already are at home, Emma."
I want to spend every single night wrapped in your arms, because that is the only time that I truly feel safe. I want to wake up every single morning to your messy hair covering my face." Regina's smile could no longer be contained, nor could Emma's tears.
"I've been hesitant in the past, to allow people to know about us; but I want you to understand that it was not because of you. People here do not think fondly of me, and I've been waiting for someone to find out and talk you out of this craziness. Who could blame them? Who could love the Evil Que-"
"Don't you dare!" Emma's voice rose as she swiftly, placed her hands around Regina's ribs, and pushed the brunette back a few inches.
"You are not her, anymore. I don't care what anyone out there has to say. You're not evil, Regina. Don't let me hear you ever say that again. I know who you are, and there isn't a single piece of you that I would constitute as evil."
"So, you're saying that you want this? You want to be with me, even if the town turns against us?" Regina's eyes were full, and Emma could tell that she truly needed to hear a definite answer.
"I'd get to hold your hand in public, fall asleep with my arms around you, and wake up next to you?"
Regina simply nods her head in response, a small smile playing across her lips. To her surprise, Emma pulls Regina's lips to her own, gently kissing her before resting their foreheads together.
"Of course I want you, Regina. You mean the world to me."