It was a mystery, Emma found. Somehow she managed to end up in these sorts of situations without the faintest clue how she got there. However, there was always one of three catalysts; Mary Margaret, Ruby, and Ashley. In this case, it was all three at once.
It had started with an innocuous statement from Ashley, bemoaning how she never got to go out anymore. Mary Margaret took it that step further, suggesting they all have a girl's night out. Finally, it was Ruby who suggested alcohol and 'a little bit of fun'.
Emma didn't know whether she'd actually agreed to any of this as the situation had rapidly slipped from her control, but now she found herself with a bottle of vodka and too many shot glasses sitting on the floor of Mary Margaret's apartment. The game wasn't unfamiliar, as such, but it seemed that the last time she'd been forced to play truth or dare was so long ago that it was like another life. Before she even had Henry.
Nevertheless, here she sat, awaiting mortification in the form of friendship.
"Right, it was my idea, so I'll start!" Ruby announced cheerfully, taking a shot and slamming the glass down, "Mary Margaret! Truth or dare?"
Mary Margaret looked like a deer in headlights and she stuttered nervously, "I- t-truth. Truth."
Ruby didn't hesitate, a wicked grin curving over her lips and Emma resisted the urge to speak. Unlucky, M&M. "What's the dirtiest thing you and David have done?"
Mary Margaret went bright red, spluttering in response. "Ruby!" she squealed indignantly, "You can't ask me that!"
"Do you wanna forfeit?" Ruby shot back, a challenging glint in her eye letting Mary Margaret know that she most definitely did not want to forfeit.
"Well, I-I suppose… He tied me up once," she admitted reluctantly, blush growing as she took one of the shots.
Emma groaned, feeling like she had just heard something she really didn't want to hear. She talked to Mary Margaret about nearly anything, but their sex lives was a topic they avoided like the plague.
Ruby cackled and Ashley laughed, raising a glass of wine in salute. Mary Margaret shied away from the attention, trying to move the subject past her, "Ashley, truth or dare?"
Ashley smiled at her kindly, "Let's go with a dare!"
"Um… wet your bra and put it in the fridge," Mary Margaret offered. Emma snorted.
"Come on, Mary Margaret! Better than that," Ruby teased with a wink, nudging her gently.
"Uh-uh!" Ashley protested, "I have my dare and I'm doing it. Besides, they'll just get worse as the evening goes on."
Ashley stood up, removing her bra from under her shirt. Emma felt the alcohol going to her head and wolf-whistled with a grin, Ruby cheering. After Ashley returned she pointed at Ruby.
"Come on then, Rubes! Truth or dare!"
"Truth," Ruby replied, smirking when the others groaned in protest, "What? If I chose dare you'd all torture me!"
"Fine, fine! Who, out of us, do you think is the most wild in bed?" Ashley said, her grin widening at Mary Margaret's horrified expression and Emma choking on her beer. Ruby, however, didn't bat an eyelid.
"Well, considering you'll be a married woman soon Ash, not you. And despite David tying her up," Ruby winked at Mary Margaret who looked away with a pink tint to her cheeks, "Mary Margaret's blush tells me it doesn't get much worse than that. So I'd have to go with Emma. She is my lemur, after all."
Emma laughed, "Yeah, thanks for that Rubes!"
"Come on then, lemur! Your turn, truth… or dare?" Ruby leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm with a confrontational expression.
Emma tilted her head in acceptance of the unspoken challenge, "Dare."
A slow smile spread over Ruby's face and Emma couldn't help but gulp, "Oh, Emma, Emma, Emma. You should nothave chosen a dare!"
"Bring it on, Ruby, I can take it."
Ruby leaned back and tilted her head to the side, "Can you now? Kiss Mayor Mills."
Mary Margaret and Ashley shot up, eyes wide as they talked over one another rapidly in shock. Emma simply went pale.
"W-what?"
"You heard me," Ruby laughed, "Kiss the mayor! The one and only Regina Mills. She'll be at home now - we'll all drive over and watch to make sure you do it. It has to be a proper kiss, too!"
"You're insane!" Emma said, her face regaining its colour but the panic not leaving her, "She'll kill me! Literally! At the very least, I won't get to see Henry again! She'll have me arrested for sexual harassment!"
"How can she arrest you? You're the sheriff," Ruby pointed out, rather unhelpfully in Emma's opinion.
"No way. I'm not doing it, Ruby!"
"Alright, I suppose you could always forfeit. And if that was the dare…"
Emma glared at her while Ruby merely smiled charmingly.
"I can't believe this!"
With that, Emma stood and grabbed her red leather jacket. Walking to the front door she threw over her shoulder, "Well are you coming or what!"
—-
"Ruby, this really isn't a good idea!" Mary Margaret whispered from where she hid behind a bush. Ruby and Ashley were crouched with her, peering at Emma as she approached the mayor's front door.
"You're right, M&M!" Ruby hissed, "It's not a good idea. It's a great one."
Mary Margaret groaned, watching Emma stop and take a fortifying breath. "What if you're wrong, Ruby?" Ashley whispered.
"I'm not wrong, and this time tomorrow Emma will be thanking me for my genius plan!" Ruby giggled gleefully, poking her head up in time to see Emma ringing the doorbell.
"What if you are though, Ruby?" Mary Margaret responded, "I'll admit it, it's not totally implausible that Emma has feelings for the mayor. Completely insane, but not implausible. I mean, I've seen the way she looks at Regina. But what if Regina doesn't feel the same?"
"She does!" Ruby insisted, ducking down again, "Now shut up, the mayor's here!"
—-
Emma took a fortifying breath before reaching out and ringing the doorbell, Ruby's giggle echoing behind her. She groaned, knowing that this was a really, really bad idea. For a moment Emma considered just turning and running away from the door, but then it was swinging open and Regina was standing there and the time to run had passed.
"Damn…" Emma breathed, taking in Regina's outfit. It was a fairly simple dress that clung to the mayor in all of the right places, showing just a hint of cleavage. Regina was barefoot, making her slightly shorter than Emma was used to. She didn't realise how long she'd been staring until Regina crossed her arms and cleared her throat impatiently.
"Ms Swan, was there something you needed?" she said, her voice razor sharp with irritability. Emma visibly pulled herself back together.
"Uh, well, Madame Mayor… Yes, actually. Yes there was something I needed," Emma began, consciously forcing herself not to fidget and desperately trying to think of what to say. Damn it! she berated herself I had this all planned out! "You see, the thing is, um…"
"Ms Swan, would you please hurry it up? Unlike you, some people actually have lives to lead, and to be brutally honest, you standing on my doorstep at this time of the night, obviously having been drinking and stuttering like an imbecile-"
Emma cut her off, "Oh, shut up Regina!"
Stepping forward she wrapped her arms around the shocked mayor and pressed their lips together. Blood pounded loudly in her ears as Emma held the tense body, waiting for the inevitable slap that never came. Instead, Regina relaxed after a moment and kissed back.
The kiss lasted for a few beats longer before they both pulled back looking decidedly dazed. After a moment Regina cleared her throat.
"Yes. Well. After that performance, perhaps you'd like to come inside so we can discuss whatever it was that you needed in private?" Regina suggested with a small, satisfied smirk, already turning to enter her house.
"Uh, that was what I needed," Emma said dumbly, still in shock from the fact that Regina had kissed back.
"I know, dear. Close the door behind you," Regina said over her shoulder, hips sashaying as she walked towards the living room.
—-
As the door to the Mills residence fell closed behind Storybrooke's sheriff, two quiet voices could be heard as three women quietly left their hiding place.
"Told you so."
"Oh, be quiet Ruby!"