"Emma, I swear, if you don't get down here in two seconds- I'm going to maul you," shouted Ruby as she impatiently waited at the bottom of the stairs.
"Well now I'm tempted to take my time," came Emma's voice from upstairs. Ruby chuckled and shook her head.
"I swear to the gods, Swan, get your sexy ass down the stairs… now."
"Coming, coming…" said Emma as she clobbered down the stairs slipping into her boots, "Wouldn't want to keep the queen waiting," she huffed as she slammed her left foot into her boot.
"Hey come on, Regina's lightened up a lot since she's been with Belle- you have to admit it," said Ruby with a small smirk as she watched her girlfriend struggle with her right boot.
"One solitary dinner invite does not make up for years of sass and frustration," said the blonde finally pulling her right boot on.
"I know she can be a mega-bitch, but inviting us to dinner was a nice gesture,"
"Yeah, yeah…" sighed Emma.
"Play nice," smirked Ruby thrusting a bottle of wine in Emma's hands.
"I will if you will," whispered the blonde pulling Ruby into her arms and giving her bottom lip a small tug with her teeth.
…..
"Regina stop fussing," said Belle as she lounged on a couch with a book on her lap, "it looks perfect," she smiled as she watched the brunette bustle around the room rearranging the cushion pallet she'd set up in the living room.
"Maybe," replied Regina walking over to Belle, "I wouldn't have to fuss so much if my little bookworm would devise a way for me to spend my time more… constructively," she smirked as she straddled Belle on the couch.
Regina reached out two fingers and slowly tipped the book downwards so she could see her girlfriend's blushing face. Leaning forward, she placed a gentle kiss on Belle's nose before moving down to her mouth and across her jaw line.
"Regina," snickered Belle, "It's already 7 o'clock, they'll be here any minute,"
"Well," said Regina speaking in between soft kisses, "knowing Ms. Swan, they'll be at least fifteen minutes late… which gives us plenty of time," she whispered as she began unbuttoning Belle's blouse.
"Promise to be nice tonight?" moaned Belle as she felt Regina's warm mouth caress her collarbone.
"Hmmm… don't know," sighed Regina into Belle's neck, "You'll have to convince me."
She ran a long, silky trail down Belle's throat with her tongue. Sweet moans echoed from Belle's mouth as Regina's tongue moved slowly down, down, down until…
The doorbell rang snapping the two women out of their trance. Regina practically jumped off the couch as Belle began frantically buttoning her blouse.
Regina checked her hair in a mirror and, with a small smile at Belle, began walking to answer the door. Two more mirror-checks later, Regina plastered a smile on her face and swung the door open to greet Emma and Ruby.
The dinner went as smoothly as possible. Regina and Emma- as per usual- shot snarky remarks back and forth while their partners kept them in check before anything could get too heated.
Four bottles of wine later, the group of women sat comfortably sprawled on Regina's palette.
"I shit you not, the Internet is like… the coolest thing ever!" sputtered Ruby with a mouthful of wine.
"I don't trust it," piped up Belle as she held a hand to her chest trying to suppress an inevitable hiccup, "It reminds me too much of magic. I'd rather have information in my hands."
"I agree," nodded Regina swaying slightly.
"Oh whatever, Regina," slurred Emma, "I totally caught you watching cat videos in your office the other day," she said as she pointed an accusatory finger towards the brunette who rolled her eyes.
"It was an educational documentary, Ms. Swan," stated Regina- the force of her statement losing its gravity as her head slumped to one side lazily looking for another bottle of wine.
"Oh suuuuure," Emma scoffed with a sloppy smirk.
"Either way," said Ruby emptying the fourth bottle of wine into her glass, "this realm is way more fun than the Enchanted Forest."
"What did you guys do there for fun?" inquired Emma accepting a wine refill from Regina.
"Watch the fucking grass grow," grumbled Ruby taking a big gulp of wine.
"Oh come on," chimed in Belle, "What about sticking?"
"Psssshhh," said Ruby dramatically with a wave of her hand.
"I'm almost afraid to asking what something called, 'sticking,' is…" grumbled Emma.
"It's a game where one stands on a bridge and tosses a stick in the river, then runs to the other side of the bridge to watch it float down the river. If there were another person playing, it would be a race," said a less-than-amused Regina.
"Sounds… uh…. Fun?" said Emma trying to be courteous, causing Ruby and Regina to break out in laughter.
"Come on, you guys, it was fun while we were kids," said Belle looking a little disheartened.
"What do kids here play?" Ruby asked turning to Emma.
"Oh, uh, well the usual hide-and-seek, um… tag. Oh! There was this really embarrassing game we used to play when we were teenagers called, 'Spin the Bottle,'" said Emma with a small laugh.
"How do you play?" asked Belle.
"Well, you sit in a circle with an empty bottle on its side in the middle of the circle, then one person spins it- and whoever the bottle is pointing towards- the spinner has to kiss them,"
"Ooooh!" said Belle holding a hand up to her mouth to hide her smile.
"Child's play," scoffed Regina.
"Let's play it," said Ruby excitedly.
"No," said Regina.
"Yeah, let's play it," said Belle.
"Belle," said Regina shooting her a shocked look, to which she responded with a coy shrug of her shoulders.
"Why don't you wanna play, Regina?" said Emma eyeing her mischeviously, "You, uh….. chicken?"
Ruby choked on her wine and Belle gasped as Emma and Regina stared each other down.
"Excuse me, Ms. Swan?" replied Regina.
"You heard me… chicken," said Emma without moving her gaze.
"There's no way I would play such a childish game where the soul purpose of it is to fulfill puerile base needs," said Regina ending her statement with a large gulp of wine, partially spilling it on her chin.
"Come on, Regina," said Belle elbowing her gently.
"Yeah, come on Regina," said Emma, "Unless, of course, you're afraid."
Regina raised her eyebrow as high as she could in her drunken state.
"Fine," she said flatly, "give me a bottle."
Ruby eagerly sifted through the cushions and found an empty wine bottle, placing it on its side in the center the four women stared down at it like it was a fortune-teller.
"So," said Emma tapping her fingers on her wine glass, "Who wants to start?"
"I will!" said Ruby jerking forward and grabbing the bottle. It spun around for a few moments before stopping with the neck pointing towards Emma. She smirked as she grabbed Emma hard by the jacket bringing their lips together.
"Keep it PG, ladies," giggled Belle causing them to break apart.
"Regina, your turn," said Ruby.
Regina stiffened and after a deep breath spun the bottle as quickly as she could. It slowly spun until it stopped, the neck pointing towards Ruby.
"Oooh, looks like it's my night," Ruby laughed as she clapped her hands together. Regina rolled her eyes, set her wine glass down, bent over the bottle and placed a firm kiss on Ruby's lips- her eyes latching onto Emma's- giving her a taunting look.
"Okay, okay, break it up," said Emma waving Regina away, "my turn."
She grasped the bottle firmly and spun it fiercely. It spun and spun and spun until it began to slow- passing Ruby, Belle, Regina, back to Ruby, Belle, Regina, around again to Ruby, Belle… it stopped.
Regina looked down at the bottle pointing towards her. She blinked for a minute before looking up at Emma who looked absolutely petrified. The blonde looked down at her hands like they had just betrayed her.
"Come on, you two," laughed Ruby, "kiss and make up."
"It's the rules," said Belle with a smirk.
"Maybe this game is pretty stupid," muttered Emma looking for a way out.
"Oh no you don't," said Ruby pushing Emma forward, she pushed back.
"Now who's being chicken?" came Regina's deep, seductive voice from the other side of the circle.
"Shut up," shot Emma.
"Make me," replied Regina without hesitation. She cocked an eyebrow and smirked as she watched Emma's face twist up with determination.
"Fine," she said.
Emma moved up on her hands and knees while Regina did the same. They met over the bottle and remained inches apart.
Ruby and Belle gave each other a look and at the same time pushed the women together.
Regina and Emma literally fell into a kiss. When their lips met, a light pulse shot around the room as a golden mist swirled around their heads. The two women immediately detached and fell back holding their hands to their lips.
"What the hell was that?" said Emma.
"Whoa," whispered Ruby shifting her gaze between Emma and Regina.
"What did you do?" said Regina accusingly towards Emma.
"What did I do? What did you do?" the blonde shot back.
"This thing is clearly dangerous," interrupted Ruby grabbing the bottle carefully, "It needs to be destroyed," she stumbled from the room before shouting back, "Where's the trash?"
"I'll show you," replied Belle. She got up and followed Ruby out of the room- leaving Emma and Regina alone.
"Do uh… do you feel that?" said Emma tapping her lips.
"The vibrating? Yes."
"What is that? What the hell happened?"
"I truly have no idea," replied Regina shaking her head in confusion.
"Maybe," started Emma before she shut her mouth quickly.
"Maybe, what?"
"Maybe, um, maybe we should try it again- just to, you know, figure it out? It could be dangerous."
"Perhaps," replied Regina, raising an eyebrow, "I think you may be right."
The two women sat in silence, neither of them wanting to admit how completely wonderful and exhilarating that kiss had felt.
A couple minutes later, Ruby and Belle walked back into the room to find their girlfriends in a full-flung make out session. Emma straddled Regina, their chaste kissing escalated into a battle of tongues as a golden light began to eminate from the women- illuminating the room.
"Well shit," said Ruby examining the scene.
Belle merely nodded.