Just a little bit of Swan-Queen Christmas fluff! I know I still have updates to finish for my other stories - but things have been rather hectic lately and I still can't get them just how I want them. As usual, comments and criticisms welcome! Hope you enjoy!
Emma glanced over to the other sofa in Mary M- Snow's apartment, only just refraining at rolling her eyes at the two, so wrapped up in each other they were barely even watching the movie they had insisted they watch. "Family Time" it had been deemed by Snow. Emma did not consider being forced to endure watching some dumb Christmas movie while her parents – that was still weird to even think about – gazed all too lovingly at each other, a good bonding experience. She didn't even have Henry to break the awkwardness. He was spending the night at Regina's, to Snow and Charming's horror, but to Henry and Regina's intense happiness. The boy had been scared to admit he wanted to spend time with his mom, but after Emma had seen him looking sadly at her as she pushed a woefully empty shopping cart along the next aisle to them as they themselves were trying to tick everything off the immense list given to them by Snow, she had carefully crouched down to his level, asking him to be honest with her. A slightly teary eyed response that Christmases' with his mom were magical, without even using magic had Emma not even hesitating before grabbing his hand and making their way over to the former Evil Queen.
So, it looked as though her son and his mom were having their non-magic magical Christmas Eve, her parents' were having a kind of weird loving staring match with sickly sweet smiles pasted on their faces, and she…well, she had no idea what was going on in the damn movie, had been frowned at intensely when she tried to spice up her night with a stiff drink and wasn't even comfy on the couch. Fishing her phone out of her pocket, she opened up a blank text to a certain brunette. She pondered for a few moments what to say, not wanting to sound her normal ineloquent self, even though the former Mayor, in a moment of weakness, had admitted she found it rather endearing. In the end, she settled for humorous. "How do you rate my chances of sneaking out unseen while my parents look at each other in a way that makes me want to hurl?" Using full words, if not fully grammatically correct sentences of course, since she actually did want a reply.
Her phone buzzed back only a few moments later with the response. "With your newborn foal like elegance and your Charming nature…non-existent." Even Regina's texts were capable of snark.
Emma snorted, her mother glancing over to her for a second with a questioning look that Emma waved off, pretending to go back to watching to movie. She had Regina had been 'seeing' each other in secret for a few weeks now. They had decided on the term, deeming it to fit quite nicely to their situation, of seeing each other in a new, and rather more romantic light. Predictably, however, they had decided to keep it between them, at least until the murderous intent towards Regina had died down to a more manageable level. She felt Snow's eyes on her for a few moments more, before the other woman went back to happily gazing at her true love. Her silent content was broken a few moments later, however, by the phone ringing. With a sigh, the pixie haired woman untangled herself from Charming's embrace and moved to hush the offensive noise. On the couch, Emma silently willed it to be a call for her, something to do with the Sherriff's station, anything that would get her out of the house for a little while to let her clear her head.
She watched as her mother's eyebrows shot up in shock, the other woman turning to look at her oddly. Putting a hand over the speaker of the phone, Snow turned to face her daughter. "It's Regina…she's asking if you would like to go over to the mansion. She says Henry has been asking for you and it doesn't feel right to be celebrating their Christmas traditions without you."
Emma had to control a grin at the mention of the word 'their'. Had Regina meant such an obvious slip? That wasn't just Henry asking, that was her, and it warmed the blonde right from the heart, just as the brunette's whispered question of 'do you have to go?' had when she dropped Henry off earlier that night.
"Would you mind?" asked Emma, looking between the two other occupants of the room. "I mean, I know you wanted a family night, but we'll have time for loads of them, right? And we can do the whole big Christmas thing tomorrow?" She fought to keep the excitement from her voice, focusing instead on her guilt at wanting to leave quite so desperately.
"Shall I tell her you'll be there?" asked Snow, rolling her eyes.
"Yes!" said Emma, jumping up a little to enthusiastically for her parents' liking. "Please, mom," she added with a small smile, using the rarely used name to appease the other woman. She was pleased when it worked, and she was enveloped in a lightly crushing hug. The hug became more crushing when Charming decided to wrap his arms around both women, making Emma feel slightly claustrophobic.
"You'll drive carefully?" asked Snow, as she finally pulled back. "And wrap up warm?"
The next ten minutes were spent wrapping Emma up in as many layers as mother and father could get on, topped off with a thick woolen scarf, gloves, and a hat. By the time they were done Emma could barely walk, never mind drive, but with the pair watching out of the window as she stuffed her over padded self into the driver's seat, she daren't remove a layer lest they come out and pull her back inside.
The drive over was thankfully short, and soon Emma was rocking back and forward on her heels on Regina's porch. She had intended to take a couple of minutes to dampen down her excitement at seeing Regina to a level where she wouldn't jump the older woman in front of their as yet, unaware son. She didn't get the chance to, however, as the door was pulled open before she could even raise a gloved hand. The brunette slipped outside, pulling the door almost closed behind her as she pulled Emma to her by the scarf, kissing her soundly. "Managed to make your escape then?"
"I may have had some help," grinned Emma as she pressed another kiss to Regina's lips, pleased to have the liberty of this little PDA, even if they were the only two people present. "Thank you, by the way." She loved the way Regina blushed adorably, refusing to fully acknowledge the words, or what they truly meant in the wider scheme of things.
"You should come in, before I freeze," said the brunette, pulling her by the gloved hand.
"Yeah, no chance of me freezing anytime soon," grumbled Emma as she followed the other woman inside.
"I'm sure Henry will be able to sympathize," said Regina with a small smile. "He's been subjected to his fair share of over protective mothering over the years.
"Emma?" came the small inquisitive voice of the boy in question.
"I didn't tell him you were coming. I thought you might enjoy it being a surprise," said Regina quietly as she let go of the blonde's hand and took a couple of steps back in anticipation of the ten year old whirlwind that was about to come flying into the hall.
"It is you!" shouted Henry the moment he caught sight of her, throwing himself at her. Taking the blonde rather unprepared, the two were sent tumbling the floor, making Emma glad of her padding. "I thought you had to spend the night with Grandma and Grampa?" he asked as he scrambled back to his feet. Henry had adapted to the whole fairytale family thing far more easily and quickly than most.
"You mom invited me," smiled Emma, accepted the hand the brunette offered to help her up.
Henry's smile only brightened at this. He loved both of his moms, even more so when they were getting on. "Really?" he asked, looking towards Regina.
Glancing first at Emma, who nodded for her to go ahead and take the credit, she smiled. "Yes."
"How did you convince Grandma to let you go?"
Emma smirked. The kid was good. "Your mom said you'd like it if I could be here to be part of your Christmas traditions. That you both would."
The words were not lost on the boy. Ever since he could remember, he and his mother had carried out the same Christmas traditions each and every year, always just the two of them. For his mom to invite Emma into these little special moments between them, meant a lot. He allowed himself a small smile that his observations over the past few weeks were right. Not often, but enough for him to take note, he had found his mother's standing that little too close, the odd casual touch. And it was impossible not to notice how much more comfortable they had become with each other.
"So what are we doing?" asked Emma as she yanked off her gloves with her teeth.
"Getting you out of a few of those layers for starters," said Regina with a mischievous twinkle to her eyes.
"I'll start putting the marshmallows on the sticks," said Henry, evidently finding the promise of warm gooey treats more exciting than unwrapping his mother.
Regina watched her son disappear back through to the living room before turning to the blonde. "Guess that leaves it to me to help you lose those layers," she grinned, letting her voice drop deliciously low now that they were alone. She started with the padded jacket, throwing it over a free coat hook. Even with the bulky coat removed, she frowned at the fact the blonde was still several sizes bigger than usual.
"This would be more fun if I were in my normal number of layers," added Emma quietly as Regina continued to remove layer after layer.
"It would," agreed Regina, placing light kisses against the blonde's now exposed throat. "Just how many clothes did your mother insist you wear?" she asked, glancing at the growing mountain of clothes on her coat rack.
"Well it started off with four, then David decided he could fit a few more on," grumped Emma. "I've never had a more humiliating experience getting dressed before in my life!"
"Now I'm sure that's not true," chuckled Regina as she removed the final few layers, leaving Emma in her customary tank and shirt, and her skin tight jeans. "Although, for the record, I will admit that Snow has outdone me in one thing. You were wearing nine extra layers."
"Admitting you were outdone by Snow? Surely that's one of the first signs of the apocalypse?" laughed Emma, slipping her arms around the older woman's waist.
"Mmm, and what are the others? Spending a lovely Christmas Eve with the Evil Queen?" mocked Regina.
"Mom, have you got the chocolate yet?"
Easily adapting, Regina unhooked Emma's hands from around her waist, entwining the fingers of one hands with the blonde's. "Just a moment!" she called back. She tugged the blonde into the kitchen, where there was chocolate melting in a bowl over the stove, and three mugs set out nearby. "He likes to dip the marshmallows in melted chocolate, and I always make him cocoa for when we decorate the tree."
"You haven't decorated it yet?" asked Emma as she stood behind Regina at the stove, wrapping her arms around her waist, safely out of harm's way where she couldn't destroy anything, but she could enjoy the warmth of the other woman. "Mary – Snow, made us decorate ours days ago."
"Let me guess, she had you stringing popcorn and decorating the Christmas cake too," smirked Regina.
"She had us making the damn cake," groaned Emma, leaning her head on Regina's shoulder. "And I wasn't allowed to drink the alcohol that was going in it."
"Truly a crime," chuckled Regina, taking the melted chocolate off the heat and moving to start the cocoa, Emma shuffling along behind her. "And one I'd hate to replicate. What would you like? Cider? Wine? Something stronger?"
"What I'd really like is to kiss you," smiled Emma.
"Mom! Is it done yet?"
Regina laughed at her son's impatience. Turning in Emma's arms, she gave her a sound kiss. "That'll have to do for now. Take the chocolate through to Henry and I'll be through in a moment with the cocoa."
Pouting, Emma nonetheless followed her instructions, but not before sticking her finger in the bowl of chocolate and swiping the warm treat across Regina's lips and swiftly moving in to kiss and lick it off.
"Might I remind you to keep it PG until Henry goes to bed, at least."
"I'll try," shrugged Emma. "Can't promise anything though!"