Just a quick and fluffy story. Another way that the two ladies could get together!
*I do not own the rights to Once Upon a Time*
Regina can't help but notice how fidgety Emma is tonight.
They are facing each other at Regina's dinning room table and Emma is avoiding looking at her. She's been playing with her food all night and not eating it.
She also hasn't said much, and Regina feels she can only keep up polite conversation for so long. Especially if it's one-sided.
She suddenly misses Henry so much it hurts. He's been at college for a few months now and she still misses his presence dearly. If he had been here to eat dinner with them, he would have kept up the conversation for her.
This silence is strange. Usually she converses easily with the blonde. Perhaps easier than anyone else in her life. But today is different. Emma seems anxious and Regina has already asked her if she is okay twice only to get a responding "fine" both times.
Suddenly Emma grabs her hand across the table and looks at her. She seems even more anxious than before. And now Regina is starting to get worried. Clearly Emma has some sort of bad news to tell her. She can't decide if she wants the blonde to tell her immediately and get it over with, or put it off and perhaps never know. She doesn't know if she can handle too much more bad things happening in her life.
Before she can worry further, the woman in front of her decides to put her out of her misery.
"I love you, Regina." Emma says, looking more worried than Regina feels she has a need to.
Regina sighs and rolls her eyes. "Yes, I know dear" She responds. She tries not to sound frustrated but she does already know this. She also knows Emma doesn't love her in the way that Regina hopes someone (particularly Emma) will love her.
Emma looks at her and bites her lip. Regina still can't figure out why she looks so nervous. They had said 'I love you' before so Emma must have more to tell her.
Regina remembers the first time Emma said she loved her.
It was a few years ago and Emma had come over to the mansion for a BBQ. Henry was staring high school the next day and she decided to have people over to commemorate the end of summer. Emma had stayed after everyone else left, to help clean up.
After hugging Henry and wishing him good luck at school, Emma made her way into the foyer.
"Bye Ma" Henry called as he and Regina made their way to the staircase.
"Good bye, Emma. Thank you for helping today." Regina said
"Bye guys, love you." Emma responded as she walked out the door.
It must have occurred to Emma what she had said at the exact time it did to Regina because the door opened again and Emma came in looking slightly unsettled.
"Ah...sorry…I don't know…I got use to just saying the phrase whenever I leave my parents so I guess it kind of just…slipped out…" Emma tried to explain.
Regina was taken aback but she thought that of course Emma didn't mean it. How could she? She knew Emma cared for her, they are friends after all, but that was a far cry from love.
"Not to worry Miss Swan, I assumed you didn't mean it." she said trying to assure the other woman.
"But…I did…I mean I do love you." She said clearly fighting to get out the words properly. "I just didn't mean to say it…or have you think that meant it in a way that I didn't. We're family you know?" Emma finished awkwardly.
Regina couldn't understand why instead of Emma's words making her happy, they made her a little…disappointed. Emma reminding her that she had a family that loved her should have made her ecstatic, but it didn't. She was also at a loss for a proper response.
"Yes we are." She said finally. "Good night." She decided it was probably best to just end the conversation then and there, but when did Emma ever do what Regina wanted?
"What, you're not going to say it back?" Emma says.
Her voice was teasing, and Regina almost made a sarcastic retort, but then she saw Emma's face. It was smirking, but Regina could see just a little bit of insecurity in those green eyes.
"I love you too, Emma" The words were uncomfortable coming out of her mouth that first time…especially because of how true the statement felt.
Emma beamed and her and said a quick "bye" before closing the door and finally leaving.
Since then they had said the phrase a number of times. It had become easier for Regina to say, as it never seemed to carry as much weight as the first time. And although it was normal now to say it, it was by no means a daily occurrence.
That's why, Emma saying she loves her right now was not surprising, but still a cause for concern.
Emma lets go of her hand and looks down at her plate of half eaten food.
"No, Regina" She sighs, "What I meant is, I'm in love with you."
"Oh" Just like the first time, Regina can't seem to formulate a response. She was almost nervous that Emma was going to somehow take it back, or make it seems less important, like she did last time.
"Yeah…I know you probably don't feel that way about me, but I don't know. Other people seemed to think you might… and it was kind of driving me crazy not saying anything…so I figured I should just tell you. We can just stay friends though, I promise to try and not make the situation weird... We share Henry so I wouldn't want to-"
Emma's ramblings were cut off by Regina's kiss. Emma hadn't even noticed that Regina had made her way around the table during her speech.
The kiss was barely more than a peck, but it made her point.
Emma looked up at her from her chair and her smile was dazzling. Regina's smile in return must have been just as big.
Emma stood up and hugged her. They held each other for a few moments before Emma broke the silence.
"So are you going to say it back?" In the same tone of voice she used last time.
Regina held on tighter and whispered "I'm in love with you, too."