"Emma?"
"Yeah, babe?"
"Emma, if you love someone... is it always sex?" Regina asked, her voice sounding small and vulnerable.
Emma frowned, lifting her head up from the pillow to look at Regina. The brunette's head was resting on her bare chest and her hand was lying across her stomach in a casual pose, but Emma could feel how stiff she was. She moved to run her fingers through the brown locks, making Regina sigh contently. "What do you mean, R?"
Regina snuggled further into Emma's body, pulling the sheet up to her chin and curling her legs up. She was stalling.
Emma kissed her head, moving her hand from her hair to rub her back gently, as though coaxing the brunette's question out of her.
After a moment of Regina's silence, she finally spoke, her voice shaking this time. "You love me, so if you want me, you can have me right?" At the question, Regina rolled her whole body over so she could look up into Emma's eyes, hers bright with unshed tears.
Emma frowned and shook her head. "No baby, no. Sex is consensual on both parts. Even if you pay for it," she winked playfully, but Regina didn't even humour her. She just frowned. "Why? Have I hurt you?" she asked, pulling her body up, her face contorting into panic. Regina was quick to calm her, cupping her face and kissing her nose.
"No, darling, no it's not you... it's just..." she tailed off, her eyes growing distant.
Emma kept rubbing her back. "What is it?"
"In the Enchanted Forest, you didn't have sex with anyone other than your marriage partner," Emma nodded, slowly slipping back down into the bed and pulling Regina with her. "And as I was part of royal blood, that rule was a strict law for me.
"Many didn't follow this rule though, including Daniel," her voice broke and Emma immediately pulled her into a tighter embrace, placing kisses all over her forehead. Regina sucked in a deep breath and continued, her voice slightly muffled against Emma's skin.
"The night we got engaged, and I had stopped Snow ruining everything, Daniel came back with me to my chambers and... and we did it," Regina whispered, sounding like a broken child. "It wasn't fun or pleasant or in anyway enjoyable. I felt so guilty, I wanted to wait until the wedding night but Daniel said it didn't matter, we were going to get married anyway, that it was okay because we were together and that's what people do when they're in love-" she said, her voice shaking. Emma rubbed her shoulders, sliding her hands right down the slender arms to intertwine their fingers, lifting them up to press a soft kiss on each tip.
Regina didn't speak for a moment, just shook slightly as she took staggering breaths to calm herself. "Easy baby, just breathe, I won't hurt you. whatever you want, let me know," Emma murmured in her ear. Regina clung tightly to her, finally lifting her head to gaze adoringly at her.
"You won't take me then? I-" she stopped, taking a deep breath. "I can say no?" she whispered, as though she was about to be slapped for even considering that not sleeping with whom she 'loved' was a crime.
Emma nodded, cradling Regina's head. "Of course. In fact, you don't even have to say no. You can say that you don't want to, that you're tired, that you're busy, I don't care," Emma kissed her head. "I won't ever sleep with you if you don't want to do it, Regina. You just have to tell me. Even tell me to fuck off if you want!" Emma exclaimed, drawing a snort from the smaller woman.
"You promise that?"
"Cross my heart!" Emma said valiantly, waiting for Regina to lift her head so she could eagerly air draw a large 'X' on her heart.
The brunette smiled softly and tilted her head, pouting her lips, inviting Emma to kiss her- which she did eagerly. When the two parted, Emma rested her forehead on Regina's and gently ran her fingers under her eyes. "We can be as far in as you want, baby. We could have been making out for hours and I could be lying naked on top of you, but if you push me off or if you say no, or if you're just kinda not in the mood, let me know okay?" Emma whispered, kissing her brow.
Regina nodded her head, lifting her hand to gingerly stroke Emma's cheek. The blonde closed her eyes in contentment, humming happily when Regina ran her nails gently down the side of her face. "We'll only do it if you say yes, okay?"
Regina grinned wickedly, her hand slipping from Emma's face to graze her neck and cup her breast. "Yes." Regina whispered.
Emma smiled, her hand moving from Regina's ass to rub her stomach. "Yes," she let out breathily. Emma's hand dipped lower, rubbing gentle circles, finally making Regina moan quietly, "Oh yes."