Summary: A random conversation shows Emma a new way to rile Regina up or maybe it's more about proving a point. While Emma is not sure by any means that Regina actually likes her (come to think of it 'tolerance' is probably a better word and that's stretching it), she is pretty confident that Regina is not as stand-offish as she likes to act. What started as pulling Regina's leg on Emma's part somehow turns more serious as time goes by.
Emma munched on her late morning pick-me-up and contentedly leaned back in her office chair. It had been a slow morning, not to say a slow week. There was some long overdue paperwork stacked on her desk, but other than that there wasn't really much to do. Flicking some crumbs off her shirt Emma spotted a cobweb in the corner, which reminded her of her confrontation with Regina the other day.
There were people who you could talk to for hours on end and then at some point in the conversation you wondered how you got there and you just couldn't remember. With Regina, Emma wasn't sure this was a good thing. Not that they talked for hours, because they definitely didn't. But regardless, when she wanted to, Regina had a way of spinning you around with words, making you forget what you were trying to say in the first place and leaving you feeling… kind of dumb to be honest. Emma had dealt with this so often already, but she still wondered how she had managed to get herself to a point where she had exclaimed, "but I'm a grown ass woman!"
"Please, Miss Swan," Regina had replied, her lips curling in distaste, "do refrain from stating what has been painfully obvious to everyone, who cares not to ignore you since you first stepped foot into this town."
Emma had scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "Huh?" In hindsight she should have known that Regina would latch onto this unrefined response to make her look like a fool just because she could.
"Proving my point. Again," Regina had mumbled under her breath and continued in a louder voice before Emma had had the chance to interject, "You have grown up to be an ass." She had inclined her head as if she was giving Emma a compliment, "A dumb ass no less."
"Just what..?" Emma had sputtered then scowled. "You know what? Whatever." And then she had scowled for a different reason. Way to trip herself up. She had closed her mouth but it had already been too late.
"Eloquently put as always. Congratulations, Miss Swan." Regina had smirked smugly.
Emma had stared at her very obviously trying to find a way to one-up Regina. Regina had been about to open her mouth and advise her not to try and break her measly excuse of a brain in the vain attempt to string together a coherent sentence, when Emma had let out a triumphant "Ha!" Regina may have gotten them irrevocably off track, but for the first time Emma had felt like she had unwittingly revealed something somewhere in her educated babble and Emma would capitalize on it.
Regina had lifted an unimpressed eyebrow as if saying let's see what you came up with, you imbecile idiot.
"'Everyone who cares not to ignore me'?" Emma had quoted gleefully. "You know what that means?"
"I'm sure you are about to let me in on your substandard thought process," Regina had replied disinterestedly looking down at her nails.
"It means," Emma had elaborated with a triumphant gleam in her eyes, "that you care about me. You like me." Satisfied with herself Emma had crossed her arms in front of her chest and grinned broadly, mostly to annoy Regina and get a rise out of her.
Getting no reaction from Regina except for her stony expression Emma had loosened her arms again. "Oh, don't give me that deadpan face. I just repeated your own words to you. You don't ignore me. Which means: You. Like. Me. You can't get out of this one."
"Miss Swan," Regina had started in her best indifferent voice, "do you like spiders?"
"Er… no?" Emma had said hesitatingly confused by this sudden change in topic.
"So, when and where was the last time you saw a spider?"
Emma's gaze had flitted to the clock beside the window. "Two hours ago. In my room."
"See? There you have it." Regina had returned to the papers on her desk dismissing Emma.
"But.. but…" Emma had grappled for words. "How could I ignore it? It was right there!"
"Yes," Regina had sighed exasperatedly, "Unfortunately."
Emma may have been the one to walk away outgunned – again – but after her comment about Regina liking her, Emma felt like she had almost had the upper hand. Emma was not sure by any means that Regina actually liked her, come to think of it tolerance was probably a better word and that was stretching it. But she was pretty confident that Regina was not as stand-offish as she liked to act.
Taking the last bite of her bear claw, Emma crumpled up the take-out bag into a tight ball and aimed for the trash can beside the empty deputy's desk.
The clicking of heels on the tiled floor in the hallway alerted her to the presence and identity of her soon to be visitor and just as Regina rounded the corner Emma's balled up paper bag hit its aim with a satisfying thump.
Emma swiveled around in her chair with a pleased expression and faced Regina who sported an unimpressed lifted eyebrow. "Our taxes hard at work I see," she drawled accompanying her quip with a slight smirk.
At this reminder of her early days in Storybrooke Emma smiled because the way Regina uttered those words now was not comparable to how she had said them then.
"Yeah well, gotta keep my good marksmanship," Emma grinned.
"Keep telling yourself that, Sheriff Swan," Regina replied and fully stepped into the room. Emma opened her mouth to defend her perfect aim in faked indignation when Regina waved her off, "I don't have all day and I don't want to keep you longer than necessary..." Her pointed look wasn't lost on Emma, "or longer than you seem to be keeping yourself anyways," she added as if on second thought. Emma had the decency to close her mouth and wait for what Regina had to say.
"Are you free tonight?"
"What?" The question slipped out of Emma's mouth without permission and her eyebrows shot up.
Regina rolled her eyes exasperatedly and repeated slowly, "Are you free tonight?" really saying are you dense?
"Yeah, I guess," Emma replied unsure of where this was headed.
Regina huffed and Emma wondered if she was displeased with Emma's hesitance or if the whole topic simply annoyed her. "Henry wants you over for dinner."
"You're inviting me?" Emma asked astonished not having anticipated this turn of events.
"Henry invited you," Regina was quick to correct. Burying her hands into the pockets of her cream colored coat she waited for Emma to reply.
"Okay, yeah, I'm totally free!" Emma smiled and relaxed into her chair. "What time should I be there? And can I bring anything?"
"We are expecting you at seven sharp. And you don't need to bring anything," Regina waved her hand nonchalantly. "I haven't decided what to make yet."
Something about the way Regina said this piqued Emma's interest and she narrowed her eyes observing Regina closely. "So, do you have any allergies or dislikes I should be aware of?" Regina continued as if she had noticed Emma's sudden interest in her body language and wanted to knock her off course.
"Er no…" Emma tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear and shrugged, "I guess I eat almost everything."
"Obviously," the brunette sassed with a disapproving glance towards the trash can.
Now it was Emma's turn to lift an eyebrow and tilt her head in the universal really? expression.
"Very well," Regina diffused the situation and took a step towards the door. "It's settled then. See you later." She stared Emma down for a few seconds before adding, "don't be late," with a slightly exaggerated Mayor Mills sternness.
"I wouldn't dare," Emma replied rolling her eyes. She watched Regina turn around and head for the hallway when a sudden idea struck her and she suppressed her grin.
"Regina?"
Regina turned around and regarded her with a curious expression. "What is it, Miss Swan?"
"You know, you didn't have to come here to invite me. You could've just called," Emma flicked her hand to the phone on her desk, "or, I don't know, texted."
After a second of standing motionlessly in the doorway a haughty expression crossed Regina's face. "Unlike some people I have manners. And as even you should be aware of, an invitation is best extended personally."
"While that is true," Emma agreed preparing to make her point, "shouldn't it be Henry's job to turn up here? But you went out of your way and obviously consider me worthy of showing some manners to." Emma proudly crossed her arms. "Do you know what that means?" At this point she didn't even bother holding her cheeky grin back anymore.
"It means that I can uninvite you just as quickly," Regina scowled and braced her palm against the door frame.
"No, you can't, because it's Henry's invitation as you so kindly pointed out," Emma replied smartly.
"Second of all," Regina droned on ignoring Emma, "I did not go out of my way. I need to run a few errands and merely stopped by." Her expression clearly warned Emma to tread carefully. If there was one thing Emma learned while dealing with Regina it was not to overplay her hand. So, she bit back on calling her out on this by commenting on how running errands while on the clock surely wouldn't fly well with the mayor.
"If that's the case, then I don't want to keep you," she relented instead. "See you tonight. And… thank you," Emma added with a genuine smile.
"You're welcome," Regina replied less stiffly and after a parting moment of regarding Emma with an unreadable expression, she turned on her heels and left.
