A/N: Kind of a prologue chapter, as I fancied playing with some banter. This is the second of my Christmas present prompts; this one for littledragonflyson. Prompt: Christmas Tree/ angst or fluff/ no previous sexual relationship. This is a pre-breaking of the curse little fic.
"Oh joy..."
The blonde huffs irritably as she glances at her phone to spy the name that flashes demandingly across the screen. Mary Margaret leans over from her position on the overstuffed sofa to determine the cause of her housemate's displeasure and sighs. Placing down the darning needle with which she had been patching together a small robin-shaped christmas decoration, she regards Emma pensively as the Sheriff sits curled up in the armchair to her right, wrapped in a blanket and sipping egg nog.
In the school teacher's mind, it is too early to be drinking; the night still young.
In the school teacher's mind, three glasses is more than enough.
Of course, she says none of these things, and simply offers a kind smile and a companionable roll of her eyes.
"You don't have to answer it. It's past five. Whatever Regina wants can wait until you're being paid to deal with it... Unless... Maybe if it's to do with Henry-"
"-If there was anything wrong with Henry, I'd hardly be top of her list of people to call."
Emma replies, a little moodily, and Mary Margaret nods in apologetic agreement.
"No, I suppose not... I guess just ignore it, then."
"No... No. Last time I did that I received an hour long condescending lecture and a proverbial slap on the wrist. Irritating at the best of times, but made worse because she was clearly having the most fun she'd had since she last got laid."
The Sheriff mutters darkly, and her housemate's cheeks blossom a bright pink as she laughs a little shrilly.
"Emma!"
"What? Oh, come on... You can't deny Madame Mayor has the attitude of a woman in need of a good, hard, rough endorphin release."
"Says the woman who has spurned any and all advances since arriving in town and lives a life of celibacy and snack foods."
A cushion flies across the room and the raven-headed woman ducks with a stern scowl that does little to deter the younger woman's chuckling.
"That's different. I'm not a bitch about it!... And anyway; I can see to my endorphin needs myself-"
"-Emma! Stop! Please!"
"-By running... Jeez!"
She sarks, with a cheshire grin, and the school teacher goes back to her sewing with an exasperated sigh; her lips twitching tellingly at the corners.
"Fine, see what she wants then. Just, for the love of God, shut up!"
The blonde tips back her nog slowly and purposefully allows it to form a creamy white moustache; regarding her housemate through narrowed eyes, before licking her lips clean and reaching forward for her phone.
Regina M: You signed the wrong part of the papers you left in my office, despite my taking the time to mark out exactly where your signature was needed. We have the last town meeting tomorrow, and if this is not rectified by then, all proposals within those documents do not get seen to until the new year. This is unacceptable. My home office. Tomorrow. 7.30 am.
Closing her eyes, the Sheriff lets out a low groan, letting her head fall back defeatedly against the high back of the chair.
"What do you want to bet I go down there tomorrow, and she's slipped in some papers I've never even seen?"
"Hmm?"
"Regina. Apparantly I'm incapable of signing my name next to the little markers she'd felt the need to make in red biro."
"Well... You did only buy half the stuff on my shopping list the other day because you hadn't thought to turn the page over..."
"Hey! you're supposed to be on my side remember?!"
"Oh, right... That bitch!"
The blonde laughs at this, before pushing herself up from her chair with much more grumbling and sighing than the action requires, and stretches cattily.
"You know what? Screw it. It's the holiday season, and if the Mayor wants my goddamned signature, then my signature she will get."
"... I'd imagine she'd want- and eventually get- it whether Christmas was nigh or not."
"True... But if she wants me to meet her in her home office tomorrow, then she'll have the papers there now... Supposing- just supposing- I did make a mistake... I guess it would be a nice gesture on my behalf if I went to go fix it now. That way she doesn't have to get up and ready for seven thirty."
"You mean, that way you don't have to get up and ready for seven thirty."
"A happy coincidence!"
Mary Margaret sighs, and leans back against the cushions; watching the Sheriff go about wrapping herself up to brave the cold and entertaining- and then rejecting- the idea of asking if she really thinks she should be driving on a stomach-full of egg nog.
She has learnt not to feed her need to mother Emma as frequently as she'd initially tried to when it comes to such things; the blonde having proven time and again that- though it is not always the most sensible array of ideas that spring into her mind- she has a good grasp on her mood and capabilities.
She has also learnt that the Sheriff never seems to suffer from a stomach 'full' of anything.
Proving her point, Emma plucks a handful of roasted nuts from a small, reindeer-themed bowl on the kitchen island and speaks to her between tossing them into her mouth.
"You know... She drives me crazy, but do you ever think it's maybe a little sad that she's sat there with no willing company this time of year?"
"Well, maybe not 'willing'... But she has Henry..."
"... Yeah... There is that..."
"Did you ask if you could have him for Christmas Eve?"
"Seriously? I mean, I could give you a rendition of exactly how that conversation would go, but you dislike it when I swear in the house."
"I don't really see Regina as the swearing type..."
"No. Hence I'd have to overcompensate... You know the answer as well as I do, and I don't need the grief of actually being on the receiving end of it in full colour and audio... Besides, Henry's coming over for pancakes while Regina sorts out any final affairs on the twenty third."
"He is?"
"Yeah. They have this kind of 'tying up of loose ends' meeting as I understand it she has to go to."
"You're the Sheriff. You're not required to attend?"
"Ah, now that one really will be a purposeful misreading of the fine print."
"How fine?"
"About 12 point text, but I wasn't wearing my contacts when I read it... So..."
The school teacher laughs merrily at this and shakes her head; offering the blonde a gesture that suggests she wants no part in any repercussions.
"Well. On your head be it then, Sheriff."
"On my head it is."
Emma agrees; pulling her hat firmly down over her ears and offering Mary Margaret a wry smile and wave of her gloved hand which the school teacher repays in kind.
"Well... Good luck. I'll save you some leftovers, but hopefully you won't be too late."
"I doubt I will be. Hopefully I can just sign my name and go."
"When were things ever that simple with you and Regina?... Just... Don't let her get to you."
"I won't... In fact-"
The Sheriff holds her index finger up as though struck by a sudden idea, and trots over to the pantry; opening up the cupboard on tiptoe. Pulling out a cloudy glass bottle in which slightly sedimented ruby liquid sloshes merrily, she turns back to her housemate and shrugs.
"- I made more than I planned, so we still have a few bottles to get rid of. I've accounted for Ruby and Granny, David, if you wanted to give him one, and of course us... But I don't think we need four bottles of the stuff."
"I think you might be right... But... You're going to show up on Regina Mills' doorstep bearing a gift?!"
Emma shrugs once more, toying with a holly leaf; several more tied around each of the other decanted bottles with festive red ribbon.
"A sign of good will..."
"Or a sure way to get her to comment on your drinking habits."
"Hmmm. Are we still talking about Regina, here?"
"Emma... There's no point giving that woman a gift. Especially from yourself."
The blonde shrugs a little defeatedly, before offering an impish smirk and tucking the bottle beneath her arm.
"Well, then I guess I'm just curious to see the look on her face when I do."