Notes: Thanks to Idisch for correcting most of my grammar mistakes (I disguised a few so she wouldn't find all of them ;-))
The Roommate Chapter 10
Sitting in her rocking chair by the window, Regina looked out, drinking her morning coffee and thinking about the previous evening she had spent with Emma. There was a smile attached to her lips since yesterday. One that didn't fade away, no matter what she did.
After they had eaten, they had gone to another bar, a non-karaoke bar as Regina had insisted. Of course she had had to tell an embarrassing story about her youth, but Emma's laugh had made it worth to lose a bit of dignity.
She couldn't remember when she had felt this carefree, so content in someone's present. Sure, Regina could be carefree with Kathryn too, but it didn't feel the same. It was somehow different, even if she couldn't tell why that was.
The evening had ended way too fast, although she had become flustered a few times and more than once had gotten red cheeks.
However, her mind had changed during their time together.
The plan to avoid Emma was off the table.
She wanted to see Emma again, to spend time with her and then - this time nothing was going to stop her - tell Emma that she liked her.
But before she would do that, she would get her revenge on Kathryn.
Kathryn had broken her promise not to push her. Yeah, yeah, technically Kathryn hadn't really pushed her, but she had approved to Emma that she could tag along and then she had disappeared in thin air, leaving her all alone in a situation she hadn't wanted to be in. Kathryn had been sneaky and evil, just like that time when she had put thousands of breadcrumbs in Regina's sleeping bag. That time, Kathryn had to pay by waking up next to a wart covered frog and this time she was going to pay too.
The question was, what kind of payback would be best?
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Later that day as Regina stood loaded with bags before Kathryn's apartment. She had made up an evil plan to get her revenge on her friend. Kathryn was out shopping with Frederick and Emma was out too, at least that was the reply she had gotten from Emma after texting and asking if she was home. With both parties away, it left her the perfect opportunity to convert her plan into reality.
Regina rang the doorbell. Kathryn might be out for hours, but Emma could still have arrived at home. When Regina didn't hear any movements she decided to use the spare key she had gotten from Kathryn to use for emergencies. It was better that Emma wasn't at home, Regina had no idea how to explain what she was about to do.
After entering, Regina went straight for Kathryn's room. The preparations would take a while, so she needed to start immediately. Getting caught would spoil the whole 'surprise'.
Smiling, Regina unpacked all her bags, scanning Kathryn's room and considering the best places for all the items. An evil grin tugged at her lips.
Oh this was so much fun.
Soon the floor was scattered with paper and plastic, in the midst of it a humming Regina, placing the various items everywhere.
"What is this?"
Regina screamed and jumped against the bedside table, making the lamp fall on the floor.
"What are you doing here? And how did you get in?" Emma stood in the doorframe, looking around, her eyes settling on Regina. She couldn't tell Emma the real reason why she was in Kathryn's room.
"I...eh...this is...ehm...you're home."
"Very observant, Sherlock." Emma crossed her arms. "Now tell me, what is all of this?"
"Ehm...just...it's...eh...a surprise?"
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Regina breathed a sigh of relief when she was back at her own apartment, letting herself fall in the soft cushions of her couch. She had really thought Emma would declare her crazy, threw her out or something worse.
But all Emma had done was laugh.
Only a half-finished and stuttered explanation had caused Emma to break into laughter. Luckily for Regina, Emma hadn't asked many questions. She had stood by, looking curiously how Regina had prepared the last pieces of her evil plan.
After finishing up the room, Emma had invited Regina for eating lunch together. Her heart had jumped excitingly in her chest, much like it was on a trampoline. But however excited she was to spend some time with Emma, she did not want to be near the apartment when Kathryn got home.
Sitting on her couch now with a growling stomach, she regretted her decision. It was now long past Regina's usual lunch time and if her stomach didn't see something soon it would plague her for the rest of the day. For a second, the thought of calling a delivery service crossed her mind. The conversation from the previous evening with Emma about being lazy came to her mind and with it, the image of Emma's perfect abs, the soft skin Regina wanted to touch and kiss. How badly she wanted to taste Emma's pink lips, tangle her fingers in those blonde locks and hear her soft moan.
A sigh escaped Regina's lips. Why hadn't she agreed to eat lunch with Emma? At least she would have seen the object of her desires. Now all she had was an aching between her legs and a lonely apartment. Which was in some kind calling her to retreat to the depths of her bedroom for an hour of satisfaction.
Her angry growling stomach on the other hand prevented her from doing so. Regina sighed again and stood up. There had to be something in the kitchen she could eat.
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Regina was sitting in her rocking chair again, reading a book when the sound of her phone revealed that she got a message. Laying the book down, Regina stood to retrieve her phone. After picking it up and walking back to her favorite spot, Regina read the message. It was from Emma.
:-DDDDD
While wondering what exactly Emma had tried to tell her with that message, she got another one.
Kathryn for home :-D
A second later it beeped again.
*got
Regina grinned, at least one of the two blondes had fun.
Can't write. Still laughing :-DDD
While getting comfortable on her chair again, Regina wrote back.
I suspect Kathryn isn't laughing as much as you are? ;-)
Frederick is still trying to calm her down :-D Seriously, it was awesome. You should have heard her scream. Epic horror movie scream :DD
Glad that at least one of you is having fun ;-)
Good decision not to stay here. Pretty sure Kathryn is going to shred you into pieces when she sees you ;-)
I've survived worse ;-)
Worse? You have to tell me the background to that story :-) Tonight? We could watch movies afterwards
You are not going to trick me into revealing more of those embarrassing stories ;-)
When the phone rang immediately after sending the message, Regina didn't even bother to wait and see who was calling.
"Hey there." She said in a happy voice. It didn't came as a surprise that Emma would call and try to convince her to tell another one of those embarrassing stories.
"YOU!"
Regina's smile vanished, taken aback by the hostile voice on the other end, until she realized it wasn't Emma who called.
"YOU'RE DISINHERITED, UNFRIENDED AND OFFICIALLY DEAD TO ME!"
Kathryn had always had a slight tendency to get melodramatic when her emotions were riled up. Regina knew that, as well as she knew it was mostly hot air. She rolled her eyes playfully, glad that Kathryn couldn't see the big grin on her face. She still tried her best to not let the big grin transport through the phone. She hardly managed.
"Didn't you like your gifts?"
"WHAT ON EARTH MADE YOU PUT A THOUSAND GHOSTS INTO MY ROOM?"
"Hardly a thousand, it doesn't even reach the three digit section, there are only 27."
"YOU...! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS! I WILL MAKE YOU REGRET THIS! YOUR LAST HOUR HAS COME!"
"Just like you're regretting breaking your promise?"
There was a short pause and the anger was replaced by confusion. "What...? I didn't break any promises!"
"You said you wouldn't push me towards Emma!" Regina hissed, not telling that it was the best night she had had in years. That wasn't the point anyway. The point was that Kathryn had broken her promise.
"I did not push you!"
"You left me! Alone with her! For a whole! I repeat, A WHOLE evening! How is that not pushing?"
"SHE wanted to see you!"
"You could have declined!"
"I tried! She was persistent! Besides, you texted me it was nice!"
"That's not the point!"
"Yes it is! You like her, she likes you! So what if I left you two little love birds alone!"
"We are not love birds. We are not..." Regina struggled for words. "...anything." Regina could hear a gasp at the other end.
"You're mad because you didn't get laid! That explains so much."
"That's...it's not...you're being ridiculous!
"You're more ridiculous!"
"No, you're more ridiculous!"
"No, you're more ridiculous!"
It actually reminded Regina of two 5-year old girls fighting. Kathryn seemed to think the same thing, because they both started giggling simultaneously. They had these years of deep friendship and both knew nothing could destroy that, not even 27 ghosts.
"We are acting childish." Regina stated.
"You're more childish." The smile clearly audible in Kathryn's voice and Regina rolled her eyes at that comment. "Anyway, I will leave it to you to get rid of the bodies."
"Bodies?" Regina asked confused. There had been a few glowing ghost figures a 5-foot cardboard ghost and other ghost stuff. No bodies.
"You will come over and get this mess cleaned up!"
"Yeah, yeah." Regina tried to sound disinterested, when in truth she was excited to see Emma over there. As she hang up, there was a message from Emma waiting for her.
So this story is also embarrassing? I will figure out a way so you will reveal it to me ;-) You on the other hand should figure out a way to calm Kathryn down, she is really mad at you.
Regina looked sarcastically at the phone. "Oh really? Thanks for the early heads up."
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Standing in front of Kathryn's apartment once more today, Regina felt an excitement circulating in her body. Only a few seconds separated her from seeing Emma again and that fact alone made the butterflies in her stomach flutter. She was slightly disappointed when instead of Emma, Kathryn opened the door.
"Look who's here. An undead has found its way to this apartment."
Regina rolled her eyes. "I'm not dead, ergo I'm not an undead."
Instead of letting Regina inside, Kathryn stepped outside and closed the door behind her. "This was not funny, Regina."
"It wasn't funny either to be left alone with Emma." Regina countered, her voice lowered so nobody beside Kathryn could hear her.
"I haven't broken my promise and you know that."
"You knew she would be joining us in the bar and you didn't warn me."
"Oh gosh, Regina, do you listen to yourself? You're crazy about her and for some dumb reason you don't want to spend time with her. Do us all a favor and just get laid already." Kathryn opened the door while Regina opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say something, Kathryn shouted into the apartment. "Frederick, are you coming? We're going!"
"Wait? What? You're leaving?"
"I will not spend another minute in this ghost hunted apartment! Get rid of it." A little lower she said. "Afterwards you can sleep with the hot chick and get your sexual frustration out of your system so you can act normal again. Just not in my bed. You know what, you can even sleep in my bed, just get laid already, but change the sheets afterwards."
"Kathryn!" Regina gasped, hoping Emma wasn't close to the door and heard what Kathryn had said.
Frederick chose that moment to come outside. "Hey babe, ready to go?"
"Yes." Kathryn responded and turned to Regina. "Get rid of it."
Regina rolled her eyes, although she wasn't exactly sure what she should get rid of. The ghosts or her sexual frustration. She watched how Kathryn and Frederick walked down the stairs before she entered the apartment and closed the door behind her.
Excitement took over again as she thought about looking for Emma before she started cleaning. She didn't have to search long. Emma sat on the couch in the living room, watching TV.
"Hey." Regina greeted, immediately a smile on her face and a heart that felt as light as a feather.
"Hey yourself" Emma greeted her with a smile of her own. "I'm impressed that your head is still attached to your body."
"Because of the ghosts?" Regina asked and sat down on the couch where Emma had made some space for her.
"Because of the way Kathryn was cursing afterwards. I was worried I would never see you again."
That revelation made Regina's heart skip a beat or two, even if she knew Emma probably just said that without really meaning it.
"I've done worse. Kathryn and I are friends since as long as I can remember, nothing is ever going to change that."
"Worse, huh?" There is a glint in Emma's eyes when she looked over to Regina. "What exactly did you do?"
Regina opened her mouth and then closed it immediately. How could Emma steer the conversation so fast to something Regina had sworn to avoid forever? "I should really clean up Kathryn's room." She stood up quickly, making her way to Kathryn's room, only to be followed by Emma. Regina stopped and turned around. "What are you doing?"
"Helping you clean up." Emma answered with a big grin on her face. "So, what exactly is worse than putting a hundred ghosts into your highly-ghost-frightened friend's room?"
Regina groaned and turned around, making her way to Kathryn's room. At the door she stopped again. "You know what, I produced this mess, I will clean it up again. Why don't you go back to your movie?"
"Nah, I will help you." Emma said while she sidestepped Regina to enter the room. "This is way more fun than any movie." There was a box in the corner of Kathryn's room, which Emma pulled forward and used it to gather the ghosts inside.
"You're just hoping I will spill any embarrassing stories." The grin on Emma's face was answer enough for Regina. "For your information: I won't." She started to collect the ghosts and put them besides the ones Emma had already gathered.
"Sure." Emma said, but it was clear that she didn't believe Regina.
"You've heard way too many stories about me."
Emma stood still for a moment, clearly thinking. "You're right."
"Am I?" Regina asked confused, not knowing where this change of heart came. This was way too fast.
"Yes, I won't bother you tonight about it."
There it was, Regina thought. Tonight. So by tomorrow Emma would ask again. All Emma had to do was to put on that charming smile of hers. It was almost impossible to resist that smile.
"Since Kathryn didn't kill you...do you want to stay for dinner?" Emma asked.
"I guess I could." Regina answered, she was surprised how calm her voice sounded, when on the inside a rollercoaster of emotions rushed through her body. Joy, nervousness and excitement were only a few of the many passengers.
"How does pizza sound?"
Regina responded with a smile. "Sounds good."
"Great." Emma said while picking up one of the last ghosts. "Do you know what matches perfectly with an evening of eating pizza?" She asked while turning the ghost in her fingers.
Regina smiled, knowing what Emma would suggest: Watching TV. But for the sake of keeping the conversation going she asked nonetheless. "What?"
Emma's grinned widened. "Karaoke."
Regina dropped the ghost figure she was currently holding. "No!"
"Oh yes."
Regina could swear Emma's voice sounded like honey, it was hard to resist, but her parents and Kathryn were the only ones who had heard her sing. It wasn't like she was a catastrophic singer, she did hit most of the notes, but singing in front of other people? It was embarrassing. Very embarrassing. She only felt comfortable singing while surrounded by the people closest to her. As much as she wanted Emma to be a part of them, they hadn't reached that point. Not yet.
"You know, I should probably dispose these...things...yeah...I should do that...like right away...before Kathryn comes back." She lifted the box, only to be stopped by Emma's hand on her arm.
"You must be really stage frightened." Emma chuckled. "How about we just watch movies? Will you stay then?"
Regina's eyes wandered to the hand on her arm. There was a tingling sensation at that very spot. Emma stood so close, that Regina was able to smell the enticing scent which was just Emma. Not knowing how to breathe, even less how to speak, Regina only nodded.
"Any particular wishes to what we could watch?"
Emma's hand was still on its place on Regina's arm and it didn't seem Emma considered taking it off. Meanwhile the tingling sensation spread from her arm to the rest of her body, leaving a pleasant shiver in its run. Regina's heart beat fast and loud in her chest. Her voice still not regained, she only shook her head.
"For some reason I really want to watch Ghostbusters." Emma said, grinning from ear to ear. "Any objections?"
Regina shook her head again.
"With that settled, let's see where we will order our pizza. We have various options." Emma told her while her hand - suddenly? finally? - left Regina's arm. "There is this one place which serves this really big, cheesy crust" She said while walking out of the room. "Or that other place with almost no crust, but the dough is thin and crispy."
Regina followed her like on autopilot, box still in her hands.
"Oh, and there is of course this one crazy place where you can put anything on your pizza. Like really anything. Gummy bears, pretzel sticks, various nuts, bread crumbs, basically you can put whatever you want on the pizza. Doesn't mean you should. Trust me on that. So what kind of pizza do you want to eat?" They had reached the living room and Emma turned around, Regina almost collided with her.
"Uhm..." Seemed like words were still not Regina's best friends right now.
"I think we have some flyers in the kitchen, I will go get them."
Nodding again was the only thing Regina was capable of. As soon as Emma had vanished from the room, Regina took a deep breath. Why was speaking so hard in Emma's present? Once again Regina looked down where Emma's hand had been, she could still feel the soft pressure and a tingling sensation there. She took another deep breath.
There had been two items on her To-Do list.
First: Revenge on Kathryn
Second: Tell Emma you're gay and that you like her
The first item could be crossed now, which left only one other to fulfill. How she was going to do that when she wasn't even able to answer a simple question with yes or no was beyond Regina's knowledge.
"Here they are." Emma exclaimed while entering the living room again, wielding a few flyers. "What kind of pizza do you want?" She plopped down on the couch and Regina was suddenly aware that she still stood in the middle of the room like an idiot, with a box full of ghosts.
"I...uhm..." Placing the box on the ground right next to a wall, Regina thought about what pizza she wanted to eat. "What do you want to eat?"
"You want to share a pizza?" Emma asked surprised.
What? No, she wanted to know what kind of pizza Emma would have. Thick and with cheesy crust or thin and crunchy. Sharing food? She was still not used to sharing food with Emma. They would have to sit very close so they could both reach the pieces. With Emma close by her side, Regina wasn't sure if she would be able to do stuff like chewing and breathing. Sharing was a bad idea.
"Maybe." Regina's eyes grew wide. Had she really half agreed to sharing food with Emma just now? What was wrong with her?
"You like pepperoni, chilies, bell pepper and onions?"
Regina shrugged, while sitting on the other end of the couch. It wasn't the pizza she would usually eat but she liked all the ingredients, so why not? Sharing, right. She didn't want to share pizza with Emma. Well, she did want to, but she didn't. There was no way she could act normal while sharing food with Emma. Last time they had shared food, yesterday to be precise, she had seen Emma's abs and gosh had Emma looked delicious. This made her hungry for something else entirely. Focus Regina. Focus.
As Regina looked up, she saw Emma looking at her expectantly. Oh crap. Emma had said something, she needed to answer. Damn it, what had been the question?
"Huh?" Very eloquent Regina, she thought and wanted to slap herself.
Emma smiled and repeated her question. "Anything else you want on the pizza?"
"No, sounds good to me."
"Okay, then I will just..." Emma looked around clearly searching for something. "...I will just go to my room to get my phone so I can order." She stood up, but turned around at the door. "What did we say? Thick and crusty or thin and crunchy?"
"Uhm...we hadn't decided yet. Order whatever you like."
"Thick and crusty it is." Emma said with a wide grin before she vanished to get her phone.
Regina took another deep breath. She could do this. Sharing food was nothing special, sitting close to one another was nothing special, telling that you're gay was nothing special, revealing that you like the person you currently talked to was nothing special...okay maybe the last one was special, but she could do this.
I'm gay and I like you.
It was a short and simple sentence. She could do this. Yes, she could definitely do this. She only had to say the words and the rest was up to Emma. It was nothing to be nervous about, so why did her breath come out in short puffs?
I like women, what about you? Because I would really like to ask you out.
This sentence was a bit more advanced. Too many words. It had to be something simpler.
I like you, how about we hang out more often.
Not concrete enough. It could easily be misunderstood. She needed a different sentence.
Do you like pussies? I do.
She really needed to cut contact with Kathryn. That woman had a really bad influence on her. Like, really bad influence.
The best and simplest way to tell Emma was still: I'm gay and I like you.
Easy and simple. She could do this. She had almost done it once and this time no illness - or fake illness - was going to stop her.
Regina looked up and smiled when Emma reentered the room. Yes, she would definitely tell her tonight.
"Just ordered our pizza, it will take some time before it arrives. Should we start the movie?" Emma asked while sitting down on her previous occupied spot on the couch.
"Sure." Regina replied. There was no point in telling Emma now, not when some stupid pizza delivery guy might interrupt the moment.
Paying attention to the movie, or at least trying to pretend to pay attention, Regina's thoughts circled around the sentence she would tell Emma. There had still no better sentence occurred to her than I'm gay and I like you.
At some point the delivery guy had stood in front of the door. Emma had paid him and brought back the pizza. One without onions. She apologized, saying she had forgotten to tell the guy on the phone that she wanted onions, but all Regina could think about was that it may not have been an accident. Maybe Emma had forgotten them on purpose, after all, onions were not the best vegetable to eat before kissing someone. Or maybe Regina was interpreting way too much in this situation.
Emma sat out on the couch, placing the pizza between them, so there was no close sitting to Regina's relief. They were quiet during dinner. Emma while she was watching the movie and Regina while she was thinking whether Emma had forgotten the onions on purpose.
After Emma had placed the carton with the pizza away from them Regina watched her closely from beside.
I'm gay and I like you.
It was the perfect moment to tell Emma. Both were finished with eating, nobody would arrive and interrupt them and the movie...well, Regina hadn't really paid attention to it anyway.
I'm gay and I like you.
Easy and simple. Regina took a deep breath while turning towards Emma.
"I'm gay."