Happy October! I know it's been an awfully long time since I updated but hopefully this chapter will make up for 60% of the wait. Thanks for all the reviews from the past chapter. They honestly mean a lot. It's been four months since the first chapter was added! We've come far. Fingers crossed for a next update before the month's over.
Regina's current situation: Sitting on the couch, glasses on the tip of her nose and stacks of paper work in front of her.
Regina's current mood: Exhausted from a long and tedious week of work and looking forward for two extra hours of sleep tomorrow.
Emma stood from behind the kitchen counter, analyzing every single minuscule detail about the woman, figuring out how she would come forth about her secret. After the incident at the bar, Regina tried to pry details about Emma's sudden rage and willingness to quite the game. The blonde, however, refused to even acknowledge the other woman's presence and stayed silent the entire trip back home. Emma was on the brink of confessing, how she felt about her friend and roommate dancing with a complete stranger, when Regina decided to propose an alternative. She gave the blonde, exactly one week, to either confess the original secret or whatever caused Emma's party pooper mood. It became a difficult task over the next week, thinking about all the consequences involved, but finally, she decided on the first secret. Regina would either be mad or come from a place of understanding and Emma could deal with either of those. With revealing her unexpected jealousy, things might become awkward between the two and the blonde could not risk losing an amazing apartment and perhaps, a friend she grew fondly of.
Regina peeped Emma through the peripheral of her eyes, and noticed the blonde was spying on her. She knew exactly what time it was and what should have been happening in the next few minutes. Like Emma, the brunette fought with the idea of learning one of Emma's deepest secrets or finding out the truth about last weekend. She did think, on several occasions, to call the deal off and pretend nothing ever happened but knew the idea of not knowing, either of the two would constantly annoy her.
"I'm not a rare species, dear." Regina knew catching Emma in the act would interrupt the blonde's train of thought and force think about her next move, fast.
"Uh-no. I mean, maybe you are. We have billions of humans on this planet but only one Regina or one Regina Mills that looks exactly like you. You know what, I think imma pop some popcorn. That sounds good. Would you like—I'll use the big bags—never mind." Emma started hustling around the kitchen, looking for a bowl and popcorn. She opened several cupboards and draws, before coming empty handed. "I think we've ran out of popcorn, Regina."
Regina rolled her eyes because she made a trip to the grocery store, yesterday and picked up two boxes of popcorn, per Emma's request. She honestly could not have forgotten because the blonde kept sending Regina reminders every second before, during and after, the store. The brunette slowly walked over to the kitchen, knowing exactly where the popcorn was and locked contact with Emma. She had every intention of intimidating Emma, one for procrastinating the final part of the game and two for acting like a helpless kid, whenever things did not go her way. Regina opened the second cupboard and pulled out a box of Movie Butter Popcorn, she rested it on the counter by the bowl and whispered in Emma's ear, "Can the big girl pop it by herself?"
Gently pushing Regina away, Emma put the popcorn in the microwave and ignored whatever look the brunette was currently giving her. Regina could not force Emma to come forth with her secret, until she was ready to face the consequences. "Will you please stop staring? It's making me uncomfortable." Emma's stare was still focused on the movements in the microwave but she felt two pairs of eyes peering through her soul. It sent chills down her spine and not the good kind, either.
"I don't have time for your silly games, Miss Swan. You can procrastinate this for however long you desire, but neither one of us will sleep, until something of significance comes from those lips of yours." Regina smiled slyly at Emma before wandering back to the couch, picking up her paperwork and laptop, and heading off towards her bedroom. "Don't keep me waiting too long, Miss Swan." As if agreeing with Regina, the timer on the microwave went off, indicating the popcorn was ready.
Two hours, a movie and bag of popcorn later, Emma finally came to a consensus with herself and thought of the right decision to make. She knew Regina was still expecting her because the brunette finished the mountain of paperwork, taken a shower and entered the living area, forty minutes ago, telling the blonde the clock was ticking. Emma knew she would feel ten times better, after telling Regina the truth. Her social worker always said "The truth will set you free." She did have to admit; it was the woman's poor attempt of trying to make Emma open up but she would take any advice to ease her mind. She picked herself from the couch and turned the TV off not knowing how long this truth session would be. Sighing, Emma made her journey to Regina's room and prayed something, anything good to come out this situation.
Emma stood parallel to the door, feeling the exact same way she did several months ago, when she was outside the apartment door. Expect in this situation, she could potentially be homeless and lose one of her few friends. Now or never, Swan. Emma knocked softly on the door but kept her eyes closed with every attempt of calming nerves. She heard a faint, "Come in.", and slowly opened the door with only her head visible to Regina.
"Miss Swan, I'm delighted you could grace me with your presence." Regina straightened her posture on the bed and removed her glasses, resting them on her nightstand.
Emma was not in the mood for Regina's sarcasm and sulked into the room and sat on the edge of the brunette's bed with her head hanging low. She did not want to see Regina's face towards the news because it could be range from betrayal to denial to utter sadness. Regina never revealed much to Emma but whenever she did, it was always too much emotion for the blonde to handle. She knew Regina had been hurt on many occasions and Emma sometimes saw that look of pain whenever the brunette mentioned her past. Emma felt a twinge in her heart, when she realized, Regina might end up getting hurt in this situation, as well. She sighed, once more before opening her mouth to utter the words that could potentially hurt the woman, in front of her.
"I've thought about this for along time and I want and need to know one thing before reveal my secret to you." Emma raised her head and tried her best to look at Regina.
"Okay, what is it?" Regina rubbed the sleep forming in her eyes and quietly thought to herself, how bad can this secret be.
"No matter, what comes out of my mouth, you will let me finish every thing I have to say, before you comment."
"Scout's honor." Regina kissed her pointer and middle finger and raised them up.
Emma could not help but smile, at Regina's cute gesture, before beginning what could possibly be the end. "Remember my old roommate who's getting married, Mary Margaret?" She waited for Regina to nod before continuing. "Well, one day she had an S.O.S in some bridal shop, it was more like a mental breakdown but that's beside the point. I was able to calm her nerves and help her finish hunting for a bride's dress. But there was this one particular dress she had in mind. I went out looking for this said dress but they only had the display dress on the racks, so naturally I went out to seek assistance. Long story short, I found help but had to wait until he retrieved a dress for these two ladies." Emma paused to take a breath and look at Regina. She seemed confused to where the story was going.
"This is just backstory and the real one is coming up now. Nod, if you are following." Regina rolled her eyes and nodded, allowing Emma permission to continue.
"So, here I am sitting down waiting for the guy to come back and listening to the two women gossip. But then I heard a familiar name. Yours." Emma left no time for Regina to respond before continuing. "I heard one of them, whom I assumed to be your mother, talking about Daniel. She told the other woman what happened between the two of you and even how she thought she would never be getting grandchildren, which she blamed on your father." Emma stopped talking and prepared herself for this worst.
It felt like someone forced Regina's face in a bucket of ice water because her lungs and heart were burning, the most intense pain she's ever felt. She did feel betrayed too, but the brunette had no idea whether it was from her own mother or that her roommate, who did not stop eavesdropping on the conversation. But it mostly mattered, how much of the truth Emma actually heard.
"Exactly what did my mother say about Daniel?" muttered Regina.
Shocked by the response, Emma stuttered over her words, "Only that he asked you to marry him which you refused. But he offered to wait, until you were out of law school, to ask you again. Still you refused, telling him not to waste his time."
Regina sighed, thankful her mother did not elaborate on the story. She had not thought about Daniel for quite along time and felt tears forming in her eyes. Looking away from Emma, she then asked, "I don't see how this is your biggest secret."
"Well, I hated the fact, that I knew something personal about your life and was hiding it from you. I struggled with telling you this for weeks. Mostly because if someone knew something that personal about me without my knowledge, I know how upset it would have made me feel. And I did not want to make you upset. I was worried telling you this would have ruined our ever-growing friendship. Plus, I thought you might have kicked me out." Emma tried her best not to sound needy but it was difficult, when she made a friend, as remarkable as Regina.
"Why would you think that?" Regina wiped away the tear that managed to escape and focused on Emma.
"Why wouldn't I? I thought you'd hate me enough to kick me out of the apartment."
"Emma, I could never hate you. Yes, sometimes you can be a childish, pain in the ass but hate is not an emotion I would ever have towards you. Please, don't ever think that. And I'm not upset you told me what you overheard, a bit disappointed, but not upset. The fact that you told me is all that matters." Regina gave Emma a sleepy smile to reassure her.
"Thanks, Regina." Emma walked around the bed and to give the brunette a hug. She held on to the embrace for couple seconds longer, grateful she would not have to leave Regina, any time soon.
Regina frowned, when the hug came to an end, but decided the night would not have to end any time soon. "So, Miss Swan, is there anything else you would like to tell me?"
Emma furrowed her eyebrows because she only remembered having to uphold one end of the deal. She had nothing else on her mind but relief. "Not that I can think of, why?"
"You do remember a certain blonde, don't you? And how you ended the night prematurely without any warning or reason. And do not pull the "I was tired" card because after we came home, you watched four hours of How I Met Your Mother." She loved how close Emma was because the tactic of intimidation would work perfectly.
"I can opt out of telling you this. In fact, I opt out of telling you this. It was not part of the deal and I do not feel any remorse for refusing to tell you." Emma crossed her arms portraying her defiance to utter a word.
"Fine but remember I know what makes you squeal." Regina glanced down to Emma's bare knee before looking back at her.
"That's not fair, Regina! You can't manipulate me into sharing private details."
"I don't see why not, dear. All is fair in love and war." Regina smirked at Emma and started inching closer to the woman. Forcing the blonde, either off the bed or into her arms. One of her hands brushed against Emma's leg, resulting with the blonde having a tight grip on Regina's wrist.
"Don't you dare do it. I still have to gain revenge from the last incident. And I can't think of the perfect time to do it. But if you keep tempting me, I will be forced to draw my hand." Emma delivered her statement with a hand still around Regina's wrist.
"Oh, and what would you do?" Regina enjoyed pushing the limits with Emma. The only person she could have done this with was Kathryn but there seemed to be something different about the games Emma and Regina played. Something she could not put her fingers to.
Emma finally released her grip from Regina, "Well, I became friends with Kathryn on Facebook. And she told me where you are most ticklish." The blonde knew sharing this information was not wise but she had been planning her revenge for a while. It would be a lot more fun seeing Regina on her toes whenever the blonde was around.
Regina's jaws tightened and thought of an escape route or a way of excusing Emma from her room. She made the slightest movement to move backwards against her headboard but Emma held on her to thighs keeping the brunette in place. "Emma, let me go. I need to use the bathroom." Regina tried wiggling her legs free but the blonde just tightened her hold.
"That's perfect. Because it will give new meaning to, "I laughed so hard. I peed my pants." Emma smiled devilishly because she had not intended for her night to turn this way but she loved unexpected turns in a situation.
Emma had Regina just where she wanted her because the brunette's ticklish spot was in the most typical space, her stomach. The blonde quickly moved her hand from Regina's thigh to her stomach without the slightest protest from the brunette. But when Emma started running her fingertips rapidly along the woman's stomach, Regina began putting up a fight. The leg that was no longer occupied with a hand extended towards Emma forcefully pushing the woman backwards. Regina made an attempt to escape to the bathroom but Emma wrapped her hands around the woman's waist and pulled her back to the bed, bringing the blonde down with Regina.
Neither women paid much attention to their current positions but Regina laid flat on her back with Emma on top on her, pinning the brunette down with her legs on either side of Regina. The blonde had more strength than the average woman because of the intense physical training she developed for herself, in order to stay in shape for the force. But that did not stop Regina from trying. While Emma sat atop her tickling the brunette merciless, in between fights of laughing and crying, Regina wrapped her legs around Emma's waist and tried to pull herself up. Failing miserably, only one option remained, use her hands.
Relentlessly, Regina started hitting Emma everywhere possible, expect for her face, in attempt to quite the tickling session. It seemed to be working because Emma stopped the tickling to block Regina's blows but the woman still wanted the blonde off of her. Fed up with the hitting, Emma grabbed hold of Regina's arms and pinned them on either side of her head.
"What are you doing?" Emma asked nonchalantly with both faces being inches apart.
"Trying to remove a very heavy object off of me." Regina tried to avoid eye contact but she had nowhere else to look.
"I'm sorry. Maybe I should eat more salads and do yoga. Perhaps that would lighten the load."
Regina pursed her lips, which drew Emma's eyes to them and responded, "Will you release me? I've had enough of your foolishness for one night."
Emma smiled widely and shook her head no. She put on her childish face and impersonated a child on Christmas. The blonde knew how much Regina mocked her for her childish behavior and decided to take it to the next level. "But the night is young, Regina! I want to stay up and play with you. Why are you being such a meanie? I thought we were friends." Emma released Regina's arms but remained sitting atop her. It would take a lot for the brunette to remove the blonde.
Regina sighed because she knew exactly what act Emma was pulling. But no mater how intuitive, Regina's heart could not help but go soft, she had a particular soft spot for this side of Emma. What harm would become by playing along with it? "Sweetie, we are friends. But I'm awfully tired and would really like to sleep. Tomorrow will be filled with numerous adventures." Regina tucked a piece of Emma's bang behind her ear and ran a finger along the blonde's cheek.
"But will they end with me on top of you?" Emma chuckled softly watching the surprised expression on Regina's face.
Regina hated how Emma could turn from being a complete child to a horny teenager but the brunette knew that all it required was an even more sexual comment to shut her up. "I prefer being on top, dear."
Regina had learned a few self-defense skills when she moved to the city of New York and thankfully, never needed to use any of them. Emma was still processing Regina's comment and failed to notice the woman, wrapping one leg around her waist and before she had time to put a defense up, Regina had already rolled Emma on her back. The blonde seemed unbothered by the reversal of roles and a small yawn escaped from her mouth. Before Regina could comment, Emma wrapped her arms around Regina's waist, pulling the brunette down towards her. The blonde opened her legs a bit, so that Regina's legs were half on her and half on the bed.
If Regina was not mistaken Emma was attempting to cuddle, "Miss Swan, are you cuddling me?"
Emma tightened her hold on Regina's waist and muttered incoherent words before Regina was able to understand one of her sentences. "No, you're cuddling me."
Regina sighed and wondered where in the contract of a roommate this qualified as being acceptable. She hated to admit it but it felt nice having someone hold her for once but Regina would have preferred, if Emma were in this position instead of her. "I'll allow this for five minutes only, if we can change."
Emma quickly pushed Regina off of her and threw one leg and arm over Regina's body and flushed her body against Regina's while resting her face, several inches away from the brunette's neck.
Regina wrapped her arms around Emma and sighed. She could hardly believe this was happening, yet alone to her. She also found it hard to believe that Emma was a cuddler, even though it should have been expected. "I was expecting a twenty-seven year old, adult roommate not a six year old trapped in a twenty-seven year olds body." She whispered inaudibly to Emma.
"Love you too, Gina."