***Author's Note: Happy Friday! Or almost-Friday if you're on Pacific Standard Time like I am. It's been a very long week for me and I'm hoping that yours was better than mine. So, anyway. If you are a fan of Indiana Jones, there's some of that in this chapter. OR if you are a fan of Emma and Regina hanging out, there's a lot of that in this one, too. I think that it's a fun one but please let me know what you think.***
"Regina, I want this one!" Emma yells from across the showroom floor.
Regina walks over and puts her hands on her hips and looking down at Emma who is sprawled out on what looks to be a super comfortable loveseat. "You are such a child. Must you yell so loudly in a place of business? Everyone is staring at us."
Emma rolls her eyes. "They are not. You're over-exaggerating. Now come sit down and tell me this isn't the most comfortable one so far." She pulls on the corner of Regina's top which earns her a glare. Then she pouts her lips and frowns.
"You're lucky we're in public, Swan." Regina says as she sits down next to Emma. She hates to admit it when Emma is right but of all the couches that they have looked at and sat on today, and it has been a very long day indeed, this one is the most comfortable one of all. "It'll do." She says.
Emma smiles. "Do you honestly like it or are you just agreeing because you're tired of shopping with me?"
"Yes, I do honestly like it. But I'm also very tired, Emma. We have been at this for hours now. Didn't you tell me that Ruby was expecting you to have inflatable furniture anyway? You should have just gotten that." Regina says.
"Well, that's exactly why I really wanted to surprise her with something nicer. She's gonna flip out when she sees this instead." Emma laughs.
Regina reaches over to the side table of the display where all the pricing is listed. She finds the price of the loveseat and her eyes widen. "Well, something nicer will certainly cost you a whole lot more than the one-hundred and forty dollars that Amazon was advertising." She hands the pricing list to Emma before getting up.
"What?! Holy shit. I can't afford this. It's over three hundred dollars more than I wanted to spend." Emma sighs and gets up. Then she puts her hands in her pockets and frowns at Regina. "Let's just get out of here. Are you hungry? I'll buy dinner. I'll even splurge and get an appetizer." She tries to joke to make herself feel better.
Regina studies her for a moment. Then she walks over to the gentleman standing a few feet away. He has been following them around the store hoping for a sale and Regina knows that she is about to make his day. "Sir, we'll take that one." She points over towards the loveseat by where Emma is still standing. "I understand that you are doing a special with free delivery right now? How soon will we be able to get it?"
Emma's eyes widen when she hears Regina and she walks quickly over to where she and the furniture salesman is standing. "Wait! Sorry mister, my friend here is mistaken. We aren't actually interested." She grabs Regina's arm and pulls her off to the side. "What are you doing? I just told you that I can't afford it."
"Emma, you've been looking for days and this has been the only thing that you have even come remotely close to liking. We are getting it. I will give you whatever you are short and you can just pay me back when you have it." Regina argues.
"Regina, I can't let you do that…"
Regina does not back down. "Emma, look. I know where you live and I know where you work. Also, I know that you probably won't get another good night's sleep until you have paid me back. Because that is just who you are. So just let me do this for you. Please."
Emma sighs. Every time Emma thinks that she can find a way to keep from falling for Regina, the woman does something incredibly sweet making her more likable than before and it is really starting to drive her crazy.
Regina does not wait for an answer. She takes Emma's arm and pulls her back over to where the man is still standing, trying to look as if he has not been listening to their whole conversation. "We'll take it."
"You could've at least let me buy dinner after everything you've done for me today. Now I feel even worse than I did before." Emma says as she frowns into her plate of pasta.
Regina puts her fork down and brings her napkin up to wipe her mouth. Then she looks at over at Emma who is now just pushing the tortellini in her plate around. She sighs. "Emma, look at me." She waits for a second and when Emma looks up, she asks, "So, tell me something. If it was Ruby who was in the furniture store with you today and she offered to help you, would you have taken her money?"
"In a heartbeat, but that's different." Emma says.
"How is it different?"
"Regina, because she's not my boss."
Regina shakes her head. "Okay. So, I'm just your boss, now? So, when it is convenient for you and you want do something to help me, we're good friends. But when I want to do something to help you, I'm just your boss?" She tries but has a difficult time hiding the fact that she is hurt by Emma's statement.
"Regina, that's not what I meant."
Regina raises an eyebrow. "Oh? Then please, tell me what you really mean."
"I'm sorry." Emma sighs. "I'm just embarrassed, okay? Ruby knows that I'm a hot mess. Borrowing money from her isn't that big a deal to me. But it is if I borrow it from you because I don't want you to think any less of me."
Regina blinks a few times and then shakes her head completely bewildered. "First of all, I'm offended that you think that I would ever think any less of you for any reason at all, but especially this. And second, you are hardly a mess. You moved here with nothing but three boxes of your things and your car. You've been working any and all odd jobs that have been thrown your way in order to make ends meet. Why in the world would you ever think that you are a mess? Emma, everything you've done and the person that you are is nothing short of amazing. It is incredibly admirable."
"I don't know." Emma cannot help but smile at Regina's compliment. "I guess I just really want you to like me."
Regina laughs. "Well, I think that I've already proved to you that I like you. I did just buy you dinner. I've spent my whole day furniture shopping with you and I invited you over here again. You probably know by now that I don't invite just anyone into my home."
Emma's heart flutters at Regina's comment and she smiles widely. "Well, I would really like to stay on your good list. So, I'd appreciate any tips that you may have for me."
"That doesn't take much. Maybe just don't cheat on me or take off with my friend's wife and you should be in a pretty good place." Regina picks her fork up again and begins picking at her salad.
Emma chuckles. "Okay, yikes. I'm going to assume that you're actually starting to really get over this since you can joke about it."
Regina just smirks. "I guess so."
"Anyway, all joking aside, thank you again. I'm super excited that I now have both a TV and a couch. I'm ready for that movie-marathon-sleepover thing that we talked about. Just let me know whenever you're ready." Emma secretly wishes that it'll be sooner rather than later because just the thought of sleeping next to Regina again has her heart fluttering.
Regina thinks about it for a moment. She made Emma feel so bad earlier that maybe this is what she needs to do to reassure her. "I thought we were going to do that over here? We can do it tonight if you want. If you can help me set up the television and DVD player in my bedroom, we can watch it in there. I'd rather be in bed than on the couch because I guarantee that I will fall asleep before you do. I wouldn't want you to have to carry me to bed." She says jokingly.
Completely surprised, Emma tries not to stutter when she answers. "Oh, yeah. I can do tonight. And I should be able to move your TV and get it set up. I mean, how hard can that be?" She is immediately smiling uncontrollably.
Regina nods. "Alright, well, let me clean this up and jump in the shower really quickly. You're welcome to take one, too, if you want. I'll get you something to change into since I highly doubt that you want to go to sleep in those tight things you call pants."
Emma laughs. "A shower would be nice and I will take something to change into unless you're okay with me sleeping in my underwear." Emma blushes when she says that but she continues her thought. "I can do the dishes. You should go take a shower first. I will set up everything else up after I'm finished cleaning up."
Regina's thoughts are still on Emma sleeping in her underwear when she sees that Emma is looking at her for a response. "Oh, yes. I'll go take a shower first." It will have to be a cold one if she does not get her mind out of the gutter, she thinks to herself. "You can put the television on the dresser. We should be able to see it from the bed. There's a power strip behind the vanity."
"Perfect." And after Regina walks away, Emma takes a deep breath and collects their dishes. As she is washing them, she tries to push away all of her negative thoughts about how this sleepover could potentially be disastrous for her, but at the same time, she does not allow herself to get too excited. Just because Regina was in love with another woman certainly does not mean that she could ever be interested in her. They are friends. Very good friends and she will just have to keep reminding herself of that fact.
When Regina comes out of the bathroom, Emma is just finishing up with the television and DVD player. Regina is drying her hair and when she is finished, she hangs the wet towel on a hook behind her door. She walks back into the bathroom and returns with a clean towel for Emma.
Emma is staring at Regina when she takes the the towel from her. "I didn't know that your hair is naturally curly."
"Oh." Regina says shyly. "It's because I always straighten it. I don't like it like this."
Emma is baffled. "What, why? It looks really good. You should definitely wear it curly more often. And before you roll your eyes at me, I mean it. I like it a lot." She adds a nod and a huge smile for emphasis.
Regina manages a smile. "Thank you, but I think it looks better straightened."
Emma shrugs. "If you say so."
"I do. Now, go jump in the shower. I'll grab something for you to wear and leave it on the counter for you."
"I really just need a pair of pajama bottoms, shorts if you have some. I have a tank top underneath this shirt. I can just wear that to sleep."
When Emma emerges from the bathroom, Regina is already sitting in bed and the menu screen for Raiders of the Lost Ark is displayed on the television. "I hope that it's okay with you that I took the liberty of choosing Indiana Jones for our first movie marathon."
Emma smiles. Regina said that this was their first movie marathon which implies there will be another and just the thought of that makes her giddy. "Of course, I love this one." Emma pulls all of her hair to the side and braids it into a side ponytail before turning off the bathroom light and walking over to the side of the bed that is currently unoccupied. She pulls back the covers and sits down. When she pulls herself into the bed, Regina points the remote and starts the film.
Thirty minutes into the film, Regina turns her lamp off and scoots lower onto the bed to make herself more comfortable. She takes her pillow and turns her body so that she can watch the movie laying down.
Emma looks over at Regina. "You're not going to sleep, are you? We haven't even gotten to the good part."
"No, but I am very tired."
"Regina, you're not supposed to sleep during a movie marathon." Emma whines. "Look how hot Karen Allen is in this part. You don't want to miss it."
"I'm not into brunettes, Em. She's not even my type." Regina says as she feels a yawn coming on.
Emma grins. Regina just called her Em and she said that she is not into brunettes. Two more points for Emma Swan, she thinks. "Well Harrison Ford is quite the looker, also…"
Regina turns around so that she is facing Emma. "I'm pretty sure you know by now that he really isn't my type either." Regina laughs. "So, there's not much in this one that is really holding my attention."
"But you picked this one, woman! And Karen Allen is super hot. You're crazy if you don't think so." Emma turns back towards the screen but can still feel Regina's eyes on her.
Regina considers Emma's last statement and wonders if Emma could be bisexual. She knows that her previous relationship was with a man but they've never really talked about any other relationships nor has she mentioned other possibilities. She turns back towards the screen when she hears Marion's voice come on so that she can decide again. "She is pretty, I suppose. But women with light hair usually have lighter eyes and I think that their eyes are what always gets me." The she lays back down and does not move again.
Emma thinks about Regina's comment about eyes. Then she thinks back to the night she saw Danielle and how the woman had the long, beautiful, strawberry-blonde hair, and the most gorgeous hazel-green eyes. Her heart tightens with jealousy at the thought of it but she shakes herself out of it. Then she thinks about Regina's chocolate brown eyes and how they brighten when she smiles. "Yeah…" Emma says softly. "I like pretty eyes, too."
After another twenty minutes or so later, Regina turns away from the television so that the light from the screen is not in her face.
Emma leans down and tries to get her attention. "Hey, let's get you straightened out so that you don't sleep in this weird position all night."
Regina mumbles something that is completely incoherent before she pushes herself up to let Emma move her pillow back to where the headboard is. Then she lays back down and turns towards Emma with her arms up by her face.
Emma gets up and turns both the DVD player and the television off before sliding back into the bed. She fluffs her pillow and lays down facing Regina. When Emma's eyes finally adjusts to the darkness and she can see the other woman's face, she frowns. This woman is going to be so much trouble for her, she just knows it. Of all the people in Seattle for her to fall for, she is falling for one of her only friends. Not to mention, the woman who is also her boss. She reaches over and moves a stray curl that has fallen onto Regina's face and then puts her hand back down on the bed so that their fingers are touching, but not enough to where it will wake Regina. Her last thought before closing her eyes is how very inconvenient all of this is going to be.
The next morning, when Emma wakes up, she almost forgets where she is. She can feel a hand on her bare stomach and realizes when she can also feel a warm body right up against her back that she is currently the little spoon to Regina's big spoon. She reaches for Regina's hand and gently holds it for a while trying to enjoy moment before she slowly removes it and slides out of bed quietly. She grabs her jeans and changes quickly before going into the living room to grab her jacket, phone, and keys. She is just about out the door when she thinks of something else she needs to do. First, she starts a pot of coffee for Regina and leaves a note for her right next to it. Then she tiptoes her way back into the bathroom, careful not to wake Regina. It takes her a couple minutes to find what she is looking for. She takes it and tiptoes back out of the bedroom. Afterwards, she goes back the the coffee maker and adds something else to the note before she leaves the apartment. On her way home, she dials Ruby's number. As expected, Ruby does not answer so she leaves her friend a message. "Hey Rubes, please call me back as soon as you get this. I really need to talk to you. I'm in so much trouble."
When Regina's alarm goes off and she wakes ups, the first thing she notices is that Emma is gone. She pulls herself out of bed and walks into the living room area. "Emma?" When there is no reply, she walks into the kitchen and sees that Emma has made her coffee and has left a note. She pulls a mug from the cabinet above and pours herself a cup. She takes a sip of it before she picks up the note to read it.
"Regina-I didn't want to wake you because I know that you were really tired last night. I have some errands to run today before Ruby gets here later in the week. I'll text you later.
P.S. I swear that one of these days, we will watch a movie from beginning to end. I will never give up until we do.
P.P.S. I may or may not have taken your hair straightener hostage. If you want it back, you can come and retrieve it at my place. Ransom: A signed I.O.U by Regina Mills stating that she will wear her natural, curly hair for an entire day when she hangs out with Emma Swan."
Regina tries to get angry at Emma but she finds it very difficult. Instead, she just smiles as she takes another drink of her coffee.