"Feliz cumpleaños, querida," Regina whispered in her ear, and Emma made a sound that was somewhere between a moan and a groan.
"I'm twenty nine," she said hoarsely and reached out and grabbed the back of Regina's neck to keep her there for a moment.
"Sí, you are," Regina agreed with her and kissed the soft spot just below her ear.
"Oh man," Emma groaned. "You're still twenty!"
Regina chuckled. "I won't be twenty forever, mi amor."
"And I won't be twenty nine," Emma was definitely grumbling now. "Next year I'll be fucking thirty! And you'll be twenty one..."
"Sí, you're very observant," Regina teased.
"I'm not trying to be observant! I'm trying to point out how ridiculously old I am compared to you!"
"Don't be silly, mi amor. You're not old. Not even remotely. You do not think that I am too young, do you?"
"No. I just think that I'm too old!"
Regina laughed, and Emma couldn't blame her. Despite all the talk about feeling old, Emma had managed to sound like a petulant kid. She was complaining. On her birthday. Shame on her. She rolled onto her side, so she was face to face with Regina. Regina looked utterly perfect with her messy bedhead and rumbled pajamas. Her cheeks were stained with a touch of rose after sleeping, and her nose scrunched up adorably for a moment as she opened her mouth and hoarsely sang: "' Cumpleaños feliz, Cumpleaños feliz! Te deseamos todos, cumpleaños feliz...'"
Emma laughed upon hearing the familiar song. "More!" she demanded. She was allowed to. It was her birthday after all. She could be a little demanding.
"' Desde el dia que naciste, has sido siempre y serás. Una dicha para todos, de inmensa felicidad,'" Regina continued in her adorable raspy morning voice, and rolled her eyes a little at Emma's request. "' Tu fiesta de cumpleaños la vamos a celebrar! Unidos a tu familia, todos vamos a cantar...'"
"More!" Emma demanded because Regina had looked like she was about to stop. Emma didn't want her to stop. She was enjoying this immensely.
"' Cumpleaños feliz! Cumpleaños feliz! Te desean tus amigos de Parchis," Regina teasingly sang as she ran her fingers up and down Emma's side. "' Cumpleaños feliz! Cumpleaños feliz! Te desean tus amigos de Parchis. Cumpleaños feliz! Cumpleaños feliz! Te desean tus amigos de Parchis, cumpleaños feliz, cumpleaños feliz! Todos te deseamos cumpleaños feliz...'"
Emma grinned like a cat who had got the cream. It was entirely possible that she was a little bit attracted to Regina's birthday singing.
"' Feliz cumpleaños, querida Emma, ¡feliz cumpleaños a ti!'" Regina softly concluded and planted a light kiss on Emma's jaw.
"Thank you," Emma chuckled and reached up so she could cup Regina's beautiful face. "This is the best birthday ever."
"I haven't even given you anything yet," Regina pointed out and placed her hand on top of Emma's.
"You're here," Emma said simply. "That's enough gift for me."
"So you're not interested in seeing what I got for you?" Regina teased.
"Well..." Emma gave Regina a little tug, so she almost ended up on top of her. "Since you already got me something..."
"You know what I think?" Regina said and tapped Emma's collarbone with the tip of her finger. "I think you secretly like to receive presents."
Emma grinned and didn't confirm nor deny Regina's statement. "Can you sing me that birthday song again?"
"No, I most certainly cannot," Regina huffed. "I've already exposed you to my morning voice once. I'm not gonna do it again!"
"No?" Emma scratched her blunt fingernails up and down Regina's pajama-clad back. "Something else you wanna... expose me to then?"
"Em-ma!" a sweet blush rose in Regina's tanned cheeks. "Your parents are here!"
"True. How about later then?" Emma asked sweetly.
Regina quirked an eyebrow now, and her voice was all low and raspy when she said: "Tal vez..."
"'Tal vez,'" Emma repeated, quirking her own eyebrow. "I like the sound of that, babe."
Regina elegantly wigged out of Emma's half-hearted grasp. "Come on, querida. We've got to get out of bed. Otherwise your parents will think that we're-"
"What, exactly?" Emma teased.
"Hibernating in the bedroom until the end of time," Regina landed on and flashed Emma a stern look.
Emma scolded her features into something more serious. Okay, okay, no funny business right now. She could be good until tonight. After her parents had left.
Regina slipped out of bed and walked over to the window. She pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and Emma couldn't stop looking at her.
"It's a beautiful day, querida," Regina reported with a grin. "You've been a good girl this year."
"Are you surprised?" Emma joked. "I'm always good."
"Mmm," Regina hummed and turned her head, glanced over her shoulder at Emma. "Are you gonna get out of bed?"
Emma mock grumbled and groaned as she dragged her surprisingly unwilling body out of bed. She could easily have handled a few more minutes of snuggles. She and Regina had slept so wonderfully last night. Regina had of course been the little spoon. Emma had been behind her, fingers threading through dark hair and free hand resting lightly on Regina's growing bump. That had been really nice, and Emma had hoped for a bit more of it, but Regina clearly had other plans. She was very energetic this morning. All bubbly and happy, and of course Emma was glad to see that. She could still remember the tearful, pale Regina half asleep in her dressing room. The tearful Regina who had just discovered that she was pregnant. Now she was way more comfortable, and that delighted Emma to see.
"You're right," Emma nodded as she glanced out of the window. "I HAVE been good this year!" the sky was clear blue and there was just a touch of autumn in the wind.
"Are you surprised?" Regina teased.
Emma gave her the lightest of little shoves.
"Rattle a pregnant woman?" Regina mock huffed. "How very dare you!"
"That was not rattling," Emma claimed. "But if you like, I could show you some proper rattling-"
"Querida."
"Sorry."
Regina chuckled. "You're very... eager this morning."
"Yeah, I know, I just... missed you. A lot."
Regina's smile grew softer. "I missed you too, mi amor. A lot."
That's when Emma heard some rattling from downstairs. Her mom was up. And clearly in the middle of making breakfast. "Chocolate chip pancakes," Emma predicted with a grin. "She always makes that for my birthday. Doesn't matter how old I am."
"I think it's sweet," Regina beamed. She scrunched up her nose and put a hand on her swelling belly. "I'm hungry!"
"And what else is new?" Emma teased and was immediately rewarded with a shove. She was quick to scold: "hey! Rattling the birthday girl isn't nice."
Regina grinned. "And what are you gonna do about it?"
"Don't test me," Emma warned, arms wrapping around her girlfriend and giving a little squeeze.
Regina squirmed. "Don't."
"Why?"
Regina blinked with her big brown eyes. "Because I have to pee."
Emma laughed louder than intended.
Once dressed, done up (and bladder things taken care of), Emma and Regina headed downstairs where they indeed found Mary Margaret by the stove, in full swing with flipping pancakes. The smell of melting chocolate filled the kitchen, and Emma sniffed appreciatingly. "Mmm, that smells good, mom."
"Emma! Happy birthday!" Mary Margaret smiled as she came over and gave her daughter a hug.
"Thanks, mom," Emma chuckled and returned the hug. "Good morning."
"Good morning, sweetheart," Mary Margaret cooed, sneaking a kiss onto Emma's cheek before releasing her. Then she turned to Regina. "And good morning, Regina! Did you sleep well?"
"Perfect, thank you," Regina assured and brushed a hand over the cream colored sweater she was wearing. Emma found that she looked awfully cute in that sweater and those leggings. Awfully cute and awfully pregnant. Seriously, Regina's bump had never been more prominent than it was today.
"Yes, happy birthday, princess," David chirped in as he came into the kitchen with a wrapped package wedged under his arm. He dumped it on the kitchen table and gave Emma a hug so tight she soon started to protest. "Dad! You're squashing me!" she yelped and gnashed her teeth at the way her cheeks had started to flush. If only he hadn't called her 'princess'. It was so embarrassing!
But Regina just laughed and then proceeded to call the table 'maravilloso'. That was something Emma could only agree with. The table did indeed look 'maravilloso'. Red table cloth. The finest china. Which totally was not necerssary to use for breakfast, but oh well. Lit candles on the table. An enormous banner hanging from the ceiling, spelling out the words 'happy birthday, Emma!'. Emma had seen various forms of this banner over the years. Her parents had insisted upon hanging them up ever since she became aware enough to work out what they meant.
"It's nice," Emma nodded and suffocated a grin. "But don't you guys think it's a bit... much? I'm turning twenty nine and not sixteen after all."
"And when you turn thirty next year, we'll do the exact same thing," her mom brushed her off. "That is, if you're home to celebrate your birthday of course."
"And not far away in California," her dad added and grinned.
"I doubt it," Emma mumbled. One did not just move to California in a heartbeat.
"Well, sit down, sweetheart," Mary Margaret insisted and smiled goofily. "You know the rule. The birthday girl are not allowed to help out with breakfast."
"Right." this time Emma did chuckle as she sat down. Always the same every birthday. She could claim that she was too old for all this, but she secretly loved that her parents still made a big splash for her birthday. It was very sweet.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Regina offered sweetly. "I could make some coffee?"
"That would be lovely, dear, thank you," Mary Margaret said, beaming at Regina as though she had just offered her the moon and not doing a simple task like making coffee. Emma knew why. Neal had NOT been one for offering any help in the kitchen. Ever. He had been a complete lazy ass, and now that Emma was not seeing him through stupid rose-tinted glasses, she could easily see that.
Emma was asked- no, ORDERED to sit down at the table, and she willingly did so. Whilst grinning from ear to ear over seeing Regina potter around in the kitchen with her parents like all of them had known each other for years and not months.
"Did you sleep comfortably enough, Regina?" David asked concerned. "There isn't that much room-"
"Sí, it was very comfortable," Regina assured. "Although I couldn't fit my body pillow in my suitcase."
Emma snickered quietly.
There was nothing wrong with Regina's hearing. "Don't laugh at my body pillow, querida," she mumbled darkly.
"Sorry," Emma offered, scolding her features into something that wasn't a grin.
"Laughing is not nice," Regina continued. In a light tone. "Not even if it's your birthday." She wasn't upset at Emma.
"Regina is right," Mary Margaret said, pretending to be very serious. "Laughing is not nice." She grinned at Regina. "I had a pregnancy pillow when I was pregnant with Emma too. It saved my back on multiple occasions."
"When I could not," David smartly added and chuckled.
"Well, it's hardly my fault that you weren't all that good at backrubs, dear," Mary Margaret said, completely non-plussed.
"I'll have to be better than you, dad," Emma piped up. Seriously, she had to work on her backrub skills. Sooner rather than later, Regina was gonna need it.
"And I'm sure you will be," David chuckled.
"I have faith in you, mi amor," Regina teasingly added.
"And now the pressure is on," Emma joked. She was rewarded with an adorable laugh from Regina. The sound went straight to Emma's heart and soul and warmed her from the inside. She was so fucking happy having Regina here for her birthday. It sounded cliché, but the day wouldn't have been the same if Regina hadn't been here. Being wished a happy birthday via Skype wouldn't have been the same. It was so much better, waking up to Regina's kisses and rusty morning voice in the ear.
"Coffee for the birthday girl," Regina quipped as she brought said pot of coffee over to the table.
"Thank you," Emma said appreciatingly. "Come sit down, beautiful girl."
Regina ignored her and turned to Emma's mother instead. "Mary Margaret, is there anything else I can do?"
"No thank you, dear. You just sit down and relax," Mary Margaret replied. "Wouldn't want you to be too much on your feet."
Regina chuckled. "That's okay."
"And you must be hungry too," David added as he sat the enormous plate with chocolate-chipped pancakes down on the table. Then he sat down.
Mary Margaret opened a drawer and came over to the table with... birthday candles.
"Mom," Emma tried.
"Don't 'mom' me, Emma Swan," Mary Margaret huffed. "No birthdays without candles. You know the rules."
"That sounds like good rules," Regina agreed and winked at Emma.
"You're supposed to side with me, not them," Emma mock grumbled.
Regina elegantly brushed that aside. You arranged for a cupcake with a birthday candle for me," she pointed out.
That was true. Emma kept her mouth shut as Mary Margaret did her usual thing. And that usual thing was sticking birthday candles in the first and biggest pancake. Twenty nine candles. Oh yes, Mary Margaret took all of it very seriously. The pancake was elegantly maneuvered onto Emma's plate and the birthday candles were lit.
"There," Mary Margaret said triumphantly. "Make a wish, sweetie."
"Make it a good one, querida," Regina added and smiled.
Emma glanced at her girlfriend. Returned the smile. What was she even supposed to wish for on a day like this? She already had everything she could ever wish for. But maybe she could wish that Regina could stay here forever. Yes, maybe she could. Emma bowed her head, pulled her hair away from her face, and then she blew out the twenty nine birthday candles. Of course her parents cheered for her. They did so every year. But this year, Regina's voice was mingling with her parents'. Her sweet cheering made Emma smile even wider. She looked up and locked eyes with Regina. She scrunched up her nose adorably, and Emma felt very, very tempted to rush over there and kiss her. She would have if her parents hadn't been present, that was for sure. Oh god, from tonight it would just be the two of them together. They would have the entire house to themselves, and the wheels in Emma's head were turning in a very naughty direction. She was spurred on by the fact that Regina had been talking in her sleep last night. Nothing outrageously scandalous, but she had said Emma's name in a certain manner. Very distracting. And very, very sexy! Emma had been so tempted to wake up Regina, but of course she hadn't.
The gift from Emma's parents was most definitely a good one. Eager as she was, Emma immediately tore the wrapping paper off as soon as she received the present. Regina laughed at the childish behavior Emma was displaying, but Emma didn't care that she was being childish. She loved getting presents, damnit!
And this one was absolutely perfect. A bronze colored leather jacket with fur on the inside and on the edges. She flashed her parents a beaming smile. "Wow, this is perfect! Thank you so much, guys!"
"If you don't like it you can trade it-"
"Mom," Emma interrupted and chuckled. "I don't wanna trade it, okay? It's perfect!"
Mary Margaret visibly relaxed at that and returned the smile Emma was flashing her.
"Glad you like it. We only spent two hours trying to find the perfect jacket," David quipped and earned himself an eyeroll from his wife.
"It's very you, querida," Regina said as she got up from her chair. "I have a gift for you too, I'll just go upstairs and grab it!" with that she skipped out of the kitchen and practically raced towards the staircase.
"Be careful!" Emma called after her and grimaced. Seriously, could Regina BE running any faster up those stairs?
"I always am!" Regina said a tad defiantly, and then her footsteps disappeared.
Mary Margaret laughed.
"She's going too fast!" Emma grumpily defended, very much feeling that her mom's amusement was aimed at her and what she had said to Regina.
"You're so attentive towards her all the time," Mary Margaret said warmly. "It's very nice to see."
"Mooo-ooom," Emma groaned. "Stop it!"
"Your mother is right," David immediately backed up his wife. "And you're so happy all the time, kiddo."
"Well, why wouldn't I be?" Emma said a tad grumpily. "Regina's amazing!"
"She is indeed," Mary Margaret agreed. "And she seems very... comfortable now."
"She does, doesn't she?" now Emma was the one to beam. "I think she's really starting to feel like... herself again."
Mary Margaret nodded. Reached out and patted Emma's hand. "I'm so happy she could be here for your birthday, honey."
"Me, too."
"And I'm sorry your dad and I are leaving." Her expression changed into a scowl. "Are you sure that you don't want us to-"
"Mom. Don't worry, okay? Of course I want you and dad to go to Vermont and have an awesome time," Emma said and once again felt like a little brat for wanting the house to herself while her girlfriend was visiting.
A moment later, Regina came back down the stairs (walking far too quickly for Emma's liking!) and grinned like the Joker when she presented a small wrapped present to Emma. "Found it. It was at the bottom of my suitcase."
"Obviously," Emma joked. "Can I open it?"
"Yes, of course. It's for you, silly," Regina chuckled as she sat down next to Emma again. She looked quite excited, really.
Emma was excited too. But not too excited to appreciate Regina's wrapping skills. "Pretty," she complimented as she looked at the neat, flower patterned wrapping paper and the little red bow on top of the gift. "Someday you'll have to teach me how to do that."
"Ask my dad," Regina half-snorted. "He's the one who taught me in the first place."
"Awww," Emma cooed and grinned, because she could suddenly see little seven year old Regina with pigtails, trying to learn how to wrap a present so it looked pretty.
"Just unwrap it, querida," Regina said, now a tad impatient.
"Yes, ma'am," Emma quipped and yearned herself a deep sigh and an eyeroll from Regina. She bit back her amusement as she quickly tore open the wrapping paper. Behind it, a small box with red velvet was hiding. Emma immediately recognized it as a jeweler's box, and one of her eyebrows rose. Had Regina gone out and bought her something really expensive? Even though Emma very explicitly told her not to? That dirty little cheater. Emma lifted the lid off the box and couldn't help but exclaiming at what she saw. There, inside the box, on a blanket of velvet was necklace. Delicate, thin silvery chain, but it was the pendant that immediately caught Emma's attention. It was a medallion. Silvery. Oval shaped and with a kind of vine pattern adorning the front. It was beautiful, and Emma who actually considered herself an expert when it came to receiving presents, felt a little weepy as she lifted the chain and pendant out of the box.
"This is beautiful, Regina. Thank you so much," she said softly.
"Might wanna take an extra look, mi amor," Regina said cryptically and once again did that adorable nose-scrunch.
"Huh?" Emma was confused as she looked at the oval pendant again.
"Along the vines," Regina helped her along.
"Oh," Emma squinted slightly now. Lifted the pendant a little as to see it better, and sure enough, there was indeed something along the vines. Words engraved. "'No importa que nos separe la distancia, siempre habrá un mi-mi-mismo cielo que nos una.'" She read aloud and cursed her school-Spanish. That definitely did not sound good at all, damnit!
"'No importa que nos separe la distancia, siempre habrá un mismo cielo que nos una,'" Regina repeated much more fluently and made it sound a zillion times better. "It means 'It doesn't matter that we're separated by distance, there will always be the same sky to unite us.'"
"Oh, fuck," Emma cursed unabashedly and felt a terrible lump forming in her throat. "That's beautiful! Thank you, Regina! Thank you so, so much!" she did not care that her parents were present right now. She just had to lean in and kiss Regina.
"You're welcome, mi amor," Regina said after having received Emma's kiss and pulled out of it far too quickly. "So I take that you like it even though you're not the jewel type..."
"This is a jewel I'll wear every fucking day!" Emma assured and weighed the medallion in her hand. Seriously, she would wear this jewel for the rest of her life!
"There's a picture in there too, by the way," Regina said casually.
"Oh god," Emma muttered. The engraving was one thing. A picture inside the medallion would most definitely be her doom. But nevertheless, she swiftly wedged a nail in between the tiny little crack in the medallion, tugged backwards, and as easy as one-two-three the medallion popped open and revealed a picture. It was a photo of Emma and Regina together, of course. Their very first selfie. Taken at the airport the day Emma was leaving Madrid for the first time. It was the picture where Regina was kissing Emma's cheek and Emma had this dopey grin on her face.
Present time Emma wore the same grin as she looked at the picture. "Perfect," she chuckled. "You couldn't have chosen a better one."
Regina looked rather satisfied at that.
"Can I see?" Mary Margaret asked, curiously leaning forward.
"Yeah, sure," Emma said and handed the medallion to her mom.
Mary Margaret took a good look at the picture and the engraving. Then she looked back up and smiled. "That is very sweet, Regina. Look at this, David," she handed the medallion to her husband.
"What a great picture of the two of you," David said warmly after having looked at the photo. "Where on earth did you get this, Regina?"
"Yeah, I'd like to know that too, beautiful girl," Emma interjected. "Where did you find that medallion?"
Regina tapped the side of her nose. "Wouldn't you like to know..."
Emma mock groaned. "I'm guessing you're not gonna tell me, right?"
"Your guess is correct, miss Swan," Regina laughed.
Emma rolled her eyes at her cheeky girlfriend and accepted the necklace when David handed it back to her. She fumbled with the lock on the chain long enough for Regina to stand up and with deft and expert fingers locking the necklace around her neck.
Emma flashed her girlfriend a smile. Said girlfriend smiled back, but now there was a hint of mischief in her eyes, and Emma felt a tingling sensation in her belly...
That night found Emma and Regina in full swing with getting ready for a night out at the Rabbit Hole. Emma was in the bedroom. She had just finished curling her hair. She preferred it hanging loose with a bit of extra volume. She always felt like a badass princess whenever her hair was like that. She was wearing black skinny jeans and a Bordeaux top that was a little sheer. She had chosen to wear her black lace bra underneath it, and the effect was rather good. She had a feeling that Regina would like it a lot.
Emma had just ran her fingers through her hair for the fifth time when Regina came into the bedroom once again. She had been in the bathroom to do her makeup, the lightening was better in there, but now she was back, and Emma had to pick her jaw up from the floor real quickly. Regina was wearing a purple dress. Tight at the top, Regina's 'new' cleavage looked exceptionally good in that bodice. But where the top of the dress was tightly fitted, the skirt was more loose and flowy and beautifully layered. It fell in a certain was over Regina's pregnant belly, accentuated it beautifully. With the tight bodice and the flowy, long skirt, this dress in many ways reminded Emma of Regina's flamenco dresses, and what a fond memory that was!
Regina had left her hair hanging loose in curls too, and she had of course stuck little purple flowers in between her dark locks. Emma still didn't know exactly how she did it, but the effect was beautiful and exotic, and the flowers matched Regina's dress to perfection.
"Wow," she said. It came out more as a sigh than anything else. God, Regina looked beautiful!
"Querida, you're stunning," Regina smiled as she looked at Emma. Her dark eyes lingered a little on the blonde's sheer top.
"Yeah?" Emma couldn't resist to ask.
"Mmmhmmm. Absolutely stunning," Regina said as she elegantly sat down on the edge of the bed and reached within her suitcase. She found a pair of little ballerina shoes and scowled slightly as she slipped them on. "I miss my dancing shoes."
"I know, but those are pretty too," Emma assured. And they were. Regina's ballerina shoes had little purple bows on them. Once again matching the dress to perfection.
"And I can dance a little in them too," Regina said uplifted. "That is of course if the little one allows me to..." she patted her rounded belly fondly and looked at it as she said: "could you do me a favor and maybe let me dance tonight? Without making me dizzy?"
Emma chuckled. Regina talking to the bump was adorable.
"And maybe... maybe you could move a little soon," Regina added a little more seriously with fingers still touching the bump.
"If you want an ultrasound, you only have to say the word, babe," Emma reminded her. "Seriously, just one word and I can make it happen like this..." she snapped her fingers.
Regina chuckled. "I don't need an ultrasound, querida. It's fine."
"But if you're worried-"
"I am not. I'm just being silly," Regina insisted, smoothing the flowing skirt over her bump. "Now then..." she stood from the bed and did a little spin that sent her flowy skirt swinging and fanning out around her.
"You look so good," Emma said admiringly, and her fingers itched to take a picture of Regina. She didn't have her camera nearby, but she did have her phone, and of course she couldn't resist the temptation. "Birthday selfie?" she asked sweetly whilst waving her phone at Regina.
"Sure," Regina chuckled. "Why not?" she smoothened a hand over her bump and then her hair. Then she came over to Emma and snuggled into her side.
Emma wrapped an arm around her and instructed her to "smile for the dickie bird."
Regina ended up laughing at the dickie bird instead, and that was even better. The picture turned out beautifully. Like every picture with Regina did.
"Another?" Emma sweetly coaxed.
"Anything for the birthday girl," Regina quipped. She turned so she was standing sideways, and then she stood on her tippy toes, so she was tall enough to reach Emma's cheek. She planted a sweet, soft kiss there, and now Emma was the one grinning like a goofball. Regina had just copied their first 'couple'-selfie. The selfie which now was secured inside the medallion around her neck.
"Perfect," Emma said and tried not to sound too much like a goofy idiot.
"Great," Regina snickered. "Are we ready to go then?"
"Yeah, I think we are," Emma nodded and of course had to check in: "are you tired? You sure you feel up for a night out?"
Regina tapped her nose. "I'm pregnant, Emma. Not an invalid. Of course I feel up for a night out. I'm looking forward to seeing you drink those twenty night shots..."
Emma groaned in dismay and shook her head. "Ruby was joking."
"Was she?" Regina teased.
"Yes she was!" Emma chewed at the inside of her cheek. "At least I hope so!"
"Well, I guess we'll found out," Regina said, smoothing her dress over her bump again.
Emma shivered, and that wasn't completely jokingly. She could do many things, but drinking twenty nine shots was not one of them. She was getting too old for drinking, damnit. And she was going to tell Ruby that if it was necessary. Emma wasn't planning on getting stinking drunk tonight. Tipsy perhaps, it was birthday after all, but not drunk.
They went downstairs where they found David and Mary Margaret in full swing with packing the last few things for Vermont. They were leaving shortly after Emma and Regina left to go to the Rabbit Hole. Which wouldn't be long.
"Well, we're off," Emma announced and brushed a hand over her newly acquired leather jacket. She was really pleased with it. Her parents knew exactly what was good.
"How nice you both look," Mary Margaret smiled. Looked at Emma. " That leather jacket fits you perfectly, sweetie."
"Yep, it sure does," Emma said, doing a little mock spin. Not unlike the one Regina had done a moment ago. It was obvious that Regina caught the intension behind the spin. She puffed out a chuckle and shook her head a little bit.
That prompted Mary Margaret to turn her attention to her. "What a lovely dress you're wearing, Regina," she praised and smiled at her 'daughter-in-law'.
"Thank you, Mary Margaret," Regina replied, returning the smile.
Mary Margaret looked at Emma and tilted her head.
"Nope," Emma laughed and lifted her hands in mock surrender. "I know what you're thinking, and sorry, it's not gonna happen, mom. Regina's dresses are pretty. On Regina. But let's be honest, I would look goofy in them."
Regina snickered but nevertheless protested: "you would not. I've seen you in sundresses, and you most certainly do not look silly in those!"
"Maybe not," Emma agreed and smiled teasingly at her mom. "But mom wants me to wear flowers in my hair, isn't that right, mom?"
Mary Margaret scowled and wagged a finger at her daughter. "Not so cheeky, young lady."
All three of them laughed heartedly until David came into the kitchen and nearly stumbled over the suitcase Mary Margaret had left abandoned.
"David!" Mary Margaret exclaimed. "Be careful!"
David offered a small sheepish grin and then turned his attention to Emma and Regina. "All ready to head out, ladies?"
"Sí," Regina replied. "Emma promised to take me dancing. Isn't that right, Em-ma?"
"Yup," Emma confirmed, slipping an arm around Regina once more.
"Have a nice evening," David smiled. "But be careful."
"Dad," Emma rolled her eyes. "You're going on vacation, remember? No more policing." She glanced at her mom and warned: "and no more mayoring."
"Got it," Mary Margaret assured. "Have fun you two!"
"I'm sure we will," Regina said briskly, leaning into Emma's shoulder.
Mary Margaret came over and gave Emma a hug. "Happy birthday, sweetheart. I'm sure Ruby and Belle will celebrate you properly at the Rabbit Hole."
"I'm sure they will too," Emma replied, once again worrying about those potential twenty nine shots.
"I still don't feel good about us leaving on your birthday," her mom continued.
"Mom," Emma said softly and let go of Regina to pat her mom's back. "Don't worry, okay? You haven't had a proper day off for-"
"Thirty years," David joked.
"-At least five years," Emma continued, snickering slightly at her father's 'funny' comment. "Of course I want you to go to Vermont and have a good time. You deserve it. Both of you. Go to Vermont and get pampered. That can be you guys' extra birthday present to me. I demand a daily picture of you in some kind of relaxing situation. And that's an order."
"I'll make sure she relaxes," David vowed. "Every single day."
"That sounded like a threat, dear," Mary Margaret pointed out as she released her daughter and turned to her daughter-in-law instead. "Goodbye, Regina, dear. I hope you'll have a lovely time here!"
"I'm sure I will," Regina replied and flashed Emma a little smile.
"Remember to get plenty of rest," Mary Margaret said, sounding every bit like a concerned mother would and should.
"I will," Regina chuckled. "I promise."
Mary Margaret then wrapped her arms around Regina and gave her a very gentle hug, minding the bump as she did so.
As Emma was being hugged by her father, she quelled the 'aww' forming on her lips when she saw her mother pat Regina's cheek in that adorable motherly fashion. Mary Margaret had really taken Regina under her wing and was clearly thinking of her as a member of the Swan-family. And to be honest, Emma thought of Regina like a member of their family too.
"Have a good time in Vermont, guys," Emma said, hugging her dad once more for good measurement.
"Have a good time at the Rabbit Hole," David chuckled. "And don't drink too much."
"Dad," Emma groaned. "I'm twenty nine, remember."
"And still my little girl no matter what."
"You are impossible, old man," Emma laughed.
After having hugged Emma, David proceeded to hug Regina in the same careful manner, and after one more goodbye, David and Mary Margaret loaded their suitcases into the car and prepared to leave while Emma and Regina prepared to head to the Rabbit Hole for the night...
The Rabbit Hole was as usually packed with people when Emma and Regina arrived. Emma took Regina's coat and carefully hung it on the hanger, gentle'man' through and through, and then she left her own coat there as well. She proudly took Regina's hand as they walked inside the bar itself.
"There she is! There's the birthday girl!" Ruby exclaimed as she came over to them. She was wearing a little red number of a dress, high heels and the red stripes in her hair had clearly been intensified. The shade of her lipstick was matching her dress to perfection.
"Hey, Rubes," Emma grinned as she gave her best friend a hug. "You look awesome!"
"I know. Belle could barely keep her hands off me before we left..."
"That is not true," Belle protested and rolled her eyes as she joined them. She too looked awesome tonight. She had bundled her long brown hair up on top of her head in a loose bun with a few strands left hanging around her face and framing it. She was wearing a blue sequin mini dress with strings down the back, and judging by the way Ruby was looking at her, Emma suspected that it had been the other way around. That Ruby hadn't been able to keep her hands off of Belle before they left. Maybe that's why Belle's eyes were twinkling, and her hair seemed a bit too messy for it to be styled that way. Emma quelled her amusement and kept her thoughts to herself as she hugged her friends.
"Regina!" Ruby nearly squealed as she practically attacked Regina with hugs. "You look fantastic!"
"Gracias, Ruby!" Regina laughed and went along on the high pitched greeting despite the fact that she and Ruby had seen each other yesterday when Emma and Regina had dinner at Granny's. Where Ruby had reacted the exact same way as she did right now.
Emma watched as her friend and girlfriend hugged, and she had to bite her tongue not to admonish Ruby to be gentle with Regina. If Regina felt like she was being squished, she could most likely say so herself. Emma was not her guard dog.
Belle too gave Regina a hug, and then they settled down on the high chairs near the bar.
"Two shots for the birthday girl!" Ruby said to the bartender before Emma could get the chance to say anything.
"Ruby..." Emma warned, but she was easily ignored.
"Vodka and cola for me," Belle said and flashed Emma a 'what are you gonna do about it?' kinda look.
Emma grumbled. There wasn't much she COULD do about it, really. It was her birthday after all. Of course she had to do a shot or two. You couldn't just break tradition.
"Emma, stop making that face, please. Don't be a grumpy birthday girl," Ruby said whilst smiling at the bartender. "I'll have a mojito."
"And I'll have a diet coke," Regina said and looked like she was trying hard not to smile at Ruby and Emma's little exchange.
It didn't take the bartender long to make and serve the drinks, and as soon as everyone had a glass in their hands, Ruby raised hers, cleared her throat and said solemnly: "a toast for the birthday girl! Twenty nine years-"
"Please stop saying that," Emma interjected and cringed.
"To our ageless beauty," Ruby continued, rolling her eyes at Emma's comment. "Who somehow has gotten it into her pretty head that she's old when she's not really. She's a spring chicken, that one!"
"Ruby, I swear to god I'm gonna murder you!" Emma muttered through gritted teeth. Under no circumstances was Ruby allowed to call her a spring chicken when Regina was sitting right there and looked so young and perky and fresh faced!
"Our grumpy birthday girl, who's an awesome friend when she's not grumpy," Ruby continued, ignoring Emma completely now. "Our best friend who had to deal with some shit and a douchebag before running off to Spain and stumbling upon this lady over there-" she nodded at Regina and flashed her a grin. "Regina, I'll have to be honest with you, when Emma arrived home and announced that she had fallen head over heels for a Spanish dancer, I was skeptic-"
"RuBY!" Emma growled.
"-BUT then I met you. Got to know you. And I realized exactly why our Emma is so dang smitten with you," Ruby continued, still smiling widely at Regina. "You adore her as much as she does you."
"Sí, that I do," Regina confirmed and took Emma's hand.
"As her friend, that's pretty much the only thing I'm asking," Ruby said, raising her glass a little higher. "Keep loving her. Keep luring her to Spain often enough to make her friend miss her. And thank you for helping making her birthday a damn good one!" she took a quick sip of her drink before turning to Emma. "Em, Swannie... Happy birthday! I still haven't forgiven you for wanting to disappear to California without me, but it is what it is. Cheers!"
Emma laughed heartedly at her friend's hilarious speech, and then they all toasted and drank to the birthday girl. Who was most definitely NOT old!
She received more hugs from Ruby and Belle, and a present too. A gift certificate to the best spa resort in Storybrooke, and Emma exclaimed in delight when she opened the envelope. A spa day! Massage, manicure, pedicure, facials, exfoliations, wraps and packs, aromatherapy and you name it! Yes, Emma was very, very excited! If there was something she liked, it was a good pampering, and after all that crap with Neal, she certainly felt like she had earned it!
"This is awesome!" she beamed at her friends. "Thank you so much!"
"If you take a closer look at it, you'll discover that it's actually a couples thing," Belle said with a grin.
"It is?" now Emma was even more excited. She could bring Regina with her! Being pampered was fun. Being pampered with her girlfriend was even better. She took a closer look at the gift certificate, and sure enough, it was indeed a couples thing.
"Oooooh," Regina cooed as she leaned in and looked at the gift certificate. "That's nice, but it's not my birthday. It's Emma's!"
"Yeah, but we happen to like you too," Belle chuckled. "So why not include you? And you're here for a week. Perfect occasion."
"Thank you!" Emma said warmly and looked at Regina. "We'll definitely be using this. I know I'm decent at giving you massage, but letting a professional doing it is great!"
"You're better than decent," Regina said firmly, smile spreading on her lips.
Emma had a feeling that Regina was thinking back to the backrub she had given her before bedtime last night. And Emma had to agree with her girlfriend. That had been pretty great.
"That's a very pretty necklace, Emma," Belle said and interrupted Emma's train of thoughts.
"Thanks," Emma replied and toyed with the pendant. "Regina gave it to me. And she also sang 'happy birthday' to me in Spanish this morning!"
"You didn't have to tell them that, querida," Regina grumbled as she sipped her diet coke.
"Why not? I loved it. It was cute," Emma said simply and leaned forward so Ruby and Belle could take a closer look at her new necklace.
"'No importa que nos separe la distancia, siempre habrá un mismo cielo que nos una,'" Belle read aloud. "That sounds beautiful. What does it mean?"
"It means: 'It doesn't matter that we're separated by distance, there will always be the same sky to unite us,'" Emma translated and felt that warm fuzziness spreading rapidly in her chest.
"Awww," Ruby cooed. "That's the most adorable thing ever!"
"Sí, why not take advantage of the long distance thing?" Regina half-quipped.
"Yes, why not," Emma agreed and gave Regina's hand a little squeeze. "It's perfect."
The look Regina flashed her was positively heart melting...
That night was awesome. Plain and simple. Emma drank her two shots. And then another. Then she had an actual drink. It wasn't enough to get her drunk, but she definitely felt all warm and fuzzy everywhere. Quite pleasant, really.
Regina too looked to be having a great time tonight. She couldn't drink, but she didn't need to. She was smiling and laughing and when she batted those big brown eyes at Emma and asked: "¿Baila conmigo, cumpleañera?", Emma could only nod her head, get off the high chair and take Regina's hand as they walked out on the dance floor.
Soon they were dancing properly. Regina had her arms around Emma's neck, cheek resting against her chest, and Emma's arms were wrapped around Regina's waist. Not too tightly, of course. God, no! But despite the loose grip, she could still feel Regina's bump press into her belly, and Emma couldn't help but chuckle at the sensation. "It's like I'm dancing with the both of you," she said dreamily. The silly statement undoubtedly born because of the alcohol she had consumed.
"Does it feel very strange?" Regina asked and grinned just a little.
"No, not at all. It feels nice. Awesome!"
"You're a strange one," Regina stated plainly, face lighting up when the song changed, and the beat became faster. "Spin me around!" she prompted.
"What?" Emma asked. It was a bit difficult to hear in this noise.
"Spin me around!" Regina repeated, now grinning like the Joker. "Please? It's been so long since I last danced properly!"
"What about your dizziness?" Emma asked, of course concerned.
"Screw my dizziness. Now spin me around, please!"
Emma did as she was ordered to do, and Regina laughed heartedly as she gracefully spun around, skirt floating around her, and hair dancing in the air. She was still every bit graceful and elegant, and when she a second later picked up the bottom of her long skirt and started dancing in earnest (and completely stealing the show and dance floor!) Emma immediately recognized the flamenco dancing beauty she had met almost six months ago in a bar in Madrid. She turned her head, looked at Ruby and Belle. They looked back at her and Ruby looked like she was mouthing: "oh my god". Emma could only agree. Oh my god was the only appropriate reaction when Regina was dancing like this. With her flowing locks and swishing skirt, she looked like the Spanish beauty she was. A goddamn queen!
"Stop ogling your girlfriend," Ruby whispered in Emma's ear as she and Belle came out on the dancefloor too.
"Stop telling me what to do," Emma joked. "It's my birthday. I can do whatever I want. Including admiring my girlfriend."
"I think the admiring is mutual," Belle quipped, nodding towards Regina.
Emma turned her attention back to the highlight of this evening and smiled like a smitten fool when Regina wagged her finger in a 'come here'-motion. Of course Emma went over to her.
"You're not dancing with me, querida," Regina complained as she took Emma's hands and placed them on her hips.
"For a second it looked like you didn't need me," Emma joked.
"I got a little carried away," Regina admitted sheepishly. "It's been ages since I last danced."
"Well, the floor is yours, beautiful girl."
"No. No-no-no-no. The floor is ours, querida," Regina corrected and smirked devilishly as she arched her back in a most seductive, sexy manner. When she returned to her normal position, she looked utterly triumphant. "Still flexible, then. Good to know."
"Are you trying to get us to leave the party early?" Emma whispered in her ear. And that was definitely not a joke.
"No, I'm just trying to show you what I'm capable off. What I'll be capable off later."
"Oh, fuck me," Emma muttered lowly, mind flooding with all sorts of delicious scenarios.
"Mmm. Later, birthday girl," Regina cackled, and before Emma could get a chance to say something to THAT, Regina had pulled her in for a sweet, slow kiss right there on the dancefloor.
Emma's hands immediately travelled up and found their natural place on Regina's baby bump. She had missed holding Regina like this. Had missed kissing her like this.
"Oi, this is a public place, you two," Ruby grinned, elbowing Emma when she and Belle 'just so happened' to dance past them. "Save it for later."
"Piss off," Emma grumbled. Only partially joking.
Ruby laughed shamelessly whilst Belle looked like she was about to scold her girlfriend.
"Oh, Mierda," Regina muttered as they began swaying to the music once more.
"What's wrong?" Emma asked.
"The teenage boy is back."
"The teenage- Oh! Ohhhh!" the lightbulb immediately switched on in Emma's mind. She had managed to make Regina horny. Just by giving her a sweet kiss.
"Damnit," Regina said simply.
"Later," Emma promised, trying not to grin as she held Regina close. Oh yes, most definitely later!
To say that Emma was happy when she and Regina left the Rabbit Hole later would be an understatement. She was damn nearly ecstatic, and she considered this to be the best birthday she'd had since she was a little kid and still was excited about her birthday. Her birthday last year had mostly consisted of Neal coming home from work late with a pizza and a 'happy birthday, Em'. He had kissed her, they'd eaten pizza and drunken beer in front of the television. Later they had gone to bed and the night had ended with half-hearted sex because Neal was tired and Emma wasn't terribly in the mood, but had gone along with it anyway because it WAS her birthday and Neal was working late all the other nights.
This night, Emma thought to herself, had been anything but halfheartedly. She'd had so much fun hanging out with her friends and girlfriend. Dancing with Regina. Kissing Regina. Watching Regina absolutely own the dancefloor. There had been birthday selfies taken tonight. Of all four of them and just photos of Emma and Regina which Ruby had taken. She and Belle had fawned over the little picture in Emma's medallion, and sung happy birthday to her. Ruby, Belle and Regina. All three of them had sung 'happy birthday', and it had simply just been an awesome night.
But Emma wasn't unhappy that they were going home now. Quite the contrary. She had loved spending time with her best friends, but she and Regina had been apart for four weeks, and Emma would lie if she claimed that she wasn't looking forward to a bit of one-on-one time with her girlfriend. Whether that one-on-one time would be spent sleeping in the bed or doing things in bed that did not involve sleeping. It didn't matter to Emma. She just wanted to be close to Regina without anyone watching them.
Emma smiled when she became aware that Regina was absentmindedly humming through herself. One of the songs they had played in the club. And rather than making Regina aware of this, Emma chose to let her do her thing and instead focused on something she found to be highly interesting. They were passing Robert Gold's pawnshop, and Emma could see a big fat 'For Sale' sign that had been slapped across the big window in the store. She stopped abruptly and because her arm was around Regina, she ended up bringing her to a halt as well.
"Ooof," Regina said. "What are you doing, preciosa?"
"Sorry," Emma offered and nodded towards the shop window. "I'm just gloating."
"Gloat- Ohh!" Regina snickered now. "I see. Interesting."
"I don't know about you, but to me it looks like Robert and Milah are leaving town," Emma snickered. "Oh man, this is definitely the best birthday ever!
"You're awful, querida," Regina laughed. "But I must admit that I'm happy about it too. The idea of them bothering you is not a pleasant one."
Emma gave her a little squeeze. "Looks like to me that we're rid of the people making life tough for us, beautiful girl."
"I hope you're right," Regina said softly and tugged her coat tighter around herself.
"Cold?" Emma guessed.
"It's not that bad. Are my lips turning blue?" Regina joked.
"No, but if they were, I'd definitely kiss them back to normal," Emma promised.
"I'm sure you would, preciosa," Regina said amusedly and looked up at the inky black sky dotted with stars. "Although it might be chilly, it's still a beautiful evening. You really have been a good girl this year."
"Of course I have!" Emma huffed, mock offended. "I already told you, I'm always a good girl."
Regina cackled in a way that surely indicated that she didn't find Emma to be a 'good girl' at all times, and Emma gave her a little squeeze again because she was pretty sure she knew exactly what was going on in Regina's beautiful brain at the moment.
"That gift certificate wasn't a bad gift at all," Emma chit-chatted as they slowly walked back through Storybrooke.
"No, it was not. And it was very sweet of Ruby and Belle to include me in it."
"They love you too, you know," Emma said simply, squeezing Regina again. "Exactly like my folks do. Didn't you see how genuinely distraught my mom was about taking off while you're here?"
"I did see that. And you just had to tell her to just go already," Regina scoffed and clicked her tongue. "And you call yourself a 'good girl'."
"Okay, okay, so I might have had an ulterior motive," Emma admitted. "But so what? We haven't seen each other for four weeks. I think a little alone-time is acceptable, don't you?"
"Sí, I do indeed," Regina nodded. "But still..." she clicked her tongue again. "Eres una chica mala."
"And you're the hottest thing in the goddamn world."
Regina bursted out laughing. Loudly and unbridled right there in the middle of the street. "Are you drunk, Em-ma?"
"No!" Emma huffed, correcting: "tipsy."
Regina laughed again. "You're awfully cute when you're tipsy."
"Damn those shots," Emma grumbled. "They're going straight to my head."
Regina snickered. "It's very amusing, querida. Sometimes I miss drinking too. And smoking. But I think I'm starting to realize how bad it was for me." She scrunched up her nose. "But seriously, the lack of coffee is killing me!"
"You're not allowed to die," Emma said firmly. "If you do, I'll kill you!
That prompted Regina to laugh heartedly once more.
As soon as they arrived back home, they immediately slipped off their coats and shoes. Regina padded inside the kitchen, and after having smoothened her hair a little bit, Emma followed suit. She found Regina standing in the middle of the kitchen, absentmindedly humming to herself once more.
Emma walked over to her, wrapped her arms loosely around Regina's waist and gently drew her closer. Maybe she was tipsy, but she was still a hundred percent aware and attentive. "How are you feeling?" she asked softly. "Are you hungry or thirsty? Is there anything I can get you?"
"No thank you, I'm fine," Regina replied and smiled. "I don't need anything. Well... except for..." she stood on her tippy toes to be tall enough, and then she brushed her lips softly against Emma's.
Emma immediately returned the kiss and exhaled softly into the kiss. After a moment, they broke apart, and Emma jokingly asked: "how's the teenage boy doing now?"
That elicited a smile and an eyeroll from Regina. "He's still there."
"And what would he like to do?" Emma asked goofily, silently wondering how far she could stretch the teenage boy joke.
"He'd like to go upstairs and wish you a happy birthday," Regina huskily murmured and toyed with a lock of Emma's blonde locks.
"Yeah? You're sure?" Emma checked.
"Yes, Em-ma," Regina drawled, now taking Emma's hand. "I'm sure." With that she leaned in and kissed Emma again. But not her mouth this time. No, this time it was the side of her neck, and Emma shivered from head to toe. Had she been a little more drunk, she probably would have ripped Regina's clothes off and done this with her right here, but fortunately enough, she was not that drunk. Regina definitely deserved a warm, comfortable bed to lie in.
"Emma..." Regina murmured against her neck. "Llevame a la cama."
Emma knew what that meant, and she didn't hesitate before she gently tugged Regina towards the staircase. She didn't pull too harshly at Regina. God forbid that she should yank at her pregnant girlfriend's arm.
But Regina seemed to appreciate this gentle pulling. She certainly laughed as she willingly followed Emma up the stairs, and Emma thought to herself that as lovely as Regina looked in that purple dress of hers, it was high time to help her out of it. Emma desperately needed skin to skin contact with Regina. She almost felt touch starved after those four weeks they had spent apart, and judging by how Regina turned around and flashed her an impatient look, she felt the same.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming," Emma chuckled.
"That's what she said," Regina said dead-seriously, and Emma tried not to laugh.
But once they made it upstairs to Emma's bedroom, it was no laughing manner anymore. Clothes were rapidly shed and ended up in an unruly bundle on the floor. Emma's hands roamed over Regina's naked body, and for a moment Regina looked self-conscious as she looked down at herself. Her larger breasts and swelling belly. After a moment she looked back up at Emma through her lashes. Bit her plump bottom lip slightly and asked: "well... what do you think?"
"I think you're stunning," Emma said softly, hands sliding lower to Regina's baby bump. "So, so stunning. I mean, just look at you! I doubt there's been a more gorgeous pregnant woman than you."
Regina blushed prettily and pointed out: "my body is so different now. So..." she did not finish the sentence. Simply gestured to her swelling abdomen.
"Mmm," Emma agreed. "You're right, there's more of you now. More to love."
Now Regina was really blushing. But she still managed to grasp Emma's hand and tug her towards the bed in the center of the room. That spare-bed had been put up in Emma's room once again, but this time, the beds had been pushed together right from the start.
Emma willingly sat down on the bed, and it didn't take long before she had one very naked and enthusiastic Regina Mills sitting on her lap. She lovingly cupped Emma's cheeks with her warm hands and her voice was all low and soft when she said: "Happy birthday, mi hermosa Emma."
"Thank you," Emma said just as softly, and then she was kissed again. Thoroughly and warmly. Regina's tongue slipped inside her mouth as the kiss grew deeper, and Emma tangled her fingers into Regina's long hair. She moaned as she was pushed backwards onto the bed. Regina adjusted slightly on top of her. It felt a bit differently. Regina's belly was very much present, but that didn't matter. Emma loved having Regina on top of her. As they kissed, she reminded herself to ask Regina if she was okay to lie on her back still. Otherwise they would just have to get a little creative. But that wouldn't be a problem. Of course not. Emma wanted Regina to be comfortable. Always.
Regina adjusted a little on top of her again. She was still kissing Emma, but one of her hands had slipped lower. Had wiggled in between Emma's thighs. Her fingers were gently stroking where a certain wetness had started to spread. Emma moaned again. Fuck, this was literally the best birthday ever!
Regina kept kissing and kissing her until Emma was quite breathless. That was when she smirked at Emma. When her fingers wiggled inside Emma and made Emma's mouth fall open.
"Shit!" she cursed as she took a quivering breath. Yeah, this was definitely one of the things she had dreamed about for the past four weeks.
"I've missed this," Regina husked. "I've missed feeling you, querida."
"Fuck, you can't just say stuff like that," Emma moaned, and, in the same breath: "I've missed you too! So fucking much! Mmm!" she was robbed of her voice when Regina's fingers wiggled inside her and brushed against that particular spot that never failed to make her toes curl and her belly clench.
Regina mumbled Spanish words in her ear. Emma had no idea what they meant, but she still soaked them up. All of them. Because even though she did not know what the words meant, she had her ideas. Regina's voice was low and soft. And she always used this particular tone for declarations of love. Emma told her that she loved her too and earned herself a rather skillful wiggle from Regina's fingers that had her moaning sharply. Her back arched and her fingers clutched at Regina's back, trying her best to bring her closer although it was physically impossible for Regina to be any closer than she was right now.
Or was it? When Regina kissed her again, Emma certainly doubted it. Maybe they were melting together or something. Yes. That could very well be the case. Emma definitely felt like she was melting. Her skin was on fire. Her belly full of molten lava. She was a volcano about to explode. Her fingers dug into Regina's naked back. She never wanted to let go. Couldn't Regina just stay right here forever? Literally right here. On top of her. Until the fucking end of time. Emma should like that very much. Maybe she even wished that she had wished for that when she blew out that birthday candle.
"I think you're close, querida," Regina murmured in her ear. "I can feel it."
Emma gave a kind of vague answer. She really wasn't in any position to talk right now. And even less when Regina suddenly wiggled on top of her and wrapped her lips around a taut nipple.
Emma shouted. Yelled into the ceiling and dug her blunt fingernails into Regina's soft skin. That was something she would apologize for later, but right now she couldn't focus on anything except the jolts of pleasure that zapped through her system. Regina was right, she was indeed close. Almost too close too quickly after the four weeks of waiting, but perhaps that was exactly WHY she was close. Emma gnashed her teeth and prepared for the inevitable whilst clutching Regina closer, closer, closer. Breathed in the apples in her hair. The cinnamon scent of her skin. Regina almost smelled so fucking good! In her delirious state Emma ended up telling her this, and Regina ended up laughing around a nipple, and that little vibration did something most interesting to Emma. Perhaps it was this vibration combined with the steady push from Regina's fingers that made Emma tumble over the edge. Regina's name was on her lips like a prayer, her fingers digging into Regina's shoulders, and her head spinning slightly because of it all.
"Mmm," Regina cooed. "That was fun."
Emma croaked something between a laugh and a moan. Let herself melt against the mattress and kept her eyes closed.
After a moment, Regina gently eased her two fingers out of Emma and the suckling sound Emma heard a moment later told her that Regina was licking her fingers clean. Damn her. That sexy little minx. She was still on top of Emma, and Emma had no problem with feeling how wet this had made Regina.
"Holy crap," Emma said, once coherent enough to say ANYTHING.
Regina snickered. "Sí, that was fun."
"It's about to get even better," Emma promised. Her legs still felt hella weak, but she managed to push herself up. She leaned in for a quick kiss before checking: "are you cool with laying on your back?"
"Sí, querida. I am extremely cool with laying on my back," Regina breathlessly assured.
"Well in that case..." Emma smirked and gave Regina a very gentle push backwards. "Lie back, sweetheart. And think of Madrid."
"Would rather think of you," Regina said smoothly as she lied back and spread her legs apart.
Emma ignored that. As much as she wanted to, she wasn't gonna go for it so quickly. Oh no, first she was gonna savor Regina a little. And that involved kissing every inch of Regina's glorious body. She did not tell Regina this, however. She simply began her mission. Started out by kissing Regina's lovely lips until Regina was quite breathless. Then she moved along to Regina's cheek. Her jaw. Her long, beautiful neck. Her throat. She dotted kisses all over her collarbones. The top of her chest.
"Mierda," Regina said plainly, and Emma chuckled against her chest. Mierda indeed.
"What are you doing?" Regina groaned. "I'm dying here, querida!"
"I'll save you," Emma assured. "Don't you worry about a thing. And for the record, I'm not planning on teasing you. I'm just... you know... savoring you a little."
"I can't even protest against that, can I," Regina moaned and puffed out a breath of air as she adjusted slightly.
"Are you sure you're comfortable?" Emma asked, lifting her head slightly.
"Yes! Don't stop!" Regina commanded, and Emma couldn't blame her. Her mouth had been only inches from her nipple.
Emma lowered her head once more. Wrapped her lips around Regina's nipple and sucked gently for a moment. Then she switched side and did the same thing. Regina squirmed underneath her. Maybe she could even come from this, but Emma wasn't planning on making that happen. This was not how she wanted her girlfriend to come. If there was something she had missed, it was how Regina tasted. Oh, she was gonna taste her!
But for right now, Emma showed the underside of Regina's left breast some sweet attention that had Regina squirming and moaning and mumbling something incoherent in Spanish. Something that sounded slightly impatient. She wiggled underneath Emma, squeezed her legs together, and that little wiggle had Emma immediately readjusting her weight. God forbid she should squish Regina or something. That would be awful.
"Why are you doing this to me?" Regina groaned. "It's not fair, querida! I know it's not MY birthday, but honestly..."
"Don't worry," Emma crooned and lifted a hand so she could brush a lock of slightly damp hair away from Regina's forehead. "Seriously, I'm not going to tease you. I promise I won't. I just wanna kiss you a little first. That's not a problem, is it?"
"You're kissing me in all the wrong places!" Regina complained and opened her legs a little again.
Emma smirked. "Fret not. I have every intention of kissing you there in a moment. When I'm done here." with that, she bowed her head and placed a kiss on Regina's hard nipple.
Regina hissed and Emma felt her back curve. "If I- dios!- come from this, it's entirely your own fault!"
"That's a cross I'll be willing to bear," Emma murmured with her mouth only inches from Regina's breast. Soon she was lowering her mouth again and doing things with it that had Regina exclaiming in Spanish and tangling her fingers into Emma's blonde locks. She tugged a little, and oh yeah, that was another thing Emma had dreamed about during those four weeks she had been on her own.
"You're never allowed to go home again," she told Regina. "I won't have it."
"Fine. Whatever. Just fuck me!" Regina huffed.
Emma quelled a smile. She was definitely gonna remind Regina of this later. The time Regina 'whatever'd" her in the middle of sex. Seriously, that was a little funny.
"Querida, please! I think I might be dying!"
Okay, that was bad. "I'll rescue you," Emma assured once again. "No dying, please."
"Do something then," Regina huffed. "Otherwise this will be something more severe than la petit mort."
Emma chuckled against Regina's breast. "That was a good one."
"Emma! Please!"
Okay, no more getting sidetracked. Regina was starting to sound a little desperate. Emma decided to come to her aid as she finally started to slowly kiss her way down Regina's oh, so magnificent body. Down her ribcage. She pursed her lips, blew hot air onto Regina's skin and made her squirm slightly again. Then she traced Regina's cute little protruding belly button with the tip of her tongue. Regina was so ridiculously sexy. The pregnancy seemed to only have accentuated how fucking sexy she was. Every part of her was desirable, and Emma decided to remind Regina of this. She knew that the stripes on Regina's belly had made her feel self-conscious over the past few weeks. She had been a little awkward about it in the shower this morning, and Emma simply wouldn't have it. She wanted Regina to know that she found every part of her to be ridiculously sexy. Her changing body was sexy. The stretch marks were sexy. Her round belly was sexy. Emma did not hesitate to silently show Regina this as she began dotting kisses all over Regina's belly.
"Mmm," Regina cooed. "That feels really nice."
Emma silently agreed with her girlfriend. This felt really nice for her too. Regina's skin was soft and warm, and this gave her the perfect opportunity to really breathe her in. To feel Regina's skin under her lips. Another thing she had been yearning for for the past four weeks. Basically, she wanted to kiss every inch of Regina's lovely golden skin all through the night. And maybe she could. They weren't in a hurry. There was nothing and nobody that could disturb them.
"¡Oh mierda, te extrañé!" Regina hissed.
"Mmm, I've missed you too," Emma murmured against Regina's skin. "So fucking much."
"Keep kissing me," Regina insisted, and Emma chuckled.
"You really like this, don't you?" she sweetly teased.
"Sí, I really do," Regina confirmed. "After four weeks of nothing, this feels like heaven, so please, keep going!"
"Always at Milady's service," Emma joked as she resumed the oh-so-difficult task of kissing Regina's lovely skin. She was more than willing to keep this up for the rest of the night if that was what Regina desired. Regina seemed to have slowed down. She wasn't as much in a hurry as she had been thirty seconds ago. Now she seemed more focused on just laying back and enjoying Emma's sweet attention. Of course with the occasional squirms and moans and blurred Spanish words Emma didn't quite understand.
Regina wasn't the only one who was in heaven right now. So was Emma. After four weeks of being separated by that stupid ocean, this was exactly what she needed. What they both needed. Right now, the buildup seemed so much more important than the actual outcome, and Emma dotted kiss after kiss onto Regina's belly. Every time she was certain she had marked every inch, she found a new place to kiss. A new place to smudge her lipstick on. Regina would most certainly need a shower after this, but that was okay. Emma would be more than willing to help her with washing the lipstick marks off her body. The blonde chuckled quietly to herself as she found yet another new place to kiss. Right underneath Regina's belly button. She wasn't quite sure how she had managed to miss that spot until now, but oh well.
Regina cried out softly, and Emma felt her abdomen tense underneath her. Oh, so this was a soft spot. Good to know. Emma kissed the same spot on Regina's belly again. And then again.
Regina hissed again, and Emma figured that she would linger here for a moment before finally continuing down Regina's abdomen. She kissed the spot on Regina's belly again. Slowly dragged her lower lip over it and nuzzled her nose against it. Regina's skin just smelled so fucking good all the time. Another kiss. Another soft sound slipping past Regina's lips. Something that sounded like a mixture between Spanish and English. It had Emma chuckling softly to herself once more. The world probably would not come to an end if she gave this spot a little extra attention. So she kissed it again. Softly and gently. Pace unhurried and tongue almost lazy as she slowly dragged it over Regina's skin and suckled softly. She had no intention of sucking hard enough to leave a mark. She had an inkling that seeing the bruise on Regina's belly probably only would unnerve her come morning. So she simply settled for this gentle teasing. It suited them both. Regina seemed halfway to heaven, sounded fairly delirious, and Emma's head was starting to cloud over with arousal once more. Regina's sounds were more than spurring her on, and she couldn't resist to gently bump her nose against the spot on Regina's belly once more.
"Woah!" Regina suddenly yelped and sat bolt upright in bed so abruptly her belly nearly collided with Emma's head.
Her exclamation had taken Emma completely by surprise, and her first impulse was obviously concern when she saw Regina sit up so abruptly and press a hand to her belly. "What is it?" Emma asked bewildered. "What?! What's going on? What did I do?"
Regina did not answer. She just sat there and stared with a blank look in her eyes. Still with a hand pressed to her belly.
Concern rushed over Emma and made her skin crawl. In a heartbeat, she too had her hand on Regina's growing belly. "Regina, what's happening?!" she asked, almost sharply because of the state of panic she was reaching. "Does it hurt?! Tell me what to do! Do you want me to call an ambulance or-"
"No," Regina finally interrupted Emma's babbling. "I do not need you to call anyone, and nothing hurts."
"Then what's going ON?!" Emma asked almost pleadingly. "What's happening, beautiful girl?!"
"I think..." Regina's eyes were wide as she stared at Emma. "I think the baby is... kicking."
"W-what?" Emma stuttered and blinked. Out of the scenarios that had played out in her head, this was not one of them.
"¡Dios!" Regina exclaimed. "There it was again! Right... here." she touched the spot on her belly Emma had just kissed. Then she looked up at Emma again. "You," she said slowly. "Made the baby move!"
"You... you think?" Emma said, still completely bewildered. "That it was because of-"
"What else can it be?" Regina interrupted and shook her head slightly. Now she was laughing. "God, querida, can you do witchcraft or something?"
"Uhhh... no, not to my knowledge," Emma said. At this point she was completely dizzy. For a second it felt like her brain refused to take this in, but then the reaction came. "Holy shit!" she exclaimed. "I freaking just made Blueberry MOVE!"
"You... you sure did," Regina said a bit croakily and looked wide-eyed up at Emma. "This is really... unlike anything else I've ever tried."
"I bet," Emma said softly and puffed out a breath when she felt her heart finally slowing down. Regina was not hurt. No reason to panic. "Does it feel... okay?" she moved her hand to the same spot on Regina's belly, fully knowing that she wouldn't be able to feel these first kicks. It would probably be a few weeks before she too would be able to feel them. God damnit.
"It's... It's strange," Regina admitted. "But it's also... nice," she suddenly grinned beamingly at Emma and cupped her cheek. "Thank you, querida. For making the baby move. I've been worried because I didn't feel anything, but thanks to you, I do now."
"You're welcome, I guess," Emma laughed. "I had no idea I could do that, but..."
"You're full of surprises," Regina chuckled and brushed a lock of hair away from her face. Then she batted her big brown eyes at Emma. "Do you..." she bit her lip, seemed hesitant.
"What?" Emma encouraged.
"Do you think we could... continue now?" Regina asked.
"Oh," Emma said a tad surprised.
Regina immediately scrunched up her nose. "Lo siento. Of course it's strange now. Forget I said anything."
"Woah," Emma said, echoing Regina's exclamation from a moment ago. "Hold your horses, beautiful girl. It's definitely not strange, okay? I was just a little surprised, that's all. But of course I want to continue."
"Really?" Regina asked, nose scrunching up again. "I mean... you're not weirded out or anything?"
"Sweetie," Emma said gently as she kissed Regina's cheek. "You're pregnant. Stuff like this was pretty much bound to happen sooner or later. No, I didn't expect it to happen right now, but I can definitely roll with it. As long as you're comfortable."
"I will be. If we could just... you know."
"I can definitely do 'you know'," Emma softly laughed, careful to show Regina that she was not laughing AT her. "Lie back and relax."
Regina did just that, and soon Emma was kissing her abdomen again. At least she was until Regina squirmed a little again.
Emma lifted her head and inquired: "still going on?"
"Sí."
"Gotcha. I'll find a different spot. Don't worry."
"I'm not worried at all," Regina said strained and the muscles in her thighs flexed.
Feeling delirious for more reasons than just one, Emma took her attention lower, and soon enough, she did indeed find a 'different spot'. One that had Regina crying out and cursing in Spanish in a most delightful manner...
To Be Continued...
Spanish translations:
Feliz cumpleaños= happy birthday.
Tal vez= Perhaps.
¿Baila conmigo, cumpleañera?= Dance with me, birthday girl?
Eres una chica mala= You're a bad girl.
Llevame a la cama= Take me to bed.
Mi hermosa Emma= My beautiful Emma.
Mierda= Shit.
¡Oh mierda, te extrañé!= Oh shit, I've missed you!
¡Dios!= God!