The following weekend, Regina and Emma set aside some time to rearrange the house that they needed to start viewing as their own. So, Regina called her mother to take Lennox for the day and even the night, that way they could focus and finish the task.
The first thing to go was the furniture and even though Regina and Emma spent majority of the time arguing about whose furniture they would use to decorate the home, they eventually compromised. Regina used her furniture for the living room and Emma used hers for the family room. It drove Regina absolutely mad knowing that the furniture didn't match, but she was working on her controlling ways, so she relented.
There were a few knickknacks that they both agreed were sentimental and assumed Lennox would want when she is older. So, they wrapped those up, boxed them and Emma placed them safely in the crawlspace, along with some pictures as well that they removed from the walls. They both agreed the home needed to feel like it was theirs, not Kathryn and August's anymore. Of course, they left a few pictures scattered around the home, but they mostly dressed the walls with candid moments of Lennox. They also removed the giant family portrait hanging in the living room and replaced it with the picture that professional photographer took of them with Lennox at her first birthday, after they had sang to her. They also thoroughly enjoyed the picture taken after, where they were both scowling at the man for presuming they were a couple, so Emma made a small canvas and that one is hanging on the wall trailing up the staircase.
During all of this, Emma had managed to sneak out into the driveway. She walked her motorcycle into the garage and with a heavy heart, she covered her pride and joy with a heavy blanket. Regina was right, she couldn't risk her life on something so reckless, she couldn't do that to Lennox. Not again.
As the evening starts to wind down and the sun is slowly falling from the sky, most likely just as exhausted and heavy as Regina and Emma feel, they have one task left that both are dreading and have been blatantly ignoring all day.
"I mean, we could always just keep this door locked and pretend it doesn't exist," Emma suggests with that adorable crooked grin that always persuades Regina's eyes to roll to maintain the facade of her annoyance toward the blonde.
"It's been six weeks, we need to face this," Regina sternly insists, but Emma has a sneaky suspicion that the brunette is trying to psych herself up for the moment, more than an attempt to motivate Emma.
Regina inhales sharply, squares her shoulders, and shoves the door open. Emma's imagination runs wild in that split second, as if their ghosts will be just waiting for them on the other side. She somewhat expects a thick layer of dust like an abandoned attic, maybe the musky stench to go along with it.
However, that's not what is waiting for them on the other side of the door.
The orange glow from the tired sun is streaming through the room, illuminating the walls and portraying a type of comfort and warmth. She sighs in relief. Despite being ignored for six weeks, there is still an aroma wafting through the air, like clean laundry as it tumbles in the dryer and swims through the vents of the house.
"Not so scary," she murmurs under her breath because they have yet to cross the threshold.
Regina scoffs, finding her courage and sweeping right into the room without another thought. Emma follows in her footsteps, dragging two boxes behind to be filled and stored away for Lennox once again.
"I think it would be ideal if you decipher between August's things that you want to keep for Lennox or toss away," Regina delegates as she yanks on a dresser drawer and scowls.
"I-" she clams up, not having the courage to tell Regina that she isn't sure she can go through his things on her own without completely breaking down, but she snaps her mouth shut and trudges toward his side of the bed.
She plops down on the mattress, tugs open his nightstand and forces her mind to think about sports as a lame distraction.
"As much as I love women, I never thought I would ever touch my best friend's underwear," her roommate exasperates, convincing Emma's mouth to curl into a smirk.
It's probably the most humorous line Regina will ever deliver, Emma thinks and after a long beat, she's chuckling, shaking her long golden locks in amusement. Regina glances over her shoulder, a fistful of lace, silk, and cotton in every variety of style. They lock eyes and Regina can't hide her laughter any longer as she tosses the underwear into a garbage bag.
"That's trash, right?" Emma muses, provoking Regina's eyebrow to scale her forehead in search of further explanation. "I don't think Lennox will want the hand-me-downs-"
"You're an idiot," her friend grumbles, shoving more undergarments and socks into the bag.
"Probably," Emma carelessly adds on, her fingers tentatively sweeping through his drawer, like a used condom might actually jump out at her, wrapping dangerously around her wrist.
Thankfully, she dodges a bullet and finds an assortment of watches, gift cards and random receipts. She pockets the gift cards, tosses away the random papers and then pauses. She finds one watch, not too masculine with a thin black leather band and a silver face. It occupies her time, demands her attention and without truly comprehending her actions, she's fastening it tightly around her wrist. The sun catches the silver edge, generating a gleam to sparkle and gather her undivided attention.
A sense of calm washes over her when she admires the arms ticking away, her flower tattoo peeking out behind the watch. August had taken her to get that stupid tattoo when she was seventeen, he even faked her I.D. God, they were just two lost kids back then.
"I went with Kathryn to buy this watch for August," her mouth is revealing without her mind's approval. Regina stops dead in her tracks, a drawer in her hand, ready to dump its contents into the garbage bag that is becoming rather full. "They had just started dating, she was a nervous wreck," she laughs lightly, and Regina smiles softly in return even though her mind is wondering why her best friend didn't call her for advice on the present? "I met her at the mall, it was the first time we ever hung out without August and she was so nervous about getting him the right birthday present, that she was rambling like a damn idiot," she pauses, chuckling fondly at the woman who soon became her best friend.
Emma blinks and she's shocked that she doesn't feel any liquid clinging to her eyelashes. Maybe she's finally to the point in grief where she can share memories and smile without breaking down in heavy sobs. She peeks through her lashes and finds Regina staring at her, hanging on her every word.
"She told me about you then. She said she was going to ask you to come with, but then she thought what could you possibly know about buying a man a gift," Emma laughs, a little too hard, her shoulders bouncing and all, but Regina is smirking at her, trying to bite back her laughter because she thinks she should be offended, but she's not. "But, she said she wanted to ask me because I knew August inside and out. I still think she was trying to get on my good side," she teases.
"Of course she was. She was simply sucking up to you because we all know Kathryn would never choose your taste in fashion over mine," Regina snarks, but both sets of eyes are dancing mischievously as they smirk at one another.
Regina sways a tad closer, peeks into the drawer and says, "Lennox will never be in need of an abundance of men's watches." And then she moves onto the next drawer without another word spoken and Emma knows that's the Regina way of telling her to keep the watch.
Things progress a lot faster for Emma after that. She's finding it therapeutic and cathartic, organizing and separating all of August's belongings. She's proud of herself for not breaking down like the basket-case she's been feeling like as of lately. And she's breezing right through the project until she opens the walk in closet.
"What the-"
"Please tell me you did not stumble across anything with batteries," Regina deadpans while Emma eyes the black straps decorating the inside of the closet door with great caution.
"I..." she tentatively steps closer, her hands firmly at her sides because she refuses, absolutely refuses to touch a damn thing. "Is this some sort of sex swing?" She questions, her voice shrieking in a tone that is really embarrassing for someone who brags about all her sexual conquests.
Regina whirls around from across the room, her eyes immediately falling to the straps and loops hanging carelessly from the top of the door. And if Emma would have glanced over her shoulder and stopped inspecting the swing like a damn pervert, she would have seen something flicker in those dark, mysterious eyes.
"Is that what you think that is?" Regina asks, sounding just as intrigued and curious as the blonde who has yet to drag her eyes away from the erotic toy.
"Yeah."
"I don't think that's what it is," Regina lightly laughs, coming up to stand directly behind Emma. "Aren't they supposed to be actual swings? There is no support for someone to sit." She mutters hotly behind Emma's ear, persuading an electric shock to trickle down the blonde's spine.
She swallows, pretending that Regina's close proximity has no effect on her. "Well, look," Emma lifts the straps dangling below the doorknob, "both of these loops are where your legs would slide through and they would keep you suspended." She then moves to point out the two loops hanging much higher up on the door. "And these would be where your arms would go or where you hang on to and yeah there's a door behind you, but you would still swing. This is a damn sex swing."
"I didn't know you were so well versed in erotic toys."
Emma finally cranes her neck just the slightest because she knows just how close Regina truly is. She squints at the brunette who is smirking back at her. "There is a lot you don't know about me," she smugly replies, earning herself another famous eye roll.
"I don't believe you. I don't see how this contraption could be even remotely sexy or useful," Regina scoffs.
Emma's gaze wanders back to the sex swing hanging off the door. "I could think of a few ways," she mumbles mostly to herself, but of course her roommate hears the admission loud and clear.
"If you're so sure of yourself, get in it."
"What?" She gasps, whirling around to meet that challenging look of determination that's piercing her gaze. "I am not getting in that thing. God only knows how many times Kathryn has been naked in those straps."
"If, and that's a big if, Kathryn has ever been naked and bound to the door with those straps, I assure you, she washed those harnesses when she was finished."
"I-" she pauses, blinking long and hard before her green eyes drift down to that stupidly smug smirk challenging her again. "You know what? Fine. I'll do it, Miss Know-it-all."
Emma yanks on the bottom stirrup, hoping to pull it further down because now that she's supposed to climb inside, she's realizing it's fairly high for her leg to easily slide into it. She lifts her right leg and sure enough, it's too high for her.
"Do you need a hand, dear?" And god does Emma love and loathe that cocky tone dripping from those thick lips.
"No, I got it," she states with conviction, dropping the leg support loop.
She inspects the straps carefully and really, it's a good thing she works out every day and is in such great shape. She stands with her back against the door, stretches so her fingers are curling around the straps near the top of the door and then she jumps. Her biceps flexing under the weight as she lifts off the ground and holds herself up, hardly wavering under the pressure like an Olympic gymnast on the rings.
She would love to take a gander at her roommate, because she knows this is impressive, and she really hopes she slapped that cocky smirk right off her face, but she needs to focus. She holds that pose while her right foot moves slowly to slip into one loop and then she can relax just a tad while her left foot easily slithers into the other harness. She hangs on with one hand and uses her free hand to slide the straps a little further up her thighs to hold her into place and then she slumps back and shows off how it is in fact a swing.
"See, a swing," she smugly mocks, but then her face falls when she notices that manic grin still radiating from Regina.
"I suppose you showed me," Regina cryptically says just as the doorbell rings, forcing green eyes to blow wide in panic. "I better go get that, dear."
"Wait! Regina, hold on, help me out of this real quick," she pleads, her heart racing at the prospect of someone finding her in such a compromising position.
"You got yourself in there, I'm sure you can get yourself out," Regina teasingly whispers and maybe there is a hint of seduction in her tone, but Emma is starting to really panic and she can't focus on Regina's lame attempt at flirting.
"No, Regina. Hold on, don't answer the door yet," she pleads, her body jerking and slamming against the door as she tries to wiggle free.
However, her pleas are left suspended in the air just as she is, because Regina waltzes right out that door with her head held high. Bitch.
Emma moves quickly, frantic actually, trying to hang on with one hand and slide one strap down her thigh, however, it was so much easier to slide up her leg, rather than down. Turns out, with her back against the door, she doesn't have enough wiggle room to remove the stirrup. She does need another person to glide the strap away from her body.
She hears voices booming from downstairs, but she can't really make out who they belong to, because her heart is hammering in her ears just thinking about someone walking in on her. She clenches the straps in her hands and pulls herself up again, but those stupid loops are around her thighs and she needs another hand to completely slide them off, they refuse to fall passed her knees.
The voices are growing louder and she just knows it's the damn nosy neighbors again and for a split second she hears the chatter slowly fading away and she's positive Regina is guiding them into the dining room.
"Oh my god!"
Hysterical green eyes snap to attention, discovering Ruby lingering in the doorway with her hand slapped across her mouth.
"Oh my god," Emma groans, her face instantly blazing with a type of heat that she swears is about to make her explode like a volcano. "This-it's not what you think," she blurts out while Ruby snickers behind her hand.
"It looks like you guys found August and Kathryn's sex swing and were curious," her neighbor says through her uncontrollable laughter.
"Alright, so it's exactly what it looks like, but dude, please help me out of this before anyone else finds me like this," she begs, but Ruby is already rushing over to her. "What are you doing up here anyways?" She investigates as her friend slides the strap down her thigh.
"Regina said that you were a little tied up with something and probably could use a hand," Ruby says, still giggling away.
"So, she knew I wouldn't be able to get out of this on my own? I bet she knew it was a sex swing to begin with," she grumbles mostly to herself as Ruby frees her other leg, helping her back down to her feet.
"Well, of course, she knows this is a sex swing," her friend chuckles even harder, meeting her gaze. "She's the one who bought it for August when Kathryn had told her about their dry spell."
"What?" She attempts a squawk, but it comes out more like a wobbly whine.
"Oh yeah, Kathryn and I talked all the time about sex. I had never met Regina before, but Kathryn told me that she and August were going through a hard time after Lennox was born. Regina dragged August to some sex shop and convinced him to buy all kinds of stuff to spice up their sex life."
"What?" Emma gasps again, the only word her mouth can produce at the time.
"Poor bastard, he was so embarrassed and shy, but hey, it worked."
"I'll kill her."
XXXX
Regina's waiting on pins and needles for Emma and Ruby to return, her eyes obsessively wandering toward the staircase, a staircase she can't even see from the dining room, but she can't wait to see the look on Emma's face when she returns. The past few weeks have been rough at times and truthfully, she wanted them to have a good laugh. Hopefully, Emma finds the humor in it all.
If she's being completely honest with herself, which she never truly is, but if she allowed her thoughts to settle instead of brushing them away, she would be forced to admit, that observing Emma effortlessly lift her body off the ground, did delicious things to her insides. Watching those hard muscles clench and flex as the gorgeous woman controlled her body and utilized her upper arm strength to support herself with the assistance of two flimsy straps, well, it was pure torture for Regina. And once again, she is forced to realize how long it's been since she's been twisted in bedsheets with another woman.
And her body was damn sure to remind her; her core temperature rising and boiling as those biceps flexed, her stomach fluttering in delight at the sight of Emma's tank top slowly riding up and showing just a sneak peek of those rock hard abdominal muscles, that Regina's tongue salivates to lick. She completely lost all control over her traitorous body when there was a sharp zap between her thighs at just one glance of Emma Swan dangling in that dirty swing. Too many glorious images flashed across her mind and she had to remove herself from the situation before she pinned Emma against that door and shoved her hand down the woman's ridiculous basketball shorts.
"We are so glad you're not moving," Mary Margret exhales in relief, shoving a glass of wine into Regina's hand and washing away her dirty thoughts.
"Thank you," she mutters, moving quickly to cool her body down with the chilled liquid. "But no, we are not moving. We just decided it's time to make this home feel like ours since we are going to be staying and raising Lennox here."
"That's good to hear," Belle adds on, "Just make sure you keep an eye on Emma." With that, she raises her eyebrows and chugs her wine as if she has a can of beer in her hand instead.
Regina flinches. "What do you mean by that?"
"Everyone on this block is infatuated with her."
"I'm not," Mary Margret firmly declares, "and neither is my husband."
"Not at all, I have my hands full with just one woman," David grumbles under his breath.
"That's because you two are uptight, but everyone else on this block has no problem expressing their hots for Emma." Belle downs the rest of her drink and is already refilling before Regina can come up with a response. "Especially keep an eye out for Killian and Milah, I really don't think they would ever be opposed to inviting another person into their bed."
"And what about you?" Mary Margret fires off. "Isn't your wife alone with the woman upstairs right now?"
Belle actually snorts into her wine glass, her crystal blue eyes sparkling with mirth. "Ruby might be the biggest flirt I know and have very loose lips when it comes to speaking about sex, but I can assure you, if the opportunity ever presented itself, she would come running home with her tail between her legs and hide under the bed like a puppy. I love my wife with all my heart, but she's all talk."
"Well," Regina finally chimes in when her pulse has settled back down, "I can assure you, that I have no interest in Emma. She can do...whomever she pleases, so long as she's here to help me with Lennox when she's supposed to be."
"We'll see," Mary Margret hums like she knows some secret, her eyes sliding toward Belle who nods to some telepathic conversation.
Both women thrust their glasses into the air and finish off their wine while Regina's entire face scrunches in perplexity.
"You little brat," Emma's stern voice booms through the room, causing everyone to jump in their own skin.
All eyes are on Emma; wide, bewildered, definitely amused, but nobody says a damn word. In fact, Ruby again slaps a hand over her mouth and lingers behind the blonde.
"We have guests, Miss Swan," Regina scolds, but the way she just purred the formal name is not lost on any ears in the dining room.
"I don't care," Emma declares, her eyes narrowing as she stalks closer. "You knew, you knew and you made me get in...that thing," she growls, choosing her words wisely, somewhat aware of the crowd gawking at her.
"Oh Emma," she darkly chuckles, so full of pure evil and mischief, "I didn't make you do a damn thing."
"Run," she commands so low, her feet confidently striding closer with determination.
"Excuse me?" Regina replies, setting down her wine glass while very closely eyeing the woman that might as well be cornering and snarling at her prey. And she pleads with her heart to calm down.
"Run," Emma repeats, dashing forward with such great speed that Regina's feet obediently comply without another thought.
She takes off, darting out of the dining room with Emma hot on her heels, completely ignoring their guests.
"The end of the week," Belle acknowledges, smiling as she sips her wine.
Ruby chuckles, sliding next to her wife and placing a kiss against her cheek. "Really? I say tonight."
"What are you two rambling on about?" Mary Margret questions, ignoring Emma's playful calls toward Regina as she continues to chase her around the house. But will Emma really know what to do if she ever catches Regina?
"We have a bet going?" Ruby informs the other couple, helping herself to a glass of wine as well.
"Oh, yeah?" David questions, intrigued by something that isn't directly related to his wife and children.
"Oh yeah," Ruby muses. "It's only a matter of time before those two end up in bed together."
"Can I get in on that action?" He quietly asks.
"Well, we were offering sexual favors in exchange for the wager, but sure, we can do money," Ruby says, inspiring Belle to laugh loudly, her fingers running through her wife's long locks affectionately.
"Twenty bucks says Regina will hold out until next month," he states with conviction.
"David," his wife gasps, but he's already stepping closer to Ruby, his brow furrowed like he has thousands down on a pony. "You guys can't be serious?"
"Oh come on M and M," Belle laughs lightly. "It's all fun and games and they never have to know. Come on, what do you think?"
Mary Margret catches a glimpse of Regina rounding the corner and Emma slipping in her socks, but she's quick to catch herself and dashes right after the other woman. She purses her lips, her eyes squinting as she assesses the current situation.
"Fifty bucks says two weeks and they will be in an unspoken relationship that they will both deny."