Well, Regina can only assume that since they redecorated the house to feel more like their home, Emma is feeling a lot more comfortable with revealing her true self. Truthfully, Regina has felt more relaxed and at ease with herself as well, she doesn't feel like she's constantly walking on eggshells waiting for Kathryn and August to come in and yell at her for raising their daughter wrong.
However, with this new-found comfort comes Emma's adventurous behavior, which is a very polite way for Regina to say, Emma is back to humping anything that is sexy and breezes right passed her. Well, to be fair, Emma had still been hooking up on her nights away from Lennox, but now she's feeling more comfortable and is bringing her flings over to the house when Regina and Lennox are fast asleep.
The first to ride the one-night express was a man, who Regina has no problem admitting, was very handsome with his dark curly locks and a shy smile. She really enjoyed how he seemed to hold his breath around her, like he knew he was intruding. She had always been a sucker for watching people squirm under her hard gaze.
Emma had left for her morning run while Regina was feeding Lennox breakfast. She had popped her head in the kitchen, said she was leaving and that her guest was still sleeping and he probably wouldn't be up until well after she returned. Regina had a gut feeling that Emma must know him fairly well and maybe they have misbehaved more than just once and that's why she felt comfortable leaving him behind.
This created a sharp sting to Regina's heart that she wasn't at all familiar with and honestly, she couldn't stand the feeling. So, she cursed Emma under her breath and proceeded with her day as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
The man had woken up before Emma returned, groggy, a stumbling zombie as he entered the kitchen to find Regina fighting with Lennox over some oatmeal. Again another wonderful dish Regina poured her love into and her goddaughter rejected. Brat. Anyways, he seemed apologetic and rather uncomfortable which amused Regina to no end, so she ended up handing him a cup of coffee. He kept side-eyeing her, like his sleepy brain was trying to figure out if she was sleeping with Emma as well, so she may have played along for shits and giggles.
Especially, when Emma had come home, and Regina had a bottle of water already waiting for her and the sweaty woman squeezed her side as a thank you, because Emma has been doing that a lot as of lately too, touching, flirting and being more playful. Regina purred a few extra, dear's, the blonde's way and batted her lashes more than she had ever done her entire life.
The man tried to project unaffected, he even tried to flirt with Regina a little bit, maybe thinking he could somehow manage a threesome, but Regina was quick with her snarky remarks and cold glares which easily rejected the assumption before the words were ever brought into the world.
Now, here she is again, another morning where Emma had the night off. She's bouncing down the steps with Lennox to coax those cheerful baby giggles to fill the morning air, something she has seen Emma do far too many times. When she reaches the bottom step, she finds a woman swaying from side to side, pretending to be all cute and innocent. It makes Regina sick and her lip actually curls in disgust from the scene. The woman lingers in the doorway, her little black dress from the night before all wrinkled, and she's just silently begging for Emma to propose another night together.
"Well, that was a lot of fun," the stranger purrs so seductively, her hand coming up to slide down Emma's bicep.
That's when Regina takes in Emma's appearance, from the plain white cami to the red basketball shorts, and she wonders yet again, how this woman manages to attract so many men and women?
"It really was," Emma agrees, bouncing her head up and down like a stupid bobble head and Regina has this urge to smack her upside the head. Instead she opts for rolling her eyes behind the woman's back.
"We should totally do it again sometime."
"Yeah, sure," Emma flippantly replies and Regina knows she's full of shit, but this bimbo must believe her because she stretches forward, a sappy grin spreading into her cheeks as she dives in to steal a kiss.
Regina rolls her eyes again until her gaze wanders to Lennox, who is giggling at the silly face she is expressing.
Emma chuckles nervously though and immediately sways backwards to abruptly end the kiss. Her hand is already fumbling for the doorknob and how this stranger doesn't see she's being kicked to the curb, is beyond Regina?
"Call me!"
Emma simple hums, plastering on the fakest smile ever as she closes the door behind the woman.
"You're an idiot," Regina announces once the woman is gone, climbing down the last step and heading straight for the kitchen to make breakfast for Lennox.
"Why? What I do?" Her roommate innocently inquires, chasing right behind her.
"How you ever get all these people to sleep with you, will forever remain an unsolved mystery," she scoffs as Emma swoops in and steals Lennox, chuckling away.
"I think Auntie Regina needs some lovin'," Emma mocks in a baby babble voice.
"Where do you even find these people? You are always here with Lennox and I and on your nights away you don't go to the bars."
Emma bites down on both her lips and refuses to share her dirty little secret. Instead she deflects. "Lennox, tell Auntie Regina to be nice."
Their goddaughter giggles as Auntie Emma flies her through the air.
"That's another thing," Regina rambles as she starts cracking eggs into a bowl, her mind going a mile a minute. "Why isn't she talking yet, or walking? She's fifteen months. She should definitely be walking according to the books and she should be babbling some words."
"She'll talk when she's ready," Emma confidently states, plopping the baby on her hip while she prepares the coffee.
Neither one noticing how well they work together in the kitchen now, flowing so easily around one another, knowing what task each one has to do for their morning routine.
"Come on, Lennox," Regina happily cheers, scrambling up some eggs. "Say, Re-Gina!"
"Em-ma," Emma quickly rushes out, inspiring Regina to lightly shove her, causing both green-eyed beauties to laugh.
"How about just Gina, baby?"
"Give me an, Em," the blonde declares, but they are both smiling wildly while Lennox's eyes bounce between them like they are lunatics.
"Maybe I should take her to the doctor and see if something is wrong with her," she exasperates.
"Man, you always want to rush off and take this kid to the doctor, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you got the hots for doctor," Emma giggles, clasping onto Regina's side and digging her talons into the flesh until she is jumping at the stove.
"Oh, stop it," she grumbles, swatting that teasing hand away and focusing on her eggs to hide away the blush staining her cheeks.
The question is, is the cherry hue and heat radiating from her cheeks from Emma's playful touch or because she does in fact have a huge crush on Lennox's pediatrician? She shakes her head and focuses on distributing the eggs between three plates, even though Lennox will shove them away and Emma will end up giving her cereal instead like every morning.
Emma places Lennox in her high-chair and then pours two cups of coffee, one with extra vanilla for herself and one black for Regina. All while Regina sets two plates down on the table and one in front of Lennox. Emma slides into her seat next to Lennox and waits for Regina to retrieve the bowl of fruit from the fridge.
"You're not going running this morning?" She casually asks.
"I don't know," Emma is already cringing, folding her legs on the chair like a toddler which expresses her clear discomfort, but then again, Emma really doesn't know how to sit in a chair properly. "Milah is always trying to run with me now and she can't really keep up and Killian is always smirking that stupid cocky grin as he watches us leave. And that new guy that just moved in down the block, he keeps spying on me too. It's weird."
"Awe, does someone not like all the attention?" Regina condescendingly mocks as she slips into her seat across from her roommate, her eyes sparkling with mirth.
"Shut up," Emma groans, jabbing her fork aggressively into some eggs. "I don't get why they aren't drooling over you. Have you seen how hot you are?" She mindlessly questions around her fork. "They are all dumb. You are way more attractive than I am."
Regina really tries to suppress the giddy grin tickling her cheeks, but she fails miserably, because she's a hard-up woman that is so sex deprived that she's ready to dry hump the next creature that is willing to flash her a smile. So, she quickly gathers her coffee and hides her smile behind the cup.
"I'm a lesbian, I'm not obtainable to men and so you are more desirable, dear, because even though their chances are slim-"
"None. No chances."
Regina smirks again. "Slim to none, there is still a probability because you do enjoy men."
"Whatever, they're all dumb," she mumbles around another mouthful. "I bet they openly flirt with me, but fantasize about you," she confesses, green eyes focusing on her food as she shoves forkfuls into her big mouth.
Regina's heart sprouts wings and happily flutters down toward the pit of her stomach which encourages all kinds of sensations to tingle back to life. She squirms in her seat, immediately scolding herself for allowing Emma's careless flirting to effects her in such a way. So, she hastily turns to Lennox for a distraction.
"Here comes the plane," she coos, picking up the baby fork and guiding a tiny piece of egg toward her goddaughter's mouth.
Lennox's neck instantly rolls, her head drifting as far away as possible from whatever her aunt has in store for her today.
"How about the train, chooo-choooo!" Emma ecstatically cheers, pretending to be a conductor, tugging and all. Regina lifts one eyebrow, assessing her friend in amusement, but Lennox's head bobs back and forth lazily while her lips remain sealed shut. "Cheerios?"
"Cheerios," Regina tiredly concedes. As Emma leaves to retrieve the box of cereal, Regina rests her head against Lennox's. "You have made this personal little one and I will get you to eat my food, if it is the last thing I do," she threatens darkly, but Lennox simply places both hands upon her aunt's cheeks and giggles.
XXXX
Today is the first time where their schedules aren't conflicting and they both have the entire day off together. They enjoyed their breakfast, even if Lennox broke her heart yet again, but she has something planned tonight that will hopefully be a game changer.
"Em, I'm going to run to the store," Regina announces, peeking her head into the family room where she can't help but smile because of the two green-eyed girls.
Emma snaps her head to attention, where Lennox is leaning against her side as they watch the Blackhawks. The kid screams her head off if the Bulls are on, which is fine because all the at home games Emma is working behind the camera. Emma recently discovered though, that Lennox loves watching hockey and both adults are kind of obsessed with it.
"Oh, umm, I can go if you want."
"It's fine, you can stay here with her and watch the game. I just need to pick up a few things for dinner," she says, swaying into the family room to kiss her goddaughter goodbye.
"No, no. I can go."
"Are you getting antsy from being in the house all day?" Regina teases, swooping Lennox up and placing a kiss against her temple while flashing a playful smirk Emma's way.
"Yeah. I can go with Lennox and if you want, you could...um take a bath and relax if you want. What do you need?" Emma rushes out, which only heightens Regina's suspicion for her roommate.
She scrutinizes the woman as she leaps off the couch, already turning off the game. She's acting all jittery and quite frankly, it's odd for how calm they have been since rearranging the house.
"Why don't we all go?" She recommends, her eyes squinting at the blonde who shoves her hands nervously into her front pockets of those damn skinny jeans.
"Nah, you don't have to-"
"Okay, you are acting really strange...stranger than usual. Now I want to go to see what you are hiding."
"I'm not hiding anything," her friend quickly defends.
Regina simply hums, strutting right out of the room with Emma following closely behind.
XXXX
Now, Regina wouldn't necessarily say that all eyes are on them, but she feels like all eyes are on them. She feels a kink in her neck starting to develop from her head snapping back and forth at all the different sets of eyes tracking her. The amount of men slyly grinning her way is forcing her face to scrunch up and there is no denying her grimace. There are a few women, not as many, but they are batting their pressed on lashes Emma's way and then it clicks.
"Does the entire store know you're a bisexual living with a lesbian and raising a baby that isn't ours?" Regina interrogates rather loudly, provoking Emma to flinch.
"What?"
"Oh, don't play dumb, Miss Swan," she growls, angrily grabbing a brick of cheddar cheese and slamming it against the blonde's chest.
"Ow, dude!"
"I'm sure all the women's ovaries are exploding just thinking about you raising this baby that isn't yours and all the men would be happy to just sit in the corner and watch us between the sheets," she scoffs.
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"I can't believe you are using Lennox to pick up strangers in a grocery store. No wonder you love shopping."
Emma chuckles softly, her hand reaching out to pull the angry woman closer and Regina doesn't even stop her. She's appalled with herself, but she allows Emma's hand to squeeze right above her hip and tug her in.
"Don't be mad," this damn player begs with the most adorable pout on her thin little lips while those golden flecks in her eyes sparkle with joy. "I didn't even realize at first. This kid is such a great wing-girl."
Regina rolls her eyes and slams a brick of parmesan cheese against Emma's chest, forcing a hearty chuckle from the woman's lips. "Alright, let's see it."
"See, what?"
"I want you to go shopping and then swing back around with Lennox and pick me up," she demands.
"What? No."
"Move, Miss Swan-"
"No, Regina, look, I really don't have some master plan-"
"Regina?"
Emma's eyes dart over her roommate's shoulder while Regina whirls around like a gun was just fired behind her. Emma's immediately scrutinizing this beautiful brunette she's never seen before and she hates, absolutely loathes herself for feeling the blistering infection of jealously bubbling beneath her flesh.
"Dr. Ryan, Ivy," Regina stammers through a gasp.
"Blueberry muffin and black coffee," the woman teases, flashing a smirk that has Emma's fingers itching to curl around Regina's slim waist and pull her body back against her own. "Hi, Lennox!"
Both brunettes are chuckling at some joke that Emma clearly doesn't get, so she breathes out a fake laugh, scowling at the two women.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Regina breathlessly says as if she just ran a mile and was forced to do fifty burpees after. "Ivy, this is Emma, Lennox's other godparent. Emma, this is Dr. Ryan, Lennox's pediatrician."
Emma fakes a smile, her eyes crinkling at the side as she shakes the doctor's hand firmly, not at all taking a step closer to stand directly behind Regina and it's definitely not in a protective, claiming manner.
"You call Lennox's doctor, Ivy?" Emma skeptically murmurs into Regina's ear.
"Oh, this is Emma. No more fruities with pears, right?" Dr. Ryan jokes, inspiring a light laugh to spill from Regina's lips while Emma jerks her hand away.
"Right, right," she mumbles. "You know, Regina is always raving about Lennox's pediatrician," Regina slowly peeks over her shoulder, her eyes cold and dark on Emma. "I always thought Regina was just overreacting about wanting to take Lennox to the doctor, but now-"
"Shut up, Swan," Regina growls between her clenched teeth.
"But now it all makes sense," Emma smugly insinuates, gesturing toward the doctor who is smiling so shyly. "I was just joking about a hot doctor, but-"
"Walk away, Swan," Regina snarls.
"I'm just saying, I didn't really think that-"
"Just give me a minute."
"I'm alright right here."
"Now, Emma, walk away, now."
Emma deflates, every inch of her soul shrinking from the cold command, but she fakes her best smirk, pretending to be the cocky jerk Regina expects her to be. "Come on, Lenny, better go find some fruities, maybe pick up a chick along the way," she mumbles under her breath as she grips the cart abnormally tight and pushes Lennox away.
Regina rolls her eyes as she watches the childish woman glide away with Lennox giggling happily.
"I'm sorry about that. I swear, I'm looking after two babies now," Regina teases, running her fingers through her hair and tossing her long tresses while Ivy just beams at her.
"So," Ivy drawls, stealing another step closer and oblivious to a set of green eyes tracking her every move like a lion hiding and preparing to pounce on its prey. "How does that all work with you two?"
"We have a chart. A very big chart."
Ivy laughs lightly, nervously tucking a chunk of hair behind her hair. "Does this big chart ever allow you some time on your own?"
"Oh yes, every other Friday."
"And this Friday? Do you have Lennox?"
"I do not actually."
"Well, I was thinking, maybe I could take you to dinner, say seven o'clock? My treat since you offered a free lunch at your place-"
"But I have yet to give it to you," Regina sadly acknowledges, her eyes drifting toward Lennox, grabbing at Emma's face and trying to pull her aunt in closer. "I was trying to call you and tell you about the free lunch, but something...someone came up that night."
"Look," Ivy softly whispers, encouraging brown eyes to wander back to their private conversation. "I don't want to get in the middle-"
"Oh, no no. Emma and I are not, no. She's a revolving door."
"What?"
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing is going on between us, we are strictly co-parents, working our way to being friends."
"Oh, okay then." Ivy grins from ear to ear. "I'll hold onto that lunch ticket for after our date."
"Already planning for a second date before the first?" Regina easily flirts, loving how natural this all feels with this stunning woman.
"When I see something I like, I make sure I don't run the risk of losing it," Ivy states with conviction and it's exactly the kind of thing Regina loves to hear. She loves a woman who knows what she wants and fights for it. "Did you update your contact information at the office?"
"Yes, all my information is in the system."
"Perfect," Ivy cheerfully replies, still beaming so brightly and Regina could definitely fall in love with that broad, sparkling smile.
"Well, then I will see you Friday," she purrs.
"Yes, you will. Have a nice evening, Regina."
"You as well," Regina mumbles, watching as the gorgeous brunette drifts away.
However, almost immediately, she feels a presence lingering behind her. She peeks over her shoulder to find Emma and Lennox back, but her roommate seems to be invested in some label on the back of a package.
"Hey," Emma mutters mostly to herself, but then she's leaning into Regina's side. "How do you pronounce this? A-ki?" She mispronounces, offering the label to Regina for inspection. "I heard this is supposed to be really healthy, and I think maybe Lennox would like it as a snack?"
"It's açaí," Regina nonchalantly answers.
"Açaí," Emma repeats slowly as Regina nods her approval. "Huh, you must really have an ear for languages?"
Regina shrugs carelessly, stealing the package away to inspect this so-called snack. "Not really, I mean I took Spanish all throughout high school," Regina rambles, glancing up to find Emma completely invested in her words and it makes Regina want to spill more as her heart takes off racing. "I received good grades, and my mother actually speaks Italian," she admits, noticing how Emma is nodding slowly and leaning in closer, enthralled with her confession. A full-blown Cheshire Cat grin consumes Regina's face as she starts chuckling. "Oh...oh..." she mutters, shaking her head while Emma smirks and winks at her. She licks her lips and even though it physically pains her to admit, she still confesses, "you're good."
Emma wiggles her eyebrows, amusement taking over her face and highlighting her eyes as she smiles a mile wide. Regina shakes her head again and shoves Emma toward the cart.
"Let's go, Casanova."
"So, did I win a date?" Emma teases, tickling just below Lennox's chin to coax those giggles to come pouring out again.
"Not tonight, you didn't," Regina smugly replies. "But I sure did. You're right, this place is great for picking up women," she muses before she walks ahead of the cart in search of the rest of her ingredients.
And she misses completely how Emma's smile vanishes in an instant and her feet forget how to move altogether.
XXXX
"Something smells so freakin' good," Emma enthusiastically compliments as she follows her nose into the kitchen.
She finds Regina sitting in front of Lennox's high-chair, a green baby bowl in hand and a baby spoon in the other. Lennox is already eyeing the other brunette skeptically and Emma has to bite down on her lips to keep from belting out an obnoxious laugh at her goddaughter's facial expression.
"I believe I finally have found a way to win," Regina muses, not ever breaking eye contact from Lennox.
Emma's eyebrows skyrocket as she strides right up to the stove and peeks inside. "Regina, this doesn't count. It's Mac and cheese."
"No, this isn't some fake, processed cheese, Emma," she says in a tone that is extra fluffy for Lennox's sake. "I grated three different blocks of cheese for this dish."
"Alright," Emma chuckles, already diving a ladle inside the big pot and scooping herself some dinner. "You want some?" She murmurs, popping a hot noodle right into her mouth.
"Not until this little one eats," Regina growls, flying a spoon through the air.
Emma nods, but she gave up a long time ago on fighting Lennox with meals. She crosses the kitchen, places her bowl down on the table and watches as Regina presses the spoon against Lennox's locked lips.
"Kid, you're gonna kill your aunt here," Emma teases.
Regina sighs, exhausted and so damn frustrated as she pulls the spoon away. "I don't get it, I thought for sure she would have loved this," she sadly sighs, but Emma isn't really listening.
And it's all because, Lennox is slowly licking her lips from the flavor of cheese left behind by the spoon that was pressed up against her mouth. Regina furrows her brows, not understanding why Emma is blatantly ignoring her. Slowly, she pivots, just in time to witness Lennox reaching into the bowl and stealing a noodle.
Both women hold their breath, neither one moving a single muscle, as their eyes expand to their fullest potential. Lennox pops the cheesy shell into her mouth and smiles, actually smiles. However, Regina and Emma wait, still holding their breaths for more confirmation that she will eat the meal. Sure enough, Lennox's little fingers dip into the bowl again and pop a few more noodles into her mouth.
"Oh my god," Regina breathes out a sigh of relief, leaping from her chair and taking Emma by total surprise when she jumps into the air.
Emma doesn't even skip a beat though, she easily wraps her arms around Regina's back and holds her off the ground, allowing this woman to continue living this high.
"You did it!" Emma squeals, squeezing Regina's tiny waist just as her roommate wraps her arms around her neck and buries her face.
"I can't believe I finally got her to eat something I cooked!"
And Emma's heart fills with this overwhelming warmth that she has never experienced before, all because of this woman in her arms. And the heat and comfort expands and pours into her soul, especially when she finds Lennox's head tilted to the side, observing them with the sappiest grin across her face, like she's been rooting for them this whole time.