Chapter Thirty-Three: Love Me Not

"Do you want any help with dinner?" Emma asked entering the kitchen.

"Would you mind terrible chopping the onions?" Regina asked "I don't think my eyes can handle tonight"

"Yeah, it's still pretty red," Emma said walking closer to her "Do you want to try and wash again?"

"No, I think it would only make it worse"

"Sorry, babe," Emma said kissing her eyes "I promise if I find the kid who thrown sand on you I'll arrest it for insubordination"

"That would be lovely" Regina smirked "But they were just playing. I supposed it was my fault to get in their way"

"I blame the kids, babe" Emma laughed.

"I think I'm getting a headache," Regina said "Do you mind a quiet night? Maybe we could watch a movie?"

"Sure. Actually, could it be a tv show? My favorite show goes on air today"

"Of course" Regina smiled "Now, onions"

"Yes ma'am"

Emma opened the fridge and took one onion from the veggie compartment and chopped it on the board while Regina took care of other veggies. It always amazed Emma how Regina could always turn vegetables into something delicious, something she actually wanted to eat. And she loved helping her out in the kitchen like that, the domesticity of all was something that always warmed Emma for some reason. It wasn't just about the fact that she didn't know how to cook very well, but it was also about the fact she had no motivation for it. It was easier to just stop by at Granny's and get something to eat. And if she had to run ten miles to keep the physique, so be it. She loved to run. But now, she enjoyed homemade meals more. Regina taught her how to do a good tomato sauce from actual tomatoes and how to grill veggies in the oven with salt, pepper, and olive oil. It wasn't even a mystery and for some reason, Emma had no idea how to do t. The only real catch was keeping an eye on the oven.

"Are we expecting someone?" Regina asked pulling Emma out of her thoughts.

"What?"

"The doorbell just rang," Regina said already walking out of the kitchen.

Emma stayed behind, finishing chopping the onions until she heard a familiar voice echoing in the kitchen. She put the knife down and walked out of the kitchen, her eyes widened when she saw the two figures already passing by Regina inside the house.

"Hi, Ems," Elsa said.

"Hey, Els. Ruby!" Emma said, "What are you guys doing here?"

"What are you talking about?" Elsa asked, "Dint you…"

"I brought pizza. And beer" Ruby said interrupting Elsa "I hope you like pizza, Regina"

"I do," Regina said "But we were in the middle of making dinner"

"Oh! I saved you ass then" Ruby said "Already have dinner right here with me. Emma loves pizza. It's her favorite food"

"Right," Regina said, annoyance visible in her voice.

"Ruby, what are you doing here?" Emma asked.

"What do you what am I doing here?" Ruby said "It's the opening season of Love Me Not. The three of us always watch it together. It's our tradition!"

"Ruby…" Emma started to say.

"So, where is the living room?" Ruby asked already moving inside the house.

Emma looked at Regina who didn't exactly look very thrilled about the whole situation. She closed the door behind her and walked upstairs. Emma moved to go after her and explain she had no idea they were coming to the house, but Elsa pulled her by the arm, and Emma was forced to pay attention to her friend.

"Emma, I'm so sorry," Elsa said, "She told me she checked with you"

"Well, she didn't," Emma said back.

"I will get her and we go away, okay?"

"Thanks, Elsa," Emma said with a defeated smile "I really need to go upstairs now"

"Yes, of course"

Elsa let go of Emma's arm and she ran upstairs, jumping two steps of the stairs at a time. The bedroom door was closed and Emma gently knocked on the door before slowly letting herself in. There was no sight of Regina in the bedroom but she did hear the sound of running water coming to the bathroom.

"Regina?" Emma said knocking on the door "Can I come in?"

"A heads up would be nice, Emma," Regina said when the swing the door open.

"Regina, I didn't know," Emma said "Of course I would have checked with you first before inviting them in"

"I have a headache, I can't…"

"I will ask them to go"

"No, don't"

"Regina!"

"Just because she was rude it doesn't mean that I am," Regina said "Go downstairs and watch your show together. It's tradition, right?"

"Don't do that"

"Emma, really, I…I had a long day. My eyes hurt and I have a headache" Regina said "I guess I just want to be in a dark room alone"

"What about dinner?"

"I'm not hungry anymore"

"Your headache will get worse"

"I already took a painkiller," Regina said "Just go, Emma! Be with your friends"

"Okay!"

Emma turned around and left the room closing the door behind her. She should have known better. The conversation she had with Ruby the other day, she should have known would try something like that. Emma walked inside the living room where she found Ruby sitting in front of the tv eating a slice of pizza and Elsa trying to get her to go.

"Ruby, what the hell?" Emma asked.

"What?" Ruby asked innocently.

"You can't just show up in my house like that" Emma said, "I told you, you have to let me know first"

"I did!" Ruby said "I texted you hundreds of times. You are the one who didn't answer me"

"And then, what?" Emma asked, "You took my silence as an invitation?"

"Emma, it's the premiere of the new season of Love Me Not" Ruby said sounding offended "We always watch that together. You, me, and Elsa"

"I know," Emma said defeated.

"If I've done something wrong, I apologize," Ruby said "I really thought it wasn't that big of a deal. I always come by to your place with pizza and you and Elsa usually get the drinks and snacks"

"Emma, if you want us to go, we'll leave right the way," Elsa said, "Right, Ruby?"

"No, don't bother," Emma said "I'll just clean up and the kitchen. Don't eat all the pizza"

"I wouldn't dream," Ruby said with a smile "Is Regina joying us? I could catch her up in case she doesn't know the show"

"No, she has a headache," Emma said "So, no loud noises"

"Do you want any help cleaning the kitchen?" Elsa asked.

"No, its okay" Emma said "I'll be right back"

Emma walked out of the living room and went to the kitchen to cleaned up the contents of their unmade dinner. She took a container from the cupboard and put all the onions she had chopped inside before throwing it inside the fridge and did the same with the celery and carrots Regina was cutting. She then leaned against the sink and took a deep breath. This was a new situation for her, all of it. On one hand, Ruby was right, they did always watch that particular show together with pizza and beer. Always. And in a way, it was excusable that Ruby had just shown up. It was a tradition for them, something that even needed to be discussed. On the other hand, Emma was living with Regina now, and even though it was their house, it would be polite to let the other person know you are having guests.

"Emma" Elsa said entering the kitchen "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's all good Els"

"I tried to get her to leave," Elsa said "But she wanted to hear it from you"

"It's okay, Elsa. Really"

"Do you want me to go talk to Regina?"

"About what?"

"You know, to apologize for the invasion and all that"

"It was unexpected, yes, but Ruby is kinda right," Emma said "It is a tradition for us"

"Yeah, but…It's different now"

"What you mean?"

"You are living with your girlfriend now," Elsa said "We can't just show up and claimed her house"

"Our house" Emma corrected her "Besides, we lived together and Ruby came by the loft without a warning all the time"

"Yes, but Ruby is my friend too," Elsa said "And you weren't my girlfriend whose ex-girlfriend just shown up on my doorstep"

"Ruby is not my ex-girlfriend," Emma said defensibly "We were never serious"

"Maybe not to you. But Regina might see it differently"

"Hey guys," Ruby said entering the kitchen "The show is about to start"

"Let's go, then"

The three of them left the kitchen and walked to the living room. Emma closed the door so that the noise of the tv wouldn't bother Regina upstairs before sitting down on the couch. Ruby handed her the pizza box and Emma took a slice from it almost moaning when the cheese pizza made contact with her tongue. The show started and Emma put all her thoughts about Regina on the back of her mind. Tonight, she didn't want to think if that was right or wrong. Tonight, she just wanted to enjoy a nice evening watching her favorite tv show with her friends.


"Love Me Not" is a fictional tv show created by the amazing ChatDuNoir in her original story "Love Me Not"

I strongly suggest reading all of her work if you still don't know it.

I'm a little bit in love with her character Tanya, but she doesn't know that. It's a secret :P