Emma Swan panicked as Emma Swan has been known to do. The confidence she held in the basement of Ruby's playhouse dissolved when she left the most important decision in her life up to a sassy brunette with a mean streak that could make the strongest man alive cower.
She needed to know more. She felt. She felt plenty, but she needed to know more about how and what and more importantly, who… about the Mayor herself. She spent the last couple of weeks eye-deep in Dominance and play safety and a plethora of other topics she wished to broach with the Mayor.
Leading up to her introduction to Ruby Lucas's lifestyle, Emma hadn't given it too much thought as to how deep she wished to get into it herself. Of course, she was interested, but it wasn't until Regina became a part of the play did it grab Emma's full attention. She'd been attracted to the woman, of course, but it was something deeper that Emma connected to, and she knew it.
She got a snapshot of the signed agreement from the Mayor via text and Emma allowed herself to feel that connection openly, for the first time. She didn't want to screw it up by rushing in as she was apt to do.
So, she studied and made regular visits out to Ruby's playhouse for technique training. She felt an excessive amount of pressure to get things right for Regina and wanted to know everything about everything. During her time at the playhouse, she refused to involve the Mayor for several reasons, and the largest one was the fact that she was feeling things for Regina and seeing her with Ruby would be distracting. She felt possessive and jealous and didn't want those things to get in the way of her education.
Although Ruby was an excellent source for hands-on training, she did most of her education online. She has always been good in school, especially with subjects that interested her and was efficient with how she absorbed the topics. Her main focus of interest has been the few things Ruby suggested that Regina was into. The woman had an endless well of knowledge on the subject of Regina Mills, but pain play was what the wolf circled back to. So she focused on the sensory aspect of pain play and how to heighten the submissive's pleasure. She wanted to hurt the Mayor, but she only wanted that pain to be for pleasure. Regina Mills in the height of pleasure was the most beautiful thing Emma had ever seen, and she promised herself that when she saw it again, it would truly belong to her.
As she did her research, she put together amendments to her hastily signed contract with the brunette. A list of rules and expectations and of course, her set of limits were added.
She logged onto one of the chat sites she recently joined, just to casually lurk and get a feel for the dynamics as the strangers talked to one another. She was reading through sensory deprivation during pet play when a username caught her eye. Apple_Bottom.
Apple_Bottom: My new Dom doesn't make time for me. I work with him, so I see him all the time, but there's always something else he'd rather be doing. I know his job is important, but since we became "official" he pretty much just dropped off the planet.
The username forced her thoughts to the Mayor, for a variety of reasons. The woman's penchant for apples, the way her ass curves in skin-tight dress pants, the fact that she is a submissive. If there were ever to be a username for Regina Mills, Apple_Bottom would be it.
Emma stared at the words the user Apple_Bottom wrote and considered the last couple of weeks had been hectic for herself and how little actual face time she got with the Mayor, and she started to feel guilty. The one time Regina came into the office she regretted having to leave, but there was a fairy dust emergency down at the mines, and she absolutely had no time to spare.
Ugly_Duckz_DTF: Yo- u need to drop that zero and git wit a HeR0
Dark_Swan108: Apple, how long has he been a Dom?
Apple_Bottom: I don't know Swan, why?
Phat_Daddi16: I lik vaginas
Dark_Swan108: So, your relationship is new?
Ugly_Duckz_DTF: Daddi, you like vaginas, or you lick vaginas?
Phat_Daddi16: lik
Ugly_Duckz_DTF: smh forget I asked.
Apple_Bottom: Yes, he offered me a contract of exclusive submission but then acted like it didn't matter. Maybe he changed his mind about me.
Dark_Swan108: Maybe he's figuring out his game plan, ya know? Maybe he's nervous about being with such a good submissive
Phat_Daddi16: boobies!
Apple_Bottom: You don't know that, Swan.
Dark_Swan108: No, but there could be more going on than you know. Maybe he doesn't want to burden you with whatever it is
Ugly_Duckz_DTF: Dude is probably cheating
Phat_Daddi16: He is cheating. He had the butt sex with his boyfriend in your bed
Phat_Daddi16: butthole penis poop
Dark_Swan108: he's not cheating you dill hole
Apple_Bottom: I don't think he's cheating. His job is very important, and this lifestyle would kill it for him.
Dark_Swan108: Have you talked about it? I mean with him?
Apple_Bottom: No. I don't know how to ask him about it. Whenever I'm around him now, I slip into my subspace
Ugly_Duckz_DTF: So when do we start sending diq pics?
Dark_Swan108: What was your relationship like before the contract?
Apple_Bottom: Rocky.
Ugly_Duckz_DTF: Daddi! Stop sending me pictures of your tiny prick!
Apple_Bottom: Duckz! You literally just asked for them
Ugly_Duckz_DTF: his username is false advertising.
Apple_Bottom: ew
Dark_Swan108: seriously?
"Do you think Regina is manipulating her?" Snow White asked her husband as they entered their shared apartment with their daughter.
Emma looked up from her laptop and asked, "What now?"
"I'm sure it's nothing honey," Charming said with a soft smile as he helped his wife out of her jacket.
"It didn't look like nothing," Snow insisted, hanging her purse from the coat rack by the door.
"What happened?" Emma closed down her browser and gave her full attention to her parents. Regina was more important than the online chat ever would be.
"I think something is going on with the Evil Queen," Snow answered as she moved into the kitchen and kissed her daughter on the crown of her head.
Emma rolled her eyes and grumbled, "Mom, we've talked about this!"
"I know I know, habits die hard," the brunette waved off the complaint.
Emma tried not to bite, then asked with concern, "What did Regina do now?"
"Nothing, Red was hugging her in the kitchen at Granny's. It's just strange is all," her mother informed and pulled out the gallon of orange juice from the fridge and poured herself a glass.
Emma's face pinched as she considered what the hell any of that could mean and asked for clarification, "Red was hugging her? Is she okay?"
"Yeah Red seemed fine afterward," her mother replied, then offered, "Juice?"
"I mean Regina. What was the matter with her?" Emma could feel her jealousy bubble up to the surface; her words were curt, and she knew it.
Snow downed the last of her juice then put the cup in the sink and answered, "I don't know, Red wouldn't say. She denied it actually happened in fact, but I saw what I saw."
David came out from the downstairs bathroom and said in a stern voice, "Alright Mrs. Nolan, that's enough gossip."
Emma shook her head in confusion, "So she denied it? What did she say?"
"I'm not gossiping, David. I'm concerned for my friend. You know what the Evil Queen is capable of."
Emma scolded, "Mom!"
Snow smiled as she closed her eyes with condescension, "Yes dear."
"She's trying to change."
"Sure she is," the woman brushed off the comment with a patronizing eye roll.
Emma rolled her own eyes, grabbing up her laptop and asked, "What did Ruby say when you asked about the hug?"
"She said it didn't happen. No excuse or anything, just flat out denial and then she refused to discuss it."
"That's weird," Emma agreed just above a whisper.
"No, it isn't," David interjected and laid a look on his wife.
"I suppose if Red wants to get tangled up in that mess, it's her life," the former princess sighed with a shake of her head.
Emma took immediate offense at that and stood, holding her laptop over her chest. "Seriously? A mess?"
"It's complicated, sweetheart," Snow smiled in that way that always made Emma feel like the woman considered her less than what she actually was.
"If there's something going on between them, which I assure you there is not, Red would be..."
"You weren't there. I am aware of Regina's abundant attributes, she is my stepmother, but I also know her penchant for depravity. Trust me; it's not natural."
Emma cocked a curious eyebrow, "Such as?"
"We don't need to discuss it," David said with a deep blush.
Snow cupped her mouth and said in a low tone, "It's sexual in nature, I don't think we need to talk about it in front of your father."
Emma fish gaped and said, "I don't think we need to discuss it at all. As long as whatever she is doing is with consenting adults, then it's none of anyone's business."
Snow wrinkled up her nose and ushered her blushing husband into their bedroom area and said, "Sure honey. Good night."
Emma tucked her laptop under her arm and trudged upstairs. She sat down on her bed and thought about what Regina and Red could hug about? She pulled out her cell phone and called her friend.
Ruby answered the phone out of breath, "So your mom said she saw Gina and me together, huh?"
"Yeah," Emma admitted with a pout.
"Your jelly-belly head got a hard-on, and you want to know what it was about?"
"Yeah."
"Stop pouting, Swan."
Emma fell back on her bed and defended herself, "I'm not! Is she okay?"
"You've left her to her own devices too long dude. She has massive inferiority issues because of her mom. You can't leave her twist."
"I'm not!"
"You are."
Emma closed her eyes and knew the wolf was right and conceded, "Okay, but I don't want to screw this up."
"You're screwing it up," the wolf informed lightly.
"Augh, I know! Okay," Emma sat up on the edge of her bed and asked in a serious tone, "How do I fix it?"
"She needs structure. You promised her things. Go deliver." Red's authoritarian Top voice gave Emma shivers, and she felt the weight of her insecurities. "What if she hates what I do or what I want?"
Ruby sighed, "She blind-signed a bare-bones contract, Swan. She's interested in what you do and what you want."
Emma whined, "But Rubes… I really like her."
"I know sweetie," the wolf chuckled.
"I mean, I really really like her."
"I know. Hang up and go deliver," Red said in her no-nonsense tone.
Emma dropped her head back and said her goodbye's and got off the phone. She sat in stunned contemplation for several moments before deciding that Ruby was right, she had promises to fill, and the Mayor had waited long enough. Packing a small bag of the few items she'd ordered online for them along with a change of clothes, she made her way over to Regina's house.