When the smoke cleared, the women were standing in the Mayor's kitchen. Emma had her arms desperately wrapped around Regina's neck as if she were to pull back and let go, she would lose the sense of safety she felt in the older woman's embrace. After a few moments, the Savior quietly asked, "Is this weird?"
Regina ran her palms up the blonde's back, under her leather jacket, and breathed out a satisfied, "No."
"Not even a little bit?"
The Mayor pulled back just enough so she could look into the melancholy face of the Savior and asked, "Does this feel weird for you?"
"Hugging you? Maybe a little." She shrugged her shoulders and added, "It feels like it isn't something I'm allowed to do."
Regina licked her lips to control the wide smile that was threatening to cross her features and replied, "You have permission to hug me, Emma, any time you feel the need, is that clear?"
Emma dropped her gaze with a look of contemplation, and Regina asked, "What's wrong, darling?"
A pink flush crawled up her cheeks before Emma shrugged her shoulders, and Regina lifted her chin so she could look her in the eye and asked, "My good girl is always honest with me, isn't she, Emma?"
An uncontrolled smile spread across Emma's face, and she gave a quick, tight nod in agreement before Regina repeated her question, "Then tell me, what's with the face?"
Emma's fingers started to nervously play with and tug at the bottom of Regina's suit blazer, and after a moment of summoning her courage, she explained in a soft voice, "I'm not used to being allowed to hug anyone, I guess. There wasn't a lot of sentimental crap when I was little, and that kinda carried on into my adulthood."
Regina figured as much, having looked into the foster system and its effects on children when the blonde first came to town. She pushed a few unruly curls away from Emma's face and asked, "May I try something magical with you?"
When Emma shrugged, giving the witch her permission, Regina held up her palm then twisted her fingers around in a showy circle, casting a spell on the younger woman. A small curious smile crossed Emma's lips as she looked around to see what the older woman had done, and when she couldn't see anything apparent, she asked, "What did you do?"
Regina felt her cheeks blush when she admitted, "I magically altered your body's mass in relation to the natural gravity of the earth."
"What? Why?"
"May I pick you up?"
"Pick me up? No, I'm way too big, Regina."
The Mayor tugged her close and soothed, "Let me try." She could see the younger woman was apprehensive and not quite comprehending what the spell had done, so she took matters into her own hands, literally, by sliding her palms under the blonde's armpits and effortlessly lifted her.
Of course, Emma panicked with being manhandled in such a way; she instinctively wrapped her arms around Regina's neck and her legs around her hips and clung to the brunette as if her life depended on it. Strong hands rubbed down the Savior's back and tucked up under her jean covered bottom to support what little weight she had. Regina gently rocked back and forth, and soon all of the tension that was in the blonde melted away, leaving her long limbs limp and dangling. Emma's head had taken up residence on Regina's shoulder, and she'd nuzzled her nose into the brunette's neck, and after a long moment, she asked, "You made me lighter?"
"Does it still feel weird?" Regina asked in a low tone. "Hugging me, that is?"
"Maybe," Emma breathed out a sigh of contentment and added, "I like it, though."
"I like it, too, Emma." Regina kissed the Savior's cheek and melted within her own satisfaction. She wanted something like this for some time but never understood precisely how good it would feel when she finally got it.
"I think I'm drunk," the blonde admitted with a hiccup.
"I know, darling."
Emma tucked her arm up between them and let her fingers play with the top button of Regina's shirt before allowing the nervous habit to spread into noticeable fidgeting.
"What is it, baby?"
"Am I still your good girl?"
"Of course you are, darling."
"Even if I'm all the way drunk?"
"No matter what you do, my little Emma is always my good girl," Regina said and hugged the woman in her arms tighter and whispered, "Always."
She felt the blonde relax as she accepted her reassurance then asked, "It feels like it may be time for sleep, darling. Would you like to stay over?"
A silent lazy nod responded, and Regina slowly made her way upstairs to put the sleepy blonde to bed. She considered, for the briefest of moments, taking the woman to her own bedroom, but didn't wish to cloud the situation with expectations. Instead, she carried the Savior into the guest bedroom and made an effort to set her down on the bed.
A quiet little whine came from the Savior as she was gently placed on the edge of the bed. The whine stopped as soon as the woman's feet touched the floor as if Emma had reigned herself back in with purpose, and Regina noticed the growing scowl across fair features almost immediately.
"What is it?"
Emma silently shrugged but avoided eye contact. Feeling the younger woman's turmoil, Regina didn't push her to discuss it but reminded her that she wouldn't be judged. "You're safe with me, my darling."
Emma shrugged again, and Regina decided to distract her by focusing her attention on something external and conjured a pair of bright yellow flannel pajamas. They were short shorts and an oversized top and had an embroidered Tigger from Winnie the Pooh on the bottom of the short's leg.
As expected, Emma's attention was drawn to the overly soft material, and a surprised voice asked, "Are these yours? I kind of always imagined you were a satin and lace kind of woman."
Regina chuckled, "You've imagined my sleepwear, Miss Swan?"
Wide surprise looked up at the brunette before she quickly denied, "No!" Green eyes slightly rolled as she amended, "Maybe, but it wasn't in a creepy way."
"Were these idol curiosities, or were they fantasies?"
"Generalized assumptions," Emma answered carefully.
"Correct assumptions," Regina said before adding, "My little Sheriff is always so smart, isn't she?" She poked the tip of her finger off the end of the blonde's nose and returned the wide beaming smile she got from the Savior before asking, "Do you require assistance in getting changed, darling?"
She practically held her breath as Emma processed the question and felt her hopes fall when a blonde head shook no. Despite wanting to provide care to the Savior, Regina stuffed her own desires away and put Emma's comfort and well being first, and kissed her on her forehead.
"Alright, darling, I'll get changed real quick myself, but then I'll be back to tuck you in; how does that sound?"
A surprised smile crossed Emma's face as she looked up at the older woman and said, "Kind of awesome!"
Regina chuckled and said, "Chop chop, Sheriff, I'll be right back." She turned, with slight hesitation, and left the guest room, closing the door behind her.
Emma watched the older woman slip out of the bedroom and felt a longing for her almost immediately. Irritated by that fact, she clumsily began pulling off her clothes. She noticed that her underwear was drenched with her desire and wondered what exactly this intimacy the Mayor spoke of entailed. Would they cross their lines of friendship and become lovers? She wasn't sure how she felt about that. On the one hand, Regina was amazing. She was fire and fury and fiercely protected the people closest to her with a blazing retribution. She was her best friend. Her closest confidant. Her son's other mother.
But she was also soft and nurturing, and her love ran far deeper than appearances would suggest. She felt safe with the Mayor. Almost treasured. She considered her the one person she could turn to in every situation.
In the time that they cultivated their friendship, Emma has grown to rely on Regina. Trust her in ways, few before her ever managed. The woman was her anchor in the rough seas that were living her life as the Savior. She was vital to keeping her sanity in the chaos that was their lives. Would sex ruin that? Would whatever Regina meant by the term intimacy destroy what they had? Was she willing to chance it?
Emma slipped off her soiled underwear and felt the burning desire between her legs and thought, for just a second, what the Mayor's hands would feel like there. Would she be rough and demanding as she is to the world, pulling pleasure out of her at her whim? Or would she be the gentle woman Emma knows in private; careful, and attentive, seeking to heighten their experience together? Either way, Emma felt her body respond, and with a roll of the eyes, she went into the bathroom to clean herself up.
After she was sufficiently clean and thoroughly dressed, she plopped down on the edge of the bed, uncertain as to what else to do with herself. She noticed instantly how springy the mattress felt and realized Regina's spell was still in full effect. She bounced a little on the edge and easily caught air, and in her clouded mind, an idea came to the forefront. As silly as it was, it wasn't something she'd ever afforded herself as a kid as there was no way any of her fosters would have put up with jumping on the bed.
She climbed up onto the full-sized mattress and stood up. She felt a little uneasy being so high, but soon gained confidence and started to bounce. The bed easily took her significantly diminished weight and flung her higher and higher into the air. She bounced down onto her behind, then back up onto her feet, and laughed as joy from the activity filled her completely. Ordinarily, she wouldn't have dared act out in such a way, being the controlled Sheriff that she was, but the alcohol in her system freed her of such tightly bound restraint, and she relished in the feeling of flight. This was definitely something she missed out on, and this spell was the perfect excuse to be a little naughty.