A/N: As always, I appreciate each and every one of you who reads this, and I hope to continue to make you guys happy. I don't own OuaT or the characters, just the story. 3
XX
5 pm, four hours until the party.
Emma paced back and forth in her room before looking in the mirror. Her hair had been hastily pulled back, and the glistening sweat that still lined her body gave her chills in the cold of her bedroom. She looked down at the slightly crumpled piece of paper in her left hand and slapped her palm to her forehead. Emma had been instructed to acquire quite a few things, and she gritted her teeth with regret at the amount of money she would surely be costing Regina. It would be one thing if the Charmings were wealthy, but while they weren't exactly far from it, they still struggled from time to time. It seemed that being a teacher and a sheriff didn't exactly bring them in tons of money, but that was okay with Emma, because they took care of her in ways that no other family before them had. Emma made a mental note to figure out how exactly to make up the bill to Regina, for surely there was a way. It seemed the teacher had thought of it all, instructing Emma on everything precisely, down to the exact amount of clothing the blonde needed to bring with her: four nights worth of "acceptable sleepwear", causing Emma to crack up helplessly at how prim and proper Miss Mills was. Emma made a silent vow to get to the real Regina, and she was confident that the four days they would be spending at the conference would be an excellent time to do so. However, one item on the impressive list gave Emma pause; a dress. Emma Swan had to bring a dress.
"Why the hell, exactly, do I need a dress?" Emma groaned at the mirror. She'd already figured she'd be purchasing four days worth of business clothing, as well as two 'business casual' outfits, whatever the hell that meant, so she was uncertain as to why she needed a dress. Emma shrugged, to no one in particular, setting the note down and moving to her bathroom. The graduation party was in a little less than four hours, and although there were only going to be a few people there that Emma actually wanted to interact with, she couldn't show up in workout clothes. The blonde stripped off her clothes, turning the shower on as hot as it would go. She'd have to ask Mary Margaret to take her shopping in the morning, and she mused over how excited her foster mother would be while lathering her hair. She didn't often get to take her decidedly tomboyish foster daughter shopping, and Emma was certain she would absolutely relish the opportunity. As she rinsed her hair, her thoughts drifted away from her mother, and she closed her eyes, letting the boiling water rush down her body, concentrating on ebony hair, olive skin, crimson lips, and a deep, rich, moan.
8:45 PM
Emma gave her parents a quick hug before departing the house. She didn't miss their knowing looks, or the light tears dotting Mary Margaret's eyes, so she thought it best to leave as fast as possible. She made her way through the mostly empty streets, taking the time at every red light to glance in the rear view mirror. She hadn't ever really thought of herself as beautiful, or attractive at all, to be honest, but something was different tonight, and she smiled at herself appreciatively before easing through the light and arriving at her destination: Granny's Bed & Breakfast. Parking her car amongst the row of other vehicles, Emma walked confidently to the front door, pulling it open to an instantaneous tackle that nearly brought her and her attacker to the ground.
"Ruby, what the hell?!"
Emma's startled tone was quite a bit harsher than she had intended, and she gave her best friend a quick hug. Ruby's grin was infectious, and before Emma knew it she was smiling, too.
"I'm just glad you're here, Ems, I wasn't sure you'd show up."
Emma feigned shock.
"What, and miss a world famous Ruby party? As if!"
Ruby donned a cocky smirk, shrugging.
"Well, you know.."
Upon entering Granny's diner, Emma immediately became aware of two things. First, that Ruby had absolutely outdone herself on decorating: the walls were lined with banners proclaiming 'Congratulations'; a big dropdown just in the entrance screamed 'Class of 2014'; the ceiling was cluttered with what must have been an easy thousand balloons; confetti, little graduation hats and rolled up diplomas, littered the ground and floor; and the tables were adorned with cloths in royal blues, shimmering golds, and monochrome black and white. Emma couldn't keep her mouth closed, turning to Ruby at her questioning of how it looked.
"It looks...freaking awesome, Rubes. Seriously, this rocks."
Beaming with pride, Ruby shook her hips a little and grabbed Belle, who had just appeared from behind the diner bar, by the waist. Belle blushed lightly and leaned into the hug, closing her eyes and sighing happily. Emma gave her best friends a knowing smile, giving them a moment before clearing her throat.
"So, where is everybody? And holy cow, look at all that food!"
Emma rushed to the diner bar, ignoring the snickers of the girls she had left behind and focusing on the impressive feast that Granny had most assuredly been preparing the vast majority of the day. Platters with cheeses and crackers, miniature hot dogs, buffalo bites, trays covered in sandwiches, cupcakes, miniature cheesecakes, cookies; every food group was surely explored. Emma inhaled deeply, zoning out and noticing just how hungry she was. Almost as if on cue, Granny shuffled slowly from the back, her azul eyes and silver hair twinkling in the dim light. Emma gave her an impressed nod before gesturing to the buffet.
"You've sincerely outdone yourself this time, Granny! I can't wait to try everything! Thank you so very much!"
Granny smiled serenely at Emma before giving a slight bow.
"Yes, well, as the teenagers are running the place this evening, the Inn's Guests and I are running a poker tournament in the next town over, so we really must be going. I'm glad you're excited, and I trust you will keep everything up and running, right, Ruby? Nothing broken, no drunk minors, etc.?"
Ruby smiled warmly at her Granny before the three girls gave her a huge hug, acknowledging the necessity for responsibility. With that, Granny headed outside, waving one last time at Ruby before the remainder of the guests began to arrive.
XX
9:45 PM
Emma had mingled, she'd consumed every bit of food her stomach would allow, and she'd even danced a bit with Ruby and Belle. For some reason, however, she felt something she couldn't quite place. Loneliness, perhaps? The knowledge that someone was missing bothered her, because she knew that if she gave the lump in her throat a voice, it would tell her that she deeply missed Regina Mills. Ruby seemed to sense this, grabbing her best friend's arm and pulling her through the throng of gyrating bodies to the other side of the room, entering the door through which one could locate the little Inn's rooms. Emma didn't protest; she knew that arguing with Ruby would be pointless, so she simply allowed herself to be led along. Upon arriving at her destination, Ruby let go of Emma's arm, turning on her heels and giving her best friend a once over.
"Ok, Ems, spill. What's wrong?"
Emma grimaced at the concern in her voice; she hadn't meant to cause any discomfort to Ruby, and she knew better than to allow whatever sadness that plagued her to do so with the girl around, as she seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to those that mattered to her. As such, lying wouldn't help Emma out of this one, so she cleared her throat and shrugged.
"I don't know, Rubes, I'm just..lonely, I guess? Like, it's weird, 'cause I'm having fun and whatever, I don't know."
Ruby's knowing look made Emma a little self conscious, and she vaguely wondered what time the party would be ending; Emma did love her sleep, after all. Ruby gave Emma another wolfish grin, pulling her back through the door to the other side of the bar before handing her a small tray which she proceeded to fill with sandwiches and snacks.
"Ruby, what exactly are you doing?" Ruby simply shrugged before setting two glasses and a pitcher of light amber liquid on Emma's tray.
XX
Regina sighed for what must have been the four hundredth time that evening. She just couldn't seem to get to sleep, though for all intents and purposes she was exhausted. While the constant, pounding thrum of the music drifting from the diner area didn't bother her so much, it certainly didn't help her fall asleep, either. Her thoughts constantly drifted to the blonde with whom she had shared so many experiences in such a short time, and she realized with a jolt that she missed her. Regina found herself wondering if the girl decided to brave the party, and she hoped she was having a wonderful time. Regina felt a pang of sadness, imagining the blonde dancing with someone else, someone her age.
"For god's sake, she isn't that much younger than yourself, Regina."
As soon as the words were spoken aloud, Regina gave a jolt at quiet knock at the door. Peering at the clock on the wall, she wondered absentmindedly who would be visiting her at ten o'clock in the evening. She quickly donned her bathrobe, as answering the door in her current attire would be more than somewhat unacceptable, and waltzed to the door, unlocking it. The unmistakable shock of blonde hair quickened her pulse, and she breathed in a quiet gasp when her prayers were answered: there stood Emma, a tray of finger foods in one hand and a warn out box in another.
"Miss Swan?"
XX
A faint blush crept up Emma's face as she quietly took in Regina's attire. It was clear the woman had been in bed when she knocked, and for a split second Emma felt bad. The feeling was quickly diminished, however, by Regina's accoutrement. Emma allowed herself a generous appraisal, her eyes nonchalantly sliding down Regina's toned body, the obsidian satin contrasting elegantly with crimson lace, Emma's mouth watering at the thought of what lie beneath, at olive legs that pleaded for her touch. Emma's eyes ascended casually, agonizingly, and she could feel her arousal intensify with every passing second. She met Regina's eyes, curiously darker then usual, and cleared her throat, which seemed to snap Regina back to attention.
"Well, Miss Swan, how exactly can I help you?"
Emma gave her former teacher a goofy grin. "I thought you might be hungry?"
Regina raised an eyebrow and scoffed. "At ten thirty at night?"
Emma shrugged, trying again. "..Bored?"
At this, Regina's eyebrow raised once more. "Again, I say, at this time of night?"
Emma sighed, looking down. She gave a quiet reply, her voice soft, almost nonexistent.
"I..missed you, okay?"
Regina's heart melted a little more, and she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Well come on, then."
Emma grinned again and followed Regina into the cozy room, setting the items she had brought with her on an end table, which she then slid across the room. She heard Regina mumbling something to herself as she was readying chairs, and the words "should probably change" snapped her out of her quiet reverie.
"You shouldn't."
Regina stopped in her tracks, slowly turning around to peer at Emma.
"Should not what, exactly, Miss Swan?"
Emma felt the heat in her face, her mouth suddenly dry.
"Ch-change, I mean. There's...there's really no need.."
Emma looked down at her own attire: faded jeans, a dark tank top, and a plaid red and black shirt.
"Yes, dear, but I feel as if I may be a bit overdressed."
The victory on Emma's face was evident as she quickly unbuttoned the remainder of her overshirt, pulling it off. As she unbuttoned her jeans, Regina's face lost color, and she her protest was rushed and squeaky.
"Miss Swan, what exactly are you doing?"
Emma slid her jeans off to reveal tight fitting shorts, and she quickly grabbed them and folded them, placing them on the chair beside her.
"Nothing, Miss Mills, I'm simply making sure you don't feel overdressed. This is what I'm sleeping in tonight."
It didn't take long for Regina to give in, and she regally perched herself atop the chair opposite the blonde.
"Well, Miss Swan, if you insist. What exactly did you bring to 'entertain' us, may I ask?"
Emma shrugged. "I dunno, Ruby gave it to me and told me to have fun. It's just as much of a mystery to me as it is to you."
With that, Emma opened the box to reveal several decks of cards. One read Truth or Dare, one was simply an old fashioned deck of playing cards, and one seemed to coincide with a convoluted game of Twister, rubber banded together with a mat.
I'm going to kill you Ruby.
Emma grinned sheepishly.
"So, Miss Mills, Truth or Dare, or poker?"
Regina simply sighed, pouring both herself and Emma a glass from the decanter.
"Well, dear, Truth or Dare it is, I guess, as I've never played poker."
Emma excitedly set the box of games on the floor before shuffling the deck of truth or dare cards. Regina sipped her glass and frowned, looking at Emma's.
"What's wrong?"
"Well, dear, this seems to be hard apple cider, and while it tastes amazing I am not entirely sure it would be wise for me to give it to an underage former student of mine."
Emma sighed, shrugging yet again.
"Don't worry about it, Miss Mills. I'm staying at the Inn tonight, nobody will ever know, and I promise you, I hold my liquor quite well."
Regina, still apprehensive, relented.
"Very well then, dear. Shall we begin?"
XX
Back from the dead! (: More coming soon, I promise! Thanks for sticking with me this far loves~