Regina felt the glow of morning light through the white covers covering her head. Gods she hated mornings. Her hands reached up to remove the sheet on top messing her hair in the process. She tried getting up but noticed something was hindering it. Her legs wouldn't move. She shook her head to remove the curtain of hair obstructing her eyes and lifted her head just to drop it back at the sight.
"Swan", came her muffled cry as she tried to shake her legs free. But that just led to Emma tightening her hold on the brunette's legs. Sprawled width-wise at the bottom of the queen sized bed, Emma was snuggling into Regina's legs like they were her pillows.
"Emma. Get up."
"Shut up."
Another kick and Emma shot up in panic. Realising where she was, she slid down and rolled herself next to Regina. Regina turned to Emma's side but her eyes remained closed.
"Do you normally sleep like a Rottweiler?" Regina asked in annoyance.
"You must have cursed that dog dish."
Regina scoffed as she hugged her pillow tightly.
"Regina?"
"Mmm?"
"I was wondering... why do you have a dog dish?"
"I thought when you'd eat the turnover I'd get Henry a dog and we could... start over."
"Whadya know? Would have been replaced by a dog?"
"A trained dog." Regina corrected.
Emma kicked her lightly in the shin but Regina was still in the beautiful place between sleep and awareness to acknowledge it.
"Regina?"
When she didn't answer Emma blinked till she could open her eyes without them dropping shut. The face in front of her was covered with stray hair in every possible direction. She slithered her hand as close to Regina as possible without touching her face, her hand hovering near her upper lip, "Hey Regina?"
Regina grunted in response, not moving.
"Do you ever think about leaving Storybrooke?" Emma's hands came dangerously close to the scar but instead settled on playing with the end of brown locks.
She received a half-hearted no in response.
"I used to love how I could not stay at a place for more than a day, it was so… liberating. Nothing stopping you from getting up and chasing one dream after the other. But when Henry came I think it all changed, for the first time I wanted to stay."
Regina blinked her eyes open but they kept shutting down, not noticing Emma's hand retreating in a hurry.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"I don't know, just wanted to I guess."
When she received no response Emma started again, "So how come you didn't drink last night?"
"You're the one who keeps pointing out how horrible the habit is."
"Doesn't mean you can never drink, I was just-"
"I know worried, like every other person in town, who keeps telling me how much of a mess I am. How Henry misses me, how I am not making a good enough effort, because obviously I'm such a horrible mother who'd deliberately stay away from him to spite the boy."
"No Regina, I never meant that."
"I can't keep doing this Emma, this back and forth, have him a day and then watch him leave the next. If I try to get back into his life again and he leaves me for good, it'll kill me."
"Hey, don't talk like that. We'll... we'll work something out Regina. Trust me", Emma thought of something that would make Regina believe her, "I'm the... saviour, right?" she chuckled nervously.
Regina scoffed, "You're just an extremely disoriented sheriff. How you broke my curse is beyond me."
"Yea, that too. You know I like that, about being here, that you don't expect me to fix things." Emma turned on her back, feeling better after saying it out loud.
"Because you expect me to fix things."
"Well yea, I guess I trust you to get things done."
"Just like others trust you. I think... I think it's not a bad thing."
"It's not?" Emma turned to Regina who had brought the covers up to her neck.
"Well yes, it's a little daunting. But right now, we have the mushroom, which I wouldn't have found if I'd given up the first day."
"Well, ok." Emma shook her head still not seeing how this applied to herself. Regina was a Queen and a Mayor; she was much more capable of handling situations but Emma, you don't just put an ex-bail bond agent up on a pedestal. She glanced at the tiny brunette sideways, "So me being here wasn't a total waste huh?"
"Well... it has been easier to talk to you ever since you've shrunken down."
"We're the same size now and you're still talking to me." Emma said lightly, smiling that it hadn't struck Regina yet.
Regina's eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the light, "Oh, how did I get here?"
"You fell asleep after the third episode so I carried you."
"You carried me when you'd been drinking?"
Emma snorted, "You're not heavy machinery Regina. I wasn't drunk just very tired. Climbing trees when you're smaller than the apples on it takes it out of you."
Regina closed her eyes but Emma could see them rolling from under her lids.
"Do you think the mushroom will work?" Emma asked, not knowing which answer would sound more appealing right now. She glanced around the room she'd come to like in a short period of time.
'I'll miss the place', Emma thought before looking at Regina, 'and maybe even the company.'
"It should, but you have terrible bad luck…" Regina said haughtily, which under layers of sleep came off more like a slurry yawn.
"Lady, I killed a dragon with a sword, I have insane amount of good luck."
"That dragon..." Regina's voice seemed softer, "Mal, she was a friend."
Emma spluttered, "Mal, the dragon?" She was friends with a dragon?
"Maleficent, she was my only friend."
"Well", Emma propped on her elbow to take a good look at Regina, "you're sort of fun, your sense of humour is definitely improving... oh and you have mad cooking skills, we can probably get you more friends."
"Oh because you're the expert?"
"Ok yeah, I don't have that many friends either. I think we can help each other out."
"A suicidal klutz who engorges on copious amounts of food, I don't really know how I'd be able to sell that to someone."
"Yeah?" Emma laughed, "I think I already found one who puts up with me even though I keep falling into her stuff."
"Oh you did, did you?"
"Yea, but she's so stubborn she'll never admit to it, but yeah we hang out a lot… watch tv and stuff. She's pretty cool you know. Plus she knows magic and she can make nice things appear for me out of thin air…"
Regina surrendered to sleep with a smile on her face with Emma continuing to ramble on in the background.
"So this is-"
"The mushroom? Yes."
"Is it supposed to be-"
"Green? Indeed."
"Are you-"
"Sure? Hundred percent."
"It looks like-"
"Please don't say it. I'm aware."
Emma turned to look at the woman, "I don't think I can eat it without gagging."
Regina tore her eyes off the monstrosity she had tried to make presentable by serving it on her best white plate, "Oh stop being a baby and eat it."
Emma turned to look at the mushroom which had been stout brown yesterday standing tall on a pure white stalk. Now it had turned an unhealthy shade of green and grown to a size where now a small smurf family could lead a full life inside. She slowly reached for the part that wasn't covered in bulbous yellow blisters that had sprouted sporadically around the curve and- "I can't do it, this is disgusting Regina."
"I can assure you it tastes good." Regina tried.
Emma looked at her in disbelief but still tried again. Emma's hand almost reached the vile fungus when she heard a breathy laugh.
"Dammit Regina, I can't eat with you breathing over me."
"Oh allow me to pick up my jaw from the floor." Regina stepped back as she placed her hand on her chest, "You - Emma Swan - can't eat in front of me. You were practically impregnating that poor set of pancakes in front of me."
Emma let out a frustrated growl, "Just, just go out for a while and I promise I'll eat it."
Regina looked like she was about to fight but they both knew she could either accept now or after five minutes of futile verbal sparring, "One bite. No more, no less."
"Believe me, it's the no-less part that is a challenge."
Regina left the kitchen, resisting the urge to stomp her way out, to wait in the foyer. She moved over to her mirror to straighten it when she heard a very faint knock. It was a hesitant one which would have gone unnoticed if she wasn't present nearby. Regina glanced at the kitchen but decided it was better to investigate this lest the person decided on other means to enter.
When she opened the door she was met with the back of, unfortunately, one of the few frequent visitors at 108 Mifflin.
"David?"
David jumped and turned around, "Oh hey, I thought you weren't home." His eyes landed on every object possible except Regina and when they met her eyes he quickly attached them to the door behind.
"Does..." Regina bit her lip to not smile, "Does Red know you're here?"
"What no", David casually replied before he winced, "Not that I don't want her to know, I mean you can tell her I'm here if you- Regina I think I'll come back later with Red."
"Later?" With a werewolf? No! "Just tell me why you're here?"
"I", David gulped before looking straight into Regina's eyes, "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable, it was not my intention. I respect you as a woman as I respect all-"
"David, what in God's name are you saying?"
"Regina, please don't interrupt me. Please ok." David drew in a long breath, "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable, it was not my intention. I respect you as a woman as I respect all women. Just because we are adversaries doesn't mean I can behave in an unruly way with you. I'd like to offer this cake as a gift."
Regina kept staring at David as he shuffled a little but kept his hand with a Granny's bag outstretched.
"I'd like to offer this cake as a gift."
Regina's eyes scanned the fidgeting figure from head to toe before her eyes settled on the bag, "You visited the bug didn't you?"
"Wha-what? Pfft. That's crazy." David choked out a laughed.
"Apology and the gift", Regina nodded knowingly, "he wanted me to do it too, foolish bug. I can't believe you went to Archie because of... yesterday."
"I have no idea what you're saying Regina. I'd like to offer this cake as a gift, will you accept it?"
"Did he help you prepare the speech as well?"
"I'd like to offer this cake as - Oh my god, you witch!"
David threw the cake box that was now engulfed in flames of blue before waving his arm looking accusatorially at Regina. He didn't catch on that the flames had been cold and had not meant to cause actual harm.
"Are you insane?" David cried out.
"No, just impatient I guess, now get off my porch."
David kicked away the flaming mass away before looking at Regina, "No, you have to forgive me first."
Oh, wrong move Nolan."I have to? No, never; you and your lusty eyes will never get anything from me." Regina bared her teeth threateningly.
"What?" David's eyes were frantic as he stuttered, "No - I don't - look - I mean ok, you're attractive and – and –"
Regina was enjoying the little show David was putting on before her mind caught his last confession, 'Wait, did he say attractive?'
"-And Archie thinks because of my cursed personality I may still have lingering feelings for you and-"
Oh, Regina was going to kill Archie, this time for real.
"And maybe ok fine, maybe I had a small crush on you when you were the Queen." David smiled nervously before hurriedly shouting, "But that was before I met Snow."
Regina blanched as a shudder went through her body making her lips hurriedly spit out, "I forgive you David. Ok? I-Forgive-You. It was a misunderstanding, now go; go to Snow, go to Archie, go to the dwarves for all I care, just leave." Leave so I can go take a shower.
David cracked a smile, but seeing the sudden glare Regina had directed towards him he quickly backed off a couple of steps before turning around. When Regina saw David reach the gate, she heaved a sigh of relief and began closing the door when a loud shatter reached her ears.
"Emma", Regina's head instinctively turned to the sound.
"Swan", Regina hissed as she saw the scene in front. Emma was covered in yellow gloop and the mushroom was on the counter but in two pieces. Regina noticed the broken evidence of a once glass spread across the floor, she inferred it to be the source of the sound.
"What will I ever do with you Emma Swan?"
"I, I don't know what happened?"
"Forgive me for not believing you." Regina felt like screaming, "You had to eat Emma, you just had to eat. That's your area of expertise, how on earth could you mess this up?"
"Why are you shouting at me? There was this yellow shit everywhere and I- David?"
Regina turned on her heel to follow Emma's line of sight and came face to face with David who was standing at the door, eyes wide and mouth slightly open.
TBC
Next time: David knows. David Knows!
...
A/N:
Oh David. David David David. I'm so not letting you go.
Anons, some love coming your way:
To DA: I'm a Hufflepuff, heart and soul. And all you peeps asking What the hell is a Hufflepuff? We are particularly good finders :D (No affiliation to Charmings, they're not welcome in the common room.)
To Peter: thank you for reading, I appreciate the kind words :) Tc
To others, I love love love love reading your thoughts too. Someone here ships tiny!Em x cleavage :P I wouldn't think twice before dedicating my life to the tiny!Em x food ship... I also have a soft spot for tiny!Em x Regina's lip scar.
Xxox