Regina was taking the longest shower Emma had ever heard anyone take in her life. The blond had made dinner – twice. She had watched a TV show and was now just clicking through YouTube trying to decide if she actually wanted to watch anything or just put something on.
When she finally heard the bathroom door open, she glanced into the hall to see… nothing. It took a full minute, but finally, the brunette popped her head around the corner, her shoulders tense. "I… I don't have any clothes. Could I maybe, uhm, borrow something?" She cast a nervous smile at the blond on the couch. Surely she wouldn't leave her wet and cold.
Emma nodded dumbly, head gesturing towards her room, "Sure thing, take your pick," and watched as Regina's shoulders relaxed. The woman walked back into the now-familiar bedroom with a little more confidence.
Reappearing in a navy hoodie – marked with Emma's alma mater, StoryBrooke University – and matching sweatpants, Regina moved to join Emma on the couch. She was fidgeting with the sleeves and pulling them to cover her hands as she seemingly contemplated how she wanted to start their next interaction.
Regina tucked some hair behind her right ear – a nervous tic Emma had noticed in numerous interviews. And the blond would know; she had seen plenty of them. The brunette always came across as bubbly on camera, but if you paid close attention, her hands would always itch to shift her hair or hide herself. She was always quick to put on a show, talking rapidly in an exaggerated manner. Now that Emma had her in person, she wondered if what appeared to be an outgoing personality was really just Regina failing to hide her anxiety.
The brunette nodded to the kitchen, "Mind if I find something to eat? I'll pay you back, I promise." Her hand landed on Emma's thigh as the blond saw the signs of her nervousness more clearly now, and she tried to help dispel the brunette's frantic energy.
Emma swiftly guided Regina to the kitchen, making sure she felt comfortable and knew where everything was. The brunette crossed her arms, low-key wishing she knew how to dissociate on cue, wondering why she had never picked up that skill.
"I made instant mac and cheese… and salmon. I didn't know what you would want. Snacks are in the top cabinet. I think there's fruit in the fridge, there's some frozen chicken in the freezer…" Now she was rambling and finding it more nerve-wracking to talk to Regina when she wasn't hiding under her bed.
Regina put her hand on Emma's arm, offering her a kind smile, some of the brunette's nervousness seeming to fade away when she must have noticed the feeling was mutual. "Mac and cheese is fine, thank you. Could I have some of your coffee? It looks like you made a lot." Her smile was charming and Emma instantly felt like she was under her spell.
The blond was able to breathe easier seeing Regina relax, allowing her brain to wander back to the mystery that was slowly killing her. How had Regina gotten here? Where was she supposed to be? She didn't want her to run off; she was enjoying her company and was starting to realize that once she left, she would probably never see her again. She didn't want to push, but her curiosity got the better of her.
"I don't mean to pry, but… what exactly happened? Unless you don't want to talk about it of course, and if that's the case, just pretend I never said anything and we can go back to just enjoying our gourmet meals." Her arms gestured towards the mac and cheese, which was starting to stick to the pot from the gooey processed cheese.
Regina, who had grabbed a bowl and taken a bite, sighed and put down her fork. "I was in town for an event, I never made it there…" Her eyes again did a sweep of the small apartment looking for any sign of threats. Finding none, she focused back on Emma, taking another bite.
"I remember a cloth to my mouth, and I tried to scream, but the next thing I knew… I was in a car, different clothes, heading fuck knows where." Cold started to crawl up her extremities at the mention of her kidnapping. She really didn't like the feeling and hoped she could divert the discussion.
Emma's eyes went wide; she didn't remember Regina cursing so much in interviews. She seemed too refined for that. She could swear she had never heard her say fuck before. The brunette continued to control the conversation.
"Then I found you." She glanced at the floor. Seeing dark red spots, she curled her toes. "I… might have gotten some blood on your floor… I'll pay to have it cleaned."
Emma looked horrified and Regina's body started to curl in on itself to take up less space, becoming smaller in her chair. It was just her luck that she would find someone nice and invade their home. She shouldn't have come inside. She should have… she struggled to find the right words for her apology, it didn't even come out as one.
"I must have cut myself running through the bushes… thank you for letting me in by the way… I hope it's not too much trouble."
Emma shook her head. "No worries. We should probably get you to the hospital, though, to get that all checked out. Make sure nothing gets infected?"
Regina wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm okay… maybe we could go tomorrow? I am so tired…"
And as if on command, her eyes started drooping and she slightly shook with the cooler temperatures of the evening.
Emma collected their empty dishes and moved to adjust the thermostat. "I'll put some clean sheets on the bed for you…"
The brunette shot up, distressed. "No. I won't put you out, Emma. I'll sleep on your floor."
Emma raised her eyebrows. "Dude, there's a perfectly good couch and a bed…"
Regina almost laughed at the nickname, then started to scratch at her arm. "I would… feel better if I weren't alone tonight. The floor is fine, if you don't mind me being in your room?" Her eyes were hopeful and her hands had moved to find each other, wringing in anticipation.
Emma rolled her eyes and smirked. "I am sure you've never had to ask anyone that before." She wandered to her room, moved to her closet, and started to pile blankets between the bed and the wall, creating what she hoped was a more comfortable floor. Before she was done, Regina waived her off and completed the makeshift bed herself, settling in with a soft smile.
Emma was ready for bed but looked down at her gross clothes and decided she needed to head off to the shower. When she returned, Regina was fast asleep. Emma wondered how the woman could sleep after the day she had, but quickly hopped in bed. She figured this was all a dream anyway. One crazy ass dream.
It wasn't.
She woke up hearing sobbing and hushed whimpering. She was pondering what to say or do in this situation, when suddenly there was a sharp intake of breath and the room became… quieter.
The crying was quickly replaced by loud purring.
Emma smiled – she loved her fur baby, and was so glad her best friend had dragged her to the shelter a couple of years ago. Ginge was a shit when she wanted to be, but she also loved everyone.
"Hi there… I know we met earlier. I'm Regina. Sorry, I almost stepped on you. It's been… a rough day."
The brunette's words tugged at Emma's heartstrings. The blond shifted in the bed and the talking stopped. She turned towards Regina, keeping her voice barely audible – hoping not to scare her again.
"Ginge is a good listener. A shit sometimes, but she loves with her whole being."
She was rewarded with a light laugh. "She jumped on my bladder and started kneading,"
a slightly bewildered voice wafted up from below the bed's edge.
Emma snuggled deeper into her covers, feeling more relaxed talking to Regina like this. "Yeah, she's good at knowing when you have to go. It's like her superpower or something."
Careful hands scratched the kitten behind her ears and the purring grew louder. "And what's your superpower, Emma?"
Emma could tell Regina wanted a distraction and thought long and hard before responding. "Well… my mother always told me I was good at knowing when people were lying. Which would have been good, I guess, if I didn't go around calling people out on it all of the time."
Regina sat up, shifting the kitten into her lap. "You can't be that good. Ready to put that superpower to the test?"
Emma looked Regina in the eyes and her love of a challenge drew her in. "Bring it on."
Regina touched one finger to her lips to think and then abruptly snapped. "I've got it! Okay, how about two truths and a lie?"
Emma nodded. "Alright." She scooted closer to better gauge Regina's facial expressions in the darkened room.
The brunette leaned her head against the wall. Glancing at the warm ball of fur in her lap, she made sure to continue to stroke the kitten as she spoke.
"My favorite color is purple." She paused, searching deeper in her mind. "I didn't love my ex-husband." That one was tricky, depending on how one might define "love". She chanced a glance at Emma's face to find that she was listening intently. And she held her gaze. "And I've never slept with a woman." She wasn't going to make this easy on the blond; she played to win.
Emma snorted. "You are cheating."
Regina's eyebrows rose, her voice hard. "Excuse me?"
Emma rolled her ocean eyes and landed on Regina's.
"Your favorite color is purple according to, what, fifty or so interviews? Truth." Emma leaned on her arm, resting her chin on her fist. "You didn't love your ex-husband – at least, you weren't in love with him. That was pretty easy to see; it was like you were trying too hard."
Regina started to wonder if playing this game was a good idea. And yet she kept her face blank, not giving anything away.
"So, truth. And come on. The last one has to be true; you've never talked about being part of the LGBTQ community, even if your support has been greatly appreciated as an ally. So that's got to be true. There was no lie…" Emma cocked her head, satisfied with herself, until she saw how uncomfortable the brunette had become.
Regina's stomach clenched and rolled as the truth spilled from her mouth. "Not everyone is brave enough to live their truth…" Regina bit her lip, Wondering if this would change things. She had assumed Emma must be at least a little gay if she had her photos up, but then again, maybe she just wanted to look like Regina. She knew that thought should feel far-fetched, but she wasn't so sure of herself right now. What if Emma was homophobic and threw her out? She didn't want to wait to find out. She once again moved decisively to take control of the conversation.
"I was going to tell all truths… but, I… Well, I didn't, you lost. I win." She ran her hand through her hair starting to feel a little overheated. Wasn't it cold in here just a minute ago?
"Not your superpower, I'm afraid."
Emma sat up, determined now. Still wondering how she had missed that one of her favorite actresses could be into women. "Two out of three, come on. My turn." Emma laid back and looked at the ceiling in thought. "Let's see... Ginger is my first pet." She glanced sideways at her kitten, knowing she couldn't talk and give anything away. "I was adopted." She felt her heart clench a bit, hoping Regina couldn't tell. "And I used to strip." She wanted to smile at the last one, but she kept her face flat.
Regina's eyes went wide, taking in Emma's form. The girl was sleeping in a sports bra and short shorts, leaving just enough to the imagination. She started to wonder what Emma might look like under those little pieces of clothing...
"Regina?"
Regina jumped. Had Emma caught her staring? Shit. Well, it wasn't like she was going to ever see her again, right? Maybe she should just get it over with and make a move. She found Emma attractive and was bound to act on it at some point.
She took a breath and tried to tame her inner thoughts to something more subtle.
"Your cat is your first pet." She watched light eyes for a reaction, but got nothing. "You… might be adopted." She looked at her face and thought maybe Emma had a rough start. She could see that, maybe. "Sure, yes you were adopted." Her face lit up contemplating the last one. She would definitely pay to see that. "And you used to strip. Clearly, you have the body for it." Her eyes risked openly checking Emma out to see how she would respond. "All true."
She watched as Emma's eyes lit up and chanced a glance towards Regina's lips, almost getting caught up in the moment. She tried to clear her head, her smile only growing. The blond burst out laughing. "I can't dance to save my life. But looks like we're even, Mills. Sure you are not a super truthfinder as well?"
Regina smirked. "I refuse to tell you all my secrets." She scooted back down, now spooning the warm kitten. "Mind if I go back to sleep? I'm feeling tired now."
Emma rolled over. "Sorry to keep you up. Good night, Regina."
A quiet thank you was heard before soft sounds evened out.