"Ah!" The blonde teenager jolted upright from her slumber as she felt something slap her.
Emma groaned softly, stirring in her spot to glare at the source on the opposite side of the bed. However, the glowering look hadn't lasted more than a few milliseconds before realizing that it had been Regina. The woman was stunning and the way that the morning sun's soft rays of light had Regina's skin glowing.
Although, her position was a little awkward, being splayed out on her stomach with one arm under her chin and the other haphazardly thrown on Emma's side. She must be cold with her thighs being the only thing covered, or perhaps too warm.
"Beautiful," Emma whispered, bringing a hesitant hand out to gently stroke the older woman's raven locks. Regina stirred only slightly, a soft smile on her face before a snore ripped through the otherwise quiet air.
"Wow, you're… still too adorable." She smirked and stroked the brunette's cheek with the back of her hand. She knew how much Regina detested being called adorable, because she just simple could not be. Emma did not care, she would keep calling Regina adorable all she wanted until she finally accepted that fact, or at least the fact that the blonde was relentless.
Right now, though, the brunette didn't exactly fall in the adorable category – or at least when Emma let her eyes drift down the taut, sun kissed skin of Regina's back.
She ran her fingers through brunette hair one last time, her fingers sliding from the tendrils to skitter down the olive toned flesh. It was just as soft as it had looked. Emma's eyes followed her fingers as they traced the brunette teacher's spine, stopping abruptly at the base with wide eyes. There, underneath her pale fingers, was not natural colored flesh.
Emma moved her hand away to squint at the small discoloration to find it shaped as a deep, red apple. A very detailed apple at that and it appeared to have very small words written around it. The blonde knew that she loved the fruit, but why would she have a tattoo of one?
The curiosity getting the better of her, Emma wiggled her way down the mattress to soon come closer to the apple tattoo. It was hard to concentrate on what the tiny words said when the older woman's voluptuous behind was in her face. They were like two scoops of ice cream and looked far better out of those tight skirts and ass-hugging slacks. Her dream of being able to touch Ms. Mills' posterior had come true, and gods, she could do it if she wanted to right now.
But she had a mission to complete. Tearing her eyes away from Regina's bum, she, instead, guided her attention to the apple that lay in a very enticing place and read the small, cursive print.
"Have a taste of my forbidden fruit."
"Fucking hell…" Emma reread the small font several times over, trying to conceive what it had said and make sure that she hadn't misread anything.
"I see you've discovered my tattoo." A voice, heavy with sleep, grumbled and Emma's hand felt the vibrations underneath her as Regina had spoken. That didn't sate her more-than-mild jump of surprise and embarrassment of having been caught.
"Y-yeah." The blonde stuttered, trying to find the right words to not sound like a complete idiot. "When- Why? I mean-"
"I know what you mean, dear." The brunette's body began to rumble with laughter. "I got it when I was your age, dear. I was young and careless, and I didn't think it mattered since I strongly believed that I would be a successful writer with a risqué tattoo. Also, defying my mother seemed quite an attractive idea. But I was wrong about my career and my defiance. I'm lucky that I got it on my lower back, so it's easily hidden."
"But why-" Emma sucked in a breath and squirmed her way back up to face the brunette, who was still in the same position. "Why that?"
"I like apples and I thought it to be humorous at the time since apples are the forbidden fruit as well as… well, genitals. I was a rather… dirty girl."
"You still are." The blonde mumbled under her breath, earning a chuckle from the older woman.
"Indeed, I am, so the tattoo still suits me, correct?"
"You like apples." Emma shrugged, a smirk playing on her lips as her fingertips traced the contour of the apple tattoo. "And I'm quite sure your forbidden fruit tastes delicious."
"Wouldn't you like to find out?" The brunette flashed a seductive grin, her nose wrinkling ever so slightly as she bared her pearly teeth. "And I'm being absolutely serious when I'm asking you that question."
"Oh, are you now?" The blonde's fingers made small, circular strokes around the tattoo on the small of the teacher's back. "What does this say, now?" she asked innocently, bending over the older woman to peek, her blonde locks lightly tickling the olive toned surface.
"Why don't you read it and find out?" Regina purred.
Emma let a grin spread wide across her lips as her eyes, once again, scanned over the words. "Have a taste of my forbidden fruit," she repeated what she had read. "Gods, you're bad, you know?"
"Oh, I know." The brunette chuckled deeply, which raised the hairs on Emma's body. "I do hope you know what you need to do."
"I think I do." Emma bit her lip and brought herself onto her knees to get better balance on the bed. She reached for the opposite side of Regina and, without hesitancy, flipped the brunette teacher over, earning a squawk of surprise.
"Why, hello there, dear." The brunette smirked, her whisky colored eyes staring lustfully at the blonde above her.
"You're even more beautiful in the sunlight, Gina. Breathtaking, even." Emma whispered as she moved to straddle the older woman's hips. A sweet smile was soon spread across her lips, and a hand had found its way onto the brunette's soft cheek, her thumb stroking it in the slightest.
Regina nuzzled the warm hand, her eyes half-mast as she watched Emma through slit eyes. Her cheeks were dusted with pink, her eyes on Emma's every movement and her breath hitching when the blonde's pale fingers roamed over her satin skin, soon covering one of the swells of her chest.
Emma couldn't bite back the smile that spread wide across her lips. The expression Regina wore was breathtaking and quite arousing with a lax smile. Her breast felt like everything that Emma had thought it would. It was soft and firm, and the peak of it greeted Emma's hand eagerly.
"Emma," the brunette murmured breathlessly, slender fingers combing through the girl's blonde mane.
"It's soft," she muttered stupidly in response, kneading the mound of flesh slowly, as if she were marveling in the feel of it. "I think I found my new favorite thing."
"Oh, have you, love?" Regina purred, pressing herself against the blonde's hand. There was a soft smirk on her full lips as she let her fingers slide through the younger woman's curls and down her smooth, pale back.
Emma shivered underneath her touch and grinned at the little endearment as she shifted her body into a far more comfortable position, nestling herself between the brunette teacher's legs. "I'm 'love' now?"
The older woman nodded, her arms now wrapping completely around Emma, pressing their exposed skin against each other. "Indeed, you are, my love. You are all mine, and I am all yours."
"Who would have thought that?" The blonde chuckled softly and pressed a kiss to Regina's throat, then trailed soft kisses further down until they reached the brunette's clavicle. Her lips peppered the expanse of skin there, causing Regina's body to shake with small bouts of laughter. Emma couldn't help the curve that immediately lifted her mouth into a grin.
What did Regina taste like, she wondered? She was in the correct position, and she was quite sure the brunette wouldn't mind if she licked her? So, Emma did just that, dragging her tongue back up to Regina's throat, using the valley between her breasts as a guide.
The brunette shivered underneath the younger woman's mouth, her back slightly arching and her nails digging into Emma's pale skin.
"Oh, Emma…" she mewled into the blonde locks.
Emma smiled against the teacher's sun kissed flesh as she soon brought them down once again, tracing an invisible line down Regina's torso. The further she went, the louder the whimpers came from the brunette, and a few pleas for her to soothe her aching arousal. It wasn't long before Emma had reached the woman's intimate flesh, her body now inched down on the bed and her head level with Regina's slick heat.
Tentatively, the blonde moved her tongue along the older woman's smooth folds, her eyes immediately drooping as she enjoyed the new flavor that exploded on her taste buds. Regina was slightly sweet, just as her favorite apples, and bitter – but in all good ways possible. Emma could swear she was her new favorite flavor.
"More, Emma. Please." The brunette moaned, her back arching as her hips gyrated forward against the blonde's mouth.
Emma abided the request and proceeded to repeat her movement, this time adding slightly more pressure as she ended on the older woman's sensitive nub. Regina's body jerked slightly before grinding against the blonde's face, her legs spreading wide as she begged for more. Emma could only groan against the slick flesh in response before slipping her tongue into the brunette, her arms wrapping around the teacher's thighs.
Emma set a steady pace as she darted her tongue from Regina's writhing form.
The brunette made few noises as she concentrated on finding her release, which hadn't taken long as she found her throbbing bundle of nerves again and gently sucked, teasing her entrance with a finger until she came with a soft cry of pleasure. Her back arched off the bed in the intense moment of pure bliss and her fingers tugged and twisted in the soft blonde locks on her lover's head.
"Fuck," the brunette allowed a soft moan to rumble in the back of her throat when Emma had crawled back up the length of Regina's body.
"Language," Emma whispered, pressing a kiss just below the older woman's ear. "You always tell me to keep a clean mouth."
"During sex is an exception." Regina smirked and wrapped her arms tightly around the younger woman's body, her chest heaving as she continued to catch her breath.
"It sounds sexy coming from you."
"You think everything I do is sexy, Emma."
"That's because you're just an all-around sexy woman, Gina," Emma purred. "And I love it. I... love you."
That had the brunette teacher beaming, a watery, yet affectionate smile, spread widely across her lips. She brought a hand up to push a few strands of the blonde hair from Emma's face before cupping her cheek. "And I love you, beautiful."
The blonde's cheeks burned with embarrassment as she buried her face in Regina's raven locks, inhaling the sweet scent with a purr. "You're so sweet, Gina. And I'm genuinely surprised… just… flabbergasted that you actually love me back."
"Why wouldn't I, dear?" The brunette frowned softly, her tanned fingers combing through golden strands of hair.
Emma let herself go limp against Regina's body, a strained sigh slipping from her lips.
"I'm an unlovable, worthless piece of trash, or so I've been told many times when I was younger," Emma murmured, scooting her body down the brunette's slightly to lay her chin on the older woman's chest.
"Oh, Emma, dear." Regina had a visible frown on her face, although had nothing but love sparkling in her whisky eyes. "Why haven't you told me this before?"
"I don't want people to feel sorry for me or anything, and if I say something like this to certain people, they may think that I am looking for some sort of sympathy. But I'm not. I- I just like to be left alone." Her eyes fell shut as she felt Regina's hand gently caressed her cheek. "It wasn't like anyone cared about me, anyways."
"Let me tell you something, Emma." Regina shifted slightly up to bring her back to the headboard and Emma up with her. Her soft, pink lips pressed a tender kiss to the blonde's awaiting forehead. "You are worth something to me. Those kids were wrong. Everyone deserves love, everyone is worth something, and everyone has a purpose. They were just trying to hurt you because they were already hurting, and I doubt that they would want to see you happy and whole while they were not."
"I know. But what they have said to me has stuck and my brain believes that I am not worth anything to anyone, especially not worthy of love." The blonde tilted her head, emerald eyes meeting with soft, brown ones. "You're an amazing woman and you deserve so much more than me."
"But I don't want anyone else but you, Emma." Regina whispered, bringing Emma's face closer to her own. "You've shown me that I could love and that someone could feel the same about me."
"But what about our age difference? Aren't you scared?"
"I was at first, trust me, Emma. I was. It had scared me- these feelings that were starting to form ever since we met. I found myself slowly longing to see you again. Especially during lunch, where we would talk and spend time with one another alone. And when we first kissed, I knew where I was standing with my feelings for you. And right then, I knew that I couldn't possibly lose you. All the fears about the consequences that might come of our relationship had vanished and I knew I wanted nothing more in that moment."
"I can't promise anything, Gina. I can't. One day I may be up for whatever the world may throw at me and the next I might want to run away and hide." Emma sighed softly, her voice a soft murmur. "But whatever might happen between us-"
"Nothing bad will happen," Regina whispered, stroking the blonde's hair.
"How can you be so sure?"
"I can't, but someone needs to say it, so we're reassured. I know that whatever we have here will be a long, bumpy road, with many twists and turns, and something will be bound to happen, but we'll just have to strive through it- Unless we can't."
"I don't want to get to a point like that." Emma sighed and rolled onto her back next to the brunette woman.
"I assure you that it won't happen anytime soon, alright, sweetheart?" Regina flashed her that perfect, radiating smile before tossing onto her side with a finger trailing down the blonde's abdomen. Emma shivered from the contact, her muscles constricting with angst.
"Now, let me-" The teacher grunted slightly as she hoisted herself up and on top of the blonde that lay next to her. "-make love to you. It's my turn."
"Make love?" Emma quirked a brow and bit her lip as she stared curiously at Regina.
"Yes. I am going to make up for last night. I want to make this special for you." The brunette purred, her hot mouth mere inches from Emma's own.
"Special," she echoed.
"Yes." Regina smirked, pressing her lips lightly to the blonde's. "And I do hope you will enjoy it."
"I will, Gina. I definitely will." Emma breathed, tilting her head up to capture the brunette teacher's lips again, this time in a proper kiss. Her fingers twisted in raven locks as the older woman kissed her back with great vigor, the entire lower half of her body pressing against Emma's naked flesh.
Their lips molded together in a heated tango with pale fingers curling into raven locks and olive fingers skating down porcelain flesh. Emma's breath hitched as she felt those very fingers slide further south, down to her awaiting flesh. When they met with her core, her entire body reacted with enthusiasm; nails digging into tanned skin, hips bucking upwards, and legs closing in around the hand that pleasured her.
She moaned softly, her back arching slightly off the bed as her hips continued to roll at their own mediocre pace when the brunette teacher had started to slowly add pressure to a certain spot that had Emma's eyes nearly rolling to the back of her head. "Please don't stop."
"I don't plan on it, dear. The precious noises that you make are quite enticing, and they are my new favorite melody." Regina purred into the blonde's ear before using that mouth of hers to trail tender kisses down the sweat-beaded skin of Emma's neck. "I plan to keep the song playing. After all, this is special."
"Mhm…yes, it is." The blonde bit her lip, her eyes squeezing shut as the brunette let her fingers pump harder onto the spot that had her squirming on the bed underneath the older woman's slowly rocking form.
"You like this, hm?"
"I-I do," Emma groaned, her short nails digging into Regina's arms as the brunette made one hard thrust, then proceeded to keep at that pace.
"Tell me, how much do you like this?"
"I love it!" She tried to keep at the new pace, her hips grinding and moving wantonly against her lover's hand.
"Good." The word that came out of her mouth was a deep, seductive growl that had Emma nearly over the edge already. "Now, tell me; What do you want? Do you want more? Do you want it harder? Do you want it faster? Tell me, Emma, what do you want?"
"I-I want all of those things." Emma couldn't help but to moan her words as the brunette had, in fact, sped up with harder thrusts, her fingers soon delving further between the folds and knuckle-deep into the blonde's body.
"Then you shall receive, my dear." Her voice was nothing but pure lust, her eyes reflecting her growing desire. This woman was nothing but a walking, talking body of pure sex and everything she did, even so much as a single glance, had Emma tingling in all the right places.
"Fuck, Gina…" she whimpered, the pace of her lower half increasing in time with each wrist flick. "Please… m-more…"
"Of course, my dear." The brunette smirked, her mouth soon attaching itself to the blonde's neck with teeth scraping against pale flesh and tongue tasting the salty surface. "Anything for you…"
"Aah... That's good..." The blonde murmured against raven hair as the older woman made her move down to the swell of flesh on Emma's chest. Her lips ghosted over the soft mound, her tongue every so often darting out to catch a taste of the pale skin until it had reached the already hardened nub waiting as it protruded proudly in its rose-colored glory.
Then Regina's hot mouth was covering the tip and sucking rhythmically with each thrust she put into Emma. This had the blonde squirming in her spot, her back arching almost involuntarily into the brunette's mouth and her entire being moving to the beat that the older woman had set. It wasn't long until she felt the pressure building and thought nothing but to achieve the release that she needed. Every movement was jerky and frantic, and she could feel the brunette's fingers moving faster and her tongue swirling even quicker around her swollen nipple.
And then she exploded; little white stars clouded her vision and she felt nothing but pure bliss as her body tensed and slowed in its ultimate release. And as she was coming down from her high, Regina's fingers pulling from her body and her mouth moving away from her chest, she heard three little words expressed in a husky, yet sweet, whisper.
"I love you."
"I love you, too," she panted, sinking against the mattress, completely spent.
"I like it when you say that." Regina smiled sweetly, brushing a few wayward strands of gold from Emma's face. "It feels so good to be loved by someone."
"Haven't you been loved by someone?" Emma frowned and shifted her body as the older woman occupied the open space next to her. "I couldn't imagine that."
"My mother was the only one to ever love me, or that I had ever truly loved." She confessed, her voice meek. "It was all my mother's fault, really. She's one of those twisted women that get into your head and make you believe everything that she says."
Emma's face creased into a much deeper frown at this new information as she digested what the brunette teacher was telling her. That was really screwed up, but she feared that what Regina was telling her right now wasn't even the worst part of it.
"My father had died when I was young, and she said that it meant that our bond and love for one another would only grow stronger. Any friends that I had had when I was younger never stayed around long. My mother always tried to reassure me and say that mother loved the most and that she would never leave me like those ungrateful brats. My mother was, and is, quite rich. I probably should have been the most popular girl in school and living the dream with all the luxuries that I had, but I was nothing but a mama's girl."
There was a moment of silence and Emma was about to speak and change the subject before the older woman finally spoke once again.
"She kicked me out after she found out that I was gay." Regina closed her eyes, a few tears slipping down her cheeks. "Gods, and what a way for her to find out. She was supposed to have been taking a business trip and wasn't due back for at least a few more days. My mother decided to surprise me with her presence, and with surprising me, came surprising the girlfriend that I had at the time. Least to say, she wouldn't have bought the sleepover bit that I used before since the girl, and I were making out on my bed.
"After finding solid ground and acquiring a job at the local newspaper, I had realized how much better off I was without my mother. I found that it was easier to breathe without her and I felt free for once. Although, I found it hard to befriend others because I just hadn't trusted anyone. I was always reminded by the nagging voice in the back of my mind that my mother was the only person that I needed in my life, and for some reason I had always wanted to make her proud. I-"
The brunette paused; her lips slightly parted in thought about what she had wanted to say next. Whatever it was, it was putting up a difficult battle inside her head. She hesitated a bit more and Emma thought she wouldn't even finish her thought, but then she spoke with a very, very quiet voice that the blonde would have missed if she weren't so concentrated on the teacher's next words.
"I still want to."
"Hey, you don't have to feel bad about that. You're lucky to have a mother that loves you." Emma reached out to gently grace her fingers across Regina's tear-stained cheeks.
"I know, but I feel so horrible for wanting her. But I felt so lost when she stopped returning my messages."
"Gina." Emma's green eyes were wide as saucers as she watched the brunette teacher break down in front of her.
The blonde's heart went out to the woman. They weren't so different after all, as Emma had thought they were. Regina seemed to have the perfect life and she even envied her, but after hearing what her mother had done and what she was, she wasn't so jealous anymore.
"Hey, look, ba-…uh…Gina, I'm sure your mother just got caught up with stuff or maybe something happened, and she just can't contact you." Emma tried her best to comfort the sniveling woman.
"You're probably right, Emma." Regina sighed softly, shaking her head with a pathetic smile. "Look at me, crying like a child. I shouldn't be doing this. Crying after sex is a big no-no."
Emma ran her fingers through Regina's hair one last time before pushing a lock behind her ear with a soft chuckle. "It's alright, Gina. You're allowed to be vulnerable every once in a while."
"No, not on our date." The brunette kissed her lover's cheek. "I can't."
"You can do whatever you want, b-… Gina."
"Are you having a hard time with speaking as well, dear?" Regina cracked a smile through teary eyes as she brought a hand up to wipe at her cheeks.
"I want to call you 'babe' or 'baby' for some weird reason. I dunno. I was never one to think that I would use pet names or anything and I don't think those really suit-"
"Use them if you wish, sweetheart." She chuckled, a husky and melodic sound that had expanded Emma's heart and brought a smile to her face.
Yup. She could definitely listen to that laugh on repeat.
"Really?"
"I do not mind at all. I find it rather endearing, and anything from you will make me smile, regardless." She purred, leaning forward to press a kiss to Emma's cheek. "So, please do use those cute little pet names that you feel so inclined to say. I do not mind one bit. Just remember, though, when we are in class you may not call me 'baby'. You must-"
"Address you as Ms. Mills, yes, I've got it." Emma gave her a wry smile, but they had both ended up laughing regardless. "I've got it, babe."
Then she was snickering with a hand flapping uselessly in the air. Emma stare at the brunette with incredulous eyes, unable to comprehend what the hell was going on. Did Regina finally lose it?
"What the fuck, Gina?"
"You said 'I've got it, babe.'" She finally said after her giggles had dissipated.
"What's so funny about that?"
"I've got you, babe." The brunette muttered, a wide smile on her face.
"What the hell are you talking about? I don't get it."
Regina jutted out her bottom lip and gave Emma the most pitiful of looks before flipping the covers completely onto the blonde and slipping out of the bed. "Figures you wouldn't. You're too young."
"Hey! No age jokes! That's- that's age-ist!"
"Age-ist, Emma?"
"Prejudiced!" The blonde corrected as she also clambered out of bed, following the brunette as she moved across the spacious bedroom of the hotel suite. "Anyways, what did you mean by what you said?"
"I've got you, babe. That's a song, a rather old one at that-"
"Oh!" Emma lightly slapped the older woman's tanned arm as the light bulb finally lit. "I know what you're talking about! Sonny and Cher. It's an alright song. I like Cher a bit, I mean."
"You do?" Regina grinned and turned around, seizing both of Emma's hands. "I love her."
"I never took you as a Cher fan, Gina."
"Likewise." The brunette arched a brow. "I thought you were mostly into rock."
"I am, but I like a lot of weird music. It's strange, but so am I." Emma giggled as she was dragged into the bathroom. "Also, for my birthday, I got her new CD. Maybe we can listen to it sometime?"
"That sounds like a brilliant idea, darling." Regina smiled, turning around to place a kiss on the blonde's nose. "But right now, we need to bathe and set off. It's nearly eleven and that's the checkout time."
"Shit, right. And we still need to find out where Graham lives so we can visit him before we leave."
"Indeed, dear. So, we must act fast and take a shower together to save time."
"Oh, kinky-"
Regina rolled her eyes and turned on the overhead shower, then gave Emma a gentle push toward the tub. After the blonde had gotten in, she did as well. "No funny business, alright? We don't want to get back too late."
"Okay," The blonde muttered, already hungry to put her hands back on the older woman's addicting body.
The funny business as Regina had said shouldn't be had was listened to. Emma hadn't tried to touch her or make any advance and the brunette didn't either. It made things much quicker, although, she had resisted several urges throughout the duration.
There were a few minutes to spare by the time the two had reached the front desk, both with damp hair and sheepish smiles. If the receptionist had noticed their condition, she didn't say anything about it. Neither one had cared about their appearances for they were in a rush to get out of Boston – or at least the hotel, for now, since they still needed to pay a visit to Graham.
And the road there was absolute hell. There was traffic both left and right in abundance that was unpleasant, and they were still lost. Graham had only given Emma the address to his apartment and Regina had told the blonde to ask her friend for directions. Of course, they hadn't known where they were at the time and that had taken at least another ten minutes to get the street they were on. Finally, and luckily, Graham had been able to pinpoint their location and give them directions to his apartment.
"And take a left, then we're there." Emma announced with satisfaction, a wide smile on her face. "Fucking finally."
"Language." Regina gave her a wry smile, reveling in the way Emma had made face as a child would when they were scolded for using such language.
"We're here!" Emma broke Regina from her thoughts as she grinned. The brunette drove up the street that Graham's building was on to park where the two soon made their way up the path of the rundown apartment building.
Of course, Regina hadn't expected anything more than this, seeing as to how Graham was just a college student, and she knew that his family wasn't exactly wealthy. He was lucky to have an apartment to himself, and Emma was lucky that she would be able to readily move into it once she had graduated from high school.
That thought, though, had Regina's heart sinking to the pit of her stomach. She didn't want to think about Emma graduating and leaving her behind in Storybrooke. Although there really was no telling where their relationship would be at that point in time.
"What the fuck is that stench?" Regina heard the blonde beside her groan as soon as she opened the door to the apartment building. The brunette wrinkled her nose upon smelling the scent that Emma was referring to. She couldn't quite place what it was, but it was a rancid odor and she wished to escape it quickly. Hopefully Graham's apartment didn't smell this horribly or else she would get sick.
"I am unsure but let us quickly get to your friend's apartment, so we don't soon find out."
"Agreed." Emma reached over and slipped her hand into the teacher's, earning a smile from the brunette, and led her toward the stairs. Soon enough, they arrived in front of a door with what was left of the numbers through the decipherable faded paint: 218.
The blonde knocked on the door with three, sturdy raps and backed up, the grip she had on Regina's hand tightened ever so slightly as they waited. Regina, in return, had squeezed her hand back and smiled, moving to stand behind the blonde. Any sort of worry that was bubbling quickly dissipated as the slide of a lock sounded and the door to the apartment opened to reveal a handsome young man with a scruffy beard and kind eyes.
"It's about time that you showed up." Graham joked as the two stood outside his apartment door, Emma rolling her eyes at his statement. His voice sounded familiar, Regina noted, eyeing the man before her curiously.
"It's not even one." The blonde playfully shoved his shoulder.
"Still, too late. I've been up since ten." He sniffed and stepped aside, allowing room for the two to enter. "Please, come in. I know it's not the cleanest, but it's a hell of a lot better than that hallway."
"Yeah, it reeks out there. What the hell, man?" Emma wrinkled her nose before following behind her friend, Regina's hand in her own. As they entered the apartment and the door was closed behind them, Regina was relieved to find out that it did not, in fact, smell anything like the putrid hallway.
"I don't know, it's a shitty building. Everyone's cooking fumes like to go out there." Graham shrugged, leading the two following behind him to the living room. "I didn't have enough money to get an apartment on the good side of town."
"I know. I'm just joking, Graham. I'll be living here soon anyways."
"Oh, you're still going to move up here?" He smirked and gave the brunette teacher behind Emma a look.
Regina, though, tried to avoid the young man's stare. It was bad enough that she recognized his face from one of the previous years. He had taken her English class his sophomore year. The boy's name didn't ring a bell at first, but now that she knew who he was and what he looked and sounded like, it made things more problematic than she thought.
It was like gazing at the students in her classroom again, knowing that she was coupling with one of the students within their age group. And she couldn't let them know nor find out. She couldn't let anyone know, but here they were, virtually flaunting their relationship in front of this boy.
"How long's it been since the last time we've seen each other?" Graham asked, gesturing toward a ratty looking couch. Emma only smiled and plopped onto the surface as Regina was a bit warier over the piece of furniture, inspecting it thoroughly before finding what appeared to be the cleanest spot next to the blonde, who had pulled her down almost immediately.
"It feels like it's been years," Emma answered, a humored smile when she noticed her girlfriend's reaction.
"Yeah, I know." He readily agreed. "Although, I'll be going back to Storybrooke to see everyone in a couple weeks. It'll feel weird, you know? It's been so long, and it feels weird seeing you again."
"Oh, thanks."
"No, I don't mean it like that. I just mean- I don't know. Everything seemed to have changed, you know? I'm a college man now and I have a good job; well, kind of a crappy job, but at least it's getting me this apartment. And you… well, you've got yourself a lady." He winked, his eyes momentarily shifting to their intertwined hands. "And she's a quiet one."
"I don't know what's gotten into her… or out of, since she doesn't seem all there." Emma joked, giving a squeeze to Regina's hand, which had the teacher snap out of the little daze she had put herself into to idly pass the time.
"What?"
"You're not talking."
"Oh." The brunette bit her lip, chestnut eyes moving over to the man sitting next to Emma. "I assumed you two would like to catch up, so I decided to stay quiet. I do not wish to intrude."
"You aren't, ma- Ms. Mills-"
"Regina," the older woman corrected. "You can call me Regina. After all, you are not in school any longer and I am Emma's, uh, girlfriend."
"Sorry, Regina." Graham smiled. "But it'd be nice to know what's going on in your classes, you know? Got any interesting, uh- What about- no… Anything interesting happening? Anymore asshole students?"
"Two in particular, yes." The brunette shrugged. "They had decided to rile up a fight with Emma and had ultimately lost."
"Yeah, I gave Jefferson the old decker." Emma smirked, proud of herself, as she held up her fist. "But the motherfucker got me back the next day. What an ass. But Gina was nice and gave me drugs for my black eye."
"Of course, I would rather you not be in pain, dear." Regina quirked a brow. "After all, you stood up for me and I do quite appreciate that."
"Well, I like you, a lot, you know? I don't want to see you hurt, even if it isn't physically." Emma turned her attention to the brunette.
"Okay, awkward." Graham coughed from beside the blonde and stared at the two of them, his brows quirked. "I did not need to see my former teacher act all lovey-dovey; it's really weird."
"Excuse me, but she's mine. She's not a teacher when she's with me." Emma nudged the man's arm.
"Yeah, but-"
"Well, if you two are going to bicker all night, I might as well get heading back to Storybrooke. I have tests to grade."
"You still haven't graded those?"
"I don't have all the time in the-"
"Can we not school talk, please?" Graham wore a smirk on his face and a devilish twinkle in his eye.
"Then why don't you go ahead and catch up? I have no problem sitting here." Regina shifted slightly, crossing one leg over the other, causing her skirt to hitch further up her thigh. She felt Emma's gaze on her stocking-clad legs and that had shot heat immediately to her core.
Regina couldn't help the smirk that began to play on her lips nor the blush that had started to dust her already rouged cheeks. She squeezed her legs together to ease the tingling sensation between them and guided her attention to the large, box TV on a dark, wooden entertainment center to take her mind off it.
Then the two began to talk, reminiscing about this past year and the summers that they had spent together playing video games. Regina had tuned them out, becoming disinterested in how many kills they got for one game, or how many points they had in another, or whatever the hell they were talking about with crafting things from a game with mines in it.
Then they proceeded to step away from the video game subject to going out to the movie theater to catch the latest flick before having a gaming night, or something of the ilk. Or that they went to some restaurant and ate together, which the two of them started to joke about them having dates because they often hit a movie afterwards, then spent most of the night playing video games.
That had something burning in Regina's gut. They had dates? Or at least that's what she had caught from that. She had noticed that they were obviously joking, seeing as to how Emma was clearly into women and Graham saw her as nothing more than a friend, but there was a radar in Regina's brain that got set off over that subject and she saw green.
She couldn't see Emma being with someone else, especially a boy. She couldn't imagine her spending so much time with him. He probably knew her better than Regina did, and that really set something else off in the brunette. She really needed to spend more time with the blonde in order to get to know her more, even if some of the things that she had previously told her were things that she hadn't told anyone else. Regina wanted to make up for lost time and ensure that she knew everything that she needed to know about Emma and vice versa.
Then she heard her name being mentioned by Emma, which had caught her full attention. She was speaking of the first day of school and how she was absolutely terrified of going into Regina's classroom because of the rumors her friends had told her. But she was soon captivated by the brunette and needed to stay
Regina had ended up tuning them out once again, her eyes roving over the living area from the boredom she had found herself suffering. They had started to talk about the months and days leading up to today, of course, most of it was vague and boring to Regina's ears. She didn't want to seem mean nor impolite, but she barely knew Graham and she had no interest in his life, and what Emma was telling him, she knew most of except for a few blurbs of her time spent with her other two friends.
Then, as if her prayers had been answered, Graham had spoken those words that she had been waiting for. "It's getting pretty late, and I know how long it takes to get back."
"Yeah," Emma muttered forlornly. "Damn, I've missed you. It was nice talking to you again, though."
"You guys should come back and visit. Maybe we can do something more fun, because Regina looked like she was about to fall asleep over there."
That comment had the brunette teacher blushing. So, he had noticed that bored glaze in her eyes. She hadn't meant to let it show.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Gina. I didn't mean to make you feel so bored." Emma frowned and brought the older woman's hand up to her lips to press a tender kiss to the top. "And if you don't mind, we could come back again and go out to do something fun. There's a lot more here than there is in Storybrooke, I know for sure."
"I would like that." Regina nodded and stood just as Graham had. She offered him a polite smile and extended a hand, in which he took. "It was quite lovely seeing you again, Graham. I do hope you have a safe time here, yes? And if you do not mind, we may come back and visit you once again."
"That sounds good to me, actually. It gets boring around here when there's no one to hang out with." He smiled and shook her hand. "And it was nice seeing you again, Ms.- Regina. I hope to see you again."
"Oh, I wouldn't doubt that you will, dear." She chuckled and wrapped her arm around Emma's waist.
"Great. Hey, Em!" He turned to the blonde. "Let me know if you two plan on coming down again. I'll even offer myself up as a cover for you."
"I'll make sure." Emma grinned, wrapping her free arm around the man in a quick, tight hug before pulling away. "Thanks again, though, for covering for my ass this weekend."
"Hey, no problem. What are friends for?"
"I would like to thank you as well, Graham. I appreciate that you have done this for us, even if it were just for Emma. It means a lot to me."
"Really, it's no problem. You're welcome and I'd gladly do it again, like I said. You two seem so perfect for each other." Graham turned towards the two of them, making sure to look at each for a few seconds. "I mean; the way you look at each other is just... wow. I haven't seen Emma this happy in the years that I've known her, and by the way she speaks of you, you make her really happy and I'm glad of that. Just don't hurt her, you know? She's had a tough enough life."
"Graham," Emma groaned.
"I won't, Graham. I promise." Regina gazed down to the blonde, a smile of pure admiration on her lips. "We've both been to hell and back. I think we're meant to fix each other."
"You're getting goopy again," he joked. "I'll be having to clean the shit out of the apartment if you continue any longer."
"Oh, don't worry. We're leaving." Emma rolled her eyes and tugged on Regina's hand as she headed toward the door, Graham following behind the two.
"Well, fine. I'll see you guys in a couple of weeks, alright? Open up some time for me, Emma, 'kay?"
"I will, Graham." The blonde giggled. "Don't worry."
"Good." The three of them stood there in a slightly awkward silence for a few moments before he had spoken again, reaching for the door. "Well, I guess this is goodbye."
"Yeah… Goodbye, Graham. I'll see you soon." Emma smiled sadly at her friend and Regina gave a slight grin.
"Goodbye, dear. Take care."
"Yeah, you too. And have a safe trip back."
"Thanks." They both chimed.
After saying their goodbyes, the two of them left the apartment building and rushed toward the parked car, trying their best to avoid the bitter wind nearly blowing them off the sidewalk.
"I hate winter," Emma mumbled as she put her seat belt on and Regina started the car, automatically going for the heater buttons.
"I do, as well. I dislike the cold."
"Me too. And after walking to your house in that goddamn blizzard, I really hate the snow, too."
"You're an idiot," Regina muttered fondly. "But, for some reason, I tolerate it."
"I'm glad you tolerate me."
"Are you ready to return home, dear?" Regina inquired after a few moments of silence on the road.
"Not really, but I know I have to." Emma groaned. "And there's school tomorrow, too, which sucks major ass."
"Tell me about it, dear. I have to get up even earlier than yourself in order to get things completed in the mornings." Regina lamented, her grip tightening on the steering wheel. "And it's a tedious job to grade tests, especially when they're written word."
"Oh, I bet that's a bitch." Emma nodded. "Hey, Gina?"
"Yes, dear?"
"Do you think I could help you with it sometime?"
"Well, not tonight. It is rather late and I'm sure that your mother is worried about where you are."
"No, I know. I just mean sometime. Anytime. I wouldn't mind, just as long as I get to hang out with you." The blonde shrugged and played with her hair.
"We'll see, Emma."
"Cool." She grinned. "What are you doing tomorrow after school?"
"Well, if you are wondering if I will be grading papers, I will be. Would you like to join me?"
"Oh, well I was just going to use you as a ride home, but sure!"
Regina couldn't help but to shake her head, an amused smile on her lips. "I can do both if you wish. I'll kill two birds with one stone."
"Aren't we a little violent?"
"It's a saying, dear."
"I know, but… Gods, can't you just humor me?"
"No," she murmured wryly.
"Sometimes you're a pain in my ass, Gina."
"Yes, well you can be a thorn in my side, Emma dear."
"Oh, hah-hah," Emma whined playfully and crossed her arms. "I'm not gonna talk to you for the rest of the way there."
"Oh, is that so?"
"Y-" The blonde suddenly stopped before nodding her head.
"Really, Emma? How childish of you."
Her only response was a shrug.
If Emma was truly being serious about not speaking for the rest of the way back, it was going to be a long trip, what with four hours still to go since they hadn't reached the highway quite yet.
"Are you really going to do this?" Regina had asked after several minutes. They were finally on the road back home.
Emma nodded once again, not making a single peep.
Yes, this definitely is going to be a long trip.