Emma woke the next morning, rubbing a hand over her face. Sitting up, she noted the empty camp bed only a few of feet away. She and Regina had retreated to the tent as the night had grown colder, but had lain awake, talking for hours. Emma had finally fallen asleep with a smile on her face, by then quite sure that her attraction towards Regina wasn't all one sided. It had been playing on her mind ever since their chat up at the waterfall, and she hoped that over the course of the weekend to at least work up the courage to ask the girl out. She didn't have a lot of money to lavish on the girl, but she was nothing if not creative.
Climbing out of bed and adjusting her flannel pyjama pants and her loose sleep shirt, she shoved her feet into her trainers, shuffling outside. Shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight, she looked around for Regina, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of her. She sat next to the river, leaning back on her elbows in a tight strap top and cut off jeans, her short hair dragged back into a tiny ponytail. The light reflecting off the water danced over her skin. To Emma, she had never looked more stunning.
Suddenly, brown eyes locked with her own.
"Morning," smiled Regina as she sat up, taking in Emma's sleep rumpled appearance, and finding it adorable. "Did you sleep well?"
Emma nodded, coming over to sit close to the brunette. "How long have you been up?"
"Not long," said Regina. "I'm usually first up. I like the quiet this early."
"Oh," said Emma. "Do you want me to go?"
"No!" said Regina, reaching for her hand, as if making sure she wouldn't run off. "I didn't mean it like that." She looked at their joint hands, feeling the butterflies stir in her stomach as she looked at the contrasting tones of their skin.
"Your hands are so soft," breathed Emma, blushing when she realised she had said it out loud.
Regina smiled, biting her lip at the adorable expression on the other girls face. She brought her other hand to clasp Emma's between both of her own, leaning into her shoulder. Feeling Emma tense for a moment, she grinned as the body next to her relaxed, Emma's other arm coming up around her shoulders.
"Regina?"
"Mmm?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Is breakfast on yet?"
Regina sighed at the sound of Ruby's loud and sleepy voice. "I'm guessing it wasn't that."
Emma chuckled. "No."
"What was it?" asked Regina, her eyes begging her.
Blushing, Emma shook her head. "It was nothing, really."
With a sigh, Regina untangled herself from the blonde, stomping over to the fire pit. Ruby was getting her breakfast a little on the burnt side, she decided.