Emma smiled at the crack of the bat meeting the ball just right, already braced for the next. The baseball coach had been impressed with her skills, and had let her join the team, but before letting her actually play in any of their competitive matches, he had said that she would need to rack up a few hours in the batting cage. She didn't mind though. It was a fair term of her admission to the team and she enjoyed the workout. It helped that on more than one occasion, she had found Regina looking at her, watching her with a rather hungry expression on her face. Speaking of which...Feeling the familiar tingle that only ever meant she was under the gaze of familiar brown eyes, Emma made her swing for the ball coming her way, gaining another satisfying crack. Stepping out of the path of the next ball, she turned to find none other than her girlfriend leaning against the side of the cage, her bag hanging loosely over her shoulder.
"Still making up your mandatory hours?" asked the brunette, her hand coming up to allow her fingers to curl around the loose mesh of the batting cage.
Emma shrugged. Regina didn't have to know she was well and truly beyond her mandatory hours, and was only hanging around to catch the brunette on her way out of her after school clubs. "How was debate club?" she asked with a smile. "You manage to persuade everyone to your way of thinking?"
"You know it," smirked the brunette. Looking down at her hand as the fingers of Emma's free hand curled around her own, her smirk softened into a gentle smile.
"Yeah, you don't argue to lose," chuckled Emma.
"Maybe I just have the best of ideas?" The smirk returned, before transforming once more into a shy smile, accompanied by the biting of her lower lip. "Speaking of which, I don't suppose you'd like to go to Grannies tonight?"
Emma grinned. "This wouldn't be for the date you said you'd like to take me on, would it?"
Regina blushed, glancing away before taking a fortifying breath and looking back up to meet a glittering green gaze. "If it was?"
"I'd better be getting myself home so I can make a proper effort," grinned the blonde.
The brunette practically melted at the words, stepping closer to the fence so that her whole body was pressed against it. "You know I don't care what you wear. You could turn up exactly as you are, helmet and all and I'd just be happy it was you."
It was times like these Emma really found it difficult to understand how so many people had their view of Regina Mills so very wrong. She was the sweetest, kindest girl Emma had ever met. So eager to love and be loved. "You'll be happier I've made an effort, believe me." She saw Regina eyes flicker down to her lips and cast a quick glance around before slipping her helmet off and leaning forward to press a kiss to the fingers curled around her own through the fence. As much as she wanted to kiss her properly, the wide spaced mesh and the fact that they were far too exposed stopped her.
"Have something in mind, do you?" asked Regina, rubbing her thumb across Emma's palm in silent thanks for her previous gesture.
"I might have," grinned Emma. "But you'll just have to wait and see."