"Oh, no! Oh, fuck! Stop it! Stop it!"
The waitress buries her face into the blonde's chest as the latter laughs.
"Um, Ruby... You're kind of-... Could you get off me?"
The brunette shakes her head, remaining safely pressed into the comforting warmth of the Sheriff. Emma rolls her eyes, shuffling back awkwardly and pushing the younger woman away.
"You're such an idiot."
"Oh, I'm sorry! Just because I don't want to watch some guy get his face cut off! Why the hell would anyone do that?! And look! Look! What's she doing now!... Wait, she's not going to-... No-... No way-... Oh fuck! Gross!"
Ruby covers her eyes with a groan as the blonde simply guides a heaped spoonful of Cherry Garcia into her mouth and raises a brow at the latest scene of bloodshed to grace the screen. Deeming it safe to lower her hands by the lack of tortured cries, the waitress studies Emma curiously before returning her attention to the movie; her heartbeat frantic.
"Why do you watch this stuff!?"
"It's a good movie."
"Well... It's better than the one we watched the other week. At least there's no shoving of sharp objects into places they have no business being shoved..."
"It's not the end of the movie yet."
The Sheriff grins, relishing the apprehensive glance the younger woman throws her while inwardly wishing she would quit sitting quite so close; Ruby's shoulder pressed firmly into her ribs as the brunette leans companionably against her and hugs her legs up onto her lap. Sighing, she uses her spoon to point to the case on the table, speaking through a mouthful of ice cream which detracts somewhat from her purposeful scholarly tone.
"The Devil's Rejects is of a much higher calibre than Cannibal Holocaust, I assure you. Just look at the lighting, the filming, the superior acting. The direction is beautifully done and- oh! This is a good part! Look at that arterial spray!"
She cries, purposefully rubbing salt into the wound. Rolling her eyes, Ruby gives the Sheriff a hard jab in the ribs, absentmindedly twisting golden curls around her finger as she continues to watch the movie with an occasional grimace.
"You know, she kind of looks like you."
"Who?"
"Baby."
"You think so?"
"Older, but yeah."
"Hmm, good to know I have options for the future. She's a lot prettier than I am."
"Nah, not really, and also she's a serial killer, Emma, could we maybe focus on that being the problem in the comparison."
"Oh, right... Probably not the best role model."
"You think!?"
"Whatever, her boots are cool."
"Yes, because that's something you're in desperate need of; more boots."
"You want to be wearing ice cream? Keep talking."
Ruby shrieks as the blonde accosts her with a newly loaded spoon, batting her arm away as the Sheriff chuckles huskily. Throwing Emma a murderous scowl, she tosses her hair back as the movie's protagonists dig into a similar frozen treat on the screen.
She had been keen to come and see the blonde; a little shaken by the intensity of the conversation overheard at the diner, and more than a little curious as to what Emma's reaction to being caught out would be. She'd sent the Sheriff a text while cleaning up after lunch asking if she wanted to hang out for the evening. When this had gone unanswered for several hours, her stomach had started to tie itself in knots; worried that she'd perhaps ruined their friendship with her brazen admission to knowing the truth. At around five o'clock her phone had hummed in her pocket, however, and she'd been relieved to receive one of Emma's typically curt texts.
Fine. Bring Provisions. No health stuff. E
The coldness of the message hadn't really thrown her; well-accustomed to the Sheriff's nihilistic tendencies with the written word. Still, as she'd stood outside her apartment holding a bag containing ice cream and beer - a sure way to get back on the blonde's good side!- she had wondered how Emma would react to her earlier antics. To her surprise, the blonde had pulled open the door with a grin; taking her coat, before beckoning her over to the sofa with the friendly request that she join her in watching what she had referred to as 'only one of the best movies ever!'.
Now, as the bloodshed finally draws to a close, she studies the Sheriff intently out of the corner of her eye as the blonde nibbles at the pink mush on her spoon; green eyes glued to the screen as she watches the final scene unfold. Waiting for the credits to roll, Ruby clears her throat and pushes herself away from the blonde so that she sits with her back pressed against the armrest of the sofa, her legs still draped lightly over the latter's lap.
"So..."
"So what?"
Emma replies noncommittally, and the waitress rolls her eyes in bemusement, drinking in the sudden defensive rigidness to the blonde's posture as she remains pointedly transfixed on the screen as though her life depends on discerning who acted as key-grip for the movie.
"Are we going to talk about it?"
"Why?"
"Well, because you're my friend... And you're dating the Mayor!"
"We're not dating."
"And she's terrifying!"
"Sometimes."
"And she's-... Well-... I didn't know you even-... You know..."
"Didn't what? Go on?"
"She's a woman."
"Your powers of observation are simply extraordinary. What do you want? A fucking cookie?"
"Emma..."
Ruby sighs, and the blonde follows suit, twisting in her seat to regard the waitress moodily.
"I don't know, alright? I don't know what you want me to tell you. I don't have much of a clue about all of this myself... How did you even find out?"
"I came by the station yesterday and saw you two sitting outside."
"Oh."
"But, I mean-... Ok, look. I don't get it, I'll tell you that right now. The woman scares the shit out of me, and I doubt I'm alone."
"She's not like that once you get to know her."
"Hey, I'm not saying she is. I just-... I'm just surprised is all... After everything you two have been through, you know?"
"You and me both."
Emma nods, and the brunette lets out a sigh of relief as green eyes meet her own with a look of open confusion. Confusion, she can take. She can understand. She's just relieved the blonde doesn't seem angry with her. Shuffling a little closer, she offers the Sheriff a smile, proceeding carefully
"You said yourself, though, that you were happy?"
"I am."
"Well, then. I guess it doesn't really matter if you can't make sense of some stuff."
"... No."
Emma agrees cautiously, brushing distractedly at her cheek; completely bewildered and wondering why in the hell her eyes are watering. Letting out a shocked expulsion of air as Ruby squeezes her waist tightly without warning, she sniffs awkwardly, clearing her throat as the younger woman's hair tickles her nose.
"Could you-... Could you not do that?"
She mutters, and Ruby pulls back sheepishly, her expression wretchedly kind as she smiles at the Sheriff, causing the blonde to cast her gaze hastily down to her lap.
"... You can't tell anyone, ok?"
"I won't... But..."
"But what?"
The Sheriff's tone is suddenly hard, laced with panic as she glances up at the brunette sternly.
"But what, Ruby?"
"Look, don't freak out, but when I was working earlier, Gold was at the diner and he called Regina over as she was walking past... I didn't hear everything, but, I think he kind of knows something... And I'm guessing from the look on your face right now, you had a suspicion he might... He was trying to get Regina to admit to what was going on... He said he saw your car outside her house and that he believed you were there because... Well... You were seeing her for non-business reasons... Umm... He was telling her something about a deal, but I don't really know about any of that... He just seemed to be stirring shit."
"Fuck!"
"I, uh, I kind of stepped in a bit..."
"You what?"
"Well, after teasing you this morning, I was pretty sure that I was right about you and the Mayor... Personally, I find Regina to be nothing but bad news, but, as you said, I don't really know her all that well... I just saw it as two people having an argument, and one was beginning to make things a little too threatening... I simply went over and asked her if she was okay."
"I bet she loved that."
Emma replies sarcastically.
"Ha, nope! I explained I meant okay in general... After having been out with you when you received the distress call on your police radio the other night..."
"On my what?"
"You know, that piece of technology you were told to keep with you at all times when you started the job that you use as a paperweight?"
"Ruby..."
"I just told her I presumed it must have been something serious if she was calling you, given that you two don't like each other... I assured her I meant no offence."
"But you weren't with me when Henry called."
"No shit! I'm guessing he didn't call you on the radio, either."
"But, Regina knows that..."
"Yes, but Gold doesn't."
"You... Oh my god..."
"Whatever Gold thinks he knows, I'm guessing he's having second thoughts right about now."
"You... Are incredible!"
Ruby lets out a delighted yelp as the blonde throws herself at her, giggling as she wraps her arms tightly around the Sheriff's shoulders. Smirking into messy curls, she adopts a high-pitched crow of delight, her eyes sparkling with good humour.
"Oh my god! Is Emma Swan hugging me?!"
"Shut up."
The Sheriff mutters, pushing herself briskly away and sniffing with an ill-attempted air of disinterest. Letting out a small noise as her emotions continue to overwhelm her, she pushes back her hair as she studies the waitress in disbelief.
"I can't believe you did that..."
She breathes, and Ruby smiles, shuffling around so that she sits beside the blonde while throwing an arm companionably around her shoulders.
"I can't believe you cooked dinner for the fucking Mayor!"