"This is really good." Emma mumbled through a mouthful of steak. They were halfway through the meal and she was feeling the need to fill the silence.
"Tastes even better with your mouth closed."
Would they ever get over this bickering, or was that just Regina all the time!
"Oh is that how that works?" She made a show off chewing with her mouth closed.
"I swear you're as bad as Henry!" Regina huffed as she put down her fork. "Can we please just have a meal like two grown adults?"
"Yeah..." Regina shook her head in annoyance but picked up the fork once more.
"Regina..." The soft tone of her own voice jerked them both out of their growing annoyance. "Why did you agree to teach me?"
"Because you asked me to."
It was a simple reply but it felt like there was more to it.
"Well I'm glad you agreed."
"Its...not as bad as I thought it'd be."
"Oh?"
She leaned a little forward in her chair.
"Yes. You can be at times...bearable."
Emma smirked at Regina's round about way of saying I like your company.
Then she caught a glimpse of Regina's eyes. The shine in them was so uncharacteristic she wondered if the drink she had earlier was just kicking in now. Regina took a bite of her steak and a sudden inability to look away took over. How did everything she do always appear so regal? They were just eating steak for but she moved the fork past her lips poised like she were being scrutinized by the royal council, if there were a royal council but it was just them. That wouldn't do, it was time for her to break that habit and just loosen up.
"Since Henrys gone." She started. Regina's head snapped up. "How about we play a game of two truths and a lie."
"I don't play games."
"Then think of it as a Mayoral inquiry. I am the sheriff of this town how do you know i'm not some sort of vagabond?"
"You a vagabond?"
"I'm a vagabond, I own four of the same red leather jackets and I dislike seafood. Which is the lie?"
"Really Emma..."
"If you can't point out the lie then I win and you'll have to live with that for the rest of your life."
"The first." She practically hissed but she could see she had won over Regina's interest. "Now you go." Emma finished off her glass of wine.
"Fine...I owned a horse named Rocinante . I can't swim and I have never seen fireworks."
She was surprised to hear the last two but knew one of them had to be true. Regina was looking over at her coyly like she knew she stumped her. It was both sexy and infuriating.
"Um...you can't swim?"
"Sorry to disappoint you Emma but I've never seen fireworks."
"How? I mean every year storybrooke has a festival with them!"
"I don't stick around."
"Well I guess I lost that round." She stood. "Where do you keep your liquor?"
"Why?"
"This is a drinking game."
"Oh no you never said that."
"What Madam Mayor can't hold her liquor? Afraid I'll out do you?"
"You insult me. I can hold my liquor just fine however this is childish. I don't need to prove myself to you."
"So you forfeit?"
"Youre so difficult!" Regina stood up and hastily moved to a locked cabinet off in the far right kitchen corner.
"Drink up." Regina grumbled putting a bottle of vodka and a shot between them.
Emma smirked and threw the shot down like it was a refreshing sip of water.
"I can do a backflip. I ran track in high school and I used to live in Ohio."
"You know...I don't believe you can do a backflip." Emma's smile widened.
"Wrong!"
"No way!" Regina playfully slammed a hand on the table."prove it."
"There's no room in here."
"Outside now!"
Regina was seconds away from dragging her out of her seat. She really didn't like to lose and neither did she.
They both jumped out of their seats and headed for the back door.
Emma felt insanely nervous with Regina watching. It had been a while since she had actually done a backflip and there was too much pressure to do it the first time.
"Any moment now Miss Swan." Regina hummed.
She took in a small calming breath and went over the steps in her head. 3...2..1... She pushed off quick and fast tucking her legs in at the height of her jump, fully extending them at the end of her rotation. Her feet touched the grass. It was a perfect backflip but she slipped on the nighttime dew gathering there.
The force of her fall knocked the breath right out of her.
"Emma!" Regina gasped. She was by her side so quickly.
"I knew this was a stupid idea!" Regina brushed her hand across her forehead in a quick caring gesture.
It was so warm and soft. It somehow took away the temporary pain in her back.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah..." She grunted. But fuck that hurt.
"Stay put. Just relax."
"Did that count?" She rasped. Regina wanted to say no but seeing the pained look on Emma's face had her saying otherwise.
"I'm willing to say that was a truth."
"Yay...". Regina laughed but it was a sad laugh. She felt guilty for making Emma do this.
Emma groaned as she sat up.
" Take it slow..." Regina hushed. When Regina was like this she was so...human.
It made her heart oddly flutter. The hand warming her back seemed to play a part in that as well.
They moved back to the house and all she could focus on was trying to calm her still racing heart.
Regina guided her down into a chair and she felt in a daze. This wasn't because of her fall.
No it was Regina, her smell, her touch...
"Emma?" Regina leaned in a little closer.
"Yeah?"
"I asked if you were okay. You didn't answer me."
"I'm fine just a little winded. Its your shot." She shook of the spell and grinned over at Regina.
The brunette hesitated but did her part.
"I'll understand if you want to stop." Regina said. She sounded so worried.
"I've had worse. Let's continue."
Regina shifted a little closer to her. Their chairs were no longer across the small table but next to one another.
"I've killed an entire village. Slept with multiple partners at once and faked my own death."
Way to bring out the big guns!
"Ummmm..." She didn't want Regina to think she saw her as a bad person but no matter what she was screwed.
"The second?" It was almost a whisper.
Regina filled the shot glass and right before she thought she was about to down it she passed it over. Oh my god. Regina had an orgy?
It should have disgusted her but it turned her on so badly she had to take the shot.
"Which was the lie?" She hoped it was the first.
"That's for me to know." She smirked.
"Okay..." Now she could play dirty too. "I used to teach pole dancing classes. My bra size is 34 D and I love shower sex."
Had she taken it too far? She held her breath as she waited for her reaction.
Regina eyes zoned in on her chest as she blatantly oggled her.
"That's tough." Regina purred. Oh god were they flirting? She didn't care if they were it felt too good. Regina's eyes darkened even more as she stared a little too long at her chest. She felt light headed waiting for her reply.
"I don't see 34 D's."
"Wrong!"
"Prove it."
Her breath hitched. Had Regina done that on purpose?
Still she wanted to show she grabbed the hem of her wife beater and pulled it over her head. Regina's eyes raked across the newly exposed skin, further making her aware of how deliciously wrong this was. She sat up straighter for her to get a good look and was silently glad she wore her black lace bra today. From the way Regina regarded her now she could tell it was having an effect on her.
"If you need to touch…" She trailed off unable to finish the statement as Regina's hand had suddenly found a breast. It was soft and just a little rough, like she were kneading dough. A moan escaped her because the alcohol prevented her from any real control. The sound drove Regina's eyes back up to hers. The dark lust swimming just beneath the surface told her this game was already past inappropriate. She wanted Regina. There was no denying it anymore and right now, if she didn't act on it her body would burn away into nothingness.
She moved her eyes to Regina's lips, they were slightly parted and so red. Tempting her. Regina's hand stilled on her chest. Beneath her fingertips she could feel Emma's pulse firing away. That was the moment she decided to stop this little game, and just give in to the pull that was Emma Swan. The touch of their lips meeting was feather light at first, cautious and unsure, but it grew more urgent as they each put in a little more. They needed this escape. Emma couldn't recall being kissed so fully or so hungrily. It was like tonight would be their last night on Earth. Her head spun, and her heart surged.
She moved her hands to Regina's waist, gently pressed into her hip bones, attempting to bring them closer. She was rewarded with a change of positions, and suddenly Regina was straddling her in the chair.
"Emma..." Regina moaned. "This is so … wrong."
"Why?" she panted. She pulled back Regina's head by tugging on her raven locks and planted kisses down her jawline.
"We can't….You're the savior….and I'm…" Regina gasped as she nipped on her earlobe.
"You're sexy." Emma finished for her. "and labels don't matter….I want you. " Regina shuddered on her lap.
"Its the alcohol."
"No. I don't need the alcohol to feel attracted to you." Regina ground into her hip and she couldn't take it any longer. Her arms hooked around her firmly and she hoisted her up. Regina immediately clung onto her by wrapping her legs around her waist. She continued to suck and kiss Regina's neck while she carried them towards Regina's room.
"Emma ... I ...its been awhile."
"Its okay." She wasn't thinking about what Regina could possibly be trying to say. She just wanted to get them to her bed.
"I'm not ready for this."
Her lips stopped and she felt Regina stiffen in her arms. That was unexpected.
She pulled away to look Regina in the eyes but she had them cast downwards . How could she be so thoughtless? She didn't even stop to think about what Regina had told her about Leopold. Sex had been bad for her for so long. She didn't even consider she still wasn't healed.
"I'm sorry Regina." She put her down but didn't release her hold around her waist. "I understand."
"Emma. I am attracted to you...but I need to process this. We'll talk tomorrow." Regina freed herself from her grip and retreated to her room. Emma stood in the hall worried about Regina but she recalled their half eaten dinner and decided to do something for her. She cleaned up and let Regina have her space.
Early morning Regina sat In her kitchen sipping coffee waiting for Emma to wake. She hoped she hadn't scared her away. Neither of them were thinking level headedly Last night. They needed to set things right. Mid sip her phone rang.
"Mayor Mills."
"Regina, its David! Something happened down at the station last night."
"What do you mean?"
"The John Doe we locked up escaped from custody."
"How?!" Great just what she needed, just what Emma needed.
"The lock was rusting he was big enough to break it in….I came in this morning and the door was wide open."
"Okay...I want you to keep a look out for him today. Tell any other officers and I'll tell E-" She caught herself. David didn't know Emma was the one who was attacked. "I'll call the victim."
"Okay should I call Emma I know its her day off but I feel like we could use the extra help. He could be out on the streets."
"No don't worry about that I'll inform her. Don't alarm more people than we need to."
She hung up and returned to her coffee. Emma entered just as she set down her phone.
"Hey."
"Hey."
Had she heard anything? Emma poured herself a cup and sat next to her. A moment of silence passed between them. She was still trying to think which was more important the man or her feelings but Emma spoke first.
"Regina ... If you want to pretend we didn't...I can but I want you to know that what I felt for you last night wasn't just lust. I do care for you and I will wait for you if you think now isn't the time."
"We shouldn't...it'd be too confusing for Henry and I'm the mayor you're the sheriff. Its inappropriate."
"Yeah." Emma defeatedly looked into the coffee she was cradling between her hands.
What was happening between them? In the course of just days Emma manage to get closer to her than any of her past friends. There was something about her presence that just made her feel protected. She liked the feeling, and Emma's lips...
"But I want to."
Emma smiled broadly. It stole the breath from her lungs. Then she remembered she would have to tell her about the man.
"There's something I need to tell you though." Emma's eyes gave her their full attention. They were shining happily. "Your attacker escaped last night. We don't know where he is."She waited for Emma to flinch or scream but she just stared at her, the lightly slowly fading away. Her face twisted into anger, but she could see the fear behind it. Emma had to act tough.
"You mean he's going to get away with what he did? What he tried to do?"
"No. We will find him!" She took Emma's hand and squeezed it, urging her to trust in her. "Together Emma. We have magic." Emma looked down at their joined hands, and she could feel the anger leave her body.
"Yeah. We do."
She brought her thumb across the back of Emma's hand, moving it back and forth in a soothing motion.
They sat like that until Henry could be heard coming down the stairs. Regina pulled away first.
He stopped in the doorway.
"Emma you're here."
"Yeah kid. I needed to have a talk with your mom."
"That's fine. What's for breakfast?"
He smiled and sat at the table.
Emma jumped up first.
"I was thinking pancakes." Emma walked over to the stove and started pulling out ingredients.
"Pancakes are a horrible breakfast. They have no nutritional value whatsoever."
"Hmm but they taste good. Right Henry?"
He grinned.
"Yeah. Please Mom just this once?"
She hated the position Emma just put her in. She was not going to continue being the villain.
"Fine but easy on the syrup."
Both Henry and Emma smiled. She could get used to that.
A/N: There were so many directions I could have taken this story but I decided to head this way. Thanks for reading.