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Regina had found Snow’s insistence on a “girls’ night out” obnoxious. She’d tried excuses, like needing to wash her hair and file her papers. She’d even suggested she felt an evil presence in town and needed to stay vigilant, with no time for leisure. But Snow had cheerfully countered every one, and eventually Regina had found herself thoroughly trapped.
Now that she was here, Regina found she didn’t hate it, though she’d certainly never admit that. It helped that Snow had taken her obnoxiously perky self away to play darts, to be sure. Ruby and Kathryn and Belle were tolerable company. Emma had an uncanny knack for knowing when to show up with a refill that Regina appreciated more each time. And she and Zelena were now several drinks deep, judging everyone and everything. The family that mocks together, stays together, or something like that.
“I just want to shake him and say, ‘The curse broke! You don’t have to dress like the 1980s anymore!’”
“Somewhere, Don Johnson is in his underwear, because that man stole his suit,” Zelena added.
“At least he’s wearing pants. I cannot unsee the Spandex shorts from an hour ago. The worst thing all night.”
“That man was smuggling plums,” Zelena said archly.
Regina made a disgusted noise. “Now we have a new worst thing all night.”
“Look, Robin was loathsome, and you’re well shot of him, but don’t give up on men entirely!”
Regina gestured dismissively. “It has nothing to do with Robin. It’s just a foul way to talk about anything.”
“Sure,” Zelena said with a smirk that implied she knew something.
Looking around to change the subject, Regina saw Ruby with a brilliantly red, smoking cocktail. “Oh, that looks interesting.”
“Poison apple,” Ruby said.
“What?!”
“That’s the name of the drink.”
“That’s not better!”
“Everything is Enchanted Forest themed,” Belle explained.
“I suppose,” she said, feeling grumpy about it. “It does look very tasty.”
“I can get you one!” Emma said, practically jumping out of her seat.
Regina couldn’t help smiling at how kind she was. “Thank you, dear.”
Emma brought it to her a few minutes later, and she smiled at her again. There was something about how attentive she was that Regina really liked, but couldn’t quite put her finger on. She was just reaching for the drink when there was a loud bang from across the bar, making her start and dump it into her lap.
“Fuck me!” she exclaimed, then realized she’d been spending entirely too much time with Zelena if she’d picked up that expression.
“I volunteer as tribute!” Emma said suddenly.
Ruby and Belle gasped, and that made Regina look up from trying hopelessly to blot her skirt. All of the color had drained out of Emma’s face and she was staring, her mouth moving but no sound coming out. Her expression seemed horrified. It was utterly confusing.
“You’re drunk, Ems,” Ruby said suddenly.
“Yes, time to get you home,” Belle put in.
“Right, yeah,” Emma said, and let herself be hustled toward the door. She left so fast that her leather jacket was still hanging on the chair.
Regina stared at it for a moment as if it might tell her what was happening. Then she turned to Kathryn and Zelena, the only ones remaining at the table, to see if they might know. Kathryn had a studiously neutral expression, but Zelena was chuckling. “Why is that funny? What the hell just happened?”
“She took your exclamation as an invitation to shag and volunteered to do the do,” Zelena said.
“No,” Regina said, sure she was putting her on. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Next thing I suppose you’ll tell me she wasn’t fetching you drinks all night because she fancies you.”
“She was just being nice!”
Now Kathryn was doing a bad job of stifling laughter.
“Not you too!”
“Regina, how do you not know when someone is interested in you?” Kathryn asked, not unkindly.
“Emma is my friend. We’re friends.”
“Keep telling yourself that, poppet,” Zelena said.
Regina scoffed. “This is ridiculous. And since my clothes are ruined anyway, I’m going home.”
“You’re too drunk to drive,” Kathryn pointed out.
“Maybe. But I’m not too drunk to poof,” she shot back.
As she marched around the table to grab Emma’s jacket for safekeeping, she heard Zelena repeat “poof” and dissolve into giggles. They were clearly all far too drunk. She was glad the evening was over.
--
Regina woke up with a horrible hangover. It was so bad that it took a few tries to cast the spell to cure it. But at last, she managed and made it downstairs only feeling the effects of staying up too late. Henry was in the kitchen eating cereal and reading a comic book, and it took her a moment to realize that was alright because it was Sunday.
“Good morning, Mom. Is Ma here?”
Regina felt a surge of panic. “What? Why would Emma be here? She doesn’t stay the night here,” she blurted. She really hadn’t expected this from Henry.
“She fell asleep on the couch during movie night a few weeks ago,” he pointed out.
“That’s true,” she conceded.
“And when she broke her arm a while back you insisted she stay here so you could take care of her.”
“Alright, but-”
“And just last week-”
“Okay! Okay. She does stay here sometimes. But she isn’t here now. Why do you think she is?”
“Oh, I saw her jacket in the closet when I was looking for my scarf.”
“Oh.” Regina wasn’t quite sure why relief washed over her. “We went out last night and she forgot it.” Then she felt sudden panic. “At the bar. She forgot it at the bar. She didn’t come home with me.” A beat, and she was blurting again. “And we went out with a bunch of people.”
Henry’s brow furrowed. “I guess I did ask,” he said.
--
Regina waited until much later before texting Emma, I have your jacket. She knew the sheriff slept late on weekends, and especially after drinking so much. But how did she know that? Why did she know that? It absolutely did not mean anything that she knew tha-
She was saved from her panicky spiral by the vibration of her phone. Thanks. I was wondering what happened to it.
I’ll be at home today if you want to pick it up.
Sounds good. Maybe around lunchtime?
Regina snorted, knowing exactly why she’d suggested it. Then she decided to have a little fun with her. Okay, I’m making kale salad.
Emma was silent for a long moment, long enough that Regina worried she’d sounded unwelcoming. Then the text came. The internet says the right drink with kale salad is apple cider. Do you have any that’s not boozy or should I hit the cider mill on my way?
Regina stared at it for a moment, caught off guard by how Emma had come up with the perfect thing. But then, she often did things like that, these moments of insight or kindness or whatever it was that had Regina feeling seen and cared for. Like buying drinks at the bar. But that made her think of what Zelena and Kathryn had said. The idea that Emma might have romantic feelings for her was ridiculous. Wasn’t it?
Regina?
Sorry. I was joking about the kale salad. I was thinking I’d make pumpkin soup. It’s seasonal. But some cider would still be nice.
It’s seasonal too! I’ll bring it. See you at noon.
--
It was a very pleasant family lunch. They talked about Henry’s latest short story, and Regina’s ideas to make council meetings go more smoothly, and Emma’s plans to change patrol routes so the Lost Boys wouldn’t find them so predictable. When they’d finished, Henry excused himself to finish the assignment due first thing Monday morning, and Emma offered to help with the dishes as she always did, and it was nice and familiar.
At least, it was for a little while. Had Emma always stood so close to her to dry the dishes? She didn’t mind it, really, but she was sharply aware of her. Just before the conversation became too stilted, the last cup was done.
“I guess I should go,” Emma said as soon as she’d set it down.
Regina was simultaneously relieved and disappointed, but she was nothing if not able to put on a veneer when needed. “Thanks for stopping by.”
“Yeah, thanks for inviting me,” Emma said.
They had made it almost all the way to the door when Emma said “Oh! My jacket!”
“Right,” Regina said, having forgotten too.
“Thanks for picking it up for me,” Emma said.
“I couldn’t very well leave it in that dirty bar,” Regina said with a shudder as she went over to the hall closet and got it.
“Still. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” she said, holding it out for Emma to take.
Their hands brushed just as their eyes met, and they both froze. Had Emma’s eyes always been so green? Was her gaze always so intense? Regina felt almost like they were drifting toward each other. Was it warm in here? There was something- something- Oh. Zelena and Kathryn were right. Emma was interested in her.
Then the moment passed. The eye contact broke. Emma pulled her hand back quickly and said “Bye,” and was out the door with Regina staring after her, amazed at what she’d just realized.
--
“How long have you known?” Regina demanded as soon as Zelena picked up the phone.
Zelena made a little amused snort. “Sussed it out, have you? Took you long enough.”
“How long?!”
“Since the first time I saw her look at you like you could walk on water. Which was the first time I saw her look at you.”
“It can’t have been that long. I would have noticed.”
This time Zelena chuckled out loud, not very kindly, before answering, “You didn’t.”
Regina scoffed. “Anyway, it’s terribly awkward. She’s a dear friend but I just don’t know how to tell her I don’t feel the same.”
She was not prepared for the gale of laughter that came through the phone. It went on and on, and she kept thinking that surely Zelena was going to run out of breath, but she never seemed to.
“Oh, you’re impossible,” she said, and hung up.
She thought for a moment about calling Kathryn for advice on how to let Emma down easy. If she was going to consult with someone, it should be someone who already knew about the situation, to spare Emma embarrassment. Plus, she could be fairly certain Kathryn wouldn’t have quite so much fun at her expense. But then she remembered Kathryn’s look of almost pity that Regina didn’t realize what apparently seemed so obvious, and decided against it. She would figure it out on her own.
--
Regina found herself watching Emma a lot for the next several days—when she came into Granny’s, when she dropped off her monthly reports at the mayor’s office, in the council meeting, when they ran into each other on the street or dropping off or picking up Henry. Knowing what she knew now, some of the things Emma had done for months or years took on new meaning. She always waited for her order at Granny’s by standing by Regina’s table and chatting with her. She was meticulous and thorough with her monthly reports even though Regina knew that she hated it. She held the door for her. She backed her up when people on the council disagreed with her. And her face always lit up when she saw Regina. Always.
And it was because she had romantic feelings for Regina, who really didn’t know what to do about that. It felt like taking advantage of her, somehow, to enjoy all of those little moments and kindnesses. Regina was sure that was why she felt uncomfortable. It wasn’t that she objected to it in itself. Under other circumstances, she would have been interested. Emma was certainly attractive. She was intelligent. She was kind. She didn’t have to worry about her being a bad influence on Henry—or, she thought ruefully, remembering tales of pop tart breakfasts and frozen pizza dinners, she was already badly influencing Henry as much as she was going to. It just wasn’t who they were to each other.
She knew she needed to say something. She just couldn’t let it go on like this now that she knew. But she was still entirely at a loss.
“Well, hopefully it will come to me soon,” she muttered to herself as she opened the door to the sheriff’s station that Friday. She wanted to tell Emma that Henry had asked to have a sleepover tonight, so it was probably best to take a raincheck on their family dinner, and she had been right nearby so it seemed just as easy to walk in as to call.
When she came around the corner into the bullpen, it took her a moment to realize what she was seeing. Emma was in just an undershirt. Hanging in the doorway to the holding cell. Doing pullups.
When she saw Regina, she squeaked in surprise and immediately got down. “Sorry, I- uh- it helps me think.”
Regina wondered if she should try it, because she was having a hard time thinking right now herself. Emma’s muscles were glistening with a light sheen of sweat, and her chest was heaving a bit from her exertions, and as she took a long, long drink from the water bottle on the nearby table, the curve of her neck was exquisite. Oh. Oh no.
But a lifetime of having to put on appearances did not abandon her now, so she put on poise like armor and said casually, “Do what works for you.”
Emma nodded, then looked at her expectantly and said “What’s up?”
“What?”
“What brings you to the station?” Emma asked. Then she got a concerned look and quickly added, “Not that you’re not welcome! You just don’t usually come by in the middle of the day so I figured there was a reason.”
“Oh! Henry is having a sleepover,” Regina said. Then she made a split-second decision. “So it will be just the two of us for dinner.” Then it was her turn to hastily qualify a statement. “That is, if you still want to come.”
“Of course! I’d never pass up an opportunity for your-”
“Cooking,” Regina said, feeling a little bitter.
Emma gave her a reproachful look. “Company.”
Regina couldn’t help smiling, and they just looked at each other for a moment, both smiling, until Regina remembered what she had just realized and suddenly needed some space to think. “See you at 7,” she said as she hurried out.
--
“How long have you known?” Regina demanded again.
“There’s the other shoe,” Zelena said, sounding just as amused as she had the last time she’d been called. “I was beginning to think you’d never figure it out.”
“How long?!”
“Since the first time I saw you look at her like she was magic. Which was the first time I saw you look at her.”
“She is magic. Or,” Regina corrected, realizing what she’d said, “she has magic. You know what I mean.”
“You know perfectly well that’s not what I meant. Half the people in this twee little town have magic, and you don’t look at them the same way.”
“Alright,” Regina conceded. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”
“I have been making fun of you about it ever since we stopped trying to kill each other!” She paused, then added, “And maybe once or twice before.”
“It can’t have been that long. I would have noticed.”
Zelena laughed. “You didn’t.”
“Then why didn’t you say anything directly?”
“Regina,” Zelena said, suddenly serious, “She had to blurt out that she wants to shag you and it still took you a week to work it out. What good would it have done to say something?”
“Alright,” Regina conceded.
They were quiet for a moment.
“So what are you going to do now that you’re done being a twit about it?”
“Oh, we’re having dinner tonight. Just the two of us since Henry is at a sleepover.” It would be a good time to talk things out.
“You’re what?! Talk about burying the lede, Mills!” Zelena sounded completely offended.
“Sorry?”
After another moment, Zelena prompted, “Well?! How are you going to seduce her?”
“Seduce her? Who said anything about seducing her?!”
“Oh my god, you have entirely lost the plot.”
--
Several unhelpful suggestions later—unhelpful and occasionally lewd suggestions—Regina managed to get Zelena off the phone. But her insistence that the fact that they were mutually interested meant they had to immediately act on it stuck with her as she showered and dressed, enough to make her choose a slightly more formal outfit, take a little more time over her makeup, and dab perfume at her pulse points. If nothing else, being put together helped her feel more under control, because this situation felt like it could at any moment spiral out of her control.
The feeling evaporated when the doorbell rang. She took a few deep breaths to calm her racing pulse, then went to answer it.
Emma was wearing an entirely normal outfit, and for a moment Regina felt self-conscious at having dressed up.
But then as Regina closed the door behind her, she said, “Wow, you look amazing,” with a certain awed tone in her voice. It made everything better, and even more so when she stumbled on to add, “Not that you don’t always look amazing!”
“Thank you, dear,” Regina said with a little chuckle. Then she took the bottle of wine Emma was holding out.
Her surprise must have shown on her face, because Emma offered a not-quite-defensive explanation as they headed into the kitchen: “An adult beverage, since it’s just us adults tonight.”
She said “Good idea” because it was, and to get a smile.
That seemed to break them out of the awkwardness, and soon they were chatting easily as Emma opened the wine and Regina quickly prepared the finishing touches.
“It smells amazing in here, by the way. What’s for dinner?”
“Black bean soup. Do you want tortilla strips for garnish?”
“Do I ever! And cheese? Fantastic.”
Regina chuckled at her eagerness as they took the food and their glasses of wine into the dining room. After they had toasted each other with what was in fact excellent wine and eaten a few bites, Regina decided it was time to broach the subject.
“I’m glad we could still have dinner.”
“Me too,” Emma said around a mouthful of bread, and it should have been uncouth but it was somehow charming.
“Good. I thought we could talk about what happened last week.”
Emma froze with her spoon half way to her mouth for several seconds, then swallowed hard and set it down. “I’m sorry about that. I guess I got a little too drunk and didn’t know what I was saying,” she said in a tight voice, not meeting her eyes.
There might have been a time that would have fooled Regina, but not now. “Even if I didn’t dislike what you were saying?”
She looked up, startled. “You didn’t?”
“Not the smoothest pickup line, but the sentiment isn’t unwelcome.”
Regina could see her reason her way through that. “Not- un- so it’s welcome.”
“Yes.”
“I- wow- really?”
“Yes.”
“Wow. I guess I should have gotten plastered and blurted that out years ago,” Emma said with a little chuckle.
Regina laughed lightly. “I don’t know if I would have been able to admit it was welcome years ago.”
“No? So- when were you ready to admit it?”
Now it was Regina’s turn to feel like a deer in headlights. “Today,” she said quickly, to get it over with.
“What?”
There was no help for it. She grit her teeth and said it clearly. “Today. Go ahead and laugh. Zelena certainly had a field day with my denseness.”
“I don’t want to laugh. I’m impressed.”
“You are?”
“It took me weeks of freaking out that it would ruin our friendship or make a mess with Henry and that you were totally out of my league—though I guess that doesn’t create the same freak out the other way.”
Regina melted. “I’m not out of your league.”
“Sure you are,” Emma said with a self-deprecating chuckle. “But wait, what happened today to make you realize?”
Oh, there was that wave of panic again. “You have to take into account that I realized you were interested in me after last week. That was on my mind.”
“Sure.”
“And then, I was just struck by how attractive you are,” Regina said, hoping she could stay just that vague.
“Thank you,” Emma said, ducking her head shyly.
There was a quiet moment, and then Emma looked at her again. “Wait, when today?”
She should have known she would not leave it be. Tragically, the tenacity was attractive. “When I came by the station.”
“When I was all sweaty from working out?”
Regina gave a little shrug that tried to be casual. “It made me appreciate your muscles in a new way.”
“Oh yeah?” Emma asked, looking her up and down in a speculative, almost eager way.
Heat flared in Regina’s chest, and she was about to suggest they forget dinner and skip straight to the kissing when there was a rumble.
“Traitor,” Emma grumbled, looking down at her stomach.
Regina laughed. “You’ll be no use to anyone until you’re fed.”
Emma scowled briefly, then brightened. “So you want to use me?” Then she made a horrified face when she realized how that sounded. “I mean. You want me to be useful? Use-”
Regina laughed. “I understand what you mean.” Then she let her voice drop into a purr. “And yes, I would very much like to have some use of you.”
“Yeah, let’s make this dinner thing fast,” Emma said, starting to eat with focus and determination.
Before long, they had finished dinner and taken their glasses of wine into the study. Regina very deliberately sat next to Emma rather than across from her, and enjoyed the little catch in her breath when she did. They had resumed their light chatting over the remnants of the meal, and it continued now, talking of town plans and strange things the residents were doing. Regina found herself watching Emma’s mouth move more and more as she was speaking, letting the desire to kiss her build.
Suddenly, Emma set down the wine glass she’d been holding. “I was promised kissing.”
“So you were.” Regina set her own wine down.
She just looked at her for a long, easy moment, drinking in the sight of her, reveling in what they were about to do. Then, slowly, she leaned in and pressed her lips to Emma’s easy and sweet, and it felt almost like magic. One kiss became two became five, lingering, luxuriating. A little bit more, and the kisses were open, deep, almost hungry. She let herself get lost in it, loving everything about it.
When, after long moments, they pulled apart, she murmured, “Why didn’t we do this years ago?”
“Beats me,” Emma said. “But I’m glad we’re doing it now.”
“Me too.”