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"Care to tell me what's wrong?" Emma asks her girlfriend for at least a hundredth time today, hoping the brunette would finally open up to her and talk about whatever is bothering her but it seems that she doesn't have any intention of doing that.
"Nothing." Regina shrugs not even glancing Emma's way as she removes her makeup in front of the mirror.
"Regina, I know it's not 'nothing' because you've been giving me the cold shoulder all day." The blonde does her best to speak calmly because she doesn't want to start an argument, even though she's agitated by her behavior. "It's not healthy to shut each other out, and I think we've had our fair share of experience with that so far." Regina finally looks at her but doesn't say anything, instead one of her eyebrows just arches at her as if doubting her words. "Did I do something? Because if I did, I have no idea what it is and I hope you know I would never hurt you on purpose."
The mayor's tough expression suddenly disappears, the sharp look in her eyes softening as Emma says those words and she sighs before sitting on the bed and puts her face in her hands, making the other woman even more confused.
"I'm so sorry." She lets a silent sob escape her lips making the blonde gasp as she hurries to sit down next to her and cradle her in her arms.
"It's okay, love, I'm not mad at you, don't cry. I just want to know what's going on, you've been acting strange today."
"You don't have to pretend anymore, I know it's not me who you love." Regina mumbles through tears leaving Emma completely shocked by her statement.
Emma pulls away from her and tilts her chin up with her fingers, wanting to look her in the eyes. "Where is this coming from? What do you mean 'it's not me who you love'? Of course it's you who I love, Gina, I thought you knew that. But I'm obviously doing something wrong since I caused you to feel like this."
Even in this state, the brunette can't help but roll her eyes at the nickname she calls ridiculous but also secretly enjoys. She sniffs and shakes her head wiping her tears away. "Miss Swan, you've been trying hard enough to make yourself love me. But I'm not good enough for you and I know that. Although I'm not sure anyone is." She mumbles the last part quietly but Emma still manages to hear it and opens her mouth to protest but is stopped immediately. "Please, let me finish. I really believe what I said is true. I mean, I'm not half as good as you. Emma, you're a hero. The savior, a product of true love, pure and... and..." She tries to speak but a lump in her throat stops her from doing that so she takes a deep breath to calm herself and blinks away the tears threatening to fall. "and not evil. As I already said, I'm not sure anyone is good enough for you, but there are people with a lower body count than mine. For example, the handless wonder who's making eyes with you."
Despite the ache in her chest she feels because of what she just heard, Emma chuckles at the new nickname Regina's given the pirate who's been 'pining' for her for a while now, but the brunette frowns thinking her feelings are not taken seriously and sneers at the younger woman. "I'm glad at least one of us is having fun." She stands up in an attempt to march out of the room but a strong hand grips her arm and Emma pulls her so that she's now sitting in her lap.
"I'm sorry I laughed, I just love your sarcastic nature, among other things, of course." She tucks a strand of hair behind her girlfriend's ear, making her shyly look down and fumble with the hem of her shirt, an act seen very rarely which shows how truly insecure she feels, so the savior knows she has to do something to make the beautiful woman she's holding in her arms feel better. "Regina, look at me." She does reluctantly and Emma cups her cheek with her hand, smiling as she leans into it. "Now listen to me very closely because I want you to believe every word I say. First of all, I love you and only you. Understood? Nothing and no one will ever be able to change that. I don't care about who you were before, you changed and in my humble opinion, you deserve a place in the hero column. I may be in it too and I may be the savior, but I'm far from an angel. I've always wondered how a woman as stunning as you could have feelings for me. Regina, you're the only person I will ever want to share my life with. No one understands me like you, no one makes my heart beat as fast as you, no one loves our son as much as you do, no one else would manage to make me laugh and smile like you and no one else is the reason I wake up smiling every day I know I'll spend with them and the reason why I don't want to get out of the bed if I know they're busy with all the mayor stuff which stops me from seeing them."
"You really feel like that?" The older woman questions with insecurity in her voice, her dark doe eyes gazing into the emerald green ones as if trying to find out if the words she just heard are completely honest or not.
"Really. Trust me, sweetheart, I love you and you only." Emma assures her and she smiles from ear to ear, the first genuine one for the day.
Regina throws herself at Emma, catching her off guard so she ends up underneath her as they lock their lips together. The kiss is deep and meaningful, for they both want to pour all of their feelings into that one tender gesture. Emma's tongue brushes along Regina's lips, asking for permission for entrance which she is immediately given. She explores her mouth eagerly then sucks on her tongue, an action that is rewarded with a wonderful moan from the woman above her. The blonde tangles her hands through the soft dark hair while one of Regina's cups her cheek and the other grips the sheets beside her head. They pull away due to the lack of air and stare at each other with the most loving gaze one could ever imagine.
"Well... I'm glad we cleared this out." The mayor comments with a small smirk. "And I'm glad to be sure that mister guyliner is out of the picture."
"Look at that. You called him 'mister' and not 'disgusting pirate'. We're making some progress here. Maybe one day I'll even hear you say 'Killian'." She laughs and Regina snorts.
"I doubt he'll ever deserve that luxury." The comment makes Emma laugh even harder and her girlfriend grins hearing the beautiful sound. "I'm glad I amused you."
"Your snarky comments always succeed at doing that." She comments pinching Regina's cheeks playfully which makes her scoff, swatting her hand away.
"Watch your hands, Miss Sw- um-" She's cut off with the blonde kissing her fiercely and flipping them over so she's now hovering above her.
"Watch my hands, huh? You didn't have that kind of attitude a few nights ago when I-"
"Momssssss!" Their son's voice and a sound of doors slamming interrupts the moment and Emma groans and throws herself on the bed like a child whose candy's just been taken away. The brunette chuckles and pinches her cheeks just like she did to her before standing up and going to meet their son. The blonde follows as they go down the staircase and see their son's beaming face. He went out on a date with Violet, a girl he's liked for a while now and it obviously went well.
"I guess someone got the girllll." Henry blushes at Emma's teasing and looks at his other mother for help.
"Excuse your mother's behavior, dear, she can't help being so subtle." The savior rolls her eyes but she's still smiling, especially at Henry's smile at his mother's next question. "So how did it go? You had a good time?"
"Yes, it did. And we want to go out again tomorrow after school. Can I, pleaseee?"
"Of course you can, but return in time for dinner and let me know where you'll be going."
"We don't know yet, we'll see tomorrow. But I'll text you and tell you."
"Good. Have you eaten anything?"
"Yeah, I did. I'll go to my room now and do some homework before I go to bed." Both his mothers give him a kiss and as always Emma messes with his hair a bit making him huff and put it back in place when she's done which she always finds amusing. She waits for him to go to his bedroom before turning to his other mother.
"So... Henry ate, but I haven't yet."
Regina slaps her arm and she rubs it with a pout and pleading puppy eyes. "Not while our son is awake in the next room."
"But Gina..." The blonde whines and her girlfriend looks at her with a seductive smirk, placing a gentle kiss upon her lips.
"I will be all yours tonight, darling. I'll make it up to you, okay?" She tilts her head to the side exposing her neck which Emma takes as an opportunity to pepper a few gentle kisses there, earning a soft sigh in return.
"We have a deal, my love."
.....
The two women decide to watch some TV and cuddle on the couch until they go to bed. Regina is laying on Emma's chest, enjoying the way she's playing with her hair and massaging her scalp here and there.
"Gina?" Here's the ridiculous nickname again but she doesn't object and just goes with it.
"Yes?"
"Why did you even think I was in love with Hook?"
"Now that's a way to start a foreplay, Miss Swan." The response makes Emma scream in laughter but Regina just rolls her eyes, a small smile adoring her face as she waits for the blonde to get serious again.
"Ohhh that was a good one. But don't try to avoid answering my question using humor, Miss Mills." She says knowing that the older woman must despise talking about how a man like him managed to make her so insecure, but she wanted to know if something specific made her feel that way or she kept that bottled up for a long time and in her mind she made it a bigger deal than it really was, which is something she tends to do even though she's trying hard not to.
"Is it really necessary for you to know that?"
"Of course it is. I want to know what made you feel that way, so that I never let that happen again. I love you and I want you to always know that and not think that anyone else is better for me than you. Now spit it out, madam mayor."
Regina huffs but nevertheless props herself up on her elbows so she can look at Emma while she speaks. "Well... now that I think about it, it wasn't actually you who did anything. It was just insecurities of mine that I usually don't show and they took a toll on me today. That's all."
"That's not all. I'm glad that I didn't do anything, not gonna lie, but I definitely don't like that you feel insecure. We're not not having that. You should always know how amazing you are and that no one could ever replace you."
Those words make the brunette smile and she buries her face in her girlfriend's neck, feeling heat rising to her cheeks. Emma kisses her hair as her hands play with the hem of her shirt before slowly massaging her sides, going higher and higher until she reaches just below her breasts. Regina’s skin is covered in goosebumps and she shivers slightly, not because of the cold, but anticipation.
“Should we move to the bedroom, hm, madam mayor?”