Whatever This Is (Once Upon a Time; Regina/Emma)
TITLE: Whatever This Is
CHAPTER 10: Pangs
FANDOM: Once Upon a Time
PAIRING: Swan Queen (Regina/Emma)
SPOILERS: AU from beginning of "The Cricket Game"
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: A month has passed since she revealed to Emma who Daniel was, and his significance in her life. One month in which they’ve been very nearly inseparable, to the point where it’s thoroughly worrying Mary Margaret. Not that Regina minds, of course.
*****
“Kinda weird, how much can change in a month. Isn’t it?”
Regina swivels her head on the pillow, looking over at her counterpart in the dark. She bites back the urge to correct her sentence structure and replies, softly, “I’d say so.”
A month has passed since she revealed to Emma who Daniel was, and his significance in her life. One month in which they’ve been very nearly inseparable, to the point where it’s thoroughly worrying Mary Margaret.
Not that Regina minds, of course.
It’s been a month of lunches at the deli - their weekly occurrence now bumped up to thrice weekly. A month of meet-ups at The Rabbit Hole, and amicably sharing Henry, and enjoying one another’s company. And now here they are, in her bed staring up at the ceiling.
“This is weird,” Emma tells her, and she can hear the grimace without seeing her face.
Regina smiles and reminds her, “We’re not naked.”
“I know, but… us? Sharing a bed? I mean…” The mattress dips and soon Emma is propped on her side facing her. The shadows and the slivers of moonlight battle for control, painting her in stripes. There’s still a safe foot or two between them, and yet somehow, it feels a bit dangerous. “It’s weird… right?”
Regina, still lying on her back, shrugs and folds her hands primly over the covers, tugging at the sleeves of her silk pajamas. “It’s unorthodox, certainly,” she admits. “But to be quite honest, I’d rather endure a little so-called ‘weirdness’ over waking up with a sore neck and back.”
Within the past month, they’ve shared many late nights. Lots of talking - Regina thinks it’s more than she’s ever spoken to someone her entire life. And many times, those late nights have turned into them falling asleep on her couch, or in her study, waking up to blazing sunshine and stiff muscles.
After a moment, Emma concedes, “This is more comfortable than downstairs.”
“Yes. Much more accommodating.”
“But still-"
“Weird, yes, I get it,” Regina sighs. She scrubs a hand over her tired eyes, gesturing toward the door before her hand falls back onto the bed. “You’re welcome to sleep in Henry’s room if this is too much for you.”
“No.” Emma shifts again, and she is possibly the most fidgety person Regina’s ever encountered. Not only that, but she can see now where Henry gets his fidgeting from.
She settles on her stomach, and Regina watches the waves of blonde fall down her back as she bunches a pillow beneath herself and says, “Let’s talk.”
Regina gawks at her. “It’s one-thirty in the morning. And we’ve been talking all night! What on Earth could possibly be left to talk about?”
“Well… actually, there is something.”
The change in tone is what catches Regina’s attention, and she reaches over to turn on her bedside lamp. “What is it?”
“Gold kinda cornered me the other day and asked for a favor.”
“Well that’s simple - say no,” she huffs, and reaches toward the lamp again.
Emma’s hand on her arm stops her. “I kinda already thought of that, but then he reminded me that I owe him.”
“No.” She stares at her in disbelief. “You actually made a deal with him?”
“Yeah.” Emma sounds just as annoyed as she.
“Well…” She turns on her side and props herself up with an elbow on her pillow, her hand cradling the side of her head. “What does he want?”
“He wants me to help him find his son.”
“Of course.” Regina can’t help the sneer. “Darling Baelfire.” Gold’s son was probably the entire reason he snuck a loophole into the curse to begin with - he wanted a way out so he could find him. She turns back to Emma. “So he’s sending you on a wild goose chase?”
“Not really. I guess he did some sort of locator spell or something, and he’s in Manhattan.”
Regina raises her brows. “New York?” and frowns when Emma nods. “Well, that’s… quite a tall order.”
Emma sighs ruefully. “Tell me about it. God knows how long we’ll be searching that city. I guess the locator spell doesn’t narrow down an address like Google Maps.”
Regina chuckles softly; then, Emma’s pronoun usage catches up with her. “Wait… ‘we’?”
She nods. “Yeah, he’s going with.”
At that, Regina sits up, mouth slack in shock. “But… he can’t leave Storybrooke! His memories will be wiped. He won’t even remember he has a son if he crosses the town line.” Not that anyone would mind…
With an upward flick of both brows, Emma sighs, “I guess he found a way around that too.”
Regina rolls her eyes. Of course he did. Selfish little pr--
“Regina?” Emma calls, drawing her from her volatile thoughts. “You still with me?”
Regina looks down at her friend, only noticing then that Emma’s hand has been wrapped around her forearm for several minutes. “I’m here,” she says, watching as her hand slowly retreats. Then, she looks up. “When did he ask you?”
Emma searches her eyes. “A couple days ago.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
At that, Emma lets out a little chuckle, sitting up as well. The covers fall to her waist, and she pulls her pillow into her lap, to conceal the fact that she had stripped down to nothing more than a tanktop and her underwear. “We’re not married, y’know.”
“I know,” Regina snips, giving her a glare. Though they see each other enough, certainly. “Then why are you telling me now?”
“Because.”
“Because why?”
“Because of reasons,” Emma shoots back childishly, and oh really this is going nowhere.
“Emma dear, I’m very tired.”
“Okay fine! Number one, because we kinda share a kid, and I was hoping you’d, y’know… take him while I’m gone.”
Regina nods. “Of course, that goes without saying.”
“And…” The blonde’s cheeks turn pink with whatever she’s about to say, and Regina wonders just how embarrassing it will be. “You’re kinda my best friend, and… I’ll miss you.” She winces immediately after the confession.
“Well.” Regina’s heart flutters without her conscious consent but she ignores it. “That was embarrassing for you.”
Emma rolls her eyes. “Come on, Regina. We’ve spent practically all of our free time together for a month. You can’t possibly tell me you won’t miss me even a little.”
“I see it as a welcome break,” she quips. And she knows Emma sees through her - she could even when they didn’t spend every waking moment together - but she can’t bring herself to say what she really feels.
Truthfully, what she really feels is rather alarming. She’s become so accustomed to having the blonde at her heels at every turn, she thinks it will be like missing a pet. But then a part of her bubbles up and reminds her that, no, that’s not it at all.
Emma’s the first person she’s opened up to since the curse. Hell, since long before the curse. Aside from Henry, Emma’s the only person she actually wants to spend time with.
And within the last month, they’ve grown worlds closer. It’s to the point where Regina actually looks forward to her phone calls. It’s to the point where her day is brightened simply by knowing they’ll see each other at some point. It’s… well, it’s borderline pathetic.
She’s quiet for so long that Emma eventually gives up and rolls her eyes. “Alright, fine, Regina,” she says. “You’re tired, so let’s get some sleep.”
Regina hesitates, her mind still sorting through and trying to assess how she’s actually feeling. “Yes,” she responds without thinking, and reaches over to turn out the light.
Then, they each lie down on their respective sides in her king-size bed, facing away from one another on their sides. Regina pillows one hand under her head, frowning to herself in the dark. Whatever she’s feeling, it’s disconcerting on many levels.
Finally, she breaks the silence. “Emma?”
“Hmm?”
“Yes.”
There’s a pause, then… “Yes what?”
“I will,” she tries again, cryptically as she can while her face burns white-hot.
And she can hear the annoying grin in Emma’s voice. “You will what?”
She huffs, rolling her eyes in the darkness. “Come on, you know what I’m getting at.”
“Yep! And I’m gonna make you embarrass yourself just like I did.”
Regina sighs disgustedly. Though whether she’s disgusted at herself for what she’s starting to feel, or at Emma for torturing her, she can’t be certain. Finally, she grumbles, “I’ll miss you too.”
“Thatta girl, I knew you could do it.”
And she can actually feel the annoying self-satisfaction just radiating from Emma until they both fall asleep.
*****
The next morning, Emma rushes off to see Henry to school and Regina heads to the town hall for a budgetary meeting. She arrives at the deli at noon for their usual thrice-weekly lunch, and Emma is nowhere in sight. So Regina grabs a chair near the window and waits.
Soon, she sees her strolling up the walk, followed closely by someone with a very distinctive limp. She peers out the blinds and watches the two of them converse. Emma’s expression is tense and annoyed, and Gold’s is his usual superiority.
The blonde seems to blow him off and heads inside, the bell above the door tinkling her entrance. Regina flicks her brows upward, watching as Emma slides into the chair opposite hers and huffs out, “Incoming,” before Gold joins them.
“Miss Swan, I don’t believe we’ve finished our discussion.”
“Really? I thought I said goodbye,” she deadpans, opening the menu and avoiding eye contact.
Gold presses his cane into the floor, both hands folded atop it. He glances up and Regina tilts her head, feigning a smile.
He looks angry.
It pleases her.
“Regina, if you’ll excuse us for a moment, Miss Swan and I have some business to-“
“No way,” Emma tells him, looking up at him through her lashes. A jerk of the head indicates Regina herself as she tells the imp, “Anything you wanna say to me, you can say in front of Regina.”
Regina feels her lips curling in a self-satisfied smile, and she fights the urge she so often gets to extend to him her middle finger.
She tells herself it’s because she’s a lady.
He sneers back at her, lip curling in derision. “Ah yes,” he hisses, slowly. “Of course. Rumor has it you two are quite, ehm… close.” He gives them each a look.
Emma visibly bristles at this and Regina feels a tumble low in her stomach.
“Just tells us what you're after, Rumple,” Regina huffs, trying to sound as bored as she possibly can, “And make it quick.”
“What I am after, Your Majesty,” he seethes, teeth grit together, “is an answer from Miss Swan. It is of no concern to you, so if you could not say another word.” And without waiting a split-second, he adds very pointedly, “Please.”
And there it is. She knew he was gonna drag that out again after the curse - the magic word he made her promise to abide by. So Regina sits back roughly in the hard plastic deli chair and folds her arms across her chest.
Emma watches this transpire and then seemingly shakes away whatever she was thinking of it. “Look, I don’t want to leave Henry. I know I owe you, but you’ll have to pick on me for something else. Go look for your kid yourself.”
He takes a step forward, and Emma looks nearly intimidated. Nearly. Regina feels a small twinge of pride at that, though she knows it has nothing to do with her.
"No. We made a deal, and you are to abide by your side of the bargain."
Emma sighs, and Regina looks over at her. They exchange a glance and it looks like Emma's about to acquiesce, just to get the little snake off her back. In her trademark uninterested drawl, she sits back and asks him, "When would we have to leave?"
"Tomorrow night."
"Fine," Emma grits out. "Now beat it, I'm hungry."
Gold ignores her callous attitude and dips his head, as if gentlemanly bowing out of the conversation. "I thank you for your time, Miss Swan." He meets Regina's eyes, giving her a small almost teasing smile as he sing-songs, "Your Majesty," and then sweeps out of the deli.
When he's gone, Regina turns back to her counterpart. "You're actually doing this?"
Emma sighs, folding her arms over the open menu. "I kinda have to. He's been on my ass since he first asked me. I figure I can just go for a few days -- we probably won't find him -- and then I'll come back."
"A few days," she repeats, and Emma hums in the affirmative.
Regina's stomach turns again, and she tells herself it's just hunger pangs.
TBC
{x-posted to onceupon_fanfic and regina_emma}
CHAPTER 10: Pangs
FANDOM: Once Upon a Time
PAIRING: Swan Queen (Regina/Emma)
SPOILERS: AU from beginning of "The Cricket Game"
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: A month has passed since she revealed to Emma who Daniel was, and his significance in her life. One month in which they’ve been very nearly inseparable, to the point where it’s thoroughly worrying Mary Margaret. Not that Regina minds, of course.
*****
“Kinda weird, how much can change in a month. Isn’t it?”
Regina swivels her head on the pillow, looking over at her counterpart in the dark. She bites back the urge to correct her sentence structure and replies, softly, “I’d say so.”
A month has passed since she revealed to Emma who Daniel was, and his significance in her life. One month in which they’ve been very nearly inseparable, to the point where it’s thoroughly worrying Mary Margaret.
Not that Regina minds, of course.
It’s been a month of lunches at the deli - their weekly occurrence now bumped up to thrice weekly. A month of meet-ups at The Rabbit Hole, and amicably sharing Henry, and enjoying one another’s company. And now here they are, in her bed staring up at the ceiling.
“This is weird,” Emma tells her, and she can hear the grimace without seeing her face.
Regina smiles and reminds her, “We’re not naked.”
“I know, but… us? Sharing a bed? I mean…” The mattress dips and soon Emma is propped on her side facing her. The shadows and the slivers of moonlight battle for control, painting her in stripes. There’s still a safe foot or two between them, and yet somehow, it feels a bit dangerous. “It’s weird… right?”
Regina, still lying on her back, shrugs and folds her hands primly over the covers, tugging at the sleeves of her silk pajamas. “It’s unorthodox, certainly,” she admits. “But to be quite honest, I’d rather endure a little so-called ‘weirdness’ over waking up with a sore neck and back.”
Within the past month, they’ve shared many late nights. Lots of talking - Regina thinks it’s more than she’s ever spoken to someone her entire life. And many times, those late nights have turned into them falling asleep on her couch, or in her study, waking up to blazing sunshine and stiff muscles.
After a moment, Emma concedes, “This is more comfortable than downstairs.”
“Yes. Much more accommodating.”
“But still-"
“Weird, yes, I get it,” Regina sighs. She scrubs a hand over her tired eyes, gesturing toward the door before her hand falls back onto the bed. “You’re welcome to sleep in Henry’s room if this is too much for you.”
“No.” Emma shifts again, and she is possibly the most fidgety person Regina’s ever encountered. Not only that, but she can see now where Henry gets his fidgeting from.
She settles on her stomach, and Regina watches the waves of blonde fall down her back as she bunches a pillow beneath herself and says, “Let’s talk.”
Regina gawks at her. “It’s one-thirty in the morning. And we’ve been talking all night! What on Earth could possibly be left to talk about?”
“Well… actually, there is something.”
The change in tone is what catches Regina’s attention, and she reaches over to turn on her bedside lamp. “What is it?”
“Gold kinda cornered me the other day and asked for a favor.”
“Well that’s simple - say no,” she huffs, and reaches toward the lamp again.
Emma’s hand on her arm stops her. “I kinda already thought of that, but then he reminded me that I owe him.”
“No.” She stares at her in disbelief. “You actually made a deal with him?”
“Yeah.” Emma sounds just as annoyed as she.
“Well…” She turns on her side and props herself up with an elbow on her pillow, her hand cradling the side of her head. “What does he want?”
“He wants me to help him find his son.”
“Of course.” Regina can’t help the sneer. “Darling Baelfire.” Gold’s son was probably the entire reason he snuck a loophole into the curse to begin with - he wanted a way out so he could find him. She turns back to Emma. “So he’s sending you on a wild goose chase?”
“Not really. I guess he did some sort of locator spell or something, and he’s in Manhattan.”
Regina raises her brows. “New York?” and frowns when Emma nods. “Well, that’s… quite a tall order.”
Emma sighs ruefully. “Tell me about it. God knows how long we’ll be searching that city. I guess the locator spell doesn’t narrow down an address like Google Maps.”
Regina chuckles softly; then, Emma’s pronoun usage catches up with her. “Wait… ‘we’?”
She nods. “Yeah, he’s going with.”
At that, Regina sits up, mouth slack in shock. “But… he can’t leave Storybrooke! His memories will be wiped. He won’t even remember he has a son if he crosses the town line.” Not that anyone would mind…
With an upward flick of both brows, Emma sighs, “I guess he found a way around that too.”
Regina rolls her eyes. Of course he did. Selfish little pr--
“Regina?” Emma calls, drawing her from her volatile thoughts. “You still with me?”
Regina looks down at her friend, only noticing then that Emma’s hand has been wrapped around her forearm for several minutes. “I’m here,” she says, watching as her hand slowly retreats. Then, she looks up. “When did he ask you?”
Emma searches her eyes. “A couple days ago.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
At that, Emma lets out a little chuckle, sitting up as well. The covers fall to her waist, and she pulls her pillow into her lap, to conceal the fact that she had stripped down to nothing more than a tanktop and her underwear. “We’re not married, y’know.”
“I know,” Regina snips, giving her a glare. Though they see each other enough, certainly. “Then why are you telling me now?”
“Because.”
“Because why?”
“Because of reasons,” Emma shoots back childishly, and oh really this is going nowhere.
“Emma dear, I’m very tired.”
“Okay fine! Number one, because we kinda share a kid, and I was hoping you’d, y’know… take him while I’m gone.”
Regina nods. “Of course, that goes without saying.”
“And…” The blonde’s cheeks turn pink with whatever she’s about to say, and Regina wonders just how embarrassing it will be. “You’re kinda my best friend, and… I’ll miss you.” She winces immediately after the confession.
“Well.” Regina’s heart flutters without her conscious consent but she ignores it. “That was embarrassing for you.”
Emma rolls her eyes. “Come on, Regina. We’ve spent practically all of our free time together for a month. You can’t possibly tell me you won’t miss me even a little.”
“I see it as a welcome break,” she quips. And she knows Emma sees through her - she could even when they didn’t spend every waking moment together - but she can’t bring herself to say what she really feels.
Truthfully, what she really feels is rather alarming. She’s become so accustomed to having the blonde at her heels at every turn, she thinks it will be like missing a pet. But then a part of her bubbles up and reminds her that, no, that’s not it at all.
Emma’s the first person she’s opened up to since the curse. Hell, since long before the curse. Aside from Henry, Emma’s the only person she actually wants to spend time with.
And within the last month, they’ve grown worlds closer. It’s to the point where Regina actually looks forward to her phone calls. It’s to the point where her day is brightened simply by knowing they’ll see each other at some point. It’s… well, it’s borderline pathetic.
She’s quiet for so long that Emma eventually gives up and rolls her eyes. “Alright, fine, Regina,” she says. “You’re tired, so let’s get some sleep.”
Regina hesitates, her mind still sorting through and trying to assess how she’s actually feeling. “Yes,” she responds without thinking, and reaches over to turn out the light.
Then, they each lie down on their respective sides in her king-size bed, facing away from one another on their sides. Regina pillows one hand under her head, frowning to herself in the dark. Whatever she’s feeling, it’s disconcerting on many levels.
Finally, she breaks the silence. “Emma?”
“Hmm?”
“Yes.”
There’s a pause, then… “Yes what?”
“I will,” she tries again, cryptically as she can while her face burns white-hot.
And she can hear the annoying grin in Emma’s voice. “You will what?”
She huffs, rolling her eyes in the darkness. “Come on, you know what I’m getting at.”
“Yep! And I’m gonna make you embarrass yourself just like I did.”
Regina sighs disgustedly. Though whether she’s disgusted at herself for what she’s starting to feel, or at Emma for torturing her, she can’t be certain. Finally, she grumbles, “I’ll miss you too.”
“Thatta girl, I knew you could do it.”
And she can actually feel the annoying self-satisfaction just radiating from Emma until they both fall asleep.
*****
The next morning, Emma rushes off to see Henry to school and Regina heads to the town hall for a budgetary meeting. She arrives at the deli at noon for their usual thrice-weekly lunch, and Emma is nowhere in sight. So Regina grabs a chair near the window and waits.
Soon, she sees her strolling up the walk, followed closely by someone with a very distinctive limp. She peers out the blinds and watches the two of them converse. Emma’s expression is tense and annoyed, and Gold’s is his usual superiority.
The blonde seems to blow him off and heads inside, the bell above the door tinkling her entrance. Regina flicks her brows upward, watching as Emma slides into the chair opposite hers and huffs out, “Incoming,” before Gold joins them.
“Miss Swan, I don’t believe we’ve finished our discussion.”
“Really? I thought I said goodbye,” she deadpans, opening the menu and avoiding eye contact.
Gold presses his cane into the floor, both hands folded atop it. He glances up and Regina tilts her head, feigning a smile.
He looks angry.
It pleases her.
“Regina, if you’ll excuse us for a moment, Miss Swan and I have some business to-“
“No way,” Emma tells him, looking up at him through her lashes. A jerk of the head indicates Regina herself as she tells the imp, “Anything you wanna say to me, you can say in front of Regina.”
Regina feels her lips curling in a self-satisfied smile, and she fights the urge she so often gets to extend to him her middle finger.
She tells herself it’s because she’s a lady.
He sneers back at her, lip curling in derision. “Ah yes,” he hisses, slowly. “Of course. Rumor has it you two are quite, ehm… close.” He gives them each a look.
Emma visibly bristles at this and Regina feels a tumble low in her stomach.
“Just tells us what you're after, Rumple,” Regina huffs, trying to sound as bored as she possibly can, “And make it quick.”
“What I am after, Your Majesty,” he seethes, teeth grit together, “is an answer from Miss Swan. It is of no concern to you, so if you could not say another word.” And without waiting a split-second, he adds very pointedly, “Please.”
And there it is. She knew he was gonna drag that out again after the curse - the magic word he made her promise to abide by. So Regina sits back roughly in the hard plastic deli chair and folds her arms across her chest.
Emma watches this transpire and then seemingly shakes away whatever she was thinking of it. “Look, I don’t want to leave Henry. I know I owe you, but you’ll have to pick on me for something else. Go look for your kid yourself.”
He takes a step forward, and Emma looks nearly intimidated. Nearly. Regina feels a small twinge of pride at that, though she knows it has nothing to do with her.
"No. We made a deal, and you are to abide by your side of the bargain."
Emma sighs, and Regina looks over at her. They exchange a glance and it looks like Emma's about to acquiesce, just to get the little snake off her back. In her trademark uninterested drawl, she sits back and asks him, "When would we have to leave?"
"Tomorrow night."
"Fine," Emma grits out. "Now beat it, I'm hungry."
Gold ignores her callous attitude and dips his head, as if gentlemanly bowing out of the conversation. "I thank you for your time, Miss Swan." He meets Regina's eyes, giving her a small almost teasing smile as he sing-songs, "Your Majesty," and then sweeps out of the deli.
When he's gone, Regina turns back to her counterpart. "You're actually doing this?"
Emma sighs, folding her arms over the open menu. "I kinda have to. He's been on my ass since he first asked me. I figure I can just go for a few days -- we probably won't find him -- and then I'll come back."
"A few days," she repeats, and Emma hums in the affirmative.
Regina's stomach turns again, and she tells herself it's just hunger pangs.
TBC
{x-posted to onceupon_fanfic and regina_emma}