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thelastandonlyunicorn · 18 days ago

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It's not a date, is it? (Please clarify)

Regina invites Emma to dinner on Valentine’s Day. Emma doesn’t know if it’s a date.

Rated: M, 5k words, link to Ao3

It all starts with an innocent question.

“Would you like to join me for dinner next Monday?” Regina asks.

“Depends. What are you making?” Emma is only teasing; they both know she loves Regina's cooking and wouldn't miss out on a chance to enjoy it.

“Anything you'd like,“ Regina replies smoothly, folding her arms in front of her chest, “as long as it's not some kind of fast food or lasagna.“

“What's wrong with lasagna? Isn't that one of your specialties?“ Emma frowns. It’s her favorite of Regina’s.

“Well yes, it is,” Regina replies, “but I wanted to make something different this time. And to be completely honest, I can't stand it anymore. We eat it almost every time you come over. And you and Henry may have learned to eat the same thing every day in the lost year, but I am a queen and...”

“... a bit more refined, I know,“ Emma chuckles. “How about roast beef and potatoes then? We ate it a lot in one of my foster homes. I really liked it.“

Regina nods and unfolds her arms, “I can do that. Be there at 6.”

Emma throws her a cheeky grin, “It's a date.“

Instead of rolling her eyes like Emma expects her to, Regina just smiles warmly at her before she leaves the station.

Emma doesn't have time to think about the unusual response. The phone rings, she has a cat to save.

Emma’s dinner plans with Regina don’t come up again until she's at the Rabbit Hole with Ruby.

“So, what are you doing for Valentine's Day tomorrow, Em? The girls and I wanna go to this new dance club and pick a date for the night.”

“Valentine's Day? Well, I don't usually celebrate it. But sure, a drink can't-” Emma suddenly remembers her dinner with Regina. “Oh, wait, actually I do have plans. Regina has invited me to dinner.”

Ruby’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise before her face breaks into a wide grin. “Oh, so you already have someone! Good for you.”

“No, it's not like that!” Emma feels herself blush. “It's just dinner. She invited me to eat-”

“Her out?” Ruby interrupts her.

Emma punches her friend in the arm. Her cheeks are burning. “No! I bet she doesn't even know about Valentine's Day!”

Ruby raises an eyebrow. “We may live in a magical town that got stuck in the 80's but we're still in a capitalist country that insists upon commercializing everything. You can bet your ass that the mayor of this town knows what Valentine's Day is.”

Emma sighs, “Fine, she knows. But she didn’t mean anything by it, I’m sure. It's just a coincidence! Or can you imagine Regina decorating her house with candles and leading the way to her bedroom with rose petals just because a land she isn't even from tells its people to do that on this specific date?“

Ruby shrugs, but her grin never falters. “Probably not. But maybe she thinks you'd like it. Because, let's be honest, Emma, you're a hopeless romantic. Doesn't matter how much you wanna fight it, but deep down you want those cheesy things.”

“That's enough, Ruby!“ Emma is sure she looks like a tomato right now. “Regina doesn’t like me like that. End of discussion.“

“Whatever, Emma. Just... don't turn up empty-handed. Just in case.”

Emma has trouble sleeping that night. Her mind is going over the conversation she had had with Ruby earlier. What if her friend is right? What if Regina really meant to ask Emma out on a date? What if that's why she just smiled when Emma had joked about it being one?

Emma's heart flutters in her chest when she thinks about possible outcomes of the evening. Maybe she would get to kiss Regina - something she had fantasized about for a long time now. What would Regina’s lips feel like on hers? Her hands in Emma’s hair, her body pressed against Emma’s own? Regina telling her she had feelings for her, like Emma had-

Emma shoots up into a sitting position. “No!” she scolds herself and tries to get the inappropriate images of Regina out of her head. “She's not interested in me like that,“ Emma says out loud. “We're friends. Nothing more. This is not a date.“

She repeats it once more for good measure, “It is not a date.”

Henry will be there anyway. It's Regina-week.

Still, when she nervously waits on Regina's front porch the next evening, she is dressed in her favorite jeans and a black blouse. In her hands is a bouquet of lilies. Not roses, because friends, remember? Plus, they're Regina’s favorite.

“Emma!“ Regina sounds happy to see her. “Come in. Dinner is almost ready.”

Emma enters the mansion and is immediately surrounded by the mouthwatering smell of roast beef.

“Wow it smells amazing!” she tells Regina and hands the bouquet to her. “These are for you.”

Regina’s eyes light up and laughter lines form next to brown orbs. “They're beautiful! Thank you, Emma.“

Emma returns the smile, takes off her shoes and follows Regina to the dining room. The table is set for two: Plates, cutlery, wine glasses, candles and now the flowers that Regina has put into a vase.

Speaking of Regina, Emma's nose has grown accustomed to the delicious smell now and without the distraction it offers she finally takes in Regina’s outfit. It's stunning: a knee-length, tight black dress with a slit on one side that reaches her mid-thigh, stockings, and, Emma almost chokes, is that a garter belt?! Holy mother of... Shit, Emma can't look away. Surely Regina is gonna catch her at any moment but, oh lord, Emma’s throat is so dry all of a sudden.

What saves her is Emma’s most loyal body part - her stomach growls. It's loud in the silence.

Regina chuckles, “Want to help me carry the pots?“

Green eyes find brown again and Emma nods, not trusting her voice to work right now.

While she helps Regina carry the potatoes, vegetables and roast beef to the table, she analyzes the situation.

Henry is not here, despite the fact that it's Regina-week, which means that either there is some event or sleepover today that Emma isn’t aware of, or Regina asked him to stay somewhere else because this actually is a date.

There are candles. Regina loves candles, especially scented ones with lavender so that's not too unusual. She would decorate like this if it was just a normal family dinner with Henry as well.

Then again, the dress and… everything under it. It's not unusual for Regina to dress this fancy and elegant and if it weren’t for the stockings and garter belt Emma definitely wouldn’t have questioned it but it looks more and more like Regina asked her on a date.

Like this is an actual date.

Emma almost drops the pot at the thought. Shit, how is she to survive a date with the woman she has been.. has liked for years?

But no, it can't be, can it?

Yes, Henry's not home, Regina's wearing stockings with a garter belt and she's smiling more than usual, but it's not at all Regina’s style to recognize a commercialized holiday and actually celebrate it (other than Christmas and New Years for Henry).

What if this is just Regina being friendly? What if this doesn't mean what the tiny, hopeful voice in Emma’s mind tells her it does? What if-

“Merlot or Chardonnay? I have beer in the fridge as well if you'd prefer that?” Regina is holding two wine bottles with a questioning look in her eyes.

“Uh whatever you’re having. You're the wine expert,” Emma manages to reply and Regina rewards her with a smile. “I think Chardonnay is better suited.“

The urge to just ask Regina what this is, if she’s trying to tell Emma something with this, is overwhelming but Emma can't bring herself to do it. She'd look stupid whatever answer Regina gave her.

But Emma isn't stupid, at least most of the time. She can get her answer. All she has to do is ask the right questions - in a subtle way of course.

Regina serves the food and Emma forgets about everything for a moment, “Wow, Regina, this looks amazing!”

The brunette smiles, pleased. “Leave some room for dessert,” she reminds Emma.

While Emma's skill to eat a lot in a short time period had helped her prevent malnutrition in her time in the foster system, it wasn't something that was highly valued when eating with other people as an adult. With time, Emma had learned to eat slower and just enough that she was full and satisfied, so her stomach wouldn't hurt afterwards, but Regina's cooking sure made it hard for her to remember her limits.

Emma is lost in the explosion of flavors in her mouth for a while until she remembers the question she was about to ask. “What is-”

“Would you-” Regina and her say at the same time. The brunette chuckles, “You go first.“

Emma smiles, “I just wanted to ask what Henry is doing tonight. Does he have a date?”

“No, he’s at a friend’s house,” Regina's smile turns into a frown, “or do you think he lied to me and he actually is going on a date?“

Emma reaches out and squeezes Regina’s hand. “He’s a good kid. He would have told you… or me.”

The wrinkles on Regina’s forehead disappear and she nods. “He would have, wouldn't he?”

Emma squeezes Regina’s hand one more time, just for reassurance of course, not because it's warm and her skin feels so soft.

“We've raised him well.”

Regina smiles again and her eyes get that special shimmer that only appears when she is talking about Henry. “We did.”

Emma returns the smile and pulls away to continue eating, also because her hand has started to get sweaty, and she doesn't want Regina to notice.

“Would you like some more potatoes? That's what I wanted to ask,“ Regina is already reaching for the serving dish. How could Emma say no to that?

A second serving and two portions of fruit salad later, Emma half sits, half lays on the couch, feeling like she’s pregnant again. “With a food baby,” she jokingly tells Regina who rolls her eyes at her but still gives her another pillow to support her lower back, because “That's where it's gonna hurt first, Regina!” The atmosphere is light and free, and Regina tells Emma all about the annoying meeting she’d had yesterday.

“Can you believe he demanded magic free zones that magic users can't enter?” Regina's fists are clenched, and her jaw is working. “I agree, it's a good idea to add a new section about magic to the existing ruling, but this? If he wants a magic free world, he can pack his stupid khaki pants and drive over the town line. No one will miss him here.”

Emma nods in agreement and takes Regina's hand in hers, slowly massaging the tight muscles.

“Oh,” Regina lets out a sigh, “that feels good.”

“I'm surprised you didn't at least give him a little goodbye present.“

Regina chuckles, “I can't do that. Trying to stay good, remember?”

“Then how come you cursed me with bad luck for a week just because I let Henry eat the large cheese pizza last month?” Emma pouts.

“You really want to bring this up again?” Regina arches an eyebrow at her. “Your son has a lactose intolerance and you let him eat cheese pizza. He was sick for two days!“

“How come he is just my son when it comes to his illnesses?“

Regina looks at her like it's obvious, “It's your genetics.”

“But I don't have a problem with milk, you do!“ Emma defends herself. “So clearly he picked that up from you.”

“Do I have to explain to you again how genetics work, Emma?”

Regina's face is a mixture of fondness and annoyance, so Emma nonetheless dares to reply, “Still, it wasn't fair of you to curse me for a whole week. Every time I went to Granny's the bear claws were empty and my grilled cheese tasted plain. I thought I was going crazy.”

“Well, you’ve learned from it, haven't you?“ Regina smirks. “Not to mention that you’d be very capable of lifting such a weak curse by yourself, had you actually listened to anything I said in our magic lessons.”

Emma rolls her eyes, ”Whatever, but I think you still feel bad about it. That's why you invited me to dinner today - to make up for it with delicious food.“

Regina chuckles, “You're an idiot.”

Emma almost asks, “Your idiot?” but chickens out and closes her mouth again. ‘Not a date’, she reminds herself.

Her eyes involuntarily fall down. Regina's dress has ridden up her thighs and it takes everything in Emma not to stare at the exposed skin. She focuses on Regina's hand again, kneads the muscles one more time before she gently lays it down.

When she looks back up, Regina's eyes are on her. She is leaning against the couch rest, one elbow propped up to support her head, the other hand takes the wine glass again. Emma looks away when Regina takes another sip. She feels like she's staring. The little smirk on Regina's face when she looks up again tells her that she noticed too.

It's always been like this: Light banter, knowing looks and suggestive comments, or in Regina's case also deliberate touches and meaningful poses. It’s established ground, safe ground because they both know it won't go too far. They're adults, they've got responsibilities. They can't risk everything for an attraction.

However, for Emma it hasn't been just that for a long time. Sure, when she first met the hot mayor and mother of her child, when she had arrived in Storybrooke there had only been physical attraction, even when they were fighting - especially when they were fighting.

But then she had gotten to know Regina: the caring mother who didn't know how to express love because she’d not had anyone to learn it from; the former Evil Queen, a young woman that became a pawn in someone else’s evil game; the friend who understood her like no one else could.

And, with every new thing Emma had learned about Regina, her feelings had grown stronger and stronger until the box that was labeled friends couldn’t hold them anymore and they inhabited a new one, one that Emma hasn’t dared to label for a long time. Still hasn’t really. Because, until Henry and her parents, everyone who had been in that box had left her for good.

Emma is pulled back into the moment by Regina's gentle voice, “What are you thinking about?“

She shrugs, “Just… stuff. What are you thinking about?“

Regina searches her eyes, then smirks, “Ah, you know, stuff.“

Emma chuckles, “Very specific.”

Regina takes another sip from her almost empty glass, “If you must know, I was thinking you should come over tomorrow for lunch at my office. You can bring your latest files with you.”

“Sure,“ Emma smiles. “Should I get us something from Granny's?”

“No, I've got it covered,” Regina replies. “Let's say one o’clock? Does that suit you?“

“Oh, now I've got a say in what time suits me?“ Emma teases.

Regina rolls her eyes and pretends to be annoyed, “Don't make me reconsider.”

Emma grins, “One is fine.”

She looks at the clock that shows it’s half past nine already. Regina follows her gaze and chuckles, “Oh, I hadn’t realized how late it’s getting. I suppose that’s why they say time flies when you’re having fun.”

“It sure did,” Emma smiles. She gets up and lifts her arms to stretch her stiff back. “I really should get going. We both have to get up early tomorrow.”

When she looks at the brunette again Regina's cheeks are rosy. Emma hadn't noticed until now. ‘It's probably from the wine’, she thinks.

Regina clears her throat and gets up to show Emma out.

“Thank you for the food and the company,” Emma smiles. She puts her jacket on and checks her pockets for her keys and phone. Everything's where she left it. “I'll probably dream of roast beef and potatoes tonight. That's how good it was.”

“Well, I know the way to your heart is through your stomach,” Regina chuckles and fixes Emma's collar like she usually does with Henry.

Emma smiles, “You've got that right. But don't worry my stomach loves you. Nothing compares to your cooking.”

“Oh, so your stomach has forgiven me for the denied bear claws and bad sandwiches now, has it?“ Regina chuckles. Her hands move from Emma's collar to her shoulders, smoothing out the wrinkles in her coat.

“Seems you've made up for it today,” Emma replies. Regina chuckles and Emma’s eyes involuntarily fall to her lips and, oh shit, Emma wants to kiss them. Badly.

It physically hurts to look away. ‘Not a date!’ she tells herself again. Her eyes meet Regina's but that doesn't help at all because they’re filled with warmth and fondness. Platonic warmth and fondness. So Emma focuses on the wall instead.

“I'll see you tomorrow?“ Regina asks, letting go of Emma's shoulders and taking a step back.

Emma immediately misses the contact but the gesture reassures her that it was the right decision not to kiss the brunette. Regina definitely didn’t want it to happen, or she wouldn't have let go of her just now.

Emma allows herself to look back at Regina's face, “Tomorrow,” she confirms. “Good night, Regina.“

“Good Night, Emma. “

The next morning, when Emma steps into Granny's to get herself and her dad their morning coffee, her mind is still going over the events of yesterday.

She managed to rationalize everything that happened the evening before: Henry had a sleepover - that’s why he wasn’t there, Regina invited her to eat - because friends are allowed to have casual dinner together even on Valentine’s Day, the teasing - that was just Regina playing their game and Emma taking part in it.

However, Regina’s clothing choices… Emma is not stupid. She knows Regina deliberately tried to tell her something with it. She can’t determine what it is though because either Regina is just taking their game to the next level and wanted to antagonize Emma or... or she wanted her to do something about it, but what? Compliment her? Confront her about it? Just stare? (Which, by the way, Emma has been a professional at since she first laid eyes on the vision that is Regina Mills.)

Lost in thought, Emma almost collides with someone.

“Sorry,” she apologizes, only to look up and be met with a small smirk. “Regina, hi! Um, sorry, I wasn't looking.”

“I can tell,” Regina replies. Her eyes wander over Emma's body, then her face. They stop at the visible rings under her eyes. The smirk disappears and is replaced by worry. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I'm good. Just didn't sleep well and I’ve misplaced my concealer.” ‘And lay awake half of the night thinking about you.’

“I'm impressed you even know what that is,” Regina teases.

“I do,” Emma doesn't falter. Two can play that game. “I also know what stockings and a garter belt look like.”

“Is that your way of asking me if I'm wearing them again?” Regina chuckles, her voice low. Nevertheless, a small blush appears on her cheeks from being called out like that.

Emma looks around and realizes everyone is tuning in to their conversation. Not wanting to add fire to the flame, she stops herself from replying with ‘Guess I have to find out later.’ That would have been going too far anyway.

“I should get my coffee,“ she says instead.

Regina nods, “And your bear claw.” She squeezes Emma's hand and smiles warmly, “I'll see you later.“

“Bear claw?” Emma asks confused because, yes, she'd like one very much right now but hadn't actually planned on buying one.

Regina must not have heard the question or maybe she’s just ignoring Emma because she walks out the door without looking back. Emma turns to the counter to pick-up her order. Everyone is still staring.

Ruby hands her two coffees and a paper bag. “I guess the dinner went well.”

“It was just a normal dinner,” Emma deflects. She opens the bag to find a bear claw in it. Regina must have bought it for her. Maybe she felt bad about the curse after Emma had brought it up again yesterday.

Ruby raises an eyebrow, “Yeah, right. Friends. I also wear stockings and a garter belt when I have my friend over for dinner on Valentine's Day.”

Emma winces, “Was it that loud?”

Ruby points to her ears, “Definitely for me. And I saw Granny flinch so she knows too, which means the whole town will eventually.”

Emma massages her temple, “Shit.”

Ruby shrugs, “I don't see any harm. You’re into her, she's into you. Why is it such a big deal?“

“Because it wasn't a date, Ruby! You know Regina, she likes to play. That's our game. But she doesn't mean it like I do.”

“Oh,“ Ruby's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, “you're in love with her.”

Emma doesn't deny or confirm, just takes the coffee and turns around to leave.

“Em!” Ruby's hand on her shoulder stops her, “I don't think she's playing. Just talk to her.”

Emma gives her friend a small smile, “I'll try.“

Read the rest on AO3

#bringing this back bc it's valentine's day #swan queen #valentines day #my fic #regina mills #emma swan

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