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Regina was nestled into her side. Asleep. Which was… unusual. They were sat on the couch in her parent’s loft. And Regina didn’t do weakness. Not in front of anyone. Though Regina had looked so glum and the dark circles under her eyes had Emma worrying. She hadn’t pushed, because pushing would lead to snapping. They were still new at this. But they were getting there. Slowly.
After Regina had yawned for like the millionth time that afternoon Emma had lifted an arm with a simple, “come here.” Which of course meant reluctance, but Emma’s gentle fingers running through silky hair had Regina humming then allowing her body to lean in closer. It had only taken minutes until Regina’s breathing became even and the weight of her body slumped against her own. Not that Emma minded. Not in the slightest.
She had one arm wrapped around Regina’s shoulders, and the other reaching across her body to run fingertips along wherever she could reach. Mainly on the back of Regina’s palm which lay resting slightly above her knee. She couldn’t help it. Not now she knew what it felt like to have skin meet skin. It led to her mind wandering and for her to wonder if she would even survive them taking the next step.
She found herself squeezing Regina’s shoulders a little tighter before twisting her head to place a drawn out kiss through her hair. When those lips pulled away Emma placed her forehead against Regina’s head then let out a long sigh. She breathed her in, taking in the feeling of their bodies connected and in the security her arms must provide. With eyes closed she hadn’t even heard anyone walking towards her, it was only after a gentle hand gripped her lower arm did she move her head away.
“You look happy,” Snow whispered from where she was crouched in front of the couch. Emma was about to protest on how she could possible know that – because this relationship was knew, and these feelings were terrifying, and if she didn’t feel like bolting off in the opposite direction every ten minutes then she knew something was up, but as she went to smile back at her mother instead of directing her confusion towards her, she realised a smile had already formed. When had that happened?
Snow squeezed her hand a little tighter before nodding her head towards where Regina lay sleeping soundly. “She does too.”
And again, Emma was about to argue back. Regina wasn’t smiling. Emma wanted to say she was being ridiculous. But once her sparking eyes looked to Regina’s features she realised it wasn’t the smile that gave it away. Because Regina had plenty of those and you would have to know Regina in a way which meant you could decipher between the real and the fake. No, it wasn’t a smile, but the lack of. The way Regina's face wasn’t covered by a mask, but instead was relaxed in a way Emma had never seen.
She brought her free hand up to cup Regina’s cheek, before leaning back until her forehead lay against the side of Regina’s head. Her thumb stroked gently and she found that smile growing wider completely forgetting that her mother was still crouched besides her, a smile almost matching her own stuck to her lips. She didn’t notice when her mother stood then walked away.
She was right; she was happy.
She had to swallow back tears and kissed Regina again, butterflies growing incessantly in the pit of her stomach. She breathed and for the first time allowed herself to believe that what they had was something more than what they allowed themselves to admit. Then she hoped, because her mother was right again. Regina had been the happiest whenever it was them. The three of them. And she was about to dream, the way she had growing up, with a longing to be kept but a longing to run because it was never right, it was never her family.
She held onto Regina a little tighter.
She no longer needed to dream.