They had spent a solid two hours shopping for school essentials then stopping for a quick lunch. It was Regina who returned to the hospital after dropping off Henry and Emma at the apartment to give them some bonding time and to check in on her friend.
As she approached the door to August's apartment, unsurprised to find Figaro waiting patiently outside it, she paused listening in on the sounds inside the home. Muffled laughter sounded through the wood and something that sounded akin to blowing raspberries. Regina opened the door, Figaro darting inside, but as stealthy as the cat, Regina eased her way inside unnoticed.
Then flatulence sounded.
Regina furrowed her brow and prepared her nose for Henry's inevitable stink–more than once she had had to endure a sneaky silent one, but giggles followed immediately along with Jim Hawkins and Captain Amelia's familiar voice.
She turned to see Treasure Planet playing on the television, and Henry and Emma sitting on the couch with their mouths pressed to their arms as they blew raspberries.
"You're farting!" Henry pointed, barely containing his laughter.
"At least I'm not smelly." Emma took his arm and blew a big wet raspberry, Henry's joyous laughter filling the air.
He paused when Figaro leaped onto the couch and weaved his way in between Emma and Henry for attention. The blonde shot her head up toward the door to find an amused Regina by the entrance way, but Henry was too preoccupied by the kitty cat. "Hi Fig'ro!"
"Hello, honey, I'm home," Regina said coyly, removing her scarf and coat and hanging them in the closet before toeing off her boots there as well.
"And you brought a cat."
"Please, felines are more manageable than dogs."
"Not as fun." Figaro turned suddenly on Emma as if he knew she was talking about him, and to win back her good graces, he slipped out of Henry's hug and curled up in the blonde's chest, purring contently. "This one's okay though," she relented, stroking the cat behind its ear. "How's August?"
"The doctors say he can be refitted for a new prosthetic by next week, and since he's responded so well to the last physio exercises and medications, they imagine it'll be easier to adjust to new knee movements." Regina stepped into the living area and leaned against the back of the couch where Henry jumped into her arms. "Hello, sweetie." She kissed him, rouging his cheek. "Did you have fun today?"
"Look." Henry pulled back and stood on the couch, bringing his arm up to his lips and blew loudly. "I can speak flat'lence."
Emma tried to hold in her laugh, but the boy continued to blow raspberries on his arm like the character in Treasure Planet. She shrugged when Regina threw her a pointed glare.
"Speaking two languages can get him a better job," she argued.
Emma smirked and tapped her cheek, and the brunette didn't hesitate to lean over and peck Emma on the lips. It was supposed to be a quick welcome home kiss, but at initial contact neither Regina nor Emma wanted to pull away for too long, so when Emma clutched Regina's bicep and pulled her in closer, Regina fell into her lips.
"Ew!" Henry yelled and covered his eyes, ducking his head into the back couch cushions before peaking an eye to see the women pulling apart with red tinted cheeks.
"Ew?" Emma repeated, using her outstretched legs to pull Henry to her. "You don't like my kisses?" She attacked his face and neck with a flurry of pecks that the boy loved despite his protests.
Smiling fondly, Regina retreated to the bedroom where she changed out of her slacks and button up and donned more comfortable wear. Exiting the bedroom in her silk pyjama bottoms and a cotton tank top, she moved around the couch and took a seat at the opposite end, not entirely upset that Henry would be blowing raspberries for days now. Quite honestly, given the amount of times he had watched this movie, she was surprised he hadn't picked up the habit yet. But he was happy, leaning against the back of the couch speaking flatulence while she and Emma watched on amused. Then suddenly a foot tapped her knee, and Regina glanced up to see Emma playing a game of footsy with her, but the smile that came effortlessly to her face was worth the juvenile attempt at gaining her attention. They went on like that, legs tangled with one another and sly glances shared over Henry's head, until Jim and John had their bonding moment through the music montage, and Regina had no qualms about tugging Emma's outstretched arm and suggesting she lay with her. Emma's head on Regina's chest, the brunette lay content and absentmindedly stroked her fingers through yellow locks, but upon seeing his mother and Emma in an embrace, Henry fell on Emma's back in a loose hug as the Mills created a Swan sandwich.
The hour came and went with Henry shushing the women whenever they tried to quote the movie, and when the credits rolled, it was Emma who sat up on her arms, jostling Henry who woahed exaggeratedly and held on, as Emma said it was time for someone's bath. Cheering, Henry rolled off the soldier and raced toward the washroom, already tugging his shirt off and tossing it on a disgruntled Figaro before slamming the door shut.
"Since when does he like bath time?" Emma asked, still propped up over Regina on her palms.
"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," she answered by way of explanation. "You can thank Tina for that one."
"I'll send her a thank you card for eliminating the hassle of bath time."
"Good luck getting him out." Regina sat up, tapping Emma's shoulder to move back and sauntered to the kitchen where Figaro followed, waiting expectantly by the kibble.
The sound of the washroom door opening and closing signalled that the younger woman had bypassed the warning and ventured into a guaranteed soaking. The muffled sounds of the faucet running accompanied the instrumental music of the credits still rolling on TV. Feeding the cat and giving him an affectionate pat on the head, Regina switched off the television from her spot in the kitchen and opened the fridge to see a single long stemmed rose and her name written in Emma's signature script on a card taped to it. Curious, she pulled off the card and began to read.
Regina,
I know I've missed so many holidays and your birthday since I've been away, and I know this rose doesn't make up for it, but know that I do always think about you, not only on those holidays of your birthday, but everyday. Consider this a promise that for as long as you'll have me, I'm always gonna want to spend every Christmas, and New Years, and birthdays, and Hanukkah, and Arbour Day, and every day with you.
Yours,
Emma
She inhaled sharply as she finished reading the card. The cold air from the fridge caught up with her when she felt her skin prickle with goosebumps – or was that excitement? – as she stood rooted to the spot in front of the open fridge. The fluttering in her chest hadn't ceased since she saw the rose with her name on it, and though Regina never gave much thought to grand romantic gestures, coming from Emma, she just might make an exception.
Rolling her eyes at her own giddy attitude, Regina retrieved the rose, sniffing it so that its fragrance filled her nostrils before returning it to the fridge so it wouldn't wilt and thought about the woman currently catering to her son in the other room as she continued to rummage through the cupboards.
Emma, despite her reservations and guarded nature, was a giver. The soldier may not have even realized it about herself, but there was something innate within the younger woman that made her want to impress people. Regina ruled it out to be the source of her upbringing – an orphan moving from house to house wanting just one person to keep her.