When Emma falls in love

Chapter 16

The soft morning sunlight filtered through the curtains for only the first few minutes as Emma and the Evil Queen sat down at the wooden table. However, dark, big clouds soon blocked the almost golden-looking rays.

"Damn," the blonde mumbled after taking the first bite of her scrambled eggs. With just a flick of her wrist, the brunette had conjured a breakfast people had in movies. Emma took a sip of her coffee, savoring the rich flavor, and smiled across the table at the other woman. "You know, your magical touch makes everything taste better."

The Evil Queen raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. "Well, it's a talent not many appreciate. Glad you do, Emma."

"Of course, your majesty."

The brunette watched the playful smirk on the blonde woman's lips and, for a brief moment, was lost in her own thoughts. Everything seemed almost too simple—how come Emma didn't hate her after nearly giving her a concussion in Regina's office just two weeks ago? Or after trying to kill her and her loved ones? How was she so kind, funny, and adorable, yet also sassy, confident, and snarky at the same time? And why was her beautiful, long, blonde hair something the Evil Queen couldn't stop staring at, finding herself wishing to run her fingers through it? The brunette felt her heart rate increase and her stomach tingling. She couldn't hold back an audible sigh that didn't go unnoticed by Emma.

"You okay?" she asked, her green eyes shifting from her plate to the other woman.

"Yeah, just... lost in thought," the brunette replied, her gaze momentarily distant as she tried to shake off the enchantment of her musings. She took a deliberate sip of her coffee, the warmth momentarily distracting her from the intensity of the blonde's eyes.

Emma's playful smirk transformed into a genuine, curious smile. "Must be some pretty deep thoughts. You know, you're not as scary as you think, especially when you're cooking, well, magicking, breakfast."

The Evil Queen raised her eyebrows, a flicker of amusement in her eyes before she cleared her throat, attempting to regain composure. "Well, I'm glad my cooking has that effect."

"Really?" the other woman asked, skepticism lacing her tone. "Since when is it your goal to not be scary?"

"I— That's not how I meant it, I'm— I'm still very evil, obviously."

"Obviously," Emma repeated, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. "Especially when you sip that coffee like a super villain or let me sleep in your bed. So evil."

"My heart is as black as coal, as you know."

"Black as coal, huh? Well, maybe it's a special kind of coal that's secretly a bit softer on the inside."

The Evil Queen arched an eyebrow, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips. "Soft coal? I'm not sure such a thing exists."

"Oh, you'd be surprised. I've seen stranger things in this town," Emma replied, her green eyes sparkling with amusement.

The brunette couldn't help but be captivated by the genuine warmth in the other woman's eyes. She found herself breaking into a small smile, a rare occurrence for the usually stoic Evil Queen. "Well, perhaps there's more to me than meets the eye."

The blonde leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms with a playful smirk. "I knew it. Beneath that 'I'm the Evil Queen' exterior, there's a secret softie who enjoys making breakfast and having coffee chats."

The brunette rolled her eyes, but there was a glint of humor in them. "Let's not get carried away, Miss Swan. I am still the Evil Queen, after all."

"Sure, sure," Emma teased. "Evil Queen with a soft spot for scrambled eggs and good company."