Shaya

Chapter 14 - 108 Mifflin Street

Her beloved, reassuring house was right in front of them. Henry and Rapunzel were following her steps, and she'd probably never felt this tensed before. She didn't know why she had said it. It had been stupid, but she had felt compelled to do it. She owed something to Rapunzel, after everything she did for her. A bed was the least.

She took the key she'd hidden under the doormat and opened the door. She turned to let pass Henry and the warrior. Henry ran inside, but Rapunzel stayed still out of the porch, a hand laid on the hilt of her sword and her eyes critically set on the house. She glanced at her, then back at the building. She was slightly smiling. " It's so... white." she said.
Regina's eyebrows twitched up a second before she understood. She hid a smile.
" Yes. You should like it." she said with fake resentment. Rapunzel laughed hard, and she had to force herself not to do it in turn.
The warrior entered the house, and Regina followed her, shutting the door behind her. She looked at the warrior, who was obviously taking a look around. Regina patiently waited for her questions. She knew she had many.
" Weird furniture."
Regina innerly smiled. " Do you like it?"
Rapunzel thought about it. " Uhm, I guess... I don't know. I mean, perhaps I have to get used to this... style. I mean, the one of this world. Everything is so different." she walked towards the right wall, and stopped in front of the reflecting surface. " But mirrors. They're always the same. "
Regina smiled this time. " I agree."
" I liked your castle more." the blonde added, turning to look at her. Regina took off her jacket, looked at it ( it was... it wasn't a jacket anymore) and let it fall on the floor.
" It was so dark..." she murmured absentmindedly.
" Aye! I liked it."
Regina gazed at her with an arched eyebrow. The more she knew her, the less she understood her. And the less she understood why her heart was shining so bright.
" You like creepy places?"
Rapunzel sneered. " So you still can't see who I am, don't you?"
Regina gave a start. How did she know...? " Or your lying skills have abandoned you, or you're not putting a great effort in hiding what's in your mind, my Queen, because it is written all over your face. So don't be surprised, I'm not using magic. Just my eyes. " She winked at her, smiling. Regina was still impressed, but something moved inside her at that wink. And at that smile. She felt really confused.
" I'm... Maybe I'm just tired." she said, more answering to her own wondering than to Rapunzel's words. " I'm having a shower, it won't take long. Then you can have one, if you like. About your clothes..." She looked at her bloody leather armor. " I don't think mine can fit you. But I can ask... Dr. Hopper if he can lend you a shirt."
She began climbing the stairs, but she stopped half way, as she heard Rapunzel wasn't moving a step. She turned, and so she saw that the woman was standing still in front of the staircase, blushed. She wondered why, without finding an answer.
" Follow me. I'll show you your room."
" A-aye." Rapunzel muttered, glancing down but obeying.
They passed her room, Henry's and the bathroom, where the rumor of water falling witnessed the kid's presence. Regina opened the guest room door, beckoning to Rapunzel to enter. Rapunzel did, then turned. She had a serious face.
" Thank you. No, really. You weren't obliged to host me."
" I was. You saved Henry. This is the least I can do for you."
Rapunzel's expression darkened a little. " Don't... you owe me nothing. I did everything because I wanted to do it."
Exactly. " However, I want to repay you. Let me do it."
Rapunzel sighed and glanced down. She weakly nodded, then looked back at her and smiled with the same weakness. Regina felt a painful sensation push inside her chest. What the hell...?
The bathroom's door opened, and Henry appeared in the hallway with his Spiderman bathrobe. He waved to them, then walked into his room. He left a big puddle of water where he stayed still, and several tracks. Regina sighed loudly: she would have to wipe it.
" My turn." she tiredly said, running a hand through her hair.
" Regina..."
She turned: Rapunzel seemed embarrassed." Sorry, but... what is a shower?" the warrior awkwardly asked.
Regina realized that she effectively couldn't know it, then laughed for not having thought about it. " It's a... Better if I show you."
Rapunzel followed her in the hot-moist bathroom. Regina pointed out the shower. " Here it is. It's like a bath, but from above." Rapunzel was confused. Obviously. Regina cleared everything opening the shower. The warrior jumped aside as if she saw a snake, even though she probably wouldn't jump aside in front of a snake.
" Is it... magic?"
Regina smiled. " No. It's technology. "
Rapunzel put a hand under the falling water. Falling hot water. She immediately withdrew it. " But it's warm!"
" Technology again."
" But, Regina, this is like the Rain Spell and the Warming Spell together!"
Regina laughed, and she saw Rapunzel slightly shiver.
" True. I've never thought about it. " she said, watching closely the warrior in amused surprise. " You know magic very well. Even more than me, probably. " she said while shutting off the water.
" I studied. I had time to." Shaya smiled. There was no trace of resentment in her eyes.
" How did you get the books in Neverland? "
Rapunzel smirked. " I stole them. Neverland has its towns, you know. It's a huge island. "
" Then why didn't you live there? Why the jungle?"
Rapunzel's face radically changed. Regina saw sadness in it, and... resignation. Shit. " Uh, I don't really like people. " She was lying, again. " I'm not used to deal with them." That was a half lie. " I preferred to stay alone. It's safer." Another half lie. Regina sighed, but didn't insist. She wasn't ready for that conversation yet. She probably would never be.
" Oh, right. Well, now I..." she nodded towards the shower. Rapunzel blushed.
" Oh, aye, sorry."
" Oh, no problem. " Regina blushed a little, too, she felt it. She hoped that her darker skin would hide it. " It will take just five minutes. Which is short time." she added, remembering that she didn't knew that time measure.
Rapunzel nodded, mumbled something and exited the room, closing the door behind her. Regina locked it from the inside, with no actual reason. She knew that the warrior would have never opened that door without her permission, but she had felt the need to lock it the same. She felt stupid, though something impeded her to unlock it. She sighed, shook her head and quickly undressed.