"Hey, no peeking!"
Emma shook the present by her ear. The gifts had been accumulating over the last few weeks and she had been absolutely fixated on them. She was more excited for Christmas this year than she had been for just about anything else her entire life.
Her gaze fell on one wrapped in Regina’s gold paper, a lavish tag propped perfectly so Emma could see her own name. She pushed another present aside, and reached for it with her tiny hands. She rotated the unhelpfully shaped box up to the light, then shook it by her ear. There was no thumping or rattling to give away the contents, no sound at all as far as Emma could make out.
She placed it in her lap. Her teeth gnawed away at her lip as she poked tentatively at the well-taped corners of the wrapping. It wouldn’t hurt to take a little look. She didn’t allow herself to think too much on it, simply let her finger pick away at the tape. The flap was lifted, and she shifted closer so she could try to peer in the tiny slit it had created.
“Hey, no peeking.” Hands grabbed her from behind, making her screech and drop the present back into the pile. She was yanked back into Regina’s lap. Tickling digits scrunched up and down Emma’s sides, needling into her ribs while she yelped and giggled.
“Ahhh. No – sorry!” Regina dove into her armpits and wiggled, blowing a raspberry onto Emma’s exposed neck. “Mama!”
“You were opening presents.” She pinched at Emma’s hips, zapping electricity up her spine. Regina hissed teasingly in her ear, “accept the punishment.”
Regina flipped Emma over her legs. The delight on the older woman's face was contagious, and Emma reached up to poke at the corners of her smile. Regina kissed the finger as it approached. Staring at one another with nothing but love, Emma asked, "not mad?”
“No.” Her rosy cheek was pinched gently. “But I do not want to see you peeking at the presents again. Understand?”
Emma nodded with complete sincerity. “I promise.”
“Hmm…” Regina looked up in faux thought. “Well…just to be sure.”
Hands scrunched manically up and down Emma’s sides, pinching her hips, nipping her knees and wiggling at the back. Her fingers spidered over Emma’s exposed tummy and just when Emma was beginning to feel she had had enough, Regina blew a raspberry on her belly button. She yelped, smiling as she turned into Regina’s stomach and wrapped her arms tight around her waist.
She stooped down and pressed a kiss just above Emma’s ear. “No presents until Christmas.”
A little, adorable chuckle. “Otay, Mama.”