#dave jones if youre reading this i am sorry | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

kazoo5480 · 3 years ago

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This was totally inspired by itsfabianadocarmo and her wonderful collages on Tumblr :) xo

Emma got up and showered. Honestly, she sat on the floor of her tub and cried some more and pulled herself together to shave and actually clean herself, but mostly she cried. She decided that she wouldn’t cry in front of her mom, that she would not, she would remain strong and steadfast and dependable.

Her mom would never want pity, but she needed Emma’s strength, and that is what Emma could give her. She could fall apart in front of Killian, or alone, but never in front of her mom. She got herself into her suit and grabbed a dry towel heading for the beach. Both Dave and her mom were gone, notes on the counter, and Emma worked tonight, so she was going to the water.

She parked the bus and dropped her stuff, Graham, and Rob in the water. She paddled out and was quiet, and they looked surprised to see her.

“Morning Em” Graham said, and Rob smiled.

“There she is, our Marvel. Come to show off today?” and Emma laughed and diverted.

“What’s coming in?” and looked ahead.

“Wind shifted a bit ago, so I should expect a few sets to come in, are you working today?” Rob asked and she nodded still looking forward, head on her arms as she bobbed in the water.

Rob looked at Graham and he shrugged. “You ok Em?” Graham asked.

“Yeah. No worries” she brushed them off, and even though they knew better Graham tried again.

“Jones ok, and Dave’s arm?” she nodded, and they just decided to let her be.

She listened to the guys' chit-chat about nothing, and just basked in the sun beating down on her. At some point, Rob motioned to Graham to call Killian and check if he was ok, and Graham shook his head no.

Emma glanced over, “Guys, I am fine. Jones is fine, and so is elder Jones, and Dave. I am just quiet today, that's all, seriously.”

“We care, sorry, not trying to baby you Em” and she nodded. “I know, but like you, I choose the water when I just need to be” and Rob nodded in understanding. “Alright Marvel, the sets are breaking” and he pointed, and Emma sat up, yes! She needed this today.

Graham knew he was going to go home and call Ruby and tell her, if he did it now, she would leave work and be here in ten minutes and Emma would be furious. If he called Killian, he would worry.

She seemed ok, and Rob knew Emma on a deeper level, just got her, pushed her when no one else could, even Dave. So, he just kept it to himself for now, even though he was really worried, she looked sad, and Emma was never sad, that is why they called her sunshine.

Ruby was the most beautiful woman in the world to him, but Emma Nolan giving you a true smile was a dazzling combo, it always amazed him that Dave was able to keep her under wraps for so long. She was also his girlfriend's best friend, and she would beat his ass if he didn’t tell her something seemed wrong with Emma, but Emma asked them to back off, and he would for now.

Graham followed Robs’ lead as they paddled out, and Rob knew Emma’s head was there, but it wasn’t. She wasn’t going first. She needed spotters.

“Hunt, you’re up first” and Graham looked surprised, and Emma’s mouth dropped open. Rob shrugged.

“We already won Marvel, let Hunt get some practice” and winked at her and she nodded.

He wasn’t going to coddle her, but Nolan and Jones would both fuck him up if he let Emma get hurt, so this was him being a big brother without her knowing, or so he thought. Graham charged and paddled away.

“I know what you’re doing. You’re spotting me, I hate you for it” Emma said without malice.

Rob laughed, “I thought I was slick, but just for the first set Em. Your business is your own, it isn’t a sewing circle out here with me, so I am just doing what your brother can't do right now” and she nodded.

“You're up,” he said, and she charged fast.

Emma swung the board and she squatted, it wasn’t big, but she could shred it and that’s exactly what she did. Emma tuned out the noise and shredded her heart out. By the time she reached the shallows, Graham was already back in the lull and Rob headed towards her, so she paddled out again.

They got a few decent sets, and by the time she got out and to her towel for water, her muscles were a bit sore, and her heart a little lighter. “Time?” she asked Graham.

“One thirty,” he said, and she nodded.

“I gotta go, I'll catch you guys later” and she grabbed her board and they waved her off.

Graham looked at Rob once she was out of earshot, “should I call Jones?” and Rob shook his head.

“Chances are he knows or has an idea, let her be. She worked some of it out” and Graham nodded.

“Don’t tell Red, '' Rob said, and Graham's eyes widened.

“What? Why not!”

Rob looked at him like he was insane, “because if you piss off Emma Nolan, she is going to beat the shit out of you, and I won’t stop her.''

Graham sighed, “Ruby will know, she can smell a lie”, and Rob laughed.

“You aren’t lying, you surfed with Emma and me and that’s the truth. Emma left because she is going to work. No lie in any part of this.”

Graham huffed, “that's easy for you to say, your girlfriend isn’t her best friend” and Rob nodded.

“Nope, but you don’t want to be on baby Nolan’s shit list either.”

Dave was at the library; Astrid had found his articles and a few newer journals on Mastectomy surgeries, and he thanked her for her help. He read the articles taking a few notes, but really, he read a lot of this already. Deciding to call it a day, he headed out, returning the items to the desk and the ones he borrowed. She nodded at him, and he headed home.

He stopped by Rae’s and M was skating out the door, “Hey!” She said surprised, and Dave smiled.

“Busy?” he asked her, and she shook her head.

“I'll be inside in a few” and skated off to deliver her tray. He looked around, no sight of Emma. M sat down on the stool next to him and ran her hand through his hair.

“So, what brings you by?” she asked.

“Is Em here?” Dave asked, looking around, she shook her head, “she works at 3” and he nodded.

“You feeling, ok?” she asked her boyfriend, and he nodded.

“Yeah, I just left the library, doing a little research, and thought I would say hey before I head home” M smiled at him.

“Ok, well at least let me make you something to eat, and then you can go, ok?” and he nodded, smiling as her long ponytail bounced as she skated around.

Emma got ready for work, and it was hot. She threw the tank top on without a thought, and her shorts, and went downstairs to leave her mom a note, and headed to work.

She strolled in and her brother was at the counter “Hey! What’s up?” and he looked at her.

“You doing ok Sunshine?” and she nodded.

“Went to the beach, shredded a bit” and he nodded.

Emma held her hand up, “Rob and Hunt were already there” and he stayed silent.

“They coming Sunday?” and she shrugged, ``I didn’t ask, and didn’t offer much conversation, to be honest.”

“Ok, well what time are you off?” Emma looked back, “probably around 9, 10 at the latest, I’ll eat here so don’t worry” she kissed him on his cheek and went in back to put on her skates and clocked in. M was happy to see her and just rubbed her hand over her shoulder as she skated out the door.

M’s shift ended and she headed to the Nolan’s instead of home. Dave was sitting on the porch and was surprised.

“Hey” she called out and headed up the steps towards him. She grabbed his hand leading him into the house, and she kissed him hard. “Are we alone?” and he nodded, and she dragged him up the stairs, grateful he wasn’t wearing a shirt. She was careful with his arm, but she needed this.

Dave smirked at her, “What’s got you all riled up?” and she circled his neck carefully.

“You, Nolan.” He gripped her hip with his good hand and let her push him onto his back bouncing on the mattress. She undressed and locked his door, and crawled up to him, sliding his shorts down his muscular legs and his blue eyes followed every move she made.

She leaned down and kissed him fiercely, he moaned into her mouth as her hand dragged across his cock. M moved to straddle him, and guided him home, crying out once he was fully seated inside her.

Dave’s eyes nearly rolled back, the lack of his arm driving him nuts, but M braced her small hands on his chest, and pillow, letting her sweep them both away with every tilt of her hips and moan that she cried out.

Ruth came in quietly, she headed to her first-floor bathroom and stripped off her scrubs, looking at herself in the mirror. She fingered her blonde curls, hoping she wouldn’t lose them, but her son's voice and his words, that it didn’t matter, and it would grow back flooded her heart and she tried to steel herself strong.

She headed out and dressed, settling on the porch. She noticed Mary Margaret’s car on the street, but she was smart enough not to knock, and to trust her kids.

A little while later both of them appeared on the porch, and Mary Margaret sat beside her with her own book, and Ruth put her arm around her kissing her head. “How are you feeling today?” M asked her.

Ruth smiled, “Strong” and M smiled gloriously and hugged her tighter.

This child, like all her little ducklings, had been there at good and bad points with their family, and she knows that they will hold her together, the same way she held them together when M lost her parents, the Jones boys losing theirs. She is being truthful; her village is strong.

Killian stopped by Rae’s after his shift, and he saw a whip of blonde hair shoot out of his sight as he entered the diner. He parked himself at the counter, and the new waitress took his order for some burgers and shakes to take home for them.

Emma skated in, and he noticed her skin was more freckled her nose pink. “Did you go out on the water today” and she leaned in kissing him.

“Yep,” and he smiled.

“What time are you off?” he asked her.

She looked at her watch, “I think 9, ten at the latest. You heading home?” and he nodded, and she dug her keys out of her apron, tossing them to him. “Take the bus and pick me up later, get some stuff moved.”

Killian smiled at her nodding, “I’ll swing by around 9:15, wrap it up by then, ok?” he said kissing her and she nodded agreeing to call if she would be late.

He took the bag she handed to him, and leaned over the counter, “Love you” he murmured against her lips, “Me too.”

Ruby headed to Grahams and let herself in, he was in the shower, his board sandy by the door. She smiled and began taking her clothes off, and pulled the shower curtain back hopping in, and his eyes were shut.

She waited and he opened them startling “Fuck Ruby” and he smiled.

“Hi babe” she laughed, stepping into his arms, and kissed him.

His heart was pounding, “Don’t scare me like that Red” and backed her against the tile, lifting her and kissing her senseless.

Ruby trailed her fingers down his chest and kissed at the spot on his neck he loved, and he groaned. Her legs wrapped tighter around his slippery waist, and she decided this was the best way to end the day ever.

When they finally made it to his bed, she laid there noticing his darker skin, and asked him how surfing went. He shrugged “it was fine, some decent waves, Rob let me lead surprisingly” and she laughed.

Graham mocked offense, “hey! why are you surprised?” Ruby shrugged. Graham sighed, “he usually lets Em lead” and Ruby was caught off guard.

“You guys spotted her? What’s going on?” Ruby asked, and Graham shrugged. “I don’t think we spotted her; I just went first. Rob said to let me get practice in since they had just won.”

Ruby narrowed her eyes on him, “you’re lying Hunt” and he exhaled harshly.

“No, I just didn’t notice anything wrong with Emma. Seriously, we surfed, she went to work, and I came home about an hour ago after dropping off Rob!”

Ruby backed off “Okay” was all she said. He could keep his secrets, he would tell her if Emma wasn’t okay, she thought as he trailed his hands up and down her back.

Killian drove home and Liam was already boxing stuff in the kitchen. “Hey” he called, and Liam waved him in, “I brought dinner” and Liam smiled.

“Thank the gods, I am famished” and Killian looked around.

“You made some headway” and his brother nodded.

“You take the living room, and I am just taking my bedroom and those boxes” he pointed.

“Emma lent me the bus if you want to pack some stuff up and take it over with me” and Liam nodded, chewing his burger.

“Great, I finished your closet. Who knew that you pined for so long over our dear baby Nolan” Liam said, teasing him.

Killian paled feeling embarrassed, “you didn’t!” Liam grinned.

“I didn’t go looking for it mate, but the box popped open. I didn’t read the notes, or whatever they were but you have quite the collection of photos of her” and he grinned laughing as he ate a fry.

Killian balled up his burger wrapper chucking it at him “God, allow a man some privacy” and Liam was shaking with laughter.

“It isn’t funny,” he said sullenly.

Liam looked at him, “She is yours now Killian, so what if you have a shoebox filled with photos of her you nicked from Ruth’s collection, and probably everyone else’s in town” and Killian rolled his eyes.

“It is funny how you two always ended up standing next to one another in photos though the last few years, and I mean in every single one. It took me an hour to notice!” Killian glared at him.

“I am not going to miss you at all” and Liam looked at him still smiling “liar!”

They ended up moving Killian’s boxes, and half the kitchen to his flat. Liam helped him deconstruct his bed and that was the last load of their night, by the time 9 rolled around they had just walked in and Elsa was at their kitchen table boxing up the remaining kitchen items aside for a few things.

“Hey, guys” and Liam went to kiss her hello, while Killian jumped in the shower. He dressed quickly, and came out to say hi, and bye and told them he was going to pick Emma up.

She was coming out of the break room as he entered the diner, and she smiled at him.

“Hey,” she said, and he took her bag and held her hand as they walked towards her car.

“Are you working Friday?” he asked her, and she nodded.

“Morning shift, why?” she was curious.

“Go out with me Friday night,” he said, turning to wrap his arms around her waist.

“Ok” she replied, and he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

“Please shower before though,” he said, and she scoffed at him, slapping his arm.

“Do I smell!” she shrieked, smelling herself, and he shook his head laughing.

“Nah, you are perfect” he grinned at her.

She glared at him, “you’re dumb, like the absolute dumbest Jones.”

“Aye, but you love me” and she nodded.

“Of course I do” she whispered.

They pulled up at Emma’s and to her surprise, Ruby was there on the porch with her mom. Emma’s stomach turned, and Killian gripped her hand.

Ruby stood up seeing them, “You didn’t call me!” and Emma hung her head, “and you” she pointed at Killian poking him in the chest.

“Gah, Ruth if I didn’t love you so much, I would kick everyone’s asses,” she said towards her mom who was laughing, and Emma looked up, masking her pain and Ruby collided with her, wrapping her up.

Emma patted her back looking at her mom’s soft eyes, and she knew Ruth told Ruby. Ruth might be the one person besides Emma who Ruby would keep a secret for.

Emma hugged her back and whispered, “I’m ok” and Ruby nodded keeping herself just as strong as Emma.

“Ruth’s got this, no question about it” and winked over at Emma’s mom who smiled.

“Hey Momma,” she said and dropped a kiss on her head, “I’m going to change” and Ruby followed her up to her room and closed her door.

“Em?” Ruby pushed.

Emma shook her head, “No. You’re right, she will be fine” and Ruby nodded.

“How come you came by?” Emma asked her.

Ruby shrugged, “Graham can’t lie for shit, but I didn’t tell him that. Said you guys surfed, said Rob let him lead” and Emma whistled as she pulled off her work clothes and put on clean pajama shorts and a tank top.

“Graham doesn’t know you very well if he didn’t think that you send you into wolf mode?” Ruby bit her lip.

“Don’t tell him I came over here, I don’t want him to feel like he has to lie, I get why he covered for you, there wasn’t anything he could actually tell me since you don’t talk, and he doesn’t know” and Emma nodded.

“I was quiet was all, and Rob didn’t push me, but made sure I was spotted in case I was too distracted” and Ruby stood walking to Emma’s door.

“I’m heading home, I have been here a while, and I have to work the morning shift. You wanna hang Friday?” she asked.

“Killian asked me on a date, maybe we could double” and Ruby nodded.

“It’s going to be ok Em,” Ruby said as they held hands walking down the steps. Ruby kissed Ruth’s head, nailed Killian with another glare, and kissed Emma goodnight.

“Call you tomorrow Rubes” and she waved.

“Oh Ruby, Saturday ask Graham if he can help us move some stuff to Killian’s new place” and she nodded. Looking at Ruth, I’ll see you Sunday for Dinner Ruth” and her mom waved, as Ruby headed toward her car.

Emma sat beside her mom, and Killian and she spoke about their days. Nothing exciting but just talking was nice. Ruth was not surprised Emma got up to surf and called it a night a bit later, and she kissed the kids goodnight.

Emma looked to Killian, “are you staying?” Killian shook his head no.

“Morning shift, I am going to go, maybe pack some extra stuff so Liam stays out of my personal boxes,” he said quietly.

“Personal boxes?” Emma asked and his ears turned pink.

“What?” she asked him, and he sighed. “Liam was trying to be helpful and found a box I have that was private, and I am a little embarrassed,” he said.

“Well, what was in the box Jones? Dirty magazines? Because I have actually seen those in your guys' bathroom, not a secret” she laughed at him.

He looked at her, contemplating if he should tell her, and she noticed a blush on his cheeks. He grabbed his backpack and opened it, a shoebox inside. He handed it to her and looked away.

Emma was curious, but she wasn’t going to invade his privacy. “No, babe seriously I don’t need to look. It's private, I respect that” and she tried handing it back.

He pushed it back into her hands, “Open it Swan” and she looked down, and lifted the lid.

“Oh. Oh my god” she said smiling as she pulled a wad of photos out, photos of her, them, pieces of paper that had her handwriting on them, notes to him that she left on his door, or casual things.

“You kept all of this?” She was shocked sifting through, and the blush crept down his face and his neck. He nodded.

She put the top on it, “my mom always thought she was crazy when a photo would go missing. Now I know, you’re the thief” she smiled and poked at him. He was pink from embarrassment to the tips of his adorably pointed ears.

“I’m not mad Killian” and he looked at her burying his face in her neck groaning, and she chuckled.

“I have a Killian box if that makes you feel better babe” and he pulled back.

“You do?” and she bit her lip nodding.

“Not even Ruby knows about it.”

He smiled. “We are the dumbest,” he said mimicking her American accent and she nodded and kissed him.

“Mine is not nearly this extensive, but I have one” and he laughed.

“Oi, poor form to kick a man when he is down Swan” and she smiled.

“You aren’t really down if you already got the girl,” she said, and he smiled at her.

“You’re right angel” and rubbed her ring and kissed her. “See you tomorrow Swan” and dropped a kiss on her head and skated down the street.

Killian went home and boxed up nearly everything else in his room. He wasn’t tired, so he decided on one more trip. He lifted his books and most of his clothes, linens, and his Emma box stashing it in his new closet.

They would unpack this weekend, and when he entered their flat it seemed hollow. He went and laid on his mattress which was on the floor now and stared up at the ceiling.

Things were changing rapidly, and he wished that he had something to grip onto in Emma’s absence, not a ring, but something. He looked over and spotted a photo peeking out of his nightstand.

It was taken of them the night of their first date, Ruth insisted they take a photo. He had forgotten, and Emma tried to dissuade her but there they were looking like the happiest people on the planet.

He traced the line of Emma’s face and smiled. For the first time in a long time, Killian looked up and closed his eyes asking his mom to keep Ruth safe, to keep them all safe, especially Liam.

He hadn’t prayed in years, but he did tonight, prayed harder than he could ever remember doing so. He finally drifted off to sleep, the picture dropping on the bed next to him as he dozed off.

@hookedmom @xsajx @kymbersmith-90 @kmomof4 @katie-dub @ohmightydevviepuu @lassluna @pirateherokillian @teamhook @stahlop @elizabeethan @whimsicallyenchantedrose @resident-of-storybrooke @therooksshiningknight @jennjenn615 @lfh1226-linda @ilovemesomekillianjones @killianswannn @stories-enchanted @eleveneitherway @girl-in-a-tiny-box @withheartfulloflove @kday426 @lyssapup27 @swanlovato @kaoslikesstuff @djlbg @kristi555 @laschatzi @xarandomdreamx @lkles08 @wyntereyez @bubblegum1425 @xhookswenchx @yasbio2015 @tiganasummertree @winterbaby89 @wefoundloveunderthelight @hollyethecurious @let-it-raines @jonesfandomfanatic @searchingwardrobes @dreamingdreamsalways @oncechicagolove @andiirivera @vvbooklady1256 @gingerchangeling @everything-person @klynn-stormz @qualitycoffeethings @vampcoffeegyrl23 @enchanted-swans @cassy1511 @ohmakemeahercules @donteattheappleshook @bluewildcatfanatic @the-darkdragonfly @demisexualemmaswan @lavenderbudd @grimmswan @spartanguard @flslp87 @ultraluckycatnd @sarahpaq08 @thisonesatellite @captainswan21 @zaharadessert @mariakov81 @snowbellewells @xouatxcs @kiwistreetswan @batana54 @nadine200179 @probalicious17 @courtorderedcake @julesep3026 @jackieorioncat @whatthehell102082 @xemmaloveskillianx @jarienn972 @sthonour @linda8084 @carpedzem @pirateprincesslena @daxx04 @winterbythesea @artistic-writer @scientificapricot @cocohook38 @wisfan3000 @chrisilybrooke @pcrcabcth @captainswan4life85 @molly958 @kingofmyheart14 @badwolfreturns @itsfridaysomewhere @mcakers @chamomileandmint @fallingforthecaptain @lovethelifeyoulive1106 @onceratheart18 @strangestarlighttree @omgmarvelous @justanother-unluckysoul @anothersworld @purplehawkcaptain

#emma swan #emma nolan #david nolan #killian jones #liam jones #ouat #once upon a time

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hotchgan · 4 years ago

Text

Opposites Do Attract: Chapter 2

Summery: Derek tries to convince Aaron to shut down his flower shop but he refuses.

A/N: Part two of AU where Aaron owns a flower shop and Derek owns a tattoo parlor. Disclaimer: This is all made up so this is probably not realistic.

Taglist: @ellyhotchner @unionjackpillow @eleanorbloom @doctorenby

Warnings: Mention of divorce and custody

Here is part one!

Aaron sits in his office at his flower shop. He was just told that either his shop or his boyfriend's shop has to shut down. And Aaron has to keep his shop because it's only a matter of time when his ex will fight for custody of his son. And he knows that Derek wouldn’t shut down his parlor after everything he worked for. How did they get into this mess?

Suddenly, Derek walks in Aaron's office. Aaron looks up at him confused. It's the middle of Derek's shift so why is he here?

"Ok so I know what to do", Derek says to Aaron. Aaron continues looking at him.

"But first .. You wear glasses? How come you never told me?" Derek asks Aaron as he points at the glasses on his face.

"Derek, just get to the point", Aaron replies, already, annoyed at the situation.

"Alright, you should shut down your shop", Derek says. Aaron looks at him like he's crazy.

"Excuse me? I have worked so hard on this shop and you just come here and tell me to shut it down", Aaron says as he stands up.

"I know but compared to my parlor, I make more profit", Derek replies. Aaron scoffs.

“So? It’s still my shop. I don’t care if it doesn’t are as much money as you”, Aaron says.

“We have no choice-“, Derek says before Aaron interrupts him.

"You know what, this isn't going to work", Aaron says. Derek looks at him confused.

"What do you mean?" Derek asks hoping he's not going got break up with him.

"I'm saying, we should break up", Aaron says.

"But- but I thought you like me", Derek replies.

"I do, a lot actually but this whole shutting down one of our stores thing. It's just not going to work", Aaron says. Derek looks at him sadly. Aaron looks at the table, avoiding his eyes. Derek scoffs before leaving the shop. It's for the best, Aaron thinks.

Derek leaves the store and goes into his tattoo parlor. He storms in and goes into his office. Emily watches him stomp into his office. She quickly finishes the tattoo she's working on and follows Derek. She knocks on the door and comes in.

“Hey, are you ok?” Emily asks Derek as she steps in his office. He shakes his head.

“No .. Aaron just broke up with me”, Derek replies.

“What? Why? You guys were so perfect for each other”, Emily asks.

“We were only together for less than one day. And he thinks that this isn’t going to work because of one of us has to shut down our store”, Derek replies to Emily.

“Then why can’t you just .. buy the land Aaron’s shop is on?” Emily asks. Derek looks up to her confused.

“What do you mean?” Derek asks. Emily then walks over and sits down in the chair in front of Derek.

“Well, the city wants to shut down one of the stores so they could do their project or whatever. Which isn’t fair since that man has had the store before World War One”, Emily explains.

“Ok first, he’s not that old” Derek replies. Emily raises her eyebrows.

“Ok fine maybe he doesn’t act like a sixty-year old in bed but you know what I mean”, Emily says causing Derek to become flustered.

“So you want us to buy the land so Aaron could still have his flower shop?” Derek asks. Emily nods.

“Yeah, I mean how hard can it be?”, Emily says.

“Oh but first, you need to tell Aaron”, Derek replies. Emily shakes her head.

“Nope, you’re coming with me too!” Emily says as she drags Derek into Aaron’s flower shop. They both walk in Aaron’s office. Aaron looks up at them confused.

“What are you guys doing here? I’m not going to close down my shop”, Aaron says to the both of them.

“I know but first of all, since when did you wear glasses?” Emily asks, pointing at Aaron’s face.

“A long time ago, now what do you want?” Aaron asks. Emily then starts explaining how old Aaron is and that he should be able to buy the land to keep his flower shop. Aaron listens to her, curiously, and also the seems convinced about her brilliant plan.

“So ... are you in?” Emily asks. Aaron looks at her and then at Derek. He then nods.

“Sure, but are you sure this is going to work? I mean, it has to be more complicated than that”, Aaron asks.

“It probably is so that’s why we are going to Shawn and ask him about it”, Derek replies. Aaron glances at him for a second.

“Ok then ... I guess I’m in”, Aaron says.

“So does that mean you two are back together?” Emily asks. Derek and Aaron both look at each other.

“Well ... we just broke up like ten minutes ago”, Derek says.

“Yeah but, maybe if this plan works then maybe we could get back together”, Aaron says quietly. Derek eyes light up and looks at him.

“Uh yeah, sure”, Derek says, smiling at Aaron. Aaron smiles at him back.

“Alright, this is cute and all but we have to go to the Shawn guy about my idea”, Emily says. Aaron blushes and Derek uses his hand to rub the back of his head. They both leave their shops after they tell someone else to look after their shops for a while. Derek then drives them to an office building and goes inside. Aaron asks for Shawn Jones and the lady behind the desk leads them up the elevator and to Shawn’s office. All three of them walk in the office. Shawn looks up to see the three people from this morning.

“Ah, Mr. Hotchner and Mr. Derek and ...”, Shawn says as he looks at Emily.

“Prentiss, Emily Prentiss”, Emily says the man behind the table. Shawn nods and gestures them to sit down.

“So have you decided which one of your stores is going to shut down?” Shawn asks.

“No, actually ... we decided that I should buy the land from the city so our shops don’t have to shut down”, Aaron says to Shawn.

“Well ... that’s- that’s not how this works really”, Shawn says giving them a fake smile.

“Then how does this work?” Emily asks, challenging him. Shawn looks at them, trying to find a good excuse.

“Well ... alright, if you want to buy the land then it’ll be one hundred grand”, Shawn says to the three of them.

“One hundred grand?” Derek asks. That’s more than all three of them have combined.

“Alright, deal”, Emily says as she stands up to shake Shawn’s hand. Shawn hesitates before shaking her hand. Aaron and Derek both look at Emily like she’s crazy. Aaron waits until they leave the building before saying anything.

“What the hell?!” Aaron asks Emily. She looks at him confused.

“What?” Emily asks, as if she hasn’t agreed to buy a piece of land for a hundred grand.

“We don’t have a hundred grand!” Aaron says, yelling at Emily.

“Calm down, old man. I’m going to borrow it from my ex-sugar daddy”, Emily replies.

“I’m sorry, ex-what? But aren’t you ..?” Derek asks Emily.

“A lesbian? Yeah, I am but at that time I was still questioning my sexuality and I thought I like guys. Turn out I am just attracted to money”, Emily explains to Derek.

“Ok so where is your ... ex-sugar daddy”, Aaron asks.

“I’m glad you ask. He own an Italian restaurant. I’ll tell you the way”, Emily says as they get into the car. Emily tells Derek the directions as he drives to an Italian restaurant. It was a five star restaurant and was the fanciest restaurant both Derek and Aaron had ever been too. They walk in and Emily whispers something in the man behind the front desk. He nods and leads them a room that looked like an office. Behind the chair is man with grey hair and a Gucci suit.

“Emily, long time no seen”, The man says to the brunette.

“Hey, Dave. Guys this is David Rossi, Dave meet Aaron and Derek”, Emily says introducing them.

“Nice to meet you. Are you hungry? Do you want some pasta?” Dave asks. Derek and Aaron both share their head.

“Your loss, so what bring you guys here?” Dave asks.

“Well we need one hundred grand”, Emily says, bluntly. Dave looks at her for a second before pulling out his check book. He scribbles something on it before giving the check to Emily. Aaron looks at him confused.

“That’s it? You’re not going to ask why we need that much money?” Aaron asks. Dave shakes his head.

“It’s best if I don’t know”, Dave says simply.

“Anyways, I have to go to the kitchen and fire someone. They thought they could get away for leaving the pasta in the water for an extra fifteen seconds”, Dave says as he stands up and goes into the kitchen.

“Ok so now let’s go cash this in and save your flower shop”, Emily says as she walks out of the office. Derek and Aaron follow her outside. Suddenly, Aaron’s phone dings. He tells Emily and Derek to go wait in the car. Emily goes into the car but Derek stays with him.

“What wrong?” Derek asks. Aaron reads the notification and looks up to Derek.

“I just got an email ... Blake wants full custody of Jack”, Aaron says to Derek. Aaron should’ve knew this was coming. But he didn’t think it would be this soon. Their plan of saving Aaron’s flower shop could still go wrong and it would lower the chances of Aaron getting any custody of Jack. Aaron and Derek both stare at each other.

“If you want to be with me then you have to be in all the way. Which means standing by me and helping me get custody of my son. So ... are you in?” Aaron asks Derek. Derek touches Aaron’s shoulder and nods.

“I’m in”, Derek says. Aaron sighs in relief and pulls Derek into a hug. Derek hugs him back. At least, they are in this together.

#aaron hotchner #criminal minds #derek morgan #emily prentiss #mortch #hotchgan #jemily #david rossi #Penelope Garcia #tw mentions of divorce #criminal minds au #criminal minds fic #flower shop au #tattoo parlor au

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jrob64 · 5 years ago

Text

Devastation and Healing (Chapter 6)

Sergeant Killian Jones has had more than his share of tragedy in his life. When he’s injured in an IED explosion, he’s assigned to a physical therapist named Emma Swan. While she tries to help him heal physically, can they help each other heal emotionally?

Rating: T

Part 7/?

Chapter Summary: Killian and Emma say goodbye to each other. End of story. Or is it?

I’m glad my muse and @hookedmom cooperated and were so helpful to let me get this chapter ready to post on Memorial Day here in the United States. Neal Cassidy and Liam Jones are fictional characters who died in the service of their country for the purpose of this story. I’d like to acknowledge the real life heroes who have sacrificed their lives for the protection of our country, or any country for that matter. I am in awe of you and am truly grateful.

Find the entire story on Tumblr: prologue / ch. 1 / ch. 2 / ch. 3 / ch. 4 / ch. 5

Or read it on Ao3 & ffn

*********

Killian folded himself into Emma’s car and watched as she slid in behind the steering wheel.

“This is quite a vessel you captain, Swan. Stick shift, huh?”

“Yep. I was pretty proud of myself when I learned to drive it.”

“How long have you had it?” he asked, looking around the interior.

“I got it for my 16th birthday.”

“So, how long ago was that?”

Emma looked over at him with a smirk, “If you want to know how old I am, all you have to do is ask.”

“I was taught never to ask a lady her age.”

She laughed. “I’ll be twenty-seven in October. You’re twenty-eight, right?”

“Aye, as of last January.”

“I thought I remembered that from your medical records.”

As Emma slowed the car to a stop, the brakes let out a squeal. “Sorry about that,” she said. “I know it’s probably time for me to get a different car, but this one is special because my parents gave it to me. I guess I’m just too sentimental.”

Killian looked at her for several seconds, then reached inside his shirt and pulled out a chain. He held up the ring that was on it and explained, “This was my mother’s engagement ring. I keep it close to me at all times.” Dropping the chain back into place, he then pulled a set of dog tags out of his pocket. “These…were Liam’s.” Looking over at her once again, he said, “I don’t think you’re too sentimental at all, Emma. I understand exactly why you want to hold onto your car.”

She couldn’t help but think that Mary Margaret had been right when she said that Killian could identify with Emma’s feelings. As she pressed the gas pedal and turned the wheel, she said, “I guess I need to figure out how to fit my car onto a chain to wear around my neck.”

Killian laughed out loud at that. Emma smiled as well, thinking how this man barely resembled the one who had walked into her therapy room all those weeks ago.

“I can see why you say that Dave is like a brother to you. The two of you pick on each other like siblings,” Killian chuckled.

“Yeah, wait til you see how August and I go back and forth with each other.”

Killian noticed that she was talking like she expected him to actually meet her brother someday. “Do you get to see him very often?”

“Every couple of months or so. He and my dad live a little under two hours away.”

“That’s not too bad, then.”

“No, it could be worse.”

Killian nodded and turned to look out the window at the passing neighborhood. “Is your home around here?” he asked, remembering that she’d said she lived a short distance from her friends.

“It’s actually back the other way a couple of blocks. We would’ve turned left at that first intersection instead of right.”

“I’m sorry to make you go so far out of your way.”

“I really don’t mind, Killian. I wouldn’t have offered if it was something I didn’t want to do.”

“Still, it will be nice when I no longer have to rely on others to transport me.”

“Did you and David have any luck finding a car that you like?” Emma asked, as she waited at a stoplight.

“There were four or five that looked promising. Dave forwarded the information to my laptop. I’ll do some more research on them in the next day or so.”

“What exactly are you looking for?”

“Nothing fancy. I figured I’d just get a sedan, but there were a couple of pickup trucks that were pretty good deals. A truck would be helpful when it’s time for me to move, even though I don’t have a lot of possessions. Of course, I’ll probably have to put some things into storage until I figure out where I’ll be living.”

“Are you, um, are you thinking that you’ll stay around this area?” Emma asked, taking her eyes off the road briefly to look over at him.

Killian sighed. “I really don’t know. I suppose I will for now since I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“Looking at classes to take online sounds like a good idea.”

“Yes it does. I plan to look into that in the next few days also.”

They lapsed into silence as she maneuvered her car through the streets.

Finally, she spoke up. “Do you remember much about Ireland? I’ve always thought it looked like such a beautiful country.”

“I do remember it, and it is very lovely. It seemed like it rained quite a lot, but that only helped to make everything look so green, I think. We used to go to the beach when my mum felt up to it, and those days are some of my favorite memories. I’d like to go back to visit someday.”

“I hope you get a chance to do that. Ireland is on my list of places that I’d like to travel to in the future.”

“What are some of the other places on your list?”

Emma ticked them off on her fingers. “England, Switzerland, France, and then some states like Colorado, Alaska, California, Oregon and Hawaii to name a few.”

“That’s quite a list,” he chuckled.

Emma shrugged. “I can dream, can’t I?”

“Of course you can, Emma. I sincerely hope that you get to travel to all those places, and then some.”

They arrived at the Army base and he showed his ID to the guard on duty, who opened the gate for Emma to drive through. Killian began directing her to his barracks.

When she pulled up beside the building, he unbuckled his seatbelt and reached for the door handle. “Thanks very much for the ride, Swan. Be careful driving back home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Good night, Killian. Sleep well.”

He watched as she turned her little yellow car around and drove off. When it disappeared around the corner, he entered his barracks with a melancholy smile on his face. It had been a wonderful evening with lots of good food, conversation and laughter, as well as some time alone with Emma. But he couldn’t stop thinking about how, after tomorrow, he probably wouldn’t see her again.

*********

Emma looked up and saw Killian entering the treatment room the next day without the smile that she’d grown used to seeing. She knew how he felt, as she wasn’t looking forward to this being their last session together either. Still, she felt the familiar flutterings in her stomach as she grabbed her clipboard and went to meet him.

“Good morning, Emma,” he greeted as he took his seat on the table.

“Good morning,” she replied. “Ready to do this one more time?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

He went through his exercise routine as usual. At the end of it, Ashley and Emma evaluated his strength and range of motion, and were able to show him just how much progress he had made.

At the end of the assessment, Emma filled out the necessary paperwork and declared, “Well, that’s it, you’re officially done with physical therapy. You don’t need me anymore.”

You’re wrong about that Swan, Killian thought, but he stopped himself from voicing it. Instead he said, “I assure you that I’ll continue to do my exercises at home.”

“Sounds good. I guess that’s it then. Take care of yourself, Killian.”

“You too, Emma. Thank you for everything.”

He reached out to shake her hand, holding it for just a few seconds longer than necessary. Then he turned, and Emma watched him walk out the door, trying hard not to notice the all-too-familiar ache in her heart.

*********

Killian picked up the remote control and switched off the TV. It had been nearly two weeks since his final physical therapy appointment with Emma Swan, and he was having trouble concentrating on anything.

He had been able to accomplish a few things. He’d scheduled some private driving lessons as it had been years since he’d driven anything other than a Hummer, and had never driven using a prosthetic limb. He’d also purchased a small pickup truck, and had signed up for two online engineering classes.

His occupational therapy sessions were continuing, as were the ones with his psychotherapist. He felt like he was making good progress with Ruby, but not so much with Dr. Hopper. He just didn’t feel like he could open up to him, no matter how much he knew he should. The only person that he’d found easy to talk to and who he knew could understand him, had been Emma. But that connection was gone now, and he felt adrift again.

He knew he could probably get Emma’s phone number from Dave or maybe even Ruby, but he didn’t think that it was a good idea. If she’d wanted to contact him, his information was in his file.

Plus, he argued with himself, she had been going out with his mate Neal, and it wouldn’t be right for him to pursue the feelings that he’d developed for her. When those thoughts entered his head, he remembered what Emma had told him - ‘I had a lot of fun with Neal on our dates, but we didn’t have enough time together to form a really close relationship’. Still, he didn’t think he should add dating his buddy’s girlfriend to the guilt that he already felt when it came to Neal Cassidy.

And then, of course, there were the feelings of inadequacy that Killian had. Why would someone as beautiful, intelligent and vivacious as Emma Swan ever want to be with someone like him? He would soon be out of the Army with no plans for his future, nowhere to go, and he was handicapped. What did he have to offer her?

Yet, no matter how much he tried to talk himself out of thinking about Emma, he wasn’t successful. He thought about her constantly, and he missed her.

*********

Ashley was eating her lunch at Emma’s desk when the phone began to ring.

“Emma Swan’s office,” she answered.

“Hi Ashley, this is Ruby Lucas.”

Ashley was acquainted with Ruby, but wasn’t a close friend of hers, so she knew Ruby wasn’t calling to talk to her.

“Oh hey, Ruby. Emma’s not here right now.”

“Yeah, I know. She told me she had to make a trip to the pet store during her lunch today. I was hoping that you would pick up if I called her office phone.”

“Is there something I can do for you?” Ashley asked.

“You can help me give Emma a good, swift kick in the pants.”

“Pardon me?”

“How has Emma been acting at work since she dismissed Killian Jones from physical therapy?”

Ashley sighed. “She’s sad and I can tell she misses him, but she won’t admit it. I was really hoping that she would try to stay in contact with him. I think the two of them were good for each other, but every time I bring up his name, she changes the subject.”

“She does the same thing with me when I talk to her, and Jones is back to being detached and quiet. I think it’s time the two of us take matters into our own hands.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Does she have any openings after her lunch break in the next couple of weeks?”

Ashley pulled the laptop closer to her and clicked on the schedule. “Um, she has a cancellation at 12:00 on Thursday, so she doesn’t have another appointment that day until 1:00.”

“Perfect!” Ruby said. “I have Jones scheduled for 10:00 that day. I’ll call and ask her to meet me here at 11:00 for lunch, just when he’s finishing up. If things work out the way I hope they do, they’ll be able to have some time to spend together.”

“That sounds like a great plan, Ruby!” Ashley exclaimed. “I really hope it works because I’d like to see a genuine smile on her face again, like the one she had while she was treating him.”

“You and me both. Thanks for the info, Ashley. Let ‘Operation Help Emma Get Her Man’ commence!”

*********

On Thursday, Emma went into her office after her last morning appointment to grab her purse. While she was there, she checked her reflection in the mirror. Taking out her tube of concealer, she dabbed some under her eyes, blended it in, then reapplied her blush and lipstick. She hadn’t been sleeping well the last couple of weeks, and it was beginning to show. If she went to meet Ruby with those dark circles set against her pale skin, she’d have to listen again as her friend told her to ‘just call Killian Jones already’.

She really did miss him and wished to see him again, but she was torn. She was afraid that getting his phone number out of his file would verge on being unethical. He wasn’t her patient any more, but that number was given confidentially, as was all the other information in there. She could ask David for it, but that would only serve to fuel Mary Margaret’s efforts to get the two of them together.

In addition, she wasn’t sure if she was ready to risk putting her heart out there again. In truth, she’d only really opened it to Neal when it came to dating, but after having it broken with her mom’s death as well, she wasn’t keen on experiencing that feeling again.

Emma sighed as she pulled her ponytail tighter. She wondered how much longer it would take until she stopped thinking about Killian Jones. She was pretty sure that it wouldn’t be any time soon.

*********

When Emma arrived at the occupational therapy center, Ruby was working with someone, so she started walking over to the row of chairs to sit down and wait. Then with a shock, she recognized Ruby’s patient. She couldn’t mistake his thick, dark hair and slightly pointed ears, even from the back.

Ruby looked up and smiled at her colleague, “Hey Emma!”

Killian twisted around quickly. Emma’s knees went weak at the smile that lit up his face when he saw her. “Swan,” he breathed.

She tried not to let her voice waiver as she greeted both of them, never taking her eyes off of Killian.

“We’re just about finished,” Ruby told her. “Give me about ten more minutes.”

“No problem,” Emma responded. “The patient that I have right after lunch cancelled for today, so I’ve got a little extra time. Do you mind if I watch you work?”

“Not at all,” Ruby answered, as Killian echoed with, “Go right ahead.”

She sat down and watched Ruby assist him as he worked to put toothpaste on a toothbrush. Then she had him picking up coins with his prosthetic hand and putting them into a slot in a jar lid. Every so often, he would look over towards her and they would make eye contact. Each time it happened, she felt a shiver go down her spine.

She was impressed as she watched her former patient using his prosthesis. It wasn’t easy for him and he was still clumsy with it, but he was persistent. As he performed his tasks over and over, she could see that he got better each time.

When Ruby announced the end of the session, Emma walked over to talk to them. Killian turned to her with a slight smile, but she could tell that he was wondering what she would say.

“Well, I don’t know what I was expecting, but I’m very impressed with how well you’re doing!” she said, and watched as his smile grew.

“I agree,” Ruby threw in. “You’re making great progress due to the hard work that you’re putting in, Jones.”

Killian ducked his head down as the tips of his ears turned red. Then he lifted his eyes to Emma’s. Looking back on it later, he would say that he didn’t know what got into him to make him do what he did next. He cleared his throat and asked, “Would you join me for lunch, Swan?”

She looked stunned as she sputtered, “I, well Ruby and I, we were planning to eat…”

“We can do that another time,” her friend interrupted. “I’ve got a pile of paperwork that I need to work on, so I really need to stay here during my lunchtime anyway. I’ll call out to have something delivered.”

“Are you sure?” Emma asked, but her eyes were on the man in front of her, who had a hopeful look on his face.

“Absolutely! You two kids go on now and have a good time. Just make sure she gets back to work on time, Jones. I don’t want her getting fired, then hanging around here all the time, making eyes at my patients.”

“I don’t make eyes,” Emma protested.

“Whatever you say, darling. Now get going before you waste any more time.”

Killian smiled his thanks at Ruby before turning to Emma once more . “Shall we?”

She nodded and could feel him place his hand on the small of her back, while she tried to ignore the fist pump that she could see Ruby doing.

*********

Thank you so much for reading, commenting and reblogging.

Tagging @live-in-my-reality @nikkiemms @searchingwardrobes @wyntereyez @therooksshiningknight @kmomof4 @jonesfandomfanatic @winterbaby89 @jennjenn615 @therealstartraveller776 @snowbellewells @emmythedaydreamer @heartofkillian @pirateherokillian @kymbersmith-90 @let-it-raines @resident-of-storybrooke @captainsjedi @hookedmom @ohmightydevviepuu @queen-serena88 @daxx04 @branlovestowrite @theonceoverthinker @laschatzi @coolcat08 @welllpthisishappening @wellhellotragic @resident-of-storybrooke @mayquita @badwolfreturns @djlbg @withheartfulloflove @squidvisious @xsajx @lyssapup27 @tohellwiththepancakes13 @annastasiarinaldiva @hollyethecurious @kday426 @ohmyjoan @oncechi @spartanguard @hookpiratejones @apromisednightcap @andiirivera @swanlovato @ouat-the-hell @adoringjen @killianswannn @imlaxdris71 @xarandomdreamx @everything-person @eeteeaytay @glennaywh @gingerchangeling @lexie27 @reylowillliveon @tumblercanbetheworst @vvbooklady1256 @teamhook @myfearless-love @ultraluckycatnd @timeless-love-story @bugheadswanjones @goblynn @csalltheway @sals86 @badcats-andmice @darthbecky726 @166hours @kissmeretard @sederiana @eherron14 @bubblegum1425 @klynn-stormz @harshini01 @kingofmyheart14 @yasbio2015 @officerrogers @captainswan-shipper88 @sh12pen-bookfan @loveliklove @singersdd @bluewildcatfanatic @lfh1226-linda @crick-11 @angellifedeath @mythologicalmango @socmono @brustudyblog @harshini01 @artistoncer @hails-paige @eleveneitherway @broadwaybabe18

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agentsokka · 6 years ago

Note

♫davekat and ♫roxy

you: wholesome, sincere, genuine.

me: a buffoon, incompetent, forgetful.

prepare for some damn good music lists cause damn you deserve better than my forgetful lizard brain

DAVEKAT ♫♫:

One Week - Barenaked Ladies

It’s been one week since you looked at meCocked your head to the sideand said I’m angryFive days since you laughed at me sayingGet that together come back and see meThree days since the living room,I realized it’s all my fault, but couldn’t tell youYesterday you’d forgiven meBut it’ll still be two days till I say I’m sorry

How can I help it if I think you’re funny when you’re madTrying hard not to smile though I feel badI’m the kind of guy who laughs at a funeralCan’t understand what I mean?Well, you soon willI have a tendency to wear my mind on my sleeveI have a history of taking off my shirt

[Everything about this song is Dave – the ridiculous metaphors, the rambling, everything. I’ve honestly never come across a better tune that perfectly encapsulates Dave and his early relationship with Karkat tbh]

Romance Is Boring - Los Campesinos!

You’re pouting in your sleepI’m waking still yawningWe’re proving to each otherThat romance is boringStill there are things I could doIf I was half prepared toProve to each other that romance is boring

Start as you mean to continueComplacent and self-involvedYou’re trying not to be nervousIf you were trying at allI will wakeI will bake phallic cakeTake your diffidenceMake it my clubhouseBut my straits swim in liesVentricle cauterizedIt’s the way of living that I espouse

[Listen they’ll do romantic gestures but these nerds aren’t what I imagine when I think ‘big sweeping epic romance’ – and Dave would 10000000% make a phallic cake]

Talk Too Much - COIN

Caffeine, small talkWait out the plastic weatherMmhmm, uh uh, discussing current eventsI’ll take my timeI’m not the forward thinkerYou read my mindBetter to leave it unsaidWhy can’t I leave it unsaid?

You know I talk too muchHoney, come put your lips on mine and shut me upWe could blame it all on human natureStay cool, it’s just a kissOh, why you gotta be so talkative?I talk too much, we talk too much

[Pretty self-explanatory – dummies talk way too much]

Falling for the First Time - Barenaked Ladies

I’m so cool, too bad I’m a loserI’m so smart, too bad I can’t get anything figured outI’m so brave, too bad I’m a babyI’m so fly, that’s probably why it feels just like I’m falling for the first time

I’m so green, it’s really amazingI’m so clean, too bad I can’t get all the dirt off me (all the dirt off me)I’m so sane, it’s drivin’ me crazyIt’s so strange I can’t believe it feels just like I’m falling for the first time

[These nerds have such ‘I’M SO COOL’ shticks going on but they’re such big babies and thus: this]

Like Real People Do - Hozier

I will not ask you where you came fromI will not ask you, neither should you

Honey just put your sweet lips on my lipsWe should just kiss like real people do

[You better believe I’m plugging this]

ROXY ♫ ♫ :

Tightrope - Janelle Monáe

You gotta keep your balanceOr you fall into the gapIt’s a challenge but I manageCause I’m cautious with the strapDo damage to your cabbage thatA doctor cannot patchWhy you don’t want no frictionLike the back of a matchbookDaddy Fat Sax will fold youAnd your MacBookClose shows, shut you downBefore we go-go backwardsAct up, and whether we high or lowWe gonna get back-upLike the Dow Jones and NASDAQSorta like a thong in an ass crackCome on

I tip on alligators and little rattlesnakersBut I’m another flavorSomething like a terminatorAin’t no equivocatingI fight for what I believeWhy you talkin’ ‘bout itJ-j-just talkin’ 'bout itSome callin’ me a sinnerSome callin’ me a winnerI’m callin’ you to dinnerAnd you know exactly what I mean

[I need more peppy songs for Roxy because she’s such a popping personality – this gets more at what I imagine her. Less about lyrics here and more just that kind of Jam y’know? But the descriptive metaphors and pop culture references also link her pretty well]

Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) - Arcade Fire

They heard me singing and they told me to stop,Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock,These days, my life, I feel it has no purpose,But late at night the feelings swim to the surface.'Cause on the suburbs the city lights shine,They’re calling at me, 'come and find your kind.’

Sometimes I wonder if the world’s so small,Then we can never get away from the sprawl,Living in the sprawl,Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,And there’s no end in sight,I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.

[I can’t remember who recommended this song for her – it was a while ago, but it’s still apt imo, especially that last line.]

Half Life - Trocadero

And I wonder where you areAnd I wonder what you woreAnd I’m lost inside a barAnd I’m drunk inside a warAnd I wonder where you areDrinking Martinis by myselfOn a SundayDrinking Martinis againOn a Monday

It’s a half-lifeIt’s a half-lifeIt’s a half-lifeIt’s a half-life

[Honestly this is more of what I imagine an older Roxy would be (COUGH calmstorm Rachel COUGH HACK WHEEZE) but I think it’s apt enough to add]

Kids Again - Artist vs Poet

I know a girl who likes to drink her coffee blackCause sugar, no, she don’t got time for thatLeaves her desires at the welcome mat when she walks in

Yeah, I know a boy who likes to keep his burner onHe’s always running with no one to keep warmIt’s like he’s flirting with the smoke alarm, his fire’s fading

But still we laugh, we cry, we fall, we get highJust like we were kids, just like we were kidsAnd when I, I’m feeling small you get me through it allJust like we were kids, just like we were kids again

[A Roxy - Dirk friendship song – I just love their relationship okay, they’re wholesome kids]

Goddess - S.J. Tucker

I’m in love with the goddess who lives down the streetI’ve got clouds on my agenda and a spring in my feetand I wonder if she knows, if she knowsI am smiling at strangers like I usually willlike a cat with a canary who will surely fit the billand I wonder if she knows, If she knowsWhat am I thinking? I’ve got too much to do!I’ve got no time to go running after dreams or chasing after you,but there’s this sleepy sense that everything’s gonna work out right.May I visit you tonight?

[maybe a self-indulgent roxcallie song��..maybe….you’ve no proof]

#notedchampagne #I AM SO SORRY #IT'S BEEN SO LONG #Roxy was harder to scruff up some songs for #since Davekat fits far more into 'typical' much easier songs to find #but Roxy is a Gem and deserves good music #Homestuck #Davekat #Roxy Lalonde

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lizzy-c807fanfics · 6 years ago

Text

That Old Black Magic: Ch.12 - Tumblr exclusive Sneak Peek

image by @imagnifika

Killian Jones and Emma Swan didn’t meet under the usual circumstances but they had an immediate spark that ignited into a fiery relationship. Their complimentary life styles create the perfect partnership at both home and work. Can she and Killian keep up their lucky streak while navigating through the dangerous lives they lead? Find out in this Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire Mystery: That old black magic.

In this sequel two sorority girls have gone missing. Emma is on the case to try to track them down. Along the way she manages to piss off some of the wrong people adding complexity to her case.

FF AO3

Read the first story Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire here! -

FF AO3

A/N: OK - It’s CS March Madness and its my day to post. I’ve been working on Chapter 12 for this event. My story was sitting on ice for a long time and I’ve got a lot of details to work through to get this right. I wanted to post the final for the event but I’m just not quite ready to finalize this so I’m giving you all a sneak peek until the final touches are on this. Thank you @csmarchmadness for letting me participate!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ch. 12

Killian went into the bathroom to compose himself. He needed to have a cool head no matter how angry he was feeling. He turned on the cold water and splashed some on his face multiple times until he felt a numbness. He blindly felt to the right grabbing the soft white towel, the one that Emma insisted on having by the sink, from the tiny towel holder to dry off quickly. He held his face in the towel letting the soft fibers warm his cool skin. He hung it back in its place. He smiled, when he thought about how Emma had affected his life. He looked up, noticing his wildly tousled hair in the mirror. He quickly ran his fingers through it pushing back the stray pieces that seemed to have a mind of their own. He stopped for a moment when he really noticed the man looking back at him in the mirror. He could see the anger in his eyes. He knew he had a temper and he had to be careful. The killing machine he was trained to be and the man that loves Emma are one person. If the trigger were flipped no one could stop him. He breathed in deeply and exhaled once more before leaving to greet his friend.

His mood quickly changed at the sight before him. Emma and Mary Margaret were in a deep hushed conversation. He turned to see Dave holding a sleeping baby on his shoulder pacing back and forth. Dave smiled as he continued to lightly pat his sons back. “Mary Margaret thought the car ride over would help get our little man to sleep.” Whispered Dave.

Killian peered at the sleeping baby’s face. It seemed impossible to maintain such an angry mood after seeing that little angel. Seems to have worked.” He whispered.

David nodded. ”So far so good.” He whispered.

He noticed Mary Margaret and Emma had moved farther into the corner of the room. He moved closer to Dave to keep the volume of his voice in check. “What’s going on over there?” he asked.

Dave leaned closer. “Mary Margaret is trying to convince Emma to come to our place tonight.”

Killian grinned. “She’s quite stubborn as you know. It was one of the first thing’s I’d mentioned to her when we found the knife in the door.”

Dave raised his eyebrows. “Oh, I know how stubborn she can be. What did she say when you suggested it?”

Killian grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water. “I’m sure you can imagine simply by watching them. I see an awful lot of head shaking happening over there.” He said before sipping his drink.

“Mary Margaret can be pretty persuasive when she wants to be.” Whispered Dave.

“Can I get you a drink?” asked Killian.

David shook his head. He could see the man was trying to remain as silent as possible. Poor Mary Margaret, even from this distance he could see she looked tired. He couldn’t help but think that maybe there was another reason the couple wanted them to stay the night.

It wasn’t long before the ladies came over and joined them. “Hi Killian. Sorry to spring our visit on you.” Said Mary Margaret.

He smiled. ” You don’t need a reason to come. Dave filled me in. The lad looks very content now.”

Mary Margaret leaned over to see her sleeping son’s face. “You should have seen, well heard him, 30 minutes ago.” She whispered.

David seemed like he was beginning to stir awake. The look that passed between Dave and Mary Margaret was priceless. As if he knew what she was saying he began to walk around towards the darker corner of the apartment.

Mary Margaret let out a nervous breath. “If only we could get him to sleep for the night.” she explained.

“Hey, if you ever need a break you know you can call me, right?” said Emma.

Mary Margaret put her hand on Emma’s shoulder. “I know. It’s just hard to admit defeat. We prayed for him for so long. I don’t want to seem ungrateful but wow, I am so tired.” She explained.

“It’s only natural for new parents to be tired, or at least so I’ve been told.” Said Killian. He noticed Dave sending him a signal which was likely to be interpreted as, don’t you dare tell my wife I’ve been sleeping at my desk. He quickly covered. “I mean, Robin used to talk about how tired he was when his son was born.”

Emma gave him a slight look as if she was trying to decipher what just transpired between the men. “Why don’t sit down, get off your feet?” asked Emma.

Mary Margaret nodded and moved towards their couch. “David, why don’t you give me the baby, so you can go talk in the bedroom? I’ll be ok with him out here.” she explained.

Dave came up slowly and handed their sleeping son to her gently, so he didn’t wake. He leaned over and pressed a kiss into his wife’s forehead. “Thank you.” He whispered.

She looked up and smiled. “He won’t last long.”

Dave nodded and turned to his friends. “Let’s go in the bedroom.” He whispered.

Killian slipped his arm around Emma’s waist. She looked up and smiled. “Shall we?” he asked in hushed tones. She nodded, and the pair followed closely behind their friend towards the bedroom.

Upon entering the bedroom Killian quickly grabbed the corner of the bedspread and yanked it hard over the bed to hide all the evidence of their quick session. Emma smiled and quickly sat on the edge bed.

Dave gave them a knowing look, pulled the wooden chair from the corner towards the bed and sat down. “Well, seems you pissed off the wrong gang.” Said Dave.

Emma pushed the strands of hair covering her eyes away and let out a soft breath. “I’ve done it before and I’m sure I’ll do it again.”

“Oh, I remember, but you had the backing of a Federal Law enforcement agency when it happened before.” Said Dave.

Emma glanced to her left. Killian was slowly rocking back and forth from foot to foot next to the bed. He looked extremely pensive and on edge. She chose the next words carefully. “Yes, I remember. I hadn’t intended to start a war with them. I should have done more research about the guy, but I got cocky and went for the tag. I didn’t realize he’d been in a den of roaches when I sprayed the raid.”

Dave looked to Killian and back to her. “I can understand that completely. We need a plan.”

“No, Dave I can’t ask you to step into this. You’ve got a new baby.” Said Emma.

Dave shook his head. “Emma, you have to stop thinking you are on your own. We are a family. There is no way you are going to stop me from helping you.”

Emma started to protest when Killian jumped in. “Thank you Dave. We will graciously accept your help. I’ve been going over this in my head and I don’t think we can do it without help.”

Emma looked up to Killian, she wanted to be angry at him for pulling her friend into this, but she saw the concern in his eyes, maybe even fear. She stopped her protest and thought about what Dave just said to her. She wasn’t alone. She held out her hand to Killian to invite him to join her on the bed. ” Please, sit with me.” Killian gently took her hand, squeezed, and allowed her to pull him next to her.

Dave let out a breath smiling softly. “I thought you were going to put up more of a fight.” He said.

She looked back and forth between the two men she cared about most in her life. “You’re right. I made a stupid move. I need to remember I’m not alone anymore. I need to be careful about what I’m doing, I’ve been reckless. I know my job is dangerous, but I don’t have to live dangerously. I’m better than that.”

Killian shook his head. “Love, stop. This isn’t your fault. You are amazing at what you do. You brought that scum to justice and that’s important.”

She looked down and shook her head. “Yes, but at what cost? If I was on my own I would have moved on and not looked back after checking him off my list. This is my home now. I’ve got people who I care about here. I can’t put you in danger. I need to change my tactics. I see that now.”

Killian squeezed her hand. “Well, Dave and I are going to help you. He’s going to research the gang and see what information he can get on them. See if we can find the head of the snake so we can cut it off. I’m going to be your partner for as long as you need.”

She smiled. “You mean I don’t have to ride with Humbert anymore?”

Killian rolled his eyes. “No, you don’t have to ride with Sheriff Doofy anymore.”

Dave laughed. “Ok, I’ll check in with my contacts at the bureau tomorrow and let you know what I find. In the meantime, are you sure I can’t convince you to come stay with us?”

Emma shook her head. “I’m going to accept the help but I’m not going to bring danger to your home. Besides, those guys don’t know who they are messing with.” She said bumping lightly into her partner.

“Too right.” Said Killian proudly.

Dave stood and pushed the chair back against the wall. “Alright dynamic duo. I better get my family home. If anything happens please call me.”

“Of course. Thank you again for coming over.” Said Emma.

Killian clapped Dave on the back. “Yes, please tell Mary Margaret thank you. I’d hate to wake the lad. Let the squad know I’ll be back a soon as I can.” Said Killian.

“I’m sure they will understand; besides it gives you a chance to chip away at that vacation time.” Said Dave as he began his steps back to his wife and sleeping son.

“Hey, I think you should let us walk you out. “ said Emma.

Dave was going to protest but the sight of his sleeping wife and son quickly changed his mind. ”Yeah, that would be a good idea. Can’t be too careful.” He whispered before laying a soft hand on his wife’s shoulder to wake her.

Mary Margaret opened her eyes and smiled. “Still sleeping.” she whispered.

Dave bent over and took their little bundle from his wife carefully and put him into his little car seat. He started to fuss but quickly went back to sleep. The new parents traded looks of amazement. “He must really like your apartment.” Joked Dave.

“Now I know where I’m bringing him next time he won’t settle.” whispered Mary Margaret.

Emma smiled. “We’d love to have him visit anytime, but maybe hold off until we get those Scottish thugs off my back.” Said Emma as she slipped on her jacket and felt her pocket, gun still present.

“We’re going to walk you out.” Said Killian.

Mary Margaret nodded in acknowledgement. “We’re just parked out front.”

Dave gently rocked the baby in his seat as they walked towards the elevator. Mary Margaret nestled in close to him on the other side. She loved seeing her two friends so happy.

She looked over to her right and noticed Killian looking at them with a soft smile. She slipped her hand into his and he happily took hold pulling her into his side.

It didn’t take long to get their friends tucked safely into their car and get back to their apartment. After everything she’d been through this day she couldn’t wait to have her head hit the pillow. Killian locked the door and set the chain. “Well Love, I think I’m ready to put this day to rest. How about you?” he asked.

“Oh yeah. I’ve had enough excitement for one day.” She exclaimed as she walked towards the bedroom.

He came into the bedroom not soon after; Just in time to catch her pulling on a night shirt. He was quick to put his arms around her. She purred with contentment against him as he hugged her tight. “Its so nice to hold you in my arms. What a great way to end the day.” He said.

“Never let me go.” She murmured against his chest.

He held her tighter. “Mmm, that’s the plan.”

“Good.” She said softly.

He lifted her into his arms and placed her gently on the bed before pulling the covers over her to tuck her in. “Safe and sound.”

She snuggled into her pillow. He quickly disrobed and climbed into bed to spoon her closely. She backed up into his warm, hard body so that he could slip his arm over her. He exhaled and pressed a kiss against her shoulder. “Goodnight Love.” He whispered.

“Goodnight.” She said before falling asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~

Somewhere in a cool dark place

Tiana and Lottie did as they were told and huddled together in the corner of the room. Once they’d followed the instructions the lights went out and loud music began playing. They were unable to hear or see anything which was likely their abductors plan. Tiana could feel Lottie shaking against her. “It’s gonna be ok. Just like last time.” She whispered in her friends’ ear. Lottie whimpered against her. Tiana held her friend tightly. If only she could figure out who had them, maybe they could reason with them. They still didn’t know why they were being held or what would happen next. Tiana tried to focus on the shadowed movements, but it was too dark.

“Turn your heads to the right.” Shouted the loud grizzly voice.

She stretched her head forward and was shocked backward by the flash of a bright light.

“AAAAh! What was that!” screamed Lottie.

Tiana hugged her friend tightly. “Hush now, I think it was a camera flash.” She said loud enough for only her friend to hear.

“Ok” said Lottie.

Soon after the flash the music stopped, and the lights came back up. Tiana blinked to get her eyes to focus on the room. She and her friend eased up from the floor. Tiana felt her own legs shaking, perhaps it wasn’t just Lottie that she felt but maybe her own body had betrayed her as well.

Lottie had already begun to explore the room. She was quick to pick up the bag of take out that was left for them on the small table. “Ti, thank goodness. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.” Said Lottie.

Tiana frowned. “Same place, as last time?” she asked.

“Yep. Bo Peep’s Tavern. Looks like meatloaf sandwiches and fries again.” Said Lottie.

“I’d kill for a vegetable, a salad, something healthy.” Said Tiana as she touched her growling stomach. ”But beggars can’t be choosers and I’m starving.” She muttered. So, she quickly rushed to her friends side and grabbed a fry from the bag.

Lottie took her share of the food and sat on her bed. “I never thought I’d love meatloaf but god this is so good.”

Tiana nodded. “This is a fine meatloaf. If we ever get out of here we are going to have to find this place. I need to know what is in this.” Said Tiana with a mouthful of food. Normally she wouldn’t talk with food in her mouth, but it had been hours since they had anything to eat and she couldn’t help herself.

Their abductors hadn’t really provided any clues as to who they were or why they were taken. They were mostly left alone except for these strange but quick sessions.

Lottie placed her sandwich back into the foil wrap. “Ti, why do you think they took our picture? I mean do you think it’s a good sign? Maybe they are going to contact Big Daddy?” she asked hopeful.

Tiana finished the mouthful of food she’d been chewing to give herself a chance to come up with a thoughtful response before answering. “I think those are both possibilities. I guess we wait and see.” She’d been hopeful about the photographs too. She thought it could be a proof of life photo. God forbid its for a catalog or some weird scrap book of victims. She didn’t want to think about that though. She didn’t want to believe that it could be for something that awful.

It still seemed that there was only one way in and one way out of the room they were trapped in. The music was not playing in their room but the hum of it still existed on the other side of the door. She had to believe there was someone there with them, watching them, so they didn’t dare try to open that door. They would just wait, hope and pray that they would get to go home soon.

#cs march madness #cs ff #captain swan #that old black magic #sneak peek

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ghostyboiii · 6 years ago

Text

Winging It

Merry Christmas @ilovemesomekillianjones ! I was your CS Secret Santa this year! It’s been cool to get to know you over this month and I wrote this one-shot just for you. It’s not super amazing, but I hope you still like it. I hope you have a great Christmas!

Thanks to @cssecretsanta2k18 for organizing this event, you did a great job. Merry Christmas!

(Also on Ao3)

“So tell me, Emma Swan, why’s Mary Margaret setting us up on a date two days before Christmas?”

“I think she just doesn’t want either of us to spend the holiday alone.”

“Yeah, I get that but doesn’t she know how mad David would be if we started dating?”

Emma Swan just raised her eyebrows. “Honestly I think she was thinking of our happiness over David’s. And, you’re easily his best friend, so he really wouldn’t be that mad.”

Killian Jones smiled and shook his head. “You’re his little sister, Swan, he’s way more protective of you and cares about you way more than he cares about me,” he pointed out, cautiously reaching out and grabbing her hand across the table.

Emma gave him a look. “I’m not even his actual sister. If you feel so strongly about this, why’d you even agree to this date?” she asked, pulling her hand back slightly. Killian brushed his hand against the back of hers.

“I like you, that’s why. I didn’t act on it or ask you out because I didn’t want Dave to kill us. Or, at least, kill me. But this? This was Mary Margaret’s idea, so if he disowns us, he has to disown her, too,” Killian answered, glancing up at her. “Why’d you agree to this date? I thought you were very anti-setups.”

Emma blushed slightly. “Usually I am because I hate going on dates with people Mary Margaret think I’ll like instead of going out with people I actually like. And I agreed to this for the same reason I invited you over for Christmas: I like you, too. I like hanging out with you and watching movies and falling asleep on the couch with you. We might as well give dating a try. And, you know, when we break up there are a couple job listings in Boston I’m willing to give a try,” she explained.

One of Killian’s eyebrows raised. “Did you just say ‘when we break up’? Swan, we’re not even dating yet. Also, why are you so sure we’d break up? I think we’d be a nice couple. Might even rival David and Mary Margaret.”

Emma laughed. “I’m pretty sure no one’s a better couple than David and Mary Margaret. And, so far, one hundred percent of my relationships have ended badly. I’m just going off of statistics here, Jones,” she said, shrugging lightly.

“Well, going off of my statistics, we’ve got a fifty-fifty shot,” Killian replied.

Emma gave him a look. “That’s the regular statistic, Killian.”

Killian just shrugged. “So?”

“There’s a fifty percent chance we would break up and then we wouldn’t be able to go to the same parties that Mar and David have and Thanksgiving at their place would be an absolute nightmare, so much that I’d probably leave and actually go to Boston,” Emma said, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself instead of actually arguing with him. She also hadn’t moved her hand completely away from his yet.

Killian made a noise. “That might be true, but there’s also a fifty percent chance that we don’t break up, and then we become almost as disgustingly adorable as Mary Margaret and David, and we could be happy together,” he said. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”

“Yeah, it would be nice,” Emma agreed.

“Look, Emma, I really like you. I have for a while, I just didn’t know how you felt and I really don’t want David to kill me, but I really would like to give us a shot. If you don’t, then that’s completely okay, and we can just laugh about this later and stay friends and that’s that. Just say the word,” Killian said.

Emma was caught off guard the moment he called her Emma instead of Swan. “I don’t...we…”

Killian nodded and moved his hand off of hers. “Got it. Friends it is. Do you still want me to come over on Christmas?” He asked.

“Hey,” Emma said, reaching for his hand. “I never even finished what I was saying. It took me a second to get my thoughts in order, and I absolutely suck at sweeping or romantic speeches so, no, I don’t want you to come over on Christmas. I want you to come over on Christmas Eve and stay over and just...be happy on Christmas day, and...feel free to stop me at literally anytime because I have no idea where my thoughts are going,” she finished.

Killian grinned and laughed. “Why would I stop you when I really like where this is going?” He asked.

Emma looked around the mostly empty restaurant. “Want to leave this place and go for a walk or something?” She asked.

Killian nodded. “Aye, that sounds fun.” He waved for the check. The waitress looked slightly confused, as they hadn’t even ordered food yet. Killian just paid for their drinks and they left. Emma pulled on her gloves and her hat and Killian held onto her hand. She laced their fingers together. Killian couldn’t stop himself from smiling. “How about we go someplace where the food isn’t totally expensive?”

“Sounds like a plan to me. Where do you want to go?”

Killian shrugged. “Anywhere, as long as you’re with me.”

Emma grinned and rolled her eyes. “I feel like that’s cheating somehow. I mean, we just started ‘dating’ literally five minutes ago,” she said, bumping him with her shoulder.

“What? I’m just being honest and charming,” he replied through laughs. “Where do you want to eat?”

“You can’t ask me that, I already asked you. You pick, I’m not putting all that responsibility on me.” Emma shook her head.

Killian laughed and thought for a minute. “Alright, love, how does pizza sound?”

“I’m down for pizza all the time,” Emma replied. They lapsed into a comfortable silence, and Emma took a trip down memory lane and thought about that first day they met.

Emma walked into the very large bookstore, looking around for Ruby. Her eyes landed on a slightly disgruntled looking employee by the cash register and headed over to him. “Hey...Killian,” Emma said, reading the name off of his nametag. “Do you know where Ruby Lucas is? I’m the IT guy she called,” she asked him.

He nodded and pointed to the small Starbucks in the other corner of the store. “She’s over there flirting with the barista, just like she always is,” he answered. Emma turned around, slightly confused until she saw who the barista was.

She turned back around and faced Killian. “Yeah, that’s her girlfriend, I think I’d be a little more surprised if they weren’t flirting. I didn’t realize Dorothy worked here, too,” she said.

Killian looked surprised. “Wait, Lucas’ girlfriend? I thought she was single! I’ve heard Dorothy turn her down, like, five times,” he said.

Emma smiled. “Yeah, they joke like that a lot and then come home super late after going on a date.”

He seemed to think about what she said for a minute. “Wait, how do you know when they come home?”

“Oh, yeah, I’m their roommate. For now, at least. That’s also one of the reasons why I’m here, actually. Ruby came home last night some stupid computer not doing what it’s supposed to,” Emma said. “So, do you mind showing me where that is? I told Rubes she had to pay me for this and I’m sure she’d prefer to only pay me for an hour instead of two.”

Killian nodded. “Yeah. So, I feel like I’m at a disadvantage. You know my name, and I have no idea what yours is,” he said, leading the way up the stairs to the broken computer.

“Emma,” she answered.

“Do you have a last name or is it just Emma?”

“Do you have a last name or is just Killian?” She replied, not willing to give up information just yet.

“Jones. Killian Jones,” Killian said after a minute. “I believe that means you owe me now.”

He turned and walked backward for a few steps. Emma’s eyes flitted across his face. “Emma Swan, at your service.”

“Swan? You alright, love?” Killian asked, bringing Emma back to the present. They were standing in front of a pizza place, and he sounded concerned.

Emma nodded. “I’m good I was just...thinking,” she answered and walked into the pizza place.

They ordered pizza and sat down. “So what were you thinking about?” Killian asked, tapping her hand.

“Do you remember the day we met?” Emma asked.

Killian nodded. “I was having a shit day and then you came in and told me Ruby and Dorothy were dating and that you were their roommate and then you fixed the stupid computer that still crashes–you should totally come in and fix that again, by the way–and that was the day I knew I liked you, too,” he added.

Emma’s eyebrows flew up. “That soon? We talked for, like, two minutes.”

Killian shrugged. “Not exactly love at first sight, but I liked you. Wanted to talk to you more. Why do you think I kept dropping by Ruby’s place?”

“Because she kept throwing insane parties that I always complained about? I literally complained to you every single time. It’s one of the reasons I finally decided to find my own place. Well, that and Ruby and Dorothy getting engaged,” Emma explained.

Killian shook his head slightly. “I asked Lucas about you once and she immediately caught on and began throwing outrageous parties where I came over and sat in the hallway with you and you complained.”

Emma nodded. “Yeah, I know that part. And I know the part about Ruby suggesting I get your number, and then she just flat out gave it to me.”

“So, back to the original point of this, where you thinking about the day we met?” Killian asked, and Emma nodded again.

The server came out and gave them their food, then walked away.

They talked and ate and just had fun. Dates were supposed to fun.

None of the dates Emma’s gone on before were very fun, so this one was definitely the best one, though that may just have been because she was out with Killian.

It was starting to get late and Emma’s nose was starting to turn red from the cold, but neither of them really wanted the date to end. “Let’s get a hotel room.”

Killian moves his eyebrows in confusion, making Emma laugh. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Not right now, obviously, but how about we get a hotel room for a few days and do a bunch of stuff neither of us has ever done before here. Like we’re tourists. And none of it’s gonna be planned. We just...wing it,” Emma explained.

Killian nodded slowly. “Alright, love, I’m in. When are we getting said hotel room?”

Emma had to think for a minute. She got them walking again because she was starting to freeze. “How about tomorrow through the 26th? That’s enough time to do some stuff here and enough time to relax in a comfy hotel bed and order room service,” she suggested.

“I like that idea. Tomorrow it is. Now, how about we get a taxi because it’s actually freezing out here,” Killian said. “And, you know, we can make out in the back seat,” he added.

Emma laughed again. “I like that idea,” she said, repeating him and leaning up against him, trying to steal his heat.

Killian threw his arm out and hailed a taxi.

Both of them were pretty sure the driver was just gonna kick them out of the cab before getting to Emma’s apartment. They could see the driver glaring at them through the mirror when they did eventually stop making out. “Can I walk you up?” Killian asked, and Emma nodded, paying the driver and getting out.

“I’ve got two questions; when do you want me to pick you up tomorrow, and what hotel are we staying at?”

Emma shrugged. “Whenever works. I’ll find a hotel online tonight,” she answered, unlocking the door to the apartment building. “So you should really pack tonight so we can get going before too late tomorrow.”

“You’re not going to pack until tomorrow, are you?” Killian asked. He knew her too well.

She smiled. “I’ll get...partially packed tonight. I’ll be fine. If I’m remembering Ruby’s wedding correctly–and I am–you were the one who forgot to pack an extra jacket and would’ve been suffering the entire time if David hadn’t known you so well.” She poked his arm.

At those parties Ruby threw to get Emma to befriend Killian, he had also become quite close with David Nolan and his girlfriend Mary Margaret Blanchard, who was Emma’s best friend. It lead to the four of them hanging out when Emma finally moved out of Ruby and Dorothy’s apartment, mostly on date nights so that Ruby wouldn’t feel left out.

“And if I’m remembering correctly–and I am–you also forgot a jacket and stole mine, which was why I would’ve been suffering,” Killian pointed out. Emma unlocked her apartment and the two of them walked in.

“I didn’t forget a jacket, Ruby specifically told me not to bring one. I was just following one of the bride’s orders,” Emma said.

Killian dropped down onto her couch. That was normal. Emma kicked off her shoes and sat down next to him. “She was trying to set us up then, wasn’t she?”

Emma shrugged. “Probably? Maybe just because the dresses weren’t the same red as my jacket and Mary Margaret would have actually fainted if I wore it as ruined the color scheme of the wedding that wasn’t hers.” She pulled her laptop from her coffee table to her lap. “Which hotel do you want to stay at?”

“I thought we were winging it.”

“This is the one part we’re not winging,” Emma replied. Killian just hummed, flipping on Emma’s TV and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Half of that was normal. “I don’t mind having you here, but don’t you have to pack? It’s, like, nine o’clock. At night,” she pointed out.

He glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. “Is that your way of asking me to leave?”

Emma shook her head. “Just me saying that if you’re not packed I’m gonna make you buy whatever you forgot as if we really are tourists.”

Killian chuckled. “Same goes for you, then, Swan.”

“I’d expect no less,” Emma said, resting her head against him, clicking on a website.

Killian knocked on Emma’s door around ten in the morning. He had eventually left her apartment the night before, not before kissing her at least twelve times, though.

Emma opened it, the handle of her suitcase in her hand. She was smiling. “Have you had coffee already, Swan?”

Emma nodded. “Ah, that explains the excitement.”

“And I’m excited to go and relax for a few days. This is the first time in, like, a decade that I haven’t come home to Storybrooke for Christmas,” she said. Killian reached around her and grabbed her suitcase for her. “I can carry it myself, Jones.”

“I’m aware, but we’re dating now and it wouldn’t be very polite of me to let you carry your own bag, now would it?” Emma let out a small laugh and shook her head once. “Exactly. You’ve known me for a couple years now, you should know by now that I’m always a gentleman.”

Emma locked the door behind her. “Our vacation has now started, which means we’re officially tourists in New York City,” she said, following Killian down the stairs. “You know we could’ve just taken the elevator down and you wouldn’t have to carry that, right?” she asked as Killian grunted slightly when Emma’s suitcase hit his leg.

“I’m aware, but that doesn’t let me show off my strength.” He’d said it only for Emma’s reaction, and she did not disappoint, letting out a loud laugh. “Should I be offended that your first reaction to that is to laugh?”

Emma shook her head. “Nah, I just wasn’t expecting you to say that. I probably should’ve been ready for that.” She refused to let Killian drive even though it was his car. “I’m definitely going to make you drive everywhere else, so I’m driving us to the hotel.”

“Or you could let me drive us to the hotel and we could just take a cab everywhere else,” Killian suggested, but he let Emma get behind the wheel anyway.

“That’s true,” she said, and drove them to the hotel, Killian messed with the radio util he found one of the stations that were playing Christmas music. “So festive.”

They got to the hotel in one piece and checked in, then got their room key and went over to the elevators. “Only the fourth floor, I honestly expected this place to be more packed,” Killian mused as Emma hit the button.

“It’s kind of nice. It also means that if we order room service it’ll be really fast,” she pointed out, leaning back against him until the elevator doors dinged and opened. She didn’t let Killian drag both of their suitcases to the room, taking hers and giving Killian a look when he made some sort of noise in protest. “You’re an amazing gentleman, but I’m too stubborn for that and we both know it,” Emma said. Killian really couldn’t argue.

She opened the door and stopped her suitcase by the bed, then flopped down onto the bed with a content sigh. Killian dropped down next to her. “So, I was thinking about what the first thing we should do that we’ve never done before,” he said.

Emma rolled onto her side, both of her eyebrows raised. “What’s that?”

“Neither of us have ever made out with the other in this hotel on this bed,” Killian said, matter-of-factly.

Emma laughed. “Can’t argue with that.” She leaned forward and kissed him. It took about .05 seconds for him to kiss her back, if Emma had to guess. He rolled on top of her, and it took all of two seconds for Emma to drag her fingers through his hair.

They sat there on the bed for a good ten minutes before they broke apart, needing much more oxygen than previously thought. “Now we’ve done that. Although, I wouldn’t mind going back and doing that again, or is that against the rules of this vacation?” he asked, a slight smirk on his face and one eyebrow up.

“I think that can be the exception to the rule, don’t you?” Emma asked, and Killian nodded.

“What would you like to do to officially start our vacation, love?”

Emma looked confused. “Why do I have to choose first?”

“This was your amazing idea. I think you should have first pick. If you want to get technical, I chose first with the making out, but this is just what we leave the hotel for first,” Killian answered.

Emma had already been thinking of things. “Well...I’ve never gone ice skating before,” she suggested.

Killian’s jaw dropped. “You’ve never been ice skating?” Emma shook her head. “That is changing right now.” He stood up and offered his hand, which Emma gladly took. “We’re gonna go ice skating at Rockefeller Center. That sound okay?” She nodded.

“Yeah, that sounds great.”

So they went ice skating and paid a ridiculous amount of money that Killian insisted on paying, saying how Emma could pay when he chose something.

They laced up their skates and Emma at least made it onto the ice without falling, and immediately grabbed onto Killian as soon as she started sliding. It made him laugh. “You’re fine, love, I promise,” he said, holding onto her hand. “Just glide.” Emma mumbled something that sounded like easy for you to say, Jones which just made Killian laugh again.

“I don’t think I was made to ice skate,” Emma said as she slipped and almost fell.

“Nonsense, you’ve just never been before. Hang on tight, and I’ll pull you,” Killian said. Before Emma could protest, he was skating faster and pulling her along. It was kinda fun, until Killian couldn’t stop and both of them slammed into the edge.

That made Emma laugh. “I thought you were supposed to be great and amazing at skating,” she said, grinning.

“I never said great and amazing. Did I forget to mention I never learned how to stop?” He asked.

“Must’ve slipped your mind, or been knocked out of you when you hit the boards,” Emma replied. “But hey, this is fun. Look at me, having fun at Christmas in New York. Never thought I’d say those words,” she said, attempting to skate again.

Killian followed. “What, you never thought you’d be having fun in New York at Christmas?”

Emma shrugged and grabbed back onto him. “I guess I also never thought I’d stay in New York for Christmas at all. I always go back to Storybrooke with Mary Margaret and David and Ruby. It’s just...weird, but good, because I have you, you know?”

Killian nodded. “Aye, I do. I feel the same way. It’s why I agreed to all this and hanging out on Christmas. I just...wanted to be with you. At least, until David finds out about us and absolutely kills me.”

“He won’t kill you. Injure you, sure, but he won’t kill you,” Emma assured him. “Especially when he learns that Mary Margaret set us up and it wasn’t your idea,” she added. She was starting to get the hang of skating.

They skate for about two hours, Emma only falling about five times. It was good and fun and a whole bunch of other adjectives Emma never thought she would ever use. “Want to go back to the hotel and eat an absurd amount of room service?” Killian asked as they got out of their skates.

“That sounds amazing,” she agreed, and then they caught a cab back to the hotel and stumbled up to their room. Emma kicked off her shoes and dropped onto the bed. Killian turned on the tv and grabbed the room service menu and laid down next to her. “What are you in the mood for?”

Killian attempted to shrug. “Not sure. Pasta sounds pretty good.” He flipped through the menu. “Spaghetti?”

“Spaghetti sounds good all day everyday,” Emma replied, flipping through the channels, settling on one of the many Hallmark Christmas movies. “It’s like the pizza of pasta or something.”

Killian glanced up from the menu. “The pizza of pasta?”

Emma nodded. “Yeah. Pizza sounds good any day, anytime. When you’re in the mood for pasta but you don’t care what, most people go for spaghetti. I think. I don’t know any real statistics about that,” she explained.

“Right, so spaghetti it is,” Killian said. He rolled over and grabbed the phone and ordered them lunch. Emma ate her own plate of pasta and then some of Killian’s, and then they fell asleep on top of the covers, Emma practically on top of Killian.

The next day, Christmas Eve, they went to the Empire State Building and to the 9/11 Museum, neither of which Killian had done before.

They just wandered around the city on Christmas and used their ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign a few times at the hotel. It was good and they were happy. Mary Margaret called Emma at six on Christmas night. “Merry Christmas, Emma! Please tell me you haven’t spent the day alone,” Mary Margaret said.

“Merry Christmas, and I have not spent the day alone. I’m not even home right now,” Emma replied. Killian gave her a confused look. “Mary Margaret” Emma mouthed in response. He just nodded and wrapped an arm around her waist. They were laying down, after all.

“What do you mean you’re not home? What’re you doing?” Mary Margaret asked. Emma heard David ask a question in the background. “That’s what I’m finding out, David.”

Emma smiled. “I’m at a hotel right now. We’ve been here for three days including today,” she answered, and then mumbled a curse under her breath when she said we.

“We? Who’s ‘we’?” Mary Margaret asked excitedly. “Is it you and Killian?” she asked.

“I’m assuming David’s not in the room if you just asked that?”

“I may or may not be outside on the porch now,” Mary Margaret admitted. “He’d go a little crazy if he found out.”

Emma glanced at Killian, who now had his eyes closed. “He’s gonna find out eventually if things keep going well.”

Mary Margaret actually gasped at that. “Things are going well? Are you two actually dating now?”

“Yeah. It’s...nice. A little weird to have a boyfriend who’s not an asshole, but it’s definitely a good weird and a nice change,” she answered, Killian grinning when she called him her boyfriend.

“And you’re happy?”

“Definitely. How mad do you think David’s gonna be when we tell him tomorrow?” Emma asked. “Like, on a scale of Ross finding out Chandler and Monica were dating being a one, and Killian getting murdered right then and there being ten.”

“Why am I the only one being murdered?” Killian asked.

“Because he’s in love with Mar and I’m his sister. You said it yourself on our date,” Emma answered.

“What would a five be?” Mary Margaret asked.

“Um, probably disowning Killian for, like two weeks,” Emma answered.

Mary Margaret laughed. “How can he disown your boyfriend, exactly?” she asked.

Emma shrugged. “Just not being his friend, I guess.Ignoring him. Was that your way of saying a five?” She could hear David’s voice in the background, asking about what Mary Margaret was doing outside on the phone.

“Hey, Em, Merry Christmas,” David said cheerfully.

Emma and Killian exchanged a look. “Hey, David. What’s up?”

“Nothing, we just finished making gingerbread houses. Why aren’t you at home? Mary Margaret never answered me,” David replied.

Emma came up with a split second answer. “I’m over at Killian’s. We were gonna hang out at my place, but he’s closer to the Chinese place,” she answered.

“Makes sense. So Killian’s there right now?” David asked.

“Uh, yeah. Why?”

“Can I talk to him for a minute?”

Emma handed Killian the phone. “Merry Christmas, mate! How’s Storybrooke?” he asked.

“Storybrooke’s the same, though it is nice to see my mom. What’re you and Emma doing?”

Emma mouthed chinese at Killian. “Just watching TV and eating Chinese food. Pretty much just a regular Friday for us,” he answered. “Just, you know, on a Tuesday instead. What’s up?”

David let out a noise. “I was thinking of proposing to Mary Margaret today, do you think that’d be a good idea?”

“Of course it’s a good idea! I mean, you two are practically married already, you just need the ring to make it official,” Killian replied. Emma was nodding. “Your sister agrees with me. Hang up the phone and go do it,” he said.

Both of them could imagine David nodding. “Yeah, yeah okay. Thanks, Killian.” He hung up and Killian handed Emma her phone, which she then placed on the nightstand. She rolled back over and buried her face against him. He’d never ended up putting a shirt on.

“That was only a little stressful. It’s a good thing we already hang out a lot, otherwise that would’ve been a lot harder to explain,” Emma mumbled against him.

He kissed the top of her head. “Eh, you would’ve figured something out. And, hey, he’ll be in a great mood tomorrow when we tell him about us, so it might just be a one instead of a five or something,” he pointed out. Emma smiled.

“Something like that. Hopefully.” Not even ten minutes later Mary Margaret called again. “Hey, Mar–” Emma was cut off by her friend’s screaming.

“I’m engaged! David finally asked! I’m going to get married!”

“That’s awesome. I honestly didn’t know if he was gonna go through with it or not,” Emma replied.

“Okay I gotta go, I just had to tell you that. See you tomorrow!” Mary Margaret hung up and Emma put her phone back down.

Emma closed her eyes. “Yeah, I think we’re in the clear now. David won’t be that upset.”

They were not in the clear. They left the hotel at noon and left their suitcases in Killian’s car when they drove straight to Mary Margaret and David’s apartment. “You know, maybe we don’t have to tell David today. I mean, we haven’t even been dating for a week yet,” Emma said as they climbed the stairs.

“If we wait to tell him he’ll just be more upset that we didn’t tell him before,” Killian reasoned. They stood in the hallway for a minute and he pulled her into a hug. “David’ll be fine, we’ll be fine, everything’s going to be fine, alright, love?” he asked.

Emma just nodded against him before they broke apart. “Ready?” Killian nodded and knocked on the door.

David opened it a second later. He was grinning. “Hey guys, come on in,” he said, moving out of the way. The couple walked in. Emma hugged Mary Margaret and the latter muttered tell him quickly. “How was your Christmas?” David asked.

Emma and Killian exchanged a look. “Uh, it was good.”

“What was that look about?” David asked.

Neither of them really wanted to answer. But, they agreed, they had to tell him, and it was gonna be Emma because there wasn’t a chance he was gonna kill Emma. “Nothing, just that we have something to tell you. Besides congrats on finally asking Mar to marry you, that is,” Emma paused. Mary Margaret gave her an encouraging look. “And that something is that, uh, Killian and I…”

David was quiet for a minute. “Em, I got engaged yesterday, you’re literally going to have to spell this out for me,” he said.

Emma let out a huff of air. “Killian and I are dating now,” she said.

David went quiet again. “You and you...dating? I...what?” he asked. No one spoke. “Dating?” he repeated, as if he couldn’t quite believe it. He pointed at Killian. “You went on a date with my sister?” Killian nodded cautiously, not sure where this was going. “What about that woman you told me about last week that you just couldn’t get out of your head?”

The tips of Killian’s ears turned red and he glanced at Emma. “Well, you see, I was talking about Emma.”

David looked like he was shock. “I–you–why didn’t you ask me?”

Emma blinked, now she was beginning to get upset and confused. “I’m sorry, why would he have to ask you?”

“You haven’t exactly made the best decisions regarding guys in the past–”

Emma practically jumped up. “I was sixteen, David. And then, with Walsh, I thought he was gonna be a nice guy. So did you. That doesn’t explain why you think Killian should’ve asked you first.”

David visibly deflated a little. “It’s the code or something. You don’t date your best friend’s sister without your best friend’s approval.”

“That’s easily the dumbest fucking thing I’ve heard in a long time. You and I both know I can date who I want to and so can Killian. We don’t have to go through you at all.” David stayed silent. “You know, we were actually worried about how you were gonna react, but I definitely wasn’t expecting this.”

David turned to Killian. “You told me you wanted to date that woman, Emma, for a long time. What stopped you from asking her out until now?” he asked.

“I didn’t want you to hate me, but mostly I didn’t know how Emma felt, and I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. I didn’t ask her out, though.” Killian glanced at Mary Margaret, who sighed.

“I set them up on a date a few days ago,” Mary Margaret admitted.

David gaped. “You knew about this?” Mary Margaret nodded. David paced for a minute and Emma sat back down. “You know what, you’re right, Emma. Both of you can date who you want, and I know you’re a good guy, Killian. But, you know, if you hurt Emma in any way, shape, or form, I’ll hurt you. Got that?” he asked.

Killian nodded. “Loud and clear.”

Everything considered, it had been a pretty good Christmas for all of them, and Emma figured if all of her Christmases were like this from now on, maybe they wouldn’t be so bad.

#captain swan #killian jones #emma swan #cs ff #cssecretsanta2k18 #ilovemesomekillianjones #i wrote a thing #merry christmas

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hencethebravery · 6 years ago

Text

The CC gods have spoken: ‟Alana, you will write at least one more AU for those beautiful, beautiful boys. And it will be about this dumb text post. Forever and ever, Amen.”

“Oh, P.S., make it punk. Thanks, bye.”

+ In the end, he’d chosen the place because to be quite bloody honest it was precisely where you might expect the writer of an obscure indie mag to live. It was an older building (a suitably generous designation), tucked in between the modernist monstrosities of the last 20 or 30 years. Replete with gorgeous, if not ill-kept, accoutrements framing the windows; crumbling steps and a brick exterior in varying shades of red and orange. The aesthetic was rounded out by the kind of neglectful landlord you might expect, a horrid man who frequently enjoyed reminding his tenants that he lived, “out of state,” and they’d have to, “be patient.”

Upon entering you might care to notice that the wallpaper on either side of the staircase seemed to be in a rather unattractive state of damp self-removal; pale, curling pieces that revealed older colors beneath. And then there was the staircase itself, with jade colored steps (in desperate need of a good shine) and an iron railing topped with ancient wood. In a word: resplendent. Inarguably a fine, if lonely, remnant of another age in a city that couldn’t help but move so brutally forward.

He complains about the place often enough, and if he really, really wanted to, he could probably afford to move, but as Jasmine so haughtily observed, why would he want to go and, quote, “ruin his brand like that?”

There was also the matter of the large, smiley handsome fellow that must have lived somewhere in the building, or with his luck, was dating someone in the building.

“Making brief, meaningless eye contact with some nameless man you happen to see in your building from time to time is no reason to freeze to death,” Jasmine had quite rightly reminded him, taking a drag of his cigarette. “You’re a well-respected, well-read journalist in Manhattan. Get a new apartment, Jones.”

Which, sure, she’s got a point, but there’s also the matter of the way the sun shines into his bedroom in the afternoons. The strange, sloping ceilings that he can’t seem to get a read on; the strong, mouth-watering smell of curry and cardamom that breathes through the vents and into his living room. The point is, it’s home, handsome man or no, so when he finally manages to exchange more than a nod with the “nameless man,” his vicious defense of the place only increases.

“The man was so drunk he couldn’t even tell you what apartment he lived in.”

“I’ll thank you to let me have my victories, love.”

It’s a little after 2 AM on a Tuesday in the middle of a particularly merciless February—it’s part of the reason why it’s so strange to see someone else awake, let alone such a broad, smile-prone man that seems to smell of woodsmoke and aftershave. He also appeared to be dead asleep as Killian had attempted the somewhat ill-begotten task of opening his door in subzero temperatures (a fool’s errand, to be sure).

“Buggering fu—” he had begun to mutter beneath his breath, keys jangling against one another between the cold, stiff fingers of his hand when he suddenly heard the gruff, slurred voice at his back.

“This ... fun,” he giggled, looking somewhere over Killian’s shoulder for a moment before finally landing on Killian himself.

“Sorry?”

“This is fun!” he answered, his voice suddenly an octave or two higher, though still sounding as if he had smoked one two many cigarettes that evening.

Having decided that amusing the handsome, fucked up man would be more fun than struggling with his door for another 20 minutes, he decided to engage, clearing this throat before finally replying, “What would that be?”

“Bein’ locked out together,” he managed to say, curling his arms a bit tighter around his torso, “we should hangout more.”

Too accustomed to dealing with the drunken individual that has chosen to use their drunkenness as an excuse to be a miserable bastard, the remark itself is unexpectedly charming, and Killian had to wonder how a man with such a face, hair, and arms, could possibly also be quite so friendly at less than 100% brain capacity.

“Yes, well,” Killian finally managed, “I’m quite... busy...?”

“Nice one.”

“I thought it was charming,” David insists, tugging him closer.

“That’s sweet, but I very much doubt you even remember that part of our conversation.”

“Jus’ give it a kick,” he continued, as if Killian hadn’t spoken, “usually works with mine.”

While Killian had developed somewhat of a reputation for, uh... “impassioned manifestations of physicality,” per the press release from his editor, it had been a day and a half since he’d been the kind of person to kick in a door, whether that be in anger or for practical purposes, and he hesitated for a brief moment before considering his far shorter, slimmer, and somewhat homeless look before taking a step back and slamming his combat-booted foot into the blasted thing.

It was to his immediate displeasure to discover that the door remained firmly shut; that his foot ached, and that he had just made a very loud, horrifying noise at 2 in the morning in a building made of walls as thin as tissue paper.

“Shit,” he mumbled, rotating his ankle briefly before turning to face a rather gob-smacked, slightly more sober man.

“That, was, uh—wow.”

“I just didn’t understand how so much power could exist in such a small man.”

“Excuse me—” Killian blushing and protesting over Jasmine’s inelegant snorting, “I am perfectly—”

“Yes, yes, we know, dear.”

Which was precisely when Robin from the down hall had poked his head out his door, hair askew and looking undeniably inconvenienced, “What in the hell are you two idiots doing out here so bloody early?”

“This guy’s got a strong kick,” handsome, drunk stairwell man had answered, attempting to point and failing, “...and I lost my keys at the bar.”

Robin had rolled his eyes before disappearing into his apartment and re-emerging a few moments later with a few pins, muttering and swearing the entire time, tip-toeing across the cold floor in an attempt to spare himself the discomfort.

“Thanks, mate,” Killian whispered as he watched his friend work, “I’ll talk to Gold about the lock soon.”

“It’s fine,” Robin answered, “it’s not as if the man will ever do anything about it.”

He glanced over his shoulder briefly before shooting a look at Killian and remarking quietly, “I see you two have finally met.”

“Not really,” Killian shrugged, scratching at the tip of his reddened ear, “I—”

“David,” Robin exclaimed, a bit more loudly than warranted, turning round to watch David’s eyes pop open, “this is Killian. Killian, David. Now, up you get Dave.”

Killian offered a weak wave, watching, with an unexpected feeling of melancholy, as Robin pulled David to his feet and walked him up the stairs.

“Nice to meet you, Killian,” he heard David shout down the steps, “good moves!”

They began to run into one another far more frequently after that, and not just in their building, but at the bodega down the street, or the coffee shop around the corner.

“Funny seeing you here,” David would laugh, plopping down across from him, drink or danish in hand.

“We live in the same apartment building,” Killian would answer, only sparing a brief glance upwards from his laptop, as both men tried and failed to hide their grins.

Killian had later learned that David had been immeasurably embarrassed by his conduct in the stairwell, and that, despite appearances, “never gets that drunk,” only he had finally completed his degree in veterinary science and had often been told he needed to “loosen up.”

“It’s really alright, mate,” Killian had reassured him, surprised at the surge of desperation that occurred in rushing to insist that he had done nothing wrong and that, honestly, it was quite amusing.

“Still, I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable,” he had said in a moment of almost painful earnestness, “I never wanna be one of those people.”

“You weren’t,” Killian answered quickly, the tip of his boot only barely brushing David’s sneaker beneath the table, “trust me. I’ve dealt with worse.”

“My little anarchist.”

“You both think you’re so bloody funny.”

“Yes,” the two of them answering simultaneously, dissolving into laughter at the sight of the “stern” look on Killian’s face.

“So, what is it that you actually write?”

They had been friends for a few months before David had finally started asking Killian about his work in greater detail, and looking back, Killian would recall feeling a bit anxious at David’s apparent lack of interest in his career.

“My mother was a writer,” he explained, “ she was a bit shy about it. I didn’t know if it was something you really wanted me to ask.”

Which was when all of Killian’s anxiety had vanished in a flood of appreciation. And really, why were the man’s eyes so blue?

Killian had started writing for OH, FURY when he had first moved to the city in his early 20s—it had barely had a readership then, which was probably why they had agreed to pay him for his self-righteous drivel. First per submission, and then, eventually, as a full-time staff writer who happened to be good at being incendiary and wicked on Twitter.

“I do articles about the punk scene mostly,” Killian started, “which inevitably leads to the occasional social commentary.”

Solo female artists covered in tattoos, screaming until their voices have grown hoarse; bands made entirely of LGBTQ+ musicians—grass roots organizers, local politicians, really, the possibilities were somewhat endless. He loved it.

“And here I was thinking that music and politics were two different things,” Dave had responded somewhat sheepishly.

“Oh, Dave,” Killian had grinned, his gaze falling to the flannel-armored, rosy-cheeked man before him, “I have so much to show you.”

They had kissed for the first time in the middle of an amped, sweaty crowd; beneath dim lights and with the feeling of a bass guitar pounding rhythmically in their chests.

“Alright, stop,” Jasmine interrupts, her eyes suspiciously bright.

“Jasmine, love, are you... crying?” Killian asked incredulously, a chuckle on the tip of his tongue.

“Of course not,” she answered, sniffling, “I just want to make sure I have all the details right for my speech.”

And so it was, much in the same way the city around them seemed to move at such a damnably fast pace, so too did the two of them, having been halfway to love before the band had struck their first chord.

“I’m gonna miss this beautiful garbage dump,” David remarked, the both of them standing hand-in-hand on the sidewalk on a cold night that felt, somehow, familiar.

“Quite right,” Killian agreed, turning to admire David’s profile in the light of the lamp above their heads, “without providing such poor quality of life, we never would have met.”

“I don’t know about that. I was working up the nerve.”

“Sure you were, love,” Killian laughed, tugging on his soon-to-be husband’s hand. “Let’s go home.”

#ouat ff #cc ff #cc fanfic #captain charming #cc: saved my life #@hencethewriter #holy shit.#i did it.

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artistic-writer · 6 years ago

Note

DO ALL OF THEM, DAMMIT, ALLL OF THEEEM

You are a monster.

What OTPs in your fandom(s) do you just not get?*I want to make it known that i respect all ships but with the exception of a few, I find it difficult to ship anything other than canon pairings. Fandom made pairings are sweet, and I use some all the time in my writing.

Are there any popular fandom OTPs you only BroTP?*Probably Hooked Utensil mainly.

Have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion?No - I unfollow people because they are dicks.

Do you have a NoTP in your fandom? Are they a popular OTP?*No comment.

Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you?*Nope.

Has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?*Yeah - fandom created art is fantastic and if we all took a step back and looked at it as ART rather than the subject matter, we would love other pairings too.

Is there anything you used to like but can’t stand now?*Not really. Oh wait, yeah. CS having a child in canon had a pretty big impact on my ability to continue with loving their future in canon. I’m glad they were not in S7. Kids make me salty AF.

Have you received anon hate? What about?*Yeah, sadly. They called me a pervert for a fic idea I had and told me I should give up writing because no one liked it anyway and i must think i am something really special if i think people would read it. Blocked, mother fucker.

Most disliked character(s)? Why?I’m easy to most characters really, but I didn’t enjoy S7 Sabine/Tiana. Maybe it’s just because I couldn’t get past her awesome acting in Chicago Med, but I didn’t think the character gave the actress the chance to show her ability.

Most disliked arc? Why?I answered this in another ask, but the whole 5b Jekyll/Hyde storyline was bullshit. Not relevant, took away the ability to expand on the Dark Swan verse and THEY ARE NOT DISNEY!!! rage.

Is there an unpopular character you like that the fandom doesn’t? Why?I like Milah and Neal. They are both hot and I am shallow. No, seriously, both have given the fandom the characters and background needed to create some of my favourite stories. Without these characters, we wouldn’t have characters we could kill off in fics ;)

Is there an unpopular arc that you like that the fandom doesn’t? Why?I LOVE FROZEN. Like, so hard.

Unpopular opinion about XXX character?Ahh @killian-whump I am going to replace all ‘XXX’ henceforth with ‘Killian’. Unpopular opinion about Killian? He wears far too much leather. Yeah, it’s nice to gaze upon, and would look splendid on my bedroom floor, but by the time he gets out of it, i’m bored or asleep.

Unpopular opinion about your fandom?It can be toxic and elitist, especially when it comes to the different ships. So you like something different to me, boo hoo, no reason we can’t be friends. You opinion matters, just like mine does, and i respect what you like as just that - what you like. It doesn’t define you as a person, so if you are a crazy fangirl, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are a crazy friend ;)

Unpopular opinion about the manga/show?My answer for this one will get my lynched, so i decline to answer.

If you could change anything in the show, what would you change?No CS kid.

Instead of XYZ happening, I would have made ABC happen…Instead of 5b I would have continued the Dark Swan arc a bit more, maybe with a bit more Dark Hook and Dark Emma running amock in Storybrooke.

Does not shipping something ‘popular’ mean you’re in denial and/or biased?No, it means I have my own mind.

What is the one thing you hate most about your fandom?Lot of hate related questions here…what about what I love?

What is the purest ship in the fandom?Snowing. Its all fluff and smiles and loved up sighs. it makes me sick but i love them...like when you eat too much chocolate in one sitting.

What are your thoughts on crack ships?Love them! Can’t get enough of Captain Floor!

Popular character you hate?Geez, with the hate. Um…Regina? I don’t hate her per say, but she is my least favourite character.

Unpopular character you love?James

Would you recommend XXX to a friend? Why or why not?Hmm, would I recommend Killian to a friend? Absolutely! Why? Good for whumping! ;)

How would you end XXX/Would you change the ending of XXX?How would I end Killian?! Oh so many ways - I think I am one of the few authors not afraid to kill a major character. If its important to plot, they gotta go.

Most shippable character?Killian Jones - With Emma, With Milah, With Dave, With himself, with torture devices. Killian Jones.

Least shippable character?Rumple. I’m sorry, but I can’t get over the fact that I have seen Robert Carlyle’s butt in The Full Monty.

#killian-whump #ask games #you monster

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ilovemesomekillianjones · 6 years ago

Text

(Un)Comfortable

Here’s a little one shot based on a hilarious text image, not sure where actual credit goes for the photo below, (it was on google images and had been reposted here) but thanks to the hilarious genius behind it.

I read it and thought of Emma and Killian right away. This is written in the canon universe, and even though it’d never happen, this is just me having fun and attempting to be humorous. I hope you enjoy. Thanks @hollyethecurious for your skilled beta services.

ao3 ffnet Rated M 2.2k

Killian sat at the table across from his in-laws. Now in-laws, there’s a word Killian Jones never expected to be associated with. It wasn’t uncomfortable per se, as they sat in silence. He’d chased their daughter to other realms, and let his undying love be known to them over the past several years. He’d been on adventures with these two, cursed with them, trapped with them, he’d committed crimes against them - now forgiven - and they’d seen him at his literal worst. How could he possibly be uncomfortable around them?

Five minutes earlier…

“You made us late again.”

“But it was for a noble cause.”

“Since when is ravishing your wife repeatedly on a Sunday morning classified as noble?”

“Since I nobly made you come three times on said Sunday morning.”

Emma paused, hand on the entrance to Granny’s, and appraised her husband’s cocky expression, eyebrow raised, lips turned up at one corner and his tongue - oh, that tongue - running along the edge of his teeth. It wasn’t that he didn’t have a right to be cocky. He had in fact made her come three times this morning, and it had been mind blowing, but once again, they were late to Sunday morning breakfast with her parents.

“Awfully smug there, pirate.”

Killian just shrugged his shoulders, feeling well within his rights to be a little... cocksure. “Just taking credit where it’s due.”

Emma’s eyebrows hit her hairline. Oooh, he’s feisty this morning! she thought. She decided then and there she’d be taking him down a peg or two, perhaps she was the one that was feisty this morning. Pulling open the door, she bowed and gestured for Killian to enter, “After you, oh noble king of all things women’s pleasure.”

Killian’s eyes bugged as he sent her a questioning look. He leaned into her frame as he stood in the doorway, “It’s a damn good thing it’s noisy in here, love, we don’t need everyone knowing about my… prowess.”

Emma tilted her head, “Oh, no?”

“And besides, you’ve got it all wrong, I am actually the king of all things Emma’s pleasure.”

The cheeky bastard winked and swept inside. There weren’t words grand enough in her vocabulary to describe the kind of lover her husband was, suffice to say he was the best, and she was positive there was not a soul more capable of bringing her greater pleasure. Still, Emma barely resisted the urge to slap the back of his head.

Killian stopped to greet Granny, it never ceased to amaze Emma just how much the old woman enjoyed flirting with the roguishly handsome pirate. She is sure that’s where Ruby got her audacious flirting from.

She walked ahead to join her parents at their Sunday breakfast booth where they stood up to hug her as they did every Sunday.

“Hey mom, dad,” she greeted, squeezing them both at once. “I just want to apologize-”

“We know, we know, you got caught up with laundry, or dishes, or whatever, it’s no big deal,” Snow interrupted.

“Um, actually, I’m apologizing for what’s about to happen.”

David and Snow cocked their heads and gave their daughter a look of confusion as she slid into the booth while they took their seats.

Emma leaned in quickly and whispered, “Just want to have a little fun with my pirate this morning.”

Killian slid in next to Emma a moment later and pecked her cheek. “Sorry we’re late this morning,” he apologized.

David was still looking at his daughter, wondering what she was apologizing for, if not for being tardy. Unbeknownst to him, David fell right into his daughter’s web. “So, why were you late?”

“David! That’s none of our business.” Snow had already barged in on the couple once when they were partaking in morning activities she did not want to discuss over breakfast. They were habitually late, and Snow for one was not going to worry herself about the whys, instead she and David had taken to arriving a half hour later than the agreed upon time.

“Do you want to tell them?” Emma asked her husband. “Or shall I?”

“By all means,” Killian answered reaching to turn over Emma’s coffee cup and then his own.

Emma snuggled up to Killian and kissed his cheek. “This one just couldn’t get enough this morning.”

Killian’s coffee cup slipped from his hand and hit the table loudly. The glass didn’t break, but it bounced several times causing quite the disturbance. He was staring at his wife as though she’d stabbed him.

“What?” Emma smiled sweetly at him. Where’s your braggadocio now? she mused.

Killian’s eyes darted to his mother-in-law who had her eyes squeezed shut just as she had that morning she’d barged in on them, as if willing away Emma’s words. He chanced a glance at his father-in-law and best mate. He did not look happy. He didn’t necessarily look mad either, more like a deer in headlights as the folks in this world liked to say.

Killian cleared his throat and squirmed in his seat. “I think what Emma meant to say is, I couldn’t get enough sleep. I was terribly comfortable, and I made us late with my laziness.”

David exhaled the air he’d sucked in, all too ready to accept the shoddy excuse. Snow however cracked an eye open to assess the situation. One look at Killian’s bright pink ears and Emma’s diabolic smile and she knew it was lie.

“We all need a little extra rest from time to-”

“Oh no, Dad,” Emma interrupted him, shaking her head dramatically. “We were not sleeping. Don’t be shy, babe. What was it you said? Oh, yeah. The king of all things Emma’s pleasure.” She leaned in again and nuzzled his ear.

David blanched and immediately clapped his hands over his ears while shooting his daughter a death glare. He could not comprehend how this was ‘having fun with her pirate’. Was she trying to punish them? Had they upset her?

Killian pressed his shoulder up to his ear where Emma was nuzzling him, trying to figure out just what had gotten in to his wife. “Swan, I am quite certain your parents have no interest in what goes on behind our bedroom door.”

Granny walked up to the table and shot David a look like he’d lost his mind as she poured them each a coffee. “Anyone want anything different, or will you all be having your regular Sunday fare?”

“The regular,” David, Killian, and Snow all mumbled.

“Hmmmm,” Emma exaggerated, “you know what Granny? I’m starved, what do you have that would satisfy a Romanian powerlifter. Killian really helped me work up an appetite this morning.”

Granny waggled her eyebrows salaciously. “I knew it!”

Emma’s brows furrowed and she shook her head trying to clear out whatever image Granny was conjuring up in her own perverted mind.

“The Miner’s Breakfast is what you need!” Granny supplied, then headed back behind the counter.

“Sounds delicious!” Emma picked up her coffee and took a small sip before announcing her need to use the restroom.

So, it wasn’t uncomfortable per say, but it wasn’t comfortable, to be sure.

David was now glaring at his son-in-law, he wasn’t quite sure what had spurred his daughter’s lunacy this fine Sunday morning, but he knew it was, in some way shape or form, the pirate’s fault.

“So, what do you have planned for this week,” Snow asked trying to fill the silence that had fallen over their table. “Are you boys still going fishing with Henry after school on Wednesday?”

David huffed and ran a hand threw his hair. “I don’t know, Hook might have other plans.”

“Oh, I’m back to Hook, I see,” Killian muttered. He dug his phone out of his pocket when it buzzed, signaling an incoming something or other. He looked down to see a text from Emma, sliding the screen, it opened to the text box.

E: I wanna cuddle you.

Well that was decidedly less evil than the game she’d been playing a moment ago.

E: And spoon

Killian wouldn’t lie, he wouldn’t announce it to the world either, but he loved to snuggle… and spoon. Perhaps if he played nice, she’d quit trying to get her father to stab him again.

K: Awwww very sweet

He locked the phone and stuck it back in his pocket.

“I am still up for sailing this Wednesday, if you are Dave.”

“See, it’ll be a fun boys trip! Emma and I are going out for dinner and a movie, Belle is babysitting.”

“I don’t want to hear about you being up for anything,” David grumbled

Killian rolled his eyes and grabbed his vibrating phone back out as the couple continued talking.

“Enough David,” Snow chuckled at her petulant husband, “Emma is clearly just trying to razz Killian.”

“Well it backfired, she’s razzing me!”

Another new message had arrived. He slid the screen again and choked on the coffee he’d just sipped.

E: And give you boners at inappropriate times and places

As he read the message again, and continued coughing uncontrollably from the liquid that had gone down the wrong pipe, a picture popped up on his screen. Despite hacking, despite his in-laws sitting across the table from him, despite the diner full of Storybrooke denizens, his pants immediately tightened as he stared at the photo she’d just sent. And just like that, things became a bit less comfortable.

Selfie, Emma Swan style, shirt gone, one hand grasping a perky breast and tweaking her pert nipple, the other holding the phone to snap a picture in the reflection of the mirror. She was biting her lip and positively eye fucking him through the lens.

“Are you okay, Killian?” Snow asked with alarm coloring her tone. “He’s turning bright red, David! He might be choking.”

“He wouldn’t be able to cough if he was actually choking.”

Snow started to stand up and round the table.

“No!” Killian yelled, dropping his phone in his lap and holding his hook out to stop her from coming closer. “I’m fine, I’m okay,” he sputtered between deep coughs. Grabbing one of the cloth napkins from the table, he wiped at his mouth.

“See, he wouldn’t be able to talk either if he was choking.”

“You were turning so red, I got a little worried,” Snow said. “Are you sure you’re okay.”

“Aye,” Killian affirmed. Just as he did his phone vibrated against his hardened cock and he jumped in his seat causing his phone to clatter to the floor.

“I’ll get it,” Snow volunteered.

“No!” Killian shouted again, voice a full octave higher than normal.

His in-laws frowned, taken aback by his slightly erratic behavior, but chalked it up to the oddity of the whole morning.

“I mean, that’s not necessary.” He quickly bent below the table to grab his phone. Out of habit he flipped it over to check that the screen was still in tact. “Bloody hell,” he groaned.

“Is it broken,” Snow asked, reminding Killian that he was still in public. His cock was uncomfortably straining against the uncomfortable zipper of his jeans, and Killian Jones was suddenly hyper-uncomfortable.

“No, no it’s fine,” he murmured as he gazed at the next photo that had arrived.

Emma Swan, selfie number two, pants off, leg hiked up on the sink of the bathroom at Granny’s fucking diner, middle and ring fingers plunged deep inside her so just her wedding ring was showing, looking in the mirror like she’d devour him whole if given the chance. God damn, she made him hard as rock.

“You okay down there?” his wife asked sweetly.

His head hit the table as he made to sit back up. “Shite!” he cursed as he sat back up and rubbed the back of his head. She must have sent it after getting dressed, he thought.

Emma stood just outside the booth looking at him with an innocent smile on her face.

“Aren’t you gonna sit?” Snow asked.

“Oh, I was just waiting to have my spot back,” she answered her father sweetly, then looked to Killian again.

Jaw clenching, Killian pursed his lips together and narrowed his eyes. He shook his head infinitesimally, trying to signal to her that he was in no condition to stand up in front of her parents, let alone the townsfolk.

“Oh, please Killian, I really like sitting on the inside, it would bring me great pleasure.”

“Just give her the damn seat,” David growled.

Killian shoved his phone in his pocket then snatched his napkin again. Slowly sliding out of the bench seat and trying to inconspicuously hold the napkin over his not so inconspicuous boner, as Emma had so revoltingly referred to it, he stood up so his wife could take the inner seat.

“Oh, thanks babe. You’re just the best... the king of all things Emma’s pleasure.”

“Just you wait, you bloody minx, revenge is going to be mine,” he whispered into her ear as she pecked his cheek. Her eyes flashed with what he knew to be one part challenge and two parts lust, causing his smuggest smile to return.

End

Tagging some lovelies who I see still active around fandom. If you don’t want to be tagged please don’t hesitate to pm me. Thanks!

@laschatzi @xhookswenchx @hookedonapirate @winterbaby89 @kmomof4 @xemmaloveskillianx @delightfully-difficult-pirate @nikkiemms @badwolfreturns @artistic-writer @onceuponamirror @tiganasummertree @jennjenn615 @branlovestowrite @snidgetsafan @golfgirld @sherlockianwhovian @demisexualemmaswan @teamhook @lifeinahole27 @spartanguard @deathbycaptainswan @wyntereyez @thislassishooked @word-bug @effulgentcolors @flslp87 @gingerchangeling @hooklineandswan @initiala @killian-whump @optomisticgirl @thesschesthair @roseyflush @ultraluckycatnd @whimsicallyenchantedrose @wordsmith-storyweaver @yayimallamaagain @jonirobinson64 @darkcolinodonorgasm@blowmiakisscolin@superchocovian @tiganasummertree @kday426 @resident-of-storybrooke @cocohook38 @bleebug

#cs ff #cs fan fic #cs humor #cs smut adjacent #captain swan

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writemyanchor · 7 years ago

Text

Along Came You

Summary: Killian Jones is a jaded NYPD detective who has been on the force for nearly ten years. He doesn’t do emotions and he certainly doesn’t do relationships. Enter Emma Swan. She’s never been one to back down from a challenge.

Rated E

Content/Trigger warnings: Strong sexual content, language, mention of minor character(s) death(s), alcohol abuse

a/n: First of all, thank you to the community @captainswanbigbang that put the CSLB together. It was so much fun interacting with artists and writers on tumblr and getting to create together. So, thank you!

Also, thank you to my amazing beta-reader @awkwardnessandbaseball who has more patience than I can understand and is so bad ass in her editing skills. She made this story SO much better.

Finally, I love my artwork! I’ve never had one for a CS fic before and @liloproductions made this beautiful one for my story that fit so well and was so perfect that I was almost shocked how spot on she got it. I’m simply in love with it.

Lastly, if you read this fic in its entirety, then you’re already really freaking awesome in my book!

Links: AO3 FANFICTION

X X

KILLIAN JONES

He pushed himself harder than he’d intended at the gym, his sweat-soaked shirt sticking to his skin. He was beat, having gotten off an 18-hour shift two nights before then jogging to and from a two-hour gym session with David. He should have ignored his best friend when he rang him at 6 o’clock that morning, but…

The elevator dinged on his floor and Killian pushed himself off the wall, grabbing his keys from his pocket as he walked down the hall towards his apartment. When he entered his place, he was surprised to find the scent of bacon and eggs as well as the faint sound of the radio coming from the kitchen. Killian kicked off his shoes and left his things by the door before rounding the corner, a pinch in his brow.

The brunette standing in front of the stove—the very reason he had answered David’s call—was currently humming along to Electric Light Orchestra’s ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’ without a care in the world, swaying her hips, completely oblivious to his presence.

He was hit with flashes of the night before. His head ached from the amount of rum he had consumed, but he could remember bits and pieces of her dancing against him. He wasn’t much of a dancer, mostly just swayed slightly, smiling like a drunken fool as she rubbed her body against him.

Killian shook his head to clear his mind before he loudly cleared his throat. The brunette jumped slightly before spinning around on her heel. She was wearing her tiny boy shorts and one of his t-shirts, which made him clench his jaw.

Had she rifled through his things while he was gone? The woman before him smiled and reached over to turn off the radio. “Hey, you,” she said, her chest heaving a bit. “I was wondering where you went.” She sauntered over to him, a seductive smile on her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Suddenly, Killian couldn’t breathe. “Um,” he hummed and, trying his best to remember his manners, placed his fingertips barely on her waist to push her away gently. Her forehead wrinkled in confusion. “What’s the matter, baby?” His eyebrow rose of its own accord because he had just met this woman last night, after a pint too many, and they didn’t even know each other’s last names. “Listen, Aurora—” She almost beamed at him remembering her first name and it made something in his chest ache, but he pushed it away—“I have an early shift tomorrow morning and I have...a lot of errands to do today.” Aurora’s face fell and she took a step back. “What?” she chuckled. “Last night you said we’d...spend the weekend together.”

Killian’s jaw dropped. Had he really said that?

She took a step towards him and he took one back. Both of her eyebrows flew up this time and after a moment she said, “You’re blowing me off.” “I’m not—“ “I thought we had a good time last night.” Bloody hell. “We did, love, just...” “First, I am not your love. Second, my friend told me exactly what you were like and I didn’t listen.” She let out a sigh before looking around uncomfortably for a moment. “Let me just grab my things.” Killian ran a hand through his hair and let out a long sigh of his own as he heard Aurora rummaging around in his bedroom. About five minutes later she emerged fully dressed with her hair thrown up in a high ponytail. Killian could do nothing but watch her as she sat down in the foyer to slip on her shoes. It wasn’t until she reached for the doorknob that he finally found his voice. “For what it’s worth, I did have a good time,” he said. “I just don’t...do this.” He motioned between them pathetically.

She let out a humorless laugh before turning around to face him. “So what? You just fuck your way through New York because you have commitment issues? Guess what? We all have baggage. What makes yours any heavier than the rest of ours?” He couldn’t help but flinch at her words, but she didn’t give him a chance to respond—not that he could—before she left. She didn’t slam the door behind her like he expected, like he knew he deserved.

X X

EMMA SWAN

Emma was laying in her bed at 2 o’clock in the morning, hair thrown up in a loose bun and eating leftover pizza from the parlor down the street. She had to be up in just a few hours, but for now she didn’t care. She had finally finished unpacking and was officially moved into her new apartment— it was modest, but it was clean and in a nice neighborhood and that was all she had wanted. She didn’t think she would actually finish moving in that night, but her friend Mary-Margaret, in all her beautiful, insistent glory, had rang her doorbell at 5 o’clock that morning with a smile on her face.

“David’s at the gym and I wanted to see your new place!” was her only explanation. But she had brought coffee and bear claws and was an interior designer for crying out loud, so really Emma had no room to complain.

Emma had known Mary-Margaret back in Storybrooke, Maine. They met their freshman year of high school and had even been roommates at Boston University for four years. They only parted ways when Mary-Margaret moved to New York for graduate school. Then she met David and the two of them had been inseparable ever since, moving in together not long after.

Emma was happy for her friend—David was a good man who loved her and Mary-Margaret deserved nothing less. Although, sometimes Emma had to admit she envied her friend’s love. She knew that what Mary-Margaret and David felt for each other was deep and rare, and it was something Emma had never had.

That didn’t stop her from thinking about it, though. Perhaps it was the romantic novels she buried herself in, but Emma sometimes wondered if there was a person out there who would fit into her life like a missing puzzle piece.

She thought she might have found something close with Neal, but it turned out she had just been young and naive. She turned to casual dating through college, thinking she would ‘stumble’ across her Prince Charming one day.

But that had only led her to Walsh, the arrogant salesman; Jefferson, who flirted with everything in a dress; and of course Graham, who was so sweet and kind and good-looking to boot that Emma almost wanted him to be the one. Sadly, there had just been no spark.

Needless to say, she still hadn’t met the man that quite...did it for her. She hadn’t met her person.

Emma’s plan had never been to join Mary-Margaret in New York—she had a good teaching job at Bunker Hill Community College and a cozy little loft—but she felt maybe it was time to get out of Boston and try to get a fresh start away from everything that was familiar. So when NYU had emailed her about an opening for professors specifically in Classic Literature, she knew it was a sign.

The next day was her first day teaching and she was ready.

X X

KILLIAN JONES

“Well hello there, Casanova.”

Killian rolled his eyes as he took a seat at his desk, across from his partner David. He handed David his coffee while taking a sip of his own. Killian began aimlessly fiddling through a finished case file on his desk, hoping to distract his friend from where this conversation was obviously headed.

“Sorry for pulling you away from your lady love yesterday,” David continued, an infuriating grin on his face. “If you’d just told me you were seeing someone…”

“I’m not.” Killian couldn’t help but snap, looking up. Then his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he shook his head. “Wait, how the bloody hell did you know about that?”

David couldn’t hide his guilty face even if he tried. “Robin may have let a few details slip about your outing at the bar this weekend. So, what’s her name?” He smiled and leaned back in his chair, placing both hands behind his head.

Killian’s jaw clenched as he looked down at the papers in front of him. “It doesn’t matter,” he said quietly. “I’m not seeing her again.”

He heard David sigh. “Isn’t that the third one night stand you’ve had this month?”

Killian couldn’t help but slam his pen on his desk. “Bloody hell, are you keeping track?”

Suddenly David leaned forward with a serious expression. “Look, Killian, you know I love you like a brother—”

“Mate, I’m going to go ahead and stop you right there. I don’t want to hear your speech about ‘meaningful relationships’ before I’ve even finished my first cup of coffee,” he said, a pleading look on his face.

David held his hands up in surrender. “I promise you this is not a speech. I just think if you met the right person—”

Killian clenched his jaw again. “Listen, Dave. I told you once we’re not discussing this. I don’t want to have to tell you again.” He fixed his partner with a hard stare, and as expected, David let out a sigh before he finally backed down, frustration clear as day on his face.

Thankfully, the awkwardness didn’t last long because their captain approached them a moment later, clearing his throat and looking between the two men curiously. Killian tore his glare away from David to meet his superior’s gaze.

“Morning, gentleman,” Captain Gold said. “Is there a problem here?”

“No,” Killian answered, fighting to keep his voice steady. He didn’t want to get on his superior’s bad side today. “I have the briefing on the Samson case whenever you’re ready.” It was easy for Killian to slip back into the role of detective; it was familiar and safe.

“Absolutely,” Gold responded, all authority. “Be in my office in ten minutes.”

Killian simply nodded and turned his attention to his computer, burying himself in his paperwork once again. Twenty minutes later, David got up and offered him another cup of coffee. When Killian raised an eyebrow, and David only nodded once in return, he knew he and his friend were on good terms again. For now.

X X

EMMA SWAN

“You are being dramatic,” Mary-Margaret said, her tone disbelieving.

“I’m really not,” Emma laughed as Mary-Margaret took the wine bottle from her hands and led her to the kitchen. “Second day of class and I already have two students asking for extensions on a paper. What is happening to the world?”

“Hey, do not ask me that,” Regina—a close friend of Mary-Margaret—chimed in. “I could go on and on.”

Mary-Margaret giggled as she uncorked the wine and filled a glass. “We don’t want that. Here, drink this,” she said, handing the full glass to Regina, who took it graciously.

“By the way, is Jones gracing us with his presence tonight?” Regina asked.

Mary-Margaret sighed, handing Emma a generous glass of wine before pouring her own. “I honestly do not know what is going on with that man,” she said, setting the bottle down. “You know I haven’t seen him since Trivia Night? Two months ago.”

“Who is Jones?” Emma asked curiously.

“Killian Jones,” Mary-Margaret said. “David’s partner.”

“Oh!” Emma recalled the few stories she heard about him from Mary-Margaret and David over the years, but she had never met him, nor seen a photo of him. “So he does exist.”

Mary-Margaret laughed and rolled her eyes.

“Who exists?” Regina’s husband, Robin, asked as he entered the kitchen. He was a few inches taller than her, with sandy blonde hair, kind eyes, and a British accent.

“Detective Killian Jones,” Regina said dramatically, wrapping her arm around Robin’s waist as he embraced her. “Heard of him?”

“Ahh yes, the elusive Detective Jones,” Robin said playfully. “I hear he lurks in subway trenches in the middle of the night, and feeds off the empty beer bottles of the Uni kids.”

Regina giggled, startling Emma and making her completely forget about the drink that was halfway to her mouth. She watched Regina snuggle closer to Robin with an almost drunken smile on her face that Emma was sure had nothing to do with the wine.

“You’re so cheesy, do you know that?” Regina murmured.

Robin looked down at her so longingly, Emma had to look away. “Only for you, my darling love bug,” he said.

Emma inexplicably felt herself blush and she quickly looked down before gulping the rest of her wine—despite it still being half full—and discreetly moved to the island to pour herself another.

Just as she was topping off her glass, she heard the distinct sound of lips smacking, so she took a large gulp of her wine and reached for a cracker on the cheese plate in front of her. Mary-Margaret appeared next to her, grabbing a tiny piece of salami and thankfully oblivious to her discomfort.

Before anyone could say another word, the doorbell rang. Mary-Margaret stepped forward to answer it, but David finally appeared from the living room and headed toward the front door. There were muffled voices and a few chuckles before footsteps approached them.

“Look who I found!” David’s booming voice entered the kitchen before he did.

Following behind him was a tall, dark-haired, incredibly handsome man. Emma Swan did not get goosebumps often, but here she was getting them at the sight of a total stranger. He was looking a bit sheepish at the attention he was now getting from everyone, and Emma took a moment to admire his crisp, dark blue button-down shirt, rolled up to his elbows. He was wearing a pair of dark, tight-fitting jeans that fit so snugly around his hips and legs she briefly wondered if he got them custom-fitted. He was holding a bottle of red wine in his hands...Which brought Emma to his hands.

Maybe it was because he was so handsome, maybe because he had this air of mystery surrounding him, but his hands were so...nice. They were manly, but elegant. Long and lean, but obviously strong. And his forearms, covered in a dark dusting of hair, flexed when he shook hands with Robin, and it took a minute for Emma to realize she was actually biting her lip. She quickly stopped, but immediately after her eyes zoned in on the bit of chest hair peeking out through his unbuttoned shirt collar and she was sure she was done. Right. There.

Emma realized there were muffled voices around her, and quickly came to before someone realized she was day-dreaming. Thankfully, the man in question had his entire focus on the host, apologizing profusely for his tardiness.

“I’m just glad you’re here, Killian,” Mary-Margaret said, smiling wide. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too, love,” he breathed, wrapping his arms around her in a hug, and for heaven’s sakes Emma felt a jealousy she had no right or reason to feel. Mary-Margaret was in love with David for crying out loud! And who even was this guy?

She took a moment to be relieved no one had caught her ogling, then proceeded to accidentally ogle more when Killian greeted the others.

It wasn’t until she saw...eyes...blue eyes...looking right into hers...that she finally snapped out of it.

“Um,” Emma shook her head, feeling her entire body go numb.

Thankfully Mary-Margaret saved her, with or without knowing it. “Oh, Killian, this is my best friend Emma,” she said, walking over and wrapping an arm around her. “From Storybrooke.”

Killian, who was now looking at her like a deer caught in the headlights, shook his head so minutely Emma was probably the only one who noticed. Then his face broke out in a stunning grin and he took a step forward.

“Aye,” he said, sticking his hand out. “Pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Swan.”

Emma shook his hand, smiling slightly. His hand was warm. “You too, Mr. Jones.”

His lips twitched.

She blushed.

Who was this man?

X X

KILLIAN JONES

Emma Swan. The name had been thrown around quite a bit in the years he had known David and Mary-Margaret, but he truly wasn’t prepared for the blonde goddess that greeted him that evening. He had planned on blowing off Mary-Margaret and David’s dinner invitation that night, in no mood to sit through hours of menial small talk. But he knew he’d disappointed his friends enough times; he didn’t have too many chances left.

But that had in no way factored in Emma Swan, with her tight jeans and long, blonde hair and her heartbreakingly beautiful smile, with eyes so green he wanted to sit and stare at them for a little while to memorize all the hues.

Killian cursed himself for his ridiculous thoughts and promptly accepted the beer Robin handed him.

She’s just a woman for bloody sake, he thought, taking a heavy swig.

It only took an hour into the evening, however, to understand Emma wasn’t like any other woman he had ever met. When he spoke, she looked directly into his eyes, even when it made him uncomfortable and he had to look away. When he looked back at her, she was always still gazing at him. Her presence was far too distracting and he was aware of her the entire night. When she laughed, gods above when she laughed, Killian actually had to bite his lip to keep from groaning out loud.

Bloody hell, he had a crush on her. Like some pre-pubescent lad in preparatory school. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had a crush, if he had ever had one. Killian had never really felt emotionally attached to a person; he had always been more comfortable initiating physical relationships.

A woman had never made Killian uneasy like this and he didn’t like it.

He knew he was in big trouble when he found himself purposely not answering her the first time she called his name simply because he wanted to hear her say it again.

So after dinner, when everyone else was pretty much three sheets to the wind and eating the remaining cheesecake straight from the tray, Killian excused himself to the kitchen to get some ‘water.’

At the sink, he downed two shots of tequila, and was pouring himself a third when he felt the air in the small space suddenly shift.

His shoulders went tight.

“Drinking alone?”

Killian swallowed hard and finished pouring the shot as he let out a humorless chuckle. He threw back the drink, barely wincing at the sting, before he composed himself and turned around.

Emma was leaning across the island, and bloody Christ he could see straight down her blouse, her arms pressing together, adding to the exposed cleavage. He quickly tore his eyes away and cursed internally again.

“Can I have one?” she asked.

Killian looked back at her and she gestured to the bottle of tequila and shot glass behind him. He raised an eyebrow, but grabbed the bottle and glass, placing them on the island between them.

She frowned when he only poured half a shot and he chuckled, shaking his head as he topped it off.

“Thank you,” she said, standing up straight. Killian sighed in relief when he could no longer see down her shirt.

“Drinking alone?” he couldn’t help but tease.

“I’m not alone. You’re right here with me,” she smiled, not breaking his gaze as she threw the shot back gracefully, setting the empty glass on the countertop with a clink.

X X

EMMA SWAN

“So what’s your story, Killian Jones?” she asked, reaching for the bottle and pouring another shot.

“I beg your pardon?” Killian leaned against the sink behind him and crossed his arms.

Emma shrugged, holding up the glass. “Everyone was surprised that you came. Why is that?”

“No story, I’m afraid. Just ol’ chaps happy to see one another, I suppose.” He smiled and, despite only having met him a few hours ago, she could instantly tell he was lying.

Emma finished half the shot before sliding the half-full glass towards him. Killian quirked an eyebrow at her again, a habit she was growing to really like, before gently pushing off the sink and taking the drink. Emma watched him down the rest in one go, admiring the way his Adam's apple bobbed and his throat muscles contracted as he swallowed.

“I don’t buy it,” Emma continued, the alcohol essentially evaporating any filter she had left. “I think there’s something Detective Jones isn’t telling me.” She swayed slightly, leaning her hands on the countertop as she tilted her head at him.

Killian scratched the back of his ear and let out a nervous chuckle. “Why so curious, love?” he asked, placing the empty shot glass back on the counter between them.

She bit her lip and shrugged, reaching for the bottle of tequila and gasping when his hand suddenly covered hers.

“Enough of that, love.”

Emma looked up at the endearment, throat clenching at the fire behind his eyes.

“You call all the girls ‘love,’ love?” she challenged in a far more menacing tone than she intended.

She quirked her eyebrow and reveled in the way his mouth fell open in shock. Emma tore her hand away from his and reached for the bottle again, grabbing the shot glass with her other hand and pouring a very generous shot.

“By the way, buddy,” she added, “nobody tells me what to do but me.”

And very spitefully, Emma took the shot in one go, not even wincing, and setting the glass on the counter with a louder clink.

When she looked up, Killian was leaning back against the sink again with his arms crossed and an almost challenging look on his face before it melted into a sweet smile.

“Point taken,” he said.

“So. Are you ever going to answer my question?”

“What question was that, love?”

Emma narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t play games with me.” She knew she was drunk, but he was definitely trying to be cute with her.

“But I’m quite fond of games,” he grinned, biting his lip.

Well, shit.

“What’s your favorite?” she asked almost breathlessly, her eyes glazing over ever so slightly.

“Game?” he asked quietly.

Emma shrugged and met his gaze with a small smirk, definitely enjoying this game. “Aye aye, Captain.”

His smile faded and he clenched his jaw, swallowing hard. And just like that the air in the room shifted.

She wanted him. And if she was reading that dark look in his eyes correctly, he wanted her, too.

But she didn’t have time to explore that further, because the moment she took a step to go around the counter he was standing up straight and running a hand through his hair.

“I should probably get back in there,” he said, his accent coming on thicker than before.

It snapped Emma out of her haze. “Oh. Yeah. Right.”

She expected him to say something more, but instead he just gave her an insincere, tight-lipped smile before all but bolting out of the room.

Emma went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face to gain her bearings before rejoining everyone in the living room where Regina was loudly demanding more card games and Killian had occupied the lone Lazy Boy.

It might have just been her drunken haze, but Emma could swear Killian did everything in his power to stay away from her the rest of the night.

X X

KILLIAN JONES

He thought once she was out of sight, she would be out of mind. But Killian couldn’t stop seeing Emma Swan’s smile every time he closed his eyes.

He washed down two valiums with a swig of rum so he could have a dreamless sleep that night and stop thinking about her. He told himself the infatuation would fade come morning, that he’d literally sleep it all off.

Killian got up first thing in the morning and jogged the two miles to the gym, lifted weights for 45 minutes, and jogged the two miles back. By the time he was in the shower and the hot water was streaming down his tense back, he felt completely exhausted. He dressed in comfortable sweats and put some laundry away. When he was closing his dresser drawer, one of his picture frames sitting atop the drawer fell over.

Killian sighed and picked it up, but froze when he realized it was the photo of him when he had just graduated the police academy. His older brother, Liam—Killian’s throat felt like it was closing up—had saved all of his money for months to pay for their mother to make the trip to see him graduate, all the way from London. It had been her first time and only time to the States.

Killian’s jaw clenched and he snapped his eyes shut at the sudden onslaught of painful memories. He shook his head after a moment, rolled his shoulders, and opened his eyes, once again fixing his gaze on the picture in front of him.

Killian stood, smiling proudly in his uniform. His mother and brother were both at his side, beaming with pride at his accomplishment and they just looked so...happy. His mother had just gotten the news that her cancer was back, but she insisted she wouldn’t miss Killian’s ‘milestone.’

She’d come all this way to see me, just to...

Killian swallowed those memories down, shook them off, and opened the top drawer of the dresser. He shoved the picture frame underneath some t-shirts in the very back, face down, before slamming it shut. He allowed a couple minutes to recollect himself before taking a deep breath and letting it all roll off his shoulders.

x x

It was a week later that he unexpectedly saw Emma Swan again.

He and David were in the middle of staking out a hotel when Killian decided to grab a couple of coffees. When he spotted her, he quickly backed out of the coffee shop like a bloody coward, but a man and his two kids were walking in. The apologies and slight commotion attracted attention, and before he knew it his eyes were locked on breathtaking green once again.

Killian shook his head at himself, apologizing to the family one last time, before stepping in line behind Emma, who was looking at him with an amused expression. He felt his cheeks blush as he slid his hands into his jean pockets.

“Emma,” he said, enjoying the way her name sounded on his tongue more than he had any right to. “I, uh, didn’t see you there.”

Emma smiled wider and crossed her arms. “Clearly you didn’t see anyone.”

Killian couldn’t help but choke out a laugh as he scratched the spot behind his ear. “Aye, I’m a bit out of sorts when I don’t have my afternoon coffee.”

Emma nodded as the barista called her next. She smiled at Killian and quickly ordered. Killian allowed himself a brief moment to take her in because his memory of this woman did not do her justice in the slightest.

She was wearing those damn tight jeans again, which emphasized a pert bottom he hadn’t had the pleasure of admiring before, and a red leather jacket that hugged her curves so...so bloody well.

Killian heard a throat clearing and looked up to see the man with two kids looking at him with a hard glare and he realized he’d been caught staring. He felt himself blush red for the second time, before he looked down and scratched that stubborn spot behind his ear again.

At the counter with all of the sweeteners and creams, Killian tried not to stand too close to her, or let on the way her sweet perfume was making him dizzy. He blinked quickly as she asked about the case he and David were working on.

“Is it serious? Or, I’m sorry, you can’t discuss ongoing investigations with me,” she said, shaking her head as she poured an obscene amount of sugar in her coffee, followed by a generous amount of Half and Half. He couldn’t help but smile to himself as he looked back down at the coffee he was stirring with a small straw.

“It’s alright, love,” Killian finally said when he realized she was looking up at him expectantly. “It’s a harmless stakeout. Recon really, but nothing to worry about nonetheless.”

He finished fixing David’s coffee the way he liked and poured just a tiny bit of cream in his own before grabbing both coffees.

“Well, duty calls I’m afraid.” He managed a smile despite his nerves—he couldn’t help feeling like he was going to do something else to utterly embarrass himself.

Emma nodded and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah. I’m just on my way to class.”

“Ah, taking the subway?” he found himself asking, even though he should have been walking away.

Emma scrunched her nose with an adorable, self-deprecating smile.

Bloody hell, Jones, adorable?

“Yeah,” she shrugged. “I’m getting used to it. It’s not too far so, baby steps.” She smiled and his heart clenched. “I miss driving my bug though. She’s just parked in the garage.”

She looked so calm and peaceful then, obviously lost in thought, and Killian had no problem taking advantage of the moment to take a mental photograph of her face.

His buzzing phone, of course, had other ideas. He cursed as he set down the coffees and grabbed it from his back pocket.

“David,” he told her, smiling apologetically.

She nodded and forced a small smile. “Yeah. You should go. I’ve gotta get going anyway.” Emma nodded again and clutched her drink closer to her chest, her smile growing smaller but still just as breathtaking. “Tell David ‘hi.’”

“As you wish.”

They stared at each other for a few seconds, neither of them saying anything, before he nodded once more and finally left.

He could still smell her perfume as he sat in the patrol car beside David, sipping his coffee and unable to stop himself from thinking about the one thing he knew he shouldn’t.

X X

EMMA SWAN

“Can I ask you something?” Emma started, keeping her eyes focused on the task at hand, but her attention on her best friend seated beside her.

“Of course,” Mary-Margaret said, her voice distracted as she too was paying more attention to the menu in front of her.

They were both starving.

“Who is Killian dating again?” she asked, keeping her voice level and measured as she struggled to focus on the words and pictures before her. She zeroed in on an entree titled ‘Wacky Wahoo Tacos’ and kept reading it over and over again to try and keep her composure.

But Mary-Margaret wasn’t buying her casual attitude and Emma should have known her friend better.

“Excuse me?” she asked. Emma looked up and saw her friend looking at her with a glint in her eyes and a wide grin on her face.

Emma shook her head and rolled her eyes. “What is that look for?”

“Nothing,” she said, resting her arms on the table and leaning forward. “So. You like Killian.” And just like that, Mary-Margaret was no longer hungry.

“Um, no. I’ve just met a few of your friends this last month, and I’m refreshing my memory on all of them,” she said, taking a sip of her drink. “Regina is married to Robin, right? Do they have any kids, by the way?”

Mary-Margaret shook her head, her grin somehow growing even wider. “No, they don’t have any kids yet. And Killian is not seeing anyone. As far as I know, he’s single. But nice job trying to change the subject.”

“Oh. Okay,” Emma said with a forced casualness that was almost painful. “Thanks for the information.”

“Oh, you’re welcome,” she said, “but we’re not finished talking about this.”

“We are, because David is here,” Emma said, spotting him over her friend’s shoulder and smiling smugly.

Mary-Margaret greeted him happily, and Emma hugged him before he joined them, ordering a tequila shot and a Corona.

“Are we celebrating something, David?” Emma smiled as his drinks arrived.

“Long week,” he sighed, taking the shot first.

“Emma and I were just talking about Killian,” Mary-Margaret said, stirring the straw in her margarita innocently.

Maybe Emma should have also known better than to bring this topic up when her friend was already one drink in.

David’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Why were you talking about Killian?” he asked, taking a swig of beer.

Emma shook her head, trying to mask her frustration at her friend. “We weren’t. I was just asking where you were.”

“David, let’s set them up,” Mary-Margaret said wistfully.

David almost spit out his beer, and it would have been funny if Emma wasn’t so damn mortified.

“What?” David laughed uncomfortably. “You like Killian?” he asked, fixing those baby blues on her.

“No. I don’t,” she said firmly. “I was just wondering if he was seeing someone, if there was someone you guys still hadn’t introduced me to,” she babbled, shrugging like an idiot.

“He’s not, nor do I think he ever will be,” David said seriously, taking a long pull from his drink.

Mary-Margaret laughed, obviously thinking he was joking. She elbowed him gently in the side. “David.”

But Emma’s interest was piqued. She hadn’t missed David’s sudden change in posture.

“Why do you say that?” Emma asked.

“Look, Emma, just don’t get close to Killian...in that way. I just don’t think he’s the kinda guy you wanna date.” She could tell the topic was making David uncomfortable, but Emma couldn’t let it go.

“Okay, Dad,” she said, adding a light laugh to make her tone less cutting. It probably didn’t work so she took a sip of her drink to pretend she was relaxed. “I turn...mmm...29 this year? Practically a grown adult,” she couldn’t help but mock.

David sighed. “I know that, it’s just...I know Killian, okay? You don’t. His relation...sss with women, it’s…” Their eyes met and Emma raised her eyebrows dramatically. “Killian’s life is...complicated and you don’t need that.”

Part of her wanted to argue that the topic was moot, that she didn’t like him that way anyway. But Emma couldn’t deny her feelings, couldn’t push them back down. And—inexplicably—the urge to defend Killian was stronger than anything else.

“That’s a hell of a way to speak about your partner, David,” she couldn’t help but snap. David sighed, a guilt-stricken look crossing his face, but before he could respond Emma pressed on, “And thank you for telling me what I need in my life, but I think that’s unfair. Especially since Killian has been nothing but nice to me and he’s not even here to defend himself.”

“Emma…” David began again.

But that was the moment their server arrived to take their food orders. By the time their orders were taken and their menus collected, the three of them were left in the tension once again.

Emma decided to finish the conversation before it could start again. “I appreciate your concern, David, I do,” she said calmly. “But I don’t think we should talk about it anymore. Let’s just eat.”

Mary-Margaret nodded and raised her drink, looking at David with a soft smile. He nodded and forced a small smile before clinking his beer bottle with their drinks in a silent cheers.

The rest of dinner went by fairly quickly and at the end of the night, when they were saying their goodbyes at the front of the restaurant, Mary-Margaret wrapped Emma in a tight hug and whispered, “Don’t listen to David.”

Emma pulled away to look at her friend, but Mary-Margaret quickly kissed her cheek—loud and smacking—and hopped into the waiting cab before she could say anything.

She snapped out of it when David hugged her goodbye and as she watched the taxi drive away, Emma couldn’t ignore how the red brake lights morphed into blue eyes.

x x

After her British Literature lecture Thursday evening, Emma decided to stop at the supermarket a block from the subway to grab a few things.

She was looking for the cashew ice cream she liked when she saw him. He didn’t notice her, busy looking down at his phone with furrowed eyebrows, but he was clearly frustrated, his other hand clutching a basket.

All in a matter of seconds, a thousand thoughts flew through Emma’s mind.

He was so damn handsome, in his tight black jeans, black boots, and black t-shirt. His hair was slightly disheveled and when he ran his fingers through it, it turned Emma on way more than it should. She couldn’t help but bite her lip.

Quickly, she decided to turn around and just avoid him altogether, but just as she turned away from him, he was calling her name. Emma froze in place and took three deep breaths before slowly turning around.

“Hi,” she smiled, voice trembling slightly.

His crooked grin melted her insides. “Hi. How are you, love?”

She’d heard him refer to other women as ‘love,’ yet when it was directed towards her...it felt like it meant more. The way he looked at her made her feel different; different than when he looked at Regina or Mary-Margaret. It certainly wasn’t a way any other man had ever looked at her —it was as if she was the focal point of the room, and nothing else mattered.

Damn, Swan, stop romanticizing everything.

“I’m good, um, just picking up a few things on the way to the subway,” she said.

Mary-Margaret had mentioned to her in passing that Killian lived in this neighborhood, but the thought had only casually crossed her mind as she entered the store. The fact that she was actually bumping into him here was just…

Does the universe want me to keep finding you? Emma couldn’t help but wonder, tilting her head at Killian.

“It’s late to be taking the subway home,” he suddenly said, eyebrows furrowed.

His smooth, velvet voice startled her slightly, but when his words connected she couldn’t help but smile. “I appreciate your concern, but I’ve done it the last couple months without a problem. Plus,” she looked down at her watch and shook her head, “it’s only six p.m.”

“Aye, but it gets dark, love,” he said, placing his phone in his back pocket and switching his basket to the other hand.

Emma crossed her arms over her chest. This time her smile was less sincere. “I’m a grown woman.”

Killian snorted and shook his head, looking away, and it annoyed and attracted her at the same time.

Infatuation. That’s what this was. She was infatuated with him.

He, of course, was completely oblivious to the war inside Emma’s head and turned to her once again with a rueful smile.

“You know, you don’t have to assume every time somebody expresses concern for you, they’re questioning your ability as a capable adult.”

Emma swallowed, taken aback before she glanced down at his basket and noted the bottle of rum and box of crackers.

“Why, you’re an adventurous eater,” she said with a smug smile, challenging him.

Killian’s eyebrows shot up in surprise—at what, she wasn’t quite sure—and he shifted from one foot to the other with a smile, looking almost amused.

“And you are very adept at changing the subject.”

Emma shrugged and smiled sweetly. “I deal with students all day. I know how to direct a conversation.”

“Aye. And what else do you know how to do, lass?” he asked, tongue darting out to wet his lips.

Her breath caught in her throat and her thighs actually clenched slightly as she stood there.

They had had conversations over the last couple of months and the flirty banter was always there, but Killian always put the brakes on it when Emma would take a step towards him, try to get closer, or instigate any type of physical contact. He even hugged Regina and Mary-Margaret when she was around, but somehow always managed to avoid hugging her without anyone noticing.

But she always noticed. And it always stung. Then she would catch his eye and it was almost as if he couldn’t help but smile at her.

Sometimes she’d push him just to see how far he would let her.

Maybe today, Emma could push a little bit harder.

She cleared her throat. “I guess...you just have to find out.” She rocked back and forth on her heels and chanced a glance at him through her lashes.

Despite her lame response, Killian took a step towards her, raising an eyebrow and looking at her with an expression that was far too salacious for a grocery store.

“Is that right?” he breathed, his voice gruff as his eyes danced across her face. His expression was a mixture of surprise, lust, and—as always—hesitation.

Emma swallowed hard. He was still nowhere near enough yet far too close.

“What are you doing?” she asked, tilting her head to the side. She felt like he was teasing her, trying to call her bluff, trying to push her.

Emma decided she was done playing games. She was attracted to him. For God’s sake, if he asked her to go home with him right now she would.

His sexy smirk was still in place. “I’m not sure what you mean, love.”

But when his tone indicated he knew exactly what he was doing, Emma could no longer control herself. She took a step forward, except she didn’t stop at one. She took the remaining steps, until there was only an inch separating them, and it clearly caught Killian off guard. He didn’t move a muscle, but she heard his breath hitch when their chests barely touched. Even with the layers of clothes between them, it somehow felt like an electric spark coursed through her at his proximity.

“Do you want to take me home?” she found herself asking.

Emma couldn’t believe that for the first time in her life, she finally said exactly what she was thinking in the moment.

“What?” Killian’s question was a mere whisper.

Emma took a small step closer, closing the miniscule space between them and startling him in the process. She was sure anyone who saw them, standing in the middle of the ice cream aisle practically writhing against one another, would assume they were both on something.

But in that moment, as impulsive as it may have been, Emma didn’t care.

“Because,” she breathed, her chest practically heaving. But his was too, “because I’d go home with you...right now...if you asked me to.”

Killian’s eyes searched hers for what felt like an eternity. She felt like she was shaking, maybe she was, but she didn’t back down. The seconds ticked by, and she couldn’t take not knowing what was going through his mind.

“Killian?”

Emma jumped back from him so quickly she was impressed she didn’t hurt herself. She looked up in time to see the owner of the voice—a petite woman in a black mini-dress and lace sandals that tied in patterns to her knees—rounded the corner and spotted him.

“There you are,” she smiled, looking down at the bag of chips she was turning over in her hands as she walked over to him. She had wavy, shiny brown hair and sun-kissed skin. She was gorgeous.

God, Emma felt so stupid and embarrassed. She had felt so victorious when she had thrown herself at this man and all along he had been there with somebody else. And a knockout, at that.

The woman touched Killian’s arm and looked up when she reached them, noticing Emma.

“Oh. Hi,” she said with a smile. “I’m Cecilia.”

“Emma.” She smiled tightly at her and crossed her arms over her chest, wishing this was just a nightmare and she could snap herself out of it.

“Nice to meet you,” Cecilia said before turning to Killian. “I’m tired. Are you ready to go home?”

Emma noticed Killian visibly flinch at her words and that was when she decided to take back control.

“Alright, Killian, it was nice seeing you. Have a good one.”

Okay, it may not have exactly been ‘taking control,’ or her most graceful exit, but Emma didn’t give a damn what she looked like to anyone else in that moment. She didn’t even wait for a response, didn’t buy a single thing, as she hauled ass out of the store. All she wanted was to get the hell away from them.

Emma didn’t look over her shoulder or stop until she was on the subway. She found an empty seat and all but fell down into it.

She had never felt so small.

X X

KILLIAN JONES

Bloody hell.

“Who was that?” Cecilia asked as they stepped out onto the curb outside the grocery store.

“Don’t worry about it,” Killian said.

Cecilia was a nice enough woman he’d known for a couple of years. She was a district attorney who used to work in New York, but was reassigned to Washington D. C. On the rare occasion she was in town, she never hesitated to call Killian.

And Killian usually didn’t hesitate to agree.

But that night, when Cecilia called and asked to take him to dinner, Killian’s response wasn’t enthusiastic as usual. It was mechanical. He needed a distraction from Emma Swan.

The night had gone like it usually did with women; they had a nice dinner, polite conversation. Then she placed her hand on his knee under the table and he put his arm around her shoulders and they both knew how the night was going to end.

Now Killian couldn’t help but curse his suggestion to stop at the market on the way home, but he was completely dry and knew he didn’t want to be caught at home without a bottle of rum. When he saw Emma, he completely forgot Cecilia.

Bloody hell, that sounded terrible, even in his own head.

But Killian had quickly realized that when Emma was in the room, he quickly forgot about everything else.

He hadn’t even bothered calling her name when she fled, only cursing himself for being so damn stupid.

“Listen,” Killian said after a moment, “I’m going to get you a cab, and pay for it, to take you back to your hotel.”

Cecilia scoffed. “What? You’re kidding, right?”

“No. I’m not.”

“Why?”

Killian shook his head and looked down the street for a taxi.

“It’s that woman, isn’t it?” she asked, her tone suddenly curious. “Killian Jones, I never thought I would see the day!”

Killian wasn’t in the mood for the teasing tone in her voice. “Please just let it go.”

Cecilia eyed him for a moment, and just when he thought she would continue, she sighed and nodded. “Alright. See you next time, then,” she said.

But Killian doubted that she would.

He hailed her a cab, but she rejected his offer to pay for it. As he watched the taillights from the taxi driving away, there was only one thing on his mind.

x x

Killian was a coward for not calling her. It had been almost a week since their awkward encounter at the grocery store and though he could have used his resources as a detective to get her telephone number, could have procured it under innocent pretenses from Mary-Margaret, something had stopped him.

It had been a long time since he had felt shame and even longer since someone made him insecure about their opinion of him.

Bloody hell, she probably thinks you’re a right git.

Thankfully, Killian saw an opportunity to forget about Emma Swan for a little while when David told them they were going drinking when their shift ended. As always, fate had other plans because after he and David took their first shot, trouble walked in in the form of Emma Swan.

“Bloody hell,” he couldn’t help but mutter.

But David didn’t notice because a second later his phone buzzed with a text as Mary-Margaret stepped inside behind Emma, looking down at her cell. He took a long pull from his beer as David turned around with a smile to wave them over.

“Hey, you,” he said, standing up to wrap Mary-Margaret in his arms before hugging Emma.

Killian chanced a glance at her, but she was careful to keep her gaze away from him, so he greeted Mary-Margaret with a warm ‘hello.’

“Don’t worry, we’re not crashing your boys’ night,” Mary-Margaret teased him. “Emma and I were just having dinner down the street so we thought we’d pop in and say ‘hi.’

“No, come on. Stay,” David said before Killian could respond. “I’ll miss you if you leave.” David snuggled Mary-Margret and gave her loud, teasing kisses on her cheek as she laughed and tried half-heartedly to fight him off.

Killian looked away, feeling like he was trespassing on a private moment. When he glanced at Emma he found she too was averting her gaze, her focus suddenly on the drinks behind the bar.

“Alright. One drink?” Mary-Margaret asked.

Emma turned to her friend when she realized she was talking to her. She smiled and gave a quick shake of her head. “I’m really tired, I think I’m just going to head out,” she said apologetically.

“No,” Mary-Margaret pleaded. “Just one drink.”

“I can’t,” she said, scrunching her nose at her best friend who, after a moment, finally sighed and relented.

“Fine, but we’re getting you a cab,” Mary-Margaret told her sternly.

As Emma began shaking her head and arguing that she was perfectly capable of taking the subway home, Killian downed the rest of his beer and set the empty bottle on the table before standing up.

“It’s alright. I’d be happy to take the subway with you,” he said before he even realized what the hell he was doing.

Emma’s head whipped around to him with the most confused expression. She began quickly shaking her head at him. “No, that’s fine, I—”

“Believe me, I’d rather be home in bed than be the third wheel with these two,” he said lightly, praying to the gods he didn’t sound as nervous as he felt.

When Emma seemed to realize it was the only way to get her friends off her back, she finally agreed. He didn’t miss the way Mary-Margaret smiled at Emma when she thought he wasn’t looking and he certainly didn’t miss the hard stare David gave him as he followed Emma out of the bar.

x x

They walked for about five minutes in awkward silence.

“You know,” Emma said. “I was leaving the bar to avoid you. Not to have you escort me home.”

He peeked over at her as he slid his hands into his pockets, but her arms were crossed tightly against her chest and she kept her eyes down as she walked. He turned his head away again and clenched his jaw.

“The irony,” he chuckled. When she didn’t respond, he sighed and tried another tactic. Killian stopped and grabbed her arm gently.

Emma stopped, but the glare she threw at him was enough to make him drop her arm like it was lit dynamite.

“Listen, Emma, I just wanted to apologize,” he began.

She turned to face him fully, re-crossing her arms with a shrug. “For what?”

He couldn’t help but scratch behind his ear and avert his gaze. “I just fear...you may have gotten the wrong idea the other night.”

He heard her sigh and shuffle her feet. “Killian, please, can we not do this?”

Killian looked up at her and shook his head. “Emma…”

She took a step back and held her hands up in front of her, as if to keep him away. “I said we’re not doing this, okay? It’s none of my business. Don’t worry. We’re good.”

Emma fixed him with another hard glare and he could do nothing but stare back, swallowing the giant lump in his throat. After a moment, she turned on her heel and began walking away again.

“Besides,” she threw over her shoulder, “you were just grocery shopping with your girlfriend. Picture of complete domesticity if you ask me.”

Killian all but growled as he hurried after her.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” he said desperately, almost bumping into her when she suddenly whirled back around to face him.

“I don’t care!” she yelled, her frustration at the tipping point.

“If you don’t bloody care, then why are you being like this?” he demanded, his own ire rising to the surface along with hers.

“Like what?” she laughed angrily.

“Hostile,” he said.

“Killian, this is as civil as I can be with you!”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means I practically jumped you in the middle of a grocery store—and you flirted back, by the way—and the whole time, you were there with another woman!That’s...that’s skeezy as hell, you know that right?” Her chest was heaving and she looked at him like she was completely at a loss, as if she was truly waiting for him to give her the answer she needed.

“Yes, Emma, I know that,” he said, scrambling for the right things to say. “I just...She doesn’t mean...I mean, she isn’t…” He growled in frustration as she shook her head and looked away. When she wouldn’t meet his gaze, he whispered the only thing he was thinking, “She isn’t you.”

Slowly, so slowly he thought it might be slow-motion, she turned her head to look at him. She searched his eyes for what felt like eternity and he became restless and insecure under her gaze. But he held fast and didn’t look away like he usually did, hoping to show her what he couldn’t quite say with words.

I want you.

Give me a chance.

I’m sorry.

Don’t walk away…

But she was taking too long to say something and he knew that meant something bad. With a heavy sigh and even heavier heart, Killian turned around, shoulders slumped. He slipped his hands in his pockets and wondered where the nearest liquor store was.

He only made it about halfway down the street when he felt a warm hand grab his arm. A second later, Emma Swan was stepping in front of him. But Killian had no time to respond, because she wasted no time wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his.

And by gods if there was a heaven on Earth for Killian Jones, kissing Emma Swan would be it.

X X

EMMA SWAN

Her place was closer, he said, and they ended up taking a taxi, neither of them wanting to wait the long trip on the subway.

His hand was hot on her thigh the entire way and she rested her head on his shoulder, now and then trailing kisses up his neck to his ear, reveling in the way he shivered at the touch of her lips, disbelieving that she was finally this close to him.

She barely noticed him give the driver some bills, and the ride in the elevator was silent and charged. At her apartment door she fumbled with her keys as he placed kisses on her neck and bare shoulders, his hands gripping her waist, and his hard arousal brushing against her lower back. For a moment she abandoned her keys in the lock as she moaned low and pressed back into him, biting her lip when he groaned as her backside rubbed against his growing erection. Her leggings left very little barrier between her and his jean-clad erection.

She shivered as his hand trailed down her arm, to her hand brushing against her key still dangling in the lock. Somehow while kissing her neck, Killian also managed to effortlessly unlock her front door and push it open. Emma almost stumbled inside, but Killian wrapped his arm around her waist before she could fall.

“Oh,” she sighed, falling back into him and snuggling closer when he resumed his previous ministrations.

Kicking the door shut with his foot and then flipping it locked, Killian whirled Emma around in his arms, lips curving up at her gasp of surprise. He backed her further into the apartment, leaving very little space between their bodies, and making them stumble along the way.

“Where is your bedroom, love?” he whispered against her throat, his tongue darting out to lick a trail up to her chin.

She moaned again and shamelessly rubbed herself against him, enjoying the way her hardening nipples rubbed against his hard chest through the fabric of her shirt.

“Emma,” he sighed against her cheek, sending chills down her spine. “Bedroom…”

Emma barely breathed out, “Down the hall to the left,” before she was squealing, then moaning wantonly as his hands gripped her ass firmly and lifted her off the ground.

She peppered kisses all over his face and neck, clawing at his back as he carried her to her bedroom. She trailed one hand down his arms, loving the way they flexed under her touch, the way his muscles contracted as her fingers brushed over the hair on his forearms.

She let out a huff when he tossed her on the center of her bed. She bounced as he chuckled and crawled in after her, his hands moving up her sides, firmer, more sure than before. Emma couldn’t help but cry out as his hand cupped her breast tightly, massaging it as his mouth found hers once more.

She melted into him almost instantly, her hands sliding up his shoulders and wrapping around him as she opened her mouth to his. Killian moaned as his tongue entered her mouth, dancing with hers. It felt like all of the passion and fire and urge they had been pushing down for each other the last couple of months was being poured into that kiss.

Killian moaned again when her hands fisted through his hair, pulling gently. Her legs fell open and Killian slipped between them easily, grinding his hard cock against her, all pretense of foreplay gone as she rubbed against her wet, cotton-covered center.

But Emma wanted to feel him and she told him so in a breathy moan, and he growled and a moment later they were both naked, his long, thick cock rubbing shamelessly against her sopping wet sex.

Emma cried out as Killian bit her chin gently, his breath coming out in harsh pants as they rubbed against each other wantonly, dragging their lips across neck, shoulder, chest. His hand gripped her thigh and she bit her lip as his tip slipped inside her.

He hissed and pulled back as if he’d been burned, his head falling to her chest as his back rose with heavy breaths.

“Sorry, sorry,” he whispered in a rush before looking up and rolling his hips against her wet center again. His eyes darted down, careful not to accidentally slip into her again. He looked back up at her, his cheeks flushed and his eyes almost completely black. “The things you do to me, love,” he continued in a whisper.

“Killian,” she moaned, both of her hands now gripping his hips, her palms sweaty and making her slip.

“Condom,” be breathed.

“No,” she whined, kissing his scruffy cheek as she lifted her hips to meet his thrusts. “No condom. I’m on the pill. I’m clean. Are you?”

Killian nodded and clenched his jaw again as he stopped his slow thrusts, covering her body with his while careful to keep most of his weight off of her. They both gasped when he covered her fully, because their sexes were pressed together so snug and perfect she never wanted to move.

Killian ran his finger down her cheek, tracing her lips. “Are you sure, Emma?” he whispered.

Emma could only nod, her entire body vibrating. She was sure if she spoke, it would be a shaking mess of words.

“I’ve never,” he swallowed and looked down, his finger falling to her collarbone. Emma furrowed her eyebrows at him and he gazed back up at her. “I’ve never been with a woman without protection before.”

“Me either,” she whispered.

Killian’s eyebrow ticked up and she giggled.

“I mean, I’ve never been with a man without protection before,” she said between breaths of laughter.

Killian smirked and leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers. This time when Killian’s tip slipped inside of her, it was with a moan from both of them as he pushed the rest of the way in.

He was larger than any lover she had ever had, and he filled her to the hilt, his pelvis resting against her ass as she reflexively clenched around him to adjust to his size. His moan of pleasure made her even wetter, and she could feel her arousal dripping down her thighs and she knew she would have to wash her sheets tomorrow.

She would have been embarrassed if it hadn't been for Killian’s whispered, “Fuck,” as he thrust into her experimentally, making her eyes roll back into her head. “You’re so bloody wet,” he said desperately, and then proceeded to fuck the living hell out of her.

Emma would have been worried her headboard banging against the wall would alert her neighbors, but his need turned her on to the point of not caring and she allowed him to play her body like a fucking drum.

X X

KILLIAN JONES

Killian had never spent the night at a woman’s place. Then again, there were a lot of things Killian had done the night before that he never thought he would do.

Kissing during sex.

Going down on a woman more than once. (Because damn he really really liked going down on Emma—the noises she made, the way her thighs gripped his head, and her hands pulled at his hair. Bloody hell.)

Not using a condom….

Having sex more than once in the same night...

They had sex three times before finally succumbing to sleep. Out of habit, Killian awoke just as the sun was rising. He could see the little bit of light peeking in through the blinds and his eyes darted to the floor searching for his pants when Emma stirred his arms.

Killian looked down at her, snuggled close to his chest, body half draped over him and his arm wrapped around her. It was a position he wasn’t very familiar with and he had been initially taken aback when she cuddled him after sex. But then the smell of her hair calmed him, and he found himself staring up at the ceiling as he stroked her arm.

Having her in his arms felt right and she fit against him like a puzzle piece.

Killian swallowed hard and looked up at the ceiling once more. He knew if he had something he cared about, he would do something to muck it up. It was just a matter of time.

X X

EMMA SWAN

Emma woke the following morning with an ache between her thighs and a full heart. There was a small smile on her face and she was so content she didn’t bother opening her eyes as she dragged her hand across the mattress. Her mouth turned down when she felt cold sheets between her fingers and she snapped her eyes open to see the spot beside her was empty.

Emma sat up, the sheet falling to her lap as she looked to the open bathroom. She didn’t hear any noise from the kitchen or living room and when she scanned her bedroom, she saw that the floor was free of their discarded clothing. Her clothes from the night before had been folded neatly and placed on the small loveseat in the corner of her room.

Her heart dropped at the realization that Killian fucked her and left her. All those sweet words the night before had been what? Bullshit lines to get in her pants? Had David been right about him all along?

Suddenly, an anger Emma had never experienced before filled her. The nerve of the man to clean up and then leave without a word. The nerve of him to make her feel wanted, safe, loved....

Emma shook her head and hopped out of bed, ripping her drawers open and pulling out a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt. She threw her hair up into a ponytail, cursing the entire way to the foyer where she angrily slipped on her shoes. She figured the fifteen-minute walk to and from the coffee shop would calm her down a little bit.

She fumbled with her shoe laces, tears blurring her vision and burning her eyes as she wiped them away angrily and cursed Killian for the fiftieth time. She couldn't believe she had fallen for his charms, let him seduce and bed her like a fool.

She finally tied her shoes and got up with a sigh, rolled her shoulders back, and dipped her hand into the small bowl on the table to grab her keys. Her brows furrowed when they weren’t where she always left them and she cursed again when she realized she must have dropped them sometime last night in her drunken haze. She had been distracted…

Her ire rose again at the reason why and she wrenched the small drawer of the table open and grabbed one of her spare apartment keys, slipping it into her pocket. Emma opened her door, visions of hot chocolate with cinnamon dancing through her mind, but shrieked and jumped back slightly when she was met with the sight of Killian.

He was wearing his wrinkled clothes from the night before and holding a styrofoam cup holder with two hot cups and a small paper bag that smelled heavenly. She then noticed the key in his hand with a very familiar Swan keychain.

“Killian,” she breathed in confusion.

His face broke into an easy smile as he blushed slightly. “Apologies, lass. I hope you don’t mind I borrowed your key to go grab us some breakfast…”

The sentence was barely finished before Emma stepped forward, resting her hand on his shoulder to steady herself as she kissed him. Their lips met a few times, passionate, before she pulled back.

He was smiling, breathless, as he gazed back at her with those shining blue eyes. “I...I noticed you put a lot of sugar in your coffee so...I just grabbed half of the packets in the basket and—”

His nervousness and babbling was so freaking endearing and Emma could only giggle and kiss his lips again.

“Mmm,” he hummed, following her when she pulled back. “I could get used to that.”

Emma smiled wider and bit her lip. “Fine by me.”

x x

Killian ended up spending the rest of the weekend at Emma’s place and it was perpetual bliss. They were in their own little bubble with no one to watch them or question them. They could just be.

“Killian?” she said on Sunday night as they sat on the couch and Killian prepared to leave. He had an early shift the following morning.

He looked down at her. “Aye?”

She snuggled closer to him and his arm tightened around her. “Thank you for staying,” she said.

He smiled slightly and whispered, “Thank you for letting me.”

He left that night after spending about twenty minutes kissing her in the foyer and another fifteen in the doorway as she latched onto him and peppered his face with wet kisses, making him chuckle and hold her closer.

x x

Emma knew not to get her hopes up. She didn’t ask her friends about Killian too much—not wanting to betray his trust—but one of the few things she knew about him from Mary-Margaret and Regina was that he had never had a long-term relationship. She also knew he had walls a mile high and was guarded as hell. He had a past that weighed on him, she could see that, and she didn’t want to push him too much.

Which was why Emma was very pleasantly surprised to see a text from him after her Monday night lecture.

Can I come see you tonight?

Emma felt her entire body light up like a switch and she couldn’t help grinning down at her phone like an idiot as she typed out a response:

My place?

She was surprised when her phone chimed in her hand less than a minute later with his reply:

Just tell me what time and I’ll be there.

x x

It was a little over a week into their...whatever it was...that Emma finally got a chance to talk to Mary-Margaret. She had been busy with a new client on the Upper West Side and hadn’t had a moment to herself for a while.

Minutes into their conversation, Mary-Margaret became excitedly suspicious about Emma’s obvious good mood.

“Oh my god,” Mary-Margaret said on the other line, “are you seeing someone?”

Emma sighed and shook her head as her phone vibrated in her hand. She pulled it away from her ear, smiling when she saw it was a text from Killian.

I can still smell you on my skin.

Her thighs clenched as she heard her friend yelling her name on the other end. Emma brought the phone back to her ear with a shake of her head and an apology.

“So, are you going to tell me who the guy is?” her friend pressed.

“No!” Emma squealed before she could stop herself.

“Aha! So there is a guy!”

“Mary-Margaret, don’t push me…”

Her friend let out an exasperated sigh. “Alright, fine. But you’ll tell me soon?”

Emma scrunched up her nose even though her friend couldn't see. “Maybe.”

“Jesus, you’re the worst,” she laughed. “By the by, we’re having a Friday night dinner this week, finally,” she sighed. “Will you come? You can bring your man friend.”

“That’s very nice of you. I can’t speak for my man friend, but I will be there,” she said, enjoying teasing her friend a little too much.

“I hate you,” Mary-Margaret muttered.

“Should I bring pecan pie?” Emma switched topics.

Sure as fire, it worked.

“You know it,” Mary-Margaret said. “Don’t be late.”

“Would never even dream of it.”

When they hung up, Emma looked down at her phone and felt moisture pool between her legs at the words on the screen:

I can still taste you on my tongue.

x x

Everyone was surprised when Killian showed up to dinner Friday night with a smile on his face and a bottle of wine in his hand. Emma watched as he kissed Mary-Margaret on the cheek and then greeted the others. When his eyes fell to her, she felt a blush creep up her neck.

“So,” Robin said, slapping a hand on Killian’s shoulder playfully. “What made you grace us with your presence this evening?”

“He just came for the free food,” Regina joked with a smirk.

Killian chuckled, looking slightly uncomfortable as his eyes darted back to Emma again. Emma quickly looked away, but winced upon hearing Mary-Margaret’s gasp.

Her friend, she knew, was a clever one.

“What?” David asked her, taking a pull from his beer.

Emma looked to her best friend sheepishly because it didn’t feel right hiding it. Not from Mary-Margaret, not from anyone.

But what if Killian doesn’t feel the same?

“Emma?” Regina prompted.

Emma realized everyone was looking between her and Killian, confused, suspicious, and curious as hell. David, however, looked more furious than anything.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

David’s roar was the last thing Emma heard clearly, because the next few seconds happened very fast. David dropped his beer bottle to the floor and it shattered with a loud crash as he lunged at Killian. Mary-Margaret screamed out as Regina raised her glass of wine and moved away from them.

“David!” Emma tried to scream, but her throat was dry. She cleared it, watching in horror as David pushed Killian roughly against the counter, grabbing him by his leather jacket so hard she was sure it would rip.

Emma took a step forward, but Robin was beside her in an instant, holding her back.

“I told you not her!” David yelled in Killian’s face.

“David,” Mary-Margaret growled, shocking Emma with her hard tone.

“You really have no goddamn respect, do you?” David practically spat in his face.

Emma watched Killian wince and then he clenched his jaw. “Let me go, mate,” he said, his voice low, calm, controlled.

“Why? Why should I listen to you?” David shot back. “You clearly didn’t listen to me when I told you to stay away from Emma!”

“Bloody hell, she’s a grown woman. She can make her own decisions,” Killian growled, shoving David back.

He stumbled against the island before fixing his glare on Killian again. “Not when she doesn’t have all the facts,” he said.

Something in Killian’s face changed, his jaw locked, and he looked at David with the most murderous expression on his face. If she didn’t know any better, Emma would have been afraid of him.

A tense silence filled the room as all six of them stood in the aftermath of the altercation. After what felt like an eternity, Killian righted his jacket and took a step back.

“Killian, what is he talking about?” Emma asked him, her voice shaking.

Killian looked at her and the defeat she saw in his eyes nearly broke her heart. After a moment, he sighed and grabbed her hand, gently pulling her out of the apartment and into the hall.

Emma watched him close the door behind them before he turned to her, his eyes trained down at his shoes. After a moment, he reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a folded piece of paper. When he opened it and took a step towards her, she immediately closed the distance between them, looking down at his hand in confusion.

It was a wrinkled photograph of Killian in a police academy uniform holding a diploma. On one side there was a shorter, older woman with dark hair. She was leaning on Killian as if he was the only thing holding her up. She looked weak, but the pride on her face was evident. To his other side was a man a little taller than Killian, with lighter hair, and familiar blue eyes.

“I’ve kept my past as far down as I could for as long as I can remember,” Killian started, his voice grave and hoarse as he focused on the photo in his hand. “My mother died when she came to visit me in New York for my graduation, because the trip took a toll on her already deteriorating health,” he said. “My brother was a Captain on the Scotland Yard when he was stabbed off duty trying to save a mother and her son from a mugging. He died at the hospital the next day.” Killian looked up at her, his eyes shining with tears. “I told you I lost my family, but I never told you how...how guilty...how empty I feel for being here in their place.”

Emma’s heart broke at his words. “Killian—”

“It sent me down a dark path, Emma,” he said. “Bloody hell, I’ve lost count of how many women I’ve slept with.” She winced at his words, but he continued, “I’m ashamed of the choices I’ve made, but...they were my choices. I was given so many chances, and I fucked them all up.” His face practically crumbled as he looked away. “My brother and mother would be ashamed of me. I’m just like him…” The last part was a whisper and it took a moment for Emma to realize what he meant.

“Your father?”

Killian sniffed, but said nothing.

“You never talk about him,” Emma said quietly.

“Because he was a worthless coward who was given opportunity after opportunity to do better and he never did! Just like me.

“He abandoned my mum when she got sick, turned his back on his children—”

“Killian, you’re nothing like him—”

Killian looked at her again, but the emotion on his face was replaced with a haunting look of fierce determination and resignation.

“Maybe,” he said carefully, “maybe not. But isn’t it better not to find out the hard way?”

His eyes searched hers and when she realized what he was saying, the tiny rope that had been stretched to its limit inside of Emma finally snapped.

“No. No, don’t do this, Killian,” she said, tears burning in her eyes. “You told me this felt different.” She took a step towards him, grabbing his arms.

Killian sighed and backed away from her touch.

“David’s right. You deserve better.

“No,” Emma shook her head. “You're giving up. Don’t give up! If you do then you are like him, Killian! Don’t you see that?”

Killian smiled sadly at her, hollow and devoid of his usual adoration and softness and her broken heart cracked even more. “I am going to miss your fire, lass,” he whispered.

Before Emma could say anything else, he was gone.

X X

KILLIAN JONES

David may have been a bloody asshat, but Killian was damned if he wasn’t absolutely right. He had been so wrapped up these last couple of weeks with Emma that he completely ignored the truth that he wasn’t good for her. She deserved better.

He was only five minutes away from David and Mary-Margaret’s when he heard his name being called. With a clenched jaw and tense shoulders, Killian stopped and slowly turned around.

David approached him hesitantly, a guarded expression on his face as he eyes darted across Killian’s face.

“Come to yell at me some more, mate?” Kilian couldn’t help but sass.

“No,” David sighed.

“Ahh, so just came to finish what you started in your flat? Go on then,” he challenged, stepping forward and holding his jacket open.

“That’s not...Look, I’m sorry things escalated back there…”

“Escalated?” Killian let his jacket go and chuckled darkly. “You bloody accosted me in a room full of our friends.”

“You’re dating one of my best friends after I specifically asked you not to,” David gritted through his teeth, fists clenching at his side.

“Aye, and I apologize for not listening you.” David looked at him surprised, but Killian continued, “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you, because you’re my friend and my partner and I respect you.” He paused, shaking his head with a sigh. “But I won’t bloody apologize for…” Killian’s throat closed up as David looked away, slightly uncomfortable. Killian gathered his bearings with an unsteady breath. “I won’t apologize for being with her. Because it’s been the best two weeks of my bloody life.” Another pause. David opened his mouth, but Killian pressed on, “And I know I don’t deserve her. You’re right. I’m a drunk, and I haven't dealt with my past and I don't even know how to be in a goddamn...relationship.” His mouth curved around the unfamiliar word.

Killian looked down, feeling his chest tightening again at the thought of Emma and him, wrapped under the sheets on her bed, nothing between them.

He shook the memories away with another sigh before meeting his partner’s gaze head on. “And you’re right,” he repeated. “I’m no good for her. So...I’m stepping back. I’m bowing out. You don’t have to worry about me. I won’t bother her again.”

X X

EMMA SWAN

“Who do you think you are, David? Just who the fuck do you think you are?” Emma aimed a throw pillow at David’s head as soon as he walked back into the apartment.

“Where’s Killian?” Mary-Margaret asked worriedly, running up to him.

“He’s...gone,” David said. “He went home.”

Emma shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. “You son of a bitch.” She lunged for him, but Regina caught her around the waist.

“Easy, tiger,” Regina said. “You could do some real damage to him.”

Emma tried to shake her off, but Regina only let her go when she was sure it was safe.

“Why would you do that?” Emma demanded, eyes trained on David. “How could you...say those things to him?”

“Emma, you don’t know Killian….”

“Stop saying that!” Emma interrupted him. “You don’t know Killian.”

David took a step towards her, index finger pressed to his chest. “I’ve been his partner for almost ten years!”

“So what? Obviously you don’t know his heart!” Emma yelled back. “If you did, you’d see him for the man he is: kind, compassionate...loving…” her words trailed off, voice shaking, and she had to avert her gaze from the sympathetic look Robin threw her way. “And for the first time,” Emma continued, not caring that her voice was shaking and she could barely breathe, “and for the first time, I felt like I found someone who...I thought maybe I....”

“Emma,” David started gently, taking another step towards her.

Emma held her hands up and took a step back. “No!” She looked up at him, feeling completely broken and lost. “You don’t know what he meant to me, do you?” she asked him, the accusatory tone and utter hurt in her voice making him look away in shame.

“Emma,” Mary-Margaret stepped towards her, but Emma shook her head and walked to the front door, her friend hurrying after her. “Emma, please wait.” She grabbed her arm and Emma pulled it away angrily.

She turned to face her friend, tears in her eyes and falling freely down her face. “I have to go,” was all she could bear to say.

X X

KILLIAN JONES

Three days. He wondered how something he hadn’t even had a couple of weeks ago could hurt so bad now that it was gone.

But he had grown accustomed to waking up next to Emma Swan. In a matter of months, he had broken all of his rules. He had fallen for a woman and he’d broken her heart, and his own, in the process.

Killian’s throat was dry when he walked into his flat Monday night. He’d called in sick to work, something he had never done before, and ignored his friends’ calls the entire weekend. The only face he wanted to see lighting up on his screen never did, nor did he really expect it to.

He was holding a bottle of rum in a paper bag, his fourth in three days. He felt shame, of course, each time he made the purchase. But by the fourth or fifth swig, he was happily content. By the tenth and eleventh, he was downright blitzed, and three-quarters of the way through the bottle, everything was blissfully dark.

It wasn't until Thursday night—Gold was pissed at him for calling out the entire week, but Killian had sick days to spare so he really didn’t give a damn—that his routine for the week was disrupted.

He was at his grocery store, in need of a fresh bottle of rum, when his phone phone buzzed with an incoming call. He barely glanced at the screen before answering gruffly:

“Hello?”

Silence.

“Hello?” Killian repeated, the frustration more evident in his voice.

When he was once again met with silence, what little patience Killian had left snapped.

“Listen, you bloody wanker, whoever the fuck you are—”

“Killian,” a voice on the other end finally said. “It’s me.”

The pinch between Killian’s brows deepened at the low, male voice with a familiar accent.

“Who the bloody hell is this?’” Killian demanded.

There was a deep sigh. Then, “It’s your father, Killian.”

Killian clenched the phone so hard in his hand, he was worried for a moment it might shatter in his grip.

Brennan Jones contacted him every few years under the guise of wanting to ‘see his only living child.’ But it always ended up being because he needed money to pay off his gambling debts or buy some more booze.

Maybe it was the residual rum in his system, or maybe it was the fact that the only thing that had ever really made any bit of sense to him had been ripped away.

Whatever it was, Brennan Jones had sure picked the wrong time to call.

“Father?” Killian repeated incredulously. “A father doesn’t abandon his wife and kids to be with his mistress. He doesn’t bleed his family dry of every cent they have and then come back when he owes his goons a couple thousand pounds.”

“Boy, who in the hell do you think you are?”

“I’m not your boy,” Killian growled.

His father laughed on the other end. “You are, like it or not. The apple doesn’t far fall from the tree. Remember that, lad. I’m all you’ve got.”

“You know what I remember?” Killian shot back, “I remember Mum crying herself to sleep every night. I remember not having new shoes for school and Liam having to teach me how to play baseball and how to talk to girls because I didn’t have a bloody father to do that.

“And you know what?” Killian laughed, almost hysterical. “Because of you, I’ve spent most of my life running away from people who care about me. Liam...Mum…” He choked back the tears threatening to escape.

And in that moment, he felt his tiny, dark world shake.

Maybe Killian didn’t have to continue down this self-fulfilling prophecy, because in that moment he realized if he did, he would end up just like the man on the other end of the phone: down and out and all alone.

But Killian had someone who truly cared for him. And the difference he realized, between him and his father, was that Killian was going to fight for what he wanted.

“I’m nothing like you,” Killian finally said. “I just want you to know that. And when I find something...worth fighting for...I’m not going to be a coward like you. I’m going to fight for it with every fiber of my being.

“You didn’t fight,” Killian growled. “So you deserve what you get.”

x x

Killian dumped the rest of the liquor in his apartment down the drain that night and Friday morning he was back at work.

His first order of business was finalizing a restraining order against Brennan Jones. The next was ordering a dozen yellow daisies from the florist down the street. Killian ignored his colleagues’ curious expressions when the delivery man brought the bright bouquet and he let Gold know he would be back.

Killian had played this over and over in his mind, but nothing could have prepared him for the wretched nervousness he felt in his stomach standing outside Emma’s apartment holding the flowers in his hand.

It took him almost ten minutes to work up the nerve to knock, but before his fist connected the door flew open. When his eyes met the bright green before him, Killian just about forgot everything he was going to say.

“What are you doing here?” Emma breathed.

“I uh…” He reached up and scratched behind his ear, hands sweating and flowers practically slipping from his grasp. “I just wanted to, um…”

He jumped when one of her neighbors slammed their apartment door shut.

“You’re so tense,” she said.

The concern in her voice—the fact that she was still concerned for him even after everything they'd been through—tugged at something deep in his gut and strengthened his resolve.

“I’m just...getting really tired of not waking up next to you,” he said. Emma’s mouth opened in a silent gasp as he continued, “And I know that I’ve made a lot of mistakes...but I’m not going to allow letting you go without a fight to be one of them.”

Emma’s eyes softened.

“I know I’m not worthy of your love—” She opened her mouth to argue, “but you deserve to be loved...and cherished...and reminded everyday how bloody brilliant you are—” Emma couldn't help but look down with a blush, but he tilted her chin up gently— “And I don’t think anyone else can love you...the way I can. If you’ll let me. If you...want me…”

Killian barely finished his sentence before Emma lunged forward and pressed her lips to his. The kiss remained chaste and ended far too quickly.

Killian rested his forehead against hers and smiled down at her.

“You came back,” she whispered.

“Aye.”

“Why?”

“Don’t you know, Emma?” She looked up at him curiously. “It's you. You’re the one I’ve been waiting for.”

Emma couldn’t stop smiling, even as Killian kissed her once again.

X X

E N D

#cslb #cslb fic #cslb 2018 #captain swan #captain swan fanfiction #along came you #writemyanchor

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