They had nearly finished setting up camp when the sun began to set. As the sky turned dark, unseen creatures began to make their presence known, chirping and squeaking occasionally, calling out into the gloom.
Regina was wandering around, arms crossed. She absently kicked over a stone before almost tripping over the bag of cookware that had been left in the middle of the site. Glaring at no one in particular, she rolled her eyes, frowned and bent down, muttering to herself as she grabbed the bag, dragging it over to the bushes.
"We don't have enough firewood David." Mary-Margaret had been scouring the site with no luck and was now building a fire pit. The site itself was an open area with flat ground, essentially perfect for a make-shift campsite but severely lacking in fuel for a fire.
"Alright." David was wrestling with a knot on his bedroll, his face contorted in concentration as his fingers picked at the rope. "Just give me a minute."
"I'll go. I seem to have a knack for it," Hook glanced over at Emma. She was setting up one of the lean-tos, obviously far too busy to eavesdrop on their conversation.
Mary-Margaret didn't look happy about Hook's offer but David was grateful. He'd been scrabbling with the knot and now he didn't have to hurry. He gave a quick nod to Hook who received it with his stereotypical bow, hands outstretched, a quick smirk on his face. By this point had Regina started to kick the cookware into the bushes and Mary-Margaret had to run over and stop her from denting the frying pan. The two then proceeded to get involved in an argument before Regina offered to punt the bag into the forest and manifest a new set of pots.
Hook wandered over to where Emma was setting up one of the poles of the lean-to. "You sure you don't want to join me Swan?" He leaned over and whispered in her ear.
"Yup." Emma was trying not to look at him. She turned away from him as she felt her face grow hot. Her hair fell over her face as she struggled to set a log pole in place.
"Was that a yes?" He raised an eyebrow. A slight smile played at his lips. Perhaps she was serious.
"Nope." She threw the canvas over the top of the lean-to. Hook grabbed the other end and pulled the fabric taut. She didn't acknowledge his help and instead, tied down her end while he struggled with his. Holding down the fabric he braced his body against the pole and tried to grab the rope with his hook. Failing miserably Emma came over and pushed him out of the way.
"Here, let me."
He stood next to her as she quickly tied down the roof, checking her knots. She was close. He could reach out and touch her. He could take her face in his hand, pull her body to tight to his, breathe her in. He rocked back on his heels, slightly shaken by her proximity. She had avoided his presence since holding onto him when Regina had carried them across that ravine. He had waited to see what she would do, if anything. In fact, this was the first time she had spoken to him since then. But as she seemed more involved in inspecting the shelter, he lightly tapped her shoulder.
"If you change your mind love, I'll be heading down there," he pointed with his hook and departed.
Emma said nothing but watched him walk off out of the corner of her eye, his coat blowing in the slight breeze that had started. Her hands were sore from tying knots but she paid them no mind. As Hook disappeared into the brush, Emma turned back to the camp. David was looking satisfied, having finally untied his bedroll, throwing the offending rope into the fire pit for destruction. Regina and Mary-Margaret had agreed to leave the cookware aside. Instead they were now commiserating over how to rescue Henry, having drawn up a possible plan in the dirt. Emma was surprised but pleased to see the two sitting together, discussing how they were going to defeat Pan. Regina was more into grinding him under her heel while Mary-Margaret argued for a less violent route. The three seemed content as Emma glanced back to the trail Hook had walked down.
The dark was starting to crowd in as the sun crept towards the horizon. Hook wandered down the overgrown path, occasionally grabbing sticks from the forest floor until he had a veritable pile in his arms. The silence grew close under the trees and every step seemed as loud as a blast from a swivel gun when his arm was gripped from behind. He whipped around, dropping his pile of sticks and was about to bring his hook down on his attacker.
"Swan, what-"
She gave him no chance to finish, instead grabbing onto his collar and bringing her mouth down upon his. He immediately relaxed, wrapping his arms around her, bringing his hand to the back of her neck and his hook to the small of her back. She melted into him, pushing into his body, pulling on his collar, as he backed them both off the path and she shoved him up against a tree.
He shifted slightly and she moved both hands from his collar, one to his neck and one to entwine her hand in his hair. Their first kiss hadn't been soft or sweet but this, this was animalistic. She seemed to wish to devour him. There was an urgency to the kiss, a desperation. And she was warm, pressed against him from breast to thigh, a welcome refuge from the night chill. He brought his hand around to her chin, separating their bruised lips for a brief moment, to his regret and her consternation.
"Emma," he murmured, looking into her eyes, questioning.
"What!" She seemed genuinely upset at the interruption. Her eyes bright and flashing. They were both were breathing heavily; the birds and bugs around them, having grown silent.
"Are you sure you-" Actually he wasn't sure she wanted. And she wasn't exactly one to vocalize her desires. More like to voice displeasure and anger than anything.
"Am I sure I what?" She has grown tense. Gone was the woman who had been like butter in his arms. Her hands, rather than grasping and squeezing were like dead weight on his body.
"I thought you said it was a onetime thing love." He tucked her hair behind her ear, tangling his fingers in her flaxen locks.
"I don't see you complaining." She purposely writhed against his body, knowing how closely pressed together they were. He closed his eyes and deep in the back of his throat, gave a low guttural moan.
"I'd never complain about having you in my arms love but you're likely to drive a man to drink."
She gave him a wry smile. "You already drink."
"Yes, well." He smirked. "Perhaps you've already driven me to it." He stroked the back of her head, her hair soft beneath his touch.
"Shut up."
"As you wish," he murmured, using his hook to tilt her chin up. She gasped at its coldness and he grinned, planting butterfly kisses on her neck all the way down to the collar of her shirt. Now it was his turn to devour her. As he usurped her mouth, she wrapped her arms around his torso, grabbing handfuls of his coat in her hands. He could feel her trembling against him and every now and then a slight whimper issued from her mouth.
They came up for air several minutes later, their breath visible in great clouds now that the sun had set and the temperature had dropped. As they caught their breath, their foreheads touched. She loosened her grip on his coat, unwrapping herself from around him. His arms dropped to his sides as he stared at her face.
She was unreadable, her face still visible in the quickly darkening forest. Her body though was still recovering from their encounter. He didn't want to guess at whether the slight shiver that ran through her was from the cold or from his touch but he hoped their encounter had had some affect upon her. It had certainly affected him.
"I'd wait a few minutes before heading back. You're a little flushed lass." He lightly brushed her cheek with his fingers. "Maybe you should go gather some firewood. Give yourself a chance to cool down," he grinned at her, barely containing a laugh.
"Shut up." She turned to walk back to camp, allowing herself a small smile as she picked her way along the trail, hoping she wouldn't be asked about her extended absence from the campsite.
"As you wish," he whispered into the dark, watching her walk away.