Author's Notes: This fic was written in response to a list of prompts made to the Mad Swan prompt Tumblr, Tremendous Romantic Potential. Check it out for other filled prompts and ideas. I'd also like to thank Batsonthebrain for submitting the prompts and writing them herself in drabble form. They were adorable and inspired me to write my own longer versions. As this is a set of five prompts, there will eventually be five chapters in this fic. I have no idea on how fast or slow I may write this fic, so please bear with me.
"You know, you could just start leaving a few things here."
Emma stopped herself from dressing and looked back at Jefferson lying on the mussed up bed behind her. She blinked slowly as she took in the sight of his body barely covered in a sheet, traveling up his bare chest to look into his amused eyes, where a lock of sex-messed hair was falling forward onto his forehead.
"Huh?" she asked, her brain still a bit addled from the great sex they'd just had a few minutes before.
"You," he said, pointing at her, "could leave some things," he then pointed to the clothes in her hand, "here at the house." He gestured towards the dresser and closet.
"You mean like you'd give me some drawer space or something?" Emma asked, going to sit beside him again on the bed.
"Drawers, closet, bathroom counter," he smiled, leaning in to kiss her lips. "If you brought some things here, maybe you could stay longer at night. Maybe not leave until the next day even."
Emma closed her eyes as Jefferson slowly kissed her. Her mouth opened as he began making love to her lips. As he pulled away and began kissing down her neck, she sighed, "But what about Grace and Henry? What would they think?"
Jefferson stopped his ministrations. Emma gave a sound of protest, but looked up when he caught her chin in his hand. "Emma, Henry and Grace know full well we're spending time together here alone. Grace even complained to me the other morning that she and Henry would rather just spend the nights here with the two of us instead of going off to visit Grace's other parents and Regina."
"I don't know, Jefferson," Emma hesitated, not sure what to think about his suggestion.
"Emma, we've been dating for several months and having sex for at least half of that time," he pointed out.
"I thought we were calling it making love," she teased, trying to change the subject as this was getting a bit more serious than she liked. Emma really cared for Jefferson. If pressed, she might even say she loved him, but this was a huge step she wasn't sure she was quite ready for.
"Emma, every time I have you, we're making love. I promise you that," Jefferson said, looking at her meaningfully.
Emma gulped audibly. Her teasing remark didn't quite go the way she planned. "I—I," she uttered, unsure what to say, looking down at her lap. She began to play with the loose sheets tangled around her from their earlier activities. "Jefferson, I-"
"Emma, I know you can't say it yet," he said softly, reaching under her chin and tipping her head up to look into her eyes. "I know you're wary about relationships, and the fact we're at this point is scaring the crap out of you right now."
"I've told you about Neal," she whispered, staring into his eyes. "I was so hurt after what he did. I mean, I don't hate him for it anymore, but it was so hard to let anyone in before I came to Storybrooke."
"I understand," Jefferson replied, leaning over to kiss her softly on the lips. "I was damaged too from the death of Grace's mother, being trapped in Wonderland, and then separated from Grace by the Curse."
"It's been hard to let anyone in," Emma sighed, grateful that Jefferson truly did seem to understand her better than most people. "I've just barely accepted Henry and my parents, but you and Grace…"
He smiled at her and kissed her again. He could tell that she really did love him, even though she wasn't able to express the words to him out loud yet. "So, about you leaving some things here?"
"I suppose I could bring a few things with me next time I come by," she replied, returning his smile and leaning her forehead against his. "It'd be nice to be able to stay the night and not have to feel like I'm sneaking into my home like a teenager out past curfew."
Jefferson laughed and kissed her again. "Emma, your parents are fully aware we're having sex when we are having date nights at my house. Your mother cornered me one day at Granny's soon after we started sleeping together to ask if we were being careful and that if I ever hurt you again in any way, she'd kill me and hide my body where no one would find me. I completely believe her, by the way. Your mother can be ruthless."
Emma pulled back in shock over Jefferson's admission. "My mother said what?"
"You heard me," he teased, kissing her again and pushing her back onto the bed. "So since everyone knows exactly what we are doing, why don't you just stay the night and we can have a few more repeats of earlier?"
"Mmmm," she sighed into his mouth as his kisses started to deepen. When his mouth pulled away, she added, "I think I can agree to that."
"Good," Jefferson murmured against her throat as he kissed his way down it. "You'll bring things for our sleepovers, I'll provide some space in my room, and we'll enjoy leisurely nights and mornings together."
Emma trailed her hands through his hair and down his neck, stopping to trace the back of his scar on his neck. He had been so nervous about revealing the evidence of his torture in Wonderland, but the first time he willingly removed his scarf for her, she had just leaned over and kissed around his neck, tracing his scar. It was that moment when he had been sure of his adoration of Emma Swan.
As he moved over her once again, he looked into her eyes and could see the feelings she wasn't ready yet to express to him out loud. He leaned close to her ear, murmuring softly, "Emma Swan, I adore and love you," as he pressed into her once again.
She gasped softly as he began to move within her. "Jefferson," she sighed, her mouth opened along the base of his neck near his scar. They moved together as they expressed with their bodies what they couldn't both say with words. Afterwards the two lay together on the bed, Emma curled into Jefferson's side. "I wish I could say the words to you right now," she murmured into his chest.
"I don't need them to hear them yet, Emma," he replied, kissing the top of her head softly. "I know what you feel, even if you can't say the words."
She nodded, acknowledging the truth in his statement. Exhaustion began to creep up on her, and she sleepily said, "I'm really glad I'm staying."
"So am I, Emma," Jefferson replied softly against her hair and tightened his arms around her. He would have to pull the covers over them soon. However, for now he'd just bask in the experience of Emma falling asleep in his arms, and knowing that tomorrow he'd wake up holding her in the morning. It was a nice feeling he could certainly get used to. Maybe in a few months time, he'd try broaching the next step in the slow process of having a relationship with Emma Swan: cohabitation.