Hook never would've though David had it in him to lie so thoroughly to his family. But so far he, was doing a pretty good job. That yarn about being ambushed by Lost Boys was so good, Hook almost wished he'd come up with it himself. Though he also kind of wished that David had kept their little adventure a secret. All the positive feedback was making him uncomfortable.
"To Hook." Emma said neutrally, taking a swig of the rum as David and Mary Margaret followed Regina back to the camp. Figures; the one person he'd saved David's life for was the one who didn't seem to have any reaction to it. Bloody brilliant. But instead of going after her parents, Emma stepped away from the path and a little farther into the jungle. Hook kept his eyes trained on the horizon and the dirt, but also stayed behind. She remained silent for a few moments, and just as he was about to ask why she was there, he heard her say, "D'you really save his life?"
"That surprise you?" he replied, glancing at her. She held out the flask, and he came closer to take it from her, pocketing it.
"Well, you and David aren't exactly...how do you say it? Mates?" Her attempt to copy his accent was cute, if not at all accurate. The statement was a true one, though. He and David had never really gotten along, and were always butting heads. Hook didn't think David approved of him. You know, what with Hook being a pirate and David being a prince. Those two things typically didn't go well together.
"Neither do a pirate and a princess." Some nasty part of him whispered. Maybe it was the realistic part. Whichever it was, that thought sent a stab of pain into his chest. However little she felt like it or realized it, Emma was a princess. But as much as he knew that what he wanted could never be, he couldn't seem to make himself stay away from her, couldn't seem to make himself stop trying to get it to work. He suddenly couldn't look her in the eyes. He dropped his gaze to his shoes, to the bushes nearby.
"Doesn't mean I leave your father to perish on this island." he answered, looking at her face again once he'd finished saying it. He phrased it that way purposefully, attempting to make her see he'd done this for her. She was right; he didn't have any particular love for David. But he knew how important Emma's family was to her, so he'd saved her father for that reason. He hoped desperately she saw that in his response.
"Thank you." She seemed genuinely grateful, giving him the barest of nods. Her eyes were so beautiful, a clear gray that reminded him of the ocean in the early morning, just before the sun came up. If he continued to look at her, he would say that out loud, so he averted his eyes yet again, involuntarily scratching behind his ear. It was a nervous tick he thought he'd dropped centuries ago. Guess not.
"Perhaps gratitude is in order now." It slipped out before he could stop it. He couldn't believe he'd just said that; that was the old Hook, not the person he was anymore. But it was a little too late to bail, so he went with it, skimming his finger down his cheek and tapping his lips. He stared up at her through his lashes, giving her a look that had always made ladies hyperventilate.
"Yeah. That's what the thank you was for." Her response was level, but she was smiling a tiny little smile, and her eyes were anything but indifferent. He grinned.
"Is that all your father's life is worth to you?" Feigning innocence, he raised his eyebrows and stepped closer. Twin flames of satisfaction and elation sprung to life in him when she didn't back away, though there was only a foot or so between them now.
"Please." she said quietly with a cockiness that was so forced, it was almost funny. She shook her head just a little. "You couldn't handle it."
"Perhaps you're the one who couldn't handle it." he retorted in a low voice, almost whispering, leaning closer and creating another look that would've made women swoon. Slowly, he watched her put-on face melt away as she stared at him, and the raw vulnerability beneath it made his emotions catch. He felt his mask of arrogance slip a little, and he left it there, caught between his pirate-style flirting and how he really felt. Inside, his heart was pounding. He hadn't even realized it, wasn't sure when it had started. All he knew was it was making him weak all over, to the point where he felt he might fall over. What this woman was doing to him, what she was making him feel...he hadn't felt like this in a very, very long time.
Abruptly, Emma reached forward and gripped his collar. She tugged him towards her and her lips came crashing down onto his. Her one hand came up and held the back of his head. He was so stunned he couldn't move for a second. Then his touch copied hers, resting lightly on her hair, and he kissed her back. He dropped his hand to her hip and let himself ride the wave of emotion that welled inside him. It was a blend of passion, relief, and amazement, and it filled him from his toes to the crown of his head. He felt utterly centered as they kissed again and again. He'd known deep down from the moment they'd met that they would end up like this. He hadn't liked that thought, at first. She had left him the prisoner of a giant, and had bested him more times than he cared to count. But somehow, those things had gone from grievances to qualities; she knew how to do what she thought she had to, and she was quick-witted and sharp. She smelled like the jungle, and her lips were soft against his, despite the massive amount of emotion and intensity he felt behind her kisses. Then they were gone, hovering just away from his, and their foreheads were closely pressed together. She'd broken their kiss, yet she didn't seem to quite be able to make herself pull away.
"That was..." he breathed, but lost the end of the sentence in the fog of his mind. He couldn't form a single, full, coherent thought. Everything in him was screaming for him to kiss her again, and that was all he heard. When he tried to tilt his lips back to hers, though, she stepped back, letting go of his collar (he hadn't even realized she was still holding onto it), and finishing for him, "A one time thing." Her voice was even. She turned and began walking away, in the direction of the camp. He made a face, baffled and exasperated.
"Don't follow me." she ordered, her words carrying an undercurrent of breathlessness. "Wait five minutes. Go get some firewood or something."
"As you wish." he replied, surprised that he'd said a full sentence. He bowed a little at her retreating back, and thought he saw the hint of a smile as she turned the corner back to the clearing. Going the opposite way Emma was so he could get firewood, he touched his lips lightly, reliving the kiss. He sighed and raised his eyebrows to himself, admitting it. He was in love with Emma Swan, completely and entirely sunken.