Emma checked her watch. Twelve fifty-two. It was time to stop hovering over her empty lunch plate and go back to work. Killian had been finished for a while, too, and was currently using his napkin to polish a smudge off his hook. One of these days she was going to get the story of what really went down over his hook-hand switch-up, but she knew there were some things he needed to let her know in his own time.
Her phone, face down on the table top, vibrated. It was Mary Margaret, reminding her to meet her at the baby store after work.
"What's that?" Killian asked.
"It's a text from my mother," Emma replied absently, as she moved her thumbs over the keypad.
"And what are you doing now?"
She grinned over at him. He had that little eyebrow frown going on. It was one of her favorite expressions on him. "I'm answering her."
He took the phone from her and studied the screen. "I speak many languages, Swan, and most have vowels, and very few words contain a number as a letter."
"Give that back, pirate," she said. "Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to read other people's texts?"
He leaned back. "In my world, a text is a bound manuscript that people are encouraged to read."
"Well, in this world it's a short message that you send over your phone."
"Why wouldn't you just call?"
She knew he was still getting used to the entire cell phone calling thing, so of course he had questions. "Sometimes this is easier," she said. "Here, look." He leaned over to peer into her screen. "She wants to meet me and I told her, 'See you later.'"
"Using the letters and the number," he surmised.
"Yes. It's just a quick way to communicate, and if one of us is busy, we can just answer when we have time. It doesn't need to be a whole conversation.
He leaned back and smirked at her. "I like our conversations, Swan." He fished out his own phone. "Does mine text as well?"
"Yes." She showed him the icon and he pressed it experimentally. "Send me a note," she told him.
He moved his thumb over the letters and pressed send. Her phone buzzed. "Hello," it said.
"You're a quick learner, Captain."
"Always was."
She wanted to kiss him. But it was Granny's and the middle of the day, and Storybrooke probably wasn't ready to witness the heat that their kisses usually radiated, so instead she touched his collar lightly, and licked her lips. "Gotta go back to work. I'll call you when I'm done."
She slid out of the booth and headed out the door. Except for the Evil Snow Queen issue, and the problem of trying to locate Elsa's sister, things were pretty calm around town today. She just needed to check on Will to make sure he wasn't up to any more mischief and… her phone vibrated.
A smile spread across her face. It was from Killian.
"M-a, I am here 4 u always."
She typed a and a 3, and hit send.