Walking back to Granny's, their arms swung in between them as they held hands, a simple pleasure that he vowed never again to take for granted. Emma gave his palm a small squeeze and he squeezed back, gripping her fingers tighter. Every sensation felt new again as he became re-accustomed to his living and breathing body.
A cool breeze drifted over his collarbone and blew tiny wisps of hair off of Emma's face as she smiled at him, her happiness evident. He could hardly contain his own smile, and he gazed at her, memorizing this moment, channeling it into the inner part of his soul so he could hold on to it forever.
"What?" she asked incredulously, her steps slowing as she searched his face.
He shook his head, scratching lightly behind his ear with his hook.
"Nothing, actually. I was just marvelling at your beauty, that's all."
Her smile grew wider as she ducked her head bashfully, biting her lower lip.
"You're not so bad yourself, especially for a dead guy." She hit his side with their joined hands, forcing a small "oof" from him.
"Formerly dead guy, thank you very kindly." He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it, letting his lips linger until Emma giggled, pulling away.
"That tickles! Must be time for a beard trim." They resumed their swinging as their steps fell back into a steady rhythm.
"Aye. I'm afraid there hasn't been a lot of time for personal grooming in between defeating Hades and resurrecting from the grave and all."
When he rolled his eyes dramatically, he caught the mirth in her expression, and he was happy, happier than he had been in a good, long time. Things were finally back to normal, whatever "normal" meant for the town of Storybrooke, Maine. All he knew was when Emma's eyes were twinkling, all was right with the world.
"Well, maybe I can help," she said, stopping to reach up and cup his jaw, her thumb grazing over his cheek as if she were checking the length of his beard. There was so much tenderness in her eyes, it nearly took his breath away; but it was also a simple thing, a casual thing, laced with just the slightest hint of suggestion, he felt a smug smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Raising his eyebrow, he pulled her wrist to his lips with his hook, a tremor running through him at the thought of them naked together in the bathroom, Emma perched on the counter as she gently ran a blade across his jaw, removing a thick, white stripe of shaving cream. Of course, he'd retaliate immediately by taking her exposed nipple into his mouth, biting down playfully before soothing it with his tongue as she gasped in pleasure. Running his palm over her smooth thigh, he'd kiss his way slowly down her flat stomach to the apex of her legs, where all the shaving cream would go to waste as it became redistributed on her inner thighs. He'd make her moan for him deftly as she clutched at tufts of his hair and it would be a glorious, glorious thing.
Emma must have noticed his eyes darkening at his amorous thoughts, because her tongue went to the corner of her lips as if she had his number.
"Hmm, just what're you thinking about, Mister?" She toyed with the collar of his shirt, the tickle of her fingers in his chest hair certainly not helping to calm his arousal.
He bounced on his heels. "Mmm, just some of the more enjoyable activities you and I could engage upon once we have our own place."
Emma groaned deep in her chest before rising up on her tippy toes, her tongue hitting his lips deliciously before the rest of her mouth joined it, her chest pressing into his as her fingers wound their way into his hair. He could feel her hardened nipples through the soft cotton of her sweater as his hand went straight to her firm ass, grabbing it and pulling her up even closer to him, hitching her leg over his thigh.
He didn't bloody well care if someone should find them in such a state, they'd been to hell and back and now they were going to celebrate their return in full fashion, gossip be damned. Angling his head to deepen the kiss, he reveled in the taste of her, barely stifling the moan that threatened to escape him at a particularly dirty swipe of her tongue.
Still, her family (their family?) was expecting them, and they couldn't really take things much further out there on the street. As he pulled away, she sucked his lower lip into her mouth, and he groaned in frustration, his eyes rolling back into his head as he cupped the back of her head and pulled it towards him, resting his forehead on hers and sharing a conspiratorial grin.
"Bloody temptress," he whispered as Emma scratched her nails over his chest, her other arm snaking up around his back. Given the choice, he could just stay right there, listening to their labored breathing as his heart raced and his chest heaved because it meant he was alive. With Emma here in his arms, he knew he had a future and a hope and that was all that really mattered.
"I look forward to those, um, enjoyable activities," she whispered with just a hint of vulnerability, making him tremble just slightly as her warm, sweet breath ghosted over his lips.
He pressed one more kiss to her soft lips and then released her, joining their hands again as they resumed their walk to Granny's with smiles on their faces. The sky seemed bluer, the clouds puffier. Even the sun felt warmer in this Godforsaken place that he had come to call home.
"Do you still...do you still want to?" he asked uncertainly.
"Want to what?" She looked up at him curiously.
"Have a place of our own." He had brought the idea up when they were in Camelot, trying to give her something to look forward to, a promise for the future, but now that they were finally both home and reunited, it felt very real, very raw, and maybe just the tiniest bit...scary?
They had reached the diner, and Emma turned and took his hand and hook in hers, facing him as they stood in front of the trellis. Her demeanor had become serious as her lips turned down in that thoughtful expression of hers, jade green eyes darting back and forth over his face. Anxiety crept in, perhaps it had been too soon to bring it up again?
He opened his mouth and was just about to say she didn't have to if she wasn't ready, if it was too much-
"I'm sorry." She squeezed his hand, her eyes troubled.
His brow furrowed. "Pardon?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "What you said in the UnderWorld, that I only admit my feelings for you when one of us is facing certain death. You were right, and I'm sorry I've been that way. I want you to know how much I love you. I want to tell you every day for the rest of my life. If- If you'll have me."
He couldn't believe his ears, it was more than he could have hoped for.
"Emma, are you saying?" He squinted down at her, tilting his head to the side.
She nodded her head, her eyes never leaving his as he watched tears form in them.
"I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else." She shook her head softly. "I was willing to share my heart with you physically, and I am more than willing to share it with you metaphorically. Killian Jones - captain of my heart - will you marry me?" A single tear rolled down her cheek as she smiled through it, obviously overcome with emotion, and she reached up to swipe it away.
The blood was rushing in his ears, making him feel giddy and lightheaded. He thought his heart would explode from all the happiness, too much to possibly contain in one organ. He wanted to laugh, to cry, to go running through the streets whooping and yelling in jubilation because Emma Swan loved him and was asking him to spend his life with her. But there was one thing he needed to do first. He paused, biting his lip before speaking and clutching her hand to his chest.
"Emma Swan, enchantress of my heart, nothing in all the realms would make me happier than to be your partner in love and in life. Yes, I'll bloody well marry you. Yes!"
There was a fleeting moment where he realized she had beat him to the punchline (again), but it flitted away with the wind the moment her face lit up, the white of her smile so dazzling it mesmerized him. Then he lifted her up, swinging her in the air as she leaned down to kiss him, silencing the laughter that was bubbling up in his chest.
Life is made up of moments. Good ones, bad ones, some that he wished he could forget over the course of one overly long, mostly tragic life. But he would relive all of them if it once again brought him to this place and this time. For it was these type of moments that made it all worthwhile - moments of pure brilliance, goodness and light. This one he would hold on to forever, he was certain.
While their earlier kiss had been filled with passion and the promise of intimate pleasure, this kiss was confirmation of every facet of their love, wiping away any remaining doubt he had about their future. It was a kiss that meant new beginnings, while simultaneously washing away the past. He slowly lowered her to the ground, bending her over slightly as he held the back of her head, and he felt as though he had finally found his purpose, finally found his home. It had never been a pile of wood. It was golden blonde hair, a dimpled chin and a feisty demeanor. It was hot cocoa with cinnamon and magic and Henry. Henry-
He pulled back suddenly, holding her close. "Are you sure Henry will be alright with this?" he asked, concerned, as he searched her face.
Emma smiled at him adoringly, biting her lower lip. "He's the one who told me I should go for it."
Killian chuckled, pleasantly surprised. "Smart lad, obviously inherited good taste from his mother."
"Hmm," Emma hummed amusedly, running her hands up and down his arms. "Ready to go inside and share the good news?" She gestured her head towards the door and as excited as he was to tell everyone, he wanted this precious moment to last just a little while longer.
"Aye," he responded. "But first-"
He leaned down to capture her mouth again, feeling her sigh contentedly against him as her hands gripped his collar, pulling him even closer. He could spend a lifetime kissing this woman. And he thought, perhaps, he would.