Silly, fluffy, sappy, romantic Captain Swan. Emma is trying to change her image, and Killian isn't crazy about the idea.
Warning: Feels. Sappy ones. Oh, and I don't own OUAT or any other of the characters.
"So what exactly is this 'care-ee-oh-kee' I keep hearing you and all of your female companions raving about?" Killian asked as he watched her ready herself.
Emma swiped on some gloss and smoothed the peach tunic and brown leggings she'd chosen for their Friday night out. Her hair was braided into a crown around her head, and soft brown flats adorned her feet. "People drink a lot and then try to sing their favorite songs to backup music. It's actually kinda fun."
Killian groaned at the thought. His eyes roamed over his Princess for a moment while she dug into the closet for a silken cardigan sweater. She looked utterly adorable, but he preferred her in her jeans, tall boots, and that sexy red leather jacket. What had gotten into her lately? She'd threatened so many times to cut off the golden, silken locks he loved so, and had even - he gulped hard - told him she wanted to darken her hair so she looked more like her parents.
She swung around, the flared hem of her tunic swinging around her legs. "Whaddaya think?"
He smiled. "Lovely."
Her smile flattened instantly. "You don't like it."
Rising, he crossed the room and took her in his warm arms. "Of course I do. It's just that... you haven't looked like yourself lately."
She huffed at him. "Killian, I'm a Princess. I should, I don't know... be dressing more like..." She rolled her eyes. "Like a girl."
A wolfish grin spread over his face. "Darling... you're hardly a... girl."
"Ugh." She poked him in the chest. "Let's go."
He didn't say much as they made their way to Belle's nightclub, The French Connection. The librarian had saved every penny she earned, and after a small loan from her father and some money from Rumple's stash (like he was going to need it any time soon), she'd opened up a pretty great place. He rather liked the former Mrs. Gold, and she and Emma had become fast friends. It would be an interesting night, anyway.
However, he soon found himself wishing for a set of earplugs. It seemed as though hardly any of Storybrooke's residents could carry a tune in a bucket, even the fair Snow White. Her Royal Highness fell flat on so many notes it was painful.
Emma must have sensed he wasn't having as much fun as she was, so she tossed him a bright blue notebook and a pencil. "Alright, pirate. Let's see you do better, huh?" She slammed back her fourth vodka and cranberry, cheering loudly for her (more than) slightly inebriated mother.
He opened the notebook to an endless list of songs. Page after page... nothing seemed familiar, until... ah, yes, he thought. This is perfect. He filled out a small slip of paper and took it to whichever of the dwarves was in charge of this hellish venture. "Here, mate," he gritted out.
Fifteen minutes and three shots of rum later, he heard the dwarf call his name above the crowd. "Would the fearsome Captain Jones come to the stage now? We wait with bated breath!"
He kissed Emma on the cheek and smiled as he made his way to the stage. He looked out the residents, so many of them drunk and bleary eyed that he nearly laughed out loud. "Alright. The Captain..." he glared at the dwarf, "... would like to dedicate this song to the lovely Emma Swan, who is not only our Savior, but my darling girlfriend." He cleared his throat as Emma's eyes widened in surprise and everyone in the club catcalled and whooped.
Delicate electrical piano notes sounded, and Killian fixed his eyes on the small monitor to the left, in case he forgot the words. It was one of the few songs he knew mostly by heart in this realm, and one of his personal favorites. Closing his eyes, he began to sing in a soft, low tenor.
"Don't go changin', to try and please me... you never let me down before..." He swallowed nervously, afraid to look out. The club had grown deathly silent.
"Mmmm, don't imagine... you're too familiar, and I don't see you anymore..." Somewhere there was a whistle. "Go, Killian!" a female voice called out. He tried not to recognize it as the voice of Snow White.
"I have not left you in times of trouble - we never could have come this far, mmmm..." He glanced out at Emma, who had her hand on her heart and winked. "I took the bad times, I'll take the good times, I'll take you just the way you are." The club was suddenly full of whistles, catcalls, and clapping. He blushed profusely, in spite of himself. Training his eyes on the one he loved, he continued.
"Don't go tryin' some new fashion, don't change the color of your hair, mmmm... you always have my unspoken passion, although I might not seem to care..." He smiled gently. The whooping and hollering increased fourfold in the small club.
"I don't want clever conversation..." Holding out his fake hand, he gestured to Emma to join him on stage. Slowly, she made her way, smiling radiantly and blushing, everyone cheering her on. "I never want to work that hard, mmmm, I just want someone that I can talk to, I want you just the way you are..."
Reaching out, she took her hand in his fake one as he kept singing. "I need to know that you will always be, the same ol' someone that I knew... Ah, what will it take 'til you believe in me, the way that I believe in you?" Tears shone in her eyes as he voiced what he'd always felt since he'd met her.
"I said I love you, that's forever." He brought her hand to his heart. "This I promise from the heart, mmmm, I couldn't love you any better, I love you just the way you are..."
Emma wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. The whole club erupted in screams and clapping, so much they could barely hear the bridge of the song. It felt like they were the only two in the whole club as Killian softly broke the kiss, his voice soft and sweet as he sang the final words:
"I don't want clever conversation, I never want to work that hard, mmmm... I just want someone that I can talk to, I want you just the way you are, oh..."
He put the mike back on the stand and drew Emma close, his mouth at her ear. "Please, luv. Don't ever change. You're my Swan. You're my Savior. I wouldn't have you any other way."
Her brilliant smile and her lips on his told him everything he needed to know.
~fin~
P.S. Thanks to the wonderful B. Joel for the awesome lyrics to one of my very favorite songs. Oh, how I'd love to hear Colin O sing this one, dearies.
A/N: In my mind, I see Emma as a natural blonde. I know JMo colors her hair, but for me, for OUAT, she's blonde. This is why I wrote about her coloring her hair to look more like her parents, even though we all see JMo's roots from time to time. Just a clarification of sorts. Thanks to a sweet guest reader for pointing that out. :)