A/N: This is my last entry for my writing week. I've posted it before but then I deleted again, but now it's back. I had an absolute blast writing all of my stories, which you can read on my profile, and I hope someone, besides myself, might've enjoyed them too. If you'd like to come by to talk or leave a prompt, go ahead :)
Disclaimer: After writing 7 of these I should be more confident, but I'm not. I have no idea if these stories were/are any good.
The first signs of winter become noticeable. It has always been Killian's least favorite season.
Days get darker, animals seek shelter and disappear and mornings are icy and cold. He really doesn't understand the appeal of snow. It always mixes with some kind of dirt turns into a filthy drab.
Much to Killian's dismay, winter is actually the time that they get the most customers, so it's not like he can stay inside of his apartment and never come out
He owns a coffeehouse named "A Cup of Jones".
It is a joke that his brother kept on making when Killian told he wanted to open one. His brother was very enthusiastic and became the prime investor.
And money means power, so that's what he used to name the cafe.
Killian has to admit that the name has grown on him and every time a client makes a comment, Killian just answers that he loves his older brother very much.
One of the only perks of winter is that customers are more prone to stay inside and actually talk to one another than to order, receive and leave. He has worked so hard to create a cozy environment and it warms his heart when people meet here.
The morning rush is crazy today and because Aurora has taken her leave this week, Killian had to hire a temporary help.
Tinka is a very social person and is very good with the clientele, but her skills behind the register could improve.
"If you'd like to wait for just a second, I'll call... Killian!" Tinka says.
He leaves the bag of beans for what it is and walks towards the bar.
"Yes, lass. What seems to be the problem?"
Tinka turns towards him and softly tells him:
"The woman here has two separate gift cards and she'd like to combine them to pay her order. How do I do that?"
"I'll take over. I'll explain it to you later. You can refill the Colombian beans." Tinka leaves and Killian turns towards the blonde lady.
"Good day, I'm sorry for the inconvenience."
"No problem," she answers.
He taps in his employee code and processes her order.
"So, that was two hot chocolates, two cupcakes, and four bagels, right?" he says while looking at the order list.
She answers positively and hands him her gift cards.
"I hardly ever sell gift cards; how come you have two?"
"My two best friends have been saying that I needed to come to this place for ages and I never did. So they figured that giving me those as a present would do the trick."
"It seems their little plan had a positive outcome."
He smiles at her and hands her one of the cards back and her complete order.
"We'll see how your hot chocolate is. I won't judge before that. Do you have cinnamon by any chance?" she says while searchingly looking around.
"Don't worry, the chocolate is divine. You can find cinnamon on the table right behind you."
The woman turns around and nods approvingly.
"Thanks!"
"You're welcome. Enjoy it and we would love to see you back."
The people who come into "A Cup of Jones" are usually regulars and Killian knows their orders and the time they come in by heart.
You have Belle, who comes in to drink a chamomile tea everyday right before her toddler reading session in the library, and Elsa, who drinks ice coffee all year round.
There is also Will. It is very surprising that he, as a Brit, drinks that much Irish coffee.
Actually, never mind. It isn't that surprising when you meet him.
Ruby likes the strongest coffee that they have, Ella drinks caramel macchiatos and the list goes on.
Nearly every new client he has had, has eventually become a regular and when the blonde haired lass returns after about a week, he knows.
She's hooked.
"Glad to see you back, lass. I take it you liked the hot chocolate?"
"I might've. I'm here to finish my card."
"Do you want another hot chocolate?"
She shakes her head.
"Nope, I would like a large cup of coffee with a quarter of milk, to go, please."
She hands him her card. Aurora is back and they hired Tinka half time, so she gets her coffee fast. He tries to capture her attention because she is very busy with her phone.
"There are still twenty cents left on here," he says, while she is taking her cup.
"Keep it." She puts her phone against her ear and walks out of the café.
"Bye," Killian shouts at her, but without any response.
Two days later, exactly a week after she first came in, she walks in again. He is busy with someone else, so Aurora serves her. Just like a week ago, she orders two hot chocolates, two cupcakes, and four bagels. While Aurora finishes up, he goes talk to her.
"Back again?"
He raises his eyebrows.
"Yes. Remember when I said I might've liked the hot chocolate? Well, I downplayed it big time. You've ruined any other hot chocolate for me and the coffee that I bought the before yesterday was delicious!"
Her gestures make it obvious that she means it.
"Glad to hear it. If you're planning to come by often, you should tell me your name, so I can put you on the regular list."
"The oh-so-holy regular list? Ruby told me of this moment. The moment when you get to coffee heaven. I didn't expect it to happen so soon."
"You know Ruby?"
In his head, he adds large cup, black, strongest kind, because it's an automatism.
"Yeah, one of my best friends and one half of the reason that I'm here today. The other half is called Mary Margaret."
Raspberry tea with a blueberry muffin.
"Ah, so I have them to thank for my newest coffee follower. I think I have enough followers to start a religion by now," he jokes.
"Sign me up!"
"And under what name would that be?"
That one is quite obvious. She smiles.
"Emma, Emma Swan."
"Welcome on the list, Emma."
Every Monday and Wednesday she comes by and after a while, Killian starts to realize a tendency in her behavior.
Wednesday she's always super relaxed. She has all of the time of the world and participates in some small talk with him.
But then there are the Mondays. Her order changes and so does her mood. She's hurried and sometimes even a bit rude. She orders with as less words as needed, pays her coffee in the same style as she ordered it and then runs out with her phone pressed against her face.
The mood swings keep on continuing until a very cold Friday in early February.
The people he expected today have come along and now it's pretty much just waiting until a stray soul wanders in.
The doorbell rings and he goes to the front.
She enters the room.
Red scarf tied around her neck, matching gloves and even her cheeks turned into the color because of the cold. Her trademark leather jacket had been switched into a black woolen coat, far more appropriate for this kind of weather.
Killian sees all these things only after he notices the worry on her face.
His world stops for a second and that's when it hits him.
"Emma? What's wrong?"
"Have you maybe seen a boy about this height,"
Her hands show how tall he is.
"And with brown hair and brown eyes?"
"No," he replies.
"Who is he?"
"Henry, my son."
So she has a son. That would explain the quantity and sweetness of her Wednesday order.
"I'm sorry, Swan, but no, I haven't. What happened?"
Emma takes a deep breath and starts to ramble.
"We had a fight because I won't him stay over at his friend's house when I'm out of town in a couple of days and instead I'm sending him to his uncle and aunt and he said that I pretend that he's a child and that he's not anymore and he just took off."
"How old is he?"
"13"
"Does he have a mobile phone?"
"Yes."
"Swan, I think you don't need to worry too much. You don't know how many times I ran away from home in my teenage days. And in all cases I returned home after less than 45 minutes. Let's make a deal. I'll make you some tea and if Henry hasn't contacted you in 15 minutes, I'll close the café and we'll go look for him. Okay?"
He looks at her for approval and she gives him hers.
"Can that tea be a hot chocolate?"
They have some small talk and 3 minutes before the time is up, a remorseful Henry calls to say he's sorry and that he's at home.
Killian sees the worries fall off Emma's shoulders.
"Thank you, Killian."
"I didn't do much, Swan."
"But you helped as for that I'd like to thank you. Would you want to go on a date with me?"
Killian doesn't need to think about it, but still waits some time before answering, just not to seem too eager.
"With all my pleasure, Swan."
Extra A/N: My brain decided to make this one-shot longer than I planned, so I present to you my first story :) This means that I won't stop writing ff, but be patient for new chapters. The title of every chapter comes from a song and this one is Winter Song by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson. I hope you all had an awesome Halloween!