A/N: Hi guys! I am so so so SO sorry for not posting in so long. It's been so long I don't even know how long it's been! That's bad. :( I hope to make up for it over break. Here's a CS Christmas AU story, and I hope to have a general winter story written soon.
This story was inspired by a writing prompt from tumblr user sincerelysaraahh, so a big thank you to her!
Enjoy and please read the note at the end of this story! Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of the characters in it. If I did, Emma and Hook would be married by now.
"Quick, kiss me!" she desperately pleaded the flower shop owner. She had never met him before-she had just stopped in to get a poinsettia to bring to Mary Margaret and David's Christmas party, but this was a serious matter and she had no time to waste.
"What?" he asked, looking confused and possibly a little concerned for her sanity.
"Just do it," she ordered.
He obliged, leaning forward over the counter and softly pressing his lips into hers. She leaned into the kiss a bit, to make it more realistic. After what was probably too long for a fake kiss to last, she pulled away.
She cleared her throat. "Thanks," she said awkwardly.
"Uh…no problem?" he replied, still very confused. "Would it be bad form to ask why that was necessary? Not that it wasn't enjoyable…I mean, I don't know you, not even your name, but…" he trailed off, embarrassed.
"Um, sorry about that," she answered quickly. "I just, saw my ex outside and I really, really hate him and I didn't want him to see me and try to talk to me in an attempt to get me back. I just couldn't deal with that today, so I needed a cover, and kissing you was the first thing I thought of-not that I had been thinking of it before, I hadn't, it just seemed like a good way to show him I'm not up for grabs anymore, but that was a jerky thing to do, making you kiss me, so I'm sorry about that," she finished her babbling, looking at the flowers, unable to meet his eyes. "And, uh, my name is Emma. Emma Swan."
"No, don't apologize, Swan!" he exclaimed too quickly. "Err, I mean, I don't mind. I'm glad to be of service." He cursed himself inwardly for how stupid he sounded.
"Look, um, Killian, is it?" she asked, reading his nametag. He nodded. "Let me make it up to you. I have this Christmas party to go to tonight, and I realize that it might be more like further punishment rather than making it up since you probably won't know anyone unless this is the craziest coincidence or something, but there'll be good food there and Mary Margaret and David, my friends who are hosting it, are really nice, so would you like to come with me?"
"Well, if there's good food then I'm all in, love," he replied, smiling down at her behind his scruffy beard.
"Great," she whispered, taken aback by the sincerity in his deep blue eyes. "Um, it's at seven, so I can pick you up here at six-thirty if that works for you," she added, attempting to shake herself back into reality.
"Sounds like a plan," he responded, then turned back to the poinsettia. "Will this be all, then?"
"What? Oh, yes, that's it. Thanks," she replied, paying for the flowers and carrying them out of the small flower shop a bit too speedily.
She parked on the side of the street in front of the flower shop. Taking a moment to collect herself, she smoothed the skirt of her red dress, took a deep breath and got out of the car. She walked toward the shop's door, nervousness bubbling up in her stomach, although she didn't know why she was nervous, exactly. It's not like this was a date, right? Right? Oh crap, what if he thought this was a date? She didn't mean for it to be a date!
Her rambling thoughts were cut off by Killian appearing in front of the shop's door. He looked so…handsome. She caught her breath at the sight of him in simple slacks, a dark shirt, and a black leather jacket.
He froze when he saw her. "Swan," he breathed. He cleared his throat. "You look…you look bloody amazing." he finished, slightly shy.
"Thanks," she said softly, blushing. "So do you."
"Thanks," he said. "Shall we?"
"Yeah, we should go."
They got into her car, and she started driving.
"So, we have a whole car ride, we should probably get to know each other a bit," he suggested as she pulled out onto the street.
"Um, sure. What do you want to know?" she asked, her guards immediately going up.
"Just basic information, I suppose. Anything I ask about you, I'll tell you about me."
"Okay," she reluctantly agreed. "First question."
"Where did you grow up?" he asked.
"Um," she hesitated, not wanting to talk a lot about her past. "I was in the foster system, so I moved around a lot. I was found as a baby on the side of a road in Maine, so I'm guessing I was born somewhere around there. What about you?" she replied, not taking her eyes off the road in front of her.
He gazed at her for a moment, then answered, "I grew up on the coast in Florida. We had a house right on the ocean, so I spent a lot of time on the water. That is, until my mother died and my dad abandoned my brother and me."
She was caught off guard by his honest yet heartbreaking answer. "Killian, I'm so sorry."
"It's been many years, love, but thank you."
"So, what else do you want to know?" she asked, feeling like she had to change the subject.
"Right. Where exactly are we going and what is this party?"
"So I've been friends with Mary Margaret forever, and she and David got married a few years ago. They always throw a big Christmas party, and every year I get forced to go. I'm hoping this year it'll be more enjoyable," she looked over at him.
He smiled. "I'll do my best to make the evening as enjoyable as possible, Swan."
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and saw that he was staring at her.
When they got to Mary Margaret and David's house, there were already several cars there. They walked in the house, where they were immediately ambushed by Mary Margaret, who greeted them while giving Emma obnoxious who-is-this-handsome-date-of-yours looks.
Once she introduced Killian to everyone present, she dragged Emma into the kitchen.
"So?" she demanded. "Who is he? How long have you been dating? He's cute!"
"His name is Killian, and he owns a flower shop near my apartment. We're not dating, we actually just met today. It's a long story, and yes, I suppose he is cute."
"You met today and you're bringing him here as a date already? I need details!" Mary Margaret ordered.
"Well, I was inside the flower shop getting a poinsettia and I saw Neal outside. He was probably following me to try to talk to me like he has since we broke up. So I didn't know what to do but I didn't want him to try to talk to me so I just kind of…asked him to, kiss me?" she finished.
"You what?" Mary Margaret whisper-screeched. "You kissed him?"
"Well, yeah, but it was just to get rid of Neal. I mean, we had just met! I barely even know him," Emma defended herself. "Now, can I please go?"
"Fine."
Emma went back into the living room and sat on the couch next to Killian. He reached for her hand without thinking, and she instinctively pulled her hand away. Their gazes met and they looked away awkwardly They didn't talk a lot for the rest of the party.
After the party they got back into her car and drove back to his shop in uncomfortable silence. After she parked the car she turned to Killian to thank him.
"Um, thank you for coming with me. And thanks again for earlier. I'm sorry the party wasn't very enjoyable, and I'm sorry about that weird kissing situation earlier."
"Swan, don't apologize. The party was fine, and so was the kiss earlier. It was more than fine actually. I'd…I'd like to do it again sometime, if you're willing," he added, meeting her gaze steadily.
"I'd like that," she offered, blushing shyly.
Killian smiled, blue eyes twinkling, and leaned forward. He kissed her softly yet eagerly, and she responded equally, if somewhat hesitantly. They broke apart, smiling. He brushed a bit of blond hair out of her face and, teasingly, echoed her words from earlier.
"Quick," he said. "Kiss me."
And she was more than happy to accommodate his request.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Do any of you remember my Narnia multi-chapter story (Moments in a Tale Between Two Worlds)? If so, should I repost it? If not, does anyone love/hate the concept of a stranger coming to Narnia during the Pevensies' reign and meeting them again in Our World? Please answer in a review on this story. Thank you guys so much! 3 3