Emma and Killian aren't progressing quickly enough in my multi-chapter fic (Salt Water Soothes the Soul) so I had to write a little one-shot about them for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Enjoy!

Friends are the family you choose.

Mary Margaret had told her that their sophomore year of college, the year they first met and the first year they didn't have any families to go home to for the holidays. They ate turkey and mashed potato Lean Cuisine's, the dorm room they shared only having a microwave, but the tradition of Friendsgiving was born.

The next year they were renting an apartment on campus that had a full, albeit small, kitchen. Neither had bothered to expand their culinary skills much past cereal and take out but they managed to have a feast of a pre-cooked turkey breast, stuffing and mashed potatoes from a box, gravy from a jar and cranberry sauce from a can but their guest count had increased. Mary Margaret was dating David, who brought along his roommate Killian. The third year boasted a similar menu and added one more guest, Belle who shared a few classes with Emma.

The fourth year the menu changed dramatically. David and Mary Margaret were now married and Mary Margaret had embraced newlywed status and learned to cook. Everything had been made from scratch, including the pie crust. They gained another member that year; Will, a coworker of Killian's. Now, in the fifth year, Emma was curious to see what changes this holiday would bring.

"It seems everyone has paired off except for us, love." Killian said coming to stand next to Emma at the sink.

Emma was filling a pot with water to boil the mashed potatoes. Part of the Friendsgiving tradition was having a few drinks at the local pub the night before and then crashing at David and Mary Margaret's house in order to spend all of the holiday together and help with dinner. Last night Belle and Will had announced they were dating.

"Perhaps we should give it a go?" Killian twirled a lock of her hair between his fingers pulling her back to the present.

"Give what a go?" Emma asked, playing dumb. From the beginning there had always been something between them. A spark, a connection, a kindred spirit, but Emma had never acted on it. Partially because she thought it was one sided, but more importantly because her relationships never worked out and that would just be awkward come the next holiday gathering. (Christmas had been changed to Friendsmas and New Years wasn't given a cutesy name but was just another excuse to get together, as was St. Patrick's Day, Memorial Day, the fourth of July, Labor Day and Halloween.)

Emma could picture it. Despite Mary Margaret's protesting Emma would stay home alone so Killian could enjoy the holiday with them. Or he would spout off about good form, making her go and he be the one to sit at home alone. Emma cherished her chosen friend-family too much to take a chance like that.

Killian stepped closer, invading her senses with the smell of him. (Sandalwood with a faint hint of leather, something that never changed in the years she had known him. No matter the season his scent remained the same.) "Us, dating."

"I didn't think you-I don't want to mess up our holidays." Emma said hoping he would understand.

Killian frowned at her. "Are you going to tell me that you don't feel whatever is between us? That you've never once thought about acting on it? Not all relationships end badly, love. Some don't even end at all. I'm sure if it all were to go rotten we could manage to be around each other for the holidays. These gatherings mean as much to me as they do to you Emma."

"Hey Killian? Emma?" David called coming into the kitchen. "I need a terribly awkward favor."

Emma was relieved at the interruption. "Sure what is it?"

David blushed. "So the air mattresses didn't survive the wrath of a playful puppy. Given the events last night, Belle and Will don't mind sharing the sleeper couch but…"

"You have nowhere for me to sleep." Killian finished.

David looked embarrassed. "Right. I was hoping you and Emma could share a room just for tonight."

Enma was no longer glad for the interruption. First Killian was telling her they should date and now David was telling her they needed to sleep together. Literally. Her eyes turned toward Killian who was looking back at her. From the expression on his face she knew it was entirely up to her. She could say no, but then one of them was either going home for the evening or sleeping on the four-foot long loveseat next Belle and Will. Slowly she nodded. "It's fine."

It wasn't fine, but she had hours to deal with that. Moments later Mary Margaret came into the kitchen followed by Belle. Killian excused himself to help Dave with the turkey and the women got started on the rest of the meal. Mary Margaret apologized to Emma multiple times, telling her she had no idea David hadn't put the puppy back into the crate.

At four Killian helped Emma set the table, whispering to her that he could easily sleep on the floor of her room. Emma had shook her head at him, not wanting to discuss it then. At five, the table was full of food and everyone in their seats patiently waiting for Dave to finish carving the turkey. "Tradition time! Let's share what we're thankful for." Mary Margaret said.

Mary Margaret was thankful for her friends, husband and health. David echoed his wife but then added that he was also thankful for the cable package that allowed him to watch football, earning a snort from Killian and Will and a glare from his wife. With sappy look in Will's direction, Belle said she was thankful for new adventure. Will returned the look, saying he was thankful for meeting new people. Emma told them all she was thankful for their friendships and that they shared the holidays together. Killian went last, saying he was thankful for friends he could call family and delicious food prepared by beautiful women. Then, when everyone was digging in and lost in their own worlds of dinner, he leaned over and whispered in Emma's ear. "I'm also thankful for rambunctious puppies and broken air mattresses."

She nearly choked on the bite of turkey in her mouth, choosing to wash it down with her entire glass of wine instead.

After dinner she found herself on the loveseat to him for their annual viewing of Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Dressing up for dinner was a tradition, as was immediately changing into pajamas after. When he got up to refill his glass (silently taking hers too) Emma took a moment to stretch her legs across the loveseat. She curled her legs back up to her side when he returned, but he grabbed her ankles, pulling them to rest across his lap. A moment later, strong fingers began massaging the arch of her foot through her fuzzy socks. She nearly moaned aloud catching herself just in time. Emma debated on stopping him, but pleasure won out. She had spent a few hours standing on unforgiving hardwood floors helping to prepare dinner.

"Everyone have room for dessert now?" Mary Margaret asked a little while later, coming out of the kitchen holding a pie in each hand. The scents of apples, cinnamon, sugar and pumpkin wafted over to Emma on the loveseat. She hadn't been hungry before, but now she was.

Belle volunteered to slice the pies, putting a slice of both pies on everyone's plates, separated by a large scoop of vanilla ice cream and a heaping dollop of whipped cream. Will brewed a pot of coffee, pouring them into the dainty cups Mary Margaret had left on the counter. Everyone picked up a plate and returned to their spots in the living room to finish watching the movie. Killian finished his pie quickly and scooted over toward Emma offering her a pout and impressive set of puppy dog eyes.

"Can I help you?" Emma asked giving him a side-eye as he practically drooled over her pie.

"A bite?" He asked batting his unfairly long eyelashes at her.

"You just had two slices of your own pie and now you think you're going to poach mine? Nope." Emma angled her body away from him and took another bite.

Killian slid in closer, his nose brushing against her hair. "Your hair smells like cinnamon and vanilla. It's really making me want more pie. Just a bite of the apple?"

"No! It's my favorite." She said turning back toward him and defiantly taking large bite of the slice until just one remained.

Killian reached up, taking her hand that held the fork into his and maneuvering it back to the plate, grabbing the last bite of the apple pie. Still keeping her hand on her fork, he brought it to his mouth, his lips parting as he slid the apples and crust into his mouth. Emma watched him with widened eyes. "Sometimes it's better just take what you want." He said in a low voice.

He moved to hand her back the fork, but she gave it back to him and pushed the plate in his direction as well. "Take it. I can't eat another bite anyway."

Another movie later, Emma was ready for bed. It had been a long day and although their Black Friday plans didn't involve awaking at the crack of dawn for the best deals, they did all venture out to the mall the next day in the afternoon to see what deeply discounted goodies were left. Bidding everyone good night, Emma made her way upstairs and into the guest bathroom first, taking out her contacts, removing her makeup and brushing her teeth. Stepping into the guest bedroom, she found Killian waiting there for her.

He was sprawled out on top of the comforter, arms raised up and tucked under his head, raising his shirt to reveal a few inches of bare skin. His plaid pajama bottoms hung low on his hip, the strings at the waistband untied and resting on his thighs. The white Henley shirt he wore had the sleeves pushed up to his elbows and all of the buttons undone. Swallowing hard Emma fixed him with a glare. "Umm..what are you doing?"

He grinned and rolled on his side, patting the pillow next to him. "Come on Swan, there's room for you right here."

"I do not want to share a bed with you Killian." She said firmly, looking pointedly between him and the floor, indicating where she thought he should sleep.

"Swan," he whined. "We're going shopping tomorrow. You're really going to make sleep on the hard floor before being tortured like that? I don't bite, you know."

Emma yawned. She was too tired for this. "Whatever Jones. I'm too tired to argue with you about this. Just stay on your damn side and no funny business."

She fixed with him a glare as she crossed the room and pulled back the comforter with more force than necessary. He got up to allow her to pull more of the blanket to her side, reaching for the hem of his shirt and pulling it over his head. "What are you doing?" She spluttered, looking anywhere but at his bare chest. She'd seen him shirtless before, beach trips and pool parties but this was different. They were alone in a bedroom, in bed.

Killian smirked at her. "I run hot. I don't sleep in pajamas."

Emma felt her eyebrows hitting her hairline. "If you don't want to start singing soprano I highly advise you keep those pajama bottoms on."

"Worried you'll find me too irresistible in your sleepy state?" He goaded her.

"You wish." She said, turning over on her side away from him. She felt as he pulled back his side of the bedding and slid in, keeping as much of a respectable distance from her as possible for two adults in a full sized bed. She wasn't sure she heard him correctly, but it sounded like he muttered "I do."

-/-

Emma awoke a few hours later, first noticing that it was still dark outside and second noticing that her pillow was much firmer and hairier than usual and contained a heartbeat. She froze, her entirely body stiffening as her brain slammed into an awake state, realizing in the few hours since she had went to sleep, she had turned Killian into her own human pillow. Her head rested on his chest, she could feel the gentle pressure of his chin at the top of her head. Her arm was draped over his chest, her leg tossed over his as well. His arms were wrapped around her, holding her against him. She couldn't let him wake up and see this or she'd never hear the end of it.

She raised her head slowly trying to figure out how to remove herself from his grasp. She removed one of his arms from around her and he shifted. She froze. "Emma." He muttered sleepily. She waited a few more minutes until his breathing evened out again before propping herself up on her elbow, intending to lift her body over his other arm and return to her side of the bed. He wasn't cooperating, tightening his grip on her, causing Emma to lose her balance and crash face first into his chest with an oomph. She winced, knowing there was no way he could sleep through that.

Slowly she lifted her head up to face him, finding him gazing at her sleepily with a confused expression. His fingers came up to brush her hair away from her face. "Hello, love." His voice was rough.

"Hi." She muttered, flushing and trying to extract herself from him. "Sorry, I'll just…"

He cleared his throat. "Maybe you shouldn't."

"What?" She asked confused.

"I slept better in those last…" He paused to turn his head toward the alarm clock on the nightstand, "five hours than I have in years. Do you really dislike me so much that you'd deny me a good night's rest?"

"I…" She started, unsure of how to finish. If she was being honest with herself she had slept better than usual too.

"Like this maybe?" He asked, rolling to his side, pulling her back flush against him and tucking her hair underneath her, arm curling around her waist, and his face nestling in the crook of her neck.

"You really are a furnace." She replied not knowing what else to say.

"I'll take that as a yes." He said.

Emma dozed off again until she felt the press of his lips against her neck. Her eyes fluttered open but she didn't move, wondering if he was doing it consciously or not. The thumb of the hand around her waist began to stroke back and forth on her stomach, touching the bare skin where her shirt had ridden up. "Emma." He whispered against her neck. "I hear you thinking."

She frowned. "What is this?"

"Would you believe it was me trying to win you over with my impressive cuddling skills?" He asked and she snorted in response. "I know you Emma and I know you don't like taking chances, but I think you should take this one. I think we could be good together, unless I'm reading you entirely wrong and you see me as nothing but a heat producing friend?"

"I don't know what I see you as." She answered honestly. "And you think you know me that well?" Sure they were friends and had known each other for years, spending the holidays together and even the majority of David and Mary Margaret's wedding together as the best man and maid of honor.

"I do. Trivial things like your birthday is the 22nd of October, your favorite color is green and your middle name is Marie. You drink wine for the holidays but prefer hard liquor any other time. You kick ass in darts but suck at playing pool. Your favorite movie is The Princess Bride. You have a secret romantic side you rarely show. You don't trust easily. You clean when you're stressed. You're strong and independent and pretend like you don't need anyone. You need at least two cups of coffee to function every morning and treat yourself to a hot chocolate with cinnamon on the weekends. You give David and Mary Margaret a hard time about keeping up these traditions now that they're married, but you'd be crushed if they ended. You know when someone is lying and that I'm telling you nothing but the truth right now." He said, barely above a whisper, his breath hot on her neck.

Emma felt herself blushing. He was right; she knew he was telling the truth but what she didn't know was why. "We've known each other for years of course you would know most of those things but that's not a reason to date."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Although I've found you fascinating and beautiful since the day we first met. I've wanted to know what it would be like to hold you in my arms and now that I am, I don't think I want to let go. What I want to know right now is if your lips are as soft as they look. Can I kiss you Emma?"

The voice in her head started spouting it reasons why it was a terrible idea and how she should just get up and move to the floor for the remainder of the night. But something told her to ignore all of that. She found herself turning to face him, only a few inches away. His hand came up to stroke her cheek, tucking her hair behind her ear. When his eyes met hers she nodded ever so slightly, her eyes fluttering closed as he closed the short distance between them, chastely pressing his lips against hers. His hand curled around her neck pulling her closer as he tugged her bottom lip between his teeth. She let out a soft noise something between a sigh and a moan. He pulled back, looking into her eyes. One blink and her lips were back on his, kissing him thoroughly until they both broke away panting for air.

"That was…" He muttered.

"Not a one time thing?" She whispered.

"Does that mean…?" He started.

Emma fidgeted with the hair at the nape of his neck. "I've had really bad luck with relationships, Killian. You said you know how much these holidays mean to me and I don't want us to end badly and then one of us has to skip it because it's too awkward to be around each other. Mary Margaret and I started this, all those years ago in college and I think of you guys as my family."

"Have a little faith, love. There is also a possibility that things won't end badly or won't end at all. I'm not going anywhere Emma." Killian said.

"Can we take it slow?" She asked, realizing it was an odd request as she laid in bed with him.

"Of course, love. Whatever you want." He said rolling onto his back and tucking her into his side.

That didn't stop him from sneaking a kiss in the kitchen the next morning, slipping his arms around her waist, when they were alone. Except, they realized they weren't when David cleared his throat and they broke apart to find him looking sheepish and Mary Margaret grinning from ear to ear. "I hope this would happen." She squealed clasping her hands together before turning an open palm to her husband. "You owe me fifty bucks."

Emma felt her jaw drop. "You...you set us up?"

Killian's eyes narrowed at David. "The air mattress?"

David had the decency to blush. "In fine condition."

Mary Margaret rushed forward grasping Emma's hands in her own. "We've watched how you both have looked at each other for years and I thought a little nudge couldn't hurt." She explained.

Killian turned to Emma looking as shocked as he felt. "We have terrible friends."

"Hey, we're family and you chose us." David quipped and Emma couldn't help but smile. It was the truth, she had chosen all of these people as friends, to fill in the gaps for the family she didn't have.

Emma slid her arm around Killians waist and pressed her lips gently to his cheek. "Don't worry, we'll get them back." She whispered.