prompt: Emma and Killian's wedding. Requested on Tumblr.
A/N: Fluff fluff fluffy fluff.
If there was something that Emma Swan hated, it was clichés.
That was why she had always hated those damn romantic comedies. It was always basically the same story, and no matter what happened, in the end the couple always ended up together. She could tell by her own experience that such thing did not happen in real life. Those were just clichés.
Who would have thought that they would come true? She thought as she looked at her reflection in the tall mirror and placed a loose bouncing curl behind her ear.
She smiled at the image before her. Not because of the beautiful –albeit a little over-the-top; she was unable to control her mother on that – white silk dress that she was wearing, not because of the delicate silver tiara woven in her intricate hairdo that let a sheer veil fall from the top of her head and down her back. Because for the first time in all her life, she looked into her own eyes and didn't see a little lost orphan girl anymore.
She saw a strong woman who loved deeply and was deeply loved back, and who had finally, finally, found a home.
A soft knock on the heavy wooden door shook Emma out of her reverie and she turned around to see David walking in. She took in his appearance with a smile. With his white and gold embroidered vest, his beige trousers and leather boots he looked more like the king he was than any other time Emma had seen him in the two years that had passed since they had made their way back to the Enchanted Forest after the Wicked Witch of the East – Emma still had trouble stomaching that – had succeeded in destroying the town of Storybrooke. Thank goodness a new crop of magic beans, some water from the well in the forest and a lot of Emma's magic, along with a magic compass and an expanding spell to take the entire town on board the Jolly, was all they had needed to open a portal and make their return right before the cursed town blew to dust.
"Wow, Emma," David breathed, his eyes drinking her in with pride and awe. "You look so beautiful."
"Thank you, dad," she replied, feeling instant heat in her cheeks.
"Are you ready for this?"
"I think it's a little late to ask that," she laughed.
"You know what I mean," David said with a soft smile. "When I was going to marry your mother I was bloody terrified."
"He really rubbed that off on you, didn't he?" Emma asked, raising an eyebrow.
Her father shrugged. "What can I say? He's my mate."
"No, I'm not nervous," Emma said softly, answering her father's previous question. "Not really. One would think I would be about to run off, right? But I feel oddly calm."
"You know you are doing what will make you happy," he commented, voice tinted with understanding.
"Exactly," she said, a smile unconsciously breaking in her face.
Over a decade of confining her feelings to the deepest, darkest part of her soul, of not allowing herself to be ruled or even influenced by them, all gone to hell the moment her eyes locked with his sea-blue ones. She internally chuckled at the thought that the instincts she had developed during those lonely years would have screamed at her current white-dress-wearing-and-roses-bouquet-carrying-sel f to ditch everything and run away to the furthest corner of the land, but she knew better now. This felt right.
"Although wearing pants or a less puffy dress would make me even happier," she joked, earning a laugh from David.
"Don't let your mother hear that or she'll disown you."
At that moment, the clear chiming of bells and the deep melody of an organ leaked through the closed doors to their resting room, and Emma let out a long breath.
"Shall we?" she asked.
"Yes." He approached her and offered his arm to her. "I cannot even find words for how proud I am of you, sweetheart."
"Thank you, dad."
He opened the door and they made their way through the bright corridor of the castle leading to the main room, where everyone was waiting for them. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest at the sight of the beautifully decorated space that was full of familiar an unfamiliar faces, all in their best formal attire and looking at her with expectant, soft and happy faces. For a second, she felt overwhelmed, so she focused on the red velvet carpet covering the aisle. This was too much, maybe they should have ignored Snow and run off to have a private ceremony, maybe she would faint and make a fool of herself, maybe...
Her eyes looked up and found Killian waiting for her on the other side of the room, and she knew that everything would be fine.
The sight of the mixture pirate and nobleman in front of her made her smile widely. His hair was neatly combed to the side, but he hadn't bothered to shave –not that she cared. He was wearing the cream and blue uniform of her parents' Royal Navy (of which he had been named Captain upon their arrival to the Enchanted Forest), but he still had his pendants, earring and silver rings on. The kohl was gone, too, but his eyes and his smile showed the ever-present adoration and love he felt for her.
Next to him, Henry was standing straight, with a solemn and adorable expression on his face. He was also grinning at her and when he caught her eyes, he gave her a small nod and a thumbs-up. Emma felt her a little bit teary at the sight of the two men of her life there, and suddenly she felt the urge to run, to get closer to them as fast as possible.
When they finally stopped in front of the altar, David squeezed her hand before releasing it and kissing her on the cheek. Emma felt another warm hand replace her father's and turned to Killian, who was now holding her hand with the most delicate touch.
An old man in front of them started talking, but she didn't listen. She couldn't, not when her five senses were focused on the man before her, the beautiful man who made her feel so complete, the man who was her true love.
"Do you want to say your own vows, Killian?" the priest asked, interrupting her silent admiration of her man. Killian nodded and cleared his throat.
"Emma, love," he started, and his voice was like a caress to her soul. "As much as you want to deny it, you are the Savior. You are my savior. You saved me, Killian Jones, from the depths of an ocean of despair, pain and hatred, and you brought me to a safe shore where the man in me was reborn and the revenge-driven Captain Hook was no more. And you did it by being who you are, a patient, challenging, loving, brave, strong, stubborn, magnificently beautiful woman. By the gods, I know not why you would choose someone like me when you deserve so much better, but believe me when I say that I promise to spend the rest of my days making you not regret that choice and giving you all I have to offer, and loving you with every fiber of my being."
"Emma, would you like to say your vows to Killian now?"
She hadn't even realized she was weeping until she tried to say his name and her voice came out strangled and weak. Killian lifted his hand to gingerly wipe away the tears, and this simple gesture was enough for her to regain a little of her composure and go on. "Killian, considering how well you know me and how you can read me like a book, I am surprised that you got one thing wrong. I don't deserve much better than you. I deserve you, just as you are, a strong, loving and determined man who let go of his life purpose to help me when I needed it the most. A man who never failed to stand by me, help me and support me, who would never let any danger befall on me or my family, a man who loves me just as much as I love him. As I told you a long time ago, we understand each other. We are each other. We are soulmates. I have rejected that idea for so long, until you came along and change me, made me a better person. I love you so much, Killian Jones, my partner in crime and from now on, my partner in life."
His hand trembled a little when he placed the thin golden band in her finger. Hers were steady as a rock when she gently grabbed his reattached left one and caressed the palm as she placed his ring where it belonged.
He whispered "I love you" against her lips before kissing her fiercely, mindless of the hundreds of people staring at them; and she could taste the promise, the commitment, all the love in the world in his soft lips.
When they finally broke apart, they faced the whole kingdom cheering at them and clapping enthusiastically. As they made their way up the aisle hand in hand, she caught sight of Snow, looking striking despite her reddened cheeks and falling tears, Regina and Robin rubbing the former Queen's swollen belly at the same time, and Neal, with a soft smile on his lips from his spot in a corner of the room.
As soon as the doors closed behind them and they were alone in the castle corridor, Killian wasted no time in picking her up and twirling her around, a joyous chuckle escaping both of them.
This is it, Emma thought.
This was home.