ofswansandcaptains's 2014 Christmas Presents [2/?]
You asked for Snowing and Captain Swan at Thanksgiving dinner with overprotective David. I took the liberty of fitting it to the season. :))
"And you are certain that your mother included me in those holiday plans of hers?" Killian was eyeing her as if she had just told him that Santa was real.
Wait. Was Santa real?
Her boyfriend was Captain Hook, who was she to draw the line at a fat old man in a red suit visiting every child in the world in a single night?
"Yes, Killian," she sighed, nudging his shoulder as they walked towards her parents' apartment, childishly swinging their clasped hands between them. "For the last time, we are all to cook and have dinner together."
Emma casually omitted the part where she had almost choked on her hot chocolate when Snow had told her to 'bring the boys' to dinner on Christmas Eve. Throwing together her teenage son who still held on to his storybook wherever he went and her 300+ years old pirate boyfriend that she couldn't go a whole hour without mentally undressing was disconcerting to say the least.
On the other hand, her mother's oblivion to her boyfriend's age and… appeal did bring a certain sort of relief. In fact, if Snow could spread that particular sort of blindness around town, throw some Ruby's way for example, Emma wouldn't mind all that much.
"And every household is supposed to prepare the same meal on this particular evening?" asked Killian, the adorably confused crease between his brows breaking her out of her mussing on how to get a particular waitress laid so that she'd stop staring at her man.
"It's not that they are supposed to… it's… tradition," Emma replied with a shrug.
She really hadn't seen all that much of traditions and Christmas Eve dinners in her day either but now, with Killian's warm palm pressed against her own and her parents' window shining in the near distance, she found herself quite willing to give it a shot.
Henry being at Regina's tonight did put a damper on things but the queen had promised to bring him over on Christmas Day as soon as he opened all his presents at her place and Emma had decided to enjoy being the kid rather than the mom tonight.
She had been tempted to subscribe the night under the teenage double date scenario too but her baby brother saved her from the freakiness that was a double date with her parents (she merrily ignored the fact that Neal would probably already be asleep by the time they arrived, especially with the way Killian was dragging his feet).
"Don't tell me Captain Hook is intimidated by dinner with the parents?" she shot at him with a teasing grin, tugging on his hand to make him walk fasted towards the brightly illuminated loft (Snow really went ALL the way with the Christmas decorations).
"Captain Hook," replied Killian with a pointed look. "couldn't care less about parents, love. Killian Jones, on the other hand…"
Emma hummed, an amused smile on her lips.
"Well, Mr Jones, buckle up. Tis the season when everybody is forced to swallow the company of the whole family along with the overdone turkey."
The blonde came to a sudden halt as Killian stopped walking and his hold jerked her back towards him.
"You misunderstand me, Swan," he said with a little shake of his head as his hooked arm came to wrap itself around her waist. "I would never reject an offer of a warm fire and a family dinner and I strongly believe that neither would you."
Emma did her best to roll her eyes at him, huffing a little under her breath and fidgeting in his arms. She couldn't deny and she didn't need to confirm. Not with him anyway.
"I just don't want to intrude on-"
She cut him off in the best way she knew (well, knocking him out had also proven quite effective in the past but she found this method much more enjoyable for both parties). Her cold lips pressed hard against his own as her hand slipped up and around his neck, running lightly through his hair, her cold toes curling at the little sparks she could feel at every point of contact between them.
"Trust me," she whispered when she pulled away with reluctance. "You're not. David can give you shit but he likes the additional testosterone in the room and mom was the one who asked me to bring you along. And most importantly…"
Emma raised herself a little on her toes so that she could bump his nose with her own, a silly grin on her face. Because she could do this. She could be silly and ridiculous with her gorgeous man with his flushed cheeks and mussed hair and endearingly apprehensive look.
"I want you there," she smiled at him, dropping back down, just to have him swoop in for another kiss, their cheeks flushing from something other than the cold air.
"As you wish."
/
"I'm doing the stuffing," Snow waved her hands, practically floating from one end of the kitchen to the other as she distributed the tasks among her family. "Killian, you can help Emma with the mashed potatoes an-"
"Actually I think you should give me a hand," jumped in David, eyeing the way his daughter's hand was playing with one of Killian's rings as they sipped their hot chocolate on the festively decorated counter.
"David, you are making the cranberry sauce," sighed Snow with a pointed look at her husband. "Even one person is too much for that. I'd let Neal do it, if he could reach the counter."
The blond gave his wife a betrayed look as he grabbed his cranberries and headed for the sink to wash them.
"And if you two could… unglue yourselves. Just for a second!" Snow added quickly with a grin, trying to appease the slightly embarrassed looks on their faces. "I think we can get this done in time."
"I think I'm beginning to see where your bossy streak comes from, love," grinned Hook before letting out a muffled 'omfff' as Emma promptly elbowed him in the stomach.
"Keep it up and you'd be relegated to cranberry duty too."
"What was that?" David's eager face was in front of her in an instant.
"Mashed potatoes coming right up!" Emma flashed him an exaggerated smile, linking her arm through Killian's and dragging him as far away from her father as possible in the small kitchen.
Killian smirked down at her, his eyebrow rising along with the blush on her cheeks.
"Shut up!" grumbled the sheriff as she reached for the peeler.
/
David's eyes followed the couple working the potatoes across from him as he stirred nutmeg into the cranberry sauce absent-mindedly.
Jingle Bell Rock was coming from the radio and Emma was rocking her hips to the beat as she peeled the potatoes before handling them to Killian who had already picked up the tune and was humming it beneath his breath as he stabbed the potatoes with his hook to keep them in place and chopped them to pieces.
The prince was trying really, really hard to be annoyed at how in sync they looked.
"Hand me a beer, mate?" he called towards Killian, trying to break inside their sickeningly cute bubble.
A shitload of good that did.
Emma reached over, digging a beer out of the fridge and handling it to Killian, who popped the cap and passed it on to the frustrated prince.
"Thanks," grumbled David beneath his breath, ignoring Snow's amused look and the not so subtle roll of her eyes.
/
"Alright! We are two pumpkin pies away from the perfect Christmas dinner!" announced Snow as she arranged honey glazed ham in a huge golden-rimmed dish that looked so pretty Emma had decided to do everything in her power not to be the one carrying it (and thus taking the risk of dropping it).
"May I volunteer?" Killian's deep voice came behind her, making Emma whirl around to face him, panic clearly written over her face.
"What are you doing?" she hissed at him.
"Worming my way into your mother's heart?" he said, eyes wide and innocent.
"By offering to poison the family?! Pies are no mashed potatoes, Killian. I have no clue how to make one!"
"I believe I already taught you that lesson, love," whispered Killian, leaning in so that his lips brushed her ear, sending a pleasant shiver to chase away her agitation. "All you need is a partner who knows what he is doing."
"You know how to make pumpkin pie?" she lifted a disbelieving eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.
"Aye. Contrary to popular belief, your world didn't invent the concept of cooking. And I might not know much about your fancy ways of stuffing a bird but I certainly know how to bake a bloody pie," stated Killian, an offended tone beginning to creep into his voice as he pulled away from her.
"Fine, fine. We're making the pies. Geez, I didn't mean to harm your gastronomic ego."
/
"Killian, come on, it looks great. Let's go eat," sighed Emma as she leaned back against the counter, eyes narrowed at her boyfriend, who was bent over the pie they had spent the last hour on, squeezing out little roses of whipped cream over its smooth brown surface.
"Great is not perfect, Swan."
"It doesn't have to be perfect," she said with an impatient eyeroll.
"It bloody well does have to be perfect. You wanted a perfect Christmas dinner with your family an-"
Emma was already frowning, taking stock of the tense set to his shoulders and as the lyrics coming from the radio reached her, well, if she let that opportunity pass her by she just wouldn't be able to forgive herself.
Grabbing the whipped cream out of his hand in mid-sentence, Emma met Killian's affronted gaze with a grin of her own, voice falling in sync with the melody.
"I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need"
Killian glanced at the radio, a confused little frown on his face as he gave her a questioning look, his eyes darting quickly to the cream still in her hand.
"And I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree"
Emma waved the cream threateningly in his face before tossing it to the side and moving closer so that their noses were almost brushing.
"I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know"
She sang, trying hard not to fail completely on the high notes (though the way Killian's eyes were softening, hand creeping slowly up her back, told her that he couldn't care less about the notes she couldn't reach).
"Make my wish come true"
She leaned in, pressing him into the counter as her hands came up and weaved themselves around his neck.
"All I want for Christmas is you"
She was almost mad that he didn't let her be the one to finally close the distance completely. Almost. It was kinda hard to be mad when Killian was sucking on her lower lip, drawing soft little whimpers out of her.
"You, baby" Emma breathed out when they pulled apart (even though Mariah had long since carried on with her song), enjoying the way Killian's eyes shined down at her in a way they hadn't till now – relaxed, warm, happy.
Ease the tension off silly pirate's broad shoulders? Check. Kiss adorable boyfriend's frown right off? Check. Make sure the wonderful man knew how very wonderful indeed she found him? Check.
"If my daughter is done serenading your ass, mate, you might wanna join us at the table," David's gruff voice made Emma giggle even as she felt her cheeks warm up.
Killian's grin only grew more smug.