A/N: The prompt for this chapter was..."Snow dancing with Hook, until Drunk!Charming tries to cut in."
"May I have this dance, Captain?" Killian turned to find Mary Margaret standing before him, warm smile on her face and hand outstretched. The inaugural Storybrooke Ball was in full swing, complete with a drunken altercation between the Prince and Will Scarlett that Emma had taken it upon herself to remedy, leaving him alone with his thoughts and without his partner.
"A pleasure, milady," he replied, taking her hand and tucking it in his arm as they made their way to the dance floor. "And may I say you are quite the picture this evening?"
The old charm slipped back easily, taking him back to long ago balls where he and his brother had been highly sought after dance partners amongst the ladies of the realm.
"Ever the charmer, Killian. I can't imagine what my daughter sees in you." She winked as they joined the dance in progress.
As they moved with the dancers, they chatted quietly about their lives. The baby, the new apartment by the docks, Henry…..Killian found himself wondering how he had come to be in a place where he would be dancing and conversing so casually with the mother of his love, let alone Snow White.
There was a rough tap on his shoulder. Pausing mid step, he found David standing beside them, eyes slightly reddened and clearly more than a few sheets to the wind. Emma must have resolved the previous conflict – he would have to ask her later what it pertained to, as he could see her on the sidelines with a decided smirk on her face. David lurched slightly forward, steadying himself on Killian's shoulder as he did.
"Can I cut in?" he slurred, the smell of rum almost overpowering as he breathed out the words.
Snow smiled resignedly at her Prince, knowing dancing was highly unlikely with him in this state.
"Come on, Charming, let's go and walk it off." David's eyes narrowed in confusion momentarily, then a wide grin formed on his face.
"No, no, no," he declared loudly, "Not with you – with YOU."
He pointed at Killian, who rolled his eyes in his inimitable way. Snow began to laugh, and from the corner of his eye he could see Emma holding her sides with silent laughter, clearly privy to her father's plans.
"Come on, mate," he continued, "Let's dance." With that, he attempted to spin Killian around, but instead landed flat on his back on the dancefloor, bringing amused glances from his subjects, if not his wife. Hauling him up, Killian led him towards the exit, past Emma who was still beside herself and of no assistance.
As they went, David muttered drunkenly under his breath, mostly incoherent ramblings but Killian was sure he heard him say something about showing Scarlett just who was the pirate's best mate.
He shook his head in disbelief. Apparently popularity was a curse.