characters: emma swan, killian jones
words: 3,700
summary: How incredible it seemed to her that only six days earlier she'd been entirely ignorant that Killian Jones even existed and now he was her whole world. Lieutenant Duckling. One-shot. Extreme Fluff warning…
a/n: this fic was inspired by this post on my tumblr oursharedmoment: /post/74224948782/marie-antoinette-2006-im-sorry-all-i-see-is
'Cause all I know is we said hello
And your eyes look like coming home
All I know is a simple name
Everything has changed
your eyes look like coming home
Their eyes met across the table, blue on green, one retreating and then the other, only to come together again minutes later. Emma tried to pay attention to what Captain Jones was telling her mother and father about the harbor's defenses, but she was becoming increasingly distracted by the Captain's brother, Lieutenant Jones, who kept stealing surreptitious glances in her direction. How none of the other members of their party hadn't noticed yet, she didn't know, but it was only a matter of time, so she gave him her best warning look. Emma was gratified when he quickly turned his attention back to the conversation, his cheeks taking on a slight color.
"My brother and I are most grateful for your hospitality, Your Majesties," Captain Liam said. "Now that we've turned our backs on our deceitful king, however, we find ourselves in a bit of a rough spot. We humbly ask for a place in your kingdom."
"Granted," King David said almost immediately. "We could use men of honor such as yourselves in our Navy."
"I shudder to think of what would have happened if your King had gotten his hands on the poison you spoke of," Queen Snow added, exchanging a look with her husband. "We're much indebted to you for warning us, and we gladly welcome you into our kingdom."
"Thank you, Your Majesties," Liam said appreciatively. "We're honored, aren't we, little brother?"
"Yes, quite," Killian answered, tipping his head to them all. "We can never repay you for the kindness you've shown us these last few days."
His eyes strayed over to her as he spoke, and there was a heat to his gaze that made her shiver and look away. When she'd regained control of herself and looked back at him, he was looking towards her father as though nothing between them had passed.
"May I be excused?" she asked abruptly, making a sudden decision. All eyes in the room turned to her, but she was only acutely aware of one pair. She appealed to her parents. "I'd like to go riding before it turns dark outside."
Her father gave her an indulgent smile. "Alright, but take one of the guards with you," he directed. "And be back before dinner is served."
"Perhaps Lieutenant Jones could be my escort," Emma suggested, catching Killian's surprised look before he quickly schooled his features into a mask of mild interest. "It would be a lovely way to show him the kingdom."
"What a charming idea," Snow said, gracing both her and Killian with a smile.
"It would be my pleasure to accompany the Princess," Killian said, and if Emma detected a slight purr in the way he spoke the word 'pleasure', no one else did.
"Well, off you go then," Charming bid them, and Emma leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek. "I trust that my daughter is safe in your hands, Lieutenant?"
"Aye, Your Highness," Killian answered, a smile playing around his lips. "She will come to no harm whilst with me, I swear it."
Tired of being spoke of as though she were not in the room, Emma rose from the table, causing the three men to do the same. "Mother, Father," she said, curtseying to both before doing the same to the Captain. "Captain Jones."
"My lady," Liam said, bowing to her in return. "I pray your company will boost my little brother's spirits. He can be quite reserved at times."
"I shall endeavor to liven him up then," Emma told him, smiling at the glare Killian directed his brother's way. "Come along, Lieutenant, I long for the wind in my hair."
Killian offered her his arm which she accepted, curling her hand around his bicep. They left the room and walked down the hall in silence, both of them brimming with tension. She steered him to a lesser used corridor and sighed when the hall was finally devoid of servants and guards.
"I thought we'd never be allowed to leave," Emma whispered breathlessly, pulling Killian with her so that she was pressed between him and the wall.
Nothing else was said as his lips touched hers, gently and chaste at first before gradually deepening. Emma tilted her head, trying to gain as much access to his mouth as possible. Killian's hands lay firmly on her hips, and Emma could feel his resolve failing him as he struggled not to close the distance between their bodies. She smoothed her hands up his uniform, resting them finally on the sides of his face, enjoying the rough texture of his subtle stubble as she traced his cheeks with her fingers. At the first touch of her tongue to his, he groaned and broke away from her, kissing along her jawline and down her neck.
"You nearly gave us away back there," Emma gasped out. "I could very well feel you undressing me with your eyes. I'm surprised no one else noticed."
"How can I help myself when you look so bloody gorgeous?" he asked her, continuing his path downward. "And this dress," he groaned, "I could write several sonnets about the merits of this particular gown."
He pressed his lips reverently along the tops of her breasts that the dress revealed, and she shuddered against him, desire pooling in the pit of her stomach. Every day he got bolder with his touches, and every day she wanted him that much more. No man had ever made her feel this way in all of her 20 years, and she'd only known Killian for five days. It had been a whirlwind five days, however, with many heated glances and casual touches of the hand and shoulder that had led to stolen embraces and heartfelt declarations.
Lieutenant Killian Jones had been shy enough when they'd met, but when she'd found him in her usual reading spot on a balcony overlooking the water, she'd come to find out that he wasn't simply a strait-laced sailor. There was a wit in him that gave way to a delightful banter between them, and although most of his jokes were terrible, something about the way he said them, not to mention the goofy smile that accompanied them, made her laugh until her stomach hurt. He was the perfect gentleman when the situation called for it, but she had discovered he was not above dipping into his mischievous side when the opportunity arose. And it had; many times thus far.
A smattering of voices that seemed to come from around the corner reached them, and he drew his head up, alert and putting a respectable amount of distance between them once more. The loss of his body heat was jarring to Emma, but she managed to put herself to rights easily enough, and Killian extended his arm once more to her just as a few of the dwarves came barreling around the corner.
"Alright there, Princess?" Grumpy asked her, taking in her flushed cheeks. He gave Killian a none too friendly once over.
"I'm perfectly fine, Grumpy," she told him, waving at him, Happy, and Doc as she and Killian passed by. "See you later."
Once they were out of earshot, Emma steered him down a flight of stairs. "Come, I know of a place we can be alone," she said quietly.
"Lead on, then, my lady."
The wind in her hair and a horse between her thighs relaxed Emma like nothing else. The sun was high above them, bathing the Enchanted Forest in light and many of the kingdom's citizens were out and about. Emma smiled and waved and played the part of beloved Princess, but as soon as they cleared the castle gates, she urged her horse into a gallop, glad to be free of her responsibilities even if it was only for the afternoon. She looked back at at Killian who seemed to struggle with directing his horse.
"I'd be more comfortable on a ship," he called, noticing her amusement.
"No doubt," she said, slowing down to ride alongside him. "Just relax your grip a little bit. Your horse knows what to do."
He did as she advised and seemed to ride with more ease. He smiled his thanks. "Who knew I was riding with an expert equestrian?" he quipped.
Emma laughed. "I am far from an expert," she told him. "My mother is not fond of horse, but my father has taught me everything he knows. Riding is in my blood."
Killian regarded as though she were a marvel. "So, let me get this straight," he said. "You're an amazing rider, an excellent marksman, and you're good with a blade; you're beautiful, intelligent, and funny: I'm doing my best to find a fault with you, my lady, and I'm afraid I'm coming up quite short."
"I can't sing," Emma admitted, feeling her cheeks flush with color at his flattering words. "And I'm a frightful dancer. I step on everyone's toes. My father thinks it's hilarious, calls me his graceful Swan."
"I know I wouldn't mind you stepping on my toes if I had the good fortune of being your dance partner," Killian said, giving her a soft smile.
She returned it, feeling her head swimming with him and his smile and compliments and kisses. She urged her hose faster, eager to reach their destination so that they could be together in the open air with no fear that someone would come upon them.
They rode until they could only just see the top turrets of the castle. They had come to a little meadow, full sunshine and flowers in shades of blues, pink, yellow, and white. Killian dismounted, albeit it rather clumsily, from his horse and came around to help her off hers, the perfect gentleman until he pulled her close to steal a kiss. They let the horses graze, confident that they wouldn't stray, and soon they found themselves on a blanket in the middle of the meadow.
Killian lay on his back, hands underneath his head, the picture of relaxation, while Emma lean upon her elbow gazing down at him. She played with his fringe, brushing it this way and that, and he opened his eyes lazily, that goofy smile of his taking form as he looked up at her. After a moment, though, his smile faded and his brow furrowed. She attempted to smooth it out with her fingers, but he pulled her hand away, kissing the back of her palm and laying it on his chest.
"My head knows this is wrong," he whispered, and the blue of his eyes seemed to burn with an intensity that she hadn't seen yet. "I should not be betraying the trust of your parents after the kindness they have shown me. I am but a poor sailor; to covet their only daughter, their princess, and risk her reputation goes against all my principles. My head knows this is wrong," he said again, looking as though every word gave him pain.
"And what of your heart?" Emma asked, moving her hand to where she could feel it beating inside his chest. "What does your heart say?"
"My heart," Killian breathed. "My heart is selfish and tells me that I love you, and that I shall never love another as much as I do you."
"My heart tells me the same," she said fiercely, and he met her halfway, crushing his lips against hers.
He threaded his fingers through her hair and maneuvered them so that she was on her back, his upper body covering hers. Everything around her disappeared; she could not longer hear the birds chirping in the forest nor feel the sun on her skin. There was only him: only the touch of Killian's lips on hers; only the texture of his jacket against her hand as she gripped his shoulder; only the sound of their sighs as their lips met over and over again. The kiss was passionate and soul-shaking and so right that there was no possibility of it being wrong. They broke apart after minutes, both of their chests heaving with exertion. He pressed open-mouth kisses down her neck and collarbone.
"You are a siren come up from the depths to tempt me," he murmured between caresses. "When I wake from this dream, I shall be back on my brother's ship, I am certain."
"I am very real, I assure you," she breathed, pulling his head back up from his wanderings to press their foreheads together.
"Nay, you must be a dream," Killian persisted, his blue eyes captivating her. "Only in my dreams would such a beautiful creature deign to let me hold her in my arms."
His pretty words caused her heart to skip a beat, but he also seemed too good to be true to her. "And how many girls have you told that to?" Emma asked him, struggling to remain indifferent. With his striking looks, she was sure he probably had a girl in every port back in his kingdom.
He pulled back slightly to look at her seriously. "Only you, Emma," he said, and his name on her lips seemed more intimate than any kisses they'd shared. "The moment I saw you erased all thought of other dalliances in my head. There will never be anyone else for me."
"Nor I," she vowed.
She should have been overwhelmed by their declarations, but she wasn't. She could no more explain her feelings for him than she could explain why the sky was blue or why the run rose and set each day. The connection had been instantaneous; one minute it hadn't been there and then the next it had, filling the empty space in her heart that she hadn't even known was there.
Killian dipped his head down to capture her lips once again and she lost herself in the sensation of his mouth moving ardently over hers. She responded enthusiastically, cupping the sides of his face in her hands, holding him to her for as long as possible. They broke away but remained close, breaths mingling as they tried to control their racing hearts.
Finally, Killian rolled onto his back and Emma spooned up against his side. He brought his arm around her, pulling her close, and sighed deeply.
"Who am I fooling?" he asked quietly. "I am a penniless sailor, an orphan, a man of no consequence to anyone. I'm hardly worthy of you, Emma."
Emma pushed herself up to look him dead in the eye. "Killian, I would love you no more or less if you were the richest sultan or the poorest pirate," she said, trembling with the strength of her love for him. "Yes, I am a princess, but I am first and foremost a woman, a woman in love, and I will not let you try to be noble about this. We will figure something out."
She flopped back down next to him, laying her hand against his chest, thinking. There were only two people in the whole kingdom who would understand their love, two people who had had a similar whirlwind romance, and it just so happened that those two people were her parents. Emma knew they would support her completely when she told them about her and Killian.
"What do you mean you're in love with him?" King David demanded, looking incredulously from Emma to Killian as they stood before him. "You just met him!"
"Papa, please," Emma pleaded. She had no idea that he'd react this way, and she sent her mother a beseeching look. "We've spent the last five days in each other's company and it's been the best five days of my life."
Her father made no acknowledgement that he'd heard her words, instead focusing his glare on Killian. "Sneaking around with my daughter behind my back," he accused. "Is this the thanks I am to receive for granting you and your brother a place in my kingdom. I ought to have you placed in the stocks!"
"Your Majesty, I—"
"Papa!"
"Charming."
It was her mother's stern voice and gentle touch on his arm that made her father take a deep, calming breath. Beside her, Killian had turned pale, and Emma grabbed his hand in hers, squeezing it encouragingly. Her father caught this gesture and gave her a warning glance, but she stubbornly continued to hold on even when Killian attempted to let go.
David threw an incredulous look at his wife. "Snow, control your daughter, please," he said, gesticulating wildly to Emma.
"Papa, I am twenty years old," she said firmly. "I think I know by own heart by now."
David scoffed, but Snow stopped him from speaking with a calm glance. She turned to Emma and Killian.
"We've heard from Emma, but what of you, Lieutenant?" he mother asked. "Do you feel the same as our daughter?"
Killian exchanged a reassuring look with Emma before addressing Snow. "Aye, my lady," he said. "Your daughter is the most amazing, brilliant, and beautiful woman I've ever come across. I know we've only known each other a short time, but I feel this pull to her that I've never felt before. When I'm not with her, she's the only thing that fills my thoughts and I ache to be in her presence again. When she's sad, I find myself doing and saying anything to put a smile on her face. When I am with her, I feel as though I could accomplish anything as long as she is by my side. There was no one before her, and there will be no one after her. I love her with every fiber of my being."
At some point during his speech, Killian had turned from her mother to face Emma, and as a tear escaped her eye, he wiped it away tenderly. For a moment, they were the only two people in the room. Killian's eyes shone brightly with his love and Emma knew hers did the same.
Her father cleared his throat pointedly, breaking them out of their reverie. They both turned to her parents' thrones expectantly, and Emma was relieved to see that some of the ire had faded from her father's expression.
"Emma, is this truly what you want?" her father asked.
Emma nodded. "It is," she said. She took a deep breath. "Everyone knows the stories about you and Mother, about how you met and fell in love. I know they all say I'm the product of True Love, and, I've never completely believed in any of that: true love, love at first sight, true love's kiss. And, well, now I do."
She glanced at Killian and her brought her hand up to kiss the back of her palm. "Papa, you've always said that once you find true love, you have to fight for it because it can never be replaced. I will fight for Killian and I to be together because I know I will never be happy with anyone else. He is it for me."
Her mother and father engaged in what appeared to be a silent conversation before the King smiled and took the Queen's hand in his.
"All we've ever wanted is your happiness, Emma," her father told her. "And if Lieutenant Jones is the one who makes you happy, then so be it. Your mother and I give you two our blessing."
Emma released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, a wide smile of unbridled joy blossoming over her face. Not caring a whit about propriety, she threw her arms around Killian, hugging him tightly. They kept an arm around each other's waist as they turned to face her parents again.
"We have one condition, however," her mother said, causing both of them to tense up. "We are requiring that you carry out a standard length courtship before you are married."
"A standard length courtship?" Emma repeated. "But that's a whole year!"
Next to her, Killian cleared his throat. "Let's not look a gift horse in the mouth, my love," he whispered.
He was right, of course. She smiled innocently at her parents. "On second thought, a year is perfectly agreeable."
Her parents and Killian laughed, and she left his embrace to envelop both her mother and father in exuberant hugs, murmuring words of love and thanks before skipping back to Killian's side.
Killian bowed to both David and Snow, laying his hand over his heart. "I know I have nothing to offer in return for Emma's hand," Killian said quietly but no less passionately, "But I promise to love, honor, and cherish her for the rest of my life, so...I thank you for allowing me the chance to do so."
He looked down at her reverently, and Emma couldn't help but reach up to cup his cheek. She felt giddy with happiness and it all had to do with him. How incredible it seemed to her that only six days earlier she'd been entirely ignorant that Killian Jones even existed and now he was her whole world. She could not imagine her life without him.
"Look at them," she vaguely heard her father say to her mother. "Were we ever that bad?"
"Shush, I think it's sweet," her mother sighed.
"Do you think they would notice if we left."
"No, I don't expect they'd notice at all."
a/n: I've been dying to write a Lieutenant Duckling fic for a while now, and this just came to me. Hope you enjoyed it!