Emma Swan hated summer.
She hated the ever present burn of the sun on her skin and the constant sheen of sweat that lined her body, filling every one of her pores. She hated having to spend days outside without the protection of her leather jacket. She hated how blinding the world was, every surface seeming to reflect the sun's rays directly into her line of sight. She hated everything about summer. But most prominently, she hated the long days. She hated how much light there was during the summer months. She hated how the sun stayed in the sky, glowing down at her for more time than usual. She hated it.
Each day seemed to drag on slower and this made her life even harder to bear. Emma Swan spent 28 years of her life wishing that each terrible day would end so a new one could begin (although it was often no better). And in summer those days were far longer. Emma took solace in the night and in the fact that another day had finally reached its end, but in the summer that satisfaction of watching the sun set and the stars begin to twinkle in the sky came so late it made the day feel double the length. So yes, Emma Swan hated summer.
That was, until today.
Emma doesn't even think about it this morning when she cranks the air conditioner higher. She doesn't think twice before throwing on a tank top and shorts, beginning to pour herself a glass of water to cool herself down. It isn't until she's going outside to meet her boys in the garden that she stops herself. She leans against the back door, looking down the long stretch of grass to where she can see two dots of dark hair attached to bodies sprawled out on the green.
She takes a moment to just revel in the joy she is feeling, watching her son and the love of her life so candid; so relaxed. What did she manage to do to deserve this? She can feel her stomach clench at the realisation of how unfathomable her life is. Even during the crazy, dangerous times she can't believe that she has been gifted this… Thing. A family, she realises. A real family.
Taking a step out onto the decking she closes her eyes and allows the sun to flood over her, touching every inch of her exposed skin. She's aware of how long it has been since her thighs were uncovered, and it's a great relief to finally be able to appreciate the heat for what it is. She finds herself grinning widely, for once enjoying the humidity. And before she knows it she's sprinting down the field to join the two boys at the bottom of the garden, tucking herself under Killian's arm as the three of them lie there. Silently; calmly.
And that evening, when Henry has left for Regina's, Emma and Hook lie for hours again, outside on the grass; their legs intertwined, his fingers playing with her hair as they watch the sun disappear over the horizon and the stars begin to light up the night. He uses his hook to point out the constellations that Emma doesn't know, her eyes flitting from the stars in the sky to the ones in his eyes as she again tries to fathom how this man managed to defy all odds and find her so many times.
And by the time they force themselves inside Emma realises how much she wants to stay curled against his side staring up at the night. She clings to him, catching his lips as often as she can to savour the moment. This quiet moment. And she realises that she doesn't want this to ever end.
So yes, Emma Swan most positively, definitely hated summer (unless she had her pirate by her side).