"We're on a roadtrip with some friends and we have to share a hotel room and there's only one bed and a whole lot of sexual tension."
A new modern AU that got waaay too long so I'm sorry. Possibly a two or three parter again because I can't write one shots for hell. Regardless, I hope you enjoy. Will include some smut at some point, too.
- shauna!xo
They were all overjoyed when they got into the same college, screams and hugs had been exchanged as they'd celebrated. But today Emma isn't quite so sure if it was a good thing.
"Come on, Ems," Ruby pleads with her, brown, wide eyes staring up at her with false innocence. "It'll be fun, I promise."
Emma snorts in reply. "Yeah, that's what you said the last time."
Ruby's red lips form into a pout at her response, clearly determined on getting her friend to agree.
"Please, Ems," she pleads again, smiling brightly as she runs a hand through her thick locks. "It'll be better than last time."
She throws Ruby an incredulous glance just as Mary Margaret comes waltzing into the room, a happy smile tugging at the corner of her lips and leaving Emma with no doubt or where she just was. Or rather who she was with. It was common knowledge now that she was very happily settled down with her own prince charming, David Nolan.
"What'll be better than last time?" Mary Margaret questions as she comes to a graceful stop next to Ruby.
"This weekend," Ruby informs her, briefly glancing at her other friend before her determined eyes find Emma's once more.
Mary Margaret laughs lightly in response. "So, you finally told her?"
Emma narrows her eyes towards the other brunette.
"You knew?" she demands, tone incredulous as she crosses her arms over her chest with a huff, boot tapping against the floor in a repititive, irritating manner.
An eye roll is the response she gets. "Of course I knew, Emma. It was David's idea."
Emma huffs. "Traitor, what happened to chicks before dicks?"
A sweet smile overtakes Mary Margaret's face, leaving Emma no doubt once again that her thoughts have been overtaken by a certain Nolan. "Well, this one isn't a dick so it doesn't count."
Now, she's the one rolling her eyes. All of her friends were lovesick idiots.
Ruby's quick to cut the bickering short as she places her hands on Emma's shoulders, her manicured nails tapping against her clothed skin and turns Emma towards her.
"Does that mean you agree to come?" Ruby looks so hopeful, biting her bottom lip, that Emma wants to laugh.
"Nope," she pops her lips, collapsing against the sofa at her back and crossing her right leg over her left one.
She hears a mutual groan of protest as she twirls a lock of blonde hair around her pale finger, humming quietly under her breath. However, her head snaps up when she feels weight settle at both sides of her on the black, leather sofa.
"Emma," Mary Margaret begins slowly, her green eyes focused on her face.
Her eyebrows raise in suspicion, lips pressed tightly together as she feels Ruby shuffle closer to her.
"Yes?"
"We really want to go camping this weekend," Ruby tells her just as slowly, as though she's prey they're afraid of scaring off.
"And it's Halloween," Mary Margaret buts in, babbling excitedly. "We always celebrate Halloween together."
Emma sighs. "Exactly, going to a party. Forgive me, but camping is not my idea of a party."
"But we can have a bonfire," Mary Margaret continues to rant, ticking the activities off her fingers. "And we can have sparklers and we can have s'mores. Do you know I've never had a s'more?"
"A tragedy," Emma bites out sarcastically.
"It really is," she nods.
"Please, Emma," Ruby's voice vibrates through her ear, the girl bouncing excitedly. "You might even surprise yourself and enjoy it."
Emma scrunches her nose up as she glares at the brunette. "Doubtful."
Ruby and Mary Margaret's lips part at the same time, no doubt to insert another reason for Emma to agree to their stupid camping trip but she merely rolls her eyes and speaks before the two of them can. "But I'll go. Just because I love you both."
Mary Margaret's eyes light up at her, the green in them sparkling brightly as Ruby grins along with her.
"Really?" Ruby questions.
She laughs, nodding.
"Promise?" Mary Margaret asks in a small voice.
Her forehead crinkles but she smiles, holding her pinky up for her friends to hook their fingers around. "Pinky promise."
The next thing she knows, Emma's being tackled to the floor by the two of them in a bear hug, her back hitting the floor with a thud.
"Ouch," she mutters.
"Shut up complaining," Ruby tells her (or orders, she's not quite sure), "And let me hug you."
"Stop hoddling her," Mary Margaret huffs at Ruby. "I want a hug too."
Emma rolls her eyes once more. "Neither of you will get a hug soon because you'll suffocate the life out of me."
"Stop complaining," they both admonish her at the same time and she finds herself laid on the floor with them, tangled up within each other.
Soon enough, the three of them are giggling amongst each other and what they find so amusing, not one of them knows but there's bright smiles plastered on both of their faces so Emma guesses that the sacrifice (and it is a sacrifice, she cannot put into words how much she hates camping and nature and ugh-) is worth it.
As their giggles finally die down and they're walking out of their room to the local bar for a few drinks, Ruby gasps. "Oh, I forgot to tell you," she exclaims in a voice that Emma knows is false shock (she did grow up with the girl after all).
Emma offers a small smile and praying to god that it isn't bad.
"And what is that?"
"Killian's coming," she tells her before skipping off and looping her arm around Mary Margaret's as they stroll to the bar.
Emma immediately halts, color draining from her face as she grits her teeth. "Excuse me?"
The two of them twirl around with their eyes wide and matching smirks and Emma wants to punch the both of them. It must be clear on her face because Ruby shoots her a glare before sighing tiredly.
"We knew you wouldn't agree to come if you knew, Ems, and really, we agreed not to tell you until-" Mary Margaret began before being cut off.
"No," Ruby glares. "You said not to tell her, I agreed no such thing. You should realise that surprising her was going to blow up in her faces."
Emma raises an eyebrow though the anger is still plastered on her face, cheeks turning red as her hard eyes stare the two of them down.
"At least one of you is honest," she mutters.
"Oh, I wanted to tell you and then kidnap you if necessary," Ruby tells her bluntly before skipping off to the bar.
"Rude," Emma mumbles.
"Just being truthful, Ems," she retorts. "I know how much you value honesty."
She glares at Ruby's retreating back.
"And don't even think of getting out of this now, Emma," Ruby twirls around momentarily with her eyes narrowed and a long, sharp finger is suddenly pointed towards Emma. "You already promised."
"On false pretenses," she argues heatedly.
"Still a promise," Mary Margaret cuts in quietly.
"Fine," she hisses, storming ahead of the two of them. "But don't think I'm happy about this."
"God forbid," Ruby mutters from somewhere behind her but she doesn't really care.
Yeah, their happiness isn't really worth Killian Jones. She'd rather murder the two of them (and him, of course) instead.
-/-
When they get around to travelling the following weekend is when everything starts going downhill. The three of them are walking to David's when Emma recognizes her friend's strange behaviour (even for Ruby).
"Ems," Ruby greets casually but its the cautious note in her voice that causes Emma to twirl around, her eyes already narrowed into slits at the brunette.
Mary Margaret has a tight smile etched onto her features as she comes to a graceful stop and its only that Emma realises she's stopped still.
"Out with it," she demands.
"Well," Mary Margaret drawls out, clearly stalling, and effectively gaining Emma's attention as her green eyes focus on her pixie-like face. "There's been a um slight change in circumstances," she stutters out.
"Is that right?" she murmurs harshly, eyes hard as her lips press into a thin line.
"It's nothing too horrible," Ruby tells her. "Just a minor detail in changing our plans," she rushes to reassure Emma.
"Mm," she mutters, unconvinced. "And what change would that be?"
Ruby stares at her with wide eyes like a deer caught in headlights before coughing slightly and biting her lip nervously (it was her main tell, one that Emma never forgot).
"Well," she begins. "You see, it was his idea really-" and the three of them are under no illusions to which he she's referring to "-and we figured it was about time that the two of burnt the hatchet, so to speak."
"Ruby," Emma drawls her name out, pronouncing each character carefully. "What did you do?"
"It's not what I did," her voice raises an octave now, almost taking on an hysterical notch. "More like what we all did together."
Realising that she's not going to get anywhere with Ruby's vague comments, she huffs and turns to Mary Margaret.
"And what is that you collectively did, hm?" she asks.
Mary Margaret's tongue pokes out to lick against her bottom lip (which conveniently happened to be her nervous tick) as she opens and closes her mouth several times before her lips set into a firm line.
"Youwillberidingwithkillian," she breaths out in a rush that Emma struggles to understand.
Her eyebrows furrow. "Excuse me?"
Mary Margaret sighs, her hand coming up to comb through her wild, dark locks.
"You'll be getting a ride with Killian," she tells her slowly.
Emma can't help it, all of a sudden she's bursting into a fit of laughter, the sound bubbling from her lips as her head tips backwards. It's a while before she can get herself under control but when she does Mary Margaret's lips are pressed tightly together and Ruby has a wicked smirk on her face-
"No," she gasps.
"And there it is," Ruby mutters quietly.
Where laughter was bubbling previously, there's now an angry glare gracing her features.
"No," she repeats angrily. "You can't do this to me."
Whilst Mary Margaret tries smiling it off with a nervous giggle, Ruby merely rolls her eyes.
"You're so dramatic," she mumbles.
Emma's eyes widen considerably. "I'm the dramatic one. Seriously?"
"Yes," Ruby huffs, crossing her arms over her chest. "Now," she tells her, placing her hands carefully on Emma's shoulders. "Not to, you know, spook the beast or anything-"
"But they'll be here in a minute," Mary Margaret cuts in, finishing with a small smile on her petite face.
Emma glares once again, hand propped up against her hip, but glances around at her surroundings and when did they get to David's house?
"Soo," Ruby drawls out. "I'd get the anger out before you're stuck in a car with Killian for five hours."
Mary Margaret grits her teeth at the careless words, eyes darting to Ruby and then Emma again purposefully.
"Woops. Was I not suppose to say anything?" Ruby asks, lips forming into a pout. "My bad."
"Five hours?" Emma's yell booms across the street.
"Like I said," Mary Margaret says slowly, "there was a slight change of plans."
Emma opens her mouth, not sure on what she's about to say (yell probably) when she's interrupted.
"Look," Ruby's eyes light up with mischief. "They're here."
A glare is the only response she gets as Mary Margaret bounces forward to greet her boyfriend.
Just great.
"Swan."
Emma groans out loud as Killian steps out of the car, swagger in his step.
"Jones," she greets back, albeit begrudgingly.
A grin is edging up at the corner's of his lips as his eyes trail over her form with no sign of rushing, his tongue coming out to swipe against his bottom lip in contemplation before his eyes are sparkling up at her in mischief. She huffed in response, arms crossing over her chest as she rolled her eyes.
"My eyes are up here you know?" her arms waved dramatically as she spoke, eyes forming into slits as she scowled heatedly down at him, forehead wrinkling.
"But you have such lovely assets," he remarked and she didn't know why she was so surprised that an innuendo was the first thing to fall from his lips.
Pointedly ignoring him, she flashed around to where Ruby and Mary Margaret were waiting with Victor and David. It was that point when something occured to her. Both of them had boyfriends whom they were going camping with and it was the plan for the five of them to go but all of a sudden Killian wanted to come. She had a feeling that Mary Margaret had more than an inkling in this-
"So," Ruby announces loudly, "let's get going, hm?"
She glares a hole into the floor as she hears the shuffling off feet, followed by the slamming of doors and a motor revving before the screetch of tires, the four of them speeding away.
Killian coughs, clearly his throat, and when she looks up his hand is raised to scratch that same spot behind his ear.
"Are you ready?" he asks, giving her a cheeky, dimpled smile as he waves towards the black car.
"Might as well get this over with," she mutters, storming past him.
However, Killian is there before her, holding the door open ready with that stupid grin on his face again. She debates arguing but decides against it, realising that they'd never get anywhere if she started yelling at him. Instead, she sighs heavily and moves to slide into the car, trying her best not to press against him. He clearly gets what she means to do, chuckling under his breath at her theatrics.
"Afraid you can't resist my body, love?" he asks and can almost see the innuendo ready to drop off his tongue.
She rolls her eyes, scoffing. "Don't flatter yourself."
"Wouldn't dream of it," his left dimple protrudes as he smirks crookedly.
Emma suddenly finds herself trapped between the open car door and Killian's body pressing against her tightly. She gasps as his hand moves down her side, tracing her hip as his eyes trail over her heaving chest before they focus back on her green emeralds once more.
"Make sure you buckle up," he breaths against her as he leans towards her and with one last cheeky grin, he's detaching himself once more and walking around to the driver's seat, leaving Emma wandering what the hell just happened.
It takes Emma an embarrassingly amount of time to recover from the close proximity but she eventually does, holding onto the door frame tightly, fingernails digging into the polished metal as she slides in (and nope, her legs were not in the least bit wobbly) and purposefully ignoring his quiet chuckle in response.
She only has one thought going through her mind. She is not attracted to Killian Jones. Not at all.
She hates him, she really needs to remember that. Especially after everything that had happened.
-/-
They'd been driving precisely 10 minutes and 30 seconds when the bickering starts but it was probably (okay it was) inevitable.
"Do we have to listen to this crap?" she grouches, lips pursed as she twists her head to stare at him.
He laughs loudly in response. "Driver's choice," he informs her smugly, that god damn smirk edging up at the corner's of his lips.
Emma huffs, crossing her arms over her chest as she pointedly ignores him, staring straight ahead. Ten minutes later, she's just about resigned to the fact that they'll be listening to Coldplay the entire way there and sighs, shutting her eyes, deciding that she might as well attempt to pass the time by sleeping.
"I was surprised to hear Neal wouldn't be joining us," he comments lowly and when her eyes flash open, she notices that his jaw is clenched and he's gritting his teeth together as though the statement angers him.
Emma, for her part, is extremely confused and not appreciative of the mention of her asshole of an ex boyfriend. "I don't know why he would be."
Killian shoots her a look that is as confused as she feels.
"I would think that he would want to join his girlfriend on a weekend trip," he says slowly, eyes focussing back on the road as his fingers flex around the steering wheel before tightening dangerously.
Suddenly, he makes a little bit more sense.
She snorts in reply, a sarcastic comment spilling from her lips, "I wasn't aware that Tamara was invited." She hears him sigh before looking up, eyes hard as they watch him focus on the road and decides to answer his unanswered question. "Not that it's any of your business," she says slowly, "But we broke up months ago."
As his eyebrows slot together in confusion, his fingers loosen their hold on the wheel and she can see his lips part before he falters, lips thinning out into a tight line.
"Forgive me," he coughs, "But I was under the impression that the two of you were something of an item once again."
"You and everyone else, too," she bites out, jaw clenching at the thought of her ex-boyfriend and his assumptions that getting back together would be that simple (she wasn't that easy or desperate, thank you very much).
Killian continues as if he hadn't heard her speak, "But I saw you, the morning after..." he trails off lightly and she can see him visibly gulp.
Good.
Her eyebrows furrow together, "You were there?"
He nods. "Aye. I was bringing you breakfast-"
"Which is when you saw Neal harassing me" Emma finishes his sentence, eyes on the road once more as her fingers curl up into a fist, fingernails digging into the soft skin of her palm.
Emma hears rather than sees him sigh but relishes in the silence that is left behind. Before she knows it, however, the car is coming to a gradual stop and when she looks up, he's cut the engine off, staring intently at her.
"Emma-" he begins, softly.
"No," she says stubbornly, cutting him off as she flicks her blonde curls over her right shoulder and sheilding herself from his view.
He raises an eyebrow. "No?"
"No," she repeats, tone firm. "I don't want to do this now."
"And why is that, sweetheart?" he questions and though his words are soft, she senses a hint of frustration in his tone.
She groans at his confrontational tone. "We're about to go away for the entire weekend with our friends and I truly don't think I can have this conversation without screaming so no, we're not having this talk right now."
Killian sighs, "Emma, we really should talk about this."
"This is all on you anyway," she tells him rather matter of factly.
She watches as his face falls, blue eyes turning cold as his lips turn downwards slightly. "How in bloody hell is this my fault?
"You didn't even give me chance to explain, you just blocked me out completely. This whole thing could have been avoided!" she exclaims, hands waving enthusiastically.
"You weren't exactly queuing up to talk to me either, love," he reminds her, eyes narrowed and he watches carefully as she blatantly ignores him, body twisting to stare out the windscreen purposefully.
He hates the silence between them now, the awkwardness drifting through the air as he grits his teeth in frustration. Awkwardness had never been an issue for the two of them, even when they were trying to pretend the other didn't exist. They both had a way with insults, of pushing the ones they cared about away.
"Kindred spirits," he had told her the day that met at the bar (when Victor and David had introduced him to the girls they were seeing and Emma just coincidentally was there also).
"What?" her eyebrows had furrowed, looking up at him from her glass.
He coughed, "We're kindred spirits, you and I."
"What makes you say that?" she actually looked genuinely curious, beautiful green eyes peering up at him.
"You're something of an open book," he comments, watching as her forehead crumples. "Even with people, you get this look in your eyes. The one that comes from being alone for too long," he adds, frowning as he sees her face closes off.
She seems to pick herself up though, sighing lightly. "Yeah, I guess you're right," but then she shoots him a small smile and he allows himself to give her one in return.
"I'm sorry," he eventually adds, voice burning with something similar to regret and she can feel his eyes on her as she glares at the sun shining through the window. "
"Me too," she murmurs looking out at the scenery.
"I know I may be out of place," he begins tentatively, "But perhaps you can give me a second chance to redeem myself?"
Inwardly, her strength wavers but outwardly, she bites out the next words sarcastically, "Maybe you should thought of that before. Did you really think so little of me?" though her voice turns quiet at the end, the last word coming out at little louder than a whisper.
He falters. "Emma-" He cuts himself off and must decided against what he really wants to say because he suddenly begins speaking again. "You're right, I should have come to you first before making assumptions."
She hates it when he agrees with her. She'd rather have the passionate man who can argue just as heatedly as her. That was the one she could avoid, not this one who seemed determined on a second chance.
Emma refrains from answering him, no matter how badly she wants to, instead muttering out a hum.
"What exactly did happen that morning?"
His question takes her by surprise and it must show on her face as her head snaps upwards because he's shooting her a soft smile, no hint of smugness in his expression.
"What?" she croaks out.
He shrugs, "Neal never treated you all that well in your relationship, so what happened?" She watches as his hand reaches forward to brush against hers and his bright, blue eyes are gazing into hers. "Please, Emma. Tell me what happened. I want to know."
"You and Jones seem to be getting close."
She groans out loud at unexpected voice, hand pausing on her door knob and sighing loudly.
"Neal," she greets between gritted teeth.
He grins, teeth gleaming in the morning light as he nods towards her. "You going somewhere?"
"Yes," she tells him stoically.
"Where?" Neal demands, dark eyes watching her every mood.
"Out," she grits out.
He snorts. "Yeah, I got that."
Emma growls under her breath, tired of the sherade. "Did you want something, Neal?" she asks.
His face smooths out into an expression that Emma can't read, lips pressed firmly together as he repeats his earlier statement, "You and Jones are getting close."
She snorts, "Not that it's any of your business, Neal, but no we are not together."
He visibly relaxes and he even shoots her a small smile. "That's good."
"Well, if that's all you came to say then please," she gestures for him to leave with her hands.
Neal's eyebrows furrow together in response, eyes darkening as they take her in. He coughs, "I was hoping we'd get back together."
She can't help it, she actually giggles at that and even lets out an not so feminine snort.
"You're delusional," she concludes after she realises that he's been serious because no way in hell would they ever be getting back together.
His eyes soften, staring up at her in what she perceives as false sadness. "Ems-"
"Nope," she pops her lips, arms crossing over her chest and fidgits on her feet. "You cheated on me, basically called me a whore in about 50 different ways and you are the most controlling dick I've ever met. So not gonna happen, buddy."
A look of shock crosses Neal's face as his mouth parts, gaping at her, and his eyes widen almost comically. Yeah, not that she blames him for being shocked. She was pretty subordinate in their relationship and she was quite sick of it. It was time for her to grow a backbone.
She moves to take a step away from him when he rushes forward to grip her arm and a pleading look overtaking his dynamic features, "Please, Ems, you know I love you."
Removing her arm roughly from her grip, she grows annoyed and hisses, "No, I don't, Neal. In fact, I'm fairly certain that you never loved me so forgive me for not giving a crap."
He stumbles backwards as though he's been burnt and honestly, she's sure she sees tears in his eyes but at this point, she's way passed caring for him. So, it's with that thought, that she reaches forward to pat his cheek condescendingly and mutters as, "Goodbye, Neal" before she marched passed him, head held high.
Today, was a good day.
She coughs, realising she'd gone silent for a bit there and shrugs, "He was just Neal being Neal."
"So he was being difficult," Killian summarises dryly.
"Nothing I can't handle," Emma mutters.
"I'm quite certain you can handle anything life throws at you," Killian comments, almost casually, as his bright, blue eyes direct back up to hers and she's surprised at the softness she finds there.
Shooting him a small smile, she sighs lightly and considers her options.
"Perhaps," she licks her lips, "We could agree to a truce?"
Killian perks up at her idea, a brilliant smile appearing on his tanned face.
"What did you have in mind?" he asks carefully, which makes her smile as she realises that he'd let her lead.
"To be civil, I guess?" she questions herself hesitantly, "To at least pretend we're capable of being friends."
"We were friends, Emma," he reminds her.
She laughs, though it sounds almost bitter to Killian's ears, "We were never friends, Killian."
Pausing, he licks his lips before replying, making sure his tone sounds soft and as less confrontational as he can manage, "I'm aware that our dalliance lasted little under twenty four hours but I'd like to think we were creating a friendship before that."
Emma shakes her head, "That's not what I meant." She seems to hesitate slightly before the words spill from her lips, "Just that we could never just be friends."
He grins and this time it's more like the confident, cocky Killian Jones she's come to know. His blue eyes are dancing in glee as he bites his bottom lip, hand coming up to brush against his neck to brush that same spot behind his ear that Emma can't help but find it adorable even now.
"Besides," Emma continues, a small, happy grin tugging at the corners of her lips, "I think the rest of them are getting tired of our bickering by now."
He laughs too, a light sound that surprises himself, "Probably. Though, I can't bring myself to care much."
She shakes her head at him, another bubble of laughter escaping her before holding out her hand for him with a raised eyebrow, "So... truce?"
Killian frowns down at her hand but then he's smiling up at her as he entwines their fingers and holding her pale hand up to his lips to brush a soft, lingering kiss there. She tries her best not to shiver (she really does) as he lets out a low chuckle against her skin, the sound vibrating against her. His smile is positively sinful as he brings their joint hands to his lap, clenching hers tightly in his larger hand.
"So," his eyes are practically gleaming as his smirk grows bigger and she just knows there is an innuendo waiting to escape his lips, "Does this mean I have another chance to win you over?"
She snorts and removes her hand from his with a small shake, "Don't push it, Jones. And get going, we need to get there at some point today."
He salutes her mockingly, teasing grin on his lips. "Yes, ma'am.
Emma shakes her head, even as he twists the keys in the ignition, hand already on the gears and mutters, "Idiot."
"Don't pretend you don't love it, Swan," he retorts as they join the road once more.
She presses her lips and tries to keep the smile off her face, threatening to burst.
(She doesn't and soon enough there's a happy grin on his face as he allows her to take control of the radio, complaining about her music tastes as she does so.)
-/-
They had been back on the road for a total of one hour and thirty minutes when Killian signals for the next exit, claiming that his legs needed a stretch.
She rolled her eyes at his whining voice (and he even pouted at her). "God," she snorts, "You act as if you're about three hundred or something."
"Emma," the pout never falters from his lips, "I do not."
The ignition cuts off and he gets out of the car with a groan, arching his back in mid stretch and coincidentally showing her the length of his neck. She watches as he gulps, following the movement very closely with her eyes. Suddenly, his head snaps back down and his blue eyes are back on hers.
"You're right," she coughs, trying to ignore her burning cheeks, as she slams the door shut behind her. "Right now, you're acting like a whining two year old."
She hears his dramatic gasp from behind her as she marches inside the establishment, following closely on her heels.
"You take that back," he orders with playful, narrowed eyes, falling into step beside her and she grins widely, shaking her head.
He grumbles under his breath and she rolls her eyes once more. "Dramatic to the end, Jones."
He opens his mouth, eyes gleaming and she just knows he's about to make some lewd comment. She's quick to stop him, however, stopping still in front of him and twirling around to place her hand over his mouth.
"Don't," she warns with a playful edge to her voice.
He grins, "I have no idea what you're talking about my dear, Swan," he says with false innocence.
Emma bites back the snort wanting to escape and instead mutters, "Sure," as she walks away to the ladies room.
"Meet you back at the car in five," he shouts out to her retreating back and she waves her hand back to him.
When she makes it back to the car, he's leaning against the hood with his one hand on his back pocket and the other concentrating heavily on his phone. She slows down, taking a moment to stare at him - the way his eyebrows are furrowed and the way his eyes have darkened in concentration and how his forehead is crumpled with something akin to worry or concern.
Her own eyebrows furrow. "Killian?" she asks, biting on her bottom lip.
Killian's head snaps up in response, his eyes wide for a moment before he straightens up and bumps his elbow into the side door as he does so, cursing "Bloody hell," under his breath. She laughs and he huffs, muttering, "It's not funny, Swan."
"Come on then, Jones," she murmurs, "What's got your panties in a twist?"
"Nothing," he mutters back to her but he avoids making eye contact with her and glances down to his phone once more.
She sighs. "We both know you're going to tell me anyway so why don't we just skip time and you tell me what's wrong, hm?"
He doesn't say anything, just fidgets and uncrosses his legs as he keeps his eyes attached to the silver device in his hands.
"Fine," she mutters, "If you don't want to talk to me, we'll just get back in the car-" she walks around to the passenger side and opens the door, also missing Killian's eyes following her "-and get back on the road."
"We can't," he tells her, meeting her eyes pleadingly and she pauses.
"What?"
"Cars broke," he sighs.
"What?" her voice goes up a pitch and the word comes out much louder than she wants it to, smiling apologetically at the family walking past the car.
Killian sighs, shrugging. "I don't know, but we're stuck here for a while."
Emma slams the door shut, collapsing against the side of it and tips her head backwards on a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration because this would only ever happen to her.
"So," she sighs, her eyes fluttering open and turns around to face him, "Have you phoned the local garage?"
He bites his lip, "Well-"
She glares, through with his avoidance. "Out with it, Jones."
"They don't open til morning," he tells her slowly, running a hand through his dark locks.
Emma groans, head dropping to hit the car door with a loud thud, muttering "Great" under her breath.
"There's no need to be antsy," he adds, "There's a hotel not too far from here. Why don't we go see if there's a room available for the night?"
"Everybody's expecting us," she reminds him.
"Well, there's nothing much we can do about it right now, is there?" he questions rhetorically before shaking his head and steps forward, locking the car with the press of a button and holding his hand out for her to take, "We'll call them when we get there."
She steps forward but doesn't take his hand. "Doesn't look like I have much of a choice," she grumbles.
He laughs as he steers her the right way, "Not really, Swan."
"And we are getting two rooms," she insists, shooting him a glare as he chuckles at her.
He snares his arm around her waist as they join the side street, not bothered in the least when she shakes it off.
"Why, of course, love. I'm nothing if not a gentleman," he says with such false innocence that she can't help but laugh at his expression.
"You better be," she grumbles.
"But if you find yourself wanting to join my bed, Swan," he begins, his voice raspy and eyes sparkling down at her in mischief as he breathes her in, lips brushing against her ear, "Don't hesitate to let me know."
She pushes against his chest, humming as he stumbles to the side slightly before striding to keep up with her.
"Don't worry, that won't happen," she calls behind her.
"Just in case," he grins and she jumps as his arm brushes against her, not expecting him to be so close.
She sighs, "You're so full of it."
"I'd rather make you full of - bloody hell, Swan, that was uncalled for," he gasps, looking up at her and cradling his hand to his chest where she'd just elbowed him.
"Not really," she murmurs.
He sniffs dramatically before holding his head up high and marching through the hotel doors with a muttered, "Whatever," behind him.
"And you say you're not a child," she shakes her head.
"I heard that, Swan," his loud voice echoes behind him and she laughs again.
"You were suppose to," she sing songs, marching up to him and stalling as he comes to a stop at the desk.
She glances briefly around the room though she sees no staff in sight.
"Not the way to make it up to me," he tells her though there's a smile edging up on the corners of his lips.
She snorts. "I sincerely apologise, Your Majesty," she inserts as much sarcasm in to the statement as she can.
"That's a start," he says jovially and his eyes have ignited, the blue in them brightening.
"That would be sarcasm," she informs him, a teasing grin on her red lips.
"If that's what you want to call it," he murmurs, breath fanning against her lips as his body twists towards her.
She knows she shouldn't ask, can practically see the innuendo waiting to escape his lips and she's right as a wicked smirk appears on his very red, very kissable lips. "Foreplay," he breaths against her as his eyes dart down to her lips briefly before separating himself from her completely.
Emma is left staring after him with her mouth hanging open as he steps forward to the desk, speaking to the staff member behind it.
"Hello, love," he greets and Emma just knows he's adding the accent on extra thick to get to her and she narrows her eyes at his back.
"How may I be of assistance today?" the young brunette asks and Emma is perfectly aware of how breathless she sounds.
"Well..."
She tunes the rest of Killian's voice out with one thought ringing through his head. She was seriously going to kill him.
-/-
"This is ridiculous," she complains loudly. "One bed?"
"It is one room, Swan," Killian reminds her as they step into the room.
It's a small room, consisting of a set of draws, an old tv placed on top with one bed placed in the center of room (which, if you asked Emma, was far too small for two people to share). The walls were painted a dark brown color, rusty with age, and floorboards creaked with every step they took into the room, making Emma wince as the door slammed shut behind them (also, with another high pitched creak). The windows were tainted yellow with dull, grey blinds shutting out the outside world and a white painted door was situated next to the drawers, clearly leading into a bathroom.
"Still," she trailed off.
"I did try to get us more than one room, Swan, as per your request." Yes, he did, he tried a little too hard for Emma's liking she muses as she thinks back to the pretty brunette.
His eyebrows push together, "What was that?"
Crap, did she say that out loud?
His eyes are intense and almost confused as he turns around to look at her and she can't help but be fixated, wrapped up in the warmth that leaks from his gaze.
"Nothing," she mutters when he finally releases her from his consuming gaze, staring down at the worn out carpet that suddenly has her full attention.
Killian barely misses a beat before a small smile is tugging at his lips and she suddenly feels a hand tugging at her chin, warm fingers curling around her cheek as her attention is directed upwards. What she finds there surprises her. Instead of smugness, she sees softness, and if she didn't know any better, she'd swore that he looked insecure.
"Are you jealous, Swan?" he asks her just as soft, his voice a gentle hum.
She breaks the eye contact they have going on, scoffing, "Why would I be jealous?"
"I was just wandering that myself," he murmurs and she allows herself one last look at him, in the way he's staring back at her with such awe, before shaking her head and dropping her shoulders.
"I'm going to get in the shower," she tells him with her back turned, barely remembering to pick up her bag. "I'll make sure to save you some hot water."
Killian lets out a non-committed hum but she isn't paying attention and the bathroom door barely shuts behind her before she collapses against it, her back meeting the old wood and she winces at how cold it is.
It was just one night. She could get through one night, right?
-/-
When she gets out of the shower, feeling refreshed - or how refreshed you can be in a dingy hotel room - and she walks into their shared room, Killian's back is turned to her and he's got the spare blankets from the drawers, laying them out on the floor and was he going to-
"What are you doing?" the words are out of her lips before she even realises that it's her that's spoken.
Killian startles at the sound of her voice, clearly not have been paying attention to the opening of the door or stopping of the shower, and twists around to face her with wide eyes. He seems to relax after a few seconds at her appearance but his smile is nervous and hesitant and he's scratching behind his ear.
"I, uh, I thought I'd take the floor," he tells her, stuttering, before seemingly picking himself up and shooting her a more genuine grin, "I did tell you I was a gentleman after all."
She rolls her eyes, "Just get in the bed, Killian."
"But, I-"
She walks forward, pushing her index finger into his chest, "I'm not quite that much of a bitch to make you sleep on the cold floor. I'm sure we can manage to sleep in the bed for one night without strangling each other." Her statement is punctuated with raised eyebrows and a prodge to his chest.
He chuckles and nods, "If you insist."
"But-" she begins, a teasing smile on her lips "you need to shower first." She wrinkles her nose for extra emphasis.
Killian's the one rolling his eyes now. "Are you saying I smell, Swan?"
"Well, I wasn't going to say - ow, Killian," she cuts off, whining as the pillow hits her directly in the face and makes her stumble backwards slightly. She makes a face, glaring at him, "That was uncalled for."
A teasing grin is her only reply, "Not so fun when you're on the receiving end is it, love?"
She huffs, placing the pillow back down on the bed and points to the door, "Shut up and get in the shower."
He rolls his eyes and with a dramatic bow, he gives her a small nod, "If you insist."
"I do."
He pauses, turning around with his hand still on the door, "You always have to get the last word in, don't you?"
"No, I do-" she cuts off mid sentence at his knowing look, his raised eyebrows and mouth twisted into a smug smirk as he realised she was just going to prove his point.
She narrows her eyes at him laughing as she stares pointedly to the bathroom.
He laughs, "I'm going, I'm going."
(She tries her best to glare at his retreating back but really, a happy smile is soon tugging at her lips, even after the door shuts behind him.)
(And she just thinks that she likes him, maybe just a little bit-
-and maybe, just maybe, they can get back to having what they had developed back then-
-and damn, if it didn't make her heart race in her chest at the thought of being Killian Jones' girlfriend.)
-/-
He's barely in the bathroom ten minutes before the door opens and he shoots her a crooked smile, shutting the door softly behind him.
"So," he drawls out as he comes to a stop at the foot of the bed, "Do you have a side you prefer?"
It's strange to see him like this. He seems almost shy and nervous and it's such a contrast from the Killian she knows that each time he scratches behind his neck, she can't help but widen her smile ever so slightly.
She barely restrains a giggle as he runs a hand through his dark hair and tells him, "Right."
He nods, bunching up the blankets as he crawls in. She follows suit and tries not to laugh at the way he shuffles closer to the edge of the bed because she's quite sure that he's going to fall off soon. As soon as her weight settles on the bed, however, he twists around and he's shooting her a soft smile.
His gaze eventually becomes too much - so full of intensity and longing - that she tries to laugh it off, an awkward bubble of giggles spilling from her lips as she dodges his eyes, glancing down at her hands as she fidgets with the blue blanket.
"What?"
He grins, shaking his head. "Nothing," he murmurs.
She rolls her eyes in reply.
"Emma?" he asks softly and she swears she can hear a faint twinge of longing in his voice.
"Yeah?" she hums.
He licks his bottom lip, eyebrows pushed together before he shrugs and leans forward to caress her cheek with his left palm. "Good night," he tells her softly, voice a whisper in the small room and his breath fanning across her cheek.
(She almost leans in to kiss him goodnight. Almost.)
She smiles softly in reply shoots him a whispered, "Night."
Twisting around, she gives him her back, realising that sleep would be rather difficult if she was aware of his face so close to hers all night long. Her fingers clench around the pillow at her head, forcing her breathing to even out as she allows her eyes to close.
Some time later (and Emma's not quite sure how much time has passed), her eyes flash open as she sighs heavily, frustrated. Seems sleep was going to be as difficult to get as she predicted it would be.
The bed shakes as Killian fidgets and she holds her breath as she feels him moving closer. Soon enough, she can feel him pushed against her back, his t-shirt scratching the top of her back. He's breathing unevenly against the soft skin of her neck and Emma just knows he's awake.
"Emma?" he rasps against her and dear lord, if this is what he sounds like when he wakes up every day, she's seriously been missing out.
She gulps but doesn't dare to turn around. "Yes?"
"Oh," she can practically see him frown in his mind. "You're awake."
She does turn around at that, coming face to face with him with less than a centimeter separating them.
"Yes," she breathes against him.
"A patch of insomnia?" he questions and he looks so god damn concerned that she wants to hug him and not let go and god, she hates how adorable he is too.
She lets out a quiet chuckle, voice a whisper, "Something like that."
"Looks like it's going around," he sighs.
"Looks like it," Emma echoes.
He falls silent after that but his eyes don't falter from her face, watching every expression that passes. She hesitates, biting her lip, before her mouth opens before she can stop herself, "Why didn't you call?"
He frowns, "Emma-"
"I know you said that you saw me with Neal and I get that it didn't look good, I do," she insists, "But is that really the reason that all I heard was radio silence and biting comments?"
"You weren't acting any differently yourself, Emma," he reminds her, a frown still marring his features.
Her mouth opens and closes before she sighs. "Yeah, I know but-" she cuts herself off before continuing in a much quieter voice, "Why did you think I'd do that?"
Killian softens immediately. "Emma, it's not - bloody hell - it's not you or it wasn't you, it's just-" he cuts himself off, sighing, and his hand comes up to his ear again. "It wasn't you," he eventually settles for, his tone firm.
His reply only causes her to feel more confusion. "Then what was it?"
Killian's red lips are pressed firmly into a thin line and he's glaring at a spot above her head that she eventually resigns to the fact that he's not going to answer so she's surprised when his hand travels down to hers, palm resting lightly on her knuckles.
"I guess you could say I've been burnt before by a similar situation," he says lowly, "before I moved to the states."
(She finds she doesn't like his answer much.)
She doesn't know what she was expecting but in no way was that it and she's struck, once again, by how similar the two of them are.
His words echo through her mind.
"We're kindred spirits, you and I."
Then, because she's Emma Swan, she just has to - she has to get away from the conversation. And so, she gives him her back and sighs deeply, fingers coming up to press against her temples.
"We really should get some sleep," she tells him, voice muffled by the wall. "We'll have a long day tomorrow."
She can feel his frown as he shifts next to her and she thinks he's just going to ignore her but then-
"As you wish," she hears him mutter and then he shuffles again, indicating that he'd turned around again.
(She sighs heavily and wishes for once - just once - she wishes that she wasn't who she was that she could just-
-that she could just trust him.)
(But she isn't and she can't.)
(Not right now at least.)