A/N Quick little piece based on a similar experience. Mine lacked attractive pizza men, but life goes on. Let me know what you think! Love XO
Emma slammed the apartment door behind her, throwing her keys onto the dining room table as she passed. New York twinkled outside her window, rain splattering across the glass. Her boots squished and squeaked beneath her feet, mud seeping into her socks and the cuffs of her jeans.
"Henry!" She shouted, before throwing herself into a chair. "Come here, boy!" A glorious thump resounded through the apartment, followed by the tinkling of bells as her cat scurried into the kitchen.
"There you are." Emma said, letting a hand flop down to pat the cat on the head. "You would not believe the day I've been having."
Henry meowed understandingly and licked a rain droplet from her hand. His collar caught beneath her fingers and the bell rattled. Emma chuckled softly.
"There's this fucking bastard, you see?" She said, pulling away and leaning down to yank off a boot. "He dragged me up and down 10th street, through all that construction and the rain and the mud—" Henry leapt into her lap and started to purr, brushing his whiskers against Emma's nose.
"Aw." Emma softened and cuddled her cat gently. "At least you care about me. You wouldn't drag me through the mud, would you?"
Henry meowed his confirmation and kneaded into her lap. Emma winced and pushed him gently to the floor, ignoring the offended look her shot back at her. Her other boot splattered mud across the kitchen floor as she toed it off.
"Fuck." She moaned, leaning back. Henry trotted out of the kitchen, the bell on his collar tinkling away as he disappeared into her bedroom.
"I'm gonna order pizza." Emma muttered. She peeled her socks off before standing up, padding over to the phone. The green message light blinked at her, and she tapped at it. Her mother's voice poured out of the speakers.
"Hi, Emma." The woman said cheerfully. "Your father and I wanted to let you know that we'd be in town next week and that we'd love to come visit you! I know you're busy at work, but call me back as soon as you get this message. Love you!" The message faded off with a gargle, and Emma deleted it, mentally noting to return the call as soon as possible.
"We're gonna have company." She called. A suspicious thump sounded from the bedroom, but no cat appeared. Emma smirked and dialed the number for the pizza place out on 14th, leaning against her counter as she listened to it ring.
"Jones' Pizza, is this for pick up or delivery?" The voice on the other end sounded tired, and something monstrous roared in the background.
"Hi, delivery." Emma said.
"Fantastic. What can I get you?" Delivery boy had an accent, Emma thought with a smirk. She certainly wasn't complaining.
"I ordered a special from you guys one time; two liter of pop, medium sausage pizza with cheese bread?" She said.
"End of the Week Special." The man confirmed, the roar in the background dying down a little. "Alright, that it for you?"
"Yes sir." Emma said.
"Great. I need an address?" Emma's rolled off her tongue without a thought. She wandered towards her apartment window, watching as the sky grew dark and the New York lights started to flicker on. Henry curled around her feet.
"That'll be $14.76 in arrival." The pizza man said. "It should be there within the hour."
"Thanks." Emma said, curling her hair around her finger. "See you then. Love you."
"Love you, too."
Emma froze. The noise on the other end paused, too, and she heard the man inhale sharply.
"I am so sorry." She said in a rush. "Fuck, I am so, so sorry."
The silence continued, before the man cleared his throat. "Don't expect a discount just because we declared our love to one another." He said sternly.
"Well, that's not right." Emma snorted. "You're a fantastic lover, aren't you?"
No silence this time, just a snort. Emma flushed and groaned, smacking herself on the forehead. "I'll be there in an half an hour with your pizza, Miss Swan." The man said, sounding far too smug.
"Thanks." Emma said weakly. The line went dead after that.
She slumped to the floor and sighed, groaning loudly. Henry rubbed himself against her leg and purred.
Emma looked up and glanced at her clock, frowning away the pink in her cheeks. "I'm gonna take a shower." She told the cat. "And I'm going to pretend that didn't happen."
Henry meowed as she came to her feet, watching as she waltzed into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. She set the phone on the counter and turned on the water, smiling softly as the little cat pawed at the door.
"Be patient." She scolded. "I'll be out soon."
Emma heard him meow and laughed before stepping into the hot water.
XXX
Her cell phone started to ring while she was toweling off, warm and wrinkly and blessedly mud free. Emma lunged for the thing as it rocked itself towards the sink, frantically hitting 'accept' before she had it anywhere near her ear.
"Hello?" She said, voice cracking.
"Hi, Emma Swan?" Same voice, same accent, same smug tone. Emma repressed a sigh.
"Yes, that's me." She said.
"I'm about a minute away from your apartment building with your pizza." Pizza man informed her cheerfully. "Just wanted to let you know."
"Thank you." Emma said. She looked hurriedly through the bathroom for her discarded clothes. "I'll be down in just a minute."
"Take your time." It was like he knew what she was going through. Emma hung up the phone without another word and tossed it on to the counter, throwing on her shirt and running from the room.
XXX
Killian Jones loitered in the apartment lobby, exchanging candid looks with the man behind the counter. Said man glowered back at him and crossed his arms, looking for all the world like an extremely grumpy dwarf.
"Cheer up, mate." Killian said. "The rain'll stop eventually."
Grumpy rolled his eyes and threw a cursory glance out the front window. Killian smirked and rested against a wall, tapping out a song on the concrete.
"I'm here!" A heavenly voice called. Her footsteps came crashing down the stairs, and she emerged, looking around the lobby expectantly.
Killian pushed off the wall and watched a mess of wet blonde hair walk towards him, tripping over her sweatpants and wearing a shirt that might have said 'Pink Floyd'.
"Miss Swan?" He asked, hiding his smile. The beauty stopped in front of him and nodded, shoving her hair out of her eyes. Killian gave her a once over and noticed that her feet were actually bare.
"How much do I owe you again?" The angel asked, clutching her wallet and rifling through it.
"$14.76." Killian said slowly. "But I do believe I'm bound to get a magnificent tip. You wouldn't stiff your lover, now would you?"
Oh, she looked fierce when she was miffed. Killian felt his stomach lurch at the sight of her.
"Right." She said dryly. Cash exchanged hands, and he pocketed it without a word, passing her the pizza with a dazzling grin.
"Some lover you are." He heard her grumble. "Full price and extra tip? Geez."
"Got to make a living somehow, love." Killian shrugged. He passed her the pizza and sighed before turning to go. "It really is a shame. You're a gorgeous woman."
"Does the flirting routine usually get you better tips, or do you get smacked instead?" Emma asked, balancing the pizza carefully.
"A little bit of both." Killian admitted. "Though few customers ever confess their love to me as extravagantly as you did. You've made my night."
"You're obnoxious." Emma said, rolling her eyes. Killian caught the glimpse of a smile, however, just as she turned her back.
"You know, it may be cheesy!" He called after her as she walked away. "But you sound adorable when you're flustered!"
The stairwell door swung shut with a bang, but Killian grinned, turning around and heading back out to the street.
"Have a nice night, mate." He told the man at the desk. Grumpy rolled his eyes again, but nodded in return. Killian walked out of the building with a swing in his step.
Three floors up, Emma Swan opened her box of pizza and tried, for the life of her, not to blush.