Part one of a series of mostly unrelated drabbles, set in Neverland sometime before THE KISS.
Obviously, I own nothing related to OUAT.
She wasn't sure how exactly it had started, this time.
One moment they had been sitting quietly, out of sight but not completely out of the hearing range of the rest of the group. They'd been talking, about nothing really, but then he'd mentioned Neal and Henry. What was probably meant to be a comforting gesture had, within moments, turned into an explosive argument.
She had said something particularly spiteful, he had started to walk away.
Immediately regretting her outburst (for reasons that had absolutely nothing to do with the wounded look in his eyes), she groaned and started after him. "No, Killian, wait-"
He stopped and slowly turned to face her. She thought she saw a flicker of emotion cross his face, but then it was gone, replaced by his trademark flirtatious, walls-up smirk. "Killian?"
"Ye-what?"
"You just called me 'Killian'."
Taken aback, she fumbled for a reply. "Well, yeah. That's...that's your name."
"You've never called me that before."
"Of course I have! Why wouldn't-"
"No, love, you haven't." His infuriating smirk widened into a full-on grin. "It's always been 'Hook'. This is the first time you've acknowledged my real name."
Now completely flustered, she just glared at him. "So?"
"I feel like it's a big step for our...relationship."
"Relationship?" She scoffed half-heartedly. "Yeah, right."
"Deny it all you like, Emma. You're finally giving in to my truly irresistible charms."
"Gag me." He canted his head as if he were considering it, and she rolled her eyes. "Anyways, I just wanted to...apologize." She looked up at him, but he remained silent. And expectant. She groaned and rubbed her eyes tiredly. "I'm sorry," she bit out, her head still in her hands, "for freaking out when you were just, I dunno, trying to help. It's not your fault, I'm just…" She raised her head when she felt his hand brush gently against her arm.
"Apology accepted," he said softly.
After a moment that seemed just a little bit too comfortable for a little bit too long, she pulled away slightly. "Well," she huffed, straightening her shoulders. "Good. Glad that's...taken care of."
He scoffed slightly and started to walk away, smiling gently. And before she realized what she was doing, Emma softly called after him, "And thank you, for trying to help...Killian."