Killian looked his friend over from head to toe. Hans had chosen to wear white pants with a blue vest and black pinstriped blazer. The outfit came together with a deftly tied blue ascot peeking from his white dress shirt.
"Is that what passes for a casual breakfast in your homeland?"
"Spare me pirate. You just wish you could look this good bare."
They chuckled as they strolled down the dock. The wood beneath them rumbled with each step. "I'm sure she'll appreciate it." said Killian
Hans shrugged his shoulders. Killian swore he saw the smallest of frowns. He pretended to fiddle with his hook and said, "But you do think she's attractive?"
"She has a certain air about her."
"Oh come off it mate!" He nudged Hans' elbow and grinned.
"She is beautiful."
"Well my friend, you should be given a prize for the understatement of a century."
Hans looked away pretending to admire the signage hanging from a nearby post office.
Closer to the town proper they were met with the scuffle of cement and fell into silence. Killian eyed the paper bag in Hans' hand. He cleared his throat but the former prince seemed lost in thought.
"Hans?"
"Hmm?"
"Shouldn't you have wrapped that present in somethng nicer?"
"It's not a present."
"Whatever you say mate."
The smell of grilled sausage wafted around them as they turned the corner to Granny's. Knowing Emma, she had probably gotten Elsa to wear something nice. Killian couldn't mask the smirk on his lips at the thought. He hoped that his egging on prompted Hans to speak more freely with the ice queen later. He rushed to the door and dashed inside.
Elsa was sat at a booth with her head in her hands. Killian whistled and scooted into the other chair. "Killian?"
"Shh!" The doorbell tinkled behind them, and he squeezed Elsa's shoulder. "Gotta run lass, but trust me. He's smitten."
"Killian, it's nothing like that!"
"Sure. Good choice of dress by the way."
"Oh, thank you. But…hey!"
He swerved between two tables as Hans walked up to Elsa's booth. Elsa hadn't noticed their mutual friend yet, and Killian suppressed a laugh as she called out his name. Once he was a good distance away he looked back just barely able to see them. Hans had finally sat down and Elsa hadn't run after him. That was a good sign. Suddenly, the phone buzzed in his jacket pocket. Emma.
"What's the next step love?"
"We leave our lovebirds free."
"That's it?"
"For now."
Across the street he spied Anna and Kristoff waving at him. He raised his hooked hand in recognition as he listened to the last steps in their grand scheme. His unabashed laughter echoed through main street. In his heart Killian was quite the romantic.