A/N: A thousand apologies for the delay! I found myself incredibly busy this week. I hope to be on a better schedule from here on out. Enjoy!
Chapter Four | Engagement Party Brunch
Killian wakes up to the smell of Emma in his nose, a pleasant scent he's almost desperate to get more of.
He smiles to himself and shifts in bed, as if it'll give him more of the smell. When his eyes peel open, he finds himself with Emma's hair against his nose, while her body lies curled away from him.
Right. They'd fallen asleep together in her bed.
And he's probably in love with her.
Right.
Killian rolls onto his back and claps his hand over his eyes as he steadies himself. Today they'll celebrate their engagement with her family, and he presumes her friends from this country of hers will be there too.
It'll be interesting to see what she's like with them, and to get the details of what she was like as princess of this country.
Emma's phone suddenly begins vibrating before a gentle alarm begins to play. Emma stirs slightly beside him. The song gets louder and louder and then she grunts and grabs for the device to shut it off.
Relieved, she sighs and collapses back into place.
"If you're going to have a shower, you should do it now." Emma says in a tired grumble.
Killian sits upright and stretches his legs out over the edge of the bed before he shuffles into the giant closet for his clothes.
He returns to the bedroom and finds himself staring at Emma for just a few seconds too long, enjoying the sleepy way she stretches her arms above her head while she rolls onto her back.
She looks over at him and it's only then that he realizes he needs to move for sake of maintaining some degree of control over the situation. He pulls on a smile, lifts his eyebrows playfully, and goes into the bathroom.
It's big and bright, with frosted glass windows letting the morning light in.
Killian sets his things down and turns to face himself in the vanity mirror. He meets his own eyes and sighs heavily.
"What have you done?" he asks in a quiet whisper. He lifts an eyebrow. "Better yet, what are you going to do?"
His reflection has no response to either question, so he shakes his head and turns to the shower to get his morning routine started.
/
"What do you do at an engagement party brunch?" Killian asks Emma while she rifles through her closet in search of a pair of shoes that will match the pretty white and maroon dress she's wearing.
She's a vision today, with her hair tied up in a ponytail that brushes against her back every time she takes a step and her long legs on display. It's doing absolutely nothing for his heart.
"Um… I guess you celebrate your engagement over brunch," Emma replies with a little quirk of her eyebrow. "And don't freak out, but I think there are going to be a lot of people there."
Killian narrows his eyes slightly as worry begins to stir within him. "Emma, you don't think there would be… media photographers there, do you?"
He hears her stop moving. It feels as if the air has been sucked out of the room.
"Well, now that you mention it," Emma steps out of the room, hands on her hips. She wears a worried scowl. "Yeah. Probably."
Killian sighs. "I suppose we just have to play along. I mean, your family already loves me and knows who I am so it isn't as if we can hide from anyone else."
Emma throws her head back on a groan. "I just wanted an easy week."
Killian moves quickly toward her and presses his hands against her arms. "Hey, they might not be there. It might just be brunch with your parents and Leo. Easy does it."
She gives him a weary look. "You clearly don't know my mother."
He tilts his head to the side and smirks. "You've got me. I promised I'd help you however you needed it, so you need not worry." Killian lifts his pointer finger to her nose and bops it. She scrunches her face up and laughs. "There it is. I've missed hearing you laugh."
Emma rolls her eyes slightly, a smile still on her lips. She takes a step away from him and toward the nightstand where her engagement ring sits. She slides it onto her finger and turns back to him.
"Okay. You ready to take on the day, fiancé?"
"As I'll ever be."
/
Brunch is held in the ballroom, complete with an assortment of nearly anything he could ever possibly think up or desire all set out on tables beneath strung up lines of sparkling lights and flowers in mason jars on cloth in Christmas colors.
There are servants ready to help him at every turn, something he'd be overwhelmed by were he not taking avid notice of just how nervous Emma seems by all of the attention.
There's a banner hanging over it all, with the words Congratulations Emma and Killian! written on it. All around the room, there are a great number of individuals he hasn't had the pleasure of meeting just yet.
Emma takes a steadying breath as they approach the party.
"You alright?" he asks lowly. He reaches for her hand and she takes it, gripping it tight.
"I don't know yet. Let's see how this goes."
"Emma! Killian!" Mary Margaret practically sings as soon as she sees them. "Good morning!"
Killian chuckles and bends down to kiss her cheeks as she kisses his. "Good morning, Mrs. Nolan. This looks like a fantastic party."
"Oh, I'm glad you think so." Mary Margaret grins. She turns to her daughter, who has since let go of his hand and instead holds her own in front of her middle. "Emma, you look beautiful. Doesn't she look gorgeous, Killian?"
Killian stares at Emma and takes in her look again. He's made just the slightest bit breathless by it, even if he's been looking at her all morning.
"Aye," he says, surely smiling like a fool. "Absolutely breathtaking."
Emma blushes ever so slightly, as if embarrassed she's embarrassed, and looks away from him, at her mother instead. "So who's here, Mom?"
"Oh, I invited members of the council and some of your friends." Mary Margaret says. She smiles at Killian. "I hope you don't mind, Killian. I know it's probably awkward not knowing anyone."
Killian shrugs it off. "No, not at all. I'm sure they're all just as curious about me."
Emma meets his eyes and smiles softly. "They'll love you."
He can't help but feel encouraged by her words. He hadn't realized he needed it before coming down to brunch and seeing all of the people gathered to, well, meet him. It's a big deal, apparently, the princess coming home with her fiancé.
He supposes it has been five years since she's been back, so the excitement everyone must be feeling is exponentially more than he can fathom.
"Now, I know this is probably going to seem overbearing, Emma, and you can say no," Mary Margaret says, already seemingly quite apologetic. "But I asked a few photographers to come and I had hoped we could get a few pictures out as our official announcement of your engagement a little later today."
Mary Margaret looks between them with a nervous smile. He knows she means well, but an official announcement of any kind is terrifying in just about every aspect. He's sure Emma will say no- she has to if she wants to maintain the secret nature of their pretending.
But to his complete and utter surprise, Emma wraps her hands around his arm and nods.
"Yeah. That's fine. I don't mind."
She's grinning when he looks down at her with widened eyes. His heart twists violently, her excitement to suddenly make matters worse for their situation making him ever more cautious with every passing minute.
"You sure?" he asks.
Emma nods. "Yeah."
He takes a deep breath and lifts his eyebrows at Mary Margaret as Emma slides one of her hands against his to take it.
"Well, I suppose photos are in order, then." he grins at the queen.
Mary Margaret giddily claps her hands. "Yay! Okay, well, why don't you guys go grab something to eat, and in a bit, we'll do the pictures."
"Okay," Emma smiles.
Mary Margaret flashes them one last smile with her hands clasped together above her heart. "I'm so happy you're home, Emma."
"Me too." Emma replies softly and with a level of honesty he hadn't anticipated.
He watches the queen wave at them before she's whisked away by a servant. His heart races and he turns to Emma.
"Darling, not to panic you in the slightest by this decision to take photos for an official announcement or anything, but what on God's green Earth do you think you're doing?"
Emma grimaces and shakes her head. "I… don't know. I got caught up in the moment. I…"
"Killian! Emma!" Leo's voice interrupts Emma's answer.
They both turn to her younger brother smiling. "Hey, Leo!"
"Killian, you ready for our hike this afternoon?" Leo asks.
Killian chuckles. "Are you kidding? I'm more than ready. I can't wait."
Leopold bobs his head and turns to his sister. "Emma, do you want to come with?"
She hesitates for a moment, looking between them. "Ah… no, it's okay. You guys can do your bro bonding time without me."
Leo grins. "Awesome." He claps Killian on the arm. "Hey, I'll be around. The waffles are killer. Don't eat too much."
Killian laughs warmly along with Emma's brother. He waves back at the prince and turns to his best friend again, still grinning.
"To brunch, then, darling?" He sets his hand on her lower back and walks with her toward the tables of food.
As they approach, Emma's attention is ripped away from him, instead to a few of her childhood friends, whom she gasps and embraces tight.
"Emma, it has been so long!" a pretty blonde says. She grins at Emma sweetly, her hands pressed against Emma's forearms and Emma's pressed to hers.
"I know. I'm sorry!" Emma grimaces.
The woman looks at him as Emma wraps her arms around another friend, this one a brunette.
"Aren't you going to introduce us?" the blonde asks, tilting her head towards him. She looks as if she could burst with laughter.
"Of course I am." Emma turns to him, smiling wide. "Um, Killian, this is Elsa, and this is Aurora. Guys, this is Killian, my fiancé."
His heart skips a beat to hear her say the words again. He beams at her friends and extends a hand to shake.
"Ladies, it's a pleasure."
Elsa and Aurora's postures are important, which indicates to him that they might also be royalty, but he doesn't know much else about them, or about anyone here.
"I'm so glad you were able to come for Christmas." Aurora says. "We've missed you, Emma."
"Yes, we really have." Elsa agrees. "And now that you're back, we need to have girls night if there's the time."
Emma grins as she steps back into his space. He wraps an arm around her easily. "Well, Killian's going on a guy bonding hike with Leo later today, so we could see each other then?"
Elsa and Aurora seem to adore the idea. They both nod.
"I will make sure everyone knows and we'll meet at our favorite spot." Elsa says, keeping a wry smile on her lips. She looks at Killian again. "It was great meeting you, Killian. You seem very happy with our Emma."
He smiles down at his fake fiancée and hums. "Aye. I like to think we're quite happy."
The girls laugh and Emma turns back to her friends. "I'll talk to you later. Where are you sitting?"
"Over there," Elsa gestures to a cluster of tables with people seated around. "Anna's too pregnant to come over here and greet you herself. You know she would otherwise."
Emma gasps. "No way! I had no idea!"
Elsa smiles happily and nods. "Yes. I know. I should get this plate of chocolate pastries back to her or she'll have my head."
Emma chuckles. "I'll be right over."
Elsa grins as she hurries off to the table with Aurora in tow. Emma moves away from him and smiles to herself as she grabs a plate and begins to decorate it with a meal.
It's nice to see her happy. She seems carefree, and it's for that reason, along with the fact that there are ears everywhere, that he doesn't press the engagement photo issue again.
He supposes it will hurt more when it's all over, for her parents at least, but for now there's no harm in playing along.
He and Emma make their way to the tables alongside her father, who has a lot to say about all too much. He seems to have taken too much of a liking to him, but he doesn't mind it. Having not grown up with a father, there's part of him that craves this sort of attention.
They sit together near Elsa and Anna, and Anna's husband Kristoff. The man is quiet, but when he has something to say he says it with a happy smile.
Killian finds himself glad that all of these people are here, even if it's a rally together for an engagement that won't last. Maybe it'll mean Emma will want to come back home. Even if he selfishly doesn't want that, because he doesn't want her to leave, it does seem like she fits here, and he knows her family wouldn't say no to her return either.
Emma sits close enough to him that when she turns, he gets her hair brushing against his cheek and her fingers brush against his thigh from where she's holding onto her chair.
She turns to him to smile at a story Leo's telling about something Emma had done as a young girl, something silly regarding Leo and a jar of peanut butter, but it has everyone laughing.
Dare he even think it, he feels as if he belongs here.
"I would like to make a bit of a toast," David says as soon as Leopold's story winds down. The king stands from the head of the table near Mary Margaret. "Emma, I'm so happy you agreed to come home and introduce Killian to us. And I'm glad I finally get to meet the man who will one day soon be part of our family."
Killian smiles, although starting to feel a little uncomfortable. Emma's fingers press against his leg to stop it from jiggling as frantically as it's begun to and he turns to her at the sudden pressure. She smiles softly at him, as sweetly and lovingly as he imagines she would if she loved him.
His heart skips a beat.
"It's been a few years since I met Mary Margaret," David continues, prompting a little bit of laughter from the gathered, including Mary Margaret. David grins down at his wife happily. "We'll be celebrating thirty years of marriage soon and I can't imagine what it would be like if we hadn't ever met."
Mary Margaret's smile is wobbly and her hands clasp together over her chest as she mouths the words, "I love you."
David turns to the group with a happy grin. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, Emma, Killian, you're about to start a path down the most beautiful and messy and frustrating years of your life. But when I look at you, and the love that you share, I know you're going to make it a long, long, happy marriage."
Killian quite honestly isn't sure how he's still breathing, with the weight of the king's words bearing down on him like this. Emma's hand is still pressed to his leg, and his stomach is in knots. He regrets having eaten half as much as he did now.
"Just… don't let your kids near the peanut butter jar until they're old enough to use it wisely."
Resounding laughter rings out throughout the tent and Killian's reaction is slow, only encouraged by Emma, whose chuckle is soft in his ear.
He turns to glance at her and covers her hand with his as a source of comfort.
David lifts his glass. "To the happy couple."
It being a toast, Killian lifts his glass to do the same, again, taking Emma's lead.
"Here here!" Leo cheers with a wink sent their way.
It's only as they're toasting their glasses that he realizes there are photographers in the room, capturing the moment, and Killian's stomach tosses all over again. He turns to Emma, eyebrows lifted as he savors the taste of the champaign.
She smiles at him gently, if a little nervous, and he finds himself staring at her lips.
He's too far gone for her, isn't he?
"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" a cheer suddenly sings out.
Emma shoots whoever said it a quick glance over his shoulder, and he's just cognizant enough to crack a playful grin as people start tapping their glasses with silverware as if it'll coax them into it.
"Well?" he asks Emma.
She searches his eyes and shakes her head slowly, grinning just a little. He makes the first move, leaning in close with his eyes shut, and as soon as their lips touch, it's all he can do but start floating up out of the castle.
It's the most magical feeling, kissing her, as if a dream come true.
Killian reaches up to cup her cheek and he delights himself in what moments remain of this blissful experience. He isn't sure if she feels it too until when he leans away, completely breathless, and finds a shell-shocked look in her eye that's quickly replaced when she realizes where they are.
She smiles shyly to herself and a blush finds her cheeks at the cheers, whistles, and claps.
It's just a kiss. It's just a kiss. It's just a kiss.
No, it's not. It's so much more than a kiss.
They return to their meals quietly while the room buzzes with excitement and he looks to Emma to see if she's alright after what just happened. She seems just fine, although she sits back in her chair as opposed to eating anything that's left on her plate.
He opens his mouth to ask if she's alright, but he's interrupted when Emma's nice friend Elsa comes to stand behind them, her hand gentle where she sets it on his shoulder.
"Excuse me, lovebirds, but I have a present for you." Elsa smiles wryly.
Emma turns to face Elsa with her head tilted sideways and a puckered smile at her lips. "Elsa-"
"We at Arendelle Estate would love to have you come visit us for our annual New Year's Eve banquet, ball, and fireworks spectacular." Elsa says quickly. "And you have to say yes, because it's been five years, Emma Nolan. Five!"
Emma laughs. She bites at her lip slightly and turns to look at him. They communicate silently, with raised eyebrows and half-smiles. He hopes she knows that he doesn't want to extend the charade through the new year, but it's hard to say, considering they're going to be taking engagement announcement photos at some point in the near future.
"We…" Emma turns back to Elsa smiling apologetically, "have to get back to New York right after Christmas, and we already have plans for New Years with Killian's brother. Sorry, Els. You know I'd love to. It's always so fun."
Elsa sighs. She shakes her head and looks at Killian. "Bring you brother along! It can be a new tradition!"
Killian winces briefly. He's still in disbelief that this is happening, and somehow they keep making it worse. If things keep moving this fast, they'll be married by Christmas morning.
"I don't know… we can think about it." Killian says to Emma.
She meets his gaze and nods in agreement. "Yeah. We'll think about it." Emma smiles at Elsa and reaches out to squeeze her hand. "Thank you for thinking of us."
"Of course." Elsa says with a kind smile that reaches her eyes. "Killian, you and I should chat while we're here. We'll be here until Christmas Eve for the ball."
Killian's eyes widen at Emma and she laughs. "Yes, there's a ball." Turning to Elsa, she adds, "I haven't told him about all of the Misthaven traditions yet."
Elsa chuckles. "Well, you're in for a treat, Killian. I hope you know how to dance."
Killian stares at Emma and she laughs as she lifts her shoulders on a shrug. She pats the spot just above his knee and rubs a soothing circle. "You'll be fine, babe."
He doesn't feel fine and he presumes he won't feel fine for the entirety of the trip.
What he really needs is a drink. Maybe two.