"Joining us for a drink, Jones?" Robin stands at his office door, hip resting on the frame, eyes glancing down to where Killian's hands fumble to grab his car keys off of his desk.
"Afraid not, mate, maybe some other time," he flashes his colleague a smile as he moves to exit the room.
"You haven't been out with us in a while," Robin blocks his path, standing stone still with narrowed eyes. "The lads and I were wondering if everything was alright?"
The problem with having a reputation of a workaholic, Killian thinks, is that once he starts taking time off from work, his colleagues (they're more like his mates at this point) begin to worry about him. It's ironic, really, that they think he may be going through some kind of emotional crisis because he chooses to go home and not stay in his office after hours, or go out for a pint. Frankly, the lack of alcohol consumption on his part makes him rather proud. Sure, he'd toned down the heavy drinking marginally in the past few months, but this, this is a different feeling.
Then again, he can't blame his friends for thinking of it that way. They didn't know him before the States, before Milah, and Liam, before the days started blurring together and he was left all alone. They know him as someone who works hard, and gulps down drinks in merriment. And, of course, initially it had been more to drown out the dark thoughts than to actually enjoy the company or the buzz of the city. But it had become a habit; he had learnt to live with his demons, learnt how to become good company despite his thunderous emotional state, learnt how to act like it was all alright, hoping that one day, like everyone around him, he'd begin to believe it, too.
He sighs, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to rid himself of those thoughts. He chooses, instead, to plaster on a smirk for his friend.
"Don't tell me you're starting to get soft on me, Robin."
Robin's hearty laughter fills the air as he moves backwards out into the corridor, obviously accepting Killian's divergence of the topic. Killian flicks his office lights off and shuts the door behind him as he follows Robin out to exit the building.
"Never," Robin moves to walk beside him, clapping a hard hand on Killian's shoulder. "Just make sure you're there for the charity event next weekend, Jones."
"Aye, wouldn't miss that for the world," he smirks, "I am aching for a repeat of last year's performance."
His friend groans heavily.
The event last year had, in fact, been an absolute disaster, courtesy of Robin getting rather drunk and mindlessly flirting with Regina, one of the event managers. Her boyfriend had been none too pleased and had promptly introduced Robin's right jaw to his fist. Killian had spent the night handling the injury and coaxing his friend out of his drunken stupor in between bouts of roaring laughter.
"You know I think I still have that bruise." Robin rubs his fingers lightly over his jaw and scrunches up his nose.
"Drama queen."
"Laugh all you want, Jones, but the only way I'm getting punched this year would be by my date in the case that I decide to pay mind to another woman besides her."
"Ah, so you finally managed to trick Regina into going with you."
Robin had (stupidly, Killian feels the need to add) pursued the woman after that drunk night, rejoicing when he found out that Regina had dumped her boyfriend a few months later. She, however, did not harbor the same intense affections for him, remaining cold towards him; Killian figured that there was a reason people dubbed her the Evil Queen of the industry, after all.
"I think the word you're looking for is persuaded," he grins, pushing the entrance door open, a gust of wind hitting their faces as they step out into the parking lot. "Are you bringing anyone?" He can hear Robin's voice edging with curiosity.
He slides a thumb along the key of his car, nipping at his bottom lip with his teeth. A flash of blonde crowds his mind instantly, a fleeting thought of her hand in his as he dances with her, her laughter pooling around him sweeter than any melody. He shakes his head, willing the thoughts to flee but can't help the small smile that makes its way on to his face.
He looks at Robin to reply with a no, of course not, but finds the man with a twinkle in his eyes, a smile of interest and amusement curling on his lips.
He opens his mouth but Robin cuts him off. "You have someone in mind, don't you?"
Killian gives him his best incredulous look, fighting the urge to run his twitching fingers through his hair.
"Gods," Robin's voice is louder now, laced in merriment and he feels like such a teenager. "The elusive Killian Jones has a crush," Robin's palm shoves into his shoulder, pushing him to stumble in his steps.
Killian sputters, "I do not have a crush." But it's hardly loud enough to be heard over his friend's joyous laughter. And God, why is this such a big deal anyway? Sure, he hasn't felt something for someone since Milah, but - no. He does not have a crush on Emma Swan. It took him a fair while to become friends with her, and he has no intention of ruining it or scaring her off that way. Hell, it's barely been over a week since she'd stumbled drunk into his apartment, staying until a while after breakfast, against all odds.
(He will not admit to how much his heart fluterred when he'd tucked her into his bed, and how it rammed a right bruise against his chest at the sight of her dazed and flustered state the next morning.)
"Well," Robin breaks through his inner monologue, "if you don't have a crush on her, then you'll have no problem in bringing her as your date."
He groans. "You're acting like a child."
"Jones, you're the one acting like a child by refusing to admit to your feelings." They reach their cars, conveniently parked beside each other, and Killian looks over to find his friend grinning.
"Sod off." It's all he offers before he gets into his car and all but slams the door closed. He can't help the grin as he rolls his eyes when Robin taps on his window and laughs out a final Bring her! before getting in his car and pulling out of the lot, saluting him a good night.
Killian sits in the darkness of his car for a few minutes, the grin still playing on his lips - he tells himself it's because of his friend's antics and definitely not because of the blonde that has taken up a temporary residence across the hall. (And a permanent residence in your head, a voice in the back of his mind interjects, making him groan.)
He feels his phone vibrate in his pocket then. The brightness of the screen pierces the dimness around him as he takes it out, his brow furrowing at the notification on his lock screen, eyes going over her name multiple times before he swipes it open.
Picking up dinner from the diner, do you want some? David is at MM's tonight.
It's short, and at first glance, devoid of any emotion. But Emma Swan is an easy woman to read, and the fact that, despite her painfully obvious walls, she's offered him her friendship, is a thought he holds on to dearly. He brings a hand up to scratch behind his ear as he shifts in his seat, mind reeling to find the perfect response and God, since when was he this hopeless around the opposite sex?
Just about to leave work so, yes, I would love some, Swan.
He settles with that, and locks his phone, head falling back to hit the headrest of the car seat. He's not sure whether he should be cautious or casual, the whole ordeal involving Emma completely throwing him off kilter. When his phone vibrates once more, he scrambles to see her reply.
Drive safe, see ya.
He's unexplainably glad that this conversation is via text rather than in person because he's sure he'd be far too embarrassed by the goofy grin on his face. It registers that she never asked him what he wants to order, but really, the woman could bring him cow fodder and he'd eat it without fuss. He throws his phone on to the passenger seat and sighs happily as he buckles in his seatbelt.
And okay, maybe he does have a crush on Emma Swan.
A/N: For whatever reason, my muse refused to cooperate with this chapter. (Apologies for it being on the shorter side!) Thankyou so much for your follows and favourites and just generally sticking with this story. Leave a review if you've got time!
(p.s. for those of you muffins that don't know, I am also on tumblr under piratesails where I post tons of drabbles and one-shots and squeal continuously about Killian Jones, drop by and say hi and flail about the finale with me if you'd like!)
