Sorry guys, I arrived at my host family's rather late last night and we had a lot to catch up with so I didn't get to update then.
Day 21 – Christmas Movies
Two days later he is still coughing but at least his fever has gone down almost completely. To Emma's utter annoyance (she thought it was totally adorable but if she'd said that, he would've shamelessly used it to his advantage) he had insisted on following her around nonetheless, wrapped up in a thick coat, roughly three scarfs, a beanie and a glove. During the night he'd spooned up behind her, on the one hand feeling bad for potentially infecting her, on the other hand hoping exactly that would happen so she would have to stay at home with him. She doesn't get sick though but having a sick boyfriend to nurse, she realises, is actually a good excuse to stay at home and watch movies all day long and where two days before she had not wanted to ask her father to cover for her, she now feels like cuddling up all day long. So she does eventually ask David, and he is willing enough to take her shift.
Since the drinking incident during which Hook had insisted that he was taking this relationship very seriously without holding himself back, David had had to acknowledge that Killian was, in parts, less of a pirate than he had first assumed and he had always liked Hook (well, almost always) so he is happy to help out his daughter and her boyfriend.
"David is taking my afternoon shift," Emma proclaims with her phone in her hand, as she walks into the living room where Killian is half lying, half sitting on the couch. Emma plonks down by his feet and he grins happily at her, glad that he finally gets a quiet day with her. Ever since their first night in the apartment, their quiet moments had become rare with almost always someone else around. Killian reaches his hand out, massaging the back of Emma's neck and she hums contently, rolling her head a little.
"So," she purrs, "We have an enormous list of Christmas movies to choose from, what would you like to see first?"
Her hand reaches out for the remote, turning the TV on and checking the Christmas list on Netflix.
"You choose, love," he insists since he doesn't know any of the films on the screen. "If you won't mind, a ghost story is my least favourite pick at this moment, though."
Emma nods in acknowledgment, not wanting him to have haunted dreams of evil witches again.
"I suggest a British classic then. Love Actually."
"Sounds perfect," he hums and gets up to make another tea while Emma starts the movie.
A few minutes later she's curled into his side, his shoulder her pillow and they start the film, sipping ginger-lemon tea (with a bit of rum, he couldn't resist).
Killian, still not used to the fast pacing of modern films (or films in general really), quickly loses track of all the characters and their connections and Emma has to murmur explanations every now and again. While the movie is playing, she takes his hand and plays with his fingers for a while. Killian is fascinated by the different stories, by the links between all of the characters, by the love stories but most of all he is fascinated by the noises Emma makes whenever one of her favourite stories is on, David and Natalie or Daniel, Sam and Joanna.
He has noticed before, that even though his Swan is quite reserved with words, when she watches films, it happens quite frequently, that she squeals a little, or exclaims how cute some scenes are (also, how hot some of the actors are, he always gets a bit jealous) or how she, as a kid, had wished something like this would happen to her.
"But you are one of those stories now," he told her while watching one of the so-called Disney movies (not his, thank the lords) and Emma had chuckled.
"True. It's still a bit strange to think that though," she had replied.
When the current film is over, she looks at him, her green eyes suddenly very sincere.
"I'm sorry," she says and he frowns.
"What do you have to be sorry for, love?"
"When you found me in New York. I'm sorry I didn't remember you." Watching the Hethrow arrival scene, with people welcoming home their loved ones, joy in their eyes, Emma realised that Hook had had that look in his eyes back in New York and she'd suddenly felt a twinge in her heart, grasping only now, how she must have hurt him with her reaction.
Killian looks down at her, touching his forehead to hers. "Emma," he says with sincerity, "you came back once you did, that's all that matters."
"But I was so prickly with you…" the memory pains her. She knows fully well why she'd done it, but that didn't change how she felt about it. However, once again, Killian knows just as well.
"I know how your mind works, love. You tried to push me away out of fear. I'm glad you don't do that anymore, but I understand why you did it."
"At first, because I didn't want to be disappointed. Later, because I feared it could get serious," she confesses and Killian smiles.
"Aye. And serious it is."
Emma feels her stomach flip and she smiles at him, leaning in to kiss him tenderly. He immediately responds to her kiss, pulling her closer, but has to break the kiss when a sudden coughing fit hits him. Emma laughs.
"Let's watch another movie," she says, her shoulders still shaking a little and, annoyed by his cold and the coughing fit, he grumbles an "okay", relaxing into the cushions as they start the second film.
The last 4 chapters will contain all the fluff again, but the Ghosts arc will also come up again.