Prompt: Emma happens upon Hook undressing (not in a relationship) and offers to help remove his brace, battle if wills, he finally concedes, together they learn that his raw skin under the brace is incredibly (enjoyably) sensitive?


She didn't even know what she was doing here. Just that she had needed to see him. He didn't hear her as she stepped into his room, she didn't knock, realizing that she probably should have as she saw him standing with his back to her, shirtless, a wince reaching her ears as he tugged at his brace.

"Let me help you."

He swirled around surprised, his eyes locking with hers and she saw the hesitation flickering over his face before he just nodded and she stepped closer, opening the clasps of the straps holding his brace in place carefully.

The skin under them was scarred from wearing the brace for over three hundred years but she could see the red stripes were the brace had rubbed his skin raw probably due to all the fighting he was doing lately.

She reached around him, taking the tube of rash cream from the table, the one she had given him weeks ago, skimming her fingers softly over the red marks, massaging the cream gently into his raw skin and she felt him relax under her touch, smiling slightly as he shifted closer towards her.

"Better?" She breathed as she was finished with treating his skin.

"Aye, love." He rolled his shoulders, suppressing another wince as his tense muscles shifted.

"Sit down."

"Pardon me?" He raised one eyebrow, looking questioningly at her.

She walked to the table and turned the stool around, sitting down behind it. "Sit down."

"What are you up to, Swan?" He cocked his head, eying her warily and she let out a soft chuckle.

"I'm not gonna ravish you, pirate."

His mouth tilted up into a lopsided smirk and he stepped forward, sitting down on the stool in front of her, looking back at her over his shoulder. "Not that I would complain, love, but ..."

He yelped as she smacked him gently over the head, digging her fingers into the muscles of his neck, making him let out a loud groan as she hit a knot.

"Aww, Swan, careful there."

"Don't be a baby, Hook." Emma leaned forward, pressing her fingers harder against the knot. "I'm just gonna help you loosen the tension a little bit."

She worked her way down his neck and to his left shoulder, repeating the action on his other side before she scooted backwards, letting her fingers trail down his spine and between his shoulder blades, searching for other knots, admiring the taut muscles of his back, wondering where he got all the scars from that were crisscrossing his body, the question burning on her tongue but she gulped it down, knowing he would tell her about it when he was ready to share this particular information with her.

But it was definitely not helping that he was letting out deep groans and moans while she was massaging his back, the noises making her wonder how he would sound when she would massage something else.

God, Swan. Get your mind out of the gutter.

"See, much better. Isn't it?" She dropped her hands off his back before she would touch him where she shouldn't touch him, leaning back to put some space between them.

"Aye." His voice sounded sleepy, the lilting tone even more prominent than usual, shooting shivers down her spine. "Your hands were working magic back there, Emma."

She wanted to run, felt the urge to jump up and rush out of the door but she just felt so tired. She wasn't able to move and her eyes fell on the bed only a few feet away, the white sheets and pillow looking so inviting that her body ached and she made a snap decision, didn't even give herself the time to change her mind as she hopped from the table and walked over to the bed, slipping out of her boots and laying down on the bed not able to suppress the moan that slipped over her lips as her body relaxed into the mattress.

She searched his gaze, saw the surprise shining in his eyes and she just tucked her hands under her head, telling him softly. "I don't wanna sleep alone tonight."

He pushed himself up from the stool, giving her a lazy smile as he stepped on the other side of the bed and just slipped under the covers and she sighed softly as he threw the blanket over her, his body pressing against hers from behind, his arm coming around her waist and pulling her even closer.

His scent and heat was enveloping her and she hadn't felt that comfortable being near someone like that in a very long time.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, love."

She snuggled deeper into his embrace, reaching for his hand and interlacing her fingers with his, closing her eyes and the smile was still gracing her lips as she fell asleep in his arms.