Here's me trying to find a quiet moment, as I love to do. (post 5X01 ficlet)
A gentle knock breaks the silence of their room and her fingers clench, reflexively holding on in case someone is here to take him away. She focuses in, preparing herself to fight on her own, knowing deep down that she won't succeed. His arms loosen but don't fall away, his nod to the intruder felt against her cheek.
"Emma, she's drawn you a bath."
No! Please…I can't be alone.
She presses herself tighter. Wishing she could crawl inside. Knowing he's strong enough, he's her choice.
Warm fingers slide against her cheek, gentle, determined, begging for a response.
"Emma, love…"
Breathing out against his throat, she leans into his hand, lifting her chin to find the concern in his voice swimming in his eyes. If he's to help, to save, he has to know. She has to tell him, now.
"He'll come back."
"Who?"
"Rumple, or the Dark One, in my head…all the time."
His fingers curl behind her head as his eyes narrow, confusion furrowing his brow as he tries to comprehend.
"I'm sorry, Emma, I don't…"
"The Darkness, Killian, it's trying to guide me from the light. But, you, you and Henry, you keep it away. Or I do, because you're here, like this. Touching me…"
She sees as understanding settles in, from the slight drop of his jaw to the darkening of his eyes, mist filled and wide as their gazes lock. The implications she's already considered and she knows he will, too. His lips find hers and it's like a shower of light, filling the corners, swallowing the dark. It's magic, but it's hers, or his, something somehow belonging to them both. It's not a cure, or even an answer, but in this moment, it's enough.
Gentle fingers find flushed cheeks as soft words make solemn promises. Fears, they're left unspoken. His hand finds hers as he steps back, pulling her behind him as he slowly guides her across the room. He waits by the door…for her to choose. She does, without hesitation.
The room is small, but the tub is big, steam mingling with the heat from the candles aligned at the edge. His hand falls from hers, but immediately finds her waist, sure fingers beginning to loosen the knot in the tie below her breasts. Muscles aching with fatigue, she lets him help pull the shift over her head, nerves nowhere to be found as she's left bare, body and soul. His eyes don't leave hers as he leads her to the edge of the tub, fingers held tight as she sinks in to the warmth of fragrant lavender and vanilla.
As he kneels, she frees his hand to cup his cheek, knowing she needs to maintain contact as he reaches for the sponge. Tears form behind her eyes as he begins to cleanse her skin and the intimacy of the moment settles in, the reverence in his touch like nothing she's ever known. Her eyes find his when the sponge brushes the apex of her thighs, finding him looking back with awareness but no innuendo. He simply continues his task, dirt falling from her skin with each gentle stroke. Dropping the sponge, he runs his hand up her arm until his fingers slide into her hair, doing his best to gather the knotted tresses in his palm.
"Lean back, love."
A deep sigh falls from her lips as her head sinks beneath the water, relief flooding her body at the firm massaging of his fingertips along her scalp. The weightlessness of the water is addictive, freeing, allowing her to pretend she is unburdened, if only for a moment. Gentle pressure beneath her neck wakes her from her daze, her eyes opening slowly as she turns to regard him once again. He's smiling, but it's stinted, mostly masked worry lingering at the edges she knows he hopes she doesn't see. Sitting up slowly, she reaches back to twist the water from her hair, the slide of his hand along her back keeping their contact intact.
Reaching for the towel on the small table by her elbow, she takes his arm as he helps her gingerly rise to her feet, the cool air immediately adding a chill to her skin. She's barely out of the tub with the towel wrapped around her before she finds herself back in his arms, his slightly damp shirt pressed tight to her cheek. He'd been the one to hug her this time, desperation evident by the force of his embrace and the trembling of his lips against her head. His voice is ragged, barely holding back tears as he whispers, "you keep away my darkness, too."