A/N: I didn't know where is was going when I started writing it tbh. Still not sure, haha. But after keeping it as draft for days I'm gonna post it now. And I kinda like the idea of him getting a swan tattoo one day. :)

Prompt: Emma never realized it before, but Hook's tattoo of Milah's name was making her a bit jealous.

Emma had never realized it before, but Hook's tattoo of Milah's name was making her a bit jealous. It was a stupid feeling, lodged somewhere between her stomach and her heart and she new it shouldn't be there. She shouldn't feel like this. But she couldn't help it. Her name would stay with him forever, imprinted on his skin and while she understood, it still felt like she was competing against a dead woman. The tattoo was like a mark of her territory and Emma felt like an intruder, stealing away her man.

It was stupid. Milah was dead and Killian had chosen her.

Absentmindedly, she touched the tattoo on his forearm with her fingertips, stroking gently over the slightly elevated skin. She felt Killian's gaze upon her and she took a deep breath, keeping her eyes locked on the tattoo.

"When did you get it?" she asked quietly and Killian propped himself up on his elbows, brow furrowed.

"A few weeks after she…passed."

"You loved her a lot." Emma stated. "I mean, you must have… you spent centuries trying to avenge her death." She hated how her voice sounded, but she knew they needed to have this conversation.

Killian sighed and sat up, removing Emma's hand from his forearm and taking it in his, gently stroking the back of it.

"I did love her. She was my first love. After Liam passed I thought I could never be happy again, but she… she made me feel different. And when she was taken from me, I thought I could never find that feeling again… find happiness again. I wanted something to remember her. Something that would keep me going. So I got the tattoo."

Emma bit her lip and nodded. She hated herself for feeling what she was feeling. Jealously. The feeling of never being able to live up to someone else. She never felt like that before and it was stupid. So stupid.

Killian sighed again and reached up to cup Emma's face with his hand.

"With you, Emma, everything is different. You…" he smiled "You make me better. You make me wanna be better. You make me feel like the man I was way back before Liam died. You are everything to me. I was never as happy as I am with you. Sometimes I feel like everything in my life had to happen as it did just so I could meet you. And I wouldn't wanna change a thing. Not if it'd keep me away from you."

Emma gave him an almost shy smile and reached up to brush some of her strands behind her ear.

"I feel like that too, sometimes." she confessed quietly, before looking up to him. "You kept your promise, you know?"

"What promise?"

"Back in Neverland you said you'd win my heart without any trickery. Any you did."

Killian smiled that smile he always gave her when she confessed her feelings in a way, like he couldn't believe how lucky he was. He raised an eyebrow.

"I did?"

Emma smiled back at him. "Yeah."

Killian followed her gaze wandering back down on his tattoo and he swallowed. "Emm-"

"I love you." she burst out and and looked back up to him, her gaze more intense than before, her eyes watery. It came so sudden that he could only stare at her for at least a minute, before leaning forward and capturing her lips with his, kissing her gently.

"Well, and I love you." he whispered close to her lips. "I love you so bloody much, Emma."

Emma smiled happily at him and couldn't help feeling bad for ever doubting what they had. That she'd ever felt threatened by… her son's grandmother. She almost laughed out loud at how ridiculous that thought sounded.

"What's so funny?" Killian asked at her expression and Emma couldn't help it, knowing very well that it would probably ruin the moment.

"I just… well, you do realize that she… well, that she is my son's grandmother?"

He rolled his eyes, an amused smile lingering on his lips.

"I did notice that, yes. You really know how to ruin a moment, Swan."

"I know. Sorry." Emma said, leaning in to press a kiss against his lips. "I love you."

Killian shook his head, his smile never fading as he started fiddling with the buttons of his shirt. Emma frowned, watching him curiously as he revealed his chest and - a new tattoo, right over his heart.

It was a swan.

Emma's eyes were brimming with tears as she reached up to touch it with her fingertips. When? How?, she wanted to ask, but she didn't; she couldn't.

"I love you, Swan." Killian said and Emma kissed him, her hand resting on the swan, feeling his heart beating just a bit too fast.

Much like her own.