Once Upon A Time: A Christmas Tale, Part Two
By Rebekkalee Mouri-Hibiki
Mr. Gold reached into his coat pocket as he and Emma neared the shop. The walk had been longer than usual since they had to be careful in the icy sidewalk. While they were inside Granny's, the temperature had dropped and the snow had gotten heavier. It was starting to accumulate, letting Emma know the whole of Storybrooke would be covered in the stuff by morning.
She really didn't look forward to that. Snow caused all kinds of problems, even when people were supposed to be used to it. She knew she would be getting all kinds of calls about weather related mishaps. As she was thinking, she stopped paying attention to where she was walking and slipped on some ice.
She fell backward, her ass hitting the concrete hard. The moisture on the ground quickly soaked into her jeans, making her even colder than she already was. She hissed and closed her eyes, reaching back to rub her aching bum. She startled when a gloved hand fell on her shoulder.
" You need to get up, Miss Swan. You'll get frostbite that way, " Mr. Gold said with that damned teasing edge to his voice. He chuckled, " And I'll have to warm you up. "
Emma took a sharp breath at that, instantly imagining how he would do just that. She could see him slowly taking off her wet clothes, taking time to run his soft warm hands all over her as he did. Gentle caresses would be replaced by meaningful touches in tender places until she was burning from the inside out. She could then imagine him warming her even more by pressing his lithe body against hers, their heat blending together seamlessly.
" Give me a second, " Emma shook her head to rid it of the thoughts. She put her hands under her, easing her legs beneath her before getting on her hands and knees. She drew up her right leg to her chest, planting her foot on the ground as she slowly pushed up. As she did, Mr. Gold slipped his left arm under her right.
" I'll steady you, " He said.
" No, " Emma pulled away. " I'm fine. I don't want to pull you down. "
" You won't, " Mr. Gold said firmly. " I am a lot stronger than you think I am. "
Emma knew that was true. There were lots of things in the shop but she had never seen anyone around to help him. She was fairly certain he had moved it all himself, including the heavy items. Knowing him and his conniving ways, he had probably figured out a method of moving such things easily.
" I got it, " Emma said as she tried to push herself up again. She moved to put her left foot on the ground and it slipped. She gasped when Mr. Gold seized her, pulling her close and stopping her fall. She clung to him, panting for air because the near fall had scared her.
His arm was around her waist and she was pressed so close, she could feel his breath on her cheek. It was warm, mixing with her own and making clouds in the air between them. They combined to become one and made Emma think of other ways they could do the same. She couldn't put her finger on it but something made her want to drown in him. He furrowed his brow, " Miss Swan... You are downright frigid. "
" What? " Emma was confused.
" You are shivering, " Mr. Gold said firmly. " We simply must get inside and get you warmed up. "
" Oh, right. Of course, " Emma said, feeling lost as he slipped his arm from around her. She leaned down to pick up the to-go bags where they had fallen, frowning. Mr. Gold's had landed on its bottom and was still intact but Emma's had ended up on its side. Her hot cocoa and her food had all fallen out and now lay scattered across the sidewalk.
Mr. Gold touched her shoulder, "Oh, what a shame. "
Emma sighed, " It's okay. I wasn't that hungry. "
" Come then, " Mr. Gold said. " I have cocoa inside. It's not as good as Granny's but it will warm you up. "
Mr. Gold took his hand from Emma's shoulder and walked to the door. He unlocked the door and opened it. He turned to her, " Ladies first. "
Emma nodded, walking into the shop. She stopped a few steps in, blinking how it was decorated for the season. She had assumed Mr. Gold wasn't big on Christmas either but the decorations told her otherwise. It wasn't as over the top as most of the shops in town but it was more than she expected from him.
" Wow, " She muttered as he closed the door behind her. " I wasn't expecting this. "
" Yes, " Mr. Gold said as he locked the door. " But customers do. Would you come into a shop that looked like it was owned by Mr. Scrooge? "
Emma looked at him, " No... I guess not. "
He took off his coat and hung it by the door, " It's all about appearance, my dear. The more welcoming and comfortable a place seems, the more likely someone is to buy something. "
Emma scoffed, " Of course. It's always about you getting something, isn't it? "
Mr. Gold had been taking his gloves off as Emma spoke but he paused. He chuckled and quirked his mouth, " If I'm going to make an effort to make something happen, why shouldn't I profit? "
Emma frowned, " Right. I forgot. That's how you operate. "
Mr. Gold finished taking off his gloves and threw them down on the display case closest to him. His eyes were narrowed and his gaze never left Emma. He walked to her slowly, a slow smirk spreading across his lips. When he was an arm's length away from her, he spoke. " You have no idea how I operate, Miss Swan. "
She took a sharp breath, his eyes dark and dangerous. She pushed down the fear that was threatening to rise in her, wanting to be brave and not show weakness. " I think I have a pretty good idea. "
Mr. Gold reached for her, plucking the to-go bag from her hand. He smiled when she gasped as his fingers brushed against her skin. He took a couple of small steps back, " Now... How about that hot cocoa? "
She stood there, stunned as he casually walked towards the back of the shop. He passed through the curtain without a backward glance. Emma exhaled, realizing she had been holding her breath since he had stepped back. Her skin tingled but she was unsure if it was from him or the heat in the room.
She stepped forward, unzipping her jacket. The heat was quickly thawing her and she knew it would be no time until she could take the garment off. She reached for the curtain, pushing it aside and furrowing her brow when she didn't see Mr. Gold right away. " Gold? " She called out.
" Behind you, Miss Swan, " He said, startling her. She turned to find his voice had come from behind a large ornate bookcase. Some boards were propped against the front and Emma assumed they were shelves.
" Why are you back there? " Emma walked around to where she could see him. He stood at a small table but his body blocked her from seeing what he was doing.
" The hotplate and kettle are back here, " He didn't look at her. " The water for your cocoa needs to boil. "
" Oh, " Emma said.
He held up a packet, " I hope this kind is fine with you. I do regret I don't have any cinnamon though. "
" It's alright, " Emma said as he tore the packet open. She let out a nervous chuckle, " I suppose you don't have any whipped cream either. "
Mr. Gold glanced at her over his shoulder as he poured the mix into an unseen cup, " I do actually. It's in the refrigerator under this table. I will get it out when the cocoa is ready. "
" Oh, " Emma blinked. She hadn't expected him to have it. " Well, that will do then. "
" Feel free to take a look around while I tend to this, my dear. Perhaps you'll find something that will pique your interest, " He returned his attention to the task at hand.
Emma looked around, her eyes again settling on the bookcase. " What's the story about this? "
" Not much really, " Mr. Gold said as the tea kettle began to whistle. " I bought it from someone who didn't have a use for it anymore but I can't do a thing for it. Marco is coming to collect it in the morning. He's better at woodworking than I am. I prefer mechanical things myself. "
" Oh, " Emma nodded. She listened as he poured the water into a cup and the gentle tinkling of metal on ceramic as he stirred it. She moved closer to the bookcase, looking at the carved wood. Someone had taken a great deal of time to make intricate designs in the wood, everything rough like it was all done by hand.
" It is quite beautiful, " Mr. Gold startled Emma again. He had slipped up on her while she looked at the bookcase. " I can only imagine how much time it took someone to do all that work. "
" Probably a long time, " Emma said. He was standing quite close, his scent again teasing her. She looked at him, finding he was holding the mug with her hot cocoa. She quirked her mouth, " Where's the whipped cream? "
Mr. Gold held the cup out to her, " I'll get it as soon as I have a free hand, my dear. "
" Oh yeah, " Emma felt a little dumb for not realizing he needed to hand it off before he could get anything else for her. She lifted her hands, taking the mug between them. The ceramic was hot, warming her chilly hands quickly. He let go of the handle and she nodded, " Thanks. "
" You're quite welcome, " Mr. Gold replied then turned to go back to the table. E reached down, opening a small refrigerator that sat beneath it. She watched as he fished a can of whipped cream out of the door before kicking it shut. He smiled as he walked over, " Tell me when. "
Emma watched as he turned the can upside down and pressed the nozzle, frowning when nothing came out. She looked at him, " Maybe if you shook it a bit? "
Mr. Gold said nothing as he shook the can and tried again. He frowned when still nothing came out. " I just bought this... " He started as the cream exploded out of the nozzle, splattering hot cocoa and cream all over Emma's face and sweater.
" Crap! " Emma gasped, the shock of it causing her to turn the cup over and dumping the rest on her sweater. She pinched it and pulled it away from her body, the liquid rather hot.
Mr. Gold reached for her sweater, " We need to get that off before you get burned. "
Emma swatted his hand away, " I can do that myself. Just show me where I can take it off. "
He looked around the shop quickly, going to a folding screen propped up again the back wall of the shop. He grabbed it and pulled it over, " Get in that nook behind the bookcase and I'll cover you with this. "
" Sounds great, " Emma hissed, her skin burning a little as she took off her jacket. The liquid had cooled some but she was certain she had marks on her body from where she had been splashed. She moved behind the bookcase and Mr. Gold spread the screen out. It was a rice paper affair that looked like it came from China or Japan, not that Emma particularly cared about its origins at that moment.
She threw her jacket over the top of the screen before she reached down, thinking for a second how she was going to get the soaked sweater off, She knew she would just make a bigger mess of herself no matter what she did. She sighed, " Damn it all to Hell... "
" What was that? " Mr. Gold asked. He sounded like he was on the other side of the room. Emma heard the telltale glug-glug of an upright water dispenser. She had seen one in the room and she realized Mr. Gold was getting water, probably to give her so she could clean up.
Emma jerked the sweater off as fast as she could, the yarn heavy with cocoa. As it went past her nose, she could smell it had been good stuff and mourned its loss. Her skin cooled quickly once it was exposed and she looked for somewhere to put the garment so she could check herself for any injuries. She wasn't sure about putting it over the screen, afraid she'd ruin it with the cocoa.
She frowned at her choice of bra. She had worn a push-up because she had made an attempt to dress up for the party. It was a waste since she had hid in the corner and not many people had talked to her. The padding had done little to keep her warm, her nipples uncomfortably hard from the cold.
She heard the thumping of Mr. Gold's cane approach the screen but he stopped just short of it. She then heard a dull thud and a slosh of water. " Would you like me to take that sweater, my dear? " He asked.
She blinked, realizing he was probably guessing. She sighed, " Yeah. Sure. "
He stuck his left hand over the screen, " I'm not looking. Just put it in my hand and I'll take care of it. "
Emma inched towards the screen, peeking over to see he had his head turned away. She placed the sweater in his hand and he pulled it away. She glanced down to see here was a small bucket with water and a rag next to his feet. " Is that for me? " She motioned to it then felt dumb because he wasn't looking at her.
" The bucket? Yes. Its cool water but if you're burned, it will be better than warm, " He threw the sweater on the edge of the worktable and leaned down for the bucket. He picked it up and handed it to Emma. " You clean up and I will find you something to wear. "
Emma took the bucket and furrowed her brow, " You have clothes here? "
Mr. Gold smiled though he still had his head turned away, " I have a little of everything here. "
" Oh, " Emma set the bucket down on the table that held the hot plate and kettle. She picked up the rag and dipped it into the water. It was chilly but the back room was warm and she knew she wouldn't be cold for long. She began the task of checking herself over.
She found she had some angry red marks from being scalded by the cocoa but they weren't blistering. She gently cleaned them off, knowing the marks would hang around for a couple of days. She then washed her face, listening as Mr. Gold moved around the room. He was opening cabinets and drawers from the sound.
" Miss Swan? " He called.
" Yeah? " Emma replied as she finished wiping the whipped cream from her face. She began to check her hair, making sure she didn't have any there.
" Is your arse still wet? " He asked.
Emma frowned, remembering her fall outside. She reached around, feeling her seat. It was still soaking and she sighed, " Yeah. "
" Would you me to hang your jeans in front of the heater so they can dry? " Mr. Gold asked. He then added, " I know that can't be comfortable. "
Emma didn't argue. He was right. Her ass was the only part of her that was still frozen and keeping her from getting truly warm. " Sounds good but do you have pants for me to wear? "
" You won't need them, " Mr. Gold's words made her catch her breath.
She stammered, " What? "
" You'll see, " He said as he moved back towards the screen. He flung a dark red satin robe over the divider. It was embroidered with intricate flowers and looked very expensive. " It's ankle length, my dear. It should preserve your modesty. "
Emma waited as he walked away before leaning down to unzip her boots. She pulled them off before unbuttoning and unzipping her jeans. She slid them down her hips before kicking them off. She leaned down, picking them up to turn them right side out.
She cursed herself as she did, wishing she had worn some better underwear. There was nothing wrong with the black thong she had picked... She just wished she had picked something with a little more coverage. She decided it wouldn't matter after all since the robe was long. " Ready for them? " Emma called.
" Put the robe on first, " Mr. Gold said. " Then hand them over. "
Emma dropped her pants on the floor, approaching the screen cautiously. She didn't know how close he was to her and didn't want to give him an eyeful by accident. She peeked over the top, seeing he was there but had his back to her. She grabbed the robe quickly and retreated back.
She unfolded it and slipped it on, the cloth smooth against her skin. She pulled it around herself before tying the sash, frowning when she noticed the top didn't close quite enough to suit her. She pulled at it, covering her chest a little more. " Okay. It's on. "
" Very good, " Mr. Gold replied. " Now, hand me your pants and let's get the screen down so we can try making that cocoa again. "
