#cs date

[cyberlsk]

thinking about being an intern at the DSO and one day, hunnigan is out, so you’re giving intel to leon…he’s expecting some stiff, protocol-obsessed analyst, but you’re on comms with the agent kennedy himself.

and he’s like, “you’re the backup? you don’t look a day out of college.” so of course you have to respond, “first of all, rude. second of all, i just saved your ass. you’re welcome, agent kennedy.”

this man. this giant flirt of a man says, “sweetheart, you can call me leon,” giving you the most exaggerated wink ever.

maybe after a mission you’re finishing up some security reports, and who swings by other than the (very battered but handsome) leon kennedy himself? he looks around the empty office and goes, “still working?”and you groan. after all, we can’t all be hotshot agents out on the field.

“you know,” he says, “i might’ve underestimated you, rookie. i didn’t realize i was talking to the best analyst here.”

he’s off for a few weeks after that mission and always makes sure to swing by your desk under the guise of checking up on intel, and you can’t help but push his buttons a little! listen, man! it’s not everyday a kind, funny, stunning guy like him comes along!

and maybe, just maybe, one day, he’s staying overtime again to help you finish up (always the intern that has to do the dirty work on a friday night). he’s exhausted, you’re exhausted, and he slips up. you’re chatting about your weekend plans when he asks, “wanna get dinner tomorrow?”

then it’s your turn to get him flustered. as you’re leaving, you give him a kiss on the cheek—something innocent enough to leave him wanting more. “i’d love to, agent kennedy.”

[luthqrs]

alright ds hot stuff?

[nanotomik]

just some punks and their droid lovers

[leeisautistic]

this fandom is a prison

[eaudejeon]

That "Untitled" title on goodreads on the dr3 page is giving me an allergic reaction, honestly. I'm very patient but my patience is running thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis thin.

[sad0nion]

i love the lore and world building in blue prince and how it takes place on a world different than ours and i also really love that jesus for sure existed there too because that's very funny

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

CS Winter Bingo--Square 6 (bundled up for the cold): A Match Faked for Christmas, ch. 5 of 5

Hi there and happy holiday season!  In an attempt to continue procrastinating my season 4 rewatch drabbles–and to not feel guilty about it–I decided to participate in the CS Winter Bingo event.  I received nine winter/holiday related prompts arranged in a square like a bingo card.  My mission is to make a bingo by writing at least three of my prompts before winter is over, but I’m hoping to do better than that!  I’m hoping to finish all nine!  Given the nature of the event, you can expect a lot of fluff (but then what else would you expect from me, after all?)  I’m hoping to keep them short as well, but I’m usually not nearly as successful at that.  And without further ado, let’s play CS Winter Bingo!

Rating: G

Tagging a few people who may be interested (Let me know if you want to be added or taken off the list):

@jennjenn615 @laschatzi @snowbellewells @iamanneenigma @kmomof4

@linda8084 @searchingwardrobes @hollyethecurious @winterbaby89 @facesiousbutton82

@therooksshiningknight @lfh1226-linda @tiganasummertree @jrob64 @anmylica

@booksteaandtoomuchtv @i-will-sing-no-requiem @bluewildcatfanatic @laianely

Word count: 2071

Today’s prompt: Fake Dating: Holiday Edition

Other chapters: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Emma closed her door and then sunk back against it.  She was so epically, massively screwed!

After THE KISS (she couldn’t help but think of it in all caps), she and Killian had left the party rather hastily.  Ruby’s catcalls and innuendos about what they were off to do ringing in their ears.  They’d walked in silence across the street, and it wasn’t until they were in front of her door that Killian hesitantly spoke.

“Swan, perhaps we should talk about what just–”

She cut him off with a huge, exaggerated yawn, stretching her arms over her head to complete the effect.  “I’m exhausted.  I think I’m going to head to bed.”

Nevermind that it was only 8:30 pm.  She had to get away.  Had to.  She couldn’t have this conversation now.

She saw the disappointment flash in his eyes for a moment, and then it disappeared.  He took a step away and pasted a determined smile on his face.  “Good night Swan.  Sweet dreams.”

She assumed he headed back to his own house then, but she couldn’t know for sure.  She didn’t wait around to find out, merely let herself into her own home as quickly as she could.

And now here she was.

Emma was running.  She knew she was.  That kiss had been….she didn’t even know how to describe it.  It was addictive.  It made the whole party fall away.  There was no one else in the world but her and Killian at that moment.  She’d swear she’d heard bells ringing, angels singing, felt a bright, warm light cover them in glory.  She was pretty sure she’d touched heaven.

Emma groaned.  This was not her. She was mentally spouting so many cliches, she’d have probably made Mary Margaret blush.  What was Killian doing to her?

There had only been one time in her life that she’d fallen so fast and so hard for a guy.  She’d been sixteen when a much-older Neal had convinced her that she mattered.  That she was loved. That she had found home and forever and all of that crap.

And then he’d taught her a lesson she’d never forget.  He’d not only left her, he’d literally left her holding the bag for his own crimes.  Sent her to the slammer for almost a year.

What she’d learned?  Love was a myth.  Forever was a fairytale people told themselves to make themselves feel better in the midst of their crap lives.

Her brief relationship with Walsh years later–which had ended when he had an affair with a woman who had a truly bizarre fettish for flying monkeys–had only cemented her belief.

She really knew how to pick them, didn’t she?

And so she’d vowed to protect her heart.  Look out for yourself and you’ll never get hurt.  How had she let Killian slip past her defenses so thoroughly in only a week?

If she let this continue, if she didn’t cut things off cold turkey now, when things went south with Killian, it was going to hurt like a son of a bitch.

Something told her it might already be too late for her.

The tears sprang to her eyes, and she let them fall, as she moved away from the door, heading toward her master suite.  She’d take a long, hot bath, and then go to bed, and tomorrow….tomorrow she’d avoid him like the plague–and she’d keep it up until she got him out of her system.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She was woken bright and early Christmas morning by the ringing of her doorbell.  Emma groaned, covered her head with a pillow and tried to ignore it.  Maybe whoever it was would get the hint and go away.

Riiiiiing!  Knock!

No such luck.

Breathing threats and murder, she tossed off the covers and padded to the door.  A woosh of cold air greeted her as she opened it, and he was there, covered in a thin coat of snow, wearing a delighted grin and bearing a steaming mug of something that smelled of coffee and chocolate and peppermint.

“Merry Christmas, Swan!” he said delightedly!

Unbidden, her eyes traveled to his lips and her heart stuttered.

It turned her annoyance into something approaching rage.  “Killian, we’ve talked about what happens when people wake me up at the butt crack of dawn.”

He grinned mischievously as he pushed past her into her home, blew out a breath and muttered something about the cold.  “Indeed.  I believe the consensus was that my murder could be avoided by bribing you with hot, festive beverages.”

She smiled in spite of herself.  Couldn’t help it.  How he managed to convey both childlike wonder, devilish mischief and steaming sexiness all at the same time was a mystery to her.

“I really should just kick you out on your ass, you know,” she said, her voice conveying affectionate exasperation.

He shrugged, handed her the mug and began the long process of removing hats and scarves and gloves and coat.  She barked a laugh at the sight of the ugly Christmas sweater beneath.  It depicted a pirate ship full of festively clad pirates singing “Yo, ho, ho, ho!  Merry Christmas!”

The ridiculous garment seemed to break whatever was left of the tension between them, and easily, almost effortlessly, they fell into the pattern they’d been following for the past week–talking and laughing and simply enjoying each other’s company.  Emma made him pancakes and he cleaned up after them.

She’d been afraid the next time she saw Killian, he’d insist on continuing the conversation he’d started when they parted the night before.  She’d been afraid he’d insist they talk about THE KISS and what it meant and where they went from there.  Instead, he seemed to have judiciously chosen to ignore it; pretend it had never happened.

But it was there, always there between them, an unspoken presence both delightful and terrifying.  They’d have to talk about it eventually, Emma knew that, but today was Christmas Day.  That was a conversation for another day.

“Forgive me for stating the obvious, Swan,” he said, after their breakfast was over, “but it snowed last night.”

She grinned.  “I noticed.  Looks like we got quite a bit.”

“I bet there’s at least 6 inches out there and it’s still coming down!”  A child who’d just found out he had a snow day from school couldn’t have sounded more excited.

“Why doesn’t it surprise me that you like snow?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” he said.  “It’s pretty and it’s fun…and then when you come in from the snow, you get to warm up.”

He wiggled his eyebrows in exaggerated flirtation at that, and she laughed.

“So how about it, Swan?” he said.  “What say we build a snowman?”

“A snowman?” she said with a grin.  “Killian, I haven’t built a snowman since I was like ten.”

“Well then’d I’d say you’re past due, love.”

“It’s cold!” she whined.

“We can bundle up,” he wheedled.  “Come on Swan!  If you can’t act like a child on Christmas morning, when can you?”

She felt the last of her resistance fading, and she sighed exaggeratedly.  “Fine! But if I get frostbite, I’m holding you personally responsible.”

There was that smolder again.  “Never fear, Swan.  I’m more than capable of keeping you warm and keeping frostbite at bay.”

She shivered in reaction, her gaze moving once more to his lips, currently ticked up in a saucy smile.  Good lord, the man was going to be the death of her, but what a way to die!

Five minutes later, clad in two hats, a pair of gloves topped by a pair of mittens, a fluffy red scarf and her heaviest coat, Emma headed outside with her neighbor.

After building not one but two snowpeople, (Emma insisted that the second one was a snowwoman.  It was only fair.) Emma had stepped back to admire their work.  A moment later she felt a snowball pelt her in the middle of the back.

“Oh no you did not!” she said, grinning and then stopping down to fashion her own missile.

“I’m afraid I did, love,” he grinned utterly unrepentant.  “The question is, what are you going to do about it?”

What she did about it was fire a snowball directly into his (far too handsome) face.

And with that an all out snowball war broke out, but never was a war fought with more laughter or playful taunts.  Ten minutes later, Emma picked up her newly made snowball and ran full tilt toward Killian.  Just before reaching him, she slipped, falling directly into him.  Her momentum toppled him, and the long and short of it was Emma found herself sprawled on top of Killian, both breathing hard, both looking into the other’s face with intensity.

The desire to lean down and kiss the hell out of him was so strong, it took everything inside Emma to pull away, wipe the desire from her face and offer him a hand up.

He looked disappointed for a fraction of a second before the grin returned.  “Truce?” he asked, offering her his hand.

“Only if you make me some more of that hot cocoa you brought that first day.”

“Done!” he said.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A few minutes later, Emma sat at her counter, watching as Killian puttered around her kitchen preparing the requisite cocoa.  I’m gonna miss this, she thought as she watched him stir.

A pang went through her at the thought.  How was she going to go back to her boring, ordinary life before Killian?  It was like The Wizard of Oz–how Dorothy lived in a world of black and white, and didn’t even realize it until she’d gotten to Oz and suddenly saw all the colors.

How did one come back from that?

What if….what if she didn’t?  What if she let this thing between them play out?

The thought scared her…but so did the thought of cutting him out of her life completely.  Could she trust him?  Was she willing to take the leap of faith and find out?

“Swan?” Killian asked tentatively as he set a steaming mug of cocoa before her.  “That’s quite a tragic look.  What’s troubling you?”

She took a long swig of the sweet, creamy liquid, buying herself time, but finally she decided the time to be a coward was at an end.  She met his eyes.  “It’s Christmas, so I guess that means we’ll need to ‘break up’ soon.”

Was she imagining the disappointment on his face?

“The thing is,” she said, glancing away and then determinedly looking back at him.  “The thing is, I…I’m not sure I want to.”

Surprise replaced the disappointment in his eyes.  “Swan?  What are you saying?”

“I don’t know!” she burst out.  “I’m not ready for labels or making things official or whatever, but I don’t want to lose what we’ve had the last week.  There’s something there between us…at least…at least I think there is?”

His eyes gentled, and he reached over and took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers.  “There is,” he answered simply. “And for my part…well, if I’m being honest, by the time I left your house on that first day I realized I was going to want more than fake dating.  Love, I know you’re afraid.  I don’t know why, although I hope you’ll tell me in time, and I haven’t wanted to push you, but if you want to know where I stand…I’m in it for the long haul.”

Emma dragged in a long breath waiting for the fear to come.  “Killian, if we start…something…between us and it goes bad, I don’t know if I’ll survive it.  Not again.”

He brought his free hand to cup her face, letting her hair trail through his fingers in the gesture.  “Emma, I don’t know the future.  I don’t know what lies before us, but I can tell you this.  I’ll always, always be at your side.  I’m all in.”

She looked intently into his eyes, searching for lies, searching for deception.  She found none.  “Then,” she said, meeting his eyes.  “Then I am too.”

His smile rivaled the sun that had just broken through the clouds, and then he leaned in and kissed her.

Six months later, David and Mary Margaret received a “save the date” for Emma and Killian’s wedding, coming up on the following Christmas Eve.

David figured there would be no living with her after this.

The End!

[reinafish]

ur single. i'm single. ur bi with a strong pref for girls. i'm omni with a pref for afab. u know what that means. wife.

Oki ur my wife now💖!!

[celestdraws]

Still trying to figure out how i want to draw yvettes hair… this was for. Blind date prompt. She would scare the crap out of oxalis.

[soov]

why is all of enha getting into dating scandals at the same time bru LEAVE THEM ALONEEEE😭😭😭😭🙏🙏🙏

[an-extrodinary-blog-for-el-topo]

Wiggle wiggle wiggle (What's the most questionable thing you've done)

Uh.. probably saying "It is okay Crackle, you can have Le Chèvre too!" While in a life threatening situation during a caper with Le Chèvre and Crackle. Lec Chèvre gave me a look, and I did not know in what intention he meant, so I pretend it was in good intention..!

.....

I am starting to consider sharing isn't caring.

[srvantofblade]

Just a reminder, just because it's a Greek mythology, doesn't mean you can ship incest there. I'm talking specifically abt the Greek hero and their family.

[luthqrs]

"What, you're sorry? Sorry it ever happened? Sorry you kissed my husband on my wedding night?" CARLA CONNOR in CORONATION STREET ↝ 08.10.2014

[magicalyaku]

Ok ok, let's get back on track. Work was draining these past weeks, but I'm on vacation now, so time to catch up! June was the month of the library books. I put a bunch on hold in April and May and they all came in at the same time. And after up to 10 weeks of waiting I was not about to push a single one back further, so I had to work a bit there. 8D Also, according to my list I've read 51 books in the first 6 months of the year. I seem to remember wanting to read less this year? Yeah. Not going well.

Gwen & Art are Not in Love (Lex Croucher): I read it in the very first days of June, which was basically an eternity ago, so my memory is a bit wonky. I do remember I had lots of fun! It was funny and sweet with a solid story and serious times when needed, nice characters, good adventure. The female lead did not get on my nerves! There was a cat! And a girl with a (legendary) sword! I think, though, it's a bit unfair that both boys ended up with permanent bodily harm while the girls got away scratchfree … Go read it!!

Thief in the Night (KJ Charles): I didn't know anything about this other than the summary when I put it on my waitlist in the library. After 10 weeks it finally came in and my first thought was "Is it broken?!" because it's only about 100 pages! It is a full story, mind you, I was just so suprised by it (and because I waited for so long!). It's a companion story to The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting, featuring the brother of the protagonists of that one. It's pretty cute. Super short, but just the right length for a simple story. We can have a simple story once in a while. I had a good time reading this.

The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting (KJ Charles): I borrowed this right after Thief in the Night. This is a full-length novel, so it has a lot more time to dive into characters and intricacies. It's nice. Like not groundbreaking, but very enjoyable. There's this thing about (pseudo-historic) British aristocracy that just calls for mocking them. I liked a lot how the climax and ending played out!

Flowerheart (Catherine Bakewell): Now this was another difficult book for me. I thought with time I'd get a little more chill with YA fantasy heroines. Seems I'm not there yet. The heroine here has these whiny self-pitying phases that really annoyed me. She's like "Oh maybe he never liked me in the first place" just because the guy didn't want her help at one thing. But: 1) He was her very close childhood friend, that was not a lie. 2) She has like one day of training in and can't control her magic, so her help would be … probably no help at all. And 3) when he told her before that he needs her on the weekends she said no, she can't … So why is she getting upset?! I hate characters like this. /D But thankfully, this is only half of the time, the other half she's pretty ok (the guy as well) and I actually found myself liking the book. The romance is acceptable and it does have some nice imagery going on with all the flower magic and stuff.

Sounds Fake But Okay (Sarah Costello & Kayla Kaszyca): My one non-fiction book of the year. :D It's about seeing the world from the perspectives of a_spec people. Like taking apart all that amatonormativity and all these ideas about romance and family and stuff that most of our world sees as right and normal. So it's not just a "let me tell you what aromanticism and asexuality are"-book but dives a bit deeper. I found it insightful. I think, both a_spec and allo people can take something away from reading this. Challenging our social constructs in thought at least can't hurt after all. Regarding the ebook library edition I read I didn't quite like the layout as the incorporated community quotes where not well marked and I stumbled over them a few times before realising it's another quote. That's probably no issue in the paper version though. I also struggled to tell the authors Sarah and Kayla apart. They introduce themselves and their stories in the beginning but I immediately jumbled them up ...

Captive Prince Trilogy (C.S. Pacat): I borrowed the English edition from the library … and didn't want to return it! Which is stupid because I own the German version in paper. But that kinda sums up how I feel about these books. Captive Prince was not the very first gay fantasy book I read almost two years ago but the first one I liked. (The actual first was Rowan & Ash by Christian Händel which had a terribly selfish love interest and shied away from all the important conflict. (And yeah, long before that I did read The Raven Cycle but I picked that one up for the Ley lines and the no-kiss-promise. The gay was just a pleasant surprise, so I don't count it.)) Which is funny, because especially the beginning is so filthy! I remember being quite put off by this the first time around, but apparently it was intriguing enough to continue reading. I like the incredible slow-burn of Damen's and Laurent's relationship. The slow building of trust in a surrounding where trust is so rare. How shit happens between them and they have to sort it out on page before progressing. How you only catch glimpes of Laurent's true self for a long time. I like it when authors feel smart through their writing and writing Laurent's and the Regent's intrigues and all the different settings with war strategies etc. sure does feel smart to me. I like the slow-burn in stories as well when things start at some point and only get important much later and all weaves together beautifully. It's so rewarding. Look, where we started - look, how far we've come! Hah. u3u

Riley Weaver Needs a Date for the Gaybutante Society (Jason June): For the end of the month I went for something light and funny. Of all the authors I read last year F.T. Lukens and Jason June stuck with me the most. Lukens for the cozy charming fantasy and June for the slightly silly noisy onea. Riley Weaver is no exception to that. It does have a serious undertone and message, though, but due to the framework of the story it manages to never feel dull or preachy.

I also tried to read Dragonfall by L.R. Lam, but gave up after just 50 pages. I can't even say if it's good or bad, because I don't know. I couldn't stand the viewpoints. Like, there's three people. The first one is a 1st person narrator, who refers to the second person as You, but in the narration, not dialogue! That put me off so much. It was so … icky! The second person narrates 1st person as well. If there's another "you" I don't know because I didn't make it to the point where they meet for real. And then the third person comes along and … it's 3rd person?! And I screamed! God, I hate that. I mean, it can work and I have read books that I like with inconsistent viewpoints but there was nothing here for which I was willing to endure. To be fair, I don't like dragons in the first place, so maybe we never were a good match from the start. :'D

That's it for June!

[joannerowling]

when you say that Nina was one of your favorite strike girlfriends, does that imply an official ranking? i'm really curious about your opinions

ps: I'm surprised that Rachel Ledwell (Edie's younger cousin) didn't come up in your favorite characters for TIBH- I was so so fond of her during the scene with Robin.

Only in so far as my taste goes lmao

I like Nina best, she looks extremely cute in my head (i always kinda imagine her as Jenna Coleman), and i like her spunk. She's kind of gossipy, toxic blah blah blah, but i don't care. I loved how excited and immediately down she was to help Strike steal from her boss without even knowing him.

Next i would say, Lorelei. Self-assured businesswoman. For once, not upper class or haughty. She deserved better than Strike tbh.

Madeline, i know people don't like her, but i actually did, as dysfunctional as she was. Yeah i know, i know, she got drunk and attacked Strike on the street. God forbid women do anything.

Elin i couldn't care less about. Sounded like a less aggressive Charlotte. But, probably not as bad as Coco.

I barely count Ciara there, since they just have a one night stand. But she would probably be up the list if she counted, she was strangely sweet.

And of course Bijou is the worst. I dread her re-appearance in THM.

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

CS Winter Bingo--Square 3 (holiday decorating): A Match Faked for Christmas, ch. 2

Hi there and happy holiday season!  In an attempt to continue procrastinating my season 4 rewatch drabbles–and to not feel guilty about it–I decided to participate in the CS Winter Bingo event.  I received nine winter/holiday related prompts arranged in a square like a bingo card.  My mission is to make a bingo by writing at least three of my prompts before winter is over, but I’m hoping to do better than that!  I’m hoping to finish all nine!  Given the nature of the event, you can expect a lot of fluff (but then what else would you expect from me, after all?)  I’m hoping to keep them short as well, but I’m usually not nearly as successful at that.  And without further ado, let’s play CS Winter Bingo!

Rating: G

Word count: 1391

Today’s prompt: Fake Dating: Holiday Edition

Other chapters: (1) (2) (4) (5) (6)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A Match Faked for Christmas–Chapter 2

Killian had expected to spend a rather lonely and boring holiday season.  His brother, his last remaining family, had passed unexpectedly more than five years ago now, and his former girlfriend, Milah, had left him earlier that summer for another man.  (It was the sting of that rejection, in fact, that had led him to relocate to Storybrooke several months ago.)

The result was that he expected to have no one with which to spend the festive season.  Oh, he’d received an invitation to the Christmas party the Nolan’s were hosting on Christmas Eve, but he wasn’t even sure he planned to accept.  There was something supremely depressing about attending a party with a group of happy people when one was not similarly happy.

What he hadn’t expected was Emma Swan.

He’d noticed his next-door neighbor from the moment he moved in next to her.  She was gorgeous, of course, but it was more than that.  There was an undeniable spark, an undeniable attraction far beyond what he would normally feel for a beautiful woman he was just meeting.  He hadn’t felt anything like this at least since the moment he met Milah–maybe not even then.

Belonging.  He felt like they belonged together, as ridiculous as that sounded.

He’d tested the waters upon first meeting her, flirting, showing interest, making it abundantly clear that should she be amenable, he’d love to explore the connection between the two of them.

But she’d made it equally–and rather frostily–clear that she had no interest in his attentions, and so he’d backed off.

When the first cheesy, homemade Christmas card arrived, at first he’d wondered if he’d misjudged the situation.  Perhaps it wasn’t that she’d summarily rejected him.  Perhaps she was simply reserved or shy.  When the second, third and fourth arrived, he’d become suspicious, and when the fifth arrived just as Mary Margaret Nolan went past on her nightly walk with the Nolan’s dog Wilby, he was certain his suspicions had merit.

“Anything interesting in the mail today?” she asked casually–far too casually–as she stopped beside his home.

Oh yes, his instincts were certainly correct.  The handmade cards were far more the bubbly Mary Margaret’s style than the aloof Emma Swan’s.

When the final card arrived, with its overly sappy, romantic sentiment, he knew it was time to discuss the matter with Emma herself.

He didn’t know what he’d expected from the conversation, but one thing was for certain.  He hadn’t expected to return to his home with the new-found title of Fake Boyfriend.

He couldn’t say he was upset with the arrangement.  Being Emma’s boyfriend–even if the relationship was a sham–would necessitate they spend time together, wouldn’t it?  Perhaps the time together and the shared deception would soften the lovely Miss Swan’s heart.  Stranger things had happened, particularly at this magical time of year.

And so it was the day after their bargain was struck, that Killian found himself ambling over to Emma’s door, two steaming mugs of cocoa in hand.

It took her some time to come to the door–so long, in fact that Killian was on the point of leaving–and when she did, it was abundantly clear, he’d woken her.  Her hair was a riotous tumble around her shoulders, she wore plaid pajamas and big fuzzy slippers.  Her eyes were barely open.

Even just rolling out of bed like this, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

“Killian, what the hell are you doing knocking on my door this damn early on a Saturday morning?” she asked, arms crossed angrily in front of her.

“Early?” he asked, breezing past her into her home, “Swan, it’s 10:30 am.”

“On a Saturday,” she reiterated grumpily.

“I apologize for waking you,” he said, holding out one of the styrofoam cups to her. “I come with a peace offering.”

She took the cup without a word, one eyebrow going up as she peered up at him.  Finally she brought it to her lips and took a swig.  “Hot cocoa,” she said appreciatively, cupping her hands around the warm beverage.  “And you added cinnamon! How did you know to add cinnamon?”

He shrugged.  “Took a chance, love,” he said.  “I like it that way, I thought perhaps you might too.”

She took another long sip, humming appreciatively, the sound so primal, it sent a bolt of longing straight through him.  “Well your chance paid off.  Since you plied me with cocoa, I’m feeling significantly less homicidal about you waking me.”

He chuckled. “Glad to hear it.”

“So why are you here,” she asked after a moment.

“Keeping up appearances,” he said cheerfully.  “After all, if we’re to make Mary Margaret Nolan believe that we are in a relationship, we really should spend some time together.”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” she said softly, almost under her breath.  “So what exactly did you have in mind for us to do to keep up appearances.  What should we do to convince the nosy neighbors that we’re an item?”

He raised an eyebrow and grinned mischievously in response, and she chuckled.  “Whatever it is you’re thinking, no.”

He put a dramatic hand to his chest.  “You cut me to the heart, Swan.”

Her chuckle turned to a full blown laugh at that and she playfully swatted his arm.  “You are an idiot.”

He merely grinned–like an idiot–in response.

“So let me rephrase,” she said after a moment.  “What do you have in mind that doesn’t put a look like THAT on your face?”

Killian looked around her sparsely furnished apartment.  “Swan, it’s a week until Christmas and you haven’t got a single decoration up, so I propose that be our couple mission for the day.  We must get you a tree and make this place festive!”

For a long moment he thought she was going to refuse, but finally she nodded.  “Fine, as long as you help me take it down when the season’s over.  Give me few minutes to make myself presentable.”

“You look beautiful already,” he said simply, and his grin grew when her cheeks pinkened at the compliment, “but as to your terms I accept.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

That evening, David Nolan found his wife standing in front of their front window, peering intently across the street.  He chuckled, as he put an arm around her waist.  “You know Mary Margaret, I suspect our neighbors would be none too pleased to know the extent to which you spy on them.”

She turned and gave him a quick kiss before returning her focus to Emma Swan’s home. “They’ll get over it,” she said.  “David, look how well our plan is working!  They’ve spent the whole day together.  Look how happy they are!”

David dutifully looked in the direction his wife was pointing, and had to admit the couple in question did look like they were enjoying their time together.  They’d put a large, full Christmas tree in front of the picture window and had trimmed it with lights, garland, ornaments, talking and laughing as they did so.  Now nearly finished with their task, Emma stepped up on a ladder to place the star on the top.  The angle was awkward, and she leaned precariously, finally placing the topper just right….before windmilling her arms, losing her balance, and falling directly into Killian’s arms down below.

Mary Margaret actually cackled, clapping her hands in delight at that display.  “Just look at them!” she said triumphantly.  The two across the street stood still for a long moment–Emma in Killian’s arms, both looking into each other’s eyes in surprise and perhaps something more.  “At this rate they’ll be engaged by New Years!”

“I wouldn’t bet against you and your matchmaking skills, honey,” he said with a laugh.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Notes: Well, I didn’t manage to include nearly as many cheesy Hallmark movie tropes as I would have liked into this chapter, but I managed to include hot cocoa and “one character falling and the other catching them before staring into each other’s eyes”, lol.

Something tells me this “fake” relationship might not be shaping up to be quite as fake as Emma thinks it is!

Up next: caroling!

NEXT CHAPTER->