She's Perfect But You're Mine

Perfectly Other

Damn you, rum, was the first thought that came to Emma's mind when she woke up, her hair tousled, wearing the inner parts of yesterday's outfit, and already feeling angry clouds of an impending hangover. She couldn't be more pathetic, she thought, right before noticing a thin line of saliva adorning her pillow.

Outstanding.

Why did the alcohol gods punish her so harshly? She was rightfully celebrating catching her latest skip, Felix the Fiend -Felix the Fucker if you ask her- with her friends. Her group was a patchwork of people led by her employers, the charmingly dubbed, the Charmings. The only thing that made her move, very reluctantly and slowly, from the bed, was the thought of teasing Killian. He missed her singing, or rather murdering, Michael Jackson's Beat It. Her performance in the club was Billboard Hot 100 calibre, but her roommate skipped the whole thing for mysterious reasons.

As she rounded the corner, overlooking their kitchen, his reasons were mysterious no more. In fact, judging from the adoring looks the small brunette was giving him over eggs and bacon, his reasons became painfully obvious.

Snuggling against each other, the pair hadn't seen her approaching. Emma had a few seconds to have a massive internal freak out over the perfect picture they made, straight from a Folgers breakfast ad.

"Swan, good morning. You're looking particularly fresh at this early hour, if I may say," Killian said cheerfully, totally unaware of the absurdity of the scene. It's not that Killian didn't have girls over, his stubble and rosy cheeks were more successful than a dog with the ladies. A scarcely clad, tousled hair girl in their kitchen wasn't out of the ordinary. The thing is, he never had breakfast with them.

Just when she thought she couldn't be any more surprised, the real bomb fell.

"Emma, this is my Belle, my girlfriend."

Motherfucker.

A few things had scarred her college life, catching Ruby with -and on- the TA in her Bug, spilling scalding cocoa all over Elsa's lab coat, finding out Neal had a girlfriend, one besides herself. Her meeting Killian, knocking on his dorm door to stop him from singing "We are the Champions", loudly, for the twelfth time, out of tune, didn't even make the top ten. She therefore had a difficult time explaining to herself why this stupid , ill advised crush she had on her roommate wouldn't go away.

After that day, he'd done it on purpose. Playing his guitar at full volume to taunt her -this arrogant bastard-, going so far as to play Two Doors Down , in every annoying voice he could muster. "So Emma, what do you say," he'd teased, as his hand had left the door handle and joined the other one in the guitar, "let me take you home tonight."

And thus began a friendship, but dammit that was almost a decade ago, including a two-year old cohabiting arrangement. Her ill-advised crush on her roommate should have been over by now.

"So, Belle," he started as Belle leaned further into him, tickling his beard, "this is Emma Swan, my friend and roommate."

The brunette extended her hand gracefully while maintaining eye contact. Her green eyes appeared for all intents and purposes, honest and excited.

"Emma Swan," Emma supplied redundantly. Nice way to make a good first impression, so smooth, Emma.

"I'm so glad to finally meet you, Emma. I couldn't believe you talked him into watching the Princess Bride. I'm a fool for those Westley types," Belle explained while patting Killian's chest. His pointed, and adorable ears were quickly dusted with a shade of red.

"Who isn't?" Emma asked and smiled the best as she could, wondering if this was normal or if her awkwardness was cruelly evident.

"That's true, but it's also what sold me on this guy. Quoting the movie in real time? My prince!" she says, cupping Killian's chin while he gives her his most charming smile. The lopsided one, with a hint of teeth. The charming fucker.

They make such a disney couple, Emma waits for blue little birds to start chirping around them. The sight is so perfect, it makes her want to puke through her eyes.

"Ha. Yes." she shuffles around them and grabs the cup with the painted swans. It's tall and the porcelain handle is broken, leaving her to grab it with both of her hands, even if the inside is scalding. Killian calls it her "chalice". He gives names to everything, it's an inside joke. They haven't shared one for some time.

With her -tense- back towards them, she hears Killian speak to her. "Would it be okay with you if Belle stayed with us for a few days? Her plumbing is out."

She swivels and faces them, willing her eyes not to bulge.

"I hope I'm not in the way. You won't even notice I'm here", Emma highly doubts that, with Killian choosing this moment to tighten the arm around her waist. "I can bake too, Killian tells me you have a sweet tooth".

She's never rejected baked goods in her life, but even the biggest chocolate chip cake can't wash away the bitterness in her mouth.

"And I want to get to know you. We can be friends".

They're both looking at her expectantly as seconds go by and she doesn't speak.

It's then where Killian employs his tactic to make her open up, the one that got her to share about her sordid past, the ex still haunting her dreams and her inner, most genuine need for family. He holds her eyes and speaks softly.

"Love?"

At this second two things happen: Belle opens her mouth to answer, then closes it, squinting her meticulously shaped eyebrows at him.

And Emma hears that word and pain washes over her, realising it won't be aimed at her, not in the way she wants deep inside.

Her answer is drowned by excited screams. As she recounts to Ruby later that day over a couple -dozens- of beers, she just killed her chances with Killian once and for all.

That cake better be worth it.

----

Author's Notes:

part 1 of 2. comment your thoughts