Chapter Text
Every time she catches sight of him, she knows one thing for certain - she’s never getting back those missing heartbeats that her heart loses because of him. Everything is because of him.
Her anger, her rashness, her frustrating inability to make sense, to focus on anything other than the way her skin tingles every time his gaze lands on her trembling form. Nobody sees those tremors engulfing her body, for Emma is nothing if not fiercely guarded but one of these days, oh, she is certain - she is going to crack the slightest, tiniest bit and yet that will be more than sufficient for someone, or, more importantly, him, to notice her most shameful secret to date.
She is falling, fast, and feeling too much and too sudden, her heart and her head, the ever battling enemies are making her weak, and he is making her weak - so weak with desire, it takes most of her strength and a lot of clenched fists to keep it at bay.
One of these days he’s going to see through her and flee in horror and she will be left alone, yet again.
Alas, her heart has other ideas and persists in telling her its beloved fairytale - of a pirate that loved a princess enough to stay, not run.