A KIND OF MAGIC ↝ Killian Jones

⇒ CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  WILMA DIDN'T KNOW what she had expected, but when Killian kissed her, there was no magic eruptions, no sparks — well, not more than usual, at least. Therefore, she wasn't sure if Zelena's spell had worked, or if it was specifically meant for Emma, but she decided that all they could do was wait and see. Once the long and tiring day was over and the next morning rose, Killian and Wilma headed to Granny's for some breakfast fries, or in other words, fries for Wilma and rum for Killian. Nonetheless, the two were seated in one of the booths in the quiet diner, just the two of them in peace.

  "Are you feeling better, love?", Killian questioned then, offering his flask for Wilma who was munching on some french fries, and for a second, she thought about her options, only to settle on the latter — taking a swig to wash the potatoes down. It ended with a grimace, as Wilma was yet to get used to the grim taste, but it gave her the kick she needed to take on Killian's question and ponder about her answer. Did he mean surviving the car crash? Or possibly the fact that Neal had died? Or everything that had happened to her?

  Still, whatever he meant, she flashed a confident smile. "Yes", Wilma answered, and at last, she meant it wholeheartedly, speaking nothing but the devout truth as she assured Killian that she was doing much better now, that she was kind of okay. Physically, the pain was almost entirely gone, excluding a few nasty bruises still reminding her of what had happened, and mentally... Well, she was taking Dr. Hopper's advice, and focusing on the positive. Instead of drowning herself in all the sorrows she could have easily chosen to do, she allowed herself to be happy and let the good moments be more than a fleeting luxury. She was happy, and her enamored, racing heart confirmed that as she handed Killian his flask back, causing their fingers to meet in the middle.

  "Very well. Fancy a game of cards, m'lady?", Killian proposed then, nodding towards the stack of cards on the counter of the diner, and lifting her eyebrow in curiosity, Wilma turned to look at the pirate, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

  "Depends", she cleared her throat, "what do I get if I win, hm?", and in an instant, Killian's eyes lit up with enthusiam and even surprise, as if he hadn't expected Wilma to respond to his challenge. But frankly, it had been too long since Wilma had done something ordinary, something kind of boring but enough to entertain her, something mundane, and playing cards sounded mundane enough. She needed a little balance in her life, and this seemed like the way to do it.

  "Well, if you win — just if — we shall spend the night listening to your favorite songs. And you can tell me all about them", Killian grinned, revealing his shiny teeth as he leaned across the table, closer to Wilma, who nodded approvingly. It sounded bloody great, something to truly motivate her into trying her best, but before she could rush to grab the cards and kick the game off, she leaned back in her seat and lifted her eyebrow yet again, still missing some information.

  "And if you win?"

  With that, Killian's usual grin turned into something much more mischievous — and attractive, at that — and he winked at the woman, causing her to suddenly become grateful for sitting, not standing. Her legs would have probably failed beneath her heart that turned heavy with affection and adoration. God, how she loved Killian.

  "If I win, I shall, at last, take you on a date", Killian promised, and with her eyes widening, Wilma almost choked on the last fries she had just put in her mouth. And damn it, it sounded amazing. For the longest time, Wilma had dreamed of going out with Killian — just the two of them, something lovely but casual enough for them to joke around and be themselves. But at the same time, nervous, stressed out, worried that somehow the night wouldn't end with a good night kiss, or more than just one of them. Something bittersweet, like a first date with her high school crush, something that she would end up having dreams about, something that would make her smile into her pillow, unable to fall asleep.