#also her reaction to the crew being eaten was so sweet and sad

[ibrokeeverything]

Y'ALL THEY BROUGHT BACK THE DROPPED ZILLO BEAST PLOTLINE FROM CLONE WARS

[eyayah-oya]

The Father You’ll Be

Boil/Waxer with a side of Cody/Rex

Rating: G

Warnings: there is brief mention of the cadets dying during the Battle of Kamino. Nothing graphic, but there are mentions.

for @clonehavensotm

Ao3 link

           Boil walked into the barracks and began stripping off his armor, desperately ready to go to sleep.  After a long day of fighting, the 212th and the 501st worked with Rancor to clear up the debris around Kamino, until they’d been awake for approximately two and a half day cycles.  Every step felt heavier than the last, until Boil felt like he was about to fall asleep where he was standing.

           At least, he felt that exhausted until he realized Waxer was no longer behind him.  Nor was he anywhere in the barracks.

           For several moments, Boil debated the merits of just falling into bed without Waxer, but the longer he stood there without knowing where he was, the more agitated he became.  With a heavy sigh and a silent curse, Boil put his armor back on and marched out into the hallways of Kamino.  Several other vod’e tried to reach out and stop him, to try and drag him to bed, but Boil just shrugged off their concerned hands and continued on to the mess hall.

           Boil sighed heavily when he couldn’t find Waxer in the mess hall, nor could he find him back in the area they had been cleaning up. He would not be able to settle down properly until he at least knew where Waxer was and what he was doing.

           There were many places on Kamino that Waxer could be hiding.  He tended to go for a run after a high-risk battle, just to help himself settle.  But he could also have gone to the training halls to work out his energy, as there were most likely plenty of brothers who he could spar against.  Boil really should have expected this kind of reaction from Waxer.  This battle was different from any other they’d fought in before.  There was more at stake, more at risk if they failed.  Worse casualties.  They’d lost far too many ikaade when the droids crashed through one of the domes, and several barracks were overrun by droids—

           Boil froze.

           He knew exactly where Waxer was.

           With a quick about-face, Boil marched towards the Littles’ barracks.  Waxer always had a bleeding heart for anyone who was in need of help, but especially animals and children.  Numa was a perfect example of that (Boil conveniently neglected to remember how enamored he had been by the sweet Twi’lek girl).  After the kind of loss all clones had experienced that day with the death of their vod’ikase and ikaade, Waxer would want to comfort the Littles.

           “Boil?  What are you still doing awake?”

           Commander Cody was leaning against the wall, guarding a doorway with Rex by his side.  They both looked exhausted, especially since they’d been working with Rancor command while Colt and Havoc were in the medbay getting patched up.  Boil did not envy their jobs.  The two of them were effectively coordinating three battalions in the cleanup efforts with the help of Commander Blitz and ARC Hammer.  They were also the ones dealing with the casualty reports.

           “Sir,” Boil snapped off a salute.  “Just going to find Waxer, sir.”

           Cody’s brow furrowed.  “He’s not with you?  I thought I assigned the two of you to the same work crews.”

           “You did, sir,” Boil answered.  “I got to the barracks and turned around and he wasn’t there.  I have a pretty good idea of where he disappeared to, though.”

           With a strained look in his eyes, Cody nodded.  It was likely that he, too, had guessed where Waxer was, and the Commander definitely wouldn’t get mad at either of them for being in the littlest cadet dorms.  “Make sure he gets some sleep tonight.  A pile of Littles will probably help more with that than anything else at this point. Hell, I might even join you later. We lost too many of them today, and it’ll be nice to see them and make sure they’re holding up well.”

           “I’m sure they’d love that,” Rex murmured.  “The Great Marshal Commander Cody coming to visit them and hug and hold them.  They’ll love you for that.”

           Cody sighed and thunked his head back against the wall. “You’re never gonna let me live the hero worship down, are you?”

           “Nope,” Rex huffed a weak attempt at a laugh.  He sounded exhausted, just as worn as the rest of them, and more since he was also dealing with a padawan commander who stumbled upon a bunch of cadets killed by Grievous.  Boil had heard the rumors, and he was so glad neither he nor Waxer had had to see any of the bodies of their little brothers.  That would have crushed them both.

           “Bring Commander Tano,” Boil said spontaneously.  He shifted back on his feet when both the Commander and the Captain looked at him in surprise.  “Well, I think it would do her good to see the cadets, too.  And I’m sure they’d like to meet a shiny Jedi. They probably have only ever seen General Ti from a distance.”

           “Ahsoka would like that, I think,” Cody answered, looking to Rex for confirmation.  Boil wasn’t sure why.  It was well-known among the 212th and the 501st that both Rex and Cody had adopted the young Jedi and loved her as fiercely as any nat-born loved their children.  Ahsoka looked up to Cody and probably spent just as much time with him as she did with Rex.

           “We have some a few tasks left to do before we can bunk down,” Rex said slowly.  “But then we should be free to come join you.  Ahsoka is debriefing with the Generals and checking on the injured in the medbay, but I’ll try to wrangle her into coming with us.”

           Boil nodded.  “I’ll go find Waxer and let you know which barracks he’s hid himself in. I’ll see you soon, sirs.”

           Cody and Rex waved him off, and Boil continued down the hallway, each step heavy with grief and exhaustion.  He counted off the doors until he reached the bunks for the youngest cadets decanted and poked his head into each one, looking for the tell-tale sign of a puppy-pile of vod’e flopped all over Waxer.

           It wasn’t until the fifth barracks he checked that Boil finally found him.  Waxer was telling a story about one of their many missions, watered down so that it was appropriate for little audio receptors.  He had a pair of Littles curled together under each arm, and two sitting on his lap while another dozen or so piled around his legs.  His armor was neatly stacked on a nearby pod, and it was clear that Waxer was planning on spending the rest of the night here with the little ones.

           “And then these great big, hungry monsters started chasing them through the streets of Nabat.  They were closing in on Commander Cody, and his blaster wasn’t working against their tough skins.  He was trapped, weaponless, and about to be eaten.  And do you know what happened?”

           One of the Littles on his lap perked up and grinned.  “He punched them?”

           “Or kicked them!”

           “Nah, he used his blaster to beat them up!”

           “You saved the day, Waxer!” a Little chirped from where he was practically buried underneath his brothers.

           “Thank you, 53, but no.  I was actually on my own adventure with Boil at the time.  I heard about all of this after it happened,” Waxer grinned.  He looked up, caught Boil’s eye, and shrugged apologetically.

           Boil found he couldn’t really be mad at Waxer.  Not when he was helping the little vod’ikase. With a heavy sigh, Boil stripped off his armor and set it next to Waxer’s while he distracted the little brothers.

           “I’ll tell you what happened,” Waxer continued his story with a wide grin.  “General Kenobi leaped in front of the charging monsters, without his lightsaber—“

           “No!” a Little cried.  He was curled up on his brother’s lap, tucked snugly under Waxer’s right arm, but when he shouted, he sat bolt upright, horror written on every tiny, adorable feature.

           That one is going to be Cody’s.  He’s going to adopt that Little next, Boil thought to himself. As he sat down, he and Waxer exchanged a knowing look, even as his lap was immediately overrun by Littles looking for a comfortable place to curl up.  If Cody managed to adopt this one, General Kenobi would stand no chance at ever running away from medical or losing his lightsaber in battle again.  The large, sad eyes pleading with him would be his downfall.  Boil made a note to tell Cody all about this one.

           “It’s alright, 2467,” Waxer soothed and kark, the kid even had Rex’s and Cody’s numbers combined into his.  “While it’s always a bad idea to go into a dangerous situation unarmed, the General had a few tricks up his sleeve.  So, there they were, cornered by starving beasts, when General Kenobi holds up his hand, just like this.”  Waxer demonstrates with arms raised in a decent imitation of the General when he was doing his Force magic stuff.

           “What happened then?  What happened to Commander Cody and General Kenobi?” a Little from the pile at Waxer’s knees piped up.

           “With the power of his mind,” Waxer said, “he spoke to the monsters and lured them away from Commander Cody and the rest of Ghost Company.  He led them deep into an alley, where there was only one exit.  And then he ordered Ghost to shoot at the walkways above him.”

           “NO!” 2467 shouted again.  “He can’t do that!  The General’s supposed to be safe!”

           Kriff it, Boil was going to help Cody sneak the whole squad onto the Negotiator, so he could adopt this one.  After all, they would never split up a batch.

           “Commander Cody was worried, but it all turned out okay. The General used the Force to leap high over the new blockade Ghost Company created, and he landed safely outside by Commander Cody, while the monsters were stuck.  And of course, Commander Cody handed the General his lightsaber and they went on to save Nabat.  The villagers were all safe and could move back into their homes without worrying about those awful clankers taking over their homes.”            “Wow!” one of the Littles in Boil’s lap whispered.

           “I’m gonna be just like Commander Cody when I grow big and strong!” another said, leaping up to demonstrate various kicks and punches. They weren’t very coordinated yet, and it was absolutely adorable to watch.

           “You better keep practicing, vod’ika,” Rex called from the doorway.  “Someday, you’ll be just as good as Cody.  I know it.”

           He slumped against the nearest pod and began taking off his armor.  Ahsoka slunk into the room behind him, and as soon as the top half of his armor was off, she attached herself to his back.  Her thin arms wrapped around his waist, and her face was pressed tightly in between his shoulder blades.  Boil would be willing to bet all the credits he never earned that she’d likely been crying as soon as she got away from the Generals.  But here among vod’e, she was safe to express all the awful emotions she had pent up in her heart.  Boil had learned over the course of the war that Jedi struggled with all the death far more than any vod.  They felt each death as if it were their own unless they shielded themselves so completely from the Force that it rendered them entirely useless.  To feel the lives of children slip away?  Boil couldn’t imagine.

           “Captain Rex, sir!” the Littles all shouted, and they tried to detangle themselves to salute, but Rex immediately waved them back down.

           “At ease, cadets.  Do you mind if we join you?  Commander Cody should also be coming soon.”

           “Really?”  The enormous eyes were filled with hope and disbelief that one of the greatest soldiers in the GAR would be coming to visit them.

           “Yes, really,” Boil answered.  “I invited him.  I hope you don’t mind?”

           Immediately, the little cadets were all wriggling around in excitement, talking loudly over one another about how cool and heroic Marshal Commander Cody was.  It was karking adorable.

           Boil slid into the newly freed space and wrapped an arm around Waxer.  Immediately, he felt him relax into his hold, some of the tension draining from his shoulders.  Rex plopped down against a wall, and immediately pulled Ahsoka into his lap, cradling her tightly against his chest.  She went almost desperately, needing the grounding contact of one of her adopted dads.  Boil knew that as soon as Cody arrived, she would somehow manage to wrap herself around both of them.  They’d probably end up buried beneath a pile of vod’ikase, but Boil sincerely doubted any of them would mind in the slightest.  He might not have the Force, but he could feel himself relaxing in the presence of such innocence and enthusiasm.  Waxer had made an excellent choice to come here.  Boil was glad that he had followed.

           He would always follow Waxer.  Whether it was on the battlefield or to a hoard of Littles that needed the comforting presence of their ori’vode, he would walk right beside him. Waxer was special.  Boil didn’t quite know the name of what he felt for Waxer, but he knew that it was enough to just be near him.  To press against each other tightly at night, and to shake apart together.  To be together for the rest of their lives.

           It was enough.

             (Cody nearly managed to sneak the entire squad onto the Negotiator undetected, but at the last minute, General Kenobi caught him. And then proceeded to help them set up a nursery perfect for the 212th’s newest squad of cadets.  No one could ever say their General didn’t have a bleeding heart, nor a soft spot for children.  And just as Boil had predicted, Cody adopted 2467 and helped pick out the name Dara.  They would be eternal, no matter what happened during the war.)

[stray-tori]

TPN S02E06 - Initial Thoughts (anime-only)

hhh everything went wrong with my reaction video this time - the video is lagging (so i replaced the screenrecording with the actual episode), also facecam broken so my friends won’t get to see me tearing up and the wrong mic input was recorded so I’m sorry for the shitty quality. I’m so upset :(

Edit: Google Drive Link! :)

.

I don’t even know what to really talk about because I liked everything?? it was such a good episode and I just... AHHH. I wish we had so much more of THIS. please give them more seasons.... ik its already too late for that but pleaseee fidusdj- they just... do so well when they adapt imo. the whole comparison panels I’ve seen of the interactions with Norman, I just... genuinely think it’s such a highpoint and they did so friggin well.

I just... I’m so sad this will likely be the last season. I hope we’ll get more, in whatever form. I know there’s the manga and unless we get an announcement about more anime content at light speed, I do plan on reading it! I just... I love the anime. And it’s art. The manga’s art is unique but the style isn’t my jam and some stuff just looks a bit too stylized for my liking hhhh-

That won’t stop me but... it does make me emotional, I guess.

Let’s hope they stay on this path now that they’ve joined back in with the manga, somewhat (still, you couldnt even give them 12 episodes??).

.

. the reunion

It gave me flutters!! it’s so nice and intimate and sweet and dusdhj- THE NORMAN SQUISH. And him noticing Emma’s ear is gone TvT Her sweet, kinda embarrassed “I left it back at home” efiojsd

also the clothing line here separates the two groups, alluding to the conflict between them later in the episode. They’re strangers on two sides, and Norman is the only connecting piece.

I didn’t really dislike anything aside from Ray being left out. I just wanted them both to run for him I guess :( though it makes sense to be more distant, he also was at the shipment itself but idk, it just makes Norman seem so,,, rude that he doesn’t acknowledge Ray at all until Emma is like “hey btw I brought him too” :”D

Slap kinda deserved, on multiple fronts haha-

Though the mutual “baka” calling between Norman and Ray was adorable duihdasjdas

.

. Emma’s arc

a few days ago, I made that whole “anime emma’s arc” post about her feeling useless and how that might come into play - and I do hope they address it and I think they kind of are? Because GF arc Emma was always ready to have her way, even if it seemed impossible.

Either way, I feel like part of why she didn’t speak up is kind of as alluded to, that she doesn’t feel like she has the right to when she doesn’t know any other way right now. And I hope that in the next few episode we will see her headstrong and do things and be pro-active and kind of challenge that and Norman.

.

. Norman (+ his crew)

It was kind of on the nose when Norman held that whole speech about what she had said before, a small hint to it would have been enough I feel like, for the audience -- because I think realizing that part of his motivation in all of this was just her words and that he wanted to do that for her (I think that’s the implication) is really sweet. He is kind of the carrier here and I hope that will change because it feels like we haven’t earned this bio weapon at all - which is okay, because it probably won’t be the solution, so it’s more of a plot-moving element than an actual solution. And I hope that whatever the solution really does entail will feel less like an ass-pull and more deserved.

I feel it may have been interesting to have a pov switch somewhere in ep4 or ep5 to Norman and what he’s been up to. The reveal was kind of “...? okay?” anyway so I feel like that would have made things a little interesting, but I also really enjoy getting to know his squad now.

I’m also HIGHKEY SUS (all alarm bells are ringing) at Norman being like “Oh I just did tests” like.... BABY. PRECIOUS SON, ARE YOU PRETENDING EVERYTHING’S FINE AGAIN?

The fact that Norman didn’t bother explaining further just solidifies (to me, anyway) that he’s avoiding talking about it somewhat. He spoke about it very distantly and from an objective viewpoint.

Alone getting that tattoo on his chest must have hurt a lot. So. Please, give me a lot of angst, CW.

I hope both him and his crew will get some flashbacks or trauma moments to really solidify how badly they’ve been treated (and deliver some juicy angst).

I really loved the close-up on the meat Barbara was eating in that scene too. I felt like it didn't even have to spell it out for us that they're eating demon meat but. Oh well - it was well conveyed but I guess the characters had to confirm.

I also love that whole part about how he’s always cold to them auidhjhs - I really do feel like making a gif out of that haha.

Lambda person: “Boss?” Norman: “What? :/” Emma/Ray: “Norman!” Norman: “Yes? :)”

Also only vaguely related but what’s with people who are made to be eaten, in a state of “dead??? who knows” and then coming back as a “boss” :D Yes I’m talking about beastars.

.

. Mujika

Norman called her the “evil-blooded girl” and the old guy called the temple “evil-blooded” too. And he said it wasn’t a place for kids to be --- and he likely assumed that they were demon kids.

Also some nice clue before we even know to connect Mujika with the temple.

A demon temple that’s “evil-blooded” and too dangerous for demon kids?

It could just be because it’s a ruin, but he IS praying for the world to change there. Mujika seems to be able to maintain her form without eating humans, so maybe that’s what this is all aiming towards.

I guess it also means that the statue with the violet veil is Mujika??? She does have purple hair I suppose.

At first, I was surprised that Norman recognized her just by the description - there’s more than one demon girl :D but I guess only one demon girl who doesn’t need to eat humans? - and I thought he may have crossed paths with her.

But for that to be the case AND for him to assume she’s alive because Emma and Ray have met her, it can’t mean he actually MET her. Because well, RayEm met her like 2 months after his shipment. Assuming he didn’t break out immediately, he couldn’t have met AND tried to do something to her (likely kill). So my guess is that she’s some sort of legend or diety or just like, commonly known and she’s supposedly dead and he’s shocked because she isn’t.

He also first asked “where did you hear about that?” assuming he also only heard about it. Norman's reaction to them having met them also isn't "when?" (so he could confirm if it was after or before his supposed encounter with her), it's shock that they met her AT ALL. Which to me, implies that she's supposedly dead (which lines up with the temple in ruin, so something happened to her line, or whatever she's a part of). And since Norman couldn't have met her before their escape (Mujika hasn't seen a human when they meet the GF escapees), that's my conclusion.

Assuming she’s dead also makes sense since her (religion’s) temples seem to be in ruin. maybe that’s why no other demons seem to have that ability (that we know of), because it was lost when her presence was destroyed (therefore the ruins) or something of the sort.

She’s never seen a human before apparantly though, so I’m not sure what exactly that means. She doesn’t seem to have wanted freedom for humans prior to meeting them either (she only seemed hesitant about eating them after all that), so I’m not sure what her own motivation in having that sort of religion would even be.

There’s of course also sonju, so maybe it is after all a religion-thing? Who knows-

.

As I’ve talked about before, I think it makes a lot of sense if the demons are part of the solution, I’m just really curious what that solution actually entails for the demons / what exactly Mujika is. I still think it’s plausible that another promise between Mujika and Emma will happen, considering the narrative mirroring TPN does a lot.

.

. other random stuff

there’s mass production farms! I shouldn’t be surprised, but I hope we get to know more about those (likely not since yknow 5 episodes left and all that)

I also liked how they showed the different plants while talking about it, mirroring how we too mutated plants and some animals to further benefit our needs and exploitation...

The pep talk from Ray was good and the sunrise was SO BEAUTIFUL, TAKE ME NOW ANIMATORS

generally the animation, especially in the trio scene and the lambda squad hideout scenes, was so BEAUTIFUL

I liked that I kept joking about how the WM system was rly insecure if a random guy just dropped the pen for Krone to find, but NOW WE HAVE CONFIRMATION IT WAS INTENTIONAL and Smee is truly the MVP / big brain puppet master of this series.

It did seem kind of weird that Norman just left like "yeah this will probably be discovered soon. anyway, I'm leaving you here to go to my base, see ya" - LIKE BRO TAKE THEM WITH YOU SO YOU CAN PROTECT THEM IF THEY SHOW UP LIKE, TONIGHT

[madlymiho]

Hi Miho! Requests are open! I was wondering if you could do a scenario with Law where his girlfriend keeps trying to tell him she’s pregnant to him but they keep getting interrupted by the crew and stuff, and she gets down (like angsty) about the situation, and with a fluffy or nsfw ending (whichever you want). You’re an angel!

Ooooh hello there! My god this is soooo sooo sweet? I loved to write about this!

I choose to go for a fluffy ending on this one! Thanks for this awesome ask 💖

Words : 2286

Law scenario : We’re having a baby, Law. (read after the cut)

“Law, we’re having a baby.” 

The words are easy. Nothing really fantastic or difficult to say, when we simply think about the sentence. A simple formation of words, which have the power to shatter someone’s world forever. Her pregnancy wasn’t planned. She does want to have children one day, that’s a certitude for her. She wants to see these small little nippers of her running everywhere around the house, while she feels safe and sound, somewhere in this world where there’s no more worries and sorrows. She wants to have them when she would be able to stay home everyday, without fearing the day that she might get chased because she’s a pirate, and that their father is nothing but one member of the Worst Generation. But things are what they are, and at the moment, she can only fondle the tiny roundness of her tummy, hoping that she would find the right words to tell Law that he’s going to be a father, in the middle of a war between the Yonkos and some filthy pirates. 

***

“Name-ya, come in.” Law calls, while he looks up from his medical books, slightly concerned by the look on her face. “Is there something wrong?” 

For a past few days, she seems different. Her habits remain the same, but she desperately tries to catch his attention, and despite his best efforts, Law feels like he can’t provide what she needs. He extends his hand to invite her to come in, a soft and shy smile growing at the corner of his lips. For a moment, she remains still, unable to make a step forwards. She fondles her arm, as if there’s something heavy that she wants to spit, but as soon as she meets his serious gaze, she flinches and suddenly comes closer, remembering that he’s still waiting on his chair. She silently sits on his lap, like she always do whenever he has a couple of minutes to give her, before he gently reminds her that he has some work to finish. As usual, Law circles her waist to hold her tight, his other one writing a few notes on his book. She pinches her lips, looking at his face, a thousand of words boiling inside her brain, but none of them capable of crossing the natural barrier of her mouth. Law feels the look on him, and since he knows that she must crave his attention, he puts his pen down on the table and turns his head. 

“Sleep troubles?” He tries, his mouth putting a tender kiss at the corner of her lips. “I can give you something if you want.” 

She shakes her head, her fingers softly scratching his goatee with some unconscious gestures. 

“No, no it’s fine,” she answers with a soft smile, looking for her words almost desperately. Is it the good moment? “I’m all good.” 

Law frowns, knowing perfectly that something bothers her, despite her false reassuring smile. He’s about to ask her what’s the matter, but they are suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door. Law sighs, his eyes apologizing for him as she already knows that he’s about to be busy once again. For a moment, she stays put, offering him a sad smile, before she kisses his lips and stands back up. 

“I’ll head to bed. Try not to overwork, captain.” 

He smiles and nods, yet, he can perfectly picture the despair inside her irises. He wishes that he has time to catch her and have that talk together ; so he promises himself that he’d have a word with her in the morning. 

***

But it didn’t happen. The knock on that door wasn’t something really pleasant, first for him, but even more for her. Law had to be absent for a while, almost an entire month, knowing perfectly that his girlfriend was dealing with something concerning. He couldn’t be there, and he felt pretty anxious about it, anticipating his return on the sub with a boiling mind full of fears. He doesn’t know what’s wrong with her, and since he didn’t have time to figure out, he’s sure that she let herself being eaten by those unpleasant feelings. 

As soon as Law is back on the sub, he quickly greets his crewmates and rushes to her room, ignoring the pouting face of Bepo, who wanted to share a longer moment with him. Yet Law is too preoccupied, and he quickly wants to check if she’s alright, hoping that her state went better, even if he was away. He knows that she must be in there, probably asleep at that time of the night. He’s about to open the door, but for a moment, he simply doesn’t know what to do. He’s slightly afraid of her condition, and his instincts yell at him that she’s not okay, even if it’s irrational to think this way. He has been away for too long, and he can’t help but curse himself before he eventually finds the courage to open the door. 

“Name-ya?” Law gently calls, quickly coming in before anyone would suddenly ask for his assistance on the ship. “You’re okay?” 

Law furrowed his eyebrows and drops his sword on her desk, skirting the bed to sit near her belly. She’s asleep, her hair lazily plastered on the pillow, curled up inside the sheets, while her breathing is calm and profund. He pinches his lips together, remaining still for a second, unable to figure out if it’s better to wake her up right now or to simply wait a bit more, to let her have some rest. She seems at ease right now, but even though, he can perfectly picture the remains of a deep and unbearable tiredness of her features. Dark circles under her eyes, a slightly greyer complexion, nothing truly alarming but quite different from her usual lovely and natural radiance. Law feels that terrible feeling of guilt bubbling inside his belly, and wrenching his stomach harshly. He doesn’t want to leave her side, now that he’s finally back. Quickly, he takes off his boots, throwing them somewhere in the room as he also abandons his shirt on the floor. He pushes his hips a bit more on the bed, leaning down to put a gentle kiss at the corner of her mouth. 

“Name-ya…,” Law whispers, wishing that she’s not too deeply asleep to hear his call. 

She groans for a second, grimacing as she’s leaving her world of dreams and wanders. She softly blinks, then, as she feels a presence by her side, she eventually entirely opens her eyes, a relieved smile growing at the corner of her lips.

“You’re back,” she mumbles, moving aside to give him some room. “I was worried that it would take longer since you were running after Luffy,” 

Law smirks, then he pulls on the sheets to slide himself against her back. He hums, his mouth gently kissing her neck, while he circles her waist. He missed her. The sweet aroma of her shower gel, and the softness of her hair. The way she immediately ups her hips to perfectly enjoy their spooning moment. Law is reassured that these reflexes are still present between the two of them, and since he’s in her room right now, he’s pretty sure that none of the crewmates would dare to interrupt them. He gently slides his fingers between her boobs, cupping one of them carefully, not in an entire sexual way, but simply because he has always enjoyed her body very much, and feels he can use some cuddle times at the moment ; and if it leads to something steamy, then it’s for the best. However, he immediately frowns as he caresses her, feeling that they are slightly bigger than usual. He feels that she’s not even breathing anymore, not that she’s aroused and wishes him to touch her more, but because she’s anticipating something. 

“What’s wrong, Name-ya?” Law asks, trying his best to keep a neutral and encouraging voice. “I can… stop this, if you don’t want it. Do you feel sick, or something?” 

She remains silent for a second, then sighs and rolls on her hips to eventually face him. She grabs his fingers, playing unconsciously with his long digits for a second, before she slides them against her torso, going down and down, until Law eventually skims her belly. Then, she encourages him to press his hand entirely, and after a few seconds, Law finally cups her tummy and immediately notices that there’s something different. It’s rounder than usual, in the lower part, but it’s also slightly harder. He looks back at her face, and as he perfectly pictures her worried face, he gasps and widens his eyes. 

“Law I’m…,” she starts, trying to tell that hurtful secret she’s keeping for too long now. “I’m…”

But she closes her eyes, and stops everything. She remembers her deepest fears and why she kept this for herself for many weeks now ; from his terrible and traumatic childhood, to the fact that he’s one of the most wanted man in the world. She thinks about that day when he told her about Corazon, and the way he has grieved for many years, unable to bend with anyone except his crewmates because he’s too afraid to lose someone else. She’s about to tell him that he will have to be always worried about another human being now, taking many risks and unspeakable choices to protect this child. She feels guilty, because she’s adding another problem on Law’s shoulders, and this sorrowful feeling can’t leave her mind. 

“So you’re carrying my child…,” Law murmurs, his voice slightly broken. 

She immediately opens her eyes, staring at his features, concerned by his reaction, shocked to notice that improbable gleam of happiness plastered on his face. There’s also this radiance inside his irises, and now that she’s looking at him, she’s almost sure that Law is about to cry. He presses his hand against her belly, fondling the soft skin.

“Law… I’m so sorry. I know that’s it’s not the good moment. I know that you don’t want that child, and I should have been more careful. Please, will you ever find the strength to forgi-”

Law catches her nape, and vividly crashes his lips on hers before she finishes her sentence. He kisses her strongly, mouth open, hoping that she would understand it’s time for her to forgive herself first. He knows what a child implies ; but he also knows what are his feelings. He has never been in love before, and this girl has shattered his life for good, to the point that his past beliefs were forgotten, and his future much brighter than what he has ever hoped for. A child is clearly dangerous, and perhaps reckless in a world where the pirates are everyday chased by the marines, or vicious enemies. Yet, he craves that family, much more than he would thought. He cherishes everyday, the sweet memories of his childhood, yes not always pink and easy, but full of persons who have truly loved him. From Corazon, to his parents, his sisters, the nuns of the White City. Law remembers that he has once be loved, and even if he’s harsh, distant, and cold ; he’s still able to return this particular feeling. First towards her, and then, to that unborn child who’s about to change their lives. He’s still able to hope for a legacy, especially when she’s the one who carries the fruit of their deep passion. 

“Stop talking, would you?” Law whispers, parting his lips as he can’t erase his smile. “It’s not a curse.” 

“Law you don’t want to have a baby.” 

He sighs, and shakes his head, his fingers brushing her worried and sorry features with an everlasting tenderness. His skims her lips with his thumb, his eyes digging inside of hers.

“You’re not in my head, Name-ya. I know what it implies… I know that I will have to make a lots of efforts to become a good father. But this is not a curse.” 

She pinches her lips together, trembling inside his arms as she’s melting under his touch. His timid but present smile still grows, and he gently pushes on her back to hold her in his arms. He presses his lips on her forehead, encouraging her silently to let everything go. She digs her fingers inside his flesh, her nose finding its way to the crook of his neck, tears rolling down her cheeks, finally understanding that she’s more than alright inside Law’s arms. He’s not mad at her. He’s actually more than cheerful. Gently, Law rubs his fingers on her swollen tummy, his heart racing fastly inside his chest, thrilled but also terrified at the same time. Yet, he brushes this idea out of his brain, focusing on her quivering body and the fact that she’s still crying. He can’t let her be this way anymore. 

He pushes on her hips, ordering her to turn around, until he can comfortably spoon her, holding her tightly inside his arms until she starts to calm herself down. He intertwined his fingers with her, his hand still fondling the roundness of her tummy, almost like an urge he can’t control, as if everything is still a dream. He kisses her neck, leaving thousand of little smooshes all the way down her collarbone, until she bursts into a genuine laugh, his goatee tickling her sensitive spot. She eventually pushes her hips backwards, sighing loudly, as she melts under his sweet touch and feels reassured. As Law’s mouth comes up against her ear, he softly pulls on her earlobe with his teeth, to eventually whisper : 

“I love you so much, Name-ya.” 

[overlordofthelollipopguild]

Finding Home - Chapter 2

So I know I should be working on BSMH but the next chapter is so freaking frustrating. The scenes are necessary but I’m just like not inspired by them. So I’m working on this today. Tomorrow is another day to work on another fic....or BSMH, whichever the muse wants.

This fic is also on fanfic for those that want to review or follow it in case y’all miss these posts. 

But yeah, let me know what y’all think about this one. 

Link to Chapter 1: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12482617/1/Finding-Home

Link to Chapter 2: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12482617/2/Finding-Home

Chapter 2: Running

Despite seeing animal traps and navigating the steep terrain for a few hours now, there was no sign of life that they could discern other than the twittering of unseen birds.

"This isn't working." Regina huffed. She was most certainly not wearing the proper attire for a trek through the woods. Her heels kept digging into the soft ground and her blazer was making her sweat. "We shouldn't be scouting and taking our time. We need to find Henry now."

Snow sighed, having heard one variation or another of the same statement since they entered the forest. "Regina, please don't start with this." Again.

Regina glared at her. "You know, I could just leave you here to fend for yourself. I could use my magic and get Henry and then take him home."

"Then why don't you?" Snow snapped, exasperated. "Emma and Hook aren't here to stop you. It's just little old me, and frankly, I've done fine on my own before, I can do it again."

"Fine." Regina said.

"Whatever Regina." Snow shook her head. The princess walked away, despite Hook's earlier warning as they left the ship to not traverse the island alone and to always stick together.

Regina put her hand on her hips and huffed again.

If Snow could take care of herself, then there was no reason for her to stay. She could use her magic, find Henry, get back to the ship, and leave this dreadful place.

Still, it was growing dark, and Hook had warned them not to be alone, and especially at night when the Lost Ones would be about.

"Dammit." Regina cursed. She followed Snow, slightly running to catch up.

This was going to be a long journey.

Hook had been wary of starting a fire and alerting anything lurking in the jungle of their presence, but it was dark and cold, and he wasn't keen to let Emma or himself freeze to death.

Neverland wasn't exactly a forgiving landscape, and it's weather often reflected that.

They were in a small clearing, covered by plenty of foliage. Hopefully that would be enough cover to hide the light from their fire.

Emma was warming herself by the fire when Hook broke through the clearing.

He had gone off in search of food, and from the looks of it, he was successful. He had an armful of red, baseball sized fruit. Sitting by the fire, he handed Emma a few of the fruits.

"These are safe to eat." He told her. "A bit on the sweet side, but good."

Emma eyed the fruit, but she trusted Hook's judgement.

He wouldn't give her anything that would kill her.

She bit into the fruit and bit back the moan that threatened to burst out. After having not eaten much today, the fruit was more than amazing. It was a bit sweet, just as Hook warned, but it was also succulent and had a tang to it that reminded her of oranges.

Hook chuckled. He'd obviously been gaging her reaction.

"Shut up." She smirked at him. She finished two of the fruits rather quickly and she was surprised to find that they were quite filling.

Hook passed her his water pouch. She took a few sips.

It was an amicable silence, and it surprised her when she realized just how comfortable she was with him. It felt like they were two friends camping rather than reluctant allies braving a deadly island in search for her son.

But who was the reluctant one? A voice in her head taunted her.

"You know, we could always talk to pass the time." Hook told her, breaking the silence. There was a sly quirk to his lips.

Feeling a bit defensive, not wanting to reveal herself, Emma scoffed. "Yeah, I'm sure talking is all you want from me." She meant it as a joke, but his face dropped instantly.

There was a deep sadness in his eyes. "I am more than a flirt you know."

With his words, Emma felt her heart ache with guilt. She hadn't meant to hurt him; she just didn't want to be vulnerable again. "I'm sorry, Hook. I just…look, this whole situation is just too surreal for me. I grew up believing that you were fiction, and here I am having dinner with you in freaking Neverland of all places."

Hook shrugged. "I suppose it is from your perspective."

Emma wondered about his own perspective. He had tried to hide it, but Emma could tell that this island set him on edge. Her gut instinct told her that it was more than just the dangers the island presented. "What about you? What's it like being back here after all this time?"

Hook paused, his blue eyes focusing on the flames before him. "It's not a place I ever wanted to return to."

"Then why did you?" Emma asked.

He met her eyes and she could see the vulnerability and uncertainty in them.

"I felt that I owed Baelfire." He finally said. "And, you."

"Why would you owe either of us?" Her words were quiet, and her eyes couldn't break away from his.

"I knew Bae when he was a lad." Hook confessed. "I broke his trust and betrayed him. I couldn't just leave his son to die too."

"And me?"

At those words, he broke eye contact. "You know, my name isn't actually Hook."

It was an obvious change of subject, and Emma felt disappointed that she wouldn't get her answers. "I know. It's Killian Jones."

He was surprised that she even remembered that. "Aye. You can call me Killian, if you'd like."

She wondered why he would prefer that, and she was tempted to ask. Instead she said his name. "Killian." It rolled easily off of her tongue, and Emma found that she liked calling him that over Hook. It made him feel more like a real person instead of the story that she knew as a kid. "Killian." She repeated.

Killian's lips curved into a soft smile. "Nice name, innit?"

"It is." Emma said honestly.

That surprised him again.

Emma chuckled; she liked keeping him on his toes. "All right Killian, you wanted to talk, what about?"

"Anything really." Killian shrugged. "What do you want to talk about?"

Emma had a feeling that they needed to stay away from the more personal topics that would open wounds that neither of them were ready for, but then she realized that she really didn't know much about him other than the fact that he understood her, that he lost Milah and his hand, and that until today, he was on a quest for vengeance. She was curious about his past, and she still wanted to know why he thought he owed her, but she didn't feel like heavy talk tonight. it would lead to a conversation Emma was sure that neither of them were quite ready for, and Emma really didn't want to shred apart the tentative friendship that he seemed so keen on having with her.

"Tell me about an adventure you had." Emma suggested. "Maybe how you became a pirate?"

His eyes lit up at the question.

Emma was relieved that this wasn't a touchy subject for him.

Killian leaned back against a tree. "Well, becoming a pirate was quite an endeavor. I was about…fifteen I think. Aye, that's about right. I had been working in a port as a fisherman. I had been on my own…" He paused his eyes taking on a haunted quality, before he shook his head. "Anyway, the docks were rather uneventful until the day a pirate ship docked. I was warned by my fellow fishermen to stay away from pirates, but I couldn't help my curiosity. I watched the crew. Their captain was dressed in all black, and even his face remained covered by a black mask. I thought that that was odd. Who wears a bloody mask?"

Something about the pirate Killian described seemed familiar to Emma. A masked pirate in all black attire? Where had she heard that before?

"When the captain and the crew left their ship for a night on shore in the taverns, I snuck aboard the ship." Killian continued. "I wondered what their lives were like. If they really pillaged and plundered and had treasure. I had always loved the sea, and I wanted to spend my days on it, just without the constant smell of fish clinging to my skin."

He certainly never smelled of fish as far as Emma could tell.

No, he smelled of the sea he lived on and the leather he wore and some kind of exotic scent that he must've picked up on during his travels.

Emma hated that she was glad he didn't smell like fish. She hated the smell of fish, but she shouldn't be glad that the pirate smelled so enticingly good.

"I was young, I wanted adventure." Killian said. "Who doesn't at that age? I went below deck to do some exploring. I thought I'd have hours until the crew returned. Alas, I wasn't alone and I was knocked out from behind."

Emma bit the inside of her cheek to keep from gasping out of concern. Obviously things had turned out all right, since Killian was alive and well in front of her, but he was so good at telling a story that she was enraptured.

"I woke up later with a throbbing head and the masked captain at my bedside, well his bedside. I was apparently brought to his own cabin. He didn't look pleased." Killian chuckled at the memory. "He asked what I was doing aboard his ship and I made a smart remark about hitting defenseless children. The captain countered with the fact that defenseless children make the best guise for master thieves. I conceded his point. I was a thief by technicality. But he didn't know that. And in all honesty, when I first boarded the ship I had no intention of stealing."

"And after you boarded?" Emma asked amused. She couldn't help it, she wanted to know more.

Killian gave her a sly look. "Well, I was an orphan not a saint." His amused expression died quickly though upon realizing that he had revealed a personal truth that earlier he'd so keenly avoided. And just like that the atmosphere changed into an awkward, vulnerable silence. He wasn't sure whether or not to continue on with the story.

It was then that Emma understood him a little better. His words on the beanstalk weren't just a reference to his time in Neverland. He knew what it was like to be alone, unloved, and unwanted. Not only that, but his words confirmed to Emma that her abandoning him on the beanstalk had indeed affected him more than he let on, and that's what pushed him to go back to Cora's side.

It was odd to see him looking so vulnerable.

Emma leaned closer to him and smiled. "So tell me, what did this fearsome pirate captain do to our dear St. Killian when he denied his thievery?"

Killian gave her a grateful look, before continuing on. "Well, I never said I denied thievery. I simply agreed with the captain's assessment that the guise of innocence was merely the best tool for deception."

Emma laughed a little at that; she tried to ignore the fact that his expression looked as though she had given him an early Christmas present.

"The captain," Killian continued, "gave me a choice, walk the plank or become the knave. A servant boy. Well, I valued my life even back then. So I chose the lesser of two evils. Besides, becoming a knave meant that I was going to be living on the ship. A life at sea, like I wanted." He looked wistful, before continuing. "The captain didn't make my life easy, and he didn't let the crew allow me any slack. For five years the captain made me clean up after them and cook for them. But he was also kinder than most thought. He taught me how to sail, taught me everything about ships, about how to be a captain. He taught me sword fighting. And oh, was he a master with a blade. Formidable really. He allowed me to read his books as well, allowed me to accompany him when we docked. It was a great life, and cleaning and cooking as I learned early on, was my way of contributing to the crew. As I got older, I was allowed more formal duties as a shipmate, and I was less a servant. When I reached twenty, the captain asked me to talk with him, privately. We sat in his cabin, a bottle of rum between us, and he asked me if I would like to know the story of how he became a pirate, of why he wore his mask. Of course, I wanted to know. I had been asking him such for years and he simply said, "Someday Killian, I may tell you, but not this day." Now, I was finally going to get answers. So he told me, his story, of how he had once been on a quest for revenge."

Emma felt another tinge of familiarity. A quest for revenge? Just who was this pirate that Killian spoke of with regard?

"My captain had been journeying with two men." Killian said. "A clever man and a giant. The clever man devised a plan to kidnap a princess, or well a princess to be, and my captain and the giant were to help him. They were successful, but a man, a pirate in all black attire with a mask, was following them. I asked my captain if he'd stolen the man's costume or something. The captain laughed and told me to let him finish the story, and then I would know."

Realization hit Emma like lightning. She knew what story this was. The Princess Bride had been her favorite movie growing up, and a favorite book when she had gotten ahold of it as an adult. She wondered if the captain that Killian spoke of was indeed Inigo Montoya.

"So my captain told me of how he was tasked with disposing of the masked man." Killian told her. "They had a fierce duel, in which both learned that they were both quite the swordsmen, and my captain lost. However, the masked man spared his life."

"Wait, hold on a minute." Emma interrupted. She couldn't contain herself any longer. She had to know the truth now, even though she tried to remain skeptical. Her inner little girl was practically stealing with delight anyway "Your captain, was he the Dread Pirate Roberts? And was his real name Inigo Montoya?"

Killian's brows shot up in surprise. "How did you know that?"

Emma's inner little girl squared even louder. The Princess Bride had been real! Her favorite fairytale did exist! "In my world, it's a story. The Princess Bride. Westley and Buttercup fell in love, he left and supposedly died, years later she was set to marry an evil prince, the Dread Pirate Roberts foiled her kidnapping and revealed that he was Westley, then the evil prince tried to have him killed, but Westley, Inigo, and Fezzik saved Buttercup, and Westley and Buttercup lived happily ever after."

"That's essentially the story that Inigo told me, yes." Killian was amused at Emma's obvious excitement.

Emma blushed with embarrassment. "It was my favorite story." She admitted, trying to brush it off.

Killian filed that information away for future reference. "Aye. My captain told me that story and how he was not the first Dread Pirate Roberts, and he hoped that he wouldn't be the last. Inigo told me that he thought his time to retire was soon upon him. He wanted to pass the mantle to me."

Emma's jaw dropped. "No way! You were given the chance to be the Dread Pirate Roberts?"

"I was." Killian nodded, trying not to grin at her disbelief. "And I was truly grateful for the offer, but I couldn't take it. I told him, I loved being a part of his crew and being a pirate, but I wanted to make my own legend, by my own name. I wanted something that was mine, and mine alone."

A fierce wave of empathy took ahold of her. How often had she wished for the same in her life? A home that was just hers. A family that was just hers. Things that were just hers. Her baby blanket was a coveted treasure for that reason, and it was why, after all these years and having enough money to buy a newer used car, that she hadn't sold the bug. After prison, it was the first home that she had, despite the fact that it held painful memories for her. Despite the fact that she had wished that she had never seen the bug in the first place.

It wasn't until she met Henry in Boston that she was grateful for stealing the bug.

Still, wanting things that were just hers and no one else's wasn't something she'd ever gotten over. It was a need that no orphan could ever quell. Even now, with her son and her parents, and a whole town full of people depending on her, Emma still felt like the orphan left on the side of the road.

"So I left the crew with Inigo's blessings." Killian was wrapping up his story now. "I got me own ship and me own crew. And as it stands," Killian's tone and expression grew dark, "I did become a legend, I became Captain Hook, the villain."

It was a heavy note to end on and the silence that grew between them reflected that.

After a long while, Killian spoke again. "Why was this story your favorite? Westley and Buttercup's story, I mean."

Emma shrugged. "A lost princess and a dashing pirate battling overwhelming odds in a strange land. It was the perfect fairytale."

"Aye," Killian's look turned serious. "A lost princess and a dashing pirate battling overwhelming odds in a strange land. Truly something that only happens in fairytales."

The implication wasn't lost on Emma, who felt her walls begin slamming themselves back into place. This was very dangerous territory. This was Captain Hook, a ruthless, cunning, charming, and intelligent pirate. A man who had thirsted for revenge for centuries and had only looked out for himself. Normally, Emma could handle that facade of his, but she couldn't handle the man behind the mask. She couldn't handle Killian Jones, the orphan and the man. The one that so easily connected to Emma and her past. The man that could read her like an open book. He was too real.

Emma scooted away from him.

Killian tried to hide the hurt in his eyes, turning his focus on the fire.

She was running. It's what she did best. Besides, they were here for Henry. He was her priority. There was no room for a relationship right now. If she even wanted a relationship with Killian. "We should get some sleep."

He nodded. "I'll take first watch."

Emma didn't argue. She sorted out the pallet that they had made earlier and draped her jacket over her as a blanket. Sleep was slow to claim her as her thoughts kept going back to the man not even three feet away from her, but eventually, she drifted off, dreams of the sea and a certain pirate dancing around in her head.

So far, the journey up Crocodile Creek, through the mountain, resulted in nothing.

It was day two of their search, and Rumple and Charming were returning to the boat after having stopped to search the land. They had been trekking through the southeastern part of the mountain, but there was no sign of life except for a few crocodiles and birds.

Thanks to Rumple's magic, their boat was protected from attack, and Rumple's powers had kept the crocodiles off of them. For now.

There were two on the shore near the boat, and David swore that they were giving him and Rumple the stink eye.

David sighed as they got back in the boat.

There was still no sign of Henry, and David was worried. He didn't like to think of his grandson being alone with those people for too long. They needed to find a trail, or something. Once they did, they could track them.

They hadn't encountered any Lost Ones yet either.

David wondered if Pan and the Lost Ones even knew if they had company yet, or not. David hoped that they were unaware of his family and allies presence on the island. It would give them a measure of surprise that could be needed whenever they found Henry.

It was time to continue on and keep up the search.

"So," David began as the boat moved along the surface of the water. "How do you think the others are fairing?" It hadn't been easy to make conversation amongst themselves. Outside of figuring out their search plan, Rumple and David didn't have much to say. They hadn't exactly been friendly before. The only thing they had in common was a grandson that they shared. Still, they were working together for now, and it wouldn't hurt to try and be polite to each other.

"I expect about the same." Rumple surprised David by answering without sarcasm.

"Do you think Henry's safe?" David asked. "I know he's not safe, but do you think they've hurt him?"

"I can't say." Rumple said. "When I met Pan, he was cocky and arrogant, but there was evil in his eyes. That much I can tell you."

"What could he even want with Henry?"

"That is a very good question." Rumple said. "Why indeed? The boy's never shown signs of magic, has he?"

David shook his head. "No. Emma's the only one in the family with magic."

Rumple hummed noncommittally.

As usual silence fell between them.

David looked ahead of them, and saw that there was water splashing along the bank. "What do you think that is?"

"I don't know." Rumple's eyes narrowed at the sight.

Red hair flashed above the water before a woman became visible. She seemed to be struggling with something, and David couldn't tell if she was drowning or not.

Then she was pulled under and a scaly tail splashed through the water.

A mermaid was drowning the woman.

"We have to help her." David insisted. "Can you make this boat go faster?"

"Personally, I'd rather not risk my life for a stranger." Rumple said. "Let the mermaid have her."

David gave the Dark One a fierce glare before jumping out of the boat. He swan towards the struggle, and managed to grab ahold of the redhead. He pulled her away, but the dark haired mermaid saw him and lunged. She grabbed at his ankle and pulled and David found himself underwater.

Rumple rolled his eyes. It was tempting to let the fool drown, but Rumple really didn't want to get the blame for the prince's death once his family found out. Using his magic, Rumple blasted the mermaid away from David and the stranger.

The wounded mermaid fled.

David found his way to the surface, helped by the redheaded woman.

"Heroes and their savior complexes." Rumple muttered. He used magic to push the boat to where David was floating. He helped David back into the boat.

David turned to help the redhead, but she made no move to take his hand. "It's okay," David reassured. "We're not going to hurt you."

Rumple noticed exactly what David missed. "I'd be more worried about her hurting us."

The girl's eyes widened. "You!" She exclaimed. She launched herself at Rumple, but David grabbed her around the middle. A very scaly middle.

David looked down to see that this woman was definitely not just a woman.

"You're a mermaid?" David asked. "Then why was the other one trying to hurt you?"

"Let me go." She told David. She glared at Rumple, "You bastard. I could kill you."

"Whoa, hold on." David held her tighter. "What did you do to her?" He asked Rumple.

Rumple shrugged.

The redheaded mermaid struggled harder, but David was a siren and a dragon slayer. He could handle a mermaid, even as the boat rocked unsteadily.

"Hey, calm down." He finally told her.

The mermaid glared at him, "Would you calm down when your face to face with the man who ruined your life?"

"Considering he has messed with my life for years, then yes." David remained calm, hoping to calm her too. After all, it was true. Rumple had created the curse and he had mentored both Cora and Regina, and he made sure that the curse would work and that a savior would be born to break the curse, all in order to find his son.

"Well then, aren't you a saint." The mermaid growled.

Rumple snickered.

The mermaid wasn't far from the truth.

"Listen, please," David implored. "My grandson, Henry, he's lost on this island. I need Rumplestiltskin's help to find him. I know this is hard, but I am begging you, whatever was in your past in regards to him, please let it go. My grandson's life may depend on it."

The mermaid calmed considerably and David let her go. "Your grandson?" She asked. "Looks about ten, red striped scarf, blue coat. Accompanied by a bitch and a dimwit?"

"You've seen them?" David asked. Finally, they had a lead.

"Maybe." She said. She wasn't being coy. Her expression was dead serious.

"Something you want in return, dearie?" Rumple asked. He knew desperation when he saw it. He was in the business of desperate souls after all.

David glanced at him, before looking back at the mermaid. "If you help us, I'll make sure that whatever it is you want, you'll get it."

"I wouldn't be so keen to make deals, if I were you dearie." Rumple warned.

"That's funny coming from you." David said dryly. He turned to the mermaid, "What do you want?"

"I want to go home." The mermaid said.

"Isn't this your home?" David asked.

"No." The mermaid disagreed. "You asked why that mermaid was trying to hurt me? It's because I'm not a Neverland mermaid. I'm from the Enchanted Forest."

"How did you end up here?" David asked.

"How does anyone lose their happy ending?" The mermaid asked. "The Evil Queen's curse. I was human and living happily with my true love, and then the curse struck and I found myself here, amongst mermaid kind once more."

David didn't know what to say to that, and he definitely didn't know whether telling this mermaid that the Evil Queen was in Neverland was a good idea.

"You help me get home." The mermaid began, "You help me reunite with my Eric, and I will help you find your grandson."

David sighed. "I don't know if I can get you back to the Enchanted Forest. We were all cursed to a land without magic, and we were stuck there. But your Eric, maybe he's there too, maybe he was cursed with us."

"Do you think so?" The mermaid asked.

"Honestly, I don't know." David told her. "But it's a step closer to home than staying in this place."

The mermaid considered him. If it was one step closer to Eric… "I'll help you." She told them. "Swear to me that when you leave I can come with you, and I will help you."

"I swear it." David stated.

Rumple sighed. "Wonderful. Just what we needed, a fish tailing us."

The mermaid and David glared.

"Not helping." David sighed.

Rumple ignored him.

"I'm David by the way." David introduced himself.

"Ariel." The mermaid smiled. "My name is Ariel."

Emma and Killian hardly spoke all day except when they agreed to stop for a rest or food.

Emma hated how awkward things felt between them. It had been easy to talk last night, but then she got scared and ran.

Now Killian was…not avoiding her exactly, but he wasn't trying to start conversations, seeming content to just let silence fall between them.

For once, Emma regretted running away, but she was scared. She wasn't ready to fall in love again. Though since Neal's return to her life, she often wondered if what she and Neal had was really love. She had been a naive teenager who had never known love and he was way too old at the time. He manipulated her, and she should've known better than to get involved with him.

On some level, maybe it had been love, but a desperate kind of puppy love. Emma didn't know if it was ever a deep love. She'd been too young to know for sure.

All that she did know for sure was that she loved Henry, and that he was the only good thing that came from her relationship from Neal. She'd gotten nothing else out of it but the bug, trust issues, and a broken heart. A heart she feared ever giving to anyone again.

Which brought her thoughts back to Killian, and her shutting him out.

Emma sighed.

"Careful, love." Killian said. "You need to remain alert in Neverland."

"I'm alert." Emma lied.

Killian turned back to her, an eyebrow arched at her. "I can practically hear the cogs in your head turning. What are you thinking about, Swan?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Nothing. I'll be alert, I promise." She made to move past him but he stopped her.

He met her eyes. "Henry will be all right."

His words surprised her, and she immediately felt guilty for thinking about her love life instead of worrying about Henry. What kind of mother was she? A horrible one, apparently. Was he all right? What if Greg and Tamara had hurt him? How could she be so selfish to focus on Killian when Henry was possibly hurt or worse?

Henry was her priority. Nothing else mattered.

It was time to close off her heart.

She lifted her chin and met Killian's eyes with a hard stare. "I know. We'll get him back."

He watched the resolve in her eyes, but even worse, he saw those walls. She was shutting him out. Killian sighed, wishing that Emma could trust him, but he understood why she wouldn't. He was just a pirate after all. He didn't matter to her. He didn't matter to anyone. Killian turned around and continued to forge through the jungle.

Emma tried to ignore the hurt that she saw in his eyes; even more, she tried to ignore the feeling of self-hatred at the fact that she had hurt him.

She had to focus on Henry.

Regina and Snow sat by their fire in silence. Snow had found a couple of rabbits and proceeded to kill them, skin them, and cook them.

While Regina was disgusted that the princess had these skills, the rabbits were food and she was starving, and well, she hated to admit it, but she was impressed with Snow's skills.

"Where'd you learn to hunt?" Regina asked. It came out a bit ruder than intended.

Mary Margaret glanced at her, curious as to why Regina would want to make conversation, but she answered anyway. "When I was a fugitive, I lived in the woods mostly. I had to learn how to survive, so I did."

Silence fell between them again.

Snow had so much to say, but she wasn't sure where to begin.

Regina picked at her rabbit.

"Why didn't you just kill me?" Snow asked, before she could stop herself.

"What?" Regina was startled by the question.

Well, since she asked it now, and couldn't take it back, Snow pressed on. "Why didn't you just kill me? You blamed me for Cora murdering Daniel. Instead of just killing me, you played nice. You cozied up to me and my father. You killed him, and then you usurped me. You made me run and you made my life hell. You murdered hundreds in your quest for revenge. Then you cursed us all. It was all senseless wasn't it? If you had just killed me, you would've gotten revenge, and so many people would still be alive."

Regina rolled her eyes. "You ruined my life. I wanted to ruin yours. Killing you would've been too easy."

Snow stared at Regina for a long while, trying to process what Regina was saying. She closed her eyes, willing herself to keep her anger in check. "I am not going to keep apologizing for a mistake that I made when I was a child. I was a little girl, and all I wanted was to have a mother again. I thought that you would be my mother, and I needed that. I let my mother die and the guilt nearly killed me, but then you came along and I hoped that you would be the person I could redeem myself with." Snow sighed. Those were words she had been holding on to for so long. Now they were tumbling out, and she didn't want to stop it. "I still feel so guilty for what happened to Daniel. And I do feel guilty for Cora. But I am not sorry for what I did to her. She killed my mother, she tried to trick me into using the candle to save my mother, but I couldn't. I couldn't save my own mother because I knew that she wouldn't want me to sacrifice someone else's life for her life. I knew that if she had found out, she would have never forgiven me."

Regina was taken aback. She knew what Cora had done to Eva, but she never knew that it was Snow White who could've saved them all the heartbreak. Thinking that, Regina's anger flared, and she wanted to snap at Snow, but the other woman didn't notice and continued with her confession.

"Cora just did so many horrible things." Snow said. "She killed my mother and Daniel, she manipulated the both of us, she killed so many other innocent people, she tried to hurt my family, and I just couldn't take it anymore. After warring with you for so long, you wore me down and when Cora returned I didn't have the spirit to fight her. Then, she tried to become the Dark One and I could not let that happen. Not just for my family's sake, but for all of the innocent people who would suffer her wrath. So I did what I did, and I have to live with that for the rest of my life." Tears covered her flushed cheeks, and she had to choke back a sob in order to continue talking. "And...and I know that I am a terrible person for it, but all I wanted was for my family, for everyone, to be safe. Is that so terrible? I wanted Emma and Henry to be safe from her. It was selfish, but I've had my family torn apart again and again. I was not going to let it happen again. Now it has, now Henry's life is on the line, so for his sake, can we please just let the past go and stop fighting, please?"

Snow's confession had Regina at a loss for words. She hadn't realized that Snow had carried all of that with her all these years. Regina felt a pang of regret in her heart that surprised her. She had been holding on to her anger for so long, it was all that she ended up having in the end, it had totally consumed her. But now…no. No, Snow ruined her life. Regina scoffed. "You think that after all of these years, that I would fall for that sob story?" Regina watched the hurt in Snow's eyes, but ignored it. "I don't care that you are sorry or guilty. You ruined my life, and that is something that I can never forgive. Please, you should've been stronger, you should've saved your mother when you could have. It would've saved everyone all of this heartbreak."

Snow couldn't believe what Regina was saying, but really, she should've known better.

Regina turned away and went to her sleeping pallet. She turned her back on Snow White, facing the darkness of the woods around them.

Taking deep, shaky breaths, Snow moved over to her own pallet and cried silently until she fell asleep.

Henry was exhausted. He'd been running from Greg and Tamara all day, hiding when he could, but he hadn't had much a chance to get sleep or food.

He needed help to keep eluding them.

It was too dark to keep traveling, but Henry needed to find a place that was safe to hide and sleep in. Henry's eyes drooped.

He was so tired. He shook himself when he realized that he was dozing off. Looking around, he noticed a thick brush. There weren't any thorns that he could see, and he could probably squeeze under the branches.

It was noisy as he bellied crawled backwards into the brush. It took quite some minutes to get settled and hidden.

He could barely see through the branches, so it was unlikely he'd be found, even if the sun was out. Using his scarf as a pillow, Henry was drifting off when he heard voices.

"I swear I heard something over here." Greg's voice reached Henry's ears.

The boy's eyes went wide, and he desperately tried to keep his breathing quiet.

"There's nothing here." Tamara snapped.

"Which way do you think we should go?" Greg asked.

"Do I look like I have a compass?" Tamara said.

"Whatever. Let's go this way." It seemed that both of them had had enough of each other.

An ominous wind blew.

A chill trickled along Henry's spine.

The wind picked up.

Henry could still hear Greg and Tamara walking close by.

Something was about to happen.

"What the hell?" Tamara shouted.

Greg screamed and Henry heard a thump.

Gun shots rang out, probably from Tamara's gun, and then she screamed too. Henry heard another thump, and something else clattering to the ground.

It became eerily quiet.

Something was still there though.

Henry could feel it.

He didn't move, he kept his breathing quiet, and he waited.

Please, please, Henry thought, please, let my family find me. Let my moms find me. Please, I just want to go home.

[buffylikescoke]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 11#5

"Wil, you're one of the best people I know. You'll do what's right. It's how you're wired." ~ Buffy Summers

"Desperate Measures" is good, Willow-focused issue that continues the season’s streak of quality! I recommend it!

The issue opens with Buffy saving a bird-like demon from a vampire attack. After she slays the hungry and desperate vampire, the Ogre shows up to call her names like oppressor, collaborator, murderer and whatnot. It's not entirely fair and Buffy was right to slay the undead but let's be honest here, the ogre's a demon and Buffy's the slayer, I mean, obviously, he hates her. Buffy's frustrated by this, of course, and almost takes out that frustration on Spike but quickly stops herself and just hugs him. It's nice. Sweet. I liked it.

But let's talk about Willow as this is very much a Willow-oriented issue what with her being on that absolutely fabulous, sexual-undercurrent-y cover. Willow contacted Lake, the ex-girlfriend, and, testifying under oath, convinced her to release the Wiccans who've never actually practiced magic. After signing an agreement in which they oblige to not engage in any spell-casting activities the Wiccans can go home. Considering that it’s a part of their religion the Wiccans ask about the constitutionality of it all. Good question, especially since, as we later learn, some of the Wiccans locked up in the camp are kids. Lake doesn't have answers. This and another scene with a White House briefing footage touch upon issues of Supreme Court and American legal system in general. I'm actually kind of amazed to find stuff like that in a Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic, in 2017. Anyway, Wiccans with even the meagerest of spell casting abilities need to stay in the camp. This brings us to a very interesting problem. Willow tells Lake that she could, perhaps, drain the magic from Wiccans, what little they have that is, so they could leave the camp. Willow's been able to drain magic since season six, she drained it from Rack and Giles after all so this isn't new and, also, this isn't something only Willow can do. Giles and the coven planned to drain Willow during her vengeful rampage as well as Rack in Willow: Wonderland. Obviously, Willow is conflicted about it, it's ripping away a natural part of someone!, she tells Lake, like cutting off a hand!, a mutilation!, later adds Calliope. Speaking of which, this Willow’s dilemma has another facet to it, a more personal one. Calliope. You drain her magic, she goes home to her girlfriend. You don't, she stays here with you, observes Buffy. Willow agrees, with a very self-retrospective line - Did I wait out of some moral objections to losing a crucial part of our identity? Or am I slow-walking it for selfish reasons? Holy shit, this is so good! This is the caliber of the issues Willow should be dealing with, it's awesome, awesome writing! Buffy reassures Willow, see the opening quote, and I love the way she does that! It took Buffy a while but somewhere between season five and seven she finally understood the Willow user manual. There are basically two rules, one, don't lie to her, ever, under any circumstances and, two, remind her that she's good and amazing when necessary 'cause Willow sometimes forgets. Follow those rules and your Willow will operate at full capacity, just like Buffy's! Anyway, Buffy mentions that while in danger inside the camp, Wiccans on the outside aren't necessarily safe either, what with anti-Wiccan hate crime being on the rise. This infuriates Willow. As a cloud of magic flares around her she expresses some of her own frustration and anger, like Buffy earlier with Spike. I love this panel, Buffy looks visibly fearful here. Another interesting thing is how Willow's relationship with Wicca is portrayed here, I think that at this point this is legitimately Willow's faith, a religion and a system of beliefs. Thus, she wishes to protect Wiccans not only as generic innocents but also as her people, her brothers and sisters in faith. The portrayal of magic must follow this - magic used to be many things in this franchise, sex, drugs, empowerment, but now it's something akin to a prayer, an expression of Wiccans' faith as mentioned earlier.

Buffy's worried about the talks and rumors of an uprising in the camp. Willow and Buffy ask Calliope if she knows anything about it and she reveals Ogre's plan. It is to zerg rush the gate while the force field is open to let in trucks with supplies. Willow stays with Calliope and casts a calming spell to, well, calm the demons while Buffy gets to the gate to stop the escape attempt. I understand that, as always, Buffy follows her heart but, I mean, a bunch of angry and mostly hostile to her demons get slaughtered, hopefully after they take out some human guards and maybe a slayer or two. Is that necessarily a bad thing? It is when you're Buffy and that's why she's a hero, duh! That said, if the camp was united and Buffy with the Wiccans took part in it, the escape probably would have worked. Sure, there would be some casualties and the human and slayer guards would end up slaughtered, skull-fucked, raped and possibly eaten alive but hey. What? Slayers are defenseless against magic, what are they gonna do against a simple levitation spell? Fall to the ground and splatter when it's broken. So Buffy interferes, beats the crap out of the ogre and a pile of other demons and dissolves the situation. As a reward Jordan offers her an opportunity to guard the work crews outside the next day. This allows Buffy to learn a couple of things - one, some places are off limits even for Jordan's slayers, two, vampires exchange demon flesh for blood on a black market (why?) and three, the demons are building some sort of an occult machine, with runes and magical symbols. This is suspicious, right? In the closing scene Buffy decides to somehow gain access to the restricted areas and learn the truth about the camp.

There's one more scene that's worth mentioning. An amphibious demon representing water breathers ask Jordan for help as other, purely water breathing creatures are dying in droves. His pleas are met with a mixture of indifference and maliciousness. The desperate demon, then, tries to escape in a jeep and is shot dead by a sniper. I think that this quite a sad scene is more important than it appears. Every action causes a reaction and ocean is a powerful force. If a Cthulhu-like monster or an ancient sea witch shows up to destroy New York in retaliation for the deaths of innocent water creatures I won't be surprised. Makes me think that San Francisco attack might have been a retaliation as well. Speaking of retaliations, in the last page of the issue Ogre and his gang decide to kill Buffy. It's easy, we kill the slayer. Wow. Sound plan. Brilliant.  

There are some things I don't like about this issue. "Desperate Measures" is completely humorless. I understand that it deals with serious social and political issues and you know what, I don't care. There's humor even in the darkest of the show's moments and if I'm not laughing it's not Buffy, OK? Another is the art. Most of it is great, the paneling is cinematic, the colors are vibrant, the fights scenes are bloody and frantic but some of the panels look substandard and I'm not even talking about the standard inhuman proportions or that one infamous Willow's expression (trust me on this, you'll know which one) since I, too, am a purveyor of dank memes. For example, look at the otherwise amazing sequence where Buffy fights the Ogre. Where's the background? Those panels look unfinished. As to the writing, I’m not sure about Buffy’s characterization. On the surface there's nothing wrong with her but I can't help but notice that the character seems to have lost her fire, initiative and immediacy. On the other hand, maybe it's just Buffy getting older, wiser and more responsible? Jordan, her pseudo-nemesis I suppose, remains mostly uninteresting. She's barely a character, mostly a vehicle to hurl snide lines at Buffy. It's disappointing.

I really liked this issue - it's solid, it's thought-provoking, it's relevant! Check it out!