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matan4il · 2 years

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Buddie vs Captain Swan meta

This is for the darling Nonnies who asked me to delve into the comparison! Thank you for your patience, I hope you enjoy it! xoxox

Abbreviations: OUaT = Once Upon a Time // CS = Captain Swan (the Emma/Hook ship) // SF = Swanfire (the Emma/Baelfire ship) // TPTB = The Powers that Be (the team making the decisions for a show) // ep numbers: 201 = ep 201 of 911; O201 = ep 201 of OUaT Unlike with other shows’ canon ships that I have compared in the past to Buddie in terms of what happens to them on screen, this meta is also gonna compare the two ships on the level of the decisions TPTB made (with the two levels not completely separate), which is a part of why this has been one of my fave meta posts to write, ever.

A love story on screen starts with love off screen

Alright, so let me start by mentioning that Hook’s actor (Colin) was only supposed to be on the show for a brief stint. I heard different reports on whether he was originally booked for one ep or five. Either way, it was officially confirmed that even before his first ep aired, TPTB already liked Colin’s performance enough to promote him to a series regular. Yes, before anyone at home even got to watch Hook once. They didn’t specify what they liked, but we can assume it was his acting choices, charisma, the color, humor and sex appeal he brought to the character, but also the chemistry between Colin as Hook and Jennifer as Emma, maybe as early as in rehearsals. Once they expanded Hook’s role so much, they had to tie him in with some of the other regular characters. Hook’s original link to the show was the revenge he wanted to take on Rumple (as established in O204, his first ep), but if he was gonna be a regular, he needed something more. So O205 introduces him to a group of our heroines, especially through Emma’s eyes (she’s the one who sees right through him), while the climax of this meeting plays out in O206, laying out the foundation for CS. Just keep in mind that on 911, Ryan got the part of Eddie because of how much TPTB liked and wanted to work with him. In other words, in both cases it seems the on-screen chemistry and joint journey of two characters started with an off-screen love of TPTB for a charismatic actor.

Both ships were given this initial trajectory of enemies to friends. In the case of CS, Hook starts out on the side of the bad guys while Emma is The Savior. He also uses a sleazy sort of flirting as a tactic: when his opponents are annoyed, it distracts them from his true intentions, and it also disarms them by making it seem like he poses no real threat since he can’t even “keep it in his pants.” He uses this on many, yet from the get go, he has a special focus on Emma. There are four heroines he meets in O205, but she’s the main one he negotiates with, tries to win over, flirts with and when the women have to decide which one of them would climb the beanstalk with him, once they chose Emma he even states, “I was hoping it would be you.” Even the way he puts the bracelet on her wrist is more physically intimate than it needs to be. That means we have an antagonistic start, alongside an undercurrent of attraction. That’s exactly what we have with Buddie as well in 201, when Buck starts out disliking Eddie, but under the surface it’s clear he’s attracted (and not just physically) to Eddie as well, to how incredible he is.

During the O206 climb, Hook starts a dialogue with Emma, but I mean, he really wants to get to know her. It’s still something he can rationalize away in his mind as him simply doing whatever serves his revenge (maybe in the long run this info might be useful), but he doesn’t strictly need this in the short run. Knowing about her first love doesn’t help with how they’ll defeat the giant and retrieve the golden compass. Yet, he wants to know. She intrigues him and makes him want more. It’s the only time we’ll see him in Os2 (other than the finale) doing something that isn’t directly needed for his revenge. In fact, the issue of whether he would betray Emma in order to further his revenge explicitly comes up (she assumes he would based on how Neal had betrayed her in the past), he doesn’t try any tricks when she’s wounded, instead he bandages her hand, goes with her altered plan on how to tackle the giant even though it puts him in a much greater danger (the new plan has benefits for Emma, none for him, yet he still accepts it), comments on how well they work as a team, and we also discover in O209 that he wouldn’t have betrayed her later on either (Hook tells her so when they both know Emma has a lie detection super power, showing that she got under his skin, to make him honest and loyal to her even when it doesn’t necessarily benefit him). My point is, this ep isn’t shy about setting up the possibility of CS being more than two people who temporarily share the same goal. This is so much like Buddie, whose compatibility is clearly cemented in 201 beyond just that one grenade call they worked on together in the ambulance, leading to them exchanging a vow to have each other’s back.

Emma’s reaction to him is played in a more understated fashion. She goes with him because they need the compass, but she doesn’t like the flirting, she openly doesn’t trust him and at first she doesn’t quite open up to his questions. However, we get a hint that her real reaction might run deeper than it initially seems because we get her flashbacks to Neal (the name Baelfire chose for himself in The Land Without Magic), the only love she’s had before. Those flashbacks are triggered simply by meeting Hook, later intensified by his questions. He got under her skin from the start. She also spots his tattoo and asks about the woman mentioned in it. She wants to get to know Hook better, too. When he doesn’t really wanna open up to her about his lost love either, she also guesses correctly what it is he’s not telling her. When he acknowledges she’s right by calling her perceptive, she returns his honesty by admitting she might have been in love before (despite lying about it earlier). That makes their interaction perfectly mutual. We get everything needed for the classic trope of enemies to friends to eventual lovers, not to mention soulmates. And again, the mutual nature of the attraction is so similar to what we get with Buck and Eddie, who both want to get to know the other one better even at the peak of not getting along. Buck still asks Eddie questions to better understand the new guy, while in all of 201, the only person Eddie is shown as being interested in on a more personal level is Buck, with that comment at the gym about knowing that he’s a good guy going through a tough break up, showing empathy, but emphasizing they’re on the same team...

Keep your friends close and your story telling options closer

But CS didn’t get a simple love story set up. I’m certain the original plan was for Emma to actually have a different endgame, which IMO makes the comparison of CS with Buddie so much more interesting. Os2 is full of hints that Emma’s intended endgame was Neal. SF as endgame includes epic symbolism: Emma, the daughter of THE Good Guys from the Enchanted Land, and Neal, the son and grandson of THE Bad Guys from that land, meet in the Land Without Magic, fall in love and have a child together, their union bringing eventual salvation for all. It’s the stuff fairytales are made of! I also have to say that I really loved Baelfire as a kid, so it makes sense that if TPTB set him up to be such a loved character, they would want him (and assume the viewers want him) to have the ultimate happy ending with Emma.

How does CS fit into that? Well, my theory is that when introducing us to them, TPTB saw dramatic potential in the chemistry between Hook and Emma, plus it helped link him to the show, but they hadn’t decided yet how exactly to play with this ship alongside their intended endgame one. I believe they saw three options, and they tried to create the foundation for CS so that it would reasonably lend itself to any of the three, though I do think they had a preference. The first option was to set up the potential of CS as a romantic ship, but then not follow through, making it clear that Hook is attracted to Emma, but that her link to him would just be as The Savior, with him being one of many she helps to save. In other words, Hook’s attraction would be one sided, but it would help him to redeem himself and at some point find his own happy ending. Another option, and I believe the main one they were considering during Os2, was for CS to grow into something romantic (and mutual), but not an endgame ship. It would be a station on Emma’s romantic journey, and the love triangle created by CS would be another obstacle for SF to overcome (and it makes me LOL forever that we got a bit of that love triangle treatment for Buddie when Taylor was around, even without Buddie going canon, unlike CS who had kissed by the time Hook discovers Neal is still alive). The last option is again one that I think TPTB were less interested in, but made sure not to close the door on, which is that the set up for CS would grow into an actual endgame ship.

Why do I think the love triangle option was the initially preferred one? IMO just like Os2 is full of signs that SF were meant to be endgame, we also have hints that TPTB’s course was to create that love triangle between SF and CS, for example in the O206 flashback to the time when Neal shoplifted the swan keychain for Emma. Right within the shot there’s a heart-shaped keychain with a pirate symbol on it. Another example that connects the two ships is that in this ep, Hook tells Emma about having been in Neverland, while in her flashbacks we see SF talking about settling down, and she jokingly asks, “Like, where? Neverland?” Also, on the beanstalk, Hook says he can tell she has the look in her eyes of a lost kid who’s been abandoned by her parents. We already know based on the set up of his revenge story that Hook’s a bit of a lost soul himself (and we’ll find out in O222 that he was an abandoned orphan, too). This was Neal’s background as well. All three are, in a sense, kindred spirits. In fact, while O206 establishes the start of CS and shows us SF for the first time through flashbacks, O221 is going to show us that, independent of this, Hook and Baelfire had also crossed paths and cared about each other, completing all sides of the love triangle. Notice how ALL of these things, because they connect and parallel Hook and Neal, can just as easily support the idea that Hook was always meant to be an obstacle for SF to overcome, or that Hook is Emma’s true love. This is what TPTB like, to keep their options open in case things (and their preferences) shift.

I see similarities here to what happened with Eddie’s character on 911. He was brought in because TPTB liked Ryan and wanted him on the show. They were reorganizing after Abby’s departure in 110, so they introduced Maddie’s character as the new anchor at Dispatch, as well as Eddie to make the team more dynamic. Both needed ties to the team. Maddie would have one in Buck, but she also needed a romantic connection. We know TPTB decided on having the new characters develop a romance. JLH took one look at the ship name and said, “Chim,” 'coz she’s a queen. Which means Maddie would still have her romance, but what would tie Eddie on a personal level to the 118? My guess is TPTB saw the chemistry between Ryan and Oliver, and decided to go with that as the significant bond they’d give Eddie. The changes were made before 201 even aired. Once the ep did, Eddie’s entire introduction is all about Buck, including some clear hints at the option of a romance, without committing to it yet. I’m talking of course about the way Eddie’s presented shirtless for Buck to take him in, the sexy tune “Whatta Man” playing in the background, plus of course the classic enemies to friends trope. Again, TPTB hint at it, lay out the foundations, but keep their options open. When you run a show, there are a lot of elements that might end up not playing out as you intended them to, so you have to reserve some level of flexibility, keep your plans in mind, but also be able to adapt to what ends up working on screen. That’s why I think there were other hints at a possible romantic Buddie throughout s2 (the most blatant of which was the Elf Lady scene in 210 and the social media comments about Buddie in 218), but without anything becoming explicit yet. I do assume back then, they hadn’t decided yet whether to go canon with Buddie or not.

A part of what makes the comparison off screen so fascinating to me is contemplating what made TPTB change course and decide that the option they’re going with is CS as endgmae after all, because it might reflect on when and how a similar decision has been/will be made on 911 regarding Buddie. I do think the ultimate factor was on screen chemistry that garnered CS tons of vocal fans even before anything canon happened between them. Does that remind you of a certain 911 ship? But then, I also think SF's chemistry paled in comparison (I can specify in detail why the ship fell short on the story telling level as well, but my impression is it was a poor decision to cast Neal without an audition, including a chemistry read for SF. CS absolutely sizzle together. Chemistry is a mystery that few have managed to decipher. It’s not about whether actors are good or not, it’s not about whether they like each other as people off screen, it’s an unknown. And it might also be, at least to a degree, in the eye of the beholder. I’m sure there are SF fans who think their ship’s chemistry was way better than CS’. But I say to a degree ‘coz there usually is a general consensus, and in the case of Emma, most viewers seemed to agree her chemistry with Hook was off the charts). If the only ship that OUaT set up in a way that could (and was meant to) rival CS was failing to do that, what were the chances that any other incoming ship would? I suspect this is what settled the score in favor of CS. Not only did they become a canon couple, not only did they become Emma’s endgame, they became in a sense the whole show’s endgame. OUaT’s main theme (explicitly repeated) is that anything is possible if you only hold on to hope. The last significant zoom in we get for the entire show is on CS hugging while holding their little baby girl, Hope. 911 is very similar in its hopeful themes to OUaT, so here I have to point out that no one gives Eddie or Buck hope that things can be good quite like the other man (just one example is Eddie struggling from the very start of s5, and Buck helping him and giving him hope in 514 in ways no one else, not even a therapist, can).

Basically, this dynamic of TPTB creating a ship and not committing to it, but wanting it present in the minds of the viewers and realizing over time that none other could compare to this ship is once more very similar IMO to Buddie. After scenes like the lasagna Buddifer one in 601, there’s no character in the world that can enter the 911 verse at this point and win viewers’ hearts as the endgame ship for either Buck or Eddie over what they have with each other. Ultimately, I don’t see how TPTB can make any other choice that would be satisfying (and acceptable) for most of the audience.

In case you’re wondering whether I’m wrong and CS was supposed to be endgame all along, OUaT actually hinted within the show that this is what happened. In O621, after CS had just been married and immediately torn apart, Hook gives a small speech that seems to reflect the decision making behind the scenes: “Look, we made each other better! All right? Emma and I were never a predestined love story, guaranteed a happy ending. We fought for our love, and we won.” Within the OUaT world, where a whole bunch of things such as Being The Savior ARE predestined, there's nothing that tells Hook he and Emma weren’t. So why is he saying that? It’s TPTB inserting a meta comment into the text. As I’ve been pointing out, I believe these words resonate true for Buddie as well, who might not have been the original plan either, but they found each other, made each other better, and have been fighting together for the little family unit they ended up having.

Love is stored in the parallels

It’s fascinating to me that after CS first meet, the rest of Os2 gives each a mostly separate plot, because they’re both still preoccupied with a former love and they’re not ready to be with each other just yet. Hook is chasing his revenge, haunted by the ghost of the murdered Milah, while Emma is surprised by Neal returning to her life and taking his place there as Henry’s dad.

I find it insane how similar this is to Buddie in s2. They meet as enemies, quickly become friends, but for the most part have separate plots for that season, where Buck has to find a way to disentangle himself from Abby’s ghost (which is how he defines her when he writes his letter to her), and Eddie finds that his one request for momentary help turns into Shannon surprisingly returning to his life and trying to re-take her place there as Christopher’s mom. I’ll repeat, Hook and Buck are both haunted by the ‘ghost’ of a past lover, while Emma and Eddie have to deal with their ex, who’s also the biological parent of their kid, returning to their life. When I tell you that this perfect parallel makes me wanna chew glass...

But this allows them to resolve their issues and come closer together. There’s a moment when Hook thinks he did finally get his revenge in O215, which leads him to ponder in O220 what will become of his life if he does kill Rumple. He realizes it would be empty, as he has no one to share it with. This is a change inspired by Emma. He grasps the emptiness of his pursuit since in spite of himself, he started caring about her. It’s because of what he told her in O206, that she’s “bloody brilliant” and because of what she tells him in O222, that they understand each other (as fellow lost souls). There is something real between them that is changing him. The Os2 finale forces him to choose between his revenge and his own life. It’s a choice that he had to make before and he always chose to put himself in harm’s way in order to avenge Milah’s death (in an O311 flashback he even explicitly tells Tink that dying for his revenge would be satisfying enough). But this time, he realizes he does want to live. And as Emma challenges him in this ep to care about anyone other than himself, he does. He cares about her enough to do the right thing, returning to Storybrooke to save everyone. He practically tells her she’s the reason, that she inspired him to remember he could care about others. When he realizes his return was too late for his initial intention, but he could still help by offering the magic bean to save Henry, he immediately volunteers to do so and even to join the search party. It’s during this time that we’ll see them really coming together. That made me think of the distance we saw between Buddie in 5a, which gave way to them growing closer than ever in 5b, as Eddie confesses his greatest fear to and finds comfort in Buck.

O222 still doesn’t commit to a specific CS option, though. It could be Emma as The Savior helping Hook become better without returning his feelings, it could be the start of something that will eventually make way for Emma choosing Neal once she’s reunited with him, or it could be the start of CS as a ship that OUaT is actually invested in, not just as an obstacle to SF. When did the show decide between those options? I suspect the answer is during the hiatus ahead of Os3. What Hook did in O222, when he chose to return, it was the first selfless thing we’ve seen him do. But is it something that means he’s worthy of Emma or can compete with the feelings she and Neal still have for each other? I would argue that there’s nothing in the Os2 finale to definitively answer that in the affirmative, at least not just yet. In the Os3 premiere, however, I believe we get exactly that. We have a moment when Hook and Regina discuss whether villains like them can get happy endings. It’s a continuation of their talk in O220, where for the first time Hook wondered about whether he should have something more to his life than vengeance. In O301, he lets Regina know he hopes they can get one. As their conversation ends, the camera pans from that to Emma. That may not seem so significant, but in O416, there’s a scene where CS talk about whether Hook, as a former villain, will get his happy ending. She asks him if he’s found it, and he replies, “Don’t you know, Emma? It’s you.” Visually, the show clues us in on this almost two seasons earlier, before Hook himself had even realized it, using that shot. TPTB have already chosen CS over SF, we just don’t (officially) know it yet either.

But it’s one of those things whose full significance you’re meant to only realize during a rewatch. That’s exactly what 911 gave us with that montage of memories Eddie has in 315, where he sees the family he recognizes he’ll always fight to come back to, and that family is not just his son, it’s about both Buck and Chris. As emotional and incredible as that scene was, we discover roughly a season later that it means even more than we realized, as Eddie reveals to Buck in 414 his decision to alter his will following that call, officially and legally binding Buck to their family. Now just imagine, maybe somewhere in what we’ve seen there’s already a scene that one day, with the gift of hindsight, we’ll watch and it will hit us that TPTB were using it to signal that they had already chosen to make Buddie canon, we just needed to wait for it to unfold...

I say this because even though O301 lets us know TPTB have already settled on CS, the show itself will continue to pretend as if the love triangle between them and SF is yet to be decided throughout the rest of Os3. Hook surprised Emma more than once along Os2, but as he chose her over his revenge, she got to really see the kind of man he can be. His bloodthirst for Milah’s murderer was always fueled by his love and by the kind of devotion that only lost souls can offer. If that was so intense, just imagine what he’s capable of feeling when he begins falling in love with the one woman who he thinks of as so amazing that she could even make him let go of his vengeance. Alongside this, TPTB still dwell on Emma’s lingering feelings for Neal. That makes it seem like an open race, but it was later confirmed in an interview that they knew they were going to kill Neal before Os3 even started airing.

There are still clues in the subtext that CS are it. For example, in O301 we get to see them as a battle couple again, something we hadn’t witnessed since their first quest together climbing the beanstalk in O206. Never estimate the power of this trope! Since the days of the ancient Greeks, it has been used to signify a pair of bonded souls, ready to kill and die for each other, playing on the duality of the fierce fight one conducts for the person they harbor the most tender of feelings for, with both partners being so in sync that their bond can be counted on even in the most life threatening of situations. And yes, of course Buddie falls into this long, intense (and historically, homoerotic) tradition, as we have seen them being the ultimate battlefield boyfriends multiple times.

Another thing is that the triangle’s two sides aren’t truly balanced. What I mean by this is that when a show hasn’t decided yet, and wants to build up both ships, it will make sure to balance every significant thing one ship has with an equal counterpart for the other. In O307, CS have a meaningful moment where Emma thanks Hook for doing the right thing and telling them Neal is in Neverland, so that he can be saved. She acknowledges this is something Hook did in spite of Neal being his romantic rival for her affections. Hook responds that when he wins her heart, and he will, it won’t be because of trickery, it will be because she wants him (there are actually three opportunities Hook has in Neverland to win her “unfairly,” and he resists using even a single one of them). What this does is cement the fact that the love Hook feels for Emma can help him be a better man, someone who he once was (as we saw in O305). It’s a redemption through love story. And Neal doesn’t have an equivalent to that. Another indication is in O311, when Emma and Henry have to leave Storybrooke, knowing that once they do, they will lose their memories of everyone else. Hook tells Emma there won’t be a day when he won’t think of her. She smiles and replies, “Good.” Hook on his part is confessing that his feelings have morphed into this hopeless, epic love that will haunt him even when they’re realms apart. Emma, by accepting that, is in turn admitting that she actually does want whatever it is that has started developing between them. But when Neal told her a moment earlier that it isn’t over and he will see her and Henry again, she didn’t answer. Again, these are small signs that TPTB already knew the endgame ship before we got Emma officially choosing Hook, but they still pretended as if it’s not settled yet, still acting as if the love triangle is balanced. And I am forever thinking about 911 and what TPTB have already decided, but still aren’t ready to admit...

The on screen parallels are, like love, endless

We talk a lot about what Buddie’s ‘Oh’ moment might be, that instance of recognition of what they feel. We might not have gotten one on screen yet, or we may discover later on that, like the visual clue in O301, we can only decipher their ‘Oh’ moment in retrospect. With Hook, I think he had his in O302. Emma has to admit who she really is, that she’s still a lost girl. We, as viewers, can tell how similar she is to Hook. When they talk about it later, he asks her, “And just who are you, Swan?” and she teases, “Wouldn’t you like to know?” Hook is usually the one to bring on the flirting that most women don’t take seriously, but this time, when it’s Emma who’s being coy, he reacts with unusual sincerity and responds, “Perhaps I would.” It’s that uncharacteristic intensity that lets us know, he’s admitting it to himself. In O206, we saw that he was interested in getting to know Emma, but he could still lie to himself, hide behind how the info might come in useful at some point in his pursuit of revenge (even though we don’t see him take a similar interest in any of the other opponents). But here, he’s already let go of the idea of retribution, and is admitting to himself he honestly is interested in her, that what he feels is more than just attraction or a means to a goal. He genuinely would like to be the person allowed in. And yes, once more this is very similar to Buddie, who gravitated towards each other from the start, how they both showed such an interest in getting to know the other man better, and we got to see how similar in their trauma and journey towards healing they are, as well as being each other’s person, the one allowed in.

Another thing we have is instances of mutual longing stares. These are supposed to quietly make our guts turn, because CS exchange them in Os3 precisely whenever it seems like they can’t be together. For example, in O306 when Emma discovers that Neal, the father of her child, is still alive and in Neverland, there’s an intense exchange of stares between her and Hook. It reminds me a bit of how Buddie sometimes stare at each other, such as when the the team is discussing Eddie and Ana going to an event as a couple for the first time in 501, but it’s Buck’s eyes that Eddie meaningfully catches...

There’s of course the classic instants of jealousy. They don’t necessarily develop into full plots like on some shows, but they do exist in the background as a reminder for who someone really wants, no matter what facade they may present to the world. In O310, for example, Hook has decided to let Emma go so that she could have a chance to see if she could work things out with the father of her son. But he’s heartbroken, so he tries to take his mind off the pain by hitting on Tink, who of course realizes exactly what he’s doing and says no. Nothing happens, but Emma arrives just in time to see the two of them together and be visibly displeased by the idea. This is a lot like Eddie, even as early as 206, disliking the idea of Buck with any other person, like when he saw Taylor speaking to Bobby in that ep and ignored it, but the second he saw her speaking to Buck...

And let’s talk about building a family unit together! Well, Hook being Emma’s co-parent isn’t exactly a focal point of OUaT, since she shares custody of Henry with another, adoptive mother. The show is preoccupied enough with both Emma and Regina’s journey to accepting their motherhood and learning how to be a good parent to Henry, on top of Neal discovering that he’s a dad (not to mention all the grandparents this brings into Henry’s life), that I don’t think the show has a lot of space left to delve too deeply into Hook as Henry’s extra parental figure. And yet, it does have a whole bunch of really lovely moments that it dedicates precisely to that. For example, in O316, before CS even get together, Hook spends a lot of time with Henry to help this kid grieve. Even when we don’t see these moments on screen, OUaT makes sure to include references that let us know these are happening off screen. And to really cement it, all of O606 is dedicated to establishing that Henry does see them as a family unit and accepts Hook not just as Emma’s romantic partner, but also as an additional parent.

I don’t really have to explain how this is very similar to Buddie, where there’s no question Chris has basically embraced Buck as his other dad, and that these three ARE one family unit, right?

Another thing OUaT did with CS once it decided they were endgame is to give them an epic cinematic point of reference. I’m referring to O305, when Emma and Hook kiss for the first time. Hook, the womanizing pirate, is visibly shaken up by it. Emma, however, is still in denial and right away says it’s just a one time thing. But as she sends him away, he replies with, “As you wish.” This is an obvious reference to the movie Princess Bride which established that saying that is another form of saying, “I love you.”

Buddie have their own cinematic reference built into the ship. Their promise in 201 to have each other’s back is a clear reference to Maverick and Iceman’s exchange at the end of Top Gun accepting the other guy as their wing man. If you ask me, that was a way of saying “I love you,” too. And of course, Top Gun came out in the 1980’s, when mainstream Hollywood was not filming gay romances, but this hit film is widely known and understood as a queer coded movie. In fact, Val Kilmer himself once referred to Iceman as his first gay role...

And God, that epic reference really fits CS. Even before they get together, Hook’s feelings for Emma are so grand, he chooses to follow her to the ends of earth and time, literally. Magical vortex that leads God only knows where opens up in O321? Hook wants to get out of there right away. It sucks Emma in? Hook deliberately lets go and allows the vortex to claim him as well, while he mutters that one day he’s going to stop chasing this woman (except he obviously won’t). You know who else follow each other into the craziest, most life endangering situations without a second thought? Yep, our resident moron in love firefighters. They will never stop chasing and saving each other either.

An additional way to build up CS as a ship and a significant one is to have them parallel the other canon couples on the show, particularly the ones that have such a sound foundation that viewers know their love is true. If CS parallel those couples, that means their love is true as well. I think the most obvious parallel on OUaT is between CS and Emma’s parents, Snow and Charming. They were THE romance in s1, cemented by their exchanged promise that they will always find each other. Just imagine how feral I went when in O511, we had Emma leading an expedition to the fucking underworld because she was hellbent on finding and saving Hook, and she utters the same epic promise of love her parents have repeatedly made to each other, that she will find him, she will always find him. Just in case we still had any doubts, in the underworld she has to undergo a test of true love, and unsurprisingly, she passes it. Hook and Emma get to spend the rest of their lives knowing that what they built together, by being there for each other, comforting and learning and saving one another, is true love. So I hope you get why it drives me a little crazy to think about how, in essence, that’s exactly what Buddie have as well, their relationship is built from the same building blocks. Not to mention, they’re also repeatedly shown to parallel the canon, foundational couples of 911, like Madney, Henren and Bathena.

Another of these parallels to Snow and Charming can be found in the language one partner uses when they try to revive the part of the ship. In O103, it’s Snow trying to save Charming in Storybrooke, and she’s begging him at first to come back to “us,” but that doesn’t really express what she feels, her desperation, so she switches over to “Come back to me.” That switch says everything about how significant the “me” is. It’s not just a general rescue attempt out of respect for the sacredness of all human life. This is personal. A loss that the rescuer cannot bear. And they have faith that the connection between them and the person they’re trying to save is another life line, in addition to the physical actions to keep the other person alive. That’s exactly what Emma is also begging Hook to do when she’s giving him CPR in O320, in those very words, after Zelena almost drowned him to death. That of course parallels Buck begging Eddie to stay “with me” in 414. Also worthy of note? None of these couples are together when one half of the ship has to rescue the other and ends up resorting to this intimate language.

A parallel I absolutely have to quietly scream about into my fist is the one about emotional walls. In O503, Hook confesses to Emma that he liked her exactly as she was. He tells her that he liked her walls, and he liked being the one to break them down. That confession holds so much, like the acceptance of the person you’re in love with as they are, with all of the parts of themselves that they see as the worst, like the love, patience and support that turns being there for someone else when they let you in on what they see as their ugliest parts into something you see as beautiful, and like that awe-inspiring realization that you are special to them because you’re the only one they let into their mess. Now tell me this isn’t precisely what we got with Buddie, when Buck physically broke down the door to Eddie’s most private space, his bedroom, and he wasn’t kicked out for doing that or met with any kind of resistance, instead what Buck got was Eddie letting down his emotional walls as well, not just in that moment, but also later on, when he allows Buck back into that mess, to help clean it up and fix his broken walls. Yes, the most significant emotional developments that happen between romantic partners are ones that Buddie got to have, too.

And lastly there’s of course the parallel that you can see in the header for this meta post, between the time Emma had to watch Hook be stabbed in front of her eyes in O423 and when Buck had to witness Eddie get shot right in front of him in 413. The way that scene plays out (one is fatally wounded, the other is horrified into paralysis, but then before they can rush in, a third party has to intervene and stop them, as the wounded partner reaches out to them) is a romantic trope in itself, because yeah, shows and movies usually only do it this way to one person when it’s their romantic partner who sees everything and is devastated by it. That Buck was put in the same position Emma during this scene, that says everything.

~~ Thank you soooo much to the amazing @buckleyirondad and @madsbuckley who shared the load of giffing for this meta (since there were so many scenes to gif). Your creations are breathtaking and so is your kindness! I seriously can’t thank you enough, I hope you had a blast making the gifs, and that everyone reading enjoys this meta! If you have, please consider supporting it by giving it a reblog, thank you! xoxox

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siena-sevenwits · 1 year

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Okay, just for fun, let me tell you all what Once Upon a Time is. I have never watched this show beyond very brief and scattered clips years ago, so this is mainly drawn from cultural osmosis and friend mentions. Let's see how badly I butcher this.

Snow White and Prince Charming get their wedding interrupted by an Evil Queen, and she's walking up the aisle with all the castle/church shutters slamming shut as she progresses, like Snape walking into class. And she's all, "Ha, I'm very evil, and you offended me somehow, and I'm going to steal your future daughter!" ...or maybe it's the daughter's christening, which would make the threat a lot more palpable. Or maybe it's not about the daughter. Maybe she's like, "Mwahaha, I am going to send you both to the REAL WORLD!"

One of the above.

Anyhow, their daughter is named Emma Swan, and she ends up living in Fort Langley - ahem, Storybrooke. (Sorry. At one point I lived not too far from where they film the real world scenes, and had friends who would sometimes spot the cast, though I never did.) Emma is cynical and jaded, and remembers nothing of her fairytale origins. But she has a son, Henry (adopted?) who is a cinnamon roll, and loves fairytales, and is a true believer and optimist.

I think the Evil Queen (Regina) raised Emma, and she's evil for a season or two or three but then gets a redemption arc, and we get motherhood stories both around Snow and Regina.

Meanwhile Snow and the Prince are questing for a way to find their daughter and defeat the evil queen, and eventually they get to Storybrooke, and possibly there's a memory wipe involved? At any rate, they obviously don't recognize the grown up Emma as their daughter at first, but they get to be close with her as a friend. Meanwhile, Henry is catching on to what's going on a lot faster than some.

Now there's also Belle, who is involved in a love/hate (but more so love) relationship with Rumpelstiltskin, who is a manipulative magic user in the fantasy world, but is also present in Storybrooke under the name of Mr. Gold, the pawnbroker/curiosity shop owner? Also still a manipulative magic user? This guy is constantly starting on/completing redemption arcs only to make evil choices again and it frustrates the fans because sometimes it seems like the writer's can't commit rather than they're pulling off a really complicated arc? But people enjoy him/find him fascinating.

Now there's a weird dynamic where more and more of the characters make their way into Storybrooke, but their stories are also featured in the fairytale world. This show is either super into flashbacks, or we're dealing with alternate timelines and time branches. Other people who get into Storybrooke? Red, who is Little Red Riding Hood in an incredible cloak that all the closplayers wanted at one point, and who now works as a waitress as a diner and has some encouraging words for Belle when she's having trouble with Rumple. BUT RED DIES TRAGICALLY! (Don't ask me how, or in which world.) There's also Captain Hook, who is all guyliner and longing looks and trying to be witty - but he also trades the Jolly Roger for Emma, and it's a huge sacrifice, and they have true, true love. He has the unlikely name of Killian in Storybrooke. (Come on - his name is James Hook!)

With the introduction of the Neverland Storyline (which is a cool storyline?) we move away from fairytales proper and just start including whatever Disney properties we want. Frozen gets shoehorned in there, as do Mulan and Brave. In Arendelle, Anna's preparing to marry Kristoff and tries on her mom's wedding gown which Elsa found, but then the trolls have some kind of bad news. Elsa gets sucked into a vase and transported to Storybrooke, where she accidentally freezes the town. Also Elsa's aunt Ingrid is there, secretly using her ice powers to run an ice cream parlour.

Meanwhile Anna's trying to get her back, and goes into the countryside where she meets Snow's Prince who now has long hair and is enslaved to Bo Peep and this is emphatically a different storyline than the other storyline(s) he's featured in? Maybe a curse made it this way? Anyway, Anna teaches. him to use a sword and stand up for himself. Then she and Kristoff go to the castle to research or something, and Elsa's there (maybe this is the backstory of how Elsa got to the real world?) and they find out about a spell that causes shattered sight (you only see the worst in other people, or maybe in the people you truly care about.) The spell is based on that mirror in The Snow Queen where a bit of flawed glass gets in your eye. Anna falls under the spell, gets resentful for the way Elsa treated her in childhood, and traps her in the vase (yes, this is definitely backstory!) Later Anna ends up in the water in a sea chest and somehow gets to Storybrooke?

Ingrid explains to Elsa that she wants a perfect family because her-non-magical family treated her like an outsider, and she wants Elsa to be part of her magical family. Elsa is appalled and resolves to fight her. Later, everyone in Storybrooke realizes the shattered sight spell is coming, and they all lock themselves in the jail or something so they don't tear each other apart. It doesn't affect Anna and Elsa though. But most notably Snow and her prince are fighting, and it's awful! They somehow got it all figured out in the end...

Many curses happen.

At some point Henry is the only believer. (In what? Magic? Love? their true fairytale identities? Who knows?)

There's an Author, and he's a scum, and maybe behind a lot of what's going on?

Merida shows up, and Emma goes through an arc where it looks like she might turn evil (the Black Swan? The Dark Swan?) and they go underground and stuff.

Eventually there's a musical episode, because Snow in the fairytale world wished for magic to help defeat the Evil Queen, and love expressed through song is super powerful. They sing a duet about how cool the singing is, and the fans are shocked that they're both great singers. Something evil happens, and they go in search of Hook, who's at a tavern and sings a big musical number about how he wants revenge on the crocodile for taking his hand, and he's backed by a wonderfully over the top chorus of pirates. (I have in fact seen this clip multiple times, because it's very fun.) Turns out the Crocodile he's talking about is the Dark One, who is Rumpelstiltskin, who is currently locked in Snow and the Prince's dungeon. Um... things sort out.

Eventually Emma and Killian have a wedding and it's a very climactic episode. There's a later season made, but we don't talk about it.

Best I got, folks.

#ouat #once upon a time #i have no idea what i'm talking about.

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scripted-downfall · 2 years

Note

Have you received any asks about OUAT recently? I was going to ask you about your favorite characters and ships, but I don't think that I ever sent anything in.

I have not received any prior to this, but I'm happy to have gotten yours now! I warn you now that I'm writing this purely off the top of my head, without having rewatched in a good half-year at minimum, but I shall do my best!

Favorite characters: All the conventional villains, for sure. It helps that I'm a big fan of character development (both in terms of their evolutions on-show, and in terms of looking at how they became they villains --- or "villains", depending on the case --- that they ended up being), and just analysis in general. I loved Regina and Rumple ever since their introductions in s1, and Hook ever since his in s2. How much I like their characters varies by season, of course, but they're all really enjoyable to watch, more or less throughout. (e.g. Rumple was a character I adored in the first three seasons, and then he became one I love to hate... if that makes sense?) Zelena was another awesome villain, and so was Peter Pan. All of the performers did a really good job, the writing was usually pretty ubiquitously good/interesting, and, frankly, they tend to be less hypocritical. Also, Jefferson and Will Scarlet were two characters I always remember really fondly but thought we didn't see enough of; I've never been able to watch the Wonderland version of OUAT, though, and I think they both get developed in there? I'll have to find a way to watch that one of these days.

Potential hot take: most of the outright "heroes", I don't tend to like. I like Emma --- but she's not really a conventional "hero", so that isn't really a surprise --- and I probably like all of them at some point or another (except the Blue Fairy. not her. ever.) but it's a rare "hero" who ranks in my favorites book. I did really like Robin Hood, and I can't quite tell if he's a "hero" or not... I mean, my instinct is to say yes, but he did have the whole chaotic good outlaw, steal-from-the-rich-give-to-the-poor thing going. (Luckily, since OUAT basically thrived on changing perceptions on the definition of hero vs villain, maybe it doesn't much matter. I honestly can't keep track of who's what at any given time since it's so blurred.) I also felt like his character suffered a bit as his part of the show went on, and he kinda got diluted to just being a love interest... but I haven't watched in a while, like I said, so maybe that's just a mis-recollection.

As for ships... I definitely appreciate Captain Swan (Emma and Hook), and I very much don't like Swanfire (Emma and Bae). (Note: my issues with SF come, not from an issue with it interfering in CS --- I, personally, am a fan of multishipping, and recognizing that someone can have a good relationship with multiple people at varying points in their lives --- but from an issue with SF itself, and with Baelfire in general.) I wish that Milah had been more developed, but what little we saw of Millian (Milah and Killian) seemed decent; she definitely seemed way happier as a pirate queen than in her unhealthy life with Rumple. I always felt like Mulan should have at least had a chance to talk to Aurora and see if they could work things out (especially because I never liked OUAT!Phillip, ngl). I have vague memories of being on board with Outlaw Queen (Regina and Robin), but, as I said, I did feel like Robin eventually got solely relegated to being the Love Interest, and I don't think that did his character justice.

A brief bonus section: Rumbelle (Rumple and Belle) might have started out okay, but it quickly devolved into being unhealthy, so I can't in good conscience list it as a pure favorite... I think it was decent at first --- again, it's been a bit since I watched s1/s2 --- so that's why it gets mentioned, but the tail end of s3 and on through s4? That's when he goes back to lying and manipulating, and the ship crashes (imo).

I hope that answers your question decently, and, if you have a specific character/ship you wanted me to address more in detail, I'm happy to answer something else! Thanks for the ask!

#answered asks #scripted downfall asks answered #guess i need an ouat tag huh?#i push the [ask] button and she answers usually (sd)

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stuffireadandenjoy · 4 months

Text

I don’t post any of my fics on tumblr anymore, they will all be posted on AO3 only. If you see them elsewhere then they are stolen. This is a list of fics that are works in progress/future ideas/completed. Tags for fics will be: #my fics, #(fic name), #pairing Red - on hiatus

Works In Progress

Works that I have posted some of and are currently working on or have put on hiatus until I can work on them.

Icarus Landing [ POTA | No Pairings | No Warnings | 3/25]

COD Drabbles and Brain Worms [ COD | Various Pairings | Various Warnings | 10/?]

Radio Silence [ COD | Price/Reader | Zombie AU | 1/10]

100 Word Challenge Fics [Various Fandoms | Various Pairings | Various Warnings | 7/?]

Wrong Number, Right Day [ COD | Gaz/Reader | Sugar Daddy Gaz, Manipulation, Fake Relationship | 1/11]

Call of the Jurassic [ COD/JP | Soap/Ghost (background) | Blood/Gore, Animal Death, Character Death, Swearing | 1/12]

A Marriage of Inconvenience [ COD | Price/Female Oc | Las Vegas Wedding AU | 1/17]

Dishes Best Served Cold [ COD | Ghost x Reader | Neighbor AU | 2/9]

25 Days of COD [ COD | Kate/Soap/Price/Ghost/Gaz/Reader | Christmas Series | 2/25]

The Housekeeper [ COD | Ghost/Reader | Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Blood and Injury, Murder, Descriptions of Gunshot Wounds, 2/47] (currently under a rewrite)

Just A Hare [ SW:CW | Self Insert Clone OC | Fix It Fic | 21/30]

Groundhog Day [ SW:CW | CT-6922/Dogma | Time Loop Fix It Fic | 1/27]

Just Sign Here [COD | Gaz/Female OC | Slow Burn | 6/?]

Broken but not Forgotten [COD | Ghost & that mean cat | hurt/comfort | 5/?]

Future Ideas

Ideas that I plan on writing in the future but haven’t posted anything for yet.

That One Coffee Shop AU [ COD | Ghost/Gaz | No Warnings | Coffee Shop AU]

A Hop, Skip, and Leap [ COD | Gaz/Female Oc | No Warnings | Shifter AU]

Whispers Amongst the Petals [ COD | 141/Reader | Implied Stalking, Kidnapping | Oneshot]

Red Alert on the Railcrawler [Star Wars | OC Death, Angst, | Murder Mystery | 0/9]

Better Behaved [COD | Ghoap x Female Reader | petplay, unnegotiated kink, kidnapping | 0/5]

Nature Versus Nurture [Jurassic World | OC x Oc | mentions of animal death, animal abuse, canon typical violence]

Where Giants Roam [COD | Brief mentions of Nik/Price | animal death, minor character death, canon typical violence]

Where Lavender Grows [COD | Laswell x Female OC, Price x Male OC, Price x Laswell tagging for just in case | Bridgerton AU | 0/23]

The One That Follows [COD | Ghoap | Cryptid AU | 0/14]

Price Worth Paying [COD | Mafia Boss Laswell/Reader | Mafia AU | 0/21]

The Day After [ COD | Gaz/Female Oc | Amnesia, Manipulation, Dark!Gaz, Smut, Mentions of Past Torture/Harassment, Flashbacks of Torture/Harassment, Mentions of Kidnapping, Mentions of Past Psychological Torture, Isolation | 0/12]

Bound by Blood and Duty [COD | Mafia!Gaz/Mafia!Reader | Mafia AU]

Untouched [ COD | Ghost/Female Oc | Smut, Sort of Kidnapping, Coercion, Kind of Forced Marriage | Western AU | 0/19]

Jurassic Warfare [ COD | Call of the Jurassic AU | Canon Typical Violence, Gore and Blood, Canon Typical Language, Descriptions of Wounds and Gore, Animal Death | 0/7]

Silver Tongue, Golden Words [ COD | Dragon!Ghost/Sacrifice!Gaz | Warnings | Fantasy AU | 0/17]

The Tapes [ COD | Killer!Gaz/Reporter!Reader | Violence and Gore | 0/5]

The Kiss That Was [COD | Laswell/Handywoman!Reader | Smut | 0/♾️]

Upon Dark Wings [COD | Ghoap | NA | Swan Princess AU]

Actions Have Consequences - A new captain is assigned when Price goes AWOL, but gets put in a tough position when the 141 reunite with Price

Assets Become Liabilities - A team is sent to hunt down Price after he goes AWOL after shooting Shepherd

Stand By My Grave [COD | Ghoap | Major Character Death, Canon Typical Violence | Pet Semetary AU]

In Your Arms I Found Peace [COD | Ghost x Female OC |

When One Night Becomes A Lifetime [COD

Through the Eyes of a Songbird [COD

Mermaid!Reader Fic [COD @/deeptrashwitch request

Completed

Completed works or works that I do not intend to continue.

Worship [ COD | Gaz/Female Reader | Body Worship, Grinding | One Shot]

Silver Platter [ COD | Price/Female Reader | Harassment, Slight Intoxication | One Shot]

Slip of the Tongue [ COD | Gaz/Female Reader | Dry Humping | One Shot]

Need A Light? [ COD | Price/Reader | Drinking | One Shot]

Safe and Sound [ COD | Price/Reader | Panic Attacks | One Shot]

Echolocation [ COD | Ghost & Soap | One Shot]

His Thoughts [ COD | Ghost/Reader | Rape/Non Con Elements, Aftermath of Torture, Blood and Gore | [Oneshot]

Morning Glory [ COD | Laswell/Female Reader | Smut, Praise Kink, Hairpulling | One Shot]

In The Rain [ COD | Price/Female OC | One Shot]

Sleepover [ COD | Price/Reader | Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism mention, Grind and Grope, Mentions of Drug Use (prescription), Suicidal Thoughts | One Shot]

Eye to Eye [ COD | Soap/Female Reader | Stalking, Non-Consensual Bondage, Non-Consensual Voyeurism, Rape/Non-Con | One Shot]

#my fics #x reader #x oc

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swan-of-sunrise · 2 years

Text

I posted 1,348 times in 2022

79 posts created (6%)

1,269 posts reblogged (94%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@swan-of-sunrise

@wickedwitzh

@robiinbuckley

@sersi

@funnytwittertweets

I tagged 1,346 of my posts in 2022

#marvel - 586 posts

#mcu - 572 posts

#funny - 425 posts

#captain america - 163 posts

#steve rogers - 134 posts

#star wars - 119 posts

#random - 105 posts

#cute - 104 posts

#marvel cinematic universe - 100 posts

#disney - 95 posts

Longest Tag: 137 characters

#i still can't believe that they made a sequel trilogy to one of the most successful and beloved film franchises ever and didn’t plan them

My Top Posts in 2022:

Infinity War (Chapter Two)

Summary: (Y/N) reunites with an old friend and the Black Order invades New York in search of the Time Stone.

Pairing: Steve Rogers X Reader

Word Count: 5.4k

Warnings/Disclaimers: None

A/N: This chapter’s a lot longer than I originally anticipated but I’m really proud that I was able to finish it on time, so that’s nice lol thank you for reading, I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter Two (Previous Chapter)

For a Master of the Mystic Arts who once boasted to have an extensive watch list of people who posed a potential threat to Earth, Doctor Stephen Strange had no goddamn idea that a power-hungry genocidal maniac was on his way to retrieve two out of the six Infinity Stones. It was all (Y/N) could do to keep her irritation in check as she gave the two baffled sorcerers a brief explanation of not only who Thanos was and why he was so dangerous, but how she, her one-month-old daughter and Bruce Banner all found their way back to Earth; not only was she irritated by his ignorance of the Mad Titan, but also the lie he’d told her moments before she’d been accidentally transported to Sakaar.

“You didn’t strike me as a liar when we first met.”

Stephen, who was preoccupied with bandaging the two wounds on her bicep, sighed but kept his focus on his work. “I’d hate to argue semantics with you, Miss (Y/L/N), but I never lied to you; I told you that you wouldn’t be alone during the birth of your daughter, and you weren’t.”

“So, you didn’t think to give me a heads-up that if I touched that ugly cauldron over there, I’d wind up trapped on an alien planet with a Prince of Asgard acting as my midwife?” (Y/N) asked, the harsh edge of her voice cutting through the silence in the Sanctum’s foyer. “Was it fun for you, looking into my future and seeing how I’d spend a month struggling to keep myself and my daughter alive? Knowing that Steve wouldn’t be there for Carina’s birth and deliberately keeping that information to yourself?”

“I understand why you’re upset and I’m not trying to dismiss your feelings, but I did warn you that messing around with time was a bad idea. A person isn’t meant to know too much about their own future; if I told you what I saw – which, for the record, was only the moment of your daughter’s birth on Sakaar and a brief glimpse of you both back here in New York – it simply wouldn’t have happened.” Once he was finished securing the bandage around her upper arm, Stephen stood up from the antique lounge they were seated on and extended a hand to her, a glimmer of regret in his darkened gaze. “For what it’s worth, you adapted to your unfortunate circumstances far better than I thought you would.”

(Y/N) huffed out a humorless chuckle and allowed the doctor to help her stand, inwardly frowning in concern when she felt his hand tremble in hers but deciding not to mention it. “That’s only because I had help the entire time. Loki-” Her throat tightened in grief and she forced herself not to think of her unlikely friend and all the others that remained trapped on the Statesman. Thankfully, she was prevented from finishing her sentence when Wong – the other sorcerer that protected the New York Sanctum from mystical threats – and a freshly-dressed Bruce walked into the foyer. “How’re you feeling, Bruce?”

“Okay, I guess, but my memory’s still a little foggy…” Bruce fiddled with the sleeve of his borrowed blazer and observed the wrecked staircase with his brow furrowed in confusion. “You said that the Bifrost brought me here? I don’t remember any of that, i-it’s like the Hulk’s stopping me from trying to remember or something but I don’t know why. Usually, the Big Guy and I are on the same page but lately it feels like we aren’t even reading the same book.”

She walked over to where Bruce stood and gave his hand a comforting squeeze. “All that matters is that you’re safe now; we’ll figure out whatever’s going on together, okay? You don’t have to go through this alone.”

The scientist threw her a grateful look and they both turned to Stephen as he opened a sparking portal and stepped through it. “We’d better go through after him so Tony doesn’t get too freaked out and go full Iron Man on him.”

“You go ahead, I’ll stay here with Carina,” (Y/N) replied, hiding her growing discomfort behind a fleeting smile that vanished when Bruce turned away; she hadn’t seen or spoken to Tony Stark in over two years, with their last tension-filled interaction being the day she’d moved out of the Avengers Facility, and she wasn’t entirely sure how he’d react to seeing her again and learning that Steve Rogers conceived a child with her while on the run. All this stress is going to give me premature grey hair, she silently remarked, glancing over at Carina’s pram hovering by the foot of the ruined staircase and brightening a little when she saw that Wong was entertaining the cooing infant with magical bursts of multicolored fireworks. She walked over to the pair, adjusting her daughter’s blanket and quietly chuckling as her eyes widened in awe at the bright display above her. “Looks like you’re Carina’s favorite person at the moment, Wong. You know, when we first met Stephen mentioned that you were a fan of my novels.”

Wong smiled and nodded. “They’re woven together with such intricate details and compelling characters that they’re almost impossible to put down; my entire collection is back at Kamar-Taj, otherwise I’d ask you to autograph them for me.”

“Well, I’m just a-” She copied the arm movements that Stephen used to conjure the portal across the foyer. “-away, so feel free to drop by anytime when all of this is over.”

Before either of them could say anything, Stephen marched back through the sparking portal with Bruce and Tony Stark on his heels. The billionaire’s attention was focused on the doctor and the emotionally-frazzled scientist but when Stephen turned to close the portal behind them, his gaze shifted and finally landed on (Y/N); his brow shot up in surprise and if she didn’t know any better, she’d say that he was a little pleased to see her. “It’s been a while, Austen.” His familiar nickname for her brought a small smile to her face. “How’s my favorite historical fiction novelist doing, and why’s she dressed like Éowyn from Lord of the Rings?”

“The world’s in danger and we’re the ones who have to save it again, so pretty good, all things considered. I’ll explain the outfit in a minute but first, I think that there’s someone you should meet.” With a steadying breath, (Y/N) reached down into the pram and lifted her squirming daughter into her arms, kissing her brow before walking over to where Tony stood. “Tony, this is my daughter Carina…Carina Lorraine Rogers-(Y/L/N).”

Tony’s brown eyes flicked between (Y/N) and the infant in her arms as a flurry of emotions crossed his face; there was shock, disbelief, anger, sadness, and even some regret before he finally settled on the ghost of his trademark smirk. “She’s a cute kid. Good thing she takes after her mom, huh?”

“She may have my looks, but she inherited all of her attitude from her father.” Right on cue, Carina blew an exceptionally loud raspberry and began to gum the edge of (Y/N)’s breastplate, making Tony chuckle and (Y/N) sigh in mild exasperation. “You see? She definitely didn’t get that from me.”

The billionaire looked as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it, giving her and her daughter another smile before glancing back over at Stephen, Wong and Bruce standing in the center of the foyer. “Now, can one of you guys explain why I’m here in a wizard’s secret lair and not jogging through Central Park with my fiancée?”

Exchanging a wary glance with Bruce, (Y/N) tightened her hold on Carina and launched into the briefest explanation she could manage of hers and the scientist’s adventures in space; how both of them ended up on Sakaar and their struggle to survive in the Grandmaster’s palace, how they became involved in the Asgardian’s fight against the Goddess of Death and how they both wound up back on Earth. Tony patiently listened to her talk and didn’t interrupt, but she could practically see the wheels in his head turning as she told their story and she was reminded of the argument she’d overheard the night that Ultron first attacked the Avengers.

“…A hostile alien army came charging through a hole in space. We’re standing three hundred feet below it. We’re the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the live long day, but that up there? That’s…that’s the end game. How were you guys planning on beating that?”

“Together.”

“We’ll lose.”

“Then we’ll do that together, too.”

Tony was right about needing to be prepared for another cosmic threat, (Y/N) silently admitted to herself, but we’re not going to lose this fight against Thanos…we can’t lose. When she finally finished, she stepped back and allowed the two sorcerers to explain the Infinity Stones in their own words, watching in barely-concealed awe when Wong raised his hands and used his magic to conjure a ball of light above them all.

See the full post

70 notes - Posted May 5, 2022

Infinity War (Chapter One)

Summary: In the wake of Asgard’s destruction, (Y/N) and Carina’s journey back to Earth and to Steve Rogers is interrupted when Thanos attacks the Statesman.

Pairing: Steve Rogers X Reader

Word Count: 4.4k

Warnings/Disclaimers: Disclaimer for a brief description of a panic attack

A/N: And here we’ve reached Avengers: Infinity War...I might as well apologize now for the angst that’s in store for ya’ll this time around lol thank you for reading, I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter One June 2018 The Statesman, Space (Previous Book)

“…So, that’s everything I missed while I was away from Earth?”

(Y/N) nodded, anxiously fiddling with the hem of her golden-yellow cape while she watched Thor absorb all of the information she’d spent the past half an hour relaying to him. “Pretty much. Look, Thor, I know it’s a lot to take in all at once so if you need a minute to process-”

She was abruptly cut off when the large Asgardian wrapped his arms around her and held her in a near-suffocating embrace; once she got over her initial shock, she looped her arms around his trim waist and rested her cheek against his muscular chest with a resigned smile. Telling Thor about the Sokovia Accords and the disbandment of the Avengers was something that she’d been dreading ever since running into him on the streets of Greenwich Village, unsure of how he’d react to the news. She’d prepared herself for anger and possibly even tears, especially after everything he’d gone through on Sakaar and having seen Asgard destroyed barely a day ago, but she certainly hadn’t prepared herself to be on the receiving end of a bear-hug.

“I can’t imagine how difficult things have been for you these past few years, Writer (Y/L/N). Once we establish a settlement for what remains of Asgard, I’ll speak to this Secretary Ross about pardoning Captain Rogers and his accomplices; after all you did to help save my people, you have my undying word that little Carina will finally meet her father.”

“That’s very sweet of you, Thor, but…” She managed to pull away enough so that she could see his kindhearted face. “I’m not so sure it’ll be that easy. One hundred and seventeen countries came together to sign the Accords and even if you managed to have the document amended or abolished…well, it’s been almost two years and Steve and Tony still aren’t on speaking terms.”

Thor’s blue eye was filled with sadness as he nodded and loosened his hold on her, but he did his best to give her a reassuring smile. “Hope can be just as powerful of a weapon as any sword or blaster and as long as we hold onto it, anything is possible.”

(Y/N) matched his smile with one of her own and gave his arm a playful nudge with her shoulder. “You’re a pretty great king.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t go that far.” They both turned to watch Loki enter the chamber with a bright-eyed Carina nestled in his arms, a gleam of mischief in his blue-green gaze as he cheekily continued. “He’s been king for less than twenty-four hours, mortal, let’s at least give the oaf a week before we draw any conclusions about his mighty reign.”

“And you, Loki, thrive far too much on purposefully antagonizing the people around you.”

Thor waved her off with a widening grin. “It’s all right, Writer (Y/L/N), these days he’s all talk and no action; the old Loki would’ve followed that all up by stabbing me, but pretend marriage and pretend fatherhood seems to have softened him up.”

Loki rolled his eyes and Thor stuck his tongue out at him, causing (Y/N) to shake her head in exasperation as she watched their interaction. “Seriously? I swear, my daughter’s more mature than the both of you combined and she’s only a month old.”

“Mortal, your spawn is not-”At that moment, Carina’s tiny fingers wrapped around a lock of Loki’s raven hair and tugged, eliciting a surprised yelp from him and a snort of amusement from Thor. “Yes, what was that you were saying about her so-called elevated maturity?”

Ignoring Thor’s laughter and Loki’s accusatory glare, (Y/N) lifted the infant into her arms and held her up at eye level. “Carina Lorraine Rogers-(Y/L/N), that was a very rude thing to do to your Uncle Loki…but I’ll let it slide this one time since he called you my spawn.” She kissed the tip of her daughter’s nose and carefully placed her in her floating pram, taking a moment to adjust her blanket before moving to stand beside the brothers at the large window; she stared out into the star-filled space before them, and she couldn’t hide her awestruck smile at the beautiful sight. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this sight. How long do you think it’ll take to reach Earth?”

“I spoke with the Valkyrie earlier and she assured me that we’ll be there within the week; we’re twenty-two jumps away from Asgard, which means we only have around forty more to go.” Loki replied, fidgeting a little as he folded his hands in front of him. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to go back to Earth?”

“Yes, of course, the people of Earth love me. I’m very popular.”

“And it’s where the father of my child is so yes, I also think it’s a very good idea.”

Loki bit back an exasperated sigh. “Let me rephrase that for you both: Do you really think it’s a good idea to bring me back to Earth?”

His brother considered his question before shrugging his shoulders. “Probably not, to be honest.” (Y/N) reached down and took Loki’s hand, squeezing it in comfort as he looked down at the floor. “But I wouldn’t worry, brother. I feel like everything’s going to work out fine.”

Loki looked up at them and when he met their eyes, a hopeful smile tugged at the corners of his mouth; they all turned back towards the enormous window but as they watched, a massive ship came into view and blocked out the light of the nearby stars. For the briefest moment, (Y/N) wondered if it was some sort of rescue vessel responding to the distress call the Asgardian refugees had put out shortly after their escape, but her optimism evaporated the moment she saw Loki’s pale face and heard his horrified whisper. “Thanos.”

“Wait, who’s-?” (Y/N)’s heart plummeted in her chest when she recalled the troubling conversation about a genocidal world-conquering maniac obsessed with Infinity Stones she’d stumbled into during one of the Grandmaster’s parties. “Oh God…”

“What’s wrong?” Thor asked, a frown on his face and a glimmer of fear in his eye as he took in their reactions. “Loki, who is that?”

“There’s no time for explanations, Thor, we need to sound the alarm and summon every Einherjar we have left right now, before it’s too late! We must evacuate-” Loki’s frantic words were interrupted by the entire ship shuddering as the larger vessel fired its first blast and a shrill alarm began to sound throughout the ship. “Please, brother, you must trust me! Take (Y/N) and lead the people onto the escape shuttles, I’ll gather our warriors onto the bridge and begin mounting our defense with Heimdall.”

Before either of them could reply, Loki dashed out of the chamber and after exchanging matching looks of panic, Thor and (Y/N) gathered up Carina’s pram and hurried to follow his command.

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74 notes - Posted April 28, 2022

Taking Care of Business (Chapter Twenty-Two)

Summary: While helping to re-establish the Mandalorian covert in the substrata of Glavis, Din asks the Armorer to forge a gift and learns more about the Darksaber alongside (Y/N) and Paz Vizsla.

Pairing: Din Djarin X Reader

Word Count: 2.5k

Warnings/Disclaimers: Disclaimer for a brief description of a panic attack

A/N: Okay, I intended on including Din’s Darksaber training and the duel here but I decided it deserved its own chapter, so the action will definitely ramp up next time lol I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Two The Covert (Previous Chapter)

“So, how did you become acquainted with a pilot?”

Din glanced up from the chain he was fastening around the forge and looked up at Paz, the muscle in his jaw clenching when he noticed his fellow Mandalorian watching (Y/N) as she worked to rewire some old equipment alongside the Armorer. “I helped her defeat the remnants of a crime syndicate and in turn, she helped me return Gro-the foundling to his own kind.”

“Why haven’t you exchanged vows yet?” Paz asked with an accusatory edge to his voice, turning back to face him and pointing to the signet fastened to his pauldron. “Clan Mudhorn cannot thrive with only two members, but a riduurok will ensure its continuation.”

“We’ve been busy,” Din replied, resuming his task with slightly more force than necessary and carefully watching Paz out of the corner of his eye while he considered their exchange.

What he told Paz was technically true, but the fact of the matter was that he hadn’t even asked (Y/N) to marry him; the subject of marriage was one that simply never came up between them. He knew, of course, that the captain loved him and wanted to continue traveling as his partner, but he had no idea if marriage appealed to her or not. If he were being honest with himself, one of the real reasons he hadn’t brought it up was because he was afraid of ruining what they already had. He told himself that he’d bring it up once their lives calmed down a little, but it was starting to look as though a calm life just wasn’t in the cards for them just yet. I’ll ask her the moment the time feels right, he promised himself as he glanced over at (Y/N), no matter where we are or what we’re doing.

The two Mandalorians moved the forge to the center of the workshop, Paz pushing the heavy machinery while Din tugged it into place using the sturdy chain, the sound of the successful installation echoing throughout the room. While Din began unfastening the chain, Paz started connecting the tubing to the forge and broke the silence with another pointed question. “Where did you come upon the Darksaber?”

Although his shoulders were tensed, Din continued hauling equipment as he gave his fellow Mandalorian a carefully worded reply. “I defeated Moff Gideon.”

Paz considered his words for a moment. “Did you kill him?”

“No. But he was sent off to the New Republic for interrogation and he’ll face justice for his crimes.”

The larger Mandalorian scoffed and began winding up the loose chain. “Death would’ve been justice for his atrocities.”

“This is true.” They both turned to see the Armorer and (Y/N) enter the workshop. “The blood of millions of our kind is on his hands.”

“I’m a veteran of the Rebel Alliance and while the atrocities Moff Gideon committed still affect me to this day, I know that killing him in combat isn’t justice.” The captain’s frown was deep and her expression clouded with frustration as she stared unflinchingly at the two Mandalorians before her. “Once he’s put on trial and any useful Imperial intel is taken from him, he’ll be executed for his crimes by the New Republic Tribunal.”

While the Armorer and Paz stood in stunned silence, Din admired his partner’s wisdom and fearlessness; not many people would readily contradict a Mandalorian while in their presence, but (Y/N) was hardly unfazed under their intimidating stares. A tense moment passed before the Armorer turned away and began pressing buttons on the nearest control panel. “We shall see.” At the flip of a switch, the forge ignited and she walked over to a nearby cabinet as she continued. “The songs of eons past foretold of the Mythosaur rising up to herald a new age of Mandalore…” She pressed a button and the doors slid open to reveal her familiar forging tools. “Sadly, it only exists in legends. Where did you come upon the beskar spear?”

Reaching over his shoulder, Din unsheathed the spear he’d strapped onto his jetpack and held it in his gloved hands, examining the shining metal while he moved to stand beside (Y/N) at the forge. “It was a gift of a Jedi. It can block a lightsaber; I used it to defeat Moff Gideon.”

“It can also pierce beskar armor.” The Armorer pointed out. “It’s mere existence puts Mandalorians at risk. Mandalorian steel is meant for armor, not weapons.”

Din recalled a recent conversation he’d shared with (Y/N), where the captain had voiced her concerns about the risks involved with wielding the beskar spear; if an opponent managed to disarm him, they’d have no problem using the spear against him and injuring or possibly killing him. He looked over at his partner and nodded before holding the weapon out towards the Armorer. “Then forge it into armor.”

The Mandalorian crossed the workshop and accepted the spear. “The Darksaber is a more noble weapon for you to wield.”

Just as long as I can learn how to wield it without slicing one of my own limbs off, Din thought with an exasperated eye-roll, moving to sit beside (Y/N) on a storage container and watch the Armorer place the tip of the spear into the white-hot fire. (Y/N) intertwined her fingers with his and rested their joined hands on her lap, his thumb rubbing soothing circles across her knuckles as she finally spoke up. “Have you ever heard of Bo-Katan Kryze?”

“Bo-Katan is a cautionary tale.” They watched as the Armorer poured a solution into a deep basin of water and at her statement, Din found himself leaning forward in interest; since meeting the unconventional Mandalorian back on Trask, they’d both been eager to learn more about her and the real reason why she was so hell-bent on defeating Moff Gideon. “She once laid claim to rule Mandalore based purely on blood and the sword you now possess.” She walked back to the forge and rotated the spear as its metal began to weaken. “But it was gifted to her and not won by Creed. Bo-Katan Kryze was born of a mighty house, but they lost sight of the Way. Her rule ended in tragedy; they lost their Way, and we lost our world. Had our sect not been cloistered on the moon of Concordia, we would have not survived the Great Purge.”

“When we first met, she mentioned having fought in the Purge,” (Y/N) recalled, and her eyes flicked between Din and the Armorer as she hesitantly continued. “But I still don’t exactly know what happened to Mandalore.”

“Those born of Mandalore strayed away from the path. Eventually, Imperial interlopers destroyed all that we knew and loved in the Night of a Thousand Tears. Only those that walked the Way escaped the curse prophesied in the Creed. Though our numbers were scattered to the winds, our adherence to the Way has preserved our legacy for the generations until we may someday return to our home world.” The captain nodded once the Armorer’s story ended but judging by the familiar line that formed between her brows, her mind was racing with thoughts; removing the spear from the fire, the Mandalorian finally looked up at Din. “What shall I forge?”

Din bit his lip as he thought over her question; he’d ask that the Armorer forge something that could provide (Y/N) with some added protection, but he knew that the captain would only consider it a waste of beskar and refuse to accept the armor. His thoughts then turned to another member of their small clan and while he still felt the familiar sadness that came along with remembering Grogu, his lips curved into the smallest of smiles. “Something for a foundling.”

“This is the Way.”

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80 notes - Posted February 9, 2022

"Bullseye!"

Summary: When (Y/N) complains about Cap’s method of training agents to Kate Bishop, her good friend and hopeless crush, the archer volunteers to take over her firearms training. Or, a simple archery training session between two young women leads to lots of awkward flirting and the start of something new.

Pairing: Kate Bishop X Fem!Reader

Word Count: 1.5k

Warnings/Disclaimers: None

A/N: Okay, so this is sort of new territory for me, I've never written a wlw story before, but I’ve always wanted to and Kate Bishop’s one of my favorite new ladies in the MCU lol thank you for reading, I hope you all enjoy!

“Bullseye!” (Fanfiction Masterlist)

“It was really sweet of you to volunteer for this, Kate.” (Y/N) slung her full quiver of arrows over her shoulder and awkwardly held her training bow at her side as she smiled at her friend. “I’m kinda hopeless when it comes to Cap’s training courses and the others can be a little intimidating, so this really means a lot to me.”

Kate looked up from adjusting the circular target at the opposite end of the training room with a smile of her own. “Believe me, I remember how hard all those weapons certification courses were. That’s why I decided to go ahead and develop my own training course, so that newer recruits can learn the basics without the fear of being forced to run laps or – God forbid – do push-ups.” (Y/N) giggled as the archer wrinkled her nose in disgust, feeling some of her apprehension melt away only to be replaced with the familiar fluttering in her chest brought on by her undeniable crush on Kate Bishop.

The raven-haired archer’s kindness and sarcastic wit were rivaled only by her stunning beauty, all traits that made quick work of capturing (Y/N)’s heart and reducing her into an embarrassingly lovesick fool. But Kate was her only close friend at the Avengers Compound and she feared that revealing her true feelings would result in a ruined friendship, so she resolved to bury them deep and try not to pine. Try and ultimately fail, (Y/N) thought with an inward sigh, doing her best to ignore the way her heart skipped a beat when Kate stood beside her and playfully hip-checked her as she notched an arrow onto her bow’s string. “All right, Professor Bishop, what’s next?”

“I’m gonna show you how to correctly fire an arrow and then I’m gonna watch you fire one to see what areas need improving. Just watch what I do and you’ll be okay, my young Padawan.” She chuckled and adjusted her foot placement while (Y/N) rolled her eyes in exasperation. “So, this is the stance you’re gonna wanna take: back straight, feet shoulder-width apart and at ninety-degrees to the target. Don’t grip the bow too tightly or you’ll hurt yourself, then position your fingers like this…” She gestured with her chin towards where her fingers curled around the bowstring. “One finger above the arrow and two below. The string’ll snap on your fingers if they’re not straight and believe me, that hurts like a son of a bitch so always take the time to check your fingers before moving onto the next step.”

(Y/N) nodded. “Will-do. I’m not exactly a hand model, but I think I’d prefer to keep all my fingers just in case.”

“Well, I happen to think you’ve got very nice hands.” (Y/N)’s brows rose at the unusual compliment and Kate’s face flushed with embarrassment. “Was that too weird? That sounded kinda weird.”

“It was a little weird, but no one’s ever complimented my hands before so I’ll take it.” Quickly looking away from the archer’s sparkling eyes, (Y/N) cleared her throat and nodded towards her bow. “So, what’s the next step?”

“Huh? Oh yeah, the next step!” Kate gave her a flustered smile before raising her bow and pulling back the string. “Use your back muscles to pull the string back, not your biceps, and pull it back so that your index finger’s under your chin; the string should lightly brush against your nose and lips, like this, and now you take a moment to aim at your target using your dominant eye…and once you’re aligned, you relax your fingers and release.” The arrow sped across the training room and impaled itself into the center of the circular target, and Kate turned to her with a bright grin. “Bullseye! You ready to give it a try, (Y/N)?”

(Y/N) nodded and with a nervous chuckle, she notched her arrow and shuffled her feet into position. “Not sure I’ll get a bullseye on my first shot, but I’ll try my best.”

“Think positive thoughts! I know they’re not the most fun but I’ve seen your proficiency scores in Cap’s firearms course, and you’re one hell of a crack-shot; just pretend that your bow’s a .22 and you’ll be fine. Do you mind if I fix your posture for you?” When she agreed, Kate nudged her feet further apart with the toe of her book and she was forced to bite back her gasp of surprise when the archer stood behind her and gently straightened her back for her; her eyes went wide when Kate not only remained close behind her, but as her hands moved to rest on the curve of her hips. “Okay, next step?” (Y/N) struggled to focus on her training for a moment before remembering to adjust her fingers on the bowstring, earning an approving hum from the archer. “Hey, you were paying attention!”

“Well, it’s easy to when you’ve got such an excellent teacher,” (Y/N) replied with a smile, emboldened by the weight of Kate’s hands on her hips and the praising tone in her voice; was it her imagination, or did the archer’s breath hitch? Before she could give a reply, (Y/N) raised her bow and drew the string back. “How’s this?”

“G-Good. Yeah, it’s good, just…” One of Kate’s hands left her hip and moved to cup her elbow. “This arm needs to go a little higher.” Her hand remained in place even after (Y/N) did as she said, her fingers curling against the material of the workout jacket and their warmth practically searing (Y/N)’s flushed skin. “Use your nose and lips as your anchor. Good, just like that, now take aim at your target…” (Y/N) felt the tip of Kate’s nose brush against her hair as she softly murmured into her ear, “And fire away.”

(Y/N) released the arrow and watched with bated breath as it sailed through the air, where it impaled itself at the very edge of the target’s red center. “Bullseye!” She exclaimed in delight, jumping up and down in excitement as she turned to her beaming friend. “Holy shit, Kate, did you see that?!”

“Yeah, that was an awesome shot!” The archer laughed and smiled at her celebratory dancing. “Didn’t I tell you you’d be great at this?”

Without thinking, (Y/N) threw her arms around Kate and the two friends shared an enthusiastic hug, the sounds of their giggles echoing throughout the vast training room. Her eyes went wide once she realized what she’d impulsively done but when she started to pull back, she caught sight of the archer’s gaze fixated on her lips; her dark eyes darted up to meet hers and while a pink blush spread throughout her face, she slowly brought her hand up and brushed the pads of her fingertips timidly against (Y/N)’s own flushed cheek. A newfound glimmer of hope that Kate might have similar feelings for her blossomed and anxious butterflies fluttered away in her stomach as she whispered, “I-Is it okay if I kissed you right now?”

A brilliant smile spread across Kate’s face. “Absolutely.”

(Y/N) leaned in and closed her eyes as her lips brushed against Kate’s in a slow kiss; it was soft and gentle and perhaps a little shy, but while the archer’s arm encircled her waist to bring her closer and her calloused hand cradled her cheek as if she were made of delicate glass, she knew that it was perfect. After they finally separated, (Y/N) rested her forehead against Kate’s and breathlessly smiled. “That was…wow.”

“Yeah, that’s kinda what I was thinking,” Kate chuckled, her dark eyes gleaming with happiness as she bashfully bit her lip. “I like you, (Y/N). A lot. Like, a lot-a lot.” The archer grinned when (Y/N) giggled at her overemphasis. “I’m, um, I’m not really experienced with all this, but I think it might be your turn to say something.”

“I like you, too.” She took hold of Kate’s hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. “I don’t know where that leaves us…but I’m free tomorrow night, if you wanna go grab some pizza and see a movie with me? O-Or not, I know you’re pretty busy and I wouldn’t wanna intrude-”

(Y/N) squeaked in surprise when Kate’s lips crashed against hers and effectively silenced her anxious rambling, and it took her a moment to recover and kiss the archer back. They were both out of breath by the time they finally separated, with (Y/N) trying in vain to regain her voice and Kate smiling widely in triumph. “Bullseye.”

“…Oh, please tell me you’re not gonna say that every time you kiss me.”

“I’m not sure yet,” The archer shrugged as (Y/N) playfully rolled her eyes. “So I guess you’ll have to wait until tomorrow night to find out, won’t you? I’ll get Clint to dog-sit Lucky and we’ll have a night on the town; I’m talking pizza, ice cream, the movie theater, Rockefeller’s skating rink, maybe even one of those cheesy escape rooms we could probably solve with our eyes closed…” They both chuckled at that and (Y/N) relished the newfound softness in Kate’s dark eyes as they stared into hers. “How’s that sound?”

With a happy sigh, (Y/N) looped her arms around Kate’s neck and smiled. “Sounds very Kate Bishop: a little bit weird and absolutely wonderful.”

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158 notes - Posted November 8, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

What The World Needs Now...

Summary: Entirely out of options and fearing for her daughter’s safety, (Y/N) decides to pay Professor Charles Xavier a visit at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. The man in charge of the school, however, was nothing like what (Y/N) had expected.

Pairing: Charles Xavier X Reader

Word Count: 5.3k

Warnings/Disclaimers: None

A/N: I was going through one of my old flash drives when I found this one-shot I’d written years ago, way back when I had a huge thing for McAvoy’s Professor X (specifically Professor X from X-Men: Apocalypse, the flowing brown hair really got to me lol). After making a few quick edits, I decided to publish it for you all to read so I hope that you enjoy! "What The World Needs Now Is Love" by Jackie DeShannon partially inspired this one-shot, so give it a listen if you've never heard it before :)

What The World Needs Now... September 1979

Looking out the window of the taxi, (Y/N) quietly admired how the sunlight streamed through the endless forest of trees; although they’d been traveling from Westchester County Airport through the woods of upstate New York for nearly a half an hour, the beautiful scenery still managed to keep her distracted from any anxious thoughts.

(Y/N) turned to Molly, who was curled against her side and fast asleep, and gently brushed her hair away from her peaceful face before looking down at the letter resting on her lap. The paper, once crisp and white, was wrinkled and stained from countless readings and although she could practically recite the words from memory by now, she began to read the letter once again.

Dear Miss (Y/L/N),

To say that I was pleasantly surprised by your letter would be an understatement; in all my years of research, I have never heard of a mutation developing at such a young age. I would very much like to meet your daughter to uncover more about her mutation but unfortunately, I am unable to leave my school and students unattended for extended periods of time. Would it be possible for you and your daughter to travel here? I know how complicated everything must seem to you now but I promise you, Miss (Y/L/N), I will do everything in my power to help the both of you in this challenging time.

Regards,

Professor Charles Xavier

Enclosed with the letter were two first-class plane tickets and in any other situation, (Y/N) would’ve rejected such generosity, but she was beyond desperate; Molly’s powers were accelerating with each passing day and becoming more and more noticeable, and they’d already been the target of threats from their supposed friends and neighbors. So, without a second thought, she and Molly found themselves on an airplane the day after the letter arrived. Professor Xavier seems like a very kindhearted old man, she thought with a hint of a smile, maybe the sort who wears patches on the elbows of his jackets and misplaces his reading glasses, or one who is even bald. No matter what he looked or dressed like, though, she was beyond relieved to have finally found someone who could possibly help her daughter.

“Would you look at that?” The taxi driver gave a low whistle. “That’s one hell of a house, huh?”

(Y/N) looked up from the letter and gasped in awe. In the distance stood an enormous mansion, similar to European castles and manors she’d only read about in books; the impressive stone structure was ringed with a manicured lawn and towering trees, and tendrils of ivy grew along the towering walls of the building.

“Molly? Molly, sweetie, time to wake up, we’re here!” Molly’s eyes slowly opened and she sleepily raised her hands to rub at them. “Molly-Bear look, doesn’t it look like a castle?”

Molly finally looked up and her face immediately brightened. “A castle, Mommy!” (Y/N) had to quickly stuff the letter into her purse and move it out of the way as the five-year old clambered onto her lap for a better look; she pressed her hands, which were wrapped in a pair of pink mittens, onto the window and stared at the mansion with wide eyes. “Is there a dragon in there?”

“I’m not sure, sweetie, you’ll have to ask Professor Xavier when we meet him.”

Minutes later, the taxi driver pulled up to the front of the mansion and stopped. (Y/N) thanked him and paid their fare before getting out and grabbing their two suitcases; they watched the taxi drive off before walking up several steps to the mansion’s massive front doors. On the stone wall beside the door was a modest brass plaque, which read Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.

“Wanna help me knock, Molly-Bear?” When the little girl smiled toothily, (Y/N) set their suitcases down, picked Molly up and rested her against her hip before raising her knuckles to the door. Molly placed her small fist against the door and they both knocked loudly, and (Y/N) silently hoped that someone in the enormous house would be able to hear them.

Much to her surprise, however, the door opened only a few moments later to reveal a tall man; he had a youthful face, with carefully styled brown hair and brilliant blue eyes behind a pair of black-rimmed glasses, and he wore a white laboratory coat over a dark blue button-down shirt and brown slacks. “Hello, how can I help you?”

“We wanna see Professor ’Zavier!”

The man’s bewildered look would’ve made (Y/N) smile if not for their serious situation. “My name is (Y/N) (Y/L/N), and this is my daughter, Molly. We’re here to meet Professor Charles Xavier.” She reached into her purse, withdrew the letter and handed it to the wary man. “He sent me this letter several days ago.”

His eyes quickly scanned the words and he looked up, his guarded expression falling as he gave her a bright smile. “Of course, the professor’s been expecting you both, Miss (Y/L/N)!” Giving back the letter, he opened the door wider and gestured for them to enter. “Here, let me get your bags for you.”

“Thank you, Mr.…?”

“Oh, it’s Hank, Hank McCoy.” He shook her hand before bringing their suitcases into the house and nudging the door closed behind them. “The professor should be in his study, so if you’ll follow me…”

While Hank led them through the halls of the mansion, (Y/N) looked around and admired the beautiful interior. Everything from the mahogany wood-paneling to the slightly-faded ornate carpeting made her feel as though she were Nick Caraway from The Great Gatsby, entering the elaborate home of the mysterious Jay Gatsby for the very first time. However, she couldn’t help but notice a distinct lack of students roaming the halls.

“Excuse me, Hank, but where are all the children?”

Hank glanced down at his wristwatch. “Right now, they’re all in fifth period. It’s usually a lot noisier around here, but I think they’re all taking tests today.” They turned down another hall and continued walking. “I’m sorry for back there, by the way, we don’t get many visitors and sometimes the ones we do get-” He bit his lip and looked down before continuing. “They’re not all exactly fans of mutants like us.” Giving his head a small shake, Hank glanced between her and Molly out of the corner of his eye. “So, um…what exactly is her-?”

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475 notes - Posted January 28, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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searchingwardrobes · 6 years

Text

I was brainstorming a Bring It On AU for Captain Swan is My Favorite Rom Com 2018, and this one-shot came to my mind. It is loosely based on something that happened to me in high school, albeit with less dramatic results. I did fall into the arms of a hunky, muscular college male cheerleader (think Tom Welling or Kyle Chandler), but all I did was stammer incoherently and stumble with weak knees. I mean, I was only 14!

This is my very first story to be strictly Snowing. I have written CS/Snowing stories, but never anything like this. So please be kind! But for my fellow CSers, I put a little mention of our OTP in this that I hope will make you smile.

I hesitated about posting this on the fourth, but . . . Cheerleading is an American institution, so . . . it works I think.

Summary: Mary Margaret is trying to keep her head on straight about her summer cheer camp crush. Until she falls directly into his arms. His very muscular arms . . .

Rating: T for themes

Words: 4,000 + (Since the word count climbed so high and cuts aren’t working on mobile, I’ve only posted the beginning of the story here. You can read the rest on Ao3)

They called him Prince Charming. He was over six feet of pure muscle, perfect blonde hair, and blue eyes. So the name fit. He was the type of guy you couldn’t help swoon over, and then when he flashed a smile with those perfect white teeth, well . . . it gave new meaning to the phrase “weak in the knees.”

The college instructors at cheer camp were always intriguing, so different from the small number of guys who cheered in high school. Mary Margaret’s coach told them that the big universities usually gave full scholarships to male cheerleaders, so they were always the buffest, most fit athletes money could buy. But Prince Charming? He took it to a whole other level. Because with him, it wasn’t just his physique. You didn’t get the moniker “charming” just for being a hottie. No, behind that smile were encouraging words, respect, and genuine kindness that were rare in guys his age. Hence the swooning.

And the weeping and gnashing of teeth when the high school campers discovered he was dating his stunt partner, Kathryn. And not only that, they had what appeared to be a steady and serious relationship that had gone on for the majority of their freshman year at The University of Kentucky. Kathryn was the exact opposite of Mary Margaret in every way: willowy instead of petite, blonde and blue-eyed instead of brunette and green-eyed, regal and poised instead of bubbly and tenacious. So Mary Margaret didn’t know why she wasted her time pining. It was just a stupid summer crush; nothing to get bent out of shape over. She was seventeen and about to start her senior year at Storybrooke High. He was going into his sophomore year on a full scholarship from the most decorated college cheer program in the nation. Prince Charming would never give a mousy girl like her a second glance. So she would just admire him from afar.

Until the day she fell into his arms. Literally. Everyone else on her squad accused her of doing it on purpose, but had they not known her for the past four years? Being petite meant that Mary Margaret was a flyer for her squad. Despite her fear of heights. Her freak outs when trying brand new stunts were legendary. Her stunt group: bases Ruby and Ashley and spotter Emma, just assumed they’d be bruised and battered every time they took it to the next level. Going riskier and higher with Mary Margaret was always a challenge.

So of course she freaked out this time, as David Nolan (Prince Charming’s actual name) talked them through the new stunt. The ground was so far away, and her stunt group didn’t feel in the least bit steady. Ruby was shouting something that couldn’t possibly be good, so Mary Margaret did what she did best in these situations. She panicked . . . and jumped into Charming’s outstretched arms.

He caught her like a groom carries a bride over the threshold, and Mary Margaret’s trembling arms went immediately around his neck. The hard knots of muscle beneath her hands sent a jolt right to the core of her, and suddenly she was light headed as his blue eyes locked on her green ones. He gathered her a tiny bit closer, pressing her body against that broad, hard chest. Then he smiled and she completely forgot where she was.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

All she could do was swallow thickly. How did words get from her brain to her mouth again? She couldn’t quite remember.

Not sure who to tag since this is a Snowing fic but I thought maybe @snowbellewells @whimsicallyenchantedrose and @kmomof4 might like it.

#snowing ff #modern au #high school au #cheerleading #brief mention of captain swan #because you know me

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strawberrypiratenin · 3 years

Text

Halcyon

Part I: Wisdom of a Moss

Disclaimer: One Piece and it’s wonderful characters is owned by Eiichiro Oda. The following work of fiction is just my way of filling in some spaces in his work with my shameless imagination.

This and my other work is also available in ff.net.

Rating: K+

Word Count: 4k+

Genre: Friendship, Comfort, Humor, sprinkle of Fluff

Pairing: Zoro/Nami

Summary: Set after Ch. 955 in the manga. Nami reflects on their current journey and her worries are let known to a certain swordsman.

A/N: Being the ones to be beside Luffy since the very beginning, I figured if there is someone to reflect on how their journey has been it has to be these two. Seeing also how they have the dynamic of Nami being worrisome and Zoro comforting just telling her how things are (e.g. Davy back fight, Usopp leaving the crew), I thought if someone in the crew is going to feel this way, it would be Nami, with Zoro being there to talk it out.

This was supposed to be a one- shot but I ended up having a vision of a scene to wrap this up which I’m trying to get to. So looks like there would be more. Hopefully I somehow mostly stayed in character. Hope you enjoy.

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"What's a dango?" the Strawhat's doctor asked, eyes glinting, as Sanji helped unload the fragrant boxes of dango sent by one of the allies. They were gathered around a table in their small camp. The preparations for the raid in Onigashima nearing its completion.

" Hmm…dango? Ah yes, you see Chopper, it's a type of weapon, disguised as colorful treats that when eaten, causes one to be hypnotized and start walking backwards! An assassin once tried this weapon on me…" Usopp started explaining as the glint in the poor reindeer's eyes started to die out.

"…but you see the great and mighty Uso—"

"Wrong!" The blonde cook shouted, sandaled foot connecting on the sniper's head. "Stop disrespecting food like that!"

Nami cringed at the thought of a hypnotizing, backward walking individual they had once encountered.

"It's a sweet rice dumpling, Chopper. And no, it won't hypnotize you when you eat it." Nami said sweetly, to the relief of the horrified reindeer.

Nami's eyes narrowed to the now laying on the ground Usopp and huffed.

"I should go call the others."

"No Onami- swan! How about you stay here and let's have someone else call the others." Sanji said, glaring at Usopp, who's now nursing a bump on his head.

"It's okay Sanji- kun," she said, forcing a smile on her face. "I needed the walk anyway."

"If you say so mellorine~, shall I accompany you?" said the cook, with hearts on his eyes.

"Just stay here and guard the food Sanji- kun." Giving one last weak smile, the navigator turned to leave, feeling the need to be by herself with her thoughts.

"Alright you shits! Nobody eats until Nami swan gets back here!"

---------------------

It was easy to find the others as the Strawhat navigator was almost trampled on her way by their captain as he shouted "food! Where's the food?" and took off running excitedly to where she pointed without another word.

She found Robin with Franky, who just got back from the port, and Brook who excitedly claimed how great that would be with tea, the thought just warms his insides, although ah! He does not have any insides.

Only one more left to find. She's just hoping he did not get lost somewhere far.

---------------------

Bamboo leaves rustled as a breeze passed through the forest, orange tresses swayed along, its owner slowly getting lost in her thoughts as the very person she was looking for started to creep on her mind.

"...Zorojuro, I will be blunt with you, if it were me, I would not accept this blade", suggested Kinemon.

One clean strike. Rumble.

Nami wasn't able to stifle her gasp as she watched a huge chunk of the edge of the cliff splash into the waters below.

"Gyaah! Zorojuro's arm!"

Her eyes widened as she watched Zoro's sword wielding arm appear to emaciate after the swing of this new sword. Her mouth open, about to call out at him…

"You! Give it back to me!"

…and she watched as his arm returned to normal, the swordsman seemingly having tamed the sword.

She stood in shocked silence. 'what a scary weapon' she thought, hand on her mouth dropping to her chest as the heartbeat that has quickened its pace started to calm down.

"If you were just some normal swordsman, you would have had all you energy sucked out and collapsed immediately", Hitetsu commented.

The swordsman's face spread into a devilish grin. "So it means once I get used to this sword I'll be stronger? I'll take it, Enma."

A small frown started to form on the navigator's lips. She can't deny the fear that gripped her insides when she saw what happened to Zoro's arm. Such scary power, and he was very much willing to wield it to get stronger.

She let out a huff as she recalled everything they have been through since they reunited and sailed the New world. So much has happened in such a short amount of time. Compared to how it was when they first set sail on the Grandline as a crew, everything that has been going on now seems to be so… intense. And with it, it seems, out of all of them in the crew, it was the green haired swordsman who has been taking everything with so much intensity. Too intense if that demonstration on the cliff has anything to say.

She always knew the guy was intense, even from the very first time she met him, running around, carrying a cage with a profusely bleeding stab wound to his abdomen. She knows the guy would do everything in his power to get stronger. She also knows that much like everyone else in their crew, he would do everything to use that power to protect them and keep them moving towards their dreams.

The problem however, and what really worries her about all this, is that aside from this intensity, he also is an idiot. A big idiot who ends up disregarding himself and his safety for the sake of the crew and getting stronger. She slapped a hand to her forehead as she recalled that time he tried to fight Arlong despite being severely injured, or that time in Little garden when his initial instinct was to cut off his legs, his own damn legs to get free. Or his weird injuries in Thriller bark. She suspected he had something to do with why they all ended up unharmed and Kuma nowhere in sight when they all came to and he was the only one to end up like that. But he just brushed it off and said "who knows? maybe he got scared so he just left". Or how he got back from their two- year separation without his left eye?!

Now he's willing to risk getting his energy sucked by that sword? She knows he's strong, very much so but she really can't help but worry for him. She's already worried for all of them as it is but she can't seem to especially shrug of her worry for her green haired crewmate this time.

Another rustle of leaves, but this time followed by the creaking of falling bamboos snapped the redhead from her thoughts.

---------------------

The swordsman stood in solitude in the middle of the bamboo forest, three swords all unsheathed, trying to get the feel of them with his newly acquired one. There is still some strain on the arm wielding Enma but not as much. He is getting used to this sword quite well. Hitetsu mentioned earlier that he is confident by his hands, this sword will become a black blade. He grinned at that. Tightening his grip on Enma, he closed his eye, and breathed out.

Ever since they set sail on the New world, no, ever since he asked Mihawk to train him back in Kuraigana, he had renewed his resolve that by his swords he will fulfill his promise to Kuina, fulfill his dream, and see to it that his crewmates dreams be fulfilled as well. Defeat such as that at Thriller Bark and Saboady shall never happen again. No longer will he be powerless to protect his crew and their dreams.

He opened his eye and stared at the new sword on his hand. 'Suck its wielder's energy huh?' He grinned, 'try me', his arm moving to make a clean slash at the trees around him.

Too focused on his new sword, it was only after the slash that he sensed another presence nearby.

His one eye widened as he saw the woman at the direction the trees were falling to.

---------------------

Nami yelped as the top ends of a few falling bamboo trees narrowly missed her, causing her to fall on her behind at the ground.

"Baka! What are you doing there?!" Came the strained shout of the very man she was looking for. In an instant, he had closed the distance between them.

"Are you hurt?" Concern and a tinge of panic laced the voice of the swordsman.

She was shocked at first, just staring at the fallen bamboos in front of her then at the crewmate who was responsible for her distracted thoughts just a moment ago and is now crouching beside her.

She blinked, once, twice.

"…"

"Baka?" The word slipped from her mouth with a confused tone as she recovered from her shock.

"Who are you calling baka?!" She erupted, followed by a fist to the side of the swordsman's head.

"Oh great, you're okay. Dammit woman!" the now irritated swordsman said, nursing his head. Despite his reaction, his eyes still scanned her body, looking for any signs of injury.

"Okay?! You almost crushed me with those bamboos!"

"Well, how am I supposed to know you would be there?"

"I don't know, maybe scan the area first before going off slashing these poor unsuspecting trees?"

"I was training! What the hell are you doing, strolling around here anyway?" Zoro grumpily retorted as he held out his hand to help the navigator get up.

Nami stared at the outstretched hand towards her, remembering it's the very same limb that almost got sucked dry by Enma at the cliff. Her irritation dissipated and she let out a breath as she grasped the hand and stood up. Her hand stayed held in his for a brief moment as her eyes flitted to his face, unable to hide the worry in her features. She let go of his hand as she tried to brush off the dust on her yukata.

Zoro stared at her.

"What is it, witch?"

"What was what?"

"That look on your face."

"What? What's wrong with my face?" She tried to brush off.

"…"

"Hey, so you're training with Enma? How's it going? Your arm okay?" She asked, coolly.

He continued to stare at her, narrowing his single eye.

"Hmp." Came the only response from the swordsman.

Not a good answer.

"Ow! What the hell, Nami?!" Zoro growled, trying to fend off the redhead's fingers as she has resulted to poking him sharply on his side.

"I asked you a question!"

Yep, of course that kind of answer is no good to this woman. Zoro sighed and stood up straight, right hand flitting to his swords. "Of course it's okay, this is nothing."

Nami couldn't help but smile lightly at that. Of course that's going to be his answer, she didn't even know why she bothered to ask in the first place. When did she ever hear this man say something is too hard for him or he can't do it?

"Also, I asked a question first. What are you doing here?"

Nami's smile turned to a grimace. Poor Sanji is probably now having a hard time trying to stave off a hungry Luffy from getting his hands off the food.

"Right. Snack time. Sanji- kun sent me here to get you."

'Dartboard brow? Ordering his precious Nami- swan around? And the witch actually doing the task? That's weird.' Zoro thought with a frown, but decided against voicing this out.

"Yeah, I'm not hungry."

Nami's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, you don't quite have a choice at that. See I already walked all the way here. I'm not going back without you."

He glared back at her.

"Also, as a certain idiot decided it is a good day to crush me with bamboo trees... I also happen to be injured, so you'll have to carry me back." She added.

"Injured?!" Sputtered the swordsman. "Woman where? You're perfectly fine!"

"Ehhh, but my ass hurts Zoro- kun." Retorted the navigator as she placed an index finger on her lips, the other hand caressing the round of her butt, and putting on a pout.

'z-zZoro- kun?' The swordsman's eye twitched. 'Oh no. The scheming witch is at it again.

…and did she say her ASS??'

"Yeah I think it's bruised." For a second, pouty lips almost turned into a smirk, but the well-trained navigator held her innocent pout despite the unmistakable mischievous glint in her eyes. "Do you want to check, Zoro?"

Zoro's glare could bore holes.

Just a few minutes ago Enma was the one threatening to suck his energy. Now it's the woman in front of him. What's worse, holding himself against Enma is proving to be easier than doing it against Nami.

'Do I want to cheCK? Damn this woman,' he thought with a stifled gulp, as he tried to push down graphic thoughts he refuses to acknowledge.

Left palm hitting his forehead, sliding it down his face, a heavy sigh left the swordsman. "Fine, get on." And with that, turned to crouch and offer his back to the navigator, whose manipulative face dropped behind him at how that ended without more of a fight from said man.

Nami hesitated for a second. She really thought he would argue, even for little, even if she knew there's no way he's going to win, like how they always did. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed.

"Hey, I don't have all day."

Without a word, the navigator climbed the swordsman's back.

Zoro stood up and started walking. He tried to ignore how he noticed the subtle difference on how the woman felt pressed to his back, compared to that time in Alabasta when he carried her like this. Or how her yukata had to open-up a bit and shift higher for her to be able to adjust her legs around him. Yeah, there's a different air to his current situation now. But he refuses to pay more attention to these.

A few steps in and he found it weird how the normally noisy woman is now so silent. Trying to test the waters, he hopped over a fallen tree, one that he could have easily sidestepped, making sure to land roughly. This caused the navigator's nose to awkwardly collide on his head and his grip on her to ride higher.

"Hey! Watch it you brute!"

There it is.

"Ow! Nami!" That's the second bump the swordsman received today on his head.

"You're carrying precious cargo you know?! You should be more careful."

"Tsk." Yep. Shouldn't have bothered testing that.

Another stretch of silence.

"Ne Zoro, we're really off to face a Yonko huh?"

The navigator's voice broke the quiet. Which usually did not come as a surprise to Zoro, if not for the thoughtful tone to it and how it came as an almost whisper.

"Yeah, you guys faced one already didn't you?" replied Zoro, deciding to humour the navigator's suddenly serious mood lest he incur another bump on his head.

"Mmm, but this one's different, last time facing one was not the main mission, we tried our best to avoid her. Even so we barely got away with our lives." Nami gulped as she remembered Pedro. "This time we're actually facing one head on."

Zoro's head shifted to the side, his ear picking up the somber tone of the navigator.

"You're not thinking of backing out, are you?"

"Of course not! I mean, if we had a choice, why not? But we don't, don't we?" Nami came with a burst of spirit only to end with defeated frustration.

"Hm. Even if we do, you don't really believe we'd be choosing the alternative right?"

If there's one thing she has learned from all the time she had been in this crew, it's that they will always choose the dangerous option. Even if through some miracle they don't, it still ends up with them being dragged to the dangerous path either way. That's just how it is, even when it was just the three of them in Orange town and she's not official in the crew yet, at least to her belief. She'd hoped gaining more members would mean there'd be more rational voices in the crew. But no.

"No." She chuckled weakly.

"I just. Isn't all this happening too fast? I just thought we'd have some sort of a breather. Like how we were back then. After each island there's nothing to worry about other than to keep us floating until we get to the next where we don't know what awaits us. Now after Punk Hazard I can't really enjoy each island knowing what's waiting in the next would be some crazy strong enemy we'd have to defeat. Everything's just gotten so serious you know?" Nami ranted, feeling like a bratty child complaining but this has really been how things are.

Zoro took a moment to digest what the redhead behind him just released on him. Of course he knows. He knew this the moment he faced Kuma in Thriller bark. He definitely knew this is how the rest of their journey is going to have to be after what happened in Saboady. This is what he understood what Luffy realized too when he decided they shall meet in 2 years instead of right away after they got separated. They have come to a point in their journey where they have to pick a path and stick with it if they intend to get to the one piece. It's just unfortunate… or well, fortunate, depends on who in the crew you ask, that the best path is filled with 'crazy strong' enemies.

"Nami."

The navigator raised her head at that, confused at the sudden stern tone from the swordsman.

"Did you really expect anything less from us?"

"Huh?"

"You should've known this earlier."

Now she feels like a bratty child being scolded. She didn't like that.

"Our captain, he's all for fun mindless adventure, but what did he make sure everyone he meets know about him?"

Nami mulled at that. 'That he's stubborn? That he likes meat? No. Oh.'

"He's going to be the pirate king." She sighed. Of course. What did she expect from being a Strawhat anyway? Their captain is bound to be king of the pirates, of course there's no easy way to that. She knew this, it's just how crazy the way to get to it is something she's still reluctantly coming to terms with.

Zoro felt his message came across. "Our defeat in Saboady was our wake-up call. If we want to continue our journey towards our dreams then we have to be serious about it, because there are serious stuff out there bound to prevent us from doing so. So we'd have to fight for our way, no matter what or who the obstacle is. And we have to do it now, because these obstacles are not going to wait because we still want to have fun."

Nami can't help but stare at Zoro now. When did Zoro become so… wise?

"Besides, isn't this what we prepared for in those 2 years?"

"Well… yes, I prepared but mostly on navigating, maybe I added some tricks to my climatact but you can't really expect me to face the strength of a Yonko."

"Don't worry, I got you. I'll protect you."

Nami can't help but be taken aback by that. She knows this has been his role not just to her but to the entire crew. Despite this, she can't fight the warmth that started to creep on her cheeks. The intensity in the way he said it together with his grip tightening on her just caught her off guard.

Zoro noticed his passenger had suddenly become stiff on his back. Thinking back to what he just said, he realized how that must have sounded. Sappy.

Suddenly flustered, he blurted, "I meant I'll protect us!... The entire crew, I meant the entire crew! Not just you! Specifically!"

"Ow! Damn it Nami!"

The navigator decided the best way to diffuse the impending awkwardness was to do what they do best. Violence from her and the resulting banter that follows. She had just pulled the swordsman's ear.

"Of course I know that you baka." She chuckled, a smile blooming on her lips.

"Tsk." He pretended to be annoyed, but was thankful she didn't tease him for it. He remembered something then, causing a smirk on his lips.

"Hey, what are you worried about anyway? Luffy told me you landed a pretty solid attack on Big Mom. Seems like you got the whole facing the strength of a Yonko thing done."

Nami was once again taken aback, unable to help but smile at the thought of their captain proudly sharing what she did and be flattered at the hint of pride emanating from the swordsman.

"Well… yeah, but that was actually because of Zeus, and that didn't really do any damage to her."

She felt a squeeze from the hands supporting her thighs.

"Still, you did something and that counts. Keep doing what you do and you're fine, leave the rest to us."

Nami can't keep her stare off Zoro now, that warmth continuing to engulf her and she smiled. "Ah."

Zoro really didn't know where his words are coming from but he couldn't help what comes out of his mouth just to appease the woman.

Another stretch of silence. It was comfortable for a moment but after a while, the wringing of the hands that are crossed loosely in front of the swordsman's chest has given away the unresolved worries of the woman on his back.

He sighed. "What is it, Nami?"

"Huh?"

"There's still something on your mind."

The hand wringing stilled and he felt a puff of air on his nape.

"Ne, Zoro."

That was soft. Way too soft for Nami. And he can't describe it but that tone alone made his chest feel a bit tight. He held his breath as he turned his head slightly towards the navigator's voice, an indication that he heard her.

"You have to be careful as well you know."

He slowed down his steps, really not liking this somber tone on her.

"Heh. Is the witch worried about me now? Afraid you'll lose someone to hold debts to?" He tried to josh. He can handle an annoyed Nami, but this suddenly serious, melancholic Nami, he's not quite sure how to approach.

"Baka, of course I am!"

The sudden outburst together with the tightening of the arms around his shoulders stopped him in his tracks.

"I mean, sure I am worried about all of us, but I am most worried about you, you know?! You're so reckless, you're even worse than Luffy! That time in Thriller Bark? I don't know what you did but you sustaining those mysterious injuries and not waking up really scared me. Then we get separated and you come back after two years without your left eye? And now your new sword…" The navigator paused. "Look, I have no doubt you can handle that sword, you're Zoro after all but all I'm saying is just… just don't be too reckless."

The swordsman was silent for minute, taken aback by the tirade that just came from their navigator. There's no way he could try to tease her out of her mood right now, not with how heavy she's breathing now behind his back, like what she just said physically exerted her. He took some time to ruminate her words, he knows the woman worries. He didn't know she worries for him that much and he certainly didn't expect for her to voice them out. Although it's hard to see her this way, he'd be lying if he said knowing her concern for him didn't give a weird feeling on his stomach. Unfortunately, he couldn't bring himself to comfort his crewmate because what she's worried about is just the thing he does.

He released a deep breath. "What happens to me, the injuries I sustained in the past, I regret none of them."

"Of course you don't regret them, because you're still here! What if the next time what you lose is a limb so you can no longer wield a sword? Or worse…"

"Then that's what I deserved. If I'm not strong enough to protect myself, then that would mean that what I get as a result of my lack of strength is what I deserve."

"But-"

"Look, Nami. You are the navigator of our ship, you bring us to where we need to be, and not once have you failed us. Usopp is the sniper, Ero- kappa cooks, Chopper is our doctor, Robin is the one who reads the weird stones, Franky takes care of the ship, Brook brings the entertainment. Me, all I can offer is my strength to protect the crew. If I am unable to survive the injuries that I have sustained and will sustain in our journey, then I have no right taking the role of protecting you and I have no right to stand beside Luffy."

He stared off in the distance, he really has no intention of baring these thoughts to the woman on his back, not when they're sober and in the middle of nowhere, but it just flowed out of him. He has no choice after all, the woman is stubborn, brushing her worries off will not help. Even if her concern warms his insides in a way he can't describe making him want to comfort her in return, he can't really give her any assurance.

He was pulled from his thoughts by the long breath over his right neck and a warm palm tenderly placed over the scar on his left eye.

"Baka of course I know that. I've known you long enough to know that is how you think."

Goosebumps have started to arise on his arms and neck by her proximity and touch.

"Reckless brute who muscles his way out of everything."

Only to be halted by the insult that followed. He was about to retort when she continued.

"All I'm saying is, do you think we would be happy reaching our dreams if we get there at your expense? And no, I'm not saying you're not strong enough that we'd come to that point" He noticed her right hand tighten at this. "What I'm saying is, just maybe think of that too the next time you start thinking about doing something too reckless." He was about to retort again but Nami sensed this and the hand on his left eye left to pinch his cheek.

"Hey!-"

"I was there when you tried to saw off your legs in Little Garden, Zoro. That's what I mean when I say too reckless. Aaargh honestly! I know you're gonna be reckless anyway, but just don't be reckless and dumb at the same time! Also, worry about yourself too! Even us weak ones trained those past two years so we can somehow fend for ourselves and yes, I definitely need protecting still but you guys need to worry about yourselves too sometimes, and I know you guys will keep picking fights on-"

Before Nami can continue rambling, she was interrupted by Zoro taking the hand that just pinched his cheek. He enclosed it on his own, before resting both their hands on his chest, just above heart. The warmth of Zoro's hand on hers brought all her thoughts to a full stop as a she stiffened and a blush dusted her cheeks. Oh how grateful she is that he can't see her face now.

"I get it. I can't promise anything but I get it."

The navigator let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Her body relaxing and her head unconsciously leaning unto his. Who knew this conversation would be tiring? But really, she's satisfied with that. This is Zoro after all and that coming from him is enough for her.

Sensing that his red headed companion has been satisfied with his answer, Zoro resumed to walk as they once again fell into comfortable silence. This time without Nami wringing her hands since one is preoccupied inside the swordsman's.

…

"Ano, Zoro…"

"What now, woman?"

"I was serious when I said you should be careful okay? We wouldn't want you losing another eye. You get lost even with both eyes intact, you're terrible now with just one. What would we do if you lose both?" She tried burying her concern with a joke, even if the thought of the possibility of that does frighten her.

"Woman I don't get lost! It's you guys who get lost!"

"Uh huh, sure, that's how it was all those times. Maybe that's also why we passed this fallen tree for the third time? It must be lost."

Zoro flinched. "Damn it!" He let go of Nami's hand to adjust his hold on her and stomped the other way. Nami tried to ignore how she missed the warmth of his hand on hers.

"Really though, you're beyond salvation 'mister I don't get lost', at this rate Luffy would've devoured all the dango by the time we got there." Which is not really a long amount of time, considering it's their captain. It just depends on how well Sanji holds the fort.

"Well it's your fault! You keep distracting me with your questions!"

Nami chuckled at that. "Sure, sure. Just head this way." She ordered, pointing towards a path. "Straight line Zoro, do you even know what that is?"

"Tsk. Damn it woman I'll drop you I swear!"

The navigator laughed harder at that.

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Part I End.

#zoronami #zona #zonami #zoro x nami #roronoa zoro #nami #one piece #zona fanfictions #zoro nami fanfiction

56 notes · View notes

elizabeethan · 3 years

Text

Mandela Effect

On their way to Storybrooke, Emma becomes confused at the spelling of Killian's infamous bologna.

Takes place during Walk With Me, chapter 2, in which Killian, Emma, Henry, and Corrine are on their road trip from New York to Storybrooke.

Rated G

~1400 words

Read on Ao3

Read the Series on Tumblr

This was born after some discourse on tumblr about the bologna that Killian was force fed in jail, and I still maintain that the spelling of Oscar Mayer has changed. Based on a post by @thesschesthair and the response by @shipswreckedme, and on a brief chat in the discord with @gingerpolyglot.

~~~~

The car is silent as Swan bobs and weaves between cars, grumbling about their speed and moving her foot in a way that makes her own yellow death-trap travel even faster. She calls it traffic, complaining about it endlessly and groaning as they approach other slowing cars in front of them.

After what feels like hours, after Corrine and Henry have fallen asleep, she finally shuts off the music player with a huff. She mentions something about leaving at a bad time, about how they should have left earlier to avoid such heavy traffic, but he knows not much different. This isn’t the first time he’s been transported from New York to Storybrooke, but it is the first time he’s gone willingly. And while the seatbelt serves to tie him down to the chair, he knows it’s more of a safety measure than a means to keep him still.

Truthfully, he doesn’t care how they get there. All he wants now is to get her back to Maine so that she can break the curse. Maybe once she does, he’ll have a chance to get to know his daughter.

“How was your burger?” she asks him quietly, careful not to cause the children to stir.

“It was delicious,” he responds. It was; he’s beginning to like these modern foods. With the exception of… “Much better than the bloody bologna.”

She laughs, snorts, and the sound makes him smile like the fool that he is. He’s a fool for her, and he has been for the last two years that he’s been gone.

“Was it in sandwich form?” she asks, clarifying further, “like, on Wonder Bread that tasted like cardboard?”

“Aye, that’s right,” he agrees, shuddering at the memory. The texture of the bread, of the meat that can’t legally be considered meat… it was horrifying.

“I’m actually really sorry,” she laughs. “I had to take that for lunch as a kid in a lot of foster homes. All I wanted was a peanut butter and jelly.”

He has no idea what she means by that, but he refuses to ask for clarification when she’s opening up about her past. “No one felt the desire to give you what you wanted?”

“No.” She brushes him off easily, effectively refusing to get into it with him. “Ugh, and there was that jingle! The kid who sang about Oscar Mayer, remember?” He wants to deadpan at her but she’s focused on the road. “Oh, no, you don’t. But there was a jingle.”

“I believe you,” he smiles.

“Grab my phone,” she commands unexpectedly, gesturing for it. “Open it up and find the app with the TV as the picture. It’s brown. Yeah, that one.”

He taps on the picture with his finger, confused but not altogether surprised when the magic box morphs and a new image displays on the front of it. She instructs him to find a magnifying glass and type in some letters-- O-S-C-A-R-M-E-Y-E-R, she spells.

The song that plays is short, irritating, and Killian rejoices when it ends, until Emma reaches her hand across the center console and slaps it against his arm. “Wait, go back,” she insists, and he wants to groan at the thought of hearing the cloying voice again. “How did the kid spell it?”

“Ah, you’ve misspelled the name, Swan,” he tells her with a smile. “It’s M-A-Y-E-R, at least according to this bloody annoying child.”

“No, that’s wrong,” she shakes her head. “It’s M-E . Why would it be A ?”

He stays quiet, raising a brow at her in confusion and an uncertainty of how to answer her question.

“Mama,” he hears from the back of the car, and a grin grows across his face quickly.

“No, it’s not M-A ,” she laughs. “Right, Coco?”

“Mama,” she says again. “Up.”

Emma sighs, checking the time on her dashboard and turning on her turn signal. He’s gathered that it means she intends to move the car into another lane, and she glides across the road until she’s all the way to the right. “I guess we could use a break,” she concedes. “Someone probably needs their butt changed.”

“Butt,” Corrine agrees.

Emma changes the lass in the back of her car with quick expertise, barely taking more than a minute to complete the task and somehow able to do so despite her squirming. Once she’s finished, Corrine stands on her own, shoving Emma’s helpful hands out of her way and waddling uneasily towards the edge of the car. Emma and Killian both dive for her, intent on preventing her from tumbling out of the car, and collide awkwardly as they catch her.

Killian’s hand wraps around Corrine’s ribs under her arm, Emma’s own arm wrapping around the babe until her hand lands on top of his. They’re close in proximity, each of them holding up their child, and it’s one of the first times that he’s realizing… Corrine is their child . She’s beautiful and funny and smart and perfect and they made her.

He wants to do so much, and yet he doesn’t move. He isn’t sure what he could possibly do, but he knows he wants to lean towards the mother of his child and trap her in a kiss. He isn’t able to, though, because Corrine turns her head to stare at him before screaming, “Up!”

He catches Emma shaking her head, clearing her throat softly, before she backs away with an awkward smile, letting Corrine jump into his arms and carefully standing by in what he assumes is caution. He only has one hand, after all, and he can’t blame her for being nervous. She tells him that she’s going to check on Henry, gives Corrine a soft kiss on the back of her head, and starts towards the large building behind them.

“We’ll have to teach you down ,” he says with a smile as she drops her curly head against his chest.

“Up,” she responds simply. “Wock.”

He thinks for a moment, recalling the last time they stopped and her souvenirs, and responds, “you want another rock? There’s no field at this… well, I’m not sure what one would call a place like this. The last one had a field, but this one has merely a building.”

“Wock.”

“Hmm,” he hums. “I wonder if we might find one. Shall we take a look around?”

“Wock!” she shouts.

After perusing the firm, expansive surface and finding a few rocks that piqued her interest, they return to the car and see Emma and Henry staring at her phone intensely. He hears them from a distance, Emma’s voice carrying easily, and he smiles.

“I swear, it was spelled with an E .”

“ It’s called a Mandela Effect, mom, ” Henry tells her. “ See? A bunch of people thought that.”

When Killian approaches, Corrine happily gripping her rocks in her chubby fists, Emma gives him a look that’s somewhere between satisfaction and irritation. “I was right,” she tells him. “Henry says it’s the Mandela Effect. I’m not the only one who thought it was spelled with an E .”

With a chuckle, he asks, “Are you still talking about the bloody bologna, Swan?

“I’m not willing to let this go,” she tells him seriously, although the smile she gives him makes his heart flutter.

“Very well,” he concedes.

“Wock,” Corrine says, displaying her closed fists to her mother.

“You got more rocks?” she asks excitedly as she shifts her attention from Henry’s screen to the rocks Corrine shows her. “Did you and--” she stops short, clearing her throat. “Killian helped you get those rocks, huh?”

“Yah!” she shouts, flapping her arms until Killian nearly has to put her down. Staring back at him, she explains, “Coco wock.”

“Yes, that’s Corrine’s rock. It’s very pretty.”

“Yah,” she agrees.

“Ready?” Emma asks after a few more minutes of Corrine kicking her rocks along the pavement. “Shouldn’t be too much longer.”

“Aye, love,” he agrees, noting the way Henry’s head snaps up from his phone to glare at him.

He knows what’s coming. He knows they don’t have much more road to travel before they arrive in Storybrooke with her parents. He wonders if Neal is there, or if any of them will remember. A curse struck the Enchanted Forest; does that mean her family’s memories have been wiped too?

It doesn’t matter.

Emma will fix it.

~~~~

@courtorderedcake @kmomof4 @stahlop @klynn-stormz @laschatzi @emelizabeth88 @lfh1226-linda @kday426 @elisethewritingbeast @timeless-love-story @captain-emmajones @gingerpolyglot @ebcaver @ilovemesomekillianjones @teamhook @superchocovian @itsfabianadocarmo @tiganasummertree @gingerchangeling @jrob64 @onceratheart18 @xhookswenchx @winterbaby89 @swampmedusa @ultraluckycatnd @dancingnancyy @love-with-you-i-have-everything @shireness-says @snowbellewells @hollyethecurious @ouatpost @daxx04 @the-darkdragonfly @donteattheappleshook @therooksshiningknight @eeteeaytay @xsajx @itsfridaysomewhere @alexa-fangirl-forever @jonesfandomfanatic @wefoundloveunderthelight @qualitycoffeethings @rapunzelsghosts @spaceconveyor @badcats-andmice @batana54 @sailtoafarawayland @deckerstarblanche @zaharadessert @xarandomdreamx @hookedmom

#walk with me #walk with me ff #captain swan ff #captain swan fanfic #cs ff #captain swan canon divergence #canon divergent au #mandela effect

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soraavalon · 3 years

Conversation

Eudora: I'm afraid you might not be able to find what you're lookin' for here, darlin'.

Gavel: Hmm, well...

Rhistel: Perhaps this other figure you mentioned, Calariel?

Gavel: Yes, if we can't find that one, let's try avenue #2.

Rhistel: I'm afraid that name doesn't ring a bell, could you describe them perhaps?

Gavel: An elf, average height, long dark hair, wears round gold glasses, likes to hold information over you, relatively intelligent, that sort of thing.

Marigold: Relative to what?

Hunt: Umm, DM? Does this...

DM: Yes.

Hunt: I've had a brief interaction with her.

Gavel: *sounds*

Hunt: In Queensest.

Gavel: *excited noise*

Hunt: Though she went by the name of 'Captain Mendax' of the Vermilion Clupea.

DM: As Hunt now mentions this to the party, is anyone proficient in nature?

Marigold: Yes.

Tark (OOC): Probably not.

DM: If you are, please roll nature for me.

Marigold (OOC): I know nature!

Nathaniel (OOC): I do not know nature.

DM: If Marigold knows what this, I'm gonna laugh hysterically.

Marigold: *rolls* It doesn't look promising to be honest. That's a 4 in total.

Gavel: I am proficient in Nature.

DM: Definitely, please roll for me.

Gavel: *rolls* Oh, that's better that's a 23.

DM: So you don't recognize the name 'Mendax'. But you do know what a clupea is and it is a more scientific name for a fish that is common off the coast of Strathenden. Commonly known as a herring. So The Vermilion Clupea, The Red Herring.

Nathaniel (OOC): Oh my god, Swan.

Hunt (OOC): Oh my god!

Tark (OOC): I love her.

DM: And Elifaen actually just doesn't know if she wants to laugh or groan, is like

Elifaen: Mendax.

DM: And Tark you can roll History 'cause you studied languages.

Tark (OOC): Yeah buddy!

Eudora (OOC): Would I actually...?

DM: Yeah, Eudora probably would as well.

Eudora (OOC): History. *rolls* I can reroll Nat1's.

DM: Yes you can.

Eudora: That's not much better. 12?

Tark: That is a dirty 20.

DM: So Tark knows at the same moment as Elifaen; 'mendax' is an old Elvish word that means 'deceitful' or 'lying'.

Tark: Tark just kind of rubs his eyes like...

DM: Just this full entire ass name, a Captain Deceit of The Red Herring. Completely just went over Hunt and Carver's heads.

Moriarty (OOC): Oh my fucking god.

DM: Was real proud of that one.

#D&D mischief #Relni campaign #Relni Recap #Relni Chapter 29 #You can bet that after the Roses return from the mission no one's seeing Hunt for a while #she's sequestering herself in the library (Thefaren or Knowing One) and studying Elvish #she felt embarrassed even though she was more focused on not staying in Queensrest longer than necessary #and making sure Carver didn't get noticed

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sailtoafarawayland · 4 years

Text

The Things We Don’t Say - Ch 2 (modern AU - actors)

Summary: No one is perfect, and sometimes, two people are just so perfectly flawed that those pieces fit together and make something beautiful. When sparks fly between two leads of a new hit show, is there a happy ending in sight, or will their own mistakes overshadow any chance they had at something worth fighting for.

Rated: Explicit

Warnings: This is a joyfully Captain Swan story, but there are a few warnings. It does start with Emma/Neal and Killian/Milah. I don't write non-CS, so there won't be any sexual anything happening 'on screen', so to speak, between those couples, but I won't guarantee there may not be a mention. This story contains numerous episodes of cheating. If any of these things make you squick or are not your bag, carry on.

AO3 - FF

- or read below the cut -

As always, let me know if you’d like to be tagged (or removed) for further updates.

Tag list: @xarandomdreamx @jrob64 @wefoundloveunderthelight @teamhook @tiganasummertree @pirateprincessofpizza @lfh1226-linda @kmomof4

Chapter Two

Killian sighed into the hard press of his fingers against his tired eyes, listening to the soft hum of the elevator as it climbed to his floor. He’d look like a drunken raccoon by the time he got into the apartment, but he couldn’t find it in him to care. An early morning shoot that had dragged late into the day left him feeling more dead than alive, and he hadn’t bothered with his normal clean up on set. The time saved getting back to his bed was the bright side—the downside was a few fans had recognized him when he jumped out of his uber, his trademark eyeliner and messily styled hair a giveaway. He’d managed a few weak smiles as they snapped pictures and hurried on his way, taking a few strange turns and slipping a spare beanie he kept in his pocket over his head. That, a popped collar, and hunched shoulders normally did the trick. Being famous certainly had its perks, but crazed fans knowing where he lived certainly wasn’t one of them.

It was usually simpler to drive to set, but lately he’d been to worn out to trust himself behind the wheel. The past two weeks had been a nightmare of last minute reshoots and publicity, and he couldn’t wait for it to all be over.

The elevator doors slid open, Killian staring at them for a moment before he realized her was staring at the familiar artwork that spanned the hall outside his condo. Desperately trying to blink away sleep, he trudged down the hall, leaning his forehead against the cool metal door for a brief second before unlocking it and heading in.

God, he hoped Milah was content to have a quiet night in.

Everything was blessedly dark and quiet when he stepped into the entryway, shrugging his leather jacket off and hanging it on the waiting hook, his boots next as he eased them off his aching feet and lined them up neatly below the jacket. He rolled his neck and stretched, wrinkling his nose as he realized a fifteen-hour day filming had left him less than fresh.

A hot shower and bed—that was the plan. With any luck, and the darkened apartment seemed to be on his side, Milah would already be stretched beneath the covers and he could slip in behind her and fall asleep pressed to her warmth. It would be the perfect start to a weekend otherwise free of engagements and obligations.

“Milah?” he whispered, not wanting to startle her if she was relaxing in the living area.

There was always the chance she’d gone out with friends earlier and wouldn’t be home until late. It was a Friday, after all.

His back ached as he stretched his shirt over his head, balling it up and launching it toward the hamper as he walked into the bedroom. A glaring light greeted him from around the corner and he realized that Milah was indeed home, but not where he’d hoped. It looked as if a tornado had blown through the walk-in closet—every pair of heels she owned were tossed onto the floor and the chaise was covered with a haphazard pile of glittering dresses. Milah was standing in front of the mirrored wall, a sequined, black strapless number pulled over her body but left unzipped as she adjusted a pair of large earrings, her brow furrowed.

“Oh, thank god your home,” she huffed, flashing an annoyed smile over her shoulder as she slid her second earring in. “This zipper is absolutely impossible.”

He smiled and stepped into the closet, taking care to avoid the dresses that had sloughed onto the carpeting.

“I’m happy to help, darling,” he assured, catching the nearly invisibly zipper and easing it up her back. There were certainly nights he would have coaxed her into agreement that off was the far better option, but tonight he was more than happy to get her dressed and out the door if that was what she so desired. “Headed anywhere special?”

“It’s that opening of the new club—you know, the one with the glass ceiling that everyone has been going on about. I mentioned it the other night—good lord, Killian, you positively reek.”

Killian flashed a tired smile in the mirror, but her frown only deepened.

“Honestly, Killian, you can’t go out like that. You’ll need to have a quick shower.”

Killian’s brows echoed her own displeasure as he realized what she was implying.

“Did you want my company, as well?”

“Do you even listen when I speak? Sometimes I wonder. I told you two nights ago that Lara and William were expecting us. They’ve barely seen you.”

Killian couldn’t remember a Lara, but he seemed to recall a bright, friendly man with reddish-blond hair who may have been a William. No matter who they were, he had no interest in spending the evening with them, and even less in spending the evening on his feet in an obnoxious club.

“It’s been a long day, Milah—every day for the past couple weeks has, and I’m exhausted—”

“You’re absolutely right, Killian, it has been a long day, a long few weeks, and I’m sorry that I thought I might get to spend some time with you at the end of all of it. How foolish of me,” she snapped, and Killian felt the words like a slap to his face.

“No, you’re right. It’s—I’m sorry. I’ll have a quick rinse and get dressed.”

Milah beamed at him, adjusting her hair and checking that everything was just as she wanted it to be in the mirror. Killian pressed a soft kiss to her bare shoulder, the warmth of her smile washing away a bit of his exhaustion.

He wanted her to be happy, and perhaps the past few weeks had been more difficult for her than she let on.

“It will be a lovely night, I promise,” she said, shoving him gently toward the bathroom as she turned to reappraise the pile of heels.

* * *

Despite Milah’s initial enthusiasm that he’d agreed to join her and two people he most definitely did not remember—apparently William had brown hair and was quite pretentious—it was not a lovely night. The hot shower and the warmth of Milah’s arm in his had been enough to fool him into think it might be the tiniest bit enjoyable—after all, it had been some time since he’d been to a club—but he’d been wrong, very wrong.

Everything from the moving lights to the music to the stench of hot bodies pressed against one another was giving him a pounding headache, and he slid down further into his chair, nursing a rum and casting about for Milah, wherever she’d gone. He’d wanted to give her a nice evening at his side, but he hadn’t been able to find it in him to join her on the dance floor—probably because his feet had blisters from filming in his costume boots all day—and she hadn’t been able to find it in her to forgive him.

He’d been able to keep track of her at first, but soon she was lost in the crush of bodies and he was lost in his rum—at least it helped dull the sounds a bit.

He didn’t know if it was the insane schedule he was booked to finish shooting for his latest movie, or just the lack of free time, but nothing felt quite right lately, and he was worried a change was needed. Milah was clearly unhappy with his schedule, with how much distance it put between them. He found himself wondering if perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad time to step back a bit, to get away and really dedicate some time to the two of them.

It was a question he’d come back to more than once in the past few months, and as much as he wanted to feel that doing so was the right answer, his gut kept telling him it wasn’t.

He loved her, he certainly didn’t want her to be miserable, but the thought of missing out on opportunities at the high point of his career, it did worry him. Liam had worked more than any person should have to help put him through school, and he’d only ever wanted happiness for his little brother. Liam was a big enough man to know that for Killian that meant acting, even if it was a hard path. If Killian were to step back now, would that be doing justice to his brother’s sacrifice. What if he started turning down offers and never bounced back from it?

He searched the dance floor once more, but there was no sign of his Milah. Knowing she was probably hurt enough to ignore him for the rest of the night, he whipped out his phone and started scrolling through emails, most of them simply things his manager had already spoken with him about over the phone. It wasn’t until he scrolled farther back, nearly hypnotized by the small boxes flying along the screen, that a flagged email came to his attention and he stopped. The details were familiar, and he only just remembered the conversation he’d had with Cora.

It had been an offer for the lead role in a new series, but he’d turned it down due to the filming location. He’d been worried about having to uproot Milah, but scanning through everything once more, he found himself second-guessing his first decision. Perhaps it would be the answer they needed, and the more he thought about it, the more it appealed to him personally.

Maine was certainly quiet and would allow for more quality time together—and the pay was bloody obscene, which never hurt. According to Cora, the role had been written specifically for him. He wondered how the showrunners had taken it when he declined.

His finger hovered over reply.

He should probably discuss it will Milah first, but then thoughts of Liam tugged at his tired mind and he reread the arc for the lead role, each sentence making him more inclined to see if taking it on was still a possibility.

He’d earned his name and place in Hollywood by becoming the face of playboys and scoundrels, all of his characters well-known for their rakish appeal, but to be honest, he was starting to become concerned he may not be offered anything more diverse if he didn’t branch out soon. This role—this would be something different, something Liam would be proud of. The series treaded water somewhere between a fantasy show and a piece that examined the very fabric of what is real, the main character a man who suffered great personal tragedy and loss only to have his independence and health rocked.

The more Killian looked at it, the more he knew it was for him, the words swimming with possibility...or rum. He didn't know what about his previous roles had drawn the showrunners to him of all their choices, but for the first time in a while, he really wanted something.

He really wanted this.

A feeling of certainty settled in his gut and he shot off a reply to Cora.

K: I want this, do what you need to do.

The message sent and he almost expected to look up and see Milah hovering over him, a flushed smile on her cheeks from dancing, her hair falling in tendrils around her face, but his table is still empty and the dance floor is still a writhing mass of faceless people.

Raising his glass in a lonely toast, he took another drag of rum and closed his eyes.

He wants to dream that she’ll be as happy as he is, that’s all he wants for her.

#Captain Swan #cs fanfic #cs ff #emma and hook #sailtoafarawayland #the things we don't say #modern au

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justanother-unluckysoul · 4 years

Text

Working My Way Back To You 10/11

Killian gets captured. When Emma finally rescues him, he’s traumatized and nearly broken from the torture he endured. Thankfully Emma is close at hand to help him through it.

Heavy on the hurt/comfort, with some whump because I couldn't help myself lol

A/N: Some fluffy comfort for the prompts “hugs” and “kisses.” Short and (hopefully) sweet! We are almost at the end of this story, just a quick epilogue to go. I can’t believe it! Thank you, all my lovely readers, for giving my little story so much support! Epilogue will be up early next week. It’s all finished so there’s no point in making you wait a whole week for it.

Warnings for this chapter: brief and vague mention of rape (though i’m sure if you’re still reading this story you don’t mind that)

Unbetad as always so mistakes are all mine.

Tagging @cocohook38 as requested.

Read this chapter on AO3

Working My Way Back To You

Hugs + Kisses

After their wonderful time together in the forest, the complete bliss and contentment Killian felt while cuddling with Emma under the blankets lingers for some time. He makes the most of his rediscovered confidence with her at night, making love until they are both exhausted and sated (and gods he missed this; the feel of her around him, the expression on her face when he begins to thrust into her, and the way she can take him apart and put him back together so easily, leaving him worn out and absolutely satisfied). And Killian assumes – he hopes – that his mind has finally given up on tormenting him with the memories of his torture. Perhaps he’s even cured of that PTSD thing. He’s certainly less jumpy now, less prone to startling and he hasn’t had a nightmare in a while. His broken hand has healed – Stacy’s not-so-gentle methods have helped return the strength to it, so Killian is able to spend some more time on the Jolly Roger with Henry, properly preparing the ship for a much-needed day out on the water.

“A family outing?” Emma asks with a smile.

Killian’s heart soars and his stomach does a strange sort of flip at her casual use of the word family in this context. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to it.

“Aye, we’ll take her out far enough that it’s just us and the sea,” he says.

Henry is practically bouncing up and down in excitement as they make their plans. It’s been too long since they’ve done this. Emma checks the weather forecast and they schedule a sailing day. Killian tries to conceal the fact that he’s just as excited about it as Henry is, but the way Emma’s smirking at him in that way makes him think he’s not doing a good job of doing so. So he gives up on hiding it at all. It doesn’t matter anyway, because they both already know how much he loves sailing his ship. There’s just something about being on the water that is both exhilarating and calming. And to be out there with Emma and Henry? Even better.

-\-

A few nights before their planned outing, Killian’s nightmares return. And it’s as bad as ever. He’s not sure what triggered it, but it’s nasty combination of what was and what could have been, and he’s vaguely aware that he’s dreaming but he can’t seem to wake up. He tries to call out to Emma so she can help him. The words stick in his throat. He can’t move. His captor has Pan’s face, which seems wrong because Killian knows this setting isn’t Neverland, but he doesn’t have time to contemplate that because Pan is grinning evilly and pushing him back against the wall, and Killian knows what will happen next.

“This isn’t real,” Killian tells himself, desperately trying to wake up. His voice trembles and breaks.

“Are you sure about that, Killian?” asks Pan, his childlike voice sickeningly sweet in Killian’s ear, too close, too much, “Does this not feel real to you?”

Killian’s breath catches in barely concealed dread, gooseflesh breaking out across his skin at Pan’s unwanted touch. And it does feel real, terribly so, and Killian wants to fight, wants to resist, wants to wake the hell up, but his limbs stubbornly ignore his commands. He squeezes his eyes closed tight instead and braces himself for what’s coming, but then Pan is Rumpelstiltskin, and Killian’s on the Jolly Roger, lashed to the mast with ropes that are squeezing the breath from his lungs. The crocodile cackles at him, holding Killian’s heart in his hand.

“No,” Killian whispers, “Please.”

“Reduced to begging so soon, Captain? I thought you were stronger than that.” His hand tightens around Killian’s heart, the agony of it blacking out everything but the crocodile’s next taunt. “But it seems you are a coward after all.”

When the pain in his chest abates Killian finds himself back in the cellar, bent over a table, trying to support himself on his elbows because his hook is gone and his hand is broken and everything hurts and his captors are laughing and he can barely keep his feet from the rough thrusts of the man behind him. Tears roll down Killian’s cheeks but that’s wrong, he didn’t cry, he wouldn’t…

Killian, wake up.

The fingers on his skin feel different suddenly, skittering light and gentle across his forehead and dragging a little heavier across his chest and now that is real. Movement returns to his frozen limbs in a rush. And then he’s falling, and the landing is hard, rattling his bones, and he’s nearly choking on his own breaths in his panic as his stomach strongly suggests it might like to purge itself. He’s shaking violently, his skin crawling, and it’s so bloody dark he can’t orient himself.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m- Damn it. Killian, are you okay?” Emma.

At least he assumes it’s Emma, and not another trick of his mind. He is awake now, right? Emma switches on the light while Killian’s swallowing against the nausea between his ragged gasps, knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around himself, rocking slowly back and forth, trying to calm down – the way his body is trembling, he doubts he has the strength to get to the bathroom in time if his gut really rebels. The sudden brightness burns his eyes but he doesn’t dare close them lest he find himself back in the dreamscape.

“Hey, it’s okay, Killian, you’re safe,” Emma says, and she slowly kneels on the bedroom floor in front of him and doesn’t touch him, “I’m right here.”

“S-swan.” He meant sorry, but her name is apparently the only word he’s capable of saying right now.

He forces himself to reach out and lay his hand on her arm, just to reassure himself that he’s actually awake. That she’s really here. That he’s not alone.

“I’m here,” she repeats, “Let me help you, Killian.”

She always moves slowly when he’s like this, waits for his permission to touch, always careful not to startle him and scared she’ll make things worse. But Killian’s teeth chatter when he tries to speak, so he clenches his jaw and nods instead. With careful, deliberate movements Emma shuffles closer and lifts her hands to his cheeks. His face is wet. It seems he had been crying in the real world too.

“That’s it. You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

She wipes the tears away gently as Killian sniffles and swallows and tries to pull himself together.

“Do we need to move to the bathroom?” she asks softly, knowing him so well.

But thankfully, the rolling of his stomach has begun to settle, and he’s quite certain he will not actually vomit. Not this time. He shakes his head, shifts his legs to a more comfortable position away from his chest and runs his unsteady hand through his hair.

“M-my apologies,” he mumbles, embarrassed by his reaction, “I’m…” He swallows hard. “I didn’t…”

Gathering the correct words and ordering them out of his mouth is a challenge, and he decides to give up on it for the moment. Bloody hell, he is pathetic. It’s been a while since his nightmares were this intense. At least this time it seems he’ll be able to find calm before his panicking turns into an actual attack, his breaths already starting to slow down as Emma moves closer to hug him.

“Shhh. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I w-woke you,” Killian points out.

He’s clinging onto Emma now, curled close against her with his head on her shoulder, and even with how ashamed he feels for this blatant show of weakness, he can’t bring himself to let go. She’s rubbing his back soothingly, cradling his head against her, her embrace comforting him, pushing away the remnants of his dream.

“Yeah, you did,” she says softly, “But it’s okay, I don’t mind. I just wish I’d woken up sooner, really. I tried to wake you up, but I guess I was a bit late. That was a bad one, huh?”

There is no point in lying to her.

“Aye.”

He takes a deep, shuddering breath. His heart is still beating too fast, his throat dry from his gasping.

“Do you want some water?” Emma asks, as if she can hear his thoughts, “I can just… magic a glass up here. We won’t have to move.”

“That would b-be nice.”

Emma moves one hand off him to use her magic and momentarily she’s holding a glass of water, which she carefully passes to Killian. His hand trembles a little, but he’s able to bring it to his lips and quench his thirst without spilling any.

“Feeling better?”

Killian nods.

“Thank you, love. But perhaps…” He winces at the thought but presses on anyway. “Perhaps I should sleep on the couch for a while. So I don’t disturb your rest again.”

“Absolutely not,” Emma says, a bit severely, though still hushed so she doesn’t wake Henry who is sleeping in his room just down the hall, “I’m not letting you deal with these nightmares on your own.”

Killian pretends he’s not relieved about that.

“Now, let’s get back into bed, okay?”

“Okay.”

They untangle from each other and climb back into the bed, where Killian immediately pulls Emma close again to keep his anxiety at bay. The light is still on, and that helps too. He hopes Emma won’t turn it off yet.

“You okay?” she murmurs, settling with her head on his shoulder and her hand over his heart.

“I just…” Killian sighs deeply, his frustration coming to the forefront now that he’s less frightened. “I hate this. I hate that I can’t… I can’t move past it. It’s been months, Emma.”

He doesn’t know why it affected him so much – Archie said it’s likely a culmination of the burden of unresolved trauma he’s been through in the past, this most recent simply one too much for his mind to handle. And that’s also why his nightmares often included such old events along with the new. Pan and Rumpelstiltskin featured tonight, but sometimes Hades makes an appearance, mutilating him with his own hook and threatening to drop him in that accursed river.

“You are doing better though. This is the first time you’ve had a nightmare in a while. And the flashbacks aren’t happening very often anymore either, are they?”

“No, they’re not. But it’s not good enough,” Killian says bitterly, and the disgust he feels for his continued cowardice is so strong it could drown him. I’m not good enough.

He should be the one protecting Emma, comforting her, not the other way around all the bloody time. He’s so tired of it. He can feel himself retreating, if not physically then at least in his mind, the terrible weight of not good enough pulling him down, down, down…

“Hey, stop it.” Emma props herself on her elbow so she can plant the softest of kisses on the furrow between his brows, pulling him back to himself and to her. “You’re healing. It’s a process.”

His hand may be healed now, only the scars remaining that will fade even further with time, but at times like this Killian fears his mind may be beyond repair, despite the assurances from both Emma and from Archie that he’s healing. But Emma continues to pull him out of his morbid thoughts, kissing the scar on his cheek next.

“I never want you to think you aren’t good enough, Killian,” because of course she heard the true meaning behind his words, and there’s a feather-light kiss for a faint line of scarring on his shoulder, his eyes fluttering shut and his lips parting on a quiet gasp, “You’ve been through…” Emma’s lips find another old injury. “…so much. You just need some time.”

Killian thinks this would probably be arousing if it wasn’t so soothing. He can feel how much love she has for him – she’s pouring it into every touch, every word, every press of her lips. Perhaps she’s using a little of her magic to do it, or perhaps it’s simply because he’s still fragile from his nightmare, but the sensation is powerful and wonderful, his very nerves seeming to hum happily under his skin in response.

“Emma.” It’s little more than a helpless whimper. Desperate. Though for what, he can’t be certain. It’s not that he wants her to stop. “What are you doing to me?”

“Loving you,” Emma says, in a voice that means he has no choice but to lie back and take it, “Now sshh, I’m not finished.” She curls her fingers gently but firmly around his bicep, anchoring him in place.

She’s slowly kissing a path across the scars on his body between sentences, the knots and lines and hollows that map out a lifetime of surviving, too many lifetimes really. Her tender affections feel like they’re filling a void inside his soul with warmth and love and it’s almost too much to handle. All he can do is keep his eyes closed and wrap his arm around Emma’s waist as she continues.

“You take all the time you need to heal, and I’ll be with you all the way,” she takes his left arm in her gentle hand, and he knows where she’s going next, “However long this takes. However many bad days, or nights, that you have. You just need to…” Her lips brush against his sensitive inner wrist, just beside the ugly and numb scar tissue that covers the blunted end of it. “…to let me help you. I love you, Killian. Please, don’t pull away from me.”

“I won’t,” his voice breaks, and if she doesn’t stop smothering him with all this kindness soon, he’s going to start crying. Again. “I promise I won’t. Emma, I…”

She moves and takes his right hand from around her waist and softly kisses the scars on his fingers and across the back of his hand, and there’s a feeling of all the broken pieces of him being drawn together, sharp edges smoothed over by Emma’s love and it’s too much. A tear slips from under Killian’s lashes and his breath shudders, his heightened emotions too intense to be contained any longer.

“I love you,” he breathes, looking up to see Emma’s own eyes glassy with tears as well.

“I know.” She smiles down at him, raw and open and honest as her thumb brushes the tear from his face. “And I mean what I said. I’m with you, Killian.”

Her next and final kiss is granted to his lips, and she takes her time there, her palm resting against his cheek while his fingers tangle in her hair, allowing him to reciprocate before she settles down into his arms again, and Killian wants to stay in this moment forever. Comfortable and safe, basking in the wonderful feeling of being so wholly loved. How does his Swan always know what he needs?

“What have I done to deserve you, Emma?” he asks once he’s regained control of his emotions.

“What have I done to deserve you?” she counters.

He smiles, and lets the silence stretch on, his limbs feeling heavy and his thoughts turning sluggish as sleep pulls him away. It almost claims him, his eyes closed and his breathing even, when the light he could still just barely see behind closed lids suddenly goes out and he startles, eyes flying open as he pulls himself back to reality with a jolt. He’d turned over onto his side in his almost-sleep, and now Emma’s pressed against his back with her arm around his torso, squeezing a little tighter to combat his flinch. She’s switched the light off, he realizes, plunging the room back into darkness.

“Sorry, I thought you’d gone back to sleep,” she whispers, “Is it too dark?” She doesn’t wait for his response. “Hang on a second, I’ve got an idea.”

She moves her hand, a casual flick of her wrist in a way that Killian recognizes – so at ease with using magic these days – and the curtains glide open, letting the nearly full moon cast its light into the room. The tension flows out of him almost instantly, coaxed away by pleasant memories of nights aboard the Jolly Roger with the bright moon shining through the windows of his quarters.

“Better?”

“Aye, that’s perfect. Thank you.”

He can’t find the words to convey just how thankful he is for her, for everything she does for him. He hopes she knows. She probably does. She’s quite perceptive, he thinks with a smile. He closes his eyes again and sleep finds him quickly. When he dreams again, it’s of the sea, and of Emma, and of the moon shining down upon the deck of the Jolly Roger where they’re lying entwined in peaceful respite.

#comfortember 2020 #cs ff #cs fic #hurt/comfort #nightmares #killian jones #emma swan #captain swan #my fanfics

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jarienn972 · 4 years

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La Sirena - Chapter Three

Captain Swan Supernatural Summer

My intent had been to post this latest chapter update for @cssns yesterday, but neither Tumblr nor my internet at home wanted to cooperate so Chapter Three was a little bit delayed. I decided with this chapter to jump a few days ahead so that Killian was partially recuperated and able to start exploring his new surroundings. He’s discovered that his “angel” is a mysterious, lonely woman who has been stranded on this stretch of shore for a very long time and he wants to learn more about her. Will he get more than he bargained for though?

I have to say thanks again to @courtorderedcake for her beautiful artwork featured here and to @kmomof4 for being an amazing beta reader!

The first two chapters can be found on AO3 and FF.net or here: One Two

Chapter Three: A Glimpse of the Unknown

By the third sunrise since arriving on this distant cove, Killian was at last feeling recuperated enough to venture beyond the protected thicket. He'd been gratefully accepting Emma's offered sustenance and had enjoyed the few, brief conversations they'd shared. The fruits she'd brought had served to nourish his weakened body, especially after a week or so subsisting on the unidentifiable gruel the pirates had shoved at him. More so, her pleasant words may have been few, but they had helped ease his troubled mind and he hoped to entice her into talking more now that he had recovered enough to carry on an intelligent discourse.

What had brought her here to such a seemingly lonely place? Was she truly alone here or were there others living nearby? He had no inkling whether she'd answer him, but with little else to do, he'd relish the challenge.

For now, he was anxious to stretch his legs and discover a bit more of the isle he'd landed upon. Using a nearby palm tree stump to aid in keeping his balance, Killian found his footing and pushed himself fully upright for the first time since he'd escaped the doomed pirate ship. He'd crawled about the clearing as needed and he'd of course been able to sit cross-legged in the sand to eat, but standing suddenly felt foreign. His legs protested the exertion, although not nearly as much as his throbbing head. He had to pause for a few seconds to allow the dizziness to pass, but he pressed forward despite the realization that he'd likely underestimated the severity of the blow he'd taken from the ship's rigging.

It was also at this moment that it dawned on him what a fright he must look. His uniform had been torn to shreds in battle, made worse during his imprisonment, and now hung in tatters on his gaunt form. The relentless waves had shredded the fabric even further but had barely touched the dark stains. His current state was completely unbecoming of an officer but he was a long way from a tailor so he'd have to make due. He was determined to do one thing to improve his outward appearance - bathe. He'd not bathed properly since he'd departed Liam's ship nor had he shaved. His chin itched of several days' growth of whiskers and he found himself idly wondering if his lovely companion might have soap or better yet - a straight razor - in her possession.

Taking each step slowly and deliberately, he followed a narrow, well-trodden path through the patch of cycads, emerging onto a pristine expanse of shoreline. The sand squishing between and beneath his toes was warm, but not uncomfortable as he trudged toward the water's edge. He'd not yet seen Emma this morning. Perhaps he'd risen before her? He was tempted to turn back towards the rocks and search for her, but he knew she'd come find him in time. Right now, he was eager to wade into the crystal clear bay that stretched out before him as far as the eye could see and allow the seawater to wash away the grime and ease the aches in his joints.

And if the fair maiden wasn't around to see him, he could shed his torn, bloodstained linen shirt and the stiff, uncomfortable wool uniform trousers. A least for a few minutes…

The scratchy trousers were the first to go, followed quickly by his shirt. He'd not even bothered undoing all of the buttons as several were already missing. By the time he reached the water, he'd left a trail of clothing behind but as long as he was still alone on the beach, his dignity remained intact.

He waded into the surf, noting that the shallows extended only a short distance from the shore before dropping into unknown depths. At least the waves were calm as they broke against his legs. He dared only to venture in waist deep, not prepared to test his swimming ability so soon lest Emma need to rescue him again. As he bent his knees to lower his torso into the cool, salty water, he watched the little fish darting around. He cupped water in his open palms and splashed it onto his face, careful to avoid the gash on his forehead as he scrubbed away layers of grime. His wound still stung enough without introducing more saltwater to it.

He wasn't normally a contemplative person but even he had to recognize how recent events had altered his perspective. For days in captivity, he'd had nothing but time to think about those he'd failed. His crew. His brother. Himself. Maybe he lacked the necessary skills to be a proper leader. He'd sailed his crew into certain death and yet, here he was - left to wallow in guilt. Liam would have fought harder. He wouldn't have allowed his crew to be taken prisoner.

And yet Liam was the one who'd given the order to scout the uncharted island. The order had come from him. He was the Captain. Liam had imparted this fate upon them with his order…

Killian squeezed his eyes shut and lowered his head, willing himself to banish those thoughts. No, Liam was a good captain. He would never knowingly endanger his crew, especially not with his younger brother leading the expedition. It had been an unfortunate series of events that Killian alone had survived to lament. Fortune had intervened and spared his life, bringing him here to another uncharted, idyllic locale. The cove and its beguiling inhabitant were both ripe with beauty and intrigue.

At some point, his senses became aware that he was no longer alone. He didn't know how long she'd been watching him but he couldn't halt the flush of embarrassment from darkening his cheeks as he splashed an abrupt about-face in the water.

"Apologies," she shouted from the shore. "I didn't intend to startle you."

"'Tis alright," he replied, stupidly arguing with himself as to whether he should cover himself.

"I followed your trail from the grove," she began, waving an arm in the direction of his discarded clothing littering the beach. "If I had known you wished to bathe, I would have recommended the spring-fed pool inside the cavern as being more preferable…"

He chuckled to himself as he gave his head a little shake. Of course, it would have been… "I'll remember that for future reference."

"I am pleased to see that you're feeling stronger today," she smiled while a breezy tradewind fluttered the hem of her tunic, giving him a glimpse of her pale but enticingly shapely legs.

"Yes," he gulped, suddenly even more aware of his current state of undress. "I am feeling much better this morning…"

"That is wonderful. I've refilled the carafe for you back at the grove and brought you some fresh fruit. Is there anything else you might need?"

"You wouldn't happen to know where a man might get some new clothing and perhaps a straight razor around these parts? Is there a town or village nearby where I might find such things? My former uniform is rather an unacceptable mess at the present."

"I'm afraid that the nearest place you'd call a village is more than a day's trek up the peninsula from here and it's certainly not a place where you'd find such goods."

"Ah, pity. We truly are quite isolated here, are we not?"

"Afraid so, but you might be surprised by what this bountiful cove can provide. I believe I may be able to locate some clothing for you and perhaps some personal implements as well. Come join me in the cavern and we can take a look?"

"Ehh…," he stammered, blushing an even deeper shade of crimson. He'd not thought of himself as a prudish person but he was far from a brash braggart who would dare reveal his nudity to an innocent maiden yet. "That sounds like a wonderful idea…"

She seemed a tad confused when he didn't exit the water but after a moment, she understood his hesitation. "Ah - I am truly sorry… I have had little need for modesty in my solitude. I'll leave you be and meet you back beneath the trees in a few minutes."

"Much appreciated," he responded as she turned toward the swaying palms, all the time hearing the ghostly echo of Liam's laughter ringing in his ears.

**********

After ensuring that the coast was clear of prying eyes, Killian padded self-consciously out of the sea. He collected the remnants of his threadbare shirt and used it to give himself a precursory drying off as he fetched his trousers. He would have preferred to burn them rather than don them yet again, but with no other option for clothing presently available, he'd have to suffer and make due. He didn't have the foggiest notion of what Emma had meant when she spoke of the provisions of this bountiful cove, but he had to trust her. He was the outsider here and even though he still knew little about her, he doubted she would have mentioned anything if she couldn't be of assistance.

He chose not to bother putting what remained of his shirt back on as he followed her footprints back into the cycad grove where he'd spent nearly every waking moment since being marooned on this shore. The canopy had provided shade and shelter to him, although he was thankful the skies had been fair. He'd spent the past decade and a half aboard various ships, his leave in port usually brief so this was an unfamiliar experience for the seasoned mariner.

Not necessarily an unpleasant one though, he thought to himself as he arrived to find Emma kneeling in the sand, splitting apart a fig. She silently offered him one half as she bit into the other. Killian accepted it with a nod, popping it into his mouth before realizing she was staring at him with her intense green eyes.

"Have I done something wrong?" he queried with a furrowed brow, concerned he had offended his host with either his actions or his partially clothed form.

"No, no…" she assured him, averting her eyes with a hint of shame. "I was just admiring your pelt…" Her face scrunched in disgust at her errant choice of words. "No, that's not the right word…" She shook her head, trying desperately to come up with the proper term as Killian looked on in confused amusement. "I was drawn to the dark hair that covers your limbs and your torso… The males of my people, they simply do not possess body hair in such patterns."

"Your people don't have body hair?" he asked, incredulously, lifting a curious eyebrow as he wondered how they'd gotten to this conversation.

"Not to the extent of yours… They are able to grow facial hair but only fine, pale hairs adorn their bodies…" Her attempt to explain what she meant only began to exacerbate her awkwardness. "A thick coat of fur is not needed for warmth in our land so I have never seen anyone with such an impressive display of hair…"

"Well, it isn't really for warmth where I come from either. I inherited it from my grandfather, I believe…," he realized he was blushing while he rambled on, suddenly wishing he had something to cover his bare chest.

"Please - do not be embarrassed. I had no intention of shaming you and I should not have been staring - it's not polite - but it has been a very long time since I've been this close to anyone."

"How long?" he caught himself asking, cringing immediately as he blurted out the insensitive question. "Forgive me, please. That wasn't proper for me to be asking."

"It's no matter. We've both made our blunders, have we not?" She mused with a shy grin, the first time he'd truly noticed her smile. It was only visible for a split-second as she abruptly changed the subject, reverting back to her stoic front. "You should come with me to the cavern now. I believe you shall find some of what you seek there."

"Inside the cave?" There was a heavy dose of disbelief in his voice. What on earth would be inside that cavern that would be of use to him?

"Please, just follow me. You will see."

He might have still been skeptical but he was also of the opinion that if a beautiful woman asked you to follow her, you followed her. He'd be damned if he wasn't going to do as requested.

The mouth of the cavern was deeply recessed into the jagged outcrop, making it virtually invisible from the bay. It was dark and uninviting but as they made their way over the ridge and passed into the void, Killian was pleasantly surprised to learn that the interior was relatively well illuminated. Streams of sunlight filtered in through cracks in the cavern's ceiling and he also recognized the acrid scent of smoke lingering in the tempered air, likely residue from the series of torches and lanterns lining the rock walls that Emma used to navigate the tunnels.

With Emma leading the way, they rounded a shadowy corner in a dim passageway that became ablaze with light as they neared. Emma was only a few steps ahead of him, but suddenly there were torches roaring to life. He'd not seen her stop to light the flames, but he shook it off as a trick of his weary head. His injury must be toying with his imagination.

The chamber they'd now entered was clearly Emma's living quarters and Killian swallowed back a swell of unease at invading her private dwelling, although she didn't appear fazed. He noted its simple furnishings as they passed, this not being her intended destination. Tucked away in an alcove, he saw only a mattress fashioned from woven raffia grasses and a series of colorful ceramic carafes like those she'd used to bring water to him. She seemed to have little need for creature comforts or material goods, so different from the women he'd encountered in various ports around the realm.

"Just a bit further," she stated, drawing his attention away from her dwelling and back to the passage. He noted the trickle of water off in the distance, likely a stream or brook formed from the spring she'd mentioned earlier. They pressed forward into another chamber that again seemed to illuminate as they drew closer. The experience was a tad disconcerting to Killian but he was determined to keep his mouth shut - at least until his jaw fell slack by the revelation of stunning wonders all around him.

The narrow corridor weaving through the rock opened into a broad, expansive subterranean room, awash in brilliance from its own natural skylight which opened directly above a sparkling pool. Faint tendrils of steam arose from the surface. This must be the spring Emma had recommended for bathing and it looked incredibly inviting.

"This is the spring you spoke of earlier?" he queried.

"One of them. This is the mineral hot spring. There is also a cool, sweet water spring around the bend. It feeds into this pool as well as one deeper into the cavern," she advised.

"This cavern… I've seen others similar on my many adventures. It's an old lava tube, is it not?"

"Very astute and yes, this entire cove was formed by an ancient lava flow."

"It is quite a lovely place and I see now many of its provisions, but I still fail to see what assistance this is to be for me…"

"It was not the cavern itself that I was referring to. This happens to be where I have stored some unusual items that originated in your world."

"My world?" he asked, confused as she lowered herself to her knees and lit a lantern conveniently sitting at her feet. When she raised the lamp, he could now make out the objects she'd been so cryptically taunting him with - four large marine chests in varying states of decay.

"Are these not from your world?" She brought the lantern closer to the nearest chest. It was covered in faded, cracked leather and decorated with ornate brass fittings and latches that were marred with heavy patina. He surmised that there was once a matching padlock that was lost to time but there was no evidence that it had been removed by force. The whole thing had seen better days, bearing extensive visible water damage. Depending on how well it had been constructed and the quality of the leather casing, it could potentially still be watertight. "I find these washed up on the shore from time to time."

"They appear to be merchant chests, used for transporting goods. We had many like these on my ship, although these appear to be much older."

"I assume they came from ships that have sunk in the treacherous waters surrounding this land."

"Around this placid bay?" he scoffed. "These waters are far too tranquil. These must have traveled here from afar…"

"Do not allow the tranquility of this cove to fool you. These waters are teeming with untold dangers. Your very survival was nothing short of miraculous!" Even in the half-light cast off by the flickering lantern, he noted the stern admonishment that spoiled her visage before she hastily turned her face away from his view. She paused with a haunting silence as she calmed herself before continuing with the prior topic. "These chests, I have searched through them, though they contain little to serve my needs, save for the bits of fabric and notions. I do believe that you will find objects that will conform to your needs so please, feel free to peruse their contents at your leisure. I am going to return to the bay so I may find some shellfish for our next meal. If you need my assistance, just shout. Voices carry well in this cavern and I have excellent hearing."

She extended her arm towards him, offering him the lantern she held. She wouldn't require it to make her way out of the cave. He took hold of the handle as she pushed herself back to stand. Emma paused momentarily as Killian crouched, flipping open the latch on the first chest to uncover the hidden treasures beneath.

"Thank you. This was not at all what I expected…" he said as he poured over goods that had survived their journey well. He glanced over his shoulder with a wide grin crossing his lips, one that instantly faded when he discovered she'd already departed.

How? He'd barely averted his attention for a minute or two… How had she vanished so rapidly and so stealthily? One more mystery to add to his growing list…

When he emerged from the cavern, he sported a billowy black silken tunic featuring tiny mother-of-pearl buttons and linen trousers that were the color of the sand. He'd needed to draw the laces quite tight to prevent them from sliding off of his slender hips, but they were exceedingly more comfortable than what was left of his woolen uniform pants. He'd fretted over not finding a razor in any of the chests although he did locate a short-bladed cutlass within a chest full of treasure, likely once the property of a long-dead pirate. It didn't sit as comfortably in his grip as his service rapier but it was a solid, capable weapon. It would certainly prove useful to split a coconut or filet a fish.

He tucked the blade back into its scabbard as he caught sight of Emma on the horizon. He was prepared to thank her for the clothing he'd found, but there was something about the expression on her face… She looked worried, even frightened and she was running toward him.

"Emma? You look vexed, love…"

"Get back inside the cave!" she ordered. "There's a storm coming. It isn't safe here…"

Killian's brow lifted in confusion as he glanced skyward, seeing only a few sparse, puffy clouds against the azure backdrop of the heavens. There was no foul wind blowing to indicate an impending storm. Whatever was she talking about?

"What storm? There's no sign of rain clouds above…"

"Killian…," she pleaded, catching his arm as she hurried past him and tugging him back to the shelter of the cave. "Don't argue with me. Just return to the cavern, back to the pools. You can not be caught up in this…"

"In what?" he pressed for more information while trusting her judgement and retreating beneath the rocky overhang. He expected that she would remain here with him for the duration of this coming storm but once he was safely out of the elements, she released her grasp and scrambled back toward the ridge. "Emma? Where are you going? I thought you said there was a storm coming? That it wasn't safe?"

She stopped at the crest of the ridge and lowered her head. He wasn't sure what to make of her body language or the consternation etched into her face as she glanced over her shoulder.

"It isn't safe for you," she replied sternly. "but this storm - it's here for me."

#cssns20 #cssns #captain swan supernatural summer #cs ff #cs au ff #siren emma #la sirena

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elizabeethan · 3 years

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Spaces Between Us Chapter 6: History

The hardships of real life separated them six years ago, and Emma has been struggling to put that fact behind her ever since. But then, only after she’s convinced herself that she’s moved on and that her new life is enough, Killian Jones comes back.

A Captain Swan Modern AU

***Brief mentions of past physical and emotional abuse and alcohol abuse. Brief mentions of death/loss/grief.***

Reminder that more tags will apply to later chapters and i’ll put warnings where they're necessary, but if you have any concerns or questions feel free to message me!

Weekly updates will be on Tuesdays! (probably)

This chapter is dedicated to AnaSmallGrace because they guessed the title/chapter titles correctly lol.

Thank you, as usual, to my beta and friend @the-darkdragonfly, and to @donteattheappleshook and @xhookswenchx for listening to my ramblings and helping me figure out the plot to this <3

Read the Rest

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~~~~

She didn’t mean to fall asleep, but when she stirs at the feeling of soft lips pressing damp kisses down her spine, meeting each vertebrae as his fingers tickle against her ribs, she realizes she hasn’t slept this soundly in years. He murmurs, “good morning,” against her skin and she groans in response.

“More sleep,” she whines into the plush pillow.

“What time do you need to pick up Henry?”

She presses up onto her elbows with a start, frantically looking around the room for some indication as to what time it is. “12:30,” she tells him, looking back with wide, anxious eyes.

He smiles and says, “worry not, love. It’s only just after 10.” He slides up along her body until he can lie beside her and smooth out her hair, kissing her nose gently. “I just wanted to make sure you’d have enough time.”

Breathing out a sigh of relief, she nods and collapses back down on the bed, her face pressed into the pillow. She isn’t sure when they ended up beneath the blankets, but she fell asleep so quickly that she’s sure he could’ve easily moved her without her noticing. “Okay,” she sighs. “Thank you.”

“For what?” he asks with a smirk, and she returns it in kind, rolling onto her side so that she’s facing him and able to see the brilliance in his eyes.

“A few things, I guess,” she starts. “Waking me up, making me come so hard that I basically passed out… loving me…” She trails off but can easily see that her point is well taken.

He’s silent for a beat, appearing to be entranced by her words as he gently traces his fingers along her temple and down her cheek, across her neck until he reaches her shoulder and cups it with his hand. “I know we said that we would talk about this later, but… Well, I don’t intend to let you go again, Emma.”

She feels tears pricking at the backs of her eyes and she blinks hard, trying to hold them in. But for the second time today, she isn’t crying because she’s scared or in pain or hopelessly depressed. It’s because she believes him. She trusts him and knows that he means what he says wholeheartedly.

So she curls further onto her side, snuggling close to him and pressing her bare body to his as he wraps his arms around her and holds her in a warm, comforting embrace. She isn’t sure what she can say about the position they’ve found themselves in. It’s not as if she can leave her husband now, despite how she might want to, because she knows what he’s capable of. She thinks that now that they’ve had the conversation about Henry, he’s even more likely to use that against her and keep him from her if she were to try and leave him. And no matter how she feels about Walsh or Killian or even herself, Henry will always be her first priority.

Killian seems to be able to read her shift in mood, so he gently suggests, “let me make you breakfast. If the way your stomach was screaming in your sleep is any indication, I’d assume you haven’t eaten yet today.”

She sighs, laughing just a bit, and nods against his chest, feeling his coarse hair tickling her cheek. “Don’t you have to go to work?”

“Not until 1.”

With a contented hum, she smiles up at him and playfully says, “plenty of time to get your story straight. Ruby warned me that she’d be bothering you all night for details.”

“Details… bloody hell, woman, tell me you didn’t go to Ruby for my address.”

She giggles as his fingers brush along her waist, trailing from her hip to her ribs and back down again. “I needed the damn train!”

“Aye, the damn train,” he says with feigned irritation as he kisses the tip of her nose. “Heaven forbid the lad is without his train for a few hours,” he jokes.

“I didn’t want to go home,” she says with more honesty and seriousness, a blush creeping up her cheeks and down her chest. “And once I had an excuse to see you, well…”

He hums thoughtfully and kisses her softly. “I know what you mean.”

“I guess I didn’t expect our meeting to end like this, not that I'm complaining.”

He laughs against her mouth and nods before murmuring, “let me make you breakfast, aye?”

With a nod and a happy sigh, and asks, “can I use your shower quick? I’d rather not smell like sex when I pick up my kid from kindergarten.”

Another kiss later, he says, “of course, love. I’d be happy to provide some support in there as well; I know sometimes that temperature valve can be difficult to navigate.”

She sits up in bed, taking the thin sheet with her to cover her breasts, and turns to face him. “I’m sure it can be. You really did a number on me, too. I’m so exhausted that I might need some help soaping up.”

He smirks and raises a brow, watching as she stands and growling as he chases her into the bathroom.

~~~~

She’s glad that it’s the middle of the morning on a Monday, because that means his neighbors hopefully aren’t home and weren’t able to hear the rather noisy shower they took. Surely the sounds coming out of her were traveling through the pipes, but she couldn’t exactly keep quiet while he fucked her against the wall of the shower.

She’s also not sure how she’ll go on with her day when he keeps planting kisses to her neck as he stands behind her, holding her hips while she tries her damndest to flip the pancakes before they burn. “You've gotta stop,” she groans, panting as his fingers slide around her front and trace the zipper of her jeans.

“But you’re so irresistible,” he murmurs.

“I don’t have time to shower again.”

He hums against her neck, licking along the sensitive spot just below her ear, and says, “you don't have to leave for an hour.”

“Killian…” she giggles. “Grab me a plate.”

He does, holding it out for her so that she can place the pancakes on it before he presses a tender kiss on her cheek and says, “thank you, love.” She hums in question and he responds, “I believe I promised you breakfast, and here you are preparing it.”

“Well,” she shrugs, taking her own plate and carrying it to his small table. “I am a mother now. Breakfast foods are my specialty. Henry’s particularly fond of scrambied eggies.”

“I’m sure they're delicious,” he nods, smiling as he pours syrup over his pancakes and then offers it to her. “He’s quite the character.”

With a smile, she says, “my pride and joy. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“I can imagine,” he smiles back. He cuts into the pancake with his fork and takes a bite, humming and smiling around them at her. “Is he… is he why you stay?”

With a gulp and a bite of her own, if only so that she can avoid answering for a moment longer, she nods. “Walsh doesn’t want much to do with him, but he’s spiteful. He would keep him from me just because he can. He thinks he has to maintain his perfect family image if he has any hopes for reelection”

He’s silent for a moment, and she can see the way he bites the inside of his cheek to try and keep quiet. “Aye,” he finally says. “I suppose there isn’t much I can say about staying with someone who isn’t good for you.”

She’s surprised that he’s bringing this up, but supposes it had to be addressed at some point. “In your case, it was going back to that person.”

“I didn’t feel I had much of a choice.”

“I know. I wanted you to stay and you didn’t want to hear it. It’s okay.”

“I heard you, love,” he argues. “I just… I had to go.”

“Then how can you say you heard me?” She takes another bite, trying to remain calm and keep this a discussion rather than an argument. “I wanted you to stay for your own good, Killian. He was abusive to you your whole life; you didn’t owe him anything.”

She hasn’t thought about this in detail in years, but is brought back to one of their final conversations easily. “Liam died,” he says by way of explanation, and she nods. It’s impossible to not be empathetic for his loss, but six years ago when he impulsively decided to take his late brother’s place and care for their dying father despite how badly he’d abused his sons, she lost it.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“What happened to Brennan?”

“He died,” he says casually, with little obvious emotion surrounding his father’s death. “Last year. And… well, you were right. I couldn’t handle it; I drank the whole time I was there. I felt sorry for myself-- I had lost Liam, I lost you… I couldn’t handle it.”

She puts her fork down and takes his hand, although he refuses to look up from his plate. “Killian, alcoholism runs in your family.”

“I know. And after I found out how Liam died… I don't know. I-- I’ll be honest, Swan, I wanted you to come with me so badly; I resented you for not coming.”

In surprise, she says, “Killian, I couldn't condone what you were doing. I know how much it hurt to know that Liam was drunk driving, when you thought he was your perfect older brother. I know you felt like you had to take his place as the prodigal son. But Brennan abused the two of you your whole lives. I couldn’t let you go back to him after what he’d done to you; he didn’t deserve it and neither did you.”

“I know that, looking back.”

His father must’ve died a slow and painful death if he’d only passed away a year ago. Cirrhosis of the liver is bad enough, and when he refused to stop drinking despite his prognosis, Killian became enraged. He refused to speak to his father, and lashed out at his brother who saw it as his duty to care for the dying man despite years of torturous abuse. She thought he had his head on his shoulders when she found out how angry he was with Liam for caring for their father when he deserved the opposite.

But then, Liam died. Killian had no idea that his brother struggled with alcoholism just as his father had, as it was easy to hide from across an ocean. But when he found out that his brother, the man he idolized endlessly, died as a result of driving drunk, he spiraled and became someone she hardly recognized. He began drinking himself, although not quite enough to be concerning, and eventually determined that, in order to do right by his brother, he had to take his place in caring for their father.

She couldn’t watch him destroy himself for the man he hated. So she gave him an ultimatum, and he chose his path.

He didn’t choose her.

“When Liam died, you lost yourself,” she says, explaining her thoughts to herself as much as she is to him. “I wanted to help you find yourself again but you wouldn’t let me. I just couldn’t sit and watch you go back to that life of abuse; even if he was too weak to hit you or burn you with his cigarettes, I’m sure he got on just fine with the verbal abuse.”

“How is that any different from me letting you go back home to your husband with that bloody bruise on your wrist? I’m sure he isn’t any kinder to you than my father was to me.” he argues, and she's taken aback, her eyes widening.

“Don’t throw that in my face,” she returns. “I don’t have a choice just like you thought you didn’t. Only I have a son to think about.”

He sighs and finally looks up at her. “I know, I’m sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I just… I don't know. I regret leaving every day, and I have since the moment I boarded that damn plane. The moment I shut the door to our apartment. But sometimes I can't help but think, if I hadn’t, perhaps you wouldn’t have your boy.”

She nods, and in her refusal of his past suspicions, she says, “I wouldn’t.”

“But perhaps you also wouldn’t have your husband.”

She nods again. She doesn’t blame him, and she tries not to blame herself either, but he’s right. If he hadn’t left, she wouldn’t have gone out a month later and slept with the first guy who looked at her. So, again, she says more sadly, “I wouldn’t.”

“Double edged sword, I suppose.”

She smiles sadly and nods. There’s silence between them for a few moments before she considers what they've been through, where he’s been, and asks, “if he died a year ago, what… how did you find me?”

He shrugs and blushes. “I didn’t mean to, actually. I came back to Boston looking for you and had no such luck. Then one night I ran into Elsa at a bar and she told me you were gone, that you left years ago, right after I did, and… I don't know. Something broke in me and I quit drinking-- for the most part. I decided I had to leave Boston and took the first job I could find, and it happened to be here.”

She gives him a small smile and asks, “did you intend to try and win me back?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

His serious tone in response to her joking one is surprising, but she knows he’s telling the truth. She knows he would've been successful, too, if she’d been single when they met again. Hell, he’s successful now.

“I can’t leave him yet, Killian. I want to, but it’s not… I need to put Henry first.”

“I know,” he says sadly.

“But that doesn’t mean… I mean…” she sighs. “Just-- I know this is selfish of me to ask of you but, well, I never-- Killian, I never got over you,” she gulps. “I have every intention of leaving him when I can and when I know that it’s safe to do so. And when I do… I mean, I was hoping--”

“Emma,” he interrupts, taking her hand. “I love you. I told you already, I don't intend to lose you again. I want to build the life with you that we’ve always planned on having. Just… Now, there's a little lad involved, as well.”

With tears in her eyes, she meets his and says, “even though he isn’t yours?”

“He’s yours. That’s enough for me.” She grins at him and stands, leaning over the table until she meets his lips in a soft, meaningful kiss. “But Emma, love, you’ve got to promise me that you’ll stay safe. If he hurts you again, or if he tries to hurt the boy…”

“He won't. He isn’t usually like that, he won't do it again. And he’d have to pay attention to Henry in order to be any threat to him.”

“Swan…”

“I love you, too.”

He laughs lightly and kisses her once more. “Of all the ways I imagined us being together again, an extramarital affair wasn’t on the list.”

She giggles, cradling his head in her hands, and says, “it’s kinda hot, though.”

With a soft scoff and a shake to his head, he rolls his eyes and kisses her chastely before standing up and taking her empty plate. “Come,” he says, “we need to come up with whatever story I’m going to be feeding Ruby all night.”

~~~~

“It’s so beautiful, Emma,” Mary Margaret coos as she shows her photos of the house they’ll be renting in just a few weeks time. “When David suggested we get away, I was just so excited.”

“It’s lovely,” she nods, smiling softly up at her sister as she picks at her salad.

“Mommy, I need more cheppy.”

“Ketchup, bub. Here.”

Henry hums happily as he dips his nuggets into the ketchup, making animated sounds as each dinosaur perishes as he takes a bite.

“You’ve hardly touched your lunch,” her sister complains after a moment, looking at her nearly full plate in disappointment. “Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine,” she says back. “I just had a late breakfast.”

Mary Margaret screws up her face in surprise and says, “you never eat breakfast.”

She shrugs. “Well, today I did.”

“What did you have, mommy? Cheeries, like me?”

“You had Cheerios, my love. I had pancakes.”

“Pancakes?! I want pancakes! You never let me have pancakes on a school day!”

“You must've been in a good mood if you decided to make yourself pancakes.”

Emma shoots her sister a discerning look, furrowing her brows, and shrugs. “Maybe I was.”

“That’s new,” she says, laughing when Emma tosses her napkin at her. “I’m sorry, but come on,” she laughs. “You’ve been miserable for months. What’s changed?”

“Nothing,” she mumbles immediately. “Oh, Henry, I got your train. Here you go.”

With wide eyes, he gasps in excitement and snatches it from her, hugging it to his chest. “You found Tommy! Thank you, mommy! Where was he?”

“Was Tommy missing?”

“Mommy left him in her coat and then she lost it,” he snitches.

“Wasn’t that the coat you wore out? You didn’t leave it at the bar, did you?”

She lets her jaw hang open just a bit too long before shaking her head and explaining, lying, “no, uh, I was… ya know…” she says, giving her sister a knowing look. “A little out of my head when I got home that night. Forgot where I put it.”

Mary Margaret hums and nods her head before saying, “you know, I think I saw the sheriff there that night.”

Henry gasps again, his gray eyes wider than she’s ever seen them, and asks, “mommy, do you know the sheriff?”

She gulps again, choking on her breath, and says, “yeah, I do.”

“You do?” her sister asks, and she wants to kick her under the table.

“Yes, Henry,” she says pointedly. “The sheriff and I are friends. How were your chicken nuggets?”

“They’re dinosaur-ies.”

“Dinosaurs.”

“Yeah.”

She smiles at him fondly and says, “I love you,” before she can stop the words from slipping past her lips.

He smiles back at her and returns, “I love you too, mommy. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, baby. I just wanted you to know that I love you.”

Based on the way her sister is staring at her, she thinks she may have made a mistake opening her mouth.

“Are we going to get Leo?”

“Yeah,” she laughs. “Auntie M’s, are we going to go get Leo?”

She hums and picks up her plate, grabbing Emma's as well and shaking her head at how much salad is left. “I’m sure we should. Ashley is probably sick of him by now.”

~~~~

Arriving at the station should feel like any other day, but when he walks in, Ruby smirks at him. And he’s just about had it before he even gets to his office.

“Morning, sheriff,” she says salaciously, wriggling her brows.

“It’s 1 pm.”

“Right.”

“What?”

She shrugs and giggles to herself, looking back at her computer screen with wide eyes and a hidden smile. ”How’s your friend?”

“Ruby,” he starts, groaning as he tosses his keys onto his desk, sitting down forcefully and dropping his head onto his forearms.

She follows him into his office, despite him desperately hoping she won’t, and places a printed sheet of paper onto his desk.

“What’s this?” he asks, picking it up and staring at the sheet that makes no sense.

“Something I found while I was bored today. My boss made me work a double.”

“Ruby,” he says, rolling his eyes. “Sometimes you just have to work a double. I’m sorry, but when you're the only deputy, it sort of comes with the territory. What did you find?”

“Yeah, whatever,” she rolls her eyes. “Look at the name on the account.”

He looks down at the sheet she’s given him and, at the top corner, sees a name. Walsh Oswald.

Bloody hell.

“How’d you get this?”

She ignores him, giving him a look that tells him that perhaps he doesn’t want to know. “That’s a lot of money,” she remarks obviously, nodding towards the printout. He isn't sure how she got access to his transfer records, but he must admit, he’s impressed, despite the fact that it’s likely inadmissible. Either way, it’s a start.

“Aye. Where does it come from?”

“I don't know. But I have a feeling we should do some police work.”

~~~~

#tw #tw alcohol abuse #tw past abuse #tw death #all mentions of these things #captain swan fanfic #cs ff #spaces between us #spaces ff #cs ff au #captain swan au #killian jones #emma swan #ouat ff #ouat ff au

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mayquita · 4 years

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Damn You For Making Me Love You (3/15) - Because The Night (The Performance)

Thank you so so much, for your likes, reblogs, kudos and comments. It means the world to me.

Beta-Reader: Thank you so much, @ultraluckycatnd I couldn’t have asked for a better beta. Thank you for all your effort, your suggestions, your advice and for always being there when I needed you.

Special mention to @saraswans and @onceuponaprincessworld, thank you so much for your perpetual support and for believing in me and in the story. Thank you again to the moderators of the event, @captainswanbigbang for giving us this opportunity and making this possible. You all are the best :)

Summary: Emma Swan and Killian Jones are close friends and co-workers. And both are in love with each other. The problem? They keep their feelings secret not only to the other but also to the rest of their friends. When Elsa, Emma’s best friend and Liam, Killian’s brother and Emma’s boss find out, they decide to form an alliance and work as a team with a clear goal, to get Emma and Killian to take the next step in their relationship and confess their love for each other.

Rating: M

Word count: ~ 7100 (98k total in 15 chapters)

Also:

Tumblr: Prologue // Chapter 1

From the beginning Ao3 / FFnet — Current chapter: Ao3 / FFnet

About this chapter: We’ll have Elsa’s POV and also Killian’s POV in the last section. Thanks to the flashback, we’ll witness the first meeting between Elsa and Liam. In the present, we’ll observe the performance through Elsa’s eyes ;) I hope you like it :)

Chapter 2: Because The Night (The Performance)

Elsa - Three and a half years ago

A breath of fresh air welcomed Elsa the moment she entered The Kraken. It was a hot Saturday evening in early June in Boston, so she hurried to close the door behind her as she let herself be enveloped by the cold coming from the air conditioning.

This was the first time Elsa had visited her friend at the bar, even though Emma had been working there for six months. It was not that Elsa or her sister had not had opportunities to come, or that they had refused to do so. Rather, it was Emma’s fault, who insisted on separating her work life from her personal one for some strange reason. That self-imposed rule had been broken when she had let the Jones brothers into her life, though, causing the dividing line between those two parcels of her life to weaken until it had all but disappeared.

It was still early, which meant that the bar wasn’t crowded, so Elsa had the opportunity to appreciate the place without feeling overwhelmed by the rest of the people. She already knew that it had a naval-style decoration, in accordance with the name of the bar. But what she hadn’t imagined was that the representation was so impressive.

The bar area emulated the deck of a ship, with a helm included, while the large windows were adorned with a kind of sail-curtains. The stage at the bottom also seemed to emulate a deck, with a mast standing on one of the sides. Numerous motifs related to the marine world completed the decor. Elsa would have expected the waiters to be dressed as pirates or sailors, but Emma had already informed her that this wasn’t the case.

Just then Elsa spotted her friend near the bar, engaged in a conversation with Killian while he was serving drinks. She had already met him two months ago, when Emma introduced him one day when they had run into him on the street. Since then, they had met on a couple more occasions. Elsa had liked Killian from the start. He had a special charm, despite his constant innuendos, and above all, he seemed to understand Emma even better than Elsa herself.

Elsa was enthralled for a while watching while they chatted. They had an interesting dynamic; Killian smiling continuously towards Emma while doing his job while she leaned slightly forward on the counter to be heard above the crowd.

They were so engaged in their conversation that neither of them noticed her at first. Just as Elsa was going to get close and get their attention, Emma grabbed the camera and started taking pictures of Killian with customers who were ordering.

At one point he even started posing in front of the camera, first making faces and then as if he were a celebrity, putting his hand on his face to avoid being photographed. Even in the distance, she could hear Emma’s carefree laugh.

Elsa was glad that Emma had met someone whom she could empathize so well with. No doubt she needed more people to lean on, and Killian seemed willing to be one of them. The connection between them was so obvious that Elsa had asked her on occasion if she had begun to harbor feelings beyond friendship for him. Emma had flatly denied it so Elsa had no choice but to believe her, especially since from what she was observing, it was clear that their relationship was that of close friends.

They still didn’t notice her although she had decided to sit on a nearby stool. Again, before she could get their attention, someone interrupted her.

“They spend all day like this.” Her head snapped around at the voice coming from behind the bar. “Elsa, I presume?”

Elsa narrowed her eyes as she tilted her head, studying the guy who had addressed her. He was smiling as if he had met her before, although she was sure they had never seen each other in person. Elsa had no doubts about his identity, though, since she had seen several of his photos posted on the bar accounts on social media. She wasn’t sure how he had found out her identity, though. As if reading her thoughts, he offered a quick answer to her question.

“You appear in many photos on Emma’s Instagram account. Besides, she had already anticipated that you would visit us today,” he explained as his smile widened.

“And I guess you are Liam, the older brother,” Elsa said as she tilted her head slightly in Killian’s direction, her lips drawing a soft smile.

“Aye, also known as the Captain of this ship. Welcome to The Kraken, lass. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” He offered her a hand in greeting and to her surprise, when he took hers, instead of squeezing it, he brought it to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles.

Her lips parted slightly in surprise as she felt her cheeks begin to burn. “Nice to meet you, too,” she managed to mumble as he released her hand. Unable to hold his gaze, Elsa glanced at Emma and Killian, who kept talking to each other. “So you were saying that they always act like this?” she asked then, ignoring the tingling she still felt on the back of her hand.

Before Liam could answer, Killian turned his head, his eyes finally meeting hers. His face lit up in recognition as he offered her a warm smile before addressing Emma again.

Emma also turned her head in her direction, giving her a wide smile as she approached her. “Elsa! You’re early. Much better, so you can live The Kraken experience from the beginning,” she said while giving her a brief hug as a greeting.

Killian also approached her. “Good evening Elsa. It’s good to see you here. I see that Emma has finally decided to invite you to our humble place.” He greeted her with a slight bow of his head. “What would you like to drink, lass?”

“It’s on the house, of course, ” Liam hastened to add. “Our VIP client deserves special treatment.“

Elsa felt her cheeks blush again, a shy smile pulling at her lips. “Thank you.”

Liam smiled in return, but at that moment someone called him from the other side of the bar, so he excused himself with a brief bow of his head. “I’ll see you later, love. Enjoy the visit.”

“Two shots of tequila, Jones. We’re celebrating today,” Emma ordered for her before turning, looking for her gaze. “So, well? What do you think?” she asked, gesturing with her hand to encompass the entire place. Elsa detected a glimpse of nervousness in her voice, as if she was expectant of what she might say.

Elsa didn’t have time to answer, though, since she was interrupted by Killian. “Wait a minute, what are we supposed to be celebrating? I haven’t missed any birthdays or anniversaries, have I?”

“Who talked about you, Jones? I meant her and me.” Emma smirked at him and grabbed both glasses, not bothering to explain herself further.

“Come on love,” Killian insisted, “do I have to congratulate you on something?”

Emma let out an exaggerated sigh while rolling her eyes before answering. “I’m celebrating that I’ve been putting up with you for six months and I haven’t killed you yet. Happy?”

Killian’s features twisted in a wince, while he put his hands to his heart in a melodramatic gesture. “You wound me, love,” he whined, his lips drawing into a pout. He then turned to Elsa. “Do you see what I have to go through every night?”

In response, Elsa raised her glass as a toast. “For another six months of suffering, then.”

After letting out a heavy sigh he filled a glass for himself while commenting in fake resignation, “That’s a cross that I’m willing to bear.” He winked at Elsa before raising the glass to join the toast. “I like her, by the way. Can we keep her, Swan?” he asked while the glasses clinked together. The three of them looked at each other and, before ingesting the liquid, they burst out laughing.

Once the laughter subsided they toasted again. The moment Elsa felt the liquor sliding down her throat, she also felt a warm sensation spreading through her veins. She glanced around once more, creating a memory of herself in this cozy place while wondering if all her upcoming visits to The Kraken would result in such a pleasant experience as the first one. She couldn’t wait to find out.

Elsa - November 2019

Elsa still couldn’t believe this was about to happen. When Emma had told her she was going to sing with Killian on Saturday night, Elsa had thought at first that her friend was joking. When she had also learned the song they’d sing she had been about to laugh, because seriously? What was Emma thinking?

“Who will sing ‘ the way I feel under your command ’?” Elsa had asked her as she hummed the song, getting a murderous look from her friend and a firm refusal to talk about it. It wasn’t her fault that the first thing that came to mind was the meaning of the lyrics, especially considering the feelings Emma tried to hide. “It’s just for business,” was all she had gotten from her.

Two months had passed since Emma’s confession, and Elsa, sadly, saw no advance in moving the relationship forward from Emma’s side. At least the knowledge of her feelings towards Killian had allowed Elsa to observe them more closely, proving that the connection between them was undeniable. How could all this have gone unnoticed before?

Elsa had to admit that, although she had been suspicious at first, given Emma’s attitude towards Killian since the beginning, that suspicion had been diluted over time; first because of Emma’s denial and then because she had managed to disguise all those affectionate gestures behind the mask of friendship. Now that she knew Emma’s true feelings though, everything seemed so much more obvious.

So here she was, sitting on a stool at The Kraken, not willing to miss a great performance under any circumstances.

While she waited, she glanced around. The bar had its usual appearance, with its naval-style decoration. Even though the room was of considerable size, she always found it cozy, and that was to Liam’s merit, who, as Emma had told her, had taken care of every detail of the decor. At this time of year, moreover, they had included some Christmas motifs, which made the bar even more welcoming.

Her eyes continued their scrutiny across the place to land on Emma. She, as usual, was busy, camera in hand, taking pictures of the crowd. Her friend had chosen a very appropriate outfit for the night. She wore dark blue skinny jeans and knee-high black boots. Her tank top, with an image of one of Bruce’s album covers printed on it, was wound up to her waist. The pants rode just low enough to glimpse the band of her underwear.

Killian, instead, was behind the bar serving drinks. His performance would begin shortly, but, in his own words, keeping his mind occupied in other activities helped him relax before taking the stage. His attire was also the usual, flannel shirt in different shades of blue over a white t-shirt with v-shaped collar and dark blue jeans.

She had a privileged view from her corner of the bar, being able to observe both Emma and Killian as they performed their usual duties. That was how Elsa realized that, while he served drink after drink, his eyes followed every one of Emma’s movements through the room. Elsa tilted her head slightly as she narrowed her eyes, trying to watch Killian’s expression more closely. Maybe…

“Have you already ordered anything to drink, lass?”

Elsa winced in her seat at the sound of Liam’s voice. She had been so intent on watching Killian that she hadn’t even noticed his arrival. She quickly composed herself and gave him a smile as she replied, “Tequila for me, thank you.”

Liam made a gesture of appreciation and set out to pour the drink. “To what do we owe the honor of your presence tonight? I guess you have come to witness the great performance.” He waved his hands in the air as if he were showing a neon sign.

“Of course, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Elsa cocked her head slightly, giving him a questioning look. "By the way, what did you do to convince Emma?”

“Do you doubt my powers of persuasion, lass?” Liam replied as he winked at her. Elsa felt a soft blush warming her cheeks as she averted her gaze to the glass on the counter.

Killian was the master in flirtation, but his brother followed closely. Over the years, she had learned that this flirting was part of their personal charm. It was just an attitude, a kind of harmless game. Even so, she couldn’t prevent her natural shyness from emerging in these situations.

She had a much closer relationship with Killian, due to her friendship with Emma, since he used to visit their apartment quite often. She had always felt more comfortable with the older brother, though, probably because they were both the older siblings who had to take care of the younger ones too soon.

“You should have seen the rehearsals. They sound amazing together.” Her lips curled into a timid smile and then turned her gaze back to Emma. “Speaking of which, it’s time for the great presentation. I’ll be right back.” Liam gave her a warm smile before leaving to search for Killian and Emma.

Elsa grabbed her glass and turned on her stool for a better look. Liam waved at Emma to catch her attention. Then the three of them headed to one side of the stage, Killian already prepared with his guitar. Liam gave him a cheerful pat on his back before taking the stage to present the performance.

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen, a new performance of Saturdays in Concert is about to start, and tonight we’ll have a great surprise at the end! But in the meantime, I ask you all to give a big ovation to my talented brother, a great musician and an even better person. I present to all of you, Killian Jones!”

The crowd broke into applause and cheers to welcome Killian on stage. Elsa didn’t overlook that before he got on, Killian melted into a tight embrace with Emma. Once on stage, Liam placed the microphone in the holder and raised his thumbs before leaving. Emma, meanwhile, stood right in front of the stage, the most appropriate place to take the best photos.

And so the show began, Killian’s melodious voice and the strumming of his guitar wrapping around the whole room. Since he regularly played hits of the 80’s and 90’s, the crowd already knew most of the songs, so they chanted them to the beat of the music.

Elsa also joined the rest and, although she didn’t leave her place next to the bar, she did send out shouts of encouragement and hummed some of the songs. Killian was good, very good; she never got tired of listening to him.

Evidently, Emma thought the same, since she didn’t stop taking photos from below the stage. Elsa also noticed that Killian was constantly looking for her, smiling every time she directed her camera toward him. It was as if he were singing just for her. Could it be possible…

“Enjoying the show, love?”

Elsa gave a start at the unexpected voice of Liam for the second time that night. She turned her head to answer him. “Of course, I’m one of his fans,” she said, raising her voice to make herself heard above the music.

“Another drink? It’s on the house today since you’re a VIP client.”

She couldn’t help but smile while the memory of the first time they met came to her mind. It had been more than three years since that day and Elsa had not yet paid for a single drink, at least if it depended on Liam, who always reminded her of her special status. Elsa, in turn, always feigned her surprise, as if it were the first time.

She had to admit that she liked to share this little tradition with him because that always allowed them to take their game a little further.

“So a VIP client, huh?” She raised an eyebrow suggestively. “I’m not complaining at all if that means I get free drinks.” She accepted the offer, holding up her glass. Liam obliged, of course, grinning at her as he poured her drink. She then turned her gaze back to the stage area.

The idea that had begun to form before being interrupted by Liam flashed back in her head as she checked once more on Killian’s attitude toward Emma.

“I didn’t realize it until now. Does Killian always act like that? As if there was no one else in the room except Emma?” The words came out of her mouth just as Liam set the glass in front of her.

Liam’s smile faltered slightly, giving way to a reserved expression, but she also detected a special gleam in his eyes. What was happening here? When it seemed that he was going to ignore her question, Liam surprised her with an unexpected counterattack. “Just as whenever Killian performs, there’s like a million photos of him.”

Elsa narrowed her eyes, looking suspiciously at Liam. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

“Of course not, lass, I’m just stating something obvious, just like you.”

Her mouth opened, but she thought better of it and decided not to reply, rummaging instead through his words. Was it possible he wanted to say what she suspected? He had practically confirmed her first impression. Before she could think of anything appropriate to say, Liam continued.

“Is there something I should know about my brother?” Liam leaned toward her, invading her personal space, his arms on the counter, as he stared at her. Although his tone was not very high, she could hear his words perfectly, such was his closeness.

“Is there something I should know about my best friend?” she countered, holding his gaze in a challenging way.

Liam cocked his head slightly, keeping the scrutiny on her, the tip of his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth. After a few more seconds, he nodded almost subtly and asked again, changing the wording. “Does Emma have feelings for Killian?”

“Sure, they’re close friends,” Elsa answered tentatively, not sure where this conversation was going.

“You know what I mean.”

All the pieces fit in her head at that moment. She widened her eyes as she looked around. “Wait a minute, that’s why you’ve arranged all this?” Her hand waved to the stage. “To make them sing together?”

“I had to get them out of their comfort zone somehow,” he admitted through a tight smile.

Elsa gasped with excitement. “So it’s true, your brother has feelings for Emma!”

“I guess from your expression that Emma feels the same towards my brother.” His previous reticence disappeared at the moment their secrets were exposed. It was as if he had removed a mask of caution, sporting instead a broad smile as the glow in his eyes grew more pronounced with something similar to hope.

Elsa lifted her glass as a toast and took a sip of her drink. After the brief moment of euphoria, however, she felt as if that initial emotion was dragged down by the liquid as it passed through her throat, and reality began to prevail again. Regardless of Killian’s feelings, Emma was determined not to risk her friendship with him. Her fear of losing him was almost paralyzing.

“You know it’s not going to be enough for them to sing together tonight, right?”

Liam let out a heavy sigh as he ran his hand through his hair. “I am aware of it. They are both so stubborn and their hearts have been broken so badly that I don’t think they’re able to advance the strange relationship they have.”

He paused for a moment as he poured himself a shot of rum. He raised the glass, inviting Elsa to toast with him. After taking the shot, he continued. “But it seems that they’re affected in a certain way when they’re in a different scenario than they’re used to.”

Elsa remembered the night two months ago, when Emma confessed her feelings. “Oh, I’m aware of that. Remember when you gave them the weekend off? That was when Emma confessed.”

Liam’s eyes widened in surprise. "That was when Killian confessed as well.”

“Really?”

“Something happened that night!” they both shouted in unison.

“Really?” Elsa repeated, the corners of her lips drawing up into a wide smile. The night was taking an unexpected turn and she couldn’t be more grateful for it.

Liam arched an eyebrow in appreciation. “It seems that you and I are in sync, lass. We should take advantage of that and do something productive about it.”

Elsa’s cheeks flushed slightly at his words but she ignored any possible hidden meaning and focused instead on Killian and Emma.

“Yeah, I agree with you. We should work as a team. The night they met when they didn’t expect it created tension between them.”

“We could generate more situations like that; put them in scenarios that they don’t expect, push them out of their comfort zones without forcing too much,” Liam continued with her train of thought. His voice sounded excited. Clearly, he was as interested as she was in uniting those two idiots.

Her brain started working immediately, drawing up those possible scenarios. An idea began to emerge, but just as she was about to suggest it to Liam, Emma suddenly appeared.

“Hey, guys, say cheese.” Without further warning, Emma took a few photographs. Then she looked at the camera screen and smiled, clearly satisfied by the result.

“Oh, God, Emma! I hate it when you do that. I always look awful in those improvised pictures,” Elsa grumbled, her lips forming a pout.

"No, you don’t. You two make a nice couple on the screen. Anyway, you have the opportunity to do the same now.” Emma slid the camera strap over her head and handed the device to Elsa. “You’re in charge of taking the pictures of our performance.”

“Is it your turn now? Go up there and show everyone your talent.” Elsa took the camera and hugged her friend while whispering in her ear, “Don’t get nervous, everything will be fine. Let yourself go and enjoy this moment with him.”

Emma gave her a shy smile as she walked away and turned her gaze to Liam. "You’ll reward me for this, you know, right?”

“Of course, lass. Good luck.”

Emma took a deep breath, gave them one last look and then headed toward the stage with determined steps.

Elsa, for her part, hung the camera strap around her neck, preparing for the task entrusted to her. Before walking to the stage, she gave Liam a warm smile, receiving the same in response.

Killian was singing the last chorus of his song as Elsa walked through the crowd. Despite the fact that she had tried to infuse Emma with encouragement, as the moment approached, she was getting more and more nervous. Elsa didn’t doubt that everything would flow smoothly, but after all, this was a new situation for her friend.

When the music ended, everyone around her broke into applause. It seemed like people were enjoying themselves a lot with the performance.

“Thank you very much to everyone!” Killian began to speak. “As my brother announced, tonight we have a surprise as a closing. She is the soul of The Kraken, the person who makes this bar shine, and who brings a bit of sanity to the two Jones brothers. I ask you all for a great round of applause to welcome the talented, beautiful, and lovely Emma Swan!”

The audience began to cheer, accompanying her friend on her way to the stage. She was welcomed by Killian, who gave her a brief hug before offering her one of the microphones and putting himself in place.

Elsa’s heart began to pound in her chest in anticipation of what was about to happen. She grabbed the camera and started taking pictures of everything that happened on the stage, not willing to miss a single detail between them.

As the first notes sounded, the enraptured audience applauded even more, to Elsa’s delight.

Here it comes …

Emma stood in the center of the stage, with Killian on her right. When the time came, she began to sing, her voice clear and tuned, without a hint of nervousness.

Take me now baby here as I am

pull me close, try and understand

desire is hunger is the fire I breathe

love is a banquet on which we feed.

When their two voices joined, magic appeared. They were creating something special, sharing not only lyrics but also their gazes and their smiles. The chemistry between them was evident and increased as the song progressed.

Elsa was impressed by Emma’s capacity to act. She was totally into her role. Killian for his part, despite being totally focused on her, didn’t lose his ability to sing and play his guitar, showing once again his undeniable talent.

She couldn’t stop shooting, the performance passing before her eyes through the viewfinder of the camera as she tried to immortalize those magic moments forever.

At one point in the song, Emma moved even closer to Killian and placed her free hand on his arm, squeezing it gently. They both stared at each other as they sang the last verses. Elsa could almost feel the electricity emanating between them.

With love, we sleep

with doubt the vicious circle

turn and burns

without you I cannot live

forgive, the yearning burning

I believe it’s time, too real to feel

so touch me now, touch me now, touch me now.

After the last strumming of the guitar, the song ended, but they remained in the same position for a few seconds as the audience applauded and shouted around her. They were so close that their foreheads were almost in contact. After a brief moment lost in each other’s eyes, they smiled and melted into a tight embrace, to the enjoyment of the public, who began to applaud with even more enthusiasm.

Finally, they moved away from each other a little, directing their attention to the crowd. They bowed while holding their hands and then raised their arms in gratitude. Their smiles didn’t disappear from their faces. Elsa herself was infected by the enthusiasm around her and raised her fist as she screamed “Bravo!”

“Whoa, this has exceeded my expectations. It’s been amazing.” For the third time that night, Liam’s voice made her jump in surprise. Somehow, he had managed to position himself right behind her and was speaking very closely to make himself heard through the crowd.

Elsa felt an involuntary shiver as she noticed his presence was perhaps too close. But she didn’t have time to appreciate what was happening because at that moment the two singers came down from the stage and approached them.

Despite having finished their performance, Killian was still holding his guitar in one hand while his other hand was intertwined with Emma’s as they walked to meet them. Elsa wasn’t surprised that Killian’s first words came in the form of praise to his partner, his voice dripping with pride. “You were bloody brilliant, love. You’re a natural on stage.”

Elsa and Liam glanced at each other, the expression on his face a mirror of her own, lips pressed together suppressing a grin while remaining silent witnesses of both displays of affection.

Emma blushed slightly at his words, giving him a shy smile while she returned the compliment. “I had a great partner up there.”

When Liam cleared his throat, the spell faded a little. Both realized they were being watched, so their hands parted, although they still kept a special glitter in their eyes. It was then Elsa and Liam’s turn to share hugs, compliments, and congratulations with them.

“I’m gonna put away the guitar.” Before leaving, Killian addressed Emma again, offering his hand to her. “My throat is dry, and I’m bloody thirsty. Come on, love, let’s have some well-deserved drinks.” Emma took his hand, of course, and they both walked away, leaving Liam and Elsa alone again.

Liam took the moment to guide Elsa to a corner of the bar away from his brother and Emma. “That was amazing,” he said, repeating his earlier words.

Elsa glanced behind the bar, where the other two were sharing a few beers. Yes, it had been amazing. It was a shame they didn’t realize the huge potential as a couple they had at all levels. Well, actually Elsa suspected they were aware, but they were too terrified to go one step further in their relationship.

Maybe they need a little push.

“We need a plan.” Elsa turned to look at Liam. “I know Emma. Although today’s been impressive, I know she’s not going to do anything about it, so maybe we should work for them in that regard.”

“Aye, as I said before, we should create similar scenarios to the one experienced today. Obviously, the idea has been a success,” Liam said with barely concealed pride. “So, what do you think could be the next step?”

Her brow furrowed in thought, her brain trying to work out the next step in her plan. “A date.”

“A date,” Liam echoed her words with some reticence.

“I mean, they wouldn’t know it would be a date, of course. We could go to dinner together, but you and I would look for an excuse to disappear at some point.” As the idea began to take shape, Elsa felt more enthusiastic.

“We have dinner together all the time. Besides, don’t you think they would be suspicious?”

“Not if we do it well. It wouldn’t be a normal dinner; we could choose a romantic place using any credible excuse.” Elsa put in her voice all the enthusiasm she felt for the idea. It could work, although Emma would kill her if she found out. But it was worth taking the risk.

Liam crossed his arms over his chest, valuing her idea. After a few seconds, he nodded. “Okay, we have a plan.” He offered his hand and she shook it without hesitation, her lips curling into a warm smile. “But if these two find out, I’ll blame you.”

“Uhm, maybe we should use a code name for our mission. What do you think of Operation HE?”

“HE?” Liam repeated in confusion.

“Operation Happy Ending.”

“It’s a bit cheesy for my liking, but it might work.” The corners of his lips lifted, drawing a grin as he raised an eyebrow. That air of a mischievous boy suited him, definitely, in contrast to his usual responsible adult expression. And had his eyes always been so blue?

Realizing that she was staring, Elsa shook her head to get out of her trance, noticing how her cheeks blushed. Still, she couldn’t help but cast one last sideways glance at Liam. His cheeks were also colored with a soft pink tinge and, unlike her, he kept watching her with his head slightly tilted.

“Great, I’ll arrange everything,” she assured, trusting that her voice wouldn’t shake. Why was she suddenly so nervous? It was Liam, for God’s sake. It wasn’t the first time she had talked to him.

But it’s the first time you have had a private and intimate conversation with him, her inner voice reminded her. She shook those thoughts away and focused on what was truly important, helping her friends.

It was a reality, Operation Happy Ending was underway. She glanced once more at Emma and Killian who still remained in their own bubble. These two didn’t know what was waiting for them, and she couldn’t wait to start carrying it out.

Killian - November 2019

Killian was euphoric. The adrenaline that still ran through his veins caused his entire body to vibrate with excitement as his heart hammered in his chest. His fingers tingled as if they craved to touch the guitar strings again. Instead, he grabbed a beer bottle and offered Emma another one.

“You were bloody brilliant up there, Swan.” He repeated his previous compliment while he couldn’t help looking at her in awe. She instead brought the bottle to her lips, although that didn’t stop Killian from catching the hint of a smile.

He couldn’t delude himself. His level of euphoria was not only due to his performance but to the fact of having shared it with Emma. He also couldn’t deny that what his fingers really craved to touch was her hair, or her face, or really any patch of her creamy skin.

A sudden surge of heat seized him as he forced himself to look away from Emma in order to curb those inappropriate thoughts. His willpower lasted only a few seconds though, his eyes returning inevitably to her.

He was distracted for a moment in the suggestive movement of the muscles in her throat as she drank the liquid, while he wondered how the skin of her neck would taste. His gaze traveled up, meeting her pink lips, a perpetual invitation to be kissed. A temptation. A pleasure he wasn’t allowed to savor. For now.

Although he would never admit it out loud, the truth was that his brother’s makeshift plan had allowed him not only to enjoy Emma’s presence at his side but also to reinforce his feelings towards her. And to reaffirm that he had no plans to give up. There was a mutual feeling dancing around them, he could feel it in all the fibers of his being. He just needed to be patient, prove to Emma that he wasn’t going anywhere and trust that at some point she decided to open her heart again.

He was aware that the adrenaline that was still running through his veins was the one speaking for him, but for once, he allowed himself to act a little bolder. So, without thinking twice, he took a step forward as he reached out and tangled his fingers in a loose strand of her hair before he tucked it behind her ear.

He delighted himself for a few seconds in the silky touch as he watched Emma’s reaction intently. He detected how her breath hitched as she stared at him, her lips slightly parted. Maybe it was only a few seconds, maybe several minutes, he wasn’t sure. What he was sure of was that in the depth of her emerald gaze there was something hidden, a feeling that struggled to emerge. He just had to wait.

He also felt a sense of deja-vu, something that had happened to him on previous occasions whenever he shared some more intimate moments with Emma. But as much as he squeezed his brain, he wasn’t able to identify if that sensation was simply an unreal thought created by his brain or the flash of some forgotten memory trying to emerge.

Sadly, the spell was broken when Emma blinked and looked away, taking a small step back. He heard as she cleared her throat a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. At least she hadn’t run away. That was an advance, wasn’t it?

Something must have caught her attention then as Killian detected how her eyes narrowed, looking somewhere to his left, her head slightly tilted.

“What?” he asked, turning his head to follow the direction of her gaze.

“Aren’t these two a bit too close?” she answered with another question, while her chin pointed somewhere near the bar. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion as he watched more closely until he realized what Emma was talking about; Liam and Elsa were chatting at the other end of the bar.

The truth was that his brother and Elsa were engaged in what seemed like a deep conversation, Liam bent over the counter to be closer to her while Elsa didn’t take her eyes off him.

“They’re just talking, Swan,” he commented as he shrugged, directing his gaze back to her.

Emma differed, of course. “It seems like a conversation that’s too intimate for ‘just talking’. Look at Elsa, she is smiling a little too much for her standards, isn’t she?”

He raised an eyebrow as he gave her a skeptical look before looking back towards the other two to observe them. From his angle, he could barely see Liam’s expression, but he had to admit that his body language was a bit different than usual. It wasn’t the first time that Elsa and Liam talked, obviously, but until now he hadn’t ever witnessed a private conversation between them. He wasn’t even sure that their relationship was close enough to constitute having that type of conversation.

His head turned back to Emma as he studied her features. There was a mixture of confusion, awe and maybe hope in her expression as she continued to stare at the couple.

“I can hear you think, Swan. What are you up to now?”

Her eyes finally turned away from them, looking for his. “When was the last time Liam dated someone? I don’t even remember it.”

He hummed while trying to remember. “He dated that lass a couple of years ago. Tink was her name? What about Elsa?”

Her nose wrinkled in disdain as she let out a scoff. “Don’t you remember Hans? She dated him a year ago. He was an asshole. Luckily, they were together only for a couple of months.”

“Okay, Swan. After this run through the brief sentimental life of our friend and my brother, would you mind telling me exactly what your point is?” He suspected her point, but there was something quite amusing in her expression, so he preferred to keep entertaining himself at her expense; but not before making another statement. “Quite depressing this group of ours and our almost non-existent sentimental life, I must add.”

She rolled her eyes, letting out a snort. “That’s exactly my point. Maybe we can cross out two members of that list. Now that I see them together like that, they may work as a couple, right?”

That possibility had never crossed his mind, but Emma was right. They were quite alike, that was undeniable, both the older and responsible siblings, both with somewhat more reserved personalities, but with huge hearts, willing to sacrifice whatever was in order to protect their loved ones. No doubt his brother deserved everything good that happened to him in life. Elsa could be something remarkably good for him.

Before he could reply, Emma’s eyes widened as her lips moved upward in a conspiratorial smile. “This cannot be the product of a simple casual moment. Something has been forging between these two for a while.” She paused for a moment, her eyes flicking back and forth between the couple and him. “What if… Can you imagine if they’re dating in secret or something?”

“Really Swan?” he scoffed. “Why would they do something like that? Besides, when would they be dating? Liam practically lives at the bar and we’re with him almost all the time.”

Killian pressed his lips together holding back a smirk. Although unexpected, it was quite fun to see her plotting that way. He kept wondering what would have caused that sudden romantic side to emerge in Emma.

“I don’t know, maybe they’d like to be sure of their feelings before confessing.” At that moment her eyes widened even more, as if he had realized something. “Wait a minute! Do you remember two months ago, when Liam gave us the weekend off? What if that was nothing more than an excuse to arrange a secret date?”

She seemed so excited that he almost felt sorry for her, but it was obvious that she was wrong, so he had no choice but to correct her mistake. “Slow down, love. Remember that she went out with you that day and I met Liam at the bar.”

“Oh shit! It’s true! How could I have forgotten?” The disappointment was written all over her face, her lips drawing an adorable pout. Even so, she didn’t seem to give up. “Anyway, they may not be dating. Yet. But I still think they would make a great couple. They may need some help to realize that, though.”

“How?”

She grinned at him, a mischievous spark in her gaze. “Making sure they spend as much time as possible together, of course.”

“Let me see if I understood it correctly. Are you telling me that now we’re going to act as matchmakers, Swan?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, Jones.” She stepped forward, her tongue darting out to lick her lips in a movement too tempting. “So, what do you say? Are you in?” she asked, holding up the bottle of beer.

Killian was tempted to offer some reticence for a little more time, in an attempt to continue delighting with that unexpected game of seduction initiated by Emma.

His brain wasn’t working properly, though. She was so close that he could almost smell her perfume and the way she was looking at him from underneath her lashes was too distracting. Not to mention that she was playfully biting her lower lip, causing a sensation of heat to travel through his veins, his fingers craving to reach for her. She was a siren, one who had come to this world to torture him in the most delicious of ways.

If only she knew that he would accept any plan of hers, as crazy as it might seem… He shook his head, forcing himself to divert his gaze from her lips to her eyes. “Of course I’m in, Swan.” He offered her a wide smile as he raised his bottle, clinking with hers.

The bright smile she gave him before bringing the bottle to her mouth almost made him get rid of any precaution and pull her towards him to finally taste her lips. Instead, he forced himself to take a sip of his beer to suppress his impulses.

He decided to distract himself with the plan he had just agreed to. Maybe his own romantic life was a disaster, but suddenly, the idea of pushing these two together seemed quite a challenge. Not only because that could imply a boost in Liam’s happiness, but because that would also mean that he and Emma were now allies and had a mission to carry out. Together.

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think :)

Next Chapter: We return to Emma’s point of view. Elsa and Liam begin to carry out their plan. We will see if it brings the desired consequences.

#cs ff #csrt #captain swan #damn you for making me love you #cs au #captain swan rewrite a thon #my cs writings #mayquita writes #cs au ff

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