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kazoosandfannypacks · 1 year ago

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Just the Way We Roll by kazoosandfannypacks

Pairing: Captain Swan Rating: General Audiences Word Count: 3K Summary: Killian Jones is just a simple teenager trying to navigate life. But when his brothers try to help him talk to his crush, it doesn't quite go as planned. Author’s notes: [In this fic, Liam II is named William, and Emma and Henry aren't related.] I feel like "Killian as a middle sibling" isn't a dynamic used nearly enough in fics, and decided to play around with "his brothers try to help him flirt and it doesn't go well." Taglist: @zahara @kmomof4 @jonesfandomfanatic @booksteaandtoomuchtv @jrob64 @tiganasummertree @anmylica @teamhook @undercaffinatednightmare @gingerchangeling @lonelyspectator @caught-in-the-filter @ultraluckycatnd @cs-rylie @silver-the-phoenix @pawshapedheart [if you’d like to be added to or removed from this list, hmu in my dms or askbox!] Also on Ao3!

Being an older sibling seemed easy enough. Having people who always look up to you, paving your own path, never living in someone else's shadow- it all comes so easy to the oldest sibling.

Being a younger sibling didn't seem too hard either. Your parents are more lax on the rules, they make less mistakes because they've learned from how they messed up your older siblings, and you've got older siblings to look out for you.

But being a middle sibling was difficult. Keeping an eye out for your younger siblings, living in the shadow of your older siblings- your parents still messing up with you, yet having expectations for you from your older siblings. It was the worst of both worlds- but after ten years of having a younger brother and seventeen of having an older brother, Killian was used to it. He'd gotten used to the fact that William would beg to tag along anywhere he went. He'd gotten used to the fact that Liam would always be around to tease him. He'd gotten used to the hand-me-downs and the handing-down, to needing advice and then giving advice, to being annoyed by his younger brother and annoying his older brother.

But if there's one thing he didn't think he'd ever get used to, it was his brothers' outgoing natures. To William and Liam both, a stranger was just a friend they hadn't met yet, whether it was a kid William met at the McDonald's playplace or a new employee Liam met at the local ice cream stand. Liam's charisma and William's enthusiasm were enough to charm the hearts of any stranger.

Killian, however, was not so gifted at meeting new people. For one thing, he didn't really need to be- Liam's friends had always accepted him as part of the group anyways- and for another, he didn't usually care to. He wasn't a huge fan of talking to people, never knowing what to say, or how to say it, or when- it was easier if he just didn't talk at all. He had plenty of online friends, anyways, from his RPG groups and writing circles, and he'd always been content with just that.

That is, until his older brother dragged him along with him to the local pizza parlor for dinner. Their mom was away for the night (and their dad had been away for much longer,) and Killian had been looking forward to spending an evening in, planning on proofreading a manuscript one of his friends had been begging him to beta.

Unfortunately, Liam had decided they'd have much more fun going out for pizza that night, and William agreed- much to Killian's dismay. So, instead of reading his friend's historical fantasy WIP while listening to his favorite gaming soundtracks, he found himself eating pizza with his brother, in a seat much too close to the nearby jukebox, which was playing "What's New, Pussycat" for what seemed like the twenty-first time.

But he didn't mind it nearly as much as he thought he would. After William had devoured a couple slices of pizza, he'd run off to play at the arcade consoles with a new friend he'd made. Liam then began talking with Killian about some of their friends, and Liam's upcoming victories as captain of the football team, and which of the Spiderman movies was the best adaptation.

But what really made him enjoy his time- or, at the very least, made him stop wishing that he was back home by himself- was when he noticed some girls from school, sitting at a table across the way- one of those girls being the new girl, Emma Swan.

If ever there was a person Killian was scared to talk to, it was Emma Swan. Her golden hair and charming smile were enough to turn loose the butterflies in his stomach- but her confidence, even in her new surroundings, combined with how quickly she'd fallen in with some of the cooler girls- altogether she was too cool for him to even think about talking to her.

Fortunately for Killian, girls like her didn't tend to notice guys like him, so she didn't notice how much he was staring at her from his seat behind the jukebox.

Unfortunately for Killian, big brothers always notice when you're crushing on someone.

"Does she go to our school?" Liam asked.

Killian turned back to Liam, trying to pretend he hadn't been staring at Emma- the last thing he needed was Liam meddling with his fantasy.

"Who?" Killian asked.

"That girl you haven't been able to take your eyes off since she came in."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Killian said, making the mistake of glancing back at Emma and her friends- and seeing her laugh at one of her friend's jokes, which brought a tell-tale smile to his face.

"Killian Jones," Liam said, "you are the worst liar I've ever met."

"Am not!" Killian said.

"You like her," Liam smiled.

"She's just a girl from school," Killian said, "she's new; I barely know her."

"What's stopping you?" Liam asked.

"From getting to know her?" Killian asked, half laughing.

"Just go over there and talk to her," Liam said.

Killian knew Liam was only trying to be supportive, but at the same time, he could've said "just go jump in a pit of razor blades" and Killian would've been more willing to oblige.

"Talk to her?" Killian asked, "me? It's not that easy."

"Why not?" Liam asked, "just go over and say 'hi.'"

"Maybe the captain of the football team can do that," Killian said, but "I don't think I could…."

"Exactly, don't think," Liam said, standing up, "just do it. Thinking's what gets you into trouble."

"What?" Killian asked, his brother already having walked around the table to the jukebox.

"This'll be your song," Liam said, putting a few quarters in the slot, "it'll boost your confidence."

"What song?" Killian asked, getting up to look at the jukebox, knowing there was no point in trying to stop his brother when he had his mind made up.

"Our jam," Liam put a hand on his brother's shoulder, "That's Just The Way We Roll."

"Jonas Brothers?" Killian asked, "You want me to talk to Emma with Jonas Brothers playing in the background?"

"Only thing better than the Joe Bros is the Jones Bros," Liam wiped a dab of sauce off Killian's face, "even if one of them needs a little more confidence."

"I still don't know about this," Killian said.

Their conversation was interrupted by William, who'd apparently exhausted all his arcade quarters.

"Do you have any more quarters?" William asked Liam, "Henry and I ran out."

"Who's Henry?" Killian asked.

"My new friend," William said.

"How'd you like to help your brother make a new friend now?" Liam asked William.

"You?"

"I don't need your help," Liam said, "but there's a pretty girl over there who's caught Killian's eye, and he needs our help to impress her."

"I don't need…"

"Okay!" William said, "what do you need me to do?"

"Just follow my lead," Liam said, "and make Killian look good."

"You got it!" William said.

"I woke up, on the roof, with my brothers," the jukebox played.

"That's your cue," Liam said. He put his hand on Killian's shoulder and pushed him ahead of them, towards Emma and her friends.

"I wonder how much paperwork goes into disowning your older brother," Killian thought, as they got closer to the table and he still didn't know what he was gonna say.

The girls at the table stopped talking and looked up at them, their eyes quizzically fixed on the Jones brothers.

"Hi," Killian said, his stomach in knots and shoulders tense, "I uh, we go to the same school."

"Emma, is it?" Liam reached around his brother to shake Emma's hand, "I'm Liam."

"No need to introduce yourself," one of the other girls, whom Killian recognized from the cheerleading squad, interrupted, "I think we all know the captain of the football team when we see him."

"Anna, right?" Liam asked, "Kristoff's girlfriend?"

"That's me," Anna nudged the girl next to her, "and this is my sister, Elsa."

"A pleasure to meet you both," Liam said, flashing a dazzling smile at Elsa, then turning slightly to Emma, "and have you met my brother, Killian?"

"I've seen you around," Emma smiled a little, not at Killian, "I didn't pick up on the familial connection, I guess."

"Jones is a fairly common last name," Liam said, "and Killian hasn't picked up on nearly as much of the family charisma and charm as I have."

Even if Killian had found his voice, he couldn't've argued with that.

"And I'm William!" William piped in, "I'm their brother!"

"Oh?" Elsa smiled at the child, "are you on the football team too?"

"I don't even go to your school!" William said, "but I go to all of Liam's football games. I'd go to Killian's games too, if he was good at sports."

"What part of 'make Killian look good' does he not understand?" Killian thought, before realizing it was probably the word "Killian."

"Yet another thing that didn't run in the family," Liam smiled.

"Would you guys like to join us?" Anna asked, sliding herself over and pulling her sister along with her, "I'm sure we can make room for you."

"We'd love to," Liam said. He slid into the now-empty space in the booth, next to Elsa.

Killian took a seat in the booth next to Emma, feeling a little too uncomfortable to even look at her.

"This was a bad idea," Killian thought, sitting at the edge of the booth, hoping his cheeks weren't red from either embarrassment, awkwardness, or any more stray pizza sauce.

Whether fortunately or unfortunately, Killian wasn't quite sure yet, but either way, William crawled under the table and popped back up between Emma and Killian, taking a seat between them.

William tugged at Killian's sleeve and motioned for him to lean down. Killian did so, and William cupped his hands around his ear to whisper to him- but when you're ten years old, it's hard to tell the difference between "whispering" and "talking so loud the whole restaurant can hear it." Unfortunately for Killian, William did the latter.

"Is she the girl you can't impress?" William asked, his voice somehow a million times louder than usual, "the one you needed our help with?"

Killian blushed a little, glancing up at Liam and reading his expression, knowing that it was definitely loud enough, at the very least, for the whole table to hear.

"I never said that," Killian scratched the back of his neck, behind his ear.

"Shhhhh!" William reminded him they were supposed to be whispering, "you didn't, Liam did, remember? He said you need more confidence and there's a pretty girl you can't impress without our help."

Killian hid his face in his hand, wondering now how much paperwork went into disowning himself.

Liam pulled a few quarters out of his pocket.

"Why don't you head back to the X-Wing Fighters game?" he asked, handing William the quarters.

"Okay!" William said, "Nice meeting you girls!"

"It was nice meeting you too," Anna said, as William crawled across Killian, adding injury to insult as he left the booth.

Killian looked at Emma out of the corner of his eye, and behind her soda sipping straw was a sympathetic smile.

"Great, just what I need," Killian thought, "she probably feels sorry for me."

Killian hunched his shoulders and looked away from her, intently studying a stain on the table. He then remembered what Liam said about the song playing on the jukebox, and listened closely to the lyrics now playing.

"If we lose, all the girls, they'll be laughing"

"They'll be laughing pretty soon here if I open my big mouth and say something stupid," Killian thought.

He looked up at his brother and took heart, knowing that at least one of the Jones brothers knew how to function in society.

"I don't see how Liam got all the charisma and charm." Killian thought, "I want to go home- or, at least, go sit at the table behind the jukebox like none of this happened. I don't know how to talk to people, let alone girls."

"So, do you ladies come here often?" Liam asked.

"Anna and I do," Elsa said, "our favorite weekend hangout- this is our first time bringing Emma along with us though."

"I just moved in a couple weeks ago," Emma said, "Anna and Elsa've been helping me adjust pretty well though. Our parents have apparently been friends since before any of us were born."

"Glad to see you're, uh, well adjusted so far," Killian said, wondering if that sounded as awkward as he thought it did once he'd said it.

"Thanks, I guess," Emma said.

"Have you stopped by Scoops and Shakes yet?" Liam asked Emma.

"Not yet," Emma said, "Elsa and Anna told me it's the best ice cream place in town though." "A slight understatement," Liam said, "one of the best on the planet. Perhaps my brother and I could you treat you ladies there tonight?"

"Sounds pretty cool," Elsa said.

"That was an ice one," Liam smiled.

Emma groaned and rolled her eyes as Anna and Liam laughed.

"I've got snow problem coming up with them," Elsa said.

"You're quite clever," Liam smiled, then glanced at Killian, a look in his eyes that said he'd forgotten his role as wingman, but was just remembering it.

"Care to join us at Scoops and Shakes after this?" Liam asked Emma.

"I don't know," Emma said.

"I'm sure my brother would be glad for your company," Liam smiled.

Emma looked at Killian, expectantly, and he realized now he'd have to say something to her- something smooth, calculated, charming, cool- like Liam would. He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't come up with anything.

"That's it;" Killian thought, "I'm stopping by the county offices tomorrow and disowning myself. I'll go join Uncle Nemo's shipping company in Maine, never look back."

"No, I, uh," Killian stammered, wondering how to avoid coming on too strong without avoiding coming on at all. "I might be able to uh," he made the mistake of looking at Emma, rendering himself entirely speechless at the sight of her smile.

"You're really pretty," Killian mumbled.

"What was that?" Emma asked, her tone not revealing if she liked what she heard.

Killian covered his tracks- but covered them with the dirt beneath his feet, digging himself into a deep hole.

"I said I need to use the privy!" Killian said, even louder than William had "whispered" to him earlier. He got up from his seat quickly, and ran to the bathroom.

He shut the door of one of the bathroom stalls, not needing to use the bathroom, of course, but needing to step back and think, and wondering if his mom would still write to him if he ran away to Maine.

"Curse that brother of mine," he muttered to himself, "why can't he understand that we're not all like him? I can't be him."

But maybe that was Killian's problem. Maybe he was trying too hard to be like his brother- so much so he was neglecting to be himself.

But if he was really gonna be himself, he'd be in his room right now, by himself, perfectly content to stay that way.

When he left the bathroom, he saw William and his new friend playing at one of the arcade consoles, and figured it was as good an excuse as any to keep stalling.

"How're you doing, kid?" Killian rubbed his little brother's hair. "Putting that Imperial Scum in their place?"

"No!" William said. "We can't seem to get past this TIE Interceptor."

Killian smiled. Taking on a whole fleet of TIEs was easier for him than trying to woo a girl.

"May I?" Killian asked.

William quickly stepped off to the side, and Killian took his place in front of the console. As he'd suspected, he did pretty well taking down the enemy invasion, and soon lost himself in the rush of the game and the cheers of the younger boys.

"I think I got it from here," William smiled, pushing his big brother out of the way, "thanks!" "Man, we never could've gotten this far without your brother!" Henry told him.

Satisfied that he'd at least done something right in the last ten minutes, he turned around, with a smile on his face. He quickly realized, though, that he hadn't noticed another spectator to his game- until he turned around and almost ran into her.

"That's some pretty good shooting there, Red Five," Emma smiled.

"I, uh," Killian took a deep breath, "I didn't peg you for a Star Wars fan."

"Why not?" Emma crossed her arms, "because I'm a girl?" "Of course not," Killian said, "it's just rare to meet someone else who shares my interests, especially someone as cool as you."

"You think I'm cool?" Emma asked.

"Yeah," Killian said, "not many people can claim good looks alongside knowing Luke Skywalker's callsign."

"I think someone else here can," Emma smiled.

Killian blushed a little, his mouth an open smile as he thought of what to say next- not of what his brother would say next, but what he would say next.

"Do you game as well?"

"Sometimes," Emma said, "though I'm not very good at it."

"Have you ever played the Fallen Order games?" "Haven't had the time or motivation yet," Emma said.

"Liam and I have them on the XBox," Killian said, "If you'd ever did have the time or motivation, I'd love to show you."

"Sounds like a date," Emma said.

"Only if you wanted it to be," Killian said, shyly looking down at his shoes.

"Speaking of dates," Emma said, "did you wanna join the others over at Scoops and Shakes? I hear it's the best ice cream on the planet."

"Liam was being facetious when he said that," Killian said, "but it is one of the best on a student's budget." They started to walk away, but he suddenly remembered his little brother.

"William," Killian turned back to his brother, "time to go."

"Go?" William asked, not turning his back on his game, "already? Five more minutes?" Killian rolled his eyes, then mouthed "watch this" to Emma.

"We're getting ice cream," Killian said.

"Finish it for me!" William jumped away from the console as Henry stepped into his place.

"You got it, Gold Leader," Henry said, "may the force be with you!"

"May the force be with you!" William called back, already past Emma and Killian and on his way to the door.

"Shall we?" Killian asked, holding a hand out, gesturing in front of them.

"Yeah," Emma smiled, and, much to his surprise, took Killian's hand in hers.

He blushed, hoping his hand wasn't sweating too much, having never held hands with a girl before.

As they rejoined with the others, Liam nodded at Killian and gave him a discreet thumbs up, to which Killian nodded in return.

Killian looked back over at Emma and smiled a little, realizing that he wouldn't've gotten this close to her if Liam hadn't pushed him, and that maybe, just maybe, he didn't need to disown himself just yet.

#once upon a time #ouat #killian jones #emma swan #liam jones #liam jones ii #captain swan #the brothers jones #fanfiction #ouat fanfiction #ouat ff #kazzy writes #once upon a time season 5 #elsa ouat #anna ouat #frozen jewel #the jonas brothers #kazzy writes cs oneshots

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