#henry is killian's son
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thepirateandhisson · 1 year ago
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i’m obsessed with the fact that henry & killian swordfight regularly on the jolly roger and that it brings killian so much joy that he’s grinning the whole time and he’s so proud when henry (almost) bests him like what an adorable father/son combo
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caliburn-the-sword · 1 year ago
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listen i LOVE killian and this would never be possible because of the utmost respect he holds both towards emma and henry. but how fucking funny would it be if whenever henry did annoying shit killian just hits him with "i'll fuck your mum"
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pirateswhore · 1 year ago
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anyone else absolutely ?? pissed off ? at how Henry treated Killian in "Dark Waters" ??? LIKE
you're telling me that after all their adventures, after 2½ seasons of captain cobra bonding, after Henry AGREED that Emma's happy ending would be a future with Killian, after he went down to the Underworld to rescue him, after all that - Henry doesn't see Killian as family ?? "You're not even part of this family" IM ? SORRY ?? you two were sword (stick) fighting like 3 episodes ago !!
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thepirateandhisson · 2 years ago
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This popped up in my interactions and I looked at my old tags and man, I still really wish we got more scenes with Liam 2 for the purpose of highlighting the father/son connection between Henry and Killian. The climax of this episode really paralleled Liam’s childhood with Henry’s and the impact losing a father could have and the different paths their decisions take them on and I think it’s really neat that, without saying it in this scene, you get the confirmation that Killian is Henry’s father-figure.
This is also me having wanted more Captain Cobra scenes but also, I think having outsiders being the ones to observe and acknowledge that familial connection is a lot of fun too.
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“Hook is, in some way, a father figure - or trying to be a father figure - for him.”  (x)
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chloe-skywalker · 1 year ago
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Threats - Peter Pan
Peter x Fem!Reader
Warnings: nothing really
Word count: 411
Summary: Peter getting angry when someone threatens you infront of him.
Masterlist
Once Upon A Time Masterlist
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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“Peter!” Y/n yells out as she’s grabbed by the Evil Queen with a ball of magic near her face.
“Regina.” MarryMargret worried for the young girl currently being held in Regina's tight hold with a magic ball of purple flames near her face.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Peter growled with narrowed eyes once he turned towards where his lost girl called for him in distress.
“Give us back Henry and I won’t hurt your little lost girl.” Regina bargained.
“Regina, we don't need to threaten anyone.” Emma spoke up telling Regina, looking at the young girl a couple years older than their Henery.
“I agree Lass. Not a good idea. Especially not a good idea to threaten her specifically.” Hook stepped forward gesturing with his hook to the girl in Regina’s grip.
“And why’s that Pirate?” Regina rolled her eyes at all the pleading to let the Y/h/c-ed girl go.
“She’s not just a lost girl. She’s Pan’s lost girl.” Hook stated to the Evil Queen.
“No duh.” Regina scoffed.
“What KIllian means is she is mine. Let go of her. Now.” Peter walks closer getting increasingly more angry every minute Y/n was still being held against her will.
“Or what?” Regina gripped Y/n tighter, testing Pan’s limits and to see if he’s bluffing.
“You’ll regret it.” Peter grumbled with a really dark look on his face. “Don’t forget this is my island and your son’s life is in my hands. What do you think I’ll do if you hurt my Y/n?”
“Regina” MaryMargaret pleads for her to let the girl go, trying to sound more stern. Not wanting to have Peter hurt Henery in any way as retaliation.
“Let her go.” David added with worried eyes for them, Henry, and Y/n. KNowing what Regina is capable of, they were all worried for Y/n.
Regina sighed and loosened her grip on Y/n and the second Peter noticed he grabbed his lost girl and pulled her into him.
“Don’t lay a finger on her again.” Peter practically snarled at the StoryBrooke gang and he checked Y/n over for injuries. Before giving the signal for them all to retreat.
“Thank you.” Y/n turned around to look back at Emma, Hook, David and MaryMargret with an innocent smile.
Peter smiled at her manners, that's his Y/n. And it was entertaining to see their shocked faces at her thanks.
Taglist: @padawancat97
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moonyswritinq · 5 days ago
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black swan — killian jones x male reader
❝ BLACK SWAN ❞
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SYNOPSIS ➢ Killian Jones was no stranger to using his charms in order to woo beautiful women, Emma Swan being no exception. You couldn’t stand the sight of him flirting shamelessly with your sister, purely for brotherly reasons, so you decide to tell him off. What you didn’t know, was that his eye had been drawn to you the moment he saw you.
PAIRING ➢ killian jones x brother!Swan male reader
CONTENT WARNING ➢ season 2 & 3 spoilers, sort of one-sided rivals to lovers, tension, kissing, making out, harsh language, guys flirting, insults as flirting, threats
WORD COUNT ➢ 2.4 k
AUTHORS NOTE ➢ I wrote this because I read another similar fic and, no hate to that author, but I wanted to write it better and so that it would be more to my satisfaction. Also, I am well aware of all the requests I still have yet to do, but I fell into a OUAT hole and now I’m here.
MASTERLIST, TAGLIST
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Killian Jones finding a woman attractive was nothing special. He’s had his fair share of dalliances over the years. Ever since what happened to Milah, Killian was in no hurry to find the so-called “true love” and settle down. His never-ending adventures at sea kept him plenty occupied—and so did his hunt for his Crocodile.
It was no surprise then that the woman named Emma Swan would draw his eye. She was just his type: bold, determined, and a natural leader. His interactions with her in the Enchanted Forest left him intrigued, and his curiosity of her only grew when they returned to Storybrooke and defeated Cora together. He expected his infatuation with Emma to grow the more time he spent with her, but what he was not expecting, was you to catch his eye instead.
The son of Prince Charming and Snow White, brought to a world without magic together with Emma as babies, put into a foster home. Despite all your bad luck as children, your inability in finding a place to call home, at least you managed to stay together. And as Henry brought her back to Storybrooke to break the curse, you followed with. You weren’t a Saviour like her, not by a long shot. But you did have your own skills and abilities, something that came with being a devilishly cunning detective. However much she hated to admit it, Emma would oftentimes turn to you for help in hunting down a bounty. A difficult bounty for her meant an afternoon of idle searching for you.
You never turned down an opportunity to tease her about it and she never hesitated to roll her eyes at you. Nonetheless, you felt incredible protective of her. You may just have been a few minutes older than her, but that didn’t stop you from putting on the big brother act—something she didn’t always appreciate.
Which is why, when you saw a certain pirate unashamedly flirting with her, those brotherly instincts kicked in immediately. You knew Hook was helping your family in getting Henry back from Neverland, providing passage on his ship, the Jolly Roger, and offering his being a guide on the island. But those facts did not give him the right to flirt with your sister.
You had already been at odds with the man when, at your arrival to the island, the ship was attacked by  a school of mermaids. Hook had stumbled in your direction and taken hold of the most stable thing closest to him—which happened to be you. His hand had gripped your waist, his hook coming to your chest as he fell against you. The closeness of his breath stirred something within you, something not entirely uncomfortable. Of course, it was not his fault that the ship veered to the side and that you had been closest to him when he stumbled, but that didn’t stop you from pushing him away from you the moment the ship steadied.
“My apologies,” he said, quite out of breath. His blue eyes were remarkably clear in the moonlight. “I usually offer a drink before getting so close to someone.”
Your glare was your only answer.
“I don’t believe we have been properly introduced.” He extended his hand for you to shake. You looked at it uncertainly.
“I’m Emma’s brother,” you said simply.
His eyebrow raised. “So you must be the infamous town sheriff y/n Swan. I s’pose good looks do run in the family.”
You began to scoff, but then your brain was able to fully comprehend his words. “I never told you my name.”
Hook glanced away, his confident smirk faltering. He cleared his throat. “I may have, er, asked someone for it.”
You shifted your head to meet his eye. “Someone?”
He let out a sigh. “I wanted to know who the handsome man that was traveling with us is, so yeah, I asked around. Really, you should be flattered.”
You scoffed at the grin that flashed across his face and turned on your heel. Like you’d said—shameless flirt.
Later, while searching Neal’s hideout, you watched him flash that same grin when talking to Emma. He stepped much closer, leaning towards her. You couldn’t stomach watching it. And you told yourself it was because she deserved better than a good-for-nothing scoundrel like him. No other reason.
So you watched from afar, leaned against the cave walls, as Hook winked at your sister. Emma glared at him, unimpressed. At least you wouldn’t have to worry about her falling for his charms. She was much too clever for that. You saw her walk away from him, away from the hand that he had reached forward to her and you smiled with grim satisfaction. But before you could step forwards, out of the shadows, David had approached Hook.
“Let me give you a bit of advice, Hook,” he said. “She’s never gonna like you.”
Hooks eyebrows shot into the air. “Is that so?”
“How could she?” David’s voice was laced with venom. “You’re nothing but a pirate.”
He seemed to want to reply, but nothing came out, and David walked away. Hook’s gaze followed him, his hand running down his face.
“He’s right, y’know,” you said, stepping forward.
A low growl slipped from his throat, Hook turning to face you. He looked almost crestfallen. “Can I not get enough of your bloody family?”
It was your turn to raise an eyebrow. “And here I was thinking you’d be glad to see me.”
Hook let out a dry chuckle. “Oh, I am very glad, love.”
“There’s that charm of yours,” you remarked humourlessly.
He smiled cheekily. “Doesn’t seem to be working on your sister, though.”
“Yeah,” you hummed. Step after step brought you closer to the pirate. You watched him closely, noting the way his eyes jumped over your figure. “Speaking of, we need to have a chat.”
He nodded absentmindedly, raising his finger to rub against his lips. The movement drew your eye to them. You knew he had noticed your gaze before you managed to tear it away when his lips curled into a smirk. You rolled your eyes. Goddamned pirate.
“If you’re going to stare at me like that, I’m going to get some mixed signals, love.” His voice was as smug and sweet as honey, only managing in irritating you more.
You were not known to be calm and level-headed. Anyone who was close to you knew to keep away when your anger threatened to burst, like an erupting volcano. Emma had once stolen one of your favourite pencils as a child and you had gotten back at her by spilling ink all over her favourite stuffed animal. But Hook did not know you well enough. He smiled sweetly.
Two steps forward and you were stood right in front of him, pressing against his chest. Rum and leather and sea salt filled your nose. The smell of him was overpowering and intoxicating all at once. You pressed one arm against his throat, pushing him back against the cave wall, the other bracing yourself against it. He grunted at the impact, groaning in displeasure, before meeting your gaze steadily.
“And to what do I owe this pleasure?”
The words growled out of your throat, through your gritted teeth. “Stay away from Emma, got it?”
“You may have gotten the good looks of your family. Not the manners, though,” he said lazily.
You cocked your head. “No, that is more my parents’ style.”
“You do have more of a bite than them,” he said. Then he tilted his head, as if in thought. “Huh, well, aren’t you a dark Swan, love? Or do you prefer Black Swan?”
Your brows knit together but you chose to ignore his words. Instead, you said, “I do agree with David that Emma will never fall for you, so you might as well give up now.”
Hook’s eyebrow raised. “If you’re so sure she won’t fall for me, why even bother threatening me? Surely, my flirting must be harmless.”
Your brows knitted together in suspicion. His eyes were annoyingly blue, piercing straight into yours. “Just leave her alone, Hook.”
“Does it bother you?”
“Does what bother me?” you asked, rolling your eyes.
“My flirting with her.” He leant forward a bit, throat straining against your arm. “Swan, are you jealous?”
You opened your mouth to protest. You? Jealous? Ridiculous. Then you noticed that his lips had curled into a cheeky smirk. “No,” you bit out.
Hook blinked, raising an eyebrow. “You sure?”
“Yes.”
“Heard you were quite the detective out in the Land of No Magic.”
Your head cocked to the side. “Yeah, so?”
He simply hummed, head falling back against the stone walls. His eyes traveled across your figure before jumping up to meet your gaze through his lidded eyes, something unintelligible in those swirls of blue. You ignored the warmth that pooled in your stomach at the sight of him like that.
“I will leave her alone,” he said calmly. “You have my word.”
You tried to detect the mischievous thoughts that were surely lying behind his eyes, but came up empty. You had no idea if he was telling the truth or not, but you let him go and stepped back in one swift moment. He cleared his throat, rubbing one hand across his collarbone.
“Fine,” you said, glancing away from his steely gaze. You weren’t sure what to do with yourself then, and you cleared your throat uncomfortably.
“Shall we?” Hook asked, gesturing to where the others had gone.
“Yeah,” you said simply, walking past him briskly.
You didn’t know what had suddenly overcome you or why you were now so uncomfortable in Hook’s presence. For the rest of that day, every time you glanced in his direction to make sure he was heeding your words of staying away from Emma—to which he did—you felt as if your nerves were standing on end. And on occasion, when he happened to be glancing your way as well and your eyes met, you felt shivers travel down your body, forcing you to break his eye contact. You thought you could see a smirk playing across his lips in those moments, but you chose to ignore him.
That same evening, you had found out David and Hook been ambushed by the Lost Boys. Apparently, Captain Hook had risked his life saving David from a poisonous arrow with Nightshade on it. You almost wanted to laugh at the idea of Hook doing something so heroic, but at the sight of David’s serious face you merely took a swig of the offered flask, like the others. You caught his eye right before he turned and stepped away from the others. You followed him behind a tree.
“I heard what you did for David,” you said. He stopped and turned to face you. “Thank you, Killian.”
His smile didn’t seem to reach his eyes. “I wouldn’t leave your father to perish on this island.”
You nodded, glancing away for a moment before meeting his eye. “I must ask, did you do it to get in my sister’s good graces?”
“I thought you weren’t jealous.” His eyebrow raised.
“Answer the question,” you bit out.
His smile dropped as he met your gaze. “No, I didn’t do it for her. I did it for you. And because it was the right thing to do.”
You couldn’t help the scoff that escaped you. “So now you’re all righteous, huh?”
Hook cocked his head. “I’ve always been chivalrous,” he said. “And, well, it doesn’t take a genius to know that getting your father killed would not help my courting you.”
You chose to ignore those last few words, your smile holding no warmth. “You’re right. You are no genius,” you said.
 “This doesn’t sound like a thank you,” Hook remarked, raising his eyebrows.
You let out a sigh, looking down at the ground beneath your feet. “I’m sorry.”
He scratched the nape of his neck. “Perhaps you could show me some gratitude to make it up to me.”
His gaze was dark underneath his eyelashes, his lips curling into a smirk. You thought you knew what he was implying. You wouldn’t let him get off that easily, though.
“Uh, yeah,” you said, the corners of your mouth lifting. “That was what the ’thank you’ was for.”
“Mmm,” Hook hummed. He took a step closer, so close now you could count his eyelashes. “Is that all your father’s life is worth to you?”
You rolled your eyes. “Please, you couldn’t handle it.”
“Perhaps,” he whispered, face leaning much closer to you. You could feel his breath against your skin. “It’s you who couldn’t handle it.”
Your eyes jumped between his, then to his lips. Those damned lips, curled into that damned smile. Oh Gods, why did you have to be attractive to a pirate. Without leaving any time for you to think your actions through, you took ahold of his jacket and pulled his face towards yours.
Hook let out a surprised gasp, which you swallowed into the kiss. He dragged himself closer, hand clinging to your waist. You felt his chest press hard against you as his lips moved against yours. It was harsh, quick, and angry—just like your feelings for him.
The warmth in your stomach deepened as you pressed yourself impossibly closer to him. One hand made its way into his dark hair, pulling lightly against it. He let out a deep moan at the movement, his eyes shooting open and lips pulling away for a moment.
You smiled at the sight of him, red-lipped, cheeks flushed and eyes full of desire. “Too harsh for you, captain?”
He groaned at your words, capturing your lips once more. His hook was pressing your waist against his as his hand grabbed your neck, bringing you into him. He was truly and well intoxicating.
Hook pulled away again, breath coming out in short bursts. “So I’m not good enough for your sister, but I’m good enough for you.”
You cocked your head and shrugged. “I’m not as good as she is.”
He smiled into the kiss when you pulled him closer again. His teeth captured your bottom lip lightly, but the feeling made a smile of your own erupt across your face.
“I don’t know,” Hook said. “I think you’re pretty good.”
“Killian.”
“My name has never sounded sweeter.”
“Shut up.” You rolled your eyes, smile still playing across your lips.
“With pleasure,” he murmured while pulling you close again.
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Tag list: @a-gay-dumbass @eunxhan @loverclear @shobolanya @edit-me-prettyplease @bookholichany @scriblezz
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donteattheappleshook · 21 days ago
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Not Broken at All Chapter 18/?
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Summary:
A season 1 Neverland AU. Emma is still trying to adjust to her new life as Sheriff of Storybrooke and mom to Henry, who still believes everyone in town is a fairytale creature. When she finds a badly beaten, one handed man while patrolling, she’s convinced he’s crazy. He is, after all, rambling about fairies and shadows and crocodiles. But when Henry is suddenly taken out the window of a house everyone believes is haunted, the madman in the hospital might be her only hope of getting her son back. Whether he likes it or not.
Rated E
Catch up on Ao3 (where my italics work) or on Tumblr 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Oh hey! What's up everyone?
I know it's been a while (shocking) but it's Solstice today and the muse decided something needed to be posted for this fic in honour of the fairy orgies XD
This was written super fast and not really re-read because it's already 10pm so I'll probably edit it later but I'm giving it to you all now.
Happy Solstice and I hope you enjoy this chapter! <3
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Part 18
“Doesn’t look so bad,” Will shrugs when they stand outside the mouth of the cave the next morning. Emma and Wendy roll their eyes at the same time. It does look that bad. For a place called Echo Cave she’d had expected something bigger, something louder. But all she can see as they approach is a narrow tunnel in the rockface, no sound escaping from within. So she jumps when Tiger Lily’s voice suddenly comes from within. 
“You’re late.”
“Apologies,” Killian nods. “The forest has changed a fair bit since I last made the journey - it took us longer than anticipated to find the path.” 
“You have a habit of doing that,” Tiger Lily scoffs. “Misinterpreting time.” 
The reply is so quick, and Killian’s sigh so exhausted, that Emma has to hold back a snort of laughter.
“We came as fast as we could.”
“Come then, let’s not delay any further. The others have gathered.” 
“Who are the others?” Emma asks Hook quietly as they follow.
“The eldest of those who were here before Pan. They were barely more than children when it happened, but They have some memory of how things were.” 
“I thought you said they’d forgotten all their magic.” 
“We did not forget,” Tiger Lily snaps from the entrance. Emma watches as the faint, gold dusting of magic that covers their skin, the only light in the otherwise pitch black cave shimmers and slides over their arm, cascading like water down through their fingers  that they trail along the  rocky wall, leaving flecks of sparking, gold dust in their wake.  “It was taken from us. Through slaughter and cruelty. When the children who were left behind grew enough to become a threat to Pan, we were forced to lock away what little we remembered or meet the same fate.” 
Every time she thinks it can’t get worse, it does. The massacre of Tiger Lily’s people and the destruction of their history, the torture and killing of the Lorelei, the horror of the murder of those boys on the beach. There’s no end it seems to Pan’s cruelty, to his thirst for blood. 
Emma reaches for the shimmering of light that remains along the wall, glittering and moving with the flow of the rough surface. It glows brighter beneath her touch and something swells from deep within her, rushing to meet it, warm and electrifying, before she yanks her hand back and stumbles the rest of the way though. 
The walk is long, this cave buried deep in darkness and stardust. She’s not sure she even hears it at first, a small whisper of a voice from far away, the words too quiet to make out, but repeating. As they continue along and a dim light starts to appear in the distance, they grow louder. It’s a child’s voice, rolling against the walls of the cave - wish I’d never come here… just want to go home. Just want to go home. Just want to go home….
She feels Killian’s hand on the small of her back and realizes she’s stopped walking. “It’s alright, love. It’s just an echo. The last secret that was shared here.” She still hesitates, not wanting to get any closer to the haunting voice. “Whoever they were, they’re not here anymore.”
“His name was Ruffio,” Will says, nearly as quiet as the first echo. “He’s been gone a long time.” He only meets her eye for a moment before clearing his throat and continuing as though he hadn’t said anything. She can’t blame him. She knows by now that nobody in Neverland ever goes home. “Come on - we’ve got secrets to spill.” 
The light ahead grows until finally they emerge into a massive cavern. The stone that surrounds them black onyx - gleaming faintly against the dust that covers the ceiling like a galaxy above them. The space feels boundless, endless like the darkness could go on forever and she’s reminded of their flight here, of the endless sea of stars they’d sailed in on. 
There are four people standing in the center of the chamber on a platform of the same black onyx, all of them with the same sharp, androgynous features as Tiger Lily, all with the same loose-fitting clothes and cropped hair, and all with that same shimmer of living magic glowing faintly in the dark. Tink stands with them, waiting. None of them are any older in appearance than herself, but she knows better by now than to judge age or power by appearance on this island. 
The Constant. 
They follow the rest of the way to the narrow, stone bridge that connects the ledge to the platform on which the others stand. When Emma takes a step to follow Tiger Lily onto the bridge, Killian puts an arm out, halting her in her tracks. Emma watches, heart in her throat as the bridge crumbles after Tiger Lily, stone falling away behind every step until they reach the end and there’s no bridge at all. 
“The Constant keep no secrets,” Killian explains. “The cave can’t compel anything from them. We, on the other hand…” 
“Of course they don’t.” No wonder they wanted to use this place. Easy to make others share their deepest darkest secrets when you’ve got none of your own to divulge and nothing to risk. “What about Tink?” she asks, nodding at the fifth person standing with the Constant.
“The fey have wings.” 
Right. “So how does this work?” 
“From what I remember, you step out onto the edge and call out your secret. If it’s truly your darkest, the cave will echo it back to you.”
“And then we get across?” 
“Aye, easy as that,” Killian attempts a smile, but it comes out as a wince. “I’ll go,” he offers though he looks like he’s dreading this as much as she is. She’s just thankful she doesn’t have to start.  He lets out another sigh, bracing himself and then, “I kissed Emma.” 
Fuck. Her heart drops into her stomach. He’s been a pirate for two hundred years - How the hell can his darkest secret have anything to do with her?
Will smirks. “Kissed? Is that what they’re calling it these days? And I think you’re forgetting that we were all there when she jumped you at Solstice.” His smirk deepens. “And when Emma came back all wet.” If Emma could reach him she’d smack him. 
“I literally walked in on you,” Wendy deadpans.
“I’m not talking about Solstice,” he sighs, not rising to the bait. “It was…” She knows when it was. We’ll keep each other safe, they’d promised. She doesn’t need everyone else to know though. Not when she’s not even sure what any of it meant or what it means now. “It doesn’t matter,” Killian shakes his head. “It was what the kiss - what all of it - exposed.” Fuck. fuck. fuck. fuck. “My secret is… I never believed that I’d be capable of letting go of my first love, of my Milah.” He breathes her name like a prayer and a wound. “To believe that I could find someone else.” His eyes lift to hers and it’s only by sheer force of will that she’s able to stop herself from taking a step back, from running away from the way he’s looking at her. Because she needs to hear this. They all do. If she wants to get across this fucking bridge, if she wants to talk to the fucking Constant, if she wants to get her son back - she needs to hear this secret as much as he needs to tell it. “That is, until I met you.”
She doesn’t know what to say or if she’s supposed to say something, can’t bring herself to look at Wendy or Will or look away from his eyes still burning into hers. And then before she even can do anything, Killian’s voice echoes through the cave, ‘until I met you’ called back to them like a ghost. A rumble follows as a section of the fallen bridge rises back from the depths below them, rock by rock, rebuilding itself. 
Killian lets out a humourless laugh. “So, who’d like to go next?” 
“I will.” Wendy stands with her shoulders straight, like she’s ready for a fight rather than a confession. Emma gets a sinking feeling in her stomach from the way she’s making herself look at Killian, with shame and guilt. He doesn’t look surprised - he looks like he expected this to hurt. “Sometimes… Sometimes I wish you’d never found me. Sometimes I wish you had just kept on walking that day when Pan left me to die.” She winces. “I’ll always be grateful to you for saving my life, for taking me in but…” 
Killian nods when she hesitates, her eyes damp with unshed tears. “Go on, it’s alright.”  
“You trapped me here, Hook. You’re the reason I have to live in this neverending nightmare. Forever. You knew what that water would do to me and I know you couldn’t ask but… you didn’t give me a choice. And I think that if I had one now - if I could have had a say in the next hundred years of my life… I’d rather you’d just let me die because this -” she gestures at herself, at everything around them.  “It’s worse than death. And because of you I’ll never leave.” She lets out a bitter laugh. “I can’t even die if I want to. Not unless Pan decides that’s what he wants. You forced this life on me, Killian, you cursed me to live because it made you feel better and I don’t… I’ll never forgive you for that.” 
Tears stain her cheeks now, jaw tight as she refuses to let any more follow and Emma can see the heartbreak on Killian’s face. “Wendy…” but she shakes her head and he stops the step he’d taken towards her. 
“I’m sorry,” she chokes and he shakes his head this time. Her secret echoes around them like a taunt this time - ‘never forgive you for that’ - and another piece of the bridge rebuilds itself. The silence hangs between them, louder than any echo, until Will steps up. 
“I suppose I should go next - while we’re on the topic of never being forgiven.” He takes his own steadying breath. “I’m dying.” 
Wendy’s face falls. “... what?” It comes out cracked and small and frightened. “What do you mean you’re dying?”
The look Will gives her - there’s so much guilt there, so much pain and self-loathing and love. Emma may not know much about it but she can recognize it now in his eyes, in the way he looks at Wendy. “I lied when I told you I didn’t know what Pan did to my heart. I’ve seen him do it before.”
“One hundred years…”
Will nods, a self-deprecating smile falling flat. “I really hoped that I could keep it from you for a little longer. Neverland will slow it down but… he squeezed a hundred years from my heart. I’ll start aging faster - a lot faster - and pretty soon…”
“How long?” He hesitates a beat longer than Emma can handle - and Wendy… gods, she can’t imagine. “How long?”
“I’ll be dead in a few months - three, maybe four depending on how long I would have lived if I’d aged like a normal person but - I’m so sorry, Wen. I didn’t want to tell you, I -”
Whatever he was going to say and whatever she might have answered  is stolen by the cave calling back to them in Will’s voice, ‘dead in a few months’. Nobody looks as the bridge puts itself back together, all of them too focused on the cruel revelation. He did it for her, Emma realises, for all of them but… he’s dying because of her. Wendy’s losing him because of her. Even Killian looks solemn at the news. 
“Your turn, Emma,” Will chokes out with the palest attempt at levity she’s seen him manage since she met him. “Wouldn’t want to be left out of all the fun, would you?”
She looks out towards the chasm between them and the Constant. She doesn’t even know what she expected to confess, or what she’d hear confessed by those with her, and now, with the truth of Will’s fate hanging in the air, nothing feels like it matters in the grand scheme of things. 
What even is her deepest secret? That she gave up Henry? That she had her heart broken by a selfish man who used her and then left her? That she spent a year of her life in jail? That she’s spent her whole life searching for the parents who left her behind? That between Neal and her parents she doesn’t think she could ever trust someone again - could ever let herself love someone again, or let them love her… That she might be anyway? None of it feels like enough; none of it even feels like a secret anymore, not since Henry found her and brought her to Storybrooke. 
And then, like bile and sick, she feels something being forced up from her throat, words clawing their way to the surface and past her lips of their own volition. She can’t stop them. She doesn’t even know what she’s going to say until they come spilling out. 
“I wish Henry had never come to find me. I wish he’d never brought me to Storybrooke.” The confession leaves her gasping, tears in her eyes as though she had been sick. She wants to be, hearing such a horrible truth being spoken out loud. Killian looks at her with sympathy, but she turns away from it. And once it’s started, she can’t stop it. “I never wanted to be a mother. I gave him away because I knew he’d be better off without me - but also because I knew I’d be better off without him. He’s a beautiful, amazing kid and I love him more than anything… but I never asked for this. Every day since he showed up at my door I’ve been terrified - every minute of every day. Those few minutes in the Fae forest when I couldn’t remember him were the most peaceful I’ve felt in months and when it all came flooding back it just reminded me of how much simpler my life was before I had to be anything to anyone. I don’t want to lose him. But I never wanted to find him either.” 
The bridge rebuilds itself, completing the path across as the worst thing she’s ever said, ‘never wanted to find him’,  is echoed back to her cruelly. She feels drained, numb, and she wonders if the others are feeling this horrible emptiness too. She looks out at where the Constant wait. If this is their idea of having them prove their allegiance, they better be ready to give theirs in return.
“Come on, Swan,” Killian tells her, leading her across the bridge. None of them say a word, Will and Killian both casting glances at Wendy who won’t look up from her feet, and the silence follows them the whole way across. 
“That sounded rough,” Tink comments when they reach the platform, the five Constant talking in harsh whispers in a language she doesn’t recognize. 
“How lucky of you to have missed it then,” Will snips. He must be feeling worse than Emma realized.
There’s an argument starting, still in that foreign language, but she can tell just the same. Every few words there’s a glimpse of something that feels familiar, a syllable from another language she’s heard, a word that could be French or Spanish, a glimpse of English, not one language but many - like every language spoken at once.
“This meeting has been a topic of some controversy,” Killian whispers. “But I think Tiger Lily might be on our side.” 
“You can understand them?” 
He shrugs. “One picks up a few things after two centuries.”
There’s a small scoff from Tink. “Yeah, all that pillow talk was really educational.”
Killian ignores the quip. “They’re the keepers of the last of the forgotten history of the old Neverland.” He nods at each as he names them. “That’s Philodendron, Halcyon, Alder, Jacaranda, and you know Tiger Lily.
“Tiger Lily is one of them?” 
“Tiger Lily was the oldest Constant to survive the massacre. They were just shy of a century when Pan took over.”
“A century?”
“The Constant are eternal, love. A century is nothing.” 
The Constant have gone silent, a tense, begrudging conclusion to their argument that Emma can feel even if she doesn’t know the words. 
Finally, Tiger Lily speaks. “Tinkerbell tells us you wish to unearth the secrets of the island - secrets that were buried to keep us safe.”
“Secrets that could return the island to the way it once was if you ally with us against Pan,” Killian counters. 
“If our knowledge could have defeated the boy,” Alder interjects, “we would have done so a millenia ago when he first laid waste to this island.” 
“Maybe your knowledge alone couldn’t defeat him, but we have the Lorelei on our side, and the fae,” Wendy adds, gesturing at Tink. 
Alder scoffs. “You have one fairy. One who’s been without magic for almost five hundred years, who’s magic was corrupted by the very demon you seek to destroy. Our magic was born from the innocence and dreams of children, the purest light magic there is, and even it was snuffed out by Pan’s darkness. What chance have you with a weakened fairy and the duplicitous sirens?” 
“We have more than that,” Tink interjects, bitterness and insult obvious in the bite of her words. “We have her.” It takes Emma a moment to realize that she’s the one being gestured at and now every set of eyes is on her. 
“Me?” 
“Her?” Wendy frowns. 
“You can’t honestly tell me you haven’t noticed. She practically reeks of magic. It’s spilling out of every pore. I clocked it as soon as she got here.” 
“I don’t have magic.” The Constant continue to stare, questioning, doubting. “I don’t. Don’t you think if I did I’d have used it by now to get Henry back?” 
“Not if you weren’t aware of it, love,” Killian offers gently.
“Okay but I’m not some fairytale character; I’m from Boston - the land without magic. I don’t have any power.” 
“Oh for…” Tink swears under her breath, crossing the room and grabbing Emma’s wrist. Faster than she can stop her, the fairy pulls a small blade from the complicated twist of pins and leather that keeps her mass of blonde hair piled on top of her head, ivory handle embellished with gold runes, and slashes it across Emma’s palm. 
“Ow! What the hell!” Emma shouts, yanking her hand away. That fucking hurt. Tinkerbelle doesn’t resist, the rest of their small crew moving to intervene, but all at once, they freeze. Emma follows their gazes to her hand, clutched tightly in a fist to her chest and her breath catches. There’s light seeping through the cracks in her fingers, golden and swirling like smoke, shimmering like the magic that flows over the Constant’s skin. 
Jacaranda reaches a hand out to her, palm upturned in a request and Emma looks to the others before carefully placing her hand in theirs. Carefully, the Constant unfurls her fingers, examining the light that shines from her wound with a careful touch. Their eyes go wide. “This is our magic,” they say, voice soft and tinged with awe. “Ours and… something else.” 
“May I?” Philodendron asks, extending their own hand. Emma nods, even as the urge to refuse shouts at her. You don’t have magic. You’re not magic. You’re a goddamn bail bonds person from Boston, not a fairytale character. Philodendron looks at her after taking a moment to examine the wound themselves. “This is light magic,” they confirm. “It’s raw and untapped but powerful, more powerful than anything I’ve seen since before Pan’s time.” They twist her hand a bit, trying to look closer, to read something in whatever they see that Emma can’t. “But this isn’t born of belief and dreams as ours is, it's the product of something else… of -”
“True love,” Emma breathes out, so low she doesn’t mean for anyone to hear it. Henry had said that hadn’t he? That she was supposed to be the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, that she was supposed to be the Saviour. 
“Yes, that’s it,” Philodendron nods slowly. “You were right, Tinkerbelle. This is more powerful magic than we anticipated.” 
“Can you use it?” Emma asks, still not believing it really, but if it means they’ll help her get her kid back, she doesn’t care what she has to do. 
“That depends,” Halcyon takes a step forward. “Can you wield it?” 
“No, I…” she doesn’t even know how this is possible. 
“I can.” They all turn to Tink, Emma cradling her hand to her chest once more. “If you tell me what we need to do, I can guide her. But you’ll have to let me.” The last bit is directed at her and she hesitates… Tink hasn’t exactly made a secret of the fact that she’s not a fan of hers, and she just slashed her damn hand open… Trust already isn’t her strong suit to begin with. “I’m not going to steal it,” Tink snaps and looks genuinely offended and Emma remembers that she knows what it is to have her power taken from her. 
“I know you won’t. I just… what if it doesn’t work?” How powerful could this magic be? She’s not anything special, she never has been. Why would this be any different? 
“Then I guess you don’t get your kid back.” 
“Tink,” Killian warns but Emma can’t help but appreciate the fairy’s bluntness. 
“What do we need to do?” 
“This cavern, ” TigerLily starts, taking a knee and placing a hand reverently on the stone, “used to be a sacred place. It held all of the secrets of Neverland, and the dreams of children who visited - the purest and most honest of truths of all - fueled the island as it did our magic. This was its source - the source of everything. 
“But then Pan tainted this cave with his twisted version of secrets as power, as something to be wielded, and forced us to sacrifice the last of the light magic that still breathed life into Neverland, the cavern shielded itself from his darkness. Now it echoes truths rather than accept ones taken maliciously. This place… has seen nothing but darkness for centuries. It has not been sleeping, but fighting, the last of the resistance against Pan right under his nose, keeping the darkness at bay and it has hardened. We need to remind it what the light looks like.” 
“It can have mine. Whatever this is. If it can help and if this place can defeat Pan it can have all of it.” 
Tiger Lily smiles kindly. “Not all of it. It would never snuff out your light. But even the slightest kindling can spark an inferno and with it you can breathe magic back into the island.” 
“How?” 
They nod to Tink who retrieves her knife again, slashing her own palm this time, the light that glows from her wound a shimmering green, and holds her hand out to Emma. Heat burns across her skin when she takes Tink’s offered hand, the light between them growing, shining and mixing. Tink places her other hand on Tiger Lily’s shoulder and the Constant flattens both their palms against the stone beneath them. After a moment, they look to Emma and she knows she’s doing it wrong. She’s not doing anything but she’s doing it wrong. 
“I’m sorry.”
Tiger Lily shakes their head, their smile not malicious, but understanding. 
“I have met so many lost boys and girls on this island. So many broken, hardened children lead here by fear and hurt and neglect, so afraid to trust, to love, to admit or even accept what they want, what they desire more than anything - what has been robbed of them. This place is born of dreams and truths and you, dear Swan, strong Swan, brave Swan… frightened Swan, have locked yourself away from both.” 
“But I already told this place my darkest secret.” But she doesn’t need Tiger Lily to tell her - this place echoes darkness, resists darkness. That secret was Pan’s magic - not Neverland’s. 
“What do you dream of, Emma? What truths do you keep from yourself?” Emma opens her mouth to speak but Tiger Lily holds up a hand. “Do not tell them to me. Tell them to the lost girl. Unburden her.” 
What does she dream of? Things she can’t have, things she’s never had, things that were taken away. She wants to find her parents, that’s no secret though, she’s always known that. She wants them to have never given her up in the first place. She wanted a family, the one she could have had with Henry and Neal if he hadn’t turned out to be the vile person he was, the life that she’d had just a glimpse of after one missed period, before everything went to shit. She doesn’t want that anymore. She hasn’t let herself want any of it since then, not love, not family, not hope… 
Her skin begins to warm, something flaring beneath the surface. Liar. She doesn’t know if it’s the cave or herself or her magic but it echoes through her like her secret against the walls. Tiger Lily accused her of locking herself away from her dreams, from her truths, but can they even still be truths if they’ve been silenced and stomped down for decades? 
She thinks of the lost girl she was, abandoned, a runaway on the street, burning the last of her childhood, of stupid fairytales and stories to keep warm in a world that was only ever cold. What had that girl wanted? Powerless, lost, alone. That girl who felt like nothing, who meant nothing to anyone, who had never mattered and never would, who had only herself to take care of her. She wanted to matter - to someone, to herself, she wanted people to matter to her, to be able to let them. She didn’t want to be alone anymore. Even as she pushed away every foster parent, every friend, every lover as she grew older, she didn’t want - she doesn’t want - to have to do it alone. 
That’s what she dreams of, what she refuses to admit that she dreams of. That for all of her rightly earned distrust of everyone, for all of her caution and her fear of abandonment, of love and hope, she wants to be able to let them in, let them matter. She wants to believe that she could have that happily ever after that she’s scorned all her life. 
Images flash in her mind as the heat builds, her body tingling, a faint glimmer of light shining against her shut eyelids. Henry smiling in her doorway in Boston, Mary Margaret offering her a home, Killian bringing her to Neverland, Wendy helping her hide from Pan, Will sacrificing himself for her, Killian nearly sacrificing Milah’s name - sacrificing his memories, all of them banding together to help her save her kid, even Tink now, helping her to wield magic she doesn’t understand. 
She’s not alone. She’s not in this alone. For the first time in her life she has people she can count on. People she can trust. She thinks of the smile Henry gave her when she let him know she wasn’t going to leave Storybrooke even though she could, of Mary Margaret’s pep talks, of shared hot chocolate and drinks and advice in their apartment, of Killian in that dank brig after one of the worst hours of her life - perhaps I would - of his words whispered in the quiet darkness of his cabin - I’m here. You don’t have to ask - of his confession echoing around them - until I met you. She does matter to people. She’s not nothing. She was never nothing. She matters and she has people who matter to her. 
Her whole body alights, the blood in her veins not blood anymore but something else, something powerful and she can feel it surging beneath her skin, pulled by a force as it rushes through her and towards that opening in her palm. The white of her light overtakes the green and Tink’s body jerks like the surge of magic is as jarring to her as it is for Emma. Tiger Lily gasps, the ground beneath them starting to glow, tendrils of golden light snaking towards them across the stone like rivulets. Their body starts to shimmer, the dusting of gold shining brighter until their skin is swallowed by it completely. 
Emma can feel sweat beading on her skin, the salt mixing with the tears she hadn’t realized she’d been crying. She doesn’t know how much longer she can keep this up, the power coursing through her overwhelming. Tink’s hand is shaking in hers, both their palms damp and slippery and white knuckled and she can’t imagine how much more effort the fairy is putting in as the one actually channeling all of this. 
“There’s so much,” Tiger Lily says in awe. “We’ve forgotten so much.” Their eyes are glowing with the same gold that covers their skin, their mouth pulling into a smile even as tears roll down their cheeks. 
“I can’t -” Tink starts, but doesn’t let Emma release her hand when she tries to stop.
There’s another moment, the light engulfing the Constant almost completely, so bright Emma has to look away, before finally, suddenly, it stops. The three of them slump against the ground with a gasp of exhaustion. Emma doesn’t even turn when she feels hands on her shoulders, helping her to sit up, she knows it’s him. Wendy is at Tink’s side helping to support her as well as the Constant circle around Tiger Lily, all of them holding one another in a moment that feels beautiful and private as joy and heartbreak play over their faces. 
“Can you. Stop him?” Tink pants out. 
“I… I think so. There’s just - there’s so much. I need time to sort through it all.” 
“We don’t. Have. Time.”
“All of the secrets of Neverland, millennia’s worth, have just been poured into my mind. It will take me more than a few minutes to understand it all and find what will help us.” 
“How much time?” Emma asks. Henry’s already been here too long - too long without knowing that she’s here, that she’s coming for him. 
“I don’t… give me a few nights at least. Come back in three days. That should give me time to make sense of what is needed at least.” Their eyes are far away, like they’re not seeing the cavern around them but something far bigger and far more extraordinary.  
Emma nods. “Three days?” 
“Three days. And then we’ll rid this island of its false king forever.”
***********
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jackiestarsister · 1 year ago
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Also significant: the fact that he says it in front of the Evil Queen, who considers Henry her son!
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Rumpelstiltskin, who hates Captain Hook with a passion and still blames him for Milah dying, whose son is Baelfire aka Neal Cassidy who is the biological father of Henry Mills....
...saying this about Killian Jones and Henry.
We love to see it.
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mysticalarmand · 5 months ago
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Swanqueen is such an interesting ship
They got divorced before getting married
They got a child together without co-parenting
They shared custody of said child
They understand each other perfectly well
Canon fact that Emma knows when Regina is lying or not
Canon fact that Emma and Regina calls Henry "our son"
FUCK ROBIN HOOD AND KILLIAN JONES, LET THE LESBIAN AND BISEXUAL BE TOGETHER!!!
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jessmalia · 1 year ago
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You don’t have a show without Henry Mills. Emma might be the main character, but Henry is the heart of the show (he has the heart of the truest believer!!! it’s right there!!!). Every single character is irrevocably tied to him. He changed everyone’s lives and gave them the opportunity to change each other’s lives. He gave Emma a family. He gave Regina redemption. He delivered Rumple to his son. He gave David and Snow their daughter back. He was the reason behind Emma and Neal’s relationship and the good thing that came out of it. He healed Neal by giving him the opportunity to break the cycle of neglecting father/son relationships. Killian redeemed himself from his mistreatment of Baelfire by Henry allowing him to take a stepfather role in his life. The text says Emma broke the first curse, but Henry is really 99,9% responsible for it, thereby giving every single citizen of Storybrooke their lives back. Regina’s love for him broke the second curse. He was the one who got them out of the Heroes and Villains story. He’s descended from the Enchanted Forest but was born and raised in our world, making him the bridge between them. He did the impossible when, for just one second, he made the people of our world believe in magic and reunited his family again. Once Upon A Time is a show that operates around fate and Henry is the person who ties everyone’s red strings together. He is quite literally the center of their universe. He is The Author. He is the truest believer. It’s been there all along.
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thepirateandhisson · 1 year ago
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Jared Gilmore (“Henry Mills”) is engaged!!
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Bonus:
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im-up-to-shenanigans · 1 year ago
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i will never not get emotional watching the season 2 finale of ouat. like just watching killian's face fall when he finds out neal is dead. the realization the emma may have lit the spark of his redemption, but his love for baelfire is what fanned that spark into a flame
the direct parallel of the scene in the past of killian telling bae that he could change for him and bae saying he would never change bc all he cares about is himself
AND THEN WHEN HE TURNS AROUND AND COMES BACK EMMA SAYS SHE DIDN'T THINK HE CARED ABOUT ANYONE BUT HIMSELF AND KILLIAN JUST SAYS HE NEEDED REMINDING THAT HE COULD ASJDHHDJSK
and that reminder came after emma's speech in the diner. after she told him that he could be a part of something. he still didn't give her back the bean. he gave her an empty pouch and dipped. he had nothing to lose by leaving storybrooke to be destroyed, but he came back.
without anyone there with him to say just the right things and encourage him to make the right choice. emma already did that, but that wasn't enough. he still betrayed her
but he sat there with his own thoughts. with the knowledge bae was dead. and looking at the carving he made to teach this boy he once loved how to sail. AND HE TURNED BACK
BECAUSE HE BLAMES HIMSELF FOR TEARING APART BAE'S FAMILY. AND ONE OF HIS BIGGEST REGRETS WAS SELLING BAE OUT TO PAN. BUT HE'LL BE DAMNED IF HE DOESN'T TRY TO MAKE IT RIGHT. SO HE TURNS BACK TO SAVE BAE'S SON. BECAUSE HE MAY HAVE TAKEN BAE'S MOTHER AWAY FROM HIM ONCE AND PLANNED TO MURDER HIS FATHER, BUT HE WON'T LET HIS SON SUFFER THE SAME THING. HE WANTS TO BREAK THE CYCLE AND TRY TO MAKE IT UP TO THE BOY HE ONCE LOVED AS HIS OWN
and then he finds out that storybrooke's safe, but henry's been kidnapped, and he doesn't even hesitate to volunteer to help get him back, even when he finds out he has to work with the man who murdered the woman he loves and who cut off his hand. HIS LOVE FOR BAELFIRE OUTWEIGHED HIS HATRED FOR RUMPLE, JUST LIKE HE SAID IT WOULD WAY BACK WHEN HE TOLD BAE HE COULD CHANGE FOR HIM. HE MADE GOOD ON THAT PROMISE
and he finds out that henry's been taken to neverland, a place killian DESPISES, and he still doesn't back out. bc he may have sold bae into pan's hands, but he will save his son from suffering the same fate.
and everyone believes he's on neverland solely for emma, and he lets them believe that. bc he knows why he's there and it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. he may be falling in love with emma. she may inspire him to become better. but she was never the reason
and i can't stop crying
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jrob64 · 18 days ago
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Drummer Boys, Reindeer and Romance
My Secret Santa gift for @mie779
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Merry Christmas @mie779 - I'm your Secret Santa this year! I was very excited to get your name and I hope you like the story and pic set I created for you. I tried to work in some of your favorite things. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Many thanks to @hookedmom who took time out from a busy holiday season to beta for me.
With this story, I can cross off one square on my Winter Bingo Board. Stories in that collection can be found here
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Story Summary: An empty seat at an elementary school Christmas pageant creates an opportunity for Killian Jones to meet Emma Swan. As they chat between songs, they feel drawn to each other, but Killian has to be brave enough to ask Emma out…and she has to be brave enough to accept. 
Rating: G
Words (Chapter 1/1): 5899
Can also be found on Ao3 and ffn
Stories in the CS Secret Santa 2024 collection can be found here
Story begins under the cut
*********
“Pardon me, lass. Is that seat taken?”
Emma Swan looked up from the program she had been scanning, to see a man standing in the aisle of the auditorium, looking at her expectantly.
“Excuse me?” she asked.
“I was wondering if you were saving the seat beside you for someone.”
She glanced at the empty seat to her left. “Uh, no. I’m not saving it for anyone.”
After an awkward pause, he asked, “In that case, would you mind if I sit there?”
“Oh, sorry.” She stood up, letting him pass in front of her.
When they were settled in their seats, he said, “Thanks very much.” Holding out his hand, he added, “Killian Jones.”
“Emma Swan,” she responded, shaking his hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I don’t think I’ve seen you around Storybrooke before.”
“I live in Portland. I visit from time to time, and stay at my brother Liam’s house when I do. I’m here to watch his and Elsa’s daughters. They’re the two cutest reindeer.”
“Missy and Alice are your nieces? They’re in my son Henry’s class. In fact, I think he has a crush on one of them.”
“Which one?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure. They both look alike to me.”
“Well,” he chuckled, “that’s quite common with identical twins.”
She laughed. “You have a point there.”
“Is your son also a reindeer?”
“I wish,” she sighed. “Reindeer are quiet. My son is the little drummer boy. My friend is the music teacher and I’m pretty sure she cast him in that role intentionallly. Her husband has been dying to buy Henry a drum set ever since he was a toddler, but I keep telling him absolutely not. Of course, once my son got the part, he had to practice, so Mary Margaret sent a snare drum home with him. I can hardly wait until this program is over, so I can get that freaking thing out of my house. I love my kid, but he’s driving me crazy with it!”
Killian’s grin stretched wider across his handsome face. “Well, I can assure you that reindeer are not quiet. At least, not in Alice and Missy’s case.”
“I’m sure having two ten-year-olds in the house can be very loud. I only have one and sometimes I swear he’s trying to split my eardrums.”
“With his drum,” Killian smirked.
“You’re hilarious,” Emma groaned sarcastically, rolling her eyes. However, she couldn’t help grinning a little at his attempt to make a joke.
“Are you, uh, are you sure I’m not taking…anyone’s seat?” he asked tentatively.
“If you’re talking about Henry’s father, he won’t be coming. He lives in New York City with his other family. Henry only gets to see him a couple of times a year.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t be. The less time Henry spends with his dad, the smaller the chance Henry will act like him. After six years, he’s used to taking a back seat to Neal’s other kids.”
She opened the paper she was holding again, scanning the information typed inside. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Killian leaning in slightly to have a look at it, too.
“Didn’t they give you a program at the door?” she asked.
“They were out by the time I got here. I left work as soon as I could, but barely made it. Liam and Elsa weren’t expecting me to come tonight, so they didn’t save a seat for me.”
Emma swiped across her phone to look at the time. “They’re getting started a few minutes late. That’s typical for Mary Margaret because she wants everything to be perfect. She’s probably still gluing cotton balls onto Santa’s beard.” Scooting over in her seat a couple of inches, she held the program between them. “I’ll share with you. Looks like Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer is the next-to-last song.”
Killian perused the offered page. “Your drummer boy looks to be the star of the third song.”
“Pa-rum-pa-pum-pum,” she intoned. He chuckled.
The lights dimmed and Mary Margaret hurried onto the stage as the crowd applauded.
“Show time,” Emma commented, then straightened in her seat to listen as her friend welcomed everyone.
*********
Killian shifted in the cushioned chair and tried to focus on what the lovely, pixie-haired teacher was saying. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to pay attention; rather, it was the distraction of the beautiful woman to his right which was occupying his mind. Through no fault of her own, she was making it very difficult for him to concentrate on the acknowledgements of all of the people responsible for helping with the elementary school Christmas pageant.
When she looked up at him after he inquired about the empty seat beside her, he was instantly struck by her beauty. It had been a long time since he gave any woman a second glance. Having his heart broken three years before caused him to swear off of women for good, and he stuck to it.
He may have to rethink that.
Being intrigued by her looks was one thing, but when she began conversing with him, he was struck by how easy it was to talk to her. She was witty and sarcastic, and put him at ease immediately.
When he verified that he wasn’t taking anyone’s seat, it was also his subtle way of asking if she was in a relationship. He had discreetly checked her ring finger and saw it was bare, but wanted further assurance. He was probably assuming too much by thinking her answer about her ex was proof she was indeed single, because she could be dating someone else. But if she was, that man would surely show up to her son’s Christmas pageant, wouldn’t he?
As crazy as it sounded, after knowing her for all of five minutes, Killian was seriously thinking of asking her out.
*********
Emma could feel the nearness of the man beside her and, shockingly enough, she didn’t mind at all. In fact, she actually found herself leaning toward him.
Her friend Elsa mentioned her brother-in-law to Emma several times, but she had never met him or seen a picture of him. If she had, she definitely would have remembered, because the man was ridiculously handsome. She probably seemed like an idiot when he asked about the empty seat beside her and she didn’t tell him he could sit there right away. She was simply gobsmacked when she looked up at him and had trouble getting her mind to work.
Fortunately, once he sat down, words were easier and the conversation she had with him was very enjoyable. She found herself wishing he had gotten there sooner, so they could have had more time to chat before the pageant began. It had been quite a while since she actually wanted more time to talk to a man. Usually, she wanted them to shut up and leave her alone.
Finding someone to date in Storybrooke was not an easy feat. Not that she put much effort into it. After what she went through with Neal, she swore off dating altogether. He not only broke her heart by leaving her for another woman, he told her he never loved her in the first place and the only reason he stayed with her as long as he did was because she was careless enough to get pregnant. He didn’t seem to realize that he had a little something to do with her ending up in that condition, too. She didn’t regret it, though. Henry was the best thing that ever happened to her. She had been telling herself for years that she loved her kid and he was the only male she needed in her life.
How absurd was it for her to want a chance to get better acquainted with Killian Jones so soon after meeting him?
*********
Killian’s whirlpool of thoughts was interrupted when music began playing and the third and fourth grade students trooped onto the stage to stand on the risers, all of them dressed in homemade costumes for their various roles.
Leaning over, he quietly asked, “Which one is Henry?”
Emma pointed. “The one with the jeans chopped off at the knees, white shirt and a vest made out of a cut up paper bag. Real professional, huh? He reminded me last night that he needed a costume, so it’s the best I could do.”
“I think it’s very effective. He’s supposed to be a poor boy, right?”
They fell silent when a little girl dressed as Mrs. Claus stepped to the microphone to introduce the first song. As Killian tried to lay his elbow on the arm rest, he bumped Emma’s, which was already there.
“Sorry, Love,” he whispered, tucking his arm against his side.
“We can share,” she whispered back, scooting her arm over to give him some room. Under normal circumstances, he would have passed on the offer, but he quite liked how it felt to touch her. Once their elbows were both on the arm rest, he turned his attention back to the stage, where the students dressed as elves were lining up to lead the song Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas, while Mary Margaret was taking her seat behind the piano.
“You were right,” Emma muttered. “Your nieces are the cutest reindeer.”
“Of course they are. They take after their uncle,” he cheeked.
Mary Margaret launched into the accompaniment before Emma could reply.
Frosty the Snowman followed, with students dressed as snow people spinning and dancing on the stage. One snowman twirled himself dizzy and almost fell off of the stage. Luckily, David was quick on his feet, catching the little boy and preventing disaster.
“I can guarantee I’ll hear about what a hero he was for days from Mary Margaret,” Emma remarked as they clapped at the end of the song.
“Your boy is up next,” Killian reminded her.
“Oh, yeah,” she said, scrambling to pull her phone out of her purse.
“Would you like me to take the video so you can sit back and enjoy his performance?”
She looked at him. “You wouldn’t mind?”
“Not at all. It would be my pleasure.”
Emma quickly unlocked her phone, pulled up the camera app and set it to video. “You know how to do this, right?”
He chuckled as he took it from her hands. “Don’t worry, Swan. I’m a twenty-first century man, so I do know a fair amount about technology.”
Henry took his place behind the snare drum and smiled widely at his mom. However, once the song started, he was all business, taking his drum solo very seriously. After filming the entire group of students during the first verse, Killian zoomed in on Henry for the rest of the song, capturing his solemn expression as he struck the drum in perfect rhythm.
At the conclusion of the song, Killian turned the phone toward Emma, who was clapping loudly and shouting, “Way to go, kid!” Through the lens, Killian could see the sheen of proud tears in her eyes. He didn’t stop filming until she turned to him to get her device back.
“Thank you,” she said. “I’m glad I could enjoy it without having to watch him through my phone screen.”
“No problem,” he assured her. “He did a wonderful job. He just might have a future as a drummer in a band.”
“I hope he’s out on his own by then if he does. I don’t think I could handle all of the practicing.”
Killian chuckled and settled back in his seat to enjoy the next two songs. When it was time for the reindeer to take their place at the front of the stage, he dug his own phone out of the front pocket of his jeans.
“Here, I’ll return the favor,” Emma said, reaching for the phone. “Enjoy your nieces’ performance.”
“Thanks, Love,” he said gratefully.
The song went well until one of the twins accidentally stepped on the other one’s foot, who then pushed the unwitting culprit. A short shoving match ensued between the two of them, until Mary Margaret snapped her fingers at them with one hand, while continuing to play the piano with the other.
Killian scanned the crowd to find his brother and sister-in-law. Liam was trying, and failing, to keep a grin off of his face, while Elsa scowled ferociously at her rowdy daughters.
The rest of the song went on without further incident. When Emma handed his phone back, Killian remarked, “I think the girls might be in for it after this is over.”
“Yeah, Elsa looks pretty peeved.”
“Do you know her?”
“We got to know each other through the PTO, and we’ve become pretty good friends.”
“PTO?” he questioned.
“Parent-teacher organization. We do fundraisers to give the school and staff extra things the district doesn’t provide. We also sponsor fun events for students and their parents, like skating parties and bingo nights.”
“It sounds very beneficial,” Killian commented.
Mary Margaret announced that the final song was Silent Night and after the students sang it through once, the audience was encouraged to join in.
The children, who had just sung Rudolph loudly and exuberantly, now sang the beloved carol with great reverence. A hush fell over the crowd as they listened to the sweet voices. Killian turned his eyes toward Emma and saw her swallow hard, clearly trying to keep her emotions in check. He was a little emotional himself and he didn’t even have a child on the stage.
Killian added his rich baritone the second time through. He could hear Emma’s voice and wasn’t at all surprised that it was as lovely as the lady herself.
As the final notes faded away, she turned to look at him. He smiled and winked, beginning to clap with the rest of the audience. When the ovation was over, she quickly collected her coat and purse. “I have to go get Henry from his classroom. I…it was nice meeting you, Killian. Maybe we’ll see each other the next time you come to town.”
He looked stunned. “Aye, Swan, perhaps we will.”
With a final wave, she was gone, swallowed up by the crowd.
*********
As he watched her walk away, Killian felt like kicking himself. He just let her go, without asking her out or even requesting her phone number. He was sure he wasn’t the only one who felt the connection between the two of them, but now it was too late to act on it.
She did say she was Elsa’s friend, so perhaps he could get Emma’s information from his sister-in-law. That was less than ideal, but it might be his only option.
He sighed, grabbed his coat from the chair and set off to locate his family.
*********
Emma hated leaving the way she did, but she knew Henry would be waiting for her. Telling her son how proud she was of him, trumped hanging around to talk to Killian some more. She truly hoped she would run into him again, sometime.
She wished she would have been bold enough to ask him for his phone number. Of course, she could always get it from Elsa, but that would mean telling her friend she was interested in her brother-in-law. Emma didn’t really want to open that can of worms.
So as she fought her way through the crowd, disappointment rose up within her because she knew she was leaving behind the first guy who drew her interest in a very long time.
*********
“Where’s Elsa?” Killian asked, once he found Liam still occupying the seat he sat in during the performance.
“She went to get the girls. I offered, but she insisted. She may knock their heads together after their antics on stage.”
Killian laughed. “Never a dull moment with those two, is there?”
“Not a single one. Thanks for coming, brother,” Liam said, standing up to clap Killian on the shoulder.
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I told Missy and Alice I would try to make it and I didn’t want to let them down.”
“You’re a good uncle.”
“The best,” Killian smirked. Then his face took on a serious expression. “May I ask you something?”
“Sure. What’s on your mind?”
“Uh…how well do you know…Emma Swan?”
Liam’s brows raised. “She and Elsa are good friends, so I know her pretty well. Why do you ask?”
Killian scratched behind his ear. “I, um…I sat beside her this evening. I never met her before, but I…she…she seems very nice.”
Liam studied his brother for several moments. “Are you interested in her?” he queried.
His brother shrugged. “I just…we had a good conversation and I thought about…”
When he didn’t continue, Liam supplied, “Asking her out?”
Killian shrugged again. “I know. It’s a stupid idea. I mean, I just met her and we only talked for a few minutes, but…”
Liam stepped in front of him, placing both hands on his brother’s shoulders. “Killian, I know you had a rough go of it with Milah, but you can’t go through life never taking a chance again.”
“Emma probably wouldn’t accept…”
“You won’t know unless you try.”
“It doesn’t matter anyway. She went to collect her son and then they’ll leave.”
“Then we’ll go find her before they do.”
“Liam…”
“Killian, a man unwilling to fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets.”
Killian considered his brother’s words for a few seconds. “You’re right. Let’s go see if she’s still here.”
The pair took off through the nearly empty auditorium. Liam led Killian down one hallway, then nearly ran into Elsa and the girls when they turned the corner.
“There are my lovely ladies,” Liam said, kissing first one of his daughters on the head, then the other. “Good job, my little reindeer.” Seeing the stern look Elsa was giving him, he added, “But perhaps next time you shouldn’t stand right next to each other.”
“It was Missy’s fault,” Alice began, before being cut off by her mother.
“I’ve already talked to you about this,” Elsa reprimanded. “You were both at fault and tomorrow, you will both apologize to Mrs. Nolan.”
“Yes, ma’am,” they chorused. Then they rushed to get a hug from their uncle.
“You came!” Alice cried.
“Told you he would,” Missy said. “Uncle Killy would never let us down, would you?”
“I can’t promise that I never will, but I’ll try my very best not to,” he assured them, one arm wrapped around each twin.
Liam pulled Elsa aside. “Did you see Emma?” he asked.
“Yes, she was picking up Henry at the same time I was getting the girls,” his wife answered. “Why?”
Lowering his voice so their daughters wouldn’t hear, he said, “Killian sat beside her during the performance and they seemed to hit it off. He was hoping to catch her before she left and ask her out.”
Elsa’s expression went from very excited to downcast. “I’m afraid they’re gone already.”
Killian caught what she said and his heart sank. He knew he missed his chance when he let her walk away.
Elsa saw the look on her brother-in-law’s face. “Girls, hug your uncle and tell him goodbye. I’m sure he needs to start back to Portland soon.”
Missy and Alice took turns getting big bear hugs from Killian, then Liam bid him goodbye and took the girls to the car, clearly aware that his wife wanted to talk to his brother alone.
Killian gave Elsa a questioning look. “What do you have up your sleeve?”
“Do you think Emma was attracted to you?”
He shrugged slightly. “I can’t say for sure, but we talked quite a bit and she seemed to like me.”
“The fact that she enjoyed talking to you leads me to believe she does. I love Emma, but she can be a bit prickly. I think you should ask her out.”
“Did you miss the part when you said she already left?”
“I’m going to give you her address, smart guy. Then you can go to her house.”
“Perhaps you should just give me her phone number instead.”
“You will not ask her out over the phone,” Elsa commanded. “That’s too impersonal.”
Killian nodded. “I see your point.” Pulling out his phone, he brought up Google Maps and typed in the address Elsa read from her contacts list. “It’s only a five minute drive.”
“Yes it is, which gives you less time to change your mind.” She gave him a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. “Now get going. Call us when you’re on the way home and let us know what happened.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, saluting smartly. When she rolled her eyes at him, he grew serious. “Thank you, Elsa.”
“You’re welcome. Now go turn on your charm.”
*********
Ten minutes later, Killian pulled up in front of the small, unassuming house where the GPS led him. After cutting the engine, he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, contemplating whether or not he should go through with his plan.
His phone buzzed with an incoming text.
Liam: Remember what I told you. Don’t lose your nerve.
Killian shook his head and snorted out a laugh. Sometimes it was almost scary how well his brother knew him.
“The worst that can happen is she turns me down. I can survive that, right?” he muttered to himself. “Well, I guess we’ll find out.”
He unbuckled his seatbelt, threw open his car door and climbed out. Then he walked up the short sidewalk, lined with lighted plastic candy canes. After knocking on the front door, he nervously brushed one hand through his hair, then tugged at the bottom of his black leather jacket.
The door swung open and he found himself looking down at the little drummer boy, still dressed in his cut off jeans and white shirt, sans the paper bag vest. They looked at each other for a couple of seconds, then Henry turned and yelled, “Mom! Some guy is here!”
“Henry, what have I told you about answering the…” Emma’s words cut off suddenly when she came into view. “Killian?” she questioned disbelievingly.
“Uh, hi. I, um…I hope you don’t mind me stopping by,” he stammered.
She looked flabbergasted. “How did you know where I live?”
“Elsa gave me your address. I hope that was okay.”
Henry looked back and forth between the two adults. “Do you mean Mrs. Jones? Alice’s mom?”
“And Missy’s,” Emma added distractedly.
“How do you know Mrs. Jones?” Henry asked.
“Killian’s brother Liam is Elsa’s husband,” Emma explained. “Henry, please go turn the burner off under the hot cocoa so it won’t burn.”
“If it’s ready, can I pour some…”
“Absolutely not. Do not touch the pan or anything else; just the knob for the burner.”
“But I…”
She put her arm around his shoulders. “After you turn off the stove, why don’t you go ahead and put your pajamas on. Just give me a couple of minutes to speak to Mr. Jones, okay?”
“You did a fine job on your drum solo tonight, lad,” Killian said.
Henry’s face brightened. “Do ya really think so?”
“Aye. You were the star of the show.”
A wide grin split the boy’s face. “Thanks! I practiced a lot!”
“Your mother told me you did. Practice makes perfect, they say.”
“I guess so. We can be in band next year and I want to play percussion.”
Killian snuck a glance at Emma, who closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. With difficulty, he kept from laughing, before answering, “I’m sure you’ll enjoy that.”
“At least one of us will,” Emma mumbled, before reminding Henry about turning off the stove.
“Bye, Mr. Jones. Merry Christmas!” Henry shouted on his way out of the room.
“Merry Christmas to you, lad.”
“So, um, not to sound rude, but why are you here?” Emma asked as soon as they were alone.
He tried not to fidget as he thought of what to say. “I…I really enjoyed talking to you this evening.”
“I enjoyed talking to you, too.”
Encouraged, the corner of his mouth quirked up. “That’s good to hear. So, I was wondering if…if you would consider going out with me.”
“On a date?” she asked, brows shooting up.
“Aye, that’s the idea.”
“I can’t…”
Killian felt his stomach drop.
“...even remember the last time I went on a date.”
“Perhaps we should remedy that,” he suggested hopefully.
Emma pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, chewing on it in contemplation. “I don’t know…”
“Go out with him, Mom!” Henry yelled from the kitchen.
“Really, kid?” Emma said, clearly exasperated.
Henry poked his head around the door frame. “I like him.”
“Weren’t you told to put your pajamas on?”
“I will. I just accidentally heard what Mr. Jones said.”
Emma crossed her arms and gave him a patented ‘mom look’. “Accidentally, huh?”
He shrugged. “I have good hearing.”
“Only when you want to have it,” she stated. “Now, go do as you were told.”
“Okay,” he sighed, trudging down the hallway to his room.
She turned back to Killian, dropping her arms to her sides. “Looks like you have my kid’s approval.”
He studied her for a few seconds. “What about you, Emma? Do I have your approval, too? Elsa said she would be happy to watch Henry for you if we go out.”
She hesitated, then lifted her chin decisively. “Yes, Killian. I would love to go out with you.”
*********
One year later…
Killian followed Emma down the aisle of the auditorium and grinned when he realized what seats she chose. After sitting down, he draped his arm around her shoulders and leaned over to murmur in her ear, “These seats seem familiar, Love.”
She snuggled against his side. “They’re very special, because this is where I met the love of my life.”
“What a coincidence,” he teased. “This is where I met mine, too.”
Elsa and Liam slid into the seats in front of them. “Hello, lovebirds,” Elsa grinned.
“Don’t encourage them,” Liam cautioned. “I already have to witness far too much PDA from those two.”
“You don’t have to watch, you know,” Killian said, lightly whacking the back of Liam’s head.
“Both of you behave,” Elsa said, as Emma giggled.
“Speaking of behaving,” Killian began, “do you think your daughters will make it through the concert without assaulting each other this year?”
“I wouldn’t bet on it,” Liam said. “I caught Missy trying to hit her sister over the head with her flute the other day.”
“Be happy it wasn’t the other way around,” Emma commented. “Alice could do some serious damage with her saxophone.”
They were still laughing when the fifth grade band shuffled onto the stage in all their Christmas finery, instruments held proudly in front of them. Emma and Killian immediately spotted Henry taking his place behind the snare drum. He smiled and gave them a quick wave before picking up his drumsticks.
“He looks so grown up,” Emma said quietly.
“Your little drummer boy isn’t very little anymore,” Killian observed fondly. He and Henry had a very close relationship and he loved the boy as his own.
“A lot has changed in the past year,” she sighed happily.
“Aye, Love. It’s been phenomenal in every way.”
Mary Margaret, who also instructed the fifth grade band along with teaching elementary music, walked out onto the stage, preparing to introduce their first song.
Emma settled against Killian’s side to enjoy the concert. A year ago, sitting in these very seats, neither of them could ever have imagined what that first meeting would mean to them.
As the band began playing Jingle Bells, Killian pulled Emma a little closer. His chest swelled with pride watching Henry concentrating on his music, as he beat out the rhythm on the drum. This year, Emma hadn’t had to endure his incessant practicing alone, since Killian moved in with them just before Thanksgiving.
Emma saw Killian glancing at his watch once the third and final song ended. “Are you anxious to leave? You know we still have to sit through the sixth grade and junior high bands, don’t you?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m aware. I was just trying to gauge what time it will be over.”
“I’d say the concert will last about an hour,” Liam threw over his shoulder.
Killian slumped a bit in his chair. Then he caught sight of Henry, who was sitting in a reserved section to their right with the rest of the fifth grade band. The boy beamed at him and gave him a thumbs up. Killian winked and returned his smile.
Last year, the evening of Henry’s concert ended with Killian asking Emma out on their first date. This year, he had a different question to ask when they got home, one for which Henry had already given his approval.
He hoped her answer would be the same as last year. If so, they would be sitting in these seats next year as husband and wife.
Kissing her temple, Killian impatiently waited for the sixth grade band to begin playing. He intertwined their fingers, imagining how her hand would look with the diamond engagement ring on it. When she turned her face up to look at him, love shining in her eyes, he knew the beauty of the diamond would pale in comparison to the lady wearing it.
*********
Liam’s estimate for the length of the concert was right on the nose. When they finally walked out of the auditorium, light snow was falling. The conversation in the car on the way home was warm and playful. Henry laughed about the sixth grade percussionist who dropped one of the cymbals in the middle of a song, and expressed his hope that when he got older, he would be the one to make the whip sound for Sleigh Ride.
“Lord, help us through seven more years of band,” Emma murmured under her breath, causing Killian to laugh, despite the nerves that were knotting his stomach.
As soon as they got home, Henry went into the kitchen to get the ingredients out for hot cocoa, dubbing it a tradition after the Christmas concert.
“Is it a tradition if this is only the second time we did it?” Emma asked.
“I don’t know,” Killian answered, “but I do know of another tradition that’s been around much longer.” He pointed at the top of the doorway between the living room and kitchen.
“When did you put mistletoe up there?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“This evening while you were getting dressed for the concert.”
“You’re very sneaky,” she said, leaning in until her lips were just a fraction of an inch away from his.
“And you love me for it,” he grinned.
“Mmhmm,” she hummed before kissing him.
“Pre-teen boy coming through,” Henry announced, squeezing past them. “I’m going to put my pajamas on. Please be done making out by the time I get back.”
Emma and Killian laughed into their kiss. “I think we’re scarring him for life,” he quipped.
“That’s what parents are for,” she replied.
Killian pulled back to look at her. “You consider me to be his parent?”
“You’re more of a father to him than Neal has ever been.”
He surged forward to kiss her again. When it finally ended, he asked, “Do you think Henry regards me that way, too?”
“I’m sure he does.”
“Does what?” Henry asked, re-entering the room, now dressed in plaid Christmas pajamas.
“Do you think of Killian as one of your parents?” Emma asked.
“Well, duh,” he stated matter-of-factly. “Can we make hot chocolate now?”
Emma tried to give Killian a look that said I told you so, but he was gazing at Henry with a sense of wonder over the boy’s declaration.
Once the cocoa was gone and Henry was off to bed, Killian and Emma lay together on the sofa. The living room was lit only by the gas fireplace and the lights from the Christmas tree, while Christmas music played softly.
“This is nice,” she sighed.
He hummed in agreement, stroking his hand up and down her back. His thoughts were preoccupied with the perfect way to propose, so he almost missed what she said next.
“Marry me, Killian.”
His hand on her back stilled as his mind registered what she just said. “Wh-what?”
She pushed up on her elbows to look into his face. “Marry me.”
“Swan, you’re depriving me of a dashing proposal!” he protested.
She cocked her head, studying him. “Are you serious?”
He slid out from under her to kneel on the floor in front of the couch, reaching into the pocket of his sleep pants to retrieve the ring and holding it up for her to see.
Her eyes widened as she swung her feet down to the floor. “Oh. My. God. You really were going to propose, weren’t you?”
“Aye.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“Mad? Why would I be mad? Since you asked me first, I’m pretty sure I know what your answer is going to be,” he chuckled.
“You still have to ask. That’s the rule.”
“Whose rule?”
“Mine. Now, let’s hear that dashing proposal.”
He grinned, then cleared his throat. “Emma, you and Henry have changed my life in every way possible. I never knew happiness like this even existed, let alone that it would happen to me. There aren’t enough words in this world to express how much I love you, but right now, there’s only one word I need to hear in response to this question - Emma Swan, will you marry me?”
Tears filled her eyes when she opened her mouth to answer, but emotion clogged her throat, so she nodded emphatically and threw her arms around him. As he held her tight, kissing her and murmuring words of love, she finally found her voice. “Yes, Killian, I will marry you! I love you so much!”
She pulled away, wiping at her eyes. “Henry and I are very lucky to have you in our lives. I know I’m speaking for him too when I say we want you to be part of our family forever.” Framing his face with her hands, she leaned in to kiss him again.
“Do you want the ring?” he asked against her lips.
She giggled and sat back, extending her left hand to him. He slid the ring into place and kissed her knuckle above it.
“It’s perfect,” she breathed.
“You are perfect, my love.”
“Says the man who complains when I leave wet towels on the floor,” she teased.
“Well…nearly perfect,” he grinned.
She held her hand up to admire the ring, the lights of the Christmas tree making the diamond glitter. “We’re engaged,” she said, awestruck.
“Mmhmm. Who would have thought that a little drummer boy and two feuding reindeer would bring us together and give us a happy ending?”
Her eyes met his, laughter and love dancing in them. “Best night of my life, hands down. Until today,” she amended.
Kissing the tip of her nose, he whispered, “Happy Christmas, wife-to-be.”
“Merry Christmas, husband-to-be.”
He stood up and took her hand to help her to her feet. Then they went to their bedroom to share the best gift of all - the love they had for each other.
*********
My heartfelt wishes for all of you to have a blessed and memorable Christmas!
Tagging:
@qualitycoffeethings @grimmswan @cs-rylie @wyntereyez @kmomof4
@hookedmom @ultraluckycatnd @paradiselady19 @xarandomdreamx @motherkatereloyshipper
@lfh1226-linda @pawshapedheart @vampcoffeegyrl23 @tiganasummertree @bluewildcatfanatic
@eleveneitherway @elfiola @kday426 @julieenchanted-swans @gingerchangeling
@andiirivera @djlbg @jonesfandomfanatic @snowbellewells @anmylica
@booksteaandtoomuchtv @cocohook38 @ilovemesomekillianjones @zaharadessert @lyssapup27
@undercaffinatednightmare @winterbaby89 @jennjenn615 @xsajx @jackieorioncat
@teamhook @soniccat @jarienn972 @softkilly @kymbersmith-90
@apiratewhopines @hollyethecurious @laianely @resident-of-storybrooke @exhaustedpirate
@caught-in-the-filter @stahlop @veryverynotgoodwrites @darkshadow7 @fleurdepetite
@whimsicallyenchantedrose @earanemith @superchocovian @idristardis @captainswan-kellie
@beckettj @killihan-jones @cssecretsanta2020
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caliburn-the-sword · 1 year ago
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what is it with henry's and killian's tendencies to get kidnapped istg it happens once a season or more on this silly little show. like father like son ig. someone fr needs to give them the stranger danger talk
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theartofdreaming1 · 1 year ago
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Some more Captain Swan (or would this qualify as Captain Duckling? idk)
This started out as a simple, mindless ouat doodle, but then my brain decided to come up with bits and pieces of a story for this while I was working on it, so... If you're interested, you can read the basic premise under the cut:
Basically, we have bar wench Emma teaming up with infamous pirate Captain Hook to bring down the Dark One: Killian has finally gotten a way to get rid of the damn crocodile and Emma has learned of that while the crew of the Jolly Roger stopped by the tavern she works at; for Emma, it's about getting her son back (Neal/Baelfire is still Henry's father in this AU, but left the realm to escape his father, so Rumple's trying to use Henry to track down Neal, i guess)... Anyway, Emma steals onto the Jolly Roger (to steal whatever magical item required to best the Dark One or to stowaway on board, your pick), gets discovered by our good captain ('feisty lass' that she is, she still manages to hold a dagger to his throat before he gets the best of her - there are on his ship, after all), she reveals why she's doing this in the first place - to reunite with her son - and they strike an accord to work together as they share a common goal... Shenanigans ensue, (and no, there is connection/bond between them that's growing closer over time, Emma is absolutely positive of that, thank you very much ;), plans go awry - they are chased by a monster of some sort, Killian decides to fight it off, to give Emma some more time to flee - she has to make it back to her son, after all - and tells her to go, to leave him behind... (but we know she doesn't listen... she never does ;)
Something like that, I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (and hey, if any Captain Swan writers out there feel like writing that story for me, let me know - I'd love to read it!)
(Also, I'm kind of happy how dynamic the poses in this drawing have turned out! I reworked the lineart a couple of times, not sure if I was wasting my time but while I liked the og sketch, I think the end result is a definite improvement)
Og sketch/doodle:
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snowivyimconfusi · 17 days ago
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My 40th work on AO3 (😱😱)
A little excerpt because I'm bad at summaries: (full disclosure this is the only bit that's Regina's pov, everything else is Emma's)
His heart beat in her palm. It was a familiar sensation, though one she hadn't felt in years. Regina looked down at him, on his knees before her, and felt powerful. She shoved the feeling aside and focused on Emma.
“You won't do it,” Arthur sneered from the ground, “you're too scared; you'll lose your pathetic little family.”
Emma's eyes flashed, the darkness inside her showing.
Regina crouched down to his level, the cut he'd made on her neck with Excalibur bled, leaving a dark streak on her red dress.
“You have no idea what I'm capable of.”
She heard Snow scream behind her, heard her sister beg her not to do it, heard Robin's no. But it was easy, to tighten her fingers around the heart, feel it give way in her hand, watch Arthur's eyes widen in panic and pain.
Dust ran between her fingers and she stood, staring down at the corpse of the man who'd tried to hurt Emma.
“Regina,” Snow's voice reached her from far away, her gaze still on the Dark One’s.
“What have you done?” Snow asked, reaching her and taking her arm. Ever her conscience.
Regina clenched her jaw.
Emma stepped towards her, ignoring everyone else, ignoring Killian's hand on her forearm.
“You're bleeding,” she said, touching her neck.
Regina inclined her head and let the Dark One look at the wound. It was a small one, barely a cut.
“It's nothing, I'm fine,” Regina said.
Emma healed her with a touch, the warmth of her magic spreading through Regina. It was still light magic.
It was only later, as she walked through the forest, that Regina realized what she'd done. The grit on her palm reminded her. Arthur's eyes widening and going blank. His body hitting the dark earth with a thud.
She'd killed again.
And she'd liked it.
Yes, she'd done it for Emma. Yet, she couldn't deny how her heart had jumped when she'd taken his heart. How her blood had sung in her veins when she'd seen the fear in his eyes.
She reached Granny's first, having left the rest of her family to walk behind her. She'd needed space to think, to clear her head.
Granny greeted her with a crossbow pointed at her chest.
Regina raised her hands and her eyebrows.
“Where's Snow White?” Granny asked her. No longer the kind and sympathetic old woman, but the hardened hunter Regina had known well, once.
“Coming,” Regina answered, just as Henry walked out behind Granny.
He glanced between them.
“What's going on?”
“Stay away from her, kid,” Granny said, “I can smell the stench of death on her.”
Regina pressed her lips together, and inclined her head, “and you couldn't before?”
It was the closest she'd ever come to admitting her past in front of her son, and fear flashed across his face.
“Not fresh, no,” Granny said, stepping closer to her, “so, I'll ask again, where's Snow White?”
“I'm right here,” Snow stepped out of the forest, just behind Regina, the others with her. All but Emma.
“I'm fine, Granny,” Snow said, walking past her and putting a reassuring hand on her arm, “you can put the crossbow down.”
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