#guess i have a pirate alter i forgot about | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

let-them-read-fics · 4 years

Text

Rivalries Of The High Seas

Requested By Anon: "Pirate AU, enemies to lovers."

AU: Pirate

Pairing: Captain!Rosé x Fem!Captain!Reader

Word Count: ~ 7,375

Warnings / Misc. -- Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Major Injury (Inflicted On Reader), Dangerous Situations, Fluff

Disclaimer: This writing is a work of fiction, and no disrespect is meant for those mentioned herein.

A/N: Anon, thank you for this one! I've never seen the movie you mentioned in your request, but you did well in explaining what you wanted to see here. I had a lot of fun with this one, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

PS ~ Captain Rosé could step on me and I'd say thank you

♡ Happy Reading ♡

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

Death isn't a new thing to you. It isn't some far-off, enigmatic fear capable of tearing down your psyche anytime the topic is brought up. In fact, you're faced with the harsh realities of it almost everyday, given your ranking. Even still, when you woke up this morning, you hadn't expected for the day to consist of you meeting your end.

Your hands remain clasped together tightly, bound to the rickety wooden chair you've been securely strapped into by layers of rope and chains. Your wrists burn as the rough material pulls against your skin, surely leaving dark marks by now, but that's the least of your worries as you eye the bandits standing before you. Their faces hold smug grins, cheeks pulling back in eerie smiles to reveal crooked teeth. "I won't give you the pleasure of seeing me beg for my life. I accept my fate." You say bravely, holding your head high.

"How noble, Captain." They sneer, leaning far too close for comfort. You fight the gag that works its way up your throat at the smell of them, the wicked stench burning your nostrils as it invades them.

"Even if you escape now, the rest of my crew will come for you." Rosé finally speaks from behind you, sitting in the same state as you as she glares at the surrounding men. Her fingers futilely pull at your shared restraints for the millionth time, brushing along your wrist in the process.

"It's cute that you think that matters. We'll be long gone by then."

Her head lightly pushes against yours as she leans back in her chair, seeking to evade the man when he enters her personal space. For some reason unbeknownst to you, your blood boils at his actions -- though Rosé is your enemy of sorts, seeing that she's a rival captain herself, you can't help but want to keep him away from her.

The vile creature parts her legs with an evil smirk on his lips, his filthy hand groping her thigh as he runs his fingers along her beautiful skin. She whimpers in protest, growing afraid of what he'll do to her in her captive state. Had she been unrestricted right now, she would've most definitely cut his hand off, forever reminding the world of his misdeeds.

"Just get it over with!" You shout angrily, voice hoarse from all the screaming you've done today. You've grown tired of the game they've been playing for over an hour, flipping between beating and ridiculing you relentlessly.

"Alright, alright," their leader chuckles, putting his hands up as he approaches you. He instructs his men to be on standby, ready to gather around the two of you and hoist you into the air. They wait for the all-clear to throw you overboard and into the chilly sea below, full of creatures you've seen during your fateful adventures over the years. There are certainly worse ways to go, and you attempt to come to terms with what's about to happen. Perhaps this is a poetic end for you -- being laid to rest in the place that you've spent most of your life and made countless memories.

"Keep those eyes on me as you fall. I want to remember what it looked like to take down the infamous Y/N L/N." You narrow your eyes at their leader, grimacing as they scan over his greasy, jet black hair and tattered overcoat. Aren't the "bad guys" supposed to at least be stylish? He's a sorry excuse for one if so.

"Kiss my ass." You utter, spitting at him. He lunges forward, just like you expected -- seriously, why are men so predictable? -- and takes the collar of your shirt between his fingers. He delivers a swift blow to your left cheek, only allowing you a second to recover before pulling your head back up to give the same treatment to the other side.

You can feel Rosé tense behind you, doing all she can to reach for you and offer comfort.

With a pained groan, you spit out a mouthful of fresh blood and raise your head to look at him again. "You know, you're not nearly as observant as you think you are." You smile, ignoring the pain that shoots through your busted lip. Before he has time to react, you raise your foot in one motion, swiftly connecting it with his crotch. How could they neglect to tie your feet? That's practically Pirate 101.

He doubles over in an instant, lungs void of the air necessary to speak another insult in retaliation to your act and body incapable of any further movement. His men make the decision for him, taking this moment as a sign to follow through with their plan and throw you over. Shouts and cheers pierce through the air above you as you make your quick descent, not even having time to say a goodbye to Rosé or offer a final word to the universe.

Cold water immediately rushes over your heated skin as you plunge into the waves below, its frigid temperature almost taking what little breath you managed to store away in your lungs. Aided by the water's altered state of gravity, you're able to work your hips past a few of the loosely tied ropes that rested against them.

One thing you admire about Rosé is her quick thinking. She's smart -- while you distracted the leader, she took the opportunity to pry off some of the restraints that required more time and effort, just like you hoped she would. Her slender fingers inconspicuously wiggled their way out of the ropes before freeing you from them as well, and the bandits were none the wiser. Her previous actions make this part all the more easy, and after spending a while on the final ties, the two of you kick off of your chairs and head for the surface. It's a struggle, no doubt, with the way you have to fight to bring the chains up with you and keep them from pulling you further under. But eventually you reach the surface, once again filling your lungs with that miraculously fresh air that they so desperately craved.

The saltwater stings as it flows over your face, getting in your eyes and rushing over all the wounds you've accumulated. Rosie sputters from beside you, struggling a bit to keep her head up, so you extend an arm for her to use to push herself up. You tell yourself you're only doing it -- that is, making sure she doesn't drown -- because she'll be useful in helping you survive. Deep down, though, your intentions extend further than that.

Once you find a steady rhythm with the waves and the fear of drowning subsides for the time being, you scan the horizon line. "I see land -- over there." You say, using your head to point to what looks to be an island in the distance. "We'll swim when we have the energy and float when we need rest, okay?" She nods in response, and the two of you get set on your way.

-----

Huffing from the pure exhaustion coursing through your bodies, you manage to drag yourselves onto shore before collapsing. The sand serves as a good place to lay, almost cradling you the longer you lay there. Tiny, rippling waves -- the aftershocks of much bigger ones -- lull into shore, fluttering past your ankles before being pulled back in by the tide. They lap against your skin, remedying your racing mind with their rhythm. Minutes pass in this cycle, setting you in a state of comfort before you remember everything you'll have to do before nightfall.

Once gaining enough strength, you raise your head and peek over at your rival.

She's sleeping. Of course. You can't blame her, but the sun -- once blazingly hot, perched high up in the sky -- is now setting, giving you a preview of the darkness that the night sky will hold. She turns, rolling her head towards you in her sleep, and you almost smile -- a light dusting of sand sticks to her puffed-out cheeks, and the bridge of her nose holds a small sunburn, making her look sunkissed and blushy. Y/N, stop that, you command yourself, shaking your head at your thoughts. She's your enemy, and she's the reason you're even in this mess in the first place.

"Wake up," you nudge her, reverting back to your previously tense demeanor. The anger you possess for the situation you're in is returning en masse, wiping the pleasant thoughts of Rosé from your mind.

She groans, keeping her eyes tightly shut as she attempts to ignore you. "Roseanne, we have to get up." Your voice is strong, commanding her just like your crew. Your crew, you think to yourself. Some of them were killed by the bandits while others were thrown into the prison chambers of your ship, left at the mercy of your enemies until they decide what they want to do with them. Your people are inventive and strong -- they'll likely find a way out of the sticky situation and reclaim victory. For now, though, you're left to worry about their fates as you attempt to survive on this island. If the elements and animals don't kill you first, the gorgeous woman beside you most definitely will.

"I'm up!" She all but shouts, following another prodding from you. Her eyes flutter open and she instinctively raises her hand to wipe her face -- you catch the chains before they can make contact and harm her, and she sends you an appreciative look. "Guess I forgot about these…" she shakes her arms, jiggling your restraints in the process, "Oopsie."

"Come on." You say, standing up and pulling her along with you. Her dilly dallying is making you impatient, and it only increases your levels of irritation. You don't have time to waste.

"We have to break these," she states the obvious, searching the shore for a decently sized rock.

A sarcastic gasp slips past your lips as you look at her. "You don't say! I was thinking we'd just leave them on." She turns to glare at you, narrowing her eyes as she stops walking. Dear god, there's no time for this. With a mumbled "here we go", you allow her to continue.

"You know, we wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for you."

"Me?!" You shout, completely taken aback. "Quite the contrary, Rosé. You're the one who led them to us!"

"If you would've accepted my offer, none of this would've happened. But you refuse to team up with anyone else. Look at where that got us now." She motions around herself to the island, expression settling back into an annoyed scowl as her eyes settle on you again.

"It's not my fault that my crew is more trained than yours; I had no reason to merge our teams."

"An agreement would've solidified our strength!" She yells, stomping her foot into the sand. Her boots managed to survive the long trip here, but their material is completely soaked.

"I'm responsible for my crew, and my crew only. I had no decent reason to bring yours in with mine. It's just a liability and more mouths to feed." You say evenly, clenching and releasing your jaw a few times.

She begins to fire off her rebuttal, but you tune her out for the most part and start walking further inland. She has no choice but to follow, and she does so while adamantly complaining. You throw occasional jabs to her arguments in order to keep her moving, and your plan works well. She's too busy bickering with you to notice that she's doing exactly what you want her to.

"...and you're so arrogant, Y/N! I mean, really. God, you're infuriating."

"Are you done yet?" You ask, cocking your head to the side while you simply blink at her. She squints at you, about to give you another piece of her mind, but you glance down at the rock you led her to and she closes her mouth.

"You can keep screaming at me or we can break these chains. Your choice." You shrug, pursing your lips. She cuts her eyes at you, but agrees with a huff, nonetheless.

The two of you work together to find fittingly sized rocks, taking turns dropping them on your restraints and methodically working them against them. Eventually the chains give way, allowing your hands to wiggle out of their strict hold. You're the first to free yourself; once you're done, you find Rosé struggling in silence, refusing to ask for your help.

"Here," you offer, extending a hand to her. Doing nice things for people without gaining something for yourself isn't something you do often -- you've been raised differently; grown more independent and self-serving after your time on the sea.

"Oh, now you want to work together?" She quirks an eyebrow.

You put your hands up with an amused grin. "I don't have to help, feel free to do it alone." You stand, dusting the sand off of your clothes as you begin to walk away and investigate the island. She calls out behind you, annoyed shouts getting further and further away as you just smile and continue your journey.

------

"Ah, glad you could join us again." You smirk, adding some kindling to the small fire you managed to set up during her time away.

"Shut it," she bites back, glaring at you.

"Tough crowd," you laugh, raising your eyebrows. For once, she doesn't say anything back. She busies herself with removing her shoes and socks, setting them next to the source of heat to dry before disappearing into the tree line. She returns a few minutes later, carrying with her a few different branches. Some of them are forked at the top, and she arranges them into a sturdy structure beside the fire as well. You try not to focus on how strong she looks as she does it, her muscles glistening in the fading evening light with a sheet of sweat.

To your surprise, she begins stripping.

First her overcoat, which she drapes across the branch acting as a beam between the forked ones, and then her vest. She wrings them out individually, and you watch as the materials drip with what water hadn't already evaporated yet. The loose linen undershirt that she wears remains on, and you're thankful for that -- had she taken it off as well, you likely would've passed out. The blush on your cheeks deepens as you feel her eyes on you, and you keep your gaze trained on the fire.

"Well? Are you planning to stay in those clothes all night?" She asks, running a hand through her hair to fix it and get some of the sand out.

"If I didn't know better I'd say you're trying to get me naked, Rosie." You play, smiling harder when you see her roll her eyes and look away.

"You wish," she scoffs, though you can see her stealing glances at you as you remove your clothes. She admires the shadows that the fire casts over your body, the flames dancing as they offer their beautiful warmth. The two of you go way back, having grown up as frenemies due to your professions, but she's always had a soft spot for you. You piss her off to no end, and yet somehow she can think of plenty worse people to be stuck with.

After catching her staring, you decide to tease her. You flex your muscles, making sure to be extra and really make a show of it. She blushes, hiding behind her hands to escape the situation.

"Awww, somebody's shy." You say, chuckling at her.

"Am not," she protests, though her sheepish grin sells her out.

"Prove it," you challenge, a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of your lips. Teasing her is one of your favorite pastimes.

Tired of the games, she gathers all of the courage she possesses and stands, slowly sauntering her way over to you. Your eyes take in the sight of her, and she smirks; she works hard to stay in shape, and she knows she looks good. Countless weeks spent at sea, working alongside her crew on long voyages has left her with artfully tanned skin and a physique to die for. You go to compliment her, but she stops you before you have the chance, pressing a finger to your pursed lips. She trails it lower, blazing a path across your jawline and chest, stopping at your ribs. Your breath hitches, and she definitely feels it. You curse yourself for being so easy, already knowing what's coming.

"Who's shy now, sweetheart?" She purrs out, smiling victoriously.

How she's capable of switching demeanors so easily baffles you, but it ensures that no interaction with her will be boring, if nothing else.

"Yeah, yeah," you grumble, pushing her away to break the growing tension. She's looking at you with some glint in her eye that you can't quite place -- all you know is that if she keeps doing it, things might escalate to a place neither of you are prepared for.

You clear your throat and step around her to adjust your clothes on the drying rack. "You can go ahead and sleep. I'll stay awake and keep the fire going."

She nods with a slight frown on her lips, though you don't see it. "Alright. But wake me up when you get too tired, okay?" You assure her you will, though truthfully your body is aching for sleep right now. The beating you took earlier did its worst on you, leaving your skin bruised and muscles knotted. She deserves to rest, though, and you're okay with giving her the first shift of it. Besides, your mind would surely keep you awake for the better part of an hour -- at least it'll be used to its fullest with her.

What you don't realize, however, is that when she lays down beside you, cuddling into the sorry attempt for a bedroll that you threw together, she merely pretends to fall asleep. Likewise, when she settles her head in your lap, searching for a more comfortable place to lay it, she's fully conscious. She lazily smiles when you run your hands through her hair, wrapping the locks around your fingers in mindless patterns before releasing them and starting over. It's soothing, and soon enough she calms her eager heart enough to slip away to dreamland.

--- A Few Days Later ---

"Wakey wakey…" Rosé sing-songs, hovering over you. The two of you have settled into this familiar rhythm over the past few days, spending the daytime searching for food and supplies and taking shifts to sleep through the night. You've almost always ended up taking the latter opportunity, though sometimes Rosé would force you to rest first if you needed it badly enough.

"Mmm," you groan in disapproval, rolling over. The sun is far too bright, and your upgraded bed situation is much too comfortable to offer any valid reason for you to leave it. Rosé knows how difficult it is to get you up, but she's learned some very useful tactics.

"Y/N…" she drawls, voice like honey as it releases your name with care. Her lips are next to your ear, teasing you as her warm breath fans across your neck. You audibly swallow, not prepared for that in the slightest, and slowly peek your eyes open. She raises a hand to shield your face from the unforgiving sun, and you smile at the domesticity of the act. She looks like a dream -- her hair is fanned out, swaying peacefully in the calm breeze that rolls in from the sea, and she's grinning that killer smile down at you. Her previous sunburn has turned into a tan now, making her look even more irresistible somehow.

"What do you want to do today?" You ask, lacing your fingers together as you put them behind your head. They work as a cradle, cushioning your head from the sand.

"I saw some berry bushes on the north side of the island. They didn't look like any poisonous kind I've studied about, so maybe we could check them out?" She suggests, sitting back on her knees with a quirked brow.

"Sounds like a plan." You smile lazily, gazing up at her. A light pattern of freckles paints her cheeks, and you can't help but grin at how adorable she is.

"What is it?" She asks skeptically, squinting at you.

"You're just too cute for your own good, is all." You sigh, content as you stand up and tug a blushing Rosé behind you. She closes the "door" behind herself, sealing off the entryway to your humble abode. It's a panel of leaves and sticks, built to be sturdy yet lightweight and easy to move. She built it herself, and a sweet smile works its way onto her lips as she remembers the praise you sent her way after she presented it to you.

--------

"If you don't slow down then I'm gonna slap you," she says, peering up at the trees that loom high overhead. In her distracted state, she neglects to look where she's going.

Her rambling is cut short by your hand darting out in front of her, effectively stilling her movements and words. You glance at the ground, prompting her eyes to follow the path they made and widen upon realizing what you just saved her from. An animal -- some wretched cross between a scorpion and pincher beetle -- continues its trip across the downed log that lays in front of you, menacing in its appearance.

"Thank you," she breathes out, leaning into your side as you hold her and direct her away from danger.

"Do me a favor and don't die, okay?" You quirk, scrunching your face up at her humorously. She shoves you, holding up her middle finger as she walks ahead and blazes a path for the two of you. You chuckle, grinning stupidly as you follow after her.

--- 3 Hours Later ---

"Take cover," you shout to an imaginary army, seeking refuge behind the base of a large tree. Rosé chuckles maniacally from behind one of the berry bushes, her fingers lightly stained from the juices that are running down her palm.

"Nice try, Y/N. But you can't escape… CAPTAIN ROSÉ!" She shouts, surprising you as she charges in your direction, pelting you with berry after berry. You squeal, evading as many of the makeshift missiles as you can by darting behind different greenery. She eventually catches up, snaking her arms around your waist and preventing you from getting away again.

"NO!" You exclaim, slumping further into her arms in defeat after your attempts to escape prove futile. She spins you around to face her, pressing your back up against the nearest tree as the two of you practically double over with laughter. She looks ethereal, with how she shines in the sunlight that sneaks its way through the canopy of tree tops above you. Her eyes are almost closed from how hard she's smiling at you.

A sharp growl breaks the happy moment, perking your ears up and causing your heart to race for a different reason entirely. You glance around the tree, protectively stepping in front of Rosé to shield her from any new threat. An animal -- something you've never seen before -- bares its teeth, snarling aggressively as it sets its sights on you. Your blood runs cold in your veins, stopping your heart momentarily as your brain attempts to formulate a plan on the fly. With only a few precious moments left before it attacks, you glance around for anything to double as a weapon without making any sudden movements.

Rosé is clutched onto you from behind, and you can feel her heart beating wildly. You have to protect her, no matter what.

"On my count, I want you to climb into this tree. I'm going to try and defend us." From what little knowledge you've inferred in the past couple minutes, you doubt the animal is capable of climbing well; it doesn't have the body or feet for it. You fear it is capable of running quickly, though, so the tree is likely your best bet.

"What? No, I'm going to--"

"Roseanne, please, for once, just do as I ask. Trust me." You plead over your shoulder, noting the slight tremble that runs through her as another roar echoes out. Your eyes remain trained on it, never backing down for a second.

One steadying breath later, you shout, "Now!" and swoop down to pick up what helpful materials you can. You charge at the animal, taking the offensive in order to keep as much distance possible between it and Rosé. You successfully jab the sharpened stick into its side, causing it to wail in pain. In an instant it grabs your arm, wrapping it's paws around you as it lunges forwards and tumbles to the ground on top of you. A scream leaves your lips as you watch its teeth dig further into your flesh, garnering deep crimson blood to spill from your developing wounds. You protect your neck with your other arm, only breaking this rule to reach to your side and retrieve the heavy rock you brought along as well. It connects with the side of the animal's head, only making it whimper before loosening its grip the slightest bit. You weren't prepared for it to be such a tough enemy. You use your strength to roll it over and sit on top of it, keeping your arm in its grip to ensure that it stays occupied. Your fingers dig into every sensitive part of its body you can reach, performing the defense moves you've spent your life practicing to use. With a glance at Rosé, you find her safe in the tree, just like you wanted.

"Run!" You shout, willing to keep the creature distracted in order to give her time to escape. Before you can see if she listens to you, it's nails claw into your abdomen, scratching painful designs into the previously smooth skin. It performs another death roll, and you barely have the strength to shank it in the side again. It howls, rearing back to go for your jugular before its movements are abruptly cut short. An unsettling crack rings out above you, and you open your eyes after not receiving the fatal blow you had been expecting. The animal scampers away from you, limping off further into the forest until it's out of sight.

Rosé drops the large branch in her hand, the end of it lightly stained with blood. "Go..." you weakly mumble, eyes beginning to flutter closed as you notice how much blood you've already lost. You feel cold, and you have to fight the shiver that runs through you.

"I've got you, Y/N." She whispers, cradling your fragile frame in her arms as she picks you up and begins the journey back to camp. "You did good." She reassures, having no idea how much you needed to hear that before falling unconscious.

---------

After gathering the medicinal plants and resources that the two of you have accumulated so far, she returns to the fireside, settling down beside you. She raises your shirt enough to have access to your wounds, but not far enough to expose you. Temperate water meets your bloodied and broken skin, rushing over the sensitive areas as she gently cleans them. Once dry, she mixes the materials into a sort of salve to rub on them before laying the plants on them in place of bandages.

The crackling of the fire works with the crashing of distant waves to serve as background noise, making the night far more peaceful than the day had been. She allows you to continue resting, knowing you need all of it that you can get.

About an hour or so later you wake with a start, hands reaching out as if you were right back in front of the animal. Your dreams were plagued with images of the nightmarish beast, and you're having trouble adjusting to the fact that they were all in your head. They felt so real. Rosé is by your side in an instant, brushing your hair out of your face with one hand while caressing your thigh with the other -- it's one of the only places that made it out of battle relatively unscathed. Your panicked eyes find hers, glazed over with tears as you pull her flush against your body, glad to know she's okay. Her warmth reminds you that she's here, that she's real, and that she's safe.

Memories of your fight come flooding back, filling your mind with the terrifying things you witnessed and reigniting your fight or flight response. You remember that she didn't listen to you -- she put herself in harm's way instead of leaving you behind, like you asked -- and you grow angry. Muttered phrases of disapproval leave your lips as you push her away, stumbling slightly when you try to stand on your own. Although confused by your erratic behavior, she reaches out to assist you, only to be met with a harsh refusal from you.

"Stop!" The word comes out as an angry shout -- louder than you originally intended -- but you can't find it in yourself to apologize right now. You find your footing after a moment, holding your side as you walk away from her.

"What's your problem?" She shouts, marching after you. She refuses to let this go without a fight, seeing as how she has plenty more questions than answers now.

"You could've gotten hurt, Rosé, and I could've handled it on my own." You say over your shoulder, continuing on your journey away from camp. Her relentlessness is quickly getting on your nerves.

"Clearly you couldn't! You needed help; why are you denying that?" She stops now, crossing her arms angrily with her brows furrowed. The fact that you're still so set on clinging to your pride is pissing her off.

"You should've left me there! I can't have you getting hurt because of me." You turn around now, setting your jaw. Is she really this blind? This has nothing to do with your pride. Her eyes meet yours, the pools overflowing with confusion as they scan over your face in search of clarification.

"I can handle something happening to me; I've made my peace with that. But if something ever happened to you because of my incompetence…" you shake your head at the mere thought of that, momentarily too overwhelmed to continue, "...I wouldn't know what to do with myself. I care about you, idiot." You add that last line before turning around, not bothering to wait on her reaction. Part of you is scared to, honestly, and the day has been far too eventful for you to handle a potential rejection on top of everything else.

She says nothing, leaving the air around you void of her beautiful voice, and you don't know whether to be thankful or disheartened.

You put more distance between the two of you, leaving a stunned Rosé in your wake as you find a place to sit along the shoreline. Your temper -- more precisely, the fear you hold that presents itself as anger -- reared its head tonight. You didn't mean to snap at her like that, but the possibility of her getting hurt because of you makes your blood boil. That would be unforgivable, and you wouldn't be able to live with yourself. You felt helpless earlier, quickly running out of the strength required to keep her safe.

Salty tears manage to break past your line of defenses, much like Rosé has managed to do with your heart. She's torn down every wall you've ever put up to protect yourself, and now that she's there you don't know how to cope. You've had people you considered close before, but none of them have mattered like she does. You've never been so afraid of losing someone.

A soft hand on your shoulder makes you jump slightly, pulling you from your thoughts. Speak of the devil.

"Hey." She says simply, sitting down beside you. You turn your face away, not wanting to let her see you cry. "I'm sorry for fighting, okay? But I'm not sorry for helping you. I care about you, too, and I'll be damned to just leave you like that." She doesn't say anything else, doesn't try to make you look at her -- she just sits there, waiting for you to be ready to do so on your own.

She's waited on you since you were teenagers, so she figures she's capable of waiting a bit longer now. Both of you are aware of the love you hold for one another; this is just the hardest part -- finally admitting it.

"I can't lose you," you whisper, eyes full of tears that occasionally roll down your cheeks once gravity finds its footing. You turn to the front, still too emotional to look into her eyes.

"Ditto. That's why I did what I did."

Your knees are raised and pulled in close to your body for security, your arms wrapped around them to keep them in place. She reaches over to rest her hand on yours, wordlessly coaxing you into looking at her.

"I…" You pause, voice breaking with the emotions you're still reeling from.

"I know." She says, resting her forehead against yours.

"I love you, too."

She pulls you in, making sure to be gentle and not injure you any further. She raises your head to press her lips against yours, tasting the faint hint of wildberry that still rests on them from earlier. It's slow and new, giving you a break from the intensity you've been dealing with the past few days. You tilt your head to the right, letting out a whimper as her fingers graze a bruised spot on your ribs. She gives you another peck before pulling away, determined to stop herself while she still can. You're addicting, and she already can't get enough of you.

A beat passes between you, giving you time to sort the thoughts rushing around your mind. "I've always loved you." You admit, pulling back to look at her. Tears well in her eyes, shining brightly in the brilliant moonlight as they threaten to fall.

"Ever since we commanded our own boats for the first time. Mine was better, of course," she laughs at that, smiling despite herself, "...but I knew you were different then. I've spent all these years being too stubborn to let myself have you."

She takes your words in, her heart pounding victoriously in her chest at your confession. "I knew when we were still training together. You always made things better for me then; I was so thankful to know you. Even if we teased the hell out of each other."

You grin at the countless memories that come to mind. "Do you remember that night at the docks, after we graduated from our classes?" She looks up, searching her memory vault. "When you kissed me?" She asks. You nod, looking down with a bashful smile.

"I knew we wouldn't see each other for a while, so I wanted to make it count."

"You made it really hard to say goodbye, you know?" She says, her eyes softening as she looks at you.

"I know. But you get half of the blame."

She tuts at you, nudging you playfully. You hiss in pain, causing her to bring a hand up to cover her growing smile. "Oops. Sorry, not sorry."

"If I wasn't hurting so bad I'd tackle you right now."

"Oh, I'm so scared." She laughs, mocking you.

"That's it," you declare, ignoring the pain that shoots through your body with all the moving you're doing. Her laugh practically heals you anyway, so it's not hard to push it from your mind. You press her into the sand, rolling over to straddle her hips and pin her hands above her head.

"Woah, tiger. Don't hurt yourself." She raises her head as much as her restrained state will allow, coming dangerously close to your face.

"You're such a dork." You tut, leaning in to capture her lips once more. She mumbles out a, "you love it, though" against you, and your heart can't help but soar.

- A Few Weeks Later -

A soft melody rides along the airwaves towards your ears, persuading you to wake up from your cozy slumber. You cuddle further into Rosie's tempting embrace, smiling at the way she pulls you impossibly closer. Her throat wiggles as she hums out a familiar tune from your childhood -- one of the songs you used to dance together to.

"You big softie." You coo, resting your chin on her chest to look into her eyes with a smile. She grins, finally peeking at you through her lashes.

"Good morning, beautiful." She says, her accent coming through adorably. She pulls you up to her lips for a kiss before rolling you onto your back.

You sigh as she leaves open mouth kisses to your neck, dragging her lips over the skin there lazily. She takes her time, leaving marks here and there to show the world who you belong to. Her hands skim over the warm skin of your abdomen, finally free of the intense wounds you've been recovering from. Only small scars are left now, serving as a testament to what you endured.

"Mmm, I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat." She chuckles at that, her head falling forward to rest against your shoulder as her body shakes with laughter.

"You're thinking about food while I'm kissing you?" She grins, propping herself up on her arm to look down at you lovingly.

"What can I say? I'm a hungry girl." You kiss her cheeks, ghosting your lips over hers. "Although," you tease the corner of her mouth, "...you're looking pretty tasty right about now. I might just eat you instead."

She squeals as you crawl on top of her, pretending to bite her skin as you tickle her sides.

"I surrender!" She shouts, finally giving into you. You kiss her one last time before pulling away and practically dragging her out of the structure.

"I'll get started on cooking the fish if you grab some water." You offer, rustling through your handmade crate for the skewers you use to prepare food.

"Alright," she nods, kissing you on the cheek before grabbing your canteens and setting off towards the freshwater spring not far from camp.

"Be careful!" You call out after her, smiling when she turns around to face you with her hands in the form of a heart.

---------

"Good job baby. That was delicious." She compliments, leaning back against the log you use as seating beside the fire. She almost always opts to sit in the sand and rest against it for some reason, but you're long past questioning her at this point. Rosie's… unique.

"They don't call me Chef Y/N for nothing." You quip, holding your head higher with a sense of self-importance.

"They don't call you that anyway."

"Hey," you pout, slapping the back of her head with no real force. "Let a girl pretend, would you?"

"Fine, my apologies." She smiles again, and you can't help but do the same. You've lost count of how many times she's made you laugh over these past few weeks, and although you hope to be rescued sooner rather than later, the thought of being stuck here with her for a while longer doesn't seem all that bad.

"You're doing it again," she trails off, wiggling her voice up and down to tease you.

"What?"

"Looking at me like a lovesick puppy." Her eyes shine in the warm, tropical sunlight, pools of rich amber that you wouldn't mind getting lost in. They match the color of whiskey almost perfectly.

"Not my fault. Have you seen yourself?." She scoffs, but blushes nonetheless. You lean over to press a kiss to the top of her head affectionately.

Your attention is stolen away all at once as you hear the words you've been imagining ever since you arrived on the island. "Land, ho!" Multiple voices bellow out in the distance, prompting you to search for their source. Collective cheering can be heard, and you swiftly stand -- as if that simple act will miraculously enable you to see better.

"We're coming, Captain!" Jisoo, your second in command shouts, seemingly hanging off the bow of the ship -- your ship. A squad of others follows behind, maintaining a tight formation as they make their way to shore.

"Us too, Captain!" Someone calls from one of the neighboring boats, apparently one of Rosé's crewmembers. She waves back excitedly, and you bite back the smile that tugs at your cheeks.

Eventually they reach land.

"Y/N!" Your scout, Lisa, shrieks like a schoolgirl, running into your arms eagerly. She was the first friend you ever made during your training years, long before you met Rosé, and you were truly worried for her.

"Ah, Lisa. Jisoo." You look between the two of them proudly, glad to see them alive and well. "What happened?"

"We managed to defeat Captain Crusty's men--" she stops to explain when she notices your brows furrowed in amused confusion, "--that's the nickname we gave the bandit leader. Anyway, we defeated them and repaired the ship enough to make it back to shore. They did some major damage, though."

You nod, satisfied with their story, until you remember that they didn't come alone. You subtly motion your head to the other crew, and Jisoo gets the memo. "We found the rest of these pea-brains back at the docks and they insisted on coming along."

"Hey, it's not like we wanted to be stuck with you either!" Jennie, Rosé's second, hits back, defending herself and the rest of her crew. "If your moron captain would've listened to Rosé we wouldn't be here, and we wouldn't have lost anyone in the process."

"Quiet," Rosé warns, stepping in front of her to block the two sides from each other.

Despite knowing it isn't technically your fault, Jennie's words do hold some truth. You feel guilty for all the senseless violence you could've potentially spared your people from enduring, and the what-ifs weigh heavily on your mind and heart.

"So long as I'm still in charge, no one will disrespect Y/N or her crew. Are we clear? I won't take kindly to any of you going against me." It's a heavy warning, and her tone makes it clear that she'll be true to her word. They know better than to test her. Her eyes scan the group of misfits, all looking bewildered by her sudden change of heart. It must be a bit jarring for them, after being such bitter enemies with the others for so long. Regardless, scattered nods and grumbles of acceptance leave them before they all scurry away to get started on their tasks, looking like scolded children.

You send Lisa and Jisoo along with the rest of your crew to go ahead and board again, seeing that you have no real equipment to pack up this time. It feels wrong to leave the island -- the place that brought you back to Rosie and allowed you to open your heart to her -- without something to remember it by. So, with a whispered, "Wait here," you run back to camp to snatch something.

You return soon after, a huge smile plastered on your face. "You're bringing our door?" She laughs, tilting her head at your strange choice.

"Duh. Good to know your eyes still work, I was getting worried." You tease, giggling as she pinches you.

"Come on baby; let's go. Last one there has to clean the poop deck."

"Get back here!" She yells, chasing you into the chilly water with a smile. Whether she loses or not doesn't matter much to her -- she finally has you after all these years, and she can't wait to see where the future will take the two of you.

422 notes · View notes

themadlostgirl · 4 years

Text

Abandoned (5)

*Fluff. It is just pure fluff*

~~~

Time was so strange to think about in a realm where time stood still. A lifetime could have passed around me and I wouldn’t have noticed. The only way I was sure the days were even going by was the rising and setting of the sun. Little memories, echoes of a time long forgotten, reminding me that I had not always lived on Neverland. The clothes I wore were altered but significantly different from the Lost Boys. A stark reminder that once we were on opposing sides. For what reason I could no longer remember.

The only thing I remembered with clarity was the pain. The anger in my soul wouldn’t let me forget. I never forgot the way a redheaded pirate had hurt me and scared me so thoroughly. Sometimes I would wake with his voice in my ear and cry. I never forgot that I had a mother at one point. I reckoned I looked a lot like her and I know that I loved her. Then she had died and a part of me had gone with her.

All of that pain paled in comparison to the eternal flame of resentment I held towards the man I had called father. His face was hard to remember. At odd times I would remember the way he smiled or a whisper of his voice barking orders or singing a tune. One of his hands was replaced with a hook. I loved him just as I had loved my mother. Trusted him. Then he betrayed me. He sold me. He traded me away without regret.

I hated him.

That’s all I needed to know. All I needed to remember.

I hated my father.

Life is strange though. I was kicked out of one family and given another. Peter Pan and his Lost Boys. It felt like I had known them all my life. We laughed, fought, hunted, and played games. We were always having fun. I couldn’t imagine a life without them.

While I got along great with all the boys I couldn’t say that I was particularly close to any single one of them. Besides Pan that is. I don’t know what it was but Pan and I just got along better than we ever did with anyone else. He was, without a doubt, my best friend.

I sat at my own little camp one morning soaking in the breeze off the ocean. Pan had offered me a place back at his camp but I liked having my own space out here on the beach. I wanted to be near the ocean. I could only fall asleep listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. I don’t understand why. It was comforting. Familiar.

I was cooking a fish I had caught over my fire for some breakfast when I felt the chill that let me know someone was watching me. Without looking from my task I called to the onlooker. “You know you can’t sneak up on me. So how about you come take a seat.”

“Nothing ever gets past you, swordfish,” Pan came and sat down next to me. “I come bearing presents.”

“Do you?” I gave the fish another turn on the spit. I looked at Pan, “May I enquire as to the occasion?”

“Today is a special day. Do you know why?”

“If I knew I wouldn’t have to ask you.”

“Today marks the one year anniversary of when you became a Lost Girl.”

“One year?” I asked, “It feels like it’s been so much longer than that. Are you sure?”

“As sure as anything. This day one year ago, you officially joined me and the boys as our first ever Lost Girl. Doesn’t that call for celebration?”

“I suppose it does.” I inched closer, “So where is this present you got me?”

“It’s not here. I have to take you to it.”

“Can I have my breakfast first?”

“Yes. You’ll need your energy.”

We made idle talk as I quickly scarfed down my breakfast and stood to follow Pan to my present. He tied a blindfold around my eyes and led me into the jungle with his hand holding tight to mine. I laughed as I stumbled to whatever spot Pan was taking me. I tried making guesses but he was resolute in his decision to keep it a secret up until the very last second.

“Are we almost there?” I asked after several minutes of walking.

“Just a little farther.” Pan pulled me forward. “Alright, you can take the blindfold off now.”

I reached behind my head and undid the knot. The fabric fell away and I stumbled back when I realized we were at the top of a cliff. “Careful,” Pan righted me, “Don’t want you to go falling off the edge yet.”

“Yet?! What do you mean yet?!” Fear coursed through my veins as I tried to get away from the ledge.

“Calm down, spitfire. It’s not what you think,” He chuckled, “You trust me, right?”

“Slowly losing trust the longer you keep me up here.”

“Look at me,” He turned my face to his, “You’ll be safe. I promise.”

“Had better or else I swear I will come back and haunt you after I die.” I inched a little closer and peered down the cliff face. “Not that the view isn’t good but what does this have to do with my present?”

“It’s a good jumping point,” he pulled a vial out of his pocket and handed it to me. The contents inside glittered and glowed a bright green. “Know what it is?”

“Pixie dust,” I shook the dust around sending more swirls of sparkling magic dancing in the glass. I had heard the boys talking about it. It only was found in the topmost of some trees and could be quite difficult to find. It had a number of abilities such as changing one’s appearance, uniting someone with their true love, healing wounds, and even--

“Can I fly!” I jumped clasping the vial tighter. “Is this my present?”

“It is, spitfire. I was going to let you have the dust for whatever you wanted but I had a feeling you’d want to fly.”

“This is great! Thank you so much!” I wrapped him in a hug. He grew stiff in my arms and I pulled away from him just as quick. “Sorry, I was just so excited! This is an amazing gift.”

“Yes, you’re welcome,” Pan looked away and gestured for the vial back. He uncorked it and held it up above me. “I trust you know how this works.”

“I do,” My body was tingling with anticipation. He started to tip it and my hand shot out to stop him.

“Something wrong?” He asked.

“What if it doesn’t work for me? I don’t want to jump to my death.”

“Do you really think I’d let my Lost Girl do something as stupid as jump to her death?” Pan laughed, “Besides, I’ll be flying with you so if you do start falling I’ll be right there to catch you.”

“Oh my hero,” I scoffed with a smile, “I trust you though.” I dropped my hand back to my side and nodded for him to continue.

The dust came spilling out and sprinkled around us. There was a strange feeling all around me. As if I was much lighter than I had ever been. I looked down and saw that I was floating a few inches off the ground. It’s happening! I’m flying!

Pan was still in front of my lazily floating in the space next to me as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “You ready?”

Without answering I pushed myself over the edge of the cliff and let myself fall down, down, down towards the crashing waves. I let out a loud and wild laugh as I pulled up just before hitting the waves and glided out over the ocean. I reached out and touched my hand to the water leaving ripples behind as I flew. This was so exhilarating!

“You’re a natural,” Pan came flying by next to me, “You didn’t even need me.”

“Are you so surprised?” I took a turn around Skull Rock, “You should know by now that I can do anything better than you, Pan.”

“Cocky aren’t we?” Pan reached out and shoved me sending me wobbling as I almost crashed into a boulder poking out from the waves. “Not so cocky now, are you?”

“Oh you’re gonna pay for that!”

“Only if you can catch me, spitfire!” Pan took off ahead of me.

I followed after him and was keeping stride with him pretty well despite his experience in the matter. The only reason I couldn’t catch him was because he dove down into the jungle and while I was able to keep him in sight he wove in and out of the trees so smoothly it almost felt like they were parting for him. They might have been seeing as how he could shape the island however he wanted. I was not as skilled as him and had a good many near misses of colliding with a tree as I chased him.

He entered into a cave and I went in after him. When I came out the otherside he had disappeared. “Pan, you cheater!” I shouted, “Come out, come out wherever you are!”

“Boo!” A pair of hands grabbed me from behind. I couldn’t help they yelp that escaped me. Pan was holding tight to me and flew us both higher up into the air. While I never did have much a fear of heights I was finding myself dizzy the higher up we got. The island was getting so small.

“Pan! Get us back down there! We’re too high up!” I shouted at him.

“Where’s your sense of adventure?” he cackled, “Don’t tell me my Lost Girl is scared of heights.”

“I’m not! But this is too high! What if the pixie dust wears off? We’re sure as dead!” My fingernails dug into his arm, too scared to let go.

“Calm down, here, have a seat,” he gestured to a cloud.

“Is this some sort of trick?” I snarled, “I’m not an idiot. I know a cloud is just a vaporous formation of water. I’ll sink right through as if it was nothing.”

“No imagination,” Pan sighed and pushed me off him. I let out a short scream as I fell back. My landing was cushioned by the cloud though.

“How--”

“Magic, remember?” Pan sat down next to me. “So little trust, swordfish. I can make anything I want in this realm.”

“Right…” I relaxed a bit and sunk down into the could, “It’s so soft.”

I noticed Pan was staring at me and I turned over to face him fully. “Thank you, Pan. This was so much fun.”

“You’re welcome, Lost Girl.” He smiled. I looked over the edge of the cloud at the island far below. It was so small from up here. I had to stop staring as the vertigo set in.

Pan was still watching me, a wistful smile on his face. “What?” I asked.

“You know you only ever call me Pan.” He said.

“I wouldn’t say that’s all I call you.” I pulled my knees to my chest, “I call you jerk, cheater, codfish, blight on my life--”

“You never call me Peter though.”

“Cause everyone refers to you as Pan.”

“They’ve called me Peter at least once. They just choose Pan. Sometimes I would like to hear my first name.” He shrugged.

“Then why don’t you ask them to call you by your first name?”

“I guess I just don’t like the way it sounds coming from them.”

“You want to be called by your first name yet you don’t like the way anyone says it. I believe that you are contradicting yourself.” I teased.

“Or maybe I’m waiting for someone to say it in a way that I like. Care to give it a go?”

“Okay,” I rolled my eyes, “Do you like how I say your name, Peter?”

His smile grew and crinkled his eyes. “I believe I do.”

“You know, if you wanted me to call you by your first name you could have just asked. You didn’t have to go about it in such a roundabout way.”

“I have no idea what you could mean. I simply haven’t liked the way anyone has said my name until now. Of course, as sweet as it sounds from your lips I think there is room for improvement still.”

“Is that so? And how else am I supposed to say it?”

“I’ll let you know another time.” He answered with a wink, “For now, say it again as you just did.”

“You are so strange...Peter.”

He grinned in that way that made me forget I had ever called him anything else. “Perfect.”

---

(Previous) (Next)

#peter pan ouat #ouat peter pan #ouat #neverland #peter pan imagine #peter pan x reader

74 notes · View notes

neoyi · 3 years

Text

Back again with another Kingdoms Heart II talky time. What is this, the fourth? Fifth installment? Any who, I’m covering Sora’s revisits to Beast’s Castle, Chin- er, sorry, Land of Dragons, Olympus, Agrabah, Halloween/Christmas Town, and Pride Rock.

*I love that Kingdom Hearts Belle is only so restraint with her annoyance over Organization XIII’s bullshit. She’s already pissed when Xaldin interrupts her big ballroom dance out with the Beast (”not tonight!”), then when Xaldin kidnaps her and threatens the Beast, she elbows the man in response (the music even stops just to emphasize the impact of what she’s done), sporting an absolute shit-eating grin in the process.

Belle is Queen Shit.

*I see The Beast has mastered the Team Rocket School of Quick Changing Clothing. He’s somehow able to switch from his dance outfit to his standard tattered cape and pants between Heartless surrounding them and just before they do battle. What talent.

*Having Marluxia’s - that pretentious rose-spewing jackass - insignia inside Beast’s Castle is apropos.

*I get keeping the Organization XIII members in their hoods is to preserve their mysteries and build anticipation (it’s less about Who They Could Beeee as it is wondering what they look like and what personality/skills are associated with them), but as someone who sometimes has trouble distinguishing things, having to parse out who is speaking to who when they all look identical is kind of hard....They really could have killed for more women in the Org, I’m just saying.

*Oh shit, I forgot how hot Xigbar was. In terms of sexiness, it’s a toss-up between him and Luxurd.

*Oh yes, that eye patch does do things to me. <3

*It is super cute that Mulan asked the Emperor if Shang could have a vacation.

*I think it fits that at some point in Hercules’ life, he’s going to feel burnt out from being a hero without any rest. It’s kind of nice to see this game explore that a bit.

*I haven’t played FFX in a long time, but I think some of the dialogue Auron spouts when Sora picks up his Heart Doll doohickey are from or carry shades from his time during. It’s obviously just meant to pay lip service to his canon role, but I kind of like the Don’t-Take-It-Seriously-Theory that the Auron in Kingdom Hearts ended up in Hades’ realm (maybe he took a wrong turn in Albuquerque on his way to Spira’s whatever-the-fuck-metaphysical-afterlife-is.) I guess if there’s one game series where multibverse traverse is logical, it’d be Kingdom Hearts.

I’ve looked at this artwork of Sora many times over the years and this part of his outfit still baffles me. What are those baggy red things attached to his hips? Are they cushioned to protect a part of his body in case he gets tossed by an enemy? Is it the same with his shoulder guards or are those even shoulder guards and not just clothing that happen to look like shoulder guards? Like, are the red bags bags? Does Sora pack his essentials in them? Toothbrush? Snack bar? Keys to the Gummi Ship????

*If Hercules’ doubt is part and parcel of being a hero to many, Sora’s obsession to be defined as one in Olymupus Coliseum feel redundant and backwards. Didn’t the first Kingdom Hearts established that bearing the moniker of a hero is not reflective of your character, but through your actions? Sora’s a goofball, but apparently that lesson didn’t seem to stick, causing him to obsess over labels he only cares about for this world and this world only.

*Revisiting Port Royal and I’m only just realizing Sora can kill pirates in this game. They’re undead, but they’re that way because of a curse, otherwise they were living and have the capability to live again. I don’t know if I can process this kid having murdered like hundreds of Actual, By Technicality, Living Humans.

*I like how Jack describes the audacity of Organization XIII’s motives that it makes pirates look kind and spoke with a tone as if he’s offended. Pirates have a nasty reputation to live for and those jackasses in black hoods are taking all their creds.

*Luxurd is the other Hot Organization XIII member, and he may be my personal favorite. He’s got that sauve, roguish quality I like in a character. In another universe, he might have been a risky, gambling-his-life Lovable Rouge Pirate and damn if I wouldn’t eat that story up.

*Whenever Donald and Goofy is out of your party, they sometimes circle around to each other and chat and I think that’s adorable. Nice attention to detail.

*Tragically, unlike Belle who got a bit more to do in her world, Jasmine’s expanded role in KHII doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. She gets to be voiced by her original actress, but that’s about the extent of it.

*I don’t know if this was an intended foreshadowing or just the product of Cool Boss Fight, but Sora constantly dodging and reflecting crumbles of building away from Genie Jafar does end up coming back in the final boss fight. Arguably cooler than this one, but you can see it as Sora applying what he’s learned since then.

*If Genie is capable of fixing Agrabah and improving on it, then man, I think Aladdin should let him. Like don’t drastically alter it to alienate the townsfolk, but consult with the Sultan and Jasmine and improve the homes of thousands of impoverished people. Come on, Aladdin, you’re gonna rule these people, and you were once a street rat. Use your position for good!

*I’m a tad worried about Sora’s stick arms. Kid, you eating alright? Is Donald and Goofy giving you proper nourishment?

*At the second half of the game, Kingdom Hearts II really ramps up the Sora/Kairi and how you feel about it likely depends upon your preference for the pairing or not. I actually think they’re adorable as heck and I think a lot of why is that Sora, unlike a lot of other shonen protagonist that his archetype resembles, is far from clueless about his affection for her or even dismissive of her. No, he thinks of her all the goddamn time. He’s ridiculously in love with her that an average teenager can give and that’s such a wholesome thing that almost any scenario where he’s thinking of her really shines a spot on his character. This despite the fact that, well, there really isn’t a whole lot of on the Why they like each other, they just do because they’re the main male and female protagonist (which is why I get people rolling their eyes at the pairing, it is a bog-standard heteronormative relationship.)

*I think it's a good and logical point that Simba still carries doubt shortly after the events of The Lion King. Scar's ghost looming over him filling him with manipulative thoughts and his people especially doubting his kingly moniker because he's not the Great Mufasa is something Simba would likely be compared to. However could Simba compete with Mufasa, a beloved and competent King?

*I think this is the first time the game has ever shown a canon Disney character getting the Heartless treatment and man, this is a cool concept I kind of wished they did more of. I mean, maybe they did? I haven’t played any KH game after this. I hear Hans turns into one in KH3.

*There's a mild subplot between Cid and Merlin where they both clash over Technology vs. Magic. I know Disney Merlin did complain about the future (read: 1960s contemporary when the movie first came out) once he finished his brief sabbatical there, but as someone who's aged backwards, you'd think he'd have a better appreciation for tech.

...Then again, maybe he saw how invasive smart devices have gotten in the 21st century in which case, okay, fair, you are right to complain.

#kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts II #neoyi talks

7 notes · View notes

ptw30 · 5 years

Text

The Grudge Critique

Continuing “the definitive nitpick post” critiques from Voltron Legendary Defender Season 8 -

Episode begins with a talk about pets that doesn’t include Cosmo, and I guess it’s supposed to make us like the Atlas crew...? All it did was remind the audience that Lotor killed his disabled general. In fact, Acxa even makes a point of telling us Narti couldn’t see without Kova.

Curtis speaks during this scene, and I would say his inclusion was to get the viewers acquainted with Shiro’s would-be hubby. (And despite my shipping preferences, I will say - the guy is adorable.) However, we learn nothing about Curtis’ history in this scene. Heck, I know what event made Iverson’s shoulder click! Give me something about Curtis!

Shiro calls the team to the bridge to take a message from the paladins. He couldn’t have done that himself? Plus, Coran was also on the bridge with him, and Coran is the only other person who speaks to the paladins. Ergo, there was no reason for Shiro to pull the bridge crew away from their workout routine.

Huh. Keith’s hair really grew here, and he’s super extra pretty.

Coran brings up Honerva not having the Mark of the Chosen. Does she? Or did Kuron? That was never explained. (Makes so much more sense if Honerva had piggy-backed on Allura or Lotor’s worthiness to get into Oriande, but VLD never cared about making sense past Season 2, as we know.)

“We need to rendezvous to come up with a plan.” - Oh, sure. Now you need the Atlas after Olkarion was destroyed for no reason, but I went in to that last critique. But I thought Voltron didn’t need the Atlas or Shiro.

Acxa talks about scaultrite, but when did Lotor actually use it? I’m assuming the gate, but it’s funny how Acxa won’t discuss the particulars. Why? Cuz she doesn’t know them. Neither do the viewers or the EPs, it seems.

“It would appear the mood at the table has become rather awkward. Most likely due to your Galra heritage.” No. The pilots’ reactions make the mood awkward, not the fact of Acxa’s heritage.

Shiro is alone again - on the bridge - and a communication came in from the paladins. How was he able to take it himself since the opening scene of the episode established he can’t? He literally has to call the bridge crew. Also, I’m pretty sure that’s JDS’ Shiro above.

Hm. Black is between Yellow and Blue. That’s a unique line-up. It might not mean anything, but I just thought it was interesting.

The beam holds down the lions but not the paladins? They can move freely? And thanks for pointing out the obvious redo in the plotting, Hunk.

Allura uses “whom!” Yay! I love when the paladins’ use whom!

During the fleeing scene, we lost Keith. He doesn’t speak. Lance gives all the orders, and we don’t see Keith again until after Pidge disarmed the drone (which looks a lot like the Dark Elves’ ships in Thor: The Dark World).

Hunk’s bayard shifts in the same blue as Keith does in Season 8.

Keith has a bayard that can shift, but instead of shooting the drone, he chucks his sword. Lance said he was about to do the same, yet Lance has never used in sword in battle. And Keith should have used his gun for the long-range attack, but...who cares about making sense? All together now, “Not Voltron.”

I’ve done this before, but Keith as Keith -

Kuron as Keith -

Lance as Keith -

Also, here’s a post about how Allura is posed like Lance. And though Hunk is slouched, Keith looks taller than him in this shot. And there is only one paladin taller than Hunk. (Hint: It’s not Keith.)

“Anyone read about the atmosphere?” Yes, Pidge did. Hunk responded it the comment, and it was on Keith’s screen. So writers, no need to ask if “anyone” read about the atmosphere because everyone did. And if you were just reminding us, the line should have been, “Hey, remember the atmosphere issues?” (I said this was a nitpick post.)

...yawn. Sorry. Dozed off there during the Veronica-Acxa scene. I want to like these characters, but I just feel that the Altas crew moments showcase characters from a different show.

Excuse me for one moment as I freak out -

Allura can’t find the lions on the planet?! Are you freakin’ kidding me? She could find the lions across the universe in the Very First Episode. She reached out to find Black in “The Black Paladins,” and the only justification for her not being able to find the lion was because it was “out of range.” Now - in the last season - Allura can’t find the lions. COME ON, WRITERS! GET IT TOGETHER!

...alright. I’m not back, but I’ll continue on...

Keith is leading the pirates away in his suit, and the paladins look like they are just talking a leisurely stroll through the park.

Lance knows where the lions are. Okay, this is officially the Lance Episode, and it should have been more called out. He was really great here.

Veronica says, “Lance? Right. The navigational genius.” I guess that’s supposed to be funny since Lance did locate the lions, but it just shows how little Veronica knows her brother now. And that’s - again - sad.

Distress signals - and now Shiro and the Atlas Crew have to come to the rescue. “Voltron is stronger than ever,” my ass, Keith.

“You think I forgot about you, Tiny Paladin? I’ll make you pay for what you did to me!” ...dude, I don’t even remember. Oh, thanks for the line about her brother, Bounty Hunter. I did need the refresher. What were you going after Matt for again? Oh, right. We never found out.

Allura needs to stop for a breather. Really? Allura? She’s an amazing fighter and totally in shape. But sure. Make her take the breather.

And look - Atlas to the rescue - cuz Voltron is so strong, it doesn’t need its former head.

Keith has his blade again. Hm. Did Krolia give it back to him? Think I missed that. (I didn’t.)

Keith went off alone - and his suit didn’t even lure the entire pirate crew, so there was literally no reason for him to go off alone. Great teamwork and found family, Writers. You’re really knocking it out of the park in this episode.

Oh, look. Shiro has a gun and doesn’t use it.

I’m going to skip over the Ezor-Zethird-Acxa discussion. It made no sense in the context of the story, but since it was altered to bring Ezor back, I’m not going to critique that. It was necessary.

The visually impaired version says Zethrid pointed the gun at Shiro, but I didn’t see that at all. I really thought that Zethrid pointed it at Acxa, and y’know - Shiro doesn’t speak at all in this part. Neither does Keith after the team arrives. Reminds me of “Lions’ Pride Part One” where Shiro says nothing to Sendak.

How did Veronica hit Zethrid in that shoulder? She’s positioned on the opposite side of Zethrid, so none of the MFE pilots had a shot - but Veronica did...shooting Zethrid in the arm she’s holding Keith with - not the arm in which she held the gun. The far arm.

...wait. Where is the gun? Never mind.

Oh, and when Ezor comes back, she’s still in pirate uniform. So I guess she’s still a pirate? Guess she didn’t let the rage go far.

#voltron #voltron critical #vld season 8 #the definitive nitpick post #shiro #keith #lance #pidge #allura #hunk #ezor #acxa #veronica #curtis #the grudge

69 notes · View notes

disruptedvice · 5 years

Text

Friendly Neighborhood Peter-Man (marvelbingo2019)

Prompt: Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

Summary: “Oh, do that one next,” Gamora said, pointing to the thumbnail of another generically named After Dentist Wisdom Teeth Removal - lolololol video that looked promising.

From what she understood, the human boy sitting beside her was extremely technologically adept by Terran standards, and the planet as a whole had made large technological advancements since the 1980s, including the touch pad screen that they were watching videos on now.

All of his teammates were released from the medical facility by now, but still he chose to just hang out with Gamora, asking her lots of questions between the funny videos.

(The story of how Peter Parker bonds with Gamora by showing her youtube videos of people high after dental operations, and their resulting friendship. Also, Peter Quill is accidentally exposed to what’s basically space catnip in the background, but that’s neither here nor there.)

AO3 Link

_________

Friendly Neighborhood Peter-Man ________

Gamora wasn’t sure how long it would take for the effects to wear off. It’s not like Quill ingested the alien fauna. He was just rolling around in it… for goodness knows how long. He seemed to be having a good time, though.

Just rolling around on the bed and swatting at the air, having the time of his life doing absolutely nothing- as far as accidental exposure to mind altering substances, this didn’t seem too bad.

After 30 minutes of watching him be an adorable dork and flipping out in a funny way, pretty much all her concern for him had worn off. He even sounded all loopy as he swatted at the air, giggling and telling Gamora to come over (which she had stopped doing after the second time, telling him she could see fine from where she was sitting, because Peter was high out of his mind so entertained by literally nothing). It was only a few more minutes before he forgot and tried to call her over again, holding in his snickers, she just shook her head and went back to reading her book in the chair. Just in case he needed adult supervision. He was pretty occupied for the time being, though. It was almost adorable, how good of a mood he was in- albeit a loopy, giggly mood.

It was like- what was that Terran substance? Laughing gas.

One of the Avengers health care facilities had treated the Guardians after the battle on earth- Gamora didn’t know why she kept chuckling from the sweet smelling air- like bubblegum, that Terran candy that tasted and smelled so good (that you apparently weren’t supposed to swallow, that Gamora kept swallowing anyway, no matter how many times Peter told her you were supposed to chew it and spit it out).

It affected Peter more heavily, the doctors saying it was the safest option for the procedures on their various injuries, since it was less potent than the normal human anesthetics. Just to be safe, for the biological difference.

Apparently, being an anesthesiologist was a profession on earth, and none of the specialists felt comfortable guessing how much of the heavy duty Terran drugs to give aliens to numb them or knock them out but not kill them.

Peter was happy and had a very good time on that laughing gas. It wore off on her first, but it was still funny watching him talk nonsense and laugh and just being all silly.

Plus the little Peter man, man spider showed her many funny videos of humans online after being put on such substances for tooth operations, and they were hilarious. ______

“Oh, do that one next,” Gamora said, pointing to the thumbnail of another generically named After Dentist Wisdom Teeth Removal - lolololol video that looked promising. Thanks to her mods and the human doctors treatments, she had recovered quite quickly, but of course the Guardian’s half human leader was taking much longer to heal.

From what she understood, the human boy sitting beside her was extremely technologically adept by Terran standards, and that the planet as a whole had made large technological advancements since the 1980s, including the touch pad screen that they were watching videos on now.

The Avenger’s Peter looked remarkably similar to her own Peter, and she half wondered if her Peter looked the same when he was 17. He was the youngest Avenger she had met, and by far the most enthusiastic about her and the other Guardians being aliens. All of his teammates were released from the medical facility by now, but still he chose to just hang out with Gamora, asking her lots of questions between the funny videos.

“Is it like- bad, if I ask you what species you are?” He even chattered like Quill too, rambling and adorably wide eyed, so excited by the prospect of getting to know an actual real life alien. “I don’t know if that’s like offensive or not- sorry if it is, I’m kinda new to stuff around here- like intergalactic visitors, so my bad if-”

“It is fine,” Gamora assured him, smiling at the sigh of relief he let out that he had not inadvertently offended her. “I am Zehoberei. Our species is similar, from what I understand. Need an oxygen rich atmosphere to breathe- though my home planet did have a higher oxygen content than earth seems to. The difference is negligible, but noticeable. I can survive much longer floating in dead space without a suit than any human would be able to. Some of that is biology, some of that is from my mods.” She paused, looking around to see if anyone was close enough to overhear. Satisfied that they were reasonably alone, she whispered conspiratorially, “Is this Missouri?”

Peter’s eyes widened, and for a second Gamora was worried it really was a stupid question (why she hadn’t bothered to ask any of the other Terrans she had met so far).

“Oh! No, no, no, this is New York,” he explained quickly. “But we’re in the same country. New York and Missouri are both in the US- so like, we’re in the same territory? It would take hours to fly to Missouri from here though- on a normal, boring plane. A spaceship would probably get there faster. Is Missouri like famous in space?”

Gamora shook her head. “It is where our Peter is from. He was born here and lived in Missouri before he was abducted by Ravagers as a child. Er, space pirates.” She pointed to Peter’s medical room, right across from the comfy seats they had out here in the hall.

“Ohhh, Footloose guy,” Peter Parker nodded sagely. Then his head shot up, as if just processing something. “Wait, alien abductions are actually real?”

Gamora tilted her head, considering his question. She didn’t want to mislead the boy, but she was uncertain that her answer was to the question the boy was actually asking. She’s pretty sure she’s heard her Peter say the words ‘alien abduction’ as, like, a phrase. She thinks maybe it is a thing- on Terra, that it refers to a specific phenomenon or event that is some human zeitgeist, rather than what the two words literally mean.

“Not quite, I don’t think. Peter might be a special case. Terra is not something of interest to most of the galaxy, and interplanetary travel regulations keep your planet fairly isolated. But Peter is only half human- his mother is from earth, but his father was an alien. It is a long story, but his father hired the Rav- space pirates to come to earth and pick Peter up when he was a child. I can only speak to the veracity of half humans being abducted by aliens from Missouri on behalf of their alien father. That didn’t really go according to plan anyway.” ______

Gamora was surprised and pleased when the smaller Peter asked about her culture. She didn’t have much to tell him, little bits and pieces she remembered from her childhood, but it was nice to share them. She’s only shared stories about her people with the other Guardians before- no one else had ever asked. Not on Terra, Xandar, Vanaheim, Ria, or any other planet for that matter.

In the many weeks since she has been on earth, Peter Parker is the first human to ask her about Zen-Whoberi. Not just what species she is, or what planet she is from (she has fielded some of those questions from the Avengers), but asking her what it is like, what language she speaks, if Gamora is a common name (“Like Peter,” he jokes, nodding off to the half human who shared his name), what it was like growing up, if she had any brothers or sisters, what school was like-

She deflects some of his questions, asking him what his school is like, rather than admitting that Zen-Whoberi is destroyed, that she was too young to remember if they even had something like schools, much less what she would have learned in one.

He goes on to tell her about his physics class, someone named Ned (A best friend, not another superhero), a girl named Michelle (“who’s like, so totally cool” Peter explains), and she listens with interest about the life of a sometimes superhero sometimes highschool student who saves the world and sometimes just the neighborhood.

It is nice. He has so much energy when he talks, almost tripping over his own words sometimes, but he’s so bright eyed and overwhelmingly earnest, and that is a good thing, Gamora thinks. ______

It had been almost a year since the Guardians had last been to earth.

Peter was still in a similar mood to the happy laughing gas mood she remembered from that trip, though his chuckles seem to have died down. He seemed to be a bit more lucid now than he did on the gas too. So silly but lucid.

Maybe it had started to wear off- she still didn’t trust him to be alone right now, but she had her book, and he wasn’t causing any problems.

Gamora made a mental note to maybe pick something up from the next placed they stopped- something small and interesting that she could give to her little friend Peter man as a souvenir from an alien planet. A rock or stone, perhaps, with color shifting properties that didn’t exist on earth. Maybe the next time the Guardians made port for a supply run, she could find something at one of the intergalactic markets. Maybe a couple of things, something for his friend- Ned, too. And that girl Michelle he seemed to like. Gamora could get him a really cool knife to give to her as a gift- a cool knife from an alien planet.

Every girl deserved a cool knife.

Yup, Gamora was definitely making a pit stop and picking up some gifts for the little Peter man and all his spider friends.

#marvelbingo2019 #gamora #peter parker #peter quill #spiderman #guardians of the galaxy #mcu fanfiction #starmora #gotg fic #marvel #some spideychelle #fanfic #my gotg fics #my fic

19 notes · View notes

fae-fucker · 5 years

Text

Zenith: Chapter 29-32

I realize leaving y’all hanging for a whole year like that in the snark, where our beloved heroes Andi and Dex had just been shot in their empty little heads, was very cruel of me. You guys must’ve been just DYING to know what happened.

Quick recap: Andi & Co are space pirates. They are captured by Andi’s ex Dex and the father of Andi’s childhood friend, whom she “murdered” by landing a ship bad. He asks her to get his son, who is in a dank dark prison. Andi does the thing with the help of Dex and her ragtag bunch of generic archetypes.

We good?

Let’s go.

Chapter 29

We interrupt the 100% totally real threat of Andi and Dex being shot to death to have another boring-ass moment with Nor. She walks around in an underground lab feeling sorry for herself and thinking about how tragic her backstory is. We’re introduced to a two-headed scientist who could’ve been interesting in the hands of actually talented authors, but who doesn’t appear in the book after this point so she’s wasted. For some reason she’s also referred to as one person when the heads are clearly different individuals? Irl when there are two heads sharing one body the heads are different people with different names. You know, because the person is stored in the brain? Idk why Shinsay did this.

“Slowly, you dolt!” the right head screeched to the left.

The left head huffed in annoyance. “I’m merely trying to give our queen a glimpse of her new toy.”

“It’s a wonder I’ve been able to put up with you all these years,” the right head retorted.

“You haven’t a choice, my dear,” the left said back.

I think this is supposed to be funny, but all I can think if is how everyone’s dialogue sounds exactly the same.

We find out that this is where Nor’s people are developing the titular Zenith (except it’s not named yet, spoilers), and Nor wants to know if they’ve made any progress.

The two-headed scientist, Aclisia, says that the weapon is ready and that they only need a test subject. Did they develop this mind-altering thing without any previous test subjects? I mean I guess it makes sense that they’d need somebody unaffected by previous versions to test out the final product, but like ... Did the previous subjects die? That doesn’t bode well.

Anyway, the test subject they have is one of the guards on Lunamere, where Andi and Dex were in the previous chapters. Nor is displeased that the guard “let them go,” and I want you to remember this line:

“You had one of the Unified System’s most wanted fugitives in my prison. And instead of keeping her there, where she could have been persuaded to join the right side of the galaxy...you lost her. [...]”

File that away for future reference, my pretties.

Anyway, we end the chapter without even finding out what the drug does, because Shinsay love breaking their own pace and suspense because they have to rely on cliffhangers to keep people reading.

Chapter 30

Oh Christ oh God it’s our girl Klaren again. It’s year twenty-four and despite five years passing this woman is still all about how she’s destined to die and everything in her life is crap, which, idk, mood I guess?

Xen Ptera is losing the war and Klaren is sick because of all the poison air or whatever. The king wants her to hide because enemy troops are closing in, and Klaren takes another moment to think about how she wasn’t supposed to fall in love and yadda yadda.

Who’s ready for another Smaasism?

She wished she could go back. She wished she could change that passionate night they had shared, the careless days after and the tonic she’d forgotten to take...

tOnIC

You’d think in advanced space times they’d have more reliable birth control.

Also ... wouldn’t the king expect an heir anyway? Like, we’ve seen that even the title of “general” is inherited in this shitfest of a universe, so wouldn’t he eventually catch on and insist on having a kid? Or if she claimed she couldn’t produce one, surely there would be tech to get around that? Idk. For all the future-sight this bitch had, she sure didn’t have any common sense.

Klaren tells the king to take Nor and fuck off, and Darai says something about how she’s the strongest Yielded and how she must fulfill her duty.

Which apparently includes going into the battlefield, which is conveniently right outside the palace, and mind-control General Cortas into wanting to fuck her so bad he forgot she was his enemy.

Her husband was wrong.

Hope was not dead.

Hope, in the form of the queen’s sacrifice, had only just flickered to life.

This is framed as tragic and beautiful but she is about to mind-rape a man for years soooo get ready for some extremely uncomfortable shit.

Chapter 31

We’re back in Andi’s POV, except it’s still a fucking flashback. This time it’s to when Andi was still Kalee’s Spectre and lived with Valen and the other dingdongs. And then we get actually good writing?

During meals, when Andi and the other Spectres stood guard, she’d watch him curiously. Valen usually sat in the farthest seat from his father, hunched forward as if he were battling some deep, silent pain. Sometimes she’d catch him staring at her with his strange, unblinking hazel eyes, his paint-stained fingers gripping his golden fork like a weapon he didn’t want to use.

Like I’m into this. It’s showing and not telling, mysterious and intriguing without being on the nose, and for once Andi doesn’t have all the cards and knows what Valen is inside and out, so his character doesn’t become obvious. Like, he’s battling some pain, but he’s also reluctant to use a weapon? That could mean anything! In a good way!

This good chunk is also immediately ruined by the following descriptions, which point out that indeed, all the other kids talk about Valen and how WEEEEYOOORDDD he is, and how he’s constantly covered in paint, because that’s what artists look like, I guess. Catch me bodyslamming a freshly painted park bench to prove I know color theory.

We’re also told that Valen never got a personal Spectre for spooooooky reasons. He just doesn’t feel like a proper part of the family, ya know? I wonder that it all could meeeeaaaaaan.

This is all told to us just so we can revisit the part where Valen tries to stop Andi and Kalee from going on a joyride. Kalee insults him for a bit, and then Valen drops some more foreshadowy dialogue about how he hopes this birthday is everything Kalee wants it to be.

Subtle.

Chapter 32

OH MY GOD WE’RE IN LIRA’S POV NOW. YOU’RE NOT FOOLING ANYONE SHINSAY, WE KNOW YOU WOULDN’T MURDER YOUR PRECIOUS CELAENA AND RHYSAND RIPOFFS IN CHAPTER 29 WHEN THERE’S A BILLION MORE CHAPTERS LEFT.

Lira has been literally counting seconds since they left Andi.

Yeah.

She recaps everything that happened three chapters ago, saying they executed their secret plan with the “ultimate amount of finesse” before noting that despite obeying Andi’s direct orders to run, she feels like a traitor.

Your captain is in chains, a voice whispered in the back of her mind. You should be by her side. Instead, you’re running.

All you ever do is run.

I have literally no idea how this is even a little bit relevant considering that they’re waiting for Andi and Dex to return and aren’t moving anywhere. By the way, Andi and Dex are thirty minutes late. Which freaks Lira out because THAT WASN’T IN THE PLAN.

Her scales start freaking out and she’s about to overheat. Holy shit, how are you still alive?

Honestly, this is a pretty accurate depiction of someone with an anxiety disorder, but I think we’re supposed to think Lira is emotional or analytical or loyal or whatever. I doubt Shinsay have the finesse required to write something like this on purpose, so this just reads as incompetence.

Apparently Andi said that if they’re late, the girls are supposed to flee and save themselves, and Lira is starting to get antsy.

Ok so ... just moments ago you were worried about how you’re always running away. So why is your first instinct when your beloved captain is THIRTY MINUTES LATE to book it? Like. Calm the fuck down. Thirty fucking minutes, in space? Can you chill???

Lira whines more about how this is the second time this week that she’s second-in-command and she hates it. Hey why not give that responsibility to Breck, who’s always calming everyone down? Would that make too much sense?

Lira goes to her room to mope and angst about how she likes being alone. It’s riveting. She thinks about how this crew is her SOUL and how much she LOVES them. Which we can see by her sitting alone in her room thinking about how much she loves them, obviously.

She continues to angst about how her dad died of Space Plague, and her mom became a drunk because ... Idk, that’s what moms do in books like these. But lo, she and her brother got taken in by their Cool Aunt, who then wanted them to Do Things when they grew up, and Lira doesn’t want to Do Things, she wants to fly around and Crime.

So she left her home planet because her Cool Aunt wanted her to Do Too Much Stuff, and the weight of her expectations crushed Lira, who must soar the skies like the beautiful bald blue bird she is.

The other girls interrupt this godawful exposition dump by inviting Lira to play some Not!Pokémon. And we get this exchange, which I included in my review, and yes, it’s real:

“Hope is a raging asshole,” Gilly said.

“Explain to me, Gilly,” Breck said with a sigh, “how exactly can an asshole rage?”

Lira choked on a sudden, unexpected laugh. “I swear, the two of you. You were both born with my brother’s sarcastic soul.”

This bloated and repetitive nonsense that apparently passes for character development is interrupted by Alfie, who’s gotten out of the waste bay. We’re reminded that this ship doesn’t have any mechanics, because of course, and Alfie makes a reference about how the ship’s AI’s voice is turning him on.

It appears Lira has gotten a message from Soy to come and get Andi and Dex.

*sigh*

#eff reads: zenith

18 notes · View notes

wistfulcynic · 6 years

Text

Their Way By Moonlight: In The Aftermath (Chapter 3)

a/n: I don't think I’ve ever been screamed at so much as I have over the ending of the last chapter. I wish I could apologise, but I’m not sorry. I delight in your agony, in fact. Bwah hah hah.

It doesn’t let up much either, I fear. This one is definitely going to be angsty. Also mysterious, and I hope I can keep track of all the threads of it. Enjoy, and please keep your questions and theories about the curse coming!

(This chapter contains allusions to a non-consensual relationship, due to the circumstances of the curse. If this is triggering for you please proceed with caution!)

Summary: A new curse has fallen on Storybrooke and this time the Saviour is trapped inside it, deliberately separated from her son and anyone else who might help her break it. But what no one knows –including her own cursed self– is that she and Hook are soulmates, working together within their shared dreams to find a way to break the curse and free everyone from the clutches of evil yet again. (Alternate 3B, set in the What Dreams May Come universe)

Rating: A hard M (and earning it in this chapter!)

Tagging: @teamhook @wellhellotragic @rouhn @kmomof4 @resident-of-storybrooke @darkcolinodonorgasm @jennjenn615 @tiganasummertree @let-it-raines @bonbonpirate @thejollyroger-writer

Anyone wishing to be added to or dropped from this tag list, please let me know!

Read it on AO3

In The Aftermath:

Killian Jones, over the course of his long, long life, had experienced many things he wished he could forget. At times he felt steeped in bloodshed, in the violence and cruelty that had defined him for centuries, both as perpetrator and victim. He had been inches from death more times than he could count, had been stabbed and shot and beaten, and wielded as a weapon by those even more villainous than he. Yet the memory that haunted his dreams more than any other was not of battles or murder or treachery, it was of the icy, claw-like hand of Rumplestiltskin as it plunged into his chest and gripped his heart, threatening to tear out what he had no right to touch. There were still nights when he jerked awake in a cold sweat, breaking free from dreams in which the crocodile had finished the job, had ripped his heart from his chest and crushed the life from it.

Watching Emma introduce Walsh as her husband, Killian sincerely wished he had. All the torments he had suffered at that demon’s hands, or those of Pan, or Cora, or any number of others over the long tread of the centuries, not one of them matched this, the sensation of his still-beating heart torn from him not by his most hated enemy but by the woman he loved.

It’s the curse, he reminded himself, forcing the reminder through the red haze of hatred and fury swimming before his eyes. Only the curse. It’s not real.

Which did nothing to alter the hideous reality of Emma standing before him, smiling into the eyes of the creature responsible for their current miserable circumstances. The hideous reality that he had no power to stop her, to change this. Not here. Not yet.

And so Killian did what he had always done when he found himself overpowered, outmatched, backed into an impossible corner. He survived. He forced down his pain, buried it as deep as it would go and prepared himself for action.

It was a measure of how far he had already travelled down the path away from villainy that this action did not take the form of ripping Walsh apart, and damn the consequences. Such impulses, as temporarily satisfying as they may be, had never ended well for him in the past. The bigger picture, he reminded himself. You have a plan. Stick to the bloody plan.

Not to mention that this realm tended to frown on violent homicide. Another thing that had taken some getting used to.

So he arranged his face into a polite smile, grateful for the hours of practice that helped it slide naturally into place, nodded at this man who had stolen so much from him, shook hands and took his leave. The moment his back was turned to them the mask fell from his face, replaced by a fearsome determination. “Henry!” he called.

The boy turned, his cheerful smile fading to nothing as he took in Killian’s thunderous expression and the straining tension in his posture.

“What is it?” he asked.

“It’s your mother,” Killian snarled, no longer able to keep the rage from his voice. “She’s married to Walsh.”

“What?” Henry stopped dead in the middle of the sidewalk and Killian hustled him along with a hand on his shoulder. “But how?”

“It’s the curse, of course. Someone has a bloody vicious sense of humour.”

“Does he know? I mean, does he have his memories?”

“I’m not sure. No, lad, don’t look!” Henry turned his head back, looking chastened. Killian put his arm around the boy’s shoulders, partly in comfort, partly to ensure he walked quickly. “We mustn’t attract attention,” he said. “What we need is to get back to the shop and reconnoiter. Marshal our resources and make a plan. Come, hurry now.”

Arriving back at their new residence they collapsed on the sofa and sat in silence, lost in thought as the minutes ticked by. Finally Henry spoke.

“What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know,” replied Killian, feeling frustrated and useless. “I don’t know that there’s anything we really can do, other than stick to the plan. Though it’ll be a damn sight more difficult now to pull it off.”

Henry lapsed into silence again, but his face wore the expression it got when he was thinking hard. “We need to find out how much she thinks she loves him,” he declared finally. “I think that might tell us how strong the curse is.”

“What do you mean, lad?”

“Well, I’m spitballing a bit here, but I think we might be able to gauge the strength of the curse based on how strong the cursed relationships are.”

Killian considered that, and nodded. “All right, I’m following so far, tell me more.”

“Okay, so like under the first curse, my granddad was married to Kathryn, but he didn’t really love her. He thought he had memories of loving her, but his real feelings were for my grandma.”

“Yes, but wasn’t that because David was in a coma and wasn’t given his cursed memories until he awoke and Regina was able to— to download them?” Killian struggled to remember what Emma had told him of the circumstances under the first curse. “So they would naturally be weaker than memories that had been created by the curse, when it began?”

“Maybe, but I think it’s because Mom was already in Storybrooke, already weakening the curse. It wasn’t just my grandparents, everything started to change when she got here. I think if she isn’t certain of her cursed feelings for Walsh then it may be a sign that this curse is weakening. We need to know that. We need to… to test the limits of her cursed feelings. To test them against her real feelings.” He gave Killian a sidelong glance, reluctant to meet his eyes. “If you see what I mean.”

“Aye. You’re saying that what I have to do is seduce a married woman.”

“Er— yeah. I guess.”

“Well, it’s not as though I’ve never done that before.” Killian sighed and ran his hand over his face and through his hair, forgetting for a moment who he was speaking with. “Though I confess I feel rather less enthusiasm for the venture than I once did. Not to mention that no version of Emma, cursed or not, is going to be terribly receptive to the idea of adultery.”

Henry snorted a small laugh, and Killian looked at him sharply, feeling a twinge of guilt. He should definitely not be speaking so frankly of such things in front of the boy. Henry was so precocious that Killian sometimes forgot he was only thirteen. “What, lad?”

“It’s just ironic.” Henry shrugged. “You and Mom committing adultery with each other.”

‘Indeed, though I fail to see any humour in the situation.”

“Gallows humour, isn’t that what they call it?”

“Ah, but when you have actually stood on a gallows with the noose around your neck, even that humour doesn’t inspire much of a laugh.”

“Wait, you were hung?” Henry’s eyes widened in fascination.

“Hanged, lad, and aye very nearly.”

“Wow, okay you have got to tell me that story!”

Killian found himself smiling, cheered as he always was by Henry’s bright enthusiasm. Although he greatly enjoyed entertaining the boy with tales from his pirating days, heavily sanitised of course, the case of his near hanging was one that would not easily be scrubbed up for teenage consumption. “Perhaps later,” he said vaguely. “For now I believe we have established our plan for the moment, distasteful as it may be, and there is still rather a lot of work to be getting on with in the shop.”

“I was hoping you’d forgotten about that,” grumbled Henry.

“No such luck, my boy.” Killian clapped him on the shoulder, forcing cheer he did not feel into his voice. “Look lively, now! We have bookshelves to arrange!”

That evening Killian took his time falling asleep, both because his mind was too agitiated for easy slumber and because he knew Emma would be waiting for him in the dream, and he feared what he might do when he saw her. Fury still simmered like a noxious potion in his gut, and anger management had never been his forte.

He indulged in a long shower then spent nearly two hours attempting to read, forcing his attention to remain on the pages though the words danced before his eyes and refused to be absorbed by his brain. Gradually, despite his determined efforts, his body relaxed and his eyes drifted shut and he is in their bedroom, there among the familiar beloved surroundings as though nothing has changed, as though he could stand here assailed by memories of all the times they have made love in that bed and not feel the wrenching pain of all that has been taken from him. Emma is perched on the edge of the bed, waiting, looking apprehensive. With a snarl and a wave of his hand, Killian tears them away, brings them to the living area of his new abode, an acceptably neutral venue although its edges and corners are indistinct, his memory of the place too inexact to replicate it precisely. They are firmly clothed, clad in their typical styles. They need to talk, and he does not wish to attempt conversation whilst distracted by her naked form.

She sits beside him on the couch and says nothing, waiting for him to speak.

“How?” he says after a long silence, his voice an agonised croak. “How can it be him? How can he be here? I thought we’d dealt with him!”

“He did say he wasn’t easy to get rid of.”

“Emma, you pushed him off the bloody roof! He turned to dust!”

“Maybe that doesn’t destroy them, it didn’t in the dream.”

“Flying bloody monkeys, of all the demonic things! And now you’re married to one!”

“Curse married!” she cries, her careful composure finally breaking. “It’s not real, Killian, you know it isn’t!”

“It’s real enough when you’re living with the bastard,” he snarls, “when you believe he’s your husband.”

“Babe, I’m—”

He winces as the endearment he secretly adores pierces his heart. “Don’t call me that!” His voice breaks. “That’s what you called him.”

She slides closer to him, reaches for his hand. He lets her take it, though her touch burns him. “Killian, my love, my soulmate, the only man in my heart,” she says softly. “I’m so sorry, but I tried to tell you. You had to have suspected this.”

“Aye,” he says bitterly, “I suspected you may be— involved with someone under the curse, but I thought it would be Baelfire! He at least loved you once. He at least is a man. The idea of that heartless monster in your bed, touching you, touching my—”

“Shhhh,” she soothes. “Don’t think about it.”

“How the bloody hell can you possibly expect me not to think about it!”

“I just don’t want you to dwell on it!” she says, irritation creeping into her tone, her own anger and frustration and guilt seeping through. “You know how you get when you brood. It just makes your darkness harder to fight, and I need you to stay in the light, Killian. For me and for Henry, and for yourself. We have to stick together, fight this together. But we can’t fight anything if you hold on to anger. Believe me when I say I hate this situation as much as you do— more, even, as I’m the one who actually has to live it— but we can’t stop it unless we stay strong, and stay together.”

He knows she is right, and though it does nothing to lessen his fury he is able to push it down again, and to take her in his arms. She sighs in relief, snuggling close. “I’m sorry, Emma,” he whispers. “I promised not to falter, and at the first challenge here I am, faltering.”

“It’s not faltering, you have a right to be angry. I’m freaking furious. I hate being stuck in this and I hate how much it’s hurting you.”

They sit wrapped around each other for a long time as Killian debates whether to ask the question he needs an answer to, not wanting to disturb their pleasant moment but knowing he has to ask. He swallows hard, loathing the words as he forces them from his throat. “Do you love him?”

She buries her face deeper into his neck and he can feel tears leaking from her eyes. “I— I think so. I’m so sorry.”

Even though he knows they are speaking of her cursed self, even though he knows none of this is her fault, he can’t stop the fury rising again, this time woven through with ugly streaks of jealousy.

He clenches his fist, sending the dream whirling around them and they are back in their bedroom, naked, and she is handcuffed to the wrought iron headboard. She gives a startled gasp, pulls experimentally on the restraints then looks up at where he stands next to he bed. He dares her with his eyes to make something of it, knowing that she could whisk the shackles away as easily as breathing, knowing also that she won’t. She nods, and he knows she understands that he needs this, needs to work out some of his frustration and fury on her body.

He has the hook now, sharp and gleaming in the soft light, and she bites her lip as he brandishes it. She knows he won’t hurt her, but the fact that the potential for pain is there excites her. Captain Hook excites her, and though Killian is sometimes not sure how he feels about that he is grateful that she loves all of him, even the ugly parts.

He drags the hook up the inside of her thigh and over her mound, tickling the golden curls atop it, watching with dark amusement as she holds her breath and tries not to writhe. She wants the hook on her clit, he knows, he knows exactly how she likes to be touched with it, but tonight he is not in the mood to give her what she wants right away. He wants to torture her a bit first, wants her breathless and helpless, begging for what only he can give.

He wants reassurance that he is the only man she loves. He knows he is, but tonight he needs to feel it.

He teases her with the hook through her curls a few moments more, applying pressure that has her squirming but not slipping it into her folds. Instead he traces patterns up her belly, around her navel then along the underside of her breast, dragging the sharp tip across her flesh just hard enough for her to feel it, not even leaving the faintest mark behind. Hundreds of years of practice have given him a finesse with this appendage, a delicacy of touch that seems incongruous to the heft and intent of the hook. She is whimpering now, though he doubts she is aware of doing so, her eyes shut tight and her hands gripping and releasing the headboard she is chained to. He brings the hook up to her nipple, circling it with the curved edge before pressing the tip into the centre of the hardened bud. She gasps, and the chain of the handcuffs clangs against the headboard as she struggles against her bonds. He applies pressure that falls just short of pain, and through the haze of her mindless arousal she forces out a single word.

“More.”

“What’s that, darling?” he inquires, as though he hasn’t heard her. “Do you wish me to stop?”

“No! More. H-harder.”

His brow furrows slightly. Any harder and he will definitely hurt her, but he complies, increasing the pressure and tilting the tip until it sinks into her skin, not enough to draw blood but barely shy of it. She makes a low, keening noise he’s never heard from her before, part pleasure but part a twisted sort of yearning that springs from the same dark impulses that drove him to restrain her. She is doing penance, he realises, assuaging her guilt over hurting him by bringing pain upon herself.

Part of him wants to let her do it. Instead he pulls his hook away.

“No—” she whines.

“Swan.”

“Killian, please.”

“You needn’t do this, love.”

“Yes I do, I need it—“

“Darling—”

“Damn it, Hook! I need you to fuck me and not be gentle about it, and you know you need that too!”

He hesitates. She is right, he is simmering with violence that needs an outlet, but he doesn’t truly wish to hurt her. A bit of teasing with the tip of his hook is one thing, actual punitive pain quite another. Killian is a broad-minded man but true pain has never turned him on. He’s known far too much of it for that. If she is determined to make amends to him —though there are none owed— she can do it simply by letting him have his way with her, putting herself at his mercy and letting him fuck her as he pleases.

“Very well,” he says, “But we do this my way.”

She nods eagerly and he returns the hook to her nipple, stroking its curve over the small pinprick of a bruise that has formed there, at the same time biting hard on the other breast, sucking another bruise into her skin. She thrashes beneath him, on-edge and desperate, and he chuckles against her flesh. This is the kind of pain he prefers to give her. She won’t be coming for some considerable time.

He sucks a line of bruises along her collarbone and the curve of her neck as his hand slips slowly down her body, coming to rest between her legs. He presses the heel of it against her, rocking it gently, stimulating her clit without direct touch. Her heels dig into the mattress as she lets her legs fall apart, wordlessly begging him to touch her properly, but he ignores her plea. His cock is rock hard and aching, his hand already drenched with her arousal, but he pays them no mind, instead licking a trail up her neck, soothing the marks he’s left there, making her shiver.

“Damn you,” she whispers, but there is no heat behind the curse. “Why can’t you just fuck me?”

“All in good time, my love.” This is torture, after all, and he is a very patient man.

He reaches out with his mind and manipulates the dream, and shackles appear on her ankles to match the ones on her wrists, spreading her legs wide. He kisses down her belly and over her mound, nuzzling his nose into the wet curls. She is intensely aroused and she smells amazing, musky and sweet, his favourite smell in the world. He wants to bury his face in her cunt and lick it clean. Soon, he promises himself. Very soon.

He kisses lightly over the damp hair, humming as he gets a taste of her, the vibrations making her buck her hips, her scream of frustration very nearly drowned out by the clang of the shackles against the bedframe. He waits. She is better at managing the dreams than he is, she could put a stop to this at any time, could reverse their places and shackle him to the bed. She’s done it before. But the dream remains unchanged, and he feels a rush of love for her. She understands. No one has ever understood him as she does.

Slowly he parts her glistening flesh with his tongue and licks patterns through it with just the tip, still teasing, allowing neither of them what they truly want. She is moaning and twisting, straining to bring him closer to where she wants him, her range of movement limited by the shackles on her ankles. He licks deeper, caressing her swollen flesh with the flat of his tongue, dancing around her clit until she screams at him, damns him, and finally begs him in a broken voice to let her come.

This is what he has been waiting for. He drops a kiss onto her curls and sits up, taking just a moment to position himself before plunging his cock deep inside her. She’s so wet she squelches, and despite the tightwire tension in their bodies they both snigger at the sound. Normally the dream smoothes over such things but tonight they are both longing for what feels real. He removes the restraints as he begins to move inside her, and she wraps her arms and legs around him, blanketing him with her love and nourishing him with her strength. He thrusts hard and relentlessly, looping his hook through the iron sworls of the headboard, and she clings to him, letting him ride her, fuck her deep into the mattress. This is what they have both been craving, and it’s not long before they come, crying out in unison as pleasure engulfs them.

They cling to each other in the aftermath. The dream never lasts long after they finish, and none of their attempts to prolong it have yet been successful. Her arms are tightly wound around his neck and she is crying again.

“I don’t want to let you go,” she sobs. “I don’t want you to be a stranger the next time I see you.”

His heart breaks for what feels like the millionth time, and he wonders at the resilience of the organ, how it hasn’t crumbled into dust ages ago. “I know, my love,” he says. “It hurts more than I thought it would. But we will get through this, somehow, you and I. Together.”

She nods, but her tears are still flowing. He brushes them away with his thumb and smiles reassuringly even through his own agony, groping for the words she needs to hear. “I’ve not believed in much in my life,” he says finally, “But I believe in you, Emma Swan, and I will fight for you. I’ll never stop.”

“I know you won’t,” she whispers. “I love you so much, Killian.”

“I love you too, darling.”

Killian woke with a start, as was common after a shared dream. Less common was waking to the sounds of sobbing from the other side of the wooden divider. Quickly he cleaned himself up with the tissues he’d left on the nightstand for that purpose and slipped on some pajama bottoms, slid his feet into the sheepskin slippers he’d lined up neatly next to the bed the night before, then padded silently over to Henry’s curtain. “Henry?” he said softly, wishing he had a door to knock on. “Are you all right, lad? May I come in?”

There was a moment of silence, apart from sniffling. Finally Henry replied. “Come in.”

Killian pushed aside the curtain and approached the bed where Henry was curled, his tearstained face pressed into his pillow.

“What’s this, my boy?” asked Killian gently, sitting down on the edge of the bed and brushing the hair from his forehead. “What’s troubling you?”

“I was just thinking about my mom,” said Henry. “And how she’s stuck with Walsh and she doesn’t know what he is. And my other mom, we don’t even know what her life is like now. And my dad, I— I kind of thought he might be with my mom here, but now we don’t know where he is either, and I just feel like everything’s wrong! I’ve got three parents and none of them know me. No one who loves me even knows who I am!” He sobbed again, and buried his face in Killian’s shoulder.

Heart breaking yet again —how could it keep doing that?— Killian wrapped his arms around Henry and hugged him tightly. “I love you, Henry,” he said.

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better,” said Henry, his voice muffled in Killian’s t-shirt.

“I would never insult you with such a deception, lad. I know I’m not really your father, but I certainly couldn’t love you more if I were.”

“Really?” The hope in Henry’s voice wrenched at him, and Killian tightened his arms.

“Of course. How could I not? You’re Emma’s son, Baelfire’s son. Milah’s grandson. Very nearly everyone I’ve ever loved has had a hand in making you.”

“What about Rumplestiltskin?”

“Aye, well, let’s not dwell too heavily on his contribution, hmmm?”

Henry chuckled through his tears.

“And even if that weren’t the case, I would still love you for yourself. Your courage and your optimism and your imagination have kept me strong throughout this whole ordeal. I truly don’t know what I would have done without you. Something dreadful, no doubt.”

“No, you wouldn’t’ve,” said Henry earnestly. “Don’t think like that. You’re not a villain anymore, you haven’t been for a long time. A villain wouldn’t have taken care of me all this time, no matter who my parents were. And I love you too. Dad.”

Killian smiled as tears prickled behind his eyes, touched beyond measure by Henry’s faith. Sometimes the lad was just so much like Emma. He stroked Henry’s back until he fell asleep, then eased himself away, pressing a kiss onto the boy’s hair before he left.

The next morning they awoke to rain, sheets of water pouring down the large windows of their loft, lightning and thunder cracking and booming off the distant shore. By unspoken mutual agreement and after a quick trip to the grocery store, Henry and Killian spent the day indoors, arranging the shop and preparing for the delivery they expected the next day. In the evening they cooked dinner together, baked fish and vegetables at Killian’s insistence (and which Henry no longer objected to very strenuously; once Killian learned that the spices which in his realm were valued more highly than gold could be had in this one for mere sheets of their odd paper currency, he had taken to applying them lavishly to everything he cooked, vastly improving it in the boy’s opinion) and curled up on the sofa to eat it, watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Henry’s choice. Despite everything, in that moment Killian felt happy. He wanted this to be his life: Henry and Emma and quiet days where nothing happened, no lust for revenge, no looming threats or reasons to hurt people. He missed his ship, terribly, missed the freedom of the open seas, but he didn’t miss being a pirate. It occurred to him that if he’d been able to choose all those centuries ago, that young, upright, wide-eyed version of himself, if he’d had the luxury of choosing the path his life would take he’d have chosen this. A family, a respectable career, a peaceful existence. He knew he’d done nothing to deserve it, but he yearned for it nonetheless, and was prepared to do whatever was necessary to secure it.

The following day dawned bright and sunny, with the fresh-washed feeling that comes after a heavy storm, and Killian declared that it was time for Henry to go to school.

“You’re all enrolled,” he said, pouring milk into two bowls of breakfast cereal. “You just need to report to the principal’s office to collect your schedule.”

Henry made an indistinct noise that Killian interpreted as reluctant consent.

“Do you wish me to walk with you?” he inquired.

“No, I’ll be fine. I went to that school for years, remember?”

“Aye, of course. It’s still a new start, though.”

“Yeah,” said Henry rather glumly, mashing the cereal with the back of his spoon.

Killian wondered what this could be about. Henry was usually quite an enthusiastic student. “Is everything all right, lad?” he asked, attepting a casual tone.

Henry frowned and thought before replying. “Are you sure I have to go to school today?” he said finally. You don’t need me here for anything?”

Aha, thought Killian. This must be what the books called “separation anxiety,” uncommon in children as old as Henry but not unknown, and quite understandable in this case. It had been just the two of them for so long Henry was naturally reluctant to go off on his own. “I’m always glad of your assistance, but you must go to school,” he said firmly. “And don’t forget, this is part of the plan. You’re our undercover agent, collecting intelligence. Report back to me this afternoon on anything you can learn about the curse and how it’s affecting people. What their new identities are, any hint of who might be behind this. You know what to look for. Your mum and I are relying on you.”

Henry perked up slightly at this and nodded. “I can have a spy notebook, and write things in code,” he said, his clever mind clearly already forming plans.

“That’s the spirit,” said Killian, smiling to himself as Henry began to eat his cereal. When he’d finished he collected his backpack and permitted Killian to hug him goodbye before heading out the door, the habitual spring still in his step. Killian watched him through the wide front window, feeling a small twinge when he disappeared around the corner. He missed the lad already. Perhaps separation anxiety went both ways.

To distract himself, he made a cup of tea and went downstairs to spend a relaxing hour setting up the accounts for the bookstore. It was something he flattered himself that he was quite good at, having discovered to his considerable amusement that running a business was in many ways not dissimilar to captaining a pirate ship. As captain he had been responsible for keeping records of their takings and ensuring that each crewmember received his fair share, while as a business owner he would need to keep records of the store’s sales and he hoped eventually pay himself and any employees a salary. On his ship he had maintained inventories of their provisions, set and enforced duty rosters, made plans for where to hunt their next take — or how to grow his business, to use the terminology of this realm. All of which turned out to be skills he could transfer to the relatively sedate task of running a bookstore. Who would have guessed that all those years he’d actually had a profession that was considered respectable in this realm, he reflected with a smirk. Of course, the reputation for ruthlessness and bloodlust he’d taken great pains to cultivate was not exactly standard procedure for businesspeople in this realm, but from what he’d read about many of the more successful CEOs his methods had been almost tame by comparison.

He was startled from his musings by the sound of the shop door opening, and a voice calling “Hello? Is anyone here?”

Kilian rose and went down to the ground floor, startled into momentary dumbness at the sight of the woman standing hesitantly in the centre of the room.

“Swan?” he said, once he had found his voice. “What are you doing here?”

#cs ff #cursed storybrooke #captain swan #cursed captain swan #mystery #angst #smut #oh the smut #canon divergence #alternative 3b #captain cobra #daddy killian #their way by moonlight #profdanglaisstuff

33 notes · View notes

coffee-and-wolfsbane · 5 years

Text

Kyoko/Julian “first date”, part 2

“That’s the spirit!” Julian exclaimed, and sat forward, steepling his gloved fingers. “The rules are simple, Kyoko. We take turns guessing something about the other. If one guess correctly, the other drinks. You keep guessing until you get something wrong. Last one standing wins.” With another sweep of his arm, he gestured towards her. “Ladies first.”

Kyoko’s eyes went to the prize, filled with fake foreign coins, and she slid her eyes back to him. “You’ve been out of Vesuvia, to different countries.”

Julian gave her that little bow again and took a drink.

“You don’t practice magic.” She didn’t feel the tug of accessed magic coming from him. There was something around him though. Maybe someone he was close to practiced?

Julian gave a wry chuckle and shook his head. “No, I do not. Not crafty enough,” he said, and took another drink.

“You have a sibling,” Kyoko guessed.

“Ah, ah, too general,” Julian chastised. “Brother or sister, Kyoko?”

“Brother,” she guessed again. Triumph flitted across his features, and he shook his head. “Brothers,” she tried.

“Incorrect. My turn.” He made no effort to hide his long, slow look that swept across her face, her neck, her shoulders, stopping short of leering at the tops of her breasts that were just barely visible through her the collar of her top.

“You practice magic.” Kyoko took a drink. The cold ale felt refreshing from the sudden heat that had followed where his eye traced. “You’re a night owl, preferring to work while the world is dark.” She took a second drink, a longer one. “You can never find clothes that fit your vision, so you either alter or make your own outfits.”

Kyoko stiffened slightly, forcing herself not to glance down self-consciously at what she currently wore. What Julian had guessed was true, but suddenly she felt like she was dressed shabbily under his sharp eye.

“Don’t take that badly, Kyoko,” Julian said smoothly, noticing her change in demeanor. “Your clothes are works of art, and they flatter you perfectly. Besides, I love a woman who’s good with her hands.” He bit his lip slowly, and this time Kyoko let the laughter escape past her lips. She finished her drink in one big swig, and set down the mug with a satisfying clunk.

“Three in a row, Julian. You’re very good at this,” Kyoko mused, turning to flag down the barkeep. Once she had another drink in front of her, she motioned for him to continue.

“You live alone,” Julian surmised.

Kyoko felt another smile play across her face. “Are you asking if I live alone, or if I’m single?” She watched him consider the two questions, his leather fingers tapping against his chin.

“You’re single,” Julian corrected. Kyoko wouldn’t admit it, but she enjoyed how his face started to fall as she stalled. Finally, she spared him and took a drink.

“Ahaha, I should be careful; you’re a smart one,” Julian chuckled. “You favor carriages to horseback.”

“Drink up, Julian, you’re win streak just broke,” Kyoko said. She shifted forward, and let her hand slip a little–the telltale signs, to someone watching, of being drunk. But what Julian didn’t know is that she had a tolerance to alcohol that could rival a pirate crew. “I’ve been riding since I was young. I loved the feeling of flying over the ground, and I worked at stables whenever I could before I discovered my affinity for magic.”

Julian laughed, and copied her earlier move, draining his cup in a few long swigs. “Guess away, dear Kyoko.” His pale skin was flushed, and when he waved over to the bartender, instead of mugs, tall tinted glass bottles were set in front of them; one for her, and one for Julian.

One sniff at the contents had her smiling. This was hard liquor, and she wasn’t backing out now. “You used to work at the palace,” she guessed. Almost everyone had worked there at some point.

Julian scowled–from the previous work he did or at her correct guess, she couldn’t tell–and took a drink straight from the bottle. He grimaced, his visible eye screwing up, and he coughed a little.

“You can pick locks,” Kyoko said. Julian gave her a mischievous wink and took another pull from the bottle.

Kyoko batted her lashes, fueled by the liquor, and leaned forward, motioning him closer. He mimicked her, the scent of leather and something else brushing over her. She offered him a wicked smile and said softly, “You had no idea that I’m not wearing a chemise, shift, or corset underneath this shirt.”

Julian’s eye flared and he blushed, his eye doing an up-and-down dance of wanting to look and skittering back to her face. “T-that’s cheating,” he stammered.

Kyoko leaned back and smiled. “Drink or don’t, Julian.” She rolled her shoulders, stretching and arching her back, enjoying the feeling of her chest pushing against the loose silk.

Julian looked this time, blushing harder, and he took a long swig. “Now I know,” he muttered, watching how the fabric settled against her skin when she stopped moving.

“Now you’re wondering if my lower half matches the top,” Kyoko purred.

“Drink, Kyoko.” His voice was like a caress, rolling over the syllables that made up her namesake. “That is not what I’m wondering.”

His eye focused in on her lips as she put the bottle up to her mouth. The liquor burned her nose as she took a swallow. Julian straightened in his chair, his hand splayed on the table for balance, and he grinned at her.

“You can dance. Oh, I bet you can captivate a monk with how you move,” Julian said, his words running together. Kyoko took a drink, her head feeling light and full of cotton. “You have a…a suit of armor on the outside, to protect yourself. To protect your family from yourself.”

Kyoko frowned, confusion showing on her face. “Julian?”

He chugged the bottle, looking at it in surprise when it became empty. “Ahh, forgive me. We were talking about you, not me. I forgot.” The bottle slipped from his grip and landed on the floor. Julian continued to mumble, and over the noise of the other patrons leaving, she couldn’t understand him. He attempted to stand and pick up the bottle, but his balance shifted and he collapsed back into his chair.

“Julian,” Kyoko repeated, raising her voice a little, trying to get his attention. She got up and went to stand in front of him, and only when she was in his field of vision did he notice her again.

“What beauty is before me?” he slurred, reaching out to brush a knuckle over her cheek. “I don’t deserve to be near you. Careful, Kyoko, you might catch something.”

He was making less and less sense the more the alcohol hit him. Kyoko reached out with her mind, brushing against Regis to get his attention. She doubted Julian would want her to drag him back to wherever he lived, and her familiar was strong–

Julian stood up suddenly, almost knocking her off balance. He caught her, pulling her into his chest. Being so close to him made her realize how much taller he was. His chin rested comfortable on the top of her head. His arms were strong, locking her in place like iron bars. One hand kept her firm against him while the other ripped off the eyepatch he wore, and when he pulled back slightly, his gaze was boring into her. All she could look at was the red sclera that looked almost black in the dim light.

Kyoko! As her bonded familiar, Regis was connected to her, and in her shocked state, her mental walls were down, revealing everything she was feeling…and seeing.

“I wouldn’t want you infect you,” Julian said coldly.

3 notes · View notes

raftels · 6 years

Photo

As requested, here’s a masterlist fic rec for the following categories 1) ASL brothers; 2) mugiwara nakama feels; 3) some shippy fics; and for those not really falling into any of the requested categories, I put in “others”. I took some liberty in the categorization whelp but hopefully this will do. And you didn’t ask for it but I put tiny notes on each rec’d fic bc I felt like it haha

If you wanna rec some fics that aren’t here, please, by all means, send them to me. If any of the link is wrong/broken, do tell me as well. If you want to rant/talk/squeal/cry/etc over any of the fics, I’m forever open to messages and let’s cry together.

aaand, if you haven’t been following fyeahonepiece, please do so (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

anything about the ASL BROTHERS some might be toeing the line of shipping but i’ll put a warning for those

The Best Responsibility by echaryn Summary: Watching Luffy and Sabo bond makes him...envious. Their obvious love and affection, the way they are always together, the trust between them... it makes Law anxious, and jealous at the same time. He lost his sister before...before he could even start to understand what being an older brother means. He's nobody's older sibling anymore, but it's still inside him, isn't it? Notes: clicked on this not really expecting much but jfc oda please let this be canon i beg you like i didn’t know i needed bigbro!law until this

Brother Complex and How It Traumatizes Others by Alsheon Summary: In which, Ace let nothing be in his way to boast about his dear baby brother. Not even in the middle of War. And not agreeing means death. A painful death. Or in another sense, Ace stopped running but for an entirely different reason. Notes: WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS ISN’T CANON LMAO this is legit my all-time favorite

What Happens When You Assume by revolutionarykoala Summary: The Straw Hats are overjoyed to finally meet Luffy’s elusive brother Sabo. When they finally lay eyes on him however, they realise that assumptions are best to be avoided when it comes to the D. Family. Notes: in which asl confuses the shit out of everyone and yes it’s forever a mood and my aesthetic

Little Spitfire by VictoriaJL Summary: My take on Ace raising Luffy with his caring and loving tendencies. Garp is an old geezer. Dadan throws tantrums. And the bandits are helpless, Oh, did I mention that the whitebeard pirates are completely and utterly in love with adorable little Luffy? Notes: i live for ace and sabo’s adventures in raising baby luffy lmao

The Three Admirals by Miqila Summary: What if Sabo, Ace and Luffy were the three admirals? Notes: i need more marine!asl fics

Triple Switch by Pachimew Summary: In which Luffy can't find his hat, Ace is on his brother's ship, and Sabo is very confused. -Kinda self-indulgent. No ships. Pre-Saobody. Notes: swapped!asl loool another all-time favorite of mine

Through Time by xXDia-RoseXx Summary: Ace and Sabo looking for Luffy wander into a cave and end up 12 years into the future. Through the craziness they meet their Little brother now 12 years older than them. What are two kids suppose to do when their Older-Little Brother looks at them sadly but smiles at them with glee? They try and make him happy again that's what! Notes: *screams into the sun* ASL!!!!!!!!!!!

To be made into Adults by The Eternal Empress Summary: "When will you let me to adult things, Ace?" you ask, eyes shining bright and ears still wet behind. I pat your head as I smile. "When you're old enough." But, I know that isn't going to happen because I'll never let you become an adult (In which Ace and Sabo's brotherly love is contorted to a degree of no return) BrotherlyASL. AU. Notes: me, at the ending: oh shiiiiit i didn’t expect that???

Same Difference by Beyond Kailani Summary: AU. One small change can make all the difference...Someone thought lost returns Notes: the canon my asl babies deserved

The Legends of Kintaro (and Gintaro and Dotaro) by jamie15 Summary: It's Children's Day in the Kindgom of Goa, and neither Ace nor Sabo could care less. That is, until they find out what other day it is ... Notes: *slams fist on the table* this was so damn cute!

Moby Dick’s Tales by FreeFan1412 Summary: an AU where ASL ends up in the moby dick Notes: this one’s a series so just click on the author’s page and asl + whitebeard pirates is always a good laugh

(Wh)y is equal to 45 by The Eternal Empress Summary: Ace is drunk, Sabo crashes into his room, their cat, Sunny, has been sitting by the doorway for days, and Luffy forgets the answer to (wh)y. (In which Luffy tries to find the value of y as well as the reason behind his brothers' and Sunny's mundane behavior, and the TV makes him remember the answer). Modern AU. Brotherly!ASL. Notes: i don’t wanna spoil anything but i was shookt asdfghjkl this was so beautiful

Magical Messes and Panicking Professors: Welcome to Hogwarts by ScarletteSorceress Summary: What do you do when you have three mischievous brothers sorted into three different houses? Well according to Headmaster Whitebeard and Professor Shanks you drink as much rum as you can before Marco can get to you. Magic spells, overturned cauldrons, and inter-house prank wars fueled by sibling rivalry; look out Hogwarts, life's about to get interesting. Hogwarts!AU Notes: asl + harry potter yes two of my favorite things

Bonds of Sea and Fire by Mithril Lace Summary: After the fire in Gray Terminal, a worried Luffy sneaks out to go looking for Ace, only to wind up captured by Bluejam and taken from the island. When Ace finds out Luffy's been kidnapped, he sets out to retrieve Sabo so they can go after him, and a chance encounter at sea drastically alters their plans. Notes: my asl feels + them ending up with the whitebeard pirates

Not everyday is a good day, live anyway by cand13 Summary: Not everyone tells the truth, trust anyway. Not everyone will love you back, love anyway. Not every game will be fair, play anyway. How else could anyone survive what they have and still be that lively? Notes: ASL growing up with Whitebeard story

Somewhere to Belong by Pizza yum Summary: Garp and Whitebeard strike a deal and Luffy, Ace, and Sabo are sent to live with the Whitebeard Pirates for six months. The trio and crew alike do not know how to handle the situation but eventually they figure each other out and the brothers find somewhere they feel like they belong. Notes: young!asl alive together is what i breathe for

Twist of Fate by Takuku Summary: A One Piece AU where Luffy and his brothers set out after the fire in the Gray Terminal, and they come across Marco and Thatch of Whitebeard's crew. Things go differently from the original. Notes: it’s not as if im saying im weak for young!asl with the whitebeard pirates..........but i am

Ten Years Make No Difference by YohoAruto Summary: What if Luffy was instead ten years younger than Ace himself? But as anyone would know,a life with Luffy is much more crazier and troublesome than it should be. It's just that the 'soon to be pirate king' is much more cuter. Notes: baby!luffy raised by ace and sabo YES also lmao at luffy’s first word

Come Morning, Together Again by mapplepie Summary: One day, Ace woke up and decided shirts were overrated. Apparently it was contagious, because Luffy soon thought the same. Sabo just hoped he didn't catch whatever it was that was going around (but he does in the end, and he couldn't be happier). Time-travel. Notes: sabo is fucking done and this is the fix-it we all need

Surprisingly Addictive by ReluctantlyBratty45 Summary: Just a story of Luffy being Luffy, but as a girl. Wacky adventures and awkward situations abound. fem!Luffy. Alive!Sabo. Notes: all i can say is that luffy’s lucky to be a boy in canon bc imagine how more protective his brothers could have been

Start of a Joke by loosingletters Summary: A pirate goes to Impel Down and shares his cell with a political bargain chip and a wannabe noble. What sounds like the start of a really bad joke has just become reality for Ace. Notes: if asl never grew up together well there’s always impel down as a good meet-up point, i guess

Fix it, Sabo! by InsanelyWriteful Summary: Sabo comes home to find that he really can't leave Ace and Luffy alone without some catastrophic event taking place in his absence. Now it is up to him to deal with the ultimate horror: A crying Luffy. Notes: ace trying to act cool despite panicking over making luffy cry lol

Sharp Knife of a Short Life by saraku Summary: The Blood of the Covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Notes: asl short series in which i live for my boys being alive

Meet the Family by siqwithaQ Summary: Luffy's was probably the most interesting proposition Zoro had ever heard, so naturally, he just had to go along with it. Notes: PITBULL - that’s it, that’s the fic.

Family Reunion by Eiliem Summary: After Ace's rescue from Marinford, the Straw Hats hitch a ride on the Moby Dick so Luffy can check up on his brother... and because they forgot to secure transportation of their own. Notes: what should have been canon before/during/after marineford arc tbh

Saving Ace Together by firefistphoenix Summary: What if all the straw hats come together to save Ace? set after impel down and immediately towards Marine-ford. Also Thatch is alive and I intend to keep Ace and Whitebeard alive too. Notes: everyone alive is my kink

wish by spirit if by yes by midnightluck Summary: Mostly, Sabo likes his job, even when it means trying to chase down pirates like Whitebeard in the New World to discuss important Army affairs. Okay, maybe especially then. Notes: Reunion AU where Sabo's a lucky little brat, everyone's happy, and nothing hurts. Well, okay, some stuff still hurts. BUT THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN HOW CANON HAD GONE ;___________;

Immortality is What We Leave Behind by BedlamAnjelle Summary: The lines between mythos and humans were very clear cut, and Marco liked it that way. Everyone knew that the great Suzaku had deemed humans savage and was content to have nothing to do with them ever again. Which is why the phoenix lord buying two humans- young boys, no less- at the auction came as a shock. Especially to Marco. Just what was he thinking, yoi? Notes: all the kid!acelu feels and reluctant papa!marco ++ izou & thatch

Wild Blood by siqwithaQ Summary: In a world where the King never died, Roger and Dragon try to raise their sons away from the government's eye. Secrecy turns out to be more of a challenge than they bargained for. Notes: im sad this hasn’t been updated bc we were getting to the really good part of toddler!ace and baby!luffy finally meeting

Young and Built to Fall by fingers-falling-upwards Summary: Ace will save his nakama. He will save his father. And he will save his little brother and ensure Luffy's happiness even if it kills him. Again. Thankfully, he won't be doing it alone. Together, he and Luffy will change the world. Notes: a timetravel fix-it fic

Learning Freedom by elri(angelrider13) Summary: They were slaves. One who had known freedom and lost it; one who had been born without it. Will a chance meeting give them something to live for? 15yo!ace and 3yo!luffy Notes: ughhh this remains as one of my all time favs jfc it’s so beautifully written and my heart aches on how young and innocent luffy is and how ace raised him up; warning for heavy themes; it’s been discontinued though bc people kept plagiarizing it asdfghjkl

Ten Years Difference by Stormy1x2 Summary: It's amazing what differences there would be if there were a ten-year age difference between Ace and Luffy. For one thing, how on earth could Ace possibly feel good about himself leaving Foosha Village if his brother had been six-and-a-half instead of the canon fourteen? Notes: older!ace and younger!luffy + one piece canon sign me up

Ace in the Hole by Reign of Rayne Summary: Raised as an assassin with no knowledge of his father and holding no drive beyond the orders he's given, Ace finds his whole world flipped by one small boy and a promise. Notes: older!ace and younger!luffy fics is my kryptonite

Gang Wars by samettikettu Summary: In order to protect his most treasured possession, Ace joins the Whitebeard gang but soon finds out that protecting his brother is much harder than he had thought. When gang wars rampage and child welfare officers knock the door, Ace is lucky to have friends around him who are willing to help him and his four-year-old little brother, Luffy. Notes: ace raising luffy hell to the yes

A Pirate’s Resolve by Anjelle Summary: Luffy has finally reached his dream of becoming the Pirate King. He goes to visit Ace's grave to finally finish his journey. But really, there's more adventure awaiting him. When he arrives on an uninhabited island with his crew, he's attacked by a stranger. However, perhaps this boy isn't a stranger after all. [AceLu brotherly. No pairings] Notes: did someone ask for acelu feels??? here you go

Adopted by Default by Kitsune Foxfire Summary: Moby Dick is anything but peaceful on a regular day. The crew is just well used to their special brand of crazy, however. So when an unexpected guest arrives, it throws everyone into disorder. Really, where the hell is this cheeky brat's crew? Someone needs to tell Ace that his ship-brothers are NOT babysitters! Notes: another all-time fav bc i live for luffy breaking the whitebeard pirates

Drunken Brocon by DemonKittyAngel Summary: It isn't until the first time Ace gets drunk that they learn he has a brother. Doting on him has become a favorite pass time and they can see him thriving under the attention. Such a cute little brother. Which is why it comes as such a shock that he's a big brother. "Did I tell you about the time he got swallowed by the alligator, again?" Notes: Drunk!Ace Brocon!Ace Family!Whitebeards

Breakout by Karukyuu Summary: After being momentarily stopped during his invasion of Impel Down, Luffy wakes up one hour earlier. Not only does this spell the worst trouble Impel Down has ever seen, but also bestows the Marines with a most unwanted surprise. Notes: what do you mean this isn’t what happened

Never Save by siqwithaQ Summary: Ace's guardian angel might be something other than an angel. Notes: alternatively titled as “hurt me more dot jpg”

Soulmates!verse by Elri (angelrider13) Summary: There was always one Angel and one Demon. No more, no less. One was pure, the other tainted. They were never meant to co-exist, and yet, they find themselves inevitably drawn together. Notes: there are 3 stories in this universe with basically the same theme of angel!luffy and demon!ace; warning (?): this also toes the line of being shippy between ace and luffy but well it depends on the reader i guess

Forgot to Hide the Bodies by siqwithaQ Summary: Despite being lovers and sharing an apartment, neither Ace nor Luffy ever found out what the other does for a living — not to say that there haven't been close calls. Because, really, some skeletons in the closet are more literal than others. Ace/Luffy Notes: warning (?) acelu is shippy; but ok goodness this one made me laugh

Brave and Strong by samettikettu Summary: Everything made sense now, why Sabo hadn't hugged him back and why he didn't say much to him during their brief meetings. Or why he hadn't waited till he woke up. Sabo blamed him for Ace's death. Notes: i didn’t know i needed yandere!sabo until this

Borrowing Days by Strange-Charms Summary: Sabo was determined, he'd do this right. To make up for all those he'd missed. Notes: ahhh such a “quiet” and nice sabo and luffy brotherly bonding

Detective Loomes and the Phantom Thief by samettikettu Summary: Detective Sherlock Loomes is the greatest detective in all England and he's tracking down the murderer who took his friend's life, a man called Moriarty. During his investigations, another criminal catches his eyes and messes up his head with his charming smile. It's the Phantom Thief Lupin! Sabo/Luffy Notes: everyone’s roles are great; warning (?): shippy sabolu

The Monkey Clan by loofahlover Summary: Zoro had never thought that going out with Luffy would be easy. But that knowledge had not prepared him to meet with a senile old marine, an ex-mercenary, a half-drunk traveling salesman, a fireman with a questionable skillset, a shady government agent, and an even shadier sociopath. Notes: this was tagged as zoro/luffy but the focus was on the “monkey clan” and this was fcking hilarious and literally has been a rollercoaster from start until the end lmao I LOVE THIS

The Hat by Taisi Summary: About a year before the Corrida Colosseum in Dressrosa, Sabo met one of Luffy's nakama. Well, they didn't actually meet. They spoke, but names weren't exchanged; other things were. Notes: so simple but sooooo good; AU drabble

NAKAMA FICS ALL of akurosa’s fics are a must-read!!! but let me list down my top ones from this author this is the price that has been paid in full (Some days, it's the ridiculously small things that break them and make them start over again.) moments like this (simple and sweet Zoro&Luffy nakamaship moments) Next Time Won’t You Sing With Me (The Straw Hats' ABCs. Short stories, all Luffy-centric with crew member interactions and sometimes, with Ace. notes: the last chapter (letter z) killed me hence, this) Like When a Fox Falls (Last time, he saved them. This time, they'll find him. A modern-reincarnation fic)

2 Things by The StoryBooker Summary: Zoro contemplates the things he does for his captain. Then he has a conversation with Rayleigh about what it means to be a first mate. Notes: im weak for first mates complaining about their captains

A Light Against The Dark Sky by zealousfreak27 Summary: In which Robin Nico adopts six squirming children, becomes an object of interest for a famous elderly violinist, makes the acquaintance of a very interesting demolitionist, and learns to live again. Notes: pretty sure im gonna rec all kid!luffy fics tbh

Already Forever by Taisi Summary: Hundreds of years from now, historians will never know what her captain was thinking, when he brought Enies Lobby to its knees with a declaration of war, when he attacked a Celestial Dragon on an island in an archipelago, and she won't be there to explain, "it was for a friend, you see?" (In which Nami comes to understand that the world will never understand Luffy.) Notes: nami’s thoughts are pretty much the fans’ thoughts

Always Gold by kokune Summary: He's tied to a tree, his swords and crew are missing, and now some ten-year-old brat calling himself Sabo is waving around a lead pipe, demanding to know what happened to his little brother. Zoro closes his eyes and wonders if a bottle of booze will appear out of nowhere if he wishes hard enough. It's not like the day can get any weirder, anyway. Notes: post timeskip!SHs encounter young!ASL on Dawn Island

Copycat by Taisi Summary: And then, so quickly no one saw it happen, the man is reeling back with a broken nose, the creature is swept up and away, and Luffy- cradling it safely against his chest- looks as surprised as the rest of them. (In which there are absolutely no miraculous returns, and old wounds ache before a rain.) Notes: *wraps luffy in a burrito blanket*

Calendars and Kings by Taisi Summary: "When I was little, all the other kids got treats and candies on my birthday too, so I didn't know it was special for me. Ace always said it was, but I thought that was just 'cause he was my big brother. I thought that since it was already a holiday, it didn't count!" Notes: just some nakama feels for all of us

Inversion by siqwithaQ Summary: "He wished things were different. He wished things would change." Notes: did someone ask for an ocean of angst in 1 chapter??? here you go

Inanition by Taisi Summary: in·a·ni·tion, noun; lack of mental or spiritual vigor and enthusiasm; exhaustion caused by lack of nourishment. Notes: [In which Luffy's metabolism is faster than his doctor understands.]

Linger by Duzzie Summary: AU. They're just a bunch of lonely kids in a hospital ward before he comes along: the boy with a smile like sunshine. Notes: what was that you wanted more angsty fics??? here you go

Smile Again by Taisi Summary: His eyes are bright, and his mouth is stretched into a grin as wide as the world, and looking at him Usopp could cry. Notes: Modern AU, Nakamaship; there’s a lingering ache bc of the loss but the support of the mugiwara family is there

The Straw Hat by EmberEvolution Summary: The straw hat Shanks had given Luffy all those years ago finally fits on the boy's head. For anyone else, it would be an exciting event as it proves that they've grown from before. For Luffy, it's an event that triggered a panic fit and the reason behind it is simple: What if he outgrows his treasured straw hat? Notes: luffy has legitimate concerns ok

S We Walk the Beaten Path by soomin Summary: They were so close to the end that a few of them have actually begun to think about the ever after. However, Sabo warns the Strawhat crew that one of them will not make it to the afterwards if they go to Raftel, the crew thinks. It has always been pirate king or death. Not a single one thought that the “or” could one day be “and”. Notes: The highlight would have to be how each of the crew member reacted and tried finding a “solution”.

In The Bag by Kamu Summary: All pirates have hordes of treasure.It just so happens in this life, cats are the treasure in Luffy's. Notes: luffy as the owner of mugiwara!cats but this def needs the next part to update

Kizuna by YokoHogawa Summary: Usopp carefully watches Luffy over the sandwich he is biting into, and he can’t help but worry. Sanji has an anxiety problem. Something wakes Zoro at the crack of dawn. Notes: nice approach immediately after the crew’s 3d2y reunion

Exclusivity by Taizi Summary: A stranger flirts with the oblivious Luffy, and the Straw Hat Pirates reveal a possessive streak. Notes: ngl i’m weak for people being protective over luffy

Breadwinner by siqwithaQ Summary: Because when the trouble doesn't find the Straw Hats by itself, the Straw Hats have to go looking for trouble. Notes: im still choking with laughter especially with the law-luffy-nami scenes lmao

Nothing but Trouble by Kitsune Foxfire Summary: Marco and Thatch have had just about enough of the Moby Dick's newest passenger. Whenever Ace isn't trying to kill Oyaji, he's driving the rest of the crew insane with his bizarre habits. They're not even sure if they've picked up a feral dog or a person anymore. Who the heck raised this kid, anyway? Wolves? Notes: oh, ace, i love you

Unexpected Emergencies by blueh Summary: Luffy had been alone most of his short life, with no one to love and no one to rely on. This all changed, however, when the Whitebeard Pirates stumble upon his lonely little island and take the four-year-old boy under their wing. Who knew that the little rubber brat would become one of Oyaji's strongest commanders when he grew up? Ha. The Whitebeard Pirates sure didn't. Notes: ahhh the bonding of luffy and the whitebeard pirates as he grew up was so nice

SHIPPY FICS aka i didn’t know i shipped anyone in one piece but damn these fics are good

An Interesting Proposal by petiteneko Summary: If anybody told Smoker that he would have a casual conversation with his boss at a pirate's wedding, he would have thought them beyond insane. Law/Luffy Notes: wherein smoker’s sure he didn’t sign up for this bullshit and the wedding hall has got to be the “most wanted area in history”

Her Pace by Arithra Summary: When Trafalgar Law first met Strawhat Luffy in the auction house on Sabaody, he like everyone else, assumed her to be male. It was a simple fact. A fact that would not survive their second meeting. Law/Luffy Notes: genderbent!luffy and as usual he/she is still so damn cute

Stow Away Captains by xairylle Summary: Law sneaks into the men's quarters of the Thousand Sunny. Zoro contemplates on how to deal with it. And Luffy, well, Luffy is just Luffy. Notes: screaming over the predicament of zoro, sanji, usopp, and brook lmao

Youthful Years by grayclouds Summary: Snippets and bits of seven years in Hogwarts during which Law hopelessly pines for Luffy. Law/Luffy Notes: the hp au every fandom needs

We’re Not Nuns by deadhemoglobin Summary: Luffy went to prison. [[ZoLu, LawLu, Prison AU, warnings inside]] Notes: explicit Zoro/Luffy y’all and the premise was interesting

A Clash of Blades by Arithra Summary: Mihawk had lived by the blade, had lived for the blade and the moment she lost her title she would die by the blade as well. Only Shanks ever dared to disagree. (fem!mihawk; Shanks/Mihawk) Notes: i thought mihawk looked pretty in oda’s genderbent drawing so i casually looked for a fic then this happened and jfc ngl this works sooo well and the fact that the author managed to keep them in character was super nice

ASL in Love by Kereea Summary: Three things would be true about the ASL Brothers’ relationships: they would be spectacular, they would be weird, and Shanks would not approve of his kids’ love lives. Marco/Ace Sabo/Koala Law/Luffy Notes: papa!shanks is the best and him raging over his kids’ “special others” is the best Hey, Mr. Star, I Think I love You (Please Love Me Too) by JuHuaTai Summary: Rising star actor, Marco Newgate, and the darling of the music industry, Spade, are just friends. Good friends who met in the most awkward of circumstances, and hold great respect for each other’s craft. Okay, a whole lot deal of great respect, and there might be a shade of crush here and there, but it’s a celebrity crush and that’s all there is to it.At least, that's what they kept saying. The whole world sure doesn't buy it one bit. Marco/Ace Notes: fluff goodness literally this is what you’d need if you wanna have toothache from all the sweetness also i cry over luffy being a youtuber

We’ll Look Back and Laugh at Ourselves by JuHuaTai Summary: Between his new boyfriend and his workaholic boss, Marco felt like he was surrounded by family issues of the father and son dispute variety. Maybe it was just a coincidence.Or maybe he should've listened to the office gossip more. Maybe then he'd figure it out sooner. Marco/Ace Notes: i relate with whitebeard and (later on) rayleigh

Thwarted by a Malign Star by DeadSkullB Summary: “Fuck pirates, they're scum - except for Luffy, Luffy's fine… But he's not a pirate yet… that means it's fine, yeah, pirates suck,” Ace said matter-of-factly. Then his brain slowly caught up and he looked at the man - his face, not his very, very nice chest - with narrowed eyes. “Are you a pirate?” Marco smirked and pointed down at his chest. “You’re Marco the pine- Phoenix,” Ace stumbled over the word, heart having leapt to his throat and filled his ear with constant drumming. He didn't realize he spilled his drink - when had he gotten a refill? Marco/Ace Notes: came for the summary bc ace doting on luffy even as a marine is gold and stayed bc damn that was hot; nsfw & explicit obv

One Piece Soulmates AU by Charlie_Mou Summary: You have the name of your soulmate tattooed on your body but it's the name that will have the biggest impact on the world. Marco/Ace Law/Luffy Notes: The variety of One Piece Soulmate AU, mostly MarcoAce, LawLu, and others which isn’t written yet.

OTHERS of doughnuts and meat by dami_an Summary: "Where's my MEAT?!!" Behind the counter, Katakuri looks up from the sales ledger. He sighs, "Told you; this is a bakery. We don't sell meat here." "But you have meat buns!!!" Luffy whines. Notes: “in which katakuri's a baker and ends up befriending a seven-year-old luffy”; the exasperation of katakuri ftw and kid!luffy is the cutest basically a very wholesome shit i live for

The World Goes Around by WinglessCrows Summary: "How come you're called the pirate hunter, when you're a pirate yourself?"- How Zoro got his nickname and how his stupid captain was somehow involved. Notes: a headcanon i accept

Grandfatherhood by Keereea Summary: Sengoku and Garp chat about Sengoku's discovery about Law. Notes: “Like Sengoku wouldn't tell Garp "crap I've join the 'my grandson's a pirate' club." warning (?): there’s a tiny bit of lawlu at the end

An Old-Hat Rivalry by lunarshores(damichan) Summary: Three times Marco met a different man wearing the straw hat, and one time he decided to follow it. Notes: i just love the takes of authors on how marco and luffy’s dynamic is going to be and ugh the ending was so cute

A Song for the Heartsore and War-Weary by Summary: "Sorry, Ace," Marco murmured to himself as he riffled through the stack of old newspapers. "I don't know how it happened, but... I think I'm stalking your little brother." Notes: another take on marco and luffy’s dynamic asdfghjkl

Unsinkable by RikoJasmine Summary: The Straw Hats find out that their captain has one hell of a family. When asked about his mother’s whereabouts, Luffy simply grins and throws his arms out, gesturing to the endless expanse of sea around them. With complete sincerity, he replies, “The ocean is my mother!”An AU where Luffy isn’t entirely human, and water affects him differently than other Devil Fruit users. Notes: an interesting take on who luffy’s mother might be

Take It From Another Savior by JadeFlicker Summary: "You realize, by saving Straw Hat-ya, you may very well have indirectly changed or saved a lot of lives.” “You think?” “I know.” On their way to Wano, Law and his group just happen to meet the Red Hair Pirates. Notes: ahhh, i loved the “quietness” of this fic and some interactions between characters i didn’t think i’d be interested in seeing (hence this)

Like Cats and Dogs by PitViperOfDoom Summary: It should be easy to judge a man by the shape of his soul, but Strawhat Luffy spits in the face of logic and predictability. Notes: i finally found a daemon fic yes

Law’s Adventure in the Thousand Sunny by LuffyForKing Summary: Law's thoughts on the crew's antics. Rated T for some swearing. Notes: basically, the strawhats broke law lmao

About You by pitchblackfingernails Summary: “Is he serious?!” He heard faintly from Eustass-ya’s direction. And it seemed that he was. Because “Straw Hat” Monkey D. Luffy, dodged one, two bullets that flew in his direction, formed a fist, pulled his arm back, and then, with a shout, hit the face of one of the World Nobles with a force that sent the sucker flying halfway across the room, completely shattering the benches that were in the way in the process. And grunted in satisfaction, a fierce and proud look on his face. Law would be lying if he claimed that the sight didn’t make his heart skip a beat. Fucking hell. So that was Monkey D. Luffy. Notes: warning (?): it’s tagged as law/luffy but so far, it’s more on showing law’s pov on luffy pre timeskip

Every You, Every Me by tokyonightskies Summary: “Did you know, Roci…” Doffy begins in a voice that only spells out trouble. As if he knows something Rocinante doesn’t, has never thought about until it’s said and done. “That Sengoku keeps your marine file in his desk?” There’s something comforting about how unpredictable his brother is, something he can count on at least when there’s nothing else to rely on. He grabs a commentary on their great-great grandmother and puts it on top of the others, on the pile of papers he doesn’t really suspect his brother to read thoroughly. “I didn’t.” He responds tiredly as he shuts the drawer and leans against the wall, “Do I want to know how you know?” Doffy comes to stand next to him, tilts his head back until Roci can glimpse at his eyes from the side, and teases, “I looked, of course.” Notes: interesting take on what if roci wasn’t allowed to infiltrate the donquixote family and continued being a marine but it has only 1 chapter whelp; there are pairings tagged but then again no shippy thing at all since it’s not updated

Black Scab by tofu-melon Summary: Having been raised by his grandfather since a young age, Luffy grows up powerful and intelligent enough to become part of the CP9... more precisely, he becomes their Chief Director. Notes: warning (?) it was tagged as Lucci/Luffy but so far it doesn’t have any yet

Drop-In Voyage by Lily Noire Summary: So how does one go about visiting family on the other side of the globe? Easy: just board a ship. There's a pit stop on the way, you say? Dangerous, is it? No biggie, simply wreak havoc. And watch out for that fist! Strongest man in the world? Really? Then, surpass him it is! - Luffy did always have his priorities straight... somewhat. Notes: ahhh i wish the author would continue this bc i wanna see everyone’s reaction to their visit lol

My Family Can Beat Up Your Family by rose7anne101 Summary: Big Mom decided she needed to make an unforgettable example of one of the Worst Generation, her chosen target: Straw Hat Luffy. Alive!Ace Notes: this is the canon we deserve wherein nobody died and luffy’s still wrecking havoc

Oh God, My Eyes! by Kitsune Foxfire Summary: No one could ever really be sure what went on in Garp's head. So they weren't sure if his new cloths were some kind of strange D-related tactic, or if the man had actually lost his mind. If they'd just look at the date, they'd know. His cute grandsons always sent the most thoughtful gifts for his birthday. Notes: garp the grandpa ftw

Pets by clarobel Summary: AU. Zoro was a stray until Shanks picked him up and adopted him. Now in a house with reindeer, kittens, fish and dogs, the green cat doesn't know who to trust. Luffy's delighted to have a new friend to play with, though! Notes: mugiwara as pets hell yes

The Justice of Freedom by Stelra Etnae Summary: Garp is a pirate, Roger is a Marine? The Marine top-tiers are full of slacking drunkards and the Yonko are obsessed with rice crackers? Just what kind of chaos will unfold in a world such as this? A role-reversal AU where everything is upside down and no one is quite sane. Drabble series. Notes: im sCREAMING loool

Storm by Kuroshi44 Summary: Because even across the seas he would find a way to let his child know he cared. Notes: i can’t wait for a legit dragon and luffy reunion

Supernova Family by YohoAruto Summary: There are laughter, shouting, fight, all the halabaloo. It's what families do! But we all have to wonder if this family can survive with eachothers? Just a regular Supernova Family. Notes: ok but i really love the supernovas and this modern au fic is gold

The adventures of the Supernova pirates by WhimsicalAnimeFan Summary: This is the story of the Supernova crew, under their captain, Strawhat Luffy! Join Luffy as he travels the east blue and through the Grand Line to collect pirates for his crew! Notes: thank the heavens they’re not under one crew

Throne Without Direction by Som3on3 Summary: "You have an old soul," Benn said and Luffy wanted to laugh, that's one way to put it, falling from the heavens and chained upon the earth. Instead he only gazed at the unchanging sky before smiling, "I'm just a free spirit." Notes: this had so much potential especially after the reveal in the latest chapter but it hasn’t been updated ;________;

**will add more from time to time

#one piece #fic rec #monkey d. luffy #portgas d. ace #sabo #what do you mean this is mostly asl fics.............i mean yknow #ANON SAN IT IS FINALLY HERE so you can stop spamming my inbox now lmao

41 notes · View notes

flslp87 · 6 years

Photo

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Summary: Doctor Emma Swan, a psychology professor at the University of Miami, is looking for her Superman. Doctor Killian Jones, a sociology professor, on sabbatical from Cambridge University, is looking for his Buttercup. What happens when well-meaning friends and family gift them memberships to an online dating site?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special thanks to @duathadun @hellomommanerd @idontdothatveryoften and @natascha-remi-ronin for their magical help!

Can be found on FF and AO3

Magical Match

Words ~15,200

February 2018

Emma watched the clock tick down the last few minutes which would signal the end of the first test of the semester for her Psych 101 class. Then eighty students would put down their pens and eighty pairs of eyes would meet hers, some resigned, some elated, most unsure. Once scores had been posted, her office would be inundated with students with questions about their grades, and by the next class her roster would have dropped by several. Such was the life of a professor at a university where admission wasn't easy and where their grades from high school were often among the highest in their class.

"Time," she called. "Please turn your papers over and pass them to your left." Emma moved down the aisle collecting the exams, and as the pile grew heavy, wondered whose idea it was to give an essay exam. Yours, numbnut, she scolded herself. "Your reading for the next class is on your syllabus," she told them in closing. "I'll see you Tuesday."

One or two students waved, a few others smiled and as they filed out she couldn't help but make a few guesses as to which ones would drop. But, she sighed, her job wasn't to worry about each individual student who dropped, it was to make sure that those who stayed got what they paid for...or what their parents paid for, anyway. "Cynical much?" she muttered, cramming the papers into her bag before shutting off the lights and hurrying out the door.

Emma took the stairs to her office on the fourth floor and with an hour left before she needed to leave to meet Mary Margaret, sat down to grade the exams. She made it through three of them before her attention wandered to her laptop and the possibility that a new message might have arrived from Clark, as she hadn't heard from him in a few days. Had he returned from his business trip? Or maybe she should be asking herself was when had she started to care?

December 2017

Since moving to Miami, Emma, as well as many of her colleagues, spent the holidays at the home of their boss, David Nolan. As the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, he worked hard to make sure that no one was alone over the holidays, and as Emma was best friends with his wife, Mary Margaret, she found she didn't mind. However, as the years went on and the number of single faculty decreased, it seemed that everyone had someone they wanted her to meet. The problem was, how could they know exactly what Emma needed when Emma didn't even know?

Mary Margaret said she needed her very own Prince Charming, which was how she described David. Emma wasn't so sure. She liked David...a lot...and he was a great boss, but to be married to someone like that, she just wasn't sure.

Belle told her she needed a bad boy, like the man she had married. But, once again, while she could definitely say there were some aspects of the bad boy that had attracted her in the past...she didn't think she could marry him.

Her past romances had taught her what she didn't want, but what did appeal to her? Someone who challenged her…yet cared about her opinion. Someone who was caring, witty and not afraid to say he was sorry. Someone who would sweep her off her feet when she needed him yet allowed her to walk alone. A man who, like a pirate in the night, would sneak up and steal her heart so effortlessly that she would never want to let him go. Who was he? Where was he? Was he someone she had yet to meet?

The group this year had been smaller and while it had been an enjoyable day, Emma was ready to go home and curl up with her six-month-old kitten, Ginger. She said her goodbyes and was just opening her car door when Mary Margaret came running down the walk. "Emma, hold on," she huffed, "you forgot your gift."

Emma took the green envelope and frowned a little. "You gave me my gift the other day. What's this?"

"Well," Mary Margaret began, but her body language and the way she seemed to struggle for the right words served to put Emma on guard. "David and I just want you to be as happy as we are so we kind of..."

Her hesitation had the hairs on the back of Emma's neck standing straight up and convinced her that she was most likely not going to like it. "What did you do?" she asked hesitantly.

Mary Margaret took a deep breath. "Just read the letter and remember...we love you." Then she quickly hugged her and with a little wave disappeared back inside.

With a shake of her head, Emma tossed the envelope onto the passenger seat and drove home. Once inside, her curiosity got the better of her and she ripped the envelope open and pulled out several sheets of paper. The letter was from a dating site she had heard about from some of her friends called Magical Matches, whose slogan was “Your True Love is only a keystroke away.” With a roll of her eyes at the matchmaking persistence of her friends, she tossed the letter on her desk deciding she would deal with it later.

For a week Emma moved the letter from one place on her desk to another, but never had the desire to read what it had to say. And since Mary Margaret and David had left on a cruise, she didn't have to explain herself either. Which left the door open for her to turn down several invitations for New Year's Eve and welcome in 2018 her way...movies, champagne and her favorite dessert.

The day had been perfect. She lounged in bed until Ginger insisted it was time to eat, and then after a run to her favorite bakery she had settled in with a cup of hot chocolate and an excessively large bearclaw. She made it through The Sound of Music before taking a small break to entertain Ginger and then dove back into The Promise.

A grilled cheese and a bottle of water carried her through An Officer and a Gentleman and The Lake House. And then she pulled out dessert and cut a piece of her hazelnut cheesecake with chocolate drizzle that she had picked up earlier and popped the cork on the champagne. With those in hand, Emma sank down onto the sofa and sang along with the songs that were in the movie Pretty Woman.

Halfway through the bottle of champagne, she decided to watch Ghost, and as the last drop of bubbly was poured into her glass, her tears started to fall. Why was she alone on New Year's Eve? If there was a man just for her, where was he?

As one year gave way to the next, Emma pressed play on the movie that seemed to have the man of her dreams. He was a dichotomy in that one side was shy, awkward and unsure while his alter ego was cocky, confident and caring. And while he had been portrayed many times by many actors, none quite pulled off both side as well as Christopher Reeve.

As she watched Clark Kent's shy puppy behavior around Lois Lane, Emma found herself with such a goofy smile on her face that she had to look away. Unfamiliar feelings were coming to the surface, but before she gave them too much thought, her attention was diverted when Ginger jumped up on her desk and started batting everything onto the floor. "Feeling left out?" she crooned, picking up the kitten and cleaning up the mess she'd made, which included a pile of papers.

Stacking the papers neatly proved to be more difficult than it should have been, as little paws were busy swatting at everything that moved. Emma tossed one of Ginger's toys, thinking she would run after it and had just straightened the pile when, with one jump, the kitten landed in the middle and everything scattered everywhere again. "Ginger!"

"Mew," Ginger responded, looking up at her with such an innocent expression that Emma couldn't help but pick her up and hug her.

"What am I going to do with you?" Emma murmured softly, her eyes landing on the letter from Magical Matches. Unsure what caused her to open it, Emma picked up the letter and sank down onto her desk chair to read.

Dear LostGirl,

Your Magical Match is CapnJolly. Whether you contact him or not is up to you, but if you choose to do so, please follow the instructions on the included page.

Best of Luck, Ruby Lucas President Magical Matches

Emma stared at the words on the page for so long that Ginger batted at her arm for attention. Should she or should she not?

Her gaze was drawn back to the television screen that was showing Superman turning back time to save Lois Lane, and she made her decision. She wanted to find that someone who would jump with her. Before she could change her mind, Emma read the directions for signing into the server and composed her email:

Dear CapnJolly,

My friends gave me this as a Christmas gift and while I am skeptical about it really working, I decided why not.

I'm looking for someone, not to follow, but to walk by my side. Someone who can see through walls that aren't impenetrable and leap the ones that are. Someone whose weakness is really his strength and who loves me for what I am and not for what he wants me to be.

I've not found him yet and really don't have high hopes that I ever will, but I promised my friends I would give it a try and that...that is important.

Your Magical Match,

LostGirl

A quick proof was all she allowed herself before she hit send because she knew that if she thought too long about it, she would end up deleting it. This way, it was done.

Early February 2018

He had written back the next day and somehow through the various computer conversations, she had grown to look forward to hearing from him. They had discussed everything from their favorite books to their favorite movies and had even spent several exchanges talking about pasta. He knew she wasn't a morning person, ate Pop-Tarts for breakfast and enjoyed walks on the beach.

But...he didn't know who her best friend was, that she was a professor at a university in Miami or her real name. There were some parts of herself she needed to keep close...for privacy, she tried to tell herself, but really for protection, for as long as the wall was up...she was safe. Or was she?

Her phone was in her hand before she realized it, her thumb hovered over the app to open it, but since there was no notification, Emma set the phone aside and finished grading the test she had started before getting lost in memories. Once she was done, she dropped her pen, locked her office, and had taken less than ten steps when she heard her name being called from behind and, knowing who it was, fought to keep from ducking into the women's room just ahead. But since it was her boss...and her best friend's husband, she plastered a smile on her face and slowly turned around. "David, what committee are you trying to fill now?" she asked him with resignation.

"No committees, Emma," David smiled, "I just want you to meet the man who will be taking over Belle's classes while she's out with the new baby."

"Oh?" Emma's brow went up as she sized up the man standing next to David. "I thought you were going to spread her classes around."

"Well," David put his hand on the man's shoulder, "I didn't know that the brother of one of my dearest friends would be available so...let me introduce Killian Jones."

"Emma Swan." She shook his hand while trying to remember where she had seen him, and while making small talk, surreptitiously studied him. Not quite as tall as David, dark hair he wore longish, but gelled back except for a few strands that fell over a high forehead, square jaw that was clean shaven, smallish ears tight to his head and blue eyes rimmed by dark lashes that were covered with a pair of oversized dark glasses.

He wore dark pants, white shirt with a muted tie, covered by a tweed jacket, and in his hand he was holding a fedora...just like Clark Kent come to life. "No, Killian...Killian Jones," he repeated, and she realized she must have voiced her thoughts aloud.

"I'm sorry," Emma hastened to add, "I've got to run. I have a lunch meeting." And before she could embarrass herself or David any further, walked away. Rude, perhaps...but for some reason being in the company of Killian Jones gave her a strange feeling.

She looked back as she started down the stairs and both were still standing there with their mouths hanging open. She shrugged, "It's your wife, David. You know how grumpy she gets if someone is late."

As she walked across campus to the Shalala Student Center, Emma thought about how David had smiled and waved her off as he was used to her behavior, but Killian Jones had looked almost relieved. "That's odd," she muttered, spotting Mary Margaret across the room seated next to a window.

"What's wrong?" her friend asked before Emma was even situated in the chair.

Emma frowned. "David just introduced me to the person taking Belle's classes and I know him...but from where, I'm not sure...yet." Then it hit her and after an excited inhalation, she continued, "Remember that conference I went to last fall and I---"

"Complained about one of the speakers for weeks?" Mary Margaret finished her sentence.

"Yes," Emma shook her head, "it's him. His ideas were really..." Simplistic, archaic...annoying, she thought. "But I don't want to talk about him. Let me fill you in on Clark."

~~~CS~~~

When Emma left, Killian slowly let go of the breath he was holding, as he hadn't been interested in a confrontation with a colleague so soon after joining the team.

"Sorry about that," David interrupted his thoughts to make excuses for the Swan girl. "Emma can be prickly, but she's a fine instructor and has co-published with another professor in the area of psychophysiology.”

Killian didn't say anything, just nodded his head in a 'that's alright' motion, as he much preferred observing to confrontation anyway. Besides, it seemed that Emma apparently had a very comfortable working relationship with his soon to be boss and he didn't want to get off on the wrong foot. And that was on a professional front...on the personal front, he would hate to create any issues, as Liam would kill him.

He followed David as he was shown around the college, but once they left the Flipse Building behind and started walking across the campus, Killian could finally relax. The warm temperatures and soft breeze were a welcome change from the snowy cold of Wisconsin and the damp cold of London. So much so, in fact, that he found himself second-guessing his wool tweed jacket and fedora.

"Here we are," David indicated the modern building in front of him, "our 46-million-dollar student center."

"That's a lot of money." Killian looked on in amazement at the chrome and glass structure surrounded by lush, tropical landscape.

"Donors with deep pockets," David intoned, leading him around the building. "These gliders okay?" he asked, pointing to a patio dotted with wooden seating areas.

Killian looked out over the sparkling lake surrounded by green grass and nodded, "It's fine, mate."

David led them to a wooden table, flanked by benches and covered with a wooden umbrella, and slid onto one side. Killian followed suit, sliding onto the one across and when it surprised him by moving, he unceremoniously fell, almost slipping off the seat, knocking his glasses askew.

"You okay?" David asked quietly.

Killian blushed and straightened his glasses while hastily looking around to see if anyone had noticed. "Fine, fine. I just...ugh...slipped." He ran his finger from one side to the other under his collar, thinking that he was feeling a tad warm.

"You're not too hot, are you?" David asked just as the wind whipped around them.

The breeze served to cool him down a little, but even with the pomade in his hair, it was strong enough to blow an unruly lock over his forehead. "I might have to rethink my jackets while I'm down here."

David grinned as their orders were set in front of them. "Ditch the jacket. We're a pretty loose group. One of our faculty comes to work in board shorts and flip flops." He shrugged, "As long as you're decent and do the job."

Killian couldn't quite see coming to work in shorts but thought perhaps a lighter wardrobe might be in order.

With the gentle movement of the seats and the steady hum of the fountain, he found that his attention kept drifting to an email he needed to write. He wanted to share this new opportunity but worried it would be crossing some unspoken line that she had arbitrarily set up between them. "I could get used to this," he found himself uttering.

David laughed. "Well...we do have a faculty member retiring in May, so..." he left it hanging in the air.

Could he live in a place of perpetual sunshine, across the pond from his brother and family and friends? "I'll keep that in mind," he finally managed, but decided it was definitely something to think about.

While they ate, Killian was content to allow David to carry the conversation. He parceled out information on the school, places he thought Killian should visit, restaurants he frequented and tidbits about his wife, Mary Margaret before segueing into escapades he and Liam had been involved in when they had met at University.

Killian had just popped a salty chip into his mouth when he heard, "David, I didn't expect you to be here," and a dark-headed woman leaned over and kissed his dining companion, answering his question about her identity.

His eyes were drawn to those of the woman standing next to the dean's wife and the iciness of her green stare answered his question as to whether or not her antagonism had been his imagination. Her eyes skittered away first, moving to the vicinity of his chest and feeling his face flame, his gaze moved out to the lake.

Killian listened to David speak to his wife, finding that he envied the easiness with which they spoke. When he was introduced, his habits of old kicked in and after a brief hello, he sat back and answered only when spoken to, feeling as if the words were lodged in his head, but unable to be spoken. Only when he was communicating with...

"David, Doctor Jones," Emma interrupted his thought and tipped her head in farewell as she moved to follow her friend.

"Whoa," David's brows rose, "what did you do to upset Emma?"

Killian didn't really feel the need to explain the whole misunderstanding over the paper he presented and just shook his head. "Professional differences, I suppose. You know how psychologists' philosophies often differ from those of sociologists," he finally settled on.

David studied him for an extra second. "That I do. I need to head back now, is there anything else I can help with?"

"Point me toward the Metrorail?"

~~~CS~~~

Emma was expecting Mary Margaret to say something about her treatment of Jones, and so when they had walked around the lake and her friend hadn't said anything, she couldn't stand it any longer. "I know I was rude, but he..."

"Gets under your skin. I know." Mary Margaret sent her a quick grin. "But he's cute."

A snort burst forth before Emma could contain it. "Kind of like a puppy dog. Did you see the chip crumbs on his tie?"

"He just needs a good woman to help bring him out of his shell." Her friend laughed.

"Maybe," Emma agreed, "but that's not me. After all, I've got..."

"Clark, I know," Mary Margaret said with a sigh and a roll of her eyes.

Once back in her office Emma continued with her grading, not stopping until she was finished. She had just completed adding all the grades to the computer gradebook when her phone buzzed. A glance at the notification sent a little thrill through her system. "Clark," she giggled excitedly as she swiped the app to read the message.

~~~CS~~~

Killian had rented an apartment overlooking Biscayne Bay, steps away from Bayside Marketplace and an easy commute by train to the University. He had chosen the place not only for the scenery, but because it offered a large balcony, which he had been drawn to the minute he had walked in the door. Large glass windows lined the back wall revealing the blue water of the Bay for as far as the eye could see. And as a sailor, even if it was just for recreational purposes, the blue, blue sea calmed him and soothed his soul.

Since he had been in residence, he had discovered a pattern in his behavior when he returned to the apartment. Upon entering, with a flick of his wrist his hat would land on the table, his jacket and tie would be flung over the sofa, and as he unbuttoned a few buttons of his shirt with one hand the other grabbed his laptop as he gravitated to the balcony. Symbiotic...or at least it seemed that way to him, for it needed him to enjoy its beauty as much he needed its ability to soothe him.

"And today's no different." Killian stretched his legs in front of him and watched the water below, noting the coming and going of the tour boats. He had thought about taking one of the cruises but felt more of a need to be the one in control, which was unlike him. Different from any time in his life he could remember, making him question what had caused the change. Or better yet...who?

January 2018

The new year was only a few hours old, and while Killian had enjoyed spending the evening with his niece, Piper, he couldn't help but wonder when he would find his own Buttercup. That wasn't something he often thought about because, generally, he was happy with his life. He taught classes, did research, wrote and spent time with his family. But there had been something different about this year's New Year's Eve. He had watched The Princess Bride with his niece and found himself feeling...lonely...bereft even...as if something...or someone...was missing.

It wasn’t long before he found himself sitting down at the piano, his fingers running over the keys, almost subconsciously picking out the notes to the theme song from the movie he had been watching. But that didn’t seem to help the restless feeling he had and eventually pushed up from the piano, eventually settling in a chair losing himself in thought.

"Killian?" He looked up as Elsa came into the room. "Any trouble tonight?"

He sent her a small smile. "Not at all. Why would you say that?"

"No reason," she shrugged a shoulder, "you just appeared...I don't know...lonely, I guess."

He surprised himself by answering quietly, "I was just wondering about my Buttercup."

"Oh?" Liam's voice joined the conversation, "Something to share, Little Brother?"

Killian shook his head, almost wishing he hadn't said anything. "Just a comment after watching your daughter's favorite movie, that's all."

Killian watched Liam and Elsa exchange a look that said a lot, but what exactly he wasn't privy to, and then Liam disappeared in the direction of his study only to reappear with a red envelope in his hand. "Take a chance, Killian." He handed the envelope over before holding his hand out to Elsa.

Elsa leaned over, kissing Killian on the cheek and then wrapped her arm around Liam as he came to his feet, "Love is worth it. Night, Killian." They moved down the hall toward their room and Killian was left alone with his thoughts.

It had taken him a few days before his curiosity led him to open the envelope, and by the time he had, the letter from his magical match had been waiting for over a day.

Dear CapnJolly,

My friends gave me this as a Christmas gift and while I am skeptical about it really working, I decided why not.

I've not found him yet and really don't have high hopes that I ever will, but I promised my friends I would give it a try and that...that is important.

Your Magical Match,

LostGirl

"She's looking for a bloody Superman," Killian mumbled, pushing away from his desk to pace in front of it. "How's a normal bloke expected to live up to that?" He stopped pacing long enough to stare in the mirror at his image. "You're certainly no Superman," he told the man looking back at him. "But, maybe you could be his alter-ego, Clark Kent. With that in mind, he sat back down to try to put together a response that didn't make him sound like an arse.

Dear LostGirl,

I, too, am skeptical of this process working but was reminded recently that skepticism is often the first step to a great discovery. And since one can only truly fail if they don't try, I would like to see if I'm up to the task of breaking down a few of your walls, much like the man of steel.

I am looking for someone who is loyal and willing to fight for what she wants. Someone who isn't interested in trying to change me, but who accepts me for the man I am. Someone who loves me enough that even after years together, it is always as exciting as the first time. Someone who challenges my mind and allows me to challenge hers.

Are you willing to roll down the mountain with me?

Your Magical Match,

CapnJolly

~~~CS~~~

February 2018

Killian admitted that he had sent that first email mainly out of curiosity, but it hadn't taken many exchanges before one day he had signed his message as Superman's alter-ego, Clark. It hadn't been planned, but had just happened, and she had understood...and with her signature, she become his Buttercup. And now, four weeks after their initial emails...she mattered, and that was cause for concern. The anonymity made it simple, as he didn't have to worry about saying the wrong thing because each and every word he wrote had been thought out. The awkwardness that he felt around women that caused him to inevitably do or say something foolish wasn't a problem because the more he corresponded with his Buttercup, the easier it became. The ease hadn't transferred to other women though, as today with Emma Swan, he had been tongue-tied and felt like a gauche teen. Not a promising start to the next few months.

The revving of a boat motor served to pull his attention back to the task at hand, that of composing a new message for his magical match. He had some things he wanted to share with her, but while he had been open about his likes and dislikes, he was still holding his identity, his family and his location close. Why, he couldn't say, but something told him that his Buttercup wasn't quite ready for taking that next step. He still needed to scale a wall or two.

Opening his computer, he started typing, but for every word that he wrote, he deleted two. It took him the better part of an hour to get the right tone, to get the right words, but once he had written everything out, he hit send. No second thoughts. Once sent, his heart fluttering in his chest and his nerves skittering along his skin, he couldn't stay inside any longer. A quick change into running shorts and Killian headed to the beach to run.

~~~CS~~~

The message from Clark wasn't long, but many of their messages weren't. They had fallen into the habit of asking each other a simple question, or of relaying information. It was a way to share pieces of themselves without going too far out on the limb. Or, in her role of Buttercup, a way to take a few steps down the hill, or if necessary a few steps back up the hill. Safe...but still satisfying...and exciting. This time was different though, as he had shared more about his location and even asked for her help.

Dear Buttercup,

I'm sorry I've not been in touch for a few days, but I've recently sailed into a new harbor. For the next few months, I'll be sailing where the sun shines and the water is warm. The only problem is that I find myself at odds with one of my shipmates and I am vexed as to how to repair the rift. Would you have any words of wisdom for this weary sailor?

Yours,

Clark

She read the message through once...and then read it through once more, but this time very slowly. She kept thinking that taken at face value, his words meant one thing, but that maybe there was a hidden message too. However, after several minutes of coming up with no answer, she decided to answer him once she had returned home. Ginger had been alone too long and if she were bored, who knew what she would get into.

Emma lived in a small neighborhood in the town of Coconut Grove, located not far from the University. It was a small community located within the city of Miami but was easily accessed via the Metrorail and close to the shops at Bayside Marketplace and the night life and beaches of South Beach. Most days she took the train but knowing that she would be staying late grading papers she had driven. Now as she dealt with the rush hour traffic along the US-1, she had second and third thoughts, finally driving into her driveway an hour after leaving her office.

With a slight hesitancy as to the mess she might be walking into, Emma unlocked and slowly pushed open the door. She took a step into the foyer and when the floor was clear let out the breath that she was holding. Shutting the door behind her, she dropped her briefcase onto a side table and turned around to hang up her jacket when, out of the corner of her eye, an orange flash ran around a corner.

"Ginger?" The kitten was gone but trailing across the floor was a strand of cream colored yarn that matched the afghan that Mary Margaret had given her for Christmas. "No, no, no," she repeated rapidly running to the T.V. room to find it spread across the floor. "Ginger," she groaned picking it up, finding where the mischievous kitten had found a loose strand and had taken off. Holding it tightly in one hand to keep the blanket from further unraveling, she followed the trail that led down the hall and around a corner into her bedroom where the kitten had gotten sidetracked by her hair ribbons, now spread around the room.

Emma quickly picked up the ribbons, tossed them on the dresser and went looking for the kitten. She wasn't in the kitchen but she had been, as her box of toys had been upended and its contents were spread across the floor. Ginger wasn't in the study either, however there was evidence of her as she had knocked her pens off the desk, which left the bathrooms. Emma could hear the kitten before ever entering the room and, as expected, found her destroying a roll of toilet paper.

"Ginger!" Emma picked up the kitten and tucked her under one arm and then picked up the mess. "What am I going to do with you?" she asked her friend carrying her into the kitchen and setting her on the floor while she got out the kitten food. Once Ginger had her nose in the kitten food, Emma set her sights on her own meal, finally settling on a slice of cold pizza and dropping down in front of her computer.

Clark's question about advice to help sort out a disagreement between co-workers reminded her of her feelings regarding Killian Jones. Having sat in on a portion of a presentation he had given, she had left early after hearing him say that growing up in the foster system was what caused social deviance. What would she need to change her mind? Was there anything? Maybe there was, she thought as she sat down to type out her message.

~~~CS~~~

Killian spent the next several days thinking about what Buttercup had suggested while he went about his professorial duties. Preparing lectures and PowerPoint presentations to match the students’ needs ended up taking extra time, but once that was complete, he went back and reread the last message.

Dear Clark,

Rifts are often caused by a misunderstanding. Perhaps if you can figure out where the misunderstanding occurred, you can clear that up.

Good luck,

Your Buttercup

He knew exactly what had caused the rift between him and Emma Swan as it had to do with a paper he had presented on social deviance. All he had to do was figure out why she'd had such a visceral response to his presentation...and correct it. Simple, right?

"Killian?" He turned to greet David, who happened to be standing next to a man wearing board shorts and flip-flops.

"David, how are things?"

Pleasantries exchanged, David introduced his companion, "I'd like you to meet August Booth. August, Killian is covering for Belle."

After a few conversational exchanges, David excused himself and Killian and August began walking back to their offices. Along the way, August shared a few more pieces of information about his specialty as well as filling him in on a few idiosyncrasies of the other faculty members. "Had any run-ins with anyone yet?"

"Not really, no." Killian tugged on his right ear, and straightened his glasses, habits he was aware of resorting to when he felt uncomfortable.

"That look is telling me there's more in what you're not saying. Come on, spill," August encouraged.

Killian didn't respond right away but waited until they were in his office. He leaned back against his desk and looked over the man standing in front of him, deciding perhaps he could fit another piece to the puzzle. "Nothing, really...just...Emma Swan took offense with a paper I presented last fall, but I'm unsure as to why." He picked up a copy of the paper, handing it to August.

"Creating Social Deviants in the Foster System; A Case Study," August read aloud. "This was the paper?"

"Aye," Killian answered. "What about it?"

"It's not really my story to tell," August prefaced before continuing, "but Emma was raised in the foster system and so this--"

"--is a touchy subject." Killian finished his sentence. "I get it now. Thanks, mate."

"Anytime." August handed back the pape. "I’ve got to run, but if you ever want to go wakeboarding or windsurfing, let me know."

Once he was gone, Killian dropped down onto his desk chair and tried to figure out his next step. He had inadvertently upset a colleague by making her think that he was maligning an entire subset of individuals who were near and dear to her heart. He wanted to make it right, for her vexation with him left him feeling unsettled, for more than what could be taken at face value. He wanted Dr. Swan to read his entire paper. Perhaps then the confusion could be cleared up, their working relationship would be amicable, and the unsettled feeling he had would disappear. Question was, how to get it to her. Mailbox...leave it on her desk...slide it under her door? All possibilities, except the likelihood of her tossing it in the garbage without reading were 70/30. What then could he do?

He was on his way to place it in her mailbox when he was presented with an unexpected opportunity. Killian reached to open the door to the department office and without looking barreled inside running headfirst into Emma Swan, who was carrying a box full of papers. "What the hell!" he heard as the box was dropped, landing on the toe of his wingtips.

"Ouch!" Killian yelped, also dropping the article and exam he'd been carrying before realizing that Emma was just staring at the papers that were slowly sliding out of the box at his feet. Old habits kicked in. "Uh, sorry Doctor Swan." He bent over and began haphazardly shoving the papers back inside the box. "I didn't look where I was going. I was," he looked around locating his exam and held it aloft, "going to make copies of this test and I..." The last piece was shoved inside and, standing, he pushed the box toward Emma, unaware that he had taken a step forward.

"Uh," Emma let out a gasp as the box hit her in the chest and only the fact that Killian was still holding on to it kept it from once again landing on the floor.

"Sorry about that." He gave her a sheepish grin, relaxing his stance a bit, thinking she looked a bit shell-shocked for lack of a better word. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head as if trying to clear her thoughts and took the box out of his hands. "I'm fine," she answered his question solicitously, before her voice took on its usual clipped tone. "Thank you." She brushed past him, leaving him standing there alone.

Killian righted his glasses and tried to remember why he was standing in the doorway to the department office. As if in a trance he looked down at the papers he was holding and snapped his fingers, "Ahh, yes. Copies." He left his order for his exam to be copied but it wasn't until he was back in his office that he remembered the article and wondered where it had ended up.

~~~CS~~~

Her lecture over, Emma handed a pile of the Developmental Psychology article to each of the rows and once everyone had a copy, moved back to the podium. "Read these over for next class, please, and we'll discuss them then," she instructed before turning her attention to shutting down her PowerPoint.

"Doctor Swan," Emma's attention was pulled to one of her students, Henry Mills, a gangly, dark-headed boy, who laid a small stack of papers on the podium. "I think I accidentally picked up a copy of the wrong article."

Emma handed him the correct one before looking down at the one he had originally been given and, seeing the title, felt her brows raise in question. How had a copy of the Jones' article ended up with hers?

But then the scene from earlier in the day replayed in her mind of when he had run into her, knocking the box from her hands. She had stood there like an idiot while he had shoved all the papers back into the box, handing them to her. Just as awkward as always she wanted to say but then...he had asked if she was alright and there was something in his voice that was different. The way his British accent curled around the syllables and the huskiness of his tone sent...dare she say...a shiver up her spine? She had to have been mistaken, she ultimately decided, before shutting off her computer and packing up.

Once back in her office, Emma set the article in front of her, trying to decide what she should do. Throw it in the trash and pretend like she never saw it, put it in his faculty mailbox, or take it to his office and give it to him? With a shake of her head, she suddenly remembered how angry she had been when she had heard the beginning of his presentation last fall, and without thinking, she picked it up to toss in the garbage. But before she could let it go, her curiosity got the better of her and, pulling it close, she read.

Thirty minutes later, she finished the article and buried her head in her hands and mumbled, "Damn! How could I have been so wrong?"

Before she could change her mind, Emma grabbed her jacket, her phone and the article and left the building, making her way across campus to the chemistry building. "Mary Margaret!" She burst into her friend's office without knocking, "You'll never believe what I..." She stopped when she noticed that Mary Margaret wasn't alone, for sitting in front of her desk was the very man she had come to talk about. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you had company. I'll come back."

"No, don't go," Jones stopped her from leaving, "I need to leave anyway."

Without any further fanfare, he covered his dark hair with his fedora, and with a tip of his chin, left the room. Unsure what to say, Emma sank down onto the seat he had recently vacated noting it was still warm and a musky scent still lingered in the air. "Why was he here?" she asked without preamble.

Mary Margaret snickered, "Hello to you, too."

"Sorry," Emma apologized. "How are you? And why was he here?"

Her friend waved her hand toward her desk where a pile of keys lay. "Would you believe my car keys?"

Emma raised a brow, "Really?"

"Really. Now tell me what has you so rattled."

Unsure where to start, Emma started with the early morning collision and ended with her discovery of how she had been wrong, jumping to some conclusions that she shouldn't have. "He wasn't generalizing for all children raised in the system," Emma shared excitedly, "I think he was saying that the attachment theory would suggest that with this particular case, the person had an inability to regulate in infancy due to abandonment and a broken parental bond, leading to social deviance as a child which carried through to adulthood." She grimaced, "I can appreciate this and probably," she sighed, "shouldn't have been so angry."

When Mary Margaret didn't say anything, Emma leaned on the desk. "What do I do?"

"Apologize," her friend said softly.

Emma took a deep breath, "I was afraid you were going to say that."

On the way back to the Flipse Building Emma kept thinking about the best way to apologize but nothing felt right. She wondered if Clark had been able to sort things out between himself and his co-worker and if so, perhaps he would have some words of wisdom.

~~~CS~~~

Since leaving Mary Margaret's office, Killian had been trying to figure out what it was that had brought Emma Swan rushing into the office unannounced. Had she found his article? Had she read the article? And if she had, what did she think?

But why did he care? He was only going to be in town for a couple of months, unless he interviewed for and was offered the permanent position. So why did it matter what she thought of him professionally? Still unsure of the answer, Killian exchanged his tweed and wingtips for running shorts and shoes and hit the beach. After five miles he still couldn't come up with an answer and pushed for another couple before cooling down and making his way back to the apartment.

He stripped and stepped under the shower spray, thinking over the answer that he had settled on while running and that was that Emma Swan was an enigma. He heard stories of what a good instructor she was, how the students and faculty all enjoyed working with her, and yet the Emma Swan he saw was prickly...distant. She challenged him intellectually, whereas Buttercup stimulated him with her curiosity, her wit and her insight. If he could somehow combine the two, he would have found his perfect woman.

Stepping from the shower, Killian dried and wrapped a towel around his waist just as a notification from Buttercup appeared. He quickly slipped into sleep pants and opened the message. It read:

Dear Clark,

Were you able to mend the rift between yourself and your co-worker? I find that now I am in need of some advice from you. I have recently realized that I jumped to an inaccurate assumption and have treated someone poorly because of it. I am unsure how to repair the divide between us. Any ideas?

Buttercup

Killian couldn't help but smile when he read her message because whether she had meant to or not, she had created a tiny crack in her wall. Without much thought behind his answer, he sent a response.

Buttercup,

If you are wrong, apologize.

Clark

He was surprised when he didn't have to wait long before she answered back.

Clark,

I was afraid you would say that. Saying I'm sorry is difficult. No magic pill?

Buttercup

He chuckled at her response and answered.

Dear Buttercup,

No magic pill. Sorry.

Clark

But she didn't let him have the last word.

Clark,

No key to his stomach? No special Hallmark card or movie?

Buttercup

He got it, he really did, for saying you are wrong was difficult, but he had faith in her. Which was interesting since they had never met. Wanting to learn more about her, he just started sending silly questions, as did she, until a glance at the clock told him they had been 'talking' for four hours. His eyes barely able to stay open, Killian sent her one last question and when she didn't answer immediately, he allowed his eyes to close and drifted off to sleep.

~~~CS~~~

It had been over a week since Emma fell asleep while 'talking' to Clark, which meant it had been a week since she realized she was wrong about Killian and needed to apologize. However, saying she was sorry was not one of her strong suits and while she had tried...kind of...she was still working up to it.

She decided that starting with a peace offering and then apologizing might make things a little easier and after some subtle questioning had stopped by Starbucks to procure his favorite coffee. However, once she arrived at the University and located him, she had been upstaged by none other than Tina Bell, the college's barracuda. Tina had a reputation for flitting through men as quickly as a fairy flits through a flower field and by all appearances she had set her sights on Professor Jones.

After taking a few days to regroup and come up with another idea, Emma planned to steal a piece of his mail from the faculty mailboxes and drop it by his office claiming it had accidentally gotten mixed up with hers. Frustratingly, it seemed that someone else had the same idea because every time she checked the boxes, his was always empty. It wasn't until she happened to walk by his office one afternoon to overhear someone say, "Killian, here's your mail. It must have been left in my box by mistake," that she realized the culprit was Neal. She didn't think Killian played for the same team as Neal, but she guessed she could be wrong.

As February morphed into March and Emma still hadn't said she was sorry, she started thinking that if she didn't kick her own ass, her friends might very well do it for her. Mary Margaret sent reminder texts, Clark had started asking in his messages and even her kitten had gotten in on the action. Ginger had discovered the copy of the article that Killian wrote and scattered it all over the house, almost as if leaving reminders for her master.

Making up her mind that this was the day, Emma found out which room he was teaching in and planned to stop by on her way to her own class. Sadly, as had been her luck, once he was finished teaching, the podium was swarmed by a gaggle of girls and Emma was left out, yet again.

Tired of being one step behind, she finished teaching her class, packed up for the day and barely made it to the Metrorail for her trip home. But once she arrived home, she had too much nervous energy to sit still, finally changing into running gear and hitting the streets. Allowing her feet to lead the way, she quickly realized that they were leading her directly to the beach and its hard-packed sand.

Emma wasn't sure how far she ran, nor was she sure how long she ran, but she found a set of footprints in the sand and followed them blindly. In her head she created an image of the person she was following, thinking they too might be trying to outrun something...or someone. Her butterflies inside settling down, she slowed to a walk, allowing the gentle breezes to dry the sweat and calm her senses. The mysterious steps faded as they rounded an outcrop of rocks and as she scooted around, the owner of the prints came into view.

He had one leg resting on the shelf of a rock, his torso bent forward as he stretched his hamstrings. She couldn't see his face, but he had a five-o'clock shadow, and his dark head was moving to music only he could hear. She had just decided to turn the other way when he dropped his leg and looked her direction. Emma's eyes traveled from his feet covered in a bright pair of Nike's, up bare legs, baggy shorts, a bare, slightly furred chest into the blue eyes of the man she had been simultaneously looking for yet running from for the past month.

"Killian!" His first name burst forth before she could stop it. "Doctor Jones," she quickly amended, trying to keep her eyes glued to his instead of oogling his barely clad body.

Killian took a step closer, his eyes widening with surprise as he removed an earbud. "Em...uh...Doctor Swan," he hesitated before dropping his gaze to the sand.

Realizing that he might be feeling self-conscious, Emma cleared her throat, "Emma, please," she managed softly.

He lifted his eyes and gave her a shy, but very endearing smile, and repeated, "Emma," quietly, almost as if he were trying it to see how it felt on his tongue. "And you can call me Killian." His response was just as soft as hers had been.

Emma closed her eyes, but the vision of his chest, jaw covered with burnished whiskers and blue, blue eyes without glasses were burned in her brain, refusing to leave. Do it, she told herself, opening her eyes once again to find his gaze locked on her. "I'm glad I ran into you." His arched brow asked a question without his lips ever uttering a sound. "No, really," she rolled her eyes, "I wanted to tell you I was sorry. I've behaved like an ass."

He didn't say anything for the longest time, and afraid that perhaps she had waited too long, Emma almost turned to leave, but something kept her feet planted. "Apology accepted. Care to walk?"

They walked around the rocks, heading back up the beach and while not the comfort of an old friend like she felt when messaging Clark, their talk was, at least friendly. She found that when she asked him questions about his professional life, he appeared more comfortable and seemed to stutter less, which gave her a new appreciation for him. She hadn't really wanted to like him, but darn it, she did, and that was almost disconcerting.

When they eventually parted ways and Emma arrived home, she couldn't get their encounter out of her mind, and for the first time she found herself wishing that Clark was close. But she hadn't even told him where she lived...nor had she shared her real name. The dilemma of what to do carried her into the shower.

~~~CS~~~

The week after seeing Emma on the beach was a break for the University, and while he thought about flying home to see Liam, Elsa and Piper, in the end, he decided against it. He divided his days between research for the book he was hoping to write and allowing August to teach him how to windsurf. Each evening he ran along the beach and while Emma Swan didn't cross his path, it didn't mean she didn't cross his mind. He found himself thinking of her periodically, especially when he was in the middle of his research. That she might be an interesting co-author had crossed his mind a time or two, so much so that he had almost mentioned it to Buttercup and asked her opinion. But aware that he hadn't shared his real name and profession, kept him quiet...for the time being anyway.

The problem was that the closer he felt to her, the more difficult it became to keep quiet...but something held him back. It was as if he were waiting on some sign and once he had gotten that sign, then...and only then would he divulge information that would lead to her knowing his real name. What that sign was, he couldn't say...but when it happened, he would know.

The last day of the break, a Sunday, David and Mary Margaret were hosting a brunch for the faculty of the College of Arts & Sciences, and if any faculty members were in town, they were expected to be there. Killian arrived late and snuck in, hoping not to call attention to himself as he circled the room keeping his eyes open for...

"Looking for me?" A whispered voice asked in his right ear as he felt an arm circling his waist.

Could that be? he wondered turning to his right, only to be surprised by Neal's whiskered jaw leaning close to his shoulder. "Bloody hell, Cassidy!" Killian bellowed, jumping back quickly. "What are you doing?"

"Well, I thought," Neal started before being pushed aside by the college snake.

"Get your hands off him!" Tina Bell ordered Neal, shoving him out of the way.

Killian noticed people staring, which was the exact opposite of what he had been looking for. Slowly, he took a step back, trying to keep out of the reach of the groping hands. "Wai...wai…uh…just a minute here. There...there seems to be a...a...a big misunderstanding." His collar suddenly started feeling tighter and he swiped his finger around inside it in a desperate attempt to get it to loosen, all the while looking across the room for someone to rescue him. "Hold on, here," he tried again, taking another step backward. "There...there seems to be, uh...a misunderstanding." He took one more step and hit a table, causing the plant sitting on it to wobble.

Simultaneously, a hand reached out, stopping it from tumbling to the floor and another hand settled at his waist. He knew before he turned that his savior was Emma Swan, but where had she come from?"

"There you are," she hesitated just long enough to get the attention of both of his suitors, "Killian. I've been looking for you."

Emma positioned herself close against his side, her nearness causing his heart to speed up and sweat beads to appear on his upper lip. Unsure what he was supposed to say, Killian looked down into her green eyes shining with laughter. He swallowed his unease and nodded his head, "Aye, that's uh...that's right."

He swallowed again when Emma linked her arm with his, and with an, "Excuse us," pulled him away from the situation.

Once they were well out of Neal and Tina's hearing, Killian thanked Emma, and as they were walking by the buffet table offered to buy her a drink. She rolled her eyes at his remark. "Sure, but I can get it. Want something?"

He sent her a little smile and shrugged nonchalantly. "What...ever, uh...you're having is fine. I'll just be over…" he waved in the direction of several chairs, and when she nodded he moved away and sat down.

Killian watched her move around the table with ease, curious as to what she was making to drink, when out of the corner of his eye he saw someone sit down next to him. His breathing stopped until he heard, David's low laugh, "Emma making you one of her creations?"

He sent his companion a quick grin and shrugged, "I'm not sure. Should I be worried?"

"Oh, just wait," David intoned. "Our Emma has a sweet tooth."

"Watch it, David," Emma laughed, "I heard that." She handed Killian a cup piled high with whipped cream that was covered with brown sprinkles. "Drink up. I've got to go hear more about the sunsets in Key West." With a little wave, she faded into the crowd.

Killian looked at the whipped topping melting in his cup and lifted it to see if a whiff of the brown specks would give him some indication of what he was drinking. "Cinnamon?" For some reason that seemed familiar but he didn't know why. Many people drank hot chocolate, but he hadn't heard of many drinking it with whipped cream and cinnamon, except...and then it came to him. "Buttercup," he whispered.

"Buttercup?" David repeated, "No, it's cinnamon."

Killian shook his head to clear his thoughts because what was rolling around inside his head made very little sense. He had just swallowed his second drink of the sugary concoction when he realized what David had said, and asked curiously, "Emma always makes the chocolate with whipping cream and cinnamon?"

David laughed, "Always. Why?"

"No, no reason." He couldn't get beyond the fact that he had already been wishing that Emma and Buttercup were the same person, as each stimulated him in different ways and now...now if every time he was involved in a conversation with Buttercup, he saw Emma in his mind...how should he handle it? Needing to move to a safer topic, Killian asked David about his break.

"Oh, I took Mary Margaret to Key West." He went on to sing the praises of the little town that sat on the very tip of the Florida Keys. "Have you had a chance to drive down since you've been here?"

Killian barely had time to say no before David continued with the conversation, claiming the Key West sunsets were not to be beat and that if the opportunity arose, it was a place he recommended.

It wasn't long before Killian noticed people starting to leave, and as soon as he was able he too made his excuses. All the way home, he kept replaying conversations that he'd had with Buttercup over the past two months and combining those with what he knew about Emma. Was it even possible that they were one and the same? Or was it something that he just desired? And if his magical match wasn't ready to let him knock down all those walls, then what could he do without losing her...or possibly both of them? After all, he was only Clark Kent.

Later that night a notification arrived that he had a new message from Buttercup. Killian opened the app and read,

Dear Clark,

This may sound odd, but just out of curiosity, Clark Kent has several nervous habits that Superman doesn't share. Do you have any nervous habits you're willing to share with your magical match?

Yours,

Buttercup

~~~CS~~~

Emma wasn't sure what possessed her to ask the question, but once she hit send, she couldn't wait for the answer. When Clark didn't respond right away, she couldn't stop her mind from drifting back to the party and Killian's nervous habits. Besides turning really red, he was prone to rub his hand on his neck. Sometimes along the back and at other times along the front, and his speech patterns changed. They became more hesitant, even slightly dysfluent.

The dysfluency itself was interesting to Emma as it seemed to change depending on the environment. She had watched him arrive and he appeared fine, however once Neal and Tina had surrounded him, making him uncomfortable, he had really stuttered and then the stuttering had lessened as they moved away. But when she had seen him at the beach, once the initial awkwardness was over, his speaking pattern was different. Then his speech had been fluent...smoother, even if his sentences were not as long and eloquent as she had expected...or as long and eloquent as Clark's were, which was a curious comparison to make. But the cadence of his speech and the way his tongue wrapped around those British vowels did something to her that she hadn't expected. In fact, there were times when she found herself hearing Killian's voice in her head as she read some of the messages from Clark. How messed up was that? There would come a time when a decision would have to be made, she could feel it. The question was...how much time did she have?

Knowing she had to teach the next day, Emma tried to go to sleep early but her mind wouldn't stop enough to allow for a deep sleep. It took hours of tossing and turning before she finally fell into such a shallow sleep that she was aware of every little creak in the house and every move made by Ginger, thanks to the bell on her collar. Her dreams had Killian and Clark morphing into the same person, each saying words she would expect from the other. She reached a point where she wasn't sure which man she was running to...or running from.

When the alarm went off, she wanted nothing more than to bury her head under the blankets, but with an early class spurring her on, she forced her feet to move. Knowing she was going to need an extra shot of caffeine, Emma quickly showered, dressed and was out the door and in line at Starbucks before even realizing she hadn't even touched her phone. When she saw the notification, signaling a message from Clark, a little jolt traveled through her system, but wanting to savor the feeling she dealt with the non-important stuff first. Her thumb hovered over the app when she heard the barista call, "Swan," and the moment was lost.

A congested US-1 slowed her down and so it wasn't until several hours later that Emma dropped down into her office chair and opened the app to see what awaited her.

Dear Buttercup,

Just like Clark Kent, I find myself unsure at times and when that occurs, besides turning red, I tend to tug on my right ear. I've been trying to stop, but perhaps it’s a Superman transformation I've yet to conquer.

Yours,

Clark

"He tugs on his ear," Emma murmured. "Why does that sound so familiar?" Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn't eaten anything earlier, but grabbing something from the vending machines didn't sound good, so...

E: Have time to meet me at the student center?

Thankfully she didn't have to wait long for an answer,

MM: Sounds good. Usual spot in 20?

E: Perfect. See you then.

There were several "busy" activities that she could have started, but Emma found that she didn't have the drive to begin any of them. Leaving her office behind, she escaped the confines of the building and started the walk across campus. The weather was still perfect, and with the sun shining down and the fragrant flowers around, Emma found herself relaxing and reflecting over the past few months. Much had changed since last November when she had told Mary Margaret that she was not interested in dating.

November 2017 Thanksgiving

Emma dried the last glass, set it in the cabinet and shut the door. "Done," she said with a smile. She hung up the towel she had been using and followed Mary Margaret into the family room.

They settled on the sofa in front of the fireplace, both lost in their own thoughts for a few moments. "Thanks for helping clean the kitchen," her friend told her quietly. "When Robert is ready to go home, he means right then."

Emma laughed at the memory of the argument between the men and how in the end David had given in and driven them home. "That was sweet of David to drive them home."

"An only child," Mary Margaret laughed and the changed the subject. "Ready to let me in on why you arrived alone?"

Emma's head dropped onto the back of the sofa. "I was wondering when you would ask, but," she lifted her head, "it's not a big deal, really. When Mary Margaret's only response was a lift of her brow, Emma laughed and shook her head. "There was just something missing between us and..." She bit her lip, unsure how much more to say.

"Oh Emma," the brunette sighed, "he wanted more, didn't he?"

Emma nodded her head slowly. "I'm not sure why I have such a hard time picking men," she finished disgustedly, and gave her friend a tiny smile. "Know any men as special as your husband?"

She watched several expressions cross her friend's face and thought to herself, ‘I'm going to wish I wouldn't have said anything,’ before her friend even opened her mouth. "Well, it's interesting that you ask," Mary Margaret started, "it just so happens..."

"Stop." Emma held up her hand. "I was just kidding. You know I don't do 'fix-ups.'"

"But Emma, what if he's your true love?"

"Ha!" burst out before she could stop it. "Let's change the subject, shall we?"

March 2018

And if I had taken her up on the offer to introduce me to someone, would I have a third man in my life? Or would I have none? "Feast or famine," she mumbled as she entered the noisy environment of the student center and sat down at their usual table.

While she waited, Emma's thoughts once again drifted back over conversations that she'd had with Clark and how easy it was to share most things with him. Most things that is...except her name, what she did for a living and...where she lived.

"What's wrong?" Mary Margaret asked before she had even settled in a chair.

Emma frowned at her. "How do you know anything is wrong?"

"Because you're chewing on your bottom lip. Now spill."

Emma spent the next hour trying to explain the confusion she was feeling inside and how her feelings for Clark and Killian were morphing together. She found it freeing, but even talking about it still didn't give her clarification as to what she should do. "You've been quiet," she commented as she ran out of things to say.

"Have you thought about trying to meet Clark?" Mary Margaret asked her quietly.

"Yes," Emma nodded, "but...but I like what we have, even if it's not completely open. If we meet I might find out--"

"---that you might be wrong about him," Mary Margaret interrupted. Emma sighed, but didn't say anything, only nodded her head. "Emma," her friend reached out with a reassuring touch on her hand, "don't give up. Love is worth it."

All the way back to the Flipse Building, Emma thought about what Mary Margaret had said and wondered if she was brave enough to take a chance. Was her true love at the bottom of the hill, just like Buttercup's Westley? It was a question that certainly deserved a lot of thought but since she had a class of freshmen to lecture for the next ninety minutes, she would have to set it aside to ponder later.

As she stood in front of her class, lecturing about habits, Emma's mind kept wandering to her situation, but using every ounce of skill she had learned over the past few years, she made it through her PowerPoint without having to repeat herself too many times. She had just started a video to accompany her lecture when she looked up, meeting the blue eyes of Killian Jones.

The first thing she noticed was that he didn't have his glasses on and his gaze was so intense that she had to hold onto the table to keep from falling. He looked different, but beyond the absence of his eyewear, she couldn't put her finger on why she thought that. Almost like when Clark Kent becomes Superman flitted through her mind before she pushed it aside as a preposterous idea.

Emma couldn't look away, her gaze mesmerized by his and then...he smiled. A smile so endearing that if she hadn't been holding onto the table, her legs would have given out. Without conscious thought, Emma found herself smiling back, and then it happened, and as if in slow motion the room stood still.

Killian's face turned red and he reached up and...tugged on his ear.

Emma blinked rapidly several times, thinking surely, she didn't just see that. But he did it again.

He reached up, and once again tugged on his ear.

Emma's mouth dropped open, and just as she started to walk over to him, the video came to its conclusion and with a little wave Killian disappeared. She didn't know where the words came from, but somehow she closed out the class and made it back to her office repeating, "I am so screwed," over and over again.

Almost in a trance, Emma packed up and drove home, arriving to discover that Ginger had been busy, but she hadn't destroyed anything important. The decision time that she had been fretting about for a while had arrived. The question of what to do ran around inside her head, almost filling up too much space to allow her to function. She had just about decided to put it off for another day when her phone buzzed with a new notification from Clark. With much curiosity and a little trepidation, Emma opened the app.

Tell me dear Buttercup, are buttercups your favorite posies?

Yours,

Clark

~~~CS~~~

Killian leaned against the open patio doors, listening to the waves roll in several floors below. Usually the rhythmic pulse served to soothe him, but tonight his thoughts were in too much disarray and he'd resorted to a generous dollop of rum. As the amber drink burned a path from his mouth to his stomach, he set the glass aside and leaned on the railing staring out at the bay, hoping for some clarity.

With each ebb and flow of the water, the shore changed, reminding him of his own metamorphosis over the last few months. It hadn't been something that he had noticed as it was taking place, for then, he had been attempting to make some sense of what he was feeling. His emotions were wide and varied and they included those for his Buttercup, as well as many for Emma Swan and suddenly, the two women had merged into one...at least in his mind. But after speaking with Liam, there had been an epiphany, of sorts, and he had realized that the man he looked at in the mirror every morning had indeed changed.

He had arrived home from the party and, with his thoughts mired in confusion, he had needed someone to help him sort through them and reached out to his family. Piper had answered the phone and after listening to her stories about school, she had passed him on to Elsa. It hadn't taken long before Elsa had asked if she could help, and he thought about asking her for her opinion, but then Liam's voice came over the phone and he hadn't been able to stop the flow of words.

It had felt good to be able to articulate what was in his mind and what was in his heart. And once the words were said, then he had been forced to examine the meaning behind them. Liam had asked a few questions, but as the questions became fewer and his answers shorter, Killian had started to wonder what was going through Liam's head. The end of the conversation was really what stood out in his mind.

"Have you ever fought for a woman, Killian?" Liam had asked him quietly.

"No." He had never wanted to fight for anyone.

Liam continued, "A man unwilling to fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets. So, Little Brother, if you want this woman, you need to fight for her."

Once he had hung up the phone, he found himself thinking about Clark Kent's transformation to Superman. It all started when he removed his glasses. He stood taller, more confident, his voice was lower pitched...and what he wanted, he went after.

Killian found himself in the bathroom, staring at the man in the mirror, and just like Superman, he pulled the tortoiseshell glasses from his face. Different, yet the same, he thought, wanting to do more. With a tug of the knot, his tie ended up on the floor and the top few buttons of his shirt came undone and his stance changed...looser...cockier. His hair...he mussed, letting it fall over his forehead. And the new Killian Jones stared back at him. This man, not the same man that looked back at him each day, but a man on a mission. A man willing to fight for the woman he wanted.

And that man made his first appearance at the University earlier today. That man had breezed through his classes and, needing to see Emma, had stopped by the room where she was lecturing. Exchanging looks with her had been intense, and he'd needed to hold on to the door facing to keep from pushing his newfound confidence farther...and then...she smiled. His heart raced, but the video's ending had sent him running home.

Once home, after a run on the beach, he set out to see how close he could get to his Buttercup and sent her a message. But now, hours later and she hadn't responded. Had he gotten too close? And if so, was she running?

Unsure what his next step should be, Killian readied for bed and, keeping his phone close, lay down, folded his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling. His thoughts fell back on the encounter with Emma and how he felt when she smiled at him, his heart had...

His phone sounding with the theme music to Princess Bride interrupted his thoughts before they could delve any further into his feelings. Killian reached for the phone, quickly opening the app. Buttercup's message was short and either she was being a bit cheeky...or she was trying to put some distance between them. "We'll see about that," he muttered as he reread her message.

Dear Clark,

Buttercups are not my favorite posey.

Yours,

Buttercup

Killian's next message was short...but a little more personal.

Dear Buttercup,

How about Blue Bonnets? Are they your favorites? Blue like your Westley's eyes.

Yours,

Clark

Even though it was getting late, he didn't have to wait long for her answer.

Dear Clark,

I do like blue, but Blue Bonnets aren't my favorite.

Yours,

Buttercup

Killian's smile was decidedly wicked as he answered her.

You like blue? Blue like the sky or blue like the sea?

He couldn't put the phone down, he was so anxious to hear what she had to say.

Why, blue like the sea, of course. Oh, a bonus for you. My favorite flowers are Tiger Lilies.

Killian had his answer and assumed she was turning in for the night. He shut the phone off and as fatigue pulled him down into sleep, he continued to formulate his plan as to how far he could push her before her walls came tumbling down and he was able to win Buttercup’s heart.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Killian put his plan into action. His messages to his Magical Match included questions that became increasingly more personal, pushing her down that hill a little at a time. Initially, she met his new questioning technique with hesitation and challenged his with questions of her own. But then, it was as if a door had opened and she was walking through as she met each of his questions with ones of her own.

By telling her he had grown up in London, he learned she was born in Boston.

By telling her his parents had been killed when he was a teenager, he had learned she had been raised in the foster system. And that news sent his heart racing, for Emma Swan had also been raised in the foster system.

By telling her his magical match gift had been bestowed on him by his brother, his wife and their daughter, he had learned she had received it from married friends, who were colleagues. Could those have been David and Mary Margaret?

Mid-April was upon them and Killian wanted...no...needed to meet Buttercup, but he had one more question for her. It was quick.

Dear Buttercup,

If you could take a trip to see the sunset, where would the trip lead you?

Yours,

Clark

Surprisingly, he didn't have to wait long as her response popped up right away.

Dear Clark,

I hear the sunsets in Key West, Florida are like no other.

Yours,

Buttercup

When Killian read her answer, he couldn't believe the amount of relief he was feeling and he was being hit with it from several directions. Creating the perfect letter took some time but once it was sent, he was confident he had made the right decision.

The following week, he realized he needed a little advice and stopped by David's office. David's secretary smiled. "Doctor Jones, how can I help you?"

"Good morning, Mrs. Lucas." He sent her what he hoped was an endearing smile. "Is David in?"

Once inside David's inner sanctum, Killian got right to the point, "David, I thought I'd check out those sunsets in Key West next weekend. Would you happen to have a hotel recommendation? And would you mind taking me to the airport?

~~~CS~~~

As soon as Killian had left the office, David couldn't stop smiling. He picked up his phone to share the news. "Mrs. Lucas," he said to his secretary, "please tell Ruby thanks again for help with that matter."

"I'll do that, Doctor Nolan," she answered. "Is there anything else before I leave for the day?"

"Nothing, thanks." As soon as she was gone, David snuck outside to where a copse would hide him, should anyone come around. He needed to call Liam and fill him in on the news. As he waited for the phone to ring, he saw Killian leaving the building, and stepped back a little more into the shadows.

"David, good to hear from you," Liam's voice came over the line. "How are things?"

~~~CS~~~

Dear Buttercup,

Are you ready to meet me at the bottom of the hill? If so, I'll be waiting at the Southernmost Point in Key West on April 21 at 7:00p.m. If all goes well, the sunset will signify a new beginning. I'll leave my cape at home and be holding four Tiger Lilies, one for every month we've been talking.

~Clark

Emma read through the message one more time and the excitement that she had felt the first time was just as real...the tenth...twentieth, but who's counting time. It had taken her a lot of runs on the beach and talks with her friend, but Emma had made the decision to continue down the hill. She hadn't rolled down, like they had in the movie, but taken sure and steady steps, allowing him to get closer to her than anyone had in...forever. And after his last message, she had decided to drive to Key West...and meet him.

Ginger mewed and followed her to the door, and seeing her little forlorn, furry face almost stopped her...but, "You'll be in good hands, my friend." She picked up the kitten and rubbed her face against the soft fur. "Mary Margaret is going to take care of you. You like her, right?"

The kitten didn't look convinced but followed her mistress from room to room as Emma made sure she had everything and then called her friend.

"Hello?"

"I'm getting ready to leave. You won't forget to take care of Ginger, right?"

"Go, Emma," Mary Margaret assured her, "Ginger and I will be fine. Good luck."

"Thanks...for everything." While Emma didn't know for sure, she had a feeling she was thanking her friend for a lot more than just watching her pet.

On a good day, the drive along the scenic US-1 was almost four hours from her home in Coconut Grove, but add in a wreck and a little road construction and she didn't pull into the hotel until five hours later. Once she checked into her room, she had too much nervous energy to just sit around and decided to take the opportunity to visit the Hemingway House. Once there she was free to wander about the eccentric writer's home, admiring not only the residence, but the many cats that called the house their home.

After leaving the Hemingway House, Emma still had a few hours to waste and spent time walking in and out of the shops on Duval Street. Her stomach was so tied up in knots that she couldn't even think about food and she was too nervous to people watch, and so an hour early, she started in the direction of the concrete buoy that proudly proclaimed it to be the Southernmost Point in Key West, Florida.

When she arrived within eyesight of the buoy, Emma stopped and leaned against a store, shielding herself from others, but allowing her to see the comings and goings of the tourists. Her eyes were constantly moving over the crowd, searching for the man that she hoped was both her magical match, i.e., Clark Kent, as well as her Superman. Taking a chance on even the possibility of love was not something that Emma Swan had ever done until she had become his Buttercup. Now...she was here...and...she was ready.

She saw him coming from the opposite side of the street, his walk much more Superman these days than Clark Kent. He looked good as Superman, she thought. Contacts instead of glasses, jeans instead of dress pants, a vest and a shirt unbuttoned a few buttons instead of a tie, all topped by black leather instead of a tweed jacket. And not a fedora in sight, she noticed as he turned to look in a store window. She assumed he was window shopping until he straightened his jacket and ran his hand through his hair, leaving it artfully mussed. He turned back toward the corner and his lopsided grin caused her heart to do a little flip. That they had come so far was a miracle, making her think they were technically a miracle match instead of a magical one.

Just before he reached the corner, his steps hesitated and he stopped, his confidence flagging. His shoulders sagged, and his body relaxed and just like that, Clark was back. He dropped his head studying the bright orange flowers he was holding, four beautiful Tiger Lilies as he had promised and then...with a swipe of his finger across one delicate petal, his shoulders drew back and his head lifted. Superman had once again returned and Emma's heart melted a little more.

He looked toward the concrete buoy and Emma watched him take a breath and his lopsided smile once again returned. She saw him scan the crowds, looking for her, she knew, before settling off to one side. His Adam's apple bobbed and seeing that even when he was Superman he was nervous, Emma stepped away from the wall and started her walk to where he was waiting.

~~~CS~~~

Killian saw her coming and she was so beautiful all the words that he had planned to say disappeared from his brain. His eyes trailed up her slim legs encased in tight jeans, to her soft sweater covered by the ever-present leather jacket. Her hair blowing around her face and the sun shining on her gave her a glow, and those combined with her smile woke his heart and made it sing.

She stopped in front of him, giving him a smile that he hadn't been aware he was longing for. "I hoped it was you." Her voice was husky and a little breathless and the way she was biting her lip was endearing to see.

"Really?" He felt his smile grow, "I hoped it was you, too." He took a half step closer. "When did you suspect?"

Emma tilted her face up to the sun, as if working to bring back a memory that was hiding. "Clark and Killian had been merging in my head for several weeks, but then when you were standing in the doorway of my class--"

"And tugged on my ear?" he finished.

She nodded. "Yes. And then you disappeared." Her voice faded as she studied him intently.

His face felt stiff and too warm, as if he had been smiling too much or was embarrassed...or both. "I'm sorry," he told her quietly. "I wanted to stay but it felt like it was..." and then he stopped because he wasn't sure how to finish the sentence.

Emma took another step closer. "Too much?" she asked hesitantly.

This time it was his turn to nod. "Something like that."

"How long do you plan to stay?" Emma's shining green eyes continued to stare into his as if she were cataloging his features and digging into the deepest recesses of his mind.

She had asked him a question, but he had been so lost in her green-eyed gaze that it took him a while to process what she had said. "In Key West...or in Florida?

Emma rolled her eyes and lightly giggled, relieving some of the nervous tension he still was holding. "Florida, silly."

"Well," Killian handed her one of the bright Tiger Lilies, "that depends on a few things." He handed her another, each word carefully chosen.

"Thank you," she whispered softly, her breath blowing across the petals causing them to undulate slightly. His eyes rested on her lips before he forcibly brought them back to hers. She pulled the flowers down to clasp them tightly against her chest as she stared up at him, almost as if something held her captivated. Her pink tongue peeked out to slowly circle her lips and for the first time, Killian felt that there was a very real chance he would get to taste that mouth. Something he had longed to do but never really thought possible. "What things?"

Her words broke through his hazy thoughts. "A job," he handed her the third flower, "for one. After all, my position is only until the end of the semester."

Emma frowned up and him and took a step back. "Wait. I thought you were applying for Cora Mills' position."

Killian felt his brow raise in question, thinking that the fact that she was aware he had been offered the opportunity to apply for the position was an interesting piece of information. "I've been told about the position but haven't decided if I should apply or not." He took a step forward closing the distance that she had just added.

"What...what will help you determine whether or not to apply?" she asked him breathlessly.

A tiny smile played along her lips, their twitching pulling his eyes to them time and again. "I think you know." He handed her the last flower, his eyes open for her to read whatever was in them that she wanted to see.

~~~CS~~~

His blue eyes had been hypnotizing her since she had stopped in front of him and the more she stared, the more rubbery her legs became. Hearing him talk and listening to the melodic tone to his voice, the more he pulled her in...bringing her closer to him...making her want to step into him, letting him wrap her in his arms. But patience and allowing things to develop between them naturally had worked so far, which was why she was working so hard to refrain from staring at his lips.

Hearing him remind her of the temporariness of his position and then telling her he hadn't applied for the other one sent a shock of fear zipping down Emma's spine. That wasn't like her, yet as he uttered the words, "I think you know," she had to look down to make sure that her legs weren't slowly melting into the very ground beneath her feet. Surely, he couldn't mean her, could he?

But then she looked...really looked in his eyes and what she saw was so raw...so heart-wrenchingly beautiful, she couldn't keep from stepping closer. The toes of her boots touched his and her hands rested against the soft leather of his jacket. "Killian?" There was so much she wanted to say but how to verbalize exactly what she was feeling was a problem, because as she had said earlier to him...it just felt so big.

He took another step and cupped her elbows, pulling her closer, so close that she could feel his breath on her face. "Yes, love?"

Emma wasn't sure if the word was an endearment or just something that he used when speaking to others, but it sent awareness along her skin. "Where's home?"

He leaned his head closer and whispered, "I have a flat in Cambridge, which is the University I am on sabbatical from, and my family lives outside of London, why?"

She shook her head, turning questioning eyes to his. "You would be willing to give up your...family for me?"

"Aye." His breath wafted across her mouth, making her want to lean forward...just an inch closer, to finally seal their lips. "Buttercup," he tugged her into his body, locking his arms around her, "can I be your Westley? Can I be your happy ending?"

The words were barely out of his mouth before Emma took the leap and locked her mouth to his. He tasted like heaven and his arms...those felt like home. Their lips parted briefly, just long enough for her to mutter, "Welcome home, Killian."

The setting sun touched the ocean, painting the world around them with a golden glow. Killian swung Emma around dipping her in his arms. “Is this the Happy Ending you envisioned for Buttercup, Swan?”

She smiled, “It’s not a happy ending, Killian. It’s a Happy Beginning.” He swung her back into his arms and captured her lips once again as the sun sank into the ocean and the night closed around them.

~fin

Thanks for reading

#csficformal #cs au ff #captain swan au ff #cs ff #cs crew #CSOneShots

145 notes · View notes

writerleo86 · 4 years

Text

Armor Champions Super R - Episode 148 (Do Not Copy)

Somewhere on the planet Mars, a hooded figure arrived at the middle of an abandoned courtyard. And another person stood at the other side of the large area.

It was the stern man named Ronan. He had a thin beard and longer hair. And he had on a pair of golden earrings. He wore a collared white shirt that showed his hairy chest. He had on gray pants that had vertical black stripes. He also had on a burgundy coat with a long gray-furred collar, a golden seal design on the right shoulder, and a thick black belt with a golden buckle. And he had on a pair of long dark boots. Around his neck were two medallions. The top was a black lace that carried a small orange jewel. The other was made of gold with a large red diamond.

After the pair faced one another, the person took off their hood and revealed themselves to the emotionless Ronan.

It was the strong woman, Eiri Allazar. She had long blond hair with purple streaks at the right side. She also had on dark-brown eyeliner. And she had on peach lipstick.

Ronan shook his head and Eiri told him "It's time we talk."

"And what..." Ronan questioned. "What must the two of us speak about?"

The woman lowered her head for a moment.

Then Eiri looked into the dark eyes of the grim Ronan and she replied "First off, I wanna talk about our son!"

Armor Champions Super R - Episode 148: The Cursed Child Arc -- Ronan and Eiri

"Our son?" Ronan recalled.

And Eiri implied "I see you forgot about your cult comin' after our Nemo."

"Nemo?" Ronan asked. "Is his name Nemo?"

"How could you forget your own child?" Eiri cried. "You were the one that sent them bastards after him! The cult that worship that damn sword!"

"You may have given birth to him," Ronan replied. "But the boy is nothing more than a tool for the Blade."

"I guess you forgot what those freaks did to me too!" Eiri yelled. "They made me drink that stuff from the Fallen himself. Then they strapped me to a bed and left me there after givin' birth to our boy. You left us to play pirates with the law!"

"It was the order of the Holy Blade," Ronan told her. "If I were to refuse, it would be as if I disrespected the Angel himself. You would have understood this if you had remained at your post."

"My post?" Eiri shouted. "You get that I was taken from my home by them, right? Those people kept me for months. But if felt like an eternality!"

Tears started falling from her eyes as the angry woman continued.

"You know someone else is manipulatin' you! They're usin' that sword to give you marchin' orders. Sastro told you that. I was there!"

Eiri's thoughts:

During the late evening in Sentina City, the emotionless Sastro Allazar stood before the team of young champions in armor as they all faced their wicked opponents led by Ronan.

Sand rose around the champions as Sastro told Ronan "Your master wishes to eliminate all that draw breath on this plane. He had driven you into madness, Ronan. The lords of my planet have chosen to place their faith on a force greater to face the Deceiver, and win."

Sastro turned his head to the young heroes and said "Our lives are all in the hands of you all."

Then he added "And He will not have the heart of an innocent to use in his scheme."

"He?" questioned Ronan.

"It is not the sword that brought a curse upon you, Ronan," Sastro implied. "But it is the force that haunts the tool. The Golden Eye of Hypnos is wanted by another being that wishes only destruction -- a force that had been long forgotten."

After that, she placed her hands together and Eiri said more.

"Sastro said that he learned that someone was controllin' you pirates from behind the scenes. I think this is the same guy that runs the cult. What my problem is that you are followin' this guy -- this evil that is going after our son. If you had a heart, you'd know this is wrong."

"This..." Ronan responded. "This boy... He does not concern me. He never has. He was only born to be his sacrifice. We need the child in order to release our lord from his prison. He must return. This realm... It will be as you wanted all those years ago."

"This guy..." Eiri cried. "The guy you worship... He's gonna destroy everything. He is gonna destroy everyone dear to us too. There will be nothing left. He's a living bomb ready to blow up!"

Ronan lowered his head and said "If that is what he chooses, then I must do what I can to complete his wishes."

Suddenly, the fiery Eiri gave a great slap to his left cheek with her left hand.

Then she yelled "Have you gone crazy? You really want this thing to destroy this universe? You want your son to be killed? Is that what you want?"

Ronan stared at her once again and answered "I must do what I was ordered by the Great Blade. I am bound to him, no matter if he is who Lord Allazar claims."

And Ronan began walking away from her.

"What happened to you, Aster?" Eiri cried. "You changed! You ain't like you were when we met. You were one of the most generous people I met. Now you turned into someone I don't even know! This you... This you has no heart!"

The altered man stopped and told Eiri "I only performed what was told by my lord."

"What?" questioned Eiri.

"It was but an illusion," Ronan revealed. "I made you believe that I had love for you. But in truth, I felt nothing for you."

Ronan resumed by walking away as Eiri yelled "You're lying! I know you loved me! This cult's just in your mind!"

Soon, there was a great explosion near her location.

"What is that?" She cried.

So, Eiri ran as quick as she could through the large gust of wind that blew from the explosion.

After passing a mile, the worried woman reached a large gate that guarded a fortress. She spotted smoke rising from the middle part of the long building immediately.

"No!" She yelled. "No! Nemo!"

Then she spotted four people flying up from the fortress. Two of them that were at the front were the deranged Jester and the ruthless Muiten. Another flying behind them was the emotionless female, Misha. And the last one was the silent Turbo who carried someone on his left shoulder with both arms.

"No!" shouted Eiri. "Nemo! No!"

An hour later, a questioning Jede Kaballa hurried to the front door of the old mansion. He opened the door and found someone waiting anxiously.

This was a young woman with brown eyes, fair skin, and a slender body. She had long black hair with a red streak at the front right side. She wore a leathered black blouse, tight black pants, and black boots. She also had a black lace around her neck which had a golden locket at the center.

"By the gods!" Jede cried. "I cannot believe you have shown yourself after this whole time."

"Hi J," She responded. "Sorry to barge in like this. But I need you to come with me now."

And two more people hurried to Jede.

One that stood by Jede's right side was the calm Joey Spade. He had on a sleeveless green shirt, black shorts, brown socks, and black shoes.

The other was the charming Aaron Brief. He wore a pale-violet shirt with long sleeves, tight white jeans, and brown shoes.

Joey spotted her and gave her a welcoming hug as he called "Violet!"

"Hey Joey," She greeted.

"What has happened?" questioned Jede. "And why do you seem frightened?"

She faced Jede and said "I need you guys to come with me. I'll explain on the way. We have to help E."

"By the heavens!" Jede cried. "Is E in danger?"

"Yeah," Violet answered. "And in a big way."

Then someone hurried down from the stairway and found their friends standing with the familiar girl.

"Vy!"

It was the blazing cowboy, Desoto Martin. He wore a white shirt with short gray sleeves, tight dark-blue jeans, and tan Cowboy-like boots. And his black band was worn around his head.

"Well, well, well!" Desoto continued. "I ain't seen ya in a minute! How are ya Vy?"

"Desoto's here too," Violet replied. "Good. Because I need more of you for this. E's in serious trouble."

And the four boys followed her out of the neighborhood.

"Oh!" Violet informed them. "You guys better transform. E needs a lotta fire power!"

"Very well," said Jede.

"E?" Desoto cried. "Who's E?'

"I have no idea," Aaron told him. "I don't even know who she is."

"That's Violet Fisher," Joey responded. "She helped us fight against the Crystal Kingdom. She is good people."

"So this is Violet," Aaron replied.

"Hurry up and transform Guys!" ordered Violet.

Each of the boys held their colored devices to the air and began transforming.

"Aaron of the SilverLight Super Power!"

"Desoto of da BlackShadow Super Power!"

"Joey of the EnergyTree Super Power!"

"Super Jede of the CosmicFire Armor Power!"

A white light shined around him as Aaron's clothing faded away. White energy shaped as long feathers emerged as his white suit appeared along with his silver armor and transparent cloths.

A black cloud spiraled around his body as the clothes on Desoto vanished. A black light soon lowered onto his body. And Desoto emerged as he wore a white suit with black armor and transparent cloths.

Green leaves whirled around him as a green light glowed from Joey's body. He soon came out wearing his white suit with green armor and transparent cloths.

A warm red light formed around Jede as his clothing burned away. A large red flame soon rose to his body as a white suit formed along with his golden armor and transparent red cloths. And a thin golden crown formed on his head as the flame lifted.

After the four champions were formed, they continued to follow Violet Fisher to the middle of a green forest during the calm night in Violet City. Then the group discovered a man fighting against guards dressed in white armor. And the enemies were led by the undead nobleman in white, Agis Basileus.

This was a muscular man with short dark hair, cold purple eyes, dark skin, and a thin beard. He wore a collared black shirt, long black pants, and dark-brown shoes. And he held a long rod made of silver.

He used his weapon to bring down many of the armored guards. And the captain of the guards -- Basileus -- began to battle him. He tried to kill his opponent using the sharp tip of his silver rapier as the other man blocked his assault using his long weapon. Then Basileus pushed the back of his opponent to a tree nearby. And he placed the tip of his blade toward the neck of the helpless man.

"It is time..." Basileus informed him. "...that we end the long quarrel between the both of us."

The opponent yelled "I will not stop until you are dead, White King!"

Suddenly, Basileus flew to the air as he spotted a large wave of black energy coming to his left side. And he spotted the determined woman -- Violet Fisher -- standing along with the four champions in armor.

"I sought to come for you all," Basileus implied. "I thought about causing my version of havoc on your very city to flush the lot of you out."

Then he turned to the man who remained by the tree. And Basileus responded "But I was delayed... by this... boy."

Jede of the CosmicFire had asked "Was this attack a way to find the boy we guard?"

"Actually," Basileus replied. "I was told that we had found what we seek. Now it will be short before our lord is imprisoned no more. I have come only to silence the lot of you Armored Ones myself."

"You have received what you have searched for this whole time?" questioned Jede of the CosmicFire.

And Aaron of the SilverLight cried "No! They couldn't have!"

"What da hell?" yelled Desoto of the BlackShadow. "They got da kid? How?"

Jede lowered his head and said "The other agents of Ferrumdiaboli must have discovered where they were hidden and infiltrated the place."

After that, an enraged Desoto placed his hands on the ground.

"You intend to use the Shadow Paralysis Technique to subdue me?" Basileus implied.

He gave out a short laugh and told Desoto "It will not help if I am far to the sky."

"I know dat!" Desoto replied. "Dat's why I'm usin' somethin' else!"

And the champion in black armor called out "Weather Manipulation -- Mist of Hades!"

A thick mist rose from the ground and covered the entire area. As the mist became thicker, its cold breeze had affected the enemies along with Basileus.

The undead man in white wrapped his arms and cried "What sorcery is this?"

"Where in the names of Zeus and Argos..." Jede of the CosmicFire cried to his friend. "...have you learned this technique?"

"Jealous Kaballa?" Desoto yelled. "After Mystic gave me dis power, I trained my ass off!"

"You guys aren't the only ones!"

Joey of the EnergyTree spreads his hands out and green leaves whirls from his right hand. He soon turned clockwise once and the leaves blew toward the villains.

"Lightning Release..." Joey whispered. "Wintergreen Hurricane!"

All of the wicked guards were blown away by the attack. Meanwhile, Basileus protected himself by creating a barrier around him that was made of pink energy.

After the green leaves faded away, Basileus lowered his shield and flew down to the champions with the tip of his rapier ready.

"You will have to do better!" He yelled.

Next, Aaron of the SilverLight rose his hands as he faced the night sky.

"Light Release..." He called. "Great Heaven's Wrath!"

A globe of silver energy formed around each hand. And Aaron threw his fists forward which released a barrage of small silver beams. Basileus had fallen from the sky after he was hit by many of the quick projectiles. He landed on his right foot and defended himself by clashing more of Aaron's projectiles using his long rapier.

But a large black cloud began to form behind the champion in silver armor. Aaron quickly rolled away as a large wave of red energy shot from the ghastly fog. And the fog had formed into a person -- the deranged Damien Spade.

Damien roared with laughter as Joey of the EnergyTree reported "Damien's here too!"

After that, Damien threw a pair of long wires that had a sharp blade wrapped at each tip form his glowing left palm. And the two stringed blades fell for the defenseless Violet Fisher.

Damien yelled "DIE!"

0 notes

sydnam · 7 years

Text

OUAT 6x20 “The Song In Your Heart”

A few minutes behind but almost live!

The usual.

Am I prepared for this? Not sure.

BB Emma wants to sing? Her foster sister (?) is mean.

Of course the shop had Snow’s wedding dress. Of course. But those 2 are not really the same size...I guess magic can alter it.

Oh Snow don’t wish on a star the Blue Fairy might hear you and fuck things up. That bird is whistling rather like a human how suspicious. Ok this song is cute so far. “My do I sound good” oh Charming. I do love when Ginny and Josh get good scenes together. Did Snow ever have ladies in waiting in matching gowns before? I don’t think so.

Black Fairy that was RUDE. Poor Snow’s dress. I don’t understand why she’s still fated (or think she’s still fated) to fight a Savior. It was supposed to be HER kid she fought until she snipped his fate which ought to void the prophecy. Or is this going to be one of those things they don’t ever really explain, like why Rumple had to die to defeat Pan?

Where’d all that dust come from? OF COURSE she’s gonna curse you all anyone ever does around here is curse this town. Oh Regina you didn’t REALLY ruin the Charmings wedding just made it interesting. But I guess helping Emma is nice.

SIDNEY IS SINGING YAY Regina is NOT amused but I love it. SINGING DWARVES YAY GEPETTO AND BB PINOCCHIO SINGING GRANNY Yesssss evil guard backup dancers. Lana appears to be having lots of fun. I almost said something about how long it took Granny to make the blanket and then it got ripped in half. Heh.

Oh ew why would ANYONE put Hook in a white suit ever “Let me help” Hook what do you think you could DO?

Smee! HOLY RETCON, BATMAN! If Snow and Charming met Hook before Emma was born why the hell didn’t Snow recognize him when he crawled out of a pile of bodies he was complicit in the murder of back in season 2? I wish I liked Hook because I would love this song. Hook you were filled with hate before Rumple remember the whole “I SHALL BECOME A PIRATE AND HURT INNOCENTS TO PUNISH A KING!” thing you did?

Hook, darting a dude in the back with FUCKING POISON IS NOT THE ACTION OF A CHANGED MAN YOU ASSHOLE ALSO SAYING YOU ARE GONNA SKIN HIM IS NOT THE ACTION OF A CHANGED MAN WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WHY IS THIS SHOW LIKE THIS Meanwhile Mama Black Fairy is like “the hell you will hurt my baby boy, pirate” which is entertaining at least. See, OBVIOUSLY Rumple made a deal to keep his family safe. I mean, he almost admitted it to Belle.

Aw Henry that’s a nice pep talk for your mom. Cute polaroid. Looks photoshopped though. Emma kept her tape of her humming from 20 years ago?

I don’t quite follow how “you cast the very first curse/spell the Black Fairy ever made so you must understand her magic” works but ok.

“D’you think the Dark One sings” no but I hoped he would.I did enjoy the little dance.

Oh Zelena. I’m enjoying Bex singing. That song was delightful.

Rumple what are you doooooing

I’m going to be sad when Black Fairy is gone. She’s so much fun to watch. Oh good Rumple froze them how helpful and not at all shady. Oy.

Henry giving a second pep talk? Ok. Emma you weren’t NOT BRAVE you were IN PRISON AT THE TIME? Henry’s belief is such a great thing.

Charmings why would you storm the EQ’s castle alone? Come on. Ooh a reprise. Did they forget to put the belly on Ginny or is it just looking invisible under that costume? The Charming’s reaction to lack of song is pretty amusing.

NO DON’T LET BLUE HELP YOU SHE IS THE SHADIEST EVER Oy. OY. OYYYYY. Oh we’re conveniently making everyone forget their songs? Is that why Snow didn’t recognize Hook? Just because they forgot the songs doesn’t mean they should have forgotten the whole day and if they forgot the whole day they should have remembered losing a whole day. I still call retcon shenanigans. Boo.

Whatever happened to Emma’s heart being protected because of Twu Wuv? I’m REALLY glad Henry is the key here. I like that they’re using the theme for this song. Emma doesn’t sound much like herself when singing. I guess JMo’s singing voice is just very different than her speaking voice.

The velvet tux is certainly, um, a choice. Archie, remember that time Hook held you on his ship and tortured you and then you performed his marriage what’s up with that? This dress is a bad choice. Bad. Bad. Oh hey baby Neal still exists! How nice! They even remembered to bring him to the wedding! Hook you still want revenge you were gonna kill Rumple like an hour ago, dude. Oh good Emma remembers that she loved her family before she ever met Hook. Seems to have forgotten loving Neal before meeting Henry but ok. The fake sky background is not great. How come there was no opportunity for people to speak now or forever hold their peace surely someone in Storybrooke has something to say. I enjoy the parts of this song that aren’t CS. Too bad. OH MY GOD DON’T SPIN HER LIKE THAT SHE’S HEADED RIGHT FOR YOUR HOOK GET A NEW PROSTHETIC, MAN. Where did this event space come from. Are we short a dwarf? Oh good Grumpy got to do his thing. And then everyone got cursed. Again.

#once upon a time #ouat: the song in your heart #episode reaction

3 notes · View notes

thebibliomancer · 4 years

Text

Dark Crystal Age of Resistance ep 9 liveblog

“The Crystal Calls”

Could you construct a crystal call, like a duck lure? Is it something that the Skeksis know in the cockles of their heart or do they just recognize the tone? Could you create a Skeksis lure? I need to know, for science reasons.

Just a stream of thoughts.

Ok so the episode starts off on a good note. Deet is alive. Somehow she and Rian escaped the doom caves. She’s surrounded by family. Clearly everything is going to be good forever.

Rian carried her to safety. It had to happen off-screen because it’d probably look silly in puppets.

Maudra “Fine she says. Fine perhaps she is. But also………………….. Changed.”

And then she starts smashing her walking stick. It was the Dual Glaive all along.

I guess the plot device was the friends we made all along.

“Be careful with this. Its older than I am. And twice as sharp! Hee hee hee” I like you, Maudra.

Dual Glaive looks pretty alright.

Uh oh, Brea gonna get drained. She’s an important character. Surely some contrivance will save her?

Gourmet: “What if the Hunter dies?”

Ornamentalist, who has been apparently been waiting for this forever: “Then I shall accept the somber task of honoring SkekMal’s treasures with a proper display!”

Gourmet: “Ugh, those trophies?”

Ornamentalist: “Anything can be made beautiful!”

Oh, they’re going to call the rest of the Skeksis to the castle! SkekSa and SkekNa I think are new to me and they’re useful in a fight. That’s two whole new pieces of information!

-google- Ohhhh SkekSa is the pirate Skeksis!

And I completely forgot SkekNa is the Slave-master. Although I imagine he has a different role at this point when the slavery was kinda buried under a couple layers of feudalism or whatever.

Huh. Hadn’t even noticed him missing.

SkekUng is the future Garthim-Master. Wonder what he’s called now.

And what of SkekLi? No, seriousli, what of SkekLi?

-google- The Skeksis Satirist? Why isn’t he here already??

Probably got kicked out for making fun of the others too much, huh?

I bet. Because Chamberlain points out that more Skeksis about means more squabbling.

And then the Skeksis immediately turn on him saying that SkekMal’s injuries are his fault. Because Nobody Likes SkekSil.

But, I guess, at least he’s not that fuckin Satirist.

Nice of the Emperor to wait for this conversation to be over before getting to the draining which let Aughra show up.

Also, hi Aughra!

Just kind of strolling in like you own the place, which isn’t technically far off.

The Skeksis tells the sewed-mouth Gruenak to seize her but she has a good retort for that.

“Touch me and Thra will swallow you where you stand” -bap-

Very good.

Aughra says she’s here to pay her respects. Like its a eulogy roast.

“SkekMal was always the most beautiful of you shriveled lot.”

You make the audience feel better about the impending death by making them angry at you. Makes a lot of sense.

She also makes them mad by saying the Hunter is going to die. Unless she helps.

“Gelfling essence cannot restore the Hunter. What you need is essence of Thra itself? And who is Thra, HM?”

Aughra is offering her essence to free the Gelfling locked in the castle.

The Skeksis are like ‘uh can’t we just strap you down and take it?’

Aughra is like ‘nuh uh I have to give it willingly, the crystal won’t take it from me’

And she’s rubbing existentialism in their faces. Everything from Thra returns to Thra when it dies but the Skeksis are not of Thra. What happens to them? The Skeksis tried to find out but couldn’t. Its the same thing that the Chamberlain had a rant about to Rian. The Skeksis are terrified of death because they don’t know what will happen to them. They’ll happily live a vampiric hollow shambling existence just to cling to life.

Vaguely reminded of the Ssi’Ruuk from Star Wars Legends who were also reptile-y and also stole life force and also were afraid of what would happen if they died away from home and uh…. ….. Did Star Wars ripoff the Skeksis and make them dinosaurs? With spaceships?

Huuuuuuuuh.

Slightly less blatant than when Warcraft ripped them off.

Aughra: “Maybe nothing is all that waits for you.”

So she’s emotionally blackmailing them. Sentence one of their own to oblivion or free the Gelflings and let the Hunter drink Aughra.

She also gives them like five seconds to consider it and then is like “WELP I TRIED” and goes to walk off to make them make a decision.

So the Emperor agrees. He tries to get in her face and intimidating about it but I mean, she won this confrontation.

Brea: “Mother Aughra, please don’t do this! We’re not worth it!”

Aughra: “Of course you are”

Aww.

Annnnd the Emperor tells the General to make sure that he gets the Gelflings dead before they can leave. Because: spite.

Its the purest motivator.

OH NOW THE SPIDERS RELEASE THE GELFLING

I wonder if thats how events stacked up or what.

Aughra: ‘hey brea you have more plot to do get lost’

Oh and no thats not how events stacked up. The truce Rian and Deet made with the Ascendency happened before Tavra!Spider strapped her sisters down. But she had to make it believable because sudden spider revolution wouldn’t help.

So now Tavra is a willing? host of the spider and they’re working together.

“HERE COMES THE GENERAL” Thats not even the right movie you’re quoting!

The General tells the other Skeksis what has happened in the chamber of life and then tells the Collector that they have a job to do.

SkekLach: “Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?”

Hah, mood.

But the General says it’ll be fun.

SkekLach: “Oh, I doubt that =( ” hah

Chamberlain hearing whats going on: -chamberlain noise-

Oh, Tavra is stuck with spider because they’ve been merged so long that they can’t disentangle their minds. But she’s pretty chill about it. “We want the same things. JUSTICE.”

I’m here for Spider-Tavra.

And then the General and Collector show up surrounding the escaping Gelflings.

Collector, waving around a knife: “You were right, this will be fun!”

Less mood.

Brea complains that Aughra made a deal and General does the Vader “I have altered the deal” but Spider-Tavra blocks him and tells him a thing or two about altering deals.

Like how the arathim’s deal with the Skeksis was for the Caves of Grot and dangit the Skeksis forgot to mention that it was simply infested with the Darkening.

Spider-Tavra: “A poison fly… IS NO GIFT AT ALL!”

And then she stabs him.

Peter Parker would not approve. But I do.

Collector: “The Gelfling must pay!”

Spider-Tavra: “ARATHIM ARISE!”

Arathim Spitter: ‘hiiiiii’ -does a dilophosaurus-

Collector: “AHHHHHH ITS IN MY EYES”

This has been a bad ambush for the Skeksis. They should really invest in some sort of mindless troops that they can have wade into danger for them. Something scary and nigh unstoppable. Like a fleacrab that makes terrifying noises.

Spider-Tavra stays behind while the other Gelflings flee and Brea and Seladon decide not to leave her behind because Sister Solidarity, Finally!

The General is shocked to find that getting stabbed makes you bleed. Guess he was a backline kind of general.

And when Spider-Tavra shows up to finish the job, the General begs for his life.

Spider-Tavra: “We have waited long enough. This is for the Arathim… FOR THE ALL-MAUDRA!”

CHAMBERLAIN WITH THE SAVE! “Leave friend….. Alone!”

General: ‘ugh this fucking guy’

In fairness, he’s expecting Chamberlain saved him just to finish him off himself.

Chamberlain: “Skeksis squabble but are not enemy. Gelfling are enemies.”

And look he saved General some essence to heal him. The last of the remaining essence! How kind of SkekSil!

Oh and its the real stuff! I was expecting it to be the sugar water again. General’s wound actually glows and heals up.

General: “I have misjudged you, Chamberlain!”

Chamberlain: “Hmmmm am used to it”

Wow I was really expecting him to betray the General and was just giving him a hope spot before he did it.

But he hurries him off on some plan that the General will supposedly like. Luckily in time that Brea and Seladon can arrive and whisk off Spider-Tavra.

Meanwhile at the circle of the suns, the Heretic and the Wanderer are watching the Archer slowly die and philosophizing.

Wanderer: “Both halves. Are not long for Thra.”

Heretic, in his inside voice: “I wonder… in the next place… will we be joined once again?”

Wanderer: “Or rent further……………………. Asunder.”

And back to the castle where the Scientist is strapping Aughra into the draining machine.

You know, there was a bit of the movie novelization relevant to this. Where the Scientist mused about how much essence he could get from her. Or at least her eye since the rest of her was sulking in a cage without much energy and her eye kept glaring at him.

Aughra: “Are you proud? To build a machine that will be the death of Aughra?”

Scientist: “Not as proud as Mother Aughra throwing her life away in a desperate bid for redemption”

Wow Scientist, finally someone you can try to dunk on.

Aughra tries to pull the ‘we were friends once’ card and the Scientist may have gone for it if the Emperor was not hovering right over his shoulder.

Scientist: “Another world. Another time.”

Alas.

Emperor: “Now we shall see how powerful Aughra truly is!”

Aughra: “Oo! Well, spinning chairs now? Isn’t this fancy?”

Pffft.

I wonder if the Scientist refined the designs over the years or whether he stopped bothering when they ran out of Gelflings. The chairs in the movie aren’t nearly so fancy and are without additional things like things that jam into your skull.

Annnnd Aughra is generating no essence.

Scientist: “I am stupefied, Emperor. She withers away but does not drain.”

Emperor: “Cheat! I gave you your Gelflings, now where is my essence?”

Aughra: “You... are doomed. You and all of your kind. Parasites. Thieves. In the end… you are nothing… but… dust.”

Emperor: “I… will… never… be… dust!”

And then he kicks the Crystal up to eleven because surely he knows how to operate- oh its working.

Essence is coming out of her and going into SkekMal. And he’s responding. I guess the Emperor does know how to operate stuff.

Annnnnnd Aughra exploded. This is really going to fuck up the movie events.

I thought she was safe!

And the Hunter is spasming and screaming so Scientist shuts the machine down.

Annnnnnd the Hunter is dead. Welp.

The Emperor is taking it well. (That’s a lie. He’s having a panic attack. And smashing stuff.)

I guess kicking the machine up to eleven was a mistake. Or maybe trusting Aughra was a mistake? Mistakes were made. But the Emperor didn’t negotiate in good faith anyway.

OH HI KYLAN! I missed you my dude.

He was off trying to rally the Spritons but they told him to fuck off. Maudra Mira is a big Skeksis fan.

For shame. People named Mira should be cool.

Seladon, maybe finally getting it: “Maudra Fara, the gelfling have always been strongest when they’ve stood together. Not apart.”

Maudra Argot: “I know you must take the Dual Glaive, but it made a fine cane! Oh, I’ll miss that cane”

OH SHIT RIGHT the dual glaive is still going on. I keep forgetting that’s a plot point whenever they stop focusing on it. Maybe because it came out of nowhere in the last third of the show and feels like an afterthought.

Even finding it, as hilarious as I found that, was kind of like ‘oh the plot device? Yup it was here all along, you only had to ask.’

Oh right, Dual Glaive. Two parts. They have to find the other half. Maudra Argot left it in Stone-in-the-Wood during the Arathim War.

The battle was lost until a soldier named Ordon took up the Dual Gl- WAIT THAT’S RIAN’S DAD

Its a little late to try to build up the Dual Glaive AND Rian’s dad! Especially as some legendary hero who had a legendary magical sword! And who split it in two so that it would have to be reassembled to use again!

Why did he do that??

Maudra Argot dreamfasts with Rian to show him his dad’s retroactive cool backstory.

And then, since they need to get to Stone-in-the-Wood fast, she trills to call a landstrider.

I approve, verily. I love these funky guys.

Deet: “You can call them?”

Maudra Argot: “I still remember a trick or two from my trine overground.”

And then Rian helps Deet onto the Landstrider. And it lingers on that moment. I reeeeally feel as if something is building between them.

Oh, hey, Stone-in-the-Wood is where the Brea/Tavra/Seladon plot is. The plots are joining back up!

Seladon: “It should have been me! … Aughra told me I was making a terrible mistake but I wouldn’t listen. This is my terrible price to pay, not hers. I’m so sorry for everything.”

Oh so she did finally get it. That’s good.

Spider-Tavra: “I wish you could see each other as I do…. You’re so… beautiful” -dies-

She was too beautiful for this Thra.

Tavra-Spider: ‘welp time to mosey’ -mosies-

Good plot paralleling. Brea and Seladon dealing with their sister’s death and having the rite to return her to Thra at the same time that the Emperor is dealing with the death of the Hunter.

Ritual-Master: “But there is no rite, no ceremony. No Skeksis has died in a thousand trine. Not since… the beginning.”

And then the General comes in and reports that the Arathim have double-crossed the double-crossing Skeksis and sided with the Gelfling.

Collector: “Its a good thing I was there!” -accomplished zero things-

Emperor: “MORE GRAVE NEWS?”

General: “Not all is lost! The Chamberlain has a plan”

Emperor: “I thought you had enough of the Chamberlain’s plans”

General: ‘but he my bff now’

And then the Chamberlain comes in dragging something. And mister i think declaring open war was a mistake Chamberlain now decides that total war wipe out the gelfling no peace while they live is the best option. Oh how the turns have tabled.

He also blames the Gelfling for being too entitled.

Chamberlain: “Loyalty cannot be bought. Has to be built.” So he proposes that they make unstoppable loyal soldiers. Instead of relying on people with wants and needs.

The Scientist thinks he can probably do it but can’t build something out of nothing. So Chamberlain slides in the giant dead arathim he’s been dragging in, just to be extra. “Here is your something.”

So the Garthim (or GIANT ARATHIM) are Frankenstein spiders. Yes. The Scientist is going to weld a couple spider corpses together to make a fleacrabthing.

Not sure how I feel about it being Chamberlain’s plan.

Chamberlain planned it, General endorsed it, Scientist actually did it, and SkekUng ends up in charge of it?

Of course, I was always unclear how someone uhhhh more brute than brain like Ung was supposed to have been responsible for them to begin with.

I guess Chamberlain is a good idea person and just says things around people who can actually accomplish his pie in the sky. Provided the other Skeksis are listening and not making blah blah blah motions everytime he talks.

Thra is lucky that half of the time, the other Skeksis tune out SkekSil.

And by coming up with a good idea that someone else will accomplish, Chamberlain has earned his place back at the court.

And now? The body?

Emperor: “The Hunter will not be buried. Or burned like some common carcass. The Hunter will be clad in our finest armor and placed in our throne room so that SkekMal might rule by our side… FOREVER!!!”

God. That’s morbid. The other Skeksis seem to be into it. But I’m glad that Skeksis start crumbling when they die later on because that would have gotten macabre fast. A court of the dead.

All your dead friends hanging around and staring.

Does this mean Scientist has to learn taxidermy now in addition to frankensteining? Doesn’t he have enough to do? Is there any other Skeksis who actually-

Oh. They’re getting together as a group to prep the corpse.

That’s. Something.

Just slapping makeup on Hunter’s dead face.

Ornamentalist: “Life is my paint! Death is my canvas!”

Okay, yes, I should have figured that Ornamentalist would be all over this.

So. They prop up the Hunter. And he looks lifelike. In that he’s a puppet and I don’t think I could tell the difference between him living and dead?

And the Skeksis seem thrilled at having a corpse hanging up forever if it means they don’t have to think about death. And to be honest, they never really talked to the Hunter anyway.

Their relationship is essentially unchanged.

Back to Deet and Rian.

Wow, its funny that the Gelfling like to ride on landstriders. They’re so tall and the Gelflings are so short. Its like using a giraffe as a standard mount.

Oh and geez, I forgot that Rian didn’t know what happened to Stone-in-the-Wood. He doesn’t dwell on it long but I can tell on his puppet emotions how shook he is.

I also forgot about the Crucible! That thing full of swords. Yes, that would be a good place to hide a sword.

BUT HOW WILL HE KNOW WHICH ONE IS THE ½ Dual Glaive?? Maybe he should play flutes at it.

Rian: “Once a battle is done, the warriors of Stone-in-the-Wood place their weapons in the forge in the hope that we’ll never need them again.”

I find that a good philosophy for the Warrior Gelfling Tribe to have.

Geez, that’s just so much sword. And its on fire.

Although Rian can see the other half of the Dual Glaive just peeking in. And he can open it up and reach inside with no problem. That was easy! But we’re on episode 9 so it can’t be too complicated.

The halves glaive sing to each other and Rian and Deet join them together and SUDDENLY ALL FIRE EVERYWHERE TURNS BLUE AND NON BURNY

I know because a Gelfling sticks her hand in the fire and wonderously states “it doesn’t burn!”

You dingus!

Wow this sword really is magic. Its making a lot of sky light pillars, like this is a marvel movie.

The Scroll-Keeper: ‘fffffffffffffffffffffffffffff’ “They’re uniting against us!”

The Crystal apparently has something to add in so it chimes and all the Skeksis run off to the Crystal CHAMBERRRR

HEY the dead Hunter corpse just twitched. Maybe the Skeksis are just really bad at checking life signs…

So apparently the blue fire is fire skype.

JUST LIKE IN THE BENEATH THE DARK CRYSTAL

I guess not only Firelings can do fire skype.

Apparently the Dual Glaive lets the wielder talk to every Skeksis all at once. Good way to finally get around to uniting the clans against the Skeksis.

Whoops, the Crystal is picking up the signal.

I get why that would happen. Especially if the Dual Glaive was meant to unite Thra.

Rian: ‘hey the skeksis suck lets do a revolution’

Collector: ‘OH NO HE HAS THE DUAL GLAIVE A THING I’VE DEFINITELY KNOWN ABOUT ALL ALONG!’

So the Crystal picking up the message is kind of bad. Because Rian just told the Gelflings where to meet up for the rebellion.

The Emperor can apparently hijack the fire skype? The security on this blue fire is bad. What is it, Fire Zoom?

Emperor: “Silence! Your pathetic rebellion can only end in ruin!”

Rian: “Then why do you tremble?”

Emperor: “Disrespectful peon! Your lives are but a speck waiting to be swept away! Be assured any Gelfling that stands with you in battle will join you in the grave.”

Rian: “Bring your weapons. Bring your Skeksis. And meet your destiny!”

And apparently stabbing the Crucible with the Dual Glaive is how you turn off the chat.

The Other Skeksis: ‘ugh that fuckin Heretic giving away legendary weapons’

Emperor: “COWARDS! Let the chattel have their toy! Let them think they stand a chance against us! But hear me, Lords of the Crystal, Regents of Thra, all-powerful Skeksis. At dawn, we descend on their pitiful village. We will crush their nascent rebellion before it takes root, grind these defiant Gelfings to dust. Destroy the Dual Glaive and feast upon their essence!”

Pretty good motivational speech, the Emperor. I can see why you’re the Emperor, the Emperor.

I’m sure the Scientist will be fine having to do a rush order on a bunch of frankenstein spiders, a process he’s never done before and still has to figure out. I’m sure they’ll be ready by tomorrow.

Aw Deet and Rian having another moment.

Deet: “Do you think all Gelfling heard you?”

Rian: “Yes. But will they come?”

-Deet puts her hand on Rian’s-

Aww.

Hope this ends better than the transition between Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker.

#dark crystal #dark crystal age of resistance #episode 9 #liveblog #things getting wild at the eleventh hour

1 note · View note