#her confrontation with Killian

[hypnos333]

Healers love

Luke castellan x black goddess reader

Synopsis: You worked at the camp as a full goddess but also a youngling and you never could fall in love because of the curse of Apollo until you met a Hermes half breed

Your apollos granddaughter also Asclepius daughter, You took over your father deity, as healing, medicine and surgery. So your grandfather thought it would be good for you to work and watch the gods half breeds.

Your father, Asclepius was really uncertain of his only daughter babysitting the gods half breeds but after a lot of convincing from his father. He sent you away but not that you mind, your grandfather and dad was overbearing to you.

You were cluttered in the infirmity room all day, Chiron fixed up Cabin 305 for you because no one heard of you. Pacifically you being Asclepius child.

One day when you were healing kids who have minor injuries. That’s where a Hermes boy comes in with him limping and holding his shoulder in pain so you instantly rushed to him.

You checked him over before opening your healing purse with lots of Ambrosia.

Ambrosia is healing food something demigods consume but having to much has consequences but Mortals can never consume them.

It was risky to give this boy Ambrosia but he did look in pain so you risked it you shoved the little piece of bread in his mouth making his swallow while using your healing magic. He groans in pain as the Ambrosia reached his leg as you healed his shoulder.

You moved away to go your next patient. “T-Thank you pretty girl” The Hermes boy mumbled tiredly making you blush slightly.

“Your welcome Messenger” You sigh pulling a blanket up to him before tending to your other kids.

When he first saw you, he immediately noticed that you were gorgeous for a healer goddess maybe Aphrodite blessed you with her beauty. And the way you immediately rushed to him made him fold. He wanted you at first sight, screw the gods but not you definitely not you. You were different and is just for him.

Maybe even Aphrodite even gave her blessing into you two to fall in love.

When Luke woke up he was greeted to you listening to his heart with your stethoscope that you mostly keep around your neck in the infirmary room.

He blushed as his heartbeat went up making you glance at him and smile as you put your stethoscope back around your neck. “Oh i’m glad to see your up love” You cheerfully said writing down his condition.

“My name is ___ Killian” You said making his arch his eyebrows as he was going to say something you already beat him to it. “Yes I made the last name up” You sigh.

“What’s your name?” You asked making him remember he never told you his name.

“Uh Oh i’m Luke Castellan” he answered making you nod before writing it down on the clipboard before putting it down.

“Well Luke your all good to go, I gave you some medicine to heal faster and everything should be good, I will need you to be more careful unless you’ll be close to getting a broken shoulder or sprain leg” You said professional.

You looked at him for an Okay but all he did was stare at you in admiration and lovesick.

You’re no Aphrodite but you would know when people fall for you at this point. Everyday now he come 5 times a week and it was often.

He’ll come with scapes, scars, sicknesses or even almost sprains.

So you confront him about it.

“Luke you can’t keep hurting yourself it’s either your really clumsy or your here for something else and I see if capture the flag and your amazing so what’s up with you?” You asked him wrapping up his arm.

“You watch me play capture the flag?” He asked lighting up at you watching him win every single time.

“Stop changing the subject” You scolded making him chuckle nervously.

Over these past weeks you grown having feelings with the Hermes boys and loved his company but you also grown worried he’s hurting himself on purpose.

“This is probably the best way to tell you but I’ve been wanting to ask if you want to go on a lunch date with me?” He asked hopefully but felt a boost of energy and that where he realized you were still holding his arm but white tint came out of your hands and onto his arm making him feel more strengthen.

“___?” He asked out making you snap out of it.

You pulled him into a kiss luckily the infirmary was empty was it was just you and him.

“I’ll take that as a yes?” He asked pulling away slightly but instantly wanted to feel your lips again as his grabbed you waist pulling you closer.

“It’s definitely a yes” You breathed out as he looked at your chocolate brown eyes. He smiled before pulling you back into a kiss leading into a make out session.

He still hated gods but you…. You were definitely an exception he can never hate you. He was gonna keep you to himself. All he wants is you…..

[princessanonymous]

When Night Comes

Platonic Yandere Vampire

Previous Part | Next Part

First Chapter

16. 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓾𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓞𝓷𝓮

(Y/n) woke up tired the next evening. She could hear the two of them arguing throughout the day, the sound of their voice carrying all the way up to the second floor. She hadn't been able to sleep at all because of their constant arguing that lasted through a great part of the day. (Y/n) wondered who that man really was. From his appearance, she knew he was also a vampire, but knew next to nothing about the elusive Killian. She theorized that he must be the mysterious companion that was mentioned several times at the balls they had gone to. The frequent mentions of Killian at social gatherings and Dorian's guarded responses left her questioning the dynamics between the two vampires.

The intensity of their discord contradicted her expectations. Despite Dorian's readiness to defend their relationship, the palpable tension suggested a deep-seated animosity. They didn't seem to like each other. She didn't know how to feel about this new addition to life at the estate. He had mentioned that he planned to leave, but something was telling her he might stay longer than he expected. (Y/n) didn't know if she liked that. He had called her an uncontrollable beast, after all. 

She wondered if this had something to do with her upbringing. She wasn’t born into nobility and she wondered if he had realized it.(Y/n) knew how some aristocrats looked down on ‘poor peasants’ like her. It wasn't uncommon for those born into privilege to harbor preconceived notions about the lower classes. Her stomach twisted. Nothing good ever came out of her sort meddling with them. She should have listened to her parents; if she had, none of this would have happened.

Silence finally came during the middle of the day as the arguing ceased. Exhausted, she finally found reprieve in rest, waking up late the next night. The perpetual confrontation had dampened her spirits, relegating her to her room for most of the night, seeking solace in books. Dinner became a subdued affair, and her arrival at the table prompted strained smiles.

The two vampires were already present and she only ducked her head and took her usual seat, not knowing how to act around the new resident of the manor.

"Did you have a pleasant night, starshine ?" Dorian's strained attempt at warmth hung in the air. It was clear he wasn't as happy as he tried to portray.

Nodding in response, she joined the meal in a hushed atmosphere. The tension among the trio remained palpable, a stark contrast to their usual dynamics. Dorian was sipping his glass of blood, (Y/n) was eating and Killian did neither. Words were scarce, and the burden of unresolved conflicts pressed heavily.

Eventually, the blond broke the silence : "Well, don't you have anything to say, darling?" He almost snapped impatiently as he turned to the other man.

"What is it again?" Killian's sharp retort fueled the anticipation of another argument.

(Y/n) cringed, feeling another quarrel coming. She hoped this wasn't going to become the norm.

"She looks terrified of you," the blond noted. "Say something !"

The girl pushed her plate away and stood up. "May I excuse myself ?" She whispered politely. Without following the proper table manners she had learned, she turned and left before an answer came. She would most likely get reprimanded for it later, but she couldn’t care less now.

Her feet led her to her room and she simply collapsed on her bed, closing her eyes. With enough concentration she could almost tune out the noise from downstairs. She opened them once again a while later when someone knocked at her door. "Enter," she said, expecting a few servants. Ever since her attempt to escape, it was rare for her to be left with only one or two servants; she wasn’t trusted not to somehow convince them to let her leave freely like she had done the last time with– the corpse.

The knock on her door later revealed an unexpected visitor. (Y/n) stood up, waiting for him to say anything.

"I must apologize," he began, an unusual sincerity in his tone. "For my rudeness. My behavior was unbecoming."

"It's alright," she responded with practiced politeness.

"Dorian and I have quite a complicated relationship," he admitted. "I did not wish for you to be troubled by our antics." He paused before bitterly commenting : "We have been partners for more than 150 years, yet we can't seem to agree on most things."

"150 years ?" She repeated, baffled by how long they had known each other.

A faint smile accompanied his reply. "You will find that this is nothing in the eyes of a vampire." The smile waned at these words, a shadow casting over his face. "Do you truly want to become a vampire?"

(Y/n) looked away. She had never been asked that question. She had vehemently been opposed to it, but nobody cared. "I don't..." she admitted. She hadn't admitted this in a while.

His brows furrowed as he approached her, sensing the internal conflict within (Y/n). The air grew thick with uncertainty as he contemplated his words. Finally, in a hushed voice, he offered, "I can help. Help you leave."

A wave of hope and relief washed over her. Killian was a vampire too. Surely, he would know how to thwart Dorian’s plans the way she couldn’t. At the same time, a lump formed in the girl’s throat and she didn’t understand why.

Fidgeting, a sense of unease twisted in her stomach. "I— Yes, but..." Her words stumbled, her breath quickening. "I don't know, I—"

"Calm down," Killian advised gently. "Why don't you sit down?"

Seating herself, (Y/n) felt the weight of conflicting emotions. "I want to— I should want to, but..."

(Y/n) was beginning to slowly appreciate her time here. Sometimes, she found herself actively trying to spend time with the vampire. The girl had gotten used to it by now. She liked being able to just rest and Dorian was mostly very compassionate. But these thoughts scared her. Adjusting to the unexpected comfort provided by Dorian became a source of fear. They scared her so much, because this was her parents' killer and she couldn't forget it. She shouldn't. Yet, she yearned for the comfort he brought her, and couldn't help it. Moreover, she had nothing to return to. She was alone.

The room seemed to blur and spin around her, and she clutched her bedsheets desperately, attempting to ground herself. Mumbling explanations and justifications to herself, her thoughts spiraled out of control until a hand rested gently on her shoulder, jolting her back to the present. Teary-eyed, she looked up at Killian.

"You do not have to if you don't wish to," he assured consolingly. “Not now at least. We can wait a few days.”

Nodding silently, she bit her lower lip, still shaken by the sudden panic. She didn’t know if her decision would change in a few days. If it did, she feared it would be for the worst. Yet, she acquiesced mutely.

“Dorian is quite a charmer,” he added. “I am sure you must have noticed. Don’t be deceived by his caring exterior.”

“You talk about him as if you didn’t like him,” she noted. He didn’t respond. “Why don’t you just leave him ?”

Killian’s eyes grew vacant for an instant, as if he were remembering a somber memory haunting him. He shook his head and addressed her with a strained smile. She knew it was fake, but didn’t comment on it. “This can wait. I can’t leave you with him.”

“But before all that,” she probed more than she thought she should, “during all these 150 years. Why didn’t you ?”

He opened his mouth for a second, then closed it once again. Finally, he settled on answering, “I suppose I grew accustomed to our way of existing.” There was something so melancholic in his voice, a tinge of sadness and a bit of confusion as if he himself was unsure of his response. Then, in an even smaller voice, he added, “When you are born in a burning house…”

She tilted her head to the side in confusion. He shook his head dismissively, tapping lightly on her head. Then, he changed the subject. "Is this your bedroom?"

(Y/n) nodded, and a small smile tugged at her lips.

He looked around and his eyes landed on a shelf. "You have a lot of dolls," he noted.

A shrug accompanied her explanation, "They were gifted to me."

"Did you name them?" Killian inquired curiously, taking one of the dolls from the shelf. "My younger sister had the habit of doing it," he added with a touch of fondness.

"You have a sister?" (Y/n) asked, intrigued.

"I used to," he corrected with a hint of gravity, pointing at a doll with auburn hair and hazel eyes. "Why don't you name her Clementine?"

After a moment of consideration, she nodded. Pointing to a doll with dark skin and brown eyes, she decided on the name Cordelia. The process continued for the other porcelain dolls— Emmeline, Cosette, Angélique, and others — and slowly, her uneasiness began to dissipate. In this small act, a connection formed, and perhaps, this new resident wouldn't be as undesirable as initially thought.

┉┈◈◉◈┈┉

For those who didn't know, the full quote used was :

When you're born in a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire. But it's not. — Richard Kadrey

I know it isn't from that time period, but I really wanted to use it.

[shady-swan-jones]

August Rec List!

So, it's August after April, right? RIGHT?

Today is Author Appreciation day so that ties in nicely, thank you @4getfulimaginator2022. Show your appreciation in the comments, it's mandatory. I have no way to enforce this but come on, spread the love!

She's Perfect But You're Mine (3/3) by me

Killian has a girlfriend. Emma handles it with the utmost maturity and grace. Or not.

Dark Swan Story by isaballerina89

What if Emma is pregnant as Dark Swan? Based in season 5 captain swan love story fanfic. It is different from the show.

What if... (Season 4) by Kml19

What if Captain Hook turned into the Dark One to get revenge on Rumplestiltskin? What if he only met the heroes in Neverland?

I can’t love you in the dark (oceans apart) by weareforeverstarlaced

Emma had long resigned her role as princess and Killian did the same, having left piracy. But now, as the mist covers their cliff side cottage, Emma and Killian say their final goodbyes when Rumplestiltskin steals the former pirates heart. And all they could do is wait it out until Rumplestiltskin’s torment was done and it’s crushed. Not knowing when it would happen. However, when morning comes and Killian is gone, Emma has one final idea to bring him back.

Ties That Bind (6/20) by Anonymous

When Killian Jones returns home after years away, it's not for a warm reunion—he’s there to confront his adoptive father, the powerful and rich politician Mr. Gold. Desperate to free Milah from his clutches, Killian finds himself ensnared in one of Gold’s infamous deals. In exchange for Milah’s freedom, Killian must carry out a dangerous mission that puts him on a collision course with Emma Swan, a sharp and determined agent for a secretive government force.

Into the Parallel by CSColifer

Emma and Killian are Travelers with and ability to travel through time and across parallel realms. A chance meeting will change their lives forever.

Cann I Be Your Werewolf? by @belovedcreation

After a particularly nasty encounter with a criminal, bounty hunter Emma Swan's friend convinces her to adopt a guard dog from the shelter. Little does she know that the massive dog she brings home is really the werewolf Killian Jones, who's laying low in wolf form to hide from danger.

Heart Bound by @4getfulimaginator2022

CS historical AU (mid-19th century), real world setting, teacher!Emma and artist!Killian. After years of private tutoring, Emma goes to teach in a village by the sea in a desperate bid to escape her heartbreak and the outside world. She thinks that she'll always be lonely and out of place, but the local lighthouse keeper, a fellow recluse and the town outcast, makes her see that she is right where she belongs.

Animal Instincts by @hookswench

Killian Jones noticed the moment Emma Nolan walked into the tavern. She was innocent... and she was trouble. As a lone wolf, he wanted no part of her pack politics. But when rival Neal Cassidy attacks, Killian can't just stand by. One quick escape later, and Killian finds himself alone with temptation. And Emma isn't one to back down from what she wants.

The Secret Romance by CaptainSwan02

Emma Swan and Killian Jones have been hiding their relationship for a while now, not wanting anyone to find out. The two have navigated treacherous waters and clandestine meetings, all to keep their love hidden from prying eyes. But as their feelings deepen and the challenges they face grow, the strain of their secret weighs heavily on them.

haunted by the ghost of you by @exhaustedpirate

Killian is cursed - cursed to lose Emma over and over again. He is doomed to live, to lose his love forever until he can break it.

For All Life and For All Time by @snowbellewells

Having lost her dearest friend and with her own life on the line, Emma Swan joins a noble band to face an ancient evil. Three of them stand by her in honor of the one they loved and lost. The other might be the first man she could love. He might love her as well - even more than life itself. Time will tell... if they both survive the fight against their immortal enemy.

Pan Says... (13/13) by @hollythecurious

After waking up in a strange room with a naked stranger, Emma and Killian must endure the twisted game their kidnapper insists they play in order to gain provisions and avoid punishments.

Flight 815 (3/?) by @honey77bun

Emma moved into a new, incomprehensible world for her, in 1986. What to do? Unclear. And in this chapter, she'll have to find the strength to figure out what the hell is going on.

Too Well Tangled (12/21) by @myfearless-love

Killian Jones, the enigmatic Marquess of Hookstone, has more than earned his sinister sobriquet, the "Prince of Darkness." His past, a stormy mosaic of rejection and rebellion, has forged a man both feared and revered. Yet, the indomitable Miss Nolan proves an unexpectedly formidable opponent for his infamous charm.

Dracula in Storybrooke (6/?) by @grimmswan

“You don’t seem to be a vampire like the ones Dracula made.” Emma said softly, tracing her fingertips along Killian’s jaw. They were laying in bed. Holding one another. Gazing at each other lovingly.

Yet another villain had tried to tear them apart. And had failed. 

Not Broken At All (17/?) by @donteattheappleshook

A season 1 Neverland AU. Emma is still trying to adjust to her new life as Sheriff of Storybrooke and mom to Henry, who still believes everyone in town is a fairytale creature. When she finds a badly beaten, one handed man while patrolling, she’s convinced he’s crazy. But when Henry is suddenly taken out the window of a house everyone believes is haunted, the madman in the hospital might be her only hope of getting her son back. Whether he likes it or not.

I’ll Wait a Lifetime or Two by @hookedonapirate

At forty, Emma Swan is living her best life. She's happily single and owns a thriving art gallery with her best friend Elsa. And of course, there's the love of her life, her teenage son, Henry. Since the divorce three years ago, her carefully curated life has been quiet, peaceful, ordinary. So why does the one guy she ends up falling for have to be the rockstar her son has a poster of on his bedroom wall, whose life is nothing short of extraordinary?

Independence Day by @whimsicallyenchantedrose

With the Black Fairy defeated and the final battle won, Storybrooke is enjoying it's happily ever after and trying to make new memories. Emma has some exciting news for Killian.

Timeless (4/?) by @killiansprincss

Season 3 divergence - When Zelenas time portal works, Henry wakes up alone in Storybrooke and must travel to the Enchanted Forest to get his family back. Only once he gets there he quickly realises its not like the one in his book, theres no Evil Queen and his mother Emma wasn't put through a wardrobe, theres even a poster inviting the entire kingdom to her engagement ball, to Hook. What will happen once Henry gets them to break this new curse and they get their memories back?

@caught-in-the-filter @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 @the-darkdaughter-blog @teamhook @justanother-unluckysoul @karlyfr13s   @snowbellewells @xarandomdreamx @klynn-stormz @omninerdgirl   @facesiousbutton82 @finmnsoh56  @followbatb @killianxswan @booksteaandtoomuchtv @exhaustedpirate @anmylica @hollyethecurious @winterbaby89 @undercaffinatednightmare @resident-of-storybrooke @tiganasummertree @stahlords @darkshadow7 @fleurdepetite @captainswan-kellie @motherkatereloyshipper @soniccakes @jonesfandomfanatic @zaharadessert @bluewildcatfanatic @once-upon-a-happy-end @ultraluckycatnd @spartanguard

[pruneunfair]

Manhwas except the villainess is the protagonist.

Groundhog Duchess, FL: Rhyse Sinclair. Tone: psychological horror (Not your typical reincarnation story)

Rhyse has achieved everything she could've ever wanted, she found a loving family, she has supporting friends, the woman who schemed for her downfall is dead, and now she's married to her husband Cliff as the new Duchess Rudwick! Until she woke up in her bed, the dates set back to where she started, living in her abusive family home where she laments that it was just a dream.. and then her dream comes true! Finally, she's achieved the happiness her dream foretold. Right after her wedding night she wakes back up, in her childhood home with her abusive family. It keeps happening over and over, no one believes Rhyse when she tries to speak out. There's something pulling the strings, something keeping her from speaking on her accord. She begins to avoid the Rudwicks, hoping that it would end this teasing nightmare but no matter where she goes, she always ends right back into Cliff and Killians arms, back to being tormented by Edith, back to a life that will always be taken away from her right when she's at her highest and with each passing time, she starts to lose more of herself and becoming more and more spiteful and bitter. Will Rhyse finally be able to put an end to this cycle and achieve a happy ending that lasts forever with her unexpected ally?

the flowers from another world, protagonists: Robelia and Aisha Tone: Comedy (Divorcing my tyrant husband)

Aisha had it all. She was the pampered consort of the tyrannical Alexandros and on her way to becoming the next empress, a major improvement from her boring life in Korea. She never wanted to leave, that is until mysteriously all the love and attention she would bask in has disappeared.

The once quiet and obedient empress Robelia was all of a sudden Alexandros love again! One by one Aisha starts to lose everything, all her allies turned on her and none of her endeavors had a chance to succeed not to mention Robelia has been nothing but insufferable the entire time. When Aisha finally confronts Robelia on her sudden change in behavior the two argue further until Alexandros shows up. Much to Aishas dismay, he only assists Robelia but somethings odd.. Robelia doesn't seem to be enjoying ANY of the attention..? Huh, odd. Who wouldn't want to be adored by a man who would do ANYTHING for you? Well it turns out Robelia is also from the same world as Aisha and she's been acting the way she has so she can divorced and live away from the nobles. The women come to an understanding in their commin goal and as frenimies they go on misadventure after misadventure to restore Aishas plot powers so Robelia can easily get divorced and leave. But the more time Aisha spends with Robelia, the more she sees from her point or view and she starts to wonder if Alexandros is even worth it?.

Two birds on a wire, FL: Claudine Van Brandt, tone: drama+tragedy (cry or better yet beg)

As far as Claudine could remember she was reminded that everyone has a destiny to fulfill in the aristocracy and hers was to marry and bear heirs. All Claudine really wanted in life was a carefree one where she got to live in luxury and enjoy the finest of all so to please her family and live her ideal life at the same time, she chooses a long time acquaintance, the Duke of Berg, Matthias Herhardt. Despite her fiancé's strange behavior Claudine was fine with how things were until she starts to notice Matthias take an interest in someone else.. the niece of one his employees and a girl she knew back then: Layla Llewellyn. Suddenly everything begins to feel as if it's falling apart. Claudine guaranteed luxurious life is now at stake and she's willing to do what it takes to achieve it! But what about Layla? No, why should she care? She's the one who's wreaking Claudines home, if she'll become collateral damage then she deserves it for flirting with someone else's man.. until she learns of what kind of psychological damage Matthias is inflicting on Layla, Claudine terrified now: if she marries that man then who knows what he'll put her through, screw her luxurious life and her families desires she needs to escape now!.. but not before she breaks Matthias and Layla up and free the poor girl she wrongfully accused, that is if Claudine isn't already too late.

the human saintess, FL: Diana tone: romance+ self growth (For my derelict favorite)

Diana is a saintess of common origins, with no one reconginizing her due to her lack of status a miracle in the form of two handsome men grant her the chance to finally use her healing powers for the good of the common folk, all seems well until one of her friends Cael reveals that he killed their enemies for her in the name of love. It seemed sensible at the time that she rejected him harshly and told him to leave. With only one man left she chooses Helios as her husband and becomes the crown princess. Now that she's a noble, Diana must learn how to act as one even if it means restricting some of her power to the poor. All Diana wants is to be accepted, to finally receive some payment after all that hardwork she'll even ignore news on Cael if she has to, he must be doing better anyway now right?. Well, not exactly. By ignoring any news about him Diana never realized that Cael had attempted suicide more than once, but what could she do? By the time she finds out she also learns that Caelus is married so it should all be fine.. until Caelus's new wife Hestia keeps harassing her for her faults, she just won't leave! But Diana can't say anything, she's the saintess! She HAS to be good.. but to who? The nobles or the commoners? Why can't it just easy for once!?

Slowly but surely, Diana will learn that even if she's a saintess, she's still a person and as a person, she makes mistakes, some big and some small. If she wants to get any better she has to make things right. Starting with the people she neglected below.

into the dark forever, FL: Marianne Edenverre, tone: self destruction.

All her childhood Marianne had been nothing but bad fortune. Her mother treated her terribly and even living as the 5th princess did little to differentiate from her previous homelife. All her new half siblings refuse to treat her as human for her status as an illegitimate child except for the 4th princess Alisa, the bright bundle of joy that made her feel welcome.However, a single person cannot make up for the mistreatment, especially if that person is the star of the family. Why can't Marianne have that? Who does Alisa even think she is!? Is she taunting her? Marianne won't stand for that disrespect, she suffered enough hasn't she? When is she gonna get her paid her dues? If God won't pay her then she'll just have to steal it herself so Marianne summons a demon to give her the help she needs. All of a sudden, everyone loves her! She's the star of the show and now Alisa is the scapegoat, finally, now the 4th princess will know what it feels like to be ostracized but when that doesn't work, Marianne decides to just arrange her death instead. There, no more Alisa, she's finally the most adored girl in Edenverre... wait, Alisa has been reincarnated into the princess of a enemy empire? Well Marianne can't let that stand idly by, she needs to get rid of Aisha de Elmire now, no matter what it may cost.

Project Leila, FL: Yvonne Eckart, tone: coming of age tragedy.

After getting lost during a festival, Yvonne loses her not just her brothers and father but her sense of self, she had been possessed by the goddess Leila and its been relentless in its pursuit to possess her. Yvonne waited and waited for her father to come and find her, she wouldn't let Leila break her spirit but when she finds her father taking another girl in as her replacement, Yvonnes heart drops and she almost loses all hope and Leila almost succeeds.. but Yvonne is able to snap out of it at the nick of time, it was a close call but the pain of abandonment never did go away. During the remaining years, Yvonne never bothered to go back home anymore, they seemed to like that purple haired girl anyway and surprisingly Leila wasn't so bad to talk to as it was the perfect being to vent to. Day by day Leila keeps trying to trick Yvonne into letting it possess her but she always stands her ground and declares that she'll never affiliate herself with the likes of the goddess. But when Yvonne is found and arrives on Penelopes coming of age ceremony, it becomes tempting. All Yvonne saw was the girl who stole her life but the real monsters may have been more close to home then she thought. Just how toxic did her family become and will she be able to resist Leilas temptation?

The concubines woes, FL: Diane Poitier, tone: female rage+self reflection (I will abdicate my title as empress)

Diane Poitier had been a patient girl. After losing everything at a young age she had been determined to never let that happen again when she becomes the Emperors concubine. He has no wife, she's is the owner of the Ivory palace, and she resembles his deceased mother, the cards should have all fell in place, but they never do. The Emperor instead marries the crown princess Adelaide of Kotrov. Just like that Diane feels everything crashing down around her so she makes an enemy out of Adelaide, belittling her and trying to drive a wedge between the new married couple so she can return to the escapism of knowing she's the Emperors one and only. Yet with all the grievances she causes, Adelaide never sees Diane as an enemy, if anything the empress is the kindest to her then anyone else has ever been, one side of Diane wants to keep pushing until Adelaide snaps but the other is weeping so much it can't come up with the words. Why is she even doing this? What will this get her? Will the Emperor even marry her at all when he gets divorced? Why is she being this way to the one woman who has shown her kindess?These are the nagging questions the keep Diane up at night.

Divorcing your husband, FL: Sumin Jeong, tone: comedy (Marry my husband)

Sumin will never admit it but she's been a snake in the grass for most of her life, she can't stand seeing her friend Jiwon happier than her so what better way to ruin her life then to sleep with her husband while Jiwon is terminally ill? Well.. Karma inevitably catches up to Sumin and she is killed by the very same man she slept with after he accidently murdered Jiwon to eliminate any witnesses. Instead of waking up in heaven or hell, Sumin is back 10 years ago! Does she even deserve this? Of course she does! How could someone so deserving like her not? It turns out though that she lost a little something along the way.. her charisma! It's been stolen the moment Jiwon died and when Minhwan killed her. Without her cutesy baby act no man will just crumble when she says "Oppa!" Sumin actually has to work for what she wants now, and the only 2 men who are still willing to adore her are her killer and older co worker who has a thing for her childish talk, jeez were her co workers always this terrible? Whatever, she'll play into Minhwans hand for the time being.. after all, she could use a little life insurance from him.

Golden cage, FL: Rashta Ishka, tone:tragedy+female rage (remarried empress)

The tragic tales of a girl sold into slavery and the men who take advantage of her. Most strived for beauty but Rashta hated it, her beauty was a curse and it drew in all predators who wanted to take a bite out of her. The first man who fell for her was one of her masters who currently raises their child, the second is the Emperor of the empire who loves her like a hunter loves their trophies they caught and the third is the most charming yet manipulative of them all. During the duration of one year, Rashta navigates the life of a concubine and later empress. The ladies in waiting hate her for displacing their empress, the men desire her for her innocent beauty, her former master blackmails her, and her idol: the empress won't even turn an eye to her direction, her only hope is to keep going with her role of the prey Sovieshu caught. Keep acting cute, keep speaking in 3rd person, she doesn't even have to learn much etiquette if it means Sovieshu will find it charming. Slowly, she is picked apart by everyone in her life and the only people who could've helped her have been pushed away. There's no saving Rashta, she's already trusted too many of the wrong people and made too many mistakes but maybe when her children grow up and learn their mothers story they'll be the voice to put an end to slavery and grant the next generation the future she always wanted.

Aim for the throne, FL: Isabella de Mare, tone: suspenseful drama (Sister I am the queen in this life)

Isabella may be her families favorite but that alone isn't enough. She knows her worth as a woman only means so much and as much as she loved her mother, she refused to end up like her as a de-facto wife of a mere cardinal. No, if she only mattered for her beauty than Isabella was going to use it to it's fullest: she wants to become queen of San Carlo, but when her half sister Ariande comes to live with the family, the new competitor meant buisness and had already earned their fathers favor much to Isabellas annoyance. What was supposed to be a subtle warning is quickly figured out and it turns out Ariande isn't as dumb as Isabella thought. Throughout the years that follow, both sisters clash and plot to rise up the ranks. Isabella becomes a renowned beauty engaged to prince Alfonso and Ariande becomes reserved but most devoted to her religious studies, earning her privileges with the clergy. This has been Isabellas most formidable foe yet and she's willing to go to lengths of murder to secure her destiny as queen of San Carlo. Little does she know.. the golden rule cares little about beauty.

Black widow, FL: Krista, tone: thriller drama (remarried empress)

Out of all the ways it could have happened why this?, Krista was already deposed of her position of queen as expected when her husband died but with her positive reputation with the people and her brother in law remaining single, Krista was confident she'd stay as the beloved queen of the west. Oh, Heinrey brought in the former empress of the east to be his wife? Well she can't be shocked, the kingdom does need heirs after all, Heinreys starting to establish his fiancé as queen already? It's fine.. maybe he'll let her stay with them instead of sending to her to compshire to mourn for the rest of her life besides, she'll always have her loyal ladies in waiting. Wait no.. most of them are already defecting from Krista to the new queen.

Krista is losing everything and her foolish family isn't helping her case, all she has left is the peoples support for her but even that is fleeting!? What? Of course.. his majesty has stated he'd fill the mouths of those disrespectful to the new queen with rocks and sew it shut, it must've scared everyone into submission. Everything is on line now, Krista's father is continuously pushing buttons he shouldn't be pushing and when Krista's brother attempts to kill Navier, all fingers point to her as his accomplice. If Krista wants to clear her name she's gonna have to play the hard way and put on an act like she's loyal to Heinreys new wife and hope that the Heinrey doesn't execute her to protect Navier.

[grimmswan]

Love Bites (But So Do I) part 5

Captain Swan Supernatural Summer @cssns

In his search to find a way to make Emma his again, as well as do away with her werewolf lover, Neal learned of a witch that would create a potion for anything a being desired.

For the right price, of course.

“I need three potions. One to kill a werewolf. One to make the woman I want desire me again. And one that will allow me to sneak up to them and administer the first two.”

“That which you desire comes with a high price. Are you willing to pay it?”

Neal didn’t care what the price was. It was well worth it if it meant destroying his rival and having Emma back.

But he started second guessing things when it wasn’t gold the witch wanted, but half of his strength and his vampire speed.

He was barely able to defend himself with his abilities fully intact. If he were weakened, he would not stand a chance in a confrontation.

Neal went through with the transaction. Certain that once Killian was dead, and Emma was in love with him again, he would have nothing to worry about.

The witch crushed some herbs over Neal’s head and muttered a few words. A green smoke emerged from his mouth, drifting to an empty vial that the witch quickly put a cork into once it was full.

Payment made, the witch went to her cupboard and retrieved the potions Neal desired.

Holding up a vial that glowed yellow, the witch said, “Before you enter the property of your former lover and her beast, pour this over yourself. They will be unable to smell or hear you coming.” Holding up a glowing blue vial, she continued, “This potion will render any being powerless for three minutes.” Holding up the third vial, that switched from black to red, and back to black, the witch cautioned. “I would suggest you throw the vials at your attended targets at the same time, and act fast. The third potion will make your desired beauty forget everything and become your mindless slave, but only if she is away from everything that would remind her of her past.

Not wanting to waste any time, Neal rushed to the grand home Emma and Killian shared.

Just as he was on the edge of the property, Neal poured the first potion over himself.

He believed the best course was to climb around the outside of the building, peeking in through each window in order to discover which room the couple resided in.

Taking them by surprise was the only way he would accomplish what he wanted to do.

When Neal discovered the window he needed, he was overcome with rage. Inside, he saw Emma on the bed being taken by the werewolf. Though at that moment he was in his human form.

 She was positioned on her hands and knees. He was behind her, his grip tight on her hips as he pounded into her.

Neal did not believe she could actually be enjoying such force, but her moans showed that she did.

She would be moaning for him soon enough, he vowed. He would make her pay for all of the trouble she had caused him.

In fact, he decided that he would deny her any pleasure until she had properly and thoroughly made all of the suffering he went through up to him. As well as apologize for allowing herself to be touched by such a beast.

Neal fantasized about making Emma use her mouth, and only her mouth on him. He would not even allow her to touch herself until she showed that she was truly sorry for walking for all that she had done.

He shook himself out of his imaginings.  

Now was the best time to attack. While they were distracted. He just needed to break through the glass and douse them with the potions.

He would finally be able to kill Killian and have Emma obedient and all to himself.

But just as he put his hands on the glass, electric currents were sent coursing through Neal’s body. He screamed in agony. It felt as if his entire body was on fire.

The sack with the potions dropped to the ground, shattering the bottles inside. 

When the torment finally ended, Neal discovered he had been thrown to the street.

 Looking at his hands he discovered the tips of his fingers were blackened like ash. His once glossy nails had disintegrated. Checking the rest of himself over, he saw that his clothes were ruined. They were completely covered in burns and holes. Too much of his skin was on display and it looked red and charred.

With so much damage to his body, Neal knew he had to quickly get back to his home to recover. 

If a person of authority saw him, they would ask questions he would be unable to answer.

He knew he was not supposed to be anywhere near Emma or Killian. One more offense to the pair and the council would declare Neal a nuisance. Meaning he would be fair game for other supernatural beings to attack.

And if he were attacked at that moment, he would not have the ability to run away fast enough. 

He was self aware enough to know that he did not have any ability to defend himself.

But it was too late. Killian, in his beast form, emerged from the estate and came straight at Neal.

Powerful jaws ripped the pervert apart. Neal screamed in a mixture of fear and agony as massive claws dug into his flesh, tearing away a large chunk with every swipe. The massive werewolf foot was clawed and impressively strong. The full weight of the beast pressed down on Neal’s groin. Razor sharp claws sunk into the soft flesh. With only the slightest movement, the clawed foot tore away the appendage the creep was so fond of.

“I’m not going to kill you now.” Killian rumbled. “I want you to suffer knowing that while you are writhing in agony as your body is recovering, I will be making Emma’s body writhe in pleasure.”

He kicked the mess of the vampire into a nearby gutter, off of the street and out of the way of vehicles and pedestrians.

Neal was forced to recover among the insects and vermin. With half of his vampire strength gone, it would take him twice as long to heal.

Killian returned to his and Emma’s bedchamber, shirtless, covered in blood and sweat.

Emma’s eyes glowed green with desire as she gazed at her lover. Every inch of him was masculine male. And she loved that she could call him, hers.

Though he had only been gone a few minutes, she had missed him terribly. Everything felt cold and lonely without Killian holding her.

Emma had felt so empty when Killian had withdrawn from her to deal with their nuisance.

When they realized that their security system, one especially designed to guard against supernatural beings, had been triggered, Killian had insisted on going to investigate.

Emma’s pleasure was important to him, but her safety was even more so.

She could tell it was torture for him to leave her side. But he took his responsibilities to her seriously, and his code of honor would never allow him to ignore any threat to her.

He was so good to her. She wanted to do everything in her power to show him how grateful she was for his affection and protection.

She watched him hungrily as he moved to the water basin and removed his pants.

When he reached for a wet cloth, Emma realized he intended to wash before returning to their bed.

With vampire speed, she moved behind him. She trailed one hand down his chest as she slid her tongue over his neck.

“Let me get you clean. I promise to make it enjoyable.”

“I don't doubt that, love.” Killian returned with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. “A man would have to be mad to turn down the chance to have you touch him.”

She guided him to the bed and laid him on his back.

A relaxed sigh escaped Killian’s lips as Emma ran her lips and fingers over his skin.

“I love your scent,” she confessed to him. “I especially love how you smell after you've been in a fight. I love licking the blood and sweat from your skin. You taste so good.”

She finished her sentence by licking a long stripe up his length.

“Bloody hell, Swan! You have the best technique for getting a man clean!” He moaned, gripping the sheets so he didn't stop her from doing whatever she wanted to do.

He had a strong feeling that whatever she intended, he would enjoy it.

Hours later, Killian wasn’t close to being clean. But he didn't care. He felt too good to care about anything other than the naked blonde writhing her body against his.

She had begged him to allow her to pleasure him with her mouth. In return, he had begged her to position herself so he could use his mouth on her.

Loving her scent, her taste, the way her silken petals felt as he slid his tongue through them, Killian feasted on her with ravenous hunger.

The more pleasure he gave her, the more she moaned, which in turn created more pleasure for him.

It was an endless cycle of bliss. Both sent the other to paradise, where they took each other to the stars again and again.

But as good as they made each other feel with just their mouths, they both needed to connect in every possible way.

Killian grabbed Emma’s hips, pushing them down with one hand with the other arm wrapped around her waist, lifting her to press her back against his chest. 

With amazing ease, he slid himself into her heat. They both moaned at being connected at the most primal level.

“Bloody hell, love, how do you feel better and better every time I’m inside you.” Killian groaned.

He moved his hands over her body, taking special care to stroke her breasts, then slowly moving lower.

One hand reached her clit. He continuously caressed the red pearl, wanting to give her as much pleasure as possible.

With him touching her just the way she wanted, Emma was barely able to stay in rhythm. Not that it mattered. She gave Killian exactly what he needed when she came around him, crying out his name in her euphoria.

Keeping his fingers on her fold, he tightened his arms around her waist, and pumped savagely into her until they were fully sated.

They collapsed on the bed, kissing and caressing one another, whispering words of love and praise until they drifted to sleep, held tenderly in eachothers arms.

Outside, in the gutter, the only moans coming from Neal were those of severe agony.

[elisacaleisa]

I ACCIDENTALLY DELETED THE TUMBLR ANSWER FOR MY REDACTED OCS INBOX QUESTION AND IM SO SORRY FOR THAT. I KNOW WHO R U WERE ASKER @vind3miat0r

BUT UH YEAH HERE THOSE ARE MY REDACTED OCS

I got ton of them as you see. So here are some I worked on the most: Edge, Natal, Alioth, Bliss. Also Elaine and Jakub!

Edge (xe/he/they) (real name: Cahya Rifai) is a Graviton Energetic, who used to be an antagonist towards FL, due to his once existing friendship with Kody. Xe used to be an asshole to them at first, because of Kody's lies, gaslight and manipulation. After being confronted, FL also learned that he is a Bridging victim as well and tell him the actual truth. When xe learn that, xe confronts Kody and after an argument and potential fight(?), xe ends the friendship and apologizes to FL, like ton of times, even after FL says they forgave him.

Edge is an omnisexual (w male pref.) polyamory demiboy, who looks like a jerk, but is actually just a big space and car nerd with anxiety and autism. And Edge is actually taken as well! He is in a relation with my partner's oc, who is an air elemental, my friend's freelancer healer oc and Alioth, my incubus oc! Xe also has a pet kitten, calling her Miss Angelica.

MORE OCS HERE

(Also side note, Natal actually had two last names, but the first one was crossed from documents, as he never wanted to be refered as.)

Natal Shaw (18) (used to be Costales) (he/him) is a humanborn (cis male, gay asexual) werewolf, that was abused and ran away from home when he was 14. Homeless until 17, where he got imprisoned by D.U.M.P. for breaking covert by recording videos of magical abilities and inversion (from the outside, he was a witness only) and uploading them on the internet. As he wasn't trained to even shift properly without hurting himself, David was sent to the D.U.M.P. to teach him and take care of him, until he is capable of doing it himself (or when he is 18). These two had a very rocky start, as Natal was very mean and an asshole to everyone. David, Asher, Milo, the listeners, . love. After like a year, Angel and David adopted Natal as their own kid and he became a part of the family, changing his name.

---

Alioth, named after a star in Ursa Majora, is a young (25), incubus (bigender queer) (he/she) (younger than Gavin), who is very into fashion, works at Build-a-Bear in a human disguise and is very preppy (I'd say). He is also one of Edge's boyfriends (also is also dating mentioned air elemental and freelancer healer, even before Edge was part of their polyamory!!)

Alioth is very talented at shapeshifting magic, unfortunately to the point he becomes obsessed with changing himself to please everyone so much he lost his sense of identity once, which terrified Gavin, who then left. Alioth used to be a big fan of Gavin's, following him everywhere, asking him questions, throwing compliments, etc., while Gavin wasn't very much into that HAHSHjdjsns. After they reunite, they have some unstable friendship, arguments, blah blah blah, they apologize to each other, learn about boundaries around shapeshifting and become actual friends! Yay! Unfortunately, Alioth still suffers from losing control over shapeshifting, HEHE.

---

Bliss Killian (18) (any prns) (pangender pansexual) is an energetic freelancer, who is so positive (and people pleasing) its actually toxic and currently, he is learning to deal with depression, while coping and regulate their emotions in a healthier way. They actually go to a different academy, which is stricter than D.A.M.N. and they have issues with their energetic powers, as it feels like they're not listening to him and they do whatever they want. Their mom was an asshole and deceased, they dont know their dad, they broke up with their ex (friend's werewolf oc, same age as Bliss and Natal.) who they still love, it's wild for them HSHSJS.

[laylaswriting]

Bloodstream Chapter IX. - Pirate

MASTERPOST | Ao3 | Wattpad Title: Bloodstream Chapter IX. - Pirate Pairing: Killian Jones x fem!reader Word count: 1.6k Warnings: none Tags: drama, angst, mutual pining/tension Synopsis: Hook confronts reader about last night's events. A/N: I'm sorry I made you guys wait for so long. I got very insecure about this story and was not sure if I'll even publish the updates. The story will follow reader's story more in the future episodes and will include more backstory, so I'm sorry if that's not your cup of tea. I hope you'll still enjoy ❤

The next morning, she woke up with a terrible headache, like thousands of hammers were banging on her brain at the same time. She slowly blinked her eyes open to see her crewmates still sound asleep. It was still fairly dark; the sun didn’t rise above the horizon yet.

She decided to take a breath of fresh air, hoping it would ease the unpleasant feeling of being hangover for the first time in her life. She slowly walked onto the deck where she could only see Mr. Smee at the wheel. She nodded his way and he mirrored the gesture but they didn’t speak a word.

The chilly morning breeze caused a shiver to run down her spine as she stepped to the railing of the Jolly Roger, looking out at the seemingly endless sea. The first rays of sunshine shimmered on the water’s surface, painting the dark blue ocean in all shades of red and orange.

She heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching the deck, coming from the captain’s cabin. She didn’t turn for a second – her feelings were all so mixed in her head. She wanted to confront him, to ask him all the questions she had in her mind. She wanted to earn some kind of reaction out of him. But after a short while she turned towards the sound of the voice, straightening her back before she spoke.

“Good morning, Captain.”

“Morning sailor” he replied with no emotion on his face. She mirrored his expression. “Don’t you have tasks to take care of?”

She opened and closed her mouth before she replied with a nod, averting her gaze from him.

“Then I recommend you get to them if you want to stay on the ship.” Without anything else left to say, he headed towards the quarterdeck to take the wheel from Mr. Smee, who then started with his daily tasks. His words cut through her skin and straight to her heart.

She headed down to the small kitchen area and started to organize the things in there. She kept stock of all the food they had – therefore she knew they had to stop by somewhere to get more supplies soon. Their food wasn’t going to last much longer.

That knowledge and his words from this morning settled in her brain and the fear of being abandoned in a random town made her worry grow by the moment. Would he really do that?

That night on the quarterdeck he said he wouldn’t just toss her out from the crew. But what if he changed his mind? What if she really was more of a burden than a useful addition to the crew? The thoughts in her head were so loud she didn’t even notice that Ribs entered the small kitchen only when his huge hands landed on her back in a gentle pat. At least he meant it to be gentle.

“You’re early, little man! Couldn’t sleep again?”

“You know it” she replied with a sad smile. He smiled back at her and grabbed the biggest pot off the ground. They didn’t speak much after that, but it wasn’t an awkward silence. It was a comfortable, warm silence between friends where they felt good in each other’s company without the need to say anything.

The days went by mostly the same – she thought. It was strange, the thrill and excitement of life as a sailor - a pirate -, washed away by the monotone daily tasks on the ship. She didn’t mind it per se, it just felt odd to think about how “normal” as a concept can change for a person so fast.

Chatter and the sound of footsteps filled the air as everyone else was getting up after a long night out and started to perform their duties. She said hi to James who also was battling a violent headache after one too many sips of rum last night. She chuckled and helped her friend out. Mr. Smee and the Captain were barking orders left and right at the crew, they needed to change directions and align the sails.

As she was pulling on the rope, she suddenly felt a hand wrap around her own and pulled with her. For a second, she didn’t register who it belonged to but after she saw the rings on his finger and his black shirt, her heart skipped a beat.

“I want to talk to you” he said in a low voice. She only replied with a nod and after she fastened the rope to its spot she followed after him into his cabin. Her heart stammered against her ribcage as she sluggishly moved towards the cabin. She hasn’t stepped a foot in there since that night.

It looked and felt the same, the smell of old parchment, paper and leather filled her nose as she stood against the door. He was looking at a map on the table, but she knew he wasn’t really paying attention to that. Nobody said a word for what felt like eternity.

“Look, I-“ she started, not knowing exactly what to say but he interrupted her.

“That song. You said your mother taught it to you?” He looked up from the map and she felt his eyes pierce through her soul. Lately she didn’t afford the luxury to make long eye contact with him, because every time she did her heart dropped into her stomach and this time was no exception.

“Well, she didn’t teach me. She just sang it to me when I couldn’t fall asleep as a child. I was very small when she died” she said, making a pause and swallowing hard to keep her tears at bay. “It’s one of my only memories of her.” There was a moment of silence after her reply, Hook just stood next to the table and stared at it.

“How did she meet your father?”

“What’s going on?” She asked and crossed her arms. Hook mirrored the gesture as he looked at her without saying anything for a moment. This whole scene was so strange – she thought. What was going on with him?

“Your mother. Was she a sailor? Your grandfather maybe? Where did she learn this song?”

“What? No. My mother, she lived all her life in our town.” Her heartbeat fastened at the implications behind his question. She got more confused by the second and just wanted answers about all this. What was so special about this song? “She could’ve heard it from some travelers.”

“That’s very unlikely.” He shook his head. “Your father lived there all his life as well?”

“Yes.” Her patience was growing thinner by the second.

“Maybe he lied.”

“What are you implying?!” She snapped, putting her arms on her hips while her eyes were throwing daggers at Hook. “That my father is a liar? That my mother was a pirate?! Because of one song?” She almost spat the word pirate, which made him close the gap between them with huge leaps and the next thing she knew was his arm next to her head, his body almost flushed against hers.

“Now-now, is being a pirate so bad?” He sneered, raising his hook next to her head. She felt her hand tremble and she wasn’t sure if it was because she was scared or because his presence made her head spin. “The lady didn’t seem to mind all this time, freeloading on my ship, eating my food, sleeping in my bed!”

His voice was roaring and it echoed back from the walls. He put his hook under her chin and lifted her head to match his gaze. His eyes were piercing into hers and she wanted to avert her look but she couldn’t. She was so angry at him – but she was also scared. Scared of being alone, losing her family once again. Losing him forever. No matter how angry she was at him or how distant he was, in the back of her mind she knew she wanted him close.

“That is not what I meant” she breathed as her heartbeat rose to the skies above.

“I’m sure you didn’t, love. If it’s so awful for you here, feel free to hop off next town. Shouldn’t be more than a few days.” He stepped away from her and opened the door of his cabin, signaling for her to leave. She swallowed the lump in her throat and headed to the deck with quick steps. Some curious sets of eyes were glued to her, but she paid no attention to them. She felt nauseous from the events that just unfolded, tears prickling her eyes from being so overwhelmed with emotion.

She stood next to James and leaned against the railing, gripping it so hard her knuckles turned white.

“Are you alright?” He asked as he put one of his hands on her shoulder.

“Splendid” she replied when they heard a voice coming from the quarterdeck. It was Hook.

“Get to work lads, we are headed towards a port at full sails! If all goes well, we should arrive in a day or two!” He gestured at the crew with his good arm and put his hook on his belt. His eyes scanned the deck and they lingered on her, his gaze piercing through her skull. James squeezed her shoulder and she averted her gaze.

The captain then left the quarterdeck and went back to the cabin, slamming its door behind him. She let out a shaky breath then went back to her duties. She was preparing to say goodbye to her friends once they hit the shore.

[priscilla9993]

Chess Allusions: Pawn Parallels

Rogers: “So you can use [her info] as leverage against [Belfrey]?”

Weaver: “Well that’s how this game works, Detective.”

Talking in the park, Weaver and Rogers both want the information that Tilly knows, the kind that causes Victoria to feel threatened, enough to blackmail Weaver with Tilly’s imprisonment and some CCTV footage of his misdeeds. Although both detectives covet finding and questioning Tilly for what she knows, their motives differ. 

Weaver has a “means to an end” approach, valuing Tilly only when she can be useful in his schemes. His selfish nature sides with his freedom and power over her wellbeing, and he’s okay with that. Tilly might be his informant with the ‘best eyes and ears in Hyperion Heights’, but at the end of the day, she’s replaceable, someone worth losing if it means he gains a stepping stone in the long game against taking down Victoria Belfrey.

Rogers: “Is that all this girl is to you and Belfrey? A pawn? Then why don’t we split up, since one of us actually wants to help her?”

But to Rogers, who doesn’t even know Tilly at this point, he sees Victoria and Weaver’s game as something where people win at the expense of somebody else and goes into full papa bear mode. Rogers wants to help Weaver as a partner and wage justice against Victoria, but not at the cost of using Tilly. He sees Tilly as a vulnerable person caught in the crossfire of a game they didn’t even know they were playing, rather than a soldier in a chess match, and wants to talk to her on equal terms. 

His opinion of Tilly being a bit off kilter but innocent at heart only strengthens when Weaver, in the hospital, unexpectedly pardons her of assumed criminal charges, telling Rogers an obvious lie about a masked robber being the one who shot the gun. Upon meeting Tilly outside of the hospital room, Rogers sees a confused, distraught, and guilt ridden young woman playing a game of chess alone. He tells her the facts with a kind opinion, “Look, you weren’t in your right frame of mind. He doesn’t blame you.” They build up an acquaintance and the budding start of a camaraderie over chess.

However, this all changes when the monster that is Gothel/the fire nation arrives Eloise Gardener gets into the playing field. Victoria and Drizella play cat and mouse, Weaver uses Tilly in a game of lies, and Rogers tries to make sense of things, inadvertently rescuing Gothel, the big bad spider.

Rogers to Weaver: You lied! And you made Tilly lie. Why did you do that?!

Weaver: Because you don't know what's going on around here... But I did it for one reason: to protect you from your bloody self.

(gratuitous physical violence scene bc I love the dynamic)

What Rumple could mean by ‘bloody self’ could be that Rogers lets his temper cloud his judgment first before he goes seeking revenge on/fighting for justice for those who deserve it most. I think that's where Rumple sees the most Killian come out from the supposed "Eagle Scout" detective, stubborn and determined to stick to his guns until he gets to his desired conclusion, which in this case is finding Eloise Gardener (Gothel). 

Rogers defends Tilly, despite only meeting her a few times, going so far as to bodyslam Weaver as he confronts him. However, he loses his respect for her after finding Eloise, where no explanation could outweigh the cost.

Rogers: What do you want?

Tilly: To say I’m sorry about the page. Weaver said it was for the best and I can’t always figure that out for myself.

Rogers: Take a look at what he was covering up. Now tell me, was that for the best? You know what? I understand. I’m just disappointed. You weren’t the person I thought you were.

Rogers is a man of many things, holding grudges being one of them and being rational in the other. The blonde informant had gone so far as to even lie to him about Eloise, dead of all things. As much as he wanted to forgive Tilly, he didn’t know if he could.

At the end of the day, in Rogers’s mind, Eloise needed help, rescue, and emergency aid, something that only happened because of his deep obsession with finding a missing girl from a cold case. And Tilly deterred him from saving a life, unintentional or not.

Roni: “Henry told me about how Weaver used that girl, Tilly.”

Rogers: “Well, it seems to me like she wanted to be a pawn.”

Rogers feels his trust was betrayed and remains disappointed in Tilly. He saw Weaver being a shady bastard from a mile away, but he didn’t expect her to be complicit in Weaver’s dirty schemes. He wanted to believe Tilly was the kind of person who questioned whatever she was told and made her own path on decisions like he did, not so easily roped into following plans, especially ones of slimy bastards like Weaver. If Rogers saw Tilly as an innocent victim of society before, moved around like a pawn, he feels wronged in his judgment and probably thinks she was content to be a sheep to Weaver’s mysterious whims. 

Who was he to believe she could be more than a pawn when she chose to be one?

Luckily, Roni was there to whack the obviously menacing poisoned cake from his hands and knock some sense into him.

Regina as Roni: “You know, people only let themselves be used when they don’t have any other option. How about you give her one?”

Tilly, even if a marmalade sandwich was needed as incentive, had been willingly helpful to his case. The only moment she hadn’t been was when she was under Weaver’s thumb, someone she had known and trusted like a father figure, unlike him who was a stranger in her eyes. People came and went from the older detective’s team, knowledge of informants and detective partners leaving frequently unless they had a special skill set or blackmail hanging over them. If anything, she wasn’t fully to blame.

What Tilly and Rogers can't see until it's too late, being cursed and all, is that they are good natured people afraid of getting hurt, wanting to help others, but unfortunately victims of manipulation, of those with ulterior agendas that use them as playing pieces, making them no better than pawns. 

Roni was right. People like Tilly wouldn’t let themselves be used like pawns if they didn’t have any other option. She had been brave enough to show up to the crime scene to apologize to him in person after what she did, not caring about being forgiven, and he hadn’t even given what she had said a second thought. Knowing Weaver, Rogers would have concluded that the old bastard probably didn’t even give her the entire picture and used her good intentions in an ill manner befitting the man’s deceitful ways, leading her to think it was for the best. 

This leads to Rogers making a step in the right direction. It doesn’t take more than Roni’s small nudge of advice to get him to internally forgive Tilly and go in search of her, eventually offering a chess set to help pass the time with a weekly game and a friend who’d listen if she’d accept. From then on, Rogers and Tilly both grow and begin to trust again, trying to protect the other from getting harmed as the consequence of another’s scheme.

[kmomof4]

A Christmas Surprise- NEW CHAPTER!!

Summary: Elsa Jones enlists her friend Emma Swan to come up with a scheme to surprise her niece Alice Jones when her Papa, Killian, returns from deployment just in time for Christmas.

If you're thinking this fic sounds familiar, you're right! I originally wrote this fic two years ago, but last year an idea came to me of how I could continue the story. It was too close to Christmas last year to get it done, so I wrote this addition last spring and it's been waiting for December to get here so I could post it!! I still think this fic is the cutest thing I've ever written and I hope you enjoy this continuation. The addition turned out to be much too long, so I divided it up into three chs. The next ch will post on Tuesday with the final ch posting next Friday.

On ao3 from the beginning/ current ch

Words: 5225 of 18,550

Rating: G, total Christmas fluff ahead!!!

All the love and thanks to @jrob64 and @snowbellewells for being the best betas out there. I so hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!

Tagging the usuals. Please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed.

@teamhook @winterbaby89 @hollyethecurious @artistic-writer @xarandomdreamx @undercaffinatednightmare @the-darkdragonfly @stahlop @superchocovian @pirateprincessofpizza @tiganasummertree @anmylica @cosette141 @motherkatereloyshipper @zaharadessert @jonesfandomfanatic @ultraluckycatnd @jennjenn615 @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 @kymbersmith-90 @booksteaandtoomuchtv @wistfulcynic @mie779 @lfh1226-linda @aprilqueen84 @whimsicallyenchantedrose @pirateherokillian @elfiola @ilovemesomekillianjones @justanother-unluckysoul @poptart-cat-78 @myfearless-love @goforlaunchcee @searchingwardrobes @gingerpolyglot @gingerchangeling @djlbg @cocohook38 @cs-rylie @thisonesatellite @donteattheappleshook @deckerstarblanche @veryverynotgoodwrites @wefoundloveunderthelight @fleurdepetite @alexa-fangirl-forever @bluewildcatfanatic

@qualitycoffeethings

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it.

Killian Jones sat in the darkness of the giant present in which he was hiding, waiting for his daughter’s Christmas program to begin. He couldn’t wait to see his starfish when he surprised her after she sang her solo this evening. He was proud to serve his country, but the long deployments made things especially difficult. Having Liam and Elsa so close by and willing to care for Alice when he was gone was a blessing he didn’t take for granted in the least, but he was so thankful that he was home for good now and was eligible to retire in just a few more months. 

Which made him think about what would come next. What the future might hold and how the lovely Emma Swan might fit into it. He’d been thoroughly gobsmacked when he laid eyes on the golden haired beauty who was Alice’s teacher when he arrived at the school earlier. And then the revelation that she was single sent his heart rate ratcheting up like he hadn’t experienced since he’d met his late wife. It had been six years since he’d lost his beloved Milah, and the thought of re-entering the dating scene hadn’t crossed his mind once in all that time. He was still relatively young and handsome, but with his very young daughter and Navy career, he didn’t have the time or inclination to put himself back out there.

But Emma Swan might just change his mind on that front.

He knew his countenance sported a goofy, thoroughly besotted smile when he heard movement on the outside of the box in which he sat. Bright light from the auditorium flooded the dark space as the small door in the side of it opened, helping him immensely in the schooling of his features before being confronted with the object of his thoughts as she handed him his dinner.

“Do you have enough light to see to eat in here?” Emma asked, looking around.

Killian grimaced. He hadn’t really thought of that. “Perhaps not.” 

“I can stay for a bit while you eat, turn the flashlight on on my phone. So you can see to eat,” she stammered. The blush on her cheeks was adorable, and Killian’s heart rate picked up yet again.

“That would be great. Thank you, Emma.”

She smiled as she moved into the space with him. It was a bit cramped with them both sitting on the floor, but he didn’t mind it at all. He tucked into his Christmas meal of roast turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans and cranberry salad as Emma told him about some of the antics Henry, Alice, and her cousins had gotten up to this semester.

She told him about Liam Jr and Colin hiding Alice’s pencil box on the first day of school. Meant as an initiation of sorts, it had made Elsa’s morning that much more hectic and stressful trying to find it and make it to school on time. Emma related how she’d had trouble containing her giggles when the twins confessed what they’d done, handed over the pencil box, and got exactly what was coming to them from their mother. Later on the same day, in retaliation, Alice and Henry had hidden away the twins’ lunch boxes. Killian had to stifle his laughter at the story. 

Then Emma told him about the time just a few weeks ago when Alice was delayed coming back from the restroom. When Emma went to look for her, she found the child peeking into the auditorium where her cousins were engaged in a basketball game with another school in the area. Colin had just made a shot, and Alice was cheering loudly for her cousin from the hallway when Emma found her. Killian’s heart swelled. 

By this time, he’d finished his meal and it was time for Emma to depart.

“Alice’s solo is I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” Emma explained. “Do you sing at all? Why don’t you join her for the last line of the song? She’ll just be singing the stanza we all know and love twice, with a bridge in between, so you’ll know exactly when to come in.” Emma’s face was lit up in the light from her phone, and Killian grinned, even as his cheeks heated.

He scratched behind his ear in embarrassment as he spoke. “I’ve been told,” he shrugged, “I have a reasonably nice sounding voice. I think that’s a great idea. So the second time she sings the verse, I’ll join her for the last line and come out of the box?”

Emma nodded. “Yes.” A little giggle burst from her lips as she rose, preparing to leave the cramped quarters, and Killian was utterly charmed. “I can’t wait to see the look on Alice’s face. I’ve been looking forward to this all week.”

“I have too,” Killian agreed. “When Elsa told me what you had planned, I was excited too. And a bit overwhelmed,” he admitted. “That anyone besides Elsa would care so much about Alice that they would arrange something like this…” He trailed away for a moment. “Thank you, Emma.”

Emma had to look away from his sincere expression, a blush heating her cheeks. “You’re quite welcome, Killian. She’s an absolute dear and one of my favorite students. I’ll see you at the end of the program.” And with that, she slipped out of the box, leaving Killian to his thoughts.

~*~*~

Sitting there in the dark listening to the program going on onstage was torture. He could hear everything, and he had no doubt that if he joined in the laughter with the audience and then the sing-along towards the end of the program, the children on the stage would be able to hear him, thus spoiling the surprise. But the time finally came for Alice to sing her solo. A smile with just a touch of sadness and nostalgia broke over his face. Milah hadn’t been able to carry a tune in a bucket, but she loved to listen to him sing, especially to their baby girl at bedtime. He could hear the piano music, and then his Starfish began to sing with her strong and sweet voice. 

I’ll be home for Christmas. 

You can count on me.

Please have snow and mistletoe 

And presents by the tree.

Christmas Eve will find me 

Where the love light gleams.

I’ll be home for Christmas

If only in my dreams.

Tears were coursing down his face as he listened, and he didn’t know if he was going to be able to wait for the last line of the song. He heard Alice begin the next stanza, but suddenly, she stopped singing and a hiccupping sob escaped her. Killian quickly dried his own tears and picked up where his Starfish had left off as he opened the box and stepped out in front of it.

Christmas Eve will find me

Where the love light gleams

Killian’s heart melted with love and pride when his eyes landed on Alice. She was looking at Emma who was knelt down next to her and was pointing towards him, tears shining in her eyes. 

Alice turned toward him and the confusion on her face melted into pure unadulterated joy when she spotted him. 

“Papa!” she shouted. 

She ran across the stage and leapt into his waiting arms. His little girl had grown a lot in the last nine months, and he was nearly toppled by her enthusiastic greeting. Spinning around with his daughter in his arms, he planted loud, smacking kisses all over her face. He knew she missed him as much as he did her because she didn’t try to wiggle out of his embrace when he did that. 

After he set her down, he looked around the quickly emptying auditorium, finding the rest of his family waiting to welcome him home. He hugged his twin nephews, Liam Jr. and Colin, tightly, exclaiming how they looked more like their father than ever. Then Alice was back in front of him, holding the hand of an older boy behind her.

“Papa, this is Henry Swan,” she introduced. “He’s my best friend.” She turned to her friend with a wide smile on her lips. Killian held out his hand for the young man to shake.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Henry,” Killian said, sincerely. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you befriending my Alice when I deployed last spring.” He looked down at his daughter as she hugged him tightly around the waist, draping his arm across her shoulders. “She can be shy, so it means a lot for someone to reach out to her when she only knew her cousins here at the school.”

The boy blushed as he shook Killian’s hand. “It was my pleasure, sir,” Henry said, a bit shyly himself. 

Killian felt his own cheeks heat as he moved toward Emma, scratching behind his ear in nervousness.

“Thank you so much for this, Emma,” he said sincerely. “I truly can’t tell you what it means to me.”

Emma smiled, the action lighting up her green eyes, and Killian caught his breath. “I was happy to do it, Killian.”

He scratched behind his ear again, not meeting her eyes, searching for the words to ask this beautiful woman out on a date. “Could I… uh, would you mind if…” He remembered that Liam was fond of saying a man unwilling to fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets, and Killian had a feeling this lovely lady in front of him was definitely worth fighting for. He finally looked up at her and just spit it out. “Would you like to get a cup of coffee sometime? It’s the start of Christmas break, is it not?” he asked as she looked back at him after looking down at Henry, who stood beside her grinning widely.

“It is,” she affirmed. “And I’d love to have coffee with you, Killian.”

Killian couldn’t keep the grin off of his face if he tried. Being back home with his daughter and family around him, and now going on a date with one of the most beautiful women he’d ever laid eyes on, he had a feeling his life was on the precipice of something great. And he couldn’t wait to see what the future held. 

~*~*~

It was Christmas Eve, and Killian didn’t think he could possibly be any happier. Having this time with his family after being away for nine months was a respite he desperately needed. And the addition of the time spent with Emma since they’d met a little over a week ago was only the icing on the cake.

The day after the Christmas program, he and Emma met for coffee, which stretched to lunch, and then all the way to the end of the day. Killian could feel his cheeks heat as he remembered the wide happy smiles on Elsa and Liam’s faces as they passed in front of the coffee shop where he and Emma had met, herding the four children toward Granny’s a couple of doors down for lunch. Killian had been completely oblivious to the time, and when Elsa caught his eye as they passed, he’d pulled out his phone, stunned to find that over two hours had passed in Emma’s delightful company. They quickly settled their tab and joined the rest of them at Granny’s where he got an up front and personal look at just how well Emma and Henry fit into his family. It was enough to really get him thinking about seriously pursuing Emma. 

After lunch, he’d been loath to part from her, so had spontaneously invited her and Henry to accompany them as they sought out the perfect Christmas tree. Elsa and Liam hadn’t yet decorated when they received word that he’d be arriving home and decided to put it off until after he got there. It took the rest of the afternoon and evening to find, put up, and decorate the tree. 

Since that first all day “date”, Emma and Henry had joined the Jones family for all of the requisite holiday traditions- decorating the rest of the Jones’ domicile, holiday baking, and ice-skating on the frozen pond in the park. 

The kids had arranged an ice skating outing for all of them the previous Tuesday. Killian Jones might have served his country in the United States Navy for almost twenty years, but there was a big difference between being on a ship in the middle of the ocean and trying to navigate frozen water on nothing more than a single blade in the middle of his feet. Why they didn’t have double-bladed skates for adults to rent, he’d never know. 

But he really couldn’t complain much since Emma was usually the one helping him to his feet when he fell. Alice and Henry had been concerned at first, but the more he fell, the funnier they thought it was. By the time he was ready to hang up the skates and just watch the rest of them, Alice and Henry’s red faces were as much from their laughter at him as from the cold. But again, he couldn’t complain, because seeing the happiness and laughter on his daughter’s face was well worth the humiliation of multiple wipeouts on the ice in front of the woman he really liked and wanted to impress. Thankfully, Emma soon joined him on the bench, where they sipped hot chocolate and laughed as they watched the children cavort on the rink.

Now, arriving back home after the Christmas Eve service at church, Killian couldn’t help the love and happiness blooming in his chest as he watched his family and the woman he was quickly falling for and her son gather around the tree for their gift exchange.

As he stood in the doorway to the kitchen watching them, Emma stood up and approached him. Her smile was bright and happy, and Killian returned it as she got closer.

“I’m just going to refill my glass,” she said, holding it up to show him. He moved quickly to the side to let her pass. A minute or so later, she stopped next to him on the way back out to the living room. “Are you coming?”

“Yes,” he replied. “I was just watching everyone for a minute.” He paused for a moment, and she was silent as he gathered his thoughts. “I’m so happy to be home,” he said in a whisper. He turned toward Emma, not sure if he spoke loud enough for her to hear him. Her eyes and smile were soft, and he knew she had.

“I know you are,” she said. “And I know how happy Alice and the rest of your family are to have you home as well. They missed you.”

“I missed them,” he said, looking back out at the room where everyone else was gathered. “It’s very hard being away from them for so many months at a time.”

“I couldn’t imagine,” she commiserated. 

Liam looked up at them then and a spark of mischief appeared in his eye. Killian immediately was on the alert. That look always meant Liam was up to something.

“Oh, would you look at that,” he called jovially, pointing at them, then up to the top of the doorway where they stood.

Killian looked up and immediately felt his cheeks flame. He glanced at Emma, her countenance still directed to the greenery hanging above them, her jaw hanging open slightly. When she looked at him, bashful but pleased surprise was all over her face. He couldn’t believe he’d forgotten Liam and Elsa’s habit of hanging mistletoe in the doorway to the kitchen. 

It was a tradition that had begun when they were dating. Liam had Elsa over for dinner in his apartment, and when he started bringing the dishes he’d prepared for their meal from the kitchen to the table, Elsa jumped up to help him. Each time they passed each other in the doorway, they’d kiss, so when Christmas rolled around, they decided it was the perfect place to hang the mistletoe. And it had hung there every year since.

Elsa couldn’t disguise her glee when she looked over at them. “Go on, Killian,” she urged. “You can’t break tradition.” Everyone in the room was now staring at them, with the kids exchanging furtive glances before joining together in only a moderately loud chant kiss kiss kiss. Killian glanced at Alice and Henry, taking in their smiling faces before turning back to Emma. 

He leaned in close, never taking his eyes off hers. They sparkled with undisguised anticipation, but he had to make sure she was really agreeable before doing anything else, no matter what the members of the peanut gallery wanted.

“Are you alright with this, Emma?”

Her smile widened even more. “Yes, Killian,” she whispered.

“We’ll save a real kiss for when we don’t have an audience watching,” he whispered huskily, before brushing his lips against the corner of her mouth. He pulled back and was thrilled to see a deep blush on her cheeks and wide smile on her lips. She looked down, embarrassed, before making her way back to the living room where everyone had broken into whoops and cheers of celebration. Killian couldn’t help the surge of satisfaction he felt that she appeared to welcome his advances. He followed her into the living room and sat on the sofa, wrapping his arm around Alice as Liam Jr. got ready to play Santa and hand out the gifts.

Once they were handed out, it didn’t appear to have made any sort of dent in the pile under the tree. The twins and Alice had each been allowed to open two gifts- one a new set of pajamas they got every year, and then a second of their choosing from under the tree. Gifts between the adults would be exchanged in the morning, but Liam had gotten a joint gift for Elsa and Emma who also had gifts for each other, and Alice had a gift for Emma and Henry, Henry had a gift for Alice, and Emma had a gift for Killian.

They watched Henry and Alice open their presents to each other first. Henry was thrilled when he opened a new journal for him to write in, which appeared to have been hand made by his friend and was decorated with writing quotes and stickers. Henry was blushing furiously as Alice opened her gift, a hardbound copy of a story he’d written just for her. Alice and Killian both were completely stunned at the gift. Killian couldn’t imagine the kind of time and effort it would have required to make a gift like this. Alice threw her arms around Henry’s neck and gave him a loud smacking kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you, Henry,” she gushed. “I’ll treasure it always.” 

Then it was Emma’s turn, and she opened a travel mug with World’s Best Teacher on the side from Alice, and she was the one to open the gift for herself and Elsa from Liam- a gift certificate for the two of them for a spa day that included facials, massages, getting their nails done, as well as a gourmet lunch. Elsa squealed, and planted a very enthusiastic kiss on her husband’s lips in thanks. Emma laughed at the display.

“I won’t be doing that,” she quipped at Liam, a wide grin on her face. “But, thank you.”

Liam laughed. “I wouldn’t expect you to,” he shot right back at her, his arm around Elsa’s shoulders. “But, you’re welcome.”

Emma then opened her gift from Elsa to find warm fleece pajamas. Elsa knew how hard Emma found it to stay warm in the Maine winters, so the yellow and forest green plaid pjs were very welcome and appreciated. Emma bought Elsa a gift card to her favorite coffee shop that would likely last her at least a month.

Finally, Emma brought the gift she’d bought for Killian toward him. Killian was surprised, and he was sure she could see it on his face.

“You shouldn’t have, Emma,” he protested. “I don’t have anything for you.”

Emma shrugged, but she had a smile on her face. “Don’t worry about that. It really isn’t much. I know we haven’t known each other long, but I feel like I do know you after hearing Elsa and Alice talk about you the whole time you’ve been gone. So when I saw this while I was grocery shopping last week, I thought you probably missed it while you were gone.” She handed him a relatively tall and round gift, wrapped with the same paper that had wrapped the box he’d hidden in for the program. He opened it carefully and his jaw dropped in surprise before his eyes met hers.

“How did you know?” he asked, completely flabbergasted. In his hands was a very large tin of one of his very favorite treats, Pirouline hazelnut creme filled wafers.

“Elsa told me,” she replied. “She found some at the grocery store and bought them for Alice not long after you deployed so she could have one of her Papa’s favorite treats every day, since you couldn’t while you were gone.”

Killian felt the tears gathering in his eyes as he thought of his little girl enjoying the cookies on his behalf so she hopefully wouldn’t miss him quite so much. Emma grinned as he hugged Alice tightly to him and placed a kiss on the top of her head, so grateful to be back home with the ones he loved again.

“Thank you, Emma,” he choked out. “This means a lot.”

“You’re welcome.” She turned back toward Henry, catching him in the middle of a huge yawn. “Come on, kid,” she cajoled. “It’s time to head home and to bed, or Santa won’t come.”

“Uh huh,” Henry replied, a tired yet sarcastic smirk on his face as he rose to his feet. Emma ruffled his hair and smirked back at him in return.

“Or more likely, if you don’t go to bed soon, you won’t wake up early enough in the morning for us to make it to Grandma and Grandpa’s house for Grandpa’s Christmas pancakes,” she added. That got Henry moving quickly toward the door. Emma turned and faced the room. “Merry Christmas, everyone. We’ll see you…” Emma trailed away with a quiet chuckle. “Sometime next week.” Elsa rose to see Emma and Henry out, and Killian squeezed Alice and whispered in her ear.

“I’m just going to say goodnight to Emma, too,” he said. “Is that alright?”

Alice beamed at him. “Yes, Papa. I love Miss Swan. And I know you’ll love her, too.”

Killian was taken aback. Could she possibly mean…? Surely not, she was much too young for that. Or at least, he hoped she was…

Alice wasn’t finished. “You should go out on a real date. Without all of us.” 

Killian frowned. “How do you know about dating?” he asked. “Aren’t you a little young for that?”

Alice rolled her eyes at him. She looked just like her mother when she did, and Killian felt a pang go through his heart. “I watch TV, Papa,” she informed him like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Killian rolled his eyes in response.

“So you’d be ok with me dating Miss Swan?” he asked, just to make sure.

Alice smiled and bopped him on the nose. “Yes, Papa.” Killian nodded and kissed Alice on the tip of her nose.

“I love you, Starfish.”

“I love you, too, Papa.”

Killian squeezed her one more time and rose from the sofa, arriving at the front door just as Emma and Henry were walking through it.

“Emma,” he called softly. She turned toward him and the smile that covered her face took his breath away. Elsa gave him a pleased and bashful smile as she moved back toward the living room and the rest of the family. “I just wanted to tell you goodnight, and thank you again for my Christmas present.”

Emma blushed at his words and cut her eyes away from him for a moment before meeting his gaze again. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Uh, I was wondering…” He trailed away and scratched at the spot behind his ear. “Do you have plans for New Years?”

Emma’s smile widened even more. “I don’t,” she replied.

“Would, ah, would you like to go out with me?” he stammered. He didn’t know what was wrong with him. He’d never been this nervous asking a woman out before, not even in the early days of dating Milah. And he’d already spent time with her and was quite sure she was interested in him as well. Maybe it was the fact that his entire family was only a few feet away and could easily hear them if they were so inclined. He hoped they weren’t, but given how they acted earlier when they were caught under the mistletoe, he wasn’t terribly optimistic. 

“I’d love to,” she said, her smile even wider, if that was possible, and her eyes sparkling. “I’ll need to find a sitter for Henry…”

“Oh, don’t worry about Henry,” Elsa called from the living room. “He can spend the night here with us. You two go out and have fun.”

Emma’s eyes widened and then cut away from his as he bowed his head and chuckled at Elsa’s offer.

“Thank you, Elsa,” Killian called, only slight exasperation at her obvious eavesdropping coloring his tone.

“You’re welcome,” she called back. He could hear the satisfaction in her voice and could imagine her smug face, even if he couldn’t see it.

“I’ll pick you up at 7?” he asked. 

“That’ll be great, Killian,” she said, her smile softening as she looked back out the door toward where Henry was waiting in her car. “I’ll see you then.” She looked back at him, raised up on her toes, and brushed her lips against the corner of his lips, just as he’d done earlier. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

~*~*~

Some hours later, Killian and Liam sat in front of the dying fire, sipping from tumblers of rum. The rest of the family was sound asleep in their beds, but the brothers hadn’t had much time to be alone, so Liam had stayed up with Killian to help him put together the doll house he’d bought for Alice. And now that it was finished, they were enjoying a quiet drink together.

“How long before you report back for duty?” Liam asked.

“I report back February first,” Killian replied.

“And retirement date?”

“Officially it’s May 31,” he informed him, “but with my terminal leave saved up, the ceremony is April 11th.”

Liam nodded. “Have you given any thought to what you’ll do after you retire?”

Killian took a deep breath. “As far as working, no.” He paused for a moment. “But I have thought about dating Emma.” His voice wasn’t much more than a whisper, but he hoped his brother heard his words and he wouldn’t have to repeat them.

“Good.” Killian looked at his brother to see a satisfied smile on his face. “I’m glad to hear it. With your retirement imminent, you really don’t have a valid reason anymore to not date.” Liam’s eyebrow rose and Killian couldn’t help but bristle a bit at his brother’s words. “Don’t get your back up, Killian,” Liam continued, moving his hands in a placating gesture. “I know you loved Milah very much, and being a father to a young daughter is more than enough reason to be cautious in that area,” he acknowledged, and Killian could feel his ire receding at his brother’s words. “But I know Emma. And I know you. And I think you could be very happy together.” 

Killian smiled at that last statement. “I think you’re right,” he agreed.

“And that brings us to housing arrangements.” The smile on Liam’s face made Killian smile too. 

“I can’t impose on your hospitality forever, brother,” Killian said.

“There’s a house in the next neighborhood over,” Liam informed him. “It’s lovely. Two story, storage in the back, a view of the sea. I don’t know square footage or how many bedrooms it has, but it looks like plenty of room for a family.” Liam’s face was entirely too innocent, and Killian chuckled and rolled his eyes.

“You don’t need to do that, you know,” he said. “You couldn’t be more obvious. You want me to move here.”

Liam smiled. “You have to admit, the idea has merit. Your family is here, Emma is here, Alice could grow up with her cousins and Henry…”

“But what kind of job opportunities are there here?” Killian asked. “I’ve got some savings, but I can’t live off my retirement. I have a much better chance of finding good work in Boston.”

Liam scratched behind his ear with the same nervous tell Killian had. “This is very hush hush and isn’t public knowledge yet, but the firm is gearing up to open a whole new division for commercial property. With the surge of vacationers we’ve seen the last couple of years, the demand for services has really grown, and we have businesses coming out of the woodwork that need buildings to move into. Storybrooke doesn’t have the infrastructure to support them at the moment. I was the top agent in residential sales for the last two quarters and I’m on track to do it again this quarter as well. I’m sure I could put in a word for you and they’d agree to hold a position for you until April. They’ll be announcing the expansion and accepting résumés after the new year.”

Killian’s eyebrows rose nearly to his hairline. “Really? Wow…” This information all but sealed the deal for him. Of course he’d have to see numbers- salary, benefits, the price tag on the house Liam mentioned, but he couldn’t deny how well it all seemed to fit together and intersect perfectly with his own needs and desires.

“Since this is still on the down low, and the office is closed this week, I can give Nemo a call Wednesday or Thursday and tell him you’re interested.” Liam paused for a moment, his gaze on Killian intense. “If you’re interested, that is.”

Killian took a sip of his drink before replying. “Yes, I’m definitely interested.”

Liam’s relieved smile rivaled the lights on the tree as he stood. Killian stood as well, and the two men embraced warmly.

“This would be a dream come true, brother,” Liam said, patting him on the back before releasing him.

“It would,” Killian agreed. “I’ve missed you all.”

“We’ve missed you, too,” Liam said. “It’ll be so good to have you and Alice here in town and working in the same building.”

“It’s not a done deal yet, Liam,” Killian said laughing. “There’s still a lot up in the air about the entire situation.”

Liam scoffed and waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “Pfft. It’ll work out. I can feel it in my bones.”

Killian smiled warmly and turned toward the stairs. “We’ll see. I hope so. Goodnight, brother. Merry Christmas.”

“Goodnight, Killian. Merry Christmas. Love you.”

“Love you, too.” Killian smiled and climbed the stairs to his room leaving a very happy Liam behind him.

~*~*~

Thank you for reading and sharing. New Years date will post on Tuesday!

[eirian-houpe]

Dies Irae - Chapter 1

Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold Characters: Belle (Once Upon a Time), Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Mad Hatter | Jefferson, Evil Queen | Regina Mills, Wicked Witch of the West | Zelena, Red Riding Hood | Ruby, Grumpy | Leroy, Captain Hook | Killian Jones, Grace | Paige (Once Upon a Time) Additional Tags: AU, Angst, Violence, archeology, psychic questing, Religion, spirituality, Magic, Supernatural - Freeform, Romance, Smut Summary:

A strange man confronts Doctor Belle French after one of her lectures, and claims to need her help. He also claims to know that she is troubled, and can offer her protection. When events transpire that lead Belle to take up that offer, a desperate search begins to find a series of ancient artifacts, and Belle and her friends - both old and new - face increasing danger as they try to secure the artifacts for the powers of good before they can fall into very wrong hands, and possibly threaten every living thing in Storybrooke and beyond!

Chapter One: Ēvincere

Etymology of the English word evince (v.) c. 1600, "disprove, confute," from French évincer "disprove, confute," from Latin evincere "conquer, overcome subdue, vanquish, prevail over; elicit by argument, prove," from assimilated form of ex "out" (see ex-) + vincere "to overcome" (from nasalized form of PIE root *weik- (3) "to fight, conquer"). Meaning "show clearly" is late 18c. Not clearly distinguished from its doublet, evict, until 18c. Related: Evinced; evinces; evincing; evincible.

"And I cannot stress hard enough…”

He didn’t move.  While all around him in the lecture hall, those gathered in unspoken conspiracy seemed to squirm and shift uncomfortably in their places on the long, hard wooden benches, he remained immobile.

“…that if you are coming into archeology with dreams of… fame and fortune; of glory even, then you have been sadly misinformed.”

He sighed - perhaps the first sign of life since he entered the hall - and moved his hands with slow, measured precision, to turn to collar of his black, woolen trench coat up as if to defend against a unwelcome draft. He’d heard this before, several times, and as she continued, almost syllable for syllable, matched her litany.

“Treasure comes in many forms,” he muttered as she spoke, “and it isn’t always - is rarely as a matter of fact - gold or precious artifacts.” He recitation was lifeless and without the passionate inflection with which she spoke.

“But is something more precious still…” She gave a pause then, and in his line of sight, the watcher could separate those that had been caught in her spell, and those that were merely along for the ride. The former leaned, slightly, toward the front of the lecture hall, where the diminutive Doctor Belle French held court, and finished with all the mysteriousness it seemed that she could muster, “Knowledge.”

If she might have continued, he would never know, as the bell signaling the end of the alloted time sounded, and the ever impatient students began stuffing backpacks and tote bags with notebooks and textbooks; wooden boxes full of sharpened pencils and depleted ink pens, and hurried to rise and leave.

Still, he sat immobile, one booted foot up on the desk-like shelf in front of him, the other splayed slight to the side, toward the aisle.  Others along his row shifted impatiently; pointedly waiting for him to take his foot down at least, so they could sidle, inconvenienced, past this apparent miscreant. He didn’t move. He didn’t even respond to the irritated murmuring; never once took his eyes off French as she too began packing away the lecture notes into folders, then the folders into piles on a table already replete with books and other papers.

“Are you gonna move y’foot, mate?”

Apparently, the patience of the nearby attendees had worn thin, or at least their courage had thickened, one or the other.

“Go around,” he said, his voice low and full of gravel, as well as gravitas. It was all he said, and neither did he make any attempt to remove his foot from blocking the way. 

After another moment of immobility, and with the press of other students behind him, the one that had spoken tried again, more threatening this time as he grumbled, “I said move yer foot.”

With the grace of a highly trained dancer, and turning as he did indeed move his foot to stand, he turned to face the student, towering over the younger man as he said quietly, and with patience that somehow held a deadly quality, “And I said, go. Around.”

The student opened his mouth to make a third protest, but as he shifted slightly, something seemed to change the younger man’s mind and, muttering something not quite audible, but he was certain was unlikely to be very complementary, did indeed turn, and pushing the other students ahead of him, moved and exited the row from the other side.

The students were already forgotten though, and he turned his attention back to Doctor French. She was slowly clearing the table in front of the podium of all the books and papers littered there, packing them away in her already overstuffed messenger bag, paying absolutely no heed to the room around her, nor - he guessed - the energies in it. 

When he felt the moment was right, just as the light descended enough to case a beam across the lecture hall and illuminate the dust that had yet to settle, he spoke.

“It isn’t true, you know?” he said. Though his voice was still soft he pitched it so that the acoustics of the hall carried it clearly to the professor. She started slightly, then looked up at him, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the light that concealed him.

“I beg your pardon?” she shot back, her voice terse, a challenge.

“Granted,” he said, and began to slowly descend the steps that flanked the tiers of seats.

“No, that’s not—” she began, slightly flustered, before annoyance got the better of her and she demanded, “I’m sorry - who are you?”

Once he reached the floor, he strode across to her, his trench coat almost billowing, cloak-like behind him, and once close enough held out a hand in her direction.

“My name is Jefferson,” he told her, “And I need your help to do something that I can’t.”

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

Belle blinked, then with a slight scoff, and ignoring his still outstretched hand said, “Well you have a very strange way of showing it!” Then she returned to packing her bag.

“In return,” he continued, apparently unmoved by her response, “I may be able to assist you.”

“I don’t need your help,” she snapped. The tone in his voice made the small hairs on the nape of her neck stand on end. Had he been watching her?

“There are powers in this world, Doctor French, who have no regard for the living, nor respect for the dead. I suspect you know the type, if not the very ones of whom I speak.”

She looked up at that, fixing her eyes first on his face, undeniably handsome, but clearly more than a little haunted behind the seriousness of his expression, and then traveling the length of the sombre-clad figure that stood before her, seeming to know more about her than a stranger should.

She couldn’t help but notice the small pin that graced his otherwise unadorned lapel: an equal armed, red cross, their width narrower at the center than they were at the ends, set against a white background that was stark against the black of his coat.

“Now you listen, Mister Je—.”

“Just Jefferson,” he corrected.

“I don’t know who you are, or where you came from,” she tried for indignation, but even to her own ears, the tone spoke more of fear, “or even why you’re here, but—”

“I told you,” he said, his voice soft, “I need your help.”

She frowned, and couldn’t muster an answer, just stood and shook her head.

He raised his long forgotten, outstretched hand to her again, and as if by magic, though she was certain it was slight of hand, he produced a velum business card and held it out to her, clasped between his index and middle finger.

“There’s a man, his name is Mister Gold,” he said. “If you have cause to change your mind, all you have to do is go to him. It’s very important you tell him what’s been going on. He can protect you, but you must tell him exactly what’s been happening. He’ll know what to do.”

He nodded then, just once, to the business card he still held, and hesitantly, she reached for it, and glancing down at it, saw the words that graced the center of the otherwise unadorned card.

“Gold - Antiquarian,” it said, and then in relief around the edges, words that she had to turn the card one way and then the other in order to read. Latin words.

Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam.

When she looked up, Jefferson was already gone.

[indianariesolive]

My Unpopular(ish) opinions/takes on Legacy of the Gods series by Rina Kent

Contains spoilers ⚠️

Starting off strong, let me just get this off my chest, I really dislike God of Malice. This is mainly due to the insufferable MCs; Killian & Glyndon.

First of all, I found Killian really difficult to empathize with. Sure, what his dad said about regretting having him sucks but that's no excuse to be an a$$hole. I'm sure that if a mid/ugly guy with no money & prestige did the same things he'd done when first meeting Glyndon (iykyk) they'd be mercilessly ripped apart by the fandom. Also that one line in his POV when he said that the main reason why he chose to be a med student was because that gave him a free pass to poke & prod into people's innards & watch them squirm in agony 🤢

Coming to the 2nd part, Glyndon. As a protagonist she was such a blank slate. Killian at least had personality! (A bad one but he had one nonetheless). Same can't be said about Glyndon with her wimpiness coupled with an absurd inferiority complex (despite being talented & surrounded by a powerful & loving family & friends) as well as her lack of a deep connection with her friend group. On a more serious note, I despise the absolute double standards with which she views Killian & her brother Landon. Both are clinically diagnosed psychopaths but she has none of the grace & understanding for her own brother but readily excuses her boyfriend's behavior even though both of them are the same person, different font. 🙄

Moving on to the 2nd book, God of Pain is one of my favorites in the series but not without its fair share of drawbacks. Even though Annika appeared to be a manic pixie dream girl at the beginning she grew on me as chapter by chapter, her POVs revealed her to be more complex & headstrong, contrasting the whimsical image she's perceived as (both by her love interest, the MMC Creighton as well as the other characters like her friends & family). She's a sweet, soft girl with a dormant badass side that can get dangerous when provoked & that's precisely what Creighton had to learn through the hard way.

Getting to the gist of my main problem, I really hated the way everyone treated Annika after the you-know-what. I mean, what else was she supposed to do, watch her beloved brother get murdered by the love of her life? Everyone cut her off 'cause 'she hurt Cray-Cray who's like our brother'. Well, SHE HAD TO DO THAT TO SAVE HER OWN BROTHER, YOU ABSOLUTE DUMBASSES!!!! Y'all brains weren't braining here. Also, that scene near the end where there's this huge confrontation Creighton has with Adrian Volkov & Annika with her quick thinking just snatches a guard's gun, negotiates & diffuses the situation without bloodshed was just chef's kiss. 😌

Also, everyone gushes over Lia & Yan's friendship but Yan's bond with Annika, how he plays the role of the fun uncle while Adrian glares & has to rein them in as the level-headed dad. 🥺

That brings me to this sidenote: Glyndon could take a page out of Annika's book & learn a lesson: How to Love Your Brother & Stand Up for Yourself.

Regarding Jeremy & Cecily, I don't have any major complaints. I like how Cecily put Jeremy in his place & made him grovel for disrespecting her with his trust issues. Putting his mommy issues aside, Jeremy was overall a good character for a dark romance. He's got the hot biker thing going.

Moving on to Landon & Mia. I have nothing against Mia per se. She's pretty cool. I only hated how the author ruined her bond with her twin Maya. Also, I'm kind of ashamed to say that I wasn't the biggest fan of Landon at first but then going through his POVs made me realize that I'd been bought into the anti-Lan propaganda by Glyndon. He actually cares for his siblings, unlike Killian. He just has an unconventional way of showing it. Plus there wasn't a huge power-gap/imbalance between him & Mia so that's another point in his favour.

Last but not the least, God of Fury featuring Nikolai & Brandon has got to be among my top favorites. I only dislike the unnecessary mud-slinging with the irrelevant ex Clara. Everything else was perfection. I never expected Nikolai to be such an adorable & funny character. Also something I find really funny was that both in this book as well as in her POV, Glyndon claimed to be the one closest to Brandon. The way she described her dynamic with her brothers was, "Bran & I are a team against Lan." And not only did Brandon shut her down in a gentle yet firm tone, also her dense arse never noticed anything wrong with Brandon like!?!?! Landon was the one who'd picked on Brandon's tendency to hide & repress his emotions & stuff, and he was the one who'd tried to help Brandon open up, even if his attempt was unsuccessful. So much for her being the one on the same team lol.

[satansapostle6]

love and blood | killian jones

The course of history is changed forever when a ruggedly charming pirate’s fate is intertwined with that of a dark sorceress more powerful than any he had ever encountered.

Warnings: Violence. Mature themes/language. Sexual content.

I. The Encounter

II. The Witch

“Who am I?!” Killian Jones demanded angrily. “Who the fuck are you?!”

He heard a low, amused chuckle before seeing the figure before him vanish in a cloud of enchanted smoke, just as a tall, slender figure in a long black dress appeared before him, all of the candles in the room spontaneously lighting.

“I’m the witch,” the same serene voice he’d been hearing said simply.

Hook stopped for a moment as he finally looked at her in the light.

“Are you the ruler of this place?” he asked cautiously.

“One might say so, yes,” she answered.

The woman standing before him, he couldn’t help but notice, was beautiful. It was the very first thing he saw, whether he could help it or not. There were no other words that could describe it; she was just beautiful.

It couldn’t be explained the way Hook felt himself gravitating towards her, even in spite of the danger he was most certainly in. He was as close to hell as possible, but somehow, all he saw when he looked at her was an angel.

“What have you done with my men?” Killian rasped.

He was both confrontational and fearful.

“Relax; they’re safe. Back home, actually,” the witch assured him.

Everything about this woman confused him; her calmness, her lack of violence. She’d had the opportunity to kill all of them, and yet she hadn’t. To Killian, it seemed she’d almost gone out of her way to keep him placated. It was extremely suspicious. Despite this heated situation, she just stood there, hands together as if waiting on him.

He stared at her in awe, eyes wide as a giant raven came swooping down, parking itself onto her shoulder like a perch, cawing loudly. The black bird just sat there, as if it were also watching him. He found the bird to be very unsettling; it moved and behaved like a human, somehow.

“Who are you?” Hook demanded again. “What do you want with me?”

She studied him for a moment before answering his question.

“My name is Carmilla. You’ve been sent to me by an enemy, and I wish to know why.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hook stated, attempting to get away with as much as he could.

Why he was sent to this castle, he still had no idea. He was still trying to figure out whether Col was anywhere to be found.

“I wouldn’t advise you lie to me,” Carmilla said softly, “It isn’t a good idea.”

Hook nodded, realizing that attempting to convince this sorceress of his innocence could only result in his own death.

“I don’t know anything, alright?” he admitted. “The man who sent me to you… He was strange. I never even saw a face… I’m not even sure it was a man.”

“Strange, you say?” Carmilla thought. “Describe this person to me. Where did you meet them?”

“In the Enchanted Forest,” Hook told her. “My men and I… we were stumbling about, drunk. This cloaked figure came to us… The man. He asked if we liked diamonds. We said yes… He said he’d pay us, if we took some of his magic, and came here to carry out a task.”

“And what is that task?” the sorceress wondered.

“He said we needed to find someone named Col,” Killian Jones explained. “He said to find someone named Col, and obtain something called the ‘Blue Scroll’ from him, my any means necessary. Those were his exact words,” he supplied, laying all of his cards out on the table.

“The Blue Scroll?” Carmilla’s voice grew thin like a whisper.

Hook nodded in response.

“You’re certain?”

“Yes,” he promised. “That’s what he said.”

“This man, or whatever it was…” she thought for a moment. “Can you describe him?”

“Not much,” the pirate offered. “He was, er… A bit shorter than I am. Dressed in all black every time I saw him. Lived in a hovel. Deep in the woods.”

“A hovel?” the woman echoed.

Hook nodded, watching her reactions carefully.

“Can you describe his voice?” she asked hopefully.

“Like I said. Hard to tell if it was a man or a woman,” Hook told her. “It was rather soft for a man, but a bit too deep to be a woman.”

“Oh, I know exactly who sought for you and your band of mercenaries,” Carmilla grinned, a glimmer of unmistakable bloodlust in her eyes.

Hook smiled charmingly, slowly beginning to feel better about his chances of survival. Although this strange sorceress was completely unpredictable and foreign to him, he felt that if he could figure out a way to align himself with her, he’d be able to leave her palace alive. As he wracked his brain for an angle to use with this woman, he suddenly realized; she was a woman, and he was a man.

“So, Carmilla,” he said finally. “Now that I’ve told you everything you need… How else can I be of service to you?” he asked softly, his voice thick with seduction.

But he was met with a derisive laugh.

“You think you could be of service to me?” she questioned.

Hook shrugged humbly, still laying on the rugged charm. “I’m sure given enough time I could think of a few ways I could be of service… your majesty,” he cooed, kneeling before her.

Hook knelt down before the woman, boldly taking her hand as he slowly pressed a soft, gentle kiss to it, not breaking eye contact. Carmilla looked down at him in every sense, picking him apart as her raven would a dead body.

“Perhaps ‘mercenary’ was not the proper epithet,” Carmilla remarked lightly, mussing up his hair and pulling it as he looked up at her with wide eyes. “Perhaps I should have said ‘whore’.”

“I could be anything you like, love,” he promised her, still on his knees.

Hook’s motivation was no longer survival. Now that it was apparent that if she had actually wanted to kill him she would have done it already, his motivation had shifted over to something different, but equally primitive.

“As much as I’d like to explore that proposition… There is something I suppose I could ask of you,” she concluded, seeing his eyes light up, “That requires you vertical,” she added quickly.

“I assure you, your majesty,” he remarked with the utmost flattery as he stood, “I can work vertically.”

“Would you like to offer your services in exchange for a reward, or do you insist upon being nothing but distracting?” Carmilla asked coldly.

“Apologies, love,” Hook replied, “Let’s talk business… What is this reward you speak of?” he inquired, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“Gold, jewels, treasure, I have it all,” she stated. “I could pay you by the boatload if you wish. None of it is of any use to me.”

“Mmm… Perhaps I’m no longer interested in material possessions,” the pirate suggested, pushing his luck.

“Then what, might I ask, are you interested in?”

“You,” he announced, looking her up and down. “I think you’d have your way with me if you could—”

“Do you?” she raised an eyebrow.

Hook continued brazenly.

“—and I must say, I’m very interested in seeing that happen.”

“What exactly are you proposing?” Carmilla asked. “Are you seriously proposing I reward you with sex?”

“I’m not not proposing it,” Hook offered humorously.

“Well, the reward definitely wouldn’t be mine,” she thought aloud.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” he teased. “But, no. You’re right. Sex, while accepted, is not the form of payment I had in mind.”

“Then what do you want, pirate?” she glowered at him. “I don’t like having my time wasted.”

“I want a way to travel between the realms,” Hook asserted. “I know you’re powerful enough…”

Suddenly, the energy in the room shifted with a single movement. Carmilla did not appreciate the challenge. She only waved her hand, as Killian Jones seemed to be sucked into the palace walls, shackles of iron appearing on his hands and feet, as he found himself unable to move. He struggled against them at first, but then chuckled darkly once he saw the look on her face.

This was less of a genuine threat, and more of a demonstration of power.

“Hate to break it to you, your majesty,” he sighed coyly, “But I’m not exactly opposed to this…”

“Don’t forget, pirate, that I could kill you any time I like, and you’d still be none the wiser. Not killing you is my true gift to you,” she promised him with a smile. “I don’t even have to pay you… I own you.”

“Again. Not against this, love,” Hook quipped.

The iron shackles tightened even more, and he gasped aloud.

“Alright, I’m sorry!” he apologized quickly. “I’m sorry! I didn’t intend to disrespect you, Carmilla… I-I will be perfectly obedient from now on! You have my word!”

He winced as the heavy shackles disappeared, and he dropped to the ground like an apple from a tree, looking his serpent in the eye as he rose.

“Hmm,” the sorceress remarked with satisfaction. “And all I had to do was threaten your life… Do yourself a favor. Learn magic. Don’t be such a liability.”

Killian looked up at her with resentment. Never had he felt such hatred in his life for something so admittedly magnificent. This woman, this sorceress, standing before him was potentially the most foul thing he had ever encountered in his travels, apart from perhaps the Crocodile to which he’d lost his hand.

Taking one look at Carmilla, he would have bedded her in an instant, there was no doubt about that, but from the looks of her, he wouldn’t have trusted her if his life depended on it. Looking into her eyes, Hook already felt hypnotized. Mesmerized. The darkness of her eyes was one that called to him, like a black hole looking to devour.

Hook knew that he couldn’t resist her if it came to it; he knew better. He knew better than to put himself in a situation where he’d have to pit his inhibitions against her long, dark locks, and get back stare. Getting into bed, literally or not, with the likes of Carmilla was dangerous, but Hook had no choice but to brave it on his own. She was the only one with the ability to give him what he wanted. His revenge.

He knew that if, someday, he wanted to skin his Crocodile, he would have to befriend someone at least half as powerful. And so far, it seemed the witch of the Land of Blood was his best bet.

“This sorcerer. The one who sent us here,” he said, looking at her with urgency, “Who was he?”

“No one of any importance,” the enchanting witch said with a suspicious smile. “But, we do need to return to your land.”

“My land?” Killian questioned. “For what?”

“He has something we need,” she explained. “Something we both need.”

“And what might that be?” he wondered. “All the man had to offer me was diamonds, and gold.”

“That’s because he took advantage of you, my dear,” she reminded him, tapping at her temple with a finger. “You don’t know magic? You don’t ask the right questions.”

“And what questions might those be?”

“I have one for you, pirate,” the woman ignored him, stepping closer as her fingertips lightly brushed his face.

She examined him the way she would a statue, lifeless and solely meant to be admired.

“Is there someone you hate?” she thought. “Someone whose mere existence makes your blood boil?”

Hook seemed to find humor in the question. “Is it that obvious?”

“Tell me, Hook,” Carmella said, whispering into his ear, “What would you say if I told you there was a way we could travel between realms?”

Hook considered the idea for a moment, fully aware that the longer he remained aligned with this witch, the more he came to realize that he could benefit from it.

“What do we need?” he asked her with a newfound resolve.

Carmilla allowed herself a tiny grin beneath her cruel exterior, recognizing the commitment in his eyes.

-

III. Bloodlines

[16-lost-in-a-film-scene]

song isn't mentioned or anything, i js love it and think it might go w the fic?

Operation : Save Henry

gif not mine, credits to owner

As a pirate and member of Hook's ship, how do you fight the irresistible urge to go back to help the savior from Storybrooke to get her son back?ㅤ | ㅤYou trying to convince Killian to turn the ship around to help Emma + dealing with it.

ㅤ Emma Swan × F!pirate!reader

It was what a mundane would call 'The ends of season 2', and Henry had been kidnapped. But Killian and you were pirates. Why should you care?

You ran away with the last magic bean, but there was something in the back of your head that told you to turn back and help 'the heroes'.

— Come on, Killian, we HAVE to help them. — You said while walking up to him, to which the other one shook his head.

‐ No, Y/N. Let's take this chance and run to another place. We don't need this... Storybrooke. ‐ He denied in a demanding tone.

He was the one to raise you, so he knew that you would just nod and walk away. But this time, something was different. The voice of Emma Swan kept sounding on your head, and you couldn't shut it, so you took a deep breath, ready to confront Hook for the first time.

— Killian, listen to me. — You started your lecture, and Hook frowned at the confrontation. — I know, okay? We've never been even close to 'heroes', but please, PLEASE, please, just this time. Turn around, let's help Emma. Please, let me help Emma. I promise I'll clean the Jolly Roger after. — You asked in your most pleading tone as you tried to keep Killian's attention in you instead of the ocean.

The man looked at the ocean one last time before letting out a deep sigh and turning around.

‐ If this doesn't end up in a good adventure, you're cleaning my ship TWICE, understood? ‐ You immediately nodded multiple times and smiled.

— Thank you, Killian, you're the best big brother. — You said softly and went to the sails of the ship to accommodate them in the direction they needed.

Said and done, some minutes later, the Jones duo were back to Storybrooke's port.

‐ Ahoy sweet mundanes! We saw you grieving for us on the docks, so we came to say hello. ‐ Killian exclaimed from the highest part of the ship.

— Killian, this is serious. — Yoy said after chuckling, trying to hold in some laughs.

‐ Come on, Y/NN! Let a pirate have fun! ‐ Hook complained as he came down to be beside you at the entry of the boat.

Back in the docks, the blonde Emma Swan was frowning. On one hand, because of the weird connection between, on the other, because you came back.

– What are you two doing here? – Emma asked after a few seconds as her and 'The Charmings' plus Regina and Gold got up the boat.

‐ Your good friend, Y/N Y/LN, talked me into coming back and helping you rescue your child. ‐ Killian answered while his gaze went from you, who had a small, proud smile on your face and the Swan-girl, who seemed surprised at the confession.

– Really? – Emma questioned in a low tone, surprised as her eyes shifted to the younger pirate.

You nodded proudly. — Well, don't look so surprised, blondie, I wouldn't let anything happen to the kid. — You said after regaining an egocentric composture.

Killian raised an eyebrow. Had you and Henry really built a bond within the curse? Curious. You weren't really one for kids.

The interaction ended with a small, polite smile from the three of them, and you and Killian went to the helm to direct the embarkation.

You decided to stay in the store of the Jolly Roger, thinking about going back to Neverland. Even though it was just to save Henry, this place had meant a lot to you once because it was the only place where you met so much people that could understand you, so it felt kind of weird to suddenly come back. Would all the kids that you once met be there? Is any of them gone?

The sound of the door startled you, taking you out of your toughts. You got up of the chair when you saw Emma getting in. She clearly didn't know that you were there because she stormed in in a way that made evident that she wanted to be alone. You thought you had heard some verbal fight out there, but since it didn't involve you, you decided to ignore it. But now it made sense. It was Emma fighting with her parents.

— Boo? — You said softly to let the blonde girl know that you were there.

Swan, who was clearly angry and in her own thoughts, got scared. – Oh! God, Y/LN! – She said as she reacted, and the pirate chuckled and smiled. – I didn't know you were here. Sorry. I'll just... Leave. – She said quickly and turned around. You walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. Emma turned around, confused.

You quickly took your hand off, afraid of passing any lines. You moved your hand to the back of your own neck nervously before speaking. — Don't. Don't worry. You're clearly not in the mood for people, and Killian probably needs help with the ship. Stay here, don't worry. – You said quickly and started walking towards the door again, but now, Emma stopped you. It was like neither of you wanted to let the other one leave, but you didn't want to admit it.

— Hey. — The blonde girl said as you turned around to face her again. – Thank you for convincing Hook to come back. – She said with a small smile.

You nodded softly as a way of saying 'you're welcome' and blushed a bit. Luckily for you, the Jolly Roger wasn't modernized enough to have lamps, so the Swan-girl wasn't able to see the color covering your cheeks. — We'll save him, I promise. — You said softly and walked out, her lips curving into a small smile as soon as you turned around.

However, the 'tennager-in-love' signs were noticed by the only person who knew you well enough, Killian. As soon as you walked over to him, he raised an eyebrow.

‐ Why do you look so flustered? ‐ He asked with a tiny, teasy smile and gave you a soft nudge in your arm. His baby was growing.

[kazoosandfannypacks]

“Blanket Fort Fluff” by kazoosandfannypacks

Pairing: Captain Swan Rating: Teen Word Count: 1788 words Summary: When Emma realizes Killian's never made a blanket fort before, she sets up a blanket fort for their next night-in together. Author’s notes: A few months ago, we were watching my cousin's young son, and I asked the lad if he wanted me to make him a blanket fort. He seemed confused by this question, and I realized his parents and uncle and aunts had all failed him, in that he had never had a blanket fort before. He was delighted when I made him his "very own room" with some tray tables and blankets. Always on the lookout for fanfiction ideas, I realized that our favorite pirate has probably never had a blanket fort before either, so I decided to write a fic to remedy that. Taglist:@zahara@kmomof4@jonesfandomfanatic@booksteaandtoomuchtv@jrob64@tiganasummertree@anmylica@teamhook@undercaffinatednightmare@gingerchangeling@lonelyspectator@caught-in-the-filter  @ultraluckycatnd  @cs-rylie @silver-the-phoenix @pawshapedheart  [if you’d like to be added to or removed from this list, hmu in my dms or askbox!]

Also on Ao3!

 Killian sat on the couch next to Emma, his arm wrapped around her as she scrolled through the pin-interesting application on her talking phone. How Emma and Henry were able to focus on watching a moving picture show while also focusing on their phone screens was still a mystery to Killian.

 Emma's talking phone buzzed- a digital message from Henry, one with a picture.

 "You do realize your mother is actually right here in the room with you?" Killian asked Henry, who sat in his own chair a few feet away. "Why don't you just get up and show her whatever it is you want her to see?"

 "It's just easier to send a text message," Henry said, "Less work."

 "Makes sense," Killian said, secretly wondering how any step that involved using more technology was something someone could consider less work.

 He saw Emma smile at whatever it was Henry'd sent, then reply with a picture of a face that was laughing while crying. She showed the message to Killian; it was an image of text that said: "I've decided to no longer be an adult. If you need me I'll be in my blanket fort- coloring and eating fruit loops."

 "A fortress made of blankets?" Killian asked.

 "You guys didn't have blanket forts back in our world?" Emma asked.

 "Of course not," Killian said, "we had fortresses made of practical materials, like wood and stone. What's a blanket fort supposed to protect against?"

 "Bad days," Emma shrugged, "sadness, I guess?"

 "And adulthood," Henry tacked on.

 "Ain't that the truth, kid."

 "So kids in this realm just build forts out of blankets," Killian asked, "for fun?"

 "All the time," Emma said.

 "Fascinating." Killian said.

 He didn't bother trying to continue the conversation, as the movie was just getting to what Emma and Henry referred to as "the good part," the final confrontation between good and evil, and Killian wanted to give it his full attention.

💕🦢💕🏴‍☠️💕

 That conversation was all but forgotten after a week, when Killian took Henry sailing to give Emma a day to herself. He then dropped Henry off at Regina's- and now Emma and Killian could have a night to themselves.

 "Emma, love," he called as he entered, "I'm home!"

 He was in for a bit of a shock when he entered the living room. It looked like someone had set up a tent over the couch. It was made of blankets, hung on a clothesline strung across the room, fairy lights from last Christmas strung along the blankets' edges.

 One of the blankets lowest to the ground moved, opening like a flap to reveal Emma peeking out underneath.

 "Surprise!" Emma said.

 "Indeed I am," Killian said, "what's all this?"

 "Remember when I told you about blanket forts?" Emma crawled out from under the blankets, wearing a robe and pajama pants.

 "Aye," he smiled as she walked over to him, "I take it this is one of them,"

 "Not too shabby, if I do say so myself." Emma placed her hands on his shoulders and gave him a kiss. "I figured it might be fun to do something special tonight."

 "Every night with you is special, love," Killian kissed her cheek, "I'll join you in the fort as soon as I've washed up."

 "Don't be long."

 "Wouldn't dream of it."

💕🦢💕🏴‍☠️💕

 He'd noticed when he went upstairs that Emma had laid out his own fluffy robe and pajamas pants for him, as well as his slippers, so after a quick shower he changed into those, then hurried downstairs, not about to keep his Swan waiting too long.

 Emma was waiting for him at the entrance to their blanket hideout, holding a bag of microwaved popcorn

 "That was quick," Emma remarked, "I almost didn't have enough time to make popcorn."

 Killian smiled. "You'd be surprised at how motivated a pirate can be when he's got a blanket fort and the most beautiful woman in all the realms waiting for him."

 He gave his wife a kiss on her now blushing cheek. Ever looking for a chance to be a gentleman, he took the bowl of popcorn from her so she wouldn't have to carry it herself.

 She smiled and pulled back the "door" to their fortresses and gestured for him to enter first. He did so, and she followed after him.

 He hadn't expected it to feel so much cozier than the blanket fort than it usually did in the living room- and yet, something that felt like home hit him as he walked into the blanket walled room, which contained the couch, a pile of pillows and blankets in front of it, and more fairy lights around the inside.

 "In the spirit of nostalgia," Emma said, taking his hook in her hands and dragging him across the fort by it, "we'll sit on the floor."

 "And color in a coloring book while eating fruit loops?" Killian joked as he followed Emma to the pile of pillows and blankets in front of the couch

 "I was thinking I could pull up a movie on my laptop, and maybe we could have popcorn and snuggle instead," Emma said.

 "Aye, I like that plan," Killian smiled.

 Emma took a seat on the floor, and Killian followed her down. He found a comfortable position reclining against the back of the couch, and it soon became a lot more comfortable, as Emma sat down next to him, nestling into his arms like they were the only place she could possibly belong.

 Emma pulled out her laptop.

 "What movie are we gonna watch tonight, love?" Killian asked.

 "I don't know," Emma said, "picking which movie we watch every time is such a huge responsibility."

 Killian could tell she was being sarcastic, but he still understood the sentiment. As much as he wished he could be more helpful in picking movies, he really knew nothing about the topic in question at all.

 "In the name of nostalgia," Killian offered, "maybe a movie you liked as a kid?"

 "That narrows it down," Emma rolled her eyes, then looked at him and smiled as she added, "but I appreciate the suggestion."

 "I just wish I could be more help."

 "You're all the help I need," Emma said, patting him on the leg.

 Killian pressed his forehead against the side of her head and took her hand. "And you're all that I need." he whispered.

 A slightly flustered smile crept across her face, just as Killian had calculated would happen, and she set her laptop down and turned towards him, so their noses brushed against each other.

 "You're all I need too," Emma said.

 "The most incredible woman in all the realms needs an old washout like me?" Killain thought, shaking his head and smiling.

 "What?' Emma asked.

 "Have I told you recently that your eyes sparkle like the morning dew on the grass?" Killian asked, brushing his hair out of her face with his hook, "Or that your smile is like the silver lining in the clouds after a week of storms? Or that your hair shines like the sun in winter, and that flush of red creeping across your cheeks right now is the most beautiful color I've ever laid eyes on?"

 Emma placed her hand on his neck.

 "I don't know," she replied, "have I told you recently that your eyes are like a dip in the lake in the summer? That your hair's like a field of flowers that I just wanna run through," and she slid her hand back and her fingers charted their courses already through his hair, "and that your lips are like a ship, like a home I want to fall into?"

 Now he was blushing too, trying as he may to keep his cool.

 "I believe you have, love," he said.

 "Have I?"

 "At least once or twice- but about that last line," he then tapped her lips, then his, with the flat of his hook, "something about falling into my lips?"

 "Oh?" Emma leaned forward, her smiling lips hovering next to his, just close enough to drive him mad. "And what was that?"

 Killian smiled, "I think you know," he raised an eyebrow.

 "Do I?" she raised an eyebrow in return. "Do I really?"

 "Now you're just toying with me," he said, "you know how it gets to me when you play coy with me."

 Emma's smile widened, "You wanna kiss me so badly it's almost pathetic."

 "I don't want to kiss you badly," he said, letting go of her hand so he could cradle the back of her neck instead, "I want to kiss you well- oh so very well."

 Her breath spiraled across his lips like a hurricane, and her fingers twirled around his hair and twisted across his neck like they'd gotten caught in the storm. She smiled, then whispered, "Go for it."

 She didn't have to tell him twice. He pulled her lips into his like the tide draws a ship to her home port, less like he was pulling her and more like he was leading her exactly where she wanted to be anyways.

 And it was right where he wanted to be too. Half a decade ago, he wouldn't've dreamt of a moment like this one- holding Emma Swan- his wife, Emma Swan- in his own two arms, in the living room of their house, her lips on his, her hands on his neck, wanting to be here, wanting to kiss him, to hold him, to love him! In two centuries spent trying to get what he wanted, he never would've guessed that what he wanted was as simple and beautiful as this.

 She slid her hands down to the edges of his robe, pulling him even closer than he already was, curling her lips even tighter around his.

 He shifted her ever so slightly, Emma giggling a little as he laid her down, her head now resting on the couch, himself almost laughing as well as he wrapped himself around her. His lips stayed on top of hers, his face on hers, his chest on hers- his heart on hers.

 "Oh," she sighed. She let go of his robe, only so she could run her hands underneath it, all along his chest and back, tracing out routes she was well acquainted with. "Thanks for the help."

 "Help with what?" he asked, with a low voice, and with messy kisses as his lips danced across hers.

 Emma wrapped her arms around him tighter, pulling him even further onto her, then left his lips so she could plant a field of kisses just below his ear, before whispering a response into it.

 "I don't think I'll have to worry about picking a movie tonight."

💕🦢💕🏴‍☠️💕

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

Season 2 Rewatch Drabbles--2x22 And Straight on Til Morning

Summary:  A series of 100-500 word drabbles to accompany my    rewatch of season 2 of Once Upon a Time as an attempt to finally jump    start the muse again.  There will be a drabble–either a deleted scene, a    “fix it” fic or a character musing for each episode of the season.  Focus will be on Emma, Henry, the Charmings and Killian–with an emphasis on the very beginnings of Captain Swan’s epic love story, as soon as a certain dashing pirate makes his appearance.  

Word Count: 766 (why did I think I could stick to a word count again?)

Tagging a few people who may be interested (Let me know if you want to be added or taken off the list): @sailormew4 @annaamell @flslp87 @emmateo26 @bethacaciakay @ultraluckycatnd @effulgent-mind @ilovemesomekillianjones @kat2609 @brooke-to-broch @missgymgirl @galadriel26 @the-lady-of-misthaven @charmingturkeysandwich @jennjenn615 @laschatzi @kimmy46 @snowbellewells @iamanneenigma @daxx04 @nickillian  @gillie  @britishguyslover @ginnyjinxedandhanshotritafirst @kmomof4 @linda8084 @golfgirld @captain-swan-coffee @searchingwardrobes @hollyethecurious @laughswaytoomuch  @allyourdarlingswans  @winterbaby89 @facesiousbutton82 @therooksshiningknight @lfh1226-linda @tiganasummertree @jrob64​  @anmylica   @booksteaandtoomuchtv

Other Chapters: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (17.5) (18) (19) (20) (21-22)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Emma stared in horrified disbelief at the calm waters that had only moments before been a swirling portal which had swallowed up Greg, Tamara and Henry.  The panic threatened to drown her.  Not only did she have no way to get to her son, no way to save him, she didn’t even know where he’d gone.

Oh God, what was she going to do?  What was she going to do?

So far today, they’d discovered Regina missing and found her in the cannery, Tamara had killed Neal and then sent him through a portal to who knows where, Regina had dropped the bomb about the failsafe that was about to literally kill them all, Hook had returned to help them, Hook had screwed them over, she and Regina had stopped the failsafe, Henry had been kidnapped and dragged through a portal by a pair of psycho idiots, and now she, her parents, Regina, Gold and Belle stood at the dock looking out to sea without the first clue what to do next.

So basically your average Tuesday in Storybrooke.

Why couldn’t they ever get a break?  Ever?

“What is that?” Emma looked up at Belle’s question and followed her finger pointing out to sea.

Her stomach swooped and her heart raced as she saw the tell-tale sails and rigging of the Jolly Roger. “Hook,” she said, feeling hope for the first time in hours.

He was coming back to them, coming back to her.

Hook had changed alliances so frequently in the time that she’d known him that it nearly gave her whiplash.  She should write him off completely.  What kind of a fool trusted someone like that?

But she’d been speaking the truth when she confronted him back in the diner an hour ago.  “You and I, we understand each other.  Look out for yourself and you’ll never get hurt.”  She knew him.  She understood.  She’d known from the moment they climbed the beanstalk together that he was a good man who had lost his way after who knows how many tragedies.

He was a villain by circumstance, not by nature, and she knew he could turn away from the dark side if only he opened himself to become a part of something.

A part of something with her?

Emma mentally shook herself as the ship pulled into the dock and Hook slowly limped his way down the gangplank.  No.  She could trust him to help them find Henry, but she knew better than to trust him with her heart.

Even if she’d instinctively felt she could and wanted to ever since the beanstalk.

“I thought you didn’t care about anyone but yourself,” she said, her tone deliberately biting.

He looked deeply into her eyes as he placed the magic bean in her hand.  She saw his earnestness, the absolute sincerity in his cerulean eyes.  “Maybe I just needed reminding that I could.”

There was that swoop of her stomach again, the leap of her heart.  She ruthlessly pushed the attraction aside as she followed him onto the ship.  There would be plenty of time to think all of this through once they had Henry back safe and sound. (Well…maybe not plenty of time; knowing this town, they’d have approximately forty-five minutes before the next crisis.)

For now all that mattered was finding her son.

[spartanguard]

sons of love and death, 9/13 {CSSNS 23}

Summary: After the Final Battle, Killian Jones had finally settled into his happily ever after with his wife and family. Until a new foe arrived in Storybrooke: the infamous Dorian Gray, who looks rather familiar—one might say identical—to the pirate, and he’s on a mission: to claim the powers of the Dark One for himself. There’s only one problem: the Dark One no longer exists. What follows is a journey of vengeance, revelations, magic, and finally facing down the darkness within himself that Killian thought he’d finally put to rest. [roughly canon divergent from 5B, though set post-canon] A/N: Things stay a bit steamy this week in my @cssns story...hope you enjoy it! (As always, thanks to the best beta, @optomisticgirl​ !) rated M | 4.7k words | AO3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

For the first time since Dorian had crashed into their lives, things were suddenly quiet after Killian’s encounter with him on the ship. No one was fool enough to think that meant he was gone—they were still ever on alert—but the reprieve from actively being on the defensive was appreciated. 

Killian still had a few magic lessons, but after his emotional breakdown, he seemed to have made an equal breakthrough when it came to using his powers at will. 

Even in the middle of the forest, he easily extinguished the ring of fire Regina conjured. She waved the subsequent steam away from her face with a wince, but then arched an eyebrow. “That’s the fastest I’ve ever seen magical flames put out. Impressive, pirate.”

He smirked and hoped she attributed the flush in his cheeks to the lingering heat and not the blush it actually was. 

It was mainly his elemental magic that he’d mastered, but he did begin working on testing out some more general magic. Not with much success, but Regina was unusually patient. “You’ve done the hard part; the rest will come with time,” she assured him. 

At least that was going well. He was having less success to adjusting to life without his hook. He’d searched all over the deck of his ship the morning after his confrontation with Dorian, but it wasn’t to be found; he had to assume his arsehole brother had taken it, but couldn’t fathom why (other than to make his life harder). 

He’d had that hook longer than he ever had a hand—it’s what he was accustomed to. 

He did, however, find a burn mark in the railing the size and shape of a cigarette; he was fighting back the part of him that wanted to similarly scar Dorian.

Until he figured something else out, he’d dug his false hand out of storage; it was better than nothing, but not what he’d prefer. It was too bulky and imprecise. But it beat the alternative of nothing, especially given that he wasn’t yet confident enough to go without his brace in public. (Though he had come to appreciate, since they’d begun to cohabitate, the way Emma massaged the blunted end of his wrist after he removed the brace at the end of the day.)

(He also wasn’t going to complain about the way the use of his false hand was apparently reminding Emma of their adventure in the past, particularly the ball, and that she’d taken to slow dancing with him in the evenings while holding tight to it. Or that it inevitably led to a more horizontal form of dance.

Perhaps he’d have to ask Regina if it was possible to learn how to transform clothing, to truly recreate that night—and finally act on the things he’d only imagined doing with her when he held her close in that red ballgown.)

At least now Belle couldn’t admonish his handling (or, rather, potential damaging) of ancient book covers as she once had, though it had long since become a joke. They were still doing research to figure out whatever they could about Dorian and what he hoped to achieve, largely from Gold’s personal collection; he may have given up the Dark One’s powers, but not their library. 

For what it was worth, Killian did also read the novel supposedly written about Dorian, but as its inspiration had said, it appeared to only be very loosely based in truth and while an enjoyable story, was less than helpful. 

They were following any potential lead they could, particularly anything about dark magic, but also whatever they could find about Killian and Dorian’s inherent magic. There was so much Killian didn’t know about his parents and family; if he could learn anything about his background this way, he’d like to. 

During their down time at the library, they worked their way through whichever books Belle had brought from home, if only to take stock of each one’s subject matter even if it didn’t hold any answers. 

Killian was skimming over a volume on magical botany (and quickly losing interest) when he noticed a sudden but well-known change in Belle’s body language as she studied her own tome. First, she leaned closer over the page. Then she followed several lines of text with her index finger. She picked up the whole thing, bringing it close to her nose, eyes darting as she read. 

Then she nearly slammed it back on the table (as carefully as she dared to slam a book that was twice as old as he was—which was saying something) and exclaimed. 

“Holy shit!”

Well, that took him aback; her excited outbursts were usually far less profane. “Language,” he chided, though far from serious. 

She clamped a hand over her mouth, briefly. “Sorry,” she said, sounding anything but, “but I found something big.”

“Something relevant?”

“Yeah—though I’m not sure how you’ll react.”

He quirked an eyebrow, intrigued. “What is it?”

“If I’m translating this correctly—and I’m almost positive I am—it implies that the magic of twins born around Cailleach is connected.”

Killian tilted his head. “How so?” He found that curious, given how long it lay dormant in him.

“Well, it’s anecdotal, but it talks of a set of twins who used their powers together. But then one died unexpectedly—and the other lost the ability to use magic.”

He hummed in thought. “It could have just been due to the loss of their twin, though—that’s a hard emotional hurdle to overcome.” He knew he’d have been unable to use his powers after the loss of Liam—at least, not with any control.

“Perhaps,” she agreed, but her eyes were still on the page. “But it goes on to talk about another pair who had lived apart for decades; their powers never faded, but when one eventually passed, the other’s magic went with it—even before they learned of their sibling’s death.”

“So…” He quickly did the math in his head. “You’re saying the easiest way to stop him…would be my death?”

She gasped at him. “Of course I’m bloody not saying that! I’m saying that if he died, you’d lose your powers.”

“That doesn’t exactly negate my conclusion.” 

She huffed. “I suppose not—but have a little self-preservation, okay?”

“Can’t say that’s something I’m known for,” he quipped back—though it wasn’t far from the truth, given his track record. 

But then he realized— “He likely already knows about that, then.” 

Now it was Belle’s turn to be confused; her brow furrowed, until she apparently remembered. “Oh, right; you died.”

“For a few weeks, if I recall correctly.”

She shrugged. “I kind of lost track of time when I was under that sleeping curse.”

“Fair,” he chuckled (because that was really the only reaction he could have to that entire line of conversation; as Emma frequently said, “What even is our life?”)

“But if he only just found out about you, then he may not have made the connection yet,” Belle pointed out.

“Mm, true.” He thought more about what they knew of Dorian’s plan. “And if he does mean to kill me, then that would be cutting himself off at the ankles before he even got to finish it.”

“...Which would make your death rather convenient,” Belle had to concede.

“Told you,” he teased.

They thought in silence for a moment, Belle staring away in thought and drumming her fingers on the table. “I wonder…” started, then skimmed over the pages again.

“Wonder what?”

She read for a bit more before replying. “I can’t find any specific evidence to support it, but I wonder if simply one twin losing their magic would be enough to cut off the other one.”

He leaned back and considered her hypothesis. It was certainly a safer option, but still had its risks. “Were you thinking him, or me?”

“That’s why I wasn’t sure how you’d react,” she told him.

He studied his hand—which, for once, wasn’t pulsing with blue lights, but he could feel it simmering under the surface. “It’s definitely the easier of the two options.”

“But?”

“But this is all I have to protect Emma from him. And if it doesn’t work, I lose that.”

“You know she can defend herself,” Belle lectured.

“Oh, I’m fully aware. But for once, I’d like her to not have to.”

Belle gave him a somewhat melancholy smile and placed her hand over his. “Let’s keep it in our back pocket, then, alright? Besides, we don’t even know how to remove your magic anyways.”

“Yes we do,” he quickly reminded her. While he wasn’t the biggest fan of the idea, it was a solid backup plan—and he knew exactly who to talk to.

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・🗡・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

He probably should have called or texted ahead, but when faced with making such an odd social call, Killian found himself somewhat nervous. He wasn’t even sure how the phone number ended up in his device, as he’d never once used it, nor had they—it was purely for emergencies, which had thankfully been in short supply lately. 

So he figured it might be better to simply show up at the door and see what kind of reception he got. He still hesitated to knock, though; his hand hovered over the weathered wood as he second-guessed this entire meeting. 

Before he wavered any longer, he quickly rapped on the door, firmly and fast. And held his breath. 

It took a moment, but he heard footsteps approach the other side of the door, then saw the lace curtain in the window briefly move aside and fall back. The deadbolt turned, the door swung open—

—And a blade was at his neck. Zelena was holding a kitchen knife to his carotid, her other hand fisted around the open edge of his coat. 

“Which one are you?” she snarled.

“The one with one hand,” he snapped back. “Is this how you treat all unexpected visitors?” (It checked out, if he was being honest.)

“Glamour spells are easy,” she countered. “Prove it’s you: tell me how we escaped from the Dark Swan’s cave?”

He squinted his eyes shut at the memory (and also because he could feel the edge of the knife on his skin). That wasn't a moment he ever cared to revisit; as such, it had stayed private between the two of them. “I had an enchantment in my hook and used it to remove the magic-blocking cuff; you did the rest.”

She stepped back and let go of him, seemingly satisfied. He still checked his neck where the blade had been, but no blood came back.

Zelena leaned out of sight, setting the knife down inside the house, and then crossed her arms as she glared at him. “Well, now that that’s settled, what do you want? Robyn’s asleep so I’ve only got an hour to myself, if I’m lucky.”

“I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but might I come in? I wanted to ask you about something.”

She smirked and raised her eyebrow. “This should be good. Come on in.”

He’d somehow never been inside her farmhouse. It was cozy, if a bit messy, but not any less than the Nolan’s home; he supposed that came with the territory of small children. “I just put some water on for tea; care for any?” she called over her shoulder.

“Depends; is it laced with nightroot? Because we really don’t need another evil version of me,” he couldn’t help but quip.

“Fresh out,” she deadpanned. “I only have green.” 

“How in-character of you.”

They settled at the worn kitchen table and took a few sips from their mugs (it was actually very good tea). But now that he was here, he wasn’t exactly sure how to start the conversation.

Zelena had no such hesitation. “Out with it, then,” she started, setting her mug down. “What is it you come seeking my expert advice on?”

He let a sip of his tea wash down as he debated how to start. “When you gave up your magic, what did it feel like?”

“What, already tired of yours? Regina said you were actually catching on.”

It felt incredibly odd to receive anything resembling a compliment from Zelena. “Not quite, but…it might make things easier.”

“For you, maybe; it wasn’t for me. But you’re already used to doing things manually.”

“That’s it?” he asked, incredulous. “You could no longer wave your hand and have things done for you? That was the only change?”

“Of course it bloody wasn’t!” she said angrily. “It felt like…losing a part of myself,” she admitted. “It wasn’t unlike the emptiness I felt after I gave birth—like there was a hole inside.”

“Do you still?”

She stared at her mug. “Most of the time, no. Just like after I had Robyn, it healed, mostly—but it also left its marks. I still feel the loss sometimes.” She glanced up at him. “A few days ago, your twin was here and I just…handed over my daughter, because I thought he was you. I was so mad at myself. If I still had my magic, I could have sensed that he wasn’t who I thought—that he had his own magic. But what scared me the most was that I couldn’t have protected my child if he’d wanted to hurt her.”

That was a deeper confession than he was expecting. Despite all they’d been through together and the fact there was a tenuous level of trust, they weren’t exactly what he’d call close. But he did come here to seek her advice, right? 

“I appreciate your honesty,” he told her. “And I know how you feel—that’s my greatest concern as well.”

“You have a backup, though,” she scoffed. “You’ve got your sword and years of fighting experience to rely on; I’m not quite so skilled.”

“Those only go so far when your foe has magic,” he countered. “Especially when he’s out for blood.”

“Yeah, Regina told me,” she said. “I assume you think losing your powers would have an effect?”

He explained Belle’s hypothesis regarding the connection of their magic and the possibility of severing it. She listened intently and then sat back, staring up at the ceiling in thought. 

“It’s definitely a valid theory,” she told him. “I mean, that’s essentially what happened when I gave up mine—once that was gone, the Black Fairy couldn’t use those crystals anymore, even though they were more a side effect of my magic than anything.”

“Do you still have that object you used—that heart thing?”

“The Crimson Heart,” she corrected. “And I don’t, but Regina does; she stuck it in her vault for safekeeping, so gods only know where exactly it is in that mess.”

He glanced at the state of Zelena’s living room through the entryway from the kitchen, but made no further comment. 

“I’ll talk to her; we can probably get it out whenever you want. How soon were you thinking about doing this?”

“The sooner, the better,” he decided—not just on when, but that it was the right course of action as well. If it worked, Dorian was so reliant on his magic that its loss would likely render him bereft, and Killian was indeed skilled enough to fend him off. 

“I’ll ask Regina about it tomorrow, then.”

“That works,” he agreed. “Cheers,” he ended, offering his mug in a toast. 

She clinked hers against his and they made small talk as they finished their tea, as if they hadn’t just had a fairly serious conversation. 

Not long after, whimpers came from the baby monitor sitting on the counter. “I’ll leave you to that, then,” he said, intending to excuse himself, and stood up. 

“Oh no you don’t,” Zelena countered. “Robyn is in an intense water phase right now. If you want to return the favor, you’ll flex some of that magic for her before you ditch it.”

He had to smile at that. “Aye, we can manage something.”

Little Robyn was thoroughly entertained by the fountains, splashes, and whirlpools he created in the stoppered basin sink (and, if he wasn’t mistaken, Zelena was impressed, too—though he didn’t miss the bit of melancholy in her eyes, likely from what they’d previously discussed). 

He finally left feeling a bit lighter than when he’d arrived, though still obviously trepidatious. He’d talk it over with Emma, though; she’d either confirm he was doing the right thing, or tell him he was being a bloody idiot. 

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・🗡・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

“You’re sure about this?”

“It’s the easiest way to ruin his plans. We don’t have a ton of options here.”

Emma had listened to Killian’s explanation of the plan to get rid of his magic, but wasn’t completely sure she was on board, even if it made sense. 

She set her mug of cocoa down on the kitchen table and leaned back in her chair. “I know, but you were there when I tried to give up mine. It might not be the easy way out you think it is.”

“I’m aware,” he acknowledged from his seat adjacent to her. “But we also both know that if I was just doing this because I didn’t want to take ownership of my powers, I’d have pursued this a week ago.”

“Yeah,” she conceded. “And at least it’s not Gold this time.”

She slightly regretted bringing up that memory when Killian shuddered; that whole situation—with the hat and subsequent theft of his heart—had been far more traumatic for him than her, though who knows what would have happened without Elsa’s intervention. 

“Indeed,” he finally said. “If this works the way we think it will, it’ll make sure this whole situation is resolved without any bloodshed—most importantly, yours.”

She rolled her eyes. “Hey—yours too,” she chided. “And what if it doesn’t?”

“Then we come up with a new plan,” he assured her. “And I start wearing my sword belt again.”

She chuckled a bit, if only because she enjoyed the way the leather sat on his hips (though she also admired the fit of a gun holster on his shoulders, even if his stint as deputy was short-lived). But then she sighed. “I meant it when I said I was into the whole power couple thing,” she told him. “I’m gonna miss that.”

“You’re far better at it, darling,” he tossed back. “But perhaps if our time is limited in that regard,” he went on, leaning in and looking down coyly, “we make the most of it?”

Now he was glancing up at her through those long lashes of his, a smirk cutting a dimple into his scruff. 

Well. She could never say no to that. 

So she leaned towards his ear and whispered, “Race you to the bathroom.”

(She won, for the record.)

They’d long since mastered the most efficient removal of clothes; the lone perk to Henry being out of the house was that no one was around to judge them for the trail of shirts and underwear left on the stairs and hallway landing.

She may have assisted their water heater in getting the shower up to temp; once it was nice and steamy, she dragged Killian in and wasted no further time in getting on with things. It wasn’t the first time they’d had an encounter in the shower since he’d mastered his magic, but knowing this was the last time, she was impatient to get going (and was going to loathe the end).

As the hot water washed over her, she shivered, both at the heat on her skin and in anticipation of what was to come. Killian, too, was eager, it seemed—both by the way he wasted no time in pressing himself against her back and wrapping his arms around her waist, and by the beginnings of an erection that she could feel against her rear.

She turned in his embrace and similarly placed her arms around him, resting them at the small of his back, and aligning as much of her body to his as she could—even though the initial brush of his chest hair against her nipples made her arch her back. 

He smirked at her reaction, but then it turned into a softer, more intimate smile that she only ever saw come out in these shared moments, and he buried his hand in her wet tresses to press a tender kiss to her lips. 

They took their time, sharing languid kisses, hands gently wandering and gradually building the best kind of tension between them. 

The water continued to rain down on them, drawing meandering paths down their bodies. But…was some of it going backwards?

At first, she thought it was just spray bouncing up at her ankles. But then it felt like droplets were trailing up her back alongside his fingers. 

The sensation continued, swirling subtly up her legs and abdomen; when it eventually traveled over the sensitive area between her legs, she knew exactly what was going on. 

She went up on her toes—partly in reaction, and partly to look him closer in the eye. “I felt that,” she jokingly accused.

“I bloody well hope so,” he countered. “Was wondering when you’d acknowledge that.”

“Maybe I was enjoying it too much to say anything.”

“Then I suppose I better get back to it,” he said, just as she felt simultaneous threads of water swirl around her nipples.

After that, it was like every drop that fell on her had a destination; as much as his fingers drew designs on her skin, the water similarly made patterns all over her body: circling her breasts and navel, spiraling down her thighs, caressing her shoulders and back, even tickling the sensitive spot just under her jaw. (That one may have earned him a similar touch under his arms, making him briefly squirm away.)

She was getting completely lost in the sensation—of him and his magic all around her—when something made her jump. It felt like when Killian went down on her, but he was obviously still fully upright.

She gasped when it happened again—the same gentle but firm touch, right over her clit.

“Oh, that is so not—fair,” she admonished, stuttering as he did it again. Typically, he just raised an eyebrow at her, somehow both in pride and challenge.

Well. She had a few tricks up her sleeve, despite being very naked.

She slipped her hands around his waist and found his lips again, mainly as a distraction. And then she called her magic to her palms, making them tingle with heat and light.

She let her fingers graze over his hips, sparking a bit as they went, then reached down in between them to his hardening cock and gripped it carefully but firmly.

“Fffuck,” he hissed, throwing his head back. She smirked and stroked his length. “Bloody…hell,” he gasped.

“What’s it you say? ‘Turnabout’s fair play’ or something?” She was probably butchering that line but he couldn’t exactly respond when her extra-warm hand had a grasp on his manhood. 

But he could growl, which he did, making tension coil deep in her core. He placed his hand and wrist on her hips and rested his forehead against hers—she thought in bliss at first, as she continued to massage his shaft, but then a mini maelstrom took over their shower stall: droplets began to float and whirl around them, hissing into steam when they hit her overheated skin. 

That was new. To test it, she drew a line with the index finger of her free hand down his bicep; it sizzled the whole way, but left no mark. “Did that hurt?” she asked softly. 

He shook his head. “Not at all.”

She experimented further, letting go of his cock and pressing her palms against his pecs. She dragged her fingers through his chest hair and he sucked in a breath, both at her touch and the ensuing steam. 

His eyes had fallen shut, but he opened them when her hands reached his collarbones—and fire was in his gaze, almost literally given how hazy it had gotten in there. 

He surged forward and grabbed her ass, sliding his hand down her thigh to lift her leg and press his hips against hers. She inhaled sharply at the brush of his erection against her keyed-up clit. 

“Now?” he asked with a further nudge of his hips. 

“Not yet,” she answered; she was probably ready for him, but wanted to play a bit more first. 

She found his lips again and continued to kiss and press herself against him. Her skin was beginning to tingle as water drops continued to evaporate as soon as they hit her; she had to assume his was, too, as her wandering hands still hissed wherever they went, especially when she squeezed his pert, perfect rear end.

Well, that may have been her undoing—or close to it, because when she gripped those firm muscles, it brought them even closer together, making her realize just how much she was aching for him. 

“Okay, now,” she whispered in his ear. 

He didn’t say anything; he didn’t have to. He just carefully guided her to the wall behind her so it would be easier for him to get leverage. Normally, she had to brace herself for contact with the cool tile, but it was unusually warm tonight. 

Killian guided her leg to sit on the footrest she’d put in the shower for this exact reason; between that and the wall, it just made things so much easier. Although her foot slipped the first time she tried to set it down; despite no longer being directly under the shower head, water was still coming down on them, from every direction, it seemed; definitely Killian’s handiwork. 

Once she was in place, he pressed one more kiss to her lips, then gave his cock a couple of strokes (not that it really needed any further priming, but she certainly enjoyed watching). And then he expertly found her entrance and slid in. 

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes at first. “So warm,” he breathed; but she was caught up as ever in how perfectly they fit together. 

But now that he was inside, she craved friction; she moved a bit to let him know, and he took the hint. With the way they were positioned, it’d be more him than her in action, but she wasn’t worried about not finding her own release. 

(Not that she ever was, but there again was a stream of water gently circling her clit that probably meant she’d be coming sooner than anticipated.)

He pulled back and pressed forward, languid at first but then picking up the pace. She met him on each press as best she could, but now there was water on her breasts again—still all over both of them—and she was getting a bit overwhelmed as she quickly approached her peak. 

He noticed, like he always did. “How close?”

“Pretty damn.”

“Aye.” And then he increased his speed as much as he could, given the awkward angle, and it felt like her clit was going to drown, if that was possible, with the sudden whirlpool it suddenly was at the center of. 

She tried to hold out as long as possible—to revel in this experience—but—but—

“Let go,” he murmured—and she did. 

Her release crested over her much like the falling water had, until she was entirely awash in it. Killian came just a bit later; she could tell not only from his actions, but also because the constantly moving water suddenly stopped like it had been instantly frozen, sitting still on her skin. 

It wasn’t long until he pulled out and the water trailed away like it was supposed to, falling off their bodies to the tile below. He took her hand and led her back to the space under their shower head, letting it take care of the clean up. 

“That. That is what I’m gonna miss,” she told him as she curled into his chest. 

He placed a kiss on her temple. “Then we best make the most of this, eh?”

They certainly did, not fully crashing until a couple hours later. She made a point to memorize every detail of that night; hell, she was debating preserving it in a dreamcatcher. 

If that was the last night they’d have like that, then at least it was a perfect one. She smiled to herself, thoroughly content, as she drifted off in his embrace. 

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・🗡・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

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