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ssa-babygirl · 4 years

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Out of my League [Part 5]

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Single mom!Reader

Word count: 4.1k

Summary: A night out with the team leaves you and Spencer with so much unsaid, despite how much he spills to you while you’re drunk and half asleep.

Warning(s): Mentions of past addiction, alcohol consumption, some swear words, mentions of past bullying, EXTREME PINING

Author’s Note: I told yall this chapter wouldn’t take 10 years. just like... a week and a half. I promise I’ll do better lmao also enjoy the fluff cuz uh,, yall are gonna hate me next chapter oops

[Previous Part] [Series Masterlist]

Washington D.C., 2009

(Reader POV)

Rossi’s dinner party would not be the last time Spencer had to drive your drunk ass home. It happened two or three in the two years since that night. Dave meant it when he said you were one of them. Whenever they went out for drinks after a case, you would get a text from one of the girls asking if you wanted to come. Your mom living a few blocks away from you was helpful because you just needed to drop Jamie off and head over to O’Keefe’s. You very rarely went overboard because you normally had to drive home, but tonight was not one of those nights.

The team had just gotten back from a local case in Bethesda, so Emily offered to pick you up on her way back. Hotch gave them all the rest of the night off after they made the arrest, but Spencer, always the workaholic, still wanted to finish up his paperwork before going out.

Your mom came to get Jamie and take him back to her house, so you were free to get all dressed up for a night on the town with your friends. You didn’t want to look too formal since most of them were still going to be in their work clothes, so you got out a cute green button-down blouse and tucked it into some high-waisted jeans. You put on your favorite locket and let your hair down. You went with a light makeup look, just brows, cheeks, and lashes. You were all set by the time Emily pulled up in front of your place. You strapped up your wedges and grabbed your purse, heading out the door, excited to see everyone after they’d been so busy.

“Hey! You look nice!”

“And you’re not so bad for fresh off a crime scene.”

“Should’ve seen me catch the guy, I looked amazing.”

“I’m sure you did, Em.”

Emily told you about the case, or rather just the ending. You only liked to hear her stories when they had happy endings. This one was pleasant enough, but you had a feeling that she was leaving some details out since it was apparently so bad that even Spencer would be tagging along for drinks.

When you got to the bar, Derek and Penelope were already sitting at a booth in the back with Aaron and Dave. Penelope hopped up from her seat to give you a hug as soon as you approached the table.

“Hey, there she is,” Morgan smiled over his beer.

“Reid’s not driving tonight?” Aaron asked.

“He texted me, he’s on his way, he wanted to finish his paperwork back at the precinct.”

“So what I’m hearing is you finally have time to tell us stories about Reid in high school,” Dave said with a smirk.

“No, come on, he’ll kill me,” you settled into the booth.

Emily snorted, “I’d be surprised if he even found it in him to be mad at you.”

“Oh, it’s happened before.” Your face scrunched up at the memory of what happened that day on the football field.

“Really?” Penelope seemed shocked.

“Yeah I’d… Rather not talk about it.” You didn’t know if Spencer had told the team about the Alexa Lisbon incident, so you didn’t want to talk about how he had been so angry with you for babying him.

“Oh, come on, the kid was in love with you,” Derek prodded, “What’d you do?”

You elected to ignore his comment, “No, it was just stupid.” You could still talk about Kyle, though. The team knew the story of how you’d met Spencer, they just didn’t know about how upset he was when he found out you got back together with Kyle just a few months after you dumped him.

“We love hearing about the stupid things you did!” Garcia squealed.

You stared at the table and fiddled with a napkin to avoid eye contact as you said, “I dated one of his bullies.”

Dave was the first to break the silence, “But Reid said you broke up with him when you found out.”

You bit your lip and hesitated before owning up to it, “Did he tell you that Kyle is Jamie’s dad?”

Emily gasped, “No way!”

“We barely spoke outside of tutoring after that between him being scared of Kyle and basketball season. We were both busy with our teams.”

“Reid played basketball?” Aaron asked, amused.

“He was the coach.” You managed to crack a slight smile, “Budget cuts. But, hey, it was for the best, that was our best season in years.”

“Hard to believe he could focus on strategy with you cheering from the sidelines.” Derek wiggled his eyebrows and took another sip of his beer.

You were quick to change the subject, “So is JJ coming?”

Emily shook her head, “She went home after the case cuz she missed Henry.”

“Oh that boy is the sweetest little thing, I miss when Jamie was that little.”

Aaron sipped his whiskey, “How old is he again?”

“Ten. I’m old, don’t remind me, it’s fucking me up.”

“Ah! Language, bella.”

“Sorry Dave. But speaking of getting effed up, I’ll go get the next round.” You stood and took everyone’s drink orders: Dave and Aaron were sharing an expensive bottle that Dave had already paid for, Emily wanted a martini, Derek just asked for another beer, while Penelope ordered the most elaborate cocktail on the menu, but luckily it was her usual, so you had it pretty much memorized by now.

You strolled up to the bar and gave the bartender the order, which he got right on. He started with giving you Derek’s beer, then Em’s martini, then your rum and coke, before getting to work on Penelope’s ridiculously fruity drink. An older man stalked into your field of view with a beer in his hand, grinning dumbly.

“What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?”

You snorted, “Has that line ever worked?”

“Truth be told, I’ve never used it.”

“Well you don’t have a great success rate right now, bud.” You looked over the man’s shoulder and made eye contact with Penelope, who turned to Derek and gave him a heads up.

“Well let me buy you a drink, maybe it’ll work better the second time around.”

“Oh, no, thank y—”

“No, come on, what’s one drink?”

You grabbed the tray with everyone’s drinks and started to pass him, “I should really get back to my friends.”

“Hey, I won’t keep you long,” He caught you by the arm and the last thing you saw before he turned you to face him again was Penelope leaping up from her seat to let Derek through, “what are you drinking?”

“Babygirl, how long does a beer take?” Derek stepped up behind you and placed a delicate hand on the small of your back, “This guy bothering you, doll?”

The man dropped his hand from your arm, “We were just talking.”

“Really? ‘Cuz to me it seems like you were trying to put the moves on my girl.”

“Babe, it’s fine,” you caught on quickly, placing a hand on Derek’s chest to keep up the ruse of holding him back, “I’m just waiting for Pen’s drink.”

“Get the hell out of here, man.” Derek glares and the other man leaves reluctantly. “You okay?”

You nodded, “Thank you.”

“Hey, no problem, sweetheart.” He withdrew his hand from the small of your back, “Wouldn’t want Pretty Boy to get jealous.”

You felt your face heat up as your eyebrows knit together, feigning confusion.

“Oh, come on, Y/N, you can’t seriously tell me you don’t see it.”

You played dumb, “See what?”

He sips his beer, “You don’t need to be a profiler to see the way he looks at you, Y/N.”

“Oh, god, first my mother, now you too?”

“I’m serious, I’ve only seen him like this one other time.”

“When?”

“On a case a few years ago. There was this actress we were helping out, Lila Archer.”

“Lila Archer? The Lila Archer?”

“Yeah, she had a little crush on Reid for a bit. They made out once.”

“They what?”

He laughed, “What’re ya jealous?”

“No!” Maybe? “It just seems so unprofessional, I wouldn’t have pegged him for a guy who would--”

“Hook up with a movie star? Yeah, I didn’t think so either. It didn’t work out with them, obviously, he said she only felt that way about him because he saved her life.”

“What does this have to do with me?”

“Ever thought about how you protecting him his whole life may have had a similar effect?”

“Showing him basic human decency didn’t make him fall in love with me, Derek.”

“No, but saving his life did.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think that’s more of a question for Pretty Boy himself.” Derek nodded his chin over your shoulder. You followed his gaze and saw Spencer coming up behind you, grinning as he neared the bar.

“Hey.”

“Hey, haircut! Lookin’ good!” Your fingers laced through his shaggy locks and messed up his new boy band-esque style.

A faint blush spread across his cheeks as he fixed his hair, “T-Thanks.”

“When you lovebirds feel like talking to the rest of us, I’ll be at the table with the rest of the team.”

You roll your eyes and turn back to the lanky boy next to you, “Lemme buy you a drink, Spence.”

“Oh, no thank you. I’m driving. And also did you know--”

“You can just say you don’t want it.”

“No, I do. That’s the problem.”

Your face contorted with confusion until it suddenly clicked, “Oh… Has that ever been a problem for you before?”

“Not anymore, and not alcohol, but yeah.”

“Wait, Spence, why didn’t you tell me? I-I’m not mad, it’s your choice, obviously, but I could have helped.”

“You did.”

“I did?”

“Remember that one time I was too sick to talk on our Saturday call?”

“Yeah?”

“I had just gotten back from a case in New Orleans. Remember Ethan from school?”

You nodded, holding onto every word.

“He’s in a jazz band down there now. He talked me into getting help. When you called, I was at the lowest point of withdrawals, shaking so hard I couldn’t sleep, and completely alone. I almost didn’t pick up, but I knew you wouldn’t accept that,” he laughed nervously, “and when I heard your voice…”

He trailed off, finally meeting your eyes.

“When I said I wasn’t feeling well, you said ‘I’m putting Jamie down for the night, wanna hear his bedtime story?’”

You both found yourselves smiling slightly at the memory.

“Not once, during any book I’ve read, had I fallen asleep so easily as I did when you read me The Very Hungry Caterpillar.”

He took a deep breath, almost shuddering, “It was the first time I slept without nightmares since Tobias Hankle.”

You remembered that name. He’d come up in conversations from time to time but you never heard anything about his case. He was always a touchy subject for the team, and now you knew why.

“How long ago was this?”

“Almost three years ago.” He didn’t even have to think about it.

“Spence, you could have told me. You can tell me anything.”

“Anything?” He gulped.

You reached for his hand on the bar and felt it tense under your touch. You’d think after how long you’d known him his touch aversion wouldn’t be an issue with you anymore, but apparently not. Feeling your cheeks heat up, you withdrew your hand as if you burnt your hand on a hot stove and let out an awkward scoff, turning away to look back at your friends, who tried and failed miserably at making it look like they weren’t watching you and Spencer.

“We should…”

“Yeah… w-we should.” Spencer passed you and sat down next to Derek in the booth, leaving you in your usual spot next to Emily with your first of many drinks that night.

3 Hours Later

(Spencer’s POV)

I helped her into my car and buckled her up after she couldn’t find the seatbelt. When I got into the driver’s seat, I glanced at her to see if she was still conscious, only to see her dopey smile directed at me.

“What?” I laughed nervously.

“Nothing,” she slurred, dragging out the ‘ing’ and turning her head towards the window.

“You okay?”

She nodded and leaned her head against the glass as I pulled out of the parking lot. She was quiet for the most part during the drive, so I assumed she was asleep, so imagine my shock when she piped up as soon as I parked in front of her place.

“Can you walk me in?” she asked as if I could say no to her.

“Of course.” I was going to regardless. I helped her out of the car and she stood on wobbly legs. She groaned and looked at her feet.

“Hold this.” She shoved her purse into my arms and placed a hand on my shoulder and hopped up to take off one of her heels, tossing it onto her seat before repeating her actions on her other shoe. She grabbed the pair and marched up the path to her front door. I trailed close behind, just in case she stumbled, which she did.

She fumbled for her key when she suddenly remembered that I had her purse. I dug through the pockets and fished it out, tossing it to her once I got close enough. She instantly giggled as soon as I met her eyes.

“What’s so funny now?”

“Nothing, Spence,” she failed to stifle a smile as she tried to open the door, “You have nothing to worry about.”

I stepped in beside her, “Well you’ve been awfully quiet since we left and now you’re laughing at me!”

“I’m just thinking!”

“That can’t be good,” I joked, prompting her to lightly slap my arm, “Kidding! What are you thinking about?”

“Don’t worry about it!”

“No, now I’m curious!”

“Just something stupid Derek said before you came tonight.”

“Oh jeez, now I have to know.” She climbed up the staircase and down the hallway in front of her bedroom. She twisted the knob and pushed open the door. I stepped in after her and placed her purse down on the dresser. She flopped down on the bed, shuffling under the covers, not even bothering to change out of the clothes she wore to the bar. I grinned down at her. She looked like an angel snuggled up in the sheets.

“Comfy?”

“Very.”

“Good. Call me if you need anything, Y/N,” I started to walk towards the door.

“Did you have a crush on me in high school?”

I paused.

“W-Where’d you get that from?” Nice job, genius, that doesn’t sound guilty at all.

“That’s what Derek said.” She was now sitting up in bed.

Okay, but how did he know that?

“How did this come up exactly?”

She explained how the team was trying to get her to tell them embarrassing stories about me as a kid (sidenote: not cool, guys) and my dear old friend Kyle came up. She said that Morgan brought up transference, where a person experiences something traumatic and associates their “hero” with safety and feelings of relief after being helped.

“He said one girl you helped in a case had feelings for you and the way you explained transference to Derek sounded like you were speaking from experience.”

Great. This is what I get for only having friends on the team. My best guy friend is also a profiler who can read me like a book. Awesome.

I let out a deep sigh and sat down in the chair next to her bed, “I was.”

“Speaking from experience?”

“Yeah. Because that’s where it all started for me. A pretty girl told off one of my bullies and showed me basic human decency--”

“Aw, Spence, you thought I was pretty?” She teased, eliciting a chuckle from me.

“Of course I did. Y/N, you were the head cheerleader that came to me for help with chemistry and tousled my hair and bought me McDonald’s whenever our study sessions ran late. To twelve-year-old Spencer you were this perfect, unattainable princess--”

“Princess?” She giggled and it was the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard, “I like that.”

“Yep.” I laughed with her, “A princess who lived in a beautiful castle with posters on the walls and sparkly beads on the curtains and Doctor Who playing on the TV and a mom that always invited me to stay for dinner and I’m rambling again but that’s perfectly fine with you because you actually cared about what I had to say, especially when I would talk about Shakespeare because A Midsummer Night’s Dream was your favorite assigned reading and--” I stopped myself before it slipped out.

I love you. I’ve said it a million times to her in a million different ways but I knew at that moment that if I said the actual words that I wouldn’t be able to take them back, not that I would ever want to, I just want her to be present when I told her the first time. If I said it now it would be the first time she’d hear it from me and she wouldn’t even remember it when she woke up.

“And what?” She still smiled at me so brightly that the dimly lit room was lit up by the gleam in her eyes.

I smiled back, “You’re my best friend.”

Her grin somehow grew wider, her eyes scrunching up, but the sparkle was still there, “You’re my best friend too.”

If I hadn’t already decided against it, I would have said it then. I would have repeated those words over and over again until the words lost all meaning, only they never would because they felt like they meant the world to me. But I wouldn’t let myself start. Instead, I just looked at her like she was the moon and stars and all the space in between and said, “Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Spence, wait,” she murmured, further burying herself in her covers.

“What now?” I whined, the smile still present on my face.

“I think you’re pretty too.”

It had never been harder for me to resist the urge to kiss her than in that moment. Every fiber of my being screamed to sit back down, lean over her pillow, take her face in my hands, and crash my lips to hers. And for a split second, I thought I would. I almost did. I almost gave myself everything I had ever wanted for sixteen years, four months, and eleven days, but I couldn’t.

“And I think you’re drunk.”

“Spencer Reid!” She squealed, “Just cuz I’m drunk does not mean that you aren’t pretty!”

“Oh really?”

“Yep! ‘Cuz guess what, genius?”

“What?”

“I think you’re pretty when I’m sober, too.”

If I didn’t know any better I’d say she was trying to drive me insane. And you know what?

It was working.

While I was lost in my thoughts, no doubt staring at her, she let out a tiny yawn and snuggled deeper into her pillow. A piece of hair fell in front of her eyes, hooded yet still shining. I brushed the hair out of her face and told her to get some rest.

“Good idea. I’m sleepy,” she dragged out the e and yawned again, “Goodnight, Pretty Boy.”

“Goodnight, princess.” I chuckled softly. My fingers still lingered just behind her ear, so I stroked her hair once more and pressed a small kiss to her forehead once I was sure she was asleep. Her cheeks twitched in a barely conscious smile, making me grateful for my eidetic memory again. I went to the kitchen and took a glass from the cabinet, filling it up in the sink and placing it on the nightstand with some aspirin.

I took a sheet of some stationery and scrawled out a note for her in the morning:

Make sure you stay hydrated. There’s more aspirin in your cabinet but wait a few hours to take it. Call me if you need anything. -S.R.

The Next Morning

(Reader’s POV)

The coffee machine made too much noise. Your head was pounding despite the fact you took an aspirin a few minutes ago. Now you played the waiting game, hoping it would kick in soon. When the pot was finally done, you poured yourself a cup, hoping it would help wake you up. You normally wouldn’t drink coffee this late, but you needed it. Just as you took your first sip, your mom came through the front door with Jamie in tow carrying his pajamas in a shopping bag. He said good morning to you and ran upstairs to his room.

“Did you just wake up?”

“Yes.”

“Y/N, it’s almost noon.” You could hear the judgment in her voice.

You took a sip of coffee, “It’s 11:05.”

“I take it you had fun at O’Keefe’s last night?”

“Yeah,” you grumbled, rubbing your eyes.

“How’d you get home?”

“Spence drove me.”

Her eyes widened, excited. She lowered her voice to ask, “Is he still here?”

“Mom!” You whisper-yelled.

“I was just checking!”

“No, he’s not, he dropped me off and went home.” You decided to leave out the whole “putting you to bed” part.

“How’s your hangover?”

“Better with aspirin.”

“Have you been drinking water?”

“A little,” you lied.

“No more coffee until you finish a glass.” She took your mug and dumped its contents down the drain.

“Wh—” You start, “Mom, I’m not a kid.”

“Just drink your damn water.”

“Jesus,” you groan, still making your way to the stairs and heading up to your room, where your water had been put on your nightstand the night before. Under the glass was a note that you didn’t notice when you first woke up. You recognized the chicken scratch handwriting immediately: Spencer.

“Make sure you stay hydrated. There’s more aspirin in your cabinet but wait a few hours to take it. Call me if you need anything. -S.R.”

You smiled as you read the words over and over. You put the note down and took a sip from the glass. You reached over to your phone on the nightstand and dialed his number. It rang twice before Spencer’s voice crackled over the speaker, “Hey, how’re you feeling?”

“Better, thank you.”

“Of course. Did you drink the water I gave you last night?”

“Some of it.”

“Good, did you eat?”

“No.”

“I’m going on my lunch break in a bit, wanna meet up?”

Your heart fluttered at the offer, a small grin tugging at your lips. You nodded, unable to find words enthusiastic enough to express how much you’d like that, before settling on “Yeah! Sounds good!”

“Perfect! There’s a new thai place downtown I’ve been meaning to check out, how about there?”

“Sure! I’ll meet you at Quantico?”

“See you then!”

“Bye,” you all but sighed into the receiver before snapping out of it. You always tried to keep that part of you beneath the surface, but it wasn’t as easy as it used to be. You didn’t remember much from last night, but you did remember calling him pretty boy and making him blush. You remember him tucking you in and calling you princess and brushing your hair out of your eyes. You remembered how your chest swelled with light as he pressed his lips to your forehead, and the soft chuckle he let out seeing you smile against your pillow.

You hopped in the shower and got dressed, fixing yourself just enough to pass for a functioning adult who did not get sloppy drunk in front of her best friend’s coworkers last night. You told your mom you were going out for lunch, and she happily agreed to babysit for a few hours while you were with Spencer.

“Have fun on your date!”

“Not a date!” You almost couldn’t tell who you were talking to, her or you.

You got to Quantico about a half-hour later and were met by Dave in the bullpen.

“Oh, look who’s joined the land of the living!”

“Oh, come on, I wasn’t that bad last night. I could have been Penelope.”

“That is true, bella, but it was still a Thursday,” Dave chuckled, “The kid’s in Aaron’s office, he’ll be out in a sec.”

“Thank you,” you said and walked over to Spencer’s desk, sitting down in his chair and making small talk with Emily while you waited. A few minutes later, you saw him walk out of the office, eyes immediately landing on you.

Taglist~~~

Lmk if you wanna be added! Some names didn’t work so if you don’t see your name as a tag just dm me a url and I’ll try to fix it

@lawnmoa @ellvswriting @baby-pogue @purelyprentiss @confused-and-really-hungry @thatsonezesty13 @deni-gonzalez @irjuejjsaa @randomfandomshitposts @bisoner @moonstarrnghtsky @smurfflynn @eldahae @t0xicllama @undeniablyyou @staplernpaper @theweirdobella @sammypotato67 @k-k0129 @helloniallslovelies @dazzlingnights @uhuhuh @booksarekindaneat @crimeshowtrash @carlgrxmes @collectiveuniverses @annesauriol

#spencer reid x reader #spencer reid imagine #spencer reid smut #spencer reid #mgg smut #mgg x reader #mgg imagine #mgg fanfiction #mgg #cm imagine #cm fan fiction #CM #criminal minds imagine #Criminal Minds Reid #Criminal Minds Fanfiction #Criminal Minds

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elizabeethan · 4 years

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Keeping It Professional

Please enjoy this dialogue-heavy fluff-fest, in which Emma and Killian work together on a popular TV show, and Emma is just trying to keep things professional.

Rated T

~3200 words

Summary: Join us this Thursday with Emma Nolan, the star of the hit show, Neverland! Emma plays Emma Swan, a mom who's trying to get her son back from Neverland, but Peter Pan is not who you'd expect. We'll discuss a new season, the upcoming finale, and, of course, her on and off screen relationships with her costars! You won't want to miss this one!

In which Emma Nolan hates interviews.

A/N: Oh hi, I wrote this while I was being no-showed. I have no idea what it is.

see other stuff that i’ve written on Ao3 or tumblr

The ostentatious applause and blinding lights are things that Emma Nolan has grown accustomed to over the years. The show has been on for four seasons, having just been picked up for a fifth, and it’s grown in popularity during that time.

“It must be interesting playing a character with your same name.”

“Definitely. No one ever has an excuse to get my name wrong on set,” she laughs lightly, drawing similar sounds from the audience.

“Right! And I’m sure it much be interesting, working with your brother?”

“Oh, yeah. David’s a great actor, and he’s also my best friend. It’s a blast.”

“Now, at the end of last season, we found out that Baelfire was actually alive!” The audience cheers. “How’s that for a turn of events?”

“Oh, I know. Crazy right? We’ll have to see how it will impact everyone’s relationship with Henry.”

“Not to mention Emma’s relationship with Hook, right?”

The audience whoops and hollers, and Emma smiles. “I guess we’ll have to see!”

“Now, Emma, everyone is dying to know. The chemistry between you and Killian… there’s got to be something there, right?”

Emma loves to act— and she’s damn good at it. She loves the show she’s been a part of for almost five years now. She even doesn’t mind doing interviews, usually. What she does mind, however, is how everyone and their mother assumes she’s sleeping with her costars.

Emma fakes a laugh— she’s a good actor, remember? — and lets her eyes light up and a grin split her face, saying jokingly, “I’m a really good actor.”

The audience laughs, as does the interviewer, reaching between their chairs and touching Emma’s knee lightly. “You're too much! But come one—you and Killian? You and Neal?”

Okay, she hates interviews.

Emma shakes her head, trying her hardest to maintain an air of light and playfulness rather than rolling her eyes like she so badly wanted to. “Just keeping it professional, you know?”

“Well, Emma Swan has had some steamy moments with both Baelfire and Hook, so I think the audience would agree when I say we want to know who the better kisser is! Both of them are so delicious!” The audience doesn’t cheer; screams violently is more like it. Emma tries to laugh it off, but seriously? How is this question even allowed to be asked?

“Uh,” she starts awkwardly before she snaps herself back into interview mode and smiles again. “No comment,” she says with a smirk and a flirt in her tone.

“Oh, come on!”

She hates interviews.

“We’re all good friends. We’re just trying to keep it professional so that we can continue to work together.”

“Well, your brother David and Mary Margaret got married last year and they seem to work together well.”

Emma’s left eye starts to twitch, and she’s glad that it isn’t the side of her facing the audience. Let it go, lady, she thinks. “I’m so happy for them—they're great together, aren’t they?” The audience cheers again. “I’m really glad they were able to work things out between them. They’ve always had a thing for each other, and their relationship is so strong both on and off screen that it just worked out.”

“Are you saying you don’t have a strong relationship with Killian or Neal?”

“No, no, it isn’t that. I guess I’d just rather put my professional relationship with them over any of my own wishes.”

The interviewer smirks, and shit. “So, you do wish to be with one of them?” Oh my god, she thinks. Yes, but leave me the hell alone about it.

She starts to panic, thinking about what Killian would say in response, how he would tease her for anything that comes out of her mouth. Then she starts thinking about his mouth, then his eyes and his cute nose and his weird, charming ears, and her heart starts racing and her palms start sweating, and she has to get herself under control, dammit!

“All I want is for people to continue to love the show, and if my on-screen chemistry with my costars assists in that, then I’m happy.” Phew, take that, Kelly. Emma is a professional actor, thank you very much.

“Alright, alright, we can’t get anything out of her today, guys, sorry. Emma Nolan is the star on the hit series Neverland, which portrays Peter Pan in a very new light; catch up online or before the new episodes air every Sunday at 8 pm!”

The audience shouts again, and they're finally given the cue that the cameras are off as the lights dim, and Emma stands from the chair she was perched on and starts to unhook her mic from her top.

“Thank you for coming in today, Emma! It was so lovely having you.”

“It was great being here, Kelly, thank you.”

Emma practically runs from the stage once she’s cleared to do so, making her way down dark, winding hallways until she reaches the dressing room with her name printed on it. She shuts the door firmly behind her and presses her back to it, taking a deep breath and sliding down to the floor with her face in her hands. She tries deep breathing, but she finds it nearly impossible to get any air in.

Her phone chimes, alerting her to the message she’s received, and she attempts to pull herself together so that she can stand and grab it.

Nice one, Swan

She rolls her eyes at the moniker Killian has given her, but she can’t stop the smile from spreading across her face. Knowing that he must’ve been watching her interview from his own dressing room across the building makes her heart rate pick up. Knowing that he must know how nervous she is, because she hates interviews, makes her cheeks go rosy.

i hate interviews.

I know. You did great, love. Very professional.

yeah, well. don’t let kelly bully you next week like she did me. go get em, tiger.

No matter her mood, she can’t stop herself from flirting with him, and it’s seriously a problem. They can’t be doing this, and she knows it.

~~~~

“Hey Nolan,” she hears with a knock on her trailer door as it swings open.

“Hi Neal, what’s up?”

He smiles at her sweetly and gestures into her trailer. “Can I come in for a second?”

Emma nods, nodding her head towards the small couch. “Sure. What’s going on?”

“Just wanted to say, I saw your interview with Kelly. You did really well.”

She smiles at him sweetly as she takes a seat on a chair across the small trailer from him. “Thanks. She was persistent, huh?” Did she mention that she really hates interviews?

“Yeah,” he chuckles. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” he nods.

“Okay…” She’s hesitant to speak now, not wanting to push him in either direction, but honestly nervous for what’s about to come out of his mouth.

“I was just thinking… well, I like you, Emma. Not just as a costar or friend. I think you're cool and funny and pretty, and I was just thinking… well, everyone already thinks— I mean, I know you said you want to keep everything professional, but we can date and still be professional, right?”

“Neal…”

“Go to dinner with me. Just once. I really think we could have something great here.”

She shakes her head, her heart racing again as anxiety sets in. “I can’t. I’m sorry Neal, I just… I can’t.”

He nods, smiling at her again, and thank god he isn’t as much of an asshole in real life as she thinks his character is. “I get it, it’s alright.”

“I just want to keep everything professional. We work together…”

“Right, I know. So, it isn’t because of Jones?”

“What about Killian?” She screws her face as much as she can manage, but panics as she fears that he knows.

“You guys just have chemistry, too, that’s all. I wasn’t sure if you were together or something.”

He doesn’t know, she reminds herself, breathing in deeply in an attempt to relax. “I want to keep everything—”

“Professional, I know. No worries, Em.” He smiles once more, standing up and squeezing her shoulder before he heads out the door.

~~~~

“So, what’s it like working with your ex?” The audience reacts excitedly as Kelly presses, perhaps making it her mission to ask the most uncomfortable questions she possibly can.

“Oh, it’s alright. Milah and I are in a good place. We were together so long ago, and we’re both adults, so we’re able to keep things professional.” Emma nods at her screen, biting her thumb nervously as Killian gets grilled once again.

“That’s so amazing, isn’t it, guys?” The audience cheers. “Now last week’s episode was just… so heartbreaking. I’d love to get into that a bit with you.”

“Yeah,” he nods, and the audience aws collectively. “It was a really tough one to shoot. I don’t want to give much away, but the last scene with Hook and Emma was very emotional.”

“For the characters, or for you and Emma?”

“Both, I’d say.”

Kelly nods somberly as the audience aws again. “It looked it. I heard a rumor that the kiss Hook planted on Emma’s forehead when the rowboat was leaving the island was unscripted. Is that true?”

The audience gets excited, and Emma loses her thumb nail to her front teeth. “Yeah, actually. That scene in particular was really, really emotional. Can I drop spoilers?”

“Anyone who hasn’t seen the season finale yet is out of their mind. Drop away!”

He laughs blithely, the light in his eyes shining brightly through her iPad screen. “Well, Pan had put Emma in an impossible situation. She had to choose between getting Henry out of Neverland without a sleeping curse, or risk never waking him up and leaving Hook behind. I think it’s clear by the season finale that Emma has feelings for Hook, so that decision was really difficult for her. That final scene between the two of them… well, it was emotional for Hook too, because his feelings for Emma are obvious.” The audience cheers again.

“Super obvious. I mean, the chemistry between the two of you…”

“Right,” he quickly brushes her comment off. “So, we shot that scene at, like, 3 in the morning. It was freezing, it was raining, we were tired, and we don’t really know what the writers have in store for the next season. So, I guess my emotions got the better of me, and Hook and Emma— Swan, that is— finally had that moment when feelings were admitted—”

More screaming, as Killian refers to the steamy make out scene that aired last week. “Oh, we remember!” Kelly shouts over the audience.

He laughs again, a blush rising over the tips of his adorably pointy ears as he continues. “So, yeah, shooting the final scene between the two of them, where Emma needs to leave Hook on the island to ensure Henry’s safety, it was really difficult because there was finally a chance for them, and that chance got ripped away and we don’t know what’s going to happen to Hook. And like I said, it was cold and late, and I guess that just got the better of me, so I went with it.”

“Well, I think I can say with confidence that the viewers are glad that you went with it. I mean, how sweet was that, Hook kissing Emma’s forehead so softly? It was adorable!” Even more screaming, and Emma thinks she can see Killian cringing just the slightest bit.

“Yeah,” he says softly, still blushing. Emma wants nothing more than to reach through the screen and grab him to plant a big fat kiss on his cheeks.

“It only works so well because of the chemistry between you and your costar, Emma Nolan.”

He nods, blush permanent on his features. “We’re close.”

“Any chance we could see the two of you as more than friends off screen?” Kelly’s smirking, and she audience goes absolutely insane and threatens to blow out Emma’s headphones.

“Not sure that you’ll ever see that. We’re just keeping things professional, Kelly. She and I are costars, first and foremost.”

“Alright, alright. I’ll back off,” she laughs, as does the audience. Killian’s is discernibly fake.

By the time the interview ends, Emma’s face is as red as she imagines Killian’s to be. She puts her iPad away and lies on the couch, covering her eyes with her arm and trying hard to relax before she has to go out on set. The season finale aired, and they’ve already started shooting for season five, which requires even more chemistry between Emma Swan and Captain Hook.

The polls don’t lie; the viewers were absolutely obsessed with Emma and Hook’s relationship. Captain Swan started trending internationally after the finale, when the writers made it clear that the relationship between Emma and Hook was beyond just physical. Of course, what helped that along was Killian’s accidental smooch to Emma’s face during shooting.

What was an accident born from emotional exhaustion ended up being edited into the scene, driving the nation crazy once it aired and absolutely blowing up both Emma and Killian’s social media accounts. Not only were fans of the show obsessing over Captain Swan, but they were now also suspecting that Emma and Killian were an item. Emillian was trending as well, and Emma couldn’t help but cringe each time she was tagged in a Tweet or an Instagram fan edit.

The thumps on her trailer door finally drag her out of her own head, and she shouts for the knocker to enter.

“Hi, love,” he says, making her heart race before she even saw his face.

“Hey.” She sits up from her position on the couch as he takes a seat on the chair across the trailer.

“Did you see it?” She nods. She wasn’t able to watch him shoot the interview live as he was when she was on the show, so she had to watch it when it aired along with the rest of the country.

“You always handle those questions well.”

“It’s getting a bit insane, though.” She nods in return, agreeing that the questions they're asked about their relationshipare becoming intrusive. “Milah talked to me just now.”

“Did she?”

“Aye, she congratulated me on the interview and the finale. Said my costume looked great.”

“I would hope so; she designed in.”

He chuckles, standing from the chair and taking a seat on the couch next to her. “She asked me to dinner.”

“Oh,” Emma responds, her heart falling into her stomach. “What, uh, what did you say?”

“I said my girlfriend probably wouldn’t like that.”

She stares at him, eyes wide, and is tempted to whack him across the chest. “No, you didn’t!”

He laughs, jumping playfully away from her as she does swat at him. “No, I didn’t. But I wanted to.”

“Killian,” she sighs, flopping her body down on the couch and covering her face with her arm again. “We can’t. What if something goes wrong and it messes with our on-screen relationship? Are you willing to risk your job over this?”

“Yes,” he deadpans at her, and when she moves her arm and looks at his face, she knows he’s serious.

“Killian—”

“I am. I’m in love with you. I'm tired of hiding it.”

Her face falls, her heart beating frantically and her chest burning. “I love you, too, but…”

“What are you so afraid of? That we won’t work out? Love, we’ve been together for almost two years. This is very Emma Swan behavior that you're displaying.” She laughs at his reference to her character’s emotional constipation and leans into him, resting her head on his shoulder.

“I know, I’m sorry. I just… I’ve never done this before.”

He kisses the top of her head gently before speaking. “It’s alright. I’m sorry I’m pushing you. We can wait. Just know that I love you and I’m all in. I know you're nervous that we might not work out, or that it would impact our jobs, but… I believe in us. I know we’re stronger than that. And I’ll wait as long as you wish for me to until you believe that, too.”

Dammit, she thinks. How could she not have fallen for him immediately after meeting him? She sighs against him and hoists herself up off the couch before planting herself on his lap, her legs straddling his and her face finding its usual spot in his neck. “I love you,” she says softly into his skin.

“I love you, Emma.” His arms run up and down her back, soothing and warming her simultaneously. “I’ve loved you since the moment I met you when I joined the show. I’ll never stop loving you.”

“Do you think we can still keep it professional if everyone knows we’re dating?”

“Aye,” he nods, and she can feel his chin scraping against the top of her head. “But I also think that a lot of people already suspect that we’re together, ever since my royal screw up on set.”

“That wasn’t so bad. I liked it.”

He chuckles, the sound rumbling through his chest and in her ear. “Not very professional, though.”

“Is it professional to seduce your costar in your trailer an hour before shooting?” she asks boldly, pressing her nose into his neck below his ear and tracing his pulse point with her tongue.

He’s growling, and the sound goes straight to her core as his firm hands find her backside and squeeze. “No, it’s not. But that hasn’t stopped you before.”

“It’s not going to stop me now, either.”

~~~~

“We should come clean,” she whispers into the air between them once she catches her breath. The couch wasn’t quite big enough for cuddling, but they do their best, with Emma’s back pressed into the back of the couch and Killian’s bare, fuzzy butt dangerously facing the door.

“You think? Are you ready for that?”

She shrugs. “Just… you're right. I want this with you. I'm in it for the long haul. I don’t know what I’m so afraid of.”

“It makes sense to be afraid, love. We don’t know how going public might impact our relationship.”

“Yeah, but… we are stronger than that. We’re stronger than whatever the fans or critics can throw at us. I love you, and I want to be with you.”

He’s grinning as he brushes his nose against hers before pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. “You're sure?”

She nods. “I’m sure.”

~~~~

They wait until season five is about to air before posting an Instagram photo of Killian kissing Emma’s temple with the captain #Emillian. It trends for weeks. Views and ratings for the show skyrocket. Emma and Killian started attending interviews together, and she finds them to be pretty tolerable.

~~~~

i’m just tagging people who have been nice to me:

@courtorderedcake @shireness-says @kmomof4 @gingerpolyglot @klynn-stormz @tohellwiththepancakes13 @emelizabeth88 @captain-emmajones @onceratheart18 @stahlop @itsfabianadocarmo @superchocovian @gingerchangeling @ilovemesomekillianjones

Please let me know if you're interested in being tagged in other stuff that I write--or if me tagging you is annoying and you want me to stop!

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dumbkiri · 4 years

Text

Fate Changes Final

Parts: [1, 2, 3, 4 ,5, Here ]

Summary: Not every star-crossed couple has to have a tragedy end like Romeo and Juliet. The end of [Name]’s note proves that.

Pairing: Jason Todd x Female! Reader

Genre: Fluff? Slight angst?

Word Count: 2.1 k, 6 pages (pretty short)

Warning(s): NONE..for once lol

A few days later…

“I get why you’re doing it,” Dick walked up from behind [Name], staring up at her Batsuit in a glass enclosure, “although, I will miss you on the field. Nobody really fights like you do.

”[Name] scoffed with a smirk on her face, “Do you ever get bored of complimenting people? Is that a skill others can acquire? I’m very interested.” She turns around with her arms crossed over her chest. Her [e.color] eyes had lost their color. Dick would describe it as a thin film of sadness covering her bright [e.color] hues.

“If you are interested, I can give you lessons on how to ‘woo’ people.” Dick placed his hands on his hips and smiled down at [Name].

“Now that you mentioned it, I’m not a simp,” [Name] laughed at Dick’s funny reaction. Her childish laughter echoed in the cold Batcave.

“I’ll ignore that for now,” Dick’s smile faded away when he redirected his gaze to the enclosure. He never imagined that she would retire from being Batgirl. She didn’t stop fighting crime when Jason died. His death only fueled her. Even after death, Jason was still her motivation. “So what’re you going to do now?”

[Name] sighed and uncrossed her arms and followed Dick’s own pose. She leaned on one leg and rubbed the back of her neck tiredly, “Actually, that’s what I was going to discuss with you guys.”

Dick awaited her response in anticipation.

“I, uh, got a job as a kindergarten teacher, it’s something I always dreamed of-- well at least, w--when...whatever I don’t have to explain. This is embarrassing enough for me.” [Name] stopped sputtering and ignored the incredulous look she was receiving from her best friend.

“I can’t believe it!” Dick exclaimed and hunched over from laughter. He held his sides and his body shook with happiness. He straightened up and noticed the deathly glare from the female. He wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes and breathed out, “Wow! The Brave Cardinal is now a kindergarten teacher? I just can’t believe you go from fighting thugs to caring for younglings.”

[Name] turned her back on Dick and huffed, “Laugh it up, but I want to live a normal life.”

She faced him with a determined look and pointed at herself with a newfound confidence, “I am going to live a normal life and have a normal job. I’ll start a normal family and have normal problems. If I want that then I need to retire being Batgirl.”[Name]’s eyes connected with Dick’s, “And I hope you guys, are fine with that?”

Dick smiled at [Name] with kindness and with hope, “Of course, all that we ask of you is give us a visit from time to time. Alfred would love some normalcy in his life.”

“I can manage that,” [Name] giggled and raised her arm up, her hand in a fist. Dick formed his hand into a fist as well and they both bumped their closed hands together,

“See you soon, Dick Grayson.”

“See you soon, [Name] [L.Name].”

Three Years Later…

Bruce held the bundle of joy carefully in his arms. He stared at the baby girl with wide eyes as his arms adjusted to a comfortable position. Then he looked up at the mother of the child.

“Why are you staring at me like that? It’s embarrassing…” [Name] looked away from Bruce with a blush. Her hands fumbling with each other.

Dick jumped up in excitement while Tim choked on his coffee when they saw The Bruce Wayne holding a child no older than two years old. Dick ran over to Bruce with the biggest smile on his face. He reached out to the baby girl, but Bruce pulled away.

“Dick, I just got the chance to hold her,” Bruce muttered.

Dick’s shoulders slumped and he backed away to give [Name] a bone crushing hug. He lifted her off the floor and spun her around. The two of them laughed at the happy situation. Dick finally set [Name] down and asked his questions. “This was the surprise?! How come you didn’t tell us sooner? Where is Henry, I thought he was going to be here too?”

[Name] chuckled, “Henry had some business with his employees and told me to introduce you all to the new family member.” Her [e.color] eyes looked over to her baby girl. Alfred was helping Tim hold the baby, but Tim was stiff as a statue.

[Name] looked back at Dick and announced loud enough for everyone to hear, “Her name is [D.Name] Martha Davis. We had trouble with her middle name, but then we thought of Bruce."

The older woman looked at her mentor with a kind smile, "Henry and I wouldn't have met if you didn't introduce us together. We are so grateful that you did because you guys granted my wish."

"And what was that?" Tim asked, holding on [D.Name] carefully. He was lolling her to sleep without even noticing it.

[D.Name]'s [e.color] eyes watched her mother with a certain shine in them. Her [h.color] hair was fluffy and short. People said she was the spitting image of [Name] and the mother couldn't deny.

[Name] placed her hands on her hips and walked closer to her family, "A normal life."

……

There's so many things I want to say to you. So many apologies. So many acceptances. I know that moving out of Gotham was something unexpected for you and I knew the news devastated you. I was also feeling the same way.

We never really got the chance to love each other right. I think we missed those chances. But I'll never forget the fleeting moments between us. They were nice while they lasted, right?

I missed that Christmas night when Bruce held an event at the manor. You had to attend because you were his ward and you invited me as your date. Everyone was dancing and I remember when you walked up to me with that goofy smile on your face. You asked me if I wanted to dance with you. I declined and your smile just disappeared.

So later that night before I left the manor, I went into your room to surprise you. I hope you remember this night as much as I do. You opened your door and oh god, you were so surprised. I still remember that funny look on your face. Makes me laugh every time I think about it.

I asked you if you wanted to dance with me and you happily agreed. You didn't hesitate at all. So you started up the music on your favorite station and what would be our song, Fly Me to The Moon, played. You held me so close that I could smell the faint cologne you had put on earlier. You smelled like chocolate and mint.

I know you did because all you ate at the party was chocolate and the mint? I still have no idea why mint. We danced almost all night and I ended up staying the night. You let me sleep in your bed even though there were plenty of other guests rooms. You just wouldn't let me go and I wasn't complaining.

That's when I found out you were Robin and Bruce was Batman. Then for some reason, there was a push. Like someone was telling me to join you two. Fight the bad guys. Bring justice. Enforce fear. You two were the dynamic duo in my eyes. You had this incredible chemistry that I longed for with somebody. That I wanted in a family.

So I ended up being Batgirl. Those were the days. Fighting crime with Batman and Robin. I thought I was dreaming for some time. But once I got a punch to my face, I knew the pain was real. That I wasn't dreaming.

You protected me on those patrols. You fought for me. You took bullets for me. Knife wounds. Bruises. You did everything in your power to make sure I was safe. That I would come back.

I wished I did the same for you. I wasn't there for you in your time of need. I didn't read your letters for weeks because my life in Metropolis was so consuming. I didn't do what you did for me. My guilt consumed me so much that I forgot how to be me.

I returned to Gotham, but like you said I was too late. I came into the manor with my belongings and Alfred told me Bruce was searching for you. That you ran away to go kill Joker. I waited all night in the living quarters for you to come back home. Bruce returned with nothing. He couldn't find you.

Then we got a video. I never felt so disgusted with myself. I never felt so hurt watching you be near that maniac. Joker, he was all fun and games. He brainwashed you till the point where you were going to tell him who Batman was.

I jumped at the sound of the gunshot. I cried at the sound of your body dropping. I fell to my knees at the sound of Joker laughing.

My heart broke so much that it was beyond repair. I did what I did best after your death. I took out all my anger and frustration on the vermin in Gotham. I took out all my shame and guilt on me. I was keeping watch on Harvey Dent one night and I got a call from Alfred. He was speaking so fast that I couldn't understand him.

All I got in that sentence was Joker, your name, kill and Batman. Our mentor was going to kill Joker. I sat on the roof for a minute thinking, 'Finally, finally Batman is getting rid of the stupid clown.' He deserved to die. The Joker was nothing, but the darkness in Gotham City. But then I came back to my senses.

I know, you hate him. You have a damn good reason to. I hate him as well, but we can't dictate who dies and when. We don't have the authority to plan or think how a person should die. So I ran.

I ran. I jumped. I rolled. I stopped.

Batman had Joker in his hands. A tight grip on his neck and if Bruce squeezed any harder, he would have killed the deranged clown. I watched on scared. The man who taught us the one important rule was going to break it. He was going to break the rule.

"We are no better than them!"

That's what I shouted. That's what got Bruce to release Joker. I was relieved that I stopped him from crossing that line. Because once you do, you can't ever go back.

I'm sure you heard that Joker died. It wasn't a gruesome death, no. It was a sickness that got him. And I think it's ironic. Joker was a plague in Gotham City. And he died from an illness. He died.

I lived on for months always dreaming of you. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw you. You were my everything. You were my protector. You were my Romeo. And I was your Juliet.

Our paths have never touched. Yes, we held hands. We kissed. We hugged. But we never were on the same page. And that is what breaks my heart. We were star-crossed lovers.

Joker was the one to separate us. He was our outside force. Another reason why I hate him so much. He took you away from me.

But our love doesn't have to end. Our story doesn't have to end like Romeo and Juliet. I'm not saying we can be lovers. I already said we missed those chances. But what I am saying is that we can still be in each other's lives.

And I want you to meet somebody. It's been a long time since we last talked. It's been three years? I heard from Dick that you're coming around lately which is great. I often come back to the manor as well.

I live in Gotham now, close by Wayne Manor for various reasons. The main reason was because of my daughter. She's two years old and if you saw her, is basically, she's the spitting image of me. I want you to meet her.

It sounds selfish. I know. But you're still a part of my family. You will always be a part of my family.

I want you to know I love you, Jason Todd. I'll always love you no matter what. And in an alternate universe, I hope that our fate changes.

Your Juliet, [Name] Davis

------

“Hey can you slow down a bit? It’s difficult to run in a dress!”

“I told you that we were going outside! It’s not my fault you don’t listen!”

A teenage girl huffed after the male in front of her. His midnight black hair soaking in the sun. His red shirt and black pants showing off his built body. She watched as he stepped over a creek with ease and he turned around just in time to help her hop over it.

He held her hand gently and smiled at her, “The dress does look good on you though.”

[Name] blushed and lost her footing. Her body ended up bumping into the boy and they fell onto the flower bed. “Oh, Jason! I’m so sorry about that! These shoes aren’t good with grip and-”

“My god, [Name], do you talk this much when you’re this flustered?” Jason chuckled and reached a tentative hand toward her face. She leaned into his palm and sighed in content while he stared at her.

“Jason, what are you thinking about?” [Name] questioned staring at the male with worried [e.color] eyes. She adjusted her body on top of him where she sat on his lap still facing him.

The teenage boy sat up with his hand remaining on her delicate face. His blue eyes reflected the bright blue sky. “I just, I’m glad we’re together. I was afraid that you’d reject me and that your parents would refuse my courting toward you.”

[Name] grabbed his hand and traced circles on his palm. “Yeah, I’m glad too. I don’t know what I would do if we didn’t have each other.”

Jason smiled and whispered, “I love you, [Name].”

She heard his words and stared at him with wide eyes. Then she made the first move. She moved forward and pressed her lips against his own soft ones. [Name] pulled away and noticed the pink tint on his cheeks.

“Can we do that again?” Jason asked and before he could get another kiss, [Name] stood up and brushed her dress. Then she started running toward the castle where Jason was crowned prince.

“Only if you can catch me, your majesty!” [Name] laughed running ahead.

Jason had this familiar goofy smile on his face and he jumped to his feet. He proclaimed, “Oh I will and when I do, you won’t regret it!”

And in an alternate universe, I hope that our fate changes.

......

TAGGED Fated Changers: @anotherfan07 @httpfandxms @greyxdaze @zalladane @iwriteaboutstuff @cutiepoo16 @kaylinfayezink @thescottpack @izzieg3987 @loxbbg @seymoourr @terralupa @backstagepaige @downtownbabyyeah @http-used-eraser @laggyphone @osejn @realityshifter111 @ishanequa @ryryryleigh @fvckthebatboys

#Jason Todd #jason todd x reader #jason todd imagine #alternate universe #dc #dc universe #dceu #arkham knight #x reader #red hood #red hood x reader #red hood imagine #batfam imagine #fate changes #ending

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donteattheappleshook · 4 years

Note

Ok how about a double date CS w/ Snowing instead of the outlaws

Sorry this took me a little while to answer but man, something this fluffy turned out to be a hell of a challenge! So thanks for your patience and for making me flex my fluff muscles. I also have no idea how this ended up being over 10 000 words.....

I combined this prompt with one I received on Ao3 asking for a CS date during the six week gap in season 4. Hope you like it!

big thanks to @xhookswenchx and @teamhook for looking this over when I was pulling my hair out!

Also on Ao3 as part of my new CS Prompt Collection

-/-

Seal of Approval

Emma gets up quickly, sets down one of the giant muffins her mom made and heads in the direction of the crib when she hears her brother crying. Damnit, she’d only just gotten him to sleep, only just gotten to sit down and have a bite to eat. Babysitting sucks. She loves baby Neal - even if she isn’t the biggest fan of his name - but anyone that comes between her and a snack is going to have something to answer for.

“Hey, man,” she says, picking him up out of his crib and bouncing him on her hip. “Couldn’t hold in the waterworks until Mom and Dad came home?” Neal stops crying and smiles up at her, grabbing a fistfull of her sweater and leaning his head on her shoulder. Okay, maybe he’s not so bad. He could be worse. He could be a giant ice monster, or a dragon, or the Dark One.

She shudders. It��s been three weeks since their last crisis, since the Ice Queen sacrificed herself and since Belle banished Gold from Storybrooke. Emma still can’t believe she did that, can’t believe the amount of guts and backbone that it took for her to do that despite the love she’s sure Belle will always have for him. But he’d gone too far, threatened too many people, lied to them too many times, and he’d had to pay the price.

Since he’s been gone it’s been, well, quiet. It’s strange - for Storybrooke anyway. Emma and her dad take turns working at the station, Mary Margaret is back at the school regularly now that there’s no monster to fight. Killian has been spending his time working alongside Belle to help free the fairies from the Sorcerer’s hat - that’s a friendship Emma hadn’t seen coming, but she’s glad that Killian has someone else in town to spend time with besides her and David. He’s really starting to feel like a part of the community.

Today is her day off, and while she’d have liked to spend it hanging out with Killian on his newly returned ship - not that they really ever leave the cabin but that’s besides the point - he and Belle are pretty sure they’ve had a breakthrough and Granny had to cancel on babysitting. So she’d agreed to do it. How much trouble can a kid be? She has fake memories of raising one after all. Neal spits up in her hair. She sighs. How much longer until her parents get home?

“Hi Sweetheart,” Snow says, walking through the door just as Emma has set Neal down with a few of his toys and is attempting to wash baby vomit out of her hair in the kitchen sink. “How was your day?” she asks, picking the baby up. David walks in behind her.

“Great,” she lies. Her mom doesn’t need to know. “He already had his supper but I didn’t give him his last bottle yet.”

“Thanks,” David says, kissing her forehead. It’s still a bit weird, knowing that David and Mary Margaret are her parents, that they’re the same age as her. But it’s weird in the same way that it’s weird that everyone in town is a fairytale character. She’s starting to get used to it and if she doesn’t think about it too much, she can forget it. Mostly. Usually.

“How was the station, Dad?” she asks.

“Quiet,” he says. “Just some teens graffitiing the alley behind Granny’s.”

“Did you use your scary prince face?” she asks.

“I don’t have a scary prince face!” he insists. “But no, I sicked Granny on them,” he tells her with a knowing smirk.

Emma laughs. “How was school?” she asks Mary Margaret.

Mary Margaret goes on to tell her about her day, about the work the kids are doing, how they’re adjusting to everything. She also mentions that she saw Killian and Belle on her way home and that they were finishing up at the library from the looks of it.

“Killian was walking her home,” she tells her. “It was sweet. I think he worries about her.”

Emma smiles a little. “Yeah, well, Killian has a history with women who’ve loved the Dark One.” Both her parents frown and she realises this is not a backstory she wants to get into - or one that’s hers to tell. “I think I’ll head over,” she tells them. “Go meet Killian on the Jolly if he’s done for the day.”

“Again?” David asks and the way he says it makes her pause.

“What do you mean ‘again’?”

“Well you’ve - you’ve been there almost every night this week,” David says.

“Yeah, it’s Regina’s week with Henry. What’s your point?” she asks with a raised brow.

“David,” Snow interrupts. “She’s a grown woman. If she wants to spend her time at her boyfriend’s that’s totally up to her.”

“Boyfriend?” David demands, shock and disbelief and a hint of panic in his tone.

“David...” it’s a warning this time.

“Do you have a problem with me dating Killian?” Emma asks. She thought her dad was starting to like Killian. Had she been wrong?

There’s a long, tense moment before David speaks. “No,” he says finally, shoulders falling on his exhale. “I just… didn’t realise you guys were so serious.” He’s trying really hard to sound casual and she appreciates that.

“Yeah, well,” she says. It is serious. She thinks. They date and spend most nights on his ship together, they’re sleeping together and as far as she knows neither of them are sleeping with other people. He tried True Love’s Kiss on her for god’s sake and as terrifying as that idea still is… well, yeah, she’s pretty sure it’s getting serious. More serious than she’s let anything get in a long time. Walsh doesn’t count.

“Then I think we should meet him,” David says and both Emma and Snow turn to him in confusion. “Properly.”

“Dad, you know Killian.” Was there another curse that came through town that she didn’t hear about?

“I don’t mean meet him I mean…” he searches for words. “If we were back in the Enchanted Forest, or even if we’d been able to raise you here, if you were dating someone seriously you would have brought him over, for dinner or something, so that we could meet him properly, as your boyfriend.” He nearly chokes on the last word.

Emma frowns at him, skeptical. “Is this some weird thing so that you can ask him about his intentions or something?”

“No!” he insists quickly. He clears his throat. “Besides, I already did that,” he adds quietly.

“You did what?”

“He didn’t tell you?”

“No, he didn’t tell me!”

“Huh,” is all David says.

“Probably because he knew it would make me annoyed at you. He wouldn’t want that.” David’s face softens and looks guilty all at once. “He’s changed.”

“I know he has. I just… we didn’t get to raise you and meet any of your boyfriends. This time, if it’s something real, I want to get to know him better,” he says and Emma lets her hackles down a little. “Why don’t you invite him over for dinner tomorrow night?”

“Are you planning to interrogate him?”

“No… I mean I have some questions,” he starts and holds a hand up when Emma starts to protest. “But they’re normal questions. The kind a dad should be allowed to ask the man who’s dating his daughter.”

Emma sighs. “I get it, Dad. I do. But, I’m not a kid. We’re the same age and bringing my boyfriend over for some formal, meet the parents dinner just feels… weird.”

“Why don’t we do something else then?” Snow chimes in, ever the peacekeeper. “Maybe… a double date!”

“A what?” Emma and David answer in unison.

“Like you said, we’re all the same age. Why don’t we all go out and do something fun together? That way, we can get to know Killian better without so much pressure. Emma has a point, Sweetheart. The age thing makes it weird so maybe, this way, we can work on being friends,” she finishes very diplomatically, her hand stroking David’s arm.

“But I…” David starts.

“Honey, our daughter is a grown woman. Killian is older than you. We can’t pretend she’s a little girl that needs looking after. Besides, it’s been a while since we had a date night.”

David sighs, caving. “Alright,” he agrees and Emma shares a thankful look with her mom. David looks up again. “But can I at least -”

“No,” Snow and Emma cut him off.

-/-

“So listen,” Emma says, propping her chin on Killian’s chest, her fingers drawing patterns through the hair there. “I need you to do something for me.”

Killian’s smile is obscene as he pulls her in closer, hand wandering over her naked back. “Anything,” he promises as his fingers trace over the skin at the curve of her hip. He’s gonna regret saying that, she thinks. She really wishes she didn’t have to ask him what she’s about to ask him because she knows it’s going to stop the trail of his hand cold.

“I need you to go on a date with me and my parents.”

He freezes, blinks. “I’m sorry?” he asks with a small shake of his head, eyes wide. “What?” He’s frowning at her now and it’s really almost funny to watch all the emotions play across his face. She pulls back, sits up, letting the sheet fall around her waist and taking a moment to appreciate the way his eyes drift down despite his confusion.

“David and Mary Margaret want to go on a double date with us.”

“They want to spend an evening out with us? With me? With the man who is currently engaging in sexual congress with their daughter?”

She smacks him on the shoulder and he laughs, catching her hand and pulling her back down on top of him. “Oh my god. You cannot make reference to the fact that we’re having sex! I think my dad is still trying to convince himself that I’m a virgin.” Killian smiles wickedly again and she glares. “Don’t,” she warns and he bites his lip.

“So what exactly would this evening entail? Would they care to join us for a night on the Jolly Roger?”

Emma shakes her head. “It’s too cold. We just don’t notice it because we stay down here.”

“That’s not true,” he insists. “There was that one night on the deck. I believe we managed to keep quite warm.” She rolls her eyes. “So what then? Dinner at Granny’s?”

She shakes her head again. “They said that wasn’t special enough since we eat there all the time together. And the whole town would be there.”

“Alright. Then what did they suggest?”

Emma shuts her eyes and buries her head in his chest, not wanting to say her next words. “They want to go for drinks at the Rabbit Hole,” she mumbles against him.

“The Rabbit Hole?” he asks and she can hear the raised eyebrow in his tone. “Why the devil would they suggest that?”

“Because I told them we go there,” she groans. He’s looking at her when she finally lifts her head, waiting for an explanation. “They had another one of those ‘we’re not old, we’re fun’ moments and they asked me what we like to do with our time together and I panicked because I couldn’t tell them what we actually do when we spend the night together so I just blurted out that we like to go hang out at the Rabbit Hole and they just jumped on the idea and well, here we are.”

Killian looks equal parts like he wants to laugh and jump overboard at the idea of going to a bar with her parents. It’s not her fault! She had to come up with something and the truth of the matter is that she and Killian are still in the honeymoon period of their relationship - though she doesn’t really see it slowing down anytime soon. This is the first quiet moment they’ve had since they really got together. This is the first time they’ve been able to really be together and not just find a few stolen minutes when her parents are out of the loft or when they could steal away to his room at Granny’s. It’s nice, just being able to enjoy each other.

“Well,” Killian finally says. “I suppose it has been a while since I took you out properly.” Emma looks up at him, relieved and hopeful. “Besides,” he shrugs, his hand resuming its path again. “It could be fun.”

Emma does not appreciate the look in his eye when he says that - well, okay she does, a lot, but not the implication of what that look could mean for tomorrow night. “Behave yourself,” she warns him.

“I don’t know what you mean, Swan,” he insists. “I will be the picture of propriety.” Yeah right. She doesn’t believe that for a second.

“My dad still has a sword.”

Killian smirks, rolls her over onto her back and settles his hips into the cradle of her thighs. He gives her a wink. “So do I.”

-/-

When Emma and Killian arrive at the Rabbit Hole, the place is already nearly packed with people. Emma’s not surprised, the town only has one bar and, well, there’s not much else to do on a Friday night here. She’s broken up enough fights at one in the morning when she works the night shift to know how rowdy this place can get. Which is why she still can’t believe this is where her parents wanted to have their date. Here. Of all places. She sighs, maybe she should have let them just have Killian over for dinner.

“What’s wrong, Love?” Killian asks, nudging her shoulder and leaning down so he can whisper in her ear. She’s sure the volume in this place has something to do with it, but not everything to do with it as the goosebumps rise up on her neck and she feels his lips against her skin. So much for best behaviour.

“Just thinking that I’m definitely going to need a drink if I’m gonna make it through tonight.”

“Aye, you and me both,” he smirks, directing her towards the bar. Emma can’t actually remember the last time she came here for a drink and not for work. It’s weird, people keep looking at her like they’re expecting to get arrested. What’ll they think when the King and Queen walk in?

“Two rums please,” Emma orders and the bartender heads off to get them their drinks.

“Crowded in here, wouldn’t you say?” Killian asks, sliding in closer and wrapping his hooked arm around her so that her back presses into his chest. Cheeky, she thinks. Not that she really has any issue with him finding a reason to press up against her. If her parents weren’t about to walk through that door any minute, she’d roll her hips back against him, just to get him worked up. But they are coming. So she doesn’t.

They’re handed their drinks and toast, to surviving the night, and then throw them back in one shot, ordering a second round. Those are thrown back too. She doesn't intend on getting drunk, just a little loose, enough that she can get through the social awkwardness of dating with her parents - but not so much that she might say or do anything to give herself away.

Killian leans in under the guise of making room for someone squeezing by behind them. Suddenly, his lips are by her ear and she can feel his smile against it, the one he gets when the rum is just starting to warm his blood.

“Killian,” she warns when his lips close around her earlobe, and then start trailing slowly down her neck.

“Hmm?” he hums, playing innocent.

“My parents are going to be here any minute.”

“Indeed,” he speaks against her neck and then continues, unperturbed. “But they aren’t here yet, are they?��

Fine then, if that’s how he wants to play. She pushes back against him, her ass pressing into the front of his jeans and his lips fumble against her skin. He clears his throat and when he speaks again his voice is rougher, a little bit of an edge to it.

“Careful what game you’re playing there, Swan,” he warns. She smirks.

“You started it.” She sees the door open, sees who comes in as they scan the room, looking. Emma grabs her third drink in one hand and then reaches back to brush her fingers against the hardening length pressing against her back. Killian growls. “Mom! Dad!” she calls then, waving them over. The sound Killian makes is priceless. She knows she’ll probably end up paying for it but it’s enough to see him so thrown off his game when she looks over her shoulder.

She steps forward, out of the circle of his arms and into her mom’s embrace. “Hi sweetheart!” Snow says, placing a kiss on her cheek. “Hi Killian,” she says, looking over Emma’s shoulder. Killian coughs awkwardly and raises his glass in greeting. Emma bites back her smile.

David leans in for a hug too and then reaches out to shake Killian’s hand. Emma notices that he keeps the majority of his body behind her as he takes her father’s hand. Maybe she was a little too mean. He really was asking for it though.

After a second, he recovers flawlessly, smiling at her parents with that charm she knows has gotten him through more challenging situations than this one. “So, what will you have?” Killian asks, waving down the bartender.

“Beer for me,” David says, pointedly speaking to the bartender rather than letting Killian order for him. She sees the slight smile on Killian’s face. “Snow?”

“Beer,” she says and four pairs of eyebrows raise.

“Beer?” Emma asks

“I drink beer!” Snow insists. Even David doesn’t look convinced. “It’s a night out! I’m having fun!”

Emma cringes. All she can hear is ‘I’m not like the other moms. I’m a cool mom,’ echoing in her head. Even when she and Mary Margaret were roommates, her mom never drank beer. Wine, yes, sometimes even hard liquor if the situation called for it. But never beer. But then again, her mom did just have a baby. Maybe she’s trying to take it easy.

“Okay then,” Emma says. “Make it four. She throws back her last drink. This night is already off to an interesting start.

David suggests they find a table and they manage to trudge their way through the crowd towards a small booth in the back of the room. Emma’s pretty sure that booth had been occupied a second ago. She doesn’t know whose presence led to it being vacated: the royals, the sheriffs or the pirate. What a freaking weird bunch they are tonight.

They squeeze into the booth, she and Killian on one side and her parents on the other and then… nothing. An awkward, long, heavy silence hangs between them, the kind of silence that’s always dreaded when it comes to new social interactions. Twice Mary Margaret opens her mouth and Emma hopes she’ll say something but both times she closes it with a frown. David keeps alternating between clearing his throat and taking sips of his beer. What is going on? They’ve all spent time together before, they’ve all spoken to one another… but that was usually about a crisis… now with no crisis there’s just… quiet. She hates it.

The TV switches to a hockey game and David perks up. “Oh, this should be a good one,” he says and Emma realises those are the first words that have been spoken in five minutes. Mary Margaret nudges him in a not so discreet way and he looks at Killian and Emma. “Do, uh, do you like hockey?” he asks Killian lamely.

Killian scratches at a spot behind his ear. “Alas, I’m not familiar with it. I don’t know the rules.”

“Oh,” is all David says.

Before the next silence can last too long Mary Margaret speaks. “So, Killian, how are things going with Belle?” she asks with a smile. “Have you made any progress?”

“Very little,” he sighs. “We keep getting stuck with translations. Those magic boxes can do much but they can’t decipher the spells.”

“That’s too bad,” Snow says and Killian agrees. Another silence follows as they all nurse their drinks and half-watch the game.

Emma startles suddenly when she feels Killian’s hook on her knee. His hand is around his glass, perfectly proper, but his hook is starting a slow climb. She kicks at his foot, trying to ignore the sparks shooting along her skin. He is not actually going to try this with her parents sitting right in front of them. He hides his smile in his drink. Her parents remain unaware and Killian grows more daring until suddenly Emma is distracted from trying to bury her fingernails into her palm by her dad speaking to Killian again.

“What games do you know?” he asks. Emma smiles a little. She can tell he’s really trying.

“Few from this world,” Killian admits, his hook has stopped it’s journey for now but it’s still on her thigh. “There was little opportunity for sport on the sea but I fancy myself quite good at cards and dice. And of course swordplay and shooting.”

David actually smiles. “I miss a good sword fight for the sport of it,” he says. Snow catches Emma’s eye and gives her a little grin, clearly thrilled that they’ve found something to talk about.

“Perhaps we ought to have one someday,” Killian suggests and Emma tries not to laugh at the idea of two of the most competitive people she’s ever met sword fighting ‘for fun’. She can see the concern on her mom’s brow too. “Actually,” he says, looking over at the dart board. “I’ve quite taken to darts.”

“Really?” David perks up. “Why don’t we play?” He asks, looking excitedly at the three of them.

Killian looks at Emma and she shrugs. “Sure, why not? I’m a little rusty though.”

“Then we’ll just have to get you loosened back up won’t we?” Killian teases with a smile that’s way too suggestive for present company.

He’s really enjoying this isn’t he? She shakes her head at him and his brows waggle. Her dad is looking at them with a little less enjoyment but also like he doesn’t have the ground to stand on to protest anything. She remembers the way Killian had teased David when he picked her up for their first date and she wonders exactly how far he’s going to push this. Well, he wouldn’t be a pirate if he didn’t crave a little danger, would he?

They wait for the current game to end and then head over to claim the board. Emma can’t help but notice the way her dad’s eyes shift when Killian wraps an arm around her shoulders as they walk, keeping it there as David grabs the darts. He looks at them.

“Do you want to go first?” he offers, pointedly looking at Killian’s arm.

“I’m fine,” he waves him off. David clenches his jaw and Emma raises a brow at him. Apparently his overprotective dad mode has been initiated. And Killian’s hook is in a much more respectable place now than it was a few minutes ago. David turns to throw his first dart and Emma looks up at Killian, flashing him that same raised eyebrow.

“Be nice,” she tells him.

“I’m always nice,” he smirks.

“No, you’re trying to give my dad an aneurysm with your PDA.”

“I don’t know what either of those things mean but I’m certain your father can handle his daughter being shown a bit of affection.” He’s at least keeping his voice low.

She shrugs. “Your funeral.”

“I can think of no better way to perish than by showering you with my attentions. Well, maybe one.”

She rolls her eyes and he laughs, leaning in to press a kiss to her temple. Emma sinks in against his side a little, leaning her head against his shoulder and looping her arms around his waist. It’s nice. The whole sweet, boyfriend-y, little touches and cheek and forehead kisses and stuff. It’s new and she’s not used to it, but she likes it.

David clears his throat and Emma raises her head to see him pointedly holding out the darts for one of them to take. Really? She casts a desperate glance at her mom who is trying and failing to hide her amused smile. But Mary Margaret steps forward and plucks the darts from her husband’s hand. David looks at her like she’s betrayed him.

“I’ll go next,” she announces, actually winking at Emma as she walks by them.

“But shouldn’t one of -”

“Nope!” Snow turns to the dart board and throws three bullseyes in a row without flinching. Killian’s arm falls slightly from Emma’s shoulder as he swallows, eyes going a little wide.

“Woah, Mom,” Emma gapes. Snow shrugs but Emma can see her preening, a little bit of a daze working its way into her smile and she can tell that the drink might be starting to hit her already. That really just makes the bullseyes more impressive. She walks over to David who smiles proudly and kisses her. Oh, so they can show affection but she can’t?

“My turn,” Emma says, giving Killian’s waist a squeeze before heading over to pull the darts out of the board. “Wish me luck!”

She stands at the line and sets herself in the right posture, but before she can throw the dart, Killian’s hand is on her back, his cheek brushing her ear. “Good luck,” he whispers before pressing his lips to her neck. Her dad’s throat clears again. “You feeling alright, Dave?” Killian asks with a smirk. Emma elbows him.

She throws the dart and it misses its mark. Although, she’s pretty sure that it has more to do with the pirate whose lips are curling against her ear than with her actual skill.

“You need to adjust your form, Love,” he tells her, finding an excuse to wrap his hand around her hip and pull her back a little against him. David coughs again and she swears Killian’s face is going to split if he smirks any wider. “You should really get that checked out, mate,” he says. Killian actually does adjust her form, pulling her hip back and lining her shoulder up more squarely with the board. The next dart hits the bullseye.

“He’s not wrong,” Snow says softly and Emma doesn’t look but she can just picture David seething beside her. The third dart also hits the center and she and Killian both walk over to pull them from the board.

“You need to behave yourself,” Emma whispers to him. He only smiles.

“We’re on a date, Swan. Is this not how people are supposed to behave on dates? It would certainly seem so if the movies your mother recommended are to be trusted.”

“You actually watched those?” she asks, surprised.

“Aye,” he nods. “And those Henry and your father recommended as well. The Widow Lucas showed me how to use the black box in the room I rented.” He looks at her. “What?”

“I’m just surprised I guess.”

He shrugs. “They took the time to share something they enjoyed and hoped I would too. It would feel rude not to.” Emma smiles at him. It’s kind of sweet to see the effort that he’s making to befriend her family - even if he is currently trying to give her dad a heart attack. “Besides, it gives me something to talk to them about.”

She laughs. “We could have used that when we were at the table,” she jests, nudging him with the dull side of the dart. The corner of his lips pull up salaciously.

“I was otherwise engaged.”

“I think you got them all,” David says impatiently and Emma hangs her head, a small laugh escaping her. They make their way back to her parents and Killian takes his turn, hitting two bullseyes. In the end, Snow destroys them all and while he’s proud of her, David still shakes his head and laughs.

“Well,” he says, hands on his hips. “My ego is thoroughly bruised.” Snow smiles at him and pats his chest placatingly. “What do you say we try another game? Maybe pool?”

Killian agrees and she and her mom shrug. Why not? It’s better than sitting in awkward silence back at the table.

“I must say, Your Majesty, I could have used someone with your aim back on my ship. Not only in scuffles but it’s always good to have a shark when gambling and sailors often make the mistake of underestimating a woman.”

“Men, you mean,” Snow quips and Killian laughs.

“Aye.”

“But we know better don’t we?” David chimes in. “I only needed to learn that lesson once,” he laughs, rubbing at the scar on his chin.

“I know exactly how you feel,” Killian smiles, his arm snaking its way across Emma’s shoulders again. David looks surprised.

“What do you mean?”

“Did your wife not tell you?” Killian asks, then looks at Emma. “Did you not tell him?” She shakes her head. “When Emma and I first met, when we were fighting to get here from the Enchanted Forest, Emma knocked me out with a rather impressive blow to the jaw.” He rubs at his chin.

“Aw, sorry, babe,” Emma says, rising up on her toes to kiss the spot where she hit him so long ago. He had it coming back then, but she feels a little bad about it now.

“You did?” David demands, looking at her with some kind of fatherly pride she’s still getting used to. She doesn’t fail to notice that he doesn’t seem quite as scandalized by her kissing a man in front of him as she expected. She nods. “Huh,” is all he says.

“Like mother, like daughter, I suppose,” Killian ventures. David actually laughs.

“Yeah, I guess so!” He looks at Emma. “Good for you,” he says before casting a slightly guilty look at Killian. “No offence.”

Killian shrugs it off. “None taken. I was… different back then.” He looks a little ashamed and David nods.

“Yeah,” he agrees and Killian’s shoulders straighten. Emma squeezes at his waist, trying to sooth him, but she doesn’t need to when David speaks again. “But you’re not that person anymore.”

Emma doesn’t know who is more shocked, Killian, her mother, or herself. Killian coughs, scratches behind his ear. He’s trying to play it cool but she can tell how much even this small acknowledgement from her dad of how much he’s changed affects him.

“Right,” he says finally. “Shall we play some billiards?” David nods and Emma starts to follow them but Snow stops her.

“Why don’t you boys play,” she suggests. “Emma and I will go get another round.”

“You don’t want to play?�� Emma asks, frowning. She knows her mom has a competitive streak. Snow shrugs.

“Pool isn’t my strong suit,” she says. “And I think I’d like to go out on a victory.” David checks once more that she’s sure she doesn’t want to play and she assures him she doesn’t. Emma’s pretty sure that her dad receives the same hint that she’s getting: Snow wants him and Killian to spend some time alone together, she’s giving him his chance to talk. Emma’s weary but she’s also getting the sense that her mom is also trying to lure her into some kind of weird mother-daughter talk under the guise of getting drinks.

They push their way through the crowd - Emma swears it’s even more packed now than it was when they first got here - and make it to the bar. It takes them a while to get the lone bartender's attention and Mary Margaret takes that time to look back at where the guys are playing pool.

Emma looks over her shoulder. She can’t help but laugh. They both have the same cocky swagger to their mannerisms, showing off with every shot. She can’t hear what they’re saying but she’s certain there’s a little trash talk going on. It looks like Killian is winning though, if the smile on his face and the frown on David’s is anything to go by. David says something that makes Killian laugh and David raises an eyebrow as he leans over the table to take his shot. She’d never noticed that little quirk of her dad’s.

“I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Snow comments and Emma turns back to her.

“What?”

Snow nods towards the guys again. “I just think you might have gotten your taste in men from me,” she smirks.

“What? Ew,” Emma says but then she looks over at them and oh my god. “Oh my god!” she says. “Oh, gross.”

“It’s not gross!” Snow laughs. “Your father is confident and kind and supportive - and so is Killian. And he looks at you like you hung the stars - that’s an addictive feeling, believe me, I know. But it’s not a bad thing,” she says quickly and Emma realises her panic must be evident on her face.

Things are going well with Killian. She likes him. A lot. More than she’s liked anyone in a long time but… he traded his ship for her, his home, and to hear Snow tell her that he looks at her the way her father looks at her mother.. they’re true love and well, it’s a lot. And it’s a little scary.

“I know it’s not,” she admits. “It’s just -”

“Intense?” Snow asks with a smile.

Emma laughs a bit. “Yeah.” Her mom nods. “Intense is the right word. Killian is really kind of all or nothing and all in and I like it but it’s… a lot.”

“Just give it time,” she says, reaching out to stroke her back gently. “I have to say, as your mother, it’s nice to know that you’re lo-” she cuts herself off. “That you’re cared about so much.” Snow has a small dreamy smile curling her lips and Emma asks her what else she’s thinking. She shrugs. “Your dad is like that too. All or nothing. Like I said, the apple doesn’t fall far…”

Emma raises an eyebrow, biting back her smirk. “Yeah, well, I never slept with Whale so…”

Snow bursts out laughing and actually smacks her arm and Emma starts laughing too. For a moment, it feels like before the curse broke, back when Snow wasn’t her mom but just Mary Margaret, her friend, her roommate. She misses that sometimes. She’s happy she has her parents, that she finally found them, but sometimes she misses her best friend.

Emma manages to get the bartender’s attention and orders their drinks. “So,” Snow asks as they wait for their order. “How are things going?” She’s still got that lighthearted, slightly coy smile on her face that reminds Emma of simpler times and so she answers honestly, speaking to her friend rather than her mother.

“It’s going… it’s going really well actually.” Snow’s smile is going to split her face. She nudges her with her elbow.

“Tell me!”

“I dunno. He’s sweet, like really sweet. With me but also with Henry and I guess I never realised how much fun he is to be around. He’s always teasing and playing around and he’s got all these great stories and these little quirks that I didn’t know about. And he asks me about myself and he just listens - like, actually listens.”

She looks over at where Killian’s playing pool. He catches her eye, raises a brow. “And it doesn’t hurt that he looks like a freaking Calvin Klein model. And oh my god the s-” She stops. Suddenly remembering who she’s talking to. Snow doesn’t look phased, only smirking at her a little wickedly and Emma wonders if she’s feeling the same nostalgia she is or if it’s just the one beer already hitting her.

“You’re blushing,” she teases.

“I am not!” Emma insists.

“Hey, I don’t blame you. He is very hot.”

“Mom!”

“What? I’m married. I’m not blind.”

Emma only gapes at her in disbelief as Mary Margaret shrugs dismissively and grabs the four bottles when they’re set down in front of them. The bartender also sets down a bottle of rum giving her a smile.

“On the house,” he says. “You being here has people on their best behaviours. I haven’t had to throw someone out all night.”

“Is this a bribe?” Emma asks with a raised brow.

“Absolutely,” the man says and Emma laughs, accepting the bottle and the glasses but throwing in a large enough tip that she doesn’t feel like she’s committing a felony. When they reach the pool table, there’s some sort of heated argument going on.

“I’m just saying, when I win, I want to win fairly,” David says.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Killian insists.

“What’s going on?” Emma interrupts.

“Killian is cheating.”

“I’m not cheating! I’m offended you would even suggest it.”

“Why do you think he’s cheating?” Emma asks, feeling protective of Killian but also fully aware that him cheating is absolutely a possibility.

“Because five minutes ago he was sinking everything and then I missed a few in a row and suddenly he hasn’t managed to sink a single ball.”

Emma bites back her laugh. “You think he’s cheating to let you win?” Emma looks at Killian, sees the smirk on his face. Oh my god, he’s cheating to let David win.

“Emma,” David says. “Please tell your boyfriend that I can win on my own, thank you very much, and that this isn’t going to earn him brownie points with your dad.”

Killian laughs but he reaches out and grabs hold of her hand, squeezing it when her dad refers to him casually as her boyfriend. She brings his hand up to her lips and presses them against his knuckles. His eyes widen slightly in surprise while her father rolls his. She wonders at his surprise. Maybe she’s not the best at showing affection. Maybe she should work on that.

She steps forward into his embrace and he wraps his hooked arm around her as he reaches for his cue that’s leaning against the table. She presses herself against him and puts her hand on his chest. There’s still that bit of surprise on his face but his smile tells her it’s the good kind.

“Killian,” she says seriously, tilting her head up to look at him.

“Yes, Love?”

“Stop letting my dad win,” she smiles. He laughs, nods, but leans down quickly to kiss her, brief enough that David can’t really complain. It doesn’t stop him from frowning though.

“Alright then, Dave,” Killian says when Emma walks back over to her lean against the wall with her mom. “Let’s have a real game shall we?”

The game gets pretty close, by the end it comes down to David having only the eight ball left and Killian having one of his own to sink. David misses the shot and they debate the rules as to whether Killian wins by default or if they keep playing. David insists that he’s lost and that that’s better for Killian since he’d still have two balls to sink to win. Killian insists that he loves a challenge and wants them to continue.

Snow rolls her eyes and shoots Emma a knowing look. Shit, they really are alike. She’s trying not to be grossed out by that. In the end, Killian sinks both his ball and the eight and wins the game, but in a way that David can respect and he offers him his hand to shake, insisting that they’ll have to have a rematch sometime. Killian’s smile at the offer and the way his cheeks go a little red warm her heart.

“How did you get so good at this?” David asks. “They didn’t have this game in the Enchanted Forest. Do you and Emma play a lot when you come here?”

Killian shoots her a smirk and she glares at him. “No, we usually enjoy ourselves in other ways when we spend an evening together.” He’s really pushing it, she thinks. But as far as her dad knows they hang out here on their nights together so hopefully he thinks that Killian just means they play other games, and not that Killian spends most of his nights with his head between her legs, playing in a whole different way.

“It was Belle, actually,” he adds before David or Snow can put any pieces together. “She’s quite the shark and sometimes we play to blow off steam when the research gets to be too much. She taught me a trick or two. There are quite a few games she’s taught me that we didn’t have in our realm. I must say this world has a certain advantage when it comes to entertainment.”

“Yeah,” Snow says. “I have to say I’d miss reality TV and the Food Network if we ever went back.”

“And video games,” David adds. “And ESPN.”

“Look, the Enchanted Forest lost me at no indoor plumbing,” Emma chimes in and there’s a shared laugh of agreement.

“I do miss some things,” Snow admits. “Like royal balls. There’s nothing here quite like the dances we used to have at the castle.”

“I miss riding horses,” David says. “Cars are great, but you can’t bond with a car. What about you, Hook? Do you miss anything from your old life?” Emma tenses, almost worried about his answer. He gave up his home for her, she reminds herself. But that doesn’t mean that he’ll never regret it, that he’ll never resent her for it.

“Can’t say that I do,” he shakes his head, reaching for her as though he knows exactly what she’s thinking. He probably does. “Particularly now that I have my ship back. I missed the sea.” He looks at David pointedly then, his fingers tightening on her hip and she knows that the message is for her too. “But I have no plans of leaving. I’ve found a call that’s stronger than hers.” He looks at her out of the corner of his eye and she tenses a little, a natural reaction to such an overt admission of feelings, but then lets out the breath she’s holding and smiles at him, lets herself be happy about it. She catches David’s nod of approval. Mary Margaret’s practically swooning.

“I do miss the music, though,” he adds after a moment. “There’s something about the sound of a crew singing under the hot sun while they work, or late at night under the stars that nothing here has managed to live up to. The music in this realm… leaves something to be desired.” Emma bites back her smile, remembering his distaste for most, if not all of the music Henry insists on playing loudly whenever he’s on the Jolly Roger with Killian.

“Although, I will admit that some of the music Emma has shown me is more... palatable.” Emma smirks as David and Snow ask what music he means.

“I showed him classic rock,” she tells them. “I thought with the whole leather and eyeliner and earrings it might be up his alley.” She was honestly shocked when he’d liked it. She’d been showing him a bunch of different genres and he’d made faces at nearly all of them, all but folk - which she expected - and classic rock - which she had not.

David’s eyes go wide but not in shock, in excitement. “And you liked it?” he demands.

“Aye,” Killian answers. “They have melodies that encourage singing along and that feel like they should be sung in groups. It feels nostalgic.” Emma can’t quite make the connection between something like Queen or Led Zeppelin and sea shanties out on the water, but she’s never been there so she assumes it’s more of a feeling thing than a technical thing.

“I love classic rock! I was born in - well, David Nolan was born in - the eighties! I grew up listening to that stuff! At least, I have memories of growing up listening to it, of my mom playing records for me. It’s complicated.”

“Sounds like it,” Killian laughs.

“Don’t they have a jukebox here?” David exclaims, scanning the bar. He clearly spots one because he grabs a very confused Killian’s arm and drags him across the room. Emma looks at her mom who seems equally as surprised before she bursts out laughing. Her dad is acting like a little kid - or like a nerdy dad - and poor Killian is apparently going to be subjected to a hell of a musical education.

Emma grabs the bottle of rum and the glasses and holds them up before she and Mary Margaret head off after the guys. “I think we’re gonna need this,” she jokes. Snow only nods, smiling.

When they reach their significant others, Emma is surprised to find them in a heated conversation, debating the merits of AC/DC versus Aerosmith. Emma can’t even keep track of who prefers who as they speak over one another and take turns - sorta, they kinda push and shove really - filling the jukebox and picking songs.

“Swan,” Killian turns to her for the first time in nearly ten minutes and she looks at him with an arched brow. “Do you have any of those blasted quarter-dollars? My dubloons won’t fit in the bloody machine.”

Emma laughs. “They’re just called quarters and no, I don’t. But I have rum,” she offers as a substitute.

“Aye,” Killian says. “That will help too. Especially if your father is going to continue to insist on playing REO Speedwagon.”

“Hey!” David cries.

Emma and her mom try and coax the guys over to the table nearby but neither of them are willing to step away from the jukebox, both convinced that someone else will choose a terrible song. They also can’t stop suggesting songs and the way David keeps excitedly shouting ‘oh man, yeah I love that one’, and Killian keeps referring to songs as ‘bloody brilliant’ has her pretty sure that she and Mary Margaret have lost them for the night.

So, she fills her and her mom’s glasses and they head to the table that is literally less than six feet away, leaving the bottle and the two other glasses for David and Killian. The women sip their drinks, watching in amazement as the two grown men continue speaking so fast she can’t keep up with what they’re saying and bouncing on the balls of their feet.

Emma loses track of what happens really after that, David and Killian become a bit of an entertaining blur, both of them laughing and talking and drinking rum - they’re really drinking quite a bit, she realises at one point - and singing along. That’s right. The two of them are belting out classic rock songs, drawing annoyed and weary looks from everyone else in the room. But what can they do? It’s the king/sheriff and a freaking pirate. Who's going to stand up to that?

“At least they’re getting along,” Snow comments, wincing as David and Killian butcher a song she can’t recognize - probably because they have the words wrong.

“Of all the things that I thought might bring them together, I never thought it would be this.” Emma shakes her head. “Do you really think -” she starts but then feels silly for asking. Snow gives her an encouraging look. “Do you think dad likes him?”

It shouldn’t matter. She’s a grown woman and she can be with whoever she wants to be with. She’s never needed anybody's permission or approval and she doesn’t need it now. But just because she doesn’t need it doesn’t mean she doesn’t want it.

“I think,” Mary Margaret starts, choosing her words carefully. “I think that were it any other situation, if Killian wasn’t the man dating his daughter, he and your father might be best friends. I think he does like him, but he’s trying not to like him too much because he’s stubborn and overprotective and he feels like he needs to be on your side.”

“There aren’t any sides,” Emma says. “We’re together. We make a good team.”

“I see that. And your dad is starting too also. You just need to give him some time. But I think that they’re making some serious strides if tonight is anything to go by.” She winces again as David fails to hit a particularly high note that should be reserved for only Freddy Mercury. But he laughs as Killian pours him another drink, clinking his glass against the other man’s.

“And you?” Emma asks hesitantly. “Do you like him?” She’s never thought to ask. Her dad has always made his opinion clear. Mary Margaret is different though. She plays things closer to the chest. She’s never really worried about her opinion of Killian until now, now that she realises she doesn’t know what it is.

Snow smiles. “I do,” she says, placing her hand over Emma’s reassuringly. “I didn’t always, but even when we first met him I could tell there was something going on between you. It scared me back then because of who he was. But he’s changed, become someone better, someone who might actually deserve you.” Emma opens her mouth to protest, to defend Killian but her mom stops her. “I just mean that I have trouble believing that anyone deserves you. But the way he looks at you, and the way he supports you and encourages you. Yeah, I like him.”

Emma smiles, looking down to hide the effect of her mom’s words, which she’s sure are written all over her face. “Good.”

"Emma," Killian says, suddenly right beside her. She turns to find him looking down at her, hand out and a slightly dazed, happy smile on his lips. "Dance with me." His eyes are heavy-lidded and there's the slightest sway to his stance. She bites her lip. He's drunk.

She notices David there too now, having more trouble standing upright than Killian is, but still pulling Mary Margaret to her feet. "It's no royal ball," he says. "But will it do for now?"

She doesn’t hear what her mom answers. She’s too distracted by the arched eyebrow and upturned lip that’s just shy of Killian’s usual swagger, slightly softened by his current state. But he looks so sweet and she remembers dancing with him at the ball in the Enchanted Forest and thinks it might be nice to do it again without the threat of never being born looming over her.

She puts her hand in his and he gives her a goofy grin, pulling her up and wrapping his arm around her, holding his hook out for her to take hold of. Oh right, he waltzes, she nearly laughs. He leads her to the little space between the seats and the jukebox, they’re in their own little corner here, away from the rest of the crowded bar, some eighties balad blasting through the speakers. Emma swears she sees David shoot him a thumbs up over Mary Margaret’s shoulder.

She knows it’s probably not proper dancing form but she lets her fingers slide from his shoulder up to the nape of his neck so she can play with the ends of his hair. He leans into her touch. She’s impressed when he actually attempts to lead them through the steps she can barely remember. He’s honestly not too bad at it, less graceful than he’d been last time but, considering the nearly empty bottle of rum, she gives him credit for standing right now.

He stumbles over his own feet eventually and chuckles softly, lightheartedly, and it’s nice to hear. “I fear I might not be quite up to the task at the moment,” he says, shaking his head. She laughs with him.

“That’s okay,” she tells him, pulling his hook around her so it can join his hand at her back. She slides her other hand up around his neck. “Why don’t I teach you how we dance here this time?” She steps into him, pressing her chest to his, and starts to sway.

His arms tighten, pulling her in closer. “So many wonderful things about this realm,” he starts, laying his forehead against hers. “But this might be my favorite yet.” She laughs a little, the slightly mumbled way his words come out betraying him again. She’ll tease him tomorrow. But right now he’s soft and warm and happy and he smells so nice, so she lays her head on his shoulder and dances with him in a dingy bar with her parents right next to her. It should be weird. But it’s not. It feels right. Probably because it’s him. No, definitely because it’s him.

Killian’s hand moves over her back, playing with her hair as he turns his head to nuzzle against the back of her neck. She’s pretty sure he doesn’t even mean anything by it when his fingers trail down her spine and settle on her backside. She’s not surprised, she’s well aware that he’s a fan of that part of her, and he’s still swaying with her gently. She is surprised that her dad isn’t causing a scene over it though.

She peeks over Killian’s shoulder and really wishes she hadn’t. Her dad isn’t saying anything because he didn’t notice, because he’s too busy making out with her mom, who is giggling and playfully swatting at his wandering hands. Oh god. She’s gonna be sick.

She makes a sound and Killian’s head pops up, follows her gaze behind him and a shit-eating grin spreads across his face. She glares at him.

“I cannot believe you got my dad drunk,” she hisses.

“I did not get your father drunk! He got me drunk!” Emma rolls her eyes and he smiles even wider. “I think I’m winning him over,” he winks. “And I think he would make a good drinking buddy.” Emma pulls back to look at him, her brows shooting up to her hairline.

“Where did you even learn that term?”

He just smiles. His hand gives her ass a squeeze - definitely intentional this time - as he pulls her in closer, pressing her hips to his as he runs his nose and then his lips along her jaw. Her heart rate picks up, it’s automatic at this point, her skin prickling everywhere it’s touching his, but she tilts her head away, enjoying the very put-out and slightly confused expression on his face.

“I am not making out with you next to my parents.” She looks over at them again, grimaces. “Even if they seem to have no problem making out in front of their daughter.”

Killian takes her chin between his thumb and finger, drawing her eyes back to his as he leans in, his lips a breath away from hers as he speaks, that wicked grin coming back. “Actually, Swan, I had quite a bit more in mind…” he trails off. Emma swallows.

“Then maybe it’s time we get out of here,” she suggests. And he nods so enthusiastically it makes her laugh.

“That’s a brilliant idea,” he tells her. “I always said you were brilliant.”

She turns them so that she can look over at her mom without having to leave his arms because she really doesn’t want to at the moment - and maybe she wants to save him the awkwardness of hiding the growing hardness she can feel against her stomach. Thankfully, her parents have stopped making out and are now just gazing dreamily into each other's eyes. That might be worse, really.

“I think we should get these two home,” she says and Snow looks over at her, confused at first but then nods, laughing as she takes in the state of their dates.

“Goodnight, Lady Snow,” Killian says. “Until next time, mate,” he says to David. Emma holds her breath but to her surprise, David smiles, reaching out to give Killian one of those weird, bro-ey handshakes where they just kinda clasp hands like they’re going to arm wrestle. David turns to Mary Margaret then.

“One more song,” he insists. “I picked the next one.”

“Okay, one more song,” she agrees, patting his cheek.

“Goodnight, Mom. ‘Night, Dad,” she says as she turns in Killian’s embrace to head out. He practically presses himself against the back of her as he follows.

“Night, sweetheart,” David says. “This was fun,” he adds - slurs.

Emma smiles. “Yeah, it was.” She waves goodbye to her mom who gives her one of those touched, happy smiles and then she leads Killian out of the bar.

His hand is on her waist the whole way through the crowd, fingers dancing along the edge of her shirt, sneaking under it, hot against her skin. His breath is on her neck and every few steps he leans down to brush his lips against it too.

They’ve barely made it outside before he’s pulling her out of the reach of the lone porch light above the door and pressing her against the wall. His lips fall over hers and his hand slips under her shirt, flattening against her stomach and sliding higher. Emma groans into his mouth, reaching up to grab hold of his hair, pulling him closer. His hips press against hers, pinning her to the wall as his hand finds her breast.

Emma gasps, throwing her head back and he takes the opportunity to trail hot, open-mouthed kisses down the column of her throat. She needs to get him back to his ship now. But she also doesn’t have it in her to pull away, not when his hips are rolling against hers in a dirty grind and his fingers are shoving her bra out of the way.

She hikes her leg over his hip and he groans this time, grabbing hold of her thigh with his hook and keeping her there, the blunt curve of it digging into her ass. His mouth finds hers again, open and heady as he drags his tongue over hers, his breathing ragged. Her hands reach down to slip into his back pockets, pulling him harder against her and holy shit she’s definitely debating letting him fuck her against this wall when suddenly -

“Hey! Hands where I can see them, Hook!”

Her father’s voice is like a bucket of ice water being dumped on her. Killian freezes for a moment but doesn’t pull back. His lips curl against hers, his laugh puffing against her skin as he removes his hand from under her shirt and holds it up and out over his head.

“Hand and hook!” David calls again and Killian drops her leg to hold his other arm up as well. He kisses her again though and it’s so ridiculous, him standing there with his arms in the air while his lips and body are pressed to hers, her father threatening him from twenty feet away. She feels like a teenager and it should annoy her but it doesn’t, it makes her laugh. She never got this. She’s not saying she wants this kind of thing to happen all the time but she supposes there are still opportunities for her to get those childhood memories she missed out on.

“Good man,” David says before letting himself be dragged away by Snow. His own hands start to trail a little too low on her mom’s back and Emma shouts at him.

“Hands where I can see them, Dad!” David’s hands shoot straight up, like a perp, and she laughs. This whole thing, this whole night, has been ridiculous.

She slides her hands up across Killian’s back, wraps her arms around him and he kisses her once more, softer this time. “Thank you,” she says when he pulls back, tilting her head up to press her lips to his cheek. He bites his lip, smiling.

“Hmm. Well, perhaps some gratitude is in order…”

“You’ve used that line before,” she teases him.

He sighs. “Swan, your father poured an entire bottle of rum into me, forgive me if I resort to tried and true lines I know will work.”

“Pretty cocky,” she tells him, arching a brow and then regretting it immediately when she realises the opening she just gave him - well, not really regretting it.

He ruts his hips against hers and her breath hitches. “Oh, you have no idea.”

“Actually,” she answers, her voice catching a little. “I have a very good idea. So how about you take me home, sailor?”

“You’re full of good ideas,” he says, leaning in.

“Even date night with my parents?” she jokes and he halts before his lips touch hers, huffing out a laugh.

“Aye, even date night with your parents.” He kisses her softly and smiles sweetly at her. “It wasn’t so bad. I think your father might even be beginning to approve of me.” His grin turns sinful then and his fingers come up to brush over her bottom lip, continuing a trail down her chin to her neck and chest and stomach.

“Although right now,” he starts, brow ticking up at the way her stomach flutters under his touch and her back arches slightly. “I think I’d like to take you back to my ship and do a few things to you that he definitely would not approve of.”

#cs fanfic #cs prompt #anonymous #snowing #snowing fluff #cs smut adjacent #asks

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backtothestart02 · 5 years

Text

Mixed Drink - 8/? | westallen fanfiction

A/N: No WA interactions but a necessary chapter. I hope you enjoy! Many thanks to @travelattwilight for commissioning this!

*Many thanks to @valeriemperez for beta’ing.

...

Chapter 8 -

With a generosity she was not feeling, Iris responded with a smiley face emoji and an agreeable sure followed by an enthusiastic can’t wait to see you!

Barry had canceled on her. Again.

She supposed it was partially her fault. She’d been ravenous with him the last couple days. He’d indulged her, of course, but she’d been the one constantly pinning him to the bed or the door or the wall or down on the seat in the shower so she could straddle him. Honestly, she couldn’t remember ever being this horny in her entire life.

Then again, she hadn’t gotten laid in months, maybe even a year. She was long overdue for some body lovin’.

It was more than that, as reluctant as she was to admit it. She sexed the man up because lust made no sense. She had despised him shortly after they first met, and now she was calling him pet names because the last few days had consisted of probably the best sex she’d ever had.

It was ridiculous. She was ridiculous.

But one thing wasn’t.

What Barry said about Patty… Well, she didn’t want to do it, but she knew she had to. Great sex with Barry wasn’t going to make her problems go away. And he was right that she needed to have a plan for after he was gone, since he wouldn’t be there to assist her for another month. She couldn’t force her boss to take her back, and the problems with her family were too difficult to resolve in one day. But Patty… Patty had always been on her side, even after she heard about the family drama that would make anyone else side with Iris’ parents.

Patty had been royally pissed off the day she kicked Iris out, and she hadn’t tried to call her, but it was difficult for the cop-in-training to stay mad. Just because Iris hadn’t ever seen her actually get this mad before now didn’t mean she wasn’t also capable of coming down from it after a certain period of time. She might not take her back as a roommate, but maybe their friendship could be mended, and Patty could even help her look for a job.

Iris bit her bottom lip, debating her two very straightforward options: to call or not to call.

She opted not to call and texted instead.

Pulling out her phone, she found Patty in her contacts and opened a text message.

Can we talk?

She hit send.

Moments later she received a reply. The buzz from her phone nearly made her jump out of her seat it was so instant.

Where?

Iris breathed a sigh of relief. Patty knew her. She knew she was an in-person kind of girl when it came to resolving conflict. And often, that she needed the other party to come to her.

The Charlton. Rooftop café.

Patty didn’t respond for a full minute.

SRSLY?!?

Iris smiled to herself and sent one final message.

Get here as soon as you can. 😉

…

Humming quietly to herself with a headset and three computer monitors in front of her as well as two hanging from the ceiling, Felicity Smoak multi-tasked through five of the big projects of the day that she’d been steadily going at since eight o’clock that morning.

It was now noon.

A light knock on the door frame leading to the gloomy room lit only by a couple dim lamps and monitors did nothing to dissuade her from her tasks.

Opening the take-out bag containing her favorite meal though, was.

She stopped, her fingers hovering over the keyboard in front of her. She sniffed a few times, the sounds in her headset fading away due to her concentration. She turned around slowly.

“Is that…”

She saw his huge, gorgeous smile seconds before she connected who he was without seeing his face clearly and what he’d brought for her without seeing that in front of her.

“Barry All-”

But she nearly went down in her haste to get to him, thanks to a headset still attached to the monitor and now wrapped around her head.

Barry, with his long stride, got to her seconds before her heels went sideways and managed to catch her mid-air with one heel still barely touching the ground.

She straightened her glasses that had gone sideways and blinked a few times before looking at him, scrutinizing.

“Is my food safe?” she asked, which made him laugh belatedly and glance at the bag before him on the floor.

“Perfectly,” he said, setting her down. But she was too worried that somehow her food being that close to the floor might taint it somehow.

“Barry, you can’t just-”

He raised his eyebrows after she’d turned around with the bag clutched tightly in her arms.

“Thank you for lunch.”

She climbed up the two steps to get back to her seat, then sat down.

“You can go now.”

His jaw dropped.

“That’s it?”

He followed her over to the semi-circle desk and sat down on the least cluttered part of it, despite Felicity’s fussing that he was moving her very important papers to the wrong piles and thus messing up everything.

He resolved to stand up and search out the stool but found that also had a stack of papers on it that was likely just as important as the rest.

“There’s got to be a better way to organize this,” he muttered under his breath.

He thought briefly back to his file on Iris and how she’d always had the cleanest presentation boards and well-written papers in school, and how – until she’d been kicked out – her bedroom had been immaculate.

He shook his head at how ridiculous some of the facts on people the government deemed important for a later date.

But he dismissed his initial thought too. Iris deserved so much more than just making Felicity’s endless paperwork organized and presentable.

“I thought I wasn’t going to see you this week,” she said, taking a bite into a sandwich Barry couldn’t even pronounce let alone imagine actually tasted good. She moaned appreciatively.

“Yeah, I…” He tried to come up with a good excuse and came up blank, which was so unlike him.

“Draeger finally got to you, huh?”

He sighed. “It’s not that I don’t like seeing you, Felicity. We’re friends. You’re one of the few women in the whole department I haven’t slept with yet.”

She turned around slowly.

“Always an encouraging thought.”

Silence lingered between them.

“Who is she?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Don’t play coy with me, Bartholomew,” she said around a mouthful of food. “I know you met someone – like, really met someone. Like, not a one-night someone, but a someone someone.” She closed her mouth and finished chewing as his mouth fell open.

“How did you-”

“I’m good,” she said, relaxing some as she set her sandwich on a napkin.

“You’re the best.” He grinned.

“So, tell me about her,” she said, swinging one knee over the other. “What’s she like?”

He ran a hand through her hair and approached her, sinking his hands into his pockets.

“What makes you think-”

“It’s a her? Well, you’re straighter than an arrow, my friend, so it can’t be-”

His brows were fused together, and Felicity’s mouth went dry.

“I was going to say serious.”

“Right!” She brightened up. “Right, that’s exactly what- I was just messing with you.”

His eyebrows shot up.

“I promise! I’m not that out of sync with you. We’ve known each other for what? Ten years?”

“At least,” he agreed, and hesitantly sat on a stool Felicity appeared to have pulled out of nowhere.

“So…?”

He wrapped his hand around the back of his head and hesitated, avoiding eye contact.

“Wow. It is serious.” Her heart swelled. “I didn’t think I’d see the day Barry Allen fell in love.”

His eyes fixed on hers immediately.

“I’m not in love.”

“Falling?”

“No.”

“Infatuated?”

He hesitated again. She smiled victoriously.

“Infatuated, it is.”

“Don’t get too excited. Kevin says I have to be on the plane back to London tonight. I told Iris I’ll come back to see her once a month, but-”

“Ooo…Iris. Iris as in Iris West? As in who we all originally thought the target was supposed to be?”

He nodded once, tired already of retreating from the truth.

“One and the same.”

“And you’ve been what? Romancing her for the last three days?”

“Well…” His voice squeaked a bit.

“You haven’t just been having sex with her nonstop since the gala, have you?”

“You know me so well, Felicity.” He leaned towards her lecherously, and she leaned back against the desk just as far.

“Ray told me you got hit, though.”

He angled his head so she could get a better look.

“You probably can’t see very well in here, but-”

Felicity reached around under the desk and flipped a switch, immediately lighting up the room.

“Since when-”

Jax installed it last week with a couple of the other guys. That’s one of the reasons I was hoping to see you this week, so I could show it off.

“But you choose to keep it off when you’re working, because?”

“I focus better in the dark.”

He raised his eyebrows again, but there wasn’t time for him to remark, because she had turned his head to the side again and nearly screeched into her loud gasp.

“Oh, my God, Barry.”

He frowned. “It’s not the worst I’ve gotten.”

“No, but it’s bad. Who got you?”

“Henry, if you can believe it.”

“Henry’s new.”

“Exactly.”

Felicity pursed her lips.

“Well, I hope you didn’t take it out on him too harshly. What did you tell Iris?”

“That I went for a walk and got punched in the face.”

“And she bought it?” she deadpanned.

He glared.

“Wow, she must have it bad. Almost as bad as you, I dare say. Did she… ‘kiss it all better’?” she teased.

“If you must know,” He pulled back. “She iced it for a good three hours before any kissing came into play.”

She chuckled.

“Oh, my God, I can’t believe this. Barry Allen – in love.” He opened his mouth to correct her. “Sorry, sorry, ‘infatuated’.”

He rolled his eyes. “This may come as a surprise, but I didn’t come here to talk about my love life with you.”

“Oh, it’s a love life now, not a sex life?” She wiggled her foot dangling in the air.

“Felicity.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop.” She giggled. “My guess is you came because you need help finding Bethany.”

He was surprised again but made no show of it this time.

“You guessed right. Have you found her?”

“Well, I wasn’t sure you would come, but…yes.”

She handed him a small pile of papers.

“This is all the information we have on her. She was last seen entering the bank on North and Bower 20 minutes ago.”

His eyes zeroed in on hers.

“Robbery?”

“Unlikely. Her M.O. is night robberies. She’s pretty legitimate during the day. It’s why she’s been so hard to catch. Plus her husband, interestingly enough, makes wigs. So, the whole family makes their getaway through convincing disguises from one state to the next.”

“Has she ever tried to go overseas?”

“Not as a criminal, but she used to go to Italy every summer up until she was in her early 20s. She has a dual citizenship there.”

Barry’s lips thinned. “Interesting.”

“Indeed.” She tilted her head to the side. “Need anything else from me?”

He looked down at her and relaxed, smiled.

“Just your word that you won’t go around telling people I’m sleeping with or in love with anyone.”

“So, infatuated is still on the table then?”

He glared, and she laughed.

“You have my word.” She waved him off. “What more could I possibly want in life than to have Barry Allen’s dirty little secret kept all to myself?”

She kept chuckling until after they’d said their goodbyes and Barry left.

When she stopped, she realized there was more than one of his secrets she was taking to her grave.

...

*Also posted on AO3 and FFnet.

#westallen #fanfiction #backtothestart02 fanfiction #westallen fanfiction #mixed drink #commission by travelattwighlight

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soldierallen · 5 years

Text

Married. 11

(Ya'll gonna beat my ass and I'm really sorry a lot has been going on please forgive me- also I don't know why the link says my name sorry about it.)

Featuring: Sebastian Stan, Henry Cavill, Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie, Chase Crawford, Morena Baccarin.

Part 10:

Pam

Henry had a secret, a big one. He knew some day she would find out but he didn't think twice that it would happen this early in their relationship.

I stare at these people as they talk my mind drifts every so often, once and a while a hand will squeeze my thigh and give me a look of calm, it's Henry.

God what would I do without Henry as I stare blankly at this all goody two shoed family in front of me who has no clue I did cocaine once on a guys back at a party, or that I've slept with so many people I'm lucky I didn't catch anything, all they know is that I'm their daugther who moved to the city to pursue her dream in journalism.

Henry knows, Henry knows everything he always did, However that question always pops into my dumb fucking brain... what about sebastian? Does he still think about me like I think about him? those thoughts flood my mind constantly what if I chose sebastian.. he will never not cross my mind and I hate it. I said I'm not in love with sebastian and I meant it.... right?

I hated doubting Henry but for some reason it just didn't feel right, he didn't feel right to me maybe I picked the wrong man again.

Henry slipped his hand underneath my dress inching closer to my underwear band which got my attention "well I think it's time me and Henry head home lot's of w-work to be done" his warm hand slipped closer and closer until she stood up he laughed to himself, he watched her saying goodbye to her family Henry shook the hands of her father her uncle and worthless brother

Her shity brother pulled her in for a hug with a whisper in her ear "you're kidding right? I know you don't love this guy be real for once in your life" he pulled away and she gave him a dirty look, he smiled devilishly walking away

she closed the door behind her as she pulled her suitcase out of the house as soon as that door closed she let out a nice grunt in frustration making Henry laugh kissing her lips so lightly his hand on her back he pulled away

"Henry we're having Christmas at your house this year" she smiled at him as he took both of their bags into the car it was snowing of course "you know I've always wanted to decorate and build a Christmas tree" he closed the trunk "why haven't you done it before?" She got into the passenger seat "Seemed stupid to do it alone" .

they were off back to the big city

it was almost 10pm

"Okay don't be mad at me but you are jobless so I opened that letter for you.." Henry said she was surprised that he even found it, "and?" She awaited for his reply as he stopped at a red light, "darling" she nodded her head "I knew it, I knew I wasn't going to get that stupid job" she looked out the window upset, "I'm sorry" he said lowly his hand on her thigh she just looked at it, unamused.

"I know whatever you set your mind to you will do amazing at it" he tried to cheer her up but she was stubborn, her stubbornness always overlooked everything else. He looked at her from the side of his eye as the light turned green, he hated seeing her sad he tried to loosen up however his side eyed stare was intense he wanted to know what she was thinking.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He smiled as he lit a cigarette next to her, she pushed back all her hair from her face

"seb that guy I've been -" she didn't want to say the word so he handed her a penny that was in his back pocket "fucking?" She nodded "yeah that, I like him but I'm kinda scared to - go for it you know?"

"I know what you mean, take a RISK darling if it goes south we'll deal with it" he stood up from the ledge of the fountain "I thought you QUIT?" she yelled "this is my reward for the last year of no smoking I needed one, thing's are rough this fine afternoon." She rolled her eyes and he walked away

She fell asleep in the car he every so often looked at her sleeping peacefully, When a text popped up onto his phone as he parked.

call me I have bad news. Chris E.

His heart picked up pace as he read it feeling his nerves settle in, he pressed call under Chris's contact

"What's going on" Henry pulled his keys out of the ignition opening his car door going to the trunk of his car

"Henry the kid, he's almost born and you haven't even mentioned it to y/n? Henry for God sakes this file goes in January you have to tell her" did I mention Chris is a lawyer?

"Chris she's all bent out of shape theres no fucking way I could tell her she's literally in shambles! I cannot spring this on her and I don't even know if the kid is mines alright." Henry said, however Henry knew deep down it was his kid he just wasn't prepared for it, Henry had kept this secret for months without letting y/n know he knew he would get an ear beating if she knew and now y/n's his girlfriend it just got worse.

Morena was an ex girlfriend of Henry's they met in college and never really lost connection until two years ago, and when she came back they started things up again and she broke his heart, this continued for months because the two would have sex frequently they just couldn't let each other go. Until a few months ago when morena had came out to tell Henry she was pregnant and Henry was the father, he couldn't face that not right now.. January is the due date and time is running out

"You have to tell her! You can't keep this secret the only reason I know is because she filed a lawsuit against you" he said warning Henry

"Well I can't have her find out right now" he pulled the suitcases from out of the trunk walking up the cobblestones into his home

"Henry's if it yours, you have to take responsibility you know that" Chris said as he sat at his desk looking at the file of morena's in front of his face as he clicked a pen a few times, it was Henry's he knew something in the back of his mind however he would never say that to him, Henry's not ready for that.

"I'll tell her after Christmas alright stop yanking my tail" he looked at y/n asleep still in the car as he went back to the cars trunk

"Do you want to lose her?" Chris said

"Of course not I finally got her" he said getting the last bag out of the trunk into his house, a huff came out on the other line

"Tell her now, don't wait anymore"

"I'll call you tomorrow" Henry said and they hung up, he scratched his head rubbing his face, and finally he crouched down his elbows on his knees and his mind racing like crazy he bowed his head putting his hands over the back of his neck

"Shit shit, how am gonna do this? I can't keep this from her" he whispered to himself he tried calming his breathing as he stood up "I'm so fucked"

he shook it off proceeding back to the car to get the women into the bedroom, he opened her door her body slumped & covered, her warm skin against his cold hands her head falling loosely into the nuk of shoulder he smiled down at her, I'm gonna lose her, she's not ready for this- hell I'm not ready for this.

He was distraught as he laid her in the bed removing her shoes socks taking his jacket off of her covering her with a blanket, he went into the bedroom's linked bathroom and brushed his teeth as he looked at himself in the mirror his eyes felt heavy he wanted nothing more than to sleep next to her, he was scared to the thought of losing her to a women he didn't love to a child he didn't want not with morena anyways.

He put his toothbrush back into it's holder washing his face, he grabbed a towel wiping his face in the mirror he hated feeling so much guilt. He laid down next to her his thumb caressing the back of her hand "I'm so sorry" he felt like he failed her - it's like he's living a double life a life he doesn't even know she's gonna leave me he thought maybe she'll finally be with who she wanted this entire time.

Sebastian.

The loud noises of machines ringing and people yelling cigar smoke in people's noses, a casino that's where he is, he threw dice he played slot machines, he did it all, but something was missing - her.

The void of not having her around was killing him slowly,

"Altantic city what the hell are we doing here?" She looked at the big green sign passing her above their heads, sebastian cracked a smile his sunglasses on

"Your shitty ex boyfriend is an asshole we need to have some fun" she looked at him with a funny look on her face "what" he asked "you're a fucking idiot" she laughed

"What again?" He said loudly this time "why is this going to make me feel better, two single twenty one year olds going to Atlantic city huh doesn't sound too exciting when were BROKE" she yelled he laughed hysterically "stan what the hell are you on" she asked

"LIVE A LITTLE FEEL SOMETHING" he said she nodded her head in disapproval "doll it's going to be fun trust me"

that night sebastian won over 1,000 dollars and they split it she loved him for that, almost fresh out of college with almost no money getting handed 500 dollars is a big deal.

he lost his best friend in the span of two weeks it was over Henry had won, but he knew Henry's secret, Henry was going to be a father and everyone knew, as sebastian played poker he folded leaving mid game. He knew it was stupid to even be here but he thought he could fill the void with gambling with drinking anything to get her off his mind, he finally knew how she felt when he said he didn't want her it felt like a punch to gut he wandered on the streets looking for anything to keep him off of her which was impossible

She told me she loved me and I blew it, i left her alone when she tried to help me i screamed in her face and told her horrible things.

Guilt

Henry and sebastian were both feeling guilty at the same time for two very different things but both relating back to her.. how could we disappoint our best friend like this.. treat her like that, she deserved more than a bunch of liars as best friends She deserved more than a bunch of guilty assholes as best friends, she deserved more - I'll get her more. He thought he got into his car and drove to only place he knew that would give her more.

"Elena?" Sebastian yelled loudly at the second floor window, it was quiet on their side of town, the window started to open "BlackRock?" She referred to his place of work "yeah is chase home?" "Yeah BlackRock but why?" She yelled back "you know that favor he owes me? well I need it now." she nodded her head and got chase "sebastian stan what do I owe the pleasure?" Chase said with a laugh it was 2am why was he here?

"Can we talk?" Chase nodded going to buzz him in, sebastian got himself prepared for what was about to happen.

It was the next day, she'd woken up a little earlier only to her to realize she awake at an ungodly hour for nothing, no work so why was she awake she made coffee and sat on the chair, God I could never do this stay at home mom shit this sucks - yeah working was hard but keeping busy is needed. She was quiet and lived alone most of her life to be honest she only did somethings in her past because of Sebastian, he was a risk taker while she was timidity.

"Henry I need a job" she felt his presence behind her she whipped around quickly, he smiled tying the belt on his robe a little tighter as he sat on the stool across from the island that stood in the middle of them

"I need to get a newspaper - wait do newspapers still exist" she said putting her cup in the sink and getting another one for Henry "yes sweetheart they still exist" he said lovingly as he looked at his phone "well I need one so I'm going to get dressed and get one!" She made Henry coffee and he kissed her over the counter

"Maybe I'll find something cute while I'm out" she winked, he felt butterflies in his stomach when she did that or was it just nerves about telling her he might be a father very soon..

she kissed him so sweetly he grabbed her butt very lightly getting a small chuckle from the girl, she got into the cab putting her bags in Henry watched her his mind running wild how was he going to tell her, she drove off and she put all her stuff away in her house the wall next to her thumped and a women calling out her neighbors name yelled, she really wasn't in the mood to listen to people having sex so she took off into that diner she usual goes to "June's" she ordered a coffee & a donut she wasn't hungry she just needed to order food to sit there on the spiny stool her laptop in front of her "elena GUESS WHAT newspapers exist!"

"You're an idiot! Hey darling hows life treatin' ya!" Elena said with a smile, elena was the women who she became very close to when she moved on this side of town "what do you think about men elena" she nodded "men ain't shit but my chase he's one of the good ones" she patted y/n's shoulder "I'd like to meet him one day"

"Oh you'll like him very philosophical like you" she laughed at even saying that word, "what's he do?" She asked "my chasey is a writer like you he writes for the newspaper" she wiped down the counter, it was mostly quiet a few people in booths it was early.

"Chase?" She typed his name in Google, "Crawford" she could've swore she heard a record scratch in her brain, "like THE Chase Crawford that writes for the New York Daily News" she nodded "why have you never told me that before" "you've never asked about my personal life sweetheart" her Brooklyn accented appeared heavily this time around I wondered why it still stuck after all these years when she hasn't lived there.

"So like - could I meet him one day?" She was beyond excited, he was a fantastic writer who knew absolutely everyone in the city because of interviews sources, and they usually worked for him he was more in touch with his business than y/n ever knew knowing Downey for so long she thought everyone could've been like that so she never got her hopes up

"Chase owes some guy that works at BlackRock a favor and he's overlooking some stuff for him so he won't be around until tomorrow night" she took out her notepad watching two guys walk in, "oh mr mackie! what brings you to this part of town" she spinned around on her chair greeting her best friend they hugged and his coworker I guess sat at their table whilst she caught up with Anthony

"So are we job hunting little lady?" Anthony asked "yes I need help!" She whined "I work with Chris I can't help you out in this field actually the four of us can't even help you out in this field!" He laughed and so did she, "I just want to start working again! It's so exhausting not doing ANYTHING!" she seemed stupid to complain

"Hey if you ever need a job in finance or law hit us up" he smiled hugging her "you were no help mackie" "I'm sorry" he shrugged going to his coworker.

After a while she came home, she saw a bouquet of sunflowers on her table. There was a note "I just miss you okay. Things are getting better slowly but surely." - Seb

"Why does he do such nice things for me" she was overwhelmed with love in her heart, why is he always there when I need him can he just go away.

she pulled out her phone "Sunflowers? Huh cheesy. you should've gone for something better like tulips oh or not get me flowers at all and actually visit me! I miss you too" She texted sebastian, he was in a meeting and his phone dinged all eyes on him "sorry" he silenced his phone but pulled it out of his pocket to see the text, he smiled and put back his phone, she puts a smile on his face how could he never realize how important she was to him, why did he do her so dirty? He thought he was in love. People do anything for love right?,

it was later that night

Someone knocked on the door, it was Henry "let's head out" he said

"Where are we going" she asked

"We have to talk about something important" she was scared to say the least, she wasn't understanding what was going on..

"Okay let me grab a jacket" she got her keys and her jacket and headed out they talked a lot he avoided for a while to not tell her but here it comes

"Sit" he gestured

"Okay where is this going?" She asked

"I have something to tell you and it's really hard for me-"

"Henry get to the point it's cold" they sat next to each other as their breath smoked and hands felt wet from how cold it was outside this afternoon..

"Please-"

"Henry just calm down it's okay whatever it is - I love you" she tried to reassure him, her nose turning a slight pink Henry's too but it wasn't because of the cold it was because of the heat circulating through his face he was just filled with nerves

"I want you to move in with me." He let out words that wasn't suppose to come out, his brain said other words not to say the words "I might be a father" He just dug himself a deeper hole.

"Henry -" she was in shock, but a good shock he was moving rapidly their relationship just kept going to places quick

"So?" He said his eyes looked so innocent his posture was soft and he was less stressed than before.

"Yes" they hugged tightly he lifted her off the ground slightly she loved when he did that "I can't believe you would ask me that!" She hit his shoulder "I want you more than ever"

"How did the research go?" sebastian asked sitting next to chase on his couch

"fantastic why have I never heard about her before??" He asked "shes been underneath Downey's belt since a few years she was the CD for two years and he dropped her" he drank from a glass almost gone of whiskey, sebastian drank a lot he quit for so long and then so much crap happened to him he picked the habit up again.

"I want her to work for the company, she knows what shes doing she's a great writer and a fantastic creative director can you call her"

"Call her..?" He asked.

"Yes call her like on a cell phone you press the buttons" sebastian gave him a death glare chase laughed hitting his shoulder in a joking matter

"Fine if you don't want to call text her be nonchalant about it, ask her if shes interested in a job interview", so that's what sebastian did and he texted her waiting for a reply on the other hand, y/n and henry had just got done making love for the third time in their relationship it was magic, but she was distracted through some of it seeing a text pop up from sebastian when they finished Henry said he was going in the shower and as soon as he closed that door she grabbed her phone

"Hey? You alright, I know you're going through a lot I'll be over to your place like i said tomorrow"

"You there?"

"Hey what do you think about a job interview I told my friend about your work and he's really interested in you."

"Hey seb, oh that sounds cool could you do that for me? That would be amazing I'll talk to you later luv ya"

"Who are you texting" he heard the text taps, as he walked through the door....does she dare even say his name - "Chris- he was asking about being a reporter or something I don't know" she deleted the texts and put her phone down.

"I'l see you tomorrow love you bye"

She felt as if she was betraying him but sebastian was her best friend it seems stupid to distance myself from him right? Also he has a job interview for me? This could be good for me!

Tagged @hiddlestonstansworld @lovely-geek @imcalledflorence @misz-adrii @escapistdreamer-wishfulthinker @someplxce @cuddlesforlashton @coffeebooksandfandomsohmy @weasley16 @ilovethewayyourheartbeats @vogueworthy-barnes @xeniarocks @thisismysecrethappyplace @racheo91 @gravedollie666 @inlovewith3 @supernaturaldean67 // if anyone wants to be untagged or tagged please leave a message ty♡ also I do not own any gifs or images of any kind.

#sebastian stan #imagine #sebastian #sebastian stan x reader #anthony mackie #chris evans #henry cavill x reader #sebastian stan fic #sebastian stan imagine #stan #henry cavill

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oh-theatre · 5 years

Text

Sycamore High: Cutting Close (Chapter 30)

A/N: Okey dokey smokey. I know its another Ted fest but I had a lot to get out of the way also...OOOoooooO Peggy?? who she? Also, I love Charlotte and Ted's friendship so :) Oh and I definitely projected my own exhaustion onto the characters

summary: Ted

words: 2,839

warnings: swearing, kissing, dog, lots of tired

Ao3 Link

Ted had kissed people before, clearly. He had kissed girls before, and he had enjoyed it, mind you. So why was he so nervous when Chad told him they would be running the kisses between Bea and Nick today? He had no idea but his body wouldn't stop shaking as he walked into the theatre. Tommy walking by his side watched cautiously, grabbing his hand to squeeze it gently.

“Are you alright dearest?” He asked as they sat down in the chairs, Ted tried to move, talk, do anything really but he just shook. “I'm going to go get Professor Hidgens” Tommy informed, Ted shook his head grabbing Tommy's arm carefully.

“N-no it's fine” Ted managed, and it should have been fine. It was just a kiss, a kiss with a girl, a kiss with a friend, a kiss with someone not named Tommy. But Tommy was fine with it, explicitly telling Ted he was fine with it. Charlotte had been nothing but kind about it, and well Sam could care less. So this was a Ted problem, and he had created it on his own. And now he was being called up on stage, he knows the words are coming out of his mouth, he can hear the music, he can hear Charlotte singing then suddenly her hands around his neck and their lips are pressed together. He can hear the cast “Ooo!” with Chad shushing them. They pulled away, Ted adjusted his eyes and he stood frozen. It wasn't a bad kiss, but it didn't feel right. He dared to look over in Tommy's direction but more of the cast wasn't even paying attention. Tommy was huddled with Emma working on some homework, Sam was touching up his makeup, Caleb was practicing his dance with a few others. Nobody cared, so why did he?

“Ted are you ok?” Charlotte asked as they broke for a quick break. Ted turned facing her, he was clearly not in the zone right now, as his eyes were glazed over.

“M’fine” He mumbled grabbing some chips he had packed away, Charlotte pouted furrowing her brows. “What?” He whined seeing her face, she pursed her lips before a lightbulb went off. You could see it happen too, her eyes popped open, her eyebrows shot up, she bounced. She was practically a cartoon.

“Come here,” She said, he saw no point in fighting so he followed her out the theatre into a more secluded hallway. They stood to face each other, Ted realized that she wasn't as short as he had once believed. “Kiss me” She blurted, Ted took a step back stuttering

“W-what?”

“I said kiss me” She confirmed once more, her tone aloof. “I'm going to put my arms around your neck, you're going to act annoyed because I interrupted your sentence, and then we are going to kiss. Understood?” Ok, sure she was cute. And yes he definitely flirted with her before, but the keyword being before. Before Tommy, before he was in a relationship. But then she pounced, doing exactly what she said she would. Her arms snaked around his neck, and he did act surprised. She leaned in close, eyeing him, they were breathing the same air at this point.

“I have a boyfriend” He whispered, Charlotte bit back a smile.

“So do I do,” She said, he furrowed his brows “But I also have an onstage husband who won't kiss me because clearly, it's uncomfortable,” She said, oh. His face fell, as the side of his lip twitches. “Yeah, I felt how tense you were onstage,” She said pulling back for a moment, Ted took this time to breathe. “So I'm giving you a chance to practice without anyone watching”

“You can practice kissing?” He breathed, Charlotte laughed. She nodded, Ted went on “But Professor Hidgens- Chad...said it looked fine” Ted tried, it's not that he wasn't grateful for the opportunity to try, but why fix something if it's not broken.

“Anything can look fine from the audience, but it has to feel fine. It has to feel good, don't sacrifice your comfortability for someone else's enjoyment” She said, Ted listened. “You don't have to, but I'm giving you a chance to feel as comfortable as you look up there. Ted your an amazing actor don't let one thing ruin what you made an amazing show” He felt his heart speed up, his face turns red. He nodded, starting his lines. Charlotte smiled returning to her position, she did her lines and suddenly their lips were pressed together. But Charlotte was right, something had shifted, Ted melted into the kiss acting surprised, Charlotte was fierce but respectful just as her character would do. They pulled away after a moment but nothing changed. It was perfect.

~~~

“Are you nervous? Are you ok?” Tommy asked for what seemed like the millionth time that morning. Ted paused, still holding his hand, he turned to face him. Tommy looked at him expectantly examining his eyes.

“If you ask me one more time, I will not be” Ted informed softly, Tommy smiled wide, Ted shook his head and they continued walking. Of course, he was nervous, he was getting...adopted. Adopted, he was getting adopted. He eyed the professors who walked ahead of the couple. He was getting adopted by the nicest, most amazing, most wonderful people ever. And he couldn't be more confused. He was even more confused when they told him that his father had signed the papers.

“Seeing as there is no evidence yet, or case, I should say, against your father he’s simply being held. They don't have enough to put him away.” Henry explained, Ted knew he said he wanted to know everything but he really didn't. Chad saw the etching sadness on his face and jumped in.

“But, we went to see him” Ted nodded, he knew this. They had asked if he wanted to come and he almost instantly refused. Was he regretting that now? A chance to see his father? Possible one last time. “And he signed the papers” Ted should've felt anything but disappointed, but he was. His heart dropped below his feet, his eyes threatened with tears. His father was so quick to give him up, to erase his only child. Why was he sad knowing the man probably grumbled before lazily writing his signature. He should be happy, but instead, he was hoping that a sliver of his father cared for him and that they could be a happy family.

But he pushed all of that out of his head. Every morsel of regret, disappointment, sadness, utter hatred for himself and others, he shoved away so fiercely he could feel that chapter of his life close. He stood, struggling against the happiest tears ever. Chad and Henry stood on either of his sides, he grabbed their hands sniffling. Henry looked towards Chad his mouth gaping, Chad was keeping it together, he had to. So Ted stood, not listening to the judge as he made his announcements and his proclamations. He stood watching Tommy smile for him, crying on the side. He stood watching Paul and Bill looking more prideful than ever. He stood, he was there standing, he was doing it. Suddenly his friends erupted into clapping and Ted turned rubbing his eyes, he felt himself pulled into an embrace from Chad, quickly joined by Henry. Yes! Yes! Yes! Was all he could think, he was so happy.

They were a happy family. This right here, this is family.

“Can I get a dog?” Ted asked after the ceremony, the group erupted into laughter. Chad sighed shaking his head, but Henry sniffled.

“You can get anything you want” A reaction no one expected out of the science teacher but one that Ted appreciated.

Happy Family

He tightened his grip on Tommy's hand who bounced with every step suddenly stopping. The group halted with him. He turned to the professors wide-eyed. “Professor Hidgens’s” he furrowed his brows “Is that correct?” he mumbled, he shook his head continuing, Ted watched feeling his heart rate pick up. “Do I have permission to date your son?” He asked Ted was the first to laugh and how could he not? Then followed the rest of the group. Tommy smiled, placing a quick peck on Ted's cheek.

My Family

~~~

“So tired” Ted yawned walking into school Monday morning, Tommy yawned in response playing with Ted's fingers in his own. It had been weeks of rehearsals with opening day approaching fast. They only had four more dress rehearsals before opening on Friday. Bill walked on the other side practically leaning on Ted, he tried his best to stay awake but he was exhausted. Ted kept both of them supported watching Paul and Emma walking in front of them, he was going to have to ask what Charlotte what her secret was because she was bouncing off the walls. Sam walked beside her holding her hand paying no attention to her, Ted scoffed at him, he listened to every word Tommy said and loved to do so. He shook his head sighing.

“You alri..” Tommy paused releasing another yawn “You alright dearest?” He asked, Ted, chuckled as the group reached their lockers. They pulled out their lawn chairs and set them up outside their lockers. Tommy collapsed into Ted's chair, he swore he could hear the be-speckled boy start snoring. Paul and Emma set up their chairs next to each other pulling out homework they had to do. Bill sat neatly in his reading. Charlotte couldn't stay long she went to join Sam by his own locker wishing the group farewell.

“I hate him” Emma mumbled, carefully placing her earbud into her own ear and another one into Pauls. The group mumbled some agreements. Ted pulled out Tommy's chair sitting in it, he wasn't going to wake up Tommy. A chair is a chair, no matter whose name was written in faded sharpie on the side. “Opening night soon” Emma commented typing something into her laptop. The group nodded, no more attempts were made for conversation. Ted opened his computer also working on his own homework. He felt Tommy lay his head on Ted's shoulder kissing his cheek softly. Ted looked up examining the crowded hallway, he saw Alice staring at him from across the hall, he gave a polite smile.

“Who Dat” Tommy mumbled sleepily, Ted nodded, realizing Tommy had no idea who she was he laughed. Tommy rubbed his eyes confused.

“That's my sister” Paul responded waving, she waved back before being called back into a conversation. Tommy nodded.

“She seems nice,” Tommy said, Paul scoffed playfully returning to his work. Ted laughed typing some stuff into his document. Tommy moaned. “Too loud,” He said, Ted chuckled kissing Tommy's forehead. “Mmm… don't wanna move” He mumbled. Paul yawned closing his computer stuffing it back into his bag, Emma noticed and paused her music.

“Hey,” She said her eyes struggling to stay open. He smiled at her leaning in for a kiss, she pressed their lips together, sure she would fall asleep in the warm action she pulled away. “I'm. So. Tired.” She said, giving him quick pecks between the words. He chuckled back, stifling a yawn. Everyone was yawning. Paul smiled lovingly, silently craving more. “We should...go out for lunch” She suggested, he nodded agreeing. Bill watched the pair looking up from his book occasionally. He kept reading, he found the words dancing across the page, he closed it. That's enough for right now, clearly not in the right mindset to be reading. A clearing of the throat caught his attention, he looked up to find a girl standing there. The rest of the group looked up. The girl had dark skin almost matching Bills, complimenting her hazel hair that was tucked neatly into a ponytail. Bill noted her stance, she stood proper, frigid. Her hands were placed behind her back. She wore a flouncy turtleneck and a high waisted pencil skirt. She had a fading brown satchel slung over her shoulder hanging delicately by her side. She wore combat boots and her facial expression remained patient but busy. Her gray eyes glossing over them.

“Can we help you?” Ted asked, raising an eyebrow at her. She turned to him eyeing him. Then she turned back to Bill, Oh? Interesting…

“Yes?” Bill asked curtly. The girl studied him just as he had done moments before, to her. Bill noted once more her expression, it never changed, it simply was. He cleared his throat drawing her attention away.

“I'm Peggy Masop” She greeted, she extended her hand, Bill shook it cautiously. Tommy was awake now watching the pair. “I see you are reading ‘Six of Crows’” She commented gesturing to the book Bill held in his hand, he looked down at it nodding. “And earlier this year you were reading ‘On the Come Up’ by Angie Thomas, correct?” She asked he nodded once more. Why had she been observing him, how did she know what he was reading, why did she care? Finally something in her changed, a small smirk rose on her face, she bounced slightly. “I'm the head of the Sycamore High book club and I was wondering if you would like to join. We have meetings every Tuesday at lunch” She informed, now Bills interest was peaked. A book club? How come he had never heard of it until now? She reached into her satchel pulling out a small business card and handing it to Bill. “Let me know what you think,” She said promptly, she nodded at the rest of the group before leaving. Her ponytail swinging from side to side disappearing into the crowd.

“The book club has a business card?” Ted questions trying not to laugh. Bill studied the card, he appreciated it. It was formal, professional, he nodded sliding it carefully into his bag. Book club...sounds fun.

~~~

“Great job everyone! The final dress rehearsal went off without a hitch! Now, remember, tomorrow is opening. Spread the word! I'll do my big speech tomorrow but I am so proud of how hard you have worked. I'll see you tomorrow, oh and Ted meet me by the car in thirty minutes” Chad announced, the cast chuckled as Ted sunk his face into Tommy's shoulder. The cast made their way to the dressing rooms to get out of costume. Ted had created a system now, his costume once took forever to remove was now a 5-minute performance. Once back in his outfit he went towards the green room gathering his things. He waved farewell to his castmates and waited patiently for Tommy, he liked to say goodbye before he left.

“Hey, Ted!” Charlotte and Jackie approached the tired boy. He smiled up at them, focusing his attention on them. “You did amazing tonight!” She squealed, Ted watched Jackie smile at every little thing Charlotte did or said for the past few months, it was no different now as the costumer blushed hard.

“Thanks, Char, you were wonderful as always,” He said back, she blushed lovingly waving him off. He shrugged, things had become more comfortable between the pair. Charlotte was careful and respectful and understanding, Ted was kinder and less afraid now. They had really become Bea and Nick Bottom throughout rehearsals.

“If Nick Bottom cheated on Bea with Nostradamus” Charlotte teased one day after Ted had made a similar comment. Ted chuckled before continuing.

“Yeah but only because he found out that Bea was cheating on him with Shakespeare!” He claimed He erupted into laughter, the pair ignored the weird looks the students gave them as they walked by laughing for ages.

Jackie nudged her blushing friend pointing to the clock. “Oh! We gotta go!” Charlotte exclaimed Ted, nodded waving goodbye to the pair. He sat once more, pulling out his phone to update his...parents? The thought, the word itself, was still so new. Not bad new, just...new.

Everyone in this family is Gay ~

Ted couldn't help but chuckle at the name, he knows he created it but still, it was pretty funny.

Turbo: Will be out a few minutes late, waiting for Tommy

Dad: Understood, do not be too late

Pops: Gotcha! I'm running behind as well, some issues with the set. Will be out soon :)

He smiled, he couldn't remember the last time his heartfelt like this. He had changed their names a few days after the adoption, he wanted to be reminded that it was real. It would take some getting used to but these little details would help him. He yawned back in his chair, how long does it take to get out of costume? He watched many more cast members, crew members, and even some staff leave before Tommy finally rushed in. Ted went over to him embracing him in a hug much to the smaller boys delight. Then suddenly, Ted felt his stomach sink

We open tomorrow

#sycamore high #tgwdlmhs #tgwdlm #the guy who didn't like musicals #musical theatre #theatre #Team Starkid #starkid #ao3 #archive of our own #joey richter #lauren lopez #jaime lyn beatty #corey dorris #jon matteson #robert manion #writing #my writing

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mariequitecontrarie · 5 years

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All of Me: Chapter 16

The Fic: Belle French is a pudgy librarian who’s in love from afar with “town monster” and ace reporter, Mr. Gold. Little does she know, he’s head-over-heels in love with her, too. Chapter Summary: Belle and Emma go shopping in Portland to prepare for a big night out with Gold and Neal at the Storybrooke Winter Gala. Emma runs into an old high school rival and shares a secret. Rating: T A/N: Guys, it’s been 84 years! Much love to @galactic-pirates and @magnoliatattoo for putting up with me. Artwork by the talented @wizzygold @a-monthly-rumbelling: “I’m not dressed for this.”

Stay with Me (bet. Ch 9&10) | Spiked Chocolate (bet. Ch 16&17) | Pieces of Me (Q&A)

ON AO3

“The quickest way to know a woman is to go shopping with her.” - Marcelene Cox

***Three weeks after Belle has moved out of her parents’ house and into Marco’ s.***

Belle picked up the telephone to call Gold at the newspaper, her day planner spread open on the desk.

Yes, it was old-fashioned, writing things down on a calendar and lugging the thick planner around in her bag, but she liked old-fashioned. She liked books, and fountain pens, and the rustle of paper—both crisply new and faded with age. Besides, she didn’t trust iPhone calendar apps.

She’d forgotten Daddy and Edith’s anniversary one too many times thanks to those finicky electronic calendars. Whenever it happened, she rushed to write a card at the last minute but instead of being grateful, Edith seemed to enjoy shaming her for “neglecting her family.” Personally, Belle felt anniversaries were about the couple celebrating each other…but her thoughts were veering way off course. If she ventured down the dark road of worrying over Edith, she could end up in bed with a box of snowball cakes for the rest of the day.

But falling into depression was less likely now that she no longer called her father and Edith’s house home. After three weeks of living with Marco, there was no denying how much better she felt; the freedom of coming and going as she pleased was a heady sensation. Sometimes Gold joined her at Marco’s house in the evening and the three of them played Scrabble together. Once, she had insisted Marco not cook dinner after cooking at the restaurant all day long and dragged him to Emma’s house for a family dinner where Henry chattered about school and his friends and made everyone laugh until their sides ached.

But most often, Marco would come home from the restaurant and the two of them would eat a pasta and salad dinner, and then spend the evening in the comfortable quiet of his small, cozy living room. His overstuffed couch and chairs were such a contrast to the hard, slick leather furniture Edith filled her house with, and Belle loved sinking into the corner of Marco’s huge couch and covering up with a fluffy throw blanket.

Sometimes they would make small talk about their days but on most evenings, Marco would be bent over a notebook making notes for the next day’s specials at the restaurant, and she would pull out her laptop to research books to add to the library. Usually, either the Cooking Channel or HGTV played in the background. She’d had an older television in her bedroom at her parents’ but no cable connection. Marco, however, had a new flatscreen and Belle indulged in her love of watching House Hunters International, which combined two of her favorite pastimes: seeing home interiors and a peek at exotic destinations.

Gone were the days of being chased into her bedroom, hiding her diary, and hoarding snacks. Some days, the years spent in Edith and her dad’s frosty household seemed like a bad dream.

At least twice a week, Belle offered to pay Marco rent. It didn’t seem right to eat his food and live in his space and offer nothing in return. But he refused every time she asked. “No,” he had said this morning over breakfast, flipping eggs with a stubborn twist of his lips. “We are family, Bella. La famiglia. And when life is hard, family is a soft place to land.” Her eyes had burned with grateful tears, but she kissed his cheek and ate her breakfast and let him fuss over her until they went their separate ways—he to the restaurant and her to the library.

Besides, she thought as she punched in Gold’s number, she didn’t have time for wallowing.

She needed to talk to Gold about the annual Storybrooke Winter Gala today. On impulse, Neal had bought four tickets and insisted he and Emma and Belle and Gold make a double date of the occasion. He’d even arranged for their next-door neighbor, Ana, to watch Henry.

Every December, the Mayor’s Office hosted the gala to benefit the city schools. This year, all proceeds would go toward school Arts programs—music, theatre, writing, and art workshops. Emma and Gold usually attended every year, Gold to cover the event for the Times and Emma to capture photographs to accompany the story. Belle had never been invited to the ball before, though, and she wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Part of her didn’t want to be seen in public with so many shiny glossy people she couldn’t measure up to, but another side of her was excited to play princess for an evening.

She glanced again at the date and punched in Gold’s phone number. Today was Friday, November 16th. Thanksgiving was next week, which meant the gala was only three weeks away. There wasn’t much time to get ready. Finding a dress could be difficult and she would probably need to take it to a tailor, too. The thought of shopping for formalwear made her palms begin to sweat.

“Gold,” he answered on the first ring.

“What are you wearing?” she asked in a rush, followed by a breathless pause.

He answered with a laugh, the deep, rich sound making her spine tingle. She imagined him setting down the newspaper proof he was holding to turn in his chair to peer out the window toward the library. Since her office was in the back of the building he couldn’t actually see her, but she felt the admiring burn of his eyes all the same.

She heard a rustling sound as he set down the pages. When they talked or spent time together, he always gave her his full attention. It was certainly a refreshing change from Sean distractedly glancing at her during one of his marathon video game sessions and asking her to repeat what she’d said for the third time.

“A naughty call in the middle of the workday?” Gold drawled into the phone. “Sweetheart, men dream of these sorts of calls from their girlfriends. It’s not even my birthday.”

Belle blushed. She hadn’t stopped to think how awkward the question would sound out of context, but now that it was out, she teased him right back. “Mmmm nothing naughty to say today but just wait till it is your birthday,” she said. “Now that you mention it…”

“Yes?” He drew out the word, filling it with expectation and making her giggle.

She could almost see him leaning forward across the desk, a mischievous gleam in those caramel eyes.

“When is your birthday?”

“January 14th,” he answered promptly. “And tell Marco I prefer ice cream cake.”

“You prefer every cake,” she shot back, smiling into the phone. When it came to baked goods, Gold had an enormous sweet tooth. “But I think it can be arranged.”

“That’s excellent news. Just don’t tell Marco how many candles to put on it because the thing will be melted before we have a chance to slice it.”

Belle knew he was still self-conscious about the difference in their ages. She also knew exactly how to soothe him when he worried. “Then it’s a good thing I prefer mature men.”

“Indeed,” he said, sounding pleased.

She flipped her planner forward and marked his birthday on the calendar in bold, red ink, surrounding the date with fat, bright hearts. The birthday of the man she loved was an important day—far more worth remembering than the wedding date of her stuffy stepmother and emotionally unavailable father. At least she knew Marco wouldn’t snoop through her things and read her planner or her diary. But she was digressing again.

“Now, back to my question,” she ordered, feigning sternness.

“You have my full attention, General French.”

She laughed and rubbed the thick holiday gala invitation between her fingers. Its embossed gold lettering and sprigs of holly in metallic ink screamed expensive. Everyone knew the Storybrooke Winter Gala was the social event of the season. From the chilled seafood towers bursting with crab claws and lobster tails to the elegant champagne cocktails, no expense would be spared.

Belle fanned her warm cheeks with the cardstock, her clammy fingers leaving damp smudges at the top of the matte stationery. “The invite says formal attire, but you’re almost always formal. Were you thinking suit or tuxedo?”

“At the moment, I’m in my usual. I did opt for the socks with the turkeys today as a nod to next Thursday.”

Belle giggled and dragged her teeth over her lower lip. His Thanksgiving socks were adorable and he was being terribly sweet in his attempts to put her at ease. She wanted to go to the gala, but she didn’t want to look like a country bumpkin who had never been anywhere. Gold had attended fancy dinners and parties all over the world. He’d been to a State Dinner with the President, for goodness sake, while Belle had never ventured beyond the Portland city limits. “You know what I mean. It’s not like we can show up in sweatpants and be all ‘sorry, I’m not dressed for this.’” Oh, how she wished.

“Sweetheart, you can wear anything you like. You’re gorgeous no matter what you have on. That said, I’m not really the proper person to offer advice on evening gown selections. Why don’t you talk to Emma?”

She sighed. “Honey, I have talked to Emma. We’re both going shopping and we both need to know. It’s not like we can ask Neal for guidance.” Exasperated, she pushed a curl off her forehead, wondering why she had to explain this. “You know what he’s like. Emma said, ‘Neal would dust corn chips off his construction clothes, zip a hoodie sweatshirt over it, and head out the door.’ That’s a direct quote, by the way.”

Gold burst out laughing. “Sounds like my boy. I’ll make sure he’s dressed appropriately.”

“Anyway,” she continued, “there’s not much of a boutique circuit here in Storybrooke and I’m not exactly a candidate for Rent the Runway.” She sucked in the inside of her cheek as soon as those last words were out. Since they’d started dating, she’d been making a concerted effort not to say self-deprecating things about herself. At least not out loud.

Gold hadn’t seemed to notice her negativity, though.

“Which would you prefer I wear? Tux or suit?”

The image of whirling on the dance floor with Gold in a sleek black tuxedo was doing crazy things to her insides. “Tux,” she said in a breathless whisper. “Tux sounds good.”

“Tux it shall be then. And Belle?”

“Yes?” She was still picturing Gold in black tie and her stomach was doing gymnastics.

“Love, I meant what I said: you’re gorgeous no matter what you wear. We’re going to the gala so we can dance and eat shrimp cocktail and support the Arts, not so you’ll worry over competing with silly girls and stupid women who wouldn’t know true beauty if it ran over them with a sleigh.”

“I wish you and Emma and Neal were going to be the only ones there,” she murmured, feeling silly. It wasn’t as though she hadn’t known about the gala and been given every opportunity to decide against going. The event had been on the calendar for weeks, yet the closer it came the more she fretted about fitting in. An inexplicable craving for belonging tightened her chest.

Gold hummed into the phone. “This is about more than a dress, isn’t it, sweetheart?”

She closed her eyes and took a deep, slow breath, letting the weight of his understanding settle over her like a comforting mantle. Her head lolled forward until her forehead rested upon the top of her desk. The smooth, cool grain of the wood felt good against her flushed skin and she forced out another lungful of air. Gold didn’t deserve to be at the wrong end of her short fuse. She tried to tell herself she belonged at the gala because he’d invited her, but the heart didn’t always believe the head—no matter how sensible the head was being.

“It matters to me that I at least look like I belong, even if it isn’t true,” she admitted.

Gold was quiet for a long moment. “It is true, sweetheart. For as long as I draw breath, you will always have a place to belong. If Marco, Emma, Neal, and Henry were here, I know each of them would say the same. I also know it’s going to take more than hearing the words to make you believe it. You have to know the truth deep down. I love you so much, and I only hope and pray that one day you’ll see yourself the way we see you.”

Belle pressed her lips together, muffling a sob. “Thank you for understanding,” she whispered tearfully. “I love you.”

“It’s nearly five. I’m coming over to the library.” Through the phone, she heard the distinctive click of his pocket watch as he snapped it closed. “When I get there, I’m going to kiss you till you’re breathless, then take you out for a nice, quiet dinner, just the two of us. How does that sound?”

Belle smiled and wiped her tears and her worries away with a tissue from the box on her desk. “It sounds perfect.”

“So we’re here.” Emma sucked down the dregs of her iced latte in a noisy slurp and wiped her hands on her black jeans. “Portland. Boutique Row. What do we do now?” She tossed the cup in the trash can inside the door.

Like aliens on a foreign planet, they hovered inside the doorway of Posh, the largest formal boutique in the city.

Belle eyed Emma suspiciously. “I thought you said you knew about shopping.”

“Yeah, for denim and dry fit. Where to get the best doughnuts. And the occasional piece of leather. Not evening gowns.”

“But you’ve been to this gala before?” she pressed.

“Yeah, as the photographer. No one pays attention to what you’re wearing when you’re behind the camera. I got away with black pants and a dress shirt three years running.”

Belle looked her friend up and down. Perspiration was dotting Emma’s temples. Her cheeks, ruddy from the winter air outside just moments ago, were ashen. She knew that deer-in-headlights look: Emma was on the verge of an anxiety attack.

Belle ran her teeth over her lower lip, discouragement slithering around her and squeezing the air from her lungs. “Are we in trouble?”

“It’s possible,” Emma acknowledged, then shook her head hard enough to cause her ponytail to sway. “No. No! We’re two grown women. We can handle one small town formal.”

“You make it sound like war,” Belle said wryly.

“It’s worse. Other women. Rich, polished, cold as ice.” She rolled her eyes at a chic blonde dripping in Chanel and carrying a Louis Vuitton handbag bigger than Belle’s suitcase. “Maybe we should invest in suits of armor.”

“Or maybe we should eat them for supper.”

Emma snorted, their laughter breaking the tension. It was rare for Emma to be intimidated, and Belle patted her shoulder. Misery loved company, and somehow knowing she wasn’t alone in her insecurity gave her hope for more than the hunt for an evening gown. “We can do this, as long as we do it together.”

Emma’s reached for Belle’s hand and squeezed. “Right. Together is better.”

”Exactly.”

Emma gave a long, slow whistle and they moved into the store like two people tied together in a three-legged race. “Where should we start?” Belle stared at the array of gowns and began to shuffle through the racks, heading in the direction of the plus sizes. She’d come here expecting to have maybe two choices in style but after a few minutes of browsing, to her surprise, there were many gowns in her size—short and long, tight and flowing, beaded and glittery. And though she hadn’t tried on a solitary dress, she was still convinced there wasn’t one in all of Portland designed to flatter her physique. In one fell swoop, she’d gone from zero choices to too many. So many dresses, so little time, and so much Belle.

Even the eggnog lattes and cream-stuffed doughnuts she and Emma had feasted on in the car on the way here left her feeling hollow. She was at her worst at formal events—the last one she’d been to was her high school senior prom and not one person had asked her to dance. She’d gone stag simply so she didn’t have to sit in the house with her father and Edith. With the exception of going to the refreshment table to sneak brownies, she had sat in the corner the entire time.

But she wasn’t in high school any longer. She had a handsome escort in Gold and friends to spend the evening with. The steeply priced gala tickets had already been purchased and paid for and supporting the Arts in their schools? She couldn’t think of a more excellent cause. Besides, backing out three weeks before the event was paramount to announcing you had no interest in seeing Hamilton. It simply wasn’t done.

She squinted in the direction of the lingerie. Spanx were what she needed—something to suck her in and smooth her out—injected with industrial-strength elastic.

“Black. Black is the slimming choice,” Belle decided aloud, pushing through the rack toward a plain A-line silk sheath gown.

At least if she stuck to basic black, she and Gold would match. Like two penguins. One sleek and sophisticated, the other round and plump, carrying a lot of blubber around to make it through the hard, cold, South Pole winter.

“No black! Black is the safe choice,” Emma countered, smacking Belle’s hand when she reached for the hanger on another simple, nondescript black gown with clean lines.

“And that’s bad why?”

“Because it’s drab and washes you out. Go for color. Like gold.”

“Suddenly you’re a Pantone expert?” Belle winced. “A gold dress? Isn’t that a touch…cliché?”

“Alright. We’ll keep looking.”

Belle nudged Emma in the direction of a tall, willow-thin woman with striking black and grey hair and the pointiest red stilettos she’d ever seen. “Maybe we should ask someone. I think she works here.”

Emma squinted and slid more dresses down the rack. “The one with the scarf on?”

“It’s a poncho.” She knew that much.

“Wait! Wait! Try this emerald one! Gold will go crazy when he sees you in this!” Emma whipped a dazzling, jewel-toned gown with a daring thigh-high slit off the rack. Belle stared at the stunning gown then glanced back at the saleswoman. “Five minutes ago you didn’t know anything about dresses.” “You’re right, I don’t. But I know my father-in-law and he’s going to love that dress. Well, he’d love you in a life-sized paper bag, but this dress will make even Mr. Smart Ass Newspaper Dude speechless. God, I can picture him drooling already!” She thrust the dress into Belle’s arms and gave her a playful shove. “Go try it on. And remember, the only person who has to know how beautiful you are…”

“Is me,” Belle finished. They’d had this conversation often during their walks over the past few months, and Emma had reminded her yet again on the two-hour drive here. She fingered the rich velvet skirt with trembling fingers. Now she had to walk the walk. “I’ll try it. What color are you looking for?” she asked, backing into the fitting room.

“Black.” “Emma!” she whined.

Emma yanked the fitting room curtain closed with a laugh. The dress was crushed velvet with full-length sleeves, hard to find, even in the middle of a brutal Maine winter. She slid into the gown, the silk-lined velvet feeling decadent against her skin. Even without the back completely zipped, she liked the look. Emma was right, she realized, turning this way and that in the three-way mirror.

The scoop neck hugged her shoulder blades, emphasizing her thinnest feature—her shoulders—and the color made her blue eyes sparkle and skin creamy even under the garish fluorescent fitting room lights. It was a few inches too long for her 5-foot, 1-inch frame, but the skirt length was easily remedied at a tailor. Not hating it, she took a deep breath, lifted the skirt so she wouldn’t trip, and opened the curtain. She hoped Emma was nearby because she didn’t want to make a spectacle of herself. Those stupid little fitting room closets were designed to thrust you back out onto the floor where commission-hungry salespeople could tell you how good you looked and convince you to buy.

“Em,” she called out, “could you zip—” She swallowed the rest of her words. Emma was face-to-face with a dark-haired woman, and looking even more nervous than she had when they walked into the boutique. “Emma? Emma Nolan?” The stranger wore a smart navy pantsuit and a light blue silk blouse, and her blood-red lips spread in a wide smile. Everything about her, from her perfectly coifed hair to her buffed, nude pumps, screamed suave and important.

“Yeah, who’s asking?” “It’s me, Regina Mills. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten. We graduated together from Storybrooke High! I sat next to you in Mr. Walsh’s English class.” “Oh, hey.” Emma kicked the carpet with her boot, looking anything but thrilled to meet an old high school friend. “Good to see you. You remember Belle French, I’m sure. She graduated the year after us.” Regina frowned at Belle, making a small scar on her upper lip stand out. “Sorry, doesn’t ring a...bell.” “It’s fine. We didn’t really travel in the same social circles anyway,” Belle said. Regina pouted, as if trying to decide if Belle’s remark was a put-down.

Well, she could interpret the comment however she wished. Belle didn’t care for the change that had come over Emma since Regina had appeared or the barely-veiled insult that she wasn’t worth remembering. Now that she’d had a good look at her, she remembered Regina well enough. Then again, it was hard to forget the most popular girl to ever come out of Storybrooke High School. Student body president, prom queen, and girlfriend of Daniel Colter, captain of the football team. Belle would have called her a high school cliché, except that Regina had carried her smooth, flawless reputation into adulthood. She was still the most beautiful woman Belle had ever seen close-up. “I’m just in town for meetings today. I’m an attorney and planning to run for office next term.” Regina’s frozen smile was back in business. “I’m thinking start small with state Senate and work up from there. So, Emma, what have you been up to since graduation? I haven’t seen you since we walked across the stage.” “Um, well.” Emma shoved her hands in her pockets and looked toward the racks of dresses. “Emma is a gifted photographer,” Belle said, sliding to her friend’s side. If Emma wasn’t going to boast about her accomplishments, she sure as hell was going to do it for her. “How exciting!” Regina’s grin was wolfish, her dark eyes sparkling. “Are you exhibiting your portraits at any galleries?” “Uh…” Emma looked at the floor. “No time,” Belle put in. “Right, Em? You’re much too busy with your son, Henry and your husband, Neal.” “Oooh, a husband.” Regina’s eyes flashed again, reminding Belle of a shark circling its prey. “Is he a doctor?” “Nope.” “Hmmm.” She tapped a red nail against her jaw. “A lawyer then?” “He’s in construction,” Emma said, looking to Belle for help. “For your information, he runs his own construction company. He’s built most of Storybrooke’s new buildings in the last ten years.” Belle glared at Regina, daring her to make another cutting remark. “So he’s a working man,” she said, managing to make the term sound neither positive nor negative. “Yeah. Yeah. He’s great.” Emma’s laugh was feeble and she ducked her head. Regina clapped her hands. “This has been fun, catching up. We should do this again sometime.” She flashed another gorgeous, winning smile, and moved in the direction of the lingerie. “Best of luck on the campaign trail,” Belle called after her. Waiting until Regina was out of earshot, Belle whirled on Emma. “Excuse me, but what the hell was that?”

“Never mind. We have shopping to do.” Emma cleared her throat and tried to slide past her, but Belle held her ground.

“The shopping can wait. Who died and crowned Regina Mills queen?”

Belle had zero patience for people who clambered for social standing and pronounced themselves better than others. Having been so often on the receiving end of other people’s sarcasm, Belle rarely talked down to people. But standing up to bullies didn’t count. Something about watching Emma cower in front of Regina caused an angry fire to blaze in her belly. Maybe she was lousy at defending herself, but she’d be damned if she’d let anyone walk all over her friend. Emma shrugged and studied the dresses. She was pretending not to care about the awkward encounter, but Belle knew better. “I don’t like small talk. ‘Hi. How are you?’ she parroted. ‘Oh, I’m fine, how are you?’ News flash: nobody’s fine.”

“Em…”

“No matter how she makes it sound, Regina and I weren’t friends in high school, we were competitors.” She rolled her eyes. “She reminisces about Mr. Walsh’s English class like that was the only time we saw each other. I guess she forgot about the four years we spent one-upping each other on the cheerleading squad, softball team, and the debate team. Always trying to be smarter, stronger, and skinnier than the other. We were out for blood.”

“Then why are you letting her get under your skin?”

Emma sighed and pulled on her ponytail. “You know Cora Mills?”

“Cora Mills, the mayor? Of course.” Belle suppressed a shudder.

Regina’s mother, Cora, had been mayor of Storybrooke for as long as Belle could remember. Cora was a cold, calculating woman, but what she lacked in lovable qualities, she made up for in efficiency. She ran Storybrooke like a machine and no one could argue with her methods, not even Gold, who was paid to search out everything. From the few times Belle had met her, she realized Cora wasn’t mean so much as devoid of emotion. Beyond a perfunctory review of the library budget once a year, Belle was fortunate to rarely communicate with the Mayor’s Office and even when she did, it was strictly emails between Belle and Cora’s assistant. The library and its services were beneath Cora’s notice; so long as Belle didn’t ask for too much money, she stayed under her radar—which was exactly the way she liked it.

Emma wandered to a bench next to the row of fitting rooms and plopped down. “My mom always wanted to be like her, you know.”

“Really?” Belle would never have expected sweet, kind Mary Margaret Nolan to want to emulate Cora Mills.

Emma smirked. “Once, a long time ago, Mom even tried bidding against her for Mayor but she was too nice. She was laughed out of the first debate, and it’s a good thing because the town would have walked all over her. Since Mom couldn’t be like Cora, she decided the next best thing would be for me to be like Cora’s daughter, Regina. I spent every day of high school trying to beat Regina for one reason: because my mom couldn’t beat hers.”

“Wow,” Belle said. “I would never have known. Your mom is such a great teacher and your parents are like a fairytale marriage. Talk about relationship goals.”

“Exactly. The thing with my mom is she’s incredible just as she is,” she said. “Former prom queen, straight-A student, a born teacher. She’s smart and pretty and married to the perfect, charming husband. And she loves Storybrooke—but not for me.”

“But your parents live in Storybrooke.” Confused, Belle furrowed her brow. “That seems like a bit of a double-standard.”

“Yeah.” Emma shook her head. “’Why do you want to take pictures of engaged couples and local pet adoptions?’ she said, mimicking her mother’s innocent tone. “She would rather I was out on the front lines of some war documenting the dying.” “Like Gold used to?” Belle nodded in sympathy and claimed the empty side of the bench. She knew all too well the feeling of being expected to be someone you couldn’t be and dashing parental hopes in the process. “She feels like you shouldn’t be satisfied with a simple life.” “Bingo! And she resents the hell out of Gold for telling me what it’s really like out there. I think that’s why I’m closer to him now than I am my own parents. He understands weakness and failure in a way I don’t think they can. I’m not some conceited little bitch who’s hiding in the bathroom to throw up everything she eats to fit in anymore, but sometimes that really sucks, you know?”

“Yeah, I do.” Belle’s heart clenched in sympathy. Sometimes she still got sucked into the vortex of her own self-pity and forgot that everyone—even gorgeous, wonderful Emma—was fighting a battle. Trying to be yourself was hard work. It was so much easier to toe the line of people’s expectations, to do and say what made others feel comfortable and safe. “So there’s Regina, first conquering the state of Maine, then the world.” Emma put her head in her hands. “And here I am...not running for a spot even on the PTO. Married with a kid and pregnant again.” “You’re pregnant?” Belle slung an arm around Emma and dragged her against her side in an awkward hug. “Oh, sweetie, that’s amazing!” “Ya think? Emma sniffled but looked hopeful for the first time since they had entered the boutique. “Really? I wasn’t expecting another baby. It just happened.”

“Henry is going to be a big brother!” Belle squealed, excited enough for both of them. “Does your mom know yet?”

“Are you kidding?” “What did Neal say?”

Emma shook her head and touched her belly. “You’re the first soul I’ve told.”

“Me?” Belle crowded closer to Emma and drew her head down on her shoulder. She smoothed Emma’s hair back from her temples, soothing her the way her mother used to when she was little while she tried to process the news. To think she was the first to know about the new addition coming to the Cassidy household. She hummed thoughtfully. “I don’t think I’ve ever been first in someone else’s confidence. At least not...well there’s Gold, of course.” She felt Emma nod against her shoulder. “I know what you mean. I’ve had friends. Acquaintances. Then when I met Neal he satisfied any need I had for friends. He’s a great husband and I love him to pieces, but it’s not like this. Like us. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, Belle.”

“Me too,” she said, tears scalding her eyes. She’d known it was true—had felt the stirrings of their bond deep in her spirit ever since their first real conversation at Henry’s birthday clambake. Between family dinners, walks, and girls nights out, the invisible force between them only grown stronger. Somehow acknowledging their friendship out loud made it seem more solid. Precious. As important to her as her love for Gold, but in a different way.

“Now stand up,” Emma said, fishing into her pocket for a crumpled tissue. “I wanna see this dress!”

Belle shot to her feet and smoothed the skirt, her fingers fluttering around the waist and hips while Emma zipped up the back.

“I love it,” she said, motioning for Belle to twirl around.

“Really? You don’t think it makes me look like a medieval strumpet?”

“Hell no!” Emma whistled as Belle turned around again. “You’re stunning. All we need now are Spanx and shoes. And maybe some lingerie for the after-party?” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“Maybe.” Belle’s face flamed at the thought of wearing a negligee for Gold. “What about you?”

“We’ll get to me after lunch.” She patted her still-flat tummy. “There’s a place down the street serving yummy cheese-covered waffle fries and this kid wants some now.”

Belle’s stomach growled in answer. “Lead the way.”

Their waiter was clearing the lunch plates at the café when Belle heard a knock on the window. She did a double-take as her father waved through the glass with a sheepish smile. Her turkey club sandwich, which had tasted so delicious a few minutes ago, now lodged in her stomach. What was he doing here in the city?

“I’ll grab the check, Belle. You go talk to him,” Emma urged. “If I see things are getting bad I’ll come outside and rescue you.”

Nodding, she gathered her coat and made her way outside, wondering what would bring her father looking for her in Portland of all places, when she hadn’t seen him once on the streets of Storybrooke in the three weeks since she’d moved out.

The air was frigid even in the sunshine, and she seemed to grow colder with every step she took toward her father.

“Daddy?” She wrapped her arms around herself to keep from reaching for a hug. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s the Portland flower show.” He brushed a bit of pollen off the sleeve of his coat. “I was in the neighborhood and saw you having lunch in the window.” “Ah.” Her dad attended the vendor-focused flower exhibition every year. She should have prepared for the possibility of running into him in town, but she’d completely forgotten it was this weekend.

“We haven’t heard from you in weeks, darling. Edith was devastated when you collected your things and left us.”

Belle gave a noncommittal grunt and thrust her cold hands in her pockets. Edith was devastated? Perish the thought her own father actually missed her.

“Marco treating you well?” he asked gruffly.

“Like family,” she retorted, her voice carrying a sharpness she hadn’t intended.

Her father’s face paled and she instantly regretted her tone. There was no call to be so mean-spirited, especially when it somehow succeeded in making her feel worse instead of better.

He sniffed. “Will we see you for Thanksgiving?“

Belle looked into the clear blue sky, distancing herself from his hopeful gaze. "Marco’s cooking a huge feast, so I’ll be eating with him and Gold and the Cassidys.“

“Christmas?“

She blew out an exasperated breath and hugged herself again. “Let’s push through one nightmare holiday at a time, okay?“

He huffed. “I didn’t realize things had gotten so bad.”

“Are we still talking about holidays, or are you referring to other bad situations?�� She thought back to the horrible family dinner she’d put Gold through when she’d tossed a roll at Edith’s head and stormed out. “I can’t live like that anymore. I won’t.”

“You’ve changed, Belle. Is this…is this Gold’s influence on you, then?” He seemed to deflate before her eyes, this giant of a man shriveling down to a pathetic shell. “When did you become this way? So stubborn. So willful.” His lips shook as he spoke. “If your mother were alive, she…”

“But she’s not, Daddy,” Belle interrupted. “Mother hasn’t been with us for years. She’s not here to tell you what to do and what to say, and for that matter neither is Edith. You’re the one who changed. It’s as Erskine said, you don’t even see me. Maybe you never did.”

“Belle!” Emma jogged over to the rescue, her breath a white cloud in the cold afternoon air. “Hey, Mister French. We really gotta get going if we’re going to finish shopping and I promised Henry I’d be home in time to tuck him in.”

“Great. I’m freezing anyway.” She looped her arm through Emma’s and mustered a sad, parting smile for her father. After years of trying to gain his attention and approval, she wasn’t sure when she would see him again and at the moment, she didn’t care. “Take care of yourself, Dad.”

###

#rumbelle fic #rumbelle #a monthly rumbelling #chubby belle #chubby!belle #mr. gold x belle french #swanfire #regina mills #marco #moe french #mqc writes

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lolahood · 6 years

Note

request/prompt: reddie modern au, some ex-boyfriend treated eddie horrible and now he is insecure about everything he does for richie and insecure on his own looks because that guy was trash. fluff/angst? richie understanding and being nice, trying his best to help?

SORRY THIS TOOK ME SO LONG! this is such a cute idea and I kinda went a little too angsty with it? ah well :) if anyone has any other request, send it in!! i love doing these!!

word count: 1.8k

Eddie smoothed out the pristine table cloth for the third time in 5 minutes. The short man tapped his foot anxiously on the floor of his one-bedroom apartment. He checked his watch, and stared as the seconds hand ticked painstakingly slow. Eddie groaned and rubbed his eyes. Richie was supposed to arrive in 5 minutes, and Eddie was, for lack of better words, anxious as fuck.

The two guys had been dating for about a month. They had met at Bill and Stan’s wedding, and they had hit it off instantly. A completely sober Richie had run to the stage to karaoke Billy Joel’s Only the Good Die Young, and Eddie knew he had to meet this curly-haired stranger. Since then, they had gone on a couple dates: a coffee shop, the Italian restaurant on the corner of Richie’s block, Skyzone (Eddie really loved trampolines and Richie thought that was damn adorable).

Though Eddie had been in Richie’s apartment, this would be the first time Richie had been over to Eddie’s. The thought of the attractive man in Eddie’s living space made Eddie’s skin tingle. He didn’t know if it was anticipation or nerves, but either way, it drove him to rush to oven to check on his tater tot hotdish.

Eddie wasn’t much of a cook, but he was an expert hotdish chef. Bill had been his best friend forever and whenever he couldn’t stand his mother for another second (which was pretty much every other day when they were younger) he would spend time at the Denbrough residence. Georgie had a very weak immune system, so he was bedridden a lot more than anyone else Eddie knew. Whenever the younger boy was sick, Bill and Eddie would make him tater tot hotdish - his favorite food.

Just as Eddie was pulling the heavy pan out of the oven, he heard a sporadic knock on the door. The brown-haired man nearly dropped his hotdish at the sound, and then frantically set it down and ran to the entrance of his home.

He pulled open the door to find curly locks peeking out from behind a large bouquet of white roses. A blush crept across Eddie’s face as Richie’s big brown eyes rose into view. Richie stuck out the roses childishly, and Eddie reached out for them with a smile. His expression quickly switched as he realized with horror that his Scooby Doo oven mits were still encasing his hands. Cheeks burning furiously, he shook off the gloves and grabbed the roses as Richie’s laugh echoed through Eddie’s empty apartment.

“You’re so cute, have I ever said that to you?” Richie teased as Eddie filled a vase with water. Eddie rolled his eyes and snorted, but his blush grew nonetheless.

“Like, every 0.6 seconds,” Eddie shot back. He led Richie over to the table set for two. There were candles spread across the perfectly straight tablecloth. A bowl of red fruit was between the two plates, and Eddie’s steaming hotdish was next to it.

Richie dipped his head low and dramatically took a deep sniff over the hotdish. He put his hand to his forehead and sighed in faux pleasure.

“That,” he pointed a slender finger at the dish, “smells like your mother’s vajayjay. In the best way possible.” Eddie gave the taller boy a playful shove.

“You’re disgusting,” he shrieked.

“Yeah, but you love it,” Richie shot back.

As he felt all of his previous nerves melt away, Eddie felt something in his gut tell him this statement wasn’t as crazy as it sounded.

//////Three Hours Later//////

Eddie and Richie were sprawled on the loveseat in front of Eddie’s TV. Richie was sat facing forward, with his ginormous feet propped up on the coffee table. Eddie had warned him against doing that, but the scrawny lad had disregarded Eddie’s threats. The shorter boy had his feet in Richie’s lap and a bowl of popcorn in his arms. Step Up was playing on the TV, but Eddie was having a hard time focusing on anything but the feeling of Richie’s legs against his. Richie’s eyes danced across the screen with the movements of Channing Tatum. Eddie recognized the music from the final dance scene, so he knew the movie was almost over.

As the final credits rolled, Richie finally turned his gaze to Eddie, his eyes full of delight.

“Ugh, I seriously love that movie more than I love dick,” Richie sighed contently, pulling Eddie’s legs closer to his chest. Eddie giggled at the wacky statement. When Eddie opened his eyes again, Richie’s gaze caught them instantly, something darker suddenly brewing behind Richie’s eyes. “Well, almost.”

Eddie’s next breath snagged in the back of his throat. The apartment suddenly seemed so much smaller, and the brown-haired boy’s heart started to speed up. Richie moved closer to Eddie. He was moving in slow motion. Eddie suddenly felt sweaty all over his body, like he had run a marathon without leaving the couch.

Eddie’s brain was on red alert as Richie leaned in to press his lips against the smaller man’s. Eddie tried to relax into the kiss. This wasn’t the first time the two of them had kissed, but this kiss was different. It was hungry. It was passionate. It was too much. Eddie grabbed Richie’s arm and squeezed, hoping the older boy would understand what Eddie was trying to communicate, but he just pressed his body harder against Eddie and stuck his tongue in his mouth. Eddie choked out a sob. He planted his hands firmly on Richie’s chest and pushed him off with all his might. Richie flew back, fear in his eyes. Eddie’s head spun, his thoughts racing miles at a time as Richie jumped up from the floor. Whyisthismewhyamilikethiswhyisthisme- Eddie gulped for air as Richie rushed to his side.

“Oh god, Eddie, I’m so sorry, Jesus, what can I do? What happened?” Eddie just shook his head and pulled his knees up to his body. Richie looked frantically around the room, desperately trying to find a way to help Eddie. He snatched a blanket laying on an armchair and wrapped it gently around Eddie’s quivering frame, trying his hardest not to touch the smaller boy. Then he waited.

Eddie’s breath began to slow after a couple minutes. His shoulders dropped. He wasn’t afraid anymore, just sad. Richie felt his heart crack in his chest at the dejected form of his boyfriend. Richie stretched out his hand, and slowly, slowly, touched Eddie’s knee.

“I think we have to talk,” the taller boy whispered. Eddie looked up from his lap, his face streaked with tears and his bottom lip shaking. Richie paused, a patient smile on his face while Eddie gathered himself. Eddie blew out a big breath and then began to speak.

“So, before you,” the boy murmured. “There was this other guy - Henry - who I was with for a while.” Richie hated the way Eddie’s voice trembled as he said the other man’s name. “This was a couple years ago. H-h-he-” Eddie’s voice broke as a tear streamed down his face. Richie rubbed his knee, gently urging the boy to continue. “He used to, ah, rough me up.” All of the blood drained from Richie’s face, and his eyes widened in shock.

“Oh my god, Eddie, I’m so, I - holy shit.” Eddie nodded, more heavy tears spilling over his lashes.

“It- it didn’t start that way. He didn’t start that way. W-we were h-happy,” the smaller boy choked out. “But one day, I don’t know, he wanted to have sex. I was 18. I had just graduated from high school a couple weeks before. I had never- I wasn’t-” Eddie’s voice broke again. Richie went to speak, but Eddie held his hand out.

“I wasn’t ready.” Eddie spat out the words. “He was 23. We were in his apartment, and I told him I wouldn’t - I couldn’t do it, but he, he wasn’t gonna,” Eddie gulped down a labored breath. “He wasn’t gonna take no for an answer.”

Shock shot straight down Richie’s spine. How could anyone, sped through his mind.

“E-eddie where is he, I need to- I need to fucking beat the shi-” Richie’s strangled sputtering was interrupted by Eddie laying his hand on Richie’s leg.

“It’s done. He’s in jail. I just don’t- I don’t talk about it that much. Really at all.” Before any more tears could fall from Eddie’s face, Richie pulled him strongly into a tight hug. Eddie pressed his face into the taller boy’s t-shirt as sobs tore through his body. And Richie held him, glad Eddie’s eyes were closed and hidden, so Eddie couldn’t see his tears.

After what felt like an eternity, the two boys pulled apart from each other. Richie waited a moment to see if Eddie was going to say anything.

“Do you want me to leave? I get it if you need to be al-”

“No.” The urgency in the broken boy’s voice surprised Richie. “I need you to stay. Let’s just- let’s just go to bed.” With that, Eddie turned and headed to his bedroom slowly. Richie quickly caught up with him. Eddie pulled off his chinos and fell into bed in his polo and boxer briefs. Richie slowly pulled off his jeans, not wanting to make Eddie feel uncomfortable.

Remembering something Eddie had said earlier, Richie walked back to the kitchen and filled a glass with water and set it on Eddie’s nightstand. He turned all the lights off in the apartment and pulled the closet door shut, knowing it was hard for Eddie to sleep if he didn’t have everything set right in his apartment. Richie had learned all this two weeks ago, when Eddie had first come to Richie’s place and was shocked at the messy organization of the small apartment.

Richie gently pulled himself under the covers on the opposite side of the bed from Eddie, careful not to disturb the smaller boy. Richie closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but the silence was quickly broken.

“Richie?” Richie heard Eddie’s quiet voice from his side. The taller boy turned to see Eddie reaching out with his arms, signaling for Richie to hold him. Richie just smiled and took Eddie in his arms.

The two boys laid together, their chests rising and falling in synchronization. Richie could feel Eddie’s small frame relaxing, and smiled knowing the boy was asleep. Richie pressed his chin lightly to the top of Eddie’s head, and slowly dozed off.

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swanqueeneverafter · 6 years

Text

46. The Broken Kingdom, Pt.3

Camelot. Present. Woods. (Regina and Emma are making their way back to the castle on foot.) Emma: “This would be a lot faster if you’d just let me poof us back to the castle.” Regina: “I can ‘poof’ us back to the castle. I’m enjoying the walk. Besides, you’re the reason the horse ran away to begin with.” Emma: (Scoffs:) “You can not blame me for that, you were moaning way louder than I was.” (Up ahead, Henry can be seen practicing with a sword. After a few wild swings, the sword clatters to the ground.) Regina: (Approaching:) “Henry! Careful.” Henry: (Picking up the sword:) “Hey... Moms. I was, uh... getting in the Camelot spirit. You know... trying to understand this world.” Emma: “By sword fighting?” Henry: “W-well, Sir Morgan, Violet's father, had a little advice for me to fit in. That's all. Trouble is, I'm not sure if I'm ever gonna be good at this knight stuff.” Emma: “Well, if you're not, you're not, but... changing so someone likes you never works. I mean, I like your mom because she’s always been herself.” Henry: “But... but maybe, if I try, I could be something better than I am. (To Regina:) If you didn't change for the better, you guys wouldn't still be together.” Regina: (Glancing at Emma:) “I suppose that’s true. But do you really think a girl from Camelot would be interested in someone who's just like every other boy around here? Remember when I told you about Daniel?” Henry: “Yeah. Your first love.” Regina: “Mm-hmm. And it wasn't because he tried to impress me by being like the others. It was because he was so different... So unique.” Emma: “Henry, in Camelot, you're a mysterious stranger from an exotic land. That's a good thing.” Henry: (Considers:) “I think I can work with that. Thanks. I have to go make a few arrangements.” (Henry leaves.) Emma: “Do you think that’s true? If you hadn’t changed, would we still be together?” Regina: (Making sure Henry’s out of earshot:) “Oh, please. You were practically ready to jump me after I ripped Pan’s heart out in Neverland.”

(Before Emma can reply, David and Mary Margaret find them.) Emma: “Mom, Dad, what are you doing out here?” Mary Margaret: “Looking for you. (To Regina:) Turns out David was right. We can trust Arthur.” Regina: “And... Lancelot?” David: “Locked safely in the dungeon. He was lying. Our best move now is to give Arthur the real dagger.” Emma: “Woah, wait a minute. We agreed that Regina should have the dagger.” Mary Margaret: “Plans change. Making Excalibur whole is our best chance to help you, Emma.” Regina: “You really think giving the dagger to Arthur is a good idea?” Mary Margaret: “We trust him.” David: “Implicitly.” Regina: “Did you learn those big words at shepherd school? How do you know you can trust him?” David: “Because we're good judges of character. And we would never act against Emma's best interest.” (Emma and Regina look to each other.) Mary Margaret: (Growing impatient:) “Have you lost the power of comprehension? Hand over the da...” Emma: (Using her magic to freeze her parents:) “Not cool.” Regina: “What was all that about?” Emma: “I don’t know. Arthur clearly has them under some kind of spell.” Regina: “But why?” Emma: “That’s what we’re gonna find out.”

Camelot. Many Years Ago. (Merlin enters a clearing. A dark figure circles him.) Merlin: “Dark One? Dark One! Enough! (Holding up the dagger:) I command you to stop! (The Dark One stands before him:) You destroyed her. The only woman I ever loved. And now... (Raising the dagger high in the air:) I will destroy you. (Merlin pauses, unable to plunge the knife into the Dark One. Taking advantage, the Dark One uses magic to force Merlin to the ground:) My god. (Sobs:) I miss her.” (The Dark One captures Merlin's tear on the dagger and uses it to transform Merlin into a tree, trapping him.) Merlin’s Tower. Present. (Having captured Merlin’s memories from the tree using a dreamcatcher, Emma and Regina watch what happened to the sorcerer.) Emma: “Merlin wept for the loss of the only woman he ever loved moments before the Dark One trapped him in the tree... using one of his tears.” Regina: “Emma, that's it. Sometimes, spells are like snakebites. You can make the antivenom with the venom. If a tear of lost love trapped Merlin... Then another one might be able to get him out.”

Emma: “So, we need to go get ourselves a tear.” Regina: “Emma. I think I might know where to get one. From me.” Emma & Regina's Room. (Emma has prepared another dreamcatcher.) Emma: “All right, Regina. This is going to be intense. Last chance to back out.” Regina: “I can take it.” Emma: (Sits across from her:) “Look into the circle.” (Emma waves her hand over the dreamcatcher and Regina’s memories begin to fill it.) The Enchanted Forest. Many Years Ago. Stables At Cora's Castle. Cora: “So, this is your decision? This will make you happy?” Regina: “It already has.” Cora: “Then who am I to stop you?” Regina: “Thank you, Mother.” Cora: “Daniel. If you want to have a life together, a family, then there's one important lesson I can impart on you. It's what it means to be a parent. You always have to do what's best for your children.” (Cora plunges her hand into his chest, takes Daniel's heart and kills him.) Regina: “Mother! No! No!”

Camelot. Present. Emma & Regina's Room. Emma: “I'm sorry.” Regina: (Sobs:) “It was like it was happening all over again.” (Emma moves forward and captures Regina's tear in a vial.) Emma: “Got it. Thank you. I didn't know how things were for you. I... didn't know...” Regina: “You could see it, too?” Emma: “I'm so sorry. (Putting the vial aside she cups Regina’s face in her hands and kisses away the tears from her cheeks:) I don't understand how a mother could do something like that.” Regina: (Sniffling:) “She thought it was for the best.” Camelot. Granny's Diner. Later That Evening. (Henry sets a cloth table with fancy silverware and flowers. He lights a candle. Yaz's "Only You" plays on the jukebox as Violet enters.) Henry: “Uh... hi, M'lady. I mean, uh, Violet. I mean... P-please sit down.” Violet: (Chuckles:) “Thank you. I was really happy to get your note. I was worried when you disappeared from the stables.” Henry: “You were?” Violet: “Yes. You wanted me to worry?” Henry: “Yes. I mean, no. I mean... are you thirsty?” Violet: (Chuckles:) “Sure. (Soda can tab pops:) Is that magic?” Henry: “No. It's soda. Here.” Violet: (Giggles:) “It's like a carnival in a can.” Henry: (Chuckles:) “So, uh, this is Granny's. It's pretty great. She had some lasagna in the fridge that didn't go bad, so I was able to heat it up.” Violet: “You really are from another world.” Henry: “Is... is that okay?” Violet: “Yeah, it's great.” Henry: “So, I thought after dinner, we could watch a movie. Ah. It's easier if I show you. On my phone. The screen's small, but here... look. (Chuckles:) If I'd known I was coming, I would've loaded more, but I brought ‘Commando’ and ‘Harold and Maude.’ We'll do ‘Harold and Maude.’ It's a good date movie, I think.” Violet: “A date? What's that?” Henry: “It's, uh... Never mind.” Violet: “Are you... courting me?” Henry: “Uh... Maybe.” Violet: “Uh... you're sweet. But...” Henry: “Oh, no.” Violet: “I just don't think I feel the same way about you as you do me.” Henry: “Your father told you what happened, didn't he?” Violet: “What? No. I mean, yes, he did mention he met you, but no, that's not it.” Henry: “He doesn't think I'm a hero. Well, I am.” Violet: “Henry, please... Listen, I-I thought we were just spending time together as... as friends. And... I liked it better that way. I'm sorry.” (Henry slumps back in his chair.)

Camelot. Merlin's Tree. (Emma and Regina stand beneath the tree, mixing ingredients to free Merlin.) Regina: “Go on, Emma. Do it. Arthur could be here any second. (Emma pours and dashes and stirs:) And now for the final ingredient... the tear. (Regina hands over the vial and Emma adds it. The potion poofs, smokes, and then the smoke returns to the pot:) It should've worked. It should have worked!” Emma: “Regina... it's simple. Your heartbreak wasn't strong enough.” Regina: (Scoffs:) “What?!” Emma: “No, no, I know it was real. But there's us now. You've moved on. You've healed.” Henry: (Arriving:) “Hey. Sorry I'm late.” Emma: “Henry, are you okay?” Henry: “Yeah, I'm... I'm fine.” Regina: “No, you're not. What happened?” Emma: “Henry?” Henry: “I don't want to talk about it.” Emma: “You can tell us anything.” Henry: “I tried doing what you said. I tried acting like myself. (Voice breaking:) But she didn't want anything to do with me.” Emma: “Henry.” Henry: “Violet's right. In this world, I'll never be a hero.”

Regina: “You may not be a hero in her world... But you will be in ours. (Wipes away Henry’s tears:) This'll work. This tear. Your tear, Henry.” Henry: “It can free Merlin?” Emma: “You can save me, kid.” King Arthur: (Arrives, flanked by soldiers:) “Stop! Stay away from the tree. I won't ask twice. You and your people have done nothing but lie to me ever since you got here. You're no savior. You're a fraud!” (Turning to face them, Regina stands protectively in front of her family, with a determined look on her face.)

#sq #swan queen #swanqueen

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speedracer87-blog · 7 years

Text

Breaking routine

For @ mysensitiveside, whose single-word prompt was “ocean”.

“So why exactly are we doing this?” Regina asked, reaching a hand out to brace herself on Zelena’s dashboard, as Zelena leaned her BMW into a hard turn.

“We’re doing this because you, my darling little sister, need to get your shit together,” Zelena said cheerfully.

“Right. And we’re going to Mal’s so that you and she can… what? Give me a stern talking-to?”

“Something like that,” Zelena flapped a hand lazily in reply, and sped up, revving the engine a little.

“Could you slow down?” Regina clutched her seat belt. “And drive with both of your hands on the steering wheel? I hope you don’t drive like this when you have my son in the car.”

“I don’t. Henry likes for me to go much faster than this.” Zelena cackled at the strangled noise coming from Regina. “Oh, relax, sis. You know I treat my nephew like the precious cargo he is. Just sit back, take in the scenery. It’s a beautiful drive, in a lovely car meant to be driven fast, expertly handled by your gorgeous sister. I’ve never once had an accident, and I could drive this route blindfolded,” Zelena trilled.

Regina opened her mouth to retort then snapped it shut as they approached another turn. The winding road that led to their friend Mallory’s beachfront mansion was nerve-wracking enough without Zelena’s fast and loose antics behind the wheel. It was a relief when, after pausing at a gate while Zelena confidently punched in a security code to be let in, they finally pulled up in front of Mal’s newly-built home.

It was the first time that Regina had been there since Mal had moved in. Regina hadn’t really done much of anything since moving back to her hometown after leaving her job in Boston. She’d wanted Henry to experience life at a slower pace and she’d wanted a change in career. Regina scrambled out of the car, happy to have escaped unscathed with life and limbs intact. She shielded her eyes and craned her neck to look at the oversized house, its windows gleaming in raw newness in the sun.

“Lovely, isn’t it?”

“It’s… big,” Regina answered diplomatically. She privately thought that although it was slightly on the gloomy side and ridiculously large, it did suit Mal’s tastes, and the scenery and view were lovely.

“Come on,” Zelena said, linking her arm through Regina’s and leading her up to the door. She rang the bell and Mal answered almost instantly.

“You’re here! Come in, come in!” Mal practically yanked Regina inside the cool and quiet house, pausing to give both her and Zelena quick hugs, and then led them through the porch and spacious hallway into a living room.

Zelena flopped down into a sofa, right at home, and Regina carefully sat down on a vintage chair that looked like it belonged in a museum somewhere.

“Could I get the two of you a drink?”

Regina shook her head. “Too early.”

“Oh, live a little, Regina,” Zelena drawled from the sofa. “And Mal’s Bellinis are to die for.”

“It’s fine, Zelena.” Mal glided over to a sideboard, and opened a hidden mini fridge and came back towards Regina with a glass, a coaster, and a small bottle of sparkling water. She set them unceremoniously on a coffee table in front of Regina and gave her a wink. “I’ll be right back, girls,” she said and disappeared out of the room.

“This?” Zelena pointed at Regina’s bottle. “Is exactly what I’m talking about. Everything is too safe, too routine. It’s time for you loosen up.”

Regina frowned and picked up the bottle, twisting the cap off. “I know you mean well, Zelena, but I don’t see what this is going to accomplish when I’m already well aware of what my life is like and what I’m comfortable doing.” She poured the water out as Mal and a housekeeper reappeared bearing trays, one filled with plates of hors d’oeuvres and small sandwiches and the other with two Bellinis in comically large cocktail glasses.

Mal set her tray down and handed Zelena one of the glasses before taking her own and sitting down next to her on the sofa, looking like she had news to share, as the housekeeper disappeared out of the room. Mal was practically wriggling with excitement, which made Regina wary. She’d learned from experience to know that when Mal was excited over something, it most likely wasn’t going to be anything practical.

“So,” Regina said. “What’s this all about?”

“We have a plan,” Mal burst out, looking especially pleased with herself.

“A plan? Plan for what?”

“A plan to help you get back into dating,” Zelena said brightly, settling herself further among the plush pillows of Mal’s sofa.

Regina was annoyed. “I don’t think that’s really necessary.”

Zelena and Mal exchanged knowing glances. “Oh, yes it is, sis. You’re in dire need of our help.” Zelena took a sip of her cocktail, her tone matter-of-fact.

“First of all,” Regina said, crossing her arms, “Who said I want to start dating again?”

That threw them. Mal looked at Zelena, confused. “But you do.” She paused. “Don’t you?”

Zelena narrowed her eyes at Regina. “What are you playing at?”

“Why don’t you two tell me, since you obviously know what I’m thinking?” Regina tried to remain stern, but the corners of her mouth had a tell-tale twitch that she could feel.

Mal put on an aggrieved look that Regina had come to know so well over the course of their friendship, and with the expression on the other woman’s face Regina knew she was about to be “handled”.

“Look, Regina, we mean no harm.” Mal placed her glass on the table. “But as two of the people who love and know you best, we feel that it’s our duty to – ”

“To help get you back out there,” Zelena finished Mal’s thought.

“And how do you expect to help me do that? Tinder? Blind dates? Clubbing?” Regina couldn’t help the hint of sarcasm creeping into her voice. Zelena had a penchant for trying anything, at least once. She’d dated using various means, smartphone apps and dating sites alike, had casual hook-ups from people she’d picked up at whatever club she felt like frequenting, all recounted to Regina with a carefree candor that only Zelena could pull off.

“No, we know none of those are quite your thing.”

“Dating in general is not my thing, Mal.”

“Right, so your dear sister and I have thought up the perfect scenario by which you can meet several eligible men at once – no pressure, no awkward small talk, well, not much anyway, done in such a way that will be fun for all.”

“Fun for all?” Regina raised a skeptical eyebrow. “I'll be the judge of that – once I hear some specifics. And if either of you mentions speed dating, I'm leaving this house and never returning.”

When Zelena and Mal's laughter died down, there was a moment of silence to draw out Regina's dread and her friend's sense of suspense before Mal spoke, sounding very pleased with herself. “I've decided to host a masquerade ball.”

Regina blinked. “A costume party? Really?”

“Not the same thing and you know it,” Zelena retorted. “Just about everyone in town is invited,” she continued.

“I just didn't think it would be right not to invite everyone,” Mal interjected.

Zelena gave her a wry sidelong glance before going on, “Yes. Anyway, every eligible bachelor you’ve met since moving back will be there.”

“Plus a few you haven't,” Mal said with an air of mystery.

“Meaning Zelena's dating app rejects?” Regina smirked.

“That's not exactly how it works,” Zelena began before shaking her head with an exasperated sigh. “But you're not getting me off subject. The ball. You'll attend?”

“No.”

“You must,” Mal said breezily. “Everyone's already been invited and people are expecting you to be there. You wouldn't want to disappoint your potential suitors.”

“My potential suitors,” Regina repeated testily. “Archie, Doc the miner, Whale the doctor...” she said, ticking them off on her fingers.

“There are others,” Zelena said. “The point is to help you relax and at least talk to a few of them.”

“I talk to them every day.”

“I meant in a social setting! We figured everyone being dressed up and the drinks flowing would, you know. Make it a little easier for you.”

“We've gone to a lot of trouble to set this up,” Mal said, shamelessly playing on Regina's sense of guilt.

Regina shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I'm going to feel ridiculous, dressed up like a child on Halloween.”

“Everyone is going to dress up. They won't be allowed in otherwise, I was very clear on that.” There was a pause. “So? Will you be there?”

Regina sighed, resigned. “When?”

***

Regina sighed as she followed Henry into Granny’s Diner, who had skipped ahead with the sort of boundless energy only the pre-pubescent possessed. She tutted at his forgotten manners as she pulled open the door. He’d begged to go after she picked him up from school, waving a math test marked with an ‘A’ and a declaration of ‘Good job!’, reasoning that he’d earned a cheeseburger and milkshake for a special treat at Granny’s. Knowing that he had been adjusting, both with the move and with the school subject, Regina had acquiesced and found herself preparing to face the looks from curious patrons and to ingest a potentially unhealthy meal at the place Henry had proclaimed the ‘coolest’ in town.

She pushed the door open and found that Henry had already sat down in the only available booth. Considering the time of day, it was surprisingly busy in the restaurant and she smiled nervously at the few patrons whose gazes she’d caught as she approached. He’d hung his coat on the hook at the end of the bench and she removed her own and folded it neatly beside her and placed it and her handbag down before sliding into the seat opposite a widely grinning Henry.

“You forgot to hold the door like I’ve taught you, Henry. And you needn’t think that you won’t be getting a salad as well, young man.”

“Mom!” Henry’s smile faltered a little and he had the grace to look slightly embarrassed when she raised an eyebrow and pointedly shifted her eyes towards other customers. He lowered his voice slightly and continued, “I’m sorry I forgot the door but I can still get fries with my milkshake and burger, right?”

Regina pretended to think for a moment. “Well, I suppose.” She laughed gently at the slight bounce Henry did in his seat and was just about to ask her son about the rest of his day at school when one of the staff came over with a bright “Hello!”.

Regina thought she recognized her, but didn’t know her name; the handful of times she’d been into the diner, the other woman had been either behind the counter or coming from the area housing the back offices and staff room, and whenever they’d made eye contact the woman would smile warmly in return before getting on with whatever she’d been doing.

She wasn’t dressed in the normal attire for the staff at Granny’s, crisp white shirts with red piping and black skirts or trousers and black aprons. Instead she wore a soft red sweater with a deep V-neck and a pair of tight, skinny black jeans hidden under an apron. Regina took in the red pendant dangling rather lowly from a chain around the woman’s neck and had just moved her gaze to the woman’s somewhat tentatively smiling face, when she heard a throat clear. Regina’s face warmed as she realized that she’d been caught staring, and that Henry and the woman had been waiting for her to say something.

“I – Sorry – I’m – Hi,” Regina finished lamely, smiling back.

“I’m Ruby. I’ll send someone right over after you’ve had a chance order but can I get you something to drink in the meantime?” She handed Regina and Henry each a laminated menu and then turned to Henry with a smile. “I’m guessing a… chocolate milkshake for you, and a sparkling water on the rocks for your mom?”

“How’d you know?” Henry looked surprised and a little awestruck.

“Oh, I like to keep up with what all of my customers like.” Ruby winked at him and Regina both. “I’ll get Ashley to come with your drinks in just a bit while you two look at the menu, but if I was to guess… I’d bet she’d be taking an order for a couple salads–” She paused to smile even wider when Henry made a little noise of protest, “And probably a cheeseburger and fries.”

“Yep!” Henry beamed back.

Ruby gave them both another wink and went to the swinging door leading behind the counter. Regina looked on at her retreating figure thoughtfully for a moment as the woman walked away then turned back to her son.

Henry leaned forward and, much to Regina’s amusement, didn’t bother to keep his voice down. “This place is so cool!”

***

Regina looked at her reflection critically. Not bad, she thought. After being pressured into going to the ball, Regina was reluctant to wear anything dramatic, but Zelena had insisted. Hence, Regina was dressed as a courtesan, in a dramatic purple ball gown with a lot of décolletage. She looked down at the jeweled eye mask in her hand. She may have looked good but she still felt foolish.

Zelena and Mal had meant well, but she wished they would simply let her handle her own private life the way she saw fit. She had been widowed long ago – so long ago, in fact, it almost felt like a lifetime had passed. She was certainly not the same person. She had all but given up on finding someone else, but she had been okay with that, if not expressly overjoyed with the reality of the situation. What was so wrong with that?

She fastened a cloak over her gown and slightly adjusted the wig she wore. If she was going she might as well try to enjoy the night. She smiled at herself in the mirror and let her face drop again into its usual unreadable expression. With a deep breath, she descended the stairs of her home and looked in on Henry and the sitter who had already arrived.

Henry looked over from the old black and white horror movie they were watching to smile at his mom. “You look nice,” he said simply.

“Thank you, sweetheart.” Regina glanced disapprovingly at the television with a raised eyebrow. A wolf/man hybrid was heaving hammy breaths and arching his clawed fingers at the camera. Regina thought the actor should go ahead and fully commit to the role and gnaw at the scenery.

“Laura,” Regina said, addressing the sitter with a reproving note in her voice, “You know I don't like Henry to watch such garbage.”

“It was my idea, Mom. It's just a movie,” Henry said practically. “I'm not scared at all.”

“Just this once. Homework done?”

“Yep!”

“Alright. You can watch this cinematic masterpiece but I expect you to be in bed before I get back.”

“I will, Mom. Have some fun tonight,” Henry said with a smile. “For once.”

Regina sighed in spite of herself. Even her son was getting in on the conspiracy of “fun.” She had plenty of fun. Was it her fault if she was good at keeping herself company and preferred it that way?

With a few more instructions for the babysitter and a big kiss on the cheek which Henry squirmed at but submitted to in silence, instead of the usual protestations that he wasn't a little kid any more, Regina was off.

She took a much more leisurely route to Mal's home than Zelena had, and on the way there she thought about Zelena's words as she'd helped Regina pick out the dress she was wearing. Regina hadn't been in the best mood but Zelena had blithely ignored all of Regina's cutting remarks and simply said it was all for Regina's own good, and that it wasn't possible for Regina to see the situation as clearly as Zelena could. Was that true?

If she was being honest with herself, she did get lonely sometimes. She did want some romance in her life. She missed companionship, and no matter how busy she kept herself, she couldn't ignore that completely. But the men in this town? She wanted to cringe just thinking about dating any of them. Her heart wasn't in it, and she was going into this knowing it would fail. But hey, at least she'd be able to say she tried. She could get Zelena and Mal and their matchmaking over with, at least for a while.

She parked her car and fitted the mask over her eyes with the help of her visor’s mirror before going inside. She got out of the car and took off her cape, and with a grim determination in her step to see this thing through, marched up to Mal's door. Another couple was in front of her that she recognized, and she saw the woman take her date's arm and give it a squeeze as the door was opened. “Isn't this exciting, honey?” Regina heard the woman squeal.

Regina pressed her lips together. If their costumes had left any doubt, that insipid squeal was all too familiar. Regina hung far enough back from David and Mary Margaret Nolan that she wouldn't have to acknowledge them, but followed on closely enough that people may have assumed they were coming in together. She didn't want to appear to be walking in alone, for some reason.

She handed her cloak to a liveried butler and took another glance at herself in the entryway mirror.

Here I go.

Regina had to hand it to Mal – the house looked beautiful, and she had really committed to making this event feel like a masquerade ball. There was a string ensemble playing somewhere out of sight, but the music was filtering into the huge living room. There were long tables with wait staff behind them, serving delicious looking food.

Regina hesitated near the entrance, looking around, recognizing some immediately and others not at all.

She and Mal saw each other at the same time and started towards each other, moving around the periphery of couples dancing. Before she could get there, Regina's progress was impeded by Archie, who was inexplicably wearing his glasses outside of his mask.

“Good evening, fair lady,” he said with a stately bow.

Regina forced a tight smile. “Hello, Archie.”

“Oh, come on! You're not supposed to say my name.” He dropped his voice to an exaggerated whisper. “It ruins the mystery.”

“Sorry,” Regina said, not feeling particularly apologetic. She looked more carefully at his costume. “What are you supposed to be, anyway?”

“You can't tell?” Seeing Regina only look back at him in steady silence he went on. “A cricket.”

“Right, of course. Isn't it a little late in the year for you to be out at night?”

Archie's guffawing laugh drew several pairs of eyes their way. “That's a good one.”

“Well!” Regina said brightly. “I'd better go say hello to our hostess. Excuse me,” she said moving past Archie, who was too good natured to mind being brushed off so quickly.

Regina made a beeline to Mal, who was dressed as Marie Antoinette and was brandishing a huge feathered fan as she spoke to a couple of partygoers. She turned her attention to Regina as she approached.

“Darling! Don't you look beautiful tonight! You've captured the eye of everyone here. I saw you laughing with Archie. I knew this night was just what you needed to get back into the game.”

“If you call exchanging a few words with a man who thinks crickets wear vests getting back into the game, then yes. Mission accomplished. Can I go home now?”

“Nonsense!” Mal scoffed with a smile. “Let's get you some champagne and I'll introduce you to a few people.”

Regina sighed and tried to put a pleasant face on. She accepted the champagne and let Mal lead her around and meet her acquaintances. After a few minutes she was starting to vaguely sort of enjoy herself. Or maybe that was the champagne. She had to admit her friends were right. Something about the atmosphere and having this annoying mask on made it easier. She agreed to dance with the third person who asked because she feared that Mal, who was glancing her way with Archie in the proximity, would send him over to dance with her. Not keen on the idea of having her feet stepped on, Regina let herself be led out onto the dance floor as the music changed. The guy she was with didn't look like he'd draw extra attention to himself, which was the preferable option.

Doing an approximation of a waltz with her partner, one of Zelena's dredged-up singles she hadn't met before, Regina made the appropriate noises to all of his questions, mostly paying attention to the surroundings and trying not to be too bothered by the other couples dancing who looked so very much into their partners.

“Not a bad spread at this deal,” her partner was saying.

“Mm,” Regina hummed, smiling her vague agreement.

“Never been here before. Had to make a promise to a friend to come though. She was apparently desperate to fill this place up with every bachelor from here to Boston under sixty for her sister to hopefully meet someone. She must be a real dog or dysfunctional in some way, if you get what I mean. Going through all this to try to set her up? Red flags.”

Regina's dancing slowed to a near stop, but her partner didn't seem to notice. “I confess I just wanted to spend some time with my friend, you know how it is. I didn't think there'd be lookers like you here.”

“Aren't you the charmer,” Regina said, pulling away from the man and feeling satisfaction as the smirk on his face faded into confusion. Regna fixed him with a cold look and turned to move away.

He grabbed her arm, “Hey, I didn't... Ohh.” Regina looked at him once more and hated the dawning recognition she saw spreading on his face. “I didn't know. Sorry. You're – ”

Regina snatched her arm away and marched off the dancefloor toward the door where she'd come in. She saw Zelena standing there and stopped. Zelena looked her way and approached with a quizzical look on her face.

“Regina? What's wrong?”

“Your idea of helping me ‘get my shit together,’ as you so elegantly put it, is to make every jackass you know think that I'm desperate?”

“What? No!”

“I've just been dancing with one of your carefully selected suitors, who informed me that you practically begged him to be here tonight. Oh, and then he said that he only came here to get a shot with you.”

“Oh, Regina. I'm sorry someone said that, but I promise, I – ”

“You know what? This was a bad idea,” Regina said. “I'm going home.”

“I'm just trying to help!” Zelena said, pulling off her mask. “You can't mourn forever, Regina. It's not what Daniel would have wanted for you!”

Zelena's exasperated tone carried to those nearby, who turned to look at the curiously. With a scoffing noise Regina shook her head. “Thanks, sis.” With as much dignity as she could muster, she stalked past Zelena, who knew better than to follow her, and didn't turn back.

To complete the rest of the evening's illusion shattering, she found the liveried doorman on his phone, intensely swiping. Rather than disturb him, Regina found her own cloak and left.

Once outside she ripped off her mask in disgust. How utterly humiliating. Well, that was it. She wasn't going to play good sport and go along with any stupid plans to set her up ever again. Halfway to her car, her steps slowed and she heard Zelena's words echoing in her mind.

You can't mourn forever.

But that wasn't what she was doing. She might not have been actively seeking a relationship, but it didn't mean she was totally against the idea, either. She felt ready, she was sure – but it had to be done in her own way. What was so wrong with that?

With her car in sight, Regina imagined herself arriving home and going to bed, earlier than even Henry. Maybe she actually was as pathetic as her ungallant dance partner thought she was. Well, she wouldn't go straight home. She stood by her car, feeling like a total loser as she realized there wasn't any place in town to go, especially dressed like this. As she stood there, she heard the sound of a couple men who had emerged from the house to smoke and the tell-tale scritch of lighters and matches being used. Making a decision, Regina moved through the semi-darkness, hoping not to be seen by whomever the men were. She headed towards the sound of the ocean as it led her away from the murmuring voices near the house. She pulled her cloak around her and noticed a figure standing on the cliff behind the house, looking out toward the ocean. In the moonlight she could see the figure was in a hooded cloak not unlike her own rented one. She paused, not knowing whether to approach or not, but came closer.

The figure turned and she recognized Ruby, from Granny’s Diner.

“Oh,” Regina said. “Hello.”

“Hey,” Ruby said with a little smile. She turned back to the ocean. Instead of awkwardly turning and walking away, Regina came closer until she was standing next to Ruby. The view was stunning, Regina had to admit. A huge harvest moon hung in the sky, high above the ocean, illuminating the water and hypnotic waves. She was content to simply look as Ruby was doing, without breaking the silence.

“It's beautiful, isn't it?” Ruby said at length.

“Yes, actually.”

Ruby faced Regina. “So what are you doing here? Party too much for you?”

“Something like that. And you?”

“I just wanted some air. Something about the moon... I don't know. I felt kind of drawn to it. Is that strange?”

“Not at all. Given the choice between this view,” Regina said, “And those oafs inside?” Regina took a deep breath of the ocean breeze. “I'll take the moon every time.”

Ruby smiled. “No contest.”

“No contest,” Regina echoed. The two of them laughed lightly.

“I don't know why I bothered to come here,” Ruby said with a hint of sadness to her voice. “All these guys... they treat me like an object. So do a couple of the women, at that.”

“Oh,” Regina said. “You...?”

“Yeah. I thought everyone knew.” There was a silence. “Feeling judgemental?” Ruby asked dryly, raising an eyebrow.

“No,” Regina shrugged. “Everyone can do what they want.”

“So what's your story?”

“I don't follow.”

“Why did you come here?”

“I didn't want to,” Regina said.

“I figured.” When Regina looked at Ruby questioningly, the other woman continued, “I mean... you aren't exactly a woman about town, if you know what I mean. Apart from the few times I’ve seen you at the diner, I almost never see you out after dark.”

Regina studied Ruby's pale face in the moonlight. Her green eyes held a gleam of something Regina couldn't quite place.

“It's not like that,” Regina said, even though it was exactly like that. “I just keep myself busy, I guess. As for why I'm here, my sister and my best friend thought I needed to socialize more, break out of my routine. Seems like a running theme. I don't see why that's anyone else's business but my own, though.”

“I'm sure they mean well.” After a moment of thought Ruby added, “Probably.”

That got Regina to smile. She wasn't the only one with a reputation around town, at least. “This ball was unofficially held in my honor,” Regina said. “They wanted to throw every bachelor in town and out of it at me, hoping one of them would take. It failed miserably of course.”

“Why?”

Regina blinked. “What do you mean, why?”

“Why did it fail miserably? There wasn't one person in there you were interested in?”

“Not really. I don't know why – well except for the man who was a total ass to me – but none of them interested me at all.”

“Well... maybe you're looking in the wrong direction.” Ruby held her gaze for a long moment.

“Meaning?” Regina stared back and found it difficult to breathe as the air shifted around them.

“Like I said the other day, I like to keep up with what all of my customers like.” And then Ruby was closing the distance between their lips. Her kiss was soft, warm, and, Regina found, too brief. She pulled away and looked at Regina.

“So… yeah. I think you know what I'm talking about,” she said.

Regina didn't think about what she did next, she just acted on impulse and pulled Ruby close to her, kissing her with all the pent up, turbulent emotions she'd held within for so long.

When they broke apart, Regina noticed Ruby's green eyes were ablaze with something that she hadn't recognized at first as desire.

“Wow,” Ruby said teasingly. “I had an inkling, after the way you were checking me out – ” She giggled when Regina started stammering.

“I wasn’t, I didn’t – ” Regina trailed off, face warm with embarrassment.

“But,” Ruby continued, “I didn't figure on this.”

“Figure on what?”

“On you being so passionate. You've got some hidden depths.”

“Oh,” Regina said, slightly mollified. “You could say that. I guess you were right...”

“About?”

“I was looking in the wrong direction. I didn't know what I wanted... until just now,” Regina said sincerely.

“Give me your phone.”

“What?”

“Just give it to me,” Ruby said.

Regina handed the phone over, too caught off guard to think of a good reason to say no. She watched in silence as Ruby punched some numbers into the phone and handed it back.

“There,” she said. “Now you have my number.”

“You... want to go out with me?”

“That's the general idea, yes.”

Regina tilted her head. “You don't think I'm... too boring for you, or something?”

Ruby laughed, her smile white in the moonlight. “Nobody who kisses like that could possibly be boring. And I’d like to keep uncovering new surprises in you, and get to know you better. A lot better. I'm betting you feel the same way.”

“I do...”

“Well then,” Ruby said smiling wickedly. “I guess this night wasn't a total failure after all.”

***

Driving Ruby home, Regina took the curves in the road with abandon... or at least as much abandon as she could muster. She still wanted to make it home to Henry in one piece, but there was something wild that had been freed inside... sparking to life and burning brighter every time she looked across to the passenger seat where Ruby gazed back, a smile quirking at the edges of her mouth.

Mal and Zelena's plan had worked better than they could have imagined, Regina realized. She felt alive again. And she couldn't wait to see what would happen next.

(the end)

#red queen week #red queen ouat #mysensitiveside

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imaginative-neverland-blog · 7 years

Text

Evil Doings

Request: Because this may be the end of Peter Pan requests, could you do a Pan imagine where the reader is evil and Pan and the reader are working together ? You can choose what their planning on doing

Warnings: none

“Coming for my help, eh?” You chuckled sarcastically.

Peter Pan, standing before you, grumbled in defeat. “Yes,” he moaned out.

“Aw, with what?” You asked, still teasing him.

“Hush it, will you? I need you to help me with my next project.”

“And that is...?”

You stood in front of Peter, hands on hips. You had no time for his stupid games. You had other things to do, being a villain yourself. A better one than Peter, might you add.

“I need to steal the heart of this boy in Storybrooke. He’ll save the island and the boys, but more importantly, myself.”

You rolled your eyes. “Of course this is all about you. What can I say, you’re a villain. A selfish one.”

Peter groaned. “Are you going to help me or not?”

You pretended to thing about it, making him wait. You hummed, thinking. Peter tapped his foot, beginning to become antsy.

“Eh, sure. Off to Neverland for me.”

Everything was set in stone. Peter had his Lost Boys, had Wendy, and had you. Wendy would manipulate Henry after Peter got hold of him, the Lost Boys would put up a fight, and you would completely distract an old friend. Captain Hook.

You had a history with Hook--Killian--hearing that he had a new lover, you really had to get onto that. It would be fun to see him crumble at the sight of you in front of his little girlfriend. You’d be in tattered clothing, dirt and grime on your skin, and hair a mess. You were playing a prisoner. Distracting Killian would distract the new girlfriend, Emma. Thus would distract the others, creating a domino effect.

“They’re coming from the east side, Hook should be with the others that way,” Peter pointed down a path.

“Killian, my dear. His name is Killian.”

Peter rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe you two dated.”

“Aw, is Peter Pan jealous that he hasn’t gotten any of this?” You motioned to your body, obviously teasing him.

He growled, raising a brow. “You’d like it if that happened.”

“Uh-huh, sure thing, Peter Pan.”

You walked down the pathway, strutting a little to mess with Peter a little more. Once out of sight, you began running, appearing to be escaping the island when you ran into the Storybrooke people.

You gasped for air, beads of sweat running down your forehead. You stopped for a moment, looking as if you would collapse at any moment. When you looked up to see the startled group, you started the plan.

“Oh thank God, p-people,” you wheezed. “O-Oh my... Killian? Is that you?”

You stumbled over, holding onto him. “I’ve missed you so much, Killian. I’ve never been so thankful to see you.”

“Y/N? What are you doing here, darling? Are you trapped here?”

The blonde standing close to Killian looked jealous. She must be Emma. You tried to hide your smirk.

“Yes! Please, you have to help me out of here! You don’t know what Pan’s truly capable of. You really don’t.”

Before Killian could reply, Emma stepped in.

“Who’s this?” She asked, an attitude in her tone.

“Emma,this is Y/N... We, uh--”

“We dated. For a long time. We’d still be together if it weren’t for my stupid mistake,” you breathed, finally catching your breath.

“Still together?” Emma raised her brows. “What do you mean still together?”

“Emma, enough, we don’t have time for this. We need to find my son.” A woman with dark hair spoke up. She already seemed annoyed. Though Emma shrugged her off.

“Emma, love, nothing goes on with us anymore--”

“Yeah, but if I didn’t mess up, I would still be in the picture--but enough of that! Killian, please, help me.” You made yourself sound as vulnerable as possible. You held tighter onto him, gripping his arms.

“I promise I’ll take you off this island, we just need to find Regina’s and Emma’s son, Henry--”

“NO!” You screamed, an echo shaking the trees. “Get me off now! Killian, listen! You thought you knew Pan, but trust me, what he’s done to me these past few years... I want off now! I can’t bear it! Please, Killian, please!” You begged and tried your best to let a few tears slip. You needed to sell this act.

“Killian, we need to go!” Regina demanded through her teeth.

“Yeah, let her stay on the beach while we get my son.” Emma gritted her teeth as well.

Killian stammered, looking at both the women he was with. He quickly looked at you, guilt flashing in his eyes.

“Y-You ladies go ahead. Find Snow and David. I’ll escort her--”

“Hell you won’t,” Emma snapped.

The three started to argue a little. You smirked, letting the next part of the plan fall into place. You did a hand signal, letting the few Lost Boys hiding in the trees know it was time. The blew sleep darts was the trio.

Killian looked at you, such betrayal now in his eyes. “W-Why?”

“Oh honey, I didn’t mess things up between us. I wanted out because you were and still are just... too... soft.”

Killian’s head fell to the ground as sleep took over him, Emma, and Regina. They lay there paralyzed in sleep.

“Job well done, boys. Now, let’s find these Snow and David people.”

You began walking, the small group of boys climbing out of the trees. The followed behind you, prepared for whatever else was to come.

“Peter, we did it,” you said a little loudly. You knew Peter would hear, and he did.

A smirk payed on his lips. Stealing Henry’s heart was going to work, and Peter would be saved.

#queued #peter pan #peter pan imagine #ouat #ouat imagine #robbie kay #robbie kay imagine #once upon a time #imagine #imagines #evil doings #me #imaginative-neverland

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captainoftherollyjoger · 7 years

Text

Flight: Chapter 4

A date and we get to meet Robin! Other surprise characters will make an appearance!

Hope everyone is liking it! The entire fic is now in drafts, just waiting to edit still. Thank you for all the support people have given me, and I’m glad people are enjoying it. It’s been a blast to write.

Thanks @followbatb for the request again! Thanks @thatwolfbookgirl for putting up with me, love ya bestie! @kmomof4 thanks for the kind words!

I don’t really know what’s going on with the layout, that’s Tumblr not me :D

Prologue : Chapter One : Chapter Two : Chapter Three : Chapter Four : Chapter Five : Chapter Six : Chapter Seven : Chapter Eight : Chapter Nine : Chapter Ten : Chapter Eleven : Epilogue

Emma had dropped Henry off at Elsa’s and prepared for her date. All she knew was it was a fancy restaurant, he pulled out all the stops, he had claimed. At seven he knocked on her bedroom door.

“Swan? You ready?” She came to the door, she was dressed in a very light pink dress which went just below her knee. Her blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail. He was completely taken by surprise. “You look beautiful.” He himself was dressed in a three piece blue suit and black tie. He had put a bit of gel in his hair, but knew she liked it a bit scruffy. He offered her a rose.

“Wow, thank you. You look very handsome indeed.” She smiled, taking the rose.

“I know.” He smirked. “Now, just so you know I don’t put out until the third date. I’m not like you and go for the night before I’m even asked.” “You cheeky sod.” She hit him playfully. “Come on, I thought you were meant to be showing me a great night.” She took his hand and led him out the door.

They walked to a Greek restaurant, hand in hand. Everyone inside was well dressed, the waiter showed them to their table with a bucket of champagne already on the table. Their waiter poured them their drinks and gave them a menu. “A toast.” He smiled. “To us, and Henry.” “I love it.” They had had their starters and were waiting for their mains. They were chatting about her work and the day’s events, James had won a race and was proud of his medal. Emma’s phone started to ring. Elsa. “Hello?” “Emma, I really didn’t want to ruin your date, but I can’t get Henry to calm down. He’s not warm or anything, he’s healthy. Just screaming. It’s been an hour. I’ve tried feeding him, playing with him, everything.” “Oh, I’ll come and get him. See you soon.” She hung up and sighed. Killian held her hand and rubbed his thumb across her knuckles. “What is it, love?” He smiled with a worried expression. “Henry won’t stop crying. He hasn’t settled down for an hour. I’ll have to go pick him up. He hasn’t been away from me this long. I’m so sorry, I know you planned a perfect evening.” “It’s okay. Henry is our priority, let’s go and pick him up. Let me just get our waiter.” Killian paid the bill and met Emma outside. He took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders, she smiled gratefully at him, he held her hand as they walked to Liam’s house. They heard him crying from outside, they knocked and Liam came to the door. “Sorry, we really didn’t want to call.” Said Elsa. “No, don’t worry. He’s been crying a lot recently. I think it’s teething.” She took the baby and thanked them for calling her. They walked home with him still crying. Nothing could comfort him. At the apartment, Emma was in her room trying to get him to sleep, whilst Killian ordered a kebab for them both. Henry finally settled and she walked to the couch. She had changed into some plaid pyjamas. She had still enjoyed the evening she had, even if it was cut short. Killian had rolled his sleeves up and took his tie off but left the waistcoat on. Emma thought he looked even better, especially because he had undone two of his shirt buttons. He handed her a beer and sat beside her, dinner was on the coffee table. “Not exactly the dinner I wanted you to have.” He smiled, clinking their beers together. “I’m sorry.” “Don’t apologise. It’s fine. This is just as good. I just looked forward to a few things.” He smiled. She raised an eyebrow. “Like a goodnight kiss.” “Well, that can be arranged.” She moved closer and put her arms around his neck. She initiated the kiss which started tenderly, then soon got heated. She pushed him back onto the couch and unbuttoned his waistcoat and pushed it off his shoulders. She started on his shirt. He pulled away. “Emma.” She sighed. He only said her name when he was being serious. “Are you sure?” She nodded and kissed him again, along his jaw and neck, then down to his shoulder. “Relax, handsome. I want this. I want you.” “Not here.” He sat up and smirk, he took her hand and led her to his bedroom. “This needs to be done properly.”

Emma woke up, she wasn’t in her room. Or her bed. She had muscular arms enveloped around her, then she remembered and smiled. It had been like a dream. Not what she expected from him, which had made it even better. It was early, she could tell by the early sun just peeping through the curtains, she sighed peacefully and turned around. Killian was fast asleep, his features were even more handsome in the morning sun. She could get used to this. Henry would still be asleep, she hoped he had a few more hours yet. She started placing lazy kisses to Killian’s neck, he didn’t wake, she started tickling his ribs. “Stop.” He smiled lazily. “So you are awake?” She kissed his jaw. “I think we have a few hours before Henry wakes, if you know what I mean?” He opened an eye. “Now I have your attention.” Killian rolled lazily on top of her and kissed her neck. “Mmm. A few hours you say?”

The next time she woke there was no Killian. She rolled over to his side and snuggled into his pillow. He had no clock in his room, she had no idea of the time, his phone was resting on the side. She picked it up and checked the time. 09:30. Is that it? Where was he? She noticed behind his notifications his lock screen was a picture of the three of them and Roger. Henry was sat on the dog, whilst Emma supported him and Killian was laughing whilst looking at her. Liam had snapped the photo on his phone, she found it cute, he really did enjoy their company. One of the notifications was from a man called Robin: What’s this about you having a new girlfriend? About time. Emma laughed, she had heard a lot about Robin and his quest to set Killian up. That was the job of a lot of his friends. She didn’t know anything about any previous girlfriends, he never seemed to want to talk about it. She got up and found a t-shirt and walked to the kitchen. She found Killian bouncing about the kitchen with Henry, he was lifting him in the air and both were laughing. He was cooking pancakes, she noticed. He wore dark blue jeans with a white t- shirt and a red plaid shirt. He always wore too many layers. He had Henry on his hip and frying pan in hand. “Ready, lad?” He flipped the pancake and Henry giggled. He noticed Emma and screamed. “Mama!” He reached for her. “Hey, buddy.” She walked over and took him from Killian. “Mr Date Ruiner.” She laughed, kissing his cheek. Killian strolled over and gave her a kiss. “I don’t think it ended too badly.” He smirked. “Pancakes, love?” “Sounds delicious. Why are you up so early?” “It’s a Monday, no time for sleeping in.” He said, placing pancakes with apple sauce on her plate. “My pancakes are the best, I rarely make them, but first dates are a special occasion.” “Our jobs are hardly routine. We can afford a lie in.” She smiled, delving into his pancakes. “Oh my God, Killian. These are delicious!” She moaned. “Wow.” “Calm down, love. Small ears are about. No need to repeat last night.” He smirked. Henry was sitting on the high chair paying no attention. “I gave him a bottle this morning. Maybe we could go for a walk when you’ve done some work.” He poured himself a coffee and sat opposite her. “Have you thought any more about the offer?” “Well, I was a bit distracted last night. So no.” She saw him smirk in his coffee. “Apologies. I don’t want to take your mind off the important things.” “Well,” she interlocked their fingers. “You’re pretty important to me.” He smiled at her brightly, “Now, how about you get some work done? I’ll distract, Henry.” Emma was typing away, she spotted Killian reading to Henry in the corner. It was a pop up book about pirates. He heard him make all the noises and voices. She picked up her phone and took a sneaky picture. Henry was pointing at the book and Killian was gasping as if he hadn’t already read him the book twenty times. It was weird to think how different her life was, would Neal have made the same noises if he had stuck around? Would he have took him for walks? Neal always made the excuse he was busy whenever they were dating. Killian never made excuses for anything. “My God, Swan. Your son certainly has a powerful smell.” He carried him over. “You don’t pay me enough for this.” He chuckled. “Here let me.” “No, no. You work. Oh, love. I forgot. At two I need to go meet a friend.” He kissed her temple. “I said I’d help him move some stuff about. Do you mind walking Roger later?” “Not at all.” “I’ll tire the cheeky monster out before I go. So you can do some more work when he’s asleep.” “How long will you be gone?” “Who knows? Robin’s girlfriend is moving in. I said I would help.” “Speaking of Robin, when do I get to meet the famous man? Everyone talks about him, yet I’ve never met him.” “He’s been down in London, but is coming back today. And as much as he is my best friend, I’m going to keep you apart as long as possible.” She giggled, “and why is that?” “Well, you get on with Liam better than I ever imagined. Always making jokes about me together. I fear you and Robin would get on too well.” He laughed. “We should invite him round this weekend.” She smiled. “We’ll see.”

Killian had put Henry to sleep and left Emma with a kiss whilst she was working hard, to keep on top of her work she wrote a few days ahead in case something else came up. She would write columns in advance so she could send them off when Graham wanted them. It was a hot July day. He was excited to see Robin again, they spoke a lot but hadn't seen each other for a year. And that was only because Robin visited America.

"Well, look at what the tide dragged in." He heard a voice behind him and grinned. He turned around and gave Robin a big hug. "I've missed you, mate." He slapped him on the back.

"You too. Where's this girlfriend I've never met?" Asked Killian. "She imaginary after all?"

"Shut up. She's with Roland. What about this chick you're apparently with? You didn't reply to my text."

"I elected to ignore it." Robin handed him a beer and they put two chairs in the sun and sat down.

"Is she your girlfriend then?"

"We haven't really put a title on it, but-"

"But! She is!"

"No, she's not. I mean, I like her and I want to be with her. She has other priorities, like a son. He's so sweet and clever and cute. Honestly, he's adorable, Rob."

"Have you slept with her yet?" Robin asked bluntly taking a swig from his bottle.

"Robin! Honestly. That doesn't mean anything." Though he couldn't hide his smile.

"You have! You dog."

"Only recently. She's been living with me for a month, I mean I wanted to. Of course, but it wouldn't have bothered me if we hadn't yet."

"So she wanted you?" He smirked.

"I mean, we wanted each other. She initiated though, I mean maybe under different circumstances I would have took the lead."

"Have you been on a date?"

"Our first last night. It got interrupted by her son, so we just went home and had a kebab."

"Classy. Wait, so last night was the night?" He couldn't contain his amusement. "No wonder you seem so easy going today."

"Can we move away from this topic?"

"Fine. So, she's not your girlfriend?"

"Urm-"

"So she's just a friend. That you sleep with?" He was trying to rile him on purpose. "A friend with benefits?"

"No! She isn't that. We don't have a title. I like her a lot, that's it." He was scratching his neck again. Robin really wouldn’t shut up.

"Tell me. Did you kiss her goodbye when you left?" He nodded. "And what is your phone background?" "Me, Emma, Henry and Roger."

"She's your girlfriend, face the fact. You’re a grown boy in a grown relationship now." They finished their beers and chatted about other things such as America and London. They got started on the house, the trucks had arrived and Regina was out with Roland to keep him out of the way. The sun was shining as they were moving things to the garden, Robin had taken his shirt off and Killian took off his plaid shirt.

"Left. Left. Left! Jesus, Robin. That's your right!" They were carrying a couch to the front room. "Ouch!" Killian dropped his side of the couch.

"What are you doing?"

"There's a nail sticking out! It's cut my shoulder." It had ripped his T-Shirt and cut a deep wound into the back of his shoulder. It was bleeding a little.

"Bloody hell, what are you like?"

"Me? It was you!"

"Take your shirt off. I'll stick a plaster on it." At the moment that Robin was sorting his shoulder Liam walked in.

"What are you two doing?"

"I'm giving him a massage."

"Shut up! I caught my shoulder on a nail."

"You might need a jab. Rusty nails can have all sorts on them."

"I'll be fine."

"Don't be stubborn. Come on, it won't take long. Let's get it sorted." They returned from the doctors. Killian wasn't happy. A cut shoulder and an injection was not his plan of a good day, especially when all Robin did was take the mick. They finished and Killian just wanted to go for a shower. He blasted some music, Queen, his favourite. The hot water felt good on his achy muscles, and got rid of the day's sweat. His cut stung but he felt refreshed at least. He would need Emma to put a fresh dressing on it for him when it dried. Emma unlocked the door, she pushed the pram through and Roger followed lazily behind. Henry had fallen asleep on the way back. Killian was unaware of Emma’s return.

"CAN AANYYYBOOODDDYYY FINNNND MEEE SOMEBODDDY TO LOOOVVVE?!"

What was that?

"Each morning I get up I die a little, can barely stand on my feeet. Take a look in the mirror and cry." Was it Killian? "Somebody. Somebody. Can anybody find meeee, somebody to love?"

Killian turned into Freddie Mercury in the shower. That was new. She never pegged him as a Queen fan. She heard him mimic the guitar and laughed. She heard the shower turn off and Bohemian Rhapsody play. He walked out of the bathroom rubbing his head with a separate towel.

"Hey, Freddie." She smiled. He practically jumped out of his skin then turned bright red. "I didn't think you'd be back yet."

"I just came back from my walk. Carry on singing." She walked over and smiled. "You sound good. Maybe I can answer your song."

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe I can be your somebody." She smiled, playing with his hand. She wasn't looking at him.

"Are you saying?"

"Not yet... but maybe. One day." She was being all shy with him. Not like her. "I really like you and I want to be with you. I'm happy being with you, I just can't say those words. Not yet."

"I understand. Take your time." She looked at him then. "So, are we official?"

"What do you mean?"

"Can I call you my girlfriend?" He felt like a teenage boy, all nervous and excited, he was looking down at the floor.

"That does sound nice." She reached her hands around his neck. His chest was still wet along with his hair. He bent his head to kiss her. "Maybe our next date will be more successful." She grinned.

"Next date? Have you one planned?"

"Chinese and a film? I don't know if Elsa would want to babysit again." She laughed.

"She will. Last night was just a shame. I think he just missed mummy. I can't blame him, he isn't used to sharing you." He chuckled. "Maybe if we return the favour? Liam and Elsa haven't been out alone for years, maybe we could babysit for them.

"That sounds lovely." Her hand felt his cut and he winced.

"Ow!" He grimaced.

"What's that?"

"A rusty nail. Cut my shirt open and scratched me, I got dragged to the doctors by Liam." She turned him around. It was quite deep and long.

"Poor, baby. Do you not like the doctors?" She teased, placing kisses around it.

"Not when they inject me. Your treatment is much nicer." He turned to face her and wrapped his arms around her. "Maybe if you're lucky, there will be more of that to come." She winked. He smirked and went to her neck. "Not now. Later." She smiled. He was still peppering kisses up her neck.

"Mmm okay."

#cs ff #captain swan #flight cs fanfic #killian jones #emma swan #captain swan ff #cs fluff #captain cobra

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