#work: pirate regina

[drghostwrite]

Out at sea…

Disclaimer: So a long time ago I read a fic about Emma having her and Hooks baby on the boat and thought I might twist it a little and give us another chapter to our Regina x reader stories.

Pairing: Regina Mills x reader

Summary: After a hard stretch of weeks the family has a day out but what happens when one member decides to finally make an appearance.

******************************************************** You stood on the ship deck near the bow watching the sea roll out in front of you, being 8 1/2 months pregnant most people would get sea sick but instead you stood letting it calm you. Being commander of armies in the enchanted forest you did a lot of traveling and you grew up on a boat your mother being a notorious pirate, so it always had a way of taking you back to your roots. You felt a pair of arms wrap around you from behind and someone’s chin rested on your shoulder, “enjoying the view?”

“mmm…” you said in response pressing you head into her cheek. “It has a way of taking me back.” You then fully turned in her arms allowing your body to relax into her, taking in the sight before you long black wind blown hair with her deep brown eyes, she didn’t wear makeup and you smiled at how she let out a smirk her perfect white teeth peaking through.

“Do you ever miss it?” She asked holding you the best she could your bump in the way.

“The enchanted forest? Sometimes.”

“Really?” She asked and you pulled back slightly looking over each other features.

“Yea but that’s not my home anymore, I’m not that person.”

“I can understand that.”

“Regina, listen to me love, I wouldn’t go back to how it was, coming here gave me this beautiful life, and friends and most importantly you, I would never go back if it meant losing you or this baby.”

“You are both my entire world and Henry, I couldn’t lose any of you.” Before you could both say anything else you heard clashing of wood behind you, turning around you watched as Henry and David fought with wooden swords, Emma laughed with Snow as Hook stood managing the helm.

“Hey Y/N care to join?” David called to you, as Henry ran towards you with and extra sword.

You laughed as you and Regina made you way towards the group, “You know its a good thing I’m pregnant otherwise I would come kick your butt.”

“I’d like to see that.” Henry said as you rustled his hair.

“Soon buddy, and I’ll show your grandpa how it’s done.”

“Oh yea!” He said excitedly running back towards the action. Regina had found a spot next to Emma and Snow motioned next to her. You made your way over and slowly lowered yourself.

“So how you feeling mama?” Emma asked.

“As can be expected.” You shrugged.

“I’m sure you’re ready to go though.” Snow mentioned.

“Oh you have no idea.” You shifted uncomfortably in the seat, Regina eyed you carefully.

“how much longer?”

“Depends they said 2-4 weeks Zelena is thinking I’ll be overdue.”

“I’m sure it’ll work out, Charming babies have a tendency to come early.”

“Well luckily she’s not a Charming.” Regina laughed, but you shifted uncomfortably again.

“let me tell you though I don’t think I can do another month, every muscle aches all the time and don’t get me started on the smells, I feel superhuman some days.” Everyone laughed, you all sat and enjoyed the sun before the sky started to cloud over slightly making a cool breeze blow, you let it soothe you but it wasn’t long before your muscles started to ache and you were shifting again, you decided to walk it off. Making your way towards the helm to talk to Killian the other three ladies talking, Regina kept a close eye on you, watching you talk to Hook.

“Hey love you okay?”

“Good as I’ll ever be, just a little sore.”

“You don’t get seasick do you I mean with the baby and all.”

you chuckled, “No I was practically raised at sea so I find it calming.”

“raised at sea?”

“My mother was a pirate, I was her only daughter and she wasn’t going to stop for anyone.”

“Sounds exciting.”

“Yea well everyone has their skeletons.” You felt a hand come to your back, you turned being met by Snow.

“Hey you okay, Regina is down there watching you like a hawk.”

“That’s my wife… I’m just really sore and sitting there wasn’t helping, besides like I said earlier Zelena thinks I have at least two weeks.”

“True but babies come on their own time, she’s just being careful, she cares for you and this baby a lot.”

“I don’t know what I ever did to deserve her.” You both smiled, you watched as the sky was still cloudy, one wave rolled just enough and came up over the side of the ship splashing Henry and David below Regina and Emma laughed at the boys but you were preoccupied by the puddle at your feet.

“Only our boys, am I right?” Snow laughed, but got no response from you, she turned and saw the puddle at your feet.

“Wait that splash wasn’t that big…Y/N?”

“Okay scratch the whole two week thing I think my water just broke.”

“Oh god okay, Regina!” As soon as Snow called she was bounding up the stairs Emma hot on her heels.

“what’s going on?”

“I…uh… mm… my water just…uhhh god here comes one.” You said reaching out, Regina catching you as you dug your nails into her forearm but she didn’t care.

“Looks like another family member wanted to make their appearance today.” Snow said a hand on your back as you leaned into Regina both of them trying to guide you down stairs, you heard Hook call to Emma to put you in his chambers as they’d have more room.

You could hear everyone frantically moving around and it wasn’t helping as you tried breathing through contractions.

“Wait…” you said making it into the large room the bed in the middle, hook redid the inside after permanently moving in with Emma and made this more of a luxury boat, on with large ornate rooms made for comfort which right now you had mixed feelings about.

“What wrong?” Regina asked looking at you.

“Zelena…” you said trying to catch your breath, “You need to call Zelena.”

“Why… aren’t we going to make it back in time?” Emma said looking between the three of you.

Regina and Snow shared a look, “Emma were 6 hours off shore, this baby might not wait that long.”

“Um….hhhnghhh…” you tried speaking another contraction interrupting you.

“it’s okay love.” Regina said feeling your nails dig into her arm again, grip tightening as you battled another.

“No….no, Zelena thinks there’s complications with the baby…I…she needs to be here…please you need to call her.”

“Comp…complications?” Regina said, she was so focused but you saw the war starting behind her eyes, she thought about losing you or this baby, she couldn’t do that not again, she’s fought so hard for a happy ending.

“Regina…baby?” You said squeezing her hand and pulling her out of her ugly daydream, “it might not be anything but…” you winced through another contraction.

“Better safe than sorry…” another female voice filled the room and everyone turned their heads.

“Zelena?” Regina looked at her sister, hopeful and confused.

“Hey sis, Hook called,” the redhead looked sympathetically at the younger raven-haired woman who was still guarding you with her body. Before anyone could say anything else you let out a loud guttural moan filling the room. Zelena quickly rushed to your side, placing her bag on the bed in front of you, it was a little higher than normal so you were currently standing next to it, gripping the blankets on the edge not wanting to move.

"Okay mama just breathe through it... how long has she been contracting?" she looked around the room, all faces showing that no one was sure.

"I've been having braxton hicks, or that's what I thought they were, they started around 8 this morning, and my water broke about 20-30 minutes ago."

"It's 4pm... you've been contracting for 8 hours."

"Y/N, why didn't you say anything?" Regina asked concerned.

"I didn't want to worry anyone and y'all were so excited about today, and after the past couple of weeks we really needed it... besides I've treated so many first time moms and they always mistake pre-term contractions for the real deal."

"Darling..."

"I...mnhnhhh...I promise it wasn't...hnhgnhhh."

"Okay mama, these babies aren't waiting I'm going to need to check you out." without thinking about it Zelena let out the little secret you’d both been keeping, helping you drop your pants and get up on the bed she covered your legs with a blanket as you fell back against the pillows.

“Zelena did you just say babies?” Snow asked shocked.

“Um…what’s she talking about? Zelena what does she mean?”

“Twins… we’re having twins.” You strained out sitting up on your elbows.

“I’m sorry I only found out a few weeks ago and Y/N had me promise.”

“that was before she was going to go into labor 6 hours from Storybrooke and on a boat!” Regina yelled.

“Babe… I didn’t wanna get your hopes up, not until we were sure…gahhhhh.”

“She’s right we weren’t sure how it happened but after the run in with our mother something with our magics altered the pregnancy, I wanted to make sure everything was okay with the babies.” Zelena explained as you fought through another contraction.

“Talk later… these babies are coming now.”

“Okay breathe I need to check how dilated you are,” Regina moved to your side while Zelena dug through her bag pulling on gloves, “okay mama little pinch and pressure, just gotta check here.” You nodded letting out a small whimper as you felt her checking you out. “Okay Y/N you’re a lot farther than I thought.”

“what’s that supposed to mean?”

“it means that your baby’s head is almost crowning so this is typically when you start pushing.”

“Wait I thought we had a couple hours?” Regina asked worried, her worst fear was coming back, she couldn’t lose any of you and being out at sea was amplifying all those fears.

“Right now that’s not the issue, these babies are coming whether we want them to or not.” Zelena said trying to snap Regina out of it.

“What do you need from us?” Snow asked into the room.

“Well Snow I’m going to need your hands, Emma I want you to take care of everything above deck, I don’t care what you have to do get us back ASAP…” both women nodded and moved quickly. “Okay now Y/N I need some pushes from you so we can deliver baby number one.” You nodded and some screaming a pushing and a little blood later and cried filled the room as your little boy was born, things moved quickly Snow wrapping him up and holding him while more contractions rolled over you.

It wasn’t long before you felt baby two getting ready, but you watched as she leaned and said something to Snow “Wh-What’s going on?”

“Y/N I need you to…” Zelena started.

“Wh-What’s going on with my baby?”

“Your baby is breech, which worries me with being on a boat and far from the hospital.”

“S-so whagahh- does that mean?”

“Y/N…”

“Zelena do what you need to do, if you need to cut, cut.”

“WHAT NO!” Regina yelled.

“No no nobody is getting cut, I’m not doing a cesarean on a boat, I can do an external version but it’s going to hurt like hell.”

“Do it!.. whatever you need to do, do it.” She nodded and placed her hands on your exposed bump feeling for the baby, she had one hand higher and one lower and tried rotating the bag and she wasn’t wrong it did hurt, Regina was on the bed next you and you turned clinging to her, face pressed against her chest, one arm folded under you as the other gripped onto her bicep, nails digging into her arm as she held you.

“Okay I think baby’s turned, Y/N I need some really big pushes from you.” Two pushes later and you were so close to holding your baby but instead another complication.

“hold on, don’t push, stop pushing.”

“bu—but… what’s wrong?” Zelena looked up at you sympathetically, she placed a hand on your knee.

“The baby… it’s the cord, it’s wrapped around its neck.”

“Zelena save my…nnnghh…save my baby…”

“I will…err… I am.” You could feel pressure and she tried maneuvering your baby and getting the cord loose.

“okay im going to need a really big, big push to help your baby… can you do that for me?” She asked and you nodded, “okay on count of three, 1…2…” you pushed with everything you had, delivering your baby and she quickly started working you sobbed in your wife’s arms as you didn’t hear anything.

after what seemed like an eternity a strong cry filled the room, “yes baby girl, yes, oh God okay… congratulations you have a beautiful baby girl.” She said handing her to the both of you, tears rolled down your faces.

4 hours later you found yourself laid up in the maternity suite at the hospital Zelena was evaluating you to make sure everything went okay as your babies got checked it by the nurses, Regina sat next to you filling out their names on the birth certificate, refusing to leave your side.

[bucky-barnes-lover]

Kinktober day 11: Public sex

Fic: Bucky Barnes

Warnings ⚠️: Public sex, Dirty talk, 18+ SMUT!!

W.C- 1229

"Happy Halloween" greeted Pepper as I walked through the large brass doors, into the compound. "You look amazing," I exclaimed, admiring Pepper's pirate outfit. "Are you kidding me? Have you seen yourself?!" She questioned taking in my outfit. "You look gorgeous. Bucky is gonna love it!" Pepper exclaimed, leading me through, to the hallway.

"I knew Buck wouldn't be able to keep his hands off me all night, so I went with the sluttiest Harley outfit I could find" I laughed off. "Well, I thought something similar so I did the same with Tony. He hasn't seen my outfit yet so I'm a little nervous," she replied.

"Have fun Pepp's, I'm gonna go look for Nat and the others" I said as we made our way into the bar room.

After searching around the party for a bit, I eventually found Bucky playing a game of pool with Steve and Sam.

"Hi baby" I greeted him,

"Hi doll, you look great tonight"

"Thanks, you look sexy" I replied, eyeing his brand new Joker outfit. (His new favorite movie.) "You boys look great too" I said to Steve and Sam complimenting their Men in Black outfits. "Thanks" they replied in unison.

"I'm going to go look for Nat and the other girls"

"Okay, I'll see you later doll" answered Bucky. I walked over to the bar and found Nat, Maria and Wanda wearing matching Alvin and the Chipmunks costumes while chatting about their latest mission. "Hey y/n. You look absolutely gorgeous!" Exclaimed Natasha as I made my way towards their seats. "Thanks girl, you three look so cute" I replied.

After a couple of drinks and conversations with the agents, it was time for the costume presentation. Everyone went up one by one, everyone else casting votes for the best dressed. Clapping and cheering echoed around the room as Tony walked up to the stage. "Welcome to the best Halloween party you will ever attend in your life." He started with. I rolled my eyes, knowing he would say something so cocky.

"I want to start by thanking everyone for being here, I've seen some amazing costumes and I've had some great conversations tonight. But it is now time to announce the winners of the Costume Competition. The winner for the best couples outfit goes to… Y/n and Bucky Barnes for their Joker and Harley quinn outfit"

Clapping erupted from the audience of where Bucky and I were standing, as we made our way up to the platform to collect the gift basket, full of Candy and Cute decorations and accessories that no doubt Pepper put together.

Tony continued his speech as Buck and I exited off the stage. "The winner for the best Group outfit goes to… Thor, Valkyrie, Steve, Sam and Jane for their Men In Black outfit." Tony continued, "And the Winner for the best outfit overall, goes to… Yelena Belova, for the Regina George outfit.

I must say, I've seen some very creative outfits by far. Thank you everybody for coming out tonight, Enjoy the rest of your evening"

As the presentation ended and everybody went back to their pool games and drinks at the bar, Bucky walked up to me from where he was at the front, chatting with Steve.

"You should've thought about wearing longer shorts,doll. You know I can't keep my hands off you all night, yeah." He whispered in my ear sending shivers down my spine.

"Oh I know." I replied with a smirk.

"That's why I chose this outfit"

"Really? Well then I better put your dirty thoughts to good use" Bucky continued. I could feel his hard cock pressed against my ass, I knew neither of us would last long but I continued playing it dirty. "Well if you like me in this outfit so much, why don't you fuck me in it?" I questioned, knowing my innocent stare and pouted lips would work on him.

"If we go so hard at it, I may as well put a baby inside you" Bucky laughed off, though I knew he was serious. "Then let's get the fuck out of here and I'll let you put a baby inside me!" I exclaimed, grabbing his hand and dragging him out of the party. "Where are we going doll?" Bucky asked as we ran through the hallway.

"The bathroom" I declared, enthusiasm creeping into my usually relaxed tone. I had to admit, having sex in a place where we could get caught excited me. Although I'd never tell Bucky about it otherwise he'd take me in every single public bathroom we passed by.

As we entered the bathroom, I ran across the rows to check no one was in the stalls, before hopping onto the counter top. Bucky stood in front of me, pants already half pulled down and his erection free. Grabbing my hips, he pulled my shorts down and without thinking twice, ripped my panties off.

"May I?" He asked politely, receiving a small nod from me. Inserting a finger into my entrance before adding a second one. My soft moans echoed through the bathroom as I felt Bucky's warm breath on my neck. Sucking on my sensitive areas as he rubbed my clit with his thumb. Still thrusting his fingers in and out of my soaking wet cunt. "Bucky, please just fuck me properly" I moaned as I could feel the sensation building up inside me.

Within seconds he was inside me. His huge cock stretching me out. "Oh Bucky" I moaned as he thrusted into me slowly. "Babydoll, you make me feel so good" Bucky moaned as his thrusts became faster and faster. Suddenly we heard a door slam down the corridor and somebody walked right by the bathroom door. A wave of panic ran through me but excitement took over the feeling. I giggled as I realised Bucky had stopped his movements. "C'mon Buck. It's just a door" I smirked at him.

Continuing our session, We both became more and more impatient. "Bucky, harder!" I exclaimed as I felt him hitting that same spot over and over again. "C'mon doll. When you're ready just go for it" He replied, a pleasing expression on his face.

Before long I had come undone under his touch, him cumming right after.

The wonderful feeling washing over me, as my muscles relaxed. "Hello?" Asked somebody from outside of the room. "Is everyone decent so I can come in?"

He asked as he knocked on the door.

"Give us two seconds will you" asked Bucky as he exited my pussy. Leaving an empty feeling inside me, causing me to only want more.

Aggressively he pulled up his pants and got himself dressed before handing me his button down shirt, which I conveniently tied around my waist as I no longer had underwear.

"All good" I yelled at the man waiting outside. To my surprise Thor walked in, looking as white as snow. Clearly confused and disgusted by the situation he had been caught up in.

Bucky and I left the bathroom and the compound before Thor could spread the news about us. "When we get home, I will fuck you so hard, you won't remember your own name" Bucky said to me as we walked towards the car. "Sure" I smirked at him in the reflection of the car window, "As if"

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

I freaking pray u guys like this, bc this took me like 5 days to write 😳🙃

[wizblr-blue-moon-ball]

Greetings magical friends~☆

This is the official blog of the Blue Moon Ball! A wizardblr-wide event hosted by @the-necrobotanist for the greater Wizardblr community.

This blog is where I (Necro) will be making the future updates and posts for the blog!

This post will be pinned until the official post for the event is released, which should hopefully be when the date poll is complete.

For now, here's the current jist of the event:

For One Week (May 19-25), there will be a set of prompts pertaining to four categories for people to participate in (you're more than welcome to do more than what the prompts say!)

The catagories are: ART, WRITING, ROLEPLAY, AND PHOTOGRAPHY

The restrictions are no NSFW, and no revealing personal information (along with being nice. Dont make me extend this rule list.

You post and roleplay for the others for the week, and I'll do my best with this blog to reblog and share everything (as this is the nexus of the event).

Make sure to use the tags when the event happens!! I'll put them below so you can familiarize yourself

☆

#Blue Moon Ball Art — Art for the Ball

#Blue Moon Ball Writing — Writing for the Ball

#Blue Moon Ball RP — RP for the ball

#Blue Moon Ball Photography — Photography for the ball

#Blue Moon Ball Updates~☆ — Updates from me about the ball

Make sure to familiarize yourself with the tags and feel free to send me asks and submissions of your ideas and work!!

I cannot wait to see this come to fruition ☆

— Nec

☆

PINGLIST (Hi! It's me Necro)

@scuttling-comfuddlement @the-gnomest-bastard @kobold-sanctuary-buss-island @satyrs-apothecary @irving-the-pirate-wizard @morbingtime @justagingerwithredhair @chaos-familiar @these-detestable-hands @regina-the-sorceress @combustion-witch @slymewitch @yourlocalbreadenthusiast @mango-lord-of-poison @selldemapplez @agentldiddy @fractalkitty @wizard-island-trading-co @asheslab @good-wizard @the-illegal-wizard-council @ash-the-tiefling @mysticminion @blobbiedaykeeppcaway

@thebookshelflord @ceeceelemons @jesterofthelibrary

[fereinsm]

Overhaul/Update version for one of my proudest works, a main cover art(?) for my little project call Robotnik AU.

Characters list:

Upper row/section (above Movie Eggman's hands), from left to right: - Sonic.exe (the utmost terrifying OC/FC from the creepy pasta thingy) - Queen Boom Boo, Merc version (OC/FC made by Dan-Habiki/@Dan_Daymaker) - King Boom Boo - Lah - Su & Uh - Shadow the Hedgehog (Team Dark) - Rouge the Bat (Team Dark) - E-123 Omega (Team Dark) - Dr. Eggman Nega - Doctor Albert W. Wily (Megaman, Archie comics) - Honey the Cat - Breezie the Hedgehog - Bocoe & Decoe + Bokkun - Dark Oak/Lucas - Dark Queen/Merlina - Erazor Dijinn - Coconuts - Scratch & Grounders - General Helmut Von Stryker - Anton Veruca (Shogakukan magazines) - Junior Robotnik - Captain Whiskers & Johnny - Opal the Jellyfish (Pirates of the Setting Dawn) - Dive the Lemming (Pirates of the Setting Dawn) - Blade the Shark (Pirates of the Setting Dawn) - Captain Shellbreaker (Pirates of the Setting Dawn) - Mr. Bristles the Yeti Crab (Pirates of the Setting Dawn) - Mephiles the Dark - Silver Sonic - Dark Enerjak (Knuckle) - Nazo (appeared in Sonic X's last teaser) - Eggette/Omelette Robotnik (famed OC/FC originally designed by Alpha Gamboa (blackbookalpha)) - Infinite the Jackal - Solaris - Black Doom - Eclipse the Darkling - Black Death - Dark Gaia (Perfect form) - Metal Sonic - Iron Queen aka Regina Ferrum - Time Eater - Mammoth Mogul - Iron King aka Jun Kun - Imperator Ix - Wendy Naugus - Bearenger the Grizzly (Witchcarters) - Carrotia the Rabbit (Witchcarters) - Falke Wulf (Witchcarters) - Walter Naugus - Fleetway's Super Sonic - Shade the Echidna - Boomer Walrus aka Anti Rotor - Patch D'Coolette aka Anti Antoine - Princess Alicia Acorn aka Anti Sally

Middle section (below Eggman's hands), from left to right: - Speedy (both Pre and Post-Super Genesis Wave versions) - Sage - T.W. Barker - Dave the Intern - Sleet & Dingo - A.D.A.M. - E.V.E. - Lyric the Last Ancient - Zor - Zash (OC/FC made by @saccharinerose) - Zeena - Zazz - Zomom - Zavok - Master Zik - Agent Stone (Sonic movies 2020/2022) - Orbot & Cubot - Wes Weasely - Snively Robotnik - Dr. Robotnik (Sonic movies 2020/2022) - Thunderbolt the Chinchilla - Predator Hawk (Destructix) - Anti-Miles - Scourge the Hedgehog - Storm the Albatross - Wave the Swallow - Jet the Hawk - Rosy the Rascal - Sleuth "Doggy" Dawg (Destructix) - Sergeant Simian (Destructix) - Fiona Fox (Destructix) - Duck "Bill" Platypus - Bark the Polar Bear - Bean the Dynamite - Drago Wolf (Destructix) - Nicolette 'Nic' the Weasel - Razorclaw - The Foreman (Grandmaster) - Hugo Brass - Diesel - Flying Frog (Destructix) - Geoffrey St. John - Hershey the Cat - Nack the Weasel/Fang the Sniper (Team Hooligan) - Fleetway's Chaos (Darkon fish form)

Lower section, from left to right: - Dr. Finitevus - Grimer Wormtongue - Dr. Fukurokov - Dimitri the Echidna - Maw the Thylacine - Mecha Sally - Mecha Sonic - Mecha knuckle - Jackal Squad, named by Nibroc-Rock as Uno, Deux, Trois, Quatre, Cinq & Sei (Shadowy figures) - Kayseri Valaedshkova (OC/FC made by dirtthefox/@Its_Dima_V) - Strike (OC/FC made by @speedofsoundsketches) - Surge the Tenrec - Kit the Fennec - Sofia the Gorgon (OC/FC made by Sofia-MMD/@GorgonSofia) - Clutch the Opossum - Kaibette the Genet (OC/FC made by @kaibette) - Rough & Tumble the Skunk - Battle Lord Kukku XV - ***Mecha Robotnik - Akhlut the Orca (both Pre and Post-Super Genesis Wave versions) - Tundra the Walrus - Mordred Hood (drawn with @adokle's style) - The Foreman/Tassel boy (Post-Super Genesis Wave) - Mimic (the Mimic Octopus) - Byte the Goat (OC/FC made by @bunniibones) - Lightning Lynx - Iblis - Phage - Conquering Storm (Post-Super Genesis Wave) - Bride of the Conquering Storm (Pre-Super Genesis Wave) - Dr. Starline - Biolizard - Sigma (Megaman, Archie comics) - Axel the Water Buffalo - Abyss the Squid - Cyani the Cobra (OC/FC made by @bunniibones) - Cipher the Owl (OC/FC made by @bunniibones) - Bleak (OC/FC made by HT-Doodles/@HtDoodles) - Clove the Pronghorn (my top fav among all the characters here) - Cassia the Pronghorn - Lien-da - Chaos - Tikal the Echidna - Pachacamac - Gae-Na - Kragok - Thrash the Devil - Warden Zobotnik & Znively (Zone Cop) - Belinda & Charlie - Nephthys the Vulture - ??? (Behind Nephthys) - Trevor Burrow the Mole (Desert Raiders) - Sonar the Fennec (Desert Raiders) - Spike the Porcupine (Desert Raiders) - Razor the Shark - Queen Angelica - Rusty Rose - Robo Tails (Brain-washed, based on Sonic Lost World's designs) - Beauregard Rabbot - Jack Rabbit - Matilda the Armadillo - Zefir (my main OC/FC) - Gamer Deer (aka 'Aleko' the Northamer Guard or the 'Gamerdeerdude' by @adokle) - Zonic (Zone Cop) - Chesah the Tarsier aka No.29 (my OC/FC) - Sandy the Caterkiller (OC/FC made by @the-hydroxian-artblog)

For the Alt version: FeReinsm on Instagram: “Overhaul/update versions for one of my proudest works, a main cover art(?) for my lil’ project - Robotnik AU. For the 2nd and 4th pics…”

[pirateswhore]

In the aftermath, I'll hold you

in the aftermath of Emma taking on the darkness, Killian is the only one to comfort Henry.

Aka, these two just want their family back together

+ a little post s5 finale comfort to finish it off

Read on ao3 || Read below the line:

"What do you mean she's gone?" Henry grit his teeth, eyes darting across the adults standing in a circle around him.

He was told to go back to the apartment. That they would sort everything out and be home for hot cocoa.

The group did come home, his mum noticeably missing, everyone's heads hung low. Everyone avoided looking him in the eyes, even Hook. Eventually, his other mother had explained what happened.

"Henry..." his grandmother pleaded, reaching for his hand. Henry flinched, taking a step away from her.

"Answer me! What do you mean she's gone!"

"We told you, Henry, the darkness took her," his mother repeated her earlier words.

"Took her where!?" he snapped at her, eyes blown wide with tears stinging at the corners.

A moment of silence fell upon the apartment as everyone, once again, averted their eyes from Henry.

"Why won't no one tell me what happened to my mum?" he choked out, turning to Killian. The man was standing slightly behind Henry, off to David's side. His hook was dropped to the side, arm holding loosely to his belt. He lifted his head and looked at Henry. Brown locked with blue, and Henry saw his emotions reflected on Killian's face - fear, trepidation, agony.

Regina walked towards him, extending her arms out, to hug or otherwise hold him, but Henry slapped them away and cried out at her.

"Don't touch me right now!"

"Henry! Do not talk to your mother like that!" David cut in, fist slamming on the counter. Everyone in the room jumped, and Henry choked up a sob.

"Aye! Stop it, everyone!" Killian laid his hand on the prince's shoulder, trying to ease the storm currently brewing in the room. "We're all stressed and yelling won't help anyone." He turned to Henry, eyes weighed with unshed tears. He took a step towards Henry and the boy didn't move back.

"Lad, your mother took on the darkness, and it engulfed her. When the smoke subsided, she was gone, and all that was left was the dagger with her name on it. That's all we know."

Henry sniffled.

"Have you tried using the dagger to call her?" he asked, ashamed that he even thought of controlling his mother like that.

"Hook tried. She's not in this realm, as it didn't work." Regina stated. A muscle in Henry's jaw clenched.

"So he's the only one that even tried looking for her?"

"Henry!" his grandmother jumped, clearly offended at his statement.

"Don't Henry me! You should be out there looking for her! She's probably scared and alone, but none of you care!"

Mary Margaret glanced over at Regina, but said nothing.

"You never cared about her! You sent her away and I had to find her! When Pan's curse separated us, you didn't come looking, you went about your lives as if we didn't exist. It was Hook who came for us, and it wasn't even you who sent him!"

"I don't think Hook is a role-model for good behaviour." David sneered, shaking the pirate's hand off of his shoulder. Henry grit his teeth at the statement.

"At least he cares about her. You named your second kid after the man that hurt her! Do you even know what he did to her? And now she has to hear his name every day?"

His chest was heaving, angry tears rolling down his cheeks. He took a deep breath to steady himself.

"You never cared. She keeps breaking her back to help everyone else, but no one has ever tried to help her. She was left alone."

Regina shot him a glare. "Need I remind you that she left you as well?"

"She was a kid! Did you forget she was almost my age when she had me? She didn't have her mother there for comfort." Henry sniffed again, the words burning his throat. "And now neither do I."

He turned and buried himself in Hook's arms, head pressed into his chest as he let the sobs break from his own.

"Henry Daniel Mills!" Regina moved towards the two of them, brows furrowed in rage, but Hook shook his head and extended his namesake to stop her.

He turned him and Henry around, his back to the rest of the group. His arms came around the boy, hand stroking his soft brown hair. He held him for several long moments, until Henry's breathing evened out and his shaking sobs subsided. His arms were still gripping tightly to the lapels of Hook's jacket. Hook kissed the top of his head and whispered slowly.

"I know you miss your mother. I do too. But we won't do her any good if we run around town until we drop from exhaustion. We need rest," he tipped the lad's head up with his hook, "you need rest. We can make a plan in the morning and set right on finding her. Alright?"

Henry nodded, sighed, and rested his head back against his chest.

After a few more moments of silence, Regina spoke again.

"Well. The pirate's right with one thing, we should go to sleep now." She picked up her coat from the rack and looked over at Henry. "Coming?"

He shook his head. "I'm staying here."

Regina whispered "Suit yourself," and bid the others goodnight before leaving with Robin.

Henry stayed in Hook's arms for a little while longer, holding onto him as the rest of the world fell apart around him. His head was spinning, his legs and arms felt heavy, and there was a growing pit in his stomach. Eventually, Hook took a step back, arm and hook braced on Henry's shoulders.

"Let's get you to bed, lad. You're tired."

Henry just nodded, not wanting to fight back, and made his way upstairs. He changed into his pyjamas and crawled into the twin bed that was shoved into the corner of the room. He knew he wouldn't get much sleep, as tired as he was. He heard hushed whispers coming from below, but could only make out a few words.

"Let the boy be," Hook said, "he just lost his mother."

"That doesn't give him the right to speak to us like that." David pushed back, annoyance clear in his voice.

A moment passed.

"He was right, you know. About everything." Mary Margaret finally joined in. "Emma was alone all her life. We never made an effort to make up for that, we thought it was clear we were sorry, but now I know she needed more from us."

They continued their conversation, but Henry couldn't make out anything coherent past that. Eventually, someone stood up and made their way to the front door.

"I best be on my way," Hook said, "it's getting rather late."

"You should stay. Emma wouldn't want you alone on your ship"

Another moment of silence passed. Henry heard movement down stairs, and soon Hook was making his way up the stairs.

"Lad?" he whispered out once he reached the landing.

"I'm awake."

Hook sighed, and made his way to the main bed. He didn't say anything else, but Henry could tell he wasn't asleep. His breathing was too quick and shallow, uneven at times.

Hook taught him how to tell the difference between awake and asleep breathing. "Useful for checking if an enemy is open to a sneak attack," he'd said.

Henry stood and made his way to the corner of his mum's bed.

"Killian?" he called. Killian turned his head, eyebrow quirked up. Henry shuffled his feet. "Can I sleep with you tonight? While in New York, whenever I was upset, she'd let me cuddle with her."

Killian said nothing, simply pulled back the comforter and patted the bed next to him. Henry crawled in, laying face to face with him. They stayed like that for some time, neither speaking.

He liked Killian. He liked how relaxed he was around him, and often it seemed he was the only one that didn't baby Henry. And he tried to build a relationship with him, even outside his relationship with his mum. Killian was fun, he made his mum happy and he was always kind to Henry. The trio's weekly lunches at Granny's were one of the things Henry looked forward to the most. It felt right, the three of them together.

Henry didn't understand why everyone was so dismissive of Killian all the time. Yes, he'd done some bad things, but so did his other mother? And everyone seemed to forgive her easily. He was trying, but no-one except Emma ever supported him.

"We'll find her," Killian said eventually, "I promise you, lad.

Henry shifted, closer to Killian. He rolled onto his back and Henry set his head on his chest, knees tucked up to his chest. Killian's arm came around Henry, resting on the back of his head.

"I know, I know, I'm just..." Henry took a breath to steady himself. "I'm sorry about earlier, a lot of what I said was uncalled for."

"It's okay, lad. It's a stressful situation. I don't think anyone will hold it over you," Killian comforted.

"Thank you for being here. I know you and I can find her. We found her once already, in the alternate storybook. We can do it again."

"Aye. The three of us make quite the team, you know." He threaded his fingers through Henry's hair, in the same soothing motion his mother often used.

"Like a real family does." Henry couldn't see Killian's face, but he knew that the word had prompted a wide smile on it. Family. The three of them, together, against the world. He wasn't opposed to Killian being his step-dad. He's been acting like one already, picking him up from school when neither of his mums could, helping with homework, taking care of him. Henry has never had a father figure before, and Killian was as close as he'd ever get.

"Henry?" he whispered after a while. Henry hummed in response.

"I've been thinking. Well, your mother and I had been talking. We want to find a place for us." He looked down at Henry. "All three of us."

"Like an apartment?"

"Like a house. Maybe we could... Maybe we could find one she'd like? So we can surprise her when this mess is sorted?"

Henry propped himself up on his elbows. His face lit up. "Yes! It could be an operation!" He thought about a name for a moment. "Operation: Light Swan?"

Killian chuckled. "Sounds perfect."

They laid back down, snuggled more closely together now. They listed the features they would look for in their future home. It had to be near the ocean, have a big yard, and an open floor plan.

"How many bedrooms?" Killian's cheek and ear tips burned at the question.

"We, uh. Your mother and I never discussed that topic."

"I'm sure she'd be open to the idea."

"Aye?"

"Mhm. I can see how she looks at you when you're around me or baby Neal."

Killian smiled at that. "Well I'm sure that a few extra bedrooms wouldn't hurt."

The conversation continued, the excitement over the future easing the pain they both felt. Henry soon felt his eyelids drop, the drum of Killian's heart a low, steady rhythm under his ear. He was stroking his shoulder, drawing nonsense shapes into it with his fingers. Henry drifted off to sleep in Killian's arms, certain that the two of them would take the Darkness out of Emma.

And then they could finally be a family.

ccccccccc

"It's rather late," Emma yawned out, "we should go to bed.

They were sitting on the couch, all next to one another. The couch had more than enough room for them to sprawl out, but they all snuggled into the corner, Emma's back to Killian's chest, arms wrapped around Henry.

They came home from Granny's hours ago, having bid goodbye to the rest of the group. There was so much to be said between them, so much had happened, and none of them wanted to move on without addressing it properly.

Emma's Darkness. What she did to Henry and Killian. Why she pushed them away. Killian's Darkness. The betrayal he felt when no one believed he could fight it. His sacrifice. The race to get him back. The heartbreak Emma and Henry felt when he couldn't come with them. Henry's trip to New York and why he wanted to destroy magic.

They talked for hours, breaking down each and every wall that was still standing between them. Lots of emotions followed with tears, apologies, and hugs.

Henry stretched out, yawning. "Uh-huh. I'm sleepy."

They made their way upstairs, staying close together. They were reluctant to take their eyes off of each other, after being separated so many times already.

The master bedroom was the first bedroom to the left of the stair landing, and Henry's was across the hallway. He stopped, halfway in between the two bedroom doors, and turned to his mum and Killian.

"Hey," he said before they could even open the door. "Can I, can I sleep with you two?"

The two adults shared a confused look between them.

"I know, I'm 13 now, and I should sleep on my own, but..." he shook his head as memories of the past couple of months came flooding back once again. "Mum, I almost lost you to the darkness. And we just barely managed to drag Killian back from the dead. Surely I should be allowed to be a little clingy?"

Emma smiled at him. "After what we've been through, we're allowed to be as clingy as we want to be."

They went about their regular sleep time routine. Changing into pyjamas, brushing their teeth, the usual. Emma went to fetch an extra pillow for Henry, and Killian fiddled nervously with the brace in his arm.

"You can take it off. I don't mind." Henry had never actually seen Killian's scar, and a part of him was curious as to what it looked like. The one time they shared a bed before, after mum was taken, it was dark and Killian had kept the arm tucked under the pillow. He didn't see Killian any differently because of it - the teenager in him saw the hook as completely badass - but he knew that was a sensitive topic for him, so he never pressed him on it.

Killian looked at him, and his features softened. He undid the straps keeping the brace tight, and slid it off of his forearm.

Henry didn't stare much, not wanting to make Killian uncomfortable. The scar was mostly faded, and apart from it, his lower arm was devoid of any other distinguishing markings, including tattoos. A stark contrast compared to the rest of his body. Henry wanted to ask about the tattoos and the scars, the stories behind them, what they meant, and how he got them. Another time, he thought, there's no rush now.

Emma came back with the pillow, and the three of them climbed into bed. Killian was on the right side of the bed, leaning partially on his side. Henry cuddled into him, head tucked into the crook of his neck. Emma threw her arm around him, pulling herself close. Killian's scarred arm was wound beneath the two of them, the fingers of his other arm tangled with Emma's.

"Everyone comfy?" she asked.

"What if I told you I need to relieve myself, love?" Killian teased.

"Then I would send you right back to Hell."

"Underworld, technically." Henry and Killian corrected in unison, and the three of them burst out laughing.

This is good. This is how it was always meant to be. The three of them, together, happy, with their whole future in front of them. Henry sighed.

"You good, kiddo?"

"I'm happy."

Sleep took them swiftly, the last few weeks (months, really) having left their bodies desperate for rest.

Nothing would separate the Saviour, her pirate, and their son ever again.

[themadlostgirl]

B&B: Please. I Love Her.

*And another old request done! Woo!*

Pairing: Felix x fem!Reader

Prompt: Storybrooke AU. Reader gets badly hurt and Felix tells them how much he loves them.

~~~

“Felix!” you charged into the apartment practically frothing at the mouth. “Get the weapons! We’re gonna go fight some pirates!”

“Wait, what? Pirates?” Felix’s head perked up, “I thought were weren’t allowed to try and kill Hook.”

“No. Not Hook. Different pirate. Someone named Bluebeard and his crew. They’re pillaging the town and we have special permission to use lethal force! Come on! We haven’t had the chance to fight in forever!”

“I’m coming.” He grabbed his club and tossed you your sword. “Let’s go!”

You ran down to the center of town where everyone was facing off with the pirates. Hook was fighting the captain Bluebeard while everyone else took on the rest of the crew. Snow and David saw you coming and sighed a little at the manic joy on you and Felix’s faces.

“Die pirates!” you caught one of the lackeys by surprise and stabbed them through the back, the tip of your sword protruding out their front.

“Oh joy, I was wondering when the jungle rats would make an appearance.” Hook sniped as he dodged another blow from Bluebeard.

“Like you’re not pleased to see us.” you said as you moved onto a new target. “After all, Felix and I have special experience fighting pirates, as you recall.”

“Oh I recall.” Hook snapped, “Now how about you put it to good use?”

“We are!” Felix bashed one of the pirates over the head with his club. “How about you focus on your own fight or do you need one of us to pick up the slack?”

“This really isn’t the best time to be talking!” Emma shouted at you guys.

“Are you kidding?” you slashed the throat of another pirate that tried to attack Regina from behind. “Felix and I would still be carrying on full blown conversations while fighting Hook’s crew back in the day and we never got hurt.”

“Behind you!” Felix shouted and smashed the kneecap of a pirate that tried running up behind you. “We’re rusty. Don’t get cocky.”

“Ugh, fine.” you pouted and went back to work.

Despite all the manpower you had Bluebeard’s crew was monstrous in size. Every time you slayed one pirate there was another waiting. The battle finally started to turn when Hook finally dealt a killing blow to Bluebeard. The remaining pirates, with their captain dead and their numbers dwindling, surrendered or ran.

You breathed out in relief as you ripped your sword back out of one of the pirates you had slain. “Well, that was fun.” you turned to Felix. “I’ve missed this.”

“I have--watch out!” Felix shouted. You turned with your sword raised, ready to defend yourself but it was too late. An injured pirate that you had thought you killed was back on their feet and had shoved a dagger through your stomach as you turned.

The air left your lungs and you froze. The pirate was blown back by a wave of magic but the damage had been done. Reflexively you wanted to pull the blade out but you forced your hands out to your sides. Removing it would only make you bleed faster.

Everything began moving in slow motion. You felt your knees hit the pavement as you collapsed and saw Felix running towards you, his face pale. You glanced back at the dagger sticking out of your body and your eyes rolled into the back of your head.

---

Felix was able to catch you before you fell forward and drove the dagger deeper into your body. Carefully he laid you back on the pavement. You were bleeding. You were bleeding so much. Why was there so much blood?

“Darling? Darling, can you hear me?” he cradled your head in his lap. “Come on, you can’t do this! Wake up!”

“Stop, let me through.” Regina shoved through the crowd and knelt down beside you. “Shit.”

“Fix it!” Felix screamed at her. “Fix her!”

“I’m trying damn it! Give me a minute!” Regina snapped back at him. She looked down at your body and sighed. “Healing magic isn’t that easy. Emma, come here, give me a boost.”

Emma came up and placed a hand on Regina’s shoulder, channeling her magic into her. “Okay. Nobody say anything, I need to concentrate.”

Regina grabbed the hilt of the dagger and tore it back out of your body. The blood began to pour out more rapidly and Felix wanted to scream at her for doing it and making you lose more blood but he bit his tongue. She was helping you. She couldn’t heal you with the knife still in.

A glowing light spread from Regina’s hands and seeped into your abdomen. Sweat trickled from her brow with the effort of it. She wasn’t just closing the wound, she was healing the cut veins, the organs, replacing your blood. And it was taking forever.

Felix knew that she said to be quiet but he couldn’t stop the words from coming out as he stared down at your unconscious face. They were quiet and choked.

“Please,” he whispered, “Please don’t leave me like this.”

His hands shook. Whether from rage or sorrow or fear he couldn’t say. “I love you, darling. I love you so much. And I’m sorry I never say it enough. So please, stay. Hang on for me. If you come back to me, I promise, I’ll say it every day. I love you. I love you.”

The adults were quiet. They had known that you and Felix were together, that you had been together for years even back on Neverland. But you two never acted more than good friends in front of them. It was now though that they saw exactly how deeply you cared for each other. At least, they saw how much Felix cared for you.

And they recognized that his world was ending right before his eyes.

He bent low over you, his forehead almost touching yours so no one could see the tears that gathered in his eyes. Felix was not someone who begged. Not someone who prayed. But he would spend his years kneeling at a pew every day if it meant that you would just open your eyes. “Please. This life isn’t worth living if you are not here with me. Please. Please. Please.”

Please don’t take her from me. Please give her back to me. Anyone. Anything that is watching or listening. Please. I love her. I love her. I love her.

He felt a hand brush his cheek and his eyes snapped open. You stared up at him, your gaze not all in focus but a weak smile pulled at your lips. “You mind? You’re crying on me.”

Felix gathered you in his arms, crushing you to his chest. You winced and he let you lay back down but he was still holding you tight to him. Regina stepped back, satisfied with her handiwork. Your stomach was still tender but you were awake. You were alive!

“I love you.” Felix whispered into your neck over and over as you held you in the middle of the road. “I love you, darling. I love you so much.”

“Felix…” you pulled him back enough to look in his eyes. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

“I thought I lost you.” he let out a shaky breath. “Don’t ever fucking do that to me again!”

“I’ll try my best. I promise.” you hugged him again, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “And I love you too. I love you so very much.”

Felix relaxed in your arms, quietly muttering the same three words over and over as the fear left his body. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

[moistvonlipwig]

OUAT Week Day 5: Favorite parallel(s)

Here's a riddle for you.

Once upon a time, there was a man. A father, to be precise, who loved his child with all his heart. The child's mother had left, so the father was the only parent the child had left. One day the father met a man, a pirate, who mocked him for his softness and weakness, for that is what the pirate thought being a loving father was: soft and weak. But the pirate was not unreasonable; he gave the father the chance to prove him wrong. He challenged the father to a duel. But, of course, such a venture was risky, as the father's child was waiting for him back home, and needed him to come home safe.

What did the father say? Did he say no?

Or did he say yes?

When we first meet Killian Jones in 2.04 "The Crocodile," he takes on the role of the pirate in the story above: the tormentor who believes that putting your child first is worthy of scorn. "A man unwilling to fight for what he wants," he declares, "deserves what he gets" -- an impressive bit of rhetorical theatre that erases the very personhood of Milah and Baelfire both, instead constructing a world that revolves around the figure of the "man" and his success or failure to live up to a hyper-individualist and violent ideal of masculinity. No one else figures into the equation -- not women and certainly not children. To even consider putting fatherhood before being "a man," in Killian's worldview, is nothing but weakness.

By the time 7.13 "Knightfall" rolls around, Killian is now in the role of the father in the story, faced with the choice to duel a pirate and affirm his masculinity through meaningless violence or to go straight home to Alice and free her from the tower without risking his life first. It is no accident that he finds himself in the same situation he once put Rumpelstiltskin in so many years ago. Rather, it is a necessary step in his journey of redemption, growth, and healing.

Like so many other villains and former villains on Once Upon a Time, Killian was once a victim of other people's actions, but over time he has become his own worst enemy. Therefore, it is himself and his own false ideology that he must defeat in order to progress on his journey. So while Captain Ahab is not literally Killian, the way the Split Evil Queen is literally half of Regina or Wish Rumple is literally a version of Rumple, he is metaphorically Killian, and specifically Killian from "The Crocodile."

Captain Ahab makes metatextual sense as a mirror-Killian. Melville's Ahab was a direct inspiration for Barrie's Captain Hook -- in their source texts, both captains lose limbs to sea creatures and dedicate their lives to pursuing revenge against the ones they blame for this loss. And Captain Ahab's name is practically synonymous with obsession and revenge in popular culture. Ahab is revenge made flesh, the originator of the legacy of vengeance and violence that all Captain Hooks are heir to, here to tempt Killian into undoing the work he did in 7.07 "Eloise Gardener" to give up his revenge and his old pirate life behind for the sake of his child.

"Eloise Gardener" is a major turning point for Killian, arguably the biggest one possible. It is the moment where he chooses Alice over his quest for revenge, and in doing so rejects the version of himself who sold Baelfire to Pan, who orphaned and abandoned Liam II, who hated his father and Rumpelstiltskin so much that (as Bae put it) he didn't even realize he had become just like them. In this moment, he chooses not to continue down the path of becoming like his father, instead choosing to identify himself with his mother, who stayed with him "as long as she could." He names his daughter after her; he sings the same lullaby to his infant child that she used to sing to him; he promises to follow her example in staying with his child. He breaks the cycle he's been trapped in for literal centuries.

But that is not the end of the story. Just as Regina choosing Henry over the curse in the 3.09 "Save Henry" flashbacks was not the end of her story. She still had a lot to learn. And so, at this point, does Killian.

Thus, when faced with the same choice Rumple was faced with all those years ago, Killian chooses wrong. Unlike Rumple, he does not swallow his pride and go home to his child, even as Wish Rumple begs and cajoles him to do just that. Wish Rumple has his own self-serving reasons for not wanting Killian to accept the duel, but it is hard not to see him as an echo of the past, urging Killian to make the same choice he himself once made. But Killian doesn't listen. He accepts the duel, choosing the path set for him by Ahab -- his mirror-self, the reflection of the man he once was, his own false ideology that he has yet to truly reckon with. And it costs him everything.

Although he does not die in the duel, the way Rumple surely would have if he'd accepted Killian's challenge, Alice still loses him. A tiny graze from Ahab's bullet permanently poisons his heart and makes it impossible for Killian to stay with his daughter the way he once promised to. It is a profound cruelty on Gothel's part, but perhaps the cruelest part of it is that Killian, like all great tragic heroes, did it to himself. He chose to risk never coming home to his daughter, and that choice in itself ensured he never would. His own twisted ideology has failed him, and he has been forced to confront just how wrong and empty it truly is.

But this is not the end of the story, either. Indeed, in its own way, it is a kind of new beginning. For all that the curse of the poisoned heart is an awful thing for Killian and Alice to endure, Killian's experience with the duel does ultimately change him for the better. Not instantly, for it is hard to change without a support system, especially when you are suffering; but once he has people who have his back, he is able to take the lesson he's learned to heart. What is that lesson? That there is nothing in the world that matters more than one's child; that cleaving children from good parents who love them is nothing but petty cruelty; that being a good father is more important than being "a man" who is willing to "fight for what he wants"; that what he did to Rumple centuries ago was wrong.

Once Killian has learned this lesson, he can overcome his own previous failings as a sort of anti-father figure (or in other words, a Captain Hook -- George Darling's other face, a man whom "no little children love"). Instead of separating families and orphaning children, Killian helps keep families together. He abandons his plan to replace expectant father Storybrooke Hook in 7.02 "A Pirate's Life"; he helps reunite Zelena with Robin Jr. in 7.11 "Secret Garden"; he defends Regina's decision to cast the curse to save Henry in 7.10 "The Eighth Witch"; and, perhaps most touchingly, he gives Jacinda the white elephant to keep her and Lucy together in that same episode, sacrificing his own chance at a life with Alice to do so.

He becomes a living embodiment of loving fatherhood, surpassing not just his past self and his own father but Rumpelstiltskin as well. Indeed, in 7.22 "Leaving Storybrooke", he dies redeeming Rumpelstiltskin's greatest betrayal of Baelfire -- Killian keeps hold of Alice's hand while a portal threatens to separate them even as her very touch kills him, in sharp contrast to Rumple's series-defining moment in 1.19 "The Return" when he lets go of Bae's hand for fear of losing his power. Rumple, in turn, dies redeeming Killian's greatest transgression against Alice -- he gives Killian his heart to replace the one Killian poisoned with his choice to duel Ahab. Rumple, whom Killian taunted when they first met for choosing to get home safe to his son rather than risk his life, gives his life so that Killian can get home safe to his daughter, and in doing so finally heals the wound Killian inflicted on himself all those years ago when he made the opposite choice.

It is a powerful and beautiful ending for Killian and Rumpelstiltskin both: an ending where they redeem themselves by redeeming and healing each other, where they do for Alice what neither could do for Baelfire, where they defeat the ghosts of their past selves for good and pave the way for a better future. And it was all set in motion a long, long time ago -- with a father, a pirate, and an offer to duel.

[spartanguard]

sons of love and death, 8/13 {CSSNS 23}

Summary: After the Final Battle, Killian Jones had finally settled into his happily ever after with his wife and family. Until a new foe arrived in Storybrooke: the infamous Dorian Gray, who looks rather familiar—one might say identical—to the pirate, and he’s on a mission: to claim the powers of the Dark One for himself. There’s only one problem: the Dark One no longer exists. What follows is a journey of vengeance, revelations, magic, and finally facing down the darkness within himself that Killian thought he’d finally put to rest. [roughly canon divergent from 5B, though set post-canon] A/N: So here's the chapter of this @cssns story where things finally earn the M rating ;) (Also—not just because of that—this might be my favorite chapter of the whole thing.) Hope you enjoy it! (As always, thanks to the best beta, @optomisticgirl​​​​ !) rated M | 5.7k words | AO3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Killian took a pull from his flask as he stared out at the horizon. The sun had just set, its orange hue still painting the edge of the sky where it met the ocean, but stars were starting to twinkle in the inky blue overhead. The sight was normally soothing, but it wasn’t quite doing the trick tonight. 

He should probably just go home; brooding on his ship was not going to give him anywhere near as much respite as Emma’s embrace would, but after the day he’d had, he also sorely needed a moment (or a few) alone to try to quell the internal tempest that was currently raging. 

He was also desperate for Emma’s light, but knew he had to find his own first. (And not just the blue glow he could see pulsing in the vein at his wrist.) 

That day saw him at yet another magic lesson. He’d slowly been getting better at harnessing his powers, but maintaining focus was still a challenge. Today was especially difficult as not only had they met in the woods—in an effort to teach him to channel his powers away from the call of the sea—but he’d already been distracted before he met Regina. His thoughts still lingered on the number of townsfolk giving him the cold shoulder; while he knew it was because of Dorian’s actions and not his own, it was still disheartening that his neighbors would be so quick to assume the worst in him, after his consistent work to the contrary. 

Despite the progress he’d been making, he gave into those feelings of hurt and anger while harnessing his magic. It had resulted in some powerful moments, albeit uncontrolled—though he at least had enough magical acumen now to clean up the mess he’d made in the clearing in the forest. 

Towards the end of the lesson, Regina huffed with her arms crossed and gave him a curious look. “What?” he snapped, taking deep breaths as he tried to calm the shaking in his limbs. 

She pursed her lips. “It’s a good thing Emma isn’t here, is all.”

Before they were supposed to meet, Emma had to run off to tend to a break in at Any Given Sundae—Dorian again—so he’d originally attributed his inability to focus on the lack of her presence (though he knew he’d have to stop using her as an emotional crutch at some point). “And why is that?”

Regina strode closer. “I’m the last person to talk when it comes to warning you against feeding your magic with anger; we both know where that goes. But we also both know it’s easier that way.” Then she smirked. “And I know that it feels good.”

He swallowed; he wanted to refute that statement but…he couldn’t. Those angry outbursts—and the accompanying bursts of magic—tingled through his veins in a way that felt oddly euphoric. He was coming to enjoy the sensation of magic flowing through him, but he only felt it strongly when he let his darker emotions take charge. It still felt better than when the Darkness was coursing through him—more natural—but he was starting to worry that it might feel too good. And he was no stranger to addiction. 

“So what do I do?” he asked, in a smaller voice than he intended. (Regina was not someone he’d ever thought he’d be vulnerable in front of.)

She shrugged. “You know I can’t answer that for you. But if there’s anyone I know who can figure it out, it’s you.”

Regina was far more confident in his abilities than he was—and it showed in his next failed attempt (or successful, depending on how one looked at it: his anger overtook him once more, and a nearby rock split in half).

She tutted as she put it back together with a(n annoyingly) casual wave of her hand. “You literally turned your back on the Darkness; this should be easy. How did you do that?”

After catching his breath, he said, “Well, Emma was quite literally having the life choked out of her; I’d rather not reenact that.”

Regina shook her head. “Both of you are so literal. It wasn’t the act; it was the emotion. For someone who wears their heart on their leather sleeve, you’re being awfully dense.” She took a deep breath. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but channel your love for Emma, or something.”

He smirked at her discomfort. 

“Look, that’s the best you’re gonna get from me; you’ve gotta talk to your mother-in-law for all the lovey-dovey crap.”

It got a little better after that—but only his control; there was nothing so powerful as when he reacted instinctively and frustratedly. Regina seemed content enough at the end of their scheduled lesson, as the sun started to cast long shadows, but despite her uncharacteristically encouraging farewell, he still felt off-kilter.

Which brought him here, drinking on his ship, hunched over the railing, in what was proving to be a vain attempt to settle his soul. (Though he realistically should have known that would be no easy feat; it was well-documented that his soul was quite troubled.)

One terrible thought kept plaguing him, especially as he felt the magic in his blood sing in reaction to his proximity to the water: if his love for Emma wasn’t as strong as the anger at his core, then what did that say about him? There was no doubting the immensity of his feelings for her—True Love and all that—but, despite everything they’d been through in the last couple years, had he not yet risen above the depths of his own depravity enough to outweigh it?

And if so, would he ever?

Perhaps he and Dorian were still more similar than he’d like to admit.

“Drinking alone?” Speak of the devil. Killian stiffened at the noise, though; he still wasn’t used to the sound of his own voice coming from someone else. “Doesn’t seem very heroic.”

“What would you know about that, anyway?” he tossed over his shoulder at Dorian. Footsteps sounded as the other man apparently descended on the deck. 

“Oh, nothing; just figured you’d be off with your lovely wife and all your friends, getting high on your own innate goodness.”

Killian turned around—only to find he was well and truly looking in a mirror; As he’d suspected, Dorian was wearing his clothes, his hook, and even more of his face than usual. “Bugger off,” was the only quip he could produce. 

“What, trouble in paradise?” Dorian went on. “Color me surprised.” His smirk said the opposite.

“Sure you are,” Killian answered dryly. “And where does this little rendezvous fit into your futile plan? Come to see how well you’re ruining my life?” He was being a bit of what Henry called “emo,” but he figured it was deserved.

“Why must everything be part of some grandiose plan?” Dorian tossed back casually. “Everyone’s been telling me I should take a lesson from you; what if that’s what I was doing?”

“I’d say you need to study better,” he lectured.

“Ah, I was never much of a book learner. Too flammable.” As if to emphasize it, a burst of flame licked over him from head to toe as he dropped the glamour he’d been using.

“At least that’s one thing we don’t have in common.”

“Definitely more than that,” Dorian continued, either oblivious to or willfully ignoring Killian’s less-than-chipper mood. “You’ve got terrible taste in liquor, too; could barely drink half the rum I stole.”

“Poor you.”

From nowhere, a cigarette appeared in Dorian’s fingers; as he approached Killian, he snapped the fingers of his opposite hand and a flame danced at his fingertips that he used to light it, then shook the fire away as he took a drag.

“No smoking on my ship,” Killian warned, then doused the roll with a quickly summoned bit of seawater.

Dorian pouted, but then tossed the wasted cigarette overboard before leaning backwards against the railing next to him. “I have a feeling we could swap stories on where to find the best booze in all the realms; have you ever been to—”

“Not interested,” he interrupted, and corked his flask to hopefully put an end to that conversation.

“Suit yourself. But perhaps you can tell me: last time you were in Agrabah, how were the brothels? It’s been so long—”

Killian stepped to the side to face him. “Why don’t you go there and find out for yourself—and leave me the hell alone?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Dorian’s smirk was both audible and familiar—far too similar to Killian’s own, right down to the dimple that Emma had often told him was adorable, but just seemed insincere on the other man’s face. 

(Though…he couldn’t deny he’d used it in the past to lull others into a false sense of security.)

He turned away and crossed the deck, no longer wanting to look at his counterpart. He imagined this was similar to what Belle once saw looking into the Ice Queen’s mirror: a twisted vision of one’s most intrusive thoughts brought to life.

“Do you really expect me to believe that Captain Hook, of all people, enjoys life in this…hamlet?” Dorian went on. “It’s just so…boring.”

Killian scoffed. “I had two hundred years of exciting; I’m fine with a bit of boring.”

“Please; you’re a wanderer. For all our differences, I know that’s the same.”

“It’s not; not anymore.”

“I think you’ve just forgotten,” his twin hypothesized, and he could hear and feel his steps getting closer. “Come on, man—let’s take this thing out and set sail. Do some pirating in the Caribbean, eh? Head back to our home realm and visit Pleasure Island. Or we could go to Agrabah, like you said; check out those whorehouses ourselves. Bet things are getting pretty dull with the missus, eh?”

It was like a spark ignited in Killian at the mention of Emma—how bloody dare he assume that? (Especially when it couldn’t be further from the truth.) He didn’t even think; he just dropped his flask, whipped around, pulled his right arm back, and unleashed an instinctive punch right on the side of Dorian’s nose.

He staggered back, bringing his hand to his face; his fingers came back bloody. The other man sniffled, but it did nothing to stop the sluggish flow from his nostril. 

He glared at it for a moment, but then laughed. “Oh, it’s definitely still in you, Hook,” he snarled, glancing up with a wicked grin. “It never leaves.”

“What is?” Killian demanded.

Dorian jumped into his personal space. “The darkness,” he hissed. “Admit it: part of you is fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit.” 

Killian shoved him away. “Fuck. Off,” he bit out, but he knew he was talking to his own doubts and worries just as much as he was to Dorian.

“You can’t deny it,” Dorian told him cockily. “It’s always going to be a part of you. Each of us has heaven and hell in him.”

If Killian had been thinking straight, he’d have remembered Dorian was talking about that shred of the Dark One deep within; but with the way his day had gone, all he heard was that he hadn’t truly changed—not enough.

“You know I’m right. I can fucking feel it.”

Killian glanced down and saw a tempest forming in his palm; he wasn’t sure if it was his imagination or the waning light, but he swore he saw hints of black within, much like when he was the Dark One.

“Tell me, brother: how much blood has that hook spilled?” he prodded.

“Apparently not enough,” Killian spat back, grabbing Dorian’s lapel with his hand pressing the tip of his hook to the other man’s jugular; he could hear the metal scraping against his stubble.

“Do it. I fucking dare you. See what everyone thinks when you’ve murdered me in cold blood.”

“If only that would work. But I get the impression you’d find a way to weasel yourself out of death.”

“Something we’ve both done.”

“No.” Again, he pushed Dorian away, rejecting such selfish similarities. He wasn’t that man anymore—right?

“You can try to deny it, but the facts speak for themselves.”

Killian blinked back tears of frustration. No—he’d come too far from the man he once was—had done so much to make amends—and yet—and yet—

It wasn’t enough. No matter what he did, he’d always be Hook first to everyone.

He glanced down at his namesake appendage. It glinted in the waning light, almost taunting him.

With a dejected cry, he twisted the tool out of its socket, yanked it from its brace, and threw it with all his force at the deck; the point stuck in the wood. 

“That doesn’t change anything and you know it,” Dorian taunted, lighting another cigarette.

He was right; it didn’t. But what would anymore?

Rain started to fall on them despite it being a clear evening; the way it sparked against his skin told him it was his own magic overreacting to his emotional turmoil. Oddly, though, it just sizzled against Dorian as he stared on, unfazed; it didn’t even touch the ember at the end of his cigarette. 

Killian’s heart was racing and it felt like he was on the verge of a panic attack; he hadn’t had one of those in over a century. His vision blurred and it got hard to breathe, and he could feel his magic racing through his veins. He needed—he needed—he needed Emma.

The next thing he knew he was standing in their bedroom at home, sopping wet, and the room was beginning to spin.

He fell to his knees on the rug beside the bed as stars began to swim in his vision; he could still see effulgent blue in the veins of his hand, but faded from where it was a moment ago. 

“Killian?” Emma was on the floor in front of him, worry furrowing her brow. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

“I—” he gasped, but had no idea what to say. 

A sudden rush of fatigue took hold, anyway; his eyes refused to stay open any longer, and he was aware of his arm buckling underneath him as he fell forward. 

The last thing he heard was Emma frantically calling his name before darkness took over. 

Good. That was what he deserved. 

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・🗡・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

Emma was trying to process…whatever the hell was going on. Why had her husband just appeared out of nowhere in their room, soaking wet, and promptly passed out in her lap?

Regina had texted earlier, letting her know that his lesson had been a little rough, so she knew to at least expect him in a stormy mood. But not to look like he’d been caught in an actual tempest. 

His hook was missing, and she could see light fading in the veins at his neck as his magic receded; she still had to ask Regina or Gold why his powers did that. But he didn’t appear to have any other injuries; he’d probably just used too much magic at once and overexerted himself. (She’d definitely done that a few times.)

His brow twitched when she pushed the hair out of his eyes, but he didn’t move otherwise. She knew she should let him rest, but if something was wrong, she needed to know.

But first, she dried him off with a wave of her hand; the subsequent sparking that appeared all along his body in reaction to her magic told her that whatever downpour he’d been caught in was one of his own creation. (That and the fact that she hadn’t seen a cloud all day.)

She’d hoped to rouse him in a more gentle way, but his eyes flew open at the shocks; that was probably hard to sleep through, even if he’d been completely unconscious a moment ago.

“Hey; you okay?” she asked as his eyes darted around from where he was still laying on her thighs, until they finally settled on hers. The normal clear and bright blue was edging on a turbulent grey—a good tell of where he was mentally.

He suddenly jolted upright and then scurried away from her; not far, but enough that there was some distance between them, and he was facing away from her. 

He was sitting with his legs bent up, arms resting on his knees, and was staring at his hand, turning it over to look at both front and back—and it was shaking. 

“Killian?” she asked quietly. “What’s wrong?”

“Everything,” he said on a breath. 

Knowing him, that was probably hyperbole, but it was clear he wasn’t in a good place, mentally or emotionally. Normally, she’d check to see if he needed space, but he’d already had that tonight and he’d come home (or, at least, his magic had brought him here) for a reason.

Slowly, she got up and moved over to him. He didn’t notice her barefoot steps on their plush rug, so she whispered “hey” when she got close, before she gently took his hand in hers. 

He tried to pull his hand away but she held on tight. Then he glanced up at her, eyes watery, but still apparently speechless. 

“What happened?” she asked as she knelt in front of him. “Talk to me.”

“How can you even touch me, love?” he replied. “After everything I’ve done?”

She made a mental note to call Archie as she wiped a tear from his cheek; he’d come a long way from where he used to be in regards to self-loathing, but still regularly wrestled with his guilt. “Because I love you, that’s why. Pretty sure that’s well-established, certified by the gods and all.” She pressed a kiss to the back of his unsteady hand. “And you’ve come so far from where you used to be; you’re not that man anymore, I promise you.”

“I had thought so, too, but I’m not so sure anymore.”

It didn’t take any further prodding for him to tell her what had happened that day—his growing frustration with the way the town was giving him the cold shoulder thanks to Dorian’s shenanigans; how that affected his lesson with Regina and their subsequent conversations; and then the confrontation he’d just had with Dorian on his ship, including their physical altercation and his rejection of his hook (which answered that question). He held onto her hand like an anchor through the whole thing; she just listened and gradually lowered herself until she was sitting next to him.

“What if I haven’t done enough?” he finally asked her, voice thick. “He’s right—I will always be fighting against my baser instincts. It’s constantly there, simmering beneath the surface. It’s easy enough to ignore when we’re just going about our daily lives, but when tensions rise—when things get unstable—I don’t know that I’ll make the right decisions. And, Swan,” he continued, “I know I love you more than life itself; why isn’t that enough for me to overcome it?”

Well, shit; that was pretty heavy. But they’d both gotten used to helping ease each other’s burdens.

She pulled his hand into her chest and turned on her rear to face him. “I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but yeah, you are always going to be fighting against it. You were in the dark for a long time; that’s always going to be a part of you.” He visibly swallowed at that, and she perhaps slightly regretted that choice of words when it came to, y’know, the actual piece of the Darkness that was supposedly inside of them somewhere. Anyways. “It won’t be easy—just ask Regina; she’ll probably tell you it’s a constant choice. And no, you might not always make the right one, but guess what? I won’t either; we both have a long track record of just that. I know my experience was a bit different, but I remember what it was like, with the Dark One whispering my deepest desires in my ear—and enabling them. But we wouldn’t even be having this conversation if you hadn’t already proved you’re capable of rising above all that.”

He blinked and sniffed. “Logically, I know all that. But deep down…what if I fail, Emma? What if I succumb to that again?”

“Why would you?” she countered easily. She couldn’t imagine any scenario where he—either of them—would risk losing everything they had now to pursue anything that could place them on a darker path, other than something drastic. 

Which, of course, was exactly what he was imagining; should have known that someone who had literally lived through the worst things possible would very quickly find themselves reliving that, or envisioning worse. She could feel his magic sparking against her palm as his emotions began to spiral again.

“Hey—no,” she said firmly, cupping his face with her hand to make him look at her before he could follow that train of thought further. “Nothing is gonna happen.”

“You can’t confidently say that, Emma.”

“And yet, I just did,” she winked, hoping to lighten the mood. He gave a tiny smile back; she took it as a win. “And if for whatever reason you ever did go that way again—well, I’m not so pure and light either, regardless of my savior status. I’m not going anywhere; I will always be at your side.”

His eyes bored into hers and she was expecting some grandiose statement of love, but instead, he surged forward, finding her lips with his own. Well. She recognized well enough when actions spoke louder than words.

She leaned into the kiss without hesitation, her free hand drifting down to his chest. He still held tight to her hand but used his left arm to pull her into his lap, which she promptly straddled. He had a death grip on her whole being and was hardly giving her room to breathe, but she wasn’t complaining; she’d let him have whatever he wanted.

When they did finally come up for air, he gasped out, “Emma; I—I need—”

“What?” Her voice was just as breathless.

“I need to feel…” he whispered, eyes squinted shut.

“Tell me.”

He opened his eyes, and frantic blue was looking out. “Good.”

“You are good,” she reminded him.

“I just…I need you.” He sounded desperate.

“Always.”

They made quick work of their clothes in tandem; wherever he touched her as he helped her undress, sparks danced along her skin. Once she slid his shirt and vest off of his shoulders, she had to bite back a gasp at the way his veins glowed from within all across his body. She stared at it for a moment, but he didn’t let her linger long, gently guiding her chin back up to claim her lips again. 

Awkwardly, they shimmied out of their pants (but they were used to that being a bit unpolished in their usual hunger for each other) and fell against their mattress side-by-side. She was about to ask how he wanted it, until he wrapped his arms around her and rolled on top.

But he hesitated, even though he was hovering above her (and she was more than ready for him). “What?”

“Can I…?” It wasn’t hard for her to tell what he was asking. They usually kept things fairly reciprocal in the bedroom, but every so often, for whatever reason, one or the other would take the lead. Given that Killian was feeling somewhat out of control at the moment, she knew what he was asking. 

“Of course,” she answered, reaching up to cup his neck and toy with the short hairs at the nape of it; he seemed to melt a bit at her touch. “Take what you need.”

His expression softened, and he again kissed her lips as he carefully lowered his hips against hers.

There was no formal foreplay—he was too anxious, and frankly, she was already worked up—but the way his length brushed against her folds as he began to move above her felt divine and had her eager for more.

His leather brace was cold against her increasingly flushed skin where he rested it along her side, but his hand was warm where it gripped her waist. They hadn’t yet broken the kiss, but he came close a few times—either from his own growing arousal, which she was increasingly aware of, or from the play of her fingers through the hair of both his head and his chest. The way his veins continued to pulse incandescently was tell-tale, too.

Finally, he did pull back a bit, but not much—only just enough to give her a little breathing room (not that she wanted any). He sat back on his haunches and stroked himself, but the way his hand was shaking was visible. 

So she propped herself up on one arm and stilled his trembling hand with her steady one. “Let me?”

He closed his eyes, somewhere between frustration and gratitude, and nodded. “Aye.”

Gently, keeping her hand around his, she helped him get the rest of the way to hard—which didn’t take long, but long enough for her to admire the wrecked look on his face and the way his long lashes sat on his cheekbones. Then she guided him to her entrance; he needed no help pressing in, though. (But she wrapped her legs around his waist, anyway.) 

For a moment, they both adjusted to the feel of him being inside her; she never tired of the perfect way he filled her (both physically and emotionally). He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, looking down at her with not a small amount of lust, but there was still some trepidation in there. 

“You are a wonderful man, Killian Jones,” she murmured, cupping his cheek. “And I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he said on a breath, then pressed himself closer as he began to move. 

She figured at the outset, she’d have been the one loving on him; and yet, here they were, with him sucking kisses into the most sensitive parts of her neck as he continued to pull out and press in, delivering the best kind of friction that had her steadily climbing to her peak. 

She’d never had as giving a lover as Killian, and in her experience, those were few and far between. In her opinion, that said enough about what kind of man he was. 

He picked up his pace as they both chased release; she urged him on, pressing her heels into his lower back. “Emma—are you—?”

“Almost,” she breathed. 

He reached between them and found her clit (seriously—he was on another level), massaging it gently, but she still gasped at the sensation. How he was able to work it without losing his rhythm was a mystery to her, but she was the farthest thing from complaining. 

“I’m—I’m—” she stuttered, approaching her apex. 

“Come for me, love,” he whispered, and she did, with a cry and a jolt—literally. 

It felt like her every neuron was lit up as she hit orgasm—which wasn’t unusual, but the fact that her magic was humming beneath her skin was new. Tiny pinpricks of electricity sparked along her spine and through her veins, then danced at her fingertips. 

With the way she was gripping his shoulders as she fell into oblivion, she hoped she wasn’t hurting him—from either her grasp or her magic. But he didn’t seem to give any indication of discomfort as he found his own release a few moments later. 

Once she caught her breath, her eyes fluttered open to look up at him—and her breath was immediately stolen again, because he was entirely alight, the blue glow of his magic shining from within. She wasn’t sure if the sheen on his skin was sweat or an expression of his own water powers, but each drop was almost fluorescent. 

She brushed his wet (again) hair from where it hung in his face; there was again a reaction when her own inherent electricity met his personal precipitation. His eyes flew open at her touch, and even his irises seemed to be lit from within. 

“What is it?” he asked softly, his eyes darting back and forth as he studied her face.

“Just…look at you,” she told him. “You’re incredible.”

His brow furrowed in confusion, but then he glanced down at himself. He stilled at first, but then slowly sat back (pulling himself out in the process) and held his arms out in front of him, staring. 

At first, she couldn’t quite tell if he was in awe or shock; there was an unusual lack of expression on his face as he studied himself and the magic flowing through his veins, glowing especially bright under his breast—at his heart. 

He clenched his hand into a fist and closed his eyes. She propped herself up on her elbows as she watched…whatever he was doing. It still seemed like he wasn’t sure—until she saw his jaw clench in a determined way. 

Not just that—no, he suddenly seemed confident. 

The beads of water all along his skin seemed to glow brighter for a second, then lifted away from him. Slowly, they began to twist and swirl, circling Killian and coalescing into one spiral of luminescent liquid. 

Few things she could recall looked more beautiful. 

The coil of water made a few more revolutions before snaking away—towards the bathroom, she realized; of course, he’d be conscientious about cleaning up his mess (they’d deal with the other one later). 

The glow under his skin had faded as the physical evidence of his magic disappeared, but a different kind replaced it: he opened his eyes—and grinned. 

“Believe me now?” she asked—a bit smug, but mostly proud and just so, so in love. 

“Aye, I think I do,” he answered; she thought he was being unusually modest, especially when he scratched behind his ear, but then he was glancing up at her through his lashes, gaze filled with lust. “But maybe you could remind me again?”

“Mm, I think that can be arranged.”

Round Two was just as magical. (So was Round Three.)

Some time later, calm and sated, they fell into bed again, but this time for rest. She was tucked into his side, her hand resting over his heart on his bare chest, and he was holding her close. 

“Thank you, Swan,” he murmured as she began to drift off. 

“For what?”

“For helping me come back to myself.”

She tilted his head to face her. “Always. But I hope you don’t need it as often now.”

“I hope so too, but—”

She stopped him mid-sentence by pressing a finger to his lips. “Uh-uh. No buts. Do you honestly think a selfish man would have made me come four times tonight?”

He chuckled. “I suppose not.”

“You are one of the best people I know, Killian, and it’s because you once weren’t that makes you so good now—you’ve walked that path, you know what it was like, and you learned what not to do. Nothing and no one can change that.”

“No, I don’t think they can,” he agreed. “Not as long as I have you by my side.”

She cupped his cheek. “Well, I’m not going anywhere, but you don’t need me. Remember—I know what your heart looks like, and it is the brightest red.”

“There’s a bit of black.”

“A bit. The part that kept you alive long enough for us to find each other. And the part that’s a reminder of how far you’ve come. Don’t ever forget that, okay?”

“I won’t.” 

She pressed a kiss against his lips and settled her head on his chest (her favorite pillow). “Good. I love you.”

“I love you too, darling. Eternally.”

“Same. Now stop being melodramatic and go to sleep.”

He laughed again—she loved the feel of its vibration under her cheek—but complied, and they both drifted into a peaceful sleep. 

And hopefully, that was the last time she had to convince him that he was no longer defined by his past. They’d certainly had that conversation before, but this one had a sense of finality—of closure. 

Whatever lay ahead—whatever Dorian had planned—it was even more unlikely to succeed now. 

And that was the comforting thought that put her to sleep. 

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・🗡・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

Back on the ship, Dorian stood over where his twin’s hook still sat lodged in the deck. He was smirking, and frankly impressed with himself. 

He knew he’d have to get his hands on it at some point, but hadn’t expected it to be this easy. A piece of metal that had been touched by all three former Dark Ones? (Everyone knew the story of Hook attempting to stab Rumpelstiltskin with his namesake appendage, and he’d seen the sheriff touch it more than once.) A rare thing to come by but crucial to his plan. 

He extinguished his cigarette on the ship’s railing, leaving the ashes behind, then knelt down to inspect it. So unassuming, but so much potential. 

He fished a handkerchief from an inner pocket of his coat and wrapped it around the curved metal. It took more force than he anticipated to free it from the wood, but once he did, he tucked it in his jacket and then transported himself away, back to the room he was squatting in.

While that was an important ingredient, it wasn’t all he needed to complete the spell. Obviously, blood was required, and there was still the matter of getting at their souls, but progress was progress. 

Though the night was young, it was definitely past closing time for most businesses, so his next step would have to wait a bit. He’d seen another bar that day that looked to be less trite than the Rabbit Hole; it’d be good enough to spend an evening. 

He took out the hook and put it in the drawer of the bedside table, ignoring the overflowing ashtray atop it, then placed a locking spell on it that only he could undo (he wasn’t fool enough to think a blood lock might hold, even if Killian was nowhere near that kind of magic yet).

Tomorrow, he’d keep moving forward. Tonight, he’d just have fun. 

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・🗡・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

thanks for reading! tagging some peeps (let me know if you do/don’t want a tag!) @kat2609 @xpumpkindumplingx @shipsxahoy@mryddinwilt @cocohook38 @annytecture @shireness-says @ohmightydevviepuu @wistfulcynic​ @pirateherokillian @colinoeyebrows​ @wingedlioness​ @word-bug​ @thisonesatellite @killianmesmalls @thejollyroger-writer @ineffablecolors​ @ive-always-been-a-pirate @nfbagelperson @stubblesandwich @phiralovesloki @athenascarlet​ @kmomof4 @ilovemesomekillianjones​ @whimsicallyenchantedrose @snowbellewells​ @idristardis @scientificapricot @searchingwardrobes​ @donteattheappleshook @jrob64 @the-darkdragonfly​ @stahlop​ @klynn-stormz​ @resident-of-storybrooke @bluewildcatfanatic

[athenascarlet]

The Merman Pirate

Summary: Emma was trying to settle back into normal life after her trip to Neverland so answering calls to the sheriff’s office feels good again. Except the call leads her to the local school and something she never expected. Rating: T Notes: For @cssns! I’m so excited to get this story out for Captain Swan Supernatural Summer. I’ve been thinking about Hook as a merman for awhile now and found this to be a fun one-shot to get out of my brain. Post-Neverland but pre-Pan curse. Just a normal night with a princess and a pirate. ;)

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

The sky was dark and stormy as Emma drove through the streets of Storybrooke with her windshield wipers on high to clear the water away.

She had been back for a whole day from Neverland and was already fielding calls to handle another issue as a sheriff of this town. She didn’t really mind though. After being stuck on that stupid island for however long they were there, it was nice to be back and handling the normal calls that came into the office.

It also helped to distract her from what was going on with her son. Henry didn’t seem himself after the Jolly Roger returned to town, but she was still trying to figure out exactly what was going on there.

So a report to the sheriff’s office that someone broke into the town’s school? Totally normal and a good distraction.

Emma pulled up to the front of the school and ran through the pouring rain to the front door. Another benefit of working for the sheriff’s office is Emma had plenty of keys to buildings in the town, but it took her a few tries to find the one for the school.

She finally found the one she needed and slipped it quietly into the lock. The school itself was empty as she went through the halls checking classrooms and finding no one. Henry’s classroom included some artwork on the wall that he had done before they left for Neverland. It was just another reminder that despite their adventures, her son was still a kid going to school. Well, some days.

Emma made her way to the cafeteria and then the gym, finding no one. Perhaps the call was a dud or whoever was here had already left even though nothing seemed out of place.

There was a flash of lightning outside illuminating an open door on the far end of the gym and she started to make her way over as the thunder boomed overhead. Emma hoped it would hide the sound of her squeaky shoes on the floor.

She gently pushed the door open into the school’s pool, realizing she had never been in this part of the building before.

Emma didn’t always like Regina and it made her skin crawl at times thinking of the curse that Regina cast to create this town. But there were other times like now when she couldn’t help but admire Regina’s work. The pool’s walls were covered with tiles depicting colorful fish, sea serpents, and jellyfish. She wondered what Hook would think of this. He would probably ask to have someone add his Jolly Roger to the wall.

There was a splash from the pool and Emma’s attention was pulled in the direction of the water. It wasn’t still. There was someone in there.

She pushed herself into a shadow, realizing she had exposed her presence while staring at the walls. Her hand was on the holster of her gun as she peered back out into the water to see what was there.

And then she saw the mermaid.

Emma thought nothing could shock her when it came to magical creatures and fairy tale stories, but she couldn’t help but stare at the water glimmered on the scales of a gorgeous dark blue tail. It was darker than she expected and not like the tail that she had seen Ariel unfurl a few times in the open bay in Storybrooke.

And then the rest of the mermaid crested above the water, and Emma realized it wasn’t a mermaid.

He was a merman.

Hook.

His eyes were just above the waterline and she could tell it was him by his wet hair and that little peak on the top of his ears. But that was the only part of him above the water while his tail seemed to shimmer below the surface.

Emma took a breath and finally stepped out from her hiding spot. “Hook.”

He turned dramatically, his tail splashing through the surface as he pushed himself higher and his piercing blue eyes landed on her. A sexy sneer teased at the corner of his lips when he realized it was her and the tension in his shoulder seemed to slip away.

“Good evening, Swan. Fancy seeing you here this late.”

She walked over to the edge of the pool and looked down at him as he swam to the edge near her feet.

“I got a call about someone breaking and entering.”

“Well, I am a pirate.”

She crouched down to give him a closer look as his arms reached up to give him some extra leverage on the edge of the pool.

“You also seem to be a merman?”

“I do like the water.”

Emma shouldn’t be staring. She didn’t mean to stare. But Hook was right in front of her and he was a merman. His tail was dark against the light background of the pool and he was lazily flipping it around under the water. She wasn’t sure if this was the normal movement for his fin or if Hook was trying to put on a show because he could tell she was watching him.

And he was wearing clothes?

“What’s with the shirt?” she asked.

“The chlorine is harsh on my skin.”

“And why are you even here?”

There was another flash of light outside the pool’s window and thunder rolled overhead. Hook just looked up as a way to wordlessly answer the question.

“So you’re a mermaid who doesn’t swim when there’s water coming down from the sky?” she asked sarcastically.

“I’m a merman, Swan.” Hook’s tail flipped gently out of the water and back in as if to emphasize the difference. “And storms churn up all the dirt in the bay so I came here instead.”

“Sure,” she replied. “Yep, all logical.”

He shrugged and pushed off the wall, his tail swinging around underwater and then surfacing right where she was crouching, splashing her boots with a little water.

“Perhaps it’s not logical in your human realm, but you are the sheriff of a town full of people from the Enchanted Forest.”

“Don’t remind me.”

He gave her one of his wicked smiles and ducked down into the water, covering the length of the pool without coming up. He dove lower in the deep end and then quickly surfaced, the wet tail below his waist shimmering as he emerged high above the surface.

Then Hook was swimming back to her with the seductive look that reminded her of their kiss in Neverland. The way he stared at her, daring her to reward him for saving her father.

“Would you like to join me, Swan?”

They were back in Storybrooke now. She had to remember that. She was the sheriff who simply came across a merman because she was doing her job.

“Not tonight.”

Hook swam a little closer to her again and used his tail to hoist himself out of the water so he was eye level with her now. It was unnerving and delicious, and he was turning her on again just as he had when they were in Neverland.

“Perhaps another night then,” he said seductively.

Then he slipped back under the water and began his swim again.

Emma needed to remind herself that she was the sheriff and she was her on official sheriff business. Flirting with a merman was not part of her job description and she needed to get back to work.

She stood up and looked down at Hook in the pool again. He seemed content as if this was his way of releasing the frustration and stress from their time in Neverland. She wondered if she would ever have some kind of magic that could help her channel away those same feelings.

But that would have to be for another night.

“Make sure you lock up when you leave,” she yelled down into the water.

Hook surfaced again, his tail dragging behind him out of the water. “As you wish, Swan.”

As you wish. Unlike their moment in Neverland, this time his “As you wish” was teasing and flippant.

She liked the other way better.

The way he said it to her after she kissed him.

Emma knew that could never happen again.

“Good night, Hook,” she said before turning and heading back toward the gym and her job.

She heard a splash as his merman tail hit the water as she walked away.

[aviradasa]

Welcome to my masterlist

REQUESTS ARE OPEN

{Picture from Pinterest}

Shows:

The umbrella Academy

Supernatural

The walking dead

Miraculous ladybug

How to train your dragon (all spin-off shows)

The dragon Prince mysterys of Aaravos

Once upon a time

Movies

Van helsing 2004

Hellboy 1 and 2

Labyrinth 1986

The MCU as a whole (Marvel cinematic universe)

Same with the DC universe

Avatar 1 and 2

Games

Pirates of the Caribbean (all movies)

Lord of the rings (lotr)

Sally face

Call of duty

Skyrim

Legend of Zelda breath of the wild/ tears of the kingdom

Assassins creed 2

Stardew valley

Books

Creepypasta

(Work in progress I’m reading a lot more recently so give it time any book suggestions are welcome.I’m a huge fantasy fan!!!)

Bands:

Ghost

David Bowie

Mcr

(I’ll add more here once my will to live dies again.)

Characters I will write for:

The umbrella academy:

Luther

Diego

Allison

Five

Klaus

Ben

Viktor

Lila

Marcus

Fei

Alphonso

Sloane

Jayme

Supernatural:

Sam

Different characters react to you stoned/couch logged

Dean

Different characters react to you stoned/couch logged

Castiel

Different characters react to you stoned/couch logged

Lucifer

Different characters react to you stoned/couch logged

(I'm only on season 5 so if you want more characters let me know and I'll do my best!)

The walking dead:

Rick

Daryl

Different characters react to you stoned/couch logged

Glenn

Maggie

Michonne

Negan

Carl

Rosita

Abraham

Ezekiel

Carol

Miraculous ladybug:

Marinette

Adrian

Luka

Julika

Nino

Alya

Chloé

Kim

Sabrina

Jagged stone

Meeting the kids jagged stone x fem!reader HC

Rose

Nathalie

How to train your dragon:

Hiccup

Astrid

Ruffnut

Tuffnut

Snotlout

Fishlegs

Heather

Eret

Dagur

The dragon Prince, mystery of Aaravos:

Aaravos

Love long lost Aaravos x Fem!reader pt 1

Love long lost Aaravos x Fem!reader pt 2

Love long lost Aaravos x Fem!reader pt3

The sight of two stars Aaravos x Startouched elf! Reader

Callum

Rayla

Claudia

Viren

Soren

Janai

Nyx

Ibis

Amaya

Corvus

Gren

Terry

Once upon a time:

Mr.Gold ( Rumpelstiltskin )

Captain Killian ‘Hook’ Jones ( Captain hook)

Emma Swan

Regina Mills (the ‘Evil’ queen)

Mary Margaret Blanchard (Snow white)

David Nolan (Prince charming)

(work in progress)

Van Helsing (2004):

Dracula

Aleera

Marishka

Verona

Gabriel Van helsing

Anna valerious

Velkan valerious

Carl

Hellboy 1 and 2 (live action 2004-2008 movies)

Hellboy

Different characters react to you stoned/couch logged

Abe

Liz

John

Prince Nuada

Different characters react to you stoned/couch logged

Princess nuala

Labrynth 1986

Jareth the goblin king

Marvel:

Peter Parker

Thor

Loki

Tony Stark

Dr, Stephan strange

Wanda

Bucky

Natasha

Nick Fury

Bruce banner

Steven Rodger

DC:

Bruce Wayne

Barry allen

Oliver Queen

Clark kent

Robin

Starfire

Raven

Cyborg

Beastboy

Joker

Harley

Poison Ivy

Catwoman

Avatar 1 and 2

Jake sulley

Naytiri

Neteyam

Lo’ak

Kiri

Miles Quaritch

Javier “spider”

Aonung

Grace

Pirates of the Caribbean:

Captain jack sparrow

Captain Hector Barbossa

Will Turner

Elizabeth Swan

James Norrington

Bootstrap bill turner

Davey jones

Lord Cutler Beckett

Sally face:

Calypso ( Tia Dalma)

Lord of the rings/the hobbit (lotr)

Legolas

Aragorn

Sam

Frodo

Pippin

Merry

Boromir

Faramir

Arwen

Gimli

Éowyn

Elrond

sal fisher

Larry johnson

Ash

Travis

Call of duty:

Ghost Mw2 and 2009

König

Soap

Price

Graves

Skyrim:

Cicero

Astrid

Arnbjorn

Farkus

Vilkas

Aela

Balgruuf the greater

Legend of Zelda Botw/totk:

Link

Zelda

Mipha

Daruk

Revali

Sidon

Urbosa

Kass

ganon

Assassins creed 2:

Ezio

Stardew valley (Sdv):

Alex

Elliot

Harvey

Sam

Sebastian

Shane

Abigail

Emily

Haley

Leah

Maru

Penny

The wizard

Caroline

Dwarf

Jodi

Kent

Krobus

Robin

Pierre

Sandy

Ghost:

Papa Emeritus 1 (primo)

Papa Emeritus 2 (secondo

Papa emeritus 3 (terzo)

Papa emeritus 4/cardinal copia

Swiss

Aether

Mountin

Phantom

Aurora (we have the same name irl lol)

Rain

Cirrus

Sunshine

Cumulus

Sodo

Dewdrop

David bowie(going by era current stage persona):

Ziggy stardust

Aladdin sane

The thin white duke

Major tom

David bowie

My chemical romance

Gerard way

Party poison

Mikey way

Kobra kid

Frank iero

Fun ghoul

Ray toro

Jet star

I will add Other characters to any of these lists if you would like to request a character go on ahead!

What I will write/Rules:

Rules:

No bullying or harrassment to anyone or groups of people in the comments. BE NICE TO OTHERS

No homophobia

No racism

What I will write:

No hatred

Fluff

I don't write for Male readers anymore. Due to some uncomfortable and unnessasary comments and requests. I apologize for this. I will write for trans folks though

Angst

No self harm. I've struggled with it in the past and still sometimes do so I won't write for it

Smut

(FOR SMUT I WILL NEVER EVER ERITE ANYTHING LISTED BELOW)

No Pe*o*hili* (this includes age play)

No R@pe

No Necro

No poop or pee shit

If there is anything else I find out exists that I don't like I will add to this list.

IF YOU REQUEST THESE THINGS YOU WILL BE BLOCKED AND REPORTED.

Lemon

Anything you want I will add

PS. When requesting please be specific to what fandom/character you want(I will do crossovers.) just so I can make sure to get everything right for ya!

[sentenceme-leni]

Sunday. Minimum 7 sentences.

---

Their guests gone, Belle stacked the plates and started her way to the kitchen. Rumpelstiltskin followed her with the glasses they had used for the so-called family dinner, humming distractedly as he helped load up the dishwasher.

The evening had started on a tense note, as Regina still took offense at the Darling brothers' actions while under Pan's thumb. However, the men were apologetic enough to soothe even the Evil Queen's anger.

It helped that Regina could certainly understand going to extremes to protect a beloved child.

"That went well," he said when his hands were free, and immediately reached for his wife. "Thank you for convincing me to invite Bae's friends. I'd have tossed the Charmings out before dessert, I'm sure."

Belle turned sideways, giving him an incredulous look. "That was a disaster, Rumple."

Rumpelstiltskin frowned. There had been no yelling, no threats, and no magic shooting around. "What are you talking about, sweetheart?"

"Henry is sweet on Wendy."

Well, yes. Anyone with sense could see that. His grandson had inherited his subtlety from Regina - to wit, he stared at the Darling girl with hearts in his eyes and monopolized her attention.

It was rather cute.

Belle appeared not to share that opinion. "Wendy isn't interested in Henry."

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged. In their family, a little prepubescent romantic disappointment wasn't a huge problem. "He'll get over it. Or maybe he'll change her mind." He chuckled, tightening his grasp enough to land a playful kiss on her cheek. "We are men of great charisma, I'm told."

Belle rolled her eyes.

"Maybe a little too much charisma. That girl is still stuck on your son."

That was also obvious.

"For all she's been alive for two centuries, she's twelve at heart. Puppy love passes soon."

Belle still frowned. "It's still weird."

Rumpelstiltskin laughed. "My son's best friend used to be his mom's lover. And though we all pretend otherwise, Miss Swan has taken an interest on the bastard." He took a deep breath, as he usually did when the pirate came up, and returned to the subject at hand. "Wendy's little crush doesn't even register on the weird scale to Bae."

"I guess..."

He twirled them around so they were face to face, and kissed her forehead. "You married into quite the unconventional family, sweetheart. But we make it work, don't we?"

Belle smiled. "It has been weeks since anyone tried to kill the other," she agreed.

"Best of all, we don't need to have them over for another couple of months at least."

"Want the house all to ourselves, don't you?"

Rumpelstiltskin tilted her head up and smiled. "Yes, indeed." He gave a quick kiss to her lips. "I'm happy when it's just the two of us."

The End

28/04/24

[snowbellewells]

Belated Birthday Fic for @jrob64

Joni (@jrob64) this is long overdue now, and probably not worth the waiting you've done for it, but I still wanted to give you the story I wrote for your birthday. It takes place in Season 2, after Emma leaves Hook on the beanstalk, but diverges in that Hook carches up with the Savior and the rest of the Princess squad again without Cora. There's some mentioned whump and I hope plenty of hurt/comfort (since you and I both enjoy that so! ;) And I hope you'll still like it, even though it's now well past your birthday. I am so glad we are friends and that this OTP and fandom lead us to meet and get to know each other!

“Consequences”

by: @snowbellewells

The logs and twigs they’d gathered for their campfire were crackling mightily, releasing occasional pops when sap ignited, but giving off the light and heat their weary and mismatched group needed as they wordlessly gathered on a fallen stump and large rock nearby. None of the women spoke. Exhausted and worried, and still not fully trusting of each other, they merely watched as Mary Margaret spun the rabbit she’d brought back for supper on the spit they had rigged up over the fire and listened as Mulan finished assembling the tent they’d soon crawl into once they had eaten at last.

This wilderness was about the furthest thing from an “Enchanted” Forest that Emma could have conjured in her naive 21st century mind, but she was simply too drained to point out the irony to either her mother - she wasn’t even ready to apply that term to her friend and roommate yet - or honest-to-goodness freaking Sleeping Beauty. And it didn’t help that she kept hearing Hook’s voice echoing in her ears, the hurt and shocked betrayal in his tone - and in those dangerously expressive eyes - as he’d pled with her, ‘Have I told you a lie? Why do this to me now?’ She had the sinking feeling that no matter how tired her body might be, when she lay her head down tonight, she wouldn’t be able to sleep for seeing his face as it had looked when she had turned away on the back of her eyelids, and her guilt at leaving him chained atop the beanstalk gnawing at her insides.

Shaking her head clear, Emma reminded herself once again that Hook had been in league with Cora; they had no proof but his word, her gut feeling, and her superpower no one else believed, that he wasn’t still working for the witch against them. She’d done the right thing, Emma savagely scolded her yammering conscience. Nothing was worth the risk of not getting back to Henry - or even worse, seeing Regina’s evil mother find her way to where Henry was. Certainly not a piercing-eyed pirate who seemed to see right through her and make her squirm doing it.

With a nod and murmur of thanks, she took the portion of roasted meat offered to her on a makeshift skewer and nibbled at it gingerly. It might just be that she was famished and too tired to be picky, but it tasted better than expected. Emma was swallowing her second bite, when noise caught her attention from the nearby treeline. She jerked upright, immediately on guard; her state of near-slumber shattered and all her nerves jangling with alarm. Her eyes met Mary Margaret’s as her mother reached for her bow and Emma stood with fists clenched, ready to defend them however she could, whether her gun was any use out here or not. Mulan had abandoned the tent at the sound as well, smoothly drawing her sword and facing the trees in front of them like a deadly sentinel.

The noise of heavy footsteps smashing through the underbrush grew nearer and louder; branches snapped, heavy, gasping breaths were heard, and Emma could only square her shoulders and wait for whatever new foe was coming forth to show itself.

What she wasn’t expecting - and what tore a harsh gasp from her throat on sight - was for Hook to stumble dazedly out of the woods toward them, momentarily leaning against a tree trunk to steady himself, his face obviously bloody and his clothing torn. He took a couple more weaving steps toward them before the toe of his boot caught a root that sent him sprawling face down in the dirt at their feet. And he didn’t get up. Didn’t move or speak. Emma was rushing forward in spite of herself before she could think better of it. Her mother called for her to be careful, and Mulan’s stern face cautioned it could be a ploy, but she paid neither of them much heed.

He still hadn’t moved, and he looked even worse close up. He’d been hurt. Badly. Surely Anton wouldn’t have…  This wasn’t what she had wanted. Was this her fault?

Crouching, Emma tried to shake Hook gently, to stir him back into wakefulness. A groan escaped him breathily, which shouldn’t have relieved her nearly as much as it did. There was nothing for it but to roll him over onto his back. At least then she could see his face and assess the damage.

But when she did, her breath caught a second time, choking up somewhere between her throat and her lungs. She couldn’t imagine there had been many times in the life of Captain Killian Jones when this could be said of him, but he looked terrible. His lower lip was busted, with rusty remnants of dried blood staining where they had trailed down his chin. One eye was swollen nearly shut, and the other was bleary to the point that she wondered how he had made his way to them through the dark. A large gash that had barely closed showed beneath the disheveled dark fringe on his forehead. Dark, purpled bruises and nasty scrapes mottled the skin of his face, neck and collar nearly everywhere she could see. Though she would have never admitted it aloud, Hook’s usually flawless countenance was horribly altered by whatever had happened to him. The shadows darkening his usual mischievious sparkle and daring turned her stomach in a way she couldn't begin to explain.

He struggled to raise his head slightly and blinked up at her as best he could through the usable slit of his eye. “Ah Swan, caught up to you, didn’t I?” he jested brokenly, somehow still teasing her through what must be immense pain.

Tilting her head to study him, Emma struggled to look unamused while inexplicably aching to place a hand to his forehead, brush back the matted hair there, and offer some modicum of comfort. Her fingers moved almost of their own accord, hovering just barely over his cheek before hesitating and pulling back, tingling at their proximity even as she resisted making contact. There didn’t appear to be a single place on him that wasn’t battered and wouldn’t cause him more pain if she tried to touch.

As if reading her concern, Hook shifted restlessly, attempting to lever himself upright and then falling back with a wince and guttural moan of protest. She also noticed for the first time how tightly he kept his hook arm pressed to his side, not sure if the injury was to the arm itself or if he were shielding his stomach or ribs, but it ratcheted her worry for him that much higher. Not certain what to do for him, or what to say, her usual half-annoyed bantering retorts fled her the longer she witnessed his vulnerability. Emma finally settled on simply answering his question, and asking one of her own. “It would appear you’ve caught me,” she acknowledged, then added softer, “But why?”

Huffing out a weary breath, Killian didn’t look at her as he barely shook his head, the motion seeming to express that he didn’t quite know himself. “I guess because, double cross and all, Lass, you lot are the safest choice for company of my rather limited options.”

Emma flushed with embarrassment at his casual mention of what she’d done. Her cheeks burned, knowing the man who lay before her could surely see how she’d colored at the reminder and could only hope that his current state made him less sharply observant than usual. That she hadn’t trusted him or the brief alliance they’d made shamed her, and then made her angry for feeling ashamed. She’d been burned before, and had learned to be more wary. That she had wanted to believe him, and had silently agreed when he’d called them quite a team, had only made her more anxious to leave him behind, to flee before he turned on her and she was left in the dust herself. Pushing the conflicting emotions aside, she tried another tack instead. “But what happene to you? How did…? Surely Anton didn’t…?”  She was tripping over her words now, flustered and chiding herself as she shook her head in frustration.

Biting her tongue until she could regain control, her eyes flew to her hand when Killian used his to clasp it and gain her attention. Though his fingers were trembling with the effort, he held on and answered her slowly. “No, that wasn’t the work of your giant admirer. Your new friend released me once the time you requested of him had passed. Bloody gargantuan numbskull threatened me to leave you in peace, but he didn’t do this damage.”

Emma exhaled air she’d hardly realized she was holding. It didn’t make things right between them, but she was grateful that she hadn’t misjudged Anton’s nature and directly caused the torture Hook had clearly undergone. “But then, who?” she whispered, finally daring to squeeze the hand that held hers in return, while at last reaching out and smoothing a light caress over his brow.

He flinched slightly at the initial contact, but then his eyes fell closed momentarily with a sigh of relief. Emma had to know, though the only other option she could think of had dread settling in her belly like stone. “Who did this to you?” she choked.

“Why Cora, of course,” he intoned, trying to appear either flippant or matter of fact and failing with the shadows that passed over his expression. “Not honestly sure why she didn’t finish the job, unless she thought she had and this old body is just too stubborn to give up the ghost.” He drew in a ragged breath before adding, “At any rate, after letting me know that she would leave me here, unable to ever gain my vengeance on Rumplestiltskin, she made certain she had demonstrated the consequences of choosing to align myself against her.”

By this point, his breathing had grown shallow and labored once more with the effort of speaking. Shushing him with a plea to rest, Emma was eager to check with the others about anything they might be able to do for his injuries. He certainly didn’t need her to keep him talking as she was. Pressing trembling lips together, Emma dashed away the single drop of moisture that had escaped her eye and laid his hand tenderly back on his chest. “Well, thankfully, Cora counted her win a bit too soon. Let’s see if we can help you live to fight another day.”

His unfairly long lashes fluttered, and a small, soft chuckle broke from his cracked lips, but Killian seemd to be rapidly giving up the fight to remain lucid. Emma wasn’t sure whether that was good or bad while they tried to tend to his wounds, but she had to do something. She wasn’t going to desert him again.

****************************************

When his eyes fluttered open some time later, Killian Jones found himself dazed and dizzy, then almost nauseous, with his throat parched and dry. Panic followed almost immediately as he struggled to gain his bearings and found himself weak as a newborn kitten, floundering even to sit up unaided. He could not have said whether it had been minutes, hours, or days since he was last aware of his surroundings, but just as he was not sure how much time had passed, he was also vaguely uncertain of where he was and whether or not he was alone - an even more disturbing condition.

His mind was reeling as he attempted to move, scrabbling around over the dry, dusty ground with his good hand in a frantic search for his cutlass. Surely he must have left it within reach. He had learned long ago, even as the captain of a mostly loyal pirate crew, that enemies were varied and numerous, and that he must never let his guard down without a weapon close at hand. He had a jagged, long-healed gash running under his ribs, which Smee had tried his best - if rather crookedly - to sew closed, but which had taught him that lesson all too well.

With a frenzied sound of frustration in his throat, Killian kept fighting to sit upright, ready to defend himself against some unknown foe, only to have hands grip his upper arms tightly, pressing him back and forcing him to remain on the ground. “Unhand me, you blackguard!” he growled, only to have his vision finally regain focus and the fight abruptly drain from his limbs when he found himself staring up at Emma Swan hovering over him, her touch the one keeping him in place.

“Easy there, Hook,” she chided, loosening her grip as he stilled and grew calmer upon seeing he was not under immediate attack. “You’ve got to settle down, or you’ll hurt yourself even more. We tried to stitch the deepest of your cuts and bandage you up. Don’t undo it all!”

She was fussing over him, Killian realized belatedly, his hazy and addled mind slowly filling in the blanks he had missed. She might be scolding and grumbling as she did so, but she was still frightened for his well-being and more concerned for his comfort than he would have dared imagine possible.

He had known there was a frisson of energy that flowed between them when he’d taken her hand in the giant’s lair, cleansing and caring for the cut on her palm despite her stubbornly self-effacing protests. And he really hadn’t thought he was imagining the way she’d held her breath and her pupils had dilated when he’d eyed her daringly while tying off the bandage with his teeth. Still, he’d been hesitant to place too much fatih in what he was reading from her either. Emma Swan was overly guarded and used to being on her own. Someone had obviously hurt her deeply enough to make her push everyone else away in response. Not only that, but she was an actual royal - the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, no less - and the fabled Savior besides. Her light was much too pure and bright to be aligned with his dark and tarnished pirate soul set on vengeance.

All the same, he had cursed himself as seven times a fool when his heart plummeted at her turning and running from him on the beanstalk. He had held out a little hope for them, in spite of his better judgement, or he would not have been so hurt by the betrayal. She was as full of shining enticement, from her flowing golden hair to her sparkling jade eyes, as any buried treasure. He couldn’t help wanting to stay by her side.

As Emma slowly moved to support him, helping him ease into a sitting position while bracing him against her own hip and shoulder, she offered him a water skin and held it up so he could take a much-needed cool drink of water. Killian was stunned to realize that maybe winning her over wasn’t as lost a cause as he had thought. Perhaps Emma Swan already cared more than she wanted to allow herself, and against her own good sense - much as he had found himself doing.

Several quiet moments passed before Killian fully registered that all was still and motionless around them. It was full dark now; the middle of the night, or perhaps early morning, if his view of the moon was accurate, yet he could hear no movements or voice’s from Emma’s royal, bandit, or warrior companions. The fire next to them was dimmed to near embers, and it seemed for the moment as if he and Emma were the only two people under the brilliant array of stars overhead.

Now that he had his bearings and his thirst was slaked, he ventured a glance beyond his lovely blonde Savior’s beguiling face, at least far enough to see that a rough tent had been staked and three bed rolls were occupied beneath its temporary shelter, explaining their privacy, but raising even more questions. Why were the rest of them willing to lower their guard enough to sleep with a virtual stranger and former enemy in their camp? It had been hard to miss the warning and distrust in the Lady Snow’s eyes, at any rate - probably largely protectiveness for her daughter, but still, why grant him this sort of uninterrupted interlude with Emma then? He was clearly in poor shape; maybe they had reckoned he couldn’t do anything to harm them, or charm Emma too thoroughly, as injured as he was.

Killian was abruptly startled from his wandering thoughts when he once more felt the cool, soothing touch of Emma’s fingertips trailing up the side of his face and into his hair. She raked the dark strands back from his fevered skin, calming even the pounding that pained him from the magical beating he’d endured and the rough impact his head had suffered when Cora finally dropped his battered body to the hard ground and left him for dead.

The Enchanted Forest’s lost princess spoke so quietly he had to strain to hear her when she addressed him again, her eyes studiously avoiding his to observe her fingers carding through the mussed, blood-caked strands of his hair. “I’m sorry… truly, I am. It was wrong of me to leave you behind the way I did, and… I should have trusted you. You may be a pirate, and awfully full of yourself, and way too flirty for your own good…” 

At that, Killian attempted to waggle an eyebrow and smirk salaciously to make her smile, only for a cringe to escape him at the motion of his brow and lip.

She noticed, of course, and rather than admonishing that it served him right, as she would have usually done, Emma hissed in sympathy and hushed him with a gentle hum in the back of her throat. “See, this shouldn’t have happened to you, Ho - Killian.” Her switch from his moniker to his real name struck him right in the center of the chest, with as much emphasis as a physical blow. He couldn’t decide if her concern, guilt, and contrition more warmed his heart or troubled him - not wanting to win her over out of mere pity. “That witch only caught up to you, found you empty-handed, because of what I did. This is my fault… b-but… I never wanted you to be hurt like this. I only wanted a head start, to get back to my son.”

If he hadn’t been shocked to his core already, the depth of emotion in Swan’s voice as she made her confession would have been enough to bowl him over. It sounded as though she might be on the verge of tears on his behalf, and Killian could hardly fathom it. Drawing a ragged breath of his own, he wet his cracked lips and managed a sincere response to her heartfelt openness. 

“Darling,” and here he couldn’t help a bit of a rogueish grin at her, despite how it pulled on the broken skin of his lip again. 

She shook her head, but didn’t scoff or interrupt, not this time, and heartened, he continued in all sincerity. “I’m not going to lie to you. I was angry when you shackled me there and left me behind. I’d been on the level with you, was doing my best to help you, and for the first the time in a long time, I felt like I connected with someone genuinely. But I also understand that your boy is your first priority. You cannot let anything else matter as much - or even possibly risk his safety.”

His battered knuckles were beginning to swell, and his fingers ached as he moved them, but Killian still managed to return the clutch of Emma’s own hand and intertwine their fingers with a sigh of rightness and relief. Glancing back up to search her gaze once more, he added, “I understand what being separated from one’s child might do to a person… more than you might think, in fact. I respect you all the more for your urgency and desire to return to him as soon as possible.”

He could see Emma wondering what his words might mean; the gears turning in her sharp mind were obvious, even if she only pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes slightly, watching him a few moments longer. Thankfully, she didn’t press the matter further, but instead released what seemed a lungful of air she must have been holding worriedly and gave him a hopeful smile. “So… you forgive me, then?”

The barest dip of his chin was as far as he dared move his aching head, but Killian assured her without hesitation, “Aye, Emma, I do,” in as strong and certain a voice as he could muster. 

By then, the faintest tendrils of light were beginning to break through the deep indigo sky and soft hints of scuffling and waking from their fellow travelers hinted that they would not be alone much longer.

Though he still hurt all over as if he had been scorched by a dragon’s breath and then crushed by an ogre’s tread, Killian couldn’t help but feel as if his situation had drastically changed. Even more so when Emma Swan’s eyes grew warmer yet; her aspect beaming crookedly at him like sunlight slowly emerging from a bank of clouds. Just before they were joined by Snow White bearing coffee for his Savior, Emma winked at him conspiratorially and leaned forward to murmur. “I’m glad, Pirate. After all, we make quite the team, remember?”

Tagging a few others who might enjoy: @searchingwardrobes @kmomof4 @jennjenn615 @laschatzi @whimsicallyenchantedrose @apiratewhopines @sotangledupinit @stahlop @winterbaby89 @hollyethecurious @killian-whump @artistic-writer @the-darkdragonfly @elizabeethan @donteattheappleshook @booksteaandtoomuchtv @kazoosandfannypacks @justanother-unluckysoul @wefoundloveunderthelight @motherkatereloyshipper @gingerchangeling @gingerpolyglot @jonesfandomfanatic @teamhook @revanmeetra87 @tiganasummertree @optomisticgirl @spartanguard @therooksshiningknight @drowned-dreamer @xarandomdreamx @caught-in-the-filter

[depressedstressedlemonzest]

Leroy is just so bossy I love him.

As a nurse, I hate it when someone yells at me like that

But for any variation of robert carlyle?

Love.

Marraige proposal.

Okay love Gold just being like "she's an angel on earth, bathed in beauty, smile brighter than the stars, laugh like angels singing" but trying to be a bit casual about it so he mentions the accent.

Okay, but lacey is fucking HOT.

God his little heart broken face 😭

I love how he wears fucking aprons to keep clean.

And why the fuck doesn't she have something more practical to work in??

@kaylahastoomanyships gave us a cute story for this specific incident!!

She's like are you kidding me you dork? Literally no one says that.

HE OFFERS TO HELP HER ESCAPE AND SHE SAYS NO.

She wants to hold up her end of the deal but also she knows that rumple won't hurt her.

And regina the queen of sass "I'm sorry do I look like a one handed pirate with a pistol?"

Wouldn't her curse memories be inside the psych ward?

Belle can't be more than 28, or maybe 32 and I doubt she was hustling pool and drinking at 4.

Damn regina "no you won't you're on your best behavior"

Does she feel the same?

I'll make her.

That's exactly the charm that will woo any young lady.

Excuse me regina, some of us have ISSUES and that would definitely woo us.

(Again especially if it's robert carlyle).

Man his dejected face leaving her office. It KILLS.

I love how protective leroy is.

I distinctly remember you giving david nolan shit on valentine's day for having two valentine's. Now you're getting curse vs noncursed advice from him about love.

The way he shouts her name.

*screams into a pillow* it's like gruff and annoyed and loud all together.

She's just reading and waiting for him to say something.

I love how when he yells "every right" it turns every into more syllables than it is and his accent pops in more.

[wizblr-blue-moon-ball]

Hello magical friends~☆

While the date poll continues, I'm working on some things behind the scenes!

While I was working on the prompt list, I was thinking about hosting a small competition of sorts for any outfits people make for their characters, where there will be polls for "Best Dressed"

The only prize really would just be bragging rights, but I thought it would be something fun to include and would be 100% optional for participation

Sooo

PINGLIST

(For some reason tumblr is still messing up a few people's usernames, please check if you have a privacy setting preventing mentions if your username is affected. Otherwise idk how to help)

@scuttling-comfuddlement @the-gnomest-bastard @kobold-sanctuary-buss-island @satyrs-apothecary @irving-the-pirate-wizard @morbingtime @justagingerwithredhair @chaos-familiar @these-detestable-hands @regina-the-sorceress @combustion-witch @slymewitch @yourlocalbreadenthusiast @mango-lord-of-poison @selldemapplez @agentldiddy @fractalkitty @wizard-island-trading-co @asheslab @good-wizard @the-illegal-wizard-council @ash-the-tiefling @mysticminion @blobbiedaykeeppcaway @blaster-fagot @life-is-okay-rn @skyethebisexualwolfwizard @thequeerwizardcouncil @be-gentle-with-littluns @dread-the-eldritch-wizard @profeshinul-wizurd @a-squirrel-wizard @the-mighty-dalob @amateur-wizard @chaos-wizard-nyehehe @bertskullhaver @transgender-wizard @flowers-the-sun-witch @thebookshelflord @ceeceelemons @the-silliest-sorcerer @wizard-ghost @a-goose-in-a-trenchcoat @flirtyambiguouswizard @jesterofthelibrary

[jjaylove27]

True Love

Part Two

Y/N POV

I woke up bright and early. I have to look for a job down at the docks and find Gold. I got up and put my boots back on and set out on my mission. I walked down to the docks talked to the manger about getting a job. I'm gonna help keep the boats stocked and check innovatory. As I was turning around I bumped into Killian.

"Did I get the time wrong Sparrow?"

He use to call me that all the time. I was his Little Sparrow he even would whistle when at me when I was a kid to tease me.

"No Kill I came down to the docks to get a job. Need to make money."

"Oh, well I was about to go to pick up Emma and go to Granny's to eat breakfast if you want come with me?"

"Um no it's okay I got other plans."

I put my head down and walked away. I walked back into town looking for Gold. When I bumped into Regina.

"Hello Y/N, how are you doing today?"

"I'm doing good. Just trying to figure out some stuff from my past."

"Anything I can help with?"

"No, I'm actually going to see the guy who I think can give me answers."

She nods and continues walking away. I finally reach the shop that I seen Gold enter into yesterday. I took a deep breath and walked in. I heard the bell over my head ring indicating that someone walked in. I looked around the shop to see what he was selling. Then I seen Gold walk around dressed in his suit.

"Hi dearie what can I do for you today?"

"I actually have a question for you. I'm sure you can tell that Killian doesn't remember me. But you do so I'm just wonder why?"

"Ahh great question. Well when Miss. Emma Swan came and saved the day from Regina I got my memories back. I don't know why your precious pirate doesn't remember."

"Okay, thank you for taking time out of your day to answering my question."

I walked out thanking to my self hmm he is up to something. Hopefully the book will have some answers for me.

HOOK POV

I was sitting at Granny's with Emma I was thinking about Y/N. I know I worked on the boat with her dad but I feel like she is a missing piece to something. I looked at Emma and I see her talking but I'm not listening to her I just nod my head.

"Do you think Henry would be okay showing Y/N the book? She doesn't remember her past I'm hoping that the book has something about her."

"I'm sure he is fine with it. I actually remember seeing something about her in the book. Her father refused to take slaves on the boat and that's how he got the Black Pearl. She had fell in love with a boy on the boat that would tease her all the time by-"

Then I remembered a sound of someone whistling and calling for a sparrow. Maybe that was who she was looking for.

"Was there anything else in the book about her?"

"No the rest was ripped out of the book."

"Who would take her story out of the book?"

"Obviously someone that doesn't want her to know about her past."

Just then I heard the bell over the door ring and we look to see Y/N walking in. I wave her over and a smile at Emma. I turned back around to look Y/N I caught her eyes and I felt my heart pick up. She finally reached us.

"We was just talking about you and the book. Emma remember seeing something about you in the book. She said the pages are taken out. That had to be someone here that did that. We just need to find out who and why."

"Oh, wow. I thank I know who would take the pages out of the book. It was Gold he hates my family always had something against them."

"That sounds a lot like Gold always out to get someone. We need to break into his shop and look for the pages. Who better then an ex-thief and two pirates."

"Hook are you sure that's good idea? I'm the sheriff now I can't just be breaking into people's shops. I don't want you guys getting caught by Gold."

"Emma it's the only way to get some answers. Maybe we can have Regina help us."

Y/N POV

I don't want him seeing the pages and running off because he seen something he doesn't remember.

"You guys don't have to do that."

"You deserve to have your memories. Lets go talk to Regina."

They stand up and start walking to the door. I follow them as they hold hands and talk. I really hope they don't find any pages I don't want Hook to know before I can tell him. We reach Regina's house and Emma knock's. This house is as big as my aunt Elizabeth and my uncle Will's house. Regina opens the door finally.

"Hi, can I help you guys?"

"Y/N found out that Gold stole pages out of the story book about her. We was hoping that you could distract Gold while we break into his shop and look for them."

"You know I can't stand them but if it's to help Y/N in remembering her past I will do. She and her dad use to help me out."

So Regina remembers me which means she must remember my relationship to Killian and not saying anything. I have to talk to her alone so she doesn't say anything to Killian.

"But I might have a spell that will help you find the pages. They will glow gold when you are close to them."

"Thank you Regina that will help a whole lot. Thank you guy's for helping me get my memoires back."

[walviemort]

hidden blessing (13/?)

Summary: Killian thought the only thing he was left with after Milah’s death was a broken heart and a thirst for vengeance. It’s not until he gets to Storybrooke, after so many years spent in stasis, that he discovers something else: he’s carrying her child. How does this new, tiny blessing change his path? (Canon-divergent from 2x12.) rated T | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | part 12 | AO3 | 3.9k a/n: And we're back! I still have the next few chapters done, and the rest of 3B plotted. Thanks for not giving up on this!

Killian was surprised at how much relief he felt when the Storybrooke harbor came into sight. Being safely out of Neverland was certainly part of it, but seeing that quaint little town that was apparently working its way into his heart was its own kind of soothing. 

If he had to guess, the gentle but persistent kicking he was feeling from his baby echoed his own joy. 

That said—he did have to bite back a pang of loneliness at watching the reception his allies were given upon disembarking the ship; even Regina was hailed as a hero by the townsfolk that, he had thought, were generally distrustful of her. He stood on the gangplank watching the reunions and feeling very much like an outsider again. 

It wasn’t that he wanted attention or gratitude; he had just apparently come to enjoy the feeling of being included. 

(He was at least assuaged by the fact that Emma looked equally uncomfortable with all eyes on her and her family; the somewhat panicked look she shot his way once he eventually disembarked was met with a knowing nod.)

After confirming that the waters of Neverland were working on David for the moment, everyone began to dissipate and move back toward the center of town. He hung back, though, citing a need to fully secure the ship—and, frankly, he needed a moment alone to continue to convince himself that the babe was all he needed; that they were family enough (and more than he’d had in decades). 

(He did, however, miss the longing glance Emma gave him as she was ushered back into town by her parents and son. But as long as he wasn’t going anywhere, she’d have time to talk to him later. And maybe more.)

—---------------------

Later that day, after wrapping up on the ship and running another errand, he found himself with the rest of the crowd in Granny’s. As soon as he’d walked in the door, every single craving he’d had on the island came back to him at full force; he didn’t even know what to order. Granny chuckled when he explained the situation and told him she’d take care of it. He honestly didn’t recognize half the foods she gave him—some kind of fish, and perhaps some bacon?—but it was divine. (He couldn’t blame the sudden snugness of his vest on the babe alone.)

He was sipping on some ginger tea afterwards (lest that amazing meal come back up) when he cast a glance across the diner—and noticed Emma sitting there, with Henry. Much as he longed to join them, it was a stark reminder, as had been everything since they landed: his focus needed to be on his child, and nothing else, much as hers was likely on getting Henry settled back into his life here.

A presence was suddenly in his space, and Neal was sliding onto the stool next to him.

“Didn’t know you drank anything but rum,” he teased, nodding at the mug and then taking a sip of his own ale.

“As I understand, that wouldn’t be ideal for a fetus,” he replied. “And don't worry, I'm not here to pursue the Lady Swan.”

“Yeah, you're just here to enjoy Granny’s excellent cooking.”

“I am, actually. And I've made a decision when it comes to Emma: I'm gonna back off.

“Back off?” Neal sounded surprised.

“I have enough to focus on with impending parenthood; I don’t need to actively be throwing romance into that equation. Which I suppose lets you have a fair shot at her, without a devilishly handsome pirate standing in the way,” he winked, then finished his tea.

“You're serious?” He seemed genuinely touched.

“Yeah. I am devilishly handsome.”

Neal at least chuckled at that, and offered his glass in cheers. Killian obliged, but didn’t add on what he was really thinking: even if he wasn’t actively going to seek Emma out, he had no plans on going anywhere or leaving her presence. His priorities might lay elsewhere, but he was in this for the long haul; given the previous demise of Emma and Bae’s relationship, he wasn’t optimistic about a reunion.

But that was for the future. At present, he looked up to check the time on the clock—and cursed. “Damn; I’ve got to get to an appointment.”

“What, like a doctor appointment?” 

“Yeah; is that odd?” He’d gone to Doc’s office earlier to enquire if he had any availability to see Killian and was told to come back later—not long from now.

“You just don’t strike me as the type to seek out professionals.”

“No, not usually, but it’s not for me—it’s for this one,” he said, nodding at his belly. “Can’t be too careful when Neverland is involved.”

Neal winced. “Yeah, good plan. Hope it goes well, then,” he said, surprisingly sincere. 

“Thanks,” Killian replied as he hopped off the stool and threw some gold on the counter. “Until later.”

He’d hardly gotten outside Granny’s front gate and down the sidewalk when a familiar voice was calling for him. 

“Hook!” Emma shouted, then jogged to keep up when he paused. “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere exciting,” he answered. “Just the obstetrician.”

“Oh!” she exclaimed. “Oh, okay, then; just wanted to make sure you weren’t skipping town or anything.”

“What, afraid I’d leave without saying goodbye?” He felt slightly guilty for flirting after the conversation he’d just had with Bae, but he couldn’t help it if Emma was the one seeking him out. “Don’t worry—I would never.”

“You better not,” she said, and held his gaze. She wasn’t saying it verbally, but he understood the subtext clearly: she wanted him to stay—here, near her. And that meant more than he could express.

Her eyes darted to his lips, despite there being several feet between them; gods how he wanted to follow that train of thought, but perhaps making out in front of the diner where her ex (and the rest of her family) still sat wasn’t the greatest idea, especially since he still had somewhere to be.  

“Right, well, I don’t want to be late,” he finally said to break the silence and took a step in the direction of the doctor’s office, if only to break the tension between them. 

“Yeah, yeah,” she said quickly, shaking her head as if to clear it. “Uh, wait—do you want some company? At your appointment?”

He blinked; now he was truly surprised. “Why would you want to go to that?” he blurted out. 

“I mean, most people usually have someone with them at those—their partner, y’know, or a friend.”

Unable to resist the setup, he asked, “And which do you consider yourself, Swan?”

The subsequent eye roll was expected, but her sincerity wasn’t. “Look, I had to go through all of that with Henry on my own, and I always wished I had someone there with me. So, if you want someone, I’ll gladly go with you.”

He opened his mouth to reply, but he simply didn’t have one. But the way he was suddenly holding back tears probably said enough. “I, uh,” he stammered. “I’d like that, if—if you’re sure.”

She gave him a small smile, then walked forward. “Well, come on; we don’t wanna be late.”

He watched her walk past him, still in awe, but finally came back to his senses when she yelled at him to hurry up. 

The entire concept of the “waiting room” at the doctor’s office was foreign to him, and frankly seemed unnecessary; it just gave him more time to worry about what the doctor might find. It was all he could do not to bounce his leg nervously as he sat in an uncomfortable chair next to Emma, who seemed to be reading a periodical.

But when he glanced over at her, her eyes were anything but focused on the pages. “Not a fan of the physician, eh?” he said, trying to refocus his nervous energy elsewhere.

She blinked and looked up at him, then chuckled half-heartedly. “No, it’s not that—although, yes,” she conceded. “I’m just worried about Henry.”

That, he understood. “He’s been through something traumatic; it likely takes some time to settle after that.”

She huffed a bit. “That’s what everyone keeps saying, but it’s not that. There’s something else…off, I guess.” Then she shrugged. “Or maybe I’m just imagining it.”

“Or maybe you’re not,” he countered. “Your instincts tend to be fairly solid, Swan; don’t ignore them if you think something is truly wrong.”

“Thanks,” she answered, giving him a small smile in return. “I just don’t know what it could be.”

“Perhaps—” he started, trying to help her brainstorm, but then his name was called out to go back to the exam room. Alas; they’d have to continue that train of thought later.

Having someone with him in the exam room was a completely different experience than his last couple of visits, and definitely for the better. If Doc was surprised by the change, he didn’t comment on it, and even though Emma politely averted her gaze during certain parts of the checkup, she was able to help answer some questions—like just how long they’d been in Neverland. 

“Just shy of three weeks,” she was answered confidently. “And you were at 16 when we left, right?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed, astonished she remembered. “But I think Pan may have accelerated it a bit, at one point.”

“You didn’t tell me that!” she hissed, but still sat next to him during the sonogram; she’d already seen his belly at the lagoon, so he didn’t mind that exposure, but he wondered if she might get weirded out seeing the image of his insides. 

But then Doc said “huh” while he was scanning, and Killians heart stuttered. 

“What?”

“I can’t—find—“ Doc said while continuing to move the probe around. 

Killians breath hitched as he stared at the screen, waiting for something to appear. The babe couldn’t be gone—he could feel them still—no, please, no—

Then he jumped a mile when something touched his hand; he turned his head to see Emma slipping her hand around his and giving an encouraging smile. He couldn’t return it, but he took hold of hers and squeezed. 

“There they are!” His eyes darted back to the screen and he sighed; there it was—his babe. “They were hiding on us!” Doc said, chuckling, “but everything is looking good.”

What Pan said he’d done was accurate—he was around 18 weeks now—but they were there and they were healthy and that was all that mattered. 

He felt somewhat drained as he and Emma left the office, but ultimately relieved. “Thank you for coming, Emma; I’m...I can’t say how much it means that you were there,” he told her outside the office. 

“Like I said—no one should have to do that alone,” she said. “And honestly, it’s the least I can do. I’m glad I was there, too.”

“Would, uh,” he started, not sure how to ask the question he wanted to ask. “Do you want to…” How on earth did one ask the object of their affections to join them at the rest of their appointments to track the growth of the child they were having as a product of his relationship with said love interest’s would-be-mother-in-law?

“I will gladly go to the rest of them, if you want me there,” she said, smiling. 

Thank gods she figured it out. “Yeah, I would. Please.”

She just laughed at him and started to lead the way back into town. They were silent, but it was a comfortable quiet—although he did keep stealing glances her way, something she was apparently doing as well because they broke into a fit of juvenile giggles when they caught the other’s eye. 

The turnoff came to head to the marina, and sleep was calling his name again. “I’m afraid this is where we part,” he said. “Seriously—thank you.”

She waved it off. “It was my pleasure. But now that I’ve seen that kid, I’m gonna be making sure you’re taking care of them.”

“With my life.”

“That’s what worries me,” she teased, albeit with a serious edge. “Especially after Dark Hollow. Take care of yourself, too.”

“You have my word.” (She could have whatever of his words she wanted, if he was being honest.)

“Well, I’d like to make sure you are. Like, tomorrow, around lunch time, at Granny’s.”

“Why, Swan, are you asking me on a date?”

“No. I’m making sure you get decent food. Especially now that I know you’ve been craving grilled cheese.”

She had him there. “Alright, I will see you then. And maybe we can continue the earlier conversation, about Henry?”

“Yeah,” she said softly. “See you then,” she farewelled with a grin. 

He started to walk away, but a crazy idea came over him. “Wait, Emma,” he called out, then jogged over to her as he fished out the envelope Doc had given him from his jacket. “Do, ah, do you want one?” he offered, holding it out to her. 

Now was her turn to be speechless; she blinked and stared at it in awe for a second. “An ultrasound picture? You’re asking if I want one?”

“Aye.”

She stared in shock for another moment, until a smile that was usually reserved for Henry took over. “Sure.”

He let her pick which of the few she wanted; she chose one with the baby’s fist extended. “Looks like they want to party,” she giggled. 

“Well, they’re all pirate,” he agreed, grinning. 

They parted for real then, with a promise to meet the next day. Apologies to Neal, but he couldn’t deny Emma anything. 

(He didn’t see it, but when Emma got in her Bug, she smiled at the sonogram, even giving it a little fist bump. “You’re gonna have a great daddy, kiddo,” she told it, “and I hope I’m a part of your life, too.”)

—-------------------------------------------

The next day, right around the time Emma had requested his presence, he slipped in the back door at Granny’s to meet her in the diner. But before he got that far, he ran into someone else—almost literally. “Oof—sorry; my apologies, Lady Bell,” he said, steadying her with his hand and hook. 

The fairy didn’t seem too bothered, though. “I’m alright; are you?”

“I’m fine, love,” he assured her. “Just need to pay more attention to what’s in front of me, apparently.”

“Daydreaming, huh?” she assessed, crossing her arms and smirking. “About the little one…or about Emma?”

How was she always able to read him so well? Was that a fairy thing? “Bit of both, I suppose,” he acknowledged, and told her about the appointment yesterday—both Emma’s presence at it, and the reassuring news he received. 

“That’s fantastic!” Tink gushed. “So do you think you’ll stay on the ship, or try to find some place to stay in town?”

The vision of Emma’s family’s flat swam into his mind; the Jolly Roger had long been his home, but he had to admit it wasn’t always the safest (or warmest) place. Perhaps he did need to find a more permanent mooring? (Maybe even in proximity to Emma’s home?) “I suppose I should start looking—”

He was interrupted by a most blood-curdling scream coming from outside. Bloody hell—they’d hardly been back a day; were crises this common here? “Then again, maybe not,” he quipped, and they quickly ran outside to see what was happening. 

Emma and her father were getting out of the prince’s truck (who, he had heard, was successfully cured of the dreamshade; Gold had held to his word, incredibly) as he and Tink emerged from the diner. 

“The hell was that?” she exclaimed as she walked over; he didn’t miss her glance between them, a curious look on her face, but hopefully she noticed the subtle shake of his head. 

“I have the same question,” he did add, though. 

The screaming occurred again, only louder.

“There,” David shouted, pointing in the direction of the sound, and took off running; the rest of them immediately followed (even though Killian had a feeling that exertion on an empty stomach was not going to be great for his nausea).

The sight that followed certainly didn’t help: near the steps of the convent, the mother superior was making a mad dash to get away from Pan’s Shadow. She nearly got inside, but the Shadow got there first—and wasted no time in tearing away her own shadow. 

Immediately, the nun collapsed on the sidewalk. David knelt down, looking for a pulse, but— “She's gone,” he said, aghast. (Killian began searching for the nearest bush to retch into; Doc said the nausea should be ending soon, but apparently not yet.)

“Why would the Shadow kill her?” Tink wondered aloud for all of them. 

“No idea, love,” he answered. “But I do know the Shadow only takes orders from one person.” That fact was also causing the twist in his gut. 

Emma found his eyes; her own were wide in shock. “Pan,” she said, confidently and horrified. 

While he was busy losing what little remained of his breakfast in the shrubbery, the rest of their little band arrived, no doubt also noticing the ruckus. Regina was understandably confused as to how the shadow could have broken free; Henry looked downright terrified. Neal was at least being pragmatic.

“Look, let's go back to the ship and get the candle. If it strikes again, we need to be able to capture it,” he said authoritatively, then turned to Killian. “Where’d you stash it?”

“I’ll show you,” he said, and threw an apologetic look at Emma as he left; he didn’t dare mention their abandoned date in front of Neal.

Tink tagged along as well. “Didn’t we just do all this?” she complained.

“From what I’ve gathered, Storybrooke is just…like this,” he supplied.

“Sounds exhausting. Are you sure about staying, then?”

“Do you know of anywhere better?” he quipped back.

“You’re staying?” Neal asked as they approached the marina.

“Aye; is that so surprising?”

If he wasn’t mistaken, Neal was pouting. “I just figured it’d be back to the high seas.”

“With an infant on the way?” Tink interjected. “Are you daft?”

“I mean, houseboats are a thing,” he said quietly, but it was clear he wasn’t enthused by that news. Ah well—that was his issue to deal with, not Killian’s. Just because he wasn’t going to actively pursue Emma didn’t mean he was going to stop talking to her altogether. (And it really wasn’t his fault if that fact alone was threatening to Neal.)

It was both a comfort and a worry that the previously dark sail was back to its normal crisp white. All the more reason to track the shadow down again. 

“I know where the coconut is below deck; cover for me?” Tink asked. They obviously obliged. 

Both paced the deck, keeping an awkwardly safe distance between them. Killian took a moment to stop at the dockside railing, scanning both the sky and the skyline. 

As much as she’d been teasing, Tink’s comment was lingering. Did he truly want to settle down and raise a child in a place that seemed to attract danger?

Or did he want to fight to make it a safe place not just for his babe, but for everyone else here?

“When’d you do this?” Neal’s voice pulled him from his meditation; he stood on the quarterdeck, running his fingers along the wood behind the helm. 

Killian moved closer, ascending the steps. Neal was tracing the well-worn indentation behind the wheel—particularly, the lines he’d angrily dashed through the port and starboard symbols he drew for Bae all those years ago. 

“Right after the Lost Boys took you,” he said solemnly. 

“Trying to erase what you did?” There was an edge of venom in his voice. 

“Trying to erase my own hope,” he confessed. “Nothing excuses what I did—you suffered the most from my brash action—but I had been sincere in my desire to keep you here. I was angry at myself for destroying it; thus…” He waved his hook over the carvings. 

“I know,” Neal said, tracing the P. “I probably would have calmed down eventually, you know; I was an irrational teenager,” he chuckled. “But you were the adult.”

“Aye; right on all counts.”

“At least you get a second chance now. Don’t mess it up.”

“I don’t intend to.”

A look of understanding passed between them, despite the tension just a bit ago, and they nodded at each other. 

A moment later, Tink emerged with the coconut, just as Neal’s talking device went off. (Perhaps Killian needed to get his hands on one of those? They seemed to be rather useful.)

“Okay; we’ll be right there,” Neal said, then pocketed the object. “Everyone’s meeting at Regina’s vault. We good to go?”

“I certainly am,” Tink said, raising the coconut. 

“Aye; let’s get this over with once and for all,” Killian agreed, and they set back off across town. (He’d read that continued activity was good for the baby; with the number of times he’d traversed the town, they were sure to be in good health.)

His blood nearly froze in his veins, though—despite the exertion—once they reached the cemetery. He expected to see the usual band of heroes, and the Crocodile, but—what the bloody hell was Pan doing there?

And, even worse—why was Neal running towards him?

Killian’s hand instinctively drifted to his sword, convinced they were running headlong into a trap.

“Is it really you?” he heard Neal say from afar.

“Dad,” Pan said—though, it evidently was not the demon child. Killian looked towards Emma, hoping she could read the look of confusion that was surely on his face. Her mouth was a thin line but she nodded; they were good enough at nonverbal communication at this point that he could tell: somehow, Pan and Henry had switched bodies. 

(He could wait until later to congratulate her on knowing something was off; but first, they had to get through this.)

David asked if they’d found the Shadow; they showed him the empty coconut in response. The fact that it was still on the loose—paired with the realization that Regina’s vault was magically locked, with both her and Pan-as-Henry inside—was more than his uneasy stomach could take, and he had to step aside to retch again, though little came up.

As he was hunched over behind a random headstone, he felt a caress on his back; Emma gave him a consolatory rub, before seeking her own solitude further away (though her parents were quick to follow).

Everyone’s nerves were palpable as they waited for the Dark One to gain entrance to the vault—then even more on edge once he got through and headed in, with Emma and her parents in tow. He tried to give her an encouraging nod when she looked back over her shoulder at him before descending, but doubted it was convincing.

He paced; Tink perched on a stone; and Neal looked after Henry-as-Pan while they waited for news.

Finally, the others returned, Regina in tow, with the worst news possible:

Pan had escaped—and he’d taken the Dark Curse with him.

Fear like he hadn’t known yet immediately ran through Killian’s body, and his hand rushed to cover the spot where he could feel his babe’s equally nervous wiggles. For the first time, he was genuinely frightened they might fail. Gods above, what was happening?

—------------------------------------

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