Just A Hat Trick

The story tale starts with a hat and ends with desperation. A Jefferson Hightopp Once Upon a Time Roleplay Blog.

[heartthrobxhook]

"I'm right behind you, sweetie~" Killian said as they went into the cabin together and closed the door behind them. The gift tea set was set on the table out of the way so he could pull Jefferson into a deep and passionate kiss. He wasn't any poet or writer, be expressed his love physically and he was showing it all to the man he now embraced.

[desperatehattricks]

Jefferson was a man of words, and frivolities. He was a gentleman. He follows his lover into the cabin. He pressed his lips against the other and kissed him. Pulling him towards the bed, he looked up at the Captain. "You know, I find you addictive...a bit like sweet that I cant stop eating or a drink that tastes too good to stop..."

[heartthrobxhook]

All the lovey-dovey ramblings made Killian a blushing mess. No one had ever spoken about him in such a way, not even past lovers. Though they could hardly be considered as such. More so short-term flings. Jefferson was completely mad but he was mad about him and Killian loved the attention.

"I'm nowhere near as savvy with words as you are so I'm just going to tell you to get into our quarters before I make love to you right on this deck." The pirate said as he ushered Jeff back to the captain's cabin.

[desperatehattricks]

"I'm sure your crew would love the idea of the two of us canoodling under the wheel..." he teased as he followed the man towards the cabin and he knew he was perhaps with someone that was tricky and sneaky.

"You're going to follow me back here and unwrap me like a package? Like one of your maps?" He teased, kissing the other on the lips and pushing up to him.

[antioceas]

"Oh no. Then she won't like it very much here. I don't think we have any tea sets and the only doll we have... some of the others play target practice with it." Not that Humdrum necessarily approved of that. He always thought it needlessly cruel, but the others (especially those older) never listened.

"Wait! Your little girl plays with tea sets? Is she a gentleman like you?" Another set of playful bows and giggles -complete with a fart noise from his mouth- before Humdrum remembered - there was more important topics to be handling.

"Sorry! I don't think I've met anyone named Grace, but if I do, I'll let you know!" Pan didn't much care for people leaving, of course. But, certainly in this case - when it was very clear she didn't belong in the wild arena of the Lost Boys - an exception could be made.

[desperatehattricks]

"She's a lady, its much different from a gentleman. Though I suppose you could find yourself becoming a gentleman should you choose and not display such childish whimsies. "He was laughing though, he didn't seem to truly mind the fart noise the boy had been making.

"Well the thing is Grace is from a land that is different from yours. It's different from many places and its called the Enchanted Forest though I have been to many a place to find her...I have yet to find my daughter and I just wish to give her home and love."

"The thing is...Grace is important...do you understand?"

[formerfirstson-a]

As the other spoke, TJ could relate to his words. Maybe he hadn’t lost someone in the literal sense of the word, but being rejected by Sean felt really close to losing —his love, the hope of a future. So yeah, it did hit close from home, but he tried to shake those thoughts off. “I’m not saying no to helping, but I just don’t get it. If you have magic, can’t you do something with it to find that someone?” Even in his irrationality, his brain was running and that idea was nagging him. There was a sly grin spreading on his features at Jefferson’s last response. “You know giving me that kind of power would be dangerous, right? But I guess we got a deal.”

[desperatehattricks]

"Deals are binding where I come from and only trickery will stave them off but you should know should you trick me the consequences are high and steep. Though I suppose I should say my magic is not about finding what's lost...it's about transporting you to where and even then the where can get lost with the lost. It's a tricky thing you find yourself in when you dabble in magic. But I'm looking for my daughter..."

[heartthrobxhook]

"You are very delicious whether you're sweet or sour." Killian chuckled then nodded with the remark about 'dearie' he'd spent too much time around the Dark One that it was unintentionally rubbing off on him. Thankfully he had someone much better to occupy himself with. "You are nothing like the others I've been with in the past, I would never mistake your name for another."

The kiss on the cheek made him blush, even more so when Hatter spoke about spending time with the one he loves. "Is that you confessing you've fallen for me?" He teased with a grin and kissed him back. "I think I might've fallen down a rabbit hole that leads straight to your heart~"

[desperatehattricks]

"You think me delicious? I think you divine, I should tell you that I would find the sweetest drink and it would not compare to you. You could have the finest rum or the deepest brandy and I would say you were sweeter still. I fear if you have gone down a rabbit hole, well then I have walked the plank into lovers lagoon. And I shall say that a dashing gentleman with a hook for a hand brought me there on his way to chasing crocodiles and teenage boys with shadows..."

"I find that I enjoy my time with a rogue than with any king or queen. I would much prefer the company of pirates."

[antioceas]

"Then so be it. Give me two days to complete the potion I will need to make," Rumpelstiltakin knew that the wait would prove difficult - a parent away from their child counted every second away from them as if it were lost gold.

"The only word you will need to give is Yes. I can't tell you when you will need to say it but you will know. Don't worry though... Grace's memories of her life will return fad before you say Yes. Just remember our deal..." She waved a hand in a vague gesture. He didn't understand now how powerful that word could be, but he would someday. And then...

"I could have. But I didn't... " Rumpelstiltskin smiled, almost kindly "Perhaps you will remember the next time you call my deals unfair."

[desperatehattricks]

"I suppose I should say that I'm not certain of your deals at all. Though I have dealt with trickery before from someone that had learned her ways from your humble beginnings. I just know that I will do anything for Grace...anything at all. I know I would do anything for her...I would sooner skin myself than lose her. I will do what you say and I will make sure not to insult should that be a particular issue."

[multiversalshenanigans]

"What is it with you and hats, how would that even work, keeping my heart in a hat?" Graham asked, it would be suspicious and look weird if he suddenly had a hat he carried with him everywhere.

"I don't think I even own a hat."

[desperatehattricks]

"Hats are an important thing. We could keep the heart perhaps in the safest hat of all. My hat. You see, you would have to open a portal to get to the heart if you were to place it in my hat. And I could pull it forth with no ease but she would not have the knowledge of where to pull and for what...see my hat is a tricky thing. Hats are tricky things indeed. And you should think you very lucky to know a man with a hat like mine."

[ofwondersandhares]

"I didn't say his name was March Hare, I said that is what he is - just as sure as I am Layla, a Dormouse from a Wonderland..."

This man though, he was definitely human. A sigh left Layla's lips, she wasn't sure what he meant exactly by very queer -- "He doesn't have long ears, he has a human form, just like I do." This was going to be harder than Layla thought.

"So, do you just not believe in magical beasts with human forms, or do you not believe in Wonderland at all?"

[desperatehattricks]

"I can tell you I believe in Wonderland for I have seen it with my own eyes. What I have not seen is a little boy calling himself a rabbit. That is a strange sort of notion to find myself in where a mouse is human and a boy is a rabbit. Well what else should I find from this place I have never wanted to return?"

[heartthrobxhook]

He grinned seeing that the other seemed to like the small tea set, chuckling at the mention of time like it was a person. The pirate wouldn't be surprised if it was. "After being on an island where there is no time I appreciate every passing moment." Killian told him warmly.

Killian tilted his head when Hatter didn't seem to care for the shortened version of his name. "Do you not like being called Jeff?" He asked. "Jefferson is just so formal sounding in casual conversation. Would Hatter be better? Or I could call you dearie, sweety, love, babe." The pirate flirtatiously listed off some possible pet names. Though if the other insisted on just being called Jefferson Killian would respectfully oblige.

[desperatehattricks]

"You want to call me sweetie like I'm some kind of candy you indulge, by all means. I suppose I could be sweet. But I suppose I could be sour. Dearie sounds too much like the terminology of the dealmaker...and to tell you the truth its about as sickly as the nasty cherry medicine going down your throat...I suppose I could be called Jeff. I do not mind it so. I have been called Hatter. I have also been called worse. I suppose as long as you do not call me someone else's name in the bed we could entertain shortened titles," he teased and pecked a kiss on Killian's cheek.

"Time passing is important...so is the time spent with the ones we love, Killy," he said softly, letting his fingers roam through Killian's hair and spoiling him with the attention he wanted to share.

[ofwondersandhares]

"Why do you think I spend most of my time running away from it, hmm? It is quite convenient having the ability to use my own mirrors to travel through realms ---"

The only thing good about his Wonderland was his sister, well, and a few of his friends. Alexander and Layla, for instance, weren't that bad. "Oz you say? Of all the realms I've visited, can't say I've ever been there. What's that place like, luv?"

Sean had arched his brow, given a slight shrug. "I go wherever the mirrors tell me I should go. Its a pull of sorts, they choose the road and I just follow. I should ask you the same question, stranger, just what do you call this 'neck of the woods? After all, you telling me you hate Wonderland suggests you have certainly been there before."

[desperatehattricks]

"I'm from Wonderland, exactly, my friend. Well, sort of. I'm from the Enchanted Forest but I had been trapped within Wonderland for almost what felt like a millennia. Now I'm somewhere that is neither here nor there. Neither up nor down. You see," he paused, tapping himself on the chin.

"You have to understand....Wonderland is a cage. And so is this land. Where you want to go and where you will go are entirely interchangeable. The real thing about Oz is its about as bat shit as Wonderland but not nearly as condemning as Neverland. You see...."

He flipped his hat in his hands and shook his head. "You know I have been to Wonderland and I hate it. As for Neverland, not a place for a grown man with an island of boys."

[heartthrobxhook]

@desperatehattricks

"Jeeeeff~" Killian came over to the other and presented him with a box wrapped with a big red ribbon. "Now fair warning, you're either going to really love this gift or you're going to hate it and smash it on sight. I really hope you like it because I saw it and thought it was beautiful and I hope you think it's beautiful too." He rambled on a bit in anticipation of Hatter opening the gift.

Inside the box was a chinese tea set with the traditional white base and blue painted designs. This set had koi fish and waves on the teapot and matching patters on the pair of cups and saucers. There was also a cute smiling cat teapet that was a little chubby and painted with tiger stripes. "You're always going on about teatime, so I wanted yo get you a proper tea set so we could have tea together..."

[desperatehattricks]

"Well tea time is an important time though sometimes time gets offended. Don't offend time you don't want to be stuck at tea o clock," he smiled and opened the box looking at the teapot.

"I would love to have tea with you but you know you must be prepared to move down," he teased, patting the other on the hand. "You really....are insistent on this Jeff name though."

[desperatehattricks]

"Funny you should mention driving to the depths of insanity because really, you know...I'm not all barking you know. Only a dog would bark and I'm not on all fours I'll attest to that."

He paused following the other towards the location of where Regina stored things in a vault.

"You do know you'll always have to run from her should you get that piece of organ back?"

[multiversalshenanigans]

"Yes, well... I can't just leave it where she can easily access it. At least if it's in my chest it gives me a little time to get Emma to break the curse and put an arrow in the that witch's heart." Graham felt like he was going to throw up as they got closer to where his heart was.

"Let's just get this over with."

[desperatehattricks]

"Keeping it in your chest is where she will look though, just so you know," he tapped his fingers and seemed to lead him towards the crypts and he found himself a little uncomfortable in the room. It was strange but he felt the power of multiple hearts in the room.

"You know....I think that you should keep your heart in a hat."

[desperatehattricks]

"Easy, easy. Wasn't aware you'd want me to disappear but I can," he held his hat as though he had been offering to suddenly just disappear as the man had indicated. "I can go anywhere with my hat. It's magic you know. I'm magic. Well, sort of. I'm a hatter though some have called me Mad. Yes, you're in the forest. Enchanted Forest exactly. That's what it's called too. You can call me, Jefferson, TJ. "

"Tell me, would your father be willing to aid a man in finding his family or would it have to come at a price?"

[formerfirstson-a]

“You’re Mad, who would’ve thought? Listen, Jefferson, gotta be honest with you. You’re out of your mind, clearly, and even though I’m fucking high, you’re gonna need to prove that. ‘Cause I ain’t buying your magic bullshit,” he said, raising a brow at the other. “If it’s true, you could get me out of here, right?” As Jefferson spoke again, TJ couldn’t help but let out a sharp laugh. “Oh man, no politician would ever do anything out of the goodness of their heart, I can assure you that. What’s with your family that you’d need my father’s help?”

[desperatehattricks]

"I'm looking for something that's been lost...not a something really but a someone. You ever lost something and you can't feel whole again? Like an itch that you can't scratch but it makes you ache in the ways you can't describe. I lost that someone. I've got magic and I can prove it but it's going to take a deal to get me to spill my secrets and you're going to have to help me find what I lost...who I lost."

"if you can do it, I can take you anywhere...your hearts wish is my command."

[multiversalshenanigans]

@desperatehattricks continued from here: (x)

"Hey, watch it, Hatter." There weren't many confirmed people who were awake in town, Jefferson being one of the rare ones, that didn't give him free reign to say whatever.

"Bow or gun, I still never miss. When this is over I'll deal with the queen but I need my heart before we try anything."

[multiversalshenanigans]

"I'm not, not really," he wasn't Henry's father, but he did have affection for the boy.

"More of a male role model, but without my heart, things are... muted." If he had his heart, he knew he'd feel more not just towards Henry but towards everyone.

"I hope you're right. Have you ever put a heart back before?"

[desperatehattricks]

"There is a child you care for though?" He questioned, suddenly a little more perceptive to who that child might be. After all, he knew Graham had been getting close to the Millers and Henry was the boy he was probably referring to.

"Well, I'm not actually a sorcerer or a magician like Rumple or Regina, but I suppose it should be easier to place a heart back than it would be to take one," he admitted, looking a little out of his element. "I suppose we go to the vault and we find which heart beats for you."

[multiversalshenanigans]

"Yes, and I understand the need to know that they're safe, it's enough to drive you-" Graham stopped himself short of saying 'mad'.

"... Sorry. Poor choice of words." He wasn't super confidant about letting Jefferson shove his heart back in his chest, but what choice did Graham have really?

"Alright. We'll need to move quickly, before the queen suspects anything." Gods help him if Regina had even an inkling that he was awake.

[desperatehattricks]

"Funny you should mention driving to the depths of insanity because really, you know...I'm not all barking you know. Only a dog would bark and I'm not on all fours I'll attest to that."

He paused following the other towards the location of where Regina stored things in a vault.

"You do know you'll always have to run from her should you get that piece of organ back?"

[desperatehattricks]

@hclloswcctie

"I come looking for the sort of things that make the evil grin and the wicked sin. I come looking for the deal that would get me what I want and everything would be worthy to risk to get what I want. Do you attest?"

[desperatehattricks]

"Bloody Wonderlands, stuck in a place ignoring the existance of its own magic once again. I can't tell you how much this has gotten old ---" (from Sean, and thanks for the follow back!)

"Wonderland. Hate it. Don't even follow the walk to the road...Rather be in Oz, and that's a queer sort of place too. What are you doing in this neck of the woods anyways?"

[desperatehattricks]

"Excuse me but, have you seen a boy with dark hair and dark eyes that calls himself a March Hare? I've lost him again and I don't know where I am. If it isn't too much trouble for you to point me in the right direction ---" (Layla)

"I don't know a boy named the March hare but I would think he would be a rabbit and not a boy...would he not have long ears if he was to call himself a hare? I find this very queer."