Mad, Prosperous Foresters
This is a snippet of my CSSS present to @snowbellewells this year. Thank you so much for being a good sport despite my work schedule and being sick right after Christmas getting in the way. This work is inspired by the movie, Crazy Rich Asians. The rest will be posted on AO3 as soon as I’m able.
Killian Jones thought his life was done with springing surprises on him after being honorably discharged from the Royal Navy and started up his own coffeeshop/bookshop called, “The Rolly Joger” in New York City. Only that was before he met Emma Swan, a young woman who overtime became a regular in his shop by ordering one hot cocoa with cinnamon in her morning rush and again in the evening when she was in less of a hurry. Over the next few months, he learned about how Emma had moved to New York in hopes of being a police officer, which is also where NYU and the New York Police Academy is. She hates asking for help of any kind, even if it meant going out the door on a sprained ankle, which Killian prided in being able to reason with her to let him help at least once. That once became twice in a few months when it came to Christmas shopping for her family friends in town. Thankfully for both of them, twice grew frequenters in terms of, “The small things became the big things,” and somewhere in between that time, they became best friends.
The day Killian found out Emma cared deeply about him was when she came for her evening dose of cocoa goodness when she purchased several classic literature collectors items he’d been meaning to get for awhile but never got around to it. When he asked who they were for, she answered nonchalantly, “They’re for a special someone who’s become an important fixture in my life overtime and I want them to know that when I give ‘em these.” He just finished bagging everything when Emma rushed out the door after paying. “Wait, Swan! You have to give these to your special someone first!” She simply turned around with a brilliant smile and stated as though it was obvious, “I already did,” and walked away. That was also the day Killian realized he was falling in love with Emma and falling hard.
A year after they meet, Emma nearly falls apart about having to get another student loan for her to finish and graduate from NYU. She stated explicitly how she dreaded asking her parents for their help financially because it would mean she wasn’t as capable as she thought and she’d become unable to solve this problem with just her. Killian didn’t have much to say about that except that accepting help from others who aren’t family doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. After giving Emma several reassuring hugs, he has to run several errands and leaves his best friend, Belle in charge of the Rolly Joger until his return. Several weeks later, Emma’s furious when she calls her parents asking why a mysteriously large sum of money appeared in her bank account, to which they both answered was not from either of them and both asked her when she was coming back home, to which she answers when she thinks about it. Emma investigates into this and tracks down the account number to Jones, which leads her to meet Liam and Elsa Jones, who turn out to be Killian’s brother and sister-in-law. The couple piece everything together in front of Emma and explain how Killian loves sailing as well as using it as a coping mechanism for what happened to him during his time in the Navy, for which he was honorably discharged. When Killian asked to borrow Liam’s boat, the Jewel of the Realm, he explained that he sold his boat, the Jolly Roger to help someone who needed it and mustn’t know. Emma starts putting the puzzle together and politely excuses herself. She goes to Killian’s apartment and begins knocking on the door until he answers with a surprised smile. She asks in a small tone, “You sold your ship for me?” Killian’s smile morphs into a seldom expression as he nods his head and confirms, “Aye.” This simple yet meaningful confession gives Emma the courage to gently take his face in between her hands and pulls him into the best kiss of her life. She feels this wonderful man stiffen then return her affections in full force and wraps his arms around her. “That was…” he breathes out heavily after parting for air, “Absolutely not a one-time thing,” Emma finishes with a grin and a giddy tone in her voice, then giggles, freaking giggles as she pulls Killian in for a bear hug because he’s become someone she could have a future she didn’t know she could have before she met him.