some day we'll be grown and i'll be fine with packing up cardboard boxes filled and sad farewells and I'll be fine with that goodbye as long as i don't say goodbye to you as well

#ryland grace#phm#rocky the eridian#project hail mary spoilers


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some day we'll be grown and i'll be fine with packing up cardboard boxes filled and sad farewells and I'll be fine with that goodbye as long as i don't say goodbye to you as well
hi, it's santa here! and this is my little gift for @i-will-sing-no-requiem for the @cssecretsanta2020 i really hope you like it and happy holidays âĄ
Emma Swan, a capable and strong-willed 21st-century woman, travels to Scotland in search of her birth parents. Her journey takes an unexpected turn when she witnesses a mysterious ritual. Wanting to investigate further, she heads to the house nearby. Upon entering, she's suddenly transported back in time to 1743. There she meets the dashing Highland warrior, Killian Jones, to whom Emma finds herself being drawn.
-CS Outlander!AU
Surprise, surprise, @cocohook38 !! I'm your @cssecretsanta2020 !!! It has been great talking to you and I really hope you like this and you're not disappointed! As I promised, I will also post a little graphic to go along with this gifset!
CS AU: Sleeps Ten, My Ass (2/2)
Summary: It's become tradition for Emma Swan to spend the holidays with her brother, their cousins, and their families. This Christmas was no different. The group booked a four night stay at a cozy mountain cabin to celebrate. The listing said it sleeps ten, but upon arrival they discover a small issue. The listing was wrong and now Emma and Killian Jones, the only two single people within their group, have to spend the next four nights sharing a bed. Fortunately... they've shared a bed before.
A/N: @eastwesthomeisbest I'm sorry this Part Two took a little longer to get to you than I'd planned, but I hope you'll find it worth the wait! Again, it was lovely being your CS Secret Santa!! I hope you have a wonderful 2025!!
For the rest of my readers, I started over with my Curious Crew Tag List (which I typically do at the first of the year). Although I'm pretty sure I've added everyone who told me to date that they wished to be added, if I missed you (SORRY) or you wish to be added, please let me know!!
Thanks to @kmomof4 for looking this over for me and to the @cssecretsanta2020 for once again hosting a fantastic event. Side note, this fic also completes my Only One Bed: Holiday Edition square for the CS Winter Bingo!
Rated E / Also available on ao3 / add to tag list / Curious? Come Ask Me! / Part One
Part Two
âMerry Christmas!â
Emma clinked her mimosa against the glasses of her family and friends then settled onto the sofa next to her brother. Taking a sip of the bubbly beverage, she perused the room and let the early morning alcohol warm her from the inside as the fireplace beside her took care of the outside.
Much as Killian had done for her last night.
Shaking off that thought - and the remnants of the dreams sheâd had where heâd kept her warm in other ways - Emma tucked her legs beneath her and gave Liam her attention as he passed out the gifts.
The couples tended to exchange gifts with one another in private before they met as a group, and Emma imagined this year was no different. The gifts Liam was handing out were the ones each of them had brought for a specific member of their group. Every Thanksgiving they drew names at random so each person only had to buy something for one other person. Then, Christmas morning, they would all open their gifts and reveal who had bought for whom.
Emma was grateful that she did not have to buy something for everyone, but she did not enjoy the fact that they opened the gifts one at a time while the rest of the group watched, making the person unwrapping the center of attention.
Well, the person unwrapping and the person who had gifted it.
âDavid, I love it!â Elsa praised with a laugh, holding up the lightweight sweatshirt for everyone to see.
Printed across the front in bold lettering, it read: No. I donât need a coat. The cold doesnât bother me.
âThatâs perfect,â Liam chortled, already tearing his gift open.
And around the room they went. After Elsa was Liam, then Kristoff, then Anna, who Emma had drawn and gifted a pair of boots sheâd known her cousin had been wanting. When Anna was finally done gushing over them, Emma began to open her gift.
âSo⌠who will I be thanking for thisâŚâ Sheâd gotten the rest of the paper off and the lid to the box open when her words fell away as she looked over the myriad of items within.
âItâs a, uh...â Killian cleared his throat and pawed at the patch of skin behind his ear as he went on to explain. âItâs a sort of⌠winter stake-out care package, I guess is what youâd call it.â
Emma began lifting the items out of the box as Killian described them and the thought process behind his selecting each one.
âIâd noticed earlier this month when we all got together for that holiday festival that you needed a new beanie,â he said as she slipped the hunter green beanie onto her head and then pulled out a pair of soft gloves. âNow, I know you donât tend to wear gloves on a stake-out because they get in the way of you taking photos or making notes on your phone, but with these you can slip the individual fingertips off so your hands can stay warm while you still have use of your finger pads.â
Emma tested them out whilst he explained their function, loving the ease with which she could quickly bare her thumbs and fingertips. They would certainly come in handy, as would the next item.
âA portable electric kettle,â Killian informed the group when more than one of them had murmured an inquiry about the item in question. âYou just add water and plug it into the cigarette lighter in your vehicle and itâll boil in less than 90 seconds. It also serves as a thermos once youâve heated the water.â Killian lifted his chin in a pointed gesture and added, âThereâs some hot cocoa packets and instant coffee in there as well.â
âThis isâŚâ Emma began, somewhat at a loss of what to say.
âDo you like it?â
Emmaâs eyes jumped to Killianâs which were filled with a hesitant anticipation; his brows furrowed as his Adamâs apple bobbed.
âI do,â she answered, smiling softly at him. âThis was all so thoughtful of you. Thank you.â
âYouâre very welcome, Swan,â he replied, a bright smile adorning his lips as he let out a heavy breath of relief.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Mary Margaret elbow David in the ribs. No doubt it was an attempt to keep whatever snide comment he had at the ready about her occupation from falling out of his mouth. Emma knew her brother did not approve of her line of work. In truth, most of them didnât. The only one who never gave her a hard time about it, who never questioned her abilities or capability, who only ever asked about it out of genuine curiosity and interest, and without an ulterior motive to somehow diminish her success or exaggerate the dangers, was Killian.
Emma tried to focus on the remaining gifts being opened by the rest of their group, but her mind kept circling back to her own. The way Killian had noticed the state of her beanie and how he inherently knew and understood the reason why she tended to not wear gloves, despite her having the opposite reaction to the cold from her cousin.
The cold did bother her. It always had.
The contrast of her and Elsaâs response to it had always been a source of amusement within their circle. As evidenced by Davidâs gift to Elsa and past comments made regarding the issue. It struck Emma, in that moment, that Killian had never taken her objection to the cold lightly. From the beginning, he had always made sure she was comfortable. Warm. Content.
Like last night. Like many times before. Like with his gift. Making sure sheâd be warm and comfortable during the long, wintery nights whilst on a stake-out. The way heâd made sure she was warm that night. The night in the Caribbean when a cool ocean breeze had met her damp skin - sweat soaked from dancing in a crush of people - and sheâd shivered, her slip of a dress, which left little to the imagination, unable to combat the chill as goosebumps erupted over her entire body.
She could still feel the soft fabric of Killianâs jacket around her shoulders, the warmth it transferred from his body to hers, his scent lingering on the collar and intoxicating her sinuses in the same way the rum had infused their blood. The memory of the heat of his hand, pressing against the small of her back as he walked her to her cabin made Emma shift in her seat, as did the whisper of his hot breath against her neck when she recalled the words heâd murmured into her ear.
âIâll keep you warm, love. Just say the word and Iâll make you burn until morning. It would be both our pleasure, I swear it.â
He had been good to his word.
So, so good.
âWho's ready for breakfast?â
Mary Margaretâs inquiry, which signaled the end of the gift giving portion of the day, shook Emma from her thoughts. Her highly inappropriate thoughts. Thoughts that had caused her cheeks to grow hot and blush pink; a fact she hoped no one had noticed.
âYou look a bit flushed, Swan,â Killian commented on their way to the dining room - much to Emmaâs mortification. âI guess my gifts are doing their job.â
Unable to meet his eye, Emma swiped the new beanie off her head and peeled the gloves off her hands. âYep. Iâm nice and toasty now. Thanks.â
âAnytime, love,â he replied in a deep, quiet timbre. Was she imagining the mixture of promise and longing in his words? Was he merely being his usual cheeky self, or was he reminding her of all the ways they could produce heat together⌠and his willingness to explore them with her?
âWho needs a refill?â Elsa offered, holding up the bottle of champagne and the pitcher of orange juice.
âMe!â Emma responded, hurrying towards the island with her champagne flute and receiving the first of many, many refills sheâd imbibe that day.
~/~
This was a bad idea. No, it was a great idea, but it was also, potentially, a very, very bad idea.
It had been Annaâs idea. Which wasnât the reason it was a bad one. It was actually a really good one. After a long day of cooking and drinking and eating and games and drinking and cleaning and drinking, her cousin had suggested they end the evening with a soak in the hot tub.
Which was a terrific idea, except⌠wearing nothing but her bikini, in a hot tub, with Killian Jones, also in his swimsuit, with his hair curling from the steam and water droplets clinging to his chest hair and pooling in the hollow of his throat while she - and the rest of them - continued to polish off the bottles of champagne that never seemed to end was a very, very bad idea.
But when had a bad idea ever stopped her before?
Especially when said bad idea had actually crossed her mind days before when sheâd packed her bag. More specifically, the tiny, red, string bikini sheâd worn during their cruise vacation. But no, she absolutely did not choose to pack this particular bikini because she remembered the look on Killianâs face and the hunger in his eyes when he saw her in it the first time on the pool deck. The same hunger that was threatening to devour her from a darkened, forget-me-not gaze across the hot tub.
Okay, maybe she did pack this particular bikini on purpose with this particular scenario in mind.
The idea wasnât the only thing that was bad. Emma was also being bad. Very, very bad. And she wanted to do bad things. Very, very bad things with the man she found herself alone in the hot tub with after all their family and friends had decided to turn in about an hour after theyâd first all got in.
âDâyou wanna stay inna bit longer or turn in,â Killian asked with a heavy tongue from all the alcohol heâd consumed over the course of the day.
The same amount that was currently coursing through her veins and causing her to want to act on her very, very bad ideas.
âProlly should turn in,â she replied in an equally tipsy tone. âMâry Marget wants to head out early for after Kissmas shopping.â
Another loathsome tradition, but one Emma complied with for her sister-in-lawâs sake. She wasnât much for bargain hunting, but she knew what the bonding time together meant to the woman who had married into a sisterhood (despite Elsa and Anna actually being Emmaâs cousins) after being an only child all her life and an orphan for the greater part of it.
âRight then,â Killian said, standing from where heâd been lounging in the corner and offering her a hand up. âWe should get you to bed, love.â
Taking his hand, Emma stood, then immediately lost her footing and fell into his wet, firm chest. His arms circled her waist, his inebriation making him a bit clumsy and the slickness of their skin causing one of his hands to inadvertently land a bit too low. Palming her ass cheek may have been an accident, but the way his grip tightened, his fingers digging into her skin as he prompted her hips forward was not.
Nor was the way she responded, bringing herself flush against him as their lips, teeth and tongues met with fervor. He groaned into her mouth when she raked her nails down his back, then reached up and wrapped his other hand around the back of her neck.
âI want you,â he breathed, the much needed air secondary to the words he seemed desperate to convey.
âI want you, too,â she told him before suddenly finding herself in his arms, being carried out of the hot tub and into the cabin. After setting her down by the dying embers of the fire, he grabbed a nearby towel and wrapped it around her.
âIâm gonna shut off the hot tub and close things up,â he informed her. âWait for me in our room?â
Emma nodded, her bottom lip tucked between her teeth as she headed for the stairs. Glancing back over her shoulder, she giggled at the way he hurriedly - and drunkenly - took care of the tasks so he could follow after her. He didnât keep her waiting long. No sooner had she finished drying off - still clad in her bikini, so not completely dry - and taking her hair down from the high bun sheâd pulled it into so it would stay out of the water, than he came through the door like a man on a mission.
His mission, it seemed, was to pick up where theyâd left off. In less than a second she was back in his arms, their hands indulging in the vast expanse of exposed skin while their mouths fought to devour the other.
âYouâve no idea what seeing you in this bikini does to me,â he growled against her lips, his fingers toying with the knotted strings tied at her back.
Reaching between them, Emma cupped his hardness through the thin, damp fabric of his trunks and hummed into his mouth before murmuring, âActually, I think I do.â
âWeâre drunk,â he stated, pulling back slightly while his hands gripped her hip and grazed her back.
âWâare,â she slurred, flicking her gaze up to his. âYour point?â
âWe were drunk last time, too,â he reminded her, sloppily. âIâve always regretted that.â
âRegretted it?â
âNot what we did,â he clarified, his fingers brushing up her side, over the back of her shoulder, then back down her arm. âI regret I wasnât in complete control of my faculties when I took you. That the details of you, naked and quivering beneath me, are hazy in my memory because of the alcohol clouding them.â
Emma cupped his length harder, pulling a grunt from the depths of his chest and causing his eyes to slip shut as his lips parted in pleasure. âWill that regret keep you from taking me again?â she asked, kneading the underside of his balls with her fingertips. Reaching up on her tiptoes, she gripped his earlobe between her teeth, eliciting a sharp intake of breath that interrupted the moans vibrating up his throat. âWill that regret keep you from allowing me the pleasure of being taken?â
Killian jerked his head away, her teeth scraping against the lobe of his ear. A growl rumbled in his chest as he pressed his forehead against hers, his eyes dark and piercing despite the alcohol hooding his gaze.
âAbsolutey the fuck not,â he declared in a tone that curled her toes and nearly made her knees give out.
With a series of sharp tugs, he undid the knots that had kept her bikini top secured, then tore the flimsy piece of fabric from her breasts so his mouth and hands could replace it. Clutching his head to her chest, Emma gasped and wrapped her legs around his waist when he managed to lift her, one handed, so he could carry her to the bed. He probably would have deposited her on the mattress with more finesse had he been sober, but Emma wasnât complaining, not when he sank to his knees at the end of it and began divesting her of her bikini bottoms with his teeth.
She wasnât sure whether she said them out loud, but the last coherent words to flow through her consciousness before his tongue began its assault on her sex were, we really ought to do this sober at some point.
~/~
âGot our to-go coffees!â
Emma groaned, her head resting against her arms which were crossed on top of the table theyâd just finished having breakfast on. If you could call a slice of dry toast breakfast, that is.
She really shouldnât have drank so much the day before.
She hated to think how much worse her hangover would be if, after their⌠relations, Killian hadnât insisted they both take an aspirin and chase it with a large glass of water before crashing.
Yet another thing to be grateful to Killian Jones for.
And he had given her many, many things to be grateful for last night.
Of course, sheâd given him her fair share as well.
Not that she should be thinking about any of that now, especially when thinking in general was causing her head to pound.
âHere,â Elsa said, prompting Emma to sit up and take the to-go cup being offered to her. âI slipped a little hair of the dog in it for you.â
Emma glanced down to where Elsa was brandishing the flask she had tucked away in her purse, a very Jones-esque smirk pulling at her lips.
âYour brother-in-law is a bad influence,â Emma chortled, then winced at the way the action made her stomach gurgle.
Elsa laughed and stood, prompting the rest of the table to follow. The four women made their way out of the diner and towards the shops that were just beginning to open for the after Christmas sales. Emma took a large gulp of her doctored coffee, willing it to sustain her these next few hours. She was gonna need all the help she could get.
âEmma,â Elsa said quietly, as they milled around the third - or was it the fourth - shop of the day.
When Emma glanced over at her, Elsa tilted her head towards the corner, indicating a more private place to chat, and Emma, curious, followed her cousin.
âWhatâs up?â Emma asked, noting the discomfort and hesitation Elsa was struggling with.
âItâs justâŚâ Elsa began, tentatively. âI know you were joking before, when you said Killian was a bad influence, butâŚâ
âBut?â
Elsaâs cool blue eyes locked onto Emmaâs. She knew that look. It was the same look David would give her when he was about to go all Iâm-telling-you-this-for-your-own-good, trust-me-I-know-what-Iâm-talking-about, slightly insufferable, older brother on her.
âHe isnât a bad guy.â
Stunned, Emma blanched and assured, âI know that.â
âI mean,â Elsa continued. âI know David thinks he has a reputation of being a ladiesâ man, and has written him off as a âbad boyâ, but Killian isnât actually like that.â
âOkay,â Emma drawled, suddenly very uncomfortable with where this conversation might be going. âWhy are you tell--â
âBecause⌠He talks about you all the time,â Elsa told her. There was something in her tone that alerted Emma to the fact that her words might be considered a betrayal, but sheâd decided to place her loyalties with her cousin rather than her brother-in-law. âHe asks about you when itâs been awhile since weâve all gotten together. I really⌠I really think he has a thing for you, and I wouldnât want any misconceptions to get in the way of you possibly--â
âElsa, stop.â
Emma couldnât listen to anything more her cousin had to say. It was too much. Too much to hope that this⌠whatever it was between her and Killian, was more than some âdallianceâ. More than an itch he felt the need to scratch or some challenge he wanted to conquer.
More than just another notch on his bedpost.
âLook,â she said, her tone not quite as snappy as it had been. âI appreciate what youâre trying to do, but you donât have to defend Killian to me. I know heâs a decent guy, and IâŚâ Emma wasnât sure what else to say without giving away her feelings, something she was barely ready to do with herself, and nowhere near ready to admit to anyone else.
âRight,â Elsa said, letting Emma off the hook. âWell, Iâm glad we got that sorted. I just⌠Now that Liam and I are married, the Jones brothers are a permanent fixture in our lives and I--â
âI know,â Emma interjected, wishing to end the awkward conversation. âI get it.â
âDo you?â Elsa asked, stepping a bit closer. âEmma, Killian isnât going anywhere. I know you keep your guard up because youâre afraid of being wrong about him, but⌠give him a chance? I really think he just might surprise you. In the best way.â
Elsaâs words lingered in Emmaâs mind for the rest of the day, as did nearly every interaction sheâd ever had with Killian over the past several years. If what Elsa had said was true, that Killian had genuine feelings for her, then why hadnât he ever made a move?
Granted, in the early years of Elsa and Liamâs relationship, he only came around a couple of times, but he had been a solid member of their group for at least the past two. Yet, heâd never given her any indication of being serious about her. Sure, he flirted and made suggestive comments and did outrageous things with his eyebrows and tongue, but he did that with everyone, right? Even David and Kristoff.
He didnât have their preferred drink at the ready when they inevitably showed up late, though. Nor did he buy them thoughtful gifts that affirmed and supported their chosen profession. He also did not gravitate towards the rest of them like he did her. And she to him.
He didnât look at any of them the way he looked at her. In fact⌠She could not recall a single time theyâd been together when sheâd seen him look at another woman that way. Not even on the cruise when there had been no shortage of beautiful women in revealing, eye-catching outfits. Not even when those women had come onto him, slipping their room numbers, phone numbers, and who knows what else into his pocket.
Surely, given the fact that he was gorgeous and charming and sexy as hell - donât get her started on the accent - and had women throwing themselves at him, he had no trouble keeping his date book full and his bed warm. Itâs not like heâd been pining after her all this time.
Right?
~/~
The ladies got back to the cabin later than theyâd planned. Initially, the group was going to make do with the leftovers for dinner, cleaning out the fridge and making sure nothing went to waste before checking out the next day. However, the shopping and bonding and girl-time had led to them informing the guys that theyâd be dining out instead and to not wait up.
Emma - despite the internal turmoil and lingering questions her conversation with Elsa had left her with - had actually enjoyed the day with her cousins and sister-in-law. So much so that it might have been her idea to ditch leftovers with the gents and treat themselves to a lovely meal at the bistro theyâd walked by several times during their shopping ventures through the town.
Was a small part of that suggestion due to the fact she wasnât ready to face Killian?
Yup. Absolutely. 100%
There was no putting it off any longer, though. Despite their insistence that the men should not wait up for them, they had. Because, of course they had.
After a brief recap of the day and a run down of what would need to be done in the morning before they checked out of the cabin, the group dispersed, heading to their respective rooms and turning in for the night. Emma glanced at Killian, whom sheâd been avoiding making eye contact with, and could see the same uncertain, hesitant, bracing-for-what-may-come-next demeanor she knew sheâd walked into the cabin with.
Making her way into their room, she noted how heâd made the bed and picked up their discarded suits that had still littered the floor when sheâd left early that morning. She swallowed heavily at the memory of her quickly quieting her alarm and getting ready - queasy and heavy-headed - as silently and stealthily as possible as not to wake him and force an interaction. What had it been like for him to wake up alone? Had he been plagued by thoughts and memories and questions all day like she had? Eager to see her and discover what it all meant whilst also willing to allow the hours to drag on and avoid having to face a reality that may not meet hopeful expectations?
The door softly snicked closed, the air growing heavy and charged as tense anticipation palpated throughout the room.
âSwan,â Killian began, his voice gentle but resolved as he hovered by the door, giving her as much space as he could within the privacy of their room. âI know talking about last night is probably the last thing you wish to do, but I really think, given that itâs happened twice now, that we really ought to dis--â
âYouâre right,â she agreed, cutting him off. âI think we need to talk about it.â
Killian balked. That was clearly not the response heâd been prepared to receive from her. âYou do?â
âYeah,â she said, wetting her lips and shuffling her feet against the carpet, her gaze turned downward as she slipped her hands into her back pockets. âIâve, uh⌠I've been thinking about it all day. I meanâŚâ she paused, her eyes closing briefly at how that statement could be misconstrued, even if the presumption wouldnât be completely off base. âIâve been thinking about us all day.â
âMe, too,â he replied with understanding, no hint of teasing or suggestive provocation in his tone.
Emma lifted her gaze and met his eyes. He was looking at her as one would a cornered animal, cautious and careful of making any sudden movement that might frighten the creature away.
âActually,â she continued, her heart thumping wildly in her chest as she gathered the courage to make her next confession. âIâve been thinking about us since that night on the ship.â
âAye,â he breathed out on little more than a whisper. âMe, too.â
With her hands still tucked away in her pockets, she dipped her gaze down to her feet once more and said, âCan I ask you something?â
âAnything,â he replied without hesitation.
It took her a moment to get over her own.
âThe other night,â she began, haltingly. âWhen you implied that you didnât share your bed often enough to develop a preference on which side of the⌠I know itâs none of my business, butâŚâ
âBut?â
Flicking her gaze to his once more, she took a breath and asked, âHow often is not often enough?â
Killian reached up and scratched behind his ear; a usually endearing tell of his, but one that had her stomach churning at that moment.
âI, uh⌠actuallyâŚâ He cleared his throat and cast his gaze aside, though he did throw a furtive glance her way as he answered, âThis past year Iâve only shared my bed with one person.â
âOh,â Emma replied, her heart sinking a bit. âCan I ask who?â
Killianâs head snapped back towards her, a look of amused confusion on his face. His expression softened and he closed the space between them, his hand coming up to cup the side of her face, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw as he said, âDonât you know, Emma⌠Itâs you.â
âWhat?â she exhaled, stupidly. âWhat do you mean⌠me?â
âI havenât been with another woman since last Christmas when you kissed me beneath the mistletoe.â
Emma knew her mouth was hanging open. She knew she must have looked - in his words - absolutely gobsmacked. âB-But that wasâŚâ she stuttered, recalling the moment he was referring to. âThat was just a silly, little peck on the lips because Elsa had hung it over the bar station and caught us standing there. It was hardly even a kiss.â
âPerhaps not to you,â he said with a tinge of hurt in his voice. âBut it was to me.â
Dropping his hand he took a small step back and Emma instantly regretted making it seem as though the kiss hadnât been a big deal. In truth, sheâd had to convince herself for months afterward that it wasnât.
âBut it wasnât just the kiss,â he continued. âItâs what the kiss exposed.â
Emma felt her breath hitch at the way he was looking at her now: vulnerable, unguarded, and - to use the word heâd just uttered - thoroughly exposed.
âWhich was?â
His Adamâs apple bobbed, and a longing took over in his forget-me-not depths. âThat youâre it for me, Swan. IâŚâ Boldly, he approached her again, his words and expression leaving no room for doubt as to his sincerity. âThereâs no one else. I donât want anyone else. Youâre the one I want.â
âWhy⌠Why didnât you say anything?â she asked, the sound of her heart thundering in her ears, her chest rising and falling a bit too rapidly.
He cocked his head to one side, an uncomfortable expression taking hold of his features as he reminded her, âAt the time, you were with that Walsh bloke, and despite my dislike of the fellow, it seemed bad form to make heartfelt declarations whilst you were in a relationship.â Running a hand through his hair, he exhaled heavily and added, âWhen it did, thankfully, end, although his timing was rubbish, leaving you high and dry on Valentineâs Day, you seemed a bit⌠put off by the idea of, well, all men.â
âRight,â she said, her cheeks flushing hot at the reminder. âMy rant at the pub about how all men are bastards and how I was vowing to live a celibate life from then on.â
âAye,â he chuckled. âDidnât seem like the right time to suggest we start⌠anything.â
âSo,â she said, understanding why heâd taken a step back. âYou gave me some space.â
âI thought it best to give it time. Let you heal. Remind yourself that, though the wanker had broken your heart, at least that meant it still worked.â
âAnd then,â she said, prompting him to continue. âThe cruise.â
âAye, the cruise,â he parroted, swallowing hard. âLiam and Elsaâs wedding, both of us in the wedding party, spending all that time together, flirting, connecting. I thought⌠I thought, perhaps, it was finally my chance. Our chance. We had that amazing night together. Not just the sex, but everything else that had led up to it. And thenâŚâ
âAnd then, I metaphorically ran for the hills the next morning.â
Killian dropped his head, his shoulders tense as he drew in a deep breath. âI was afraid that I may have taken advantage of--â
âNo, Killian,â she said, cupping his cheek and urging him to look at her. âWe went over that the next day. You didnât take advantage of me. At least, not anymore than I took of you. That wasnât why I--â
âI know, love,â he murmured. âI know you werenât ready. You were still getting over--â
âNo, I wasnât,â she told him. âI got over Walsh a long time ago, I justâŚâ
âWhat?â he asked, his eyes flicking between hers. âYou just what, Swan?â
A contrite expression pulled at her brows and she dropped her hand to his chest as she confessed, âI didnât want to be just another notch on your bedpost. I didnât want to be some conquest.â
âOh, Emma,â he whispered, gathering her in his arms. âYou are not some conquest. Not to me.â
He held her for several beats of their hearts, his face nuzzling the top of her head. âEver since that night, I have waffled between the desire to respect your wishes, and the urge to fight for what I want.â Pulling back, he gazed down at her and professed, âIâm done waffling. I want you, Emma. I want to be with you. I want to pursue you, and woo you, and court you in all the ways you ought to be.â Bringing his hand up, he caressed the side of her face with the backs of his fingers and murmured, âBut only if you want that as well. Whatever we become is as much up to you as it is to me.â
âThat all sounds good to me,â she said, pulling a deep chuckle from his chest, and they both smiled at one another, basking in the joy of the moment.
A joy that transitioned as they stood there, lightly caressing the other, breathing the other in, and gazing into each otherâs eyes. Eyes that were darkening and becoming more hooded and intense as the atmosphere began to electrify around them.
When their lips met, it wasnât in the chaotic and frenzied way they had in the instances before. There was no less passion, no less heat, but the desperation in this kiss was for closeness, intimacy, and not because either of them thought this might be the only time theyâd ever get a chance to experience the other in this way.
After a long, thorough, languid exploration of her mouth, Killianâs moved to her jaw, the space below her ear, then down her neck. Emmaâs fingers carded through his hair as his tongue mapped the slope of her shoulder, his hand gently pulling at the collar of her shirt to expose a greater path.
âI agree,â he murmured into her skin, his lips applying soft kisses and gentle, sucking pressure to her pulse points as they traveled back up her neck.
âWith what?â Emma panted, torn between wanting to bask in this unhurried moment of enjoyment and her eagerness to move things along so they could get to the really good stuff.
âWith what you said last night,â he reminded her, pulling his face away from her neck so he could stare down at her with a smoldering gaze of desire. âWe really ought to do it sober sometime, and I see no better time than now. Do you?â
âUh, yeah. No. I meanâŚâ Emma silently cursed herself for sounding like an idiot. Taking a deep breath, she reached down and grabbed the hem of his t-shirt, then began lifting it as she replied, âI think so, too.â
Killian raised his arms, allowing her to peel the shirt from his body. His breath visibly hitched beneath her touch as she ran her fingers down the front of his chest; the muscles in his lower abdomen jumping when they reached the top of his jeans where his body hair began to taper into a happy trail. She could feel the heat of his gaze as she loosened his belt, heard the soft gasp that fell from his lips when she unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, and the groan he let out when she slipped her hand past his boxer briefs to wrap around his hardening, hot, velvety length sent a shiver of wonder down her spine.
âI think,â she whispered in a sultry tone, flicking up her gaze up from beneath her lashes to meet his; her words causing them to open after her actions had clearly made them fall shut in pleasure. âIâll be the one doing the taking this time.â
A shudder ran through him and his gaze darkened. âAs you wish,â he murmured, his timbre low and gravelly and making her want to do all sorts of naughty things to him.
Her hand still wrapped around his cock, she guided him to the edge of the bed and prompted him to sit on the edge as she sank down onto her knees.
âLie back,â she instructed while working to free him from his jeans and underwear.
âAs my lady commands,â he replied, collapsing back onto the mattress, though his head remained lifted so he could watch.
After divesting him of his remaining garments, Emma pulled her hair into a high ponytail. She delighted in the way his body jumped and quivered beneath her touch; her teasing caresses and taunting kisses applied to all the areas except where heâd want them most. Pained pants puffed from his chest and soft whimpers collected in the back of his throat. The cords of his neck strained whenever his head fell back, his eyes following the motion, his lips parted and sticking at the corners whenever his teeth werenât burying themselves into their soft flesh. When she finally turned her attention to his neglected manhood, his hips jerked off the bed from the feel of her tongue running the length of his cock.
âBloody hell,â he cursed, his hands balling up the comforter in a white-knuckeled grip.
âShhhh,â she admonished. âDonât make me gag you like you had to with me last night.â
The reminder forced a half-growl, half-groan from his chest, but it fully transformed into a moan of pleasurable relief when she took him fully into her mouth.
âGods above, Swan,â he croaked after several minutes of her working him over, trying to keep his voice down. Trying⌠and failing. âFuck!â
With a soft pop, Emma released him and stood.
âApologies, love,â he whispered in a desperate tone. âPlease. Donât stop.â
âI have no intentions of stopping,â she assured him. âBut you clearly need help staying quiet.â
If he had a retort to her statement, it must have been forgotten when she lifted her shirt over her head and then removed her bra. Killianâs tongue slowly dragged across his lips, his eyes intently focused on her as she shimmied out of her own jeans and panties. Her black lace panties that matched her bra; a set, like her swimsuit, she had intentionally packed with him in mind.
Black lace panties that she picked up off the floor and let hang off her index finger as she made her way up onto the bed, mounting him dramatically and straddling his hips.
âAre you gonna be a good boy and keep quiet, orâŚâ
She swung her panties once around her finger. His Adamâs apple bobbed, his eyes trained on the black fabric until it came to a rest, crooked on her finger once more, before they met hers. Emma could see the gears turning in his mind, trying to decide which heâd prefer.
After a deliciously taut moment, he said, âIâll be good. I promise.â
âMmmm,â Emma hummed, leaning down so her lips could hover over his. âGood choice.â
She laid her panties on the pillow next to his head as they kissed - just in case. Killian groaned when his tongue ran alongside hers and Emma knew it was because he could taste the brine of his precum still lingering there. When she finally broke off the kiss so she could sit back and position herself over his length, he followed. They both broke the promise of being quiet when he slipped inside her, filling her, stretching her, molding her to him as though they were only ever meant to fit one another.
Rolling her hips, Emma began to move as Killian held her. Murmurs, grunts, staccatoed breaths, sweet nothings, curses, praises, all filled the space between them as their bodies rolled, their hips swiveled, their lips collided, their eyes connected, and their pleasure mounted.
Whenever Emma would arch her back, Killian latched onto her breasts, lavishing them with his tongue and applying sweet torture with his teeth. Torture that reverberated down to her clit, causing it to throb and ache until she couldnât take it any longer. Pushing Killian back down onto the mattress, she ground down hard against him in an attempt to alleviate the torment. When she felt the damp press of his thumb against her she nearly cried out before remembering herself.
âThatâs it, love,â he encouraged, vigorously applying just the right amount of pressure and rhythm to her clit as he shifted beneath her so he could continue to thrust up into her warm, slick center. âFuck, you feel so good. So tight. So soft. So wet.â His words became breathier and more strained, his exertions unrelenting as his thumb and cock competed to bring her to completion. âCome for me,â he pleaded, though there was a tone of command that grew more prominent as he repeated them.
âCome for me, love. I want you to come. Need you to come. Come for me, Emma. Oh, Emma. Emma, Emma, My Emma. Come!â
And come, she did.
Hard.
Showing her no mercy, Killian kept pounding into her, his ministrations at her clit sending wave after wave of ecstasy and bone-numbing pleasure through her, making it impossible for her to stay upright. Collapsing against him, she felt his rhythm falter for a few brief seconds when he brought up his knees, giving him the necessary leverage to chase after her into the euphoric abyss she was still tumbling down. The sounds of his desperation panted and grunted and moaned in her ear, until his breath hitched and guttural groanings, deeper than words, reverberated through his chest and stuttered over his lips like his hips did against hers.
Emma wasnât sure how long they laid there, sated and spent and unbearably content as their bodies cooled and their breaths evened out.
âDo you need to move?â Killian asked, his legs stretching back out as his arms kept her held firmly against him.
âI donât want to,â she mumbled into the side of his neck. âBut I probably ought to.â
During their post-coital cuddling, heâd already begun to soften and slip from her, but the emptiness she felt when he fully left her had them both quickly moving through their aftercare routines so they could be back in the otherâs arms, nestled beneath the covers, as quickly as possible.
âDoes it all still sound good to you, love?â Killian questioned between the soft kisses he was applying to the back of her shoulder.
âThe wooing and pursuing and courting, you mean?â she clarified, sleepily.
âAye.â
âMmmm, you bet.â
~/~
âWell, I think thatâs everything,â Liam said, tying a knot on the last of the trash bags that needed to be taken out. âElsa is going over the check-out list one last time, but I think weâve taken care of everything.â
âI donât see why we even bothered,â David groused. âItâs not like the owner kept up his end of things.â
âAnd Elsa will make sure her review reflects that,â Liam assured him.
Emma and Killian exchanged amused glances with one another. Other than the heat going out that one night - which Kristoff had managed to fix the next day - she and Killian had been the only ones truly âinconveniencedâ by the misleading information in the cabinâs listing.
An inconvenience she was tempted to leave a five star review for.
Sleeps ten, her ass⌠and her eternal gratitude.
The End
Tagging the Curious Crew: (add to tag list)
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Medicine by Havelin
Merry Christmas @nachocheese-itsmycheese!! It's your csss from this year! It has been lovely chatting with you for a few weeks. I tried my best to colour your fav colour and combine some of your favourite scenes into a gift for you! Hope you will have a wonderful holiday with your loved ones and hope you will like this gift. It was fun being your Santa this year xoxo (@cssecretsanta2020)
CSSS 2024 Sign Ups OPEN
You can sign up HERE.
You can learn a bit about this event HERE. Gives a general summary, rules, gift ideas, and a rough schedule.
Not up for being a Santa read up on being a Santa's Helper HERE.
Signs ups close November 26. Pairings go out between November 29th - 30th.
The Words
Merry Christmas @colinoeyebrows !
I'm your Secret Santa for @cssecretsanta2020 this year! I was very excited to get your name, as it was just recently when we had our introduction and conversation on IG đ I hope you like the edit I created for you! I tried to combine scenes and outfits that you like and make coloring with shades of your favorite color. I had to make this post again because of tumblr glitch (it just cut out quite long pert of this edit, and I don't know why it happened), but now it's complete here)
Tag people who may be interested: @killianxswan @teamhook @booksteaandtoomuchtv @exhaustedpirate @anmylica @hollyethecurious @kmomof4 @winterbaby89 @undercaffinatednightmare @resident-of-storybrooke @caught-in-the-filter @tiganasummertree @stahlords @lfh1226-linda @darkshadow7 @fleurdepetite @motherkatereloyshipper @soniccat @jrob64 @beckettj @whimsicallyenchantedrose @jonesfandomfanatic @zaharadessert @bluewildcatfanatic @once-upon-a-happy-end @ultraluckycatnd @qualitycoffeethings @deckerstarblanche
Swear I feel you in my memory
I think I've seen you in my dreams...
.......................................................................................
And my next gift for @cosette141 as CS Secret Santa! ( @cssecretsanta2020 )
You, Me, and Who You Used to Be | CS Fic (CSSS 2024 Gift for BelovedCreation)
Merry Christmas!!
I'm your Santa this year!! :) đđ
Using your prompts of pining, Enchanted Forest, and angst with a happy ending, I give you:
Summary: (CS movie divergence) After getting her parents back on track, Emmaâs magic returns. But before she can conjure a portal home, Killian is abducted. Alone in a world she knows nothing about and with no idea how to find Killian, Emma enlists the only personâor rather, pirateâwho would be as motivated to save Killian as she is. However⌠Killianâs past may just be what destroys the future. CS
AO3
Words (so far): 5k+
NOTE: This is currently only the first chapter of this fic - long story short, the fic I spent weeks on just was not coming together, so I last minute changed to this one. It was an idea I had written the beginning of years ago that I remembered when I was trying to find something to align with the prompts you gave me :D so I knew it would be perfect to write for your gift!! I spent the past week working super hard on this trying to get it finished for you in time, but it was getting so rushed and you do not deserve a rushed gift!! So I decided to give you the first 5k words now, and I'll be updating it with the rest over the coming weeks! :)
Chapter One (under the cut!)
A/N: Story context: This is a canon divergence of the CS movie, which begins right after Emma gets the wand from Rumplestiltskin. (He does not send him to his vault of do-not-touch things in this version tho. Weâll pretend Elsa gets to Storybrooke some other way lol. Iâll also be ignoring Marian, which, the show pretty much did when it just ended up being Zelena anyway lol.Â
Emma smiled at the faintly glowing wand in her fingers, feeling the warmth of the return of her magic, lighting a glow in the vast dining room of Rumplestiltskinâs castle.Â
Everything was back on track.
Including herself.
Perhaps she had been trying to take the easy way out, blocking her magic from returning so she could go back to New York with no ties left behind.Â
But more than anything, it was Killianâs smile now that made the warmth inside her grow even more, and if it wasnât her imagination, made the wand spark a little brighter.
âIt works,â whispered Emma, staring at the wand in awe, eyes snapping to Killian. âMy magic is back!â
âI knew you could do it, love.â said Killian softly, a relief in his eyes, like it was for both the possibility of getting back home, and for the fact that he still blamed himself for her powers being taken in the first place.Â
âAh, the Savior, of course,â murmured Rumplestiltskin from his perch on the edge of his dining table. âI should have known you would have magic of your own.â
Emma suddenly realized just how much Rumplestiltskin knew. âIs it a problem that you knowâŚ?â
âIt would be,â he agreed, but lifted his hand, where a potion bottle materialized. âHowever, I have spent the past few hours mixing myself a Forgetting Potion.â
Emma smiled. âGood. Well, letâs do this, then.â She then lifted the wand, about to attempt to bring forth the time portal.
âWait, wait, wait,â said Rumplestiltskin, jumping down and pushing her hand with the wand down. âNot in here. You might bring any number of my possessions with you.â
Emma winced, eyes finding the myriad of scary-looking things in the castle, wondering just how catastrophic that could be.Â
She looked from Killianâs raised eyebrow to Rumplestiltskin. âSo where do weââ
But not a second later, Rumplestiltskinâs castle was gone, and suddenly they were outside. Trees, greenery and blue sky replaced the walls of the Dark Oneâs abode. They werenât too far from the town below, and not far off was the sea. But they were in an empty enough area of the forest that no one should see anything, and nothing should come with them.
 âWell,â said Killian, giving her another smile, âready, there, Swan?â
Emma nodded. She lifted the wand again, concentrating on her magic, on the emotion in her chest, bright and raw. The tiny flicker of a portal, like a zipper drawn in the very fabric of the air, appeared before them.Â
Killian grinned. âThatâs it, loââÂ
He was cut off with a grunt, and Emmaâs eyes snapped to him, her concentration broken and the tiny beginnings of the portal fizzled back out of existence.Â
Emmaâs heart stopped.Â
They were no longer alone.Â
A burly, muscled man had his arm around Killianâs neck in a chokehold, his other arm pinning Killianâs left arm to his side. Killian let out an angry, surprised snarl, jerking hard against the grip.Â
âHook!â cried Emma, jamming the wand in her back pocket to hide it and running toward him, only skidding to a stop when three other thugs suddenly flanked the first.
âSwââ began Killian, his right hand scrabbling at the hold around his neck, but his airway was quickly cut off. Red rushed to his face, and Emmaâs heart froze.
âSorry, darlinâ,â said the manâs raspy voice. âWe got direct orders to bring Captain Hook in. He stole from us last night, and now he gonâ pay. Pretty stupid to show yer face in the open like this, without yer crew, no less.â A dark chuckle. âShoulda sailed away when he had the chance.â To someone behind him, he shouted, âLucky catch, men!â
Killian struggled against them, something angry and feral, landing a blow to the man's gut. The man growled and stumbled, and Killian reared back to hit him again until the man snapped, âStop fightinâ or the wench dies!â That made Killian freeze, staring at her with icy horror.Â
For a moment, Emma and Killian stared at each other, and it felt like time stood still.
Panic rushed through Emma's chest.
Magic.
Magic.
But she had no idea how to use her magic.
And if she took even a step forward, she'd get a sword through her in seconds.
Killian grunted as a second thug grabbed him on his other side, ripping Killian's sword from his sheath.
Panic rose even sharper in Emma's chest.
Killian swallowed, eyes locked onto her. âGoâhome,â Killian managed, his eyes pleading and broken, with something in them that looked like goodbye, only making Emmaâs eyes burn.Â
âHookâ!â breathed Emma, running for him, but froze when three swords pointed in her direction, so close to her it made her stumble back, falling to the ground.
And by the time she made it back to her feet, they were gone.
-.-.-.
Dark had fallen.
The air had chilled.Â
But none of it gave her the cold dread inside her chest.Â
Sheâd searched for hours.
But those men obviously knew this forest better than she did, and it was easy to get lost in it.Â
Too easy.
She let them take him.
Emma kicked herself.
She should have done something.
She should have done something.
She should have been spending all the time back in Storybrooke learning magic instead of shoving it away.
Because now Killian was gone, and it was all her fault.
She got them stuck in the past.
She was the reason Killian stopped trying to free himself from those bastards.
She was the reason that they may never see each other again.
Emma couldnât stop seeing his eyes.Â
The resignation.
The defeat.Â
The horrible, utter sadness.
She was now alone, and sheâd never felt this alone in her entire life.Â
It was one thing to grow up being alone.Â
And it was another thing entirely to find people, to fall for people, and to have them ripped from you.
It was an entirely different thing to know what it felt like to not be alone.
And ever since meeting Killian, more or less after he decided to become a part of something , heâd been practically glued to her side. Heâd voluntarily gone back to the land he hated more than anywhere, heâd given up his revenge, heâd found her in freaking New York City âan endeavor Emma still didnât know how he managed to doâand how he managed to find her in a world he knew hardly anything about?
Emma stopped on the path, feeling the chill of the air.Â
Even the air felt different in the Enchanted Forest. It felt⌠unearthly, which, wasnât exactly off point. The magic in the land seemed to crackle like a charged atmosphere. The animal sounds, the nightly coos and caws were different, and all this different was unsettling andâŚ
She really, really didnât want to admit she was scared.Â
But Emma didnât have Mary Margaret with her this time. She didnât have a princess squad to help her through. And, she didnât have Hook.
Killian, who was god knew where.Â
He might even already beâ
No , said a firm voice in her head, trying to quell the hair that raised on the back of her neck at the thought. They wouldnât have kidnapped him if they were going to be quick about it.Â
The idea of him suffering at allâŚ
Emma swallowed, hard, trying to shove down the rush of panic that shook her fingers.
How the hell was she supposed to find him?
She was a complete outsider.Â
She not only wasnât from this town, she wasnât from this world , and she wasnât from this time, not by a long shot.Â
She was trapped thirty years in the past, and Killian could be anywhere.Â
âGo home.â
Emma shut her eyes at Killianâs echo.
Go home.
He wanted her to go home.
He wanted her to leave him here, conjure the portal, and go home.
The very fact that he thought she would made her chest hurt, because how could he think sheâd leave him here?
ButâŚ
âYou really thought Iâd let you drown?â
âGiven our history, can you blame me for being uncertain? â
Here she was thinking how he could possibly think she didnât care about him, whenâŚ
âDo you even care about them? Or anyone in this town?â
He said anyone.
He meant me.
And replaying it all, how could she think heâd know she did?
All sheâs done since he saved her in New York, was walk away from him.
But she did care.
She more than cared.
And now, she may never â
No.
Emma opened her eyes, ignoring the burn in them.
Determination set into her face, Emma made up her mind without hesitation.Â
There was no way she was leaving here without Killian.
The thought of returning to life without him, living without himâŚ
It felt wrong.Â
Something about him in her life just made sense. Even now, she felt like something was missing, and suddenly she was wondering how she ever considered leaving her family, leaving him, to go back to New York.Â
âGo home.â
She couldnât go home when he already became her home.
ButâŚÂ
How on earthâor, how in the Enchanted Forestâwas she supposed to find him?
And before they did something terrible and irreversible to him?
âHe stole from us last night. Now heâs gon' pay.â
Emma blinked.Â
Killian didnât steal anything from anyone; she knew he hadnât. Heâd been too concerned with messing up the time continuum.
He hadnât stolen.
But Emma had a pretty good feeling who had.
And Killian was currently paying for his crime.Â
Emma smiled grimly, a plan unfolding in her head.Â
She started walking, faster this time.
She just hoped the Jolly Roger was still in port.Â
-.-.-.
Emma clung to the shadows when she entered the town.Â
Thanks to Rumplestiltskin returning her clothes, she was no longer wearing the ragged dress and cloak that they had stolen, and was back in her jeans and leather jacket. Something that, Killianâs voice reminded her, hasnât come into vogue, ever. So⌠she had to be careful. They just fixed the timeline; they cannot ruin it all over again.
But Killian was worth that risk.
As she clung to the dark areas of town, Emma was reminded of a younger her, living on the streets, dodging shadowy corners to pitch black alleyways. It was evening, the sky blackening with an array of stars, but the town still bustled with life, mostly around the taverns.Â
Emma passed the tavern she and Killian had found his past-self in, and Emma risked a look inside, but he wasnât there.Â
Her heart quickening, Emma suddenly worried he wasnât even in town.
She picked up her pace, following the path past-Hook had led her down when heâd been her inebriated guide.Â
Emma emerged from the cover of an alley, looking up to see the sea, and ships of all sizes moored at the docks. And among themâ
Emma felt relief flood her.Â
The Jolly Roger.Â
She smiled despite herself, picking up her pace. As she got closer, she could see the crew retracting the anchorâ
They were leaving.Â
Her heart pounding, Emma began to sprint.Â
With grunts of heaving, two members of the Jollyâs crew were lifting the gangplank.
It was halfway up when Emma got to it, flinging herself off the dock and onto it, barely making the jump. She slid down the wood, landing in a heap on the deck.Â
âWhat in the blazesâ?!â
The two men nearly dropped the gangplank, but managed to finish shutting it, faster, as if worrying that someone else was going to attempt Emmaâs jump.Â
Her entire body throbbing from the mistreatment, Emma slowly picked herself up from the deck. She quickly noticed at least a dozen pirates were staring at her in shock.Â
But a voice broke through the din, and Emma would recognize it anywhere.Â
âWell, you donât bloody see something like that every day.â
-.-.-.
Despite her protests, Emma had been manhandled by two of the crew members and dragged into the Captainâs Quarters a moment after sheâd seen him. Heâd witnessed her reckless jump onto his ship, but hadnât said a word to her yet.Â
She was currently in the chair opposite his desk, two burly hands on her shoulders keeping her pinned down, and Hook was in his chair behind the desk, staring at her in silence.Â
âWhat are you doing aboard my ship?â he said finally.Â
Emma flicked her eyes to the pirate holding her down, then back to Hook. âIâll tell you, but only you.â
Hook sighed, then flicked his eyes to the man behind her, giving a minute nod and a slight roll of his eyes. Then, when the door clicked shut, he gave her a pointed look.
Emma let out a breath, her heart beating in a frenzy. This Hook was not half as drunk as he was when they last met. His gaze on her was cold and measured and there was no trace of the softness Killian had now. It unnerved her, this air of danger he held, sitting before her. Waiting.Â
But Emma swallowed, trying to remember, this is still Killian. Just⌠buried under two hundred years of pain and resentment.Â
It didnât make her feel better.Â
âI need your help.â said Emma at last, holding his gaze.Â
His brow lifted, like that was the last thing heâd expected her to say. âMy help?â he echoed, lips twisting a little in amusement. âIâm a pirate captain, lass. Youâve mistaken me for someone who gives. Pirates take.â
Emma resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the irony that all heâs done the past two years was give.Â
Worry fluttered in her stomach, suddenly wondering if her Killian was all right.
And when did he start being âherâ Killian?
Emma let out another breath. âYeah, thatâs actually what brings me here. All I need to know,â said Emma slowly, âis who you stole from last night.âÂ
Sheâd thought it through; if she could just get the name or the place of the person who heâd stolen from, she could go find Killian without Hook ever needing to know she was from the future.Â
Hook paused.Â
Suspicion suddenly gleamed in his eyes.Â
He stood, and rounded his desk until he was standing before her.Â
The suspicion only deepened in his eyes.
Emma could feel the danger radiate off him like a cologne.Â
She was trying not to shrink under his intense gaze when he leaned even closer, his face inches from hers. He searched her eyes.
âYou,â he whispered. âI remember you.â
Emmaâs heart skipped. âYou do?â she breathed.Â
She should have known it was irrational to think he meant he remembered knowing her.Â
Because his eyes narrowed, coldness in the blue. âYou owe me a nightcap, love.â
Emma froze. âOh,â she said, biting her lip. âDidnât blame the rum, huh?â
He leaned back slightly, but looked no less predatory. âIâm guessing this is from you as well,â he said, brushing the metal of his hook to his cheek where Killian had hit him.Â
Emma winced. âNot exactlyââ
He was suddenly in her face again, eyes narrowed, colder than ice. âYou were trying to get me drunk. To get on my ship,â he muttered. âWhy?â
Oops.
Emma tried to think fast.Â
She did not like a version of Killian that scared her, and this one did exactly that.Â
As if to prove the point, he raised his hook, tracing her jaw until the tip was underneath her chin, forcing her head up. Emma gasped reflexively, suddenly realizing how bad of an idea this had been. âTell me,â he hissed, âor this will be rather unpleasant.â
Emma swallowed, trying to stem the rush of fear. To hell with the timeline. âIâm from the future.â
His brow rose sharply, surprise and a little confusion slipping into that cold expression. Clearly time travel was not one of the things heâd expected her to say.Â
It was the second time sheâd surprised him, and Emma knew he wasnât an easily surprised man.
Before he could interrupt, she went on, wincing as the sharp tip of his hook stung. âIâm telling you the truth,â she said quickly, fear sending a shiver down her spine. âIâm from⌠about thirty years in the future. I think. Itâs really hard to keep track with all the curses," she finished, which even to her ears sounded like she was crazy.
âTime travel is unheard of.â said Hook, dismissing her whole story.
"You spend two hundred years on an island where time doesn't even exist and this is too crazy for you to imagine?" snapped Emma exasperatedly.
He ignored her. âNow, what are you really doing on my ship? Clearly if youâd gotten what you wanted, you wouldnât have been daft enough to return.â His eyes looked her up and down, his brow lifting when his eyes reached hers, and Emma glared at him. âAnd if I had gotten what I wanted, that night would not have ended with you injuring me.â A cold smile. âWell, not in the traditional way, anyway.â
Emma huffed out a breath, almost forgetting just how innuendo-clad he once was. âLook, Iâm telling the truth . I need your help toââ She gasped, the tip of his hook digging slightly deeper.Â
âYou will tell me what I want to know,â said Hook quietly. He removed his namesake, and Emma winced. âIâll give you the night to think it over. Lie to me again," his voice lowering, dipping into the personification of danger as his gaze bored into hers, and she tried not to shrink under it, "youâll be walking the plank in the morning.â He moved away from her, and Emma realized she'd forgotten how to breathe.
âHookââ began Emma, but Hook simply barked, âJenkins!â
The door opened, and one of the men who had dragged her down here walked inside.Â
âTake her to the brig.â
Emmaâs heart pounded. âNoâ Hook,â she said quickly as he sat nonchalantly back at his desk. âI needââ
Emma was grabbed from behind and forced out.Â
He didnât look up as they took her.Â
But when he thought she was out of sight, she saw him briefly touch his fingers to his lips, something unreadable stirring in his eyes.
-.-.-.-.
Emma waited until she was left alone, and the ship had quieted down enough to suggest the crew was asleep.
Theyâd bound her hands in front of her, which was their first mistake.Â
Feeling a sense of deja vu, Emma felt along the ground until she found something useful. Finding something sharp and thin enough to work, she quickly got to work on the lock to the cage.Â
The trouble was opening the door without it creaking, which took her plenty of precious minutes.Â
Once free, she left the brig, and quietly made her way to the armory.
It was good that she was familiar with the ship after Neverland. Plenty of hours on the water had her nervous energy getting the better of herself and sheâd done some extensive exploring. Sheâd paced the ship enough to know where its creaky boards were, so she was inside the armory in silence quickly.Â
Emma grabbed the first blade she could findâa knifeâand freed her hands, then took the gag from her mouth.Â
Gripping the knife in her shaking hands, Emma left the armory, walking down the hallway to the door at the very end.Â
The Captainâs Quarters.Â
Feeling plenty of uncertainty, but needing to know where Killian was, Emma slowly reached for the door handle, glad the ridiculously loud chorus of snoring from the crew covered much of the noise she made.Â
Slowly and without breathing, she opened his door.Â
Emma shut it just as quietly, and the noise of the snoring was muted.Â
Emma turned.Â
The cabin was dark.Â
And there, lying on his bed, was Hook. Asleep.
She could see him breathe beneath the blanket.Â
Carefully, and avoiding every creak in the floor she knew of, Emma crept up to his bed.Â
Then, she held the knife an inch from his throat, opening her mouth to wake him.
âDo I need to explain what a nightcap is to you?â
Emma jumped a mile in her skin.
Hookâs eyes were open, and he looked from the knife at his throat to Emma. A raised brow, he deadpanned, âYou escaped.â
âYou underestimated me.â she countered. He lifted his brow as Emma continued firmly, âI need you to help me.â
âHelp me?â he echoed. His eyes flicked from the knife to her eyes. âYouâre taking your life in your hands threatening me, lass.â he said dangerously.
âIâm trying to save your life!â snapped Emma.
His brow hitched higher, again flicking his eyes pointedly to the blade, then back at her.Â
Emma sighed, removing the knife from his throat.Â
He still didnât move, eyeing her still suspiciously. âHow is it you think youâre saving me?â he asked.Â
Emma sighed shortly. âLook. I told you I was from the future. I am. Iâm from your future. And I didnât get sent to the past alone.â She took a breath, hoping telling him wouldnât implode the timeline. But she was scared, she was alone, and without his information, she would never be able to find Killian. She could only hope that after she saved Killian, heâd still exist when they returned to their time.Â
Emma sighed. âWhen I got sent here, you came with me.â she said finally.
Confusion kneaded his brows with honest puzzlement, and for the first time he looked almost like her Killian. âI⌠what?â he managed.
Emma sighed shortly. âYouâ future you,â clarified Emma. âYouâre here, in the past, too.â
Hook looked lost in thought for a second. Thenâ âThat was bloody real?â
âWhat was?â asked Emma.
He sat up, regarding her with both suspicion and shock. âThe dream I thought I had of you, up until you foolishly returned.â Emma glared at him flatly as he went on, âI sawâŚâ
âYourself,â finished Emma impatiently. âYeah. You punched yourself.â At his very perplexed expression, she went on, âI told himâyouâit was a bad idea. So, blame yourself.â He blinked in utter confusion. But, at least, he seemed to believe her story. âLook,â said Emma, âwe were on our way back to the future when some huge guys kidnapped him because they said he stole something and he needed to âpay for itâ.â she finished in a bad facsimile of Killianâs abductorâs voice. Her eyes burning into Hookâs, she said, âWhat did you steal? Who are they and where did they take him?â
âYouâre telling me,â said Hook slowly, âthat there is a future version of me out here?â
âYes,â said Emma through gritted teeth. âNow what did youââ
âTell me, love,â said Hook casually enough, though the coldness in his words was back. âWhat is my future?â
âI canât tell you that,â she said exasperatedly. âAlready I need to get you a Forgetting Potion to make sure you get to that future.â
He stared at her for a long moment, a million things happening behind guarded eyes. But finally, his brow lifted a fraction. âAnd Iâm just supposed to believe this?"Â
Emma groaned. âWhat proof do you want?â she said impatiently. âYour father abandoned you and Liam; you used to be in the Royal Navy; you became a pirate after what happened to Liam in Neverland; youâre currently on a suicidal mission to kill Rumplestiltskin for taking your hand and Milaââ
âStop!âÂ
Emma froze, having been angrily ticking off the trivia on her fingers, to see Hookâs eyes with more emotion than sheâs seen from this version of him yet.Â
âHow do you know all that?â he breathed. For once, his voice lost Hookâs edge, and he sounded like Killian. The danger evaporated from him in seconds, replaced with something almost... lost. âItâsâit's been centuries sinceâ"
âYou told me.â said Emma simply.Â
âI⌠told you,â repeated Hook flatly, words rolling off his tongue like something foreign. The edge in his voice swiftly returned as he demanded angrily, âAnd why the bloody hell would I do that?âÂ
âHow should I know?â snapped Emma, her anxiety getting to her and sharpening her own tone.
He rose to his feet, and Emma did not like the feeling that he was attempting to use his height over hers to intimidate her. He leveled a look at her, with something different in his eyes, something dangerous in a new way. âTell me one thing, lass," he began, voice casual-sounding, but underlined with something that sent a shiver down her spine, "and maybe I help you.â
âWhy wouldnât you help me?â exclaimed Emma, standing her ground. âYouâd be helping you!â
âThat remains to be seen.â He stepped toward her, and damn it he didnât even need the hook to be imposing. âTell me, lass.â Another step, and Emma felt her back hit the wall, not even realizing sheâd been retreating. His gaze bored into hers. âDo I get my revenge?â
Emma swallowed, suddenly feeling a familiar sense of dread as to when the past version of Rumplestiltskin had asked about whether or not he found Neal.
When the silence spread a little too long, she whispered, âHookââ
âDo I, or not?â he demanded, voice clipped. Cold.
Dangerous.
Emma felt paralyzed.
The Hookâthe Killian âstanding before her was completely hellbent on getting his revenge. Heâs been at it for centuries, and the anger and pain in his eyes overpowered the blue in them, so much so it was hard to remember that Killian and Hook were the same person.
And here, Hook was his vengeance right now.
There was hardly a spark of him.
If she told him the truth, that he not only doesnât kill his crocodile, but chooses to live peacefully in the same town as the monster? Gives up not only his quest for vengeance, but turns into a hero?
And worse yet, that he lets go of Milah?
For her?
From the amount of anger sheâs eliciting from him right now, she doubted heâd be happy to know that information in particular.
So, she decided to tell him the truth.
OrâŚ
Part of it.
âNo,â she said finally, watching his brow shift dangerously. âNot yet.â
He searched her eyes, his face like stone. âNot yet?â he repeated, voice low, almost threatening.
Emma swallowed the fear slipping down her spine, hoping she was still as good of a liar as she once was. âNot yet,â she confirmed, which, still, wasnât a complete lie. She took a breath, holding his gaze, preparing herself.Â
And she lied.
âIâm helping you get your revenge in the future,â she said smoothly. âThe Dark One is currently living in a realm without magic. Heâs vulnerable. Iâm helping you get there.â She swallowed, her entire body rigid. Hook was pin-silent as Emma finished, âWe accidentally got sent to the past on our way there. Thatâs why I need you to help me. If you donât, you will never get your revenge.â
Emma fell quiet, holding her head high, clinging onto confidence she didnât feel in the slightest.
Killian could read her like an open book.
If this version of him was as perceptive as he comes to beâŚ
If he found her lying to himâŚ
Again âŚ
Emma tried to ignore the fear prickling in her veins.
He held her gaze, pinning her to the spot with his eyes alone. Watching her eyes carefully, his narrowed.Â
Finally, he said, âWhy are you helping me?â
Emma tried not to flinch at the obvious distaste in his voice. She thought fast, and found something that held nothing but truth. âBecause,â she said, âyou did me a favor. Iâm repaying a debt.â
His brow lifted. âQuite the debt.â
Emma felt something stir in her chest, thinking of all that Killian has done for her. âIt was quite the favor,â she said quietly.
His brows kneaded with question, like he wasnât sure why he would bother to do her a favor.
Emma was quickly becoming irritated with this version of Hook.
âHow are you helping me?â he asked then, gaze boring into hers, almost as if he was trying to poke holes into her story to see if it would leak. âWhy do I need you?â
It was spoken so carelessly.
And it hurt.
Emma was surprised at the sudden burn behind her eyes.
Sheâd brushed off Killianâs affections, his obvious devotion to her, more times than she could count.Â
And here he was, looking at her like he couldnât have cared about her less.
How could she have wasted all the time she had with him?
Getting him back now was the longest of long shots, forâand it made sharp fear race down her spineâ he could already be dead.
Blinking away the emotion, Emma huffed out a breath, trying not to appear as hurt by his words as she was. âIâve got Light Magic,â she snapped, making surprise lift his brow. âYouâre trying to kill the Dark One. Do the math.â
He stared at her for a long moment, eyes narrowed, danger rolling off him in waves.
Finally, he spoke.
âI help you, and, him,â he muttered, uneasily over what to call his future self, âget back to your time,â he said slowly, âand then I will get what I want most?â
Emma felt the ghost of a smile touch her lips, for she didnât have to lie for this one. âYes.âÂ
He most definitely will.Â
-.-.-.-. TBC
@belovedcreation-kitr-headcanon @cssecretsanta2020 @belovedcreation




