If I get a bunch of Granny p0rn bots following me because of this so help me…
37: “You didn’t think I’d let you spend Christmas alone, did you?”
Follows on from this ficlet
Granny hurried along the snowy streets, a large basket in her arms containing the last few things she needed to make the Christmas dinner perfect. It had started to snow again, flurries of tiny white flakes gusting in the wind, and she pushed her chin down into the thick woollen scarf she wore. She crossed the street, looking over at Marco’s workshop, and gave a satisfied sniff as she saw a light on in there and a shadow moving around. Just as I thought.
Hurrying up the snow-laden path, she rapped firmly on the door, and Marco opened it up, blinking in surprise as he saw her. Granny held up the basket.
“I have a turkey big enough to feed an army and more booze than I know what to do with,” she said bluntly. “So how about you come keep me and Ruby company?”
“That’s - that’s very kind of you,” said Marco, smiling warmly. “I wasn’t going to bother with much cooking this year.”
“You didn’t think I’d let you spend Christmas alone, did you?” she asked, with a knowing glint in her eyes. “Come on, get your butt out of this workshop, grab a change of clothes and come over to the inn. I’ll make a start on supper.”
Twenty minutes later they were making their way through Storybrooke at a reasonably brisk pace, Marco carrying the basket of goods for Granny, and a small pack on his back which held everything he needed for a couple of days away. Dusk was falling, and the lights hanging from the eaves of the inn sent out a welcoming glow. Granny let them in, stamping the snow from her boots, and led Marco through to the lounge. She stopped dead in the doorway, frowning as she surveyed what looked like an explosion in a Christmas decoration shop. Baubles had rolled all around, and fake snow and pieces of tinsel were scattered across the floor.
“Why is my lounge looking like a bunch of trolls rampaged through it?” demanded Granny, putting her fists on her hips, and Ruby looked guilty, hurrying to pick up the ornaments.
“Sorry,” she said. “Pongo got a bit over-excited and almost pulled the tree over. Archie took him out for a walk.”
“Archie and Pongo are here?” asked Granny, and Ruby gave her what she no doubt thought was an endearing smile.
“Yeah, I - kind of invited them for Christmas,” she said. “That’s okay, right?”
Granny shared an amused look with Marco, and nodded.
“Well, of course,” she said. “The more the merrier.”
Send me a prompt from this list and a ship and I’ll write you a ficlet
So when I saw this ^^ it immediately took my mind to my other favourite brOTP and just who would be most likely to notice this particular hug in the midst of all the post curse drama.
Unbeta’d but finished. 1000ish words of nonsense.
Where else would they all be, she supposed, when a celebration was in order? Despite the ongoing threat of the Black Fairy and Gideon, there had been no question that all who had taken their nap in the quest of waking Snow and Charming would somehow find their way here to her diner to mark the occasion.
Not to mention the shiny new diamond she could hardly miss on the Saviour’s finger.
Thankful for her generous freezers, Granny directed her staff towards the back to gather food and drinks as she herself stocked the counter with the clean glasses and such that the inevitable crowd would need.
And if there was a secret smile on her face as she worked - well, she was entitled to her own share of the true love that seemed to be going around, surely?
Not that she was calling anything that. Not at all. She was far too old to be daydreaming about that sort of guff…
“Well, well. That's quite the girlish twinkle in your eye, Lady Lucas. Whatever could you be thinking about?”
Damn that blasted pirate.
She looked up slowly from the glass she had been cleaning and into the face of Killian Jones, lounging in his own inimitable fashion on one of her bar stools. If he was trying to antagonise her with his dancing eyebrows and the way his tongue rolled across his lips in amusement, he was going the right way about it.
Still, if he wanted to play, she was game.
“Seawater gone to your head, pirate?” she retorted. “The only thing I'm thinking about is how much work your upcoming nuptials are going to make for me.”
Straightening himself up on the chair, he looked almost apologetic at the thought - but only for a moment. It wasn’t in his nature, in her experience, to back down in the face of a battle of wits.
“Indeed. In that case, I must have imagined the way a certain gentleman seemed loathe to let you far from his reach in the Mayor’s office earlier,” he drawled, eyes never leaving her face as he spoke, trying (and failing, she told herself) to force some kind of reaction from her.
“Perhaps old age is catching up with you, Hook,” she deadpanned, holding his gaze defiantly. “Want to try my specs for a while?”
She took his slightly affronted look as a point in the win column.
A short lived win, however, as the chimes above the diner door sounded and they both turned to watch Marco and August slip into the diner and take a seat near the window. The woodcutter caught her eye and smiled warmly; a blush crept up her cheeks as she returned his greeting, unable to resist despite the pirate’s scrutiny.
She breathed deeply to compose herself before turning back to Hook, steeling herself to face his inevitable smirk and twinkling blue eyes, but when she met his gaze she found something quite unexpected.
He leaned towards her across the counter, affection in his face. “I do hope the woodcarver understands exactly what a treasure he has in you, milady. Rest assured, my blade is at your service should he forget.”
Blasted pirate, indeed, she thought, sheer force of will the only thing preventing the tear forming in the corner of her eye from rolling down her cheek.
She reached behind her and opened a cupboard beneath the counter, stepping aside so Hook could see exactly what lay inside. He laughed heartily when he registered its contents and she winked mischievously at him.
“I think Old Faithful here should do the trick if required, don’t you?” she said, stroking the wood of her crossbow lovingly before closing the door again.
“I think Old Faithful over there..” he inclined his head in Marco’s direction with a smile, “...has a good number of wasted years to make up for and would be wise to treat his lady love in the manner she so richly deserves. Or suffer the consequences,” he finished with a laugh. His eyes softened and he took her hand in his and kissed it softly. “Truly, I am delighted for you, milady, and thrilled that Emma and I are not the only ones so blessed.”
That same uninvited tear threatened to fall as she humphed at him and pushed away his hand, her usual gruff exterior the only way she could see to cover the unexpected emotion. They had built an unlikely friendship, the two of them - built on early morning cups of tea and late night tipples as they shared tiny snippets of their past lives with a kindred spirit - but this was unfamiliar territory.
“That’s quite enough out of you,” she huffed. “Now are you just going to sit there looking pretty, or are you going to take this plate around and actually make yourself useful?”
She had no doubt he saw through her abruptness - and no doubt he would play along regardless. The tray was in his hand in an instant, but as he he stood to go he paused and looked quizzically at her.
“If I could ask one favour?”
She nodded and he looked once more towards Marco and August in the window seat, casting a special eye over the younger man. “Your keeping a weathered eye on that leather-bound step puppet of yours would be appreciated. In my experience, his presence is often more of a hindrance than a help when it comes to Swan and I.”
She narrowed her eyes at him and he shrugged, a grin flashing across his face as he stepped out of range of the dish towel she flicked in his direction.
“Just serve the appetisers, Captain,” she barked and he bowed in deference before moving towards a group of diners. He had barely served one, however, before he turned back and grinned broadly at her.
“And just remember, milady,” he called out, loud enough for Marco to hear, she was sure. “I am a sea captain if you find you require the services of one for any formal occasions.”
He had melted into the crowd before she could even respond.
Yes, the CS stuff made this episode worth it. But guys, the Gepanny hug! I live for Gepanny! I need some more. But also, I can't with these damned retcons, and wtf Killian didn't kill Pan that was Rumple you lost little idiots. And last, but surely far from least, whhhhhyyyyyyyyy didn't Tiger Lily get to go through the portal too??
