Notes: This is another little one shot I originally wrote in the summer after Season 3 of OuaT.  Post Season 3 finale, this one is meant to be the very next day, waking up back in the present, the Wicked Witch defeated,and Pirate and Princess maybe - just maybe - stealing a quiet moment or two in the afterglow. Rated T, though the reasons for that are only implied. Title and song lyrics included are from Snow Patrol’s “Crack the Shutters”, and of course I don’t own that lovely song any more than I do OuaT or its characters. Enjoy – and please leave a review!

Also available on AO3 or ff.net, if that’s more your preference

Summary: The morning after the finale, waking up in his room at Granny’s, for Killian Jones, it seems like his wildest dreams have come true magnificently.

“Just As Much As I Do” 

by: @snowbellewells 

Sunlight pours in through sheer white curtains, bathing the small room in golden glow and warming the darkness into hazy morning. As the sun’s rays fall across the tangled sheets on the bed and heat the bare skin of a pirate, Killian Jones’ eyes ease open, blinking in the sunrise and slowly regaining his bearings.

He rubs a hand over his face and back through his tufted, disheveled hair, confused and disoriented for a moment, not sure how he is once again in his familiar room at Granny’s when yesterday he was sitting at a campfire in the Enchanted Forest of his past. Memory filters back to him with the same sort of gilded pleasure as the morning light. ‘Emma,’ his mind whispers, 'I brought her home.’

Turning from where he sits up in bed, bare to the waist as the sheets pool at his hips, he sees her lying beside him drenched in the wash of gold through the window, that cascade of blond hair lit up as if on fire. She is still fast asleep, splayed out luxuriously on her stomach, pale, flawless back on display for his perusal. As Killian gazes on her, admiration swirling within him, Emma mumbles drowsily and smiles without conscious thought, looking so much more peaceful and satisfied than he believes he has ever seen her while awake. She scoots closer to him, seeking contact in the depths of her slumber.

He reaches out to brush a lock of hair off her shoulder, smoothing it down her back with its fellows and letting his fingertips trail along the graceful path of her spine. That he can touch her at last, after so long – after so much wanting and denial – seems almost a dream. Killian’s breath catches for a moment as he wonders whether he is awake at all.

Weiterlesen

Alright folks, this week you get three stories in one promo. There are so many wonderful Halloween-themed and Christmas-themed CS stories, but I have always wished there were more centered around our pirate and princess (and the rest of the OuaT gang) celebrating Thanksgiving together. Over the years, I’ve written a few myself, and I couldn’t choose between them this morning, so I’ve included all three in this week’s self-promo post. 

They can also be found on AO3 and ff.net. If that’s your preference, just look for the links below:

“And All the Trimmings”      AO3       ff.net

“We Gather Together (Glad for the Blessings)”    AO3      ff.net

“Bless What is Given You”     AO3       

Some Thanksgiving fluff written during 5B as I anxiously hoped for them to return from the Underworld with their hero party still intact and a pirate in tow. Nods to CS, Snowing, and OQ in here (I even intended on trying to work in Rumbelle, but it didn’t happen) Anyway, think that’s it. Enjoy – and please let me know what you think if you’re so inclined!

“Charming?” his lovely wife’s voice rings brightly from the loft’s small kitchen right into the erstwhile Prince of the Enchanted Forest’s ears as he bustles through the door of their apartment, arms full of groceries and cheeks red from the first deep chill and frost of the year. “Is that you?”

“Yes, Snow, I’m back!” he calls, bemused smile quirking up one side of his mouth. A chuckle escapes David Nolan’s throat at how happy and excited his Princess sounds. Setting his purchases on the table until he can hang his coat back on its peg, he shakes his head with affectionate good humor and goes to meet her in the kitchen.

If he’s honest with himself, David is nearly as anxious and thrilled as Snow. After all, their entire family, with all its odd, extended members, will soon be gathered here with them for the first Thanksgiving holiday they have celebrated together. His heart swells at the very idea – even if at the same time he has to simply hope the whole thing will really manage to go off without a hitch…or any bloodshed.

“Looking for these?” he asks with happy teasing in his voice as he enters the kitchen, sets the several plastic bags from the market on the counter, and leans over the center island to plant a kiss on Snow’s upturned lips.

“Yep,” she chirps, beaming at him as they part and reaching in to begin unpacking, “I was.”

Weiterlesen

Self Promo Sunday: “That’s Just Who We Are”

Hello there! I’ve been a little absent on here the last several days - getting over my usual end-of-the-school-year cold and so on. Anyway, seeing as for me at least, this is the first official Sunday of summer, I thought a light and fluffy one shot from the back catalogue was fitting - now with cover art!

This is basically future CS family fluff. Here’s hoping you will enjoy and it brings you a smile!

Also available on AO3, if that’s your preference

Emma hears childish giggles and deeper, masculine chuckling floating from the back of their house by the sea the very moment she steps through the door after a long day at the station.  A grin stretches across her face as she hangs her jacket on its hook and begins to follow the happy sound to her daughter’s bedroom at the end of the downstairs hall just before reaching the screened back porch.  She wants to get a peek at what her two mischievous buccaneers have gotten up to while she’s been gone.

Peering soundlessly around the doorframe of the sunny yellow and (much to Killian’s chagrin) Beauty and the Beast-themed room of their four-year-old daughter, Emma’s heart melts at the sight of her husband twirling his little girl in dancing circles while she spins around him, chortling with merry delight.  The cares of the day simply vanish from Emma’s shoulders as she watches her little family at play and remembers once more just how great her life is now – better than she could ever have imagined.

So much has happened in a mere five years.  She and Killian had married a mere month after he was returned to her by Zeus himself.  It had seemed foolish to wait; clearly they would face any obstacle to be together, and they wanted to appreciate every moment they were given. They had learned the hard way that the future is never guaranteed with the life they lead.  By that Christmas, Emma had quite the gift to share with her pirate – they were expecting a child of their own – and his stunned joy had carried them into the most hope-filled New Year either could ever remember.  Now, as the autumn chill of late October steals over their quaint little New England hamlet once again, and she and her father are run ragged answering calls about ridiculous Halloween pranks, and other random complaints, but Emma still can’t help but think that she wouldn’t trade a second of it to come home to this sort of scene every night.  They often head over to Regina’s place for the evening meal, as they have planned to do tonight, and it is quite the happily merry full table with her own father, mother, and younger brother, who is almost six now and never stops talking, even with a mouth full of food, Regina, Zelena, and little Robin, now five-years-old and the prettiest, daintiest little brunette anyone in the town has ever seen.  Henry joins them when he can, but he headed off for his first year of college almost two full months ago – determined to be an author in the real world as well, not just within the realm of the storybook – and is settling in like he was born for it at Bowdoin College over in Brunswick.  He loves the university where some of his favored writers like Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow honed their craft, and he has made tons of new friends, but he still comes home every few weeks to see his family.  That doesn’t mean he isn’t missed like crazy by both of his mothers and his extended family, though, even if they are thrilled that he is happy and finding his own way in the world.

Bringing herself back to the present, Emma realizes she should interrupt and make sure that both her pirate and her little princess are ready for their supper gathering before they arrive late again, but she can’t help watching them a few minutes more. 

Weiterlesen

This can also be found on AO3 if you’d prefer.

(It’s been a different couple of weeks, and I wanted some fluff, so I dug this one out of my “Of Swans and Swords and Hopeful Hearts” collection and made it a bit of cover art. It’s a sort of post- ep add-on or missing moment divergence from the Season 6 premiere. Seeing the way Emma greeted Pongo when he and Archie found her in the woods made me think, wouldn’t it be cool if Killian, Emma, and Henry got a puppy for a pet at their new place? Plus, I was wanting Emma to tell Killian what troubled her, so that’s thrown in too. Killian isn’t fooled for a minute by her swearing she’s fine, but he has proved he knows when to push and when to exercise patience when it comes to his Love…)

Apologies to those who read this last week when I posted it up on AO3, but once I got the cover art made, I hated to let it go to waste. I hope some others may still enjoy. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

by: @snowbellewells

He knows better; knows that his Swan is not telling him all, with every fiber of his being. At this point, they’ve come too far, and he knows her too well – his charming little “open book” – for her to be able to fool him. And, though it does pain him to think that she still feels the need to hide herself in this way, to bear the burden alone when her partner, her True Love, stands right beside her, aching to share the load, he knows himself well enough to understand the impulse.

After all, in some smaller, quieter part of his own battered soul, Killian admits to remembering that philosophy all too well: conceal it, keep pushing forward, pretend all is well, and you will make it through. He did the same thing himself, through one crushing heartbreak after another, from the time he was an eight-year-old waking alone in the dark to find his papa gone until the day he turned his ship around and became a part of the something Emma had offered him. Not only did a survivor sometimes have to fake strength in order to carry on, but it became a face he put on to show those who loved and depended on him that their faith was not misplaced.

So much has happened to them, both together and apart, and in that course of events Emma had suffered the Dark One whispering venomous lies in her head, had struggled alone with what to do when that insidious power gained a foothold, and had suffered watching him die and the painful resulting separation three times now. The cold clench of dread in his gut warns him that whatever is troubling his brilliant lass now terrifies her in a way only something life-threatening would. That tremor in her hand which she thinks she is hiding means something more to her than she has let them know. And in fear of putting any of the rest of those she loves at risk, she has chosen to face even the direst fate alone.

Yes, though he wishes she would confide in him, he understands. He would choose the same.

Instead of brooding, at least not beyond the tumbler of rum at Granny’s counter, Killian focuses on what he can do without pushing Emma. Going back over the conversation they’d had not an hour ago at breakfast, before Henry had arrived from Regina’s to meet them, he remembers a small detail from her quick recounting of the cricket therapist’s visit to her in the woods and an idea comes to him that is too perfect resist.

‘I’ll want Henry’s help,’ Killian considers, firming his plan with a decisive nod to himself, then he heads off to the library where he can do a spot of research on the matter, after walking Emma to the station and leaving her and her father to their work. Surely the lad will not hesitate to undertake an operation with him for his mother’s sake, Killian reasons as he pulls out his phone and hits the speed dial button for Henry, just as the teen had shown him. 'Indeed,’ he thinks, smirking a bit in pleased contentment, 'the game is definitely afoot…’

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Weiterlesen

CS ff: "A Series of (Un)Fortunate Events" (au)

A/N: Whoof. Okay. So it took me longer than I originally thought, but here it is! The WHOLE fic this time! This is my official post for @cssecretsanta2020 and my gift to the delightful @snowbellewells who is a genuinely wonderful human being (although I think you all already knew that). Thanks for your patience, friend, and I hope you enjoy this sweet little thing.

Rating: T at most

Word Count: Just under 3k. Teeny tiny.

Summary: How a series of meetings in the weeks leading up to Christmas change the seemingly dull lives of two Storybrooke residents.

-x-

November 23

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” the blonde above him is rushing out. She’s frantic, trying to decide how best to treat the situation without actually treating anything at all, but Killian gives her points for trying. He’s still flat on his back, so he decides the best course of action is to get to his feet before attempting anything else.

It’s halfway through the motion that the woman realizes what he’s doing and helps him the rest of the way, yanking him upright with a surprising amount of force that almost sends him tumbling forward.

She is, without a doubt, a roller coaster of a human being; he can already tell.

“Again, I’m just so sorry. Let me go get a towel or some napkins or anything.” She’s gone in a flash, and since Killian definitely had the wind knocked out of him with the force of his fall, he’s willing to catch his breath and nurse his pride.

“Here, can I pay for dry-cleaning or laundry or something? Shit, is this real leather?”

“Lass, I’m going to need a minute to catch up,” Killian finally says, surveying the frozen hot chocolate which is now spilled down from the collar of his shirt to his shoes. It had largely been contained to his torso before he stood up, but he can feel the icy beverage seeping in through every layer at this point.

He’s so glad he’s not working today, or else he might be more upset by this, but there’s a gorgeous woman attempting to politely towel him off and he can’t imagine a better use of his time at the moment.

“Here,” she finally says, holding out the towel when she realizes there’s no non-awkward way to do it herself.

“Killian,” he says, accepting the towel and blotting down the front of his shirt. She’s focusing more on cleaning up the floor and apologizing to the customers walking around them to notice his abrupt introduction, so he brushes it off and starts to help her with the floor.

Keep reading

The boys get drunk, and Emma ends up looking after a very inebriated Killian Jones. And sees… not a new side, exactly, but she’s never seen him like this before. (Or maybe she just never looked.)

Based on the headcanon that Killian is a cheerful drunk, because that’s the part himself he usually suppresses, and just as honest as when he’s sober. (Just with far less co-ordination. But that’s what he has Emma for.)

Set at some point after Neverland… canon divergence/AU/something, who cares.

Rated G, ~2,500 words | read on ao3

Of all the ways Emma might have wanted to spend her Friday night, dragging her semi-conscious ex-boyfriend up the stairs to his room is not one. But Neal called her, morose and slurring his words and sounding like a lost kid—he had a fight with his dad. He wanted to see her. So she went, and she hugged him and got him into the car and somehow back out of it, too.

Now he’s out like a light, lying on top of the covers in his bed, and Emma debates whether she needs to make him more comfortable. Jeans aren’t comfortable to sleep in, and he should probably be under the covers…

She compromises by tugging his shoes off and folding as much of the duvet as she can over him. That’ll have to do. If he’s uncomfortable, well, maybe he’ll think twice next time.

Ruby did warn them about Granny’s home brew.

She takes out the pack of Tylenol that she brought, and tears off a few to leave on his nightstand.

When she clatters down the stairs, she finds the source of Neal’s drunkenness—the beginnings of it, at least. Now that she’s no longer focused on not accidentally bashing Neal’s head against a wall, the noise from the diner resolves itself into singing.

That gives her pause. But there it is, unmistakable—several people are singing, rather discordantly, one man’s voice louder than the rest.

Emma peers through the door, and sees Killian sitting at the bar with a few of the Merry Men and two dwarves, a drink in his hand. His cheeks are a little red, his eyes bright, and he keeps interrupting himself by laughing or taking another swig of whatever is in his glass. His dark hair is a riotous mess—a good look on him. Then again, he always looks good.

And he’s singing. And gesturing grandly with both arms, somehow without spilling his drink.

Weiterlesen

I forgot to buy cranberry sauce, and you have the last can. Don’t make me fight you AU.

word count: 812

happy turkey day everyone!

She scrapes the snow and ice off her car with a shiver. Of course, the first real snow of the entire year had to happen on Thanksgiving.  She tosses her ice scraper in the back seat and gets into the car. She turns up the heater and buckles up. As she pulls out of her driveway, she gets a nagging feeling that she’s forgotten something. The only trouble is she can’t remember for the life of her what it is.

She had her keys, her cell phone and directions to Mary Margaret and David’s new house. What the hell was she forgetting?  Well, it must not be too important.

But a few minutes later, her phone goes off.

Remember the cranberry sauce!

Oh, shit!

Mary had specifically asked her to bring it. She knew that it wouldn’t be that big of a deal because Mary was the sweetest person ever. But they put on this huge feast every year and only asked her to bring one thing. Plus, Mary had reminded her several times. So, she makes a hard right turn and her tires slide in protest.

When she gets to the grocery store the parking lot is absolutely packed. She groans as she sends a quick text to Mary.

Will b late.

Weiterlesen

With the intense heat and humidity lately, this seemed like a fitting time to repost this summery fic full of imagined future CS family fluff.  I am also still stuck on my headcanon of their daughter Morgan Ruth (whom I’ve written about several times before), so no offense to the lovely Hope Swan-Jones of canon, but Morgan is who weaseled her way into this story!  Hope you enjoy!!

Also available on AO3

“Morgan, no! Wait! Oh bloody hell…” Killian’s voice rang out from the front yard clearly, even from where Emma stood inside at the kitchen window, helping Henry finish up the dishes from their lunch.  Glancing across the sink at her oldest, who smirked back, knowing one of them would have to go rescue the pirate, Emma’s shoulders were already shaking at the consternation in his tone, even without seeing her husband or her four-year-old and what she might be doing to prompt the exasperated tone in his voice.

Henry gave her a knowing look, the mischievous twinkle in his brown eyes clearly equally curious about what the other two members of their family might have gotten themselves into, but also that his mom was itching to get to them – to make sure that Morgan hadn’t hurt herself or led them into some kind of trouble, or that his poor stepdad didn’t get confounded beyond endurance.  “Go ahead and see what’s happening,” Henry assured his mom good naturedly, “I’ve got this,” indicating the soapy water and very few dishes left with a nod.

Emma grinned, ruffling Henry’s hair slightly as she passed, already on her way as soon as she got his reassurance to check on the rest of her little crew, the family unit so precious that she would once have never imagined something like it could be hers. Henry shook his head at her, but didn’t dodge or swipe her hand away, warming her heart as she knew - remembering just a bit too late to stop herself in the affectionate gesture - that her son didn’t protest the gesture he now found too childish, but allowed it gamely instead.  It struck her once again, a welcome, poignant pang in her chest, just how lucky she was, how blessed to finally have the family she had always longed for – enough so that at some moments it was all she could do not to grasp her two men and her little girl tight, cling to them as jealously as a pirate with his bounty – more avaricious in her love than her husband had ever been, buccaneer captain or no.

“Just go help them before they break something or Morgan declares a mutiny,” Henry scoffed playfully before turning back to the sink.

Still laughing lightly in agreement, Emma reached the front door and opened it onto the warm, sunlit front yard.  And though she had already been grinning happily, the view before her caused her smile to stretch even farther, nearly splitting her cheeks as a surprised guffaw broke from her lips.

Weiterlesen

Read it on AO3

Taglist: (just fun people who I think might like it) @let-it-raines @kymbersmith-90 @teamhook @this-too-too-sullied-flesh @acrobat-elle @spartanguard @profdanglaisstuff @ilovemesomekillianjones @captainswanouat

David knocked tentatively on the door of Emma’s (and now, Killian’s) house, not wanting a repeat occurrence of the last week’s debacle, involving an appalling amount of whipped cream and rather inappropriate activities for a kitchen counter. (Seriously, David was never going to be able to eat in that kitchen again.) When no one answers, he unlocks the door using his key, reluctantly peering into the house for his daughter and son-in-law. Upon seeing nothing (and hearing nothing, thank God. David was still not over the events that transpired during their last family movie night) he started up the stairs to put away the file he had borrowed from Emma, and that’s when he saw it.

His daughter was seated criss-cross applesauce (probably not the most mature way to describe her sitting position, but hey, he had a three-year-old) on the carpeted floor of her bedroom and looked for all the world like she was experiencing her own personal happily ever after. Her head was leaned back against the strong supports of her pirate husband’s legs against the bed he was perched on as he gently combed through her long hair. With her eyes closed, David thought at first that Emma was asleep, but every so often Killian’s slow brushes through her hair would pause, and she would tilt her head upwards to collect a sweet kiss as Killian murmured something soft into the top of her head.

David’s heart felt too large for his chest as he watched the couple, feeling slightly like an intruder but unwilling to tear his eyes away from this display of his baby girl’s perfect happiness. As Killian continued to sweep his hook and a hairbrush through his wife’s hair, David noticed he had begun to sing. Softly, and without much more volume than that of a light hum, Killian was singing his and Emma’s wedding song.

David swept furiously at his eyes, which betrayed his outburst of emotion at the scene before him. Sue him, he was a romantic at heart, and dang it if his daughter hadn’t found the truest of loves, one that rivaled even his own true love, although he would never admit it.

While David had been valiantly attempting not to cry, Killian had swept Emma into his arms and the pair were slowly swaying back and forth, Killian still humming the familiar tune of their ‘happy beginning’. Emma’s head was buried in the nook of his shoulder, and his hand stroked her hair sweetly as they continued to dance. At this point, David had decided to give the two of them some privacy, feeling a bit awkward at the thought of unintentionally spying on his daughter’s intimate moments with her husband, chaste and heartwarming as they may be. As he turned to creep away, however, he heard Emma whisper to Killian in a conversation that made David’s poor dad heart practically leap out of his chest.
“Killian?”

“Yes, my love?”

“You and me? This, this crazy, fairytale, dream come true thing we got here?” She paused, tilting her head to drink in the look of absolute love and adoration on her husband’s face. “It’s everything.”

“I love you so much, Emma. More than…well, more than anything.”

“Careful, babe, might offend my dad there.”

“Eh, I’ll take my chances with your father. You, Swan, are my world.” He bent forward to capture her lips in a kiss, but Emma pulled away moments later to add another tidbit, one that basically destroyed David’s entire soul.

“I think you’re forgetting someone, though, pirate.”

“Of course, darling. Just making sure our little love knows just how much I love his or her mother.”

David’s not sure exactly what happened after that, and if anyone accused him of squealing, he’d deny it, but there may have been some high-pitched noises coming from his general direction. But that, of course, remains a rumor.

A/N: It’s here!! The first story I have posted in a long time! I hope everyone enjoys it! If you do please let me know if you would like to be added to my tag list. 

Tag list: @hollyethecurious​, @resident-of-storybrooke​, @kmomof4​, @jennjenn615​, @pirateherokillian​, @enchanted-swans​, @superchocovian​, @deathbycaptainswan​, @winterbaby89​, @flicialy23​, @kingofmyheart14​, @angellifedeath, @facesiousbutton82​, @a-faekindagirl​, @kymbersmith-90​, @ekr032-blog-blog​, @laschatzi​, @teamhook​, @ilovemesomekillianjones​, @capswantrue​, @bmbbcs4evr​, @kday426​, @tiganasummertree​, @Ifh1226-linda, @meganhinsley​, @xarandomdreamx​, @jrob64, @hannahhook7744​, @klynn-stormz​ 

Summery: Killian and Emma spend a very special day together

“The Perfect Day”

Emma woke to sunlight streaming through the blinds of her and Killian’s bedroom. Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, she slid her hand across the sheet toward Killian’s side of the bed only to find it empty. Emma frowned in confusion, she turned and reached over to pick up her cell from the bedside table. As her eyes adjusted to the screen, she was taken aback to see that it was almost nine thirty. “Killian, why did you let me sleep so late?” she said to the empty room.

Rising from the bed, Emma grabbed her robe from the corner chair and went in search of her missing husband. As she made her way down the stairs she could hear hushed whispers coming from the kitchen. When she stepped off the stairs the sight before her made her stop short. Killian was at the stove, flipping pancakes from the pan and onto a plate that was on the counter, while Henry was setting the table that was laden with food. “What’s going on here?” Emma asked confusingly.

They both jumped, having clearly wanted this to be a surprise and not expecting her to be up yet. Silence hung in the air for a few seconds as they all stared at each other until…

“Surprise! Happy Birthday, Mom!” Henry exclaimed joyfully.

Emma’s eyes widened in shock as Killian and Henry sent beaming smirks in her direction. “What? It’s not my..,” she paused, suddenly recalling the date that she had glanced over to check the time on her phone earlier. Yes, it was indeed her birthday. “Oh. I forgot,” she said sheepishly.

“It’s alright, Swan,” Killian said as he made his way over to her. “That’s what you’ve got us for.” When he reached his wife’s side he looked down lovingly at her. “Happy Birthday, my love.”

Emma smiled sweetly at her husband. Leaning up she gave him what was intended to be a quick kiss but ended up being a quite thorough one. A throat being cleared had them pulling away from each other and looking over to Henry who was doing everything in his power to avoid looking at his mother and step-father making out. 

“Sorry kid,” Emma said with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Aye, apologies lad.” Although, Killlian looked anything but sorry.

Henry just rolled his eyes at them good naturedly. “Yeah, yeah. Come on. Let’s eat before the food get’s cold.”

Weiterlesen