ᴡᴇ ᴘɪʟʟᴀɢᴇ, ᴡᴇ (plunder) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-05-10 14:09:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, !partner thread, emma swan, killian jones (captain hook) |
Who: Killian & Emma
What: Picking up Henry and bringing him + one finished blanket to the abode
When: This afternoon
Where: Neal-and-Emma's house
Rating/Warnings: Pretty low, some discussion of Killian being dead
Status: Complete
With the end stretch of Emma pregnancy firmly in view, barring yet more unforeseen chaos, Emma was, largely, content. And she didn’t mean that literally. Although most of her baby weight was very happily settling firmly to the front, apparently that was common with boys, she’d reached the point where she was ready for it to be over, but wasn’t minding too much. Provided people stopped trying to touch her belly like they were old friends and she was a magic lamp. But now that she was this size, her body getting ready to expel the child, she was told to rest more. And while the doctor probably only meant to take it down a notch, her hovercopter of a boyfriend meant that she was resting all the time. There were food snacks of all kinds in the fridge, so the most she needed to do was wobble her way to the kitchen and grab some stuff for her and usually a little something for the dogs, since they were constantly trailing after her. Bottles of water lined the door in the fridge since they’d established that those did not give her heartburn and were safe, along with tupperware boxes of fruits, some biscuits, the occasional sandwich and a pre-made salad that usually stayed there until Emma had nothing else to eat. They were trying to make the binge eating moderately healthy. Today found her sitting on the sofa, box of grapes in her lap, watching old reruns of Judge Judy having text to confirm her feet were not on the ground at all and she was definitely resting. The doctor definitely only meant to take it down a notch, to schedule periods of rest during the day, but of course Neal was all for his princess being pampered and waited on here in the last few weeks of the pregnancy. It was t-minus six or seven, give or take, and he knew that time would fly by - even if it was feeling like an eternity to Emma, in all of her Buddha belly glory. Really, why did strangers think it was fine to coo and pet someone they didn’t know just because they were pregnant? At any rate, Emma being home was all well and good but Neal still worked and also had the task of taking Henry places - usually splitting those with Regina and now that Killian was ‘back from the dead’ (no, really, he was) he was pitching in to help as well. Since they were all kind of a family, right? Well, after his overnight shift at the docks (by the way, try explaining I was dead and now I’m not to employers - it sort of lit a fire under his bum to get with the legit PI business) he stopped at the houseboat to grab the finished blanket and then got Henry from school. Being picked up in a loud, classic Mustang was way cooler than Regina’s car, no offense. So he was pretty glad to be the envy of all the other middle schoolers today. When they got to the house, Henry went right in and - in true growing kid fashion - zoomed to the fridge for a snack. “Ew, salad,” he groaned, and found the cookies instead. Much better. Killian sauntered in too, going to pull up a patch of sofa by Emma. “Brought him back in one piece for you, Swan. You’re welcome.” The dynamic that was going on was strange, sure, but it sort of worked really well for them too. Regardless of how it came to be, Henry had three parents, and by extension of that now, he had Killian additionally and for all it was a little unorthodox, Henry just took it all in stride like the amazing kid he was. “Did he try and convince you that we were letting him drive? And it would be totally fine if he drove home?” Thirteen and the kid wanted to drive. Probably not that while an idea, but really. He was still waiting on the spurt that would lengthen his legs to really hit the pedals, he might be catching up with Emma, but not just yet. “But thank you, I would’ve myself but seatbelts and steering wheels.” Emma just shrugged a little, half hating that she was kind of restricted from some things, and half enjoying the rest before she knew she’d be on alert all the time. Newborns did not keep schedules after all. “He wasn’t any trouble, right?” Usually, Henry was totally fine, there were the odd cases of teenage tantrums, but so far he’d been limiting those to things he wanted than making a scene over something. “He may have said something about that,” Killian huffed a laugh, settling on the cushions and making sure to not disturb Emma and her box of grapes. “I just told him that Sally’s very particular about who makes her purr.” Sometimes the Mustang was named Sally, sometimes she wasn’t - it really just depended on the day. But at any rate. He had something to present to the mum-to-be, and that blanket - so neatly folded - was placed upon her lap in all of its knitted glory. Mostly grey and cream, there was also a red stripe on the top and bottom of the afghan - since they’d already discussed how the colour was to ward off fairies from swapping out babies for changelings. An old Irish tradition, better safe than sorry. “Oh, and I managed to finish when I returned,” he said sheepishly. “I hope it’s alright.” Yeah, Henry. Not gonna work. Although Emma would prefer the sexual innuendo be left out with her kid, it wasn’t like she could ask a leopard to change his spots either. She’d just try to push those conversations off on Neal when they came up. That was a milestone for father’s, right? “Oh, wow, Killian,” her grapes were put to the side, hands running over the blanket with a soft smile on her face. “This is perfect.” She really had no idea he’d have the patience for something like this, let alone be able to do with one handed. But it meant they had a lovely, handmade blanket for bringing Niko home in when he did decide to join them. “Thank you so much,” Considering the shit he’d just been through, the fact that he’d managed at all was nice enough. “Really, I don’t know what to say, it’s just… well, perfect.” She rather liked that it wasn’t blue too. Blue for a boy was so utterly boring, and Killian had some general idea of the theme of the safari nursery - there was a lot of tan and cream and such, so the blanket would match some of it. The red simply providing a little splash of a different colour, that’s all. “I’m glad you like it,” he smiled a bit, weary, since he was somewhat tired - and still adjusting to being back in the land of the living. “Finishing up was actually fun. I’m not even on a typical schedule so I had lots of time to knit.” To sit at the distinguished-looking maritime desk by his houseboat living room window and watch the beauty of the ocean, to work the loom and think about everything. Which was a lot. He settled back on the sofa with a sigh. “Still feels...strange,” he put his good hand (now back to wearing the prosthetic in everyday life, where the hook should have been) over the general vicinity of his heart. “I wonder if your mum and dad ever felt that way, sharing a heart.” That wasn’t even the strangest part. The strangest part was probably the liking Hades had taken to Kenzi. It was weird, yet the God had danced with her and then gave her a pair of stabby-shoes as a gift, hoping she’d come back for a visit. Killian wasn’t sure how he felt about that but all of it seemed to have helped at enabling their exit from the Underworld. Emma could definitely understand things being strange, schedules being a little off. It wasn’t every day you came back from the dead. Hopefully it would be the one and only time needed. She was sure that eventually these things wouldn’t seem so strange to her, but the concept of returning from the underworld, it was still new and unusual. At least she was ready for when she dreamed it. “I still can’t get my head around how it works.” But then, everything was different here, and all these fantastical things were possible. But now, Kenzi and Killian shared a heart, literally, and everyone was alive. “I mean, I suppose because they were true loves it was the next logical step for them. But really, do not ask me how any of it would work.” Because it just seemed too out there, even for a magical person like Emma supposedly was. “Do you like… Do you feel stuff that she does?” Was Killian going to start gushing over shoes? She’d missed out on the Underworld adventures, and probably rightly so. She’d have held them back and there was far too much risk of a pregnant person down there, Emma knew Neal wouldn’t stop worrying if she’d gone. Just like she’d fretted with all four of them down there. “I’m just glad you’re all back and safe.” The mechanics of it were quite unknown to Killian as well - but he guessed it had to do with the soul, how the physical body couldn’t exist without one. It was why crushing a ‘heart’ killed a person, why they couldn’t feel strong emotions while lacking that key component - so perhaps sharing a soul with his sister was more poetic than mechanical anyway. Quite the lovely concept, because it showed that true love wasn’t simply limited to romantic partnerships. “No, I don’t feel what she does,” he chuckled, reaching over to steal one of Emma’s grapes (would she murder him for it? Pregnant women got touchy about food) and pop it into his mouth. “Perhaps the odd sensation is all in my head.” He glanced over at the woman he loved so deeply in those dreams - another time, another place, another life. It felt odd, watching himself look starry-eyed at someone he saw as a close friend these days. Especially when he felt those gooey feelings for another woman here, someone he had a villainous understanding with back in Fairytale Land at best. “I wish you didn’t have to dream it, after it all happened here,” he sighed. “I’m a bit of a prat about everything there, I’m sure. About us. And...I don’t know. Perhaps still a little angry but I’m not now. I still just want to be a part of something.” Like she’d offered before, like she knew he needed. That much Emma could definitely understand, and as she heard Henry clumping around while getting his homework started, playing with the dogs upstairs, she knew that the True Love concept wasn’t limited just to romance. The kid upstairs was undoubtedly her True Love, just one part of her soul, but then, Emma figured there might be more to True Love than the decidedly simple outlook some had. “It might just take a while,” And while she frowned at his hand snagging her food, she wasn’t about to lob his head off, she could share grapes, mostly. Provided no one but her got greedy. “You have just come back from the dead, and it’s a big adjustment.” Dark magic, death, resurrection, it was a whirlwind to go down. “Prat or not,” because sure, he probably was, but then she wasn’t terribly much better right then, was she? “Your feelings on the matter are very valid.” All Emma had was second hand knowledge at this point. She was still trying to piece together how things in Camelot fell apart, she was struggling with new memories of just what she was doing while trying not to give into the total darkness. Rumple in dream-Emma’s head was a lot to take. “I’m not good at letting go of things, even less so in the other place.” Another world, another life. She understood why things happened, but it didn’t make them right. “But you are part of something, here, with all of us. And even if we don’t love each other the same way, you’re still very important to me.” Godfather important, in her new child’s life important, part of the family important. Even if they needed to deal with just what they put each other through in the dreams. Oh, Christ, that frown. Emma looked like Grumpy Cat in that moment - so Killian would be sure to not touch her snacks from here on out. It made him snicker a little, however, just because the whole reaction was kind of cute - well, she was eating for two, and Nikolas needed nourishment as well. “So you don’t think I’m angry at you or anything, then?” He just wanted to be certain - it’d been tense while he was the Dark One, and people tried to keep them apart (with good reason). Even he had to admit that some of those poisonous feelings seeped through too; he’d been corrupted by the darkness, by what it promised, and he wanted Emma to pay for what she’d done, since apparently the notion of revenge was one he always sunk into far too easily. Remembering that now made him uneasy. “Because I’m not - we both understand why you did what you did, and you didn’t do it here.” There had been one time where Henry finished off her snacks, not told her or Neal and Emma had pouted for a day straight. The fact that Neal came home with plenty to replenish that stash and that Henry had snuck out to get more himself too, it didn’t really change the fact that she’d missed out on snack time. Her snacks were very, very important to her right then. “I wasn’t sure,” and she hadn’t been. He’d showed up one time while taken with the curse, and Emma hadn’t believed he’d hurt any of them purposely through it all, but the darkness could twist things. For what he’d just been through, what he’d plummeted into head first because of her actions, she’d have understood anger, hurt and betrayal. Really. “And if you were, I’m sure it’d have been okay, because I would’ve tried to make it up,” forgiveness, right? That was something she could work on regardless. “But I also wanted to make sure and give you some space. For reconnecting, with Kenzi and Regina.” What they were here wasn’t the same, and it worked for them. Her guilt couldn’t come first, because his sister and Regina came first. “I had plenty of time to think about it in the Underworld,” Killian snorted, and that was all too true. There wasn’t much else to do there besides ruminate about what you’d lost, and how you could never get that back - trapped in limbo, not swaying one way or the other, all because closure was such a far-off concept. And it was while stuck in that dreary, desolate, land of red-tinted hopelessness that he decided if he ever got back to the real OC, he wouldn’t hold stupid grudges. Not against Emma, anyway. She was too important, her whole family was important. Especially the baby who had yet to make an entrance into this world filled with sorrow and pain, but also good things. He unfolded the knitted afghan - it really was beautiful, had to give himself credit there - and draped it over their knees while they sat on the sofa. It wasn’t overly large but it covered a good amount of space. “I saw Liam, you know,” he added, in a grumble. “I saw him...find peace.” She supposed that was an upside to it, time. The time to think, to contemplate. To dwell. Undoubtedly not a way to spend a lifetime, or eternity, and she was very thankful that they had a way to get him out of there, but it did make her wonder just what was waiting. A long, long way away hopefully. “Yeah?” Neal had mentioned, she’d heard small bits of the story and wasn’t really looking to pry more out of anyone until they wanted to. Apparently there’d been some surprises, but that was to be expected, wasn’t it? “I’m glad, that he found it, and you know now.” She’d known a little about Liam, dream-wise. Very little. Although she knew that connections like that, family, was obviously important, for how Killian and Kenzi bonded so quickly over their familial bond. “I heard that he was a pinnacle in you all coming home. So, I suppose we owe him a debt of gratitude just the same.” Maybe it would sooth something, put to rest any lingering uneasiness that came with Liam’s untimely death. “How are you? About it all? Seeing him again, watching him move on?” Killian didn’t talk much about Liam, not even to Emma in those dreams. She knew how much of a devastating effect his death had, however. Knew that because of that, Killian had never really ever been the same - that he’d dealt with it so terribly, he’d been changed irrevocably. But now, having the closure, it was...different. “Much better, actually,” he admitted, rubbing his scruffy jaw with his good hand. “He said...he was proud of me. And I’m glad he’s in a better place. Glad that Kenzi got to meet him, at least once. So in a way, it was all worth it, if that’s what came from everything.” Even if it had been touch-and-go for awhile there. And he’d cursed his reasoning for continuing to stay here to bring more weirdness upon himself. It was good, if it brought something good, if Killian could find some worth in this nightmare of a last few months, then good. “He should be proud, you’re a good man, regardless of what you think.” Everyone lost their way a little, not even Emma was infallible, and she was meant to be some savior. Killing Cruella, taking Killian’s choice from him, they were mistakes she’d made that she’d need to deal with. But coming back from it wouldn’t be impossible. “Neal actually um…” She figured that maybe, it’d be polite to check in, “He made a suggestion, actually. About the baby’s name.” They’d chosen Nikolas to honor Lina, all she’d been through with Neal, the bond there. And Nolan was for the part of Emma she’d hold onto regardless of what her last name was or who her parents were. “After everything, and in keeping with honoring family that’s not blood, we were thinking on using Liam, for Niko’s middle name. If you’re okay with it.” Emma hadn’t stopped to think about what she might do if they hadn’t been able to find a way out of the Underworld, but thanks to Liam’s help, she didn’t need to. And Neal had a good point in the sense of giving Niko some good, strong, resilient namesakes. He lifted his eyebrows, a poke of them upward. Not what Killian was expecting, but he felt similarly to when Emma asked him to be the baby’s godfather - honoured, that is. And quite flattered. “Aye, sure,” he actually smiled a little. If Liam were here, he’d have been flattered too. He’d have loved being a part of this makeshift-yet-dysfunctional family. They didn’t really have that growing up, they just had each other - hence the devastating effects the loss had. “He was a good man, and he’d have been a good uncle or whatever if he was around. I think that boy of yours is going to grow up to be something wonderful, Swan.” “I’m making sure I’ve got enough babysitters for when it really gets too much.” Emma teased lightly, stroking the ends of the blanket that were resting over the tops of her legs. She wanted her own ways of honoring people, without resorting to the basic nature of simply naming her son after a dead relative or friend. “His godparents are the Evil Queen and Captain Hook.” Which, sure was only in name for that place, but it counted in how she knew Niko and Henry would always be looked after, regardless of how this place tried to screw them over constantly. “I have no doubt that Niko is going to live up to all his namesakes.” So long as he didn’t do like his Auntie Lina and and Uncle Killian and die for several weeks before coming back. “He probably doesn’t want to live up to the likes of the Evil Queen and Captain Hook,” the Captain joked - idly, he heard Henry moving about in the kitchen (was the kid still eating?) then he just kind of sneaked past to bring a box of cookies and the jug of milk upstairs, without even bothering with a glass. Such a manly thing to do. “But Killian and Regina? Aye, maybe they’re not so bad to look up to.” Oh, and he’d do his best. There was little to no experience with babies but he had a feeling that he’d learn as he went - they all sort of would, since out of all of them Regina seemed to have the most experiences tucked under her belt. And even hers were dream based. “You need anything else done, Swan, before Neal gets back?” he wanted to know, taking a glance around the homey place. Emma could argue that there were traits in the other personas that had merit, but then did she want her son to crush his enemies with wit and scowls? Maybe not until it was a last resort. “Thanks, but no, we’re good. Henry’ll be down in like an hour,” she usually gave him that long to do whatever teenage boy stuff he wanted to do, sometimes it didn’t take that long, but Emma tended to just give a little over that, “and we’ll waddle the dogs down the street and back,” which should be around time for Neal, “And then I will have my loyal man servant home.” A small joke, but her hovercopter did tend to make needing anything a thing of the past. “But thanks again for picking him up.” He gave Emma the blanket in its entirely, draping it over her legs, and then moved to stand up from the comfy ‘sucks you in’ sofa. “No trouble. Give me a shout if you want me to do anything else.” Not like Killian was overly busy and besides, he’d make time for family. Now that he had one, and he knew what it felt like to lose them, he wasn’t about to sit anything out so easily. |