ᴡᴇ ᴘɪʟʟᴀɢᴇ, ᴡᴇ (plunder) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-12-23 19:27:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, killian jones (captain hook), william laurence |
Who: Killian and Liam Jones, and William Laurence
What: Laurence drops by with wine and sees a certain dead Naval captain, cue shock and disbelief
When: Sometime after the wish plot starts
Where: House of Disney Villainy
Rating/Warnings: Just prim and proper shit here
Status: Complete
Visiting California had never been in Laurences plans, but since his mother had managed to convince him to come for his cousin’s wedding, he’d decided to see if there was anyone he knew who lived in the area. He’d been somewhat pleased to hear that Killian Jones lived nearby. He’d served with him while they’d both been much younger, under his brother, Captain Liam Jones. Laurence hadn’t been there when the man had met his end, and he hadn’t had a chance to express his condolences of the loss to Killian before the young man had quitted the Navy. Now, he supposed, was his chance. It wasn’t a pleasant task, but it was one he knew he had to do. Aside from that, he thought it might be a good chance to catch up with him. With a bottle of wine tucked under one arm, he knocked on the door. ‘Tis the season for Christmas miracles and oddness, apparently. After Liam had mysteriously arrived, and Killian managed to pick his jaw up off the floor and get some colour back into his face, he at least tried to get into the spirit of it all. He and the rest of the family had finished the gingerbread brothel, they’d done some baking of sweet things (gingerbread stout bread, another batch just finishing up), they’d gone to the houseboat all decked up in lights and seen the actual boat parade float by in its holiday procession. Killian knew it wouldn’t last, but he was going to ride it out until everything returned to normal. He was gifted with this chance to be with Liam for the holidays, and he wouldn’t waste it. “I’ve got it,” he said when he heard the knock, leaving Liam tending to Meara - in the kitchen, she’d been watching them from her portable basket, grinning that gummy smile and cooing, blowing spit bubbles occasionally. Liam doted on her like any proud uncle would. Of course, when Killian answered the door he wasn’t expecting...this. Yet another surprise. “Laurence??” Always the surname, it was how things went. He blinked those ice-coloured eyes when he saw the man on the front stoop, then broke into a wide grin. “Christ, it’s been ages. Come inside, will you?” Laurence gently tapped the toe of his boots to knock some of the snow off before entering inside. “Mr. Jones,” he said warmly, extending his free right hand for a warm shake. “It has been far too long. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” He had thought that he had heard Killian speaking to someone through the door, and as much as he would like to catch up with Killian, he’d excuse himself if Killian were entertaining. Rather than weird the fellow out and shake with the cool lightweight metal of the prosthetic hand he wore, Killian clasped Laurence’s hand in his good one, flesh and blood, though he didn’t exactly try to hide that he was missing the other. It was something he’d settled on as part of his identity by now - Captain Hook. Even dreaming of gaining the hand back for a short time (a deal made in which he blackmailed Rumple, always a fun idea) had been so off. He didn’t like it. “No need for all the formalities, I assure you, but you’ve always been a bit stiff,” the pirate grinned. You’d think that a reminder of his Naval days would be uncomfortable for him, since all they did was make him think of Liam and that he’d joined up just to please his older brother, but Liam was here now. “Not interrupting. But there is something I should ment - “ And then Liam did the mentioning for him. Holding a very pristine-looking Meara in his arms - she had on her little velvet Christmas dress and everything, even patent leather shoes she’d likely kick off at some point - the man presumed dead appeared. “Well, I’ll be!” “I’ll take her,” Killian chuckled anxiously, shifting Meara to his arms while Liam went to go say hello. A bit stiff. Laurence hadn't meant to come across as stiff, seeing as he was paying an old friend a long overdue visit, but looking back he could he could come across as such. “Would that we could all be as open as you,” Laurence said, smiling. He did notice the fact that Killian seemed to be missing a hand, and he wondered about it. He didn't recall hearing that he’d lost it in the service, but then, he supposed he didn't hear everything about every officer he served with. If Killian wanted him to know the circumstances, however, no doubt he would volunteer the information. Laurence nearly dropped the bottle of wine still tucked under his left arm when Liam walked into the room, his eyes widening and his lips parting in surprise. “Capt-!” he started, and then got ahold of himself. Captain Liam Jones was dead, Laurence knew. He'd even gone to his funeral. But he couldn't deny the evidence here in front of his eyes. Liam was alive and well, and the only explanation Laurence could come up with was that he had faked his own death in order to escape the service and secure his younger brother’s departure as well. It seemed more than a little excessive, when he could have just finished his commitment and quit then. Laurence could make neither heads nor tails of it. “Mr. Jones,” he amended himself, his voice cool. “You're looking well.” “Laurence, you’re too kind,” Liam laughed jovially, while Killian panicked internally. He hadn’t exactly talked to Liam about his own death - when the elder Jones showed up, Killian had simply gone with it. Let it all feel like he was just home for the holidays, on shore leave, and nothing more. Now he knew he would have to explain it all to their fellow sailor, and that was going to be difficult - especially when Laurence was so new to the place. “I’m so glad to see you! Here, come in, come in - “ Snapping to, Killian remembered his manners. “Can I take your coat?” he asked, and noticed the bottle of wine as he settled Meara in her living room rocking bassinet. “And I’ll pour us a drink too, how about that?” “Sounds good, brother,” Liam nodded. “I’ll fetch the glasses.” “Yes, get the crystal ones - Regina’s fancy glasses, in the curio cabinet,” Killian instructed. Mostly to just send Liam off for a few moments, so he could explain things to their guest. Or at least attempt the short, five-second version. “Get the corkscrew too.” Laurence hadn't meant it as a compliment, and Liam’s response threw him. The complete lack of shame about his deceit being uncovered was almost more than Laurence could bear. He’d always considered himself decent at getting the measure of a man, though he’d been told he could be too generous in his assessment at times. He’d always taken Liam to be a brave and honourable sort. A gentleman in manner if not in title. Indeed, when Laurence had first been made captain of his own ship, he’d tried to emulate Captain Jones’ way of running things. He’d been younger then, and naive at times. But he couldn't believe that he’d been so off the mark. And so it was the lack of shame that stopped Laurence from taking his leave right then and there. “Very well,” he said. He shrugged off his coat as Liam departed, and offered it to the younger Jones. “I suppose I will hear out your excuses before I report your brother’s desertion to the Admiralty.” “His...? Oh, fuck me,” Killian groaned, taking Laurence’s coat and hanging it up. If he had a free hand, he’d have facepalmed. Luckily, Liam had already gone off on the hunt for the corkscrew and the glasses, to enjoy this fine wine - be a proper host and fetch some cheese and olives or whatever too, would you? That’s what Killian wanted to ask, but he knew he only had a few seconds before they were really in deep shite. “Liam didn’t desert the Navy, Laurence.” He motioned for the other man to take a seat, and Killian sat on the sofa, craning his neck to look into the kitchen for a brief moment - Liam was still busy, luckily. Humming a Christmas tune and oh-so-content. “He died during that anti-piracy mission in Somali waters. The same mission I didn’t think he needed to be sent on, and I assure you, he’s been dead for years. But fast forward to now, in Orange County - you’ve noticed the snow, obviously, and that’s the least of the oddness. Odd things happen here all the time. Sometimes wishes even come true, and that’s...” He swallowed thickly. “I happened to wish that Liam could be here to spend the holidays with us and for him to meet his niece, and that’s...well, it came true. I know it sounds completely fucking mad.” And likely Liam would be gone soon enough, here one moment and disappeared the next - Killian was waiting for the other lead boot to drop. “All I ask if that you suspend disbelief for a little while.” Laurence’s lips tightened slightly at the cursing, but he didn’t say anything. He’d grown used to swearing after all his long years at sea - his own crew had learned to keep their language clean while they were working, but he couldn’t very well control their language when they weren’t, and most of his social group involved Navy men who weren’t quite as conscious of the things they said as Laurence would have liked. “I would have thought the snow was due to climate change,” Laurence said dryly as he sat opposite to Killian. Really, the idea that snow could somehow prove the existence of the dead rising to life was almost laughable. And the fact that Killian would expect Laurence to believe such a tale made him wonder if both the Jones’ hadn’t completely lost their minds. He opened his mouth to refute Killian’s claim, but then, hadn’t he seen a reindeer flying next to his airplane on his flight here. It had been gone in the second it took Laurence to look back out the window, and no one else had seen it, so he assumed he had simply been seeing things after the long flight from England, but it was enough to make Laurence close his mouth again in quiet contemplation. It didn’t just sound mad. It was mad. And it was madder that Laurence was even contemplating that it might be true. Laurence had seen enough friends and colleagues die that he wished he could believe it. But Killian’s emotion seemed honest enough. And no sane man could possibly think that such an excuse was plausible, which leant it some small amount of credibility as well. “I am willing to suspend my disbelief for the evening,” Laurence said after a long moment. “Tomorrow, I’ll decide whether or not I’ll make the report.” It was the most he could promise. As little as he cared to admit it, he was pleased to see Liam again after all this time, and if Killian’s bizarre story could be true, well then, he’d be happy indeed. “Am I given to understand, then, that this little one is yours?” he asked, referring to the infant. “Congratulations.” When it came to his older brother, Killian couldn’t really con or charm his way out of anything - because it was all so real with him, the emotion still raw and Liam’s death still hitting him very hard, a brick in the stomach. He’d never really gotten over it, or dealt properly, or grieved in a healthy way at all - the trip to the Underworld had helped, hearing his brother say he was proud of Killian and finally getting in their goodbyes (though he wasn’t about to mention that to Laurence yet, gods no) and this visit helped too. Odd as it was. “Well, I suppose that’s fair enough,” he sighed. Filing any sort of report would take eons to clear red tape anyway, and Liam would surely be gone by then. All traces of him alive here disappeared, his death still on record. Killian didn’t want Laurence to look like some loon though, or be accused of wasting any commission’s time. “Just...remember now that you’re here, your life is going to change. The impossible is going to become possible - perhaps not at first, but eventually.” He also didn’t mean for that to sound very ominous, just be the truth. “But aye, she’s mine - well, mine and my lady friend’s. Here - “ Killian shifted to bring Meara from her bassinet, the tiny tot gurgling happily as he cradled her in his arms. “Her name’s Meara, do you want to hold her?” “I should hope not by much. I’m only here for the holidays,” Laurence said, realizing now that he may have given the wrong impression by showing up on Killian’s doorstep. “My cousin is to be married, so we thought it would nice to come for the wedding.” And to have a nice, warm Christmas, but it appeared as though they’d misjudged what the weather in the Orange County would be. “I would like that very much,” Laurence said. He took the child from Killian, and cradled her in his arms. He had hoped to have a child or two of his own at this point in his life, but so far, children had not yet been in the cards for him. “My congratulations to you and your lady friend. Will she be joining us this evening as well?” He could only assume that she wasn’t around at the moment, as he was sure she would have greeted him as well if she was. “Only here for the holidays, hm?” A grin flickered on Killian’s face, amused by the declaration. He’d only meant to stay until his business was done, but now more than a year later here he remained - with a more permanent arrangement in terms of work, a steady romantic partner, and a baby they’d adopted to raise as their own. So needless to say, this place sucked you in - must be the magic of their particular vortex of hell. Ah, Orange County. “Well, if you’ve got the time, I’ll take you to the best tavern in the county - it’s called The Hanged Man. And I’ll show you my houseboat too, converted into a PI business that I run with my sister. It’s what I do now, PI work, so if you ever need any of that sort of thing, contact me.” He’d give a discount, most likely. It’d feel wrong to charge a fellow Naval officer full price, they’d served together and were at sea together - besides, scaring the poor fellow with visions of the dead was also a lot (though Killian was impressed at the way the mind raced to account for Liam being around - deserting the Navy? Good one). “But Regina should be back soon, you’ll meet her too. You can even stay for dinner? I’m sure she’ll insist on it. We all will, so you’re triple teamed.” And then Liam returned - because he was so proper and always polite, naturally he’d prepared an elaborate appetiser with their wine. Cheese and fruit, of course, and once he’d set everything - wine glasses included - on the coffee table, he turned and tickled Meara’s belly while she was cheerfully drooling on her fist in Laurence’s arms. So smiley too, and with no teeth that made it extra adorable. “She’s such a sweetheart - aren’t you, lass?” Liam cooed at her. “Well! So good to see you, Laurence. The holidays are always better with more friends and family.” Killian picked up his wine glass. “Aye, we’ll toast to that.” Then he’d drink this like water. Laurence wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about Killian’s grin. It was as though he knew something that Laurence himself didn’t, and it was a little disconcerting. Even if he had wanted to stay in the Orange County for some reason, his duty to his country would never allow it. “The Hanged Man?” Laurence asked. It didn’t sound like the kind of tavern he himself would ever go, but if this dinner went well and he could somehow be persuaded to believe Killian’s unbelievable story, he was sure that Killian would be able to talk him into it. “What a peculiar name. I’ll be for a couple more weeks yet, so I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time for you to show me the sights. Working on a houseboat sounds very relaxing.” Laurence didn’t entirely approve of the whole PI business, but Killian seemed like the kind of man who would excel at it. “Oh! You shouldn’t have gone through all the trouble,” Laurence exclaimed when Liam walked back into the room. He studied Liam’s face, looking for any sign of duplicity, but all he could see was a proud uncle playing with his niece. “But I am pleased to see you this holiday season, if not a little surprised.” More than a little, really, but that was neither here nor there. “I’d be delighted to stay for dinner, if it won’t be too much trouble setting another seat.” He was surprised to note that he wasn’t even saying as much to be polite. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed the Jones’ until he was among them again. “A toast then. To old friends and new family,” Laurence said, holding up his own glass. “Old friends and new family - that’s perfect, hear hear,” Liam touched his glass to the others, and Killian had to agree that the toast was particularly poignant. Normally, he shied away from reminders of his Naval days - he’d served for years but did it mostly to please his older brother. Good form and order weren’t really his MO, he was always something of a rebel at heart, but he was learning to balance it all - he didn’t have to completely sweep those days at sea under the rug. He ought to be proud of all he’d accomplished, anyway - both then and now. And he’d missed their guest as well, come to think of it. Laurence was a nice reminder that he wasn’t totally a scallywag. Perhaps only eighty percent? Oh, come on, it was part of his charm. |