Fourth Time's the Charm
Once could be circumstance…
Killian Jones sat with his legs drawn up, resting his chin on his propped hand.
His propped, manacled hand.
He'd given up on shouting; he'd known it wouldn't change anything even as he started, had known the moment she turned to walk away that she wasn't coming back. But the outrage that gripped him, the sharp, shocking wrench that twisted his insides, had left him yelling himself hoarse.
It was easier to express the red-hot fury then acknowledge that wrench – the bitter burn that the first person he'd opened up to for more than 200 years had betrayed him, had judged him unworthy of her trust.
Captain Hook was supposed to be the scoundrel, the trickster, the thief. He was supposed to be the betrayer, not the betrayee.
Bad enough he'd allowed himself to be tricked.
Far, far worse that it bloody hurt.
Twice could be coincidence…
Hook's knowing smirk slid away into a thoughtful frown as he watched the Swan girl walk away. The cold metal round his wrist was decidedly not welcome. He loathed being held down, held back, detained – one of the many reasons he had taken to the Seven Seas with his brother, even before rage and revenge turned him to piracy.
No, the restraint was not welcome… but it was more irritant than offence. And why?
Last time Swan had acted from faithlessness; she had chained him like an animal that couldn't be trusted not to turn on its master. And, by God, that had burned.
This time… this time was different.
Underneath the irritation, the sweetly sadistic smile as she jabbed his broken ribs, there had been… concern.
She had locked him up again, aye, but the harassed orders she issued as they entered the sick bay – it reminded him of noblewomen concealing their jewels when they knew looters were abroad.
She had locked him away like something precious that needed protecting.
That pricked at his manhood, but it also piqued his curiosity – if she cared enough to hide him… then surely she must care.
Three times suggests a habit…
The third time it happened he was calm as a mill pond. In fact, as she shackled him to the bench, it was all he could do to suppress a smile, though he tried to behave as he thought she would expect.
Emma might not know him in her conscious mind, but she was acting to type: locking him down, walking away. Running from her feelings.
He knew the pattern now; he knew he could work with that.
He knew even though she'd walked away, she would come back.
He knew eventually she would trust him again.
And Emma Swan did not trust where she did not love.
Four times suggests you like it…
The fourth time it happened, he hadn't just expected it, he'd anticipated.
Once it had become clear he was Zelena's target, it had been bloody obvious what the Saviour would do. Protect the one she loved and go off to fight.
Alone.
"If you're going to leave me chained up, the least you can do is kiss me goodbye."
He'd poured everything he had into that kiss: everything he felt for her, everything he planned for their future.
And even if he hadn't already expected it, any traces of anger would have melted beneath the blaze of happiness that engulfed him at her softly whispered farewell:
"I love you."
Her brisk stride away was close to a run.
He waited until she was out of sight then calmly removed the key he'd concealed in his manacled palm; the key he'd swiped from her pocket whilst kissing her to within an inch of her life.
She'd said she loved him; it always took the threat of death to push Emma to say what she really felt.
He knew she'd deny it later on. But he also knew she wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true. And whether she willed it or not, it was part of the pattern now.
All in all, Killian was looking forward to the fifth time Emma put him in chains.
He had high hopes it would be in the bedchamber.
Fin
A/N Phew. I needed that. I wrote this in about half an hour whilst at work (shhh; don't tell) and was in a flippant, happy mood. Then I came home and watched the latest episode of OUAT
*spoiler alert for season 3b!*
I have never shipped Swanfire, and I never will. But the whole thing was really rather sad (in spite of some highly questionable acting choices from MRJ) and left me wistful and melancholy... It also left me feeling a little bereft as one could almost feel Captain Swan will win by default when I wanted it to knock Swanfire out the park because it is so much more compelling. It left me in two minds about whether to post this - but I re-read it and decided I need something to take away the wistfulness and remind me of why I love them.
So, this is my palate cleanser, and I hope you enjoyed :-) Feel free to let me know if you did ;-)