The Pirate and the Book-Nerd

Killian Jones had been asked for many things in his extended lifetime, but this newest request was quite unwelcome.

"I'm sorry, Lyn love. I must have heard you wrong. What is it you want me to do?"

The young woman who was currently tucked into his side, gave him a large grin, as they walked through the small town streets that were currently draped in twilight. She was only several inches smaller than the pirate, and he found that what the young woman lacked in height, she made up for in imagination. They had met several years prior and after much distrust and more than a few strange occurrences, the two had become close friends. And now, they had a regular 'date' every week on Wednesday after their group therapy session. Every time like clockwork, they would have dinner out, take a stroll and talk, and then finish off the night with a movie and large bowl of popcorn. It was a simple routine, but both writer and pirate found it to be invaluable bonding time that they both looked forward to.

As the strange duo turned down one of the many lanes, arm in arm, the girl looked up at her escort with an amused twinkle in her chocolate brown eyes. "You heard me correctly, Killian Jones, so you can drop the innocent act."

Killian looked down at the plump young woman with a hearty scowl, "I'm far from innocent, lass. But going back to the point at hand, I must have misheard you."

"Why is that?"

The pirate stared at her for a long moment, taking in her baggy men's clothing and scraggly, unkempt hair, with a internal cringe. The writer was a sweet lass to be sure, but she could definitely use some fashion tips, not that she'd ever listen to him. He had after all been trying to convince her for years. But despite this, she wasn't completely horrible to look at. When she her dimples appeared, and the light of a smile touched her eyes, she was actually quite pretty.

"Because despite being the paragon of masculinity," he said with a cocky smirk. "I don't seek out and woo every female within my sights."

Lyn lifted an eyebrow and snorted in an unladylike fashion. "You could have fooled me, Captain Guyliner."

Hook's eyes narrowed. "Cute. But my statement stands firm. I have standards."

"Such as?"

Was he, Captain Killian Jones Hook, really having this conversation? At the young writer's expectant gaze, he realized that yes he was.

"Beauty, of course."

"Of course," she agreed good-naturedly.

"Strength of mind, as well as body. I like a lass with a firm head on her shoulders."

"Uh-huh," Lyn murmured in agreement.

"A good personality; otherwise I lose interest quickly. Also a . . . robust female form." At this last comment, the young woman rolled her eyes and laughed. "And beautiful eyes."

Hook immediately fell silent after admitting his preferences and the two continued their walk without a word for quite sometime, before Lyn leaned deeper into his arm and picked up with her request.

"My girl has most of those traits, Killian, if not all."

Hook sighed heavily and forced his striking blue eyes to stay on the sidewalk ahead. "Aye, lass. She does."

"Then why are you hesitating?"

The pirate was quiet for several moments, and Lyn thought that he wouldn't answer her, until he brought them both to a halt. Killian looked at his friend with a crooked half-smile and chuckled lightly. "Your Shannon, would kill me if I so much as attempted whatyou've implied."

Lyn stared at him for several long seconds before she burst out laughing, and bent at the middle as her loud guffaws echoed throughout the otherwise quiet neighborhood. Killian watched her with amusement, and let a loose chuckle escape past his large grin. He couldn't help himself. For the situation was indeed a strange one.

"You're afraid of her!" Lyn gasped in between giggles. "You're afraid of what my cousin will do to you!"

The pirate sobered up at his companion's teasing, and frowned. "You obviously don't remember the other unfortunate fellow who tried to woo her last spring."

This made Lyn laugh harder, and tears streamed down her cheek as she held her sides. "Oh gosh! Pwaahahahahah! I can't breathe!"

Killian shrugged, indifferent to his friend's plight. "What was his name, love? I can't seem to remember. . . "

Lyn's laughter had died down a bit now, and she smacked him playfully on the forearm. "You've known the Goblin King since you joined the group therapy sessions! So don't act like you don't!"

Killian shrugged, "After what your cousin did you to him, I wanted to forget the poor sod. He was a bloody nervous wreck for an entire month."

Lyn shook her head and wiped at her now drying eyes with the sleeve of her hoodie. "I'll be the first to admit that Shannon's actions might have been a little. . . harsh, but it shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone. Jareth and Shannon have never liked each other, and he got in her personal space a time too many. Besides it'd be a completely different outcome for you if you tried to do what he did."

The pirate looked skeptical as he asked, "Why would it be any different love? As I recall your cousin has refused to get involved with your rag-tag group of 'Therapy Gentlemen' anymore than she absolutely has to. Why would I be an exception to that rule?"

Lyn smiled sweetly, "Because unlike the Goblin King and all the others, she actually likes you. Why else do you think she let you join our book-club?"

Killian lifted an eyebrow, and his forehead scrunched slightly. "Let's be honest, love. She let me join because she wanted a challenge since you're such a mental drifter."

"And because she loves your Guyliner and black leather." Lyn said choosing to somewhat ignore Hook's comment. "I can't tell you how many conversations we've had about the cocky, yet savvy, Captain Guyliner. I'd say besides the Phantom of the Opera you're her go to guy."

Hook thought about this new information for several long moments before he made up his mind. "I'll consider it, lass. But I can't give you my word that I'll do it."

Lyn nodded, "That's good enough for me. As long as you truly think about my request. I believe you'd both benefit from it."

Hook chuckled and once more held out his forearm to the writer. "Well, now that we've successfully wasted another quarter of an hour, would you do me the honor of escorting you home, milady?"

Lyn gave a mock curtsy and looped her arm in his. "Sure Killian, if you promise not to force me to watch Disney's Peter Pan, one more time."

The pirate pouted as they continued their way down the street to her neighborhood. "But love, it's a bloody classic!"

Lyn looked at him with a twitching eye. "Not when you've seen it twice everyday for the last two months."

Shannon Echo lifted one of her blonde eyebrows suspiciously when her cousin entered their shared living room whistling White Flag - by Dido in a muted tone. She looked at the cheerful woman nearly bouncing with energy, and then back to the man who sat on the far side of the couch.

"Okay, Hook. Come clean; what did you do to her?"

The pirate lifted his hand and hook in a surrender-like gesture. "Don't look at me, darling. Your cousin is maniacally whimsical without any prodding on my part."

Shannon wasn't sure she believed him, but decided not to press the topic, and answered instead, "Well, me and some of my family members have discussed renaming her 'Insanity' in the past."

Hook smirked. "How . . . fitting. She does have frenzied moments of imbalance now and again."

Shannon laughed, "Well I suppose that's one way of putting it. Though I would prefer using the term 'riding the crazy train' myself."

Hook inclined his head and gave her a wink. "That's quite a colorful phrase, darling."

The blonde girl blushed, but didn't have time to say more, as her euphoric cousin plopped down in a chair across from where her and the pirate sat.

Shannon patted the cushion next to herself when Lyn made eye contact with her. "You know that there's room here on the couch for you?"

The writer smiled at her tipsily and laughed. "I know, Shanny-kins! But I'm content where I'm at!" Then after a second of seemingly mindless giddiness, Lyn's smile faded. "Oh crap! I left the cake in the oven! I'll be back in a minute! You two behave while I'm gone!"

Shannon sighed as her forgetful cousin rushed out of the room, leaving her alone with Hook, who was looking strangely pleased. The girl glanced at him curiously. "What?"

Hook shrugged, "She never learns, does she?"

Shannon giggled as she heard her cousin let out a loud curse from the recesses of the kitchen. "No. But I wouldn't have her any other way. She's been like this as long as I can remember."

"And have you always been the same, lass?" Hook purred, catching the girl off guard as he turned his light blue eyes to focus on her.

Shannon took a deep breath and tried to get her mind to work properly. "Yes and no. Me and Lyn haven't always gotten along. When we were little, she was always getting into things, and I was always trying to stay out of trouble."

Hook looked at her thoughtfully before he slowly leaned towards her, and asked in a quiet, smooth tone, "So what you're saying is that you're a Good Girl."

Shannon gulped despite herself as the handsome pirate drew closer than was necessary, and entered her personal space. But not wanting to give him the satisfaction to tease her, she disagreed with him.

"I wouldn't say that," she said as firmly as she was possibly able, when his nose was only inches from her own.

Hook licked his lips slowly. "Then what would you call yourself, lass?"

Shannon felt her inner resolve return and placed a hand on the man's chest to push him back. "I would call myself disciplined, Hook. And I would like to stay that way."

"It's Killian, love" the pirate injected quickly and then, grabbing her wrist with his good hand, placed hers above his heart. "And why would you want to be disciplined when you could just let yourself go? What have you to gain from it?"

Without knowing she had done so, Shannon had moved closer to the pirate and now her face was merely inches away from his once again. But this time she didn't seem to care.

"I have everything to gain, and I won't give up my standards for anyone."

Killian Jones slowly brushed the tip of her nose with his own, and looked at her with calculating light blue eyes lined in black.

"Truly love? Not even for me?"

Shannon smiled, "Especially not for you."

The pirate smiled then,"That's my girl."

Then without further hesitation, Hook placed his lips on the young woman's in a gentle, yet passionate kiss. Shannon melted into the contact and lifted her hands to either side Killian's face, as he nuzzled into her.

After a moment of this, he pulled away, and a large grin spread across his face. Then with a mock show of chivalry asked, "May I kiss you again, darling?"

Shannon rolled her eyes, and was about to smack him, when a loud voice reverberated across the house, making both the girl and pirate jump. And all too soon, they recognized it for what it was.

Lyn was singing.

"I will go down with this ship!

And I won't put my hands up and surrender!

There will be no white flag above my door!

They're in love and always will be~!"

{}

Hook stared at Shannon as she blushed a bright red, before he promptly bellowed, "LYNNN!"

Lyn Harkeran smiled from where she was currently frosting Shannon's birthday cake in the small kitchen. She had easily heard every word of the conversation going on in the living room, and had silently peeked her head through the doorway just in time to witness the kiss.

The writer had quickly gone back into the kitchen to give them more privacy, and had waited patiently until she heard their voices again before she erupted into song. And as she had finished her little outburst, Hook's angry yell had answered back, making her all out cackle.

When Lyn had made a birthday deal with Hook, it had been for him to act like a gentleman and kiss Shannon's hand before he left for the night. Nothing more and nothing less.

He must really like her, if he kissed her, Lyn thought with a light chuckle. Cause he's never been one to go the extra mile without the proper prodding. The idea made the young woman happier than she could say and she continued to slather the soft blue frosting on the vanilla cake with a ecstatic flick of her wrist.

The next time she and Shannon decided to talk about Captain Guyliner, Lyn suspected that her cousin's enthusiasm would put her own to absolute shame.

Author's Note:

This is a birthday gift for my cousin, who is in love with a certain Guyliner wearing pirate. I based Lyn and Shannon after myself and my cousin, and upped my rabid fangirl status by 100 points in the process! ^^ Hahahahahaha!

And I honestly loved the idea of Hook being obsessed with Disney's version of Peter Pan, so I added it in there just for kicks. XD I hope you guys enjoyed it! I apologize for any liberties that I have taken for this story that might have disagreed with you.

The song and lyrics used were: White Flag by Dido. And the Goblin King mentioned above is none other than Jareth the Goblin King from Jim Henson's Labyrinth.

~Lyn Harkeran