I had this idea for a bit, and I've written a bit of a drabble to try it out. And yes, this is my first wandering into writing Once Upon a Time stories. Hope it's okay!

Disclaimer: I don't own Once or any of its characters

Killian had always loved the sea. There was always something so exciting and beautiful about it, how one minute it could be calm, and wild the next. Even at the young age of six, he knew his life was destined for sailing her unpredictable waves.

Maybe it was his mother who had awakened the love in him. Helena Jones was as fierce as they came, strong and bold. She had a fire in her, kindled by days of hard labour in her youth. Killian had inherited that fire, and just like her, he fought for everything. She had grown up by the sea, had been the only woman on the ship she sailed in, and spent ten years on it. It was there that she met his father.

Killian wasn't as close to his father as he was his mother. You could argue that he was a mama's boy – which he most certainly was – but it wasn't just that. His father was a retired Navy sailor, bitter after losing his left leg in a pirate attack on their ship. He had been discharged from service and barely a night later had started going to the tavern in town. Killian didn't understand why he would spend his nights there, instead of at home.

"Your father is not well at the moment," his mother had explained in her gentle voice, one she reserved only for him and his brother. "He is quite...sad." Then she had smiled, her blue eyes twinkling. "But you should not worry about that, my darling boy." And then she had proceeded to ask about his day at school, listening to his quiet chatter.

Liam, his older brother, had an identically great love for the sea. He was five years older than Killian himself and insisted on calling him 'little brother', no matter how many times Killian corrected him. He admired Liam, who had big dreams of becoming a Navy captain and leading adventures to unknown lands.

"It will be wonderful," he had said, his eyes wide and bright. "The wind in the sails, the waves crashing, fighting for our kingdom."

"But you won't leave me, will you Liam?" Killian had asked, his small voice quivering just slightly.

"Never," Liam had said. "I'll never leave you, little brother." ("Younger!" Killian protested weakly.) He smiled, wrapping his arm around Killian's small shoulders. "And, when you're old enough, you can join the Navy and be my lieutenant." He grinned. "Imagine us, the Jones brothers, sailing the seas together."

Killian had brightened considerably at that. "That would be wonderful."

Liam smiled and ruffled Killian's unruly black hair, laughing at his younger brother's groan. "It will be. I promise."

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Thanks for reading!

-CG x