In the Act
by misscam
Disclaimer: Not my characters, just my words.
Author's Note: AU. Hook stays with the Charmings during the year in FTL, but the curse still happens later on and Emma does return to Storybrooke. For the anon who asked for the prompt of Hook walking in on Snowing tacos, and for Sarah, who wanted Hook spending the year in FTL with Snow and Charming and frequently walking in on them. I tried to please you both. Thanks for Angie for some corrections :)
II
Hook living with the Charmings. A year ago he would have laughed at anyone predicting that, Hook has to admit, yet here he is. Sharing a castle with the Charmings, who might not even like him but still let him happily stay with them. And why?
They're Emma's parents. They love Emma, and Emma loves them (even if she might no longer remember) and he, he loves Emma.
So. Now he has the chance to get close to Emma's parents, to make them at least not hate him and probably learn to like them a lot himself, because they damn well are Emma's parents and he can already see so much of her in them.
All he has to do is stay close to them. What could possibly go wrong with that?
II
Right, Hook thinks, and lowers his sword while taking in the scene in front of him. Right. This isn't quite what he expected to see when he went into the forest to look for the royal twosome after Regina had pointed him in the right direction. No. He was expecting to find the pair having been delayed having to fight ogres and maybe get a chance to come heroically to the rescue. They had been gone a long time, after all.
Now he knows why.
Charming has covered them both by his cloak, but even so, the rest of their clothes scattered around are pretty telling. So are the noises they're making, soft moans as they move together, pausing to kiss or just smiling at each other with so much love he feels his heart ache just watching it.
If they can smile like that, lost in love, could Emma?
They haven't noticed him, so Hook carefully edges behind the nearest tree, then takes a step backwards, and another and... Steps on a branch that makes a noise that seems horribly loud to his own ears.
It only takes a moment before an arrow buries itself in the tree next to him.
"Who's there?" Snow calls out, and he steps forward to see that Snow is on her feet, another arrow already ready. Charming has somehow managed to wrap them both in his cloak, and is clutching a sword with one hand. Impressive, Hook has to admit. Almost like they've done that before.
"Just me," he says, and both stare at him. "Apologies. I was merely... Worried."
"Worried?" Charming repeats. At least they've both lowered their weapons now.
"You were gone a long time," Hook says, and now they look downright perplexed and he feels quite, quite silly. "There might be ogres around, I... I'll... Leave you to it. Carry on!"
With that, he hurries away and back to the camp, and catches Regina's knowing smirk as he returns. He's pretty sure she knew what Snow and Charming's little forest trip meant and deliberately set him up. He'll have to return that favor some day.
Still. Now he knows what Snow and Charming alone in the forest means. He just won't follow them whenever they even go near a tree or greenery, and everything should be good.
II
Bad idea. Bad, bad, bad idea, Hook has to admit. So very had, and about to get so much worse.
How was he to know that what Snow likes to ride in the stables is Charming? He was just hoping to get himself invited along to whatever riding excursion he assumed the two had planned since Red said they were in the stables, and showing up in the stables with a puppy-eyed expression had seemed a sure bet.
Instead, he's staring wide-eyed at at Snow straddling her husband in the hay, her long, dark hair tumbling down her naked back. Unfortunately Charming is lifting himself up to kiss his fair wife at that moment, and of course, notices Hook.
"Charming?" Snow murmurs, then follows his gaze. "Hook!"
Hook covers his eyes, realizing that staring is probably not making the best impression. "Apologies! I thought you might be going for a ride."
"We are," Charming hisses. "Afterwards."
"Ah," Hook manages, then peeks between his fingers. "I was hoping to join you. For the ride. Of the horses."
He takes the hay Snow throws at him as a yes, and hurries outside, finding a place in the courtyard to sit and wait until they're done.
They do take him along on their horse ride later, and he spends it lightly teasing them and listening to them banter. It's strangely enjoyable, even fun, and lessens the constant ache he always feels now that Swan is so far away from him.
Her parents he can keep close, and he intends to.
II
They get kidnapped. Snow and Charming get bloody kidnapped by bloody pirates, and Hook finds himself taking it more than a little personally.
They're Emma's parents. They're one pirate pair, and he's the one pirate.
(They won't be killed. He won't allow it. He won't even let himself think it.)
Regina organizes a rescue attempt, but he knows pirates and cashes in more than a few favors to find out where they are before she can.
Of course, he finds the hideout with all the pirates knocked out and Charming pinning Snow against a wall, kissing her passionately while she locks her legs around him.
They haven't even untied their bonds properly, and Hook just grins at the sight of them stupidly. They're fine. They're pumped full of adrenaline and have freed themselves, and they're fine.
More than fine, judging by Snow's eager panting.
He lets them have their moment of passion, keeping watch behind the wall to ensure no pirate wakes up to interrupt it. They're a one pirate pair, after all. No pirate is going to walk in on the Charmings except him, he'll make sure of it.
When Regina shows up to rescue them just as eagerly as he was, he lets her walk in on them, though, favor returned.
II
When it comes to their bedroom, Hook has learned to knock before entering. Knock long and hard and not walk in if he gets no answer, and not even bother knocking if he finds an arrow tied to their doorknob.
He wasn't expecting to find their door open one morning, and finds himself unable to look away. What he sees is the most unsurprising thing in the world, really. Snow and Charming in bed together.
The surprising thing is that they're not actually having enthusiastic, vigorous sex. No. Snow is sitting in bed, beaming, while Charming touches her stomach reverently and presses kisses into her hair.
Hook knows what that means, and finds himself softly smiling. Emma is going to be a big sister. She might not know it, but he hopes she will one day.
"I am not surprised," he teases after a moment, and Snow and Charming both look up with Snow's cheeks reddening slightly. Still, she doesn't look ashamed. He rather enjoys that about them. No matter how many times he walks in on them, they might be embarrassed, but never ashamed.
"Congratulations," he goes on, all sincerity this time.
"Thank you," Snow says after a moment, giving him a soft smile, and Hook is beginning to realize that Emma has the smile of her mother.
He'd like to see that smile more often.
II
He was going to make them breakfast, Hook thinks forlornly. The pregnancy has given Snow all sorts of cravings and he was going to make her and Charming a breakfast that fulfilled all those and Snow would maybe even smile at him for it.
It seems what Snow is really craving is her husband, and now she's having him on the kitchen table. Charming is quite willing to be had, too, moaning her name and letting his hands roam across her body.
They'll always be doing this, Hook thinks and smiles faintly. He'll always be in danger of walking in on them, as they love truly, passionately, deeply, unashamedly.
Good.
He leaves them to devour each other and finds the larger, public kitchen instead, making them a large breakfast while whistling. After all, they'll probably be famished afterwards.
He includes berries and other treats they can eat and lick off each other if they should want as well. Just in case Snow has additional cravings.
II
Due to his year with them in the Enchanted Forest, Hook has grown used to walking in on Snow and Charming by now.
Emma hasn't.
The moment they walk into the sheriff's station to pick up the phone Emma had forgotten, Emma's eyes go wide as saucers, and he hurriedly clamps his hand over her mouth to stop her exclamation at what her parents are doing.
Snow is perched on the sheriff's desk, enthusiastically kissing her husband and tearing his shirt off. Her own has already fallen to the floor, and Charming is working on the bra with determination.
Emma splutters against his hand, and he pulls her back gently while she seems unable to do anything but stare. At least until they're outside, then she closes her eyes in quiet mortification.
"They did lock the station, love," he says gently, taking the key from her hand and locking the door. She just groans. He considers teasing her about it being her fault for throwing them out of the loft and insisting they have a day to themselves while she watched Neal, but decides to save it for later.
"I wish they would stop doing that," she mutters, her cheeks still pink.
"I don't," he says quietly, and she turns to look at him. "Your parents love each other passionately and truly and I admire them for that."
"You do?" she asks, looking slightly dubious.
"I do," he says honestly. "I may enjoy poking the royal majesties from time to time, but I truly like and admire them, Swan. And I know you love them."
She looks at him as if gauging his sincerity, then smiles. "Yeah."
"Yeah," he agrees, smiling back at her. She leans slightly towards him, then seems to catch herself.
She clears her throat. "I'll get the phone later. Let's get back to the car before Neal escapes his car seat and starts driving or something."
"A true Charming adventurer, that lad," he says, thinking of the lovely baby that Emma already loves dearly, as he knew she would. "Swan?"
"Yeah?"
"There is another reason I hope your parents will continue to merrily make out and tear each other's clothes off frequently," he says.
"Killian!"
He just smiles at the way her cheeks redden and continues. "You're their daughter. If they can love each other as passionately and truly as that, so can you, love."
She looks at him, her lips parting slightly. Then ever so slightly, she nods.
Yes.
She is Emma Swan, Snow and Charming's daughter, so very much Snow and Charming's daughter, he's sure.
He can't wait to have it confirmed. Maybe even on a desk.
FIN