Fluffy wish fulfillment fic of my fave ship and family ship sailing, literally and metaphorically. There are two things you should know before you read: Henry's got his memories back and I know absolutely nothing about sailing. Okay? Good.
No one would get any prizes for guessing that Henry's first port of call once aboard the Jolly Roger was the wheel. He practically bounds up the stairs to stand tall with his hands on the rungs whilst Hook and Emma follow behind him. Emma rolls her eyes affectionately as Henry spins the wheel and falls about dramatically as though he were in the middle of great storm- and knows she made the right choice about what to do on their day off.
Her parents, bless them, had apparently taken what she'd said about the saviour not getting a day off to heart. They'd told her to take a day to do, in her father's words, 'whatever the hell made her happy.' Of course, there was always the absent gnawing fear that the Wicked Witch would show up while Emma was caught unawares but she had her phone on her and Mary Margaret and David's promise to ring right away if anything happened. "We'll take care of everything," Mary Margaret had promised, smiling. As a given, Henry was a part of Emma's perfect day off. Regina, just happy to have her memory restored son living back in her house, had agreed to let Emma take him for a day out. The location and activities were also surprisingly easy to come up with. Emma knew Henry would hugely enjoy going on a sailing trip and Emma would enjoy whatever he did. Fortuitously, it so happened that his favourite pirate was more than willing to oblige them both. So it was settled- a sailing trip with Hook and a picnic at sea.
(Emma knew in the safety of her own head that being with Hook was also a part of her perfect day off but she'd never tell.)
"Henry, let Killian get the boat started, please." Hook turns to her quizzically, arms folding. "What?"
Hook sniffs primly. "Quick terminology lesson, Swan: the marvel you're standing on at present - is a ship. If you want to sail a boat, try one of those dinghies over there." He gestures to the small pleasure craft also moored in Storybrooke docks, made to look even smaller by the Jolly Roger's sheer magnitude.
Emma grins at Hook. "Ooh, Henry, someone's sensitive about his boat!"
"Don't push me, Swan," he warns teasingly, fighting a smile too. "Or it'll be the plank for you!"
"I'd like to see you try," Emma counters.
"Are you two just gonna flirt all day or are we actually going sailing?" Henry says. Emma blushes and looks away and Hook laughs.
"Of course, young sir," Hook says, bounding over. "I do apologise for my... distraction."
Hook spends five minutes clambering all over the top deck of the Jolly Roger, preparing her for voyage. It's amazing and actually kind of mesmerising to watch him-doing things that Emma would have sworn needed a crew to accomplish, yet Hook managed it all on his own, with one hand. He treats the ship with such incredible care and respect too, as though she were a sentient being (Emma supposes that to Hook she is). Finally, he seems satisfied and heads back up to them—Emma gets the feeling he's enjoying having people to share in the sense of adventure that he obviously gets from sailing. Sometimes she catches a look of loneliness in his eyes that he tries hard to suppress. Hook gives them both a wide smile, and then they're off.
The wind in her hair and the fresh air in her lungs is bracing and invigorating. She hadn't realised quite how much she needed this; just a day to not think about being the Saviour with her boys-yes, she'd started including Hook in that; they weren't a couple yet but- Emma knew it wouldn't be long before they were. All it would take is the right moment to just let everything else go and just... be with him. She just hadn't found it yet.
Once they're out to sea, Emma stands back and lets the boys have their fun at navigating the Jolly Roger. She happily watches them cavorting over the deck, Hook patiently showing Henry how to work the mechanisms that kept the Jolly Roger afloat. It's nice to see Henry be so involved with the kind of childlike enthusiasm he'd been trying to distance himself from since he turned eleven in an effort to 'seem' older and mature. Like any parent, there a part of Emma that wants him to stay young forever so a reminder that he's still capable of feeling that innocent wonder and have that awe about him is more than welcome.
Hook catches her eyes occasionally from where she's standing and they exchange small smiles like secrets shared.
Emma could quite easily watch the two-man sitcom that is Henry and Hook all day but eventually her stomach starts growling. It seems like the boys only realise how hungry they are once Emma shouts them for food. Hook drops anchor and Emma sets out the picnic she and Henry had prepared this morning on a tartan rug in a sunny spot on the deck. They'd made sandwiches -no bologna- and Henry had also taken upon himself to introduce Hook to every chemically processed food in existence. Emma thinks Hook must have the patience of a saint to put up with being a guinea pig for Henry's amusement (and sometimes hers, she can't lie) but he always assures her that enjoys being 'introduced to this realm's culinary delights'. They've since discovered together that Hook likes mayonnaise, salted peanuts and twinkies but not marshmallows, string cheese or more weirdly, nutella. To keep track, Henry's created a list of 'Meals and food Killian likes' that's stuck with a magnet on her fridge in the loft for reference when Hook comes over for dinner with them which is growing to be a regular thing.
By the time they finish their meals, Emma's stomach is seizing from laughing so much and Henry has three more things to add to his list (Oreos, ranch dressing and chicken soup) and the two things are not entirely unrelated.
"Mom, can I go and explore the cabin?" Henry asks when he's finished with his food.
"Not me you should be asking," she reminds him, clearing away the rubbish into a big bag.
"Killian, can I go and explore the cabin?"
"Of course," Killian says. "Just... don't touch any weapons, yeah?"
Henry looks slightly disappointed until Emma shoots him a stern 'do-as-he-says' look and Henry acquiesces, trotting off. She and Hook clear away the rest of the leftover food and dirty cutlery into the cooler bags Emma brought with her and Hook folds the rug into the most perfect square Emma's ever seen (she makes a mental note to get him to show her how to do that—she's hopeless at folding her own clothes.)
"So, how far out are we?" Emma wonders when they're done, standing at the stern and gazing out to the horizon.
"About ten miles. And, according to the map you supplied me with, international waters are about two miles that way." He points to the skyline and Emma can't stop the silent 'wow' that escapes her lips. Emma think this must be what Hook craves; the freedom, the boundless open water and the chance to go anywhere—it's a wonder he ever stands still. And somehow, it makes it even more amazing that it's her that he wants to put down roots with. Sometimes Emma wonders if she's worth it.
"-We should head back," Emma says, stopping her own train of thought abruptly. "Regina wants Henry back by half five."
"As you wish, my lady."
Before she knows it, he's expertly steering the Jolly Roger back towards land. Emma leans against the side of the Jolly Roger, closing her eyes and tilting her head back so her hair blows wild in the wind. More than anything, she wants to hold onto to how she feels right now. This day off was a really good idea. The last time she felt this free was in New York while she was still cursed, and honestly, it's nice to know she's capable of it.
Emma feels a pair of eyes on her. Hook is smiling at her. "D'you fancy a go, Swan?" he asks, indicating the wheel.
"No!" Emma scoffs.
"Come on, why not?"
"I don't know about you but I'd rather we didn't drown."
"You won't sink the Jolly Roger by turning the wheel the wrong way, love, I assure you." Hook says. There's a laugh in his voice. "Even if you could, I wouldn't let you-do you have that little faith in me?"
"I have faith in you" -he smiles wider at that- "It's me I don't trust."
"You did it on the way to Neverland. Besides, if your boy can do it, so can you. Come on." He runs his tongue between his front teeth and his forget-me-not blue eyes beckon her over. That look should be illegal. Huffing out a mock-resigned sigh and trying to hide a smile, Emma stands close to the wheel and puts her hands on the wooden rungs without moving it. Hook tuts and Emma's head whips around, wondering how she could have gone wrong already. "You've got a lot to learn, Swan. Why on earth have you put your hands there?"
Emma splutters. Where her hands were supposed to be hadn't even registered with her. "Excuse me? My hands are at ten and two on a clock face, that is how I was taught to drive a car and it's obviously the same principle for a ship..." She sees his head shake. "Right?"
"Wrong. I don't know if you've noticed, Swan, but the wheel on a ship is slightly bigger than that of your car—you'll need a lot more upper body strength than that stance will afford you."
Making a face and an unintelligible, annoyed noise, she removes her hands again. "How am I supposed to stand then, genius?"
Hook smirks and comes up behind her slowly. He gets so close Emma can feel his warm breath raise hairs on the side of her neck, can smell leather and sea salt. His hand takes hers and he pushes his hook gently into the palm of her hand so it's just resting on the smooth outer rim—the contrast between the warmth of his hand and the coolness of the steel hook is striking. He lifts their entwined limbs to the wheel. "Hands go here," he murmurs into her ear while he places her hands and Emma tries hard to suppress a shiver of desire. "...and here."
"Okay," she says, hoping she sounds less squeaky than she thinks she does.
"Good. Now bear right." She does as he says and turns the wheel a little, annoyingly proving Hook right that she needed a lot of strength to move it a small amount. Her movement is barely perceptible in real terms but she can feel the ship changing direction beneath her and Emma can't help but laugh giddly that she's in control of a huge ship. She did do this on the way to Neverland but she hardly enjoyed that experience since Henry was missing and they were passing through a massive storm with all their lives in danger—this, meanwhile, is fun.
"You see, Swan?" Hook says softly. "It's not so bad, is it?"
Emma bites her bottom lip against the smile that's threatening to take over her face. With no other reason or justification than it just feeling completely and utterly right, she leans back into him and rests her head in the crook of his neck. His arms circle her midriff gently, pulling her closer still. Emma catches his eyes and finds so much joy and heady devotion there it almost floors her. And suddenly, she knows this is right. In line with this realisation, Emma leans forward and presses her lips to his. He seems a little surprised but reacts quickly, responding with his own fervour until Emma let go of the wheel to twist in his arms and pull him closer.
When he pulls back, he does so with palpable regret. "Much as I'd love to carry on, Swan," he says with a huge smile. "We really are going to sink if someone doesn't start steering soon."