I honestly don't know what came into my mind! I have a big interest in philosophy and while I was reading Kierkegaard, I made a parallel between Regina and Regine Olsen (his fiancè). So, here it is! Please, have mercy upon me! LoL

Reading Philosophy

Since the first moment she turned the keys to open the door, Belle knew that something was wrong. That strange feeling was soon confirmed by a light that irradiated into the darkness from behind a shelf. There was no way that she was the one to have turned it on the previous evening: she never forgot to control that everything was alright before leaving. Someone was there, that was for sure, but who could ever be interested in introducing himself at night in a library? The answer came only a fare minutes later when, after taking the heaviest book she had as the only weapon she could think of to defend herself, she reached the spot where the light came from.

There was a certain pirate, sitting in front of a table with a book in front of him, apparently too lost in the reading to notice her presence.

"What are you doing here?"

The fearful tone in her voice became soon joined by a natural curiosity in front of the scene of the Captain raising his hand and his hook as to let her know that he meant no harm.

"What are you reading?" was in fact the next question she made, taking a step to him, despite the fear.

Hook, recovering from the surprise of being caught, took a breath and decided to use her love for books as a possible way out of there. After some moments, the book on the table was closed, revealing the cover.

Diary of a seducer by Soren Kierkegaard.

The librarian's surprise only grew as she raised both eyebrows.

"I've also read Aut-Aut... But I didn't understand some matters" he added simply shrugging.

Belle only smiled at that statement and, touched into her weakness point, she sat in front of him and took the book into her own hands.

"What do you want to know?"

"Something about his love for that Regina for example" he said with a mischievous smile forming on his lips.

The allusion to another Regina was soon understand by her as well and in reply to that smile she only casted him a knowing look. It wasn't hard to get the subtle attraction between the Captain and the Queen, that had only grown after the heartbreak they both received by Emma and Robin. Furthermore, for an intuitive mind as hers, the connection was even more evident.

"She's nothing like our dear Queen"

Her attempt of joke met his thoughtful expression.

"It depends on what you have to tell me, love" he finally replied, making her a gesture to share her knowledge about the topic.

It was about six o'clock in the morning. But there was no wrong time for short lesson of philosophy, after all.

"I didn't know you were a good reader..."

Hook raised his eyes and just smiled, not moving from his position. He had spent quite a lot time reading in the last month, truth be told, it was like reading could erase any other thoughts or on the contrary consider them from a different point of view. Anyway thee had been only two people that found him reading during this period: Belle the day before and Regina in that moment. But the second one was surely the most pleasant meeting, mainly because if the librarian caught him by surprise, he was waiting for the queen and was willing to show her his new passion.

"I'm full of surprises, my love"

The astonishment caused by the unusual scene was so much that she even suppressed the urge to correct him that she wasn't "his love" at all. Instead, she slowly approached him and glanced at the cover.

"Have you ever read something of philosophy?"

The question made her raise an eyebrow, but then also thought about it for a moment.

"As a matter of fact, I've read something from a certain Kant... It was called Perpetual peace... It was not the kind of theory I could agree with, I guess, so I just gave up reading" she replied with a trace of irony.

Hook chuckled loudly at the joke and shrugged, finally closing the book. He had discovered a real interest in philosophy lately and he had been forming a confused heap of disconnected thoughts from different philosophers. However this last one he was currently reading was almost impossible to understand; in his opinion, that Hegel must have been drinking a lot of rum before writing his thoughts.

"Perhaps Hobbes would have been more appropriated for your taste - Homo homini lupus"

Regina's eyebrows almost reached her hair at that point and she couldn't tell if it was for the perfect pronounce of latin or for the RIFERIMENTO itself.

"Have you called me to have a philosophic talk?" she asked after a while, not hiding the irony, not even this time.

"No" he immediately answered, shaking his head "Or maybe yes... Have you ever heard about Kiekegaard?"

The queen sighed deeply, still unable to see the final point of the conversation, and struggled against the instinct of going away. She simply shook her head in denying, unwarily giving him the sign to explain more.

"He was a very good philosopher - so it seems - and had a very obsession for spiritual matters, anxiety and the importance of making choices" he began, repeating Belle's words in an elaboration of his own "But probably one of the most important element of his life was his love for a girl, Regina Olsen"

After that, he stopped for a moment and stood up, coming closer to her, who, contrary to any expectations, didn't move and assumed an interested expression.

"What happened then?" she found herself asking.

Probably sharing her name with the protagonist of the tale was suddenly making the story worth the listening.

"They got engaged and were about to get marry... But before that could happen, he realized that a life as a husband wasn't for him and broke the engagement. Regina was devastated and even wanted to commit suicide... He didn't answer her letters at first, but it was sure that he suffered from this choice. Was it the right choice? I don't know... What I know is that he became the famous philosopher he is remembered now and she eventually married her tutor... But I think they loved each other until the end"

There was a long pause after that. Hook and Regina just stared at each other: he waiting for a reaction, she unsure of what was the effect that story had had on her.

"Why have you told me this?"

The Captain looked away for a moment, but at the same time he searched for a physical contact, starting to caress with his hand the back of hers.

"Because... They reminded me of us"

The queen's surprise was now expressed by a laughter.

"Well... I don't see any similarity at all"

Hook didn't hesitate to nod. Truth be told, there wasn't a real parallel between the two couples, actually they were not even a couple... Not yet at least.

"You are right, we have nothing in common" he agreed, raising his look and staring intently into her eyes "Except for the fact that her name was Regina and he didn't choose her"

Before she could answer, he moved his good hand to place it on the back of the neck, letting their faces approach more and their noses touch.

"Choose me, Regina... Let me choose you" he whispered, before finally closing the distance between them.

It was an unexpectedly slow and sweet kiss, but not for that less passionate or less full of desire. After some moments of just kissing, their hands started to travel down each other's body in aim to explore more and the contact between them soon became needing and almost desperate.

Not too far away, Belle was standing in the street, following with her look the two close figures. An amused smile crossed her lips as she glanced for a moment to the book between her hands. The gift she was planning to give to the Captain could have waited, after all it seemed that Kierkegaard had already done something good to him.

"Good job, Soren" she whispered to the copy of Stages on Life's Way.

Then she laughed softly and, after casting another pleased look to the barely visible couple on the ship, she headed back to the library.