You have no idea how long I've been waiting to post this! I thought I was crazy to sign up for the captainswanbigbang and now that I've done it, I can confirm it was a pretty nutty idea. But I love that whole group for encouraging me to write this story. I LOVE shady-swan-jones for my banner and all the art you're going to see from her that's inspired by this story. She did such a great job and I'm so excited for everyone to see her work. Also a HUGE thanks to idristardis who betaed this thing and found my typos and plot holes. It's 55,000 words so you know beta reading this was a job.
I know I've said it before, but seriously, thank you all for encouraging me over the years to write fanfic in this fandom. My first Captain Swan fanfic was posted on AO3 back in February 2014. Since then, I've written 25 Once fanfics and self-published two original novels on Amazon (yes, you can buy them!). You guys were a part of that so thank you so much for being so supportive. Hope you enjoy this new one!
Emma Swan leaned back as the service elevator doors closed, letting out a sigh of relief for making it in without being detected.
She loved events like this and getting closer to the fans. She loved interacting with people who enjoyed the work she did. But all of that was tomorrow. Tonight, she just wanted to relax in her hotel room with some room service and be "The Emma Swan" later.
Emma took a deep breath to calm herself as the elevator doors opened. Luckily, the network had booked the entire floor of a San Diego hotel just for its people. Actors, writers, public relations people, even the stray lawyer or two. Everyone was on that one floor, which made her feel a little more at ease. She went to a smaller convention last month and had fans knocking on her door at three in the morning. The info packet for this convention from the network's event planners specifically said they would have security roaming the floor, which meant no strangers knocking at odd hours.
Except as Emma got close to her hotel room, she found a stranger in front of her door in black leather.
He looked skinny with dark hair and scruff, his leg casually kicked out in front of him as he leaned back against the wall by her hotel room door. Whatever he was reading on his smart phone was so interesting that he didn't even notice Emma walk up to him. She stood there for a moment trying to figure out what to do. Well, and admiring him. The black leather seemed to be some sort of cosplay and it had a kind of shine to it under the crappy hall lights.
But Emma also wanted to get into her room and order some room service.
"Um, excuse me?"
The man's eyes snapped up to her — amazingly blue and outlined in black eyeliner — and he scrambled to his feet with a slightly embarrassed look on his face.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Is this your room?"
He gestured towards the door, his movement making his long leather coat sway around him. He was tall and lanky now that he was on his feet, his leather pants and unbuttoned shirt showing off his toned physique.
That's when Emma noticed the hand he had used to gesture towards her door. Well, it wasn't really a hand.
"Is that a hook?" she asked him.
He gave her a small grin. "Aye."
"Are you supposed to be someone?"
"Be someone?" he asked.
"I mean, the whole get up," Emma said, gesturing at his head-to-toe cosplay.
His smile grew before making a sweeping bow in front of her. "Captain Hook as your service, ma'am."
Emma's eyes narrowed as she took in this man who looked like a motorcycle pirate. "I thought Captain Hook was supposed to have a waxed mustache and a perm."
"Some people think perms are bad." The man slipped his phone into the back pocket. His hand took hold of a large silver belt buckle and he stood up a little straighter so Emma could get the full effect of his costume. "This is supposed to be a dark Captain Hook cosplay."
"Dark?"
"And devilishly handsome," he said with a sexy grin.
"No," Emma said skeptically.
"Scoundrel?"
Emma just stared at him, trying to hide what her body was thinking. She could hear a voice inside her head telling her that he was all of the above. Handsome? Definitely. Scoundrel? His grin made her wish she could find a way to see if that was true.
But then she reminded herself that he could be a creep or a weird fan or something. Seriously, where was this security that the network had promised?
"How exactly did you even get here?"
"The Jolly Roger?"
Ugh, no! He was easy on the eyes, that was for sure, but this conversation had to end. She needed a glass of wine and an order of onion rings.
Emma started marching towards him, hotel key card in hand. She was hoping she could duck in to her room and slam the door before the sexy but strange pirate could push his way in. Hook, or whatever his name was, seemed to sense that she wasn't playing his game anymore, deftly moving aside for her.
"I'm sorry if I offended, lass," he said as she swiftly walked by. "I guess I got a little too into my character."
His tone had changed dramatically. Gone was the teasing, sultry voice, replaced with more sincerity.
"It's OK, happens to all of us," she said with a small smile. "Just out of curiosity though, how did you get on this floor?"
"You mean the floor in front of your door?" he asked.
Emma looked at the spot he had vacated. "Well, no, but yes, I guess," she said. "It's just that the network told us there would be security here so we wouldn't have to deal with fans on this floor."
"Oh, I'm not a fan." A bit of panic crossed his face. "I mean, I am a fan. I love your show," he stammered. "But my brother and I got a room on the floor because NTS is one of our clients."
Emma nodded slightly in understanding. "And you're in front of my door because?"
The pirate gestured with his hook towards the door next to Emma's room where a sock was hanging off the door knob. "My brother brought a guest back."
"A sock on the door? Really?"
Hook just shrugged, his coat swishing slightly in a sinful way.
Emma turned and finally got her door to open. She stepped in and turned on the lights, reaching back for her suitcase in the hallway. But she made sure to take one more glance at the gorgeous man standing there.
"Well, good luck with getting back into your room."
He gave her a warm smile and another bow. "May you have a wonderful evening, lass," he said, looking up to give her a wink as she closed the door.
Well, that was odd, Emma thought as she dragged her suitcase into the room and sat down at the desk. She was starving and the first thing she intended to do was get her room service order in. She called down and told them what she wanted, making sure she just gave them her room number and not her name as well. And yes, she ordered a grilled cheese sandwich and onion rings from the kids menu. It was all about comfort food at this point.
She kicked off her shoes but not her socks just yet because this was a hotel room after all and it was gross to walk around in her bare feet. Then she started rummaging through the gift basket that the network had already delivered to the room. At least those were usually good. Some fancy chocolate, a few bags of pretzels and chips, two bottles of California wine with a Comic Con corkscrew and bottled waters.
Next to it was her itinerary from the public relations office for her activities the next day. They were going to knock on her door at 8 a.m. She was thankful it would be on the later side. There were some press events that had her up at 6 a.m. to start answering questions.
Really, she was thankful for all of it. Sure, Comic Con was work and it could be stressful, but Emma could also be at home representing nothing, which is where she had been for too many years before this.
Emma was proud of her success with Misthaven. After seasons of being a supporting actress on a few other shows, Regina Mills had specifically made sure she was cast as one of the leads for a sci-fi drama on NTS. Emma was so excited to get that role. She got to play a kickass black ops agent in a secret government program code named Misthaven and charged with investigating unexplained phenomenon. She loved going to work everyday and her co-star, Neal Cassidy, was one of the best acting partner she ever had. The show had a lot of heart with thought-provoking stories that related to current politics. And it was a good drama. Real drama. It was a dream role for Emma and the big break she had always wanted.
But there was something different about sci-fi in recent years: the fans. Before, fans had to hide in the shadows and quietly talk about their love for fantasy and science fiction shows for fear of being labeled a "nerd." Now, being a nerd was cool and shows like Emma's were riding it all the way to success in the ratings.
It also meant fans loved conventions and San Diego Comic Con was the biggest of them. Emma thought about the money NTS was giving her just for showing up — more than she earned in her first recurring TV role for a whole season. It was ridiculous! And she loved the fans, she really did, but she didn't always like them. At a huge convention like this, which was the biggest one she would attend this year, the fans could be intense. The schedule was just as demanding. There would be smiles and handshakes and autographs and panel discussions and media and questions for many long hours tomorrow.
It could even start tonight if she wanted. She had been invited to a few parties or could attend the network event over at the marina. But she just wanted to have some quiet in her hotel room instead, even if it meant a grilled cheese sandwich at 10 o'clock at night.
She went over her schedule again, then took out some sweat pants and a t-shirt from her suitcase to change into. She also grabbed her dress for the next day and hung it up so it would be ready.
Emma was just finishing up some email when a knock on the door made her smile. Just in time! She checked the peephole, confirming it was room service, before opening it. The attendant walked in with a tray that smelled delicious and Emma signed the receipt, making sure she gave the biggest tip that would be covered by the network's per diem. The older woman smiled and thanked her before heading out the door.
But as it swung shut, Emma caught just a glimpse of black leather. Perplexed, she walked over and opened the door again.
"Back so soon?" said the pirate sitting on the floor.
She turned to see her neighbor's sock was on his door knob. "You're still here?" she asked.
"Still here." He sounded slightly bitter about the whole situation and she couldn't blame him.
"Why aren't you at a party or something?"
The pirate leaned his head back against the wall. "I can only do so much wandering in San Diego in a heavy leather coat."
"You didn't think that through, did you?"
He smiled. "I did not."
That smile. For some reason, it was that smile that did something to her. She honestly felt bad for the guy. Dragging himself around in the heat of San Diego in all that leather, getting kicked out of his room by his own brother, sitting there on his phone in front of her door. Perhaps her first impression of him wasn't that great.
Emma sighed and leaned against the door frame. "Would you like to come in?"
His teasing smile was replaced by honest shock. "What?"
"You don't have a room, you look a little tired and you probably need a drink. Get your ass up."
"I appreciate the invite," he said quietly. "But you really don't have to do that."
"Come on, Captain. Let's go."
The pirate sat there staring at her before scrambling to his feet, probably realizing this was the best offer he would get all night.
Emma held the door open for him as he walked past her and let it close behind him. She didn't realize just how tall he was and how blue his eyes looked when she first saw him out there. But here, in her room, directly in front of her, she noticed those things about him very quickly.
"Um, I'm Emma."
She held out her hand to introduce herself, which always felt a bit awkward since most people already knew who she was.
"Killian."
His hand was warm and solid in hers, but his face looked slightly strained.
"You don't look that happy to be here," she said with a bit of sarcasm.
"I was hoping I could get back to my room and get this heavy jacket off so my shoulders weren't in such pain. But, well, you know."
He gestured with his head to his very occupied room next door. Oh yes, she knew. Emma let her hand gently linger just a little more before finally pulling it out of his grasp.
"Yeah, you may be suffering for your craft there, pirate." She smiled and started walking towards her food. "Why don't you take it off and make yourself at home. I have some food for you in my goodie bag and can give you a few onion rings if you want."
"I don't know what I did to deserve such kindness, but thank you."
She turned and shrugged. "No prob…lem."
Emma really hoped he didn't notice her linger on the last syllable of that word. She had said it just as she turned around, and her breath got caught in her throat. She did not expect him to look like that.
He had shrugged off the coat and gently draped it on her bed. Underneath it was a red brocade vest cinched to accentuate his narrow waist and had a low-cut V that exposed his chest framed by a black ruffled shirt. He dropped his fake hook on top of it, revealing another slender but strong hand. The whole look was divine.
She cleared her throat to get her bearings again. "Feel better?"
He gave her a wicked smile. "Much."
Emma started to rummage around in her goodie bag looking for things. "You like chocolate?"
"Definitely."
"Wine?"
"I'm more into rum meself."
She turned and gave him a sarcastic smile that earned an amazing laugh from him in response.
"Kidding, lass. I'll drink whatever you've got."
Emma turned back and dug around again, grabbing the wine bottle out of the bag and getting the corkscrew from the bottom. She handed both to him, his fingers brushing hers in a way that sent a tingle up her spine.
"Open this?" she asked.
He quietly got to work on the bottle as she turned to take a bite out of her grilled cheese. Still warm, but there was something unsatisfying about it since she had to look away from this gorgeous man so she could eat.
What had she even been thinking inviting him in? He could be a murderer or a real pirate or something! Oh well. She figured he wouldn't be here too much longer. Maybe.
"Glasses somewhere?"
"Bathroom," she replied with an onion ring in her mouth.
He returned with two tumblers and the opened bottle of merlot.
"That corkscrew is one of the coolest things I've ever seen in a goodie bag."
"Right?" She grabbed an empty glass from him and held it up as he poured some wine into it. "Practical, useful and it comes with wine!"
He poured his own glass of wine and held it up in salute. "To the secret agent who was kind enough to save the sorry ass of this pirate."
Their glasses clinked and she took a drink, the wine feeling warm and comforting in her throat. But not as warm as his arm was as it brushed up against her to reach for an onion ring. Then he stopped, perhaps realizing that he was being a bit presumptuous.
"May I?" He dramatically raised one eyebrow to emphasize his question.
Emma couldn't say no — or yes, considering she was a bit of a loss for words looking at him. Instead, she just gave him a small nod, one that he returned with his amazing smile. It all seemed like such a natural gesture for him, like he was already comfortable in her presence. To be fair, she felt comfortable in his as well — or at least comfortable enough to not freak out when he started taking onion rings from her plate.
He swaggered over to the couch, onion ring in hand, giving her another wonderful view of the back of his costume. Emma was able to pull herself out of her stupor long enough to pick up her plate and follow him.
"So you didn't mention how you were able to score a room from NTS," she said as she put her plate on the coffee table in front of them.
"My brother and I have a kind of public relations firm," he explained. "We help out at events like this sometimes."
"So wait, you were doing PR in that coat all day?"
"No." He laughed and reached for another onion ring. "Today was a fun day. Tomorrow is work."
Killian — with still no last name for now — leaned back and Emma saw him grimace again. How heavy was that coat of his really? And how did he walk around in the San Diego heat with it on all day? And holy hell, how could an unbuttoned shirt reveal that much of his chest when he leaned over?
"Are you sure you're OK?" she asked.
He smiled and popped an onion ring in his mouth. "I'll be fine, lass. It's like you said. I really didn't think this whole cosplay out."
"I mean, you thought about it enough that it turned out really awesome."
"For Montana in November."
She laughed and took a bite of her sandwich, feeling more at ease with him. She started asking him about where he got his costume, who made it, how long it took to get finished. It was nice to talk to someone at an event like this who didn't immediately start asking her questions about her job. And she didn't have to ask him about his. It was just two people appreciating a nice conversation about a well crafted costume.
A well crafted costume that, at some point during the night, completely ended up on the floor of Emma's hotel room.