Daddy!Killian + dalmatian puppies.
Every little boy needs a dog - he'd claimed that statement as fact to his wife several times. Perhaps he didn't have much evidence to back it up, but once he started the battle, there was no way out without conceding pitifully or finally winning. The truth he could fully support was that he was persistent when it came to his convictions - and also that he happened to be the worst sort of loser. But hey - a man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets. In this case, Killian didn't plan on getting anything less than his way.
His belief in this necessity had started after a trip to the newly opened pet store to pick up food for their home's not sofurry inhabitant - a goldfish named Merlin. Emma claimed it was a stepping stone in the 'path to responsibility' for a four year old, but in all honestly, it was one their little Liam had grown a bit bored with.
"He just swims, papa," he'd sighed one day, staring down the glass bowl with intense eyes. "He can't even do any tricks. Maybe fish just aren't very good pets."
Killian couldn't really argue with him there. Liam was an active kid - Killian swore he'd learned to run before walking and that kid was always up for an adventure. He just couldn't shake the idea that his son needed a sidekick and since Emma had decided another baby was a couple of years away, a puppy seemed like the best candidate for the job. If it was up to him, they'd have both - but that was something to talk his way into later. For now, he was going to find a way to get her to cave on the canine issue.
Emma could be a hard nut to crack - he'd learned that years ago. The whole process of wearing her down could take ages. He smirked to himself as he thought about his past experience with chasing his swan. It wasn't likely that she'd give in easily, but now, he had an ally - one who just so happened to have his identical blue eyes and an innately sweet way with convincing words. Thank god his son was an aspiring rapscallion - there was no way she'd be able to shut them both down,
Perhaps, while they broke down the stubborn insistence of his wife, it wouldn't be a crime to do some research. Killian just didn't expect that his investigating would lead to a phone call from Archie regarding Pongo and his new little pack of puppies - not that he was complaining. Even Killian Jones could appreciate a bit of serendipity once in a while. That was the only way to describe such a fortunate occurrence in a logical way.
"Papa," Liam said thoughtfully, holding tight to his father's hand as the traversed the sidewalk to the diner. "Does mama know about the puppies?"
Killian sighed heavily - he had told his son that they were meeting Archie for breakfast as they headed out the door that morning. He hadn't divulged the precise reason for the appointment with Pongo's owner, but Liam typically took quite an interest in Archie's dog. It was made clear very quickly that his son knew about the puppies long before the phone call.
"No, not yet, son," Killian replied, watching with patient humor as his little boy tried to skip over cracks in the sidewalk. "But it's just 'puppy' - just one."
It was true - Archie had found home for the whole litter except one. One. Wasn't that some sort of sign? Killian had spent many moments since that conversation with Archie convincing himself just how sound that logic was.
"O-kay," Liam teased, sighing in feigned vexation. "Does she know about the puppy?"
"No-" Killian laughed, squeezing the little boy's fingers. "-and I think for now, it might be best to keep it that way."
"Hmmm," Liam hummed, taking a giant jump over a very small puddle. "Like a secret?"
"I suppose so..."
"Alright," Liam responded, his eyes growing wide with excitement. "I won't tell."
"Good," Killian grinned, glancing toward the front of the diner as they rounded the corner. "Then let's go see what sort of deceptive mischief we can get into."
Liam laughed and ran ahead of Killian. He didn't go too far - they had a standing agreement on distance and it made it that much easier to watch him without worry. He was slowly gaining more coordination, but he still ran in a rather funny manner. He hadn't quite developed into his legs after his brief growth spurt the previous summer. Killian quickened his tread a bit, knowing exactly who'd be waiting for them and realizing how badly he wanted to see Liam's reaction.
"Killian - Liam! Good morning, gentlemen!"
Archie's tone was welcoming and happy, the voice of a genuine friend - one that Killian was glad to have after a considerably rocky past. Liam had quite the comradery with Archie as well. He had always figured it to be due to the fact that they were both so rational. Liam looked at everything as if it was something to be reasoned. It wasn't a surprise that Archie found entertainment in that.
"Archie! Pongo!"
Liam's voice was thrilled as Archie unclipped Pongo's leash and allowed the dalmatian to bound toward him. Once the dog reached he son, he paused and allowed LIam to hug him around the neck. A pair of dimples set firmly on the little boy's cheeks as he embraced Pongo - a dog who had quite a bit of tolerance for affection it seemed.
"It's good to see you both! I can see that Pongo agrees with me," Archie said with a bright smile, turning briefly when a whimper sounded from behind him. "Ah, yes! I brought someone else who'd like to say hello. He's a bit shy - it's the strangest thing."
Liam stepped back from Pongo, cocking his head to the side to peek at the space when the noise came from. His eyes were a curious blue, beaming with anticipation as he walked forward. A sharp gasp left his lips and that devastatingly amazing grin enveloped his expression as he looked up at Killian.
"Papa! Look..."
There he was - the last of the litter. The little dog seemed a bit hesitant about all of this extra attention, but he soon calmed enough for Liam to move closer. He wasn't very old at all - Killian thought he recalled Archie saying six weeks or so. His coat was of the purest white and seemed to only recently be taking on a variety of sporadic spots. Some were big and others were smaller. There was no pattern to it at all, but they were all rather quirky - and Liam seemed to concur as he chuckled at the little dog's appearance.
"He's so little," he exclaimed excitedly, holding a hand out as the pup inched in his direction. "See, papa - look at him! I think he likes me."
"It would appear as if he does," Killian laughed with a sigh, glancing up at an amused Archie as the boy sat down near the timid dog. "Do you happen to like him as well?"
Liam didn't actually reply. The little puppy had traveled forward enough to wander onto the young boy's lap. Killian watched his son pet the puppy's coat with the happiest of expressions, a look that only turned sweeter when the dog began to lick Liam's face. The laugh that erupted forth at that gesture was one that Killian wouldn't mind hearing often. It took only another minute of observation for him to settle with the cold hard facts - they definitely needed a dog and there wasn't a chance in hell that Liam would be happy to go home without this particular one.
"Alright, Archie," Killian finally said. "We'll take him. What kind of a deal are you willing to give us? Keep in mind that Emma may kill me so you might want to set terms that you'll actually be able to collect on before she does so."
"Bring Liam and his new companion by once in a while to visit and we'll call it even," Archie decided, satisfaction on his face at the sight of Liam and the pup. "She might not have been all for it initially, but I don't know how she could be too upset when your son is reacting like that."
Killian chuckled a bit, his eyes drawn back to the little boy who was attempting to teach his new dalmatian puppy to 'sit'. Archie's logic was pretty accurate - Emma was often times as enraptured with Liam's animated personality as he was so perhaps she would allow him to live. He figured he better keep his fingers crossed just in case.
"So, Liam," Killian began, finding a seat on the curb next to his son and the dog. "What are you going to call him?"
"Hmmm," Liam pondered, furrowing his eyebrows. "I think I'll name him 'Spots'."
"'Spots' - like with the 's' on the end?"
"Yep," Liam nodded, certainty filling his features. "It's a good name."
"Well, yeah it is-" Killian replied, reaching forward to pet behind the happy pup's ear. "-but why not just 'Spot'? I think that's usually how people do it."
"Because he has more than one, papa," Liam told him in that are-you-really-serious tone. "So we add the 's' since he has a lot."
"Ah - got it," Killian confirmed, the grin on his face evident of just how he felt about Liam's logic. "Then 'Spots' it is."
As he watched his son interact with the speckled puppy on the sidewalk outside the diner, Killian allowed himself to hope that maybe - just maybe - his little boy's logic could work wonders when they got home. Emma was surely going to require a hell of an explanation.
