Is there a man out there?
Someone to hear my prayer?
Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight.
Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away?
Killian Jones grinned to himself as he heard the music blare through the windows of his third floor apartment. He glanced across the alley and found it was better than he'd hoped.
This was going to be entertaining.
Pouring himself a shot of rum, he settled on his couch and took in the show.
The first time he saw her was the evening after he moved in three weeks ago. It was a beautiful, if unseasonably warm, early spring day, and he decided to throw open the windows of his brand new flat as he unpacked boxes and decided on the proper placement of his furniture.
Killian had heard feminine laughing and curiously glanced out his window He'd learned two things in that moment.
First, his apartment building was so close to the one next door that he could see directly into his neighbor's living room window.
Second, said neighbor was the most stunningly gorgeous blonde he'd ever in his life beheld. She was dressed to kill in a short, tight red sleeveless dress with matching stilettos that made her shapely legs look as though they went on for miles.
He'd stood stock still, mouth almost comically hanging open as she moved through her apartment, cell phone to her ear.
"Duh!" she'd said. "Have you ever even met me, Ruby? Of course I was successful. The perp didn't even have a chance."
She'd kicked off her heels and bent down to pet the little black dog who'd greeted her entrance as though he hadn't seen her in years, overcome with paroxysms of canine joy.
Killian smiled to himself as she continued her conversation with Ruby, whoever that might be, and first fed her dog and then set about feeding herself. She pulled a take out carton from her fridge, sniffed the contents, and then, apparently finding it acceptable, tossed it into her microwave.
She turned toward her window then, and Killian hastily pulled back, not wanting to give his brand new neighbor the impression he was some manner of stalker.
But that evening had solidified it for him. He'd not only made the right decision to move to the town of Storybrooke, he'd most assuredly made the right decision in renting this particular flat.
With any luck he'd soon meet the luscious blonde and then...well, he'd had many, many ideas about what might ensue next.
A bark had pulled his attention from his neighbor and back to his own home.
"Aye, Mr. Smee," he'd said giving his golden retriever an affectionate pat on the head, "I'm well aware that your dinner is past due."
Indeed, Killian had hoped meeting his lovely neighbor was an imminent event. After all, their buildings were so close he could nearly reach out and touch her front window. (He had no idea what architect had the brilliant idea to construct their buildings such that their picture windows looked out on...another apartment building, but given the circumstances, he was far from complaining.)
Sadly, it had not worked out that way. Killian had no idea what his neighbor did for a living, but she clearly kept far different hours than he did. Not once in the three weeks since he'd moved in had he happened upon her as they left their buildings. Not once had he seen her around town. Not once had he even had occasion to learn her name.
And so, he'd gone about his life.
Truth be told, acquaintance with the gorgeous blonde or not, he was simply thankful to have his life back. It had been a rough few months, to say the least.
Six months ago, he'd lost his brother, Liam to a naval training accident. After their mother had died and then their father had left while the brothers were still quite young, Liam was all he'd had left. It had been the Jones boys against the world for years, and though it had been hard, it had been good.
Which made Liam's sudden death so very devastating. Killian's entire world had been shattered in an instant.
Killian had tried to stick it out there in the city where he and Liam had lived, but within months, it became clear it was simply too painful, and so he'd pulled out his map and randomly chosen the first town he'd found that was on the sea.
Storybrooke, Maine. Quaint name for a quaint little town.
He'd searched out an apartment to let, and with lodgings secured, he'd set his mind to finding himself a means of employment.
As it happened, said means was fairly dropped in his lap. Liam had always been fascinated with sailing. He'd spent years researching old ships, the history of sailing, and 18th century piracy. The culmination of all his efforts was the building of a magnificent brig, a perfect replica of one that might have been sailed during the golden age of piracy.
Liam had jokingly named her the Jolly Roger, and she was a beauty.
Upon Liam's untimely death, Killian had inherited her.
Killian had been advised to sell his brother's ship, but that had never been an option. There was no way in seven hells he'd get rid of the project that had been his beloved brother's baby.
Instead, he spent a few weeks sailing the old girl and trying to figure out just how he could best honor Liam's legacy.
One morning, upon returning to port after a sunrise sail, Killian had come across a family watching him dock the Jolly. The little boy of the family had watched with eyes round as saucers.
"Is that a real pirate ship, Mister?" the boy had asked in awe.
Killian had laughed with the parents, but the question had stuck with him.
The fact is, the Jolly Roger had been built to be a pirate ship, so what better way to honor Liam than to use her as such?
Not to commit actual piracy, of course, but if the little boy was fascinated with the Jolly Roger, how many other people might be? What if he offered sailing tours upon her, marketed her as a genuine pirate ship, turned her into a living museum of sorts?
And so Jolly Roger Tours had been born. Killian had gone the whole nine yards, going so far as purchasing a pirate "uniform" for himself, complete with black leather pants, a blousy black shirt, and a long, heavy black leather coat. The effect was complete with heavy eye-liner and artfully tousled hair.
To his gratification, Jolly Roger Tours had really taken off. He was never at a loss for customers.
Aye, his life was going well, and never was he more aware of that fact than he was tonight as he settled on his couch and glanced over at his blonde neighbor as she moved and swayed and sang along to the music of Abba at the top of her voice.
It appeared that the lass was doing some sort of exercise routine, and Killian's grin only grew as he watched her energetically dance her way through the upbeat music.
Beautiful she might be, but she seemed utterly uncoordinated. She laughed with wild abandon as she attempted the complex moves and nearly tripped over herself. At her feet, her small dog cocked his head up at her in obvious confusion. Killian chuckled to himself as the pup grabbed a toy and dropped it at the woman's feet. It seemed the dog had no better idea what she was doing than she did herself.
She laughed again, and Killian was utterly enchanted.
He got to his feet, coming to a sudden decision. He had to meet his lovely neighbor. If fate wasn't going to throw them together, perhaps it was time he gave fate a little push.
Not even bothering to change out of his pirate regalia, Killian headed out his front door.
It was the work of but a moment to determine his neighbor's apartment number. He knew the floor, after all, her apartment was level with his own. All he needed to do was search out the apartments on that particular floor. Glancing over the names on the apartments mailboxes, he found the most likely candidate belonged to one Emma Swan in apartment 3a.
Before he had a chance to talk himself out of the bold plan, Killian took the elevator to the third floor, walked purposely down the hall, and knocked briskly on 3a.
A moment later, Emma Swan opened the door, hair pulled up in a high ponytail, and sweat glistening against her skin from her workout.
"Good news, love," he said with a cheeky grin. "There is indeed a man out there who heard your prayer. It may not be after midnight, but I am most assuredly a man, and I'm at your disposal."
Notes:
-Happy Friday! Today's story is inspired by real life (sort of. I wish I could tell you a hot pirate showed up at my door, but such was not the case, lol). Yesterday I had the morning off, so I decided to try out a dance exercise workout video on YouTube to the music from Mamma Mia. I learned several things through this experience: 1. Working out is 1000x more fun with the music of Abba. 2. For someone who's musical, I have absolutely no rhythm or coordination. 3. My decision to rethink my start-exercising plan and look for something I'd find fun rather than just something I wouldn't find horrible, has been wildly successful so far. 4. My dog, Bear (who Emma's dog was modeled on), gets really confused when I exercise and kept bringing me his Kong to toss for him.
And most importantly of all: 5. This experience, like nearly everything else on earth, can, of course, be turned into a CS au.
-Up next: Next Friday is my birthday, and I've decided to gift myself with the end of this story! (It would be even better if someone else could download my idea from my head and write it for me, but alas, such technology doesn't exist.) We'll get Emma's POV, and see her reaction to a full-blown (hot) pirate showing up at her door and being all cheeky. Should be fun. Let's just hope these two adorable idiots can figure things out and end up falling in love.