A/N: Final chapter/epilogue, well it's set one year later, so I guess either could be it. It's been about six month in the making, and I'm pretty happy about how it all ended. This was planned out to be a fluffy fluff ball, then around halfway there (chapter 10-12) I began plotting out the adventure part, the whole Atlantis and the prophecy thing. So I really hope that it wasn't too much of a fluffy fluff ball at first. But either way it's done now. I might have a few ideas for missing scenes… see at the end what I have thought of so far. So enjoy this last instalment (for now) and as always a huge HUGE thank you to hookedonapirate for beta reading this for me. She made this run a bit smoother in terms of the flow in sentences.
Oh yeah if you've read my story Butterfly kisses you will recognize a few lines in one scene here ;) Though I have changed a few lines to fit into the Atlantis story line I added in this ;) (+ I changed Hope's age in terms of when they get married, here she is 23 instead of 25 ;) )
Chapter 21: HopeONE YEAR LATER: THE ROYAL WEDDING.
Hope woke up on her wedding day with millions of butterflies in her stomach. The day had finally arrived. She would marry Rueben Smith, her true love, her soulmate, the man who captured her heart from the moment she accidentally blasted him with her magic. Thinking back to all the things they'd done and accomplished these past years they'd been together, she felt so at ease knowing he would be her husband. What caused the butterflies was all the stuff happening around them today. She was 2nd in succession to become queen of the United Realms, something she'd known all her life - a fact she accepted as part of her future and something she'd already begun preparing herself for. The past year, she'd been working on various goodwill projects around the realm, helping out with board work and raising money. She had gotten some responsibilities on behalf of her aunt, given she was now over 21 and was considered an adult. Her mother had done similar work over the years while still upholding the law and order along with her father in Storybrooke. Hope was still looking for a line of work that would make her more grounded and able to build something solid on. She still wanted to work a somewhat normal job, but right now, she wasn't sure what that would do. Rueben had been picked for the Royal City's professional football team; each realm or area in the United Realms had a team.
When a knock sounded from her door, she groaned and looked up at the high ceiling of the castle room she'd been sleeping in. She rubbed her eyes, sat up in her bed and called, "Come in."
Her mother and her two best friends entered the room, each carrying several bags of whatever fancy stuff they wanted to throw at her today. She glanced over at her wedding dress, which hung on the large wardrobe, it's shimmering white fabric reflecting in the dimmed light of the room. It was no big fluffy ball gown dress; she flat out refused any attempts from her meddlesome grandmother and even her mother's attempts to dress her in a frilly dress. The dress was simple in design, much like the dress she wore at her 21st birthday. This time, the train of the dress was a little longer, yet it had the possibility to be hooked up to a tiny clasp at her backside.
"Good Morning, Cygnet," her mother beamed at her while she settled her bags at the foot of her bed. She walked around the bed and leaned down to hug Hope. When she pulled back and looked at her again, she asked, "Did you sleep okay?" Her eyes searched Hope's face and then she patted her cheek. "You're glowing."
Hope refrained from rolling her eyes at her mother as she got out of bed and pointed to the adjourning bathroom. "I'll just go there and have my last 15 minutes of peace for the day, taking a shower, so…" She swept her hand to the room. "Do make yourself at home." She hurriedly found some clean underwear, sweatpants and an old t-shirt. She would get dressed up later.
Those final quiet minutes were a blessing and she savoured every second of it. She knew what was expected of her for the remainder of the day. Until she would finally be alone with Rueben. Thinking about Rueben had her wondering what he might be doing right now; she knew he'd stayed in the castle as well, and his friends would join him, along with his parents. Well his father at least; she knew her own father would be joining the men at Rueben's room. He would come pick her up when it was time to go down for the wedding. The ceremony would happen in the royal great hall, then there would be a larger party held outside in the gardens. This way, more people could enjoy the actual festivities. Their Queen along with Hope's grandmother, Mary Margaret, and Emma, had planned the party with every tiny detail in mind. It had been grueling but now Hope really couldn't care less if the center pieces held this or that shade of roses or whatever flower they chose. To be honest, Hope had forgotten that detail, and it didn't bother her one bit.
The morning was a whirlwind of hair and makeup, the bridal party getting their nails done. Hope had her two best friends as maids of honor, and Rueben had his two best friends as best men. The girls had a blast getting pampered and primed for the wedding.
Hope looked around at her friends and family. Rueben's mother had slipped in not long ago, and everyone was ready to join the other guests in the great hall. Her mother was sorting out some small white flowers they would put in her hair. The red dress her mother wore was stylish and looked like a real princess gown; she'd been told her mother had worn a similar dress when her parents had travelled back in time.
Rose and Gloria were lounging on a chaiselong, sipping champagne and ready for the party. They wore identical light pink dresses, their hair styled up with braids and flowery hair clips. Hope caught Rose's eyes and the friends shared a beaming smile.
"Are you ready to get married, and get to all the fun stuff after the party?" Rose waggled her eyebrows, ignoring the gentle slap from Gloria, who rolled her eyes at their friend.
"Yeah, I'm more than ready," Hope said with a grin and turned to her mother. "So how long before the ceremony?"
"It's 15 minutes from now, so almost time," Emma picked up the flowers and began fixing them into Hope's hair. While they worked on setting the flowers in her hair, a knock was heard and Emma called the visitor in.
It was her father who stepped into the room; he scanned the room, and when his eyes landed on Hope, the corners of his eyes crinkled as he took in his daughter in a white wedding dress. Hope imagined it was a bit daunting for her father to see her enter this new phase of her life. He looked like he was deep in thought when she caught his reflection in the mirror.
"Daddy, what are you thinking about?" She saw him shake himself out of his stupor and walk over to her. He leaned down and placed his usual butterfly kiss on her hairline. She still loved these little moments she shared with her father. Those tiny butterfly kisses had been their thing her whole life.
"I was merely thinking about how much I love you, and how proud your mom and I are. You found love, though it did take some time for you and Rue to figure things out." He glanced back at Emma and shared a smile with his wife.
"Yeah well, you guys took even longer." She jutted out her chin, trying to defend herself.
"I know, but I'm just happy you found your true love." Her father smiled at her fondly and scanned her hair and dress, his eyes beaming with pride. He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Are you ready, butterfly?"
She rolled her eyes a little at her nickname, but deep down she thought it was wonderful. As she rose up from her seat, she felt tears well in her eyes. And when she looked up at her father, he gulped down a lump in his throat, tears forming in his blue eyes as well. It was very rare for her to see her father so emotional.
"What's the matter, Daddy? Please don't cry," she said with a strangled voice.
"I'm not sure, I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl," her father managed to say.
Hope glanced over at her mother who had reached out and placed her hand on her husband's arm. Her eyes were misty too, but something in them also told Hope that she knew she might need a moment alone with her father.
Emma leaned up and kissed her husband and whispered, "I'll leave the two of you alone for a bit." Then her mother ushered the rest of Hope's bridal party out the door.
Hope stood for a long time with a small smile playing over her lips, then she stepped closer and looked up at her father. She wrapped her hands over his scruffy cheeks and gulped down. "You ain't losing me, Daddy. I will always be your butterfly girl." She rose on her tiptoes and placed a lingering butterfly kiss on his cheek. Felling him shiver under her touch, she smiled up at him and stepped back.
"I know, you will always have us, your mother and I, and I know that this new life you begin with Rue will be amazing and filled with so many more wonderful adventures." He frowned. "Well don't go around raising any more forgotten cities. You've already outdone your parents in the crazy adventure department."
They both laughed at this; it was true that her parents had had quite a few spectacular adventures during their time together. But raising Atlantis from the bottom of the ocean might top even the strangest of her parents' adventures.
"Walk me down the aisle, Daddy. I think it's about to start."
A quick knock on the door confirmed this, and Hope took a deep breath as she took her father's proffered arm.
"You look so bloody beautiful, Hope. That dress is stunning. That poor bloke, Rue, won't know what hit him once you join him at the altar. Wonder if he will even remember when to say 'I do'," Killian said with a chuckle, and a smack on his arm from his daughter, made him grin even more.
"Shut up, Daddy. Rue will remember, and so will I." Her voice was surprisingly firm and sure as she straightened her back and shifted her shoulders. She gripped her father's arm, glad she would have him for support when she walked down the aisle toward Rue - towards her future. That time was suddenly getting very close now.
"I know, you'll be amazing out there. I'm so proud of you." Her father's voice sounded strangled as if he fought to keep his emotions under control.
When they reached the entryway to the great hall, it was mayhem, and Hope spotted her grandmother frantically trying to sort out whose child was supposed to be where in the procession line. Hope hadn't really minded all her ideas on who would be there, it was a big royal wedding, so some things just had to be grander than most. It looked as if Mary Margaret had finally sorted out the line and nodded to Hope and Killian to step in at the very end of the line.
Hers and Rueben's friends were standing in front of them. Both Rose and Gloria turned around and beamed at her, their arms tugging onto the arms of their boyfriends. Further down, she could see her mother with Liam at her side. He had grown up a lot these past few years and lost the gangly teenage posture. Hope briefly wondered if his shoulders had broadened. She grinned, knowing Thea would be at the wedding, so there was still hope for her poor brother.
Just as Mary Margaret was about to open the door, Hope's father leaned down and whispered, "Just one more before you fly off on your own, my beautiful butterfly girl." She looked up at him curiously, and when she spotted the grin on his face, she knew what he meant. He placed one last butterfly kiss on her cheek before she would venture out on this next stage in her life. Though she did imagine those butterfly kisses would still be around, only fewer and farther between. She blinked away the happy tears forming in her eyes and took a deep breath. Looking forward, she saw her grandmother rush over with a tissue in her hand.
"No tears now. Wait for later," Mary Margaret admonished gently while she dabbed at Hope's eyes. When she was done, she took a brief moment to inspect Hope's face, then she nodded. "All good, and everyone is ready to go."
"Thank you," Hope managed to say as she squeezed her father's arm, getting ready to go into the great hall and get married to Rueben.
The large doors were opened by the servers from the inside, and the music began playing, then Mary Margaret motioned for the first group of young kids to stride down the aisle. It went fairly well, all things considered with the smaller kids. The flower girl gave up on throwing the petals and dumped her entire basket on the ground before proceeding down the aisle. Hope grinned when she heard the scattered chuckles from the guests; it eased her nerves a little knowing this was also a family affair, and despite the royal notes, it was also fairly down to earth.
The rest of the bridal party moved inside, leaving Hope alone with her father for a few short moments. "Thank you," she whispered and looked up at him.
"You're welcome." No other words were needed; both knew that even though this new step in Hope's life would forever change their lives, they would still be family.
When the music reached its crescendo, Mary Margaret motioned for them to walk down the aisle. Hope took a deep breath as she stepped into the great hall. The guests in the room consisted of family and close friends. The rest of the guests would join from the city later and would convene out in the garden. The center dais with its decorated baldachin was their destination. This was where her Aunt had been crowned queen 23 years ago.
Hope scanned the room, and as if drawn by magnets, her eyes landed on Rueben, who was dressed in a dark tux and a bowtie. His black hair was slicked back in a low ponytail, and his eyes were focused on where she was walking down the aisle. As she got closer she could see the twinkle of love and hope shimmer in his brown orbs. His whole face split into a huge smile when he remembered to shake hands with Killian, then did a formal bow to her, taking her hand and giving it a small, lingering kiss. His eyes never leaving her, flickered over her form, and she could see that he clearly liked what he saw.
As her own eyes took in her future husband, he looked so handsome and stood tall and proud with his hands wrapped around hers. They forgot the world around, but a distant cough brought them both out of their reveries. Hope grinned sheepishly at the now grey haired Archie, who cleared his throat and began the ceremony. It was hard to focus on what was being said as she indulged in the warmth of Rueben's hand wrap around hers.
"Hope, you may now say your vows," Archie said with a smile.
Hope glanced back at all the guests. This was the only thing she really wasn't looking forward to, but she also wanted to say this to Rueben. "Rueben, when we first met, I knocked you off your feet, like literally knocked you out." She grinned sheepishly and vaguely heard the crowd chuckle with her. "It wasn't something I planned on doing. I mean, it was just something that happened. Call it fate or magic or whatever, all I know is what came after that incident changed my life. You changed my life, Rueben." Her tears started to fall for real at this point, and she didn't even bother to wipe them away. "I know we share something special here. This.." She touched the pendant that she'd chosen to wear even today. It was special to her, along with her engagement ring. " ...showed us the path to something even bigger than ourselves. Hope is what brought Atlantis back, but it also brought our hearts closer together. I can't wait to see what the future holds for us. All I know is that whatever comes our way, our love will carry us through it. I love you." She smiled and sniffled a little.
Ruben pulled out a hankerchief for her, and she took it with a small, "Thank you." Then she dabbed her eyes while Archie said it was Rueben's turn to give his vows.
Rueben tugged at his bowtie as he got ready to speak, Hope knew he wasn't fond of the public speaking thing. He took a deep breath and began his vows. "It was love at first blast of magic." He smirked. "You certainly swept me off my feet. But once I got my bearings and realized that I'd been visited by a pure hearted and quite caring woman, I was lost." He gently caressed her hand with his thumb and looked down at their clasped hands. He took a moment to compose himself before he continued. "I knew I'd met someone very special, someone with a beautiful soul and quite the magical punch." He grinned. "I knew I wanted to know you more, and once we got closer, I also realized you're the woman I want to spend my life with. Our first adventure together led us to Atlantis. It was not what we'd imagined it would be, but I also know that whatever the future holds, it will be special, because I will share it with you. I love you."
Hope had lost the battle of her tears, and when she saw Rueben's misty eyes she heaved deeply, trying to compose herself. Rueben cupped her face and rubbed her tears away. "I will love you forever, until we both take our last breath, yet hope will continue to live in the world."
She nodded mutely and tried to smile through her happy tears. Both turned to Archie who said a few more words and then asked for the rings. William stepped up to Rueben and gave him the ring box. Hope hadn't seen the rings Rueben had been very adamant about choosing. She looked down at the box as he flipped it open. Inside were two identical wedding bands, the metal in a bluish hue. She couldn't figure out if it was gold or silver. She looked up at him with curiosity written all over her face. "What?" she mumbled.
"It's Atlantean gold," he explained and grinned when she gasped in shock.
"How did you…?"
"I talked a little with our new friend, Poseidon." He winked as he took the smaller ring and reached for her hand. He slid the ring on her finger. The blue gold shimmered in the lights above them. Hope took a deep breath, took the last ring and reached for his hand. When she slid the wedding ring on his finger, she felt her magic pulse at the contact. She placed her hand above his, so both their rings touched. The pulsing sensation intensified and when she looked down, she gasped in surprise.
"What?" She gaped and blinked then looked up at him. "How?"
"I have no idea, but I feel it too," Rueben said with a huge smile, "This is special. It seems as if our connection is very special."
Hope nodded and glanced at her family in the front row seats, all eyes wide in astonishment at what happened with their rings. She looked down and saw that her pendant was glowing too. Everything seemed to be connected to them, to each other.
"So it does." Hope tried to shake off the many questions she had about the rings and their connection. "But all I want to focus on right now is you and me. I love you."
"You may kiss," Archie stepped back, letting them have their moment.
Rueben stepped closer to her and cupped her face in his hands, tilting her head to the perfect angle so he could catch her lips. Hope placed her hands on his chest as she let herself sink into the kiss, almost forgetting they had an audience. Only when Rose and Damien started whistling and making catcalls did they pull away and turned to their guests.
Archie stepped up next to them. "May I present to you, Princess Hope and Prince Rueben." The whole room erupted in applause and shouts of congratulations. Rueben wrapped his arm around her shoulder, kissed her temple and whispered, "Let's get out of here."
Hope nodded in agreement and they began walking out of the great hall as music began to play again. Everything was a blur after that. The line of well wishers was long and it was getting tiresome to shake hands with everyone. Finally, the last of the guests congratulated them and moved out into the garden. They would make a grand entrance to the guests waiting for them out there. They gathered with their closest family and bridal party in the lounge room that had a door to the terrace which led out to the garden.
Rueben had his arm around her waist as they enjoyed the calm before the storm. This time would be the only real quiet time they would have for several hours now. She placed her head on his shoulder and sighed. "This feels amazing. Just kinda wish we could skip all of this." She motioned with her hand out to the gardens beyond the windows.
"Your family would not like that idea," Rueben mumbled against her temple.
Hope saw that her friends came over, both wearing the same wide grin. "Hi guys." She slipped out of Rueben's arms and walked over to them. "Thank you for being here with me today." She hugged them both, and when they pulled apart, all three girls had tears in their eyes.
"Oh fuck, you're making me an emotional wreck here." Rose waved at her eyes as if it could calm her tears.
"Yeah, I know the feeling. I got friggin married today," Hope almost squealed and beamed at her friends. "So, who will be next?" She looked at both friends with a smirk and waggled her eyebrows. She knew that both couples were serious and had been talking about weddings soon.
"Well, for one, Damien hasn't even popped the question yet." Gloria sighed and looked down at Rose's finger, where a diamond sparkled in the light.
Rose grinned and wiggled her fingers. "Could be me, if we ever find a date for it." She sighed. "Might be the only downside to dating a pro football player."
Hope nodded. "Yeah, I know the feeling. I'm just glad Rueben had an opening this weekend." Both Rueben and William played for the Royal City's football team, and given how well the team did in the league, they had an almost fully booked schedule.
"Well, then it might be me." Gloria smirked. "One of the good things about dating a computer technician who runs his own game."
"Well, whoever it will be, I'll be happy for you guys." Hope hugged them again then turned to search for her grandmother who might know when the next official thing would take place. When Hope spotted her, she walked over to her and asked her when they would join the party in the garden. Mary Margaret looked at the clock and suggested that Hope should find her husband before she gathered the rest of the party.
Hope walked over to Rueben and took his hand. "Ready to meet the people?" She was not sure she was ready, but knowing that she was the princess and Rueben now a prince, they had to do all the meet and greet stuff.
"Yeah." Rueben rubbed his neck as he looked out of the large windows. Even from up here, they could see the party was huge. Bigger than her 21st birthday. They'd extended the invitations to the people of Atlantis. Poseidon, along with Sinbad, his wife and Lexi had travelled to the Royal City for their wedding. It was quite daunting to know that the god of the sea was attending their wedding. But she would have the opportunity to ask him about the blue gold.
Hope watched as Regina made the announcement, and hers and Rueben's family walked out next. Her hand held on tightly to Rueben's arm as she heard Regina present them to the crowd. The noise level was staggering and Hope had to take a few more deep breaths before she was ready. Looking up at her husband, they shared a short moment then nodded in agreement. This was their moment and they wished to share it with the people.
Once all the official announcements had been done, the party began. Much like her 21st birthday, there was an array of tables brimming with food. A large dance floor had been laid out in the very center of the garden, strings of Edison lights hung over the area. Once nightfall came, it would make for some beautiful scenery for their party.
The music began playing, the dance floor waiting for the bride and groom to be the first dancers. Hope tried to forget the thousands of eyes on them right now. She wanted to share this moment with one man and one man alone - Rueben. As he wrapped his arm around her and clasped her other hand in his, they effortlessly glided into the slow waltz. They held each other close and Hope forgot the world around them. It was just them, no one else. Not even when other guests began taking in the dance floor did she notice anything else but Rueben.
"I love you," Rueben whispered in her ear, "I love you, my wife."
When she looked up at him, his smile was bright, she felt her heart flutter at the notion of them finally being husband and wife. "I love you too, husband."
They both leaned in for a kiss, not really caring that they had an audience for this show of love and devotion to one another. All that mattered was that they were together.
Once the dance ended, they made a beeline for their friends waiting for them at a table, they sat down and enjoyed some of the delicious food. It was a great time for them. They were relaxed and at ease, and Hope was glad they had made this feast like this. It was perfect.
Rueben and Hope made several rounds in the garden, talking with their guests and receiving wellwhises for their future. A lot of questions regarding their adventure the previous year were also answered. The tale of how they'd raised Atlantis was still a hot topic in the United Realms.
They spoke with Poseidon who was more than happy to share the story behind the Atlantean blue gold. It was a rare and special metal that was found in a few special locations in the ground outside of Atlantis. This gave it a close connection to nature; Ruben had reached out to Poseidon and asked if he could acquire some for their wedding rings. Poseidon had readily agreed and offered it as a gift. While they walked away from the king, Hope looked down at her ring.
"Wow, I'm surprised you managed to get these rings made; they are beautiful." She reached down, took his hand in hers and looked at his ring. Aside from the size, they were identical. The design was exquisite; the small engravings of the four elements along with the two symbols of hope was done with such fine precision.
"Yeah, I overheard Demeter and Chloe, the two goddesses who worked in the garden, talk about it one day." Rueben lifted her hand and kissed her ring finger. "When we began planning the wedding, I thought it would be a nice touch, since it was in Atlantis that I proposed."
Hope couldn't agree more. They walked past the dancefloor and suddenly, she spotted her brother dancing with a beautiful redhead. She did a double take when she realized who it was. "Bloody hell, did he actually grow enough balls to ask her to dance?"
Rueben choked on a laugh at her outburst. "What?" He looked around. "Who?"
"My doofus brother is dancing with Thea." Hope stopped to watch them. It seemed as if they hit it off fairly well, and to her surprise, it seemed as if her brother wasn't stepping on Thea's toes.
"Good for him." Rueben chuckled, wrapped his arms around her shoulders and whispered, "Should we go for another dance?"
Hope nodded and slipped into his arms, relieved to hear the music change to a slow song. She rested her head on his shoulder, her arms wrapped around his neck, idly playing with the hair in his ponytail. Taking a deep breath, she let her mind relax for the first time today. It had been a whirlwind of activity - getting ready and having to make official and public appearances. It was tiring, and now as the evening was nearing its end, she wished they could just leave.
When the dance ended, Hope finally asked, "So, do you suppose we could go now?"
Rueben smirked. "Impatient to start the honeymoon?"
"You have no bloody idea, mate." She tapped him gently on his chest as she grinned up at him.
"Okay, let's go say our goodbyes to our closest family and friends," Rueben suggested.
Hope took his hand and almost dragged him to where she'd spotted her family. "Mom, Daddy, we're leaving now." Her face suddenly felt hot, even in the cooler air.
"Oh, are you now?" her father drawled and looked between them with a far too smug smirk.
"Shut up," Hope grumbled and turned to say goodbye to her mother. They would be gone for two weeks for their honeymoon.
When she turned to hug her father, he pulled her in for a fierce hug, "Congratulations, my little love." He pulled back and gave her one tiny butterfly kiss on her forehead, tears brimming in his eyes.
"I love you." She placed her hand on his scruffy face. "And thank you for accepting Rueben into our family."
"Aye, he's family now." Killian stepped over to clasp Rueben's hand in his. "And I know he will be the husband you deserve to have. Ain't that right lad?"
Hope rolled her eyes when she saw her father stare at Rueben with a mock hard glare. "Daddy, stop." She slapped his arm and tugged Rueben's hand out of her father's grasp.
"Killian, please," Emma admonished. "Leave them alone." She took her husband's arm and smiled at the newlyweds. "Have a great honeymoon, you two." She nodded toward the Jolly Roger that was all prepared for their two week honeymoon. This time they would journey out on their own, but they would stick to the known waters of the United Realms.
They walked over to their friends, said goodbye and when she pulled away from hugging Rose, her friend joked, "So you guys are not going to go find another hidden and forgotten city, are you?" Rose donned a fake frown on her face as if she wanted to look very serious.
Hope and Rueben laughed along with their friends at this joke. Rueben cleared his throat and said with a casual shrug, "There's always that golden city of El Dorado."
"Fuck off mate," Damien said with a pout. "I want to find that place. That would be sick ass crazy." He looked around at his friends. "So, when the newlyweds get home, how about we go explore and search for El Dorado?"
"Never going to happen." Rueben wrapped his arm around Hope, "I've had enough adventure for one lifetime. I don't need all that when I have this amazing woman." He planted a wet kiss on Hope's cheek, making the guys gag and the girls sigh in awe.
Hope rolled her eyes at her husband's antics, but she couldn't agree more. The adventure they had for Atlantis was by far enough for one lifetime. Now she was ready to begin her new life with Rueben, and with the true love they shared, they would power through anything fate would throw at them. She knew there would always be hope and love in their life; that was enough for her.
She took her husband's hand, and together they walked to the Jolly Roger that would bring them on one small adventure, one just for them. They waved at their friends and walked up on the ship. Their future awaited them and was filled with hope and love.
A/N: Okay here's the list of ideas I have for outtakes/missing moments/scenes. Let me know in a comment what you most want to see happening.
Rueben's talk with Liam at Hope's birthday party. (FYI: I kinda like the idea of Liam crushing on Anna and Kristof's daughter, Thea. I even found a stock image of them as a couple. Just not sure if I'll get many readers when having my main characters be someone that I made up in my mind, while still set in an OUAT setting?)
Hook finds Ruebens bolo tie in his cabin the day after the birthday.
Hope doing a erotic dance for Rueben the night after the party in Argrabah… some sort of Oriental dance.
Their first night together as husband and wife (well basically just smut I guess ;) )
I'm currently working on my CSSS fic and I'm greatly enjoying that, while I am also working on getting my 007 OUAT fic finished. I'm almost at the end only needing to write the very last chapter, it just needs to be beta read.
NOTE: about the blue gold, it's purely made up that it is only found in Atlantis, because I know that there is a metal called blue gold that is made out of gold and indium. (check wikipedia if you want: "Blue gold. Blue gold is an alloy of gold and either gallium or indium. Gold–indium contains 46% gold (about 11 karat) and 54% indium, forming an intermetallic compound AuIn2." )
And since it's almost christmas: I hope you all have a blessed christmas time with whomever you celebrate it with (and if you don't celebrate I hope you have a fantastic holiday doing exactly the stuff that makes you happy.) and a happy new year.
I hope 2022 will bring the world much more joy and less corona crazy stuff. In my own life I hope I manage to self-publish my first book that I've been working on for the past 1½ year.