A/N: Because I'm a little bit in love with this piece and because someone said they'd like to maybe see it extended, I decided I would write a follow up but from Killian's perspective and then, if the mood strikes, fill it with one-shots about the Disney cast. I hope you enjoy.
Killian's alarm clock blared, making him grumble and bury his face into his pillow.
Sunlight was already streaming through the blinds of his new room at his old college room-mate, David Nolan's, house. That's Florida for you, he thought as he shut off the offensive devise.
It was four am, ridiculously early to be starting the day in his opinion, but the gates to the park opened at seven and he needed the lift in with David who had to get ready for his day as Prince Charming.
Killian had had his reservations about applying for the role of one of Disney's characters, spending hours on end surrounded by boat loads of tourists and hundreds if not thousands of screaming kids; but he'd been assured by Dave that it was a fabulous experience, good pay, by the beach and a chance at a family amongst his new colleagues.
It was really that factor which made him feel it was an offer impossible to refuse.
After the loss of his older brother Liam three years ago, Killian had been in somewhat of a downward spiral, only just being able to scrape up enough money to pay the rent on his crappy one bedroom apartment. When David had called to check in on him just under a month ago and found out, he'd announced that Killian was moving from Boston to Orlando to live with him and that he was going to get him an interview with his boss about the position that had just opened up.
Moving to Florida hadn't been difficult, there was nothing to tie him to Massachusetts anymore, but the interview with Regina Mills had been terrifying. She was one of those stern no nonsense type women who was trying to run a business and didn't have time to deal with 'ignorant time wasters and creepers'. Killian had determinedly assured her that he was neither of those things and that he would be nothing like the last guy who had lost his job for sexual harassment charges made by the guests. He thought by the end of it that she had seemed impressed, although it was impossible to tell, she had sent him away with the message that she would be in touch should he surpass all of the other candidates who were auditioning for the role of Flynn Rider.
This lead to the phone ringing yesterday telling him to come down to the park with David in order to be shown around and so that they could assess how he would get along with the rest of the cast, particularly the woman who would be his Rapunzel for the foreseeable future.
He successfully managed to drag himself from bed, pulling on his pre-laid out black jeans, navy-blue cotton t-shirt and faithful leather jacket and boots. Making his way to the kitchen, he found David already sat at the table munching on a bowl of granola.
"Any advice for me today mate?" He asked, plopping down into the empty seat and readying his own breakfast.
"Try and move with the crowds, not against them, you'll get around faster, if a little kid runs across you make sure you stop because the rest of the family will probably barrel through afterwards and try and familiarize yourself with as much as you can so you don't get lost. Oh and, you'll probably be given the tour by either Will Scarlet who manages the Wonderland section or Robin Locksley who is Regina's partner and is also the guy who deals with all the Disney princes. Scarlet will seem like a nuisance, but he's got a good heart, Robin likes to match-make, he actually set me up with Mary-Margaret, actually most of the park couples are his handy work...anyway, he's almost certainly going to do the same for you so don't be put out when he tries to push you towards the single Princesses."
It was a lot to take in, but Killian didn't have the time because he was quickly bundled into the car and the next thing he knew they were pulling off the freeway and into the staff carpark. He followed David down the somewhat familiar route to where the managers offices were and waited outside, having knocked, until Regina appeared.
"Thank you for being so prompt, time management is essential here, Mr. Nolan I believe you have places to be if you could hurry it along."
Rolling his eyes, but with no animosity, David bowed and made his retreat to the dressing rooms as Killian followed Regina inside to where another man was waiting.
"Robin Locksley meet Killian Jones, Killian Jones–Robin Locksley; should all go well he will be your manager and as such will be showing you around the park today." She then turned to Robin who was smiling warmly despite the briskness of her tone, "I trust that you can handle things from here, I have a Princess issue to deal with, and please for the love of all things holy, actually show him the ropes rather than using your badge to jump the ride lines."
Robin continued to smile, walking over to press a kiss to her cheek that made Regina blush, "Of course my dear, now go on, as you said I can handle this."
The moment the door closed behind her, Robin turned to him and said, "You're going to love the Pirates of the Caribbean ride."
~E&K~
It was nearing noon and Robin and Killian had been having a fabulous time acting like kids in a candy-store roaming all over the park and jumping the longest queues to ride the best rollercoasters on offer. His soon to be managers reasoning was that Killian wouldn't get the opportunity once he was busy playing the role. Between rides, he had also pointed out important things like fire exits, or the emergency assembly points as well as certain characters photography spots.
Noticeably, every time they passed the staff, they would wave and Robin would give a run down of who was who;
"That's Ashleigh and Shaun, they're thinking of having a baby soon."
"Elsa, Anna and Kris...we think the movie is actually their life story."
"That's Lacey, although she prefers to go by Belle which is her middle name."
"Ruby plays Little Red, but she's doing photography today for Mulan."
"Oh and there's..."
It went on like that all day, Killian learned more about his futur colleagues lives in a few minutes than maybe he would have done in a year of knowing them. When they came across David, they actually stopped to get a picture (mainly so Killian could tease him about his tights.) He'd been momentarily separated from his Snow White who had been surrounded by a huge gaggle of guests desperately trying to get her attention. It was a shame as he was yet to actually meet his mate's girlfriend considering how they often either went back to her place, despite the fact that she lived with three other women, or got a hotel for the night in order to have a bit of privacy.
Oh well, he thought, he'd definitely be meeting her soon anyway.
~E&K~
They'd begun to scope out places to eat, partly out of hunger, partly out of the desire to escape the heat of the sun beating down their necks. Killian had been glad when Robin handed off their jackets to one of the staff park to take back to the offices, because the black leather had been dong him zero favors when it came to keeping cool. There was nowhere without a mile long queue, one which they couldn't jump, and Robin had pulled them off to the side of the street while he tried to figure out a solution.
It was in this waiting period that Killian began to envy the crowd that had taken up residence below a shady tree, it was also then that he first heard the most enchanting sound of his life.
Without even realizing what he was doing, Killian drifted across the road to where the mysterious sound had echoed from. He glanced above the heads of the crowd when he heard it again, only to realize if was in fact the musical laugh of possibly the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She was dressed in an ankle length pink gown, with a cinched bodice that gave him a tantalizing view of the cream colored skin of her chest. She wore a gold necklace and shoes, with a metallic tiara sat atop the blonde curls that cascaded down her back to nearly the bottom of her spine.
Her hair caught the light as she tossed her head back to laugh at something the small girl in front of her had said, making the golden strands shine like the sun itself. He was completely mesmerized and found himself slotting into the back of the queue just for the mere opportunity to get closer to this siren.
The distance between them shrunk and shrunk until there was only the boy that currently held her attention before him. He watched as she kissed his cheek, ushering him off to meet Prince Philip, and then turned to meet him. What he wasn't expecting was that, she didn't raise to her full height. Instead she rotated, still bent over until her nose collided with his jean clad crotch.
A sort of choked noise escaped him as she reared backwards and said;
"I am so sorry sir, usually the visitors to this part of the woods are far shorter and I wasn't expecting to come face-to-crotch with your...nether regions."
He had to admire the fact that she remained in character, as well as the pretty blush that now adorned her cheeks. It was this and her adorable babbling and the little hitch he noticed in her breath, that brought the stupid grin to his face as he reached up to nervously scratch behind his ear, a habit which he thought he'd dropped, although apparently Sleeping Beauty had the power to revert him back to a pubescent adolescent with his first crush.
"That's quite alright milady," he said, "I'm afraid I misjudged the distance between us resulting in such...uh...close proximity."
What are you doing with your hand you fool, his subconscious screamed at him as said body part gesticulated wildly through the air, put it down before you take someone's eye out.
"Consider it forgotten," the Princess said, drawing him from his internal musings, "Now what may I do for you?"
Marry me, was the first thing that sprang to mind, although he was fairly certain that that would seem a tad too forward considering that he'd only just met this person and didn't even know her name; not to mention the fact that he would have to see her every day once he worked there. Racking his brains desperately, he responded with the first thing that came to mind.
"I was actually wondering, that is if your Prince agrees, whether or not I could trouble your Highness for a dance?"
What the hell Killian, he screamed at himself, you could have chosen a picture or an autograph, instead you choose a dance, you do realize you actually have to dance now in front of all these people who are definitely staring after you came close to third base with this woman.
"A dance?" she sputtered, looking at him as if to question whether he was for real or not.
"Aye a dance," You've got to commit to it now mate, "I mean how many men can claim to have danced with a fully fledged Princess."
He could see the war going on in her eyes the moment he carefully stretched out his hand, palm turned upwards. He half expected her to kick him to the curb, but surprisingly, she tentatively reached out to curl her fingers around his own.
"A dance it is, although, it seems as if we are a bit short on music."
"Not to worry your Highness," he said seizing the opportunity to sweep her off her feet, whilst carefully allowing his thumb to drift across her knuckles, "I believe I have that covered."
With his hand splayed across the small of her back to keep her close and hers placed delicately on his shoulder, Killian began to turn them in circle, in a simple waltz before starting to sing.
I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream
I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam
And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem
But if I know you, I know what you'll do
You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream.
When he was finished, the crowd burst into rowdy applause, but he didn't take his blue eyes off of her forest green ones as he dipped into a low bow and brushed his lips across her knuckles.
"Thank you, for a wonderful dance my lady," he said in hushed tones so that only she would hear, "I pray that we will meet again, although for now I fear the little ones have been waiting long enough. Until the next time my beauty."
Not being able to resist, he pressed another (firmer this time) kiss to the back of her hand before retreating backwards, not letting go of her gaze until a herd of tourists cut them off.
"You know you basically already had the job right? You didn't need to go the extra mile." A voice said behind him.
He jumped and turned to face Robin who was grinning at him like the Cheshire Cat (yes he made a Disney reference, blame it on the location.)
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said not caring how unbelievable the words sounded even to his own ears.
"Sure thing Romeo, now come on, I'm starving."
Reluctantly, Killian began to follow him, still casting glances back over his shoulder to the tree that was shading his Princess.
"Robin," he said, "You know I wasn't doing it to try and impress you right?"
"Oh I know," the man replied with a secretive wink and something that looked like a plot coming into his eyes as he surreptitiously pressed the button on his phone to post the video he recorded onto YouTube.
~E&K~
He was going to kill him.
Never mind if he was going to be his manager or not, Robin was going to die.
For the rest of the day, people continuously approached him because of the video that now had thousands of hits and the bloody tag that was trending on Twitter.
In the space of about half an hour, Killian had gone from regular Joe, to viral sensation...it was insane. Tourists would ignore the characters in favor of trying to get a picture of him the 'Once Upon a Dream Guy' as he was now known. The cast themselves didn't seem to mind, instead standing on tiptoe in order to try and get a better look at the man who had serenaded their Sleeping Beauty.
Robin had taken every insult and death glare Killian had thrown his way, they seemed to just bounce off of the rosy aura that now hung around him; the freaking glow only increasing when they stumbled across Regina who gave him a very pointed kiss on the lips despite the fact that they were working and in public. She smirked knowingly at Killian afterwards and told him then and there that he had the job and he should return to the offices once the park was closed so that he could be introduced to his counter-part.
He was undoubtedly pleased, but couldn't take time to properly celebrate his knew employment, he was so exhausted. Regina's comment also reminded him that he hadn't actually seen or met Rapunzel all day. When he brought the point up to Robin, the man said he'd have to try and catch a glimpse during the parade that the actors were now all preparing for.
Perks of working at the park, Robin managed to get them onto a private balcony above the hugely crowded streets to watch as the floats went by. Killian found this was perhaps the bit he looked forward to most when he saw the joy that lit up the children's faces as well as the bright smiles of the cast as they waved and danced along to the music. David had pointedly (and unprofessionally) lobbed a beaded necklace at him when Killian wolf-whistled and yelled "NICE TIGHTS!" Above the din. He'd laughed for a solid two minutes until he heard the sound of Once Upon a Dream build up in the background.
The noise level rose hugely when Sleeping Beauty's float started to roll through, the Princess herself looking momentarily shocked before adapting and doubling her energy in response. Killian leaned his forearms on the edge of the balcony, content to watch quietly as her mega-watt smile seemed to light up the night more so than any of the pyrotechnics that came later. He'd hoped that maybe she would chance a glance up and meet his adoring gaze, but no such luck. She drifted past and onwards followed by the rest of the parade (he completely forgot to pay attention to the Tangled craft) until it ended.
The crowds moved to find good spots for the fireworks as Robin clapped him on the back and the two drifted off to the offices.
They were greeted by Regina who lead them both into the actors common room where almost all of the cast were already gathered, de-Disneyfied and with cups on coffee in their hands.
"Everyone," Regina called to get their attention, leading to several of them (notably three women) gasping when they saw him, "I'd like you to meet your new colleague-wait...where is Emma?"
"She's not changed yet," said a brunette who Killian recalled Robin had called Ruby.
"Well if you could kindly tell her to move her ass Miss Lucas, after all out of everyone, Rapunzel should be the one to meet Flynn Rider."
Ruby hastily exited through the door, a suddenly delighted smile plastered across her face.
He had little time to contemplate on this mystery Emma, as out of nowhere, a petite woman with a pixie cut hairstyle appeared in front of him.
"You must be Killian, David's friend and room-mate, you have no idea how excited I am to meet you especially since you're the-"
She was cut off by the sound of the door opening, followed by two sets of feet.
"Ah Miss Swan," said Regina to the new arrival who was trailing Ruby, "Thank you for joining us. I'd very much like you to meet your new counter-part, Killian Jones."
As his new boss stepped aside, Killian let out an involuntary gasp.
In front of him was his Princess, still decked out in all her finery and gazing at him with eyes full of surprise and just a hint of wonder.
"You," she whispered taking a half step forward.
"Aye it's me, and it's you," he responded, not daring to believe his luck...and he didn't as he felt a cloud of confusion and regret settle over him, "I thought I was being hired to play Flynn Rider, I don't see how my counter part would be Sleeping Beauty."
The blonde quickly glanced down at her costume and then with equal speed said, "I usually play Rapunzel but Aurora was sick so I-"
She cut off mid-sentence to stare at him and he stared right back, a kind of magnetism pulling at his body and every fibre of his being urging him to close the gap between them and snatch her up into his arms to kiss her senseless.
A throat clearing brought him back to his senses, "I was going to a chemistry test to see if the two of you would work well together, however, considering your new viral status, that seems somewhat irrelevant. But on that note, I do need a picture of the two of you for the Twitter page. As you know Disney is all about happy endings and this will be excellent publicity. Now stand over there and look ridiculously happy."
As he'd said, a no nonsense woman.
He was still momentarily stunned, but the sparks that lit up his skin when Emma grasped his hand and pulled him over to stand by the wall that Regina had selected, called him back.
"It is truly wonderful to see you again Miss Swan," he said.
"Emma," she replied, "My name is Emma Killian, you don't have to keep up with this formality."
"Emma it is then. A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. I look forward to working with you Swan, although if I recall correctly, Rapunzel has a bit of a violent streak. I would be eternally grateful if you would refrain from tying he up...unless it's in the good way."
Sometimes he had no control over himself, he realized as the words slipped out of his mouth and he felt his eyebrow quirk upwards. However, it was entirely worth it when he got to hear her laugh again, not even noticing when the flash went off.
"Perfect. Mr. Jones, be here at five am sharp tomorrow so we can brief you, Miss Swan you will be back as Rapunzel again and Mr. Nolan, thank you for recommending your friend to us, I'm sure he will be a wonderful edition to our cast."
~E&K~
After their small photo-op, Emma had sidled away (somewhat reluctantly he might add, slapping David around the head as she went) to get changed and Killian had been left at the mercy of the rest of his new colleagues, who were quick to introduce themselves and compliment him on his singing and dancing. Normally he wasn't a shy person, but he also wasn't used to being showered with compliments by complete strangers. He could feel the heat in his cheeks that only increased when Emma re-entered the room, now dressed in leggings, boots and an oversized Disney t-shirt, and gave him a soft smile that made her eyes sparkle and his heart jump.
He'd never felt such a pull to anyone, yet his body seemed to orbit naturally towards her. Clearly the others seemed to notice, as they would often start in group conversations, then suddenly find themselves alone but still rigorously conversing.
After about an hour or so, Regina returned to kick them all out, saying that they needed sleep for work tomorrow, leading to everyone grabbing their bags and heading out to the parking lot.
Killian stuck by Emma's side, the two of them still discussing their favorite Netflix shows, meaning that he didn't notice when they came to a stop by Mary-Margaret's station wagon.
"This is me," she said.
"Aye, so it is and I'm-" he said shooting a thumb over his shoulder in David's direction who was watching them from behind the wheel.
"I should probably..."
"Yeah."
He reluctantly pulled open the car door for her so she could slide in, but his momentary distraction meant he wasn't prepared for when she threw her arms around his neck and whispered, "Goodnight Killian," into his ear, before climbing into her seat.
He closed the door and stepped back so they could pull out, watching them go until David honked at him to hurry up.
The trip back home was spent lost in a daze, not hearing his mate's teasing, focusing instead on the fact that he should have kissed her, the amount of time they'd known each other be damned. It haunted him all through the night and into the next day.
His alarm blared at the same time, but he found it far easier to wake up this time, throwing himself into the shower before dressing lightly and dashing through breakfast. David seemed to sense his nervous energy, as he left Killian to his thoughts throughout the drive to the park.
It was by some act of fate that they managed to pull up at the same time as the girls and just about everyone else, but Killian wasn't one to look a gift-horse in the mouth.
He threw off his seatbelt and flung himself out of the door. He strode across the carpark, catching hold of Emma's wrist before she could go any further and spinning her around to face him.
"Killian what the-"
She was cut off by the force of his lips colliding with hers.
There was a moment of surprise when she was frozen and he thought that he'd maybe read the situation all wrong; but then she melted against him.
Her hands tangled in his hair and her tongue slipped past his lips to tangle (pun not intended) with his own, as he reached down to lock his arms around the back of her thighs and hoist her into the air.
The sound of car horns going off and the loud wolf-whistles, drew Regina and Robin from their offices. The former rolling her eyes in mock exasperation, the other mentally fist pumping before taking out his phone and snapping a picture.
Oh yeah, he thought, this is one for Twitter.
Safe to say when Killian saw it he was prepared to take Emma's frying pan and clock his manager around the back of the head, but his girlfriend wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss behind his ear and promising him more pleasurable activities if he agreed to let it go.
Killian was all to happy to comply, but in a mini-act of revenge, he sent a selfie to Robin afterwards, making sure to scar him just enough to ensure he wouldn't do it again.
A/N: Well that got a little out of hand. Way, way longer than I expected but hey-ho.
To the person who asked, I saw the video ages ago on Instagram and have sadly been unable to find a link elsewhere on the internet for you, but it exists somewhere.
I sincerely hope you enjoyed this, and if you have any prompts that you'd like to see written I would be happy to make an attempt.