Author’s note: My contribution to the 2017 CSSS! This is for @jmosfreckles! It’s been a pleasure to be your CSSS this year! I hope you enjoy this little Christmas themed story!
Summary: Emma and Killian are professors working in the history department of Storybrooke University, each fretting about the department’s Secret Santa gift exchange.
Emma struggled not to roll her eyes; she was trying to
better about that. It was Christmas after all. “That kinda defeats the purpose,
Mary Margaret. It’s supposed to be a secret.”
Emma had two very good reasons for not divulging who she got for her Secret
Santa. One, as much as Emma loved her, she knew her friend was the worst at keeping secrets. The minute she
spoke her little scheme would be all over. Second, it really was a scheme. When her department picked
names, she didn’t get who’d she’d been hoping for. So she took matters into her
own hands. Just a little bit. It could still blow up in her face.
Summary: Emma Swan is forging a devious plan to save the sanity of her best friend, Mary Margaret, or at least to stop her form quoting those stupid swashbuckling pirate tales. The core of her plan is to hunt down and neutralize the internet famous writer, dashingpiratecaptain aka Killian Jones. But soon her ideas go down the drain, because she certainly hasn’t counted on developing feelings for the man whose entire writing career she is about to destroy.
A/N: I’m so excited to finally share this little story with all of you!! It’s my first time participating in something like this so I’m hoping you’ll like the fic I created for this wonderful event. A huge thanks to @captainswanbigbang for organizing all of this and bringing us fans all together!
A big ass thanks to my my beta @1handedpiratewithadrinkingprob for helping me throughout creating this story and making sure that what I wrote is actually making sense and is presentable for all of you to read!
And an enormous thanks to @katie-dub who created ths kick-ass and beautiful art for my fic! Check out her art HERE And if you’re there, check out her other works because she’s super talented!
A Trip to Your Heart
Why is it that people always want the things they don’t actually need?
This is the million dollar question Emma is pondering on as she sits down on one of the beach chairs with a rum-based cocktail in hand, christened as Salty Dog for some reason. She feasts her eyes on the open water and endless white sand as the wind is playing with the ends of her hair and the salt water is gently spraying her face – it’s something she’s absolutely not used to in the crowded and hectic city of New York.
She’s aware that people must be giving her strange looks as they pass by her and she can hardly blame them. Her attire practically screams she’s not really dressed for the beach: the frame of her big, red sunglasses almost cut a hole through her straw hat, her upper body is wrapped in a thin yellow blouse (its shade is so vivid that Emma is sure the material would glow in the dark) and her long legs are covered with a long, black summer skirt. The largest surface on her skin that remains uncovered are her feet, and not intentionally. She fell asleep on the ferry here, and in her hurry to get off the vessel she forgot to put her sandals back on.
Walking all the way here on the hot pavement and sand was quite a pain in the ass but what could she have done? She wanted her drink more.
Despite her looks, her brain is functioning quite well, but as it happens, she needs to make a certain someone believe otherwise. This person is called dashingpiratecaptain and she’s been working on hunting him down for over a year now.
Notes: Holy crap, what a ride guys. What a ride. The fic has so many hours poured into. A lot of sweat and even more tears. There was a point where I thought I would never finish it and I nearly fell into the abyss. However, I had such a wonderful cheerleader, beta and friend in @aerica13. I’m so glad I met you. You’ve been nothing but a gift. Shoutout to the moderators of @captainswanbigbang, it’s been quite the experience. I would severely remiss if I didn’t give the incredible @shipsxahoy love. Do you see that art? It’s positively breathtaking! It looks just like 80s movie poster! She makes this fic look like a blockbuster! Without further ado, I give you my Jopper-esque Stranger Things AU. Summary: In November 1983, eleven-year old Henry Swan goes missing under mysterious circumstances. His mother Emma willing to do anything to get him back even if it means teaming up with her ex-boyfriend from high school – Chief of Police Killian Jones. They soon discover the truth is stranger than fiction. Rating: T+ (swearing, suspense, adult situations, scifi creepiness and mentions of sexual activity) Word Count: 14,800+ Links: AO3 | Art by Bianca | Fic Soundtrack
The worst week of Emma Swan’s life began like any other – on Monday morning, late to work and looking for her keys.
“Where the fuck are they?”
The worst thing she could imagine at this point was August firing her for being late again.
(It wasn’t the worst. Not by a long shot.
Unimaginable pain was a stone’s throw away because she lived in Storybrooke, Maine where the last time someone disappeared was 1923 and the last murder was in 1961.
But that was about to change.)
“Did you check the couch?” David asked calmly, not looking up from the frying pan where he was fluffing scrambled eggs to perfection.
Normally quiet and sleepy, Storybrooke, Maine has been going through the polar opposite of a crime wave. There hasn’t been even so much as an incident of shoplifting in MONTHS. Until the day an anonymous graffiti artist starts leaving murals and street art all over prominent town buildings. Who’s behind it? Why don’t the townspeople want to press charges if/when the “vandal” is caught? And what does all of this have to do with Sheriff Emma Swan and local bakery owner Killian Jones?
Rating: Mild T (mainly for a little kissin’ and a little swearin’)
Word Count: 15,000 on the nose!
Possible triggers: I’m not really sure I’d consider these triggers, but this fic does contain mentions of past!Millian and past!Gremma (both in a positive light) and past!Swanfire (in a negative light), so if none of those things float your boat, I’d recommend taking a miss on this one.
Tropes: Mutual pining, friends-to-lovers, modern au (no magic), Henry-being-too-smart-and-cute-for-his-own-good, Zelena-being-Zelena, the author makes many jokes (lovingly) at Will Scarlet’s expense.
A/N: It’s hard to believe this day is finally here!! I felt like I ate/slept/breathed this fic for so long and then ended up having to wait the whole month of February to post, lol. Seriously, though, it’s humbling to be the “grand finale” of the CSLB, and I only hope my work lives up to the honor. This month has once again proved the depth and breadth of talent possessed by the writers and artists in the OUAT and CS fandoms. You guys all rock and should be very proud of what you’ve achieved!!
This fic was a labor of love – and it’s the longest thing that I’ve written and completed in forever – so I am extremely excited to share it with you all. I couldn’t have done it without my amazing beta, Hollie aka @the-captains-ayebrows who helped me refine the plot and pacing in so many ways – this story wouldn’t be half of what it is without her input – and my wonderful artist, Bianca i.e. @shipsxahoy who made the beautiful banner at the top of this post and a seriously awesome gifset that you can find HERE. I also want to thank the mods and the entire team at the @captainswanbigbang for running such a wonderful CSLB event (and for putting up with my frequent down-to-the-wire check ins and over-the-top word counts). You ladies have done a wonderful job and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it!! Now, without further ado (too late!!), The Writing’s On The Wall.
In retrospect, Emma thought, I really should have seen this coming.
Life in Storybrooke had been quiet – almost freakishly so – for the last few months. Not that the small, sleepy coastal Maine town she called home was normally a hotbed of criminal activity, but usually there was something going on that required her to flash her badge and threaten the local riffraff with a night in one of the cells at the sheriff’s station.
But not lately. It was mid-February and quite literally nothing arrest-worthy had happened since early December when she’d locked up Will Scarlet for attempting to steal the holiday decorations off the town common.
She knew for a fact that had been the last arrest she’d made, as Scarlet’s motives had been memorable. Apparently, he’d had some half-cocked idea of holding the decorations hostage until the mayor agreed to “ransom” them back for a hefty fee. (Emma had laughed for a solid minute when he’d explained. As if Regina would ever have gone along with that).
Summary: Granny’s restaurant is the perfect place for a romantic dinner. The only problem is that Killian doesn’t want to be on this date in the first place. And Emma definitely doesn’t want to be taken off her waitressing shift to be the saviour of this guy who’s definitely been stood up. A Captain Swan Modern AU for the Captain Swan Little Bang 2017.
A/N: I’m so excited to be posting this fic as my first contribution to the Captain Swan Little Bang! Huge thanks to my wonderful beta @distant-rose for her enormous help in cutting up my ridiculously long sentences. @bleebug is also an absolute star and has created some gorgeous artwork for this fic that I’m in love with. Go and reblog from her tumblr post too!
Massive thanks also go to the whole CSLB team for being absolutely lovely and organising this whole event. And finally, thanks to James Arthur for writing the song that vaguely inspired the plot and the title. I’ve had a blast, and I hope everyone enjoys this fic!
I’ll Thank My Lucky Stars
Killian was already in a bad mood by the time he got to the restaurant. The blustery autumn weather they’d been experiencing had recently developed into scattered showers that seemed to always time themselves perfectly with when he was leaving the house, meaning his feet had already been soaked twice today and even the umbrella he was carrying had put minimal effort into protecting his hair.
Sheltering just inside the doorway, he shook the umbrella into the street before closing it and running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to counteract the way the rain had flattened it to his head. At least he wasn’t late, he reasoned, turning to face the server’s stand for the first time. Besides, it probably didn’t matter how he looked considering that he hadn’t exactly been enthusiastic about this date in the first place. But of course, Belle had been insistent (“She’s a really lovely person, Killian.”) and he was an idiot who couldn’t say no to his best friend, and that’s how he’d ended up at this particular fancy restaurant on the first date he’d been on in three years, and feeling like he was about to throw up.
“Table for Jones?” he asked, when he realised he’d been loitering in the entrance for an unreasonable amount of time and the server behind the podium seemed to be getting a little irate, twiddling her long, red nails around her dark hair. He found himself being steered towards the window and seated at a little table with a candle – the whole place screaming romantic date in his uncomfortable face. Sighing, he nodded at the server – Ruby, her name badge said – and busied himself with staring at the drinks menu. It was probably unacceptable to order several shots of rum before his date arrived, right? Speaking of which, it was now fifteen minutes past the hour and no sign of said date. Another ten passed before Ruby returned again.
After weeks of anxiously waiting my turn, I’m finally able to share my contribution to the Captain Swan Little Bang! This was my first time participating and I have to say that this was such a wonderful learning experience for me and I enjoyed this collaborative effort immensely!
Thank you @hookedonapirate for being a wonderful beta reader! I appreciate all of your suggestions and input along the way, helping rein in my sometimes rambling free-written drafts and in choosing what portions to cut so this would come in under the word count!
Thank you @fairytalesandtimetravel for the amazing piece of artwork that accompanies this story! I love how it has Emma and Killian embracing each other in the shadow of the Evil Queen – daunted but ready to face her together.
I also want to thank everyone involved with the @captainswanbigbang for putting this all together! There is just so much talent in this fandom and I’m honored to be a part of it!
So, here is Something Borrowed, Something Blue. Something’s Cursed – What Else is New?
Staring at herself in the full length cheval mirror set up in Regina’s office, Emma still couldn’t shake her somewhat dumbfounded sensation from realizing that this day had finally come. After weeks of delays and postponements, her wedding day was finally here.
Her wedding day.
Weeks of planning, worrying, fantasizing and,yes, changing every detail of the ceremony, were coming together at last, and Emma was fiercely determined that this would finally come to fruition. They’d already had to cancel once and had agreed to downsize – much to her mother’s chagrin. Now the plan was just a simple, civil ceremony in Storybrooke Town Hall, which both Regina and Zelena had assisted in fortifying with a protection spell barrier. The Evil Queen and her cohorts were not going to spoil this day.
But something was still nagging at Emma as she stood there contemplating her reflection and admiring the delicate snowy white lace dress with its tea length sweeping skirt. The lovely sweetheart neckline was revealing enough to ensure she’d have her soon to be husband’s full attention, yet demure enough to suit a princess.
“Emma, honey, you look absolutely beautiful!” her mother exclaimed. Emma had been so lost in thought that she hadn’t even noticed her mother standing next to her.
“Thanks, Mom,” Emma said with a weak smile and a subtle shake of her head. “Something just doesn’t feel right though…”
“Oh, Emma – you’re not getting cold feet, are you?” Snow wondered.
“Oh, god no!” Emma replied, unable to fathom why her mother would ask that question. “How can you even think that?”
“Are you worried about the ceremony getting interrupted by the Evil Queen?” Snow thought that perhaps the fear of history repeating itself had her daughter on edge.
“Of course I’m worried, but I’ve been worried about her since the first moment we knew she was back, and I am not letting her delay my wedding again. It’s just this dress…”
“The dress is stunning. You look amazing, my dear!” Emma knew Snow was doing the best to encourage her, but it wasn’t helping.
“It’s just not quite right. I can’t really put my finger on it, but…oh, I don’t know…” Emma tugged at the skirt with a scowl on her face. It was a beautiful dress, but… “Regina, help me out here.”
“It is a lovely dress,” Regina spoke up without moving from her desk chair. “But I have to agree – something is missing.”
“Thank you,” Emma replied, running her hands over her hips to smooth out the lace. “I just can’t quite figure out what that is…”
“Maybe it’s just the dress itself,” Regina stated. “Here…”
With the slightest wave of her fingers, Regina transformed Emma’s wedding gown into a magical masterpiece. The lace was replaced with iridescent chiffon that reflected every color of the spectrum like a fairy’s wings. Layers of shimmering organza overlapped to fill out the skirt, like petals of an upside down tulip. The bodice, draped across her bosom and shoulders, dripped with sparkling jewels that looked like shiny dewdrops against the fabric. It was truly the fairytale gown that every little girl saw in her dreams, and the regal look was completed with a delicate crystal tiara that sat atop Emma’s upswept, pale blonde locks.
When word of Robert Siegel’s departure from NPR’s “All Things Considered” goes public, Emma gets the chance to compete for her dream job. All that stands in her way are nine fellow journalists – one of them being the charismatic yet cocky Killian Jones. When she ends up paired with Killian on the first story, things get more complicated as she tries to balance fighting for her long-time aspiration and her budding relationship with this fascinating fellow reporter.
Rating: M (for mention of sexual assault) Word Count: Just under 15k Also on: Ao3
Rating: T Warnings: Alcohol use/abuse Summary: Emma isn’t all too familiar with the world of online content creator conventions, and finds out the rough way how intense the gamer crowd can be when she has an unpleasant encounter with ‘The Captain’ of popular youtube trio ‘The Brothers Jones’, Killian Jones.
Here it is – my submission for Captain Swan Little Bang! I’m excited for everyone to read it! If you’ve got any comments or questions, please feel free to send them my way!
Wanted to say a special thank you to @justanotherwannabeclassic for being the best beta and helping me polish this story up, and incorporating some elements that I hadn’t initially considered. And thank you to @honeybadgerhook for the adorable and perfect artwork to accompany this story! Please be sure to go reblog her artwork directly here! And shout out to @captainswanbigbang for running this event. Please take a look at all the other fantastic works being contributed by the talented folks in our fandom!
Emma watched her brother pace nervously around the lounge that had been set up back stage for all attending guests, along with their accompanying family and friends. She couldn’t really blame David. She’d seen the crowds pouring into the ballroom on their way to this little content creator safe haven. She had a hard time wrapping her head around the idea that millions of people could be watching her beyond a computer screen – to see even a fraction of that number of people in person? It was overwhelming. And she wasn’t even the Youtuber in the family.
“You need to relax…” Mary-Margaret sighed from where she was lounging beside Emma on the surprisingly comfy couch. “You’re getting yourself worked up over nothing.”
“How can you not be worked up?!” David turned abruptly on his heels, pausing in his pacing to give his wife a wide-eyed, incredulous stare. “Did you see all the people out there?!”
“All the same people who watch us on a daily basis,” Mary-Margaret had adopted that motherly voice she normally used for her and David’s toddler, Leo. Though Emma had heard it directed to her brother, and herself, more times than was probably necessary. “They already love you.”
A group of scheming
friends, a party, and question Emma thinks she might finally be able to ask.
I’m am so super excited to finally be able to share this with you guys! It’s been in the works for longer than you know, after I was prompted by a friend and I knew CSLB was just the right thing to get me into gear with getting it done. This has been such an amazingly fun experience and I’m so happy to be apart of it!
Major thanks to @initiala for her awesome beta-ing skills. I really enjoyed working with you and hearing your thoughts and perspective on things! And thank you for making me not look like a complete moron! ;-p
One of the cool things about CSLB is that you get assigned artists and I have to say, I’m extremely lucky with who I was paired with. These two are so flipping talented, I’m in awe of what they came up with! Not to belittle us writers, but artists like these ladies take our words and bring them to life and that’s just amazing. It was so fun talking to you guys and seeing the progress of your art! You guys rock!
Check out what they did, along with all the others included in this years @captainswanbigbang, because they are all amazing and deserve all the attention and love in the world!
It All Starts With a Dance 