nobody said it was easy,

no one ever said it would be this hard.

After the discussion with the Dark One, Liam had forced himself to head to the Jolly Roger. Forced was a bit too strong as a term, but he had to go. He needed to talk to Killian. For all Liam knew, it was likely his brother didn’t even know he was here in Storybrooke, very actually alive and not dead in the Underworld like when they had last seen each other. When Killian had first left the Underworld, Liam had been devastated in his own way to see his brother leave again, but he was also proud (and immensely glad the man was getting his second chance), and then it really wasn’t until moments later where he found himself stumbling into the town that was just as full of magic and monster and heroes and villains.

The closer he neared to the ship, the more confidence and determination was building up inside of him. He had a resolve...sort of. Of course, under other circumstances he would have simply just not boarded, but the issue was too serious for him to put off because of asking for any bloody permission. The Jolly was run by Killian, but it didn’t mean his brother didn’t have free reign, too. Arriving in front of the gangplank, he took his first step (in ages), then the second, third, fourth, and before he knew it, his feet were bringing him toward the hatch for the Captain’s cabin, the same room in which he had unfortunately died in. Definitely not a pleasant memory, but he had things to discuss with the man who was his brother, and it was urgent. At least under Liam’s agenda.

Of course, it went to show that the wooden planks beneath his feet had creaked on occasion, but that didn’t stop him. Either Killian was expecting company at some point or not, but probably not under his brother’s visit instead. Liam, he hadn’t intended to board considering he didn’t even know if his brother was on the ship, but making that wild guess was better than none. “Killian?” he called out, hoping that he was in the cabin. Otherwise, it was just going to be another goosechase of locating his whereabouts. Descending the ladder, he hoped his presence was not a bother (not that it was going to matter in the end).

tag: @captainhook

The captain’s cabin on the Jolly Roger had gone into disrepair. With no one living there making the ship their home, mildew had set into the rafters and Killian had found himself with a project on his hands. If only he’d had the magic that Zelena had said he could have. If he’d had that then he could have snapped his fingers and the cabin would be back to it’s original glory. Instead, Hook was fixing it up by hand, keeping himself busy and attempting not to simmer in the festering darkness that his mind had become.

But well, obviously that was easier said than done. Busy-ness was all well and good but he couldn’t escape from what he had done and what he had become. Stealing the heart of the Dark One had not been a good idea for the town, and really the Crocodile had been telling the truth when he had told Hook that he was losing control, that really everything he was doing was going to hurt those he loved. Hook was already doing that by living on the Jolly Roger rather than being with Emma. But he had to stay away from her. For her own good.

What?” He frowned from where he was staring at old maps and papers that he’d stowed for…safekeeping? He wasn’t so sure now. They were maps of his and Liam’s quest for the King and truly all they bestowed upon him was bad memories. He looked up. That voice was familiar. In fact, it was very much like that of the person he’d just been thinking of.

”Brother?” Hook narrowed his eyes and stood, ”You’re…alive?” He’d bumped into his brother in the Underworld, but this…this he had not been expecting.

TAG: Liam Jones

nobody said it was easy,

no one ever said it would be this hard.

Now that was a relief to know that his little brother was indeed in the cabin, and of course as he anticipated, surprised to see him. As his feet hit the floor and he turned to look at him, he smiled. “Aye, I am.” He nodded. “I’m still rather surprised myself.” Liam had yet to really take advantage of the fact that he was once again alive, but his sole purpose right now was to take care of this issue with Killian before anything else, and if it was going to send Liam back to the Underworld, then that was little of a price to pay to ensure the safety of Storybrooke and his brother, too. Slowly, he took a few steps toward him, noticing the maps on the table. Even those were still familiar to him now, centuries later. “Ah, the journey we went on years ago. Reminiscing, little brother?” The smile he then gave Killian was less than a happy one considering that journey had ended his life, but a little bit of teasing wasn’t so bad now.

It felt nice to be on a ship again. “You did quite well keeping her in shape,” he said, referencing the Jolly. Liam was torn between calling her the Jolly but also the Jewel, but this wasn’t the Jewel anymore, and he needed to get used to that. This ship held many of his own memories, but he had only captained her for so long. Killian, on the other hand, was the rightful owner, the one who had gone through many hardships with on this very ship, for over centuries. Liam had watched from the Underworld, been both blessed and cursed with the visions of what his brother had gone through, but it was never enough. Now it was. He was able to step on her physically, and it was much different than just seeing her sail the open seas, wind in the sails or anchor in port.

tag: @captainhook

Seeing Liam in the flesh was a little jarring. Immediately the guilt settled in his stomach, honestly, he’d not been making his brother proud. He’d felt pretty terrible upon that realisation in the Underworld but realistically it had only gotten worse since Killian had been back from the dead. ”This world living up to expectations?” He raised an eyebrow glancing at his brother. Liam looked surprisingly good for someone who’d been dead nye on two hundred years. Killian shuffled the papers as Liam spoke and looked down before shoving them into a drawer. ”Tidying.” That wasn’t a good journey, not one that Killian wanted to remember, let alone talk about with his brother. Bringing up the moment the darkness really started wasn’t something he wanted. He knew he was being curt and short with his brother, but he wasn’t in the mood. Killian didn’t want to be redeemed, he didn't want to be good, he just wanted everything he shouldn’t have.

”Not a bad old gal.” He agreed with the older Jones. His hand fondly stroked a wooden pillar that hadn’t yet succumbed to the mildew that seemed to be affecting other parts of the ship. ”I’ll fix her up properly soon.” He looked around. ”Anyway, you’re supposed to ask a captain’s permission before you come aboard his ship.” Hook replied knowingly, looking up and down Liam. A grin played on his lips but didn’t reach his face just yet. He was conflicted, half between breaking down and wanting to admit to his brother everything and between getting rid of him right now. ”Why are you here?” He asked bluntly, ”This is my ship now. That’s not going to change.” That was a little harsher than he expected.

TAG: Liam Jones

nobody said it was easy,

no one ever said it would be this hard.

In all honesty, he wasn’t sure what to expect out of this. He hadn’t lived, really lived, for over centuries, so of course being in this world was still a little confusing to him. He had gotten used to the modern technology and clothing in the Underworld long ago, however there was just some sort of difference he wasn’t capable of pinning down on...not that it really mattered all that much. “Haven’t lived long enough to make judgment, yet,” Liam responded, shrugging slightly. Noticing that behaviour coming from Killian, he knew well enough that it wasn’t something the man wanted to discuss. Frankly, Liam would have been the same. “I see. You always were the organized one.” Of course, Liam had been somewhat organized all his life, but not as much as his little brother. It was one thing he admired about his brother, even if he never really blatantly stated that out loud. Good organization was a positive trait, though, and he wasn’t going to complain about that.

Liam nodded, looking around the cabin that he had once lived in for many years, noticing that little had really actually changed. It was somewhat surprising that Killian hadn’t altered more, but none of that was his business. “Well, you weren’t exactly on deck, Captain,” Liam said, dragging his gaze back to his brother with a raise of his eyebrows. So, perhaps there was a change in their roles...it was confusing, a little. This Killian was his own captain now, but also his little brother - his family - not that it seemed to matter all that much when those words came out of his mouth. Liam blinked a few times, wincing slightly at the venom of his brother’s tone. So the Dark One wasn’t kidding. “I know it’s your ship, you can keep her. I’m not here to take her from you.” Really, he wasn’t. This was Killian’s ship. “And I’m here because you’re my brother - the only person who makes sense in this entire place. Where else would you expect me to go? Gallivanting off into the distance of who knows where?”

tag: @captainhook

He knew he was being irritable, but that was what having darkness in your core brought. His temper was becoming uncontrollable, and it was a mystery that he hadn’t snapped yet. Killian shrugged, not responding. That voyage had been one that Hook had strived to forget, turning to a life of piracy in order to get as far away from the person he had been. He supposed it had always been inevitable though, given their father’s treachery. Like father, like son, that was how the saying went right? Being brought up in a life of servitude and constant suspicion of others was bound to lead you down a dark path at sone point.

Killian gave a tiny roll of the eyes. ”Not that it’s supposed to matter. But I could kick you off this ship right now.” He was almost teasing, but it was hard to tell, Hook had lost the capability of maintaining his relationships, and acting civilised. He was too dark for that now, and the reverse of the position between the two of them was bizarre for Killian. Being in charge whilst his brother had been gone had been completely natural, but now that his older brother had returned, it felt wrong almost. ”If you say so.” Killian turned, scratching at his beard with his hook. It’d grown straggly over the last few weeks and the dark circles under his eyes were further evidence of the turmoil within him. Sleep hadn’t been easy.

”Makes sense? Ha!” Hook chucked darkly, shaking his head. ”My, my, brother, you really are confused.” He murmured lowly, pacing a little. ”Anywhere else really, you’ve not been here in years, all because of your stupid trust in a bloody King who was always going to betray you. I don’t need you anymore.” He shook his head. ”I’m not a child Liam.”

TAG: Liam Jones

nobody said it was easy,

no one ever said it would be this hard.

Seeing Killian like this, turning into a person he wasn’t, hurt Liam. All those years in the Underworld hadn’t prepared him for the ache he was already feeling. It was deep, deep down, because the failure he had over his brother for leaving him had been the first step to sending him down there. There, now, seemed to be no semblance of the iron-headed Lieutenant who refused to go against rules. Like every bit of good form he had supported, it seemed like it was gone, too. A real shame. “You could, but you know I wouldn’t leave. Stubbornness like ours run in our blood, Killian.” Both of them were stubborn, it was fairly obvious, and it appeared to be a trait the both of them shared together.

From one moment, Killian turned to Captain Hook, and well, he was expecting it, but then wasn’t as prepared as he thought he was. The words uttered from his mouth were so...dark and unlike him. There was no childish behaviour like when they were young. And Liam was not going to lie; words like that stung. It hurt. For a moment, he had stopped breathing. I don’t need you anymore. Of course he knew his pure trust had been the end of him, but that wasn’t the thing that hit him hard. I don’t need you anymore. I don’t need you anymore. It repeated and repeated in his head as Liam kept himself silent for a few moments. Finally, he had managed to return back to reality, swallowing thickly for just a second, knowing there was no time in being vulnerable. “Yes, my trust for that King ended my life. I saw it thanks to you.” Liam pointed at him. “Thanks to you. You may not need me anymore, but I do. What happened to family not abandoning each other?”

Liam then dropped his hand and rubbed his forehead, stepping back and leaning against the ladder-like stairs that led back up to deck. The roles were very much reversed. It felt like he was in Killian’s shoes those years ago when they were flying back to their kingdom before he had collapsed to the floor and started to die. “And aye, you’re no longer a child. I witnessed your growth into a man, Killian, but right now? What are you?” Liam crossed his arms over his chest. “The line between child and man seems blurred to me.” Perhaps Liam was being a bit over the top with his words, but his words weren’t meant to be pure insults, they were meant to wrack his brain, get him thinking instead of acting purely on those dark instincts.

tag: @captainhook

He wasn’t acting himself. In fact he was embodying Captain Hook again. It was almost as if the ruthless pirate had never left, as well as becoming a petulant child - acting the younger brother he was to Liam. His fierce stubbornness was not really a match for Liam’s. The two Jones brothers were butting heads, and Killian couldn’t see this ending necessarily well for either of them. ”I could order you to.” Hook could take Liam’s heart. Just as he’d taken the Dark One. And this time he’d have more control. His older brother was no match for that magic - he’d have to do as he said. He’d be completely at Killian’s mercy. He wasn’t that far gone, was he? He wasn’t going to do it. He couldn’t, could he?

Killian had hurt him. He’d hurt everyone. Emma, and now Liam. The two that really mattered. He was succumbing to his basest desires and destroying the good in his life as he did so. It was happening. villains didn’t get their happy endings, and Killian could see why now. He narrowed his eyes, pursing his lips. So his brother had watched his death through Killian’s eyes. He’d seen that pain, and then why couldn’t he understand how Killian felt right now? The desperation he felt for something stronger, for something more controllable. ”You abandoned me when I needed you most. You died.” He replied flatly, shaking his head. ”You saw what I became…What I am. I have no family.”

Hook shook his head, hook tapping against the wooden pillar he leant on. ”I’m a pirate.” He replied. ”I’m a bloody villain, mate.” He spoke honestly. It seemed as if his brother was trying to taunt him, to make him realise the darkness within him. As if he didn’t know already! He was aware of it, he was aware of how far he’d gone, but he couldn’t stop now. He crossed the room slowly to his brother, tapping his on the chest with his hook. ”After you left, I lost everything. My heart, my hand…I took my revenge, and now everything is right.” He assured Liam. ”So will you get off my ship, please.” He emphasised the last word.

TAG: Liam Jones

nobody said it was easy,

no one ever said it would be this hard.

Everything was going the opposite way he would have liked it to, but there was no controlling how Killian was feeling. Or say, Hook. This man wasn’t his brother, oh no it wasn’t, but it sent Liam more down that determined path to bring that one back. During their meeting in the Underworld, even he hadn’t succumbed that far yet, but now was clearly different. “You could.” But it didn’t mean that he was going to go. Just because he was ordered to. He wasn’t his crew. He didn’t belong to him. Liam was still his own man, just as bloody stubborn as ever (under these circumstances), so he sure as hell wasn’t going anywhere while he still held the chance of helping his brother. The issue here was that Captain Hook was back and he was planning on destroying everything in his path. Which included his own brother. Yeah, problem.

“Did you think I wanted to leave you? I wanted everything for you, Killian!” Liam shouted, finally beginning to lose his temper. Honestly, he was pulling at his strings, as ridiculous as it was. “I wanted you to live a better life than me. Better than your own damn brother. I wanted you to be happy.” And he had failed, in that part. He should've listened to his brother back in Neverland, should have heeded Pan’s warning and left instead of choosing to hurt himself with the dreamshade, to drink that water and only elongate his life for a few hours before dying anyways. He knew Killian wanted power and control, it was a tempting thing, but a man could live without that...but clearly his little brother was struggling more with that fight than he originally thought. “I’m still your family whether you like it or not.” He could still not be considered family, but he was and that was a fact that wasn’t changing anytime soon.

Well, yes, Captain Hook was the pirate and the villain. Killian Jones wasn’t so much. He was simply having trouble seeing because his vision was being fogged up along with his judgment, which was the most unfortunate of it all. Liam was hoping that nothing was going to grow violent, especially when he was approached...but if it ended up like that, well, who knew. “Everything is right?” Liam scoffed, shaking his head as he looked his little brother in the eyes - it was almost like a stranger. Being told to get off his ship? No, no, no, it wasn’t as simple as that. Even if he was going to be stabbed with the hook, he wasn’t going to go. “No,” Liam bluntly said. “I’m not leaving. I’m not leaving like our father, or when I died. I’m bloody staying.”

tag: @captainhook

Killian narrowed his eyes. ”I could do this.” He plunged his hand inside Liam’s chest and pulled out his heart to show his brother it right before his eyes. ”With this, I could make you do anything. But I won’t, because of…previous history.” He shoved the heart unceremoniously back into Liam’s chest, not trying to be careful or gentle. It was so unlike Killian, but the secrets that Zelena had taught him were too hard to resist. Hook wanted to return to the green skinned witch, to learn more, to delve deeper into those magical powers that he desired so much. Hearts was all well and good, but there was only so much he could do with that. Riches and power were what he desired and he could learn to get them if he met with Zelena again, he was sure of that. But what did he have to offer her this time?

He shook his head, ”You think I was ever going to be happy after you died?” He muttered, choosing not to raise his voice. Nothing could change. They couldn’t turn back the time, lose all those years that Killian had spent hurting whilst Liam had been in the Underworld. They could only move forward, but Hook didn’t want to move forward. He wanted to avoid his brother, to avoid his responsibilities and give into his desires. ”No.” He replied, stubbornly. ”Family sticks around - you’re as bad as father was.” Their father had abandoned them when they were younger, and it’d felt the same when Liam had died. Exactly the same.

”Revenge was sweet. And soon this town will be destroyed.” He chuckled a little. ”The Dark One will finally get what he deserved, he’ll lose everyone he loved. It’s perfect, it’s just perfect.” He wanted nothing more than for Rumple to lose Belle, to lose the love and trust of the towns people, to lose everything as he had once taken from Killian. Killian poked the hook in a little further, jabbing at his brother. ”Leave now. This is your last warning.”

TAG: Liam Jones

nobody said it was easy,

no one ever said it would be this hard.

Losing his heart was something he had not anticipated, so when he felt the hand plunge into his chest and then see the heart that beat inside of it pulled out by his own brother’s hand, well, it hurt. Literally. He grunted slightly and gasped in a sharp breath, feeling the immediate lost, but then it was right back into where it was, but his right hand darted up and pressed against where Killian’s hand had been in his chest, rubbing at it slightly as he looked up at the man who was definitely not his brother. Liam wasn’t supposed to be scared, but he was. He was absolutely terrified over what he was being. He could remove hearts, control people, kill them. This wasn’t swinging a sword and winning a duel anymore, and Liam was frightened over what his brother would now do.

That was rather rhetorical, but he had an answer to that anyways. “Of course not,” he responded, his voice back to being level, his hand curling into a fist, knuckles turning white as he glared daggers at him. “But, I foolishly hoped it would happen overtime.” Liam made an attempt to at least smile sadly, despite everything that had transpired in the last few minutes, but it didn’t work out. His lips pressed into a straight line, just as he just wasn’t ready to hear those words. So yes, he had left, but at least he actually came back. “Father never came back,” Liam started quietly, eyes downcast for a bit, “but I did. I’m right here, aren’t I?” He never wanted to die, didn’t want to ask for his own death wish, but he had been a complete moron back then and made the biggest mistake of his life to which today, he still regretted. And seeing the type of person Killian had turned into, it made him regret even more.

“Revenge is worth nothing.” He was so invested in all of this, he had forgotten everything he truly cared for. The Dark One had warned Liam he was willing to turn on Emma, and would likely turn on his own brother, but he of course hadn’t expected it to be as serious as it was now. So, the Dark One did deserve this pain, though even then, Liam didn’t want to see it happen at the hand of his own brother. The hook was digging further in, but he didn’t care; he winced and pushed himself forward, closer and closer as he looked into Killian’s eyes with hard determination, stubbornness, and of course, the love he had for him despite everything. “No,” he insisted, clenching his jaw when the pain was beginning to get to him more. Sparing himself the physical pain didn’t matter by this point. Be killed by his own brother? Oddly poetic.

tag: @captainhook

He’d actually gone and done it. Killian had sunk so far he didn’t think it was possible to return. He’d actually taken his brother’s heart out of his chest. Of course he never would have tried to control Liam like that…or at least that was what he wanted to tell himself. At this point, who knew what Hook would have done? Who knew what he could do? He’d lost himself, and Liam was entirely at his mercy. Hook could do what he wanted to his poor older brother. He hated himself. He hated himself deeply, but he’d passed the point of no return - there was no saving himself, and now he had to embrace this part of him.

Killian rolled his eyes almost childishly. Liam had expected him to become happier - how on earth could he? He’d lost Liam, he’d lost Milah, he’d lost his hand, and then he’d lost himself to the desperate need for vengeance. How could he have been happier? ”I killed him.” Killian replied. ”Served him right. He tried to replace us. To replace you.” He spat out bitterly. It hard broken his heart. His father had acted as if Liam had never existed and to Killian there was nothing worse. ”I’d rather you weren’t, especially if you’re going to act all sanctimonious and try and prove to me that I need to change mate.” Killian glared.

Hook was blinded by his hatred. Absolutely lost all judgement because of his need for revenge. And he’d gotten it, to some extent. He wanted more, and that was to come - it was all to come. And now Killian just had to sit back and watch with glee. He pressed into Liam’s chest. Still a part of him was not prepared to go any further. He couldn’t kill Liam. He couldn’t do it. This was still his brother, as much as he was bitterly trying to hurt him. He pulled the hook away and shoved at LIam’s shoulders. ”Off of my ship now.” He almost yelled. ”What the hell do you think you’re doing ignoring the captain’s orders? Get away from here.”

TAG: Liam Jones

nobody said it was easy,

no one ever said it would be this hard.

There was no simple solution to this, so of course Liam had gone to further extents in order to do so. Insults, emotional manipulation, all the things he swore he’d never do to hurt his brother, yet here he was, doing so because it was absolutely necessary by this point. “I know you killed him,” Liam mumbled, remembering that he had encountered their father a few times. He wasn’t surprised, though, given that the man had up and left the both of them one night, selling them to servitude. Liam let out a frustrated sigh, shaking his head. Killian was being an absolute pain in the arse, and Liam had to admit, this was getting extremely worse by the second. “Sorry, then?” It wasn’t even an actual apology, he just wanted to say that for no real purpose.

Gritting his teeth, he kept the sounds of pain in, not letting it bother him all that much until Killian pulled the hook out. Liam’s arm darted to the spot on his chest, feeling the blood already begin to seep through a bit, the pain wracking more through his body when his brother shoved him back. Fingers still pressing against the wound, he shook his head just as stubbornly, raising his head, gasping for breaths. “Do you not understand the definition of ‘no,’ younger brother?” It was evident now that he wasn’t able to just kill him, which was a good thing. It meant that Killian Jones was in there, not long gone. It meant that despite the darkness and whatever else was tempting him, he still couldn’t do the things he was planning. For now, the pain in his chest wasn’t all that much, so long as he was putting pressure on and not passing out from any blood loss.

tag: @captainhook

Hook didn’t regret it. Not for one instance. The death of their father had brought him closer to his revenge on Rumplestiltskin and really…it had felt good. He’d deserved it. The jackass had abandoned his children, only to go and start up a new family…and name a son Liam! What sort of man did that? It was unbearable. Liam wasn’t helping any. Killian’s mood was descending, and descending and descending and he was feeling darker and darker. It was hard to describe the black fog that had been covering his heart and drawing him to evil. It was impossible to fight. Emma had done it. But she was good and pure and so much stronger than he was - Killian wasn’t capable of it. He wasn’t capable of it at all. She was the saviour, and he was just…Captain Hook.

Glancing down at his brother’s chest, Killian saw the blood, and a tiny pang went through him. No time for sentiment now, if he couldn’t bring himself to kill Liam, the least he could do was ignore his hurting of him, and get rid of him quickly. Remove him from the ship, and take him out of the equation. He didn’t need his older brother stopping the plans he had set in motion. Killian wanted this, he wanted this darkness, this vengeance and maybe then he’d be at peace. ”You don’t know when to bloody give up, do you?” Killian shoved him again, unable to stop himself. ”You need to learn to listen.” Ironic really, coming from him. ”I suggest you move before you have to be carried off of here.” He spat out darkly, his hook swinging in an arc destined for Liam’s brow bone. ”What are you trying to achieve here?!”

TAG: Liam Jones

nobody said it was easy,

no one ever said it would be this hard.

It was so stupidly obvious that his brother was being a naïve man, but he clearly wasn’t seeing it himself. Liam was just trying to help, and though the helping was resulting in his own physical discomfort, it didn’t matter all that much when the possible outcome would be getting his little brother’s head cleared out and back on track in the direction of the light again. There had to be some light getting in, otherwise he would have been killed, he would have been murdered much like their father had been. If Killian despised Liam so much as much as their father for abandonment, then Liam would have expected himself to be on the floor of the cabin, taking his last breaths and seeing the last of the real world again. But, he wasn’t. He was very much alive and tackling this head-on, stubborn and insistent as ever.

“When did I ever?” he claimed before his shoulders dug back against the railing of the ladder. Liam winced at that, feeling a lot of that pain go back to the hole in his chest which he was still pressing against. Luckily for him, he had space behind his head to duck back so the hook didn’t swipe against his face, but that momentum seemed to still swing against the fabric of his jacket. It was the least of his priorities, but it was a nice jacket. “I...just…” Liam tapered off for a moment, cringing in a little bit of pain as he caught his breath again. “I want you back, Killian. Why don’t you get that? I want to spend time making jokes and teasing you until you frown, to sit down and have a drink. To do brotherly things again.” He coughed. The more he spent his strength, the worse he was getting. “Why can’t you see that?”

tag: @captainhook