Squid Pro Quo part thirty-three
Banner by @hollyethecurious
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Granny tutted as she stitched up Killian's rear for the second time that day. "If I didn't know any better, Captain, I'd think you were flirting with me."
Killian winced at a particularly hard jab of the needle. "How else am I going to tempt bearclaws out of you, Lady Lucas?" he was trying to sound flirtatious, but Emma could hear the strain in his voice.
"Hmph. You don't even eat sweets," Granny grumbled.
"Aye, but I wouldn't say no to free calamar-EEE!" he yelped, when Granny yanked harder than necessary.
"There. I suggest offering other parts of yourself as a target next time, or it'll be months before you'll be able to sit again."
"Yes, Ma'am." Killian saluted.
He stood, wincing. Emma went to him and carefully embraced him. "You could have been killed," she said.
"At least as a squid, I have no bones to break," he joked. Emma glowered. He sighed. "I tried to ink, Love, but nothing happened. I was bloody TERRIFIED, and still nothing."
Regina cleared her throat, and they both jumped. Emma hadn't heard her enter the office. "Thanks for getting the necklace, Hook. I'll contact the Agrabah palace and let them know what's going on, then I predict a long night in my workshop with these." She had the goose's necklace as well, which Emma had heard Regina had wrestled the goose for. Emma had gone to see the goose for herself, and now she had a new respect for Regina.
Before leaving, Killian reluctantly handed the cloak off to Ruby, who was stuck in wolf form until Emma draped it over her shoulders. Emma called up Killian's water ball before he could fall to the floor.
Emma deputized Ruby, who was staying at the station with Granny to watch their menagerie. They'd need all the help they could get, and another lycanthrope immune to what was happening would be an asset.
Since Emma had transported them there, David drove them home, stopping first at the farm to pick up Hope.
Killian and Jones rode in the back of the pickup, Jones sticking his muzzle over the side like a dog.
Emma had just enough energy to order a dozen pizzas for the starving lycanthropes, then collapsed on the couch, Hope in her arms. The cooking show she left on droned on in the background, ignored, as she cooed to Hope. Killian held out his tentacles hopefully, and Emma shifted her daughter into the cradle he'd made of them.
It was a quiet evening, the only sounds being Hope's excited babbling and the tearing of cardboard as Jones ripped apart a pizza box in an effort to get at the food. Killian noticed his difficulty and proceeded to open all of the boxes.
Emma slept on the couch, Hope asleep in her arms, until Killian's soft voice woke her. Emma checked the time 2 am, roughly the same time he'd reverted the previous night.
They went up to bed, and fell asleep in each other's arms. Emma thought she'd be dead to the world until morning, but she woke up some hours later, unable to move.
"Killian? Killian!"
Her husband jerked awake. "Love, what's wrong?" He fumbled for the light on the nightstand.
"I can't move!" The light clicked on, and they both stared at the black fluid that streaked the bed.
"Killian...did you INK?"
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And that's the end of chapter four. Next chapter, we find out who's behind this, and there will be a cliffhanger many of you will hate me for. I can't wait.