he’ll suck your soul into hell but he draws the line at homophobia ‼️

Lullaby

Summary:  The house is quiet. There’s a good reason for that, however - a very small, still fragile reason who they’re all loath to disturb in any way. ~2.2K. Also on AO3.

A/N: Here’s another little snippet from my rockstar!Emma/bartender!Killian AU. After my last piece in this verse, several people wanted to know if there’d be a follow up with little Wiley. Ask, and you shall receive! Previous installments can be found on tumblr here and here and on AO3 here; I’d definitely recommend you check those out first so you get the background information. Unbeta’d, in the true spirit of the original, and rated G. Title and the lyrics at the beginning and end come from yet another Dixie Chicks song. Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

How long do you want to be loved?

The little house is quiet, which is notable in and of itself. Any place Killian Jones and Emma Swan (Emma Swan-Jones, really, according to the paperwork, if not public memory) is typically notable for the sound reverberating through it, between her music and his penchant for chatter and their shared love for their stereo system. But it’s quiet now, even if it’s only three in the afternoon.

There’s a good reason for that, however - a very small, still fragile reason who they’re all loath to disturb in any way.

Wiley David Jones is a mere eight days old, but he’s already become Killian’s entire world - a sentence that feels entirely melodramatic, and yet is entirely true. Meeting Emma, falling in love with Emma, had felt like a missing piece being found and slotted into his soul - a feeling of contentment and completeness he wouldn’t trade for the world - but holding his son for the first time is a different thing altogether: feelings of pride and fear mixed together with the sense that his world has suddenly been blown wide open and become larger than he could ever have fathomed. It’s awe-inspiring, really, and especially amazing that those feelings can be caused by something so small.

Killian’s been assured that his son is a perfectly normal size multiple times - 6 pounds, 11 ounces and 20 inches at birth - but that doesn’t keep him from thinking that Wiley is unutterably tiny, all his features miniscule and appearing unimaginably delicate. He’s a handsome lad, though Killian may be biased on that front, with soft wisps of dark hair and the cutest little nose. Killian sees a lot of Emma in their boy, in his chin and the shape of his mouth and the way Wiley is always moving when he’s awake (and often when he’s not) - not unhappy, just determined to be in motion, like he’s trying to find where the action is. Emma, bless her, swears the exact opposite, that their boy is clearly taking after his papa (“Just look at those ears, for God sake”). Regardless of which parent little Wiley currently takes after, Killian finds a certain amount of wonder in knowing that as the years pass, their little one will grow into his own person, a mix of the two of them that he’ll make entirely his own.

Technically, Wiley is supposed to be napping. Technically, they both are - sleep when the baby does and all that - and Emma, at least, is wise enough to actually take that advice. But Killian had caught some of the little newborn gurgles coming through the baby monitor as he finished tidying up the kitchen, and the noise had called to him like its own kind of siren song. Creeping into the nursery he and Emma had so carefully set up and decorated with pictures of cartoon zoo animals, he can see the little lad wide awake in his crib, pedalling his arms and legs like he’s attempting to run a race no one can see. And honestly, as long as they’re both awake, what’s the harm of having a little cuddle?

There’s an art to picking up a baby, he’s learned in the last week, a series of careful maneuvers to ensure that one’s infant is safe and secure and supported in one’s arms. But after eight days, it’s starting to become instinctual, all the intricacies of weaseling a hand under Wiley’s little neck and bum before lifting him fully into the air and into his arms, and Killian is confident is will soon become an unconscious motion.

“Hello there, little one,” he coos, and God, when did he become a man who coos? “Are you not sleepy yet?”

It seems ridiculous to Killian that Wiley isn’t tired, considering the very eventful week he’s had. Being born ought to be stressful enough, suddenly facing a wide, wide world with only the comfort of a few familiar voices to know everything will be alright, but he’s had a steady stream of visitors ever since. Liam and Elsa seem to be over at the little house on some excuse or other every day, though they do bring various casseroles and other meals, so that’s ultimately welcomed (even if Killian would like a day with just his wife and son sometime in the near future, thank you very much). There’s been a steady stream of quasi aunts and uncles parading through as well, only increasing the chaos. Ruby had dropped by the hospital, promising the newborn she’d teach him everything his parents forbade (a declaration neither Emma or Killian is particularly surprised by, but will try to remember as Wiley gets older). Robin and Regina brought over flowers and a lasagna the day after everyone got settled in together at home, fussing over the baby in a way that Killian thinks suggests they may try for their own addition in the near future. Belle and Will had generously donated some of their more gender-neutral hand-me-downs to the cause of clothing the little lad, and stopped by both the hospital and the house a few days later to introduce their own little girl to Wiley.

(“We’re going to have our hands full, won’t we?” laughs Will, gently and confidently bouncing the tiny lad in his arms like the more experienced parent he is. He’s probably thinking of one child leading the other into trouble some day and how much of a pain that will prove to be, but Killian is struck with a silly grin at the thought of two dark heads hiding behind the sofa or giggling as they run up and down the length of the bar on an evening one of their parents’ bands play at the Jolly Roger.

They’ll certainly have their hands full, and Killian can’t wait.)

The parade of loved ones isn’t likely to stop anytime soon; Mulan will be in town to talk business at the end of the month, having been sent plenty of photos in the meantime, and Emma’s family is expected at the end of the week, graciously granting the new parents a chance to settle in before they fly over from the States and stage a well-meaning and affectionate invasion. Killian is grateful for all the support; he really is. It’s been heartwarming to witness the collection of people who already love his son. But he’s just as pleased for these small moments to themselves, just him and Emma and Wiley.

In all seriousness, Killian is exhausted, and had planned to join Emma in bed for that nap. But as long as Wiley is awake, it seems criminal not to take advantage of every single moment. His one concession is to lower himself into the nursery’s cushioned rocker with the lad and at least get off his feet for a few minutes. Even better, the rocking might put both of them to sleep.

Not right now, though. Right now, Wiley is reaching up at Killian with tiny fingers from the cradle of his arms, and really, it’s enough to make any man melt.

“Whatever shall we do, my little one?” he questions softly. “You and I will need to pass the time somehow.”

Wiley just stares back at him, jaw dropped open in a little O, that adorable infant expression probably born of lack of muscle control that always looks like he’s in a state of open-mouthed wonder over his papa’s words. Killian would be perfect happy just to trace that expression with gentle fingers all day, revelling in the idea that his boy loves his voice, when he’s struck with an idea. A terribly silly, totally delightful idea.

“You don’t know this yet, little love, but your mama is a bit of a rock star,” he whispers conspiratorily, hauling himself back out of the comfortable chair to cross the room and turn on the sound system that is definitely way too elaborate for a baby’s room. Scrolling through his phone on his way back to seated comfort, he finds the song he’s looking for easily. “And even though she’s a rock star, she loves me very much. She even wrote me a song. Do you want to hear it, my lad? Want to hear Mama sing?”

When Wiley doesn’t openly shriek in protest, Killian presses play, making sure to set the volume almost as low as it will go to protect little ears and not wake Emma up from her well deserved rest. The quiet strains of his song trickle through the nursery speakers - a recording he has of Emma singing it - and he could swear that his little boy perks up a little, hearing his mother’s voice over the sound system.

“Yeah, that’s Mama,” he coos, lifting Wiley to rest on his chest. God, he’ll never get over that newborn smell - baby powder and something new and fresh and pure. “Just think of all the songs she’s going to write you, my sweet boy.”

“Are you really trying to indoctrinate him this early, Jones? I think he’s a bit young to be a fan.”

Looking up at the interruption, he can see Emma in the door, barefooted and hair still tousled from her nap. With a soft smile on her face and an amused twinkle in her eye at her boys’ tableau, she looks beautiful, though she’d probably wave him off if he tried to tell her that.

“I think Wiley will be a fan of yours regardless, darling,” he smiles back. “After all, you’re his mum.”

It never fails to amaze Killian, that his compliments can still make Emma blush after all this time, but there’s a telltale red stain to her cheeks as she moves to take the baby from him and perch on Killian’s lap so that all three are curled in the rocking chair.

“He’ll be a fan of yours too, you know,” Emma tries to argue back in that adorable, stubborn way of hers that Killian loves.

“Well thank you darling, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re easily the more impressive of the two of us. I mean, bartender vs. famous musician? There’s a clear winner there.”

Emma shakes her head insistently, leaning back with the baby in her arms to more fully make eye contact. “Yeah, but you’re Dad. The other stuff isn’t going to matter.”

That thought alone is awe inspiring, and Killian finds himself tearing for the countless time this week. Because she’s right, isn’t she? Just like always. Their little boy isn’t going to particularly care about such trivial matters as their profession and whether or not they can sing or write him a song, as long as he grows up loved beyond all reason. And Wiley will be, as long as Killian has breath.

“Thank you, my love,” he smiles through teary eyes. He lets the moment sit for a bit longer, trading loving gazes with Emma as their son fights sleep between them, little eyelids fluttering to stay open. There’s a comfort to this, emotionally if not physically, holding the two most precious people in his life safe in the circle of his arms. Finally tightening his arms to draw them closer, the moment may have been effectively ended, but he relishes the chance anyways to hold his little family tighter and feel the weight of Emma’s head as it comes to rest on his shoulder.

“In any case,” he continues in a more light-hearted tone, “I wanted to introduce the little lad to one of my favorite bands. Their songwriter has an amazing voice, I’ve heard.”

Emma offers as much of a shove with her shoulder as she can without disturbing the almost-asleep Wiley in response to Killian’s teasing smirk, but her cheeks pink up again, which feels like its own kind of victory. “Shut up,” she mumbles, nestling closer into his body despite the words.

There’s so many things he could say - teasing comments and grand declarations and everything in between. He’s already lost count of the amount of times in the past week he’s thanked Emma for their son - needlessly, she claims, but Killian knows better. But the crux of the matter is this: when life is more perfect than you ever imagined possible, can words possibly express it? Is it even worth the effort of trying?

Maybe; maybe not. Killian decides that in this moment, it just doesn’t matter, and chooses instead to drop a kiss on the crown of her head. “As you wish, love,” he murmurs into the part of her hair, still happy to follow any command she gives him.

The song may finish, and the house may descend back into back into silence once again, but the little family remains cuddled together in the nursery for a while longer, even after Wiley finally falls asleep. After Emma lays the baby back in his crib and wanders back out to the main living space, Killian takes one final moment just to watch his son sleeping peacefully before joining her. It’s funny, the way one’s entire life can change in the course of a week; change infinitely and enormously and for the better.

The house may be quiet, but his heart sounds with joyful trumpets, ushering in years of roaring happiness to come.

Is forever enough? Is forever enough?

You can slow down time by making even the smallest moments into lasting memories using 3 steps Building a reservoir of good memories can increase your happiness and make time seem less like it's speeding by. You can do this by creating moments of elevation — attending things that are sensory, raising the stakes on events, or breaking the script. Celebrate moments of pride — even when you achieve small things. Do things with your friends and family that build connection — but require some sort of struggle, like board games or touch football. Your first kiss. Graduation. Your first job. Your wedding day. Birth of your first child. These are the big memories that we all cherish. But there are other little memories that stick out because they had such a powerful emotional impact on you. Moments that enriched your life, bonded you with others and helped you define who you are. Well, the latter are just "magic" right? Serendipity. Can't engineer that. They just "happen"… *Writer rolls his eyes so hard he gets a migraine.* Yeah, and sometimes they don't . More often than not, one day rolls into the next, one month rolls into the next, you blink your eyes and you're staring down the barrel of another New Year's Day saying: where the heck did the time go? Serendipity can be a bus that never arrives. So why do we leave special moments to chance? And why do we not do more to create those special memories for others — the way we'd like them to make some for us? We get tired. We get lazy. And then boom — suddenly CVS is loaded with Christmas ornaments and it signals the end of another year. No good. If we want great memories we have to make them. But how do you do that? What makes some little moments so powerful? And others the epitome of "meh"? Chip and Dan Heath have a new book that lays out the science you need to know — The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact. Time to learn how to construct more events that will restock your reminiscence reservoir. Boost your nostalgia number. Fill your flashback fund. Let's get to work… 1. Create moments of elevation Parties. Competing in sporting events. Taking off on a spontaneous road trip. What do they have in common? From The Power of Moments: "Moments of elevation are experiences that rise above the routine. They make us feel engaged, joyful, amazed, motivated." If you feel the need to pull out a camera, it's probably a moment of elevation. (Unless you're taking a selfie. In that case, just put it away, you narcissist.) So what is it at the core of a moment of elevation that we can add to any event to make it more special? Remember the 3 S's: sensory, stakes, and script. Boost sensory appeal: This is why concerts, museums and great meals stick in your memory and why sitting on the couch is so forgettable. Engaging the senses more intensely makes moments stand out. Raise the stakes: Competing in a sporting event is more exciting than watching one. In fact, betting on a sporting event makes watching one more entertaining. If there's something to gain or lose, you'll be paying attention. Break the script: Don't do the usual thing. Don't just get coffee or have dinner. Boring. Take your default and flip it on its head. Defy expectations and strategically surprise people. Southwest Airlines broke the script by tweaking their normal flight safety announcement. One of the lines they added was: "If you should get to use the life vest in a real-life situation, the vest is yours to keep." People loved it. In fact, those who heard the new messages actually flew more. And that resulted in an extra $140 million per year for Southwest. Breaking the script produces delightful moments. Strelka/Flickr The Heath brothers write, "The most memorable periods of our lives are when we break the script." Sounds kinda pat and corny — but it's true. Research shows that when older people look back on their lives, a disproportionate number of their big memories happened in a very narrow window: between ages 15 and 30. That's not even 20% of the average lifespan. Is this because our memory is sharper then? Or because young adulthood is a "magic" time? Heck, no… It's because after 30 life can get pretty darn boring. After their third decade has passed, most people don't do anything as novel as falling in love for the first time, leaving home, going to college, or starting their first job. So months and years blur together because nothing new and shiny happens. But neuroscientist David Eagleman says that when you inject novelty into your life, you prevent the blur. Surprise stretches time. So break the script and interrupt the blur with moments of elevation. (To learn more about the science of a successful life, check out my new book here .) So boosting sensory appeal, raising the stakes and breaking the script can turn little moments into big memories. What else has that power? 2. Celebrate moments of pride A graduation party. The ceremony where you received your black belt. Or that special session when the parole board declared you "rehabilitated." You want to commemorate achievements. When you have your skill noticed by others, you can puff your chest out and take a second to feel really good about yourself. And this is not a "nice to have." Research shows we need these. From The Power of Moments: "Carolyn Wiley of Roosevelt University reviewed four similar studies of employee motivation conducted in 1946, 1980, 1986 and 1992. In each of the studies, employees were asked to rank the factors that motivated them. Popular answers included 'interesting work," 'job security,' 'good wages,' and 'feeling of being in on things.' Across the studies, which spanned 46 years, only one factor was cited every time as among the top two motivators: 'full appreciation of work done.'" According to one survey the Heath brothers found, the #1 reason people leave their jobs is "a lack of praise and recognition." So take the time to appreciate what you've accomplished and to let others celebrate with you. Now I know what some people are thinking: But I don't achieve big stuff very often… But you've already made big strides that you never took the time to revel in. Surface the milestones that already exist. How long have you and your BFF been friends? Ever celebrated that? Didn't think so. (No, that does not make you a bad friend. I still like you. You're cool.) The Heath brothers tell the story of one couple that even looked back and actually celebrated fights the two of them had during their first year of marriage. Why? Because they got past them. They overcame the obstacles. That's worth appreciating. Michael Dodge/Getty Images And for extra credit, set goals. Build milestones on the road ahead. Why? Because the more finish lines you set, the more moments of pride you'll be able to celebrate. Not only does that feel good, it will motivate you. George Wu at the University of Chicago looked at the data on how long it took over nine million runners to complete marathons. Most took about 3.5 to 5 hours. But the results weren't evenly distributed. There's this huge spike right before the 4 hour mark. Why? 4 hours is arbitrary, right? Yeah — but it's a nice round number. And for many it is achievable if they push themselves. People saw that "arbitrary" time limit approaching and kicked in the afterburners so they could say, "I finished in under 4 hours." And so many did. Celebrate moments of pride. You don't have to win a Nobel Prize. In fact, celebrating a silly milestone "breaks the script" and may be even more memorable. Set goals so you have more moments of pride to motivate you to achieve and have more things to celebrate in the future. (To learn the seven-step morning ritual that will make you happy all day, click here .) So you've elevating and celebrating milestones. Great. But relationships are what brings us the most happiness. (And ice cream. Ice cream brings happiness, too.) So how do we make memories that deepen our relationships with others? (And may involve ice cream?) 3. Build moments of connection Vacations. Reunions. Holidays. The times that bond us with others where we feel all kinds of warm fuzzies. These are the moments when some of the most powerful memories are formed. What does the research say deepens the connections you feel with others? Struggle. Yeah, struggle . No, I'm not saying you should get in an argument with Uncle Jack again. Anthropologist Dimitris Xygalatas (say that three times fast) found that groups that went through "high-ordeals" bonded far more than those that went through "low-ordeals." Struggling together made people closer. This is why fraternities haze. Why soldiers feel like they are kin. So what the heck does this have to do with relaxing vacations and get-togethers with friends? Less watching movies and more playing board games as teams. Less shopping and more touch football. If it ends with high-fives, you're probably in the ballpark. Mark Guim/Flickr And even better if it's a team activity that is connected to meaning . Yes, that even means helping your friend paint their new kitchen and having beers after. You're helping them turn "that house" into "their home." Even if it sounds like a chore beforehand, we often look back fondly on those times…. especially if your friend paints himself into a corner. (To learn the 4 rituals from neuroscience that will make you happy, click here .) Okay, we've learned a lot. Hopefully it was a memorable moment — but just in case, let's round it all up and learn how to make the most powerful memories of all… Sum up This is how to create happy memories that will last a lifetime: Create moments of elevation : Boost sensory appeal (light some fireworks). Break the script (don't wait for the 4th of July). Raise the stakes (hope you don't get arrested). Celebrate moments of pride : If your first book comes out and someone insists you go someplace special that night, do it . Otherwise you wouldn't have a vivid memory. You wouldn't have photos. All you would have is some random date to remember like in 8th grade history class. Build moments of connection : Struggle. Working together on something, especially something meaningful, bonds us together. So just help Gary move this weekend and stop whining. How do you make the most powerful memories of all? You don't have to use just one of the tips above to improve a moment — you can use them all . Celebrate a friend's "moment of pride" with the "struggle" of a paintball match and "break the script" by also making it a costume party with everyone getting decked out in full military regalia — from the Revolutionary War. Now that's memorable. And insane. But insane is memorable. And not boring. You now know how to make great memories that can last you the rest of your life. You can make them for friends as well — even better, share them with friends… But usually we don't. We do the hum-drum and the days blur together. Life becomes stale and boring and we die a little inside. But you don't have to. Break the script. Don't let the script break you. Join over 320,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email here . NOW WATCH: Here's what those white marks on your nails say about your health November 16, 2017 at 03:35AM