The city was louder than Nathan expected.
Car horns, street chatter, the shuffle of tired feet against cracked sidewalks—it all pressed in on him as he wandered aimlessly. His small frame barely stood out among the crowd, though his platinum hair, streaked with crimson, caught more than a few glances. Golden eyes with faint purple rings shimmered in the setting sun, making him look almost unreal.
For Nathan, it was surreal.
Only yesterday—no, in his last life—he had been lying in a hospital bed, waiting for death. Now he was eight years old, alive, but alone again in a world he knew wasn't just any world.
This was the Once Upon a Time universe.
He knew the landmarks, the timelines, the people destined to become legends. But knowledge alone didn't fill an empty stomach. Or solve the problem of being a child without parents, money, or a plan.
"Figures…" Nathan muttered, sitting on the curb as dusk painted the city in shades of orange and violet. "I get reincarnated, and I'm still broke."
His stomach growled loudly, as if mocking him. He pulled his knees up, watching the shadows stretch longer, doubt gnawing at him. Maybe this wasn't a blessing. Maybe fate had just thrown him into another cruel story.
"…Hey."
The voice startled him.
Nathan looked up. Standing a few feet away was a girl—not quite grown, not quite a child. Sixteen, maybe. Blonde hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, leather jacket two sizes too big, and hazel eyes that looked sharp enough to cut glass yet tired enough to reveal her scars.
Emma Swan.
Nathan froze. His mind screamed the name, but his lips stayed shut.
She tilted her head, studying him. "You okay, kid?"
For a moment, Nathan couldn't breathe. This was her—the girl destined to become the Savior, the one whose choices would one day unravel and rewrite destiny itself. But right now, she was just a teenager with no family, no home, and a heart that still believed—desperately—that somewhere out there, she belonged.
"…You're—" Nathan bit his tongue, shaking his head quickly. "Uh, I'm fine. Just… a little lost."
Emma's gaze softened, almost imperceptibly. She'd been that kid, sitting alone, hungry and unwanted. She didn't trust easily, but something about him—the strange eyes, the fragile strength in his voice—struck a chord.
She sighed, crossing her arms. "City's full of creeps. You shouldn't be sitting around here alone."
Nathan blinked. "…Then what should I do?"
Emma stared at him for a beat, then muttered, "Come on. I'll get you something to eat."
"Eh? W-wait—!"
But Emma didn't wait. She grabbed his hand—warm, firm, insistent—and pulled him along the street. Nathan stared at their joined hands, heart racing.
Only yesterday, he'd been watching her life unfold on a screen. And now… she was here, real, pulling him forward.
"…Crazy," he whispered.
That night, they sat across from each other in a dimly lit diner.
Emma pushed a plate of burger fries toward him. "You look like you haven't eaten in days."
Nathan's stomach answered for him. He devoured the burger eagerly then the fries, barely pausing for breath. Emma raised an eyebrow, smirking faintly.
"Guess I was right."
Nathan swallowed quickly. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it." Emma leaned back, arms crossed like she didn't want to admit she cared. "So, what's your story? Runaway? Orphan?"
The words hit harder than she probably meant them to. Nathan hesitated. He couldn't exactly say 'Oh, I died in another world and now I'm living in your show.'
"…Orphan," he said softly.
Emma's expression flickered. For just a second, Nathan caught the shadow in her eyes—the same word echoing in her soul. She looked away, forcing a smirk.
"Guess that makes us the same, huh?"
Nathan blinked. Emma had been abandoned at birth. She grew up bouncing from one home to another, never wanted, never chosen. Just like him.
The weight in his chest shifted—less lonely, more connected.
"…Yeah," Nathan murmured. "The same."
Later, Emma dropped him off at a shelter.
Nathan stood in the doorway, watching her walk away. Her shoulders were squared like armour, but her steps… they carried a loneliness he knew all too well.
And then—
[Affinity Increased: Emma Swan – Temporary Guardian (Big Sister) Bond Formed.]
The text flickered before his eyes, fading as quickly as it came. His golden eyes widened, breath catching.
"…System," he whispered.
The system never replied, It had stayed quiet since his reincarnation, but this—this meant it was watching. Tracking. Weaving threads.
Nathan clenched his fists.
He'd only known Emma a single night, but he already understood: this bond wasn't random. The universe—his second chance—wasn't giving him coincidences.
As he watched her disappear into the dark, Nathan made a vow.
"Emma… I won't let you face it all alone. Not this time."
He didn't know it yet, but a few months later Emma would meet Neal Cassidy. And destiny—the same one Nathan thought he knew—would begin to tighten its grip.
(Hey guys ill try to be regular with updates, got some chapters saved but need to refine them so they are actually readable haha)