Heart of the Sea

Chapter 12 - Drawing the Heart

(dessert dumpling from culinaryone.com)

Lili woke with only a slight ache in her head, which was considerably better than some mornings she remembered. And she'd slept through the night. No dreams. She smiled sleepily. This was a good start. She stretched her arms out, flexing her legs a little before a contented sigh eased out of her lungs and she snuggled a little further into her pillow, perfectly content to stay there for a while more. She heard the clatter of breakfast and quiet conversation, and a few knocks sounded on the door before Killian came in. He couldn't help smiling at the look on Lili's face. Eyes still hooded, tipped lips barely visible over the blanket, wild curls everywhere. "Get some good sleep, lass?"

She hummed happily. "Most definitely."

His smile twitched a little wider. "Good; I'm glad."

A chair scraped on the wooden floor, and Emma stepped over to Killian, her hands finding his and his hook. "Good morning Killian."

Lili watched as his eyes and smile softened, and he gazed at her as though she was the entire universe, like it was just the two of them there. "Good morning, love," he murmured, and Emma pressed a kiss to his lips.

He was most certainly in love. He was most certainly not faking his happiness. He was most certainly different.

(A long hidden and beaten part of her heart longed to be looked at like that by someone, like she was the entire universe.) (She told it to shut up; it was being foolish. Love like that was for men of honor, good men, and she was barely honorable. Certainly not good.) She sighed, her mood diminishing, and she closed her eyes to try and snag a few more minutes of slumber.

Shit. Useless. It was bloody useless. She denied the notion that she'd have to get up for a few more moments before she slipped out from under the quilt with a sigh, folding it neatly, making sure the corners were even before she set it down on the couch, straightening the pillowcase on the pillow before she stacked it on top of the quilt, setting them both beside the couch. She heaved out a breath before reaching her hands high above her head, stretching. She arched back as far as she could, popping her back. She twisted around a bit, popping her spine a few more times. She tilted her head left, right, back, forward, popping her neck. Next came her knuckles, which she pressed into the heels of her palms before letting out another sigh. There. That was better.

Killian's eyebrow was arched a bit, a little concerned. That was quite a lot of pops.

"Oh, like you don't make as much noise when you stretch," she retorted, grabbing a plate.

"Not intentionally."

She snorted. "You cahn't help it, your bones're so old," she muttered under her breath.

"What was that lass?"

"I said yours only pop becos you're always cold."

Killian hid a smile in his coffee mug. "That's certainly it."

Lili ate a few pieces of toast and what eggs were left in the pan as the Charmings headed off.

"Mind if I stay with you today, lass?"

She shook her head. "Not at all."

She returned to the couch, picking up her sketchbook and flipping to one of her latest drawings of Emma. It was better than the last few, and after examining Swan, she made note of what she needed to change before she started drawing on the next page.

"As much as I'd love to stay, I gotta go to work," Emma murmured, giving Killian a soft smile.

"Alright. Have a good day Swan." He got up and walked her to the door, pressing a kiss to her lips in a goodbye. "I love you, lass."