Heart of the Sea

Chapter 33 - Sweet Nothings

The next day Emma sensed something different between the two at breakfast, but she didn't ask, and nobody said anything. Lili seemed nervous, but Killian was all smiles and gentle glances, so nothing out of the ordinary happened. Once Lili'd assured them she'd be fine on her own today and Killian and Emma had sat down in the car, Emma asked.

Killian beamed. "She called me Dad," he murmured.

Lili did her best not to think about it, or why the hell her heart felt lighter than it usually did. She tried not to panic. She did very well. She worked her legs and started some other muscle-building exercises to get back into shape, she made lunch, she drew, and she thought about Fisk. When she noticed a smile creeping onto her lips, the lad on her mind, she shook her head. Killian was enough to think about for now. Fisk was...too much. Not now, not yet. She took a breath and went back over her leg exercises, despite the fact that just about every muscle in her body was already aching. When she could find nothing else to do, she started reading, and soon got lost in the last chapters of The Hobbit.

Killian and Emma found her on the couch, nose stuck in the book. "Hey lass," Killian greeted. He came over and ruffled her hair.

"Mm." She glanced up for a moment. "Hey."

"Makin' dinner?"

"On the stove."

Sure enough, a pot of soup was bubbling on the stove.

"Smells great."

"Mm." Her eyes scanned the page she was on, and she flicked it, lips wrapping around a few words.

Killian watched her for a few seconds before he went into the kitchen and set the table with bowls and spoons.

Emma brought the pot over and called Lili a few times before the young woman finally responded and got up, sitting at her place.

Emma said grace, and the soup was dished out in silence.

Both parents looked at Lili, who seemed to still be wrapped up in her thoughts.

"Lili?" Killian asked after a few more minutes of silence.

"Hm?"

"You alright, love?"

"Yeah, just contemplating life."

"...Alright."

She looked at him fully. "Trying t'figure out what to do with mine, now you're in it. And Fisk..." she shook her head. "Depths I dunno what to do about that lad," she murmured, beginning to nibble at the skin of her knuckles.

"...Will you be staying?" Killian phrased carefully.

She looked up at him, mouth leaving her hand for a moment. "I expect so."

His shoulders sank in relief and he continued to watch her.

"Well, what's there to decide?"

Lili smirked and glanced up at him.

Emma was content to observe the conversation for now.

"Whether I pursue courting him 'r not." Lili laughed. "I barely know what the hell that means."

Killian's brow furrowed. "Whaddayou mean?"

"I mean I've never courted or been courted in my life. Not really. I dunno what's-what's up, an' what's down, hell, I barely know what's going on right now."

Killian's brows pulled together further, and he leaned a little closer as he tried to understand. "What, d'you mean...you don't understand love?"

"Is that what this is?" she asked, tapping her heart. "Cos whatever it was I felt before, when I was young, this is completely different." She shook her head. "I mean it's..I c'n sort of see a similarity, but this is...lighter. It's not as heavy. It-it doesn't hurt. Is it..is it not supposed t'hurt?" She glanced between them, cheeks beginning to redden as she realized she wasn't normal.