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It’s only after he’s fallen asleep, his head pressed against her breast and their limbs tangled together, that she allows herself to relax. She breathes him in, pressing light and fluttering kisses against the crown of his head as she holds him to her. She brushes his hair, her fingers playing with the soft, dark strands, as she reassures herself that this is real, that he’s here to stay.
Her heart aches in her chest as his nose scrunches up in his sleep. He mumbles something unintelligible under his breath, his voice low and brows furrowed as he pauses his babbling. She bites back a smile before soothing the pad of her thumb across the furrow of his brow, and her stomach somersaults as he sighs contentedly before snuggling further into her side.
She kisses his forehead, humming under her breath as his grip around her tightens. Her eyes sweep across their room, stifling a laugh at the mess they had made after they had stripped each other of their soaking wet clothes, after their backs had hit the walls as they drowned each other in kisses before breathing each other back to life, after they had shed a few more tears and whispered a few more sweet nothings and gentle reassurances.
As soon as their backs had hit the bed, however, Killian had passed out. His eyes had fluttered shut and his breathing had evened out as she covered him in warm kisses that he gladly used as a second blanket just as he drifted off into a land filled with the sweetest of dreams.
“Emma,” he murmurs suddenly, and she thinks that he’s on the verge of waking up but he turns to face her, his eyes still closed.
“Yeah, babe?” she questions softly, not wanting to wake him from his half-asleep state. She swallows a laugh as his hand finds hers before he brings it up to his face. He knocks himself in the head with her hand as he puckers his lips to kiss it and he frowns confusedly, and her cheeks hurt from smiling so much after she leans down to press her lips against his lightly. He sighs again, his exhale sweet and happy, as he clings to her like she’s his teddy bear.
“Did y’know that Zeus ships us?”
Emma lets out a snort. “How do you know what shipping means, Killian?”
“Henry - the lad - told me, when we were watching Pirates of the Carry-bean. Is’tha what it’s called?”
“Caribbean,” Emma amends with a smile and a silent giggle.
“Yeah, that! You always know, Swan. Bloody brilliant, you are. Just like with the storybook pages. I knew you would find them.”
Emma’s heart tugs as she brushes a kiss against the apple of his cheek, “I wouldn’t have been able to find it if it wasn’t for you, remember? You found the pages, I’m so proud of you.”
He’s dozing again as soon as Emma looks down at him, and she blinks back relieved and happy tears as she breathes in steadily. The warm, fuzzy feeling inside her chest doesn’t seem to have any plans of diminishing as Killian nuzzles against her chest, his breath kissing her skin hotly.
She wakes to a hand in her hair, kisses against her neck, and the sweetest smile she’s ever seen. Killian brushes his nose against hers once before pressing his smile against her cheek with a kiss, and it’s then that she notices that it’s still dark. Faint rays of early morning sunshine peek through the curtains of the windows, and she stretches beneath him as he noses his way down her neck.
“Killian,” Emma whispers, unable to prevent her heart from stuttering with worry as he kisses the side of her breast. She holds back a groan as he hums questioningly in acknowledgement. “Are you okay?”
He smiles, kissing her in reassurance before bringing his hand to massage at her scalp as he twines his tongue with hers. Her toes curl against the shin of his leg and she chases after his lips after he pulls away, diving back in for another kiss as wraps his arms around her firmly and rolls them over.
Killian swallows her giddy laughter, running his hand and his stub along the sides of her body as she nestles above him.
“You were talking in your sleep,” he informs her, and she smiles at him knowingly as he chuckles against her skin.
“And what was I saying?” she teases, her eyes filled with mirth as she hovers over him.
“My response to what you were saying is exactly why I had to wake you,” he says, and she tilts her head at him curiously. He reaches for her, wrapping his hand around the back of her neck and holding her softly as she melts into his touch. He sits up, allowing her to adjust in his lap as the sheets tangle around their waists. His hand falls from her neck as he glides his touch across her chin before thumbing at the soft upturn of her lips. He presses a kiss against her smile lightly. “I love you, too.”
Emma grins, bringing her lips back to his once before burrowing her face into the crook of his neck. She presses a kiss against his bare shoulder, twining her arms around his torso as he reciprocates her hug quickly.
“Good,” she says lightly, smiling against his skin as he runs his hand up and down her spine. “Because dream me has a lot of plans for us and our future.”
“Yeah?” he laughs as he pulls away to look up at her, his eyes bright and honest despite the ridiculously early hour, and he runs his hand through her hair as she nods.
“Yeah,” Emma murmurs, grinning at him as he cuddles into her. “Our next great adventure.”
Killian hums in contentment, his heartbeat slow and steady under the warm touch of her palm as she leans against him, “I can’t wait.”