A/N Have I mentioned how much I love you guys? Seriously, I don't think you guys comprehend how utterly perfect it is when I read your reviews and see the follows and favourites increasing. I legitimately enjoy reading what you guys have to say, how you're feeling about the story, what your reactions are. I FRIGGEN LOVE THIS SHIP!

Anyway, moving on, you guys should like this chapter. More Domestic!Hook, some feels and possibly a kiss.

Chapter 32: Fool You

"What are you doing?" Emma asked, trying to restrain a laugh that desperately wanted to escape her lips. Currently the pirate was attempting to make pancakes and had idiotically filled the entire pan with the mixture. He turned to Emma and smiled half-heartedly.

"I'm attempting domesticity, it doesn't seem to be working," he said and stepped back, allowing her to clean up his mess. She smiled slightly but quickly returned to the apathetic persona that she had become since the events with Talice. Henry was at school, having been ushered off by the saviour only minutes ago.

"So, since breakfast was a failure, what shall we do to pass the time?" he asked suggestively, leaning on the bench as he wiggled his eyebrows. She gave him a wry look and put the dirty pan in the sink, leaving it there and moving around so she wasn't so close to the pirate.

"You're like a bored four-year-old," she commented, idly cleaning the kitchen table. It was a habit of hers to clean when she was nervous and out of things to do. And the man living with her had been quick to pick up on it.

"Maybe I want to play with you," he replied, pouting at his swan.

"Why don't you go play with yourself?"

Silence met her retort and her hands found her face in embarrassment as she realised the implication. Killian chuckled and walked over to her, waiting for her to look at him again.

"I didn't mean it like that and you know it," she said satirically, looking determinedly into his serene blue eyes. They twinkled with delight at this back-and-forth banter. She had been desolate since the day she killed Talice and while she would never admit it, she quite liked the familiarity of this exchange.

"Oh but do I, love? Do I know?" He smirked down at her and she realised their closeness. It alarmed her because she still didn't feel like she was ready to move on from what she'd done. Every time she felt remotely brighter, a dark voice within her reminded her of what she'd done and the positive emotions were put out like a small flame.

Silence cascaded down upon them and Killian too seemed to notice how close they were standing. He leaned forward a tiny bit, watching her closely. Their breathing was mingled and his eyes flitted between her eyes and lips. They were only half an inch away from meeting when she abruptly turned, the vanilla scent of her hair the only thing reminding him of her previous closeness.

She walked to Henry's bedroom, apparently deciding that his bed needed to be remade. Killian didn't follow her, sure that she would come around eventually. She just needed time. Instead of waiting around for something interesting, the pirate walked over to sit on the couch where his makeshift bed was organised. He tried to remember how to work the image box and played unsuccessfully with one of the black rectangular prisms.

It didn't work so he moved on to the other of the two 'remotes' as Henry called them.

8888

The next morning, Killian awoke early and tried to fix himself breakfast. Knowing he wouldn't be able to cook something hot – he had not yet mastered the dreaded stove – he pulled out a bowl from one of the cupboards and some milk and cereal. He was munching on the curious and yet delicious mix when he heard small footfalls behind him.

Killian turned his head slightly so he could see the boy with his peripheral vision. He wondered if the young lad minded that his houseguest chose only to wear black track pants as pyjamas, bare from the waist up.

"Hey – Killian," Henry said, yawning in between the words. The pirate smiled at the grogginess of the boy.

"Why in Blackbeard's name are you up?" he replied, setting down the spoon and turning to the boy.

"Woke up earlier and couldn't get back to sleep. What about you?"

"Same."

They were silent for a moment before the kid moved around to start organising his own form of breakfast. The pirate watched as the small boy made himself some cereal in the same way Killian had a little while ago. Henry took his bowl and sat next to him at the bench top.

"When do you think my Mom will get back to normal?" Henry asked, his tone slightly dismal. His companion frowned, both a reaction to the boy's tone and an expression to show he was thinking. Her son was taking her disillusionment the hardest; Killian was more optimistic because he had faith that she would come around, but Henry hadn't experienced enough of life to know this. The boy had faith in his mother; he just didn't have enough strength to maintain it as long as it was needed.

"I think she needs time and… I think we need to give her that time." His words were precise and exact but delivered with the warmth that the kid sorely needed.

"But she's not getting better. I thought she might because when we had pizza the other day she was sort of her old self but now she… she's so…" his words drifted off, unable to find the right description.

"Have faith, Henry. She'll be okay, I promise."

The silence came once again and the pirate decided to break it this time.

"Have you spoken to your father lately?" Killian asked indifferently.

Henry took a moment to answer, spooning the contents of the bowl in front of him. He shook his head and shrugged.

"No, I haven't seen him. To be honest I don't really want to… I don't like him, Killian. Is that awful of me?" The boy felt guilty for not feeling the same affection for his birthfather as he did his birthmother. The pirate beside him shook his head and patted his companion on the back lightly.

"It's alright, mate. You don't have to like him, I didn't like my old man." The mention of his past startled Henry slightly; he had never imagined this man as anything other than a pirate. But it was illogical to think he had just fallen from the sky as a swashbuckler. Struck by curiosity, Emma's son changed the subject.

"What were you like before you became a pirate?" he suddenly asked and Killian nearly choked on the cereal he was eating. Hitting his chest with his fist, he set his hooked arm on the bench and turned to Henry.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Well you weren't born a pirate… were you?"

The man stood up, taking his bowl and putting it in the sink before answering. "No, no I wasn't born a pirate… I was actually afraid of the sea when I was younger. I had nightmares," he said. A door creaked behind Henry and Killian looked up, searching for blonde hair in the early morning. The white door leading to her room was slightly ajar but no one came out. He shrugged and listened at the bewilderment in the young boy's voice.

"What? How could you have been afraid of the sea? Why would you become a pirate if you were afraid of the sea?" he asked, leaning forward in anticipation for the captain's answer.

"Well, you see lad, sometimes we're drawn to the things that we are afraid of," Killian said, glancing at Emma's room. Henry noticed this and turned around to check his mom wasn't up; no one entered so he turned back to where the pirate was washing his hand and hook.

"So what were you like as a kid?"

He laughed at the memories of running through the streets, causing mischief with his friends, stealing from the bulbous looking butcher, winking at the fine ladies. He looked at the lad in front of him and chuckled again, the traits he had possessed seemed to show in Emma's kid as well.

"I was a lot like you, to be honest. Candid, mischievous, determined… but I didn't have your compassion. And I also didn't have a mother like yours," he said, off-handily complimenting the saviour. Henry grinned at the idea that he bore resemblance to his mentor as well as the compliment he had been dealt.

"Thanks Killian," the young boy replied. He looked at the clock and realised something, "I need to get ready. Me and Grace are hanging out today." The blush that crept over his round cheeks made the pirate opposite him smirk. Ah, young infatuation.

Henry bounded from the room, up the stairs to where his bedroom was. It was only when his door was closed that she entered the room. The white door opened, hesitantly at first.

"Morning Swan," Killian said brightly, standing a little straighter. Her eyes dropped to his uncovered chest, momentarily distracted by the seemingly perfect muscle of his abdomen. He smirked and raised his eyebrows, but watched in disappointment as she shook her head and looked at the ground. The closed off woman of the past few days returning.

"Is Henry up?" she asked lightly, walking towards the kitchen. Emma's tone was too light though and he picked up on it immediately.

"You already know he is," Killian replied and watched her intently as she came around the bench top and started fiddling around for a bowl. When there was no reply, he decided to break the silence himself.

"I believe we've already talked about how it's rude to eavesdrop," he said, closing in on her, "and if I recall, when we had that conversation I was naked so you should definitely remember it." She was facing away from him, leaning up to grab cereal off a shelf. The pirate moved up behind her, grabbed the box himself and set it down next to her bowl. She looked down at it, refusing to turn around and face him – especially with this close proximity.

"Why were you playing my advocate?" Emma asked indifferently. He rolled his eyes and bent his head down to talk directly in her ear.

"Because you deserve one," he said. She scoffed and started pouring the cereal into her bowl, trying to ignore the warmth of his bare chest against her back.

"You forget what I did…" the blonde replied, sitting the cereal box up again.

"No, but it doesn't make you an awful person Emma. You're still a good person," the pirate replied meaningfully. His breath tickled the shell of her ear and she closed her eyes, absorbing the feeling of him so close to her.

"Just because you believe that, doesn't mean it's true," she said. He shook his head, biting his lip in irritation.

"Have you forgotten that I'm a pirate, that I may have done some less than honourable things in my life?" he whispered harshly. She turned around, momentarily forgetting how close he was.

"But you are a good man, Killian. Even if you try to hide behind that smug mask I know at the end of the day you're a good person. You can't fool me," the saviour said, clenching her jaw and staring into his eyes. The notion that she believed in him made something bright and unidentifiable swell up in his chest.

He bent his head slightly, wondering if it was too soon to enact any sort of physical interaction. He'd never been hesitant with women before, but this one was an exception. This one was the exception. Noticing his movement, Emma subconsciously tilted her chin up. Their lips met and for a perfect moment the world was silent. There was no inner angst or demons, just the two of them. Killian moved his hand to tangle in her hair and the kiss deepened. She pulled her hands up from where they had been resting at her side and placed them on either side of his face. Their lips moved roughly together, a hungry and bestial exchange. He shuffled slightly closer, desperately aware of how much he missed being this close to her. It was as though she'd completely forgotten her reserves, her wrongdoings, her reasons for distancing herself from him. It was perfect.

But perfect moments never last and the sound of Henry coming down the stairs snapped them both to attention. The blonde swiftly removed herself from Killian, leaving him silently cursing the knack the Charming family had for interruptions.

The young boy entered the room; backpack slung on his shoulder, and went straight to his mother.

"Morning Mom, I thought I heard your voice," he said happily as he embraced her. She returned the gesture but wasn't as warm with her tone.

"Yeah, I just got up a little while ago. Do you want me to walk you to the bus stop?" Emma asked, attempting lightness. Henry shook his head amusedly, walking to the kitchen to gather himself a packet of chips and soda.

"It's the weekend, Mom. I'm going to Grace's house today," he said and his mother shook her head as if to clear her mind. When she looked up she smiled tightly.

"Well, have fun. Don't get into trouble and say 'hi' to Jefferson for me," she said. Henry practically bounced over to the door, waving at the pirate and the saviour before departing. When the door closed, Killian immediately walked purposefully over to Emma and resumed their conversation.

"How can you think yourself lost yet still have faith in my soul?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. She looked away, to the side, to avoid his gaze.

"Because you've never taken someone's heart," she replied, her voice small. The man pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

"Love, don't you think that I might have done worse things? I have a hook for a hand!" Killian said, lifting his appendage as if to remind her. She glanced at it before trying to pass by him. He side-stepped to block her path and she ran straight into his chest before stepping back.

"Killian, just leave me alone." Her words were cold, indifferent and yet screamed for help.

He had to remind himself of his earlier promise to allow her time. Biting his tongue on all the things he wanted to say to her, the pirate stepped aside to let her pass. She walked briskly towards the bathroom where, as soon as the door closed, she leaned against it and let her breathing pick up. As she stared into the mirror, scrutinising the reflection, she put her head in her hands. She didn't cry, simply choosing to sink to the floor and sit motionless. She could hear him in the kitchen, pacing as he tried to decide what to do. So far, Killian was the only one not pushing her to move on and she didn't know if she was grateful or resentful of that fact. Perhaps a little voice said, perhaps he doesn't want to push you over the edge. Perhaps he's letting you come around. Perhaps he'll never push you. Perhaps you'll stay disillusioned forever.

Oh noes. Emma's sad – can Killian get through to her? I'm nearly finished Chapter 33: The Tide and I'm pretty damn sure you guys are going to love it.

P.S. I was wondering, do any of you guys know how to do manips (like the ones on tumblr)? I kind of want to see what you guys could do with one of the scenes from this fanfic – let me know if you make one or have previously made one!