Killian wasn't sure what time it was, but it was still pitch black outside, the lack of a sunrise telling him it wasn't quite early morning yet. There were no clocks in the apartment, and the digital light on the electronic appliances all read different times. He was sitting on the sofa alone and in silence, hugging one of the cream cushions Emma had picked out at the store.
It had been a month since they had moved in together and even though she didn't have a lot of possessions, there were still a couple of boxes stacked at the front door where they had left them after returning home from New York (it was a long trip consisting of pent-up feelings they couldn't fully express when Henry had tagged along with them to get all their belongings).
Henry had his own room, decorated to his exact specification (a blue colour scheme with a nautical theme, Killian swore he had nothing to do with it when Emma raised an eyebrow) but he divided him time between Emma and Regina, and was currently spending the night at the latter's house.
Killian and Emma had a wonderful night alone in the apartment, cuddling on the sofa watching one of her 'chick flicks' and eating popcorn. There was a time when his only idea of intimacy with a woman was sex, but the nights they spent together had introduced him to a different way of thinking. Emma would lace their fingers together or rest her head on his shoulder absent-mindedly, making sweet little noises of content as she got comfortable.
Sitting next to her was sometimes torture for him, the way her scent invaded his nose and made him giddy with desire. Emma was anything but distant now they were officially in a relationship, and it almost sometimes overwhelmed him. She would brush their fingers together or place her hands on his chest, kiss his lips and cheeks and neck or nudge their noses together. She was affectionate in a way no one in his multiple lifetimes had been, and it made him emotional.
He sat in the darkness of the living room hugging the cushion, suppressing the sudden urge to cry. Emma had buried her head against his body as they lay in bed, but as soon as she drifted off she had rolled over into her own space. He however lay in silence, wide awake and over thinking. Not wanting to disturb her, he quietly crept out of bed and entered the living room. He wasn't sad, which was strangely the reason he felt so emotional. He didn't do things like this; he didn't sleep next to the woman he loved, not for many, many years anyway. He had forgotten what it felt like, to be in a relationship, to experience affection.
'Killian?' A sleepy voice from behind him called out, and his eyes widened as he tried to see Emma in the darkness. She shuffled over to him on the sofa, sitting beside him and blinking slowly. 'Is everything okay?' She whispered, her hand resting on his arm, another gesture of affection that seemed so casual now but still made his stomach flip.
'Aye, love, I'm just not used to this.' He whispered back, placing his good hand over hers. He could barely make her out in the dark but he knew she was frowning in response. 'I haven't been in a relationship for a very long time, and I had forgotten what it was like.' He felt like he had to stay quiet, like he would disturb the peace of the night with his pointless woes.
'What do you mean?' She responded, and he winced at the hint of doubt in her voice that told him she thought it was her fault.
''Swan, I don't mean it in a bad way, in fact it's the complete opposite. I'd forgotten what it was like to embrace, to hold hands and kiss so freely. I wanted to be with you so much that I hadn't thought about actually being with you, I suppose.' Emma slipped her hand into his, running her thumb over his skin softly.
'Is it too much?' Emma asked, and her small voice made his heart ache as he placed his hand firmly on her shoulder.
'No, no, Emma, Gods, it's not that at all. What I'm saying is that I want this so much, and I'm just shocked that this is actually happening.' The dim moonlight illuminated her face and he could see the concentration in her eyes as she thought over his words.
'When we were up on the beanstalk together and you said that love had been all too rare in my life, were you speaking from experience?' She whispered so quietly he leaned closer to her.
'Aye, I suppose I was. My father left when I was young, my mother died soon after and my brother was more like a guardian than a friend. I was lonely growing up, and maybe even most of my adult life too. It's one of the reasons I spent so long avenging Milah's death. She was my lover, but also my friend and my family. Then she died and I had no one. When you've lived as long as I have, loneliness becomes second nature.' He felt that cold sensation of discussing something unpleasant from the past and shivered, causing Emma to wrap her arms around him and curl into him. He melted into her, the warmth of her body comforting him quickly.
'We both may have screwed up pasts, but it's what makes us love so fiercely when we do have someone, and now we have each other.' Emma said against his chest. Killian felt a sob rising in his throat and couldn't speak, choosing to respond by kissing her temple and hugging her closer. Both of their eyes began to sting from tiredness, and they somehow slid down the sofa together, Emma pulling the blanket down over them before falling asleep on his chest. He fell asleep soon after, the sound of her rhythmic breathing and the feel of her heart beating against his the sweetest lullaby he had ever known.
Since their midnight talk a few nights ago, Killian had noticed a change in Emma. They had shared gentle affections for a few weeks now, but she seemed to always make an effort to touch him more, to play with his hair and kiss different parts of him. He knew why she was doing it, and it warmed his heart.
'You're so cute when you yawn.' Emma said in a tired but amused voice as she stretched out on the sofa, her legs dangling over his lap. He smiled at her compliment, his hand caressing her legs as they sleepily lay on the sofa, the crackling fire making them drowsy.
'Well you're adorable when you rub your eyes when you're tired.' He chuckled back. They stared at each other in silence, both equally amazed at the affection in one another's eyes.
'I love you.' Emma whispered, her lips tugging up into a smile. Killian lifted his eyebrow in genuine surprise before darting his tongue out across his bottom lip as he grinned.
'I love you too, Emma.' He said as he pulled her closer so that she sat on his lap. They were a tangle of limbs but neither cared as they stared into each other's eyes.
'I kept my promise.' He blurted out, immediately wondering why it had even entered his mind when that bittersweet exchange between them had happened over a year ago.
'I never doubted you.' Emma replied, knowing exactly what he was talking about. Hook raised his eyebrows and she must have read the gesture as surprise.
'I knew you weren't lying to me; you wouldn't.' He wanted to comb his hand through her hair, touch the soft skin of her arms, caress her cheek, and feel the warmth of her body against his.
'Except for that time you called me out for lying about that year?' He challenged with a smirk, and he chuckled when she threw the cushion at him.
'Captain Hook trying to be a smartass, hilarious.' She rolled her eyes but he saw the affection she had said his moniker with. She giggled and the sound made his stomach dance. He played with the beads on the cushion, smiling at the fact that it smelled like her.
'I meant that you wouldn't lie to me about how you felt. When we said goodbye, we both thought that we would never see each other again, so it could have been so easy for you to promise that and not mean it.' Killian looked up then, his eyes soft with affection.
'I've always known how you felt about me, it was just me being difficult I guess.' Emma shrugged and looked away as if embarrassed by the sudden focus on herself, but Killian lifted her chin up gently.
'You were never difficult. Stubborn perhaps, but never difficult. I would have waited until I took my last breath for you, Emma.' He kissed her forehead and pulled her towards his chest, sighing at the way her arms wrapped around him with such need.
They sat in silence, both entranced by the flickering flames of the fire. Even as Killian watched them his mind was somewhere else, until they began jumping higher and crackling, sparks flying out and the embers fading as they landed on the rug beside the fireplace.
'Swan, you're doing it again.' He laughed, rubbing her back and kissing the top of her head.
'I know, but it's hard to control my magic when I'm with you.' She replied sheepishly, and Killian ran his tongue across his bottom lip.
'I'm just glad you didn't say that to your father when you were trying to explain the power cut the other night.' He whispered in her ear, and she groaned, eliciting another deep laugh from Killian. 'I happen to like that sparky magic of yours, it let's a guy know he's doing it right.' The smugness in his voice was obvious, and Emma gave him a disapproving glare before rolling her eyes and returning his grin.
'Well maybe next time we face a Big Bad we should prepare the night before so my magic is more powerful.' Emma suggested as his hand was running down her arm and she tried hard not to gasp at the surprisingly sensual touch.
'Hmm, maybe we could practice for such an event now.' He purred, his accent becoming stronger with every word.
Emma responded by pulling him towards her and tugging on his bottom lip before kissing him, his muffled little moan spurring her on.
'Aye, Captain.' She whispered against his lips, the fire sparking up again as her magic sensed her anticipation.
The next day Emma was rather flustered when she had to explain to the entire town why their electricity had gone off.
Killian snickered behind her, firing out innuendos like they were as natural as taking a breath ('Oh, don't worry Granny, I did find at least one thing that was turned on last night'.)
And when the next 'Big Bad' crashed the meeting in the town hall that day (he wasn't exactly subtle with his sweeping black cloak and flaming blue hair) Emma was confident that her magic was strong enough to ward off the God of the Underworld, who just happened to be trying to maintain the balance by taking the soul of her 'death cheating' boyfriend.
There was never a quiet day in Storybrooke.
A/N: It took me a while to write this epilogue but I wanted to complete this story before I move country on Friday :)
And yes I was completely unoriginal and described Disney's version of Hades but I just really want that character on the show. I may even write the sequel story with Hades if I can :)
I've loved writing this a lot and thanks again to everyone who has read, followed, reviewed etc, I appreciate it so much!