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The next morning, Klaus had woken up before Belle. Her hair was draped partially over her face, which Klaus softly swept behind her ear. He took in every feature he saw, admiring every flaw and perfection. It was a moment he so desperately wanted to soak up. The love of his life lay before him, despite her bed-head and squished face against the pillow, he believed she was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid his eyes on. Taking this chance, he brought his hand up to her face, stroking her soft skin with his fingertips. He grazed her light freckles that were just barely visible to the human eye. He rose his hand above her eyebrow, reminiscing that time she fell and cut herself in their human lives, a scar left in its place as a memory. Her eyelashes waved over her cheek as her eyes fluttered, finally waking up. Klaus kept his hand on her face, just to where he could stroke her jawline with his thumb, not even trying to fight the happy grin that graced his face as he watched her.
When Belle opened her eyes, she couldn't help but smile at the sight before her. Klaus was laying there with that grin on his face and his hair a mess. She could truly get used to this sight. He held something in his eyes that she had never noticed before. Adoration? Love? She couldn't quite place it but she hoped he never stopped looking at her like that. She practically melted in his hand as she scoot closer to him, her own hand coming up to fiddle with the buttons of his shirt.
"Good morning," Belle broke the silence with a whisper, a slight rasp in her voice from just waking up.
"Morning," Klaus whispered back. He gave her a slow kiss that was filled with so much emotion, Belle didn't want him to stop. But he did, pulling back slowing as if he felt the same as she did, taking a moment before he opened his eyes again. He wished that every time he kissed her would feel like this. Even after another thousand years, he wanted his heart to race and for goosebumps to riddle his skin like they did now. "As much as I'd love to stay in bed with you all day, we both know we can't, so I'm going to shower, love."
"Wait!" Belle called, taking Klaus' hand in hers just before he got out of bed. Klaus stopped immediately, turning to look back at her. She patted the spot next to her, beckoning him back into the position they woke up in. Klaus couldn't keep the loving smile off his face as he laid back down, resting his hand on her cheek, closing his eyes slightly when Belle ran her fingers through his hair.
"What is it, love?" Klaus asked softly, his thumb running over her cheeks, not missing the warmth that flooded through them as she blushed.
Nervously, Belle bit her lip, her hand moving to the side of his neck, running her nails softly over the stubble on his chin. "I want you to be fully aware of what's going on here," Belle told him, shyly looking into his eyes. Klaus looked at her patiently and lovingly, waiting for her to continue. "I'm in love with you, Niklaus," she started, her words inaudible if it weren't for his supernatural hearing. "I have been in love with you for a very long time."
