Soul Bonded [Claude De Alger Obelia x reader ]

72. Seeing The Real You

The crescent moon shone upon the lake that reflected the distorted image of two silhouette, encapsulated in the world where time had stopped for both of them.

The rustling of leaves,  the whistling of the night breeze blowing fell away as you were captured in the haze of warmth and heat emanating from Claude.

A distant sound of something breaking was heard from deep within you and a feeling of utter freedom washed over you. It was like the burden of the world had slipped off your shoulders and you could finally breath properly.

The chains of past that bound you to your despair and isolation broke one by one and the warmth of another engulfed you.

You breathed out softly when Claude pulled away slightly, cocked his head to a new angle and dipped back to kiss again with more fervour and longing.

The kiss was more than a physical show of affection. Claude wasn't good with words. Nor was he good at showcasing his feelings and emotions. The kiss was his way to make you understand his heart.

Communicating things verbally he couldn't. He wanted you to understand his desperate longing for you, his anguish and despair at losing you, his happiness and gratitude to have you back and finally the love had for you for a long time but was too afraid to show. The feelings he kept running away from, he was ready to accept it wholeheartedly.

The deep, vulnerable feeling of love that he once turned away from, too afraid of being hurt by it, now he wanted to experience it with you. With you, the idea of being utterly vulnerable and exposed with all his scars and darkness bare for you to see didn't seem frightening anymore.

You shivered as you felt every bit of his emotions through the connection of your lips. The vibration of his rapid heartbeats beating in sync with yours under your clenched fist solidified the unbreakable connection and bond you had with him, no matter how many times you tried to break away from it.

Without warning tears welled in your eyes and cascaded down your cheeks.

Claude winced in surprise when he felt warm liquid trickling down your cheeks and onto his hand. Pulling back slightly Claude stilled, squinting at the sight of tears in your eyes he starting to hate so much.

Did he do something wrong? Was he too forceful? Rough? He knew he shouldn't have let the exhilaration and eagerness of finally being able to kiss you, taste you, feel you take control of him. He should have kept his feelings in check. Now he gone and hurt you--

"I love you too."

Claude's thought came to a screeching halt. His mind drew a complete blank as he merely stared at you with his eyes filled with shock.

More sorrow, guilt ridden tears filled your eyes and trickled down your cheeks. Your swollen lips quivered as you cried, "All this time I denied it. I rejected it. Because I was afraid..afraid I'd get hurt again." You let out a small sob. "And I'm s-sorry... because of it I hurt you too..."

Claude could hardly process anything. His mind was selfishly stuck on the fact you loved him. He was so sure he had to work hard to have his feelings reciprocated, to win over your heart. And yet here you were saying you loved him and were hiding it, just as the same reason as him.

Claude's heart jumped as the words slowly and finally sank in. You loved him. You loved him. It wasn't his delusion. Nor was it a mere fragment of dream manifestation of his hope and longing.

You love him.

Claude's lips curled up in a small smile. Though the smile was barely there, barely visible, his whole face was lit up with genuine happiness. Completely oblivious of it, he stared at you, the small smile still tugged at his lips and fought against the rising impulse to kiss you till the only thing you remembered would be him and the godawful tears would stop spilling out of your eyes.