“Thank you, Klaus,” Lucy whispered after a while, her voice soft and full of sincerity.
“For what?” Klaus asked, slightly surprised. He tilted his head to look at her, his brow raised in curiosity.
“For… being here,” Lucy replied, her cheeks flushing pink as she glanced up at him. “For making me feel safe. For… everything.”
Klaus’s smile softened. “You don’t have to thank me for that, Lucy. It’s just… I guess it’s what I want to do.”
Lucy smiled. “Well, still, thank you. I’ve never felt like this before… so calm, so…” she trailed off, unsure of how to put her feelings into words.
Klaus chuckled softly, his grip around her tightening just a little. “You’re welcome. Anytime you need it, I’m here.”
“By the way, we should probably prepare and leave. The others might have the wrong idea if we stay in too long” Lucy said with a slight flustered cheeks.
“Oh, I am actually looking forward to that,” Klaus said with a slight grin.
“You…What are you thinking” Lucy asked not even trying to free herself, clearly, she wasn’t resisting anymore.
“Oh you know…this” Klaus gently pulled her head back slightly making Lucy stare right into his golden eyes. Her heart pounded but before she could speak, Klaus closed in and planted a gentle kiss on her lips.
Lucy’s eyes widened as Klaus’s lips touched hers. For a moment, her mind went blank. She wasn’t sure how to react. Her heart pounded so loudly in her chest that it drowned out everything else. She had never expected this—hadn’t even thought it was possible. But as the kiss lingered, soft and gentle, something shifted inside her.
Klaus, ever so calm, held the kiss for just a few seconds longer before pulling back, his golden eyes gleaming with mischief. He watched her carefully, gauging her reaction, wondering if he had gone too far. But Lucy didn’t move, frozen in place, her cheeks burning red.
When she finally spoke, her voice was a soft whisper, “You… you kissed me.”
Klaus chuckled, his grin widening. “I did,” he said matter-of-factly. “And I don’t regret it.”
Lucy blinked, trying to find the words, but nothing came. Her mind was still spinning. She wasn’t upset—surprisingly, she wasn’t angry either. If anything, she felt… confused. But also warm. The memory of his lips still lingered on hers, sending her heart racing all over again.
Klaus gently released her, but his eyes stayed locked on hers. “If that was too much—” he began, but Lucy quickly shook her head.
“No! I mean… no, it wasn’t…” she stammered, her face flushed. She bit her lip, feeling a strange combination of embarrassment and curiosity. “I just… I wasn’t expecting it.”
“Well, I’ve been wanting to do that all night,” Klaus said with a soft smile, his voice warm and teasing.
Lucy gazed at him for a few moments, her heart racing. Then, gathering her courage, she gently lifted her head and pressed her lips against his. It was soft and brief, but it sent a jolt through her entire body.
“Me too,” she whispered, though her voice trembled with nerves. Her cheeks were flushed, but she couldn’t hide the small, nervous smile that played on her lips.
They locked eyes for a moment, the room around them feeling still and quiet. Without speaking, they leaned in again, this time more sure of what they both wanted. Their lips met once more, but this time it was deeper, more meaningful, and filled with a silent understanding between them.
The kiss was slow and gentle at first, growing in intensity as they both became lost in the moment. The sound of their breathing and the soft press of lips against each other filled the quiet room, and nothing else seemed to matter at that moment.
Time seemed to stretch on, the world outside forgotten as they shared this intimate connection. After a while, two people stare back at each other as if they are communicating something.
“Klaus…” Lucy said softly before hurriedly jumping out of bed, grabbing her clothes, and rushing out of the room. Klaus watched her with a grin, amusement dancing in his eyes as the door closed behind her.
“Clearly, she has a lot of thinking to do,” Klaus murmured to himself, falling back onto the bed. A wide smile spread across his face, contentment settling over him as he stared at the ceiling.
–
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–
Meanwhile, Lucy dashed down the hallway, not really knowing where she was headed. Her mind was racing, and her cheeks were still flushed from what had just happened. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she couldn’t help but feel a mix of embarrassment and excitement.
As she hurried around a corner, a door suddenly swung open in front of her. She skidded to a halt just in time, her eyes widening in surprise. Standing before her were Emily, Nia, Asha, Lily, and Anna—all with curious looks on their faces.
Anna was quick to speak. “Sister Lucy, why are you running through the hallway like this?” she asked, a playful smile tugging at her lips.
Lucy froze, her face turning crimson as she struggled to come up with an answer. She glanced at the group, all of them staring at her with raised eyebrows. Anna’s mischievous grin only made Lucy feel more flustered.
“I, uh…” Lucy stammered, searching for an excuse. Her mind was blank, and the heat in her cheeks was impossible to hide.
“Sister Lucy, you should probably get inside before anyone else sees you like this,” Anna added with a smirk, her voice barely containing her laughter.
Lucy, still lost in her embarrassment, hadn’t even realized that she was only half-dressed. She had hastily grabbed her clothes and was holding them against her chest, leaving her completely exposed otherwise. Her eyes widened in horror as she glanced down at herself.
Without another word, Lucy spun around and darted back into the room she had just rushed out of. The door slammed behind her.
The sound of laughter echoed in the hallway as the other girls burst into giggles, amused by Lucy’s frantic escape. Anna wiped a tear from her eye, shaking her head with an amused grin. “Well, that went better than expected.”
Emily chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Maybe too well. Poor Lucy”
–
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–
Back in the room, Klaus was still reeling from the kiss he’d shared with Lucy. The memory of it made his heart race, and he was grinning like a fool when the door suddenly swung open, snapping him out of his daze.
Lucy rushed back inside, her face flushed and her breathing heavy from her frantic escape. Klaus raised an eyebrow, amused by her return. “Well, that was fast. Not even a minute, and you came running back to me,” he teased, smiling at her.
Lucy stood there, her mind still in chaos. In her flustered state, instead of going to her sister or the other ladies, she somehow rushed back into the very room she had just fled from. Now, standing in front of Klaus, her emotions overwhelmed her.
Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes, and she began to cry softly. She looked at Klaus, her voice shaky as she whispered, “What is happening to me?”
Klaus’s smile softened as he quickly got off the bed and moved closer to her. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to reassure her. “Hey, hey, it’s normal,” he said softly, his voice calm and soothing. “Come on, it’s just you and me here. Nothing to worry about.”
Lucy wiped at her tears, feeling embarrassed but unable to stop the flood of emotions. “I’ve never felt this way before,” she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. “I don’t know what’s happening to me. I’m so confused.”
Klaus pulled her into a gentle hug, letting her rest her head against his chest. He stroked her hair lightly, speaking in a calming tone. “It’s okay, Lucy. You’re just feeling something new. It’s scary, I know, but you don’t have to figure it all out at once.”
Lucy held onto him tightly, finding comfort in his embrace. She didn’t know why she was crying, but being with Klaus made her feel a little more at ease. His steady heartbeat under her ear soothed her, and slowly, her tears began to dry.
Klaus pulled back slightly, looking into her eyes. “We can take it slow, alright?” he said with a smile. “You don’t have to rush. We’ll figure things out together.”
Lucy nodded, feeling a bit more composed now. She took a deep breath, her emotions finally settling. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I just… I’ve never been this close to anyone before. It’s overwhelming.”
Klaus chuckled softly. “I understand. But you don’t have to be afraid. I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
After a while, both Klaus and Lucy got dressed and decided to leave the room together. Lucy, feeling a bit more composed but still somewhat embarrassed, stayed close behind Klaus as they made their way down the hallway.
They reached a large sitting area where the others were waiting. The space was filled with soft morning light, and the atmosphere was cheerful and relaxed.
As they entered the room, Anna was the first to notice them. With a mischievous glint in her eye, she greeted them with a teasing smile. “Good morning, lovebirds,” she said, her tone light and playful.
Lucy’s face turned a bright shade of pink as she quickly glanced at Klaus, who simply chuckled at Anna’s remark. He placed a reassuring hand on Lucy’s shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze.
The other girls—Emily, Nia, Asha, and Lily—looked up from their conversations, their faces breaking into amused smiles at the sight of Klaus and Lucy. The playful atmosphere was clear, and it was obvious that the others were enjoying her predicament.
“Did you two have a nice, restful night?” Emily asked, her voice laced with humor as she looked at Lucy and Klaus.
Lucy fidgeted slightly, her cheeks still flushed. “Uh, something like that,” she said, trying to hide her embarrassment. Her eyes wandered around the space, avoiding the amused gazes of her friends.
Nia gave Lucy a warm smile. “I hope you’re feeling better now. You seemed a bit flustered earlier.”
“You five should stop teasing her. Lucy, come here, sit with me” Klaus said pulling Lucy to his side as they settled down.
After a while, Mark, Kay, Kilian, Danny, and Daniel also came. They settled down and began chatting among themselves.
“So what next” Emily asked
