Sempiternal || Daerin

5

Without a second thought, Haerin leaned in and kissed Danielle on the lips. She kissed her gently and passionately, pouring all the love she had kept a secret for many years into their first kiss.

Danielle reciprocated Haerin's kiss with the same intensity. She could almost feel her tears welling up just from the way Haerin was kissing her. It was full of love and gentleness.

She didn't know how much she wanted to feel Haerin this close until now.

She pulled Haerin closer, deepening the kiss. She wanted to have her closer, but it was physically impossible already.

Both of them coming into a realization of just how much they wanted each other. So they continued kissing until Haerin became worried if Danielle could still breathe.

She gently sucked Danielle's lip and gave it a peck for the last time before gently pulling away.

She couldn't help the gentle laughter that escaped her mouth when Danielle tried following her lips, not wanting to end the kiss just yet.

Haerin held her gently. She rested their foreheads together, letting Danielle catch her breath. Also, she could feel that now was the perfect time to confess. She felt like she could not just kiss Danielle without telling her what she really felt.

She sighed. "I have something to tell you, Dani," she said.

She quickly kissed the tip of Danielle's nose first before sitting up. She prepared herself mentally. She let out a shaky breath before looking Danielle in the eyes.

Danielle also sat up, waiting for Haerin. "I... Dani... well..." She stuttered. She slightly slapped herself for not forming proper words.

"Hey!" Danielle scolded her as she held both of Haerin's hands and glared at her for hurting herself.

"Sorry," Haerin quickly apologized, feeling stupid. "Okay, here goes nothing."

Haerin took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest. "I've wanted to tell you this for a long time. It's been eating me up inside, and I can't keep it to myself anymore."

Danielle's eyes softened, and she squeezed Haerin's hands gently, encouraging her to continue.

She knows where this might be going. She can feel it. But she doesn't want to assume anything.

"I've been in love with you for years," Haerin confessed, her voice trembling.

"Ever since we became friends, I've felt this strong connection with you. At first, I tried to ignore it, thinking it was just admiration or friendship. But as time went on, I realized it was so much more."

Danielle's eyes stayed staring on Haerin, and Haerin could see a mix of emotions flickering across her face.

"I wanted to tell you this so long ago, but I was scared. More scared, actually, than when I confessed to you about being a vampire. Crazy, right?" She chuckled before continuing.

"But then you accepted me for what I am, and I thought, if I managed to tell you about being a vampire and you didn't run away from me, then maybe I could confess my feelings to you as well." She sighed.

"But I was wrong. I became more scared because, for the first time in my life, somebody accepted me for who I am. And I couldn't bring myself to confess to you again and risk another chance of losing you. I just couldn't." She shake her head.

"But now, I'm telling you this because I couldn't just kiss you and continue being your friend. I don't want to pretend anymore, so I'm taking another risk."

She looked at her sincerely. "I love you, Dani. Not just as a friend, but as someone I want to be with, someone I want to share my life with," she confessed again, a tear falling from her eyes.