YOU ARE WHAT I NEED [COMPLETED]

23

Claire closed the door behind Selene and gestured for her to sit on the couch. As Selene settled in, Claire moved towards the kitchen, her mind still spinning from everything that had happened that night. She needed a moment to gather her thoughts, to process the whirlwind of emotions she was feeling. The betrayal, the pain, and now, the tentative hope that maybe, just maybe, they could make this work.

Claire poured herself a glass of wine, the deep red liquid swirling in the glass as she watched it with a distant gaze. She felt Selene's eyes on her, and it made her heart flutter—how strange it was that even now, after everything, Selene still had this effect on her. She turned to Selene, who was watching her with a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.

"Do you want some?" Claire asked, holding up the bottle.

"Yes, please," Selene replied, her voice soft, almost hesitant.

Claire poured a second glass and handed it to Selene before sitting down beside her. The comfortable silence that settled between them was a stark contrast to the tension that had hung over them earlier. For a few moments, they simply sat there, sipping their wine and savoring the quiet, each lost in their own thoughts.

Finally, it was Selene who broke the silence. "Does this mean you accept me? For what I am?"

Claire looked into Selene's eyes, seeing the vulnerability that the vampire so rarely displayed. It was a side of Selene that she had only glimpsed a few times before, and it always caught her off guard. "Yes," Claire said, her voice steady. "I accept you, but it's going to take some getting used to."

Selene's expression softened, relief washing over her features. "I understand," she murmured. "I know it's not easy, but I'm willing to wait as long as you need."

Claire sighed, setting her glass down on the table. "You have no idea how much I've been struggling with this, Selene. While we were apart, I had so many thoughts running through my head. I almost wanted to give up on us because it was starting to feel like too much to handle."

She noticed the sadness creeping into Selene's eyes, and it made her heart clench. Claire reached out, cupping Selene's face in her hands. "But I believe I can handle it now," she continued, her voice firm with conviction. "I trust you, Selene. I trust you not to hurt me."

Selene's eyes lit up with happiness, and Claire could see how much those words meant to her. "That's all I've ever wanted, Claire," Selene whispered. "Your trust."

Claire smiled, the tension in the room easing. To lighten the mood, she asked, "So, how have you been holding up since we've been separated?"

Selene, always one for theatrics, placed a hand over her chest and sighed dramatically. "My heart," she began, her tone full of exaggerated sorrow, "has been hurting so badly without you. I don't even have a heart anymore, but somehow it still hurts!"

Claire couldn't help but laugh at Selene's antics. The vampire was pouting now, her bottom lip jutting out in an almost comical display of distress. The sight was too much, and Claire leaned in, capturing Selene's pouty lips with her own in a gentle kiss.

When they pulled apart, Selene looked at her with a playful glint in her eye. "Can I have another kiss? You took them away from me for so long."

Claire smirked, leaning in again and kissing Selene more deeply this time, letting herself get lost in the warmth and softness of Selene's lips. It felt so right, so perfect, that all the doubts and fears that had plagued her over the past few weeks seemed to melt away in that moment.

When they finally broke apart, both slightly breathless, Claire reached for the wine bottle and poured them each another glass. She held her glass up, a mischievous, seductive look in her eyes. "Cheers to a new beginning," she said, her voice low and inviting.

Selene clinked her glass against Claire's, her gaze never leaving Claire's as they both took a sip. There was something different in the air now, a sense of renewal, of hope. Whatever obstacles lay ahead, Claire felt more confident now that they could face them together.

As they set their glasses down, Claire leaned in closer to Selene, their bodies almost touching. She could feel the heat radiating off Selene, the magnetic pull between them growing stronger with every passing second. Claire's heart raced, not from fear, but from excitement.

Selene reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind Claire's ear. "You don't know how much I've missed you," she murmured, her voice full of longing.

"I think I have an idea," Claire replied, her lips curving into a smile as she leaned in to kiss Selene once more.

This kiss was different—deeper, more passionate. It was a promise, a reassurance that despite everything they had been through, they were still here, still fighting for each other. Claire's hands tangled in Selene's hair, pulling her closer, wanting to erase every inch of distance that had come between them.

When they finally pulled away, both were breathing heavily, their foreheads resting against each other's. "You're mine," Selene whispered, her voice possessive but tender.

"And you're mine," Claire responded, her voice equally firm.

The two of them sat there, entwined in each other's arms, basking in the glow of their renewed connection. Whatever challenges the future held, they would face them together.

For the first time in weeks, Claire felt at peace. She had finally accepted Selene for who she was, and in doing so, she had found a strength she didn't know she had. This was the start of a new chapter in their lives, and Claire was ready to see where it would take them.