Lovely • Mikaelsons mate (Currently editing)

Chapter 37

Sexual content warning

"You're up early." Niklaus hums as he presses a kiss to Luna's cheek in greeting.

Luna smiles at him and puts her paintbrush down to wrap her arms around Niklaus. "Hi, honey." Luna leans in to kiss her mate. "I wanted to make use of the morning light." Luna nods her head to the easel. She and Kol had decorated it a few days ago, both thought the easel was in dire need of a splash of color. They had painted it with little flowers, stars, and other subjects of loveliness. Kol hadn't been satisfied with his misshaped flowers, which looked more like big blots, but Luna had assured him that she loved them, which she truly did.

The canvas showed the mansion's backyard. The work looked serene and true to nature. The line of trees seemed inviting, almost asking the onlooker to take a stroll through them. Soft sunbeams broke free from the gray clouds, softly illuminating the luscious grass.

"Our backyard?" Niklaus asks, trailing some kisses down her jaw while letting his hands rest on her hips. He thinks back to the works he had seen in his mate's universe, the subject would often have been more exciting or more imaginative but he could not deny that this work unmistakably appealed to him.

"I know we will one day move away from this town and I want to remember how living in this house had felt. How the many mornings with you in our studio felt." Luna looks at the window, which offered her a broad view of the garden. "I might have snooped through your stored works and got inspired." Luna admits bashfully as she sees Niklaus carefully studying her color palette and the technique she had used to make the blades of grass almost pop out of the canvas.

"It's beautiful." Niklaus compliments earnestly. Niklaus didn't have to guess what work she referred to. It was a painting he had made of New Orleans, at sunrise. He had painted it a few months ago, before finding his mate and waking his family. He had awoken with a melancholy feeling and longed for better times, times where he hadn't felt as lonely as he did then. Once he got back from his mate's universe he had stored the work away, not wanting to be reminded of his own sadness and desire to return to the place that had caused him so much pain. He had his mate, he didn't want to long for anything else.

"That's a big compliment, coming from you." Although Niklaus loved Luna very much he had always given her honest feedback on her paintings, something she preferred. He would help her see certain details, make her understand some technical errors she had made, or change her view on certain subjects or use of colors. He loved teaching her, helping her reach her full potential with her art and she loved their closeness, the time they spend together, and the passionate way he talked about art.

"It is deserved, truly." Niklaus replies.

"Elijah said something similar last night." Luna smiles, remembering how she had blushed at his abundance of compliments. Although Elijah wasn't an artist, he too had a keen eye and an appreciation for fine art and beauty, his approval was just as important to her as Niklaus's.

"Hmm, and where did you leave my dear brother?" It was rare for Niklaus to see his mate without one of his other brothers hovering around her, he admits that he too often participated in the hovering, but still. When Luna was in the studio without him, she would often be kept company by Kol who would talk to her about the adventurous life he had lived, or Finn who would read to her while she painted.

"I left 'Lijah to sleep in, he seemed peaceful. I didn't have it in me to disturb him." Luna replies. Both Elijah and Finn eyed younger and more relaxed when asleep. It was probably because of their vampire nature, but both always had a certain air of cautiousness to them, as if expecting an impending attack.

Niklaus grins lazily at his mate while letting hands roam to his mate's backside. "Hmm, so I have you all to myself?" He whispers, already knowing that Finn and Kol were still upstairs. Both did not care much for the sentiment of seizing the day.