Um-hm-hm-hm."
"You ok Nini? Gonna be able take my pictures with your giggling fit."
Connie gave him a slight glance before her giggles erupted again,for the fifth time in three minutes causing him to raise an eyebrow.
"Maybe I should take your picture first, since you've suddenly been doused with smilex."
"I got it. I got it." Connie reassured as she kept the phone out of Stevens reach, still giggling
"I don't believe you." The hybrid accused. He walked up to the table as Connie put the phone behind her, sitting on it just a bit. " Heartberry." He reprimanded as he reached behind her.
"Mister." She teased as she grabbed his hands and placed his palms on her knees. "No reaching behind...to get my behind, Handsy." She chuckled as she squeezed his hands keeping them in place.
"Oh really? I can't reach behind." His hands started to trail upward slowly over her thighs, squeezing them a little.
"Yup," she nodded with a smirk, "only my man can." She giggled again as he poked her nose with his.
"Isn't that me, though?"
"Hmmm?" She shrugged, pursuing her lips while turning her head to her side. She snickered as he grabbed her hips and pulled her close.
"What got you so tickled, Berry?"
His low, slightly husky voice made her breath deep.
"You." She bit her lips, feeling the heat on her face from her feelings and his breath.
"Me?" Steven gave her a small grin.
"She nodded. "Uh-huh, You."
"What about me? Do I look funny in this?" His voice had a teasing tone as it tickled her nerves..
"Oh no. Not at all." She looked him up and down. "You're very..Hmm. Hehe."
"What is with you?"
"You.You're making me laugh."
"Cause my costume, huh" He poked her stomach causing her to giggle more.
She cupped his cheeks, grinning at him. " Yes..Cause you're so cute in it." She kissed his forehead.
"And handsome." She kissed the bridge of his nose.
"And adorable." A kiss upon his nose.
"And...Gamy" She kissed his lips gently before laughing, red face. "I'm sorry, I really don't know why I'm like this right now."
Steven shook his head before taking her hands from his cheek and massaging palms of them with his thumbs.
"I get it…" He stated impishly, before making a show of running his right hand through his hair. "My beauty has caused you delirium."
The cocky and smug look he gave made her fall back in a tittering mess.
He twisted his lip up playfully "I know it was a joke but…"
He was interrupted when she reached up towards him smiling lovingly at him. He grabbed her hands expecting her to pull herself up. He was caught off guard when she pulled him down and enclosed him in a hug laying his head upon her heart.
"Giggling, trailed kisses, surprise hugs." He slipped his hands under her hips. "Wonder what got you so affectionate, so I can do it more.
She shook her head. "It's nothing...Just had the urge." she turns down to him.
"A cuddle urge..a giggle urge." He looked up at her, " Sounds like you got bitten by the love bug."
She rolled her eyes at his smirk. "Doubtful." She smiled at him, holding him a bit closer. "Who would I fall for, huh?"
"Who indeed?"
She blushed but didn't say anything. " I don't want a relationship."
"Strange thing to say red faced." He stated, her heartbeat thumping rapidly in his ear. "Did..Did Alex try to talk to you, when you were getting dressed."
Connie nodded. " She did...Asked questions about us."
"About our relationship?" He sighed before chuckling. "Wanda grilled me too."
"Same and Peri didn't help just now."
"Yeah."
They sat in silence for a moment, the music from the tv in front, the sound of Wanda and Alex talking about the upcoming weeks schedule and their breathing being the only noise they registered as Steven nuzzled closer.
"What did you mean?"
"Hmm?" She ran a hand through his hair.
"When you said you loved me?"
"That I love you?" There was a questionable tone to her voice. "Same as every time I did it."
"Is it?….Cause it sounded different than usual."
"Oh." She rested her lips upon his crown. " I mean..What did you hear when I said it?"
"What did you feel when you said It?"
"I asked you first."
"No...You didn't."
Connie sighed..He was right.
"Normal.. It felt normal..easy?..I don't know.."
That was a lie. It didn't just feel normal There was always an aura of tease.It was without the tease and play.
'It felt so natural saying it..Meaning it...Like a breath of fresh air...A very heavy. very real...breath of fresh air.' Connie sighed lost in her thoughts.
"So, It was just part of our war?"
Very slowly she shook her head.
"Oh…"
She felt Steven grinned against her causing her to stroke his hair more.
"Are you ok, with me saying that...likeThat."
"I mean.. Yeah, sure.. It shocked me to hear it said like that towards me."
"Oh, so you did hear..."
"Didn't want to assume.."
"It didn't make you feel weird."
"Why would it? I mean...After everything we did so far."
"But we always act like that when we're alone."
"Do we?"
Connie looked at him as he smirked up at her. "We're very physical with each other. The way we tease and comfort each other." She stroked his cheek.
"True..but we don't really speak about.. This.."
"Do we have to?" Connie retorted. "I like whatever this is.This game of ours" she pressed her lips on top of his head. "Don't you?"
Steven heard the downtrodden tone and responded the only way he knew. Shifting off her to lay beside her on his right, causing her to face him. Cupping her cheeks, he gave her a piercing look."I love what we have." His face relaxed into a smile. "I love sharing...THIS, with you.".
"Then what's wrong, Mister?"
"Nothing wrong..It's just." He sighed "We've been a lot more free here and have gone further than just little kissing, loving pranks, and teasing touches." Steven looked down flushing. "Like calling me your man?"
"You started it by promising to bite me." She grinned
"You told me you want me to sink them in."
Connie rubbed his hands affectionately. "Steven, did I do something wrong?"
"No.. It made me happy.." He kissed her tenderly " You make me happy, Connie. I just wondered if this is only going to be while we are here on your birthday weekend..or is this the new normal for us?"
Shyness and uncertainty settled inside Connie at Steven's question. She didn't have an answer for him. Everything that happened was just a natural progression to her."I..." She looked down. "Honestly, I feel.."
"Nyeh-heh-heh!, Nyeh-heh-heh!"
The two looked toward the sound coming from under Connie, who sighed and removed his hands from her face. She shifted her right hip and took the phone under her. She showed him the phone with Peri's number flashing.
She gave him an apologetic smile "We should take those pic~MMMM!!!"
Her words were lost as Steven lips met her own.She Her eyes widened just a bit before closing in relaxation. Her instinct guided her to kiss him back, with slightly parted lips.
It wasn't different from any of their kisses they shared that day, physically.
Emotionally, affectionately.
It threw her right back to the hotel room, right before they left. The feeling of just wanting to be there with him at that moment of time. Not wanting a move second more.
It is no wonder she felt a chill when he slowly broke it after kissing her quickly and gently, a few more times before settling down.
"Steven." She was speechless as still feeling the ghost of his kiss linger, making her mind race.
"I love you, Heartberry."
She froze as the phone rang again. She opened her mouth to respond.
"We'll continue talking later.. " He kissed her cheek before standing up and walking over to the center of the room. He turned and T-posed, giving her a grin. "Let's give Peri her pictures and then have some fun."
Connie breathed out before giving him a smile, lifting the camera phone towards him. Her heart pounding, her mind drifting to the hotel room, to Peridot's teasing, his words.
The kiss.
As she gazed at him through the screen, she didn't feel the giggles from before. Reactions from latent feelings being kept in check.
'Now they are slowly moving to the forefront. I don't think I will be able to hide the depths for much longer. Which shouldn't be a problem.'
She felt her face turn maroon as she took the first picture, before signaling to turn around.
'I mean, I decided that I want to have a deeper connection right? Even planned to cross that line if it came down to it, stars willing.'
She gave a playful whistle before taking a shot of the back of the costume. Turning even redder as he shook his hips a bit. She took another picture catching him smirking over his shoulder, back at her.
'I love him, he's my Biscuit, my Man, my Mister...And more'
."Oooh..and Save." She sighed as she did save the picture
'I feel so free being here with him...Being with him, period.'
"Yo Heartberry, what's you think of this pose?"
She turned to his boyish grin and heroic stance. His right hand neck length as he left hand pulled in the right glove. He settled his face into a determined look as he stared forward as Connie lifted the. Phone and smirk.
"Hold that pose." She teased before taking the picture.
'…So why do I feel..'
She gaze at the picture for a moment feeling a tightness in her chest
'So uneasy?'