Night — Steven's House
The door shut softly.
The world outside fell silent.
Steven set Connie down carefully, but he didn't pull away.
They stayed close.
Very close.
"You know Lapis and Spinel are listening, right?" Connie said with a faint smile.
"I know," Steven replied. "And I don't care."
Connie let out a low laugh.
Then she looked at him.
Really looked at him.
"You've changed," she said.
"Not that much."
"Yeah... yeah, you have."
Steven didn't answer.
But he didn't look away, either.
"And yet you're still you," Connie added.
That made him smile a little.
Small.
Real.
Connie brought her hand up to his face.
She touched him gently.
"You're here," she said.
"I'm here."
The atmosphere grew quieter.
Slower.
Unrushed.
No war.
No impossible choices.
Just the two of them.
Steven rested his forehead against hers.
Shared breath.
Closeness.
Trust.
After everything that had happened...
This was the only thing that mattered right now.
Connie closed her eyes first.
Steven followed.
Steven kissed Connie deeply, holding her by the waist.
She matched his pace without hesitation, pulling him closer.
The distance between them vanished.
Bit by bit, the moment grew deeper.
More intimate.
"Steven..." Connie whispered, her breath hitching slightly.
He cracked a faint smile.
His hands moved gently, unhurried.
One button.
Then another.
The fabric gave way slowly.
But it wasn't just that.
It was the trust.
The time they had waited.
Everything they had been through.
Steven looked her in the eyes.
And paused for a second.
"Are you sure?" he asked softly.
Connie nodded.
Without a shred of doubt.
"Yes."
That was enough.
Steven rested his forehead against hers again.
And kissed her once more.
Gentler this time.
More deliberate.
The room fell completely silent.
Just the two of them.
Steven slid his hands down Connie's waist, slowly working them up under her shirt. The fabric lifted easily, and she raised her arms to help him pull it off. The garment dropped to the floor without a sound.
Their lips met again, this time with a sharp edge of urgency. Connie gently bit his lower lip, making Steven let out a ragged breath. His hands traced the warm skin of her back, dipping down to the curve of her hips. He pulled her in flush against him until their bodies pressed together completely.
Connie unbuttoned Steven's shirt with steady fingers, opening it button by button. When her hands touched his bare chest, she felt his heart pounding hard and fast. She smiled against his lips.
"I feel you..." she whispered.
Steven scooped her up into his arms effortlessly and carried her to the bed. He set her down gently onto the sheets. Kneeling between her legs, he looked down at her as if he still couldn't quite believe this was happening.
Connie sat up slightly, wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, and pulled him down. Her kisses trailed down his neck, over his collarbone, and drifted further down. Steven closed his eyes as he felt her lips on his chest, slowly working their way down.
He shed the rest of his shirt and leaned over her. His hands patiently unfastened Connie's pants, sliding them down her legs along with her underwear. He kissed her stomach, her hips, the inner line of her thighs. Every kiss was slow and deliberate.
By the time Steven worked his way back up, Connie was breathing heavily. She looked straight into his eyes as he took off the rest of his clothes. There was no embarrassment. Only desire and total, absolute trust.
Steven hovered over her carefully, supporting his weight on his forearms. Their foreheads met once more.
"Connie..." he whispered, almost like a question.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer.
"Come here," she answered softly.
When Steven pushed inside her, he did so slowly, inch by inch, keeping his eyes on her the entire time. Connie let out a long, low moan, sinking her nails softly into his back. Their bodies adjusted to one another with an effortless rhythm that brought smiles to their lips between kisses.
They began to move together in a slow, deep rhythm. There was no rush. Every stroke was wrapped in kisses, caresses, and quiet whispers. Connie arched her back whenever Steven drove deeper, and he let out a low growl against her neck every time she squeezed him tight.
"Steven..." she gasped, holding him tighter.
He picked up the pace a bit, but never lost that tenderness. One of his hands slipped down to her hip, holding her with a soft possessiveness as he moved in and out of her in smooth, steady rhythm.
The pleasure built up second by second, washing over them. Their breathing grew shallow, their moans more frequent. Connie trembled beneath him as she reached her peak, clinging to him tightly with her legs and letting his name slip from her lips between gasps. Steven followed right after her, burying his face in her neck as he let go with a raspy groan.
They stayed like that for a long while, still joined together, catching their breath and lazily stroking each other's skin.
Steven kissed her forehead, her cheeks, and her swollen lips.
"I love you," he whispered against her mouth.
Connie smiled, exhausted and happy, and held him tighter.
"I love you too."
Outside the room, the night remained quiet.
And the beasts didn't sleep.
END OF CHAPTER 87