Steven yawned as he walked out of the shower, feeling refreshed as he dried his hair with the hotel towel.

"Already passed midnight." He tossed the towel onto the bed before laying down himself. With a sigh, he took his phone Into his hand, smiling at the lock screen of Connie on one of her college tours.

It was a simple picture. Connie was wearing one of Steven's old blue T-shirts under a blue sweatsuit, her hair in a ponytail and some circular lenses shades on her head, a new style she picked up; it fit her. Her grin was a wee mischievous and behind her left index, as if she had a secret for the one taking the picture.

It was adorable, all in all.

He typed in his code and headed straight to the messenger app, clicking on the name 'berry❤knight.'

Roaming⭐: Hey Connie, just

got into my latest hovel.

How are things on your end?

Steven rested the phone down on his bare chest as he looked at the ceiling of his room. The lights were off, but the window was open, giving the area a moonlit blue.

"She's probably asleep. Actually, what time is it over there?" He sighed. He reached to put the phone on the end table when "Home Sweet Home." ranged from his phone. With a grin, he turned over the phone to see a candid picture of Connie taking a sip of Durian juice as she brushed her hair back and read with a request for a video call below it.

He accepted with gusto.

a few seconds passed before Connie appeared on the screen. "Hey."

Steven could feel his cheeks blazed at the sleepy tone of her voice and the drowsy smile on her face. The messy eye-shading bed hair, The blue straps, and the slight cleavage peeking from her light blanket didn't help either.

"You're turning pink. You OK?" She teased.

"Pssh! Haha. I'm fine." He kissed his teeth. " You're cute tonight...Adorable even."

"Yeah, I woke up like this, literally." She chuckled.

"Aren't we a natural beauty?"

"Have to be. I never know which man of the night might call me." She grinned

"Oh! You're popular, huh?" He smirked. "Bet you have your own fan club."

"I get my stares, but the only one that seems to catch my eye is this cute little bedazzled belly button boy." She sighed dramatically. "He's such a catch and always calls me at night. It's unfortunate that I have a boyfriend."

"The same one who is traveling?"

"Um-hum." She nodded. "I get so lonely."

"Well, let me keep you company for the night." He chuckled, "Since you like it so much."

"See, you're trying to make me go back on my boyfriend." She bit her lip.

"Naw, nothing like that." He licked his upper lip. " Still, what you vagabond of a boyfriend don't know, not gonna hurt him."

"Pfft! You're so bad, Biscuit." Connie laughed...Only to get a small plush thrown at her.

"If you two are gonna flirt through the night, please keep the laughter down, Ni'. " A tired and grouchy feminine voice came from Connie's left.

"Sorry 'Tricia," Connie whispered before throwing the plush back with a chuckle.

"Tell Patricia I said hi," Steven said through a smirk, only to hear her groan in response.

"You got her mad at me." Connie accused with a playful pout.

"I'll make it up to you when I see you. Promise."

"Make it up to us too," Patricia commanded.

"Us?"

"Daniel's here."

"Yo." A groggy male voice answered from Patricia's bed, followed by the sound of a kiss and Patricia's giggling sigh. "Good night, guys." it was a few seconds before the slight sounds of calm breathing could be heard.

"They're cute," Steven stated

"I know." She sighed. "So, my beloved Biscuit. What's up?"

"Nothing. Just checking in. What time is it over there anyway?"

"2:22"

Steven sucked in a breath. "Sorry... it's 12:22 here, didn't mean to wake you for your sleep."

"Don't apologize. I was asleep for like ninety-minutes, plus don't have any morning classes tomorrow. So you're fine.." She hummed, teasing. "Especially with what you got on."

"You mean my...." He gasped dramatically, "sweatpants?"

"Oh yeah...You look sleepy sexy." She pursed her lips as she nodded in approval,

The two held back a laugh to keep from waking the other two up.

"You really do look good, though." She admitted with a smile.

"You say that every night."

"As if you don't?"

"It's true, though." Steven retorted, " I got me a college hottie." He stated with pride.

"Pssh! That's nothing; I got me a worldly hunk."

"Got me a gorgeous, genius, gamer girl."

"Got me a vivacious, venerable vagabond."

"Got me a sculpturesque, successful, stimulating, superhuman."

"Sculpturesque?" She gave him a flirtatious smile and spoke with a voice to match "... Someone upped their vocabulary on the road.."

"I picked up a few things, here and there."

"You gonna have to show off then."

"Indeed." He gave her a slight adoring grin. "How was your day?"

She shrugged. "It was nothing to talk about...Classes are going alright. No problem there."

"Bu~uuttt."

"Hehe...Boredom." She sighed. "The days are starting to run together." She gave him a wink, "Luckily, my nights are fun."

He scoffed jesterly.

"Hey, I'm serious, you punk..."

" Really, hearing about how I drove somewhere and found some ducks or talked to someone about coins is interesting to you."

"Immensely." Her eyes shined as she stated her truth before smiling gently." Hearing about your day...is the best part of my day."

Steven's face glowed at her touching words. "I feel the same." He smiled. "I'm always amazed about what you're learning at college, what clubs you're joining, what your studying...It all seems over my head, but the way you passionately describe your subjects. It's so intriguing in itself. It seems more like a story than a discussion."

"Biscuit..." She swooned. "You really enjoy my babbling."

"I love it. I could listen to you babble bout everything and never get tired...I'd make a whole symphony of your babbling if I could." He praised seeing her smile. "Especially because you seemed so happy to do it. Your bright smile makes me just want to hold you tight and let you talk for hours."

"Now you know how I feel when I hear your regaling tales of the road."

Steven rolled his eyes. "Oh yes, who could forget the great desert-tire incident or the night of the hole in the ceiling and we'd be remiss not to mention the omelette action at the 'might be OK' corral."

Connie giggled at his neutral tone. "Hey, I really like the omelet story." She relaxed and grinned." I like all your stories. The way you tell them makes it so." Her grin fell to an admiring smile "Your voice changes when you switch from one part to another, the way you inflections matches your emotions and quote the people you met, the way you talk with your hands at certain events. Your stories are nightly musicals to me...My nightly private one-man shows...and the best part...The part that means everything to me."

Her tone got a bit more serious as she breathed out. " It means you're doing fine, and Steven...You don't know how much that means to me...To know that you're out there discovering the world, making mistakes, meeting people. Finding out who you are and handling yourself... It makes me proud... not just of you, I've always been proud of you" She shook her head. "There I go babbling...But..yeah."

"Connie?"

"Hmm?"

Steven breathed sincerely, giving her a pointed and loving look. "I'm proud to be with you..."

Connie felt her face burned and her heart bang against her chest, the emotion she felt from the words "I am too...You..our relationship is my greatest source of pride." Her voice was a sweet whisper, but it resounded in Steven's ear like a drum.

His face glowed pink as he started to grin and chuckle. The multiple emotions of love he felt for his Jambud, his best friend, battle partner, and most recent partner in love bubbled to the surface. "Connie Maheswaran, I love you."

He had said it to her before. Passionately, jokingly, as a friend, and more. Yet the way he said it just now, with a blushing face and powerful eyes in a silent voice only loud for her ears. It made her quiver, shook her heart, and dry her throat. It made her feel treasured. secured. It made her feel more than just loved. More than only his love partner, but more like his life partner.

"I love you too, Steven. " It was never hard to say it..but it was never this easy either, nor did it warm her heart so much. She chortled as she saw him wipe his eyes..it made her wipe her own.

"Good, I'm not the only one crying in joy." He joked while he sniffled a laugh.

"Oh, be quiet, You lovable himbo." She retorted through her own.

The two rode through their fits of giggles, calming down after a few moments when Connie yawned.

"Sleepy berry." Steven teased

Connie nodded " It is a quarter to 4 here."

"Wait, what...Where'd the time go?"

"Absorbed by the combined force of my awesomeness and your schmaltziness...Hehe, we time traveled."

Steven yawned. "Apparently, Berry."

"My Bisky is sleepy as well."

"Yup, the eternal curse of the Z's."

"It plagues us to no end. Hhhaaa~wwnnn!" She smacked the roof of her mouth, her tongue coming from her yawn.

"Adorabloo~ohoo!"

"Yes..yes, you are."Connie impishly smirked. "Can you meet in my dreams this soon?"

"I could visit you tonight."

"I want you too...I really want you too" She sighed and shook her head "... But no...You seem tired. "

"Have been on the road for 16 hours before bed, so.."

"My lovely liege." She shook her head again in faux disappointment. "You have to sleep uninterrupted, Biscuit."

"Looking out for me, huh?"

"You are my love and pride, after all."

"As are you..." Steven chuckled tiredly.

"We can stay on call...At least until our phone dies." Connie's eyes gain a competitive look, "See who sleeps first."

Steven arched an eyebrow. before nodding, "OK, Beautyberry, you're on." He laid on his left side as Connie laid on her right, their phone's back-light turn down to protect their eyes but still enough to see each other's smile.

"I fell for your smile first." The whisper came out quicker than she could stop.

"Really?"

"Yeah...It's so big and bright.."

"Hmm?" He smirked. " I fell for your voice first. Your voice is so calming and strong and cute when you're laughing."

"Why am I not surprised you would fall for something sound related." She giggled.

"I love that sound...I love your eyes too. They're so deep and beautiful."

"Steven." She smiled tiredly. "How did I luck out with you."

"I ask myself the same thing." His voice held a lot more fatigue, as did his grin. "Ni' your eyes getting very sleepy."

She shook her head in defiance. "I think that's you, Biscuit. I can hear the grogginess in your sweet baritone...Speaking of. Have ever told you I love your baritone voice."

"No...Tell me."

"I love your Baritone."

Steven sighed a laugh at the faux drunk tone of her voice. His eyes, closing slowly," I adore your contralto."

"We make beautiful music together."

"Jambuds right...If music were a relationship, it would be us."

Connie hummed. "Suave. Where did you learn to be so charming?"

"I don't know," He rubbed his head as he yawned, " Just wanted to make you smile."

"You always do." She closed her eyes, snuggling into her pillow. " Steven?"

"Hmm."

"Wanna get married after college?" her voice was utterly swallowed by drowsiness-induced drunkenness.

"Uh-hm, sure.. I'll find a place for Lion and us before then." Steven was hardly any better.

She nodded. "That's good...I love you, by the way."

"Love you too, Strawberry."

"We're gonna get married, yay.." Connie's voice drowned out to shallow breathing as she drifted to sleep. "I'm Mrs. Maheswaran- Universe.."

Steven could only smile before he joined her in sleep. Her last statement resounded in his ear and heart...The sweetest lullaby he ever heard.