Steven had never felt more content.
   
        Connie was gently running her fingers through his curls as she read yet  another fantasy book while Steven's head occupied her thigh for a nap. She was in a divided state she took up only when she read. Simultaneously stroking his cheek and head and reading with a slight smile on her face. 'I'm so lucky." Steven mused about kissing her thigh and shattering her focus. And he would've... but...Her vanilla chai smell was lulling him into a state of peace and unconsciousness beckoned. The feeling seeped into his veins and his eyelids grew heavy.

      He felt his stomach drop and he shot up, a panicked gasp breaking the silence. He expected to be held close as Connie normally did when he had nightmares. He turned and literally crawled out of his skin. His body was laying but his consciousness was staring down at his konked out body.

     "I must've slipped into my psychicose state again." He thought. He looked at Connie who was just putting her book down. She looked down at him. She had a smile on her pretty face.

         'God I love him.'

        Steven almost flew back by the intensity of her thought.

       She looked down at him lovingly and bent down to gently kiss his forehead, then both of his cheeks, then a sweet kiss to his lips. 'He gets so damn caught up in his shortcomings. He doesn't even realize how much I adore him. No matter what I say or do, it will never be enough to explain. The unconditional love and the annoyance and lust and silly warm butterflies will never be able to be described in any way to him.'

       Steven felt the warm flutters in his tummy as he listened to her thoughts. It felt wrong to listen in... but he didn't regret it.

      He laid back down to snuggle back into his physical form, unintentionally grazing Connie's hand.

      He opened his starry eyes to see her misty, dark eyes. He sat up and crawled over to kiss her. "Thank you." He whispered as a tear trickled down his face.

      "For what?" She smirked. "For cuddling you?"

       "N-no... for loving me."

       Connie tilted her head and cupped his cheeks. She brought him in for a wet, loving, kiss before pulling back and saying,

       "Next time you separate from your physical body, don't accidentally touch me. It alerts me to what's happening." She tittered as Steven went slack jawed.

        "But but-."

        "Now come on, let's go take a shower together so I can try to show you how much I love you."

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Not my favorite chapter, but it's done. I am dehydrated, and hungry and over tired and emotional. I promise you'll get a better chapter soon!

Love all of you!!!!