124 readers :) Drop a lyric chain in the comments for the lyrics to NES to see who got here and when (even if it's like 3 months after this chapter is published) . I'll start:
First~
AAAAAANNNNDDD now for the story (then I'm on holiday for like... a WHOLE week hehe)
Conan lays beside me, face buried in my neck, his front pressed to my back. I can't look at the time... as much as I want to, I can't look at the time. My fingers itch to just reach over, and tap the screen, but I just can't. I'm terrified of what might happen if I check the clock, and am all too aware that the more I check, the less likely the butterflies in my stomach will disappear and that sleep will return. The last I was awake, the sun was still in the sky, not far from burying itself into the horizon, painting the sky with colours too beautiful for an artist to depict accurately.
I feel him stir a little bit, his breathing growing slightly heavier, his arm circling around my waist pulling me tighter against him. He groans gently, and crimson spreads across my cheeks. I feel his lashes flutter against my skin, and then space between us. But before I can turn to understand why, I feel his warm lips press against my skin. I accidentally yelp with surprise, and he chuckles, the sound vibrating against my neck, the sensation spreading across my skin.
"How long was I asleep?" he asks in between kisses, gently dragging the tip of his tongue across the skin just below my jaw. Curls of hair fall across my skin, tickling me. His hand presses firmly into my waist, his thumb stroking lazily, his breathing hot against my neck.
"Not long enough," I reply with a giggle at the tickling sensation, "You should go back to sleep, by the time you wake up it'll be all over."
He groans with frustration at the suggestion,
"I don't think I'll be able to get back to sleep, not with the way that my head's whirring. Seriously, it's like a rusty coffee machine in there. But that's okay, I'm not complaining. I've got a better distraction than sleep..." he mumbles the last part against my skin, gently sucking a line from my shoulder up to just below my ear.
"Conan~" I whine, and he chuckles again, the sound is low and teasing.
"Can I keep going? Do you like this? Is this okay?" he asks, and I nod.
"Yeah, it is... you can keep going, but-" I pause, and he does too at the word 'but.' I put to use the electric rush of adrenaline to roll over to face him, gasping a little as I take in his dark chocolate eyes, which are tinged with something along the lines of lust, "That's better," I sigh, "I wanted to see your eyes. I like your eyes... so... expressive." I drag the pad of my finger across his jaw teasingly, licking my lips, and his gaze drops low.
"Mmm, I like the view better too~" he growls, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. My arms fly to cover my chest instinctively, covering my blue bra, "Didn't think I didn't notice you wearing my favourite colour? You thought wrong. Looks like something I'd pick for you... looks good on you too. You have good taste~"
"Pervert," I giggle, gently leaning forward to kiss him, curling a lock of hair with my forefinger. He kisses me back, his mouth bruisingly hard against mine. I let him pull my arms away from my chest, but his eyes remain on my face as he draws back, his lower lip snagged between his teeth for a split second.
"Don't cover yourself, baby, you're too pretty to be hidden away. Besides, it's nothing I haven't seen before," he winks, but his words are serious, "Speaking of, can I go back to...?"
"Please do," I reply, my breathing slightly shaky.
Conan smiles sweetly at me, his cool hand resting on the warm skin of my waist, his fingertips light and purposeful.
He leans down, kissing my collarbone, but then pressing his teeth against my flesh gently, tracing another gentle line upwards. "I'm going to bite a little bit, but I'll be gentle, I promise. But if it gets too much, or if I hurt you beyond what's pleasurable to you, tell me, and I'll stop. I'll do whatever you want~" he tells me, and I pull him closer, urging him to continue.
He bites the base of my neck softly, but hard enough to coax a whine from my lips. He sucks gently, and my hand works its way to the back of his head, my fingers tangling in his hair. "Conan~" he bites harder, and I cry out a little. He pulls apart, his eyes even darker now. But then he closes the gap again, his lips crashing against mine hungrily. His head tilts back a little, his lips brushing against mine still,
"Nrgh, you smell amazing~" as he glances down, I can feel his thick lashes brush my cheeks, "I didn't consider that what I was doing was going to leave marks like that..." he mutters
"I'm not mad... I might have a little trouble covering them, but still... you don't need to apologise," I whisper.
"I'm not gonna lie," he grins, "It's kind of hot..." he pauses, "Okay... really hot."
I give him a suspicious look,
"And that's because...?" I giggle, and he puts his forefinger to my lower lip and parts his lips as if he's about to speak, but then his eyes flash, and I can see his brain switch train of thought.
"Can we go outside? I want to see the stars..." he whispers, his eyes darting towards the window.
"O-okay..." He presses a kiss to the tip of my nose, then pulls the sheets off us, and climbs out of bed, outstretching a hand towards me. I take it, gripping it firmly, and he pulls me up, walking us both towards the balcony, the soft top blanket from the bed folded under his arm. I shuffle in front of the railing and he comes up behind me, unfolding the blanket and wrapping it around us both like a pair of soft wings. The breeze still lingers as earlier in the night, but the clouds have cleared, and now that some of the city lights have dimmed, tiny crystal-like stars dot the night sky.
"Look," he points to somewhere in the sky, and I try to align myself with his arm to see where he's pointing, "it's Cassiopeia. You know, she was a queen in Greek mythology. She thought she was really beautiful- even more beautiful than the sea nymphs! She went around telling everyone this, and everyone knows that the sea nymphs were very beautiful, so her vanity was getting very annoying!"
"Everybody," I nod solemnly, "Nobody is more beautiful than sea nymphs. Big claim on ol' Cassie's part!"
"You're prettier than the sea nymphs," he points out earnestly, stroking my hair.
"What happened next?" I ask, blushing furiously at his comment, glad that my back is to him and that he cannot make teasing remarks.
"Well, then Poseidon got annoyed about her bragging, so he sent a monster, Cetus to pester and terrorise everyone. But then they decided Cassie's daughter might calm Cetus down, or something like that. So then, when Perseus saved her, the Gods were super happy and decided everyone good could become stars... apart from Cassie, who they tied to a chair and put in the sky. That's why she's upside down sometimes!" he states, his tired voice clear but slow, just at the right pace for me to process.
"Wow! Thanks for the TED talk!" I joke, and his hands fly to my waist his fingers dancing across my skin and tickling me, "Conan~" I pant, and he ceases, "C'mon. Do you need to talk about it? Talking and getting it off your mind might help you sleep?" I offer.
He turns me around to lean me against the railing, his arms circling my waist firmly.
"I don't know... I just... I know it'll all be over in a few hours, but..." he pauses, blinking hard at the ground.
"But it won't... it's only the beginning, for a little while anyway, and you know that, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do. I just... I'm terrified that they won't like it, you know?" He frowns, his gaze captured by the quiet streets below.
"I do, but Conan, you have so many fans that will absolutely die from excitement the second that album drops. Those are the people that matter. Not the people who listen once and tell themselves that they hate it- the people who'll stay up all night just to hear a new song from you, even though they have work or school the next day. The people who count are the people who like your music, the people who understand your journey and your effort."
"Yeah, I know, baby, I know they're the people who'll enjoy it, they count. I want my music to make them feel things... it's just that I'm afraid of letting them down. What their expectations can't be reached?!" he points out, his eyebrows knitted together with concern, and I smile up at him,
"Conan, honey, you always surpass expectations. I am part of those people who adore your music- not just because I'm your girlfriend. I know what they think like, what they see in you. And I'm telling you this now- they'll adore it. Every single song on the album. Because they see you and your hard work in your music. You put in so much blood, sweat and tears into what you do, and don't think that they don't see that because they do. You'll 'touch their hearts' just like you did with Superache, Kid Krow, Sunset Season and all of your songs and covers before that." I tell him, wrapping my arms around his neck, "Conan... think about it... even if everything that you're terrified about comes true, which it won't, what would it really matter? So what if the song doesn't blow up? So what if your fans don't instantly adore it? You're Conan freaking Gray. You're resilient. You'll try again. You'll work your pretty little ass off until you succeed to the level that you want to because that's who you are. And I love it."
Conan's eyes shine, and a tiny tear slides down his cheek,
"Don't make me cry," he groans, sniffling with a small smile, and cupping my cheeks, "No but that was so sweet, ugh~ Just kiss me." I let him pull me closer, kissing him slowly as his tears flow. He leans back slightly, "I'm fine, it's just that you got me feeling some type of way just then." I giggle, wiping away his tears with the back of my hand, and they dissolve on my warm skin.
"It's alright Cone," I coo, "Let it all out. This week's been super stressful, hey? And you've had to keep so much in... but it's just us now. Cry it out, I get it. I'm not judging."
He sighs with relief, pressing his face to my shoulder and letting the tears flow for a few quiet moments, the damp patch on my shoulder steadily increasing. The only sounds that surround us are those of the strangely peaceful city, that feels like a paused moment in time, like a photograph. My eyes fall on Cassieopea again, Conan's story from earlier swirling through my mind and bringing a wave of calm through my mind.
"I'm not depressed, or in a bad place at the moment, I p-promise!" he gasps for air, smiling, "J-just s-so pent up! It's so weird that this feels kinda good! I've been so stressed all week, you're right. This is exactly what I needed."
"Damn, maybe you need to cry it out more often!" I giggle again, tucking some hair behind his ear.
"Okay MOM sheesh," he chuckles in reply, kissing me again. He tastes like salty tears and mint, and even a bit of my perfume.
"It'll feel good once the positive feedback and demands for a tour start rolling in, I promise. It's not long now... probably only an hour or so..." I comment breathlessly, "Until then, what do you want to do?"