CHAPTER 131.1
What happens next?
Still Here With You
You watch Viv as she sleeps soundly next to you.
She has a faint smile on the corners of her lips, sleeping soundly while resting her head on her pillow. You and her haven't moved an inch since both of you went to sleep earlier this morning. You're still facing each other and hugging one another. Her leg is still wrapped around yours and your hands remain intertwined from last night. You don't dare move at the risk of waking her up prematurely. You want her to rest as much as she can after seeing her look of exhaustion last night.
You're not sure how long you stay with Viv like this, but Viv eventually wakes up to you watching her. Her faint smile grows into a toothy grin, before closing her eyes again. You can't help but smile too, seeing her well rested and happy to wake up next to you.
"Good morning, Edward." Viv greets you.
"You're not getting me with that Ron Swanson trick, Viv. Good morning..." You greet her before giving her a sweet peck on the lips that she eagerly returns. "...
Girlfriend
. You add after the kiss, getting her eyes to widen and her cheeks flush a little.
"You mean it?" Viv asks you shyly.
"Yeah. Unless you want to wait for Sunday--" You answer her.
"No! No. I was just... that quickly?" Viv asks you.
"The moment you were honest about wanting to date me, I knew this was something I wanted. After last night, after we said what we liked about each other, I felt like it was stupid to not just admit that you and I already have a romantic relationship. That makes us boyfriend and girlfriend, right?" You ask her with a big grin on your face, and Viv has one too. Viv just nods excitedly to answer you before hiding her face on your chest.
"No take backs, alright?" Viv asks you, her breath hitting your chest, and you can't help but find her adorable. Something you haven't really thought about Viv until last night.
"No take backs." You say firmly and decisively to assure her.
"No, '
oh we're just dating
' or '
we're exclusive but she's not my girlfriend
' or--" Viv started listing off the things that she may have been afraid of you meant when you said she was your girlfriend, but you cut her off with a long deep kiss.
"No caveats. No qualifications. You're my girlfriend." You tell her after the kiss, before giving her another soft peck on the lips. "Okay?" You ask her while staring deep into her eyes. She nods shyly once more before hiding her face on your chest again.
The two of you stay like this for a few more minutes. Hugging each other and feeling each other's warmth. Viv takes a deep breath, as if she was taking in your scent. You take a deep breath too and smell the mixture of orange and eucalyptus in her hair.
"I wasn't doing a Swanson, by the way." Viv suddenly says, breaking the silent peace between the two of you. "I was calling you Edward Cullen for watching me sleep, you creepy hair-smelling pervert." Viv teases you.
"I just took a deep breath!" You defend yourself, laughing as you do so. "Also, you read that book but didn't finish mine?" You ask her with fake offense.
"It's called a hate read. Like hate watching, you know? Like watching trash reality television like the Kardashians or watching teen dramas like Riverdale. It makes me feel superior to the fucking writer who thought their shit was worth publishing or worth airing on television." Viv explains to you, and you're not completely foreign to the concept.
"Oof. So you were apathetic about my books then. You know that's actually worse, right?" You tell her with a chuckle.
"I'm not...
apathetic
, It's just not my preference." Viv answers you shyly, almost nervous even. "I hope you don't think that's a turn off." Viv adds, and you realize why she was being nervous about it. Although, she did already tell you this in a much more confident way before, so you're not sure why she's nervous about it now.
"Yeah, I remember you told me you didn't like having to get a notepad to understand what the fuck was going on." You remind her, and Viv looks away for the first time since you had this conversation, seemingly embarrassed for what her past self said to you. "Hey~" you say, trying to make her look at you again. "I'm never going to be turned off by just that. Ever. Stella and Cassie think the same thing, and I don't think Tanya has ever read my books; but I still love all of them." You assure her.
"I just want to say that I only said that notepad dig because I was being an asshole. I don't really--" Viv started saying before you stop her with a quick peck on the nose.
"Stop. You don't need to explain it to me. I'm a grown man. I can take valid criticism." You tell her, still smiling. "What I would like to hear is why you seem determined to be an asshole when you're not really, to be flirty when you don't have to be, to--" You started listing off, before Viv completed the thought for you.
"To not be me?" Viv asks.
"I was going to say 'to be different'; but, yeah. Sorta." You confirm that that's where you were going with your train of thought.
"Do we really have to do a deep dive into my psyche so early in the morning?" Viv asks you, making you chuckle.
"No. Of course not. " You assure her. "Although, I don't think it's as early as you think it is." You remind her.
"I measure 'early' by how much time has elapsed since I woke up." Viv jokes.
"Well, if that's the case, then it's time to get up based on my clock." You tease her.
"No~" Viv bemoans. "I don't want us to stop being a big toasty cinnamon bun together. I never want us to leave this bed." Viv tells you in the cutest voice you've ever heard from her.
"Even Homer realized he had to get up." You remind her, understanding the reference.
"Tsk.
Fi~ne
." Viv says in faux annoyance, but she has a big wide grin when she does, before giving you a quick peck on the lips.
The two of you breakaway from each other, for the first time since you both fell asleep, and Viv immediately feels the difference of not being next to your 'Magic Touch'. "Ugh. I miss being a big toasty cinnamon bun. I hate being a fucking adult sometimes." Viv expresses. You immediately walk towards her to give her a hug from behind and kiss her on her cheek.
"We can still be cinnamon buns while we're up." You tell her sweetly, and you can hear Viv let out a long satisfied moan as you tighten your hug.
"What do you want for breakfast?" Viv asks you.
"Whatever the chef is willing to prepare." You answer her.
"I was thinking between Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Kix." Viv tells you, making you both chuckle.
"I'll take one bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch please." You answer her playfully.
"Coming right up." Viv says before dragging you along to leave her bedroom.
"Wait." You tell her. "Can I put my pants on first?" You ask her.
