The Gay Delusion

28: The Glowing Delusion

So I don't know what the heck happens to me when a story starts coming to an end, but the updates just start pouring out?! Like I remember how I posted the last four or five chapters of HYJB in like the space of a week and a half, and I even managed to dazzle myself a bit with the sheer speed, hahaha. ANYWAY, I digress (like freaking always)...Hope you enjoy this chapter, lovelies! It's the second to last chapter before the epilogue, if any of you were interested in that small fact :) Would love to know what you think, and as usual, all my virtual love is being sent to you! Lots of love, River.

28: The Glowing Delusion

Perhaps rather ironically, falling asleep was tiresome when you were falling in love.

After all, who needed dreams when reality surpassed every single one of them?

I wanted to stay awake all night and carry on whispering in the dark with Griffin like we had been doing for the last couple of hours, listening out for the sounds of London, the city still very much awake outside my bedroom window. London, which perpetually smelled like smoke and rain, which sounded like sirens, whooping drunks and beeping cars, and which rarely stopped moving, even just for a second.

I was grateful that the hours seemed to have stretched out tonight, stilling around us while our bare legs were entwined. Our hands were clasped together, a thumb war happening every so often as we continued our endless conversation.

'We should probably get some sleep soon,' he said eventually, stifling a yawn.

The darkness in the room seemed to thicken as I yawned too, eyes becoming heavy as soon as he said it. Considering it was nearly three o'clock in the morning, our bodies were the things letting us down now, drowsy and lethargic, while our minds continued to whir.

'You're probably right,' I agreed, shifting onto my side to face him with my hand tucked under my cheek.

He was lying on his back on the side of the bed closest to the window, and the small slivers of silver light peeking through the gaps in the curtains illuminated his face just enough for me to be able to make out his features. Unable to resist, I reached out and ran a finger down the silhouette of his nose, from bridge to tip.

He laughed sleepily. 'What are you doing?' Griffin murmured, opening one eye. Pausing for just a moment, he turned onto his side to mirror me, one of his legs tangling in between both of mine again.

'Your nose makes me happy,' I sighed, half-delirious from tiredness.

Griffin laughed again, reflexively leaning in towards me to nudge my neck with his prized nose, before he pressed a kiss there. 'That's possibly the best compliment I've ever received,' he said, the words tickling me as they hit my skin, before being absorbed into the almost-darkness.

Smiling wryly, I nudged his head away. 'I should hope so.'

A silent minute followed, and I thought he had fallen asleep.

'Just my nose?' Griffin suddenly asked groggily. His eyes were drifting shut and his voice was growing thick as sleep washed over him for real this time.

'Pretty much all of you,' I whispered, following his lead and shutting my eyes. Feeling an arm wrap around my waist, I smiled and let myself be pulled in.

'Goodnight, my nose-loving lover.'

'Goodnight,' I said, still chuckling, but feeling safe and warm as we finally drifted off.

In the morning that followed, I had to reluctantly shoo Griffin out of my flat after a quick breakfast. I was running late, as usual, since I was supposed to be meeting the Light My Match gang at Verity's house for lunch, and I had promised Nova I would help her shift some things into her new apartment before that.