Wanna Live It Up Just Because

Arpeggio was leaned over the coffee table, still clad in her underwear, writing her speech for the next day. Night had taken over the land outside hours ago. She started her speech when she realized it had gotten dark outside. How long she had been writing for she didn't know nor did she care.

Jack was snuggled against Arpeggio's side. He had been watching her scribble words onto paper for hours. She completed the speech four times, announcing the fact to the near empty room and raising Jack's hopes each time. She then tore up each of those speeches, claiming they weren't good enough. But she refused to let Jack be the judge of it. He wasn't allowed to read any of what she wrote. She wasn't planning on reading it out loud either.

God forbid he hear her speech the day before it was to be presented.

Arpeggio groaned, took the paper she was working on in her hands, and ripped it to shreds.

"What was wrong with it now?" asked Jack.

"Everything," Arpeggio grumbled.

It was late and she was getting cranky. If she didn't get her sleep, her blood sugar could drop. Jack did not want that to happen but he didn't want her to chew him out for suggesting she sleep.

It was hard to tell how she would act when tired.

"Cutie, I'm sure it was fine," Jack assured.

"No, it wasn't," Arpeggio asserted, "The words didn't flow right and it didn't make any sense."

"Maybe if you would let me read it—"

"No," she cut him off.

Jack sighed and rubbed his face into her neck. Her neck muscles were tense, as were the muscles in the rest of her body. Jack realized earlier her muscles tensed when she was stressed. She may not have appeared to be stressed in her facial features or the way she spoke but her body language gave it away.

"It's going to be okay," Jack mumbled into her neck.

"No, it's not. Writing isn't my thing, Bear-cat. That's Neon's forte. I can write a drum beat quicker than I can say my own name but I can't write speeches."

"You need to calm down. You're just nervous about giving the speech and that's holding you back from writing."

"I can't calm down."

"You were calm all day until now."

"Because I was with you."

"Do I help you calm down?"

"Yes."

"Well, I'm sitting next to you right now. You should be calm."

"But the speech—"

Jack pressed a finger to her mouth, cutting off her vocals.

"No more talk about the speech," he commanded.

"But—"

"No."

"What am I supposed to do then?"

"Stop thinking so much. Just let the words flow from your pen."

"Okay," Arpeggio sighed.

Jack smiled at his victory. It was about as exciting as getting her to agree to sit around all day in her underwear. That was quite a feat.

"And feel free to use the phrase 'I love my boyfriend' as many times as you want," Jack added.

"I'm sure the crowd will enjoy that."

Arpeggio had begun scribbling on a fresh sheet of paper. Her muscles had relaxed a bit, Jack noted. If he kept joking around, she might relax completely.

"They will and we can follow up that statement with a mind-blowing kiss."

"All of your kisses are mind-blowing."

"Aw, that's sweet. Your body is mind-blowing."

Arpeggio giggled, directing her attention to Jack. She pecked his lips.

"Thank you," she turned back to her paper.

"That was not a good 'thank you' kiss," Jack pouted.

"That's too bad."

"Cutie, give me a better kiss."

"No."

Jack groaned and rested his head against her shoulder again. She wasn't going to pay much attention to him till she was done for good. All he wanted was a kiss though. It wasn't going to turn into a full blown make out session.

Actually, it might have.

But if he could convince her it wasn't going to, maybe she would give him a better kiss. Or he could bug her until she gave up on the speech completely.

He liked that plan. And he would commence it the best way he knew how.

Jack brushed his lips against Arpeggio's neck. She giggled and tapped his cheek with her pen.

"That tickles," Arpeggio said.

Smiling, Jack pressed kisses against her neck. With each kiss, he received more giggles. He could tell she was still writing but she would stop soon. He knew the areas on her neck that weren't ticklish.

Jack kissed behind Arpeggio's ear. All of her movements stopped.

"Jack," Arpeggio started.

Jack made a noise of acknowledgement, placing another kiss on the sensitive spot. Arpeggio could feel the tingling sensations left by Jack's lips. Jack moved down to the sensitive spot on her neck, the place where the purplish mark resided. He kissed it lightly, hoping not to cause her any pain. A muffled moan was his response.

She was trying to resist him, how cute.

His tongue slipped past his lips and trailed along the mark. Arpeggio whimpered, squirming in his hold.

"Hurry up, cutie," Jack whispered, purposely allowing his breath to hit her neck.

He knew that drove her crazy, even if she didn’t want to admit it.

Arpeggio's squirming became worse. She bit on her lip just above her piercing and clenched her pen in her fists. Jack took her bruised flesh between his teeth. Arpeggio threw the pen across the room and pushed Jack onto the ground, straddling him. Before Jack could comprehend the situation, Arpeggio's lips were against his. She tugged his bottom lip and roughly invaded his mouth with her tongue.

Jack didn't mind Arpeggio's sudden dominance. In fact, he was enjoying himself.

When Arpeggio pulled away, both participants of the kiss were panting.

"Now you have a swollen lip," Arpeggio commented.

"I don't care," Jack smiled.

Arpeggio crinkled her nose. She opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by Neon's voice.

"Hey, you need to get to sleep," Neon was standing in the doorway on the bedroom.

"But I'm not done with my speech," Arpeggio said, looking up at her sister.

"She's written four of them," Jack added.

Neon tilted her head to the side. Why the hell did Arpeggio write four speeches?

"Why?" she asked.

"Because she thinks her speech isn't good enough," Jack stated.

Neon sighed, "Honey, let it rest. I'll help you tomorrow, okay?"

Arpeggio didn't want to let it rest. She wanted to finish it. Plus, it wouldn't be the same if Neon helped her. It wouldn't hold the same emotions.

But it would sound good. That's what Arpeggio wanted.

"Fine," Arpeggio mumbled, "Come on, Bear-cat. Let's go to sleep."