There is a soft sigh followed by a hooded glance between long lashes, his fingers stretched out and inching across the porcelain of the bathroom sink, he looks at himself. He looks so tired, so far gone, but there is a fighting glint in his eyes, proof that he had some left deep down inside him. "Simon?" The word is tentative, questioning, like she's not sure if it's really him, but the voice is soon followed by her arms, wrapping tight around his form, her heated caramel skin a stark contrast to his own chilled, pale skin. "Everything okay?" Her words drip like honey, sweet and slow, across his senses.
He turns to give her a smile, lips stretching tight against his teeth; he can see the way her eyes light up at the action and he pulls her closer, feeling the swell of her body against his own, how right it feels. "Fine, everything is fine." He murmurs, his eyes catching their reflection in the mirror. He can see her eyes, cat like, shining at him from behind wicked curls. He can count every freckle that adorns her face with his eyes closed, tell how her lips and brow pucker and pull, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
Alisha's hands map their way across his chest, scratching softly across his heart. Inside his head he counts silently, every breath, every blink…they amount into a continuous count down of time he is losing. Not to say he wasn't enjoying the time he had left here in the past, but it was passing him by so quickly, faster than the speed of light, it seemed.
And suddenly, his chest is tight and he can feel his heart rate speed up under Alisha's soft palm, because, oh God…he's running out of time. It hits him harder than a car, and he can feel it with every beat of his heart, with every sharp intake of breath and pant that escapes his now trembling lips, with every dilation of his pupils. "Simon, Simon!" Her voice barely reaches him, his heart is thundering in his ears, it's only when Alisha spins him around and shakes him, her nails digging into his shoulders, sharp, cutting pain, that he is jolted him back into reality.
He hates himself for worrying her. He realizes that he'll be gone soon, and it slowly rips him apart. Then, just like before, the realization hits him, he remembers that his other self…the other Simon… will still be there for her once he is gone, to help Alisha and guide her and love her. "Baby, baby look at me!" She's begging and pleading and all but crying and Simon can do nothing but pull her tight against him and press his face into her shoulder, breathing in her scent and trying to imprint it deep within his senses even though he's already memorized her every curve and persona.
So Simon cries for her, wracking sobs that she just takes without a word, silently holding him. "Ah-Alisha…I-I love you." He manages out, gasping the words out loudly, fingers scrambling to gain purchase on her sweet skin.
"Simon I know, I know you do." She coos, her fingers combing through his hair and rubbing soothing circles there. "Simon, please, look at me." She cups his cheeks and wipes at the tears. "I'm here…" She says simply, the saddest smile gracing her features. "You're here…" She continues, her forehead bumping against his as her smile grows.
Simon smiles through the tears, his own hands, clammy now, find her face and cradle it like it is the most fragile thing he could hold. "We're both here." He jokes weakly, his voice raw from all the words he has held back. He's back to counting now, every tear drop, every whimper, and every jaw clench.
He's going to make sure that he doesn't waste another minute.