Simon awakens to the sound of the harsh wind whipping against his window. Or rather, it would have woken him up if he had ever been asleep. Nonetheless, it still rattles him for a moment as he let out a heavy sigh, turning over on his side. He couldn't believe the predicament he was in. He never thought he would have to see Samantha ever again, never mind have to sleep in her cabin. A part of him wished he had defied Grace's orders and just forced himself into the snow, making himself scarce from this horrible place.

So what if he froze to death? At least he'd have put some distance between him and that damned cat. Though, he supposed it was a necessary evil if it meant he was getting closer to returning the Apex with Grace and Hazel, which he was growing increasingly anxious to do so. Their little journey was beginning to wear on him. He hated traveling with that stupid null Hazel was so determined to hang on to. He hated even more that Grace didn't even want to dispose of her–– er, it yet. Her reasonings were sound, he supposed, but that didn't make it any less frustrating for him.

That was another thing too. While becoming separated from the Apex was somewhat scary at first, he thought being alone with Grace again would be fun, and it had been at times. However, it just seemed like ever since they met Hazel and Tuba, things have become increasingly complicated between them. As different as they already were, he couldn't remember the last time they seemed to disagree or even really fought as much as they were now.

His mind wanders back to earlier that night when he had lashed out, forcing himself to explain to Hazel his history with Samantha before confronting his best friend and storming off, hoping maybe she would try and come to talk to him. She never did. Instead she remained with Hazel and those damned nulls. To add salt to the wound, the storm never cleared up, forcing them to stay the night in this God forsaken cabin. At least he was able to have his own room, though unfortunately trapped alone with his thoughts.

'She chose them over you.'

He rolled over on his other side.

'You're beneath her, anyway. Why would you think you could actually mean anything to her? She's not into you, never has been. Y–'

Simon suddenly sits up, his stomach in knots. So much for trying to get some rest for once. He sighs, clutching at his head as he runs his hands through his hair. He needs something to do, something that can take his mind off of nulls, Samantha, Grace, everything. Hell, he'll start digging his way out with his own bare hands if he has too. It's not like anyone else is awake to stop him. He gets up from his bed and swings the door open, making his way downstairs.

It isn't until he's almost at the bottom that he thinks he hears someone. He lets out an irritated grunt. 'Samantha'. That stupid cat and her late night reading. Great. Not having patience to see her again tonight and almost turns around to head back up the stairs, until he sees what appears to be a familiar silhouette. Curiously, he enters the main room and is surprised to see Grace huddled in front of the fireplace.

Her dark eyes are trained on the sizzling flames in front of her, consumed in her own thoughts. The corners of her lips are pointed downwards, her expression utterly desolate. She looked like a rueful sinner in Hell. Simon takes a step forward and the floorboard beneath him creaks, startling the young woman.

"O-oh, Simon!" Grace exclaims, jolting as she stands up, a phony smile plastering her face. "I didn't see you there! What're you still doing up?"

"I could ask the same of you," he replies, eyeing her suspiciously. "What's going on?"

He sees her hesitate for a moment, before her demeanor falters and she hangs her head. "I can't sleep," she admitted, crossing her arms. Her posture isn't so much defensive as it is awkward, almost like she wishes she could just hide behind herself. His gaze softens slightly, though he doesn't smile. Instead, he goes and flops against the sofa, turning his attention to the crackling flames dancing before him.

"Me neither," he concedes with a sigh, not taking his eyes off of the fireplace.

"Really?" She asks, her expression morphing into one of concern, "Is it because of Samantha?"

He flinches at the sound of her name but doesn't look at her. "Somewhat…" his sharp eyes glance in her direction, and Grace makes a face that just screams guilty.

"Is it because of me?"

Simon makes a pair of finger guns at her. "Winner, winner, chicken dinner," he replies laconically. Now it's her turn to flinch, her remorseful expression deepening. She lets out a sigh and walks over to him, sitting on the opposite side of the couch. Silence hangs uncomfortably over them and he starts to wonder if they'll be up all night like this. However, she takes him by surprise.

"I'm sorry," she speaks finally, grabbing Simon's attention. "This must be horrible for you. I should have realized that sooner." She scoots towards him a little. He remains faced away from her, his body language guarded, but decides to keep listening, silently thankful that she's seemingly opening up to him again. He watches as she starts to peel off her glove, curious about what her intentions are, his jaw falling once he sees her arm.

"What happened to your number?" He asks, startled as he moves to get a closer look. She offers her arm to him and he firmly takes it, studying and tracing along the glowing digits as well as the now empty space on her skin.

Grace just looks away like she's ashamed of herself, "I have no idea. I just noticed it earlier today and I can't figure out what's happening to me. I wanted to say something, I swear, but I just couldn't bear the thought of anyone from the Apex seeing me like this." Their eyes meet and Simon finally sees something that he rarely ever finds in her; vulnerability. "I couldn't bear the thought of you seeing me like this," she clarifies, her eyes dark with regret.

"I didn't want you to think less of me."

That last sentence takes Simon off guard. "Grace," he says softly, "we're a team. I could never think less of you. If anything, I was worried that I was losing you."

She blinks up at him in confusion, "Losing me? Because of earlier?"

He hesitates for a moment, his face flushing before he continues, "Well, yes and no," he sighs. "It just feels like we're not as close anymore, especially ever since Tuba and Hazel came along. I was just kind of hoping our separation from the Apex would bring us closer together, like old times! Not… the opposite."

Grace gazes at him softly, the light from the fire illuminating her skin, highlighting all of her features. He feels himself growing a little nervous as she reaches out to touch him, shifting herself closer to him, their legs practically touching. "Simon, you're not going to lose me." She speaks, her eyes sinking into his own as she leans closer. He feels himself becoming more drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

"Promise?" he asks, angling himself towards her. Their faces aren't very far apart now. He can feel her breath against his face.

"I promise," she assures him, and before either of them can think, Grace moves to capture Simon's lips with hers. He responds after a moment, and it's like a fire has been lit inside of him. He wraps his arms around her, pulling her onto his lap, both moaning into each other as they deepen the kiss, breaking the spell.

She pulls away, panting a little, "Is this okay?"

Simon just blinks at her before grabbing her and bringing her to him again, crashing their lips together. She lets out a surprised moan, but quickly reciprocates, gently dancing her fingers across his shoulders and chest.

Grace slips her hands beneath his clothes, tracing along the frame of his body like a sculptor admiring their subject. Even the lightest and most delicate of her touches drew sudden gasps from the blond. Grace rocks her hips against his, causing both of them to let out a low moan before leaning forward to gently nip at the spot on the side of his neck. She grins to herself as the simple action causes him to suck in a breath as he suddenly jerks his hips. She already had him wrapped around her finger, and she hadn't even gotten to the fun part yet.

Feeling rather mischievous, she slowly slides a hand into Simon's lap, idly drawing designs on his thigh. He jumps a bit, her touch evidently catching him off guard as she glides her fingers across his lower abdomen, just above his belt buckle. His quiet gasp falling on deaf ears as Grace fiddles with his belt, swiftly unbuckling it. His button comes undone and he releases a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding when she unzips him, taking the pressure off of his groin. She bites her bottom lip, excitement building in the pit of her stomach as she fixes her gaze upon him.

Grace quickly shoots a glance at Simon, fighting back a light chuckle. His posture is tense as he holds onto her like his life depends on it. She also quickly notes how tight his jaw was, his teeth clenched together like he was anticipating something huge.

"Simon," Grace speaks suddenly, her voice low like she's divulging a filthy secret, "how dense do you figure these walls are?"

His eyes darken as he looks into hers. "Pretty dense," he says, practically at his wits end as Grace only then throws him a provocative look.

"Good."

Without another moment's hesitation, she slips a hand into his boxers, earning a sharp gasp from him. He absent-mindedly bucks his hips into the heat of her grasp while she starts out slow, trying to familiarize herself with his member and what gives her the most reaction. She starts from the bottom, slowly inching her way to the top with the occasional twist of her wrist. His breath hitches as she starts to trace along the rim of his head, her touch soft but firm, causing him to draw out a low groan.

"Grace," his voice is stiff, indicating to her that she was doing well so far.

"Simon," she shoots back playfully, her tone hinting slightly of mockery. She meets his eyes, wetting her lips as she starts to move her hand just a little bit faster, before letting go. Simon lets out a confused whimper only to be silenced as Grace climbs on top of him, her pelvis pressing against his shaft as he grips at the fabric of her clothes for support.

Grace has her hands placed on both of his shoulders, attacking his neck with brutal kisses that were more teeth than tongue, peppering a trail down his neck. A part of her hoped it would leave a mark as she reveled in the thought of letting other people see what she could do to him as well as giving him something to remember. Not that he could ever forget this–– she was to make sure of that. He lets out a cry as she starts to grind against him, positioning herself so that her clit can receive some attention. Her mouth forms a perfect 'o' shape, vulgar sounds tumbling off of her lips.

However, she doesn't let herself get carried away any further, deciding she wants to draw this out as much as possible. Before Simon can reach his climax, her movements come to a sudden halt before she climbs off of him. He lets out an agonized whine, desperately gripping at her shirt, his eyes glazed over with both lust and despair as he's forced to hold all of the build up tension.

His heart pounds as she looms over him, placing a hand on either of his legs as she leans in closer. She smirks as she can see his frustration grow on his face. "Grace," he nearly growls, "that was cold. You're cold."

"Is that so?" She inquires, her tone dangerous. "Then why don't we keep each other warm tonight?" Grace purrs, her voice thick with mischief as his eyes widen slightly. She can't help but smile humorously as his face flushes into an even deeper shade of crimson. She slowly leans forward, her lips almost grazing his ear as she whispers, "I'll be in my room."

Before he even has the chance to respond, she casually turns on her heel and walks off, still feeling his gaze glued to her back. Grace quickly tosses him a seductive look, adding a light swing to her hips for good measure before vanishing into the hallway.

Simon is speechless, utterly speechless; but that doesn't stop his mind from screaming as his heart pounds along to the rhythm of her quiet footsteps moving up the stairs. He almost gets up and bolts after her, but he forces himself to remain seated, trying to think through the pros and the cons of what to do next. The pros were easy and obvious; sleeping with Grace was a longtime fantasy of his. He's had a crush on her for as long as he could remember, and his feelings for her have only grown as they've gotten older and closer.

However, that led to another concern of his–– how might their relationship change if he chose to pursue her? Would this bring them closer together, or just drive an awkward wedge between them? Would she still want to be his friend afterwards, or was it possible that she might want something more? His heart fluttered at the idea of the latter, though he tried not to let that mold his thought process too much. Eventually, he conceded to himself that he wouldn't ever be able to know for sure what tonight could lead to if he went after her.

However, deep down, he knew for certain that if he didn't take this chance, he might regret it for the rest of his life, wondering what could've happened if he hadn't rejected her advances. Turning his gaze towards the stairs, he let out a sigh, anxiety and excitement pricking at his stomach as he stood up. None of this felt real, but everything inside of him–– his instincts, his wants, his desires told him they were, practically urging him to go after her.

And soon enough, before he knew it, he was already making his way up the stairs.

Grace didn't have to wait long as evident by a firm knock on her door, her smirk growing. She gets up from her bed and saunters over to the door, opening it with a noticeable creak. As expected, Simon stood under the doorway, a serious expression planted firmly on his face despite it still being as bright red as it was before. Grace couldn't help but grin cheekily at his flustered disposition, shifting all of her weight to her left leg while placing a hand on her hip. She tilts her head slightly, raising an eyebrow, "Damn, that was fast."

Simon only stands there, blinking, before he rushes to crash his lips into hers and she immediately gives into him. She reciprocates his kiss, passion and all, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to help close the space between them while he grabs at her hips covetously. Their lips practically fuse together, tongues wrestling for dominance as she pulls him into her room. He kicks the door shut with his foot as he moves forward. Neither of them realize just how quickly they were moving until Grace's back slams up against the wall, earning a groan from her.

The heat of the moment awakens something deep inside of Simon, feeling an unfamiliar surge of self-assurance. Their mouths never separating, he spreads her thighs apart with his left leg, pressing it firmly between while swallowing one of her moans. They were as close as they've ever been but Grace wanted more, digging her nails into his back to urge him forward. She hadn't been expecting Simon to show such an assertive side to her, but she definitely wasn't about to complain. However, it wouldn't be nearly as fun if she just let him do whatever he wanted without a bit of a challenge. After all, she enjoyed giving him a hard time.

She moved her hands quickly from his back and laced it through his hair, gripping at his pale golden locks until she got to his ponytail. Smirking against his mouth, she grabs roughly at the band, earning a muffled yelp from him as she yanks it out and tosses it to the ground. It's then that Simon breaks the kiss, pulling away as he grabs her wrists and pins them above her head against the wall. Her catty grin deepens as he glares at her, a low growl rumbling from his throat. "What the Hell was that for?"

Grace would've shrugged if it was possible in her current position, but she can't, so she instead just bats her eyelashes at him, her smile turning coy. "I think you look better with your hair down to be honest. You should do it more often; loosen up a little." She sticks her tongue out at him.

"Yeah, but that hurt!" Simon exclaims, quickly glancing around at the floor. "And now I don't even know where it is!"

Grace lets out a dark chuckle as she cocks her head to the side, wetting her lips as she peers up at him with seductive, cat-like eyes. "And what are you going to do about it?" She asks him, catching him off guard as she rocks once against his leg, "Fuck me?"

Simon just stares at her, a dangerous look flashing behind his eyes.

That did it.

He instantly drops her arm, firmly cupping the side of her face with his left hand while he throws their lips together in a frenzy. Grace eagerly returns the kiss with equal force as he slowly trails his hand down from her face to her side until his fingers found the waistline of her pants. He tugs at her shirt, pulling it out from where it was tucked in, his rough hands just starting to flirt with the skin on her stomach. She shudders under his touch, letting out another moan into his mouth as he gently bites her lower lip, only to quickly flick his tongue over it to soothe it.

If the kiss lasted hours, Grace didn't care to keep track. As far as she was concerned, he was all she could feel, touch, taste. There was nothing else in her universe; no cabins, no denizens, no kids, no train. Nothing, because nothing else mattered right now. His hand slides upwards, grazing against the fabric of her bra, earning a barely audible squeak from her. She can feel Simon start to smile again as he cups her breast, gently kneading the flesh there, setting her ablaze.

Eventually, Simon pulls away from her mouth and starts to pepper hot kisses on the side of her jaw while Grace uses her free hand to grip at his sweatshirt, trying to sneak her hand under it to touch him. He lets her as he trails his mouth down her throat, stopping to lick and suck at the spot between her shoulder and neck, leaving her breathless. She runs a hand over his chest but can barely focus under his touch, instinctively rocking her hips against his leg. A small, slow motion to get friction where she desperately needed it.

The rising heat that ached deep within her core suddenly spiked as Simon's fingers trailed down her stomach, tracing patterns just above her waist. The lower half of her body twitched from under him as she groaned out his name, pressing her head harder against the wooden barrier behind her. He momentarily pauses to nip at the spot between her neck and shoulder and she lolls her head to the side to give him better access. While she was distracted, he quickly snakes his hand over her underwear, earning a loud gasp from her as she sharply bucks her hips in response.

Before he proceeds, Simon movs his leg out from between hers and repositions himself so that he could spread her legs apart just a little further and hold them there with his own. Grace's heart raced as he restricted her ability to grind against him, her eyes dilating with lust and curiosity over what he was about to do. She didn't protest as his hand continued its journey across her, his fingers drawing long designs along her opening through her underwear.

"Wow," he rasps, amazed as continues to press his digits against her slit, "you're so fucking wet down there."

She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it when only a hoarse whine came out, her arousal building as she felt his hot breath lap at her mouth. He leans into forward, kissing her but far more gently this time as she calls out his name from under him. He slips his tongue into her mouth, but barely moves it, allowing her some form of control as he moves his fingers back to her waist before tracing them back down, only for him to slip his hand under panties this time. Grace's breath hitches sharply as his foreign touch lazily grazes her folds, teasing her as he pulls away.

"Grace?" He questions, still touching her, his face growing soft, "You okay to keep going?"

She was breathing hard, barely able to get air into her lungs. If she didn't know any better, she could've sworn she walked into a sauna. Everything was hot and her brain felt like it was turning into slush. Still, she manages to nod up at him, repeating his name like a broken record as her legs tremble from under her.

Thankfully, he understands, planting a gentle kiss to her forehead as he moves his thumb up her slit. Grace quivers, her stomach fluttering as she clenches her eyes shut. For once, she was glad she had no idea what was coming because as soon as his thumb flicked across her clit, she could've sworn she saw sparks.

"Fuck!" The word tore from her throat, knocking the wind out of her as he then slid two fingers inside of her, moving in counterpoint with his thumb. Simon returns to her shoulder, gently nipping at her flesh as she desperately rocks her hips against his hand, obscene words and phrases pouring from her mouth as she grabs his sweatshirt all the more tightly. The white fabric twists under her fingers and for a brief moment she fears she might tear it until Simon bites the side of her neck, pushing the thought completely out of her mind.

The world around her seemed to spin as she could feel herself being brought closer to the edge. "S-Simon," she nearly cries while she scratches at his back, the pleasure washing over her as bright sparks flash behind her eyelids, "I'm… I'm…!"

Simon quirks an eyebrow at her, an unreadable expression placed on his face. "You're getting close?"

Grace nods, letting out a loud moan as she arches her back. For some reason, she can't seem to trust the way he's looking at her and right before she can reach her climax, he pulls his fingers out of her. Grace lets out a defiant cry over the sudden emptiness, her facial expression flashing with crippling disappointment as she tries to hold herself up against the wall. She takes deep breaths, her legs trembling as her orgasm escapes her completely, returning to her the unbearable ache between her legs.

Simon steps away from her, an arrogant smirk on his face as he holds his fingers up, still slick with her fluids. Once she's able to properly process what just happened, she shoots him glare, which only feeds into his boastful grin. "How's that for payback?"

Still breathing heavily, Grace stands up a little straighter, adjusting her pants as she keeps her hard eyes fixed on him. "You're an asshole, Simon," she hisses.

Simon shrugs as he turns, wandering away from the wall as he sticks both fingers in his mouth, sucking the fluids off of his digits. "Noted."

She follows him as he walks towards her bed, her legs wobbling slightly with each step, though the rest of her felt invigorated, her insides flaring with desire. She was not about to let Simon get the best of her like that.

Simon turns to her, but before he can even speak Grace flashes him a dangerous smirk and quickly moves her arms forward to push him. His back bounces a little when his back hits the mattress and they both can't help but giggle before she climbs on top of him, leaning to kiss him, mapping a hot trail of kisses down his neck. Simon groans, wrapping his arm around his lover instinctively. She starts to sit up but before Grace can react, he instantly sits up, grabbing her shoulders to push her against the mattress.

"Oh, so it's gonna be like that, huh?" She quips, her eyes narrowing into tiny slits as she offers him a sly little smile.

"Yep," he retorts simply, putting emphasis on the last letter. He gazes at her through dark, half-lidded eyes that nearly sends a shiver down her spine. He's quick to notice which earns her one of his insufferable signature smirks and she almost rolls her eyes at him. However, she wasn't about to admit defeat to him that easily.

"Wow, Simon," she starts, her gaze becoming soft as she moves her hands to delicately touch the sides of his face, "I gotta hand it to you; when you really want something, you can be so assertive…" she coos. She slowly reaches over with her right hand to gently toy with one of his loose hair strands, causing his face to flush an even deeper shade of red then it was before.

'This is way too easy,' she thinks to herself before she carefully presses their foreheads together, her dark brown eyes meeting his own as she starts to close the space between their lips.

"Maybe," she whispers huskily, her warm breath scorching hot against his face, "just maybe, you'll even outrank me one day…"

Simon gulps, momentarily losing his confidence, "R-really? Do you mean that?"

Carefully, Grace moves to position her left leg just above his knee while she bats her eyelashes at him, "Oh, Simon," she sighs in a sickeningly sweet voice before a devilish look flashes across her face, "...of course not!" Without giving him a chance to respond, she pulls her face away, kicking his left leg out from under him. He lets out a sharp yelp as Grace makes her move to grab him and flip him over on his back again.

They wrestle and roll around like this for a while with the occasional giggling, rough kisses, and nips to the neck and shoulders, only fueling their respective fires. Finally, Grace is able to assert her dominance once and for all by pinning Simon back against the mattress, restraining his hands above his head as she straddles his waist. Both were exhausted from their little tussle, as evident by their labored breathing. Her grin widens as Simon gives her a defiant look, though he doesn't even try to fight her this time.

"Hmph, bossy," he snorts as he turns his head to the side, gazing away from her with a fake pout.

Grace laughs. "You're damn right," she says, giving her hips a little swivel for emphasis. He gasps a little from the sudden movement before shooting her wolfish look; a look that she easily returns. "So," she huffs as she leans forward, pressing her inner frame against his, "how about we finally get these clothes off, huh?"

"I thought you'd never ask," he quips as she sits up on her knees, crossing her arms.

"Well?" Grace queries humorously, one of her eyebrows quirking upwards, "I'm waiting."

Simon rolls his eyes, his smile widening in anticipation as he swiftly pulls both his sweatshirt and tank-top off, throwing them to the floor. The corners of Grace's mouth stretch just a little further across her face as she slowly pulls her top over her head, her hair bouncing slightly once it's completely off, only to then carelessly toss it on the ground. Simon tries not to stare at her too much, but he can't help it. He's imagined a scenario like this a thousand times in his head, but he never knew just how much better it was now that it was actually happening.

Grace allowed him to sit up a little and he moved to cup the sides of her face, turning his head to kiss her. She reciprocates, slipping her tongue in his mouth as their tongues wrestle once more. His warm hands trail lightly down her body and stop by her waist, he tugs carefully on the cloth, as if asking permission to take it off for her. Grace lets out a groan of approval as she pulls away to help him. All it takes is one quick tug and they're off, only leaving her underwear. Before she moves to remove it, she places her hands behind her back, trying to unhook her bra first.

Simon takes this as an opportunity to remove the rest of his clothing, pulling both his pants and boxers off together in one quick motion. After tossing her bra off the bed, Grace slowly hooks her thumbs under the waistline of her underwear and slowly starts to pull it down. She winks at him and before Simon knows it, she's already dropping her panties to the side, completely bare before him. For a brief second, embarrassment flashes across both of their faces, reflecting how truly inexperienced they actually were in spite of their initial confidence.

"You're beautiful," Simon whispers, his eyes wide and bright in that special way whenever he was caught absolutely awestruck, so she knows he must really mean it. She bites her lip, the red in her face deepening as she momentarily looks away. She rarely felt pretty growing up. Even when her friends and family back home told her that constantly, she never once believed it. That "dainty" little girl dressed head to toe in the most trendy and expensive outfits her parents could find was never really her. But the person she became over the past eight years; the one that enjoyed causing mayhem and destruction in her wake alongside a group of kids in cheap clothes–– that was her. Or at least closer to who she truly was.

And now that they were both completely exposed to each other without a single secret left to reveal, those words meant more to her than ever. More than she could ever properly express. She returns his gaze, her bottom lip trembling. Her voice cracks as she runs a hand through his blond hair, "You're gorgeous."

She can hear Simon's breath hitch in his throat, his eyes becoming shiny and slick with emotion and for a moment Grace thinks he might cry, but he doesn't. Instead he just reaches to gently place his hand over the one she had rested against his cheek. Grace bends down to kiss hum as she gets in position to straddle him again. Simon's hands move back down to her hips to help guide her into a comfortable position, both gasping once they find it. Her insides ignited once more as she could feel every inch of him underneath her.

"Fuck," Simon manages to say, his throat constricting with tension as he gently glides his fingers down her thighs, delicate touches trailing down her legs.

Grace bites her lip as she slowly sinks down on his member, letting out a sharp gasp as she took him in completely. Simon shivers and she can feel the muscles in his legs tense from under her. While it wasn't at all painful, she had to admit, it felt a little strange. Even in her wildest fantasies, she had never really expected to feel this full. Someone else was inside of her, joined to her from one of the most sensitive yet intimate parts of her body. Whatever distance had remained between them was now gone.

She gazes down at Simon, smirking at the way his eyes were squeezed shut while his head was arched back, clearly in ecstasy. Slowly, Grace moved up before carefully bringing herself back down, earning a loud moan from Simon. Her smirk deepened; she would definitely be getting a power high out of this. She moves again, though slightly faster this time.

"G-Grace…" Simon barely manages to stutter her name between heavy pants, "you still doing okay?"

"Yeah," she breathes, nearly moaning the word as she carefully starts to pick up the pace. The corners of her lips turn upwards into a cocky grin as she watches him clench his eyes shut, pleasuring flashing across his face. Eventually he opens his eyes again, his pupils blown wide in astonishment. Grace had to admit, he looked adorable like this. Unable to resist the urge to bend over to kiss him, she quickly moved to crash their lips together. Their tongues lapped against each other, though far more smoothly this time as they maneuvered around each other's mouths, swallowing each other's moans that seemed to crescendo with each buck of her hips.

For a while neither of them opened their eyes as they continued to passionately kiss each other, making the most of their heated intimacy. Grace's brows knit together in confusion as she feels Simon's mouth morph into a grin against hers, but before she can question it he starts to move his hips, just oh so slightly changing the angle. At first it didn't seem to make a difference until he happened to move just right, causing Grace to tighten her grip as she let out a cry. "Oh God!"

Simon can't help but toss her an almost predatory smirk as she pulls away from him, his blue eyes burning into hers. Clearly he wasn't planning on making her victory easy for her. "Right there?" he asks, his voice just short of a taunt. All Grace can do is let out a desperate whine in response, shooting a lover a lascivious look as they fall into a new rhythm together, each motion hitting her in such a way that she could feel her chest burn with each beat of her heart. Grace then watches as Simon parts his lips, bringing his thumb to his mouth, wetting it with a quick flick of his tongue. Her breath hitches suddenly as he brings his thumb to her clit and she can't help but moan under his touch.

Her core sears with an almost unbearable heat under his nimble fingers, and for a moment it brings to her attention just how hot they've become in spite of being in a cabin in the middle of deathly cold snowstorm. Every inch of her skin that he ended up touching seemed to leave a sizzling imprint on her that only added to her fire, making each rock of her hips all the more desperate.

She couldn't think as the overstimulation of the intensity, pleasure, and tension of their movements overrode all of her senses, melting away whatever amount of focus she had left. It was like the world around them completely disappeared; everything except for that passionate heat that continued to burn between her legs, consuming her entire body and mind with it. At some point she felt Simon's leg jolt upwards as he tried, and failed, to suppress a hard shudder that coursed down his back, causing his movements to become erratic. As if that wasn't enough of an indicator as to how close he really was, a loud but low moan left his mouth, driving Grace's lust-filled mind up the wall as that just brought her all the more closer to her own peak.

Soon enough, she found her own movements to become increasingly convulsive and arduous with every heated motion. She bit back a loud gasp as felt her walls constrict tightly around him, tossing her head back as could no longer hold back the scream that tore through her, clenching her eyes shut as Simon's name poured from her lips on repeat. Her legs trembled as she could see bright lights flashing behind her eyelids, the climactic flame inside of her finally extinguished.

Grace falls forward with a cry, no longer able to hold herself up as her arms give out from under her. However, like always, Simon is there to catch her. Up close, she couldn't help but notice Simon's cavernous eyes as he kept them softly focused onto her, his chest still rising and falling in nearly rhythm with hers. Giving him a worn smile, she can't fight back the urge to gently press her swollen lips to his, letting out one final moan as she did so. She slumps beside him weakly as he shifts to wrap his arms around her, their skin sticking together awkwardly from all of the sweat.

For several minutes, the room goes completely silent as they both try and process everything that just happened between them. Grace's demeanor is relaxed, almost like she had just gotten a massage. Her eyelids were pulled down halfway over tired brown eyes, her lips drawn back in a sleepy smile as she absentmindedly drew a tiny circle on her lover's chest. Simon on the other hand, while clearly exhausted, seemed to be a little more alert, his mind racing.

'Holy shit. Holy fucking shit.'

"Jesus, I needed that," Grace sighs, her voice cutting through the silence. She turns to look at him, her eyes shimmering. "You were great, Simon. I didn't think you had it in you."

He gives her a look, "Gee, thanks. That means so much coming from you," he says, a sarcastic edge in his tone. Grace lets out a euphonious laugh and Simon can't help but grin, taking notice of how much she's glowing. A part of him wishes this night could go on forever.

"Seriously though; I don't know about you, but I'm going to be walking funny tomorrow," she adds, gently reaching over to play with the loose strands of hair, earning a blush from Simon before his expression slowly becomes a little subdued. Grace is quick to pick up on it, "Hey, what's up?"

For a moment Simon hesitates, considering lying to her before thinking the better of it. Attempting to hide something from her after they've become so intimate just seemed… wrong. He's done a lot of horrible things to people, things he wouldn't hesitate to do over and over again, but could never hurt her. At least not on purpose. Especially not now she was still so vulnerable. He swallows nervously, before meeting her gaze.

"Does this change anything between us?"

The question appears to startle Grace, her eyelids peeling back in surprise. She pauses for a moment before looking away. "I mean… it doesn't have to," she says quietly, offering him a tiny shrug.

"Well, sure, but does it?" He asks again, his expression becoming forlorn. "I just… I really don't know how you feel about me sometimes," he confesses finally, taking her off guard. She opens her mouth to speak but he doesn't let her, "I mean, with the way you always touch me, I can't tell if you're just being friendly or what. And now…" he trails off, a hard lump forming in his throat that he can't quite explain. "Now I'm not sure where we stand."

Grace still refuses to meet his gaze, but nods her head in acknowledgement. There's a somber silence lingering between them before she finally looks at him again, reaching over to gently cup his cheek. "Hey," she starts, her voice more gentle than he's ever heard it, "to be honest… I'm not sure either. All I know is that you're my best friend–– more than that; a companion. You've always had my back and that's always meant the world to me. You mean the world to me." She states as she scoots a little bit closer to him. "I don't know what we are sometimes, but I care about you and… and you're special to me."

She leans over to plant a brief kiss on his lips. "If you weren't… well, I wouldn't have let you ravish me," she jokes, placing several sloppy kisses on his cheeks. He laughs, genuinely feeling at least a little more at ease. He still felt deeply conflicted over the nature of their relationship, but at least this was a start. Though, he still couldn't help but wish he meant a little more to her than that.

Eventually, Grace's head hits the pillow and starts to doze off, leaving Simon alone with his thoughts once more. Outside, he could still hear the harsh wind's howl, among the other sounds of the wilderness surrounding the cabin. He can feel Grace cocooning further into him in her sleep, her lips parted open slightly as she snores quietly. He smiles at her, his face soft with melancholy; happy to have had this chance with her, but sad to know how it'll all be ripped away from him as soon as the sun comes up. What he wouldn't give to have every night be like this, to have her sleeping next to him, to be his and his alone.

He should be grateful, he knows. Not many people get this chance, and better yet she genuinely cares for him–– maybe loves him back, but that's just a maybe. And maybe certainly didn't make her his.

He glances towards the window, frowning as he notices the night sky starting to lighten, counting down the few hours he had left with her. Slowly, he flips on his side to face Grace, wrapping his arms carefully around her. She stirs a little and mumbles something in her sleep before she huddles closer to him, burying her forehead into the crook of his neck. His eyes prick with tears as he delicately pulls her closer to him, pressing their warm bodies as closely together as he possibly can under the sheets.

His fatigue finally getting the better of him, Simon pulls his eyes shut, allowing the rhythm of Grace's soft breaths to gently lull him into a sense of tranquility before he finally slips into the darkness.