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Grace and Simon had settled comfortably into their life together on Erid a long time ago but only recently had their relationship developed into something more than just platonic.
Things started off small; a lingering hug here, a refusal to stop holding hands while Grace taught a class there.
But every little moment built up to the undeniable truth of the magnetism between them.
And sure, adding kissing and petnames and making out to the mix was great!
But Grace enjoyed the quieter moments just as much; talking about their days or something Rocky and Adrian had mentioned.
But getting to listen to Simon explain something about his childhood was a rare treat that Grace savoured, appreciating the honesty between them.
“-I think the whole naming thing was to do with some old religion? I dunno, not so many records on religious crap, but there was something to do with a tree in Eden and I'm guessing that's where we got our name for it from,” Simon rambled, hand lazily playing with Grace's fingers as he spoke. “Did you have that? Some religious place called Eden? I know you had more than one tree but, y'know, wanna check and see what's similar.”
“Yep, there's a whole story behind the Garden of Eden and the incredibly important tree within it and why it's the reason humans are now the way they are,” Grace answered before frowning. “Well, supposedly anyway. I wasn't much for religion but I took philosophy as an extra subject to fill out my timetable and a lot of what I learned for that was about Christianity so I could probably still explain a decent amount if you want.”
“Gonna go on another of your nerd lectures?”
“I just asked if you wanted me to or not.”
“Fine. But you know how much I like you talking so if we end up kissing after that's not on me,” Simon replied, voice slightly gruffer than usual as he withdrew his hand.
Grace pouted as the warmth from contact disappeared before grinning when he felt Simon's feet begin to latch onto his leg instead.
“I like you talking too,” Grace admitted.
“So why are we still talking instead of kissing?” Simon joked with a soft huff of laughter but something shone more truthfully behind his eyes.
“Maybe stop always sitting across from me instead of next to me and we would,” Grace chuckled, a softer smile overtaking his features. “Do you want me to talk about it now or some other time?”
Simon's cheeks flushed darker as his gaze darted down and to the side. “...some other time.”
Grace stood up, walking around to stand in front of Simon - although as the latter turned to continue facing him, it forced the former between his legs instead. “Was this your plan all along or something?”
“Psh, fuck no. If I wanna kiss you then I just ask,” Simon refuted, dark brown eyes finally flicking up to Grace's as his hand rested gently on the scientist’s hip. “Can I?”
“Mhm,” Grace managed, leaning down to meet him.
The rougher texture of Simon's bitten and dry lips against his own always created such a strangely soothing sensation, his mind melting away into the feeling of it.
Simon standing up allowed Grace to crane his neck at a more comfortable angle, grunting in surprise when an arm scooped him up.
“Not gonna let you keep being so damn tall,” Simon growled playfully, carrying him far enough to brace Grace between him and a nearby wall.
“It's two inches of difference,” Grace laughed before the sound cut off as Simon began to bite at his neck and jaw.
“Stupid, tall, hot scientist,” Simon mumbled as he sucked a mark against Grace's neck.
One of Grace's hands braced against Simon's left shoulder while his right hand gently tilted up Simon's face.
“Your stupid, tall, hot scientist,” Grace teased before pressing a chaste kiss to his lips, thumb swiping beneath them after. “Um, do you-”
“On it,” Simon groaned, beginning to walk them towards their bedroom before pausing to brace Grace against a wall and kiss him some more.
Grace's breath caught in his throat at the gentle bite to his bottom lip, a high pitched noise catching in his throat.
“Wait, wait,” Simon said, the word drawing Grace back to something more lucid as he leant back. “I interrupted whatever you were gonna say. Made a stupid fucking assumption on what you were gonna say. What was it?”
“I think you guessed correctly,” Grace laughed, trying not to get too distracted when Simon's teeth and lips gently dragged along his jaw once more.
“You never shut up, don't do it now, shithead. What were you gonna say?”
“Y-yeah, okay.” Grace's breaths quickened as another mark was sucked against his throat. “I- I was gonna say about making out in bed.”
Simon pulled him down into a more brash kiss, firm and solid for a few seconds before pulling away again. “Good. Good for using your words.”
“Mhm! Y-yep, totally!” Grace stammered, brain melting even more than it already had been.
Simon carried him the short distance further to the bedroom before settling him down on the bed, covered in a variety of blankets now that the Eridians were growing more confident with their fabric synthetic material.
“Stop being so damn pretty, it's fucking distracting,” Simon said with a smirk, sitting back on his legs and pulling his shirt off over his head.
Grace pushed himself more upright before one hand gently came up to trace at the scarring along Simon's side, fingertips grazing carefully over the mottled texture of the vast span of damaged tissue.
“Grace…”
The soft call of his name drew his attention upwards, gazing at where Simon's face was softly haloed by the dim light in the room.
“You don't have to do that every time,” Simon whispered, leaning over just far enough to press a kiss to his forehead.
“I know… I want to though,” Grace murmured before bending over and kissing at the large patch of scars.
Simon let out a cut-off whimper before laying back, seemingly having accepted this habit wouldn't break.
His calloused hand came up to thread through short blonde hair, twisting slightly when warm breath fanned over his exposed torso.
Grace pressed a few more lingering kisses to the scar tissue before shifting to lean over Simon, capturing his lips in another tender kiss.
“What're you doing still being so far away?” Simon complained between smaller kisses, one leg hooking over Grace's back.
“You're the one who put me over there,” Grace pointed out with a short laugh before acquiescing to the unspoken request.
Climbing on top of Simon, Grace straddled the man below him, planting his legs either side of his hips.
“Hey there,” Simon breathed as he sat up, putting the two of them practically chest to chest. “Come here often?”
“Only when you ask me to,” Grace replied, grinning when the other man's cheeks flushed.
“You're so fucking dorky,” Simon stated before pulling him into a deeper kiss, tongue slipping between the seam of his lips and finding Grace's own.
Grace let out a low moan as he melted into it, one hand holding tightly onto Simon's back while the other tangled in long, dark locks of hair.
Simon's hand had left Grace's hair a while ago but returned to the back of his neck, applying gentle yet firm pressure against it.
And for a while things remained that way - familiar, comfortable and understood.
However, Grace froze up when Simon's hand shifted down to toy with the hem of his t-shirt, fingers grazing the skin underneath.
“What's wrong?” Simon murmured as he pulled back slightly, lips glistening and swollen from however long they'd been kissing for.
“Nothing,” Grace lied.
Brown eyes narrowed in suspicion and Simon heaved out a sigh as he leant back. “Tell the fucking truth, Ryland. C'mon. You always make me do it, so should you.”
“R-right,” Grace agreed, eyes squeezing shut and mentally counting his breaths as he tried to calm his racing mind.
“Do you wanna sit somewhere else or-?”
Simon hadn't even finished his question when Grace moved off of him, sitting further down the bed than before, hands nervously scratching at his arms.
“Fucking hell, you're proper upset. What'd I do?” Simon questioned - to anyone else he might've sounded angry but Grace could detect the worry smothered beneath his tone.
“You- you're great, I don't want you to think you're not-”
“Okay, so tell me what I did wrong?”
Grace inhaled, staring down at the blankets instead and bunching fabric in his hands so he wouldn't scratch his skin raw. “I just don't know if I'm ready for that yet. Or ever. I dunno, I never really liked it? If that makes sense? I never had any strong feelings towards doing it either. And hey, maybe that'll change someday but maybe it won't. But it's not fair for me to let you think that there's going to be something that there isn't and-”
Simon's hand clasped over his, warm and grounding amidst his low level panic. “Slow down. Breathe.”
Grace did as instructed, drawing in a deep inhale before speaking. “I just… don't really want to do sex, I guess.”
“Okay? And?” Simon let out a snort as Grace looked up at him. “I mean, seriously, you think that's a breaking point or something? Bullshit. You're stuck with me whether you like it or not and that's not just because we're years away from any other humans.”
“You're sure it's not-”
“Ryland. Use your damn ears. I don't care about fucking you. Sure, you're a hot piece of ass, we've established that much. But that's not why I love you,” Simon argued before pausing a moment. “...is that the first time we've used the ‘L’ word?”
“Yeah,” Grace confirmed, a grin spreading across his face. “I love you too, Simon.”
“...shit, that means Rocky won the bet.”
“Oh fun- wait, what bet?!”