Simone was quick to gain a smile once he mentioned the beach. She loved looking at it from the tower window. She wanted more of it though. The sand beneath her feet, the water at her ankles… She wanted it all. The ocean seemed so free and for some reason, that was important to her.

Tilting her head she smiled a bunch more towards him. “Lewis,” her voice was barely audible as she stepped near him and she lifted herself up a bit. Her nose touched his and she nuzzled him softly before giving him perhaps the softest kiss he had ever been given. “Thank you.” She had herself wrapped around him and she wasn’t sure if this was okay with him.

It made her heart skip a few beats as she gained a worried expression. “Is it okay for me to be like this?” She was never too sure how he would react to her as she let go of him.

“I…” She pondered a bit. “Should go read for a bit before bed. Unless,” her eyes looked up at him. “You had other suggestions?”

Simone was happy, and that was what mattered. Sure, Lewis barely knew what he did to cause it, but he said the right things, and meant them… His reward for it all? A soft, almost….that kind of kiss…that word that he knew very well in the back of his mind, but had no idea how to say. That feeling that he experienced back in the dream dive, the one that he never wanted to feel again, yet craved.

“You’re….welcome,” Lewis said quickly, avoiding her gaze for a moment as she hugged him. He wasn’t sure how he was supposed to feel about it. Though, now, through the corner of his eyes, he noticed that she was getting worried. “It’s fine…” Lewis said. His voice sounded dead, but inside he was screaming that it was more than okay, and that he wanted her here.

“You can…read in here,” Lewis suggested. “I don’t mind…” It was genuine. She was quiet when she read, so it wouldn’t be a problem, and the light had never bothered him. “…if you…want..”

Simone looked at him almost as deadpan as he normally looked most of the time. When he told her he could read with her she opened her mouth and closed it. She should have known better than to be… Well… Not direct with Lewis.

She held the deadpan look and sighed a bit as she put her forehead into his chest, gripped his shirt, and inhaled… exhaled… inhaled. Then slowly she looked back up at Lewis. Her face wasn’t deadpan anymore. It was serious but also sort of mischievous. “Lewis,” she let his name come out. “I was trying to suggest…”

Simone put her head to his chest again but before long she took a step back. “Lewis, just get the fuck undressed and take me to bed already. I was trying to ask you if you wanted to have sex.” Her face was now bright red now as she lost all the bravado she had. It was just enough to get it out.

It was rare for Lewis to be shocked into silence like this. It was even rarer for him to lose all train of thought. Normally, he was analyzing and assessing everything around him, yet this girl had managed to blow his mind completely. The words she used were so unlike her, and it brought back memories to the dream dive, and a certain Guide and their interactions. Less memories, though, and more fragments of the heated moments they shared.

And it was extremely arousing.

“I-….” Lewis blinked, and took off his shirt, tossing it to the side. Simone, who seemed almost shocked at what she had said, did a half hearted finger twirl, indicating the rest of the clothes needed to come off. It took him a moment, but he nodded, and soon he and Simone were back in bed.

Of course, Lewis wasn’t sure what to do now. Normally, he was taking charge. Not…expertly, mind you, but taking charge. It was what he did. But now, he wasn’t entirely sure how to act. By all means, he was aroused, but in a different way than normal… He tried to say her name, asking if she was okay, but it only half came out. “…mone…Do you…want to…”

Simone looked at him as they were in bed now. He was holding her but they were hardly doing anything at all. He wanted too, that wasn’t too hard to tell. “I wouldn’t have told you to get your ass in bed if I didn’t,” the words came out with laughter before she pulled him down into a hard passionate kiss. She felt like she was drowning after a while and let him free of it. Hard breaths as her stormy eyes looked up into his hazel.

“Oh. My. Gods. Quit thinking about it and just fuck me already,” she wiggled and flipped them both before taking charge of the situation. “I swear,” she chuckled as she sat on top of him looking down. “What am I going to do with you?” She ran her hand down his chest and gave a smirk.

“It’s okay not to know what to do… I don’t know what to do but I’m just going to do it because you drive me crazy.” There was a pause before she leaned down and kissed him. “In a good way. Not a bad way.”

Then… She fully took charge not giving him much control over the situation for once. It was different and by the end, she was clinging to him closely exhausted. She pushed her head up under his chin. “You are cute… When you think too much.”

It was a unique night for Lewis. He had never before relinquished control to another. The whole experience that Simone gave him was illuminating in a sense, and for that he had to thank her. Of course, that form of thanks would come much later. For now, though, he enjoyed that Simone was taking control of the situation. She seemed to enjoy it too, taking advantage of the one who had kept her captive for so long.

By the end of it all, Lewis and Simone were sweaty and panting, and Simone made a comment about him being so cute when he thought too much. The look that Lewis gave her was a rather annoyed one, however only Simone would have been able to decipher it at this point.

“You talk too much…” Lewis wrestled for control, and the remainder of the night became a fight for dominance. WHen the morning came, Lewis was covered in marks, and Simone didn’t fare much better.

He woke up first, and started to get dressed. Every so often, he glanced over to Simone’s sleeping form. For some reason, seeing her there, so peacefully, was pleasant and soothing. At least, that’s what he assumed the emotions were.

“I’ll be back soon…”

Simone woke up enough and smiled at him, “Okay… Come here real quick.” She reached for him and pulled him to her. His kiss yesterday opened up something for her now… She kissed him fully on his lips and then kissed his forehead. “I’ll see you later okay?”

She laid her head down on her pillow and pulled the blanket over her. “It’s cold without you.” She commented with a yawn before rolling over.

Once she woke up she spent time pampering herself, panicking, and Dala came to help her. When Lewis finally returned he found Simone waiting nervously on the bed. Her hair was in gentle curls half pulled back. There was a blue flower in her hair where it met in the back. She was blushing.

There wasn’t any makeup on her face because what if she went in the water but her eyes were still big and worried. She had on a revealing see-through white lace covering over a blue bikini. She looked down at it then at Lewis. “Is this okay for a date on the beach?” She looked over at their new beach stuff too. “I had Dala help me… I got us towels to lay on…”

Lewis didn’t actually have a job to do that day, and instead had centered his plans around preparation for the date. There were a few things he had to take care of that were work related, but those ended quickly and easily, and Lewis found himself prowling the Keep, looking for some of the Acolytes who he knew would help him. It didn’t take long.

“You. Darren. I need….I need help,” Lewis said. It was strange hearing it from one of the top assassins of the Temple, but Darren was quite adept at what he did.

“Sure, Lewis. What can I do for you?” The acolyte removed his hood to reveal a kind face, though heavily scarred from abuse. He was one of the boys that Lewis had saved a while back, and had joined up with the temple to help others.

“I have a date. I….Don’t know what to do,” Lewis admitted.

Darren smirked. “Well, well…this is unexpected. All right. Let’s take care of your hair first. After that, you’ll need a good scrubbing and some clothes. Where is the date?”

“Beach,” Lewis responded, awkwardly looking away. “Do I really need to do all of that?”

The kind acolyte smirked, and pushed Lewis towards the door. “Yes, yes! Let’s get going buddy…”

It didn’t take long to trim Lewis’ hair to a respectable state. With that taken care of, Lewis was pushed into the baths, where Darren helped scrub down the young assassin.

“Lewis…these marks…” Darren said, trying to hold back his amusement.

“What about them?” Lewis asked, almost threateningly.

There was a cough from the other side of the bathhouse, and Jack was staring at Lewis. “The fuck?”

That earned Jack a rare smile from Lewis. “Not so plain,” he said with a smirk. “Not so plain at all…”

With the bath taken care of, Darren dragged Lewis into his room, and started tossing about clothes. “I’m guessing you don’t have anything….of course you don’t. Why would you. Here. Try this, this, annnd….this.”: He threw a bunch of clothes at Lewis, and moments later, the assassin looked almost like a well dressed noble.

“A little over the top,” Darren said, looking the assassin over. “Lose the hat, and I think you can manage.”

“It’s the beach, though,” Lewis said with a look. “Can’t I just wear pants and a shirt?”

Darren sighed. “I guess…but one of these days you’re going to have to wear something like this Lord Raith will not tolerate sloppiness.

“FIne…”

—

Lewis walked into the tower wearing a rather basic pair of shorts and a short sleeve, button up shirt, though his did not bother to do up the buttons. “Simone, are you rea-” His eyes met hers, and then he noticed what she was wearing. “I…” His eyes looked her over again, and then rested on her eyes. “You….” He glanced away awkwardly. “Look good.” There was little emotion in his voice, but inside he was reeling.

“It’s okay for the beach,” Lewis responded, holding out his hand. “Let's get going. I have a gate ready to go. You can bring the towels and…the other stuff.” Now that it was happening, Lewis wasn’t sure how to react. Still, he was trying.

Simone’s eyes lit up the moment he said she looked good. She tried her best and a part of her was a little worried she overdid it. Though if she judged by Lewis… She always overdid it. Mentally she let out a sigh and gathered up some needed courage. Grabbing the bag full of their towels and other goods she put it on her shoulder and took his hand gently. The moment their skin had contact she felt a jolt of giddiness. She was excited.

Lewis helped her up and she held his hand. The gate was just outside their quarters having been prepped in advance but away from where Simone could have fallen in (it was likely with how clutzy she could be). Around the corner peeking to see just how Simone had faired Dala waited, now with the company of Darren and somehow Jack. Each were curious just how this was going to go. As soon as the door opened Dala shushed the two boys.

Simone was chatting with him idly about what the ocean was actually like. She bargained that Lewis knew more about it in person than she did. Jack’s mouth dropped open when he saw Simone. She never dressed like that, normally she was in modest dresses. Dala was grinning at her hard work paying off.

“But,” Jack was flabbergasted.

“Serves ya right thinking my bestie is plain,” Dala gave a grin after the couple had left. “No one better ruin it!”

–

The gate had led them to a quiet little beach somewhere on Apoy’s shoreline. She could hear the gulls and the waves. Her eyes got big and she looked up at Lewis excitedly. He had strengthened his grip on her just enough so she couldn’t bolt off and get hurt. They didn’t need it ruined that way.

“It’s so pretty!” Simone pushed herself up and kissed his cheek. “Let’s set up some beach blankets!” She got out the towels and helped Lewis find a good spot. “Look!” She got excited as she bent over and found a conch shell in the sand. “Can I keep it?” Her eyes were full of wonder as she showed it to Lewis.

“So…” She looked up at him wondering what he had planned for them or would they be winging it?

Lewis could feel extra eyes on them as they left. It was Dala who had helped Simone, and he wouldn’t have been surprised if the mischievous girl wanted to see the fruits of her labor. The other two Lewis could only assume were Darren and another, more than likely Jack. None of that really mattered, though, to Lewis. What his focus on now was this date, and how best to proceed once they arrived.

When they stepped onto the beach, Simone’s reaction alone made the whole effort worth it. It didn’t take Simone long to find a place for them to set up their little date, and with his help, the two layed out a set of towels where they could view the ocean. “All set, then?” he asked. He got an excited nod from Simone, who then showed him the shell that she had found. “Yes, you can keep it.” It had not gone unnoticed that she had bent over, so he was more than lenient in her request to keep the shell.

Lewis gazed out over the ocean. He had seen it before, of course. Hell, he had even killed people in it; that was merely a part of the job. This, however, felt different from all of the other times. The assassin struggled to understand what it was, though. It felt…calm. Mixed with something else.

“So…” Lewis was definitely winging it. He had no idea what they were supposed to do now. “Ocean looks…pretty.” He looked over to Simone. “…kind of like you?” He wondered if that worked the way he thought it did. It sounded super cheesy, but apparently this was what women liked. At least, according to some of the novels he ‘researched’ from Simone’s room.