After making sure the water isn’t too hot, I dump a shitload of the bubble bath in, and when it’s about halfway full, I go get Theo. I have to help him stand and support most of his weight, but we make it into the bathroom together.
“You go ahead and get undressed and in the tub, and I’ll grab clothes. Holler when you’re ready.”
Pulling the door most of the way shut, I take a few minutes to breathe before going to my closet to find him something to wear—a pair of sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt. Comfort is key right now, I think.
A few minutes later, Theo’s tired voice rings out. “Ready.”
Pushing the bathroom door open, I freeze when I see him. I’m not even sure why, but I think it’s just the shock that he’s here and in my tub, waiting for me to take care of him. I have to swallow hard against the lump in my throat.
The bubbles cover almost everything that’s under them, but I can make out his scar where it’s still peeking out above the water. It’s healed nicely, at least compared to what it looked like in those photos. The skin is slightly raised and pink, but all things considered, it’s not bad.
I force my eyes away before he can catch me staring at it, and I sit down on the floor next to the tub.
“Alright,” I say softly. “Let me go ahead and wash your hair while the water’s still runnin’, so we don’t just keep getting soapy water in it.”
He nods, and I grab a cup off the sink and fill it with warm water from the tap.
My heart skips a beat when he tilts his head back; being trusted to care for him this way is like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. I put my hand over his forehead so the water doesn’t run down his face as I wet his hair. When it’s soaking wet, I set the cup down and pump shampoo into my palm.
He’s still while I scrub his hair, and when I start massaging his scalp, little whimpers echo in his throat. I’m not sure he even realizes he’s doing it, and it’s making me smile. “Feel good?”
“Mmm.”
I fill the cup back up, then rinse his hair until the water runs free of shampoo.
“Do you want me to wash the rest?” I ask quietly. “Upper body anyway.”
“Please.”
The tub’s about to overflow, so I shut the water off, then reach under the sink and grab a washcloth. When I’ve dipped it in the water and lathered it up, I carefully and quickly wash his upper back, shoulders, and armpits before working the washcloth down both of his arms and placing it in his hand.
“How about I turn around, and you can use this under the water?”
“Okay,” he murmurs.
When I turn my back to him, I hear the water slosh as he finishes cleaning himself up.
It’s quick, not that I was expecting anything different given how exhausted he looks. It’s gotta be at least 4:30 a.m. by now.
“I’m ready.”
I pick the clothes up off the sink and set them on the floor beside the tub along with a towel. “Here. You can dry off and get dressed, and I’ll meet you back in the bedroom, okay?”
When he gives me a slight nod, I turn on my heel and leave the bathroom, shutting the door behind me.
While I’m waiting for him, I clean up the bed, setting his bottle of water on the nightstand on his side and moving all the snacks to my desk before shaking the blankets out to get rid of any crumbs.
I’m just finishing up when the door opens.
Theo stands nervously in the doorway, his hair damp and curling slightly around his temples. He looks so fucking beautiful that it nearly stops my heart. “Ready for bed?”
“Yeah,” he says, stepping closer.
We climb into bed together, and when I’m settled on my side, I hold my arms open for him again. He sinks into me, his entire body slumping. This time, he smells like my shampoo, and I bury my face in his hair and inhale my scent clinging to his skin.
He clutches my shirt in his fist and blows out a deep breath, and I wrap my arm around him, holding him closer as he snuggles deeper into my chest.
It takes him no time to fall asleep—this time without tears—and I follow behind him in seconds.
