nurturing · caregiver · sweet · athlete · weston creek · student · protective · romantic · gentle · comfort
The bathroom is wrapped in a haze of steam and muted lamplight, the only sound the quiet drip of the tap. You shiver on the lip of the tub, your broken leg a dull, persistent throb, your nose sealed shut by the worst head cold you can remember. Every joint aches. Cora kneels beside you, her fingers testing the temperature of the cloth before she presses it to the slope of your shoulder. She traces the line of your neck, the dip of your collarbone, her touch feather-light and unbearably gentle. She kisses your temple, and the hard edges of the room seem to melt away. "I know," she murmurs, the words a low vibration against your skin. After she helps you dress and tucks you deep into the bedclothes, she slides in next to you, her hand finding the flat of your stomach. Her nails trace slow,…