Winter's Soulmate | Winter Soldier ✔

Chapter Fifteen

~Winters POV~

I...

I kissed...

I pulled away from her, my hand unable to move from her cheek.

She smiled softly, eyes watching mine, but she wasn't asking for more.

"I need to finish washing your hair," she murmured, rolling from her knees to her feet. She passed me a round, bubble looking contraption of knotted nets, and squeezed some more soap into it. "If you can, you should er..." she gestured to my chest, and further down the bath.

I took the hint, and rolled it in my hand before cleaning the rest of my body. It ached and hurt, more so than usual, but the swift fingers massaging my scalp was pulling my attention away.

Smooth figure of eights, occasionally teasing at a knot.

It was beginning to feel like too much. The smells, the warmth - it was unnatural.

But then it was over.

She stepped back, and rinsed the jug in the sink.

And I felt like my heart was stretching out of my body, trying to fill the gap between us.

She caught my eye as she turned around, her cheeks pink. "Do you still want me to wait in here?"

I nodded.

It was embarrassing, I realised, to bathe myself with this much difficulty.

When was the last time I was this clean?

"I found some face wash," Amelie said as she studied the rows of bottles, "do you want some?"

I thought the splash of water would be enough, but my face was bound to be covered with grime.

The face wash was thicker than water, with what felt like grit in it. Amelie was nervously explaining it, as she sat with her back pressed against the closed door, her feet outstretched and crossed over each other. "Rub it in, and wash it off."

There was a knock from an outside door.

I sat up, the water splashing over the edge of the bath.

I gripped the side, ready to pull myself over it, but Amelie was already telling me to stop. "It won't be anyone bad-"

"Amelie?" A womans voice.

Who was that voice?

The lady downstairs.

"I'm coming Mum," Amelie smiled back at me, trying to reassure me, "I'll be two minutes."

She opened the door, enough for her to slip out, and then closed it.

True to her word, just under two minutes later, she came back in. She was holding a bundle of clothes, with a pair of slightly fluffy slip on shoes balanced on top. "Mum's sorry, she couldn't find many clothes. Erm, Steve, who was the blonde guy downstairs, he's a smiliar size and he gave her some comfy clothes. And slippers." She lifted the shoes with a smile.

"Thanks."

I tried to stay in the bath for as long as I could, but the water was cold and I realised with some horror that my bladder was also growing uncomfortable.

Amelie, sensing my unease, stood up, "towel?"

I nodded, and before I could struggle to explain what I needed, she held the towel up, and squeezed her eyes shut.

She helped wrap it around me, before stepping back, placing her hands over her eyes.

Amazing.