The warm water continued to cascade over Yverine and Brandon.
Yverine's hands lingered on Brandon's shoulders and her fingers gave a final gentle squeeze as she finished cleaning the last traces of dirt and blood from his back.
Brandon cleared his throat and muttered "You've been taking care of me this whole time."
"Mind if I… return the favor?"
Yverine raised an eyebrow and a flicker of surprise crossed her face.
She tilted her head, looking at him for a moment "You want to clean me?"
"Yeah," Brandon replied in a soft, almost tentative voice. "If that's okay with you."
She held his gaze for a long moment, the water pattering against the tiles filling the silence.
Then, with a small nod, she turned around, presenting her back to him. "Fine. Start with my back."
Brandon reached for the bottle of body wash, squeezing a small amount into his hands.
The lavender scent bloomed again as he worked the soap into a lather and stepped closer.
