Chapter 3
“Ughh…” Cinder woke with a groan, feeling like she was about to combust.
Pushing off the cover was a struggle in her still disoriented state, but she finally succeeded with a huff, panting heavily. A single touch to her scarred cheek was enough to confirm the issue: her scarred side was overheated.
The borrowed clothes she wore were damp -well, at least the areas where her skin was healthy and still able to sweat at all, which made the contrast to her damaged side even more apparent-, she would have to ask for a replacement.
“Of course I had to jostle awake right when that dream was about to get good…” She cursed, blinking her eye a few times for her sight to clear.
Once it did, it became glaringly obvious that she was alone in the bed.
“Haah, I’m not even surprised. Should’ve known this was a bad idea.”
While she couldn’t simply write off Winter’s presence as a simple delusion like she tried to the previous day, Cinder berated herself for thinking she would stay at least until morning.
There was no helping it now. She still had to find a change of clothes, but first the bathroom and a towel to literally cool down.
“Shit, where is my crutch?!” The former singer growled, only to recall that it wasn’t in the room when she came round in the apartment after collapsing on Little Red.
As annoyed as she was, Cinder was unwilling to wake the others by making too much noise, so she only had one option left. Try to make it to the bathroom while leaning against the walls or furniture.
Easier said than done, especially as her leg was always weaker after a bad day.
Unwilling to waste any more time, she slowly crawled to the edge of the bed and unsteadily rose to her feet.
“Okay, this might just work…” Cinder murmured, taking the first agonizing step towards the only door of the room.
Except, of course it didn’t.
It was at the fifth step when the strength suddenly fled from her left leg, and so fast she didn’t have the time to react properly and collapsed into a heap on the floor.
“Gods damn it all…!” Cinder gnawed at her lower lip, her tears of frustration barely kept at bay.
As if the universe was out to make her even more miserable, the door opened with Winter’s head peeking inside, then followed by the rest of her.
“What’s going on, Ashes?” She asked with a concerned frown.
The Schnee looked tired, and the baggy shirt on her was certainly not the outfit she went to bed with.
Cinder bit back a snappy reply. Getting mad at her host would be counterproductive, so she swallowed her anger and explained the issues -though only in brief-, both the overheating and her missing crutch.
Winter was next to her instantly and carefully helped her up, placing Cinder’s only arm over her shoulder while one of her own was wrapped over the former singer’s waist to help her walk.
“Sorry for not being there when you woke up, Ashes. I just… A nightmare got me up earlier and I needed a moment. You were still asleep, and I hoped to return before you would even notice I was gone.” Winter apologized, her guilt palpable.
“That’s fine, Snowflake. Mark my words though, I will get that damned crutch back once everyone is awake. I can’t just have people carry me around all day like the cripple I am…” The last part was barely a whisper, but it made Winter frown all the same.
“Ashes… You know I don’t care about that. I would gladly carry you around myself if it meant I could help you, if not for my back… though you feel so light, I could probably do it without repercussions. For now, let’s get your body temperature under control.” The Schnee countered, but realized too late she shared something that was meant to be brought up later, if at all. She also knew that the topic change wouldn’t work.
“What’s wrong with your back? I know you stopped professional fencing because you had issues, but that was even before… everything. Does this have anything to do with the fact that you said that ‘things got bad’?” Cinder asked, eliciting a surprised gasp from Winter.
“Your attention to detail is as sharp as ever.” The Schnee sighed before continuing “ Yes… You are aware I have a penchant for getting too immersed in my work. I never gave up on finding you, but after more and more trails went cold, I buried myself in my work to cope, and spending days cooped at my desk almost permanently didn’t sit well with my back. I was ordered to take it easy if I value my long-term mobility. Once mother got wind of that, she introduced strict measures to ensure my cooperation. I can still work out, but only in moderation.”
The explanation only soured Cinder’s mood further. This was her fault, again. She decided to disappear to avoid becoming a burden, yet even with this she only caused more pain to the one person she wanted to spare the most.
“Snowflake, I-” She was stopped with a finger on her mouth.
“This wasn’t your fault, Ashes. It would have happened sooner or later anyway. I needed a wake-up call to stop being a workaholic… or at least to not to take it too far. But enough of that, we are here. Would you like a shower, or will cold towers do?”
Cinder didn’t even realize they were already in the bathroom as Winter helped her lean against the wall. She couldn’t stop feeling guilty, so the change in topic was welcome… until the realization that she would need the help of the other woman regardless of the choice. She simply couldn’t reach everywhere, and she doubted that Winter would deem a half-assed attempt sufficient.
That meant she would have to show the ugly scars in their full ‘glory’.
“Ashes?”
After she didn’t react to the nickname three times in a row, Cinder’s mind was finally pulled back into the present by a pair hand cupping and caressing her cheek.
“Is this about your scars? If it helps, it was also me who had changed your garments after Miss Rose and Weiss brought you here, so in a sense I already saw everything. And I don’t mind them. You are still you, and that is all that matters to me. No amount of scarring will change that.”
Cinde thought she had no tears left, not for herself after all this time. She didn’t deserve anything good, her self-loathing and her pain were her only companions.
Yet here she was, tearing up as Winter quickly gathered her into her embrace, a comforting hand holding her close, the other trailing shapes on her back to ease her tension without a care to the sweat-dampened clothes.
“It’s okay, Ashes. It’s okay.” Winter whispered, not stopping until Cinder calmed down.
“Then… Then the shower.” The former singer finally replied with a choked voice. “And… Could you wash my hair, please? It’s… It’s been forever since I had a decent one, done with two hands…”
“Of course.” Winter replied instantly before she could take back the request.
Cinder would never admit to anyone, but she teared up again in the shower. At least the water helped to cover it up.
It was an even bigger shock when the change of clothes Winter handed over to her were a set of pjs with penguin figures all over, a gift from her to Snowflake years ago. To think she still had them, and even used them…
“One of my favorites still.” Winter added, as if she could read her thoughts. Then again, her expression probably made it quite easy.
“Hmm, it’s almost 7 am. Do you want to go back to bed and try to get some more rest, or…?”
Cinder could guess the missing part of the question. They did talk a bit yesterday -and even this morning-, but she still had questions aplenty, and no doubt Winter was the same.
Might as well go and tear off that bandaid and air everything out. Winter deserved the truth, especially after what she had already revealed from her side.
“Nahh, I’m wide awake now, Snowflake. Might as well get on with it.”
Her stomach chose that very moment to growl loudly. The ultimate act of betrayal, but Cinder knew she should have expected it from her body. Still, considering the bright, honest laughter bubbling forth from Winter was more than worth it.
“How about breakfast first? I’m sure Klein is already awake, and we don’t want to miss his scrambled eggs.” Winter finally offered, still chuckling.
The former singer just huffed with a raised eyebrow.
“Huh, I’ll go with the host’s recommendation then. Lead on, Snowflake.”
Cinder didn’t forget Little Red’s words from earlier about Klein’s planned stern talking to, but she couldn’t say no to Winter. It might even help her mentally prepare for the serious talk looming over them.