Love
Alessia spent the rest of the day doing everything she could to look after Leah -not that Leah made it easy.
She was stubborn, independent to a fault. And Alessia got it, she really did, because not being able to do things for yourself was frustrating. So she tried to let Leah do as much as possible, tried not to hover too much, even when all she wanted was to wrap her up in bubble wrap and keep her safe.
But she had to draw the line when Leah insisted on showering by herself.
“Leah, come on,” Alessia sighed, arms crossed over her chest as she stood by the bathroom door, blocking Leah’s path. “Be serious for a second.”
“I am serious,” Leah countered, hands braced on her crutches. “I don’t need help. I can stand. I’ll be fine.”
“You can barely move without wincing,” Alessia pointed out. “And you want to try and balance on one leg in a slippery shower? Are you actually trying to break more bones?”
Leah huffed. “I need to get clean, Less. I don’t wanna stink.”
Alessia ran a hand down her face, exhaling sharply. “Okay, fine. What about a bath, then?”
Leah wrinkled her nose. “That’s for kids.”
Alessia gave her a look. “Yeah? And what happens when you fall over in the shower and I have to call an ambulance to come pick up your naked, broken body off the bathroom floor? Not so grown up then, are you?”
Leah narrowed her eyes at her. Alessia arched a brow, waiting.
Leah exhaled loudly, rolling her eyes. “Fine,” she muttered. “Bath it is.”
Alessia smirked, turning to run the water before grabbing a couple of towels, rolling them up and placing them on the side of the tub to rest Leah’s cast on.
Leah stood in the doorway, watching. This was…mortifying, honestly. She’d imagined Alessia undressing her plenty of times, but not like this. Definitely not like this.
“Alright,” Alessia said eventually, turning back to her. “Let’s get you in.”
Leah swallowed, cheeks burning as she allowed Alessia to help her over to thr toilet, easing herself down onto the closed seat. “Don’t make this weird.”
Alessia huffed a laugh. “I’m not. You’re the one making it weird.”
Leah scowled, but let Alessia help her out of her hoodie, sucking in a sharp breath as it lifted over her ribs. Alessia was careful, gentler than anyone had ever been with her, and Leah bit the inside of her cheek to keep from shivering as warm hands skimmed over her skin.
Alessia didn’t look at her for longer than necessary, eyes flicking away quickly as she reached for the waistband of Leah’s shorts.
“This alright?” she asked quietly, fingers poised.
Leah nodded, gaze fixed firmly on the ceiling, and then the shorts were gone, leaving her in just her underwear. And then those were gone too.
“Alright, up we go,” Alessia murmured, slipping one arm around Leah’s back and the other beneath her knees before carefully lifting her into her arms.
Leah tensed at first, her ribs aching, but she let herself relax as Alessia slowly lowered her into the water, keeping a steady hand on the back of her neck as she leaned her against the tub. The bruises across her ribs were even more prominent now, angry and deep, and Alessia swallowed thickly as she reached for the soap, placing everything Leah would need within reach.
“I’ll be just outside,” she said quietly, squeezing Leah’s shoulder before heading for the door. “Shout if you need me.”
Leah sighed, watching the door click shut behind her before turning her attention to the water. She managed to wash herself okay, but washing her hair? That was another story. Raising her arms above her head sent a sharp pain straight through her ribs, and after a couple of failed attempts, she huffed out a sigh and swallowed her pride.
“Less?” she called.
The door creaked open almost immediately, and Leah smirked at the way Alessia peeked her head in first, like she was worried about catching her naked when she was already mostly submerged in water.
“You alright?” Alessia asked, eyes flicking to Leah’s face and then very deliberately nowhere else.
Leah sighed. “I can’t reach my hair.”
Alessia nodded, stepping further inside and crouching beside the tub. “Okay,” she murmured, grabbing the shower head and unhooking it. She turned the water on, adjusting the temperature before kneeling down properly.
Leah closed her eyes as Alessia tilted her head back slightly, letting the water cascade through her hair. She was careful, gentle fingers running through Leah’s hair as she lathered the shampoo, careful not to knock the stitches on her forehead. Leah sat quietly, letting her, the warmth of Alessia’s touch seeping into her skin.
It was…nice. Too nice. She kept her eyes shut even after Alessia had rinsed out the conditioner, heart thudding in her chest.
“You ready to get out?” Alessia asked softly.
Leah nodded, peeling her eyes open.
Alessia swallowed, shifting slightly. “This is gonna be awkward, sorry.”
Leah smirked slightly. “We might as well get used to it.”
Alessia nodded, cheeks flushed, before reaching beneath the water, sliding one arm around Leah’s back and the other beneath her knees again. Leah curled her arm around Alessia’s neck as she was lifted out, dripping wet, and carried through to her bedroom.
Alessia had already laid a towel out on the bed, and she eased Leah down onto it before grabbing another and wrapping it around her shoulders.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
Then Leah started laughing.
Alessia blinked at her. “What?”
Leah shook her head, shoulders shaking.
And then Alessia started laughing too.
Because, yeah, that had been awkward as hell. But at least the first of many uncomfortable tasks was done.
Their laughter eventually faded, leaving behind only the comfortable warmth of each other’s presence. Alessia cleared her throat, her cheeks still tinged pink, before gently grabbing a towel and starting to dry Leah off. She was careful, patting rather than rubbing, making sure to be as gentle as possible around her ribs. Leah sat quietly, letting her, eyes half-lidded as exhaustion slowly began to creep in.
“Alright,” Alessia murmured, tossing the damp towel into the laundry basket before reaching for the clean clothes she’d set out earlier. “Let’s get you dressed.”
Leah sighed dramatically. “I can do it myself.”
Alessia rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Lift your arms for me.”
Leah begrudgingly did as she was told, allowing Alessia to help her into a zip-up hoodie -easier to get on and off without too much movement. The shorts were next, and Alessia tried not to focus too much as she carefully guided Leah’s feet through the holes before pulling them up so they’d rested on her thighs. She then helped Leah stand before grabbing the waistband and tugging them up and over her behind.
“There,” she said, brushing her hands together. “Now, let’s sort your hair out.”
Leah grumbled but let Alessia grab a brush, tilting her head slightly as careful fingers ran through the damp strands.
“You should leave it down,” Alessia murmured, brushing through a slight tangle. “It looks nice.”
Leah smirked. “You think I look nice?”
Alessia flushed, nudging her lightly in retaliation. “Shut up.”
Leah chuckled, the sound making Alessia’s stomach twist. She shook the feeling off, focusing instead on getting Leah back into the living room. She scooped her up again -Leah teasing her about how easy she made it look- and carried her back to the couch, setting her down gently before heading to the kitchen to grab their dinner.
Pasta -one of Leah’s favourites that Alessia made.
Leah’s teasing didn’t stop, even between mouthfuls, and Alessia found herself grinning, rolling her eyes at Leah’s exaggerated compliments about how she should quit football and become a chef.
After dinner, Alessia made sure Leah took her medicine, handing her a fresh ice pack for her ribs as she settled beside her on the couch. Leah tried to protest, but the pain had clearly started creeping back in, and after a bit of grumbling, she relented, allowing Alessia to place the ice pack carefully against her bruised side beneath the material of her hoodie.
“You suck,” Leah muttered, shifting slightly to get comfortable.
Alessia smirked. “And yet, you love me for it.”
Leah faltered for half a second, lips parting slightly, and Alessia’s stomach flipped.
But before either of them could acknowledge it, Alessia cleared her throat and checked the time. “It’s late,” she murmured. “Time for bed.”
Leah groaned. “I’m not tired.”
Alessia gave her a look. “Leah.”
Leah pouted, arms crossed.
Alessia sighed but didn’t give her a choice, gently lifting her into her arms again and carrying her to the bathroom.
Leah was at least capable of brushing her teeth herself, though Alessia still made her sit on the closed toilet seat to make sure she didn’t fall. Leah muttered something about how she wasn’t a child, but Alessia just ignored her, crossing her arms as she waited.
When Leah had finished, Alessia grabbed a cloth, wetting it under warm water before crouching in front of her. Leah let her, watching quietly as careful hands gently wiped over her face, removing the remnants of the day.
“All done,” Alessia murmured, squeezing her knee gently.
Leah swallowed. “Thanks.”
Alessia only nodded before gathering her up in her arms once more and carrying her to bed. Leah was still pouting as Alessia adjusted the pillows around her, making sure her leg was elevated properly. Alessia sighed softly, sitting on the edge of the bed and hesitating for a second before tentatively resting her hand on Leah’s thigh.
Leah glanced down at the touch, lips parting slightly before she smiled softly, cheeks flushing as she placed her own hand over Alessia’s, fingers curling around hers in a gentle squeeze.
Alessia squeezed back. “You need anything else?”
Leah shook her head, but hesitated just before she did, making Alessia pause.
Leah sighed lightly, biting her bottom lip. “Will you, um…will you stay? Just for tonight?”
Alessia blinked, momentarily taken aback. Leah looked away, clearly expecting her to say no, and maybe she should’ve. Maybe she should’ve given herself space, should’ve protected herself from the inevitable messiness of her feelings. But Leah had been so patient. So good. And Alessia owed her this.
She nodded. “Yeah. Let me just get ready for bed first.”
Leah’s lips twitched into a stifled grin, squeezing her hand once more before letting her go. Alessia moved quickly, taking the fastest shower of her life before throwing on some pyjamas and brushing her teeth. When she made it back to Leah’s room, Leah was exactly where she’d left her, propped up against her pillows, waiting.
She smiled when she saw Alessia, patting the empty space beside her. Alessia flushed, but climbed in, scooting close enough to feel Leah’s warmth.
“If you need anything, wake me up,” Alessia murmured, voice softer now. “And if you even think about getting up by yourself, you’ll be in trouble.”
Leah rolled her eyes, but nodded. And then, beneath the blanket, she reached out. Alessia hesitated for only a second before taking her hand, squeezing softly as she settled back against the pillows.
Leah sighed, fingers lacing with hers, and Alessia squeezed one more time before letting sleep take her.