WHO: Lena and Thomas and then open to Lena's housemates if they want to meet Thomas WHAT: Cuties being cute WHEN: After this (nighttime) WHERE: Lena's WARNINGS: I am exhausted so this might be really shitty, but I'm writing it anyway because dammit they're boyfriend and girlfriend now.
Just as he promised, when Lena finally arrived home from the hospital, Thomas was waiting for her. To her surprise, he hadn't gone inside. Instead he was waiting on the curb and when the taxi pulled up, he opened the door and helped her out. It was wonderful of him. She had been worried how she was going to hobble up the stairs on her own.
Once the driver was paid, she leaned against him. "Well hi there. You waited outside for me," she said with a wide smile. "You're cold."
"I'm surprisingly hardy," Thomas joked as he helped her up the stairs. "Boy, you were not kidding about the smell."
Lena laughed and she gently elbowed him as they ascended. "I never lie about smell. You should feel lucky, I've had it in my nostrils for the last several hours." She unlocked the door and they both entered. "We should stop by my room first so I can get some pajamas. I think you've spent enough time with me that I can unveil the cat ones."
"I look forward to it." He walked beside her all the way to her bedroom and helped her grab a few things from her closet and drawers. "So how are you feeling?" he asked as they hobbled towards the bathroom.
"Mostly stupid," Lena closed the lid of the toilet and then she sat there with a heavy sigh. "Thanks. Can you run the bath? I think a shower might be treacherous." Thomas bent to do as she asked and Lena admired his backside before she pulled her shirt off. "Looking forward to no longer smelling like a garbage can. I'm alright, just frustrated I won't be able to work for a few weeks again. I love what I do and when I sit at home I get so restless."
"I imagine so," Thomas said, his voice sympathetic. "Would bubbles help?"
Lena chuckled at him, feeling slightly better already. "Bubbles always help." She watched him as he rolled up his sleeves and then added her pink bubble bath to the water. Thomas continually tested the temperature and adjusted the knobs. It was incredibly adorable. She had to snap herself out of in and continue undressing. "I'm going to get naked now. You're just going to have to control yourself at the sight of me."
Thomas turned and laughed, a wide grin on his face. "I'll try my very hardest." With the tub full, he turned the water off and rose to help her with her jeans. Balancing wasn't usually a problem for her, but at the moment it wasn't her strongest point.
Finally rid of all her clothes, Lena clung to Thomas rather tightly. She looked up at him and their eyes locked for a moment. He was just so sweet and her lips lifted into a smile. He had one arm around her, resting on the small of her back and his touch felt warm and comforting. Oh, she had it so bad. She managed to look away and her gaze fell on the tub. "How the hell am I supposed to get in there without putting weight on one of my feet?" she asked, grumbling.
"Science," was Thomas' reply. He sort of half-scooped her up and set her in the tub standing up. Then he helped her lower herself into the water, though she kept her left foot out of it, resting on the edge of the tub.
"This water is perfect," she sighed, leaning back to rest her head against the tub. She felt instantly relaxed. "How did you do that?"
"I'm a father," Thomas explained with a laugh. "It's not the first bath I've drawn for someone else." He stood back up before asking, "would you like me to leave you alone?"
"Oh hell no. Park it," she said, pointing to the toilet. "I'd invite you in, but I'm worried that will only end in hurting myself more."
"You're probably right there," he conceded. "I don't mind." He sat as she asked, his elbows resting on his knees. "Did you at least have a good day before you landed in the garbage?"
It was a bit of a loaded question, not that he knew that. She had been visiting with her friend but the topic of conversation had actually been Thomas. "It was really nice, actually. I went to visit an old boyfriend." She watched his face for a reaction, and instantly felt terrible about it. It wasn't fair to test people when they didn't know they were being tested. She was still pleased to see he didn't actually react at all. "We had coffee and cupcakes and we talked."
"So a good visit and not a bad visit?" Thomas clarified.
"Very good. We've stayed friends. He's pretty wise and sweet and we were talking about you." She grinned at him and then leaned up to start shampooing her hair.
"About me?" Thomas looked taken aback. "What have I done?"
Lena laughed as she massaged the shampoo into her hair, creating yet more bubbles. "Awww, paranoia! You haven't done anything. Well-" She took a deep breath and then she groaned. "I usually don't act like such a dork." All of a sudden she felt fluttery and stupid and Thomas was just staring at her. Oh god, what if he wasn't interested? What if he just wanted to be friends and here they were and she was naked sure but she danced in front of people mostly naked for a living. She had never felt so naked before. "Uhm. Can you bring that glass over here and help me rinse this out?"
"What? Oh, yes." Thomas reached for the glass on the vanity and he went and knelt by the side of the tub. He filled the glass with water and when she leaned her head back, he dumped it's contents out, washing away some of the shampoo. The process was repeated until her hair was properly rinsed and then she said up and smiled at him.
"Didn't even get any in my eyes."
"Like I said, it's not my first time," Thomas repeated. "Lena...you were saying something before?"
"Right." She turned to him and he sat on the floor, his arms resting against the side of the tub, his fingers hanging almost into the water. "I...really like you. Like a lot. And I don't usually like...one person. Uhm. Yeah," and she nodded, as if that jumble of words explained everything.
Thomas, however, looked more confused than ever. "I like you too, Lena. So you went to talk to your friend because- No, I'm still lost."
"I like to sleep around!" she blurted out and then she turned nearly the colour of her hair. "And when I slept with you I was just...doing that. Messing around. Having fun. And then you had to go and be charming and sweet and so fucking awkward, and god it's such a turn on." Luckily, Thomas thought that was hilarious and he laughed. "I went to talk to my friend because it's been a while since I liked someone the way I like you. Exclusively."
"Oh." Lena's stomach felt like it froze while Thomas gazed at her, not saying a word. And then, to her relief, he said, "I feel the same way."
If she hadn't just twisted her ankle, she would have jumped out of the bath for joy, or dragged him in there with her. "Really?"
"Of course I do." He leaned in and planted a kiss on her cheek. "I expected you to lose interest the moment I found out I'm going to develop Huntington's. Not...because I think you're horrible or anything, but it seems like the obvious choice. But you didn't. You made me feel so much better in those first few days. You're pretty spectacular."
"I am," Lena said, grinning from ear to ear. "And I know the timing sucks and you have a kid. I mean, I asked Jamie if he was okay with it and he was, but I know you're going through all this shit, but I just...I like you so much and-" She was cut off by a kiss and she certainly wasn't going to argue with that.
Eventually they emerged from the bathroom, Lena finally clean and wrapped in a bathrobe. Thanks to her exploits in the garbage, she hadn't had dinner yet, and so she asked Thomas to stay. He helped her to the kitchen and then, to her surprise, volunteered to make her pancakes.
She sat on a stool as he heated the griddle and pottered about. "You look really sexy in my kitchen," she informed him and he grinned at her. "Can I call you my boyfriend?"
"I think you better," Thomas responded before smirking over at her. "You got your garbage smell on me, and I'm still here, so I think it's official.
"Fuck yeah, I'm going to update Facebook!" Lena cheered.