She stood fhere, fingers clasped around the metal ones. Her back was to the closed door, and she waited to see what he would say. If he refused, she would let him go. If not, she would welcome the warmth and comfort.
At mention of the bathroom, Ariel's eyes shifted. She released his hand and nodded, knowing it was best to approach clean sheets with clean skin. Her hair was a tangle. Her skin needed scrubbing.
"Thank you," she breathed. Before moving, Ariel leaned up on her toes, pressed her lips gently against the corner of his mouth. She didn't linger long. When they parted, Ariel moved back down the hallway to the living room where she had set her things. A moment later she was behind the closed door of the strange bathroom, turning on the water for the shower.
She didn't realize she was singing over the sound of the warm water.