Delphine rushed back inside of the yurt as quickly as she could manage with the large bucket of water. Sure, people stared, they knew she had one of the clones in her yurt. They knew that he was not happy about it. But three days had passed, Cosima had largely slept, hooked up to warmed oxygen and intravenous fluids. As comfortable and warm as she could make her.
Her heart had practically exploded when she'd first caught sight of Cosima at the camp, running to gather her into her arms. It had turned to terror when her little love had collapsed into her arms, disoriented and confused. Still, she'd found her in time, treated her in time. Resolving, that if she couldn't stop the autoimmune illness, she could at least prevent Cosima's immediate death from hypothermia.
"I need more wood." She demanded to a man standing around ominously with an axe. "I'm going to need to bathe my patient."
"Bathe her?"
"It's been three days." Delphine deadpanned, "surely you can understand why she needs to be bathed."
"She can barely move." He responded, taking a drag on a cigarette. They were rare here, though, having not smoked in months she was not eager to take up the habit again. Especially with Cosima here. So close. She'd taken full responsibility for Cosima's care, even the less desirable tasks she'd ordinarily thrust onto a nurse.
She shook her head, ignoring him as she entered the yurt, putting down the bucket momentarily to bar the door. It's a lousy excuse for a lock, but she wants to at least have some semblance of privacy. Even if the walls are thin. She'd never imagined herself in a place like this, or that Cosima would show up, changing everything once again.
"Hey, Cosima… I'm going to heat the water for your bath now." She calls softly. Of course, without running water the best any of them could hope for is a sponge bath, or a bath in a wooden tub, which takes hours and many kettles to fill.
Her love doesn't even stir on the small bed, merely makes a small moaning sound in response to her voice.
Cosima had been too sleepy and sick to protest much, still recovering from her brush with death. But she'd been able to warm her, hold her, even sneak a soft kiss or two.
She poured the water into a ceramic basin, moving to heat half of it on a large kettle on the wood-stove. She'd spent the time Cosima had been sleeping trying to plan how to treat her with the compatible cell line she'd brought with her. Stem cell treatment would help of course, but a longer term gene therapy is the best solution. And she lacks equipment here.
She closed her eyes, reminiscing about the feel of Cosima's hand on her face, the way it fills her up in a way she's never quite been able to explain or stop. She pours the water into the ceramic basin, watching steam rise, before searching for a cloth.
"Delphine…" Cosima moaned at her, knowing that the sound of her voice is more than enough to get her attention.
"I'm right here." She answered quickly, carrying the basin over and setting it on the floor next to the cot. She can never bear to leave her for more than a few minutes now. Cosima is precious, and she needs her.
"What's that for?"
"Well, you've been here three days." Long enough, Delphine reasoned, that a bath would not kill Cosima, not make her too cold.
"Three days? Really?" Cosima blinked up at her. "I thought it was only two… maybe."
"And I thought you might appreciate a bath." Delphine quickly ran to the shelf to get a larger towel, something to help keep the bed dry.
Cosima giggles drowsily, "I think your basin is a little small."
"Brat." Delphine muttered, pulling back the covers to reveal Cosima's undergarments. The only clothes she hadn't had to remove or cut off of her in her hypothermic state.
"Sponge bath." Cosima nodded, watching Delphine's deft hands go to remove her bra, to slide her panties from her body.
"I'll wash these, and hang them near the stove." Delphine informed her, placing both garments on the floor. She bites her lip, she knew Cosima was thinner, she'd felt it before when she'd cuddled her back from the brink of death, but it makes her sad. Her breasts are smaller, hips as well. She looks extra delicate, which makes her even more fiercely protective.
"So I'm just supposed to be naked in the yurt until then?" Cosima looked up at her with another dopey smile on her face.
"Oui, mon amour." Delphine responded patiently, "but you have plenty of blankets, you won't be cold. Here, let me put this towel under you." She guides the plain beige towel under Cosima, wishing that it were red or some other colour. Something that would suit her love more.
Delphine moistened the cloth and mostly rings it out before running it along Cosima's body, wiping under her arms and down her belly.
"Enjoying yourself Dr. Cormier?" Cosima giggled, waking up more, seeming to enjoy the soft touch of her hands, the warmth of the water.
She sponged Cosima down, a slight smile on her face, "yes." She continues to clean Cosima's upper body, or at least rinse off some of the sweat. She leans down and presses a soft kiss to her beloved's sternum, releasing her to continue the task of bathing.
"Wow… you are like total fantasy fodder right now." Cosima grinned, "so… what is your deepest fantasy? Is it sponge bathing me? When do we get to the sexy part?" They both know Cosima is joking, she doesn't have the energy or strength to follow through. And they must be very, very careful here. Her love for Cosima is even more unwelcome than the clone herself. She wets the cloth again, ringing it out and wipes it gently between Cosima's legs. Her purpose is hygienic, but she cannot quite get the image out of her head.
"Shh." She shushed Cosima, unwilling to deal with that now. It's enough, more than enough, that her precious Cosima somehow managed to wander here. Somehow found her just in time, at least to prevent death from hypothermia.
If Cosima knew the truth about her deepest fantasies, she'd laugh at her. Delphine knows too well. Being with Cosima, hearing her confess her love over and over again was not good fantasy fodder for the patient. Especially since her goal was to dry Cosima off and warm her up again as quickly as possible.
"Come on…" Cosima goaded her, lounging back on the cot in the yurt.
Delphine bit her lip again. "It's you."
Cosima prodded her further. "Doing what exactly?"
"Making love with me." She finished quietly, with another furtive glance towards the door.
"That's it?" Cosima balked, beginning to laugh. "No specifics? Come on. Give me something. Something to dream about for after …well when we've escaped."
Escaped. Delphine muffled a laugh, well that's one way to put it.
"And you're telling me how much you love me, how you only want me, over and over and over again." Delphine continued, her voice little more than a whisper.
"I think I'm cold." Cosima looked up at Delphine, who immediately begins rubbing at her with a towel.
"Back under your blankets." Delphine dried her as thoroughly as she dares, then tucks her back in. She moved to the stove to wash Cosima's underwear, rinsing them out, before wringing them and hanging them near the stove..
"Delphine…" Cosima called from under her pile of blankets.
"Yes Cosima?"
"I'm still cold."
Her first response is concern, leaping across the yurt and to shove a hand under the blankets, but Cosima's body temperature feels normal. She isn't even shivering. "You're fine." She told her impatiently.
"No, I'm not. I need you in here with me." Cosima teased, contentedly, "come on. I know you want to."
Want to? Definitely. She could strip down again and hop in with Cosima, there is no longer the excuse of hypothermia, but a cuddling session sounds extremely appealing.
She glanced towards the door again, before deciding she doesn't care. She can use the excuse of warmth as often as she likes, she stripped down to her practical underwear once again, before crawling in with Cosima.
It's more pleasant this time, Cosima is no longer icy cold or shaking against her skin. Instead she's nearly warm, wrapping her arms willingly around her as they both adjust as to not cut off the oxygen supply from the cannula.
"Mmm." Delphine hummed happily, stroking at Cosima's cheek, her hair. "This is nice."
"Yup." She's rewarded with another sleepy smile, "I really love you. So much."
"Je t'aime aussi." Delphine responded easily, "And I missed you." She bumped Cosima's nose with her own, enjoying the feeling of her warm breath.
"And I only want you." Cosima finished, her voice slow, speech slowing as exhaustion sinks back in.
"Sleep now." Delphine reassured her, "I'll be right here when you wake up."
"Delphine?"
"Hmm?"
"Raincheck on the rest of it?" Cosima leaned in for a kiss, and she obliges her.
Yes, Delphine agreed silently, laying a series of affectionate kisses across her lover's face, the rest can wait.