I forgot about Valentine's Day. I don't have a bae, so yeah. Lol But that's alright. It'll happen when it's supposed to. Lol Anyway, since it's V-Day, this blurb comes just in time. This actually turned out a little more intimate than I thought it would. Not complaining though. :) Enjoy, Sleepyheads. :)

They left the archives holding hands. Now, they stood in front of Abbie's door. She looked it up and down. It didn't seem the same anymore. Crane took out the keys. He stood to the side to let her in.

"I miss my home," she said.

"It hasn't been the same without you, Abbie."

He closed the door behind them. She stood in front of her dining room table. It had photos of her, books, and all kinds of papers sprawled everywhere.

"Thanks again, Crane."

"I'd never give up on you, Leftenant." He put his hand on her back. "Are you hungry?"

She yawned. "I just want to take a shower and sleep. I think the lack of rest has caught up to me."

Crane followed her up the stairs. Abbie walked into her room. Her bed was unmade and her mirror wasn't on the wall.

"You've slept in here?"

"I apologize for invading such an intimate—"

"It's alright, Crane." She squeezed his hand. "Can you explain the mirror though?"

"I thought I had found a way to retrieve you from the catacombs, but it turns out I released a harmful demon. It played upon my emotional state and pretended to be you."

"Did anyone die?"

He nodded, avoiding her gaze.

"Crane."

"I wasn't intending for that to happen. I had to try what I thought would work."

"I know, but next time—"

"There won't be next time, Leftenant."

"I don't intend to sacrifice myself again. If a situation calls for that, we have to be sure no one will get hurt in the process of trying to find the other. Innocent people can't die, Crane."

"You are right, Leftenant. I was rather reckless in this case."

"I understand. Just be careful. We both have to remember that."

"Indeed."

Abbie sat on her bed; she began to take off her boots. Crane knelt in front of her, moved her hands.

"I know you are more than capable. However, let me take care of you today, Abbie."

She nodded and let him take over. She leaned on her hands as she watched him untie her boots. He took them off and placed them to the side. He slid off her socks, massaged her foot. She closed her eyes, titled her head back, and moaned.

"It's been a while since I've had a foot rub."

"I hope you're enjoying it." He smiled up at her.

"I am. Thank you."

"You're quite welcome." He massaged her other foot.

His fingers amazed her. Ten months was a long time without physical contact. It was a long time to go without talking to someone either. She missed this. He stood up to put her socks in her hamper and boots in the closet.

"I'll go run your bath," he said.

Abbie waited for him. She didn't know what to do. Should she go get a towel or pick out her pajamas? She wanted to do something for herself, but she didn't mind Crane doing this for her. She could use some pampering. She decided to just relax, let him take care of her. The water ran as he came back into the room with rolled up sleeves and a slightly open shirt. She took him in.

"Are you alright, Leftenant?"

She glanced away. "My pajamas are in that drawer over there."

She pointed to it, and Crane walked over. He opened it, searched for what he needed. Did he even know which kind of panties and bra to get her? She had a few for special occasions, some just because, and regular ones. Was this awkward for him? It seemed he didn't mind. He sure didn't show it if he was. Once he closed the drawer, he held a matching pajama set— a light blue tank top and shorts—, a pair of stripped panties, and a plain black bra. Nothing special. She was kind of relieved. She'd be surprised if he picked anything else, but a little intrigued as to why. He probably didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"Are you ready for your bath?"

She nodded, stood up. He let her leave the room first. As the water ran a little bit more, he sat her clothes on the counter. Then he turned off the water. Her bubble bath looked so warm and inviting. She couldn't wait to get in it. Crane's fingers twitched; he stared at the water.

"I'll leave to give you some privacy, Leftenant. You can call me when you are finished."

She grabbed his hands to tug him in front of the toilet. "Stay."

"Abbie—"

"Stay."

He nodded and sat down. He reached out his fingers, but paused before glancing at her.

"It's alright." She put his hands on the hem of her shirt. Was she really about to let Crane undress her? He's seen her in her bra. It wasn't that much different. She was nervous. At the same time though, really comfortable, safe. She trusted him.

She raised her arms as he slowly lifted her shirt. He sat it in his lap when it was off. He unbuttoned and unzipped her pants, carefully slid them off. She stepped out of them. She wanted to kick them to the side, but Crane put them in his lap as well.

"You can put them on the floor. They're already dirty."

Part of her just didn't want to see them again. She didn't want to be reminded of her lengthy solitude. He dropped them on the floor. She turned around and felt his fingers mess with the clasp on her bra. The straps loosened. He pulled them down her shoulders and arms, let it drop to the floor. His hands glided up and down her waist. Her eyes closed as she felt his breathe on her back, his nose nuzzle her shoulder, and his lips skim across her spin. She really did forget what she was missing.

She slightly parted her legs, so that he could remove her underwear. He slid them down as far as he could before letting them fall to her ankles. After she moved her feet from them, she turned back around. He held her waist, gazed at her from her feet to her head.

"Absolutely stunning."

Goosebumps crawled down her spine. She knew their relationship changed in the archives after he woke up. They were different now. Naming it aloud would solidify it. Were they ready for that so soon? Not quite. Almost.

She put her hand on both his cheeks. He covered them both, kissed each of them with his eyes closed. She kissed forehead.

"Help me in?"

He got off the toilet with one of her hands in his. The water was still warm when she was finally in it. It felt so good. She sat down, leaned back in it with closed eyes. It felt even better across her body. She really missed these moments in the water. She would fall asleep in the tub if she could. She was too tired to bath herself, but she didn't want him to be uncomfortable if she asked him to do it for her.

"You can leave now if you want to," she said with eyes still closed.

"Do you have enough energy to bath yourself?"

"Mmhmm." She felt herself falling asleep.

"Positive?"

"Yeah, I can…"

She wasn't sure what else she said before she was completely out.

"Leftenant. Leftenant."

She jumped, splashing a bit of water. Crane was beside her with his sleeves rolled and a loofah in his hands.

"How long was I sleep?"

"Ten minutes."

She wanted to sit up on her own, but she didn't have any energy. She lifted her hands.

"Would you mind?"

He dropped the loofah in the tub, stood up, and grabbed her hands. He picked up the loofah along with her bottle of body wash. He lathered it up, but stopped.

"May I?"

She was too tired to refuse and ready to get into her bed. "Sure."

He started with her back, then halted when he got to her butt.

"I trust you," she said.

He bathed her butt: the outside and between her cheeks. He was gentle, very gentle. If this was Crane taking care of her, she wondered what he was like in bed, how he would really touch her. She focused on the dissolving bubbles. This wasn't the time to think about that. She hadn't even named it yet, what she felt for him. She knew though.

The back of her legs were next. After that, he dipped the loofa and added a bit more body wash to it. He bathed the front of her neck while she lifted her hair, so he could get the back of it. She let it down, didn't care if soap got in it. He skimmed the loofah across her collar bone, her arms and under them, between, over, and under her breasts, her stomach. He didn't look at her as he did this, but she did watch him. He focused on his hand movements. He kneeled down to wash the front of both her legs and stood again with the loofah on her inner thigh. That's when their eyes met.

"Do you trust me, Abbie?"

"With everything."

She felt the loofah inside her, his middle finger. She bit her tongue to keep from moaning aloud. She knew he wasn't trying to arouse her. That wasn't what this was about. He genuinely just wanted to take care of her. Not take advantage. It was hard not to completely lose herself with him touching her there. Really. Hard. They kept each other's eyes. She felt empty for a few seconds, felt him shuffle the loofah in his fingers between her thighs. She felt it once more, closed her eyes as he did this again and again and again. He was swift, but so, so gentle. So gentle. It was so amazing. A moan slipped. His fingers and the loofah stilled there as she opened her eyes to look at him.

"I'm so sorry, Leftenant. I—" He quickly removed the loofah and his middle finger; he dropped it in the water.

"I got carried away." She sat down in the water and laid back to rinse off. "Can you get my towel? It's hanging on the door."

He got it, threw it on his shoulder as he helped her and out the tub onto the rug. He wrapped the towel around her shoulders, drained the water. He sat on the toilet and she in front of him. She was cold, shivered while he quickly dried her off. All she could think about were his finger and the loofah he used everywhere on her body. She would do it again. What does she say to him though? He wasn't even looking at her now. He just focused on his hands as they helped her into her pjs. He put the towel on the floor, still not meeting her eyes.

"You didn't do anything wrong." She lifted his chin.

"I apologize, Leftenant. I took advantage."

"If I thought you would've taken advantage, I wouldn't have allowed this at all. Believe me, you didn't."

His fingers twitched; he looked away again. "I enjoyed bathing you. I was the one who got carried away."

"Crane. Stop." She took his hands. "I enjoyed it, too. I'm not mad at you. This wasn't on purpose to begin with."

He nodded. She could say whatever, but it wouldn't make him feel less guilty. He helped her up. "You should rest, Leftenant."

He grabbed her clothes off the floor, and they exited the bathroom. Once in the room, he put them in the hamper while she crawled into bed. He quickly excused himself to change his clothes. He cut off the light, got into bed with her. Her head was on his chest.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Crane. The last thing I wanted was for you to be mortified and feeling like you did something wrong. I shouldn't have put you in that position."

"Don't apologize, Leftenant. You trusted me. I didn't honor you. I am the one who is sorry."

"We're not going to argue about this. We both liked it, didn't we?"

"Yes, but—"

"Okay. I'm not mad at you. Don't hold yourself accountable."

He sighed. "Alright."

She played with his fingers. Paused for a few seconds. "You know I love you, right? And that I completely trust you? I knew you wouldn't have done anything."

There. She named it, admitted it aloud. What would he do with it though?

"I do know that. I knew it when you told me to follow you from the catacombs. Do you know I love you, too, and I completely trust you as well, Leftenant? "

"Yeah. I knew it when it you came for me." She kissed his fingers.

"Thank you again for permitting me to take care of you, Leftenant."

"I told you I trusted you," she said. "I love you, remember?" She yawned.

"I love you, too."

"Good. I'm going to sleep now."

"Sleep well, Abbie." He kissed her forehead.