Chapter 73 - Taking a Bath

An hour ago, Yuki called to notify Gabriel that she wouldn't be able to come today. The snowstorm was too fierce, and she was afraid of losing control of her car if she dared to venture out on the roads. In one night, the snow had piled up so much that it reached an a.d.u.l.t's knees, and the snow was still falling hard even though it was almost noon. In short, it was so white outside that people could not even see one meter ahead of them.

All schools around the area had closed their door for the day, so when Gabriel received Yuki's phone call, he wasn't surprised. He was just about to call her to let her know that she didn't have to come today. There was no need to risk her life, and in the worst-case scenario, she could always come tomorrow instead.

When Gabriel told the news to Masha and Misha, they both shrugged, saying that they were expecting it. It was the problem with Canadian winters; snowstorms would plague the country from time to time, paralyzing many cities and towns for several hours to a whole day.

"You know," started Misha, a pensive look on his face, "Yuki could just move in with us. She's almost here every day, anyway."

"…" Gabriel took the time to blink twice before replying, "Although she's here almost every day, she still needs a home to return to. I don't think she would like to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

Despite what Gabriel said, they all knew that Misha had a point. Lately, Yuki even stayed for supper, sharing their meal like a family member. The nurse would come in the morning and leave in the evening every weekday. Of course, she helped Masha with her daily activities and rehabilitation, but that wasn't all. The two girls also chatted a lot. Sometimes, they could gossip about this and that for a few hours in a row without getting tired. Well, it was Masha who did most of the talk, and Yuki patiently listened to her blabbing, inserting a word or two once in a while.

Over the course of the past few weeks, Misha noticed that Masha's mood gradually improved; she was now a lot livelier than when she was at the hospital, especially when Yuki was around. The nurse was also coming to their home more than necessary. When the boy asked why, it was Gabriel who answered him. He said that Yuki had resigned from her previous job for various reasons, and knowing she was in dire need of money, he had offered her to take care of Masha. Of course, she had the expertise needed to accomplish this task, and since she had a strong sense of responsibility, Yuki tended to do more than what she was tasked with.

In addition, she had no other patients than Masha, and the salary Gabriel gave her was a little too generous for her taste. It made her feel embarrassed, and as a result, she wanted to work more to feel like she deserved the said salary. She wasn't a thief, much less lazy. But that last piece of information, Gabriel didn't tell the boy. Misha was already not very happy with how much money Gabriel spent on renovating their house to accommodate his sister, and as such, he certainly wouldn't scream with joy if he knew Yuki's real salary.

Although Misha never said it aloud, it was apparent that he was displeased because he wasn't the one who provided the things his sister needed, having to depend on the teenage boy. But this was to be expected. As a child, his financial situation was, of course, non-existent. He had no money and wasn't old enough to work. In a way, it hurt his pride and made him feel helpless.

Sadly, his mother's inheritance wasn't much, and it couldn't cover all the expenses related to his sister's new needs. Besides, funerals cost several thousands of dollars, meaning that Alexey had to use most of the inheritance and a part of his saving to offer his wife a decent burial.

Because Masha's injuries resulted from a car accident, she did receive some financial compensation, but it wasn't all that great. The insurance would pay for what they considered necessary to improve her quality of life. However, the money was slow to arrive, and they wouldn't always accept to pay for the best option, wanting to save on cost.

In brief, Gabriel gave them the middle finger and took care of everything, whether Misha liked it or not. In the end, the boy decided to swallow back his anger as he, too, wanted to offer the best things to his sister. While she was in the hospital, they tacitly decided not to waste time and renovated what could be renovated in a short amount of time.

"Anyway, it was just an idea. It's not like we have a spare room for her, for starters," muttered Misha with a small pout.

It was just that he would feel more at ease if a nurse was constantly around his sister to help her, and Yuki was the perfect candidate. Not only was she good at her work, but Masha also appreciated her.

"True. We don't even have a room for Gabriel," chuckled Masha, pointing out that her brother and her boyfriend were currently roommates.

"That guy doesn't need a room. The floor is good enough for him," snorted the boy.

"Yup! The b.a.r.e floor is good enough for him! He doesn't even need a blanket!"

"Could you two please stop ganging up on me?" sighed Gabriel, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"No way!" The siblings said simultaneously, both looking at him with schadenfreude.

"Fine, fine! Do whatever you want!" Gabriel gave up and decided to change the topic, or else he was afraid they would start to discuss where he should sleep tonight, which would most likely be the garage. "What are you going to do, Masha? You were supposed to take a bath today."

"I'm still gonna take it. You can help me," sweetly smiled the teenage girl, making Gabriel's mouth twitch a little. "As my boyfriend, you can do this much for me, right?"

"I don't think your father is of the same opinion."

"So what? It's not like he can't help me wash. If he were to, that would be even more inappropriate considering my age and gender."

"I guess you have a point."

On the side, Misha listened to their discussion while pursing his lips. They seemed to have forgotten him, making him very displeased. He was already not thrilled by the idea of the two of them bathing together, so his mood quickly reached rock bottom. However, only Gabriel could help his sister take a bath among the people present in the house. Misha also knew that Masha wouldn't want to wait until tomorrow. She had sweated a lot during the night and felt dirty, saying that she smelled so bad that her nose was about to fall off.

Her two legs were still in plaster, from her ankles to the middle of her t.h.i.g.hs. It was very inconvenient to move around, even more so when she wanted to wash her body. One careless move and she would be in terrible pain.

Masha needed help to cover the plaster with plastic, then help to get into the bathtub, even though it had been remodeled to accommodate a person whose legs were disabled. But for now, the plaster restricted her mobility, which made it impossible to use the bathtub by herself.

Knowing he wouldn't win, Gabriel wisely decided to shut up and help Masha take a bath. He pushed her wheelchair into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. The young man kneeled and carefully wrapped the plaster in plastic with a deadpan face, then he helped Masha undress, folding her dress and putting it on the counter. As Gabriel did so, his eyes never wandered on her body, much less stared at inappropriate places.

Once the bathtub was filled with hot water, Gabriel gently lifted her from her wheelchair and put her in the bath, helping her find a comfortable position. After making sure Masha wouldn't slip, he turned around and took a washcloth to wipe her body.

Minutes passed in silence until Masha opened her mouth, saying with a grin, "You really don't react down there. What a letdown."

Masha wasn't polite, and she had been staring at his crotch for quite a while now. Yet, the little tent she expected never appeared.

"Because you want me to react?"

"No, not really. But it still would have been good for my ego," softly laughed the teenager.

"As if you need me to flatter your ego. You know perfectly well how beautiful you are," replied Gabriel in a deadpan tone, gesturing for her to turn around a little so that he could scrub her back.

"Oh? So you find me beautiful?" asked Masha with a bit of schadenfreude.

"It's not because I'm gay that I can't tell if a woman is beautiful or not."

Anyone who wasn't blind could tell Masha was a beauty. Although she had lost a bit of weight and appeared a little too thin, her innate charm wasn't affected, and she was as beautiful as ever. Her skin was milky white and smooth, looking very much like porcelain, whereas her bright blue eyes seemed to behold the sky. Her strawberry blonde hair reached her slender waist, and her female curves were enticing.

"… Even with those legs, am I still beautiful?"

Masha's voice was barely audible, but even so, Gabriel heard it clearly. He lifted his eyes to look into hers and said in a firm tone, "Yes. I assure you, you are."

"Then, why doesn't she come visit me? Why is she ignoring me?! What did I do wrong?! I haven't seen her in so long!" The teenager bit her trembling lips, adding in a murmur, "Just why?"

Soon, muffled sobs resonated in the silent bathroom.

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Bonus Question (From my [email protected]éon):

Host, "What is the worst Christmas gift you could give to each other?"

Misha, "A Voodoo doll and an urn for his ashes."

Gabriel, "… I thought our relationship was getting better lately."

Misha, "That's why the urn is gonna be very pretty."

Gabriel, "…"

Misha, "What about you? What would you give me?"

Gabriel, "A bottle of vodka."

Misha, "Eh? Did you really think this through? I would be goddam happy if you gave me that!"

Gabriel, "Are you sure? Because you can't drink at your present age, meaning that you would have to wait a few years before opening it. You can only watch it and not drink it."

Misha, "… You're a cruel man."

Gabriel, "Look who's talking!"

For more bickering, don't hesitate to check out my [email protected]éon! You can't also follow me on my Twitter! @VaesenRs