the truth about survival part II • an Alicia Clark fanfiction (girlxgirl)

xv. it's temporary

Eyebrows furrowed with panic, Kamille called over the running water, "Alicia, you okay?"

She noticed Alicia's hand holding the top of the door for support and stood up worriedly, waiting just outside the door.

"I think I–" Alicia began, but coughed again, "–I may need that stool after all."

Kamille swallowed hard with worry. "Okay, step back, yeah? I'm coming in."

She waited a moment, grabbing the towel off the side and hoping Alicia listened, before opening the shower door and stepping in. She quickly turned the shower off, getting a little wet in the process, before wrapping a coughing Alicia in a towel.

"Come on," she said calmly, trying not to show her panic, as she led Alicia out the shower and onto the stool.

Alicia's coughs subsided as Kamille kneeled beside her, rubbing her back soothingly.

"Just take some big, deep breaths," Kamille instructed gently, still rubbing her back.

Alicia straightened up, clutching her towel as she breathed in and out deeply a few times.

"Better?" Kamille asked, moving so she was kneeling in front of Alicia.

She tried to meet her eyes, but Alicia looked elsewhere and nodded slowly before hiding her face in her towel.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Kamille asked quietly, resting a hand on her shoulder and subconsciously rubbing her thumb in circles.

"I'm fine," Alicia said, but it came out muffled because her head was still stuffed in her towel.

"Alicia," Kamille said knowingly, watching her with a matching expression. "Come on, tell me."

Alicia sighed dramatically, finally lifting her head. Her face was flushed as she avoided Kamille's eyes, water dripping from her hair and down her face.

"This whole thing is embarrassing," she admitted, pursing her lips.

Kamille's eyes widened a little as she realised what Alicia meant. Now that she was acknowledging their circumstances, she realised how Alicia must have felt and suddenly felt bad.

"Hey, c'mon, it's not that bad, honestly," Kamille tried to reassure her. "It's not a big deal. I mean, I've done worse... I don't know if I've told you, but when I was fourteen, I was having a shower and when I finished, I slipped on the wet floor. Like, butt naked. And my mum had to come and help me out, but she couldn't stop laughing because I was crying. I think I landed on my arse and hurt my arm, too. It was really embarrassing."

Alicia finally looked to Kamille, her green eyes sparkling with amusement as she tried to stifle a chuckle. Kamille smiled with relief, glad she'd steered the attention away from Alicia's embarrassment.

"As much as I love that little anecdote, I meant I was embarrassed because I can't seem to do anything myself," Alicia explained, wiping away the water dripping down her forehead and into her eyes.

Kamille's smile faded. "Oh."

Alicia let out a contagious laugh, her smile brightening the room in an instant, and Kamille suddenly didn't mind that she'd embarrassed herself in front of her.