The Harbor

Missing Yesterday (Part 7)

LaFontaine did their best to try to convince Perry that three weeks wasn't that long and they'd be back at Silas soon. Perry wasn't buying it. She couldn't handle more time in a room that felt too empty but all too suffocating at the same time. She couldn't imagine sleeping in Carmilla's bed anymore. She was afraid of those nightmares preventing her rest again. LaFontaine just did their best to keep a smile on her face and to worry about the now rather than the tomorrows.

It took a lot of persuading and yet another cuddle session, but Perry was fine. She was so content knowing that LaFontaine was alright. Her eyes drifted up to the neck brace that prevented their eyes from meeting. She remembered the bruises that lay hidden underneath. The curiosity of more bruises that might be hidden underneath the gown burned through her thoughts. LaFontaine just barely noticed that Perry kept staring at their gown.

"Are you undressing me with your eyes?" They smiled, feeling very flattered but a bit embarrassed at the same time. The monitor sped up a little.

Perry's cheeks heated up instantly and she sat up, looking back at them. "N-no. Wh-why would I want to do that?" She scoffed, trying to play it off.

"I dunno, you kept looking at me like you were trying to see through this bullshit gown,"

"I wasn't..." She looked down, trying to hide her blush. "I was just wondering if you had any more bruises that I can't see..." Perry muttered, not sure why told the true reason.

"Oh. I've been wondering that too. You can check it out if you want,"

Perry's cheeks were on fire as her wide eyes looked into LaFontaine's in disbelief. "I can what?"

LaFontaine had to laugh at her expression, quickly stopping because their ribs hurt too much. "You can see if I have any bruises. I can't see any part of my body unless I lift it and I'm curious too,"

"B-but your gown... If I t-took it off..."

"You've seen me naked before, Perry,"

"Yeah, but that was years ago!" She wouldn't tell about the countless of stolen peeks she took in their room nearly daily.

"What's the difference?"

"W-well... W-w-we've grown... A-and I wouldn't want you to be laying naked on the bed," she paused to gulp, pushing the image in her mind of her undressing LaFontaine like that away. "I mean, what if someone comes in?" She said lowly, as if someone could hear them.

"Perr, I'm wearing pants, you know that right?"

"Y-you are?" Perry didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

"Yeah. Crappy hospital ones but they do the trick,"

"So... I can see?" Perry's cheeks were still red which amused LaFontaine to no end.

"Yeah, go for it," LaFontaine tried their best to nod. "But you're going to have to help me,"

Perry helped turn LaFontaine to their side and undid the ties down their back. She gulped again and slid the flimsy material off their shoulders. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't really enjoying this. Her hands ghosted down LaFontaine's back to move the material out of her view.

She nearly gasped at the bruise. It was just starting to come into its full purples, not looking like it would leave anytime soon. Her eyes were glued on it, trying to imagine what happened in order for it to get that big. The bruise covered a large part of their left ribcage, from what she could see.

"C-can I see the f-front...?" Perry whispered, accidentally saying what she was thinking outloud. Her heart sped up at the question and the monitor showed that LaFontaine's heart was doing the same thing.