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Tim gave a strangled laugh between his sobs. "I missed you so much. They were supposed to take care of you. I told Iroh." and gave another small sob, sniffling, starting to slow down on his crying. He missed this warm scent. When his head was lifted he caught a better look of the bruised face, frowning but kissing back. "I'm...okay." he admitted softly, letting go. "They put me in the psych ward. I was released last week." He looked away guiltily. "They didn't believe me, when I said... I was supposed to stay a few days but they kept me longer, when I said why I was in there." He wasn't going to tell Daren about the bleach, about being dirty. "Akane got me out... she decided it wasn't a safe environment for me." Especially since he nearly attacked a doctor who could've left him in there for another few weeks."So... that was my month. I've been, cleaning." and looked at the pristine apartment. He wasn't sure it had ever been so clean. He'd even cleaned the grime between the tiles in the kitchen. "Cleaning..."

Tim gave a small smile, a little proud, but only a little. He needed things to be clean. "Ah, um, I don't know." Daren wouldn't get clean if he showered with him, but let himself get tugged along. "I need to finish cleaning." and stopped, looking at the man as he hit right in the center, Tim looking away shamefully and quickly letting go of Daren's hand. "No I know but--" Tim looked the other way to avoid eye contact. He still felt dirty. Everytime something happened to Tim, Daren got the brunt of it. From saving him, to the aquarium, Andrew, his dad... it kept on hitting Daren and Tim got off scott free. he kept getting Daren dirty.

And suddenly he could feel his own filth on him, the oil in his pores, the dirt underneath his nails the sweat on his skin. how had he let himself get so filthy. "I-I'll shower by myself." he said softly, stepping out of the bathroom. He couldn't let Daren see how he bathed, how hard he rubbed at his skin. he'd rubbed so hard in some areas he had fine thin lines which were cuts. he couldn't let Daren see.

Tim's eyes widened in fright as the man stepped closer, stepping back before giving a scream as he was lifted. "No! Daren stop! Let me go!" And tried to shove him off, frightened and getting teary eyed again. "I don't want you to be dirty with me! Daren stop!" and was trembling, trying not to cry as he was hugged. "You look beaten and bruised." he whispered, looking down and away. He swallowed, glancing up at Daren and nodding. "You... you're not as dirty as me. You used to be, I bet. You're cleaner than when we first met." and gave a small smile.

Tim stepped into the tub, picking at the invisible dirt underneath his shortly cut nails. He flinched at the initially cold water, relaxing as it grew warm. Tim didn't have his sponge. He was about to get out to get it but stopped, looking at Daren and giving a cautious nod. "Only if I can wash your hair. Did you get it cut in prison?"

"I can see your forehead now." he commented, smiling a bit before frowning. Daren was washing so lightly. Yes it was firm but, but it wasn't hard enough. How was he supposed to get all the dirt off if he did it like he was washing a baby? "It's..." he couldn't say that word in front of Daren, it seemed, "I've felt... grimey. I sweat a lot, body oil." he explained, feeling more and more ashamed of himself as the lips pressed against the back of his shoulder. Daren repeated the process another two times before kneeling down.

"ah, you could have bent over." But took the shampoo, making a spiral on Daren's head before doing an opposite spiral with the conditioner, gently massaging it in to his scalp. he got it nice and sudsy before tilting the man's head back, using his fingers to help rinse it out. He bent down, pressing a soft kiss to Daren's lips. "Welcome home." he murmured.

Tim looked up, "I've... been having nightmares." He was going to say that perhaps it was a bad idea, but didn't Daren used to have nightmares? He couldn't remember Daren having a nightmare while he slept with him. "I think, I think sleeping in your arms would be perfect." and smiled, turning off the water. "I changed the sheets this morning. So they smell like Tide." and grabbed a towel, lowering the man's head and drying off his hair before drying off the rest of him. "And all of your clothes are washed. I washed them yesterday and the day before, when Iroh told me you were coming back."

"I figured Akane or Iroh wouldn't do it... I just asked them to feed and change Apple's water." he said, following him out and changing into a pair of boxer-briefs, smiling softly. It was nice to hear Daren's voice, to feel him moving around, just being in his presence was relaxing for the man who had been stressed the past month. "I promise I won't clean." he said, watching the man bundle down and into the bed. He was afraid to get in, knowing that as soon as he touched the sheets he'd have to wash them. But he moved under the blankets and up against the ex-officer. "Perfect is good. I like perfect."