Title: Distraction
Author: mikipau
Rating: T
Fandom: American Horror Story: Coven
Pairing: Cordelia/Misty
Disclaimer: I do not own American Horror Story.
Summary: Cordelia is distracted by being around Misty.
A/N: I don't own them, but I love them. Thanks to Carola "Ryûchan" Eriksson for beta help and for being the bestest ever.
"Cordelia?"
Nothing.
"Cordelia!"
Silence.
"'Delia?" Misty nudged the shoulder of the woman standing next to her. "Are you listening?"
Cordelia looked up, eyes wide. "What?"
She blinked slowly. Twice.
"Did you say something?" Cordelia felt herself blush under the questioning gaze of her friend. She had been busy staring at Misty's hands as they'd caressed the leaves of the Cinnamomum verum they were trying to revive, thinking about how those hands would feel against her own naked skin.
Misty tended to hum and sing during their time in the greenhouse and although Cordelia loved it, she tended to listen more to the cadence of Misty's voice than the actual words. This afternoon she'd found herself preoccupied by imagining roughened pads of fingertips caress up her sides, along her neck and down her spine. The hair on her arms stood up and she had to look away from caring blue eyes or else she feared she'd blurt out just what had been on her mind, and why.
"You seem a million miles away today. What's on your mind?" Misty's words were softly spoken, almost whispered into Cordelia's ear and the closeness between them made heat spread through the Supreme's body. A hand was placed at the small of her back, in a show of support, worry or caring, Cordelia didn't know which.
"'Delia, can I do something to help?"
The hand at her back almost burned through the thin fabric of her shirt and a small puff of air from Misty's breath ghosted across her neck. She was regretting the ponytail, leaving so much skin exposed hadn't been a good idea.
Cordelia took a step closer to the table, away from Misty, away from the temptation to turn around and throw herself into the arms of the younger witch. Lately her nights had been filled with vivid dreams of her best friend and her days had turned into a constant struggle against acting on her feelings. The desire to run her hands through Misty's thick, unruly curls, felt impossible to resist and she wanted it so much the thought alone made her fingers twitch. She grabbed hold of the tabletop to still the impulse to reach out, instead biting her bottom lip and squeezing her eyes shut.
Cordelia had felt an almost painful urge to touch her friend ever since the Seven Wonders had gotten out of hand and Misty had turned to ash in her arms. Sometimes it felt as if only she could have, Cordelia would have clutched Misty to herself, burrowing her face into her warmth just to know that she was there. Right now, standing together in the greenhouse, she wanted to turn around, pull Misty closer and press her lips against her pulsepoint so she could feel the life vibrate underneath her lips and reassure herself that she was real, that she was there.
With all this going through Cordelia's mind, to say nothing of the emotions burning in her chest, she was more than just a little distracted. Hence the not quite listening to what Misty was saying.
"...and you're off again. 'Delia? What's wrong?"
Cordelia opened her eyes and took a deep breath, turning slowly to face Misty. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just distracted, that's all."
"Can you tell me why? I mean, I get if you don't want to, but..."
Cordelia glanced up at her friend who kept on rambling, eyebrows drawn together in an adorable, worried frown.
"...I'm your friend Cordelia. I want to help if I-"
"I have feelings for someone." So there it was, finally, blurted out in a hurry. Cordelia saw the words register as Misty went completely still, her face suddenly strangely pale.
"Oh, uhm. Okay?" Although she tried to hide it, Cordelia caught the slight tremble to Misty's bottom lip and the brief flash of dread in her eyes. "What kind of feelings?"
Cordelia's throat felt constricted, she didn't understand the reaction her confession was causing. She forced herself to swallow, to breathe, to look up at Misty. "The love kind."
"Oh…"
The silence grew between them. It was strange. What was happening here? They'd always been so comfortable around each other. Misty avoided Cordelia's gaze, fidgeting nervously with her hands. She repeatedly wrapped the fringes of her shawl around her fingers only to untangle them again.
"I- I- I thought something was wrong. I mean, if you have feelings for someone shouldn't you be all smiley and stuff?" The words came out stilted and awkward.
"I think it's one sided."
Misty's eyes immediately went up to meet Cordelia's. "Why? What? Who wouldn't want to be with you?"
"I think her upbringing might be a problem. She grew up in quite a conservative Christian community." And so the cat was out of the bag. Cordelia had outed herself to the woman she was madly in love with and whom she was sure didn't return her feelings.
"I did too." Misty looked utterly confused.
"Yes, and what I mean is, you're unprejudiced, but you're not-"
"Are you saying, you think I couldn't love a woman?"
"Well, yes?"
They stared at each other. Misty's stunned silence grated on Cordelia's nerves. She felt strangely exposed. Wasn't it obvious who the woman she loved was? They spent all of their free time together so everyone Cordelia knew, Misty knew too. Who else had a Christian background? No one.
"You think I couldn't love you?"
Cordelia's eyes stung. She was close to tears but she kept her head up, forcing herself to meet Misty's gaze.
"I wish you could."
Something happened then, something visibly clicked in Misty's head. A smile graced those lovely features and Cordelia thought she'd never seen anything more beautiful.
"You don't have to wish. I do love you."
"You do?"
"Chere, of course I do." Misty smiled as she wiped a stray tear from Cordelia's cheek, leaning in to place a quick kiss on her nose.
Cordelia blushed as strong arms encircled her. She tucked her head underneath Misty's chin and with a steady heartbeat drumming against her ear Cordelia felt the tenseness of her muscles leave her body. Soft lips pressed a kiss to the top of her head, followed by Misty's raspy voice.
"You silly goose, getting all worked up over nothing."
"I would hardly call it 'over nothing'."
"You wouldn't? I've been dropping hints for close to a year!"
Cordelia met Misty's gaze, flabbergasted. "You've what?"
"I've tried to get you to date me! But you always pull away, going all teacher-supreme on me."
"Teacher-supreme? That's not even a word Misty."
"Of course it is. It's a perfect word to describe how you act when I stand too close or touch you or-"
"If you say so." Cordelia cut the rambling short as a smile tugged at her lips. The awkwardness from earlier was now completely gone and in its place was a feeling of clarity. All the shared touches and softly spoken words now made sense. While Cordelia had tried to repress her feelings, Misty had tried to show hers the best way she knew how - through her actions.
Deciding it was her turn to act, Cordelia tangled her hands in Misty's wild hair, pulling their faces closer together. Their breaths mingled, shaky inhales and exhales full of anticipation. The kiss that followed was everything Cordelia had dreamed of, yet so much more. She loved it. She loved Misty.
Long moments later they pulled apart, foreheads resting against each other, breathless and with wide smiles on their faces.
"Misty Day, will you go on a date with me?"
Her question was answered immediately and accompanied by a brilliant smile.
"Yes."