A few days ago, Ava would have found the snow-covered city enchanting. Back home, snow had been a very rare occurrence and even then only at higher altitudes than her city's. Her first snowfall in Chicago had been magical, until she'd stepped outside and realized the single winter coat she'd brought was useless against the cutting wind.
But this isn't her first Chicago winter, and she knows the city's icy covering is deceptively pretty. She'd spent the day in the ED, after all, since Lanik had caught her leaving after her regular shift in CT and asked her to stay and help out. After treating various cases of exposure, several car crash victims, and a man who had—stupidly—licked a pole on a dare and gotten his tongue stuck to it, she half wishes she were back in South Africa, where temperatures stayed within a sane range and never dropped into the negatives.
"I didn't realize the weather report was so thought-provoking," Connor teases. Looking at him from where she'd been half-dozing, curled up against him, all thoughts of South Africa disappear.
Ava looks at the television to see that program has changed from the news—mostly weather-related accidents—to the weatherman, who looks altogether too thrilled about the arctic weather he's announcing. "Look at him." Ava gestures to the television, sitting up, "He's so cheery about the temperature heating up to… negative twelve Fahrenheit. That really shouldn't count as 'heating up'."
"Well, technically it's a few degrees warmer."
She frowns at him. "Warm is the last word I'd use to describe Chicago."
"Hey, I'll warm you up," he says, pulling her into him.
She stays there for a minute, melting into him, then pulls away. After working a double shift she's so tired she might just fall asleep on him, and then she'll never make it home to her fish. "As tempting as that offer is," she says, kissing him lightly, "I should go."
Ava moves to get up off the couch, looking around for her bag and coat.
"What? It's ten pm." Connor furrows his eyebrows at her, mock-serious, then pulls her back down onto his lap.
She lets out an indignant squeal, smiling despite herself. "Yes, it's ten pm and I have to go home. I have feed to fish."
Connor grins, she catches a glimpse of it as his eyes light up with amusement, and it takes her tired brain a second to realize her mistake.
"Oh, you know what I mean." She swats at his leg half-heartedly.
"Didn't you hear the weatherman? It's negative seventeen degrees out there."
She frowns at him, turns her head so he can see her puzzled expression. "Sorry, what is that in normal-people temperature?" She asks teasingly, unable to keep the smile out of her voice.
"Haha. Very funny." He brushes her hair from her neck and plants a kiss there before continuing, "Negative twenty-seven Celsius, give or take a few decimals."
"Hmm, that's really, really cold then. All right." She kisses him again, this time on the corner of his lips, then darts up before her can stop her. "I still have to leave, though."
"Ava, I'm serious." He gets up, moves to stand between her and the door, "It's freezing out there, there's ice on the roads and it's already dark. You heard the weather report. It said to stay indoors unless you absolutely couldn't." He's serious now, looking at her intently. "Please, just stay the night?"
She shakes her head, expression soft, "I'll be fine. I live twenty minutes away, and it's not my first time driving in snow." She walks over to the chair where she'd left her coat, but before she can grab it Connor hugs her from behind.
"Connor!" She laughs, turning around to face him, eyes bright and eyebrows raised in disbelief, "Seriously? You're too old for this!"
"Avey, your fish can survive without you for another night." He pulls her closer, "I, on the other hand, would never forgive myself if you died trying to get home."
"Well, I guess staying with you would be better than dying." She adds drily, "Marginally better."
"Of course," he says, and she can hear the fondness in his voice as she leans in to kiss him.