Prompt: "Lets go home. It's freezing and I don't want you catching a cold."
There was no need for her to be there, not really. She's stopped practicing magick not too long after bringing Winifred and her sisters back, thus she had no need for any of the flowers she'd been roped into hunting. Speaking of Winifred, she could just barely make her out several yards away, bent over and muttering to herself. Cora sighed, bouncing in place in an attempt to warm up and wishing they were at home. But no, Winnie just had to have the one godforsaken plant that bloomed under a full moon on the coldest night of the year. She hoped that once they found it she picked enough to last an eternity because they sure as hell weren't doing it again next year.
"Cora! Over here!" the older woman called, causing her to sigh.
"Fucking snow," she grumbled as she trudged over to her girlfriend. "Did you find it?"
"I think so, look!"
A silver flower flower faintly, just recently having been uncovered from the snow.
"Pretty," she admitted, "but it's so small. Are you seriously telling me this little thing is what we've been searching hours for?"
"Yes! It's quite powerful in large quantities, and an excellent ingredient for several potions I hath desired to attempt."
Cora sighed. Winifred was lucky she loved her so much.
"Okay, but I only see one. Where's the rest?" Winnie's eyes darted away and she remained silent. "You have got to be kidding me!"
"There must be more close by! I'm sure of it!"
"Are you? Because we've already been out here for hours and you've only found one!" Cora snapped.
Winifred bristled, anger obvious.
"I told thee they bloomed tonight and I was right. Where there is one there shall be more."
She turned on her heel and stomped off, graceful despite the foot of snow she was slogging through. Cora sighed and glanced at the lone flower, plucking it gently. Something told her no more would be found that night.
—
Tense silence had reigned between them in the few hours since their little spat. If Cora wasn't so cold and miserable she may have gloated about the fact no more flowers had been found. As it was, anytime she caught the older woman's eye she looked away, obviously still angry.
The stirring of snow caught her attention, louder than mere digging. She looked up just in time to see Winifred stumble with a muttered curse. Frowning, she looked closer, straining in the pale light of the moon for a better look. She could barely make out the tremors wracking the witch's body, only really able to tell by the shaking of her hands as she began searching a different patch of ground. Her frown deepened.
They'd been out for how many hours now? Five? Six? Judging by the position of the moon it was nearing four a.m., and it was only getting colder in the hours before sunrise. And there was Winifred, in only her dress and cloak. Honestly it was a miracle she'd made it this long in the bitter weather.
A muffled sneeze drew her out of her thoughts and she shook her head, deciding enough was enough. Flowers be damned, they were going home. Wincing at the stiffness of her muscles, she stood from her crouched position and approached the woman, dreading the impending argument. Though she heard footsteps crunching in the snow Winifred ignored them, too focused on finding more flowers.
"Winnie," Cora said gently, "let's go home."
"No, we haven't yet accomplished our task," she said simply, not even turning from the snowbank she was poking through.
"Winnie, please. We've been looking for hours and all we have to show for it is numb hands and one flower."
"All the more reason to continue searching."
"Winnie." The voice was stern, causing her to pause, but only for a moment. "Winifred."
Now that caught her attention. Cora rarely ever used her given name, preferring nicknames or terms of endearment. She chose to turn to face the young woman, unsurprised to see her standing with her arms crossed.
"Sweetheart, please, let's go home."
"But-"
She cut herself off with a sneeze, frustrated in her body's betrayal and failing to notice the concerned look being sent her way.
"Winnie, please. I know you know we aren't going to find anymore."
"Yes we will!"
"No, we won't, or we'd have found them already. Now please, it's late, you're cold and so am I."
"I beg to differ."
"Then why are you shivering?" Cora asked with a raised eyebrow. The older woman glanced away. "I know you want these flowers, but this is getting ridiculous. It's freezing and I don't want you catching a cold."
If there was one thing that never ceased to amaze the older woman it was the care the younger showed her, despite how rarely she gave anything in return. She eyed the hand that had been extended to help her up and decided that maybe it was time to admit defeat. She took it, allowing Cora to help her up, and gave a startled yelp when her legs gave out from under her, sending her crashing into her lover. Grunting, the brunette managed to steady them, pulling her closer as she felt the chill of her skin through her coat.
"You are absolutely freezing," she murmured. Winifred didn't answer, too preoccupied trying to burrow closer, though she'd deny it if asked. Sighing, Cora cast a warming charm (her first bit of magick in years) on her coat before slipping it off and bundling the woman into it. "Let's get you home."
Later on, after a warm bath and putting away the few herbs they had managed to gather, the two women were seated in front of the fire at Winifred's insistence. Cora couldn't say she entirely understood the woman's dislike of going to bed with her hair wet but she wasn't going to complain, not when it meant having her nearly in her lap and curled tightly against her, her excuse for the cuddling being that she was still cold. A heavy blanket covered them, the only sound the crackling of the fire, and if she focused she could feel the older woman's heart beating in tandem with her own. It was perfect, and she wished it could last forever. But of course it couldn't, and Winifred broke the peace.
"Why?"
"Why what?" Cora murmured, nearly asleep.
"Why do you continue...this?"
"This?" she prompted, unable to follow the woman's train of thought.
Winifred growled in frustration.
"Caring. Being so kind when you know to be such is not in my nature."
"Because I love you."
"That can not be the only reason," she said, scoffing.
"It is, and always will be," Cora answered sincerely. "There is not a thing I ask in return except your attention, and whatever affection you're able to give."
"I fear I shall never understand," Winnie replied, relaxing once more and listening to the heartbeat beneath her ear.
"Probably not," Cora agreed, "but that doesn't mean I'll stop loving you."
She felt the hand at her waist tighten, squeezing her side, and pressed a kiss to her lover's wild curls as silence resumed.
