those were the days

[Winifred Archer]

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Offering a soft sort of laughter to Adella, Winnie strolled along her friends side and was glad for the cold as it pinked up her cheeks. If nothing else, it would hide her blush of excitement at the idea of seeing Beau - even for just a little bit - that day. "I certainly h-hope his ddday was better than mine." She tried to joke back. Giving a mock look of misfortune - as best she could - before lifting her sleeve to cough into the shelter of it's fabric.

Glancing up as Adella mentioned her brother being right on time, Winifred smiled softly at the sight of Beau already standing there waiting for his sister and watched as he approached. At first, his approach was normal - no different than any other day but as they drew closer it became obvious that his pace began to quicken. It confused her, if even just a little, to see him set into a sprint toward them. Not quite wanting to assume it was for her sake that he ran but couldn't deny a little flourish of warm at the idea it very well could have been.

Then it hit her, did she really look so terrible to cause this much concern? Flustered at the idea she'd caused such fuss herself, Winnie glanced sheepishly at Adella as though already willing to apologize but found herself quite easily distracted as the heavy weight of Bentley's caught was dropped and wrapped oh so warmly about her shoulders.

The fabric smelled of him. Each of the fabrics pores filled with a sort of deep and spicy rich scent that was obviously masculine but even better than that - quite definitively, Bentley Beauregard's own personal fragrance. It was a smell she'd known all her life - or at least for most of it and as the boy had changed into the man before her, the scent had changed as well. Different yes, but undeniably still one in the same. Like him, it was simply older, more experienced...more desirable.

"Thank you." She mumbled to Bentley, giving a demure little smile before sinking into a comfortable place between Adella and Bentley's body. If she could have, Winnie would have been delighted to go to Stella and have the witch fuss over her like a mother would a daughter but a little voice in the back of her head was already whispering it was far, far too dangerous to allow.

"Oh but you mustn't fuss." She squeaked, hid a little wince and then continued to insist with a shake of her head and glancing eyes that bobbed back and forth between the two. "I'll be fine, I'm quite certain. Just a little rest is all I need....and...I must get home to my grandfather, I couldn't have him worrying." Trying to ignore the strain of nerves in her voice Winnie could only cross her fingers and snuggle deeper into Bentley's coat to savor the time she had with it. "Please, I just ... need to go home."

Coded by Emilita of RPG-D and The Fireplace