Córu helped Eilidh back into her home, still wrapped in her seal pelt, which had inexplicably retained the heat that the human woman had first experienced only when confronted with the singular place where such heat - any heat, really - should have been absent entirely. Such care had been offered so as to make Eilidh uncomfortable in any other setting but for the shock of everything that had occurred; as it stood, she hadn't the luxury of shame, at least not until the safety of her home. Having shed her coat earlier, Córu tossed it to the side before stepping toward the door, making sure Eilidh's every movement was cared for.

As she entered the shelter of her abode, still burning flame, Eilidh attempted to pull the pelt from her shoulders, recognizing Córu’s own shivering form, though the selkie had none of it, reaching up to return the pelt to her, much to Eilidh's dismay.

"I'm fine," she seethed, "I'm home now. A blanket and some coffee and I'll be good." She gave the selkie a once over with her eyes. "You don't even drink coffee; you need it much more than I do."

Again, she tried to shed the pelt, and again, she was rebuffed, forcing Eilidh to grow more agitated, "Córu! Take your pelt!"

At that, Córu’s face tensed in a manner of anger that Eilidh hadn't even imagined possible until then, making it known through all but her tongue where the pelt was staying. The human scoffed, rolling her eyes to try and salvage some shame in her relinquishing of spite, shaking her head.

"I swear," was all she could muster in retort.

Córu directed her to her favorite chair, sitting her down before turning toward the kitchen, still drenched, herself, with the wardrobe loaned to her by Eilidh at the beginning of her stay. She swiftly began the process of brewing coffee, catching Eilidh off guard as she eyed her sidelong from her chair, brow curled in shock.

"You aren't- What are you doing?" Eilidh studying her movement, convinced she wasn't doing what it was she thought it was, until the selkie began boiling water as though without as much as a second thought, "You're not..."

Córu stepped away, her movement deliberate, as though on a mission, stepping into Eilidh's bedroom, much to the host's distress, "H- Hey! You're not allowed in there!" She cursed under her breath, knowing the point to be moot. "Gods damn... What does she think she's-"

The selkie returned, carrying a change of clothes with her that she brought over for Eilidh, sitting them atop a nearby table before helping her host to her feet, pelt and all. Removing the sealskin, Córu reached for the hem of Eilidh's shirt, pulling it-

"H- Hey now!" Eilidh shouted, throwing her hands down to swipe the selkie's hands away, "I can do that!"

Córu stared at her indignantly for a moment before pointing at the change of clothes, stepping back a couple of steps before crossing her arms and watching as if to ensure compliance. Eilidh glanced back, feeling as though a spotlight were being cast upon her, uncertain as to what exactly this woman had expected of her in such a situation.

"Uh-" she muttered, "I'm not going to do anything while you're watching, you know. Is this another selkie thing? You change clothes around each other for protection, or-"

Córu stomped her foot impatiently, apparently aware of pneumonia to some extent, though such an action only riled Eilidh up even quickly, causing her to shout in reply, "I'm going! Get the fuck out of here!" She raised a finger, directing her back into her bedroom so as to give her privacy, though, apparently unconvinced due to her previous obstinacy with the pelt, Córu seemed unwilling to offer such a thing. Instead, she huffed a breath before simply turning around, seemingly unwilling to believe that Eilidh wouldn't merely spite her and keep the chilled, wet clothes on anyway.

"You're a piece of work, you know that?" Eilidh groaned through gritted teeth, glancing down at her body, trying to figure out where to begin. From neck to ankle, her clothes stuck to her skin like suckers, chilling her body and driving all heat from her; the prospect of removing the drenched clothing was appealing, but- Her eyes glanced up toward Córu’s back, worried, though, the thought suddenly crossed her as to why that was. Why did she care? She was a selkie, and to that point, she was going to be gone, ostensibly for forever, in a matter of days, anyway. What did it matter even if she saw her body?

"Fuck," she cursed lowly, shaking her head before driving her hands down to the hem of her shirt, pulling it up and over her breasts before clearing her head, the sensation of her wet hair falling and cascading back down over her face as unpleasant as she had imagined, as though an octopus had made its home there.

"I hope you're finding this fun," she muttered quietly, more to herself, though as she examined the collection of clothing, she noticed something amongst the stack that had only then caught her attention. Córu had, along with a fresh shirt and trousers, had also fetched a fresh pair of undergarments and jump. Eilidh's eyes flashed up toward the selkie, at first inquisitive and then- not. How would she have known to fetch either of those...? not unless she had noticed something Eilidh hadn't thought to conceal, or- Had she been much more observant than she had been given credit for. But, then, why would Córu have been...

Eilidh felt a tingle down her spine. Despite Córu having turned away, and her own knowledge that she wouldn't neglect that trust- it suddenly felt as though this woman's eyes were upon her. Not merely upon her as a guest, but- as something else. For a moment, Eilidh thought to simply keep her damp jump on and put her shirt on over it, though quickly judged Córu’s reaction to such a thing to be an unsatisfactory one, and she truly didn't want to have to repeat this process. She slowly reached up to the knots of her jump, eyes switching from the laces stitched between her breasts and Córu, before carefully unraveling one knot, slowly advancing to the next. What began as a slow endeavor, simply to allow her some reproach should the woman, indeed, turn around- haltingly became something else. With each knot, with each teasing wiggle of lace and linen, caution became something rather- sultry.

Eilidh caught herself in a blush, twisting her body around and dropping her head. She raised a fist to her mouth, wholly terrified by what had just flittered through her mind, only for the skin of her finger, running across her lip in an attempt at comfort, only caused a recollection of that kiss in the lake... Eilidh immediately dropped her hand, frowning with dismay at herself, quickly continuing to undo her jump before dropping it to the ground with a sloppy sound, grabbing a towel to dry herself.

She made quick work of her trousers, leaving herself wholly nude save for her underwear, quickly shedding them and drying herself fully before redressing herself with a sigh. Collecting her clothes, she didn't utter a word, only catching Córu’s attention once entering her peripheral vision, dropping her soiled clothing in the laundry and stepping toward the kitchen to finish the coffee.

"Well, now that that's all-"

Córu pointed for her to return to her chair before moving to collect a blanket, leaving Eilidh indignant, "Okay, we're going to set the record straight right here. I don't need caring for; I appreciate what you did, like, a lot, but I am not one to just sit around and-"

Córu insisted once again, earning her another challenge from Eilidh, "Did you not- Gods! No, you fucking didn't!" She spun in place, frustration boiling over as she raised her two fists, returning to Córu as she attempted to even her keel. "Córu! I am fine!" She raised her hands, flat, waving them back and forth. "No more!"

The selkie eyed her, again, with emotions Eilidh hadn't ever known her to have. Determination, but of the righteous fury sort, almost something maternal that made Eilidh slightly uncomfortable, if not a bit ready to succumb right then and there. Still, she stood her ground, shaking her head in disbelief. Not only at the day's event, but at the current predicament, at- at those thoughts she had had about- about this woman in her home.

"I can't believe this," she frowned, her eyes wandering off, only returning to Córu as movement caught her attention. She recoiled, standing straight as the selkie took the blanket and stepped toward her, causing Eilidh to step backward, "Hey! I just said that I-!"

Before she could protest further, Córu had thrown the blanket around her, leaving Eilidh's face a monument to spite as she stood there, weary of what her life had become.

"I hope you one day come to understand the immensity of which I despise this..."

Even so, as she attempted to process that slight, Córu bent low, picking Eilidh up in her arms, which sent Eilidh's eyes wide, her mouth aghast as she shouted, "What the fuck are you doing?! Put me down!" She thrashed in the selkie's arms, though her grasp was surprisingly stiff, even as she maneuvered across the room toward Eilidh's chair. "I swear to you, I will have your head! That's a promise, you selkie-!"

Before finishing her threat, Córu had sat her down, Eilidh resembling more a cat unwittingly finding itself in a piece of clothing than anything human. She struggled against the blanket only to figure out that Córu hadn't left without tucking it beneath her weight in such a way that she'd be trapped, causing her a severe frown as the selkie watched her, lording over her almost.

"Years of independence wasted," Eilidh groaned, dropping her head, "When will the day end. I will say, this has been one of the most outrageously nutty days that I have ever had the displeasure of living." She shook her head pitifully, groaning further. "First I'm out in this wretched cold, then I fall into the gods damned lake, only to be rescued by the lips of the seal-woman I've rescued, who can't talk; then I come home only to be accosted, made to strip in front of the same woman, before becoming a prisoner in my own home."

She rolled her eyes, finally lifting her head "Nothing could make this day any worse. Nothing-"

Her eyes widened at the sight of Córu, who had begun removing her clothes right there in the room in front of her, dropping the shirt she'd been wearing onto the floor and exposing the - rather magnificently curvy - swarthy skin which made up the span of her back from neck to waist, instantly catching Eilidh's attention. Her first instinct was to spin away and shout in protest, and yet- she found it incredibly difficult to do so. Clearly, she was comfortable with such a thing in Eilidh's presence, otherwise she'd have left the room. Perhaps this was even for her benefit? Surely not.

And yet, Eilidh was nearly entranced, her body still begging for that warmth that had made it home within this woman's pelt. To find the source of such a hearth of dusky, tanned skin- it was as enticing for Eilidh as a source of desire as it was survival in that moment, much like how she had, not an hour early, she had required the woman's lips to breathe. Now, it was merely the thought of her skin - her body heat - returning her to equilibrium, that suddenly caught her attention- only, gods, what was she thinking?!

"Uh- Córu?" Eilidh muttered, catching the woman's attention before she could begin shoving her trousers down along her thighs, "I'm right here."

Without the use of hands to guide her explanation, Córu was left with nothing in the way of translation, merely Eilidh's tone, which had been admittedly meager. So, lacking much further preamble, Córu returned to undressing, shoving her trousers down her legs, leaving Eilidh to force her head down, averting her gaze as she bit her lip in some vague attempt at lessening the desire to return and see what it was she was missing. Thinking better of it, she shut her eyes, tightly, tensing her jaw until her teeth began to ache.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she thought to herself, shaking her head.

She only raised her eyes once it became clear that Córu had entered the kitchen, grabbing a mug and filling it with coffee, much to Eilidh's delight, while dressed. Córu blew over the still water, much as Eilidh would, before bringing it over, cupped in both hands, before dropping to both knees in front of Eilidh, waiting for the coffee to cool.

"Why are you doing this?" Eilidh wondered, "Is it just because I took you in?"

Córu watched her, unable to deduce anything, tilting her head as though to make that fact known.

Eilidh sighed, her eyes falling, "You need to stop this. I don't do well being cared for. It makes me very uncomfortable; but, of course, you can't understand me, so it's no use. and it's clear that I can't put up much of a fight, anyway. You're going to do this, anyway."

She continued to stare, turning away only to blow on the coffee before carefully dipping her face beyond the rim of the mug just enough, apparently having deduced the appropriate temperature simply from all the times Eilidh had teased her with the coffee. Slowly reaching the mug up, she offered Eilidh a sip.

"You amaze me sometimes," she admitted lowly, smiling softly, "You irritate the hell out of me other times, but- still."

Córu’s brow softened, recognizing the tender words - compared to her much harsher language throughout much of her care - reaching out her free hand and resting it atop the blanket where Eilidh's knee must have been, patting her there gently. She slowly moved the mug up to Eilidh's lips, the woman unable to hide a blush as she rolled her eyes, convincing herself that she was overcome by the scent of the fresh brew, and leaning her head forward to take a sip from the mug in the selkie's hand, Córu smiling happily.

Eilidh frowned, though still bothered, "Thank you..."

A smile, nearly wry, crept across the selkie's face. Apparently, she'd come to understand those words, at least, and how rare it was for Eilidh to use them genuinely. She hadn't ever needed to, really.