( CLOSED ) Maybe my heart is getting selfish.

[oorah]

WHO: Franky C
WHERE: House 3 > House 6
WHEN: July 31
OPEN TO: Claire Temple
WARNINGS: general nerdliness tbh

---

[ it isn't long after she'd walked out on him that frank feels the need to apologize. he isn't good at apologizing, just like he hadn't been good at you know, not being a dick. it's midmorning the next day and he has a fresh bouquet of sunflowers for her, tied with cornhusks the same way as the first. and painted on a small dart of fabric is just the letters I-O-U. he thinks she'll know exactly who they're from even without his usual food-shaped monogram. oh yeah, that's right, he fully intends to ding-dong-ditch these babies like he's in the fifth grade.

frank makes his way up to house 3 as silent as ever and deposits the flowers onto the stoop. then he's beating a hasty retreat back across the street with the full intention not to be noticed even in full sunlight. of course, aretha betrays his position, and he can't even blame her. he's never come to the house without taking her somewhere literally ever before, like the cool dad he's still trying desperately not to be, and the bloodhound's ear-splitting braying would make a man half as jumpy as frank jump clean out of their skin. he freezes as the door opens behind him, knowing he's been made. ]

Comments

[oorah]

My schedule's pretty open.

[ it sounds like a throwaway line, but after filling every moment of every day in reims with activity, with work, it's significant. and even before that, he had been singularly focused on avenging his family. here he's just surviving, or trying to. he's in unfamiliar territory. and he can still feel the warmth of her hand covering his even moments after he's pulled away. frank hands her her mug and tips his against hers in a little tap before he drinks deep, not caring when it burns his mouth. ]

You know... all of them?

[ frank did too, now, but explaining that would take an equal amount of time. he fixes her with his stare, thinking back. but there's no point of reference for this, only honesty. when he'd told jessica she was amazing she told him to shut the fuck up. he should stop expecting her to be someone else, too. ]

It's not... it's not that you don't feel fear, right? You're scared, probably more than other people, because you're around danger all the time. [ after a second he realizes he's describing himself too and he shakes his head to clear it. ] The important thing is - you don't let it stop you. You don't let anything stop you, from doing what you think is right. It's amazing, okay? That's it.

[theluckygirl]

[ Another nod, slow and it probably conveys a sense of that she might not believe it - not that it's amazing, but what most normal people do in situations where they have an indomitable spirit without knowing it.

It's no different than what anyone else she knew would do. And yes, she realizes he's describing himself so him, too. Pure emotion can make people do things they never expected they would do. ]

Well, thank you for noticing. But you do the same thing, too.

[oorah]

Maybe. [ he admits even if it's clear he's uncomfortable doing so. it's definitely not something he personally sees in everyone, so maybe this is a like recognizing like situation. either way, he admires her and that isn't about to change. ] Whether or not you remember it, you did save me. I'm never gonna forget that.

[ or stop trying to pay it back. ]