and the bells will ring, and the children sing 'cause you're gonna be all mine Who: Faith and Frankie Where: Perth, the airport and later Frankie’s apartment When: 2001 Warning: NSFW
If you asked Faith, which no one had, then it was completely and totally unfair that Frankie had left after she admitted that she was in love with her. Sure, Faith had been hesitating on everything since that night she left Eric and had kissed the other were but... that was not... the point... Stop thinking. The were scrubbed her hand through her hair and immediately regretted it. She had spent no less than half an hour in front of the mirror at home on her hair alone, to say nothing of the rest of her outfit. Heels were not a thing that Faith was prone to wear and there was a good reason for that: they were impractical. What if she ran across a lamia while she was out? Heels were sure as hell not going to prove very useful when it came time to run it down. Unless she pulled them off and used that thin spike on their head... okay, again, stop thinking. Thinking about how she would end a lamia with her heel was easier than thinking about the fact that Frankie’s plane had arrived about a minute ago, which meant that she needed to go back out by the baggage claim to meet her. And nothing will have changed. She won’t have anyone on her arm and she’ll be happy to see me.
Only really, Faith did not believe that. She had hardly slept in the past week while Frankie was gone. Every time she had fallen asleep she had had nightmares about what was happening wherever Frankie was, that she had met and fallen in love with some wild girl who had Faith beat in every way, that the were honey badger would realize that Faith had taken too long to come around... wow, really self? Am I really doing this? “It’s going to be fine,” Faith told her reflection, flashing a bright smile and ignoring the weird look that she was given by the lady at the next sink, whirling on her heel - which was a bad idea because she nearly fell into the door instead of pushing through it - to walk out. This was a familiar routine, it really was, Frankie came back from trips to all sorts of places and Faith was always there to welcome her back. Usually with a hug and a peck on the cheek.
Oh god, should I kiss her? No, no I can’t do that... she wouldn’t... would she? Faith brought her hand to her mouth, about to nibble at her nails until she caught a whiff of nail polish. That was right, she had painted them. “Bad nails” she muttered to them. Well, actually they looked pretty good... and all of these people passing by her were starting to make her nervous. They all had the barest whiff of Frankie on them, which she knew was from being in the same airplane, but that one right there had the same bleach-blonde hair as Jenny had that night at the bar and Frankie had always seemed to have a type... Why am I so nervous?! It’s just Frankie! And that was why; because Frankie was no longer ‘just Frankie’. She was Frankie and yes, it was different. Why was it different? Because when she saw Frankie her breath caught in her throat, her heart started racing and she was pretty sure that her palms had just gotten sweaty. What am I, a twelve-year-old girl? ...dressed up in her mother’s clothes... “Frankie!” Faith almost went up on her toes before she realized that would just end in disaster and settled for raising her hand up, a smile that felt nervous springing up.
Frankie was on her way home. Normally, at this point on her journey, as the plane pulled to a stop at the gate, she was excited. Knowing that Faith would be waiting for her with open arms, ready to go out dancing or hunting -- whichever happened to seem the most exciting for the evening. But today was different; everything was different and Frankie had yet to decided whether it was for the good or bad. Her hopes had been seriously dashed the night that Faith kissed her and then made her lay there cuddled up next to the other were as though nothing had happened. It took her thinking that Frankie was dead before Faith finally admitted that she loved her. The second she had gotten out of the hospital, which had honestly been the day after she was admitted, Frankie boarded the first plane out of the country before Faith had the chance to take it back. She spent a week in New Zealand, hardly the most exotic place she had ever traveled, but it was hard to take herself far from where Faith was. As if the distance wasn't difficult enough, Frankie spent that time in complete radio silence. No calls, no texts, not even emails. She hoped that it would give Faith the time she needed to decide what she wanted. If she came home and Faith had managed to have another boyfriend follow her home, there was no telling the violence that Frankie would cause to this hypothetical person. As much as she was worried that Faith would change her mind, a part of her wanted some sort of final decision to be reached. Maybe then she would be able to get more than an hours sleep or be able to think about anything other than how soft Faith's lips were, or how happy it had made her to finally hear that she loved her. To say that Frankie had been a wreck these last few week was putting it lightly and anyone that knew her was well aware that there was nothing that managed to get under her skin -- except Faith.
The weight of her camera bag felt heavier than normal as she made the long walk from the plane to the baggage claim, but Frankie knew it was all in her head. In the time it took her to finally enter the airport, she had become certain of one thing: if there was anything to be done, Faith was going to have to make the first move. But hasn't she already? True, it had been Faith to kiss her first, just as it had been Faith to say 'I love you', but Frankie still didn't feel like that was enough. She had laid all her cards out on the table, from her perspective. More than a year of her time in Australia had been devoted to the other woman. If there were anyone's motives still up in the air, Frankie felt it was Faith's.
She spotted the other were from a distance, the scent of her getting stronger with each step. Frankie swallowed hard and prepared herself for yet another moment of steel-like self-discipline. Normally, she would have run up to Faith, swooping her up off the ground in a large hug, but instead she kept her normal pace and stopped at arm's length from the other woman. There was a wide grin spread across her face -- that much she couldn't contain. Seeing Faith all dressed up, in heels no less, was equal parts adorable as it was attractive. Stay strong Frankie... "You didn't miss me, did you Doc?" Frankie winked at Faith before turning to grab her bag from the carousel just in the nick of time. "So what are you cooking me to eat? I'm starving." Yes, she was intentionally avoiding the unanswered question that hung in the air. If Faith could do it, why couldn't she?
Faith’s heart, which had been racing almost out of control, felt like it had sank right into the pit of her stomach when Frankie just... stopped walking. Faith could have stretched her arm out and she would have only just been able to brush the tips of her fingers against the other woman’s arms. But she always hugs me... The were knew that disappointment had flickered across her face, but she did her best to banish it with a bright smile of her own. So weren’t not hugging anymore. Okay. That’s fine... it’s... no it’s not. She had gone ahead and admitted that she loved the other woman, which was huge for her, and Frankie had left the country. Now she was just standing there, smiling at her and winking before she asked what she was cooking for her. She was standing at the airport baggage claim in heels and she felt like some sort of teenage girl who had gone ahead and imagined that everything was going to be one way and it turned out to be completely different. All that had to happen now was that it needed to start raining. After they were outside so that she would just completely soaked and her entire outfit would be ruined.
“Don’t I always? Though I mean, it was just a week so it’s not like I’ve really had time to miss you.” Faith could play that same game and if Frankie was going to be all cool, collected and completely unfazed then she was going to act as close to the same as she could get. Really, what else was she supposed to do? I could be really, really mean and lie to her. Tell her that I have some guy I’ve got to get back too since I’m all dressed up for a big date. That was sort of the plan, only without the guy. And without this nagging feeling of doubt in the back of her head that was saying that she was an idiot and Frankie so did not want her. Her trip had really been some sort of a self-enlightenment and she had realized that all of this was a giant waste of time. I don’t doubt myself like this! What the hell has she done to me? ...and why do I think that I’d like it if I didn’t think that she doesn’t want anything else from me? “I actually wasn’t going to cook you anything,” Faith replied. Then she paused, waiting a moment to see the expression that she got out of Frankie by making her think that she had decided not to cook for her. “I thought we’d go to this neat little place not far from my flat.” The one that she had actually needed to stay in for the past week. Now that had been weird to do. What had struck her the most was how... empty her room had seemed. How much of her stuff had she taken over to Frankie’s and, more importantly, when had she done it? “I went once with the guys from the lab and the food was really great. Thought you’d like something a little extra nice since...” Since what? God, Faith, think! “Since we didn’t get out to celebrate that last hunt at all, thanks to you going to the hospital then taking off.” Faith shifted and propped one hand on her hip, arching an eyebrow. “Unless you’re going to pass up a free meal, Honey.” Oh like hell. Faith knew Frankie far too well, but this could be a little different. This was like... this was actually like a date.
The flash of disappointment that had flown across her face did not go unnoticed by Frankie, nor did the intentionally passive tone in Faith's voice. A smirk grew on her face along with a raised eyebrow. Was that a challenge? Faith should know that if there was anyone in the world with whom it was a bad idea to challenge, it was Frankie. "You've got a point there," her tone remained even, despite her unchanging expression. "I was actually talking to a magazine about taking a month-long trip to Cambodia soon." She reached out to touch Faith this time, though it was nothing more than a friendly poke at her shoulder. "Maybe then you'll have a chance to notice I'm gone." It was a complete and total bluff. There was no job offer and even if there was, there was no way that Frankie was about to leave for a month. She had made it a point to survive in her career without leaving Perth because she couldn't make it longer than a few days away from Faith without going stir crazy. But of course, the other woman didn't need to know that. Under any other circumstance, Frankie may have given a pout at Faith's refusal to cook for her. She would have no doubt done her best to persuade her to change her mind. But not now, not today. Instead she simply nodded her head in understanding, as if it made perfect sense for them to go out to a restaurant instead of back to one of their flats for a meal. One would think that in a situation like this, the two of them would have been less childish, instead of playing a game of emotional chicken. "You know I'd never pass where food is concerned."
The last hunt... Frankie wondered if Faith would have admitted her feelings if she knew that she wasn't actually going to die. She hadn't been worried, not only because she lived in a constant state of belief that nothing could ever harm her, but Frankie had learned long ago that being a honey badger had its benefits. Just like Faith had her own way of dealing with poison thanks to the mongoose in her, all Frankie needed was a little nap -- that was what she called it -- and she was perfectly fine. "I guess the fact that I'm still up and kicking is reason enough to celebrate." Frankie resituated the strap of her camera bag on her shoulder as she turned and began walking for the exit of the airport. She looked over at Faith, a grin on her face at the sight of her walking in heels. In all the time she had known the other woman, she could count on one hand the number of times she had seen her dolled up like this. Did she dress up for me? Frankie chuckled, grimacing inwardly at the fact that it came out more like a giggle than anything else. "So, what exactly have you been doing to keep yourself occupied the past few days? You didn't go out hunting without me did you?" There was no hint of flirtation in her voice, not like it would have been before. How long could Faith take it? How long could she? It was taking every ounce of restraint in her not to grab up the other woman in her arms this very moment. Faith saw that smirk and she did not like seeing it, or the raised eyebrow. But she really disliked what Frankie went ahead and said about an offer to go and do a shoot that would take a month. In Cambodia. The were-mongoose made a scoffing sort of noise and looked down to fix a crease in her shirt. “You’re not going to Cambodia for a month,” she replied in a very matter-of-fact tone. “You’re definitely not going for a month. Know how I know?” Faith raised her own eyebrow, a small and smug smile on her own face. “You’d miss me too much. Go on, tell me I’m wrong. I’ll wait.” She studied her nails, noting that she had managed to keep them painted for the whole morning and afternoon without chipping a single one. Had Frankie noticed that? “Besides, you don’t even know what I’d get up to if you left me for a whole month.” Lose her mind? Call her mom crying? Go back through the rugby team just to give herself something to do so she did not have to think about how much she missed the other were? The most likely option was a combination of losing her mind and something else entirely; going out and getting into match after match with whatever snake she could find. Especially now that she had more or less come to terms with what it was that she actually felt for Frankie. “Just making sure that you’re cool with going to get something out instead of in.” There, that was settled. They were going out to get dinner and it was... just dinner? God damnit.
“Always glad to celebrate you and your general ability to kick the ass of anything. Even death.” Faith’s smile was a little teasing. She wished that Frankie would talk to her like she always did. Where was that edge of flirtation that she had never realized was always there until a few weeks ago? She wanted that back so damn bad. Wait. Faith blinked over at Frankie after she could have sworn that she had just heard the honey badger giggle. Frankie was not a giggler. If either of them was more likely to make that noise then it was Faith without a doubt. Should I say something about that? What? Faith was used to guys. As much as they could suck sometimes it was always pretty easy to figure out why they were reacting in whatever way they were. And they sure as hell never giggled; not the kind of guys that she had always gone out with. “I worked in the lab a lot,” Faith replied as they headed out of the airport. Oh good, it was not raining. The universe did not completely hate her. Yet. “Found another internship too so I was able to keep myself pretty busy.” It had been the only way to insure that she was not going to have a sleepless night on her hands - work so much that she could not think too much about how lonely it was in her bed or that the bed she wanted to be in was Frankie’s with the other woman’s scent surrounding her while she was holding her tight. “You know I’d never go hunting without you.” Faith looked over at Frankie, feeling a funny little tingle shoot down her spine just from being this close to her again. “What about you, did you get up to anything fun while you were away?” None of this was what she really wanted to say to her, oh no, Faith had gone over so many things that she could say and none of them were coming out. Though she still did something, hoping to alleviate a bit of the tightness in her chest - Faith reached out and brushed her fingers lightly against the back of Frankie’s free hand before she slid her hands into hers and gave a light squeeze. It was simply amazing how much better just that little gesture had made her feel. “I did miss you... I wish you hadn’t had to go.”
No, Frankie hadn't noticed Faith's painted nails until they came up to her face to look at them. She was like a man that way, unable to notice those little details unless they were blatantly in her face. Had she been so bored that she painted her nails, or was it for Frankie's sake? "Hmm," she said as she scrunched up her face, considering Faith's reasoning. "I suppose you have a point there." She couldn't say that it wasn't true, but that didn't mean that she had to gush about it at the moment. Plus, Frankie wasn't about to give Faith the satisfaction of admitting it right now. "More of the usual I would imagine," It took everything in her to keep from dropping the charade all together. 'More of the usual' in her mind included bringing endless amounts of boys back to her flat to -- Frankie didn't even want to finish the thought. "Unless you're trying to say that you couldn't bear to be without me around." Faith didn't have to try to say anything, Frankie knew it was true. Even though she had barely caught the tail end of Faith's hysterical rant, ending in the demand that she couldn't die because she loved her, Frankie could hear the desperation in the other woman's voice.
"Fun?" Frankie had to actually consider her answer to that one. The only job she had been able to wrangle in New Zealand was a piece on a sheep farm. Of all the animals that she had had the pleasure to shoot, sheep fell somewhere in the 'so boring, I may die' category. From what she had seen, Frankie was convinced that there wasn't any other kinds of animal in the entire country. "I always manage to have a bit a fun when I go somewhere for work." Okay... Maybe that was unfair to leave the statement so open, but she couldn't exactly admit that she had spent most of the week shut up in a hotel room eating herself sick and watching endless hours of bad television. Obviously, Faith had the upper hand when it came to being able to keep herself occupied. Next time Frankie needed to take an escape vacation, she would go somewhere that she knew would be exciting. The feel of Faith's fingers brushing against her hand and then the reassuring grasp of it in her own created a tingle that went up her arm and into her stomach, knocking any thoughts of boring sheep out of her mind. She really couldn't help looking up at her with an a familiar grin. "I missed you too." It felt nice to say it out loud, but it wasn't enough. There was so much more that she wanted from Faith, but she wasn't about to ask for it. What would happen if she had only thought she was ready for something more? Frankie didn't know if she could take it if she tried to take things a step farther and Faith backed out again. She wasn't entirely sure at what point they had reached the car, but Frankie was happy for the change of scenery. "Yeah, about that," she bit her lip, her eyes dropping away from Faith. "I didn't actually have to take the trip." As the words came out of her mouth, Frankie popped open the passenger door and ducked into her seat. She shut the door and looked out to Faith with a grin on her face like a dog that was excited to go for a car ride. "Get in! I'm hungry!"
Hah, Faith had known it. Of course Frankie was not just going to come out and say it, Faith did not expect her to, but she admitted it. That was all that she really needed. More of the usual? Pretty much, only without the guys. It was kind of surprising for Faith to realize how big of a part they had played in keeping her occupied when she was not busy with school. The were shrugged her shoulders a little. “Nope. I’d go out hunting all by myself again and by the time you came back I’d probably not even be recognizable from bites or something. You wouldn’t want my face to get ruined.” Like hell it would. Faith took a lot of pride in her work and yes, hunting lamia counted as work, and she was not going to let one of them ruin her face. Who was she, Drake? No, her brother was the only member of her generation that was going to end up with their face mangled. His crazy eyes were going to get him done in.
“Well I’m glad that you had yourself some fun then,” Faith replied, still playing around with her outfit. It felt so weird to be dressed like this and not have anyone say anything about it. The shorts, sure, those could go on any day; but the shirt? The heels? By now someone should have said something and that someone should have been Frankie, only no. At least she got a ‘I missed you too’. I just had to say it myself first and then take her hand because she couldn’t manage to say it herself. She wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t. Faith hated that she actually believed that. Only no, there was no way that Frankie did not miss her - what?! The blonde’s mouth dropped open and she only just managed to get it closed again after Frankie got into the car and closed the door. No. What? She didn’t have to go. She wanted to? There was no real order to the thoughts zooming through Faith’s head as she reached down, grabbed the handle of the door and pulled it back open. “No,” she informed Frankie. “Get back out of the car, right now.” Knowing Frankie the only way to get her out of the car fast would have been to grab her and yank her, but Faith had enough of her wits about her to not do that. She was in heels and walking was hard enough, she was pretty sure that getting into even a little tussle in them would end with a broken ankle. So she stepped back and tried to keep breathing at a regular pace instead of exploding at Frankie like she wanted to. “This is really how you’re acting? You go away for a week - when you don’t have to go, as you just told me! - and you come back acting... like nothing has ever happened. So what, you didn’t have to go because of work. Does that mean you went because of what I said? Is that it? Why didn’t you just tell me, huh? It’s real easy, here I’ll show you.” Another deep breath and this time Faith reached up to fix her windblown hair, trying so hard to act like she was just fine. Just fine and practically yelling in a parking lot. “You say ‘that’s great, Faith, but I’m sorry, you know how I am with girls and we’re just friends, I don’t know where you’re getting these ideas from’. You don’t say ‘I know’ and then leave the country!”
Frankie and commands didn't go very well together. She drove her parents insane with how much she resisted being told what to do. What few times she was actually in school, she was gossiped about amongst the other teachers as being an absolute terror. If Frankie didn't flat out ignore what she was instructed to do, then she made sure to take her precious time in doing so. Her age had not matured her in this regard, or any other for that matter. A tight smile stretched across her face as she fought as hard as she could not to let it spread into smug grin. First she turned and then painstakingly extended one foot to the ground. Slowly she peeled herself out of the car. Once she was fully exposed, with no metal surrounding her to block any blow Faith decided to throw at her, Frankie pressed her back against the car. Her composure remained in tact until Faith started to yell at her. She was hoping that the other woman would break with a kiss or something along those lines. She should have known that the combination of buttons she pressed would lead Faith to have an angry outburst in the parking lot. The smile drifted into a smirk, then lost it's composure when she laughed. Frankie instantly bit her lip in an effort to keep herself at bay. "I didn't go because of what you said." When she finally spoke, the look on her face was one that expressed how amused she was. "I mean, I did, but it was only to give you time." Frankie reached out to thread her finger through the loop of Faith's shorts. She didn't tug her closer or do anything other than leave it to hang there.
It wasn't often that Frankie felt guilty. Actually, it was never that she felt guilty, but a wave of the emotion was slowly beginning to seep into her good humor. She knew better than to behaved the way she was, regardless of whether or not she couldn't resist a challenge. Her eyes took on a more apologetic tone and the smirk died from her face. "I was scared, Doc." Her hand began to lightly tug the other woman toward her. "What if you pushed me away, like when you kissed me? I don't think I could take it." There was no thinking to it; Frankie knew that it would break her heart if she had returned home and Faith had changed her mind. It was what she had been dreading from the second she boarded the plane out of Perth. She pulled a little harder to close the distance between the two of them. The hand that wasn't occupied at Faith's waist came up and brushed some of the other woman's hair out of her face. Frankie leaned forward, but not close enough to kiss her. "Do you think you can forgive me?" The question was paired with a firm pout. If she had any self-awareness about how infuriating she could be, Frankie wouldn't have been shocked if Faith drew back and punched her on principle alone.