Who: Trixie and Frank What: Dancing and drinks When: Now Where: The bar Rating: Just light flirting Status: Closed
Trixie placed the drink in front of him. “Americano. Because I simply love Campari and it was named because of your countrymen’s fondness for it. Frightfully strong, of course.”
She leaned closer as she took a seat at the bar. “So how have you been?”
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“Thank you,” he said, lifting the glass and taking a sip. He winced slightly but grinned. “It is very good.”
He looked at her. “I have been well. I told Uncle Enjolras and Uncle Grantaire the truth today. How have you been?” he asked. He felt better now that she knew the truth and still wanted to be around him. Now it was her choice to be friends with him.
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“Oh, I’ve been perfectly well. Nothing out of the ordinary. Patients, though not too many, spending time with Chummy and Patsy.”
“How did they take it?” she asked, leaning forward. She hoped it hadn’t gone terribly.
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Frank gave her a smile. “It seemed to go pretty well. Uncle Grantaire seemed to take it better. Uncle Enjolras…. seemed rather surprised by it at first, and didn’t seem…. too happy about it. But was glad that I knew what I had done was wrong and plan to set things right. It could have gone worse.”
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She smiled. “I’m glad it wasn’t awful. Do you feel better now that they know?”
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He nodded his head. “Yes, I do,” he said. “I think I will let everyone know in one go after this. Might as well get it done with.”
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She nodded. “Like pulling off a plaster.” She smiled slightly. “I’ll be here for any moral support, if you need it.”
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He smiled warmly at her. “Thank you, I appreciate that.” He was very glad to have her as a friend.
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“Any time.”
She sipped her drink. “I’ve been looking forward to seeing you, though. No talk of babies or patients. Just drinks and excellent company.”
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“I’ve been looking forward to seeing you, also,” he said, smiling warmly at her. “Well, I can say that I have excellent drinks and excellent company.”
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She raised her glass to him, clinking it against his. “Cheers.” She smiled, leaning forward. “How are we going to entertain ourselves, then?”
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“Well, we could do some dancing, if you like? I could show you some of my moves, see if you could really use me in the parish hall dances.”
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Trixie laughed. “I would love to see your dancing skills.” She took another long sip of her drink. “What kind of music should we pick?”
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He picked up his iPad and started to flick through a few things. “Oh, The Beatles. It has to be The Beatles,” he said.
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Trixie’s brow furrowed. “Who? I’m afraid I’ve never heard of them. Are they from after my time?”
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He thought for a moment. “Yes, actually I believe they are,” he said. He started to play ‘She loves you’, standing up and holding his hand out to her with a grin.
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Trixie jumped to her feet and took his hand, already liking the beat of the song.
“I’m looking forward to this,” she said with a grin.
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He grinned and pulled her toward him, giving her a quick twirl before he pulled her in toward him again.
He hoped that she would enjoy dancing with him. Part of him really wanted to impress her. He’d never felt that with her before, but dancing was something he could do.
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She laughed as he twirled her, immediately matching his steps.
“Oh, you are wonderful!” she said happily as she let him twirl her, sliding her arm around his waist. “
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He smiled happily, glad that she was enjoying herself and he gave her another twirl and then rolled her in toward him, and back out again before making a few steps on his own.
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Trixie twirled alone, grinning as she watched him out of the corner of her eye.
“Catch me?” she asked, stepping away from him slightly in preparation. She was certain he could manage it.
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He looked at her and grinned. “Of course,” he said. He knew that he could manage it too.
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She grinned and ran towards him, skipping slightly in time to the music, and took a leap into his arms.
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He caught her easily and slowly twirled her around before gently setting her down. He smiled at her and for a moment he had an urge to kiss her but he pushed that aside. They were friends and he was just getting swept up in the moment. That was all….. He gave her another twirl.
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“Oh bravo.” She applauded when he set her down, slightly breathless. “You definitely have to come impress everyone at the Parish Hall back home.”
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He grinned at her. “Well, you can thank my mother for that,” he said. “She taught me everything I know when it comes to dancing.”
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“She taught you very well.” She tugged him close again. “And I like the music very much.”
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He grinned and moved in closer to her, shaking his hips in time with the music. "I'm glad you're enjoying this."
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“Of course I am.” She mirrored the movements of his hips. “Do you think I’ll be able to keep up with you?”
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"Oh I have no doubt that you will be able to. You seem rather like a natural."
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She smiled, lifting their hands and doing two quick twirls - one clockwise, one anti-clockwise.
“Thank you. All self-taught in my case, though. Years of coming up with dance routines to Shirley Temple songs on the wireless.”
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"Well, you are an excellent teacher then," he said, grinning and taking her hands again and doing a few steps he was sure she could mirror and then he twirled her around again and then pulled her back to him, lifting her up and turning her around completely, before setting her back on the ground again and giving her one more twirl before pulling her back in toward him. The song ended and he beamed at her. "That was fun."
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She laughed as he lifted her, leaning into it in just the right way, and landing gracefully. She leaned against his chest for a moment as the music ended. “Tremendous fun. Thank you.”
She took a deep breath. “All this dancing has made me thirsty, though. Back to the bar for refreshments.”
She took his hand and led him over to the bar.
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He smiled warmly. “You don’t need to thank me. I enjoyed it. You are a great dancing partner and it is certainly no sacrifice to dance with such a beautiful woman,” he said.
He walked back to the bar with her, not able to stop smiling now. Being with her just made him…. happy. Someone he could be himself around and was okay with who he was.
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She smiled as she settled back into her seat, taking a sip of her drink. “I quite like having such a handsome partner. We’ll have to do this more often. Perhaps we could invite others on the ship, have our own little dances.” Her eyes lit up at the idea.
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He grinned. “Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea,” he said. He took a sip of his own drink and leaned his chin on his hand as he smiled over at her.
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She leaned closer to him. “We can wow everyone with our dancing skills,” she said teasingly.
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“And make everyone exceedingly jealous that I have the prettiest partner on the entire ship,” he said, leaning in toward her, also.
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Trixie laughed. “I will have… one of the most handsome men on the ship. Only because there are several equally handsome on board.” She paused. “I imagine we’ll look very well together, too.” She grinned, reaching over to pick up her tablet. “Come here, I’ve seen people use this to take pictures of themselves.” She held it out, beckoning him closer.
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Frank moved closer to her, sliding his arm around her waist and leaning his head against hers, a wide smile on his face as he waited for her to take the picture.
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Trixie snapped the picture, smiling widely. It did look wonderful, especially with that charming smile of his.
“Perfect.” She smiled at him as she turned around in her seat. “Would you like a copy?”
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“Of course,” he said. “And maybe after you can show me some of your Shirley Temple dance routines, if you feel up to that.”
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She tapped the screen, managing to send him a copy of the picture, then looked up with a slight laugh.
“Goodness, that was a while ago. I’m not sure I really remember them all.” She was smiling, but it was hard to make it look convincing as she took another sip of her drink.
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He furrowed his brow, noticing right away the change. "Are you okay?" He asked. He had no idea what he had said wrong but he felt terrible for upsetting her. He reached out to take her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.
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Trixie took a deep breath. “Of course, it’s hardly surprising you can tell when I’m not well.” She wanted to tell him, actually, since he had been so open with her. She trusted him.
She shook her head. “I’m fine, though. I am. It’s just - those dances were for my father. To make him smile.” She ducked her head. “He fought in the war. He didn’t smile very much, in the general way, though my mother said he was so different before the war. He was… haunted. We called it the horrors.”
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He frowned. He hated to think of Trixie having to go through that. “I’m so sorry,” he said, moving to engulf her in his arms, hugging her tightly. “I shouldn’t have asked. I’m so sorry for upsetting you. And that you had to go through that.”
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SHe shook her head. “No, don’t worry. I - it’s fine. It made me who I am today, and… it did make him smile, sometimes.”
She leaned against him.
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He rubbed her back, soothingly. “I just hate thinking that you had to go through that. You are such a wonderful person.”
He paused and pulled back. “Did you…. is that why you didn’t like seeing me upset and tried to make me smile?” he asked. He hated the idea that he had made her feel a need to make him feel better. He took a step back from her.
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“It’s nothing to what he went through.” She took a deep breath. “It was difficult, of course.” She didn’t talk much about it.
She pulled away too. “No. Well… in a way. It is still instinct, I suppose. But it’s different now. I wanted to help you and I could. I know now that I can’t really make people better just by making them smile. But if it helps I’ll try it. I didn’t like seeing you upset because you’re my friend and I care about you. And I wanted to make you feel better because of that. Not because I felt I had to.”
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Frank ran a hand through his hair. “Are you….. sure? I don’t want you to ever feel like you have to cheer me up. The fact that you consider me a friend is all I’ll ever need from you. Just your friendship. Because it means so much to me to have a real friend. And as your friend I hate to think that I’ve upset you in any way or brought up painful memories. Because you are wonderful and sweet and you deserve all the happiness in the world.”
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Trixie nodded. “I’m certain.” She reached out to pat his arm. “That is very kind of you, but I promise you, I’m fine. Even better for sharing this with you. I don’t tell many people about all of this. I suppose I want to be the real me around you, too.”
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He smiled at her and moved forward to hug her tightly, running his hands up and down her back. He really cared about her too. “I’m glad that you feel you can be real with me.”
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“It seems only right, really. I know I can talk to you about it.” She patted his back. “That’s rather a relief, actually.”
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He pulled back and smiled at her. “How about we just continue drinking for now?” he asked.
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Trixie nodded, her eyes wide. “That sounds absolutely perfect.” She reached for her glass, raised it to him and then downed it in one.
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He smiled at her again and moved to take his drink and followed her, downing it in one. “I could attempt to make us a cocktail if you wish.”
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She grinned. “Be my guest. I don’t think you can go very far wrong with cocktails, so long as there is plenty of alcohol.” She winked at him.
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“Well, hopefully not,” he said, starting to make them cocktails.