Sunday: February/15/09
Who: Frankie and Lucas When: Sunday evening Where: Lucas’ room What: checking on her friend Status: incomplete, started in gdocs, will finish in tags
Frankie’s priorities were simple once she got back to school. First, get vaccinated for whatever the fuck had made everyone so damn sick (because she didn’t care to experience what they had). Second, check in on her brother and give him lots of hugs and kisses. Third, make sure Kim, Starbuck and Kamea were alright (and spend a crazy amount of time with them, because, holy shit, insane stuff happened!). And finally, get around to keeping her promise about visiting Lucas. She’d offered up a bribe to encourage him to keep kickin’, rather than kick the bucket. Since he was alive, it was time to pay up.
She ran back to her own room to get her iPod and then scuttled off to Lucas’ room. She knocked enthusiastically on the door. “Singing and dancing telegram!” she called out. Then, remembering what else she’d promised, Frankie added, “Served at one-hundred-and-five degrees!” That was actually slightly low for her normal body temperature, but it seemed as though the vaccine had caused her to feel a little rundown. She heard of that happening with humans. Maybe the same was true for supernaturals. She really couldn’t say, because she’d never had a vaccine before in her entire life!
---
Lucas had hated, hated, hated when the power went out. He didn’t exactly admit why to anyone, and never had in previous power outages in his life; the darkness just seemed to close in and threaten to take him, and knowing that being afraid of the dark was something for little kids... well, he just kept mum about it all. Despite collecting a flashlight and sticking by the fireplace for as long as possible, he had ended up using his abilities to glow for most of the night--nights, plural, in fact.
In the end, despite getting treated he was completely drained; he had about as much energy as a dead battery, and had crawled into his room, onto his bed, and then refused to move again for a while. He was still there when Frankie arrived in fact, sprawled out on his side with every light on in the room and every blanket dragged over the top of him.
Peeling open one eye, he glanced blearily at the door and then exhaled in one long huff of amusement. “C’min. It’s open.”
---
Frankie was ever so chipper as she opened the door and skipped inside. But when she saw how miserable Lucas appeared to be, her expression flipped on its head. She rushed over and sat on the edge of his bed, her eyes filled with concern. “Have they not come to treat you yet?” She put her hand to his forehead, wondering if he had a fever. She was a very good gauge of temperatures and could usually get it right within a degree or less. He didn’t feel feverish for his species. “What’s wrong?”
---
“Yes, mom, they came and treated me.” Letting his head drop back down to the pillow, the witch mumbled dryly. “I’m just tired.” If anything he felt a little on the cool side; his temperature had suffered for the sake of maintaining light in the evenings, and doing it repeatedly while sick had hit even his core body temperature.
She, however, felt deliciously warm. Reaching up, he caught her around the waist and with a minimum amount of effort dragged her closer. “Besides--you said you’d come keep me warm. So I’m staying sick until bribed, remember?”
---
Frankie’s smile returned and she giggled lightly as she was pulled down next to Lucas. She didn’t mind being an electric blanket for him for a bit. She liked being held. “That I did. So I guess I’m stuck here until you feel better.” Frankie snuggled up close to him, curling into his embrace. “Warm enough.. or do you want me to kick it up a few degrees?”
---
“You’re at least stuck here for a little while.” One arm was looped loosely over her midsection; the other was used to brace his head up a bit so he could talk to her without smothering his face in a pillow or her hair. The warmth radiating off her tiny frame was perfect.
“When did you make it back?” He had given up on his phone after the battery died; it was still sitting on his desk. Ash had come by to check on him once she was feeling better, bringing some soup and sympathizing with him before she took off to check on others she’d been worried about, much as Frankie likely had.
---
“Awhile ago. I had to see that Vinnie was alright, and then I stopped to see Starbuck, Kim and Kamea. Which is.. well.. a long story.” She didn’t much feel like getting into the insanity of that situation right now. Kim’s belly was HUGE and Kamea had grown to the point Frankie didn’t recognize her. It was all so bizarre. She was still trying to process it.
Frankie pressed her cheek to his chest as she wrapped an arm around him. “You feel different like this.” It was somewhat strange snuggling with him when she wasn’t an emotional wreck and he wasn’t wearing a woman’s body.
---
“Long stories abound right now. I’m sure I’m going to hear them eventually.” Eyes closed, Lucas sucked in a breath and then let it out slowly. He was glad that his sister was alright, that their friends were alright; so long as that held true, he could handle an oddity or two.
“Without breasts, you mean?” Amusement laced the words. He’d been amused more than anything when she had mentioned missing “Lucy” during their texting session, too. Somehow, the female version of himself was getting more possible action than he was. Maybe the greater powers of the universe were trying to tell him something? … Nah.
---
“You can see for yourself later when they’ve had a chance to adjust to the drastic changes in their life. Suffice to say that Kamea is much older and Kim looks like she’ll pop any day now. The virus did something weird to kids.. including fetuses.” Frankie didn’t understand it, but she didn’t understand a lot of things when it came to magic and such. She didn’t even understand how she was able to burst into flames without being injured. It just worked somehow.
Frankie chuckled and nodded into his chest. It was flat now. Firm. Quite nice, actually. “Yeah, without breasts. Be glad you weren’t left with moobs. That would be awkward.” It wasn’t that she liked him as a woman more, it was that he was less threatening as a woman. All Frankie’s shit experiences with men had led her to believe they were all bound to break her heart. It was probably why she was leaning toward this idea that she was probably bi. Not only did she find herself genuinely attracted to some women, but was starting to think they might be a safer option.
---
“Wow. That...” Lucas didn’t really have words for it; as it was, he could imagine that Starbuck was pretty damn freaked out. Nodding quietly, he exhaled. “I would need time to adjust, too.”
“Moobs. Yes. That would be the perfect lingering reminder.” Sarcasm slid into place before he chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m glad I don’t have them. Very glad.” Lucas was too laid back to do much heart-breaking; it was more like he was going to frustrate whatever woman came along to no end because he never wanted to go so far that he would be breaking a heart.
---
“Yeah,” Frankie added slowly. She was going to need to adjust as well. Kamea recognized Frankie right away and gave her a big hug. With bigger arms and all! It was all so strange. Frankie’s job as a babysitter just got a lot harder, and it seemed she was running out of time to put together a baby shower.
Frankie ran her palm lightly over his chest where the so-called moobs would have been. Nope, just a solidly built man. “Lucy had a nice chest, but you do as well.” She warmed a little. It had been way too long since she’d had a proper cuddle with a cute boy. Even longer since she’d had more. This abstinence thing was a royal pain in the ass.
---
“I do, do I? I’m glad.” The slight rise in temperature, which was palpable, got him to raise a brow briefly before he chuckled and shrugged it off; it could be anything at this point. “Who knows... Ash may get ticked off at me one day and turn me back; odds are if she makes friends with Pearl she’ll figure out that spell a little too quickly.”
Which worried him; he made a mental note to figure out a reversal for himself should that ever happen. And also to never irritate his sister that much.
“She’s fine, by the way. Stopped by earlier this morning to make sure I was alive and then went to go check on people.” With an odd assortment of illusions trailing after her, as always. He wasn’t sure if they weren’t just a little bit off now though; it might have been some lingering effects of the virus that made them look so strange.
---
“Think maybe I could get her to turn my brother into a chick for awhile? I think he could stand to learn a lesson or two from the experience. Seems to have helped you a bit, right?” The idea of Vinnie as a woman made her grin spread ear to ear. It would be wonderful.
“That’s good. I was planning to check on some other people tomorrow, and I need to stop by and thank Charlie later for bringing the cure here. It can’t have been easy for him.” Frankie still wasn’t fully aware of all that was happening there, but she knew that things were rough between he and Ava, and Ava had refused to discuss it. Ava was more interested in other things. Frankie’s blood was interesting to her, and being a doll for the first time was interesting for Frankie. “But, you had higher priority. I promised I’d warm you up.”
---
“I think she could probably be convinced, but I’ll let you do that. It’s not a fate I’ll readily wish on a guy who hasn’t done me wrong in some way.” Her grin scared him a little, but he laughed anyway.
“Damn straight I’ve got higher priority.” Teasing, he huffed lightly and dragged her just a little bit closer by giving her a squeeze. “Who’s Charlie, and why wasn’t it easy?” The name was a new one, although he thought he might have heard it bandied about before when he was getting treated.
--
Frankie enjoyed the squeeze more than she should have, and she knew it. Lucas was her friend, and as Lyle had pointed out, he would probably just hurt her like every other guy out there. But at the moment she didn’t care. She just wanted to relish the feel of a man’s arms wrapped around her.
“Charlie used to be head of security here. I knew him at my last school too. So did Starbuck and Kim. He left just before you arrived... after, well, I don’t know, after everything went to hell with his wife. Not sure if you’ve talked with her. Ava? The one I stayed with this week? She and her twin, Ana, they teach the responsible feeding class.” She was getting off track a little. “He moved to California with his family. She didn’t go with him. Pretty sure he still loves her. Not really sure how she feels about him. She seemed happy when he announced he was on his way with a cure, but that’s probably just because she was worried about Ana.”
---
Lucas was, indeed, her friend; he might have resented being lumped with every other guy “out there” but it wasn’t as though he could deny the chance of it ever happening.
“... That sounds like a lot of drama.” Which while blunt was also true. Lucas didn’t want to deal with drama right now; he didn’t have the energy for it. He just wanted to soak up some warmth and pretend that this whole sickness nonsense was over and done with completely.
“Aren’t you supposed to sing to me?”
---
“Yeah,” she agreed, nuzzling into his chest and closing her eyes. She could have easily gone to sleep right there. She was warm, wrapped up in a man’s arms, and comforted knowing her friends were all going to survive this latest disaster.
But Lucas reminded her of another promise she’d made. “If you really want me to..” she said with some hesitation. Frankie did actually have quite a nice singing voice, but all the songs in her head lately, which had been playing on repeat, were on the sad side. She’d found herself listening to one on repeat more often than not. Cyndi Lauper had done a fantastic cover of If You Go Away.
She pulled herself away from him so she could sit up, because it was kinda hard to sing when in the prone position with half her face smooshed up against his chest. Frankie still rested on him though, her hip and outer thigh against his and her hand rested lightly on his chest. She closed her eyes, because while she loved to sing and did so often, she was a little timid when singing without the assistance of the radio or alone in her room. “If you go away on this summer’s day, then you might as well take the sun away. All the birds that flew in the summer sky when our love was new and our hearts were high. And the day was young and the nights were long and the trees stood still for the night birds’ song. If you go away. If you go away. If you go away.” She continued on with the song, keeping her eyes closed.
---
“Well yeah I want you to. It’s the other part of my bribe.” He smirked faintly, and as she got situated so did he; stretching out on his back, he settled back against the pillows and watched with amused brown eyes.
The song she chose was curious; not bad, but curious. And she had a lovely voice once she started to forget, even just a little, that he was there and listening to her. By the time she had finished his eyes were closed, and he was smiling a bit. “Very nice. You’ve got some pipes, Frankie.”
---
Frankie had forgotten, actually. She’d been sucked into the song. The lyrics spoke to her on so many levels, and not just where men were concerned, who did seem prone to leaving her, with pathetic Frankie begging for something, anything, just a shred of whatever they could spare her. She’d been begging for love her whole life. How would her life had been different if her birth mother had decided to keep her? If she’d loved Frankie enough to raise her.
Slightly startled by his voice when she’d finished, Frankie quickly cleared her throat and got up from the bed. “I should go.” She did indeed look out of sorts and in need of escape.
---
Blinking, he sat up as she scrambled away. “... You okay?” Nothing about him had changed; he hoped. Glancing down at himself to affirm this, he then focused on her again. “What’s wrong?” It was probably the song; it was always the song.
---
“I did everything I promised,” she informed him, wrapping her arms across her chest as though she was hugging herself. “Well, not the dancing, but it doesn’t really matter. It’s all meaningless crap anyway. After all, everything that goes up must come down,” now she was just rambling in a way that made no sense at all, at least not outside of her brain. “And before you know it drama, or worse, a fucking tragedy by Shakespeare.” She shook her head, “And I’m not like that. I won’t be anymore. Fucking disappointment around every corner. Probably even lost my job, not that I liked it, fucking being manhandled by serial killers who are literally cold-blooded. But it paid well, and maybe in a few years I could have actually afforded Harvard and accomplished one thing. One dream..” yeah, she was going off the deep end.
---
“...” Lucas stared at Frankie as she began that rant, leaning forward to brace his forearms on his knees. That had seemed to come out of n--no, it had come out of nowhere as far as the witch was concerned... but maybe it was just that it had been a long time in coming. Still... why did he get to be the one she blew up at? Stupid songs... he should have specified.
Bohemian Rhapsody wouldn’t have triggered this.
“Frankie.” His tone was steady; firm but not harsh. “That doesn’t make much sense. Any sense, even.”
---
Frankie looked down at her feet and hugged her arms even more tightly. Her body temperature was dropping as she allowed herself to get more upset. She knew she didn’t make any sense, not to him. Hell, she wasn’t sure she made any sense to herself. She’d not been sure of much of anything the last few years. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s not your fault... I...” she looked around the room, but what she was looking for she didn’t know. Answers weren’t written on the walls. There were no answers. She just continued to struggle and repeat the same mistakes. “I should go.”
---
“Are you absolutely sure about that?” She looked miserable. Lucas was not about to chase her down the hallway, but he didn’t think she really should be alone at this point either.
---
Frankie shrugged and looked at her feet again. “It’s easier if I leave. Easier than being left. I screw everything up. Always have, even before I can remember. They just keep leaving. And I know it’s ‘cause I’m crazy. I know that. But that part’s not her fault, because Kindle isn’t crazy. Just me. Which is why she left me. It has to be.” Frankie started shaking and crying, which sucked, because she had to release the firm hug she held around herself to wipe at the tears trickling down her cheeks and causing her eyelashes to bunch together. “She didn’t leave Kindle.”
---
“Ah, kid...” Yeah, he should have specified the song. As Frankie slid into crying mode he watched only for a moment before he stood and made his way over to her. The hand that had lifted to wipe at her eyes was caught, and he gently swiped a tear away before he used that handhold to pull her back towards the bed.
“Come on. You can leave, but not like this.” Not sobbing. That... did not gel with Lucas. The pillows were shoved back, and then he sat down on the bed once more before tugging her down beside him. “C’mere. You’re going to freeze.” He well remembered the last time she’d had a sobbing spree in his room.
---
Frankie resisted Lucas at first, her body stiff and unyielding as he took hold of her hand. But as he pulled her back toward his bed, she caved and followed. Sitting down, she pulled her knees up to her chest and curled toward him. “I don’t like being like this. I just can’t stop.” It was like she was addicted to her own neuroses.
---
He slid one arm around her and with the other reached to drag the blankets up around them both; the real electric blanket was still on, and would have to do for now. Then he settled back and let her curl up, rubbing her upper arm lightly. “It’s hard to break away from it. But you’ve got to keep trying, bit by bit.”
“Eventually it gets easier. And eventually you realize that you’re not having to try anymore--it just happens.”
---
Frankie hoped he was right. She didn’t want to be this person anymore. She wanted to have confidence in herself. She wanted to feel as though she could really trust other people again. She wanted to believe that her dreams were possible. And maybe, if she was lucky, a few of those dreams would come true. “Why are you being so nice to me?” Again with the suspicion. Frankie didn’t know if she’d ever believe a guy was being nice again without some sort of agenda.
---
“For a multitude of reasons. First of all, you are my friend and I just want to. Second of all, you are Ash’s friend too, and she would drop the mother of all snowballs on me if I didn’t. Third of all, do I have to have an agenda when it comes to making you not cry? I like you better when you’re happy.”
He paused, and considered. “Although I totally think you have to sing something else at a later date. I need a lyrics sheet before you sing though.” No more of this depressing song stuff.
---
“Most people have an agenda. Even Vinnie. He cheers me up so he doesn’t have to deal with me.” Though that was a better reason than Fox cheering her up so he could fuck her and break her heart. “I can’t go through that again. What happened with Fox, and Clove, and Grey. I don’t need another liar in my life.”
“I just won’t sing anymore. I’m not all that good anyway. Mama’s better.” Her mother had an incredible voice. Vinnie was quite good as well, which made sense, because he’d actually inherited genetic gifts from their parents.
---
“Frankie, I am not going to lie to you about how I feel. I am not out to get something from you; not going to twist you around in knots to get it. There’s no reason to.” Not when she twisted herself around already. Lucas didn’t want to be the fourth name in that list; it was an ugly list to be a part of.
“Don’t belittle yourself--like I said, you’ve got some pipes.” But beyond that, he wouldn’t continue to push her to sing. It was better if she actually wanted to, of her own accord.
---
There was only one decent person on Frankie’s list. Nathaniel. He was in a class of his own, and Frankie was starting to think no other man would ever live up to the standard he’d set. She constantly doubted herself for her decision to end things with him. It was probably better though. He loved her, but that love had an expiration date, and they both knew it. Maybe he’d find another vampire or an elemental. He deserved a love that lasted forever.
Frankie wrapped her arms around Lucas at all his reassurances. She wanted to believe that he was telling the truth. It sounded like he was. He seemed so.. genuine. But Fox had seemed that way too, and look how that turned out? Even Lyle told her that Lucas would probably turn out to be an asshole like the rest of them. Maybe he was one of those decent guys. The rare exception to the rule. Still, she refused to get her hopes up.
“Your mom’s really nice,” she offered, needing to change the subject because she was starting to feel chilly. She had to get her mind on something else.
---
“And did she believe you when you said I was all those good things?” Lucas was willing to change the subject for mostly similar reasons. He just wanted her to think about something else for a bit. He smirked a bit at the mention of Amelie, though; his mother was a very down-to-earth soul.
---
Frankie managed a smile then. Nodding her head for a second, and then shaking it with a weak laugh. “Not entirely. I tried to convince her. Also told her I’m teaching you how to cook. She doesn’t believe that either, so you’re going to have to prove her wrong.”
---
“Tooold you...” She then admitted to telling his mother about that challenge, and he groaned. “That means cooking for her.” That would be fun. Amelie and Ash would settle at the center island in the kitchen at home and watch him, giggling and sipping on their drinks as he worked. He could see it now.
“You better get cracking on teaching me to cook, then. All I’ve got under my belt is a dessert recipe.”
---
“Yep, she’s going to fill out a report card and everything. I think maybe I’ll teach you how to make your favorites. The rosemary chicken with mashed potatoes. And I do have a great recipe for alfredo sauce.” It wasn’t all that hard either. Actually, the mashed potatoes, from scratch, were the hardest thing. They took the most time and required the most physical labor.
“Your mom’s really nice.” Frankie had said it already, but it was worth repeating. “She reminds me of my mama. She’s a good woman. Funny, strong, devoted to her family.” Frankie hoped that Lucas and Ash appreciated that.
---
That was what Lucas was good at, though; he was a master at peeling potatoes since it was all he ever managed to do at home with Amelie and Ash. The pair didn’t trust him beyond that--not after he burned an entire dinner once. An entire dinner. “I think I could stand to know how to make those. For future reference, and all.” Who knew when he would be living in a place that didn’t have conveniently located family... or buffet lines.
“My mother is amazing. Patient as sin--good advice, too.” Amelie had a pretty wild temper when she was riled, but that was rare anymore. Emmett had been a huge influence on her temperament over the years.
---
“I’m not trying to weasel out of my promise to spoil you with a home cooked meal. Just, you know, for the record. I’m still gonna.. but I’ll teach you how to make something to impress your family the next time you see them.” Frankie hoped she would get to meet his mother. She liked the woman a lot already from their brief conversation.
“She said you’re rotten and bratty. I believe she also said you were lazy. Not exactly a glowing review, yet I could tell she meant it all with fondness. She adores you.” Frankie looked up at him with a warm smile. “She also told me about how you make fireworks for your sister every year on her birthday. That’s amazing.”
---
“Well I am all of those things, so at least I can say my mother does not lie.” Lucas loved his mother and it showed in his tone; they’d had their disagreements but it was never over anything so huge that it would change that fact.
He didn’t threaten her over the “spoiling” again; he believed her when she said she’d cook for him. Besides, she’d brought up his annual act of sibling kindness, and he laughed. “Yeah, well--she loves it. My parents made me do it the first year when she was... hell, two, I think.”
---
Frankie looked at him carefully. “Can you show me?” She was feeling better now. Feeling more herself after her mini meltdown. Sometimes a girl just needed a good cry to get rid of what was building up inside. Opening the vents on the nuclear reactor, if you will. Pressure stabilized and all was well.. for now. “The fireworks. Can you make some small ones?” She didn’t know if he had recovered enough thanks to the injection, but she could help. Frankie wrapped her arms around him and warmed up, giving him the heat he needed.
---
Lucas lifted his head to look at her, musing thoughtfully. “I suppooooose I could...” The warm hug won him over though, and he laughed. “Alright. Gonna have to at least go over to the window for this though, if not outside.” Setting fireworks off inside was not a good idea, even if he had control of them. There was always the chance that something could go wrong.
Sitting up, he rubbed at the back of his neck with his hand and then nudged at her knees with his own to get her to stand. He wanted to put a hoodie on before he did this, whether she was heating him up or not. It wasn’t that he doubted her ability--he knew she could get pretty damned hot--but she couldn’t cover all of him, and he normally got cold doing this in July, for god’s sake. This was February!
---
“Window is fine.” Frankie got up when instructed to do so and zipped up her own hoodie fully. As Lucas walked over to the window, Frankie followed. She stood behind him, because once the glass slid up, allowing cold air to flow inside, she shivered from the draft. But true to how she acted moments before, she wrapped her arms around him, warming her body to compensate for the change in temperature and keep him warm for this demonstration.
---
“Mmm... you can’t see back there.” He twisted around, and gently tugged her around to stand in front of him so that his arms were framed around her; she was a short thing comparatively; he could work like this. He didn’t open the window far; just enough that he could pop the screen out and get it out of the way before sliding his hands out into the open.
“Any particular pattern or color requests?” Ash usually had a slew of them; he would intersperse them amidst the “regular” fireworks. But for a demo like this he’d just stick to whatever Frankie wanted to see.
---
Frankie shivered a little more, but she recovered when Lucas wrapped his arms around her. Okay, so maybe he was missing tits now, very nice tits, but he had great arms. Nothing about Lucas was overly firm. He wasn’t like Fox, and that was a good thing. He was strong enough to be supportive without making her feel insignificant in comparison.
“Surprise me,” she told him with a little grin. She was curious to see this aspect of his power in action. He’d given her small demonstrations before, but nothing like a full on fireworks show.
---
The firework spells were easy for Lucas by this point; he had them committed to absolute memory, as he had all of his light-related magic. It was his favored form of casting; as such he wanted to and even enjoyed sitting and memorizing such things.
“Uh-huh.” He started with something relatively easy, after leaning to check how much light was out. The sky was clear and dark; perfect for the light show but not so much for him since there was no sun to warm him up; this was a normal thing, though. As he began to work the spells light gathered in his palms, building into spheres of light that shifted in color rapidly--a rainbow of different hues that never lingered more than a second or two. The spheres were then gently lobbed into the air--but rather than dropping to the ground below, they rocketed skyward--nearly disappearing into the dark. But just when that seemed possible the sky exploded with color. Lucas only made three spheres; the last was all reds and golds, and when it went off overhead it was a shower of brilliant gold stars, with crackling red streamers that trailed behind them as they fell and then slowly disappeared.
It was also apparent why he had dragged on his hoodie; he was shivering by the time he lobbed the last sphere into the sky.
---
Frankie watched in awe. They were beautiful. She was reminded briefly of a date with Clove when he’d cast all sorts of beautiful illusions around them. But with him, everything was an illusion. He was great at masking reality. He was great at deception. Lucas didn’t seem like that sort of guy. This was an expression of himself, not a means to hide himself. He was an artist, and light was his paint.
Feeling him grow colder, Frankie quickly shut the window and then turned to wrap herself around him again. She grew hot, almost too hot, but she was able to regulate the temperature so it wasn’t uncomfortable, and not nearly enough to burn him. “That was amazing. You have a beautiful gift.”
---
It occurred to Lucas that the laws on this side of the country might be a little different when it came to fireworks, and that might have irritated some folks--but he also had a feeling that the cops had more to worry about after the power outages and roads being blocked than a couple of flashes of light in the sky.
“If anyone asks, that occurred about a mile away from here, hm?” He chuckled roughly, and then bent slightly to slide an arm behind her thighs to just lift her up. He wasn’t moving away from that warmth, but he also needed to sit down again. So he carried her back to the bed where he could curl up.
---
“I have wings. You really think I’m gonna rat you out to the cops?” she joked. They were the LAST people she wanted to talk with. The fact that Frankie’s father was a firefighter had been a great asset to her. Cops and firefighters usually got along. They were on the same side, sorta. The allegiance grew after 9/11.
When Lucas picked her up like that, Frankie let out a little squeak. “Someone’s feeling a lot better.” Not that she was heavy. She was small and lighter in weight than most people her size. Just like birds were deceptively lightweight. It made it easier to fly.
She snuggled around him when they were on the bed again. This was.. cozy. He seemed so damn trustworthy. Nice too. He hadn’t made a single move on her, yet he was flirtatious. Frankie was too, but she wasn’t beyond making a move. She slid her hand up under his shirt, her palm still deliciously warm to someone who was cold and in need of heating up.
---
“Someone doesn’t want to be cold. And, as previously stated, is lazy.” He chuckled, and then to prove this point he bent to grab his blankets and drag them up again. “And you’re not exactly made of lead or anything.” She was ridiculously light; had he not understood the mechanics of it he might have been weirded out.
He’d settled in, comfortable, when he felt that hand snake underneath his shirt. The sharp contrast in temperature got him to shiver--not because he was cold, but just in reaction to the change, and he blinked at her before smirking. “Think someone else is feeling better, too.” She’d gone from crying to going for skin-on-skin contact. Definitely in a better mood.
---
Frankie nodded as her palm rubbed over his abdomen and up his chest. “Definitely feeling better, and I promised to warm you up. It’s what I’m good at,” she whispered to him. She was heating things up nicely, especially with the blanket covering them. The added insulation kept all the heat contained within their little bubble. “Will you promise me something, Lucas?” she asked in a soft, seemingly harmless tone.
---
Lucas was a good guy; he had his moments where there was some rust on that armor he was supposed to wear, but overall he still tried to do what was right. And right now he didn’t really think Frankie was making the best decision--she’d just been almost bawling. It was a pretty radical emotional swing.
But she was warm. He wanted very much to ignore the whole emotional snafu that could be forming, if it meant he could stay wrapped around a personal heater like this. “Hm?” Promises never boded well; he looked at her with raised brows at that.
---
Frankie made horrible decisions. All the time. And Lucas was right about the radical emotional swing. Sprites were kinda known for that. They were emotionally erratic. Really high or really low. She didn’t do anything halfway. Maybe that was why she kept getting in trouble with relationships. She couldn’t take things slow. It just went against her nature.
He didn’t seem to object to the petting or the heat, so Frankie made her request. “Promise me you’ll never ever tell me you love me.” She didn’t even wait for him to say it before her hand slid around his side and she craned up to press her lips to his.
---
Well no; Lucas was a guy, after all. Some petting wasn’t going to be refused. Had she gone further than that, or if her hand had traveled somewhere south of where it currently was, he might have said something; but there was nothing objectionable about this.
He had opened his mouth to reply, but abruptly closed it again as he rethought that “objectionable” bit. Were this Reno, and he didn’t already know her as well as he did, Lucas would have agreed. But right now he was still beneath her lips, and pulled his head back after a moment. “Frankie...” While not uncomfortable, his tone was wary.
---
Frankie’s lips tried to follow after his when he pulled away, but she could only move so far. She sighed and released her hold around his chest, rolling onto her back. “Yeah, I know.. stupid move.” She didn’t seem overly upset, just disappointed. Whether it was disappointment in her own actions or his lack of involvement, she wasn’t quite sure. Maybe both. “If I were in your position, I’d be wary too.”
---
“Less than an hour ago you were seriously upset. I’m just trying to look out for you, here...” Probably not the best thing to say, but it was the truth and Lucas wasn’t going to lie about it.
---
“I know,” Frankie sighed, staring up at the ceiling. “I got caught up in the moment. That’s all.” It was the truth. Something just felt right there for a second, and she’d been really lonely lately. Plus, Lucas seemed genuinely great. Of course, everyone knew Frankie had terrible judgment. “Lyle told me you’re probably an asshole. I don’t think that’s the case, but maybe I need to start thinking that way. Maybe I need to put all men in that category.”
---
“... Well thanks, Lyle...” Lucas muttered in wry annoyance to himself, rolling his gaze ceilingward as well. “I don’t think I’m an asshole either, if it’s any consolation, but I could be wrong. Who knows anymore.”
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She turned her head to look at him. “Do you feel like you are sometimes? Everyone tells me I’m a neurotic mess, and I know I am. I didn’t used to see it, but I do now. Maybe it’s a good thing... to see yourself through the eyes of others. I have no illusions about myself. It’s others I can’t see clearly.”
---
“Sometimes, yes. Not all the time though.” He kind of felt like one right now, but it was because of Frankie’s downtrodden reaction. He still knew in his mind though that this was better than letting her head down that path.
“I think... taking a page from my father, in this instance... that it’s probably better to know yourself first. And then work on figuring other people out.”
---
“Well, I know myself. How about you?” she asked as she moved to hold his hand. It seemed like a safe move, something a friend would do. Frankie liked the feel of him, but she didn’t want to cross a line that made him uncomfortable. Knowing her luck, he’d throw her out of his room, and she didn’t want to leave. She liked Lucas a lot.
---
“Do I know myself, or what should you know about me?” He wasn’t sure where the question was headed, and raised his brows questioningly. His hand being taken was noted, and he gave hers a light squeeze before he continued speaking. “For the former... mostly. I don’t think I know all there is to know about me--I’ve got a long time left to live--there’s bound to be more stuff to realize.”
And in the case of the latter... he paused, considering this. “That’s a ridiculously broad sort of question though, as far as telling someone about myself. I’m not really sure what you should know.”
---
“Both?” she answered with uncertainty. She did want to get to know him better, and she wondered if he knew himself well enough to see his own flaws. Frankie saw all her flaws. Sometimes it was all she could see. Maybe in that way she didn’t know herself as well as she claimed, because she struggled to see her good qualities at times.
“Well, how ‘bout I tell you what I know about you.. or what I think I do. You’re not a very good cook, but you’re helpful in the kitchen. You’re a gentleman, because you’ve had plenty of opportunities to take advantage of me, yet haven’t. Though you’re not exactly a prude either.” He had stared at her naked that morning until she told him to turn around, and he didn’t seem to mind her getting a bit handsy a few minutes ago. “You’re good to your family. Not perfect, but it would be weird if you were, because all families have their struggles. They love and admire you, and that speaks volumes.” What else? She thought for a second. “You’re able to laugh at yourself and take just about anything in stride. I don’t know many men who would have been able to cope as well as you did with being turned into a woman. And most guys would have run screaming from me by now, because I’m about as crazy as they come. For some reason though, you brush it off and still want to be my friend.”
---
Lucas listened as she spoke, his gaze drifting back towards the ceiling. “I see no reason to get riled up over a lot of things. There are only so many things that I can take, but to completely lose my cool over it--it just seems like a waste of energy rather than looking for a solution. I enjoy being social, and that plays into both helping in the kitchen and being a gentleman--sort of. I’d call myself ‘typically polite’ instead though. I’ve been a jerk, and it’s easy to be one with people I don’t know. Especially in defense of someone I do know.” He took a breath, considering again. “I am lazy, would be another explanation for not getting upset about things.”
“My family loves me, but I don’t think they admire me. It’s not like I’m doing anything that’s admirable. And I don’t get heavily involved in their activities because it’s what they do--I have no real say in that. That... and I would rather Ash learn for herself rather than get bitter over my following her out here to nanny her every movement.”
---
“Typically polite,” she parroted. Yeah, that seemed to fit. “You haven’t been a jerk to me or anyone else that I’ve seen first hand. But Lyle seems to think it’s bound to happen, so I guess I’ll wait and see.”
“I think you need to give my brother some advice about how to stand back and watch. But, I suppose in his defense, I should say that I don’t make it easy on him. I usually drag him into all my problems.” It was true. Frankie made it damn near impossible for Vinnie to watch from a distance.
---
“Your brother probably wonders what the hell I’m up to anyway.” Lucas had been the first person she came to crying after talking to Fox the last time. Lucas would have wondered the same thing; and then let it go.
“I’m bound to upset someone eventually. It’s the way the world works. No peace without discord, no discord without peace.”
---
Frankie sat up then, looking at Lucas curiously. “What you’re up to? Why would Vinnie think you’re up to something?” Was he? Vinnie seemed to have much better instincts about this sort of thing. “I haven’t said anything to him about liking you as more than a friend.” Frankie hadn’t really told anyone. She’d maybe given off a few hints that she was interested, but she was trying to keep from feeling that way, so she kept her mouth shut as much as she could about it.