oorah | ( OPEN ) Frank Castle

Uh, yep. That's usually about how it works.

[ she doesn't even notice or really care if there's a judgment in his question while taking another drink. ]

People care about you, right? [ she gives him a look like, well, yeah. obviously her. but besides that. ] I bet life would be a lot easier for you if they didn't. [ she tilts her head kind of as she says this, leaning in closer again. ]

[ he nods like she's really teaching him something here. he never would have considered doing things that way...? it still doesn't sound appealing to him, actually, but it's interesting anyway. another piece of jessica he didn't know about. her comment makes him laugh though, it's so much like what curtis said to him not so long ago. ]

Yeah, it would. [ he doesn't sound upset about being called out this time around. ] Their lives would be even easier.

[ and yet they insist on sticking by him. it's out of his hands, okay!!! ]

You're right, [ she doesn't even skip a beat at his last sentence. ] It would.

[ she takes a moment to stare at him after that, like she's looking for another reason to leave despite having already laid out all the reasons why she should in front of her. ]

Not so crazy when you think about it like that, is it? [ she takes her final drink, leaning back into her original position but not before giving him another little comment. ] So you can take your judgmental ass tone back now.

I never said it was crazy.

[ he just can't function like that, apparently. but her follow-up makes him laugh, casting a passing glance to the screen but unabashed in the way he turns back to watch her instead. he loves this movie, but she's still infinitely more interesting. ]

Point taken.

You didn't have to.

[ she sets her glass down on the side where the bottle is, and pauses a moment after sitting back up, propping her elbow up on the back of the couch and resting her head in her hand. ]

Even if... [ she ruins things, all the time. even if things can't be anything more. ] I still appreciate it. All of this. Even though I shouldn't.

It's crazy for me. [ he admits, a hand on his chest indicatively. ] But obviously, it's been workin' for you...

[ until now??? god, that's awkward. and he doesn't want to make it sound like he's anything special. lord knows he isn't. he still doesn't get why she even likes him to begin with, so. ]

It's not that bad, is it? [ liking someone, spending time? it makes frank feel like he has some sort of a grip on his life again, honestly. ]

[ her first initial reaction is that uh, yeah. it's fucking terrible. but she stops herself when she catches a glimpse of his face and can't help but laugh slightly. ]

I mean, I don't know. It's never bad at the beginning and mostly during it's... [ she shakes her head softly in her hand. ] In the end, when they're suddenly gone.

[ she brings her other hand up to her mouth and puts the corner of her thumb against her lip while glancing off to the side. ] I just assume if something is going okay in my life there's an inevitable destruction that comes with it.

[ it hits him like a physical blow to his guts, though he has to wonder - what the middle is like? when she trailed off a minute there. his only relationship long enough to have a "during" was his marriage and he'd been overseas for so much of it, he's really not sure he can comment in any authoritative way. ]

Yeah, we both have that goin' for us. [ if they don't wreck things, the world will for them. he turns away from her just a little, enough that one eyeball is on her and one is on katharine hep. he laces his hands across his stomach and heaves out a little sigh. ] But it's important for me... not to have regrets anymore. And if I never saw you again...

[ he'd regret the fuck out of that. ]

[ that comment stops her and she stares at him, heart leaping in her chest while resisting the urge to ask him why. she's not naive, though. if he's anything like her, she knows why. why she thought it would be easy and how she never would have thought it would create some weird kind of bond between them.

but she's learning, and she swallows knowing that tonight only reaffirmed it's not the only reason why. it's a big reason, but she actually enjoys being around him--that part is easy. ]

Does this mean you want to keep seeing me? [ it's such a simple and innocent question, but after earlier she really thought things were as good as done. ]

[ she sounds so uncertain it shatters something behind his breastbone. that gets him to turn fully away from the screen, the leg on the floor lifting to tap her ankle with his. ]

That's exactly what it means. [ he sounds a little vulnerable too, his voice half an octave higher than it ever usually might be. she affects him in ways he can't and doesn't want to analyze, but as long as it's mutual (and so far, it seems to be) he's okay with that. ] I thought making you dinner and practically bullying you to come over would have clued you in.

[ for once, she actually takes a nice comment towards her without immediately popping up with defensive insults or snark. his words "It's not that bad, is it?" ring in her head and she silently agrees with it.

he makes her smile and she lowers her head quickly to hide it. ]

To be fair, I just assume if someone willingly wants to be around me something has to be wrong with them.

[ he grins and curls his other leg under him which shifts him closer to her by an inch or two incidentally. ]

Oh, there's definitely something wrong with me. [ that was never in dispute. ]

Oh, absolutely. [ she agrees, purposely sliding herself up against him while resting her head into his shoulder. ] But that's just another thing we have in common.

[ oh. his heart is pounding fast, even as his smile settles into something softer and more sustainable. one big hand comes up to cup the back of her head and he tips forward to rest his chin against her temple. ]

I guess that's true.

[ she's surprised, because not only can she hear his heart beating she can actually feel it pumping out of his chest. she should be flattered, she's sure the only thing that gets his heart going like this anymore is rage and adrenaline. she should be, but it just leaves her... more confused, than anything? and she's not really sure why.

bringing a single hand up she places it on his chest over his heart and rests it there, unsure of what to say. ]

Should I be this close to you?

[ his gaze tips down to watch her hand settle over his heart, leaning the tiniest amount into her touch. there's not much space between them anymore anyway. her question earns a tiny puff of air against her face in bemusement. ]

Why not?

[ his response earns him his own small laugh back at him, fingers curling against his chest slightly. it was a good enough answer, though, because she doesn't want to move away from him anyway. despite the conversation they just had, and how they probably should. ]

I guess it doesn't really matter. We're already this far into this shit.

That's the spirit.

[ if it's condescending, it's only because he's joking even as he smacks a kiss against the side of her head. frank shifts one of his legs under hers, his free hand closing around her waist as he holds her against his chest. he thought he would never have this again, would never want it again, but here he is. maybe he really is just lonely, but if they can solve that together is it such a bad thing? ]

Can you do this? [ he swallows, his heart still hammering under her fist. ] With me?

[ it's a question that not only surprises her but makes her own heart begin to race as well. her lips move inward and she presses them together before giving them a lick. she's not sure she fully understands what his question is asking, be regardless her answer is the same. ]

I don't know. [ she admits. ] But I want to.

[ his lips curve tentatively against her temple. his heartrate begins to even out in palpable relief. ]

Okay. [ he sounds annoyingly upbeat about this. ]

Okay? [ she repeats his answer with her own question. he's right, it's annoying, but it's also not an out right rejection so she's not completely opposed to it. ] The hell does that mean?

What does it mean?

[ he leans back enough so he can catch her eye, and as he blinks at her curiously, he's starting to piece things together. why she thought him putting her off was a rejection, why even now she needs - validation. holy fuck, they really are alike. she acts so confident, frank made some wrong assumptions about her himself. she's surprised him just as much if not more than he's surprised her. ]

I'm obviously in. [ just to be clear. ]

[ her other hand comes to place itself on his chest, and she gives him a look that's just as confused--no, more. definitely more confused--right back at him. the last thing she wants to do is assume what being "in" with her means. or what "it" is. fuck feelings, man. ]

I'm confused. Earlier you were just telling me I shouldn't have feelings for you and that I shouldn't expect anything and now... [ she winces her eyes a little, tilting her head just the slightest while look at him. ] You're... in.

[ he's not the only one who's really bad at this, but admittedly, she has no idea what the hell is going on. ]

[ oh... wow. they're both really stupid, another thing they have in common. he laughs a little, a nervously dry sound as he anticipates a shove that never comes, her hands just resting on his front. he's not going to leave anything to chance anymore: better to just say all of what he means. something he's extraordinarily bad at and didn't even know it for a change. ]

You said I shouldn't— I was agreeing with you. That we shouldn't like each other, but we do, right?

[ not saying... what? okay, he's leaving that part out and starting over. he thinks this is more important anyway. ]

When you said you wanted... uh. Friends with benefits? [ he can barely get out the words, and just saying them makes him feel old. ] I assumed that's really what you wanted. Being friends and, sleeping together.

[ that's still what he wants??? emphasis on the friends part. for him anyway. ]

Oh my God.

[ because... of course. of course he would make it sound like such a big--which to his defense, it probably is--thing and confuse her on what was actually happening. she sits back against the couch and glances down to her own chest, hating what kind of response all this drew out of her. ]

Where have you been? What did you think we were doing?

[ he's in, fuck. what a joke. of course he was in--he was in a few weeks ago, that was never up for debate. even now when she was trying to give him some space she never really thought it was done. she props one hand on her knee while dragging her other hand down her face as she releases a deep breath.

this was an unintentional ride of emotions for her. jesus. ]

You have to stop... That. Making things sound so goddamn intimate.

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