[ he's not trying to do anything really, this is just his goofy ass self. but he does find her ridiculously endearing anyway. frank's throat goes a little dry as he focuses on her lips wrapping around the fork in his hand. he didn't realize how intimate this would be beforehand but now he's finding himself enjoying even this silly exercise together. ]
I'm thinkin'... I like it when you smile. [ like, a lot. his own turns soft as he admits: ] And I'm thinkin' about how I'm gonna convince you to stay the night.
[ of course when he says that she smiles, like a big idiot with her mouth full. she didn't know what she was expecting, but she should have known better. this time she waits until she swallows to respond, licking her lips afterwards. ] Let's see... You fed me, you fucked me. What else could you possibly do that would make me want stay anymore than I do now?
[ she's so adorable and he can't help staring, putting down his food for a second to palm her hip. he really shouldn't get distracted again... he should finish his meal on the second attempt now, but her words have him laughing, color rising in his cheeks, not that it's wholly visible beyond all the bruising still healing on his face. ]
I dunno, I... pretty much pulled out all the stops here. I was hoping I could just coast for the rest of the night, honestly.
[ she tries not to pay attention to his actions, like his hand on her hip means nothing to her as she leans in a little bit. it's all completely broken though when he responds, his unsure words causing her to laugh once more. ]
Wow. What, were you just gonna give up if it didn't take? [ it's said, somewhat aggressively. but still playful. ] You're lucky it doesn't take much to impress me.
[ he smiles, though there's a wan note to it even as he leans back against her in turn. ]
I think you know, I don't really do... giving up. [ his hand smooths over her waist and he bumps his nose against hers as they get closer. ] Especially not when I'm fixated on something.
This second unfinished plate of noodles says otherwise. [ she doesn't break her gaze from his, hands coming to rest on his chest as she grins up at him, though she's clearly trying to hide it in an attempt to look stern, unsuccessfully. ] Unless you're into thirds. [ she says, trying to be coy. ]
Yeah, I... [ keep getting distracted. by her. he swallows, tightening his grip just a little as his other hand lifts to push some of her hair out of her face. ] I dunno, I could be.
Could be. [ her lips come up to his own where she brushes against him softly before fully pressing against him. wrapping her arms around his neck, she further pulls herself into him and their kiss, tilting her head just a tad. it hadn't even been that long since they had finished, and already she's in anticipation for more.
she hadn't been this crazy about someone in quite some time.
pulling away as the kiss breaks she can't help but rest her forehead against him for a minute. ] Go finish your food, idiot.
[ he kisses her back, gentle and slow, enjoying the press of their bodies and the unrushed feeling to the scene now that he's reasonably sure she's sticking around. a little tremor moves down his spine when she pulls back, already forgetting about his hunger and anything practical all over again. when she chastises him, he chuckles, smacking a playful kiss against her nose and unwinding himself before he can become too ensconced to want to break away for the rest of the night. ]
Is it too early for bed? [ he asks as he picks his bowl back up. maybe she could wait for him there so he could focus... ]
What's the matter? Did I wear you out? [ she gets the hint. she stops to grab her phone and then saunters into the bedroom. it's too bad, she was really enjoying that movie.
laying down on her bed she props her legs up and begins scrolling through her notifications. ]
Yes. [ he answers both truthfully and fondly, watching her go as he leans back up against the counter to leisurely finish his meal. he feels better once it's done, putting his dish in the sink and the rest of the food away. idly, he moves the peonies back into the center of the table before shutting out the light and leaving the room. he walks by his bedroom to the bathroom, taking note of jessica flicking through her phone and their clothes still strewn around the scant living space. he smiles as he takes a detour to finally shut the movie off before rushing through his night routine. he doesn't admit to himself that he's rushing, but he wants to take every moment with jessica he's offered, and there's always that fear - in the back of his head but there all the same - that she won't be there when he gets to his bed. or worse yet, that he won't ever see her again.
frank slides into the room within fifteen minutes of their last interaction, suddenly feeling awkward though he tries to force himself past it. he walks around the bed to get in on the far side. it's obvious he usually sleeps there by the indent in the mattress and the book on the nightstand, maybe. should be easy to work out for a detective anyway. he climbs in next to her, trying not to allow himself to hesitate, but this feels much different from last time. much more intimate too. one leg slips under the sheets as he nudges in until that big nose bumps her cheek to try and pull her attention from whatever she's looking at on her phone. ]
Hey. [ his minty breath blows cooly across her skin with the word as a hand comes up to brace gently against her stomach. ]
[ it's a little awkward and disorienting for her, too, which is why she brought her phone with her. she didn't want to be sitting alone for however long with only her thoughts to occupy her space and keep her company. this was unfamiliar territory... even as she lays there on the bed, she stops and rests her phone on her chest a minute, really letting the reality of it all settle in. her brain isn't in such a fog when he's not around, which isn't a bad thing, but. she can definitely see a little bit more clear. she's still not too sure what's going on, just that they both were bad at this, they both liked each other, and they both didn't want to stop seeing each other. as long as she gets to see him and be with him, that's really the only thing that matters to her. this is the happiest she's been in a long time, and as much as it scares her, she doesn't want it to go away. she doesn't want him to go away.
there's some stirring in the front and she can hear his dishes clatter against the sink, so she picks up her phone and resumes her scrolling. she doesn't pay him much attention and lets him do his thing. it isn't until his nose is brushing against her cheek that she smiles and puts her phone down on the nightstand beside her. rolling back over to him on her side now, she tucks both of her hands under her head and stares at him.
all those worries she's had from earlier start to fade away into that familiar fog once more. ]
Hey, you. [ it's a surprisingly sweet tone coming from her. ] Miss me?
[ his heart squeezes up into his throat and he holds his breath when she turns towards him. the tone is what shatters him, eyes tearing away from hers as they fill with water instantly. ]
Y-yeah. I did actually. [ his lips twitch as he moves in a little closer, stopping when his leg bumps up against hers. ]
[ another small laugh through her nose as she brings one hand out from under her pillow to put against his cheek, turning his gaze back towards her. ] I thought you were gonna go watch the movie if you missed me.
You were actually gonna listen to my advice? [ her brows raise as she says this, thumb running across his skin. she looks at him a little more, unable to ignore the tear that rolls down his cheek. she pauses for a minute, that smile slowly fading. ] Can I ask you something?
[ there's another pause, because she doesn't want to upset him or ask the wrong thing. ] Is this weird for you? It's different when we end up here after sex, but. I imagine climbing into your bed with someone in it isn't something you've done in some time.
[ he thinks it over, definitely not upset by the question, but he doesn't want to seem... overly dramatic about the whole thing. frank stalls by pushing some hair behind her ear and moving his head back on his pillow just an inch so he can make better eye contact. ]
It's not bad-weird if that's what you're asking. [ but definitely weird, yeah. still, he can't deny that it's nice, feeling like he really has someone for the first time since he lost maria. even if he's not sure what they're doing or how long it might last, some of that loneliness has finally started to abate. ] I, uh. It's nice actually.
[ he's still afraid to say much about maria or how he's really feeling, assuming she doesn't want to hear it at best or it might drive her away at worst. but there's no denying how attached he is to jessica already. he wouldn't mind making this a regular thing, even if he is nervous about potentially waking up in a nightmare with her here. ]
[ he doesn't seem too open with his response, and she gets that and doesn't want to push it. but she does want to let him know that he's not alone in his feelings. ]
It's weird for me. [ clearly, but also not in a bad way. she's been apprehensive about everything since it all started. she can count on one hand the number of men she's laid in bed with that didn't end up in her eventually leaving without even giving it or that person a second thought. ] Spending the night with someone, like this. I've been in plenty of beds but usually I'm drunk and can't remember where I am or who I'm with the next morning when I'm trying to leave. [ it's not the most attractive scenario, but it's the truth--her truth. ]
[ frank nods, wetting his lips thoughtfully as she speaks. he's never once judged her for her "lifestyle" and he's not about to now. even if a few of the things he's said came out sounding that way. it really just makes him feel... even more privileged, that she's asking him this at all. that she's lying with him in bed despite the weirdness for both of them. her truth inspires him to release some of his own, his fingers dig into her waist just a little, as if trying to prove she's really here with him. ]
Maria used to... she'd always sleep on this side. But since she- I can't sleep on that side anymore. Or I'll wake up lookin' for her.
[ he swallows, looking down at the scant space between them instead of her face. it's why he'd crunched himself onto this side of the bed with her and another piece of why he's so nervous to fall asleep next to another woman. ]
[ it's such a small, simple explanation but it still manages to break her heart, and her stare shows as much. her hand moves from his cheek down to his neck and she holds onto him, thumb running along his jawline now. she's not a stranger to what he's feeling, but it's certainly not on the same level, and she'd never try to compare the two. ]
I'm not implying that you do, or that I want to go, but... If at any point this is too much for you... I understand. No hard feelings ahead of time.
[ that has his eyes widening as they crash back up into hers, wet and impossibly vulnerable. slowly, he nods, not sure what he could say to that. he would have a hard time being alone after an admission like that, but he's used to being alone. she's talking about him wanting her to go though rather than her leaving and it's- considerate, in a way he never expected her to be. ]
Thank you. [ the words stick in his throat but he manages to push them out. his chest feels like there's an elephant sitting there and his eyes prick with that familiar sensation again. really, he's just barely holding it together. he pushes in until their bodies are flush, his chin on her shoulder and both arms around her middle. the second his face is buried in her hair the tears start to fall, and though it's completely silent he can't conceal the way his frame trembles. he gets up enough fortitude to murmur into her ear, only holding her tighter once it's out. ] But... don't go, okay?
[ it's probably manipulative, but he thinks about trying to sneak out of beth's apartment, he thinks about her in that hospital. he thinks about his baby girl, lisa, dead in his arms. there's so much carnage that follows him around. he just wants this one thing he touches to be okay. for jessica to be safe here, with him. ]
[ she listens to him and can feel her chest tighten up, suddenly overwhelmed with emotions. when he buries his face into her and she can feel that familiar crying she presses her lips together, unable to help her own eyes from pooling up. not only is seeing him like this incredibly devastating, but his request is something all too relatable for her: not wanting to be alone, and not wanting people to suffer because of them anymore.
her arms come to wrap around him and she pulls him close to her, holding tightly onto him. ] I'm not going anywhere, okay? No matter what. You never have to worry about that. [ even if she gets shot at, even if someone is dumb enough to come after her, even if she's just as scared as he is, she's there. ]
[ the harder she holds him, the more he cries, and the more he tries to stay quiet the less successful he actually is. that promise is... a lot. almost too much. frank kisses the side of her face and tries to calm himself down through sheer willpower alone. ]
Sorry... sorry. [ god he's a mess. and once he's done crying he's just left feeling so tired. his arms slacken their hold around her as he slowly starts breathing even again. ] You don't- you can't make me a promise like that, Jess. I don't expect you to.
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I'm thinkin'... I like it when you smile. [ like, a lot. his own turns soft as he admits: ] And I'm thinkin' about how I'm gonna convince you to stay the night.
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I dunno, I... pretty much pulled out all the stops here. I was hoping I could just coast for the rest of the night, honestly.
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Wow. What, were you just gonna give up if it didn't take? [ it's said, somewhat aggressively. but still playful. ] You're lucky it doesn't take much to impress me.
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I think you know, I don't really do... giving up. [ his hand smooths over her waist and he bumps his nose against hers as they get closer. ] Especially not when I'm fixated on something.
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she hadn't been this crazy about someone in quite some time.
pulling away as the kiss breaks she can't help but rest her forehead against him for a minute. ] Go finish your food, idiot.
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Is it too early for bed? [ he asks as he picks his bowl back up. maybe she could wait for him there so he could focus... ]
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laying down on her bed she props her legs up and begins scrolling through her notifications. ]
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frank slides into the room within fifteen minutes of their last interaction, suddenly feeling awkward though he tries to force himself past it. he walks around the bed to get in on the far side. it's obvious he usually sleeps there by the indent in the mattress and the book on the nightstand, maybe. should be easy to work out for a detective anyway. he climbs in next to her, trying not to allow himself to hesitate, but this feels much different from last time. much more intimate too. one leg slips under the sheets as he nudges in until that big nose bumps her cheek to try and pull her attention from whatever she's looking at on her phone. ]
Hey. [ his minty breath blows cooly across her skin with the word as a hand comes up to brace gently against her stomach. ]
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there's some stirring in the front and she can hear his dishes clatter against the sink, so she picks up her phone and resumes her scrolling. she doesn't pay him much attention and lets him do his thing. it isn't until his nose is brushing against her cheek that she smiles and puts her phone down on the nightstand beside her. rolling back over to him on her side now, she tucks both of her hands under her head and stares at him.
all those worries she's had from earlier start to fade away into that familiar fog once more. ]
Hey, you. [ it's a surprisingly sweet tone coming from her. ] Miss me?
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Y-yeah. I did actually. [ his lips twitch as he moves in a little closer, stopping when his leg bumps up against hers. ]
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I thought you said I should text you. [ which he didn't do either, but details. ]
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Yeah, of course. [ it's an answer that works for both questions so he doesn't bother specifying, palpable earnestness in that gravelly tone. ]
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It's not bad-weird if that's what you're asking. [ but definitely weird, yeah. still, he can't deny that it's nice, feeling like he really has someone for the first time since he lost maria. even if he's not sure what they're doing or how long it might last, some of that loneliness has finally started to abate. ] I, uh. It's nice actually.
[ he's still afraid to say much about maria or how he's really feeling, assuming she doesn't want to hear it at best or it might drive her away at worst. but there's no denying how attached he is to jessica already. he wouldn't mind making this a regular thing, even if he is nervous about potentially waking up in a nightmare with her here. ]
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It's weird for me. [ clearly, but also not in a bad way. she's been apprehensive about everything since it all started. she can count on one hand the number of men she's laid in bed with that didn't end up in her eventually leaving without even giving it or that person a second thought. ] Spending the night with someone, like this. I've been in plenty of beds but usually I'm drunk and can't remember where I am or who I'm with the next morning when I'm trying to leave. [ it's not the most attractive scenario, but it's the truth--her truth. ]
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Maria used to... she'd always sleep on this side. But since she- I can't sleep on that side anymore. Or I'll wake up lookin' for her.
[ he swallows, looking down at the scant space between them instead of her face. it's why he'd crunched himself onto this side of the bed with her and another piece of why he's so nervous to fall asleep next to another woman. ]
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I'm not implying that you do, or that I want to go, but... If at any point this is too much for you... I understand. No hard feelings ahead of time.
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Thank you. [ the words stick in his throat but he manages to push them out. his chest feels like there's an elephant sitting there and his eyes prick with that familiar sensation again. really, he's just barely holding it together. he pushes in until their bodies are flush, his chin on her shoulder and both arms around her middle. the second his face is buried in her hair the tears start to fall, and though it's completely silent he can't conceal the way his frame trembles. he gets up enough fortitude to murmur into her ear, only holding her tighter once it's out. ] But... don't go, okay?
[ it's probably manipulative, but he thinks about trying to sneak out of beth's apartment, he thinks about her in that hospital. he thinks about his baby girl, lisa, dead in his arms. there's so much carnage that follows him around. he just wants this one thing he touches to be okay. for jessica to be safe here, with him. ]
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her arms come to wrap around him and she pulls him close to her, holding tightly onto him. ] I'm not going anywhere, okay? No matter what. You never have to worry about that. [ even if she gets shot at, even if someone is dumb enough to come after her, even if she's just as scared as he is, she's there. ]
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Sorry... sorry. [ god he's a mess. and once he's done crying he's just left feeling so tired. his arms slacken their hold around her as he slowly starts breathing even again. ] You don't- you can't make me a promise like that, Jess. I don't expect you to.
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