The anesthesia by which we endure life [Oct 24]

[every_blossom_blooming]

Frank had been brushing her off for more than a week, and then, suddenly, he wasn't answering her at all. For days he hadn't answered her. Nina was sure there was some kind of rational explanation, but she wasn't in the mood to humor that thought. Things had been strange around Darrow, and she had just handled her best friend on the verge of a complete nervous break down, and it was terribly easy to imagine that Frank had lost his mind or was dead in a ditch somewhere.

So she threw on her sweeping red coat and went to his apartment. She tried the door, gently, and found it locked. That wasn't a problem. She knelt on the landing and carefully picked it, the way she'd learned to from Kaz, until she heard the click and pop of the lock releasing.

She stood again and let herself in as quietly as she could. She was aware of two hearts beating, two sets of lungs breathing: Frank had company. She closed the door and locked it behind her, taking in the sad state of things - no different from the last time she'd been here, other than the fact that there was an extra body in the bed and she could smell the alcohol lingering. Saints, how drunk had they been?

Nina eyed the bed, and the two men in it, then huffed. She took off her coat and left it draped over the police scanner on the table. She found Frank's coffee maker and started banging things around - cabinet doors, mugs, the can of coffee - as she set about brewing a pot.

She was so angry now that she knew Frank was alive.

Comments

[patriotqueen]

Guy saw the pout, and squeezed Nina's leg lightly, sympathetically and smiled. "I'd love for you to come by and sing. Could you wizard them all to stay put in their seats? If I go out, I should like to go out well," he grinned.

"I prefer vodka in the morning," Guy assured. he took a sniff and was pleased to find that 'dash' had been taken to mean exactly what Guy had meant by it. "Maybe next time," he teased and winked at him. "We might even get as far as to remove our shoes next time."

[every_blossom_blooming]

"It'd really be awful," she insisted. "I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. It's embarrassing, actually. I keep thinking I should take lessons or something," she sighed. Then a wicked little grin curved her lips.

"Oh, I don't know," Nina mused. "I've had very good sex with my shoes on."

Maybe it was highly presumptive to assume the two men had done anything but sleep, but-- they were half dressed when she arrived, and she was more than happy to read innuendo into just about anything. Inej rolled her eyes at it; Jesper always laughed.

[onebatch_twobatch]

Frank rolled his eyes, but let Nina tease. She'd seen how hung over they were, and he was sure she'd been around plenty of drunk and hung over idiots in her life, seen what alcohol did and had done.

Plus, what was the point of the argument and denial? Nina had walked in on him and Guy asleep in bed half dressed; if they hadn't been so drunk last night, Frank couldn't guarantee that they wouldn't have been less dressed.

"Historically, half dressed has been pretty good. Just maybe not for falling asleep with shoes on."

[patriotqueen]

"Nothing wrong with any state of dress or undress," Guy agreed. He leaned in as if to whisper to Nina, though he didn't lower his voice. "But we were a rather sad sight last night, and too drunk to get it up, so let's not drag up those memories today."

[every_blossom_blooming]

Nina covered a smile, like it really was a secret between them. "Poor darlings," she cooed. "I've never had to worry about that particular problem."

She set her empty bowl aside and cradled her coffee.

"Well, I think I've imposed on you two enough. Clearly Frank is not dead and now I've been appeased through food and coffee. Frank, I do expect to be hearing from you in the near future."

She leaned over and gave Guy's cheek a little kiss. "And it was a pleasure to see you again, though I am sorry for my rather rude awakening."

She finished her coffee and rose to her feet. She set the mug on the table and pulled her sweeping red coat back on. "I can see myself out, Frank, don't get up and be a gentleman."

[onebatch_twobatch]

Even as she said he didn't need to get up, Frank did it anyway. He collected her dishes from where she left them, scattered through the apartment like a whirlwind as she'd come in, and followed her to the door.

He pressed a kiss gently to her cheek. "I don't know how long things will last," he said quietly. "So if I'm still a little AWOL, that's why. Okay? I'll try to keep up. But I'm not dead, okay? I promise."

He glanced at Guy briefly, then back at Nina. "I'm gonna be okay."