step by step {frankie morales x reader}
Pairing: Boyfriend Frankie Morales x Girlfriend! Reader
Summary: Frankie has something planned for you and you have no idea.
Word Count: 2.4k
Warnings: just fluff, nervous frankie, overthinking reader, that's it
A/N: just a little thing i put together for the thoughtful bouquets of pedro challenge by hosted by the lovely @happypedrohours! my prompt was no. 5 -> frankie morales and public proposal
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Frankie isn’t sure where his sudden nerves come from. He knows his plan, painstakingly detailed and accounting for everything would all play out with the help of his friends. He knows that the conversation has come up in passing, little dreamy ‘well, when we’re marred’ or ‘for our anniversary’ what ifs exchanged between you both gives him the confidence in the decision he’s made. From heavy sleep mumbled words uttered in complete safety to asides while out shopping together, full of laughter and bright smiles- he knows he’s doing the right thing.
The restaurant is booked, one of your favorites.
The guest list is small, just your best friend and your group of mutual friends.
Favorite bottle of wine chilling behind the bar, though he isn’t the biggest fan of wine.
Something is off, despite everything working out perfectly. The weather is clear, the sun is shining warmly on the patio that shoulders up to the beach. Waves lap gently at the shoreline less than a smile out. His nerves rachet up his heart, making him feel like he’s just run a mile and it all makes sense when his phone is suddenly ringing.
Your name and the photo he snapped of you smelling flowers in the garden you cultivated together brightens his screen.
“Frankie, baby, I’m so sorry. You know I love you and love our nights out but I have to bail last minute.”
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s my dickhead of a boss,” You voice raises, though there’s no bite to it, no real heat. You aren’t mad so much as you are frustrated. “He sent everyone home thinking it would be a slow day, but now we’re swamped with late pickups. Crabby, tired kids fresh from an overnight fieldtrip plus frazzled parents is so not how I planned to spend my afternoon. I’d much rather be with you.”
A muffled chorus of long drawn out teasing o’s can be head over the line, he can practically picture you waving you hand at them and shushing them gently to get them to stop. They were all young, your class and another two spending the last two days together at the observatory for a lesson in astrology. A fourth grade class full of squiggly kids that you loved and loved you back. Science teachers are still cool at their age.
“Mi amor, it’s okay. I completely understand,” Frankie’s words garner the attention of his best friend, who’s head whips up from where he’s adjusting the flowers in the bouquet resting on the table. “We can always go out another night, you know me, I don’t mind.”
“You’re too good to me, Frankie,” He can hear the smile in your voice, and his heart stutters. One hand reaches into his pocket and toys with the velvet box there. He wants to make you smile for the rest of his life. “I promise I’ll be done by six, do you want me to- oh! Mrs. Callahan, thank you so much for letting us know you’d be late! Jamie is in the restroom, but his bag is here and he’s all set to go once he gets back.”
“I’ll let you go hermosa, don’t worry about dinner!” His voice is heard, he’s sure in the way you rush out a quick goodbye before the connection clicks closed.
“Well, that’s unfortunate.” Santiago says with a pout, fingers twirling a piece of ribbon on the bouquet. “I wanted to see my two favorite people be ooey gooey saps for each other.”
“Hey, what about me?” Benny shouts from the bar, the open air concept for the restaurant allows him to hear his friends words.
“You’re like my seventh favorite person, don’t fool yourself Miller.” Santiago smirks over at his friend, raising his own glass in salute before taking a sip. The ice clinks against the glass as he sets it down. Your best friend and his girlfriend sidles up and plops herself sideways in his lap, hands naturally rising to hold her steady while she wraps hers around his neck.
“What about me?”
“You, of course.” And then they kiss. Frankie would make a jab at him, but he’s a little crestfallen that his plan got derailed by something so simple as afterschool pick up. Something he did not account for, though he probably should’ve. Breaking away from the quick peck, Santiago helps her back to her feet and begins to gather the stuff they brought along with them. “Alright, let’s get a move on.”
“What, where are we going?”
“We’re gonna surprise your girl at the school. You can pop the question there as well as you could’ve here, no?”
“She’s working…”
“Francisco Morales.” His strict tone is echoed by three other voices repeating his name. “We are going to take this wine, the food we ordered to go, the decorations and pretty up your living room for when you return home with your fiancé and then we can celebrate.”
Half an hour later, you’re sitting cross legged in the grass beside the three remaining students when Frankie’s truck pulls up into the empty parking lot. You know you don’t look your best, feeling haggard and barely able to entertain the three small bodies surrounding you with a game of cards. The brightly colored ones in your hand blur together and you hand over the one asked after.
“Yes! Look, Miss Fish, I won!” One of them exclaims while the other two groan in annoyance. Despite it all, they all share wide, bright smiles that has your heart fluttering. You wanted a baby so bad, but the agreement was marriage and then baby. Frankie’s upbringing inspiring him to be proper about the way things happened and you couldn’t deny him the structure he longed for. He was worth it, he was worth everything.
“Mr. Fish! Mr. Fish!” The trio chants as Frankie steps out of his truck across the small strip lot with a bag hanging from two thick fingers. His smile is gummy underneath his dark sunglasses and worn hat, watching him approach the three children rushing him cause butterflies to swarm in your tummy. He reaches into it as they clammer for it in his grasp, only chuckling at their overzealous enthusiasm.
“Alright, alright, here ya go you lil monsters,” Once they all have a small bottles of juice and little wooden puzzles, he heaves a small grunt and settles in the grass beside you. He lowers the shield over his eyes and winks at you in greeting.
“And how is Miss Fish holding up?” His hand reaches for yours and he tangles his fingers with yours. But you don’t answer, too enamored with the way he looks with the late afternoon sun shining down on him.
A car pulls up, a late parent and you slowly get to your feet to greet them and help load the happy child into their backseat. Turning back, you see Frankie typing something into his phone with a small frown on his face. You feel a stab of remorse, knowing that your own low mood is affecting him.
He patiently waits for you as the remaining parents arrive, patting the grass beside him where he’s stretched out one leg while keeping the other propped up and leans back onto one elbow. He’s the picture of ease and you wish you had more energy for him as heat sparks behind your hips. His plush lips stretch into a smile when you hold the skirt of your dress close to your body and settle back down.
“You seem a little low energy, everything okay?” His sunglasses are tucked into his collar, brown eyes on display as he looks you over.
“Just worn out, forty kids need way more supervision than two teachers and two parent volunteers,” You can’t help the sigh that carries the words.
“Well, let’s get you home, we can pick up something on the way to my place for dinner.”
“Baby, I kind of just want to crash.” You can’t help but feel like it’s just a damper on his good mood, he probably wanted to go out with the guys, have some drinks and enjoy his weekend. “I’m sorry, I think I’m just going to go home. Let you have the night to yourself.”
“I don’t mind staying in and looking after you, you know that,” His brow furrows as he watches the emotions play over your face. He’s confused and you feel even worse.
“Frankie, you missed last week’s fight because I was stuck in bed with cramps. Go spend some time with your friends, please.” You trail a nail over the scruff of lining his jaw, press the pad of your index finger to his lips and offer a half smile.
“If you really want to be alone, I won’t push.” He leans over to press his lips to your forehead before getting up and offering his hands to help pull you up. “I just want you to be okay, bebita.”
“I’ll be okay with some rest,” You let him wrap you in his arms, guiding you over to the truck where he opens the door for you to load into the passenger seat. He kisses you chastely before you hop out with your bag over your shoulder, waving as you turn to offer him one last smile before you unlock your apartment door.
Frankie paces in his living room, aware of Santiago’s hard eyes watching his every move.
“You can’t back out, hermano. She’s the love of your life.”
“You should’ve fuckin’ seen her, Santi,” Frankie groans out as he drags a heavy hand through his curls, worn hat hurled into an empty armchair. “She looked so down, saying she kept me in the house when I’d spend every fucking minute with her if she’d let me. But maybe…maybe she’s getting tired of me asking her to come over or me over at her place? What if she’s going to break up with me?”
“Okay, deep breath, let’s not start that.”
“Santi, she-“
“Fransisco.” Santiago stands up and grips Frankie’s shoulders tight to face him head on. “Tomorrow morning, you are going to take that little velvet box and walk into her classroom. You are going to propose to her and she is going to say yes.”
“But-“
“I will be here at seven sharp, be ready.” And with that Frankie is alone and gazing at the ring he picked out with your smiling face in mind.
You turn around from the whiteboard when giggles burst into the air. The dry erase marker in your hand squeaks as you slowly put the cap back on, a little distracted by the form of Frankie and Santigo standing just inside the doorway to your classroom.
“Mr. Fish! Are you here for class today?”
“Uh, no, sorry.” He walks further into the classroom, between two rows of full desks where the children begin to titter amongst themselves. “Mr. Fish is here to ask Miss Fish…if she’d like to be Mrs. Fish.”
His voice is even despite the way you see his fingers tap against his thighs, his eyes trained on you as he approaches. He reaches into the front pocket of his khakis for a small black box.
“I’d gladly spend every moment with you, no matter where we are or what we do. I love our time together and I want to be the one you choose to spend forever with, if you’ll have me.” He kneels right in front of you even as you feel your heart race behind your ribs, fingers tingling as you resist the urge to reach out for him. You have to let him finish the words you know he prepared and went over again and again. He opens the box and holds it up high. “Baby, will you make me the happiest man and be my Mrs. Fish?”
“Say yes!!”
“You have to say yes!!”
“Mr. and Mrs. Fish!”
A chorus of high pitched voices call out as you watch the nervous expression on Frankie’s face. His eyes are so wide, hope flickering in them as you trail a hand down the side of his face. His eyes flutter shut and you can’t help smile as your own flicker to Santigo still by the door. He nods his head with a wide smile, encouraging you because he knows the insecurities you harbor. He is your brother after all.
“I would be honored to be Mrs. Fish, Frankie.” Your face breaks out into a wide smile, heart jumping as you look down at the man you love. And he’s up in a second, trembling fingers pulling the beautiful ring from the box and slipping onto your finger. His laugh shakes you both as he pulls you into his chest.
“Mr. and Mrs. Fish! That’s so cool!” They giggle and chatter as you lean back and firmly press your lips to your fiancé’s.
“Does this mean we get the rest of the day off?” Frankie holds you tight even as you aim a faux stern look over the entire class. You have a feeling he’s never going to let you go and you have absolutely no complaints about it either. Your heart is full and the ring feels right on your finger, glittering as you hold up your hand and gaze at it along with Frankie.
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