heavy boots sound against the flooring of karen’s apartment as her steps closer to her. his frame is massive compared to her, features towering over the woman despite the heels upon her feet. “goddamnit, karen.” words are a GROWL as he gazes down at her, eyes darkening in annoyance, not at her but at himself. he could let her in now yet he still put up his defenses. he was free, criminal past cleared with the OPPORTUNITY to start over. yet still he feels toxic. like a whirlwind of shit would follow him and take those he cared about with it. he already endangered her, even used her as a damn shield to escape the police (at her suggestion because god damn would the thought of holding a gun to her HEAD be one to not cross his mind). his chest rises and falls with each breath that passes through abused lungs.
brows draw together at her words. she’s RIGHT, he doesn’t have a clue what she’s looking for. he hopes safety, someone better then him and yet he can’t help but feel drawn to her. it’s a feeling he has only felt once before and look how that ended up. last woman he had feelings for was buried six feet under and plagued his dreams. it worries him that he feels that again, fearful that he’s betraying maria in having feelings for karen. it’s easier now that he’s had his vengeance, now that his war was over. didn’t mean he punished himself any less.
frank focuses on her lips for a moment, same way he looked at her in the elevator before he climbed through it to escape. a moment of hesitation passes and he’s lowering his head to gently brush his lips against her cheek. he’s realized how important she was to him. karen was FAMILY to him in the same way that sarah and the kids were to david. she was all he had. it’s a big moment for him, a step away from war time and into one of PEACE. “tell me then. what do you want?”
@truthseeked || continued from here