#Frankie Morales x Jana Fernandez

[romanarose]

Take Your Time: Chapter 1

Frankie "Catfish" Morales X Fem! Oc (Jana Fernandez)

Chapter 2

Series masterlist

Fic summary: Told through the present and series of flashbacks, Frankie and Jana, his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his daughter, Rosie, begin spending more time together as Frankie attempts to get sober, and Jana becomes friends with the girlfriend of Frankie's best friend. They both say they never stopped loving each other, is the timing right for them to finally have a life together?

Chapter summary: 6 months into his sobriety, Frankkie is still struggling. When Will, Benny and Santi are all out of town and he needs help, he knows he can still call on Jana.

Takes place within Leather and Lace in what I call "TF Romanaverse" but it is NOT necessary to read LaL beforehand. You'll be more familiar with the Oc's such as Jana, Laci, and a little bit of Lorelei, but I wrote this series specifically to be read separately incase you don't read Santi fics, that series didn't interest you, or the content was too dark. Speaking fo which, read the mfing warnings.

Warnings!: Self harm (not a suicide attempt but sure looks like one) cutting, blood, puke, excessive drinking, mentions of drug use and addiction but no more relapses, Frankie feeling miserable. Graffic depiction of the wounds as first aid is being applied. Do noooooot actually do this for first aid. Get them to a hospital. But this is fiction.

******************

Answering the phone at midnight, Jana already swung both legs over the bed and began pulling socks on. “Frankie? What’s going on?”

“M’sorry. Woke you.” Frankie’s slurred voice answered.

“No you didn’t, the shelter had me on overnights last week, remember?.” Frankie had Rosie, their daughter, most of the week, albeit they stayed with Santi and Laci. While Frankie’s recovery was going well, Jana was still nervous with several days in a row, worried it might overwhelm him. Laci watched Rosie when Frankie worked, and if both were busy, Santi had taken her, impressing Laci very much with his skills with the toddler.

“Sorry” Frankie repeated. “Everyone else is gone. Didn’t know who else to call.”

 “You can always call me, Francisco. What did you take?”

“Jus’ whiskey right now, but that’s why m’callin’ you” 

Phone to here ear, she carefully bundled up a sleeping Rosa in a few blankets, the mild Florida winter making for less of a need for a full coat, especially when she’d have to take it off to buckle her into the car seat anyway. “Whiskey we can work with, honey.” Quickly, Jana back tracked as she headed out the door. “We can work if you relapse too, okay? Never be afraid to call me or the guys, we’re always here for you.”

 Jana had gone back and forth with her feelings on Santi for a number of years, mostly when she was still dating Frankie. Frankie would follow that man to the end of the earth, and pretty much had. That trip to Columbia had been the nail in the coffin for a relationship already strained from addiction, and Jana held it against Santiago for a long while. In more recent times, however, she’s come to see him as an ally for Frankie. Santi and his girl, Laci, as well as Will and Benny had all pulled together this last year as Francisco tried to sober up for perhaps the first real time. Although Jana was not with Frankie anymore, she would always love him. They hadn’t broken up for lack of love, or even for lack of trying, but for the things coke can do to a person, especially a person who recently came into a shit ton of money and nothing to do when his daughter is gone but get high.

“I’m waking Rosa” He sounded sleepy.

“No,” Jana couldn’t help but laugh, looking at her curly-haired daughter, out cold in the car seat. “That girl started sleeping through the night at one month old, she’s a miracle child”

“Yeah. Yeah she is. She deserves someone better.”

She got in the car, hooking up the phone to the speaker. “Stop. You’re a good dad, Frankie, a great dad. I’ve never seen a man play dolls with a kid for 2 hours straight, she adores you. You just need a little help”

“Yeah” It was quiet.

“Frank, hey, don’t fucking go to sleep, we’ll be right there.”

“Don’t wan’ her t’see me like this”

“She won’t, I promise. What room are you in?”

“Bathroom”

“Okay, I’ll lay her down in her crib before I even come to the bathroom okay?”

“Promise?”

“As long as you stay awake, yes.”

“Fine”

“Okay”

Wanting to make sure she paid attention to the road, her nighttime vision not greatJana didn’t talk much, only when she thought he was falling asleep. She parked on the wrong side of the road, quickly grabbing Rose (how did this child sleep so much?), calling to Frankie she was here, and laid her down in the crib as promised. Her room at her uncle Santi’s had a toddler bed, as she was quickly growing, taking after her dad, but this would do fine in a pinch. With her heart about to burst out of her chest, she ran into the bathroom, expecting to find him puking or passed out on the floor. Instead, to her horror, she found him in his underwear, slumped up against the tub and the wall, blood on his arms and legs.

“Frank!”

Thinking quickly, Jana grabbed one of his towels and wrapped it around the two deep cuts on the inside of his wrist and the one on the outside. There were a few others on his legs, but it was clear the wrist was more imminent a danger. “I’m calling an ambulance, hold on” She instructed as she placed his hand over the towel. “No” Frankie mumbled. “No ambulance” “You tried to kill yourself Frankie!” Jana shouts, the smell of alcohol and puke was raw in the bathroom, permeating her nose and she vaguely registered his crumbled up shirt as the source of the vomit, and assumed he must’ve thrown up on himself in the binge. Frank grabbed her hand, finally looking at her. “No, I didn’t” Eyes wide and panicked, she looked at him intently, gritting through her tensed mouth. “Then what the hell is this!”

Closed his eyes again. “I don’t know. Wanted to feel something, punish myself, I dunno”

“Hey. hey.” Gently tapping his cheek, Jana kept him conscious. “You need to stay awake.”

“No hospital” He reiterated. “They’ll lock me up and I swear to god this is only going to get worse.”

Jana considered for a moment, then reached for her phone. “Fine, but I’m calling Will” The older Miller was as close to a doctor as any of them knew, starting as a combat medic before he quickly rose in the ranks and eventually joined Delta Force as Tom handpicked his team. Throughout the years, they had called on him in lieu of an actual doctors visit, as the man kept up with trainings and taking classes. He could probably out do a doctor at this point, but much of his training was in formal. Frankie did not like this plan either, shaking his head. “No, they’re out of town visiting their cousin or something. Don’t wanna bug em” “It’s Will or an ambulance.” Jana gave him his choices, but as Frankie seemed to struggle to choose between being hospitalized or being a bother to the people that mean most to him, Jana calmed her tone, taking Frankie’s flushed and puffy face in her hands. “Francisco, Will loves you, so do Benny, Santi and Lace, so do I. We want to help you. You aren’t a bother, you aren’t a burden, Will would want me to call him.” Dodging her eyes, he gave a quick nod, consenting to calling Will. Jana pressed the facetime option on Will’s contact page and within two rings his face appeared on the screen. “Jana? What's wrong? Is Rosie okay? Are you?” He had clearly been sleeping, and it warmed Jana’s heart that he answered so fast, worried something happened to her or Rosa. That’s what she liked about Frankie’s friends. In the past, she could barely get the care she wanted from the men she dated, and their friends barely acknowledged her, if not being flat-out creepy or making racial comments. The Millers and Santiago, for all her and Santi bicker, had been nothing but respectful and welcoming to her, and she liked to think she welcomed back. “We’re fine, it’s… here” Jana flipped the camera to show Frankie. The poor man looked humiliated, but she’d handle that later. “He won’t go to the hospital and insists it wasn’t an attempt, I need you to look at them and tell me if we can handle it here.” Will was a combat medic. He’d seen way worse, hell, Jana knew. Hell, he’d seen worse on himself and his friends, including Frankie, but he was obvious not prepared for this, and despite his ability to keep calm in this emergency, she heard his voice shake, just a bit. “Okay.” Scanning up the cuts on his legs, Will confirmed those weren’t a risk, but he had seen the bloody towel around his friends wrist, and told her to unwrap it. She had to pad the blood away for him to even see how bad it was.

“Fish, you should really get stitch-” “No” Frankie was having none of it. Jana turned the camera back to her. “Can I take care of it here?” “Jana, he should really-”

“Yes or no” Will sighed. “Can you give him stitches?”

Jana glanced to Frankie, bleeding heavily and looking absolutely wrecked. She wanted him in the hospital, in the safety of doctors but she also knew he had seen a lot, and hospitals made him anxious. Plus, there was no doubt in her mind that for someone who valued quality time so heavily, a mandatory lock up for a suicide attempt, or whatever this was, would only make him worse.

“Yeah, I think so. ”

Will was not thrilled, but allowed it. “Go get his first aid kit, I’ll walk you through it.” All the guys had ‘first aid kits’ that were the size of small hospitals, thanks to Will. He instructed Frankie to keep his arm raised and gently keep pressure on the wounds. Jana knelt beside him. “Can you stay like this for me? While I get what you need?”

Eyes wide and wet, he looked up at her an nodded.

She kissed his forehead and she got up. “Good job, I’ll be right back.” Taking the phone with her, she went to the kitchen where she knew his first aid kit was. “What’s he on?” Will asked. “Just liquor, Helluva lot of it, and whiskey if I’m smelling it right.” “He’s been sober from coke for six months, maybe it’s time he stops drinking too.” “One bridge at a time, Will. He still has cravings, let’s give him a break.” Jana continued gathering what  she needed and washing her hands thoroughly. “He tried to kill himself while drunk, Jana!” She looked directly at the camera. “How about you deal with your alcoholic brother, I’ll deal with Frankie, okay?” Jana snapped. A pause. She knew she wasn’t supposed to bring that up. “Sorry-”

“Let’s get him stitched up, we can talk about this later.” Sighing, she rinsed her hands and turned the faucet off with her elbow. “I’m sorry, Will. I’m just a bit freaked out.”

“I understand. We should probably talk when Ben and I are back, discuss it with Santi.” Jana wasn’t sure how she felt about talking about Frankie and his problems when he wasn’t around. “Yeah, with Frankie.”

Will nodded on screen. “With Frankie.”

Frankie, of course, had things for stitches, the over-anxious man he was. With Will’s guidance, the cuts only needed on each, enough to close the wound a bit. The bleeding slowed, and after disinfecting and bandaging the wound, and thanking Will (as well as promising to update him throughout the night), Jana found herself propped up in the bathroom wall, covered in blood, Frankie’s head on her lap as she played with his hair. Her instructions were to keep him awake for a while, since he lost so much blood, but this was proving difficult as the alcohol ran through his system.

“Where did Santi and Laci go? Laci didn’t mention going anywhere this weekend.” She asked. Santi’s girlfriend had begun volunteering at the women’s shelter Jana worked in, and the pair had become fast friends. Frankie mumbled, trying to stay awake. “It was snowing somewhere up north, Laci missed the snow, so he took her up there to some fancy hotel for a few days. Private hot tub, rose petals, room service. Whole shabang.” Jana couldn’t help but smile and chuckle at that. “She’s really got that boy whipped, huh?”

To her relief he smiled back. “Yeah but he’s got her wrapped around his finger too.” “They're really cute”

“Yeah, they are.” Frankie’s smile faded. “I’m sorry. That’s what you deserved. Someone who could be like that for you. Take care of you.”

“Frank…” He shut his eyes, and Jana thumbed away a tear that ran down her cheek. “Honey, no. I don’t need what Laci needs. I don’t need to be taken care of like that. You cared for me in all the ways I needed you too, and you continue to provide for me and our baby. You were a good boyfriend, you really were. I was really, really happy with you, that’s why we decided to have Rosa” Jana leaned down to press a kiss into his hair as his eyes remained locked shut. “You gave me the most precious thing in my life, and if I didn’t love you enough already, I’d love you simply for that. Look at me, sweetie.” With a soft touch, she coaxed his eyes open. “I love you, I always loved you and I never stopped loving you. I promised you that when I left. You are an excellent father and a loving, good, kind friend. If I can’t be with you as a partner, I’m happy to be your friend, for the rest of our lives.”

Looking at her, Frankie nodded. “I never stopped loving you either. I’m sorry. I know i’ve said it 1000 times but I’m sorry. For the coke, for how I acted, for going to Columbia when you told me not to, for everything that happened after…” “It’s okay, honey, I forgave you a long time ago. I know as well as you do that addiction is an evil illness” “It doesn’t mean I didn’t make mistakes-” “I know, you made mistakes and so did I. It’s okay. You’re not a bad person, Francisco.” He closed his eyes again, wincing this time. “Oh fuck.” Jana, having been through enough nights of the two of them drinking together in their youth, especially back in the army, knew what that meant. “Okay, up.” She helped him get over the toilet bowl, rubbing his bare back as he threw up. “Pope’s never gonna leave town again. Gonna start camping outside the house” “Pope can suck my dick, Frankie” Jana replied, an smiled when she heard him chuckle. “I’m serious.” But she was laughing too. “If you need him back off a bit, I’ll talk to him.” Frankie shook his head. “I like… I like having them around, I just don’t want to interrupt his life.” “You aren’t, I promise. He loves you very much, and much as he likes to pretend he’s a rolling stone, I think it’s become apparent with Laci around he’s a caretaker at heart.” Frankie mumbles “Like Han Solo”

This causes Jana to laugh. “Yeah, yeah like Han Solo.” “I’m sorry” Frankie spoke between dry heaves. “I’m really trying to sober up.” “Take your time. God knows you held my hair back enough times, Azúcar, I’m just returning the favor.”

“What did I do to deserve you?”

“You exist, Frankie. You don’t have to earn me, who you are is enough.”

Jana got Frankie set up on the living room floor, plush carpeting and the blankets she laid down giving enough comfort while simultaneously keeping him on a firm surface. After getting him to rinse out his mouth and drinking some water, he was put in the recovery position (confirming to Will via text that it was done) and she covered him in a warm blanket, after putting a pair of pj’s over him, to spare him a bit of dignity if nothing else. For the next half hour, at 2 AM, she cleaned up the bathroom of blood and vomit, showered his blood off her and helped herself to his clothes, threw hers and Frankies messy clothes in the wash with the bloodied towels, redressed his wounds as he slept, and did the dishes for good measure. One less thing for him to worry about in the morning. And he would worry in the morning. They got through that hard part, but it was all far from over. Jana laid beside him, getting under the covers on the hard floor and got just close enough to where she’d wake if he started to choke or vomit or anything, but didn’t want to encroach on his personal space.

It was far from over, to be sure, but Jana planned on working with him, Will, Benny and Santi, and being there for him every step of the way. He wasn’t her boyfriend anymore, but he’s always been the love of her life.

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I knoooooow an intense start to a series!!!! But I really hope you guys like it! LMK if you'd like to be added to the tag list!!! @milkymoon2483 @trinkets01 @welcometostayingawake

[romanarose]

Take Your Time: Chapter 2

Frankie Morales X Fem!Oc (Jana Hernandez)

Chapter 1 : Chapter 3

Series masterlist

Chapter summary: Dealing with the fall out of the previous night, Frankie struggles with his own self-hatred and worry of the harm he's causing his daughter, her mother who he still loves, and the friends that surround him, and attempts to push them away.

Warnings: LOOOOTTSSSS of negative self-talk, self-hatred, self-sabotage. Frankie's being a dick near the end but give him some grace, he's struggling. Talk over suicidal thoughts, wanting to die, addiction, overdose, wounds/blood, bad coping. A/N: I won't go into Laci's backstory here, all you really need to know is given in the text. She's had a hard life, hence Santi's protectiveness over her, especially in regards to sex. If you are curious, you can read chapter 1-3 of Leather and Lace. Chapter 1 goes into how the group meets Laci, and chapter 3 tells you how she ended up with Santi. Chapter 2 is just Santi being a sweetie. Also, I don't know how clear I made this so far, bc it's clear in LaL, but Jana is afro-latina, Chilean on her mom's side, Ethiopian on her dad's side, making Rosie mixed too. I've been doing a lot of research and just listening to my friends of either culture, but if I say something incorrect or offensive, please let me know. I am actively trying to make sure my OC's aren't constantly white, but seeing as I am white, I could very well mess something up.

********************************* When Frankie woke up that morning, all that registered was feeling like complete shit; his head hurt, and he felt nauseous. Next thing that came to mind was that he was on the floor. When he opens his eyes, he sees a blurry vision of the couch and his carpet. When he notices long dark curls falling on his face, Francisco starts to remember when happened last night: the drinking, fighting calling up his old contacts to buy coke, blood, calling- oh fucking hell. Frankie groaned, embarrassed and humiliated. How could he do this to her? Waking her up when she works so hard, dragging her and his daughter out in the cold and she had to- how did she stop the bleeding? It all started to get kinda blurry at that point. Frankie pulled his arm out, finding bandages wrapped around his wrists.

“Morning, Francisco” The tired voice of Jana spoke from beside him. Frankie’s body tensed, and Jana immediately gave him space. “Sorry.”

“Don’t say sorry.” Jana speaks firmly; she never liked him apologizing. Frankie feels her sit up. “How are you feeling?” “Me siento como una mierda” Jana chuckles a bit as she gets up. “I bet you do” She gently kicks him. “Sit up, let me redress your wrist.” Another pang of guilt shot through him, but he was in no position to argue. Jana took off the wrapping, and Frankie notices the two stitches on either wound. “You called Will, didn’t you?” He asked, knowing the answer and what it meant. Will knew what happened, which meant that Benny and Santaigo knew too. “Yeah, you were bleeding quite a bit, I needed to make sure you didn’t die.” Frankie just nodded, trying not to look at where she was working, lest he begin puking. Again. “Thank you” His eyes averted where she gazed up at him, knelt at the floor before where he sat on the couch. “Don’t worry about it, honey.” A bit of a pause. “Santi texted me, I guess Will called him. He asked if he could come over today?” She didn’t miss the small sigh that came out of mouth. “This is why I didn’t want anyone to know, I didn’t want them to come home early.” “He’s not, they got a call, their getting their first kid today.” Santiago and Laci had decided to do respite foster care together. This was short term foster care, a few hours to a week, and they were able to decline at any time. Laci had seen so much of the struggle of women and families in the system and wanted to help. Her and Santi decided this was a good way to do their part and put their money to use without having to commit to a long-term foster child. Laci, as emotional as she was, would likely get very attached to any kid in her home that long. Plus, ever unspoken, Benny was still blacking out every week and getting in fights, and Frankie was obviously still struggling with recovery, and Laci and Santi needed to be able to help their friends. “Are you lying to me?” Frankie asked. “No, I won’t lie to you, promise.”

“Is Pope lying to you?” Jana chuckled at that. “I don’t think so. Laci asked if we can go get some stuff for infants while you and Santi talk”

The idea of a ‘talk’ with Santi made him anxious. His friend, for much of their life, had been his strength, a sense of security. They had grown up together, enlisted together, and it was Fish’s connection to Santiago that had gotten him in Tom’s circle. Hence, when Tom hand-picked his team, Frankie was picked for his skills as a pilot. Santiago’s sister, Fatima, had practically raised the pair of them, and her death had hit Frankie nearly as hard as it did Santiago, it was bad enough that when his daughter was born, Jana had no qualms naming her after Santi’s sister. Together, they decided on Fatima Rosa-Maria, Rosie for short. “Okay.” Frankie nodded as Jana wrapped him back up again. From her room, he heard Rosie start calling. “Daddy! Daddy!” At two years old, she was just starting talking, and for the first time today Frankie smiled. She was the most precious thing in the world to him, and no matter how bad things got, his little girl always brought him joy. Jana kissed his wrist as she finished. “Do you wanna go see here?” He did. He really fucking did. But Frankie shook his head. “Can you get her? I need to shower. Don’t want her to associate me with the smell of puke and alcohol.”

She seemed to understand, and put saran wrap over his dressings, instructing him to try not to get it wet, and casually requesting he keep the door unlocked.

 From where he undressed in the bathroom, Frankie heard Rosie squeal ‘Mama!’ in surprise, and he wanted so badly in this moment to give his daughter this. He wanted nothing more than a family with Jana and her, her mommy and daddy married and in love, one household; a household frequently filled with her aunts and uncles, and the million little cousins that Santi and Laci inevitably produce after fucking like rabbits… He wanted a happy family for her, for Jana, and hell, for himself. He wanted to give to Jana what Santi gave to Laci, but he couldn’t. He wasn’t the man Santiago was. Santi had taken Lacina at her lowest, carefully and lovingly built her up, adorned her in love and affection, given his all to her; Frankie had nothing to give. Best he could do was make sure they were taken care of. 

 After Santi had gone back for the money in the canyon, he split it with all of them, making them all set for life. Despite the cost of raising a child and his addiction, Frankie still had a shit tone of money; him and Benny didn’t have as much as Santi and Will, who were more responsible, but enough he’d never have to work again. But he did. They all did. Something to take their minds off things. Benny still fought MMA and Will still did his talks. Santi had missions that he often recruited the others for, although he stopped that since the day Laci came into his life. Frankie worked with Pope back when he used to contract, but for almost a year now, there had been nothing, leaving him with nothing to do when Rosa was gone but see the guys, or get high. Recently, he had taken a basic engineering job, Monday through Friday, 9-5, simply for the structure and honestly? He liked it. He liked knowing when he’d wake up and when he’d go to bed, still seeing the guys frequently, and being able to have Rosie when Jana worked evenings and over nights.

Jana refused ‘charity’ as she called it. Since leaving, she wouldn’t let Frankie pay for anything of hers that didn’t involve Rosa; so Frankie paid for everything to do with her. Frankie paid for daycare, their home security, and sent her money every month for food, pullups, clothes, and fun. Jana even acquiesced to letting him buy her a car when her piece of shit broke down on the side of the road again; a simple Buick, just something safe. As he stood in the shower, nearly numb to the scalding water, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to cry, just a bit. He had everything in his hands, a beautiful girlfriend he was ready to propose to, his perfect little baby, the best friends a guy could ask for, and he threw it away for addiction. Jana and him had been on the rocks before Columbia, but that trip had put a gap between them that was irreparable. She didn’t leave right away; she was worried about him, but she didn’t stay long, especially as his using got worse. She refused to raise their daughter in that, and she was right to leave. Frankie had often wondered how things would have gone if he had simply gotten clean when Jana did. Frankie wouldn’t have been desperate for the money, he wouldn’t have gone on that godforsaken mission, and Santi wouldn’t have been able to do that stupid fucking heist without a pilot. With no mission, Tom would still be alive.

“Francisco?” Jana’s voice broke him out of his thoughts, and he realized despite not dipping his head under the water, his face was soaked. “You okay in there?”

He wanted to ask her to come in, he wanted to hold her… but he couldn’t. Asking for help was hard, but letting her see how broken he really is was even harder. “Yeah, just warming up.” he lied. He wanted her there, but also wanted her far, far away from him, away from his own personal disaster. “Okay, I’m making breakfast, it’ll be ready for you whenever you’re out.” It sounded so damn casual. What he would give to have this every day, to wake up to her hair in his face every morning… but she deserved better. Flashes of last night blurred in his head as he stepped out of the shower: Jana’s panicked voice, the vague sound of Will trying to keep his cool, blood coating the dark skin of her hands, the thick, pungent smell of puke in the air… he looked around the bathroom, it was squeaky clean. She must’ve cleaned. That woman was a fucking saint. That was why they couldn’t be together. She deserved more, she deserved better, so did Santi, Will, and Benjamin, so did Rose. He wished he could simply stop existing, stop being, erase his existence without erasing her, somehow. He wished it had been him, not Tom, with a bullet through his fucking brain. He’d kill himself if he didn’t think it would cause everyone more pain, but he knew that would make matters worse, and Benny would probably drink himself to death, if he doesn’t already. Best he could do is try to be as little of a problem as possible.

He stepped into the illuminated kitchen, seeing Jana feeding Rosie in her high chair, and despite his misery, the world looked just a little bit better with them in the room. “Hey honey” She smiled at him as she spooned some apple sauce into Rosie’s mouth and he felt warm inside again. “Is it okay if I shower?” “Of course, are you washing your hair?” He asked with a mouthful of the omelet she cooked up.

Jana laughed, walking to the hall to get the towels out of the dryer. “No offense Francisco, but I’m not washing my hair with your white boy 3-1, I’ll have to use so much coconut to come back from that.” she called out to him, her jovial voice ringing down the hallway. “Do you happen to have anything I can tie my hair back with?” “I think Laci left a hair tie the other night, but… I actually have your shower bonnet in the closet… with the rest of your hair stuff…” His voice trailed off as he continued feeding his babbling little girl. Her voice slowly got louder as he came back around, arms holding the laundry basket. “What?”

Avoiding her gaze, he continued. “When you left you… didn’t take some of your stuff. By the time I noticed, I figured you bought new shit so I just… kept it, just in case.” He didn’t tell her he spent the better part of that first year hoping she’d come back. “I also have a silk pillowcase, you know, if you ever need it again.” “I brought my pillowcase when I left...” She said as she sat down the basket. He still wouldn’t look at her. “Yeah I… bought one. Didn’t want to mess up your hair if you ever got stuck here for one reason or another. Plus, Rosie will need one when she’s a little older anyway” Their daughter had gotten her hair from her maternal grandfathers side, 4A curl type, as he had learned from his online research on how to care for her hair. 

He heard Jana walk across the floor, her soft hands on his. “You’re a good man, Francisco.” He couldn’t help smile into her touch, but deflected the conversation before it could go any further. “Her hair is getting longer. I want to start styling her hair, I’m just not sure how.” Jana recognized right away how he shifted attention to Rosie instead of himself. “You were getting pretty good at braiding my hair, back in the day.” “I might be a little out of practice.” Jana knew Frankie was worried about having a biracial daughter. He barely managed his own soft curls, tucking them away under his hat most days. He wanted to be able to properly care for her hair, and was not afraid of being corrected. “How about I wash my hair today, and you can braid it, and we’ll see where you're at.” Smiling softly at her, he finally met Jana’s eyes. “That would be nice” When Santi let himself and Laci into Frankie’s house, he expected Jana and Rose to be there. What he did not expect was for Jana to be sat on the floor between Frankie’s knees braiding her hair and massaging oil into it while the pair of them and their toddler watched Bluey. With a glance to Laci, he knew automatically she was thinking the same thing he was. The pair had been spending a lot of time together the last few months. Laci kept hoping they’d get back together, telling him how fun it would be, how they could be couple friends, all the grand plans she had for the next 50 years. Santi couldn’t lie; he had hoped they’d patch things up too, but as he told Laci before, Frankie didn’t think he deserved her. He felt Laci squeeze his hand. She was nervous. She was scared for Frankie, having heard minimal details of what happened last night but she cared deeply for him and it hurt her when people she loved hurt. Santi had to remind her not to overwhelm him, and she was buzzing with a nervous energy as she held back her desire to run over to him and shower her with hugs. “Hey guys” Fish called from the couch, beckoning them over. He saw Laci and her desperate attempts to stay calm. Putting a hair tie as he finished the second of the double dutch braids, he patted on the couch next to him. “C’mon, I know you wanna” Laci nearly tackled him in the hug. Despite her skinny arms, she held onto him tightly, but careful not to touch either wrist. He wore a flannel to cover the bandages, and she didn’t know which side was hurt. “I love you so much Frankie, I’m so glad you’re okay.”

He gave an awkward hug back. “I love you too, manita. Can I finish Jana’s hair?” Laci promptly slid down the couch and onto the floor to greet Jana, and started talking about the stores she wanted to go to. Santi sat behind her, rubbing her shoulders. “Would you like me to do yours too, munequita?” The girl beamed up at him. “Yes please”

Santi’s braids… left something to be desired, so they opted to just put two pigtails to the top half of her short blonde hair at the top of her head as Frankie laid Jana’s baby hairs down. “Voila!” Santi motioned as they finished. “Don’t our girls look beautiful?” Frankie winced at Santi calling Jana his girl, but he couldn’t really blame the man; they spent so much time together, the four of them, it was hard to not see them as a couple.

Jana took Laci’s hand. “Yes we do!” And Frankie couldn’t help the breath that hitched in him at the idea of Jana being okay being called his again…. Laci got Rosie ready to go to the store with them to allow Frankie and Santi privacy. She gave Frankie a kiss on his head from where he sat on the couch, and ruffled Santi’s curls. “Adios, Santito” “You’re only half an inch taller than me, Jana” He grumbled. She leaned over to him on his other side. “Sé gentil” Laci gave him a smooch before she quite literally skipped out the doorway. When the door closed, Frankie turned to Santi “Your girl just skipped.” He teased. Despite his nerves surrounding the reason he was here, Santiago beamed and blushed like a smitten teenager. “Yeah, she’s something else.” There was a pause before Frankie spoke. “I didn’t try to kill myself, Santi” “Then what the hell happened” Santi breathed out, exasperated. Frankie slumped down on the couch, pouting. “I don't know how to explain it, hermano. I was having cravings, I had some drinks to curb it, then I just felt… I don’t know, like I didn’t exist or something” “What are you talking about?” “I just told you I didn’t know how to explain it. Don’t ever just wanna… feel something?” A soft chuckle. “Sometimes I feel I have the opposite problem” Frankie returned the laugh. “I know you do, lover boy” “Not just with her, I mean, in general. It’s been better the last half a year, I think Benny can agree I’ve yelled at him less” “Well, except when we went to get the Christmas tree-” “He almost took her foot off!” Frankie raised his hands in mock defense, smiling “Si, si, yo estaba allí” Santi settled, dropping it. “I just mean, I think we can all agree I run a little hot.” “Yeah.” “I’m not going to ask to see the cuts… but how bad was it?” “Will didn’t spill all the gory details?” Frankie joked. “No, you know him, he doesn’t generally want to get involved in things more than he has to. Not one for gossip.” Frankie nods. “Few on my legs weren’t bad enough to need anything, wrists needed stitches.” “Dios Mio, ¿Qué está pasando contigo?” Pope exclaimed, his anxiety for his friend going through the roof. “How am I not supposed to take this as a suicide attempt?” He sounded exasperated, but the pain in his eyes as he turned to Frankie was clear. “You’re not very good at this” Frankie attempted to dissipate the tension with a joke. Santi wasn’t thrilled. He took Frankie’s face in his hands, a similar soft touch Frankie had seen Santiago give Laci. “I’m trying, man. I know I’m not good at this, but I’m trying here.” Closing his eyes and allowing the familiar touch “I know, you’ve gotten better since Laci came around” “Yeah” Santi practically whispered. Frankie didn’t have to open his eyes to picture the dreamy expression on his face. “She brings out the best in me.” “Yeah. She really does.” There was a pause as they both settled back into their seats before Santi talked again. “So you called Jana?” “Don’t get jealous”

“I’m not! I’m just saying-” “Don’t” “She’s been around a lot lately-” “Santi, stop.” He couldn’t have this talk, he didn’t want anyone trying to talk him into it. She deserved better. “I think she’d like to get back-” “Stop” Jana deserved better, Rosie deserved better, Santi deserved better. “Laci thinks that-” Laci, Will, Benny, they all deserved better than him. The urge to push everyone away bubbled up. “Laci needs to mind her damn business.”

“Hey.” Santiago turned him, his face suddenly that deadly calm that came before he absolutely rocked someone's shit. “Watch it.” Frankie wanted to apologize, but he also wanted Santi out of his house and out of his life, he wanted Santi so mad at him that his death wouldn’t phase him. One less person to worry about should he overdose or finally put himself out of his misery. He didn’t look at Pope. He didn’t back down. “Look at me, Francisco” Fish turned to him, face deadset into a glare. “I’ll letting that go because you’re going through something, but you leave her out of whatever the fuck is going on with you, got it?”

He could practically feel the crease in his furrowed brow. Push him away, push him out of your life, he’ll take the girl and Millers with him. “We get it, you’re pussy whipped, you don’t need to make a big show of your masculinity just because she’s the first girl small enough to make you feel tall and your dick feel big-” Even if this doesn't alienate the others, all it would take was picking a fight with Benny. Will would automatically get in the middle of it, and Laci, who spent most of her time away from Santi hanging out with Benny, would put herself between Benny and anyone who'd insult him, which has even included Santi on occasion. “What is going on with you?” Santi couldn’t fathom what would make Frankie suddenly turn on him like this. Keep going, keep talking about her and he’ll deck you, and walk out of your life. He could forgive a lot of things, but not transgressions against her. “You don’t have to act all protective, pendejo, it’s not like she can leave you anyway, but that’s probably why you brought her in-” He didn’t know where the hell these words were coming from, they certainly weren’t things he’d ever thought before. He loved Santigo as a brother, and Laci as his little sister, but that's why he needed them to go. He was a downward spiral, a grenade, and he couldn’t take them with him when he exploded. “Last fucking warning, Fish” The dark look in Santi’s eyes told him he’d switched from Santiago, domestic and in sappy love, to Pope, a soldier trained to kill, who’d taken out men who’d hurt his girl before, and would do it again. He was playing with fire. He just needed one more push, hit him in his weak spot, not his knees, but his jealous streak. “You knew she’d be completely dependent on you, so she’d never leave. If she could, she’d probably leave you, wouldn’t she? She’d probably be with Ben right now, hell, she’s probably fucking him when they-” Within a blink, Frankie felt himself being pulled up by the strong hand that was fisted in his shirt. Despite the panic that had bubbled in his chest knowing what Santi was capable of, Frankie couldn’t bring himself to punch or hit Santi. 

“I know what you’re doing, you’re trying to push me away. Well it’s not going to work, asshole. You’re stuck with me. It’s been 35 years of this, you think I don’t know you well enough by now? I get it. You’re picking on her because you know that’s the only way to get me this fucking mad.” Frankie just glared harshly at him, unwilling to back down or take back the words he said. Santi continued. “But you do not fucking talk about Laci, and you absolutely do not talk about her in the context of sex, do you understand me? Ever. Off limits.” Unable to apologize but unable to push him further, Frankie’s face remained stagnant. Santiago shoved him back down onto the couch, pointing at him. “Nice fucking try” he sat back down on the oppesit end of the couch, crossing his arms. “It worked, I’m furious at you, but I’m not leaving you, not until Jana comes back” When Jana walked in, she sensed the tension immediately as she saw them both sitting silently with stiff body language on the couch and muttered something to Laci about it not going well. Seeing Santi and Frankie clearly in distress, Laci sat down Rosie and walked over to them. “Frankie, what’s-” But before Laci could finish her sentence, Santi grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the man.

“We’re going home”

Laci looked confused and concerned. “But-” but she was being pulled away.

“C’mon, we got a baby to prep for the baby.” Santi turned to Jana, muttering about how it’s her turn.

Jana grabbed Laci’s free hand. “Can you stop pulling her around?” She said, referencing Laci.

Laci stood between them, arms spread out between her lover and her friend. “I think you’re both pulling me around right now”

Jana and Santi both dropped her hands, but Laci promptly found herself at Santi’s side. Something had upset him, and she wanted to be there for him. Santi wrapped an arm around her possessively, ushering her out the door. He looked at Frankie before leaving. “Call me when you’re ready to apologize” and nodded a goodbye at Jana, and Laci gave both a little wave as she followed Santi’s lead.

When the door shut, Jana turned to Frankie. “What did you do?”

Crossing his arms, Frankie didn’t acknowledge her. He couldn’t manage to say anything to push her away like he did Santi, but he hoped if he just ignored her, she’d leave.

Jana wasn’t as easy to play as Santi.

“Nice try, cielito. You’re stuck with me today. Whatever the fuck happened between you is something for Will to deal with, not me. Today is just you, me and Rosie, and you can pout all you want, but something tells me you won’t stand a chance when she wants to play barbies.”

She was right. Jana and Rosie stayed the day, and as much as he tried to keep them at arm's length, when Rosie toddled over to him with her dolls, he soon found himself on the floor having Barbie and Ken make-out while making kissing noises. “Oooohhh Ken you’re so hot” he said in a girlie voice.

When Jana and Rose left that evening, Frankie's goodbye was lingering. He wanted to push them away, but that was nearly impossible, he couldn't hurt Jana the way he had Santi, so as he closed the door behind her, he resolved to do his best to keep them out.

***************************************

THANKS FOR READING!!!! My boy is going through it :(

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@milkymoon2483 @trinkets01 @welcometostayingawake @luciannadraven33

[romanarose]

Take Your Time Masterlist

Beautiful moodboard by my dearest @welcometostayingawake thank you for always supporting this universe <3

Frankie Morales x Fem!OC (Jana Fernandez) Summary: 6 months into sobriety, Frankie is still struggling, and understandably so. After a near-relapse, he calls Jana, his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his daughter for help when he hurts himself. Ridden with guilt, Frankie tries to push everyone away by picking fights and not answering calls, convinced he is a grenade doomed to hurt anyone in his proximity. Can Jana work with the guys to get through to him? Can Jana convince him he in worthy of her love, and the unconditional adoration of their daughter?

General Warnings for whole fic, heed individual chapter warnings: Addiction, self-harm, self-hatred, drinking, smut

Unknown number of chapters at this point but:

Chapter 1: Francisco calls Jana late one night, trying not to relapse. She comes to him, finding him in a deeper emergency than she anticipated.

Chapter 2: The next day, Jana and Frankie deal with the fall out of the night before, and Frankie begins spiraling.

Chapter 3: Frankie gives up, but those around him don’t.

Chapter 4: Frankie talks to Rosie, apologizing for not being the dad he wanted to be; flashbacks to Frankie leaving for Colombia.

Chapter 5: All flashbacks to periods of time in Frankie and Jana’s relationship; meeting, Frankie’s relationship with Jana’s family, and finding out they were having a baby.

Chapter 6: Jana and Frankie decide the time is right.

Bonus Chapter: Learning to let go

Chapter 7: Frankie feels insecure, but Jana is always there for him. Laci and Santi take a big step

Takes place after Leather and Lace, but not at all necessary to read before this one.

Spotify playlist

OC'S

Jana Fernandez: Frankie's "lady" he referred to in the movie. Jana and Frankie met in the Army during Jana's brief stint to pay for college, where Santiago introduced them. Jana comes from a loving family, and doesn't take shit; including from Santi. Her and Frankie fell into addiction, but Jana got sober shortly before becoming pregnant with her and Frankie's baby, Rosie. Jana is someone who will always call others out on their behavior (often Santi) but is a powerful ally to have, and a loyal friend. This is shown by the fact despite breaking up, Jana has always remained on Frankie's side. Jana has thick, curly hair, medium dark skin, and is, in Santiago's words ''only half an inch taller" than him, hence her calling him ''Santito". Frankie absolutely has had to measure them. Multiple times.

Fatima Rosa-Maria Morales Fernandez (Rosie, Rose, Rosa): Named after Santi's sister, a surrogate mother to Frankie, who died of an overdose, Rosie is the 2-year-old child of Frankie and Jana. She's starting to talk, her favorite words are mama and daddy (and shit, but that's Uncle Benny's fault). Rosie adores her aunts and uncles, and is damn near spoiled by her godfather, Santi, and both Miller brothers. Santi's girlfriend, Laci, often watches Rosie if Jana and Frankie are both busy, and the two bonded immediately when Laci came into the guy's lives. Rosie's hair takes very much after her maternal grandfather and is very thick and dark. She is a giggly and happy baby, and the light of her mother and father's eyes. Frankie wants, more than anything, to protect his Rosa from himself and his past.

Lacina Dumas (Laci): Santiago's girlfriend, who he is absolutely head over heals in love with. The pair are a frequent source of groans from the guys, being disgustingly in love. She is besties with Benny Miller, but has become friends with Jana, and is part of the reason Jana has been seeing more of Frankie these days. Laci comes from a very traumatic background, which you can read about (as well as her and Santi's journey of love) in Leather and Lace, which is why Santi is so protective of her. Laci is emotionally fragile, and prone to not talking, or having non-verbal episodes if her anxiety is high enough. Outside of where she volunteers, she needs to have someone who trusts with her out in public. She had medium, straight, blonde hair, and is very petite and short. Laci is a gentle soul. She has battled addiction in her previous life, so she's been a support to Frankie during this time.

Alice McCartney: Benny's girlfriend, introduced in chapter 6. Alice had long, wavy, sandy brown hair, and struggles to fit into the group's dynamic, as well as understanding everyone. Alice is suspicious of Laci, and makes a bad first impression on Jana, making things difficult from the get-go. Alice is curious and has no filter, saying what she thinks and asking the many questions she has.

Any and all art, collages, anything like that that any of you make will go here, as if anyone write's stories within this universe!

Hope you all enjoy!!

[romanarose]

Take Your Time: Chapter 6

Frankie "Catfish" Morales x Fem!OC (Jana Fernandez)

Take Your Time Masterlist

Summary: Beginning with a flashback to when they first hooked up, after meeting with Benny's new girlfriend, Jana and Frankie decide that it's time.

Warnings: Ableist comments, racist comments, (it does not go well with Benny's new girlfriend lol), past bullying, Benny Miller's high school experience (this is always a fucking warning), SMUT PIV sex, fingering, orgasm denial, sloppy blowjob, squirting

****************

“Just once, to get it out of our systems” Jana insisted in a tangle of limbs as she fell to the bed.

“Uh huh” Frankie was too busy pressing hot, wet kisses into her neck.

“This can’t become a regular thing, Frankie”

“Sure, sure” He tugged her braids back gently to open her throat for more access.

“I’m gettin out in a few months, and I’m not sticking around Georgia, for godsake.”

Frankie pushed her tank top over her. “Yep”

“And I’m not moving to Kansas for a man I met this week, Francisco” She reached for the buckle of his jeans, but he swatted her hands away.

“Yeah, I heard you yesterday” he slide off his own pants, lowering his mouth to the swell of her breasts above her sports bra.

“I’m going to college, Frankie. I’m not going to have time for a boyfriend” Jana sat up, reaching behind herself to undo her bra, but Frankie pushed her back down, undoing it with one hand.

“So you’ve said, a few times.”

“I can’t be distracted by sex”

“That’s what you told me three days ago, and yet you’re the one dragging me into Santi’s room.” Frankie’s mouth lowered to take each one of her peaks in his mouth, devouring her sweet skin.

“Because I need to get you out of my system! One and done”

“Yup, In n Out. Cum and Go. I heard you”

“Really, because you’re touching me like you want me to come back, and my pants aren’t even off yet.” She reached to slide her sweats off, but before she could blink, her hip was pinned to the shitty lumpy mattress, both of her hands were gathered in one above her head, and Frankie’s large, brown eyes inches away from her. They held an intensity, and inquisitiveness to figure her out, but at the same time, like he already knew her. She wasn’t a guarded person by any means; she was bluntly honest, she said what she meant and did what she said, but Frankie saw deeper than she let on.

“You like control, don’t you?” He asked, voice low and dark as he held her tight. “You like having a plan, knowing what’s next, taking charge. And you’re good at it, I’ve seen it. No one can stand her own against Santiago and those guys like you.” His tone had a slight tease to it as he cocked his head to the side. “Do you tend to take the lead during sex?”

Jana had never felt the need or desire to submit to any man. Her parents had instilled a confidence in her at an early age not to put up with bullshit… but this was not bullshit. This was Frankie.

She looked up at him, wide eyes. “Generally, yeah”

“Hm” He nodded, like he expected her to say that, his left hand releasing pressure from her hips and sliding under her sweats and underwear. “Now, I wonder, is that because you like it, or…” Two rough fingers felt all around her, wet center, and quickly found her clit without a second thought, a rarity to Jana considering the men her age. She felt her body jolt with pleasure at his skill, heat warming her skin. “Or is it because those boys don’t know how to take care of a woman?”

Jana, known for her smart mouth, was quickly losing her words as he expertly circled her sensitive bud, his mouth taking hers in an all-consuming kiss, biting her lip and pulling it back.

He continued, kissing her, his breath hot against her ear. “I wanna ruin you, Jana. I want make it so that every selfish lover in the military, every boy you fuck in college, and every hook up from now on, you think of me, you think of my mouth,  my hands, and my cock. Can I do that? Can I take care of you, mamacita?”

“Yes, yes Francisco, please” Jana panted, squirming at his touch picking up pace, fuck he hadn’t even tasted her yet, none the less fucked her and she was already a mess, far most vulnerable than she had been with others. Frankie was far from the first person to see her naked; this was a different vulnerability.

“Then I need you to give in to me. Let go. I’ll take care of everything.” A deep, loving kiss on the mouth that blew kisses she had with actual boyfriends out of the water. “I’ll take care of you.”

She took a deep breath in. “Okay” Jana breathed out, sinking into the mattress as Frankie slipped two fingers inside her, a salacious moan escaped her mouth as she did as she was told. She let go, she gave in to Fransico Morales, a man she had only met this week and trusted with everything, and knew that this could never be a one time thing.

“Be out in a sec, Pope” Frankie called to Santi and Laci from his room where he was changing Rosie and Jana was putting laundry away. Hearing the footsteps walk to the room he was in, Santi knocked, and Frankie called him in.

“Hey man” Santi said, walking in. “Heya Jana” He had a distinctly worried look on his face.

“Hey, whats up?” Frankie asked, sliding a fresh pull up on Rosie and beginning to dress her. 

Jana turned to the boys “Do you want me to step out, Santi?” 

“No, wanted to talk to you both real quick while Laci’s cooking” Santi stuffed his hands in his pockets. “She’s really nervous about tonight going well… she’s not talking”

When Laci first came into their lives, she didn’t talk hardly at all, and even as she adjusted, she was prone to non-verbal episodes if things got very stressful. However, this hadn’t happened in a long time, Laci having made a lot of progress with therapy and always having Santi, Benny or Jana by her side, so this was a little unusual.

Frankie held Rosies hands as he jumped on her changing table. “Damn, how long’s it been since that happened?”

“Couple months, at least. I think the last time was when the car in our neighborhood backfired and it sounded like a gun. I can’t even remember the last time she went quiet just from nerves.” He turned back to glance at her through the door where she was prepping food for the dinner party. Frankie wanted to host, as usual, the whole gathering was his idea, but Laci loved to cook (and was good at it).

“Must be a pretty big deal”  Frankie commented. He nodded Santi over to Rosie’s dresser. “Wanna pick out her outfit?”

Santi smiled at this, going over and sifting through his niece's clothes and pulling out a pink dress and blue pants. Santi knew nothing about matching clothes, but Frankie indulged him.

Frankie helped Rosie get dressed. “One leg up, good job! Next leg, good job! Aaaaarrrmmms up!” He slide the dress over her and tickled her belly before scooping her up and setting her down. 

Rosie toddled right or to her uncle. “Tio!!!”

Santi lit up as he picked her up. “Good job mija!” He peaked out the door to Laci “Munequita! She just said tio!!! She knows my name!” He grinned, and Laci beamed back, bouncing excitedly. She signed ‘I love you’ and blew them a kiss. Santi signed back to her and walked back into Rosie’s room, his smile flattering as he turned to Jana. “She wasn’t this nervous about meeting you. She was quiet, but not non verbal… she even had a bit of a scare that day.”

Jana shrugged. “It’s different with Ben.”

Tonight's occasion was meeting Benny’s new girlfriend. They had been, from what Santi understood, talking for a while, about a year, but kept putting off dating or briefly getting together and breaking up for one reason or another. As far as Will knew, however, it was new. Santi was sure that would end terribly, Will was a control freak, especially over his little brother. It came from a good place, but Benny still tried to hide things.

“But why?”

“Because Benny has a girlfriend now, and if you’re a girl, sometimes your boyfriend having girl friends can be a concern. I know damn well you were jealous of Benny.”

She had him there. “Yeah, but we weren’t together back then, I know her and Ben are just friends, and she’d never do something like that.”

“But,” Frankie jumped in. “That’s because you know and trust her and Benny. Laci wants this to go well because Benny is her best friend, and she doesn’t want to lose him. If the girlfriend likes her, nothing has to change. Except maybe when they sleep together on the pull out couch watching horror movies.”

Santi laughed a bit. He knew it was a bit unusual to walk out of your room to find your girlfriend asleep with another man, but she and Ben were innocent. “Well, nothing should change. Laci should be able to keep her best friend even if she doesn’t like her.” Santi bristled a bit. “Besides, Ben’s bisexual. If she has a problem with him being alone with Lace, she should have a problem with him being alone with us.”

Jana couldn’t help but agree. “I know that and you know that, but we live in central Florida. Not the most progressive state. We only make national news for Ron DeSantis and ‘The Florida Man’”

Holding up his hands, Frankie settled them. “Okay guys, you are putting a lot of assumptions on a girl we know nothing about. I know it always throws us off when someone know is introduced into this group of strangely close weirdos, but lets give her the benefit of the doubt. Besides, it’s Laci. Who doesn’t like Laci?”

At that, Santi’s face split into a proud smile, his lip curling just a little bit. “Yeah, she’s perfect, huh?”

“Go, lover boy, and take the munchkin. We’re gonna be straightening Jana’s hair.”

Frankie tided up and sanitized the changing station, then went to his room with Jana and her hair products. Nothing official had happened, she hadn’t stayed the night yet and they hadn’t kissed. Patience, they had said. Something they had never had much of.

Laci was finishing up her meal with Santi close by, damn near hovering over his silent girlfriend as Will talked, mostly to himself while Jana and Frankie finished getting themselves and Rosie ready.

“I don’t know why this has to be all secret, what’s he hiding?” Will grumbled.

No one replied, Santi too busy following Laci like a lost puppy, ‘Here baby, let me get that for you, I can cut that, let me set the table, do you need anything to drink, amor?’

“Oh jesus christ Santi, she’s not five” Will snapped.

An irritated Santi snapped back. “And neither is Ben, he doesn’t need to tell you everything” 

Equally irritated, Will continues escalating. “And Laci can cut a goddamn red pepper without you holding her hand.”

Laci turned around and waved her hands at both of them, then signed. ‘Both of you, stop’

They both muttered sorry, and Laci signed that it was okay, instructing Santi to set the table and Will to mix the lemonade, until they heard the door open.

Benny walked in, blonde hair grown out longer and shaggy, wearing a dark gray t-shirt fitted nicely to his toned body and grinning while he held the hand of his new girlfriend. She had very long, sandy brown hair that reached to her waist and softly curled, freckled skin and green eyes. Compared to Benny, she looked short, but she was 5’5; average. Santi noticed Will tense up; Will realized why Benny was secretive.

“Oh, hey Alice” Will said, a little lacking in excitement to meet his precious brother's first partner in years. “Been a long time.”

Santi looked back and forth between them; he didn’t recognize the girl, so she couldn’t have been anyone from their circles since they had all followed the Millers to the small town. “You know each other?”

“Yeah. She was in my grade.”

“Ah, I see” Santi realized Will must know some backstory he wasn’t privy too. Yet.

Benny looked nervous but moved to introductions. “Well you know Will, so Alice, this is Santiago Garcia,” Santi moved around the table to extend his hand to Benny’s girlfriend. “Santiago, this is Alice Mcartney”

Santi smiled, wanting to ease the tension between the brothers for Laci and Benny’s sake. Will had gone quiet in a way he didn’t do much. Will was a gentle spirit at heart, and sometimes could be hard to read when pushing his feelings down. Santi shook her hand. “You can call me Santi, and this,” Santi motioned over a nervous Laci, “is Miss Lacina Dumas” He gave her a soft kiss on her forehead, on the scar she hated so much.  “My beautiful girlfriend.”

Laci shook her hand, the signed, looking towards Santi to communicate. 

Santi watched her, then turned to Alice, “she says it’s nice to meet you, and she hopes you can be friends.”

Alice looked confused, looking to Ben. “Is she deaf?”

Santi didn’t like how she talked about Laci like she wasn’t right in front of her, and he looked to Benny as well as Will chimed in. “You didn’t explain anything to her?”

Benny looked guilty. “I’m sorry! She hasn’t needed to sign for a while, I didn’t think about it!”

“I texted you about it”

“I didn’t see! Laci, I’m sorry” Ben looked genuinely guilty, and Santi wondered where the fuck Frankie was with his ability to keep the boys at bay.

“Okay, okay.” Santi stepped in, noting how Will’s defensive and irritated tone was close to how he acted around Laci the first week she entered their lives. “Alice, Laci isn’t deaf, but sometimes when she’s nervous, she can’t talk, or talks less.”

“She autistic?”

Will groaned. “Jesus Alice, you havn’t changed at all since high school”

“Will, come on” Benny spoke, but he went unnoticed.

Alice glared at him. “I’m not the one that piqued in high school, Miller.”

“Guys!” Instinctively, Santi moved his tense and obviously flustered girlfriend away from Alice and Will’s argument. “No, she’s not autistic” Santi’s arm was tight around the tiny blonde girl. “Non-verbal moments are just a part of our life, so she and I learned some sign language to communicate. Can we just start over? We got a nice meal planned.”

Alice sighed, but smile kindly at Laci, and Santi thought maybe she just has a tendency to put her foot in her mouth. “Right, sorry Laci. Ben’s told me a lot about you, and everyone else, and I’m really excited to meet you all. He said you’re a really good cook.”

Laci beamed at that, and smiled at Benny, who took her hand. “C’mon honey, show me what you made.”

Santi glanced at Will, and the look Will gave told Santi he’d be filled in later.

Just then, little Rosie came running in, making grabby hands at her uncle Benny until he happily picked her up “Shit! Shit!” she shouted, and Benny quickly tried to silence her.

Jana walked in, hair straightened today and in a olive green jumper that complimented her cololoring, and accentuated her hips. “Benjamin, are you teaching my daughter swear words?”

“No!” He defended himself, turning to Laci who was glaring at him with crossed arms. Laci had a rule about swearing around Rosie that she was far more strict about than Rosie’s actual parents. “It wasn’t me!”

Jana didn’t believe him for a second, but turned and smiled at Alice. “Hi, I’m Jana, you must be Benny’s girlfriend?”

Alice smiled, shaking her hand. “Yeah, I’m Alice, it’s nice to meet you. Is Rosie your step daughter?” Instantly, Jana felt on guard .

“Um… no, Rosa is my daughter.”

“Oh. Is her dad not in the picture then?”

“Alice-” Benny tried to step in, but Jana had her locked down. 

“No, hon, Frankie is her father”

Frankie walked out of his room, smiling broadly; sobriety and family life suited him well. “You guys talking bout me?” When he noticed the tension in the room, he wrapped an arm around Jana’s waist, resting a hand on her hip as Jana took Rosie from Ben’s arms. Frankie turned to Jana, still smiling but concerned. “What's going on, Mama?”

Jana nodded to Alice. “Alice here doesn’t think Rosie is my daughter”

“I didn’t say that!” She insisted. “I just mean- ugh, don’t make me out to be the bad guy, but if hispanic and white doesn’t make a black baby!”

Will smacked his head. “You think Frankie’s white?”

Jana almost snapped, but when she saw Laci, the poor girl who was so nervous for today she couldn’t talk. Laci wouldn’t tell her what to do or ever ask her, Frankie, or Santi to be quiet about things to do with race, but for the sake of Laci, she let it go. Jana sighed. “Okay, okay, to be fair, my hair is straightened and in winter, Frankie does lose a lot of his color, so let's start over. I’m mixed, I’m Ethiopian on my dads side, Cuban on my moms, and Frankie,” Jana introduced Frankie as he smiled softly and shook Alice’s hand. “Is Cuban”

“Rosie is our daughter.” Frankie finished.

Alice nodded, “And Jana is your…”

Frankie turned to Jana. They hadn’t really put a label on it yet. Jana had said she wanted to wait, wait until Frankie got better, until they were both ready to try again… she was with him every day this last month, practically lived with him save for over night, and she knew he was waiting on her to say she was ready again.

And she was.

“Frankie is my boyfriend” Jana said the words for the first time in two years, and was proud of it. 

“AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!” A loud squeal came from Laci as she jumped, then ran over to hug her friends and their baby. “YOU’RE BACK TOGETHER!!!” 

Frankie laughed, gladly accepting the hug as Benny, Will and Santi all came round to slap him on the back and hug him, congratulating him, and welcoming Jana back.

The rest of the dinner went pretty well, but not amazing. Now that Laci was comfortable enough to talk enough, with a bit of help from Santi here and there, Laci happily announced that the shelter she was volunteering at offered her a paid position in the childcare department. Laci had a bachelors degree in psychology, so she was a good fit for the part time position. She also said she would be taking some online classes for a few more Early Childcare Education credits, and would be getting a certificate in early childcare education, with the hopes of slow adjusting to a full time position. The shelter was very understanding of Laci’s position and needed accommodations, and were helping her do this at her pace, but she was well liked, and they wanted to keep her.

Again, nothing bad happened at diner, and Laci did get Alice to talk, but Alice didn’t seem to mesh with the group yet. Frankie figured that was pretty understandable. Jana met Santi first, and although she didn’t know Will super well in the military, they were stationed in Georgia with Santi for a few years, and so she knew him before Frankie did. By the time Jana met Benny, Benny was more nervous than anything to meet Santi, who was Will’s friend, and Jana, who was Frankie’s girlfriend by that point. When Laci came into their lives, it was under unusual circumstances to be sure. Santi, Frankie, Benny and Will had saved her from a horrible situation, the reason she had non verbal episodes. Laci had to trust Santi, there was no other choice. She trusted Ben as well, speaking to him before anyone else got a word out of her. Frankie she slowly warmed up to, but Will was the only one who caused a problem. Will had a tendency to push everything down, and when it came up, it came onto the nearest target; at the time, it was Laci. The two made up, as Will very quickly felt shitty about being a dick to a traumatized girl, and the pair were now good friends.

This is evidenced by the fact the 6’2 giant of a man with his arms wrapped around the 5’ girl, picking her up off the ground while she laughed and struggled to get out. 

“Let me go!” She giggled.

“No until I’m done!” Santi instructed Will as he loaded the dishes in the dishwasher. Laci had cooked everything, and was attempting to do the dishes as well, but Will was holding her back as Santi did them.

Jana and Frankie, although hosting, were happy to let the couple argue about who gets to do the dishes, so they didn’t have to worry about it for once. Benny and Alice had left, and after the dishes were done, Santi turned to Will. “You gonna tell me what that was about?”

“What was what about?” Frankie asked, fidgeting with his flannel sleeve covering his wrist scars. It was beginning to get warm, and he was going to have to rethink his clothing and how to cover up the two deep scars on his inner wrist.

Santi explained the scene that happened before Frankie finished straightening Jana’s hair.

“I don’t like her” Jana stated the obvious.

“Oh come on.” Laci, ever the optimist, defended her best friend's girlfriend. “She just doesn’t have a filter”

Santi didn’t take kindly to people being rude to his girl. “Sweetheart, she asked if you were autistic.”

“There's nothing wrong with being autistic, Santiago.”

“I know! But she talked about you like you weren’t there, and she shouldn’t just ask if you’re autistic in the first minute meeting you”

Laci couldn’t help assuming the best. Laci was scared and distrusting of the world around her, but she trusted her friends, and she trusted their judgment. If Benny loved her, she’d see the best. “Maybe she was just asking so she’d know how to better accommodate me if I was?”

Will stepped in at that. “She wasn’t”

Everyone turned to where Will stood, leaned against the stove with his arms crossed.

“Yeah, I can't help but agree with Santito, and I don’t say that a lot” Jana said, shooting a smile at Santi, who smiled back.

Will continued. “Alice used to bully Ben.”

Lacina was suddenly less forgiving to Alice. “What? What would anyone possibly bully Benny for?”

Will couldn’t help the small smile on his face, despite his irritation and concern. Laci was fiercely defensive of Benny. “Freshmen and sophomore year, Ben was pretty short, super gawky, just kinda awkward. Middle school was pretty bad, especially after I went to high school, but Alice was in my class. She was a real fucking bitch to him, calling him stupid, calling him fat, gay, all that. This was before he came out, years before, back when you still got beat up for being gay real regularly where we lived. I tried to protect him…” Will’s face shifted, his smile from before long gone. “He wouldn’t really tell me what was going on. Ben shot up in height his junior year, went from wrestling to football, and got really damn strong, everyone backed off, except Alice. She was still incredibly mean to him, because she knew he wouldn’t hit her the way he hit back the guys. She got held back so after I graduated and joined the army, Ben was left to deal with it alone…” Will looked guilty, and Frankie knew Will had guilt for leaving Ben during that time. “Senior year he got a pretty devisting… um, I guess you can call it a break up…”

“Ben said he didn’t date in high school” Laci questioned.

“He didn’t really. I shouldn’t really go into it, it’s not my business… but his name was Cameron, if you can guess how that might have complicated things in 2002.”

Frankie had heard vague references to Cameron here and there, mostly in the context of Benny saying the name to Will but Benny’s secrecy behind it and obvious discomfort made it obvious that no one should pry. Benny never elaborated, and everyone left it alone.

Will continued. “Alice was held back a year, so she had a few classes with him that year, which made things much worse, she ever let up on him. That was when he started doing drugs and drinking heavily. He didn’t tell me what was going on until I was visiting for Christmas and his drunk rambling got it out. I don’t know why he’s dating her”

Frankie crossed him arms, concerned for his friend. Benny was an incredibly kind and loyal friend, but had an inability to make good choices for himself. That’s what Will was for. “Honestly. He could just just about anyone in town, and he had to choice the girl who made his life hell?”

“Can you talk to him about it?” Jana asked.

Will laughed a bit. “Oh yeah, I’ll be talking to him about it.”

“Be nice” Laci begged him.

“Being nice is your thing. Sometimes he needs a little tough love.”

Laci and Will helped clean up the rest of the dining room and kitchen before Will headed out, Frankie noted the tension in Will’s body when Will hugged him. Frankie knew how much Will worried for his baby brother constantly.

Santi said goodbye, hugging Jana and welcoming her back. Santi told Laci he’d be outside the door, and Laci pull Frankie aside to the living room. “I got you something” Laci reached into her purse.

“For me?” Frankie loved giving gifts, but never expressed wishing he got more; Laci also loved giving gifts, making the a perfect friendship pair.

“Here” Laci pulled out a thick leather bracelet, motioning for his hand and speaking quietly. “I want you to know you absolutely have nothing to be ashamed of with the scars, and if you want to stop covering them,I support you… but I also know it’s hard. I still cover the one on my forehead.” Laci tucked one of the long bangs behind her large ears, showing the scar that cut deep into her hair that she always tried to hide. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be comfortable showing it.” She put on the bracelet for Frankie, small hands adjusting it to his large wrists. “I thought with summer coming, this would be better than long-“ Laci was interrupted by a tight hug, the nearly foot difference and difference in size between the two manifested in an all consuming hug, his broad body nearly covering her completely. 

“Thank you, manita, I love you.” And he meant it.

Jana watched from the other room, smiling, loving how her boyfriend and her friend connected. He loved them all, they all had a special place in his heart and different ways they helped. From Will’s no-nonsense, to Santi’s intense love, to Benny’s contagious joy, but Laci seemed to understand him in a special sense. Ben and Jana both had addictions, but Frankie and Laci were more alike than they initially thought. They were both incredibly loving, and were more social than Frankie might admit. Neither were the most talkative, but Jana thought both’s love languages was quality time and gift giving. Both had been so lonely, and in finding this found family, found a home in their community. Their connection required little talking; simply an understanding.

After Laci left, Santi waiting outside right by the door with a smile to hold her hand, Frankie walked up behind Jana and wrapped his arms around her. “Did you mean what you said? We’re back together?” He asked, nuzzling his face in her hair. He wasn’t used to her hair being straightened, he was used to the curls tickling his face.

She turned around, a soft smile on his face, holding him. “Yeah, baby, if that’s what you want.”

He practically melted in her arms. “I want nothing more than our family back together.” Frankie cupped Jana’s face, brown eyes sparkling with love and admiration. “Can I kiss you?”

She leaned into his touch. “Always, mi cielo, always”

And he did. After about two years apart, Franisco Morales once again kissed the love of his life. He pulled her in to dance, their lips and tongues familiarizing with each other as they swayed in the kitchen, and Jana swore she had never felt anything more right. Her beloved was in her arms again, sober, their beautiful daughter was fast asleep in her room, growing up healthy and happy, their friends had just been over… everything just felt right.

But there was something else she had been wanting, something she desperately craved the last few years, something so fucking good she would’ve gone back to Frankie during the worst of it if she wasn’t so fucking stubborn. 

“Frankie…” Jana moaned as Fransisco kissed her neck, and she pressed her body up against him. “Want you.” then added quickly. “If you’re ready.”

“Always ready for you, mi vida, always” He mimicked her words back to her, and stopped fighting the erection in his pants. Frankie picked her up and Jana wrapped her arms and legs tightly around him as he he carried to the couch, laying her down carefully despite the desperate kisses he gave.

“Mmmmhmmm Francisco”

Frankie laid beside her, holding her close as he touched everywhere he could, teasing her.

“Do you like that, amor?”

“F-Frankie” She writhed in his grasp. He loved how he could make the most articulate woman he knew stutter on her words. “I-I needmmm” Any attempts at speaking her drowned out by the sounds of pleasure as Frankie groped her ample breasts, her ass, her stomach….

“What do you need, Jana, can you use your words?” But he gave her no such chance,unbuttoning her jumpsuit so he could suck on her nipples, marking up her breasts in dark hickies.

After a few useless attempts at talking, Jana grabbed his hand, trying to place it between her legs, but he was much stronger than her, pulling back. “Behave” He warned, but gave her what she wanted, massaging her mound over the olive  green clothes. Jana wasn't an insecure person by any means, but her body had changed since having Rosie and breastfeeding, and Frankie made sure she never had a chance to doubt his adoration for the parts of her that changed. If anything he adored more than ever her breasts that sagged, the stretch marks, the c-sections scar, all the things that brought life to their child. “Fuck, I’ve missed your body, fuck.” He growled, his hot, wet mouth latching onto Jana’s nipples, lavaciously devouring her. 

“Hm” She smiled, rolling her body into his touch. “And here I thought you liked my personality. My dad was right, men only want one things” Jana playfully chided.

For all his bravado in the bedroom, Frankie had to drop his tough act, actively cringing and he hid his face in her breasts, groaning but smiling all the same. “Babe, you cannot be mentioning your dad when I’m about to fuck you senseless.”

She laughed along. Frankie was the love of her life, and as much as she loved having sex with him, she loved having a man who could fix a car, and she loved that Rosie’s dad was back, at their core, they were friends, and she had fun with him. “Fuck me, you say??” She gasps with feigned shock, hand on her exposed chest. “SENSELESS, YOU SAY!”

Frankie cuts off her teasing with a searing kiss, and she melts right back into place, right where he likes her, the taste of his tongue bringing back memory after memory of that same tongue inside her. He made quick work of stripping her of the jumpsuit and black underwear, taking off his own shirt to at least even the playing field a little bit. Feeling the wetness between her legs growing slowly, Frankie knew better than to push it. Jana had never been one to get very wet, no matter how turned on he made her, and he learned to not take it as a personal affront, just her body doing what it does. 

“Do you remember what I said to you, the day we fucked on Santi’s bed?” Breath hot in her ear, Frankie’s hard erection pressed up against her bare thight.

“Mmmm” Jana’s tone was teasing, but she was panting and breathy, the rise and fall of her chest steady and deep. “You said quite a few things, if I remember correctly. Including but not limited to ‘If you tell Santi I’m never speaking to you again.’”

“Yeah, well, apparently that was a lie, because you did-”

“I had to, he was getting on my nerves!”

“And yet, it’s been what, 15 years later-

“You can’t be mentioning Santi during sex I’ll dry up like the Sahara”

“I’m not the one who had my tongue down his throat, mamacita” He never stopped kissing her neck.

“Oh you wish you had your tongue down his throat”

“No, that’s Ben, but nice try”

“Weren’t you going somewhere with this?”

“Oh yeah. I told you-”

“In Santi’s bed.”

“In Santi’s bed,” he groaned out, frustrated with her bratty mouth. How did he get her into subspace back in the day? He slapped her cunt, making her cry out, and he watched as her eyes glazed over, sinking into the couch as she looked at him adoringly. There it was. “Now, keep that pretty little mouth quiet for me, okay? I’ll put it to use in a moment.” He kisses her tenderly, continuing to circle her clit and play with her pussy lips, knowing not to finger her until she was ready. “I told you I wanted to ruin you, make it so that no one could ever fuck you right again.”  

When she spoke now, the lip, the bite, the attitude was gone. Nothing but love. “You did, I swear you did, not one’s ever felt like you, Francisco, no one’s ever been close.”

Smiling against her skin, Frankie turned away to not give up his rough demeanor. “Good.” His long fingers were all slicked up in her, and he growled in her ear. “Now, I want you to tell me how many men have fucked you since me.”

The tiniest glint of mischief was in her eyes, he could never make her completely submit to him, and he’d never want to make her. He loved the things that made her uniquely… Jana. “Bit heteronormative there, aren’t you, Catfish?”

“Oh!” He pretended to be embarrassed, fake apologizing. “Lo siento, hermosa, how many people have been inside you.” he emphasized the last two words by sliding two long, thick fingers inside her pussy.

“Aaahh!” Jana cried out in pleasure, back arching off the couch as he finger blasted her. 

“cuántas personas?”

She written at the aggressive penetration. “Seis! Cuatro hombres y dos mujeres!”

“Hm” was his non committal, answer, an odd contrast to the rate his fingers fucked her. He didn’t want to shame her for sleeping with other people, but he did feel possessive of his precious girlfriend.

Frankie dropped his head to her shoulder, and with it his act, just enough to check in. “Dame un color, mi preciosa chica?”

“Verde, verdeverdeverdeverde vete a la mierda!” She was getting close, always responding well to a vigorous speed after a good amount of build up, but he pulled his fingers out suddenly, making her whine.

“Shhhh, sh sh sh…” He held her shaking body, stroking her as she came down from her near-high. 

“Asshole” Jana muttered with no real spite.

Frankie gripped her chin, forcing her face to his. “That’s for mouthing off earlier. Watch your fucking attitude and I’ll see if I let you cum tonight”

They both knew damn well she’d cum tonight, he’d never, ever deny her, but when she’d cum was the question. She nodded, but that wasn’t enough for Frankie.

“Words, mama, use your words.”

Though her jaw did not have much room to move, she gritted out “Yes sir” And Frankie was satisfied, reinserting his fingers in her again.

Francisco teased Jana 3 more times before pulling his fingers out quickly, teasing her about how that was a close one while she practically sobbed. Shucking off his pants, he walked the the of the couch and with strong arms, pulled Jana’s near limp body so that her head hung back over the armrest. “A little too close last time, don’t you think?” He was still in his boxers, rubbing his clothed cock in her face as he spoke, hands on her shoulders. “Tell you what, mama, use your fingers, and if you can get yourself there while I use your mouth, you can cum, bien?”

A panting, sweating Jana replied. “Si, papi”

Taking off his boxers, he smiled at the way Jana’s mouth automatically opened up for him, she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He didn’t take long to slide his cock inside; he knew what she could take. “Fuck, fuck I’ve missed this mouth…”

She relaxed her throat and he slide down her, his cock bulging inside her as her fucked her mouth like he would he pussy latter that night. To him, he had the best view in the house. Jana’s plush lips around his cock that protruded from her wet throat, every dip and curve and pudge on her perfect body on display for while while she touched herself.

“Fuck, your fucking perfect, I fucking love you.” He mumbled before pulling himself off her.

Despite her desperately attempting to gain her breath, she still sputtered out a sloppy “Love you, Francisco”

As he shoved his cock back inside, he took that hand that wasn’t playing with herself and placed it on his thigh. She knew to squeeze twice if she needed to breathe. Every gluck, gluck, gluck from her throat spurred him on more, only stopping when she squeezed or he thought she was pushing herself too far. He loved this, he loved her, he loved her fucking mouth whether it was wrapped around his cock, showing their daughter with love, telling of some shithead or bickering with Santi, he loved to watch it go.

When he saw her stomach contracting, he figured she was close, but he wasn’t done with her yet. He had a specific goal in mind for tonight, and that required edging her into oblivion. He pulled out and as he stroked himself, Frankie dragged his balls over her pretty face, slathering the spit and make up that began running all over her face. He made a mental note to help her wash her hair tomorrow. It was only fair.

Frankie saw her fingers picking up pace, no doubt trying to cum, but he reached over and grabbed her hand sharply. “Aht, aht, aht” Teasing, he held both hands tight as he walked around, kneeling before her. “I’m not done with you yet.” As he ran his fingers up and down the length of her body, appreciating every inch given, he offered her a choice. “¿Quieres mi boca o mi polla?” He asked as he took his discarded shirt and cleaned up her face, carefully running the cloth under her eyes to clear up the make up. He loved how she looked all messy, but he knew it wasn’t a comfortable feeling and especially didn’t want anything to cause an eye infection.

“I can’t take any more teasing, Frankie” Jana pleased for him.

“Ooh, baby” Cooing, Frankie touched her face. “I’ll let you cum either way, okay? Just tell me how you want to?”

She didn’t need to even think. “Wanna cum on your cock” Nothing in the fucking world felt better than cumming on his cock. Except maybe his mouth. Or his fingers. Or when he praised her. Or when he massaged her back with those pilots fingers that knew exactly what they were doing. Winning and argument against Santi was a close second. 

“My cock it is, bebita. Are you ready for me?” He asked, for explicit consent but also for physical comfort.

“Yes! Jesus FUCKING christ just- ah!” She was cut off as he began to push into her.

“Such naughty words from such a pretty mouth”

But when Jana hissed in pain and scrambled back, Frankie froze, dropping all pretense. “What’s wrong baby? What do you need?”

“Fuck” she mumbled, just a little embaressed. “Sorry, I was wet enough, but I kinda lost it with my fingers.”

Quickly, Frankies hand cupped her face. “Don’t be sorry, mi amor.” Frankie kissed her tenderly before asking. “I have lube in my room if you want to keep going, or we-”

Jana gripped his shoulder with a force, her wide brown eyes intense. “Francisco Maximiliano Morales Gonzalez, don’t you fucking dare.”

He didn’t

 Frankie carried Jana into the bedroom, pulling out his lube and lathering her up nice and good before manhandling her to her hands and knees.

Moments later, after waiting too fucking long, Frankie was fucking the love of his life once again, her arms going weak.

“Fuck! Frankiiiieee, harder, I can take it.”

From where he knelt, he wrapped up a fistfull of her long, now-straightened hair and yanked it back, giving her perfect ass a nice slap.

“Frankie'' Jana panted. “You're holding back.”

It wasn’t that they never had a slow or medium pace before, but this was definitely not the extent of what a usual night between them entailed. No bondage, no leather whips, no handcuffs or bruising impact, all the things they loved.

Folding his body over hers. Frankie found her mouth for a kiss. “It’s been two years, I don’t wanna do something you changed your mind on.”

“I haven't changed my mind on anything, not with you.” She kissed him back lovingly.

Burying his face in her hair and relishing the familiar scent of coconut oil, he whispered. “Let me just take care of you tonight, we can discuss parameters in the morning”

She smiled at that. “Okay, Francisco.”

She was so fucking warm inside, he wanted to stay burried in her cunt forever, he wanted to fall asleep inside her, he wanted to be consumed by her essense and protected by the softness she was and the her fierce nature to keep the evil outside at bay. Safe with her, trusted, loved.

He came inside, knowing she had an implant, and when he finally allowed her to cum, a gush of liquid spurted out of her; Frankie’s end goal. She couldn’t always get fully lubricated, and that was perfectly fine with him, but sometimes if he edged her juuuussssttt enough…. He could make her squirt.

Jana felt her release rush out of her, she knew what was happening and she knew as soon as she collapsed on the the bedsheets, Frankie would drop to his stomach to lick it all up.

Each flick of his tongue, every press of his lips, every scratch of his mustache, every suck, nibble and kiss from her clit to her asscrack a he cleaned her brought a small, a final, weak orgasm out, and although Frankie be happy and content to stay with his face buried in her forever, all she had to do was wiggle slightly uncomfortably from the over stimulation, and he was out. Pulling the soiled comforter off the bed, Frankie gathered a few items. The silk pillowcase for her hair, a few clean blankets, and a warm washcloth to actually clean her with.

Cuddled up together, they did the necessary check in’s. ‘How are you feeling?’ ‘was there anything you didn’t like?’ ‘I loved when you-’ ‘you look so beautiful when-’

Words were lost on Jana. That’s what she liked about Frankie, he made the ever going buzz of her head cool down for a bit. She told him she loved him, how good he made her feel, how happy she was to be back… but that could never explain it properly. She’d talk to him tomorrow, really truly tell him how ecstatic she was, how he made her giggy like a schoolgirl again…. But for tonight…

She curled up in his strong, comforting embrace, and allowed herself to melt into the warmth that was Franscico Morales.

********************

This took ike two months to write lololololol

I got so distracted with Dark!Joel

I hope the whole thing with Jana not being able to get very wet wasn't weird bc I've had a few friends that pretty much need lube and there's nothing wrong with that. I try to strive for real elements when I can, like Sam in Sunshine having trouble orgasming on her anti-depressants.

also

squirting lololol

Comments mean the world, reblogs help a lot!!!! This series did not hit off like it'd have liked it to but such is life!

@milkymoon2483 @trinkets01 @poeedameronn @luciannadraven33 @o-sacra-virgo-laudes-tibi @itspdameronthings @ellenmunn @welcometostayingawake @miraclesabound

[romanarose]

Take Your Time: Learning to Let Go

Frankie "Catfish" Morales x Fem!OC (Jana Fernandez)

Take Your Time Masterlist

Summary: Santi and Jana learn to let go.

Warnings: Drinking, getting drunk but its funsies, one small self-deprecating comment about weight, mentions of loneliness and a brief mention of sex trafficking but only in reference to Laci's past but in general a soft chapter, lots of dialogue.

**************

Jana loved Laci, and she loved Santi. She loved them together, they made a great couple… but sometimes they were a little strange.

Jana let herself in, like they all did in each other's houses. “Hey Lac-” As Jana nearly tripped over their cat, Slenderman, she was promptly shushed by a wide eyed Laci with a finger pressed to her lips, greeted by an interesting scene. Laci was sat on the couch, one of her cute little dresses all spread out, with Santiago laying on her lap… sleeping while Laci play with his hair. He looked like a toddler taking a nap after playtime.

Laci checked to make sure he was asleep, and carefully got up, taking his head off her lap and laying him down on the couch. Motioning Jana to her room, Laci put a blanket over Santi and kissed his forehead. Closing the door behind her, Laci spoke quietly as she began to gather her things. “He had a long day” she referenced her sleeping boyfriend.

Jana’s gaze was scrupulous. “What happened?”

“He had to go to the DMV. Was so frustrated about it he tuckered himself out.”

Oh yeah. Definitely a toddler.

She could picture it now. The short ball of hot temper hated the DMV. In fact, she had witnessed Santi ranting about a trip to the DMV time or two throughout the years. Will couldn’t understand it. ‘It’s just filling out paperwork Santi.’ Jana thought Will would be perfectly happy in a simple 9-5 filing papers all day.

It was a girls night. Laci didn’t have any “going out” clothes so they were going shopping; one more dress to fill up Santi’s closet(s). It was Jana’s goal to find her something she felt comfortable in, but sexy. Santi had mentioned Laci doesn’t think she’s sexy, and Jana thought that was insane, so it was time to dress her up. Of course, Laci had a very different taste. She likes girly things, pink, flowers, lace, where Jana, who was raised on grunge and hard rock, liked dark or neutral tones. If she was at work or home, generally, she didn’t wear makeup and stuck with comfortable, practical clothing that a toddler may or may not throw up on, peed on, chuck of bowl of spaghetti on… but when she went out? When she dressed up? Tight, leather, low cut, heavy dark make-up.

Even before Rosie, Jana opted for more comfort, but in a “sweatpants, sports bra, unbuttoned flannel” sort of way, and Jana had once overheard Tom ask Frankie why he let her dress like she does. Frankie’s response was that he didn’t ‘let’ her do anything. Santi, in very Santi fashion, said ‘Besides,’ he clapped Frankie on the back. ‘Frank can fight!’ to which Frankie replied, smiling into his glass, ‘so can she.’

Laci gathered up a few things and they headed out to find Laci a dress she’d feel good in, but not before Laci left a sleeping Santi a note that she was with Jana, and a kiss.

After a successful shopping trip, they found themselves in Jana’s room getting ready, Jana doing Laci’s make-up, contouring, eyebrows, fake lashes, all that. Santi had woken up and come over, him and Frankie were having a few drinks and watching Rosa in the living room while the girls got ready.

“Really?” Jana said and she painted on Laci’s blush. ”Whipped cream?”

Laci giggled. “Yeah, it was hot, just licking each other up.”

“Did you at least set down towels?”

“There wasn’t time! One minute we were making ice cream sundaes, the next his dick was inside me and I was licking whipped cream off his tits.”

The mental image of Santi having sex was never very appealing to her, but Laci was getting more comfortable discussing sex with her, so it was a small sacrifice to make. “Santi’s a man, Laci, men don’t have tits.”

She laughed again. “He absolutely does. Have you seen him shirtless? He’s got more tits than I do. He should be wearing a bra.”

Jana couldn’t help laugh at that, Santi would be mortified at this topic. “You know who I don’t think would ever mix food and sex?” She asked, reaching for the blending brush. 

No hesitation. “Will”

“Yeah, Will. The germaphobe.”

The girls laughter was so loud Frankie and Santi heard it and both turned in the direction of the bedroom.

Santi sipped his beer. “Think they're talking shit?” He joked.

“Oh yeah” Was Frankies sarcastic answer. “I’m sure Laci has all kinds of terrible things to say about you.”

After a little bit, Jana cracked the door open. “You boys ready?”

They stood up straight, and turned to watch the grand entrance as Frankie called for them to come out. Jana was first, and Frankie had to set down his drink in awe of her.

“Damn, mamacita, look at you…” Frankie looked her up and down as he approached her, arms out. “You gonna leave me home alone when you look like that?” but he was teasing, kissing the side of her face. Jana wore leather pants, a purple bra and a leather jacket, hugging her body perfectly, showing off the assets she had.

Jana beamed at his praise. “Gracias, mi cielo” she turned to Santi. “You ready, Santito?” 

With a cheeky smirk, he grinned excitedly at the door. “Probably not.”

With a smack to Santi’s curly head, she tell’s him he can’t fuck her in their bedroom, and called “Vamos a salir, bicho!”

“Une minute, vous êtes toujours pressée…”

Jana turned to Frankie. “I don’t think either of us understand what we’re saying.”

Laci opened the door, shyly walking out in a skimpy, tight little pink dress that barely covered her.

Santi was shellshocked, gapping at her while Jana smirked. “Hey baby, what-what are you wearing?”

She does a little twirl. “A dress.”

“Say’s who?” Santi coughed out.

“Calvin Klien!”

“I’m pretty sure you have lingerie that looks exactly like that at home…”

Laci looked up at him, pouting. “You don’t like it…” 

“No! No, no, no” He was quick to reassure. “You look stunning, princesa, I was just surprised is all.”

Satisfied, Laci gave him an innocent hug, Santi looking over at the culprit, Jana, and mouth ‘what the fuuuuuuck’

Jana simply smiled, and took Laci’s hand. “Our uber is almost here, let’s go!”

Santi looked worried. “You’re not driving?”

“You want Jana to drink and drive?” Frankie asked his friend. 

“No, of course not-” His eyes bugged out even more. “You’re drinking?”

Jana laughed at him as Laci giggled. “Well, we’re going to a dance club, so yeah.”

Santi looked at Laci. “Are you drinking?” Laci didn’t drink. Not because of trying to stay sober, but because after everything she’d been through, she didn’t like the loss of control.

But the tiny blonde just shrugged. “I might partake,” She joked.

Jana guided Laci towards the door, giving a quick peck on his cheek and leaving him with a purple lipstick print. “Adios, mi sol, no dejes que Santiago mantenga a Fátima despierta más allá de su hora de acostarse otra vez, lo descubriré.”

“Haré mi mejor amor mi, sin promesas”

Laci ran up to Santi and placed both hands on her face, giving him a big ol’ smooch before saying by and running off.

“You’ll have your location on, right princesa?” He called out to his girlfriend.

Jana answered for her. “No, I’m turning off her phone, relax for just one night!”And they were out the door.

When it closed, Frankie felt his phone buzz and when he pulled it out, it was a notification that Jana began sharing her location with him. He showed it to Santi. “Relax, amigo, Jana won’t let anything happen to Laci.”

Wringing his hands together, Santi looked on at the door with a worried expression. “I know, I know I just… she’s never gone out without me before… usually her and Jana go to our houses or places with Rosie, and when she hangs out with Ben they are home watching horror movies by like 8-”

“That’s because Ben can’t handle one drink without slipping into a chugging contest and blacking out 3 hours later, and he’d never put Laci in danger like that. Jana can handle her liquor.”

“I know.” Santi sighed, scrubbing his face. “And she is terrifying as hell when she wants to be. I just… worry.”

Reaching in the fridge, Frankie tossed a beer into Santi’s arms, but not one for himself. It’s not that he was quitting drinking, perse… but he recognized he’d substituted the coke for excessive drinking these last 9 months and was making a conscious effort to limit it. He didn’t want to have to stop drinking all together if it got out of hand, so he decided to be proactive. “Entiendo, it’s been a lot of changes lately, Laci beginning to work, being more independent-”

“It’s not that.” Santi groaned, flopping on the couch. “I’m happy she’s more independent, can go places without me without panicking. Frank, she wouldn’t even go outside without me for months! I’m happy, I’m sp proud of her…”

Frankie quit his teasing. “I know you are, Pope. Me, Jana, Ironhead and Benny are proud of her too. So what’s going on?”

He hung his head in embarrassment. “I dunno, I miss her…” He mumbled.

Of course he did. It had been over a year since meeting Laci the day they saved her, and the pair had been attached at the hip ever since. It was Frankie that found her, that day, half dead in the basement where she was being trafficked, starved so bad she never really recovered and skin a translucent gray. Santi took her in for no reason other than to care for the girl, and the two had fallen into a genuine, adoring love. Early on, there had been accusations that Santi liked her because she needed him, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Both were amazing people who loved each other and him dearly, and e loved back; his brother and his little sister, manita as he called her.

“Have you told her how you’re feeling?” Frankie asked the obvious.

He shook his head. “I won’t do anything that might cause her to stay home more. She worries about me.” Santi chucked. “You think I’m the only one that worries, but she does too. I want her to be whatever the best version of normal for her looks like… a normal she never had. It’s just… If we don’t have a foster kid, it feel it’s just me talking to Slenderman all day.” It took a second for Frankie to remember that ‘Slenderman’ is what Laci and Benny named the cat Laci and Santi got. Awful name for a cat.

It struck Frankie that while he and everyone else was so wrapped up in his recovery, the people he cared about’s lives kept moving, and they had needs as much as he did. Frankie was switching to part time work- enough to keep him on a schedule which help his sobriety, but freeing up more time to be with his daughter, and as he promised to himself to reach out more to Santi, for Frankie to spend more time together, the three of them. “I know you’re nervous, this is a big step for both of you. But I’m gonna turn on the game, and before you know it, they’ll be back. And don’t let Jana fool you, I have their location.”

Santi breathed out a sigh of relief, and called to Rosie’s room that the game was starting soon and she needed to clean up her toys. A pantsless Rosie ran squealing out of the bathroom with a large Miami Heat jersey. Rosie loved basketball.

“Mija, ¿Limpiaste tu habitación?”

“Si, papi!”

“¿Es eso cierto? Porque no sonaba como si limpiaras nada.”

Santi interjected on behalf of hsi goddaughter. “Oh come on, old man, let the girl watch the game!” He scooped up the curly hair girl in his arms, swinging her around.

“Fine, you can go help her.”

Santi huffed, carrying Rosie off muttering something about “daddy is so mean, isn’t he?” before helping her shove everything under her new baby yoda toddler bed.

It was several hours later when Santi woke up to Frankie’s phone getting a call from ‘Luz de mis ojos’. Frankie was fast asleep on the couch where Santi had embarrassingly fallen asleep on his shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” 

“Jesus, Santito, you always answer the phone like that?” But Jana was giggling.

“Sorry Jan Jan, but why did you call me?”

“Well, I called my boyfriend, but you’ll do. Just letting you know we’re heading back, but… and don’t freak out…”

“Too late”

“Laci may have had a drink…” her words were slightly slurred.

Sani sighed, impatient. “Yes, she said she might, is that all?”

“Well… she may have had 4.”

“What?!”

“Don’t freak out!”

“Jana she’s 5 feet tall and barely 100 pounds, that’s like 8 drinks to a normal person.”

“I’m not her goddamn mom, Santiago, I’m not stopping her!”

He sighed again. “You’re right, you’re right.”

And just like that, Jana was laughing again. “Always am!”

“Can I talk to her, please?”

“Well, that’s what I was calling about. I got her in the uber, and she promptly passed out. Maybe I could carry her if I was sober, but-”

“We’ll meet you guys outside, chica.”

“Thanks, Santi.” She was sincere.

Santi and Frankie were waiting at the curb for their girlfriends as they pulled up. Frankie opened the door, holding his hand out for Jana and pulling her into a kiss that Jana quickly made illicit, shoving her tongue into his mouth as if Santi and Lacina weren’t right there. 

On the other end of the car, Santi was scooping a sleeping Laci into his arms as she stirred. “Hey there, sleepyhead” he greeted her.

“Daddy” Laci smiled and reached up for him, seemingly unaware of their friends and the uber driver. Santi gave the pair a look that said not to bring that up again, thanked the driver, and waved goodbye to Frankie and Jana and carried her off to his pick up.

“How was your night, baby girl?”

“Good, I’ll tell you about it when I can think clearly?”

“Of course.”

“How was your night with Frankie and Rosie.”

“Fun, but Frakie made me clean Rosie’s room.”

“Did you shove her stuff under her bed?” She curled up in his arms, resting on his chest.

Santi cradled her to him. “Maybe.” 

As Jana and Frankie stumbled inside, Frankie tried to hold her up as she wobbled in her high heel boots. “Wish I was as small as Laci so I could make you carry me.” She mumbled, in an extremely rare self deprecating comment. 

Francisco Morales would not let this stand. He was not as strong as he was in his 20’s to be sure, but he was no pathetic old man, and he scooped her right up. Jana laughed loudly, her voice, bright and beautiful, echoing through the suburban streets as she hung her head back. He loved her. He loved her so much it was indescribable. He could not get enough of her spirit, the way she was so very herself, the way she was bold and proud and beautiful the way she commanded a room but submitted her body to him, the way she feared nothing but feared for him in his addiction, the way she loved their daughter fiercely and put her above all, the way they were a unit, a family, and that they were friends through it all. Frankie was enamored, and thanked god every day that she was back, that he got to listen to her talk about her day again, that he gets to watch her do yoga, unravel on his fingers, twist her hair. He’s thankful he gets to see her breastfeed their child once more even as Rosie weens off. He’s thankful that although she never left his life, now they share one.

On the bed, Frankie undressed her and put her in PJ’s rubbing magnesium lotion on her feet to help with the inevitable aches the boots always brought now that she was in her 30’s, and put her hair up in a silk bonnet.

Jana drifted in and out of sleep on the bed and when She came to it was to a wet wipe on her face. “Baby, what are you doing?” Slowly, she registered that she was laying in Frankie’s lap.

“Taking off your makeup, hermosa.” he wiped with careful but firm strokes, taking better care of her skin than she did some days. She felt him shift, and then the familiar feeling of lotion being rubbed on her face. “Just relax, I’ll take care of you.”

And Jana did relax, she let go and gave into him, because she knew that he always would take care of her for the rest of their lives.

***************

Hope you all enjoyed!! Im happy to see these two back together <3 and those who have been in this since lal probably get where santi is coming from.

@milkymoon2483 @trinkets01 @poeedameronn @luciannadraven33 @o-sacra-virgo-laudes-tibi @itspdameronthings @ellenmunn @miraclesabound @whatthefishh @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction @littlenosoul

[romanarose]

Take Your Time: Chapter 7 (Final chapter)

Frankie "Catfish" Morales x Fem!OC (Jana Fernandez)

Take Your Time Masterlist

Summary: Fankie is in his head about him and Jana's relationship timeline, but Jana comforts him

Warnings: smut, piv sex, spanking, Jana is a brat, insecurity.

AN: this is the eeeeennndd! I felt like this didn't have nearly as much to wrap up as almost every fic I've written so this is much shorter! The fic started off so intense and a lot wrapped up in the latter few chapters. Don't worry, this is not the end we see for Jana and Frankie (and Rosie!) We'll see them as well as Laci and Santi and Benny during Will's story, For the Longest Time, coming soon! (after I catch up on a few things <3) I hope you loved their relationship as much as I do, I love how fiecrly Jana protects Frankie and Rosa, and how much Frankie adores the women in his life.

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“Awfully kinky for 7 AM” Jana said, wrists tied up to the headboard of their bed, flipped on her stomach as Frankie smacked her ass. 

Frankie himself was kneeling behind her, fucking into the love of his life. “Well, if your daughter hadn’t woken us up at 5 AM, we wouldn’t be in this position, would we?” He kneaded her plump, full ass 

“My daughter? Hmmm well if I -ooohhh god, Frankie-” Jana was interrupted by her own moan, but she would not be deterred. “If I remember correctly, you had a very active part of making her.”

Frankie delivered a crisp smack to her ass, delighting in watching it jiggle. “Well if I remember correctly, so did you, the way you locked your legs around me that night”

“I didn’t know you were about to cum!” 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, mi amor.” Frankie kissed between her shoulder blades before sliding his hand to give her throbbing clit some much needed attention. “You’re perfect, fucking perfect.” Her cunt was slick and lubed up, a perfect hole for him to fuck with the pretties view before him he’d ever seen. Jana was all curves and curls, dark beauty and strength and joy and she willingly submitted all that to him because she knew he’d care for her. He always did.

 “Now, I need you to come for me, baby, we got a busy day ahead of us. There we go, asi, give it to me, fuck, fuck you feel perfect”

Jana came on command to the rytheme of Frankie fucking into her, perfectly in sync.

It was several hours later, a lovely spring noontime when Jana was walking down a path in the park with Laci. To Lacina, Jana had just called her up and asked if she wanted to go walk around the park near her home. Jana, however, knew what was going on. On the other side of the creek, Jana knew some of the group was setting up a picnic, but it was her job to bring Laci to a particular spot on the creek itself and make sure Laci looked pretty when she did. Not that Santi cared what state she was in, Jana was pretty sure he’d do this while she was in pj’s if he didn’t have such good impulse control and wanted to plant he perfect day. No, this was more for Laci’s sake. If today went well, there’d be lot’s of picturing being taken so Santi taken her to a nail salon earlier and gotten her hair a blow out. 

Laci had no idea what was coming. Perhaps it was a little early, some might say. That had know each other little over a year, and hadn’t even celebrated their one year dating anniversary yet but Santi didn’t care. It was time. Frankie thought he was rushing, had expressed to Santi a few times to slow down, that he loved Laci too but there was no need to rush into any of this… but Santi wasn’t having it.

“And then!” Laci spoke, a spring in her step as she walked down the pathway in the woods. “Santi met me and Benny at the heater for Oppenheimer. He said he couldn’t gone to see Barbie with me but he refused to dress like Ken so that’s why I asked Benny. Benny and I did do the Barbenheimer double feature though!” 

The idea of Santi in an ascot made Jana laugh. “Man, and here I thought that love sick puppy would do anything for you.”

“He says he draws the time at dressing up.”

“What did he do for halloween?”

“He wore his old military uniform. Was a little tight on his tummy.” She giggled at that, but it was kind spirited. She loved Santi just as he came, little tummy and all.

“BOOOOORRRRIIINNNGGGGGGG” Jana jeered, and Laci lightly pushed her.

“I’m trying to wear him down for this halloween, I wanna do a couples costume and I neeeeeeed him to commit to the bit. We were watching Sucker Punch last month… and…” 

Laci’s small voice trailed off as she rounded the corner, seeing her handsome, adoring boyfriend in black slacks and a dark gray shirt, standing with his hands behind his back. It would look like a military ‘at ease, soldier’ if his legs weren’t carefully balanced on a log. A specific log, actually. This was where Laci was crossing nearly a year ago with Santi when she fell into the creek, Santi jumping in after her with no hesitation. It was then that he pulled her onto his lap, saving her from the oh-so dangerous creek water that was 2 feet deep at most,, and confessed that he loved her. Laci had told she too loved Santi, and the rest is history. Well, there was actually a big fight when they got home because Santi is, as Jana lovingly called him, a massive dumbass with commitment issues, but thank’s to Will’s tough love and Benny’s unwavering support of them, they mended things and lived happily ever after. Well, they were about to, anyway. 

Santi was going to propose.

Laci turned to Jana, wide-eyed and mouth agape, a slight nervousness in her face but not the kind that caused her to shut down. “Jana… what's happening?”

“I think you know, honey.” Taking her hand, Jana walked Laci to the tree-bridge where Santi stood, Frankie behind him, always supporting his best friend. Jana smiled at her boyfriend, then smiled at Santi, who gave the most adorable, flustered, anxious attempt at a smile back before returning to Laci. Pulling her onto the log, Santi took Jana’s hand, holding her up as she maneuvered around him to where Frankie awaited her. Santi gave her a kiss on the cheek and thanked her; Frankie, in turn, held Santi cheek and kissed the side of his head, whispering good luck. They knew she’d say yes, anyone who saw them together knew she’d say yes, but Santi was still nervous; if she said no, everything would come crashing down for Santiago.

As Frankie helped Jana off the fallen tree, they walked away to give the couple their privacy, they heard and anxious Santi speak. “Evening, miss Lacina.”

At the park, Frankie and Jana waited with the Miller’s who had Rosie, Benny giving Rosie an underdog in the baby swing and Will yelling at him to be careful. Benny didn’t want kids, but he did have a natural charm they responded too. As they waited for Laci and Santi to emerge into the clearing to join them in the celebration picnic they had all set up, Jana hung off Frankie’s arm.

“Do you think they’re having a quickie in the woods?”

“I dunno” Was all Frankie responded.

“I knew Laci loves nature, but she can also be a bit prissy. Not sure if she wants dirt in her ass crack.”

“Hmhm.”

Jana turned to him, tugging on his arm. “Okay, what’s going on with you, cielo? You don’t seem as thrilled as you should be about your brother getting engaged.”

Frankie just shrugged. “I dunno, I’m happy for them. I love Laci. It just seems fast.”

“Oh come on” Jana chided. “You’ve seen them, they are adorable.”

Finally, Frankie turned to her. “Adorable doesn’t make a marriage, Jana.”

She rolled her eyes at that. “They know how to communicate, they are very open with each other, and they both care about each other’s well being. I think they have as good a shot as anyone. C’mon, babe, what’s this really about?” Jana poked his ribcage, nudging out the real reason for his distress.

Frankie sighed. He never could lie to her very well; she always understood him in a way he often couldn’t himself. “It’s just… they haven't even dating a year… and… we…” 

Her face softened, realizing the cause of his stress. “And we’ve been together for 10.”

Nodding, Frankie closed his eyes. “Minus two for the break up, give or take.”

“The math ain’t math’n” Jana chuckled and tickled. “We may not have been dating, but we never stopped talking” Frankie didn’t look convinced, so Jana stopped messing around and took both of his hands, prompting him to look at her. “Cielito, look at me. We’ve known each other for what? Fifteen years? We waited several years after meeting to date because it wasn’t right. We didn’t have Rosie until she decided she was tired of waiting because it wasn’t right. We didn’t get married then, because it wasn’t right. We broke up because it wasn’t right. But that’s the thing, Frankie, it wasn’t right then, but it is now. I am happy with you,” She cupped Frankie’s face tenderly, holding her world in her hand. “Being with you is right. Our daughter is right. Being a family right now is right. You are a kind, caring, strong boyfriend and father and I’d be honored to have you as my husband, Francisco.”

His eyes lit up at the proclamation, joy crinkling at the edge of his eyes. “Really, Jana? You mean that? Even after everything?”

She smiled up at him adoringly. “Oh Frankie, I’d like to say the past doesn’t matter, but the past made us who we are.” Jana pulled him in for a tender kiss, not noticing Santi and Laci exiting the woods, beaming and swinging the hands they were holding. “We’ll get married, but on our time, no one else’s”

Frankie then hears Santi call out to them. “Hey you two! Just kiss already!”

When everyone turned to see them, Santi held out Laci’s hand with a ring on it. She said yes. Will took Rosie out of the seat, and she promptly ran to her daddy. Frankie scooped his precious baby girl up with one arm, still holding Jana’s hand, and kissed into Rosa’s hair. “That’s gonna be mommy and daddy some day, Fatima. Don’t you worry. Because mommy and daddy love each other just as much as tio Santi and Tia Laci, our love story just looks a little different, that’s all.”

Jana kissed his cheek, then Rosie’s, then smiled at her little family. “It’s a little different, but no less beautiful”

Just then, a whirlwind of a Miller bother crashed into them, pulling the three of them along to go tackle Laci and Santi in congratulations. With his daughter in one hand, running to her godparents and his girlfriend in the other, Frankie grinned as he joined his friends. There was nowhere in the world he’d rather be.

*************************

My babies ;-; I love them! I hope you all enjoyed this story, I enjoyed writing it even if im super slow! It's nice to seehow laci and santi's relationship has progressed and being able to go more into things with the guys

If you want a tag in For the Longest Time (Will and Lorelei's story) please comment below!

@milkymoon2483 @trinkets01 @poeedameronn @luciannadraven33 @o-sacra-virgo-laudes-tibi @itspdameronthings @ellenmunn@miraclesabound @whatthefishh @littlenosoul

[romanarose]

Take Your Take: Chapter 3

Francisco Morales x Fem!oc (Jana Fernandez)

Chapter 2: Chapter 4

Take Your Time Masterlist

Chapter Summary: Frankie tries to distance himself from everyone he loves, thinking they ae better off without him. Luckily, his friends won't back down that easily.

Warnings: Mentions of self harm LOTS OF TALK OF DRINKING, ADDICTION. not suicidal ideation but like. Mentioning drinking oneself to death, mentions of suicide, giving up, etc. Food and eating, insomnia, childhood neglect. Benny does not handle things the best, says some shitty things, addict shaming etc. Jana may not be handling things great either. The things Benny says and things Frankie thinks about himself are not my thoughts on addiction at all, but they were things I was thinking when my drinking was really bad. Let me know if I missed something.

*********

Group chat started with Benny Miller, Will Miller, and Santito Jana Fernandez: Hey, has anyone heard from Frankie lately? Hasn’t answered calls or texts. Benny Miller: Nothing from me, he’s left my messages on seen tho, still alive. Will Miller: Nothing here. He supposed to be watching chiquita? Jana Fernandez: Yeah, Jacob’s not answering my calls either, I’m already late for work. Will Miller: Head over, I’ll meet you there and take her. Jana Fernandez: Thank you Will, I really appreciate it.

Will Miller: Be there in 10. Benny Miller: I’ll go to Frank’s and check on him. Will Miller: Pope, you gonna keep lurking? Santito: Yes. Jana Fernandez: You can’t still be mad. Benny Miller: When it’s about Laci, he absolutely can. Santito: Jan Jan aren’t you supposed to be driving? Jana Fernandez: Hands free technology, fucko Benny Miller: 👁️👄👁️ Benny Miller: You would know that if you weren’t a fucking boomer, Pope. Will Miller: Don’t get involved in their pissing match. Benny Miller: You’re no better, you still have wired earbuds. Jana Fernandez: Will no offense but wtf is wrong with you?

Jana Fernandez: And aren’t you supposed to be driving? Will Miller: Hands free technology, fucker

Will Miller: Wait that was rude

Will Miller: Don’t hold that against me

Benny Miller: It’s fucko, but you tried, boomer Santito laughed at ‘Hands free technology, fucker’ Jana Fernandez: I’m gonna drop kick all of you. Benny Miller: 😢

Jana Fernandez: Not you sweetie

Benny Miller: 😃

Frankie woke up in the afternoon to the smell of booze and pounding on his front door as well as his head, and attempted to simply ignore it until whoever it was went away. He glances at home phone to see the several texts and phone calls from Jana that he painfully ignored. It hurt him to do this to her, knowing she needed him, knowing he was supposed to watch Rosie this weekend, knowing he is letting her down. But this is what he needed to do. Look at him, he’s drinking himself into a coma at 1 pm on a Sunday, he had been drinking since approximately 5:24 PM on Friday when he had walked in the door of his home, and popped open the bottle of whiskey before he even took off his coat. This had been the routine every day this week, as it had become increasingly what he had done over the last 6 months. It was one of the Millers, he presumed. Jana would be shouting at him right, Santi would’ve let himself in. Whoever it is will let themselves in soon enough. All four of them shared security codes and keys to each other’s houses. If it was Pope, he’d have walked in without knocking. Frankie wasn’t sure if Benny figured it out or not, but Frankie knew it was because of them, because of the fact they thought Frankie would overdose or that Ben would asphyxiate on his own vomit in a drunken stupor. They were only given the other two’s info to not make them feel singled out. That was the thing about their group. They were always close, but after Tom died and Frankie and Benny’s problems became much worse, Will and Santi were damn near co-parenting sometimes. Everyone had their rolls. 

Santi was their leader, a fierce protector who was hard to crack but when you got through to him, or when he let you in, you were under strong and watchful eyes. Jana was under that protection, so was Rosie, so was Laci to a fault.. From the minute that boy set eyes on her, his entire focus became protecting her. He was loyal, too. You didn’t just walk away from that, Jana certainly didn’t just because she left Frankie. Even Will’s ex-fiance, Emily, she never quite fit in with them the way Jana or Laci did, she was an extension of Will, and thus when Santi heard her new man hit her, found him and sent him to the ER before Will even had a chance. Of course, that anger would be directed at any man who had hurt women. Santi’s dad had left him very young, leaving him to be raised by a single mom and his older sister, both of whom died while he was in his 30’s. Frankie often thought Santi was trying to pay them back for all they did. Santi was a force to be reckoned with, however, and you did not want to get on his bad side, which Frankie absolutely had done. He crossed multiple lines there. You don’t talk about the girl, you don’t talk about her and sex, and you absolutely do not tarnish her honor by insinuating she was cheating with her best friend. She’d never do that, and Benny could never disrespect Santiago, or her, like that.

Benny was a soldier, but he was never the best at following orders until he came under Santiago. At his core, Benny was a rebel. Growing up, him and Will’s dad beat them, and Ben was the primary target due to his nature, but this never managed to break Benny in. Likewise, as much as the military tried to strip him down, he always remained uniquely Benny. His time between high school and joining the army saw Ben’s wilderness years, not unlike where he was now. After a devastating break up in high school with a boy who Ben never really admitted he was seeing, Benny fell into a bad crowd. Drinking, hard drugs, eating problems and risky relationships, Ben’s addictive personality was in full swing and Will came home on leave, essentially dragging Benny kicking and screaming into the army. Surprisingly, Benny thrived. He cleaned up, got his shit together, and made a good soldier. However, the things Benny saw and did in special ops weighed on him, and it all came to a head when Tom died. That’s what saw Benny at the place he was now; enough money to never work again but still fighting MMA, and fighting in bars every other weekend or so. Benny practically worshiped Santi. In their early years, Benny had a pretty intense crush on him that no one really ever really acknowledged, and although that dissipated, Benny would still follow Santi anywhere. Benny was loyal, and it would take a hell of a lot to get him to abandon Frankie, Benny didn’t abandon friends. Thing was, like Santi, Benny was protective of Laci. He was already likely irritated with Frankie or his comments about Benny and the girl, and Frankie wondered how much more it would take to push him away. You get Ben, you get Santi riled up pretty easily. Laci was very protective of Ben, emotionally as well as physically despite her being more than a foot shorter than him, so you get her too. Thing is, you get Benny, you get Will. And you do not want to get Will. William Miller was their pillar. Santi led them, Santi planned and schemed and created, but Will was the one who kept them corralled. Will was logical, literal and an absolute force of a man who did not put up with bullshit, thus he is the one who kept them focused.. He had spent his entire life trying to keep his younger brother alive, and that wears on a person; it was one hell of a task. Starting as combat medic, Will quickly worked his way through the ranks, his physical strength, bright intelligence, ability to compartmentalize and stay calm making him a natural stand out in the field, and the respect he earned from his team kept him out of trouble. Above all else, Will protected and supported Benny. Since their childhood, deflecting their fathers anger, to their teens, when the only reason Benny didn’t get the shit beat out of him was because he fell under Will’s social umbrella before Benny really hit puberty and his height and good looks came in. When Benny’s eating was bad, when his drinking and drug use got out of hand, down to the field, Will was there. As hesitant as Will was for Benny to join Delta Force, a part of Will knew Benny would get into something, and he was thankful that he could be there to keep an eye on him. Will didn’t take shit. He was the one who got Santi to stop his self sabotage with Laci, and Will would likewise be the hardest one to break loyalty, but it could be done.

Frankie knew he was the mediator. Frankie was protective of his friends to be sure, but not to the point of loss of rationale that would come with the others. Benny and Santi were hot headed, and although Will was generally calm, his anger outbursts could be devastating. No one would hurt Frankie, however, he knew that. So Frankie often found himself between them when arguments bubbled up. Francisco briefly wondered how the dynamic would shift without him, but he knew it would settle, the way things had resettled when Tom died. Just like Tom, Frankie was replaceable.

Benny let himself in.

“Fish, what the fuck.” He said, exasperated. “You left Jana with Rose when she had to work? I know you’re going through something, but that's shitty, you should've called so she could plan for it, or one of us would’ve taken her” He looked genuinely disappointed in Frankie, who was groaning and pulling his blanket over his face. “Will has Rosie right now, if you were wondering”

He was wondering, actually. Ben continued. “What’s all this about? I’m sure you know Santi told us what you said. You know us, we all love to gossip.” Frankie didn’t reply, simply staring off at whatever trashy MTV show was playing in the background. Reaching for the remote and shutting off the TV, Benny hoped to gain Frankie’s attention, but Frankie just watched a black screen.

“C’mon man, you think you can push us away? It’s not going to work.”

Finally, a low mutter from Frankie’s lips, still refusing to look at Benny. “Worked on Pope” Ben rolled his eyes at that. “No, it didn’t. He’s mad at you, but that’s not enough for him to give up on you, you know that damn well. You’ve been friends since, what, elementary school? You’re stuck with him, and stuck with us too.”

No response.

“Come on, try something” Benny motioned Frankie towards him. “I dare you. Nothing you can say that I haven't heard before”

Frankie shrugged, tiredly and drunkenly slurring. “I dunno. You’re gay or something”

Despite his annoyance, Benny did laugh at that. “Yeah, that might’ve worked in 2009, not anymore. Try again.”

Frankie wanted to. He wanted to push Benny far, far away, but the fight… simply wasn’t in him. He was drunk, he was exhausted, he was borderline catatonic at this point, there was nothing else in him except to drink himself to death, or maybe go back to the coke to speed up the process.

But Benny wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. “I don’t understand you, Fish. You’ve been a great dad and now all of a sudden you get sober, and now you’re acting like this? Now all of a sudden you feel like shit?”

What Benny didn’t know is he’s always felt like shit. Before she was born, he felt like shit, but at least him and Jana were on their bullshit together. Then Jana got clean and Frankie toned things down enough for them to decide to keep Rosie when Jana accidentally got pregnant, but he never sobered up, and it fucking killed him. He couldn’t do it when she was born, he couldn’t do it when Fatima, the woman that raised him, Santi’s sister, overdosed heroin, he couldn’t do it when his license was in danger, he couldn’t do it when the choice was between Jana and having a happy family together, or her walking out with their daughter, and he couldn’t do it until a cocaine rager ended him on Jana’s door step in the middle of the night. That night was a catalyst for this. Jana had taken Rosie on a trip to see Jana’s parents, and just as Santi predicted, without Rosie around to watch, Frankie went off the deep end. Jana and Rose weren’t home, as Frank screamed and banged on the door, missing his daughter, but it set of the home security. Jana called Santiago, who, in his never wavering loyalty, came to his rescue, keeping him out of jail and alive.

And here he was, several months later, still battling cravings like all hell. Shouldn’t Rose be enough? Shouldn’t his perfect little baby and her mother be enough to fight for? It shouldn’t be a struggle, it shouldn’t be a choice he was actively making every fucking minuet. 

You are so weak, you are so fucking pathetic.

“Maybe this is what you want, huh?” Ben was unrelenting. “You want to push away the last family you have left, you want to make it so no one comes to your fucking funeral when you drink yourself to death?”

Benny knew he didn’t really have room to talk there, but he was trying to push his buttons, trying to get a reaction. He just needed to get him to fucking talk, and they could figure this out. He wouldn’t leave his friend like this. 

“You had a beautiful girlfriend, and beautiful daughter and none of that was enough for you huh? You just had to throw it all away, and now you’re throwing it away again. You’re lucky enough to be exes with someone you never had to fight over custody with, someone who communicated and never fought with you, you got to see Rosie plenty and still you want to throw it away! And for what? God, you’re not even using, so what’s the point? Are you just done with them? Do they mean nothing to you?” 

Benn could tell this was getting under his skin. Just a little bit more... “Oh that's it, huh, you just don’t care anymore. Fine, Frank, fine, drink yourself to death, overdose, whatever it is you’re planning on doing but know that 15 or 20 years from now, that little baby is going to be grown up, and what she’s not going to care about the fact her dad had some problems, that her dad had an addiction, she’s going to care about the fact that she wasn’t good enough for you to want to be around her”

“SHUT UP BEN!” Frankie was on his feet in a second, shoving Benny harshly before stopping himself from carrying it further.

Benny raised his hands defensively, taking a step back, smiling. “There you are.”

And with that, Frankie knew he had been played. Covering his face in his hands, he sat back down and hung his head low. “What do you want, Ben.”

Benjamin Miller sat down next to his friend. “I want you back, Frankie. You were doing so good, you are doing so good. Six months sober is a big fucking deal. I know you want to see them, I know you want to hold your baby, so why are you doing this?”

Covering the tears that were wetting his hands, Frankie answers honestly. “Rose doesn’t deserve this, neither does Jana. It’s best they get used to me being gone”

“Jesus, Frank…” Ben breathes in sharply, carefully considering his next course of action. “Don’t you see how that scares the shit out of me? I know I’m a mess, but I worry about you too, a lot. I can’t lose another friend… I know you’ve seen more loss than me, your mom, Fatima, Tom… please don’t do that to us. I know it’s selfish to ask…” Benny choked up, flopping back on the couch. “But I need you alive. Remember when we split up with Santi when we found Laci, and we spent those 30 something hours thinking he was dead… God I was a fucking mess. My life would be over if something happened to you guys, I’d never see a sober day in my life and I know… I know it’s not about me but I need you to understand, we love you, we love you so fucking much. Me, Will, Pope, Laci, Jana, Rose. Christ, Frank, Rosie adores you, you’re a great dad, you just need help”

Frankie leaned back with Ben, allowing Benny to rest his wet face on Frankie’s shoulder. “I’m sorry Ben, I am. I don’t want to hurt you guys, that’s why I said that shit to Santi, that’s why I abandoned Jana and Rose, I just… I don’t know if I can keep doing this…”

Benny took his hand. “You can, you’ve gone so fucking far already, you just have to let us in, not push us away…”

“I know… I’m gonna try, I promise.”

“I’ll talk to Jana and the guys. We’ll help you, you can always come stay with me or Will, and Santi and Lace when they don’t have foster kids. We’re not going to abandon you.”

A deep, steadying breath. “I’m not… I’m not ready to see Jana and Rose yet…”

Benny nodded against Frankies arm. “Okay, I’ll talk to her, I’ll handle it. She’ll understand, she always has. Everythings gonna be okay.”

Benny stayed with him that day and all night, until Frankie left for work in the morning, talking over things here and there. Benny was easy to talk to like that. When Frankie came home from his job shortly before 5:30, Benny’s jeep was replaced by Will’s truck. Just like, Will stayed through the next morning. Will didn’t have a big dramatic talk; Will was not dramatic.

“Did you try to kill yourself?”

“No”

“What do you need from me? Need to talk?”

“No, I just need your company”

“Done”

Everyone had rolls to play, and Will’s was not one to talk. He would, of course, if that’s what Frankie needed, but even if he did, it would be more along the lines of guided listening. No, Will was the pillar, and his part was to stay there with Frankie as much as he needed. Frankie appreciated Will’s silent company. It was a comfortable silence, to be sure. Occasionally, if Frankie found himself drift off into his thoughts, Will, ever observant, would ask “You good?”

“Yeah, just think’n, that’s all”

“Anything you wanna bounce off me?”

“Not right now, thanks”

“Alright, you let me know if you need to. Ran into the nurse again.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, Ben did some asking around, turns out she’s got a boyfriend”

“Oh damn, sorry to hear that”

“Yeah, but I knew him in high school, he’s a loser.”

“Still got a chance, man.”

Will was the kind of person you came to if you needed answers, a solution, to brainstorm ideas and to be told the honest truth. Sometimes, in recovery, people tiptoe around you. Will wouldn’t do that, but he wouldn’t be cruel either.

Will left that morning, and Frankie was surprised to find, not long after getting home, a gentle but firm knock on the door. He opened it to find Laci on his door step holding a few bags of groceries. He looked down at her, confused at the fact Santi wasn’t trailing her like a puppy as he usually did. He looked up to see Santi in his car, frowning. It wasn’t a ‘’fuck you, Frankie’ Frown, but more of his ever present concern whenever he left the girl anywhere. 

“You gonna let me in, or are you gonna wait until I drop this milk on your toes”

“Oh-uh, sorry.”

Frankie moved aside, letting her walk to the kitchen she was familiar with after babysitting Rosie so much, and Frankie looked on. Ever stubborn, Santi stayed in the car. Frankie gave a little wave, which Santi returned, and after he closed the door, he heard Santi leave.

“I can’t believe Pope let you come here”

The blonde turned around as she set the groceries down, her face calm, but firm. He did something wrong. “Frankie, I love you, but I need all of you guys to stop acting like Santi makes the choices on where I go. He does not ‘let me’ do anything, okay?”

Frankie nodded, conceding to her. “You’re right, Manita, lo siento. I only meant that, considering what I said, I didn’t think Santi would drive you here.”

She relaxed at that, taking out the items from the reusable and placing them on the counter. “He knew if he didn’t take me, Ben or Will would.”

“Did he…” Frankie cleared his throat, a deep flush creeping on his face “Talk to you about that?”

She looked at him as she gathered the pans and utensils she needed. “About what you said? Yeah, after he tried to avoid it for hours” She shook her head with a smile. “Always trying to protect me, as if I haven't been called worse things than a cheater”

When Frankie had said those things, he knew it would get back to her, but in the clarity of sobriety from the booze Benny poured down the drain, the idea that she thought he thought those things of her… “No, Lace, I don’t think-”

Laci held out a hand, a soft smile on her face. “I know, Frankie. You were trying to get a rise out of Santi.”

Frankie nodded, dodging her eyes and looking ashamed. “I don’t think of you as that kind of person. I know you and Santi are in love, and I know Ben is your friend.”

Her smile grew at the mention of Santi’s love for her. “It’s okay, I swear. No hard feelings. Now, can you reach that pan on the top shelf?”

Frankie readily walked around the counter to reach for the desired item. “You don’t have to make anything, Laci”

“I know, but I want to. Look me in the eye and tell me you’ve eaten real food this week” She had him there. “That’s what I thought. Now, show me you onion chopping skills, because Ben’s gotten to the point he can out mince the best of us.”

Frankie smiled back at her sparkling blue eyes, gave her a kiss on the side of her head with a very quiet ‘thank you’ and went to work.

Laci didn’t make him talk either, opting to chatter away about the week. She told him how their first foster kid went, how despite having the baby for only a few hours, Laci already felt attached and wasn’t entirely sure she could do this long term. Laci had a difficult life, resulting in strong, fearful attachment to those she loved. This wasn’t always a good thing; before Santi, she had a myriad of abusive boyfriends and friendships that drained her of everything she had, everything she was after her brother’s death left her on her own.. Laci had attached to Rosie immediately the first day they met each other, and had quickly become an aunt to her, like Santi was her uncle. Frankie could imagine how having a kid for a few hours, nonetheless up to a week and then never seeing them again might be difficult on the girl, but she knew she was privileged with Santi’s money, and wanted to give back.

As she talked on about convincing Santi to get a cat, Frankie smiled, watching her cook. Frankie could absolutely see why Santi fell so deeply in love, and there was no doubt in his mind that had they met under different circumstances and Laci hadn’t been so dependent on him at the start, they would be no less in love now. 

When night fell, Laci asked if she could stay over. Last summer, when Frankie lived with Santi and Laci for the earliest months of sobriety, Frankie often found himself awake on the couch. Laci, troubled with nightmares, would join him if she couldn’t sleep and Santi was out cold. Together, they’d watch late night shitty TV and infomercials together. Tonight, they recreated that until Laci fell asleep on the couch and he covered her in a blanket. He woke up to Laci cooking him breakfast, handing him a plate before saying goodbye and heading out the door.

That evening, he wondered if Ben would be back and just have a rotation of people watching him, but was surprised when Santi let himself into the house.

Frankie blinked at him. “Hey man.”

Shuffling where he stood with his hands in his pockets, Santi looked like he was considering his words. “Hey”

“Are you uh… next on addict duty?” He joked lightly.

There was a pause as Santi’s face still, then the tell tale sign of him biting back a laugh before his face split into a wide grin. “Jesus” He chuckled.

Frankie laughed along with him for a moment before they settled into silence, some of the tension eased. 

“I’m sorry, you know I’m sorry. I don’t think those things about her”

“I know, she wouldn’t have been over if we thought you did”

“I don’t…” Frankie took a big breath, stepping a bit closer. “I don’t think those things about you, either. I don’t think you’re taking advantage of her.”

Santi closed him eyes, taking a deep breath. “Yeah, yeah I know. I shouldn’t have reacted like that.”

He shook his head. “No, you were right to, I-”

“Frank.” Santi interrupted. “You’re wrists were still bloody, I should’ve been more patient.”

“You stayed, though. You didn’t leave me.”

Santi visably softened, closing the gap and wrapping his brother in a hug that Frankie readily returned. “Never gonna leave, Francisco. You can’t get rid of me if you tried”

They watched Tv together, talking as if nothing had happened.

“So Laci convinced you to get a cat?”

“Yeah,” Santi chuckled. “Therapist thought it would be good for her, she really loves it.”

Frankie simply nodded.

Santi shuffled before his next words. “We wanna have a baby”

Francisco never turned so damn fast. “What? You haven't even been dating a year”

“Well, we’re not having a kid right now. She’s got an appointment with a doctor, we don’t even know if she can have kids after everything. Plus, he’s still pretty underweight, gotta make sure her body can handle that sort of thing”

Frankie calmed down a bit. He loved Laci, but a kid right now seemed fast.

“Besides” Santi continued with a smirk. “I gotta propose first.”

There was that fast turn again, he nearly cracked his neck. “Pope!” He said with a smile. Despite his reservations about jumping in, he couldn’t help but be happy for his friends..

Santi grinned. “I got a ring already, I just gotta figure out how to do it.”

Laci was having a sleepover with Benny so that Santi could stay the night. Although Laci staying over at Ben’s or vice versa wasn’t uncommon, Laci and Santiago spending more than one night apart was. This would be the most nights in a row they’d spent apart since Santi, Will and Frankie went to St. Louis that summer. Santi had often expressed how much better he slept with her rather than alone, prompting Frankie to joke.

“You need me to cuddle you tonight so you don’t miss her too much?”

“Oh ha, ha, ha” Santi grumbled, settling himself into the couch with a blanket, since Rosie's room only had her bed.

After a pause, Frankie continued. “Come on, you’re not sleeping on the couch. I’m not cuddling yuh, though.”

With a grin, Santi joined him. Although the pair shared plenty of beds and tents over the years, somehow, this reminded Frankie of their childhood. The two of them were often left alone in their younger years, sometimes all day if Santi’s mom was working multiple shifts and Fatima was working her job to keep the family alive. As a result, it wasn’t entirely out of the ordinary for Santiago and Frankie to stay together overnight alone when Frankie’s dad was too high or drunk to function. Frankie was forever grateful to the Garcia’s for taking him in, another mouth to feed and sometimes clothe when his dad was on a bender, he’d never have graduated and might not have survived without them. For years, him and Santi were constantly together, only separated by the military when they joined and were stationed separately. Still, fate had other plans, and when the special ops team Santi joined needed a pilot, Santi went to bat for him, scoring him a position on the team, and once again they were reunited. Santi was a brother in all senses but blood and he owed everything to him. His life, in multiple ways, but also Jana and Rosie; Santi introduced them, after all, when Frankie visited Santi in Fort Stewart. Through everything, no matter what, Santi stayed by his side.

When Santi left that morning, he asked if Frankie was ready to see the girls, and Frankie hesitantly agreed. He wasn’t entirely sure if he was ready, if he ever would be, but if he was going to be a dad, he couldn’t just choose it when it was convenient.

When the knock came at the end of Frankie’s day, Frankie rushed to the door to find an exceedingly rare sight. Jana, dressed in gray sweats and a flannel, crying, holding a fussy Rose in her arms. Jana almost never cried. And worst of all, she looked angry.

“Jan-”

“I have been standing out here for twenty minutes, waiting to stop crying before I knock, because I didn’t want you to see me like this, i didn’t want you to feel bad, but I don’t think it’s stopping”

Frankie looked on pathetically, wanting so badly to hold her, wipe away the tears.

Jana let out a frustrated growl. “I stitched up your wrists two weeks ago, and I have not had a damn minute to breathe or process it since then! You abandon me when I needed you to take your daughter, thank fucking god Will came for her, and thank god Laci and Jacob could watch her while I worked, but god dammit, for two weeks, two weeks! I didn’t eat, and I haven't slept because every time I lay down, all I can see is you covered in blood. And I know, I know I can’t be angry, I shouldn’t be angry because this isn’t about me-”

“Jana, no-”

She threw up the arm that wasn’t holding Rose. “But I am! And I know I shouldn’t, but I’m hurt, I’m frustrated, I’m tired and I’m scared, Francisco. I’m terrified!” Jana wiped tears from her dark skin, brown eyes flashing angrily, but so, so sad. “I’m so fucking scared and I’ve been scared for years as I watched you get worse, and worse, and worse and then that night happened and you say it wasn’t an attempt, but it very well could’ve ended with you DEAD!” Jana screamed, before Rosie started crying, already cranky, and Jana immediately nuzzled Rose to her chest, face contorting in pain as she held her daughter and Frankie watched on helplessly. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry mija” She stroked her hair. 

“Here, let me” Frankie reached out for Rosie, who Jana gave up to him, and Rose clung desperately to her dad. 

Jana watched on as Rosie quieted down. “She’s been cranky all week. She missed her daddy…” taking a deep breath, she calmed herself a bit, although the long-built up tears didn’t stop. “She needs a nap. Can you put her down? I need… I need to take a minute”

“Yeah” Frankie nodded frantically, holding Rosa tightly. “I’m sorry, for everything, I-”

Jana shut her eyes tightly. “Can we talk in a bit? You talk to her first, I need… I need to go run or something.”

“Yeah, yeah querida, do what you have to, I’ll get her too sleep.”

With a kiss on Rosie’s head, and a sad smile to Frankie, Jana pulled out her airpods and immediately went on a run. She wasn’t kidding about that.

Frankie walked inside, taking Rose to her room, but he didn’t want to let go of her yet. He sat in the rocking chair Will made and upholstered for her baby shower, holding her so fucking tight as he began crying. “I’m so sorry, baby girl”

****************

ITS BAAAACCKKKKKKKK sorry this took like a month. I was going through some stuff, peronally, then I had to finish Sunshine, starlight, sweetheart, brightside and get the next part of Awakening out (Bi santi!!!!) THEN I GOT FUCKING STUCK SO BAD IT WASN'T COMING TO ME had to change things around a bit, thank you to my love @welcometostayingawake for helping <3

Let me know if you'd like to join the tag list!

@milkymoon2483 @trinkets01 @poeedameronn @luciannadraven33 @o-sacra-virgo-laudes-tibi @itspdameronthings @ellenmunn and apologies to @littlenosoul i completetly forget to tag you in the first two chapters!!! but here is number 3, hope you like the other two!

[romanarose]

Take Your Time: Chapter 5

Frankie Morales x Fem!OC (Jana Fernandez)

Chapter 4 : Chapter 6

Take Your Time Masterlist

Chapter Summery: Flashback chapter. Frankie and Jana reflect on the past, mainly 3 era's in their life prior to the events of Leather and Lace, mainly; meeting, Christmas, and finding out Jana was pregnant.

Warnings: Usual for the fic, lots of addiction talk, lots of talk about childhood trauma and abuse/neglect but not details. Pregnancy, discussion on abortion (not going through with abortion, just it's on the table for a while), a minor has a crush on Santi NOT RECIPRICATED just a crush. LMK if I miss anything!!!

*************

 “I think you’ll like her”

“Are you trying to set me up? I told you I don’t want a damn relationship”

“Who said anything about a relationship, Francisco?”

Frankie rolled his eyes; he did not need Santi’s help getting laid, that’s for damn sure. “I’m not exactly interested in fucking a girl you’ve fucked, that sounds messy, it went badly in high school, it’ll go badly now.”

Santi rolled his eyes back. “We didn’t fuck, we kissed, an both of us agreed it didn’t feel right”

“Whatever. We can hang out with your friends, but I’m not here to fuck.”

Slapping his friend on the back, Santi laughed. “Sure you aren’t.”

“I’m not!”

“Doesn’t mean you won’t take an opportunity to get your dick wet.”

Frankie was visiting Santi in Georgia, where he was stationed in Fort Stewart, while Frankie had been stationed in Fort Riley, much to his chagrin, the midwest not being to his liking. While Frankie had struggled to make friends, Santi had not, and despite frequent phone calls, Frankie could help but begin to feel replaced, so when Santi extended an invitation to come visit, Frankie couldn’t help but come out. Not like he had anywhere else to use his leave; he hadn’t talked to his dad since he joined the army five years ago, and although he knew Fatima and Mrs. Garcia would welcome him in, he would feel strange there without Santi. 

Santi had mentioned this girl a few times before, first that he met her and felt they had some chemistry, then that they had went on a casual date but it didn’t get much further, then later her name was thrown in a few others here and there while beguiling Frankie with wild stories of their nights off. Tom’s name had begun to be slipped in there, and Frankie would meet him that same night, as well as Will; three people Santi introduced him to that would set his life on an irreversible path, for better or for worse. 

As soon as Frankie saw her, he knew why Santi had been attracted to her. Her features were wide; from her dark eyes set far apart, to her nose on her heart shaped face. She was striking, plain and simple. 

“Jan Jan!” Santi called over to her as she took her shot on the pool table, his shout causing her to falter. 

“God dammit Santiago!” She yelled, thrusting the rubber end of the pool stick on the floor as she turned. “You messed up my-” 

Jana would describe it as love at first sight, which, from the most practical and realistic person he knew, always made his heart sing. Everything in her life was backed by facts, but him? He existed outside the logical to her, and he was the only exception to the realism that she prided herself on. 

“Hi, you must be Francisco?” She smiled at him, extending her hand to him, which Frankie nervously took.

“Uh, y-yeah, you can call me Frankie. You’re Jana?”

There was a glint in her eyes at that. “Ah, I saw Santi mentioned me to you too. I think he’s trying to set us up”

Frankie felt his eyes go wide, but before he could respond, Santi was pulling him away from the girl who had just stolen all his attention.

“Okay!” Santi shouts, guiding him to the men and women Jana was playing pool with or who were hanging out. “Frankie, this is Jake, Anita, Tom, Ayaz, and Will.”

Will shook his hand. “Hey man, Santi said you were stationed in Fort Riley?”

“Yeah” Frankie confirmed.

“Nice, my brother’s about to be transferred over there.”

Frankie nodded with a soft smile. “Get my number from Santi, I’d be happy to show him around”

It was a polite offer, but it led to Frankie’s close friendship with Benny, something he was forever grateful for.

The week he spent there with Santi forever changed the rest of his life. When Tom was forming his team and Santi suggested Frankie for a pilot, Tom readily agreed. He met Will, and that led him to Benny, two people he now considered his brothers, but none of that compared to Jana.

She was witty, he noticed that early on, and he loved the way she could give Santiago a run for his money. The two were competitive, and it was fun to watch; Jana was not intimidated by Santi, nor was she swayed by his good looks and charms. She wasn’t swayed by anyone, actually. Jana was only in the military for a brief three year stint to get her college paid for, but she didn’t take it lightly. Jana would not be bullied, talked over, or manipulated; she was raised in a stable, loving household and walked out with a lot of well-earned self-confidence, a confidence that was backed with ability and brains.

Frankie watched her that night, mesmerized, the bar lights glowing on her dark, clear skin, her short curls bouncing around her as she moved; stunning. The chemistry was off the charts, she flirted shamelessly, often causing Frankie to get flustered by her, but he soon adjusted to it, flirting back and forth together to Santi’s disgust. Frankie quickly realized why, despite kissing, the pair had no interest in each other; Jana was quite a bit like Fatima, and she and Santi had a very sibling-like relationship, often bickering and wrestling, but nothing but love. Well, there were periods of time where Jana did not like Santi, fights they got into over the control Santi had over Frankie, much the same as when she spoke up when she thought he was being controlling of Laci. Santi never intended to manipulate people, Frankie knew, but he was a natural leader, and sometimes it seemed he just wouldn’t turn it off. Frankie wouldn’t say it, but he thought sometimes Jana underestimated people, like him or Laci, not understanding that they could, in fact, tell Santiago no, but that’s why Santi and Jana worked, they challenged each other.

By the end of that week, Jana and Frankie had hooked up, just once, to ‘get it out of their system’... it didn’t work. When Frankie left, he left with Jana’s number, and talked to her any chance they had. For the next few years, while Jana finished out her military career, they remained ‘just friends’, although continuing to fuck whenever Frankie came to visit, after a while bringing Benjamin along. That’s how the five of them became so close, even before Delta. Tom was abit of an outlier in that sense; he didn’t quite fit with them the same way. It was much more cohesive when Jana wasn’t there, if Frankie was being honest. Like with Santi, Jana wasn’t afraid to call out the 6’4 giant of a man, but unlike Santiago, who might have short bits of bickering or fighting with her, Tom didn’t let things go, Tom couldn’t admit when he was wrong, and would die on every hill that Jana brought him too. 

Tom was a misogynist, that became clear after a few years. Now, him, Santi, Benny and Will weren’t perfect by any means; especially in the military, it was easy to fall into the patterns of the men you were around, but the four of them respected women. Frankie and Santi from being raised solely by them, Will and Ben from that traditional southern gentleman attitude that was instilled by their grandma, not the kind screamed from their dad at their mom after a few too many drinks. Here and there, they younger 4 might call Tom out on his comments, but Tom outranked them all significantly, and it didn’t go far. 

Jana never cared. She’d die on that hill right alongside him. In fact, their first real fight was when Frankie joined Delta under Tom. It was hard for Frankie and them to see it, at the time, when the blur of gunshots and war and violence bonded them together, and it wasn’t like he ever said “I hate women”. It was more things like calling his wife a nag, complaining about only having daughters, and the way he didn’t trust the women he worked with, despite Jana being able to outdo him on obstacle courses. 

Despite all this, and despite Jana’s frustration with what Frankie put up with, she fell as insanely in love with him as he did her. She was obsessed, talking about him constantly to her mother, even when she was still trying to pretend he was just her friend, but her mom knew better, extending an invitation to Frankie one Christmas a few years in which Frankie excitedly accepted. 

Christmas with the Fernandez-Molla household became a regular thing for Frankie for over a decade, although every few years he returned to Austen with Santi to spend it with him and Fatima and Santi’s mom up, especially through Lupe’s cancer and as it became clear Fatima’s addiction was taking a toll. By the time she died, Frankie and Jana had already begun using, having been introduced to it casually at a party, and it was enough of a wakeup call for Jana, not for Frankie, apparently. Still, Jana’s family was kind to him, continuing to invite him to Christmas even after him and Jana broke up; they were forever tied together through Rosie, and they wanted her to have Christmas with her whole family.

Their hospitality was incredible, inviting Santiago out to San Jose the Christmas after Fatima died. Frankie saw Santi cry a few times that Christmas, as to be expected, and as Frankie did. Jana’s mom, Maria, was Chilean and her dad, Abede, was Ethiopian, both immigrants, so christmas was a fun mix of their cultures, Santi even going to Mass for the first time since his moms death a few years prior out of respect to Maria’s devotion to her religion.

Christmas was always a family affair, with many cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents from everywhere all gathering together, including one little cousin who Frankie noticed had taken a particular interest in Santi.

“Shit!” Santi jumps in his seat next to Frankie, Jana reprimanding him for swearing at the diner table. Santi apologizes to his hosts, and shifts uncomfortably in his seat, leaning over to Frankie. “Frank, I’m being molested by a 16 year old” He whispers, and Frankie looks up at Jana’s cousin, smirking.

“What’s she doing” Frankie whispers back.

“She’s trying to play footsies!”

Frankie saw the teenager slouch down more in her seat, inevitably aiming to reach where Santi was hiding his feet.

“Cassidy” He said simply, and the girl suddenly straightened up, looking caught.

This, of course, did not slip past Jana, who proceeded to corner Santi after diner.

“What are you doing with Cassidy?”

“IMNOTDOINGANYTHINGWITHCASSIDY” Santi sputters out in a panic. “She’s doing things to me!” Santi’s hands were raised and his eyes were wide, knowing Jana was not one to be fucked with.

“She’s 16 Santi!” Jana reminded him.

Frankie tried to step in. “Jana, honey, he’s not-”

“I KNOW SHE’S 16, JANA, not every man you meet is a creep!” Santi had to make things worse.

Frankie decided to stand back and watch, knowing full well they weren’t going to get in a fight, and Jana was largely just postering, asserting her dominance on Santi like a sibling would.

“Santi,” Frankie put his hand on Santi's shoulder. “Just let her do her thing.”

Jana gave her little speech about if he touches her, he’s dead, and in turn Santi defended that he’s not interested in teenagers, and an hour later the two of them were giggling over a cheesy Hallmark movie under a blanket together, the three of them all cuddled up on the couch like kids. 

The last two years, he hadn’t gone, despite the invite being extended to him and Santi the year after, and then plus Laci the next year. A year ago, Santi had a mission which Frankie knew damn well was him in his misery trying to forget Christmas existed, and Frankie and the Millers had joined him. Laci had come into his life at no better time, Santi’s anger, sadness and loneliness swallowing him whole. The year after that, he and Laci had decided on a simple Christmas, much like Thanksgiving. Frankie, although he desperately wanted to spend Christmas with his daughter and Jana’s family for the first time, couldn’t get past his anxiety about it. Although he knew, logically, her parents had no ill feelings towards him for his addiction, he couldn’t take the shame. Instead, as always, Santi and Laci invited him to join them. Although the three of them were lapsed Catholics at best, they went to Midnight Mass, Frankie staying over that night. He was delighted and touched to find in the morning that Laci had made stockings for three of them and of course, Will and Benny, who joined them that evening after the Miller family Christmas ended with a bottle of Jack being thrown at Benny’s head, and Will dragging a kicking, screaming, and bleeding out of the house. After a frustrated and exhausted Will patched up his brother and an anxious Laci hovered, they all settled in to have a simple Christmas dinner, only simple because Santi had to force Laci to only make a few things.

He was thankful for his family, found and in blood and despite Frankie’s shame at having his little family as well as Jana’s and throwing it all away, he knew that through little Rosa-Maria, and though the ties that him and the guys, he wouldn’t be alone, even if he felt like it sometimes. Rosie was an accident, although he’d never call her that. He couldn’t say they were prepared, by any means; Frankie was still using, Jana was newly sober, and they almost didn’t have her all together.

Jana sat in the bath, backs up against the wall with Frankie by her side, unchecked pregnancy test marinating on the counter above them . 

“We can’t do this, Frank. We can’t raise a baby”

“We don’t know there’s even a baby to raise, chica.”

She turned to him, eyes exhausted. “We can't do this. I know you want a baby, but this is not the time. We are not having a baby when you’re still using, we can barely pay the bills are it is, this is not the time.”

Frankie took her hand. “I know you want a kid to, Jana, we talked about it, naming them after your mom or your dad-”

“In the future!” She raised her voice, but there was no malice, just confliction.

“I’ll get sober-”

“Francisco-”

“I’ll get a second job-”

“Frank-”

“I’ll do better!”

“Don’t do this to me, come on Frankie, it’s my choice.”

“I know, I know, and I support you I just… I want this… I swear to god, I’ll clean up.”

Rare tears welling up in her eyes, but would not spill over. “I want to believe you, I really do…”

He gave her hands a squeeze, touching his forehead to hers. “Jana…” He sighed. “It’s your choice, it’s your body, your life… and I swear, whatever you think is best, support you… Okay? You know what I want, you can make your choice, keep it, abortion, adoption, I’m with you all the way, whatever you want.”

“I don’t know what I want, cielito” Her voice croaked. 

“Can we check? See if there’s even a choice to make?”

Jana nodded, then ticked her head up to the counter, whispering please as she indicated for him to take a look; Frankie scrambled up, pausing when he saw.

“What does two stripes mean?” He asked, genuinely confused as he turned around.

“Holy shit” Jana’s hand flew to her stomach, eyes wide; it was real, she was pregnant.

Frankie saw his girl in need and dropped to his knees before her, taking her distressed face in his large hands. “Carino, mireme, mireme mi amor” He waited until her eyes looked up at him through the curls that had fallen in her face. “Estaré allí para ti, lo que elijas, but if you decide to keep her, I swear to you, I will show up for her,  Seré el mejor padre posible para esa niña”

With a deep breath, a slight smile appeared on her face, and no matter how small, it brought Frankie some relief. “You really think we can do this?”

Frankie nodded frantically, eyes searching her face. “You don’t have to make a choice right now-”

She shook her head, worried again. “I do, Florida sucks ass, I don’t have a lot of time”

Entangling one strong hand into her hair, Frankie steadied her, and he always did. “Santi’s in Chicago right now, we can always go there, the laws are way more open. We should probably go there either way, considering what they make you go through here, and how dangerous the protesters can get.”

Jana relaxed into him; this is why she loved him, he always thought of what was best for her, always had her comfort and safety in the forefront of his mind, and always had a plan. When he wasn’t high, he was the best partner she could ask for.

“This is not a guarantee, Frankie” She eyes him, making sure he knows she might still change her mind when the flood of emotions cooled down.

His breath hitched and his eyes were hopeful “.. but?”

“But…” Jana started slowly. “I think… I want this…”

“AH!!” Frankie shouted excitedly, strong arms pulling her to stand up and spinning around “I love you!!”

“Frankie!” Jana giggled and squealed as he set her down, settling his hands on her belly, eyes wide with wonder. 

“Carino, you’re amazing, we’re gonna have a daughter!”

She giggled again, grinning. “Francisco, we don’t know what we’re having yet!”

“It’s a girl” He insisted, “We’re having our little girl, I just know it” Frankie looked down at her stomach as if he could see her.

Jana hated crying, hated the vulnerability, but with him, she felt safe, and allowed a few happy tears go. “Fatima Rosa-Maria” She spoke the name they had thrown around talking about future kids as she interlaced the hands on her stomach with her own fingers; connected. The name was never certain, but it was one they liked. Fatima for his surrogate sister, Maria for her mother, and Rosa? Rosa was just for her.

Frankie nodded, touching his forehead to hers again. “Our little Rosie”

Frankie had made a few attempts at sobriety, none of which had gotten very far, and by the time the sonogram to find out the sex happened, the high Jana felt when her and Frankie decided to have her faded into nerves. Frankie was not going to be able to be everything he promised, not now anyway. It wasn’t going to be how they talked about… 

But then she saw the ultrasound, and as she held Frankie’s hand the sonographer told her they were having a girl.  Frankie was right, that gut feeling he had that day was correct, they were having a girl, and suddenly it didn’t matter if Frankie couldn’t do it; she would. She’d be everything that little girl needed, she’d give her all she had.

The 6 months were difficult. They weren’t working as a couple, the stress of being a new parent pushed Frankie into using more, and the Colombia trip had been the nail in the coffin, but separated, things settled down. They didn’t get into fights any more, and Frankie swore up and down he never used when she was around and he believed her; it seemed he used less, which made her happy, she wanted him to get better, not only for them but for himself. She’d have lied if she didn’t hope when he got sober, they could get back together, but she was pretty sure she burned that bridge when she walked out the door with the person that meant more to him than anyone. For the short term that Frankie had her, up to a few weeks at most, he was an incredible dad, always willing to play with her. The guys were great too. Jana knew Santi had guilt over Colombia, blaming himself for the relationship ending, although that wasn’t fair, and was ready to take Rose any time he was in town setting up a crib in his spare room, just in case, until Laci came into his life. Will and Benny were great baby sitters in a pinch, their irregular schedule allowing for watching Rosie during daytime if Jana worked. She didn’t like relying too much on them and she was very protective of her baby, but they were good men, and it helped to only have to pay for part time day care.

When Santi and Benny retrieved the money from the canyon and brought it back to all of them things got even easier. Rosie was spoiled from that day forward. Santi had always showered his goddaughter in gifts, but they ramped up with the money. Frankie paid for a new car when her piece of shit was too dangerous to drive, and she never had to worry about day care bills again. Frankie did get sober, as he promised. 9 months by this point. It took him longer than he thought, but he did what he had promised Jana that day in the bathroom, he’d get better for them. Frankie had started therapy at the VA, much to his initial hesitation, but Laci suggested he could do every other week, it didn’t have to be as intense as multiple session per week as it had been for Laci when she first came; Laci was Frankie’s only point of reference for therapy, and it had seemed like a lot. For the first month, he went every week, just to get a clear start and catch his therapist up on the last 40 years of shit, but after that he only went every other week. He had gone this long managing on his own, sometimes he just needed someone to talk to that he didn’t have a decade of history with; an outside perspective.

In the end, he was right. He got sober, he got better, for his girls, for his brothers, for his family both dead and alive. 

“Our little Rosie”

*****************

Thank you reading!!!! Please remember if you enjoy this, comments mean the world and reblogs are really the only way to spread work here, I'd really appriciate it if you considered reblogging!!!

Comment if you'd like to join the tag list!

This was a bit of a filler chapter but the next chapter flashes forward 3 months so we can properly have Jana and Frankie together, so I thought this would be anice in between, get to see their life before leather and lace, get a little Jana/Santi

Speaking of which, what do you guys think of Jana and Santi having kissed?? We all know Santi is a whore, so it had to feel real weird for him to not want to fuck her even once lolololol

@milkymoon2483 @trinkets01 @poeedameronn @luciannadraven33 @o-sacra-virgo-laudes-tibi @itspdameronthings @ellenmunn @welcometostayingawake @miraclesabound

Anyway I saw a picture of May Calamawy and I realized thats exactly how I picture Jana's curl pattern and texture, so theres that for reference.

Love y'all!

[romanarose]

Take Your Time: Chapter 4

Frankie Morales X Fem!OC (Jana Fernandez)

Chapter 3 : Chapter 5

Take Your Time Masterlist

Chapter Summary: Intercut with flashbacks to Frankie leaving for and returning from Colombia, Frankie spends apologizes to his daughter and Jana.

Warnings: Usual for the fic, lots of talk of addiction, talk of alcoholism, self-addict shaming, fighting (in the past), I think that's it? Just a lot of sad Frankie, but ends on a positive note

*****************

Well, I want you to notice

To notice when I'm not around

I know that your eyes see straight through me

And speak to me without a sound

Francisco Morales held his 2 year old in his arms as he sat in the rocking chair his friend built for him, rocking his daughter slowly as she drifted off to sleep, tears in his eyes.

“I’m so sorry, baby girl. I’m so- I’m sorry.” Frankie stopped himself from continuing, waiting until she fell asleep, not wanting to keep her up.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I left, I’m sorry I always leave you, I always leave mama, I don’t know what is wrong with me…”

*

“Francisco, no” Jana spoke firmly, calmly, but the fire in her eyes was clear; she was furious. “I told you, I don’t like you going on these missions! He never even tells you if they’re legal, and half the time they aren’t, and I don’t hear from you for days! You have a baby now, you can’t just leave me with her for weeks!”

Frankie wasn’t looking at her, packing his bags. “It’ll be fine, Jana. It’s not that big a deal, it’s just a retcon mission.”

“Then he can do it without you!”

“He needs a pilot”

“YOU DON’T HAVE A LICENSE!” She shouted, causing Frankie to turn around with a glare.

“I can still fly, Jana!”

“You don’t need to go to Columbia, you need to go to treatment!”

“And who's gonna pay for that?! Huh? Not us, because we are blowing through our savings while my license is reviewed”

“We can ask for-”

“No!” Frankie stood up to face her. “We are not asking your parents for any more money! This will get us enough money to get through my suspension, and then some”

Jana wasn’t backing down. “And then some? Like maybe some fucking therapy?”

“I don’t! NEED! THERAPY!”

“YOU ARE HIGH AND YOU ARE SCREAMING AT ME!”

The arguing was cut by the sound of Rosa crying in the living room where her crib was, given they had no room anywhere else. Frankie went to go get her, but Jana blocked the doorway. “You don’t touch her when you’re high, Frankie”

Frankie tried to push past her. “I hardly took anything, it’s a buzz at best” He attempted to move her aside, but Jana gripped the door frame heavily, her face was deadset. “Do. Not. Touch her.”

Frankie glared right back, listening to the newborn cry just out of his reach. He wanted to go to her, but deep down he knew Jana was right; and she wasn’t letting him get past her without a fight. “Fine.” Frankie turned to get back to packing. “I’m going.”

“Fuck you!” Jana shouted again, and went into the living room. As Frankie fumed, he didn’t hear the telltale signs of Jana gathering Rosie’s things until he heard keys and the door slamming shut. 

*

“Daddy’s messed up a lot, princesa. I wasn’t there for you the way I wanted to be, I left you, I made mommy cry, I hurt a lot of people… I wanted better for you, baby. Better than what daddy had growing up.” Frankie didn’t bother trying to stop the tears. “Daddy and tio didn’t have a lot. Some days we were hungry, some days there wasn’t electricity or running water… see, I’m a lot like my dad. He drank a lot too, used to get high, throw me around a bit if he was in a mood… when I found out we were having you, I swore I’d be different… but I just couldn’t kick it, that’s why mommy left. And she was right too. I couldn’t take care of you, I didn’t have money, I didn’t have anything to give you… See, daddy had a job, but his job was to take care of you and mom, and I couldn’t. I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t break the habit.”

 Slowly, careful not to wake her, Frankie felt the soft skin of his daughter's face. “But I need you to know. I need you to understand, it wasn’t because of you. It wasn’t because you weren’t good enough, it was because daddy is weak. You are more than enough, exactly how you are.”

*

“SANTIAGO!! OPEN THE GODDAMN DOOR!” Jana screamed, banging on Santi’s door as Rosie laid in her car seat in the car. “I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD I WILL KICK THIS DOOR DOWN!”

When Santi opened the door, he found Frankie’s girlfriend standing in the rain outside his door, her shitty car running on the side of the road. “Jan, what’s- are you high?”

Jana looked at him with indignation. “Am I- FUCK YOU SANTIAGO”

Santi grabbed her face, carefully but held her in place as he flashed his phone flashlight in her eyes, checking for dilation. “What are you on, Jana”

She shoved him harshly, making him stumble back. “How dare you insinuate I’d drive high with my daughter in the car!”

Santi looked, just now seeing his goddaughter's hands playing with the toys in her carseat. “I didn’t see she was with you” He raised his hands defensively. “Wheres Frankie, he okay?”

Although having calmed down a bit, Jana was still furious at him. “Tell him not to go, Santi. I can’t keep doing this, he can’t keep doing this, someone is going to fucking end up dead and it can’t! Be! Him! I don’t care if it’s selfish but he can’t be the one to die! We need him!”

Santi realized what this was about. “I’m not telling him what to do, he can make his own choices.”

“He thinks he owes you his life, Santi!” She continued shouting, trying so hard not to cry. Jana hated crying, she hated showing weakness, especially around Frankie’s friends and especially Santi. But she’s known him since before she knew Frank and she couldn’t fool him if she tried. “He can’t say no to you!”

Jana saw a flicker of confliction across his face, but it was gone in a moment. Santi was good at compartmentalizing when it came to doing what he needed to do to get what he wanted, in this case, money and revenge. “It’s gonna be fine, Jan Jan.” 

Jana heard the familiar sound of Frankie’s beat up pick up truck hastily splitting through the driving rain, but she didn’t turn around. “You don’t know that!” Her voice croaked “You are playing with fate, dragging everyone on these stupid missions!”

“It’ll be okay” Santi put two hands on his long-time friend’s shoulders. “It’s a simple in and out, Tom’s even coming this time, he’s really good at tactical shit.”

“HA!” Jana laughed bitterly as Frankie’s footsteps got closer. “Tom’s only going to make things worse.”

Frankie’s large hand on her shoulder, right along side Santi’s “Jana-”

She shrugs them both off. “Fuck you both, Rosie and I are going Jacobs” Pushing them both out of the way, she heads to her brother’s.

“No” Frankie stops her, defeated. “Just take her home, I’ll stay here.” Frankie didn’t even need to ask if he could stay with Santi; he knew he always had a place with his brother. 

With a frustrated growl and a glare at Santi, she brushed past Frankie, telling him not to come back to their one bedroom apartment until all this was over. Stopping in her tracks, she covered her face, no doubt hiding the tears. “Say goodbye to her. Don’t take her out of the carseat, but say goodbye.”

Looking at his little girl, he carefully touched her soft skin, crying as he said goodbye. “Daddy’s gotta go for a little bit, but I promise you, when I get back, it’ll get better. I’ll try again, I’ll get sober, I’ll do it for you, Rosa”

Jana didn’t look at him as she got in the car and drove away, Santi ushering Frankie inside, concern on his face. “You know better than to drive like this, hermano”

Frankie didn’t answer him, and Santi tossed him a towel as he grabbed clothes for him to sleep in.

“You know you don’t have to come, right? You can stay, if you want to.”

Part of Frankie wanted to. He wanted to stay with his daughter and girlfriend, but he knew he couldn’t. Pope, Redfly and the Millers needed him, but Frankie also felt there were no options. He had no money, and might lose his license forever. He needed this, he needed to provide for the women in his life, he wouldn’t have Rosie grow up like him.

When I walked out this morning

I cried as I walked to the door

I cried about how long I'd be away for

I cried about leaving you all alone

*

“You have always been enough, you are so, so loved, sweetness. Your mommy and daddy love you, your uncles love you, your aunts, your grandparents, they love you so damn much. There is nothing wrong with you, sweet thing, nothing at all, you are perfect as you are. You got all the good things from your family, I just pray to god you didn’t get the bad. There’s so much… so much I try to shield you from, so much I want to protect you from, but one day I’ll have to tell you. Tell you how your tio and I grew up, the addiction that surrounded everyone in his life. I’ll tell you about your namesake, your Tia Fatima, who took me in when she and Santi had nothing, the most selfless woman I’ve ever met. But everything she saw and experienced weighed on her too, and she had battles she couldn’t win.”

Rosie stirred, and Frankie lulled her back to sleep.

“I try to remind myself we suffered from the same illnesses, that I don’t think she’s weak, I don’t think your mommy is weak, and I don’t think Uncle Benny or aunt Laci are weak, but for some reason I can’t extend that same grace to myself… There’s so much I’ve done, so much I’ve seen that I never want you to know about, but there's other things you deserve to know, because it’s a part of you. I need to recognize that. You deserve to know the world you came from.”

So I wanted to say this 'Cause I wouldn't know where to begin To explain to you what I have been through To explain where your daddy has been

*

Calling Jana to say that he was staying in Colombia a few more days turned into another screaming match between them. Frankie wasn’t sure how he got to this point in life. He was never a yeller. He grew up with his dad and swore he’d never be like that, but he and Jana had begun to devolve into more and more of this, usually around him using. But Santi offered him and the guys a new opportunity, an opportunity to get enough money to provide a life for his little family that he never could have dreamed of before, a life free from poverty, get Rosie into a good college that she wouldn’t need to sacrifice 4 years of her life to the military to pay for like Jana. She could take dance lessons, go on family vacations, go to Disney, travel… everything he and Santi never had.

But all that slipped from his grasp with every disaster that went along with their heist. Will was shot, Tom was dead, and all the money had either been burned up, thrown in a canyon somewhere, or trusted to Tom’s family. He called Jana, first thing. She was too relieved to know he was alive to yell at him anymore.

“Tom’s dead”

She asked what happened, and he said he’d explain it when he got home.

When Frankie walked into his tiny apartment the night he made it back to Florida, he knew it was over between him and Jana, and by the look on her face, she knew it too. 

Jana watched him anxiously as he entered, freshly shaven mustache throwing her off for a moment, then carefully wrapping him up in a hug and a welcome home kiss which he weakly returned. He looked beat, and Jana figured she didn’t look any better. She hasn’t hardly slept since he left, and it got worse after he didn’t come home at his promised time. Her brother and a few friends had taken Rose quite a bit too, even outside of her working because Jana was incapable of focusing, and worried about her ability to care for her in her exhaustion. 

“She’s sleeping” Jana whispered, referencing Rosie a few steps away in her crib. “Do what you need to, I’ll be in bed. We can talk tomorrow, let's just get some sleep.”

Frankie simply nodded, gently picking up the tiny baby in his arms as Jana went to their bedroom.

When Frankie never came to bed, Jana walked out to find him sitting up against the wall with Rosie in his arms still, gently crying, but clearly nodding off. She put Rose back to bed, and tried to coax Frankie up. “Come on sweetie, you need to rest.”

Tiredly, he shook his head, face puffy and wet. “I can’t leave her again”

When Jana walked away,  he was sure she had given up on him as he knew she would sooner or later. To his surprise, however, she came back out with a pillow and their comforter. Jana placed the pillow between him and the wall, wrapping them both up in the blanket before laying down on his lap where they stayed through the night.

*

I want to hold you Protect you from all of the things I've already endured And I want to show you To show you all the things that this life has in store for you I'll always love you The way that a father should love his daughter

“Daddy’s trying, honey, he’s trying so fucking hard, but he’s gonna do it, he’s gonna do it for you, for mommy, for your uncles. He’s gonna do it, he’s gonna get through this for all of you”

He knew Jana had been listening for a while, always acutely aware of who was coming and going from his home, but he looked up, tears in his eyes as her form became clear in the doorway of Rosie’s room. 

“You’re a good dad, Frankie” She spoke with soft, sad, tired eyes. “Nothing like yours.” Jana walked over to where Frankie sat. “You had no good role models of fatherhood and masculinity models for you, but you figured it out on your own, you love her with everything in your and you let that guide you, and I’m so, so proud.”

Frankie shook his head. “I had your dad”

Jana smiled at that. “Yeah, yeah that’s true, but you did a lot of it yourself.” She felt the beard on his face before kneeling down between his legs, hands on his knees as she glanced at the sleeping girl in his arms. “You have an addiction, Francisco, and one day, when she’s old enough, I’m going to tell her about how her daddy loved her so, so much that he fought one of the hardest battles a person can fight, just so he could continue to be by her side.”

“And her mom” He spoke, voice shaky. “You were two months sober when you found out you were pregnant. You went through a whole pregnancy, a newborn, an addicted boyfriend and a break up all before you hit one year and you never once relapsed.”

Jana couldn’t help falling more in love with him. “You act like you didn’t do anything, but you were always there to support me through all of it. I love you Frankie, I always loved you and I never stopped.”

Frankie finally looked at her. “I wanted this for her. ” He referenced the little group of them. “Her mom and dad together, a happy family, maybe some little siblings, or cousins…”

Jana watched him. She loved the man, inexplicably, and in the year and a half they had been broken up, no one had ever come close to catching her interest outside of sex; all she had wanted was him. She had assumed Frankie moved on, she had seen him with other women, had heard around town in different rumors of who was sleeping with who, who got into bed with ‘Big Dick Morales’ and had assumed he was over her. She never doubted he loved her, always, but maybe in a different way, maybe in the same way Santi loved her. But looking at him now, she knew; he wanted her, he wanted her forever, their family, together. And she wanted him. “Frankie, honey. I didn’t leave you because I didn’t love you, I left because the timing wasn’t right, because we each needed space to deal with ourselves. If you want our little family to be together, we can be together”

Fresh tears flowed from his eyes at the thought of having it all in his grasp again. “You want that?”

She smiled up at him. “Yeah, I’ve always wanted that, you and me, our families together, I want nothing more” Jana kissed his knee though the jeans, and began rubbing his thighs. “We need a little time, let you focus on yourself, and when it’s right, we can be one big happy family”

Nodding, Frankie finally smiled. “One, big, happy family.” It faltered a bit. “I’m really sorry, Jana. For everything, but specifically these last few weeks, it wasn’t fair.”

Jana agreed, it wasn’t fair. “Yeah, it sucked, and I feel like I need to sleep about 30 hours to catch up. You cannot do that to me. If you need a break, if you don’t think you can handle a toddler, that’s okay. But I need you to communicate. We are very blessed to have great people around us. If you don’t feel like you are at a place to take her, if you are getting overwhelmed, let me know. Your friends barely work” She said with a teasing smile. “I think it’s fair for us to ask for their help.”

“Yeah” He chuckled, the hand that wasn’t holding Rose began to play with Jana’s hair, careful not to mess up her curls. “They like it though”

“I know” Jana rested her head on Frankie’s thigh, her hand reaching up to touch Rosie; connected. “They love us, and we love them. We’ll all be together, everything is gonna be okay.” Turning around, Jana sat back against the cushy chair, between Frankie’s legs, and laid her head on his lap.

Frankie continued to stroke her hair, lulling both of his pretty girls to sleep. “We just need a little patience, for once.” 

A small laugh as Jana smiled into his touch, closing her eyes to rest on him, finally. “Yeah, all we need is just a little patience.”

She fell asleep there, feeling at home in him once again, and Frankie, for the first time in a long time, feelings like there a future for him, and it all existed right here in his arms.

********************

Little bit shorter chapter, but I wanted to write this so that we can start moving forward with their relationship. Things started off very intense with these two, much like Laci and Santi, but they have a different arch. Next chapter will be flashbacks on how they got together <3 I don't think I want to show how they both became addicted, I feel like that's unnecessary tbh.

Thank you for your ongoing love and support, please remember to reblog if you are so inclined, or share with your friends! Comments mean the world to me, when I'm sad or feeling down about my writing, i reread comments a lot

@milkymoon2483 @trinkets01 @poeedameronn @luciannadraven33 @o-sacra-virgo-laudes-tibi @itspdameronthings @ellenmunn @welcometostayingawake @miraclesabound

[kirsteng42]

Such an intriguing story with our poor Frankie, will be binging the rest now to see how him and Jana get on!!!!

Take Your Time: Chapter 1

Frankie "Catfish" Morales X Fem! Oc (Jana Fernandez)

Chapter 2

Series masterlist

Fic summary: Told through the present and series of flashbacks, Frankie and Jana, his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his daughter, Rosie, begin spending more time together as Frankie attempts to get sober, and Jana becomes friends with the girlfriend of Frankie's best friend. They both say they never stopped loving each other, is the timing right for them to finally have a life together?

Chapter summary: 6 months into his sobriety, Frankkie is still struggling. When Will, Benny and Santi are all out of town and he needs help, he knows he can still call on Jana.

Takes place within Leather and Lace in what I call "TF Romanaverse" but it is NOT necessary to read LaL beforehand. You'll be more familiar with the Oc's such as Jana, Laci, and a little bit of Lorelei, but I wrote this series specifically to be read separately incase you don't read Santi fics, that series didn't interest you, or the content was too dark. Speaking fo which, read the mfing warnings.

Warnings!: Self harm (not a suicide attempt but sure looks like one) cutting, blood, puke, excessive drinking, mentions of drug use and addiction but no more relapses, Frankie feeling miserable. Graffic depiction of the wounds as first aid is being applied. Do noooooot actually do this for first aid. Get them to a hospital. But this is fiction.

******************

Answering the phone at midnight, Jana already swung both legs over the bed and began pulling socks on. “Frankie? What’s going on?”

“M’sorry. Woke you.” Frankie’s slurred voice answered.

“No you didn’t, the shelter had me on overnights last week, remember?.” Frankie had Rosie, their daughter, most of the week, albeit they stayed with Santi and Laci. While Frankie’s recovery was going well, Jana was still nervous with several days in a row, worried it might overwhelm him. Laci watched Rosie when Frankie worked, and if both were busy, Santi had taken her, impressing Laci very much with his skills with the toddler.

“Sorry” Frankie repeated. “Everyone else is gone. Didn’t know who else to call.”

 “You can always call me, Francisco. What did you take?”

“Jus’ whiskey right now, but that’s why m’callin’ you” 

Phone to here ear, she carefully bundled up a sleeping Rosa in a few blankets, the mild Florida winter making for less of a need for a full coat, especially when she’d have to take it off to buckle her into the car seat anyway. “Whiskey we can work with, honey.” Quickly, Jana back tracked as she headed out the door. “We can work if you relapse too, okay? Never be afraid to call me or the guys, we’re always here for you.”

 Jana had gone back and forth with her feelings on Santi for a number of years, mostly when she was still dating Frankie. Frankie would follow that man to the end of the earth, and pretty much had. That trip to Columbia had been the nail in the coffin for a relationship already strained from addiction, and Jana held it against Santiago for a long while. In more recent times, however, she’s come to see him as an ally for Frankie. Santi and his girl, Laci, as well as Will and Benny had all pulled together this last year as Francisco tried to sober up for perhaps the first real time. Although Jana was not with Frankie anymore, she would always love him. They hadn’t broken up for lack of love, or even for lack of trying, but for the things coke can do to a person, especially a person who recently came into a shit ton of money and nothing to do when his daughter is gone but get high.

“I’m waking Rosa” He sounded sleepy.

“No,” Jana couldn’t help but laugh, looking at her curly-haired daughter, out cold in the car seat. “That girl started sleeping through the night at one month old, she’s a miracle child”

“Yeah. Yeah she is. She deserves someone better.”

She got in the car, hooking up the phone to the speaker. “Stop. You’re a good dad, Frankie, a great dad. I’ve never seen a man play dolls with a kid for 2 hours straight, she adores you. You just need a little help”

“Yeah” It was quiet.

“Frank, hey, don’t fucking go to sleep, we’ll be right there.”

“Don’t wan’ her t’see me like this”

“She won’t, I promise. What room are you in?”

“Bathroom”

“Okay, I’ll lay her down in her crib before I even come to the bathroom okay?”

“Promise?”

“As long as you stay awake, yes.”

“Fine”

“Okay”

Wanting to make sure she paid attention to the road, her nighttime vision not greatJana didn’t talk much, only when she thought he was falling asleep. She parked on the wrong side of the road, quickly grabbing Rose (how did this child sleep so much?), calling to Frankie she was here, and laid her down in the crib as promised. Her room at her uncle Santi’s had a toddler bed, as she was quickly growing, taking after her dad, but this would do fine in a pinch. With her heart about to burst out of her chest, she ran into the bathroom, expecting to find him puking or passed out on the floor. Instead, to her horror, she found him in his underwear, slumped up against the tub and the wall, blood on his arms and legs.

“Frank!”

Thinking quickly, Jana grabbed one of his towels and wrapped it around the two deep cuts on the inside of his wrist and the one on the outside. There were a few others on his legs, but it was clear the wrist was more imminent a danger. “I’m calling an ambulance, hold on” She instructed as she placed his hand over the towel. “No” Frankie mumbled. “No ambulance” “You tried to kill yourself Frankie!” Jana shouts, the smell of alcohol and puke was raw in the bathroom, permeating her nose and she vaguely registered his crumbled up shirt as the source of the vomit, and assumed he must’ve thrown up on himself in the binge. Frank grabbed her hand, finally looking at her. “No, I didn’t” Eyes wide and panicked, she looked at him intently, gritting through her tensed mouth. “Then what the hell is this!”

Closed his eyes again. “I don’t know. Wanted to feel something, punish myself, I dunno”

“Hey. hey.” Gently tapping his cheek, Jana kept him conscious. “You need to stay awake.”

“No hospital” He reiterated. “They’ll lock me up and I swear to god this is only going to get worse.”

Jana considered for a moment, then reached for her phone. “Fine, but I’m calling Will” The older Miller was as close to a doctor as any of them knew, starting as a combat medic before he quickly rose in the ranks and eventually joined Delta Force as Tom handpicked his team. Throughout the years, they had called on him in lieu of an actual doctors visit, as the man kept up with trainings and taking classes. He could probably out do a doctor at this point, but much of his training was in formal. Frankie did not like this plan either, shaking his head. “No, they’re out of town visiting their cousin or something. Don’t wanna bug em” “It’s Will or an ambulance.” Jana gave him his choices, but as Frankie seemed to struggle to choose between being hospitalized or being a bother to the people that mean most to him, Jana calmed her tone, taking Frankie’s flushed and puffy face in her hands. “Francisco, Will loves you, so do Benny, Santi and Lace, so do I. We want to help you. You aren’t a bother, you aren’t a burden, Will would want me to call him.” Dodging her eyes, he gave a quick nod, consenting to calling Will. Jana pressed the facetime option on Will’s contact page and within two rings his face appeared on the screen. “Jana? What's wrong? Is Rosie okay? Are you?” He had clearly been sleeping, and it warmed Jana’s heart that he answered so fast, worried something happened to her or Rosa. That’s what she liked about Frankie’s friends. In the past, she could barely get the care she wanted from the men she dated, and their friends barely acknowledged her, if not being flat-out creepy or making racial comments. The Millers and Santiago, for all her and Santi bicker, had been nothing but respectful and welcoming to her, and she liked to think she welcomed back. “We’re fine, it’s… here” Jana flipped the camera to show Frankie. The poor man looked humiliated, but she’d handle that later. “He won’t go to the hospital and insists it wasn’t an attempt, I need you to look at them and tell me if we can handle it here.” Will was a combat medic. He’d seen way worse, hell, Jana knew. Hell, he’d seen worse on himself and his friends, including Frankie, but he was obvious not prepared for this, and despite his ability to keep calm in this emergency, she heard his voice shake, just a bit. “Okay.” Scanning up the cuts on his legs, Will confirmed those weren’t a risk, but he had seen the bloody towel around his friends wrist, and told her to unwrap it. She had to pad the blood away for him to even see how bad it was.

“Fish, you should really get stitch-” “No” Frankie was having none of it. Jana turned the camera back to her. “Can I take care of it here?” “Jana, he should really-”

“Yes or no” Will sighed. “Can you give him stitches?”

Jana glanced to Frankie, bleeding heavily and looking absolutely wrecked. She wanted him in the hospital, in the safety of doctors but she also knew he had seen a lot, and hospitals made him anxious. Plus, there was no doubt in her mind that for someone who valued quality time so heavily, a mandatory lock up for a suicide attempt, or whatever this was, would only make him worse.

“Yeah, I think so. ”

Will was not thrilled, but allowed it. “Go get his first aid kit, I’ll walk you through it.” All the guys had ‘first aid kits’ that were the size of small hospitals, thanks to Will. He instructed Frankie to keep his arm raised and gently keep pressure on the wounds. Jana knelt beside him. “Can you stay like this for me? While I get what you need?”

Eyes wide and wet, he looked up at her an nodded.

She kissed his forehead and she got up. “Good job, I’ll be right back.” Taking the phone with her, she went to the kitchen where she knew his first aid kit was. “What’s he on?” Will asked. “Just liquor, Helluva lot of it, and whiskey if I’m smelling it right.” “He’s been sober from coke for six months, maybe it’s time he stops drinking too.” “One bridge at a time, Will. He still has cravings, let’s give him a break.” Jana continued gathering what  she needed and washing her hands thoroughly. “He tried to kill himself while drunk, Jana!” She looked directly at the camera. “How about you deal with your alcoholic brother, I’ll deal with Frankie, okay?” Jana snapped. A pause. She knew she wasn’t supposed to bring that up. “Sorry-”

“Let’s get him stitched up, we can talk about this later.” Sighing, she rinsed her hands and turned the faucet off with her elbow. “I’m sorry, Will. I’m just a bit freaked out.”

“I understand. We should probably talk when Ben and I are back, discuss it with Santi.” Jana wasn’t sure how she felt about talking about Frankie and his problems when he wasn’t around. “Yeah, with Frankie.”

Will nodded on screen. “With Frankie.”

Frankie, of course, had things for stitches, the over-anxious man he was. With Will’s guidance, the cuts only needed on each, enough to close the wound a bit. The bleeding slowed, and after disinfecting and bandaging the wound, and thanking Will (as well as promising to update him throughout the night), Jana found herself propped up in the bathroom wall, covered in blood, Frankie’s head on her lap as she played with his hair. Her instructions were to keep him awake for a while, since he lost so much blood, but this was proving difficult as the alcohol ran through his system.

“Where did Santi and Laci go? Laci didn’t mention going anywhere this weekend.” She asked. Santi’s girlfriend had begun volunteering at the women’s shelter Jana worked in, and the pair had become fast friends. Frankie mumbled, trying to stay awake. “It was snowing somewhere up north, Laci missed the snow, so he took her up there to some fancy hotel for a few days. Private hot tub, rose petals, room service. Whole shabang.” Jana couldn’t help but smile and chuckle at that. “She’s really got that boy whipped, huh?”

To her relief he smiled back. “Yeah but he’s got her wrapped around his finger too.” “They're really cute”

“Yeah, they are.” Frankie’s smile faded. “I’m sorry. That’s what you deserved. Someone who could be like that for you. Take care of you.”

“Frank…” He shut his eyes, and Jana thumbed away a tear that ran down her cheek. “Honey, no. I don’t need what Laci needs. I don’t need to be taken care of like that. You cared for me in all the ways I needed you too, and you continue to provide for me and our baby. You were a good boyfriend, you really were. I was really, really happy with you, that’s why we decided to have Rosa” Jana leaned down to press a kiss into his hair as his eyes remained locked shut. “You gave me the most precious thing in my life, and if I didn’t love you enough already, I’d love you simply for that. Look at me, sweetie.” With a soft touch, she coaxed his eyes open. “I love you, I always loved you and I never stopped loving you. I promised you that when I left. You are an excellent father and a loving, good, kind friend. If I can’t be with you as a partner, I’m happy to be your friend, for the rest of our lives.”

Looking at her, Frankie nodded. “I never stopped loving you either. I’m sorry. I know i’ve said it 1000 times but I’m sorry. For the coke, for how I acted, for going to Columbia when you told me not to, for everything that happened after…” “It’s okay, honey, I forgave you a long time ago. I know as well as you do that addiction is an evil illness” “It doesn’t mean I didn’t make mistakes-” “I know, you made mistakes and so did I. It’s okay. You’re not a bad person, Francisco.” He closed his eyes again, wincing this time. “Oh fuck.” Jana, having been through enough nights of the two of them drinking together in their youth, especially back in the army, knew what that meant. “Okay, up.” She helped him get over the toilet bowl, rubbing his bare back as he threw up. “Pope’s never gonna leave town again. Gonna start camping outside the house” “Pope can suck my dick, Frankie” Jana replied, an smiled when she heard him chuckle. “I’m serious.” But she was laughing too. “If you need him back off a bit, I’ll talk to him.” Frankie shook his head. “I like… I like having them around, I just don’t want to interrupt his life.” “You aren’t, I promise. He loves you very much, and much as he likes to pretend he’s a rolling stone, I think it’s become apparent with Laci around he’s a caretaker at heart.” Frankie mumbles “Like Han Solo”

This causes Jana to laugh. “Yeah, yeah like Han Solo.” “I’m sorry” Frankie spoke between dry heaves. “I’m really trying to sober up.” “Take your time. God knows you held my hair back enough times, Azúcar, I’m just returning the favor.”

“What did I do to deserve you?”

“You exist, Frankie. You don’t have to earn me, who you are is enough.”

Jana got Frankie set up on the living room floor, plush carpeting and the blankets she laid down giving enough comfort while simultaneously keeping him on a firm surface. After getting him to rinse out his mouth and drinking some water, he was put in the recovery position (confirming to Will via text that it was done) and she covered him in a warm blanket, after putting a pair of pj’s over him, to spare him a bit of dignity if nothing else. For the next half hour, at 2 AM, she cleaned up the bathroom of blood and vomit, showered his blood off her and helped herself to his clothes, threw hers and Frankies messy clothes in the wash with the bloodied towels, redressed his wounds as he slept, and did the dishes for good measure. One less thing for him to worry about in the morning. And he would worry in the morning. They got through that hard part, but it was all far from over. Jana laid beside him, getting under the covers on the hard floor and got just close enough to where she’d wake if he started to choke or vomit or anything, but didn’t want to encroach on his personal space.

It was far from over, to be sure, but Jana planned on working with him, Will, Benny and Santi, and being there for him every step of the way. He wasn’t her boyfriend anymore, but he’s always been the love of her life.

****************

I knoooooow an intense start to a series!!!! But I really hope you guys like it! LMK if you'd like to be added to the tag list!!! @milkymoon2483 @trinkets01 @welcometostayingawake