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absolutesort · 2 years ago

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frankie & callie — day 23.

SMS ➡️ FRANKIE: welcome to the villa, frankie ! choose two islanders to take with you on dates on our love island speedboat #seayoulater #makeasplash

setting: the beach / on a speedboat.

featuring: callie / @graftisms

frankie.

oh they've got her number alright. a speedboat date ? fucking ace. frankie could count the amount of times she'd unloaded and 'test-drove' the speedboats for entitled charter guests just to haul ass putting them back away again half an hour later. admittedly, she's pretty fucking jealous of the guy who gets to drive them about on the surf while they laugh and pose for candid close ups. truth be told, she'd probably prefer to do that while impressing her date, rather than sharing a bottle of wine and attempt riveting conversation, but beggars can't be choosers. and coming on a show like this was certainly begging. "hop aboard my vessel!" frankie hollers, docking against the shoreline after taking the boat for a whirl ( they'd begrudgingly allowed her to with the promise it'd be a good entrance ) tipping her captain's hat, frankie eyes the other, dimples sucking inwards. "where to, miss?" yeah, she couldn't have a date on a boat without making at least one titanic reference. better to get it out of the way now.

callie.

the date couldn't have come at a better time, with the villa walls feeling like they were closing in on her after last night. having to say goodbye to liam had been rough, maybe rougher than she expected, and dylan's stress hasn't been making her feel any better, even if he is trying to separate her from it now. the second callie sees the ocean she can feel herself coming back to life. the sea air doesn't smell exactly like san diego or home, but there's a familiarity to it that has her walking with a little more pep in her step. the sight of frankie doesn't hurt either. honestly, callie had feared it's be another dude. she gives a silent thank you to the love island gods as she approaches the dock with a grin. "is this where i say the stars?" she jokes. titanic is one of her grandma's favorite movies. it feels so good to be on a boat again, even if this one is nothing like her father's sailboat back home. callie ignores the deckhand offering them her hand as she gets on. "did you seriously drive this here?" she asks, genuinely impressed.

frankie.

frankie's laugh has never been dainty, but this one is practically violent, humour pulling her body inwards, snorting, one hand on her abdomen to stop her from swaying. it's kind of like a parasite that attacks a host body until it takes over. frankie blames it on the delirium of being here. "yeah! it's the bit right before they go downtown to pound town." she throws her hand up, freezes as if it's connected with something solid like a mime in an invisible box. "i thought that was so scandalous as a kid, like they are fully going at it and my grandpa is here." callie's tone is one that tickles her smile into a fully-fledged grin. "yeah. you ever drive one?" already, the member of staff that's meant to be supervising their boat trip's kinda forgotten, despite him persistently encouraging callie to wear a life jacket. "dude, she surfs. she's a strong swimmer, it's cool." frankie cuts in, though she'd be lying if she said seeing callie in her swimsuit didn't play into it. "come here, i'll give you like, a whistle-stop tour if old grumpy guts allows it."

callie.

that might've been the first sex scene i've seen in a movie, no joke," she laughs, already vibing with the girl's high energy. she kind of reminds callie like kenny in a way, the way she seems to be bouncing off the walls of the boat, despite barely moving. she's magnetic, and she has callie hooked from the thought of steering this thing alone. eyes light, she shakes her head. "my dad has a sail boat," she explains, taking the life jacket from the staff member, purely so he'll stop hovering. doesn't mean she's gonna wear it. "i can steer that thing, so i can't imagine this would be too hard. a lot fancier," she notes, eyes roaming around the ship. they only settle back on the blonde at the offer for a tour. "that'd be ace. is this what you do for a living?"

frankie.

it feels good to have this level of animosity so soon. part of it, she supposes, are the nerves associated with uprooting your entire life to parade around in a bikini on international television for a few weeks ( if you're lucky ). reaching for callie's hand, she tugs her towards the cockpit, ignoring the bosun in favour of taking the reigns herself. "first thing's first," she fights the instinct to add i'm the realest, and guides callie's hand towards the fan. "you gotta turn on your blower." frankie snorts at that, having never really noticed how crude it could sound before finding herself on a date with a hot girl she was trying to impress by giving her a lesson in speedboat driving. "that's to like, ventilate your engine and all that crap. otherwise, thar' she blows. literally."

callie.

a date where a hot girl was showing her around a speedboat had never been something callie thought was actually possible on this show, but maybe the love island gods are looking out for her more than she thought. fighting a smile, she lets frankie guide her hand around the control of the ship. if a man did this she'd never let them live it down, but she's holding onto every word frankie says--or trying to, but she's also very aware how they're the only two people in a pretty confined space. she's susceptible to fit girls--sue her. "right now?" she asks, permission for her to flip the thing on (or turn on the dial, whatever it is). "are we going anywhere, or just taking this for a spin?" she very much expects the crew on deck to take over for them at any minute, but she indulges frankie anyway.

frankie.

it's only when callie turns to ask her — right now? — something doe-eyed and innocent about it, that frankie realises how close they are, eyes darting between callie's dark eyes and her mouth. "sure, why not. pull that blower, babycakes." it's only a matter of time before the bosun shoos them off in the interests of 'safety'. sure, having an islander go overboard and get caught in the fans isn't exactly sexy, but it'd make for unforgettable tv. plus, there's like, a 0.3% chance of it happening. "we'll just take her for a spin. catch some waves until somebody tells us not to. if you turn this key," frankie instructs, flicking her finger against the key in question, "that's your engine. then you wanna push the throttle forward to engage." usually, there'd be a load of fuckin' hieroglyphics about dock lines and kill switches and shit, but that's not exactly the fun stuff, and since they've literally just pulled up on the beach there's none of that crap to worry about. the boat begins to hum beneath them, pootling forward, and frankie leans in to place her hand over callie's on the stick, her other hand catching on callie's hip. pushing the throttle forward, frankie speeds the boat up, breath quick in her throat, as she turns to glance at callie, whose face is literally just there. she's feeling way too comfortable right now. "i'm frankie, by the way—" she starts, if only to cut the silence, and draws her attention back to the ocean in front of them. "i dunno if they told you that already."

callie.

there's a flutter of excitement that blossoms in her chest when she flips the blower, eyes flickering up towards frankie with a slight brow raise. one of her favorite memories of childhood was her father teaching her and dylan how to sail, all the ropes and pulleys and getting to steer the ship behind the wheels. for a brief period in san diego she dated a girl whose family owned a trawler, and during a week-long trip aboard it she had learned how to power the thing. but that was nearly two years ago, and even if she did remember the ins and outs of it, part of her would still pretend to be clueless, purely so frankie can continue to move her hands around like this. with a hum, callie does as she's told, turning the key and pulling the throttle with frankie's guidance. laughter bubbles out of her when it kicks in. "nice," she grins, lips soon pressing together when she feels a hand on her hip. well, okay. she doesn't dislike it. when she looks up to meet frankie's eye, she has to flick some of her curls out of her eyes, trying and failing to keep her face straight. "i'm callie," she nods, making an effort not to lean back into the controls, though the rock of the boat feels like it's bringing them closer. "they did. thank you for not being another bloke."

frankie.

at the soggy flip of callie's hair, frankie mimes being struck in the eye by residue. she's fucking cute without even trying to be. frankie's mindset heading into this process was to just get to know everybody ( even those with a villain edit because holding a candle to the islanders' insecurities and selectively screening their worst bits could be brutal ) and just having a good time, no presh, no stress, not pushing things too hard— if it happens it happens — but being around callie, makes her want to work harder. "yeah, obviously you're callie," she laughs, catching one of callie's wayward curls and tucking it behind her ear. "i feel like i know you already. which is totally surreal because we've like, never met." she wants to ask about kenny, but at the same time she doesn't want to ruin what feels like a potential moment, so she swallows her tongue and just looks at her instead, something zingy and mischievous in her eyes and her smile. "woah, fuck!" frankie yelps suddenly when the boat hits a particularly buoyant wave and momentarily throws them off-course, her hands reaching out for the steering wheel and the throttle just as the bosun decides they've had quite enough fun and need to fuck off back to the stern before he gets fired. "jesus. nearly had another jack and rose situation on our hands. it's like all the signs are begging for one of us to die on a door right now. do you wanna see if there's any snacks in that hamper or if it's just for show?"

callie.

nose scrunches when frankie points out that she knows. who she is obviously she knows, but sometimes callie forgets that the people coming in have been watching them for weeks now. it's a little unsettling, mostly because she knows how reality show edits can go. but if she's on this date today, and with the blonde finding an excuse to touch her already, at least she can assume frankie's seen something she liked. "well that kind of puts me at a disadvantage," she laughs lightly, "because all i know about you is you can work a speedboat, and you're very fit." callie had thought bash asked her a surprising lack of questions during their date, but in hindsight he also knew her a lot more than she knew him. the sudden rock of the boat doesn't make her react much, just grab a nearby wall to keep herself upright. it was a little bit of a jolt she needed. you're very fit. excuse her while she barfs, and not from being seasick. "please," she nods. "and i think i heard something about champagne? i hope you like bubbly, otherwise you're going to get stick of that stuff." callie is already sick of it, but it beats doing a first date sober.

frankie.

"very fit?" frankie repeats, a hand lifting to clamp over her mouth and mask the hideous snort that escapes her. "fuckin' hell, alright... hold your horses..." comically, she rolls her eyes, masquerading as the uptight, no-PDA type she couldn't be further from. it's a first date, she has to keep reminding herself, as much as it feels like she knows callie. you can't just start grabbing someone on a first date, frankie. boundaries are kind of hard for her to navigate. "you're not bad yourself, i guess." it's clear from the way frankie eyes trail over her that she's interested. "actually, scratch that. we're not here to play hard to get. you're like... so hot. like stupid sexy. but you also seem like such a fun person to hang out with, so... i hope you don't mind me picking you." there's a definite imbalance in the power dynamic, not only with the fact frankie's the one teaching callie how to drive a boat, but she's also seen first-hand callie open up to other islanders. there needs to be a way to level the playing field that isn't just flashing a nipple. "okay. then it's open season for you to ask me crap and i can't lie," frankie suggests, gripping the handrail in one hand and the bottle of bubbly in the other as she makes her way to the back of the stern, just above the swim deck. "i mean, the drawback is you probably won't know if i'm lying, because you don't know me. but i guess you just have to trust that i think you're cool enough to tell you the truth." holding the bottle out towards callie, she presents it as if she's a gameshow host. "this is a rare vintage from 1642... is it to your taste, madam, or shall i bring out the chardonnay?"

callie.

the snort feels like confirmation that she can't be acting like one of the other jackasses on the beach, lips twisting into a mix between a grin and a grimace. it's weird to be so forward with this kind of thing. on the outside callie loves a good flirt, but on the show it feels like everything is so much more calculated, as if something has to come out of every interaction in the villa. flirting is more fun when it's harmless, and when there's not fifty grand on the line that so many people care about. but at the same time, it is nice knowing what's exactly on the other's mind, smile growing at the compliment. "nah, thanks for picking me." she's both surprised and flattered every time. sometimes the nerves only come in later. "anyone could be lying at any point," she shrugs, though frankie doesn't have to worry about callie lying. life's too short to say shit you don't mean. "1642, fancy," she nods approvingly, holding back a smile. "approved. are you from the states? where out exactly?" if she's another californian, callie will die.

frankie.

asking someone out's meant to be nerve-wracking, but frankie doesn't really get that. if she's out at a bar, she'll just approach the fittest person, and if they say no? she'll just thank u, next! her way onto the next person. in here, picking someone can upset all of the other social dynamics. picking callie doesn't mean that she doesn't also want to get to know dylan, she just thought she'd be fun for a speed boat date. "okay, cool. because i know you've got you're thing with kenny, and that's chill, i respect that, i don't wanna step on toes but like. it's a fuckin' speed boat, you know? i'd be lame to not pick you." or dylan, but she feels like he's getting enough screen time at the moment, and while he's fit she kinda doesn't want to be involved with any of that drama. "and we all have to pick someone we're into, so..." handing the bottle to callie, she nods, allowing the other to do the honours unless she explicitly asks not to. "um... yeah, kinda like a hodgepodge i guess? my mom's half-italian, my dad's argentinian, but i spent most of my childhood in naples. it's in florida. yeah, they love to golf. i spent most of my summers working at the country club driving around a caddy, but that's... yeah that's boring. what about you, did you have jobs as a kid?" she's always found people who worked as a teenager more trustworthy than those who've probably never had a real job in their life, namely naomi and maddox.

callie.

"we've only just coupled up," callie shakes her head. after a beat, she realizes how dismissive that sounds. "i mean, kenny's chill, i doubt she minds either. you'll like her, i'm calling it now. but nah, i appreciate this date more than you know. it's been so stifling in the villa, it's nice to be out in open air again." she takes a deep breath of the sea air once more, letting it clear away any bad vibes from yesterday. "oh, you're too kind," she says with an exaggerated nod of her head, delighting in being given the bottle. it's not often she gets to pop champagne, undoing the wiring above it and tossing it onto the ground, since she has no pockets. callie thinks she means naples, italy at first, nodding in understand when florida is mentioned. that sounds more accurate. "is that on the water?" she asks, followed by a whoop of delight as the cork pops off, thrown onto the other side of the boat. champagne sloshes at their feet, causing callie to chug from the bottle quickly, trying to clean it up. "crikey," she coughs after, passing frankie the bottle. are there glasses? does it matter? probably not. "that's cool. what did you do there? i worked as a lifeguard for a few years in high school at the local beach. basically got paid for being outside, so i wasn't complaining."

frankie.

she wasn't going to pry into the whole kenny sitch, but as soon as callie says that she's glad she did. not in an i-wanna-fuck-up-your-relationship way, but more in a oh-sweet-so-you're-keeping-your-options-open kinda way. the way her face lights up makes it obvious she wasn't expecting that answer, tickled by something like hope. "groovy," frankie starts, attempting to reign in her smirk. "well then i'm glad i picked you..." and if it turned out to be just friends, then at least she'd have someone as sound as callie around. "yeah, when i was watching i kind of thought like, kenny, dylan, liam are the ones i'd get on with best. and you, obvs." hugging her knees against her chest, frankie pushes out her foot to nudge against callie's ankle, a sudden tinge of embarassment in her stomach. is she being too much? "yeah, it's like... majorly aquatic, dude." throwing up a shaka sign, she mimics callie's accent. "i'm kinda between places now, but when i lived there, i think i swam every day of my life..." she watches callie pop the cork with a warmth in her eyes that's almost reverence, dimpled and amused by callie's antics ; she looks uninhibited, more free than frankie's seen her on the show so far, as her mouth fastens around the bottle and glugs. "damn, girl, what dat mouth do?" frankie teases, whooping and hollering like a frat boy as she calls out "chug! chug!" her foot slapping against the deck. crikey sounds so cute in callie's accent. she almost says as much, but she's trying to keep it chill. "you were a lifeguard!?" frankie takes the bottle and swigs from the neck. "man, that's so hot. if you were my lifeguard, i'd pretend to drown like... all the time." speaking of, they should definitely take the opportunity to go for a swim while they're out here. but first, champagne. she takes another hearty swig, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and passes it back to callie.

callie.

"oh yeah?" she laughs, not sure if frankie is pulling her leg when she points out nearly everyone that callie interacts with on a daily basis, or if she means it. "well i may be biased, but they're all the best people in the villa. naomi and rhys too. although liam got dumped last night," her smile twitches off her lips for a second. "not sure if they told you." it's a little awkward, because callie obviously doesn't blame frankie for liam leaving, but it's hard to ignore that as one goes, the other comes in. two ships passing in the night. "i don't sound like that." the accent is horrible, but it makes her laugh anyway, shaking her head. "nah, i feel that. i'm kinda between places right now, too. i've been back in sydney for a bit, but i miss san diego. kinda taking life day by day, you know?" does frankie know all this already? it feels so weird, the idea of people knowing your life without knowing you. she better get used to that. "so are you not there anymore?" she asks, steering the conversation onto her. frankie's energy is infectious, reminding her a lot of her friends back home. her hands raise in the air as if to assuage the cheers, doing a playful bow. "i had a few of those." callie makes the face at the memory. "usually prepubescent boys. totally not sexy." taking a seat, she takes another swig of the bottle. "what do you do now? are you a professional captain, or do you just look good in the hat?"

frankie.

"i mean... i don't know everyone yet." and the narrative the studio heads construct can be super fucking selective. even those she feels like she knows might end up surprising her. "rhys seems cool." naomi, she's not so sure about. seb seems like a good time too, but she keeps that to herself. "literally just seen dejan and maxwell's promos but like..." she peters off, pursing her lips, and gives callie a knowing look. "would probably go there." is it bad to say that on a first date? it feels weird to talk about grafting other people when she's sat with someone as fit as callie, but it's kind of the name of the game — one big board of moving parts. "that sucks about liam. you guys were like a thing, right?" frankie asks, trying not to pry. "sorry, you don't have to talk about it if it's raw or whatever. that's super sad, though. i wanted to ask him about climbing equipment." she drops her face down against her legs, her cheek resting in the valley between her knees as she gazes up at the other. "you so sound like that." she'd stuck out high school drama studies purely so she could attempt to master her liam neeson in taken impersonation, so impressions are kind of her thing. "oh yeah?" being 'between places' might be a red flag to others, but to frankie it just demonstrates her willingness to change. "i've never been to san diego... but i'd like to. i think we went past sydney on charter once, but i was working so i didn't really get to see it." is it too soon to say that on the outside, she't totally visit her? "loosely based in fort lauderdale, but not really. my brother and i travel around in his camper on the off-season." adopting a chill surfer-bro persona that honestly isn't too far from dylan, frankie adds. "the idea of property ownership is super fascist, dude. my home is the open road." laughing, she takes the bottle, downs another swig, the ocean spray kissing her face. “you think i look good in the hat?�� she smirks, pushing a hand against callie’s shoulder to knock her off-balance. “tease. nah. i��m a deckhand. gotta make it to bosun before i even consider captain, but i feel like that’s not really my thing... bossing people about.” she’s had so many interests, and yet frankie’s still not really sure what her thing is. “i started an apprenticeship in engineering but it wasn’t for me. if i’m going to be travelling the world, i need to see it, not be stuck in an engine room, y’know?”

callie.

"everyone's chill, honestly. i'm sure you'll like everyone." though at the mention of the new male bombshells, callie feels her lips pinch together. she knows frankie had gone out with dejan before this, and who knows how their date had went. but it would be wrong without giving her some kind of warning about his drama, right? "that maxwell bloke seems cool," she says, "just be careful with the other one. i know you were just out with him, but apparently he dated romi pretty seriously and then cheated on her. you're bound to hear it come up in the villa, so... just warning you now." if she didn't say it, callie would've given it thirty minutes in the villa before she was filled in. "yeah, we were coupled up for a time. he was one of my closest friends in the villa," she admits. there's no use denying it. "it sucks, but it's the way it goes, i guess. that's a shame about sydney, though. you'd probably like it. i'd like to see florida one day. i heard the gulf coast is gorg." she's not sure if that's where naples or fort lauderdale is, but she really would like to see the waves of florida, despite hearing some less than nice things about the state. "no way, that sounds sick," callie sits up a little straighter. traveling around in a camper is totally something she'd try. "how old's your brother?" with a snort, he steals the bottle from frankie's hand, taking a swig. "you do. but—" callie swipes the hat from frankie's head, placing it on her own head as well, "not as good as i look in it." with a cheeky grin, she takes another swig of the champagne. "deckhand, no way. what kinda ships do you usually work on?"

frankie.

eyes wide like an undiscovered meme template, frankie’s kinda taken aback by that bomb drop. “wait, what? okay, yeah, they did not say that in his promo.” imagine cheating on someone like romi. still, shit happens, people cheat, it’s hardly a headline, and maybe there’s more to the story than just he cheated therefore he’s a shit person. whatever, hardly matters now — she’s with callie. “naples is on the gulf coast,” frankie notes, attempting to appear casual, shrugging her face against her shoulder like she’s the movie imitation of some shy bella swan type. “my dad still has a place there. just in case you ever feel like dropping by. i could play tour guide.” she’d love to play tour guide, and honestly she wishes she’d had more time to show callie around the boat. “yeah, it is pretty cool. he's got a VW. and whenever i work crew, bed and board’s included, so i never pay rent if i can help it.” more accurately, she never pays for anything if she can help it. “oh, i have four brothers. is it just you and dylan or are there more of you? but leo’s... i wanna say twenty-seven? but maybe he’s twenty-eight. marco turns thirty this year and leo’s two years— hey!” attention snagged by the grabbing of her hat, frankie leaps towards the other and attempts to wrestle it back. “don’t fight me! don’t fight me—” she cries out between laughs, one hand locking around a wrist to pin it to the deck behind them. it’s only when the hat’s back in her hands that frankie realises she’s straddling callie, heat in the places where their limbs touch. she swallows thickly, knowing she should probably move, but then again frankie’s never been good at doing things she should. “you’re right, it suits you more...” frankie breathes, leaning in to fix the hat on callie’s head and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. her gaze flickers between callie's eyes and her mouth. “um, do you feel uncomfortable, right now? 'cos i can move. unless...?" her smirk is wicked. "joking..."

callie.

"yeah, so just be careful. he seemed like a chill guy when i talked to him, but y'know... can't really ignore fucking your girlfriend's cousin." callie isn't against second chances, but keeping it in the family extends beyond her limits. "oh, cool," she perks up at that, eyes bright at the offer. "i'd love that. there's still so much of the world i want to see, y'know? but if you ever find yourself in sydney, i can show you around too." it's funny to make plans like this with someone she's only just met, when their relationship is still a giant question mark, but it's not unlike callie to make offers like this to strangers. "four brothers? crikey, how do you do it? i just have the one and he drives me mad sometimes." but, like, in the best way. "are you the youngest?" frankie strikes her as the baby of the family. "hey, hey!" she's not expecting the attack to come with stealing the hat, but callie can only laugh as she tries to fend her off, carefully putting down the bottle beside them so it doesn't become a casualty. frankie fights like she has three brothers, no match for callie's single brother experience, letting out a huff of dramatic indignation when it's successfully swiped back. it's only after a beat that she realizes the position it's put them in—if they were kissing, it feels like a base would've been taken—eyes lifting to meet frankie's unflinchingly. callie can feel her pulse quicken, though she offers a small smirk back at the blonde, determined not to look as rattled as she feels. "thank you." it's hard to keep the smugness out of her voice. "well, normally i'd ask for someone to buy me dinner first, but..." she's not kissing on a first date, callie tells herself. t's a necessary effort to not let her eyes wander down to her lips, though they catch something instead. "what's this?" fingers close around her wrist, extending her arm to survey her tattoo. "cute pup. yours?"

frankie.

so she surfs, she wants to travel, and she's big on addams family values. so far, callie's ticking a lot of boxes. "um... i'm sick at wrestling, and really good at not flinching from the smell of farts." there's a giddiness to both of them, their back-and-forth feeling like a game of who can speak first, overlapping answers where frankie can't quite hold her tongue from chipping in with her excitement. "second youngest," she chirps, the need to nurture paramount within her whenever she looks at fabian who, despite only being three years her junior, will always be a baby in frankie's eyes. "you're the oldest, right? kinda hot. i don't know why, just is." if callie's uncomfortable, she doesn't seem it, her stare a steel trap as frankie releases the limb she'd pinned down, teeth tugged beneath her lip when she shuffles to get more comfortable, thigh to thigh, hip to hip. "i'd buy you dinner. what are we having? i love italian food, i won't lie... but greek is a close second." at once, the smile dissolves from her face, replaced by something far more stoic and reflective. "yeah. that's wilbur. he was the best boy." god. bit fucking deep. here she is sat in the lap of love island's most sought after lady, and suddenly dead dog's on the menu. pushing off from callie, frankie grips at the handle that circles the length of the boat and slides the few foot across to the swim platform. "i'm gonna take a dip..." she explains, tugging off her mic pack and setting it down on the deck. it's an attempt to ground herself ; being in the elements always makes her feel more human. rising to her feet, frankie straightens her arms, bends her knees, and arches her body forward to dive off the back of the boat and into the the tropical surf. "are you coming?" she shouts, when she eventually resurfaces, flicking the water from her hair. she's definitely just given a production assistant a heart attack where risk assessments are concerned, but fuck it. yolo 🤪 .

callie.

"gross," she laughs, "but also accurate. at least you're not the youngest. i feel like that's objectively the worst." not that she can relate, grinning when frankie points out that she's the oldest. "thanks, i think so too. it's by, like, ten minutes, but i never let him forget it." but whether she's the oldes tor youngest between them, callie would probably always be as protective of dylan as she is now. there's not much that she lets truly phase her, but her brother's emotions is one of them. it's the first time in a few days that she hasn't thought about them, honestly. "i'd fuck with some italian good." is she leaning against frankie, or do their bodies just happen to brush together in every necessary place? this is the kind of date and experience she expected when joining love island. "my go to is usually mexican. san diego had the best." she likes seafood too, obviously, but that feels like low-hanging fruit. callie hadn't been sure if swimming was on the menu for them, so the offer makes her eyes light up. she takes her time watching frankie saunter over to the edge of the boat before diving down, with a form that would've brought her old swimming instructor to tears. by the time she resurfaces, callie is already on her feet removing the mic from around her waist, and shimmying out of her denim shorts. the captain's hat is left on top of the pile of clothes she's made before she dives in after her, relishing in the comfortable chill of the water. "fuck me," she gasps, once she comes up for air. "this is so nice."

frankie.

when callie strips out of her shorts, frankie has to avert her eyes, turning her face towards the sky instead like the head of a big yellow sunflower. water drops cling to her eyelashes when she wrenches them shut. it's not that she doesn't want to look, but she's cautious of making things too hands-on too fast. she has to keep reminding herself that while she already feels like she knows callie, the other has no idea who she is. a loud splosh later, callie’s in the water, spray catching frankie before she submerges herself beneath the waves, holds her breath as she waves, the two of them floating like flies in amber for a second, before they resurface, splitting the tide apart. “hi...” frankie starts, flicking water at the other. subconsciously, she floats closer, her knee making contact with callie’s beneath the water. “uh, they did say not to get off, actually,” diving off a motorised boat when it wasn’t in neutral was pretty much a no-go on charter, but all body parts were still attached so no harm done. “but fuck it...” it’s not like the water’s poisonous. ( she hopes... ) “now we're like, co-conspirators," her lips turn upwards, fancying the idea of the two of them sharing something tangible like a secret. "i just thought maybe you needed a dip. plus, i’m pretty sure someone fucked in the pool at the villa...” they’ve definitely drained it since, but still her nose scrunches. back on the boat, the camera assistant's arguing with the bosun, the words 'missing footage' tossed about along with something about mic packs. "now that it's just us, what are you thinking?"

callie.

she's not sure if it's the waves or her body on autopilot that's closing the distance between them, but callie lets out a pearl of laughter at frankie's admission. suddenly it makes sense why the crew on the boat is looking at them like they have three heads. if they're trying to corral them back on the boat, she's not paying attention. "no, this was needed," she nods, mouth dipping into the water when she's not speaking, trying to hide her smile. "god, don't tell me that." it's not like she hasn't thought about the likelihood of the other islanders fucking everywhere in the villa, but to her the pool is sacred. it's the closest she gets to feeling like this, even while forced on shore. her foot accidentally kicks frankie's underwater, like bad underwater footsie. "i'm thinking..." callie hums, considering it. "this is the best date i've been on here yet." after a beat, she adds, "and not just because of the sick ride."

frankie.

maybe love island wasn't the best choice if frankie's already getting riled by the amount of rules surrounding wearing mics, the constant requests to pause conversation so that the focus puller can get a better close-up, but it's worth it for a stolen moment like this. with dejan, the camera guy had basically sat in her fucking lap the entire time they were talking, eager to catch every reaction in high-res while all frankie wanted to do was push him off the boat. but bombshells could be written out just as quickly as they were writen in, plus they'd probably invoice her for the camera. in their current slice of time before they're mic'ed up like puppets on strings again, it's nice to feel like anything caught by the cameras would be grainy and unusable at best. feels like a 'fuck you!' to the studio heads — and after they've just organised such killer dates for her. "you're really fucking cute, you know," frankie starts, when callie retreats into herself, her smile bubbling against the tide. she sinks her own mouth under the water and blows, saltwater bubbles foaming up from her lips. her legs attempt to catch the foot that callie had kicked her with, shins knocking clumsily. "not just because of the sick ride? wow. okay. was it because of the sexy camera assistant? i get it. you did have insane chemistry with him..." her blood feels red hot beneath her skin when her hand drops to find callie's hand, threading their fingers together. "i, um..." giggling, she backs out, running a hand through her soaking hair. "god, this is so embarrassing." attempting again, she clears her throat, eyebrows knitting together as she attempts the solmenity of a mafia boss. "back on the boat, i really wanted to kiss you..." for a moment, she lets the words hang. "but i also feel like... it's maybe not the right time. i just met you. and i don't wanna make anyone pissed before i've even set foot in the villa." though she's not sure how much she stands by that last part.

callie.

"oh, i know," she says playfully back, although callie would use a lot of words to describe herself, and cute isn't one of them. she's never before been worried about what lies beneath the ocean as she swims, but the foot against her leg comes with some nervous jitters. much like a shark, she'd a little afraid of getting bit. so far her love island experience has been a slow burn, taking her time getting to know people and forming honest connections. but there's something dangerous about frankie, how quick the spark appears. callie's been burned before by similar sparks, but she'd be lying if she was thinking about that now. it's really hard to focus on much else when frankie's looking at her like that. "oh yeah, me and dennis are like this." she moves her hand to put it out of water to show her fingers intwined together, but frankie finds the hand first, and it's no longer her own fingers that are threaded together. she can hear her heartbeat drumming in her ears, unable to not laugh when frankie giggles, even if it's not exactly funny. her breath catches for a moment, and not because of the exertion of swimming. "i mean..." she loses her train of thought there for a second, eyes now focused on frankie's lips, and wondering why she doesn't just go for it. that's what they're here for, right? did people usually kiss on first dates here? plus there's the nagging reminder that frankie hasn't been exposed to the rest of the islanders yet. who knows if she'll suddenly be into jenny or maddox by then, and by then the door will be closed for callie. she's not looking to have regrets. "c'mere." the suggestion is soft, pulling frankie closer with their entwined hands. it's a good thing callie's a strong swimmer, able to keep herself upright as her other hand reaches for the side of frankie's neck, so she can lean in and taste the salty ocean on the blonde's lips. dennis and the other crew members are not going to like this.

frankie.

the energy bouncing between them is palpable. part of her says it shouldn’t be this easy. it’s not like the casual physicality between them is anything new — frankie’s a serial flirt, affection like a mother tongue to her, and it feels weird to have a partner if they’re not constantly touching. she’s been on dates before where they couldn’t keep their hands off each other ( she’s fucked on first dates — hell, who hasn’t ? ) but on love island the rules feel somehow different. everything’s slower and frankie doesn’t want slow, she wants a love that comes as fast as an olympic bobsleigh down a tunnel, that falls as hard as a body from a balcony. she’s having a hard time keeping her hands to herself. "i was so jealous,” she teases, fingers twisting in callie’s like a schoolyard game of cat’s cradle. “when i die i wanna come back as dennis. that way i might get your attention..." it’s ironic considering the whole date they haven't taken their eyes of each other. even now, with the speedboat behind them, she feels like she has the full weight of callie’s attention directed on her, on her mouth. there’s a crackle between them, like when you know it’s no longer an if you’re going to kiss, but a when, that tantalising zing of anticipation as you wait to see who’ll crack first. no sooner has ‘c’mere’ passed callie’s lips and frankie's practically grabbing at the other to close the distance, sinking into her touch, the hand on her neck leaving her nerves like livewires when callie joins their lips. it’s tender at first, noses pressed flush, a hitch in her chest as her hand gathers in the wet hair at the back of callie’s neck, but it isn’t in frankie’s nature to be tender. she’s already getting greedy ( far too greedy for a first kiss ) when she breaks the contact only to deepen the kiss a second later, open mouthed and gasping against the other’s lips as her knee slides up through the water to settle between callie's thighs.

callie.

she's smiling as soon as their lips meet, because there's something so perfect about this moment. if her life was a movie, this would be the scene before the credits rolled, a neat little bookend oh whatever story it was telling. but the excitement of kissing frankie is that there's no cookie cutter fade to black; instead their kiss only intensifies, hands moving to grab the back of frankie's neck to pull her closer. her breath catches in her throat when she feels frankie's knee move between her legs, sending a jolt of warmth through her whole body, despite the refreshing chill of the water. it's a careful balance of keeping them above water while still clinging together, so callie is careful to only hook one leg around frankie's waist, laughing breathlessly at the little height it gives her. she's not used to girls being just as tall as her, if not more—and she'd be lying if she said she didn't like it.

frankie.

frankie hadn’t exactly planned on kissing anyone before speaking to their partner about it, but considering she hasn’t even met kenny it would be hard to pull her for a chat. plus, they've been coupled up for like two days. it's not like they're married off. snakey behaviour is the last thing on her mind when she's locking lips with callie, hand sinking to catch at the leg that shifts around her waist and pull her closer, hips knocking beneath the water. she senses rather than hears the boat approaching, a sinking in her stomach because sure she knew it wouldn't be long until they realised they were gone, but she thought she'd have more time. frankie resurfaces for air and an idea strikes her, lips meeting callie's before she tugs the both of them under water, her eyes stinging beneath the current, but she wants to see this moment, the way the water makes everything softer, her hands on callie’s waist seeming disconnected from her own body when they slide down to grip at her hips. the boat approaching only spurs her on, a kiss that's made more frantic by a shelf-life. she holds her breath in callie's mouth until she's physically unable to, resurfacing with an audible gasp as the boat slows to a neutral a few paces away. "sorry! sorry..." she laughs, breathless, as the cameraman angles his gear off the edge of the boat. "please don't make us get back on yet... we just want to swim."

callie.

hips instinctually move against frankie's when she's pulled closer, teeth tugging the other girl's bottom lip as they pull apart for a few seconds for some much needed air. it's only with some oxygen finally flowing to her brain once more that she can make out the boat coming closer, and callie knows she should look to make sure they don't get too close—but then frankie is pulling her under, heart hammering in excitement as she's able to look back at the blonde through the stinging saltwater. her hands cling to frankie's shoulders to keep her close, trying not to laugh at the giddiness that comes from sharing air together. in the end it's frankie who breaks first, though callie probably wouldn't have held on for much longer. her arms are still around her shoulders as they come up for air, callie laughing through her quiet gasps. nobody on the boat looks particularly happy for them, dennis included, but there's a new bounce in callie's energy, potentially passed on from frankie through their sharing of air. "if we don't get on that boat now, they're never gonna let us go on the beach trips," she warns, lips close to the shell of frankie's ear so she can say it without the producers hearing. one of them has to give in first, so she lets it be her, body physically colder when she lets go of frankie to swim to the boat. "c'mon."

frankie.

god. she really does not wanna get back on that boat, but the thought of making callie lose out on potential beach trips is enough to sway her opinion on the subject. “okay! fine. fine.” frankie concedes, callie’s breath tickling her ear, her neck hot to the touch. “—but i want it stated for the record that you were the one who made us get back on the boat!” she emphasises, splashing a palm full of water at the other girl’s face as she wrestles free from her grip. “i’d be perfectly happy out here all day if it came to it. i’ll swim to barcelona. i don’t give a fuck.” it’s easier to think when she’s put some distance between them, pushing up on the helm of the boat to climb back onto the swim deck. blood zinging in her chest, she reaches out to grab callie’s hand and help her back onto the speedboat. “your brother probably thinks i’ve kidnapped you...” she admits, fingers tugging at lock of callie’s hair like a schoolyard child with a crush. maybe there was some truth in it. she had convinced her to dive into the water and abandon production with her — not that it had taken much convincing. “c’mon. lets get you home. i’ll even walk you to your door and kiss you on the step if you like.” nothing about this experience is normal, but she's glad callie's already managed to make her feel welcome ( even if part of the warm reception involved swapping spit... yikes. ) nose scrunching, she presses it to brush against callie’s, before she swings around to climb up into to the cockpit. “take it away, dennis...”

#frankie & callie.#frankie & callie 001.#posting this here bcos important.#and im now starting a premise that 1x1 discord threads will b posted here too. sue me.#⥂ frankie castro. ╱ threads.

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