#dean.frankie2

[deanchaiyachet]

— SETTING: hot cocoa stop (downtown) ; morning — AVAILABILITY: closed starter for FRANKIE SHEN | ( @frankiexshen )

This whole 'New Years goals' had barely started and they were already getting the best of Dean. As he'd promised to start working out and eating better, it was also making him a little bit cranky as he was always freaking tired. That morning, it was just his luck to see the hot chocolate truck parked mere blocks from his building, so, of course, he had to stop and have a cup, right? Right? Dean just wasn't expecting to find Frankie standing in line.

"Frankenstein, my dude!" The streamer threw his arm around the petite brunette's shoulders, offering her his usual golden retriever smile as he looked at her. Good thing he showered at the gym. That way he wasn't going to be self-conscious to be standing this close to someone else. "How are ya? How were the holidays? More importantly, if you give me your spot, I'll buy you a cup of hot cocoa."

[deanchaiyachet]

"Pushkin, huh?" He watched Frankie for a moment blowing on his hot chocolate as they kept on walking, picturing her cat sleeping on her stomach. Now that he'd think of it, it was a nice image to picture. Maybe not the most decent, but nice still. "Mine is Milo. He's also a pretty sweet little dude. He keeps me company on the lonely days." Not that Dean felt lonely that often, but it was nice still, to have constant company whenever he wanted some. Milo was always there, rubbing his head on Dean's legs or climbing on his CPU to get warmed up and all that. Although he didn't have it as his lockscreen, Dean had several pictures of his tabby orange cat, so he selected one and handed his phone to Frankie. "Keep swiping right, if you've hit a picture of my open CPU, you've gone too far." He chuckled.

Frankie's words however, stole a chuckle from his lips. Last time he had a girl over — that wasn't Ingrid, of course, — things ended up getting out of his control, so the mention of this being a new milestone in their relationship brought images of that night back to life. I mean... he and Frankie were friends, right? Just friends? Probably? Maybe?

"Yeah, sure. My place it is." He nodded, trying to push those thoughts off his mind as he started making his way to his apartment downtown. "It might be a little messy, but I'm sure you've seen worse." He told Frankie once they've reached his building and he unlocked the front gate. Hopping up the stairs to the first floor, Dean turned right and opened the second door by the stairs. "Ingrid and I are going apartment hunting, so maybe this will be one of the last times you'll come here." He chuckled. "Milo? Pspsps, cmere, Milo. I have someone who wants to meet you."

Dean then turned to Frankie and told her to make herself at him, before he stepped into his bedroom and came back to the living area holding onto Milo. "Found him. Milo, this is Frankster. We really like her, alright? Be nice. Our lil Frankenstein." / @frankiexshen

In the split second it had taken for Frankie to formulate a reply to Dean's question she found herself rendered entirely speechless; she wasn't unused to being physically affectionate or just... tactile in general with her friends― she was a fairly tactile person in her own right, after all. But that wasn't enough to hold back the flush that crept along the back of her neck, into her cheeks, into the tips of her ears the moment Dean tapped her lip. She couldn't quite meet his eyes for a fraction of a second even as she laughed― the sound tinged with nervousness as her heart seemed to stutter briefly in her chest. Bloody hell, this man's going to kill me. It was a distant thought and Frankie forced herself to focus on everything else Dean was saying― fighting to make her mind catch up to all of the processing she needed to be doing to keep up with his train of thought.

She finally offered him a bright smile, "Yes! To both questions. Baking's quite relaxing for me or like, something I'll do if I can't sleep just to keep myself busy. I'm not half bad at it at this point." Frankie fished her phone out of the pocket of her coat and showed Dean the lock screen― a photo of her cat Pushkin napping on the windowsill in her front room. "His name is Pushkin. He's the sweetest boy and he has no idea that he's absolutely bloody massive. Which is fine until he wants to sleep on my stomach and then I can't move or take deep breaths," Frankie joked, snorting. She hummed, reaching up to tap her bottom lip with her pointer finger before she smiled again. "I don't think I can say no to meeting your cat, so, your place it is! Is this a new milestone in our relationship? Seeing your place?" It was half a joke and one she was embarrassed to have made almost immediately but she couldn't quite bring herself to feel that bad about it if she might earn herself another smile from the man at her side.

[deanchaiyachet]

It always amused to see people as small and cute as Frankie cursing as freely as the young doctor did. It definitely added good two years to his lifespan and he wouldn't have it any other way. "What?" He replied with an innocent shrug as he looked down at her. "It's one of the perks of being the youngest. I get to be spoiled rotten." Which, in Dean's case with only partially true as the young streamer didn't think his siblings were that much of a source of spoiling, but his mother though? He was a momma's boy through and through despite his independence speaking louder and making him leave home at an early age.

"Does anyone study for fun, though?" His gaze dropped to that red-tainted pout of hers and for a moment, he was reminded of his own actions when facing someone else's pout. It made Dean shake his head discreetly, as if to also shake those thoughts away. Instead, he booped her bottom lip, making fun of her little pout. "Wait... so you're telling me you bake too? And that you also have a cat? What's his name? I need to know for science." It was funny to him just how similar these two were and he hadn't noticed yet. Were there other things that he hadn't noticed either? "Well, my place is not too far from here, and I also have a cat who's pretty amazing, if I do say so myself. So it's up to you. My place, your place, the freezing outdoors... whatever you'd like, Frankenstein!" / @frankiexshen

"Fucking hell, Dean," Frankie blurted, a startled laugh spilling from her as she looked up at him with a genuinely incredulous expression on her face. It was somehow endearing in a way that she had no means of articulating, though the endearment was certainly drowned out by her concern as his friend and well, someone with half a degree of sense, evidently. "How've you gotten to this point? It has to be sheer spite at this point or you're just the luckiest person I've ever met," She said dryly, gesturing emphatically as she spoke and wholly unable to keep the smile from her lips. It was one of his many charms, she reasoned, and even if she was anxious about most things it was fairly nice to have someone around who didn't have matching anxieties.

She pouted― rolling her eyes hard even as she laughed. "Alright, alright― I mean, I don't study for fun but I do still have to do it so you might have to bow out while you're still ahead," She said with a laugh. "I cook a lot when I have time and like, bake and things. My cat demands that I take naps with him semi-regularly but otherwise I suppose I'll try loads of things for fun. I guess it depends on whether you want to be out and about or hang out at one of our places or something? We could play a game together or something, maybe?"

@deanchaiyachet

[deanchaiyachet]

There was something heavy in the way Frankie spilled those thanks, but Dean didn't mention it. It wasn't like him to point out all of the heavy stuff in the middle of the street, especially when they were about to have chocolate... but something there had changed. Something between the offer and the thanks had shifted the mood a little and he could feel that. It made him squeeze Frankie's shoulders for a bit there, as if reassuring her that everything was okay.

"Aight, so after chocolate, the sky is the limit, really!" The taller man smiled, looking down at her. Finally, they reached closer to the car and Dean ordered their chocolates, following by something for them to munch on, too, then, after paying for it, he stepped aside, all while keeping his arm around Frankie's shoulders. "You'd think I'd be more creative, right? But nah... I usually just fuck around and hope I don't die or something." Which, was an odd joke to make, but it was still true. It wasn't like Dean lived his life with some sort of plan, or anything. "What do you usually do on your days off. If you say study, I'm out of here." Not that he would, of course.

He knew how busy doctors were, or at least, he assumed he knew how busy they were, so, if that's what Frankie did when she wasn't working, of course he wouldn't judge her for it. That only made her more dedicated to her craft! But.... "I mean the fun stuff. When you're not working or studying." / @frankiexshen

It was an infinitely small gesture in the grand scheme of things.

It was the act of someone being so willing to make space for her when they didn't have to that made Frankie pause; she wondered why it was that it felt so unfamiliar to her when she knew it wasn't. She had plenty of close friends who'd offered it to her and she still found it difficult to accept their kindness on the face of things. She cleared her throat, feeling it tighten in the same moment her eyes began to sting and when she looked away from Dean again there was an ease to the curve of her shoulders even as she tried not to do something as embarrassing as crying over such a small thing in an extremely public setting. She'd very nearly collected herself when she processed the kiss Dean had pressed to her head and a flush began to creep up her neck as she cleared her throat and rubbed her eyes for a brief moment before she looked at him again and smiled, a little shy and more than a little grateful.

"Thanks, Dean," Frankie said softly. It was difficult to imagine breaking a moment that was already half public but she worried she might if she even spoke at a higher volume. It was silly but she welcomed the affection being offered her even if she had no real way of accepting it in a way that was... well, normal, she supposed. Instead, she leaned into him a bit more, hoping that it might convey what she didn't quite have the words to express herself and finally, when she took another slow breath, her anxiety seemed to ease somewhat and she found herself smiling again. "Alright. Enough of that! Once we've gotten hot chocolate― what's our next step, do you think? I'm happy just wandering around with you but if you have a proper plan I'm open to that as well."

[deanchaiyachet]

"Eh... I wouldn't call you annoying, though." Again, he nudged the smaller woman, still keeping his arm around her petite shoulders as they moved closer to the chocolate truck. As she shared something more serious about herself, and even private, Dean couldn't keep up the clown facade as he knew how to read the room better than some people in his life ever did. Although he had always been knowing to be positive and for never letting people around him feel sad or out of place, it came from being a good listener. It came from breathing in people's emotions and breathing out ways to welcome them in, to make them feel sheltered by him.

It came from being empathetic.

He had noticed the way Frankie seemed to avoid his gaze... like she was ashamed of him in a way. Nah, people should never be ashamed of dealing with their demons, you know? "Hey..." He gently nudged her again, as if to make her look up at him. "I'm not an expert on dealing with those sorts of episodes, but my mom gets really bad depression episodes sometimes." He shared, in a way to make her not feel like she was alone with her struggles. "And anxiety follows me around, too. So, I get it, you know?" He paused, not wanting to make any of this about him. This was about Frankie. "What I mean is... everyone's going through something nowadays. So if you ever feel like you need help going through it... I can try and help you. Just tell me how, you know?" Dean, then leaned down and planted a kiss on the side of her head. "You're not alone, Frankenstein." / @frankiexshen

Frankie's immediate response― a wrinkling of her nose that seemed to scrunch up her whole face for the effort― faded almost immediately but she made a displeased sound all the same and shook her head with a low, dramatic sigh. "Fucking hell, mate, why would you come for me like that?" She asked, a note of a whine in her voice that was as genuine as it was put on. She'd always been a bit of a worrier ( which was an understatement if she'd ever heard or made one ) and yes, her siblings had a tendency to remind her that she mothered them rather often, but she tried not to do it to her friends if she could get away with it. "I really am proud that you're doing it, though! I was being serious! Am I not allowed to do that?" Her good mood hadn't faded in the slightest and it was all too easy to slip back into teasing Dean as seemed to be a norm for their friendship.

"Yes but I think it's more that we'll be annoying each other all morning, no?" She quirked an eyebrow as she spoke and shrugged as best she could as she processed Dean's next question. "It's sort of normal for me, honestly. I don't sleep much as it is but um," She paused, wondering for a moment just how much she should share. It wasn't that she thought Dean would judge her or be weird about it if she discussed her OCD but her parents had all but forced her not to discuss it at home and some habits died slowly. "Whenever I have particularly bad OCD episodes as well my anxiety gets so bad I have a hard time sleeping. So chances are that has something to do with it if I'm having loads of trouble," Frankie finally admitted and found it difficult even to look at Dean as she did. "I'm used to it most of the time but it can be... rough."

@deanchaiyachet

[deanchaiyachet]

"Hell yes, she is." Dean replied with a nod. He would be caught dead before saying anything bad about his แม่. She might not have always been perfect, as of course, people were bound to have flaws, but to withstand everything she had, and still be able to power through despite the falls? Hell yeah, she was powerful. A bad ass woman, in his book. "I mean, she went to college later in life, you know? She's a Physics teacher now. I could never." He shook his head. "But I guess that also makes you a wiz, doesn't it, doc?" The gamer gently nudged Frankie's shoulder, before resting his free hand over his chest. "Yes, please, ma'am. Keep on sweet talking to me. And by sweet-talking, I mean just talking."

As he stepped in line to get them something to drink, he offered his newfound friend one of his golden retriever's smiles and then leaned in to plant a kiss on her cheek. "You're the best dude out there, Frankenstein!" Oh God, what have him been doing? "Listen... I went to the gym. Can you believe?" He gave Frankie his best shot at an impersonation of Jonathan van Ness, cocking his head to the side and smiling sarcastically at her. "Been trying this new thing called 'being healthier'. What about you? Are you working this morning?" / @frankiexshen

"Duly noted," Frankie said with a laugh. She couldn't imagine telling anyone to fuck off unless they'd absolutely done something to deserve it but she wasn't the world's most confrontational person; she tended to save that for her siblings which had gotten them into significant collective trouble when they were young and only slightly less now that they weren't. "I'm positive your mum is just as lovely as you so I doubt there's much chance I'd ever even think it but if your brother's fair game then we'll see," She teased, her smile shifting towards more of a mischievous grin.

"Alright, alright," She groaned playfully. "You're bloody persistent, you know that? I know it didn't take much but how am I supposed to say no to this face?" She asked, raising her hands to hold Dean's face for a moment before she pulled away with another laugh and a slow shake of her head. "Other than bribing me to get ahead in line‒ what've you been getting up to this morning? Anything exciting?" Frankie asked.

[deanchaiyachet]

"Ah... that accent." He teased Frankie, his free hand resting over his chest and clutching at his heart. "Gets me everytime. You could tell my mom to fuck off with it and I'd thank you." The streamer chuckled. "Wait. No. Not my mom, though... my older brother maybe." Yeah, he didn't think any accent in the world would keep him from lashing out if they ever messed with his mother. Not that he was expecting Frankie to do so, but it was just how his brain worked sometimes. Speak first, think later. "Definitely my older brother."

At Frankie's response, Dean turned around. With his arm still over her shoulders, he too, made her turn to check the size of the line behind her. "Dude... I'm trying to cut in line. Look at this bs behind you." He then shook his head, glancing down at the petite medical student with his big puppy eyes. He even added a small pout to his plea. "C'mon, Frankenstein? Please? Chocolate and pastries on me." And then he leaned down to speak close to her ear. "But we know I can bake better stuff than what they serve here." / @frankiexshen

Though a majority of her social media timelines had been full of New Years resolutions and people in various stages of pursuing them or trying to reclaim them or happily stuffing them up─ Frankie had never been one to keep them for herself. It was a pain, for a start, to try and keep track of them when she had enough trouble managing her time around work and actually having some semblance of a social life; but she also tended to become easily overwhelmed by them and when they fell to the wayside as a result that somehow felt worse. As such, she resolved to try and be a bit more present with her relationships and called it done.

Well, that and resolved to let herself have little treats when she wanted them─ that morning's treat being hot chocolate in the midst of a morning walk she'd decided to take because she couldn't sleep. She very nearly squeaked in response to Dean's voice behind her and his arm slipping around her shoulders but laughter came that much more easily and she nudged him gently with her elbow as she shifted to look at him with a warm smile. "All the better for seeing your face, mate," Frankie teased. "Dean, you're basically standing in my spot as it is─ isn't that a bit of a negligible wait?" She asked, arching an eyebrow even as she prepared herself to agree─ she'd blame Dean's rather adorable brand of charm if he questioned it but that was neither here nor there.

[deanchaiyachet]

Although he didn't know Frankie all that much, the little that he did come to know of the young doctor, Dean couldn't possibly assume that her ego was as big as she claimed it was. Or that it could get. To him, Frankie seemed to be super chill and laid back, and that was one of the reasons why whenever he did casually bump into her, that he was always filled with energy enough to power a big city like Providence Peak.

Her little motherly gesture, however, made him playfully roll his eyes at her. "Psh, knock it off, dude!" Dean practically mumbled too, as the streamer pried her hand off his cheek and linked her arm with his, gently patting on her hand. "You sound like my mom." And well... even though they didn't have anything romantic going on there, it still felt... weird to say the least.

At the news that Frankie had a free morning, he offered her a smile. "So... basically what I'm hearing it: I get to annoy you all morning?" With his free hand, the taller man motioned a sign of victory, as they stepped closer to the hot chocolate truck. "But what's up with you not being able to sleep? Something's been bothering you?" / @frankiexshen

It was the slightest bit pathetic― the twinge of split second jealousy as Dean spoke about his mother that Frankie smothered the moment she noticed it; the rest of her-- the better part of her-- was delighted that he had such a lovely parent in his life no matter how fiercely the quietest parts of her heart lamented the lack in her own life. If she ever had the chance to meet Dean's mother she could only assume that she'd be as lovely as Dean himself was and that thought alone was enough to make her smile― even if that smile turned playfully exasperated a moment later at the sound of his teasing. "Oh, come off it, Dean," Frankie grumbled― though there was no harshness in her voice, only an amusement she was trying and failing quite spectacularly to hide. She shook her head after a moment, unable to suppress her widening smile, "You're going to give me a complex at the rate you're going. My ego won't be able to take it," She joked, nudging him lightly with her elbow.

She held a hand over her heart and adopted her best surprised expression― eyes wide as she bit back another laugh. "You're doing so well, love, I'm very proud of you," Frankie said, reaching up to pat his cheek with a giggle. "Not today, no― I couldn't sleep and thought going out for a walk might be good for me, y'know? And I've been trying to take advantage of like, giving myself small treats and such so hot chocolate sounded lovely. All that is to say you have ages to listen to my voice if you'd like the company."