Summary: Searching for the perfect beetle friend, you're startled to meet Frank at the intersection between Welcome Home and Cherrywood town. Quickly his tough exterior fades as he excepts your unique company, enchanted by your different yet oh so familiar hobby of finding bugs. As the day passes and the pair relishes the contentment of fulfilling their ventures, they discover that they have not only found their rare butterflies and beetle's, but perhaps a rare and everlasting partner.
Crouched on the green grass you looked between the patches into the moist dirt, searching for any subtle movements from what might be a beetle. As you crawled around occasionally mumbling and humming the sudden noise of a gentle flapping and stepping caught your attention. Quietly getting to your feet you step foot onto the worn out intersection you came from, however before you're able to note your surroundings any clearer the vague shape of a butterfly quickly flying towards you happily startled you.
Naturally letting out a large smile you turn around, trying to keep your eyes on it. As you gently allow it to flutter around you you attempt to move along with it in a silly sort of dance, which either didn't amuse the butterfly, or hadn't for the tall and lanky man who had begun cursing you in a hushed whisper. When your attention shifted to him the butterfly flew away, making him stand in a clumsy panic as he stumbled over his own feet, struggling to keep his hands clung around his binoculars, butterfly catcher and book. You couldn't resist the smile ghosting across your face at his impression, despite him hurrying past you in a failed attempt to follow the butterfly. It had already gone too far...
"Have you no idea what you're doing here?!"
Why would he say such a thing? Your smile immediately morphed into a frown, accompanied by a aggravated sigh.
"Excuse me?"
"All the flowers here are for attracting the butterflies! And here you are- playing in the dirt like a slob while you're lucky enough to have a long-wing go flapping around you!"
Oh... well that was quite rude of them wasn't it?
You can only look away, it would surely be useless to argue with someone so adamant that they were in the right. As you turn away, reaching for your few belongings you can hear him continuing to insult you, even while he's walking farther away from you in a huff.
And then a scream-
"WHAT IS THAT- THING?"
Suddenly he's backing away on the ground too? Opposite of a large rock too...
Wait, a large rock?
You quickly sprint up to him, your eyes shining in anticipation.
"Oh what is it?!"
The mystery man only lets out a terrified sound, his eyes wide and staring a little in front the rock to the messed dirt it once sat on. He must have tripped over it.
Putting your hand to his back softly in gentle and warm support you attempt to help him up, and suddenly he seems much more sensitive and gentle as he urgently reaches for your hand to help him up. That is, before you spotted a beetle.
"My goodness! Hello my little friend! Oh, aren't you just a sweetheart?" You loudly introduce yourself to the little bug who quickly accepts you, crawling onto your hand without much pushing. The man's expression returns to disgust, finally picking himself from the floor and dusting off his attire and equipment. Noticing his change in position, your attention is drawn to him again
"This is the western hercules beetle! Ah, I've always wanted to find on of these little guys, won't you look at him? Look, to make up for your little butterfly!" You suggest.
Before his phased expression and gaping mouth can muster a response you interrupt him, the beetle already beginning to crawl closer to your shoulder.
"My name's Y/N!" You add, accompanied by a smile.
"...Frank Frankly." he bluntly responds, making sure to look away from wherever the beetle is on you.
You only give him a different smile, one of acknowledgement and acception before your attention is all over your new friend again. Sighing, he steps a little closer, his facial expression at ease as he begins to place away his difficult and tough front.
"So... a hercules beetle you say?"
Nodding in response, a small gasp coming from you at his sudden new approach as you shrug the part of your arm with the beetle towards him more. He looks unsure, a little nervous. His hand is held out, debating whether to touch the unattractive bug.
"Oh he won't bite! He's a safe little friend, the only thing that could get to you is his little claw hands, but you can't even feel it! And frankly frank, I think that's pretty reasonable when you're a little fella trying to hold on to some giants." you joke.
He gives you a questionable look before reaching his hand out, delicately stroking the beetle's horn. As he adjusts to the experience a small smile draws up onto his face, and despite just meeting him you make sure to appreciate the sight, finding it's brought you a sense of comfort.
"So, how do you know it's a male?" He questions, easing into your welcoming attitude, making sure to return it with his own approach to kindness.
"Well you see that huge little horn? Mhm, it's super small on the girls!"
He nods in understanding, and it makes you think a little. Here you are, enjoying your incredible discovery, even being able to share it all with someone so understanding and real kind deep down. Yet, it seems you scared off his own miracle.
"Oh Frank! I'm so sorry about your butterfly, is there any way more of em could be around here?"
Sighing, Frank gives you a thoughtless chuckle of reassurance
"The suns setting down, I'm sure they're all gone by now. That's alright though, I'll simply return here tomorrow." He states, retracting his hand from the beetle, now admiring it's duality with you and your softer, gentler features which embraced the more frightening bug in admiring eyes. Could you care to do that with someone like him? Someone so harsh and difficult? Well, you had just met. What a foolish thing to think... You hum in understanding to his vocalized comment.
"Would you mind if I helped?"
Smiling, he fidgeted with the corner of his hard cover book, looking away before deciding to face you completely as he admitted
"I'd love that."
