on thin ice [karen/frank - marvel]

fourteen: calissa marriott

Karen nodded, shoving her hand behind her back as she manoeuvred around awkwardly on the current spot. Frank placed the book back into its place on the shelf until it slotted perfectly. "It is"

Frank's eyes shifted from the shelf to look at Karen. Her hair was shoved to one side and he could see the scar behind her ear. He wasn't dreaming it, it was there. He crossed his arms as he looked at her tired eyes scanning the floor of her apartment. She then looked up toward him.

"Why did you leave?" She asked, pulling his arms apart from across his chest and lacing them around her body. He felt her warmth hit as she pressed herself against him and he tightened his arms around her, holding her close. He could hear her heart against his chest, pounding just as loud as his own.

"My alarm went off," Frank said, resting his chin on her head. Her head was tilted a little, fitting neatly into Frank's collarbones. Everything fit so well and everything was just so- good. He hated to break the moment. "I have to go to work"

"Seriously?" Karen asked, sighing. Frank could feel her whole body sag a little in his embrace and he shut his eyes. He pressed his mouth to her head and she moved a little to wrap her arms around him further. They reached over his shoulders and she was almost on her tiptoes. "Can't you skip that? Can't you get back into bed with me and we can just lay there and not move all day?"

Frank laughed, lifting his head from hers and smoothing over her hair as she buried herself further into his neck. Her slow breaths sent bumps down his neck as spoke. "It sounds like such a good plan but I really need to go to work, Karen. It looks bad if I skip out when the rest of the squad can't. The city needs me"

Karen hesitated, not bothering to look up toward him. His heart pounded. "I need you"

Frank felt an abnormal thump in his chest and he stayed silent. Everything seemed to have sped up all of a sudden after how slowly the process began. Half of his mind was opposed to the idea but the other half was there, holding Karen in his arms and wouldn't have it any other way. It was right where it was meant to be. "I'll be back as soon as my shift is over, I promise"

"Thank you" She replied, running her hands over his shoulders slowly which sent more bumps down his body. He was a little cold. "For last night. For dealing with everything I said, which admittedly I can't remember half of it. And for stopping me from kissing you whilst I was drunk. Cause, it's something I want to remember"

Frank placed his hand on the back of her head in an attempt to pull her closer and she wrapped her arms around him tighter. He traced the scar by her ear and hoped she wouldn't notice. It was the one thing he learned about her that previous night that intrigued him the most. "You really don't remember anything?"

Karen shook her head, "Sadly. Did I miss anything?"

Only a confession that I think you're my girlfriend from senior year.

"No" Frank answered curtly. He figured she had guessed something was wrong due to his snappy response so he tried to further it with something else. "We just talked about anything. Anything and everything. To take your mind off things, Carson related things"

She finally pulled away from him, looking back up toward him. Frank felt cold and empty where she was lay, her arms slowly sliding from under his own as she distanced. He caught them right at the end, holding onto her hands for a split second before she let go. "Right"

"I was going to start making coffee but I didn't know how long you'd be out," Frank said, shoving his hands into his pockets. His phone was there, reminding him of work. Karen began moving around her apartment and Frank was left standing there almost unsure of what to do or say.