This... Thing | Lainey/Frank

Lainey sat curled on her tatty old arm chair, flipping through channels. There was nothing on. She didn't have work that day, so she didn't have to go anywhere, either - the redhead had decided to spend this day off in.

Sighing in boredom, she finally turned off the television and got up to approach her bookshelf. Maybe she'd read.

Though it was mid-afternoon, the redhead was dressed in pajama bottoms and a t-shirt - the latter of which being rare because she usually wore long sleeves to cover up the scars on her forearms. Lainey had just given up on her sparse collection of books when there was a knock at the door to her small apartment.

Padding across the floor, she answered it.

It had been a while since he'd seen Lainey and he hadn't exactly received the best of welcome backs from her at the meeting. Even if he wanted to keep in touch with he really didn't he couldn't have. His death meant lots of undercover work and secret operations since that was the only time he could do that without being watched or asked what he was doing.

He rolled up to her house on his motorbike and casually walked up to her front door to lightly knock on the wood.

Lainey smiled at her visitor. She hadn't been expecting him, but she wasn't exactly disappointed to see him, either. Opening the door wider, she tipped her head by way of inviting him in.

"I still have hardly any furniture and it's still dingy no matter how much I clean, but at least I haven't moved again," the redhead remarked dryly. It was actually a bit surprising that she hadn't moved, as the woman had the tendency to be a bit nomadic. Five months in the same apartment was quite a feat.

Closing the door behind him, she folded her arms in a semi-unconscious move to conceal her scarred arms. Moving back towards her arm chair, she grabbed the light long-sleeve jacket she'd left there and put it on. That Lainey had had - still had - issues was no secret, but she wore long sleeves in public for a reason.

"Would you like a drink?" Lainey asked, passing Frank on her way to the small kitchenette.

He nodded and moved into the house, his eyes taking a long sweeping look at the layout just incase. He'd been trained by the army so he knew exactly what he was doing. Till this day the army still believed him dead, but he'd been going by a different name back then too.

"You don't have to hide from me you know." He said watching as she covered his arms, he was great at studying people and creatures so he knew what she was doing. Besides it wasn't exactly cold here.

"Sure why not." He said dropping onto the sofa. "You know this place needs a mans touch." He said as he watched her walk away. She was quite the woman.

"Hide?" Lainey echoed. "Oh. I know - habit. Most people stare, and half of them look all pitying and crap. The other half look disgusted. It's easier to ignore people if they aren't gawking."

Opening her refrigerator, Lainey opted against orange juice and shut it again. Searching her - mostly barren - cupboards, she sought of something stronger.

"A man's touch?" the redhead echoed, amusement coloring her tone. "Does it really?" Pouring two cups from a bottle of vodka she had found, she returned to her living room and handed Frank one.

"You know, this... thing between us - which doesn't really exist, I might add - kinda died when you decided it was a good idea to let me believe you were dead for almost a month, dontcha think?" Sarcasm, though it was inevitable; Lainey was still rather pissed about that.

"Scars are what make us beautiful." He said before rolling his eyes. He himself was covered in scars from all the burning buildings he'd escaped from or bullets he hadn't quite managed to dodge. He had one particularly large scar just across the left of his eye, narrowly missing it.

"Let them stare who care if you have scares. I have scars." He said pulling off his shirt to reveal a newish pretty nasty looking scar running from his shoulder down past his chest. "My scars remind me our bodies are weak. This one." He said pointing to his chest. "Nearly did kill me a few weeks back."

He nodded. "Definitely, i'd a say 25 year old bald god like man should just about do... oh i know just the guy." He said kicking back and putting his feet up on the coffee table.

"Theres a thing?" He asked. "Damn and here i was thinking we were friends with the added benefits." He said before going in for his defense. "That month was no picnic ya know. I was stuck under a collapsed building for two days before i finally pulled myself out. Then i went undercover in Russia and built us our secret weapons. We wouldn't be as far as we are now without them. So cut me some slack would ya." He said leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

"Yeah. Well, your scars aren't self-inflicted," Lainey pointed out, tone matter-of-fact.

Downing half her glass, she set it on the coffee table, seating herself on Frank's knees so that she was facing him. Her fingers lightly traced the fresh scar, green eyes tracking their movement.

"You should be more careful," she said softly. Withdrawing her hand, she leaned forward and trailed a line of kisses along the scar's length. Lainey then repositioned herself so she was seated between him and the arm of the sofa, her legs over his lap. She reached over and snagged her cup from the table.

The redhead hummed thoughtfully, gazing at him appraisingly. "Y'know, I think I can see that." She took a sip of her vodka. "I could live with that. Especially if said man promises to go shirtless often.

"A thing, friends with benefits - whatever you wanna call it," Lainey waved a hand dismissively.

She sighed before placing her now empty cup on the floor. Taking his hand, she pressed a kiss to his palm. "I know, it's just... I missed you. I thought I would never see you again and that thought - god, Frank, it could have destroyed me. I mean it, I - I mean it." Her voice became very small as she focused her gaze on a spot on the carpet.

"Mine are close enough, i got most of them from blowing something up myself. So technically they are self inflicted." He shrugged tossing his shirt onto another chair, he didn't feel the need to put it back on just yet. He wasn't planning on going anywhere anytime soon anyway.

He sat back and placed one hand around her waist as she came over and sat on his knee. He'd missed the company of a woman whilst he'd been away but his life had always been hectic so it was nothing new to him. "I should, but that doesn't mean i will." He smiled wiping his mouth after a quick sip of his drink.

A shiver ran down his spine as she traced his scar. Her light touch just seemed to make his skin tingle and before he knew it she was gone. Leaving his lap in favour of the chair beside him. He frowned a look that was usually plastered on his face, and placed a hand on her legs as he brought the cup up to his lips for more.

He nodded. "I can do that. Its a shame having to hide myself in clothes all the times especially as i worked so hard to look this good." He said tapping his abs with his spare hand. "You know i could so a lot more if i didn't have this cup in hand." He said downing the glass and passing it to Lainey seeing as he didn't want to move her to do it himself.

"Just how much have you missed me?" He asked.

Taking his glass, Lainey obligingly put it aside with her own.

She inclined her head in a thoughtful gesture at his question before shooting him a naughty smirk. "Are you looking for me to tell you or show you?" she queried in return.

"Well when i was away my hearing turned subjective you see." He said pointing to his ear. "Oh no. It's gone." He said pretending he couldn't hear. "Guess you're gonna have to show me now."

Tucking one leg beneath her, Lainey then maneuvered herself so she was once more seated on Frank's lap, her body closer to his, this time. Resting her hands on his shoulders, she leaned forward, bringing her lips to his ear.

"Y'know, I really ought to stay angry with you," Lainey murmured, before biting his ear harder than strictly necessary. She ran her hands lightly down the planes of his chest.

"It seems, however," she continued, pausing between words to trail kisses along his jawline, "that you... are very... good... for my temper." The redhead wrapped her arms about his neck, the action bringing her body against his and her face a scarce inch or two from his own.

She smirked at him, then continued seductively, "Thing is, I could probably show you how much I missed you better in the other room."

He smiled and placed his hands on her hips. Now this was what he was talking about, he knew all that hard work would pay off eventually. With the results he got there was no way she could stay mad at him for long.

He smirked, "what ever floats your boat baby. Im down with that." He smiled taking a playful snap at her. "I can be rough." He said giving her a wink. "Hmmm how so?" He asked moving to kiss along her neck. "I can be... good for a lot of... things." He whispered between kisses.

He pulled back and smiled. "Then what are we doing here?" He asked picking her up and carrying her to the bedroom and pinning her up against the wall. Once he had her where he wanted her he brought her lips to his for a kiss.

Lainey's breath caught in her throat as Frank trailed kisses down her neck. He probably knew what kind of effect he was having on her, too, the bastard.

The redhead bit back a surprised squeak as he suddenly picked her up and started towards the bedroom. And then she was pinned between him and the wall - and she loved it.

Hungrily meeting his lips with her own, she attempted to remove the long-sleeve she had put on but a few minutes before. It was a bit of a feat to accomplish with a wall against her back and Frank's muscular frame against her front, but Lainey worked at it anyway, smirking against his mouth as she knew the effect her wriggling must be having on him.

He laughed at her squeak and returned to kissing her, his tongue now asking for entrance of her mouth. It had been a while now since he'd found a girl he really liked. And right now he was pretty sure he did like her whether he liked to admit it or not.

He sighed reluctantly taking a step back to allow her some room. The quicker she got that off the better. He placed a hand on the side of her neck to make sure their lips stayed connected through the distance. He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. "You're driving me insane!" He said ripping her shirt off before pulling her back against him and lightly trailing his fingers down her spine.

Lainey gave a sultry laugh. "That's kinda the point, isn't it?" she teased.

Parting her lips, she granted him entrance, tongue tangling with his. She shivered as his fingers traced her spine. Flesh pressed against flesh and Lainey felt a heady rush like none other. No one else made her feel this way - not even close.

This is one hell of a thing we don't have going, she thought ironically.

Dragging her nails down his back, she hooked her fingers in the hem of his pants, following their edge to its front.

He stopped and paused for a second. "Touche." He shrugged, moving back in for a kiss. Only this time trailing his tongue against her lips, savouring her scent before finally entering her mouth.

His hand still trailed slowly up and down her spine as he allowed his other hand to pop open the button of his jeans. "This is so much better than being dead." He muttered against her ear as his hand traveled to the back of her bra and undoing it.

Lainey let her bra slide down over her shoulders tossing it aside before shimmying out of the garments still clothing her lower half. Caressing the back of his neck with one hand, she stretched upward to murmur back, her lithe form pressing against his as she did so.

"Let me show you how much," she said.

He stopped her. "Hold that thought." He said quickly slipping out of his jeans leaving himself completely undressed. "You may continue." He whispered before moving to trail kisses along her jaw and neck. It wasn't long before he found himself craving her more. Without a seconds thought he picked her up against and gently laid her on the bed before joining her.

"Much better." He smirked.

Some time later...

Lainey rested her head on Frank's chest, her body tucked snugly against his, their legs tangled together. For a moment, all was good and well with the world. It was just her and Frank; nothing else mattered.

It was a foolish train of thought, of course. Not only were things far from well in the world, but this thing between them, this connection neither ventured to define, it would end. Lainey was certain of this. Friends with benefits sounded good in theory, but eventually 'friends' was not enough and someone moved on. The way Lainey figured it, it was either that, or one of them - maybe both - would eventually end up dead.

"You know," Lainey remarked quietly, tone a bit teasing as she traced patterns across Frank's chest. "Some people would call this a thing."

Frank lay back on the best with his eyes closed. That had been better than he imagined. He'd obviously left it far too long since the last time but he knew now he didn't need to wait any longer.

He turned his head to look at her. "Maybe we do have a thing." He said. "I wouldn't know, i've never had a thing." He said, or even experienced a thing for that matter. He added for himself. The only relationship he'd witnessed was that of his parents. But even then he was too busy hating to really notice.

"I've never really had a thing, either," she said softly. "I mean, everything else has just been meaningless and superficial, y'know?

"This, though. Us... It's different, somehow." Lainey reached out her hand and gently stroked the side of his face. "It's like, when I'm with you, I'm not so fucked up anymore. Like I'm almost normal.

"I like having this... thing with you. Except when you're being absolutely aggravating. Then, I just wanna use you for target practice," she added half-jokingly.

He nodded. "Most of the girls i've been with have been there for a few days before i left. But i intend to sick around now... kinda." He said. Of course he couldn't be around all the time. He was needed back in Russia to the order over there. Some one needed to spread their warnings across the globe.

He nodded, it definitely did feel different this time. He'd never felt like this with any of the other women he'd had. "Thats cause we're both fucked up. Your gonna feel normal compared to someone who is just as or even worse than yourself." He smiled.

"Join the cue love, i have target practice written on my forehead apparently."

"Careful," Lainey cautioned. "I might hold you to that."

She hummed in agreement, then laughed at his remark. Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to his forehead. "You just have that effect on people, love," the redhead smirked. Then, she kissed him on the lips, long and sensuous.

"Have I mentioned how very much I've missed you?" Lainey murmured in his ear.