ALL SHE NEEDS
25 May 2013 16:02![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
skylar0graceTitle: All She Needs
Status: Complete
Rating: PG
Summary: Frank loves Nancy but Ned can't let go.
Notes: I was working on my piece for the Rare Ship Swap and listening to music when this just jumped out at me. I couldn't let it go. Seriously. The other pairing (which must stay unnamed until the reveal) was completely gone from my head and I could tell... those bunnies had struck again!
AO3 Link
“Just stop it! Both of you!”
All eyes looked to the frustrated woman walking toward the arguing men. Frank Hardy took a step back from the fuming Ned Nickerson and tried to catch Nancy’s eye. She didn’t look toward him once. Instead she laid a gentle hand on her former flame’s arm and tilted her head in a move he’d seen her use many times over with wounded animals.
“Ned... please!”
Ned shook her hand off and glared at the man he considered the instigator in the problem by merely existing.
“Where is her favourite place to read?”
Frank frowned at the sudden turn of events. Before he could open his mouth, Ned growled out the answer between gritted teeth and took a step toward him.
“What does Nancy do when she can’t sleep?”
“I- ”
Ned cut him off instantly, snarling out the answer as he took another aggressive step forward. Frank wasn’t worried for himself - he knew how to handle himself and Ned was hardly an impressive opponent. No, he was concerned for Ned. He was only getting angrier and angrier and Frank could tell by the look Nancy shot him, that injuring the man she’d previously dated would not be wise. He kept his anger in check as Ned spat out question after question, answering them himself before Frank could utter a syllable.
“Look,” Frank interrupted, “I may not be perfect. I don’t know every little thing about her that comes from knowing her, her whole life – but I’m working on it. I do know about the things we have in common, the things that draw us together. I know that I would do anything to protect her – I have done anything to protect her. I would die for her. I might not know everything about her but I love her and I’ll do whatever I have to do, to keep her happy.”
Honestly, he expected Ned to hit him. He’d prepared himself for the blow, even going so far as to not let his body retaliate. But it didn’t come. Ned seemed to instantly deflate before his eyes and he could have sworn he saw an ounce of understanding in his eyes before he frowned, nodded and turned and walked away. The small surrounding crowd on the pier dissipated and Nancy watched Ned walk away until he disappeared into the inky night. She turned to Frank.
“Thank you.”
Her smile was bright, despite a tinge of sadness and Frank wrapped his arms around her. He didn’t need to speak. If anything, his unexpected use of the “L” word had been enough of a bombshell for the both of them. Frank Hardy had known the minute he saw the red-headed sleuth that he was in love but the words hadn’t passed his lips. It was somewhat understood between them and that the first time he uttered them should be to her previous partner was hardly romantic. But as Nancy lifted her face and pressed her lips to his jaw, Frank felt everything except her melt away. That was all he needed.
Status: Complete
Rating: PG
Summary: Frank loves Nancy but Ned can't let go.
Notes: I was working on my piece for the Rare Ship Swap and listening to music when this just jumped out at me. I couldn't let it go. Seriously. The other pairing (which must stay unnamed until the reveal) was completely gone from my head and I could tell... those bunnies had struck again!
AO3 Link
“Just stop it! Both of you!”
All eyes looked to the frustrated woman walking toward the arguing men. Frank Hardy took a step back from the fuming Ned Nickerson and tried to catch Nancy’s eye. She didn’t look toward him once. Instead she laid a gentle hand on her former flame’s arm and tilted her head in a move he’d seen her use many times over with wounded animals.
“Ned... please!”
Ned shook her hand off and glared at the man he considered the instigator in the problem by merely existing.
“Where is her favourite place to read?”
Frank frowned at the sudden turn of events. Before he could open his mouth, Ned growled out the answer between gritted teeth and took a step toward him.
“What does Nancy do when she can’t sleep?”
“I- ”
Ned cut him off instantly, snarling out the answer as he took another aggressive step forward. Frank wasn’t worried for himself - he knew how to handle himself and Ned was hardly an impressive opponent. No, he was concerned for Ned. He was only getting angrier and angrier and Frank could tell by the look Nancy shot him, that injuring the man she’d previously dated would not be wise. He kept his anger in check as Ned spat out question after question, answering them himself before Frank could utter a syllable.
“Look,” Frank interrupted, “I may not be perfect. I don’t know every little thing about her that comes from knowing her, her whole life – but I’m working on it. I do know about the things we have in common, the things that draw us together. I know that I would do anything to protect her – I have done anything to protect her. I would die for her. I might not know everything about her but I love her and I’ll do whatever I have to do, to keep her happy.”
Honestly, he expected Ned to hit him. He’d prepared himself for the blow, even going so far as to not let his body retaliate. But it didn’t come. Ned seemed to instantly deflate before his eyes and he could have sworn he saw an ounce of understanding in his eyes before he frowned, nodded and turned and walked away. The small surrounding crowd on the pier dissipated and Nancy watched Ned walk away until he disappeared into the inky night. She turned to Frank.
“Thank you.”
Her smile was bright, despite a tinge of sadness and Frank wrapped his arms around her. He didn’t need to speak. If anything, his unexpected use of the “L” word had been enough of a bombshell for the both of them. Frank Hardy had known the minute he saw the red-headed sleuth that he was in love but the words hadn’t passed his lips. It was somewhat understood between them and that the first time he uttered them should be to her previous partner was hardly romantic. But as Nancy lifted her face and pressed her lips to his jaw, Frank felt everything except her melt away. That was all he needed.
