on thin ice [karen/frank - marvel]

seventeen: somewhere over the rainbow

"I just know that she's going to ask me and if she confronts me in person about it I can't decline. I could do it over text because I can carefully craft a lie but she is so manipulative in person, I can't escape it"

"Why would you want to?" Karen asked, unlacing their hands so she could grab a tin of beans off the shelf they stopped in front of. Frank looked up and down the aisle before sighing loudly. Karen tightened her grip on the tin reassuringly. "It sounds fun"

Frank laughed nervously, side glancing her with a strange look. Karen frowned back at him, her mouth gaping a little. "It's honestly one of the worst parties you could go to"

Karen laughed, placing it in the basket he was holding in his hand. She grabbed his other, the two of them continuing to walk down the aisle. Her eyes were focused on the shelves but Frank kept his forward and rigid. "How is that possible? Alcohol, dancing, singing, food, good spirit! It sounds lovely"

"Correction. Not enough alcohol, family harassing you about your personal life, sitting in the corner with no-one to talk to cause Mike's family are all boring sacks of shit" Frank answered, turning toward her. "Seriously, it sucks. The only person I have to talk to is Gabby and she is constantly talking to her sister-in-law. Have you ever heard the story of your own sister preferring her in-laws to you?"

Karen just laughed, pulling Frank to a halt just as he looked up. Walking toward him with a shopping cart in front of her full of items and beginning to overflow was indeed his sister. "Chatting shit about me, are we Frank? Looks like nothing has changed, then"

Gabriela stood in front of him, holding a bag on her left arm and her right hand on the cart with a frown on her face. He looked down toward his small, half-empty basket before looking back at her. Frank then faked a smile, "Hey, Gabby! We were just talking about how much Karen and I are looking forward to Mike's party"

"We were?" Karen asked lowly, leaning into Frank discreetly.

"Oh good, he finally asked you then?" Gabriela asked, looking toward Karen with a small smile on her face. Karen smiled in response and Frank's heart swelled a little at the interaction. "I told him weeks ago he could bring someone. He really is the most giant chicken shit. I'm Gabby, Frank's sister"

Karen shook the hand she held out smiling widely. Frank continued watching, all traces of stress and lying about the party to Gabriela's face having disappeared. He was mostly happy that they already seemed to get along well. "Karen. Frank talks about you all the time"

Gabriela frowned, looking between the both of them eagerly, her eyes widened slightly. "He does? What does he say? It's all lies, I swear I'm nice"

"Nothing bad, Gabby. Cause I love you. You really think I'd make up lies about you? Thanks a lot" Frank answered, feigning hurt. Gabriela rolled her eyes and shoved him, Karen just laughing as she watched the exchange between them. "What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like, Frank?" Gabriela replied, frowning at his stupidity. Karen could only laugh more and Frank scratched the back of his neck awkwardly as Gabriela was humiliating him after he defended her. "Honestly he talks more sense with a few drinks down him, as odd as it sounds. You'll see on Saturday"

"I'm sure I will," Karen answered, looking up toward Frank slightly before back at Gabriela. His eyes were elsewhere and he was mostly just waiting for Gabriela to leave so he could let all of his anxiety and embarrassment out to Karen. She kept squeezing onto his arm and Frank could feel himself regretting existence at this point. That was becoming a regular thing. He didn't know whether to be worried. "Thanks for the invite, by the way"

"No worries. You make my brother happy, so that's all that matters. Anyway, I have to go before that bitch Vanessa Leighton gets the last cupcake stand. Bye guys" she replied, waving as she headed off. Frank turned to watch her leave, the last thing she said about him relieving some of his embarrassment.

Karen waved back as Frank slowly sneaked off ahead of her before she caught up. She hadn't even realised he had unlaced himself from her and began walking ahead of her. She frowned, increasing her pace to catch up with him. "Frank, wait up"

Frank sighed, turning back to her quickly letting the basket crash into his leg. It hurt, but not bad enough to make a fuss about it. He shut his eyes and stared at the ceiling before sighing and looking at her once again. "Cancel all your Saturday plans cause you're coming with me to that damn party"

Karen folded her arms in front of him, cocking her right brow and pouting a little. "Why didn't you ask me upfront?"

"You heard the woman," He said, motioning toward the way Gabriela went. He held his arm out for a few seconds before it dropped and he sighed, looking at the ground disappointed. He shrugged, "I'm a chicken shit"

Karen just laughed, taking his hand and pulling him closer toward her. She leaned up and kissed him, taking him by surprise before his body un-tensed and he kissed her back. He wrapped his free arm around her, his hand on the small of her back. As she pulled out, she stroked his face, caressing over the stubble on his chin.

"I'd love to go to the party with you, Frank" She answered. "All you had to do was ask"

--

"Each of them has different stories, see the Tin Man's name is Boq and he originally was, well, I don't know if you'd say "dating" the wicked witch of the west's sister, the one whose legs were sticking out from under the house at the beginning, remember?"

Frank squinted a little at the TV, watching the events unfold before him whilst trying to recall events from beforehand. He couldn't see her face but he knew Karen was getting slightly annoyed with everything he was saying. "Uh, yes"

Karen sat up, the blanket falling from around her neck landing on her legs. She turned to look at him with a frown on her face and Frank almost laughed. He just stared back at her instead. "Have you been listening at all?"