Petrichor - e.mikaelson

35

As it happened, the party ended up quite soon after Frankie left though it was a while until Elijah joined her. Shifting contentedly as he slipped in behind her, she twisted to face him, squirming a little at the coldness of his hand that had recently held his icy glass but now brushed against her skin.

"Did it end alright," she asked, a grin overwhelming her when his hand caressing her cheek allowed his thumb to trace across her bottom lip, "treaty still strong?"

"It did," he nodded, "although I broke my word."

"Oh?" she peeked an eye open in concern. Frankie knew how much Elijah's word meant to him, how careful he was with the words he spoke and how much he valued the steadiness of it. She knew it was rare for him to ever go back on a promise and hearing he had made her wonder why, "What happened?"

"I believe I promised I'd help you take your dress off."

Relief washed over her as an annoyed but playful grin rose to her lips, anxiety flooding away. She'd earned that one she supposed, considering how often she teased him and really it wasn't that cruel a trick in the slightest.

"You did," she laughed, pressing forwards to kiss him quickly before pulling back and rolling over, "I guess you'll just have to owe me one. You left me to get drunk with your brother all night and now I want to sleep."

Elijah was fine by that, especially when his arm fell across her waist and instead of allowing it to land on her side and trace gentle circles as he often did, she reached up and linked her own fingers with his. This moment was the one he wanted to remember for all of eternity, her curled up beside him with his arm pulled to her chest and their fingers linked so one couldn't move without alerting the other. For the moment until he allowed himself to drift away, he counted his blessings that she had ever entered his life and granted him such serenity.

Although their entanglement was pleasant in the night, warm and comforting, when morning came and Frankie felt Elijah shifting in an attempt to pull his hand and arm away from her she groaned in annoyance.

"Stop moving," she whined, rolling so his arm was only pulled closer, "I'm sleeping."

"I have to go -"

"No."

"It's still early," he said, pressing a kiss to her cheek as he detangled their hands "Just go back to sleep my love."

Frankie had her mouth open to growl back a response but with what he called her her cheeks reddened and she rolled over, pressing her face back into the pillow with surprise. Elijah was prone to sweet names rolling off his tongue when he talked to her but he hadn't called her his love before and she was surprised by the title as well as a little overwhelmed with what felt such a leap.

Though she wasn't nearly as bad as she had been when they first met, not nearly as reluctant for any kind of relationship, the only person she'd ever loved in her life had been Mitch and it was clear that had been a misstep. Frankie tried to allow herself a little forgiveness, but it was difficult for her to really trust her gut and truly believe that she was the best at choosing people.