you walk by and i fall to pieces
notes: i could not help myself!! frankie meet cute! frankie x fem reader, some dancing, drinking, santi being a rascal
If Frankie’s learned anything in this life, it’s that it’s not polite to stare.
His mother had grilled it into him, a pinch on the back of his arm in the grocery line as a little boy.
“Francisco, it’s rude to stare.”
“Why?”
“Because people don’t like to be stared at, that’s why.”
He’d spent most of his adult life with his cap pulled down as far as it could go, avoiding eye contact with others. In a line of work where he didn’t want to call attention to himself, he learned how to blend in, keep his eyes forward.
So really, he doesn’t mean to be staring at you, but he doesn’t really think he can help it.
Truthfully, he wasn’t in the mood to go out tonight, but saying no to Santi wasn’t really something that people did.
It wasn’t one of their usual haunts, but after Benny threw a punch at some dickhead at their favorite bar last week, it’d been suggested they wait a minute before coming back.
Santi and Will glued themselves to the pool table, and Benny was good enough company until a woman asked him for a dance. He handed his drink off to Frankie without a second glance.
He’s not sure who’s in charge of the music in this place, but Frankie’s watching a fair amount of folks swaying to Patsy Cline’s ‘Fall to Pieces’, when he sees you.
A table off to the side of the self appointed dance floor, you and three friends with peanuts on the table and beers in your hands.
You’re wearing a dress, a floral thing that is probably comfier than it looks, considering you’ve paired it with tattered boots that look like they’ve been through the ringer. The neckline shows off your collarbone, and Frankie takes a long sip of his drink as you touch your hand to your skin dramatically, likely in the throes of telling a story. Your hair shines in the light, and when you push a strand of hair behind your ear, he has a brief moment of wishing he could do it himself.
It’s as if you can sense his gaze, and you turn to meet his eyes and Frankie freezes. Guilt is his first feeling, having been caught staring, but it lessens considerably so when you blush and give him a bashful smile before turning back to face your friends.
Frankie finally let’s his eyes fall somewhere else, staring into the bottle of his half empty beer. He doesn’t realize Santi’s come back until he bumps his hip against Frankie’s, jostling him slightly.
“Damn dude, you been standing against the bar this whole time?”
Frankie shrugs in a non answer.
Santi puts his empty glass on the bar, leaning on the faded wood with one elbow. “You wanna explain why you’re rooted to this spot in particular?”
Frankie wrinkles his nose, taking a sip of beer. He doesn’t want to point, doesn’t wanna be more rude than he’s already been, so he tries his best to tip his beer in your general direction.
Santi smiles, nodding slowly. “Ahh, I see. The one with the denim right?”
Frankie shakes his head. “No, next to her. The one in the dress.”
You throw your head back and laugh at something, and the delicate curve of your neck has Frankie’s heart skipping a beat.
Santi whistles. “She’s cute, Fish. You gonna go talk to her?”
Frankie grimaces, shifting on his feet. He’s never been good at that. Scratch that, he’s good at talking. It’s the introduction that he hasn’t quite mastered yet. Santi see’s the rejection of the idea on Frankie’s face before he voices it. “Ok, then ask her to dance. Dancing is easier than talking.”
“Come on man, you know I can’t-“
“Fine.” Santi cuts him off abruptly, a smirk on his face. “Then I’ll ask her to dance.”
Frankie narrows his eyes as Santi slowly starts to walk backwards in the direction of your table. “You fucking wouldn’t.”
“Oh, I would.” Santi laughs, turning around quickly on his heel and heading towards you.
Frankie’s gut burns, and yeah, today may actually be the day he kills his best friend.
He watches as Santi politely interrupts and introduces himself. Frankie can’t hear over the music and the chatter, but he watches as your lips form what he can only assume is your name as you hold your hand out for Santi to shake.
It doesn’t take long before that soft blush is back on your cheeks, and your friends are practically pushing you out of your chair to go dance with Santi.
Frankie watches the two of you, and as Santi slips an arm around your waist, Frankie turns around to face the bar.
It’s your own fault, Morales. Not Santi’s problem that you can’t buck up.
He flags the bartender down for another beer, and he’s popping the cap off and taking a long pull when there’s a tap on his shoulder.
“S’cuse me?”
He turns around, half ready to chew someone out for disturbing his brooding-
and instead there’s you.
Frankie finds himself at a loss for words, completely tongue tied, so the only thing to come out of his mouth is,
“Uh. Hi.”
You smile, seemingly charmed. You introduce yourself, your name rolling off your tongue, and it floats into Frankie’s ears like a melody.
“So your friend told me you’re not very good at introductions, and that it might be easier if I came over on my own.”
Frankie nods slowly, eye’s searching around for Santi, but finds he’s already fled from the scene.
“There is some truth in that, yeah. I’m uh, Frankie, by the way.”
“Ok Frankie, are you any better at dancing?”
Frankie chuckles at that, taking a sip of his beer before setting it on the bar. “I like to think I am.”
You hold out your hand, and when Frankie takes it, he’ll swear up and down and on the Bible that there’s an actual spark when your fingers intertwine.
Frankie can’t place the song that’s playing, another oldie with a crooning country star that makes the whole thing feel a little surreal, like a scene from one of those romantic comedies Benny insists he “doesn’t watch”. You knock your boots against Frankie’s as you stumble into place together, his hand around your waist and your hand in his as you start to sway side to side.
Frankie quickly reaches up and swipes the cap off his head, folding it and shoving it into the back pocket of his jeans before returning his hand to your body. You giggle, and Frankie raises an eyebrow at you.
“Now are you laughing with me, or at me?”
“You’ve just got a bit of hat hair is all. It’s cute.”
“Well, my ma taught me that there’s no hats at the kitchen table or when you’re trying to be a respectable gentleman.”
You laugh again, and Frankie likes the way that you seem to do so frequently and without hesitation. “And this is one of those respectable moments?”
“I’d like it to be.”
The song fades into the next, and Frankie leads you two into a nice rhythm, his hand on your waist pulling you in just an inch closer.
“You know-” you say after a few comfortable moments. “I was surprised when your friend came over to me, especially when I caught you staring before.”
Frankie feels the heat in his cheeks, eyes looking towards the ground at his feet. “Yeah, Santiago is sort of the one who makes the moves. I’ve never been as good at that.” Santi sets the plans, Frankie keeps it all in check. It’s the way it’s always been.
“So am I gonna have to go through him to get your number?”
Oh, you’re going to be trouble, that Frankie is sure of.
His eyes come up to your face, and he can only hope he’s got the same twinkle in his eyes that he finds in yours.
“I think I can handle that.”
You laugh again, and when Frankie raises his arm to have you spin underneath, he can feel a few folks in the bar watch as the two of you laugh loud and dance and take up space.
Fine, Frankie thinks. Let them stare. It doesn’t bother him.
(tagging @spacecowboyhotch and if anyone would like to be tagged in future fics, lemme know!)
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