Frank crosses their arms, perched atop the bricks surrounding the newly-installed fountain. Julie is playing in the water, her shoes and leg-warmers abandoned on the stone path.
The other neighbors had crowded around the new neighbor, obscuring all but the top of his bluish hat from view. Suddenly, the concrete brick they sat on tipped back and dumped them into the fountain. Frank flailed under the water for a moment, before they registered what was happening. They stood up and wiped their wet hair from their face, inspecting their butterfly album for water damage.
"Oh darlin'! Are you alright?" An unfamiliar sound of southern drawl came from an orange puppet in front of them. Frank didn't recognize him, so they assumed the puppet was the new neighbor. Frank glanced up from their book long enough to give the orange fellow Frank's usual impassive expression.
"I'm fine, thank you." And Frank looked down at their album again, correcting a dog-eared page. The orange puppet took off his hat and held out his empty hand for Frank to shake.
"I'm Eddie, Eddie Dear. I'll be running the post office around here, if you hadn't seen it already."
Frank sighed. Will he not take the hint to leave me be? Frank remembered their promise to Julie, taking Eddie's hand and shaking it stiffly.
"Frank Frankly. Resident Entomologist."
Eddie sat the hat back on his head. "Golly, that's a big word. It sounds like somethin' you'd say to cast a spell." He chuckled.
Frank stood, shutting their book and tucking it underneath their arm. "It means that I study bugs. Specifically, butterflies."
Eddie followed Frank as they started to walk toward their own house. It didn't seem like Frank minded at all. They walked joltingly, sort of like a robot, Eddie mused.
"Oh, I like butterflies. There's lots of them around here, I bet you know all their names."
Frank paused to nod, stopping at their own doorstep, Eddie in tow.
"Well then. I suppose I'll see you around, Mr. Dear."
Eddie nodded and grinned, talking to the door as it shut in his face.
"Nice to meet you too, neighbor!"
YOU ARE READING
~Head Over Heels ;; Eddie and Frank~
Fanfic"Frankly, I like being Frank!" this story may contain angst and fluff, but under no circumstances any smut! chapters with triggering content will have a warning at the top of the page. the emojis in the title won't show for me, sorry! p.s. I'm a no...
