on thin ice [karen/frank - marvel]

three: mickey and scuttle

Frank stared at the note whilst sitting at the table and drinking from a hot mug. Why a small note intrigued him so much, he had no clue. Why was she so captivating? It was literally words on a page, but it was the fact she played along with him, instead of complaining and potentially "freaking out" that her neighbour left her a note attempting to make a joke.

He had seen too many people try and use sarcasm as a flirting technique and every time it failed miserably. Only this time, there was something about the way she spoke, even on paper. It was different. He found himself laughing after reading it several times. A spark within him that died so many years ago attempting to light again. Frank dampened it down before anything happened.

Frank hadn't laughed in an awfully long time. It was something he swore he'd never do with ease again. Only force. Force to show he wasn't completely dead inside, only to show that he did conform with the people around him. Why? Something else he didn't know the answer to. Something else that had been shut off for some unknown reason.

So many things in Frank's life had lead to questionable decisions on not doing things but it just felt normal for him now. He was alone so often and for such long periods, he made his own rules and learned to live by them without question. He figured if someone else was to take a look inside his mind and reasoning, he'd be having an appointment with a psychiatrist.

Frank ripped another piece of paper from the note pad on his table and began scribbling a message. He tried different approaches, not wanting to sound too forward but the comment about a dermatologist really silenced him. What if she was right? What if he did need to see a dermatologist? Was he going bald at an early age?

More importantly, why was such a small comment like that affecting him so much? He never cared about any of this before. It was like he figured out before; she put everything into perspective. Which was odd for Frank, cause he'd never really had to think about what someone else thought of him, only what he did. It only ever mattered what he did and how he did it. Now someone with a better life than him was demonstrating it across the hall, it really made him think.

Interrupting his thoughts, Frank's phone buzzed and reminded him of the time. He rooted through his kitchen drawer for the key and picked his wallet off the table. Grabbing the note he scribbled, he shoved it in his pocket all scrunched. He threw his jacket over his shoulder, heading out the apartment before he could even shut the lights off.

He headed to the bottom floor of the block of apartments across from him, buzzing himself in with the key he had made before unlocking the door to 1B. The building was quiet and Frank was never quite used to it, making a shift change from the constant buzz in his building compared to the still era in this one. It almost felt nice, he could imagine getting an amazing sleep.

Frank couldn't help but smile as the two tiny dogs bombarded him, jumping up at his legs and barking loudly. More of a yapping, their fragile bodies couldn't produce such a noise just yet, but still quite loud when the two were put together. He shut the door before they escaped, bending down and letting them jump into his arms. "Hey guys, did you miss me?"

"Frank?"

"Yeah, it's me, bud" He replied, standing again as the dogs jumped off him and began running in the direction of the voice calling out. Frank grabbed the leashes off the hook by the door before walking through the apartment slowly. Every time he came in he looked around, wondering what it was like to live there. It was so different from his apartment even though they lived merely within seeing distance.

Frank looked across at Mason in his wheelchair as he rolled toward him from across the room. He smiled up at Frank, not being able to extend a hand to shake or arms to hug him due to the paralysis. Frank always felt bad or kind of awkward at that part of the visit but it soon cleared up because either one of them started to talk. "How you doing, buddy?"

Mason grunted slightly, trying to smile wider but only failing miserably. Frank really didn't know how he could stay alone at night with only two dogs for company after his carer went home for the day. It seemed so lonely, even lonelier than Frank who lived on his own. But he figured Mason had his own habits. "Good. Thanks for doing this"

Frank frowned, "Shut up," He said, "I've been doing this since the accident, you don't have to thank me every time, bud"

Mason grunted again, a vague noise coming out which Frank laughed at because he knew it was the equivalent to him making incoherent sounds. They were at the stage of friendship where Frank was allowed to laugh at little things like that, a) because he understood and b) because Mason would undoubtedly laugh too. "I think they love you more than they love their disabled father"

Frank shook his head, "Don't be ridiculous. I'll take them around the block a few times and then I'll be back, sound good?"

Frank always told Mason the same route even if he changed it sometimes. Some days he'd fit it so he could grab Mason a bit of shopping or so that Frank could grab take out food on the way home. Usually, after walking around the neighbourhood multiple times he wasn't in the mood to cook so the Thai take out place on the corner of the street by Mason's building was perfect.

"Thank you, Frank"

Frank rounded the dogs up, attaching a leash to both of them before heading out the door of the apartment. The dogs ran eagerly, heading out onto the dark street and Frank sped up so they could roam as free as possible. He was thankful for this opportunity because it was the only time he did heart raising exercise. He never did any training at work and never went to the gym whenever the others did.

He pulled his jacket further onto his body, shoving his free hand in his pocket and crossing the road with the dogs. As he approached his building, one of them stopped and began to pee just by a tree on the sidewalk. Frank couldn't help but laugh, as the other dog grew impatient. He took the time to contemplate what take out to get, whether he should try somewhere new or just stick to the Thai place.

Frank stared around the street, looking at beaming lights from bars and restaurants at the end of the street blare in his eyes and cabs go whizzing by. The whole aroma and atmosphere of his neighbourhood was almost picturesque but Frank had never slowed for long enough to take any of it in. Eat, sleep, drive to work on the other side of town. He never had the chance. The door to his building opened and he expected to see one of the other renters walk off hurriedly, but it was in fact, 5A.

He frowned as she pulled a hood over her head, before heading down the street toward the bars and clubs. The dogs began walking again, pulling Frank in the same direction. He tried to keep his distance, yanking on the leashes to try and pull them back a little but the dogs had a mind of their own and 5A just seemed to be walking the same route Frank took with the dogs.

She looked over her shoulder briefly and Frank hoped she didn't notice him almost following her. He tried to think of what the excuse would be if she did clock onto the fact he was her neighbour who she had attacked with a kitchen utensil walking the same route as her on a Wednesday night. Frank wondered why she was heading down so many alleys and darker roads at such a time of night, he couldn't help but worry about her even though he barely knew her.

He then reconsidered and realised he didn't need to be worried about it. Oddly, the back of his head began aching as if to remind him yet again of what she did. It had only left a lasting effect on him, something she probably didn't intend to do. Surely she had to know that if she wanted someone to leave her alone or to stay out of her business, the one thing not to do was smash them over the head and tell them to leave. That seemed like a huge scene in any situation.

They came to a crossroad and she headed the opposite way to him. He wanted to follow, to see what sort of shady business she might have been getting up to, but the dogs pulled him in the other direction having being used to their routine. Frank was suddenly disappointed for routine, for the same pavements and walkways and the same footsteps being stepped on the ground. He wanted to change. And he hadn't wanted a change in an awfully long time.

Frank never saw her again that night, but she must have gotten back to the building before him because he saw a note sticking out the bottom of his door. The smell of the Thai food wafted from the bag in his other hand, covering the smell of poo on the bottom of his boots that he had stepped in whilst focusing on 5A. One of the dogs had left it behind. Shoving the key into the lock, he headed inside and picked it off the floor quickly.

In the thick black marker, it read: I didn't know you had two dogs. Funny, in my lease it said pets aren't allowed. I wonder how you keep them so quiet.