Suicidal Seven

Frank~Strength

lovely by Billie Eilish and Khalid

Frank wasn't strong enough. At one point he thought maybe...but no. He kept messing up. The only thing he was good for on this ship was his strength and shape-shifting and he couldn't even do that right.

And once he got to thinking about all the mistakes he'd made, he just couldn't stop. He'd make lists in his head of all the stupid mistakes he'd made when his friends were counting on him. The lists he made were long. They went on and on and on.

Until one day he'd had enough of the lists. He went up on the deck and hid in a corner that Leo couldn't see from where he was standing at the helm. He took out his firewood and stared at it for awhile, not feeling anything at all.

It felt like so long ago when Iris told him he would die holding his firewood. Maybe this is what she meant. Maybe he would end his life purposely, holding it.

After sitting there a little while longer, he willed it to catch fire. He'd only done this a few times before, but it still gave him a funny feeling. This strange warmth filled his body, warming his bones. It was pleasant at first, but then it got hotter and started to burn. He didn't have much wood left to burn.

Just then, Hazel came running onto the deck. She looked around frantically for a few seconds before seeing Frank huddled in the corner, holding his flaming stick. She ran to him and skidded to a stop before him. He was shaking, his eyes sad and hollow.

Hazel only had a second to think of a solution. She could ask Frank to put it out, but she knew he couldn't. She also knew he wouldn't. There wasn't a snow bank to shove it into as there was back in Alaska. She didn't know what to do. They were running out of time and Frank was fading faster by the second.

She wrapped her warm hands around his big cold ones that were holding the stick and made him look her in the eyes. And then she blew out the flame. And it stopped burning. Tears fell from Frank's eyes as he really looked up at her.

She picked up the fireproof pouch from the floor and held it open. Frank sniffled and dropped the piece of wood into it, letting her draw the cinch closed. She put it back in her pocket, where Frank had entrusted it to her on their quest to Alaska.

Looking at Frank, Hazel saw how empty he looked in that moment. She sat down next to him, back against the wall, and leaned into his shoulder. She snuggled into his side and he eventually put his arm around her.

They sat like that for quite awhile, not talking, just watching the clouds go by.

"You don't have to be strong all the time, you know," She finally said.

Frank hesitated. "That's the thing," he said, "I'm never strong enough."

Hazel turned her head to look at him. She placed a gentle kiss on the tip of his nose. "You are the strongest person I know, both inside and out. I love you, Frank."

He rested his head on the top of hers. "Thank you, Hazel. For everything."

She smiled, grabbing his hand that, not long ago, had held his firewood. "Of course. I wouldn't rather love anybody else."