Frank Longbottom

Frank Longbottom

half finished cups of tea.  early morning runs. rushed notes. weekend brunches. A NEED TO PROVE YOURSELF. half-used jars of ink. broken quills scattered across a table. THE MYTH & THE LEGEND. courage dear heart. classical music. scuffed-up shoes. from dirt, a flower must grow. nenek’s boy. neatly folded clothes.  dogeared pages. alice’s perfume.  heart on his sleeve.  the sound of rain against a window.

BIOGRAPHY // PINTEREST // PLAYLIST // WANTED PLOTS & CONNECTIONS

There really was nothing that Alice loved more than being in his arms. She’d felt so safe in them long before they’d even gotten together. It had been one of the main reasons he had been the one she’d gone to when she’d left her parents house. She’d known that he wouldn’t turn her away, and that he’d look after her. She still had those same feelings even now. His arms always made her feel safe, they kept her grounded in a world where everything was so stressful. It was exactly what she needed after a long day at work, which had ended up being 2 hours longer than she’d initially anticipated it to be.

“I hope you weren’t worried….” She murmured, pressing a kiss to his check, before she snuggled alongside him. Alice knew that he would worry even after she told him not too. And so Alice tried to not ponder on it too much. She didn’t want to tell him to get over it, since she knew it was not that easy. But she hoped one day that he’d feel better about everything. “Depends on if you define sweets as food….” She mused, a little smile on her lips. Alice tried to keep snacks at work for nights like tonight.

“Ahh. Nenek is too good to us.” She adored his grandmother, and really didn’t know what they’d do without her. 

⬦

“Not too worried,” Frank murmured and brushed his lips against her ear, content just to sit with her. He was far too lucky to have found her. The relationship worked in a way he couldn’t quite describe (he certainly wouldn’t complain about that) and it left him all too relieved to be with her. She was a steadfast reminder he wasn’t alone and that things weren’t nearly as terrifying as they seemed nowadays.

“Hardly,” He chuckled, beaming despite trying to seem serious. “Although I do admit I miss being able to nick a few from your desk.” That was the most he would say about work though since he was barely confident enough to go to familiar spaces without her.

“Truly,” Frank admitted and shook his head. “She restocked the cupboards and accused me of not taking good enough care of you. Likely would have prepped enough meals to last the week if it wasn’t bingo night.”

Remus always hated asking James for money. He wanted to believe he could be independent, that it would be the last time and that he’d pull it together. It never happened. Remus hadn’t even tried job hunting in the last month because everything felt so overwhelming. But he needed to. He couldn’t give up and become a mooch on his friends. Diagon Alley felt like a bust as a whole by this point, but maybe Hogsmeade would have some people left who hadn’t heard of his unreliable reputation as an employee. He’d dropped off applications and chatted with owners at two stores and was on his way to the third when he spotted a familiar form across the street. Remus knew Frank from the Order and not a ton beyond that, but as he realized the tension in his posture, Remus didn’t stop to consider whether he should really know Frank in public.

He stepped forward, trying to give the man enough space to not crowd him but close enough that Frank would hopefully notice. “You don’t have to pretend with me,” Remus said. “What can I do? I won’t touch you unless you want me to. We can step down a side alley, stay right here, find somewhere to sit… What would be helpful for you?” He paused, then added, “And silence is a perfectly acceptable answer. Remus knew he wasn’t great at being the comforter, but a combination of soothing moments from his mother talking him down after young transformations and dealing with the aftermath of battles had given him some experience at least. 

❖

Frank's head snapped up at Remus' words, earning a blank stare despite his words having registered. There was a reliance on Alice when it came to social situations that he hadn't been fully aware of up until face to face with a situation that didn't include her. Unexpected yet something he should have been able to anticipate given the way he was coping with everything. He tapped the index finger of his left hand against his thigh and tried to take a deep breath, ultimately holding onto it until he could will himself to answer. The whole situation was embarrassing and precisely the reason why he had stuck to the smaller list of goods to handle on his own.

“Somewhere to sit,” The words escaped just above a whisper and Frank closed his eyes, needing several deep breaths before he could chance looking back at Remus. The worst part was having no way of pinpointing what set him off since he hadn’t been aware of it until after his thoughts got rolling. So much for the brave face he had been striving to maintain while at the Order. “Please.”

Connections

The bestie - This person would’ve been the best (hu)man at Frank and Alice’s wedding. Friends through school or brought close through work. Either way, they’ve witnessed a lot of his ups and downs and have been a steadfast part of his life. (0/1)

We used to be best buddies - The two were close during childhood and drifted apart during school, with differences in opinions being the driving force between falling out. Friends turned enemies with Frank still attempting to keep a friendly face despite knowing he should no longer associate with them. (0/1)

Pretty sure he’s gay but okay - Someone Frank would have been in the habit of snogging while at school. Nothing overly serious came out of it but I’d be open to Frank and a male-identifying character having been thought to be an item at one point. (0/1)

The tormentor - This person has caught on to Frank’s unease and will occasionally mess with him, not caring that the consequences in doing so usually result in triggering his fight or flight response. (0/1)

Plots

Why not take the mark? - Dubbed a traitor due to marrying Alice and not caring about who he associates with, Frank was certain the Dark Lord would have no use for him. Prove him wrong by attempting to convince him the mark is worth considering.

Frank told Alice he could handle running errands on his own. He said he could manage it after having made a few appearances in the village with her at his side and had been certain he could navigate grabbing the items on their list. The little bit of courage was quickly replaced with uneasiness when he exited Gladrags’. Frank hadn’t noticed his nerves up until needing to loosen his tie. Sweat met his fingers and made his breathing hitch, leaving him staring blankly at the cobblestone path ahead of him.

Deep breath in. Deep breath out. Deep breath in. Deep breath out. Deep breath… It wasn’t working. A groan of frustration passed through his lips before he could stop it, leaving him shakily running his hand through his hair while he tried to regain control of his racing thoughts. “It’s fine, I’m fine,” The words escaped in a low whisper. “Public space during daylight. It’s…” His head snapped up upon realizing he wasn’t alone in the space, features flushing despite the desperate need to try to regain composure that would have been similar to himself of a few months back. “Sorry. I…” There wasn’t anything else to say so he trailed off and shook his head, weakly adding a forced smile and an attempt at small talk. “Nice weather, isn’t it?”