Scotch, A HTGAWM fanfiction.
(A Flaurel ficlet, because they should’ve been endgame and now I’m shipping way too hard...)
Frank was jolted awake by a harsh ringing sound. It took him a few moments to realize that it was his cellphone— someone was calling him. Groaning, he reached out for it on his nightstand to find a woman’s beautiful face smiling at him. But not just any woman.
It was 4 o’clock in the morning. She was supposed to be asleep, like he was a few minutes ago. Worried, he answered the call.
“Laurel?” He asked tentatively, voice husky from sleep. “S’wrong?”
There was a pause. “Hellooo, Frankie D,” Laurel giggled. Frank lets out an annoyed sigh. “Is this a voicemail? I don’t know, I don’t care. I just want to say that I really... really hate... how much you make me think.”
Frank swears he forgot how to breathe as he listened to her rambling. She’s obviously drunk. Too drunk, in his opinion. And that’s saying something.
“...I hate that I can’t stop thinking... about you. You’re so damn sexy that it hurts me.” Laurel’s voice cracked and Frank remained silent. “I want to know you, but why won’t you let me do that? You don’t have to protect me, you know. I’m a big girl girl now, I’m tough.” He could hear her sniffling in the background, and the sound of something liquid being poured. It was then Frank made up his mind.
“Laurel? Are you still there?”
“Hmm? Oh,” she giggled again. “I poured too much scotch, Frank. I guess I better not let it go to waste.”
“Yeah... why?” Laurel slurred.
“I’m coming over. You’re too drunk.”
“You’ll let me... let me get to know you better? Like, better, better?” She snorts out a watery laugh. “‘Cause I wanna do that. I wanna see you, maybe naked, on my be—“
“Alright, princess. I’m not your gigolo. Keep your panties on, be there in ten.”
“Oookay, Frankie D. I’ll be here with my scotch, waiting for ya,” Laurel pauses for a bit, and says something in a small voice that made Frank freeze. “Y’know, I think I love you...”
Frank got dressed faster, if that was even possible. He shrugged on his jacket and picked up his keys, where a spare to Laurel’s was hanging. She didn’t even know that he still had it, after that one time Laurel had slipped it to him discreetly at work. It was an invitation for a fun night, one that Frank had not been able to forget.
He had arrived on her doorstep in record time. Not even bothering to knock, Frank stepped into Laurel’s cluttered apartment.
“I swear to God,” Frank huffs. Despite his ruggedness and overly-manly appearance, he is nothing but a neat freak. “Maybe I can sneak in here one time just to clean.”
He walked into the living and kitchen area only to find it empty. Frank furrowed his eyebrows.
“Laurel?” Frank called out, but was met with silence. He then noticed her bedroom door, which was left ajar. He peeked inside to find Laurel, laid on her back on the floor with her phone still glued to her left ear. She met his eyes and looked at her phone confusedly.
“How are you here already? I was just talkin’ to ya!”
Frank sighed impatiently. “That was ten minutes ago, Laurel. I ended the call before I got ready to go here.”
“Nope, I was talking to you. You were saying something funny. Like, leave a message or somethin’. And that was what I was doing, leavin’ you a message.”
He looked at her, amused now. Frank looked forward to listening to those messages, but right now he has to get Laurel to bed. “Yeah, I bet you were. Come on now, princess, you gotta sleep. Annalise will kill you if you don’t show your pretty face later at the office.”
“M’pretty, huh? You think I’m pretty? But not pretty enough to screw? Not enough to be your girl.”
“Laurel...” Frank half-heartedly threatened. It’s not the time to talk about that, especially since he’s almost certain that Laurel won’t remember any of her words by the time she wakes up.
“No, really, tell me the truth. I just can’t be enough for you, can I?” Laurel asked quietly.
Frank sighed again. Persistent little princess. He cleaned her a bit and hauled her to bed. He was just about to get up and leave when she reached out to him.
Frank didn’t know if that was a good idea, but caved in when he saw the look in her eyes. He proceeded to prop up some pillows between the two of them to act as a barrier. Laurel shifted on her side to look at him, expecting an answer to her earlier question. Frank settled on the other side of the bed and brushed her hair away from her face. He looks at her decidedly.
“Okay, y’know what... I don’t think you’ll remember this when you wake up, so I gotta say this. You are more than enough for me, Laurel,” he took a deep breath to still the emotions in his heart. Chuckling softly at his current state, he continued. “You make my heart beat everyday, even if I didn’t think t’was possible. I may not be the most religious guy out there, Laurel, but I will always think that maybe there is someone watching over us. I’m the last person to deserve something good in life, but I have you. And I can’t bear it – hell, I know I won’t be able to – if I’d lose you. So don’t say you ain’t enough for me, princess. Maybe I’m the one who isn’t. But you’re it for me. Will always be.”
Laurel stared at him for a beat and gives him a smile. He swears that that was the most beautiful one he has ever seen. Before he could continue or she could say anything, Laurel closed her eyes and promptly fell asleep. Frank laughed quietly. So much for having this conversation.
“Sleep tight, princess. Love you.”
Frank kissed Laurel’s forehead, closed his eyes, and fell asleep. He was comforted by Laurel’s warmth and even breathing.
When Laurel woke up three hours later, she was confused. She remembered opening the bottle of scotch she bought on her way home, and settling down on the floor by her bed. Before opening her eyes, she snuggled deeper on her body pillow that was keeping her warm and comfy even in the middle of a really bad hangover. She loved waking up to— wait a minute. She doesn’t own a body pillow. Her eyes snapped open, only to find her arms wrapped around a muscular torso. But not just any muscular torso.
And then everything came back to her. The amount of scotch she consumed, the call she made, the voicemails she left in his inbox... and the tender look in his eyes before she fell asleep.
“You’re it for me,” he had said. Was that true? Or was it just a scotch-induced dream that was produced by her fantasies of Frank confessing his love for her?
Laurel reached up and ran her finger through his silky hair, which made him shift in his sleep. He had always been a light sleeper, but she figured that taking care of her last night wore him down. Looking around the room, she noticed his phone resting on her nightstand, but she had to reach across him in order to get it. She had to delete her voicemails, it was embarrassing enough that he took care of Drunk Laurel last night, having him listen to her confessing her love for him might just be too much.
She was lying on top of him and had almost reached the phone when she was suddenly flipped on her back. Frank was awakened by her attempt to reach the nightstand, and was looking down at her with an amused smirk.
“What d’you think you’re doing?”
“Nothing. And stop yelling, my head hurts,” Laurel said, almost whining.
“Mm, looks like you’re trying to reach my phone, princess. You tryin’ to erase something?”
Laurel huffs, annoyed that her plan was ruined.
“What’re in those voicemails, anyway?” Frank asked, grinning. “You confessed to a murder or somethin’?”
Laurel hit his chest. “What do I have to do for you to delete them?”
“Nothin’, ‘cause I wanna hear it.”
“Nope,” Frank replied, popping the ‘p’. “Get your lazy ass up, princess. Annalise won’t take you being hungover as an excuse for being late, even if she knows the feeling all too well.”
Laurel groans as Frank removes himself above her and snatches his phone before she can even get the chance to reach it.
“Now, can I leave you by yourself to get ready? No more calling while drunk?”
“Just... stop yelling and get out of here.”
“Okay, okay,” he smirked. “See ya later!”
Frank walked out Laurel’s apartment, whistling. He had only slept for three more hours, but he swears that was the best sleep he’s ever had. Waking up next to Laurel is something he wants to do for as long as he’ll have her.
Later that day, Laurel and Frank found themselves alone in the kitchen of the Keating House, making coffee. Both were quiet, with questions perched on the tips of their tongues. After they finished, they spoke simultaneously.
They looked at each other and both let out a chuckle.
“Ladies first,” said Frank.
Laurel took a deep breath. “Was it true? What you said last night, I mean.”
Frank, who was about to take a sip from his coffee, froze. “Which part?” He asked slowly.
“That I’m... it... for you. Yeah, that one.”
“You think I was kidding?”
“I don’t know, Frank. I thought I was dreaming. Maybe I was scared that it was just a dream. Maybe you said that just because you want me to go to sleep, or something. Maybe—“
Frank then cut her off with a kiss. For both of them, it felt different from any other kiss they shared. His hands did not automatically rest on her behind, but were cupping her cheeks. Her hands weren’t busy undoing the buttons on his three-piece suit, but were tangled on his hair and pulling him down closer to her. It was a kiss that signified a new start for both of them. A recognition that they were something more, something they both wanted from the start but were too scared to acknowledge. When they broke the kiss, they were breathless.
“You think I was kidding?” Frank repeated after a beat.
Laurel smiled at him. “You love me, huh?”
“Yeah, I do. I hope you got no problem with that, ‘cause I wanna let you know that every day of our lives.”
“Hmm? Sounds nice, no? You my girlfriend now, then?”
Laurel smiled that radiant smile that Frank loved to see. And they kissed again, both filled with passion and love. They only broke away when they heard the front door open.
“I’ll miss you,” Laurel said. She never thought she would end up a clingy girlfriend (girlfriend!) but with Frank, she thinks she’s in for a lot of surprises.
“I bet you will. What d’you say I go to your place later, cook some dinner? Let’s finish up that bottle of scotch you had last night. We’ll just... talk.”
“Sounds good, babe.” Laurel gives him a final kiss and saunters to the doorway, coffee completely forgotten.
Frank then remembered something. “Laurel?”
“So... maybe we’ll test your new bed?” Laurel’s eyes widen. The voicemails! “You told me you bought it specifically for—“
“Shut it, Frank!” Laurel warns him, eyes still wide. She hurriedly goes back to the sitting area, face red. Frank was left in the kitchen, guffawing.
He can’t express how happy and light he felt at that moment. Frank never thought he would be capable of loving someone as much he loves Laurel, let alone be loved in return. He was annoyed that he was awoken at 4 o’clock, yes. But Laurel is worth it. Will always be.
2087
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