Isabelle Durant

🍹 - grab some drinks to cool off

Isabelle had barely lifted the glass to her lips when Frank started backtracking, tripping over himself about what he’d ordered. She set it down without even taking a sip, her gaze fixing on him instead. Even if she hadn’t known him so well, the anxiety was impossible to miss; it was rolling off him in waves. “I haven’t even had a chance to taste it yet and you’re already writing its obituary,” she teased lightly, reaching across the table to place her palms over his. Her thumbs brushed slow, grounding strokes against his skin, softening the words with touch.

"Definitely,” he exhaled as she seemed to nail it on the head with that description. It resonated with him for sure. “Given the state of me after some missions, I can’t imagine there’s much you could do that would be worse than the way I sometimes come home looking,” Frank chuckled in reply. “But I’m sure there’s very little I could do to stop you if you ended up actually wanting to do something of the sort.”

"Where there's a will there's a way." Isabelle assured the other with a playful smile on her face. "You'd be surprised by just how far my talents extend. Though if you want a solid reference, you can speak to Jesse." Though Frank was right, she would if she wanted to. Though she was always careful to not overstep with people unless they deserved it.

“It’s a pretty long list but have you maybe got a preference for climates or geography? Are you a beach person or maybe you prefer the mountains?” she asked, trying to gauge what sort of places to recommend the woman.

"Not particularly. I burn in the sun and shiver my rear off in the cold so both can be tenuous." Isabelle admitted with a laugh. "But I also think they both have their enchantments. I suppose mountains would be my preference though when you put it like that."

"The least I owe you? You're giving me major Veruca Salt vibes right now, Bells," Jesse all but scolded. "You didn't think I'd get you the whole store's worth and not at least save a scoop for myself, now would you?" he scoffed as though deeply offended that there was a possibility she might think otherwise.

Isabelle gave his arm a punch for that. "I am going to be giving you Rocky vibes instead if you're not careful, J." She warned, though they both knew she'd never do anything of the sort. "Just make sure you get a different flavour to me so I can try yours too." Isabelle laughed.

"Definitely," she sighed wistfully. "But at the same time... as taxing as it may be... I'd rather care too much than not care at all. The suffering is worth it."

"Of course." Isabelle couldn't fault her for that. Life had many ups and downs and she supposed that the only way you were living it properly was if you had both of them. "Life is worth it." Or rather, people were in her eyes.

"You've got plenty of amazing people around you, I just didn't expect to be on your shortlist or anything," Damien explained with a light shrug of his shoulders. "But to say I'm flattered to have made the cut is an understatement."

"Oh don't pretend to be so dense. It doesn't suit you. It's not a handsome look." Isabelle huffed, giving the mans head a gentle rap with her knuckles. "Don't be too flattered, that comment might have knocked you a few steps down the ladder." She joked lightly.

"I really do get that. Especially when there's some cute designs in the windows or fashionable boots in the magazines– it's hard not to want to buy them for yourself," she related to easily. "I wouldn't necessarily say it's the 'proper' way, it's just what's most convenient for me financially and all that," Ivy explained with a soft laugh at the way she had put it.

"Oooh! You've got to love a good pair of boots." Isabelle agreed almost immediately. Shoes were definitely something she found herself drawn to like a magpie to something shiny. "I mean, can't they both fall under the same category?" Isabelle pointed out warmly.

"And it's just the bouquets keeping you around hm?" Isabelle teased the woman before nodding. "Oh I understand that. Hard to feel pretty in something you got stuck in." Not that she was trying to look pretty for anyone in particular but it was nice to feel feminine and embrace that part of herself.

"I appreciate the reminder,” Frank replied honestly. “I have a bad habit of letting myself forget that. Especially in the times it matters most,” he was able to admit to himself. “But ultimately I know I’m not in this alone. None of us are.”

"That's the curse of being the leader or the fixer I suppose." Isabelle spoke softly, an understanding smile playing across her features. "There is a reason you are so good at your job Frank. It's that you put everyone else first and you look after everyone. Sometimes you just have to remember that you can also receive that in return. And that you're not the only one who is good at it." She spoke more pointedly, a playful smile on her face as she booped him lightly on the nose. "Now buck up a little or at the rate my hand is moving upwards, it'll be your hair it messes with next and you wouldn't want that perfectly quaffed head of hair ruining, not with such an image to uphold at work. I might set off a trend."

“It happens. Life can’t be all sunshine and rainbows after all,” she replied with a shrug, having learned very quickly to not let those sorts of things weigh her down. Of course things still stuck in her mind, but she tried not to carry them with her everywhere. “Definitely not. I love getting to move about and see different places.”

"No, you're right it can't." But more than anything, she hated when people around her suffered. She'd always wanted to do something to help with moments like that. "What kind of places have you seen that you would recommend? Maybe if I get the opportunity I might go there." She wasn't much of a solo traveller but maybe she could convince Jesse to go with her perhaps.

"I appreciate that more than you know, Isabelle,” he replied, smiling as the offer and support she was offering seemed to radiate off of her. Frank really felt so lucky to have a good support system surrounding him. “Honestly just knowing that we have each other’s backs is already doing so much work. Grateful doesn’t even cover it, you know?” Frank told her.

"I'm glad that you don't just find it irritating honestly." Isabelle said with a soft laugh, though she knew that Frank wasn't the type for that kind of response anyway. "I can imagine. We all go through things but we never have to do that alone, I think that's always the important thing to remember." She reached out to give his hand a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sure that's quite an experience when you are given a reason." Isabelle mused, glad she was unlikely to ever see that side of her. "I might have had to just make a run for it." She joked, knowing her conscience would never have allowed her to do that as much as she joked about it.

"Lucky, lucky me– hmm?" he snorted, happily letting Isabelle link their arms together. "Figured as much. I also figure if anyone can make a person go bankrupt over ice cream, it'd be you," Jesse added playfully.

"Seems like a perfectly reasonable reason to go bankrupt in my opinion. Also the least you owe me." Isabelle responded brightly, a laugh falling from her lips as she gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "I assume you're going to be getting some with me."

"Now would be the best time to get a good deal on them however," Ivy pointed out with a chuckle. "I often try to buy my winter clothes in the summer and vice versa. It's often when those items are on sale after all."

"I find it harder because I am always very drawn to what I feel like at that point, so when it hits autumn, all I ever want are cosy leggings and warm jumpers." Isabelle responded with a smile. "But maybe I need to come out shopping with you to be inspired to do it properly.

"And I am so incredibly lucky for it," Damien affirmed, not ever wanting anyone to think he took a second of any of it for granted. "You seem to have some great people around you too, Isabelle. I hope you consider me one of those because I certainly would say the reverse is true."

"Of course you are. We both are." Isabelle would never pretend this was just one way. She valued Damien and the other people she held close just as much. "I do. I really do. And how could I view you otherwise. Is that even a real question?"

"Thank you for your sacrifice. Can I get you to sit down and drink some water now?" his tone coming out blasé as he realized that running after her was coming up entirely unsuccessful. If anything it seemed like Isabelle had been enjoying the chasing and Jesse was getting out of breath. "I can't believe we've got years of friendship between us and you refused to share. So greedy," he tutted at her playfully.

"I'm such a nice person." Isabelle sing songed once again, grinning when he seemed to give up on catching her. There was definitely something rewarding about knowing she could escape him. "You know, if you want to be able to catch me, you should probably quit all the smoking. You're almost wheezing, Jessie-bell." The brunette snorted in amusement.