Normality Optional

Javier Peña X Helena Sotomayor

Ghosts of Bogotá Masterlist

Frankie Morales x OFC

The Devil's Pilot Masterlist

Clint Flood x OFC

The Man and The Moon Masterlist

One Shots

With Somebody Who Loves You

Chapter 28 of The Devil's Pilot

Frankie x OFC 4.7k

See Masterlist : See AO3 : See Prequel Fic - The Ghosts of Bogota (With Javier Peña)

See Prologue : Previous Chapter : Next chapter

Chapter Summary: The boys and Javier fix up the kitchen in the cabin. The girls set out to paint the porch. And Santi and Benny vie for Val's attention. Here is a mood board i made for this little arc

Warnings for some chronic illness stuff, not too much else see masterlist for full fic warnings

Haint Blues

Val studied an old photo of Javier on the mantle of the ranch fireplace. She was still studying the photo of a much younger Javier when Esie walked into the living room from the kitchen carrying a packed cooler full of beer and spritzers to put on the cart that Javier was hitching up to mule Frankie. They were going to bring the boxes of kitchen cabinets they’d ordered to the cabin. Since the road still didn’t go all the way to the cabin the cart was the better way to get the materials there.

“Are we going to talk about Miguel?” Esie tried, for the second time that weekend, to broach the topic.

“Fuck him.”

“Understood. What about Frankie’s friends? I thought you were getting along with Benny last night, but Frankie said Santi walked you to your room.”

Val hummed a noncommittal noise. “Santi is a fast talker and a born flirt. He’s good looking and charming but he knows it. Plus, he’s my normal type, which hasn’t exactly worked out well.”

Val had been no small part of Esie’s career. They were a team. Always. And Val’s reads on people had always been immensely valuable to that team. Esie couldn’t deny that her assessment was accurate.  "Astute, I was going to say as much. Though if it’s just a hook up…”

“Those guys are like your boyfriend’s only family right? It’s not like he has so many cousins he needs a map to keep them all straight. It wouldn’t be just a hook up.”

“Sensible as always babes. And Benny… if it wasn’t just a hook up?”

Val turned back to looking at the pictures on the mantel, not sure what to think of the sweet younger blonde brother. She wasn’t quite sure if he’d been actually interested or had just been being nice the night before, well nice and a little drunk by the end. “Don’t you think Frankie looks like your old man a little? Like if his hair was lighter and curly and he didn’t shave…”

Esie looked at Val like she’d lost her mind. “What the fuck, no! That’s gross Val. Why would you even say that?” It was a successful distraction on Val’s end.

“It’s not like he’s raised you from birth, or is your biological father…”

Esie wasn’t having it. “You need your eyesight checked.”

Val was unwilling to drop it, mostly because she was now having fun teasing Esie. It was hard to actually get under Esie’s skin, she often just rolled with the punches. “Well obviously Frankie is bigger and has lighter hair, I just mean around the eyes and mouth a little.”

But Esie had decided that was ridicules, so she weaved in their playful little game of distraction and was ready to strike herself. “It’s because they’re both Latino, isn’t it?” She shook her head solemnly, “God Val, what a way to find out my best friend is racist.” Esie smirked not believing a word she said.

“I’m black!”

“Yeah, but your parents might be the whitest people I’ve ever met! It’s an unconscious bias, you’re a news producer, you should know that.”

“You really don’t see it at all?”

“Gross no, they look nothing alike, plus Frankie’s actually hot.”

“I don’t know, your dad could absolutely get it… still.”

“Eww, for the sake of our decade long friendship I’m going to pretend you never said that.”

“Unconscious bias…”

“Fuck you, Val.” Esie laughed.

Unfortunately for Javier, he wandered into the living room at that moment.

Val smiled sweetly and said, “Hi Mr. Peña, looking good!”

Javier narrowed his eyes sensing he’d somehow walked into a trap, “Thanks… I’m done loading up the cart, I’ve got Frankie hitched up, make sure you guys have all your painting stuff in there before we head over.” He said then turned on his heel to escaped back to the barn.  

“So, Fish,” Santi began. They were all already in the cabin, getting the kitchen area ready for installation.  He gave the Millers a meaningful glance before he broached the topic. “Benny kept the coordinates for the cash we left behind… I think we could all use a bit of extra cash these days. We could do a quick trip, get a little Helio and some climbing gear, come back with a few million each.  Whaddya say?”

“No.” Frankie said immediately.

“No? You said you were going to invest in the ranch, right? With that money you could buy the whole place!” Santi argued.

“I don’t want to buy the place Pope! I want to keep building what I have here already.”

“It wouldn’t be like last time. Just a quick trip, you fly us in we grab the bags. And that’s it.”

“I said no.”

“Fish, we need a pilot, and the coordinates aren’t exact, but you know where we flew…”

“No, count me out. I’m the only one my little girls got left and I just got this job, I’m not risking it.”

“Come on Fish…”

“No, I’m not going, hike up the mountain for all I care but I ain’t comin’.”

“Come on don’t you want to be on equal footing with these people, not some charity case they took in off the street.” Benny moved quickly interception Frankie’s step towards Santi as Frankie stared daggers at Santi.

Benny patted Frankie’s shoulder reassuringly, “He didn’t mean that.” Benny told him in a low voice.

“Pope lay off it.” Will said, “He’s right, just the mention of that money and we’re already at each others’ throats.”

Frankie stepped back once he’d cooled off a little. “There’s no telling if the money is still there or fucking usable. Esie’s father said half of the money Escobar buried rotted in the ground.” Frankie said, always the one to be the barer of good sense and bad new in the group.

An uneasy tense silence settled between the men as they worked.

It was Benny who finally broke the tension with a light laugh as he looked out the window to see the girls and Javier walking towards the cabin with the cart. “Is that Frankie the donkey?” Benny laughed as he looked out the window

“He’s a mule” Frankie corrected.

“The irony of her naming a mule after you.” Will said.

“Did you tell her about the mule on the mountain?” Benny asked

“Never bring up anything! It’s bad enough she knows when you were in Peru. I know you love her but it’s all our secret, you can’t trust her with something like that.”  Santi warned.

“Like you don’t have a whole ass ex out there who knows everything.” Benny reminded Santi.

“Is this about Yvonne, Pope?” Frankie asked glaring at him. “You still haven’t said what happened with her.”

“Nothing happened! It just didn’t work out.” Santi muttered.

“Bullshit.”

“Did you tell Yvonne about where the cash was stashed?” Will asked.

“No, Yvonne…” Santi shut his mouth as soon as the girls walked in the front door of the cabin with paint cans in hand. The awkward silence hung in the air.

Sensing they had walked into a cut off conversation. Val asked, “Did we interrupt something, boys?” The silence hung for a moment as the boys shifted awkwardly.

“Were you talking about us?” Esie teased trying to lighten the air.

They started to answer all at once:

“No.” Santi said

“Yes.” Will said  

“Not exactly” Frankie said unwilling to lie completely.

Benny remained staring at his feet, shuffling them like he had been as soon as they walked in.

“Well, what is it?” Esie pressed now realizing there was a thread to be pulled.

“Santi has an ex who look just like you.” Benny blurted out to Esie, finally.

“Ohh-” Val said.

“Don’t even start!” Esie said cutting Val off.

“She doesn’t look just like you, she was just Columbian too.” Frankie said.

“Unconscious bias.” Val mumbled under her breath to Esie, who elbowed her lightly.

“No seriously,” Will said to back up his brother “I didn’t see it at first, but now that I’ve met you and your mother I swear she could be a distant relative.”

“It’s possible, my mama had a sister she lost touch with when she was seventeen. She could maybe have a daughter there around our age. Do you have a picture, Santi?”

“No… I don’t … uhh she was a CI.”

“Who’s a CI?” Javier said walking in and unceremoniously handing a heavy box of kitchen cabinet doors to Frankie.

“Santi’s ex.” Esie said to fill him in.

“You dated your CI?” Javier said levelling the younger man with a piercing agent glare.

“It was complicated, sir.”

“Don’t let him give you any shit Santi, my mama was Javier’s CI.” Esie said.

“How did I not know that?” Val said grinning at the new information, “Javier you dog!” she teased.

“It was a different time.” Javier defended.

“Uhuh.”  Esie said with an eye roll.

To change the subject and take the heat off a topic Javier tried to avoid around his daughter he said, “I’ve got the rest of the cabinets in the cart, if you boys want to give me a hand.”

“Sure, jefe.” Santi said, pulling his work gloves on.

Frankie caught Val’s eyes as he set down the first box and joked in a low tease. “Be honest, are these green or hot pink?”

Val scoffed, “She tried to talk you into the magenta cabinets too huh? When we were roommates, we lived together in my first condo, she tried to talk me into them when I redid the kitchen.”

“I knew that wasn’t a joke.”

“I could have made it work!” Esie said plopping down a paint can. “You two just lack the vision.”

“I thought we lacked whimsy.” Frankie said, which earned a laugh from Val.

“Your supposed to be on my team!” She said pointing a scornful finger at Val.

“It might be a little early for paint.” Frankie said eyeing the cans and panting supplies she’d set down, they’d agreed to leave most of the walls natural wood, there were only a few interior walls that would need the paint. And he hadn’t set up the areas for that yet. The plan had been the girls would start that the next day.

“Inside yes but, Val and I are going to do the porch.”

“I thought we were just staining the boards we replaced natural?”

“We are, but we have to paint the ceiling.”

“Haint blue, to keep the ghosts at bay.” Val said filling in, “It’s a non-negotiable, the orders came straight from the queen herself.”

“Mama insisted on it, I think she’s getting superstitious in her old age.”

“Trust me,” Javier said shoving another heave box into Frankie’s arms, “It’s best to just go along.”

**************************************************************************************

The girls had set up the porch after helping get the rest of the cabinet boxes into the cabin. They’d wisely absconded once Javier started mumbling about needing to find, “more fucking levels” and “and those useless instructions”. To their credit the boys patiently took their orders from the grumpy older man.

They’d completely covered the porch in case there were any light blue dropping of paint that hit the stained wood porch floor. They’d only been rolling for about five minutes when Val tilted her head looking at Esie who was standing on the stool.  “You good girl? You look a little pale…”

“I just haven’t been outside as much as I used to, your used to my gorgeous tan.”

“Uhuh,” She said skeptically, “I’m going to grab another drink, you want one... water maybe?”

“I’m fine!”

“Alright.”

The porch screen door swung closed behind Val. Benny saw her first. He gave her a nod. Will was holding one of the upper cabinets up while Javier screwed it to the wall. Frankie was knee deep with Benny in instructions as they put together a more complex corner piece. “Doin’ alright out there?” Benny asked.

“Ahh, we’re set up, I’m just grabbing her… us… a drink.” That got Frankie’s attention. He was about to ask more questions when they heard a crash and a bang on the porch.

Frankie was out the door immediately, Val close behind, to find Esie off the stool. Covered in blue paint and lying on the porch, out cold.  “Fuck! Esie!”

Her eyes fluttered open fairly quickly. “Frankie?”

“What happened?”

“I guess I got a little dizzy, I don’t know.”

“You’ve been pushing yourself too hard.” He moved to help her sit up, a gentle arm guiding her back “Go slow.”

“It’s just painting.” Except it had been sanding the day before and helping load things on and off the cart and dinner and hosting the boys. So, it hadn’t really just been painting. But Frankie wasn’t about to argue with her in that moment.

“I think maybe painting is over for the day.” Frankie said softly. Then he told val. “Maybe you two should hang out back at the main house. In the air conditioning, for the rest of the afternoon.”

So Val took her back to the main house with Frankie… the mule. And the assurance to Frankie …the human that she’d keep an eye on her.

They sat in the living room, Val no stranger to the house made them a snack and plopped down beside her in the big house. “Well, that was mortifying.” Esie tried to keep her tone light.

“It’s worse than you let on, isn’t it? I knew you weren’t well but…”

And then the tears came, the ones she’d put a good amount of effort into holding back. “I just want to feel normal again. We should be in our fucking prime. Our season one Sex in the City era should just be starting, with out careers at our peaks, taking the world by storm. But I’m down for the count half the time. I can’t even push myself anymore. And I’m always in fucking pain. And I watch you and Sal and everybody else fucking killing it and I can’t do it.”

“Esie I’m sorry babes. But look, you’ve got a beautiful cabin by the river and a man who is fucking obsessed with you. If I didn’t love you so much, I’d be wildly jealous of what you have going on. Honestly, sometimes I think the universe couldn’t allow you to be at one hundred percent all the time, you’d be too fucking powerful.”

Esie huffed and whipped away a tear. “Right.”

“And yeah, it might not be Sex and the City, but you have some hot badass dudes literally making you the magical cabin of your dreams and that hot sad boy pilot who’s desperately in love with you” Val smirked before she gave the final punch up to her monolog, “…and like a super hot dad.”

“Fuck off, that’s so gross.” Esie groaned, but she’d stopped crying.

“It’s not Sex on the City, but you some how figured out how to make it Sex on the Ranch. And Imma be real, I really just want to hang out here and take pictures of us looking hot and cute with all the gorgeous animals you have. Then if you want, we can drink a little wine and I’ll let you make a dating profile for me and say outta pocket shit to the guys I match with… does that sound like more fun than painting a porch?”

“Okay.”

That evening Javier found Ana in their ranch bedroom reading in bed. She’d been on Lilly duty all day with Chucho. They were distracting her from being under foot by taking her to town, then the roadhouse for an early dinner. Maria had doted on the little girl, perhaps in a small effort to claim the better grand parent role over Chucho, much to Ana’s amusement. And Maria’s husband Bert, the giant quiet man had given the girl her first lesson in pool hustling, a valuable life skill, he’d insisted. But she had forgotten how much work a busy six-year-old could be. She was enjoying the first bit of quiet for the day when Javier strolled in.  “How’d it go?” She asked him once she looked up from her book.

“Good, the stupid fucking kitchen is done. I hate cabinets.” He met her eyes after he discarded his dusty work shirt. They were dancing with amusement. “It looks nice though. The boys did a good job.”

“They seem like good guys, awfully good of them to come all the way out to help Frankie.”

‘Hmm.” Javier said noncommittal

Ana wasn’t about to let him get away with that. “What?”

“I don’t like the little one.” He grumbled.

“Why not?” She said shutting her book.

“I don’t know, seems shifty, and he was talking some shit about working in Columbia.”

“What kind of work?”

“Contracted with their military working in some outskirt jungle cities… hunting drug lords.”

“Oh…”

“Don’t start with that Doc.”

“Don’t start with what?” She asked feigning innocence.

“What you’re going to say”

“What am I going to say?”

 He grumbled. “That I’m projecting my own issues about my work in Columbia onto my daughter’s boyfriend’s little friend.”

Ana smiled as she pulled him down for a kiss. But she looked smug when he straightened back up. “Good boy.” She teased.

“Careful cariño, I’m not too tired to get you as dirty as I am.”

“Shower first, then we’ll see about that.” She said with a soft playful smile as she picked her book back up.

When Javier returned from the shower he crawled into bed. The way he yawned and cuddled into her side told Ana his threats before had been a bluff.

“I can read in the study if you want to sleep.”

“No, I’m fine like this… how’s our girl doing?”

“Better, mostly just embarrassed now about making a scene. She’s going to call and get an appointment with the doctor, but it seems like she just pushed herself too much, you know it’s hard, she used to be so independent.”

“Those docs need to fucking figure it out already, this is ridiculous. Could you take a little time off this week?”

“I can move stuff around at work, but Val already said she’d stay for the week. Though just for the record the party line is that she’s staying because Miguel’s getting the rest  of his shit out of her apartment this week.”

“Good, the fucking idiot.” Javier had taken to being a girl dad like a duck to water many years ago, which meant he was very much up on all the relationship drama, and every season of Drag race too.

“So, she’s going to stay here so she doesn’t have to deal with him, which is partially true, but she also told me she’d keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn’t over do it.”

“See now I like that one.” He said as though he hadn’t known her since she was eighteen years old.

Ana laughed, “That’s not a surprise you always like women and distrust men, you know.”

“Well, I’m rarely wrong.”

“Sure, Javi.” Ana told him with an eye roll. She pet his hair mindlessly as she read, it didn’t take long till he was out cold.

For the next few days it rained, the storm season was kicking off in the gulf of Mexico in the early turning of autumn. Which was fine since they’d gotten most of the cabin supplies inside and they’d abandoned any porch painting plans until a later, yet unspecified date. They’d gotten the majority of the big projects done by the weeks end. The rest of the projects were just little things Frankie could fix himself before they moved in. He had a specific move in date in mind and was fairly sure that provided the furniture arrived on schedule, that they would be ready to move in then.

The weather and Esie had taken a turn for the better on their last full day at the ranch, so they decided to take their guests for a ride.

“Give me one I’ll look cute on Val told Esie.” Despite being Esie’s best friend for sixteen years, Val had never really mastered the skill of horse riding.

“Oh, I was going to put you on one that you wouldn’t fall off of, but now that you mention it, I’ve got a green broke chestnut mare that would really bring out your eyes.”

“Ha ha, I take it I’m getting Buttercup then?”

“Yeah, the boys all have some riding experience. But I don’t know how much except for Santi, who is apparently a good rider.

“Yeah, I bet.” Val said voice loaded with the edge of a double entendre.

Esie put Santi on Glory, Will on Hawke and Benny on Charlie, their most level-headed working mounts she took Star and Frankie took Bandit.

Santi had been riding easily next to Val when Frankie trotted up beside them. “You know I picked Glory out with Esie on one of our first dates.”

“Awe and now she’s your ranch horse right?” Val said.

“Yeah,” Frankie grinned, “She’s got a good mind on her, that’s what we liked about her. That’s why I gave her to Pope, we needed at least one of them to have some sense.”

“Fuck off, cabrón.” Santi said with good nature.

“I’ll race you to the ridge.” Frankie challenged.

“Aren’t you on the ranch’s show horse?”

“Retired, he’s twenty, you worried you can’t beat me on an old horse?” Bandit snorted and tossed his head as if to say ‘fuck you’.

“I don’t know.”

“He hates to lose. He’s worried I’ll beat him.” Frankie told Val.

Frankie’s goading was successful, “That ridge right there?” Santi pointed to the distant ridge marking the end of the valley the were riding through.

“Yup.”

“Eat our dust, pandejo.” Santi said before urging Glory into a run.

Seeing the other men take off Will and Hawke followed suit.

Esie pulled up besides Val. But Stargazer, still a champion barrel racer at heart, was chomping at the bit to take off. Esie circled her round to stop her from taking off. “You good to meet us at the next ridge?”

“Yes, go have fun, me and Miss Cup will meet you there.” The light palomino was happier going through the field at a pace more akin to grazing than running.

“Alright. Adios.”

Benny was the only other one who hadn’t taken off across the grassy field. “You don’t have to wait, I don’t mind.” She told Benny.

“Nah that’s okay, I’ll hang back, I’m more of a fast car guy than a fast horses.”

Val suspected that wasn’t entirely true.  “Huh usually all the youngest sibling I know are always trying to keep up.”

“Well, I’m wise beyond my years.” Frankie was the oldest of the boys, followed by Will then Santi. Val wasn’t exactly sure how old Benny was, but she guessed they were the same age, since she knew Frankie was four years older than Esie.  “Do you have any siblings?”

“Yeah, I’m technically oldest, but there’s not much of a gap. I was adopted, then my mama ended up getting pregnant when I was a month old. So, we grew up kinda like twins, same grade and everything. I went to UT Huston just to get some space; I grew up in San Antonio. I love my brother, but the sibling rivalry is off the charts.”

Benny laughed, “Oh yeah, who’s winning these days?”

Val preened her cute dark curly bob, “Me, of course.”

“That doesn’t surprise me, successful and beautiful”

“Oh, smooth talker!” Val said brushing off the compliment.

Benny suddenly felt a little self conscious, but he pressed on. “No, no, I’m not. Those are just facts”

They meandered laughing through the valley. When they got back Javier was manning the grill. They had another fire that night to bid their guests good-bye under the stars.

Val woke on her last day there to the sound of soft neighing startling her a little until she remembered where she was. The firm body that shifted awake behind her startled her too, until she saw the beer cans scattered around the room and remembered that too and who she’d ended up talking to until all hours of the night. She’d had just enough to drink to start talking about fucking Miguel. And once she started, she couldn’t stop. At some point in the night, he’d thrown her a big soft shirt for her to put on. And they snuggled into bed together. Both pretending that it would be impossible at that hour to cross the yard to the main house and her own room. Neither one willing to admit, that they were enjoying each other’s presence too much to let it go even as sleep called to them. So, they’d shared the bed that night, only in the literal sense. Frankie was right, Benny wasn’t a closer, but perhaps that wasn’t a bad thing after all.

“Hey.” Benny said softly.

“Hey, I’m going to sneak back over, I think I heard Frankie leave, he just finished the morning feed. I think I should be able to get back to my room unnoticed.”

“Oh right, you’re headed to Mexico City today right?”

“Tomorrow, but I need to get back to San Antonio and talk to my team on the ground, they got there right after the quake. We have to figure out how to frame the story; government response or human interest, international aid… sorry just a bunch boring news stuff.”

“That doesn’t sounds boring to me.”

“Yeah, well, Esie’s the one who’s good at the spin, I just handle logistics.”

“You miss working with her?” He remembered as much from their hours long conversation the night before.

“Yeah, but her plan was always to end up here, I’m just glad she has Frankie to help her do it.”

“I’m glad he has her too.” They stared at each other for a long moment. Long enough the tension danced toward the edge of awkwardness, so Val leapt up and started changing back into her clothes. Benny, ever the gentleman, stared at his hands while he racked his brains on what to say next.

She was about to head for the door when he found it. “If um, you want to tell me any more boring news stuff, you could text me.  I uhm, can keep a secret, I did classified missions and stuff so I’m good at that.”

“Oh, yeah right. Let me just…” she pulled out her phone and opened up the contact page, “put your number in there. I’m going to talk to Devon if you’re interested in that job still, no pressure.”

“Yes! I mean yeah, that’d be cool.”

“Great, I’ll see you later Benny.”

“Yeah bye…” She was down the stairs and out of earshot by the time he followed up with “I really liked talking to you.” He fell back against the mattress with a self-conscious groan.

Val was nearly out the barn, home free from her little night of no actual indiscretions when she turned the corner and almost ran straight into somebody. She stopped herself just before a collision. Looking up in the same moment mortified realizing she’d just been caught red handed.  

She heard a  surprised “woah” that pulled her from her racing thoughts. Then an indignant hiss. “What are you doing out here at this hour?” Javier said as he let down the big grey cat he’d been cradling.

“Oh, I was… um saying goodbye to the horses.”

Javier arched a brown. “Any horse in particular?”

“No, just all of them.”

“Not the blonde stud?” Javier joked, and Val wanted to evaporate and die where she stood.

“Nothing happened!” She said a little more emphatically than she’d intended.

Javier hid his smirk under his mustache. “Understood, miss. Your secret’s safe with me.” He said with a quick wink then he turned on his heel towards the barn office. Val shuffled off towards the main house, wondering how long it would take for that to get back to Esie.

AN:

If you want more of Javier and Ana, I wrote a oneshot about them dropping Hel's off at college then having a fun little weekend in San Francisco: With Somebody Who Loves You

Also if you haven't read the prequel with them yet it's probably not a bad time to brush up on the lore and some of Esie's back story before we get into the climax of this whole thing. The Ghosts of Bogotá

Or don't, could be fun without it, who am I to tell you how to live.

Taglist: @bardot49 , @midnights-temptation, @bergamote-catsandbooks, @awkwardpaws

(let me know if you want to be added to the tag list, I'm getting better at remembering to actually do one!)

Thank you for the lovely tags! I better get on it ! @petalsinblood, @shadowqueen2024, @bergamote-catsandbooks, @the-blind-assassin-12, @kokoluwie, @half-moon16,

last song: Honey by Taylor Swift - it's very Esie - my OFC from my Frankie fic- coded. I didn't get into this album until I started writing for her.

currently watching: I just watched Voicemails for Isabelle (Is Zoey Dutch low key the new romcom queen?) I liked it, then I saw a tiktok of some man tearing it apart and now I like it even more out of spite.

current obsession: Pedro, usually Javier like cigarettes and whiskey he can be hard to quit, also Strawberries since they're in season.

currently reading: My on going fic list is long right now and I already shouted out most of the other fics I'm currently reading in a similar post earlier this week but I forgot to mention a great Din AU Country Roads by @itsjuststardust and I just started @604to647 's Wildest Dreams a princessxDin fic (i may have stayed up far too late last night reading!!!)

currently working on: My Frankie x OFC fic The Devil's Pilot

currently wearing: A t-shirt dress

last google search: I have three google tabs currently open and the combo is very odd 1. Shit head in Spanish 2. The Oka Crisis 3. 34 degrees Celsius in Fahrenheit

favourite flower: Hibiscus and Peonies

@midnights-temptation, @baronessvonglitter, @604to647, @awkwardpaws, @annwrites24, @kedsandtubesocks, @bardot49 @itsjuststardust, @milla-frenchy, @misstokyo7love

Chapter 27 of The Devil's Pilot

Frankie x OFC 3.5k

See Masterlist : See AO3 : See Prequel Fic - The Ghosts of Bogota (With Javier Peña)

See Prologue : Previous Chapter : Next chapter

Summary: The Triple Frontier boys come to the ranch. We learn a bit about Val and Esie's early days working together as the friends all get to know one another. Here is a mood board i made for this little arc

AN:I want to dedicate this chapter to @awkwardpaws, there's a little shout out to one of her characters from Falling Slowly. Another hot soldier who lives in my head rent free. (As if the TF boys weren't enough.) Also, she's had a rough month so I can't think of a better remedy than a Devil's foursome? (at what point is it an orgy?) with these boys... a literary foursome I mean...

The grey truck rolled to a stop at the end of the ranch driveway. Two large blonde men stepped out. “Well, well, well, Frankie.” The slightly shorter one said. “I always thought those cowboy boots were just for show but look at you now.”

“I thought wearing them was just a requirement if you came from Texas.” The taller one joked.

A third man hopped out the back of the truck cab. “Nah, don’t you remember? Fish has always been a cowboy, right amigo.” The short dark-haired man said eye sparkling with humour. “Is this the famous Esie?”

“Yes, Esie. This is Will, Benny and Santi.”

“Your pictures didn’t do you justice, Frankie has absolutely been playing out of his league.” Santi said as he moved to greet his best friend.

“I see you live up to his description.” Esie told him with a little smirk.

“What was that?”

“A terrible flirt, and trouble.”

“Just like you.” Frankie said, pressing a cheeky kiss to her temple before stepping away to hug Santi.

Esie stepped to Will, it wasn’t often she felt dwarfed by the size of men but between Frankie and the two broad blonde men she did. Even Santi - who’s height was closer to her own - every inch of him carried practiced muscle. There was no doubt how these men had once been the best soldiers the US military could produce. “And you’re the motivational speaker?” She asked Will as confirmation.

“I mostly do army reserve recruitment seminars. I don’t know if that counts as motivational.”

“Fair warning, you’ll probably get cornered by my mother.”

“He reputation proceeds her actually, I was hoping I’d get to meet her.”

“You will, she’s inside.” Finally Esie’s gaze rounded on her true target: Benny. “And you’re the fighter… the single one?” Esie asked Benny.

“Yes ma’am.” Benny said, flashing her a slight sheepish nod under her appraising gaze.

“Smile for me?”

“What?” Benny said giving Frankie a confused look.

Frankie shrugged. “I don’t know man, humour her.”

So, he gave her his most dazzling smile. “Excellent, you have all your teeth.” She looked at Frankie as she told him by way of explanation, “Val’s on the rebound.”

“Her friends coming to help paint this weekend. I think this might be a set up. Sorry, I didn’t know.” Frankie translated.

“Not a set up, just an opportunity.” Esie corrected.

“Is she pretty?” Benny asked, not terribly upset to be looked over like a new stud for the ranch.

“Very.” Esie said. Frankie nodded behind her in confirmation.

“I’m also single.” Santi pointed out.

“This should be fun.” Esie laughed and Frankie groaned.

When they’d finished their greetings, Frankie opened the back of the truck cab to help grab the rest of their luggage. He’d been expecting their neatly packed russacks and some tool kits to be there. But they’d thrown those in the box of the truck. Instead, in the seat next to where Santi had been sitting, piled nearly as high as Santi himself, were stacks of colourful boxes. When Santi tugged open the opposite passenger door his eyes met Frankie’s glare. “I said you guys could get her ONE toy each.”

“Relax papi, a girl only turns six once you know. Plus, she lives on a ranch now, we figured she’d need a full ranch set up for her toy horses too. And we don’t get to see her much now that you’re in Texas.”

“You’ve been in Columbia anyway!”

“The Millers weren’t, and we’re competing for her love now.” Santi joked.

“Well, toys aren’t going to win you this competition. They’re giving her favourite horse to her, they have a bond, apparently.”

“Oh shit, you okay with that?”

“Yeah, he’s a new show prospect for them. Esie figured it would be a good way to teach her how the horse business works and teach her responsibility too.”

Santi cracked a huge smile. “Smart woman, she figured out how to make it sound lame and responsible enough that you’d agree to it.”

“Shut-up, cabeza de mierda.” But he couldn’t deny that Santi was right.

“Come on, let’s get these inside before Lilly sees them.”

“Esie’s grandfather is picking her up from school, so the coast is clear for a little bit.”

When they caught up to Esie, Will and Benny she was showing Will to one of the guest rooms. “Oh, Santi, I have you in Frankie’s old room. Benny, Val’s going to take my sister’s room, but I have you set up in the barn loft.”

“What about the other guest room?” Frankie said surprised by that decision.

“Oh,” Esie waved a hand casually, “its full of storage, we meant to clear it out, but then we had all the deliveries for the cabin too.”

“Barn loft is fine.” Benny said.

“It’s nicer than it sounds, I promise, kind of like it’s own little apartment. Well, there’s no stove and you have to use the bathroom in the barn, but its literally at the foot of the stairs. And I promise it’s clean. There’s even a little beer fridge. The young Peña cousins usually prefer it when we have family gatherings.”

“Ha, Nice! None of you losers get a beer fridge.” Benny bragged, ever the gracious guest.

“Smart, put him out with the animals where he belongs, I used to suggest we keep him in the garden shed when we were little. My parents never went for it.” Will teased.

“I stocked to fridge already, help yourself to anything in there, we’ll probably have a bon fire tonight after dinner, the pit is right behind the barn. That way we won’t have to walk as far to refill our refreshments.”

Benny was glad to see she hadn’t been lying about the loft. It was perfectly nice. Not that he would have complained anyway. They’d all slept in far worse conditions and as the youngest of the group he was used to getting the short end of the stick for sleeping arrangements. In fact, he considered it a plus that he didn’t need to spend the week in the crowded house. Even if the accommodations did smell a tad more horsey than the grand old ranch house.

When they met the rest of the group back in the living room Esie told them as she excused herself off to the kitchen. “I promised my mama I’d help stuff empanadas for dinner, I’ll let you boy settle in and catch up.”

“I’m an expert empanada stuffer.” Santi boasted, “if you need an extra hand.”

“I’ll let you know.” Esie said before she disappeared.

“At least you know how to stuff something right.” Benny told Santi.

“Pipe down junior, I doubt you’ve ever stuffed anything right in your whole life.” Santi shot back.

“If you boys think stuffing an empanada is the same as sex, I’m afraid you’re doing it wrong.” Ana joked as she breezed into the room. Sleeves rolled up. Towel thrown over her shoulder.

The men all had the good sense to look sheepish as soon as they got over their little shock. Frankie however, hid his grin under the bill of his hat, he never stopped being caught off guard when he was reminded that Ana was, in fact, Esie’s mother. And Esie had indeed inherited her sense of humour from the deceptively sophisticated and elegant doctor. It was Will who recovered first. “Sorry ma’am.”

She waved it away with a welcoming grin. “It’s alright, and Ana is fine. Now who’s who?”

After they introduced themselves, Ana recruited Santi to the kitchen.

Santi was impressing, or as Frankie deemed it, ‘showing off’ his neat empanada edges to Ana when Val burst through the ranch front door. “Honey I’m home!”

She was followed shortly by Chucho and Javier, who’d run into town to grab some things Ana needed for dinner. Lilly was ecstatic to see her uncles. And because the men had poor impulse control, they let her open her gifts right after dinner, an entire week before her actual birthday. Esie and Val pondered as they watched them help Lilly put together the ranch set after dinner who was having more fun, the little girl or the four grown men. Well… six grown men, Chucho and Javier had been brought in as council on which of her vast, quickly growing, collection of toy horses should spend their night in the pasture and who should be stalled for the evening.

That night, once Frankie and Santi – who had insisted tagging along for bedtime ‘protocols’ with Lilly - returned to the firepit behind the barn where Esie, Val, and the Miller boys had started a fire and filled a cooler with drinks. They started swapping war stories …literally. The boys, with the expectation of Frankie where a little surprised to find that Val and Esie had actual war stories of their own.

“It was our first major assignment abroad, 2005 Afghanistan,” Val hooked a thumb to point at Esie, “and this one went fucking dark on me in the middle of a huge battle zone.”

“I was in a little logging village in Korangal Valley during Operation Redwing, we weren’t in it exactly, but the region was already hostile and we where there with the invading troops. They saw the fire fight and all hell broke loose. Me and a solider got separated from the vehicle during the fray. We were trapped in an abandoned building for a couple of days. But Vanny boy got us out eventually.”

“Only you could find yourself in the middle of one of the most significant battles in Afghanistan by accident…” Val said rolling her eyes dramatically.

“You were the one who go me imbedded with that unit, I don’t know why it’s my fault. And we got out!” Esie defended, without an ounce of shame.

“…saved from a fucking ambush buy a beautiful soldier. Classic you. He looked like he came from central casting, not basic training.” Val looked Benny dead in the eye as she said, “She has a knack for finding them too.” Benny nodded and cleared his throat and looked at the ground.

“You make it sound like I was some damsel in a movie. It was not at all glamorous, no one is sexy on day three holed up in a hot, dusty abandoned building. And I wasn’t his type anyway.”

“Right, he was gay.” Val recalled.

“Bi actually, I just wasn’t his type. We were more friends.”

“I though you at least hooked up a couple times.”

“You told me I was your first solder.” Frankie joked, but Esie knew that look, he was a tiny bit jealous, even if he knew it was ridiculous to be.

“You are! I swear we didn’t do anything. Val’s just being a shithead.” Val laughed, knowing damn well what she’d been doing. “I was kinda like his beard, he was hooking up with a superior over there, things got a little complex, so I helped out.”

“Don’t worry flyboy, as far as I know, somehow, you’re her first soldier.” Val told Frankie earnestly. “I was just winding her up. Have you talked to him lately, last I heard he got hurt?”

Esie shrugged. “We email here and there, he’s got a girlfriend who I don’t think knows about the men part yet. She thinks that I was a proper ex. I know he’s in the reserves right now while his shoulder heals up and he doesn’t trust them to not bring back don’t ask don’t tell. Especially now, with ah that thing we’re working on…”

“You told him…”

“No but, he’s been covert long enough he knows when the winds are changing. I told him to get out, no point being a cog in a bigoted war machine.” Will cleared his throat. And Esie remembered the company they were keeping, “Sorry I just meant...”

“You’ll get no argument on that from us here, senorita.” Santi said good naturedly. “I think we’ve all seen enough of the shit.”

“Well, if ever you want to tell any of those stories, as a confidential source…” Val said, never one to miss a potential lead.

“Val clock out!” Esie chided.

“Haven’t you heard?” Frankie said, “This is an ‘off the record ranch’.”

“Sorry! You’re right. Hard to turn it off.” Val admitted, then she turned to Benny. Fixed on him now that work was off the table. “Why fighting?”

Benny shrugged. “Didn’t figured I’d be good at much else after. But I’m really good at that.”

The fighting didn’t exactly impress Val. But she couldn’t help but be intrigued by the man who seemed to be both exuberant and quiet in equal measure. “Do you like it?”

“I used to, getting a little old for it if I’m honest, I know now never gonna make it big. No chance of being able to afford that Ferrari. I thought maybe I’d open a gym, but well, I need more capital for that.”

“You like fast cars?” Val said, strategic mind turning.

“Of course, I mean I don’t need them. But I guess I’m just a bit of a thrill junkie.”

“Life in the fast lane kind of guy?”

“Not, always I can go slow.”

“Oh?” Val said, and lucky for Benny the darkness of the night hid the flush on his face.

Will, ever the older brother, chimed in, “Should we leave you two alone?”

“Shut-up!” Benny laughed, trying to sound casual.

“What about Devon?” Val said to Esie, “Last time I met him for drinks he said his business was picking up, he was thinking about hiring a general manager. If you like fast cars and are looking for a career change he might have a job for you.”

“That’s true,” Esie said quickly catching on. ‘I have this old friend used to be a NASCAR driver now he has a business where you can drive his cars on a race track out near San Antonio.”

“Devon Peters?” Benny asked eyes lighting up.

“Yeah, you’ve heard of him?”

“No shit. I saw him win Daytona one year.”

“Let me know. You’d have to move here. But I can give him a call if you’d like.”

As the night wore on, the cooler emptied out and the conversation moved to the more absurd. Santi taking the lead as he told them about working in Columbia. “And you have to be careful in the jungle rivers now, there’s hippos too, on top of everything else.” Santi said with a big smile. He had been rather entertained by this fact.

“What do you mean?” Will asked.

“Before I came back from Columbia, on the news they were talking about how there’s all these fucking hippos in the amazon rivers now, they descended from the ones in Pablo Escobar’s zoo.”

“No shit.” Benny said eyes wide.

“Javi raided Escobar’s compound you know. He probably met their grandparents” Esie told them.

“Or great grandparenst, how long do hippos live?” Benny mused.

“Who knows, they sure as shit breed a bunch though. It’s a really big problem there.” Santi told them as he cracked another beer.

“They’re dangerous right? They’ll fucking turn over your boat and eat you.” Benny said.

“They’re herbivores babes.” Val laughed. Val loosened up by a few beers, Val now had her legs slung over Benny’s.

Esie leaned over to whisper to Frankie. “I’m gonna turn in. I don’t want to over do it, it going to be a long week.”

“Okay, I can pack it in.” Frankie said.

“No, no. You should catch up with your buddies.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, plus,” She nodded to Val and Benny. “I need a full report on how this plays out. It seems to be going well.”

“Yeah, like I said though, I wouldn’t hold your breath, Benny’s not a closer.”

Esie kissed his cheek as she whispered in his ear. “That’s okay. Val is.”

She bid them farewell. It was almost midnight when she felt Frankie slip into bed behind her. He’d expected her to be asleep. But she turned to look at him, clearly not able to sleep until she got the rest of the night’s story. He shouldn’t have been surprised really.

“So?” She asked quietly.

“Santi just walked her to her own room.”

“Damn, Benny really isn’t a closer.”

“Told yah.”

“Ah well, they’ve got lots of time.”

“I think Santi would like to be in the running too.”

“Ooh? Well I think Val’s just looking for some fun right now anyway,” She smirked, “Maybe they could do a devils threesome, I don’t think Val’s done that yet.”

Frankie groaned. “Don’t encourage that”

“Could be fun, have you ever…”

“No.”

“Would you want to?”

“With who? You’re little army buddy?”

Esie laughed. “I knew that got you. No, I really didn’t hook up with him, you’re my one and only, Sarg… though if you want…”

He bit her shoulder playfully, “No, especially not with you, your…complex that way. I don’t trust anybody else not to hurt you.”

“That’s weirdly sweet honey.”

“Mhmm.” He said throwing an arm around her and pulling her into to him so they could spoon as they slept. “Me too, now go to sleep, you were supposed to be going to bed hours ago.”

“Well, it turns out its hard to go to sleep without you here. I don’t know when that happened.”

He brushed her hair back, not knowing what to say. Not sure he should admit how happy he was at that weird little fact. So her kissed her instead and said only, “Goodnight, Trouble.”

“Goodnight, Frankie.”

When Esie woke the next morning there was still a large strong forearm wrapped around her waist. It was rare he was still there in the morning, usually he was up first to work in the barn.

“What are you still doing here?” She whispered softly.

“I already did the morning feed. Benny got up and gave me a hand, so it went quicker.”

“Did you talk about…”

“Yes, you little menace. He likes her, I think he’s sad he fumbled.”

“I don’t think he did.”

“Santi might’ve swooped in. Unless she’s just playing them against each other. They are both a little competitive.”

“Nah that’s not Val’s style. Even when we were younger. She’s always been more practical and down to earth. She won’t play those games.”

“More practical than you isn’t really saying a lot.”

“Excuse me! I think I’ve made a very wise choice in partner, thank-you very much.”

“You floated a devil threesome last night.” He grumbled.

“I was kidding, Sarg! You know I just like to see you a little jealous. You have nothing to worry about… now anyway…. You might’ve been in trouble in my twenties though, I had twice the energy, at least 20 pounds less and no stretch marks from the stupid endo belly.” His fingers had stroked over the little rivets in her skin, etched out from the rapid bloating and recession of her stomach with her cycle. Frankie had never even really thought about them before. Clearly Esie had. Frankie, who was used to Esie commanding a room with her sparkling beauty had never really considered that she might be self conscious in that way. He’d always figured it would be obvious to anyone looking that he was the one who had done the reaching in the looks department.

He wasn’t having it. The forearm left her middle and a large hand slapped lightly on her thigh. “Don’t talk like that.” He grumbled.

“What?” “That’s fucking bullshit. You’re fucking gorgeous and you know it.”

“Well…” She started to argue but the offending hand slid up her body to cover her mouth before returning to her legs to bend her knees so he could slide himself behind. She felt him, large and hard against her.

“Does it feel like you aren’t fucking gorgeous?” He asked her, his normally soft, low voice now firm and adamant.

“You know you swear a lot more when your buddies are around.”

He ignored the comment the devious hand sliding in between her legs and spreading her open enough so he could slip in behind her. She gasped in surprised as he notched in behind her. It was almost a surprise, if a very welcome one. Usually, Frankie was very diligent about warming her up, easing in making her ready for his size. But he knew at that angle he wouldn’t hit deep or wrong and he wanted her right then. His lady was crazy to think for a second that when he looked at her, he saw even the notion of the flaws she’d listed.

“Frankie.” She moaned as he pushed in slowly.

Frankie held her firmly against him as he rocked steadily into her. He was careful to keep quiet in the early morning of the packed ranch house. But in a soft low whisper he muttered all the things he thought and perhaps didn’t say enough. Things like “perfect” “beautiful” “incredible” “crazy” and “wild”. Then that devious hand dipped between her legs again. Circling her clit rhythmically as he increased his thrusts driving them both to a quick, desperate climax.

As their heart rates returned to normal Esie teased, “I love making you jealous.” Which earned her one more, firm, light, slap on her ass.

“Fucking Trouble.” He said grinning as he pushed himself out of bed to start the day again.

Taglist: @bardot49 , @midnights-temptation, @bergamote-catsandbooks, @awkwardpaws

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