Work Text:
Frost covered the window in Frank’s bedroom. Second floor of the lodge, first door on the right. In between trials not everything was in ruins.
Letting out a hot breath of air, he tried to wipe it away- just in time to see her coming back.
Covered in blood. Must’ve been a good one.
He watched her from the small area he made visible on the window. It was slowly reforming, ice crystals growing like veins around the edges of the shape he created. There was something special about it- the way it closed off and became blurry again just as she moved out of view.
The routine was always the same. She would avoid coming upstairs for as long as she could. Wander around the bar, maybe sit on one of the couches… but ultimately she had to come up to the bedroom. She had to face him.
Frank was silent as he listened, waiting to see how long it took her this time.
He counted 242 seconds before she came up the stairs. Another 17 before she actually opened the door to come in.
He looked away from the window to face her. She slipped her mask off, tossing it on the bed halfheartedly. She didn’t meet his gaze. Not until he spoke.
“…How’d it go?” He didn’t really need to ask. He could see the gore covering her clothes. She did fine.
“It went fine.” Emotionless as always. She started to change her clothes. All he could do was just... watch.
It was getting exhausting. Always tense. Always quiet.
He felt like he was drowning.
How much longer did he have to pretend everything was fine? How much longer until one of them started the inevitable conversation?
“…Frank.” She started softly, snapping him out of his thoughts. “…We need to talk.”
…
…Guess not much longer.
He felt a bit awkward. He scratched his cheek as he looked over at her mask on the bed.
“…Uh. Yeah, alright…” He doesn’t bother asking why. He already knows.
Julie sighed as she took a seat on the edge of the bed. The bed they’ve shared since they got here- the bed they’ve slept on, fucked on, cuddled on…
But they didn’t really do any of that anymore.
At least not with each other.
Frank knew what she’d been doing- it used to hurt. But he didn’t really care anymore.
Besides, he wasn’t innocent either.
“I don’t wanna be with you anymore.” She told him bluntly. She didn’t sugarcoat it. She didn’t offer an explanation. She didn’t see any reason to.
He was quiet for a second as he let it sink in. He expected to feel angry. Sad. Hurt. Betrayed. But he really just felt… relief.
He loved her. He really, really did. But the relationship had started to feel like nothing but a burden. Like it was just something they were carrying out because they felt like they had to.
The air was still tense- so he spoke again.
“That’s okay.”
She looked surprised for a second… and then relieved. He preferred it this way. She hadn’t looked relaxed around him in so long. Her shoulders weren’t high up- her eyebrows weren’t furrowed. He almost forgot how pretty she could be.
“…I do love you. I just… I think I’m-“
“I know.” He cut her off.
He already knew what she was gonna say.
It was an accident really- but he found things labeled ‘Mashtyx’ with spray paint in her things. He hadn’t thought much of it, until he found similar things with the same tag on a survivor.
It didn’t take long for him to put two and two together.
He knew. He accepted it. He just didn’t wanna hear it said out loud.
“…I need space for awhile.” She tells him.
“There’s no extra rooms.”
“Yeah. Not in the lodge.”
…It took him a second to process what she meant. She was moving out.
He knew what that entailed. Susie and Joey would go with her. It was like a divorce where one of the parents took the kids and left.
He’d be… alone.
Maybe that was for the best.
“…Alright.” There was no reason to fight it. He wouldn’t win. And honestly he just didn’t feel like it.
She was quiet for a moment before she spoke again.
“…I’m sorry, Frank.”
He shrugged, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a carton of cigarettes and put one between his lips before lighting it.
“Don’t be.”