THE FOLLOWING TEXT CONTAINS: SWEARING, DRINKING, CRIMES, MURDER. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED (18+)
IN TOO DEEP
28. EXT. SOME DARK ALLEY — THREE WEEKS LATER
There’s always a deal going sour in PIPETOWN’s tight-knit conduits. Most of JD’s smaller gigs require cleaning up a ruckus only a few minutes after it’s done in that tiny window between a potential witness spotting the commotion and the STEWARDS showing up.
Even in the day, these areas aren’t very well lit. JD cleans it up but doesn’t bother with bleach…honestly that might just make things even more suspicious. They do the trade-off with a greenhorn who dealt with the guy. He was a bit of a mess, first time really killing someone as BITECLAW muscle. JD let them off the hook easy, told him to clean up and lay low, push it five blocks before making his way home. This would be fixed up before he walked in through his front door.
Human guy, seemed grateful though he was too tough to admit it verbally. They scampered off to do as he was told. Leaving JD with not one but two dead guys.
If it was TANGO she’d have at least shoved the small one in a chute not too far from here. The other one’s big, too. That’s annoying. JD looks them over, sighs and checks the possibilities for disposal pickup… There’s a place…not far but far enough it would take them too long to dispose of both. JD won’t be able to make the bodies disappear but they sure can twist the narrative. JD pulls a knife out.
This is gonna get messy but sometimes a clean gets messy before it’s fixed. They roll up their sleeves and get to work reshaping the crime scene.
What’s up with BARKFANG and fingers, anyway? JD shoves the vesk’s body up against the wall. Presses his hand to the metal and cuts the last two fingers off the body’s left hand. They never understood it. Proof the guy’s been taken care of? Pretty old school. Some would even call it pre-GAP
Makes it real easy to pin things on them, though.
The other guy’s smaller… Unfortunately, a helpful pedestrian who got in the middle of things. The greenhorn mentioned them. JD looks them over, they sigh.
JD
Sorry kid.
They put a smoke to their lips and stand. There’s nobody here but they’ve got five minutes before STEWARDS show up. JD can already hear the sirens. Luckily this guy’s smaller than the Vesk.
JD just barely manages to pick the dead weight up and toss it in the dumpster. They’re betting on the possibility the Vesk will be enough of a distraction they might miss the civilian in the bin.
Just as the lights of the STEWARD ships reflect off the metal, JD slips away.
29. EXT. STREETS OF PIPETOWN — CON’T
JD keeps a nonchalant walk, as they head through the streets. They wore a dark enough jumpsuit this time, the blood soaking through parts of it isn’t visible but they can sure feel it sticking to their skin. They’ve committed to an undead look that’s starting to feel fitting. Figured if they can’t beat the allegations to their terrible human shifting, they’ll just commit to the 3AM zombie… Literally.
They have half a mind to head straight home but the other half is pulling their comm out, the personal one, and scrolling up to FRANKIE’s contact. They hesitate. Maybe this could be an alibi against the crime they just cleaned up…just in case. They could–well–she wouldn’t be up, regardless… would she?
Before they can overthink it, they text FRANKIE: [hey, you asleep?]
They hit send and frown, probably should have sent something sweeter… Thinking of her… Whatever. Is that too much? They take a long drag of their e-cig and sigh it out. They wish they could just stop thinking about her. The distraction’s going to start fucking with their work.
SFX: ZZT ZZT
JD’s scrambling to pull up the message, FRANKIE says, [whzz askig]
JD starts to reply but she texts back faster than they can: [DJD]
[DJ!]
She sends them several little pictograms of smooching aliens and hearts and… Ah, she’s already drunk. They smile anyway because it’s sweet.
They text back, [where are you] and [finished early].
FRANKIE sends them an image of a neon-sign, it’s blurry but they’re pretty sure they know where ROCKETFUEL is anyway.
JD chuckles quietly to themself and replies [k]
30. INT. ROCKETFUEL — TEN MINUTES LATER
FRANKIE steps out of the club with her cousin and a friend, the two gnolls are giggling but the small lashunta tries to hold FRANKIE’s cousin up, with FRANKIE doing very little to help, though she is also trying to hold her cousin up.
LAINIE
You two are ridiculous. Okay let’s see if we can get you both home in one piece.
FRANKIE
Okay~ you two go ahead. I’m meeting someone.
LAINIE
(worried)
You sure, Frankie?
FRANKIE’s cousin just giggles even more furiously.
TONI
Fraaankie’s meeting her secret loooove affair.
FRANKIE gasps.
FRANKIE
Toni! That’s not a secret if ya go around telling everyone!
TONI starts giggling while their LASHUNTA friend smiles and rolls her eyes. She supports the rest of TONI’s weight as she takes them off of FRANKIE’s hands.
LAINIE
Okay well, be safe then.
FRANKIE
Don’t worry, I can hold my own, can probably break this guy in half if I wanted to.
LAINIE
(giggles)
Maybe don’t do that if you want to see them again.
The three snicker and laugh before TONI and the LASHUNTA start off. FRANKIE watches them go before she sidles up to a lamp post, leaning against it for a little support, she pulls her comm up, looking over JD’s last text with a little smile.
Someone leans in to whisper in her ear.
???
Thinking about me?
FRANKIE scrambles, dropping her comm before she reels around, fists up, ready to fight the stranger whose sidled up to her. Some undead human corpse… Um… Not exactly her type–wait a minute…
FRANKIE
Wait a sec…
She grabs the collar of their jumpsuit and buries her nose in their chest, up to the crook of their neck taking a biiig sniff of them. The stranger chuckles.
FRANKIE
Well hey, stranger.
JD
So how many people you sniff like that trying to figure me out?
JD leans down to pick up FRANKIE’s comm and hand it to her.
FRANKIE
I don’t have to tell you that.
JD just chuckles as she takes it from them.
JD
C’mon. Lets get you something to sober up with.
FRANKIE
I’m not that drunk.
JD
Mhm.
31. INT. WC DEE’S — AN HOUR LATER
FRANKIE sits across from JD in a run down liminal fast food joint with a single tired worker behind a counter, cleaning up. It’s one of the only 24-hour places around these parts. But they probably manage the hours by severely underpaying their staff for the occasional group of drunken partygoers…
…or the two bozos who get to sit here picking at fries.
JD is leans back in their seat while FRANKIE chomps on the next fried piece of finger food.
FRANKIE
This is a pretty low-bar for a date.
JD
Like to keep my standards low. Helps mitigate expectations and all that.
FRANKIE
Well, fries aside, this look? Mmm. Gotta say, not really doin’ it for me.
JD
Aw, not a fan of undead? I thought it was pretty a-propos, with the whole, up till three… Wait–
(checks time)
Four-am.
FRANKIE grimaces.
FRANKIE
You still smell like you, but lookin’ at this face… I can just imagine the rot.
JD
Like a phantom stench.
FRANKIE
Yeah!
JD
Too bad we’re in public.
FRANKIE
You don’t shift in public?
JD
Try not to. Also try to avoid talking too loud about it.
FRANKIE smirks.
FRANKIE
Am I being too loud?
JD
Well, not exactly quiet.
FRANKIE grins incredulously and nudges them under the table for that. JD just snickers and picks out a fry to munch on.
FRANKIE
Okay. Four-am. Time for a question.
FRANKIE gets more serious this time. JD leans back in their seat and nods.
JD
Mmm, sounds like this is about to get personal.
FRANKIE
Yep.
She gives them a challenging look which JD reciprocates, giving her a hard time.
FRANKIE
You got a problem with that?
JD
Mmm. Don’t usually do personal.
FRANKIE
(snorts)
Don’t I know it.
JD hesitates, considering it a moment. It’s been a few weeks…? A couple months…? Since whatever this thing between the two of them started. JD’s evaded a couple questions from FRANKIE though she doesn’t usually poke at them with anything too personal.
They decide to give it a shot.
JD
Shoot.
FRANKIE’s grin widens.
FRANKIE
Really?
JD
Yeah.
FRANKIE puts her chin in one of her hands, looking them over.
FRANKIE
What’s your… Family like?
JD
What like me or endiffian?
FRANKIE shrugs.
FRANKIE
That different for you? I got a big honkin’ family with a sibling and cousins on cousins on cousins, aunts and uncles and all that. But kinda typical for folks like me.
JD
Gnolls…
FRANKIE
Yeah. Just big tight-knit families… Kinda all up in your business about whatever you’re doin’ all the time. Love ‘em but geeze.
JD chuckles quietly.
JD
Hmm.
(thinks)
Well, I don’t know much about Endiffian… Overall. Grew up with just my aunt and…
JD scoffs.
JD
Uh, well they shipped me off here couple years ago. I fucked up… made a mess of things…so. Didn’t want me around anymore making it worse.
FRANKIE frowns in turn, ears bending backward and JD drops their gaze. Uh, got a bit too real that time. They were hoping they’d make it sound lighthearted enough but the tone didn’t reach.
JD
Ah, anyway.
FRANKIE
Now yer out here, cleaning up messes.
JD looks at her, they nudge her foot with their’s under the table and smile.
JD
Yeah. Now I’m out here cleaning up messes.
FRANKIE snickers.
FRANKIE
You know what mess you oughta clean up next?
JD
(amused)
What?
FRANKIE
Mine.
FRANKIE puts two fingers to her mouth and sticks her tongue between them in a lewd gesture. JD’s grin goes wild an incredulous this time.
JD grabs a fry and throws it at her… And when she gasps in shock they toss another one at her.
FRANKIE
JD! Now you’re really makin’ a mess!
JD gets up and leans in real close.
JD
Maybe I’ll make you clean up mine.
They flick one last fry at her forehead. FRANKIE grabs her drink and JD scrambles out of their seat and darts for the door, behind them there’s a splash of drink spilling.
JD stops at the door and eyes FRANKIE… And the puddle of drink on the floor at their feet.
EMPLOYEE
Aw c’mon!
Oops busted. JD moves to help clean but FRANKIE just shoves them in the back, pushing them out the door while the EMPLOYEE hollers at them to get back and fix it.
FRANKIE drags JD along far enough it’d be silly to go back. She giggles, the two of them laughing and laughing until they can both catch their breath.
JD
We probably should’ve helped with that.
FRANKIE
(sagely)
Not every mess is made to be cleaned up, JD.
FRANKIE keeps walking and JD just follows along with her, lighting up their e-cig.
JD
Not even the ones you make yourself?
FRANKIE
Especially not the ones you make yourself.
32. INT. A WEIRD LITTLE SPOT — NIGHT
The scene opens up to A WEIRD LITTLE SPOT its a sign over a trap-door that leads to some sort of basement.
JD [VO]
Speaking of messes… You said you have a sibling?
FRANKIE [VO]
Oh, now look whose getting personal.
We head into the trap-door, down the narrow steps.
JD [VO]
Mm. I think fair is fair. You ask me one, I’ll ask you one.
FRANKIE [VO]
A personal question.
JD [VO]
Yeah.
We turn the corner, and it opens up into a large space, situated like a restaurant but each booth is some sort of pod.
FRANKIE [VO]
Hmm… Okay, deal. Yeah. I have a brother.
We move up towards one of these pods and peer inside where FRANKIE is munching on some finger food while JD, in their gnoll form leans back, watching her curiously. Waiting on her to elaborate.
FRANKIE
Oh, what I gotta tell you about him, too?
JD snickers.
JD
I dunno. Do you want to?
FRANKIE
Not really, he’s just a little runt of a guy. Smaller than me–no you are not allowed to make fun of me for being small.
JD
Wasn’t going to.
FRANKIE
Just in case you had any ideas.
JD
I’m burying those ideas.
FRANKIE
Good.
JD
Okay so… He’s just an annoying little guy.
FRANKIE
Ugh. Yeah, Emilio’s always whining and bitching about all the work he’s gotta do. As if I’m not stuck cleaning up his bullshit all the time.
JD watches her all amused as FRANKIE rolls her eyes.
FRANKIE
Anyway, that’s all I got, which is weird because most of my cousins got full litters of siblings, like three or four. I got stuck with him.
JD
Can’t be all that bad.
FRANKIE
Oh, you’d know it if you met him.
JD
I’ll take your word for it.
JD picks at the finger foods and eats one.
JD
Okay, you go.
FRANKIE
Really?
JD
Yeah.
FRANKIE eyes them a little bit, thinking about her question.
JD
Well don’t hurt yourself.
FRANKIE punches them in the shoulder.
FRANKIE
Don’t be a shit. You ever been anywhere outside of Absalom?
JD
I’m from outside of Absalom.
FRANKIE pauses, eying them.
FRANKIE
Hm… You’ve mentioned that before, I think.
JD
Mhmm. Didn’t do much travelling. Just home planet to here.
FRANKIE frowns, dusting her fingers off and leaning back.
FRANKIE
What’s your home planet, then?
JD
Mmmm that’s a second question.
FRANKIE
Oh come on, my last one was bogus, I figured you’re the kinda guy whose been all over.
JD
(snrk)
Really?
FRANKIE
Yeah. I dunno. Answer the question.
JD
Eox.
FRANKIE pauses, thinking it over a little bit, does she know where that is? What planet is that? She comes up empty… It’s pretty far from here, admittedly, practically on the opposite end of the system.
JD
(embarrassed)
It’s uh other side of the Diaspora.
FRANKIE
Oh–wait that’s far. No?
JD
Ah… Yeah the trip took like almost a month… Had to uh… Go around pirate territory.
FRANKIE just stares at them, her eyes glittering at the thought of such a space adventure…. With PIRATES.
FRANKIE
Okay so you did go on a wild space adventure!
JD
If you count hiding in the ship’s cargo hold for a month, sure.
FRANKIE
You were a stowaway???
JD grins, embarrassed, flustered ripple fluffing up their fur. Maybe this was too much information to give her but sharing with FRANKIE is easy… And it’s only gotten easier.
FRANKIE shifts closer to them, fascinated.
JD
It’s not as cool as it–does it really sound that cool?
FRANKIE
Yeah.
FRANKIE places a hand on their knee, dragging it up their leg to watch them squirm again.
JD
(whispers)
Hey now…
Their eyes flick up to the clouded window of the pod the two of them are sharing.
FRANKIE redirects their gaze with her finger against their snout, giving them a look.
FRANKIE
What?
JD
In public like this–?
FRANKIE grabs them and JD’s form breaks apart for a second before pulling itself back together with a snap. She grins wilder.
FRANKIE
You’re the one who decided to bring us to the make out pods.
JD takes a second to recollect themself.
JD
Wait the what??
FRANKIE just laughs and pulls them closer, licking the side of their face.
33. INT. FRANKIE’S BEDROOM — NIGHT
The two of them are laying in FRANKIE’s bed with her incredibly fluffy duvet. JD has their eyes closed, still in their gnoll form.
FRANKIE
So personal question time.
JD doesn’t answer, pretending to sleep.
FRANKIE twirls a finger through the fur on their chest.
FRANKIE
So what do you do? Like for fun.
JD opens an eye, sliding her a look with a sly grin.
FRANKIE gives them a playful slap on the chest, extremely fluffed up in her embarrassment.
FRANKIE
Don’t make me kick your ass. I’m serious.
JD looks over at her, properly this time.
JD
Well… I don’t dance.
CUT TO: A FEW DAYS LATER
JD is sitting at a bar with FRANKIE who hops off and gives them a wild look before she tries to reel them in onto the dance floor. JD refuses all embarrassed but FRANKIE insists. She pulls them close and shows them how to do it, her way, rolling her body against their’s and giving them a little spin. JD’s embarrassment gets them laughing as FRANKIE grins wider.
JD [VO]
Not a huge fan of anything loud…
CUT TO: A FEW WEEKS LATER…
FRANKIE drags JD up to a packed venue, so packed, some alien are standing outside, peering into some abandoned building blaring loud with brightly coloured lights and raucous obnoxious electric guitar. She pulls them through the tight-knit space the two find a spot that’s less crowded where they can watch an astriapi that goes by the moniker: BUZZKILL seems to be rocking out hard. FRANKIE looks on with a huge grin, absolutely starstruck. She glances at JD who is uncomfortable but amused by her awe.
When she looks back to the stage, the crowd has clustered too close and blocks her view. FRANKIE wilts and JD shakes their head. They take her hand and squeeze through the crowd with her until she’s up close to the stage. FRANKIE is over the moon. She dances and jams along to the sets until she gets JD to join her in their own way.
JD [VO]
Not a huge fan of anything loud…
CUT TO: A FEW MONTHS AFTER THAT…
FRANKIE takes JD to the PIPETOWN PIT to watch a match with her… Her cousin? JD’s still struggling to remember some of her relatives but BUCKSHOT is his stage name. JD isn’t the most comfortable here, they keep getting nudged by the guy next to them, shifting to sit closer to FRANKIE who wraps an arm around them and leans her cheek against their shoulder. JD smiles sheepishly and offers her some of the snack they bought for her at the pop stand. FRANKIE takes a handful and munches it before gasping and pointing to the ring and knocking the rest of the snack out of JD’s hands.
JD [VO]
Or crowds, really.
CUT TO: A FEW MONTHS AFTER THAT…
FRANKIE takes JD to the PIPETOWN PIT to watch a match with her… Her cousin? JD’s still struggling to remember some of her relatives but BUCKSHOT is his stage name. JD isn’t the most comfortable here, they keep getting nudged by the guy next to them, shifting to sit closer to FRANKIE who wraps an arm around them and leans her cheek against their shoulder. JD smiles sheepishly and offers her some of the snack they bought for her at the pop stand. FRANKIE takes a handful and munches it before gasping and pointing to the ring and knocking the rest of the snack out of JD’s hands.
FRANKIE [VO]
That’s not really answering my question. What do you actually do for fun?
JD [VO]
(sheepish chuckle)
Um… Well I do public transit a bunch.
CUT TO: MAYBE A YEAR AFTER…
JD and FRANKIE are at a bus stop, FRANKIE is a bit disgruntled and mentions she has a cruiser the two could take advantage of. JD snickers a little and wraps their arms around her, nuzzling their gnoll snout against her’s. FRANKIE fluffs up with a sheepish little smile.
FRANKIE [VO]
(unimpressed)
For fun, JD. You don’t just ride transit for fun.
CUT TO: TONIGHT
The two are walking through PIPETOWN and JD chuckles as their conversation continues.
JD
Well… I guess there’s one place I visit, when I got time.
FRANKIE looks over at them with a grin.
FRANKIE
I got time.
JD rolls their eyes but smiles all the same.
JD
Come on.
34. EXT. THE BILLBOARD — NIGHT
JD pulls themself up the last step of the ladder turning around to help FRANKIE up the rest of the way as she grumbles:
FRANKIE
Just like you to be into some illegal shit.
JD
You and me both.
FRANKIE laughs.
JD settles in, sticking their feet through the railing. They’re…feeling a bit silly having brought her here. They didn’t really think twice about it, about the gaping black hole beneath their feet.
FRANKIE
(gasp)
Oh, hey. You can see all of Pipetown from here.
JD glances at her as she sits, looking out into the glittering lights of this part of the city.
JD
Yeah… Yeah you can. Most of it.
They smile, leaning back against the billboard, looking out into the city, up into the pipeworks glittering overhead in a false night sky. They share in the view with her, taking this moment of silence between the two of them. It’s not so aching as it is when they’re alone. It’s comfortable. They wonder quietly if this is what others in ABSALOM are experiencing right now. Quiet moments together. Is that what life is like for everyone else?
FRANKIE shifts, leaning against them, fitting into them like she’s made to be there and JD wraps an arm around her shoulder and a part of them wishes quietly…that maybe the two of them didn’t have such big looming secrets hanging above them.
FRANKIE
Mhmm.
JD
What?
FRANKIE
Yep.
JD turns their attention back to her and FRANKIE just smiles, snuggling in against them.
JD
Yep?
FRANKIE
That’s it, I decided I’m keepin’ ya.
JD’s fur fluffs up with that, they get quiet, leaning their cheek against her head and wrapping both their arms around her in a squeeze.
Their voice is real quiet when they say:
JD
That’s a relief.
FRANKIE chuckles quietly. The two of them look over PIPETOWN as the station lights simulate the sunset oranges of what was allegedly GOLARION before the GAP. The oranges turn red, then purple, then deep blues and they reveal the twinkling glitter of folks living in quiet moments. Part of JD wonders if FRANKIE feels the same, about quiet moments.
FRANKIE’s arms around them give JD a little squeeze.
FRANKIE
It’s quiet up here.
JD
Yeah.
FRANKIE
You come here a lot?
JD leans their chin against her head.
JD
Not really… Just when I need to clear my head.
FRANKIE
Ah.
JD
Why?
FRANKIE
Mm, just curious about that pillow over there, figured you spend the night here sometimes.
JD slowly looks over to the pillow… Ah. Forgot about that.
JD
Um… Spent my first… Few weeks up here. Stowing away doesn’t really pay bills.
FRANKIE pulls back a little, looking up at them but still holding their hands. Her ears bend back and JD can feel theirs do the same, reflecting the same reflex. They don’t like when she looks at them like this. The blackness beneath them reaches up.
JD
I want to show you something.
JD blurts it out before she can say anything. FRANKIE’s ears perk up and JD feels better about it already, their heart is racing in their chest.
JD
Not… Not here though. Ah. C’mon.
JD gets up, stepping over her before making their way down. FRANKIE sighs.
FRANKIE
Gonna make me clamber all the way down after we just got here. It better be good.
JD
(worried)
Hah… Don’t… Get your hopes too high.
35. INT. JD’S APARTMENT — AN HOUR LATER
SFX: CLICK BEEP
JD opens the door to their apartment, stepping inside with FRANKIE in tow. They’re regretting this now, like they knew they would only moments after they offered. JD is quiet as they pull their jacket off, stepping to the side and revealing their apartment. All they can see right now is how much of a mess their place is. They hadn’t really planned on bringing her back here…ever.
FRANKIE
Nice place.
FRANKIE’s voice startles them out of their thoughts and they look at the mess and can’t be fully sure if it was sarcastic or not.
JD
(distracted)
Yeah, thanks.
There’s clothes everywhere, all over the couch. Generally, there’s a system here they don’t have space for in their closet, disguises and outfits for different shapes they take on. It’s in the way now, though, so they’re hauling things up off the couch.
They must be quieter than usual because FRANKIE’s picking up on something.
FRANKIE
(teasing)
Nervous, stranger?
JD hesitates with a bundle of clothes in their hand.
JD
Yeah–NO–Just um…make yourself comfortable…give me a sec.
JD doesn’t really give her a sec before they start off for the bedroom with the pile of clothes in their arms. They’re being totally fucking weird right now and they can feel it. They drop the clothes in the corner of their bedroom and it’s… Well it looks bad but they really don’t have anywhere else to put them.
JD catches themself in the mirror here and looks over the carefully picked gnoll face they’ve been using around FRANKIE lately. They can feel their heart racing in their chest, the pulse of their blood is loud in their ears.
Their skin ripples and peels apart and JD shifts their shape from gnoll to their face, grey, orange eyes staring back. They look worried, staring into themself stomach dropping to their toes. It’s unimpressive, really. They never thought about what they looked like before, but they’re sure thinking about it now. They make their hair longer, because she liked that part of their lashunta…they stare at themself and it, well…they’re not sure if this is somehow worse.
Don’t get your hopes up too high.
JD feels like they’re about to puke all over their feet. They pull out their e-cig and take a deep, nervous drag.
CUT TO: FRANKIE IN THE NEXT ROOM.
She takes in JD’s apartment and it’s, not much in the way of decor. Everything here’s pretty standard, nothing on the walls. Bare would be an apt descriptor if, like, they didn’t have so much weird crap laying around. Clothes, knick-knacks, ashtrays. There’s a pile of vinyls that really shouldn’t be stacked like that…
FRANKIE moves to place them upright on the empty shelf they’re sitting beside. It takes her a little bit but JD still hasn’t stepped out of that room. She keeps glancing for them, waiting. It’s a little worrying, she’s never really seen them quite like this.
Once she’s done she straightens up.
FRANKIE
So what is it you wanted to show me–?
But when she turns, they’re stepping out of the room, tall like most of the versions of them she’s seen, grey but not in a dead-way, just in a colourless way, like an old film. Their hair is long like the lashunta’s, bright orange eyes that glow subtle in the darkness. They’ve got a stronger smell, sweet, herby, like their e-cig.
FRANKIE
(surprise)
Ah… Hey there… Stranger.
JD’s eyes widen, nervous, flustered. Their skin ripples anxiously as they stare back at her, struggling to read her face.
JD
I… I did say… I told you to keep your expectations low.
JD watches her, trying to read FRANKIE who just stares, taking them all in. Her silence is paralysing as she approaches them and JD, fidgets, quickly adding:
JD
Ah–I can change back–the gnoll’s probably–it’s… It probably just feels better, right?
JD forces a laugh and starts to shape-shift again, they’ve never had a hard time breathing before but now it’s excruciating… Why won’t she say anything?
FRANKIE
Don’t!
FRANKIE takes their hand mid-shift and her fingers tangle in the ribbons. JD’s form stays stuck, unstable, split apart in weird places as they stare back at her.
The two stand frozen, looking into each other for a moment. JD waits for the shoe to drop, trying to read her and struggling.
FRANKIE looks at their hands, well, her own hand, caught in the wrapping of their ribbons as they tremble in this mid-shift. They just watch her, not sure what to think or feel before she turns her gaze back up to their’s.
They tense, ribbons tightening around her hand as she reaches up, brushing some of the hair out of their face, hand trailing down their cheek. Her fingers catch on some of their split ends, but then a smile spreads across her face.
FRANKIE
Looks just right to me.
JD just stares, processing her words, a gentle ripple fluttering through their skin…
…there’s only one thought that comes to mind.
Their free hand takes her face and they kiss her, nose scrunching up against FRANKIE’s. She giggles and moves to reciprocate but her hand moving in their ribbons causes them to yelp in surprise.
FRANKIE hesitates.
FRANKIE
Oups–shit–wh-what did I do?
JD laughs, flustered, embarrassed.
JD
Nothing! Nothing. Just… Um… Sorry you surprised me… H-hang on.
They gently peel their ribbons off of her hand and solidify their shape, a weird little smile overtaking their face. FRANKIE eyes them, looking them over, taking their face in both hands.
FRANKIE
(serious)
JD…how come you never told me, you’re adorable.
JD processes that and frowns.
JD
Adorable?
FRANKIE just nods very seriously.
JD
Mm… I don’t know about that.
FRANKIE
You don’t get a say in that. C’mere.
FRANKIE sticks her fingers in the empty belt loops of their jumpsuit and tugs them backwards toward the couch.
JD stumbles after her.
JD
Careful–
She falls backward onto the couch and the motion yanks JD onto her lap. They brace both hands on the back of the couch on either side of her head as she grins up at them, daringly.
FRANKIE
When have I ever been careful?
JD gives her a little look and her grin loses its devious edge, taking on a much more amused, softness. She looks at them… Really looks at them, like she’s committing this face to memory.
JD
(quiet)
What…?
FRANKIE
Just… Thinking…
FRANKIE’s voice is soft, which means she’s about to ask something she’s afraid to ask.
FRANKIE
Just that… We’ve been doing a lot of… Gnoll things…
JD settles in her lap as she gently takes one of their hands in her’s, interlacing their fingers. They can feel the soft squish of her paw-pads against their skin. She turns her gaze from their hands to their eyes.
FRANKIE
But I’d like to see… Well… What’s it like… For um… Endiffian…?
JD
Like…?
JD hesitates, watching her as she gets a bit more fluffed about it.
FRANKIE
Like… Intimate things…
JD shivers as a little ripple splits parts of them before coming together again. They laugh quietly, nervously. They curl their fingers around her palm, keeping them interlaced. Avoiding her gaze.
JD
Oh it’s–I don’t know. I don’t really… It’s been… Well… It’s been a long time… It’s weird… Like really weird, probably.
FRANKIE
Hey stranger… You’re losing yourself.
JD laughs quietly until she redirects their gaze to look back at her.
FRANKIE
I can handle it, JD. I want to… Alright? I’ve seen some really weird shit. Promise.
FRANKIE shifts her grip on their hand and wraps her pinky around their’s giving it a firm shake, turning her attention back up to them.
JD takes a deep breath, about to tell her she’s been warned but they think better of it. Instead, JD centres the hand they’ve been holding and carefully they split their ribbons apart, coiling the part that used to be their finger, around FRANKIE’s.
FRANKIE opens her hand pushing up against their palm as it comes apart, stopping quick when JD inhales sharply.
FRANKIE
Sorry–did I?
JD chuckles nervously as their form splits again, creating delicate lines along their face, their neck, their arms, creating seams through their skin.
JD
No–hah it’s… Mm…
FRANKIE gently moves her fingers as a shiver runs through JD.
JD
(flustered)
It’s w-wow…definitely not terrible.
FRANKIE
Yeah?
JD
Yeah…
FRANKIE
Kay… What if I…
FRANKIE turns to them, reaching up to their face. She brushes her fingers across their cheek and slips a finger into one of the seams that splits apart.
JD’s breath catches.
JD
Oh–o-okay.
FRANKIE
Wow, so this is real sensitive.
FRANKIE smiles, taking in all of their reactions.
JD
M-mhmm…
She trails her free hand down their face, towards their neck, down to their chest, weaving her fingers through them while JD shuts their eyes seams spreading apart more prominently as she goes, like she’s unravelling them.
Where JD’s hand used to be, the ribbons of their body pulling apart are now wrapping themself up her arm.
FRANKIE takes notice, making more intentional motions with her fingers.
This… Is where JD starts to really lose control.
They lean in closer to her, pressing their forehead against FRANKIE’s as their lap comes apart in her’s. They spill into her, moving up against her, slipping through the layers keeping them apart.
FRANKIE’s breath catches as JD coils themself around her, tangling in her fur, coiling around her limbs, twisting into her.
JD comes apart for her and FRANKIE shuts her eyes holding onto the feeling, the closeness between the two. JD melts into her, deeper and tighter, FRANKIE clawing at their back.
In her ear JD breathes:
JD
Love you.
FRANKIE yelps with a shuddering cry.
It takes them both a moment to come back from it all, FRANKIE’s breathing heavy in JD’s ear, her chest straining against their grip until they manage to pull it back, sinking into her lap. She scrambles to grab their face, staring into them, flustered, stunned.
FRANKIE
What did you just say?
JD giggles a loopy little laugh and they attempt a shrug but nothing about them is particularly solid right now.
FRANKIE
No way, say it again you little shit.
JD eyes her as she holds their head up, their ribbons still tangled around her.
JD
Mm, starting to make me regret saying it.
FRANKIE glares into them.
FRANKIE
Well. Fine. This was definitely totally fucking weird, but also incredible. So I guess I’ll just have to keep doing it to you until you cave and say it again.
JD chuckles and starts to reply but is stopped short when she just stands, holding their head in her hands and walking them over to the bedroom, ribbons and all.
JD laughs like mad, trying to explain themself but FRANKIE only drops them onto the bed and works them the way she promised she would.
But turning away from them, back on the kitchen counter, in a little catch-all-basket is a comm that buzzes.
SFX: ZZT ZZT
The message that pops up is from IZOLA and the part that’s legible reads: [We need to talk–]