the tortured poets department

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Meetings at the diner had become common, the place familiar to them and easy to discreetly talk about information in.

After one day checking in with each other, Frank is walking Karen back to her car, the night starting to settle in as the streets of New York begin to darken.

“You don’t have to walk me out to my car, I’ll be good here,” Karen says, her files under her arms.

“I just want to make sure you’re safe.”

“Where are you going after this?” Karen asks, leaning on her car door as one of the fluorescent lights turn on.

“Where I usually go. Might go see Curtis tomorrow, I don’t really know. Why?”

“Just in case you needed a ride or anything. No specific reason.”

Frank nods, the air around them progressively getting colder as a slight breeze begins to blow.

“You have work tomorrow?” Frank asks, clearing his throat in an attempt to cut through the awkward interaction.

“I never really stop working, but I do have to go into the office tomorrow,” She replies, moving a strand of hair out of her face to look up at Frank.

“Tell me to stop,” Frank says, breaking eye contact to stare at his shoes.

“Stop what?”

They stand there in silence, the quiet not quite awkward but more confusion, Karen looking confused as she tries to read Frank.

“Frank, are you going to do something dangerous? I don’t understand-“

“I need you to tell me to stop looking at you like that.”

Karen can see the conflict in Frank’s expression, see how he looks at her.

“What if I don’t want you to?”

Karen can see a change in Frank’s expression, his eyes suddenly seeming more soft as he gazes directly at her, his eyes falling to her lips.

“Tell me this isn’t okay, tell me I can’t do this.”

“I can’t tell you to stop. I can’t tell you to stop when I want it just as much as you do.”

Karen pulls him closer, her hands around his face, pressing her lips to his. He kisses her back in return, giving up fighting against how much he has wanted to feel her lips, feel her face pressed against his.

“Tell me to keep going,” Frank whispers gruffly against her ear, his lips soft as they brush along her skin.

“Keep going.”

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