Title: Trying Harder

by Carmen W

Fandom: John Doe

Pairing: John/Frank

Summary: Pure snippet. At this point, I don't care, and I'm pretty sure you
don't either. John/Frank.

Trying Harder

by Carmen W
***

He traces his hand down my cheek, slow and light, and I can't help but shiver. "Jesus, John."

He blinks at me, and a ghost of his usual know-it-all smile makes its appearance. "You're nervous."

I glare. "Hell, yes, I'm nervous. This isn't something I do. I'd say it wasn't something you do, either, but who the hell knows with you?"

His eyes darken just a little, and I wince. Sometimes John projects *genius* so hard that you forget exactly how big his soft spots are. I try not to forget.

I squeeze his hand, and that at least is easy. "I didn't mean it like that. Just, you're--" List of words to avoid here, words never to say seriously to John; weird, strange, unnatural, crazy, abnormal, freaky. I settle on "--hard to predict."

The smile reappears, a little weak. "Sometimes I have trouble with that myself. You don't think it's part of my charm?"

"It's part of something, all right." Trying to keep it normal, just for a minute, but normal hasn't got a chance with John sitting so close, one hand in mine and the other on my leg, and his eyes--John can't hide anything worth a damn, and right now his eyes are broadcasting *need* *want* *please*.

I've never been very good at saying no to those eyes.

I pull him a little closer, warm and tense against me, and he makes a little noise. "I don't know what I'm doing," he confesses in a whisper.

I can't stop the grin. "Mark down the date. You don't have any statistics for this?"

Okay, I know better. What can I say, I was distracted.

"Studies show that at least thirty-three percent of supposed heterosexuals--"

The kiss is pure self-defense.

Well, maybe not all that pure.

Still, it turns out to be a real good way to shut him up. I'll have to remember that...

***
Carmen W.