Can't You See What You've Done To My Heart and Soul?
When Franky was younger, she had an obsession with hands. She begged her then-stepparents to buy books on palm reading. She poured over them and became even more fascinated. During school, when the inevitable boredom set in, she would study her hands, going over every detail. Every scar and knuckle was studied with careful scrutiny.
A few years after that, her dads adopted her and she moved to Oxford and everything changed. Palm reading became another reason to tease her so she quit altogether.
But then she met Mini. Mini, who could be bitchy and broken all at one time, was an enigma. To someone who knew Mini, they could guess her mood through her facial expressions alone. But Franky was not yet that person. So she fell back on an old, but not quite forgotten routine. She watched Mini's hands, learning her emotions that way.
Franky found out Mini bit her thumb and her nails when she was nervous or scared.
Studying her nails whenever she was bored or annoyed with someone, particularly Nick.
Nails biting deep into her palms, slight veins popping out every time Matty stood near Franky or stared a little too long at her.
Hands pausing whatever they were doing for just a split second whenever she caught first sight of Franky.
Slender digits twisting in blonde strands when she was shy, a hesitant smile upon her lips.
Fists clenched tightly behind her back when Liv and Nick were together, however friendly. At first, Franky thought this was jealously or anger. But then she realised this was a sign of heartbreak and betrayal, hands hidden to hide their shaking.
Fingers tightening briefly around Franky's in that moment when Mini drags her off somewhere before letting go, but not without a faint brush over her knuckles. Franky doesn't admit to herself that it's this one that's her favourite.
And the mystery that was Mini McGuiness was unraveled through the simple act of studying her hands. Franky thinks she falls in love with Mini's hands first, before she falls in love with the girl.
One day, they're in bed together, limbs tangled together. They've only been together for a couple weeks now and their relationship is still tentative.
Insecurity playing in her voice, Mini asks quietly, "What do you like best about me?" It's a question that's been on her mind for days, ever since Matty confronted her one night after a party.
"She don't like you. Not really. She's just confused. After all, who could ever like an anorexic whore?"
She smacks him across the face hard, but it does nothing to erase the smug grin on his face upon seeing the pain and uncertainty on hers.
He slinks away after that, his words on repeat in her mind.
'Anorexic whore.'
Mini shakes her head to rid herself of the thoughts. She knows exactly what her favourite part of Franky is.
'Your individuality. That dorky little grin you give me whenever you see me. Your eyes. Everything.'
Franky picks up on her tone and knows instinctively what Mini is talking about. She thinks of all the things she could say to make the other girl feel better about herself, but she can't help but tell the simple truth.
"Your hands."
She reaches down and grasps Mini's hand. Franky's fingers play on her flesh, tracing the bumps and ridges on her palm. Their fingers entwine and Franky brings them up to her mouth, where she presses a gentle kiss to their knuckles.
Then she blushes, the tips of her ears turning pink. Internally, she rolls her eyes at herself. 'Fuckin' A. This girl has turned you into such a sappy twat.'
Mini looks shocked for a moment, before she tears up slightly at the blatant display and honest in Franky's eyes. She rolls them over, so that she's hovering over the younger girl. She presses a desperate, but sweet kiss to the lips below her and sneaks a hand between their bodies, just giving Franky another reason to love her hands.