"Ah, I get it, ok," She replied, listening to his explanation and chuckling, "You don't want to seem like we're a couple. Yes I can probably get together an outfit of my own if you want me too." Selina was happy she was in her wolf form in times like this. It masked the faint blush on her own cheeks that came from her thoughts of how much Frankie seemed to not like the idea of them just looking like they're together. If she brought up her crush on him she wasn't sure he would react well now.
”Not if you're uncomfortable with it.” he admitted. Really, Frankie didn't mind the idea of them being a couple… He really liked her, as if the red tint on his face didn't give him away, but he was nervous that it would be too fast. ”I don't mind if you have to borrow anything. I just don't want things to become awkward because other people get the wrong idea.” he explained.
Selina looked up at him again, happy to be relaxing with Frankie, "It doesn't bother me at all, both borrowing your clothes and having people think that we're together, but if you're uncomfortable with the idea, I can get together some clothes so we don't have to share." It was a blunt statement, and silently she hoped it would help her figure out how Frankie felt about her. Now she just had to wait for his response and thank everything that she didn't blush when she was a wolf.
”It… doesn't?” he asked a little hopeful that he had heard right, his heart racing a little at the thought. ”I mean I don't really mind either. I just didn't want to embarrass you… If you would rather borrow my clothes, that's honestly fine with me.” Frankie admitted, his face turning red as a stop sign as he spoke. It might make things easier if people thought they were together. He couldn't remember too many times when he had seen a couple be bothered by others. ”It’s really your choice but it wouldn't bother me if you want to use my clothes when we go to the city.”
"Your clothes are comfy," She replied, smiling as she stretched out her front leg, taking in the soft sunlight coming through the trees at them, "I'll make sure to bring some with though, in case you get tired of me borrowing all of your soft clothes." Even if she was too chicken to admit how she felt towards Frankie right now, looking like she was in a relationship with him gave her excited butterflies in her stomach.
Frankie laughed a little as he rubbed behind her ear. ”I’ve heard that excuse before.” he told her playfully. ”Really, though, I don't mind either way. As long as you're with me and want to spend time as a human, you can use some of my clothes.”
Selina noticeably leaned in as he rubbed behind her ear, her tail wagging faster and giving the impression that she was more just a large dog that liked pets than a vicious wolf. "I'll be doing that for sure then," She agreed, smiling, "Especially if it means I get to spend time with you."
Frankie smiled more at her reaction. He had suspected that she would like it but he wasn't going to say anything… It was adorable though. ”Ok, then.” he couldn't help but chuckle softly. Despite how she was acting at the moment, he knew better than to underestimate her or anyone else in her pack.
"What's the best food they have in the city?" She asked, her eyes closed as she tipped her head so he could better scratch behind her ear. It was slightly embarrassing, but she really didn't care. Getting petted was something almost all werewolves liked when they were in their wolf form, and she was no exception. It felt amazing.
”Honestly it depends on what you like.” he told her, smiling as he continued to scratch behind her ear. ”There is a homey little dinner just on the edge of the city. Kinda like a last stop place that has some pretty good food.” he smiled at the memory since he stopped there before coming to the park. ”Meatloaf, lasagna, pot pie… and they also have a lot of homemade desserts too.”
Selina nodded, smiling as she tried to think of her favorite foods that she had tried, "Those all sound amazing, what's your favorite food?" She knew he probably had a favorite type of food and she was honestly curious about what it was.
”My favorite?” Frankie hummed for a moment. ”I’m not very picky but… I’d probably have to say; burgers.” he shrugged a little. ”What about you? Do you have a favorite?”
"Not really. I haven't eaten many different meals in cities, but out of the ones I have had, I like burgers too." She talked as her tail continued to wag, imagining the few actual meals she remembered having, "Or there was some type of pasta and chicken that I really liked."
“Chicken Parmesan?” Frankie asked since that was the first chicken and pasta dish that he thought of. ”That’s pretty popular and a little fancy, depending where you get it. But it is really good.”
"That sounds right." Selina nodded, trying to think back to what the person had called it, "Whatever it was called, it was one of the best things I've ever eaten, that wasn't technically a desert." She smiled, stretching out her legs, "What's your favorite desert?"
”Anything that can be served with ice cream.” Frankie admitted laughing at himself. ”Including milkshakes. Unfortunately, ice cream doesn't camp well so I have to go to the nearest town whenever I really want some.” he smiled, still petting her. ”What about you? Favorite dessert?”
(Sorry I disappeared, my best friend was back in town for a few days and I didn't get time to answer rps that often)
She laughed lightly and smiled, thinking back to when she had last been to somewhere that had desert. "I think my favorite has been apple pie, with ice cream." It wasn't a very fancy dessert, but it tasted amazing, especially with ice cream or caramel.
(No worries.)
Frankie nodded a little at her answer. ”America’s classic. Nice choice.” he smiled, giving her a playful wink. His smile shifted to a more thoughtful one as he kept running his fingers through her soft fur. ”How often do you actually get to go to the city?”
"Because I'm the Beta, I get to go more than others in the pack, but I think it's been at least two years since I've been there last," She guessed, her tail still swishing against the ground happily as he continued to pet her, "The ranger that helps us is the one that goes into the city the majority of the time for us instead. That's why we don't go there often." Her explanation left holes for a lot of questions, ones that she would happily answer if he asked.
He nodded a little, surprised by her answer. ”Two years… I don't know if I’m jealous or just can't get my head around that.” he admitted. ”I’m glad that the ranger helps you out but… Not to seem rude but; is your Alpha’s bias against humans the reason why you can't go into the city often?”
Selina smiled gently and nodded, not bothered by his question at all, "It probably is. A city full of humans is somewhere that he isn't really fond of sending anyone from the pack. Even his second in command." As much as she didn't like it, she couldn't really argue about his reluctance to let any of them into the city, unless she was going to challenge him for the right of Alpha that was.
”I guess that makes sense…” he sighed a little. ”I don't think it's right though. I can understand warning the pack to be cautious and not telling anyone else that you're werewolves but… Fear and anger shouldn't be used to run things.” Frankie said, more seriously than before. ”I’m sorry, I feel like I stepped over the line on that one. I’m sorry.”
"No, it's fine, that's a line I don't mind you stepping over," She replied, looking up at him and letting her tone become more serious while she talked, "I agree with you, fear and anger aren't a good system to run things on. Especially since most of our pack has bad experiences with humans. It's easy to run a pack when they already agree that humans aren't to be trusted, that they'll turn you in or worse betray the entire pack." Selina sighed softly and continued, shrugging as best she could, "None of us can really change it though, unless we want to risk being driven out of the pack for the rest of our lives."
He smiled faintly at her assurance that he hadn't offended her, but it was still a little sad. ”I wish I could help.” he said, almost remorsefully. It wouldn't be smart for him to just go to the rest of the pack and try to convince them. He was more likely to be mauled than make any progress… and he knew it.
"If you could help, I would gladly take it, but I don't think that's a smart idea." She blinked up at him, her golden-brown eyes blinking up at him with the same emotion as his small smile, "I don't want you to get hurt because of problems in my pack. I can deal with those problems on my own." Selina pawed as his leg gently, her mood changing slowly, as she asked in slight embarrassment, "Could you scratch my side, please? If you don't mind that is."
”I know.” he nodded a little. ”Still, if there was a way for me to help you without getting too badly hurt, I would do it. I don't want you to get hurt either.” his gray eyes showing nothing but sincerity… and a little worry as he spoke. He blinked at the sudden request but smiled a bit brighter before scratching where she asked. ”Sure, I don't mind.”
She nodded, replying as best she could as her tail thwapped against the ground happily. "If there is any way you could help that won't put you in danger, I'll let you know," She said, leaning into his hand as he scratched her side. If there was any way he could help, she would let him, mostly because of how much he seemed to want to help, but if it was dangerous, she refused to risk it. There wasn't any way she was going to put his life on the line.
”It’s a deal then.” Frankie said, trying not to laugh at her canine behavior. He remembered when he was a kid, he had always wanted a dog. Maybe a Husky or a German Shepherd… He could never really decide but he had wanted a dog big enough to go with him when he went camping, that would stay by his side. His own ”Buck” in a way… But being friends with Selina was turning out to be so much better.
"So, what do you want to do with the rest of your time out here?" She asked after a minute, smiling lightly. Her eyes flicked up at him, but she made no move to roll away from his hand or ask him to stop petting her. He didn't seem to mind, or at least she hoped he didn't, and so she wasn't going to make him stop until he wanted to. Plus, being able to let her canine side show more was relaxing. She normally wasn't able to.
He smiled at her as he continued to pet her. I want to spend the rest of the summer with you. he bit his tongue to keep those words to himself. Saying something like that could ruin their friendship, even if she didn't mind other people thinking that they were together when they went to the city. ”Well, it depends on how long I can stay.” he admitted. ”Now that your pack and Alpha know about me, I probably can't stay the whole summer without them getting suspicious of me. I might be able to stay for another month… maybe two if we’re lucky.” he said, thinking out loud.
