Kiva was glad to help get everything ready, and standing, slightly woobly behind the couch, she popped her hip against it to stable herself and grinned as she heard a knock at the door.  “I think that’s her!” Akiva announced happily, watching as Frank stumbled toward the door.  Last time she had seen them, it appeared that at least Frank liked her a little bit, and she hoped Maggie returned the feelings.  Frank deserved to be happy with someone who was… well… nice wasn’t the word one would use for Maggie, but maybe good was the appropriate term.

The woman was not exceptionally easy to get along with, at least for Akiva, she seemed to dislike her, which the woman still had yet to figure out.  Maybe it was some misplaced jealousy or insecurity?  Not that she needed any of that, Akiva was very happily with someone whom she had no intentions of breaking up with any time soon, in fact, they were getting ready to make quite a large move together, literally and figuratively. 

Besides, the way Frank was right now – even with that damned cigarette, even under the influence, Akiva knew she hated that smell, and hugged her, it seemed like things would be going well – until, well, Maggie pushed him off and stalked inside, looking around and then back at him.  Akiva glanced around, wondering if she had missed anything, cursing clumsy spell casting if she did, hoping that Maggie wouldn’t mind a little mess, if it remained. 

She didn’t move from her space behind the couch, listening as Maggie’s mouth moved very fast, and her words tumbled out far faster than Akiva could comprehend them.  She only got every few words – wishing she would slow down, but unable to wet her lips and find enough time to get a word in edgewise.  She blinked her eyes slowly, looking at Frank when she levied such accusations against him, wondering if they were true, and then snapped her head back as she was indicated with such animosity.

Was that what she got for trying to help?!  Her mouth ran dry and Akiva was not sure she liked what that possibly meant, and her next words – what they did or were planning to do?  What did that mean?!  She blinked rapidly, taking it at face value.  She shook her head, feeling as though Maggie drastically misunderstood the situation – something about a booty call, which was preposterous.  She just had to say something at this point, to clear up what exactly was going on! 

“…We just wanted to play charades!” Akiva said dumbly, staring at Maggie with wide, brown eyes, wondering what had just happened and why Maggie was so angry.  Frank hadn’t told her any of this, and it produced quite the expression on the brunette’s face, quizzically furrowed eyebrows and slightly slackened jaw.  Could she really be that upset about a harmless game?

Frank read Maggie’s scowl as her usual meet and greet look. She just normally didn’t give it to him… He nodded in agreement. “Well, I mean, sure. You’re here!” Pushing the door shut behind her, he put a hand out to steady himself and stepped towards her, intent on putting an arm around her shoulders. He was quite affectionate with a little alcohol in his system.

“I don’t get you, Frank.”

He lazily blinked, trying to focus on what she was saying. His cigarette hung loosely between his lips, his slack jaw holding it precariously, on the verge of falling. What was there to get? He was fairly straight forward and simple, according to a lot of people… Lifting a hand to the back of his head, he scratched at it, listening as closely as he could. Had it really been September? Frank felt a tinge of pink flood his cheeks in his sudden embarrassment.

He glanced from Maggie to Akiva and back again, finally taking the cigarette out between his lips lest he burn himself, grounding it out and frowning down at it slightly. “I wasn’t… flirting…” His voice was soft all of a sudden. He had been trying to be nice, and both ladies had thrown spells at each other… Not that he thought that made Maggie wrong, just that it had been less one sided, if he recalled correctly. Which, given his current stated, wasn’t the best thing to rely on.

“Long after that lovely little meeting, you send me an owl. Which is fine, okay.”

Frank felt like a little boy being scolded. Glancing down, his hands finding their way to his trouser pockets, he tried to focus. He’d clearly forgotten the meeting when he’d sent the owl. Now that he was remembering, he recalled being rather unsure and embarrassed over the entire alley attack, and hadn’t been sure how to go on from there. And as he hadn’t heard from Maggie either… Well, clearly his boy brain had thought ‘let bygones be bygones.’

“We’re not!-well, ok. I don’t know…” Maybe he was wasted. Frowning and trying not to make eye contact with either woman, he crossed his arms over his chest. “Akiva is better at writing…” She was still talking over him, clearly still trying to get whatever was on her mind out there. Hearing ‘booty call’ made his head pop up, shock filtering over. Wait, what was going on?

He blinked as she started for the door, unsure what to say or do. Why was Maggie so upset with him? Frowning, his mouth worked slowly to try and think up words, though Akiva’s quick little shout helped get his mind working. “Yeah! Wait!” Letting out a groan, he let his hands drop to his side, stepping forward (albeit not very straight) and attempting to grab her arm. “I don’t really… know what you think… what… what is going on.”

His head turned and he pointed between Akiva and himself rapidly, back and forth. “I wouldn’t… I don’t need a…” His cheeks flushed darker as he tried to explain himself. “It wasn’t for a b-booty call! We were dr-drinking, celebrating… and I thought of you.” His face fell slightly and he felt his shoulders slump briefly.

Maggie looked back and forth between the two of them, still searching for any semblance of guilt on their faces, or any acknowledgment that she was right.

What she got in return were the most dumbfounded, slackjawed expressions, and two pairs of eyes blinking back at her like bewildered, scolded house elves.

Her face flushed an angry red and she began to go over everything in her mind... oh shite.

Frank had said he'd thought of her because they were celebrating. Akiva said she'd just wanted to play charades. Did they really send her a random note because they just wanted her company?

Fecking hell!

Maggie ran a hand over her face, beginning to feel the prickles of mortification. "You're serious," she stated, looking at Frank, trying to dredge up the anger and self-righteousness she'd felt only moments before. Merlin! He hadn't contacted her since September! What was she supposed to think?

But really, a booty call was ridiculous, Maggie started to realize, and more than a little overly confident on her part. Akiva was there too. Why had she immediately assumed the worst?

She took another step towards the door, feeling like this was a good time for her to run back home and pretend this had never happened, but then abruptly walked further into the living area, looking both irritated and confused.

"Alright, alright, so this is just... a normal get together? To play charades?" she clarified with a scoff, glancing at Akiva for reassurance.

"Well," Maggie crossed her arms, raised her eyebrows at Frank. "I'm still a bit pissed off at you," she grumbled, perching on the couch. She also still had time to make a run for it, to pretend this was all a bad, very embarrassing nightmare.

But Maggie didn't move. The fact was, she'd missed Frank, and if she walked out now, she knew she'd never get up the courage to send him an owl late one night. While she was sloshed. To play charades, of course.

"I need a drink," she announced, giving the two of them a sheepish-but-not-willing-to-admit-it look.

Maggie hoped Frank and Akiva had enough alcohol in their systems so that they wouldn't remember her ranting at them tomorrow morning. She also hoped Frank had enough alcohol to go around!