[ Mike's awareness is still shifting. It's hard to focus, but he can tell when things start to get heated. Both his brother and Frank's heart rates have spiked above normal. He knows the tones in both of their voices. The bite in Matt's and the frustration in Frank's.
He might appreciate it more if he wasn't in such a state already. ]
St---stop. Both of you.
[ God, getting that out nearly winded him. He doesn't have it in him right now to take either of them on, much less both. ]
[See, Matt is all piss and vinegar, fitting to fight. And then you put his brother in the mix and everything is intense, simmers immediately at the soft plea. Frank realizes his fist is clenched and he lets it go. None of this will help. Breathe, breathe both of you idiots.]
We're okay. Frank's gonna help you too.
[For a blind guy Matt has some quality pointed stares.]
We got you, Mike. Your brother's gonna get your arm. I'll stay close. We'll move you to the bed after. Get you nice and warm.
[He even steps forward, closer to Mike than his twin would have wanted as he touches on his face.]
[ He tries to shift against the blankets, but it doesn't do much more than aggravate his shoulder. He groans in protest when it does, teeth gritting briefly. ]
Oh, that's good.
[ So, he has a little in him left for sarcasm. It's not much though. His brow furrows with the discomfort he feels. It doesn't last too long as he feels Frank's hand on his face, and chases after the sensation a moment.
[As they've all found out the shoulder needs attention. Matt bites back on his anger and moves around to that side. His touch is gentle as he pulls back the blankets. He hisses in sympathy and finds the kit right where it's needed. Since he'll be occupied, Frank finds the best place to be where he is.]
It's gonna sting.
[They always say that before a sew job. A small ritual, maybe even a joke.]
You can handle it.
[Frank leans and presses a kiss to Mike's hairline, his hand stays close to his face as a presence. Maybe even hoping he can transfer warmth and wellness by touch alone. It doesn't work like that.]
[ The sarcasm or moving? Which is winding him more, is the question.His tone falls a little flat, pain getting the better of him. This is mild at the moment, though. Mostly cause of the fact that he's still freezing his ass off. Which he's reminded up when his brother peels back the blankets, and he sucks in a sharp breath, skin prickling with the warmer air.
His forehead leans towards the press of lips, and back towards the table where Frank's hand rests now. A little nod, shaky as it is, when his brother says that. They've had worse. A lot worse. ]
No whisky?
[ A half-joke that only his brother would really get. An old memory. When Matt sets to work he tenses, and his temple thunks against the table, eyes squeezing shut as they start to sting and water. ]
[The sarcasm isn't that bad. Matt just worries that he feels physically cocky. Bad enough that he's here in this situation at all. His hands stay steady even though his face contorts with concern as he uses the alcohol wipes against the wound. It's small but long, yes. Stitches are the way to go.]
No whiskey, I'm sorry. Next time for sure.
[Frank's joke falls flat he feels awful with the clear pain and tension that Mike shows. His hands keep touching, keep petting over.]
You got this. I know. Hang in there. Keep breathing. I know it's hard to focus. Just try.
[Across the table Matt's hands slow as he realizes that the Marine is not being a complete asshole.]
[ He doesn't feel physically capable of much right now. Definitely not doing more than what he is. Which isn't all that much at all. He'd laugh if he didn't think it would hurt more.
Mike keeps as still as he's able, but he can't help how tense he gets when his brother is working. They always try to keep it quick. Do things as easy as possible. A half-whimper escapes his throat on the next breath.
Shuddering on the inhale, his body is trembling not from the cold now, but from the tension from the pain. He nods a little at Frank's prompting, mouth pressed in a thin line, and nods cause he doesn't trust himself to speak. He pulls in another breath, eyes wet when they open, and a few stray tears escape. ]
[He lightly lets his thumb rub it's way through the tear trail on his face.]
It'll be all over soon.
[Matt remembers himself. The soft words, the way he's touching over Mike it's... sweet. This is the same man that held a bullet to his head and pulled the trigger. You wouldn't guess by this scene. No one would know. And while Matthew is notorious for being stubborn and setting his teeth into a cause this harpoons his conviction.]
C'mon, Mikey. Home stretch.
[The last few stitches and he reaches to dab at the irritated skin with an alcohol swab.]
[ Mike swallows thickly, and his breath hitches a little despite his best efforts to keep it in. Another shaky exhale as he tries to hold on to the encouragement from both his partner and his brother. Still not trusting himself to speak, he offers another nod, and hums in agreement. ]
Mmhm.
[ The alcohol swab heralds the end, and he's grateful for not having the piercing needle in his skin every few moments. His breathing is still a little shaky, and he's got an all over tremble from the shock and the cold. When his head drops to the table again it's from exhaustion, eyes fluttering as he tries to stay awake. ]
[Matt leans in to kiss Mike's shoulder as he tucks up the blankets over the wound once again. He puts the kit further under the table and in dismay frowns at the pitiful mess that his brother is, the blood on his hands. The murderer speaking so softly and touching him like a lover at most, a friend in the least.
What kind of a world is this??]
Okay. I know. I know.
[Frank rubs the side of his face and looks to Matt for a confirmation as he says.]
We're going to move you to the bed now.
[Matt nods and scoots to Mike's feet.]
After that no more moving, that's all. You're being a good soldier.
[ Mike knows they need to move from where they are, but the idea of it doesn't escape him without causing his jaw to tremble with anxiety. Just a little more. He can do that. He swallows back any complaint or noise that could be made in dismay. ]
Okay.
[ It's soft. He doesn't trust himself with much more than that. The fact that Matt and Frank haven't tried to take each other out is amazing. Anything else could teeter things over and upset a very delicate balance. Mike doesn't want that. Hell, he can't even think to handle that right now.
Still, the exhaustion doesn't keep him fully down when the home stretch is this close. It takes a few abortive attempts, but he shifts to try and get his good arm on the table, and push himself up a little to help. It's painful just doing that, and it has him panting softly when he does manage to get a up some. He waits for anything more from the two of them. ]
[Frank repeats the word, meaning to be soothing. Easing, Mike into motion. The last time he held him, he was begging him not to leave. It feels like weeks ago. The emotional whiplash of that memory has Frank grit his teeth.
Matt pats at his brother's leg, reminding him that he's there. If one thing can pull their hyper focus on he world around them it's intense pain. This situation qualifies. Here he is, wounded and passing in and out of the right state of mind in a place he doesn't know. So yeah, he's gonna go out of his way to reassure of his presence.]
Just gonna scoop you up. On three. One. Two.
[The three and both men have both sides of Mike's body. Frank has his arm loop around his torso from the back. Matt gets Mike's feet. And yeah, they're not trying to tear one another apart. Now isn't the time. The middle ground is the man in agony. And should they come to blows, it will be on another day.]
Nice and smooth.
[Matt with the instructions. Frank nods. Mike's shoulders touch down to the bed first, a pillow for his head rather than the hard, uncomfortable table.]
Any more blankets?
[A headshake means this is all they have. Yes, of course. The Murdock twin rolls his eyes and moves to the bed.]
See? You did it. You're gonna be okay. I'm gonna be right here with you.
[ That's a good memory. It's full of warmth and love and it would be a good thought then if he was aware enough to draw it up. Having Frank close is still good for him, and distracts him at least a little from the pain of moving.
The movement, even with the warning, earns a hoarse shout. It takes everything he's got not to try and squirm out of their collective grips, and his breathing goes shaky again. His whole body is taut from the shift from table to bed, and he has to try and get his breathing back under control once they get to the bed.
He curls up a little on himself once he's down, and he searches for more signs of his brother. His voice is rough when he speaks again. ]
[Their time together being considered wonderful, a comfort in times of trouble or pain are not known to Matt. All he has to grip on is the present. And he is fighting back the worry and panic. It's never easy to see his brother in discomfort. As irritating as it is to have Frank in the picture he is being undeniably helpful.
His own body scoots closer to Mike. Matt is above the covers, better to seal the heat in. Being close he can still project body heat, comfort.]
Breathe with me a little?
[Simple calming exercises they'd practice. Frank comes to the opposite side if the bed to Matt. He hesitates a moment there. This is a private time between brothers. All the same they need to keep Mike warm, make sure he's comfortable and feels safe. The bed dips under his weight as he presses himself to the man's back.]
[ They've each had to deal with their fair share of discomfort around the fact that their other half was hurt. When Nobu and Fisk nearly killed Matt, Mike had to stay hidden and listen to his brother's misery. It had been wrenching. Claire had barely managed to get Foggy to leave under the ruse of supplies for long enough that Mike could be there with Matt.
Just in case her efforts were in vain. That night had been miserable. Not even counting the gut punch of a talk to Foggy his brother had to endure directly after.
He unconsciously curls closer to the warmth of his brother, and nods at the question, head shifting on the pillow. It takes a few minutes for him to match his breathing, but he does eventually. He doesn't shy away when Frank moves in close, but his focus is on his brother, hitching breaths slowing as exhaustion worms its way in. ]
[The night and day after the Nobu fight are ones that Matt wishes he could have changed. No sense in it. And they can only move forward. Mike was spared the pain that time. This time? Not so much. If there was a way to swap or exchange, he would have. For now he keeps huddled close. Just breathing. In and then out. Syncing together. They've done that since infancy. Mike's physical state provides a challenge, Matt stays right with him.]
Mmmhmm. There.
[As much as he would like to ignore the presence of Frank, he can sense him place an arm around Mike's waist. There is no hesitation in the way he curls against Mike's body. And while he would be suspicious of intent, there's no proof that he would do harm here.
No one is going to move here, at least not until Michael wakes again. Matt focuses on his breathing, listening to the three of them. Frank's fingers are idle, they sort of just rub and stroke at the blankets. Slowly he drifts off to sleep, the motion of his hand stilling.]
[ Wish as they might, they can't do anything more than move on now. Same as this. He knows they each hate seeing each other in pain. Feeling it keenly as if it were there own. Is it because they are twins or just that they understand the depth of what the other feels so keenly? Who knows?
Somewhere in all of this, he finally drifts, listening to his brother's breathing. Feeling the weight of Frank's arm secure around his waist.
The next time Mike is awake he hears birds. Usual sounds of a city awake or at least in the process. He's warm, very warm, and things feel heavy but not nearly so far away as before. It takes a moment for him to realize exactly where the abundance of warmth is from outside of the blankets, and stops the minimal shifting against blankets the second he figures it out from surprise alone.
Matt on one side and Frank on the other. Neither of them are dead. He can't sense a fight, but there's definitely the old smell of blood. His blood. Which means last night? Oh god, how bad was it? He tries to speak, but his throat is dry. It takes a few tries more. ]
[Before the accident both boys were sweet and very empathetic. They won't ever know how much of it is their bond and how much of it is the chemicals that altered their bodies.
Mike is so openly tenderhearted. He doesn't deserve to be treated like a punching bag. Like every person on this planet he deserves the company of someone that can appreciate him, care for him and understand him. Is that person Frank Castle? Matt drifts off with these thoughts.
Frank surprisingly enough sleeps the night through. The spent adrenaline and tension cut wore him out. Feeling Mike relax was like permission for him to drift off as well.
It's Matt that's awake first before Frank.]
Hey.
[He reaches to touch Mike's face. No heat, not clammy as far as he can tell. The small flutter of panic settles.]
[ It wasn't ever anything they thought to explore. Then with the agreements signed from Rand and everything---there was never any point in trying to find out. What happened did, and they did their best to move on.
That gentle nature of Mike's never wavered, though, even if he does have a temper as well. It takes a lot more to earn it. He's better at controlling more brash impulses. He's not sure exactly where it started or what it is that changed he and Frank toward what they are, but he's grateful for it.
He's not surprised when his brother wakes up first. That's a given, usually. He doesn't think Frank had a nightmare, which is fairly common, and that means he was just as exhausted. Mike feels a pang of guilt for that. ]
Warm. Tired.
[ He presses his cheek to his brother's hand, chasing after the gentle touch affectionately. He hears the almost panic in the way his heart beats. ]
[That money they received in the settlement solidified their survival. Not to mention Jack Murdock's winnings and life insurance. What does it all mean though if they can't have one another?]
I was worried about you.
[Straight and to the point. That's the source of panic, why he came here even though they have been at odds these weeks. The peace had been tentative at best. Yet here they are in Frank Castle's squatter apartment.]
Haven't seen you in such a state as that in some time.
[Touch stays where it is, gentle and calming. Matt leans so that they're forehead to forehead again. Frank's heart and breathing are steady with sleep. They keep their voices down.]
[ It did. The money after, while some of it ended up going to Stick (not that he deserved it), most of it went away in a safe place for them. It never mattered to them what happened with the money so long as the other brother was close by. ]
I was worried about me too.
[ They don't often talk about the close calls. The near misses. The last few weeks have been rough for them in other ways, and this threw what was important into sharp clarity. He leans his forehead close when he senses his brother do the same, and gives a soft sigh of content. He's missed this. They hadn't really been close in the last little bit of time. He hadn't noticed how much he missed it until it was back on his radar. ]
[Their funds got them the apartment, it helped find a brick and mortar home for Nelson and Murdock. Both of those things are a blessing, yes. Though what matters is here. No, it wasn't easy growing up as orphans. Matt would rather they stay together than to be raised separately. What an awful thought.]
Everything's okay now.
[And he means it. From the way his voice stays even to the regularity in his heartbeat.]
Rather get the dickens scared out of me than to to risk you being seriously hurt.
[Forehead to forehead practically sharing the same breath, curled together as they had in the womb. This was missing. This closeness. They fight, they're siblings after all. These past few weeks they have fought more than they ever had before.]
[ They were extremely lucky in that respect. Even luckier that they haven't lost each other through all of it. Part of why they just pretended to only be Matt Murdock through childhood was to avoid the possibility that they would ever get separated. ]
Yeah?
[ He licks at his lips, and listens to his brother's voice and heartbeat. He means it, and that means so much to hear. ]
Still.
[ It's not fun being on the other side. He knows. Their fights could have torn them apart, and maybe they almost did. Now? They are closer than before. They may not agree, but they don't have to. They'll get through this. ]
[Next to the loss of their father, the very worst event would be if they're separated. The very idea, the sheer loneliness. It's the kind of thing that makes Matt startle awake, a literal nightmare.]
C'mon, Mikey. Stop.
[He smiles a little. Knowing that even if Michael wanted to, this was one of those fights where it wasn't meant to be clean. At least he wasn't severely harmed.]
We're here now together. It's okay.
[And if he is going to apologize, Matt will verbally throttle him. Frank close by or not.]
[ They suffered enough loss when they lost their father and their home. The idea of not having the other was too much to bear. They had nightmares about it for a long time at first. Thinking that the ruse wouldn't work.
Mike is too tired to manage any kind of fight. ]
Okay.
[ No, what went down on the docks was a surprise. It was supposed to be a lot more simple than that, but things don't always go to plan. ]
Thanks for not killing each other while I was out of it.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
calltoaction) wrote2019-09-13 04:07 pm
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He might appreciate it more if he wasn't in such a state already. ]
St---stop. Both of you.
[ God, getting that out nearly winded him. He doesn't have it in him right now to take either of them on, much less both. ]
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We're okay. Frank's gonna help you too.
[For a blind guy Matt has some quality pointed stares.]
We got you, Mike. Your brother's gonna get your arm. I'll stay close. We'll move you to the bed after. Get you nice and warm.
[He even steps forward, closer to Mike than his twin would have wanted as he touches on his face.]
Rest, tough-guy.
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Oh, that's good.
[ So, he has a little in him left for sarcasm. It's not much though. His brow furrows with the discomfort he feels. It doesn't last too long as he feels Frank's hand on his face, and chases after the sensation a moment.
Besides, resting sounds like an amazing idea. ]
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[As they've all found out the shoulder needs attention. Matt bites back on his anger and moves around to that side. His touch is gentle as he pulls back the blankets. He hisses in sympathy and finds the kit right where it's needed. Since he'll be occupied, Frank finds the best place to be where he is.]
It's gonna sting.
[They always say that before a sew job. A small ritual, maybe even a joke.]
You can handle it.
[Frank leans and presses a kiss to Mike's hairline, his hand stays close to his face as a presence. Maybe even hoping he can transfer warmth and wellness by touch alone. It doesn't work like that.]
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[ The sarcasm or moving? Which is winding him more, is the question.His tone falls a little flat, pain getting the better of him. This is mild at the moment, though. Mostly cause of the fact that he's still freezing his ass off. Which he's reminded up when his brother peels back the blankets, and he sucks in a sharp breath, skin prickling with the warmer air.
His forehead leans towards the press of lips, and back towards the table where Frank's hand rests now. A little nod, shaky as it is, when his brother says that. They've had worse. A lot worse. ]
No whisky?
[ A half-joke that only his brother would really get. An old memory. When Matt sets to work he tenses, and his temple thunks against the table, eyes squeezing shut as they start to sting and water. ]
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[The sarcasm isn't that bad. Matt just worries that he feels physically cocky. Bad enough that he's here in this situation at all. His hands stay steady even though his face contorts with concern as he uses the alcohol wipes against the wound. It's small but long, yes. Stitches are the way to go.]
No whiskey, I'm sorry. Next time for sure.
[Frank's joke falls flat he feels awful with the clear pain and tension that Mike shows. His hands keep touching, keep petting over.]
You got this. I know. Hang in there. Keep breathing. I know it's hard to focus. Just try.
[Across the table Matt's hands slow as he realizes that the Marine is not being a complete asshole.]
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[ He doesn't feel physically capable of much right now. Definitely not doing more than what he is. Which isn't all that much at all. He'd laugh if he didn't think it would hurt more.
Mike keeps as still as he's able, but he can't help how tense he gets when his brother is working. They always try to keep it quick. Do things as easy as possible. A half-whimper escapes his throat on the next breath.
Shuddering on the inhale, his body is trembling not from the cold now, but from the tension from the pain. He nods a little at Frank's prompting, mouth pressed in a thin line, and nods cause he doesn't trust himself to speak. He pulls in another breath, eyes wet when they open, and a few stray tears escape. ]
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[He lightly lets his thumb rub it's way through the tear trail on his face.]
It'll be all over soon.
[Matt remembers himself. The soft words, the way he's touching over Mike it's... sweet. This is the same man that held a bullet to his head and pulled the trigger. You wouldn't guess by this scene. No one would know. And while Matthew is notorious for being stubborn and setting his teeth into a cause this harpoons his conviction.]
C'mon, Mikey. Home stretch.
[The last few stitches and he reaches to dab at the irritated skin with an alcohol swab.]
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Mmhm.
[ The alcohol swab heralds the end, and he's grateful for not having the piercing needle in his skin every few moments. His breathing is still a little shaky, and he's got an all over tremble from the shock and the cold. When his head drops to the table again it's from exhaustion, eyes fluttering as he tries to stay awake. ]
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[Matt leans in to kiss Mike's shoulder as he tucks up the blankets over the wound once again. He puts the kit further under the table and in dismay frowns at the pitiful mess that his brother is, the blood on his hands. The murderer speaking so softly and touching him like a lover at most, a friend in the least.
What kind of a world is this??]
Okay. I know. I know.
[Frank rubs the side of his face and looks to Matt for a confirmation as he says.]
We're going to move you to the bed now.
[Matt nods and scoots to Mike's feet.]
After that no more moving, that's all. You're being a good soldier.
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Okay.
[ It's soft. He doesn't trust himself with much more than that. The fact that Matt and Frank haven't tried to take each other out is amazing. Anything else could teeter things over and upset a very delicate balance. Mike doesn't want that. Hell, he can't even think to handle that right now.
Still, the exhaustion doesn't keep him fully down when the home stretch is this close. It takes a few abortive attempts, but he shifts to try and get his good arm on the table, and push himself up a little to help. It's painful just doing that, and it has him panting softly when he does manage to get a up some. He waits for anything more from the two of them. ]
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Matt pats at his brother's leg, reminding him that he's there. If one thing can pull their hyper focus on he world around them it's intense pain. This situation qualifies. Here he is, wounded and passing in and out of the right state of mind in a place he doesn't know. So yeah, he's gonna go out of his way to reassure of his presence.]
Just gonna scoop you up. On three. One. Two.
[The three and both men have both sides of Mike's body. Frank has his arm loop around his torso from the back. Matt gets Mike's feet. And yeah, they're not trying to tear one another apart. Now isn't the time. The middle ground is the man in agony. And should they come to blows, it will be on another day.]
Nice and smooth.
[Matt with the instructions. Frank nods. Mike's shoulders touch down to the bed first, a pillow for his head rather than the hard, uncomfortable table.]
Any more blankets?
[A headshake means this is all they have. Yes, of course. The Murdock twin rolls his eyes and moves to the bed.]
See? You did it. You're gonna be okay. I'm gonna be right here with you.
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The movement, even with the warning, earns a hoarse shout. It takes everything he's got not to try and squirm out of their collective grips, and his breathing goes shaky again. His whole body is taut from the shift from table to bed, and he has to try and get his breathing back under control once they get to the bed.
He curls up a little on himself once he's down, and he searches for more signs of his brother. His voice is rough when he speaks again. ]
Yeah.
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His own body scoots closer to Mike. Matt is above the covers, better to seal the heat in. Being close he can still project body heat, comfort.]
Breathe with me a little?
[Simple calming exercises they'd practice. Frank comes to the opposite side if the bed to Matt. He hesitates a moment there. This is a private time between brothers. All the same they need to keep Mike warm, make sure he's comfortable and feels safe. The bed dips under his weight as he presses himself to the man's back.]
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Just in case her efforts were in vain. That night had been miserable. Not even counting the gut punch of a talk to Foggy his brother had to endure directly after.
He unconsciously curls closer to the warmth of his brother, and nods at the question, head shifting on the pillow. It takes a few minutes for him to match his breathing, but he does eventually. He doesn't shy away when Frank moves in close, but his focus is on his brother, hitching breaths slowing as exhaustion worms its way in. ]
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Mmmhmm. There.
[As much as he would like to ignore the presence of Frank, he can sense him place an arm around Mike's waist. There is no hesitation in the way he curls against Mike's body. And while he would be suspicious of intent, there's no proof that he would do harm here.
No one is going to move here, at least not until Michael wakes again. Matt focuses on his breathing, listening to the three of them. Frank's fingers are idle, they sort of just rub and stroke at the blankets. Slowly he drifts off to sleep, the motion of his hand stilling.]
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Somewhere in all of this, he finally drifts, listening to his brother's breathing. Feeling the weight of Frank's arm secure around his waist.
The next time Mike is awake he hears birds. Usual sounds of a city awake or at least in the process. He's warm, very warm, and things feel heavy but not nearly so far away as before. It takes a moment for him to realize exactly where the abundance of warmth is from outside of the blankets, and stops the minimal shifting against blankets the second he figures it out from surprise alone.
Matt on one side and Frank on the other. Neither of them are dead. He can't sense a fight, but there's definitely the old smell of blood. His blood. Which means last night? Oh god, how bad was it? He tries to speak, but his throat is dry. It takes a few tries more. ]
Matt?
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Mike is so openly tenderhearted. He doesn't deserve to be treated like a punching bag. Like every person on this planet he deserves the company of someone that can appreciate him, care for him and understand him. Is that person Frank Castle? Matt drifts off with these thoughts.
Frank surprisingly enough sleeps the night through. The spent adrenaline and tension cut wore him out. Feeling Mike relax was like permission for him to drift off as well.
It's Matt that's awake first before Frank.]
Hey.
[He reaches to touch Mike's face. No heat, not clammy as far as he can tell. The small flutter of panic settles.]
How do you feel?
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That gentle nature of Mike's never wavered, though, even if he does have a temper as well. It takes a lot more to earn it. He's better at controlling more brash impulses. He's not sure exactly where it started or what it is that changed he and Frank toward what they are, but he's grateful for it.
He's not surprised when his brother wakes up first. That's a given, usually. He doesn't think Frank had a nightmare, which is fairly common, and that means he was just as exhausted. Mike feels a pang of guilt for that. ]
Warm. Tired.
[ He presses his cheek to his brother's hand, chasing after the gentle touch affectionately. He hears the almost panic in the way his heart beats. ]
You okay?
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I was worried about you.
[Straight and to the point. That's the source of panic, why he came here even though they have been at odds these weeks. The peace had been tentative at best. Yet here they are in Frank Castle's squatter apartment.]
Haven't seen you in such a state as that in some time.
[Touch stays where it is, gentle and calming. Matt leans so that they're forehead to forehead again. Frank's heart and breathing are steady with sleep. They keep their voices down.]
I thought the worst.
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I was worried about me too.
[ They don't often talk about the close calls. The near misses. The last few weeks have been rough for them in other ways, and this threw what was important into sharp clarity. He leans his forehead close when he senses his brother do the same, and gives a soft sigh of content. He's missed this. They hadn't really been close in the last little bit of time. He hadn't noticed how much he missed it until it was back on his radar. ]
Didn't mean to scare everyone.
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Everything's okay now.
[And he means it. From the way his voice stays even to the regularity in his heartbeat.]
Rather get the dickens scared out of me than to to risk you being seriously hurt.
[Forehead to forehead practically sharing the same breath, curled together as they had in the womb. This was missing. This closeness. They fight, they're siblings after all. These past few weeks they have fought more than they ever had before.]
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Yeah?
[ He licks at his lips, and listens to his brother's voice and heartbeat. He means it, and that means so much to hear. ]
Still.
[ It's not fun being on the other side. He knows. Their fights could have torn them apart, and maybe they almost did. Now? They are closer than before. They may not agree, but they don't have to. They'll get through this. ]
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C'mon, Mikey. Stop.
[He smiles a little. Knowing that even if Michael wanted to, this was one of those fights where it wasn't meant to be clean. At least he wasn't severely harmed.]
We're here now together. It's okay.
[And if he is going to apologize, Matt will verbally throttle him. Frank close by or not.]
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Mike is too tired to manage any kind of fight. ]
Okay.
[ No, what went down on the docks was a surprise. It was supposed to be a lot more simple than that, but things don't always go to plan. ]
Thanks for not killing each other while I was out of it.
[ Cause he has to tease a little. ]
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