[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.
[ It's why the last few weeks have hurt as much as they have. The same old nightmare, just a couple of decades after the fact. The thought of losing each other. ]
Happy to be a punching bag, then.
[ He means that. He'd rather go through the discomfort himself than risk Matt getting hurt even worse than he did. Not saying that he would, but they both have different ways of going about things. Despite the identical training, they have incorporated certain stylistic choices. Most would think because Matt has the temper and Mike is more gentle that the one you'd want to take on in a fight is the younger brother.
That's probably a mistake to consider. ]
I'm glad he got you here.
[ He takes a chance and shifts a little closer, or almost does, until he realizes the gentle tightening of Frank's hand at his waist on top of the covers. He stops to listen to his breathing, an hopes he didn't wake him. It may not be under the best of circumstances, but he seems to have slept the night through. That's rare for him. ]
[Totally capable. Frustrating to boot. The both are formidable foes as the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. With strengths, there will be weaknesses. And their mutual success has made the image something to be feared. This response at the docks only meant that the new player knows them and is justifiably terrified.]
...I am too.
[Matt says it softly. Frank is still out old. He stirs enough to grip onto Mike more before settling again.]
He cares about you.
[And now is as good a time as any to be telling the truth.]
[ A weak jab in jest. He's been witness to his brother's work in the night the same as his brother has for him. Despite the weaknesses that do crop up, the successes overwhelm the odds in their favor, usually.
This is just proof that they can't win every night. ]
What gave it away?
[ Not teasing or sarcastic. Mike has been ready to die on this proverbial hill for a while now. The fact that Matt finally understands it means something has changed in a big way. ]
[It's not. More teasing. It breaks the tension. Matt really feels like he could laugh in the moment. All this panic and worry. Listening to Mike speak and joke sets his heart at ease again. He keeps close still, like he too needs the warmth and touch.]
I fought Frank before. [Well, they both have but listen--] he was so careful with you. His heart was going in such a panic.
[This man has suffered tremendous loss as it was. A wife and children, a whole life before this one. Frank still had the capacity to worry. There will likely be a few more bumps on Matt's road to acceptance. This is a huge moment as much as he tries to undercut it.]
...I could feel that he didn't want me here, you asked though and he did it.
[ Teasing is good though. it's worth it after all the difficulty of the past while. It feels good to be able to joke too. He listens, though, as his brother explains what he's feeling. What made him realize Frank wasn't just trying to pull one over on Mike and end up hurting him in some way.
His heart does a little flip-flop in his chest when Matt mentions what he does about the panic. He never wanted to do that to either of them, but especially not Frank. He's lost so much. He didn't want him to think he would lose him as well. ]
Careful. Might start thinking he's not all bad at this rate.
[They truly love each other, that's why they give and take so much bullshit. Joking after a night like last night means there's healing on both sides. Matt has so much to process still. Finally it's a step in a direction that isn't clear conflict or bare tolerance.]
I'm not gonna make any judgments there. I think that you're starting to become the expert as it is.
[Mike is smitten. No question at all. The way he lightly breathes and that ghost of a smile at the mention of Frank here and now. Seeing Frank interact with respect, concern and a sense of panic with Mike let Matt see that this is a serious relationship. Not a passing fancy or a ploy.
Frank murmurs in his sleep and presses his face against Mike.]
....should I go and get a chance of clothes for you?
[Chances are if this is where the Marine lives there might be more clothes around to borrow.]
[ Being as close as they've always been, it would be strange if they didn't love each other as much. It makes the fights worse, yes. But those are rare comparatively. The fact that they can talk about this now is beyond good. ]
Maybe just a little.
[ Definitely smitten. It's been a new and exciting experience with Frank. He's never gone from more than just mild crushes to actual, well. He gets a little distracted from their conversation when Frank murmurs in his sleep, and stills until he's sure he's asleep again. ]
[Mike can feel Matt's smile as he presses a kiss to his brow. Now he'll move off of the bed. And while he does so he stretches. Joints popping and crackling. The apartment is small. It won't take him long to find some clothes. The movement on the bed causes Frank to stir. He clutches tightly to Mike's middle and rouses.]
...hey.
[For a moment he just nuzzles on in, his face to the back of the man's neck.]
[ He can and it just reminds him that this isn't some weird fever dream. This is actually happening. It's a start. More than, even. He can hear the joints cracking as his brother moves around, but he's feeling too lethargic still to even think about stretching his legs yet. When he feels Frank's arm tighten and hears his voice, he shifts to get his hand out from under the blankets, and rests it over the top of his arm. ]
Hey.
[ He relaxes against Frank when he feels him so close. ]
[Breathing, speaking and moving. In the night he was just out and sleeping. Frank holds on a little tighter. One big breath in to sigh out any residual worry. While they have so much at odds, Matt and Frank were both very, very worried about Mike.]
Yeah.... yeah.
[Softly, a strange question when he wasn't the one that was submerged in icy water and was hurt. Shit, wasn't he virtually trapped in the suit?]
[ It's rare that he goes a night that dead asleep. Usually something or someone will wake him up. The upstairs neighbors have awful arguments late. The stray cat that likes to follow them over rooftops. That's just the tip of the iceberg.
It takes a moment to do it, body stiff and uncooperative, but Mike focuses on shifting over to his other side so that he can face Frank. He reaches up past the blanket, and rests fingers along the other man's jaw. ]
[Sleeping together has had a decent track record for both of them being incredibly light sleepers. Mike with his sensitive senses, Frank with his nightmares. Last night was like they both turned off, worn by the events. Waking now it feels like a fresh start.]
Careful. Easy.
[He's not going to discourage Mike from moving. Once he's still, Frank holds him even closer.]
Not like you could have helped it. You were kinda busy--[Fighting to stay conscious.]
I'm so fucking glad you're okay.
[Whispering just to him and giving him the lightest of kisses.]
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calltoaction) wrote2019-09-13 04:07 pm
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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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I probably would have got my clock cleaned if I went out in your place.
[Which is usually the case. He softly smiles and leans in to nuzzle forehead to forehead.]
Hey.... he brought me here. And you know what? He didn't push back.
[Which is to say that Matthew absolutely was doing his share of pushing, bullying or at least taking charge because this is his baby brother.]
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Happy to be a punching bag, then.
[ He means that. He'd rather go through the discomfort himself than risk Matt getting hurt even worse than he did. Not saying that he would, but they both have different ways of going about things. Despite the identical training, they have incorporated certain stylistic choices. Most would think because Matt has the temper and Mike is more gentle that the one you'd want to take on in a fight is the younger brother.
That's probably a mistake to consider. ]
I'm glad he got you here.
[ He takes a chance and shifts a little closer, or almost does, until he realizes the gentle tightening of Frank's hand at his waist on top of the covers. He stops to listen to his breathing, an hopes he didn't wake him. It may not be under the best of circumstances, but he seems to have slept the night through. That's rare for him. ]
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[Totally capable. Frustrating to boot. The both are formidable foes as the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. With strengths, there will be weaknesses. And their mutual success has made the image something to be feared. This response at the docks only meant that the new player knows them and is justifiably terrified.]
...I am too.
[Matt says it softly. Frank is still out old. He stirs enough to grip onto Mike more before settling again.]
He cares about you.
[And now is as good a time as any to be telling the truth.]
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[ A weak jab in jest. He's been witness to his brother's work in the night the same as his brother has for him. Despite the weaknesses that do crop up, the successes overwhelm the odds in their favor, usually.
This is just proof that they can't win every night. ]
What gave it away?
[ Not teasing or sarcastic. Mike has been ready to die on this proverbial hill for a while now. The fact that Matt finally understands it means something has changed in a big way. ]
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[It's not. More teasing. It breaks the tension. Matt really feels like he could laugh in the moment. All this panic and worry. Listening to Mike speak and joke sets his heart at ease again. He keeps close still, like he too needs the warmth and touch.]
I fought Frank before. [Well, they both have but listen--] he was so careful with you. His heart was going in such a panic.
[This man has suffered tremendous loss as it was. A wife and children, a whole life before this one. Frank still had the capacity to worry. There will likely be a few more bumps on Matt's road to acceptance. This is a huge moment as much as he tries to undercut it.]
...I could feel that he didn't want me here, you asked though and he did it.
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[ Teasing is good though. it's worth it after all the difficulty of the past while. It feels good to be able to joke too. He listens, though, as his brother explains what he's feeling. What made him realize Frank wasn't just trying to pull one over on Mike and end up hurting him in some way.
His heart does a little flip-flop in his chest when Matt mentions what he does about the panic. He never wanted to do that to either of them, but especially not Frank. He's lost so much. He didn't want him to think he would lose him as well. ]
Careful. Might start thinking he's not all bad at this rate.
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I'm not gonna make any judgments there. I think that you're starting to become the expert as it is.
[Mike is smitten. No question at all. The way he lightly breathes and that ghost of a smile at the mention of Frank here and now. Seeing Frank interact with respect, concern and a sense of panic with Mike let Matt see that this is a serious relationship. Not a passing fancy or a ploy.
Frank murmurs in his sleep and presses his face against Mike.]
....should I go and get a chance of clothes for you?
[Chances are if this is where the Marine lives there might be more clothes around to borrow.]
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Maybe just a little.
[ Definitely smitten. It's been a new and exciting experience with Frank. He's never gone from more than just mild crushes to actual, well. He gets a little distracted from their conversation when Frank murmurs in his sleep, and stills until he's sure he's asleep again. ]
Please?
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...hey.
[For a moment he just nuzzles on in, his face to the back of the man's neck.]
How're you feeling?
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Hey.
[ He relaxes against Frank when he feels him so close. ]
A lot better. Still tired.
[ but it was a long night for everyone. ]
You okay?
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Yeah.... yeah.
[Softly, a strange question when he wasn't the one that was submerged in icy water and was hurt. Shit, wasn't he virtually trapped in the suit?]
I was more worried about you.
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It takes a moment to do it, body stiff and uncooperative, but Mike focuses on shifting over to his other side so that he can face Frank. He reaches up past the blanket, and rests fingers along the other man's jaw. ]
I'm sorry I worried you.
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Careful. Easy.
[He's not going to discourage Mike from moving. Once he's still, Frank holds him even closer.]
Not like you could have helped it. You were kinda busy--[Fighting to stay conscious.]
I'm so fucking glad you're okay.
[Whispering just to him and giving him the lightest of kisses.]
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