[ 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.]
[ Mike's been there for more than his fair share of Frank's nightmares. Either having to keep his distance at first, or eventually being able to help draw him out of that awful space. He can feel the twinge in his arm from stitches, and it'll be something which will keep him from staying in this position for long. He'll enjoy it while he's able. ]
Yeah, I feel it.
[ It's not as bad as the few snippets of memory he has of the previous night. It's not cohesive. Jumbled and fragmented. ]
I'm---yeah, I'm here.
[ He can hear the raw earnestness in Frank's voice and it causes emotion to well up in his chest. He swallows thickly, and keeps his hand along the other man's jaw. He tries and fails to return that kiss, only managing a kind of peck after the fact which having such a slow response time at the moment. ]
Takes a little more than a dip in the Hudson to get rid of me.
[Knowing how fluid he can move to this slow, stiff movement is a tell of what he's been through. In stillness Frank does what he can to soothe, the soft talking, the holding on. They are for himself, make no mistake. Seeing the man he has given his whole heart (busted as it might be) stirred those awful feelings of loss. That was too close for comfort.
The peck is good enough.]
You do a hell of an ice cube impression.
[The object not the artist. It's funny but Frank doesn't laugh.]
[ Despite having only just woken up, his eyelids already feel heavy again. That's a tell all on it's own to the rough night as well. The solid comfort of the man's arms around him is almost enough to lull him back to sleep, but he wants to stay awake a little longer. His brother's getting him clothes to change into after all. ]
I think I'll keep my day job still.
[ He lets his forehead rest against Frank's chin. Despite his efforts to keep his eyes open, he's losing that battle again with the security and warmth afforded here. He jerks a little abortively when he hears Matt's steps coming closer again. ]
[The lawyer thing. Though shit, Mike didn't ask. And right now loading up on any heavy judgment would be just shitty behavior. Frank invites him to get in as close as blankets and his body allows.]
S'ok.
[Matt hasn't gone far at all. A dip to the bathroom and trying to give them some privacy. Back again and with some of Frank's clean clothes.]
It's me. It's me.
[He presses his hand to Mike's shoulder and puts the clothes at his back.]
Getting dressed will keep you warm. Then we'll get a game plan.
[We verses Matt's typical impulse of "we're leaving right now"]
[ It's a weak crack, but hey. Sense of humor still intact is a good thing, right? He finds he doesn't want to try and move away from the comfort of Frank's arms, but he needs to dress.
That in itself will probably take a lot out of him, but he's had worse. ]
Okay, I can do that.
[ With help getting the blanket off of him, it's at least a little less of a struggle to get into a sitting position. He takes the shirt first, putting it over his bad arm to try and lessen how much he's got to move it, and works it over his head and chest. The stitches tug and his arm throbs in complaint.
It stops him for a moment while he works up the energy to manage the rest. ]
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calltoaction) wrote2019-09-13 04:07 pm
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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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Yeah, I feel it.
[ It's not as bad as the few snippets of memory he has of the previous night. It's not cohesive. Jumbled and fragmented. ]
I'm---yeah, I'm here.
[ He can hear the raw earnestness in Frank's voice and it causes emotion to well up in his chest. He swallows thickly, and keeps his hand along the other man's jaw. He tries and fails to return that kiss, only managing a kind of peck after the fact which having such a slow response time at the moment. ]
Takes a little more than a dip in the Hudson to get rid of me.
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The peck is good enough.]
You do a hell of an ice cube impression.
[The object not the artist. It's funny but Frank doesn't laugh.]
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I think I'll keep my day job still.
[ He lets his forehead rest against Frank's chin. Despite his efforts to keep his eyes open, he's losing that battle again with the security and warmth afforded here. He jerks a little abortively when he hears Matt's steps coming closer again. ]
no subject
[The lawyer thing. Though shit, Mike didn't ask. And right now loading up on any heavy judgment would be just shitty behavior. Frank invites him to get in as close as blankets and his body allows.]
S'ok.
[Matt hasn't gone far at all. A dip to the bathroom and trying to give them some privacy. Back again and with some of Frank's clean clothes.]
It's me. It's me.
[He presses his hand to Mike's shoulder and puts the clothes at his back.]
Getting dressed will keep you warm. Then we'll get a game plan.
[We verses Matt's typical impulse of "we're leaving right now"]
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[ It's a weak crack, but hey. Sense of humor still intact is a good thing, right? He finds he doesn't want to try and move away from the comfort of Frank's arms, but he needs to dress.
That in itself will probably take a lot out of him, but he's had worse. ]
Okay, I can do that.
[ With help getting the blanket off of him, it's at least a little less of a struggle to get into a sitting position. He takes the shirt first, putting it over his bad arm to try and lessen how much he's got to move it, and works it over his head and chest. The stitches tug and his arm throbs in complaint.
It stops him for a moment while he works up the energy to manage the rest. ]
Sounds good.
[ His voice trembles a little, jaw tight. ]
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