[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. ]
[Weak joke. The timing is right. And Frank has a scoff. Good enough to be a laugh response. He sits up too with Mike. And if he's allowed to, give him something to lean on between the progression to put on a shirt.]
No rush.
[Matt's hands feel antsy. Mike can do it himself. Two of these men in his life hovering close. Once his head is through the neck hole Matt gives his hair an idle comb. Reassurance that while it hurts--he can hear that it hurts, he's doing well.]
[ Mike manages a slight smile, but the huff of a chuckle he has in answer to Frank's causes a grimace after. Oh, he hates this. So much. Having Frank there lean on when he gets winded is good.
He's grateful for Matt making sure he doesn't look like too much of a wreck with his hair sticking up on all ends. For the pants, he could try and do it while still in bed, but he decides it'd be easier to do after standing since he needs the bathroom anyways. He pats at Frank's chest in thanks when he says that, and scoots toward the edge of the bed. ]
Jesus, just that's a workout. [ Beat. ] Remind me to never, ever do that again, huh?
[Frank behind him, Mike in front of him. A dual-sided support team. Matt reaches to shake out the pants. Yes, he's capable. Is this going to be easy? No, likely not. He stoops so that he can fit one ankle through a pant leg and then the other. Cutting corners for Mike. Frank stays back because this seems a task best suited for the person he's been with since day one.]
Oh I will.
[The humor edged with truth. The more his pants are shimmied up his legs the easier it will be to just shuck them on to stand.]
[ This is a team-up Mike never thought would happen. He's not surprised it took an emergency, or maybe this could be considered an Act of God. He leans on Matt's shoulders in turn when he helps him with the pant legs. ]
Try not to enjoy it too much.
[ Thrown back over a shoulder with a laugh. He winces when he gets his feet planted and grabs for the hem of the pants before moving to stand, dragging them up as he does. He wobbles a little and reaches out for Matt's shoulder, heart jumping a little. ]
[An emergency and a mercy of God, that is the significance here. God deemed that Mike would be saved. Matt is grateful to him and to Frank. The works of the maker are not so cut and dry to surmise that this was a lesson for them all. Hard to mistake that the blatant message here is that they should appreciate one another as siblings and know that life is not a given.
Frank scoffs. Mike's rump is a great sight. He isn't going to project his appreciation right here in front of Mike while he's helping him move as much as possible without pain.]
I got you. You're okay.
[Both arms out and touching on his brother's arms. The stability is the issue, not the spacial awareness.]
[ If Mike and Frank didn't meet up like they do on some nights, or follow the other around to make sure they didn't end up in more trouble than they could normally deal with? Mike doesn't want to think about what would have happened. They've talked about it, of course. That probability. It's never an easy conversation.
Or a long one.
He grins a little at the scoff that he hears, knowing he struck a gentle chord. It's good to hear a little amusement to lighten the air in the already too small room. ]
I know you do.
[ The soft touch at his arms is more grounding than it might have been for most people. It's his stubborn nature that keeps him upright through the dizzy shift from standing. ]
Yeah. Okay, I---I think I'm good to walk now.
[ Which he does, a few steps at a time as he reaches out for little things he knows are in the apartment. Milk crates stacked for shelves. The table. He can smell old blood, his blood, from the previous night and winces slightly. It's not long before he manages to make it to the bathroom so that he can use it.
God, this is ridiculously tiring. He hates it. He washes up and has to stop at the door jamb to lean on his uninjured arm. He talks to reassure them both. ]
[Frank stands and goes to turn on the shitty, unreliable heater. It would be better than nothing. Matt stands like a guard dog on duty, waiting and watching his brother. Mike's gait is slow. Pained. Why wouldn't it be after all he's been through? He can still walk. And their mutual independent streak begs that he do what he can for himself. For now.
He will need strength to make it home. Which is not to say that he is so eager to whisk Mike from Frank. The Murdock apartment is better suited to a recovering vigilante, okay.]
Thank you.
[He is surprised to hear Frank's voice. The immediate response in his heart is that he didn't do it for Frank. Though he nods. The water runs in the bathroom. When the door opens, as he probably could have predicted, both eyes are on him. Matt even takes a few steps closer.]
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calltoaction) wrote2019-09-13 04:07 pm
no subject
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.]
no subject
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"]
no subject
[ 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. ]
no subject
No rush.
[Matt's hands feel antsy. Mike can do it himself. Two of these men in his life hovering close. Once his head is through the neck hole Matt gives his hair an idle comb. Reassurance that while it hurts--he can hear that it hurts, he's doing well.]
You got this.
[Frank murmuring close to his ear.]
no subject
He's grateful for Matt making sure he doesn't look like too much of a wreck with his hair sticking up on all ends. For the pants, he could try and do it while still in bed, but he decides it'd be easier to do after standing since he needs the bathroom anyways. He pats at Frank's chest in thanks when he says that, and scoots toward the edge of the bed. ]
Jesus, just that's a workout. [ Beat. ] Remind me to never, ever do that again, huh?
no subject
Oh I will.
[The humor edged with truth. The more his pants are shimmied up his legs the easier it will be to just shuck them on to stand.]
I got you, Mike.
no subject
Try not to enjoy it too much.
[ Thrown back over a shoulder with a laugh. He winces when he gets his feet planted and grabs for the hem of the pants before moving to stand, dragging them up as he does. He wobbles a little and reaches out for Matt's shoulder, heart jumping a little. ]
Okay.
no subject
Frank scoffs. Mike's rump is a great sight. He isn't going to project his appreciation right here in front of Mike while he's helping him move as much as possible without pain.]
I got you. You're okay.
[Both arms out and touching on his brother's arms. The stability is the issue, not the spacial awareness.]
Just--gonna be close by. That's all.
no subject
Or a long one.
He grins a little at the scoff that he hears, knowing he struck a gentle chord. It's good to hear a little amusement to lighten the air in the already too small room. ]
I know you do.
[ The soft touch at his arms is more grounding than it might have been for most people. It's his stubborn nature that keeps him upright through the dizzy shift from standing. ]
Yeah. Okay, I---I think I'm good to walk now.
[ Which he does, a few steps at a time as he reaches out for little things he knows are in the apartment. Milk crates stacked for shelves. The table. He can smell old blood, his blood, from the previous night and winces slightly. It's not long before he manages to make it to the bathroom so that he can use it.
God, this is ridiculously tiring. He hates it. He washes up and has to stop at the door jamb to lean on his uninjured arm. He talks to reassure them both. ]
I just need a second.
no subject
He will need strength to make it home. Which is not to say that he is so eager to whisk Mike from Frank. The Murdock apartment is better suited to a recovering vigilante, okay.]
Thank you.
[He is surprised to hear Frank's voice. The immediate response in his heart is that he didn't do it for Frank. Though he nods. The water runs in the bathroom. When the door opens, as he probably could have predicted, both eyes are on him. Matt even takes a few steps closer.]
Don't strain yourself. You just got up.