kastlenetwork

[kastlenetwork]

A Dance For Two

frank castle x karen page

as the title suggests! fluff & a lil' jealousy scenario

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The mirror threw back an image Karen never thought she’d see again, outside of some wild daydream; Frank Castle in a suit.

The black fabric clung across his shoulders, broad and imposing, like it had been stitched just for him. He looked almost unrecognizable, if not for the constant fidget of his hands at his cuffs, tugging at the sleeves like the whole thing itched. Like he’d rather be anywhere but trapped in pressed fabric and polish.

Karen, standing a step away, bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling too wide. She straightened his tie with deliberate slowness, letting her fingers smooth over the silk, dragging out the moment just to make him squirm.

“You clean up nice,” she murmured, tilting her head as she appraised him. It came out lighter than the weight in her chest, because God help her, he looked devastating like this.

Frank cleared his throat, looking away at the floor. “Yeah, well. It’s your thing, not mine,” he muttered. But she caught it anyway. The small shift in his jaw, the twitch of his fingers. He was trying. For her.

Her smile deepened, wicked at the edges. “You know,” she began, adjusting the knot of his tie, fingertips grazing his collarbone. “I went to this event too last year.”

“Yeah?” His voice was flat, but his eyes flickered to hers, sharp and wary, like he already knew where this was going.

“Mhm.” She hummed. “Had to bring a plus one.” Her hands smoothed over his chest, feigning one last wrinkle.

Frank’s posture stayed rigid, but there was the barest narrowing of his eyes. “That right?”

“Yup,” Karen said, casual as anything. She let the pause stretch just long enough before dropping it. “I brought Matt.”

There it was. Subtle, but unmistakable. His stance shifted, weight rolling into his heels. His hands clenched at his sides for half a second before shoving deep into his pockets. A low sound left him, rough and unreadable, and then he gave a single nod. “Huh.”

She almost laughed. There it is.

“So,” he said finally, eyes cutting toward her, voice careful. “How was that?”

Karen pressed her lips together, smothering her grin. “Oh, you know. Matt’s charming. Talks to everyone. Had half the room eating out of his hand before appetizers even hit the table.”

Frank made a noncommittal grunt. “Yeah. He does that.” But his gaze lingered on her, searching for cracks in her expression, looking for something unsaid.

Karen leaned in just a little closer. “And we might have danced–”

His jaw tightened. “Might have?”

Her grin broke loose. “It was a good song and I didn’t want to be rude.”

Frank exhaled sharply through his nose, looking away like it took all his willpower not to react. “Right. Gotta be polite. I get it.” His hands flexed in his pockets again.

Karen almost felt guilty. Almost. She smoothed her palms over his lapels, tugging him just slightly closer. “Relax, Frank. It wasn’t anything. Just a dance.”

At last, he met her eyes, and there it was–the quiet simmer, restrained but undeniable. A storm he refused to let loose.

“You bringin’ me this year,” he said, his voice low, “Guess that means I got him beat, huh?”

Karen’s lips curved, her fingers sliding one last time over his tie. “Oh, you had him beat a long time ago, Castle.”

The ghost of a smirk tugged at his mouth, fleeting but real. He huffed, shook his head, muttered under his breath, “Good.” Then he shifted again, tugging at the tie like it was cutting off his air.

Karen laughed, slipping her arm through his as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “C’mon, handsome. Let’s show these lawyers what real charm looks like.”

He grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like a curse or a prayer, but his grip tightened around her hand as they moved toward the door. Steady. Claiming.

Karen didn’t call him on it. She only smiled to herself, warmth blooming in her chest.

Because Frank Castle, in a suit, on her arm, at her side? Yeah, that beat anything.

— At the event —

Frank Castle didn’t do events. He didn’t do ties, dress shoes, or polite conversation. But he did Karen.

Which was the only reason he was standing outside some polished event hall with its glass doors and soft-lit chandeliers, already regretting every single second of it. The collar of his shirt felt like a noose. The tie like barbed wire. He adjusted both with the kind of irritation that made people step aside on instinct.

The only thing keeping him from tearing it all off and walking back to the truck was her. The way she fussed over his jacket like it mattered. The way her eyes flicked up at him, warm and fond, like she liked what she saw.

It was enough to anchor him there, jaw clenched, hands flexing at his sides.

They stepped in, the air shifting immediately to soft laughter, clinking glasses, the hum of conversation. People who belonged here. People nothing like him.

And then, there they were. Matt and Foggy. Easy smiles, sharp suits, perfectly in their element.

“Ah, look at this,” Foggy grinned, clapping his hands together as if the universe itself had orchestrated the reunion. “Nelson and Murdock, plus Page and Castle. We should make that a firm name, huh?”

Frank grunted. Noncommittal. But his eyes flicked toward Matt, who stood with that head-tilt that wasn’t blindness–it was calculation. Listening. Always listening.

Frank saw it. The opening. He took it.

“Where’s your plus one, Red?” His voice was low, casual on the surface, but with an edge under it. “Seems like everyone’s got somebody. Except you.”

Matt’s lips curved into a smirk, like he’d been waiting for the chance. “Don’t worry about me. I’m used to handling myself just fine.” He paused, just long enough to twist the knife. “Besides, last year? I was Karen’s plus one.”

Frank’s jaw ticked. He didn’t look at Matt. He looked at her. Karen, rolling her eyes like she’d heard this script before.

But Matt wasn’t done. His smirk sharpened, head tilting ever so slightly toward Frank, listening for the smallest shift in breath. And then–

“Did she tell you it was a really slow dance?”

The muscle in Frank’s cheek jumped. His breath came sharper, heavier, though he masked it with a muttered exhale. He didn’t need heightened senses to know Matt could feel the heat rolling off him.

“Oh God,” Frank muttered, dragging a hand down his face.

Karen, half-laughing, half-warning, touched his arm. Gentle. Grounding. “Matt. Stop teasing him.”

“Am I teasing?” Matt’s tone was smooth, mocking innocence. “I’m just reminiscing.”

“Reminisce quieter, yeah?” Frank shot back, his glare sharp enough to cut steel.

Foggy nearly doubled over in delight. He pat Frank's shoulder once, grinning. “Relax, man. Not that big of a deal. Just a little hands-on guidance from Matt to Karen, her hand in his, his other hand on her–”

“Foggy.” Karen’s voice snapped sharp, cutting him off before Frank could.

Foggy threw his hands up. “Alright, alright. I’ll stop.”

Frank muttered something dark about “damn counselors” under his breath, following Karen deeper inside.

By some miracle or sadistic design, they were all seated at the same table.

Frank lowered himself into the chair Karen guided him to, shoulders tight, gaze sweeping over the delicate table settings like they were part of another planet. Silverware lined in military formation. Crystal glasses that looked one touch away from shattering. Too polished. Too fragile. Not his world. Never would be.

The others carried the conversation easily, voices rising and falling in a rhythm Frank didn’t bother to follow. He offered the occasional grunt, maybe a word or two. Enough to keep from looking like a total outsider, but nothing more.

But her hand. Warm. Steady. Slipping onto his knee beneath the table. He didn’t move. Didn’t so much as twitch. But something in him–tight and coiled–unwound. A slow exhale left his chest, softer than the ones before. His shoulders dropped an inch.

Karen kept talking to Foggy, her tone smooth and professional, her eyes sparkling with the debate. But her thumb brushed lightly against his knee, absent, natural, like it belonged there. Like she belonged there. And she did.

He sat still, stone-faced, while inside something gave way. Something that whispered, yeah, maybe I can stand this. Maybe I can stand all of it.

Frank Castle wasn’t built for suits. Wasn’t built for social tables and delicate glasses.

But Karen? For her, he could sit here. He could play along. For tonight, at least.

It wasn't long until the music shifted. A slow, steady melody poured through the speakers, soft strings and low piano notes curling into the air like smoke. The kind of song that hushed conversations and made couples gravitate toward the floor.

Matt, ever the opportunist, tilted his head slightly, as though the music itself whispered in his ear. “Oh,” he mused, lips curving. “This one’s even slower than last year’s, Karen. You remember how it went?”

Frank, who had just managed to bury that jab about the last dance, let out a sharp breath through his nose. “God damn," he muttered, shaking his head slowly.

Karen groaned, tossing Matt a glare. “Do you ever get tired of hearing yourself talk?”

Matt’s grin widened. “Not when it’s this fun.”

Frank caught the smirk aimed his way, his jaw ticking. He told himself not to take the bait. Don’t give him the satisfaction. But the thing about Frank Castle was, he hated losing. And the thought of Karen out on a dance floor with anyone but him, last year or otherwise, sat like a stone in his chest.

So before he could talk himself out of it, the words slipped out, rough, but steady. “Come dance with me.”

Karen blinked. Then blinked again.

She just…stared at him, eyes wide, lips parting like she couldn’t quite believe what she’d heard. “You wanna run that by me again?”

Frank’s mouth twitched, handing his hand out to her. “You heard me.”

Something in her expression softened, surprise melting into something warmer, gentler. Her throat bobbed in a swallow, and then, slowly, like she was making sure he wouldn’t yank it back, she slid her hand into his.

Frank Castle–war vet, vigilante, walking nightmare to half the city–was suddenly just a man leading Karen Page onto a dance floor.

And if he’d been aware of Matt’s smug grin burning into his back, he ignored it. Didn’t matter. Because Karen’s hand was warm in his, and that was all he could feel.

The lights dimmed, throwing the room in a softer glow. Couples swayed in lazy circles around them, but Frank only registered the woman in front of him.

Karen’s arms slipped around his shoulders, her touch feather-light but certain, as though she’d been waiting for this moment. She fit there easily, like she’d always belonged.

Frank’s hands found her waist, steady but careful, as if holding something too precious to risk crushing. He let her guide the rhythm, moving unhurried, like the world outside the melody didn’t exist.

Karen smirked up at him, her breath brushing his collar. “So this is what it takes to get you to dance, huh?”

Frank huffed, the sound almost a laugh. “Seemed like the thing to do.”

“Mhm. Nothing to do with Matt getting under your skin?”

He snorted. “Please.”

Karen grinned, fingers playing idly with the hair at his nape. “Please,” she mimicked, teasing.

He shook his head, but there was a ghost of a smile tugging at his mouth. The rare kind. The kind only she ever saw.

Her gaze softened, the teasing easing into something else. “I think I finally found the right partner to dance with," She confessed with a sheepish smile.

Something unsteady flickered through him at her words. Frank looked away for a heartbeat, throat tightening, before forcing his gaze back. He never knew what to do with her compliments, never knew how to carry the weight of them without feeling like he might break under it.

“You’re handling this whole thing well,” she added, quieter now. “The suit, the crowd…all of it.”

He cleared his throat. “It’s nothin’.”

Her voice gentled, almost a whisper. “It’s not nothing to me.”

He looked at her then, really looked. Her eyes shining in the low light, lips curved in that small, knowing smile she always saved just for him. For once, Frank Castle, a man of violence, of silence, felt stripped down to something unbearably simple. Just a man who loved her.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “For being here. With me.”

His chest ached. She had no idea what those words did to him. None. So he didn’t try to explain. Couldn’t. Instead, he let his forehead dip to hers, slow and unthinking. A gesture that was more confession than anything he could’ve said out loud.

Karen’s heart skipped, her breath catching, but she didn’t move away. Forehead touches had become their secret language–his way of saying I’m here. I’m yours. I am where I'm meant to be.

She smiled against him, hand resting over his chest, steadying herself against the solid thrum of his heart.

They swayed like that until the music began to fade, the last notes lingering like an echo between them. Neither of them pulled away immediately. Neither of them wanted to.

And Frank knew, with a clarity that rattled him to his bones, that he’d never wanted someone the way he wanted Karen Page.

Not just for a dance. But for every damn thing.

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no one can take their forehead touch scenes away from me!! i cannot resist from putting that in any of my fics so far omg. also, told y'all i had some oneshots to post so here's 1 more (took me so long to revamp this fic btw) <3

[kastlenetwork]

-> daredevil/the punisher + text posts & headlines

[kastlenetwork]

[kastlenetwork]

Let the past be the past ’til it’s weightless

We are listening to kpop demon hunters like 24/7 in this house and the lyrics to “Free” are so Kastle coded, I decided to try my hand at making another edit.

[kastlenetwork]

the short moment after they pull away from each other is not talked about enough;

her small, reassuring smile & his somber, hesitant eyes

[kastlenetwork]

-> daredevil/the punisher + text posts & headlines

[kastlenetwork]

kastle commission by @voidcomett01 ♥ based on hayez's il bacio

[kastlenetwork]

Hiiiii do u know of any fanfics where Billy finds out about Karen's importance to Frank and tries to use that to get to him? Thank you!! 💙

I don't really have a lot of Billy heavy bookmarks, if I'm being honest. So, can people please comment some of their fave fics with this scenario?

[kastlenetwork]

Corpse of Spring.

(Full read in AO3)

Paring: Frank Castle x Karen Page

Summary: Because sometimes nature is quite unpredictable, because sometimes existence itself is strange and confusing, and because sometimes, and only sometimes, the bodies left behind and the sadnesses of the past allow spring to bloom.

--

Or about the stupid statements, consequences, and other stupid behaviors that Karen and Frank had to admit (finally) to each other.

(Post DDBA 1x9 Straight to Hell)

Well, I almost forgot to post it here, but: Hey, I finally finished this series!

It took me a while to finish it, but it's the longest story in the series, and writing in a language that isn't my native language is harder.

About the story? Well, this is the icing on the cake for a chaotic and passionate love story, which will surprise us more than anything.

Without further ado, I invite you to read! (The link is in the title.)

[kastlenetwork]

i haven't thought about it because who knows but the kastle drama angst pining at karen moving across the country could be legendary if they choose to address that....

[kastlenetwork]

I love that Kastle never say goodbye to eachother. Everytime they part it's always a MOMENT™I love that they have this gravitational pull to one another and yet they are always forced to part. They're both destined to eachother but also destined apart. Every parting is always some charged, iconic moment of unspoken love, lingering, wanting to stay, yearning gazes, words of devotion, catching breath, heart aching. Anyway lol what are your top 5 fav Kastle parting ways moments?

"Destined to be apart" go ahead and just stab me lolol. You're so right, though, it is always a moment. Sometimes they're full of yearning. Sometimes it's full of sorrow. And all of it is good. Considering literally every time that they leave each other, I think my five favorite times they separate are as follows:

believe it or not, i actually care what happens to you. which makes precisely one of us.

after their dock meeting in two dead men, when frank's about to slip away again, karen steps out onto the ledge to straight up ask when they're going to see each other again. she's provided the info he was looking for, he's walking away. her experience with frank shows this could literally be it, if he wants it to be. so, she just straight up asks him. a lot of the time in this relationship, it's frank's side of things that pulls focus -- the foundation of their connection came from her connecting to his story and him having no information about hers. but, she just says what she wants here.

and frank just asks, "you wanna?" yes, frank. yes, she wants to. and their looks at the end of the conversation -- karen's in particular. hello my smitten kitten.

okay? okay. okay.

also earlier in two dead men, it's all yearning. their soft okays, to each other, and then their swaying hug in the middle of her living room. when they were out of the street, it was mostly shock from her. but, once their alone in the quiet of her apartment, it's all so soft and sweet. the man brought her flowers, man. they're pressing their faces into each others' necks and closing their eyes.

and when karen pulls out of the hug, the girly is overwhelmed. like hands through the hair, heavy breathing, going on about how great it was to see him. and he's looking like a touch starved survivor, who's been revived by her touch and come out on the other side. blessings.

frank... go.

virtue of the vicious. elevator. the almost kiss. the scene where they definitely recorded a kiss and we just never saw it.

the things this man did to go save her. he took bullets to the chest. he dislocated his shoulder. he took a shot to the head. he stood in front of a bomb. he let her let him put a gun to her throat and take the wrath that came from that. she smirked, as he got away.

and they stood in that elevator and just breathed each other in and did their good ol' sway. they definitely considered kissing, and she just pulled away, pushed him forward, and told him to leave while he could. and he just stared at her for a moment -- while she held back her tears -- and then let her go and climbed away.

they looked like they wanted to eat each other. they looked in love. and they looked like they didn't want to leave. legendary.

i cannot let that happen to you, you got that? i cannot let that happen. please.

gunner. we get the entire fighting not to be alone monologue from karen, which is lovely and actively effects frank moving forward. like... the man is thinking about these words when he's in bed with another woman and literally says them out loud, while naked... in bed with another woman.

but, this is also probably the most verbally open frank is regarding how deeply he cares for her. usually frank shows how important karen is through action alone -- jumping into danger and taking the hits. but, here, he fully says like, 'i can't let anything happen to you.' it's his softest speaking towards her. he's affected by the whole conversation. and it all ends with this; the kiss. we have one kiss. it's so lovely, how hesitant he moves in to kiss her cheek and how shy about it he is afterwards.

and look at the look on her face when he kisses her! i love.

i don't want to.

i'm going to fight frank with my bare hands. this episode... is emotionally traumatizing. karen once again is just honest about what she wants.

'hey bro, try loving me instead of another war.'

'hey girl... i want to, but i'm going to have to go with no.'

traumatizing.

but, even after all of that, he still goes up to her like this. and this one is so painful, bot alone because of the words exchanged. but, also because amy ruins everything and ruins my life, as well. but, karen gets to just be mad at the end, which i like:

xx

i have a lot of favorites from DDS2, but i couldn't find any good gifsets from melksdjfglskdfjglkdfjgl; so, some other time, perhaps.

[kastlenetwork]

THE PUNISHER | S01E05 "Gunner"

[kastlenetwork]

Why does it feel right every time I let you in? Why does it feel like I can tell you anything? All the secrets that keep me in chains All the damage that might make me dangerous You got a dark side, guess you're not the only one What if we both tried fighting what we're running from?

[kastlenetwork]

✩ Daredevil: Born Again

[kastlenetwork]

Yk that apple trend on TikTok? I did it with kastle! It feels incomplete but I am going to pretend that’s because ‘their stories incomplete and there’s more to see!’ Instead of the truth, which is that I got sick of working on it. Anyways I’m also on tt @ mayoswrld !!

[kastlenetwork]

something else about karen and frank that i've been ruminating on is the they both want something more or different from their pre-lives. karen has fantasies of burning down the diner and leaving. frank admits at times he rather being doing marine shit than be with his kids. and they got what they wanted in the worst way possible.

[kastlenetwork]

We really had Karen, back in Season 2 of Daredevil using Frank doing something for her as a reason for him to do it "I need you to take the stand for ME" "It might not be important to you but it's important to ME" lol like this was at the beginning of their, supposedly "professional" relationship and she was making things so entirely personal and acting like they're a pair. Frank's over here like "WE aren't going to win this thing." Not "I" but "we." All this after he was upset about it being difficult for her in court to hear the kid cry out about Frank killing his Dad. Frank's really concerned about her and if it changes her feelings for him? Yet she doubles down and says she can't judge him, tells him she knows he's not a monster, he deserves the answers he wants and that she wants his charges reduced as much as possible. Then he's visibly upset and keeps looking to her when he is taking the stand because he knows she'll be hurt by him throwing the case.

These two were actually CRAZY about each other from day one tbh they just wouldn't/couldn't allow themselves to or even begin to comprehend what the hell was happening because of the timing and the circumstances and just how supernatural their bond is. Then when it did really, fully hit both of them (I'd say in the elevator) they were forced to separate immediately.

yes, yes and absolutely yes!!

their banter was already so intense from the start. what truly drew me in about them was those subtle actions, gazes and words that only both of them could ever decipher. it was genuinely their own language, both verbal and non-verbal.

it's crazy when i think about how they first met and how they ended up now, in the mcu timeline. the relationship between them just became so much bigger than we thought, and will probably continue until the writers stop being cowards and let them kiss!!!!