kintsugikid

[kintsugikid]

@thiefcfhearts​

Daken leaned onto the bar, putting on his sleaziest smile as his eyes, unabashedly, raked up and down Remy’s body. “Didn’t know you were back in New York. Did you want to take me up on my offer from Madripor? I do think we’d be a... wonderful fit, you and I.”

[kintsugikid]

ivehurtpeople2​:

Logan had delayed as much as he could. He knew this had to happen and it had to happen today. Though he had always strived to never let anyone see his sensitive side (not unless they were in a deep romantic relationship that was), he had a habit of holding onto a lot of sentimental objects. Usually kept hidden in a storage place only he knew of though; so that he could travel about without worrying they would get lost or stolen. Letting go of this particular item of Itsu’s was a very hard thing for him. Specially when he wasn’t sure if it’d be rejected or worse damaged. The sun had set and the dark of night began to loom over him as he finally knocks on his son’s door. “Dak …” A heavy sigh passes his lips as he pauses to correct himself. “Akihiro. Open up kid. Not here to fight or bitch at you. Your mother would want you to have this… Specially today.” The antique was wrapped in a piece of silk that just barely contained traces of Itsu’s favorite fragrance. @kintsugikid​

Daken was in no mood for company. That seemed to be a reoccurring theme throughout his life, but was especially true now. With the whirlwind that his life had become ever since the blip hit, he was becoming more and more of a recluse by the day. The world seemed so much more dull with everyone either missing, or in mourning for their missing loved ones. There was no fun to be had by playing off other’s emotions, since everyone’s emotions were already so high. Daken had ran away, going back to Japan for a while, before starting on his quest to finally hunt down and Kill Romulus, which was ultimately unsuccessful. All of this should have made him reflect on his life and who he wanted to be, but it was so much easy to just turn off his emotions. Accept that he fucked up, and because of that, no one wanted anything to do with him. His train of self-pity and wallowing was interrupted with a knock to the door, Daken was about to get up and answer the door, when he heard Logan’s voice travel through the cheap wood; making Daken stop before opening it. The last thing he wanted to do was open up the metaphorical can of worms that was the topic of Itsu between the two of them. But, Logan wasn’t going to leave without getting what he wanted, and probably already knew Daken was there. Daken opened the door slowly, just enough to put his body in the door, but not enough for Logan to have an insight into his life. “What’s today?”

[kintsugikid]

“What the fuck is Kingon?” Daken asked, exasperated. All he did was ask a simple question, one that could have been answered in 5 words of less, but apparently his flat American accent that he’d worked so hard to achieve was unrecognizable. Daken sighed, and repeated his earlier question, over-enunciating each and every word with a Southern accent. “Where. Is. Th’. Closest. Bar. To. Us. Currently.”

“Alright, I’m gonna need you t’ say that again. Prefer’bly without all the…” He waves his hands in front of himself, like that explains what he means. Were they talking too fast? Too loud? Repeatedly using internet slang he’d never heard? Didn’t matter, the gesture was a catch all. “ ‘Cause as it stands, yer speakin’ Klingon to me right now.”

@reshieldedstart​

[kintsugikid]

73

73: What are some of your worst habits?

"I mean, besides the obvious? The directory of people I've had relationships with? The complete and utter need to feel wanted and desired? Also picking at my nails. Nasty habit."

[kintsugikid]

ofdrxamscapes​:

Guess it was silly of him to think he could just be the carl he knew from that dream, was he even still the same man in that dream? it was a hard pill to swallow but he guessed it was fine, and maybe it would’ve been just that, but there was something there that mattered right. Daken was making it painfully clear to him that it would just be a place to stay, that what they had, whatever they had was just       a dream.

“I know that the man I met then and the man now are different people, I know that’s how time works, Akihiro.” Carl remained calm, his tone never faltered from his sweet and caring one. “What I was trying to say is that I know you’re not the same guy anymore, but I’m willing to get to know this version of you as well, whatever happens then it is what it is.”

“I didn’t put my life on hold, Akihiro. I had no choice but to raise my siblings in a time when minorities were not treated very well. A queer brown mutant had no place in society at that time, and we both know this. I wished I could have ran away with you, forgotten all my troubles and let myself be a proud gay mutant out there in the world, but I couldn’t…I didn’t, and I died.”

Carl knew this conversation needed to be had, but he could see the hurt behind those eyes. “Akihiro, I didn’t just show up out of the blue, because I wanted to, and you said it yourself you watched me die an old man, and now I’m back, I don’t know what this means but I’m not going to waste this opportunity, I’m not going to repeat the same mistake I did back then.”

“You keep saying it wasn’t real Akihiro, but whatever you felt then and whatever you’re feeling now is real. I’m here. As a friend, or at least someone that you know you can confide in with no judgment. Not once did I ever judge you, even when I learned about you and what you did, your story.” Carl sighed this was harder than he thought it would be. “Never said we were together, that kiss was just…my first reaction, I didn’t mean for it to be like that.”

“I’ll find someplace else, no need to worry, i’ll be fine. I can take care of myself,” Carl said with a smile. “Nice seeing you,” he said before turning on his heels. “Goodbye, Aki.”

“You don’t know what i’ve done.” Daken said flatly, taking a step back. It would be so easy to pretend everything was the same, the Daken had not worsened and worsened with Carl’s absence. That Carl seemed to be the moral highpoint in Daken’s life, and with him done, it almost became a game to Daken to see the most horrible thing he could do. That as much as Carl believed in redemption, it wasn’t possible for Daken. Carl could say we was okay with anything Daken told him, but Daken knew the truth. That he was already condemned before he said a single thing.

“Don’t lecture me right now. The last thing I need is one of your self-righteous lectures directed towards me.” Daken glared at Carl. Carl did tend to have a bit of a savior complex, which melded well with Daken’s need to be saved. But Daken had sat back and watch Carl age and live a normal life, and be perfectly fine without him. He could continue to be completely fine without him, and probably be better off for it.

“I don’t know how I’m alive. I’ve died too many times, with too many regrets. It gets old after a while. Waking up and living out those same regrets. Over and over.” Daken replied. “I’ve moved on. I waited for you, that entire time. I don’t want you out of my life completely this is just... odd. Out of the blue. Completely unprecedented. I can’t stop my life-“ which was an entire mess right now, ”for this. You moved on without me. It isn’t fair to ask me to put my life on hold too.”

Daken stepped closer; the very act of being close to Carl making him want to confess all of his sins, and know he’ll be forgiven right away, no matter what he told him. “I’m in some awful business right now, and i’m trying to dig myself out. I’m not going to tie you up in it, not when you are just starting over.” Daken said.

“It’s better if you just forget all about me. Don’t tell anyone you know me, because it’ll get you in way too much trouble. I’m not going to let you die on the streets.” Daken responded, pulling out a small o-ring and snapping off a scratched metal key. “Please take this. You don’t have to live there- i’m not even there all that often- but just so I know you’re not dying on the street. Please.”

[kintsugikid]

vulcuhns​:

he blinks rapidly only because he’s slightly surprised at the other’s eagerness in revealing he tried to kill the x-men. there’s something very nonchalant about it. about the other. and honestly ? it does interest gabriel. ❝ well i haven’t tried to bomb them. they’re … me and them are simply not a good FIT for each other. ❞ plenty of mutants weren’t x-men. wasn’t a big deal to him. plus with his behavioural issues, he’s sure most of the x-men are grateful at not wanting to deal with him full time. ❝ i’m too angry or whatever. apparently they’ve got their hands full in that department with wolverine and don’t need someone else. ❞ he waves his hand around. ❝ information broker ? hm. i am interested in that. as long as i get to use my powers, i’m happy. oh. and get paid. ❞

“Understandable. I was part of an off-shot team at one point. Me and goodness don’t seem to mesh well.” Daken responded. It’s not like he hadn’t been part of a few X-affiliated teams in the past, but they never lasted long. Not with Daken’s general disposition, and lack of willingness to work alongside other people (’survival of the fittest’ was not a great team mentality), plus, Daken hated working in a team. If he wanted a group of weirdos to drag him down, he could just talk to his family. “Yeah. We don’t need any more Wolverines running around.” Daken sarcastically responded. It was almost for certain that Vulcan wouldn’t know what he was talking about, but making others feel like they were missing out on a joke was one of his favorite things. Petty and mean, yes, but also funny. “They don’t give a shit how you get the info, and you get rewarded, handsomely.” Daken said, looking Vulcan up and down. “What do you do?”

[kintsugikid]

❛Can you ever just agree?❜ ( from jubes )

@jvbilations

Daken paused for a moment before turning to Jubilee. "No. I was put on this Earth to make everyone's lives actively worse." He smirked, turning his attention back to the map on the table. "Besides, it makes no sense to me why a criminal would commit the crime, and then stay close to the scene. Why wouldn't he just leave?"

[kintsugikid]

phcnx​:

eyebrow arches, have not been for his smile she would have taken a whole different approach to this, but she only shakes her head in amusement “ noted. ” jeans offers. maybe after everything it happened, or everything he had done she shouldn’t be nice but she was a firm believer of giving people the chances they needed to prove themselves, her being friends with their parents or not. “ not particularly. can you ? you are here for a reason are you not ? so why can’t i be happy that you chose to be here, and has not done anything to make me think otherwise of you ? don’t we all need a little faith and trust ? ”

“I’m here because you invited me here. Don’t pull any sort of meaning from this. I go where i’m called.” Daken responded. He really didn’t have any kid of ulterior motive for showing up today, besides just plain curiosity over what Jean had to say to him. It’s not as if they have had any sort of conversation in the past that would require further work. Daken’s best guess was there was a misguided attempt to now bring all the mutants together, even the ones who weren’t really welcome before. “Don’t turn your back. I might steal a child again, since it was pretty easy last time.” Daken said with a smirk on his face. “I’ll give a little faith and trust when you do something to deserve it.”

[kintsugikid]

vulcuhns​:

❝ i ––––––– ❞ there’s a pause. gabriel does not know the other and while he doesn’t have any regrets over his actions, he’s also slightly worried that someone will rat him out to one of his brothers or something. ❝ yes. ❞ he decides on that. if it comes back to BITE him in the ass, he will deal with it himself. ❝ i don’t swing for any team except my own. i don’t wish to join the x-men nor would i think they’d have me. and the supervillains here are … lacking. ❞ head tilts. ❝ well i have a job but it’s not one i like. so if you have a better offer, i’m all ears. ❞

Daken has received many answers to the ‘swinging for a team’ question over the years, ranging from outright disgust, to a very enthusiastic confirmation. He had no idea what ‘not swinging for any team meant’. He tilted his head to one side, trying to get a good read on this kid. Besides the odd answer to his earlier question, there wasn’t anything that struck Daken as being a red flag for bringing him onto the team. “I think they’ve blacklisted me too. After I attempted to put a bomb in the building, or something like that.” Daken offhandedly mentioned. “I work for an information broker. We kinda do anything that’s needed. Tying up loose ends.” Daken waved his hand back and forth. “Is that something you’re interested in?”

[kintsugikid]

hcneybdger​:

she glares at him and brings her middle finger to him teasingly “ yes i am. ” gabby pouts at the other and crosses her arms in front of her chest, technically she was much older than she was it was what happened when you disappear for 5 years. “ but i don’t think your old ass should be drinking it. i’m sure caffeine is bad for the elderly. ” her expression changes to a playful smiles and perks up at his words “ wait really ? whatever i want ?? hell yeah, i love sugar, wish i could inject it.” she rambles and turns to daken “ do you think i can ? ”

“Sick burn.” Daken said sarcastically. “Typically insults are more effective when you point out something they have control. Like pointing out that you use cheap shampoo, and it shows.” Daken replied, looking at the menu. “I don’t give a shit what you get. As long as nothing gets injected anywhere.” Daken stepped up to the counter, putting on his nicest smile as he leaned on the counter, along with a fair dash of pheromones. “Good afternoon. I’ll take a large black coffee, no cream or sugar, and whatever she wants.”

[kintsugikid]

kvnneys​:

she appreciated family time. she would never let the other know that she appreciated his presence, even if most days all laura wanted to do was be alone. it was a sense of belonging that she liked most, like someone had took time out of their day to want to be with her. she raises an eyebrow, looking at her brother and then at the record that he was appreciating. “okay jackass.” she says, grabbing one that she recognized as well, fleetwood mac, “that just means i get to stab you,” her smile is sweet, knowing damn well that when it came to fights they were about on par as anyone could be. “what are you looking at, old man?” she peers her head now, her chin resting on his shoulder in an annoying way trying to read what the album was. 

Daken jabbed her in the gut with his elbow, not hard enough to do any lasting damage, but hard enough to get her to back off. Familial, casual touching was still a new concept to him, and while it wasn’t entirely unwelcome, the entire idea was still rather foreign. Along with this entire family dynamic they had going on, where they pretended that Daken wasn’t a murderer and at odds with the other members; where they went out and acted like they were a normal family, rather than a collection of weirdos randomly connected by one mans inability to keep it in his pants. “Finally we can stab each other. That’s how our family greets each other, you know.” He flipped the record to the back, using his two pointer fingers as the fulcrum. “They didn’t teach you to read in weapon x?” He said, peering at her over her shoulder. “Elton John. I had one of these in ye olden times.”

[kintsugikid]

flameontm​:

Johnny refused to flinch backwards. He didn’t want to give up ground. He couldn’t do it again. He couldn’t be the one who let Daken in again. But he didn’t have an answer. Johnny didn’t understand it either, that right now, knowing he was here, set Johnny’s pulse racing, the unsteady thrum of panic rising in his chest as he worried over where Peter was, hoped Sue wouldn’t suddenly get the idea to come over, prayed she wouldn’t bring Franklin or Val here into the line of fire. But when Daken wasn’t here… when Johnny didn’t know where he was… that was torture, too. If he was hurt. If he was hurting somebody.

It was impossible to win. Impossible to win. Johnny’s eyes burned.

“Uh, I’ve served as the Herald of Galactus. I defeated Annihilus and took control of the Negative Zone. I’ve been the sun. I think I can handle one guy who has, what, claws?” he finished scathingly, building to an eruption. There was one thing that just didn’t make sense to him. “Why would you-” Johnny blurted out and then stopped. He started again, quieter. “Why would you even care? I mean, I die, what is that to you? No skin off your back.”

Death wasn’t something that he was afraid of. He could hear it now in his head, the way it had played out a million times over: Johnny, wait, stop! You haven’t got a chance!No! I’m more expendable! You guys need time to escape! It just made sense. He’d always been the muscle, or rather, the heat. He’d always gone for the sacrifice play. It was Reed or Sue who would really figure out how to save the day, and then they had the kids to think of. Ben had Alicia. No one really needed Johnny to come home. Expendable. Sure, he knew his family didn’t think that way, but Daken had made things pretty clear from his side. To him, Johnny was more than expendable, he was a goddamn write-off.

Only the way Daken was looking at him now didn’t feel like Johnny was so expendable to him.

Johnny’s heart thudded in his chest and his voice rose. “Maybe it is my fight. Maybe if it’s your fight, then it’s my fight,” he said. His heart was pounding even harder now, blood rushing in his ears. “Maybe you just can’t stand that someone actually cares about - that I actually-” He stopped, biting down on his lip, teeth scraping roughly against his own skin. His eyes meet Daken’s steadily. “I get it. You’ve always been alone. You’ve always done things alone. But you don’t have to. I can do this for you.” 

He wanted to do this and be done, but that … that wasn’t going to happen. There was a universal truth of his life. Johnny Storm didn’t leave. Johnny Storm got left.  

It was the pattern all his relationships had followed, and always, always, Johnny had been the one still clinging on with his teeth.  The thing was, he didn’t know how to keep fighting this. “I’m not so easy to get rid of,” Johnny said, and stepped forward, eyes dark. “If you’re going to make me stand down, then you’re gonna have to use your powers on me. Make me stop feeling this. I want to stop feeling this.” His eyes dropped from Daken’s eyes to his lips. It was a distance that was numbing and electrifying at once. Johnny wanted to do more than breathe him in, that wasn’t enough. He wrenched his stare away from Daken’s mouth and met his eyes, feeling suddenly empty, wrung out. So much for pride: Johnny was this close to begging. “Because I can’t do it myself, I’ve tried.”

“I’m not having you die for me. It doesn’t accomplish shit.” Daken said, exasperated. “We just running through resumes now? I was a horseman of death. I’m literally impossible to kill at this point, and he still beat me.” Daken said. “You know what, you can go on and die. If you have  a death wish, then go ahead. Death by prehistoric wolf man. Like seriously, it seems you seem fixated on this, so go ahead. I don’t know what to say to you.” Daken ran his hands through his hair, trying not to get overly frustrated.

This was a boiling point. Daken had come into the room pissed off, and the lack of control over his feelings probably didn’t help the situation, both in terms of pheromone powers, or in trying to have a polite conversation. But since their early days; have they had a mature conversation? One that didn’t immediately dissolve into fighting, and bringing up old wounds, and leaving in no better position than they came into the conversation. And Daken was tired.

Not just of this song and dance, and of the hurt and pain between them that Daken had caused single-handedly, just because he wasn’t mature enough to have a relationship. That no matter how far he got from Romulus, that he would always have control over his life. That no matter how many times Daken tried to scrub himself clean, both literally and figuratively, it never worked out. It didn’t work out with Carl, it didn’t work with Johnny, and it wasn’t ever going to work. And him trying and trying again to be normal, was never going to work. Now, because of him, Johnny was fucked up.

Daken closed the door behind him, leaning against the door for some semblance of stability. “Well excuse me for not feeling great about sending someone on a death mission on my behalf. He’ll kill you, Johnny. If not that, you’re gonna get fucked up. Mentally.” Daken shuddered involuntarily. Johnny stepped forward, almost backing Daken to the door, as he carefully straightened his back, in a bastardized mirror of what happened last time they spoke. Daken glared up at him.

“You’re not going to win. I’m not being an asshole here; you’re not going to win. Both Logan and I went up against him and lost. I’m not losing anyone else.” Daken tapered off, moving his hands to lightly encircle Johnny’s wrists. Nothing close to any kind of hold that would do anything to stop Johnny if he wanted to escape. His thumbs pressed lightly over Johnny’s pulse, where his own claws laid waiting.

“How the fuck do you think pheromones work?” Daken said softly. “I’ve tried to push you away. What do you think me running away to L.A. was?” Daken drew himself closer, to press himself to Johnny. He could play it off, in his mind, as trying to get physically close to Johnny, so any hint of pheromone he put out would be closer. Physical intimacy made people more willing to trust what you were saying. But in his mind, Daken knew the truth. He missed Johnny. Being close to him made him happy, like all those jokes Daken made about him being a literal ray of sunshine were true. And Daken was like a moth to a flame. “Tell me what you’re feeling, and i’ll make it better for you.” Daken said, gazing up at Johnny.

[kintsugikid]

vulcuhns​:

❝ oh thank you. ❞ he’s surprised that someone likes what he says because this sort of thing is what he says normally. although he’s also aware that most don’t … TALK the way he does so maybe the other is truthful when he says he finds it ‘ inspirational ‘. ❝ hero ? no i’m not. i’m … ❞ not quite sure how to respond to that. he’s definitely not a hero. but is he a villain ? ❝ simply me. ❞ easy answer. and it’s the truth. gabriel hasn’t quite decided where he fits in the whole ‘ hero/villain dichotomy ‘. maybe one day he will. 

“Oh, so you kill people?” Daken said plainly. There was never any ‘hero’ who was secure in their moral alignments who made up some vague comment on their alignment. There wasn’t ever any question about it in their head, but it was always the...morally grey types who fretted about the right words to use. Daken was the same way; he practically wrote the book on it. “You’re not a hero, not a villain. You swinging for a different team?” Daken gave him a questioning look. “Don’t worry, i’m the same way. You looking for work?”

[kintsugikid]

||| @hcneybdger​ |||

“Are you even old enough to drink coffee?” Daken asked sarcastically, looking at her as they stood in line at a local coffee shop. Neutral ground was especially needed when Daken had skipped out on his older brother duties for the past 5 or so years. To be fair, he skipped out on a lot of things these past 5 years, but this was one of the few that carried any amount of guilt along with it. “I’ll pay. Just get whatever sugary thing you want.”

[kintsugikid]

||| @kvnneys​ |||

Daken stood in front of the stacked wooden bins of records, carefully thumbing through each and every one. There wasn’t anything he was looking for in particular, but it was a great time-waster as Laura stood next to him, probably less than impressed in Daken’s lack of communication. They stood in silence for a few minutes, the only sound being the music playing overheard, and Daken’s soft appreciative noises when he found someone he recognized. “I’ll give you one old joke to make about me for free. After that, i’m going to hit you as hard as I possibly can.” Daken muttered, tilting his head to the side as he pulled one out of the bin.

[kintsugikid]

ofdrxamscapes​:

Carl knew the kiss was a kneejerk reaction, but it hadn’t been one he’d ever feel like it hadn’t been genuine. Before him stood a man who looked exactly the same as he had when they had met, Carl had grown old, gone with old age and now back, while Daken stayed exactly the same. Even if their story of mutant love was one that only got to be lived in a dream. Carl knew he had a lot to catch up on with Akihiro, as the world went on and moved forward without the old mutant, and so did Daken. He could see the not so visible changes in the man, and yet they were all so familiar to him it was palpable.

“I know,” Carl replied, holding up a hand before taking a breath. “It has been a very long time, even I know that.” he giggled the moment Daken had said he didn’t know how to feel. “Don’t really believe that, it’s just harder for you to feel. You wouldn’t have offered me a room instantly if you didn’t feel something at least, or remembered it.” he said, wise old eyes staring back at the young love of his life.

“Akihiro, I know the way your mind operates, you want it to be a trick, to be some vile misleading of some mutant with powers like mine. It would be very easy for you to write it off as such, but the truth is I didn’t even know I was a mutant at the time. My powers or my mutation was something I had never used before or something that activated until you came along. Over time after you left I realized what it was, but I never used it for any reason like that. Rubik’s cube isn’t here, or whatever his name was it was very um…roman.”

“A guest room that you willingly gave to someone you say you barely know, but just like in that dream I’ll be patient, and I’ll get to know you all over again, if you give me the chance that is. What I felt then was real, and it’s the same for me now. There’s something there.” Carl explained before smiling at Akihiro. “Also you suggesting a wedding ring already? Get me dinner first and then I’ll consider it.” he teased. “You would look amazing in a tux tho.”

“I offered you a room, because you literally have nowhere else to go.” Daken said, coldly. “You offered me a place to stay once, and i’m returning the favor.” This was getting out of hand. The absolutely last thing he needed right now was a serious relationship with someone he hasn’t known in 50 years. He still didn’t even know if this was some kind of trick, if he would suddenly turn into Mystique, or wake up in his bed again, finding out that it was all a dream.

“You don’t know a thing about me! That’s what i’m trying to get to.” Daken said under his breath. “50 years. You don’t think anything has happened to me in 50 years? Anyone? You think I just stopped after you? That I just sat by the side and watched everything happened?” Daken glared. “You may have put your life on hold, but I didn’t.”

Daken released a breath he didn’t know he was holding as he looked away. “You can’t just show up out of the blue, after i watched you die, and expect for everything to be the same. You have no idea what happened to me, nor did you ever seem to try and find me.” Daken stared at him.

“It wasn’t real. It was a dream. Sure if I was 50 years younger and uninhibited, then anything could happen. Let’s go get a white picket fence house and do it all. You honestly think i’m going to do that?” Daken asked, incredulously. “Is there something here? Or you just hoping there is because you’re in a strange new place, and i’m literally the only person you know?” Daken sighed. “If there’s anything I learned from our time together, it’s that i’m not meant for these fairy tell happy endings. I tried. Twice now.” Daken sighed. This sucked. “I loved you. At one point, I loved you as much as I could. But it wasn’t real. It was basically a hallucination. And there’s- other people.” Other people that hated Daken at the moment, but still. “You can stay with me. But we aren’t together. You need to move on, because I have.”

[kintsugikid]

flameontm​:

The banging at the door didn’t alarm him at first, but the accusatory voice soon after did. Johnny flung the door open, shaking with rage and disbelief, “I can’t believe you would show up here-” 

It might not be the Baxter Building, but this was still his home now. He still had family here. Sure, Peter could handle himself, but Johnny would have said that about Reed, and Daken had almost killed him. Before the whole Mysterio business Johnny had never really believed it, but if there was one thing he’d learnt from all that, it was that Spider-Man could fall, too. And he’d just invited Mary Jane to come over. If anything ever happened to her…  The thought of Daken getting in again, close to the people he loved, again, was almost blindingly terrifying.

The only thing that stopped him from wiping the floor with Daken for it was the ashamed twist in his stomach Johnny had every time he thought of his failure last time. The way he just hadn’t been able to act against Daken, even thought he wanted to. He’d been trying to move on, to forget. It wasn’t working.  

And then there was what he had been up to ever since, a secret project he’d told no one about. Johnny looked down to the file being forced into his hands. “How’d you know I was asking about this?” he asked slowly, and then looked back up, still hostile.  “Look, I’m not going to apologise for trying to help you. This is my job. Find bad guy, light up. Toast. This is what I do. What the hell is your problem? Do you not want him gone?”

As much as he wanted to tell Daken to fuck off, repeat that they were done, Johnny actually was kind of bewildered. Sure, Daken had made some sort of protest against Johnny doing anything last time, but he’d written that off as just another kind of mind game that he didn’t need to bother trying to figure out. A long second stretched out before Johnny admitted the truth, resenting himself for still feeling it, but it was there. It was still there. Even now his eyes softened as he stared at Daken, felt that same old hunger, as tortured and desperate as an addict. “I mean, I’m doing this for you.” 

“Oh so we’re talking about boundaries now?” Daken said, stepping up close and waving the file in his face, once more. “You’re meddling in my life. You can’t tell me that you want nothing to do with me, that you want me dead, and then come back the next fucking day, trying to interfere into my personal matters.”

This was infuriating. Even though Daken loved existing in gray areas in terms in relationships, constantly keeping people on the edge and never quite knowing what he wanted, it was annoying to have it mirrored back to him. And Johnny said he wanted nothing to do with Daken. That Daken was a monster, that Johnny had no feelings for him, and Daken respected that Johnny wanted nothing to do with him, but apparently Johnny couldn’t do the same. Which was horrible ironic, that Johnny was the one that couldn’t let things die.

And to what end? Daken was being nice, but he knew he was stronger than Johnny was. If Johnny went against Romulus, then Johnny would lose. Romulus would kill him in an instant, would kill Johnny in the most brutal way imaginable, all while ensuring that Daken had a front row seat, to really make the point that this his fault. That Johnny had died because he had gotten involved with Daken. Johnny would play perfectly into Romulus’ hand, in making sure Daken was entirely alone.

“Of course I want him gone, Johnny. But-” this wasn’t his fight. It was Daken’s fight the second Romulus made the conscious choice to ruin his life. It’s been Daken’s fight since 1959- “he’s gonna kill you. He’s been around since the dawn of time! You think you’re gonna be able to do something?”

“Don’t give me that bullshit.” Daken said flatly. “You’re doing this for yourself. You've somehow managed to convince yourself that if you defeat the big evil that lurks in my shadows, then i’m suddenly going to be fine and uninhibited. Then, i’ll come crawling back because i’m so thankful for everything you’ve done!” Daken explained, feeling more and more insane by the second. He felt like he was raving at this point.

“This isn’t your fight, Storm. You can’t even defeat me, so what makes you think you can defeat Romulus? Are you joking?” Daken looked at him, disbelief coating his features. “Look, I appreciate the knight in shining armor schtick. It’s adorable. Precious” Daken said, “I’m not a victim. I’m not some damsel in a tower. This isn’t your fight, so you either stand down, or i’m going to force you to stand down.”