#ty sky .... and you are right we should do something at some point !!! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

petertingle-yipyip · 2 years

Text

DEVIL ON MY SHOULDER - MATT MURDOCK

finale - devil on my shoulder

tags: @astrobees @americaarse @dusstory @johnmurphys-sass @ironprincessstranger @ahoytherebean // nine // bonus chapter // masterlist

Pairing: Daredevil x Reader (Matt x Reader)

Word Count: 11,816

Summary: Daredevil, Exodus, and Elektra v. The Hand. Three go in, two go out and nothing is quite the same between the ones who remain.

You were lying on Matt’s living room floor after tying up Stick, at Matt’s request. He told you to hang out on the couch or in one of the chairs but you waved him off, saying you’d hate to stain them. You were flat on your back instead, mask sitting at your throat and hands folded over your stomach.

What you thought was funny about that moment was that neither of you had actually told the other your secret, yet you were so comfortable around each other it was like you already knew.

“Do you even have a plan?” Stick challenged.

Matt was quiet as he thought for a moment. You turned your head to face him, partly wondering the same thing.

“I’m working on it.” He answered finally.

“You got me.” You called from the floor. “That’s a start, no?”

He offered you a small, grateful smile. “Yeah.. Yeah it is.”

“While you’re working on it, do me a favor and pull your head out of your ass. The Black Sky-“

“The Black Sky is the same type of manipulative, peer pressure tactic that was used on me growing up.” You cut in, sitting up quickly and almost instantly regretting it. “I used to think that whatever made me good at this-“ You shook your wrists. “-meant it was who I was always gonna be. Then I learned that it just takes the right people and some effort.”

“You think love and therapy are gonna help Ellie?” Stick mocked. “I guess I was wrong about you.”

“And I would care why?”

“You’re just as naive as he is. What are you two going to do about the war?”

“What I’m good at.” You shrugged and got to your feet. “Because it’s my choice. And El should get to choose too.”

You left after that, heading up to the roof to check on Elektra. You found her standing on the ledge, and if that were anyone else, the sight would’ve been startling.

“Came a long way since college, eh?” You tried as you came and stood beside her. When she turned to face you, you gestured to your suit and tugged your mask lightly. “Never would’ve seen me in this back then.”

She cracked just the smallest smile and it only lasted a second.

“How can you be so calm?” She asked in gentle disbelief. “I’m the Black Sky!”

“And I’m a Black Widow.” You countered. “I’ve probably killed more people than you have. I’ve had to leave everyone at some point… Yet we both ended up here, in Hell’s Kitchen, with Matt. Gotta admit, could be a point to it.”

“You think Matthew can save me?”

“I think he’ll try… He tried like hell to change me. I went for months with this little voice in my head, the Devil on my shoulder, chirping at me to do the right thing.” You chuckled slightly. “And I swore I’d never get mixed up with him again, yknow? Try to keep safe from that little Devil. He just knows me so well that he kept looping me back in… Everytime I think I’m free, he’s calling me and pulling me right back in.”

“But he gave up. And eventually, he’ll give up on me.”

“He won’t.” You gently put a hand on her elbow. “You are different to him than I am. In this suit, I’m not… I’m not the person he knows. You are still Elektra, whether you’re in this outfit or a dress or a t-shirt.”

“I really wanted to be better, for him…”

“I get it. And I’m not saying it’s the wrong reason to change but, El, what do you want to do for yourself?”

“I don’t know…” She said sadly.

“Can I give you an opinion?”

“Everyone else has.” She sighed heavily.

“I think that Matt brings out the good in both of us. He sees something in each of us that maybe we don’t always see in ourselves. But at the end of the day, I do this to protect people. What I think you need to figure out - Black Sky or not, doesn’t matter right now. You need to decide why you draw your sword. Why do you put on that mask? Is it for you or for them?” You gestured to the city.

“You still love him?”

“That’s not what this is about.”

“But you do?”

“I could say the same thing about you.”

“Everything you’ve done has been for him.” She chuckled slightly, almost like she was in awe of you. “Coming back here. This vigilante persona. All of it was to be close to him.”

“None of that matters now, because it’s not up to us who he chooses to be with. As much as I’d rather it be me than you, I can’t make that choice for him.”

“You could.”

“Let me rephrase. I won’t.” You answered firmly. “El, I don’t want to make this about my feelings for Matt.”

“He’d be better with you than me.. I think he likes you better.”

“Elektra.”

“You know it’s true..”

“It’s not my decision.”

“When this is over, I won’t come back.”

“You can leave him like that?”

“I’d want him to come with me. Would you.. Would you be able to let him go?”

You were quiet as the thought of Matt leaving you settled deep in your stomach. All you could do was nod.

“You won’t even fight me on that?” She exclaimed in disbelief.

“It’s up to him. It’s his future..” You shrugged, though the thought dug daggers into your heart. “Just like your future is up to you.”

“Leave us alone, Matthew.” She grumbled, not moving from the ledge.

“Am I interrupting?” He asked, trying to make light.

“A bit but it’s fine..” You nodded with a small smile. “I think we were coming up on a circular argument anyway.”

Elektra scoffed lightly in clear annoyance.

“Whatever you’re feeling, it’ll pass.” Matt tried.

“What do you know about what I’m feeling?” She challenged.

“Just consider the possibility that there’s no such thing as a Black Sky… That it’s all mysticism, yknow? It’s nonsense.”

“I’ve been trained to kill it since I was a kid.”

“Maybe everything they taught you was a lie.”

“It’s not that easy.” You admitted. “I’ve been away from the Red Room for a long time and it’s still carved into my brain like a prophecy… It still makes me question who I am. You watch me struggle with it every night so you know that.”

“He told me I had a gift… The special kind, the kind very few people have.” She insisted.

“Dreykov told me basically the same thing… That I was different, that if I could harness my gift I’d be a revolutionary. He told me the world didn’t deserve me, but he would teach me to be worthy of that gift… But at the end of the day, that man was abusing helpless little girls and using them to fight his war.”

“Training children to fight a war is easy when you’re using cookie cutter wisdom that sounds good to them.” Matt added, standing on Elektra’s other side.

“Some of what the Hand does defies explanation.” Elektra urged and you had to give it to her on that one.

“Just because I don’t understand something doesn’t mean I’m ready to chalk it up as some fairy tale.” He reasoned.

“I’m sorry, is this coming from the Catholic altar boy?” You teased and he rolled his eyes at you.

“True or not, legend says once they have the Black Sky, they’ll be capable of anything.” Elektra explained. “It’s not about what I’m willing to do. Even in a cage, I’ll be their false idol. They’ll do terrible things in my name because they think the Black Sky makes them invincible.”

“They can’t have you. You don’t belong to anyone.” He shook his head.

“You’re incredibly smart, strong, and powerful.” You said honestly. “You are Elektra Natchios. No one can tell you what to do, who to be, or what to be. It’s all up to you… Always has been.”

“We can take them down. Not Stick’s way. We can do it our way… The three of us.”

“You would trust me after all I’ve put you through?” She asked in disbelief, but deep in her chest, you felt those sparks. Matt was bringing back something Elektra thought was long forgotten and you couldn’t help but feel that if she asked him to leave with her, he would.

“The Hand can mask their heartbeats… But yours has always been loud and clear.” He leaned around Elektra. “Yours too.”

“Oh, bullshit.” You shook your head. “You can’t read me.”

“Not completely… But I’m starting to figure you out when you let me.”

You scoffed lightly with a small smile as you turned back to Elektra. “You could’ve killed me earlier and I would’ve let you… Mieux vaut mourir à la lame d'un ami que à la lame d'un ennemi… But you didn’t. Personally, I think there’s some merit in that.” (Better to die at the blade of a friend than the blade of an enemy.)

“Some stories say Nobu has lived three lifetimes, a criminal record that goes back decades. True or not, he’s the head of the snake.” Elektra explained. “He’s our best chance at taking down the Hand.”

“It’s a simple job then.. Find Nobu. And finish him.” You shrugged.

“No. We get him away from the Hand without alerting his troops.” Matt countered.

You groaned quietly and rolled your eyes.

“Killing him only makes him a martyr.” He reasoned. “I wanna dethrone him. Show his cult that their holy man is nothing but a guy.”

“An empty throne is an invitation for someone else.” You warned. “But if you’re sure…”

“We’ll have to find him first.” Elektra sighed.

“I say we head straight into the lion’s den. The last thing they’re expecting is us to hit back at them right now.”

“You’d risk everything for me?”

He simply smiled back at her.

“So how do we do it then?”

You sighed to yourself and stepped back off the ledge. You had wondered, when Elektra came back into town, just got much of Matt still belonged to her. In times of crisis, he only belonged to her. But if you could really defeat the Hand, would he still put her first? Could he really be okay with the ease she killed with?

And even though Matt said he wanted balance and so nearly confessed he wanted you, maybe there would always be an exception for Elektra, a hope that somewhere deep down they really can make it work.

You also wondered - if only for a moment - if he only accepted Exodus as a friend and ally because you reminded him of Elektra.

“Not alone… We do it together.” He explained before turning towards you. “That means you too, Ex.”

“Huh? Yeah.. Yeah, I’m in.” You nodded.

“You don’t sound sure.” His head tilted.

“It’s nothing, we’re good.”

He took a step to turn his body fully towards you. Elektra turned too, offering a slightly concerned expression. You looked between the two and ran through a thousand scenarios, of who Matt would pick. Where he and Elektra could go. What a life together could look like.

“Ex?” He tried and your attention focused back on him. “I need you with me.”

“I know.. I’ll be there.”

He flashed you a thankful smile and you relaxed a bit. You knew that he was still unsure what distracted you and it worried him, he knew better than to press for a confession.

“C’mon.” He took Elektra’s hand, though dropping the topic was by no means an acceptance of what you said. “We gotta go see Melvin.”

“Who’s Melvin?” Your brows furrowed since as far as you knew, Matt didn’t know a Melvin.

“Guy who made my suit and made that.” He gestured to you.

“Oh.. Make sure you tell him thanks then.” You nodded and headed back to the door to Matt’s apartment.

“You’re not coming?” Elektra asked.

“Don’t need to.” You shrugged. “I got this.” You tapped one of the plates of your top. “I got these.” You shook your staffs. “I don't need anything else… I’ll just go home and reload.”

“Exodus.” Elektra tried and you couldn’t tell why.

“It’s getting a little too… romancy.” You gave her a pointed look. “Just call when you’re ready, Red.”

You went home and tossed your mask on your table on your way into the kitchen. You washed your hands in the sink, ringing out your gloves and watching the sink be stained red before you threw some leftover pizza in the microwave. As the food warmed, you headed to your bedroom and pulled your case out. You put a couple more shock discs in your belt and checked the charge on your Bites. You switched your bloody knives for new ones and packed another wire cartridge. You stopped in the bathroom to wash the blood off your face before heading back for your food.

You sat at your table, taking a deep breath and blowing the steam off your pizza.

Jumping right back into a fight with the Hand wasn’t how you want to spend your night. You wanted calm, peace to process and begin accepting some of your grief. But it felt like you were running from it, same way you ran from everything else in your past.

It’s what you do best, right?

Maybe running from it made it less real. If you could get away from those feelings, even just momentarily, you could pretend it didn’t happen. You could pretend that you could pick up your phone and call Frank, see if he was able to get a drink. You could just exist without looking over your shoulder and throwing a punch.

But you chose that life, the vigilante life. Things wouldn’t be simple so long as Exodus existed.

The sound of your phone going off made you jump slightly.

“Ready?” You said, a mouthful of pizza.

“Are you eating?” He laughed slightly.

“Yeah, leftover pizza. You want some?” You said sarcastically. “Where are we meeting?”

“I need you to meet me at the 15th precinct first.”

“For?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Be there in five.” You threw on your mask and damp gloves before hurrying out your fire escape and into the city.

As you got to the precinct, you found Matt and Brett outside on the fire escape.

“The masked vigilante is the only one I can trust.” He said sarcastically. “And his little friend.”

“Я заслуживаю большего признания, чем это.” You rolled your eyes as you stood beside Matt. “Why am I here?” (I deserve more credit than that.)

“What happened?” Matt asked Brett.

“Knew it was just a matter of time till you two showed up… Again.”

“Speaking of time, you’re wasting ours.. Can you get to the point?” You sighed.

“This ain’t the first time some asshole roughed me up. This job, it ain’t easy. But then he said they got eyes on my mom. Said they were gonna kill her, even put her on the phone.”

“Who?”

“No idea… Worked for someone big though. They wanted everything we had on you two.”

“Couldn’t be that much.”

“You’d be surprised to know that we do keep track of two things really well. Incident reports-“ He glared at you. “-and records of people you put away.” He focused on Matt. “They wanted to know everyone you saved.”

“They’re making it personal now.” You realized quietly as Matt seemed to realize the same thing.

He grabbed your hand and took off, dragging you behind him and leaving Brett on the fire escape. As you two were running, you were quickly trying to remember any names that stuck out. Anyone that you could track or could try to get to first. But the faces, the names, everyone blurred together.

Until one face stuck out. One familiar face.

Karen.

Matt seemed to have the same thought because you two were easily moving in the same direction. He broke down the plywood that had been put up over her busted windows and found the place empty, and her phone on the floor.

You couldn’t track her without it.

You let out a short string of curses as something caught Matt’s attention on the wall. Turning, you saw the long strokes of a sword. You were quick to check the floors and other walls for any blood splatters, bloody prints, or rogue drops but you saw nothing. You put a gentle hand on Matt’s shoulder.

“Let’s get to the roof.” You said gently. “I have a terrible idea.”

“Yeah?” He said tightly but followed you nonetheless. “What’s that?”

“Y’know how I can read people’s emotions? Usually I block it out so it doesn’t overwhelm me but I’m gonna open up to everyone until I find her.”

“Are you sure that’s smart?” He tried, genuine concern lacing his words.

“Should be fine.”

“Ex.”

“Matt.”

“That’s not fair.” He gave a lazy smile. “I don’t know your name.”

“You will soon.” You nodded, speaking before your mind really processed what you were saying. “When this is all over.”

You knelt on one ledge while Matt on the other one. You took a deep breath and opened yourself to everyone. You were hit with a wave of… well, everything. Opening yourself to that many emotions at once meant you would absorb everything without a filter, but it also meant there was more for you to tap into later.

Anger. Fear. Regret. Happiness. Loss. Lust. Pride. Envy.

You clenched your jaw and tried to focus. You thought of your memories with Karen. You remembered her reaction when you first told her the truth, how she worried about you both before and after she found out, the way the walls she tried to put between you two crumbled. The comfort you felt when she finally accepted things the way they were. You focused on your friendship.

Vaguely, you heard Elektra talking to Matt in the background but you were too close to tune in. You had found a small cluster of fear and panic, interlaced with calm arrogance. You willed your powers to work harder, to find Karen specifically because if she wasn’t there then you weren’t going.

Your eyes snapped open and you saw the faintest glowing ball in front of you. It called to you, asking you to follow it. It was a strange manifestation, but you had seen stranger from your abilities. You cocked your head in silent question and you could almost hear Karen’s voice in your head.

Please. Please get here in time. I don’t wanna die.

You glanced behind you and found your friends huddled together. Matt was listening for something, and given his struggle less than a minute ago, you didn’t want to interrupt. Instead, you discreetly hopped off the ledge and climbed down the building on your own.

You weren’t surprised when the ball of light led you to an area of town not that different from where you had killed Nobu. Or, where you thought you did, rather. You wouldn’t make that mistake again, you decided. He wouldn’t get back up if you got the chance.

Your new problem became the archers on the roof. You knelt at the ledge and tapped your mask to figure out what you were walking into.

“Nice of you to join me.” You commented as you scanned the building and you heard the familiar sets of footsteps join you on the roof.

“If you had told me you had something, we would’ve gotten here together.” Matt scolded.

“You two were sharing such a tender moment, I didn’t want to interrupt…”

“Are you.. jealous?” He chuckled .

“Anyways.” You stood and he nudged you playfully with his shoulder. “About twenty hostages. Two cops dead already and archers on the roof.”

“Nobu’s men?” Elektra asked.

“Crawling the building like cockroaches.”

“How many?”

“Probably an army.”

“Can you isolate Nobu?” She asked Matt.

“No.” He answered simply.

“We can’t move until we know he’s here.”

“Then you can stay here and play guard dog.” You sighed and stood. “I’m going in there because my friend is in there.”

“I didn’t come here for them. I came to take down Nobu and you said you’d help.”

“We will, Elektra, but right now, the people in that building-“ Matt tried.

“Were used to draw us out.” She cut in. “Saving them won’t help us.”

“I can handle it on my own.” You said easily, attaching your wire to your belt.

“Ex.” Matt warned.

“I have the most experience getting in and out of places I’m not supposed to be. You two worry about finding Nobu.”

“You go in alone, you’re as good as dead.” Elektra warned.

“По крайней мере, я могу умереть, зная, что сделал что-то хорошее.” You smiled sadly and turned to Matt. “Isn’t that what you wanted?” (At least I can die knowing I did something good.)

You fell backwards and slid down the side of the building. You landed lightly on your feet and were quick to disconnect from your wire. You flicked it hard so it would unwrap and retract. You let the little glow guide you to the right floor so you climbed the fire escape on the neighboring building. You shot your wire at the window frames and pulled your gun in one hand before swinging feet first through the windows.

You would’ve liked to have done it Matt’s way, but there were too many people at risk. You had to be quick and efficient. Meaning one shot, one kill.

You rolled through your landing and were met with an outcry of screams, though it was clear they weren’t all meant for you. You finished in a kneel and were quick to fire headshots, clearing four Hand ninjas easily and quietly. Soon after, Matt crashed through the other windows and took out the remaining two. You used the time to disconnect your wire and holster your gun.

“Are you okay?” You hurried to kneel in front of Karen while Matt directed everyone else out.

“How did you find us?” She asked quickly, her fear and panic still skyrocketing.

“Cause you were terrified.” You admitted. “I told you I’d look out for you, didn’t I?”

You reached for a discarded knife and cut through the zip ties around her hand as Matt came to her side. You moved and helped the man beside her get to his feet, but he limped heavily so you had to help him to the hall where another member of the group took over.

“When you get out, keep your heads down, okay?” You warned. “There’s men on the roof and I don’t know if I can get their attention first.”

There was a chorus of thanks and praise before the group hurried away. Karen was last to leave, stopping to tell you about the gunshot wound on Matt’s chest. Before you could get to him and check, you saw he was preoccupied fighting four ninjas. You picked up one of the discarded blades and hurried to his side.

You swiped the blade across the backs of two of the Hand that were fighting Matt. They turned on you quickly and you taunted the closer. One of them swiped their blade at you from the side but you avoided it with a fancy aerial move. As you landed, you had to throw the blade up quickly to block another attack.

You kicked one of them away and fired a quick red shot from your Bite. You gripped the blade tightly and threw the other Hand into a spin. You used the gap to pick up your own momentum and pierce his spine with the blade. You pushed his body over and hurried to Matt’s side. There was one more ninja that Matt wasn’t focused on so you moved in.

You ran at him and did a quick aerial to get your ankles around his neck. You continued your momentum to throw him to the side and out the window. When you unlocked your ankles, you reached for the remaining window frame and ended up with a piece of glass slicing through your hand. You cried out loudly as you tried to climb back up but Matt ended up grabbing your forearms and pulling you up.

His fingers traced the gash on either side of your hand and frowned. He pulled your glove with one hand and reached for the side pouch of your belt with the other. When his fingers slipped into the pocket, he gave a slight tug to pull you against him and you couldn’t stop the gasp as your bodies hit and he grinned. You furrowed your brows but didn’t stop him as he pulled a couple gauze pads and the tape. You smiled slightly to see he remembered as he brought your other hand up to hold the gauze in place as he taped it down. He handed you back the tape and glove with a slight smirk.

“Better than a bullet hole.” You joked as you put the tape away and your glove on.

“Barely a hole, okay?” He countered with a small chuckle.

“I thought you were bulletproof.” You teased.

“First time for everything I guess.”

You saw two more Hand members coming in from over Matt’s shoulder but before you could react, you saw the tip of Elektra’s weapons piercing through their bodies.

“Glad you joined us.” You smiled.

“I got bored.” She shrugged.

You chuckled slightly and pulled your staffs, interlocking them together as four more Hand members burst in. You flicked the dial for the long blade and moved in. You attacked with the single staff hard from the right side, slicing a deep gash across one of their stomachs. You turned and used the blunt end to sweep the legs before spinning the weapon over your hand and driving the blade down into their chest.

While Matt jammed the butt end of his club into one of their noses, two hands shot through the wall to grab Elektra. You quickly followed after her and slid on your knees, spinning yourself and disconnecting your weapon. You put the blade away and swung your staffs at his head after Matt kicked him towards you. Elektra finished the other and then the room was empty save for you three. Elektra winced and peaked at the back of her arm, your attention moving to it as well.

You summoned the heat of anger to your fingers and offered them to Elektra. She nodded quickly and you pressed the fingers along the length of her cut and she hissed as you burned the wound shut. Matt pulled you two up the stairs as you finished and you wiped the blood on your pants.

Matt barricaded the door after you all went in. You pulled him back and called on that anger again. Only instead of directing it to your fingers, you pictured it as pure heat. You held your hands to the slot where the bar fit and pushed the heat outward, watching the metals meld together.

“I’m not gonna lie to you… There’s a lot more coming.” Matt said simply.

“One thing’s for sure… We’re gonna die.” Elektra answered.

“I say we take a few more of them out with us then.” You shrugged.

“You wanna end it here or on the roof?” Matt asked.

“I’ve always liked the fresh air.” Elektra replied, earning a small chuckle from Matt.

You three climbed the rest of the stairs and you tapped your mask, seeing through the walls to the heat signatures outside.

“What’s out there?” She asked.

“Oh, Jesus.” Matt sighed.

“Remember that army I mentioned?” You answered.

“Packed with katanas and longbows… More from below with the same weapons.” Matt explained and you let out a long sigh.

Elektra dropped to the floor by the door so you knelt beside her. You offered a comforting hand on her arm and she covered it with her own.

“Even if we survive, the three of us may not see each other again.” She said quietly.

“What if… What if, from now on, if we make it…” Matt tried, kneeling in front of Elektra and removing his helmet. “Wherever you run, I run with you.”

“You’d leave?” You asked softly. Though you had done the same to him so long ago, you hated the idea of being in New York without him.

“This… This Is a part of me that I need.” He continued when Elektra didn’t say anything. “And you’re the only one who gets it.”

“The only one…” You repeated quietly.

The pain in your chest was hot, begging for acknowledgement but it was your own doing. By not telling Matt sooner, he didn’t know that you were the one by his side. You were the one who had saved his life, risked your own for him so many times. He didn’t know you were the one who fought beside him.

He didn’t know that you got it, too.

“I’m free with you, like with no one else.” He said firmly.

“You hide from yourself…” She said gently. “You don’t let anyone in.”

“I let you in.”

“And what about Y/N?” She spoke softly, giving your hand a small squeeze. “You let her in, too. Matthew, you love her. And you’d leave her?”

“She left once because she was running from her past.. I think she’d understand.” He reasoned, but he couldn’t hide the pain when he thought of leaving you. “Maybe not at first, but she would.”

“But you love New York..”

“Yeah.. I’d give my life for it but there’s one thing that makes me feel more alive… What do you say?”

You began wondering how long you could stay in New York if Matt left with Elektra. You’d have Foggy and Karen, but would that be enough? Matt, realistically, was the one thing that kept you from going back to London after your Bar exam. With the firm gone and the relationship you stayed for now fallen apart, what was left for you?

You decided then that if Matt left, so would you. You’d tell Foggy and Matt the truth, apologize for hurting them in any way, and be out of their lives.

At least you wouldn’t be able to hurt them anymore.

Elektra pulled you up with her, in turn pulling you from your spiral of thoughts. You three went out onto the roof and found the Hand’s army standing calmly across from you. You could vaguely feel a familiar presence not too far away, one that was calm and charming but also angry. You glanced around as you tried to pinpoint it but saw nothing in the darkness.

Rather, you saw Nobu. He made some short speech about destiny before attacking your trio. He threw his weapon at you first and it sliced across your arm. You cried out but wrapped the chain around your hand, gripping it tightly and pulling him closer.

Once he was close enough, you twisted your arm around his neck and stepped behind him. Your knee was jammed against his back as you steered into hit after hit from Matt and Elektra. Once the rest of the army realized Nobu was losing, they jumped in.

Nobu reached behind him and caught you by your shirt, dropping his shoulder to flip you over. He pinned the hand you wrapped with the chain under his foot and yanked the chain across your throat. You coughed as you felt the metal pressing on your windpipe. You used your free hand to slip under your back and reach for one of your knives.

Reaching up, you sliced through his calf. You planted one foot firmly against the floor and used the other to kick up at his head. When he fell off of you, you were quick to roll to your stomach. Matt came in quick from the side and slammed his knee into Nobu’s head. You were quick to unwrap your hand and grip your knife firmly, launching it into Nobu��s back and giving yourself room to get to Elektra.

You hurried to your friend and pulled another blade, reaching over a Hand member’s shoulder to slit his throat. You and Elektra kept your backs to one another, fighting and protecting each other. Squelching sounds of punctures and the sound of metal hitting metal echoed across the slowly emptying rooftop as the bodies began to pile up around you and Elektra.

Soon, it felt like it was just you three and Nobu.

The three of you alternated your attacks, one stepping in when another was knocked down. But none of you stayed down for long. The variations in your fighting styles kept Nobu on a constant defense, only getting temporary upper hands on any of you. Until…

He dislocated Elektra’s arm and she hadn’t gotten up yet. He kicked Matt so hard his helmet flew off. That only left you.

“There’s still room for you here, Exodus. Maybe we are your destiny, as well.” Nobu offered through heavy, tired breaths.

“I choose my own destiny.” You growled and charged back into the fight.

You flicked your knife towards his chest but he avoided it easily, just as you hoped he would. You ran towards him and hooked your foot behind his knee, reaching across his chest to grab his shirtfront. You dropped and pushed yourself backwards to flip you both and put Nobu on his face. You spun to kneel on his back and lifted your arm to wake your Bite. As the device glowed red, an arrow came and sliced your forearm.

You cried out and fell to the side, giving Nobu a chance to climb on top of you. He hoisted you up by your shirt and landed sharp jabs against your face, causing your head to bounce off the concrete beneath you. You grabbed the wrist holding you up with one hand and slammed your opposing arm against his, crying at the pain but hearing the deep snap of his bone. You curled your legs up and kicked out at his chest, sending him flying away and giving you a chance to get up.

You moved to Elektra’s side since she was closer and helped her up. You pulled her to her feet and turned to see Nobu grabbing Matt. Panic froze you momentarily before you felt Elektra grab you. Together, you ran to Matt.

You drew your staff and stuck it out in front of Matt, causing Nobu’s weapon to clatter against it. He switched grips and slammed his elbow into your nose which made you stagger back. When he turned to slam the weapon into your stomach, Elektra stepped in front and took the hit. Your mouth fell open but no sound came out as you felt everything drain from your body. The tears welled up quickly so you yanked your mask down.

She kicked Nobu away before falling to her knees. You hurried to catch her when she dropped backwards and Matt was at her other side and his panic rivaled your own.

“No. No, no!” You cried and shook your head violently. Matt pressed his hands over her stomach in an effort to stop the bleeding. “Don’t do this, El. Don’t die on me!”

“They have nothing now.” She said weakly. “I took it all away.”

Blue and red clouded your vision, mixing swirls of bright colors that remained their own. Your fingers burned but the rest of your body felt ice cold.

“I know now… what it feels… to be good.” She managed through broken gasps and tears.

“Please.” You whispered. “El, please!”

“Look after him…. He.. He needs… you.”

You shook your head again, as if you could deny the situation and it would change. Your shoulders shook with your quiet sobs as your eyes closed, holding your friend close for as long as you could.

“Does it always hurt this much?” She asked Matt and your heart broke even further.

“Yeah.” He sniffled. “It always hurts this much.”

And then she was gone. You felt her go limp in your lap and you gently crawled out, leaving her in Matt’s embrace. You collapsed over your knees, one hand clutching your stomach and the other was a tight fist against the ground. You took in a shaky breath and screamed, letting out a broken sound of pain as you slammed your fist to the floor.

You felt two hands on your side that were pulling you up. You let them, looking up to see Matt hauling you to your feet. You ran your sleeve across your eyes, smearing the tears across your blood splattered face. You ground your teeth and took one last glance over your shoulder at Elektra.

She seemed at peace, finally.

Looking back at the few Hand soldiers that were left, your vision had grown bright red. There were blue swirls at the edges but the focus was the manic haze, the sadistic bloodlust. You pulled your gun and sniffled, weighing the bullets you had left.

Eleven rounds. Four Hand members.

You looked over at Matt, feeling his anger at the same level as yours. But you felt something else too, something from behind you. Someone familiar, but you didn’t care to figure it out.

Matt moved in first, beating the two Hand soldiers that came in first. Once he pushed them aside, you stepped in and put a bullet in their skull. You raised your gun to fire on a third one but another bullet beat you to it. You quickly spun on your heel with your gun ready and saw Frank on the rooftop behind you.

You felt the slightest wave of relief, dulling the red of your vision as your arms dropped. Your hand covered your mouth as you smiled slightly, a fresh wave of tears coming. You saw him offer you a quick salute before firing on the Hand behind you. You returned the gesture before hurrying across the rooftop to Matt’s side, though he was already engaged with Nobu. Matt’s anger easily fueled him into getting the upper hand, but you were determined to have the final shot. As Matt threw Nobu off the roof, you followed.

You stepped over the ledge and flicked your wire at the railing. As you slid down the building, you drug your heels against the side to slow your descent. You aimed your gun and once he hit the ground, you pulled the trigger, watching the bullet pierce through his skull and bounce his head off the concrete. You hung there for a second, waiting to ensure he wouldn’t get up, but the growing puddle of blood that he laid in was enough of an answer for you.

You were climbing back up to the roof when part of Matt’s new club came towards you. You took a hold of it and he helped pull you up. He tapped your arm and pointed to the roof behind you where Frank was and he gave you the slightest smile, as if he knew you’d be happy to see Frank.

You pointed to yourself before your fingers made the shape of a phone and then you pointed to Frank, hoping he’d get the message that you would call him later. He nodded before disappearing.

You blew out a sigh to calm yourself and settle your deep anger. There was satisfaction in knowing Nobu was dead and that you had pulled the trigger. Not even for yourself, but for Elektra.

For your friend who gave her life for yours. For your friend who annoyed the hell out of you and pushed every button she could, who was arrogant beyond belief and stole the man you loved right out from under you. Your friend who was a liar, but also smart. Powerful. Beautiful. Vengeful and angry, but also just wanting to be loved for who she truly was.

You wished you could tell her that she was. That despite it all, you did love her.

Matt took your hand and walked with you back to Elektra, both of you falling to your knees beside her.

“I’m sorry…” You said quietly, more to Elektra than Matt. “I’m so sorry.”

Matt put a hand on your shoulder and you turned instantly, falling against his chest. His arms came around you quickly and held you tightly. You kept muttering the apology as a new wave of sobs ran through you and he hushed you gently, saying it was okay. You held him with all the strength you had left, terrified that he would slip through your fingers too.

He leaned his chin on the top of your head, seemingly trying to contain his own grief. You took a deep breath and pulled away, putting your hands on either side of his face. He tried to give you a smile but it broke instantly.

This time, he fell into you. He buried his face in the crook of your neck and you put one hand behind his neck and the other over his shoulders. You said nothing, other than a gentle reassurance that you were there.

You two stayed that way for a while, consoling each other despite your own grief. You only moved when Matt heard the cops getting close. Hesitantly, you followed him off the roof.

Sleep didn’t find you that night. You sat on the floor of your shower, letting the stream wash away the blood, sweat, and tears of that night. But nothing could help your pain. You didn’t even care to try and heal yourself, other than your hand.

At least you didn’t have to grieve for Frank anymore… Just Elektra.

A few days later, you still hadn’t slept much but you were beside Matt and Stick at Elektra’s grave. You had your arm linked with his and you leaned into him slightly, almost using him to keep you standing.

“I wanted to say a few words but… I don’t have any.” Matt said after a while of standing quietly.

“Can I?” You spoke up, though your voice sounded hoarse. You had sounded that way since that night, having cried so much and screamed so loud your throat was rubbed raw.

“Yeah..”

“Elektra was a lot of things, some good and some bad… But ultimately, she was my friend. She saw and did things that no one should have had to as young as she was, but maybe it’s because of that that we were the friends we were… She was complicated but loyal, willing to give her life for-“ You sniffled and took a deep breath. Matt turned to you and placed a small kiss to the top of your head, an old but not unusual gesture between you two. “Elektra was so loved… I loved her, and I’ll miss her.”

“God rest her soul.” Stick added solemnly. Despite their last spat, he still loved her as his own. “Was it worth it?”

“What?” Matt asked.

“Loving her.”

He took a deep breath as he thought, but decided not to answer. But standing beside him, you knew. It was worth it to him.

“One time in college, I brought her roses.” He said instead and you gave a small smile.

“She hated roses.” You chuckled weakly. “It was orchids, right?”

“Yeah.. She likes orchids… And yeah, it was worth it.”

“Matt, you are the toughest son of a bitch I’ve ever met.” Stick praised before leaning around to you. “And little lady, you are a close second.”

“I don’t feel very tough.” You admitted.

“What you see in yourself and what you are don’t always overlap.” He nodded. “Let’s go home.”

The car dropped you off at your apartment first. Matt offered to stay with you but you told him you’d rather be alone. Hesitantly, he let you.

When you got to your apartment, you headed for your bedroom and found your suit peaking out of the closet. The memory of that night flashed in your mind when you caught a glimpse of the blood stained on the front. It could’ve been the Hand or it could’ve been Elektra’s. You hurried over and slammed the case shut.

You had no plans of returning to that life anytime soon. You doubted Matt did either. And if you were going to take up Dex on the FBI offer, you couldn’t be a vigilante and a federal agent. It was too risky. You had to choose. Y/N or Exodus.

The choice was easy.

You shut the closet and pulled your phone, sitting on the floor and leaning against your bed. You weren’t sure if he had changed numbers but you had to try. You had to find out why.

“Hey.. I’m sorry about your friend.” He said gently, honestly.

“Thanks… How are you?” You answered, not sure how to bring up the main reason you called.

“Same shit, different day. Gotta finish what I started and see this through… For my family..”

“What’s the plan?”

“Nah, not this time, Princess.”

“You don’t need to coddle me, Frank.” You tried.

“I’m not.”

“Then why won’t you tell me? I thought you trusted me more than that.”

“Y/N..” He sighed. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, alright? It’s not. It’s that I know you’re only using this as an excuse so you don’t have to deal with your pain. You wanna use any sort of fight you can to ignore what’s really going on. You’re so used to fightin’ that you can’t deal with peace.”

“Yeah, you’re one to talk.”

You wondered if Frank had always been able to read people so easily, or if you were just especially transparent. But what you really noticed, was that he wasn’t condescending about it. He never made you feel bad or inferior because of your struggles or your shortcomings. Frank was a real friend, even if your friendship was still new.

“… Why did you do it? Fake your death for a while with the boat explosion.” You asked instead.

“Cause Frank Castle is dead.” He insisted.

“So you’re nothing but the Punisher now?”

“You ever really think I was anything more?”

“I did… I really did… The Punisher isn’t the one who convinced me that it was my choice who I was. The Punisher isn’t the one who made sure Karen was safe. The Punisher isn’t the one who wanted to save me first on that boat. The Punisher isn’t all you are.”

He chuckled slightly.

“Gotta admit, Imma miss that, Princess. Your little optimism.” He said and you could hear the small smile on his voice. “Red really got to you, didn’t he?”

“I’m serious, Frank.”

“I know… But I can’t keep dragging you into this, alright? I just.. I’m sorry but I can’t. Not this time.”

“You don’t plan on dying for real this time. Do you?”

“Guess we’ll find out.”

You sighed loudly.

“I can’t convince you to let me tag along, can I?” You tried.

He chuckled slightly.

“Not this time.”

“Alright… Just try not to then.” You said reluctantly. “I can’t lose another friend right now, okay? I can’t… Call me if you need anything.”

“Alright.. See you ‘round, Y/N.”

“Bye, Frank.”

You had gotten more sleep that night than nights before, and maybe that was due to the closure from Frank. You didn’t necessarily like that he was running off to a seemingly never ending battle by himself, but if anyone could handle it, it was him. Maybe it was also due to the fact that Elektra was put to rest. You said what had been bouncing in your head and felt a sense of closure in that regard, too.

The only thing left was telling Matt and Foggy.

Matt called you the next day and asked if you could meet him at the office, just for a minute he insisted. You reached into your closet and pulled the Red Room emblem out of the corner you had shoved it into. It took one of your knives and a lot of pulling during your most recent redesigning, but you finally got the enamel logo off. Part of you questioned if he would recognize it, given that the red was the point but it was better than throwing your mask at him. But just to be sure, you shoved one of your Bites into your bag

You got ready quickly, considering the cold weather, and hustled down to the office. You were shaking the loose snowflakes from your hair as you walked in, finding Karen already waiting. The room was stale and cold, dimly lit by a couple lamps. Any life from Nelson and Murdock had faded away just as the warmer temperatures had. The situation suddenly became very real as your once warm and welcoming office now felt like another world.

“Hey.” She breathed.

“Hey.” You smiled. “You okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m good. You?”

“Not really but…” You shrugged. “Matt called you?”

“Yeah, said he wanted to talk about something.”

“I’m a little surprised you came, given everything with him last time I saw you guys talk.”

“Same could be said for you.” She gave you a small smile.

“You don’t know what I know.” You returned the small smile. “But that’s probably what this is for.”

“Should I be worried?”

“If how you reacted before is an indication, you’ll probably be pissed.” You nodded and sat on the edge of the desk as Matt walked in.

“Thanks for coming.” He said, pulling a brown bag from under his arm.

“What are we doing here, Matt?” She asked.

Your hand slid into your pocket and pulled out the small enamel design, twirling it between your fingers. You noticed Matt’s head tilt just slightly, likely the sound of the emblem against your pants as you pulled it out drawing his attention but he tried not to show it. He snapped back and focused on answering Karen.

“I, uh. I have something.” He explained as he stepped closer, reaching into the bag.

“No, I don’t want it.” She shook her head and moved to leave.

“Hang on.” You said gently, reaching to pull her back. “Just give him a chance.”

“It’s something I need you two to see.” He continued and you let out a deep breath.

Karen glanced over at you and you nodded. Her brows furrowed but she relaxed and turned to Matt again. You kept your eyes down as you heard him pulling whatever it was out of the bag.

The tension rose drastically and you knew it was what you thought it would be. Karen looked at you again in shock but when you lifted your eyes to meet hers, all you could offer was a silent nod of confirmation. You turned to the window then, rather than face Matt.

You knew it was Matt, had known for a little while. You had been practically taunting him and begging him to call you out for being Exodus ever since, but the idea of confessions made your heart squeeze. The emblem in your hand felt sharp now, like holding onto it - along with your secret - was going to physically pain you until you let go. Until you told the people who deserved to know.

“I’m Daredevil.” Matt admitted.

Silence passed over the group again so you decided to move. You stood, leaving the logo on the desk, and moved to stand in front of Matt. Gently, you took the helmet from his hands and you saw him swallow hard when your fingers brushed his. In any other circumstance, it would’ve made you smile.

You ran your fingers over the hard material, tracing the ghost of a line you remembered seeing after Frank shot him. You looked back up to him and found how terrified he was. He was surrounded by a yellow haze, but there was also pink mixed in. He was scared because of how he cared for you two.

You took a step back to stand beside Karen. She put a hand on your arm in comfort and when you looked to her, she offered a small smile. You could tell she wanted to look down, to acknowledge the helmet in your hands but she refused. Instead, you reached over and put it in hers.

She took it, only for a second, before shoving it back into your hands and practically running out the door. You watched her go as the door slammed behind her, making a face of surprise to yourself. Given how she chewed your head off after you told her, it went far better than you expected.

You took a step forward again to put your hand on his cheek and found he leaned into your touch.

“Say something… Please.” He mumbled.

“Matt…” You said finally and you saw some of the tension leave his face as you said his name. “There’s… There’s something you should know, too.”

His brows furrowed as you pulled your hand away and stepped over to the desk and reached for the small piece of enamel, placing the helmet on the desk in its place. You took one more deep breath and went back to Matt, taking one of his hands and pressing the logo against it.

His brows furrowed while holding the emblem in one hand, his fingers tracing it over and over. Every time his digits followed the shape, you felt the anxious knot in your stomach tighten.

Everything you had been avoiding since you got back to Hell’s Kitchen, revealing yourself to Matt and showing the blood on your hands, it was all happening right before your eyes. The uncertainty made you feel like you were standing at the edge of a cliff, teetering backwards and reaching for safety. Matt was the only one who could pull you back, but the question of if he would was yet to be answered.

“This is…” He trailed off, drawing your focus back to him. “Where did you get this?”

“It’s the trademark for the Red Room… It was part of every Black Widow uniform…” You explained carefully. “It was at the collar of my suit for a while until I changed the top… Then it was hidden and now it’s off.”

“The Red Room… Y/N, what..?”

Did he really not know?

“I… I’m Exodus, and I’m sorry. For everything. For- For the times I’ve hurt you. The times I tried to kill you… Matt, I swear, if I knew sooner that it was you...”

“Oh my god..” He said quietly, nearly a whisper. “No, there’s… Really?”

“I know it’s a lot to take in.” You shrugged, trying to fake calm though your heart was racing. You figured Matt could hear it, one of the few times you let your body give away your thoughts. You turned and moved to your bag, pulling your Bite before coming back. “And if you want to go our separate ways, I understand.”

“No, Y/N.” He stepped closer and reached for your hand. Though instead of letting him take it, you put your weapon in his hand which made him pause, only for a second. “I don’t want you to go anywhere.”

“What about what I’ve done? Matt, your whole stance as Daredevil is to not kill people and I’ve killed too many to count.”

“I don’t care.” He shook his head and stepped to put the emblem and the weapon on the desk. He came back to stand in front of you, hands finding your face. “I don’t. Because it’s you, Y/N… It's you.”

“I told you that I couldn’t be the one to corrupt you.” You said softly, feeling him trace the outline of certain scars as if to convince himself it was true. “I told you that I shouldn’t be the one that you make an exception for.”

“It’s not an exception… I know what you’ve done, sweetheart. But I also know why… And I know you.”

“Matt..”

“I love you, Y/N.” He admitted suddenly, making you take a step back and the back of your legs hit the lip of the desk. “I know who you are and I know what you’ve done but you are still you. You still feel the same, Y/N. You’re the same girl I met in college and the same girl that I.. that I love.”

“You don’t mean that.” You tried, though every ounce of your body was screaming for his God to let it be true. “You don’t.. You can’t. I- I- I’ve lied to you and I’ve screamed at you and I’ve hurt you! I stabbed you, right here-“ You took a step forward and placed your hand on his side where you remember throwing your knife. “-maybe a week ago!”

“I know.” He nodded with a small smile that only added to your bewilderment. “You’ve also saved my life and cleaned me up and been by my side.”

“This is insane..” You mumbled, more to yourself than Matt. “This is- This is crazy! You can’t love me! As much as I want you to, you can’t!“

“You want me to?” He repeated smugly. “Still? Even though I put on that suit and that mask, go out into that city every night, and throw punches in an alley?”

“Yes, because you’re the good guy!” You shouted and began pacing the room, hands pushed into your hair. “You’ve always been the good guy and I’ve been the bad guy. You can’t love the bad guy! I don’t- It doesn’t make sense! Daredevil hated Exodus.”

He reached out for your hand and pulled you to stop. You landed flat against his chest and you let out a small groan due to your still tender ribcage.

He snorted a small laugh. “Sorry.”

“I’ve had worse.” You shrugged and he broke into a grin, earning one from you now that your mind was snapped from its spiral. “Matt, you hated her.”

“I never hated her.” He shook his head, speaking softly as he dropped his forehead against yours. “I didn’t always agree with her but I would pick her by my side over anyone.”

“You already knew, didn’t you?“ Your eyes closed and you sighed to yourself.

“I had a feeling…”

“How long?”

“Since you yelled at me in Russian in the courthouse bathroom, for sure.”

“To be fair, you slammed the door in my face.” You reasoned, leaning back slightly to see him as he grinned again.

“What did you even say?”

“That I’d break both your arms.”

“Ouch.” He frowned.

“Don’t slam doors on people then.” You shrugged, holding your composure for a second before laughing. “I’m serious, Matt. How long?”

“I had a thought since we went to that art gallery and met Vanessa for the first time. I knew there was something bigger but I didn’t think it was this. This became a thought a little before we met Grotto.”

“I always knew you were doing something you weren’t supposed to.” You replied. “But I didn’t think this - or maybe I just didn’t wanna believe it - until that gala… You moved so much like him, I couldn’t ignore it. And..”

“And?” His brows furrowed. “C’mon, Y/N/N. Say it. It’s just you and me…”

“When you kissed me. It was the same. Same feeling, same movements, same taste.”

He opened his mouth to say something before closing it again and pursing his lips slightly.

“I hadn’t thought about that.”

“Don’t you think it’s weird?” You tried calmly as you moved and sat on the desk. “How do we both have these alter egos that worked together but couldn’t stand each other? And then we turn around and work together but also can’t stand each other?”

You picked his helmet up and turned it in your hands as he came and stood in front of you. You leaned your head back to look at him while he shrugged off his jacket and tossed it over the desk beside you.

“What do you wanna do from here, Y/N/N?” He asked, gently taking the helmet from your hands and putting it on top of his jacket. He flattened his palms on either side of your legs and leaned down slightly, taking a step back so he was more level with you. “Tell me to go and I will.”

“And if I want you to stay?”

His mouth lifted into a small smile. “Tell me and I will.”

“Can I be honest with you?”

“Yeah.”

“It kinda looks like you wanna be with me right now because I’m Exodus.” You chuckled slightly, trying to joke and break the tension in the air.

There was a heavy lull as his brain mulled over your words before he spoke carefully.

“I started caring about her after Nobu.. That first night she - you - saw me, you were so relieved… You hugged me so tight.”

“I thought you were dead.” You admitted. “I thought… I thought I was too late and I couldn’t save you, that I made that deal for nothing.”

“That was when I realized that you really did care…”

“That was around the time you told me that I had my own light.. Do you still believe that?”

“Y/N, I’ve always believed that, whether you were in that suit or not. You’ve got one of the brightest lights I know.”

“Y’know, early on, I had these really confusing feelings for Daredevil. It felt like he saw me, with the blood on my hands and knees and all. He still wanted me around and I liked that. I felt safe with him. But he kept wanting to change me. It was like he just couldn’t accept who I was. I felt like I wasn’t good enough for him.”

“Y/N, I never-“

“Hang on.. Just, let me finish, okay? I need…” You paused to take a deep, steadying breath and put a hand on his arm. “I need to finally say this.”

He nodded.

“And then Fisk happened and he got in my way. I remember thinking ‘This is it. I’m done with him. I see him again, he’s dead’. Now, maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t kill Fisk when I had the chance. I don’t know. But I do know that I just couldn’t bring myself to try and kill him. I still wanted him around but I couldn’t let myself want him…”

You turned and picked up your gauntlet.

“And then Frank came along and made things more complicated. Frank didn’t need me to change to be by his side. He didn’t challenge my morality, he just… Handed me a gun and considered me a friend.”

“Yeah, maybe… Maybe Frank wasn’t all that bad.” He offered and you smiled.

“He’s really not. Frank actually helped me find balance… He told me that I can’t let everyone else tell me who to be. But Daredevil isn’t bad either if you get to know him.” You teased and he grinned. “Matty, I love you too. But if this is something we want to try, I need to ask you a couple things.”

“I’m all yours.” He said softly, dropping to his knees and folding his arms over your lap to rest his chin on.

“Really?” Your brows raised playfully.

“Ears.” He corrected with a nervous smile. “I’m all ears.”

“If we keep doing the Daredevil/Exodus thing, do I have to play by your rules? No killing?”

“I would prefer.” He said carefully. “But I won’t fault you for it. Not anymore.”

“Why?”

“You know when to stop.” He answered simply, as if it should’ve been obvious. “You know when to pull your punches and when not to. I shouldn’t have been trying to change you this whole time. I should’ve been trying to just work with you, help you find some sort of… balance.”

“Do you really want to do this? Because I know you were in a whole ‘no friends means no distractions means I can focus’ phase.”

“No, I don’t wanna do anything without you by my side.”

“Last one… And it’s a hard one. Would you still be here, on your knees in front of me and telling me you love me, if Elektra was alive?”

He was quiet for a minute as he thought. You were both glad that he didn’t answer immediately and a bit hurt.

“I don’t know. I told you it was complicated with her..”

“Matt, I’ve been second to Elektra for you the entire time she’s been involved. I won't be the one you settle for because you lost her.”

“This isn’t about Elektra.” He shook his head gently. “You and I.. It always ends up being you and I, doesn’t it?”

You wanted to argue that but you realized he was right. Despite your leaving, you made your way back to Hell’s Kitchen, where you stayed for him. You fell in love with Marc and Steven, but you still loved him. Your first love, who showed you kindness and generosity when you were strangers. Who showed you that friendships were more than sparring matches and killing together.

You unfolded his arms gently and slid off the desk to sit beside him on the floor. He said nothing as you moved down and lifted his hand. You looked at the angry red blotches across his knuckles, thinking of your own broken skin and wrapped hands.

Neither of those hands were truly innocent in the eyes of the law. The vigilantes of the Kitchen operated on a spectrum, you decided. Elektra was one farthest end, shoot first and ask questions later. Frank - and you would soon realize yourself - was closer to the middle but not quite neutral, get your answers but still shoot. Matt was supposed to be the other end, never pull the trigger but get answers anyway.

Pairing you and Matt was like mixing chocolate and vanilla ice cream. It would work, but the appearance would always lean towards the chocolate. The vigilante that believed in redemption was the vanilla and the vigilante that believed in consequences was the chocolate. At the end of the day, you both bloodied yourselves for the Kitchen but who was right depended on who you asked.

Corruption was easier than redemption and that scared you.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Matt asked after the silence began to loom over you two like a shadow. “About everything…”

“Would you have forgiven me?” You asked softly, not bothering to keep the sadness away. “Everything that I’ve done, pretty much since I got out of there, was me trying to undo what I had to do there. I was a kid going through it, being weaponized and lied to and manipulated. But I wasn’t clueless. I knew what he was doing to me, to all of us actually. He said he loved us like his own daughters… That we were a family…That he was the only one that would ever love us…”

“It was never your fault, Y/N. Someone who loves you… They wouldn’t do that to you.” Matt offered and you sniffled.

Speaking so openly about your past was enough to make you cry. Being raised without any tenderness, any real compassion or sympathy save for that brief time in Ohio with your ‘Aunt Melina’, you didn’t expect any from Matt. How could you?

But you still wanted it. You wanted so desperately to be loved, for the truth. For everything you were, both good and bad. You needed it so honestly that your hands shook and your heart felt like a stone in your chest, weighing you down and growing heavier every time it tried to pump blood through your veins.

As Exodus, you could speak of the cruelties you faced with venom in your voice. You didn’t have to feel anything towards Dreykov other than pure spite, pure rage. It was easy to hate him and be angry at the universe and blame some higher power for what happened to you. But as Y/N, as just a girl trying to build some sort of normal life for yourself, you couldn’t speak of it without feeling broken. Feeling used.

But you knew Matt wouldn’t see you that way. He never did, not even when Ex spoke about it.

“I tried to erase my past.” You continued, trying to keep her voice level but the slightest of a waver snuck through. “But now I don’t think I would want to change it… Exodus and I, we share the same body and the same face. But we’re not the same… Whatever you felt about Ex, you can’t just translate that to me.”

“I loved you long before Exodus existed.” He insisted but you scoffed lightly in response. “I’ve loved you since we met in college, I swear.”

“You have to understand why I can’t believe that..”

Your head dropped to stare at your lap and you found you were still holding on to his hand, and he hadn’t pulled away either.

“If that’s true, then why did you start dating Karen? Why did you tell Elektra you’d leave with her?”

“Because I didn’t know if you felt the same way…”

“Why didn’t you say anything to find out?”

“Why didn’t you stop me?”

“When have I ever tried to get in the way of your happiness?”

Matt paused and you wondered what he would say. You knew the accusations were a bit unfair. You had never tried to get in the way of Matt’s happiness when you weren’t a factor. And even when he was pushing you away, you hoped he would find happiness. But you’d be lying if you said you didn’t selfishly want him to not be happier with someone else.

“I’m sorry, Y/N.” He finally answered and the sincerity made you lift your eyes. “I know nothing I can say can change anything that’s happened so far. I don’t expect you to forgive any of how I’ve treated you lately or that I’ve kept this hidden from you for so long… Just know that I never wanted to hurt you.”

“Yeah, you’ve mentioned.. But it’s not like you were the only one with a secret.” You offered honestly. “Can I… Can I see the rest of it? The suit..”

“Yeah.” He breathed, something like relief filling his chest.

He pulled you with him as he stood before you both gathered your belongings. You put away your Bite and emblem and he tucked the mask back into the paper bag before reaching for your arm.

205 notes · View notes

deeptrashwitch · 6 days

Text

Preparation and parties

Tiala (@islandtarochips OC): Why are we doing this again? *accomodating her dress*

Alicia: Me? Intel *braiding her hair* you? Your objective is here, isn't it?

Tiala: And Maya? And what about...her? *pointing at Xiao Chen*

Maya (@justasmolbard OC): I'm here to abduct a person of interest *tying her hair*

Xiao Chen: I was bored and you always give me good moments, right darling? *smiling slightly*

Tiala/Maya: *looking at Alicia*

Alicia: *looking at the sky* I know I've been a bitch, but this is too much

Maya: Anyway, the party will start soon

Xiao Chen: I have something that'll help you

Alicia: ...What's the price?

Xiao Chen: None! I like these girls!

Maya: Is...that better or worse for us?

Alicia: At this point I'm not sure

Tiala: Ah shit, what a great way to do this *rolling her eyes*

*They end up with something each one. Tiala with two disguised daggers, Maya with a syringe filled with a powerful sedative and Alicia with a second karambit*

Alicia: I hope we don't end doing God knows what...

*When they walked outside the changing room...*

Luke: *laughs* You look like wet cat with that expression *wheezes* oh I need to take a picture-

Alicia: Fuck you *showing her middle finger*

Maya: I love this dress! *happy and spinning* oh wait, wait, uhh...not a good idea, ugh now I'm dizzy

Tiala: If you dare to laugh, I'll kill you *hisses towards Kanoa*

Kanoa: I don't know what you mean ehehehe

Tiala: Can I kick him?

Alicia: Not yet

*Suddenly they hear how something crashes against the door, making everyone turn and look what happened*

Alejandro: Mierda! *holding his nose*

Rudy: Got distracted, huh? Who would have said that, Colonel? *mocking him*

Alejandro: You shut up, I saw your face when you noticed Maya!

Rudy: ... *blushed*

Gaz: At least I'm not the only one *relieved and blushed* welp, I guess I wish you luck! And umm, I-i'll go to the comms room, see you! *runs away*

Maya/Alicia: He's having a crisis

Tiala: *groans* Kyle...

*Alicia walks towards Alejandro, cupping his face to take a look at his nose, a bit worried about the smack*

Alicia: You good, cariño? *smiling softly and caressing his cheek*

Alejandro: ... *gets flustered* I-i... *ends up running away*

Luke: *wheezing again, leaning into the wall to try and breathe again* I seriously need to tell Jackson about this *cackling*

Alicia: Don't you fucking dare, lil' shit! *pointing at him*

Xiao Chen: So this is THE one *giggling* I'm interested

Maya: Rudy? Ruuudy! *trying to make him react*

Tiala: He doesn't seem like he's here *sighs* we should go now

Alicia: Let's get us a car

Xiao Chen: I already did it

*cut to a lot of hours later, the four of them get inside covered on ashes...but without any wound*

Tiala: ... *with a frown and the disguised daggers in her hand, stained* Never again, leave her outside of this! *pointing at Xiao Chen*

Maya: *dragging an unconscious person* At least we have what we need *with her hair made a mess and part of the skirt ripped* what a fight that was!

Alicia: If you weren't necessary... *hissed with her dress stained and without heels*

Xiao Chen: *giggling* Calm down! You have the intel, darling!

Alicia: And you fucking burned the place and a person!

Xiao Chen: You needed a distraction, I did it *smiling with craziness* they were in the way

Tiala: ...Where did you find her? She's insane!

Alicia: Wraith's fault *sighs*

Tiala: Whatever, just keep her away from me

Alicia: Gladly

*Meanwhile inside the comms room, Gaz, Rudy and Alejandro were watching in absolute silence. The three of them absolutely blushed*

Kanoa: Are...they alright?

Price: Probably not, they are looking at them like idiots. Lovesick idiots, with...some surpring likes

Ghost: Like you with Aly

Price: Shhh

Jackson: So that's what you meant... *raising an eyebrow while Luke was laughing in the background*

Luke: This is an amazing story! I'll hold it over her FOREVER!

Jackson: She'll kill you

Luke: Still!

Soap: Mate, you good? *poking Gaz with a pen* nae, we lost him

#ocs #oc #call of duty #cod oc #cod mw2 #team charlie #call of duty modern warfare #cod mwii #random things

13 notes · View notes

ofstoriesandstardust · 2 years

Text

cause if i say i miss you, i know that you won’t (lt. bradley “rooster” bradshaw)

a/n: we’ve now officially covered all three different perspectives. yeehaw. this is not my most favorite thing i’ve ever written but i like it enough to publish it apparently.

summary: For years, he’s told himself that he’s at peace with the state of his relationship with his sister. Now that he’s here, face-to-face with her, he’s not so sure that’s the truth.

title comes from zach bryan’s “something in the orange”

folks who wanted to be tagged: @hotch-meeeeeuppppp

warnings: swearing, injuries, concussions, medical inaccuracies, arguing

word count: 1,809

He watches his sister fall from her horse with a sinking heart. She was a skilled rider, but skilled or not, falls from horses could be fatal.

She wasn’t sitting up.

Jake swallows, screwing his eyes shut as he felt Dahlia’s reigns fall from his grip. Heart hammering against his chest, he fights to breathe.

She wasn’t getting up.

He takes a deep breath, reaching for the walkie-talkie on his hip as he easily slips off Dahlia. “Hey Ty, we got a problem. Athena spooked real bad. Can you tell Emma and Lucas to go check for her? Tell Riley to be on the lookout for my friends. And send Madison to the house, we’re gonna need medical assistance.”

There’s a crackle and then a pause. “She okay Jake?”

We’re gonna find out.

He couches down next to his sister. “Hey, hey can you hear me?” Nothing. He steels himself, willing himself to take another deep breath.

Prepare for anything.

His jaw tightens, blinking the thought away. She’d be fine.

She had to be.

“Hey, I need you to wake up.” He reached out to touch your shoulder, to reach up for a pulse, when your groan. You try to sit up and his hand makes contact with your shoulder, keeping you pushed back. “Hey, be careful, don’t want you to make anything worse.”

You brush his hand off, continuing to sit up. “’M fine, just think I hit my head.” You say, reaching up to touch it. “And crushed the walkie apparently.” You groan, pulling it out from underneath you. “Gonna have a sweet bruise from where I landed on it.”

He sighs, letting the tension in his chest fizzle out. “Hey Ty, do we still have that golf cart? Don’t think she should be walking back to the house.”

“Yeah, I think it’s in one of the sheds. I’ll go pull it out. How is she?”

“Hit her head. I’m thinking mild concussion but Madison should probably look it over.”

“Got it. Be there soon Jake.”

“’M right here. I’m fine.” He huffs.

“Like hell you are. That was a bad tumble and you and I both know that when a horse spooks, what happens to the rider can be fatal.”

You pull your legs up, resting your forearms on your knees, pointedly not looking at him. “Why do you care now?” He sighs, eyeing you.

“I’m not arguing about this with you right now. You most likely have a concussion, so speaking of, do you know where you are?”

You shoot him a look. “On the ranch. We just got back from a ride.”

“Who’s President?”

“Biden.”

“What year is it?”

“The year of our lord 2022. Are we done?”

“Didn’t know you’re religious.”

“’M not but I’m tired of the stupid questions. I’m fine Jake.” He sighs and looks around the ranch. The wind’s reaching its peak and he knows that the two of you are gonna be subject to the rain any second now.

“Look, you and I? We’re gonna have to address this at some point kid.”

“Don’t you dare call me that.”

He swallows. It’d been a long time since he’d used the nickname and he didn’t like the ease with which it had slipped out. He wouldn’t deny the way your anger stung at his soul either. The sound of tires on the dirt catches his attention and looks up to see Tyler in the golf cart.

You’d been the one to convince your parents that had been a necessity.

“Well, howdy there cowboy and cowgirl. Looks like the two of you could use some help.”

Jake gives a shaky laugh, standing up to greet Tyler. “Yeah, we definitely could.”

“I’m gonna get her back to the house. Come on in when you’re back?” He nods, sticking his hands into his pockets as he watches Tyler offer you a hand and help you into the golf cart, heading towards the house in the distance. He grabs your hat from the ground and then walks back to Dahlia, who'd been pacing around, waiting for him, and grabs her reigns, lifting himself back on and beginning to move towards the stable. It’s a slow movement, not pushing Dahlia to go any faster.

He needs to compose himself before he gets back in that house, faces all his friends.

Whatever was going on between him and his sister-

It needed to change. They needed to talk.

He was just grateful he had the chance.

Reaching the stables, he sighs, slipping off Dahlia as he moves to her stall, unlocking the door. He takes his sweet time getting the saddle off, feeding Dahlia, and brushing her down.

What is he so afraid of?

Dahlia nuzzles up into her hand and he pauses leaning his head against her mane. “What am I gonna do Dahlia?” She simply nudges him and he lifts his head moving to brush her mane. “I have got to admit that I missed you Dahlia.” She snorts and he huffs out a laugh. “Yeah, yeah I know. All my fault.” He swallows and sighs, letting go of his horse. Picking up his sister’s hat from the haystack he set it on, he moves towards the house, easily slipping through the front door. The screen door creaks shut behind him as he moves through the house, boots sounding against the wooden floor.

Even after all this time, that door still never got fixed.

He sets his sister’s hat down on the entryway table, the one his mother’s Dad had hand carved for her when she moved into this house all those years ago.

The thought of his Mom makes his heart ache.

The conversation in the living room is lackluster, the voices of his friends a quiet murmur, and it tapers off when he appears in the doorway. They all look to him and he finds himself struggling to meet Rooster’s eye. He’s not even really looking at him in the first place, eyes fixated on the wall across from him. They’re trained on a picture of his sister at homecoming her freshman year of high school. It was the last year he was around, the last year his Mom was healthy.

He’s been home long enough to know that any pictures of him are long gone. His Dad made sure of that.

The kitchen door swings open as Madison walks out, Tyler trailing not too far behind her.

“She okay?” He asks, voice rough.

Madison nods. “Minor concussion. Few days rest, she’ll be right as rain. Pretty proud of that bruise the walkie gave her too.”

“Mind if I go talk to her?”

Madison shakes her head. “Not at all.”

He makes the short walk to the kitchen, slipping through the door. The lights in the kitchen are on a dim setting and she glances at him from where she’s holding her head with her eyes shut. He takes his hat off, setting it on the kitchen counter as he settles in the dining chair across from her. He crosses his arms as she mirrors him, the look on her face unreadable.

“Gave us a real scare. You feeling okay?”

“Shut the fuck up Jake.”

“So that’s how it is, huh?”

“Yeah, yeah this is how it is.” Her tone is bitter, a frown placed on her face.

He sighs, running a hand over his face. “You really still mad?”

She raises an eyebrow. “Are you serious?”

He shrugs. “Kind of, yeah. Ten years is a long time to hold a grudge, don’t you think?” She scoffs and shakes her head.

“Ten years is a long time to not speak to your sister, don’t you think?”

Her words are dripping with venom and he wills himself not to flinch back.

He has two goddamn air-to-air kills, he can look his little sister in the eye for God’s sake.

“Kid, I really think-”

“Stop fucking calling me that. That name is reserved for my brother, who I don’t know anymore. Going by the callsign Hangman, leaving people behind and out to dry. Guess you’ve really lived up to it.”

“Now, wait a minute, that’s not fair-”

“Not fair? No, I think you’ve more than earned it-”

“Okay, that’s enough of that from the two of you.” Lucas interrupts, the back door slamming shut behind him. Jake turns his head, spotting Emma behind him. “If you’ve got a concussion, the last thing you need to do is be arguing.”

“I’m fine.” Emma rolls her eyes, moving to take a seat next to his sister. Emma had been one of his sister’s best friends in high school, figures she’s still just as close. Lucas walks up behind him, clearing his throat, and he looks away from the girls to his friend.

“Jake, no offense, but get lost.”

He scoffs. “Are you serious right now?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“Lucas-”

The kitchen door creaks open, and the group turns to see Rooster poking his head in. “Hey, sorry to interrupt.”

“You’re not interrupting anything at all.” His sister says, shooting him a bright smile. He rolls his eyes at the movement, which earns him a glare from Emma.

“Just wanted to see how you’re doing.” He says, moving into the kitchen, shoving his hands into his pockets as his eyes travel around the group. He’s rocking on his heels nervously, meeting Jake’s eyes and then quickly looking away to his sister.

“Doing okay. How’s Athena?” She asks, looking to Emma.

“Bit shaken up, but she’ll be fine.” Emma stands up, moving to the other side of the table, hand resting on the back of Jake’s shirt. He stiffens at the touch as his sister and Rooster watch them. “I’ll let the two of you have some space. Jake, join me in the stables?”

He doesn’t miss the way her grip tightens on the back of his shirt.

“I’m not getting a choice, am I?”

“Not a chance in hell.”

He sighs, standing up. He grabs his hat off the table, putting it back on his head as he follows Emma and Lucas out the back door. It’s not quite shut before Emma starts laying in to him.

“You’ve been gone long enough, don’t fuck this up for her.”

“The hell you talking about Em?”

“This. That. The thing she’s got going with your friend. You’ve been gone so many years, don’t fucking do this to her.”

“Ever protective of her aren’t you?”

“Okay, the two of you can have this conversation literally anywhere else, but not so goddamn close to the house please. I know they can hear you.” Lucas intervenes, pulling Emma back a few paces. Emma rolls her eyes, shrugging Lucas from her.

“Whatever Seresin. Do or don’t make this worse. Just remember who has to pick up the pieces when you take off again.”

#bradley bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw fics #bradley bradshaw fic #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley rooster bradshaw x reader #bradley rooster bradshaw fics #bradley rooster bradshaw fic #jake hangman seresin #jake seresin #top gun maverick #top gun maverick fics #storm warning

155 notes · View notes

gentlebeardsbarngrill · 3 months

Note

Hi, I have huge gratitude and admiration for your posts and updates on OFMD, I always find them so comforting and informative! Especially as I'm only on Reddit and got a Tumblr account 4 days ago to keep track of OFMD (Twitter/X is just too overwhelming for me lol). What was your take on Rhys Darby's Cameo video in regards to making you feel more hopeful/less hopeful/neither but it was still lovely? With the deafening silence from David Jenkins and worrying that the morale is dropping, it's irresistible not to start feeling a bit of doom, you know? Any response appreciated, but regardless, thank you so much for the work you're doing ❤️

Hello my dear! Welcome to tumblr, we're so glad to have you! I really should get on reddit sometime (I get notifications when certain posts get busy but I just always forget to check them). I totally get that Twitter is overwhelming, it's a tornado of information--and thank you! I'm so glad you're getting something out of the updates!

My take on the Rhys Darby cameo, ay? Well I'll be honest, I thrive on even a little bit of feedback so I was 100% pumped after that yesterday. It sounds silly but I went and cried in the shower for 20 mins because I was feeling torn between the sadness for Rhys and what he lost and was feeling and then also the beautifully kind and positive advice he was giving us.

After that-- I basically felt like someone called Gondor for aid and I was a raging pile of need for action. I actually feel more hopeful now, but I think Rhys has that affect on people. Like that man could tell me the sky was blue and I'd grin like a toddler with a lollipop and nod and feel like I could take on the day.

I do totally get that doom and gloom feeling that comes with the silence. We need that feedback from the people we're fighting for to keep morale up. That being said though--- I've noticed a trend over the past few weeks since cancellation, and that is that when we start feeling down, someone in the cast/crew starts poking their nose out. Usually its Chaos Dad (David Jenkins) but all of a sudden when things are slowing down again this week, Rhys puts himself up on Cameo, two days before the UK launch of s2? I just don't believe in coincidences in most cases, especially when we're all watching things so closely. It may make me sound like a conspiracy theorist but I do truly believe that a huge chunk of the cast and crew is watching our actions and reactions to things very carefully (Hell, Alex Sherman is over on twitter liking a bunch of fan art and porn, so at least we have our little perverted guardian angel!). They just seem to keep popping up at the exact right moments to help rally the troops for them not to be.

The difficulty with negotiations in any industry is the whole Non Disclosure Agreement that comes along with people potentially taking on new clients/funding new projects. Legitimately, there could be a contract in the works right now with a network and we already have our s3, but we just can't know about it because that would damage / threaten negotiations. It could be the other way too, but with how supportive Chaos Dad and Rhys and the rest of the crew have been just popping in and out like little bubbles of positivity, I really feel like we have still have some hope here. It's just really hard to be patient when we're all pushing so hard-- which is why breaks are so important. Anywhoooo, I've had my coffee so I'm obviously rambling at this point-- thank you so much dear for writing into me! I hope that answers your question... I am feeling overwhelmingly positive after Rhys' videos and feeling very mama bear on wanting to protect that man by doubling down on efforts, lol. So glad you're will us on tumblr friend! Always feel free to reach out :D <3<3<3 Ty!

11 notes · View notes

votestaynight · 1 year

Text

2nd Day - "One day II" (Scene 2)

"Yeah. I have time, so I'll make something else." I open the refrigerator. All that's left are some cucumber and potatoes.

"…Hmmm. I could cut and salt the cucumber, or cut the potatoes and serve them vinegared…." But those are both things I could do in a couple of minutes, and they're better fresh. It'll be half an hour until Fuji-Nee and Sakura arrive, so I should make a dish right before they get here.

"…Hmph." In that case, this is free time I can't make much use of. Is there anything I can do in thirty minutes…? "There's some chicken, so…" I could cook some bite-sized meat rolls with vegetables, or something like that.

I cut the meat and tenderize it. At a glance, the meat tenderizer is really evil. It's like a hammer, but it's flat on four sides and has lots of spikes coming out of it.

If it were bigger, it would make a great instrument of torture. I flatten the meat with the scary object, put some carrots and kidney beans on it, roll it up, cook it in the pan, and steam it with wine.

"…Huh!? Hold on, what am I doing…!?" At that point, I regain my sanity. I was trying to make a side dish, as the saury was already the main dish. So what am I doing, making another main dish…!?

"…Honestly. I must have let my guard down, cooking just to pass the time." "Eh? You were cooking just to pass the time, Senpai?" "Yeah. The thing is, I was trying to make a side dish. But before I realized it, I was using the knife. Well, I guess habit is a scary thing… of course, that's just an excuse."

"But isn't that alright? It's a bit big for breakfast, but since you made it, I don't think there'll be any leftovers." "You think so? No, that's not the problem. There's no need for two suns in the sky. I'll have to ask one of them to leave." "What!? You're not going to eat it, Senpai?"

"I will. I wasn't planning to, but I'll pack lunch today. That way, it won't be a waste." "Wow… Senpai, you're going to make lunch right now?" "It'll be close, but I think I can at least get my―――"

And then. I finally realize someone's behind me.

"Good morning, Senpai. I'm here again today." Sakura greets me with a smile. It's not unusual for Sakura to come into the kitchen at this time. She always rings the bell as she comes in, but sometimes I don't notice, like this morning.

"G-Good morning, Sakura. Breakfast's ready, so you can relax in the living room. There's some tea there." I answer her, staring at the frying pan. On the table is a pot of hot water, a teapot, and some snacks.

"Oh, yes. You're perfect again today, Senpai." Sakura's voice is lively, as if she's happy about something. …And Sakura comes into the kitchen instead of going to the table.

"Senpai? You're making lunch, right?" "Hm? Yeah, it turned out that way. It's a good dish for lunch, so I thought I'd make some side dishes." "Um, then can I help? I'll make my own, so…" "Oh, wait. If you don't mind having the same thing, I can give you some of mine." "―――Yes. I was watching and I wanted to have some of yours." "All right. Can you cook the rice, then? We don't have enough for two. There should be a fast rice cooker over there." "Yes, I'll take care of it. I'll go and start that, then."

I hear the sound of her footsteps, and of her tying her apron. "Senpai? We're okay with two cups of rice, right?" "Hmm, I think that'll be enough." With quick movements, Sakura comes to help in the kitchen.

"Morning! Well done, it smells great!" A little past six-thirty. Thirty minutes after Sakura, Fuji-Nee arrives as usual.

"Good morning, Sensei. Please wait a little longer for breakfast." "Yep, I'll wait. …Oh, Sakura-chan, are you making breakfast with Shirou?" "No, Senpai made breakfast on his own. We're making lunch right now."

Sakura's voice is really lively. We're not doing anything particularly fun, so I don't know what she's so happy about.

"I see, so of course you're in a good mood. Cooking and Shirou, so much fun stuff. Okay, we don't have much time, but take it easy." Laughing, Fuji-Nee sits at the table and pours some tea.

"…Geez, she must still be off dreaming. What's so fun about cooking for school?" I put the pan back onto the rack. The food's made, so all that's left is to pack the lunchboxes.

"Sorry, Sakura. I made you do extra work before club activities. I wanted you to relax since you did a lot yesterday." "Huh? Don't worry about that at all. Like Fujimura-Sensei said, I find cooking fun."

She smiles. Well, I know she likes cooking… but still, it must be hard for her getting up at five o'clock to make lunch. Besides, Sakura comes and makes dinner often. So if I'm getting her to cook in the mornings too, she might have no free time at all.

"…Phew. I'm grateful for the help, but you should relax, Sakura. You should sleep in during the mornings, and after school is for playing around. You don't have to come and help around my house."

"Well, I am relaxing. You made breakfast today, and I got some food from you for lunch too."

She smiles. …Sigh. It's been a year and a half since Sakura started to help out. Now, she keeps coming back like this no matter what I say.

"That's different. You have your own life too, so you can't just take care of me and Fuji-Nee. If you're taking care of us, you won't be able to do all the things you want to."

"Ahaha, that's fine. My only hobbies are archery and cooking. In fact, my goal is to beat you at cooking, and I think I'm almost there." Sakura puffs her chest out boastfully. …Gah. I want to argue back, but it's true as she is about to beat me.

"So please don't worry about it. I like cooking here, and improving is fun. I'm helping you to pay you back for showing me this great pleasure, and for my own benefit."

"…Hm. Does that mean you're stealing some of my skill every day, Sakura?" "Yes. I improve quickly just by helping you. So please be ready. I'll make you admit defeat someday." Whoa. I can't believe she said it so bluntly!

"…Man. If I'd known this was coming, I would never have taught you to cook. You never even heard of oil before coming here, but now you're after me like an enemy. Really, why are you chasing me like this? Can't you just be happy making food?"

"Of course I'm after you. You can't be better than me." "…?" I'm not sure what's so bad about that, but we should start setting the table for breakfast.

"Alrighty." I check the saury. Placing my chopstick on the well grilled stomach, I check how cooked it is.

"I guess that's done. Here, Sakura, can you take this to the table?" "Yes, thank you Senpai."

I hand the plate of saury to Sakura. Then, as if remembering something important, Sakura stops dead.

"Sakura? What's wrong, did you leave something at home?" Sakura may seem shrewd, but she actually forgets things a lot. It's not unusual for her to remember something and stop like this. But… it seems like that's not the case this morning.

"…Sakura?" "……" There's no answer. She just blankly stares at my hand like she's still in a daze, then…

"Senpai… what's that bruise on your hand?" She asks me a strange question.

"Huh?" I look down at the hand she's talking about.

"Huh…? You're right, there is a bruise. That's weird, I don't remember hitting it anywhere."

For some reason, there's a big bruise on the back of my left hand. It's quite an impressive welt, and it looks like it came from some sort of a cut. Even on my own hand, it looks bad. Perhaps Sakura's not feeling well as she's very quiet.

"Sorry, can you handle the rest? I'll go put something on it." I let Sakura take care of the kitchen and head for the dojo. I don't know if I did this during my sleep, but I'll have to treat it.

"――――――――" But for some reason, I'm worried about Sakura, who looked awkward and downcast.

"I'll go on ahead, then." "Sakura, are you sure you're all right? You can skip your club if you're not feeling well."

"No, I'm fine. It's just a light headache, so you shouldn't worry about it. I only look bad because you imagine it. I'm doing really well today." She says so with a smile. …But anyone can tell she's just bluffing.

"―――Really well, huh? Even though you couldn't eat any breakfast?" "Oh��." She looks away awkwardly.

Without looking up, she replies… "…Please excuse me. You're the one who should be resting, Senpai." With those words, she leaves.

The table is cleared. But on the plate in the kitchen, Sakura's meal remains untouched.

"Honestly, what's wrong with her?" She had been in such a good mood, but after seeing my bruise, Sakura suddenly became quiet and started to make lots of mistakes.

She overfilled the tea, drenched the omelets with soy sauce, and sat down at the table with her apron on. And on top of that, she ate nothing and went to school looking pale.

"Maybe she caught a cold or something." I mutter to myself while cleaning up. It's the first time I've seen Sakura like this. I got to know her during the summer four years ago, and she started coming here to help a year and a half ago. In that time, I've never seen her look this ill.

"――――――――" …Fuji-Nee will be at the archery range, so I don't think there'll be a problem there. But I should go and check on her after school or sometime…

It's almost seven thirty. Sakura and Fuji-Nee have already left for their morning club practice. I went to school early yesterday because Issei wanted me to, but I leave my house at the usual time today.

I run into an unusual scene when I reach the intersection. Several police cars are parked outside a house. Something must have happened, as it's noisy and lots of people are surrounding the area.

"Hm?" I'm curious, but I cannot tell what's going on with all the people surrounding it. I have no time, so I should prioritize school.

I reach school ten minutes before the bell. I enter the main gate as usual. "Hey, morning Emiya." I bump into a familiar female student.

"What, you've not changed yet, Mitsuzuri? It's almost homeroom, you shouldn't have time to say hello to me."

"Ahahaha! You're right. You're cold as always, Emiya!" She laughs as if something is really funny. Mitsuzuri Ayako. She was my classmate in first year, and she's now the captain of the archery club.

She's very insightful, and everyone expected her to become captain since the first year. …Well, in other words, her mental age is older than her real age, so she's been the older sister type everyone counts on since she was a first year. Though, she gets mad when people say that. According to her, she's not that old.

"Huh? Were you just thinking badly of me?" "I wouldn't dream of it. I was just thinking objectively about the truth. Though, it's up to you if you want to feel angry about it."

"Oh, you don't say. That's good. You answered honestly, but you never revealed what you were thinking about. You don't let your guard down like Shinji does." "Shinji? What does he have to do with this?"

"Because you guys are friends. You're the only male friend he has, right? And you might have forgotten, but I'm the captain of the archery club. Don't you think it's only natural for me to connect the current problem student and the problem student that quit?"

"Yeah, that's certainly natural. The archery club has nothing to do with it, but I certainly do have an unsavory and inseparable relationship with him."

"Oh, that makes me mad. You get so cold when talking about the archery club. You've got it nice. You left Shinji behind and just quit. Couldn't you think about those who were left, like me and Sakura?"

"Hmm. Did Shinji do something again?" "A day doesn't pass when he doesn't do something. …But still, yesterday was a bit too much.[l] He even made a guy from the first year quit."

Mitsuzuri sighs seriously. It's rare for her to make a face like this, but even more than that, I can't ignore what she just said.

"What's that? A student quit? Why?" "Shinji took his anger out on him. He got loads of female students around and made the kid, who has barely started handling bows, shoot. He laughed at him until he hit the target." "Huh!? And you let that happen!?"

"Of course I didn't! But a captain's busy, you know? I can't always be in the dojo. You know that."

"…That's true, but what the hell was Shinji thinking? He does teach very harshly, but he's not the type to make fun of people like that."

"…I'm surprised. You really are like that." "Hm, what do you mean by that? Were you just thinking badly of me?"

"Oh, I was just thinking objectively about the truth. So it's up to you if you want to feel angry about it." "…Stop copying me.[l] Fine, but what about Shinji? Why did he act like that?"

"Hmm, from what I heard, it was something like getting turned down harshly by Tohsaka." "Huh? You mean, that Tohsaka?"

"There's no other Tohsaka at our school.[l] I'm talking about the honor student in class 2-A, Miss Perfect, Tohsaka Rin." "…I don't think I've heard that nickname before."

It's the first time I've heard the nickname, but I would probably agree with it. With Tohsaka involved, I can understand even Shinji getting turned down, and most of all… If it was Tohsaka, I can see her refusing him mercilessly.

"Anyways, Shinji's been like this since yesterday. That's why I've had to keep an eye on the dojo until now today." "Shinji has a nasty temper. I know it's hard, but keep up the hard work, Mitsuzuri."

"Okay, okay. But Shinji never knows when to stop, you know? I feel like he'll do something really bad if he asks her out again and gets turned down again." "No, even Shinji wouldn't approach someone who turned him down. He's pretty good about that kind of thing."

"But he can't help it if the person who turned him down comes near him. I don't know why, but Tohsaka comes and visits the dojo pretty often. You quit, so you wouldn't know."

"Hm?" That's the first I've heard of it. Tohsaka Rin doesn't do any club activities for personal reasons. I thought she went straight home since she even turned down the recommendation to join the student council.

"Well, maybe that sort of thing is good every now and then. He has a haughty attitude, so it might be good for him to have a hard time for once." Mitsuzuri says some dangerous things. …Come to think of it, I heard that Tohsaka has many enemies. Could Mitsuzuri be one of them?

"Hey Mitsuzuri, that's going too…" "Oh, it's almost time. Bye Emiya, come and see my archery skills sometime." Mitsuzuri hurries off.

"―――She's just like always." But I like that part of her. Feeling calmer now, I head for the classroom.

It's lunchtime. Our school has a splendid cafeteria and most students eat there. But there are some old-fashioned students who bring their own lunches. Two of them happen to be me and the student council president in front of me.

"Emiya, could you give me some of that fried chicken? My lunch is desperately lacking in meat." "Sure, but why is your lunch so plain? You live in a temple, but there aren't any teachings prohibiting meat or alcohol, right?”

"Such an anachronism. It's just my father's way. He says there's no luxurious foods for a young priest, and that I should have to work for what I want. I'm thinking of running away and joining the circus." "Oh, yeah, that sounds like that guy."

Issei's father is the priest of the Ryudou Temple, and a bold guy who's old friends with the old man at Fuji-Nee's place. You can't expect a normal personality when he's friends with a guy like that.

"That's great. Well then, I'll give you one in the hope of repayment someday." I hand him my lunchbox. "Thank you. This too is part of my religious training." Issei bows deeply. …How can I put this? I never know what to say when things like this remind me that he's the son of a priest.

"Oh, by the way, Emiya. Did you know there was something going on around the 2nd avenue? It's right around the intersection where we part." "Intersection…?" The intersection this morning… he must mean that clamor with all the police cars.

"I heard there was a murder. I don't know the details, but of the family of four, only the child survived. They say the older sister and the parents were stabbed to death. But what's strange is that they think the weapon was a long one, not like a knife or something."

"――――――――" A long weapon? He must mean something like a sword. It was a murder… so that must mean the sister and the parents were killed.

…I picture it. Someone barging in during the night. Unjust violence. A one-sided pillage like an accident. Slashed parents. The sister killed without even knowing what's going on. To the side, the child covered in their blood.

"Issei, have they caught the murderer?" "It doesn't seem like it. Accidents from faulty construction in Shinto, and murder here. It's no wonder they're making the curfew here at school ear―――what's wrong, Emiya? Did you choke on something?"

"Hm? Nothing, what's wrong?" "No… I was just surprised since you had a nasty expression. Sorry, this wasn't something I should have talked about during lunch.”

Issei tries to soften the air apologetically. …I was fine with the topic, but was I really making such a nasty face?

And then, there's a quiet knock at the door. "Excuse me, is Ryudou here?" "Huh? Oh, what is it, Sensei?" Issei addresses Kuzuki, who just entered. It must be a simple talk about the student council as Issei seems pretty relaxed.

"…Wow." That's not something you see everyday. Despite his appearance, Issei's very shy. The guy who draws a line against his classmates and even his teachers is letting his guard down with Kuzuki.

"Maybe they get along because they're both so serious." Kuzuki Souichirou, the teacher in charge of class 2-A, is serious and stubborn. Probably that aspect helps him get along with Issei, who prizes order and discipline.

"――――――――" The two continue to talk. All the while, I can't get the story of the murder out of my head.

Classes end and it's time to go home. I can't go anywhere as I have work today. I should leave school and go straight to the neighboring town, but…

#votestaynight #fate #fate stay/night #fate route

25 notes · View notes

kelofmindelan · 6 months

Text

tagged by @full---ofstarlight and @maryxoliver for this “people you’d like to know better” tag game! ty for the tag :3c

Three Ships:

Jason Grace and Nico di Angelo from the Heroes of Olympus: This is one of those ships that just itches the right part of my brain. Jason Grace is one of my favorite characters ever, and his quest to try and balance his need to be a leader and a protector with his desire to be allowed to be an individual is so interesting to contrast with Nico who by this point is so firmly himself. But Nico has been hurt a lot and assumes he will never be trusted, even as Jason is trying to insist that he is someone who matters to their group and is trusted. So Nico decides to test him - in a dangerous moment, holding something the rest of the group thinks is poison, Nico holds the glass to Jason and says 'How much do you trust me?" And Jason looks him dead in the eye and drinks it no hesitation. Because his own life matters less than showing Nico is worthy of trust. They are sun and shadow, sky and earth, storm and death, they are the golden boy and the outcast. It's a delicious ship and it feeds me.

Fanfic rec: Dungeons and Jason by betsib

Taran and Eilonwy of Llyr from The Chronicles of Prydain: They are everything to me. They are the blueprint. You have friends to lovers, you have battle couple, you have princess and the farm boy, you have two people who genuinely want to find ways to improve themselves in order to be more worthy of the other person while also finding ways to grow together. They argue constantly, but there is so much love under it that is there from the very beginning because both of them are trying to navigate having to learn how to communicate with someone else. They are my ship that I have created a thousand aus for and will test any new au I discover for how well I can fit them into it because if they don't fit I probably don't like it that much.

Fanfic rec: I wrote two oneshots but also anything by Saeriellyn is incredible

Pacifica Northwest and Dipper Pines from Gravity Falls: My friends tease me about loving a sad rich girl and they aren't wrong, so I felt kind of targeted by Pacifica's arc in season 2 of Gravity Falls because it made her so exactly my type. Particularly in the way we start to see her grow out of it. She and Dipper have each seen each other at their worst which means they don't have to worry about the shields anymore and can push each other into growing and unpacking their own traumas and bad habits. But also we start to get all these hints that she can actually relate to him at his nerdiest once she has permission to do so, and I love that he can find someone who can operate at his level while she finds someone who gives her permission to be so much less than perfect and thus actually real.

Fanfic rec: The Worst Neighbor Ever by Proseandsongs

Last Film:

The Hobbit (1977): I found this streaming and was absoltuely delighted to watch it this morning. I have so many fond memories of this movie and it did not disappoint. The animation is wild, Bilbo spends the whole movie throwing massive shade, Gollum looks like an absolute nightmare, and it's a musical the way it should be.

Currently Watching:

My roommate and I are about to finish up Mentopolis on Dimension 20 and I'm losing my mind a little bit over how this season is going. I can't wait to see how it resolves!

My writing shows at the moment are The Great British Bake Off Holiday Specials, The Christmas Cookie Challenge, and my annual rewatch of Midsomer Murders.

Currently Reading:

Nothing really because most of my books are still in boxes and I haven't had the spoons to start unpacking them while I still have that hole in my wall. I'm dipping in and out of this Rick Riordan Presents collection called The Cursed Carnival, but it's my current work book.

Currently Consuming:

I have a bunch of leftover pumpkin pie and I just had a huge slice of that along with some tea called 'Cold Comfort'.

Currently Craving:

A yule log. One of those fancy chocolate swirled sponges with cream in the middle and fancy decorations that is actually made well and that I don't have to attempt to bake myself.

Or a whole bunch of different fancy eclairs. I want to try all the eclairs.

(Yes. I am watching baking shows I want all the things.)

tagging: @aidanchaser @stolenmelody @starrattlerofprydain @bookwyrm-of-the-emerald-star @givemonetatry

#tagged things #actually me

4 notes · View notes

pumathoughts · 4 months

Text

Buffalo Bills 2023 Season: Roller Coaster of Emotions

What a long strange trip it has been this season aye Bills fans? We love the stress of rooting for this team and I don’t know why. The playoff drought changed us for sure BUT these Buffalo Bills are different. They have to be at least, right!? But I mean if you told me in July that the Bills would: lose week 1 to a Jets team with Aaron Rodgers not playing after the first series, lose in London to the Jags, lose to the Pats in Foxboro, lose a sluggish game to Denver on a last second field goal they missed but 12 men on the field gave them another chance, fire Ken Dorsey, lose in OT to Philadelphia, THEN have to win 5 straight just to get the 2 seed in the playoffs because the Dolphins got to 11 wins first….I would’ve said, “Jesus that’s a lot going on but I’m not surprised they made it hard on themselves.”

This has been a real test of patience this season. I mean we all have people we talk to each game day, group chats, phone calls, etc. and we all exude the same emotions during a game, “Go Bills, I hate this team, Fire McDermott, Big W Go Bills!” through every Facebook post, every meme, every Tweet, Retweet, sub tweet (the platform is called “X” now yet we still say Tweet and Retweet, weird right?) we have seen it all, everything has been said some true some not but opinions are out there. Whether it’s Colin Cowherd making proclamations, Nick Wright dropping his stupid ass banners, Stephen A. Smith screaming, Mad Dog Russo yelling, there hasn’t been a hot take unheard. But we’ve been hearing it since early this summer.

Josh Allen started by saying he’s 100% committed to football, then went on a getaway with his celebrity girlfriend the paparazzi caught on a balcony. I read some doozy of hot takes on this, like he should be more focused, not on vacation. Um, he’s allowed to go on vacation with his girlfriend in the OFFSEASON! No one in this world makes their job their life. It’s not something you do 24 hours a day 365 days a year. You take vacations, you go places, you do things. Josh Allen is allowed to do that too. Then we get past this to training camp when hope springs eternal and optimism is just at a fever pitch. Super Bowl or bust was the attitude, a Lombardi trophy banner was put in the field house to motivate the team! That was met with scoffs from national media members but McDermott being the master motivator he is (I’ll get to Ty Dunne’s article in a minute) it’s about the bigger picture. The trophy is what you work for, obviously. But then the season starts.

Aaron Rodgers had a season ending injury after 4 plays into his first game as a New York Jet. The scene was set for the Bills to assert themselves as a team that would show no mercy. They should’ve rolled the Jets with Zack Wilson at QB. Instead, I held my newborn son who was hours old by the time that game started, and watched this team bumble over themselves and lose on a punt return to get shocked by the Jets. I mean Rodgers went down and the air left MetLife. That game was over right there EXCEPT it wasn’t. This vaunted Bills offense only mustered 16 points in that loss. I was angry for 4 days after this game. I shouldn’t let this team dictate my mood but I do and I hate myself for it.

Then, all the questions, all the chatter of McDermott’s game management, Josh Allen’s turnovers, what will happen now, is the sky falling? Answer was no, they smoked the Raiders and Commanders setting up a showdown with the “greatest show on surf” Dolphins….and absolutely put on a clinic of defensive mastery. The Dolphins scored 70 points the week before on Denver so of course that’s all you hear about the Dolphins the rest of the year. The Bills beat Miami by 28 points. Then over to London to lose Matt Milano, Da’Quan Jones, and the game to Jacksonville and the funk begins. Frustration is the best way I can describe the 5 weeks following London. A 14-9 win against the Giants which I was there for, loss in Foxboro to New England, win against Tampa, losses to the Bengals and Denver which get Ken Dorsey fired.

Don’t get me wrong by this point in the season I wanted McDermott gone. I knew it would be an end of season firing. But instead, I get Ken Dorsey’s head on a platter and a beat down of a sad Jets team, then the Bills go to Philadelphia. Now when Allen fired it to Gabe Davis in overtime and he missed it, I was mad but IT SHOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN TO THAT POINT! Allen threw a INT in a bad moment late in regulation, but gunslingers throw picks. Sean McDermott elected to not give his superstar QB a chance to lead a game-winning drive with 20 seconds left and 1 timeout. Instead, he elects to take a knee and go to overtime where he AND Josh Allen are 0-6. Not to mention the Eagles rushed onto the field for a fire-drill field goal attempt that McDermott CALLED A TIMEOUT TO ICE THE KICKER FOR! I mean, what the hell are you doing!? Let it ride maybe he misses it, but we’ll never know now. Instead, they let Jalen Hurts waltz into the endzone in OT to go into the bye week with a season on the brink.

Then Ty Dunne of Golongtd.com drops a bombshell expose of Sean McDermott and his management of the team and how he isn’t the coach to bring this team to a championship. The most odd and controversial tidbit from this article is in 2019 at training camp McDermott tries to make the point of the team coming together and communicating like the 9/11 terrorists did in achieving their goal. This leaves me with so many more questions but this almost confirmed it that if the wheels fell off the final 5 games McDermott was gone. The Bills won 4 games out of the bye week, in Kansas City, ran all over Dallas, nail biters against the Chargers and Patriots (those didn’t inspire confidence) then a showdown in Miami for the Division and the 2 seed in the playoffs.

They left A LOT of points on the field, that game should’ve been 48-14 but it wasn’t. the Bills outgained the Dolphins and just all around bullied them off the field. Tua’s quest to be taken seriously as a QB took a hit with a pedestrian night and a game sealing INT and now the Dolphins get the pleasure of going to KC instead of having a home game. The Bills get the suddenly hot Steelers.

What can be said other than this season has been typical Bills through and through with a surprise or two. I felt anger, joy, confusion, shock, dismay, hilarity, and overall content with this season. The talk of Allen’s turnovers gets super annoying but he keeps turning the ball over so I can’t be too mad at it. Now we look forward to a matchup with the Steelers who have had their own issues this season and also fired their offensive coordinator. This should be a game where the Bills win by 10 but honestly it can go either way for me. But that is another post for another day. This regular season is over and the Bills somehow salvaged 11 wins. It truly is a week to week league and with this team the roller-coaster of emotions just seemingly never stops, but what a ride it is.

#bills #nfl #billsmafia #nfl playoffs

1 note · View note

votestaynight2 · 11 months

Text

2nd Day - One day (II) (Scene 2)

Almost to the new route lock in point! Just a few more days.