[ the other man's arm around him is like home and he shuts his eyes, trying to remember the exact moment his memory failed him. ]
we came back from seeing the monsters and it was raining. we played and worked and fought and got drunk. it was a good day
[ but there are hazy things after that, he sees an arrow go through a deer. he sees micro in his blue jumpsuit. he sees jessica's face in the fire. what's happening to him? ]
did i die? [ that must be it, otherwise how did he wake up in the room with a new jumpsuit and no memory of how he got there? ]
[ david doesn't remember it. it's likely that it happened before he arrived; frank's been here for a while judging from the comments he's seen on the network, so that doesn't surprise him. it's definitely a cause for concern either way and david wonders how messed up his inner timeline is if only bits and pieces are coming through. ]
Maybe. I've started tracking everyone after you gave me the laptop Hacked into the network You went out to meet Jessica the night before I don't know what happened to you after that
[ jessica... then it was related to kilgrave. he remembers wanting to kiss her suddenly, but where did that come from? frank wrinkles his nose and tries to absorb the information he's being given. ]
friday's laptop [ except: ] she's gone
[ very slowly, frank straightens up so that he can face david, narrowing his eyes. ]
do you know anything else? i think this is helping
[ friday. tgif. he remembers seeing her on the network, someone tech savvy if he remembers right. ]
Hold on
[ he reaches over to grab the laptop, opening it up to show frank the screen. there's a rudimentary map of the area overlaid with red dots, lines of code scroll by on another window and a log is pulled up on the side. there's a timestamp of frank meeting jessica, of frank splitting off to meet kara, kara's signal disappearing and then frank's. ]
Kara came back to the room first She left with Jessica Then you showed up again
[ kara. his heart is beating fast, kilgrave's terrible voice in his ear. where's kara? tell the truth. he swallows it down. act normal, don't raise suspicion. he pushes the laptop closed silently, not wanting to know if micro can track where they are now. he can't know. he'll have to tell kilgrave. he'll want to. ]
i forgot about kara how could i forget about kara?
[ his head falls heavily into his palm then, running things backwards and forwards. he doesn't know what to do, kilgrave's orders mean he can't interfere with whatever's about to happen next. but he still is filled with the overwhelming urge to help kara. it feels like he's being torn in two.
he thinks of jessica, falling asleep against this very house the night she killed him. the second night they were here. frank had draped his coat over her after making her a sandwich. ]
[ he could and he knows, so he doesn't stop him when frank closes the laptop. david doesn't even know who kara is, but he knows frank gets attached even when he tries so hard not to. and maybe that's why he's caught in this mess, because he cares even when he shouldn't.
but david had wanted this too, didn't he? you deserve a second shot. start over. he didn't think it'd turn out like this.
he sets down his device and the laptop, fingers curling over frank's wrist as he leans in until their foreheads bump lightly. he doesn't know what to do yet, but he needs to do something. he'll figure it out; they've done the impossible before, they can do it again. ]
[ the physical display of solidarity inspires tears to prickle behind his eyes, though they never come to the surface and he'd certainly never let them fall. frank presses his face back against david's and takes selfish comfort from their mingling, silent breaths. david knows, david knows and he's going to help him. it doesn't matter what he has to endure, though, it never has. as long as jess, kara, and micro stay safe. he has to protect them. but he has to protect kilgrave, too. ]
[ it's not selfish if david is offering it, if he wants frank to take it. they've been a team for so long that this honestly doesn't even feel that different from all the other missions -- the stakeouts, the late night road trips across the states, dragging frank's unconscious body out of the woods because there's no one else; frank bleeding out on his kitchen table as he calls the only other person he can think of who can help, because he's always been useless when blood is involved. he's seen more of it in his lifetime since frank started living with him, and it's funny how that works too.
frank presses his forehead against his and david squeezes his wrist in his hand, lingering for a few more heartbeats before pulling away. they both know; they both know and david will help him regardless of what happens because the alternative isn't an option he'd consider. ]
Trust me.
[ we'll think of something. i'll get you through this. i promise. ]
[ he immediately misses the contact when it's gone, but the message gets a steadily building smile though the situation calls for anything but mirth. frank's head bobs minutely back and forth, an onset of mania david will recognize. so it begins again. his fist stamps a silent beat against his heart, twice, before he releases. a marine's show of brothership and also immediately recognizable.
semper fi, brother. they will get through this, with david lieberman at the helm. and frank castle once again a murder machine, just with a brand new puppet master. ]
[ get that marine code shit out of here. but he quirks a smile in return, a brief small thing. there's half formed ideas in his head, but instead of disclosing any of them, he grabs the blanket off his own cot and shoves it in frank's lap. get some rest, dick. ]
[ frank shoves him gently even while settling down with the blanket and flicking his gaze up to meet micro's. it's heavy and tired, but with a flicker of gratitude buried underneath. then he flips micro off affectionately, and shuts his eyes. goodnight, asshole. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
we came back from seeing the monsters and it was raining. we played and worked and fought and got drunk. it was a good day
[ but there are hazy things after that, he sees an arrow go through a deer. he sees micro in his blue jumpsuit. he sees jessica's face in the fire. what's happening to him? ]
did i die? [ that must be it, otherwise how did he wake up in the room with a new jumpsuit and no memory of how he got there? ]
no subject
Maybe.
I've started tracking everyone after you gave me the laptop
Hacked into the network
You went out to meet Jessica the night before
I don't know what happened to you after that
no subject
friday's laptop [ except: ] she's gone
[ very slowly, frank straightens up so that he can face david, narrowing his eyes. ]
do you know anything else? i think this is helping
no subject
Hold on
[ he reaches over to grab the laptop, opening it up to show frank the screen. there's a rudimentary map of the area overlaid with red dots, lines of code scroll by on another window and a log is pulled up on the side. there's a timestamp of frank meeting jessica, of frank splitting off to meet kara, kara's signal disappearing and then frank's. ]
Kara came back to the room first
She left with Jessica
Then you showed up again
no subject
i forgot about kara
how could i forget about kara?
[ his head falls heavily into his palm then, running things backwards and forwards. he doesn't know what to do, kilgrave's orders mean he can't interfere with whatever's about to happen next. but he still is filled with the overwhelming urge to help kara. it feels like he's being torn in two.
he thinks of jessica, falling asleep against this very house the night she killed him. the second night they were here. frank had draped his coat over her after making her a sandwich. ]
no subject
but david had wanted this too, didn't he? you deserve a second shot. start over. he didn't think it'd turn out like this.
he sets down his device and the laptop, fingers curling over frank's wrist as he leans in until their foreheads bump lightly. he doesn't know what to do yet, but he needs to do something. he'll figure it out; they've done the impossible before, they can do it again. ]
no subject
no subject
frank presses his forehead against his and david squeezes his wrist in his hand, lingering for a few more heartbeats before pulling away. they both know; they both know and david will help him regardless of what happens because the alternative isn't an option he'd consider. ]
Trust me.
[ we'll think of something.
i'll get you through this.
i promise. ]
no subject
semper fi, brother. they will get through this, with david lieberman at the helm. and frank castle once again a murder machine, just with a brand new puppet master. ]
no subject
no subject