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[ his head dips down, making room for her on one broad shoulder, even if she presses into his healing bruises. the pain spikes, but stays manageable. she isn't the only one who feels stupid for saying something. ]

Then I'll be there.

[ a promise is a promise, and somethng tells him elektra and matt have things to work out too. it makes him feel less bad for wanting this in return; and for not worrying too much about the man who was practically dying in his arms mere hours ago. ]

[Her breath hitches, and she waits for the ecstatic flipping of her stomach to stop. A moment later and her head lifts, softly exhaling.]

Okay.

[They had come in here to get cleaned up, but that's forgotten as she tries to navigate whatever this is between them.]

We can stay here. If it's easier for you.

[ easier. he doesn't really have an easy mode, and he looks around the room. it's far from home, even if he's been away for a while. it had inexplicably felt good to be back. he's realizing something else, too: that they'd always been in her room during his dark time. even if he'd seen ghost in here, maybe it would be better to get a change in scenery - even if the two rooms are identical save for the choice of eccentric neighbors. ]

Can we? [ he asks softly, not wanting to put her out either. he thinks he could get over his reservations if she really wants to stay in her room. ]

[She has to laugh, because they are both so stupid right now. So dumb that it's painful. Her hand slips over to nudge against his chin, turning his head toward her. He gets another kiss, and she's careful not to let it linger. She isn't sure if he's ready for that yet. When she breaks away, she's smiling.]

I don't give a shit where we stay, Frank.

[Which is a yes, they can stay here.]

[ he's as pliable to her touch as always, allowing her nimble fingers to direct him towards her. his breath draws in sharp as their lips touch, like there's sparking electricity between them, a livewire's current just under the surface of his skin. she doesn't give him time to return the kiss this time, and that's okay, though he finds himself licking his lips idly as he processes her smartass remark. ]

Okay. I'll pick you up from work?

[ a good-natured joke, maybe. or that's its intent. he knows what she's doing is important, and that he often gets in the way or just plain distracts her. he's better off as a stay-at-home. ]

[It's enough of a joke that she laughs, nodding in agreement.]

The bridge, at ten. Is that a subtle hint that I should make myself scarce until then?

[She hopes not, because she's moving to stand up so she can unbutton her blouse. It's a convenient time to remember she wanted to wash up.]

Yeah, well-- [ o-oh, she's getting undressed. his throat dries up, whatever dumb comment he'd been about to make dying on his lips. he's completely forgotten about her offer to clean up even though it could only have been moments ago. ] Karen. [ his voice is tentative, maybe even fearful in its way. most of all he's just confused about what it is she's doing taking her shirt off in the middle of his room. ]

[She hears the shift in his tone and pauses, eyebrows arching as she glances back up at him. Maybe she should go back to her room to take care of this, since she doesn't want to freak him out and make him run away again.]

You said we could get cleaned up.

[ his eyes flood with recognition and relief as he remembers, burying his face in one big hand. god, he's so embarrassing. ]

Yeah, sorry. Shit. Go ahead.

[He's painfully embarrassing. With a fond roll of her eyes, she resumes where she left off, shedding her blouse and folding it up to set aside. She starts to work at the back of her pencil skirt but ends up going to stand with her back turned to him so he can unzip it for her.]

Don't worry. I'm waiting for you to make the next move.

[And after what happened the last time they tried fooling around, it means that it's likely to never happen again ever.]

[ the next... oh. he unzips her skirt, fingers feeling numb and clumsy. enough so that he has to poke at his fingertips and make sure they still work. when her skirt falls away he looks up at her, his breath catching in his nose audibly. she really can't put this ball in his court because he won't ever hit it. that doesn't mean he won't think about it, like, all the time. especially after what almost happened between them. ]

Karen, I- [ he shuts himself down, swallowing and looking back down at the floor again. what if he can't ever do that with her? ]

[She steps out of her skirt that's pooled at her feet and turns so she's facing him. So much between them can go unspoken because they seem to communicate so often through look and small gestures alone. But there's some things that people should talk about, and this was one of those things. He's clearly uncomfortable, and she wants to know how to proceed with her attraction to him without crossing a line.]

You what? Talk to me.

[ an uncategorized emotion ripples through his chest and he's reaching for her wrist because he needs the lifeline. he likes looking up at her this way and he places her hand on his cheek so he won't feel strange for doing so. for the reverence and admiration that shines in his eyes when he does, tipping his head back to take her in completely. he doesn't want to talk about this, it's something he's never really talked about before in his life, but it was never all that complicated then. now it's nearly impossible to navigate even with karen guiding him through the dark. ]

I just don't wanna disappoint you, is all.

[Sometimes it feels like they go in a series of predictable circles with their conversations. She knows that it's not because they're slow or because they like bringing the same things up. It's because they're both broken in ways that mean they need the reassurance. They need to know that they're doing the right thing as far as the other is concerned.]

Frank.

[Her fingertips press a little more firmly against his cheek, and she almost wishes that this is a conversation they could have with touch and looks alone.]

If you don't want to have sex after what happened, it's not going to disappoint me. And I'm not trying to get you to now. You know that, right?

[ he holds tighter to her wrist instead of letting her go, leaning his face fully into her hand and blinking tears out of his eyes he didn't even know were there. ]

I know. I didn't- [ he just panicked, in retrospect it was silly. ] It's not just because of what happened.

[ he has her hand in a vice now, legs descending so their knees press. ]

I haven't... [ yeah he still can't say the word 'sex.' it's a hardship just to talk about this in vague terms okay!! ] Not since Maria. I don't know if I can.

[ not without falling apart, anyway. maybe it's for the best the station stopped their moment, if he only would have brought it crashing down around them anyway. ]

[This conversation is treading into dangerous waters. His grip on her wrist is tight enough that it would hurt someone more fragile than she is, and his words cut through her and make her want to cry along with him. Not because he's hurt or upset her, but because she hurts for him. She knows she can never be Maria to him. She doesn't want to replace his wife, and she doesn't ever expect him to feel the same way toward her that he did Maria.

They had children together. A family.

Karen can't ever hope to give him something that valuable.

But he isn't trying to compare her to Maria. He's trying to tell her that he isn't sure if he'll ever be ready to be with another woman in the same way he was with his dead wife. A lump forms in her throat and she swallows it down.]

We don't have to.

[Her words are soft and she isn't sure that she's really said them out loud.]

If - [She pauses, licking at her lips. Her eyes meet his, and she hates how they both have tears.] When I'm ready again, if I try and you're not, we don't have to.

[Her connection to him isn't purely physical, at least not on a sexual level.]

[ for him it was never about comparisons, though his body isn't always so kind about that. karen can't sleep on "maria's side" of the bed, he can't talk about or do even certain mundane things with her he did with maria. but it's not because she'll never mean as much to him, they're just two very different relationships. this one is so much more honest in so many ways. even this conversation now is a testament to that. ]

So you're gonna try again?

[ he quests, lips tugging up though the smile never quite lands on his face. his hand loosens a little as he scoots even a little closer, putting her legs between his. his neck is starting to ache, but he doesn't want to stop looking up. she's so beautiful this way, and he's afraid if he looks away he really will see brown hair and dark eyes, beckoning him towards the light. ]

You're relentless, Page.

[ definitely not a criticism, said in that same light tone as he unconsciously mimicks her, licking his own lips. he wants to keep pressing the issue, but this has to be her choice. frank simply isn't capable of making it, or he'd still be trying to avoid her. ]

[Is Frank Castle actually managing to make her blush? She can't believe it, but he's just done a great job making her cheeks flush. Her head ducks as she smiles, laughing a little at how easy he's making this conversation feel.]

Yeah, well, I don't see you complaining about that.

[As a matter of fact, she recalls him (probably) saying something about admiring the fact she's relentless.

With her head ducked the way it is, she's easier able to look him in the eye. She sees that lick to his lips and her breath catches, shakily releasing. Her legs bump against his as she shifts to move even closer to him, wedging herself more firmly between his legs. When she leans down and in to kiss him this time, it's without hesitation or an attempt to shield him from discomfort. The press of her lips starts soft but quickly becomes insistent and unyielding. She shows just how much she wants him in a single action, hand against his cheek pressing firm to keep him in place. She won't press to escalate things, but she doesn't see anything wrong with kissing.]

[ he opens his mouth to retort, always that push and pull between them. he does admire her tenacity, of course, it's what first drew them together and what keeps them together now. but he doesn't get anything out before she's kissing him, a soft noise in surprise suppressed by her mouth just as quickly. the first press of her lips prickles, and he anticipates the pain; almost welcomes it. it does hurt at first, his brain confusing the message and drawing on muscle memory, but then his other hand is lifting to palm at her bare waist, mouth falling slack as he submits, as ever, to her will.

his eyes slip shut next, another tear loosed by the action and forgotten by him until he tastes saline in the kiss. she's already calling his bluff and that's something to admire too, even if he knows his limitations aren't too much more than this already. not wanting to move the goalpost on her, or lead her on anymore than he has already, frank spins the contact into something soft and driven by emotion, rather than arousal. desire still sparks behind his beltline, but he's focused, each sweep of lips and the tentative introduction of questing tongue thorough, but restrained. it's love in kiss form even if neither of them can say those words. he pulls away heaving for breath anyway, chasing one last brief press of her mouth before allowing that to break too, temple pressed tightly to hers as he trusts her, as ever, to hold him up, and not just physically. ]

[Her heart feels like it's going to beat out of her chest, causing her breath to come heavy as she stays in place against him. Lips remain parted, tongue dancing out across them. That was the single most intense kiss she's ever had, and her head is reeling from the impact of the emotion and feelings behind it. She doesn't have any doubt about how he feels, not after that.

It's going to take some time for her to be able to ignore the desire she's feeling, and his being pressed this close is both a blessing and a curse. Goosebumps rise up over her skin as a chill slithers up and down her spine, and she releases a soft exhale. She really should pull away and go get that shower, but she doesn't want to move. But eventually, after taking some time to run her fingers through his hair, she manages to lift her head.]

I should -

[Wait, what was she doing again?]

[ he feels the shiver rack her, hand running up her spine as if to soothe as he sits and tries to catch his breath. it isn't like he doesn't want - her, but he doesn't feel the urge to take things further as she does. if only because he knows doing so would open her up to a whole new area in which he's well and truly broken. she doesn't need to see that while they're already fighting for their lives here. ]

Yeah.

[ a bland agreement that she should - whatever she was about to do. use his shower, go to the bridge. keep working on getting everyone out of here. as much as he admires her efforts, he can't help feeling flattered that he can distract her that much. and though he agrees, he doesn't actually let go to make it easier for her to walk away. ]

I'll get Matt squared away while you're working.

[ because apparently that's his responsibility now?? at least, according to him. ]

[Shower, right. And back to work. She can do that. Except he doesn't let her go and she has to use every ounce of willpower that she has to be the one that pulls away first.]

We fought when I went to see him.

[The thought of Frank being the one to take care of Matt is a little funny to her, if only because Matt's a technical ex and she's unsure of where she and Matt stand now that he's here.]

He basically accused me of being jealous of Elektra.

[So needless to say, she went off on him.]

Jealous...? [ frank actually laughs, his hands dropping to the bedspread when she pulls back though all he really wants is to reach for her again. ] Oh.

What a dick.

[That makes her laugh, and she nods in agreement.]

I walked in on them together in his room when Matt and I were supposedly dating. She was in his bed.

[So maybe at the time, she had been jealous. But now, she just is angry at Matt for not being able to move on past Daredevil and her feelings on the matter.]

[ wow. that's a story he hasn't heard before... it's his turn to flush, throat and ears tingeing pink. but the 'supposedly' wins it in the end and he gives another snort. ]

You guys gonna be okay? Here, I mean.

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