HALF BURNED IN FLAMES.

“she does. but nobody ever said rottweilers couldn’t also be pretty sweet.” knowing jess, she’ll kill you for implying that. you’ll deal, “i think it’s important for a person to know when it counts.”

   matt’s lip curls.  ❛   don’t be.  just because i saved your life doesn’t mean it has any value.   ❜

“no, it means thou shalt always disclose shit-talking. –but that, too.”

he almost laughs,    ❛   y’know, i’m  -  i’m not trying to.  just saying jessica has the same demeanour as a rottweiler, but i don’t think that’s a bad thing.  ❜

“you do understand how the best friend code works, right?”

  ---  something, something, promise to break you out of prison.

“as the nice one, i resent that.”

❛  i guess danny hasn’t filled you in on everything that’s happened since you were gone.  ❜    he can feel the eyes of the bodyguards stationed at the door —— he doesn’t need them and likes them even less,  especially the company of suga,  and he instructs them with a wave to shut the door behind them to leave the two of them alone.  a long, heavy exhale that luke had no idea he’d been holding in escapes,  and he leans against the plush leather of the desk chair when he looks at matt.  he hasn’t seen danny, jessica, or colleen in weeks or more —— misty, he sees often enough but she has a special chip in her shoulder about harlem’s paradise and he doesn’t blame her,  but he had to take power and protect harlem before someone worse did.  even at the risk of his own soul.  he thinks matt would get it.

he crosses over to the other side where matt stands, guiding him with a hand on his shoulder,  gentle despite the strength that courses through him

❛  uh,  chair’s in front of you, about two or three steps on your six.  if you want something to drink ——  i can get you anything.  ❜    pause. ❛  i saw that shit about daredevil and fisk in the news.  i’m glad to see you.  more than you could know.  ❜   /  @justifight

catching up with the dead is never easy.  when matt hurt himself trying to get up to, either, help or stop frank castle, the nuns took away his fm. radio away.  and, after danny was hurt, they stopped bringing him newspapers.  the current events became a mystery to him and the numbness he felt physically extended out from the world.  when he came back, he had to contend with the world as it was,  not as he had expected it to be and the whiplash sent him reeling.

danny had left new york.  jessica had a ‘step’-son and stable relationship.  and luke cage was a mob boss,  and that was a liberal characterisation. 

cane remains coiled in his palm, even when luke’s deft footfalls pull him over the border.   ❛   i won’t be staying long so i won’t be taking a seat,   ❜  

now that earns a guttural laugh,  all teeth,  as he shakes his head.  it’s pulling teeth to get a rise out of him that isn’t just empty threats and promises,  but frank tries.    ❛  have mercy on my fragile heart,  red.  y’know, i’ve saved your life.  i’ve brought you here.  and all you’re doing is wallowing about it.  ❜

matt’s jab is sudden, straight to frank’s throat.