broken by it

Conviction. He spoke with such conviction when he said it. He may have stumbled over his words before, been keen to talk about silly human things and even shake her hand as if they were in some other century Piper had already lived through but when he spoke to her now- when it most mattered- it was with conviction. That was a leader. That was potential. She looked him over with crafted caution and genuine curiosity. Who was he exactly? Not your typical hunter, holding his hand out to a vampire he knew nothing about. Not even a McReid would have been so careless, or maybe it was kindness. Either struck her, made her feel something she couldn’t quite put a name to.

Piper offered kindness. She offered a hand to hold when lost vampires were running and running and running from death, long before they’d realise they had nothing to fear from it. She pressed her lips together, closing her eyes as if to find some composure. Her part was that lost vampire. New. Formerly human. Scared and alone, looking desperately for help; for a hand to hold. In fact, she didn’t even have to act much, just…remember.

“You sound like you really mean that.” With one last moment of hesitation, she reached out and took his hand. “That it matters, that you want me to trust you. Even that you think I wouldn’t remember your name… Murdock. Matt Murdock,” she even smiled a little then, an unplanned yet genuine slip. Her grip on his hand tightened so slightly. He wanted so badly to help her. “Okay. I’ll- I’ll come with you. I’ll trust you.”

Matt could feel his entire body relax when her hand accepted his and for just a split moment, he offered her a kind smile. It was a cheap offering, in all sense of the word, but he hoped it’d be enough to help her feel comfortable with her decision to trust him. He almost worried that she would remember his name, as the name Murdock was almost as popular as the name McReid. Almost, being the key word there. But as a newer vampire, she probably wouldn’t recognize the name and that’s what he was hoping for right then.

“I do mean it,” he started, taking a moment to let her feel comfortable enough with him before he started leading her towards his go-to haunt. He hated that this was a thing he had to do, hated that he was constantly at war with his own morality as well as his family. How was he supposed to rationalize hurting someone else? Wouldn’t that put his own humanity as risk? And yet, from a young age he had been told that these “monsters” deserved to be put down. He had been told he’d be doing them a favor, ending their lives.

“There’s a studio a couple blocks from here, they’ll recognize me there and we’ll clean you up. Just-” He turned back to look at her, taking note of how much blood was truly visible. Neither of them would want someone asking questions, which meant they would need to hide those wounds before entering the building. “We’ll have to cover you up a bit, hang on.” He pulled her around the corner before letting go of her hand long enough to shrug off his oversized hoodie, offering it up to Piper. “Wear this.”

This is becoming more and more complicated by the second I think… Stay a millennial at heart, forget about the [ she copied his use of finger quotations around her own next words ] Zs and Is. That’s nice of you to say, thank you. Especially since you’re clearly a meme expert. [ Piper couldn’t help but smile which was just…ridiculous. She was being ridiculous. It had been over three hundred years since she’d last smiled so fondly at a human just for being, talking. As damned as she was, as damaged as she was…a part of her wanted to latch onto this moment, onto his humanity- the silly simplicity of it. ] Maybe you could just show me one. An easy one. No um, problem. [ Now she was laughing of all things. Still, she held her hand out to shake his. ] Matt Murdock. It- It’s really nice to meet you today.

Honestly, I think saying that I’m a millenial at heart is worse than saying I’m an old soul. It’s not exactly cliche, but a huge yikes if there ever was one. Not that it’s really going to stop me from saying it. [He let out a laugh, as he shook her hand and then he was already in the process of pulling out his phone to find a meme that wasn’t entirely stupid-- but also one that wouldn’t confuse the hell out of her. Finally he settled on a dark Kermit meme and offered her up his phone.] That’s Dark Kermit and the idea of that is normal Kermit is trying to be responsible and good, and the dark Kermit is his inner devil on the shoulder.

Piper had played the victim before. It was an easy ruse for her to pull off be it to lure in a tasty snack or to beckon her intended target over close enough so she could strike back. People were naive but hunters were arrogant and this trick worked well on both. But there was something different about the way that Matt approached her, the way he spoke to her and for a moment she forgot what she was doing. That concern, the way he’d easily slipped into the role of caregiver and even the attempt at soothing her, was familiar. An echo. The same tone, the same intentions she herself had time and time again when she’d saved each member of her clan. Taken them in as her own.

More than even before, Piper was sure of him. “Is it?” she asked, swallowing back her forced tears as she looked back up to him, careful not to make her gaze too sharp. “Because I- Ah—,” she hissed in an unnecessary breath, her hand covering one of the self-inflicted wooden bullet wounds, hesitating as if she were about to pull them out before stopping. “I don’t know. I- I didn’t do anything! I swear, I didn’t do anything but he- I don’t know who, some guy. He came out of nowhere and he shot me with these- these wooden bullets and- and I didn’t do anything.” She hung her head for effect, breaking eye contact and reiterating a same-old-story she’d heard many times from baby vampires with no hand to hold.

“I don’t even… I was in the woods. Because I don’t even drink-,” another breath, another tear but she composed herself well enough to move this along. “I don’t hurt people. But that doesn’t matter,” she met his eye straight on, “Does it?”

“It matters. It--” Matt could feel the panic rising up as he considered the possibilities. There were so many hunters in town, it could be a number of them, and yet... for someone to attack someone who wasn’t doing anything, the number dwindled drastically. There were only a few-- if that many-- families that attacked the innocent. Could it have been his? God, he hoped not, but he knew what the chances were. If it was his family, he needed to get her out of there now. “It matters.”

But to be able to help her, he needed her to trust him which wasn’t going to be easy. If he was in her shoes, he’d be the last person he trusted. “It was Piper, wasn’t it? You probably don’t remember me but I’m Matt and I promise, I want to help you. I can, uh--” He couldn’t take her home, but maybe he knew a place that’d be safe for her... The dance studio was usually pretty vacant and if they could just get her out of the open and away from whatever hunter was coming after her, she’d be safe. He doubted she’d ever trust him to take him to her home. “I can take you somewhere safe and get those out, but we have to hurry. Whoever it is isn’t going to be long.”

Once again he reached out for her, this time extending his hand out as an offering. He was putting himself at risk doing this, but to Matt it didn’t matter. This woman hadn’t done anything wrong and she didn’t deserve to be killed for being a vampire. “Please, trust me.”

I’m disappointed but not surprised. You seniors are always ones to watch out for aroundabout this time of year with prom and graduation. Honestly, I’d take the ridiculous pranks over a faceful of streamers any day but I’m not about to ruin anyone’s fun. Especially since I got swindled into chaperoning and decorating the actual hall. I think. There was a binder, it was disproportionately frightening.

And I respect you for that. Right… Yes, that does seem vaguely familiar but I try not to look too deeply into the slang-of-the-moment. One minute it’s one thing and the next minute that thing died. Do you still do it for the vine even after it’s dead? Or is that a whole sub-genre in the “discourse”?

Oh god, you should hear what some people are planning on doing for their senior prank-- Actually... maybe you shouldn’t. Forget I said anything about that. I’m really not surprised about the whole binder thing. I think my graduating class is outdoing themselves with the whole prom King and Queen thing. Someone almost pelted me with a cupcake when I refused to take it which was both terrifying and hilarious at the same time.

Okay, fine, don’t tell me! But don’t think that means I’m just letting this slide. I’ll figure you out one way or other, you– you…. Sorry, what did you say your name was again?

Uh, I didn’t, technically. But it’s Matt, and uh-- I’m genuinely not hiding anything important-- or like, anything at all really. So there’s nothing to figure out.

Right… [ Piper said it slowly, trying to work through the jumble of words he’d just said that she really didn’t understand (meme culture?) but nodded all the same. ] Millennials. I have heard of you. Oh please, if anything I’m the one who should be marked down as uh, That Guy? I don’t really know memes. Better you be the expert on yourself than anyone else or anything else, believe me. I- You’re welcome. [ She should leave, she’s wasting time and in the grand scheme of things he’s just another human. But she doesn’t move despite her previous undeniable rage-fuelled urge to go and murder her maker. ] I’m Piper.

I think technically I’m a Gen Z or uh, [he used actual finger quotations around the next few words] the “iGeneration” but I’m a millennial at heart. But hey, that’s not bad! Really, I don’t think anybody understands memes and even though I’m half tempted to pull out my phone and waste my time by showing you some, they aren’t that great. I guess you’re right. Th- uh, Thanks again. [He smiles and holds out his hand for a proper handshake, painfully aware of how oldschool that was.] I’m Murdock. Uh, sorry, Matt. Matt Murdock.”

“Are-Are you sure?” She asked, forehead wrinkling up. He seemed like he might have been having a stroke. Was that a thing? Could teenagers have strokes? She was pretty sure she’d read about it happening in a magazine once. “You just…I don’t know. You seem a little off today. Do you want some water?” She asked, offering him her water bottle. But her concern was quickly replaced by confusion as she started apologizing. “Matt, wh–” She stopped, mouth frozen mid-speech. She accepted the object and stared at it. “What’s going on?”

Matt let the clothes pin fall in to her hand, almost hastily shoving his hand back into his pocket to hide the nervousness. She’d be weirded out if she caught him picking at the bottom of his shirt, wouldn’t she? At least this way, he could keep his clothes and his nails from being destroyed while he waited for her to realize what was happening and... even worse, answer. In her hands was a little clothes pin with the dumbest, most small ever, stupid fucking promposal. “You uh....” He cleared his throat and ducked his head. “Open it?”

Turning a corner and running directly into someone was never a very comfortable moment, but it was made better by the fact that it was someone she knew. And by the fact that he was using the word ‘howdy.’ She let out a little squeak and stepped back, before chuckling awkwardly. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there. I really should have been paying attention. At least you weren’t holding a coffee or something, right? Sploosh.” She mimed coffee spilling everywhere, before realizing that she probably wasn’t winning herself any points with that move. “Um, I mean, I’m good. Yeah. How are you? What are you doing in the juniors hall?”

Matt felt his mouth fell open, but no words-- actually, no sound at all, came out at first. Right to the point, huh? “Ah, i’m uh, I’m great. Good. Guc- Nope. Sorry.” He cringed as he was continuing to search for a word that would make her believe he was doing great instead of being some anxiety ridden teenager. “Good. I’m good. And uh, okay. This is really really stupid. And I’m sorry in advance. .... For how stupid it is.” Quickly, his fingers wrap around the thing in his pocket and he holds it out to her. 

Has anyone ever told you that you have the most absolutely beautiful eyes ever? Because they should have.

Is this part of your, uh... prom campaign?

Piper had recognized his soft heart just as quick as she had recognized his telltale hunter’s stone. Protective charm… Always so quaint. It offered a false sense of security. The very act of being one, a hunter, offered a false sense of security. Piper took great pleasure in shattering such an illusion as cruel as that seemed. But this one, Matt was his name (and it rang just as true to her as Faith’s name had and did), was different. There was still a chance for him. A chance to save him. Why force someone to kill like that? All stakes and guilt and hatred when it could be so much more fun? He didn’t know what he needed but luckily for Matt Murdock, Piper did. Piper knew. Of course, it wouldn’t come easily so she had to mould it, change the story. Manipulate the narrative. That’s why she’d lodged the wooden bullets into her own skin, the wounds bleeding as she refused them the opportunity to heal. It was why she had smeared blood across her face and was mimicking the whimpers of her victims. Or was it more of a memory of when she was the victim?

It didn’t matter.

“Help! Help me, please! He— He’s after me, I- I-,” she suddenly bolted out, knocking into Matt, her hands grabbing for the front of his shirt. She locked eyes with him, almost giving herself away, before she suddenly pulled back, fear written all over her face. “No, no no. You’re one of them! You— Stay away!”

@sincerelymurdock

Matt was a hunter by every definition. He had been born and raised into the lifestyle by his entire family. He had done the research and heard the stories (always about the monster that could never be redeemed.) He had even tagged along on hunts before... watching his father or his mother or his cousins make a kill that he wouldn’t even dream of making. He had done it all... except actually make the kill himself. Hell, Matt’s body was prepared to make a kill. More times than one he’d managed to get the upper hand on a vampire. One, he let go. The other had hurt him, but-- no, he didn’t want to think about that.

He could sense them, too. There were too many at his school he started to just ignore it, but outside of school it was hard. It was just something built into him. A little Ping!, like someone was sending him a message on Facebook. So, naturally, when the woman came running around the corner, it was just there. She didn’t have to say or do anything, he just knew, and yet unlike most of his people, he didn’t immediately get some murderous intent. His arms moved up on instinct, grabbing at her arms to settle her (ignoring the pang of pain that shot up his still healing hand), quickly taking in the scene.

He had met her before, but back then he hadn’t gotten that feeling, that creep underneath his skin he always got when vampires were around. Was she a new vampire? Or had something else happened? That didn’t seem to matter, though. There was blood and a definite look of pain and-- fear? No, that didn’t-- One of them. A hunter was after her. “Hey, hey, heyheyhey, it’s okay,” he said, trying to sound soothing. He held his hands up almost defensively, shaking his head. “I’m not going to hurt you, I promise.” He wanted to soothe her, but he had to be quick, too. He knew how this went. Once they hit their pray, they’d be fast to retrieve. “Who- Uh, what- What happened?” It was a stupid question, but hopefully she got that he was asking for more detail.

Sorry, did you just say ’TM’ outloud? Is that…a thing? [ Wow, it almost…embarrassing to be human right now. Piper had always been so out of time just as her mind had been so out of touch with the truth. The truth about her maker. The— But before the anger could build back up, she found herself laughing just a little. ] Wildcats. No, I got it. Thank you. Oh… Well, you’re the expert on your own life, right? Consider my lips sealed.

Uh.... [He let out an uncomfortable chuckle, ducking his head.] Maybe? It’s that, uh.... Millenial humor meme culture kinda thing. Start saying it ironically and then next thing you know, it comes out in a serious conversation and you’ve forever marked yourself as That Guy. [He rubbed theback of his head.] I wouldn’t call myself an expert on anything, but... thanks.

“Ah, sports. Yeah, that’s– that’s totally more my thing. Football, amirite?” Cole was on the football team in high school, right? Though the thought of her pseudo-brother in a uniform was entirely ludicrous, she was sure she remembered it was true.

“He’s in high school, I think a sophomore? Looks a lot like you, are you sure you’re not related? Like you don’t have a cousin named Matt?”

“I’m definitely a football guy, but I’m getting ready for Baseball. Haven’t started yet, but it’ll be my last year so I want to make it a good one.” He didn’t recognize the kid, but he must have been in JV if they both played football. Jason would admit he didn’t really pay attention to those beneath him on the roster.

Right. Uh huh. I’m more of a cheerleader type myself, but I’m almost positive that baseball doesn’t involve pointy sticks.

Oh, that? Well, maybe if it was broken, it would. [Or sharpened with a knife, but that was neither here nor there.]

“Can’t trust girls, mate. They make everything more than it ever was, screw things up. Just live free and wild, like that bat in your hands. Swinging at what ya want, and avoiding bad throws.” The other boy seemed not to be bothered, so Jonathan figured they had a similar mentality about chicks. However, the kid was apparently a jock, whereas Jonathan was slim and lean, thanks to his wolf metabolism, and the feeling of paper between his fingers was much more welcoming than a barbaric sport’s instrument.

“One of those can’t live with em, can’t live without em scenarios, perhaps?” Jason laughed, digging the bat into the ground just to have something to do. If they were using girls as an analogy to monsters, he agreed with the other boy wholeheartedly. But girls. Well.... Jason did like girls.