#prettysamurai

@prettysamurai:  In the space of one heartbeat to another I loved you and I was lost to you. - deathless

He’d been an idiot.  Maybe he’d always been an idiot.  The only difference was now he was old enough and wise enough to know he was, and had always been, an idiot.  He should have seen it before, should have known before, should have done something before-- but he hadn’t.  He’d failed; and worse than that, he’d failed her. 

“Colleen,” He started, not sure what to say, not sure how to make it better-- how to make it right.  It had been right there before, it might have become something-- the entire reason why Colleen had been kidnapped in the first place was because it was clear that she was loved by the Iron Fist, and even still...

Even still, he’d been an idiot.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

                ❝   --- y’know,    ❞

Danny moved in without hesitation or complaint. His arms wound around her, and with a slow, shaky breath he hid his face against the crook of her neck. He surrendered fully to hugs, and even in the state he was in now was never going to turn such affection down. He’d showered before arriving, smelled like tea tree shampoo and citrus soap. At this hour this equated to him stopping by after a night on the streets, likely involving some activity he’d rather not explain. 

When someone asked for his help he very rarely turned them down. Even if it was something simple he'd rather help them than ignore it. Especially if it was something that he normally didn't handle. "Story of my life, Colleen," he teased, following her down the street. In all honesty, this was a strange request. He wasn't the sort who handled missing kids. The local police were good for that. But given the fact Colleen had asked for his help, Steve figured he'd at least check it out. Maybe there was more to it than a few missing kids. "Just because it's difficult doesn't mean I'll quit," Steve added, wondering just exactly where she was taking them. At least it was better than sitting around in his apartment. Things were too quiet and he needed something to do that wasn't constantly working out. "Since there's no real record of them no one will go looking for them." Human trafficking wasn't something he wanted to think about. He'd dealt with it once or twice before and he always managed to find the people behind it. But this was different and something told him finding the people behind it would be easier said than done. "You didn't mention you knew where the kids were." If she had he might've put together some sort of plan that would guarantee their success. "If this place is where they are holding the kids we might not find out who's behind it. They won't have their operation all in one place. But if some of these kids talk…" Then things might be different. He just wasn't going to rely on that. Not till they got to wherever it was they were going.

Breath hitches in his throat. eyes water. 

Family. Something he’d longed for since his own succumbed to Cholera. Family, something he surely didn’t deserve now.

Yet here it is, he can’t stop himself now, and he just starts to cry...