{ open post }

[withasouvenir]

☒ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴsᴘᴀᴍ ☒ ᴘʀᴏsᴇ ☒ ᴘɪᴄᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴍᴘᴛs ☒ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡᴏʀᴅʟʏ ☒ ᴏᴠᴇʀғʟᴏᴡ

Comments

[preemptiveforgiveness]

[withasouvenir]

Thea's never been an early riser, she's always been more of a night owl. Vigilantism fed into that but retiring didn't stop her late night tendencies, it just parleyed them into something different. Waiting up watching late night TV and eating left over take out while she fucks around on the internet instead of beating up bad guys.

She doesn't realize the time, looking up from her computer when the door slams shut, noticing that it's pitch black in the apartment, only illuminated by the light of the laptop she sets on the coffee table.

"Hey Matt." Anyone else would have commented on the darkness. "On a scale of one to ten, rate your injuries before I turn around and see them." She needs to be prepared.

[preemptiveforgiveness]

He can hear the hum of the computer and knows she's sitting in the dark because of the lack of lights humming. He also knows that she gets caught up in the internet and he doesn't mind. At least she's not worrying about him.

Matt peels the mask off as soon as he's inside the apartment and tosses it to the entrance table. "Six," he answers. "I don't need any stitches, but I'm sore all over and I think I cracked a bone in my shoulder. It should heal on it's own," he responds, unzipping the top part of his suit.

"I'm going to get changed. What are the chances you'd share your leftovers?"

[withasouvenir]

"Slim to none, but I can be persuaded."

I think I cracked a bone in my shoulder he says so calmly like it's not a big deal and Thea knew she was the exact same way before she retired which is what makes her frown as she tiptoes across the floor in the darkness to stand in front of him.

"If your shoulder is fucked up, let me help." She's already taking over the unzipping with her cool fingers, pushing the fabric of the suit back to gently work it over his shoulders.

[preemptiveforgiveness]

"Mmmm, I was afraid you'd say that," he says with a sigh then holds up the paper bag he's holding in his other hand. "I'll share my ice cream if you'll share your leftovers and yes, now the clerk at the bodega knows that the Devil of Hell's Kitchen likes chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream." It'd been slightly awkward at the register.

It's not a big deal. He's cracked nearly every bone in his body at some point. It's a fact of his life and one he's learned to accept. His injuries are less severe with the armored suit, but they're impossible to avoid. His attention goes to her when she tiptoes toward him.

"I'm not going to argue with you undressing me. I'm actually known as a relatively smart guy," he jokes, wincing slightly as she works the suit over his shoulders. "I'm okay, Thea. I promise."

[withasouvenir]

"Yeah, yeah," she teases, letting her hands rest against his shoulder for a moment like an impromptu ice pack. "Stop gloating about your college education, I get it, you're a lawyer."

This would be the perfect time to segue into a line about how he's a lawyer that needs a break from being a vigilante under the cloak of darkness. But he's bruised and probably broken and relaxed, she can feel the calm under his skin and she can't take that away from him.

"I should make you promise under oath."

[preemptiveforgiveness]

The impromptu ice pack is better than a real one. Sure, her hands aren't nearly as cold as a package of frozen peas would be, but they feel a lot better. He sighs and hums contentedly at her touch, almost missing her words. "Clearly, I need to tell you more lawyer jokes if you think that's something to brag about," he jokes with her.

One of these days he's going to figure out a way to let the people that care about him hear the pain and the terror that he hears from the city. He thinks they'd all understand about his need to do what he can to help the people of this city if they could hear that need.

"Find me a bible," he tells her. Yes, he's broken and bruised and sore, but it's nothing that won't heal.