#bellumfacere

[xunreinx]

@pagefied asked: “how can i say this without breaking?” for frank from karen

That was a great start, slowly pulling further into himself as his fingers tightened around the gas station coffee cup that had felt scalding moments ago. Shit like this never went well for him, and he could feel the small piece of him that he guarded so zealously it may as well be a holy relic gain one more crack. It didn't have much left to break but it was resilient.

'Just say it, don't bullshit.'

Just swing the hammer. Why try padding it with foam like that would change the fact the core of it was tempered steel and it was going to hurt. Rather hurt now and wander off to lick his wounds, then deal with the prickly anticipation that made his "poor attitude" even worse.

'You're so worried about your own feelings you never get anywhere, so try it my way.' The words are growled, forcing himself not to let loose the anxiety that sparked his nerves and made him want to snap his teeth like a junkyard dog. "Just. Say. It.'

[xunreinx]

me, after finding a gif of Frank and Maria: look at how happy he is!!! he doesn't nuzzle people like that anymore, he can't smile like that anymore. bear: me, actually tearing up over fictional person: he was so happy because he had a family and he was being a good man in the military and everything was okay. going on great. i just- bear: .... do you want me to add her to the secret menu for you? i'll do it me, genuinely letting out a sob that hurts because my throat is sore and i'm sick: THEY TOOK THAT SMILE AWAY FROM US LOOK AT WHAT WE COULD HAVE HAD!!

edit: the gif in question:

[xunreinx]

@vallorouslly sent a raven: "Don't shut me out, please." (frank)

       And  here  came  the  bleeding  heart,  jaw  shifting  as  Frank  ground  his  teeth.  Didn't  he  realize  it  would  be  safer  if  he  stopped  trying  to  barge  in  where  he  wasn't  needed?  It  wasn't  a  question  of  want,  there  was  no  need  for  them  both  to  die  trying  to  straighten  things  out.  Logan  had  done  his  time,  and  then  some.  Shipped  off  planet  to  be  dragged  through  a  hell  that  Frank  couldn't  begin  to  imagine  on  soil  so  foreign  it  boggled  the  mind.

       A  far  cry  from  the  burning  sands  they'd  both  tramped  on,  the  human  beings  they'd  destroyed  to  protect  an  ideal  that  had  always  been  a  lie.  So  now  he  fought  because  it  was  the  right  thing,  something  that  needed  to  be  done.  And  it  wasn't  fun,  it  wasn't  easy.  Frank  knew  it  was  going  to  kill  him  in  the  end  and  that  was  okay.  But  he'd  be  damned  twice  over  if  he  was  going  to  let  it  kill  someone  else.  He  wasn't  dragging  anyone  else  with  him  if  he  could  help  it. 

“Who  said  you  got  in,  Finnegan?'  A  chuff  of  laughter  escapes  him,  cold  and  empty  as  he  reaches  for  the  gun  oil.  ”We  go  on  a  coupl'  a  missions,  and  suddenly  we're  family?  You  got  my  back,  you'll  help  me  through  it,  blah  blah  blah.'

       The  snort  that  escapes  him  hurts,  harsh  enough  to  make  him  wince  but  he  shifts  it  into  a  sneer  finally  looking  up  to  meet  the  other's  gaze.  Yeah  there  it  was,  that  earnest  expression,  the  flicker  of  hope  behind  all  that  misery  that'd  been  heaped  on  him.  Really  it  just  proved  that  there  was  something  broken  in  him  because  he  hadn't  been  able  to  even  imagine  feeling  a  modicum  of  peace  since  he  was  seven.

"You  want  to  get  yourself  killed,  fine.  But  you're  not  goin'  to  use  me  to  do  it.  I  told  you  I'm  going  on  this  run  on  my  own.'

[xunreinx]

@vallorouslly sent a raven: "I didn't realize you were in so much pain." (frank)

     Startling  hurt,  almost  more  than  the  ribs  he’d  been  trying  to  wrap  once  the  other  had  finally  fallen  asleep.  Jesus  it  was  like  having  a  nanny,  feeling  a  trickle  of  regret  for  the  unfair  thought.  Logan  wasn’t  that  bad,  but  God  help  him  the  boy  was  constantly  trying  to  help.  Was  he  drowning  in  ghosts  and  old  blood?  Yes.  Were  the  sounds  of  the  dead  screaming  his  own  personal  tinnitus  that  never  seemed  to  clear  up?  Sure.  But  he  was  doing  just  fine  without  the  ever  so  considerate  hand  offered  when  it  was  needed. 

“What  gave  it  away?  Chewing  on  Oxy  with  a  beer  chaser,  or…' 

       He  couldn't  think  anything  else,  mostly  because  the  blood  loss  was  catching  up  to  him.  There  was  more  of  him  left  on  the  floor  of  that  old  warehouse  than  there  was  sitting  on  the  metal  folding  char,  Frank  was  almost  sure  of  that.  At  least  the  tactical  gear  had  kept  chunks  from  being  torn  off  him.  Small  mercies. 

"Go  to  bed,  Lo.  I'm  almost  done  but  after  this  I'm  laying  across  that  old  radiator,  it's  fuckin'  cold.'  Or  he  was  going  into  shock.  He'd  done  that  before  too,  it  wasn't  that  serious,  he  wished  Logan  would  stop  looking  at  him  like  that.

[xunreinx]

@cag3dsong sent a raven: “If you hate me, I can live with that.” Nat for Frank

       He'd  been  tracking  that  piece  of  shit  for  weeks,  crawling  through  back  alley  beatings  and  rough  handed  interrogations.  So  either  she'd  been  tailing  him  this  whole  time  and  he  hadn't  noticed,  or  Frank  had  slowed  down.  Neither  was  ideal,  kicking  the  corpse  in  frustration  before  turning  to  glare  at  her. 

"What's  the  ask?'

       For  the  intel  he'd  been  planning  on  getting,  for  the  information  he  knew  that  she  not  only  had  but  the  extra  bits  she'd  figured  out  while  he'd  been  clearing  the  lower  floors.  How  had  she  even  gotten  in  so  cleanl-  Actually  no,  he  didn't  want  to  think  about  that,  it  was  just  going  to  piss  him  off  more. 

"And  keep  in  mind  I'm  all  gun  no  wallet,  so  unless  you  want  one  of  my  mods  I  don't  have  much  in  the  way  of  liquidation.'

[xunreinx]

       Had  he  disappeared  for  five  months  without  telling  her  he  was  going?  Yes,  yes  he  had,  there  were  things  he'd  needed  to  take  care  of  out  of  state.  It  hadn't  even  occurred  to  him  that  he  had  to  report  his  coming  and  going  until  he  was  driving  past  the  city  limit  sign  and  had  the  passing  thought  that  he'd  made  it  back  in  time  for  breakfast  in  that  diner  they  both  liked.

       It  should  count  for  something  that  he'd  immediately  stopped  by  the  apartment  to  pick  her  up  to  go  to  said  diner.  But  it  didn't  seem  to,  gingerly  lowering  himself  onto  the  couch  and  stifling  back  the  groan  that  almost  slipped  out.  No  bullet  wounds,  good  run.  But  knowing  Karen,  if  she  found  out  about  the  bruised  ribs  and  the  shallow  cut  he'd  had  to  staple  shut  she'd  lose  it. 

       He  just  wanted  coffee  and  the  platter,  but  she  was  pissed  and  pacing.  Fuck. 

"Saw  your  latest,  it  was  a  good  read.' 

@pagefied's been invited to tourney

[xunreinx]

@vallorouslly sent a raven: ✿ pre-established relationship meme 2.0 frank castle pls

send me a  ✿  and i’ll fill out the template below. bold for things i could definitely see or want, italics for things i could see or am unsure of and striked out for things i don’t want or cannot see.

FRIENDSHIP.       childhood  friends   /   work  buddies  or  coworkers   /   family  friends   /   friends  with  benefits   /   smoking  buddies   /   adventure  buddies   /   fake  friends   /   recently  friends   /   party  buddies   /   friendship  of  need   /   dying  friendship   /   circumstantial  friendship   /   partners  in  crime   /   old  friendship   /   [ your  muse ] is  the  good  influence   /   [ your  muse ] is  the  bad  influence   /   [ my  muse ] is  the  good  influence   /   [ my  muse ] is  the  bad  influence   /   opposites  attract   /   ride  or  die   /   frenemies   /   roommates  or  flatmates   /   penpals   /   exes  to  friends   /   enemies  to  friends   /   other

ROMANCE.       childhood  sweethearts   /   [ your  muse  is  mines ] childhood  crush   /   [ my  muse  is  yours ] childhood  crush   /   exes   /   exes  to  lovers   /   forbidden  lovers   /   highschool  sweethearts   /   secret  relationship   /   opposites  attract   /   long  distance   /   unrequited  [ from  your  muses  side ]   /   unrequited  [ from  my  muses  side ]   /   unrequited  [ from  both  sides ]   /   skinny  love   /   friends  to  lovers   /   enemies  to  lovers   /   spurious  relationship   /   power  couple   /   newly  entered   /   soulmates  [ metaphorical  ]   /   soulmates   [ literal  ]   /   awkward   /   turning  toxic   /   toxic  love   /   cheating  [ on  your  muse ]   /   cheating  [ with  your  muse ]   /   other 

FAMILIAL.       siblings  [ half  ]   /   siblings  [ step  ]   /   [ my  muse ] is  an  older  sibling  figure  to  your younger  sibling  figure   /   [ my  muse ] is  a  younger  sibling  figure  to  your older  sibling  figure  muse   /   [ my  muse ] is  a  parental  figure  to  yours   /   [ my  muse ] is  a  child  figure  to  your  muse   /   guardian  figure   /   legal  guardian   /   adoptive  child   /   foster  child   /   [ your  muse ] is  taken  under  mines  wing   /   [ my  muse ] is  taken  under  yours  wing   /   other

ANTAGONISTIC.       dangerous  to  each  other   /   dangerous  to  others   /   unpredictable   /   rivals   /   petty   /   developing  into  sexual  or  romantic  tension   /   based  off  family  matters   /   based  of  off  circumstance   /   based  of  professional  matters   /   based  off  misunderstanding  or  lies   /   conflict  of  ideology   /   betrayal   /   hero  -  villain  dynamic   /   enemies   /   fight  club   /   friends  turned  enemies   /   lovers  turned  enemies   /   exes  turned  enemies   /   other 

[xunreinx]

He felt his chest threaten to cave in, a dull ache of a wound that had never properly healed. It was what he liked about her, Frank reminded himself for the dozenth time. The blunt, direct to the point, out of left field sucker punches that left him stumbling to stay upright. Of course she'd see no problem assuring him of something that had not once crossed his mind. It had been assumed, it had been known to the marrow of his bones.

Gaze flicking towards the photo she'd picked up when he hadn't been paying attention, he fought the urge to snatch it away on instinct. But she was right, she'd never try to take their place, or want to remake memories. If anything he had her asking about them at the park, or the cafe, or on a drive. She liked knowing, secrets were anathema, which was a shame because he happened to like keeping himself to himself.

"I know.'

He had to answer, couldn't just leave it hanging because she would start doubting herself. For such a ballsy broad Karen had moments that showed how fragile she could be under all that armor. The little girl who had been scared and alone peeking through the woman who made room for herself because she knew her worth.

"If I thought you wouldn't you think I'd let you in my house? Eatin' my favourite chips and jerky?' A flicker of humor at the edges of his mouth, a crooked smirk he couldn't quite hold. "You finished the last beer and I barely bitched.'

@pagefied's been called to tourney...