FRANCIS FOREVER, daredevil

4. crazy big-little lies

yall Francis is gonna tweak this chapter.

WHEN MATT FINALLY walked through the door, it was past ten o'clock. He looked absolutely drained. His hair was slightly disheveled, and there were new creases in his suit, a sure sign he'd been moving nonstop since he left that afternoon.

The minute he entered the apartment, he let out a long breath, like he'd been holding it in all day. His senses immediately scanned the room, locking onto Fran curled up on the couch, still awake. He smiled softly, the tension in his shoulders easing a bit.

"Hey, sweetheart," Matt greeted her, his voice soft but tinged with weariness. "You're still up?"

Fran nodded from her spot on the couch, sitting cross-legged with a blanket draped over her lap. "Yeah. You took forever," she said, not with annoyance, but with that familiar teasing tone they often shared.

Matt sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before walking over to her. "I know, I'm sorry for getting back so late. Did you eat?"

"Yeah," she assured him, offering a small smile.

"Good," Matt said, relief washing over his tired features. "You should be in bed by now, though."

Fran glanced at the clock on the wall, arching an eyebrow. "It's only ten. And it's not a school night," she pointed out with a smirk.

Matt chuckled, shaking his head. "Can't argue with that, I guess," he conceded, sinking down beside her on the couch. "How's your nose? Still bothering you?"

She shrugged, leaning back into the cushions. "It's fine now. Doesn't really hurt anymore."

Matt reached out instinctively, his hand hovering near her face as if to check, then he lightly tapped her nose to see if she would wince or not.

Knowing that she was okay, Matt let out a small breath he didn't know he was holding. "I'm glad," he said, relaxing a bit as he pulled her in for a cuddle.

Fran settled into his side, resting her head against his chest as they both let the silence stretch comfortably between them. Matt wrapped an arm around her, holding her close like he used to when she was little, the weight of the day slowly melting away now that she was in his arms.

"Listen," Matt started after a moment, his voice low and gentle. "I might be home late a bit more often these days. We're getting ready to go to court for a new client, and it's been pretty demanding."

"That's okay." Fran yawned, which made Matt smile.

"You're tired." He murmured. "You should really go to sleep."

She rolled her eyes playfully, but there was no real fight behind it. "Why? So you can go take another one of your late-night strolls?"

Matt laughed, the sound soft and genuine. "Something like that," he said, not even trying to hide the amusement in his voice. He brushed some hair out of her face, the affectionate gesture calming both of them.

Fran finally sat up and stretched, the blanket slipping off her shoulders. "You're right. I should go to bed before I actually fall asleep here."

"Good plan," Matt agreed, giving her a little nudge toward her room.

She smiled back at him, her eyes warm with the kind of love that only comes from years of trust. "Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, Fran," Matt said, giving her a soft smile.

FRANCIS KNEW BETTER than to sneak out, especially at night. She was twelve, small for her age, and painfully aware of how vulnerable that made her. But that night, she felt a restless energy gnawing at her. It was past midnight, and she had woken up in a cold sweat, her heart racing for no reason she could understand. She tossed and turned, trying to shake off the feeling, but it only grew stronger.