"to burn with desire and keep quiet about it is the greatest punishment we can bring on ourselves."
- Federico García Lorca
Staying out of trouble is not Frank Castle's strong suit. But is Jenavieve Howlett more trouble than The Punisher can handle...
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"don't tell anyone what you are, you're sacred and they're starved." - GOLDWING, Billie Eilish
╳
Dinner and a show.
I watch Frank work away at his hole in the closet while I eat and drink.
With no sleep since the night before last, this small nourishment is the little energy boost I need. And watching Frank is the cherry on top.
This man's physicality is so fine. I greedily take in every inch of him and his movements.
Once the hole in the wall is big enough for Frank to walk through, he drops the crowbar and sits down at the room's small table and chair.
I offer him the rest of my coke and he takes it, sculling what's left, letting out a sigh when he's done.
"Taking up renovating, I see." I quietly remark.
"Thought the place needed a little something." he replies.
"Yeah, it's really opened up the space." I comment with a hint of sarcasm. "Impressive."
He scoffs lightly and leans back in the chair.
"..How's your ass?" I ask.
"Fine." he answers, before looking at me. "Your shoulder?"
"Fine." I reply, dropping my eyes to my hands as they fiddle with the scrunched up sandwich wrapper. "..You know what really was impressive?" I add. "What you did, back at the bar. With those.. bad guys."
He shrugs. "You didn't do so bad yourself."
"Yeah.. I can.. If I have to." I nod slowly. "I tried not to in the bathroom and look how that turned out." I stop fidgeting with the wrapper and look up into Frank's eyes. "You didn't hesitate. I did. And if I didn't.. I could've ended it myself, without you being compromised. I could've spared innocent lives.. But I hesitated. I held back and people died." My eyes begin to gloss and I laugh humourlessly at myself. "Yet I hesitated because I didn't want anyone to die."
I drop my gaze back to my hands.
"..It's like, no matter what I do.. people get hurt." I say shamefully, before finally returning my gaze to Frank.
Sympathy enters his dark brown eyes.
While his pity is unpleasant, his understanding is comforting. Frank doesn't say anything, and I don't need him to.
"We're not leaving today, are we?" I state more than ask.
He watches me for a moment, before slowly shaking his head. "No." he whispers.
I flick a glance at the hole in the wall. "You're waiting for them to find us?"
Frank slowly nods.
"If you run, you can't see what's comin' up from behind you." he states.
