Devil With a Halo 🔱 Frank Castle

19

"Here we are." Frank parks the car, cutting the engine and throwing the keys on the dash. He glances over to me, my eyes at the time focused on a fizzling out fire pit ahead. "They should be waiting."

I nod, ripping my eyes from the now dead but still smoking dirt patch and connecting with Franks as they were already set on me when I turn. "You coming?"

"Not just yet, I got something to do." He shakes his head, snatching the keys back up and sticking them again into the ignition.

I hesitate as my hand lays over the door handle curious about what exactly that something entitles, more so if it's dangerous. "And you're fine on your own?"

"Don't you worry I'm not walking into another firefight without you, not just yet." He chuckles shortly out at himself and I can't help but smile faintly at him as he zips his thick black jacket further up, cocooning himself from the chilly air.

"Okay then, handle your business." I nod while finally breaking gaze from him, reaching a hand out to rest on his shoulder while the other flings the door open. "Just, watch your back for me." My hand skims over his bicep until lifting off his arm as I hop from out of the car, shutting the door behind me.

Frank tilts his head down closer to his shoulder where my hand had just lay as he watches me walk away. Closing his eyes shut tight for a quick but meaningful second in that he already craved my rare touch, before he faces normally out of the windshield ahead and pulls off.

Soon enough, the van comes into view as I pass countless homeless men and women huddled around fires for warmth. I approach the car, seeing a both not yet aware'd of my presence David and Leo slumped in their seats. "I'm not late to the reunion am I?"

David's head whips toward me, he rushes out of the car leaving the door thrown ajar behind and enveloping me in a tight hug. I stiffen slightly in his grip, definitely not expecting the overly warm welcome but soon return the hug, wrapping loose arms around him.

"I thought-" He pulls away, still holding my upper arms in both his hands. His eyes were full of disbelief and just a smidgeon of relief. "Sarah? Is she okay, Zac-"

"Okay isn't the word I'd use but yeah, they are alive." I cut him off bluntly laying out facts as he looks away dropping his hands to his sides, tensing his jaw with a slight nod.

"The cameras showed everything Alexa, if you hadn't have been there-" He stutters over his words, re wording them out in his head before continuing. "You basically saved-"

"I didn't." I look past him scrunching my eyebrows together as flashes of David's family being dragged away, slipping between my fingers, prod themselves back into my mind. "Not yet." Snapping myself from my tainted memories my eyes regain focus, zoning in on a just arriving Frank.

He posts himself close to the van , tilting his head down and to the side while his eyes gaze softly up at me. Frank gives me a reassuring head tilt, leaning back against the car not far from the rolled down window.

My attentions turns beside him, seeing an ever so quiet Leo hunched over in the passenger side. I step close, arm grazing Frank's as I lean into the window slightly. "Hey there gorgeous."

She faces me, a weak smile overcoming her for a mere second. "Hey Alicia." She furrows her eyebrows as the fictional name leaves her mouth, letting a overwhelmed sigh out. "Or uh- guess I don't know what I should call you anymore either."