(open) elektra natchios (black sky)

[blacksky]

 

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[blacksky]

[She stares at him. Is he really trying to avoid talking about himself when he's evidently got this romance going on? Elektra shakes her head.] You really want to hear about all the paperwork involved in legally coming back to life and my recent investments? Because that's what I've been up to. Very tedious, but the new money and access to my old funds is always welcome.

[Because you know the dubiously legal money from her overseas accounts wasn't enough for her to live off of already.]

[oorah]

[ well, yeah. because 'romance' is a huge reach. he shrugs. ] I'll listen but I won't get any of it. [ so the usual, pretty much. ]

[blacksky]

The short version of it is I'm taking perverse joy out of reminding everyone who hates me I'm alive and want all my money. I've also had to sign my name to a ridiculous amount of documents to come back to life legally speaking. Still not as terrible as actually coming back, but it's up there.

[Just in case he ever wondered!!!] I really don't know why Matthew is dragging his feet on that. It's even harder when you're dirt poor which is actually insulting to dirt. They're better paid than him.

[oorah]

[ he tips his head to concede the point. he's come back, what, twice now? and now he's technically in the wind forever. plus he torched his only asset so it's not like he can really relate. ]

Speaking of... is he still in his hidey hole? [ he'd really like to tell jess he's okay. ]

[blacksky]

[She mirrors the moment by tipping her head to the side.] I think he's close to being pushed out of the nest. He's spending quality time with his mother so I can see why he's inclined to put it off, but that woman will send him on his way sooner rather than later. Trust me on that one.

[If there's one thing Sister Maggie is good for it's dumping Matthew at the first opportunity.]

[oorah]

[ he's just going to ignore the mother comment because he literally can't process it right now. ] I'm good at waiting people out.

[ which she also knows. he knows she's good at it too so he can't keep up this charade for long. ]

[blacksky]

What a coincidence. It's a talent of mine too. [She smiles sweetly. Let her just go on about international banking for a few minutes here. It's riveting stuff, she promises.]

[oorah]

Mother, huh? [ because that wasn't delayed or anything. ]

[blacksky]

[Totes obvious.] She's a nun. Explains a lot, doesn't it?

[oorah]

...No. [ he doesn't believe you!!! what kind of a fucked up low budget movie do they live in?! ]

[blacksky]

Really? The fact that his father was a fighter and his mother is currently a nun doesn't explain anything about him to you?

[It definitely painted a picture for her.]

[oorah]

Yeah, it explains a fuck of a lot. [ that wasn't what he was saying no to!! leon makes a displeased noise and drops his head to the floor with a thump at their bickering. ] Shit, and here I was thinking that whole Catholic thing was a schtick.

[blacksky]

[She eyes Leon curiously before going back to her coffee. He'll survive a little bickering.] No, no. I'm positive if it weren't for all that darkness inside him, he'd be a priest himself. Lucky for me he's almost as screwed up as I am.

[oorah]

[ frank snorts at that, more because he now knows how she feels than anything. jessica has demons, but it's what attracted him to her in the first place. it's what keeps him stubbornly in her orbit. ] He may as well be, the way he goes on.

[blacksky]

[Elektra snorts. Matthew's complaining has been a steady part of her life since forever so she can sympathize with the sentiment.] He didn't spend enough time around our father. He beat the self-pity out of me with a stick. Literally.

[oorah]

[ the timer for their brunch goes off just as frank is about to delve into that fucked up revelation. jesus, talk about being saved by the bell. he gives her a bewildered look before getting up to get the food out of the oven and serve it. ] You killed that guy, right? [ he asks, trying not to sound hopeful as he slots a dish in front of her. ]

[blacksky]

[Elektra looks at him a little sharper. She supposes this would be a touchy subject for him. While she treats everything that happened to her as some sick joke, a man who lost his children would be disgusted another parent went around beating his kids. She can't exactly double back now for her sanity. Humor is the only thing that helps her cope with all of it.] Absolutely though it was a bit muddied on my part since I was that at the time.

[The Black Sky. Another coping mechanism; pretending like none of that is still there. She goes on casually.] Did I do it because I wanted to or did a lifetime of shitty parenting and failed attempts to murder his only daughter finally catch up to him? Impossible to say.

[Instead she's just diving into her food and ignoring the way Leon is trying to get her attention by butting his head against her legs.] I can say this is fantastic.

[She finally reaches out with one of her hands to scratch behind his ears. It actually does help a little. He really is a good boy.]

[oorah]

[ that. the brainwashed doll they'd made her. he nods, trying to get himself in check. they'd both fought their wars and they were over. there's no reason for him to be shaking right now. frank dishes up his own food and sits back down, though he ignores it for now, his appetite suddenly lacking. ]

He got what he deserved. [ so it doesn't matter either way, not to frank. she knew that already. he ducks his head, picking up his fork to try and force a bite past his lips. ] Glad you like it.

[blacksky]

[He has a tendency to surprise her from time to time. Now is one of those times. It's funny how no one ever seems to get it. Matthew treated their father's attempts to kill her as some kind of personality flaw. He couldn't possibly mean it. It was just Stick being Stick. No one ever takes her side of anything even after he pulled the same stunt with that idiot manchild they called Iron Fist. She stares at him in open surprise even knowing it makes sense. If anyone would get what a monster that man was to the children he supposedly saved it would be Frank Castle. If anyone would hate him for abusing his shot at fatherhood, it would be Frank. It occurs to her belatedly how horrifying this must sound to him having a daughter of his own once upon a time.]

I know, but it's still nice to hear. [She hates how vulnerable she must look even with that pasted on smile. She really needs to learn not to be so flippant with him. He hears what she actually means when she says it.] Tell me about Jessica. Or anything.

[oorah]

[ he tilts his head. he doesn't get how anyone would have a different opinion, but that's to be expected too. frank can tell she doesn't want to talk about it anymore and he lets go, though it isn't an easy task for him. jessica. is he that transparent? just hearing her name does something to him. he was trying to be careful too, but as usual elektra saw through him; and maybe that's really for the best. he figures he'll just... start at the beginning, since she called his bluff. ]

I bought her coffee. She forgot her wallet. [ it really is like the start of a bad romcom. he chews on his lip, forgetting to eat as he remembers that day in november. it feels like yesterday and years ago all at once. ] I told her my name was Pete and she said she was Jess. We just... did that for a while. Got coffee, talked. Or didn't. We didn't more, I think. She asked me how I slept.

[ so many things are a jumble, though he remembers them perfectly. frank sets his fork down before he can drop it grips the edge of the table instead. ] We started... following each other. Keeping tabs. I found out what she could do... Then she found out who I was. I don't really know-- [ he has to stop here. it's weird. a strange look comes over his face. ]

With Maria I knew. I knew we were gonna be together, forever, the moment I saw her. [ but that's not what happened, so maybe he just can't trust his serendipity meter anymore. frank shakes his head. he hates comparing her to jessica, but sometimes it's unavoidable. ]

But someone got to her. Jess. She's all scrambled up inside. Maybe you're right, about being with someone as screwed up as you are. [ wow he didn't mean to ramble that much. and he feels like he got exactly nowhere with this story. sorry, bro. ]

[blacksky]

[Elektra does what she's best at as she listens: eats. It does effectively take her mind off Stick which is what she wanted. She's not really in the mood for a smile faked or otherwise, but the story does put her in a better mood. It sounds promising for Frank. While she may be barely a person, she still wants what's best for him. What's best for anyone is to avoid being alone at all costs. She stops stuffing her face long enough to point out the obvious.]

I'm always right. You should know that by now. [Just a friendly reminder. She leans back to swallow and offer up something in response to all that. He's given her a little of pieces here. She winces a little as she runs through the one on Jess. It's hard not to pity that given what happened to her.]

That's good, you know. You need scrambled even if it isn't pretty to look at. [No sane women would ever want him. Why not embrace that?]

[oorah]

[ he snorts. elektra definitely isn't always right, but it's not like he can dispute her when she's dropping truth so it's easy to stay quiet. ]

I think she's pretty. [ it's juvenile, but he doesn't just mean her outsides. he's gotten enough of a glimpse of what's inside to like that too. ] It is good. I think. I dunno if she would agree, but. [ it's a start. he shrugs one shoulder, encouraged by how enthusiastically elektra is eating his food. ]

[blacksky]

[That wins a true laugh from her. He sounds like a little boy talking about his crush. She immediately appeases him by agreeing.] I'm sure she's very pretty.

[In more than one way. It's hard to judge properly on the outside given when and why of their encounters. She's sure he's right though. Satisfied she's done her work as a friend, Elektra goes back to eating all the food. This dish is pretty good.]

Do you feed her like this? That might go a long way in your favor.

[oorah]

[ frank smiles for her assurances though he knows it only makes him seem like more of the 13yo boy he's emulating. oh well, it's hard to care when he's in the midst of something he enjoys this much. ]

...Nah. I try, but I haven't gotten there yet. [ and when he says he tries, he all but begs her to eat sometimes. no dice, not yet. ]

[blacksky]

[She smiles back. Hearing that doesn't surprise her much given how difficult Matthew was. Good things never come easy, she supposes.] It took me a month to get Matthew to try new things at the beginning. He would steal food from my fancy parties, but Heaven forbid I buy him a nice dinner. Finally we agreed on "fancy bread and cheeses" from the deli as a good dinner option.

[She stops eating long enough to put up air quotes.]