Who: Frank Castle frankcastle & Ariel losthervoice What: Welcoming Ariel Home When: Sunday, June 2, very, very early morning, close to dawn Where: The Refugee Apartments Rating: Reader Discretion is Advised Warnings: Frank Castle has a tendency toward crude language, violence, and lack of social graces alongside a tendency to treat every conversation as if it's a fight he's determined to win. Status: Closed/Incomplete
~*~
Pain was the only constant companion Frank Castle could count on. He thought back to the surprise of finding himself landed in a wholly unknown environment and tried to breathe in, holding the breath even as it hurt his bruised ribs, tugged at his torn muscles, and pulled at the tears in his skin. Copper scented the air around him from cuts he'd opened up again trying to get his equilibrium back; Frank closed his eyes to try to pull up Karen Page's face.
Angels were supposedly real according to the faith Frank had grown up in. Karen made Frank want to believe in those again even if he'd previously sworn he'd never believe in Heaven, Hell, or anything in between again after the day his family had been taken from him.
Apartments reminded Frank of barracks. He liked that he'd been put in a two-bedroom since it meant he had a door to shut to keep out whoever was meant to be sharing the space with him. The 'Welcoming Committee' had rambled something about a girl, something about him being a guardian, something else about money and keys and his apartment location and a whole bunch of other bullshit Frank had tuned out completely. If it hadn't been for Karen, Frank would have probably been sitting on a bench outside waiting to die.
There was a rap on his door loud enough to snap his eyes back open, sending the memory of Karen's face away like the dream it was and Frank wondered who the Hell thought it was okay to knock on his door at the ass-crack of dawn.
Moving slowly, Frank bypassed his rifle for one of the handguns he'd grabbed from Schoonover's stash, not bothering to check it as he already knew it was fully loaded, safety off, with one in the chamber. A glance through the door's spyhole revealed only a bit of red hair and a feminine shape; Frank rolled his eyes before unbolting the door to jerk it open for his early morning visitor. Was she supposed to be living with him? She had her arms full of the same crap he'd been given when he'd arrived and she looked the right age for his ward.
"Do you need an engraved invitation?"
Frank hurt too much to be less abrasive with her.
"You're Ariel? The one living with me? I'm Frank. Nice to meet you. I took the bedroom closest to the door. If the door is closed? Don't open it. If you need me and you know I'm in there? Knock. I will answer you. If you think you need me and I'm not here? Use the phone they gave you. Text. I prefer it to calls. Now get in here before I get tired of holding the door."