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Frank sat in his small, shitty apartment. Thinking to himself, he considered giving Red a visit. He had only done it once so far in his months back to New York. He had visited Matt’s apartment before leaving town. For some reason he had felt the need to say goodbye to the vigilante before leaving New York to take out the three gangs he had blamed for the murder of his family.
Matt had been honestly quite calm about the whole situation. When Frank said he was leaving the city Matt had responded calmly, saying if he ever needed help, or somewhere to stay that all he had to do was ask. But of course he had to stick to his rule, no killing.
He still didn't understand why Red used the rule, he believed firmly that some deserved to die. That was that. But he had to admire the vigilantes' control, and he had to admit, he could hold his own in a fight.
He had been having nightmares for weeks now and he was getting really fucking tired. The only time he hadn't had a nightmare was when he slept in Matt’s apartment a few weeks ago. It still wasn't peaceful sleep but nonetheless he still got more sleep than usual.
After this excuse he finally agreed with himself and got up, he decided that he wasn't getting any sleep tonight anyways so he might as well take a walk.
It was a mostly quiet night for Daredevil, he had grabbed some attempted rapist asshole and dragged him over to a cop along with another petty thief but Hell’s Kitchen was scarily quiet tonight. He said that but it had been a full week since anything really big happened. For now the city of New York was at its most peaceful.
He was enjoying it greatly. He knew that how much crime there was in Hell’s Kitchen changed as quickly as the phases of the moon but he was enjoying the quick period of peace either way. He was listening through assorted sounds, an ambulance headed back to the hospital with a mother and daughter, a man laughing at some shit joke said by his friend, a father holding his child close after the death of his wife. He liked listening to any sounds a bit closer on days like this. It gave him a little more faith in humanity every time he heard someone doing something good.
While listening through noises he heard a man walking down the street, it was slow but with a purpose. He recognized the gait of the man as he took strides down the road. He knew he had heard it but couldn't quite remember who it was. He lowered himself to the ground using a few flights of fire escape stairs to get down. He dropped himself to the concrete, stepping softly without a sound.
He slowly slunk toward the man trying to tell from the way he walked, and sounded who he was. He could hear the fabric swooshing, sweatshirt and jeans. Too vague to give any hints. No cologne to hint at their identity, he was going to get ever so slightly closer, he was ten feet from the man when he could almost tell what his scent was. It wasn't something he exactly told people but almost everyone has a scent that relates to them.
As soon as he could catch any scent he was too close. The man was beside him within a second and slammed him into the wall. He prepared to fight back when he heard, “Hey Red."
He froze with his hands on the man's wrists, "Punisher?”
He paused, "Frank… yeah, it's me... Don't look surprised." Frank moved back from Matt, removing his hands from his arms which he had been holding to the brick building. After that they stood in an awkward silence.
Matt was waiting for Frank to tell him what exactly he needed. He had been patrolling this area for months and had never seen him here, “Did you… need something?”
Frank was quickly rethinking his decision to come to Matt but he was here now so, what other option was there? “I was… I was hoping- I was hoping I could stay at your place for the night.”
Matt considered for a moment at the man's request and quickly nodded, “Of course. I told you anytime you need and… well it's been a quiet night. I wouldn't be against a little company.”
Frank nodded lightly, only barely moving the air. They walked back to Matt’s apartment taking back alleys and unpopulated streets trying to avoid anyone seeing him in his daredevil getup.
They returned to his apartment and Frank collapsed onto Matt’s couch unceremoniously. They both had a natural way of flowing around each other. They acted like they had done it a million times even though they had only done it once before. And last time Frank had come in the middle of the night on the verge of tears. A state which he threatened that if Red ever told anyone about he would swiftly become one of the Punisher’s victims.
Matt walked over to the fridge and grabbed two beers. He handed one to Frank without a word and he took it with a nod. He took the helm of his armor off opening the cabin he left his suit in. He almost continued before pausing and laughing, “I probably shouldn't change in front of you. Might make things a bit awkward."
Frank looked over to him, "Please, I've seen you in a dozen states. Slightly unclothed can't be that bad.”
Matt laughed a little, smiling at the man before quickly stripping himself of his suit. Frank stood and walked over to Matthews kitchen grabbing himself a handful of the cereal that Matt had seemingly stocked up on for this exact situation. Lucky Charms, they had been a regular in his house. His daughter loved them when-
He would always snag a couple pieces, Matt had apparently initially bought them because they were where his usual cereal was but after Frank had shown a liking to them they had apparently earned a permanent place in his cabinet, braille label and all.
He grabbed the box and started throwing a few pieces in his mouth at a time. He turned around about to say something to Red before he noticed the man pulling his suit down off of his legs. He was wearing boxers and what looked to be a compression shirt showing off his very muscular torso. He felt his body's reaction to this and responded in the only way he deemed appropriate, to quickly look away and continue shoveling cereal into his mouth.
Red didn't deem this appropriate, he wasn't purposefully listening to Frank's heartbeat but when someone's heartbeat picks up within three seconds you notice. He turned his attention to the man standing awkwardly in his kitchen. Apparently staring at the wall for reasons unknown to him.
He continued slipping on his pants then packing up his suit as he asked, “Frank are um… are you alright?”
Frank nodded, he knew Red couldn't tell that he did so he did so verbally, "Yeah- Yeah Red I'm,” he coughed nervously, "I'm fine.”
Matt was not taking this as a good answer but wasn't willing to push the man any further. He had refused help or contact for almost eight months now, he didn't want to scare him off now that he was making progress, “All right… well if you're alright with it I’ll be in my bedroom. You alright with taking the couch?”
Frank finally got up the guts to turn back to the ginger man and said in the calmest manner he could, “Of course,” He composed himself enough to say in a more serious tone, “Red… thank you, for… this.”
Matt smiled ever so slightly and responded, “Of course Frank.” After this he walked into the slightly separated bedroom and shut the screen door to the rest of the house.
Frank was left alone in the vigilantes dark apartment, somehow even though he wasn't exactly by the side of his friend this was so much better than being truly on his own. He hated himself for that, he shouldn't bother Matt, he should be avoiding him in hopes of keeping him safe. But if anything happened in this city he knew Matt would be there, could he realistically keep him out of this?
Eventually he laid down and attempted to get himself to sleep, if he was here anyways he might as well get something out of it. He slowly drifted into sleep and woke in his room. Maria was hovering above him, the entire image felt distorted but who cared.
“Wake up sleepy head.”
“What time is it?”
“Almost ten thirty. You needed your rest.”
He smiled as she kissed him and she slowly walked away with a few words about breakfast but he couldn't register her voice cause he was here again. Watching a face he knew well stand at the edge of their room with a large gun. He begged and pleaded for the man not too but he woke up with a start and a cry out to the dark abyss.
The light was gone along with the dream, Maria, and the blood. He heard a movement but was distracted by his current inability to breath. Matt dropped down to his knees to try and stay at the same height as Frank. “What’s wrong, shit, what happened. Frank talk to me.”
Frank had neither the ability or desire to talk to Matthew. His eyes were wet and his lungs were tight. But Matt seemed to know that, he nodded slightly before leaning forward and putting two arms around Frank’s neck. He froze for a moment before slowly putting his hands around Matt’s bare torso.
They sat like that for a long time. Frank had done this a dozen times. His lungs felt like they were full of water and he just couldn't get a breath. His entire body felt stiff and his body felt like it was going into fight or flight. He could usually control it when that happened but this he couldn't.
They stayed like that, Frank tucked himself into the crook of Matt’s neck softly. Matt waited until he felt his breathing slow down and heard his heart rate slow to finally lean away. He cupped Frank’s face with his right hand, his other hand resting on his shoulder. His mind was trying to figure out how to not scare the man away but still make him comfortable. He slowly began to speak, “Do you want to… sleep in my bed…”
He paused there, careful not to go too far but Frank still stared at him like he was crazy. He quickly moved back from Matt’s hold and spoke, “Listen Murdock I am not looking for someone to try and-” He paused, he couldn’t even think of what he was trying to get across but Matt got the gist.
“No- I’m not…” He sighed, “I’m not asking you to… fuck me. I’m just trying to… I don't know, maybe if you were close to- or near someone, this wouldn’t… happen.”
Frank continued to stare at him but he was tired. So much was going on, he was so sure he was going to be free but instead he was back into the life. Killing, deciding who lives and who dies. He wasn’t against the idea of simply laying beside someone again. It had been years and… what exactly would it hurt?
“Ok…”
Matt stared at him calmly and slowly got up from the floor and wandered back into his bedroom. It wasn't exactly the smoothest thing either of them had ever done. It was awkward to try and pretend you weren't in love with the person who was lying less than a foot away from you.
They had to admit one thing while waking up with their legs intertwined. That was the best sleep either of them had gotten in years. They woke slowly and both pulled back when they realized the position they were in. But in classic Murdock fashion he could help himself and after a moment he leaned over to Frank and softly pressed his lips to the other man's. As he pulled away he felt Frank press forward ever so slightly.
Just that slight hint of reciprocation was enough for now. They got ready in silence, Frank left but not without a short goodbye and a promise to take care of himself, and, to be back, at least sometime soon. As soon as he could.