[Danny Rand's version of fine is definitely not what most people would call fine by any stretch. He's Not steady on his feet. The way his eyes are darting around and the lack of composure are not at all what Colleen is used to. "Stay," she tells him, "rest a little bit longer." Which is absolutely not as threatening as she could be.
She doesn't have any answers, not right now. Colleen stays in the room with Danny until she is certain that he'll stay in one place. After a time she starts a curry. Simple, fast and hearty food. For Murdock, if he can eat at all, the rice should be fine or the curry sauce for some manner of sustenance. Matt's own deep sleep is filled with muddy, threatening dreams that make him pant and softly cry out. He twitches the way dogs do in the deepest of slumber.]
[ This is a far cry from his usual for certain. He's usually more collected, save when his emotions get the better of him. He's learning, slowly, to be more still. It takes time. She may not say it in such a threatening manner, but he knows her well enough to take it as such.
With a sigh he lays back, and lets himself drift again. It isn't long before he's asleep once more, a little more still than Murdock as rest finds him. When he wakes again, the lights are on, and that means that it must be after dark. He smells curry, and stretches before sitting up. He pads into the living room after finding a pair of old clothes to find Colleen and check on Matt. He wants to help.
He sits cross-legged on the floor near to the prone man, and sets the folded bundle next to his leg. ]
[Colleen is distracted in the kitchen. She would have tried to get Danny down for one more sleep. It's not meant to be. And truly if he has the finesse to sneak around under her nose, then that means he's on the right track.
The footsteps vibrate through the floor and mat. He stirs and groans, eyes opening again. This time it's a slow motion.]
[ He's not at his best, no. He'll get there with a little more rest. It won't be had in this moment, though. He doubts he'll get away without hearing something about it later when they're alone though.
Patiently, he waits for his friend to gather his wits a little. He looks over the ruined suit and contemplates how they'll go about getting it off of him. If they need a doctor, that's easy. There are plenty of talented ones employed by Rand. The only caveat is money enough to ensure silence as to Matt's identity. Without the suit they might be able to spin some kind of accident. ]
[There are times when it seems as though Danny is still a boy walking around with a man's body and face. Colleen cares for him deeply. She always will. Right now dealing with his latest whimsy, with Murdock here when he should have been--maybe even might have been--dead.
Matt's unseeing eyes move from the ceiling to where he can hear Danny. He can hear again. He can smell again. Still there's awful tinges of what his senses had gone through. Ash, cinder, dirt, water and blood all in bits. Breathing in clean air and smelling incense and now spices let him appreciate the recovered range.]
How do I feel?
[Even speaking softly he's incredulous, his voice breaking a little.]
[ There are very real reasons to explain that away. Things Danny doesn't like to think on, but that still plague his nightmares. Sometimes even intrude on his meditation. Lei Kung told him once to bury his parents. He never could. He was told that his compassion was a weakness. He refuses to believe that.
He watches as Matt seems to assess his surroundings. It's amazing the things that he can do. Even in a diminished capacity, he's astonishing. ]
But you aren't.
[ He reaches out when he hears the crack in the other man's voice, and gently places a hand on his shoulder. A small smile touches his lips. ]
[How long were they going to speak before he said her name again. Matt can't just forget. She was his reason for going down and willing to stay in the wreckage. His eyes are searching and listening.]
Danny, what happened?
[He shifts and attempts to sit up. The first attempt yields nothing. Danny's chi healing did wonders. The whole ordeal and the constriction of the suit make it even more difficult.]
[ There is an anger that threatens to well up at the mention of her, but it's easy enough to refind his focus. He's too tired still to dwell too much on anger. Still. He sighs, and lets his head drop toward his chest. If it were Colleen in such a nightmarish situation?
He has a moment that he looks towards the kitchen, and just watches her a moment as she finishes the task she set for herself. Usually, he'd be helping. He understands why Matt would have stayed. Why he would have refused to leave her. ]
The plan worked. The building collapsed.
[ He almost pushes for Matt to stay down. If he's anything like Danny, it will do very little, so he seeks to help instead with a hand at his back to steady his movements. ]
[He had hoped. And hearing the news he shuts his jaw and nods. It's not enough to ask to be hauled out from the jaws of death. Danny saw him through. His teeth clench and his eyes shut a moment.
The building fell. The city is safe. The Hand has been stopped. What more can he ask for?]
...Good.
[Feels like a hollow word with how much is stewing in his head. The steady, careful pressure of Danny's hand have him pause. Shifting and making himself move more, he bites a groan.]
Feels longer somehow.
[With his senses blacked out there was no way to tell.]
I feel sore. [To actually answer his first question.] Tired. I--need to get out of this suit.
[ There will be a time for searching later if Matt wants. A time for grieving, if it is called for. Whatever he needs, Danny plans on being there for it, if he's allowed. With Midland in rubble the ruined grave of a dragon is safe from those who would abuse it's power even in death. ]
Easy.
[ Still, he offers support despite his gentle admonishment. He looks the other man over in the light now, and tries to suss out if there are any clasps that will undo the suit. ]
Felt like longer for us as well. [ He knows Jessica is taking Matt's "death" terribly. They'll have to find a way to contact the two people that were in the precinct. Danny never got their names, but he saw their grief. ]
Understandably. I don't suppose there's an easy way for that last part?
[Does Danny know what manner of weight he is aspiring to take on? Matt and his whole self feels like it has cement blocks chained to him. The weight of his dual life was preexisting. Right now there's guilt, remorse for what he's put his friends through and some strange notion that he was not meant to be here. That's all fabrication of the mind.
Sitting up has taken some of the strength he felt and he leans against Danny. He's close enough. The touch and his presence proof that Matt isn't asleep again.]
Sort of.
[Melvin Potter's craftsmanship held up well considering. Matt's hands peel away the gloves and moves to find one of the zippers concealed at a seam. An experimental pull and it gives some.]
[ Maybe not, but it would make him no less willing to know the magnitude of such a task. He did become the Iron Fist, after all. Many dismissed him as unworthy as an outsider, i it only made him strive for it more. Danny shelves his own emotions at the moment. He still feels a great amount of guilt for leaving Matt in the first place though he was pressed to. As for whether or not he should be here? Clearly there is something otherworldly looking out for him. Whether it is by Matt's own beliefs in a higher power or Danny's, who can say for sure?
Danny shifts up to sit on his knees as his friend moves, and supports him as best as he's able. He finds himself rubbing at the fabric of the suit at Matt's shoulder, and reaches up to cascade fingers lightly along his temple. Reminiscent of the last gesture his mother offered him. ]
I'll see if I can get it for you. If we can't unzip it, we'll have to cut it off. I have clothes.
[ He says it matter of factly, like this is something they might do every day. He's nonplussed by the idea of sharing his things. Leaning back a little, he tries the zipper, and manages to get it down a little more. Slow but sure, steady pressure and not rushing, it's giving way to reveal skin. ]
[If only worthiness were the only hesitation for Matt. There's no doubt in his mind that Danny is honest, patient, devoted when he says he will be. The scars of people who came to his side to help, to be his support to leave him by choice or death still make it difficult to just give in and trust. In this moment, laying on the dojo floor he has no other option.
Touch makes him lightly shut his eyes. Breathe. Just be a moment.]
Thank you.
[He grits his teeth and they start the process. Peeling back the custom kevlar and synthetic blend fabric. Only a few times Matt asks him to stop, those are only at his very threshold of pain. The melting went through a few places. The movement of sore limbs and newly mended bones had this take longer than it would have normally for Matt to change.]
[ While it is easy to look back and see that there are differences between Matt and the one called Stick, Danny has seen enough to know that he was not lying when he praised the man's abilities. His curiosity has been piqued since meeting him, but he bites his tongue. There was clearly a sifu and student relationship with the man who was killed, and a complicated one. His patience and devotion comes as a necessity for him. He has needed it for years to rise above the expectations of those in the ancient city.
He remembers days long ago when trust did not come easy, and fear was his overwhelming companion. Lost in such a new place with no one who knew him and nothing but a name that no one else shared. One that he clung to in times of distress: Danny Rand. He hopes that his touch or presence at least can be grounding for Matt. Trust can be built on better foundations after. ]
Of course.
[ There are many things he was raised with after the crash that he is learning are not ---acceptable. While there would have been little preparation and a casual disregard for pain and discomfort for him in such a state there it isn't something he will use in his employ here. There was a great lack of gentility in K'un Lun. It's something he's relearning now.
Working away the suit, he stops when he's asked. Gives Matt time to breathe, refocus and regather his wits. Eventually, they manage to get him free of it, and Danny reaches to draw a blanket over to cover him for vanity's sake at least. He offers a tight smile. ]
[Funny that Stick would be generous with compliments when he wasn't around. Very typical. And the whole ordeal of fighting of The Hand and having a building drop on top of him has put the pain of loss of him on the back burner. Which isn't to say it doesn't exist. That ornery, caustic piece of shit was Matt's teacher. He owes so much to who he is thanks to Stick. Yes, it is complicated.
That isn't even touching the cold, hard truth that Elektra is gone from his life. Again.]
Thanks just--ahhh. [He swallows and squirms before asking for a pause. Danny listens. No admonishments. Maybe those would be better use to him. Tears prickle in his eyes. Cold, open air touching his skin that is a wash of sensation. It makes what is constricted starving for the same even though it smarts.]
Okay.
[And away they would go again until the suit is over. No more Daredevil. What did Matt expect when he let himself go down with the rubble? What's one more death in his life? He is slumped sitting upright and his fingers feel over the fabric draped over him, looking for a distraction.]
Th-thank you. [Gulping air and trying to find a center a point of focus.]
[ Danny doesn't know what that is like. His abilities were praised in K'un Lun, yes, but always with a dismissal of how he was unworthy to carry the mantle of the Iron Fist. He was an outsider that did not belong. There are many days when he still questions if his choice to leave was right, but he believes he was drawn back to New York. Not only because it was his home, but for something more.
What more than stopping the five fingers of the Hand? Than saving New York? It wasn't something that the Iron Fist could do on his own. Perhaps that was the lesson, and maybe it is not yet over.
He rests a gentle hand on his shoulder, speaking quietly: ]
Take a moment. Breathe with me. Focus on it. On the feeling of the mats under you. Imagine your center as warmth. It grows and encompasses you as you draw in more. As you exhale, it doesn't leave you fully, but radiates out around you. Focus.
Imagine roots reaching out through the mats to keep you secure.
[ A very simple meditation exercise. One they used to first teach the balance and movement of chi inside of him when he first doubted. Very basic but effective. He hopes it offers the same for Matt now. ]
[He called and asked for help from the universe. Who or whatever power had given him a connection to Danny fleshed out the plea to be not just the physical rescue. The transfer of Chi reduced severely debilitating injuries. That alone is an unbelievable feat. He didn't have to haul Matt into his home. But he has.
Walking him through a meditation in such a moment of strain and suffering is totally unexpected. This vulnerable he listens immediately.]
On you. [To start. And then awareness to the mats. The warmth is at first hard to locate. Going from the mental to the physical a transition to make him aware of his skin. Ah, wait then. Breathing. Inhaling and exhaling timed with Danny's. Matt clutches his forearm. The connection to himself, to the ground and to his breathing forms.]
[ The Universe found a way to answer. Perhaps more than that even. They won't know until they can find answers if there are any still to be had. Danny is still only happy that he could help.
If Matt had pushed back and not wanted the meditation, Danny would have listened. It's all he can think to offer at this moment and he's grateful it seems to be helping. ]
That's it. [ Still breathing with him. Still focusing as if he were settling in for a session himself. He will later after they eat. He doesn't pull his arm away at Matt's grip on it. ]
Just try to hold on to that feeling for a little while.
[ He knows Colleen will give them privacy so that the other man can change, but he looks to the bedroom for the sake of Matt's vanity. ]
I can help you into the bedroom if you want. We can see if you're up for a shower.
[All that Matt is as a person has been stripped down to basic needs. No ego, no wit or charm. He is in a state of physical need of care, the spiritual goes hand in hand with that, doesn't it? That is why he doesn't push off. Grabbing a hold of something with his attention and self to keep him from slipping into frustration or even worst hysterics. Yes, he has been injured seriously. It has never been this bad. Doubt is trying to latch onto him. The awful question of will I ever be better again is trying to make him sink.
Inhale. Exhale. The mat under him, the floor around him. Solid and still. Touching on Danny he can feel the fibers on his clothes, the slight shift as he breathes too. His heart is beating though much slower than Matt's.]
...please. Yes.
[His skin feels grimey, raw. The little bits of glass and rubble are there. And as much as it might hurt to have running water over burns, it would help fend off infection.
God, what a charity case. That's what Stick would say. Doubt is starting to sound like him.]
[ Danny has been there. While it was so long ago, he still remembers it as if it were yesterday. Freezing and cold on an icy plateau next to his father's body. Frustration and hysterics would be completely understandable in these moments and Danny wouldn't begrudge him it. He'll be there with him as he heals and try his best to make sure his body is as whole as he can while they work on the rest as well.
He whispers an okay as he reaches around with one arm to situate it under Matt's right arm so he can help him up when he's ready. ]
Let me know when you're ready to try and stand.
[ He'll help with whatever else the wounded man might also need. While he is surprisingly hot-headed at times, his patience and compassion seem frustratingly limitless at others. ]
I'm sure you'll feel a little better after you shower and eat a little.
[Right now, Danny is a shelter from the storm of sensation and emotion swirling around Matt. He hasn't been as attuned to chakras or chi or anything of the sort. It's not just the way he is being touched or spoken to. There's an energy that slips just below Matt's own radar of awareness and all that he can sum up of it is that Danny's presence is a wordless help.]
Thank you. [Deep breaths. His own and those with the man beside him. Matt lets the quiet and the calm settle a bit more.]
I'm ready.
[Muscles tense and he moves. It's like someone has weighed him down. Before he even has a chance to think it over, he's leaning on the man right with him.]
[ Stillness is good. It offers clarity. It can ground others. Right now, it's doing that for Matt. If that is what the other man needs then he will offer it for as long as he's able. His own balance might help Matt to refind his center as impossible as that sounds right now. ]
Of course. [ It's no trouble. He's a friend. Not that it would stop Danny from offering to a random stranger on the street. It wouldn't be the first time he's done something like it.
Once they start the motion of standing there aren't a lot of ways to back out of it. If they need be, they can lean against one of the support beams and go from there. Walking is more slow going but they start a little at a time. ]
You're doing great.
[ Not patronizing in the least. It's a marvel for sure. Only hours before he was on death's door. Now he's walking. ]
[Matt has had it rough in his life. Not just as Daredevil which is the obvious point of imagining being beaten to a pulp. As a child he was often bullied and even with skills to fight he had taken his hits. The worst wounds of the early years were emotional. And in this moment he can't remember a time he had felt like he had fallen so low, physically and emotionally at the same time. It's humiliating as much as it is just despairing.
Focus. Breathe. His breathing is labored from doing this much and he grounds himself again.]
[ Considering the man that Stick was, Danny believes it. He doesn't have a lot else to go off of, but kind lives don't lend to the things men like them do in the dark. Violence is not always the way. Violence is not always dissuaded by a gentle heart. Sometimes extreme measures are necessary. A good thing about being made low is that there is only one direction to go from that point.
Danny keeps his pace slow and measured. His breathing he keeps steady as a metronome to guide off. ]
You were close. [ Closer than Colleen had been that time. It was terrifying. ] But you didn't die.
[One strong arm is looped about Danny. The other is hanging, pained and limp Matt covers his blind eyes and his shoulders shake.
Dead with his father, dead with his mother. Dead with Elektra.]
Why do you think....why me and not them?
[Forgive his vagueness. It really is a shameful question to ask as a man of any faith. Danny is being so kind to him. He doesn't deserve a ball of existential turmoil and physical pains. Matt shakes his head in dismay once more at himself. He cannot get it together. They toddle into the room. The temperature changes. More stillness, more warmth.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
She doesn't have any answers, not right now. Colleen stays in the room with Danny until she is certain that he'll stay in one place. After a time she starts a curry. Simple, fast and hearty food. For Murdock, if he can eat at all, the rice should be fine or the curry sauce for some manner of sustenance. Matt's own deep sleep is filled with muddy, threatening dreams that make him pant and softly cry out. He twitches the way dogs do in the deepest of slumber.]
no subject
With a sigh he lays back, and lets himself drift again. It isn't long before he's asleep once more, a little more still than Murdock as rest finds him. When he wakes again, the lights are on, and that means that it must be after dark. He smells curry, and stretches before sitting up. He pads into the living room after finding a pair of old clothes to find Colleen and check on Matt. He wants to help.
He sits cross-legged on the floor near to the prone man, and sets the folded bundle next to his leg. ]
Matt, can you hear me?
no subject
The footsteps vibrate through the floor and mat. He stirs and groans, eyes opening again. This time it's a slow motion.]
...Danny--? Then it wasn't a dream.
no subject
Patiently, he waits for his friend to gather his wits a little. He looks over the ruined suit and contemplates how they'll go about getting it off of him. If they need a doctor, that's easy. There are plenty of talented ones employed by Rand. The only caveat is money enough to ensure silence as to Matt's identity. Without the suit they might be able to spin some kind of accident. ]
No, it wasn't. How do you feel?
no subject
Matt's unseeing eyes move from the ceiling to where he can hear Danny. He can hear again. He can smell again. Still there's awful tinges of what his senses had gone through. Ash, cinder, dirt, water and blood all in bits. Breathing in clean air and smelling incense and now spices let him appreciate the recovered range.]
How do I feel?
[Even speaking softly he's incredulous, his voice breaking a little.]
...I should be dead.
no subject
He watches as Matt seems to assess his surroundings. It's amazing the things that he can do. Even in a diminished capacity, he's astonishing. ]
But you aren't.
[ He reaches out when he hears the crack in the other man's voice, and gently places a hand on his shoulder. A small smile touches his lips. ]
You're here.
no subject
[How long were they going to speak before he said her name again. Matt can't just forget. She was his reason for going down and willing to stay in the wreckage. His eyes are searching and listening.]
Danny, what happened?
[He shifts and attempts to sit up. The first attempt yields nothing. Danny's chi healing did wonders. The whole ordeal and the constriction of the suit make it even more difficult.]
no subject
[ There is an anger that threatens to well up at the mention of her, but it's easy enough to refind his focus. He's too tired still to dwell too much on anger. Still. He sighs, and lets his head drop toward his chest. If it were Colleen in such a nightmarish situation?
He has a moment that he looks towards the kitchen, and just watches her a moment as she finishes the task she set for herself. Usually, he'd be helping. He understands why Matt would have stayed. Why he would have refused to leave her. ]
The plan worked. The building collapsed.
[ He almost pushes for Matt to stay down. If he's anything like Danny, it will do very little, so he seeks to help instead with a hand at his back to steady his movements. ]
It's been nearly three days.
no subject
The building fell. The city is safe. The Hand has been stopped. What more can he ask for?]
...Good.
[Feels like a hollow word with how much is stewing in his head. The steady, careful pressure of Danny's hand have him pause. Shifting and making himself move more, he bites a groan.]
Feels longer somehow.
[With his senses blacked out there was no way to tell.]
I feel sore. [To actually answer his first question.] Tired. I--need to get out of this suit.
no subject
Easy.
[ Still, he offers support despite his gentle admonishment. He looks the other man over in the light now, and tries to suss out if there are any clasps that will undo the suit. ]
Felt like longer for us as well. [ He knows Jessica is taking Matt's "death" terribly. They'll have to find a way to contact the two people that were in the precinct. Danny never got their names, but he saw their grief. ]
Understandably. I don't suppose there's an easy way for that last part?
no subject
Sitting up has taken some of the strength he felt and he leans against Danny. He's close enough. The touch and his presence proof that Matt isn't asleep again.]
Sort of.
[Melvin Potter's craftsmanship held up well considering. Matt's hands peel away the gloves and moves to find one of the zippers concealed at a seam. An experimental pull and it gives some.]
I think it melted in some places...
no subject
Danny shifts up to sit on his knees as his friend moves, and supports him as best as he's able. He finds himself rubbing at the fabric of the suit at Matt's shoulder, and reaches up to cascade fingers lightly along his temple. Reminiscent of the last gesture his mother offered him. ]
I'll see if I can get it for you. If we can't unzip it, we'll have to cut it off. I have clothes.
[ He says it matter of factly, like this is something they might do every day. He's nonplussed by the idea of sharing his things. Leaning back a little, he tries the zipper, and manages to get it down a little more. Slow but sure, steady pressure and not rushing, it's giving way to reveal skin. ]
Let me know if it's too much.
no subject
Touch makes him lightly shut his eyes. Breathe. Just be a moment.]
Thank you.
[He grits his teeth and they start the process. Peeling back the custom kevlar and synthetic blend fabric. Only a few times Matt asks him to stop, those are only at his very threshold of pain. The melting went through a few places. The movement of sore limbs and newly mended bones had this take longer than it would have normally for Matt to change.]
no subject
He remembers days long ago when trust did not come easy, and fear was his overwhelming companion. Lost in such a new place with no one who knew him and nothing but a name that no one else shared. One that he clung to in times of distress: Danny Rand. He hopes that his touch or presence at least can be grounding for Matt. Trust can be built on better foundations after. ]
Of course.
[ There are many things he was raised with after the crash that he is learning are not ---acceptable. While there would have been little preparation and a casual disregard for pain and discomfort for him in such a state there it isn't something he will use in his employ here. There was a great lack of gentility in K'un Lun. It's something he's relearning now.
Working away the suit, he stops when he's asked. Gives Matt time to breathe, refocus and regather his wits. Eventually, they manage to get him free of it, and Danny reaches to draw a blanket over to cover him for vanity's sake at least. He offers a tight smile. ]
Well, that's the hard part down at least.
no subject
That isn't even touching the cold, hard truth that Elektra is gone from his life. Again.]
Thanks just--ahhh. [He swallows and squirms before asking for a pause. Danny listens. No admonishments. Maybe those would be better use to him. Tears prickle in his eyes. Cold, open air touching his skin that is a wash of sensation. It makes what is constricted starving for the same even though it smarts.]
Okay.
[And away they would go again until the suit is over. No more Daredevil. What did Matt expect when he let himself go down with the rubble? What's one more death in his life? He is slumped sitting upright and his fingers feel over the fabric draped over him, looking for a distraction.]
Th-thank you. [Gulping air and trying to find a center a point of focus.]
no subject
What more than stopping the five fingers of the Hand? Than saving New York? It wasn't something that the Iron Fist could do on his own. Perhaps that was the lesson, and maybe it is not yet over.
He rests a gentle hand on his shoulder, speaking quietly: ]
Take a moment. Breathe with me. Focus on it. On the feeling of the mats under you. Imagine your center as warmth. It grows and encompasses you as you draw in more. As you exhale, it doesn't leave you fully, but radiates out around you. Focus.
Imagine roots reaching out through the mats to keep you secure.
[ A very simple meditation exercise. One they used to first teach the balance and movement of chi inside of him when he first doubted. Very basic but effective. He hopes it offers the same for Matt now. ]
Can you feel the shift?
no subject
Walking him through a meditation in such a moment of strain and suffering is totally unexpected. This vulnerable he listens immediately.]
On you. [To start. And then awareness to the mats. The warmth is at first hard to locate. Going from the mental to the physical a transition to make him aware of his skin. Ah, wait then. Breathing. Inhaling and exhaling timed with Danny's. Matt clutches his forearm. The connection to himself, to the ground and to his breathing forms.]
...I do. Yeah.
no subject
If Matt had pushed back and not wanted the meditation, Danny would have listened. It's all he can think to offer at this moment and he's grateful it seems to be helping. ]
That's it. [ Still breathing with him. Still focusing as if he were settling in for a session himself. He will later after they eat. He doesn't pull his arm away at Matt's grip on it. ]
Just try to hold on to that feeling for a little while.
[ He knows Colleen will give them privacy so that the other man can change, but he looks to the bedroom for the sake of Matt's vanity. ]
I can help you into the bedroom if you want. We can see if you're up for a shower.
no subject
Inhale. Exhale. The mat under him, the floor around him. Solid and still. Touching on Danny he can feel the fibers on his clothes, the slight shift as he breathes too. His heart is beating though much slower than Matt's.]
...please. Yes.
[His skin feels grimey, raw. The little bits of glass and rubble are there. And as much as it might hurt to have running water over burns, it would help fend off infection.
God, what a charity case. That's what Stick would say. Doubt is starting to sound like him.]
no subject
He whispers an okay as he reaches around with one arm to situate it under Matt's right arm so he can help him up when he's ready. ]
Let me know when you're ready to try and stand.
[ He'll help with whatever else the wounded man might also need. While he is surprisingly hot-headed at times, his patience and compassion seem frustratingly limitless at others. ]
I'm sure you'll feel a little better after you shower and eat a little.
no subject
Thank you. [Deep breaths. His own and those with the man beside him. Matt lets the quiet and the calm settle a bit more.]
I'm ready.
[Muscles tense and he moves. It's like someone has weighed him down. Before he even has a chance to think it over, he's leaning on the man right with him.]
no subject
Of course. [ It's no trouble. He's a friend. Not that it would stop Danny from offering to a random stranger on the street. It wouldn't be the first time he's done something like it.
Once they start the motion of standing there aren't a lot of ways to back out of it. If they need be, they can lean against one of the support beams and go from there. Walking is more slow going but they start a little at a time. ]
You're doing great.
[ Not patronizing in the least. It's a marvel for sure. Only hours before he was on death's door. Now he's walking. ]
no subject
Focus. Breathe. His breathing is labored from doing this much and he grounds himself again.]
...did I--did I die, Danny?
no subject
Danny keeps his pace slow and measured. His breathing he keeps steady as a metronome to guide off. ]
You were close. [ Closer than Colleen had been that time. It was terrifying. ] But you didn't die.
no subject
Dead with his father, dead with his mother. Dead with Elektra.]
Why do you think....why me and not them?
[Forgive his vagueness. It really is a shameful question to ask as a man of any faith. Danny is being so kind to him. He doesn't deserve a ball of existential turmoil and physical pains. Matt shakes his head in dismay once more at himself. He cannot get it together. They toddle into the room. The temperature changes. More stillness, more warmth.]