stillplaying | for preemptiveforgiveness

for preemptiveforgiveness

Her life shouldn't be so good. With all of the sins that she's committed in her life, she shouldn't be this happy. It's an odd feeling and at first, Katniss hadn't been certain what it was. Happiness on this kind of scale hadn't been a part of her life in a long time. Since before her father had died. But that fluttering in her chest that she's felt every morning for the past month hadn't been the sign of an oncoming cold but the joy she felt from waking up in Matt's arms. Almost every single morning, the steady rhythm of his heart is the first thing that she hears. His lips have been the first thing she's tasted. His face the first thing she sees.

This might not have been the second chance Matt had had in mind when he initially taken her in but it's better than any other she could ask for. Hard, tricky, terrifying, but still better than any life she let herself picture on the rare occasion Katniss thought there might be something post-Games. What had there been if she was ever let free of the Games? A life of more fighting? Prostitution? Drinking herself to an early death once she was certain that there was enough money in Prim's account to afford college? Or ODing instead. Any life after the Games wasn't going to be a life at all.

But this second chance is better than anything she could ask. Being loved so thoroughly, loving Matt in return. Waking up every morning knowing this man beside her thinks the world of her. It's given her a new kind of courage in which to face the world. She hadn't been afraid to go on subsequent dates with her. She hadn't even thought twice about kissing him in the office one evening, a couple of weeks into their new relationship. Foggy and Karen had been there but she hadn't cared. And that had been liberating. Everything about life has been liberating lately. She's even managed to last the past week at her current job no matter how much she hates waitressing.

Everything has been going well. And shortly after their first date, when she had brought up the idea of being his sidekick again, he hadn't argued. He's taken time out of his normal nightly patrols to work with her instead. Matt's idea of fighting is something much more graceful than the rough and tumble version she had picked up in the ring. It's taken her a while to unlearn a lot of what she had picked up to survive but Katniss is of the opinion that she's progressing. And tonight, when she finally succeeds in knocking Matt off his feet, she feels a sense of pride that she hasn't felt for a long time.

She falls to her knees beside him and leans over to plant a kiss on his lips. "Gotcha," she murmurs against his mouth. "Finally."

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It's a big part of who Matt is. That she loves him because of that is one of the reasons that this is working out between them. She accepts the things about him that others haven't. He doesn't want to be lost any time soon. Matt doesn't have a death wish; he never has. It means so much that she understands.

He's okay with that as well. That sort of life will make him happier than a life of wealth would. He's glad that she feels the same way.

That she's moving forward is what counts. It's what matters to Matt. He doesn't know what the night will bring either, only what he hopes for. However, he does like the idea of coming home with her. He's gotten used to coming home to her and he loves that, but this is a new feeling. He thinks he could get used to it as well.

He nods a little. "Of course I did." He gets a good deal because he helps the guy stay on the right end of things. The expense wouldn't have mattered though. He wants her safe, as safe as she can be when she's doing something dangerous like this. The suit will help. The words 'you're welcome' are on his lips but then she's kissing him like that and words no longer matter. He returns the kiss with all of the emotion that she's giving him. There's a desperate edge to his kiss, but it's not desire. It's a desperation to keep her safe. When the kiss breaks, he wraps his hand around her bicep. "Come on. Let's get going before it's too late," he tells her.

He wouldn't be Daredevil if Murdock men did lay down. He wouldn't be the man that had given her a second chance at life. If she accepts things about him that others haven't, it's because he's accepted things about her without a second thought. It makes all the difference to be with someone who knows your potential flaws and doesn't care. For a while, towards the end of her time in the arena, Katniss did have a death wish. Though there was still some money coming her way for being a part of the Games, she was getting tired. Tired of all the violence and all the killing and all the death. Tired of pimping herself out to make a little bit extra.

She's not so tired now. Instead, Katniss is awake and alive again. She wants to live as long a life possible. The life posed in front of her now is worthwhile. It isn't easy, but it'll be worth every second.

The Avengers work well as a team. The world has seen the difference that they can make. New York has also seen the difference that Daredevil can make. She hopes that in aiding him, Katniss can double the effort Matt's already put in to protecting Hell's Kitchen. Coming home together on a good night will just boost the feeling of a job well done. On a bad night, they'll still have each other to lean on. She can definitely get used to this switch in their lives.

This kiss isn't supposed to be about desire. It's supposed to be about love and safety and need to protect each other. Emotions instead of love. There'll be time for everything else later. She takes a deep breath after the kiss breaks and rests her forehead against his. "Back to the apartment to change, then out into Hell's Kitchen." She grasps his arm in return and, if he lets her, helps him up. Once they're both standing, she brushes a stray strand of hair from his forehead. "Thank you, Matt. For also trusting me."

It hadn't been the slowest night that Matt has ever had, but it hasn't been the hardest night he's gone through either. Somewhere in the middle is an ideal point for Katniss' first night 'on the job' so to speak.

They're tracking down a gun trafficking ring that Matt has been working on for a few nights. He's gone through the lowest rungs, making his way up toward the top dog. They're outside of an abandoned building that might have once been an office building or a small factory. They're watching from an adjacent rooftop. Matt points out the roof access. "There are a dozen men in there," he tells Katniss. "One of them is on his way up the stairs, probably to smoke. We can tag him when he comes up on the roof and make our way in, after that. If the guy we want is in there, he'll be in an office and he'll have guards," he whispers to her.

She's well aware of how harsh some of those nights can be for Matt. She has been the one at home ready with the first aid kit for when he's needed it most. There have been nights since she had first come to live with him that Katniss had considered just taking him to the hospital. His life is dangerous. That's most of the reason she's out here now. So while she's here for the worst, ready for the worst, Katniss is okay with the night not being so bad.

He's already filled her in on most oft he research he's done on the gun trafficking ring. She knows of all the previous work he's done and she's proud of him. She's also excited to finally be a part of this. The suit of armor he had made for her fits perfectly. It's a lot like his and yet, something meant to be all her own. while his is red, hers remains black. And there's a small bird pinned to her chest. Her hair is braided off to one side and the black mask she wears helps to obscure her face but not her vision. She feels different in the costume. Not a girl who fights for survival but a girl that fights for something more.

She's holding on tightly to her bow as he explains the current situation to her. That's the other part of the vigilante suit she loves. She can use a bow again, make use of the skills her father had taught her. So what if she's stepping on Hawkeye's toes? It's not as if the archer has the time for the city with all of his Avengers business. Her eyes narrow in on the roof that Matt points out. It's a distance away, but all the variables seem to be in the right place. "You don't have to go near him. I can get him from here."

He just wants her to have some time to get used to it before she's thrown into something heavy. He's glad that Katniss had never given into taking him to the hospital. All the sounds and smells is his idea of a nightmare. He can't imagine healing there. He'd rather recoup at home.

Through the years, he's learned that research is his friend both in the courtroom and out here. He hadn't been sure what to expect when he'd had Martin make the suit, but he'd done an excellent job with it. It's amazing the difference a costume can make. Matt understands that and he's glad it helps her feel transformed as well.

He knows that she can use a bow, but he's got no idea how good she is. He turns to her when she says he doesn't have to go near the guy on the roof. He grins a bit lopsidedly. "Be my guest. Show me how it done," he tells her in an impressed and admiring tone.

He wants to protect her. He wants to protect the whole city. But it really is time that someone protect Matt instead. Without him, who would protect everyone else? A suit of armor can only do so much. She doesn't want to imagine what his injuries would have been like without that suit. If that had been the case and his injuries had been worse, then she definitely would have taken him to the hospital. But truth be told, she likes it better when he's healing at home, too. That way she can keep an eye on him.

Research might have spared her the misery of the past two years. If she had actually taken the time to look into the au pair offer, she might have known it was a fake. She could still be at home with Prim and not standing on a rooftop with Matt. But she jumps in without thinking. She almost always jumps in without thinking. But this vigilante thing, having Matt's back? This she has thought through. So far, no regrets.

Especially when he flashes her that lopsided grin. It looks good on him. Very good. And it makes her want to do right by him tonight. Katniss grins back at him, laughing lightly under her breath.

"I will," she says, pulling an arrow from her quiver and notching it on her bow. She watches as the weapons trafficker pushes open the door to the stairwell just as Matt predicted. He uses a brick to leave the door ajar and then walks away to lean against another wall. A few seconds later, the red glow of a cigarette can be seen. Katniss initially aims her arrow directly at the man's head. Her intent is to kill him, just like she had killed all those children in the Games. It's would be easy to loosen the bow. But she doesn't know what Matt would think. She shouldn't kill anymore. So she shifts her aim instead to a pile of rubble on the eave of the wall he leans against. It's a tricky shot. She has to aim in such a way as to knock down enough of the trash on top of the man's head. Slowly, Katniss exhales. And then she lets the arrow fly.

The man collapses a few seconds later and the cigarette light flickers out.

Matt isn't good at letting others protect him. It's not that he doesn't want that, but he's just very unaccustomed to it. It's probably something he should get used to. He spent a long time fighting without the suit, before he'd figured out that there was even anyone who could make a suit like his, and the injuries weren't good. He'd been half dead more than once and wouldn't have lived without Claire to intervene. Really, if he needs a hospital, she ought to just call Claire. Claire won't like it, but she won't say no either. Matt will have to give her the number sometime.

It might have, but she's not alone in looking before she leaps. Many, many people do it without the sort of consequences that Katniss endured. She was just incredibly unlucky, but Matt will teach her to research, teach her to look before she leaps into situations like this, situations that could get her killed. He's learned through time, through his job. It's one of those things that remind him how much older he is than her. He doesn't want her to have any regrets, not about this, not about her life now.

He doesn't usually grin when he's out here, but she brings the smiles out of him.

He keeps his head tilted toward her, focusing his senses so that he hears the arrow release from her bow and whistle through the hair. He also hears it when it hits the rubble and when the rubble hits the man, knocking him out cold. That makes Matt smile. She's listened to him, remembered the conditions he laid down, but more than that, it means she respects his morals and that means so much to him because Elektra hadn't, not at all. He's so proud of her and it shows in the grin that slips across his face, entirely different from the lopsided grin of a moment ago.

"Remind me to kiss you for that after we're done," he says. "There's a a place to the left over there where we can jump across the roofs. Let's go." He wants to get in place before they come looking for this guy.

He really doesn’t have much of a choice anymore. Being watched over is just something that he’ll have to grow accustomed to. Neither she nor Foggy want to live a life without him in it. Foggy does his best during the day, during the hours when they’re Nelson and Murdock and willing to fight on behalf of the people who’d never otherwise get representation in court. At night, it’s her turn. The suit can’t do everything. And if Katniss can help it, they won’t have need for hospitals or Claire. Especially the latter. Katniss can’t help but feel a little uncomfortable around the nurse. Especially given that Claire does tend to make it a little obvious how much she disapproves of some of Matt’s choices. And by extension, Katniss’.

There’s plenty of room in Katniss’ life for regrets. So much room. But she’s doing her best to learn from those mistakes rather than be rueful. It isn’t easy but she’s doing her best. In some ways, dating an older man helps with this learning process. She has someone to learn from instead of someone to make more mistakes with. Her luck turned around when Daredevil had rescued her. She hasn’t had any regrets. And she’d like to think that it would take a lot to develop those kind of regrets now.

It would be easy to kill again. Very easy. But she knows how Matt feels about killing. He can be extremely violent at times, near lethal, but he’s not a killer. Not like she is. It’s out of respect for him and his ideals that she ultimately chose not to kill that man. There had been another option and, luckily, that option had been a success. It’s a decision that seemed to pay off in more than one way. Katniss wants his approval. She wants him to be proud of her. And even without the promise of a kiss, she knows she succeeded in doing just that.

“Don’t think I won’t,” she promises, making certain that he can hear the grin in her voice. As soon as they’re safe at home again, she’ll be certain to remind him. How can she ever say no to a kiss? For now, though, she’ll follow his lead. And marvel a bit at how gracefully he moves across the rooftops as she does her best to keep up. “Lead the way. I’m right behind you.”

He'll get used to it eventually. As she mentioned, he'll have to. It's not that he wants to leave Foggy or Katniss or Karen behind. He simply wants his little corner of the world to be safer. He wants the people he loves to be safe. He won't mind skipping the hospital nor the visits from Claire. She'd made it clear that his life was far too complicated for her. He doesn't want to pull her back into it any more than necessary. He'll happily deal with all the first aid that's necessary between the two of them.

Maybe she's right. He doesn't have it all figured out, but he has made plenty of mistakes and he knows which ones he doesn't want to make again. He doesn't want to make her choices for her, but he's happy to guide her away from some of the paths he doesn't want to travel down again. Eventually, he'd like for her to come to have the same sort of respect for life that he's got, but he knows he can't force his ideals on her. She has made him proud by choosing not to kill that man.

He hears the grin and he appreciates it. "That's one of the things I like about you," he says with a grin as he starts off , moving across the rooftop almost soundlessly. Once they reach the point he's talking about, he turns to her. "I'll jump first." He wants to be able to catch her if she falls short of the jump or to help steady her when she lands. He moves back, takes a running start and leaps across the space between the buildings easily, landing in a quiet crouch before standing and gesturing for Katniss to jump.

It’s an understandable desire and one that Katniss wants very much, too. She’s experienced the underworld of New York, and of Hell’s Kitchen in particular, first hand. She knows how horrible it can be. His work is admirable. While Katniss had made her choices to protect her sister, he had made his to protect complete strangers. It’s a complicated life but one that she both admires and finds worthwhile. She’ll do her part to support Matt. But it feels good to be out here, capable of helping him outside of the apartment.

No one is perfect. That’s a lesson that she had learned early on in life. For all she idolizes Matt, she doesn’t expect him to be perfect either. He provides her with someone whose example she can follow. Someone who has messed up in the past and still managed to make the most of his life. Maybe even someone who can help her understand that even girls like her deserve a second chance. Respecting life, even that of these thugs, is a start to earning her new life. Making Matt proud of her is just a wonderful byproduct.

She should be terrified standing here on the roof. Terrified of going up against these men, terrified of the jump ahead. Terrified of all the unknown left still to face tonight. But she still beams at his quip. It’s a silly sort of lovesick smile that she just can’t help. As she runs after him, it lingers. By the time he’s at the edge of the building though, it’s completely gone. Though Katniss knows Matt has done jumps like this hundreds of times, the worry still spikes. Her heart still skips a beat as he crosses the space and she lets out a breath once he lands. She forces herself to take a deep breath, her heart beating rapidly, knowing full well that it’s now her turn before Matt gestures. They’ve done this in practice. She’s never fallen. Starting now would just be plain stupid. Still, she fears that she might. It’s a fear she pushes down as she runs towards the edge and leaps towards Matt. She’s not nearly as graceful as his and her landing turns into a tumble. But she lands and, although she probably should be quiet, has to laugh in relief.

Her presence helps him so much in every aspect of his life, but he's grateful to have her here tonight even though he's worried about her getting hurt. This is a part of himself that he doesn't share with many people, that he can't share with many people. It's wonderful to be able to share it with Katniss.

She's such a wonderful, seamless part of his life. Some days he's uncertain how he lived so long without her. It's good that she understands the need to respect life because there's little doubt that at some point Matt will question that necessity. It's inevitable when one does what he (they) do. Sometimes the justice system doesn't work and he has to beat up and turn in the same people all over again. Sometimes it seems pointless. Those are the times that he'll need her to remind him that everyone's life is important and he's got no right to play God and take life from anyone. How could he not be proud of her with how far she's come in the short time that he's known her.

It's good to be scared. It keeps one aware of the dangers surrounding them, of their own mortality. Besides, someone famous once said that courage isn't the absence of fear, it's being scared and doing the right thing anyway. He can almost hear that smile. Her entire being changes when she smiles like that, becomes lighter in a way that he can sense. He loves being able to get that reaction out of her. Jumping across spaces and between buildings is part of the job. His supernatural senses give him an advantage, but he won't ever take her where he knows she can't go. He can hear the way her heart beats faster, the way it skips that beat. He's poised to catch her, to help her if she falters or if he thinks she's not going to make the jump, but he also wants her to do it on her own so that she knows she can do it on her own. There's a proud sort of slight smile on his face when she does make the jump. Grace isn't important right now. That will come with practice and with confidence. He reaches out a hand to help her up, that slight smile growing as she laughs a little.

"They should be coming to check on this guy soon," he nods toward the unconscious man near the door. "I want to get him moved and us positioned to take out whomever comes looking for him."

She's very aware of how few people he shares this part of his life with. Daredevil isn't exactly known to work with others. There's been a number of articles about Hell's Kitchen's superhero, but nothing ever published about him him working with another. She knows how special this is. And how much trust Matt is putting in to her right now.

If he wonders how he lived so long without her, she wonders how she had possibly done anything to deserve this kind of love. As far as she's concerned, love is the last thing she should have now. But he had survived without her and she had somehow earned his love anyway. Accepting that is important because she knows that there'll come a day when she needs him or he needs her more than anything else in the world. She'll be there for him on the day he needs reminder of how sacred life is. She won't hesitate, even if she feels much the same way.

That quote does sound familiar. Katniss wouldn't be able to say who exactly said it but she can, at least, agree that it's a good quote to live by. It's what makes Matt so courageous. It's what she suspects some might argue make her a little courageous, too. He makes her smile easily a lot of the time. And she likes that he makes her smile now, even as she's terrified. Katniss looks up in time to notice that grin on his face, taking his hand as she stands. He's proud of her. That feels better than even making the landing.

"We should clean up the debris, too," Katniss adds in, already walking towards the man. "So they don't suspect anything?"

He's never had anyone he could trust with this, anyone that he could share this with, that he thought had a chance of surviving out here with him. He worries about Katniss, but he also knows that she's tough; she can survive this.

She doesn't give herself enough credit, but then he's known that for a while. They'll help each other when the time comes, just as they've helped each other thus far.

It's part of the reason he finds her courageous in any case. She's doing wonderfully so far tonight. She deserves that pride and he hopes before the night is over, she'll be proud of herself.

"Good idea," he says, moving toward the man and gathering him up under the arms to drag him over behind the air conditioning unit. "We'll tag the next one as soon as he comes out of the door."

She had survived two years within the underground crime life of Hell's Kitchen. She had survived fights to the death and other forms of torture. While Katniss doesn't have Matt's special abilities, she knows she wouldn't be the first vigilante in this world without unusual gifts. She's seen the news footage. Hawkeye and the Black Widow appear normal enough and they're both in the Avengers. Katniss would like to think that would give her a fighting chance out here.

But while she has some faith in her physical abilities, it's entirely different when it comes down to her emotional capabilities or her worthiness. Matt often more than makes up for that. He provides her the faith in who she is that she would otherwise lack. And the pride.

"Okay," she says, already cleaning up the debris while Matt moves the body. She carries the fallen bricks and rocks to the other side of the vent, out of view from the entrance. "Do you need help tying him up?"

She wouldn't be at all. As far as Matt knows, and he hasn't met them personally, Hawkeye and Black Widow simply have a lot of training going for them. Experience and training can go a long way and Matt intends to make sure that Katniss has as much of the latter as he can provide. She'll also get plenty of experience with him. Eventually, she'll be a super hero in her own right.

That'll take time and she's made so much progress already. He's happy to provide her faith. She gives him hope. It's a fair trade.

"I've got that part. Any chance you can find something to gag him with?" Matt says as he starts tying the guy's feet together. He's already got him tied firmly to some pipes.

Who needs a SHIELD trainer when you have Matt Murdock to teach you? Personally, Katniss is completely okay with only having Matt as her superhero teacher. He's been tough but fair. She wouldn't be out here with him tonight if he hadn't done his job right. And he had. She feels very prepared to take on this group tonight.

It is a fair trade and one Katniss would be happy to continue for the rest of her life. Hope in return for faith, and some kind of unconditional love no matter what.

"I can look," she responds, already making her way back to Matt and the unconscious guy. She keeps her eyes open for something useful to use. Next time, she should bring duck tape with the rest of her kit. But there is a lot of junk scattered around the rooftop and when she spots a ragged shirt, she picks it up to brign with her. "Will this work?"

He's probably not as technical as a SHIELD trainer, but it's obviously gotten the job done. She's definitely good enough to be out here with him. He suspects she could hold her own even without him out here, but he would worry about her with a group simply because it's easy to get overwhelmed with more than one opponent and they haven't have a chance to practice that.

He really ought to learn how to bring duct tape, but he doesn't often need to gag someone. He generally just knocks them out hard enough they'll stay out for a while. He wants to make certain tonight with Katniss. He knows that things might go more slowly and he's being overly cautious. When she approaches him with the swath of torn fabric, he nods, takes it from her and ties a crude gag around the man's face before letting him slump back down and nodding.

"Two of them are coming up this time," he tells her and gestures to the sides of the door. "I'll get behind the door. You take the side it'll open on." He can judge exactly how hard to knock the guys out and he's secure in the sight of Katniss throwing them off. "We'll knock these two out then go inside."

Technical isn't all that important. All Katniss needs is someone capable of teaching her enough to survive out there in the field. More than that: how to make a difference out there. Given that criteria, she thinks that he's done a good job. Katniss knows that what they're doing right now is dangerous but she still feels safe with Matt by her side.

Knocking a guy out is an effective way of silencing them. She's not certain how long this man will remain unconscious. It was difficult to judge how hard the debris fell on him from another roof. Thankfully, the fabric does seem to do the trick. She looks over the unconscious man with a thoughtful frown. So far, so good.

"Should I smile at them when they open the door?" Katniss teases, grinning in the dark as she takes her place against the wall. Joking helps keep her nerves in check. Her heart feels as if it's beating way too fast and she knows that Matt has to be aware of that. She can do this. It's everything they've been practicing for these past few months. "Or just bat my eyelashes?"

That's really all he cares about: making a difference. What Matt does is always dangerous, but he's glad that Katniss feels safe, as long as she's not letting her guard drop. He won't knowingly ever put her into something that he doesn't think she can handle, that they can handle. That being said, he knows a day will come when they walk into something more dangerous than he expected.

That's exactly why they're tying him up and gagging him.

He can't help but smirk at her teasing. "Since I'm planning on hitting him anyway, go ahead and try both," he jokes, though he's not entirely sure how he'd feel about Katniss honestly flirting with someone or someone flirting with her in return. He's got the feeling he'd want to hit the man then as well. He knows how nervous she is, can hear her heart beating too fast and it's actually a good sign. She should be a little nervous.

She knows better than to let her guard down. If something happens to Matt, she's on her own here tonight. It would be up to her to get both herself and Matt out of there alive. She has to be ready for anything. But she still feels some level of safety so long as Matt's around. It's just something he tends to provide for her whether he realizes it or not.

It's a strange place to feel a surge of love towards Matt but that's exactly what she feels when he responds. So he'd want to hit any guy she flirted with. Does that mean he'd want to hit any guy flirting with her? It's kind of a nice feeling to know that he'd feel that jealousy so keenly and it's exactly the kind of feeling she needs to calm her nerves a little. "Maybe I'll stick to pointing an arrow at them."

Which is exactly what she does as soon as the door opens and the two men step out onto the roof.

Really, that's the most important thing out here: don't let your guard down. It takes care of a surprising amount of things. He definitely doesn't want to put her in the situation where she has to be responsible for both of them. In that case, he's pleased that he makes her feel safe. She should always, at least about some things, even in a situation like this.

Maybe, but he's gotten accustomed to feeling those sort of surges of love toward her in all sorts of places. He hasn't gotten used to exactly how it feels, and he doesn't think he ever will, but he knows he'll have them. Jealousy, however, is different. He's not generally a jealous person, but he certainly feels it in regards to Katniss. Something else to confess the next time he goes to see Father Antram. "i like that option better," he tells her in a whisper moments before the door opens. He lets her point the arrow and he takes out the first guy almost before the second one realizes he's there. He certainly realizes it though when Matt hits him on the temple with the end of his stick.

"Okay. Let's go. I'm counting eight heartbeats inside. They'll be armed so be careful. If we can find a place for you to target the head guy from above, I want you to do that. You can pick off others as you need to. "

Nor does Katniss want to put Matt in a similar situation, where he would be too busy taking care of her instead of focusing on the mission at hand. that would put them both in harm's way. More than that, it might show to Matt that she isn't actually ready to be out here with him. Or that he shouldn't have a partner at all. She doesn't want any of that to happen. The last thing she'll do tonight is let her guard down.

Of everything that she's ever felt, she likes the way love feels most of all. She likes the way loving Matt makes her feel: good, whole, necessary. A part of something that's more than herself. Loved just as much in return. Katniss doesn't think that there's any reason for Matt to confess his jealousy to the priest. Personally, she likes it. In her opinion, it just confirms how much he loves her. But she doesn't understand most of what being a good Catholic boy entails, especially when Foggy jokes about happiness being dangerous to Catholics. He ought to be happy. They both should be.

Once the two men are dealt with, Katniss quietly steps into the stairwell to peer down. Though a light bulb flickers up ahead, the stairs aren't all that well-lit. She can't see anything down below. "I'll take your word," she says, squinting to see if that helps. "How far down are they?"

He thinks they'll make a good team out here; they certainly make a good team in the rest of their lives.

There's a reason people are willing to risk such pain for love and Matt hadn't ever really realized how worth it love was. He hopes to never be subjected to pain because of Katniss' love, but he also knows that it's worth it if he is. It'd been half a joke. Jealousy is a sin, but Matt has much bigger sins to confess every week. Foggy jokes about that because guilt is an emotion that Catholics are much more comfortable with. They believe happiness is a sign that they're doing something wrong. It's a bit of an exaggeration, but holds a grain of truth.

Matt's first instinct is to break the lightbulb because he doesn't need it and it gives him an advantage, but Katniss does need it so he lets it flicker. "Two floors," he tells her then starts to creep down the stairs silently, gesturing for her to follow.

That they do. And Katniss would want it no other way.

Katniss had suspected that it could b worth the risk. Though it isn't the same kind of love, and the sort of pain that was inflicted on her differed, she did her best to survive in that arena because of the love that she felt towards her sister. Loving Matt is worth it knowing the risks involved. He's the devil of Hell's Kitchen. There's a good chance that she might lose him sooner rather than later. She doesn't care. It's flattering to know Matt thinks the same. She'll do her best to make certain he never experiences pain because of her. He has enough of that, and enough guilt, in his life. Katniss doesn't need to add to it.

"Okay," she whispers, pleased that he doesn't destroy the light bulb. Normally, she'd push him to take any advantage that he can. It would do her no good though. Katniss follows him down the stairs, careful to keep her footsteps as light as possible as she moves. Her grip on her weapon remains secure and her left hand hovers by her quiver. She has every intention of being ready in a moment's notice.

Matt wouldn't either.

She's probably right. As the devil of Hell's Kitchen, she probably will lose him sooner rather than later, but if it's any consolation, he doesn't want her to lose him. He's more careful now than he was before, not as reckless by half and it's because of her. He wants to come home to her every night because she's made his life something good, given him something to live for other than saving the people of this city.

He stops abruptly, hand going out to stop her as well. He gestures to the hallway going off to the right and holds up two fingers. Two guys down the hall. He nods to her, letting her take the lead. If she's quiet enough she can take out one or both of them before either of them realize what's going on.

It's a sad reality that they've both found themselves in but it's their reality nonetheless. He's the Devil of Hell's kitchen and she fell in love with him knowing full well that being a hero is written in his DNA. Katniss knows that he doesn't want her to live a life alone but things happen. Life is far from perfect. But it does make every night he comes home to her after fighting crime more precious. Not many people get to love someone as increadible as him.

She nearly collides into him when he stops abruptly. There are some things that they haven't exactly practiced enough yet. His hand sticking out helps. That and her quick reactions from her days in the arena keep her from messing any of this up. She notices the two fingers and whispers "okay" low enough that only he can hear. Katniss slips in front of him, taking out an arrow and notching it. She peers down the hall, frowning when she notices that the two guys aren't standing near any debris like the man on the roof. Matt's against killing. She can't kill them. And she'll do her best not to. Katniss takes a deep breath to steady herself. She can do this. The first arrow flies by, grazing the first man's temple. One down. She pulls another arrow out and aims at the second man. "Don't move," she whispers in a silent prayer as she aims at the next man. "Please don't move."

He's not incredible. He's just a man. Katniss is the incredible one for putting up with him, for loving him the way she does. He knows that living with him isn't easy and loving him is even harder.

They'll get better and they'll know what to work on after tonight. He's not used to working with anyone either and he probably should have signaled her before he stopped. He listens to her shot, knows it hits the man's temple and leaves him alive. He hears her whisper (though he knows it's quiet enough that no one else does). He listens to the second man go down and and steps up behind Katniss, bowing his head to graze her cheek with his lips. "After this, I'm buying you ice cream."

Because clearly that's what's necessary.

He steps in front of her and continues down the hall to the next stairwell. "Four downstairs," he says. "Plus head guy we're really aiming for."

He's so far from just a man. That he doesn't realize that only adds to his appeal. Living with him isn't always easy but given her previous life, Katniss has absolutely no complaints. And while living with him might be an option, loving him isn't one at all. It's something that had hit her hard early on and now just comes so naturally to her. Life is hard. That love can be too is no surprise.

The next time she accompanies him on one of his patrols will be easier. As will the time after that, and so on. Archery lessons as a child had taught her how practice makes perfect. Katniss won't quit because they've encountered a few hiccups this time around. Not everything's going wrong. Based on Matt's reaction to her shots, neither man died. The risk worked. "You better."

Ice cream makes life all the richer.

She follows him down the hall, careful to keep a little more distance between them this time in case he stops short again. It helps knowing that he can hear her whisper even from a distance. "What do you want to do with them?"

Growing up, they're all told that love conquers all, which somehow leaves one to believe that love is easy. It must be if it's all powerful, right? It's only with time and experience that one begins to realize that nothing with power is easy, love included. He remembers a line from a movie 'if it were easy, it wouldn't be worth as much' and he tries to remind himself of that when anything gets hard: love, either of his jobs, life.

She's done a fantastic job of not killing anyone. He needs to see about getting her some taser style arrows or something like that. Even a crossbow with different sorts of bolts would help.. He grins at her 'threat'. "Yes, Ma'am," he whispers in return.

Always.

He hears her whisper and he responds, turning his face a bit so that she can hear him whisper in return. "Look at the men closest to the boss. Shoot one of them in his shooting arm with an arrow. He'll be wearing his gun on that hip, then hold an arrow on their boss. If I need help, shoot them in the leg. It'll slow them down enough and isn't usually fatal."

Really, these are things they need to go over some time when they're not on a mission, but Matt hadn't thought about talking her through these things because he doesn't often use weapons, or if he does they're something he picks up in the area.

Growing up, they're told a lot of things. A lot of things that wind up not necessarily being true. And a lot of things that wind up being true. Love can conquer all - if you actually work hard at making love succeed. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Katniss doesn't know what movie that's from, either, but it's true. So very true.

Taser arrows aren't the kind of arrows she's ever considered using before. Any kind of trick arrows, like the ones Hawkeye has, seem a little beyond her. To start off with, she wouldn't even know where to purchase them. But they would help. A lot more than these tricky shots she's currently taking. They'll have to have a talk about that. Over ice cream. Or after sex. Something like that.

It's not that hard to determine which of the men in the room is the one in charge. The way the others all seem to defer to him make it rather obvious. She watches the men that stand around him. Soon enough, her eyes fall on the man with the holster hanging off of his hip. She picks an arrow from her quiver. "Aiming," Katniss whispers as she pulls back on the string. She doesn't bother to tell him when she lets go. The man's shocked scream is signal enough.

He'll have to trust her that love can conquer all because she's the first sign he's seen that it's remotely true. He's pretty sure that he loved Electra at one point, but he's also certain that she didn't love or respect the person that he is. That one, he would definitely agree with. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. He's not sure what that's from either.

He'll have to talk to his guy. He's pretty sure that he can make something for her. Maybe even sedative arrows, anything to knock people out without actually killing them. Well, he knows which one he's voting for. Ice cream doesn't stand a chance.

Matt can hear the bowstring snap; he can hear the arrow slicing through the air and thudding into the man's arm. He's got just enough time to whisper 'good job' before he jumps over the railing, lands on his feet and launches into action, disarming and knocking guards unconscious. The boss raises a gun and Matt stops. "I wouldn't. I've got a lady with an arrow aimed at your head right now and she doesn't miss. Put the gun down."

There's a tense moment where the man is trying to decide what to do. He's got one body guard still conscious, but his shooting arm is messed up and he's in a lot of pain. Matt turns his head toward that guy. "Leave the arrow in. Pulling it out is going to cause a lot more damage."

The boss lowers the gun and Matt looks up. "Mockingjay, why don't you come down here with me. Keep the arrow trained on his head."

It hasn't been all that long. Months, really. But they've been long enough to make Katniss think that maybe love is real. Maybe it's something that they both deserve. And maybe it's something that they've finally found. She can't say why now, why they work so well, but it's there. It hasn't been easy and it's never going to be easy but maybe for them, they'll never have to find someone else to love.

He definitely will have to talk to his guy. If he can make anything as useful as the suit that she's wearing now, Katniss has every bit of faith that he'll make her some amazing arrows. And for treating her to such a lovely (albeit useful) gift, she'll make sure to reward him properly. Ice cream and sex. Why pick one?

Katniss barely hears him. Somewhere in the back of her mind, his compliment registers. She's too distracted watching Matt in action. Her arrow is aimed at the man exactly as told and she does her best to focus. His moves are graceful and beautiful, something she admires. But his life (both their lives) are also at stake. Her draw on the bowstring doesn't waver, even as she steps out of the shadows.

"I don't miss," she tells the boss. She smiles sweetly at the man. There's a challenge hidden in that grin, almost as if she's asking him to test her skill. From the corner of her eye, Katniss looks at Matt. "Daredevil?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

for preemptiveforgiveness

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Let's do the time skip!

Woo time skip!

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