The gun in the mirror(a spider in the ground.). [OLD ]

There's a knock at the door, it's close to six, early enough to not have visitors.

The cold air slithers into the apartment, not enough blankets to smother it out.

Sleep tries to pull him back, and he almost lets it, but it gets louder.

Karen stirs, pushing him off the mess of pillows and blankets.

When he opens the door he finds Tigress, Danny, and Luke stand there.

Luke has blood covering his side, his slightly frantic look in his eyes means he's inexperienced with blood and injuries.

Ava supporting herself on Luke, her mouth is pulled into a frown, of pain or annoyance is anyone's guess.

He hasn't seen them in months, after a fight with them he left to cool off, they drifted apart in the aftermath, they were sent on a mission soon after.

"Namaste." Danny bows, his hair is slightly frizzy.

"Who's at the door Pete?" Karen mumbles into her pillow.

"Oh," he glances at her and then at them," Hey Kar, can you get the stitches?" He looks at the blood, dripping,"..We, uhh, might need it."

He opens the door inviting them in.

Karen's already left, getting the stitches presumably.

"How'd it happen?" He guides Ava to the couch.

"Fight gone wrong," Luke answers," They had these guns but-"

"They didn't act like guns."  Ava finishes through gritted teeth. His eyes widen.

Karen comes down, she rubs her eyes tired.

She wordlessly starts stitching, her hands go through the motion naturally.

Silence takes over the room, save for the few hisses of pain, and after few minutes she finishes.

She leaves the room, her hands covered in blood, probably going to the bathroom.

"So you and her?" Luke, ever the observer, asks.

"Oh, um, yeah." He feels awkward talking to them again. He had only revealed his identity because the situation called for it.

Danny does the thing where Luke and him share this look.

"Peter, we wanted to ask if-" Karen walks into the room, interrupting whatever Luke was going to say.

She goes to the kitchen, getting some leftover rice and heating it.

She gives him a bowl, eating her's.

"What were you going to say?" Peter asks, he takes pride on how he shifts uncomfortably, he puts it down violently.

Danny clears his throat," So how long have you two," he vaguely gestures at them. "Been together."

Karen doesn't blink,"Married, actually." She makes it sound natural, like they have been for months or maybe years.

She turns on the old TV.

Danny eyes widen, Luke looks like he could pass for a fish.

"For how long?" Ava curls around one other blankets, she has her eyes closed.

Karen catches his eye,he shrugs.

" A year." She replies her hands grab the bowl, it looks like it'll break.

The steam becomes more  suddenly.