BREAKING: 6 Gang Members Dead after Punisher Shootout
This headline was by no means shocking. The Punisher had been targeting a specific gang and had been diminishing their numbers every couple of weeks. What did surprise you was that you had not heard from Frank Castle recently. Three weeks to be exact. That sounds like an insignificant amount of time to not communicate with a man on the run, but it was not the standard for your relationship with Frank or whatever one would call your association with him.
…
The first time you met The Punisher, you were looking death in its eyes. You had stayed late to clean up after an office party and took the trash to the dumpster on your way out. It did not cross your mind that being alone at night for even a short period of time might be dangerous until there was a gun pointed at you. You had run into a group of men who, from the looks of it, just murdered someone. Although you had not witnessed the crime, you had seen all three of their faces, and they were not about to let you go.
They pulled you further into the alley and pushed you down beside the body of their victim. You were about to die. Of course, you were frightened, but you could not help but think how lame it was that the last thing you did before you were going to die was take out the trash.
Right as you were sure one man was going to pull the trigger, you heard three gunshots.
Fortunately for you, Frank Castle had been tracking one of these guys for a while. He knew there was an exchange going down in this alley and had planned to jump them. Frank arrived right before the time he was told this meeting would go down, but it was obvious that they had been there long enough to kill someone. He was about to shoot all three when he saw someone else coming down the alley. Another person was walking to throw trash away in the dumpster. The men heard them and turned to snatch them. Frank jumped up from his spot on the roof and ran to save the innocent person. When he got down to the ground to where he had the best chance of shooting everyone but you, he took the shots.
All three men fell almost instantly. You were filled with adrenaline and were on high alert, still fearing for your safety. A man slowly approached you out of the shadows. You saw his breastplate and recognized the symbol immediately. You were looking at The Punisher.
“Sorry ‘m late,” he said as he got closer.
You were unsure if that was meant to ease the tension because, if it was, you were still about to pee your pants. He was now standing right in front of you, offering you a hand to get up.
“You seriously think I’m just going to take your hand when I have no idea if you might shoot me too,” you sarcastically replied to his gesture.
That made Frank laugh. “I see your point, but I kill criminals, not people who get caught in a mob deal while taking out trash,” he says. He pulls his gun from his pants and tosses it to you. “Here. You can shoot me if I try anything.”
“I do not want that,” you say as you push the gun away from you carefully. You slowly push yourself up and stand in front of him, taking him in fully for the first time. He has a lot of blood and cuts on his arms and face that he could not have gotten from what just happened.
“You sizing me up?” he quips.
“How did you get messed up when you shot them from a distance?” you ask.
“This was not my first stop tonight,” he replies. You nod but remain silent until he speaks again. “Can I take you home? I mean like, walk you to your place.”
“What so I can let you kill me in the comfort of my own home?” you joke. You do not know why you are able to joke around right now, but here you are teasing The Punisher.
“Will you let it go already?” he groans. You laugh at how you were able to get under his skin.
“Yeah, you can walk with me as long as you do not make me hold your gun,” you answer his original question.
Frank picks his gun off the ground and puts it back in his pants. You have already started walking when he looks up. The walk back to your apartment was silent aside from the sounds of the city. When you arrived at your building, Frank awkwardly shuffles away from you to leave, but you stop him by grabbing his arm.
“Come in,” you surprise him and yourself by saying.
“I appreciate the offer, but you have no idea of the consequences that come with letting me in your home,” he says.
“I know exactly what harboring a fugitive means, Frank Castle, but you saved me tonight, and I want to return the favor ever-so-slightly by using my first-aid kit to help you,” you remark.
Frank should not have been surprised that you knew who he was, but something made his breath hitch when you said his name.
That night he did go up to your apartment for just enough time for you to help him clean and patch up his wounds.
…
That was over a year ago. Since that night, Frank had become your friend, even if he had trouble calling you one. He slowly made his way into your life. He started by coming by when he really needed help. Before you knew it, he was coming around more often and staying longer. At this point you saw him after every job, but he did not show up this time. You read the rest of the article and discovered that they had found some of Frank’s blood on the scene. That was enough to get you to grab your stuff and leave.
Frank was not always an easy man to find, but you decide to head to the most recent place he had been staying. It did not take you very long to reach the location, and you suspected that Frank had picked this place purposely to stay close to you. He had never explicitly said how he felt about you, but you knew you two were constantly riding the line between friendship and something more.
You arrived outside of his window and rapped your knuckles against the glass a few times. It was late, but you knew Frank would be awake. You heard shuffling around, and a minute or so later, Frank opened his blinds. His eyes widened when he saw you, and he quickly pulled his window open.
“You should not be here,” he shortly stated.
“Nice to see you too, Castle. Thanks for the warm welcome,” you replied while hoisting yourself into his room.
Once you had both feet on the ground, you examined Frank for injuries. He looked exhausted and weak, but he seemed to have tended to his own wounds.
“Why did you think it was smart to walk here alone in the dark?” he pointedly asked.
“Well, I came to make sure my friend was not bleeding out-”
“I can take care of myself. You already put yourself in enough danger by associating with me, but this was just stupid,” he interjects.
You scoff. “I don’t think that coming to check if you are alive is stupid, Frank! I am so sorry that I care about you enough to check on you,” you say with a raised voice.
“No. Don’t give me that shit. You know I am trying to protect you because I care about you,” he growls back.
“Maybe that is the problem! I don’t need you protecting me from things that are not happening! You cannot expect me to be on defense all the time. I have a life to live!”
“That does not mean you have to go out of your way to put yourself in danger! The more you associate with me, the more likely it is that someone is going to hurt you!” he responds.
“That is always a risk! The only way to fully avoid that is for me to stay away from you. Is that what you want?” you ask.
“Why else do you think I have been avoiding you?”
You could not believe what he just said. That stung.
“Whatever. If you don’t want me around, I won’t stay,” you reply, turning towards the window. Just as you begin to move, Frank grabs your hand and squeezes it.
“Please don’t. I was angry. I didn’t mean it,” he says, keeping your hand in his. You still step again towards the window. “Please. ‘m sorry I said that. I want you to stay,” he begs.
You turn around with a sigh and look at him. He pats the spot next to where he is sitting on the bed, but you stay standing.
“Listen, I do want you around. I care about you in ways that I have not felt in a while. This is really bad timing though. You could get caught up in this, and these mobsters will not hesitate to hurt you. I cannot let that happen. I cannot let anything happen to you ‘cause you know me.”
“There never will be a good time though. You are constantly putting yourself in danger.”
“So maybe it is best that you keep your distance. People I love always end up getting hurt ‘cause of me,” Frank says.
“This is exactly where this conversation started! Frank, I am already hurt because you are shutting me out! Can you just get your shit together and be real with me? That was insensitive, but I just don’t understand. Are you so afraid to lose someone again that you aren’t even willing to try, or do you just not want me?”
“I do want you, but I’m scared,” he admits. This whole conversation you have both understood that this wanting means something a step beyond friendship, but the way he said it made it sound like you were his deepest desire.
“It’s just me,” you say as you sit next to him and place your hand on his, “And you are not the first renegade that needs somebody. Everyone needs somebody to love and to be loved by. So let me in. Let me love you.”
Frank meets your gaze with misty eyes. You place a hand on his cheek and gently rub your thumb against his skin.
“If you’re sure you wanna do this, I wanna be with you in any way you’ll have me,” he answers. You smile and wrap your arms around his neck.
“I am very sure. Now are you going to kiss me or what?”
Frank smiles and replies, “No, sweetheart. I think I’ll wait ‘til you kiss me since you wanna love me so bad.”
“Fine by me.” With that, you close gap and kiss him.