she tied you to a kitchen chair

[glassbox]

WHO: frank castle & lil crawley
WHERE: residence #002
WHEN: thursday evening
WHAT: beard removal
WARNINGS: lil "what are boundaries" crawley

[ lillian crawley is on a mission.

even with her, there's a limit for some things. and the more time she spent taking care of frank, the more she'd started to notice how completely wild the man's appearance had become. maybe he didn't care, but she occupies a fair amount of her time looking at him. after a while, she finally reached the conclusion that he absolutely had be groomed -- whether he liked it or not.

she comes home from the store with a razor and shaving cream, dropping these items off in the bathroom before she goes to get frank. on finding him, her greeting is wry: ]

Y'look like a damn hobo. We gotta fix it.

Comments

[glassbox]

I dunno. You're a mysterious kinda guy, Frank.

[ it's automatic, the way she comes to help him, careful but firm with her hands. she hardly thinks about it anymore. ]

Even livin' with y'like this, I barely know you.

[fronttowardenemy]

[ He doesn't protest to her help. He won't be ungrateful, or spurn her, not when he clearly needs the help. He will, however, continue making efforts on his own.

Lil isn't the only stubborn one. ]

Nothing to know.

[glassbox]

[ truthfully, she doesn't really dislike it -- his stubbornness. despite how quick to temper she is, it's almost a little refreshing to have someone push back against her now and then. she prefers it over avoidance and being ignored. she hasn't felt so real in years.

she nudges him out of the bathroom, exhaling lightly. ]

More like there's nothin' y'want me t'know. Right? Arm's length, ain't it?

[fronttowardenemy]

You know everything there is.

[ He won't elaborate. She knows why he does what he does, and who he is; that is all there is to him. Anything else is a minor detail in a lifetime that no longer exists, and is no longer relevant. ]

Nothing else to say.

[glassbox]

[ she could push. he probably wouldn't even be surprised if she did -- he knows her well enough to expect that kind of confrontational behavior by now. but she's pleased with her handiwork and calmed by the nature of their recent arrangement. apparently her aggression towards a man is dramatically reduced when she always knows where to find him.

instead, what she gives him is more of her usual mild taunting: ]

Sure, sure. Nothin' else t'say, huh? I'd ask y'about things y'like an' such, but I already know what you'd say. [ in poor mimicry, she lowers her voice mockingly: ] "I don't care about anythin'."

[fronttowardenemy]

Catching on.

[ That's all he offers. She's already getting too much of him as it is.

So, he changes subject: ]

They've been making you work?

[glassbox]

[ she pauses, like she knows he's changing the subject and is trying to decide if she'll let him. but after a moment passes, she concedes. ]

It ain't that bad. All they do is take pictures. [ there's a light, easy shrug of her shoulders. it's definitely not as hard as being a superhero was. waitressing before that was certainly a more thankless job. ] Y'should come sometime. I'll take y'with me, get y'outta the house.

[fronttowardenemy]

[ He isn't sure what he thinks of that offer. There isn't much work he's capable of doing in this condition, even simple recon is limited to where the chair can take him. If he did go with Lil, he could at least get an idea of what they were doing with imPorts in their 'workforce.' ]

Keep it in mind.

[ No promises. ]

[glassbox]

Yeah?

[ she might be surprised that he didn't outright reject her. she'd grown used to that -- to him saying no to her. lately though, he's been more lenient somehow. a dangerous thing, with a woman who would go a mile, given two inches. even now, her affection comes too easily, gradually becoming habitual, like how she reaches for him now, lightly patting his face as she teases: ]

Maybe they'll try an' snap a coupla pictures of you too. Y'clean up nice. [ her hand moves to his hair next, combing it back with a little sigh. ] God, your mop's gettin' long too though. I should've picked up some scissors. Next time.

[fronttowardenemy]

Doubtful. [ That's the only reply her teasing gets. He pliantly tips his head when she touches his hair, though his lips remain curved downward. ] Past regulation.

Should do for now.

[glassbox]

That your way of dismissin' me?

[ her voice comes a bit wryly, her hand absently finding one hip as she tilts her head at him. her attention is still lingering on how he looks now -- both familiar and unfamiliar at once, still unfairly good-looking for a man who couldn't care less. ]

Y'got somewhere t'be or somethin'?

[fronttowardenemy]

Haven't seen much of the city yet.

[ It isn't natural for him to be so restrained. It's not exactly restless; he knows patience, but this much alien territory does not sit well for him. ]

Too many unknowns.

[glassbox]

Well, y'shouldn't go by yourself.

[ she exhales lightly. you never know what kind of trouble a man can get into on his own, especially without a woman to look after him. ]

Last thing I need is some asshole comin' around an' shovin' y'into traffic.

[fronttowardenemy]

Plenty risk of that here. [ Dent seems to be keeping to himself, but that's hardly something to trust. ]

Either way: probably just come back.

[ Or so he assumes. How different is it from the City? Not something he should risk. ]

[glassbox]

"Probably?"

[ she puts her hand on her hip again, pursing her lips at him. ]

[fronttowardenemy]

Not sure if it's the same. Might be different here.

Worth investigating.

[ Among other things. ]

[glassbox]

[ she exhales. ]

Fine. Y'do what y'want then -- you're gonna anyway. [ impatience sharpens the edge of her words as she turns her head away, making her annoyance obvious in the same way she always does. ] Try not t'break anythin' else while I ain't around t'rescue you.