#I want more scenes with Karen and Frank

[lightgamble]

DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN | 1.01

You know, it's funny, I... I know you're lying. I'm just not sure who to, me or yourself.

[pastafossa]

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS ON THE NEW DAREDEVIL BORN AGAIN TRAILER AFTER TWO WATCHES:

I am immediately, as I'm sure they intended, fixated on our man's line, "a line was crossed" in response to Fisk's question of why Matt isn't being a vigilante. That paired with the falling Daredevil mask, one horn ripped off, is incredibly symbolic (as well as a tidy explanation for why we haven't seen him since S3 all that much). There are a couple possible explanations here based on comic storylines or on his character. My personal theory for now is he almost killed someone and someone else had to stop him. I do think they want us to think he might have killed, however, and they'll probably drag out the truth for a few episodes.

THE VIOLENCE AND DARKNESS IS BACK BABY, THAT ARM BREAK? ICK, I LOVE IT.

The church organ music gd I missed this vibe.

Won't lie, I'm a little worried about how little we see Foggy. We see Karen very little too, and Frank far more, so it's possible the trailer's focusing more on the biggest characters but the rumors of funerals make me nervous (which they likely know)

Fuck Matt's voice is still absolute sin I am a goner

That SNARL, I AM HERE FOR IT

Matt needs antidepressants like baby you are not ok

OUR NEW VILLAIN MUSE SPOTTED

No Maggie, who I keep kinda hoping will pop back up, but that's a slim hope

Fisk being almost a little happy to see Matt feels very self aware as a nudge towards us (happy the show is back) and because this is likely about how Fisk and Matt will have to reluctantly ally to take out Muse.

BEARDED FRANK BEARDED FRANK BEARDED FRANK.

But Matt really, you are in a not good place

Although him swinging his Billy clubs around towards the end and then screaming is hot as fuck I won't lie

RETURN OF THE SHOWER SCENE I AM FERAL FOR IT

Honestly I'm REALLY happy with this so far, like I need more rewatches to dissect further but this is good, like holy shit our man is BACK and he is FUCKING HOT AS EVER and JESUS CHRIST I AM SO READY FOR MARCH 4TH

[farfromstrange]

Now that I’m slightly more coherent, I wanted to add some points to the thoughts I posted last night. Warning for heavy spoilers for both episode 1 and 2 of DDBA!

Let’s go!

(That gif makes me feel some type of way. In fact, the whole scene did. Why’s he so fucking hot? Like damn gimme a break Matthew)

I absolutely adore Kirsten! I love her character, I love her dynamic with Matt, and I love how she was ready to indulge Matt’s need for justice in episode 2. Because the Matt we know has a strong sense of justice, and he realized what was happening with Hector/White Tiger and he wanted to help.

Hector’s introduction was also top tier, by the way. I feel like the writers had a lot to say choosing to go down the route of corrupt cops, Hector getting arrested for actually trying to help, the Punisher tattoo on a corrupt cop who Frank would actually tear apart if he knew. And I hope to God he does. Because that’s not what The Punisher stands for!

I love Cherry, too. The whole “can you find this person (who’s impossible to find, by the way) for me?” Is so funny to me because Matt ends up going after the witness himself and basically saving his life because he just can’t let it be. But it also speaks to him as a lawyer because a lot of attorneys have investigators, and he’s trying to do everything by the book to help his clients. And Cherry knows who he used to be, he accepts him, but he also sees that Daredevil will always be a part of Matt and that that might become a problem down the line. Which, let’s face it, it will. We all know he’s gonna pick up the mask again. Anyway. Cherry has already become one of my favorite (new) characters.

I get the argument that it’s a bit odd Matt was able to “move on” so fast, but in my opinion, he didn’t move on. He’s not happy. He “moved on” to survive. He “moved on” because a line was crossed. He was willing to kill Bullseye after hearing Foggy’s heart stop, and his world basically ended right there. His best friend died, and the fact he broke down in front of the guy who did it before tossing him off the roof speaks louder than words. The broken, “Why? Why?” Is what really got me because Matt never got an answer, and that’s probably eating him up inside, too. He doesn’t understand why it had to be Foggy.

When Matt talked to Karen after the hearing his desperation and devastation was so abundantly clear. He was hoping he could talk to her, maybe get her back (as a friend), but Karen is just as broken as him and she needs her space, too. Because they pushed each other away in the face of this tragedy. Matt was probably consumed by guilt (still is), struggling with the rage he felt, what he was willing to do and the pain he’s harboring inside. He doesn’t know how to deal with this kind of grief. He lost his father, yes, but this a different kind of grief. And everyone handles it differently. Charlie’s performance made me believe that moving on, putting down the mask pushing away those Bad Thoughts for as long as he can is how Matt copes with this kind of loss.

Matt carries Foggy’s memorial card over his heart, even when going on a date. He keeps it on his kitchen counter. He lives in a more… lifeless apartment now, I’d say. He moved out of Hell’s Kitchen, which is a completely new side of his character, and the fact he looks so miserable when he’s alone, using music to tune out the noise of the city, drowning himself in work, trying to be normal and obsessing over the news with Fisk just shows the way he grieves his best friend. I don’t doubt that deep down, he’s still in denial. And when he threw hands with those corrupt cops and got a taste of what it’s like to fight again? That scream at the end just shows that he is not okay. He’s doing a pretty good job at lying to himself, especially with Heather and trying to move on, but we all know it’s going to explode in his face eventually.

Karen being in San Francisco shows how she’s grieving, too, and the fact she isn’t there and their relationship ended all adds to the mountain of shit that will most probably kick Matt’s ass this season. Nelson, Murdock & Page was the dream, he just got that back, and now he’s lost everything. Karen lost everything.

Moving on. The first fight scene, the one with Dex, seemed a little too CGI to me, at first. But I realize now that I don’t really mind because one, the sequence in ep. 2 was much better and two, I had to remind myself that Born Again was never going to be a carbon copy of the Netflix show, and for this being the MCU, it could’ve been much worse. Could they have done it better? Sure. But I, personally, am not disappointed. I understand why some might say it wasn’t good, but the fight scene in episode 2 made up for it! That was amazing.

I also hope they slow the pace a little over the next few episodes and don’t rush through the storylines because I feel we need to really sit with what Matt’s going through and let him sit with it, too. I want to see more of what he’s feeling, but I have a good feeling that we will, especially considering the promo clip with Frank. So, I have high hopes.

I love Heather too! I’m a bit scared for her, to be honest, because she’s getting involved with Fisk (and Vanessa), and I’m curious about the young man who asked her for help. She doesn’t know about Matt’s alter ego and they’re pursuing a romantic relationship, so that’s bound to end in chaos. We know what happened the last time he chose to not tell the people he cared about. I think she’s gonna get caught in the crossfire, and I think that might push Matt over the edge since he’s already only holding on by a very thin fucking thread.

I don’t think I will ever get over seeing Matt sob. Charlie did such an incredible job portraying Matt’s emotion at the beginning of ep. 1, and I just know he’s gonna break my heart the next time he cries. We saw him cry in Season 3, I know, but this? This is next level. This was a kind of pain that he did not expect to feel, that overwhelmed him, and in turn, I think we all felt it. The way he just sat there, impaled and broken, crying his little (big) heart out, totally defeated, no longer hearing Foggy’s heartbeat, probably hearing Karen sob, the mask falling, and he just gave up. He gave up right then and there, and for those of us who watched the original show and know the hope he had after the end of Season 3 that’s like shattering everything he worked for within the matter of fifteen minutes. He thought there was finally some resemblance of light at the end of the tunnel and then bam! All gone.

I also want to mention the way he reacted when Dex was sentenced to consecutive life sentence. The way he was cheering silently to the point he was shaking. And I want to again give an honorary mention to the conversation between Matt and Karen because that was so very well down, and so very well acted by both Charlie and Deborah.

On a more unserious note: that man is HOT! Seriously. The beard? His hands? HIS ARMS? Those feral eyes when he was fighting those cops? The broken glasses? That scream? His casual clothes at home and him just sitting there? That doesn’t sound like something that should turn me on, but it did. It does. I just wanted to sit on his lap and ride his—okay, I need to breathe. Charlie Cox, the man you are. Holy shit.

Overall, we all have our opinions, but I’m definitely immersed and I still love these characters and the original show, and I love what they’ve done with the new show. It is definitely MCU, we can’t deny that, but I think they redeemed themselves after making some questionable choices with projects post-Endgame. I am sat! I would be sat no matter what because seeing Matt again just makes me feel so much joy.

The decision to kill Foggy (or at least make everyone believe he’s dead), however, will not be recognized as canon by me unless I want to write some angsty as fuck fic set in DDBA times. Outside of that, I stand behind what Nick Fury said.

That’s all. I love seeing the entire fandom come together and freak out about this. It’s been a long time coming! Can’t wait for next week’s episode.

[aquaholicsanonymousworld]

Unfinished Business

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Reader

Summary: She and Matt Murdock have been caught in an on-again, off-again relationship, with Matt constantly pushing her away yet never fully letting go. When Nelson & Murdock’s new secretary, Karen Page, arrives, she tries to be mature about Matt’s growing closeness with her—until she repeatedly walks in on them sharing quiet, intimate moments. Though jealousy bubbles beneath the surface, she refuses to be the bitter ex.

Inspired by: My own jealousy of early Matt x Karen scenes. Much more of a Matt x Elektra girl myself.

The first time it happened, she told herself it was nothing.

Karen had just started at Nelson & Murdock, bright-eyed and eager, and Matt had always been charming—it wasn’t a crime to be charming. She had sat across from them at Josie’s, watching Karen teach Matt how to play pool, and convinced herself that the twist in her stomach was just indigestion.

The second time, it was at the office. Karen had been adjusting Matt’s tie, her fingers lingering just a second too long, and Matt had smirked in that way that used to be reserved for her. She had looked away, hands clenched, reminding herself that they weren’t together right now. Matt had made that perfectly clear.

The third time, she walked into the firm late at night to find them whispering in hushed voices, Matt leaning in close, Karen biting her lip in hesitation.

That was the moment she almost lost it.

But she didn’t. Because Karen wasn’t the enemy.

She reminded herself of that when they ended up on assignment together—something Matt was too busy to handle, so she and Karen took it on instead. It was supposed to be routine: gather information, ask the right questions, get the job done. But then a recently fired nurse gave them what was supposed to be Frank Castle’s home address, and their night got interesting.

The apartment was abandoned but filled with remnants of a life violently torn apart—family photos covered in dust, children’s drawings pinned to the fridge like ghosts clinging to the past.

That’s when Karen spoke, voice quiet in the heavy silence.

“He does this, you know,” she muttered, running her fingers along a bullet-ridden wall.

For a second, she thought Karen meant the Punisher.

But then Karen looked at her, gaze searching. “He makes you feel like you’re the only person in the world… until he doesn’t. Until he pulls away like it never meant anything at all.”

Something inside her cracked.

Because that was the problem. Not Karen. Not the lingering glances or the shared laughter. It was him.

It had always been him.

She found him at his apartment that night.

Matt opened the door, looking like he was about to head out—suit half-buttoned, tie loose, as if he had been expecting someone else.

“Going somewhere?” she asked, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

He tilted his head slightly, listening. “You’re angry.”

She let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Yeah, Matt. I am angry.”

She turned to face him, heart pounding. “Tell me—what was the plan? Keep me close, but not too close? Push me away when it suits you, but never far enough that I actually leave? Or was it just fun for you, watching me walk in on you and Karen over and over again like some kind of sick test?”

Matt’s brows knit together. “Karen and I—”

She cut him off. “Karen and you nothing, right? Because you don’t let anyone have all of you, do you?” She stepped closer, forcing him to feel the heat of her words. “You get just close enough to make sure I’m still watching, then you disappear. You push and pull until I don’t even know where I stand with you. And I let you.” Her voice broke, but she pushed forward. “I let you every damn time.”

Silence.

Matt’s jaw was tight, his hands curled into fists at his sides. But he didn’t deny it.

Didn’t fight her on it.

Finally, after a long pause, he exhaled sharply. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

She shook her head, laughing bitterly. “That’s the thing, Matt. You do. You hurt me, over and over again, and you act like you don’t see it.”

He took a step forward, just close enough for her to catch the subtle tilt of his head, like he was listening to the way her breathing had changed.

“You’re right,” he admitted quietly. “I push you away. Because if I don’t…” He swallowed hard. “If I don’t, I’ll never stop.”

Her breath hitched.

He reached out then, his fingers grazing the side of her face, tracing over a bruise she hadn’t even noticed forming from earlier. His touch was careful, reverent, like he was memorizing her all over again.

“I want you,” he murmured, voice rough. “I’ve always wanted you. And that scares the hell out of me.”

Her eyes burned, but she refused to look away. “Then prove it. Stop running. Stop treating me like I’m something you can pick up and put down when it’s convenient.”

The space between them vanished.

His hands cupped her face, and then his lips crashed into hers—desperate, consuming, a kiss that tasted like every moment they had lost and every one they had stolen.

She kissed him back just as fiercely, fingers threading through his hair, pulling him closer like she could fuse them together, like she could keep him from slipping away this time.

Matt groaned against her mouth, hands roaming like he was trying to convince himself she was real. Like he was scared she would disappear if he let go.

They broke apart, breathing hard, foreheads pressed together.

“I’m not letting you go again,” he promised.

She nodded, voice thick with emotion. “Good.”

Because this time, if he did, she wasn’t waiting for him to come back.

Instead, she would make him understand—her devotion wasn’t a leash, it was an offering. She had always been his, not because he demanded it, but because she had chosen him. Over and over again.

And this time, she needed him to choose her back.

[jewishgirlrevolt]

Inspired by @niraves post

I wouldn't have minded Brad as a concept and thing if they'd maybe leaned a little bit more into the meta, after wrapping up a couple of other storylines. So Imagine. Here's my rough breakdown of how 8a could have gone.

Episode 1/2 is the opening disaster bees and plane crash (plane crash is one episode now, not two). Brad does NOT go with Buck and Bobby to help Athena, but he tries. We get Athena involved in helping Henren.

Episode 3 beginning wraps up Athena's storyline and we continue going into the aftermath of Buck maybe killing Gerrard. We find out about the budget cuts and how the LAFD is getting a lot of money from the studio making Hotshots. Gerard says something along the lines of I was happy in my retirement until the she-witch forced me back. I need a desk job. Something like that. Maybe Gerard also lets something slip about Ortiz. The others don't catch it. But Hen 100% does. Buck talks to Tommy about Gerard. They cuddle. And a scene with Eddie along and sad in his house picking up his phone and calling someone saying "I need help."

Episode 4: Bobby and Athena redraw their building plans on the house. Michael mention. Athena says something like Maybe I'm getting too old for this. Bobby continues to work with Brad, who wants to know more about his stories with the LAFD, and invites him out to lunch. We get a bit more insight into the plot of the show. Hen and Karen talk to their lawyer and lay it all out there (Maybe a scene where Hen and Athena talk about Ortiz). After they all meet up at the park with Madney and Mara and Jee. We get some calls amidst all of this. But this is a Henren and Bathena episode. Athena notes she had fun doing all the PI like work (setting up for 8b where Athena either decides on the academy that'll be an 8b episode or if she wants to be a PI).

Episode 5: The episode opens with Eddie talking to someone. It's a priest or therapist, I really don't care. Actually, make it Frank. We love Frank. Then we get a court date for Hendren. This is where they really have to fight in court to get Mara back. Athena brings the proverbial smoking gun, and we get Mara back with the Wilsons in time for Halloween. Mara is back with the Wilsons. But Gerard is still at the 118. Maybe there's a quick nod to Josh and Eddie's moustache and we find out that Chimney had texted Maddie a photo of said moustache and he got a kick out of it when Maddie showed him.

Episode 6: We get a Madney and BuckTommy episode. Buck has been feeling very burnt out and is maybe contemplating a new job. We get more domestic BuckTommy. Madney meanwhile are dealing with Jee missing Mara, and contemplating if they want to have more kids. We also get the 118 and Gerard getting called to the Hotshots lot, where we see the staging for some traumatic diaster they dealt with. Like Chim and the Rebarb. Everyone's a little uncomfortable and Chim asks Bobby what's going on. Bobby says he tried to stop then, but the show wants to take from real life. We also get more meta for the show, since all their calls this episode are about that. Also Josh and Maddie meet up for brunch. They don't talk at the call center.

Episode 7 continues off that. Buck and Tommy deal with a relationship hurdle, Buck realizes how lonely and sad Tommy really is and just how scared he is. Maybe the run into Tommy's ex who thanks him for you know, opening his eyes and being his first and what not and that makes Tommy close in on himself a little and then Buck and Hen talk about this. Meanwhile, Gerard is just getting really bad at his job, to the point where Eddie actually gets hurt. Not significantly, but enough that maybe Buck texts Chris to tell him that Eddie got a little hurt at work and that prompts Chris to call his dad. Gerard's blunder makes news. He's fired and Hen is promoted.

Episode 8 is Hen and Bobby talking to the chief, Bobby is asked to come back. Brad Torrence demands to shadow Bobby around more. And we get to meet, on a call a charming older Captain from the 122 who wants to retire. But doesn't want to leave the job altogether. Eventually, he ends up as the new consultant and Bobby comes back to the 118. Chris tells Eddie he isn't ready to come home. Eddie decides he needs to go to Texas to reconcile with his son, but promises to be back. Uses all his unused PTO. Seriously No one takes PTO. Buck talks to Tommy about this career and his future and how while he's happy Bobby's back, he's not sure what's next for him career wise. Hen wonders if she would like to be Captain full time and if its maybe time to move on from the 118.

Episode 9: Bobby back to being captain full time. But there's still a little tension between him and Buck. Not enough to be concerned, but enough that everyone notices. Buck and Bobby finally talk about it. They catch up, have a heart-to-heart, and talk about how they consider each other father and son. They resolve their issues and then we have a dinner double date between Bathena and BuckTommy.

It would also be funny if they talk about the show within the show. Like Hen mentioned Karen loves hotshots and totally ships that one firefighter and that dispatcher or something like that and Brad is like "Oh yes, we've heard, the firefighter's love interest we introduced last season actually got a lot of harassment online. Fans can sometimes be absolutely crazy." Looks at the camera. But that might be too on the nose.

So obviously, if I was a showrunner this would be fleshed out more and you have to balance call scenes and whatnot. But I think this is ok.

[sergeantbuckybarnes]

anti-heroe // billy russo

Summary: You’re assigned to eliminate Frank Castle. But how can you do it? He’s your boyfriend’s best friend. And Billy has no idea you used to kill for money.

Pairing: Billy Russo x BlackWidow!Reader

Word count: 4.3k

Warnings: soft billy, implied smut, murder, stabbing, blood, lame descriptions of fighting, angst, a bit of fluff

A/N: As always, remember English is not my first language. Thanks to @wannab-urs​ for proofreading this!

main masterlist

Karen was already in bed when the sound of frantic knocking on her door startled her. Her heart raced as the sound grew louder and more insistent with each passing moment. She turned to the alarm clock on her bed table flashing 10:30 pm.

Who could be knocking at this hour?

She slowly got up and crept toward the door. As she got closer, the knocking continued, and she heard a faint voice calling out her name.

She cautiously opened the door, her features quickly twisting into a horrified expression at the scene in front of her eyes — you, bleeding, the handle of a knife protruding from your stomach, your left arm loosely hanging on the neck of a blonde woman who had her arm wrapped around your waist to hold you steady.

“A little help here?”

48 HOURS EARLIER

The sun was rising and the birds were singing outside. A strong arm was wrapped around your waist, and his breath was hitting the back of your neck. You smiled and snuggled into his warm chest, feeling content and happy. Even though you'd only been together for a little over a year, you couldn't imagine living without the feeling of being in his arms.

Billy stirred behind you, and you felt his arm tighten around you. “Good morning, beautiful,�� he murmured against your neck, leaving scorching open-mouthed kisses there. 

Those three little words were enough to make your heart flutter.

You turned to face him, and he trailed his lips toward yours. You gazed into his eyes, taking in the moment. You had never considered yourself a lucky person, but meeting Billy changed your outlook on life. Being there, nestled in his arms, made the world outside seem less twisted. Billy's embrace erased every negative memory, feeling, or thought you had. You were safe there, with him. He was home.

You knew you were in love with the ex-marine, but you were wise to refrain from saying the three words. Frank had made it a point, when you and Billy got together, to inform you that this was Billy's first serious relationship --finally choosing quality over quantity. You weren't sure if he was trying to scare you or what, but it had the opposite effect. It gave you some kind of... confidence? Because this was also your first serious relationship. Well, it was your first relationship. Period.

You didn’t want to scare him with these feelings, especially when you weren’t sure if they were reciprocated. So you preferred to keep basking in what you had. 

“Good morning, handsome,” you whispered softly against his lips. Your breath mingled with his before you crashed your lips against his, in a not-so-soft kiss.

You were soon trapped beneath him, and although having Billy Russo on top of you was very enticing, and you would have taken that road any other day, you put a palm on his chest, backing him up a little.

“I have to go to work, and so do you.”

Billy groaned in frustration.

“You don’t have to work in that dreadful place; you know you could work for me.” 

It wasn't the first time Billy had offered you a position at ANVIL so you wouldn't have to work at the coffee shop, and just like the other times, you turned the offer down.

“So everyone can gossip that I made my way there through being tangled in the boss’ sheets? Thank you, but no.”

“You know I wouldn’t let anybody shame you like that,” he said it in such a convincing and certain tone that it almost convinced you. Almost.

“You can’t control anything, Billy.”

“I sure can try.”

You wrapped your arms around his neck and bring him down toward you, minimizing the gap between the two of you. 

“I like my job.”

“No, you don’t.”

No, you didn’t. You hated how well he knew you. But the truth is, the job at the coffee shop is the best you could aspire for—You didn't even have a high school diploma; you didn’t have anything to apply for a well-paying proper job. And part of the reason you didn’t take Billy’s offer was because you didn’t want him to pity you or just give you a good position because you were his girlfriend.

“Just hear me out,” Billy said, his voice earnest. “You're smart, hardworking, and I know you would excel in a corporate setting. Plus, we could spend even more time together.”

You sighed. “Billy, I appreciate your confidence in me, but I want to earn my own success, not just have it handed to me because of our relationship."

“I’m not gonna convince you, am I?”

You shook your head, “But you’re always welcome to try.”

You closed the gap and let yourself get lost in him.

Today was a particularly busy day. You were wiping down counters and restocking coffee mugs when you saw a familiar face that made your stomach drop.

You could feel her eyes on you as you continued to wipe down the counter. You tried to complete your task quickly, hoping that you could escape to the back room before she had the chance to say anything. But before you were able to get away, she waved you over to her table.

You took a seat across from her and nervously fiddled with your apron. She seemed delighted to see you, greeting you like you were long-time friends, with a smile plastered on her face that you could tell was far from being genuine.

“What are you doing here, Valentina?” you sighed.

It was obvious she didn’t make her way to the coffee shop you worked at just because she was a coffee lover. Valentina Allegra de Fontaine never did anything without a motive.

“I have a job for you.”

You squint your eyes at the woman.

“I’m retired. Go and find someone else.”

You promised yourself when you got free that you’d never go back to that life. You couldn't undo what you'd done in the past, but you weren’t under chemical subjugation anymore, you were free, and you wanted to live a normal life — the life you never had the opportunity to have. The life Dreykov took away from you when you were barely three years old, and he decided an orphan child would be a good killing machine someday. You’d spent the last 25 years of your life being a puppet, and you refused to be one again.

“You’re going to be interested in this one. Trust me,” she insisted. 

You knew the woman well enough to know she wasn’t going to drop the subject, and you noticed the queue of people forming behind her. 

“I have a break in five minutes.”

You opened the door of the shop and a gust of wind hit your face. You were relieved to be out of the cramped, stuffy store taking a deep breath of the fresh, cool air. You started walking down the street, feeling the wind tousling your hair.

You reached a nearby alley, knowing Valentina was waiting for you. It had been about a year since you last saw the woman. You had no idea how she had found you because you thought you had done a fantastic job of remaining under her radar. You doubted Yelena had sold you out, that was not typical of her.

“Well?” You asked as you rounded the corner. Just as you had anticipated, there she was. Valentina Allegra de Fontaine's composure and elegance were nearly impossible to overlook. Though this clearly wasn't her preferred hangout, it didn't appear to bother her. She was a woman who could adapt to anything, never looking out of place even when she so clearly stood out.. 

Her appearance matched her personality; Valentina was a powerful woman who easily influenced people; fortunately for you, you knew her well enough not to fall for her ruses.

She handed you the file she was holding when she walked in the coffee shop before. “They’re offering $200,000 to take him down.” 

You glanced bewildered at the woman. That was a substantial sum of money. 

“Why me?” You inquired. 

“Because you’re the best.”

You averted your gaze from her and opened the file. The blood drained from your face when you saw the picture of the man in the file.

“Who wants him dead?”

“That I can’t tell.”

Your attention remained fixated on the photograph, as a maelstrom of emotions and thoughts raced through every inch of your body.

“Well, what do you say? Do you want to get back into business, or do you want to spend the rest of your life pouring coffee and struggling to make ends meet?”

You closed the file and tossed it to her. 

“I’m not gonna kill Frank Castle.”

“You’re too quiet,” Billy pointed. He had noticed something was worrying you. Yet he was hesitant to ask you. The last thing he wanted was to upset you more. But as the night went on your distress didn’t subside, and he started to get really worried.

You looked at him, “I’m fine,” you simply said. 

“No, you’re not,” he grabbed the book you were pretending to read, “Did something happen at work?”

You shook your head.

“What’s worrying you, love?”

You sighed. You didn’t want to lie to him, but you couldn’t tell him the truth either. “Just tired. It’s been a busy day.”

You knew he wasn't fooled by your pathetic excuse, but fortunately, he didn't press the issue.

“I can help you relax,” he said instead, pulling a strand of hair out of the way so he could kiss your neck, moving up the line of your jaw and back down your throat.. His lips moved along your skin, sending sparks of pleasure through your veins. You closed your eyes and relaxed into the sensation, feeling your body come alive with anticipation.

You needed a distraction right now, and Billy was always too good at taking your mind off problems.

“Yes, please,” your voice came as a faint whisper, just barely audible to him.

“Anything you want?”

You turned to look at him and soon you were lost in his dark eyes. His eyes held so much emotion that it felt like you could combust.

“Just make me forget my shitty day.”

A smirk lifted in his perfect features, “That I can do.” 

He easily lifted you off the couch, your legs wrapped around his waist, one arm loosely draped around his neck while your other hand gripped his jaw and you collided your lips against his in a sloppy kiss as he carried you to the bedroom.

You raised your hand and knocked on Yelena's apartment door. After a few seconds of waiting, she heard footsteps approaching. The door opened, revealing a disheveled Yelena.

“What was the emergency?” Yelena asked, as you stepped inside and glanced around the apartment. It was bigger than yours, but just as cluttered. 

“Hope, it’s not too early,” you said when you saw her yawning.

“No. Not at all. I was already up anyways,” she said, rubbing her eyes. “So what brings you here?”

You shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “I need to talk to you about something.”

“Okay,” Yelena said as she headed to the kitchen. “Do you want some coffee?”

“No, thanks,” You replied as you followed Yelena. “Has Val contacted you?”

Yelena turned around, visibly surprised. “No, she hasn’t. I’m on holiday.”

“Good for you,” you muttered dryly. “She came to my workplace to offer me a job.”

“How did she find you?”

“Good question. But that’s not why I’m here. The target she offered me is my friend’s boyfriend.”

“Well, that sucks.”

Typical Yelena. Emphatic as always.

“Who do you think is going to take over?” You asked her, “Sonya? Maybe Antonia?”

Yelena shrugged, “No idea.”

“Come on, Yelena. An innocent man could die!” You exclaimed, exasperated.

Sometimes her emotional detachment drove you insane.

“If Val took the case he’s not innocent.”

“I know this dude, he’s a good man.” 

You were sure that whoever ordered this murder was someone with a vendetta against The Punisher and they didn’t want to get their hands dirty by doing the job themselves.

“And what do you want us to do?”

“Protect him.”

“You said you didn’t want to get involved in this life again!” Yelena exclaimed.

“I’m not gonna murder anyone. I'm going to stop someone from being killed." You defended yourself..

“Who is this guy anyway?”

“Frank Castle.”

“The Punisher?” Yelena's eyes widened in surprise. Oh, so she knows him. “He’s a 40-year-old man with military training, I think he’s more than capable of protecting himself.”

“Not against one of us,” you said. Yelena looked at you, “Do you think another widow is going to balk when she has to pull the trigger and put a bullet through his head with a sniper rifle?”

“Ты и твой героиновый комплекс,” she murmured under her breath.

“пожалуйста сестра,” you pleaded

“Do you have a crush on this guy or something?”

“What? No! I just told you he’s my friend’s boyfriend, and not only that but my boyfriend’s best friend.”

“You got yourself a boyfriend? Damn, girl, you livin’ the good life,” she made a brief pause, then asked, “Is he hot?” She wriggled her eyebrows and you let out a chuckle.

“He’s so fucking hot.”

You almost forgot what it was like to be on a mission —spying on someone, following their movements, watching and learning their weakness.  This time was different. For the first time, you weren’t learning the best way to kill a target. You were learning how to protect one.

You and Yelena found yourselves crouched on the rooftop of the building opposite Frank's apartment. From there you had the perfect view of his house and the street. He hadn’t left his place since you arrived a few hours ago, which made things a little easier. 

“There’s someone else there with him,” Yelena said, looking through the binoculars. 

You turned to her, “What? No one has entered the building since we arrived.”

“Maybe he was already there, just out of view.”

You took the binoculars from her hands and brought them close to your eyes. 

“Oh no.” 

Your voice betrayed you and it didn’t pass Yelena who started to swamp you with questions. “What? You know the other guy? Is he a threat? Should we intervene?” 

“What’s Billy doing here?”

It only complicated things more. God, you hated your life.

“Wait… Is that lover boy?” She took the binoculars from your hands. “Черт, он горячий. Вы точно знаете, как их выбирать.”

She then turned your attention to you. “Does he know?”

You knew exactly what she meant by that.

“No.”

“It's better that way.”

You turned to her, “Is it? Because I feel immense guilt every time I look at him. Every time he asks me about my childhood and I have to feed him lies, I feel like a horrible person. Especially when he has been nothing but honest with me.”

“If you had told him the truth he would have run out,” you looked at her, she paused briefly and then continued, “We’re not like Natasha. We’re not an Avenger. We’re not the trained killer on the cover of a magazine that kids call their hero. And you may have left this life, but this life never leaves you. The sooner you understand that, the better.”

You wanted to believe that Billy would have understood what you went through. He had to, right? Then why haven’t you told him.

“They’re leaving.”

Yelena’s voice pulled you out of your trance. Seconds later, Billy and Frank were walking out the doors of the building. Not much later, a dark figure appeared from a nearby alley and was now discreetly following the men.

“We have to go down,” you said as you reached for a wire to attach to the front of the building, but your friend reached her hand, stopping you.

“Wait.”

“Wait for what?”

You didn’t want to take any chances. You pulled on your mask and night vision goggles, concealing your entire face. You secured your grappling hook on the rooftop and started repelling down to the ground. You moved quickly and gracefully, making it look easy.

“ебать,” Yelena muttered under her breath before following your actions.

You didn't exactly land quietly; as you neared the bottom, you let go of the rope and slid to the ground. And the fact that there wasn't a single soul on the street didn't help either. Billy and Frank didn't have time to acknowledge your presence before Yelena landed next to you and another three people stepped out of the shadows, blocking their path.

“What the fuck?” you muttered to yourself. 

“What the hell is this?” Frank demanded..

“You pissin’ the wrong people off again, Frankie?”

The dark figure that had come out of the alley was still behind the two men, you lifted your right arm, the Widow’s bite ready to take the aim, and in the blink of an eye, an electrical discharge hit them. One down.

At this, two of the other persons dressed in black attacked Billy and Frank. Frank threw a punch at one of them, and Billy kicked the other one. The last one standing made a move toward you, but before you could hit them with a taser disk, Yelena took them out with a bullet in their skull.

The sound of the shot bounced off the silence of the street, and it only made the other two people who were fighting Billy and Frank fight harder. One of them pulled a knife from their suit pocket, and nimbly slashed Frank across the face, followed by a kick to the chest that staggered Frank a bit. In turn, the other fighter had managed to immobilize your boyfriend, forcing him to his knees and  aiming a Heckler & Koch P30 at his head.

Rage ran through your blood, “Я бы не стал этого делать, если бы я был тобой,” you stepped closer, “держись от него подальше.”

They laughed at you in response, which only infuriated you more. You sprinted at them, and with a swift flick of your leg, you knocked the revolver out of their hand, freeing Billy from their clutches. 

You took a  swing at the masked attacker, who easily blocked it and then jumped back to avoid the next one. You moved with grace and precision, as if you had been born to fight, and in a way, you had been. They were struggling to keep up, you could sense their desperation, and took advantage of it. 

You went for the kill. You delivered a powerful kick that sent the attacker against the building’s wall. They tried to stand up, but you had already moved in for the finishing move. You grabbed their neck and twisted it sharply, breaking it in one swift move.

When you turned to see if Yelena was okay, you noticed the one Frank had been fighting lay  motionless on the ground. He reached down and removed the mask his adversary had been wearing the entire time, revealing a young dark-haired woman no older than 30 years old.

So you were correct. They all were Widows.

“You know this woman?” He asked, turning to face your boyfriend, who was approaching him.

Billy inspected the woman's face and then shook his head. Then, the two men's attention was drawn toward you and Yelena. 

“Мы должны уйти. Наша работа здесь сделана,” Yelena said when she sensed their gaze on her.

“Oh dear, no one is leaving. The fun has just begun.”

That didn't come from any of you, but rather from a newcomer to the scene —a redhead in a white suit.

Why wasn’t she wearing a mask like the others?

A gun was visible in one of her suit's front pockets, and she held a dagger in her right hand. She moved to strike Frank, but you stepped in the line of fire, your body taking the full brunt of the impact. You grunted in agony as the cold dagger pierced your stomach and the redhead twisted it inside you.

The two men were frozen at the scene that had just unfolded in front of their eyes. Yelena screamed for you. She sprang into action and charged at the redhead, punching her and deflecting every blow and kick from her, eventually knocking her to the ground. The redhead was helpless and Yelena was filled with rage, her knuckles turning white as she grasped the woman’s throat. Yelena tightened her grip and squeezed, the woman's eyes widened in shock and then she was still.

Meanwhile, you were on your knees, bleeding on the street, the dagger still piercing your stomach, your breath shallow and feeble. You felt Yelena kneel by your side.

“You’re gonna be okay,” she tried to reassure you, but it was clear from her wavering voice she needed as much convincing as you.

“Your friend needs to go to the hospital,” Frank said, concerned. Even if he had no idea who you were, you had saved his life for whatever reason. 

“Yeah? And what do we tell them?” Yelena’s voice was strained. She wasn’t a particularly  emotional person, but you also knew you were as important to her as she was to you. Yelena was fiercely protective of the people she cared about, and she was not going to let you die. 

She helped you get up on your feet, carefully. You clenched your teeth, trying not to scream from the pain. Yelena supported your weight and began walking along the street.

“Where are you going?” This time was Billy who yelled, incredulously. 

But even if you were walking at a slow pace, the men did not try to stop you.

“A little help here?”

She quickly ushered you and Yelena inside, her mind racing with questions.

“What happened?” Karen asked, struggling to keep her voice steady. “We have to get her to a hospital.”

“N-No hospitals,” you said weakly, as Yelena gently placed you on Karen’s couch

“Are you going to tell me what happened, Y/N?” Karen inquired once again.

“She saved your boyfriend’s life,” Yelena dropped the words venomously. Even if she didn’t know Karen, she couldn't help but be disgusted by her. It was your friendship with the journalist that made you jump between her boyfriend and that fucking knife. So yes, she blamed her for the whole situation you were in. 

“What? Someone tried to kill Frank?” 

So much information for Karen to comprehend all at once, and then more knocks were pounded on the door. 

“Karen, open the door!” That was Frank’s distinct voice.

“Do not open it,” Yelena snarled.

Karen turned to face you, then to the door that Frank was hammering on. She didn’t know what to do.

“Karen, open the goddamn door!”

She sighed. She didn’t have a choice; if she didn’t open the door she knew her boyfriend would break it down. 

“Are you okay?” It was the first thing he asked when Karen opened the door to welcome him into her apartment. He grabbed her face and looked at her concerned. After the incident he just experienced in the street, he thought if someone had gone after him, they might have also gone after his girlfriend. And he couldn’t let her get hurt. Not because of him. 

Then he realized there was something wrong. He withdrew his sight from his girl, and it fell on you, and on Yelena who was attempting to keep you awake. Then your gaze is drawn to your boyfriend, who is standing on the threshold. And you could tell by the look on his face that he had connected the dots. And you knew there was no going back from this point forward.

“It was you,” he said, his voice was calm but you knew him well enough to know there was anger behind those words.

“What the hell, Y/N?” Frank shouted at you, “You could have gotten yourself killed.”

“I still can.”

“You ain’t dying,” Yelena retorted.

“And who exactly are you?” 

Yelena disregarded Frank's question and turned to Karen, “I need towels, alcohol, and a needle and thread.”

Karen nodded firmly and exited the living room.

“Are you going to pull that thing out?” Your boyfriend inquired, and while he was angry, he also sounded concerned. That offered you some optimism; maybe if you made it out alive, you still had a chance to work things out with him.

“You prefer me to leave it inside?” 

“You’re going to bleed out!” Billy cried out, raking his fingers through his disheveled. hair.

Karen returned with the items and placed them next to Yelena. “Are you alright?” She knew it was a stupid question to ask, but her brain wasn't functioning properly at the moment.

“Sure,” you said faintly, waving your hand, “I’ve had it worse.”

“No, you have not.”

You disregarded Yelena's rebuke, “Pull it out.”

“This is insane!”

Yelena turned to your boyfriend, “You have any other idea, pretty boy? ‘Cause we can’t go to the hospital.”

Billy looked at your friend, then at you. You wanted to tell him so many things, but mostly you wanted to apologize. You wanted to apologize to him for keeping this portion of your life hidden from him. Because you knew how important honesty was to Billy, and you have completely broken his trust in you. He sighed and knelt alongside you on the couch, holding your hand.

“It’s going to hurt,” he warned you.

“I can take it.” 

Billy was taken aback by how confident you sounded. Yelena grasped the dagger’s handle and for a few seconds that’s all she did, then she met your gaze. Silently telling her to go for it. And the last thing you remember is feeling an excruciating pain before passing out.

[dilf-din]

Everyone Knows You’re the Way to My Heart

Frank Castle X Karen Page

Rating: T

WC: 950

Warnings: typical self loathing Frank, sleep paralysis, angst & fluff

Author’s note: these pictures are cute but the vibe is not lmaoo but I will be writing more moments like this in the future and I wanted there to be a coherent heading so this is what I went with. Title is from Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers. My brain is consumed by them byeeee 🫶🏼

Read on AO3

Frank’s heart beat in his chest like a war drum, fitting for a man like him. Entranced he moved slowly forward, bullets flying in slow motion around him, bodies hitting the ground with echoing thuds. Everything was muffled, out of focus. He wasn’t in control of his limbs, being pulled magnetically forward until he recognized the looming outline of the merry go round. The carnival music slowly permeated his psyche. Heart beating inhumanly hard as he wished it would explode out of his chest and end this.

He tried to fight, but it was as if his arms were bound by some invisible force. He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Pressure compounded on him until he was sure he would be crushed. Frank fought to turn his head away from the scene unfolding before him, but the muscles in his neck stayed locked, forcing him to watch.

Then a voice cut through the chaos, like sunlight slicing through an overcast sky to remind him that the storm isn’t permanent. His panicked eyes shot open, blinking away the haze.

“You okay?” Karen asked softly, a gentle hand sliding over his bare shoulder and down to his heart where his hand rose to clutch it tightly.

“You’re shaking,” she reached her other hand to cradle his jaw and draw his gaze to hers. Her brows were drawn together in concern, but the rest of her presence radiated peace for his troubled mind.

Frank’s breath heaved through his nostrils, and he looked at her wildly, like a rabbit caught in a trap.

“In through your nose, out through your mouth,” she coached him gently, drawing a deep breath in with the hopes that he would mirror her.

He wished he could tell her that his jaw was wired shut. He wished he could cover her body with her own to shield her from the firefight. He wished he could do anything, say anything.

Tears careened down his cheeks quickly. All he could do was blink while he sat paralyzed.

“I don’t know what to do for you,” Karen said quietly, desperately, her thumb still stroking his cheek and brushing away the never ending stream of tears.

Frank’s eyes searched for hers. He bathed in the compassion and desperation he found there, poured it like gasoline over the fire in his chest.

The muscles in his shoulders twitched as he fought against the chains in his mind, fought his way back to her.

Another minute passed in total silence apart from Frank’s labored breaths. The chains started to lose their grip. His biceps twitched, and Karen moved her hand from his jaw down to the arm farthest from her. Her right hand still sat locked in his grip against the slowing hammer of his heart.

She rubbed long calming strokes over his spasming muscles until the frenzy subsided. With a gasping breath, he opened his mouth and exhaled hard, jolting to the side and further into Karen’s embrace.

“Sh-shit,” he stuttered out.

Karen pulled him against her chest, rubbing his shoulder and back and she murmured against his temple, “I’m here.”

“I couldn’t move. I—“ he swallowed hard. “Jesus Christ, it’s like I was stuck.”

“Sleep paralysis,” Karen said softly.

“Huh?” Frank upturned the corner of his lip in confusion.

“When you can’t speak, can’t move, and it feels so real, it’s not a normal nightmare. It’s sleep paralysis.”

Great. Another fucking level of hell for him to deal with, for both of them to deal with. As if the normal nightmares hadn’t been bad enough, though they had dwindled since the two of them started sharing a bed. Every time he thought he was making progress, he fell ass first back into the mud beneath him.

Frank suddenly felt microscopic, like a bug scrambling underfoot in a room full of people in combat boots.

“Shit. I’m sorry,” he started to move away from her. “I know you’ve got that meeting in the morning. I’m fine, Kare,” he punched his pillow a bit to adjust it.

“Frank.” Her voice was even, but he winced anyway as he settled on his shoulder facing away from her.

“I’m not mad that you woke me.”

He settled into silence, tensing his muscles and biting his tongue to ensure he didn’t drift off and risk waking Karen again. Saintly, sweet Karen whose patience was sure to be running out at any moment. He wanted this to last as long as possible before he inevitably let it slip through his fingers like he always did. She wasn’t just the first good thing he had in a long time, Frank was afraid Karen Page would be the last good thing ever sent his way in this life. People like him didn’t get second chances, and they sure as hell didn’t get third or fourth ones.

He heard the sheets rustle over his shoulder as she readjusted, sliding flush against the heat of his back and lacing an arm around his waist. Her slender hand pressed flat against his lower abdomen, and her thumb lightly rubbed the skin above his navel. It was impossible for the tension to not melt away under her touch. She pressed a lingering kiss to the top of his shoulder and settled deeper into the mattress.

Frank felt his throat tighten, willing himself not to get used to this again. Life was easier when you had nothing to lose, but when he heard her breathing descend into tiny snores as her exhales puffed against his back, he couldn’t imagine lying down at night without her beside him, and it scared the shit out of him.

[theblogwithoutfear]

watching daredevil s3 and i found it odd in the flashback scene that karen, who had an experience with addiction in the past, couldn't approach matt's vigilantism with a bit more empathy. idk it just feels kinda out of character they made her react that way, saying "you certainly sound like an addict' with a judgemental tone. they really made karen and foggy hit the audience over the head with their treatment of matt like an addict and it just feels icky.

especially when compared to how karen reacts to anything frank does with softness and compassion even when frank repeatedly pushes her away like matt does, isn't that a bit unfair?

Get ready for another long post folks

I understand what you're saying here, and honestly I think you're right in some ways. I think it goes back to what I was saying earlier about Karen being flawed. She's not perfect. Like Matt, she can be a hypocrite at times. She can also lash out in anger and judgement. That's just a very human thing—and also, something that Matt does consistently through the series. They're all people, they're all flawed, they're all blind (no pun intended) to their own hypocrisies and faults.

Also, and this is just my personal opinion, but I think she's also reacting that way because she's an addict. She has experience with what it's like; she knows how damaging and difficult it can be. And with Karen, when she finds out that Matt's Daredevil, she's already poised to see it as a bad thing. He gets beaten to shit on the daily, has countless near-death experiences, and literally puts his personal life on hold and lets everything fall apart in service of his alter ego. Which, to be clear, is definitely something that Matt needs to do—he has to be Daredevil. He can't hear the things he hears and not suit up. So it makes sense that he has to sacrifice so much of his personal life.

But at the time that Karen finds out about Matt being Daredevil, Matt has not yet learned how to balance his work and personal life. They even make a joke about that at the end of season 3. (Karen: "You're going to move back into Matt Murdock's apartment?" Matt: "Yeah, yeah. I just figured he has a healthier life-work balance.") At the time Karen learns the truth, DD has taken over Matt's life and screwed everything up. Not to mention everything that happened with Elektra and the terrible position that put Karen in. He literally had an emotional affair with her, and Karen sees her in his bed and never gets an explanation. For all she knows, Matt fully cheated on her while in his DD persona.

And then there's the fact that Matt literally told Karen "I don't need him to be a part of me anymore. And I don't want him to be." Matt himself, at the time of The Defenders, is trying to let go of Daredevil. We as the audience know that it's a terrible idea, but Matt mistakenly believes that giving up DD will fix his life. The way The Defenders is written, it seems as though Matt has asked for Karen and Foggy's help in giving up DD. So of course they're both frustrated when Matt takes up the suit again; not because they think it's bad, but because Matt himself has framed DD as an addiction and has told them he wants to give it up. They're frustrated at Matt for his flip flopping, his "relapsing" if you will. Sure, they should be more compassionate. That's absolutely true. But Karen and Foggy are only human; and after seeing the way that DD has torn Matt's life to shreds (and their lives too!), it makes sense that they're frustrated with him.

The other thing is, the show itself is absolutely framing the DD persona as an addiction, from the very beginning of season 1. By the end of season 3 (and probably in the scrapped seasons 4 and 5, we'll see what Born Again will do) Matt has learned to balance the lawyer and the vigilante; his violence becomes something he can control. He's learned to walk that tightrope. However, at the very beginning of the show, it's clear that Matt's violence controls him. In that first monologue in the confessional, when Matt talks about "letting the Devil out," he's talking about the addictive power of violence. You also see it in episode 2 when he's torturing that Russian and he says "It's not just the boy. I'm doing this because I enjoy it."

All of this really comes to a head in season 2; Frank Castle points it out. He says "I think you and me are the same" and he says "You're one bad day away from being me." Because one of the core struggles of Daredevil, both as a show and as a character, is between the use of violence to prevent harm, and the use of violence as vengeance/emotional release. And despite Matt's moral grandstanding, he consistently veers into the latter. He never crosses the line into murder, but his violence is Matt's way of releasing the anger inside him—of "letting the Devil out." And that, frankly, is addictive for him. It's why it is so difficult for him to refrain from killing Fisk at the end of season 3. The emotional release of extreme violence, especially under ethically and morally justifiable circumstances, is very difficult for him to resist. It's in that last episode of season 3 that he really overcomes this, and realizes he can control the Devil inside him, rather than the other way around.

All this is to say, the show frames Matt's violence/DD persona as an addiction, and his arc is focused on overcoming this and finding a balance. So for Karen, who has a canon background of addiction, it makes sense that she reacts the way she does. She has little patience for him because a) she's human and flawed, and b) she knows what addiction did to her and her family, and she's scared what it will do for Matt (and Foggy and herself), and it causes her to lash out at him.

As for your point about the way she treats Frank Castle, I think it comes down to the fact that Frank is usually honest with her. Karen very vocally disapproves of what Frank does and all his methods, but she knows that he's honest with her, so she can meet him where he's at and they can go from there. Matt, meanwhile, has spent their whole relationship being deceptive and hiding things constantly (and yes, obviously he had good reasons for that, but it doesn't change the fact that it's very shitty for Karen to have to deal with). Frank doesn't have the same problem with work/life balance; he doesn't have two different identities. He doesn't hide and he doesn't lie in the same ways that Matt does. So I think it's fair for Karen to be mad at Matt for a while. After everything that went down—after Matt spent their entire relationship lying, tanked the law firm, destroyed his own life, and not to mention the whole Elektra debacle, all of this while they were dating—no wonder Karen's upset. She'd have to be a literal saint not to be!

There's also a lot to be said about Matt/Elektra and Karen/Frank being parallels to each other in the way that those relationships play out, but that's a topic for another day.

Anyway, I don't know how I've become the Karen Page Defense blog, but I'm not complaining lol.

[elen-tari2]

My Kastle Scene Wishlist

I’m not sure what Kastle content we might get in Daredevil Born Again, but there is also talk that they might make a new Punisher show. What are some scenes/parallels that you would like to see between Frank and Karen? Here’s a few of my musings

Reversed Hospital Scene! I would like to see Frank momentarily panic over Karen getting hurt and have a turn holding her hand in a hospital bed. I feel like we deserve this scene so bad. (Caveat: Frank CANNOT be the reason Karen got injured, even if it’s just she got shot in the arm or has a concussion; Karen is in dangerous situations regardless of Frank being near her or not and he needs a wake up call for that). Bonus points for the total opposite of telling her to walk way—this time HE GETS IN THE HOSPITAL BED and puts his arms around her and just holds her and Karen gets to feel completely safe for a few minutes. Just go all out with the hurt/comfort trope for these two. Anyway, I have a whole WIP fic devoted to this, so honestly it has become my top wish to see some parallels drawn with another hospital scene.

Karen gets to help in a fight and shoots someone. I feel like since they never got to have the Wesley conversation, a way to show-not-tell would be for Karen to kill a bad guy and then Frank come check on her to be like, ��hey are you okay?’and she’d be like, ‘yeah, I am.’ She’d be a bit shaken up but grimly holding it together because it’s not her first time killing someone. This would also work in contrast to the scene where Amy shoots the guy in the hall and then Frank infamously takes the gun from her and takes the responsibility of his death away from her. Sorry to make Karen suffer because I know she’ll feel bad about it, but I’d be okay with seeing her character go a little bit darker to save someone’s life. She’s been carrying that gun since DDs2, she deserves to take out a baddie on her own and it’d be a great segue into rehashing some of her past that Frank NEEDS to know about

Frank meets Paxton Page. Will the show make time for this? Probably not. But damn do I want to know what Frank would say if he knew that Karen’s dad cut off his only daughter, when Frank would do anything—anything—to spend one minute with Lisa again. I’d love to see Frank go to Fagan Corners with Karen to put flowers on her mom and brother’s graves. We spent three seasons of Frank being able to open up around Karen and talk about his family with her. Meanwhile she has never once said anything about the losses she’s suffered. Frank needs to know and I don’t want it all jammed into one big backstory dump where she tells him she killed her brother and Wesley in the same conversation. Another option would be for Frank to accidentally visit Karen on the anniversary of her mom/Kevin’s death and she is having a breakdown. If we can’t get into any of Karen’s past, have Frank find out Karen has his burner phone saved in her contacts listed as Home. I’ve seen that idea in several different fics and it just needs to be canon. They are Home to each other.

A scene where Frank holds Karen all night and they don’t have sex, but it’s profound. (Think like Spike holding Buffy). If they are nervous about comics fans being mad about Frank Castle finding love again, give us some physical intimacy and closeness where you know they mean everything to each other but can’t cross the line and make things real. Fan fic writers will know we won and then fill in the rest for those cowards.

If they’re willing to make Kastle real, give us a goddamn kiss. Actually, just let them have sex, because Karen Page has been forced to stay chaste for YEARS and she deserves to get laid. And Jon Bernthal seems to be more than comfortable doing sex scenes soooo please just make it the most beautiful thing ever filmed because they are so in love with each other. It has to be noticeably different in tone from the scene with Beth. And Karen cannot get shot the next day, don’t even start with any of that bull$hit trauma for Frank.

Kastle pillow talk scene. Since it’s Disney Marvel now, I don’t know how much we can hope for with a sex scene. So the pillow talk scene that follows had better be some life-altering confessions of love and cuddles. Do not even think about him sneaking out before she wakes up like he almost did with Beth. Karen deserves something good to happen to her for once, let her have a perfect night and a gentle, soft morning after. She deserves it even if Frank isn’t sure if he does.

Karen Page and Dinah Madani Friendship. I’m rewatching The Punisher s2 and one thing that pissed me off was the scenes of fake bonding between Dinah and Krista Dumont, drinking wine together and discussing men (Frank and Billy, who else). So. To make up for that, we need some genuine female friendships, like Karen and Dinah going to a shooting range together or gym or going out to a nice bar for girls night. Even if Frank has been keeping his distance, these ladies have struck up a friendship and Karen has someone to hang out with besides her lawyer coworkers.

Karen gets to meet Micro/The Lieberman family AND Curtis. David knows how Frank really feels about Karen. Curtis needs to find out Frank DOES still have something good holding him in this world. And Karen should meet Frank’s friends.

Okay those are some of the scenes I want to see for Frank and Karen! If someone could please get this list to the Punisher writers for the future of the show, it’s actually very important that we get some of this or I’m gonna have to come write for the show myself. 🙈

[ikilledyvette]

THINGS I'D LOVE TO SEE IN SEASON 8 of 9-1-1

(in no particular order)

More Hen & Buck scenes, with or without tequila. (One of my favorite things about S6 was all the Hen and Buck time.)

Literally any kind of happy storyline for Maddie where she doesn't have to cry. (Let that poor woman breathe! JLH has been crying for literal decades now!)

Buck and Tommy continue their sweet, funny, and actually interesting romantic relationship. They can fight or have problems, sure, but not stupid bullshit problems created for The Drama. If they absolutely must break up, it's not because one or both of them have spontaneously turned into assholes. THERE WILL BE NO INFIDELITY, GODDAMNIT.

Seriously, though, Buck/Tommy are so fucking adorable, so ideally for me ... no breakup at all, please.

Zero romance for Eddie. Instead, Eddie goes back to therapy (with Frank, grief support group, etc.) and then fixes things with Christopher when Christopher comes back. (WHEN, I say, because the alternative is far too bleak.) Eddie can have romance again in S9, after he's doing better, and if the writers ever manage to give him a canonical love interest that he actually seems interested in. (TBH, I'd give someone's LEFT HAND to see Aromantic Eddie, but even for a dream list, that seems ... unlikely.)

One episode dedicated to Team Shenanigans and Hijinks. Alternatively, someone (probably Eddie) says the q-word again.

Buck having a delayed emotional breakdown about one of the following traumas: getting his leg crushed by a firetruck, surviving a tsunami, seeing Eddie get shot right in front of him, being a savior baby/lousy parents are still lousy, etc.

Someone in the 118 specifically chooses NOT to forgive their shitty parents, and everyone else on the team supports that decision. My personal favorites here are Chim and Buck, but honestly, I would take anyone. (Tommy, too, and I suspect he's the most likely candidate.)

Eddie is in full Passive Aggressive Sass Mode whenever dealing with Gerard. I want the same sort of bitchy commentary he made while he was taken hostage in that ambulance.

Let Eddie and Maddie actually have a scene together! They have a frankly weird amount in common for characters who basically never interact! (Alternatively, let Eddie and Linda's friendship from S5 continue! They can text each other recipes or something!)

More Radiohead and/or surreal nightmare imagery because that scene from "Chimney Begins" still haunts me in the best of ways.

The reappearance of any or all of the following characters (with the caveat that they are NOT allowed to die): Eli, Carla, Albert, Frank, Ruth from the gas station, and—of course—Karen. Always more Karen.

[crimsonxe]

I'm legit just taking note of details cause I want this revival to deliver, but Daredevil Born Again trailer scenes below:

So not only is Matt hooking up with some other woman, but also Frank is back to this

which last time led to this

Give me more puppy dog Frank cause of Karen Page, Marvel! Like this time I'm not even asking for an LGBT+ pair, though there's a few of those around and this one ngl does tap into some of that vein if you remove "hetero" and "queer" to just look at dynamics. Plz don't fuck this up with some "jealous Karen at Matt over other woman then they end up together in the end" bullshit. I'll take Kastle any day of the week.

Also will I likely be rewatching this & Daredevil now? Probably xD

[foggynelsonarchive]

What do you expect from Born Again? I for one am cautiously excited. It's a shame Foggy is going to die, but I don't think he would have much meaning anyway. Don't get me wrong, I like him. But I love Matt, Karen and Frank more. I think it's time for his story to end. I'm sure Foggy's sacrifice will give Karen the anger she needs to pick up her gun in revenge and Matt a reason to let the devil out so I think it will be worth it. Or maybe his death will be poetic and beautiful and temporary. Although I don't think he really fits the tone of the series. Karen has a more dramatic appeal and Frank too. Foggy is only cute and sweet. I hope you don't get upset with my question And my opinion on Foggy

I thought a lot before deciding whether to answer this question since I don't know if it's valid or just another one like the millions of hateful asks about Elden and Foggy that I've received over the years.

And even if the reason for this ask is to hurt me, I believe that all opinions need to be heard, even when I disagree.

I've said this more than once: I don't plan on watching Born Again. Period.

I don't want to re-watch, revisit a scene I've seen thousands of times on the internet. I don't want to see Foggy on the concrete, getting a shot that wasn't aimed at him.

Even if it is a temporary death. Even if he just gets hurt. No, I don't want to watch that.

I don't want to see Matt and Karen (without Foggy) reminiscing about old memories. I don't want to see Matt living life as if Foggy isn't an important person to him. I don't want to watch a show where Foggy, who used to be the heart of the show, appears in one or two episodes.

I know, I know I'll end up watching bits and pieces here and there because people won't get tired of posting edits, scene cuts, photos, gifs etc. And I don't like blocking people just because they have opinions that go against mine. I only block haters, etc.

Believe me, I'm glad Karen has a lot of heart in the show. After all, I fought for years for Elden and Deborah to return alongside Charlie for this show. I'm really happy for her and her fans. And I think it's beautiful that Jon cared so much about her to the point of saying that he would only return to the role if she was also on the show.

I just wish the Born Again writers knew that Foggy is also a crucial character. Not just because he's Matt's friend. Foggy has a rich history and is very capable of having a good plot even without a weapon, even without powers, without sexual appeal. I just wish (and hope) that Born Again doesn't erase all the importance of the original Foggy. In Elden's words: "Even though he's a little clumsy, Foggy is not an idiot." Foggy is smart, good, and intelligent.

I'm sure the directors did the best they could to fit Foggy into a plot that was almost complete. We need to remember that Foggy was going to die off-screen in the first script. And Karen wasn't even mentioned. So, I believe it was easier to fit Karen in there, giving her more scenes.

It's wonderful that Karen is a badass, has a gun, and is her own hero. I love Karen so much! But Foggy, Foggy was always the heart, and nothing survives without a heart.

Good-hearted people are strong in their own way. (this part makes me start crying, hell, I hate being so stupid)

And it's naive to think that a hero show will only be good if it has shooting, blood, sex, and things like that.

I don't know about you, but what made me love the show was the human and fragile part.

It was seeing that the girl wasn't so fragile and weak, that she is flawed and tries her best despite everything. She found a family (two idiots) and fought tooth and nail to protect Foggy and Matt from Fisk.

That Matt, the hero, is fragile, silly, pathetic. Sexy in his sweatpants and socks. That he feels pain, he cries, he feels angry and feels incapable most of the time.

That the silly friend (and useless in most opinion) is brave, strong, the one who goes for sex for consolation. Who has a family like everyone else.

These things, this human part were what made me love the show. Although I've been a Daredevil fan since childhood and admittedly an Elden fan since childhood as well.

These characters were like family to me.

The three of them!

Will I change my mind about Born Again? The second season, perhaps. But again, out of respect for Elden and Foggy, no, I don't intend to watch a scene that I've seen thousands of times and that has sometimes been mocked. And it still hurts me.

In Elden's words: The show is going to be amazing! I'm sure. But not for me.

[ironworked]

911 and closure

We've all already talked about how Buck and Tommy's relationship is different from his previous ones, and how the breakup itself is also different.

But what about other breakups? (I'm very probably not saying anything new and there might be clown makeup all over this, but I need to yap)

Chim proposed to Tatiana, who couldn't say yes and ended up breaking up with Chim while he recovered from his rebar-through-the-skull injury. They ran into each other at the hospital months later and met for drinks a different day.

Hen was visited by Eva as part of her 12-steps program before leaving LA (Karen went to see Eva too).

Maddie was kidnapped by Doug and killed him 🔪. Later she revisited the scene (with therapist Frank) so she could really let him go.

Non-romantic relationships/events? Chim and the Lees had a ceremony for Kevin in s7; Bobby had his talk with Amir; Athena solved that old case from her childhood, then also found Emmett's killer and made peace with him...

Then we have this firefighter with the 118 who was on a date when his partner dropped a bomb on him. He had to talk to his people and think about his future, and on the next date decided to take a step forward in the relationship, but his partner left him instead.

I could be talking about Buck and Tommy, but you know who else?

Eddie and Shannon.

She wanted to divorce, and then she died. And here's Eddie, who still hasn't found closure for this relationship.

Of course they are different people, with different personalities and baggage, and different conflicts. It's not about paralleling the relationships. What I mean is that Eddie and Shannon's relationship was truncated, and he still canonically mourns not just what could have been, but the chance to say his piece.

Now, we have Buck and Tommy whose breakup has the same beats but a completely different significance (Shannon expressing different priorities vs Tommy's fear) and a radically different aftermath (Shannon died; Tommy is bubbling Buck). Sub-zero closure.

So we have three options now:

The story ends here. This would make it rare in this show's history, and either make Tommy The One Who Got Away for Buck, or they'll have to weirdly move on like nothing happened. The first is just unsatisfactory, and the second unlikely given they just said it's the most transformative relationship since/surpassing Abby (depending on how you read that line) and they aired that texting scene.

They give them closure. This is more 911's style. The downside is that they'll have put Buck on the hamster wheel again, but the bar will have been raised for any new LI (will be compared to both Abby and Tommy, etc).

Second chance. 911 is also the second (and third, and fourth) chances show. The upside is that they don't have to create or cast a new LI, but Buck isn't super settled already either; they could have them take things slow if that's a concern in the writers room.

Which one will they choose?

Well, I obviously don't know, but I'd say that if it were #1 they could/would have made the breakup itself more final (just changing 'See you around, Buck' to 'Goodbye, Buck' would have done it) and/or not included the texting.

The texting! I keep going back to that, because we already have the whole Buck Baking Thing that came with an explanation and a visual; it's now shorthand for 'Buck misses Tommy' so the emphasis on texting is superfluous unless it's leading somewhere isn't it?

[lingy910y]

Gallavich Lovefest 2025

thanks @gallavichthings for hosting! i'm interpreting this as a yapfest 😌 gonna separate this into two parts so it's not too long lolol

1. Favorite scene

gotta be the dugout kiss. the song playing in sync with the motions make it look like a scene from a movie. absolute cinema

2. Favorite kiss

the spider-man kiss. mickey trying to hide his desperation behind his "can i see you again?" but gripping ian's shirt and pulling him down for more... oh boy

3. Favorite song connected to them

my second fav taylor song... it's abt two ppl who planned to con each other for money but fell in love instead. it's vague if they end up together but they're def the love of each other's lives. i think that fits gallavich well :')

4. Favorite sad/angsty moment

6x01 because i'm crazy like that

5. Favorite funny moment

niche but their delivery in this 11x04 scene is so funny:

mickey: no it wouldn't matter if you haven't made us buy this stupid-ass swat team shit

ian: this wouldn't fuckin' matter if you made half of what you promised—oh, could be thousands! maybe millions! be fucking billionaires by tuesday!

mickey: you know what, you're fuckin' fired

ian: you can't fire someone you never employed

6. Favorite no-dialogue moment

i think there's only like one scene that has absolutely no dialogue so i'll go with that moment in 7x10 when they stagger backwards as they scan each other's faces bc it's the first time in two years that they're in each other's personal space!

7. Favorite deleted/extra scene

the tamale kiss! the teasing, "you're so sensitive," the double pecks, the hand on thigh and cheek hehe

8. Favorite Mickey one-liner

niche as fuck again but in 11x07 when ian says "if they're watching themselves work out in the mirror, they're gay" and mickey says "that means everyone out there is fuckin' gay."

9. Favorite Ian one-liner

in 11x07 during the bg when the whole family's arguing and mickey says, "if lip told you to lick a cat turd off a steam pipe in the middle of july..." and ian gropes himself and says "yeah, i got something for you to lick"???? who let this man say things

10. Favorite Mickey outfit

the dress. next

11. Favorite Ian outfit

his emt uniform

12. Favorite Mickey hairstyle

s4

13. Favorite Ian hairstyle

s7

14. Favorite episode up to the end of S5

not for gallavich specifically but 3x12. season finales are always so chaotic/emotional but this is the only ep to make me almost cry. lip's graduation party, carl shaving frank's head, ian not admitting that he wanted to see if mickey wanted him to stay, mickey deflecting and not being able to admit it, fiona and jimmysteve's misunderstanding bc he didn't answer her but almost died by the cartel, nobody noticing frank leave the hospital or ian leave, and karen leaving 🥲

15. Favorite episode from the start of S6 on

7x11 for the same reason - the montage of the gallavich border scene, monica's death, and etta being placed in assisted living makes me want to smash my head against a brick

[pastafossa]

pasta who do you see as matt's endgame in the mcu? do you think he'd ever settle down?

Ooooh this is an interesting one.

Ok, so I have a feeling that in Netflix!Era DD, endgame was likely Karen, or that's the vibe I got based on S3, although Elektra was still a possibility. But the MCU entrance has obviously thrown that into the air and added a TON of possibilities, including some we haven't seen yet, and a few established comic characters that are showing up in Born Again like Heather Glenn and Kirsten McDuffie, so we have a TON of options here.

Required: these are all just guesses. I get ships are personal so if you ship one of the ones I'm guessing won't happen, just know I get it and I could be wrong (my favorite ship in the Netflix shows were Matt/Claire and my not-gonna-happen-but-fun-to-imagine Ship was Matt/Jessica, neither of which will happen in the MCU era, so I'm not going based on my own favorites).

Karen Page: I'm going to be honest, and this is just a guess: my intuition says their endgame won't be Karen. I don't have much to go on other than rumors that Karen may not be a permanent stick-around character, and those set photos of the Matt kiss scene with Heather, which means that even though Karen was around, Matt or Karen (or both) have seemingly moved on (Karen with Frank maybe?). So I don't think that's going to be the Matt romance endgame.

Jen Walters: I don't think it's going to be Jen, either. I get the feeling, as cute as I think they were, that that was meant to be a permanent thing and Disney's been pretty clear they won't be making another She-Hulk even if she makes some cameos elsewhere, which rules her out as a romance.

Heather Glenn: They've said he's going to be involved with Heather Glenn in Born Again this upcoming season, a new character to the show/this particular variation of Daredevil. She is an established character in the comics so it's not like this doesn't have backing, but I just don't feel like it'll have the impact Disney would want when looking at endgame. Supposedly now with the rewrites, they've leaned much more heavily into making it dark like the Netflix shows and following that general mythos, and that to me means they're likely to bring back:

Elektra Nachios: now this is our big wildcard since she's not confirmed, but she's where I'm leaning towards putting my money. She's insanely popular in the comics, she's well established, her relationship with Matt is a classic and a staple of Matt's various arcs, and Mattlektra might be an easy win for Dis after some lower ratings on their stuff. I've also read a few rumors that Elodie was spotted on the Born Again set, though whether that's for a cameo or not is unclear. Still, that makes it sound like she's going to be back. If I had to guess, it will be a, 'I would have been with you if you were here', and once she is back, that's where Matt's liable to head towards even if he's with someone else. Especially if our older Born Again Matt is just a little more jaded, a little more tired and lonely when it comes to love and what seems like his failures to keep Fisk behind bars - someone like Elektra who he feels understands him so well would be very hard for him to resist. And if his relationship with Heather Glenn is anything less than super solid in the coming season, Elektra's going to be able to get in there, and it would admittedly be interesting to see an older Elektra that's grown just like Matt has.

Matt stays solo: god I don't want this to be endgame because i want this man to have someone to love on him after a hard day, but this is entirely possible and in some ways, it would be a way for them to kinda easily dodge the ship question. I could absolutely see Matt trying to pull a tragic, 'my life is too dangerous for love' but I don't think this is where they'll go. They like the romance thing more, but maybe that's wishful thinking.

Other options: various comic characters are going to show up, and again, Kirsten's a possibility although I haven't seen any noise on her being a romance in Born Again, although if they have excellent chemistry that might be something they lean into down the line. As it stands though, I'm going to put my money on the writers bringing back Elektra for a Mattlektra tragic, fated love endgame.

[daretolovemyrambling]

Some Daredevil Born Again thoughts... I have feelings, to say the least... suprisingly didn't hate it as much as I thought I would, some parts I even quite liked, I think I will finish this series, even if it's just to see it crash and burn... anyway, here are some ramblings:

I will begin to forgive them for doing that to Foggy if his death has a major impact on Matt in every single one of the following episodes. Make us feel the loss, don't gloss it over. Matt should be crashing out about it at all times. If it's not for shock value I can deal with major character death like this (I will be reading very fluffy mattfoggy and fix-it fanfiction for the next few days though...)

Cheered a little at Matt throwing Dex of the building, it was always clear that the one thing that would push Matt to abandon his principles would be if anything happened to Foggy. I look forward to the angst this conflict will cause within Matt.

That said, I've seen a lot of people say that Matt would not stop being Daredevil again because of Foggy's death, but I do think almost killing a man and the guilt of indirectly getting Foggy killed would do the trick (he did storm off as Daredevil and could not be there for Foggy in his final minutes, not to mention that Foggy's last words to Matt involve a small fight over his Daredevil persona) hopefully we get to see a bit more of that in-between year Karen alluded, Matt completely shutting out everyone and everything for weeks is sad but very much in character.

Foggy's death does seem kind of suspicious. We have no concrete motive, and the method of death also gives me something to think about, Dex is absolutely capable of a headshot, as seen by the two civilians (cops?) that tried to help. I've heard plenty from comic readers that Foggy had his fair share of fake-out deaths before, so I am absolutely in denial and will continue to be in denial until these 18 episodes are all released. He's just enjoying his vacation in Tahiti (It's a magical place!) until further notice. 

The cinematography is, eh. Seasons 1-3 are noticeably better in every way, but season 4 is not totally awful so far, it had a handful of nice shots that I will reblog as soon as I find the gifs. 

Honestly quite intrigued by the storyline they have chosen to take. Fisk's mayor arc is disturbingly relevant today, and I am positively surprised that they might address the Punisher's... fanbase. Had a proper "oh shit" moment when they panned to the Cop's tattoo, especially since Matt is (and will be) unable to identify these groupies thanks to his blindness

I still think that this show should not be set this late in the timeline, I wanted to find out how the snap affected these characters... they should have given us one episode of catching up with the characters before ripping our hearts out and stomping on it... nothing would be changed if they put the bar scene towards the end, it would have made the death hit harder too!! 15 minutes of happiness is not enough!!

While I am extremly sad that they have written out Karen for now, at least she is safer when she is not in New York :(. I hope she is thriving over there, she looked adoreable with those cute bangs..

My heart shattered seeing her weep over Foggy and being frozen in shock when a body splashed to the ground behind her, I think the incredible acting here is my favorite moment so far, just seeing Karen horrified at the thought of losing both of her friends to the realisation that it wasn't Matt but that he instead just murdered a man by throwing him off a building (Dex got better, but a normal non-enhanced human would have been dead).

Suprisingly, I am looking foward to the next episodes. I can't wait to see Frank again and I am hoping to see Foggy and Karen in some way as well... (they have been confirmed for season 2, I AM HOPING EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY)