#kastle fluff

[violentdelightsproductions]

KastleWeek

tuesday, sept. 3 | rom com aus | the day of fluff some actual summer fun for these two dramatic, angsty losers. (coffee shop aus, college aus, beach aus, ect.) picture bright and colorful cartoon book covers.

But I can see us lost in the memory August slipped away into a moment in time 'Cause it was never mine And I can see us twisted in bedsheets August sipped away like a bottle of wine 'Cause you were never mine 'Cause you were never mine, never mine Back when we were still changin' for the better Wanting was enough For me, it was enough To live for the hope of it all

@kastlenetwork

[elen-tari2]

Down Bad

For @kastleexchange

***My contribution to the Kastle Exchange: Born Again Week. Prompt 3 "Who We Are" is to think of lines and scenes that define the characters and consider how they may be revisited in the upcoming DDBA. This is what happens when my brain decided to throw in a bunch of Taylor Swift lyrics into my fic, predominantly from the song "Down Bad" but other references abound. But don't be off-put if you're not a Swiftie-- hopefully it is tastefully done!***

Teaser:

Sometimes it made her heart clench with loneliness. Other times, it pissed her off. That he had saved her life so many times and then abandoned her. Supposedly for her own safety. Despite the fact that she had never felt more safe than when she was with him.

Today was one of those days. She was pissed off. Not just at Frank, but at herself because she just couldn’t let it go. Couldn’t give him up. That her body still screamed that she needed to be in his presence. She knew what Foggy and Matt would say. Hell, even Dinah, who was probably the closest to being able to read her heart, would think she was nuts.

Karen Page was down bad in love with Frank Castle. She turned up the volume on her playlist and ran faster on the treadmill.

Please enjoy the rest on AO3:

[aiobhlin]

A short little one-shot that developed out of a much longer work that I've almost finished for these two. It didn't fit in the big story, so I made it its own, smaller story. I hope you enjoy it!

Many thanks to the lovely @garglyswoof for the beta!

[ninzied]

so flawed, so free

for @superrpowerlesshuman. ~3.5k. e. kastle christmas ⋆ sat dec 28 ⋆ favorite things ⋆ domestic fluff

He still sleeps with a gun in the nightstand, and goes for long runs on those mornings when the nightmares won’t loosen their grip on him. He fights with Karen, sometimes. They’re more alike than most people would probably realize. Both stubborn, both strong-willed. Both entirely reckless when it comes to their own personal safety.

But he also goes to vet group, and gets drinks with Curtis afterward. Sometimes Karen joins them, when she isn’t on a deadline. Other times, he comes home to her on the couch, sipping on her own beer as she types, and he kisses her forehead and can’t quite believe that this is his life now.

And then there are the days when Frank comes this close to losing it again. That control.

.

Or, Frank comes home bleeding, and Karen takes matters into her own hands.

ao3.

no-pressure tagging some of my kastle fam under the cut--

@carry-the-sky @myletternevercame @ejunkiet @evilbunnyking @zushigirl

@fortysevenswrites @garglyswoof @redbelles @heidiamalia @baybelletrist

@onebatch2batch @piratefalls @c-sand @notquitecogent @152glasslippers

@heartonfirewrites @edourado

[kastlenetwork]

hello, kastle fam! i hope that you're doing well 😊 after eight thousand years of me being lazy, i present to you the next #kastleweek! (lol).

this next event will run from monday, september 2nd through friday, september 6th!

every medium of work is welcome. you can write fic. you can make edits, gifs, or art. if you'd like to make playlists of curating the vibes of karen and frank in each prompt, we'll be thrilled to listen! there's absolutely no pressure to create something for every day of the week -- there's a months' time to work, so feel free to pick and choose whatever it is you want to participate in 💕💕

monday, sept. 2 | we meet again | the day of yearning frank and karen reunions. whether that be months, years, or anything below or in-between. tuesday, sept. 3 | rom com aus | the day of fluff some actual summer fun for these two dramatic, angsty losers. (coffee shop aus, college aus, beach aus, ect.) picture bright and colorful cartoon book covers. wednesday, sept. 4 | through new eyes | the day of observations outsider, 3rd party, perspectives of frank and karen's relationship. no matter where it stands. thursday, sept. 5 | forced proximity | the day of honesty frank and karen being brought together in various situations where they can't just walk away, and are forced to confront their feelings. friday, sept. 6 | plot? what plot? | the day of desire frank and karen smut day. we know this fandom. let's be for real lol. (thank you, @goddamnitkastle, bless)

okie dokie, i hope at least one of these inspires something in you! (when we get closer to the date, i'll create a collection on ao3, for anyone who choses to write fic.)

i look forward to seeing what everyone creates!

💕, chey/ @kastlenetwork

[jaggedamethyst]

marvel master list ❤️

here are all of my works for marvel!

💟 smut 🫧 fluff ⭐️ angst 📝 misc.

one shots

when matt murdock has allergies… ⭐️

trying... (bucky barnes x reader) ⭐️

bucky barnes and his physical media 💟🫧⭐️

that will be enough (matt murdock x reader) 🫧⭐️

series/ multiple parts

easy (bucky barnes x gn!reader) part one, part two 💟🫧⭐️

rants

frank castle and his vegetables 🫧📝 

mama, i’m chasing a ghost (matt murdock) ⭐️

kastle </3 📝 

[starkholme]

I don't even how to explain that I saw the 5th gif and had a whole crazy idea about Kastle having a sort of marriage of convenience while being accidental step-parents to Leo because David, Sarah and Zach disappeared after the Snap.

I will find you in any lifetime

[watchtowerindistress]

The Punisher | Masterlist

One-shots

Menace 

Imagine ending things with Billy and your paths crossing when you least expect them to

Simple as breathing 🚫

Reader gets an anxiety attack

Bodyguard 💦

Billy Russo is the Head of the security for your father. Well, he was a bodyguard. And he was definitely putting Kevin Costner to shame. Richard Madden was close behind. If Billy wasn’t such an asshole of course.

Can We Pretend? 🌻

It’s time for the Kastle wedding. And a certain someone (*cough* a black-eyed Lothario that rhymes with Silly *cough*) is feeling self-conscious.

Wild Horses 🚫

Inspired by Bishop Briggs’s Wild Horses. Billy and you were explosive — in a good/bad way. One of the many reasons why you broke things off until he says he wants you back in his life.

Series

Let Me Make It up to You 💔💉

Imagine Billy leaving after a huge fight and the title is going down. (3/3)

If You’d Just Wanted Me 💦💉💔🚫

Truths are revealed. Control is being tested. A dark Billy is showing his true colors. (5/5)

I hope it’s a boy 💦🌻

What happens in a friends-with-benefits relationship when the friend gets one more benefit? (3/3)

i’ve never seen this man before 🌻

requested by anon | Reader couldn’t care less who this flirting and arrogant man was who made her drop her precious cup of coffee. Of course, all the Karma in the universe decided to hate her and conspire against her when a certain suit-wearing rich guy seemed eager to ruin her life. (2/2)

One-shots

The Silent Protector

Imagine being taken and Frank coming for you

Series

Friends Will Be Friends 💦💉

Imagine being Billy’s sister and Frank falling for you (4/4)

🚫 = trigger warning

💦 = smut

🌻 = fluff

���� = angst

💉 = blood

[darlingshane]

Summary: Karen has sworn to never date anyone in the workplace ever again, but it's a rule that she might need to break when she starts her new job at Castle Motors as a marketing consultant.

CW: au - romantic comedy, fluff, crack, slow burn, friendship, drinking, workplace relationships, eventual romance, happy ending, frank and maria are divorced but have a good relationship. (and marketing, a lot of marketing.)

Word Count: 12,1k (first 10 chapters only)

A/N: This is based on a drabble I wrote a few years ago of the same title here (it was kind of a mess so don't check it out, just read this one instead). I always wanted to turn it into a longer fic. I'm working on the last couple of chapters, and it'll be done soon. You won't have to wait long to see those posted.

— Links: AO3 // Kastle Masterlist.

Excerpt from my favorite chapter (7):

When Karen had pitched the idea of putting Frank in front of the camera, she knew it was a gamble. Frank was the kind of CEO who preferred to stay behind the scenes, letting his work and the company speak for itself. But Karen was convinced that showcasing Frank as the face of the company would resonate with the public, making Castle Motors not just a brand, but a brand with a story and a leader people could trust.

Frank, however, had been less than enthusiastic. “Karen, my face isn’t exactly camera-friendly,” he had said with a wry smile. “Broken nose, giant head, satellite ears…”

“Stop it, you look like a young De Niro.” Karen chuckled but persisted, knowing that his rough-around-the-edges appearance and straightforward personality were precisely what would make him relatable and authentic. People didn’t need another polished, cookie-cutter CEO—they needed someone real.

Now, as she watched Frank fidget with the collar of his suit, Karen could tell he was out of his element. He’d been through makeup, his hair was slicked back, and the tailored suit, while well-fitted, seemed to restrict him. He looked like a man wearing someone else’s skin.

She approached him, her eyes scanning the nervous energy in his posture. “You okay?” she asked softly.

Frank sighed, glancing around at the crew bustling about. “This just isn’t me, Karen. I don’t feel right in this get-up.”

Karen smiled, understanding his discomfort. “You don’t have to be someone else, Frank. That’s not what this is about. We want people to see you—the real Frank Castle. Not some polished version.”

She reached out, tugging gently at the lapels of his suit jacket. “What if we lose the jacket and tie? Maybe unbutton a couple of buttons, get you back to feeling like yourself?”

Frank hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah, that might help.”

He slipped off the jacket, draping it over a nearby chair, and loosened his tie before pulling it off completely. Karen stepped closer, reaching up to unbutton the top two buttons of his dress shirt. As she did, she noticed how his broad chest and strong shoulders seemed to relax with the simple act.

— You can read the rest on AO3.

[ofsinnersandsaints]

Whiskey and Starlight

Karen sees someone at Foggy and Marci's combined bachelor/bachelorette party and insists Foggy introduce them for @kastlenetwork kastle week: rom-com au/fluff Rating: G Word count: 1859 One shot AO3

Karen wound her way through the party guests to find the man of the hour, and was unsurprised to find Marci and Foggy at the bar together. This was why the normally separate bachelor and bachelorette nights had been combined, neither of them wanted to be apart from the other.

It was adorable.

“Karen!” Marci greeted, completely drowning out Foggy’s own greeting. “I’m so happy to see you!”

She hugged Marci, and looked over at Foggy who shook his head with a smile, “She’s already pretty deep in the sauce. Right now, she loves everyone.”

Marci released the hug ten seconds after she should have and turned to Foggy, “Of course I love Karen! She helped you pick out my ring, and she threw that lovely bridal party when my bitch of a sister-in-law fell through.”

Karen had never been more stressed out, but the look on Marci’s face had more than made up for it. “It was a good time, but I think this party is going to beat it.”

“I know! It’s amazing!”

When another guest came up to say hi, Karen used the distraction to turn to the bartender and order. “When did she start drinking?”

Foggy laughed, “As soon as we got here. It’s the red wine, it gets her drunk quicker than any shot.”

Karen looked at Foggy to see him staring with undiluted adoration at his fiance. “You love her.”

“This whole thing would be a little weird if I didn’t,” he reminded her dryly.

“I know,” Karen smiled. “It’s just so nice to see it.”

After she got her drink she turned around to look at the rest of the guests. There were high-end dresses and off the rack suits, voices layering over the music, empty glasses on tables and -

Her eyes stumbled over a lone figure sitting at one of the booths and she couldn’t loo away.

He was rough hewn, like Michelangelo had realized David was too soft, and he needed to make something better. There were at least two days worth of scruff on his face and the suit looked like it barely contained all the muscle covering his body.

She tapped her friend’s shoulder and nodded towards the man, “What’s the deal with him?”

Foggy looked in the general direction she’d indicated and smiled with a shake of his head. “Leave it you.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You always go for the complicated ones.”

She tried to act offended but was also aware Foggy knew her well enough, and long enough, to know she had a type. “What’s his name?”

“Frank Castle.”

The name immediately rung a bell with her as someone who been accused of treason, but thanks to Foggy he’d been protected as a whistle blower. Karen had followed the case because her closest friend was heavily involved, but cameras hadn’t been allowed inside the courtroom and Frank had infamously avoided the camera so she hadn’t recognized him.

He looked uncomfortable, like someone who didn’t know what to do with his hands or the people around him. “Does he know anyone else here?”

“Besides me? No.”

Karen leaned over to the bartender and ordered another drink before turning to Foggy, glasses in hand. “Introduce me.”

[elen-tari2]

Aiding and Abetting

This fic is for Kastle Week 2024 Day 4: Observations/Through New Eyes

Plot Summary: Karen has a medical emergency and ends up hospitalized. Foggy is surprised by who shows up to see her. In character softness and fluff ensues.

Excerpt:

Leaning by the wall, one foot propped against it, was Frank Castle. His former client. Mass murderer.

He didn’t really look like Frank Castle, but Foggy still recognized him beyond any doubt. He had grown a beard and his hair was slightly longer in kind of a floppy, unkempt fashion. But the way he was dressed made for the least Frank Castle-like appearance Foggy could possibly have imagined. He wore green board shorts and a t-shirt with sunglasses tucked into the collar. A small bouquet of some absolutely lovely long-stemmed white roses was tucked under one arm. And he was wearing flip flops.

Foggy somehow didn’t let his brain melt and instead approached the serial killer. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Frank shrugged. “You called me.”

“What?” Foggy stared at him. Comprehension dawned, but it was like a train derailment— all the cars following one another off the security of their tracks, heading straight for an inexorable disaster. The explosion would certainly follow.

“You called me,” Frank said simply. “So I came.”

@kastlenetwork

[aiobhlin]

Witness Chapter 15: The Adversary

I'm running out of pictures, y'all.

Anyway, Enter Wilson Fisk, stage right. It had to happen. But mostly there's some Kastle angsty fluff:

She shivered, and Frank’s arm tightened around her. She closed her eyes and imagined that this was a regular occurrence, that they snuggled all the time, that they shared their bodies with each other. These were things she only allowed herself to imagine at night, after she went to bed alone, thinking about him just a thin wall away from her. But here he was behind her, holding her like a lover, and for a moment she just let herself feel that.

“Hey,” he said into her hair. She jumped slightly, surprised that he was awake and that he knew she was awake. She turned in the bed to face him, under his arm, and he didn’t move it. They lay there, their noses inches apart. It made her heart ache for everything she didn’t have.

“Hey, yourself,” she replied. They were both speaking quietly into the twilight of the room. She looked in his eyes for any sign that he reciprocated what she felt for him. There was a quiet pain there, one that would never go away.

She couldn’t compete with a dead family. She only hoped that some day he’d be able to move on.

[bellaxgiornata]

Ahhh!! You're always reading these updates in the middle of the night! But before a midterm??? Hopefully I didn't interrupt your studying!! But of course he was going to drop a "Ma'am" 😆

YES HE'S NOW FINALLY PART OF THE FFTD STORY!!! And I've now made Kastle FFTD canon which I feel is incredibly important.

Ohhhh yes, there will be Reader having a hard time keeping it together with charming Matty in a tux, but there may possibly be a teensy tiny bit of angst as well...I haven't decided. But I do want some fluff because they've been getting a lot of angst lately...

I'm still back and forth on adding a bit of shopping with Karen and Reader first, because I feel like after dropping that bomb of who she's dating, it would probably be an interesting area of discussion. But Karen is absolutely going to find Reader something sexy to wear 😉

Thank you so much!! I'm glad you enjoyed the update!! And I'm doing alright, just perpetually sleepy, but I hope you're well! 💕

Falling For the Devil [Part ninety-three: "The Unexpected Introduction"]

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Fem!Reader Word Count: 3.6k

Summary: You show up at Matt’s office hoping to surprise him and walk home together.

Or You end up with a few surprises yourself.

[Series of one-shots about Reader meeting, falling for, and dating Matt Murdock.] [FFTD Series Masterlist]

Warnings: 18+ for this series; contains humor, fluff, romance, angst, smut, violence

a/n: The installment in which y'all find out who the hell Matt ran into from his past not that long ago that put him in a bad mood and kickstarted Reader's recurring nightmare. Who's it going to be? Feedback is always appreciated!

Tag List: @ninacotte @mattkinsella @stilldreaming666 @murdocksclient @madscamp02 @1988-fiend @linamarr @pinkratts @schneeflocky @acharliecoxedfan @yarrystyleeza @theetherealbloom @danzer8705 @lionalsowrites @harperdoodle @kmc1989 @lunaticgurly @mattmurdocks6thscaleapartment @pazii @kezibear @sleepysleepymom @eatingtheworldsoffanfiction

Finally reaching the building's entrance where Nelson, Murdock, and Page was located, you extended a hand forward and pulled open the door. Stepping inside, you readjusted the strap of your purse on your shoulder as your tired feet easily began the familiar trek down the winding hall towards Matt’s office. You hoped that he would be excited to see you after the long day you'd had because you hadn’t told him you were going to stop by after work.

Each step quickly became more uncomfortable than the last, the backs of your dress flats starting to irritate your heels now, painfully digging into your skin. You'd been on your feet most of the day today chasing different leads for a story you'd been working on, and unfortunately your shoes hadn't been the most comfortable pair for the task. Now all you were looking forward to doing was walking home with Matt and having some time alone with him before he inevitably went out as Daredevil later–something he'd been doing a bit more frequently lately. But as you approached the office suite, the door with all three of their names displayed on it finally in sight, you could hear an angry voice coming from the other side. An angry voice that was clearly arguing with someone. It took you only a second to distinguish Matt's enraged tone.

Stopping just in front of their door, you hesitated, both your hands awkwardly clutching the strap of your purse. A frown settled onto your lips as you caught the rest of what Matt's distinct, irritated voice was saying. 

“–irresponsible, Karen?”

“I'm honestly tired of hearing you bring this up all week, Matt,” Karen snapped. “It has absolutely nothing to do with the firm. Let it go already.”

“You represent our law firm!” Matt shot back. “Tell her, Fog! She's making a terrible decision! At the very least it makes us look bad!”

Chewing your lip as you stood frozen in front of their door, you caught the sound of Foggy’s unmistakable nervous laugh.

“Oh whoa, I've made it very clear that I am staying very, very far away from this,” he answered. “I'm not touching this with a twenty foot pole.”

An aggravated noise came from Matt, one you knew all too well from when his nights as the Devil didn't go as planned. Maybe stopping by to walk home with him after work had been a bad idea today. He hadn't seemed upset earlier when you'd spoken at lunch and he'd told you he had something he wanted to ask you, but now you were contemplating turning around and just leaving. But just as you turned, prepared to hurriedly shuffle back down the hallway and wait for Matt at home, you heard him call your name from inside the office. 

You winced immediately, pausing mid-step. Of course it was ridiculous to think you could sneak away without him recognizing your presence, especially being in such close proximity. He'd already told you many times before how easily he could pick up on your heartbeat when you were half a block away even in the busy city foot traffic, there was no way a lone door was going to do much to hide you from him.

“I can hear you out there, sweetheart,” Matt continued, clearly trying to restrain his anger as he spoke. “You might as well come in instead of trying to disappear.”

Sucking in a breath, you turned back around and cautiously opened the door, stepping inside their office. The smile you'd forced onto your face wavered as all three of them immediately turned their attention on you. Nervously you shut the door behind yourself, taking a few steps into the room but staying near the safety of the exit when you spotted the look of barely contained rage still on Matt's face in conjunction with the way his hands were positioned on his hips. You knew that stance. He was clearly furious.

“Hey guys,” you greeted them awkwardly with a wave, one which only Foggy returned along with an apologetic smile. “Sorry to interrupt. I just–just figured I'd stop by and walk home with Matt when he finished tonight.” Eyeing the tight lipped expression on Matt's face and Karen’s annoyed and rigid posture, her arms crossed over her chest, you quickly added, “But it seems like I walked in on the middle of something and I should probably just leave and let you all get back to…whatever it is that you've got going on.”

“You're not interrupting anything,” Karen said, gesturing a hand towards Matt. “By all means take him home, we've been done with work for a bit now. And I could use a break from his constant chastising.”

Matt's hands tightened their grip on his hips, a muscle jumping in the side of his cheek. You took a step back towards the door, already aware that his temper was about to flare up again with the way the corner of his lip was twitching. And sure enough, he was quick to round back on Karen.

“You're being absolutely ridiculous about this,” Matt scolded. “At the very least, think about your own safety.”

Karen blew out an irritated breath, rolling her eyes at Matt. “Oh please,” she replied. “I'm not in any danger, Matt, and you know that. You're just being dramatic because you're still pissed about the other week.”

Another frustrated growl rolled out of Matt, one of his hands flying off his hips to loosen the collar of his tie. You glanced over at Foggy who was on the far side of the desk that all the three of them were standing around. Brows jumping up onto your forehead, you mouthed ‘what's going on’ to him. But Karen apparently caught the silent question you'd asked and her attention returned to you. 

“It's not work related so there's no reason why you can't know,” she told you. “It's because–”

“ No ,” Matt snarled, taking an abrupt step towards Karen as his expression noticeably darkened. “She doesn't need to be remotely involved in anything to do with him .”

Karen scoffed, rolling her eyes at Matt. You continued to stand there in confusion, brows furrowing together as you attempted to make sense of what they were arguing about. Across the room, Foggy was shaking his head and focusing back on packing up his briefcase. 

“We're friends, Matt,” Karen pointed out. “You think she's never going to meet the guy I'm seeing? Because that's a little ridiculous.”

Head tilting to the side, the look of confusion remained on your face. “Justin?” you asked curiously. “You both are arguing about Justin? Because I've already met him a few times, Matt. And you were there.”

Karen grinned back at you, a genuine smile on her face as she shook her head. “No, not Justin,” she answered. “We broke up a couple of weeks ago because someone else…reappeared in my life.”

“ Karen ,” Matt growled in warning. “I told you I didn't want her to know about any of this.”

Karen glared over her shoulder at Matt, her blue eyes narrowed. “Well that's unfortunate for you then because he was on his way here to the office to walk me home after work.”

Matt's expression briefly faltered, his mouth falling open at what she'd said. And then his head snapped to the side, his mouth quickly closing as a frown drew itself across his lips. You saw his jaw begin to grind back and forth in irritation as he focused just beyond the office wall on something. Seconds later his attention shifted straight to you.

“We’re leaving,” he ordered. “ Now .”

He leaned over, grabbing his cane from the desk beside him and roughly beginning to open it. He was moving in a rush it seemed, something that appeared to only further annoy Karen. Though you noticed Foggy was also beginning to move a little faster with packing up his things. 

Who the hell was Karen dating that had these two reacting this way? He couldn't be that bad, could he?

A knock came from the door behind you, the sound drawing you from your racing thoughts. You saw Matt’s hands pause their movements as he stiffened beside the desk. Without thinking you turned, reaching a hand out to open the door for whoever had knocked since you were the one standing beside it, but just as you twisted the handle you heard Matt call out behind you. 

“Sweetheart, don't!”

Swinging the door open, you came face to face with someone you'd recognize absolutely anywhere. The Punisher. Frank Castle.

His brown eyes rose up from where they’d been focused on the floor, landing on you. Your body instantly froze, eyes going wide in surprise. Whoever you’d been expecting to open the door to find, it certainly hadn’t been him. 

You knew him well–or at least, well enough from your time working in the media. The only person who’d ever painted him with any sympathy back during the days when New York was terrified of him was Karen. Her pieces about him had certainly humanized him to you back then, making his violent actions seeking revenge for his family's death make sense. But still. The man had gone on countless shooting sprees in public, which was the main thing you remembered about him in this exact moment with him standing right there in front of you, his imposing figure filling up the entire doorway.

“Ma’am,” he greeted, dipping his head before glancing around you. “I'm just here to see Miss Page.”

“Right, yeah,” you muttered, quickly stepping out of the way.

“Hey, Frank,” Karen greeted, her voice visibly brighter than it had been a moment ago. “I see you’ve now met–”

“No,” Matt spat out, suddenly drawing you backwards and placing himself between you and Frank, “he hasn’t.”

Frank’s dark brows knitted together on his forehead, his eyes narrowing just a fraction back at Matt as his head cocked to the side. Then the corner of his frowning lip twitched upwards into an amused smirk. Matt only squared his shoulders, his muscles tensed like he was about to throw a punch while his left hand white-knuckled his cane.

“That your girl, Red?” he asked. “The one you been telling me to stay away from?”

Matt didn’t say anything in response, though he continued to attempt to block Frank’s view of you behind him. Over by the desk behind you, you heard Karen let out a sigh.

“Yes, it is,” she replied. To Matt she added, “He already knows about her because I’ve told him about her. Because she’s one of my friends , Matt.”

“Well now we’re leaving,” Matt replied sharply to Frank. “So you meeting her ends here.”

He reached a hand out behind himself, easily finding and grabbing onto your wrist. With a slight tug he pulled you after himself and you stumbled forward behind him. Matt led you back towards the desk with him, only releasing your hand to grab his briefcase from off the top of it. Karen shot you a sympathetic smile over Matt’s shoulder as you stood there entirely confused as to what all was going on. 

“He's not attending that gala, either,” Matt warned Karen. “Find another date or go alone, but he isn't coming.”

Karen let out an irritated breath as she crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back against the desk behind her. “Do you really think he's the gala type, Matt?” she shot back. 

An aggravated rumble came from within Matt's chest in response before he turned, his red lenses flashing under the lights overhead as he focused on you. You sucked in a breath, unsure what you were supposed to do or say right now to not further upset him. You still had absolutely no idea what was going on.

“Home. Now,” Matt ordered.

“Okay,” you readily agreed. 

Matt began to lead the way out of the office, his body stiff as he moved. You caught the tension in his jaw as he began grinding his teeth when he passed by Frank. You ducked your head and followed after him, desperate to ask him what was going on when you had both gotten out of the building and he’d hopefully calmed down. Behind you, you heard Foggy quickly scurrying out of the room after you, muttering an awkward goodbye to both Karen and Frank as he went.

Just as you passed through the door you caught the sound of Frank’s voice saying your name. You paused in the doorway, noticing the way Matt came to a halt farther down in the hall, his head immediately snapping over his shoulder. Glancing nervously back into the room just beyond Foggy, you saw Frank smiling back at you. 

“Was good to finally meet you,” he said. “Karen’s told me all about you.”

You sent him a nervous smile, aware of how much Matt probably loved hearing that. 

“Yeah uh, you too,” you replied awkwardly. 

Once more ducking your head and hurrying down the hall after Matt, you heard the amused chuckle coming from Frank in the room behind you just before Karen’s hushed voice scolded him for the comment. Rushing towards the building’s exit, Matt, Foggy, and you walked the winding hallway in silence until you finally stepped back outside onto the sidewalk. Though the moment your foot hit pavement, Matt had swiftly spun around to face you.

“You need to stay away from Frank,” Matt warned you without preamble. “He's dangerous and I don't want you getting hurt, sweetheart. Are we clear on that?”

Your eyes darted over to where Foggy was standing on the sidewalk beside Matt, but he quickly glanced across the street instead of meeting your gaze. Fingers nervously fidgeting with your purse strap again, you focused back on Matt.

“I mean I'm not planning to become his best friend,” you began cautiously, “but if he's really dating Karen…I get the feeling he's going to be around us all on occasion, Matt.”

“You know who he is, right?” Matt asked.

You sighed, nodding. “Of course. What kind of New York City journalist would I be if I didn't?” you questioned back. “But at the same time…I do remember Karen’s articles. The man lost his family tragically. Right in front of his eyes. It…kind of makes sense that he'd want revenge. Do the things he went out and did.”

Matt's dark brows dipped behind his glasses as his head tilted sharply to the side. “Are you saying you agree with what he did?” 

“No!” you exclaimed, quickly shaking your head. “Not at all. I'm just saying I understand why he did it. And that he at least wasn’t on some mass rampage for the hell of it like a completely deranged person. There was a reason. One that I think would be hard to understand without having been in his position. But Matt,” you continued, voice gentler, “what's got you so worked up about him? I highly doubt Karen would be with him if he was going to hurt her or any of us. I mean hell, it was your firm that represented him in court. And what the hell did Karen mean about you still being pissed about the other week? Because I’m guessing that had something to do with Frank, right?”

Matt's gaze dropped down towards the pavement, that muscle jumping in his cheek again. You glanced over at Foggy only to catch him quickly look away once again, avoiding eye contact. What the hell was going on?

“You want to tell me what I clearly am being left out of?” you asked, anger rising in you as you focused back on Matt. “Because I thought we didn't keep secrets, Matt. What’s been going on?”

Shoulders dropping in defeat, Matt let out a sigh. His entire demeanor immediately changed before your eyes and your curiosity piqued even further. 

“The other week,” Matt began slowly, “when I came home injured and had a bad night out? Do you remember when I told you that I'd run into someone from my past?”

You nodded. Of course you remembered that night, it had been the sole cause of that damn recurring nightmare ever since then. And you'd never stopped wondering just who he'd run into that had gotten such good hits on him through the protection of his red suit, or who’d put him in such a foul mood.

“Yes,” you answered.

“It was Frank,” Matt confessed. “I caught him chasing after someone that night. I got in his way and stopped him because I will not have anyone killing people, especially not in my city. But of course he didn't…agree with me. At first. Not until after we'd fought.”

“Oh,” you said, everything beginning to make more sense. “So that’s who’d given you those bruises?”

Matt nodded, his gaze still downcast. “We’d come to a sort of agreement afterwards, Frank and I. But then a few days later I find out him and Karen started seeing each other. Which is just–” he paused, shaking his head, “–completely absurd. He’s dangerous. He attracts dangerous people with what he’s doing.” His head rose up, his attention returning to you. “Which is why I want you to stay away from him. I don’t need you getting caught up in anything he has going on, alright? It’s not safe.”

You held up your hands, eyes going wide. “Okay, okay,” you replied. “Like I said, I really don’t think I’m about to become best friends with the Punisher, even if Karen is dating him. But again…I can’t exactly avoid him completely, either. I’m not going to stop being friends with Karen, Matt.”

Matt blew out a rough breath, nodding slowly. “I know, and I’m not asking you to do that,” he replied. “Just…keep some distance from Frank. Please?”

“Okay,” you assured him with a nod. “I can do that. Now can I have my Matty back and the growly Devil can come back later tonight? Because I’ve had a long day and I was looking forward to walking home with you.”

A small smile grew on his face, the tension somewhat easing further from his body as he nodded. You found yourself feeling a little more relaxed yourself at the sight, your mood beginning to lift back up. But then Foggy abruptly clapped his hands loudly together beside you, causing you to jump as your eyes flew over towards him.

“Great!” Foggy exclaimed. “Glad that’s settled finally. Now Matt, do you want to tell your girl about this weekend or should I?”

Your eyes shifted back and forth between the two men curiously. Foggy was smiling wide as if the past ten minutes hadn’t just happened while a little smirk began playing along Matt’s lips. Eyes narrowing suspiciously back at him, you wondered what else was going on.

“What?” you asked.

“We were invited to a gala for this weekend–” Matt began.

“Last minute, of course,” Foggy cut in, clearly too excited to let Matt take the lead, “because I’m sure it was meant as a slight against our firm. But either way, we still got an invite.”

Matt chuckled, the warm sound a welcome one after how angry he’d just been. You couldn’t help the little smile from spreading out along your face as Foggy’s energy started to rub off on you.

“It’s to raise money for underprivileged children in the city,” Foggy continued. “It’s an annual thing, but it’s this fancy gala that quite a few prestigious names in the city attend. And we get to go this year!”

“Wow,” you said, attention returning to Matt as your excitement for them grew. “That sounds like a great opportunity for the firm!”

“Well,” Matt began, that smirk still on his lips, “I was hoping you’d grant me the privilege of being my lovely date to the event this Saturday evening.”

The smile immediately faltered on your face at his question. You noticed the way Matt caught your reaction with the slight tilt of his head and faint furrow of his brows. Fingers once again nervously toying with the straps of your purse, you tried to hide the anxiety that suddenly flooded you.

“Does uh, does this fancy gala have a dress code?” you asked hesitantly.

“It’s black tie,” Foggy answered.

You winced, chewing your lip nervously. “Oh,” you breathed out. “And it’s… this Saturday? Because I–I don’t exactly have anything to wear to something so…nice.”

The smirk returned to Matt’s face almost immediately. “Neither does Karen,” he told you. “So she’s taking tomorrow off to go shopping for a dress. And I figured maybe you could take the day off and go with her. Have a nice girl's day together. Pick out whatever you want on me. Dress, shoes, purse. All of it.”

Your eyebrows immediately shot up onto your forehead in surprise. Matt had never done anything like that for you before. In fact, no one had. Beside him, you saw Foggy nudge Matt with an elbow.

“Always so damn smooth, Murdock,” he teased.

The cocky smirk only grew on Matt’s lips as he remained focused on you. “So what do you say, sweetheart?” he asked. “Care to accompany me this weekend?”

Teeth clamping down on your lip, you tried to fight back the smile attempting to take over your face. A black tie event meant that you’d get to see Matt in a tux again–a rare treat. And there was absolutely no way you were going to miss that opportunity.

“I’d love to,” you answered. 

Matt’s smirk grew into a wide grin, the anger he’d been feeling moments ago entirely replaced by a look of love as he gazed back at you. And now you secretly found yourself looking forward to having him with you Saturday night instead of out as the Devil once more.

[edourado]

Together, ch xii

This take long. My brain no work. 

I sorry. 

Much love. Stay inside if you can. Wear a fucking mask. 

-----

It got to a point where she just didn’t bother with underwear anymore. 

Karen stopped wearing bras on day one. Sometimes she would make an effort with her “lounging around doing nothing” outfits, putting on a cute pair of shorts and a nice T shirt instead of sweatpants, pajamas and over large hoodies, but the bras stayed in the drawer. 

The sports bras were the only exception, she would wear them to work out, be it in the living room or the scarce trips outside - and even then, only sometimes, if her shirt was too thin, or kinda see through.

It would be very nice if she could just copy Frank and simply not wear a shirt on the hotter days, but, alas, it was not possible. When she was absolutely not feeling like it, she would simply wear something more snug to provide some sort of support and choose a low impact exercise routine, but, as a rule, sport bras stayed on rotation. 

And then, she stopped wearing underwear altogether. 

There was, she figured, absolutely no need for them. She was inside all day, everyday, her only companion being Frank, who had seen everything there was to see, and the dogs, and they couldn’t care less. 

And it was very, very nice. 

Her pajamas were all loose, comfortable, and, unlike normal times, they would not stay on only at night. More and more, she would only change out of one pair to immediately put on another one after her shower. 

She had shorts and sweatpants she wore when she changed out of the PJs, comfortable dresses and cute rompers, and they also did not require underwear. 

Karen never said all of this out loud, it was just a decision she made organically, and, if Frank noticed, he didn’t say anything. 

But he got the habit of resting his hand on her butt whenever they sat together on the couch and he put his arm around her, or when they lied in bed, either to sleep or just because, his hand would rest on the curve of her hip, sometimes caressing, sometimes with drumming fingers, when he was restless, sometimes squeezing a bit. 

And she was, absolutely, not complaining.

Her next decision, and mission, was to make all of her comfortable clothes even more comfortable. One particular pair of high waisted sweatpants was the sacrificial item, and Karen sat on the floor one day, scissors in hand, examining the waist of the garment. 

“Shit”, she breathed after a few minutes. 

“What?” asked Frank, not really knowing what she was doing, distracted with his Hunger Games book, a loan from Leilani.

“It’s sewn in”, Karen explained. “Will I ruin this if I just take the stitches out?”

Frank looked away from the book and towards her, sitting on the floor. 

“You gonna wear it if you don’t?”

“No”, she said after some consideration. 

“Then have at it.”

It took a while, and the pants definitely weren’t the same after she was done with them. What was once a high waisted loose pair of gray sweatpants were now like pajamas, without any sort of form fitting feature, or anything that would keep it on in case she forgot to tie it. Trying it on, Karen looked at herself in the mirror. 

“Well. I can’t wear it outside ever again, but this is much much better.”

After that, every short that squeezed her just a little more than she deemed necessary, every pair of sweatpants that had an elastic in its waist, any sports bra that came with a removable padding, it was all altered, to become the most comfortable it could be. She did ruin a pair or two, but mostly, she did a good enough job with the rest.

And then, when there was nothing she could do to her own clothes anymore, Karen started wearing his. 

First, hoodies. Large enough to cover her hands, shoulders that stopped almost at her elbows, she would prance around the house in them, zipped all the way up or simply thrown on over a simple t shirt and shorts.

Then, shirts. Frank would look for something, just to find that Karen had been faster, and fished it out of his drawer first, and was wearing them over her altered sweatpants - even better, over nothing.

His sweatpants, but only once, because they were way too large on the waist, and she had to keep pulling them up. 

“Hold up”, he said one night, when she got up from the couch to get the takeout dinner they had ordered. Karen looked at him, and he pulled the hem of her hoodie to make her come closer, and then zipped her up, because the shirt she was wearing underneath it was flimsy, light colored, and the outside hallway light was way too bright, transparency was a tricky thing, and there was no bra in sight. 

Karen smirked, shaking her head. 

“Men.”

“No, not ‘men’”, Frank argued, without any heat. “Just don’t think you should give the poor guy a nosebleed, is all.”

.:. 

She dressed up to take Pookah to the vet, for his shots. 

Well, not as much “dressed up” but “dressed normal”, with items she would not wear inside, clothes that were meant for going outside of the apartment. 

Including underwear. 

Frank stayed behind, took Lady for her walk and bathed her once they were home again. He had just finished preparing lunch when Karen and Pookah came back.    

“Hey”, he greeted, from the stove, while she walked in. “How was it?”

“All good”, she said, closing the door behind her, shedding her coat. “He’s fine, the doc says he’s very healthy.”

“That’s good”, he said, lowering the heat of the stove. 

“Let’s go, baby”, she said to Pookah, maneuvering him on her arms to avoid putting him on the floor. “Bath time.”

The puppy was getting big enough that he didn’t fit in the sink anymore, where he would take his baths before. Now, he used the bathtub, just like everyone else.

“Ugh!” Frank heard from the kitchen, as Karen shed her clothes in the bathroom, followed by huffs and puffs. 

“You ok in there?”

“Yeah.”

Extinguishing the flames, Frank put the lids on the pots, to keep the food warm, and walked to the bathroom. 

He found Pookah sitting in the empty bathtub, playing with the little rubber duck they had gotten for him, while Karen took her clothes off, her hair already back down from the bun she had put it to go out. 

“Honestly”, she said, standing back up after lowering her jeans down her legs, hands going to her own back, to unhook her bra, sighing in relief when it came off. “I don’t think I can get used to wearing these anymore.”

She stepped off her underwear and balled all the clothes up to throw them in the hamper, stepping into the bathtub with Pookah and turning the shower on. 

Frank stood there watching as she let the water fall on her, soaking her hair, the heat tingeing her skin red, the dog playing around with the toy and the water, waiting for his turn to be bathed. 

They talked while she filled the tub with enough water for the dog’s bath, and, when she was done, took Pookah in a towel, to dry him while she finished her own shower.

He was trying to brush the dog, dodging him while he tried to bite the brush, when Karen emerged from the shower, towel wrapped around her hair, and walked to the wardrobe. 

“Oh, so much better”, she sighed, throwing on one of Frank’s shirts herself, on top of bare skin. “Four months of wearing comfortable clothes only, I don’t think I’ll want anything squeezing me ever again.”

“Except for me”, Frank said, looking at her, releasing Pookah. 

“Except for you.”   

[leahkenobi]

hardcore bf material.

[kastlenetwork]

hello kastle fam! for everyone who's come back to the tag (or are in the tag for the first time, welcome 💕), please feel free to join us for the next kastle week!

this next event will run from monday, september 2nd through friday, september 6th!

every medium of work is welcome. you can write fic. you can make edits, gifs, art. playlists curating the vibes of the frank and karen in the prompts, are great, as well! there's no pressure to create something for every day of the week -- feel free to pick and choose what you want to participate in 💕

monday, sept. 2 | we meet again | the day of yearning frank and karen reunions. whether that be months, years, or anything below or in-between.

tuesday, sept. 3 | rom com aus | the day of fluff some actual summer fun for these two dramatic, angsty losers. (coffee shop aus, college aus, beach aus, ect.) picture bright and colorful cartoon book covers lol.

wednesday, sept. 4 | through new eyes | the day of observations outsider, 3rd party perspectives of frank and karen's relationship. no matter where it stands.

thursday, sept. 5 | forced proximity | the day of honesty frank and karen being brought together in various situations where they can't just walk away and are forced to confront their feelings.

friday, sept. 6 | plot? what plot? | the day of desire frank and karen smut day. we know this fandom, let's be for real lol

okie dokie! i hope that anyone who wants to join up can do so! and that something up there inspires you in some way 😊

💕, chey / @kastlenetwork