OPEN RP POST DEUX

[formidable]

This a post where I'll RP anything with you and that means ANYTHING. Except smut because I suck at that Got a scenario in mind? I'LL DO IT. Here's some prompts below to help get things moving along if you don't have an idea to play out. The prompts are just prompts, if you have something specific, just let me know either at sweethymns or my AIM (rainsweets). Have at it! ➢ 01. AMUSEMENT PARK: Disneyland? Knotts Berry Farm? Six Flags? A made up amusement park with knockoff characters? Who cares, let's just ride that roller coaster or that giant swing ride! ➤ 02. PARK: Benches, trees, grass, maybe a lake and a basketball or volleyball court. ➢ 03. SNOWY DAY: Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful... or the level of snowfall can be any you wish! Light or heavy, there's going to be some winter related activities somewhere. ➤ 04. DINER: I love food, I really, really, really love food. And so do muses if they like to eat too! This diner seems to have a very HUGE menu with a large variety of dishes! Let's bond over food stuffs! ➢ 05. SICK DAY: Either your muse or my muse is sick. Who's taking care of who? ➤ 06. SEVEN MINUTES IN HEAVEN: Our characters are stuck in a closet and can't get out until there is some kissing, so they better make good use of those seven minutes... DON'T YOU DARE JUDGE ME. ➢ 07. SCHOOL: High school never ends! Or any type of schooling really. So whether it's in class or in the gym, let's try to endure mandatory education! ➤ 08. SURVIVAL HORROR: That old mansion/creepy town/underground science lab/zombie infested city ain't going to be survived by itself. Grab your medicinal herbs and shotguns, let's survive the horror. ➢ 09. WILDCARD: Let's make up shit.

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ｒｅｍａｉｎｉｎｇ ｓｅｎｓｅｓ

[fujino]

[MIFUNE CITY, JAPAN: July 1998

It was a story that probably only had significance to the people living in this island country. The rise of delinquents and violent gangs. Multiple murders. Twisted limbs. An unknown and sick murderer. All of this culminated with the destruction of Broad Bridge and the cause of the damage was never discovered nor was there an exact reason for its ruin. July 1998 was a memorable month for the people of Mifune and while conspiracy theories and speculation was rampant for a while, like all things, it cooled down and the memories faded away in the minds of the people who were not involved.

The cause also faded away into obscurity. The only way to pay for what she had done was to live with the burden she had suddenly found herself with. July 1998 would be the ghost that would haunt this young woman who by all means should be dead.

But she was alive.

She was in pain.

She will probably always hurt.

But she knows that hurting and pain is what made life worth living.

HELL'S KITCHEN, NEW YORK: Present Day

Asagami Fujino can't see.

She can't see, not very well anyways, as her captors found out quickly enough. It was probably why they decided to snatch her away from her family after they found an opportunity presented in the form of her walking out into the empty hotel lobby late at night as she tried to find the staff that were conveniently not there to assist her in her time of need. Fujino was taken completely and totally by surprise, knocked out before she can even let out a noise as her cane clattered on the ground.

She can't see, but when she comes to, she can hear the other girls, some from the same hotel. They were crying, whimpering, one of them praying to God. Oddly enough, Fujino's first thought was how strange the throbbing pain in her head felt. It was foreign, but it was there. She woke up so quietly that none of the others notice her. She gropes around and feels the solid metal wall. One of the girls bangs against the storage unit's walls, screaming to get out. Her pleas are met with derisive laughter and a loud kick, yelling back in a foreign language, the equivalent of, "Shut up!"

A fellow kidnapee finally notices Fujino and lets out a tired sigh of relief. ]

"O-Oh, you're awake... Thank god, I thought they might have killed you!"

[Fujino replies slowly and deliberately. She's thinking. Wondering if it's a good idea to draw upon her "sight" again... She offers the other person a serene smile despite the darkness inside the storage unit.]

I'm fine. I hurt a little, but I'm fine.

[The reply she gets is dark and devoid of hope.]

Won't be for long... Those sons of bitches, they're gonna ship us off to god knows where!"

[The connotations don't need an explanation. Fujino understands.]

... Is someone going to help?

[She could help. She could do something. Asagami Fujino is more than capable of retaliating against their captors. But 1998 still haunts her to this day and she knows that even if she did something, even if she threw herself into this with the best of intentions, it would not erase what had happened.

If anything, things could get worse.

What if she enjoyed it again?

The girl shakes and wraps her arms around herself sobbing.]

W-We've been screaming our heads off and see what it did?! No one's coming! No one can hear us now!"

[vigilantibus]

[ New York City is a mass of energy, always throbbing, always pulsing. It's a city where the noise never dulls, where breathing and footsteps can hide the syncopation of grief and terror that runs like a constant under it all, the downbeat of a neverending song.

For Matt Murdock, not listening to the cries hurts more than being attentive.

This is another night where he runs through alleys and sidestreets to prove the assertions wrong, that for every time someone thinks that no one can hear, he'll be listening; Matt Murdock has the devil in him, but Foggy says that having horns on his costume is a little much, and that, that keeps him going. The safety of people who will laugh, smile.

When he drops onto the scene of the kidnapping, he's met with the usual scuffle: the elevated heartbeat of an assailant blindsided by a new presence, the scratch of sleeves against gun holsters. It's loud, louder than the cries of the girls still holed up in what Matt knows to be a container to keep commodities in, and that fuels the cold anger that seethes at the bottom of his gut.

The men are felled in a matter of minutes, disarmed and with various joints broken or dislocated; he doesn't have the time to devote to paying any further attention to them, so he staggers up towards the entrance of the metal box, fumbles for the handle and slides it open with a groan. ]

—Everybody get out. Run.

[fujino]

[The victims are in awe for a moment before one of them obeys and starts off, running past him and the others following her suit. They're holding onto each other glancing back at their savior before they make it to safety. They whisper amongst themselves, the nighttime wind carrying their voices.]

"Oh god... I think I've heard of him...?"

"The guy that's been running around...?"

"On TV..."

[Their confused, but voices of admiration and gratefulness begin to fade as they go further away. One of their voices sounds befuddled as struggling to remember...]

"Wasn't there one more...?"

[One heartbeat remains within the giant crate.

Fujino kept herself close to the wall when she heard the fighting outside. Everyone inside had held their breaths wondering what to anticipate next. They found out quickly enough that fortune had heard their cries and were eager to make their escape. Too eager, perhaps; it wouldn't have occurred to any of them that she wasn't able to see ahead of her. Add that to the fact that New York is a complete maze to her, a visitor, and Fujino was basically in the hands of someone she can only hope is still there.

One hand moves against the wall. Her footsteps are light and cautious. Her heart beats against her chest, steadily as if nothing gave her cause to panic.

When she speaks up, her voice is unassuming, quiet, and calm.]

... Hello?

[vigilantibus]

[ There's something eerily unfamiliar about this particular situation, of all the rescue missions that he's done so far— or, no, maybe it is familiar, the same sort of mismatched steadiness when he'd infiltrated Madame Gao's warehouse with all of the...

He lingers by the entrance of the metal prison, listening to the echoes of the girl's footsteps, sizing her up in his mind's eye.

Foggy says that Matt has a sixth sense for this, and Matt is already certain: whoever he's talking to is beautiful.

And likely blind. ]

It's not safe here. [ Is what he says in lieu of a greeting, tapping his knuckles on the hard surface to indicate that yes, he's still here, and yes, he'll keep his distance if she wants. ] Are you hurt?

[fujino]

[There's a strange pressure coming from her...

... Eyelids close and then open again and there's a sort of muted chuckle as if she was amused by what he asked. What a considerate man she must be talking to. There's a shift in the way her head turns, but it stops short. Fujino stops herself from denying it. After all...

"If you're in pain, you should say so."

... She's learned her lesson.]

My head... Where they hit me. It hurts, but it should go away.

Thank you for asking.

[vigilantibus]

[ It isn't wise for him to stay here, and Matt knows it. He can hear the quiet whine of sirens approaching, probably from one of the kidnapees who've alerted the authorities to something shady going on near the docks in Hell's Kitchen.

He shifts his weight, drinks in her quiet laugh, and feels oddly calmed by it; there's a sort of peace there, even if it's somewhat melancholy. ]

If you stay here, the police will take care of you. I can't stay.

[ And judging by her reaction— or lack of one— she needs the help. ]

—But if you'd feel safer letting me lead you, I'll take you somewhere with more people.

[ A beat. ]

...And not the sort that'll stick you in dark places.

[fujino]

[Honestly, Fujino prefers not to deal with the authorities, but it would have been the smarter choice. Still, this man had gone out of his way to save people he didn't know and didn't hesitate to offer her help either.]

Well. It's already dark.

[A jest from her? Could be. It's literal either way. She takes another careful step forward towards the man's voice.]

If you'll allow me to inconvenience you, please lead me back to the hotel. I have the address and... I'll try not to be a burden.

[Her eyesight got worse during her high school years. She adjusted, sure, but her personality made her apologize when she didn't need to at times.]

[vigilantibus]

You're blind. Not a burden— don't use that word.

[ Is his simple reply to her quiet joke, which isn't exactly a question because he already knows the answer. It may sound blunt or even callous, but the intention behind his statement is to say "I know": it's not an issue they have to tiptoe around, and he doesn't intend to make it a crutch.

Because, well. You know. ]

I'm going to take your hand. Can you trust me with that?

[ This is said in all earnesty, from one blind person to another. ]

[fujino]

[Before she answers (what a relief, to be scolded about something she passively took the role of), Fujino's ears pick up on the low groaning and heavy breaths of the captors that were knocked out.

They're alive, she thinks with some wonder and awe. What kind of man goes out of his way to put his life in danger and yet not take the life of perpetrators??]

... They're alive...

[She takes a deep breath to interrupt her thoughts and nods.]

I trust you. I'm in your care.

[She holds out her hand to reaffirm her statement.

Aside from the police sirens, there are other voices mixed in, still distant and inaudible to her, but relevant to...]

"Aw hell, one of the girls is...??"

"Asagami..."

"I heard rumors about that family..."

"Shit, it's just a rumor...! We gotta collect I heard he's around..."

"But they say she's involved in those...??"

[vigilantibus]

[ He hears the whistle of her hand cutting through air, and takes it without missing or searching. The beat of her heart is like a metronome, quiet and steady, and he uses it as a guiding rhythm to start moving away from the stirring bodies and towards a more populated area.

What makes him stop, eventually, are the voices coming in with more clarity: something about a girl someone is looking for, a girl who's involved in something he doesn't have a frame of reference for. Gently, he tugs Fujino into a quiet side-street, pulls the both of them under the shade of an awning so he can collect his thoughts. ]

Sorry. I need to ask you a question.

[ He frowns— if something is happening in his city, he'd like to know about it. ]

Did you speak with any of the other girls with you? Were any of them named "Asagami"?

[fujino]

[There's some silence on her end as she blinks, slightly surprised by the question.]

... Me. That's me.

I'm Asagami. Asagami Fujino. [There's a pause and then she adds:]

I didn't think anyone knew me here.

[Her family is certainly well off enough to have a prominent name in Mifune City, perhaps in some parts of Japan. Her stepfather dealt with various businesses such as architectural construction and sponsoring the academy she attended.

Of course, the name, "Asagami" had other connotations, one she isn't sure she's inclined to divulge or if she ever will.]

If it's not too much... Could I ask you a certain question?

[vigilantibus]

[ This is turning into a predicament. Matt isn't entirely certain of the innocence of the person he's currently meant to be protecting, but this also wouldn't be the first time the police were out hunting for someone who didn't deserve it; he's going to have to make a judgment call, and he relies on his ears to give him what he needs.

But first: her question. ]

You can ask, but I can't guarantee that I'll answer.

[ "Who are you" being a prime candidate for an "I can't answer that" question. His tone is level, his breathing steady to indicate that he's being candid. ]

[fujino]

[Her question, may not be entirely out of left field nor is it completely expected.]

When you saved us, you made sure you didn't actually kill those men. You hurt them quite badly from what I could hear, but they're still breathing.

Why?

[It comes out as curious and nothing else. The simplicity of it seems to paint a picture of this young woman, one who has questioned the nature of taking and sparing life. Or worse, has had experience with it...]

[vigilantibus]

[ It is a little out of left field, especially in this situation— he'd think that the safety of the perpetrators would be the last thing on her mind— but he answers with some sense of conviction after a beat of silence, of listening to her heartbeat to gauge her intentions.

(She isn't harmless, but she isn't malicious, either; at least, he thinks that that's what her heart is trying to say.) ]

It's a line I'm not willing to cross.

[ That's it: not "I don't like killing", or "I think it's wrong". It's the line he's drawn, a principle. His weakness and his strength. His hypocrisy, but he'll never profess to be a good person, no.

He smiles, not that she can see it. ]

Miss Asagami. Are you involved in anything dangerous right now?

[fujino]

[His answer is... Reassuring. She's not sure how else to put it. Her relief is shown through her hand holding onto his, a light squeeze of the fingers.

It's as if she was saying, "Good." Because it was a good thing and thus this person was good. In a way, she almost feels guilty, because here is this man who has made lines for himself not to cross while the majority of her life was spent doing nothing worthwhile and then all of a sudden everything became distorted in a short amount of time. There were no lines to begin with for Fujino; she simply didn't understand the weight at that time.

She hopes this man can keep it that way. He's doing something worthwhile even if it was painful.

As for his question, Fujino shakes her head.]

No. I'm here in this city with my family. I wasn't expecting the night to turn out like this.

[She's telling the truth. There's very little about her voice or body language that suggests otherwise.]

I suppose misfortune decided to land upon me again.

[vigilantibus]

[ "Again". That word is another vice in his stomach that winds too tightly, but he keeps the feeling under lock and key and lets it simmer enough that it doesn't boil over. He detects how her heart beats a loud drum once, in recognition, and then dulls to a steady patter— it's the sound of resignation, not of guilt.

It's an effort to catch himself before he closes his fingers too firmly around Fujino's, but he manages. ]

Don't worry. Nothing's going to happen to you.

[ A promise, not a reassurance. ]

I can't hand you over to the police— they're looking for you. I can make sure that your family stays safe, but you're going to have to...

[ Hn. There's a bit of waffling here, before he makes up his mind. ] ...You're going to have to stay at my place for a bit. Can you do that?

[fujino]

Ah...

[There's some understandable hesitation on her part. With her gone, her mother will be worried. Her stepfather... If she does anything out of line any help from him is out of the question.

But so far, so good.]

I... If it's not going to trouble you then it should be... But aren't you trying to stay hidden yourself?

[She's just assuming anyways, since he hasn't introduced himself or given her a name to call him by. There's a sense of secrecy this man seems to be wanting to keep and Fujino wasn't going to spurn that, not when he was helping her out this much.]

[vigilantibus]

I am. So if you stick with me, you'll definitely stay hidden.

[ He accompanies his reply with a laugh, which should speak volumes for how accustomed to secrecy he is by now; it verges on self-deprecating, but the humor is still there. Maybe it's a little 'bad' of him to be more comfortable with taking her back to his place because they share a disability, but that definitely factors in to his decision.

It's only until he straightens this out and finds a way to get this girl's trackers off her back, he tells himself.

Thumbing at the back of her hand to indicate that they'll be moving again, Matt takes a step forward. ]

I'm going to say it again. Nothing's going to happen to you.

[fujino]

[When he says it like that, Fujino really wants to believe him. And she does, in a way. She follows his gesture to move forward, smiling and she can't help, but make a remark:]

You. You really are something. And your voice is very kind.

["And if it means anything, I'll return the favor," she thinks to herself. She can't say it aloud, but it's a declaration she's firmly made to give him her thanks.]

[vigilantibus]

I get that a lot. The "something" part, not so much the voice thing.

[ He immediately feels slightly more relaxed— again, maybe because they share a similar world of darkness, with voices to guide them where they can't see the more obvious. His grip on her loosens, as if he's not worried about her running off, and his steps are slightly less hurried as he winds through the familiar walkways of Hell's Kitchen towards his apartment. ]

[fujino]

[Fujino allows the silence to settle between the both of them with only the noise of the nighttime city to fill in the blank space. There's something about this scenario that reminds her of a certain person she admired so long ago, who also unconditionally took care of her in her time of need even when she didn't deserve it. (Ah, but she can't imagine Senpai going out and beating up bad guys. This man was a different kind of "something" from him after all.)

As they progress further, however, there's no mistake that one or two... three men are up ahead. There's the sound of weaponry, simple, but no less deadly firearms being loaded, rough voices that are warning each other to not make sudden movements, questioning what kind of man they're dealing with, and that certain girl they just found out...

Fujino, none the wiser shivers slightly as a chilly breeze passes through, making her long hair dance in the air.]

Mn. It's not going to rain is it? It feels cold enough for it.

[vigilantibus]

[ Persistent. That's a bad sign, as are the metallic clicks of handguns and the unmistakable sound of pocketknives cutting through air. Judging by the footsteps, the men are still a good few yards away: that gives him enough time to hide Fujino somewhere safe.

(He's still under the impression that she can't fight, after all.) ]

—Miss Asagami. I'm going to have to ask you to stop right here and wait. Alright? Don't move until I come back.

[ The voices get closer, the hurried footsteps of people searching. She might be able to hear one of them say her name, 'Asagami', which is eerily specific. ]

If anyone gets too close, run. Don't worry— I can still find you.

[fujino]

[Based on what he's saying to her, she can only assume that they're not out of the woods just yet. She doesn't reply immediately and doesn't let go of his hand.]

... I'll wait.

[She lets go of his hand. She repeats herself as if trying to convince him.]

I'll wait.

[No, she can't fight. Fujino can't throw a punch or kick for her life. The feel of her hand and the touch of her fingers could be described as frail at best.]

Please come back safely.

[There's a pause, but then she asks...]

Will you need the light? The streetlights, I mean.

[Ah, of course she wouldn't know he was also blind. Honestly, she hasn't figured that out. But why that question specifically?]

[vigilantibus]

[ He's already pivoted on his feet and turned towards the direction of the incoming voices when she asks him about the light— why? The low hum of the nearby lamps indicate that there must be some illumination in the area, but Matt is of the opinion that Fujino wouldn't be able to tell.

A thoughtful pause, and then: ]

No, I won't. [ spoilers— he's also blind, but he won't say it outright, not yet. He doesn't think he has to. ] ...Will you?

[fujino]

... I won't.

[The voices are getting closer and it confirms it for her; they're still in danger. She makes a grimace and her arms wrap around herself as if she's gearing up for... Something. What for?]

Be careful.