898/Reunions and Goodbyes

Reunions and Goodbyes
Date of Scene:	31 March 2020
Location:	6C - Matt Murdock
Synopsis:	In 2010, Elektra plans a surprise for Matt and finds his darkness has limits. The two part ways for the next ten years.
Cast of Characters:	Matthew Murdock, Elektra Natchios

---

Matthew Murdock has posed:
2010...

It had been just under a year since the party where Matt and Elektra had met and once again Matt was diving the Viper. This time going just above the speed limit as he followed Elektra's instructions heading for a house on the edge of the city. Music blasted from the stereo and the top was down despite the autumn chill.

It had been a wild year, and one of the happiest of Matt's life, one that saw him all but throw off the shell of Matt Mudock, law abiding law student and embrace his dark side. Someone who did what he wanted and didn't spend all day quibbling about morality and guilt. It was freeing and felt oh so good. He never wanted to go back to his old life, to the weak, pathetic Matt Murdock, he wanted to be like this forever.

As they pulled up the drive Matt asks, "So, where exactly are we going?" He could tell it was a house, a big one, but beyond that nothing pinged familiar about it.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
It had been a great year. No, her best year. Elektra had felt happy in that way she had barely allowed herself to be. Daring to dream. A deadly thing perhaps considering who and what she was. And who her master was. Stick had been berserk, berating her for the time she was taking to do what she should do. To attempt and bring Matthew to their side. To show him there was darkness. Yes, Elektra was very aware of the darkness in Matthew. Hell, she had helped unleash it... And what a great year it had been..

Though there was still one last step to be taken until it was done. Where morality would be taken aside and he'd become who she knew he could be. Though did she -want- it though? For him to be like her?

Something she didn't want to think about just yet, driving through the city. Or rather, letting Matthew drive. Instead she was drinking out of a wine bottle, her hair free just like that first time they had met.

"Just a little surprise." Elektra murmurs as they drive up to the big house, that half-grin on her expression that seems so telling on her tone. But clearly she is up to no good. Then again, that's her usual way!

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Indeed, being up to no good was Elektra's natural state and it was then and would be in the future one of the many things that he loved about her. Even if in the future it'd make him ready to tear his hair out too. Right now the needle fully landed on the love side of the dial and he smiles. "Why do I think I won't be making my exam tomorrow?" he grins. He didn't care if he did or not. He still had enough credit from his past goodie goodie years that he wasn't at risk of getting the boot, and besides, even if he did get kicked out with Elektra in his life it was always possible just to pick up and go somewhere else.

Alright, Matt says pulling up to the wide coachway in front of the house, bringing the car to a stop and turning off the engine. The house was quiet, nobody home, he listened further, no sounds of padded feet or panted breath, no guard dogs either.

"So, what's the deal?" he asks now that they were there as he hops out of the open roof to the cobbles of the coachway. He didn't bother carrying his cane anymore on outings like this, that was a trapping of the old Matt.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
"Come now. I have seen your scores..." A roll of her eyes, Elektra looking over to Matthew with that sigh of hers that tells him yep, no exam tomorrow. At least if she can help it! But who knows, the night could certainly go many ways. So many possibilities. "Even with me trying my best you are on your way to becoming a lawyer." she letting out a tsk of dismay, but then again it's not as if it was a point of contention to them in the past. She knows how he loves it. "... And doesn't every good lawyer has that wicked bend to them?"

There was indeed noone home, she had made sure they came when the occupant was still out. In fact she had stalked him and knew exactly where her target would be tonight. For wednesday's were always brothel nights for Sweeney.

She gets out of the car, today having brought a pair of black tight jeans, a dark shirt to complement. It was warm enough she didn't really need a jacket.

"Where do you imagine living in a few years from now?" She asks him in that devilish way of hers, making her way around the car to join him, one hand brushing over his arm.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Matt chuckles, he knew Professor Kaufman would be disappointed in him for not showing, but he was a soft touch, weak, Matt was sure he could talk him into a re-test. And hey wasn't arguing part of a lawyers job? He looked at it like a bit of extra education. "Can't blame me for being smart," he says of still being on the road to lawyerdom despite missing so much school to be with Elektra. "Depends on your definition of good, but yeah, sometimes you need to bend the law to see justice done."

Matt's dressed similar, black shirt, black jeans, a pair of black (non-wingtip) shoes and of course his black shades. He hadn't picked up the habit of getting the red ones yet. And when he joins Elektra at the front of the car, he scoops her up into his arms, basket carrying her towards the house. "Wherever you're living," he tells her with a grin. "So, just about anywhere."

Elektra Natchios has posed:
"Only one step away from smartass too." Elektra retorts, that rich accent of hers full of her amusement. And it's not as if she didn't help him in those spanish classes! Of course that studying for it always had a tendency to veer off course, as everything Elektra did. Present night included.

When Matthew speaks of bending the law for justice she agrees wholeheartedly, in fact there is even a small skip of her heart at it, an excitement. Perhaps she would have Matthew join her afterall. "The world can be a very unfair place sometimes." she agrees, but she seemed quite ready to make it fair for Matthew again. Yes, she was making him a favor. She could see that now in that twisted manner of hers.

Being picked up though lets a delighted sound leave her lips, one arm wrapping about Matthew, "Are you saying I could live just -anywhere-?" she asks in a playful manner, putting all of her ambassador's daughter tone in it. Yet Matthew knew her quite well already to know she wasn't the type to care much about being rich. Almost like an afterthought to whatever she was up to most days. Which this year was mostly being Matthew's little seducing devil.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
"Oh, I'm pretty sure I made those steps years ago," Matt offers dryly of being steps away from being a smartass. And it's true, Elektra did help with the Spanish class, he could safely say, he had never enjoyed studying a foreign tongue as much as he did while with Elektra.

Matt senses the skip of Elektra's heart and finds it puzzing, but doesn't comment, the night was too much fun to bog down with questions. "It can, and it needs people willing to do what it takes to make it a better place."

"That sounds like you have ideas about where we're going to live," he says shrewdly. His attention shifts to the house. "You didn't buy this place did you?" he asks, sounding amused at the idea.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
"Well, you said it not me. For once." Elektra snorts about the smartassery. But then again they were both capable of going to great lengths to accomplish it. She eyes the house briefly while they are approaching. Dark, noone in. Yes, she had been right in her earlier scouting. They'd have some time still most likely.

"Do you believe you are someone that could do it, turn the world into a better place?" Her tone one of curiosity, but she knew what the answer would be. She knows he has what it takes, perhaps he just needs a small nudge to join their fight.

Though that last comment about the house makes her laugh in that soft manner of hers, expression turning coy. "Maybe I did. Though I left the keys on my other pants." she announces, that coy look turning more wicked. "So we will have to get in the old way." and they both know what the 'old way' means!

Matthew Murdock has posed:
"Well, got to say your ass is pretty smart as well, among other things," Matt says giving the posterior in question a swat.

As to the question, "Sure, why not, I mean when I finish my degree I can do what I want when it comes to practicing law, don't have to back up the fat cats, I can pick up the fight of the little guy, even if I have to bend the rules a bit," he says with conviction. Though that's not quite what Elektra meant.

As for the house, Matt's body language and wry chuckle suggests he's rolling his eyes behind his shades. "Of course you did," he says, letting Elektra down to her feet on the doorstep. "Want to do the honours?" he asks her.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Elektra isn't caught by surprise easily, but that first comment seems to do that, her amusement evident in the way she leans up while still in his arms, hand wrapping on his shirt to pull him down for a kiss, "Someone's been paying attention in class." Elektra's class, that is.

But then she is sliding out of his arms, her fingers digging into her hair. Here they went, things wouldn't be the same after tonight. No, they would be better. She was sure of it." she apparently came prepared, bringing out a piece of cloth out a pocket and wrapping it around her hand just so the- 'SMASHHH', the sound of glass breaking heard -wouldn't hurt her. And then she reaches in, unlocking the door from within. If one didn't know better it's almost as if she was some kind of master infiltrator.

"After you, m'lord." she says once the door is open and they are free to walk in. It's dark inside but that's never been a problem for Matthew.

"Did you mean it? A place for us to live together?" She asks.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Matt returns the kiss without reservations, savouring it, something he'd have done more of if he'd known how this night would end. Though happy for the moment, he smiles when their lips part, offering a shrug along with his words, "I'm a quick learner."

Lingering in their closeness for a few moments after letting Elektra down to her feet, his hand resting on her hip, he steps away when the cloth comes out, smiling as Elektra effortlessly and without regret shatters the window and lets them both inside.

"Thank you," he says with a bit of a bow, his shoes trodding on the broke glass as he steps inside and listens. "No alarms," even the 'silent' ones gave signs that Matt could detect. "Sloppy." He remarks. Especially with how nice the place was inside, and how big. It had one of those big vaulted entryways, that a friend taking architecture in school told him were a bitch to heat in the winter. He imagined the granite tile floors didn't help that any either.

"Light switch is on your right," he tells Elektra before her turns to face her. "Yeah, of course, or places," he says, getting a taste for how Elektra lives. "Wherever we are, if you're there, that's home for me."

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Well, Elektra certainly hoped Matthew was a quick learner, but for now she was content to savor the moment, enjoying his presence and how they were living in the moment. Her touch is felt on that hand upon her hip, brushing a nail over it. "Maybe you are close to graduation then." one last kiss on the man's jaw before she gets on infiltrating the house. Broken window, stepping in. And definitely no regrets. Specially considering what might come later.

She closes the door behind them. Yes indeed, no alarms. As expected. She shows no signs of worry, reaching to turn the light on when Matthew mentions it being on the right. "Love it when you do that." she says of him showing off his powers, a grin. It was one of those things she enjoyed in him, not being afraid to being himself when they were together. It was what she wanted afterall. No need to hide what he really was.

"Though you do love New York as well, Matthew." She answers him, brushing one hand over his shoulder while at the same time leading them to explore the house, past that entrance hall. Not that she is able to hide the warmth those words bring in her. Was this something they could really do? Maybe once she was able to draw him in to their fight. Stick couldn't deny it then.

"And what would we do in such a big house?" She then asks him, continuing to lead them through the house.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
"Oh, really?" Matt asks with his head turning to follow Elektra. "Is there a ceremony?" he teases.

Once inside with the door closed, he smiles, sensing the grin on Elektra's face even with his back to her. "And I love I can do that around you, I don't have to pretend like I do with everyone else." He's said it a million times before but still, he felt compelled to say it still, it mattered that much to him.

Matt let's himself be lead, "Yeah," he admits of his love for his city, it was something he couldn't adequately explain, how his powers gave him a connection to the place how he could feel it like a living thing all around him. "But I love you more." Sappy, sure, but true.

"Oh I am sure we can figure a thing or two out," he says as she leads him through the house towards, what must be a kitchen, if so, it was big enough to feed an army, provided you wanted an army to mess up those marble countertops he could feel. The coolness of the stone was unmistakable.

"So, this place, isn't for us, is it?" he asks her, the place was easily something she could afford, but there was something off about it, it didn't have her style. It didn't feel like her, it felt far too excessive. Elektra's taste tended to run in more elegant directions.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Oh, there certainly is one, and perhaps coming sooner than anticipated. At least for Matthew. Elektra carries on her pacing, watching the house. It makes her nose wrinkle. Too big, she was not one for opulence, not in the same way that the owner of this house was, flaunting what he had won over the murder of innocents. But no need to get herself worked up for it, not just yet. There will be time. So it was mostly a slow burn of aggressiveness within her, one that could easily be mistaken by an aggression of another kind. An empty house .., all for them.., yes, it could definitely be other kinds of aggression, "And you will never need to pretend anything with me, Matthew. Though you know that already.."

A casual flip of her hand while they going past what seems to be a rather expensive glass piece. It's heard smashing on the floor. A sign that she indeed isn't too approving of this place. "Ooops.." she says, then glances over her shoulder to Matthew, "When we have a place for us we will make it our own, it won't have all this .., flaunting. The coldness." she gestures to the marble countertops. Though the first time she also admits she'd want to live with him. "But for right now it will suffice."

She walks to the fridge, opening it. "Are you hungry?" she asks, starting to take out a few things. She was ravenous. Killing always made her hungry before the deed, for some reason.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
"It's part of why I love you," Matt admits of never having to pretend with her.

The smashed glass piece gets a smile as he steps over its ruins. "Definitely not yours then," he says before he grabs her and pulls her into a kiss, pushing her against the wall before he slips into the kitchen letting his senses roam over the place. It was big, sure, but dead. No life to it, just excess. Definitely not somewhere he would choose to live. But it did have booze, he could smell that much and he follows his nose. "Yeah? What would our place have?" he asks her as he finds a decanter of good scotch and pours himself some.

As for food, he nods, pouring Elektra a glass, and sliding it across the counter to her. "What do we have?" he asks as he takes his drink and hops up on the kitchen island.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
A finely-trimmed brow arches up. "Not mine? And here I was thinking you'd already figured out how self-destructive I can be." she says of breaking parts of this house. Which to be honest Matthew probably hadn't. But he would, even if that might be something more reserved to the future. But she also steps over the broken pieces. Just before she is pushed to the wall, letting out a soft gasp before an hungry grin invades her expression, she ravenous in that kiss, hand resting on the back of Matthew's head for a moment while they share that moment.

When it breaks she bites on her lower lip. "I definitely need to break a few more things, mmm?" she teases, but then replies to him. "I love you too, Matthew." it certainly being true then, they would be unstoppable together.

She catches the glass of scotch with a smirk. "You and your whiskey..." she murmurs, knowing well his habits by now but takes a drink. "But let's see, we got some cheese here, bread and ...." she digs further down. "Oh, salmon rolls. They shouldn't had bothered..." she says almost as if the meal had been left for her. She brings out a few pieces, placing them on the table.

But the question about what their place would have makes her ponder. She knits her brows. "We'd make it a cozy place, fill it with our memories or mementos of our lives." she says with a small grin, "I'd put up a sign on our bedroom that forbid wingtips. In braille too so you'd have no excuse." she says, looking across to Matthew. "What would you want our place to have?" she questions then.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
"Oh, you'd break your own things, but they'd just be better than that vase," Matt smiles after his lip breaks free of her teeth, before claiming another ravenous kiss from her lips.

Matt grins, "Be my guest," he says of breaking more things. He pushes a crystal platter off the kitchen island sending it shattering to the floor before he goes hunting for that scotch. "I can't help if it's good," Matt says of his drink of choice, "And there's some champagne under the island. Even corked he could smell it and hear the faint fizz of its bubbles. "If that pairs better with our dinner."

Matt laughs. "Who's definition of cozy are we using?" he asks her. "I've seen your 'small' penthouse," more laughter at the sign. "Don't really know, I don't care about things much, just people. But I'd say a bed would be a good idea. Oh and silk sheets," he first experienced them at her place and he didn't want to go back to the near sandpaper feel of cotton. "For all the reasons."

Elektra Natchios has posed:
"Ah, touche. You got me." Elektra replies with a laugh about breaking her things, followed by a laugh when Matthew goes and throws a crystal platter to the floor. "My, you are turning into a veritable devil, I like it." which is followed by another of those crystal platters being thrown to the ground. Those poor things...

Yet she did hear champagne so she goes look for it, taking the bottle from under the island. "There it is." she looks at the label. "Mmm, not bad..." yet she doesn't open the bottle, setting it up on the counter.

"Maybe we will leave it for later." a grin, perhaps considering they will be celebrating soon enough, over Sweeney's dead body. Mmmm, it brings a thrill to her body, a bloodlust. They will do justice tonight, Elektra is sure she will show him what they must do in order to have justice. There is no other way.

"My definition of course. That penthouse is a good basis for what I like though.." then a wicked little grin. "Or we could have it without a bed, mmm?" she lifting her brows up at Matthew, clearly a tease to her tone, "Never knowing where we'd be falling asleep every night." her own turn to laugh, she starting to cut on a bit of cheese and taking out some salmon rolls from the box.

"Come here." she says, aiming to put a roll up on Matthew's mouth.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
"My grandmother always says there was a devil in us Murdock boys," Matt smiles senses roaming over the smashed platter. "Guess it's true." He shrugs and grins and continues to when she smashes the other platter.

Matt takes a sip of his scotch while Elektra fiddles with the champagne. "Later?" he asks cocking his head a little. "Planning on celebrating something?" he could feel her excitment but figured it was for different reasons than she intended.

"I could live with your definition of cosy," he says. He was tired of his, cramped into half of a dorm room. "That might sound good to you, but I can feel the imperfections in this," he runs his hand on the kitchen island, made of polished marble. "You don't want to know what carpet feels like."

Matt leaps off the island while summoned, stepping forward mouth open ready for the food Elektra was offering.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Yes, and she did love that devil. She knew the darkness within him, the one she had, bit by bit, been pulling out to the fore in this last year. Did she -only- love that part of him though? That was a good question. She had yet to find the answer for it.

"And of course, we will be celebrating all kinds of discoveries this evening." that grin of hers again with that lust, which truly could go either way. But then again, maybe it -was- going both ways, the lust for kill and for Matthew. "And yes, you deserve a bit better than to be living out with that Foggy. Truly, I can't even stand getting on your dorm's corridor at all." and truth be told, in this year she might had been there perhaps ..., 2 times? Clearly too many for her.

She feeds him a salmon roll when he approaches before taking one herself, then getting on slicing a few pieces of cheese.

"Though I'd make sure you'd always feel comfortable at our place." then it's her turn to sit up on the island, stretching atop it and lying down. "How about you feed me some cheese?" she requests.

---

Sweeney had a good evening, he was pleased as he always did after those wednesday's nights. A creature of habits this man. And currently here he was driving home, still a couple of blocks away from his house. One he had won with the blood and sweat of many men like Matthew's father.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
For Matt's part he loved all of Elektra or at least that's what he believed. Though it was that person he saw the first night, when she left herself open to him that he would cling to believing that Elektra was always that woman deep down inside if only he could reach her. Though that theory was going to be sorely tested tonight.

Matt is definitely curious about those discoveries, it shows in his expression, how his brows rise above his dark glasses. As for living with Foggy? "It's not forever," he says of that, and sounds glad about that fact. "He's a good friend but, I'm definitely done living with him."

He takes the salmon roll into his mouth and chews thoughtfully. It was pretty good, made by someone with clean hands at least, fresh salmon too, bought not all that long ago. He swallows it down chuckling when Elektra asks for him to feed her.

"Sure," he says spearing some with the knife and holding the point above her mouth for her to reach up and get it. "So, think it'll all be like this past year?" he asks her. "Living together?"

---

Sweeny drew closer, rounding the corner that Matt and Elektra had driven around not all that long ago, heading up his street. Not sighting the car or any sign that something was amiss yet.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
The mention of Foggy being a good friend drew an involuntary eye roll out of Elektra. Yes, she had a strong opinion about that boy. And it's not like Foggy liked her -that- much. But well, at least they hadn't strangled each other just yet. Always a good thing. And it had been a year already so the probability of that happening was very low. Never 0 though! "I have no idea how you could live for this long with him."

But she won't let the Foggy-matter disturb her tonight, she was on a mission. Well, many missions if this went good tonight.

She quirks a brow when Matthew makes her work for her food, but she obliges, craning her neck up to snatch it out of the knife with her teeth, starting to chew on it. "I think it will be better." she says. And in truth, she truly hoped so. She wanted to be with him. And this was the only way they could do it.

"You could move in in a more definitive manner." she offers, bringing herself up to rest on her elbow.

---

The man made his way towards the driveway, looking at the car there. A frown but fine. Though he does notice the broken glass. Sure, he was living with a different name now, away from that life of crime, but doesn't mean he didn't carry. He reached over for his gun, slowly starting to open the door...

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Matt could feel that eye-roll and he sighs inwardly. He knew Elektra and his best friend didn't see eye to eye and it pulled at him a bit. Like they were the angel and the devil on his shoulders. The question was which was which? Sure, Elektra coaxed him to do bad things, but he felt good, while Foggy pulled him towards the light, but the light felt like a slow suffocating death.

When Elektra takes the food from the knife point, his brows raise, "Better? That's setting a high bar," he remarks while hoping it was true. Though her last comment makes him tilt his head. "How do you mean?"

There isn't time for an answer though, Matt hears the door open, the knife in his hand flicked up into a reverse grip. "Someone's here."

Elektra Natchios has posed:
And isn't what makes us feel good the best we can ask for in life? Consequences be damned. That was one of Elektra's many mottos. And she saw him as someone that yearned to be free, just like she was. Or at least she -thought- she was, unable to see the invisible strings of Stick and everyone else that tried to tell her how to live her life. But she was young, still enough time to do even worse. Yet she also knew there was a growing string that connected her to Matthew, one that she found herself enjoying existed, keeping her connected to him and in a way also shaping her.

"I never play safe. It's all or nothing with me."

And indeed that last question goes unanswered. Her words had come out in an impulse, though she found herself wanting that idea. To live together.

Yet no time, she gets up from the counter, reaching to take Matthew's knife if he lets her. "How about I take this before someone gets hurt?" then she slides out of the counter, not appearing too worried. She suggests.

"I will go try and solve this peacefully, ok?" 'Peacefully.'

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Strings. He'd been bound in so many of them when he met Elektra but now all but a few had snapped and he found he was okay with that. More than okay, really.

"I've noticed," Matt says of Elektra not playing safe, only to have Elektra take the knife from him to make sure nobody got hurt. Something wasn't right here, but he lets her part him from the knife all the same, but there's a skeptical look on his face when she says she plans to solve things peacefully.

"Okay," he finds himself saying. After all this had to be somebody she knew or she'd be having them sneak out the back and leave him wondering what happened. "Big guy though," he could hear laboured breathing and smell a hint of sweat. "Hope he's not too pissed off."

He lets Elektra go, wondering if he should try to clean things up while he does.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
"Mmhmm..." Elektra replies to Matthew's assessment of the man that was waiting by the entrance hall. But in truth, it indeed seems like Matthew's hunch was correct. It's as if she knows who just arrived. Almost as if ..., she expected it? But then she is out the door, and moving oh so silently. That training she was always so vague talking about. But there was a lot more to her than met the eye.

The breeze of her passage was still noticeable but a very faint thing, approaching the figure. There is a brief sound of surprise then. A scuffle. A body dropping on the floor, hard. Doesn't sound like it's her body. A kick on the ribs followed by a pained sound.

And then her breathing can be heard again, followed by her voice. "You can come out now." she says towards the kitchen, waiting.

There is a tension in the air, a shift in her dynamic, as if whatever will happen once Matthew steps out of that kitchen threshold will be changing them forever.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Matt did not expect a scuffle, let alone someone hitting the floor, so he rounds the corner quickly even before Elektra had called him. He feels the tension and wonders suddenly if this was what she was planning the whole time. He finds himself horrified by the thought, but struggles not to show it in front of whoever this was.

He doesn't recognize the man, it had been years since he'd last been around Roscoe Sweeny and even then his dad made sure it was at a distance. Besides years of booze and bought sex hadn't been kind to the man.

Matt approaches slowly. "Who is he?" he asks Elektra, his voice tight and nervous. He has a million more questions but he knows better than to show weakness in a situation like this, not around someone he didn't know, whose house they just broke into and vandalized.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
What was going on? Who were these people?! Just some kids having fun? Sweeney could go along with that. "Please don't hurt me." he wheezes out, that whiney tone perhaps sprinkling on some memories. "Do you kids need money? You can take it, no big deal..."

Elektra had a knee down on the man's midsection, a brow cocked up and she whispers in a most deadly tone. "Why don't you tell the class who you are, Mr.?" as if she was enjoying this moment, or perhaps wanting to work up Matthew for what was to come.

"Err, I am Logan Simpson. I just live here ...?" he replies, his eyes wide, heart thundering fast.

Elektra lets out a sigh. "Now, now. What about your old name?" a beat. "Sweeney, wasn't it?" her eyes going wide with unmistakable lust now. A lust for death. Yes, this clearly had been a plan from her.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
"Let him up," Matt says when the guy wheezes to be let go. Though that tune changes when the man gives his real name. Matt's attention shifts to Elektra looking for confirmation. Was he really the man who ordered his father's death?

He feels an anger growing within him, he doubted Elektra was wrong. She had planned this out, as reckless as she could be, he didn't expect her to make a mistake.Still he waited for some sign some confirmation before he made a move.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
"Sweeney..?" The man says, quietly. So that's what this is. Damn kids. "No idea who that is.." but that only makes Elektra laugh out. "Such a fucking little weasel you are. I have looked into you. Changed your name into Logan Simpson to hide the crimes of the past. This house." she gestures to the grand 'palace' that surrounds them. "Bought with the blood and sweat of so many other people. Fathers, sons. Lives ruined."

Sweeney then speaks up with a growl. "That life is over for me. It was just business, kids. It was wild times back then, a lot of people died."

She clicks her tongue in annoyance but then looks at Matthew, looking at his face, watching his reactions, seeking to see what he will want to do.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
What will Matt do? Kick Sweeny in the face for a start. The toe of his shoe catching the man under the chin breaking teeth and leaving his mouth bloody. He stomps down two on the backswing, something in the man's shoulder popping as he does.

He kicks him over so they can be face to face. "My father was one of those men, asshole," he growls as he begins to lay into Sweeny, not wildly in a rage, with a method. He takes out his legs and arms first, removing his defenses before he lets the rage out laying into his face with punch after punch. "He hit hard, just like I'm doing now."

Elektra Natchios has posed:
"It was just business!" Sweeney repeats through bloodied teeth, "I don't even remember most of those people." for this man it had always been a matter of money, business, uncaring of the people he hurt. And he clearly thought he could persuade them in the same manner. That way with which he had been persuaded to commit such horrible crimes in the past. The way of money. "I will give you money. I have a lot of it." he pleads, coughing out blood before a yelp of pain is given at that shoulder popping out.

And then he is taking a beating, trying to put his hands in front of him to defend himself but unable to.

As for Elektra she watches, pleased with the violence. Yes, he was so close to becoming what she wanted. What she .., was? She looks at Matthew, then at Sweeney. Whatever doubt that went through her mind leaving her as that bloodlust returns. She squats down next to Matthew, wanting to watch closer. "Battlin' Jack Murdock." she whispers. Yes, she was angry. Angry that Matthew had suffered that loss. But they had the power to do something now, to take a life. One for one. She places the knife close to Matthew. An offering.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Sweeny's words are heard but they don't have the effect he anticipates. "You don't remember!" Matt roars as he smashes a fist into the man's face. He echoes Elektra, saying his father's name. "His name was Jack Murdock," he says and continues to punch, flattening the man's nose then keeps punching like he was trying to tunnel through the man's head into his brain.

The Devil was fully out, but Matt didn't lack for a soul. As much as he could feel Elektra's anger and exaltation he could smell his fear, hear the pounding of his heart, reminders that this wasn't the spectre that had haunted hims mind since his father's death, but a man. One that that deserved Hell for what he did but still human.

Matt stops and backs away, bloody hands running through his hair. Sweeny had one foot in Hell already, all he needed to do was give him a little push. To pick up the knife Elektra offered and send him there. So why was he stopping? He'd dreamt about this for almost ten years, finding the man who killed his dad and making him pay.

He turns back, his attention turning to Elektra for guidance.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
The man is past those thoughts now, just trying to survive now. Deep fear for what was going on, pain. Maybe it'd all catch up to him tonight. He gurgles out, spitting some blood out of his mouth but unable to form a sentence just yet, simply trying for the pain to stop.

Very much the contrary to what Elektra is feeling now. She wanted pain. She enjoyed it, the hurt this was going through now. She wanted to make him suffer, already tasting that sweet scent of blood in the air. A facet of Elektra that had only been hinted before, that there was a deep darkness within her, one that threatened to engulf her completely.

And then Matthew is backing away. She looks at him. Eyes wide, some splatter of blood across her face from the hurt brought to the man, so close she was, wanting to feel everything. What Matthew was so close to becoming. But she knew he could have doubts too.

"Take back what he stole from you." She murmurs, a low voice, full of intent. "This is who you are, Matthew. Who we are." her teeth showing now.

Yet this certainly wasn't the lesson that Jack Murdock had died for.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Matt senses go from the wreck that is Sweeny to the man the woman he loves, her darkness unleashed, she wanted this, she was enjoying this. She had planned this. The thought sickened him. He kicks the knife away. "No," he says. "No. This isn't who I am," he tells her. "He deserves to be punished but I'm not an executioner. I can't do it," he says.

He reaches out to her despite his revulsion trying to save the other Elektra from being consumed by the dark. "We can call the cops and leave, they're still looking for him, his men flipped, they'll rat him out and he'll go down for what he did."

He takes her hand. "Please, let's go."

Elektra Natchios has posed:
"I have seen the dark in you, Matthew. I know it's there, and it's a glorious thing. You can seize it, we can truly be together then. Nothing would stop us." Elektra's eyes close to looking wild, wide, she pointing down at the wreck of a man at their feet. "It's as I told you before, this world is unfair. Look at him, living here in his mansion, all built by sacrificing the lives of men like your father."

"And what if his lawyer is good enough to keep him out of jail? Are you willing to live with that? Can you?" Yet she also notes that revulsion, one that would be imprinted in her memory in the future. But she was too deep down the rabbit hole to turn back. Even when one hand is offered to her.

Even after all this he was still trying to stay with her, to save her from what she was. She looks at that hand, for the split of a second an hesitation. A choice down a path that would shape both their future lives. "No, Matthew." she takes her hand away.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Matt could feel the darkness inside of him, his devil, demanding it's due, echoing Elektra's words filling his head with doubt. He wanted to kill Roscoe Sweeny, he knew the man had done the same to his father and others. He had to be stopped. But at the same time there was something else in there, a goodness the part of him that saw the best in Elektra and the humanity in his father's murderer. A part whose foundation was laid by the decency of Jack Murdock, the man who worked hard to make sure his son was a better man than he was. To kill his killer, it would be the same as slitting Jack's throat a well.

When Elektra turns away from his hand, he collects the knife and kneels beside Sweeny. "You do anything she says, send men after me, you plead anything but guilty in court-" He presses the blade to the man's crotch. "I'll make sure you're in for a lot of boring Wednesday nights for the rest of your life."

When Sweeny nods, Matt tosses the knife away again the knocks him out with a punch across the jaw.

He stands, facing Elektra, his expression pained, desperate. "Please, Elektra, we don't have to be this way, we can do all the rest without this. We can still be us."

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Elektra is watching Matthew intently, following all those motions, the expressions she has learned so well in this last year. A man that even after all he went through tries to do the right thing, unwilling to be led astray. So different from her that was led astray so many years back, willingly let herself turn to the dark. It's at that point that she knows it, deep down her core, that she loves him. Not only the dark, but the whole of it. The one right thing in her life. And she knows what she has to do.

It is not taking his hand, nor having things go back to what they were, whatever they could salvage. Yes, maybe something could be salvaged but ....

"This is who I am, Matthew."

She presses a firm tone to her voice, unflinching, or at least apparently so. She was doing what she had to do, letting him go. He deserved someone better.

"There isn't a us."

Words meant to hurt. At least in this she was good. And it was what she had to do. She turns to begin walking out of Sweeney's house.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
The words hurt every bit as much as they're meant to, but Matt doesn't give up, he reaches for her as she turns to leave, grabbing for her arm. "Elektra, you don't mean that, we can figure things out." But what could they hope to figure out? This gulf wasn't something you could bridge with words, or even love. The words sound insane as soon as he says them and so, he lets go. Though not before he offers her three more words.

"I love you," he says giving her arm a squeeze before he releases his fingers from her arm and lets her walk out of the house and his life for what he thinks then is forever. Though ten years on, when they meet again the hurt of those words still remains, weaker perhaps but there, this moment still etched in his mind.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
If those words Elektra murmured were something that hurt her deeply these ones spoken by Matthew hurt her even more. Asking her not to go. Even now. Yes, this was the reason she had to do it. Tell Stick that she couldn't manage to sway him, let him live his life. Without her.

And then that squeeze, those three words. It breaks something inside her, close to a physical pain. She needs her whole will to brush her arm away, to not stay and do something about all this. To change her life and stay by his side. There is no response to those last words murmured, only a brief movement of her lips as if she was saying something but no sound comes out. She simply walks out then. Her steps heard approaching the car.

Soon after the engine is turned on and it departs..