Post by Lab Rat King on Dec 28, 2020 20:20:52 GMT -5
She's the answer to the prayer I hadn't found;
She's the answer to the silence--she's my sound.
Oh what a girl, oh what a beautiful girl, she is.
Blue October, 'Blue Does'
“You always liked being that guy, you know.”
Grace smiled, baby in her arms, as she watched her husband settle the sofa into place in their new living room.
“Helping people move things; furniture and appliances and stuff. You liked being the reliable guy that they went to for the heavy lifting.”
Kane stood up straight, rolling his shoulders in a series of audible cracks. He admired his handiwork, checking the alignment with the nearby window; it felt good to do something so… domestic. Normal.
He cast a crooked smile in the direction of his little family, feeling his underlying anxiety settle at the sight of them.
“With great power, something something… right, Luna?”
Luna squealed happily in response, reaching tiny, pudgy hands out to her father.
“She’s going to be a daddy’s girl; just watch,” Grace said with a grin. The little one was already fascinated with Kane, eyes never leaving him when he was in the room.
Kane’s whole posture seemed to soften when he looked at her. His baby… his daughter. It was still so surreal. And yet, in the warmest parts of his heart, he knew it was what he’d always wanted. He’d come home to what he was yearning for, despite his scars and strife.
“You wanna take a break now that the living room is set up? Looks like a nice place to sit down…”
Grace nodded, settling down on the sofa and gesturing for Kane to join her. Luna fussed as she sat up and reached for her father again.
“I think we’re about to hit wiggle critical mass here if we aren’t attended to by papa,” the author snorted with a smile.
Kane happily took Luna into his hands, playfully holding her up so her legs kicked; he grinned up at her, every line in his face softened. His low, raspy voice was as gentle as it could be.
“Hi little night light.” He beamed, bringing her down to hold her against his broad chest. “Daddy’s here… Warmest seat in the house, huh?”
Luna cooed in response, nestling against him. “Dada,” she squeaked.
The little family had chosen a two bedroom apartment for the time being. A motel was out of the question, and Silvio’s apartment wasn’t big enough for that many people. While they hadn’t ruled out the possibility of a house, they’d need to give things time to settle, first. They still had their place out in Oregon, but if things worked out with Carnage, a permanent relocation might soon be in order.
“How are you feeling?” Grace asked, squeezing his hand lightly.
“I’m… I’m okay,” Kane answered honestly, easily cradling Luna in one arm as he rubbed Grace’s knuckles with his free hand. He felt safe between the two of them… it was much easier to stay afloat, and the Big Guy seemed a lot less inclined to butt in. He wasn’t gone, but he was quiet.
“The medication that Silvio’s medical guy gave me… I've been coughing up clots in the middle of the night, but it’s easier to breathe. I haven’t had an episode since before my last match… that’s been a relief.”
“Thank God,” Grace sighed, slumping down in her seat. Ernest, the guy Silvio had brought over from Chicago to help Kane out, had been a gruff fellow with some gnarly looking scars, but impeccable manners. He’d been blunt but knowledgeable, and she was glad he’d managed to find something to help her husband. “I’m just so happy we’ve got this down for now, at least.”
She looked up at him, brow knit.
“Do you think you’ll feel up to getting to work again when Carnage comes back next month?”
Kane nodded, brushing Luna’s feathery curls back from her eyes with his fingertips.
“Whatever happened to me--it made it easy for me to spring back from injuries. I got roughed up in that last match, but I don’t really feel it anymore… and with my lungs being a little more reliable, I think I’ll be ready to step back into the ring.”
The mutant glanced upward, across the room, where the Ultraviolent Championship belt rested in a place of honour on the top of their bookshelf. The winter sun coming in through the window shone off the metallic engravings, casting the strap in deeper tones of red and gold. He felt his chest swell with pride, a tiny smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth.
“You know… my original plan was to get my hands on that belt so that, if you were watching the circuits, you’d see me in a stream or on a poster or something next year… I had no idea they put me on the promo material.”
“Obviously they used the best abs in the company as a draw,” she teased, patting his stomach. “I’m proud of you. You definitely amped things up from when I last saw you in action but maybe this was all just an inevitable conclusion; where you were always headed.”
Kane smiled appreciatively, sinking into the couch a bit more with Luna’s cheek on his chest.
“Part of me must’ve known I belonged in the ring. I wish I could remember all of it… all the matches, where I started, how I got this far… it’s a weird feeling, listening to someone else recount your life for you.”
Her expression softening, Grace kissed his cheek.
“It’ll come back to you. I have plenty of photos and there’s a lot of footage. We’ll take it at your pace,” she assured him. “And even if it doesn’t completely, what matters is you’re still here. You have me, Luna, and your new friends here, too. I’m not going to let you down.”
“Yeah.”
Kane’s expression fell slightly as he thought about that; his new friends here. It had been a surprise to him how Silvio had reacted to the risk he’d taken… how much he cared. He’d really thought he’d been more of a burden than anything else, but… well, Leon’s capacity for charity had always amazed him. Even for a monster. Adrienne? Maybe that was the biggest shock of all, considering she’d been on the receiving end of him at his worst, while he was still shaken by his recent escape. Her kindness was boundless, and he couldn’t help but think it came from a place of understanding.
Mitch…
… his heart sank.
“... I haven’t heard from Mitch since we had that talk in the parking lot. It’s weird… he used to check in pretty regularly. He was the only guy who seemed to understand me through the ranting and raving. I was looking forward to actually being able to talk to him, not just trade fists. I thought of him like a brother in the business--but…”
Kane sounded unsure. Unconfident. His eyes stayed on Luna’s face as he spoke.
“Since I won the belt… I can’t shake the feeling that he resents me.” His brow knit, Kane rubbed at the bridge of his nose. “I think he went into this believing he was fighting a monster… mindless rage personified. And what he found was that he was fighting a man.” His expression tightened. “A man facing as much struggle and as much pain as he was… with a family to provide for, with hope for a better future.”
He looked to Grace, amber eyes marked with doubt.
“Now that he knows that… maybe he doesn’t know how to think of me that way. Maybe he was happier when I was just a beast. Which makes me wonder if he was really a friend, or if I was always just an outlet for his anger that was strong enough to take it.”
“I don’t know him like you do,” Grace said. “But I bet this is a pretty big shift in perspective for him. Maybe he just doesn’t know how to make sense of things between you yet.” She shrugged, raising a brow. “That seems like all the more reason to get in touch with him, though. He might be busy for the holidays right now, but he’s gotta come back to town sooner or later. If you want, I can go with you when you talk with him.”
Kane nodded once again, softer this time.
“Thank you…”
He sighed, watching Luna begin to nod off on the warm swell of his chest. She rose up and down gently with her fists curled against the soft fabric of the hoodie he wore, fingers wrapped around one of the drawstrings.
“No matter what happens… I’m gonna keep fighting, doing everything I can to provide for you. It’s what I wanted in the first place. You shouldn’t have to pull the weight alone, even if I’m not at my best yet.”
Grace closed her eyes, resting her head against his shoulder. “I believe you.”
Kane wrapped his other arm around her shoulders, closing his eyes as a comfortable silence settled over their new home.
She's the answer to the silence--she's my sound.
Oh what a girl, oh what a beautiful girl, she is.
“You always liked being that guy, you know.”
Grace smiled, baby in her arms, as she watched her husband settle the sofa into place in their new living room.
“Helping people move things; furniture and appliances and stuff. You liked being the reliable guy that they went to for the heavy lifting.”
Kane stood up straight, rolling his shoulders in a series of audible cracks. He admired his handiwork, checking the alignment with the nearby window; it felt good to do something so… domestic. Normal.
He cast a crooked smile in the direction of his little family, feeling his underlying anxiety settle at the sight of them.
“With great power, something something… right, Luna?”
Luna squealed happily in response, reaching tiny, pudgy hands out to her father.
“She’s going to be a daddy’s girl; just watch,” Grace said with a grin. The little one was already fascinated with Kane, eyes never leaving him when he was in the room.
Kane’s whole posture seemed to soften when he looked at her. His baby… his daughter. It was still so surreal. And yet, in the warmest parts of his heart, he knew it was what he’d always wanted. He’d come home to what he was yearning for, despite his scars and strife.
“You wanna take a break now that the living room is set up? Looks like a nice place to sit down…”
Grace nodded, settling down on the sofa and gesturing for Kane to join her. Luna fussed as she sat up and reached for her father again.
“I think we’re about to hit wiggle critical mass here if we aren’t attended to by papa,” the author snorted with a smile.
Kane happily took Luna into his hands, playfully holding her up so her legs kicked; he grinned up at her, every line in his face softened. His low, raspy voice was as gentle as it could be.
“Hi little night light.” He beamed, bringing her down to hold her against his broad chest. “Daddy’s here… Warmest seat in the house, huh?”
Luna cooed in response, nestling against him. “Dada,” she squeaked.
The little family had chosen a two bedroom apartment for the time being. A motel was out of the question, and Silvio’s apartment wasn’t big enough for that many people. While they hadn’t ruled out the possibility of a house, they’d need to give things time to settle, first. They still had their place out in Oregon, but if things worked out with Carnage, a permanent relocation might soon be in order.
“How are you feeling?” Grace asked, squeezing his hand lightly.
“I’m… I’m okay,” Kane answered honestly, easily cradling Luna in one arm as he rubbed Grace’s knuckles with his free hand. He felt safe between the two of them… it was much easier to stay afloat, and the Big Guy seemed a lot less inclined to butt in. He wasn’t gone, but he was quiet.
“The medication that Silvio’s medical guy gave me… I've been coughing up clots in the middle of the night, but it’s easier to breathe. I haven’t had an episode since before my last match… that’s been a relief.”
“Thank God,” Grace sighed, slumping down in her seat. Ernest, the guy Silvio had brought over from Chicago to help Kane out, had been a gruff fellow with some gnarly looking scars, but impeccable manners. He’d been blunt but knowledgeable, and she was glad he’d managed to find something to help her husband. “I’m just so happy we’ve got this down for now, at least.”
She looked up at him, brow knit.
“Do you think you’ll feel up to getting to work again when Carnage comes back next month?”
Kane nodded, brushing Luna’s feathery curls back from her eyes with his fingertips.
“Whatever happened to me--it made it easy for me to spring back from injuries. I got roughed up in that last match, but I don’t really feel it anymore… and with my lungs being a little more reliable, I think I’ll be ready to step back into the ring.”
The mutant glanced upward, across the room, where the Ultraviolent Championship belt rested in a place of honour on the top of their bookshelf. The winter sun coming in through the window shone off the metallic engravings, casting the strap in deeper tones of red and gold. He felt his chest swell with pride, a tiny smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth.
“You know… my original plan was to get my hands on that belt so that, if you were watching the circuits, you’d see me in a stream or on a poster or something next year… I had no idea they put me on the promo material.”
“Obviously they used the best abs in the company as a draw,” she teased, patting his stomach. “I’m proud of you. You definitely amped things up from when I last saw you in action but maybe this was all just an inevitable conclusion; where you were always headed.”
Kane smiled appreciatively, sinking into the couch a bit more with Luna’s cheek on his chest.
“Part of me must’ve known I belonged in the ring. I wish I could remember all of it… all the matches, where I started, how I got this far… it’s a weird feeling, listening to someone else recount your life for you.”
Her expression softening, Grace kissed his cheek.
“It’ll come back to you. I have plenty of photos and there’s a lot of footage. We’ll take it at your pace,” she assured him. “And even if it doesn’t completely, what matters is you’re still here. You have me, Luna, and your new friends here, too. I’m not going to let you down.”
“Yeah.”
Kane’s expression fell slightly as he thought about that; his new friends here. It had been a surprise to him how Silvio had reacted to the risk he’d taken… how much he cared. He’d really thought he’d been more of a burden than anything else, but… well, Leon’s capacity for charity had always amazed him. Even for a monster. Adrienne? Maybe that was the biggest shock of all, considering she’d been on the receiving end of him at his worst, while he was still shaken by his recent escape. Her kindness was boundless, and he couldn’t help but think it came from a place of understanding.
Mitch…
… his heart sank.
“... I haven’t heard from Mitch since we had that talk in the parking lot. It’s weird… he used to check in pretty regularly. He was the only guy who seemed to understand me through the ranting and raving. I was looking forward to actually being able to talk to him, not just trade fists. I thought of him like a brother in the business--but…”
Kane sounded unsure. Unconfident. His eyes stayed on Luna’s face as he spoke.
“Since I won the belt… I can’t shake the feeling that he resents me.” His brow knit, Kane rubbed at the bridge of his nose. “I think he went into this believing he was fighting a monster… mindless rage personified. And what he found was that he was fighting a man.” His expression tightened. “A man facing as much struggle and as much pain as he was… with a family to provide for, with hope for a better future.”
He looked to Grace, amber eyes marked with doubt.
“Now that he knows that… maybe he doesn’t know how to think of me that way. Maybe he was happier when I was just a beast. Which makes me wonder if he was really a friend, or if I was always just an outlet for his anger that was strong enough to take it.”
“I don’t know him like you do,” Grace said. “But I bet this is a pretty big shift in perspective for him. Maybe he just doesn’t know how to make sense of things between you yet.” She shrugged, raising a brow. “That seems like all the more reason to get in touch with him, though. He might be busy for the holidays right now, but he’s gotta come back to town sooner or later. If you want, I can go with you when you talk with him.”
Kane nodded once again, softer this time.
“Thank you…”
He sighed, watching Luna begin to nod off on the warm swell of his chest. She rose up and down gently with her fists curled against the soft fabric of the hoodie he wore, fingers wrapped around one of the drawstrings.
“No matter what happens… I’m gonna keep fighting, doing everything I can to provide for you. It’s what I wanted in the first place. You shouldn’t have to pull the weight alone, even if I’m not at my best yet.”
Grace closed her eyes, resting her head against his shoulder. “I believe you.”
Kane wrapped his other arm around her shoulders, closing his eyes as a comfortable silence settled over their new home.