"THE RED VICTORY SAGA" - Chapter Two: Devil In The Night

Elektra's hotel. An hour later.

ELEKTRA Manhattan. Night. Another hotel room. The tenth one she'd stayed in this month. She had occupied the Sheraton for two days now. That was longer than she usually planned on staying in these places. Mrs. Fallone, as she was known in the guest list, was currently enjoying a hot shower, her mostly red clothing scattered about the bathroom floor and past the opened door that led to her golden suite. Her real name: Elektra. Not Elektra Natchios. Not "Baby". Just Elektra. She'd dropped her last name when her father passed, and she only responded to the latter with a sai through one's eyeball. The shower was running. Elektra lay against the tiles, letting the water flow down over her raven hair, unmoving. Talking to Matt Murdock always did tax her reserve.

DAREDEVIL Manhattan. Night. Another ledge outside another hotel room. Did she really think he'd given up caring about -everything-? Not everything, El. The weight of the shower steam outside her hotel room was busy trying to draw him inside. Truth be told, what Elektra had said to him the other night would have affected him coming from anyone. It affected him more that it came from her. That was why he was here. Moving to the windowsill, Daredevil slid inside with impressive agility. He made sure to set himself in plain sight. She might have been in the shower, but he didn't doubt she had a weapon handy. If she didn't...well, he knew her to be good at improvisation.

ELEKTRA opened her eyes. There was movement outside. Not so much noises as shadows. Elektra knew of only one person who would dare approach her hideout. She was invisible to the world otherwise. The showerhead was turned off and Elektra faced her visitor through the steaming glass, her forehead still leaned against the wall. "What do you want."

DAREDEVIL spoke frankly. "To tell you you're right." How often were those words going to come out of Matt Murdock's mouth, particularly to her?

ELEKTRA struggled to hear his voice over the French CD that softly played in her den. Not another word was uttered. She'd ignore him, or would try to. Maybe he'd take a hint and see himself out. Peeking an arm through the glass door, she reached for a plush towel and wrapped herself inside it. The air outside the shower was frigid. She dressed quickly, baring whatever she wanted as she replaced the shirt on the floor back on her body. It was his fault if he stood before the doorway. When Elektra stepped into the bedroom, she was in the middle of tugging on her favorite pair of jeans. The look on Matt's face was precious, but she didn't indulge in it. She plain -hated- being interrupted from R&R. "Coffee?" she asked.

DAREDEVIL "That distinctly sounded more like 'leave' to me," Matt sobered. "No, thanks." Even if he couldn't see what she was up to, he could hear it, and briefly thought what a sadist she could be. For that matter, he inched back towards the windowsill with the impression she wasn't willing to let him talk.

ELEKTRA kept her back to him, calmly pouring herself a cup of French roast. She took her first sip. Coffee was disgusting, especially in this hotel, but it helped to clear her sinuses. She'd complain to the front desk later. Elektra listened to the sounds of the city outside. He still wasn't gone. Some people you could just -feel-. No sorcery involved. "Where's 'home' for you, Matt?" The words came out of her mouth unchecked. You're goddamn right she's irritated. He always did this. Love her, snub her, leave her. Perhaps he ought to just make up his mind. A pity that, while she had shed her weaknesses these past four years, he hasn't. Still the same, insecure lawyer. Where was 'home' going to be for him, if he put away the costume?

DAREDEVIL"Wherever there's injustice to be defeated," he answered nobly before letting out a bitter laugh at the thought. He thought about sitting down somewhere, but she really was giving off a rather irate vibe. Should have known better than to tail her here. Glutton for god-damned punishment.

ELEKTRA Bastard, she thought. Why don't you try reading my -heart- and not my -face- for a change. These repetitive arguments were making her sick to her stomach - and it had only been her second night back in town. Still, their last parting a few months ago ended bitterly. And so did the conversation before that. And the one before that. There really was no helping it, was there? Elektra held the mug close to her face, inhaling the strong perfume of her drink. She wanted so badly to throw the heavy thing at him. She wouldn't, not with his back turned anyway. As much as she hated these cryptic meetings, she always respected him. He honored her... The thought softened El's attitude. And something else inside of her... The wind shifted outside. It began pouring out. Lightly. But the rain was not enough to disguise the simple sounds of a coffee mug being replaced back on the counter, or the sound of clothing being peeled off skin... Elektra's shirt dropped to the carpet. So did her jeans. She highly doubted Matt would be making an exit through the window any time soon.

ELEKTRA sounded uncertain about what she was doing. "You hate me for it, but it's true. Home is where the -heart- is, Matt. Just listen."

DAREDEVIL felt the air pressure shift long before she did. Her silence unnerved him, despite the fact that silence was Elektra's native tongue. He was suddenly rooted to the spot as the silence was broken. He could hear her breathing, her heartbeat, her very presence. Maybe she could save him from himself. When the rain began to pour outside, he felt it as if a tension had broken, and as the power shorted over this part of Manhattan, he went to her...

*Black curtain*