Mako's Message: It's hard to write when your brains are melting and running out your ears.
Hopefully I'll get used to the heat soon and won't have that problem anymore.
Anyway, this chapter probably has some mistakes in it, cause they always do, but I can assure it's much better than the mess it was when I finished at 2am this morning.
I want thank you for putting up with me as well. This last month has just been...I have no idea. My head has just NOT been screwed on properly.
Enjoy the chapter.
Today was weird.
Not exactly a bad weird, but a "my world got turned on it's head" kind of weird.
So, like, since I got it into my head that laying myself out for him in his bed would be a good idea he's been... trying to...keep space between us without keeping space between us. Like he's trying to draw a line but can't figure out where to put it.
He just knows when I'm over it.
And it's not like I don't know I'm crossing it either, cause I WANT to be over the line. He's my Dave damnit and I want to spend every night in bed with him. Not just bad nights were we're either too tired to do anything, too beaten up, or both, even if we wanted to.
Not that I'm complaining about any chance I get to snuggle up with Dave in as little clothing as possible, take a shower with him, or have him massage my sore muscles. But come ON! Can he not see how great we get along? How perfect we are for each other? If I was the romantic sort I could even say that everything we've been through was just to get us together.
I mean, he's not stupid. He knows he wouldn't be taking advantage of me or corrupting me or any of that bullshit. And its not like he's going to get in trouble for it either. I mean, who would I tell? Well, aside from Angela. And Alice. Nobody that would get him in trouble. Hell, even if I went up to Marcus to tell him Dave'd fucked me so hard it's like my virginity never existed I wouldn't get past "Last night Dave and I" before he covered his ears and started humming.
Sometimes Marcus' insistence on remaining ignorant of what we get up to at night has it's advantages.
But yeah, I have no idea what Dave's problem is. Sometimes I just want to grab him and kiss him until he sees reason.
Anyway.
Dave called me today and said he needed my help, "Right now."
So of course I snapped right into Hit Girl mode and was like, "What's wrong? Where are you?"
And he started stuttering and said, "You won't believe me unless you see it yourself. Meet me at my house. My old house. My Dad's house." and then he hung up.
And I was standing there staring at my phone like, "What?"
So I got on my bike, rode over there as fast as I could, and when I get there Dave is sitting in the living room having a low grade panic attack or something. He was just sitting there, rocking in this chair holding this piece of cloth and quietly freaking out like an autistic who was just told he was gonna miss his favorite show.
And I came in and said, "Dave, what the hell is going on?"
And he looks up at me and says, "Dad is a super hero."
And I just stood there blinking and looking at him like, "What?"
I was like that a lot today
Eventually I managed to ask, "What?"
And he said, "Dad is a superhero!"
I took a moment to think about this, now that I knew I wasn't hallucinating. And then I said, "How do you know this?"
And he said, "Well, okay, so, Riley and I do our laundry here, cause the laundromats near her house are insane. They want like, five dollars to wash and six to dry, so we give my Dad a couple bucks and save some money."
And I said, "What does your laundry have to do with your Dad being a superhero?"
And he said, "I came here to do laundry and when I emptied the drier I found THIS!" and he shoved the cloth at me, which after I took a second to look at it I realized was a cape.
I said, "And... it's not just for like Halloween?"
And he gave me this look that said, "Really?"
So I said, "Well, maybe it's for his girlfriend. They could be kinky like that."
And Dave looked revolted for a minute before shaking his head and saying, "They broke up months ago."
I told him, "It still doesn't mean anything."
And he said, "But he could get killed! If anyone saw him in that the cunts would want to kill him just because!"
"So ask him. Tell him you want him to stop."
"But how am I supposed to do that when I'm going out and doing it myself every night?"
And I just looked at him and said, "Because you're young and in peak condition. He's old and out of shape."
He said, "He's not that old."
I said, "He's got gray hair."
He said, "Col Stars has more."
And I said, "And you didn't argue that he's not out of shape."
Dave sighed and just stared at the floor so I added, "And he's not being trained by the most awesome super hero in the city."
He laughed, once, at that, then said, "Okay, I'll talk to him about it."
So I said, "Okay, well, if that's all you needed me for then I'm gonna get going. I have phone calls to make and some more case files to look over."
But he asked me to stick around until his Dad came home and he talked to him, and, well, because it meant getting to spend a few hours with Dave I did.
While we were waiting, he asked why I'd never asked for his help with the case, and I just waved it off and told him, "It's complicated. I'd have to teach you how to read the reports before you could do anything with them and I've got a system worked out, you'd just fuck it up. Besides. you have an actual job, for some reason, and it gives me something to do when you're at work."
I left out that it had become kind of a thing for Marcus and I to do over the last couple of weeks. We haven't really had anything to do together since he started movie night.
But I told him about what we'd managed to figure out, and how the oldest murders we could find that we could fit to this went back about six years ago, to a couple that had been found in their apartment with their throats torn out like the guy in prison last month. There was a gap of a few months and then we started to find them pretty regularly, and it started in the city and then spread out with most of the ones in the last year being out in the sticks.
But then in the last six months we started finding more in the city.
And then Dave asked, "Is that because you were able to identify more victims, or because there were actually more murders?"
And then, again, I was like, "Wait, what?"
And I thought about it, and I realized that we hadn't put much thought into HOW the murders qualified, just whether they did or not. And I started thinking that most of the recent ones we were able to identify because they'd had the hearts cut out. Before that, there was no obvious choice for what piece of the body was taken, so there could be more murders recently OR there could have been more in the past that we missed.
And I said, "It could be both. Most of the recent ones were done with the same weapon. That giant apple corer thing."
And Dave just kinda gave me that weird smile he gives me and says, "You have a very casual but morbid way of thinking about things."
And I smiled back at him and said, "It's why you love me."
Then he said, "Have you checked out any of the vampire websites? I mean, this could be a vampire cult or something, if it is a cult."
And I was like, "What? You think these people think they're vampires?"
And he said, "Or they could think they're hunting vampires." then he paused and said, "But if that was the case they'd probably be taking the heads, not the hearts."
I just sat there for a moment and tried to wrap my head around that. It never occurred to me that these people could be that kind of crazy. I mean, I could understand them just being a bunch of psychos and hunting people for sport and taking trophies (but now that I say that hearts do seem like a weird trophy.) or even being demon worshipers or some other crazy god like... Kali or something, but vampires?
Nope.
So he said he'd look into it for me. Might even get Marty to help too.
Then he asked how the repairs and remodeling on the new training center were going.
I said, "Most of it is done. Just a few minor things we can do ourselves. And of course moving everything in. We can probably start training Angela and Katie tomorrow.
Dave grinned and said, "I'm actually really excited to see this place. I feel like it's taken forever to be ready but at the same time surprised it's already done."
"It's not COMPLETE yet," I reminded him, "It's just the major stuff that's done. Ya know, knocking down and replacing walls, fixing the floors and pipes. Putting in new electrical wiring, that sort of stuff. There'll be plenty of stuff for you to help with later."
Then Mr. L came in, and Dave shoved the cape behind his back. He looked over at us and said, "Oh! Hey Sport, Mindy. What brings you by?"
Dave looked at me like, "Is this seriously happening?" and I looked back at him like, "Yes, now go talk to him!"
So Dave got up and said, "Dad, we need to talk."
And he looked between us and said, "About what?"
Then Dave held up the cape and said, "This."
And Mr. L suddenly got all...shifty and said, "Let's go in the other room."
I didn't follow them. I just sat in the living room trying not to listen and thinking that when the inevitable "Why it's dangerous for you to be a superhero and why you should stop" conversation happened I never expected it would be Dave giving it to his DAD. After a minute it became hard not listen to when Dave yelled, "You can't keep doing this!"
And his Dad said, "Look, I'm telling you I'm not in any danger, I only do it at work, and on the night shifts when I'm alone."
Then Dave said, "Dad, you're not getting this, do you know how many people would kill you just because you were walking around in a mask and cape?"
"No one is going to see me. I'm inside, at night, and I'm just trying to liven up my life a little."
"Liven up you- DAD! These people will want to KILL you! They don't care about who or why, they do this shit for FUN! They could break into your building just because they were BORED and if they saw you in this it'd be like wearing a sign that says, 'please beat me to death'!"
"You just don't understand-"
"What?! I don't UNDERSTAND!?"
"NO! You DON'T! You don't know what it's like to have lost your wife of twenty years! To have your Son grow up and not need you anymore! To have no reason to exist except to keep existing! I need something in my life Dave! I'm fifty one years old! No matter how you look at it, I've got more years behind me than ahead of me. I need to do something to add some LIFE to my life! I'm not stupid enough to go out on the streets like that, but when I'm alone at work, I can put the cape and mask on and pretend to be The Guarder and just... enjoy myself for a bit. I know it's silly, but it just... it gives me something to look forward to."
There was silence for a few minutes, and I thought that might be a good time for me to leave so Mr. L wouldn't know I'd heard him say all that, but then Dave said, "I do understand. Believe me. I understand what it's like to feel like your life has no meaning. No purpose. Especially after Mom died. I had two friends, we were all outcasts. Girls ignored us. We had no plans, no goals. We just existed. I was just drifting through life, losing myself in pointless video games and comics like they meant something. Like they were actually important.
"I got sick of it too. I wanted to do something with my life. Make some sort of difference in the world."
There was another pause, but I didn't even think of leaving. I was too busy hanging onto my seat waiting to hear what he'd say next. Literally.
"So I did the same thing you did. Only I didn't do it in private. I went out in a costume to try and be a hero...and that's how I got hurt. That's how I ended up in the hospital. I tried to stop these two punks from stealing a car and they stabbed me, and then when I was trying to get away I got hit by a car. That much was true.
"And I didn't stop. After I recovered I went back out onto the street. And I can't even find words for some of the things I've seen. The horrible things people will do to others. I've been beaten, shot, stabbed, I can't tell you how many times I've almost been killed. So believe me, I know how dangerous it is out there. I know much better than you do. I've lost friends to these psychos Dad. I can't lose you too. I don't know what I'd do if I did. So please, promise me you won't do anything to draw attention to yourself, dressing up in a cape and mask. Even if it's just pretend. They won't care. They'll see it as an invitation."
And there was more silence...and then his Dad exploded.
"WHAT!? You're actually going out, IN THE STREET...IN COSTUME?! Are you INSANE!
Those people are PSYCHOS! Do you have ANY idea how INSANE this city has become?! There're riots in the fucking streets every other MONTH! Are you TRYING to get yourself KILLED?! You're not Kick-Ass Dave!"
And that's when I went, "Oh god no."
"No, Dad, I AM Kick-Ass. Literally. I am Kick-Ass. And I couldn't stop even if I wanted to. I started something huge, and I have a responsibility to see it through. I've been working and training with the best heroes in the city for over a year. I need to be out there. I know I'm not the best there is, but the world sees me as the figure head for this whole thing. I have to be there, doing good, keeping the people who want to do good and see the best in people encouraged, and showing the people that want to just take what they want or hurt who they want that people won't let them, and if that means I get into fights, then I'm gonna get into fights, and I'm gonna win. I have to."
I really don't know how long they were silent after that, because my brain just kinda went "whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat the fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck"
Eventually, Mr. L said, "You... YOU, are Kick-Ass? The real life super hero? And you go out, at night, and beat people up."
Another pause, and then, "Yes."
"And that was you, tied to a chair, getting beaten to death, live on the internet?"
"Yes."
"And you're the guy on all the news casts the morning after one of those riots, fighting with those wack jobs attacking people and stealing and destroying things."
"One of them, yes."
"And you're part of that Justice Forever group, that does the community service? Running blood drives, helping at soup kitchens, that sort of stuff?"
"Yes."
"And you're the reason there are dozens of people going out in costume and doing the same."
"And the reason the Motherfucker exists, yes."
There was a thump and the squeak of a chair getting shoved across tile, and then his Dad said, "I have no idea what to say."
Dave said, "How about, 'I promise not to follow my son's insane example and not do anything that could get me killed because he does, in fact, need me'?"
And then Mr. L said, "Dave... I love you, so much. I look at you and I still see the little boy I read comics to when he was sick. But I can see the man you've become, and he's so much more than I ever realized. I'm not gonna lie, I don't want you doing anything that could get you hurt, let alone killed... But I am proud of you. You've actually changed the world. Not many people can say that. You've gone out and shown everyone the difference one person can make. How can I help?"
Dave laughed, and it sounded like he was half crying, and he said, "How about you start by just making sure you stick around for a few dozen more years, okay?"
Then his Dad laughed and he said, "Yeah, I think I can do that."
They came out a minute later, and Mr. L looked at me and after a moment said, "So, I guess that means you're Hit Girl?"
And I was just like, "Godfuckingdamnit." but I just kinda went "fuck it" and said, "Yeah, I am. And just because you're Dave's Dad don't think I wont hurt you if you spill it."
Then he held up his hands and said, "Whoa, hold on, no need to make threats. You're like the Daughter I never had. I'd die before I gave either of you up."
And, for some reason, that just made me feel really good. All warm and fuzzy. Almost like Dave's hugs do. And I said, because obviously today was the day where all bets are off, "Can I give you a hug?"
And he laughed and said, "Yeah. It seems like that kind of day."
So I went over and hugged him and said, "I will hurt you though if you do spill. But I'll kill anyone who hurts you."
And he laughed and said, "Good to know."
So, then we sat down, and just talked. Mr. L wanted to hear about everything we'd been doing, but we left out some of the more incriminating details, just in case. He loved hearing about the more public servicey things Justice Forever got up to and started asking if he could help.
Obviously we said he didn't need our permission to volunteer at soup kitchens and crap, even if we were working that day too.
Of course, what he really meant was how could he help Justice Forever. We said we'd talk about it with the Colonel.
Then, because it was just that kind of day, I decided, "Might as well," and asked if he'd like to help with the new training facility. "Ya know, installing shelves, assembling equipment, that sort of thing."
And he said, "Now that's the sort of thing I'm good at."
So I told him I'd let him know when the place was ready for the final stages.
I'm starting to get really excited about this. Especially because tomorrow I get to start beating the crap out of Katie on a daily basis.
