indie elektra natchios based on Netflix's Daredevil Est. 2018
// forgot to mention but I’m on vacation until next Friday 👌 activity will be very low & selective if it happens at all. Visiting friends & a road trip have my attention. Cheers! 🍻
Edit to say if you would like my disco for threads there, that’s much easier :)
“Children who feel they cannot engage their their parents emotionally often try to strengthen their connection by playing whatever roles they believe their parents want them to. Although this may win them some fleeting approval, it doesnt yield genuine emotional closeness. Emotionally disconnected parents dont suddenly develop a capacity for empathy just because a child a child doea something to please them.
People who lacked emotional engagement in childhood, men and women alike, often can’t believe that someone would want to have a relationship with them just because of who they are. They believe that if they want closeness, they must play a role that always puts the other person first.”
“Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents” by Lindsay Gibson
Loki watched happily as the light from his moon and the gesture itself lit up Elektra’s features.
“For?” He was using his lie voice now. The innocent voice. “Why, for the joy of it, of course! Do I ever need an excuse to be merry?” He left the moon with Elektra so he could grab what was left of his drink. Downed it in one and tossed the glass carelessly over his shoulder. Full of vigor over some idea in his head. Some new game.
“Go on, place it. Or can’t you manage?”
She doesn’t exactly believe him— it’s rather hard to, after all— but it’s also hard to see the harm in any of it. Again she’s surprised by the suggestion she place it. It hadn’t occurred to her she might be able to.
Elektra eyes him over the glow of the illusion. Her lips curve into a small smile as the glass shatters beyond her sight, the itch to do the same with her own tempered by the challenge in front of her. Her gaze shifts to the moon, her focus growing intent and furrowed on it as her hands hover around the curve.
Whatever magic is out there, whatever Strange and Scarlet Witch and perhaps Loki himself touches, Elektra doesn’t feel it. If there are invisible currents to manipulate, she doesn’t sense them. After a long moment, she releases an aggravated held breath, and the moon hasn’t moved. But can’t you manage reverberates like a taunt in her mind. Failure seems like a non-option.
She repositions to be behind the moon in line with the mantle, determination hardening her eyes even as her features smooth. Calm concentration, drawing from within, more and more until she closes her eyes and shoves her hands in one firm motion, expending a strong push of energy towards the illusion. Not having any idea if it would have an effect. But if subtle weaving doesn’t work, maybe brute force will. For a split second, Elektra feels a life force connection where her chi meets that of the moon, and sends it over the fireplace.
Her hands find her hips, breathing running ragged suddenly. Elektra feels sweat on the back of her neck and an exhaustion come over her. She sways on her feet for a moment before retaining balance, and lets out an exhale before looking at Loki. “Managed.” Barely. Moving objects or people always took, but never so much. She certainly can’t move someone else’s magic a second time today.
❝ i guess i’m not. ❞ he hums, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. when she laughs, his brows arc upwards a little, but he doesn’t think that she’s laughing at him, as such. she seems a little bit surprised by what had happened, which he can understand. they’ve been spending a bit more time together lately, sure, but as friends. this is a little new. no, it’s very new. but he’s definitely finding that he doesn’t mind it all that much at all.
❝ we haven’t. ❞ he finally laughs, and he briefly glances down at the hands that still sit on her hips. he should probably let go of her, right? is this awkward?
she seems pretty giddy, actually, which is a surprise in itself. he wouldn’t have thought a kiss from him would get this reaction from her.
❝ i could definitely go for a drink. ❞ he hums, finally removing his hands from her waist to take a step back, get out of her space. he chances a glance up at the mistletoe, before his smile widens for a moment. he’s never really been one for that kind of tradition– but quite suddenly he’s pretty damn grateful for it.
❝ – let’s go grab one. ❞ he glances back toward her, and he almost offers his hand out for her to take but instead settles on offering out his arm for her to hook her hand into his elbow.
—
It leaves her full of a strange sensation, like champagne bubbles in her stomach spreading into her veins. Fun, dangerous. Elektra knows only too well how pursuing more from her relationships is deeply unwise. Like getting drunk, or neglecting training. It’s been drilled into her since childhood. Even true friendship seems monumental to her to take on, when in the long run the consequences will outweigh the immediate benefits. Strange, too, feeling like she’s not in her own world among the regular people of Steve’s building, in the simple holiday party thrown by his neighbors. Maybe it makes her feel like she can be someone else, temporarily. Maybe she thinks Steve is like her enough that he could handle those consequences that feel so inevitable with their lifestyle.
Maybe she just wants to be a little selfish. Even as she’s smiling and Steve offers his arm, Elektra doesn’t know how she feels. Her teeth flash a bit brighter and she shoves his elbow playfully, passing it by, only to catch his hand by the fingertips lightly. “Any luck there’ll be some of that mulled wine leftover, hm?” Perhaps another dangle of mistletoe later, after a drink or two. She’d like the fun, can feel the temptation of it, how it might be a relief to forget herself in him. At the same time, there’s a little twist in her gut to keep a distance. A constant reminder of duty. For now, Elektra’s in the mood to embrace the present moment as long as she can. Hardly a chance something’s going to interrupt the party tonight, surely.
Matt can hear her up on the roof, wrapping her hands as he gets ready. he can hear her because she’s not trying to not let him hear her. but he has to admit, he’s glad that she’d managed to reign herself in– hadn’t murdered those men just for coming after him. definitely would have cancelled out the desire to work with her tonight. when he joins her on the roof, he’s got the mask up on his brow so that she can see his eyes as he steps in front of her.
❝ they’re safe. ❞ he nods, fingers skimming the wraps around his hands briefly to make sure they’re good, before he reaches up and tugs his mask down.
❝ they weren’t able to tell me anything that i didn’t already know. ❞ he tilts his head toward her.
❝ did you overhear anything else? ❞
—
They’ve got a job to do tonight, a mystery to solve, but Elektra can’t help the flutter of excitement that hits her as Matt steps up. After the events of the day, being back together even just as a ‘professional’ team feels like a step in the right direction. Hope. And only a sliver of wisdom in her mind dampens the feeling, a tiny reminder how easily hope can kill.
“That’s unfortunate.” Her brows rise and fall briefly with disappointment, because additional information from the client in particular could have been invaluable. No matter, they’ll be fine. She inhales at the question— the air is always a little fresher up here— and breathes it out. “They’re moving in on the city. Arms, guns, from what I gather. But something bigger, I think. The men who came after you probably assume you’ll come after them the way your ‘firm’,” She can’t help the air quotes in her voice over his day-time job, though she barely slows. “Went after Fisk, and the client you’re protecting must know something. Or be important to someone.” Not knowing exactly how the pieces fit together bugs her, but that’s why they’re out tonight. To find out more. Things are not so complicated for her sometimes. If someone’s trying to kill Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson the lawyers, it’s difficult to see the angle where they’re worth sparing regardless of whatever else is going on. “Ready?”
❝ isn’t it? ❞ he hums, his lips twitching upwards for a moment as he notices the way her eyes seem to light up a little. she really does enjoy this kind of thing. he tilts his head when she places the large sunhat on her head, and it effectively hides her face from him with the height difference. until she glances up at him to offer out his sunglasses, of course. his smile widens, an unspoken thank you, and he accepts the glasses from her to put them on.
he lets her slide into the cab first and then joins her, settling back into the seat. she sits close, closer than strictly necessary, but it doesn’t phase him. instead he hums at her question, eyes briefly darting to the driver, but he’s not paying attention. as her fingers dance against his arm, he brings a hand to sit on her leg– not too high, because this is all pretend, but he makes it look at least relaxed as his fingers settle over her knee.
❝ from the way they were bitching about him missing it, i’d say so. ❞ he tilts his head, glancing toward her.
❝ i’m sure we can catch them at the pool again tomorrow. ❞
—
She hums and presses a little more into the hand supporting her head, eyes drifting over him as his fingers graze her skin. They’re familiar, then. It takes the option of pretending to be the couple going to meet the target off the table, although there was a slim chance of it being otherwise. Hard to snag a meeting with government officials without a background check or personal relationship. Elektra allows herself one or two leisurely seconds to wonder at Steve— at the little pecks, the brushing touch. How much of it might be real or if he’s just following the script. The lines feel blurred for her, which isn’t unusual. Her experience with men and her ego tend to think it couldn’t be so crisp on his end either, but she doesn’t know for certain.
“Perhaps they can catch us up or introduce us,” she remarks lightly. By which she means, perhaps they can plant a bug on them before the meeting, or follow the couple right to him for an ambush after. “What’s their story?” Elektra asks, watching her fingers climb the soft inside of his arm for a moment, before her eyes rise to his. Seeming quite at ease next to him in the land of false identities. “Did you get a sense of what their meeting is about?” She wouldn’t be surprised if they had illicit dealings, the way this regime is run.
// rewatching some defenders fight scenes - kind of hilarious how elektra uses luke cage as a platform a few times to punch/kick someone else or leap off him 😂
he’s trying to fight her or grapple her and she’s like ‘ah yes a brick wall to bounce off of, thanks’
