bakerstreet | We love a tragedy, we're both broken in our own ways

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We love a tragedy, we're both broken in our own ways

healing the broken meme
a shipping meme

The events of many canons have left its characters ravaged, unable to be the whole people they once were. They can never go back to the innocence they had before. However, they can find someone who can pull you back from the brink. Some say love can conquer all ills and cure all broken people - the jury is still out on that, but enough people subscribe to the notion that it may have some merit. With the right affection behind it, can it be the elixir to heal traumas or mend angst? For this meme, it can be. No matter what your what your problem is, from daddy issues to being mind controlled to hating all humans or being just a jerk, all you need is healing from the right person.

All in all? This is a shameless meme playing with the idea of "cured by love." Love it or hate it, it's prevalent in fiction, both fan and published. And sometimes, no lie, you just want to play it and not be judge for the pure shlock you know it to be. Here is the place; now is the time. However, you don't have to go for unrealistic escapism. One partner trying to help the other through trauma is not an easy task, and there are bound to be setbacks, resistance, and hurt feelings. And what if BOTH partners are a little bit broken? Can they survive together, or will they bring each other down?

how to play
- Comment with your character and preferences. Feel free to talk about your character's problems. You might also want to mention if your character is the one who needs to be healed or can do the healing. Or perhaps you and your thread partner can play two roughed up characters learning to trust again!
- Reply to others.

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[[She was a queen of Jerusalem for a short while, then lost her city. She's trying to repent for her sins since she could've stopped the entire thing. ~~It wasn't all on Balian.~~]]

[Can be either the healer or the one in need of healing. Lost his parents at a young age and raised his sister on his own. He's a loner, but also very attentive about people's feelings and needs.]

[Broken? Yeah, that's an understatement. Not that she'll ever admit it.]

[Could do some sort of au or something involving The Defenders. Prose/assumed cr preferred, would like to avoid playing out introductions]

[If you'd want to try something with this guy?]

[Sure, hit me!]

[Do you prefer something sort of during Defenders or do you want to AU something post-series?]

[Probably something post series. Could do it where maybe they're both trapped after the explosion or an au after the reveal]

Maybe the two of them had started off on the wrong foot. Teamwork wasn't easy for any of them, and while Danny was stubborn, Matt was something else entirely. He had a lot of baggage. A lot. Just when Danny thought he was getting a handle on who Matt was, it turned out he had no idea. In hindsight, he wishes he'd listened more. Danny regrets the fights and the doubts, regrets that he let Matt let them go, regrets that he didn't go back for Matt sooner. Maybe they weren't the best of friends, but the loss of Matt hit Danny hard all the same.

It hit them all hard. They coped in their own ways. Danny felt he owed it to Matt to try and do what he would do. So to say there's relief when Matt's fine - well. Talk about an understatement.

Danny's a shit replacement for Daredevil.

He seldom leaves Matt's side for the first few days. He doesn't know if Elektra's out there someone, or if she's gone, and how either of those situations might affect Matt. The mental damage would be worse than the physical. It was important to Danny that Matt knew he had people that cared.

"Hey - you want food or something?"

The world seems to come and go. Memories and names, impressions of scent and sound he'd had catalogued in his head smearing at the edges, slipping through his fingers. Sometimes they almost snap back into focus. Once he thinks he wakes up to the sound of a young man getting comfortable in the hard wood chair at his bed, the rustle of his jeans as he fidgets.

Mostly Matt spends most of the next few days slipping in and out of consciousness.

He's been awake probably an hour. The young guy's still there: different clothes but he's moved from the chair to sitting cross legged on the floor, his breathing further down than it was earlier. Matt's eyebrows draw together as his eyes drift open, staring sightlessly up at the ceiling as he tries not to move, tries not to breathe too sharply because even that hurts. Food, the guy said. Voice sounds familiar but the name slips away the more he tries to grab at it, so Matt focuses on something that's easier. Eating. The idea of it churns in his stomach.

"No," Matt says, pauses to asses before he adds in a hoarse whisper, vocal chords shot, "Thirsty."

After a moment his hand twitches, flopping limply over so it hands over the edge of the bed like he's holding it out toward Danny. Maybe he is. Whatever the case is, he's still trying to work out if he's sorry he woke up or not.

Danny finally cracks his eyes open, looking towards Matt. He feels a pang of guilt and a small simmer of anger, but he knows better. The past is the past. Luke's always talking about moving forward, and Danny's been working on living with that philosophy.

Regardless of Matt's intentions, Danny's taking his hand. He unfolds his legs before he stands, and while he can't totally do all of Matt's healing for him, at least he can help. Matt had told him to stop acting like a kid. Danny's been working on discovering just what he's capable of. He hasn't forgotten about the healing trick.

The warmth spreads through Danny's hand, from his fingertips to Matt's, letting the chi flow between them. He's not sure how much it'll help, honestly.

"I'll get you some water." And tea. And maybe some soup, just the broth. "Don't go anywhere." The joke isn't very good. Danny rests Matt's hand back over his stomach before moving away, to find someone to talk to about getting all those things.

He doesn't know what he was expecting or what he even wanted when he tried to hold out his hand. Having some kind of...warmth spread out, filling him with this glow that he can almost pretend he can see? It isn't anywhere close to what he thought would happen. It doesn't fix everything, but it does make it a little easier to breath with his tortured ribs, his gasps a little quieter as he wheezes.

"...okay," he wheezes, and his voice is just a shade of itself, barely above a whisper. A wince flutters across his face as the guy unknowingly brushes up against a large bruise hidden underneath the bandages. "I'll be here."

He waits. Not much he can do, not when he doubts his ability to swing his legs over the side of the bed, much less stand by. Nausea comes and goes. He thinks he grays out a bit, slipping back into the almost merciful void of unconsciousness a few times. Matt reluctantly claws his way back when he hears footsteps outside the door, the slosh of liquid - water? - in a cup that sounds plastic, and that man's breathing has come back. Voice might be young. All Matt knows is he feels like he's half-dead and he's still trying to work out if he's glad he's awake or not. Whoever this guy is, it seems like he's friendly and wants to help.

Danny's absence isn't too long. He spends a moment chatting with one of Matt's nurses while he's gone. He doesn't know much about medical conditions, but she insists that Danny being around will help in the long run. He's just glad he's not getting in the way.

He smiles a little when he comes back. He knows Matt won't see it, of course, but maybe somehow Matt might just know. Maybe he can hear it in Danny's voice or something.

"It's just me. I brought water. They're heating up some broth for you, I know you're not hungry but it might be good to try." The water sloshes a little as Danny sets the cup down. He's careful in his attempt to help Matt sit up enough to drink it, and careful still as he puts the cup in Matt's hand and guides it to his mouth. "I'm Danny," he adds. "I know your memory's been giving you a hard time. It's fine if you don't know who I am. We haven't actually known each other for very long."

His mouth silently works around "Danny" as if that might jog his memory. It doesn't. Most he gets is a vague feeling he's heard the name before and that's about as far as it goes.

Matt might been used to a ridiculous amount of pain thanks to his "night job" but that was when he was expecting it, when he was seeking it out. With the state he's in now, he can't bite back the soft, pained whine he makes as he's helped into a sitting position, nostrils flaring as he grits his teeth and he's already breaking out into a sweat as he slumps against the pillow Danny propped up against the headboard. His fingers tremble against Danny's fingers, also around the glass, as he tries to sip from it without spilling the whole thing. Some of it ends up splattered against his chest, wet spots against bandages, but he does manage to get some of it in him. So there's that.

"Thanks," he mumbles. He wills his fingers to stop shaking but apparently they're ignoring him. "...Where am I? How come I can't - I can't remember?"

Between everything and everything - from his toes to his scalp - hurting and his mind doing its own thing, refusing to focus and fill in the gaps that Matt's slowly becoming aware of, he's not doing too hot.

Their friendship is only a few days old, but this is hard for Danny. Matt was so sure of himself. He knew what he was doing, knew when he was in control of a situation. It's hard to believe that this is the man who would sacrifice it all for any of them.

The question isn't entirely unexpected. Danny's not the best person to help put the pieces together. Hell, he's not sure he's the best person to answer anything, but he wants to try and make Matt's situation easy. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Danny sets the empty cup aside.

"There was a - There was an explosion." He won't lie about it. "A building was demolished. You were ... You were trying to save someone and got stuck. They're not sure if the memory loss is just because of the emotional trauma or something physical."

Matt tries to digest that, his jaw working as he swallows thickly. "Did you pull me out?"

He wonders who he was trying to save. He knows his name - or maybe he just heard it when he was drifting half-awake - and he knows that when he opens his eyes, he can't see. Other than that, everything else is a no-go. With how his head is pounding and nausea is rising like it's regretting even that sip of water, Matt decides the best course of action is to lie very still and hope it goes away...and hope that maybe this guy won't be so helpful jumping up to get him water. He isn't sure he could swallow without coughing it all over him.

Matt's face shifts toward Danny as he angles his ear like he even needs to bother, with his senses. He might not have a clue about what he looks like but he wants to say he's young from the voice, friendly.

"No." Danny sounds like he regrets it. He shouldn't have let Matt stay behind, he should have gone for him. If he was stuck down there, he could have gotten them both out, he knows it. "You saved me first. You saved a lot of people."

He touches Matt's arm, gently, unsure of what's hurt and how bad. Danny is sure that Matt will recover from this. He's too strong and too stubborn to be beaten down.

"You're pretty much one of the coolest people I've ever met. Just so you know. So you're stuck with me."

He isn't sure how he feels about that, or if he even feels like he has the energy at all. Matt sits there, lips pursed together into a thin line, eyes focused on nothing in particular even as his chin dips down at the touch against his elbow.

"That doesn't sound so bad," and Matt might be trying to manage the ghost of a smile. "You seem like a decent guy."

"I have my moments."

The smile makes Danny smile, and he laughs. It sounds relieved. Danny's more than happy to just sit there for a moment before he takes away their point of contact.

"You're probably tired. Get some rest, I'll be around if you need me." It's not like Danny has to go to work if he doesn't want to. The perks of having his name on the building.

"Don't go too far?"

Matt might need help lying back down, every breath labored as he wonders if even his scalp is bruised. Through the pain, something new crops up: worry that he'll slip away and Danny won't be there, with that young - and it does sound young, really young - voice cutting through the hurt. His hand comes up as he searches for Danny.

"I promise I'll be right here."

He takes Matt's hand, holding it well into the next time Matt falls asleep. He does leave sometimes. There are things he can't push off or avoid but he's determined to not let Matt down and not be there.

Danny can't abandon Matt again.

He's there every time Matt wakes up, and he's armed with more information if Matt ever wants it. Eventually a time comes where they think Matt is ready to leave, to start integrating back into life, and Danny's there to help.

"I had some people go in and fix up your apartment. I hope you don't mind," he says, while they're getting ready to leave. "The earthquake did a number on it." He also had someone fill the fridge with something more than beer and orange juice.

Days go by; that much he knows, mostly because there's a few moments where he can feel the shift in temperature, the sounds of feet (women?) opening and closing windows. The constant is Danny - he's there, either camped in the chair or sitting cross-legged on the floor, like the first time he woke up. It's comforting in a way he doesn't have the words for yet.

Matt finds himself having to lean on Danny as they get ready to leave. The sad thing is he's proud to say he remembered - and had the energy - to navigate his way through clothes, how to tie his shoes without his fingers slipping too much. If Danny thought he was taking awhile, he didn't say anything.

"Guess I wasn't awake for it," Matt says, thinking he'd remember an earthquake. He wants to say you don't get too many of those in New York. "You drop by a lot? My place, I mean."

Seems a little weird if he didn't; knowing where he lives and hiring people to fix up his place? Seems to point fingers at them being close.

"- No." He hadn't realized it might come off that way. Danny doesn't want to seem weird, and he worries he overstepped by doing a good thing. "I ... Was never actually there before the accident."

Yeah, just weird.

He slips an arm around Matt's torso, to help him make his way out. There's a car waiting. Matt's apartment isn't so far, but this will be nicer. "Some other friends of yours showed me where it was."

He winces slightly as they approach the car. His hearing is so sensitive, his grasp on his control of his abilities wavering every now and then, that he has to cup a hand to his ear to muffle at least some of it. The scent of the car's fine leather interior wafts out in an olfactory wall as someone (the driver?) opens the door for the two of them.

He slides in with the help of Danny, one hand slapping against the door before he tips over from the fresh wave of dizziness warring with his old friend nausea.

"I think I need help," he says, after he tries to buckle the seatbelt and can't. His nails slide and fumble, still uncoordinated, and his cheeks burn for a second as embarrassment sets in.

Danny helps without hesitation. He sees no reason for Matt to be ashamed by it, though he remembers Matt not accepting help well. Once the seatbelt is buckled, Danny leans forward to the driver to tell him to keep the radio turned off.

"You're doing great, Matt. Really. You're a fighter, remember that." He reaches to squeeze at Matt's shoulder.

[most likely the one doing the healing, although it could also be mutual.]

[He's been tortured, shot in the chest, he's probably had a pretty rocky (if not entirely bad) relationships in university. He definitely has PTSD (or a form of it). He's probably getting to the point where he accepts being broken, but ... no one really likes broken things. They're not exactly fun to be around.]

(Canon and cross doable! I like this mutual, if possible. Morrigan disdains sentiment, and falling in love helps her find value in something beyond her own survival and interests. If we work with canon scenarios she can even be reluctant to fall again after the first love went so badly. She's not the greatest at compassion, but if we assume enough cr it can work. If your character's angst is tied into physical injuries that she can literally help heal through magic/herbalism that can help.)

[ m/m preferences for shipping but OTA. Just fuck him up with affection. ]

[Most likely the broken one. Has been on his own since a young age with no real knowledge of his past or family. Has abandonment issues, and a short temper that's often his stress and anxiety tell. Open to anything. Just no smut, please.]

[Broken but still willing to help someone else if it works out that way. Orphan. Survivor's guilt. Abandonment issues. PTSD. Open to just about anything. Please no smut, though.]

[ Since this is a lesser watched canon; She would absolutely need to be the one to be healed. Friday is one of seven identical sisters in a dystopian world where siblings were illegal. She lived her life in an apartment in fear with her family, only able to go out one day a week (Fridays) dressed as Karen, the identity all 7 of the girls shared in order to have a life in the real world without being discovered as being siblings.

Could be an AU where she got to see the sibling laws abolished and was able to finally start living her life. Open to any other ideas! ]

[I would rather this be mutual, if at all possible. To some degree at least. Given everything that happens over the course of the game there's a lot to play around with, on Lavellan's part. Only survivor, weight of the world, getting tossed into the deep end, etc.

M/F preferences for shipping with an exception for castmates.]

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We love a tragedy, we're both broken in our own ways

sibylla | kingdom of heaven

Jean Otus | ACCA 13-ku Kansatsu-ka

Marie Kreutz l The Bourne Series l OTA

Jon Snow | Game of Thrones

Maria Hill | MCU | F/M

Matt Murdock | Daredevil

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Timeskip?

sure :)

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Janice Rand | Star Trek (Alternate Reality)

Loras Tyrell | GOT/ASOIF (modern)

sam wilson | mcu | ota

Sherlock Holmes || Sherlock BBC || m/m

Morrigan | Dragon Age

Gabriel Starling | OC

Keith | Voltron: Legendary Defender

Duo Maxwell | Gundam Wing

friday (what happened to monday?) m/f

jughead | riverdale | ota

Inquisitor Lavellan | Dragon Age Inquisition

Jyn Erso | Rogue One | OTA

Rey | SW: TFA | OTA