Here's To Us *Damned Coda* Matt Murdock*

3) The sun, the moon, the truth

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth.

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"So... how've you been?"

Vera blinked, surprised at Petr's question. They did a little catching up on their way. And they talked about anything and everything over the lunch and then over a cup of tea, until Lenka picked up her stuff, heading to her parent's house for a long weekend. Petr stayed, planning on joining her tomorrow, after Vera and Matt would bail on him. So now Matt was in the shower, while Vera sat crouched on the couch, the tiredness from the flight, jet lag, and everything catching up with her. If Matt wasn't about to come out in few minutes, she would doze off.

But her brother's question woke her up quite effectively. She had already told him, why was he asking again? "Good. Really good, actually-"

He gave her a pointed look that made her shut up. "Verčo. He can't hear you right now." You wish. "And mum and dad can't hear you yet. So you wanna tell me the truth?"

There was something in his eyes, something she didn't like. Something knowing. Or maybe she was just really exhausted and was seeing things. And hearing things. Why would her brother think there was something she didn't want to talk about in front of Matt? Or in general? Did he think she was lying? About what?

"Peti, I don't-" Vera started, only to get interrupted again.

"For example about your... 'car accident'," he said, the words 'car accident' somewhat wry. Vera froze, feeling herself panicking. "Like not even a month after you came to New York?"

Don't freak out. Don't freak out. There is no way he knows you weren't in a car accident, but in fact got kidnapped. No way.

"Yeah, okay, that was shitty-" she admitted.

"Or about the 'trial' you had to come to testify against 'the driver'?" he added, voice getting impatient, her heart gradually picking up speed with each word. Shit. Oh shit. Oh no. How did he know?!

"I-I- that's-" Vera stuttered, horrified. She wasn't sure when she sat up straighter or when he got closer, his eyes piercing and giving her a glare of a disappointed parent, but it happened.

"I work IT, Veru. Lenka is a journalist. Do you really think I haven't been keeping tabs on my little sis?"

"I-I don't know what to tell you." Vera honestly didn't know what to tell him. He somehow knew. When she thought about it, it probably wasn't that hard to find info on the internet. If you had at least a general idea of how and what. Everything in her gut was screaming wrong at her. And yes, she was freaking out. "Yeah, I wasn't in a car accident. Satisfied?"

Petr just gaped, inclining further into her space. "Satisfied?! Ježišmarja, Verčo. Of course I'm not! You were kidnapped and tortured! There's no universe in which I would be satisfied!" he blurted out, making her retreat from the sudden burst of emotion. Anger. Disappointment? Fear?

"It wasn't-"

"If you say it wasn't that bad, I swear-" he threatened and it was her turn to burst out.

"I'm okay! Alright? Just- I'm okay, now. Can we- can we not to?" she pleaded, desperately wishing him to say yes. She was so happy to see him again. Her amazing yeti brother with friendly smile and bear hugs. Not-

"No," Petr crushed her hope, his expression telling her he in fact rather wouldn't either. So why did he want to? "We have to. Bože. I read about it. Some website published the whole court- I read what they did to you, how you actually talked about it there." He gulped, his eyes getting a haunted vibe. He was worried about her. Of course he was. Vera honestly just wanted to hug him until he would shut up.