Kate had heard many things about Jack Murdock, with Matt mentioning that he had some shortcomings even though he was a fabulous dad. But Kate had never ever imagined that he might have commited the same mistake her own father did. Both had lost their lives for different reasons, but Derek had gambled with his family's destiny.
Matt had a point, though. Most people probably had a hard time realizing their parents weren't great. "Yeah. Now I understand my mom a little better, at least. She had to make some really hard choices. Even if she fucked up massively."
She rested her head on his shoulder, finding a strange comfort in feeling like she and Matt almost shared something in this experience.
"Yeah, that doesn't sound too bad. And if you ever needed to touch his face again, you could visit his family and do it." Would it be weird for Foggy's parents? No, they would probably understand why something like that would be special to Matt. "Hey, if you could afford to get me a squishy dumpling, I can afford this for you."
She needed a photo of Matt's dad, though. Kate wanted him to remember what his dad's face was like.
Matt gave a little nod as Kate spoke about her mother. Their fathers had been alike in making the mistake of going into business with the wrong people, but as far as Matt knew, Kate's dad had never killed anyone and Jack Murdock certainly hadn't. Eleanor's fanaticism to protect her family felt more closely aligned in Matt's mind to Stick, who would do anything to uphold the values of the Chaste. Stick hadn't truly raised Matt though, so it wasn't as similar a dynamic as a mother would have been. "Your mother is certainly an... interesting woman. Have you spoken to her recently?" He wondered if she'd broached the subject of helping out to Kate.
A street vendor's toy and a printed painting Matt knew weren't equal in price by any means, but he also knew that Kat was in a position to not have to put a price tag on such things. Money meant something different to her, and if he was spending a day in her world, he should accept that. He lightly leaned his head against hers, instinctively inhaling to see if he could breath in her scent the way he normally would just smell her. "Okay, okay. I'll let it go. This time." A beat. "You're a very kind person, Kate." His hand found hers and gave it a little squeeze.
Interesting indeed. Since Mother's Day, Cherry had pulled some strings to help Eleanor find a safehouse. Although, Kate was not aware of the means Eleanor had used to afford it, neither did she know many details of where her mom was staying.
At Matt's question, Kate became a little silent, turning to stir the noddles as she stepped away from him briefly. "Just, mostly small talk. Checking on her. I've kinda... Ignored her last messages." Things had been busy, Kate had too much to worry about. Focusing on the city, on their task, that was much easier than working on unresolved feelings and unfinished conversations.
She returned to Matt's side, not able to ignore how he had called Eleanor 'interesting'. She knew that tone. "Did my mom say anything wrong to you when you talked in the kitchen?" Kate had not dared to bring it up before, but now she definitely needed to know.
As Matt leaned towards her and took her hand, Kate was only mildly surprised. Briefly. She smiled, leaning closer to his side and resting her cheek on his shoulder.
"It's nothing," she argued, even though her voice was soft like velvet. "It's easy to be kind to you."
There wasn't any judgement on Matt's face when Kate said she was ignoring her mother's messages. God knew he'd ducked calls from loved ones in the past when he felt overwhelmed and didn't know what to say. At Kate's question, Matt gave it careful consideration. He'd only be honest with Kate when it came to Eleanor, but he was weighing his own perspective against his own biases. "I don't know that I'd use the word wrong," Matt finally said slowly as he leaned against the counter. "She just... I don't know. It's like when I talk to Frank, or when I used to talk to Stick. There's one thing that matters the most to them in the world. Their driving mission. And for Eleanor, that's you. I don't know what that means. It can be a good thing." It could also be a worrisome thing. "I don't know her enough to know, especially considering all she's gone through. Maybe it won't mean what it once did." Murder. "Anyway. She wanted to help. With all of this. The fight against Fisk. I think she wants to help you. I told her that she'd have to talk to you about that, it wasn't up to me to give the okay for her to join our fight."
Was that what Eleanor was leaving messages about? Maybe.
"And it's not nothing. Not to me." Gestures from Kate never meant nothing to him. They were always held close to his heart. He leaned his head back against hers. "I'm gonna remind you that it's easier to be kind to me the next time you're grumpy too early in the morning."
It startles Kate a little. Because even though she was expecting Matt to be as objective as possible when talking about her mom, she never though his words would ever confuse her. But it really catches her completely by susprise. Did he actually compare Eleanor Bishop to Frank Castle and his old mentor?
Aren't those men completely ruthless? Murderers...
It makes her heart sink, as little by little she starts understanding what Matt means.
Almost. "How could she possibly help?" Kate shakes her head instantly. "That would be stupid. I mean, she's on the run right now." She waved her hand around, almost as if she was physically searching or answers. "We're being freaking careful about everything we spend money on and what's she gonna do? Use our money to let the cops know where she is and Fisk realize we suddenly have a brand new flame thrower?" Kate ranted, suddenly the frustration she used to feel about her mom simmering inside of her again.
"It's stupid," she sighed.
God, she can't keep avoiding her mom. But right now it feels like the best thing she could possibly do.
Taking a deep breath, she hid her face against Matt's shoulder, squeezing his hand a little harder as he held hers.
As he joked, she finally snorted, almost against her will. "Maybe be kind after I get some 5 extra minutes of sleep."
Matt simply listened, not offering commentary as Kate felt her way through her thoughts on the subject. "She didn't go into a lot of detail on how she thought she might help, because I told her right off the bat that it was up to you whether it would even be possible," he shared honestly. "I know that she wasn't planning on donning a costume and going out to do fisticuffs, so it would be financial. The finer points of what that means..." he gave a small shrug. "I said the one thing we could agree on is how much you matter, and that for me, that meant this being your choice. That quieted her because I wasn't willing to go further without your input at the table. So you can hear her out, or not. You can see her, or never answer the phone again. It's up to you."
He gave her hand a squeeze. There wasn't any right or wrong now in his book. Kate didn't owe her mother a relationship. If what she needed was time and space, he'd support that. If she wanted to hear her out, he'd support that, too. Hell, his own relationship with his mother wasn't one where he called her Mom, and that was after years of being reacquainted. Families were individual roadmaps and he just cared that Kate got what she needed and wasn't hurt in the process.
"Extra sleep? Lame," he teased her. "I guess this is the wrong time to say that I start talking before I've even had coffee. I don't know if that makes me a morning person but it does make me someone who doesn't understand the value of brain fog and staring in the distance for half an hour." He couldn't stare, anyway.
Quiet, Kate tried to picture both Matt and her mother in Claire's kitchen. The one place that had worked as some sort of an oasis in a very scary morning. Matt had pulled Kate aside, giving her a hug as they both finally seemed to be able to take a breath from everything that they went through. Not so unlike this last night.
Matt was like a lifeline sometimes. He was proof of the real value of having a good partner. They could get through anything together, she firmly believe in that now.
"... You think she was trying to manipulate you?" It was hard to know. Maybe Eleanor wanted Matt to be on her good side. Buy him. Because that was how Eleanor Bishop solved things: with money. Get others to do the dirty work. Kill a man or buy the one that might sweeten the deal to her daughter. "You know. Convince you with giving you enough money to solve our worries or whatever. Getting you on her side."
That's what this turned into? Sides? Teams? Kate realized, she still didn't trust her mom. As happy as she'd been when she got to see her again,
The noddles were clearly boiling now and judging the smell filling the kitchen now, they were getting overcooked. "Shit!" Startled, Kate remembered them and disentangled herself from Matt, going to check on them.
"I think she genuinely wanted to thank me for being there for you. And to find out about the people who were spending so much time with her daughter. Beyond that... I don't know, Kate. I don't know her well enough to know if there were ulterior motives. It's possible that she does just want to help, because you matter to her. What that might look like again is up to you. If she does end up lying in front of me I'll know. She wasn't lying that day." If anything, Eleanor had been very up front about where her priorities laid. She was there for Kate.
His brow furrowed until he heard her at the stove. He knew better than to move towards a hot stove that he wasn't overly familiar with, so he stayed by the counter. "Are the noodles okay? Did we ruin them? How are the pizza rolls doing?"
Hearing the magic word, remembering how much love Matt had showered him with the last time he did this trick, Lucky barked at the word pizza. Matt had to chuckle and reached out a hand. Lucky came over with his toy to receive pets as Matt did reassure him, "Yes, you're a very clever boy. The rolls aren't good for dogs, though. We'll have to leave it up to your mom if you get one or a more proper dog treat."
It was a shadow that had taken over her heart, that bitterness that sometimes replaced the pain and bled even more profusely. That is the thing about trust when you're deeply wounded. Kate's love for her mother screamed for second chances, but in her mind Kate couldn't help but question every word, every action, from the small to the big gestures.
She looked up at Matt, the worried creases on her face vanishing as he mentioned he didn't sense her mother had been lying. It took a moment of processing his words, how he believed Eleanor truly wanted nothing but to do things right by her daughter. Could her mom actually help somehow? What if she ends up locked up and in danger again? "... Sorry you got caught up in the middle of this." A messenger of sorts.
In a hurry to pour the noddles into bolws, Kate almost forgot about the pizza rolls. "Shit,"she hissed, splashing a little broth around before she rushed to check the rolls and get them out of the oven. "Huh... They're kind of on the crispy side." She confessed with clear disappointment.
Great. She wanted to give Matt a fun junk-food meal. Instead, she was giving him overcooked noodles and toasted pizza rolls.
At least Lucky seemed excited. "Sorry, bud. You heard the vet. Dog treats for you." Sighing as she was definitely disappointed with herself, Kate found the bag of treats and came to Matt, taking his hand and handing them to him. She reached in a cabinet and took out some dishes, ready to plate the rolls.
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streetlevel) wrote2024-12-23 08:39 pm
no subject
Matt had a point, though. Most people probably had a hard time realizing their parents weren't great. "Yeah. Now I understand my mom a little better, at least. She had to make some really hard choices. Even if she fucked up massively."
She rested her head on his shoulder, finding a strange comfort in feeling like she and Matt almost shared something in this experience.
"Yeah, that doesn't sound too bad. And if you ever needed to touch his face again, you could visit his family and do it." Would it be weird for Foggy's parents? No, they would probably understand why something like that would be special to Matt. "Hey, if you could afford to get me a squishy dumpling, I can afford this for you."
She needed a photo of Matt's dad, though. Kate wanted him to remember what his dad's face was like.
no subject
A street vendor's toy and a printed painting Matt knew weren't equal in price by any means, but he also knew that Kat was in a position to not have to put a price tag on such things. Money meant something different to her, and if he was spending a day in her world, he should accept that. He lightly leaned his head against hers, instinctively inhaling to see if he could breath in her scent the way he normally would just smell her. "Okay, okay. I'll let it go. This time." A beat. "You're a very kind person, Kate." His hand found hers and gave it a little squeeze.
no subject
At Matt's question, Kate became a little silent, turning to stir the noddles as she stepped away from him briefly. "Just, mostly small talk. Checking on her. I've kinda... Ignored her last messages." Things had been busy, Kate had too much to worry about. Focusing on the city, on their task, that was much easier than working on unresolved feelings and unfinished conversations.
She returned to Matt's side, not able to ignore how he had called Eleanor 'interesting'. She knew that tone. "Did my mom say anything wrong to you when you talked in the kitchen?" Kate had not dared to bring it up before, but now she definitely needed to know.
As Matt leaned towards her and took her hand, Kate was only mildly surprised. Briefly. She smiled, leaning closer to his side and resting her cheek on his shoulder.
"It's nothing," she argued, even though her voice was soft like velvet. "It's easy to be kind to you."
Kate would give him anything, if only Matt asked.
no subject
Was that what Eleanor was leaving messages about? Maybe.
"And it's not nothing. Not to me." Gestures from Kate never meant nothing to him. They were always held close to his heart. He leaned his head back against hers. "I'm gonna remind you that it's easier to be kind to me the next time you're grumpy too early in the morning."
no subject
Aren't those men completely ruthless? Murderers...
It makes her heart sink, as little by little she starts understanding what Matt means.
Almost. "How could she possibly help?" Kate shakes her head instantly. "That would be stupid. I mean, she's on the run right now." She waved her hand around, almost as if she was physically searching or answers. "We're being freaking careful about everything we spend money on and what's she gonna do? Use our money to let the cops know where she is and Fisk realize we suddenly have a brand new flame thrower?" Kate ranted, suddenly the frustration she used to feel about her mom simmering inside of her again.
"It's stupid," she sighed.
God, she can't keep avoiding her mom. But right now it feels like the best thing she could possibly do.
Taking a deep breath, she hid her face against Matt's shoulder, squeezing his hand a little harder as he held hers.
As he joked, she finally snorted, almost against her will. "Maybe be kind after I get some 5 extra minutes of sleep."
no subject
He gave her hand a squeeze. There wasn't any right or wrong now in his book. Kate didn't owe her mother a relationship. If what she needed was time and space, he'd support that. If she wanted to hear her out, he'd support that, too. Hell, his own relationship with his mother wasn't one where he called her Mom, and that was after years of being reacquainted. Families were individual roadmaps and he just cared that Kate got what she needed and wasn't hurt in the process.
"Extra sleep? Lame," he teased her. "I guess this is the wrong time to say that I start talking before I've even had coffee. I don't know if that makes me a morning person but it does make me someone who doesn't understand the value of brain fog and staring in the distance for half an hour." He couldn't stare, anyway.
no subject
Matt was like a lifeline sometimes. He was proof of the real value of having a good partner. They could get through anything together, she firmly believe in that now.
"... You think she was trying to manipulate you?" It was hard to know. Maybe Eleanor wanted Matt to be on her good side. Buy him. Because that was how Eleanor Bishop solved things: with money. Get others to do the dirty work. Kill a man or buy the one that might sweeten the deal to her daughter. "You know. Convince you with giving you enough money to solve our worries or whatever. Getting you on her side."
That's what this turned into? Sides? Teams? Kate realized, she still didn't trust her mom. As happy as she'd been when she got to see her again,
The noddles were clearly boiling now and judging the smell filling the kitchen now, they were getting overcooked. "Shit!" Startled, Kate remembered them and disentangled herself from Matt, going to check on them.
no subject
His brow furrowed until he heard her at the stove. He knew better than to move towards a hot stove that he wasn't overly familiar with, so he stayed by the counter. "Are the noodles okay? Did we ruin them? How are the pizza rolls doing?"
Hearing the magic word, remembering how much love Matt had showered him with the last time he did this trick, Lucky barked at the word pizza. Matt had to chuckle and reached out a hand. Lucky came over with his toy to receive pets as Matt did reassure him, "Yes, you're a very clever boy. The rolls aren't good for dogs, though. We'll have to leave it up to your mom if you get one or a more proper dog treat."
no subject
She looked up at Matt, the worried creases on her face vanishing as he mentioned he didn't sense her mother had been lying. It took a moment of processing his words, how he believed Eleanor truly wanted nothing but to do things right by her daughter. Could her mom actually help somehow? What if she ends up locked up and in danger again? "... Sorry you got caught up in the middle of this." A messenger of sorts.
In a hurry to pour the noddles into bolws, Kate almost forgot about the pizza rolls. "Shit,"she hissed, splashing a little broth around before she rushed to check the rolls and get them out of the oven. "Huh... They're kind of on the crispy side." She confessed with clear disappointment.
Great. She wanted to give Matt a fun junk-food meal. Instead, she was giving him overcooked noodles and toasted pizza rolls.
At least Lucky seemed excited. "Sorry, bud. You heard the vet. Dog treats for you." Sighing as she was definitely disappointed with herself, Kate found the bag of treats and came to Matt, taking his hand and handing them to him. She reached in a cabinet and took out some dishes, ready to plate the rolls.