"Trust me, I'm not aiming to get injured." He fed Lucky another treat, ruffling the dog's head. He leaned down and kissed the soft fur. It was such a nice, easy moment being in Kate's kitchen. Despite how enormous the entire place was, it felt warm and inviting to him because of Kate and Lucky. "I'm aiming to teach Lucky more tricks. Did you see he knows how to hug on command?" Matt was so proud of the canine.

Smelling the food sizzling on the stove made Matt's stomach growl again and he ate a few more of the Takis to tide himself over and be patient. "Fried and sugary makes me think of funnel cake. Or churros. Which we don't need to add to the list today," he was quick to preface, since he knew Kate might leap to indulging whatever came out of his mouth. "My mind just goes to fair food when I think of those two words."

"Maybe save it for another night if you wanna make one. I think we have enough food on our list to burst. by all means though, if you want to introduce me to sausage casseroles, be my guest." It was clearly a dish that meant a lot to Kate, so he wouldn't take that away from her if she wanted to make it. He also didn't mind being the one to do it, though. "Your burgers are smelling great."

"I guess being a firefighter might go hand in hand with being good with dogs," Matt smiled. He had a lot of respect for first responders, and Kate had only ever spoken fondly about this one. "Honestly, the job sounded cool when I was younger. Ride around on a truck, save lives, hang with dalmatians. It's probably not so glamorous in real life, but good to know the dog part isn't entirely off base." He still didn't quite understand LARPing, other than dressing up like characters, but he was doing his best to understand such an important part of Kate's world. It was clearly a community in and of itself, and communities meant so much.

"Oh, I've had churros plenty of times," he assured Kate, clarifying. "It's how something is made that makes the difference. If it has a ton of processed chemicals or unbalanced flavors and poor quality ingredients, I can taste that. It's not that I hate sugar in and of itself, you know I keep ice cream in the freezer." Matt had a sweet tooth and he wasn't afraid to admit to it. "I just need it to be made with clean ingredients. Now, I try and eat healthy most of the time, but I treat myself every so often to dessert. Hence the ice cream. I probably had churros a year or so ago." He'd sometimes gone to fairs with Foggy and Karen. "Like I said, the words 'fried' and 'sugary' just made me think of them, not that I've never had them."

"No on the ketchup, yes on the coffee. And if you usually put siracha on it, then let's do it. I want the full Kate burger experience. If my stomach hates me later I'll blame myself for it." He smiled at her, she had to know that he'd take what she said as a dare whether she meant it that way or not.

"Firefighter was definitely on the career roster when I was a kid. Also boxer, which my dad hated, and a chef, a lawyer, a marine biologist, an astronaut... a lot of the usual ones, I imagine. Pretty early on though I settled on law." Matt's father had been supportive of any career that didn't involve Matt fighting. He'd always wanted Matt to use his brain rather than his fists. "What about you? I know professional athlete was one of yours, but were there others?"

The kiss to his cheek surprised him but made him smile. It was sweet to share in the excitement of sharing her favorite burger. He could hear it in her tone even without his powers. It reminded him that the little gestures were so important. To make people feel seen and heard, and not just to keep them safe. He tried to always keep that in mind, but he sometimes fell short. Now was a good reminder and he tapped the table in anticipation. "I'm ready. I have water, let's do this."

His fingers felt along the table in front of him until he found the plate and then the burger on it. He lifted it up, feeling the heft of it in his hands. He took a small smell of it, noting the beefy, eggy, spicy scent emanating from it. "Cheers," he said with a smile, raising the burger in her direction before he took a bite. The flavor exploded in his mouth, but not in an overwhelming way. The egg did run, the burger was a bit messy, but he'd worry about his beard and fingers later. "That's... really good, actually." He took another bite, then a sip of water. Spicy as all hell, but it worked with the fattiness of the egg. It'd take him some getting used to tolerating this spice level regularly, but this morning it was a pleasant if a touch painful treat. "My first breakfast burger, you get the honors of saying you made it happen," he teased her. "I never would have thought to put an egg and chips on it."

"All the animal careers, huh?" Matt smiled, picturing that perfectly with Kate. "You know, you can volunteer at shelters. I know you have your own pet now, but if you want even more animal time and can find free time, they let you play with the animals and take them for walks and stuff. Or you could foster." None of which Matt did, but he'd heard about it. Matt had advocated for it furiously when he'd been young, but his father hadn't let him have any pets, either. In their case, it was because pets weren't allowed at their apartment. "The fostering is more responsibility though, obviously." He loved that people who wanted company could go to shelters and provide attention to animals that desperately needed it. "You'd have to be careful though to resist adopting everything while you were there."

When his hand brushed the paper towels Matt ripped off one, offered it to Kate, then took another for himself. He wiped at his face, getting most but not all of the mess off his beard, and cleaned his fingers. He set the napkin aside then to dive back into the burger, well aware that he'd need to use the napkin again before the meal was through. It was all right. He didn't mind getting down and dirty with his meals sometimes.

"Hey, don't put yourself down," he chided when she said she wasn't as good as him. "You should love your burgers. They're really good. I've had eggs before on a burger, but never with crushed hot chips and siracha. Foggy had a burger once that had mayo, peanut butter, and an egg on it. That one I did not try, but it's haunted me ever since." He said it jokingly, but honestly, the worst part about it had been the processed peanut butter. Maybe if it had been fresh he'd have taken a bite. It struck Matt then that he wouldn't like Kate's burger as much when his powers returned, because of the processed chemicals in the chips. Unless they somehow found a clean ingredient version of them.

He'd enjoy it now and not let himself forget it.

"No, that's fair," Matt agreed. "Know yourself and know your limits. Besides," he added with a smile as he gave Lucky a piece of meat after wiping off what hot sauce he could from it, "You did rescue and save this guy." Of course Matt had caved and given into the begging, even if he tried to give Lucky a piece that wouldn't make him sick. He patted the dog's head then took another sip of water. "And yeah, that burger was certainly a choice. One of the rare times that one could call Foggy adventurous." That was something that had endeared Matt to Foggy, though. While Foggy had some partying stories, for the most part, he wasn't wild and crazy. He'd been a solid figure instead, a calm harbor.

Once the burgers had been demolished, Matt rose to his feet with a small groan. "I am going to help with the dishes," he informed Kate. "Just show me where the sink is. I don't mind drying if you want to wash." He couldn't spot check to ensure all the food was off as good as she could right now. "I'm feeling a little less sleepy now that I've eaten. If we take the coffee to go, we could go to the store. Maybe take Lucky for a walk with us." The prospect of being out in the city without his powers frightened Matt a little... which made him think he should do it all the more.

Maybe this was both a good test of his other skills, and a good reminder of the ways that other people lived.

"No, I get you. There are so many good causes worth supporting but it's impossible to support them all. I always want to do more for the visually impaired community but finding the time has been a challenge. You do a lot though, Kate. You helped Lucky, you helped Marshall. You help a lot of people." He understood intimately the guilt of not supporting a cause that mattered to you like animal rescue did to her. So it mattered to him to reassure her about it.

Matt laughed softly a little. "Yeah. He talked a lot but he would be the first person to point out fatality statistics if you mentioned bungee jumping. He said he liked his life too much to risk it on something stupid." Matt's smiled turned a little soft and sad. "He was always getting on me for being too reckless, even before Daredevil. 'Who am I going to retire to a beach bachelor pad with, Matt?'" He did a really good mimicry of Foggy, even if his timbre of voice was different. "'You can't go off being an idiot because I won't be able to afford to live by myself when I'm old with all the cases you won't let us take.'" A playful argument they had so often. His voice returned to normal. "There was then talk about us hiring nurses to take care of us but that gets inappropriate so I'll stop there. But yeah. He took risks when he thought it was worthwhile. Minus the ones that left him with a hangover."

When at the sink Matt held the dishtowel, obediently waiting for Kate to hand him dishes to dry as she washed. "... I do love Chinatown. Okay. Go big or go home." If given a choice between comfort and a challenge, Matt Murdock always chose the challenge. "We need to get the noodles, anyway. If you're going to make me eat instant ramen I want a good one."

Matt cast a bemused smile at Kate's explosion, her implementing a deadline upon herself. He'd just been lamenting his own inability to find time specifically for the blind community because he was so busy with his pro bono cases at work and Daredevil duties. "I swear I was just talking about my own putting things off. I get wrapped up in cases at the office, and then before I know it, it's time to put on the other suit and then it's time to get back to the police station to argue that no, a poor person stealing chips doesn't deserve jail they need assistance... anyway, I appreciate your help and I'll attend any benefit, but it wasn't aimed at you. I swear." It was just hard to focus in on a community that Matt felt he owed more to when he was already pulled at so many angles. He should do better at it, not foist it off on Kate. Even if her heart was so big she took it on herself.

"I'd suggest either reaching out or letting your donations committee reach out to organizations that are already involved in those areas? They could coordinate together to put on an event. That list I gave you, partnering with them would both decrease Bishop Securities' workload and also show good faith that you're aligning with an organization dedicated to that cause." He bumped her shoulder back. "I can't let my partner do it by herself, after all."

"I've only made ramen from scratch or ordered it at restaurants, so I'll leave the instant choices up to you." He set the glasses and plates on a towel to finish drying after he wiped them off, folding the towel once he was done. He set Lucky's bag of treats on the counter too and reminded Kate, "Better put away the Takis too or else You Know Who will get them." He adored Lucky but the dog would somehow reach the counter to eat the snacks. "If you can get me back to the living room I'll get the change of clothes and we can then be off. It'll just take me a few more times to remember the steps to all the rooms. I promise." He hated feeling like a burden, even if Kate never made him feel that way. It was just a part of his personality, of social implications, that not even Matt was above.

"It goes beyond an event, yeah. Not that there's anything wrong with companies that focus on events, and fundraising. If an organization has the capacity to work past those measures and not only fundraise by distribute those resources and build a work capacity, that would be amazing." It meant a lot that Kate cared to explore other avenues of advocacy, due to her capacity being larger. "I appreciate you wanting to include those who are impacted at every level of the events, and I'd like to know how they feel the funds would be best spent - and who they want to nix from the guest list."

It depended on the advocacy group. Some where more political and willing to work with a group that others found distasteful. Others would refuse 'Judas money' as they saw it, regardless of religion. So it was smart to see ahead of time who to trim from that guest list.

"I'm a smart guy," was his muttered response to her saying it was a big place in which she lived. He'd always hold himself to higher standards than he did anyone else. He counted as carefully as he could the steps they made and took, from the kitchen to the living room to get his clothing, to the bedroom to change. He chanted the numbers in his head like a mantra. He picked up the large pile of clothing, tucked to his chin, and waited for her to take his arm to guide him to his room. He hadn't thought about his teeth in all the mayhem, but... "... dental hygiene should probably happen. I'm assuming that the 1% of Manhattan just has these laying around for their many rich guests," he said dryly.

Once on the room he did clean up a bit, then changed into a business casual attire that she offered. He waited outside the room patiently... or at least he'd wait a few minutes patiently before trying to explore on his own.

"I'll help how I can without you hiring me, but I think the people who would know best what to do are those who already put on fundraisers at your company," he reminded her. "I'd let them handle it in conjunction with whatever group it's decided to team up with for the night. Normally the group is going to be the nonprofit chosen to receive the money at the end." After all, event planning was an actual job, full-time in many cases. If Bishop Securities already had a history of putting on those events, then surely they had a donations and fundraising department.

Matt discarded the robe once he was back in the guest bedroom, changing into jeans and a soft shirt. He had no idea what the color was, but it couldn't clash much with the jeans, could it? Hopefully the socks matched well enough too, Matt had had everything labeled at his apartment for that reason. To know what went with what. He brushed his teeth and then found his new guide dog, Lucky, waiting for him outside the door. "Ready to go for a walk?" he said to the dog, who barked and immediately led Matt to where his leash was located. Hearing Kate's voice Matt called out, "Here. I let Lucky guide me, I think to his leash." The dog nudged the leash against Matt's hand and he chuckled. "Yeah, we're at the leashes."

"They're really nice quality," Matt commented on the clothing. Not that he was surprised, he imagined Kate's family was used to paying a lot of money for premium fabrics. The cashmere and soft denim felt lovely against his skin. "I guess your dad had a boxer's build, then," he joked lightly about the fitting. They did fit Matt rather well, and he knew he was in good shape. Even if his was technically more of a ninja than a boxer, he still deferred to his father's profession in talking. Boxing was still an integral part of his training, a workout routine that Matt found to be Zen when it was just him and a punching bag.

"Hey, buddy, let's put this one properly..." Matt had to say this a few times as Lucky tugged him along in a delighted game to the elevator. It was only once they were on it that Matt was able to take the leash out of Lucky's mouth and clip it to his collar. He ruffled the dog's head and smiled though at this silliness.

Once at the door Matt of course paused to talk to Walter, asking when the man's next day off was because he clearly worked too hard. Walter in turn clucked over the bruises on Matt's face. Matt asked if he liked Vietnamese coffee since they were going to Chinatown and promised to bring Walter back a nice cold cup of it. He turned to Kate then and after some consideration folded up his walking stick. He pocketed it and took Kate's elbow, holding Lucky's leash in the other hand. As sweet as the dog was he wasn't actually a guide dog, so he'd have to rely on Kate to really get around. "It's strange," he admitted. "Not hearing... everything."

There was a pause before Matt admitted, "No. Not in a good way." He was quick to clarify, lest he seem ungrateful for the morning, for her, for what they shared in the apartment. "I don't regret getting to experience the world more like you do. More like most people do, especially those that are blind. It's good to know what it's all like. It's just..." He tried to find the right words to explain, floundering for a few moments. "I'm used to sensing so much more. To knowing more about the people and world around me. Once Stick introduced me to what I could connect with, the world opened up beyond anything I could have ever imagined. So when it shrinks like this, in some ways, it all feels... not lonely, but isolating?"

He squeezed her arm a little as he held it. "Which isn't to say it's all bad. Like I said, I'm grateful to you, and I won't forget what we shared. I just wouldn't want to live like this forever." He did want his powers to come back, to get to know the world as he'd come to know it for three decades now. There was a pause before he added in a lighter tone, "So why don't you be my eyes for me for right now? Tell me what you see. What you're sensing."

[OOC: I'm still doing my DD rewatch and I finally made it through the Stick ep. Oh my heart, I love Stick so much. The bracelet!]

He listened to Kate's voice, letting her cadence and tone wash over him. Letting her words guide him on what was going on around them. Some things he could picture easier than others, and some things he pictured in his way, mental images of shapes and forms rather than people with specific defining features. He smiled a little as Kate woven in her own story about the couple moving into the building next door, not at all surprised she'd craft a narrative based on her deductions. "That sounds plausible. Moving into a new place with a baby, sounds like they could use some coffee, too. Though now I have to know, what does a Brianna look like?" He figured she had a reason for going for that name.

He paused when she told him to, and moved to the side as the bicycle was ridden past them. The joys of living in a crowded state with a lot of foot and bike traffic. He could hear conversation, though not really the specifics. He could smell the streets, the vendors, but not individual scents. It was like having a blanket put over him, muffling him as he moved. He did have to rely on Kate and Lucky, a humbling experience. Though he wouldn't whine about it. He was fortunate to have someone to guide him. To be alive. To trust that his powers would return soon.

"I remember the first time I really used my senses," he mused to her in a quiet voice, keeping it vague. "That I realized the world could be larger than I imagined. Believe it or not, ice cream was involved."