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Leave Matt a message below!

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From:

hawk_shot

Wait, that is a thing? I know Cap does, but I didn't know other heroes did too. [She goes quiet.] But... What if I'm not the Hawkeye they expect? [Most kids grew up with Clint's Hawkeye. The same Hawkeye she grew up with! Would she be disappointed if someone else showed up?]

Well, he started taking me rock climbing when I was five and that drove my mom so mad, but I loved it. He had a lot of time to work but always found time for me. I would set up treasure hunts at home for them and they dressed up or let me put makeup on them, yeah. We did go to Disney a few times too. [It's clear that Kate does have a lot of great memories about her childhood.]

Dinner, obviously. I mean... A wonderful, homemade dinner.

From:

streetlevel

Well, I can just speak for myself and Peter, but yeah. We've done it. It's a good time, even if some of the kids are wrong and say Spidey is the best. And even if you're not the Hawkeye they expect, you can be an amazing Hawkeye they get to meet and remember.

That's sweet. Those sound like a lot of good memories. What sort of treasure would they find?

Good thing homemade dinners are exactly in my wheelhouse.

From:

hawk_shot

Guess... I could always play with the kids at shooting paper balls and that sort of thing. I'd -- Yeah, I'd really like to join you guys the next time. Maybe bring some toys too?

Oh, something stupid. I would mostly draw pictures and put them inside of boxes decorated as a pirate chest.

Hey, you might be the one getting laid, but I'm the one who's getting the better deal.

From:

streetlevel

Playing with the kids is one of the best parts of it. And toys are good to bring. Just check the hospital website for the rules on what to bring and what not to bring. I'll let you know when we're next going.

That sounds adorable, not stupid.

I do make very good meals. I find cooking relaxing.

From:

hawk_shot

Will do. I bet it must be really sweet, seeing all those kids looking up to you. Knowing that your message about looking after each other gets them.

I guess so, yeah. Mom still displayed a lot of those old pictures until a few years ago. Like, next to a Pollock. I had to tell her that, as similar as they look, to please take mine down.

And you hate cooking for yourself, I know. You're an incredibly sweet guy, Matt. [it just slips out, without thinking.]

From:

streetlevel

Honestly? Yeah. It is really sweet. It feels good when I break into some criminal shithole, and there are kids there, and I can sense their heartbeats calm down when they see me. They trust I'll get them out of there. It's humbling to go into a hospital where kids are fighting for their lives and have just being there mean something to them. They're doing braver work than I've had to, you know? I tell them that it's a privilege they let me hang out, not the opposite.

Now I'm just disappointed I can't see them. Maybe Eleanor will describe them to me, when I see her again.

You're a worthwhile dinner guest, Kate. I like having you over.

From:

hawk_shot

You say they're doing braver work and, you probably have a point, but you've been there yourself. Haven't you, Matt? I mean, I'm not surprised this means so much to you, helping those kids. You know exactly what it means to them.

You're a real dork, did you know that? But... As shocked as my mom will be to hear that from my lawyer and good friend.... Yeah, I wouldn't be shocked if she did describe them.

And I'm honored I'm one of the few people you have over. [She pauses.] Thank you for letting me stay with you. It really means a lot to me.

From:

streetlevel

... yeah. I guess it does hit a little close to home. [He cleared his throat.] Nobody came to help my dad when he was dying. Nobody came for hours. They didn't want to come to that part of the city. Wasn't worth their time. Every kid should have a Clint Barton to look up to. Even if he didn't get to your dad in time. I'm just glad you weren't entirely alone. And I know you do the same for a lot of kids now.

I've been called worse than a dork. Just think of all the lawyer jokes I've had to endure over the years. I'll definitely ask her, then.

You're welcome. Anytime. I'm sorry if I came across as unwelcoming earlier. Saying I didn't have people over much. I'm really tired. I don't think I'm phrasing things as well as I should.

From:

hawk_shot

... I'm so sorry to hear that, Matt. [Not that it mattered, not that she could do anything for the boy he once was.] I'd love to do that for kids. But so do you. You've changed the lives of a lot of kids in this city. You hear them when nobody else does. That's... You understand how huge that is?

I still like to call you Dorkdevil. I think it balances your two sides perfectly, in the best possible way.

Oh, no! No, don't get me wrong! I didn't feel unwelcomed, not even once! It's the other way around. You were the first person I reached out to and right away you invited me to stay with you. [It had been the best thing Kate could hear at a moment like that one. When she had been shocked, a little scared and unsure of what to do and where to go to.] I was -- I was just thinking about how incredibly friendly you are with pretty much everyone you meet. And yet -- You make friends everywhere but only a few get really close.

From:

streetlevel

It's all right. Well, it's not all right, but it's all right. You know? [He's so very eloquent right now.] I mostly just remember the good things now about him. He was a good man. [A criminal, but a good man.] And... that means a lot to hear, Kate. I try to hear them. [A child's cries were what prompted Matt to put on that black suit for the first time all those years ago. Heather would have a field day with that, wouldn't she?] Just hope you know that you're doing the same.

If loving Star Trek is wrong I don't want to be right.

Okay, good. Good. [He wants her to feel welcome.] ... do you make friends that end up being close often, then? [A not so subtle avoidance, but he is curious.]

From:

hawk_shot

Yeah, I get it. [She breath out a quiet laugh, aware that they were both out of their wits.] I can't stop thinking about what you showed me the other day. Those gloves you showed me. How you dad taught you to keep getting up. [It had been a surreal talk, so sweet of him. It's a moment she'll carry in her heart forever.] It's what we try to do, isn't it? Going out there, making a difference.

Then don't. And I won't stop until I see you with pointy ears.

Well, yeah, it happens. Like, sometimes you meet someone really special and you go like 'oh, my god! Are we best friends already??!'. Because things just click. Like with you and Foggy and Karen. You guys just clicked with me and I knew I'd really care about you guys big time. Now -- You're like one of my best friends in the world.

From:

streetlevel

It is, yeah. That's why we do it. [It means a lot to him that she remembered.] I guess I just wanted you to know that while I don't know exactly what you're going through with your mom, and what your dad did, I understand a little. How parents can make shit choices, but there still being good memories. I'm sure my dad would have liked you. He always liked people who shot straight from the hip.

Good Star Trek just raises a lot of interesting ethical questions, you know? ... this is why I'm friends with Peter, isn't it. I made the mistake of bringing up the ethical dilemma of Sisko bringing the Romulans into the war and he followed me home. Learn from my mistakes Kate or he'll never leave you alone.

Ha. Well, Foggy and I did have some early hiccups with rooming together... he was a slob who snored and ate crap in bed. Imagine that with my habits. The honeymoon left early, I wanted to murder him... then we got past that to the meat of our friendship. You're right, though. I did stick around. And I do find it very easy to talk to you.

From:

hawk_shot

Yeah, the message came across, trust me. [Kate laughs softly.] You even made me cry and got all worried, but I was -- I don't know, it was so touching. So nice of you. [And so important, specially when at times she really secondguesses herself and where she comes from.] I'm pretty sure I would have really liked your dad. He might have made mistakes, but it's clear he loved you with all his heart.

... Pretty sure I'm safe since I didn't get a single thing you just said.

Oh, did you joke about bedbugs with him too, you monster? The snoring on the other hand, that I can get. You don't snore too, do you? [It was so hard to imagine a world in which Matt didn't adore Foggy, though.] I'm glad you find it easy, since lately we do it all the time and, well, I'm crashing with you. I promise to clean any crumbs from your couch.

From:

streetlevel

[OOC: In the comics Matt and Foggy had a learning curve with learning to live with one another at college and given how particular Matt is that always made perfect sense to me, so I've kept it, LOL.]

It sounds like your dad loved you, too.

You're likely safe then unless you feed him.

I don't snore, unless I have a sinus infection. And I lectured him on his hygiene habits, which didn't go over great. We figured it out, though. And you can take my bed if you want. I've slept on my sofa before.

From:

hawk_shot

[ooc: I've read that one and I love, love, love the idea of them future avocados having a honeymoon stage only for Foggy to then drive Matt insane once they became roomies. XD]

I was a daddy's girl big time, yeah. I think it pissed mom a little. She was always trying to show me that she was a real cool mom too. [A beat.] Which, she was. She was actually in a heavy metal band once.

No wonder you're double-screwed. You talk nerd and feed people.

Well, in Foggy's defense, lecturing people about their hygiene doesn't have much of a chance of going down well, Matt. [She wonders what was Matt like twenty years ago. More playful, more of an idiot like guys her age often are? Really into his good hygiene apparently. ... If they had been the same age, would he have got along with Kate back then?] What? No, no, I'm good on the couch. I'm just probably going to ask you for something to wear as a pyjama? I didn't even think about grabbing one or a tooth brush.

From:

streetlevel

[OOC: Mark Waid's run is the definitive Matt Murdock comics run for me. I adore it beyond measure. I've read most DD runs (up until a few years ago when I stopped having time to read comics) and Waid still is my fav.]

Really? You two didn't trade music tips growing up, then? I know you took music lessons.

I hadn't gotten all my lawyer arguing skills down pat yet. And if you're sure. I don't mind taking turns on the sofa. You can borrow a shirt and sweatpants if you want. I have a spare toothbrush, too.

From:

hawk_shot

[ooc: You always give the best recs, so I'm ready to write down anything you think is good.]

I didn't learn she was in a bad until I was a teenager. I felt so betrayed after how she insisted I needed to give the cello a try.

So, you were blunt and kind of an idiot about it? Honestly, I'm sure fine on your couch, it's roomy. And... You still have spare toothbrushes? Matthew!

From:

streetlevel

Maybe you could use the cello to do more than classical music.

I was not the most eloquent when I reached a breaking point. Neither was he. But we got through it. And everyone should have spare toothbrushes. Why wait until you need to change yours out? You should change your toothbrush regularly, it makes sense to have another on hand for that.

From:

hawk_shot

Maybe back then. I haven't really practiced in ages.

You two were pretty much a married couple, so I'm not shocked. [There was simply something about those two. They just worked together so well. Almost seemed ready to finish off each other's sentences.] Oh, come on. We all know you probably bought a whole box becuase you were quickly running out of them.

From:

streetlevel

Maybe with that free time we talked about you can pick it up again. Learn one of your mom's songs.

Yeah. We kind of were. We were definitely each other's longest lasting relationship, that's for sure. ... not everyone can say they've had a friendship like that. I hope you'll be able to say it.

... it didn't make sense to throw them out since they could still be used. Do you think it bothered Heather?

From:

hawk_shot

Yeah, maybe. It's not something I've considering in a while. [Kate grew silent, thoughtful.] What about you? Is there something you'd like to pick up?

I think anyone would be super happy to have a friendship as fraction of how close you guys were. [She missed seeing Matt and Foggy together almost as much as Foggy himself.]

.... [She knew it!] What? No! No, everybody -- I mean, we all have a past, right? And like you said, its pretty sensible to have a few spare ones. It's not like you're always asking her about her exes, do you?

From:

streetlevel

I do like the piano, but like we said, I'm not sure I have the space for it.

I hope that for you. I hope you have many of them.

No, that's not a frequent topic. So yeah, help yourself to one of them. And any soap and shampoo as needed.

From:

hawk_shot

Yeah, but I mean, aside from music and pole dancing? Is there something you've always wanted to pick up?

I know we'll never have something like that, but I hope we do have a long friendship too, Matt.

See? I doubt she'd the kinda chick that will hunt you down over your exes, chill. We all have a past. And thank you, I will. Knowing you... Do you use organic soap and shampoo?

From:

streetlevel

You know... nothing that comes to mind? I'm actually pretty good at just following whims as they come to me. I've tried a lot of things. I actually started the violin at random in a subway station. [That was how Matt lived. Impetuously, without a care what people thought. He fell in love hard and fast, he tried something just because he could. It made him a jack of many trades and a master of just a few. Like his personal relationships, Matt dabbled but rarely committed.]

It won't be exactly the same, but it doesn't have to be to be meaningful.

My soap is hand crafted from the farmer's market, it's absolutely organic. Diego makes wonderful products, I should introduce you sometime. [Matt can now afford a life where he can buy farmer's market soap. It's not as ritzy as Kate's lifestyle, but it's definitely something Frank would sigh at. Matt doesn't care. He loves his hand crafted soap products that feel good on his sensitive skin.]

Edited Date: 2025-04-22 01:52 am (UTC)

From:

hawk_shot

[Even if by now Kate was used to hear the strangest stories coming from Matt, he still somehow managed to surprise her, stealing a joyful little laugh out of her.] Who picks up violin randomly in a subway? You're like something out of that game... Clue? Thankfully with less murder.

Every important relationship is meaningful in its own way.

Hey, if you recommmend it, I'm all in. Can you get some for me the next time? I don't always buy organic shampoo, but it's so good. You can't really see it to appreciate it, but it makes my hair so shiny!