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streetlevel

Leave Matt a message below!

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From:

streetlevel

He didn't seem to. [A grudging tone in his voice. Like Matt wants to rail, but when hearing another's rebuke it's like a brother getting huffy on behalf of another brother. Only Matt can give shit until he knows otherwise.] Right. Yeah. I should get changed.

I guess it does.

You bring people together. Even at that shitfaced dinner.

From:

hawk_shot

Well, that's great. Totally not adding on the list of his bullshit. [Because even though she's heard enough stories about Punisher, enough to want to meet him, Kate's always hoped that a guy like him would absolutely hate what incels and dipshits did of what he stands for. Sure, his methods are horrid. But... Can Kate, without a second of a doubt, swear she wouldn't completely lose it herself if she had faced what he did?

Whatever. Either way, it's a huge disappointment.] Bullseye, thai food and a tuxedo. We really are making the best out of this shitty day, huh?

Hmmm-hmmmm. [You're not fooling anyone, Matt.

However, you're pretty stubborn yourself. And it kinda feels wrong to pretend Kate can trump you when it comes to Foggy's memory. Maybe it's better to take the compliment, that huge compliment, and leave it at that.]

We should end the night like that. Drink everything Fisk has there, get super shitfaced and totally embarrass that walking hemorrhoid.

From:

streetlevel

I'm not gonna say I've had worse days and jinx us.

Have you ever fought while drunk?

From:

hawk_shot

.... Well, no. But even drunk I bet I would be an excellent fighter. Isn't that a style in kung fu?

All I'm saying is, hear me out. We get sooo shitfaced that we publically embarrass him until he gives up. We give him such a hard time he has no option but resign first thing in the morning, Matt.

From:

streetlevel

If it's an ancient style it's not one that I was trained in. Stick must have kept it to himself.

I do think his image matters to him.

From:

hawk_shot

We need to start watching more kung fu movies together, clearly.

See? Look, if we are smart about it, I'm pretty sure we still have time to find some novelty wigs, a bald cap and an inflatable penis costume.

From:

streetlevel

Who's that guy that used to do them? Jackie Chan?

She says like she doesn't already have those things probably in storage.

From:

hawk_shot

Yep, Jackie Chan. Bruce Lee was the real deal, though.

I don't have them! A friend of mine from college has the penis one. But it's been on my list for a while. [She pauses.] But I know how to make a bald cap with tights.

From:

streetlevel

I forgot about Bruce Lee. I know, it's shameful. I did see a few of those movies before I lost my eyesight.

[A lot of action movies were lost on Matt, even when they had the visually impaired closed caption that narrated the action on screen. Those sorts of movies had to have really good dialogue and plot to keep him interested.]

Let me guess, from your LARP friends?

From:

hawk_shot

Yeah, I guess... I mean, I don't wanna say you miss out or anything. But it's probably not as much fun, is it?

[She remembers how she felt awkward at first, how she sometimes seemed to forget about his disability, because of his talents. She felt weird, not wanting to say the wrong thing around Matt, afraid of hurting his feelings. But at the same time conscious of not treating him differently.

Now, she simply was used to talking naturally about his disability.]

One of them plays a monk, yeah.

From:

streetlevel

It's all right to say missing out. I do miss out on some things. I have a lot of other blessings in my life, but yeah, sometimes it's disappointing. Sometimes things are harder. It's okay to say that. And there are a lot of movies that are easier to enjoy, so I get to still experience those. Especially nowadays when some shows have the visually impaired narration.

[Matt has experienced all of his friends and loved ones go through this process, so he's all right with it. He's glad though that Kate is more comfortable about it now.]

What are you when you play? A ranger? Or is that too on the nose?

From:

hawk_shot

It's weird to think of all the things I never really considered before I met you. Like, I was aware, you know? But now it's like I'm super aware that not every movie has the narration or ramps are blocked. [Or of the fact that there's things that he's never going to experience.] Is it..? Do you actually see something? Like, is it more than all just being dark?

[Some time ago she would have worried about the question being too personal, but by now it feels like a very reasonable thing.]

Nope, I'm not a ranger. I think they're called rogues? It's like, being a thief ninja.

From:

streetlevel

It's kind of you that you're open to being aware now. It means a lot to me. [A beat.] I feel for those who are blind and don't have my senses. You know? They have it much harder than I do. As for what I see... it's like a world on fire. Which isn't as bad as it sounds. I can sense the heat coming off of people. The scent of them. It can outline certain things for me, like bodies. I can't see details, though. I don't know the color of your skin, or the shape of your eyes. I can't sense anything on a screen.

I can see you as a ninja. A thief... makes me want to check my pockets.

From:

hawk_shot

[It should't be a big deal. But hearing that it really matters to Matt? Kate's chest fills with a soft, warm sensation.] So, like, general shapes? Colors? [Something sticks there, something she's wondered about but that just never made its way into one of their conversations.] You ever wonder about that? Like, how what people look like. Okay, I need to know. How do you picture me, Matt? Brunette, blonde or a redhead?

Jokes on you. You don't even have pockets anymore. Gone.

From:

streetlevel

General shapes yes. Colors no. So I can maneuver around a table because the air is a little different around it, but I don't know what it's made of unless I touch it, and I don't know what color it is at all. [Why did his mind go to Foggy joking about how Matt somehow always had a soft spot for red heads when Kate asked what he thought she looked like?] I kind of jump around in envisioning people. I've pictured you with all sorts of hair color.

Damn. I'm going to have to get creative in where I carry my phone.

From:

hawk_shot

Yeah, that makes sense. And it's so cool. Beacuse I've heard some people say 'I see nothing' and I honestly can't imagine what nothing looks like. I was gonna need you to explain if that was your experience. [Because, yeah. Since meeting Matt she's watched documentaries about the blind and read a book about it. But she's touched, now realizing that in a way, she's closer to him. She understands his experience a little better.] ... How do you envision me right now? Do you want hints?

Nope. Too late, your phone is gone! Now we're communicating telephatically. Didn't you notice?

From:

streetlevel

Yeah, I'm sure my answer would be different if I didn't have my powers. And the experience of imagining something or someone can also be different depending on whether someone was born blind or lost their sight later in life. [A beat.] You've heard people say that? Have you been doing research on it? [That is really touching how much she's trying to understand what life is like for him.] And yes. I want a hint. I know a little from how you felt, but that's just shape.

Here I was always told to ignore the voices in my head.

From:

hawk_shot

[She completely understands where Matt comes from. And honestly, it makes her curious about how the world is like for other blind people. Which... He seems to catch up on.] Hummm, yeah, a little? I was just curious of, you know, how my friend experiences the world. But you say research like it's a big deal when in reality I just watched some stuff. [She still remembers what it was like, having Matt exploring her face with his hands. Meeting, in a way, for the first time.] Okay, so... I have white skin. And I have blue eyes.

Yeah, because you're well known for listening.

From:

streetlevel

Well. It's a big deal to me. White skin, blue eyes, check. Dark or light blue?

I listen. I just don't always take what I hear into action.

From:

hawk_shot

There's... You've probably already heard of them, but there's a real cool documentary about this guy who went blind as a kid but still became an artist. And then another one about blind people taking photographs. Super interesting. [It's not something she planned on sharing with him specifically, but since it came up, it's nice to be able to talk about it.] Light. Kinda grayish depending on the light.

I'm so gonna say this the next time you tell me I'm not listening.

From:

streetlevel

My dad got me some stories like that when I first went blind. To inspire me, I suppose. I didn't really appreciate it at the time, but I did later on. Light blue gray. Got it. Hair?

You have to find your own plausible deniability reason.

From:

hawk_shot

Well, guess its kinda hard to find something so sudden and so big to be inspiring. Specially for a kid. But isn't that how it usually works with parents? You understand what they were trying to do only once you grow up. [It was something Kate was struggling with right now. The fact that her mother could literally kill for her daughter.] Oh, no, I'm not giving it all away. I wanna know what you're picturing now.

Which is quoting my partner. I've learned so many things from him, Matt.

From:

streetlevel

Yeah, I guess so. I feel a lot of things can't be fully appreciated in the moment. As for hair color... purple?

Not to avoid crumbs in bed, though.

From:

hawk_shot

No, that's very true. [he'll probably hear how she breaths out a chuckle.] Nope. Not purple, but I'm loving that guess. Besides, I did go lavender once.

Oooh, since you're not home I could totally sabotage your bed right now!