It was a quiet night. Rarely did Matt enjoy those, and he took his time walking back to his roof. He was thinking about a cold bottle of beer and a few more hours of sleep when he heard it. He sighed, turning in the direction of what appeared to be a woman trying to fight off a pursuer. It wasn't far.
"Fuck off, Simmons, I said no!"
"C'mon, doll, I'll be real good to you..."
The man was cornering a woman in an alley. Loud music poured out of a back door that had been propped open by a bag of garbage. Another two were on the floor. From what he could surmise, the woman worked in the club and was taking the trash out when this 'Simmons' followed her out.
"Leave her alone." Matt dropped down to the alley.
"Wait yer turn, mate." The man didn't even turn around to see who he was talking to.
"Simmons, go home, you're drunk." The woman was eyeing Matt warily and din't notice the man approaching and grabbing her arm. "Get off me, you bastard!"
Matt stepped in and made quick work of the man, but not without sustaining a cut to his arm, courtesy of the pocket knife the man had. It felt deep. He left the unconscious man on the floor, half his torso in a puddle and looked at the woman, who was cradling her arm. She looked up at him.
"You're bleeding." She pulled a bandana from her pocket and approached him. Matt flinched. A burning sensation spread between his shoulders.
"It comes with the job." He shrugged. He heard her hiss and put her weight on her other leg. Was the cut that ugly?
"Shouldn't you invest in, I don't know, some kind of armour if you're doing this kind of thing?" She said, as she wrapped the cloth around his arm and tied it tightly. He ignored her question in lieu of studying her. The movement in her left arm was hindered. She was probably hurt.
"You should think about pressing charges. Get a restraining order. I'm assuming this wasn't the first time. And it probably won't be the last."
"Do you know any good lawyers?" she finally threw the garbage away and went back to the door, throwing the last bag in the dumpster. Mat laughed through his nose. "I'll look into it. Thanks." She watched him turn and disappear into the shadows. She ran her hand over her inner thigh before she went back to work in the club. That unrelenting rash was suddenly acting up. No matter what anti-histamines she took, nothing could get rid of her allergy.
Matt's heart was racing. She had said his words. The ones that were etched in his skin between his shoulders. His skin was burning, but in a nice way. He couldn't have someone in his life. They would be in danger. She would be in danger. Had she noticed they were soulmates? He hadn't even asked her name.
His thoughts were everywhere as he arrived home. He shed his black clothes, stowing them away and stepped in the shower. Her bandana was soaking in the sink. He turned the shower off, wrapped up his arm and finished cleaning her bandana. He hoped it wouldn't stain.
Back in the club, Lucia was watching the clock and hoping that her boss wouldn't want her to stay overtime, as was the norm these last few days. She was also worried that Simmons would walk back in, but she had locked the door from inside and told the bouncer, Kyle, what had happened. She hoped he wouldn't let the man back in. The problem was if he was waiting for her when she went back home.
She popped open two beer bottles for the two men at the bar, watching the dance floor. A quick mix of ingredients, and a martini was sliding to a black woman in a dress so small, Lucia was willing to bet it would fit her cat. As the woman turned, her words were displayed on the back of her arm in sloppy handwriting: 'dayum, babe!'
Lucia suppressed a snort. Fitting. She cast a cursory glance at the bar and at the waiters on the floor, satisfied that no one wanted a drink at the moment. She rested her hip on the counter and started halfheartedly scrubbing the counter with a rag soaked in alcohol. So many people were out to find their soulmates, and here she was. Part of the 0.5% of the world's population without a mark. No, instead she had allergies. Itchy ones. She had scoured every inch of her skin, bending in ridiculous ways with a hand mirror, but alas, nothing. The only markings she had was a scar on her shoulder from her cat, and the weird bumps from her allergies.
"Hey, Lu?" her boss called from the end of the bar. She hurried over. "I'll need you to stay a bit more tonight. I know," the woman in the cheap suit held up her hand as soon as Lucia opened her mouth. "I'll pay you double for this week, okay? Okay." Without waiting for an answer, the woman walked away, wobbly on her heels.
The night ended as uneventful as a night in a club could end. Drinks spilled, glass broken, a few drunks, a few horny couples in the bathroom, but finally, the bar was clean, and Lucia even helped to sweep the broken glass from the dance floor so that her friend, Milo, could leave with her and hopefully be of assistance if Simmons showed up.
"...though I don't know if I'll be of use. With all this muscle." Milo flexed his scrawny arms.
"At least you'll be a witness. I'm thinking of getting a restraining order. That man was way too handsy last time he was here." Lucia shouldered her bag and they both walked out to greet the first rays of sunshine.
"Where d'you get the money for hiring lawyers?" Milo looked apprehensively back, but the streets were empty.
"I didn't. I googled this firm, here in Hell's Kitchen, and they help whoever s is in need for whatever they can pay." She didn't disclose her encounter with the Devil of Hell's Kitchen.
"That's nice, but I don't think they'll be in business for long."
"Yea, I have to be quick about this."
They laughed and went their separate ways. Lucia only had to walk another two blocks to her apartment, and she quickly shed her clothes to jump in the shower. She looked at the clock as she stepped out. She had maybe four hours until she needed to be at her day job. Sighing, she wondered if being paid double was worth losing so much sleep. Her mind drifted off to the man who had saved her as she rubbed a new cream for her allergies on the inside of her thigh. The bumps were getting on her nerves.
She had heard many people's negative opinions on the Vigilante, but she liked him. He helped others in need when the law couldn't, and didn't kill anyone. As far as she knew. She sighed as she stretched out on her bed, stomach down, her cat curling up to her side.
Matt arrived a bit later than usual, having drifted off in the morning about what it would be like to have a relationship with his soulmate. He was still trying to guess her name, with nothing to aid his guesses, when his phone started to ring.
"Foggy. Foggy. Foggy. Foggy."
"Climb off whoever you're on and get to work!" was the ever so charming good morning he received from his friend. Matt almost blurted out that he had found her, but stopped himself.
"I'm on my way." They didn't need many words, their friendship was strong. Matt sighed. Would that be a problem one day? He shook his austere thoughts away and made his way to the office. A few more bumps into people than usual, but his mind was on the smell of dish soap and liquor, that had probably fallen on her clothes as she worked.
He rolled his shoulders. His mark was increasingly getting itchier as he approached the office. As soon as he arrived, the smell of coffee hit him in the face. There were two people waiting in the makeshift lobby they had made with fold out chairs, an old lady, a pile of crumpled papers in her hand, and a young woman, who was holding the coffee.
"Clients, this early?" he spoke lowly to Karen, who was filling out a few forms for the old lady.
"Good morning! That one's all yours. Foggy's consulting with another." He could hear the smile in her voice. Ever since she and Foggy had started seeing each other, they were happy, even though they knew they weren't soulmates.
"Miss?" he called, approaching. He purposefully looked a bit to the right. "My name is Matthew Murdock." He held out his hand. He suppressed a smile as she scrambled up to stand in front of him and took his hand.
"Hello. I'm Lucia Minett."
"Right this way, Miss Minett." He led the way to his office and closed the door behind her. His mark was bothering him, and he couldn't stop thinking if she was in danger, but how would he find her? He needed to get this consultation over and go out searching. "So. How may I help you?"
"Well, um..." he sensed her scratching her thigh. "I'd like to know how to file a restraining order. And...how much you charge?"
"We don't have a fixed price, Miss Minett. You can pay us what you can. We're here to help." Matt was straining against his shirt, and somewhere in the back of his head, he knew he recognized her voice. The smell of coffee, as heavenly as it was, addled his perception of her.
"That's...great for me, but...are you sure?" her scratching was incessant.
"I am. Don't worry. You can talk to Karen later about what you'd like to do." He pressed his back against his chair. "So, tell me about this restraining order. What happened?"
As he listened to her tell the events of last night, he had tomake a conscious effort not to let his emotions show. It was her! Was she scratching at her thigh because that's where her mark was? Was she thinking of him?
"...so, how do I proceed?" she asked him, taking a sip of her coffee.
"Well, Miss Minett, we'll fill out some forms, serve them to court, there will be a hearing, then we'll go from there. It's fairly simple, and shouldn't take more than a week. I'll ask Karen to print out the forms and we'll go over them together, how does that sound?"
"I'm actually on a break from work, can I fill these out at home?" she was already standing, her weight on her other leg.
"It would be best if you had assistance, in order to serve these as smoothly as possible." Matt was desperate to keep in contact with her, but at the same time, he knew if he were to start a relationship, it would be based on lies and secrets, and she would probably be in danger.
"Well...Why don't you come by the coffee shop to have lunch? My treat, as a thank you." She rose. "It's um..." she paused to think. "Four blocks down, and two to the right from here."
"Mamma Anna's coffee shop? I know it." He smiled at her. "I'll bring the papers over, then." He stood and held his hand out. She took it. Did she feel the same jolt as him?
"See you then. Oh! Um, I mean..." Her pulse was quicker.
"Don't worry." He laughed and let her go. She chuckled nervously and rested her hand on the doorknob.
"Well, bye."
He heard her bid goodbye to Karen and leave. Throwing himself back on his chair, he took his glasses off and rubbed his face. Foggy came in a few minutes later.
"What did the gorgeous woman with the best smelling coffee want?"
"A restraining order."
"Why? What did you do?"
Matt laughed and stood. He couldn't tell his best friend that he had found his soulmate. So he put a smile on and went on with his day, until it was time for lunch. He took the papers from Karen and made his way to one of the best coffee shops in Hell's Kitchen. The smell of coffee could be smelt from afar, and he heard that their paninis were great.
He approached the counter and an elderly lady addressed him, a smile on her voice.
"What can I get you, dear? Oh, we have menus in Braille, won't you take a seat?"
"Thank you, but I'm actually looking for Miss Minett."
"I'll send her right over, dear. There's a free table to your 5 o'clock."
As Matt sat down, he could hear the woman calling for Lucia. He felt giddy in his stomach, and at the same time a heavy depression overcame him. Perhaps it would be better if he let her be after her restraining order came out. He was weighing the pros and cons in his head when she arrived and stood next to him.
"Mr. Murdock!" he smiled at her. His mark throbbed, but he ignored it. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, the words 'catholic', 'self-harm', and 'irony' were floating around. "Thank you for coming. Here, I brought you one of the Braille menus. Can I get you anything before we start?"
"Only if you'll join me." He raised his eyebrows in what he hoped was a convincing plea.
"Oh, um..."
"Take your lunch break, dearie, I can handle it. You get this restraining order out before that stronzo hurts you." The older woman passed them.
"Thank you Ma'am." She turned back to Matt. "So I guess that's a yes."
"What do you like?" he asked, running his fingers over the menu until he found the panini list. "I heard the paninis here are great."
"They are. I like the Caputo. It comes with salami, provolone, and endive. Though I heard strong tastes might alter your sense of smell, so I think you might like the Giuseppe. It has sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and just a bit of balsamic vinegar." She pushed his hand to said description.
"I'll take your word for it." He handed her back the menu. He heard her leave and counted about 5 minutes before she came back with their lunches.
"I got you an Italian soda, I hope you don't mind. It's just sparkling water with some syrup, but I can get you something else, if you'd like." She stood, waiting. Matt reached out and touched her arm, his breath hitching at the same jolt he felt earlier. Clearing this throat, he let her go and gestured before him.
"It's fine, please, sit." He waited for her to set the table and sit before him. "I brought the papers, but we can eat first if you want."
"Oh, I don't want to take too much of your time, if you don't mind." She reached out and took the papers from him. God, her allergies were unbearable today! She tried to ignore the tingling feeling in her body and instead focus on the forms. They were fairly simple, but there were some legal terms she didn't understand. She pulled a pen from her apron, took a bite from her panini and started filling out what she understood. Every now and then she would ask the lawyer sitting in front of her a question, and he would patiently explain it to her. They were finished with their lunch as soon as she signed the last form with a sigh.
"What? Is something wrong?" Matt cursed at the exaggerated concern in his voice, but she didn't seem to notice.
"I'm going to serve this, and by what you've said, a restraining order is not difficult to come out of this. But what if he does come after me? I know he's taken advantage of more than a few drunk girls at the club, and even if the cops get him after he breaks the restraining order, if it ever comes to that, the damage will already have been done. I know you can't do much, it's just..."
"You're worried, I understand." Matt nodded. He hated being in lawyer mode, but that's what he had to do. "We'll serve this as soon as possible, and in the meantime, pay extra attention when you're coming and going. Have you notified the bouncer of the club?" she nodded, but he pretended not to know.
"Yes, I have." She quickly amended.
"Good. Do you have pepper spray?"
"I do, a keychain."
"Well, that's all I can do to help you, Miss Minett."
"Alright." She took a deep breath. "Thank you. And please, Mr. Murdock, call me Lucia."
"Only if you repay me the honour."
"Well, then, Matthew, thanks for your help." He shivered at the sound of his name.
"My pleasure, Lucia." He said, a bit too huskily. He cleared his throat. "I should go and get these to court as soon as possible. Karen will be in touch when we have a court date."
"Can't wait." She stood with him.
"Lucia, dear, you go and walk your lawyer back, and take some coffee with you!" the elderly lady called over from the counter.
"Thank you, Ma'am that's not necessary, I'll—"
"Nonsense!" she interrupted his excuses. "There should be more good people like you, doing what you can for others without means. You just wait a bit, Lucia here makes wonderful coffee."
"I'll be right back." Matt could hear her smile. She quickly cleared the table and bustled behind the counter. He wandered over and leaned his elbow on the wood. "How do you like your coffee, Matthew? I peg you for a strong robusta kind of man."
"I...have no idea what you're talking about. I just know coffee helps keep me awake."
"Rough nights?"
"You could say that."
"Robusta ristretto for you then." She decided for him and reached for the takeout cups. "You don't have a heart condition, do you?" she asked in an afterthought. "Because this coffee is as close as you'll get to an adrenalin kick."
"My heart is fine." He laughed at the irony. He heard the hiss of the machine and the smell of coffee got stronger. A few minutes later, she was next to him, offering her arm. She had experience in leading the blind, even though Matt didn't need it. They talked about the procedures of the paperwork, and what she should prepare for the hearing, and all too soon for Matt's liking, they were at his office. Foggy and Karen were standing very close to each other, and hastily stepped away as they entered.
"Oh, um, Miss Minett. Hello, again." Karen pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear.
"Please, it's Lucia. I brought coffee and biscottis for you." She stepped away from Matt and handed out the cups. "A white chocolate vanilla cappuccino to go with that beautiful tone of blond." She handed a smiling Karen a tall cup. "I'll leave the biscottis with you." She held out a cellophane bag to her as well. "A traditional Latte, a bit more on the dark side for you, sweetened with brown sugar." Another for an ecstatic Foggy. "And, as promised, the robusta ristretto." She handed the last, considerably smaller cup to Matt.
"How did you know how I liked my coffee?" Foggy asked and took a sip, groaning. "This is divine."
"I've never had coffee like this, and I can already say, it's my favourite." Karen agreed.
"I have a knack with drinks. Come by the club whenever you have a free night, I guarantee to blow your minds."
"I'll remember that." Foggy pointed at her, returning to his office. Karen took the forms from Lucia, and looked them over.
"I'll call you with the court date. Do you need any help in figuring out what to say?"
"I think I got it." Lucia nodded, a bit nervously. Karen wanted to comfort her, but wasn't sure what to say. "Well, I'll be going now. Thanks once again."
"Thank you for the coffee." Matt held his cup up.
"Anytime."