It was a normal night for Daredevil, he followed his usual route. Skirting above darkened alleys and small entryways where the people who didn't want to be noticed loitered. Pausing every so many blocks to get a better read on the city below him, humming with life even at this late hour. All these people with lives of their own, loved ones, dreams, hopes, worries. The majority of them innocent souls just going about their business. But he wasn't an innocent soul, so he must atone, take on the burden of suffering so that they wouldn't have to. Protect them.
Sometimes, instead of listening to the people below, he ran the length of the Kitchen as far as his legs would take him. Lungs screaming, muscles burning, heart thumping so hard it almost threatened to escape. The world on fire and his body as well. A welcome distraction to the ever present thoughts, the sensation of air going through his fingers as Elektra's body fell away from him, the way she said his name for the last time… it was as if he was trapped in his own personal hell. Echos of his mistakes haunting him no matter how fast he ran. Like his own shadow they were never far behind.
He was headed west towards the docks, a little further out than he would normally go. Less populated, more warehouses, and more automatic security lights. He hated them. Could feel their accusing buzz as they turned on when the sensors picked up on his movement. A quiet night, like so many others over the past week. Disappointing. The devil had been itching for a fight. For any reason to release his anger and frustration. To be wholly consumed by something that demanded all of his attention. Selfish reason to get in a fight Murdock. Using the city as a distraction from your sins.
He paused on the rooftop when he heard a familiar stomp of boots. He smirked to himself, Jessica. So unladylike. He could recognise her walk on a busy street any time of day.
He tilted his head away from the breeze to get a clearer read on what she was up to. He was pretty sure she hadn't noticed him up here yet. She didn't seem to be in a rush, she had her usual bag and camera with her, was she on a job? She wasn't walking like she was being followed, wasn't following anyone either. Matt silently followed her the length of the tenements until she turned down a smaller darker road. He hadn't seen her since that day.
He climbed down a fire escape. As much as he liked pulling jokes on Jessica, he knew she wouldn't take too kindly being spooked this late at night. He jumped down in the shadows close behind her making sure to fudge the landing, making sure it was loud enough and graceless enough to make his presence known.
He had misjudged. It wasn't enough.
Jessica twirled around in panic, before Matt had time to wave hello and apologise her foot hurried towards his chest. He leaned back easily missing the majority of the impact but it still made him stagger as her foot connected with his chest. He deserved that.
"Jesus Jones - is that any way to say hi to friend?" he panted dusting off his suit and leaning forward to catch his breath. He liked to think he could have dodged her entirely, he just let her to give her the win, but he wasn't so sure these days. With regret he knew he had set her on edge, her heart was racing and her breath shallow. Her blue eyes hardened as she looked him over. He could feel her heart slowing down but still hammering loudly, her fear cooling to fury. He tried smiling, apologetically holding his hands up to underline that he was not a threat. She grunted and knit her brows in response.
"You asshole! Murdock. Are you shitting me?" Jessica stared at him. She didn't know herself if she was mad at him or not. It was the first time she had seen him since she had left him to die at Midland. She had heard from Karen that they had found him a week later, and that he was alive and recovering - but she hadn't seen him, hadn't spoken to him since that night. "You really made it huh" She had been standing right outside the building when she saw it go down. It didn't make sense, no one could have survived that "Gods favourite." She laughed to herself bitterly Matt could hear her breathing out as the surprise and anger evaporated off.
His head was spinning, it was one thing to see Jessica, another to hear her voice. It felt like being thrown back in time, to that day, drowning in that icy water all over again.
"Hey Devil Boy, I didn't get you that bad did I?" She looked him up and down again trying to get a read on him. He was standing in his stupid devil boy costume, but not with the same ease and confidence that she had grown used to over there short but intense introduction to each other. She chewed it over in her mind, something was off. Was he still injured? It had been months.
"Come on, my office is just round the corner and I'm thirsty - it's been a long day" She didn't wait for him as she marched off leading the way. She knew he wouldn't have any trouble following her.
Matt nodded sharply, coming back to himself. He laughed roughly catching Jessica's rough humour and invitation, "Uh yeah, sure. But please, I insist you do not call me Devil Boy"
He trailed her from a height, scaling back up the side of the tenements, he followed her until she had entered the run down commercial looking building where her office must have been. Had Matt ever been there? He tried to remember, he didn't think so. He heard the rough shove of a window being opened and Jessica's heavy stomps on the worn wooden boards. Jumping down the remaining floors with ease the devil slipped through the window.
Jessica rolled her eyes at the display of athleticism, "Show off"
The office was nicer than Matt had expected. It wasn't fancy by any means but it was clean and well kept. All the surfaces clear of stacks of paperwork unlike the offices of Nelson and Murdock. Just the overflowing bin full of cans and bottles, and the tossed clothes in a pile in the corner giving it away that it was occupied. He listened carefully to the echoes bouncing around the room as she walked to a far wall. There was a door with a heavy pane of glass at straight ahead of him, leading to a corridor, that must be the main entrance to the office. But there was 2 doors to the left, one tiled, bathroom, but the other door - it didn't sound like more offices. The sound was more easily absorbed there and it smelt more headily of Jessica. Was that her bedroom? Is this where she lived? His brows furrowed as he concentrated, bed, kitchenette, the smell of stale sweat, cheap deodorant, old beer classic Jess, but there was also the sweet smell of weed and mens aftershave - did she have a boyfriend? Did he care? This clean office wasn't Jessica's doing judging by the softness of the furniture in the room next door. Clothes draped over every surface, kicked into piles after being abandoned where they fell. No clean and dust free surfaces behind that door.
The clink of two glasses hitting each other brought him back to the room. Jessica smirked "What do you think Devil Boy? You admiring the interior decor?" Matt smirked in response "It wasn't me by the way, it's my…" she coughed lightly clearing her throat as if uncomfortable "my assistant Malcolm. He thinks it puts clients at ease if the place looks more… professional" her words were full of disdain but Matt could tell she was fond of Malcolm and there was warmth and appreciation under them.
Jessica carefully lifted her camera strap over her head and set her camera gently down on a shelf. She stretched the tension out of her neck and shoulders before peeling off her uniform-like leather jacket. She snorted to herself quietly as she looked around the room for something.
"Devil boy... So is that your thing now? Is that what you do? Creep around, following ladies?"
Matt mouthed quietly 'ha' as he took a seat on the small couch in the center of the room, "You and I both know, you are no lady"
"Aha!" Jesica exclaimed as she found what she was looking for, lifting a large bottle of Scotch with ease from one of the higher shelves on the office wall. Depositing the bottle next to the glasses on her desk she pulled her usual seat out from behind the desk so she was closer to the devil. She gently tugged at the cork of the bottle and the heavy smokiness filled Matt's nose and pricked at his eyes.
"This is some good shit you know, not just for any occasion." Jessica said, arching an eyebrow as she looked at him. Keeping him talking as she evaluated him.
He hummed appreciatively, "Smells expensive"
"Probably is, it was a re-gift from Trish"
"A re-gift?"
"Yeah, you never get a gift you don't want so you pass it off to someone else as a gift? A regift"
Matt chuckled softly, "Can't say that I have much experience gifting or re-gifting I'm afraid"
Jessica poured a large glass for herself, inhaling deeply.
"Well you're not going to get to try any unless you take off that stupid mask" Jessica was watching him through her heavy eyelashes. She sipped her drink absently, scrunching her nose at the burn of the first taste.
Matt sat up with a start and raised his eyebrows "Oh yeah, of course." He had forgotten he was still dressed as the Devil. Jessica's voice bringing him back to that day. The smell of dust that wouldn't leave him for weeks after. He tugged off the mask and heard her heart race. He paused cautiously. Danger. "What is it?" he whispered hesitating, half moving to put the mask back on straining to hear what had caused her reaction, there was no footsteps outside, this floor was empty…
"Your face bro." If Jessica had thought she had seen a ghost before when he had first appeared scaring the shit out of her, then she was even more convinced now. He didn't look much thinner, or even that much paler than he did before, God knows she could talk. But he looked haunted. His brown eyes had lost their warmth and humour, he still had his warm client charming smile - but it didn't extend to his eyes anymore. The blue grey tinge under them revealing just how little he had been sleeping over the last number of weeks. Maybe he hadn't really survived that building falling on him after all.
He froze, confusion written across his face as he processed her words. "My face?" he repeated slowly. Patting down his mused up hair as if that would help make his appearance more respectable. "Thats a pretty low blow even for you Jess" he laughed dryly.
Jessica smirked pointedly trying to keep the concern off her face and her breathing even. She remembered what his superfreak hearing was like. He wouldn't believe her if she just played dumb like most people. "You did say I wasn't a lady." His face broke into an easier smile and she poured him a glass, hopefully the fire from the whiskey would spark some life in him.
They sat for god knows how long talking, skirting around the obvious subject, the bomb, Elektra. Jessica asked how his two blondes were keeping, which she was proud of as her jibe got a genuine smile out of him, it was obvious he still cared deeply for them. "I'm still in contact with Karen you know, we trade info sometimes. She's good. She could make it as a PI" Jessica revealed, if Matt hadn't known he didn't let on. "If she wanted to". Karen never really spoke about Matt to Jessica, so she hadn't been sure if their break up had been amicable or not. She guessed it made sense, Jessica had never really known Matt as himself, she had only ever really known him as the Devil of Hells Kitchen. Or Devil Boy.
He asked her about her life, what she'd been up to, Malcolm. "Just a friend" she levelled at the devil, "not that it's any of your business." His posture softened over the night as they worked on the bottle, Jessica rolling her eyes at his toothless jokes, while Matt ignored her barbed ones. Though delivered with less sting than he remembered. They continue down memory lane, circling ever closer to that night at Midland. He asks her about Luke, and Danny "both fine, back to their old lives - though Danny has given up the fist, thank god." She rolls her eyes without malice. "He was too pretentious with all that power, I am the Iron Fist " she says in a mock serious impression of Danny with a smile. Matt laughs, she wasn't far off the mark.
She asks him about Frank.
His breath halts at the mention of Franks name. She notices "You didn't know? He's been out now for weeks, probably over a month. All over the papers, no one can find him."
Matt jokingly points to his face "Blind, remember."
"Shut up. You know what I mean," she reached across the space between them and shoved him gently.
"I do" he replied, leaning into her hand. Matt took a shaky breath. He must have missed this when he was recovering from the bomb. How hadn't he known? Why hadn't he heard anyone mention it. That would explain why his patrols were so boring, he was picking through Castle's leftovers.
He left Alias Investigations well before dawn, Jessica could really put the drinks away. As he locked the roof door to his apartment he pulled off his mask and ruffled his hair. His eyes wandered around the silent room unseeing, his head was swimming trying to balance and ground himself as the world spun. He was fuzzy, tipsy, and tired. At least Foggy would be happy he was getting an early night. He pulled off his boots and gloves and lay on the sofa, one hand applying pressure to his temples focusing in on slowing his pulse, and one touching the cushions on the side trying to stabilise himself stop the room from moving.
The night had been nice though. Jessica was petulant as a child and could be rude as all hell, but it was refreshing to be around someone who didn't feel the need to mollycoddle him. There was a truthfulness to their intimacy that he hadn't fully realised had been missing from his interactions with Foggy and Karen of late. He needed to find a way to get them to stop worrying. He was going to work, wearing the right things, saying the right things. But he could feel in their tension and hesitation that they weren't buying it. Matt hated to think he was the cause of their stress, they both had enough going on in their own lives without him adding to it.
And Frank was out, that was a shock. It was worrying. Maybe Frank was just hiding out, that's why Matt hadn't noticed. Or maybe he had even skipped town and had left the city? But nature abhors a vacuum, and with Fisk and the Hand gone there was one hell of a vacuum for crime in the Kitchen. Something must have been keeping the smaller factions from gaining ground, staking their claim. He had foolishly thought he was the reason. He could almost hear Stick in his ear, always so arrogant Matty, that will be your downfall. He would have to try harder. But first, sleep, in his spinning apartment.