Matt was usually a light sleeper. As a child it had been worse. After the accident he had been unaccustomed to his newly enhanced senses and the slightest noise or smell could pull him from a deep sleep in milliseconds, but as the years went on, he began to get used to it. Still unexpected or sudden noises—especially those close to him—would still jolt him awake suddenly.
That was why, when his covers were suddenly ripped off of him and thrown on the ground, exposing his bare chest to the chilled air, Matt woke with a start and almost rolled off his bed before recognizing Foggy standing over him. Forcing himself back into calm now that there was no apparent threat, Matt turned his head toward his best friend scowling.
"What was that for?" He asked a bit grumpily before stretching and immediately regretting it as pain from the previous night's fight shot through his body. Foggy's heartrate jumped and he drew closer.
"We were going to meet for coffee." Foggy said quietly, sounding rather subdued for someone who had just ripped the covers off a bed to wake a friend up. "You weren't there and then you didn't answer your phone. I was worried that…" He trailed off. Matt felt him draw closer and then jumped a bit as Foggy's hand touched a particularly nasty bruise on the back of his shoulder. Foggy pulled back his hand sharply. "Matt…"
Grabbing a shirt to hide his injuries from Foggy's searching eyes, Matt reached for his phone only to find it without power. He plugged it in and stretched again, more carefully than before, and rose to his feet. "Coffee first." As the pot was brewing, they waited in silence. "What time is it, anyway?" Matt asked suddenly.
"Ten." Foggy answered. "Matt, do you…Claire?" Matt caught his friend's jumbled sentence and felt a pang of guilt at worrying him once again.
"I'm fine, Foggy. Really. They are just bruises this time." Matt poured himself a glass of coffee and took a deep sip—nearly scalding his tongue—before smiling slightly as he predicted what Foggy's reaction would be to the news that he had. Foggy claimed a cup of coffee for himself before following Matt to sit down on the couch. "The bruises," Foggy flinched, sending another ping of guilt through Matt, "I got them in a fight, but neither of us was trying to hurt the other." Foggy made a skeptical noise and Matt found himself grinning pausing a bit to add a bit of suspense.
"Guess who I met last night?" Foggy made no effort to guess at, but was starting to relax as he came to the conclusion that Matt really wasn't badly injured. "I knew that someone had been following me recently—watching me. Last night I was finally able to track them and we fought—well, sparred is more accurate." He paused a bit dramatically. "I met the Black Widow."
Foggy's reaction did not disappoint. He swelled with excitement and his heart sped up ridiculously. "You sparred with Black Widow?" He questioned incredulously before suddenly laughing. "Dude, if your bruises are anything to go by, she completely trounced you."
Matt scowled. "I did just fine."
"She flattened you." Foggy's voice was mocking now, and the pure amusement there without any of the tension that had been between them recently raised Matt's spirits.
"It wasn't that bad." Matt insisted, a smile touching his lips as he fell into the familiar banter.
"So you are saying you didn't lose?" Foggy asked in an innocent tone.
"No, but—" Matt suddenly laughed, shoving Foggy. Foggy yelped as he almost spilled his coffee before joining Matt in laughter. "She's an Avenger." Matt defended himself. "If I could easily beat her I would be concerned about having the Avengers protecting us."
"You were concerned about the Avengers protecting us before that."
"That's true." Matt admitted. "And I still think they should be monitored somehow, but…" Matt suddenly grew serious. "She came to Hell's Kitchen for a reason, Foggy. She has heard rumors that HYDRA has moved in."
"No." Foggy breathed, a spark of shock and fear spiking his pulse. Before he took a deep breath and released it. "HYDRA? Matt…"
Matt took a deep breath. "I know. I'll be careful. And Black Widow said she'd be back. I'm going to listen and see what I can find. If HYDRA is here, then the Avengers will likely step in too. I'll get a way to contact them."
"Other than Tony Stark?" Foggy asked with a smirk. "Because he'd be plenty happy if you returned his calls for once." Matt rolled his eyes. "Get their phone numbers. As Daredevil."
"I will."
Foggy sighed. "And stay in tonight?" Matt hesitated. "One day won't change anything, and I need you at work tomorrow. Please?"
After a few moments, Matt gave in. "Alright. How about we make up our missed coffee with stronger drinks later? We haven't been out in too long."
"Deal." Foggy got up and washed his coffee mug before putting it on the drying rack. "I'll see you at nine. If you don't show up, I will hunt you down." With a parting smile, Foggy left. "I'll meet you at Josie's Bar." He called over his shoulder. "And I mean it about hunting you down. I will drag you there if I have to."
"I'll see you later, Foggy." Once he heard the confirmation that Foggy was leaving, Matt went back to his bedroom and grabbed the blankets off the floor before collapsing back onto his bed and huffing a laugh, content to laze around until drinks later.
AN: I know this chapter is pretty short. It's mostly just an interlude I felt was needed. I should have the next chapter up soon!