Chapter Text
Moving anything has always been a difficult task for Matt. Moving into a new apartment is even more difficult. Figuring out a new layout with his stick and also making sure that it's not horrific visually for those who can see. Foggy complained about Matt's old place in Hell's Kitchen when he first moved in. Apparently it was an eyesore and Matt has no taste in interior design.
He feels the braille labelling on each cardboard box and puts the contents in the right places. Karen helped him label everything. One last favour for him. She didn't bother trying to get him to stay. One box he slides, unopened, into the back of his walk in closet underneath some unused garment bags. Matt doesn't need to open that one. It's more of an old memory box. Something sentimental - just for him.
Matt does try to set up his television about two hours later but the wires don't have braille on them to differentiate. He tries what he thinks are a few different combinations, he really can't be sure, before there's a knock at the door.
He grabs his stick and heads over to the door, opening it. "Hello?"
"Hey there." A young male's voice says. His heartbeat is steady and Matt can tell from his inflection that the stranger is tired and hasn't had enough sleep. The young man has recently eaten though, something with onions maybe. "I'm surprised someone is moving in. The landlord's been trying for months to find a new tenant."
"I see." Matt tries not to laugh at his own comment. "Well I don't plan on leaving any time soon."
A small swish of air happens and Matt assumes that the man is holding out his hand, "I'm Jason. The other guy who lives on the floor." Matt moves his hand slightly and brings the cane into Jason's view. "Oh shit. Oh man I'm so sorry."
"It's alright." Matt holds out his hand and Jason meets it for the shake. "I'm Matt Murdock."
"We're doing last names? Mine is Todd." Jason leans into the apartment. Expensive cologne. Definitely doesn't match for someone who lives in this area code but could have been a gift. "You moving in fine?"
"I could use some help with the television's wires." He admits as he steps aside for Jason to enter. Jason does so with a surprising amount of joy in his steps and makes a beeline for the television.
Jason lets out a low whistle as he does the wires, "You have an eye for interior design."
Matt chuckles, "Thank you. My friends have said similar things."
He hears Jason look back to him as the other man realises what he actually said. Jason just goes back to the television and places it onto the stand, making a slight thump sound as it sits. "Your TV is good now. Need anything else?"
"Not currently, no. You should get some sleep though."
"Uh... yeah yeah I will. Just knock if you need something." Jason leaves and shuts the apartment door behind himself, leaving Matt alone.
Foggy and the others always found it weird when Matt did that. His 'freaky' heightened senses are a part of Matt though and it's difficult for him not to pick up on these things. From now on, Matt decides to keep the information he picks up on to himself unless it helps with a client.
The decision to move from Hell's Kitchen had been a tough one but Matt felt like too much of a burden on his friends. Fisk was gone now, back behind bars, and Matt was feeling the strain on his relationships. No Fisk made Matt irritable. Honestly he had no real reason to live without Fisk being out on the streets. He can always make the trip up to visit. Foggy and Karen are running the old law firm with Matt no longer on the sign.
Gotham is his fresh start as his life as a lawyer. Only a lawyer. His new office should be ready for him tomorrow. Admittedly, Matt doesn't know much about Gotham besides the rent being oddly cheap and a high demand for defense attorneys so it's a match made in heaven for a man like him.
Matt sits on his couch and contemplates what he should eat for dinner. He certainly doesn't want to cook. Matt takes out his phone and listens to the AI read out the name of the food delivery app then his options once he opens it. It reads out the names of each restaurant then what food they serve. Most places nearby are pizza or Chinese so he goes for the latter, clicking twice to confirm on the one with the highest ratings. It takes a couple of minutes for him to sort everything out and Matt adds an additional note that he is blind so the food needs to be handed to him directly. Matt begins to channel surf for something to listen to whilst he waits. He settles on a rerun of Friends Matt is somewhat sure he can quote off by heart.
There's a rapid knock at his door so he gets up and trips on the corner of the couch on his way. He opens it and a plastic bag is thrust into his hands quickly, the heart of the delivery person pounding. Their heart rate is familiar to him as one of someone who is afraid. Matt tips them $10 then shuts the door. Why would someone be so afraid when delivering Chinese food?
The strange reaction results in Matt turning on the news as he opens his food and begins to eat some chicken chow mein. The news woman begins to talk in an urgent manner but she also sounds slightly apathetic.
"Poison Ivy has once again taken over City Hall with plants and has taken the mayor hostage. Her current demands are for Mayor Malthus to u-turn on his plans to cut down the center oak piece of the city's biggest park."
The television changes and Matt recognises the sounds to be live footage of the hostage situation with people screaming and running as a woman sneers and curses at the mayor. "You bastard! You promised to never touch that tree! I should rip you into shreds and feed you to it!" Matt figures the woman is this Poison Ivy character. A muffled male voice comes through and he assumes that to be the voice of the mayor - most likely gagged by the villain's plants.
The box in his walk in closet beckons Matt to come and open it. Become Daredevil once again and bring justice to Gotham now. Although judging by Ivy's words, the woman may be a little too aggressive with her actions but she seems to have a good idea. Corruption amongst politicians and the elite groups of society is something that Matt is all too familiar with. The box still calls to him though but he ignores the siren's call.
Gotham is his time to be Matt Murdock, attorney at law. Not Matt Murdock, the Daredevil.
The sound of feet suddenly hitting the ground and a deep, raspy voice pulls him out of his musings. "Let the mayor go Ivy!"
Matt feels heat pool in his stomach upon hearing that voice but he pushes it aside to try and figure out just who this new person is. He leans forward as if it will help as the new person runs away from the camera and seemingly into the fray. The sounds of a fight come through the speakers of his TV and Matt becomes entranced by the raspy voiced man as he argues with Poison Ivy during their battle.
"He hasn't turned to a new leaf Batman!" Ivy yells as something seems to head towards Batman.
The name is a little tacky but Matt really cannot judge as Daredevil isn't much better.
"The roots of democracy are needed in Gotham!" Batman yells back and Matt's lips quirk up slightly. He enjoys vigilantes using word play during a fight like him.
"Not when these roots are twisted and shallow!" The villain quips back and Matt hears a grunt come from Batman assumedly as Ivy manages to hit him.
The fight continues on for twenty minutes or so then the news cuts back to the journalist in the studio. "Once more, Gotham's very own Batman has defeated one of the city's many villains. Though it should be asked tonight: was Poison Ivy in the right?" She moves onto the next day's weather but Matt doesn't really pay attention to the forecast.
It seems that Gotham has its own villains and vigilantes to defeat them. Matt can just be a defense attorney and nothing else. Maybe find someone and start a family. Live the sweet American dream with a nuclear family. A loving wife or husband who kisses him before work and makes him dinner each night. That sweet fantasy has always left a sour taste in the man's mouth though. Maybe that's why he was drawn to Gotham - Matt has an excuse still to not force himself into the role.
He turns off the television and heads to bed. He undresses and gets under his new covers. They don't feel right though. They're too stiff and the fabric feels almost hard. The mattress feels like Matt is lying on a rock rather than a queen sized spring mattresses. Matt knows that he'll just have to get used to it and that after a while it will feel normal to him.
The next morning comes soon enough as Matt wakes up at five in the morning. He dresses into a grey suit and heads to his kitchen then remembers that he has yet to buy groceries. Maybe he can pick up a coffee with a pastry on his way.
Matt plugs in a pair of cheap earphones into his phone's jack then finds a coffee shop near the office and readies the map app to read out directions. He slips his phone into his inside jacket pocket and places one bud into his left ear then sets off for work.
The apartment building having an elevator is a true gift for Matt as he uses it and tries not to think too hard about the way it shudders and moans. He steps out and a woman holds the front door open for him. He thanks her and the stench of vodka hits his nose as he leaves the building. Matt follows the instructions from the GPS and ends up outside a small coffee shop about three doors down from his new office. He pushes on the door and heads inside.
The overwhelming smell of cheap coffee punches the lawyer in the nose and slightly disorientates him. He slowly makes his way over to the counter where a young girl greets him. "Good morning. What can I get for you today?"
"An Americano please with a muffin."
"That'll be $6.50."
Matt fishes out his wallet and pays the young girl then moves slightly to the right for any other customers. It takes about five minutes before he hears the sound of a reusable cup hitting on the desk about an inch away from him. Before Matt goes to grab it, he remembers that a normal blind person wouldn't be able to tell where it is so he grabs wildly a little until the server hands it to him with a quiet apology. He thanks her and leaves the building, taking a right outside the doors and making his way to his new office.
Matt gently knocks his cane against the front wall of the building and soon he finds the ramp leading up to the door. He heads up it and feels the wall to the right of the front door, finding his new sign with a smile, running his finger over the braille underneath the printed letters.
Murdock: Attorney at Law.
The front door should be unlocked so Matt tries the handle. Much to his delight, the door is unlocked so he pushes open the door and heads into his new practicing office.
Matt is rather grateful that he hired a cleaner before he came to Gotham as the building feels old. It had been abandoned for some time before he swooped in and bought it but how long it had been abandoned for wasn't said by the leasing agent. They seemed far too eager to have it taken off their hands probably for a good reason. He walks through the the reception area and judging by the knock of wood it's already furnished. A nice surprise considering the price.
Matt's mind wanders to Karen as he stands in the reception. Her laugh and voice echoes in his mind as he recalls all of their time together. The way she made him and Foggy so happy and care-free after a difficult case or one too many hits from Fisk's men. Those were better times but those are gone now. Matt screwed it up and now he needs to rebuild.
He heads through the next door to his actual office space and finds the chair then sits in it. The faux leather feels far nicer than what he is used to and makes it strangely hard to relax. He finds the phone and moves it closer to himself. In tomorrow's newspaper his ad will appear offering his services with the number attached being that of this phone. Hopefully tomorrow will have his first client with an easy case to settle himself down with. "The lawyer who fights for the unrepresented.." he mutters to himself as he repeats the advertisement's words, "Matthew Murdock: champion of the common man."
Silence falls again in the office as he sips on his Americano. If Foggy was here he'd be excitedly taking about the game last night or his latest romantic endeavour. Karen would be listening eagerly and asking questions about the woman or who scored the best goal. Matt bites into his muffin. It's blueberry.
The keys to the building should be in one of his drawers. Matt opens each one and in the top drawer he finds the keys, the second has some old pens, and the third has a pair of old underwear. Charming.
Matt decides to head to the bathroom to scrub his hands raw and throw away the offending garment. He finds the pedal bin and tosses it away quickly. Matt rolls up his sleeves and washes his hands a few times with a quiet hum.
Maybe Gotham will be a fresh start after all. Even if there are villains who can control plants roaming around the streets. At least there's Batman.
There's not much that needs to be done here at the office. Matt moves the furniture with relative ease to create larger walkways just in case.
What else can he do now?
A part of him wants to call Foggy or Karen. It hasn't even been four days. He misses them so much. Why did he leave again? Staying in Hell's Kitchen felt so wrong like something was missing now. Matt knows exactly what was missing. A reason to be Daredevil. Sure, he could have stayed and continued on as himself without donning the mask again. There was nobody forcing him to move. Matt chose to.
Would they even want to speak to him anymore? They didn't really fight him on leaving. Hell, Foggy even said once - though drunk - that Matt should leave New York and find himself. That he was holding himself back here. He also told Matt that he needs to see a therapist for some reason. Matt is fine. He doesn't need a therapist.
Groceries. Matt should get groceries.
He uses his phone once again to find a nearby grocery store and locks the door behind him before he goes, having found the key taped under his desk.
The streets are a lot more busy as the lunch rush begins early and everyone heads to the nearest cafe or restaurant. People generally make way for Matt as he swings his cane with one person helping him cross a busy road. A few people barge into him on their way past but they usually yell an apology as they speed off to whatever corporate lunch they need to attend.
Matt finds the grocery store and once he finds a basket, he realises that he doesn't know where anything is. Foggy had helped him memorise their local store but now he doesn't have Foggy to help him. He must have had quite the look of cluelessness on his face as someone approaches him. Instantly he recognises Jason's heartbeat.
"Matt you good?" His neighbour asks. "You look lost."
"I don't know where anything is." There's an edge to his voice as Matt's annoyance seeps into his words. He hates this helplessness that he has in new environments.
Jason takes the basket from Matt, "Walk with me and tell me what you want. We can do our weekly shop together!" There's an optimism in the man's voice that soothes Matt's annoyance.
"I'd like that very much. Lead the way."
The two men head down the various aisles as they pick up their shopping and Matt slowly learns where things are vaguely.
Jason starts heading down an aisle without Matt but he follows the other man quite quickly.
"Something only you need down here?"
"Sorta," Jason stops and starts taking things out of a freezer, "my little brother is a vegetarian. Getting some stuff for him so he can eat when he visits."
"How old is he?"
"Thirteen. Got any siblings?"
"I'm an only child."
"Lucky. I'm one of four. Well I'm done so do you need anything else?"
"Not that I can think of."
They make their way to the till and as everything is scanned through by the cashier, Jason bags their goods and Matt pays for them both before Jason can protest. He hands Matt his bag and the two head back to the apartment building together.
"I can pay for myself y'know." Jason huffs slightly.
"It felt the most natural way to pay you back for your kindness." Matt replies back as they stop near a road.
They start to cross but suddenly a car speeds across the red light and Matt instinctively pulls Jason onto the sidewalk as it speeds by. A police car chases after the offender and Jason whistles. "You have good instincts."
"I have to. New York will kill you if you don't pay attention." Matt says with a chuckle, hoping that Jason doesn't read too deeply into what Matt just did.
"You're from New York?"
"Mhm. You?"
"Born and raised here." Jason says. "What do you do for a living?"
"I'm a lawyer. Yourself?"
Jason lets out a low whistle, "Fancy. Professional trust fund kid."
Matt laughs at that but he can't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at hearing the young man's life. "Sounds nice. If you ever want to switch professions I could use a receptionist." He jokes as the two head down an alleyway. Matt would rather work alone and not let anybody in. Things are easier if he keeps people like Jason at arm's length.
"A cushy office job does sound nice..." He muses aloud. "I might have to take you up on that offer Mister Murdock."
"Anything good to do in Gotham?" Matt asks as they finally get to their apartment building.
"Sex, drugs, and drinking."
"Anything else?"
"Few arcades and restaurants. Beach is nice for a late night walk. We don't have the same excitements and thrills of the big apple."
"I suppose not."
Jason holds open the door for them and Matt makes his way to the elevator. The other man slips into the lift before the doors shut and the tinny music begins to play. "So, if you don't mind me asking," Matt begins, "who are your parents if you're a trust fund kid?"
"My dad is Bruce Wayne."
"Bruce Wayne? Never heard of him." Matt admits. He feels like he should know the name but nothing comes to mind.
"He's the richest guy in Gotham. One of the most rich men in America."
"Like Lex Luthor?"
"Yeah kind of but he doesn't have beef with Superman."
"That makes sense I suppose. Do you know who Poison Ivy is?"
Jason's heart speeds up slightly at the name drop. She must really strike fear into the people of Gotham. "She's one of Gotham's rogues. There's like six main ones."
"Six?"
"Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Penguin, Harley Quinn, The Riddler, and the Joker."
"Well that's not good. Crime rates must be insane here."
"A word of warning Matt," Jason says as the elevator doors open, "don't get involved with those guys or any other villain or vigilante. They're all bad news."
"Even Batman?" Matt asks with a slight laugh. He seems to be the only one dishing out justice if the police are letting the rogues run amok.
"Even him." Jason leaves the elevator and goes to his apartment.
Matt stands there in shock at Jason's words. If none of the vigilantes can be trusted then maybe Gotham needs the devil to serve justice. He quickly leaves the elevator before it closes and he shakes his head lightly. No. He can deliver justice to the people through the law. There's no need for the Daredevil in Gotham. This is Matt's chance at a new life. He does not need to put on the suit again. It's not his place to do so.