devilsavocado | expiation inbox

[ The answer doesn't really surprise him. It explains things, in a way, it seems like a logical conclusion. Matt didn't get taken by the Hand. He hadn't grown up like that, he hadn't had to survive like that. No wonder he was so soft. ]

No, I lived abroad for awhile. It's nice to be back--or well, it was, I guess. Who knows how long we'll be stuck here.

[ Matt nods. This is a difference that puts a few more pieces into the puzzle that is this Matt Murdock. Matt can't even imagine what his life would have turned out if he'd left his home. ]

Huh. It must've been. New York is something else.

[ You can't really forget the place that made you... Matt misses it even now. But Murdock has a point. You also can't really plan for an extradimensional excursion. ]

Do you think getting home will be as random as getting here? I was serious about looking into starting a practice here... if only because there doesn't seem to be a clear way of getting home.

I'm guessing it must be. If there was a way to get home, people would be talking about it.

[ Instead, the Chosen seem to be making lives here, so. ]

So that really means the only options are to be mad about it or adapt to the situation.

[ Or both, Matt thinks silently, though he doesn't say as much. ]

That's about what I figured. If we're stuck here, we may as well help whoever we can, and hopefully make a decent living out of it.

Now it's "we," huh?

[ he laughs. So forward! But then again Matt had already suggested they go in together. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. ]

I knew you liked me. It's the same thing with the app--you can't help but want to talk to me.

[ Matt takes a long drink from his beer. Oh, he's done already? That's fine. ]

"Like" might be a little strong. Jury's still out.

[ Then again, the truth is Matt isn't sure how much he can trust Murdock, but he'd still trust him over a stranger. Working together wouldn't be any stranger than existing in the same room as a man who lived an alternate version of your life. ]

But you have to admit, it'd be stranger to avoid each other, wouldn't it?

Edited 2024-05-04 05:30 (UTC)

What's better than the devil you know?

[ But there's a note of consideration to it. He's not convinced, he still needs some time to think about it. He's not sure he wants to tie himself down to this other Matt, that he wants to intertwine their fates so completely. ]

You're not too bad, I guess.

Something like that.

[ Matt grins, having a good chuckle. Okay, that's pretty good. Murdock seemed to really enjoy the devil angle, which makes Matt wonder...

But he can't let the devil out of the bag, so to speak. Just because they have a few key people and details in common doesn't mean that Murdock moonlights as a masked vigilante. Matt needs to focus on something real first. He may hate everything about this place, but he's keeping a lid on his anger. For now.

Besides, having another Matt around is distraction enough. He's pretty sure Foggy would agree. ]

I have to say, it's always interesting talking to you.

[ Matt laughs--that's just the sound of his point proving itself again. It's like he said, Matt obviously likes talking to him. ]

The "what if" of it all is pretty intriguing.

[ Look, it's a very weird experience. Matt's still not sure how he feels about it, but like Murdock said... there's something about the "what if" that keeps him on the hook. ]

Yeah, it's... it's not every day you get to meet someone that proves a butterfly flapped its wings somewhere, and here we are.

But you knew the multiverse was a thing before you came here, didn't you?

[ Because if not he was taking it very well ]

Aliens fell out of a hole in the sky a couple years ago and nearly destroyed most of Manhattan. The multiverse is only a few steps away from "aliens exist and they can rip holes in reality to invade earth."

[ It was horrible, btw. Really terrible. But also, this multiverse thing is not nearly as bad, at least. ]

Sounds like your world is busy.

[ Earth-65 has its own problems, but not alien invasions yet (?) ]

Yeah. We have the Avengers. I can't tell if us having superheroes means it's more or less likely for supervillains to start popping up, but. It kind of feels like it, sometimes.

[ He and Foggy go back and forth on this argument sometimes for "fun." Well, it's not as much fun now that Matt's technically a superhero, but he doesn't see himself as one. ]

Peter mentioned the Avengers. And also the aliens.

[ He says it in part just to organize all this information in his brain; get it to stick. ]

We have Spider-woman.

[ Matt nods. It's a lot to take in, honestly. Peter's secret isn't his to share, but it's funny how that works... A Spider-Woman and a Spider-Man. ]

We have Spider-Man. Though he's mostly just up in Queens.

Yeah, Peter mentioned him, too.

[ He doesn't know.....but like Peter had tried to a lizard guy in his world, so. ]

All these kids with their powers. What's next, a girl with all the powers of a squirrel?

Oh, yeah? You met Peter? He seems like a nice kid.

[ Matt Murdock is going to protect Peter Parker with His Life. ]

Only if she gets them from being bitten by a radioactive squirrel. I could honestly imagine a world where that's real.

Yeah, I did. He pretty famously died in my world--it was really tragic, high school kid and everything--so in a way it was a bit like meeting a ghost.

[ In a way, but also, not at all. ]

So, all things considered, at least you know in my world you're not dead.

[ Well, Matt's smile drops at that. Oh, he is going to be so much more overbearing at Peter knowing that. Then again, the kid did mention something about Thanos and a lot death, didn't he? God. God. Matt doesn't want to think about whether it's in Peter's cards to just die young. Good lord. ]

That... is a relief, yeah. Foggy would say it's not for lack of trying -- but to be clear, we're doing okay in my world too. Just, you know.

[ He waves a hand, though there's clearly more to this answer. ]

Clients and old friends. And Fisk.

Yes, I gathered that much.

[ But there's clearly something more here. And he wants to know what it is but he's also trying to be careful on how he asks things. ]

[ The "old friends" are Elektra and the Hand but good luck getting Matt to admit to that.

Matt orders them another round. ]

Do you box?

[ It comes out of the blue, but. If Murdock left Hell's Kitchen, maybe he has another method of "anger management." Because it sure as hell ain't praying. ]

[ The Hand is a very very sticky topic. Best to avoid it. ]

Not my go-to activity. But I'm assuming this is not a non sequitur and is related for some reason?

Self-defense is pretty important when it comes to staying alive.

[ He shrugs. They are definitely only related in that way! ]

I've been boxing for years. I still go to Fogwell's.

[ Where his, or perhaps their? Father trained, in other words. ]

[ In Earth-65 it's Battlin' Jack's Gym, so this doesn't get as strong a reaction as it would otherwise. ]

Everyone needs a hobby, I guess. You don't have any negative associations with it?

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