Chapter 2
For a moment, Wanda just stared at their mysterious vigilante. If she'd had her wits fully about her, she might've felt guilty for staring, but she didn't, and he didn't seem to react. Interesting.
Finally, he took a step forward and extended his right hand to her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Scarlet Witch."
She reached out and hesitantly grasped his hand. His grip was firm, but gentle as he shook her hand.
Suddenly realizing that she should say something, she stammered, "Likewise. Thank you for..um...helping me."
"Oh, it's nothing. Just doing my job." He tilted his head slightly to the side, the gesture oddly reminding her of some of the cats that had wandered the alleys back home. "I think it'd be best if we find somewhere else to have our conversation. The police are about nine blocks away and fast-approaching." Now that he mentioned it, Wanda heard the faintest sound of sirens in the distance.
"Right," Sam agreed, pulling out his comm to send a message to the others. "Any suggestions?"
"I know a place," the Daredevil responded. "How are you with climbing?"
"Huh?"
"Just follow." He sprinted off towards the back of the alley, leaped onto a fire escape Wanda hadn't even noticed, and swung up and onto the rooftop.
Sam sighed. He pulled a cord in his backpack, and the wings deployed. Wanda herself employed her telekinesis to levitate up. The Daredevil was already two rooftops away, so she and Sam followed him until he came to a stop on a rooftop two blocks away. The building was shorter than the buildings surrounding it, so they were somewhat concealed from sight.
The Daredevil turned to them, only panting slightly. "So. What brings the Avengers to Hell's Kitchen?"
Sam adopted what Wanda called his counselor persona, where he practically radiated 'trust me.' "Well, our CO of sorts apparently caught wind of your talents and was wondering what your long-term motivations were in the superhero business, as it were."
"Ah." He dipped his head slightly. "Well, I guess I should have seen this coming," he said almost wryly.
That phrase was probably innocent--of course it was, how would he know?--but Wanda couldn't help but tense at it. She managed to stifle it, but was shocked when she saw by the slight inclination of the Daredevil's head that he'd noticed. How..?
Back when she'd first been getting settled in with the Avengers, Steve had come and sat her down for a talk. He had explained that, though her and her brother's actions during the Battle of Sokovia had redeemed them in the Avengers eyes, there were some rules she would have to play by, and reading people's minds without their permission was not acceptable. She had grown frustrated, telling him that she couldn't switch her powers on and off that easily, though she refrained from telling him that if she could, she wouldn't be here right now.
"Then just do your best." Steve had replied. "That's all I ask."
Still, every now and again she couldn't help herself--especially when she was fascinated. And she hadn't been in a while. Besides, it was only a cautionary measure, wasn't it? He could have ulterior motives or be lying to them. Reaching out, she probed just slightly against his mind, only examining what was on the surface.
When she read a mind on the surface level, she usually got a sense of whatever emotion the person was currently experiencing, what they were seeing and hearing and thinking. When she touched his, she felt his caution but amiability, his thoughts of heading home in a few hours...
But all he saw was a slight flickering.
Mentally frowning, she pressed a bit harder, trying to decipher what he was seeing. Even going deeper, there was nothing. That meant...
It made sense, but didn't. His exceedingly good hearing. His lack of eye contact.
The Daredevil was blind.
How the hell did he fight?
Sam cleared his throat. "Wanda?" She shook her head, realizing she had been staring at the Daredevil for way longer than was expected. "Sorry. Still..shaken up, I guess."
He was looking at her, too--turning his head, at least. She swallowed hard, wondering if he'd detected her.
Sam nodded sympathetically, then turned back to the vigilante. "Anyway, I think this is about the same treatment he gave Stark--except he came personally for that one. Guess he can't get away with that anymore--what with faking his own death and all."
The Daredevil chuckled softly. "Yeah, I can see why that would be a problem." He sighed. "Not that I don't appreciate the invite, it's just..."
"A bit overwhelming?' Sam supplied.
"A bit, yeah," he laughed. "I kind of like being a one-man operation. It's simpler that way sometimes."
Sam nodded. "I can see that. But you should consider it. It certainly helps out a lot of people. Doesn't pay too badly, either."
"I don't doubt it." There was humor in his tone. "You know, Mother Teresa once said, 'What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.'"
He took both of them in his glance. "This city is my family. And it's in trouble. And not the sort of trouble that really ever goes away, either. It's the living kind of trouble. There are always going to be people who do the wrong thing--maybe because they chose it, maybe because they never had a chance to get out. And I feel sorry for them. But that doesn't mean they should be able to get away with it."
He turned his sightless gaze to a spot where the buildings let a gap of the city lights into their view. "I can help them. And I can do it in a way you guys can't. My way might not be flashy or obvious, but it's the right thing to do, and I'm going to stick to it."
Wanda could think of nothing to say, and it seemed Sam was thinking similarly because he was quiet for a while, as well. When he finally spoke, he said, "That's a damn noble goal, man. I'm just not sure you can do it alone."
Most of his face was hidden by the mask, but Wanda could see him smile, and she felt her chest tighten at the similarity to Pietro's smirk she could see there--exhaustion and self-sacrifice, but humor and self-deprecation mixed in. "That's the biggest reason I have to."
He sighed. "Anyway, if you ever really need my help, I'm on your side. You just have to call. I'm sure Mr. Fury already has my number somehow," he said wryly. "But in the meantime, the streets aren't safe. So I'm going to make them safe." The 'or-die-trying' wasn't said out loud, but Wanda heard it clear as day. Maybe she did listen too much.
The Daredevil did that listening move again, and said, "I'm afraid I have some pressing matters that need my attention." He reached out as easily as if he could see and clasped Sam's hand. "Pleasure meeting you, Falcon."
Sam returned the grip. "Call me Sam."
Wanda saw that little smirk return, just a hint of it. Then he turned to her, holding out his hand. "Scarlet Witch."
She grasped his hand with a newfound respect. "It's Wanda. And it has been an honor."
The smirk became full-fledged, and he turned and walked towards the edge of the roof. "Until our next alien invasion," he called back, and his voice echoed as he jumped off.