Chapter 2
2.
Jack learned that Matt was bisexual and that Matt wasn’t afraid to bring his one-night stands back home despite still living with his father on the same rainy morning, and he was not sure whether to be glad it meant Matt trusted him, or deeply disturbed. Because really, Matt had a perfectly fine dorm room at Columbia that was much more suitable for having sex than his family home with Jack next door.
He didn’t have a problem with that, anyway.
He was a cool dad. A chill dad. He tried his damn best. He couldn’t care less what gender Matt finds happiness with as long as he found happiness. And sure, he wasn’t exactly over the moon about bringing his dates home for the night, but it wasn’t a problem. He could deal with it, and he sort of understood that even with Jack around, their home probably had more privacy than a place where he shared a room with another person.
Hell, Jack had to admit that for all that the uncomfortable realization his baby was decidedly no longer a baby, at least they were quiet and unobtrusive, which was a double-edged blade, because it meant Jack was completely and utterly unprepared.
But he didn’t have a problem with it.
What he had a problem with was going into his own kitchen in the morning and finding a cop in there.
Excuse him for being somewhat wary of the law enforcement with his past, thank you. Upon further consideration, if the police wanted to arrest Jack for throwing fights a decade ago, they probably would show up at his door and knock, with at least two officers and a warrant, not send just one guy to sit at his table and eat eggs, but it was seven on a work day and Jack was never a morning person.
„Oh, hey, dad.”
„Good morning, Mr. Murdock.”
If the guy wanted to arrest him, he probably would say something other than good morning too.
„Um, morning, Matty. Good morning...”
„Brett Mahoney.” The guy stood up to shake Jack’s hand. Huh. Polite kid. „Pleasure to meet you.”
So first a debutante and now a cop. Who would have thought, Matt sure knew how to pick them. Jack didn’t have a leg to stand on, going for a nun, but it still felt like maybe, just maybe, a goddamn cop? Even if he was polite... It was enough that Matt was gonna be a lawyer.
Jack had to admit he wasn’t sure what to do with himself. Matt put a plate of sandwiches on the table in front of him, though, so he supposed there was not much to do but sit down and eat, and keep reminding himself he was at home and not in the interrogation room. Not that Jack ever actually was in one, but the presence of a NYPD uniform did not put him at ease.
So he just shoved the bread in his mouth so he didn’t have to talk and silently prayed that Brett had to leave right after breakfast. He probably did, right? He was in uniform, he wouldn’t be in one if he had a day off, Jack figured. And it was weekday anyway. Eventually both him and Matt would have to leave too.
But as if he sensed that he was not exactly welcome, Brett made himself scarce pretty quick. Matt offered him a kiss on the way out and led him to the door, and Jack finished his sandwich in a slightly more comfortable silence.
„I gotta leave for class soon, so... Spit it out.” Matt rolled his eyes, a commendable effort that didn’t work quite as well these days but made him look rather cute.
„A cop, really?”
„He’s Foggy’s friend.” Matt shrugged.
„Just maybe not... is this like a serious thing?”
„What, you got anything against cops?”
„No, I-- Yes? Maybe.”
Matt laughed.
„Don’t worry, old man. Definitely not a serious thing.”
God help him, but whoever said parenting got easier once your kid grew up, clearly never had children.