Our Baby
The MedBay was becoming increasingly oppressive to Matt, so on a quiet Tuesday morning he decided to sneak out. His body protested, aching, however he had been taken off the monitors and IVs so was confident in his health and ready for some adventure.
Bruce had told Matt to stay in bed. Matt had been in bed the past two weeks, and so had made the executive decision that he was ready to get back to his life. His left arm is still in a cast, but his knee is much better, and his other wounds are healing nicely. Matt can’t smell any infection, so he knows there’s little risk in escaping the confines of Stark Tower.
He’s wearing some sweatpants from home, which Karen lovingly brought in for him, and he feels incredibly underdressed as he steps out onto the street. He’s got his cane and glasses, which makes him feel less naked, however he’s used to wearing sharp suits or his costume in public, so wearing something remotely comfortable feels foreign to him.
Matt hurries along the street, swinging his cane out in his façade as a blind man. Yes, he’s blind, but he technically doesn’t have as much use for the cane than others. However, when there’s small objects in the street or loose tiling on floors, there’s not a lot his enhanced senses can do for those.
He nearly smacks into a man on the street, narrowly avoiding him. The sounds of the city whirl around him – people talking on cellphones, cars and taxis honking, beggars crying out for money. If he let himself, he could hear further, but today is not for that. He doesn’t want to concern himself with the nature of his city, not while he’s still recovering.
Matt stops outside a coffee shop, the smell of the place tantalising. Someone in front holds the door open for him, and Matt graciously thanks them. He taps along with his cane, feeling for the counter, and a woman speaks, “Hiya Sir, what can I get you today?”
Matt smiles at the cheerful voice as he fumbles in his hoodie pocket for his wallet, another curtesy of Karen’s visit. “Um, what’s good?”
“I like the Captain Americano,” the woman replies, and Matt has to stop himself from laughing at the name.
“Can you read the menu out for me?” he asks, and he hears a sigh behind him from someone obviously waiting in the queue.
“Sure thing, Sir!” the chipper woman says. “We have the Cappuccino Marvel, the Black Widow Mocha, the Hulk Smash-ta Crème Frappuccino-”
Matt interrupts her, “Do you have anything non-superhero related?”
The woman laughs. “No, Sir. You’re standing in the Super Syrup Coffee Shop! Our entire brand is superheroes.”
“It must get tiresome, these silly names,” Matt says to her with a chuckle. “Anyway, just to satiate my curiosity, do you have anything Daredevil related?”
“Wow, Sir, you’re the fifth customer today asking for a Daredevil drink. Since Tony tark announced he was joining the Avengers, we’ve been practically overrun with orders for his drinks! We have the Daredevanilla Crème? Or the Daredevanilla Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino?”
Matt smiles, “Can I get every Daredevil related item you have? And a bag please.”
…
Foggy is organising a pile of documents when there’s a knock at the door to Nelson, Murdock and Page. He groans internally, not wanting to take on yet another client when Matt’s not here, but he plasters on his best smile and swings open the door anyway.
His smile only brightens when he sees Matt holding a tray of coffees in his uninjured hand.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Karen says from behind Foggy, but there’s a warmth to her tone.
“Broke out,” Matt says with a shrug. He steps into the office and plants a soft kiss on Foggy’s lips while he hands the tray to Karen. “I brought coffees.”
“Oh, so that makes ignoring medical advice okay now?” Foggy says, taking one of the cups from Karen. It’s bright red, something Matt would appreciate, and he sees a cartoon picture of a devil mask on the side of it.
“Matt, please don’t tell me you’ve gone and bought Daredevil themed coffees,” Karen says, laughing as she peers at the side of her coffee cup.
“Then I will simply avoid the question,” Matt says, a cheeky smile on his face.
Foggy’s glad to see him smiling. With everything going on lately, it wouldn’t surprise him if Matt tumbled into a state of depression, yet he seems to be powering through with enthusiasm. Even right now, while Karen and Matt are chatting away, Foggy notices that Matt sometimes places his hand on his stomach, smiling slightly as he does so.
Foggy never would have taken Matt to be a maternal person, but right now he’s absolutely flourishing. They hadn’t discussed the specifics yet of everything, but Foggy supposes that that’s something for the future. Right now, he’s just glad that Matt is safe, well, and home.
“I hope that’s a decaf?” Foggy says, gesturing to the coffee in Matt’s hand.
Matt grins, “Of course, Mom.”
Foggy holds his hands up innocently. “Look, I’m just looking out for the future of our baby.”
“Our baby?” Matt asks.
Foggy frowns. “Yes, our baby. Yours, mine, Karen’s, Clint’s. This baby is all of ours, and it’s going to be spoilt absolutely rotten.”
“And Clint’s wife has said she’s going to be involved, if I let her,” Matt says, and again his hand travels downwards to rest on his stomach. “This baby is going to be so loved.”
Foggy thinks he can hear a tinge of wetness in Matt’s voice. Without a second’s hesitation, he grabs Matt and pulls him into a hug. He feels Matt’s arms snake around his back, and his head rest against his shoulder. There’s a dampness on sinking into his shirt.
“Matt, are you crying?” Karen asks tentatively.
Matt pulls back from the hug and wipes his eyes with the bottom of his hoodie. “God, these hormones are making me emotional. I was just thinking about the fact that I grew up in an orphanage, and my kid is going to have five different parents, plus the Avengers watching over them.”
“Oh my God, our Christmases are going to be huge,” Karen exclaims, bringing lightness back into the conversation. “And thanksgiving. We’re going to need a bigger place if the baby’s 80 parents are coming around.”
“That’s a problem for the future,” Foggy says to her as he takes a sip from his cup and settles onto the couch in the office. He grabs Karen’s hand, pulling her down Gently beside him, and she does the same to Matt. Once they’re all settled together, Foggy says, “I am not thinking about the future right now. Instead, I’m going to sit here, drink my coffee, and tell my partners how much I love them, because that’s all that matters right now.”