Speak of the Devil and He Shall Appear
Foggy was waiting in Matt’s apartment for him to come home. He was staging and intervention. He would have brought Karen, but that would have made this even more awkward. During college, Foggy never thought that he would ever have to have this conversation with Matt. The door to the apartment opened and Matt entered with his cane out and his gym bag slung over his shoulder.
“Hey Matt.” Foggy announced his presence as he walked over to Matt and took the gym bag and set it down on the ground before guiding him over to the couch, “We need to talk.”
Matt titled his head up at Foggy in confusion, “Hi Foggy, nice to see you too. Talk about what exactly?”
Foggy sighed as he sat down on the other side of the couch, “This is an intervention. We need to talk about what you’re doing with your nights.”
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Matt froze. How did Foggy know? He’d been so careful there’s no way he could know about Daredevil. Matt didn’t say anything as Foggy continued.
“I mean, don’t get me wrong, the money is nice, but you don’t have to keep doing this. Nelson and Murdock can get by without it. It’ll be tough, but we can make it work.”
Matt let out an undetectable sigh of relief, so Foggy had found out about the art and Mike Justice. That would be hard to explain, but not as difficult as Daredevil. Matt opened his mouth to let Foggy know that making art wasn’t that hard and he really didn’t mind continuing it to help their firm, but Foggy kept rambling.
“What I mean to say is that you keep getting bruises and that I don’t want you thinking you have to let yourself get hurt just to pay rent. Matt, I’m your best friend. I understand if you don't want to tell me, but we can’t help people as lawyers if you get too injured.”
Matt blinked, wait was this actually about Daredevil? Because what Foggy just said made it sound like he knew about Matt and Daredevil. But did Foggy think that Matt was getting paid to be Daredevil? Matt was starting to realize that he had no idea where this conversation was going.
“Okay, Matt all in all I’m your friend and—”
Matt held up his hands in a ‘T’, “Foggy, time out for a second. What exactly is this an intervention for?”
Foggy froze like a deer in headlights, “Uhhhh, how you spend your nights.”
“You said that, but what do you think I’m doing at night?” Matt asked, trying to ascertain which secret identity Foggy had figured out because at this point it could be either.
Matt could hear Foggy’s blood rushing to his face in a blush, “Put your hard work on display while fending off people who could do unwanted things.”
That was absolutely no help whatsoever.
“Foggy, please can you spell it out for me? You’re not making any sense.” Matt said, rubbing his eyes underneath his glasses.
“Are you really going to make me say it?” Foggy asked, getting angry, “I know you’re doing this for a good cause, but if you could stop lying to my face that would be nice. I’m just concerned for you.”
Matt still had no idea what Foggy was talking about
At this point, Foggy was pacing back and forth and his voice was getting louder, “I mean is it that terrible for me to know? We’re supposed to be doing this together! Well fine! I know your secret Matt!”
Matt tensed, waiting for Foggy's anger at either Mike Justice or Daredevil.
“I know you’re a stripper!”
Wait what? Had Matt been drinking something he would have spit it out.
“Wait what?!” Matt exclaimed, “That’s not— Why would you— What?!”
Foggy rolled his eyes, “Oh come on Matt! I’m not dumb! You kept giving me cash for the rent. You kept showing up to work covered in paint or the glitter Karen gave you. Also I know how bad some clubs treat their employees and the extra money is not worth you getting hurt over! Matt, I just want you to be safe!”
“Foggy that’s not….” Matt put his head in his hands and sighed, “Foggy, I’m not a stripper.”
“Really, so what was that about that one client who recognized you as Mike Justice?” Foggy asked angrily, folding his arms, “You never explained, and that sounds like a stripper name.”
Matt blinked in realization and groaned, “Oh my God it does. That’s the worst.”
Foggy tapped his foot against the floor, “Are you going to explain? Or are you going to keep lying to my face?”
Matt sighed again, “Do me a favor and look up Mike Justice, modern art and I promise I’ll explain everything.”
“Okay?” Foggy said, pulling his phone out of his pocket and Matt waited until he had gotten the results, which was announced by Foggy’s mouth falling open and a tired, “Matt, what the actual fuck?”
“So, that’s where I’ve been getting the money.” Matt admitted scratching his neck awkwardly, “And as you can see by that article, I uh, well… The buyer’s kept offering cash only payments, and I overheard some weird conversations at the opening night party, so I invited Brett to the closing night party and he got some warrants for the people after what he heard at the party. Then some of the people, I don’t know how, figured out that I invited a cop, so, yeah, that’s where those bruises came from.”
Foggy inhaled slowly and Matt waited for the blow up, but Foggy just tiredly said “Matt, buddy, I say this from the bottom of my heart and with the most affection I can, but what the fuck.”
Matt hunched his shoulders, feeling Foggy’s disappointment for hiding this, and it wasn’t even the worst thing he was hiding, “Apparently, modern art is subjective.”
Foggy sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration, “I believe you. Just, Jesus Christ Matt, why did you hide this from me?”
Matt rubbed the back of his head trying to decide if it was a good time to bring up Daredevil.
“Okay, Okay,” Foggy waved his hand in the air, “So, you’re a surprisingly successful modern artist. I’m offended that you thought you had to hide that from me. I’m actually proud of that, where can I see your work?”
Matt smiled, “The gallery is closed, but they have pictures of the show on the website if you really want to see it.”
“I will,” Foggy laughed then jokingly added, “Is there anything else you want to tell me?”
Matt debated in his head then sighed and walked over to the box with all of his Daredevil gear and pulled out his suit.
“Actually, yes.” Matt said, turning around and handing it over to Foggy.
“Oh my god you’re actually a stripper.”
Matt dropped his head into his hand, “Jesus, Foggy, no. Why are you sure I’m a stripper? I’m Daredevil.”
“What?!”