Chapter 6
The next day, Matt hardly got any work done. He was supposed to go over a case, but instead his hands just hovered uselessly over the keyboard.
Eventually, he was interrupted by Foggy, who stuck his head into the office without knocking. “Did you find that policeman's statement?” he asked.
Matt jumped, as he was ripped out of his thoughts and ran a hand over his tie. “What? Oh, no, I've been … thinking. Sorry.”
Foggy frowned. “What about?”
“Well.” He suppressed a grin and asked: “Do you remember when I told you that Tony Stark and that purple guy wanted to talk to me?”
“How do you know he wears purple?” Karen asked and walked inside, leaning against the desk, where she dropped a file.
“Eye-witness reports,” Matt responded dryly. “I met the archer yesterday.”
Foggy crossed his arms in front of his chest and raised his eyebrows. “What did he say?”
Matt let out a disbelieving laugh and said: “He asked me to join the Avengers.”
A shocked silence followed, suddenly interrupted by Karen's laughter. She threw a hand over her mouth and shook her head apologetically, trying her best to keep an even voice, when she said: “I'm sorry, it's just …” She put her hands on her hips with a wide grin. “Do they want you to parkour through space?”
Matt grinned back at her. “That's what I said, but apparently not a lot would change.” He tapped his lips thoughtfully and added: “He compared me to Spider-man. Spider-man with more broken bones.”
Foggy scoffed at that. “That's one way to put it.”
“Now, listen, I wouldn't have to break their bones, if they'd just stay down the first time,” Matt immediately said. “It's not my fault, they keep coming back for more.”
“Broken bones aside, can we come back to the Avengers-thing?” Karen interrupted the ensuing argument. “Do you want to do it?”
Matt deflated somewhat and cocked his head to the side. “Do you think I should?” It certainly sounded like good exercise, to occasionally fight alongside the likes of Captain America and Iron Man. Despite the small voice condemning him for it, he also thought it sounded like fun.
Foggy sighed. He shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. “I mean it could be important work,” he finally said.
“Right,” Matt replied. “I'd be doing good.”
“It would also be dangerous,” Karen said and added: “Probably more dangerous than whatever Hell's Kitchen could throw at you.”
“But I'd also have skilled backup.” He sat up a little straighter, as he said: “And my identity would remain a secret.”
“Sounds to me, like you want to join them,” Foggy said. “I won't stop you, but you'd better be careful out there.” He pointed at Matt and continued: “I'll kick your ass, if you get yourself killed on some spaceship!”
Matt let out a soft laugh and nodded. “I don't think I'll ever have to set foot on a spaceship.”
“Let's hope so,” Karen said and walked towards the door. “I'm going to get some coffee, anybody want something?”
In the evening, Clint was lounging in his apartment in the tower, snacking on a bag of cereal without milk, while watching cartoons. Since Tony had retreated into his lab hours ago, with no hopes of seeing him before sunrise, Clint had been put on phone-duty.
It was now sitting on the table in front of the couch, silent and un-moving. With every flash of light reflecting off the screen, Clint jumped, thinking Daredevil might be calling.
One time it did actually ring, but it had only been Pepper, asking to speak to Tony. She had been less than pleased, upon hearing that he wasn't reachable at the moment.
Finally though, it rang again. Clint leaped forward and turned off the TV, before panicking and pressing the wrong button on the phone.
The call ended.
Clint cursed loudly, as he stared at the screen, willing it to ring one more time.
After what felt like hours, it did.
Immediately, he pressed the green button and answered the phone. “Is it you?” he asked, slightly breathless.
“If by 'you', you mean me, then yes, I suppose it is,” came the gravelly reply.
“Oh, good.” He leaned back on the couch in the attempt of relaxing. “Did you think about my offer?”
“I did.” There was a short pause, before Daredevil continued: “You said it would be nothing binding, and I will hold you to that. Other than that, I don't see why I should refuse.”
“So, just to be clear, that's a yes?”
There came an annoyed sigh from the other end. “Yes.”
Clint grinned widely, as he said: “Goody, we should meet and talk details, some time soon.”
“Come to the neighborhood tomorrow night. I'll find you.”
The line went dead with a click.
For a while, Clint just sat there, dumbfounded by the fact that this entire quest of his, was finally coming to fruition. Very carefully, he set down the phone. He stared at it for a while longer, before a wide grin began spreading over his face.
An ever so slightly maniacal laugh fought its way out of his chest, as he chased towards the elevator, and on his way to the lab. Tony would be delighted, to hear the news.
Clint was certain of it.