Chapter Text
Chapter 6
Clint Barton knows Daredevil. He doesn't know Matt Murdock. At least, Matt hopes that's the case. Steve promised that Matt's identity would remain under wraps until tonight when he attends -- God help him -- an Avengers "team dinner." Apparently, this is a thing. Matt never cared for team sports, not that he was included much at the orphanage, and he's not looking forward to dinner tonight. His meeting with Barton? That he is looking forward to, because as long as Barton is a paying client, his billable hours will go towards keeping the lights on at Nelson & Murdock.
Karen is giddy as she leads Barton into their tiny conference room and takes a seat next to him. Barton must be attractive because her heartbeat and breathing are more rapid than usual. Then again, so is Foggy's. Matt's heartbeat and respiration are normal, of course. He shakes Barton's hand and smiles.
"So, Mr. Barton," Matt begins.
"Clint." His voice is louder than it needs to be, no doubt a result of a history of overcompensation for the limitations of his hearing aids. Whatever Barton has in now are high end. They emit a low mechanical buzz that even Matt has to strain to hear. "Call me Clint."
Matt instructs Clint to tell him about the building, from how he came to own it through the NYC Housing Authority's case against him. He leans back, listening intently and marveling that while Barton doesn't lie, he's omitting something. "Tell me about the previous owner."
"He was a dick." There's a sound of fabric shifting and a faint disturbance in the air. A shrug. "Russian mob. We're still having some disagreements. Nothing to do with the tenants, understand, just not agreeing to disagree, if you get my meaning."
"Do your disagreements extend to violence?" Matt asks. It's not really related to the Housing case but it's nice to know who he's about to get into bed with in both his day and night jobs.
"Well, yeah. We...uh, scuffle every now and again."
Matt makes a mental note not to visit Clint at home. "Since assuming ownership, have you made any repairs?"
"Yeah."
"Did you make them yourself or hire people to do them?"
Clint launches into an explanation of how he fixed a few toilets, hauled some trash and plastered cracks. In the background, pens scratch on paper as Foggy and Karen take notes.
"All right, Clint, we're going to take your case," Matt tells him, though this was decided far earlier in the day. "Karen will give you a retainer agreement to sign. In the meantime, I have some homework for you. Do the Avengers have some sort of PR person?"
"Uh, yeah," Clint answers cautiously. "I think. Pepper Potts, that's Tony Stark's, uh, I mean, the CEO of Stark's company. She handles stuff like that for us."
Matt nods approvingly. He doesn't know what to think of Stark but he's heard nothing but good things about the new CEO of Stark's company. "The first thing you're going to do when you leave here is call Ms. Potts. Tell her about the case and that you need to get in front of how it plays out in the media because, Clint, there is no way this case will not be leaked to the press. You have forty-seven code violations that extend back three years. Had you purchased the building through more conventional means, you might have done some diligence and discovered those violations. You may even have had the prior owner pay for their repair. Instead, you inherited them. The press is going to call you a slumlord, Clint, which brings me to my second assignment. You're going to hire a team of contractors to evaluate which issues to tackle first. It just so happens that we've represented some contractors and can refer them to you. No obligation to hire them, of course, but they're good, hardworking people who expect to be paid fairly and on time. When we go to court, I want to be able to present a plan to the judge that shows you're taking the problems seriously and are taking steps to address them. And finally, Clint, we're going to provide you with training. Owning a building comes with certain legal obligations and since you don't seem interested in hiring a management company, you need to know what those are. As an Avenger, you're a high profile target for bad publicity and lawsuits. Are we clear, Clint?"
Clint's breathing has gotten heavier while Matt's been speaking. "A slumlord? Really?"
"Whether it's true or not," Foggy tells him, "it makes a good story."
The Avenger heaves a weary sigh. "My tenants are good people. They like me."
"Of course they do," Karen assures him. "You're a nice man."
Matt stifles the urge to tell Karen how he suspects Barton really acquired the building and from whom. "Unfortunately, we can't use character witnesses in Housing court."
Fabric rustles again as Barton gets up and thanks them for their time. "Steve said you guys were good. He wasn't kidding." There's a pause. "How do you know him anyway?"
"We're friends." It's simple and succinct. Besides, the truth will come out over dinner and he's certain a trained spy like Barton would see through a lie. "Long story."
Barton ambles out and Foggy and Karen do a happy dance. Karen is excited to be representing an Avenger. Foggy is excited at the prospect of all of the billable hours the slumlord Avenger will bring in.
Matt isn't looking forward to facing the slumlord at dinner.
0000000000000000000000000000000
Steve is waiting for Matt at the Avengers entrance to the Tower. He'd offered to pick Matt up, but Matt, being his usual stubborn self, insisted that it was a short walk across town. Unlike last night, Matt is right on time, his cane tapping out a steady rhythm as he comes up to Steve.
"Do you wait in the street for all your new recruits?" Matt asks by way of greeting.
"Only the ones who won't be able to find the hidden entrance," Steve shoots back. He has no doubt Matt can find the entrance even if he still doesn't fully understand how Matt can do the things he does. "How did you know exactly where I was standing?"
"You have a very distinctive heartbeat." Matt's hand hovers over Steve's chest. "It's very strong and steady. I could hear it four blocks away. Most heartbeats I can only hear three blocks away. You're also warmer than average, about one hundred degrees."
He knows Matt just threw him a very valuable crumb about his abilities. "Anything else?"
The other man's lips twitch upwards. "You used Bulgari Extreme shower gel about two hours ago. Nice choice, by the way, and you got your shoes shined early this morning. No. Wait. You shined them yourself. A little military spit shine, Captain?"
Steve grins, pleased. "All right, Avenger. Show me where the hidden entrance is."
Matt doesn't hesitate, walking over to the hologram of a loading entrance and positioning himself in front of the door. "There's no keypad. I'm guessing the AI controls it."
"Well done," Steve praises him. The doors slide open and Matt taps his cane twice at the threshold and then navigates towards the elevator without hesitation. "Describe your surroundings."
"The space is forty feet long and wide. Ten foot ceilings, no obstructions or decorations. Floors are linoleum. Cheap linoleum, actually. I'm a little disappointed by that. I thought Stark would have splurged even on the service entrances." Matt tilts his head slightly. "Are we done having me jump through hoops for the night, Steve?"
"We've just begun."
The elevator door opens and Matt runs his hand along one panel and then the opposite one. "No floor buttons?"
Steve shrugs. "JARVIS."
"This is an ADA violation. You're supposed to have floor markers in Braille."
"Really, Matt?" The elevator doors close and JARVIS directs the elevator without being told where to go. "It's not too late for me to invite Foggy to dinner to keep you in line."
"You're my new boss," Matt smirks. "That's on you now."
"I learned discipline in basic training," Steve intones. "In the 1940s. From drill sergeants that could make the ones today cry like little girls. Do you really want me to push me?"
The grin on Matt's face is pure glee. "I'm a practicing Catholic, Steve. You'll break before I will."
"On second thought, I'll just let Natasha deal with you."
"It's not even my first day, Captain, and already you're making me somebody else's problem?"
"No sense wasting my valuable time," Steve shoots back.
The elevator doors open and there they are -- Clint, Natasha, Bruce and Tony -- waiting to greet their newest member. There's a loud cheer of 'Avengers Assemble' and then Clint swears loudly as Matt, being dramatic, taps his cane as he gets off the elevator, making a show of judging the gap. He sweeps the cane wide and smacks Barton across the shin. "Oh, I'm sorry."
Barton's eyes go wide as he gapes at Steve. "I knew it. I knew you'd never talk Daredevil into joining."
"Well, aren't you an ableist," Matt scolds him and Steve has to bite his lips at the other man's indignant expression. "How do you know I'm not Daredevil? You're hearing impaired and you're an Avenger."
"You're blind!" Barton sputters.
"Thank you for noticing." Matt takes a few more wild swings, missing Natasha who dodges away but whacking both Tony and Bruce sharply. "Which one of you is Iron Man?"
"Uh, I am." Tony steps forward and extends a hand.
Matt presses a folded document into it. "You've been served, Mr. Stark."
Stark drops the paper.
"I'm kidding. That was a thank you letter from my parish for the Stark Foundation's generous donation to the St. Agnes Orphanage."
Steve blows out a sigh. "Are you finished, Matthew?"
"You tell me, Steve. Are you going to make me perform like a trained seal all night?" Matt is incapable of giving Steve a dirty look but the way he tilts his head does it effectively enough. He draws himself up with exaggerated dignity. "For those of you who aren't ableist asshole clients or thawed out commanding officers, my name is Matthew Murdock. I'm a partner at the law firm of Nelson & Murdock. I am also Daredevil. As Mr. Barton so subtly mentioned, I am blind. Any questions?"
"We have to spar," Natasha tells him. "I've seen you in action. It was impressive."
"And I've seen you, insofar as I actually see, Ms. Romanov. You're remarkably graceful. I look forward to it." He flashes a smile that is for once neither mocking nor hostile. Then he tilts his head towards Tony, who is whispering in Bruce's ear. "No, Mr. Stark, I'm not a failed super soldier serum experiment nor am I a mutant."
"You're chemically altered," Tony informs him loftily. "I don't know what chemicals did it but whatever blinded you in that accident when you were nine must have affected you."
Matt smiles. "JARVIS, you naughty AI, did you not purge those files like you promised?"
"The files were purged, Mr. Murdock. I have merely supplied information that Mr. Stark just now requested."
"You're dying for a rematch, aren't you?"
"It will be my pleasure, sir."
Tony stares. "What did you do to my AI, Murdock?"
"I introduced it to the wonderful world of legal argument," Matt responds smoothly. His lips curve upwards. "And for your information, I won."
"He's representing me in Housing court," Clint says proudly.
"Ask him to help you with your Tracksuit Mafia," Natasha smirks.
Matt whacks Clint with his cane again. "Forget it, Barton. You strong-armed an apartment building from a petty Russian crime lord. You can clean up your own messes. I have my hands full in Hell's Kitchen with real criminals."
"Castle, right? Calls himself the Punisher? I might be able to help you persuade him to get lost," Clint offers.
"I can handle him."
"He shot you," Steve reminds him.
"And I broke his arm in two places and ruptured his spleen."
As the conversation continues, Steve can't help but smile. Matt Murdock fits right in with his band of misfits. It's time to take a closer look at Spider-man.