Work Text:
You came home to an empty apartment. Again. You didn’t want to jump to conclusions but the suit was missing and there was so much going on in Hell’s Kitchen.
You figured you could start by calling Foggy or Karen. It was late but… they worked long hours sometimes. Right? You pulled your phone out of your back pocket and quickly dialed Foggy. It took him a moment but he answered.
“What? What do you want?” He asked, his voice thick and raspy with groggy exhaustion.
“Matt’s not still at the office is he?”
“No. He left at the same time I did. Is he not at his apartment?”
“No. He’s not here and neither is the suit.” You sighed. You looked around again, reflexingly searching for Matt even though you knew he wasn’t there.
“Why the hell did you call me if both Matt and the suit are gone?”
“I don’t know! I thought that maybe he just put it somewhere different today. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. Listen, go out and look for Matt, or just stay there and wait for him, but let me know when you see him. Call me if you need help. G‘night.” He hung up.
“Night, Foggy.” You pulled the phone away from your face and turned it off. You didn’t know what to do. On one hand, you knew what Matt was doing and you had a good hunch about where he was. But on the other hand, you knew that he could handle himself.
You two were partners, though. You supported each other. And goddammit if you were going to beat the shit out of someone you were going to do it together.
You steeled your resolve and opened up the armoire that sat in the living room. You gently moved away Matt’s box and grabbed the one you had stashed in there. You opened it up and removed the false bottom.
The silky-smooth fabric hidden there brushed against your fingers. The underlayer was soft and solid black. The man who had made Matt’s suit made yours as well. Since he had more time to refine the design, the fabric was nicer against your skin and more resistant to the damage Matt’s was susceptible to. It was truly striking and something you felt both beautiful and dangerous in.
You slipped it on and slipped out onto the fire escape to find Matt.
By the time you found him, Matt was already in the heat of a fight. He knew your scent and the pattern of your heartbeat so he didn’t mistake you for someone who meant him harm but your steady approach threw him off enough for the man he was fighting to get in a few good hits. He couldn’t focus if he didn’t know what you were doing.
You entered the abandoned building Matt was in through an unlocked door on the roof. The man didn’t see or hear you coming. He was trying to strangle Matt when you snuck up behind him and dealt a blow to his head strong enough to knock him out for a while. Matt’s breathing was laborious as he regained his composure.
He could tell that you were upset with him and he had an idea about why that might be. He stood on shaky legs, his arm propped on the wall to support him. He opened his mouth to speak but you began to talk before he could.
“We are supposed to be partners.”
He turned away from you, shielding his masked face from your scrutinizing gaze. He might not have been able to see you but he could hear the anger and hurt in your voice. His voice was barely above a whisper.
“We are.”
Your chest rose and fell with heavy breaths. “Partners work with each other. Partners ask each other for help and partners let their partner help them.” You rubbed your hands on your face and began to pace.
“I do let you help me. This was just… I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
“Do you think I want you to get hurt? It’s safer for both of us if we work together.”
“It’s too dangerous.” His voice was cracking and you could tell you were pushing into an uncomfortable subject for Matt but this was something you couldn’t keep tiptoeing around.
“I can take care of myself. I’m just as capable as you are. I can do these things too.” You could hear yourself getting quieter and quieter with every word. You hated that. You hated when you sounded weak.
“I know you can. I know.”
“Then let me help you. Please.” He swallowed hard.
“I just… I can’t lose you to… I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if something ever happened to you. I don’t want to lose you to my fight.” He took a deep breath as he attempted to calm himself.
“I hate it when you do that, you know. When you say that this is your fault. That the violence and suffering is something that you have to stop. This burden is not yours to carry alone. You have Foggy and Karen. You have me. And I’m not going anywhere. You won’t lose me. Not to your fight or any other.”
You reached out and touched his face. The slight stubble felt familiarly prickly and comforting. He grabbed your wrist and leaned into your touch. His lips twitched slightly in a way you couldn’t read. He stepped forward and pulled you into his chest. You breathed in his scent and squeezed your eyes shut as you wrapped your arms around his body. He pressed a light kiss into your scalp. Matt pulled away just enough for you to look at him clearly.
“Wanna head back home?” He asked. You nodded and then suddenly remembered where you were.
“What are we going to do about that guy?” You guestered to the unconscious man behind you even though you knew Matt couldn’t see that.
Matt smirked.
It wasn’t everyday that criminals were dumped on the stairs of the police station but it wasn’t the first time it had happened. It certainly made Brett’s job easier. It means that he didn’t have to go out and get shot at by fairly dangerous people.
This guy, similarly to the last one, came with a note. Brett smiled to himself as he read it. It was signed by his old friend. Upon closer expectation, though, was a second, smaller signature. One he didn’t recognise.
Yours.