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There are plenty of ways to get to know your neighbours. Like a house party, or even a barbeque if you want to be fancy.
Finding your incredibly attractive next door neighbour sat on your bed wrapping up a novelty Barack Obama action figure on Christmas Eve is, let’s say, an unexpected method of introduction.
Foggy had only nipped out to pick up some extra tape but here he was, entirely nonchalant, doing an incredibly good job on Obama while Foggy watches from the doorway.
‘Uh, can I help you?’ he asks, meaning literally what the hell are you doing on my bed or even in my apartment for that matter and Jesus what have you done with Karen.
The guy smiles and stands up, leaving Obama half covered in red wrapping paper, and offers his hand.
‘Hi, I’m Matt Murdock, I live next door.’
‘I’m Foggy. I live here, in this apartment, the apartment that is mine, that you are currently in.’
‘Yeah, about that- ‘ Matt begins.
‘Oh fantastic, I see you guys have met.’ Karen comes in from the kitchen holding a plate of cookies, seemingly unperturbed at the man in their bedroom, and she has this look on her face like Foggy get a load of this guy.
‘I met Matt in the hallway and roped him into helping me with the gift wrapping.’ She sounds triumphant. She blushes a little at Foggy’s raised eyebrows. ‘I was desperate?’ she says as way of explanation. ‘And anyway, he’s an absolute whiz at it. It’s taken him about twenty minutes to do what I’ve done in a day.’
Foggy relaxes. If Karen trusts him then so does he.
He sighs. ‘Really, Karen? You used your feminine charms to swindle a perfectly nice man into doing your dirty work? Have you no shame?’
Karen bows her head and she looks so shy and embarrassed. Foggy loves making her blush.
Matt chuckles. ‘It really was no bother, I enjoy doing it. I don’t get much opportunity to wrap presents usually.’
Foggy couldn’t help but pick up the implication here, and he felt his heart drop a little. He looks over at Karen and she’s looking at him like she wants to rescue Matt.
‘Well, you’re welcome to ours any time you like. Wrapping gifts for the extended Nelson family takes months of planning and hands of steel.’
Matt smiles and thanks him. Foggy looks at him now the initial shock has passed, and damn is he handsome. He’s rocking that designer stubble, and his hair is so artfully dishevelled that it takes Foggy a while to believe that he’s actually blind, like how on earth does your hair do that on its own.
‘It’s been an experience.’ Matt says. ‘I have to say there are some incredibly odd shapes in that pile. If I’m honest I’m a little glad I can’t see them.’
Foggy looks over at the stack of presents on the bed and notices a little perfectly wrapped shape, the spinning top that Foggy had bought for his nephew.
‘Oh god, no that wasn’t a-‘ Foggy splutters. ‘It was a spinning top, I swear.’
Matt laughs, happy to hear Foggy floundering.
‘But Jesus, that wrapping is incredible. How do you even do that? I can see the damn things and I still manage to get paper literally everywhere but the present. You must have some festive sixth sense. Wait, is this your superpower? Please tell me you work at some mysterious toy factory that only operates at Christmas?’
Matt laughs, and the way the corners of his eyes crinkle up makes Foggy’s heart trip over its own feet.
‘Nothing quite so fantastical, I’m afraid.’
‘Matt used to intern for Landman and Zack,’ Karen states, offering the cookies around
‘No way, Karen and I work there too. Why did you leave?’
Matt frowns. ‘I didn’t agree with how they were operating.’
Foggy nods. ‘I’ll drink to that. If we could leave, we would. But it’s not that easy to find another job round here, especially around Christmas.’
‘I know,’ Matt says. ‘I’m still hunting for one.’
‘I respect your guts. I’ve almost forgiven you for breaking into my apartment to unlawfully wrap my girlfriend’s gifts.’
Matt laughs, and wow are those palpitations, I should really cut back on the eggnog.
‘Well, Matt, I don’t think your services should go unpaid. How does a beer sound?’
-----
The three of them end up at some dive bar on Christmas Eve, packed with people taking advantage of the half-price drinks.
They take a booth and sit down, and with the help of a few beers and some fancy looking cocktails, Karen, Foggy and Matt all get to know each other.
They find out Matt’s reason for quitting Landman and Zack. He tells them that he left when he overheard one of the guys say they only hired him to fill a diversity quota, which succeeds in making Karen and Foggy hate the place even more.
Karen tells Matt about how she’s a secretary for one of the CEOs, a total asshole, and how he’d tried to grab her ass once so she moved the entire schedule for his meetings that week forward half an hour and watched as he turned up late to every single one, losing him three clients that week.
‘It almost got me fired, but God was it worth it.’ Foggy high fives her and Matt grins.
They discover that Matt lives alone, has done since his Dad died. He tells them about the accident, his ‘origin story’ as Foggy calls it. Foggy wonders if it affected the way his eyes look, if they’re normal or scarred or some wacky shade of fluorescent green. He realises that he really wants to find out.
They learn that Matt is strong, ridiculously strong in every sense of the word. He has these morals and ideals and he sticks to them, which is why he hated Landman and Zack so much.
‘They’re bloodsuckers. They embody all the worst stereotypes about lawyers. I couldn’t wait to get out.’
‘Here here,’ Foggy says, and they drink to it.
‘I really want to start my own firm, y’know? Something small and personal. I never want to lose touch with why I started this.’
And he sounds so passionate that Foggy and Karen can’t help but be swept up by it.
‘I know a place downtown where they’re selling off cheap office spaces,’ Karen suggests, timid and hopeful, and Matt smiles.
‘We could do it, buddy. The three of us,’ Foggy says.
‘One day.’ And they drink to that too.
After another round of drinks Karen and Foggy walk Matt home and Foggy insists on Matt taking his arm.
‘It’s winter in New York. People are desperate, it’s cold, and Jesus Christ there could even be black ice.’ Foggy thinks he might be pushing it a little, but Matt accepts, that goofy grin on his face again.
So the three of them walk Matt back to their apartments, one on each side, flanking him as though they’re his bodyguards. They’re a little unstable, maybe because of the ice; maybe because of the last round of shots Karen had convinced them to do.
But somehow they end up holding each other up as they slip towards Matt’s apartment, something in the alcohol or the time of year or the fact that Matt has hold of both their arms and God he’s so warm and gentle, but it makes them giggle like kids.
And when Karen laughs she snorts and gasps and it’s unbearably cute and just makes him want to kiss her, and Matt it turns out is a huge dork who just throws his head back and chuckles like it’s the funniest thing he’s ever heard.
And Foggy feels warm like he’s not out on the sidewalk in the middle of winter surrounded by ice and snow. They’ve only known this guy for a few hours but it feels so warm with him sandwiched between him and Karen like he’s meant to be there.
And then half way home they start talking about Christmas day.
‘I was going to go home to the old Nelson clan this year but mom’s decided to go teetotal and I honestly don’t think I can handle the extended family without at least thirteen units of alcohol in my system.’
Matt laughs, and there’s something warm and foggy in his expression. ‘What about you, Karen?’
‘Oh I’m staying with Foggy. I mean, I’d just be waiting to come home to a burned down apartment block because he’d tried to cook turkey drunk and passed out half way through.’
‘I dispute your accusation. It’s like you don’t know me at all.’ Foggy sounds indignant, but she’s right. It’s exactly the kind of thing he’d do.
‘How about you, Matt?’ Foggy asks.
‘I’ll probably just listen to some reruns of law documentaries and get pissed,’ Matt says, and he’s joking but damn it breaks Foggy’s heart just a little.
‘Aw man, you know we can’t let you do that.’
Matt tips his head towards Foggy.
‘We have an action packed day full of Home Alone marathons and my infamous Hawaiian Eggnog to look forward to. You’d be nuts to miss it.’
Matt smiles, his eyes crinkling and making Foggy’s heart trip over its own feet.
‘How could I resist,’ he deadpans, and Foggy takes it as a yes.
-----
Foggy almost feels disappointed when they reach his apartment and they have to let him go. Matt turns to face them and there’s that smile again, smaller and calmer this time but still just as sweet.
‘Thank you for walking me home, it’s been the best evening I’ve had in a long time.’ And God he means it, Foggy can see it, that sincerity that’s in everything he says.
‘Well, we know who you are now so there’s no hiding anymore.’ And he honestly doesn’t mean it to be so threatening and thank God Matt doesn’t take it that way.
‘I wouldn’t dream of it,’ he says, and he chuckles.
‘It really was wonderful meeting you, Matt,’ Karen says, and she leans in to kiss him on the cheek and it’s so gentle and sweet that Foggy falls in love with her all over again.
‘Yeah, what she said.’ And then he’s leaning in too and he pecks him on the other cheek, and if Matt was smiling before, it’s nothing compared to this.
And damn Matt is blushing and so is Karen and shit Foggy is too.
‘We’re blushing just as much as you are, buddy,’ he clarifies, hoping it makes him feel a little less embarrassed.
And Matt laughs, all cute and shy and flustered, and turns to unlock the door.
‘Thank you again, both of you.’
And then he’s turned and gone inside, and Karen moves to look at Foggy and he’s smiling and so is she and he says ‘Now we know how Gabriella felt when she met Troy.’
-----
Karen and Foggy wake up the next morning with a blinding headache and the feeling that something wonderful is happening to them.
‘Morning precious,’ says Foggy, pushing back some of her hair.
She replies with a mumbled moan and a sleepy smile, and God if it isn’t the best thing he’d ever woken up to.
‘Happy Christmas.’
This time Karen grins and opens her eyes.
‘Shall we go see if a fat man in red pyjamas broke into our apartment last night and deposited mysterious parcels in our living room?’
-----
After they exchange presents, Foggy cooks them breakfast and they eat in bed, watching the snow fall down outside.
It’s peaceful and calm and wonderful cocooned in bed with Karen and a stack of chocolate chip pancakes. And then there is this feeling of excitement, anticipation for the one thing that could make this day absolutely perfect.
They waste a good half hour running through what happened the night before, spending an unhealthy amount of time creating the official Reasons Why Matt is Awesome list.
‘He’s so smart and kind and eloquent, but he’s a good listener too.’ Karen says, and her eyes look a little dreamy.
‘I know, right? And he hates Landman and Zack. Always a plus.’
‘He’s really good at wrapping presents. A handy skill.’
‘Right. And his hair.’
‘His jaw.’
‘I’m a terrible person I know, but I’m gonna go ahead and say it. That man has an ass I will never forget.’
They both sigh.
‘I really want this to work.’ And Karen’s serious. This really does feel like something special.
‘Me too, we just have to make today super great.’
Foggy looks at the clock on the bedside table.
‘Damn, he’ll be here soon,’ he says, and they grin. ‘We’d better tidy up.’
‘And put on some pants,’ Karen says.
Foggy shrugs, sighs as though he were deliberating. ‘I would but I don’t know if it’ll be worth it? I mean, they’re just gonna come off as soon as he gets here.’
Karen pauses. ‘You make a compelling argument. But sadly I don’t think it would be wise to lead crotch first.’
‘Damn, you’re no fun at all.’ Foggy climbs out of bed and starts dressing.
-----
Matt turns up, and he’s a little awkward at first even though he’s been there before. Foggy guesses it’s the first time in a while that he’s not spent Christmas alone, and it makes him that much more determined to see him happy.
But then Karen enlists Matt’s help with the dinner while Foggy whips up a batch of Hawaiian Eggnog and suddenly it feels right. Not harmonious exactly, because it’s a small kitchen and there are too many limbs doing too many things, but it feels warm, like it’s enough just be existing in the same space.
And then dinner is ready and on the table, way more than any of them could ever eat, but they talk and drink and Matt says it’s the best Christmas dinner he’s ever had, which is a least forty percent because of the food, but mostly because of the company.
-----
The day is easy after that. They clear up together, that same rhythm between them, and Matt is so relaxed and at ease that he seems to shine with it.
Half way through Home Alone 2, they find themselves sprawled out on the couch, bellies full, bodies warm, and more than a little merry courtesy of Foggy’s eggnog.
‘You know,’ Foggy begins, his head on Karen’s lap, feet slung over Matt. ‘I’m pretty sure this is the best Christmas so far.’ He’s slurring, sure, but he means it. This one is special.
Karen agrees, and so does Matt, and Foggy smiles at Matt’s head resting on her shoulder.
He’s glad they’re getting on so well. He really does want this to work.
Karen has one hand in Matt’s hair, her fingers running through and damn it’s so soft. Her other hand is stroking Foggy’s cheek, and she’s so gentle and warm, and Foggy feels like she connects them, like her energy is running through the both of them.
It feels warm and balanced and so safe.
And then somewhere in the middle of Taking Back the House they’re standing and facing one another, and there’s this energy pulsing through the three of them where their bodies touch, like he can feel every possibility on their skin.
Matt’s glasses are off, and Foggy can see in the dim TV light that they’re brown, deep and warm and so inviting.
Foggy takes Karen’s hand, and she takes Matt’s, and together they walk down the hallway.
They’re in the bedroom and they’re kissing and touching, and Foggy feels so incredibly spoilt with Karen and Matt in his bed at the same time, thinking what did I ever do to deserve this.
But it’s warm and slow, and they take their time because there are three bodies to explore and they have all night to do it.
Foggy falls asleep holding onto Karen, his arms wrapped around Matt on her other side, and it really is the best Christmas so far.
-----
They wake on Boxing Day morning, all three of them have a blinding headache and the feeling that something wonderful is happening.