#Karedevil fic

[skyfallslayer]

The Daughter of The (Dare)Devil - Story 10

Series Masterlist

Series Summary: A Series of stories revolving around the MCU timeline of Matt Murdock and his Daughter, Kaila. Being the child of a vigilante can be hard and scary at times, but it doesn’t mean she ain’t going to enjoy the most of it.

(Can be read as Y/N if you’d like)

Story Summary: Relieved that his daughter is finally home safe, Matt makes two life changing moves. First is to stop and help Frank Castle in any way he can; The second one? Finally asked Karen out on a date. A date that might have to get cut short when someone from his past shows up unexpectedly (Set During 2x04 & 2x05, “Penny & Dime” & “Kinbaku”).

Date: 7/26/23

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 14,016 (Ya'll deserve it)

Warning: Possible OOC (?); Karedevil; The Murdocks Are Stubborn People; Angst; Heavy Language; Allusions To Mental Illness; Bullet Wounds/Recovery; Child Abuse; Blood and Gore; Violence; Heavy Injuries; Talks of Death/Murder; The Murdocks Could Use All The Hugs In The World; A Brief Near Death Experience; Matt Being Overprotective (He Needs A Warning, I think?); Past Toxic Relationship(s); Elektra Could Use A Warning Herself; Suggestive 18+ Themes; READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!

- Let me know if I missed anything, please.

A/N: First off, a small apology. Like I was replying to a DM a few days ago, I don't know what really happened. Despite the fact that my laptop took a dive, I ended up on a unexpected hiatus. Which... I think was a good thing for me. It gave me enough time to take a step back after slowly becoming burnt out from writing. But I'm back! I promise I won't go MIA without saying something next time. So, sorry again! But the story you all have been waiting for has returned!

Secondly, Don't let this story fool you, I don't necessarily hate Elektra. I just don't like the fact how toxic she was for Matt and how she tried to change him after finally getting in a good place in his life. So I'm going to change Canon a little bit (Which shouldn't be a surprise since I've been doing that already). Other than that, Enjoy, my loves!

- Fifteen Years Ago -

His only comfort was the pittering of the rain against his window. He sat on his bed, feet touching the ground, his phone in hand; His finger hovered over the voice command. His mind racing over and over and over with the question of– 

Should I? 

He wants answers. Sure they didn’t leave on a good note, but shouldn’t she give him some kind of explanation? It’s only been two weeks, surely she hasn’t left the area already…

Right? But even a part of him knew she probably was long gone just like the cops said, yet he still held on to some kind of hope that’ll he be able just to talk to her at least once. To just ask the “simple” question of… ‘Why?’.

He rubs his face with an open hand, fingers massaging the dark circles under his blind pupils. He didn't need sight to know they were getting worse and worse everyday. 

He sighs.

Loudly.

Heavily.

He let every ounce of emotion into that one. 

He didn’t care.

I’m really drowning right now. And indeed he was, however– 

His thoughts immediately fade away when he hears the familiar cries he’s gotten used to. Out of instinct, Matt lets his phone slip away as he slides down to the end of his bed, shifting his body down to carefully take his baby in his arms from the bassinet. He remembers how he was taught to hold his child properly, a consistent drill from the nurses and Mrs. Nelson badgered him with (mostly from Mrs. Nelson). 

He shushes quietly in the attempts to calm her. “Hey, hey. Shush. You’re okay, you’re okay.” He whispers, exhaustion in his undertone. 

God, he was so tired.

He whispers some more, his daughter starting to calm down into tiny whimpers. His face quirked into something bittersweet. 

“Did you have a nightmare?” He asked, wanting to stroke those little teardrops away, but he was too afraid to free one of his hands out of concern of dropping her. “I have those too sometimes.” He chuckles humorlessly. “I guess those can be hereditary.”

He still has those kinds of dreams. Memories from his childhood. All the dark shit he’s been through, he’ll see them every once a while. His father’s dying day, His time in the orphanage, His roller coaster of past relationships. It’ll take turns haunting him. Taunting him. Egging him to give back in, crawl back into that dark hole. Jump off the edge.

It eats him alive every single time.

Matt’s lip twitched. “Sorry. That was a bad joke.” He admits, trying to look on the positive side. “Although, your Uncle probably would have come up with something more corny than that. Right?”

He could feel her tiny gaze, something he was still trying to picture what it meant. Happiness? Sadness? Confusion? 

He sighs. “I wish I could see you. It’ll make this easier.” So much easier. “It’ll make your life easier. I’m not going to be the… typical parent of the group. So, I’m… sorry.”

How the hell was he going to do this? How was he supposed to help her through life? Through her first steps? Through school? Through any hardships she faces? How was he supposed to help when he feels like he’s drowning?

How am I supposed to be a father when I don’t know what I’m doing? How am I supposed to be a father when I can’t even see your face?

He heard the front door open and close. The person entering was setting their bag aside and kicking off their shoes and heavy jacket before strolling over where he’s been sitting for who knows how long now. Matt could smell the sweat on his friend’s brow and a light drum beat from his chest that told him his friend had been in a hurry to get here.

“Matt?” Foggy said, peeking inside the bedroom. A look of relief crosses his face upon seeing his college buddy. “Sorry I’m late.”

Matt couldn’t help but smile at his consideration. “Nah, you���re good, Foggy.” He said, half heartedly (he just hopes he doesn't have a look of desperation plastered on). He felt those hazel eyes scanning him head to toe, concerned.

“Have you been up since this morning?” Foggy asked, remembering he had called around eight this morning. There was a pause of hesitation from the blind man before he ended up nodding. He frowns worriedly. “Matt–”

“Please, don’t lecture me.” Matt said, sounding like a little kid cowering with fear. 

Foggy felt his heart hurt from it. “I wasn’t.” He promises, his frown deepening. “Have you eaten?”

Another small nod. “Yeah. I ate a little.”

“Showered?”

“No.”

“How come?”

“I…” Matt felt his chest get tight as he stumbled with his words. “Don’t want to leave the room for too long.” 

Foggy couldn’t help but laugh. “Matt, you can take her in the bathroom. Just put the bassinet by the door.”

His face scrunched up. “Isn’t that weird?”

Another laugh. “Okay, how old is she again? Two months old? Even if she sees you naked she’s not going to remember.”

Matt closes his eyes to sigh. “Yeah, yeah. I guess…”

Foggy shakes his head. “You need to sometimes turn that Catholic brain of yours off, Murdock.” He replies, coming to sit down. Upon sitting he felt something underneath him and pulled out his friend’s phone. It didn’t take long to figure out what he was doing. “Did you call Mary?”

“Tried…” Matt chews on his cheek. “I uh… I just want some answers. I mean she’s… the mother so, I would think she would be… more capable at this. I mean why would she give her kid to a blind man who has no idea how–”

“Okay, going to stop you there.” Foggy butts in, hand coming to rest on the troubled man’s shoulder. “Even if you thought Mary was more capable, you’re still the father, you know? Blind or not, parenting isn't easy. Trust me. My own parents made that very clear. I’m sure your dad told you something along those lines too.”

Matt grew quiet for a second, thinking. “Yeah. I guess you have a point.” He shifts his gaze in his direction. “But it’s just… it’s frustrating. I-I can’t see so I… I-I have no idea how she’s feeling half the time. I’m scared that if I get that wrong I’m going to hurt her.”

Foggy squeezes his shoulder comfortably. “I know, man. I know.”

“And she’s… s-so tiny, Foggy.” He whispers, fearfully. “So tiny and I’m… a big guy. I-I feel like I’m… like I’m drowning because I don’t know what to do.”

Now it was his turn to get quiet. Foggy was trying to figure out how to phrase the next few words without striking too deep. “Do you regret your decision to keep her?”

“No, no, no.” Matt shakes his head. “I just… I-I love her, she’s my daughter. But there’s… times I wonder if…” He swallows. “If she would be… better not in my care.”

Those words hurt to even say, but it was true. Maybe this would have all been better if he went through with the adoption.

As the processing time ended, Matt felt Foggy’s arms wrap around his shoulders, cautious of the baby, and placed his head against him. Matt couldn’t help but lean into the touch he felt like he suddenly craved, and tried not to cry.

“Matt–” Foggy begins, his voice full of warmth and love. “You’re going to do great. Sure it’s hard, and it’s always going to be hard, but under all that exhaustion I can see how much you love this kid. You’re going to be an amazing dad.”

Matt chuckles, somewhere between disbelief and relief. “You r-really think so?” He said, swallowing again as his throat tightens.

“I know so.” Foggy pulls back. “Trust me, Buddy. I’ve seen the emotions you pack. I can already picture you picking her up on her first day of school, or helping her get a summer job, or walking her down the aisle for her big day.”

Matt raises an eyebrow. “Who says she’s getting married?”

“See?” Foggy lightly slaps him in the arm, grinning. “You’re already accepting the universal dad laws. Never letting your daughter near a boy her age. You know when my niece was born, my brother was pretty much ready to lock her in a tower far, far away. Surrounded by a dragon that was fifty feet tall, which breathed hot fire.”

Matt laughed again. “Uh, not sure if Amazon sells dragons but… the tower I can find and work with.”

“Oh, yeah. I’m pretty sure New York has some of those.”

“How will I know they do?”

Foggy snorts and gives him a small shove while playfully saying his name. He finally felt a bit of success bloom when he noticed his friend’s happy face staying the same. “You’re doing great, man. But if you ever need help, Me and The Nelsons are here to help.”

Matt’s smile widens genuinely. “Thank you, Foggy.”

“Don’t even mention it.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

-Present Day-

Matt’s eyes open at the shift in the bed, he sets his blind gaze in that direction, quietly listening to see if she is awake. 

She wasn’t. Good.

She needed to sleep.

It’s been about a week since the incident, and they’ve just gotten out of the hospital yesterday, and to his surprise (Well, he really shouldn’t be), his daughter wanted to stay pretty close to him for a while; Not that he was complaining. He wanted this too.

He shifted his own weight too, rolling to his side for a better view. She had gently wrapped herself in his blankets, and had carefully propped her injured leg on a pillow. His daughter finally looked like she was at peace, especially since he could tell she wasn’t suffering anymore night terrors.

Good. She doesn’t need that right now. He remembers she had one after Brett left the hospital room, her body finally giving out after the nightmarish incident. He remembers she bolted up, drenching in sweat as her heart raced a mile a minute. She was hyperventilating in a way he’s never heard before as she started muttering. ‘Where is he?’ or ‘Where am I?’. It broke his soul to her muttering, to feel her shake in his arms as he calmed her down. He never wants to go through that experience again.

I wonder if Brett’s figured anything out? The whole kidnapping situation still wasn’t adding up. Why was this… man who claims to be their first client’s brother kidnap his daughter? Because… what? Nelson and Murdock ‘failed’ him? This just didn’t sit right with him. And Matt recalls when the man said something about a Boss. Boss? What Boss? Who could this Boss be? Who wanted to hurt Matt Murdock more than the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen? It just didn’t make any–

His daughter’s phone chimes loudly, the sound of a notification hit his ears quickly. Despite not being able to see it, he tries his best to reach over to the side table to hit the button to mute the sound. However his speedy actions cause a stir in his bed.

Kaila grumbles in her sleep, eye opening half lid. “Is it morning yet?”

Matt shifts back around, frowning at himself as he shakes his head. “No, no. Not yet.” He replies, gazing at her. “Go back to sleep.”

“Are you going out?”

That was like a little needle in chest, and made his face soften. “No. I’m not going out.”

“Shouldn’t you though?” She asked, dazed and confused.

“No. Not until I know you’re okay.” He brushes some of her stray hair out of her face, tucking it away gently. “Go back to sleep, baby girl.”

She hums at his touch and words, closing her eyes again, snuggling up the mattress some more. “M’kay… love you…”

He smiles. “Love you.” He waits for her to fall back to sleep before he does, closing his own eyes and forcing himself to sleep lightly for obvious reasons.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

He opens the door to the light knocking, a soft smile on his face as he senses who it was. “Hi.”

“Hey.” Karen said, with a small wave and her little quirky bow of her head. 

“I'm just about ready.” Matt explains letting her in and walking towards his living room to finish up.

“Okay.” She closes the door behind him, watching him closely as he struggles to finish his tie. “Uh, here, let me help with that.”

“Oh, thanks.”

She hums in reply, getting real close to help him out. She mentally curses at herself when she could hear her own heart in her ears. Now that she knew his secret, she felt embarrassed by everything she did in the past.

Karen bites the inside of her cheek, keeping her eyes on the fabric in her hand. “You feeling any better?” She asked, knowing the last few nights were rough in the hospital. 

Matt nods. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m good… Now.” He swallows and whispers as she finishes, “With you.” He felt her curious eyes on him, now he felt embarrassed by what he just said. “Uh, not that I can verify, but you seem good at this.”

She brushes off her flustered face with laughter. “Uh, well, my brother wasn't, so that's where I came in.”

“Your brother must have been lucky for you.” He soon regretted saying those words as soon as it rolled off his tongue. Matt didn’t miss the goosebumps suddenly covering her body, and how her heart rate went up three notches. He frowns, concernedly. “Karen… You okay?”

She pales. “Um–”

“I thought I heard Karen.” Kaila says, coming into the room (unknowingly saving the day). She had her backpack in hand while her free one was gripping the crutch she was given for support.

In a motherly way, the blonde comes over to take the bag. “Let me grab that. That looks heavy.” She replies, slinging it over her own shoulder despite the teen’s protests.

“I can carry it.”

“The doctor said nothing too heavy, which…” Karen gestures to the bag and makes a face. “What’s in this?”

Kaila shrugs. “I gotta keep myself entertained somehow, because I ain’t doing you guys’ paperwork when I get there.”

Karen shakes her head, turning away towards the front door. Matt comes over next while sliding his jacket on, worriedness creeping on his face.

“You feeling okay?” He asked, hearing her crack a smile.

“Yes, Dad. I’m good. A little sore, but I’m alright.” Kaila replies, honestly. “So…” Her eyes flickered to the woman by the door before back at her father. “When’s the date?”

His eyebrows shoot up. “The what?”

“The date?” She chuckles at his puzzled expression. “Come on, Dad. I see the googly eyes, and you can cut the sexual tension in here with a knife.” She jabs him in the arm as he mouth becomes agape. “So when is it?”

“There’s no date.” He says, expressionless.

“But you want there to be.”

“Uh, well–”

“She knows you’re the devil, and she didn’t run away. I’d say that’s a keeper.” She walks past him, hand patting him on the arm. “Come on, we’ve got work to do.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“He’s lucky to be alive.” Karen says, as Kaila holds up an x-ray of the Punisher’s skull for them to see. “This is all of the stuff that the DA’s collecting for her case. And most of it’s about the Punisher’s victims. The Dogs of Hell, the cartel... But this was in the middle of it. Not someone he shot, him.”

“He’s insane.” Foggy says, as he, and everyone in the room, looked unwell by the picture. “Maybe he shot himself.”

“But he saved me.” Kaila points out, puzzled and baffled at the same time. When she learned that this was the man that helped save her from Baldy, the man known as ‘Punisher’, she was honestly surprised by how much of a bloody trail he’s really left behind.

“I know, but it doesn’t mean he isn’t.”

“I-I thought about that, but at that close of a range…” Karen trails off, waiting for someone to finish.

Which was Matt with, “Yeah, he’d be dead already.”

“Okay, not to go all tin-foil hat here, but Tower obviously slipped this to me for a reason. What if the Punisher isn’t the worst of it? What if Reyes is trying to cover something up?”

Now it was Foggy’s turn to look surprised. “You think that murderous psychopath isn’t the worst of it?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “And I think our best shot at protecting Nelson and Murdock is to find him.”

“It’s our best shot at career suicide or just getting shot.”

“She kind of has a point, Foggy.” Matt says, hands on his hips.

Foggy blinks in disbelief. “How?”

“I owe it to Frank, alright. He saved my daughter.”

“I know that. But what if he was just trying to get something out of you? Like an IOU? Or maybe he’s trying to pin the blame on you? Have you thought of that?”

“I have. But I don’t think those options are logical.”

“How? In what way is it not?”

Matt frowns. “He told me, ‘He expects me to do the same. Father to Father’. He’s a family man, or at least he was, I get the impression.”

Foggy sighs. “Look. Even if he is, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s a dangerous man that tried to kill our client and a couple other groups of people.” The phone starts ringing and he gets up. “Just think about what I said, okay? I don’t want you getting shot again.”

Karen looks Matt’s way, confused. “Shot again?”

“Uh, he…” He clears his throat, blind gaze going somewhere else. “Kind of shot me in the head when I first met him.”

Her eyes widened. “Huh?”

“It was the day you came for a visit and I was pissed at him.” Kaila replies, setting the x-ray down after gazing at it for so long. “He went temporarily deaf too.”

“You went deaf?!” Karen said, scolding. She watches him shrug sheepishly before sighing. “And I thought I was insane.”

“Welcome to having a Murdock in your life.”

She sighs again, rubbing her face. “Okay, I… I know this Punisher, or Frank, is a lunatic, but–”

“But you care, anyway?” Matt finishes.

“I wouldn’t say that, it’s more like curiosity. In between these files and… Reyes’ obsession and the fact that humans are a pretty complicated species to begin with, I just feel like there’s gotta be more to the story.”

He hums. “I think you are.”

She scoffs. “Oh, my God, you think I'm insane.”

Matt chuckles at her reaction. “I’m kidding. You’re compassionate. It’s a good quality, Karen. Stuff of saints.”

Karen frowns. “Yeah, well, I’m no saint…” She mumbles, looking away (Kaila does too for obvious reasons).

Matt, sensing something was off, replies with, “I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear that.”

“Matt!” Foggy calls from his office. “We have real, live, non-criminal clients who need our help.”

“Excuse me for a second.” He excused himself and entered the room. “Tell me.” 

“Mr. DiPesta defaced the elevator in his building.”

“Which, technically, makes him a criminal.”

“That’s what his slumlord, excuse me, landlord says, but look. He’s got no AC, no hot water. This has Nelson and Murdock written all over it. But we gotta file today. Kar–”

“Dad!” Kaila shouts, and the boys immediately run back to the front at a quick speed. She was standing at the door that was open. “Karen told me she’d drive me home later and then left.”

“Maybe she just stepped out for some fresh air.” Foggy suggested just as Matt suddenly had a sinking feeling.

“Did she take the files?” The blind lawyer asked, worriedly.

“I think so. She grabbed some folder quickly that I didn’t see.” Kai continues, as her father feels around her desk; His head drops immediately while sighing.

“Shit.” Foggy rubs his head.

“I have to find her.” Matt said, already shedding some of his work attire for some street clothes. 

“Find Frank first.”

“Already planning on it.” 

“But, Dad–” Kaila begins, watching him slide a sweatshirt on. “You didn’t bring your suit.”

“I don’t need it.”

She blinks. “Huh?”

“I’ve been waiting to pick up my new one. Reinforced alloy.”

“Which means…?” She trails off with her eyebrow raised.

And with a ghost of a smile he says,

.

.

.

“Which means I won’t get shot again,”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Thanks to Karen’s A+ detective work, she manages to track down George Buck, a nurse with an… interesting past experience. It took a little bit to convince him to walk along the Hudson, just a small bribe of getting coffee.

“You were with him when this was taken?” She asked, ready to jot down the mental notes in her head.

“Yeah.” He replies, nodding. “That bullet tore through his head. Not many people survive that.”

“Well, I’d like to know what you remember.”

“John Doe. Guy was a total vegetable. I guess that’s why they decided he only needed one nurse.”

“Any family or visitors?” She knew Frank was a father judging by what he said to Matt, but still wanted to know if they were still around.

“No. I mean aside from the suits.”

“Suits?”

“Yeah. Uh, sometimes men, sometimes women. You can tell ‘em ‘cause they all wear the same ear pieces. That and the black suits. Kind of like uh…” He trails off while gesturing to the open air, hoping she gets the idea.

“Got any idea who these suits were?” She asked, curiously.

“No.” He shakes his head. “Uh, but they had their run of the place and they were the ones that pushed for the, uh, the DNR.”

She tilts her head. “A ‘do not resuscitate’?” 

“Yeah. They had the paperwork. And I was there when the doctor pulled the plug.”

“I…I’m confused.” This wasn’t making any sense. “You’re saying this guy died?”

“Yeah, for about a minute. It’s crazy, but they say it happens sometimes. You know, one minute, flatline, then boom.” George’s eyes widened with the shock that was still there. “His heart starts back up again. On its own. He just didn’t wanna die. Within ten minutes of being awake… h-he reaches up and grabs my scrubs, yanks me down, and says, real close ‘Take me home’.” He frowns, guilty. “I shouldn’t have done it. I shouldn’t have done it. I should’ve known it’d get me fired.”

Now this got her interest peaked even more. “His home.” She tests out, hopeful. “Do you have an address?”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

As the sun finally kissed the sky goodnight, Frank was reliving his gut wretched past. He could still hear the music from the carousel; His children’s laughter; His wife’s beautiful words.

All of it.

The lights of the morbid thing only go off when the ride stops and everyone walks away with a smile on their face. Now all he sees is the silhouette that haunts him in his dreams. And with his extra sense, Frank quickly notices the mysterious man sitting on the next bench over, grinning like the son of a bitch he was.

“Nice night.” Is what he said, causing the ex-soldier some confusion. Before Frank could say anything, the man, who’s name was Rory, flashed the gun in his belt and replied, “I’m not alone.”

Right on cue people were coming in every direction, an expressionless feature greeted him.

Rory continues to boast saying, “You wanna come with us? Or you wanna make a mess?”

Frank, wasting no time, goes for him and starts beating him up, not caring that Rory had stuck some kind of needle into his neck. Rory’s guys move in only for Frank to take them all out with a single bullet each. But as soon as he thought the fight was over, someone knew entered the ring and shot his challenger.

The Punisher stumbled on his own two feet as the sedative kicked in, but his spirit wouldn’t be broken yet until he knew who this other person was. 

The Irish gang leader, Finn, strolls over with his own set of individuals, looking more cocky than the man before. “Well, thanks for thinning out the herd. You’re surrounded, son. Now be a good lad and drop the iron.” He says, just as his men pointed their laser at his prey’s chest. “Come on. You seem like a smart one.”

With strong will, Frank tries to advance, only to be shot with various tasers and rendered unconscious.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Matt waited until he came out from the crime scene from the Irish themed bar. He stayed in the vibrant black and red light, ignoring the gun that was trained on.

“I need to know what happened here.” Sounds more like a demand than a question.

Mahoney looks behind him, nervously. “I’m not telling you shit.” He whispers, harshly. “You helped us catch Fisk, that don’t make us friends.”

“Was this the Punisher?”

“Jesus. The Irish, okay? To find the Punisher. They put a bounty on his head. Now people all over the Kitchen are getting hurt. It’s the goddamn Wild West out there.”

“Have the Irish found him?”

“As long as we keep getting calls like this, I guess not.” Mahoney watches as the vigilante seems satisfied with his answer, and was about to leave, although the cop was concerned for his safety. “Hey, stay out of it. You hear me?”

“I just wanna help, Sergeant.”

“No, you can’t help this one.”

“We’re on the same side, you and I.”

“Listen, You’re–”

‘2-Adam, shots fired. 65th Street transverse, by the carousel. All units to back.’

Mahoney touches his radio, eyes moving away. “Fifteen Sergeant responding, Central.” He replies, just as Matt makes his move to leave. Once seeing this, he couldn’t help but shake his head.

Jesus, Murdock. Stay out of this for once.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

The window rolled down completely to see Foggy’s smugged face. “Ah, look who finally showed up. Did Cinderella really want to go to the ball that bad?” He asked as Karen sighed apologetically. 

“I’m really, really sorry, Foggy.” She says, honest.

“It’s okay, just remember, we’re your friends. We worry.” He says, as she apologizes again. “It’s okay. Seriously. But don’t run off like that again. I’m still technically your boss.”

Karen snickers. “Alright, Boss man, I’ll remember to ask.”

“Thank you, my lovely co-worker.” He smiles and gestures for the teenager to come over. “Ready, K-Pop?”

“As I’ll ever be.” Kaila replies as he opens the passenger door. “Thanks.”

“Sure you don’t want a ride?” Karen asked, as he shook his head.

“No thanks. You know I live in the opposite direction.” Foggy said, waving them goodbye. “I’ll see you in the office tomorrow.” 

The girls wave back as he takes a few steps down the sidewalk looking for a cab. As the young Murdock starts putting her seat belt on, she could see the blonde’s mind practically racing over something. It especially was clear when she was gnawing on her bottom lip and her fingers lightly drum the steering wheel.

You can really never turn that Reporter brain of yours off, huh Karen?

“You ready?” The blonde asked with a ghost of a smile.

Kaila tilts her head, feeling her out. “You’re taking me back home, right?” 

“Yeah.” Karen said, nodding.

The teenager raises a knowing eyebrow. “But I can tell you don’t want to.” She says, ignoring Karen’s shocked face. She sighs and rolls the window back down, poking her head out just enough to still see her Uncle. “Hey, Foggy!”

The man perked up at his name just as he was raising his hand for a cab. He wastes no time to jog back over, concern on his features. “What’s up?”

“Get in.” Kaila jerks her head towards the backseat. “We’re breaking and entering.”

Those hazel eyes of his batted quickly, bafflingly. “What?”

“I said, get in the car. We’re going to need a lawyer if this goes south.”

“...What–”

“Just get in the car, Foggy.” Kaila said a bit more stern, which managed to get his ass in the back seat, muttering about what was going on. She pays no heed to him for a second and looks back at Karen who still had the same exact look on her face from a moment ago. “All yours, Cap.”

“Huh?” Karen looks between the teenager and the road ahead of her, debating. “Kai, I really shouldn’t–”

“Listen. I don’t really know who he is, but he saved my life. Whatever you have in mind, we owe it to him.” She smiles bittersweetly. “It’s the least we can do. Right?”

Karen took a minute to let it sink in, before putting her game face back on and taking the car out of park. While she starts pulling away, their guest in the back still seemed clueless about what this really was.

“What exactly is going on here?” Foggy asked, watching as the two girls give each other a look before deciding on a way to spill it to him.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Rory did his best to pretend to be dead, but once the Irish took away the Punisher, he made his move.

Somewhat.

His leg was dead weight from the bullet wound, so his only option was to crawl across the grounds around the carousel. He was using all the adrenaline he had to make his getaway, but that dream seemed short lived when the Devil was suddenly peering down at him. He was soon pinned against the ride, his wrist broken so fast when he tried to use his gun, causing him even more agony than necessary. 

“Who did this?” Daredevil snared, still holding a nice grip on the man’s wrist.

Rory clenches his jaw as he tries to catch his breath. “People you don’t mess with.”

With the subtle tilt of his head, he replies, “You’re bleeding out. And I got all night.”

“Go to hell!!”

Matt twists his arm, getting him to cry again. “Who did this?”

“The one they call Punisher.” 

“Where is he?”

Rory lets out a laugh. “It doesn’t matter ‘cause when we’re done with him, he’s as good as dead.”

Matt mentally sighs, “That’s helpful.” He mumbles, and twists a bit more, causing a louder scream. “But it’s not what I asked.”

His voice grows darker just as the sirens around them become louder and louder; and with a look of fear in his eyes…

Rory spilled everything.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

So this is the Castle family’s house? The trio was thinking as they parked their car across the street before trekking along the darkness to the back door.

“So, what are we doing here again?” Foggy asked, feeling like he was still in the dark about everything.

“We’re going to find anything that can help us with understanding Frank.” Karen explains, surveying the area. 

“And how are we going to find something by looking at a house?”

“Because we’re going to be looking…” She slowly gestures to the back door. “Inside the house.”

His eyes widened. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“What– Karen, we can’t just–” Foggy trails off when he notices the teenager, crouching down carefully and jiggling a lock with a bobby pin. With a disapproving touch of his hand on her shoulder, he says, “Uh, excuse me, young lady. How do you know how to do this?”

Kaila smirks. “Remember that ‘secret’ candy drawer in your apartment?”

“Yeah…” He gasps quietly. “You were the one stealing from there?! Why?”

“Because–” She shrugs. “I wanted candy and you weren’t giving me any.”

He scoffs and shakes his head. “You’re in so much trouble. I interrogated a lot of people over that!”

“Yeah, and I lied. Sorry,” She pauses for a second. “Huh, and my dad knew the whole time.”

“You’re so grounded.”

She continues jiggling the lock until they hear a small ‘click’. She grins, standing up and grabbing her crutch as she moves inside, the other two following swiftly. The first thing they noticed beside the darkness was how cold the house was, and how you couldn’t hear anything. It made them all get goosebumps and a slight shock up their spines. 

All having the same idea, Karen, Foggy and Kaila slowly start walking around the house with their phones’ flashlights. Going from the kitchen in the back to the main area. When they slowly start to make things out, Karen pulls a tissue from her purse, carefully grabbing and examining things as Foggy looks around, paling.

“This is really eerie, Karen.” Foggy replies, feeling his heart skip a beat.

“Well, I wasn’t really expecting a picnic in here either.” She says, feeling the same way.

But to add more to their emotions, the three of them nearly jolted out of their own skins when Kaila’s crutch hit a small toy frog on the floor, activating it. 

“Jesus…” Kaila muttered, holding her chest before sighing with relief. “What was that?”

Foggy shines the light where he heard it land, frowning. “It’s a wind up toy.” Then the realization hit. “Oh, God… He really was a father.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Matt arrives at the scene just as Frank manages to get himself untied and kill Finn while muttering a very… interesting phrase. He knocks out the two that would have put a few more bullets into Castle’s brain before cautiously walking towards him, but there was still a concerned aura around him.

Frank’s face twitched in anger. “They’re gonna pay. Every single goddamn one of ‘em.” He spews with boiling venom.

“They will.” Matt agrees before shaking his head. “But not tonight. Move. And no killing.”

Frank gives him a glare. “Altar boy.” He replies before grabbing something he could use as a weapon.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

After a while, it was starting to become more and more heavy. It hit even harder when they came across the table filled with very depressing items. It made the whole situation worse than they thought.

Kaila stares at all the bouquets of flowers sent with condolence cards. The cards were addressed to none other than Frank Castle himself. She finds herself feeling very teary eyed.

“This is really…” She trails off, heart hurting. She couldn’t find the right word to say. Losing your entire family? In one night? She could only imagine what this must feel like.

So this is why Frank wanted to help my dad.

“I guess this explains his actions as the Punisher.” Karen said, standing next to her, looking the same. “I guess anyone would do the same thing in his shoes…”

“No shit.” 

“Looks like he was a war hero, too.” Foggy calls out to them, getting them to turn around to face the wall of memorabilias. Sure enough there was Frank in uniform in several pictures, and a couple of his metals were on display. “And this is where his sniper skills come from.”

“Now it all makes sense.” Karen said, looking over them carefully, imprinting the images in her head. 

“True. But–”

On cue, the three of them immediately turned their flashlights off when a vehicle pulled in front of the house. The headlights powered off just as Karen decides to take a peak. And just like the nurse from earlier was describing, here comes both men and women in black suits strolling out of the yellow van.

“Shit…” She whispers, letting go of the curtain.

.

.

.

What the fuck do we do now?

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

On the other side of town, after an intense battle for their lives, Matt found himself carefully setting down a heavily injured Frank Castle against a tombstone. The man grunted at the way his body seemed to mold against it, his adrenaline finally wearing off.

“Hey.” Frank begins, panting. He spares the blind man a glance. “Not bad.”

“Thanks.” Matt said, breathing through his nostrils. 

“I guess I, uh… I guess I was wrong.”

A tilt in his head. “About?”

“About you being a pussy.”

“Don’t get all sweet on me now, Frank.” Matt said, getting a laugh which soon turned into a coughing fit. He frowns worriedly. “Help’s on the way.”

“Nah.” Frank shakes his head. “You should go. I’m past saving. At least I’d have company, right?” A sigh. “I think I might cash out. You’d have made a hell of a Marine, Red.”

There was a twinge of guilt as he could hear the sincerity from his voice. Although Frank was the definition of ‘rough around the edges’, he could still see the soft and wonderful man he really was underneath. 

It made Matt feel like shit to even think about.

“That rhyme. What's it mean?” Matt asked, genuinely curious while crouching down.

This catches Frank off guard for the first time in a while. “What’d you say? …Huh?”

“The thing you say. Right before you pull the trigger.”

“What do you… You heard that?”

“Well, when you’re a blind man, your other senses get heightened so… yeah, I heard it.”

Frank blinks in disbelief. “What the…” He sighs, not even going to question it. “I gotta say, sometimes... Sometimes I think you really just might be the devil.”

Matt nods in agreement. “Sometimes I think I might be, too.”

“It’s, uh…” Frank begins, already getting choked up. “One batch, two batch. Penny and dime, you know. It was her favorite book. You know, you… You gotta cross the ocean… and go fight. You see… whole time you’re thinking you’re gonna be scared, right? But then, you’re not. See, that part of it was always easy for me. Killing. Even watching my buddies die, it just… it didn’t mean nothing.”

His face twitches. “The first time I got scared was on a plane on the way home. I kept thinking God was gonna pull the rug out from under us, you know? Shit, that’s his kind of funny, you know. But the plane landed safe and we were home. Driving through traffic. Yeah, you pass fast food and donut shops and all that… that greasy shit. It’s the shit you fought to protect and then the car stops. We were outside her school. I get to her classroom, right?”

Frank keeps going as Matt slowly sinks himself into the ground, listening wholeheartedly. “She’s in there… but she’s got no idea.” His dark eyes glisten with tears. “She’s got no idea that Daddy’s home. I walk in, these kids, they’re not even studying, they’re–” He chuckles. “Doing some kind of yoga. Yeah. You know? She’s there. She’s doing her poses, you know. She’s bending and, you know, she’s moving. She looks like a flower. Yeah. And, you know, you can’t even understand it, you know, how does something like that have... How does something that beautiful– How does that… does that come from me, you know? I know you probably do. Don’t you?”

Matt nods. “Yeah. I do.” He could relate to that. Sometimes his daughter was so pure compared to him. So innocent despite the things she’s seen. It hurts a lot to think about sometimes.

Frank smiles brightly. “And she looks up and she sees me. I see her. By God, that’s real. That’s real, Red. Boom. In an instant, she’s across that classroom floor, she’s in my arms. She’s squeezing me so tight, I swear I was gonna bust a rib, you know? We just stayed there like that, we’re holding each other. Teacher, she’s filming the whole thing on her phone, you know, she’s gonna put it on YouTube or some shit. She can’t hold the thing steady, because, you know, she’s… she’s bawling so hard, and the kids are all wailing, you know, they’re screaming. And me? Shit, I’m the worst of all. I’m a… I’m a rubber-face clown, you know. I cried so hard.”

He looks up to the sky, trying to hold the floodgates from opening. “But not my baby. Not my girl. You know, she’s my girl. She’s… She’s not crying, she’s holding me up. My girl, she’s keeping me on my feet.” He sucks in a shaky breath. “She says, ‘I knew it, Daddy. I knew it.’ And then we go home. Wife, the boy. Place is the exact same. It’s like it was just holding its breath waiting for me to get back, you know? Then it hit me.”

Now he sounds desperate. “All of it, you know. The first time I felt how tired I was, you know, I was just tired, you know? You… Y-You ever been tired, Red?”

“Yeah.” Matt nods, sadly, knowing that feeling so very well. He’s known it his entire life.

“So, you know. It’s just, I couldn’t do nothing, you know?” Frank's lip quivered. “All the things… I couldn’t take my wife to bed. Ball with the boy. Shit, I was too tired, I couldn’t even drink a goddamn beer, you know. But not her. My girl was up. See, she wanted me to, uh… she wanted me to tuck her in. She… She outgrew it, she knew it, but she didn’t care. She wanted it. She had that book. Her favorite book was out on the pillows.

“‘One Batch, Two Batch Penny and Dime’. Yeah. I read her that book every night before this shit. I read it every single night, but, see, that was over now because Daddy’s home now. She looked at me and she begged me, Red. She begged. She begged. I said, ‘No… Daddy’s too tired, see. But I’ll… I’ll read to you tomorrow night. I’ll read to you tomorrow night, I promise’. Yeah. Never think that… for her there was not gonna be any tomorrow, see. The last time I’d see her, I’d be holding her lifeless body in my arms. Meat was spilling out of her, Red. The place where her face used to be.”

Frank casts a glance at the vigilante, pity on his features. “As much as I hated you for interfering with my work… I couldn’t stand the thought of another father going through that. I don’t think I could stand seeing you holding your daughter in your arms like that. Wailing like a baby, praying that the clock would turn back and the bullets would come for you instead. I didn’t want that for you.” He sighs, letting go of everything. “No. I think I’m done, Red. I think I’m done.”

Matt opens his mouth to speak, but a cop car pulls up with two officers hopping out, drawing their guns from their holsters.

“Police.” Brett said, walking at them at a steady pace. “Don’t move. Hands where I can see ‘em.” He sounded and seemed so disappointed. “Shots fired. Bodies, mayhem and shit. How come I just knew you weren’t going to listen?”

“I have something for you, Sergeant.” Matt said, standing up and giving them a view of the Punisher.

“That’s him?” Brett asked, getting a nod. “Cover him and get EMS.”

“Yep.” His partner replies, and moves around the Daredevil for the other man.

“And you, you incredible pain in my ass.” Brett continues, sheathing his gun as he makes the man before him kneel, hands behind his back. “I really wished you listened.”

“Get him help.” Was Matt’s reply.

“Shut up.” He starts pulling out his handcuffs. “I don’t want to do this.”

“Take the collar.”

Brett falters his movements. “What?”

“You heard me.” Matt replies with a bite. “You caught him, not me. It can’t be me, it has to be you.”

“Why?”

“To protect the Kitchen. For law, for order.”

“You’re telling me how to file a report now?”

“Yeah.” Matt scoffs. “Take the collar. Take the credit. Get a promotion, if you can. You’ve earned it.”

Brett purses his lip. “Bullshit.”

“No, people have to know the system works. Not his justice and not mine. Vigilante days are done in this town. The police are in charge.”

“That’s not how it happened.”

“Then make it how it happened.”

The cop closes his eyes, realizing he is speaking the truth. “Shit…”

“EMT and backup on the way. Two minutes out.” The other officer calls out.

Brett sighs, and pulls Matt up from the ground. “Go. Go!” He shouts, making the devil run off into a sprint, leaving him with a newfound understanding.

Now I really know that’s you, Matt. A smile graced his lips for a split second just as thunder rumbled the sky and rain started to fall.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Miraculously, the troublesome trio somehow got out of the house without being seen. Which ended up being Karen taking Kaila’s crutch from her hand, and Foggy throwing the girl over his shoulder like a shake of potatoes. On the drive back was a mixture of anxiety and small bickering. How in the world are they going to explain this to their vigilante friend? As Foggy puts it, they’re ‘so fucked’. 

But they eventually could release a breath of relief as they arrived back in the city, and back on route to where they were supposed to have gone in the first place. And despite their protests, the exhausted teenager went inside the apartment alone as the adults watched from the car.

“Think she’ll be okay by herself?” Karen asked, being a mother hen she was.

Foggy nods. “She should be fine. She’s just going to sleep.” He sighs, running his fingers through his hair. “Matt’s going to be so pissed when I tell him what she can do. Fuck. He’s going to be pissed at all of us.”

“I’ll take the blame again.”

“Oh, hell yeah you are.”

Suddenly her phone starts to ring, a picture of Matt appears along with his favorite song. 

.

.

.

Oh, yes…

Perfect timing Mr. Daredevil.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

After picking up their important guest, who had slipped a long coat over his costume, he had Karen drive them all back to the same apartment, watching/listening to the “news of the year” on the phone:

‘Frank Castle, the gunman wanted in connection with the Metro-General shooting and linked to dozens of recent gangland-related killings throughout Hell’s Kitchen was apprehended just hours ago outside Saint Michael’s Cemetery. An NYPD spokesman says, “Tonight, New York has Sergeant Brett Mahoney of the 15th Precinct to thank”.’

“Gotta hand it to Brett. He seems to follow you wherever you go.” Foggy replies, sending a look at Matt from the backseat.

Matt ignores that jab and says, “I’m glad people like him are looking out for Hell’s Kitchen.”

Foggy chuckles. “Yeah.”

“And I’m glad someone was looking out for him.”

“Oooh… I wonder who.”

“Press are calling Castle ‘a cold-blooded psychopath’.” Karen said, scoffing. “The DA’s gonna have a hell of a time using his prosecution to turn herself into a hero. It’s all working out perfectly.”

Now it was Matt’s turn to laugh. “Wow, way to bring us down, Ms. Page.” He says, smirking. “I think we've had enough Punisher for one evening. We’ll worry about the rest tomorrow.”

“Amen to that.” Foggy agrees, and Karen sighs again (Only Matt noticed something underlining there).

“You okay?” Matt asks, hearing her shift in her seat.

“Yeah.” She breathes, just as his eyebrows shoot up, not buying it. “Okay, that wasn’t convincing, was it? Um, I don’t know, I just, uh days like today remind me how precious life can be, you know?”

Matt and Karen exchange loving glances and that’s when Foggy, who was grinning like an idiot, made up an excuse to leave.

“You know what? My apartment’s kind of far. I-I should get a cab.” He explains as he starts gathering his things. 

“A cab?” Karen asked, confused. She swears she convinced him earlier it was okay for her to drive him. What changed?

“You know we don’t mind driving you.” Matt adds as his friend shakes his head.

“Nah, that’s okay. Cab’s fine.” Foggy continues.

“It’s raining.”

“A little rain never hurts anyone.” He smiles and clasps a hand on each of their shoulders. “Well, you two have fun, have a drink for me, maybe play a board game, and try to keep it PG with your daughter in there. Okay? Goodnight!”

He wiggles himself out of the car with his belongings, leaving the two of them staring in disbelief…

Before both turning beat red.

Karen buries her face in her hands. “Oh, Foggy…” She said, making them both chuckle. “Uh… should we… um…?

“...ignore… him?” Matt says slowly.

“Uh, y-yes? Maybe?” She starts hearing him laugh again. “I don’t know.”

“Uh, m-me neither. So…”

“You… Um…” She fiddles with her hands. “Actually…”

He tilts his head. “Something you want to tell me?”

She shakes her head. “Oh, I’ll tell you tomorrow. Promise.”

He smiles. “Okay.”

“I’ll walk you inside.”

The two of them get out of the car, Karen taking him by the hand and pulling him towards the door. The warm rain soaking them immediately, but neither of them minded. They walked the concrete path, touching the edge of the steps with their toes when Matt suddenly tugs them both to a stop. The atmosphere was so light and comforting; It made them feel like they were on cloud 9.

Matt’s fingers ghosted her arm, trailing seductively up to her shoulder as she quietly gasped at his touch. Finally he cupped her cheek, some of her golden locks getting entangled, trapping his fingers like a spiderweb. And with hope in both of their eyes, both of them leaned in for a (long overdue) blissful kiss. Short and sweet, but it was breathtaking, exhilarating. And when they broke apart, they let their foreheads rest against each other, smiling.

“Can I take you to dinner?” Matt asks as he couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Yes.” She replies, happily.

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

His smile grew, his chest feeling a thousand times lighter now. “Goodnight, Karen.”

She mimicked him at this very moment as well. “Goodnight, Matt.”

With a new pep in her step, she heads back to her car which was just the cue Matt was waiting for to head back inside. He couldn’t wipe the grin off his face as he climbed the stairs and entered his home. Setting his things by the door, he starts heading in the direction of his room. If his daughter was still up then–

Oh, boy. He thought, only imagining what her reaction would be when he tell her the news.

Kai’s going to have a field day with this one.

But just as his hand was reaching for the door handle, his senses suddenly caught onto something. He jolts in his stance, spinning around with his fists up, ready to fight. He tunes in on a figure -a woman- in his kitchen, twirling with one of his knives. With that sweet, sweet voice of poison he remembers so very well, she says,

“Hello, Matthew.”

With his heart in his throat he croaks, “Elektra.”

Her sharp eyes stayed on him for a while before she stopped her movements to take a swig of the drink she stole from the fridge. “Mmm! German beer. Tastes like piss.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” He says, lowering his hands slightly, focusing completely on her.

“You’ve never been hard to find.” 

He clenches his jaw. “That’s not what I asked.”

“At least your furniture’s improved.” She said in her attempt at small talk. She sets the bottle down and starts making her way over.

“Kinda liked my old futon.”

“I liked breaking it in.” She says, seductively. “Nice place. Too bad about the clothes, though.”

He holds his hand up, a sign she took for her to stop as she entered the living area. “Why are you here?”

She sighs. “Would you believe it if I said I missed you?”

Not missing a beat he says, “No.”

“Smart man. Columbia education really paid off.”

“No thanks to you.” He bites back.

She chuckles. “I’m in New York for a meeting. I thought I’d pop by.”

“Well, you’re not staying here, so…”

“Fine.” She shrugs. “My penthouse in midtown will just have to do, then. We spent some nights there.”

He mentally cusses, holding back an eye twitch. “Look, if you came here to walk down memory lane, I don’t really have the–”

“I’m sorry. I’ve spent years trying to convince myself that things happen for a reason, that you and I were not meant to be. But I know now. That wasn’t fate. It was a choice. My choice. And I’m sorry. I’m alone in the world, Matthew. Do you know what that feels like?”

Matt scoffs in disbelief. “No.”

She seemed disappointed. “Of course you do. You–”

“I really don’t.” He snaps, bitterly, honestly. “Not in a long time I haven’t.”

Elektra sighs. “Well, you must know what it’s like to clean up your father’s messes. A long time ago, before he died, my father did business with the Roxxon Corporation.”

Matt raises an eyebrow. “Roxxon?”

“Energy, cleaning supplies, macaroni and cheese. Child labor, slave trade. They have their fingers in everything. I believe it’s called diversification. And thanks to my father’s shitty investments, they hold most of his wealth.”

“Yeah, okay. I–”

“I have a meeting tomorrow with the board at the Yakatomi Building. And I need your help, Matthew.”

“How am I supposed to help you?” He asked, puzzled. 

“I want you to use that expensive legal training of yours to help me get my money back–”

“See, I’m a defense lawyer.”

“I’ll pay you well.”

Matt laughs, shaking his head. “I’m not taking your money. And, even if I accepted, there’s not enough time.”

“For what?” Elektra asked, confused.

“Oh, just research. Accounts, shareholders, hierarchy of the–”

“You have fifteen hours.”

He blinks. “Fifteen hours, Elektra, are you insane?”

“Matthew.” She sighs his name. “You’re the only person I–”

She trails off like she suddenly listening for something, and Matt was puzzled on what until–

Nobody could miss the way he tenses and holds his hands up. “Elektra.” He starts warning, as he could hear her gripping the kitchen knife. “Wait– Don’t!!”

He manages to snag the knife midair just as the bedroom door slide opens, his quick action startling his poor kid. He winces as soon as the blade makes contact with his skin, and lets it go immediately. 

“Shit!” He cusses, blood pooling from his open palm.

“Are you okay?!” Kaila gasps, shifting her weight onto her good leg as she tries to look at his injury.

“Matthew?” Elektra’s voice broke through making him stiff up again. “Who’s that?”

He hides his pain quickly, and uses his non-injured hand to push his kid behind him. “You need to leave.” He said, stern and underlining cold.

Kai casts a glance at him. “Dad?” She whispers, scared.

Elektra looks between the two, puzzled. “Dad?” She asked, hurt in her face as she looked at her ex. “You have a daughter?”

“Dad, who’s is–”

“You need to leave. Now.” Matt repeats, tougher.

“Since when did you have a kid?” Elektra asked, pain in her voice as steps closer. “And with whom?”

Matt pulls his daughter completely behind, a subtle sign to tell her to stay back. “Does that even matter?” He asked, not even letting her answer. “You have no right to ask me that. Leave.”

“Matthew–”

“Leave.”

If anyone else was in her place they would have trembled under his tone of voice alone; But even Elektra, who claims she knows the real him, seemed taken back. Not even saying another word, she left out the front door like she was a guest and not someone who trespassed (which seemed to piss Matt off more than it should have). Matt almost didn’t want to relax, he knows she’ll come back. She always does. She always seems to–

Kaila nearly fell to the ground if he hadn’t been standing there. Her name passed by his lips quickly as he caught her, leaning her against him.

“Why are you walking on your own? Where’s your crutch?” He asks, getting them both settled down on the bed. 

“I kind of leaped out of bed ‘cause of concern.” She replies, before grabbing a gentle hold onto his wrist. “Your hand.”

“It’s okay. I don’t think I need stitches.”

She stares at his palm, carefully feeling around the cut to confirm his words before asking, “Who is she?”

He frowns, slightly ashamed. “She uh, is an old… flame of mine. Second year. My uh… party boy era.”

“Party boy era?” She watches him nod. “You told me some stories. But you never mention a girlfriend.”

“She’s… not my proudest accomplishment.”

Kaila frowns, sadly. “Was she before my mother?”

“Before Mary, yeah.”

“So what happened with… her?”

He sighs. “After a while, she started doing stuff that… I didn’t like. The last thing she did was pretty awful. When I comforted her about it, she yelled at me and then disappeared. That’s the last time I ever saw her.”

“Damn.” Kaila muttered. “That bad, huh?”

“You have no idea.”

“Well…” She starts leaning forward to grab the first aid kit under the bed. “You might have dodged a bullet there, dad.” She pulls out some disinfectant wipes and a gauze. “She seems… violent.”

Matt chuckles dryly. “Very.” His expression fades back into worriedness. “You’re not going to ask more questions?”

“I’ve heard enough. You told me enough.” She starts looking around for her phone. “Besides–” She snags it off the end of the nightstand. “If there’s more to what you need to tell me you will. But if it doesn’t affect our lives, then I’m not worried about it.” 

She smiles up at him, and he couldn’t help but copy her.

“I really lucked out with you as my daughter, Kai.” Matt said, making her snort.

“Well, that’s good, ‘cause you’re stuck with me. Here–” She hands him her phone that had the flashlight on. “Hold this up for me.”

“Can do.” He lets her do her thing, taking this small moment and cherishing it despite the circumstances leading up to it. “Thank you, Dr. Kaila.”

She smirks. “Hey, that’s Dr. Murdock for you, sir.” Kaila replies, cheeky just finishing up. “‘Least it was your non-dominant hand.”

“And I’m grateful for that.” He says, handing the device to her. Just as he does, the teenager’s phone buzzes and he feels her gaze immediately lock with it, disappointment registering on her face. Matt latches onto this quickly. “What’s wrong?” 

“It’s… nothing.” 

“Doesn’t sound like it. You seem… upset.” He uses his non-injured hand to tilt her head towards him. “What’s wrong?”

She frowns. “It just… I met someone at work–”

“You met someone?”

“A friend. His name is Jayden–”

“His name?”

She rolls her brown eyes. “Dad, stop.”

“Sorry.” He apologizes. “Continue.”

“Anyway, we started talking and texting one another, and we even made plans to hang out, however I got… you know… kidnapped.” Her frown deepens as she crosses her arms. “He texted me if I was okay, I said I was, and then… that’s it. He hasn’t responded to any of my texts. It’s… weird.” A sigh. “Do you think I did something wrong?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “Of course not.”

“Then how come he’s ignoring me?”

“Well… maybe he doesn’t know how to respond after what happened to you. Maybe it just feels awkward for him. It’s not everyday that someone’s friend gets kidnapped.” 

Kaila nods slowly, processing his words. “True.”

“He’s also probably taken back by how you responded. To him, you might have sounded… too okay with a text. It might have been different if you two would have talked on the phone or face-to-face.”

“True.”

“Just give him some time. If he doesn’t respond, maybe try giving him a call. Okay?”

She sighs. “Okay. You’re right.”

“Good.” He says, as a smile starts to grow. “Well, on the bright side–” He nudges her a bit. “I’ve got good news.”

“What?”

“Your old man might have… put a move on a certain blonde tonight.” A gasp. “And I might have asked her to dinner tomorrow.” Another gasp. “And she might have said yes.”

She squeals. “Dad, that’s awesome!” She shouts, making him laugh. “Awe. Do you have something to wear? Or do we need to go shopping? Or–”

 “Kai–”

“We could go to that new tailor store up the road. Or we could go into town square for the day.”

“Kai–”

“What about places to eat? Do you have any idea where you’re going to take her?”

“Kai–” He laughs again at her enthusiasm and grabs her by the forearm to stop her. “Relax. You’re way more excited about this than I am.”

“Sorry.” She said, blushing. “You haven’t been on a date in a long time. One that you actually seem happy for.”

“Well, I…” Now it was his turn to get red. “I like Karen. She makes me feel… good. Happy. Warm.”

“Awe.” Kaila threw her arms around his neck. “I’m glad you feel that way. Although… I can’t believe Karen of all people is trying to take my number one spot with you.”

Another laugh. “Oh… baby girl–” He kisses her temple. “You'll always be my number one.” 

And that was the absolute truth.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“Morning.” Kaila said, as she and her father entered the office the very next day.

Foggy smiles, eyes still glued to the newspaper he was currently reading. “Murdocks.”

“We, uh, have anything for breakfast?” Matt asked as he started pouring himself a glass of water from their filter.

Foggy raises an eyebrow. “You hungry or hungover?” 

A brief pause. “Both.”

Kaila gives him a look as she sits down. “Since when did you have a drink last night?” She asked, and got a shrug in return.

Foggy chuckles. “All right, you need some potassium, some electrolytes, and a jolt of caffeine. I’ll give you, uh…” He looks around before snapping his fingers at something. “-The last piece of Mrs. DiNizio’s peach cobbler, which is… the last piece of anything in this office.”

“I guess our finances haven’t improved since last week.” Matt said, frowning.

“Yeah, well, clients don’t respond well to a ‘closed’ sign.”

Kaila looks between the two, concerned. “Should… I be worried?”

Her father sighs and shakes his head. “No, baby girl, don’t… it’s my fault. I’m sorry, Foggy.”

“Don't be.” Foggy replies, taking a seat next to his niece, still reading. “You got Punisher off the street. I’m hoping Reyes will get her jackboot off our neck and this office can go back to normal.”

“Can you though?” Kai said, getting their attention. “I mean with everything we’ve gotten entangled with… can we be normal again?”

Before the boys could process her words, Nelson and Murdock’s last employee finally arrived.

“Matt–” Karen enters the room, startling herself as she tries to balance a tray full of beverages. “Uh, good morning.”

“Hey, Karen.” Matt said, a little smile ghosting his face.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Uh, not so much. You?”

“Me?” She slurred, closing the door with her elbow. “Yeah, sure. Uh, I-I mean–”

“Is that coffee I can smell?” He said, feeling his heart race.

“Hmm?”

“Coffee.”

“Uh, yeah, um… Yeah, arabica for all.” She chuckles and starts handing the cups over. “For everyone.” She hands over the last one for Kai. “Uh, Chai for you.”

The teenager’s eyes light up with happiness. “Thank you, Ma’am.”

“Yeah, Thanks. You’re a goddess.” Matt said, still grinning.

“Okay, you two.” Foggy cuts in, still smiling like a goof. “Let’s talk business. Potential clients. Real ones. With bank in the bank.”

“Uh, actually, yeah, can we, uh, talk about these first?” Karen asked, holding up some paper. The boys follow her as she stands behind her own desk. “The, uh, press is still painting Castle like he’s nothing more than some deranged lunatic.” 

“Well, it’s not like our boy was out collecting for the Red Cross.” Foggy points out, even after knowing what he discovered last night. 

“I know. I know, but–”

“You think there’s more to the story.” Matt finishes, already knowing this was going to be true (everyone did).

“Exactly. I mean, five different papers and not a word about the bullet he took to the brain, or his military record, or his family.” She continues, running a hand through her locks. “So we know what he said last to you about his daughter was true. W-We found this photograph. It’s of him and his wife and kids at the carousel–”

“We?” The Blind man asked, confused. “You mean…” He points between his friends. “The two of you?” He didn’t miss the way their heartbeats flickered. “You guys found it where, exactly?”

“W-We… sort of broke into his house last night.” 

“Broke in? Last night you–” He trails off at a realization, and with a steady expression he turns in his daughter’s direction who was nervously sipping her drink.

She eventually just shrugs. “Murdock curse…?”

“I… shouldn’t even be surprised at this point.” Matt said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Anyway, I get what you were trying to do, but that still was dangerous and illegal.”

“I know, I know. Sorry.” Karen said, apologetically.

“For the record, I didn’t know that’s what we were going to do. I just thought we were going to look at the house from afar.” Foggy said, holding his hands up. “But, I will still take some of the blame… but your daughter knows how to pick locks.”

Matt looks her way again. “You know how to do what?”

“Why are you throwing me into this?” Kaila asked, dumbfounded. “Shouldn’t we be listening to Karen? I mean, I know Frank is a lunatic, but he threw one of his missions away to save me. Shouldn’t Nelson and Murdock at least try to see if they can help him?”

“No.” Foggy shakes his head. “No. I mean, yeah he saved you, but come on, we successfully dodged a metaphorical bullet and quite a few literal ones. We need to be done with the crazy, guys. We need normal.”

And with that said he stormed into his own office.

“I’m sorry.” Karen said, bowing her head. “I’m really sorry if I– I pushed it too far.”

“It’s okay.” Matt said, with a light laugh. “Just Uh, I don’t think you’re wrong about him, I feel the same way too, but it’s really simple, Karen. Just I don’t want you to get hurt. Not like I have…”

She lets those words sink in before deciding to test the waters somewhere else. “So, uh... Last night.”

“Last night?” He pinches his brows together, all tongue and cheek. “I don’t– What happened last night? At Josie’s? With Foggy?”

She giggles. “You…”

“Did something happen?”

“Yeah.”

“Anything else? I don’t–”

“Yeah?”

Matt laughs quietly, softly. “Yeah, it was great. And I like to think I can do better, if we’re still on for dinner.”

“Uh, yeah. It’s a date.”

“Holy shit!” Foggy said, coming back into the room. “That was the bank.”

Karen frowns with dread. “Oh, no.”

“No, it’s all good.” Foggy continues, still stunned by the news. “There was a deposit. A big one.”

“What?”

Kaila’s eyes widened with realization before looking at her Father. “Dad–”

“Uh, actually, do me a favor, don’t spend any of it.” Matt blurts out nervously.

“Dad–”

Foggy gives him a strange look. “Why not?” He asked, concernedly.

“I-I was hit up by a potential client yesterday, so, I just–” Matt tried explaining but his friend was now nervously saying things.

“Is it dirty money? Are we doing that again?”

“No! No, it’s nothing like that. It’s just, um– I’m not sure it’s gonna work out, let me… Let me just–”

“Dad!!” Kaila shouts, getting him to stop. “Enough lying! Just tell them the truth. You promised no more secrets.”

With those words, she trapped her Dad like a deer in a headlight. He felt everyone’s eyes on him, puzzled and on the border of hurt.

“What secret?” Karen asked, with a tilt of her head.

“Okay, who’s this client, Matt?” Foggy asked, bracing himself for the answer.

Matt lets out a sigh knowing he’s been pinned down. And with a small shift in his stance, hands on his hips he says, “It’s… Elektra.” And he didn’t need sight to know that his college roommate’s eyes were slowly bugging out of his head.

“Wait…” Foggy mumbles, hands waving around, grasping something imaginary. “Elektra?” He tests out the name that burns on his tongue. “Psychopath Elektra? Your old girlfriend from college?”

Karen immediately copies his expression. “Old girlfriend?” She asked, looking between the two.

“Yeah!” Foggy boasts, arms flinging out in a dramatic way. “I-I mean she was beautiful, b-but fucking off the walls crazy!” He stares at Matt in disbelief. “You mean she showed up back in your life?”

Matt nods. “S-She… was at my door when I came home last night.”

Karen crosses her arms, intrigued. “W-What did she want?”

“Uh, basically, long story short, she wants to get her father’s wealth back from this company called Roxxon. She wanted me to be her lawyer. I told her no, but apparently she didn’t listen.”

“What do we do?” Foggy asked, while rubbing his tired face.

“I’m going to have to talk to her, I mean we’re defense lawyers. What can we do?” 

“And you’re talking to her as… Matt Murdock? Or the other guy?”

Matt frowns. “Not sure yet. I’ll be back.” He says, making his way where he left his walking stick. His gaze soon leads to Karen. “I’ll make sure to be back for tonight.”

Foggy raises an eyebrow between the two. “What’s tonight?” He asked, confused by this potential memo he missed.

“They’re going on a date.” Kaila sang, grinning ear to ear while making the two adults blushed.

“What?!” Her Uncle said, baffled. “Are you serious?” He gets a quick nod of confirmation from his niece before throwing his arms in the air. “Finally!”

Matt listens to his daughter’s giggle before touching her shoulder, grabbing her attention. “I’ll be back.”

Kaila nods as her expression fades. “Be careful.” 

“I will, but–” He taps the top of her phone, knowing exactly what she was doing on it. “Worry about meeting your friend.”

Her eyes widened. “How did you know I was texting–” But he leaves without another word, and she’s left staring at her device.

Once the door closes, Foggy reverts back to a curious fellow. “Your friend?”

“Uh–” Kaila meets his eyes for a split second before looking away. “I made a friend at work, and I’m… having some trouble with him.”

“Him?” He asked in the same tone of fashion her father had the night before.

She almost visibly eyerolls. “Okay, I don’t need the protective lecture again. He’s just a friend that happens to be a boy. Alright?”

He shakes his head. “Sorry. Habit, you know?”

Suddenly the office phone rings and Foggy excuses himself to go answer it just as Karen takes a seat next to the teenager.

“Need some advice?” She asked, softly.

Kaila shrugs and sighs. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

“Well… what’s this boy like? Is he nice? How did you meet?”

“I… I met him before the summer, right around the time you guys were about to bring Fisk down. I met him, Jayden, at that coffee shop I like to go to sometimes. We talked, just a short little conversation as we waited for our drinks, then that was it.” Kaila explains slowly, shifting in her seat. “Then, about a month into my job, he started working there. Maybe it was just a weird coincidence, but I took it as a sign that maybe the universe was finally giving me a friend.”

Karen tilts her head again. “Finally?”

The young Murdock shrugged. “I never really had friends growing up. Everyone was also so cliquey. It was strange. I was basically the girl you invited to a party because you felt bad.”

The blonde frowns. “Kai…”

“It’s fine, really. I’m not bothered by it as much as before. I mean, I did have one friend who I considered my best friend in the sixth grade, I mean we did everything together.” She slouches in her chair. “But the day she and her parents met my father, she never spoke to me again. Her parents were the helicopter ones, strict about everything. And… they obviously didn’t like blind people. Rich jackasses.”

“Kai, that’s horrible.”

“Yeah. Anyway, I like Jayden because we have a lot in common. Same music taste, we love scary movies, love books, I could go on. But ever since the kidnapping, he texted me if I was okay, I replied back and that was it. Dead silence.” She continues. “I want to go talk to him, but I don’t know where he lives, and I can’t exactly go back to my job because I’m on temporary leave, and to quote my Boss, he said, ‘If I see you set foot in this store instead of being home healing I’ll fire you’. And I kind of like my job, so… yeah.”

“Huh.” Karen said, thinking. “Have you talked it over with your dad?”

“He suggested I should give him a little bit before calling, but I don’t know. Should I even wait?” 

“Maybe you shouldn’t.” And just before more could be said, a certain DA’s right hand came strolling in. Karen stands up, surprised. “Mr. Tower? I, uh, wish you’d called. I’d have something set up.”

“Are they in?” He asked, quickly. And right on cue, Foggy peaks from his office door.

“Just the Nelson half.” He replies, puzzled as well.

“We need to talk. In private.” Tower replies, ignoring the many jabs the people in the room were giving him as he entered Foggy’s office.

“Asshole.” Kaila said, once the door was closed.  

Karen chuckles. “Can be…”

“Why don’t you do what you have to?” The Murdock gestures towards the exit. “I know that detective brain of yours wants to work on the Castle case.”

The blonde looks surprised again. “You sure?”

“Of course. There’s not much I’ll be able to do since I don’t know what you’re looking for. Besides–” She holds her phone up. “Maybe I should try.”

Karen smiles and grabs her purse. “Good luck.”

“You too.” Kaila waits till she leaves before scrolling to his contact and hitting the phone icon; She lifts it to her ear, waiting to see if it’ll stop ringing.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Hours later after their separate adventures, both Karen and Matt made it on time for their date. The blonde was nervously flipping through the menu as the lawyer stayed silent, just listening.

“D-Do you drink wine?” Karen nervously stutters. “I should know that.”

“I… don’t drink anything they don’t serve at Josie’s.” Was Matt’s answer, which got her to laugh.

“Yeah, well, I don’t see swill on the menu.”

Their eyes locked for a moment before getting preoccupied again. Eventually they both tried to speak at the same time. “So how was–/So what did–” A laugh. “I’m sorry–/I was just gonna–”

Karen smiles, setting the menu down. “Uh, you go ahead. Go, go first.”

Matt copies her. “How was your day?”

“Fine. Uh, yeah, just a regular day at the office.”

“Well, it’s a nice change of pace, right? Not being shot at?” He nervously laughs. “That’s gotta feel good.”

She hums, and takes a sip of water. “Yeah.” She sets the glass down, folding her hands on top of one another. “You, uh… how’s the, uh, new… you know. Elektra.”

Matt inhales deeply, clearly still frustrated over the mess. “Honestly, I didn’t get the chance to talk to her. I kind of…” A slight shrugged. “Eavesdropped on the meeting.”

“Is she… in trouble you think?” Karen asked, genuinely curious.

He sighs. “I don’t know. Maybe. But I don’t want to get involved. Like I told Kai last night, she left many years ago, I’ve forgotten about her, and that’s all I want to do.”

Karen looks at him worriedly, finally seeing the hurt he’s been through appearing on his face. “I’m sorry. It… sucks when your past comes back to bite you. I know I’ve… I’ve had my fair share of that.”

Matt’s heart clenched, frowning sadly. “I’m sorry to hear that.” He whispers, and there was a brief pause before they both recollected themselves. “Well, uh… that covers work.”

She changes her expression to a joyful one like earlier. “Uh, well, it's a start. Um–” She pointed to a corner of the restaurant where the bathroom was. “I’ll be back in just a minute. Order something fantastic.”

“Sure thing.” He says, hearing her leave. Once she does he lets out a sigh, embarrassed how this was going. He thought maybe his struggles would be helped when the waiter suddenly appeared by his side. “Look. If I had to seem like I knew everything there is to know about wines in the next 60 seconds, what would I… what would I order?”

“Matthew Murdock?” The waiter said, sounding all buddy-buddy.

Matt tilts his head in confusion. “Yeah.”

He holds out a phone. “You have a call.”

“Oh.” Matt takes it. “Thanks.” He lifts it to his ear. “This is Murdock.”

‘Sorry to bother you while you're out, but you have a few moments before she returns, right?’

Matt mentally curses as soon as he hears her voice. He clenches the phone, and hiss, “What do you want from me?”

‘You should ask yourself the same question. That rooftop act was cute.’

“Yeah, nothing compared to your damsel-in-distress one.” He grits his teeth as she laughs at his reply.

‘Oh, you’re right. I didn’t actually need you. I told you, maybe I just missed you. But don’t worry, you can keep the money.’

Matt chuckles sarcastically. “Aw.. Go to fucking hell.”

‘If you really want to be done, consider this me firing you.’

And then he was met with the dial tone, supposedly ending this ‘nightmare’ (or maybe it was just starting it). 

“Hey.” Karen’s sweet voice broke through, pulling him away from the memories of his past.

He flashes her a reassuring smile. “Hey.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah… th-they ran out of wine.”

She chuckles at what she thought was a joke. “No.” She frowns when she sees he wasn’t laughing back. “Wait, seriously? Matt–”

“I-I don’t I don’t like this place, you know?”

“Is it the place? Or is it–”

“It’s definitely not you.” He quickly says, truthfully.

“You’re sure?” She said, heart skipping a beat.

“Yeah.” He hears his own heart flutter, getting back into the groove. “I’m positive.”

She bites her lip seductively before taking him by the hand. “Come on. I know where we can go.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“Thank you.” Karen said to their new waiter at their new date spot. 

“Wow, this smells amazing.” Matt replies, the curry and other spices hitting his nose blissfully. “What is it?”

“Um…” She laughs at herself, not knowing either. “Who cares? They have wine.”

Matt finds himself grinning ear to ear. “Right. That’s…  You know, I’ve always felt more comfortable with the cheap stuff. You know?”

“Yeah? Well, here, I’ll drink to that.” She holds her glass up waiting for Matt to do the same before clicking.

“Cheap stuff.”

She grins too. “Cheap stuff.” She sets her glass down after a sip, grabbing her fork to dig in. “You know, I never even had Indian food until a few months ago.”

“How is that possible?” Matt asked, surprised.

“Well, my hometown in Vermont had about 400 people, so the most ethnic food it offered was French fries.”

“So that’s why you, uh, came to New York? For the food?”

She shakes her head at his cheekiness. “Uh, no. Although, if I knew places like this existed, I’d have left Vermont ages ago.”

“You see, that’s why I love this city.” He says, hearing her hum to continue. “I’ve lived here my whole life, and the place never stops unfolding new secrets.”

She nods in understanding. “Yeah, you know despite the crime, and the darkness, every once in a while, New York makes me feel…

“Like, safe?”

“Yes, is that weird?”

He shrugs. “Well–

“Huh.”

“I get it.”

Another flutter to her heart as she leans in closer. “I wish you could see this place.”

Matt smiles. “I can, if you describe it to me.”

She hums again, setting her fork down and using her hands to speak. “S-So, anyways, my favorite part… is the ceiling. It’s literally dripping with thousands of lights. They’re shaped like chili peppers–” She holds her hand up before he could protest. “Which sounds really tacky, I know, but it’s um, it’s not. Just… It’s magic.”

“Magic?” 

“Yeah.” They lock eyes again. “Magic.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

After dinner, the two of them took a lovely stroll hand and hand. It seems like this wonderful night would last forever, until they arrived just outside the Page residence.

Karen looks torn as she pulls them both to a stop. “This is me.” She said, before laughing nervously.

“Are you sure you don’t… live two more blocks?” Matt asked, feeling the same way. “Maybe three?”

“I wish.” She shifts her towards him. “We could sit.”

“Yeah.” He guides them down on the steps, and he pulls his shades off, taking this moment in. He chuckles, scooting closer. “All right, I’m gonna kiss ya.”

And she lets him.

They both started off sweetly before turning it up a notch, hands gripping onto each other’s clothing like it was a life line. Maybe in some way… it was.

“You can come up… if you like?” Karen asked in between their kisses.

Matt hums against her lips, smiling. “I’d love to.”

And he kisses her again.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“Okay, so how many voicemails did you leave?” Foggy asked his Niece as they walked from the office back to her home. He wasn’t surprised when Karen left earlier in the day to do some research, but he was taken back by how his Niece seemed very repetitive with her moves today.

Looking quite embarrassed, and not even looking at him she said, “...Eight.”

“Eight?” He replies, shocked. “Jesus, Kai. I don’t think I’ve seen you stress something over like this before.”

“Yeah, I know.”

He frowns at how disappointed she sounded. “Kaila–”

“It’s okay, Foggy. I’ll be alright.” She says, as she heads up to her apartment entrance, keys in hand.

“Hey.” He says, getting her to finally turn around to look at him. “Try not to stress over it. I’m sure he’ll come around. And if he doesn’t…” He shrugs. “Fuck him. You’re too good for him anyway.”

Kaila cracks a smile. “Thank you, Uncle Foggy. Goodnight. Love you.”

“Love you too, kiddo.”

She unlocks the front door and heads inside, carefully guiding herself to ride the elevator. She sighs after hitting her floor number, a wave of exhaustion hitting her hard.

He’s right. I shouldn’t be stressing over this. And she shouldn’t, but it still hurts to admit that.

I finally found someone that I consider a real friend and he ghosts me. Lucky me…

The elevator dings and opens, and she slowly moves across the hallway to the very end. She fishes around her key ring for the right one–

“Hey, Coffee girl.” A voice erupts behind her, making her nearly jump out of her shoes.

Head whipping around quickly, she blinks upon confusion. “...Jayden?”

The dark haired boy looks nervous, and out of place, but still manages to give her a wave. “Hi.”

“W-What…” She shakes her head, recollecting herself. “What are you doing here?” 

“Uh, I… got your voicemails.” He holds up his phone before putting it back away. “Can we uh… can we talk?”

“Talk…?”

“Yeah. Can we?”

She doesn’t know if this was a dream or not, but if it isn’t, something was telling her to cease this opportunity or else. Finally relaxing her tense body, she replies,

“Sure.”

-Taglist is open if anyone wants to join-

@stinkywhore @invinciblerikkai @glass-ghost

@your-not-invisible-to-me @ohtacosindrome

@mirkwoodshewolf @dreamscandys

@omniromanticbitch @987coley

@hearts4murdock @katnisspeetaprim

@astrobees @cg94 @simpingforpeterparker3000

@cg94 @winterschildren17 @wolfgirl-205 @hallecarey1 @mademoiselle-marquise-blog

@graciegoeskrazy @magsmilk

#daredevil #matt murdock x daughter reader #matt murdock x oc #matt murdock #foggy nelson #karen page #karedevil #mcu stick #kingpin #wilson fisk #claire temple #foggy and nelson #avocados at law #foggy nelson x reader #karen page x reader #marvel fanfiction #mcu daredevil #marvel daredevil #mcu fic #marvel #mcu #my fanfic writing #skyfall writes #peter parker x oc #peter parker x reader #vanessa marianna

[notawriterjustalurker]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Daredevil (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Matt Murdock/Karen Page Characters: Matt Murdock, Karen Page Additional Tags: Dating, Flirting, Idiots in Love, Verbal Foreplay, Talking about Matt's senses, Intimacy, Oral Sex Summary:

Karen shoots him a look. That cocky streak of his always did turn her on. He puts down his glass on the coffee table.

“I should tell you Karen, seeing as we're being honest, that there are…physical things that I can sense about you. When we're together.”

#Can you fucking believe it #I wrote something #daredevil fic #karedevil #karen x matt

[charliethomascoxuniverse]

If Nelson, Murdock and Page had a kid, I think we all know what Halloween costume they’d be wearing. 💞🥑💞

These two dorks in the meanwhile, congratulating each other on their baby avocado... 😎✨😂 x

#lame jokes I'm too impatient to wait for Halloween to make lol #avocados at law 😎 #nelson murdock and page #the golden trio 💖 #matt murdock #foggy nelson #karen page #matt x foggy #mattfoggy #karedevil #charlie cox #elden henson #deborah ann woll #daredevil #crack fics I'm too lazy to write #crack post #the kind I make half-asleep at 4 am lmao

[ceterisparibus116]

A study on Karen's hypocrisy.

#karen page #matt murdock #karedevil #daredevil #my fics

[candyello]

This short piece was written based on the following prompt: Karen’s dad has passed. Knowing her, she doesn’t want to involve Matt or Foggy with anything—especially stuff relating to her family. However, as she gets into her car to head to her hometown for the funeral—Matt catches her hand, and tells her that he won’t let her face this on her own. The two of them make the drive and find themselves parked outside of her childhood home.

A Tuesday morning—with no sense of normalcy left in its wake. Matt and Karen had reached their final destination, but to Karen—it was more like an obstacle in her path. Her path of moving on. She’d stayed away from her childhood home, and was convinced she’d forgotten about most of her memories there—which was really just an attempt to forget her past. However, as she approached the front porch, heels clicking against the sidewalk—she eyed remnants of colorful chalk so absorbed into the sidewalk from years of being there, that to a stranger they’d think it was made like that. She saw the dent in the wooden chair placed on the corner of the porch, remembering how she’d fallen there while using her old barbie skates.

She found herself laughing, but halted the noise as soon as she realized her eyes were getting glossy.

Matt had stayed silent for the most part. He kept to himself, out of respect for her mourning and not wanting to overstep. Karen had let herself in after unlocking the front door, and Matt followed in suit. The house—it felt so cold and empty to her. It reminded her of walking into Frank’s house, feeling like ghosts of memories were flooding her mind—but this time—they were hers. She walked into the kitchen and stood there in silence, and before Matt could reach out to provide her some type of physical reassurance, she spoke softly.

“It’s so quiet, Matt—I hate it..”

Matt’s larger hand had slowly placed itself on her shoulder, and Karen turned her head, staring at him now with tears welling in her blue eyes.

Matt didn’t need to see to know that even as she cried, she looked beautiful.

“It’s not quiet at all. I hear the bluejays chirping on the front porch. I hear the wind chime hanging in the backyard. I hear the leaves rustling in the neighboring trees. I hear the heart of someone grieving, and in pain. I hear you, Karen.”

She hugged Matt tightly, burying her head into the nook of his shoulder, and his arms enveloped her in a warm embrace. The feeling of emptiness and cold in the house was replaced by Matt’s touch and the warmth he radiated.

Slowly, she worked herself up enough to enter her bedroom, and Matt once again followed in tow. He let her lead, but found himself tracing objects on his own, a small chuckle escaping his lips; his fingers had traced over a track and field trophy.

“You were on the track team?”

Karen immediately felt the heat rush to her cheeks, as she told Matt he “Shouldn’t be snooping in a girl’s bedroom!” Unsurprisingly, the man responded to her quip, saying “You invited me into it.”

Both of them began to laugh, and Karen was reminded that she wasn’t alone—or, as alone as she’d thought.

Maybe her and Matt could be lonely together.

#marvel #mcu #daredevil #matt murdock #cai writes #marvel daredevil #matthew murdock #mcu daredevil #charlie cox #disney+ marvel #disney+ #deborah ann woll #karen page #mattkaren #karedevil #matt x karen #matt murdock x karen page #cai fic

[qs63]

Through the eye of the needle

Fandom: Daredevil, The Punisher

Universe: MCU

Characters: Frank Castle, Matt Murdock, Karen Page

Pairing: Frank Castle/Karen Page, Karen Page/Matt Murdock

Summary: Frank Castle is a creature of habits, and some of them involve watching her from afar.

Prompt: Frank Castle sacrificing himself for Matt and Karen (specifically playing off of the idea that Frank loves Karen but knows Matt would be better for her in the end)

--

A little late but here is my @daredevilexchange gift for @itsreallylaterightnow. I hope you enjoy it. 🤗

#daredevilexchange #kastle #karedevil #frank castle #matt murdock #my fic #my work

[n-m-and-p-avocados-at-law]

P!nk has a new album out, and there’s this one song she did with The Lumineers that really put me in my Karedevil feels.

#is it cringy to do a song fic? #I might do a song fic #but with what time tho #that’s the real question #Karedevil

[youhavetosmile]

Karedevil Prompts

Hey friends! I'm looking to write some more fluffy, fluffy/smutty, or otherwise happy Karedevil fics and I'm looking for prompts! Send them my way.

Please???

I mean, just look at them!

#karedevil #daredevil #matt x karen #matt and karen #matt murdock #karedevil fanfic #daredevil born again #karen page #charlie cox #deborah ann woll

[themculibrary]

Matt Murdock/Karen Page (Karedevil) Masterlist

5 Times Karen Gave Matt His Drink Back and the 1 Time She Didn’t (ao3) - randomfandommusings6 T, 8k

Summary: Exactly what the title says: a 5+1 Karedevil fic.

A New Year's Eve to Remember (ao3) - josiesbar T, 3k

Summary: Foggy convinces Karen and Matt to come to the Nelson New Year's Eve Party.

Bated Breath (ao3) - karedeviltrash M, 46k

Summary: A step forward is suddenly interrupted by an unfortunate event.

Breakable Heaven (ao3) - irelandhoneybee T, 3k

Summary: Matt has been so busy he hasn't realized he's been neglecting Karen, who never expected to be discussing her sexual frustrations with Foggy, who will more than likely need a stiff drink after dealing with these idiots.

By your side (ao3) - Stephics T, 4k

Summary: Karen needs to travel urgently to her hometown (Vermont). Foggy is unable to accompany her, so she has to go with Matt as her last resort. How will things turn out?

Carry Your Heart (ao3) - irelandhoneybee T, 12k

Summary: Foggy and Marci are getting married. Matt and Karen are both members of the wedding party and find themselves growing closer and closer

Checkmate (ao3) - LilyEllison M, 27k

Summary: Investigative reporter Karen Page is annoyed when she’s assigned a fluff piece about a new company that claims to do DNA matchmaking. She thinks the technology sounds like bullshit, and she plans an exposé so customers won’t get scammed. All she has to do is prove some guy named Matt Murdock isn’t her soulmate. Easy, right?

coulda, shoulda, woulda (ao3) - LilyEllison T, 5k

Summary: Prompt from LadyMaigrey: "Matt asking Karen out for the first date post-S3. It could have gone like this / It should have gone like this / But it actually happened like this."

Deep into the Abyss (ao3) - LittleDidTheyKnow E, 35k

Summary: Matt Murdock tries to put his life back together after the series of poor decisions he made during the Punisher trial and his conflict with the Hand. Just when he thinks he's repaired what's been broken, his worst fear is realized.

He finds himself back on the road to self-sabotage and must decide if he can live with the pain he's experienced and find a way to move on, or spiral into a life of solitude.

deja vu (ao3) - LilyEllison M, 11k

Summary: When the fledgling Devil of Hell’s Kitchen meets a local bookshop owner, sparks fly. But what happens when you fall for someone while wearing a mask?

AU. Roughly corresponds to just before Season 1 in show time (for Matt, at least). Written for the Daredevil Exchange 2022 New Year Fanweek, Day 1: The City.

Don’t go where I can’t find you (ao3) - Persehfone G, 800

Summary: Karen didn’t know how many blocks she ran in the rain, but by the time she reached Matt’s apartment she was soaked wet and out of breath

New Beginnings (ao3) - josiesbar T, 13k

Summary: This takes place shortly after season 3. Nelson, Murdock, and Page begin their new law firm. Karen struggles with her feelings for Matt and guilt over past events.

No One in the Streets (ao3) - Meinhiding G, 1k

Summary: Matt and Karen's life during NYC's lockdown.

Objections (ao3) - LilyEllison T, 7k

Summary: Now that they’ve got Nelson, Murdock and Page up and running, Karen is determined to just be friends with Matt. That's the responsible, grown-up business owner thing to do. But if everyone could please stop hitting on him right in front of her, that would be great. (Not that she cares, of course. It’s just ... well, maybe she cares.)

Plus One (ao3) - Meinhiding G, 6k

Summary: Foggy helps Matt reading him his emails. He takes the opportunity to develop a plan to make Karedevil happen.

Starting Over (ao3) - josiesbar T, 10k

Summary: Karen has been trying to deal with all the loss in her life and keep Fisk from getting out of prison, but everything changes when she finds out Matt is alive.

The Closing Curtain (ao3) - Meinhiding E, 3k

Summary: Karen and Matt keep dreaming about being together but they do nothing about it. Foggy is getting tired of their show and gives them a boost.

The Thanksgiving Set-Up (ao3) - Eva_Swan T, 5k

Summary: Foggy, Marci and Maggie had a brilliant idea. Matt and Karen were too stubborn to admit their feelings to each other, so they would set them up with other people... to bring them together. This Thanksgiving would be the best. (Post season 3)

we'll have the same dream (ao3) - clarineta T, 4k

Summary: "And it was nice outside, a nice winter evening, and when he suggested a walk instead of a cab, she didn’t say no. He held his hand against the small of her back as they got out into the street, always finding little ways to touch her, hold her arm, touch her shoulder. She would never complain."

Karen and Matt take a long late night Christmas walk.

"You could come up, if you'd like..." (ao3) - Pikkulef M, 7k

Summary: Litterally, what would have happened if Matt had not been a damn coward and had trusted Karen.

#themculibrary #mcu #marvel #matt murdock #karen page #karedevil #karedevil masterlist #masterlists #f/m

[scienceoftheidiot]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💗

I was also tagged by @royaidaydreams to do this, so thanks so, so much, to both of you 🥺❤️🥰

I've been trying to make a fic rec post for other people's fics for weeks and I find it quite hard to chose, so doing it for my own stuff 😅 is going to be quite hard too 😅

Let's try though - I didn't put original stuff on there, just fanfics. I have some of my original stuff on AO3 in English, though !

1. In the old Alexandria (Ripper Street)

Mimi comes back to London, a couple of years after the turn of the century.

This is the first fic I ever posted on AO3 (the older ones were posted after but dated to when they were written - and posted elsewhere). The Ripper Street finale had wrecked me, and I needed to give some softness to the survivors. Hence, this is only for people who have seen the whole 5 seasons (but please watch them. Please please).

2. Keep Afloat (Ripper Street)

Little flashbacks, mostly around Edmund, from before S1. Filling in the blanks with more misery ! Yay !!

It's not mentionned that I am forced to share only finished stories, right? 😅 But this is a collection of flashbacks, so more or less, each chapter can be read independently. And there's no end, since the end is the start of the show, so... It's one of these fics that I sometimes re read, and one of the few where I actually find what I wrote good. Special mention to the chapter between Edmund and Emily. (This is NOT. a feel good fic).

3. Snow, snow... (Daredevil (Karedevil))

Matt tries to carry on through a blizzard, but the snow and his mind wandering to old memories won't let him.

I wanted to put a DD fic in here, but I didn't know which one to chose. This one has many characters and bittersweet memories, and this is what I like.

4. Bro's Night Out (FMA)

Hughes is sent to East City for work, but decided to arrive early (or... very late...) to meet his friend. Who is working. A lot. And has no time for silly things. And doesn't hold his drink.

It's hard to chose in a fandom I'm currently deeply obsessed with, so I chose those one, because I think I got the banter right, and it was fun to write.

5. My own worst friend and my own closest enemy (FMA (Royai))

One circle, one Roy Mustang on each side, one accidental transmutation, one occasion to be humbled and learn.

This one is still ongoing but @qs63 and I are having such a blast writing it that it's already in my top 5. Even if people didn't like it (which they do !!! That's even more awesome, thanks to all who read !!), I would have put it there because I just love it and love all the brainstorming we're having over it. 🥰

Bonus :

All the hope that I lost, you have found (FMA (Royai))

This is a WIP and a BIG one. That I plan on finishing this summer.

When I published Everyone learns faster on fire , I thought I would not come back to this theme (Roy stays blind after the Promised Day). Exceeeeept... That first fic wasn't very realistic. So I took this premices again and turned them around. The Army wouldn't keep a blind officer, so Roy's dismissed. And as soon as I started writing that, the rest of the fic events just fell like dominos. In the end, that fic has Royai, politics, Ishval, Team Mustang, and stuff that I will not disclose there because spoilers. All of this of course swimming in lots and lots of angst - but not only. I try to have it balance with sweet and even funny (I hope) moments. I'm having a lot of fun writing it and I can't wait to finish it !

#ask game #fic rec #self fic rec

[moogleannywrites]

dream a little dream... [Karedevil]

Summary: Karen Page feels uneasy around Matt Murdock after dreams of a passionate kiss waking her up a few nights in a row. Foggy Nelson decides to take action between his two best friends and possible lovebirds to, perhaps, make a dream come true.

Word count: 2,9k

Warnings: none!

Content: fluffiness <3

Read it on AO3 | My masterlist <3

hello, welcome back to my account! I am deeply sorry for disappearing the last few months; there were some pretty tought times in my life but I will be back soon with my stories. Can't wait to share them with you <3 for now please enjoy this fluffy Karedevil fic (I MISS THEEEEM) special thanks to my beta reader @areiko for being such an angel :)

gif is mine.

It always started the same way.

Karen sitting at her desk, opening up her laptop and working on something – it was blurry, so she couldn’t exactly see what – with moonlight shining through the window behind her and only the dim light of the office above her head. Everyone had already called it a night…

… or so she thought.

The front door suddenly cracked open; and, as someone who knows the danger of being alone after hours, she immediately put herself together and asked with a trembling voice:

“Who’s there?”

The tip of a white cane showed up at the bottom of the door, making her sigh with relief just before Matt Murdock entered, still wearing his work clothes from earlier that day.

“Oh, thank God. Hi, Matt.”

She smiled and, before it was possible to add a “what are you doing here?” question, followed up by something related to his nightly activities as Daredevil, Karen noticed something was… off. Matt was smiling at her – beaming, to be exact – as he collapsed his cane and walked towards her seat, tapping the wooden desk with the tip of his fingers so he could see whenever she was close.

And, soon after that, he lowered his head to kiss her.

Karen tried to call him out but immediately gave in when she felt the warmth of his lips over hers. She couldn’t even stand up from her seat, like she was glued to the chair or, most likely, hypnotized by his touch, to the other hand entering the loose strands of her hair and caressing them with such passion it was impossible to do anything but to kiss him back…

… Until she wakes up.

Karen stared at the ceiling with the dried lips still warm from Matt’s dreamy touch, cheeks flustered in ruby red when she moved her hands to cover her face and let out a small moan in shame. Slowly, she rolled around the bed, grabbing the pillow just to bury her face and muffle a scream. It was the third consecutive night she’d had the same dream – probably there were a few differences here and there, like if she said something different when the door opened, but overall it was the same: Matt smiled, walked towards her and kissed her lips.

The first night was fine since the weekend had just begun, and also was an opportunity to drink some wine before going back to bed. The second one was excusable, because she wouldn’t have to work the following day anyways. The third one, however, was considerably damageable, since she would definitely get brown circles under her eyes from waking in the middle of the night for three days in a row, and, worst of all, in a matter of hours she would see Matt. For the whole day. There was absolutely no way she would survive this.

Sometimes, Karen looked through the window and hoped to see a glimpse of the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen jumping over buildings, perhaps even coming by to visit her place for a change – and, amidst the imagination of Daredevil soaring over the dark sky, city lights glimmering over his body, she would often fall back asleep for just a few hours before the alarm clock went off as usual.

Karen rubbed her eyes with the warm water of her morning shower, suppressing a yawn and scolding herself for not getting enough sleep. She put on a beautiful black skirt with white, long socks and boots; as soon as she opened the door, and felt the cool autumn wind on the exposed arms, she also took a coat from the hanger beside her to finally leave the house.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips as soon as she entered the office and no one else had arrived yet. Putting Matt’s and Foggy’s coffees over their tables, and finally taking a sip of her own, she sat down and opened the laptop with case files she needed to work on – not creepily staring at the door every five seconds – taking notes on how far she had advanced on each one.

“Good morning, Karen.”

Matt’s voice cut the air like an arrow before he even had fully opened the door. Karen felt flustered, answering in a whisper:

“Good morning, Matt” and cleared her throat before adding “your coffee is over the desk.”

“Thank you.”

Instead of going to his workplace as usual, he walked towards her, which made Karen’s heart jump at an alarming rate, completely audible by both of them, on the déjà vu before her very own eyes.

“Foggy hasn’t arrived yet” the woman said in an attempt to make him not get so close, but he shrugged and went around the chair to lower his head over her shoulder.

“I’m sure he will be here soon enough” Matt placed his hands over the wood of the table and said “do you have any news regarding any of our cases?”

“Yes, of course”, Karen tried her best to control her breath while picking up a braille-printed paper to hand him. “I think Jones will be with his mother again pretty soon.”

She smiled, feeling proud of herself; it was a tough one, trying to get the little boy reunited with his family after false accusations of drug dealing. With the corner of her eyes, Karen could see Matt beaming in a very similar way of the dream – since he was so close, it was possible to see the edge of his eyes crinkle behind the red shades, even to feel his breath moving a few loose strands of her hair.

“Thank you, Karen”, he held her shoulders and squeezed them tightly, then quietly let go, taking the papers with him to his office, but not before turning his head and asking, “are you alright?”

She took a moment to pay attention to herself – heart beating fast, the thin, blonde arm hair bristling over her skin –, moistening her lips before saying:

“Of course I’m alright”, Karen stopped her leg from shaking “but thanks for asking”.

And she dropped on her chair as soon as Matt entered his workplace.

~.~

A week went by with awkward conversations between Karen and her boss, often ending abruptly when her heart started beating so loudly Matt just couldn’t focus on her voice. She was also the first one to arrive and the first one to leave their office, like she couldn’t be around them anymore, which led to Matt Murdock usually facing the door and hearing her footsteps walking away with a sad smile on his face.

The dreams had gradually stopped, not before being more explicit with wet kisses and his hand gripping her back tightly – however she still had trouble sleeping every night after spending the afternoons with Matt, feeling guilty for not talking to him as much as she should. They talked for hours before, how would she explain such absence? All these different feelings filled in her mind every day until the fatigue put her to sleep for a few hours before it was time to face another day and another opportunity to explain what was going on.

The first person to actually address the subject, however, was Foggy, who surprised Karen before she arrived at the office one day.

“Jesus Christ, Foggy” she said, holding the coffee cups near her chest. “Do you want to kill me or what?”

“Not me” Foggy grabbed his drink (the cup with his name written with a marker and a little star drawn on the side), muttering “thank you” before continuing: “I guess you, miss Page, want to kill poor Matt Murdock from breaking his heart after constantly leaving his sad ass looking at the door you just left.”

Karen bit her lip and let out a heavy breath as they walked down the street.

“Poor thing, he was so young. Rest in peace” Foggy bowed his head and the woman rolled her eyes.

“I am so sorry about that.” she said, trying to gather her thoughts.

He gave her a warm, however crooked, smile, using his free hand to hold her arm.

“Be honest with me, Karen” his eyes were deadly serious. “Are you seeing someone and scared to tell us about it?”

His friend and co-worker’s expression turned completely red for an instant; she stuttered and her mouth opened and closed a few times before finally saying:

“What? No!”

“You don’t need to hide anything from us, you know.”

“I am being a hundred percent honest here”, and, after a few seconds, added: “Is that what Matt thinks?”

“Beats me”, Foggy shrugged. “He didn’t say anything besides how you seemed distant, so this was my theory. What keeps you so secretive?”

Another deep breath came from deep inside Karen’s chest, a mist of embarrassment and anxiety growing in her voice as she said:

“I’ve been having some… dreams. With Matt.”

“What kind of dreams, Miss Page?” he sounded alarmed. “You mean...”, letting go of her arm, he made some movements with his hand that reminded her of lewd stuff, turning his friend’s face a different, brighter hue of pink he hardly ever saw.

“God, no!” Karen shook the right hand and caught her breath before sitting on a bench, so they could talk in peace.

“What is it, then?”

“For about three nights in a row, I dreamt of staying to work after hours at the office, and Matt came in, smiling, and kissed me…” she turned her tone a little down “… on the lips.”

“Oh, really? What he did next, held your hand?” Foggy mocked, eyes wide open and a giant grin on his face, to which Karen threatened throwing coffee on him. “Sorry, go on.”

“It wasn’t just a kiss, Foggy. It was a deep, passionate kiss. Like I could feel his warmth inside my chest, you know?” she sighed. “The dreams stopped after a few days, but I find it impossible to talk to him now, at least not without feeling that I’m going to implode.”

“So ignoring him is your best option?”

“Not the best, but an option until I think on what to do.”

Foggy Nelson took a sip of his coffee, being careful enough not to spill over the suit he bought at some very expensive store downtown. With nothing but the sound of wind howling and people walking, an uncomfortable silence befell the two friends, Karen’s heart pounding between her lungs in relief for finally saying out loud what was going on – and, not so deep inside her mind, she felt kind of stupid hearing her own words reverberating back to her.

“Look, I’m sorry-”

“You absolutely don't need to be sorry”, Foggy said with a smile while stretching his arm to hold her shoulder. “You do… sound a little fifteen-year-old-ish, to be honest.”

Karen giggled.

“To be fair I did not have any high school crushes to call mine…”

“Right.” Foggy laughed. “It is understandable, since our firm has recently started, and you both had a few rough moments in a not so distant past. If there is one thing I can tell you, Page,” he turned around in the bench to face her “is that every time you ignore Matt out of fear from his reaction, you are also postponing a possible outcome from this desire, that, in my opinion, is so strong you’ve been constantly dreaming of it.”

“But what if Matt doesn’t feel the same?”

“At least you would stop torturing yourself” the lawyer stood up, offering his hand to her. “Try not to put your own happiness and peace of mind behind your fears, alright?”

She placed her fingers just over his palm, balancing hers and Matt’s coffees on one hand at the same time she basically jumped on her friend’s chest so she could envelop him in a tight hug.

“Thank you”, she whispered.

“I might quit law to become a psychologist, you know. This feels exceptionally nice.”

They both hushed to the office, where Matt already was waiting for them.

“Today is ‘not inviting your friend for a morning walk’ day and nobody warned me?” he asked, hanging his coat on the back of his chair.

“We just bumped into each other” said Foggy with a wink, going to his own workplace, while Karen caught up to her boss.

“Which means that Foggy already drank his coffee, but I saved mine so we could drink together, perhaps, if you’d like…?”

Matt kindly offered the seat in front of him while she placed the cup over his desk, a quiet thud being the only audible sound between them for a while.

“I am so sorry for leaving earlier these last few days”, babbled her.

“No problem. Do you mind if I ask what was going on…?”

“Oh”, she drank a bit of her coffee. “Let’s say I just wasn’t sleeping really well.”

From the other room, Foggy intonated dream a little dream of me…, which made Karen stare daggers at him through the mirror separating the rooms.

“He seems carefree today”, Matt whispered. “Feeling better now?”

“Yup!”, the woman smiled under the cup. “I’m going to take a look today if Mister Smith has any property in his name.”

Slowly, she reached out for his hand, caressing the knots of his fingers with a sweet smile coloring her blank expression with sunshine. Matt took a long sip of his own drink before putting it back on the table and holding her hand between his palms; would Karen guess that his heart was pounding inside his own chest? She looked down and, soon after, turned her gaze back at him.

“Anything else you want to say?” he asked.

“No”, Karen answered. There was no truth to her answer, and Matt knew about it, yet decided not to press any further. She reluctantly let go and walked toward her desk at the same time Foggy approached and asked, unbelievably upset:

“Are you for real?”

“There was no way in hell I would tell him about that.”

“Tell me about what?” asked Matt from the other room.

“Nothing!” they both said while Karen took her stuff. “Don’t wait for me today, I will be back late and probably go straight home.”

As soon as she left, she felt her heart a lot lighter.

~.~

The day went by with the young and newest member of Nelson, Murdock and Page not thinking about the dreams… at all. She drove all the way to New Jersey in her old car to try and discover something about a client having legal properties he could sell to pay his debt. For many hours she waited at real estate agencies, talked to people, and eventually found what she was looking for. The warmth of Matt’s hands, however, remained over hers for the whole day, and she often found herself hugging herself in the cold autumn so she could still feel his faint presence by her side.

When Karen got back to Hell’s Kitchen, it was late; street lights were on and everybody was already going home. She had so much energy, however, that went straight to the office to work to keep the case going. A strange sense of familiarity fell around her, but she paid no mind, that is, until she heard a light thud on the window behind her.

She slowly turned around to see none other than Daredevil, taking off the black cloth over his face while she said his real name out loud. Matt smiled, jumping inside the room and resting his back on the wall.

“What… What are you doing here?”

“I took a leap of faith that I would find you here before heading to my… nightly activities. You know, the usual stuff” he giggled. “How are you holding up? Do you need a lift back home? We can swing, if you’d like” Matt then proceeded to show his red club in one of his back pockets.

“What are you, Spiderman?”, they both laughed.

Suddenly, it hits Karen that she is still glued to her chair; that Matt is in front of her, beaming; and, before these thoughts could transform into words, he took a step forward, held her face, and lowered his head enough to kiss her.

Karen kissed him with urgency, her desire speaking louder than any common sense. She touched Matt’s face and shoulders, trying to make sense that the moment was, in fact, the real thing, and not another dream; a blow on her chest replaced her beating heart with a warm and fuzzy sensation for a few seconds and fireworks brightened up her mind with bliss the whole time until he slowly let go. Smiling, she said:

“… It wasn’t a dream!”

However, as soon as she opened her eyes, Matt was nowhere to be seen, not even the black mask or the cane he constantly used; instead, there was a small recorder over the table with a sweet song coming out its tiny speakers:

Stars shining bright above you

Night breezes seem to whisper, “I love you”

Birds singin' in the sycamore trees

Dream a little dream of me…

She put her fingers over the warm lips, trying her best to keep the warmth – so different from the days she just woke up without him – forever over her skin. Karen’s blue eyes were filled with small tears of joy, the sensation which enveloped both her and Matt at that moment.

The ethereal feeling was only interrupted by a buzzing in her telephone.

“Did it work??”

Foggy’s message blinked on the screen.

“Oh, Foggy, don’t you know it is wrong to talk about other people’s secrets like that?”

With trembling fingers and shaky lips turning into a smile, she typed:

“But thanks for making a girl’s dream literally come true.”

#fanfic writing #marvel fanfiction #karedevil #matt murdock x karen page #daredevil fanfiction #daredevil #netflix daredevil #marvel fluff #fanfiction writer #ao3 #vanilla sky fanfiction #moogle anny writes

[skyfallslayer]

The Daughter of The (Dare)Devil - Story 9 (Part 3)

Series Masterlist

Series Summary: A Series of stories revolving around the MCU timeline of Matt Murdock and his Daughter, Kaila. Being the child of a vigilante can be hard and scary at times, but it doesn’t mean she ain’t going to enjoy the most of it.

(Can be read as Y/N if you’d like)

Story Summary: Part 3 - Matt, Karen and Foggy scramble to find out who their “official” first client was in an attempt to find their missing teenager; Meanwhile, Kaila finally sees what her father sees in her darkest time in Hell’s Kitchen, making her question everything she believed in (Set shortly after 2x03). 

Date: 4/5

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 13,243 (Super Long, Ya'll)

Warning: Possible OOC (?); Karedevil; The Murdocks Are Stubborn People; Talks of Child Neglect; Attempted Murder; Allusion To Murder; Brief Allusion To Rape; Major Blood; Self Blaming; Heavy Guilt; Non Consensual Touching; Heavy Angst; Heavy Language; Crying; Mental Break (Down (?); Karen and Foggy Are The MVPs Here Again (Frank & Brett Are Added To That List); Possible Identity Reveal (?); Kidnapping; Allusions To Mental Illness; Bullet Wound; Child Abuse; The Murdocks Could Use All The Hugs In The World; I'm Going To Hell By Putting The Adults/Kaila Through The Wringer; Fluffy Ending (?). READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!

- Let me know if I missed anything, please.

A/N: Yeah... still going to hell for this. But I swear their lives will get better maybe. Anyway, sorry for the wait, I had writer's block halfway. Hopefully this is to ya'll's expectations. As always, enjoy!

“Kaila.” He said, smiling. “Kaila… Jackie Murdock.”

.

.

“What a lovely name.”

.

.

“Kaila Murdock.” Fisk tests it out. “You’ve got a lot… history in a name like that.”

.

.

She said with a little smile. “I’m assuming you’re Matt’s daughter?”

.

.

“And when you have no tears left to shed, then…” He sends another glare that sends a shiver down her spine. “Then we’ll come for you, Miss Murdock.”

.

.

She opened her tired eyes slowly, her spinning world coming to an abrupt stop. 

The teenager finds herself standing in a dark abyss, making her drugged induced self suddenly more aware of her surroundings. She finds herself looking around in a worried state of confusion. She saw and heard nothing in the void. It was just her in this room that didn’t seem like reality.

She tries to recall what happened last but is met with a splitting headache. She winces at the pain with her eyes growing shut, craning her neck down and gritting through her teeth.

Jesus. What… what happened? She fights herself to pry open those chocolate orbs with the blown out pupils, finding herself staring at her attire. She had on what looked like a blouse and a pencil skirt, something she didn’t even possibly remember owning. 

She frowns as that sets in before she starts to notice something else different. The hair on her head felt lighter than ever, a sensation she doesn’t remember ever feeling. She wanted to touch her locks, but couldn’t. When she looked at the source that had bound her wrists together she couldn’t believe it. It was stringy and white, and sticky like glue. It was–

Spider webs? She brings her hands closer to examine, ignoring how the hairs over her body stood straight up.

.

“They’re all gone.”

.

She jolts in her stance, jerking her body around to behind. She swears she could see some kind of dust lingering in the open air, some even brushing by her like a taunt or a warning. Or…

Maybe it was both.

What in the hell…? 

“What are you doing?” A familiar voice asked, sending her spinning on her heels again.

She shouldn’t be surprised but she is; Especially when her friend looks older than before. Jayden was taller, more defined in her arms, his hair a bit longer in the face. She blinks again, and tries to say his name only that she couldn’t. It felt like someone had jammed something into her throat.

He looked just as panicked as she was feeling, and took a step closer with his hands up defensively. “You know I can’t help you right now. That’s why I told you to wait until I felt better.”

She tilts her head, scanning him over again. None of this made any sense whatsoever, especially when she saw tiny little sparks of fire resting on his fingertips. All she could do was stare as he seemed unbothered by it.

He sighs. “I should know better by now. You Murdocks sure are stubborn.” He said that with a small smile. “But you need to get out of here. You’re needed out there tonight.”

What? What is he talking about? She tries to speak his name again. Nothing.

“Here, Kai.” 

She felt him shove something into her suddenly freed hands, something that felt oddly like… 

She gasps.

My dad’s helmet? 

“Can’t forget that. You’ve been holding off for a while.” He said, a look of pride on his face as she shakes her head.

Jayden… what are you… what is he talking about? She felt him step closer, his face practically hovering above her.

“The devil of Hell’s Kitchen’s been gone long enough. These people need you. You got this.” 

She looks at him before looking down at the helmet, looking polished and brand new. It didn’t look like it was shot through with a bullet. Her brows pushed together, perplexed.

This is my dad’s helmet, but… it… it doesn’t feel like it. She clenches the sides, a shiver running up her spine again.

What is going on–

.

“Ah, you’re awake. Good.” A slimy hand roughly grabs her chin, forcing her to open her eyes. “We can have a chat about how your father and his partner ruined my life.”

.

Her breath hitched itself in her throat as she stared at her capturer. His creepy stare seemed more intense than before.

“Come on, little devil, show me what you got.” 

.

.

.

She awoke with a muffled scream. Out of instinct she tugged on her restraints, wiggling in her chair. The thick ropes dug into her skin, irritating it in a way she never felt before.

Fuck. Fuck. What the fuck is–

“So you’re finally awake.” 

She froze again.

The man was sitting in a foldout chair, he had a pocket knife out that he was using to cut a bright red apple. Kaila watches him smile towards her before moving his seat in front of her, retaking his spot.

“Sorry if you feel cold. I had to use your shirt to clean up your head.”

Kaila pinches her brows together, looking down at herself. Her band shirt was gone, laying somewhere in this warehouse covered in blood, which left her just in a bra. Her cheeks flushed as she started to grow self conscious, but the man didn’t seem to either not mind or care about the state she was in (emotionally and physically).

“You bleed a lot. Which is good. Means you’re healthy, and I need you to stay healthy.” He continues, and cuts up a huge slice, letting it fall onto the plate in his lap.

“Hungry?” He asked, reaching over and pulling the gag off, watching her stare in discomfort. He stabs one of the slices of apple and holds it close to her mouth. She continues to stare, making him tilt his head. “I know it’s a little weird, but I can’t let you starve, you know? Come on.”

She felt her heart about to burst out of her chest. The sickening feeling was brewing in her gut. But there was something heedfully telling her to just play along. She opens her mouth, allowing him to slide the apple slice in. She carefully crushes it between her teeth, slowly chewing it.

“Good, right? Gala’s were always my favorite.” He boasted with a chuckle. “You got a favorite?”

She shakes her head leisurely at… what should she call him? Baldy? Yeah, Baldy would work. She shakes her head at Baldy.

“No? That’s surprising. I won’t take it personally if that’s what you’re worried about.”

No, not exactly. She thought, watching him eat a slice himself, and gaze around the room full of metal shipping containers (she was assuming they were at the port). Strange.

He’s acting paranoid, but he certainly doesn't look it.

Baldy seemed to catch her wary gaze in the dim lighting, and locked in. “This too weird?” He said, with a dry chuckle. “Don’t be shy. You can speak freely.” That spine chilling grin returns. “I don’t bite.”

You sure look like you do. She holds her tongue at the spicy words. She starts spinning the wheels in her head, trying to figure out what she can and cannot (or should not) say.

I’ve got to do this carefully.

“W-Who are you?” Kaila manages to say, which makes him straighten up in seat, expression fading away.

“Me?” He asked, voice low and cold. “I’m the brother of one of Nelson and Murdock’s clients they failed.”

She tilts her head, puzzled. “Failed?”

Baldy hums. “You got that right, sweetheart.”

She swallows, and starts feeling a sense of déjà vu from this. “You’re… you’re going to have to be more specific. My Father and Uncle can’t exactly… help everyone.”

“That’s true, but–” He sighs. “They could have helped him.”

She furrows her brows. “And… who’s your brother?”

“He was their first official client.”

First official client? Now she was even more confused.

He said he had a brother, right? And Karen was their first client who had a brother. She starts remembering the story the blonde told her after the whole Wesley thing.

Yeah… Kevin. Yeah, that’s right. But he’s dead. This doesn't make–

“Not clicking with you, sweetheart?” Baldy asked, interrupting her thoughts. “It’s probably hard keeping track of all your Father’s clients. And that’s okay, I didn’t expect you to know who I’m talking about.”

She gives him an odd look again. “Then…” She pauses. “Why am I here?”

He shrugs. “Ransom. Bait. My… personal punching bag.” He laughs at how pale she got. “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything… too reckless. Unless, you give me any reason to do the opposite.” Another laugh. “It’s just the Boss’ orders.”

Boss? So this isn’t independent. He’s tied to someone. But who? All she could do was wonder as continues to lose color in her face.

“Awe, don’t be so scared. Besides, you’ll be fine. You’ll be fine as long as you behave. Mmm, okay?” He brushes some of her hair from her face. “But if you don't… I’ll have to listen to my Boss anyway. Trust me. You don’t want me to follow his instructions.”

She bites the inside of her cheek hard to keep herself from trembling at his words.

Oh, god… please let this be another dream.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Foggy dumped another box of files onto the table, tossing it aside before sitting down again.

“Okay.” He breathes, mentally preparing for another round. “There’s gotta be something in this one.”

He didn’t even acknowledge his two partners nodding before they all dug into it, their minds were all in overdrive trying to find something useful. Their bloodshots orbs scanned the pages, their small, worried panting brushed against the ink, turning the inky fragrance into coffee. And they were all dealing with the excess jittery energy in different ways. Like Foggy was lightly bouncing his left leg under the table, and Karen was gnawing at the fingernail on her thumb, while Matt was almost still like a statue, except for the occasional twitch in his lip or hands.

Silence carried on again and again, but just like with every box they shifted through, one of them would break the focus eventually. This time it was–

“This is going nowhere.” Matt said, dropping his half of the file that was transferred in braille. He didn’t care if the pages were slipping out of the yellowish folder, and scattered across the table. Organization was not on his mind.

Foggy frowns, concernedly. “Matt–”

“No, he’s right, Foggy.” Karen said, also dropping her half. “This is hopeless.”

Foggy looks between the two. “Guys–”

The blonde shakes her head, stopping him. “No. It’s going nowhere. We’ve been through ten boxes already. Nothing is matching up with the ransom note.”

This got him to sigh, and rub his face into his hands. “Okay…” He rests his palms in the back of his head. “Okay. What have we got so far?”

Matt clenches his jaw. “All we got is some guy claiming we… failed helping his brother. Who so happens to be our first client.” He explains, hearing him nod, taking it in. “However, from our knowledge, Karen was our first client.”

“Right.” Foggy said, and focused his gaze on the woman across from. “But you told us you don’t have a brother who could have done this.”

Karen nods. “Yeah. I-I had one, but he’s… passed.” She replies, getting teary eyed.

“And… you’re not aware of having any others? No half siblings or…?”

“No. My father’s… life, after my mother passed, he practically just lived in the diner we owned. Never really doing anything outside work.” She shrugs. “I mean, if he had other children somehow I would’ve known since I was with him all the time. And then I’ve lived here for about… three years now, so if he had a kid after I left he would be about that old.”

Foggy hums. “And I doubt a toddler could commit a kidnapping.” He scratches his chin. “But it has to be you. You were Matt and I’s first client.”

She shrugs again. “Then I don’t know what else to tell you…”

Matt lets out a sigh, standing up in a way that makes his chair scrap across the floor. “I need more coffee.” Was his reply, and grabbed his empty cup. He leaves the office for their kitchenette, ignoring the two pairs of eyes on him.

Once he left, Karen made a move. “Go talk to him.” She said, quietly.

“Me?” Foggy said, surprised. “I don’t know, maybe you should–”

“If I really am somehow connected to this, maybe I shouldn’t be talking to him.”

That made his heart break a little. “Karen–”

“Please.” She begs, her blue orbs glassing over.

Foggy stayed quiet, only replying with a small shake of his head. He stands up and leaves the room, faintly hearing her sobbing. He finds his partner bracing himself against the counter, the coffee pot and lights weren’t even on. Foggy didn’t even correct that, instead he just came and silently stood next to him.

It wasn’t until the clock on the microwave turned from 11:38 to 11:50 when he decided to crack the ice wall his friend was putting up.

“What’s going through your head?” Foggy asked, voice strained with all sorts of emotions he tried to hide. 

Matt inhales slowly, blind gaze still on the countertop. “Guilt.”

“It’s not your fault, man.”

“You don’t get it.”

“Then explain it to me.”

“I did.”

“Explain it to me more clearly then.” Foggy rephrases, watching him closely. “What happened?”

Matt finally looks in his direction, thinking. “After the… you know…” He lowers his voice. “You guys found me on the rooftop. After you left, That's when things got… tense between me and Kai. I-I just wasn’t thinking about hers, or yours, or Karen’s feelings. I was just… pissed that I got hurt. Pissed that I didn’t stop the Punisher.” He swallows. “I… the gunshot made me… lose my hearing.”

Foggy’s eyes widened immediately. “What? You went deaf?!” He said just as Matt shushed him quietly. He quickly winces and takes a look to make sure Karen didn’t hear that. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay. Just… keep it down.”

“I will, but… you lost your hearing? What the fuck, man?”

“Only… only temporarily. I promise.” Matt reassures, truthfully. “Anyway, She, Kai, helped me but um… I was being stubborn as usual.”

“Shocker.”

“I know. Afterwards, I went to this guy who owed me a favor, said he’d fixed up the helmet and that’s when I got a text from her. It said it was an emergency, told me to get home quickly, so I did.” Matt sighs again and continues, “She… she lied to get me to come home. Begged me not to go out there to look for the Punisher. I told her it was my job to stop him, then that’s when everything went downhill.” He frowns. “She brought up an agreement we made after Fisk was put in jail.”

Foggy cocks his head, intrigued. “What agreement?”

“That she’ll help me balance my two lives. Which I… I didn't want to listen to it. And instead, I flipped it around on her.”

“How so?”

Matt's gaze flickered to their office, the one that Karen was in, pausing to hear if she was eavesdropping (She wasn’t from what he could tell). “Remember our argument after you found out my secret?” He asked, turning his attention back to him.

“How could I forget?” Foggy said, gloomily.

“Well, Kaila said she needed a break, so she decided to go stay at Karen’s for the night.” Matt replies, shifting his stance. “Remember when you went to find Kaila at her favorite coffee shop, did you notice anything… ‘off’ about her?”

Foggy ponders on that for a moment. “Actually… yeah. I did. She seemed down and in her head.”

Matt nods. “I noticed that, quickly for obvious reasons. When I asked what happened at Karen’s, she told me she’ll tell me when she’s ready. And… I respected her decision, and it became part of our agreement.”

“So… instead of listening, you try to turn it on her?”

“Yeah. I thought it should be a two way street. We went back and forth for a few minutes, eventually she accused me of the suit having a possession over me. I told her that the devil was a part of me, then she asked me if I was worried about not coming back to her. Then I…” He trails off.

“What?” Foggy asked, heart already aching before the answer. “What did you say?”

There was a small pause, and then– “I said, ‘Well maybe I wouldn’t have to worry if you weren’t here’.”

Foggy closes his eyes with a inhale. “Jesus, Matt…”

Matt swallows, throat closing up. “She told me she fucking hated me, Foggy.” He said, sounding so small and fragile.

Foggy sighs. “Matt, she didn’t mean that. Nor did you mean what you said.” 

“It doesn’t matter if I meant it or not, Foggy.” Matt says, looking down. “I thought she wanted space, so I gave her space. And the time she called for me was the first time I didn’t answer.”

“First off, she tried to call you, so it’s not like you ignored her call.”

“But–”

“And you were just respecting her wishes. What happened to her was not your fault.”

“But she’s my daughter, Foggy.”

“And we’re going to get her back.” Foggy touches both his shoulders. “I know it’s hard, but let's put this guilt aside and figure this out.” He lets a tiny smile on his lips. “And when this is officially over, we're temporarily closing up shop and going to Hawaii.”

That got Matt to chuckle a little. “Hawaii, huh?”

“Never been, and would love to go. We'll probably have to start a go-fund me to get the money, but we’ll make it work.”

“Yeah.” Matt’s face fell again. “Wait… you said ‘officially’?”

Foggy raises an eyebrow. “Yeah, I did. Why?”

Matt’s confidence started to come back at a realization. “Because I just remembered what the ransom note said. It says that we failed our ‘official’ first client.”

“Yeah… and…?” Foggy trails off, not following his partner’s lead.

“If it’s saying ‘official’ in the way I think it’s referring as, then…”

“Then…?”

.

.

.

“Then that means Karen isn’t our first client.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Kaila silently watched him eat another apple by himself before leaning back in the chair, eyes glued to his phone. The volume was low, but she swears she can hear some kind of sports game playing. This causes her to pinch her brows together and get the gears in her brain to start turning once more.

None of this… this… 

Well…

Could she even call this a kidnapping? Could she tell herself over and over again that’s she being held for ransom? 

It sure didn’t feel like it. Sure, this guy was clearly unhinged to a certain degree, but he didn’t exactly (at least her in mind) scream kidnapper. I mean, her last one didn’t exactly fit the description either. James Welsey was just a right hand man with the best poker face on this side of the hudson. 

Maybe I’m just watching too many cop shows. 

But that’s besides the point. She was just waiting and waiting for something to happen. Like maybe he’ll start recording her for the news media to share, or maybe he’ll talk on the phone to negotiate with the cops. She didn’t expect him to feed her an apple and watch sports. 

This is really, really odd. But she can’t just sit here and keep guessing. Besides, he said that she was allowed to speak freely, and she might as well use this privilege to get some answers.

She swallows the heavy bile in her throat first. “So… a-are we just waiting for money to be brought?” She asked, carefully shredding the unclear water.

Baldy sighs. “No. No money. Boss didn’t want any.” He replies, still looking at his phone.

What? She blinks as her interests peak. He left a ransom note about her. How could he not want money?

“Then… w-why did you grab me if you’re not using me for money?” Kaila asked, confused.

Another sigh, but this time he looks up. “Look, sweetheart. I’m just following my instructions.”

“But you’re holding me hostage. What’s the point in you doing this if you aren’t going to get anything in return? Am I just some… some trophy at this point or–”

He suddenly kicks the chair he was sitting in over, the metal rattling against the concrete flooring, startling her. His nonchalant mood changes drastically as he strolls over. “Are you questioning my mission, sweetheart?”

She clenches her jaw. “You told me I could speak freely–”

“Are you–” He roughly grabs her chin, throwing her head forward. “Questioning my mission, sweetheart?”

She gulps down the urge to wince in pain as she keeps her confident gaze. “W-Who’s your Boss?”

He scoffs in disbelief. “Excuse me?”

“I said… who’s you’re fucking Boss? And what does he want with me?”

His lip twitched, and he found himself closing his eyes to take a deep breath. “I really wish…” He opens them. “I really wish you didn’t ask me that. I thought we had an understanding.”

Before she could say anything his whole palm covers her mouth, and he pushes her head back until it's against a crate, her chair tipping back along with her. 

What the fuck is he– Her thought died on her lips as she felt something cold against her thigh, followed by a small click and a loud bang. Pain ripped through her body as she let out an animalistic scream. Of course that sounded like she was underwater by his hand, which became even more when he squeezed down.

He shushes her soothingly. “I warned you, sweetheart. Now I gotta play into my Boss’ rules.” He said, holding up the gun to her watery view. “Don’t ask me questions like that. Okay?” He pauses to see if her scream had subsided, which it did (Now it was just really heavy panting). “Got anything to say for yourself?”

He removes his hand, letting the chair level back to the floor as she takes in a shaky gasp of air.

“Y-You’re…” Kaila chokes, and tries to give him a cold look. “YOU’RE FUCKING INSANE!!!”

Baldy shakes his head. “Me? ME?! I’M INSANE, HUH?! I’M THE CRAZY ONE?!” He starts laughing with hysteria. “Oh… I guess I am. Huh?” He scoffs and cups her face, ignoring how she tries to jerk out of his touch. “Oh, Miss Murdock, what am I going to do with you? Hmm?”

He uses his thumbs to wipe her stained cheeks cleaned, and earns another flinch. He then stands up to fetch his chair to plop down in front of her again.

He sighs. “Alright. Let’s have a look at this.” He starts touching the wound he caused on her thigh, and she whimpers loudly at the touch. “Alright. You know what? Let’s…” He reaches for the gag around her neck, placing it over her mouth and tying it roughly. “Let’s put that back on.”

He starts touching it again. “Well, the bullet’s still in there. But–” He gives her a smile. “You wouldn’t want me to go digging for it, would you? Don’t want to cause you any more pain, right?”

Kaila closes her eyes, more tears falling as he pats her cheek in his attempt to ‘soothe’ her. She wishes she had the power to burn that disgusting hand from his arm.

Suddenly, off in the distance of this gigantic building, you could hear a door closing loudly.

The two of them perked up for different reasons. One annoyed and one (slightly) hopeful. Could you guess who was who?

Baldy hums. “I don’t remember expecting anyone yet.” He quickly pulls out his phone, turning on the screen. He frowns. “Hmm… nothing.” He stands up once more. “I’ll be right back. ‘Cause last time I checked, Boss was supposed to call me before picking you up.”

Picking me up? She wonders as she watches him walk away while whistling some tune. She could only hope whoever came in was on her side, but she was scared for them. She now knew that Baldy was a lot more crazy than she thought, and didn’t know what he was fully capable of.

She closes her eyes and starts quietly crying.

I really hope that’s my dad…

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

She promised herself she wasn’t going to cry again, not unless they were happy tears; But here she is, doing the opposite. Karen had her face buried into her hands, feeling like the weight of the world was crushing her form. Unlike Matt and Foggy, Karen knew really what this kidnapping was (probably) doing to Kaila.

Although, the more she thought about it, the more she didn’t like the outcome. When the teenager stumbled to her door after killing Wesley, it sure felt different than now. Karen knew what killing another human being feels like. She knew how to handle the situation, knew how to comfort like nobody else would.

But this was different. They didn’t know who this kidnapper was. And even with the note they left there was no clear MO. Was it just revenge? Did they want money from Nelson and Murdock? What was it? And why was this person’s brother their first client? She was their first client. She remembers that day as crystal clear as it could get. And it couldn’t be her beloved brother Kevin because she killed him he died. Or…

Do I really have more siblings than I thought? That thought made her skin crawl, and Karen couldn’t help but choke down another sob.

Oh, god… what if I got that poor child killed?

“What exactly are you saying? Matt?!”

The sudden voice makes her look up, finding her colleagues coming back in.

“Matt?” Foggy tries again, but the blind man isn't listening as he sets another box on the table, opening up and digging inside.

“What’s going on?” Karen asked, wiping her eyes clean as she stood up.

Foggy jerks his finger towards their friend. “He just said something weird and won’t elaborate on what he meant.”

She looks his way. “Matt?”

Matt didn’t answer until he found the file he’s looking for. He holds it close like it’s his last life source. “In the ransom note, It states that we, Nelson and Murdock, failed to help the kidnapper’s brother. Which is…” He trails off for them to finish.

Foggy and Karen share a look of confusion.

“Which… is your guys’ first client.” She replies, stating the obvious.

“Which is Karen.” He adds.

“Correction. It says our ‘Official First Client’. That’s not Karen.” Matt said, getting even stranger looks thrown his way.

Foggy shakes his head, holding his hands up. “Hang on a second.” He said, processing. “What?”

“It’s not Karen.” 

“Explain.”

“Okay…” Matt nods with a small sigh. “Do you remember the beginning for us? We met Karen on the first day we opened after Brett gave us that tip that we desperately needed. Without any questions, we went down there with hope. However…” He cast his gaze at the blonde. “Karen. What did you say to us that almost made Foggy walk out the door?”

Foggy cocks his head in confusion again, as the gears in Karen’s head start to turn.

She pursues her lips. “That…” Her eyes widened. “I didn’t have any money.”

Matt points at her. “Exactly. Now, of course since you were our client, regardless if you paid or not, we still would have a file on you. However, since you never gave us any money, besides that one file, there’s nowhere else to tell anyone that Karen was a client of ours. Which means…” 

Now it was Foggy’s turn to understand. “It wouldn’t be something we write on our taxes. Or better yet, there’s no check from Karen in our bank account. There’s no statement backing her up as our first client other than word to mouth.”

Matt points to him now. “Now you’re both getting it.”

“Okay, okay.” Karen begins, holding up her hands, thinking. “So… your first client was a paying client. Something that you can prove. Who?”

“Yeah.” Foggy says, nodding. “Who? We did a lot of charity work before we started making bank, Matt.”

“Agreed. We did.” Matt admits, nodding as well. “So I really had to think about this one. But then it hit me. Our first client was someone who gave us a lot of money that day. And that was–” He flips the file over, showing off the name. “John Healy.”

Foggy cocks his head again. “John–” He gasps. “The bowling ball dude! Prohaszka’s killer.”

Another nod. “Exactly.” Matt said, setting the folder down. “He was our first paying client, which–

“W-Which we, quote-on-quote, failed… when he committed suicide.” Karen said, piecing it all together.

“Also correct.”

“B-But…” Foggy stutters into a sigh. “That doesn’t make any sense. Didn’t we learn later on that he killed himself because of Fisk?”

“Yeah.” Karen replies, pointing at her colleague, agreeing. “H-He killed himself. W-We didn’t have anything to do with that.”

“Obviously Mr. Healy’s brother didn’t see it that way.” Matt said, somberly.

“But I don’t remember seeing in the reports that Healy had a brother.” Foggy said, thinking again.

“Doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have one. Also, who knows…” The blind man shrugs. “John Healy could have been a pseudonym for all we know.”

“True.”

“Wait.” Karen said, holding her hand up. “M-Maybe it’s true. Maybe he really does have a brother. However, we can’t forget that John Healy was hired by Fisk to assassinate Prohaszka so that the Russians could take over his territory. What if… Fisk is behind this?”

Foggy looks at her with bewilderment. “Karen, Fisk is in jail, we put him there.”

“I know, but…” She bites her lip. “Once a mob boss, always a mob boss. Even if he’s in jail, it doesn't mean he doesn’t still have eyes and ears everywhere. Right?”

The question made the room fall into darkness. The silence was almost hard to bear as they all mentally trembled at the mere thought of Fisk coming back into the field.

Matt clears his throat. “So… we have two options, I guess. One, is that John Healy had a brother who blames us for his death. Or…” The next sentence felt ill on his tongue. “Wilson Fisk… is coming back with revenge for putting him behind bars. Both unfortunately seem likely.”

“So what do we do?” Karen asked, hugging herself.

“We call Brett.” Foggy replies, sounding more confident than before. “Tell him what we found. Maybe he could use it to find her, and hopefully he has leads already.”

She nods at this. “Hopefully. D-Do you want to call him or–”

“No, No. I’ll call him. I got him on speed dial anyway.”

“Really, Foggy. I can do it.”

“No. I got it. Don’t worry.” 

She tries to convince him again, damn well knowing what he was doing, but already left the room with his phone in his hand. She bites her lip.

Damn you, Foggy. She cusses and hugs herself a little tighter. Maybe if she stays quiet, he wouldn’t ask–

“Hey, Karen?” Matt said, which makes her close her eyes out of frustration.

“Y-Yeah, Matt?” She stutters, quietly.

“Are you okay?”

She opens her eyes to look at him, and even with his shades on she could see the genuine concern on his face towards her. For being a blind man he sure knew how to read people.

Karen finds herself shaking her head, getting teary eyed again. He seemed to figure that out as well.

“Karen?” He begins, but she finally replies.

“No… I’m not.”

And that was the absolute truth.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

The door creaked open louder than he wanted, and cussed under his breath when it closed the same. The Officer had his gun trained on something imaginary infront of him, eyes carefully looking around the warehouse. A simple task of checking the port for anything out of the ordinary took a turn when heard a single gunshot. Just a single sound of one could mean a lifetime of choices. 

The man in blue started taking a slow and steady stroll, peeking around corners on the metal crates, listening intensely for anything out of place. Well…

He certainly found something out of place.

He lowers his gun slightly, eyes full of surprise. “Oh my god.” He mutters, his presence making the girl meet his gaze. “You’re that kidnapped girl.”

Kaila’s heart sank, and she swears she probably became even paler than she already is. The Officer obviously didn’t see that her expression wasn’t out of surprise but rather out of fear for him.

He uses his free hand to touch his radio, the device making a tiny crackling sound. “This is Officer Carmichael. I was at my post when I heard a gunshot, seeked it out. I’m at a warehouse, one closest by the water, I have a hostage situation. The hostage is the abducted girl we’ve been looking for.”

He lets go of the button, face softening on his strong features. “You okay, Ma’am?” He asked, taking a small step forward. She starts shaking her head, muffling saying something. “Don’t be scared. I’m here to help.”

She repeats the same motion again, praying he’ll get the message.

{Copy that. Is the hostage injured?}

The radio crackled again, and the Officer paused his steps to answer. “Hostage is…” He trails off to do a head to toe scan. “Hostage appears to be–”

She never knew metal hitting bone would sound so terrifying.

She had so desperately tried to say something before she watched the man get struck in the side of the head by a chair. Baldy had come out of nowhere, a rageful look in his eye as he knocked the officer down. She screamed as he hit him again, and again, and again until the man in blue stopped moving.

Baldy let out a sigh, dropping the chair painted red with a loud rattle, making her sob loudly. 

{-Carmichael? Officer Carmichael? Do you copy? Sir?}

Another sigh. “Stupid cop. Almost ruined all the fun.” He grumbled, and stepped on the radio a few times until it stopped spewing feedback. 

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Frank’s been called a lot of things his entire life. Some of it was true, some of it was just a meaningless taunt, and some of it was just to get under his skin. But there’s one name that he’ll have to take to heart, one that he just has to accept.

Monster.

He was a monster. He knows what he’s done. From here to the war. A monster. But even this monster knows when to take a minute and show some kind of mercy.

He heard stories about a man in a mask long before coming to Hell’s Kitchen.

The Man in Black. The Man without Fear. The Devil. 

He heard stories about people fearing him. People fearing that they’ll end up getting thrown off a rooftop, or having both their legs broken by just robbing an old lady for her purse. He was the vigilante protecting this city, and it wasn’t until he stopped Wilson Fisk from escaping that’s when he started to earn some respect. They called him Daredevil. A hero. But one that people still needed to fear despite the good stuff seeping through the cracks.

But Frank didn’t care when he came to do his job. He didn’t care if he would get a visit from someone who plays dress up. And, to be honest, Frank wasn’t at all impressed. This so called… Devil of Hell’s Kitchen was a prissy.

Sure, I guess he’ll give it to him that he knows how to put up a fight, but that’s it. Just the man talking wanted Frank to melt his own ears off. That shit about hope made him want to strangle Red until he stopped moving. 

These vile people needing redemption is a bunch of bullshit. He scoffed.

His plan was just to let Red hear his voicemails before shooting up the gang’s hideout, letting Red listen to the scum crying for help as he couldn’t do anything but just sit there tied in chains. But plans change. He’s a soldier, he expects the unexpected. Yet…

None of that training could prepare him for what happened next.

Red had a friend. A friend who sounded hysterical, one who was begging him to answer the phone. And slowly those pleading voicemails turned into every parent's worst nightmare. 

Red’s child was missing -no- taken. Taken by some… low life prick in this city. It wasn’t just Frank’s exterior that changed, but Red’s did. His whole hero front fell as he started to beg, beg him to let him go and find his child.

Now Frank may be a monster, but he loved nothing more in this world than his children. 

And from the sound of it, so did Red. And what kind of father would Frank be if he didn’t let him go?

The police radio he had started crackling, a new signal coming through. Frank paused his task of cleaning his rifle to listen, silently hoping that this is the lead he needs.

{S-Shots were fired. Officer Carmichael is not responding after sending in his call. Calling all available units to the port. The Officer states the kidnapped teenager is at one of the warehouses closest to the water.}

{Copy that. Did the Officer state what’s going on with the teenager?}

{Nothing to be reported. The teenager, Kaila Murdock, is five-four, one hundred and ten pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. The suspect charged with her abduction may be armed. Proceed with caution.}

{Copy that. Heading over there now.}

Frank takes the information in, thinking his plan over extremely carefully.

The port, huh? He stands up from the ledge he is sitting on, turning off the radio.

Time for me to pay Red a visit.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Matt could hear the hurt in her voice. The guilt. The pain she was feeling from all of this. He finds himself standing in front of her, smelling the new and old salt on her delicate cheeks.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, gently. He heard her lip quiver as she said,

“I really thought it was my fault, Matt.”

“Karen–”

“I really, really thought this was because of me.”

“Karen, Karen.” He tries to soothe. “Even if it was your brother, I could never blame you for this.”

She shakes her head. “But Matt, It’s your kid, I can’t–”

“Karen–”

“I really love her, Matt.”

Of course she does. Matt knew this. He senses this. However, her confession felt… different then when Foggy says it. Why would it be–

“She’s an amazing kid.” Karen continues, oblivious to his overthinking. “She’s been nothing but nice to me. Polite. I always have good conversations with her and… I love her. I love her enough that I don’t want anything happening to her. So… If this really is my fault then… I don’t know what I’ll do to myself.”

All of a sudden, her confession reminded him of a case he took early in his career. It was a custody case, one that Matt knew right away that the father wasn’t going to win; But his client, the mother who he knew would win without any worries, broke down in the most painful way. The love she had for her son was off the charts, she would do anything to keep him in her arms, even if it was only for one more night. And that woman… reminded him of the blonde standing before him. Matt came into a sudden realization that Karen–

Loves my daughter. And that was like a one and million chance for him. His past few dates or people who were almost his girlfriend never stuck around when he told them he had a kid. Now it’s not like he expected them to be a mother to his daughter, but all he asked was a little respect that none of them could provide.

Until now.

“Karen, That’s–” Matt begins, a little smile growing on his lips. “The nicest thing that anyone has said to me about my daughter.” He felt her look of surprise, and slight confusion.

“Wha– really?” She asked, getting a nod.

“Yeah.” He couldn’t keep the happiness off his face. “Thank you.”

“Matt–”

“Relax.” He takes her by the hand. “Everything’s going to be fine. We’ll get her back.”

She squeezes his hand as the words sink, her red lips curling into a smile. 

Foggy suddenly comes back in, cell phone in hand. “Alright, I called him.” He said, expression somber.

“What did he say?” Matt said, hopeful. 

“Well, Brett didn’t take the call, someone else did.” He frowns. “I told them what we found but they didn’t have any updates yet.”

Matt’s face falls and Karen squeezes his hand.  “Of course…”

“I’m sorry, Man.”

“No. It’s fine.” It’s not but, “I can just–” He was cut off when his phone started to ring. He digs it out with his free hand, listening to the automated voice.

.

[Unknown Number]

[Unknown Number]

[Unknown Number]

.

“Excuse me.” Matt said, swiping the screen and bringing it to his ear. “Hello?”

‘Didn’t think I’d ever get your attention, Red.’

He felt the wind get knocked out of him. “Frank?” He said, and immediately felt eyes on him.

‘Don’t sound surprised. Listen, Red. Take a left out of your building, and I’m on the roof of the coffee shop.’

“Frank–”

‘Don’t waste any more time.’

The call cut off and Matt was just left standing there with disbelief. 

What the fuck is he–

“Who’s Frank?” Foggy asked, already sensing something is off.

Matt starts conjuring up a lie on the fly as he puts his phone away. “Uh, that was a police officer. They found something at my apartment that they wanted me to look at.” He replies, letting go of Karen’s hand.

“An officer?” 

“Yeah.”

“But you called him by his first name?” Karen said, suspicious. 

“I-I did.” Matt said, shifting his weight. “I became acquainted with him a while ago. So, um, I… gotta go.” He starts shifting past them.

“Go? Do you want me to drive you?” 

“No, No. I’ll be good.” Matt touches Foggy’s shoulder he passed, a silent message that he’s got Daredevil business to deal with. “I’ll give you guys a call afterwards.”

Foggy nods, playing along. “Okay, man. That sounds good.” He said, watching his friend gather his things by the door. “Keep us in the loop.”

Or that was loosely translated to, ‘Be careful or I’ll kick your ass black and blue.’

Matt gives them a nod before heading out the door. Foggy inhales the breath he was holding, and starts rubbing his face with disbelief.

“Foggy?” Karen said, staring at the now closed door.

“Yeah?”

“Wasn’t that strange?”

He stares at her. “Wh-What do you mean?”

She gives him a look like he has two heads. “Did you not see what I see? He’s hiding something.”

“I-I didn’t see anything.”

Karen crosses her arms, looking stern. “Foggy.”

“What?” He raises his hands. “I didn’t see anything.”

She frowns and starts looking around for her belongings. “Well, I’m going after him.”

Foggy felt his stomach drop. “What?” He said, confused.

“He shouldn’t be walking alone.” She explains, grabbing her purse. “I’m going to find him and drop him off at his apartment.”

“What?” He starts following her as she heads for the door. “Y-You can’t.”

Karen sighs as she opens the door. “Why not?” She asked, looking his way.

Now he was like a deer in a headlight, and for some reason he couldn’t come up with a good lie. “Uh…”

She cocks her head, realizing something. “Wait. Do you know what’s going on with him?”

“Uh, well I, um–”

“Oh my god.” She mumbles before hustling out the door, enough to shock Foggy out of his state.

“Wait! Karen!” He yells, quick to snag his keys and runs after her. “Karen! Hold on! Karen!”

But he knows he’s not going to catch up with her in time.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

All her hope was squashed like a bug.

Crushed like a can.

Stepped on like trash.

Every little bit of hope she had of getting out of here was discarded out the window now.

Kaila trembles under his gaze after Baldy uses the front of his shoe to touch the officer’s back. The little movement didn’t even seem to faze the cop who was either unconscious or–

Oh, god. Is he…? 

He seemed to have read her mind as he grins and says, “Don’t worry sweetheart, he’s fine. He’s breathing.” He shrugs. “Barely. But it’s there.”

And you’re okay with that, you sick fuck.

Baldy starts walking over to her, and with little movement she had with her hands, she ends up gripping the chair. She casts her eyes to the floor, too scared to even look at him. Of course he didn’t seem to like it as he tilted her chin up at him.

“Did you say anything to him?” He asked, curiosity and cold make a terrible mix. She shakes her head eagerly. “Good.” He ruffled her already tangled locks. “Good job, sweetheart.”

And she started to cry.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Matt finally climbed up the fire escape once he knew the coast was clear. Throwing his walking stick aside, but kept the bag he was carrying on his shoulder as he speed walks towards the figure staying in the shadows.

“You got a lot of guts calling me on my phone.” Was his reply, watching the Punisher look at him calmly, despite the large sniper rifle in his calloused hands.

“Well, you didn't look like you were going to be leaving that office of yours any time soon. I had to get your attention somehow, Red.” Frank said, serenely. “I’m surprised you’re not out here with your costume looking for your daughter.”

Matt frowns, hurt. “The devil is the reason my daughter’s in this mess.”

Frank scoffed. “Really? ‘Cause in the police reports I’ve read, it sounded like it was your job that got your daughter in this mess–”

“What do you want, Frank?” The blind man asked, quickly. He just wanted some straight answers at this point. No run arounds.

Frank straightens his stance off the wall. “Followed a police call. An Officer found your kid down by the ports.”

Matt’s heart skipped a beat from the news, his tough exterior cracking immensely. “What?”

“Yeah. The report says the Officer became unresponsive, so they don’t know what’s going on. But your daughter’s there, Red.”

Someone…

.

““Your daughter’s there, Red.””

.

Someone found his kid.

Someone found his kid while he was–

“And…” He almost laughed with disbelief . “And you went through all this trouble to tell me that?” He asked, still not fully processing this yet.

Frank nods slowly. “I expect you to do the same.” He admits, with a sadness in his undertone. “Father to Father.”

Matt cracks just a little smile on his downcast. “Father to Father.” He said, and gestures to the open air without any hesitation. “Lead the way.”

I’m going to save my daughter.

Frank chuckles under his breath, fingers tightening on his weapon, a sign showing he's open for business. “Let’s go get your kid.” He replies, pushing off the wall and heading in the direction with Red right on his–

“Matt?”

The two grown men stop in their tracks, a cold sweat on their necks.

Shit. Matt felt his stomach drop.

He swears he didn’t even hear her following. He was so caught up in his own thoughts he didn’t even get the chance to slow down and really listen. He turns around, hiding his surprise as senses Karen standing at the top of the fire escape; He could almost picture the look on her face. The look of shock, confusion… betrayal(?). All of it. And all of it made his throat tighten up.

She seemed to realize she was just staring, and started moving to stand on solid ground. “W-What are… what is this?” She asked, looking between him and the gunman she quickly recognized. “W-What’s going on?”

Matt wants to bow his head in shame, he wants to start running away but he couldn’t. His feet felt glued to this rooftop. 

This is not how I want her to find out. He must have stayed quiet for too long because she started shouting his name.

“Matt!” Karen said, arms moving in frustration, enough to make the heels in her hand start thumping loudly together. “What is this? What’s going on? How’d you even get up here?”

Matt takes a deep breath, coming up close, careful not to step on her bare feet. “Karen. Don’t get mad, I–”

“Mad?” She said, almost scoffing. “I-I f-find you with the criminal that is after our client a-and you’re telling me not to get mad, and–”

“Karen.” He said, calmly enough to cut off her rambling.

“What?” She said, a hiss in her tongue.

“He…” He swallows. “He found Kaila.”

She stares, stunned. “What?”

“He found Kaila. He’s asked me to come with him.”

Another long stare. “What?” She shakes her head. “C-Come… come with you? Matt, are you crazy?! You can’t go with him! You’re not–”

Her words die quickly when he opens up his gym bag. 

Shock was probably not the strong enough word to describe what she was feeling all of a sudden.

Inside she saw a very familiar looking helmet. Painted a nice shade of red and black with a stitching mark near one of the eyeholes. The mask that’s…

Oh my god, He’s–

“I know this is a lot to take in right now, and I’m really sorry.” Matt says, getting her attention. “I-I promise… I'll explain everything later, But right now… I need to go get my kid.”

Karen tilts her head, trying to make sense of this. “Matt–” She croaked.

“I know.” He whispers softly. “I know. But I need to go. The officer who found her non responsive, so I don't know what's going on. But my daughter's in danger, and I need to go get her.” He swallows. “Okay?”

Matt was ready for her to counter back, expecting her to. But she didn’t. He heard her nod very subtly as she sealed her lips, hiding what she had to say. Yet, that was enough for him to take it as a sign to leave.

He closes his bag, and with every promising bone in his body he replies, “I’ll be back.”

Then he left, following the Punisher in the direction of the ports.

Karen was left just standing there, standing there wondering what she should feel. Anger? Sadness? Shock? She wasn’t sure. She wasn’t pulled from her thoughts when she heard someone calling her name very faintly. Somehow she found herself back on the ground floor, briskly strolling out of the alley and onto the sidewalk, not even bothering to put her heels back on as she stared blankly in the open space.

“K-Karen!” Foggy shouts, with a heavy underline of breathing. “K-Karen…” He starts slowing his pace upon seeing her. “Jesus, you walk fast.” 

She stayed quiet as he stopped to put his hands on his kneecaps, taking a moment to breathe some air. Once he started to cool down, that’s when he realized how silent she was being.

He looks up at her with a slight tilt in his head. “Karen?” He asked, straightening up. He then takes this chance to look at her, quickly noticing the shoes were in her hand and the torn gaze in her eyes. It took all his strength not to let his heart drop to his ankles.

Oh… His hazel eyes widened slightly, pursing his lips.

“Oh.” He mumbles verbally. “So… you know.” He watches her meet his gaze and nods. He inhales loudly. “Okay. Um–” He runs his hand through his hair, thinking. “Y-You–”

“Matt was with that…” She bites her lip. “That Punisher guy. I asked him what and why, and…” Karen throws her open hand in the air. “H-He showed me his costume so… yeah.”

“Oh.” He blinks. “So that’s how– wait… The Punisher?”

“From what I gather I think he’s that… Frank fellow on the phone so… um–” She sighs, throwing her head back. “He told Matt he knows where Kaila is.”

Foggy felt his eyes widen again. “What?” He perks up at the news. “He does?” He waits for her to nod once more. “T-That’s great! Oh my god, that’s…” He felt his joy burn away instantly. “Karen–”

“How long have you known?” Karen asked, locking her blue orbs with his. She was starting to look torn between two worlds again. “How long have you known that Matt was… that.”

He frowns, a bitter memory coming to haunt him. He takes a deep breath, and takes a small step forward. “Do you remember around the time before we took down Fisk, and Matt and I were… resenting one another?”

She copies his expression. “I do.”

“Well… it was around that. Uh, Matt had uh… tried to go after Fisk when he killed Ms. Cardenas. Uh–” Foggy starts waving his hand around, like he was trying to conjure his thoughts. “I-I got… drunk at Josie’s if you remember. After that, I went to his apartment. I wanted to talk to him about getting justice for her. Before you know it, I find him in his black outfit, bleeding to death. That’s when I realized why Matt looked so… used all the time. He had another life.”

Karen lets out a sigh, closing her eyes to take a moment. Once she opened them again she started shaking her head. “And… y-you argued with him, after that?” She asked, trying to make sense of this all.

Foggy nods eagerly, hiding no shame. “I was angry at him. I mean, we’ve been best friends since College, to find out that’s what he’s been doing every night just… baffled me. I couldn’t believe it.” He replies, sounding hurt just by talking about it. “I said things that should be said, and I said things that I probably shouldn’t have said to him. It was just… hard seeing him like that. Hard to see what he was becoming and what it was doing to his life and his family.”

“Wow…” She whispers, before paleing. “Wait. D-Did… Did Kaila figure that out that night? Or…”

“Oh! No, no, no.” Foggy chuckles dryly. “She found out… about a year before me.” He almost shakes his head again upon picturing Matt’s face. “In fact, he told me once he tried to hide that from her.”

That actually got Karen to snicker a little. “Oh my god, that sounds like something he would do. I mean, I guess I could understand keeping it from his friends, but his daughter? How would he be able to do that?”

He gestures at her. “Right! God, he’s so… stubborn, it’s ridiculous.” He listens to her laugh, showing off her pearly whites which lifted his spirits. It was only for a minute or so before he had to break this emotion. “So how do you feel about this?” 

She shrugs. “Honestly… I don’t know. I really don’t.” She looks at him again, her mixed expression resting on her features again. “What do we do now?”

Foggy frowns, hurtfully. “All we can do right now is wait. We did our job. Now it’s Matt’s turn to finish.”

Silence came again, but it was one that was going to stay until they got that important phone call.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

“Great news.”

Kaila looks up at him with bloodshot eyes. Baldy seemed so bubbly now, like he had just won the lottery or something big like that. She knew whatever he was going to say wasn’t going to be good despite his appearance. 

Unfazed by her disheveled appearance he continues, “Boss is sending someone to come get us.” His reply makes her body grow cold, shaky fingers gripping the armrest. “Awe, don’t look so down. It’ll be fun.”

The dim lights above them suddenly went out, and with them, so did Baldy’s happy-go-lucky attitude. 

He points at her furiously, rage filling his already dark orbs. “You.” He snarled, preying closer. “You told me you didn’t say anything to the cop.” She tried shaking her head but was met with his fierce back hand, causing a small whimper. “Fucking bitch.”

The same door from earlier slams shut, echoing off the wall and scaring him straight.

“Fuck.” He grumbles, pulling out his knife. He starts cutting her free of the ropes, looking around worriedly. When the last limb was free, he pulled the disoriented girl to her feet by her hair. “Come on.”

Kaila would have toppled over from her injured leg if it wasn’t for his arm wrapping around her waist, keeping her upright as they moved. The whole moving process became a blur from the pain. She knew she was wincing every time they abruptly stopped to hide behind a crate, or to make a jerky turn somewhere; Every time they did he would curse something under his breath, occasionally looking around again, knowing someone was in this warehouse hunting them down. Who though? That’s the sketchy question.

Somehow, she knows the direction he wanted to go was inevitable, judging by the way he reacted. This hunter of theirs was trying to cage them in, keep them in one place for who knows what reason. So he chose their detour to be some stairs leading to the roof. What was going through this crazed man’s head was beyond her, as she stared at the dark river and city skylines that had started to become really fuzzy.

They got close to the edge, stopping right before their toes went over. Dread crept up their spines, and Baldy spun them both around, pressing the gun into her temple making her whimper. She shuts her eyes out of instinct, afraid to see who was following them.

“Looks like this is the end of the line for you.” 

Kaila shot open her eyes at the familiar voice, and never has she been so relieved to see him in that suit. He really looked like the devil was out hunting by the way he was illuminated in the moonlight, which was showing off just the right amount of rage he didn’t dare to hide this time. She called out his name, but of course it was muffled.

“Quiet.” Baldy hissed, pressing the barrel in more, making her sob (and her father clench his fists). “What the fuck do you want, freak?”

The fact that Matt could smell his daughter’s blood and taste the salt on her skin was enough to make him boil. “I want you to give me the girl you're holding.” He said, low and cold, enough to rattle anyone in their boots.

“Not a fucking chance, Devil Boy.” Baldy snaps, squeezing her around the waist tighter. “I’ve got orders.”

“Orders which you’re going to disobey. Give me the girl.”

“Not a chance.”

Matt grits his teeth. “Listen to me. I’m giving you one chance to do this on your free will. I suggest you take it.”

“Bite me.”

“Listen–” Matt begins to take a step but that seemed to be the wrong move at the moment.

“Don’t you fucking come any closer!!” He yells, taking a step backwards so that his heels are off the ledge… and that Kaila was being held over.

Her scream was enough to make Matt’s skin crawl. He holds up his hands defensively. “Whoa! What about your orders?!” He asked, urgently (alarmed).

“These are my orders! If anything gets in my way I can get rid of her.” Baldy explains, disgusted. “I-I mean... I get paid more if I deliver her alive though…”

“Then keep her alive!” Matt shouts, hearing the way this man was loosening his grip on his kid. “Just give her to me.”

Baldy shakes his head. “No.”

“Last chance.” Matt replies, hearing a certain someone starting to press their finger on the trigger. “Give me the girl.”

He shakes his head again. “I told you. I’m not–”

The vigilante remained as still as he could to let the bullet rip by and lodge itself in the man’s skull.

Kaila finds herself screaming again as the floor gave out and her captor started dropping too. She closed her eyes out of fear again just as she felt a familiar grasp. She felt his hands around her forearms as her body scraped against the side of the building, slowly rocking back and forth from the sudden momentum. 

Matt dug his feet into the roof, grounding himself enough to pull his kid up with all his might. The impact of his daughter to his chest made them both stumble to their knees. He could finally let out a gasp of relief feeling her in his arms. He never thought he would be happy to feel his daughter shaking uncontrollably in his embrace. It almost felt too good to be true.

“Kai. Kai.” Her name felt like heaven on his lips as he used one hand to hold her upright, while the other was used to discard his helmet. He could feel her shocked expression on him as he removed her gag. “Kaila?”

“D-Dad…?” She said, throat all scruffy from the hours of yelling.

He lets a smile play on his lips from hearing her speak. “Kai.”

“D-Dad.” She sobs, eyes trailing to his mask. “Y-You’re helmet, you–”

“Hey. Hey.” Matt cups her face gently, making sure she was looking at him. “It doesn’t matter.”

Kaila starts looking puzzled. “But… you’re identity–”

“I don’t care.” He shakes his head. “I don’t care about that right now.”

“Dad…”

“Listen to me, Kai. I am so, so sorry.” Matt almost broke right here. “I am so sorry. I should have never said what I said. I never meant it. I swear. I am so sorry.”

Kaila's lower lip quivered. “Dad.” She sobs. “I’m s-sorry too.”

He shakes his head once more. “You have nothing to be sorry about.” And he meant that. “You hear me? Nothing at all.”

She makes a sound between a laugh and a cry. “D-Daddy…”

Matt’s heart broke all over again before pulling his daughter closer, showering her face with kisses. He only starts silently crying when she does, which makes him pull her back into his arms, carefully cradling her head into his chest. She starts wailing, tightening her grip on him like she was afraid he would disappear.

Matt shushes softly, rubbing soothing circles on her bare back. “It’s okay. I got you. You’re safe. You’re okay.” He said, which was supposed to be for her but to put some comfort in himself too. “You’re okay…”

She’s okay. She’s fine. She’s in my arms. He closes his eyes, pulling her closer.

She holds back a sob a few moments later, feeling like someone was watching them heedfully. Kaila nestles her head, looking over her father’s shoulder to someone off in the distance. She didn’t recognize the man with the large rifle, and although he looked pretty threatening with it, his face was holding onto the emotion of relief; He looked satisfied with his mission. She opens her mouth to question who he was but ends up whimpering in pain when her father moved her the slightest.

Matt pulls back, worriedly cupping her face again. “What’s wrong?” He asked, scared. He wasn’t mentally prepared for what’s next.

She lets out a shaky breath. “L-Leg…”

He pauses to figure out what she meant, using his senses to figure it out. It didn’t take him that long to figure out why he smelled so much blood on her. He could even hear the tiniest sound the bullet made when she moves.

“I-I…” Kaila begins, trembling again. “I-I said something I shouldn’t have and… h-he s-shot me and–”

“Oh, Kai.” Matt said, quietly. He should have prepared for something like this. He shouldn’t have suspected she was going to be in some kind of painful state. “Oh, Baby girl.” She freezes under his touch, and Matt fears he did something wrong. “What?”

“You… haven’t called me that since I was kid.”

Matt chuckles at how surprised she sounded. “Ah, well… maybe I didn’t call you that enough.” He admits, sensing her smile. Now it was his turn to pause, tuning in on something loud nearby. “The police are here. In the distance.”

“I honestly didn’t think they were coming.” Kaila said, sounding small.

“Well there’s ten of these warehouses by the water so…” He trails off, the guilt returning again. “Listen, I can’t… I can’t take you home with me. I have to hand you over to them.”

She nods slowly. “I know. I suspected.”

“Good. But I’ll be there when they call me. Okay?”

“You better.” She teases, getting him to laugh again.

Matt plants another kiss in her hairline. “Alright, I’m going to pick you up, okay? It’s probably going to hurt. You ready?”

Another nod. “I am.” But before he did, she carefully reached over for his mask, holding it towards him. “Helmet, Dad.”

He takes and slips it on, then carefully takes her in his arms bridal style. She cries out weakly, shutting her eyes when he tries to adjust the injured leg somewhere comfortably. 

He apologizes which she tells him off politely. Matt begins carrying his daughter towards the roof’s entrance, listening to the law enforcement get closer to their location.

“I want a vacation after this.” She says into his neck, dead serious.

Matt finds himself smirking at a fresh memory. “You know, funny thing, Foggy mentioned something like that earlier.”

“Well he’s not wrong.” She smirks too. “I mean it, I want to go to the beach, do absolutely nothing while drinking something fruity.” She tilts her head enough to look up at him. “Does Florida do fruity drinks too?”

“Your Uncle was thinking more like Hawaii.” He explains, shifting his weight to open the door without jostling her.

Her eyes widened. “Hawaii? Can we even afford that?” She scoffs playfully. “Well, this can be one hell of a Go Fund Me story.”

Matt shakes his head. “Okay, you two are scary.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Officer Brett Mahoney rolled his vehicle to a stop, quick to get out. Flashlight in hand he strolls over to what he thinks is a person on the ground. He sees a small pool of red around the man’s head, eyes closed and limbs spread around. He had a feeling he knew who this man was, but it was still his job to check for a pulse. He puts two fingers to his neck, feeling a very, very faint flutter underneath them.

Brett shakes his head. “You lucky, lucky bastard.” He mumbles, bitterly as he comes to a stand. Then he hears someone walking towards him, and out of instinct his hand goes to his holster. He honestly shouldn’t be surprised that he was there, but still was. 

“Mr. Daredevil.” He said, eyeing him as he came into view, the flashlight shining upon him to give him a better look. He perks up what’s in the vigilante’s arms. “You found her.”

“She’s injured, and the officer who found her is inside. He’s unconscious, but breathing.” Matt explains quickly, feeling his daughter shift her head to see their acquaintance. 

“I’ll send some men over.” His eyes land on the teenager, softening slightly. “You alright, Miss Murdock?”

Kaila nods. “I’m better now.”

“Good.” Brett gestures to the man behind him. “I’m assuming this ain’t your doing.”

“You know me well then.” Matt said, grateful that he wasn’t going to be pinned to that (despite him being okay that that vile man got a bullet to his head).

Brett hums, thinking. “Then who then?”

He shrugs. “Your guess is as good as mine.” He replies, playing dumb.

Brett says nothing more on that, instead taking care of what he was here for. “I’ll take Miss Murdock now. Get her some help.” He says, putting away his flashlight.

Matt nods and starts slowly setting her down onto her feet, just as she grabs him by the wrist.

“Thank you.” Kaila says, which was underlining the real sentence: ‘I’ll see you soon’.

Matt’s serious exterior melted visibly. “You’re welcome.” He helps her grab onto Brett before backing away. He stays for a few seconds just until he knows she’s settled in, then he turns on his heels to disappear into the night.

Brett stared with knowing eyes in the direction he left in. “He seems different.” He says, as Kaila looked at him funny.

“How?” She asked, confused.

But he shakes his head, getting a good hold on her. “Nevermind. Let’s sit you in the car. Ambulance’s on their way.”

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Three sets of footsteps came bursting into the room, the heavy door practically came off the hinges from their impact. They shouted the girl’s name who immediately looked up from her gaze at the nurse who was changing her IV.

Kaila smiles, only twitching a little from the bruise on her cheek. “S’up?” She asked, the woman in scrubs slipping away.

“K-Pop!” Foggy said, coming over to give her a bear hug. “Holy fuck, that was scary.”

Her happiness sounded more like a groan when he gave her a tight squeeze. “Uh, Foggy, my leg, please.”

He pulls back from confusion. “What?” He watches her lift the sheet up showing up the bandage job. His eyes widened. “What the fuck happen?!”

“Eh, kind of my fault. I said something I probably shouldn’t have.”

Karen came up next, giving her a more mild version of his hug. “Hi, sweet girl.” She said, earning a hum.

“Hi, Karen.” Kaila's facial expression grows upon seeing her dad (again). “Hi, Dad.”

“Kai.” He said, cupping her cheeks carefully and kissing her forehead. “How are you feeling?”

“Honestly… nothing. This pain meds doing its job.”

“Good. I would hate seeing you in pain.” Foggy said, truthfully.

Her face falls into something bittersweetly. “It is what it is.” Kaila sighs. “The police come by yet?”

“Not yet. Brett mentioned something about giving you some time.” Matt explains, a slight anger in his undertone, not directed at her.

“That’s… honestly surprising. I’d thought they would want answers on a looney like that.”

“Well, that looney of yours is in a coma right now. So I doubt he’s going to try to run anywhere any time soon.” Foggy replies, frowning bitterly.

“Exactly.” Karen said, nodding. “Just don’t worry about him and just focus on recovering.”

“Agreed.” He smiles. “We’re just happy you're okay. I’m glad that the Punisher guy gave Matt a tip to save you.”

Kaila felt herself lose air from that sentence, stiffening immediately. “Wh-What? W-What are you talking about? M-My… My d-dad didn’t save me, i-it was Daredevil and…” She trails off when the three of them looked away from her, making her realize–

“Wait.” She points at the blonde. “You know?” She watches Karen nod before she points between her and her Uncle. “You both know?” Another nod, and Kaila let her tense body relax. “Oh, thank god.” She breathes, throwing her hands up. “Do you know how hard it was to not say anything to you about it?”

Karen laughs. “Oh, I can imagine.” 

“Wow.” Kaila said, taking it in. She looks at her father, curious. “Did you tell her, Dad?”

“Uh…” Matt shifted his stance before giving a half shrug. “Well–”

“She walked in on him talking to the Punisher, then to clear it up, your dear old dad showed her his suit.” Foggy clears it, Matt nodding along.

Kaila raises both eyebrows in shock. “Accidental? Again? Dad, you got to work on that.”

Matt chuckles dryly. “I’ll… I’ll try.”

“Well, I guess that’s a better way to find out.” She said, now gazing over towards Karen. “At least you didn’t find him bleeding half to death.”

Her blue eyes widened at the news. “What?!” Karen snaps her neck towards the blind man. “She found you bleeding too?”

Matt holds on hand up in defense. “I have no comment.”

She sighs. “Oh my god…”

Suddenly there was a light knock on the open door, a nurse poked her head inside, holding a clipboard. “Mr. Murdock?” 

“That’s me.” Matt said, turning his attention towards her.

“I just need to go over a few things with you.”

“Okay. Um–” He cocks his head towards his friends. “Hey, can one of you help me to…” He makes a writing motion with his hand.

“Yeah, I’ll come with you.” Foggy said, and placed a hand on the man’s shoulder to guide him away.

Now it was just the two girls looking in their direction they left in, both having different thoughts running through their heads. Their brewing minds were put to the stop soon enough when one of them finally broke.

“Now you see why I didn’t want to tell him.” Kaila suddenly says after she watches them step into the hallway, quietly talking.

The older woman turns her attention to her, confused. “About what?”

The teenager frowns. “About the incident. What my father does, that’s the main reason why I have trouble telling him.”

Now it all makes sense to her. Karen now realizes why it was so hard for the kid to come clean about Wesley. She was afraid of…

“That’s why you were afraid.” Karen begins, piecing it together. “You aren’t afraid for your father, you're afraid of what your father’s going to do.”

Kaila nods. “Yeah. You’ve seen him in action. You know what my dad can do.” 

“But, Kai, your dad wouldn’t go that far. Would he?”

The teenager’s frown deepens. “You haven’t seen what I’ve seen. My dad he’s… he’s got this… darkness inside. He tries to hide it from me but I still see it sometimes.” She explains, sadly. “Like, I-I think if… the situation with me earlier was different, like if he found me tied to that chair and not dangling over the edge of a building, I think I would have seen that side of him tonight.”

Karen copies her expression, coming closer to sit on the side of the bed. “Listen, your father really loves you and what I think you’re describing is just a normal feeling for a parent. No parent wants to see their child get hurt by anyone else.” 

“Yeah, I understand that. However if my dad–” Kaila lowers her voice. “Kills someone because of me, not only will I feel guilty, but I might lose him.” She starts to get a little teary eyed from this. “Don’t get me wrong, I love you and Foggy, and I wouldn’t mind living with you guys, but I still want to be able to live with my dad until I’m that age. You know?”

“Kai–” Karen takes her hand. “Don’t worry about this too much. We’ll figure something out, I promise. But for now, just focus on getting better, okay?” She waits until the girl shakes her head, satisfied by it. “Okay. Are you hungry at all?”

“I could eat.” 

“Alright. I’ll go get you something.” Karen stands up and makes her way to the door just as the boys were coming back.

“Where you heading?” Foggy asked, curious.

“Cafeteria. I’m going to get her something to eat. You hungry?”

“Famished, actually. Matt?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” Matt replies. “You know what I like.”

“Yes! Hospital food! Here we come.”

Karen snorts. “Come on, Cowboy.” She starts tugging him along. “We’ll be back.”

When they left Matt made his way over, taking the same spot Karen was sitting moments before. “How you feeling?”

“Fine.” Kaila said, truthfully. “I wish I was in my bed though.”

“We’ll get you there soon. You just need to rest.” He said, grabbing her hand gently. 

She inhales through her nose quietly, almost afraid to say what she was thinking. “Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“I think I finally understand why you do what you do.”

He tilts his head, confused. “You mean with Daredevil?”

“Yeah.” She swallows. “That man was crazy. Unhinged. I don’t think I ever… felt evil like that, despite that one time I met Fisk. I understand why you… want to protect this city now. I can see the… the void that’s suffocating this place.”

His heart broke hearing how scared she sounded, and started to become mad at himself over it. He sighs. “I didn’t want you to see that side.” He replies, coming up to wipe a stray tear off her cheek. “I wanted to keep that from you as much as I could.”

“B-But why?”

“Well, you’re daughter. You’re the only good thing that’s come out of my mistakes over the years. Even though I never had a good thing going with your mother, she still gave me something I’ll cherish until I die.”

“But, my m-mother–”

“Enough about Mary. I’ve long forgotten about her.” He said, squeezing her hand delicately. “My only priority in life right now is keeping you safe as long as I can. And…” He smiles. “I’m going to be better about listening to what you have to say. So promise me you'll help me out with that.”

She raises an eyebrow. “You’re actually willing to put your pride away?”

He chuckles. “What can I say? I’m stubborn.”

Kaila couldn’t hold back a fond grin. “Well, you know what my great-grandma says…”

“‘You gotta watch out for those Murdock boys’.” He replies, remembering her saying that like it was yesterday. “Lucky for you, you seemed to escape that.”

She hums in disagreement. “I don’t know. Just because I’m not a boy doesn’t mean I escaped the ‘Murdock Curse’. I’m still stubborn as hell and looking for trouble.”

“Don’t do that.” He lightly pinches her in the arm.

“Ow. Okay, I won’t do that.”

“Good.” His smile faltered slightly. “Are we good now?”

“Dad, I couldn’t stay mad at you if I could.” Her expression grows. “I love you too much.”

He squeezes her hand again. “And I love you more.”

They sat in a comforting silence for a few minutes before the others arrived, plates and drinks in hand.

“We got food!” Foggy announced boisterously. “Frankly it looks like prison food, but it’s edible.”

Kaila laughs loudly at his childish antics. “I’ll eat a sauce packet at this point I’m so hungry.” 

“What do you got?” Matt asked, shifting his weight on the bed to sit straighter.

“Well, let’s see…” The man begins, drifting off into one of his colorful rants.

Kaila’s got a lot of questions about tonight. Some thoughts she needs to share. Some things that need to be done. The first thing she promises herself is she’s going to find out what that dream meant, and who really was that guy who took her away. But her family’s right, she needs to take it easy, relax, heal. She’ll worry about that later.

Right now she’s just going to enjoy the nice moment the universe has granted for her.

A/N: Jesus that was a long one! Hopefully ya'll enjoyed it... and paid a little attention to some details. Trust me, they'll come handy later. If you think you happened to catch one, let me know, I would love to hear it! :D

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#daredevil #matt murdock x daughter reader #matt murdock x oc #matt murdock #foggy nelson #karen page #karedevil #mcu stick #kingpin #wilson fisk #claire temple #foggy and nelson #avocados at law #foggy nelson x reader #karen page x reader #marvel fanfiction #mcu daredevil #marvel daredevil #mcu fic #marvel #mcu #my fanfic writing #skyfall writes #peter parker x oc #peter parker x reader #vanessa marianna

[broadwaylover17]

I posted 276 times in 2022

That's 76 more posts than 2021!

13 posts created (5%)

263 posts reblogged (95%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@simplyshelbs16xoxo

@sherlollyandspoilers

@thisisartbylexie

@emmanelson

@writingwife-83

I tagged 269 of my posts in 2022

Only 3% of my posts had no tags

#sherlolly - 76 posts

#stranger things - 30 posts

#obi wan kenobi - 28 posts

#molly hooper - 25 posts

#star wars - 23 posts

#sherlock - 22 posts

#sherlock holmes - 18 posts

#sherlock x molly - 15 posts

#kenobi series - 15 posts

#fanart - 15 posts

Longest Tag: 93 characters

#austin butler wasn't acting he summoned elvis via ouija board and possessed him for 10 months

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Have an amazing view on my birthday 🥰

5 notes - Posted February 3, 2022

#4

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Sherlock (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/Molly Hooper, Mary Morstan/John Watson Characters: Jim Moriarty, Greg Lestrade, Mrs. Hudson (Sherlock Holmes), Sherlock Holmes, Molly Hooper, Mycroft Holmes Additional Tags: Graphic Description of Corpses, no happy ending, Romance, Thriller, Sherlolly - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gore, Death Summary:

Moriarty is playing an insidious game as three gruesome murders occur one after the other. As Sherlock works on the case, he senses a looming threat. Something much bigger is coming, and those closest to Sherlock may be in grave danger. Can Sherlock solve Moriarty's puzzle before it's too late?

I wrote a thing! I’m excited to share this story. Shoutout to @sincerelydayyy for being my beta reader! 

10 notes - Posted July 14, 2022

#3

You don't know how glad I am to see that you love karedevil as well!!!

Love that ship! We were so robbed. I hope Karen and Foggy come back in the reboot 🙏

That trio makes my heart happy 😊

15 notes - Posted April 10, 2022

#2

This girl's about to go off gushing over Freaky!

Spoilers for the movie. And warning for those that don't like horror movies.

So almost every single death scene in the movie is an homage to a classic!

The opening titles and the killer's mask is a reference to Friday the Thirteenth

The way the last girl in the beginning dies and how the killer tilts his head is a reference to the original Halloween

The shop teacher's death is a slight homage to Saw

Knife coming through the door in her best friend's house is a reference to the Shining

The chainsaw scene is an obvious reference to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre

The guy that gets a hook through his eye is a reference to I know what you did last summer

And a stake through the heart is probably a reference to Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Share any other Easter eggs you saw by reblogging or adding it in the tags

24 notes - Posted September 25, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

The lovely @hobbitsdoitbetter asked me to do a vid for her fic "The Coffin-Maker's Lullaby." It was a pleasure bringing this fic to life. Enjoy💗

41 notes - Posted July 1, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #Youtube

[inkforhumanhands]

for the ask games writer:💔❤️‍🔥📃 😅 reader: ❤️‍🔥🍭🥣👾

writer

💔 Least favorite ship you have written about?

ooh this is an interesting question. i honestly don't stray much from pairings i love to death, but an event i was doing led to me writing a karedevil fic that i don't care for very much, although to be fair the idea was just uninspired from the get-go lol. i enjoy karedevil in a casual sort of way but not enough to write it. i think probably coming in second would be Nana/Nana in the NANA fandom (lol what a phrase), not because i don't care about it but because it was also for an event and i just did a very surface-level ficlet that wasn't deep enough to engage me.

❤️‍🔥 Favorite ship you have written about?

mattfoggyyyy. besides them just being them, i've made way too many friends around this ship for it to be anything else at this point!

📃 Ever written something inspired by someone else's fic?

only indirectly, as in "damn this shit was so good maybe i should end my writing hiatus and do the thing too!" which fic is answered below in favorite fic.

😅 Was there a fic/chapter that you were nervous about posting? Why?

well there were definitely a few fics from the writing challenge i did that produced the above-mentioned karedevil fic, that one included. because of the nature of the challenge those ficlets are probably some of my worst writing lmao, but i couldn't not post them all! so i guess my answer is anything in my Daredevil Ficlets series has a 50% chance of me having been nervous about posting it.

reader

❤️‍🔥 Your favorite fic with a ship you have?

The Devil's Hangin' 'Round My Doorstep by @pomegranate-belle is definitely up there! It's the one that got me off my ass and back to writing, anyway. The mutual pining is just spectacular and there's a lot to dig your teeth into with a word count that high!

🍭 Favorite fic trope?

mutual pining and hurt/comfort my beloveds.

🥣 Least favorite fic trope?

hmm i'm not a huge fan of a lot of kinky stuff, but of the more tame variety probably kidfic?

👾 What’s that one fic you read once but you can’t seem to find now?

lollll i'm insane and have a giant spreadsheet filled with summaries of the mattfoggy fics i read so i don't generally have this problem! i also bookmark all my absolute favorites. :D

#asks #softasawhisper

[esther-likes-evermore]

Zips, Buttons and Velcro

a karedevil ficlet by esther-likes-evermore

"So...does it have a zip or what?" asked Karen, tilting her head as she watched Matt carefully fold his suit.

"What?" He replied, somewhat spaced out.

"Your suit, does it have like a zip? Buttons? Some hidden crotch poppers?" She said with a smirk. Matt smiled, and shook his head,

"No Karen. There are not crotch poppers." He sighed, Karen looked a little disappointed at the prospect of no crotch poppers, a concept she found rather amusing.

"So what then?" She continued.

"Why does it matter?" Matt said with an exasperated sigh.

"So it's embarrassing..." Karen enquired, furrowing her brows.

"No. It's just not a big deal."

"If it's not a big deal then tell me!" Karen's journalistic instincts overcame her, she was determined to get the truth out of him.

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

This continued for what most would define as a childishly long amount of time before Matt finally gave into her persistence.

"Velcro." He said plainly. Karen was silent, in fact she froze, but only for a moment for no power could hold back the giggles growing inside her. She bit her lip in an attempt to save his embarrassment but it was no use and she inevitably doubled over in laughter.

"I'm sorry Matt." she wheezed "It's not funny, I swear" shaking her hands in denial.

"Oh yeah." he chuckled "So clearly!" He said, gesturing to her current state of hysterics.

"It's just that it's such a serious persona and to know it's all held together with velcro is inherently funny!" She said somewhat sympathetically.

"It's fine. You can laugh, it's funny."

A/N: Just wanted to thanks @notawriterjustalurker for encouraging me to start posting ficlets. If my dyslexic ass left a spelling error take it as a special letter I left as a gift just for you!

#marvel daredevil #marvel #nmcu #matt x karen #karedevil #ficlet #matt murderdock #karen page #daredevil fanfiction #karedevil fic

[ladymaigrey]

I wrote something! 

A short and fluffy dad!Matt fic set in the same AU as @notawriterjustalurker‘s In her good Grace’s , because it was great and I had THOUGHTS, and I’ll take anything that makes me want to write and say a great big Thank You. 

So - Thank You @notawriterjustalurker for letting me borrow your Grace and giving me permission to contribute to your world. :)

#daredevil fic #karedevil fic #daredevil #karedevil #mypost