Chapter Text
She isn't proud of herself for purely using her cousin Bruce as an excuse to come to New York while he's working on a project there and see the hot vigilante she met (and smashed!) while he was on a trip to their shared tailor. (Jen also insists on me telling you that the guy wasn't brainwashed or anything, because she takes consent very seriously. She just made him show up and he decided to stay with her family, because he's apparently not just sexy, but also a sweetheart.)
A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do and Nikki insisted she needed mindblowing sex to feel good about herself again after a a couple of really frustrating cases with draining working hours. Moonlighting as a superhero was also more exhausting than Matt Murdock - alias the cutest Devil of Hell's Kitchen - made it sound.
Anyway, he was just the first man she could think of, because... obviously. Got any better ideas? No? Then shut up and let her have this.
Of course just calling him upfront about her visit was not an option. Otherwise he'd know her motive right away and she does not want to seem needy or desperate. They had only texted a few times or send voice messages - must be nicer for him to hear it in her voice instead of a computer-generated one - and he continued to be flirty, but that was it. Although seeing his number in her phone always made her remember and smile...
Still, she didn't know if he felt the same at all. If he'd even be happy to see her in New York. So, Jen thought it was smartest to just text him when she's there that she's in town. Be all casual.
And now she is there. But what should she write?
"Hey counselor! How about that Dinner you promised when we first met? Without the crazy relatives this time? I'm in New York for the weekend." - Nope, that sounds like he owes her and she really doesn't want him to think that he has to spend a lot of money, because he's so busy helping people. Now that she thinks about it, maybe she should have written to him days ago. Delete.
"Matt, I'm on your turf. Wanna team up? Or smash? ;)" - Oh god, way too forward. Delete.
"Hi! How are you? I hope you're well and you're enjoying your new suits without any wardrobe malfunctions." Better start the conversation easy. That's not giving too much away, in case someone's reading her messages, right? He was pretty clear about his secret identity thing and people needing protection... Crap, she should stop obsessing over it. Send.
Ugh. "I'm in town! Let me know if you have time."
Oh god. Don't think about it. She puts the phone away on her way to Bruce. A minute later it starts ringing. Jen immediately scrambles to pick up the call before it can go to voicemail. When the name Matt actually shows up on the display, with the unmistakable picture of ketchup & mustard, her heart beats faster.
"Heeeey!", Jen greets him enthusiastically, but hopefully not too loud.
"Hi, um, Jen...." Okay, he does not sound glad to hear from her.
"Oh, are you busy? I can call you back later."
"It's not a great time right now, but..." Matt sounds like he's cursing.
"That's fine...", Jen tries to prepare herself for a mammoth disappointment. Of course, she should have warned him before she came. He probably had some other woman over. It's been a while since they had seen each other, because they were both pretty busy. Or he might just have lost interest in the meantime. "Maybe next time when I'm here then." He's probably just politely trying to get rid of her.
"No I, it's just that I got slightly stabbed and I'm trying to get home..."
Jen thinks she can't have heard that right. "You, what?! Knives get through your suit?" It is a wardrobe malfunction! What are the odds? He's probably not suing, though, for secrecy reasons... "And what the fuck does 'slightly stabbed' mean?"
"Actually... I was attacked as Matt Murdock," he chuckles. "And 'slightly' means, I don't need to call the nurse who helps me, cause I made sure no vital organs would get injured." A nurse, huh....? Jen bets that's a very "professional" relationship. And considering all the scars on him, maybe she's just some chick who likes seeing him naked. No judgement.
"You need any help....?"
"Well, actually..."
"Give me the address, I'll pick you up."
After taking two streetnames in his vicinity down, she quickly informs Bruce that she will be late. It takes around 30 minutes until Jen arrives in an alley where she finds the blind lawyer she met in the courtroom a few months ago, leaning against a wall with his hand over a nasty wound in his stomach. He smiles in her vague direction and gives her an awkward little wave. "Oh, hi!"
"Um, Matt? Are you certain that this is not a nurse requiring situation?"
"Looks worse than it is. My apartment isn't far anymore and there I can stitch it up myself."
Okay, that explains the scars... But he probably heals faster or something. Jen then decides, she needs some more strength to help with this, so she starts to grow and turn green, before she scoops Matt up like a wounded kitten. He yelps out of surprise. "Shit. I hope, this didn't hurt you?"
"It's okay. I'll tell you where to go." Matt puts his free arm around her shoulder for balance and tries to relax.
Jen carries him like this for around 10 minutes, while he explains to her what case of his got him into this mess. His strategy is rather brilliant which might be the reason why someone felt things would be a little easier if he was dead. Well, apparently, they didn't expect the blind guy to be a secret ninja who could minimize the damage. Really good cover, especially for ableist assholes. But it also meant he couldn't fight back which sucks.
He seems to get tired after a few minutes and even leans his head against her shoulder which has her a little worried, so she tries to move faster. Jen also tries not to notice the way Matt sometimes sighs or winces, because she heard these noises in a very different context before. She can't have him realize that and find her weird.
By the time she carefully drops him in front of his door, Jen feels a little awkward again. "Thank you, I think I can take it from here."
"You sure?"
He grins at her. "Don't worry. I'm a big boy. But how long are you staying?" Matt takes off his suit jacket and then starts to open the buttons of his bloody shirt while still making small talk with her on his doorstep.
"I'm here for the weekend. Meeting my cousin to talk about my She Hulk experience so far. I probably should get going actually..."
"Why don't you bring Bruce tomorrow evening to the bar where I'm meeting with my partners?" He's getting rid of the shirt, half his bare torso still covered in his blood and Jen almost begs him to let her stay and play doctor. "I don't think I can deliver on that Dinner plan this weekend, but the least I can do is buy you a drink for helping me again."
Is he trying to seduce her with that cocky smile while standing there with an unattended stab wound? "You were the one who helped me last time. So, I guess now we're even. But I'd still love that drink."
He chuckles and she tries not to stare. That guy is even more handsome than she remembers. "We're nowhere near even, after I got to meet your entire family...-"
"Right. No, I don't think I'll ever be able to make up for that." They both laugh. "Still can't believe my aunt just decided to feel your biceps... And all those questions..." She's not exaggerating: they were ready to adopt him after that week they got to spent with him, but she realized that nothing could ever tempt him to abandon his city and the work he's doing there.
"Ah, I told you I had a blast." He takes her hand for a moment and squeezes it to reassure her with another warm smile of his. "I'll send the address. See you tomorrow!" The door closes before she can say anything else. Well, it could have gone worse and he's clearly trying to make time for her on short notice.
Jen walks down the stairs with a little jump in her step. Time to go and see Bruce. It's also not like she didn't have questions for him, especially now that she's actually using her powers as She Hulk, starting to really accept the hulk persona with it's drawbacks and its perks. The family dinner was not a good time to sit down with him and just talk about what she's been through, not that she could compare that with his situation. She can't even imagine what it might feel like to actually lose control. Even her actions at the Gala Jen didn't regret, she was just mad. And despite her depiction in the media afterwards, she never attacked a journalist or any of the other assholes. She just made sure they knew provoking her was a bad idea and that she'd use the law to make them pay.
Bruce is turns out to be very helpful, instead of just saying "I told you so" and bragging about all his heroics. He shares some stories in more detail, talks about Tony and Natasha - things that now she really understands a lot better. And since finally the hulk has become a part of her that she might enjoy, she even thanks him for it. "I'm not saying that it isn't difficult, especially dating-wise, but it turns out it can actually be fun, too. And being able to help is a good feeling."
They hug it out after that and he really seems relieved to hear what she had to say. "I gotta say that I never expected people to be this nasty to you without any reason."
"Right?!"
"But you put them in their place." Jen smiles and then Bruce gives her a knowing look. "So, dating-wise... You met someone you like?"
"It's not like that." Her blush gives her away. "Have you ever hooked up with anyone on your team?"
"Jen...."
"I knew it!"
Then she remembers Matt's invitation to the bar and Bruce agrees to meet with him and his friends the next evening. The two actually hit it off pretty well at the family dinner. "You two made a cute couple by the way." Jen blushes and then quickly changes the topic.
To say that she can't wait for the next evening is an understatement. Jen reads up on Matt's case all morning and realises that the press is eating up everything about this daring, blind lawyer challenging big soulless companies. He's celebrated as a hero without anyone even knowing about his nighttime activities - although the articles on Daredevil can be a bit more ambivant as it turns out, because of his violent methods. One article also mentioned that Matt only lost his eyesight as a 10 year old, because he saved an old man. He was not kidding when he said that he had been at this longer. (Neither was Bruce, but he's her cousin... Who listens to their cousin, the knowitall you grew up with?)
It also makes her a little bitter about the way the media has been treating her since she became public. Alright, she may not have been eager to rise up to the challenges of She Hulk, but it's not every day that your entire life turns upside down. If she had known that snogging a hot superhero could be a part of that she'd have been more open to the idea. Instead she got weird stalkers, a bruised ego and not much of a choice who to work for.
Bruce even shows her around the Avengers tower and she'll admit that it's kind of cool to have the people there actually know who she is now. When they finally end up in front of Josie's bar her cousin tries not to sound too unimpressed. "So, this is where we're meeting Murdock and his lawyer friends? It's... not what I expected."
"They're mostly taking pro bono cases," she tries to explain and walks in where she immediately finds Matt, already sporting a big grin and that little head tilt of his. Crap, he must have heard what Bruce said. However the first one to greet them is the man next to him. "Holy shit! Matt, you didn't say that we'd be drinking with hulks tonight! A friend from LA and her cousin... Are you kidding me?!"
The pretty blonde on his other side laughs with similar astonishment written all over her face, while Matt just smirks like he was looking forward to that reaction. "Jen! Bruce! Nice to see you here in Hell's Kitchen." He also licks his lips which he seems to be doing when he's nervous. And no... she did not stare at his mouth. Not all the time. But that was the only part of him she was able to see under the mask. And with the red lenses hiding his eyes...
"Hi Matt, nice to see you again," her cousin says friendly, before shaking the blind man's hand, while he makes a joke about Jen dragging Bruce to this place against his will. Oh yeah, Daredevil definitely had listened. The goofy blond guy quickly introduces himself, before Matt has the chance to do so. "Franklin Nelson. Big fan, Dr. Banner! Can we have a picture with you? And your cousin, of course."
"Karen Page, I'm sorry about these idiots." The woman looks amused like she's used to apologising for them. "We don't get to see a lot of big shots in this place."
To his credit her cousin quickly warms up to them. "Wait, Nelson, Murdock & Page. I've heard of you before. You're the guys who took down Wilson Fisk, aren't you?" He laughs. "Matt, I never connected that. You're too humble."
"He's really not," his buddy says immediately and Jen agrees adding: "You should have seen him in court. I first thought he was an asshole, because he walked in like he owned the place."
"Oh?" Bruce raises his eyebrows. "Well, from what I hear, it's justified. Their little firm made quite the headlines here."
They really did and now they are all blushing. She can imagine what it must be like to hear that praise coming from an Avenger. Foggy and Karen really are adorable basking in it. She can see why Matt wants a secret identity to keep these two safe. Then again he himself got attacked as Murdock, too. But before she can ponder this any longer, she really should introduce herself. "I'm Jennifer Walters, nice to meet Matt's friends."
She doesn't expect Nelson to beam at her just as much as he did at her more famous cousin. "Ms. Walters! I knew, you and my partner here met in court, but he somehow neglected to mention that you stayed in contact..."
"After he whooped my ass in court, so I didn't see that coming either."
"Your stupid client made you lose." And Daredevil's nose noticing the jet fuel, she thinks to herself. But she'll take it. He's skilled as a lawyer and a vigilante, so there's no shame in losing against him.
"Next time, I'll get you," she however promises with a wink.
"And I'll be looking forward to that," he says with a killer smile.
Bruce looks back and forth between them, pretty sure he knows what's going on here. While Nelson, Murdock and Page order a round of drinks he whispers: "Why do I feel like I'm not the real reason you came to visit?"
"Aw... don't feel bad. I really enjoyed spending some quality time with you, too. And you also gave me a lot to think about."
The rest of the evening is fun and she's having a very good time, but she somehow noticed that Matt stopped drinking at some point and he looked a little concerned when she didn't. First she thought he was judging her, but then the penny dropped. They had not talked about one of her most awesome powers before. "By the way: I don't really get drunk. It's a hulk thing." Meaning: We can still go to your place later and I'll show you a good time.
"Good to know," Matt said and ordered himself one more beer.
Eventually the evening came to an end and she fully intended to make good on that unspoken promise. But not before finding out once Bruce left that Matt's two closest friends belonged to a very limited group of people who knew about his secret identity. She also got the impression that he must have run into the Black Widow, too, because when her cousin mentioned her Matt suddenly had that sad look on his face. She decided not to ask and kill the mood.
It also turns out that Claire Temple is a very competent nurse after all who saved his life a few times and Daredevil just didn't always have a fancy tailored suit or the resources to pay for it. He also has no healing factor. So, basically, Matt is risking his life for the common good. No biggie. In fact: if he has to fight a little harder to stay alive and save others that's understandable. Even if it takes a lot longer to deal with his enemies one by one.
This time they stumble into his apartment kissing, until she pulls away to ask if he's not too injured. He denies that right away while continuing to chase her lips with his own. Already, he's getting rid of his clothes as if he was as eager to do this again as she was. Matt even shivers when she finally touches his skin. "You really are sensitive, aren't you?", she teases him. How does that work with getting sliced up all the time, she wonders with one finger brushing over a really big scar on his chest.
"And for a healthy woman your heartbeat is awfully fast around me," Matt shoots back.
She laughs out loud, enjoying the fact that he knows, that he likes her and she doesn't have to act like she isn't drunk on him - on his clever touches and kisses. Suddenly, he hesitates a bit and a little out of breath he asks: "Can you just stay Jen this time, though?"
It's as if he has suddenly decided to drop a bucket of cold water on her. "Oh.... yeah, I guess." So, he didn't like all parts of her, after all. That's okay.
She tries to smile, hoping that he'll sense that somehow, but obviously he can still tell that this shocked her. "Just because She Hulk is a bit strong and tossing me around like that might not be the best idea with a fresh wound and stitches..."
Oh. Right. She should have known. He smoothes her curls back and starts nibbling along her jaw and down her throat. "That's fine. It's... it's really not because you're not into her?"
Matt laughs and it's the same carefree laugh she heard when they first met. "How can you even ask that after last time?"
"It's just, you're so much more... breakable than I thought you were and if you're that sensitive and I hurt you-"
"Hey, no. It's alright. I've learned to deal with all that. Foggy and Karen exaggerate. And there are also a lot of good things I can feel just as intensely, if you don't freak out on me now." He licks his lips and Jen hurries to kiss him and catch that teasing tongue again until he basically starts to purr. Yeah, this is what she came for.
"And now let me make this trip worth it for you, too, because I happen to know for a fact that you did not come here for your cousin, because your heartbeat tells me when you're lying... And I heard him say that to you, too."
Oh god. He must think she's so pathetic. Jen gasps when his cold hands start to move under her clothes. "And by the way: if you hadn't come, I'd probably have found some excuse myself to get my suit fixed."
"You can visit anytime, Matthew. No need to get your pretty ass kicked just to see me."
"Noted." He grins and kisses her again. "Would be worth it though." Yup. Good to know they're on the same page here.