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Thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump. The heartbeat is so fast that Matt starts to stand up. It's beyond panicked, and even though he's waiting at a bus stop as Matt Murdock, and even though his bus has just arrived, he's so concerned he almost ditches his cane right then. The guy comes up to the bus stop, exclaiming, "No, no, no! C'mon!" But Matt isn't paying attention to that, instead listening to see if there are any sounds of pursuit.
Only there aren't, and though the heartbeat is fast, it's fairly steady. His voice is upset, but not the kind of upset Matt would usually respond to. Besides that, there's something about his voice that's… familiar. Especially with that heartbeat. "Need a hand?" he offers, coming closer. Trying to figure out what's going on.
The stranger turns towards him and sighs. "No, just… Pockets. Why do pockets get holes so easy? Crud," the stranger's non-expletive makes Matt smile, "I don't have any of my fare…" He fumbles around in his pockets some more, but it's clearly a fruitless endeavour. Not having bus fare hardly seems like something that could make someone's heart do that, but Matt is still trying to work out the source of their familiarity.
"Here, I can cover it," Matt offers.
"What? No! It's okay, you should get going," the other man insists, and the tone finally makes it click. The last time Matt heard that voice and that heartbeat was in the mask, when he was mistakenly tackled by Spider-Man. Now that it's clicked, Matt can't believe he didn't recognize the heartbeat immediately. It's unlike anything he's ever heard, faster than someone in a panic, faster than someone on drugs.
"No, seriously," Matt insists. "Somebody got me last week, I'm just paying it forward."
The bus driver makes an impatient sound. "If you're really sure," Spider-Man says hesitantly.
"Yeah, come on. After you," Matt responds, pulling out the money to pay. He pulls out a couple bills rather than coins, since he's paying double, and feeds them to the reader.
"Thanks for this. Seriously, it's… I'm sorry," Spidey says.
"Seriously, don't worry about it," Matt insists, moving to sit down. "Are you really a New Yorker if you haven't had to ask a stranger for bus fare? I'm Matt."
Spidey sits in the row behind him, resting his arms over the top of the chair beside him. Matt vaguely turns towards him to be polite. "True. I'm Peter." Peter. The name suits him, which isn't something Matt would usually think about. Maybe it's because he's glad to be able to assign a name to him that isn't 'spidey'. "I really appreciate it, though. Never thought it'd happen to me. Thanks, Matt. Guess I'll be paying it forward as soon as I can, too."
"It's good to meet you, Peter. Where are you headed? If you don't mind me asking," Matt says.
"My aunt's with some of her friends at this really nice cafe on the edge of Hell's Kitchen, then I'm going with her to a bank appointment," Peter answers. "You been to Common Grounds? They've got great cakes there if you don't like coffee. How about you?"
It's nice to know that the non-stop talking isn't just something he does in costume. It's even cuter when he isn't trying to track someone's movements. "I haven't. I'll have to check it out, I love a good cake," Matt says. "I'm heading to the courthouse. Sitting in on a trial."
"Oh, you work in the court? What do you do?"
There's something about Peter's voice that makes him want to sit with him forever, and the curiosity makes it even more obvious. "I'm a defense attorney," he answers, and pulls out a card to pass to Peter. It has English as well as Braille, and declares the same law firm he says aloud, "Nelson and Murdock."
"Oh." Peter is surprised, but accepts the card. "Are you Nelson or Murdock?" He looks the card over.
"Murdock," Matt answers easily.
"Cool." Peter puts the card in his pocket, then recalls that the pocket has a hole in it and switches it to the other pocket. "So you defend people who've been accused of stuff? What kind?"
"Yeah, I'm criminal defense specifically," Matt confirms. "Some people are just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Yeah. I've seen-- heard a lot about that," Peter agrees.
Matt smiles, knowing full well what kind of things Spider-Man has seen and heard about that, but he doesn't acknowledge it out loud. "Well, if you ever need someone on your side, or know someone who does, give us a call."
"I want to say I'd definitely never get in any criminal trouble, but it's probably worth it," Peter jokes. "Thanks. This how you meet all your clients?"
That brings out a proper grin. "More than you'd think. And trust me, almost no one thinks they're going to need a lawyer until they do."
"Guess that's true," Peter supposes. "Are you defending someone today?"
"Not today. I'm just sitting in," Matt responds. Which is seeming less interesting by the moment, considering his alternative.
"Oh, right. Why? To learn?"
"Yeah. I'm also supporting a colleague," Matt says. As a favor to Foggy, which is the only real reason he's going.
"Oh, cool. Hope it goes well for them." There's hardly any pause at all before Peter asks, "Does it go well even if you lose a case?"
Matt smiles. "Not usually. I believe the people I defend are innocent, so if I'm unable to prove that, it's a problem," he answers.
"So you only take on clients you're definitely certain are innocent?" Peter asks. "That's really cool."
Matt's lips twitch into a smile briefly. "I believe in the justice system, but it only works with help from all the pieces."
Peter nods, then realizes Matt can't tell. "Yeah. It must be pretty hard."
"What?" Matt asks, because his mind was briefly his own limits of belief, and where that's taken him.
"The justice system. You wouldn't believe the-- I hear a lot of bad stuff all the time. It's pretty rough, even for people trying to do the right thing." He rests his head on his arm. "It's like people only think there's good and bad, nothing really in between."
Matt gives a sad little smile. "It does seem that way sometimes," he agrees. "People like easy answers, and those don't usually exist."
"Easy answers are boring. Saves time, though." Matt hears the grin in his voice as he continues, "I'm studying science, so… easy answers are basically the opposite of what I'm gonna work with."
"What kind of science?" Matt asks.
"If I had all the time in the world, all of them," Peter answers. "But I'm focusing on biochemistry."
"Now that sounds hard," Matt says with a smile. "Why biochemistry, Peter?"
"My dad was a scientist and kinda worked on it too. Plus I'm a nerd and it kinda just became a natural interest for me, especially when it comes to enzymology and what's happening inside the body. Did you know there's a protein that only exists in the body after injuring muscles? But it's present in whales and helps them hold their breath!"
The excitement in Peter's voice brings out Matt's grin. "I didn't," he admits. "That's pretty cool."
"It's neat. I dunno what exactly I'm gonna do with that knowledge, but I think someone should look into replicating it with humans. I bet there's some kind of superhero who breathes underwater who has more of that."
Matt laughs softly at that. "Maybe. Some real world Aquaman. Then, maybe that will be you, huh?"
"Ha, me?" Peter laughs it off. "Nah, I'm completely ordinary." Matt is struck by how difficult it is to tell if Peter is lying, the speed of his heart already so fast it's difficult to tell the difference.
Matt just smiles. "Yeah, I guess not everybody wants to be a super hero."
"Pfft, yeah. Who would want that?" Peter asks.
Matt just smiles. "I think this is my stop. It was really good to meet you, Peter."
"Oh! You too," Peter agrees with a grin. He turns, looking away from Matt for the first time in a long while, and then realizes, "Oh, crud, this is my stop, too."
"Huh. Happy coincidence." They both get to their feet, and Matt gets the feeling that Peter is watching him again as they get off the bus.
"How'd you know this is your stop?" Peter asks as they make it off. Before Matt can offer any answer, he continues talking. "Oh, if you have a few minutes before you gotta go into court, I can get you a cake from Common Grounds to pay you back for the fare? My aunt's there so I can pay for it for you. In thanks."
Matt had left early in case there was any cause for him to run off with his face covered, but if he's honest, he doesn't even care if he's late if it means he gets to spend a few more minutes with Peter. "I have a few minutes."
"Awesome. It's this way." Peter pauses, presumably pointing, then adds over his shoulder, "Opposite way to the court."
Matt holds out his arm. "Would you guide me?" he requests. He doesn't need to, really, but… Peter takes his arm and Matt smiles.
"Okay, but fair warning that I'm super clumsy sometimes," Peter says.
Matt laughs softly. "Alright. Consider me warned." He gently squeezes Peter's arm, though lightly enough that Peter apparently thinks nothing of it.
"What kinda cake do you like?" Peter asks as they walk.
"I can't say no to cake. Any kind is great," Matt responds. "Do you have a recommendation?"
"There's good old coffee cake or blueberry muffins, I like both," he says. Matt commits it to memory. "But I'd eat any kind of cake, too."
"I think I'll have to try the coffee cake," Matt decides.
Peter grins. "Great. Okay, it's just here. Do you want to sit outside while I go grab it?" he offers.
Matt doesn't want to let him go, if he's honest, but he figures he'll at least save the seat so they can keep talking. Then the concern of whether Peter is just being kind enters his mind and he says, "As long as I'm not going to get in the way of you meeting up with your aunt."
"You won't," Peter promises. "She's inside and honestly, that's probably better for you, or she'll end up chatting to you and you'll never escape her clutches." He grins again.
Matt laughs at that. "She sounds sweet."
"She's brilliant. Alright, here's a chair. I'll be right back."
Matt takes the chair from Peter, smiling with a little roll of his eyes. He sits to wait, listening to Peter go inside to greet his aunt, telling her what had happened. She seems understanding, at least, and soon Peter is back. "Your order, sir," he jokes, sitting down opposite him.
Matt grins, returning his attention to the other man rather than continuing to listen to his aunt tell her friend all about how kind and scatterbrained her nephew is. "Thank you, Peter. How is your aunt?"
"She's good. Says she's going to stay with her friend a little longer." Matt knows that was after Peter reassured her it was fine. "I've gotta go fetch her in a bit. You don't mind me staying with you until you've gotta head off?"
"I don't mind. Actually, I'm glad for the company," Matt confirms with a smile.
Peter grins. "That's a relief, 'cause I've not left your side all this time and I was surprised you didn't run out on me the moment you could."
Matt laughs. "You're pleasant to be around." He doesn't want to come right out and say 'I want to spend as much time with you as possible' when they've hardly met. "And I'm surprised you didn't take the chance to ditch me."
"What, why would I ditch you? You're really interesting and you saved me from walking for ages. That's like, dream b-- stranger material."
A pleasant tingle runs down Matt's side as he realizes what Peter almost just said. He decides not to address it, figuring he would probably feel mortified if someone noticed him slip up like that, but mentally he starts trying to figure out what kind of date he might be able to ask the other man out on. "You mentioned you're studying biochemistry," he notes. "How far in are you?"
"Ha, well… I haven't actually started," Peter responds sheepishly. "I'm applying to colleges right now."
Matt just grins, but he second guesses himself, then, too. "I see. Where are you hoping to go?"
"Empire State, Columbia, or NYU, but I'm just kinda applying to them all, see what scholarships I can get, too."
"I get that. Scholarships really are the best way to go. Even with a lot of them, my student loan numbers are a bit frightening," Matt admits.
Peter pulls a face. "Ouch. Yeah. Law school must be really long and expensive, huh?"
"Only two years for the actual law school. It was expensive, though."
"Only two years? Wow. Jealous. Did you do a bachelor's before it?" Peter asks.
"Yes," Matt confirm. "Political science."
"Which college did you go to?"
"Columbia, actually, for both. If you end up going, you'll love it. Are you planning on living in the dorms?"
Peter makes a gesture that Matt can't quite make out before he remembers. "I don't know yet. Cheaper to stay at home, isn't it? Especially when you don't have to pay to travel."
"Without a doubt," Matt agrees, not mentioning that it wasn't an option for him. "And the dorms are awful, I'm not going to lie. But I did make some amazing friends in them." Foggy was worth every single moment in bare concrete room.
"I guess I'll think about it some more. Friends are always good, right?" Peter supposes.
"They are. Clubs can be a good option if you do end up living at home, though," Matt adds.
"I'll check them out. Thanks, Matt." He smiles.
"No problem. I remember how intimidating college felt when I was waiting on acceptance letters," Matt assures him.
"Yeah, I bet. You really don't need to help me so much. But I really appreciate it," Peter says.
"I don't mind. It's been good to meet you." He narrowly leaves off the 'finally' without thinking. Fuck, that would sure do him in, and as much as he wants to spend more time with Peter, as much as he believes Spider-Man is a good man… Matt isn't sure he trusts him enough to share his secret, yet. That, more than anything else, stops him from asking him for coffee, even when he hears the smile in Peter's voice when he responds. It just wouldn't be fair, keeping it from him.
"You, too. How's your coffee cake?"
"Amazing. Thank you again," Matt confirms.
"Hey, this is my thank you to you, no thanking me." Peter laughs slightly, causing Matt to laugh a bit in turn.
"If you say so," Matt agrees nonetheless.
"I do say so," Peter chuckles. "Do you want me to walk you back to the bus stop? Sorry, I don't really know, uh, how…"
He's scrambling, and Matt interrupts gently, "No, that's alright. I can get there on my own."
Sheepishly relieved, Peter accepts, "Okay."
"It was really good to meet you, Peter. I'll let you get back to your aunt," Matt says, taking his plate. "Oh, where's the trash?"
"You too. Oh, I got it! Don't worry." Peter jumps to his feet at the same time Matt gets to his. "Thanks again, Matt."
He debates for a moment objecting, but then he sets the plate back down and gives a smile. "Thanks. See you around. Good luck with your applications." He smothers the urge to offer to help with them further, instead grabbing his cane.
"Hope not to see you around too much," Peter jokes. "But yeah. Thanks!"
Matt grins, idling for a moment as he debates it again before turning to head off to the courthouse.