Chapter Text
“Hey, do you know a good place to get a cup of coffee around here?” Foggy asks from his twin bed across to his roommate.
“No.” Matt answers simply.
“Well lucky for you, I do. And it’s filled with luscious co-eds!” He smiles as he emphasises the latter sentence. He pauses, “shall we?”
Matt smiles and shakes his head with open arms. “Lead the way.”
Objective set, Foggy shuts and throws his laptop to the end of his bed.
“Let’s explore!” He gushes as he stands and moves toward the door, opening it for his new roommate.
“So, what’s the deal? What’s your major?” He inquires as they meander down the hallway, reflexively looking toward Matt.
Matt looks ahead, his cane guiding their way through the dorm corridors. He smiles as he speaks.
“Philosophy. But my ultimate goal is law school. I’ll be starting as soon as I finish my undergrad here.” Now looking forward, Foggy nods.
“Oh nice. I’m trying for law school too. Doing political science now and I’ll take the LSAT in my last year. Could be good to study together? If you’re a study group kinda guy. I like to think I am… but if I’m honest… just because I like it doesn’t mean it does me any good. I’ll definitely make friends, but I don’t think I’ll make any actual progress academically speaking. But hey, that’s the college experience right? Meeting people? Making friends?”
“I mean… yeah I agree… making friends and meeting new people is absolutely part of the college experience. But academics is important too, no? Especially if we want to get into law school.”
“We? Maybe we should be study buddies after all. I’ll concede that, yes… maybe we should keep it to two. You know… for academic reasons. After all, law school is the ultimate goal. Friends can be gathered elsewhere.”
“I think I like that idea. I’ll admit I have a bit more of an independent approach to study. But body-doubling can’t hurt.”
They reach the end of the corridor and the edge of Matt’s cane drops. Foggy looks to Matt again.
“Third floor isn’t too bad. Only one set of stairs for us to conquer.” Matt nods, before adjusting his glasses and opening his mouth to speak.
“Hey, do you mind…. if I-uh… if I go down the left side? I just prefer to hold the railing so I don’t go tumbling down the stairs. Wouldn’t make for the best first impression.” Foggy’s eyes widen as he steps back.
“Oh absolutely! Sorry… didn’t even think about that. I’m right-handed anyway.” He steps back allowing Matt to swap spots. They walk down the stairs and Foggy is confronted by a girl walking up the stairs, boxes in hand.
“Oh sorry! Wasn’t even looking.” She says, taking one step backward. Matt stops too as Foggy steps up and behind him.
“Nah don’t worry. You’re the one with the boxes. I should’ve been looking where I was going.”
“Thanks.” She mutters toward Foggy as she continues up the stairs. Foggy watches her while he rejoins Matt and they finish their way down the stairs. Before they walk through the common room and toward the exit, Matt stops and looks toward Foggy.
“Hey, sorry if this is weird but would you mind if I hold on to your arm? I’m not super familiar with this space yet and don’t want my shins to find tables.”
Foggy gestures his arm toward Matt, “Not weird at all.” Matt smiles sheepishly as he looks down and reaches toward Foggy’s elbow. Foggy leads the two of them through the common room and pushes the double glass doors open.
“She was pretty.” Foggy announces as he stops on the concrete just outside the entrance.
“The girl with the boxes?” Matt responds.
“That’s the one. Wonder if she’s on our floor. Guess we’ll find out eventually.”
“Hmm… for now, the ‘luscious co-eds’?” Matt asks, forming quotation marks with his hands as his cane rests against his stomach.
“Absolutely absolutely. Can’t lose sight of our goal. Let’s head this way, to your left.” Foggy nods and, again, extends out his arm.
It’s still warm and sticky in New York as they explore campus. Foggy takes in the greenery growing harmoniously among the historic buildings. Matt breathes in deeply as a subtle breeze drifts through the trees. He hears giggling between friends as they pass him and Foggy. Hasty footsteps from someone probably desperate to find their dorm. Slow and heavy stomps followed by a thud, then a sigh, as someone presumably drops a box of possessions destined for their room. Matt hums to himself as Foggy’s arm pulls him in a different direction.
“Alright, here we are. Shall we?” Foggy theatrically gestures his right arm toward the door for no one’s benefit- aside from his own- as he reaches and pulls the door handle.
“Let’s do it.” Matt agrees as he follows suit. The hum of a coffee grinder, the screaming of steaming milk, the chattering of ‘coeds’ and the occasional “Flat White for Claire. Flat White for Claire? Claire?” bounce around the walls of the cafe. He hadn’t realised he was holding his breath as the door shuts behind them.
Now consciously aware, he closes his eyes and pushes out a deep exhale.
It’s loud.
He expected this. He really did. He knew college would be very very… loud. While this may not be surprising, it is still jarring. But Matt will adjust. He always has, and there’s no excuse nor reason why he can’t adjust now. Stick would say the same thing.
“What’s your order?” Foggy cuts through the messy soundscape and Matt focuses his hearing onto each of Foggy’s syllables. It wasn’t as loud now.
“Long black. Americano. No milk or anything like that.”
“Simple. I need a bit of half-and-half myself; tend to go for a latte. Queue’s short, let’s order.”
They walk forward and wait just 5 minutes before Foggy gestures for Matt to go first. He orders. Foggy orders. They’re not far from the bench for long before “Long black for Matthew” and “Latte for Franklin” cut through the tumultuous soundscape.
Matt pockets his folded cane and grabs his coffee. Foggy by his side, Matt holds his elbow and is lead back outside.
“Let’s find somewhere to sit.” Matt suggests. Nodding, Foggy pulls him forward and they, in tandem, walk through campus.
“This is a good spot. There’s a bench just to your right there.”
Together, they sit and sip their coffees. An inevitable question is raised.
“So, tell me about yourself!”
Matt takes a sip from his coffee and adjusts his glasses. He breathes in, then out, before deciding how to answer that question.