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The consistent hum of Hell’s Kitchen reverberated in Matt’s ears, a white noise symphony he’d learned to love over the years. The electric buzz of the billboard across the street, the steady flow of traffic from surrounding blocks, the occasional punctuation of dogs barking or taxi’s honking.
He shuffled around his kitchen, making himself a cup of midday coffee in preparation for looking over some rather tedious case files that afternoon.
But in an instant something was different. The flow of the city changed below, overwhelming Matt’s senses. There was screaming, it seemed like the number of heartbeats dropped in an instant, and the distinct sound of tires screeching and cars hitting things echoed throughout the city.
He dropped his mug, not even sure if he heard it crash amongst the dramatic shift in sensory input of Hell’s Kitchen. But he could tell something else was off. His skin was clammy, head spinning. He thought maybe he was going to pass out.
Just as suddenly as the sensation came over him, it was gone.
“I have to clean that up.” Matt thought, remembering the dropped mug at his feet
But when he shifted his focus to the floor, the coffee wasn’t there. No warmth hit his skin from heated liquid radiating upward, no broken shards of ceramic sliced his hands as he reached down. The hardwood was clean beneath him.
He tilted his head curiously, listening to hone in on whatever the hell was happening. Sure, he could hear the usual sounds of his apartment, but it felt different.
He couldn’t smell the leather of his sofa. In fact, all the furniture seemed to be different, based on the way the air rushed around the room and bounced off of the various frames and fibers. There were many things unfamiliar about the room; a throw blanket draped across the back of the different couch, the taste in the air of cheaper coffee than he’d ever buy coming from the canister on the counter, and he could smell the mud on a pair of boots by the door that were definitely not his.
Another heartbeat suddenly appeared before him.
“Red! Sonofabitch!” he shouted
How had Frank suddenly appeared in the middle of his apartment without him noticing?
In a flash, Frank was across the room, drawing Matt into his arms. His heart was racing, thundering in his rib cage as he pressed Matt into it. He smelled as he usually did; gunpowder and metal mixed with earthy cologne.
Frank Castle was not a hugger.
What in the hell?
“Jesus Frank. Why are you in my apartment? And what the hell has gotten into you?” Matt asked
“S’ kinda been my apartment for a while now.”
“What?!”
“Matt, you’ve been gone. Shit, it’s been over five years now.”
“Frank, what the hell are you talking about? This is my apartment, I was just making a cup of coffee and gonna review some files for a case I have going to trial this week.”
Frank let out a sigh, guiding Matt to the sofa and sitting beside him.
He did his best to explain Thanos and how the world fell into chaos. How Matt and half the population disappeared in an instant, and now it seemed since he was back, so was everyone else.
Frank’s heartbeat didn’t waver, his bizarre story of The Avengers losing to a magic gem wielding alien true.
Matt was unsure what to say, where to start with the number of questions he had.
“And you’re here because?” he finally asked
Frank chuckled.
“Like I said, I live here now.”
Matt’s eyebrows flew up, curious as to how that happened.
“Things got chaotic, someone had to keep the kitchen safe.” Frank nodded toward the window
“So you moved into my place?”
“Eh– I started just crashing here to help Karen out. She was convinced you were comin back soon so she paid your rent for a while. Figured it wouldn’t hurt to stay here. Then when Fisk got out and she had to run, well I’d kinda gotten used to it here.”
“Fisk is out? Where is Karen, is she okay?!”
“She’s fine. It was a bitch getting her out of New York once Fisk figured out you were gone. He went after her but Foggy and I got her safe. She’s got a new identity, livin somewhere none of us know, just in case. She’s got a husband and a kid and everything. She checks in every once in a while just to let me know she’s still safe.”
“Foggy!” Matt jumped up, hearing his best friend’s name
Frank put an arm on Matt’s shoulder, sitting him back down beside him.
“Nelson’ll be here soon enough.” Frank reassured, knowing this would be the first place Foggy would rush when he heard the news
Matt rubbed the fabric on the furniture beneath him. It was soft, like a suede or velvet, and it smelled distinctly like Frank.
“So what, did you not like how I had it decorated before?” Matt joked
“Nah, it was all fine. Little much for my taste. But I kinda got blood on a lot of stuff and had to replace it.”
“Did you keep anything of mine?”
“After a few years, I convinced Karen you weren’t coming back. Guess I’m gonna get an earful from her soon.” Frank stood and walked across the apartment, stopping in front of the closet under the stairs. “I donated most of your fancy lawyer suits, but I did keep this.”
He opened the doors and Matt heard the all too familiar sound of the old trunk squeaking open. Frank ambled back over and handed something to Matt.
The crimson mask felt just like Matt remembered it, the latex and fiber composite textured and abrasive under his fingers.
“Mighta missed you, Red.”
The corners of Matt’s mouth tugged upward at Frank’s sentimentality. Oh how these last five years had softened him.
“Well, I’m gonna get going.” Frank commented “Let you and Nelson have your reunion.”
He began walking toward the doors.
“Frank, no. It’s your home too now, I can’t kick you out.” Matt said, standing and reaching out his hand to stop him.
“Nah, I was just keeping it waitin’ for ya”
“Frank, I mean if half the world just came back, rent’s gonna fly up and it’ll be a bitch to get a new place.”
“You askin’ me to stay?”
“Yeah, I am.”
Frank nodded his head, walking back over and placing his large hand on Matt’s, both of them now holding the Daredevil mask.
“Okay.”