Archive of Our Own

“Remind me again why we’re here?” Matt muttered to Foggy as Foggy led him expertly through the crowd, making their way to the back of the room where the bar was.

“Mingling, Matt.” Foggy sighed, giving him a light tug on the inside of his elbow, deftly steering him out of the way of a girl who was swaying a bit drunkenly into their path. “All future lawyers gotta hobnob, you better get used to it buddy.”

“I can hobnob.” Matt protested, as they at last made it to the bar counter. He leaned an elbow on it, body angled toward the room as Foggy waited for the bartender to approach them. “I can hobnob with the best of them. I just don’t see how this crowd–’ He inclined his head out toward the rest of the room– “of corporate shills are going to help us get to where we want to go for our future line of work.”

“Gotta join em before you can beat em.” Foggy said cheerfully. “Two glasses of Macallan please.” He told the bartender. “Neat. And don’t say hobnob. You sound ridiculous.”

Matt’s lips twitched. “You said it.”

“Yeah, but you don’t have my aura of joy and whimsy.” Foggy pushed Matt’s glass of whiskey closer to his hand. “”Booze. 12 o’clock.”

Matt grinned, lifting his glass toward Foggy, at the same time that Foggy raised his own glass toward Matt. “Noted. Cheers.”

The whiskey was still tingling pleasantly on his lips when he registered a pair of footsteps and an accompanying heartbeat approaching them. The firm click on the floor from heels and the waft of floral perfume told him that it was a woman.

He already knew who it was, even before Foggy abruptly straightened up beside him, his heartbeat ticking up. 

“Well, well, well–” Foggy said, as the heels stopped beside them. “I wasn’t aware that they let flesh-eating piranhas into this bar.”

“Funny.” Marci Stahl said sweetly. “That wasn’t what you were calling me last night.”

Matt took another sip of whiskey while Foggy spluttered beside him.

That’s my cue. He thought, pushing off from the bar counter, unfolding his cane to tap out in front of him while Foggy and Marci commenced with their particular brand of squabbling-as-foreplay.

Matt didn’t begrudge Foggy having a bit of fun. He could probably use a distraction, God knew that 3L year was a fucking grind. A year or so ago, Matt would probably be casing the crowd to find a person of his own to have a bit of fun with, but those days were now long behind him. Matt was here to mingle, get a few names of higher ups from firms that would hopefully be offering them jobs after graduation, and keep his head down and his nose clean.

He had promised Foggy. After the Elektra debacle last year, Matt couldn’t afford any more distractions. From now on until graduation, Matt was strictly on business.

He surreptitiously stepped aside as a man, laughing boisterously, rocked back on his heels, right as Matt was walking behind him.

It really was packed in here tonight. The bar was close to Columbia’s campus, and was a well-known place for law students and professors to come drink on evenings and weekends. Foggy had been right, there was a lot of hobnobbing happening in this room. Many of their classmates were here doing the same exact thing they were doing–currying favor, hoping that being charming and solicitous was enough to secure the best internships and associateships for after graduation.

Matt mentally sighed, taking another sip of his whiskey, allowing it to rest for a moment in his mouth before swallowing it back. Foggy was right, this sort of thing was necessary for them to do to be successful, but it still rankled. Matt hated having to play nice, having to jockey and elbow others out of the way for a seat at the table.

He felt not unlike a seagull at the beach, clamoring and fighting and squawking for the same scrap of bread that all of the other seagulls were fighting over.

He hated it.

Just stay an hour. He told himself firmly. Have a drink, and then tell Foggy that you’ll catch a cab back to the apartment. He’ll be busy with Marci by then anyway, and won’t care if you leave.

Matt made his way toward the back wall, depositing himself in a back corner, snapping his cane together and placing it in his suit pocket before leaning back, his whiskey still in hand.

This little nook was quieter than the rest of the bar, and Matt knew the reason why. The wall sconce above his head had a lightbulb that had burned out that the owner had never replaced. It was too dark for most people to be able to see dates and friends and classmates and colleagues, so naturally, the majority of the crowd gravitated to the center of the room.

Matt didn’t mind it. He could use a quiet moment alone.

Except, he wasn’t alone. There was another person here. A man, judging by his height and body mass and the faint scent of after shave Matt could smell on him. He didn’t seem inclined to approach Matt or talk to him. In fact, Matt was sort of coming to the distinct realization that this man was acting as if Matt had encroached on his space. Matt thought that he was tall, at least as tall as he himself was, but he was standing hunched over, bending into himself as though he didn’t want to be seen or acknowledged.

His heart rate was a bit fast for someone who was standing still. Matt didn’t think that he had a drink in his hand. He couldn’t hear the tinkle of ice cubes, or the sound of teeth lightly clinking against a glass rim.

The man had his hands jammed deep into his pockets. Based on the angle of his breathing, Matt thought that his face was directed down toward the ground. He had most definitely noticed him–Matt had caught his slight shift when he had leaned himself against the wall–but he seemed to be determinedly ignoring him.

He was scuffing the toe of his shoe–a sneaker–Matt realized with some surprise, against the floor. Matt didn’t think that he even realized that he was doing it. It had all of the hallmarks of a nervous gesture. Recalcitrant. Anti-social. Matt almost expected him to be smoking a cigarette.

Matt took a chance. “Hello?” He said mildly. “Is someone else there? Sorry–” He touched the rim of his glasses. “You’ll have to excuse me. My vision isn’t exactly twenty twenty.”

A joke to set his sullen wall-mate at ease. Some people were awkward about his blindness at first. Joking about it right out of the gate usually relaxed them.

The man twitched toward him. For a moment, it didn’t seem like he was going to respond. Then–

“Sorry.” The man had a nice voice, Matt thought. Clear. A tenor. “I’m–I’m here. Sorry, I didn’t want to say anything and startle you. Sorry.”

Matt’s lips twitched. “It’s alright.” He inclined his head, pushing off of the wall and extending his hand. “Matthew Murdock.”

The slightest bit of hesitation, before Matt found his hand grasped in a surprisingly firm grip. “Benjamin. Ben Poindexter." He cleared his throat. “But I go by Dex, usually.”

Matt grinned. “And I go by Matt.” He tilted his head, flashing a smile. “Usually.”

Oh. Double tap of the heart at that. Interesting.

The man’s hand was still in his. He didn’t let go until Matt himself did, gently extracting his hand. “Dex. I haven’t met you at Columbia before. Are you a 3L?”

“Um.” The man–Dex–shifted on his feet. “Not–not exactly.”

Matt raised his eyebrows. “Ok. 2L? One? What semester are you in?”

“Uh–” Dex’s heart rate was still a bit too high. “No, I mean. I’m not a student. I mean I am. But not at Columbia. I take a few classes at NYU annex.”

“Oh?” Matt said politely. “What are you studying?”

“Uh–” Dex shifted again on his feet. It reminded Matt, a bit inanely, of a few of the younger boys at the orphanage. All of his nervous energy coming out in his body in ticks and habits that he couldn’t quite control. “Just a few criminal justice classes.”

“Criminals huh?” Matt flashed another grin. “What a coincidence, I’m in defense.”

“Like a defense attorney?” Dex asked.

“Exactly like that.” Matt laughed. “Or at least, I plan to be one after I graduate. My partner and I–” He waved his hand in the vague direction of the bar counter, where he knew that Foggy was still arguing with Marci. “The guy with the long-ish blonde hair? We plan to open our own firm one day.”

“Oh, I think I see him.” Dex said. “Wearing a pink shirt? Oh wait, I guess you wouldn’t know what color it is, would you?”

Matt grinned. “Not as such, but yes, that is the one. The guy talking to the woman who has a look on her face like she isn’t sure if she wants to sell him for cash, or take him to bed.”

Dex laughed, the sound startled out of him, as though he was surprised that he was doing it. Matt felt his grin grow wider. This night was shaping up to be much more fun than he had originally assumed it would be.

“She does seem a bit annoyed.” Dex said.

Matt snorted. “That’s just her default disposition. Trust me, being around Foggy is the happiest she gets.”

“Foggy…” Dex said slowly, turning the name over in his mouth, as though Matt was going to quiz him on it later. “He’s your…boyfriend?”

He sounded tentative. Tentative and a bit shy, as though he was unsure how the question would be received.

Matt hid his smile behind his glass. “Foggy is my roommate.” He said. “And my best friend, but no, we aren’t dating.”

“Oh.” Dex said. His heart rate was still fast. “Ok.”

“But I have dated men before.” Matt said easily. “If that’s what you’re asking.”

Dex flushed, his body temperature increasing. This time, Matt didn’t attempt to hide the slow smile spreading across his face.

Got you.

He waited until Dex had stopped fidgeting, until he was certain that he had raised his head and was looking at his face. “Dex.” He said. “What are you drinking?”

“Um, nothing?” Dex sounded slightly bewildered. “Oh, I mean, I’m sorry. I don’t have a drink in my hand.”

“I know.” Matt said calmly. “I’m asking if I can get you a drink.”

“Um. I’m not really a big drinker.” Dex stuttered out. “I guess…whatever you’re having? I mean, if that’s ok?”

Matt paused in the middle of taking his cane out of his suit pocket. 

Dex had never answered his question of what semester he was in.

“Benjamin–” He said slowly. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-one.” Dex blurted out quickly. Too quickly.

Matt’s eyebrows rose. “Try again.”

Dex was blushing again, worse than he had been before when he had asked Matt if Foggy was his boyfriend. “I’m twenty.” He muttered. “But I’ve drank before.” He added swiftly, as though that was what Matt might have a problem with. “I’m just not really that big on bars.”

“Well I would suppose not.” Matt said dryly. “Seeing as how you’re not twenty-one. How did you get in here? This isn’t really an undergrad bar.”

Dex sighed. “I slipped in through the back when the door guy was having a cigarette.” He admitted. “I’m doing recon on someone.”

Matt felt his eyebrows raise further. “Recon? On whom?”

“A girl on my floor.” Dex said. “Mandy. She’s nice. She slept with a guy a few weeks ago who bragged about being a third year law student at Columbia. Said he was an asshole so she didn’t call him again. Now he won’t leave her alone. Calls at all hours. Showed up a few times at the building, unannounced. Mandy has a kid. She’s a single mom. No one is looking out for her.”

“Nobody but you?” Matt asked quietly.

Dex shifted on his feet. “Mandy’s nice.” He mumbled again. “She talks to me when we get the mail. We take our trash to the curb together. She baked me banana bread once and left it on my welcome mat. It was still warm when I found it. She doesn’t deserve to have some asshole who can’t take no for an answer hassling her.”

Matt was silent. True true true, Dex’s heart beat. Matt had no idea if what he was saying was the truth, but he knew that Dex, at least, believed it.

“How do you know he’s here?” Matt asked. “Have you met him?”

He could tell that his question surprised Dex. After a small pause, Dex spoke.

“He was banging on her door the other day while she was at work.” He said. “I told him to knock it off. He told me to fuck off. Words were exchanged, and–uh–his wallet may have fallen out of his coat pocket when he finally left.”

Matt felt a sudden, insane urge to laugh. Honestly, who the hell was this kid?

“And let me guess, you decided to stop by on the off chance that he would be here and you could return his wallet to him?” Matt was trying hard to keep the amusement out of his voice, but he didn’t think he was successful. “Very noble of you.”

“What can I say? I’m a good Samaritan.” Dex said.

This time, Matt did laugh, a short bark that he covered up with a fist. “Ok, so who is it?”

“I don’t know if I should tell you.” Dex sounded a bit wary now. “What if he’s a friend of yours?”

“He isn’t.” Matt said immediately. “I’m not friends with creeps or stalkers.”

Dex was silent. His hands were fiddling nervously with the cuff of his jacket sleeve. “Dex.” Matt spoke a bit more firmly. “Tell me who it is.”

“His name is Tanner.” Dex said. “Tanner Richardson.”

Matt stilled. Oh yes. He knew Tanner.

Dex was looking at his face. “You know him.” It wasn’t a question.

Matt thought. As a matter of fact, Tanner was here. Matt could hear his voice from the small gaggle of 3Ls on the other side of the room, recounting some story.

If he had any doubt as to Dex’s story before, he definitely didn’t now. Tanner had been complaining just the other day to another student during their property law lecture that he couldn’t find his wallet. “Fucking pain in the ass.” He had been griping. “Had to cancel all of my credit cards. Do you have any idea how long it’s going to take to get those replaced?”

“Yeah,” Matt said. “Yeah, I know him.”

Dex stiffened. “Is he here?” 

Matt took the last swallow of his whiskey, long since gone warm. “I’m going to get another drink.” He turned on his heel. “I’ll be right back. Stay here.”

“Matt–” Dex started. 

“Stay. Here.” Matt said sharply. “I’ll only be a moment.”

Amazingly, Dex listened. Matt could hear his heartbeat beating steadily in the back corner of the room as he wound his way back through the crowd toward the bar counter. He needed another drink. He also needed a moment to think.

Foggy was still there when Matt arrived, though Marci was nowhere to be found. “She’s off schmoozing.” He informed Matt, as Matt tapped his wallet irritatedly on the countertop, waiting for the bartender to notice him. “Like we should be doing actually. Why don’t we–’

“What’s a drink that doesn’t have a lot of alcohol?” Matt cut in. “Like a light drink?”

“Uh–” Foggy seemed taken aback by the abrupt non-sequitur. “I don’t know, like a light beer maybe? Or an aperol spritz. Those are pretty light.”

“”I’ll have a spritz.” Matt told the bartender, “and another Macallan. Neat.”

“Ok, what ninety-eight pound waif are you attempting to romance with a baby cocktail?” Foggy sounded amused. “What, princess can’t handle her liquor, so you…” Foggy’s voice trailed off. Matt could tell by the way his hair swished around his shoulders that he was looking behind him, at the corner of the room where Matt had just come from. The corner where Dex was still standing.

Foggy was silent for a moment. “Who–” His voice had gone a bit high-pitched. “Is that?”

“That’s Dex.” Matt accepted his card back from the bartender with a murmured thanks. “We’ve been getting to know each other. Apparently he knows Tanner Richardson–”

“Matt.” Foggy hissed, cutting him off. “Please do not tell me that you are chatting up actual jail bait, in a bar full of all our classmates and future colleagues!”

“He’s not jailbait.” Matt protested. “He’s over eighteen–”

“He looks like he’s fifteen!” Foggy whisper-yelled at him. 

Matt blinked. “He does?”

“Oh my god.” Foggy groaned. “You are impossible. Totally and completely impossible. Is it too much to ask for you to think with your head and not with your dick for one single school year? Matt, he looks like he escaped from the pound. He looks like a stiff wind would bowl him over. He looks like Bambi toddling around on his little deer legs. He–”

“Ok, I got it. He looks young. I got it.” Matt cut in.

“It’s not just that he looks young.” Foggy continued. “He stands out like a sore thumb. He’s wearing a black hoodie in a law school bar for crying out loud. And he–oh my god, is he wearing black nail polish?!”

“Is he?” Matt said with interest. He took a sip of his whiskey. It burned a little on the way down. “Cute.”

Foggy thwacked him on the arm like he was hitting a dog on the nose with a rolled up newspaper. “No Matt, not cute. Five to seven years not cute. Sex offender registry status not cute. Nelson and Murdock dream down the toilet not cute–”

“Foggy, Foggy–” Matt laughed, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Relax. I already told you. He’s over eighteen. But that’s not–it’s not even like that.”

“Mmm-hmm.” Foggy couldn’t sound more unconvinced if he tried. “You’re not fooling me Matthew. Peter Pan over there is exactly your type.”

“I don’t have a type.” Matt protested. 

Foggy snorted. “Yeah, ok. You know you can’t fool a guy who’s had a front row seat to your hook ups over the years. You like beautiful, damaged, dangerous people that you think you can save, and who look at you like you hung the fucking moon. Home boy hasn’t stopped staring at you since you left him like a puppy waiting to be taken for a walk.”

Matt opened his mouth, and then thought better of what he had been about to say, and closed it. “...You called him Bambi. Doesn’t exactly scream dangerous to me.”

“Oh, my bad, you’re right.” Foggy’s voice was as dry as kindling. “So I guess you aren’t planning on sleeping with Mr. guyliner twink of a wet cat after all.”

“I’m not–” Matt shook his head sharply. “Look, he told me that he’s here for Tanner Richardson. He–” Matt rapidly filled Foggy in on what Dex had told him. Foggy listened intently, his head bent low toward Matt’s. Matt knew that Foggy would take what Dex had said seriously, despite his snark, and sure enough, Foggy was silent for a few moments after Matt was done, absorbing what he had said. 

“Tanner is a fucking douchebag.” Foggy said at last. “He’s definitely capable of something like that. But you can’t just take the word of some stranger, Matt. For all you know he could have stolen Tanner’s wallet, and is here trying to rip him off.”

“If he stole it, why come back for the guy?” Matt argued. 

Foggy shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe he had a change of heart.”

“I believe his story.” Matt said firmly. “I think he’s here because he’s looking out for his friend.”

“Then he should tell his friend to call the police.” Foggy said immediately. “I can call Brett if you want me to. Look, Tanner is a prick, but I don’t think he’s exactly going to be cowed by Mr. twitchy over there. No, he should definitely call the police. Let them handle it.”

“By what, getting her a restraining order? That’s just a piece of paper.” Matt’s hand tightened around his glass. “She has a kid, Foggy. He knows where she lives. He showed up at her apartment.”

“It doesn’t sound like a good situation.” Foggy sighed. “But Matt, it doesn’t mean that you need to go getting yourself involved. Need I remind you that you are still on academic probation from last year?”

“No.” Matt could feel a muscle twitching in his jaw. “No reminders necessary.”

“Good.” Foggy said firmly. “Now I’m calling a cab. Marci just texted me that she made it home and she wants me to come over. Don’t go doing anything stupid, Matt.”

Matt took another swallow of his drink. “I won’t.”

“You promise?” Foggy lingered by the bar, winding his scarf around his neck. Matt could practically feel his eyes on him.

There was another pair of eyes that he could feel too. Across the bar.

Matt picked up both his Macallan, and the spritz. “Cross my heart.” He said calmly. “Have fun. Tell Marci I said hi.”

***

Dex was waiting for him, exactly where Matt had left him, still standing just as awkwardly, his arms crossed over his chest.

He accepted the drink Matt gave him. “What’s this?” He sounded surprised.

“Aperol spritz.” Matt said. “I think you’ll like it. It’s sweet.”

“I can handle strong drinks.” Dex huffed. He took a sip, and Matt heard a light choking sound as the alcohol hit the back of his throat.

Matt’s lips twitched. “You’re not a big drinker, are you?”

“Shut up.” Dex muttered petulantly. Matt laughed.

“Were you telling your friend over there about Tanner?” Dex asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Yes.” Matt answered honestly.

“What did he say?” Dex asked.

“That we should call the police and let them handle it.” Matt swirled his whiskey a bit around his glass. “And he’s right. There’s really no reason for me–or you, for that matter–to get involved. The police are better equipped to deal with this sort of thing.”

Dex was quiet. “Right.” He said after a moment. “Sure, no, you’re right. I’ll definitely do that.”

Matt rolled his eyes behind his glasses. “No you won’t. Listen–” He leaned forward. “Give me Tanner’s wallet. I’ll ask him to step outside with me so that I can talk with him. I’ll make sure that he gets the message about your friend. You should go on home.”

“What? No.” Dex set his glass, still mostly full, on a low side table, and crossed his arms over his chest. “You think I’m just going to go home with my tail between my legs and let some guy I just met deal with this for me? And how exactly do you plan on intimidating him? You’re blind.”

“I could ask you the same question.” Matt said dryly. 

Dex twitched. “I know how to throw a punch.” He said mutinously. “I live in a rough neighborhood. I’m not some rich asshole like all of you Columbia guys.”

Matt snorted, “kid, I grew up in Hell’s Kitchen. Trust me, I’m no trust fund baby.”

Dex went silent at that.

“And intimidation isn’t just about throwing punches.” Matt continued. “That sort of thing won’t scare off a guy like Tanner anyway. He’s too moneyed and well-connected for that. You want to scare him off? You have to go after something that he actually cares about. Hit him where it will hurt.”

“Yeah?” Dex said slowly. “Like where?”

Matt knocked back the rest of his drink, finishing it in one swallow. The whiskey burned a trail of fire down his throat, settling in his belly like a burning coal.

“His reputation.” Matt set his own glass down beside Dex’s on the table. “Look, let me talk with Tanner. It wouldn’t be wise for him to know that you followed him here and that you snuck into this bar. He could have you arrested for stalking, not to mention stealing his wallet–”

“I–” Dex started. Matt held up his hand, palm up, and Dex fell silent as abruptly as flipping a switch.

“Let me finish.” Matt said calmly. “I’m going to ask him to meet with me in the back alley behind the bar. You can stay, but do not let him see you. You don’t know these rich Columbia douchebags like I do. Tanner is about to be humiliated, and he’ll be looking for someone to take his anger out on. I don’t want it to be Mandy. And I don’t want it to be you. Understand?”

“...I understand.” Dex said after a long moment. “I won’t let him see me.”

Matt’s shoulders relaxed. “Good.” He held out his hand toward Dex. “His wallet.”

For a moment, he was worried that Dex wasn’t going to give it to him, but his fears proved to be for nothing as Dex silently fished something out of his hoodie pocket, and placed it in his hand. Matt felt the smooth worn leather of the wallet. It felt expensive.

Matt had again turned to go, when Dex’s voice behind him made him pause. “What are you going to say to him?” He sounded genuinely curious. It made him sound young, Matt thought. Young and just a tiny bit vulnerable. 

Matt felt something curling in his lower belly. He steadfastly ignored it.

“You’ll see.” He smiled back at Dex. He heard Dex’s heart rate tick up, his inhale of breath. 

Matt’s grin felt sharp on his face. It wasn’t the smile that he normally reserved for these sorts of functions. Polite, well-meaning, unassuming. The ‘aw shucks I’m just a poor scholarship student’ smile. The ‘you have nothing to worry about from me’ smile. 

Tanner did have something to worry about from him.

Matt felt the same stirring in his body that he did when he stepped up to the bag at Fogwell’s. That he did when he stepped up to the podium during class debates. The same feeling he had had every day that he had been with Elektra. The feeling that something dangerous was about to happen.

That he was the dangerous thing about to happen.

Dex’s body temperature had increased, his pulse beating loud in Matt’s ears. Matt wondered what it would feel like under his mouth.

“Don’t let him see you.” He said again. “But stay close.”

***

“What’s up Murdock?”  Tanner sounded a bit annoyed at being pulled away from his friends. “What’s all this secrecy about? Look man, if you’re looking to buy, I can hook you up with the number of my dealer, but I don’t know how I feel about selling to a blind guy. No offense.”

“None taken.” Matt said pleasantly “And I’m not looking to buy drugs from you.” He held up Tanner’s wallet. “This yours?”

“What? Yeah.” Tanner sounded relieved. “Where did you find it? Hey thanks man–” He stepped up close to Matt, reaching for his wallet. “--I owe you one–” Matt stepped back, deftly keeping the wallet out of Tanner’s grasp. He was taking a risk, moving like this in front of a guy like Tanner. But if this worked, Matt doubted very much that Tanner would ever be speaking to him again.

Tanner stilled in front of him. “...What the hell?”

“You left this.” Matt said calmly. “In Mandy’s apartment. That ringing any bells?”

Tanner was silent. “You know Mandy?” He sounded a bit uncertain.

“She’s my neighbor.” Matt lied. “She knows I’m a law student at Columbia. She came to drop this off to me to give back to you. Told me something interesting while she was doing it too.”

“Yeah?” Tanner’s voice had gone ugly. “What did that lying bitch say?”

“Enough.” Matt said simply. “So I’m here to give this back to you. And to tell you this. You’re going to leave her alone. No more phone calls. No more stopping by her apartment. You’re going to lose her number, and you’re never going to speak about her, or think about her, ever again.”

Tanner barked a laugh. “What the fuck. And just who the fuck are you to be telling me this? You think you can ask me to meet you out back like some fucking 50s greaser, and threaten me? Is this a fucking joke?”

Tanner crowded into Matt’s space. Matt could feel his hot breath puffing against his face. Tanner was as tall as Matt, but he was uncoordinated, drunk and sloppy. All hot air with no substance. Matt doubted very much that he even knew how to make a fist.

Matt’s fingers twitched. If he wanted to he could lay Tanner out with a single jab to his solar plexus. Or maybe he would just go straight for his windpipe. Cut off all of that blustering bravado at the source.

Down boy. He told himself firmly.

He shifted his stance, throwing Tanner off and neatly side-stepping out of his way.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” He said mildly. “Threaten you? I’m here to warn you.”

“What?” Tanner said in confusion. “What are you–”

“Mandy knows someone on the force.” Matt said. “You notice any more cops around than usual lately? Any police cruisers idling by?”

Tanner fell silent, but Matt could smell his nervous sweat. “...No?”

“Oh man.” Matt shook his head. “The NYPD get more slippery every day. She told me that they’re just looking for an excuse to pick you up.”

Tanner snorted. “Seriously? Who does that bitch think she is? Even if they do, my family has an excellent lawyer. I’d look forward to the fucking lawsuit that I’d slap the NYPD with. They got nothing. It’s not illegal to call someone.”

Matt hummed. “It is illegal to sell coke though.”

Tanner’s heartbeat increased. “You can’t prove that I’m selling.”

“I wonder what your family would think of that.” Matt continued, as if Tanner hadn’t spoken. “Hey, weren’t you in rehab last summer?”

“Whatever man.” Tanner shifted on his feet. “She can’t prove anything.”

“So you wouldn’t piss hot if the NYPD got a court order to make you take a drug test?” Matt shrugged. “I don’t know. Seems like a lot of trouble to go through for some girl you couldn't even get it up for.”

Tanner blanched. Matt could practically hear all of the blood rushing down to his feet. “...She told you about that?”

“Yeah.” Matt winced, schooling his expression into a look of faux sympathy. “Fucking ouch. Look man, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Happens to the best of us. I mean, it’s never happened to me, but I’m sure it does happen. To some people.”

“It was the fucking coke.” Tanner muttered. “I–that is–”

Matt shook his head. “Hey, you don’t have to explain yourself to me. But you will have to explain yourself to the rest of our classmates when the reason why you’re arrested gets out. Not to mention a firm–”

“Half the lawyers on Wall Street do coke.” Tanner huffed.

“They don’t all have criminal records though.” Matt said cheerfully. “But hey man it’s your call. I’m sure your parents will understand when they have to send you to rehab a third time, all over a girl who said that you had, and I quote, ‘the most average dick she’d ever seen–’”

“Ok, ok!” Tanner yelped. “Keep your voice down. Jesus.”

“So you won’t contact her again?” Matt said.

“No.” Tanner muttered. 

Matt smiled. He held out the wallet in front of him. This time, he allowed Tanner to snatch it out of his hand. “You’re making the right call.”

“Fuck off.” Tanner snapped. He stomped back to the back door, and Matt heard it slam behind him as he went inside.

Matt waited a beat, until Dex peeled himself away from the wall he had been leaning against behind the dumpster, and walked up beside him.

“So.” Dex said. “‘Most average dick she’d ever seen,’ huh?”

Matt grinned. “I figured that would sting worse than calling it small outright.”

Dex huffed a little laugh. “How’d you know that stuff, about him not being able to get it up?”

“Lucky guess.” Matt straightened out his suit cuffs idly. “Guys like Tanner handle embarrassment worse than outright rejection. I bet she was nice to him about it, and he couldn’t have that. Better to have her be afraid of him than pity him.”

He could tell Dex was looking at him. “...Thank you.” He said at last. “You didn’t have to help her.”

“Neither did you.” Matt said quietly.

There was a slightly awkward silence as for a moment, neither man spoke. 

“Well,” Matt cleared his throat, turning toward the sound of the street. “I’m going to catch a cab. It was nice meeting you–”

“Can I have your number?” Dex blurted out in a rush. And then immediately blushed. Matt could feel his body temperature increasing as Matt paused in the act of taking out his cane.

“Dex–” Matt started to say quietly.

“I’m not that much younger than you–” Dex was saying. He was speaking fast, his words tripping over themselves. He sounded nervous. “You can’t be older than what, twenty-four? And I’m old for my age. I’ve been living on my own for a while.”

Matt exhaled. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He said softly. 

There was a resounding silence. Matt could tell that Dex was looking down again, the toe of his sneaker digging a hole in the ground at his feet.

“Yeah.” Dex swallowed. “Yeah, ok.”

Matt pursed his lips so that he wouldn't be tempted to say anything. He took out his cane, and tapping it in front of him, tapped his way to the curb, where he stood waiting for a cab.

Dex was still behind him in the alley. Matt couldn’t be certain, but he thought that Dex was still looking down at his feet, at those blasted sneakers he was wearing.

A cab pulled up to the curb. Matt heard the whir of a window being rolled down, and the voice of the cabbie. “Where to my man?”

Take the cab, Matt. A voice that sounded suspiciously like Foggy’s said in his head. Take the cab, and go home. Don’t do anything stupid.

The thing was, Matt thought. The thing was, he had never been good at ignoring what was right in front of his face.

Matt leaned down. “Sorry,” he said. “Think I’m gonna walk instead.”

The cab rolled away. Matt walked back toward the alley. Back toward Dex.

Dex didn’t say anything as Matt approached, but his heart rate was fast.

“Change of heart?” He was trying to sound nonchalant, but he wasn’t that good at it. Matt could hear the slight tremble in his voice on the exhale.

“Something like that.” Matt said.

 And then reaching forward, he grasped Dex’s chin in his hand, and drawing his face gently toward his, kissed him.

Matt meant to keep the kiss light and sweet. There was something about Dex that made Matt think that he didn’t have a lot of experience. Something about the way that he carried himself, folded in, like he wasn't used to other people seeing him. So Matt didn’t press. He held Dex’s jaw in his hand, keeping his face steady. He pressed a warm, firm kiss to Dex’s mouth. Enough to say I’m here, but not enough to alarm him.

Then Dex made a soft sound underneath Matt’s lips that went straight to his dick. He opened his mouth, panting, his hands coming up to rest on Matt’s chest. Not grabbing, but fingers curling into his shirt collar, as if he was unsure if Matt was really there, his body shuddering against his, as though he had never been kissed before.

All of the blood in Matt’s body redirected, zinging south all at once.

Fuck it. Matt thought woozily.

He pressed forward, until Dex’s back hit the brick wall of the alleyway. Until Matt got a thigh in between Dex’s legs, pressing him hard against the wall. His hands came to rest on Dex’s hips, and Dex wrapped his arms around Matt’s neck, holding on as if for dear life.

After that, Matt didn’t think for a while, too busy with cataloging all of the different sounds Dex made as Matt nipped at his bottom lip, at his jaw, at his throat, sucking a kiss into the pulse point there that would surely bruise tomorrow.

When Matt’s teeth scraped at the sensitive skin of his neck, Dex made a strangled sort of sound. For a split second Matt worried that he had hurt him, until Dex tilted his head back against the wall, baring his throat for Matt.

“Do that again.” His voice was breathless. Fucking dangerous. “Matt–”

Matt wrenched himself away, breathing hard. “God.” His own voice was shaking. He ran a hand through his hair to distract himself. “My God, Benjamin.”

“Sorry.” Dex said. His voice had gone a bit high-pitched. “Did I mess up?”

“No, fuck. No.” Matt said hurriedly. “You didn’t do anything wrong. It was me. I–” Matt stepped back, putting some distance between them. “I only meant to say…Criminal justice classes.”

“What?” Dex sounded bewildered. Matt didn’t blame him.

“You’re taking criminal justice classes, right?” Matt didn’t wait for a response before ploughing ahead. “I’m going to be a lawyer. It only makes sense that I give you my number. In case you need any help with homework. Or studying. Or whatever.”

“Oh right.” Dex said. “Right, yeah. That makes perfect sense.”

Matt gave Dex his number. He listened to him tapping it into his phone with shaking fingers. Matt felt a bit shaky himself.

It really had been a hell of a kiss.

Fin