Zoya & Matt Early June | Park | PG

Matt decided to go get some fresh air. He didn’t know what to do with his time now that he wasn’t Hell’s Devil at night. Sure, he had his job as a lawyer, but not exactly an influx of clients on the ship, at least not yet.

Which is why he went for a walk before he headed to the gym. Yes, he currently used his cane, even if he could see. Matt planned to continue appearing blind in this place. Maybe with time he’d feel more comfortable showing his abilities to those on this ship with him, but today didn’t feel like that day. At least not yet.

He did carry a coffee with him, though, wanting a hit of caffeine, while he had a water bottle in his gym bag.

The ship might be large, but it felt as though it were a trap inside of a trap inside of a trap. Zoya hated not being in her homeland, and being here, on this massive thing didn’t help her mood.

When she’d decided to walk the large fake but rather real park to see what was there it helped, but she didn’t want to admit it helped. Her eyes went back and forth everywhere. When she saw a man with a cane, her eyes narrowed. His movements to her felt too practiced but she figured she was seeing things in everyone.

“Excuse me.” She said, almost with an offhand remark, as he got closer to where she was walking

To be fair, Matt had been blind for most of his life at this point. So, he had practice, a lot of it, in appearing perfectly blind. Of course, he still couldn’t make out fine details, so that part would never be faked.

He wished to be home, but so far this felt like a weird long overdue vacation. Of course, he knew in another week or two he probably wouldn’t feel that way anymore, but he’d take it for now.

Matt nodded. “Of course. My apologies.” He stepped out of the way so the woman could pass, although they had enough room to walk by each other. “I’d say lovely weather we’re having, but…” they were still on a ship.

Zoya slowed a little bit, looking at him with a puzzled expression before glancing around the park she wasn’t sure if she should respond to such a strange comment but she decided she would try, at least a little.

“I’ve heard sometimes they’ll make it rain in here, so I suppose you can comment on the weather and it isn’t a waste.” She responded with a temptation to manipulate the wind just to prove a point but she decided against it.

“Well, I guess it’ll really feel like we’re outside then.” Matt didn’t lose the friendliness in his voice, although he also didn’t pick up on her puzzled expression.

He readjusted the gym bag on his arm. “I’m Matt,” the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen commented. “And I thought a walk through the outdoors would clear my head.” As much as one’s head could clear after finding themselves on a ship they’d ever expected. Or…he hadn’t expected. Some seemed to be familiar with the concept.


“I suppose it does,” with that she did push a little air for a light breeze, sometimes she just couldn’t help herself.

“G- Zoya,” she paused, “I’m Zoya,” she offered, dropping the General although slipping up. It was difficult not being in charge here, or not having anyone she was close to here. “And what is it that they have you doing here?” She could try, and it wouldn’t hurt to learn a little bit more.
Matt wondered about the breeze. With this sonar sight he thought the woman to whom he currently spoke caused the breeze with hand gestures, but Matt didn’t want to assume. In this place, he would need to learn more.

“Nice to meet you, Zoya.” Matt sounded amused. “Lawyer. I’m a lawyer back home, so it appears that’s my job here. Although, I’m not sure how much need for law there will be on this ship. How about you?”

“You don’t look as stuffy as most lawyers.” It was stated as fact, nothing more, nothing less. She studied him, there were too many people here that weren’t what they seemed and she wondered if he was one of them. “And I wouldn’t be so sure there won’t be much for you to do, they seem to enjoy their rules on this ship and when there are rules, there are always need for lawyers.”

“I’ve been assigned as a tactical trainer and working in the creative labs.” She didn’t add that it was to specialize in the small sciences. She didn’t think many here would even understand what they were outside of Inej and Kaz.

Matt didn’t quite know how to respond to her comment, but joked “Most lawyers get paid in money and my partner and I get paid in things like pie.” Most of their clients couldn’t afford to hire them with actual money.

He nodded. “That’s a good point. Hopefully most accept the rules. But I will definitely be available for any issues.”

“That sounds fun? Maybe? Is your background similar?” Matt found he so far liked this conversation, even if he didn’t know how he felt about Zoya.

“Is bartering for food not common for where you are from?” Of course, Zoya would prefer to be paid in local money. She also understood that bartering was a perfectly acceptable transactional form, and there was nothing wrong with it.

“There will always be a few that don’t. Some are incapable of following the rules,” her mind drifted to Nina. While she might sound harsh about it, her true feelings were a little different on the subject.

“I’ve trained many soldiers, and my skills do lend themselves to the creative labs, as does my knowledge,” she didn’t add that the dragon and Juris also had skills that were worthwhile in the labs.

“Not usually no. People generally use money as payment for services and food. But, we like to help those who need it, so we’re not going to be upset about a strawberry rhubarb pie.” Or bananas or anything else.

Given that Matt lived a secret life as a masked vigilante, he didn’t think he should judge rule followers or not. Which is why he worked as a lawyer, not a judge.

“I don’t have nearly that type of background, so I’m impressed you have two roles, Zoya.”

“So, you and your partners are bleeding heart types?” She half asked, half stated. She didn’t mean it negatively necessarily, it was simply a fact and she did believe that everyone had the right to food and such.

Zoya shrugged and remembered he was blind so added. “It is just simply what it is.” She knew her skills were unparalleled and that again, was just a fact. “But,” she added. “There are many new kinds of skills here I am sure I have yet to see.”

---

“Partner, but yeah you could say so.” Matt would always possess a bleeding heart. He couldn’t imagine a day that didn’t happen. “I didn’t go into law for the money or prestige.” Although Matt wouldn’t mind a paying client now and again.

“I think half the fun of being on this ship is meeting the new people and learning of their skills. I doubt I’m going to make the acquaintance of some people here back home.” Like Kiriona the daughter of the God from her world.

Zoya nodded, keeping in mind that it was just one partner instead of more. “Well, if you two are happy,” she shrugged as if that made it okay, or perhaps not. She was pretty curious about that.

“That is true. After all, I recently discovered that none of the counties I am familiar with are particularly well known for most here, so it would be conceivably impossible to meet the same people in our respecting worlds.”

“I don’t know if I’d say Foggy is happy. He did seem a little let down when we didn’t take up the large law firm’s offer.” For Matt, though, he would never be happy in such a firm and Foggy would follow his best friend to their own in a much less nice office.

“Where do you call home?” Matt probably wouldn’t know it, but it still seemed polite to ask. “New York is my home.”

“Why didn’t you take it if your partner seemed keen on it?” She could understand there were reasons for that, but she also figured both should have an option for the lives they wanted, as long as they weren’t at wae.

“Ravka,” she said somehow seeming to stand up even straighter. “Oh, you’re one of those people from the United States, I’ve only heard of it.” And read about it, after someone told her about Texas she did some reading. “It is on an earth, similar but as I am also learning very different.”

“Well, while he’s my best friend, we weren’t business partners yet and…I wanted to do good. The firm…wasn’t bleeding heart.” Matt shrugged. “Foggy is always up for an adventure with me, so I have that going for me.”

He nodded running fingers through his probably tousled hair, but he never could get his hair to look great. “I’m one of those people from the United States. What’s Ravka like?”

Zoya still thought the name Foggy was absurd but didn’t day anything about it. “Well, I suppose you can count yourself lucky with your friendship.” She said instead of any of the other comments she had on her mind.

“Constantly trying to survive,” she answered as if that actually answered the question. “Nothing as modern as this place seems to be.” She added waving a hand up at park indicating the ship they were on.

To be fair, Foggy was a nickname and not Foggy’s actual name. “I do.” He wondered about her, but didn’t say anything else. If she wanted to ask questions, she could.

“No, I don’t believe anything this modern even exists in my world,” Matt commented. He didn’t press the subject of where she called home, given that some places seemed truly terrible.

“You don’t have space crafts flying around different worlds?” Zoya asked raising an eyebrow as she turned to look at him. He seemed to be from a world potentially more modern than her own. She found it crazy to be in space when they’d just recently figured out how to build submarines.

“I meant more so spacecraft with artificial parks, although I could be wrong, having not actually been on a spaceship. Aliens definitely exist in my world.” And caused a lot of fucking headaches if you asked Matt.

“Aliens?” Zoya raised one eyebrow as she looked over at Matt. “That has to be something interesting to see, although I suppose it depends on if they are trying to kill you or not.” Her voice was dry as if she expected that to be the case, usually people from other places weren’t known to be exactly friendly.

Matt chuckled. “New York looked a lot different after the aliens invaded.” He didn’t mention Loki, just in case Loki ever showed up in this place. The last thing Matt wanted? Make an enemy or give people an impression of someone they hadn’t met.

“No, they definitely didn’t show up with gifts. Or smiles.”

“I suppose anytime something, or someone is hellbent on invasion it’s very rarely to deliver pies and drinks,” she sighed thinking of the battle she’d left behind by coming here. “I hope the damage wasn’t something that couldn’t be fixed.”

“I wish they’d shown up with pies. Yes, they’d still be invading, but at least we’d get pies out of the deal.” He grinned and then sighed, thinking about the buildings. “They caused a lot of damage. The kind that requires time, patience, and money to fix. And I don’t know about your world, but mine is not big on the first two and those with money rarely want to part with it to help the greater good.”

Zoya smirked. “Friendly invasions are still invasions just with less upfront bloodshed.” She paused thinking about his next comment, in some ways the rich were a problem for Ravka but one of the wealthiest people in the whole country shared with ease. “I suppose that is overall true, but there are a few good people out there that want to share their weath. The issue with patience however is a vastly more challenging topic.”

Matt missed the noise of New York City, the way white noise enveloped his days and nights. Here, it felt almost too quiet and he struggled to filter out conversations and private moments, even though he wanted to do so. A lot.

“You aren’t wrong,” he commented with a grin. “I appreciate the help from the few willing to donate resources. Patience always seems to be a vastly more challenging topic.” Few could exercise it. Matt liked to think he possessed some at least.

"Well, it was nice meeting you." Zoya said shrugging. "I have work to do." Nodding her head she turned to leave.