Who: Matt and Jessica What: Meeting up for a drink and a chat When: backdated to Mar. 2nd Where: Lou’s Warning: low Status: Completed via Gdoc
Normally, Jessica avoided socializing with people except for a few select individuals in town. Lucky for Matt (or perhaps unlucky), he happened to be one of the few that Jessica could tolerate for more than a few seconds. Plus, it always helped to have plenty of alcohol around to make the occasion more tolerable. So, they made plans to meet up at Lou’s and the brunette arrived first.
Taking a seat on one of the stools, Jessica quickly waved over the bartender and ordered herself a whiskey. In no time, he’d poured her drink and nudged it towards her on the counter. Nodding, Jessica lifted the glass to her lips and took a much needed sip.
Matt made his way to Lou’s. He liked the variety of bars in this place, but Lou’s felt the most like home to him. Not too upscale or club like, not that he disliked that atmosphere on occasion. But, this felt like getting drinks with Foggy and Karen.
Hell’s devil liked Jessica. She knew future him, but he liked her attitude and the fact that she didn’t give a fuck most of the time. “Jessica,” he greeted her with a grin. “I’ll have whatever ale you have on tap.” Matt liked beer and while he would usually get a bottle, he decided to give a draught beer a chance.
“So, how’s life?” he asked, while he waited for his beer.
Jessica swallowed her sip of whiskey as Matt claimed the empty stool beside her. Matt had grown on her back home and while Jessica wasn’t a fan of relying on anyone, but herself, she knew that if she ever ended up in a tight spot, Matt would help her get out of it. Or put her into it. Regardless, he’d left an impression on Jessica Jones and it happened to be a rare, favorable one. Granted, she knew the future version of him, but there was obviously similarities between that Matt and the one sitting beside her now.
“Taking your life into your hands with that order,” Jessica commented and promptly earned herself a scowl from the bartender as he filled Matt’s mug. Ignoring the bartender, she turned her attention to Matt, shifting on her bar stool so that she was facing him.
“About as surprisingly unshitty as it was yesterday. I’m almost disappointed. What about yourself? How goes being a suit and tie guy twenty-four seven?”
Matt couldn’t help the chuckle which emerged at Jessica’s words. “As though I don’t do that on a regular basis back home.” Although, if the beer tasted terrible, he’d probably just ask for a bottle of Bud or something. Matt’s tastes ranged from cheap and simple to a little less cheap and a little less simple. He lived on Chinese takeout and beer from Josie’s.
“Is the bartender giving you a look?” Matt could obviously make out outlines and such, but never specific features.
“Well, we can’t have it be unshitty for you. Where’s the fun in that?” He teased his friend. Matt shrugged. “I’m doing okay at the law firm. Met a woman at speed dating. Turns out she’s exes with the other lawyer at the firm. Not weird at all.” Hell’s devil liked Eve, though, and as far as he could tell, Kristof moved on, not that he wouldn’t back off if it seemed the pair wanted to rekindle things.
At his response, Jessica smirked. “I’ll drink to that,” she replied and lifted her glass to her lips for another sip of whiskey. Despite her best efforts, Jessica somehow always managed to get wrapped up in hero gigs. Jessica didn’t consider herself a hero. In fact, she didn’t truly believe heroes even existed. Though, if there was one who came close, it was probably the blind man seated next to her.
Jessica nodded as she swallowed her mouthful of whiskey. “Yep. It’s because I insulted his ale. It’s all good we have a love-hate relationship.” Truthfully, Jessica didn’t know the bartender from any other bartender here. She just enjoyed giving him a hard time for the hell of it.
“Oh yeah, where is the fun in that?” Jessica retorted, looking down into her half empty glass. It said something when the worst thing in her life was that her ward had decided to paint her bedroom pink. Enid was far too perky for Jessica’s standards.
When he spoke about the woman he met at speed dating, Jessica arched a brow. “Obviously our definitions of weird vary from other people given our backgrounds, but still, that is fucking awkward.” Or had the potential to be. “Not that it would stop you. You’re far too fucking stubborn for that.”
Matt grinned and took a swig from the mug of beer placed in front of him. He may have, in fact, taken his life into his hands with this beer choice, but he didn’t think it would kill him. Probably. Possibly? Hell’s devil would certainly argue he was no hero; just a guy who wanted the world to be a little safer and better. “Hey, whatever works for you two,” Matt joked, through another sip of beer. He certainly enjoyed ribbing a bartender or two. Just ask Josie. However, he hadn’t been here long enough to work up to that particular reportee.
“How’s the ward doing?” Matt asked, as if reading his friend’s mind. “Can’t have you with an unshitty life,” he said, clearly meaning the opposite.
“Our definitions of weird definitely vary given our backgrounds. But yeah, it’s a bit awkward. Especially since she’s a ghost six months of the year. And the other six months she has a sword that doesn’t really leave her side.” Matt liked Eve, though, and found he enjoyed conversations with her and spending time with her.
“As long as he keeps my glass full, he’s currently my favorite person.” Right on cue, Jessica polished off her whiskey and placed it back on the counter. The brunette nudged it towards the bartender who offered an eye roll then begrudgingly refilled it.
If she was going to talk about Enid, she needed to drink some whiskey first. Jessica took a sip, letting the liquid burn its way down her throat, then turned to face Matt again. “She’s fine I guess. Thankfully, she is pretty self-sufficient.” If Jessica had to take care of a baby or toddler, they would all be in trouble.
At his description, Jessica smirked and shook her head. “You sure know how to pick them, Matthew.” The brunette sipped her whiskey. Jessica had her own terrible track record so she couldn’t judge and wouldn’t.
Matt huffed out a laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He still had beer left, but Matt did start drinking after Jessica. The nudge brought a smirk to his face. After all, Matt could hear it and kind of see it in his own way.
“Self-sufficiency seems like a good thing. I don’t know her, obviously.” Although Enid came across as extremely bubbly and friendly, not words he’d use to describe Jessica. Matt felt overly glad he didn’t have a ward at this point.
“Don’t I?” he commented, and then paused to take a sip of his beer, enjoying the burning sensation. “I blame speed dating,” he continued with a smirk, knowing full well that Jessica signed him up for speed dating.
“Be thankful.” Jessica wished she didn’t know her. Enid was too much on a good day. The pink. The obnoxious chatter. It was more than Jessica could bear most days. They had nothing in common and Jessica was fine with keeping her distance from Enid as much as possible.
Jessica had set him up for speed daring , but who Matt ended up falling for was not Jessica’s fault. “Don’t blame me for the situation you’re in now,” Jessica retorted. “I just signed you up. I didn’t tell you to fall for a ghost with a semi-permanent sword strapped to her back. You did that all on your own.”
Matt chuckled. “She seems like the clear opposite of you and that’s just from her posts on the network.” While Matt could handle friendly and bubbly, given his best friend, Enid seemed like she bathed in it on a regular basis. Whereas Jessica Jones did not.
“I don’t know if I’d do it again,” Matt admitted. “It got kind of overwhelming, but I do appreciate your signing me up.” The Devil of Hell’ Kitchen grinned at the retort. “I really did. How the hell did I manage that?”
Jessica rolled her eyes. “You think?” The girl was too much for Jessica Jones. Thankfully, she was self-sufficient so Jessica did not have to interact with her too much. If she did, she would be buying a brand new bottle of aspirin every week.
“I got thrown under the bus a few times when it came to speed dating. It’s far too much socializing for my tastes.” And given Jessica didn’t do relationships, it felt like a pointless endeavor. Her relationship with Sherlock was a rarity. “But at least you got something out of it. Even if she sounds like a whole lot of trouble for you.” Not that Matt couldn’t handle trouble. Trouble should be his middle name at this point.
“At least she’s a teenager.” He did not see the eye roll obviously, but could hear the exasperation in his friend’s voice. How the hell Jessica ended up with Enid was anyone’s guess.
Matt could probably legally change his name to Matthew Trouble Murdock and nobody would bat an eye. “I’m not surprised to hear it was a bit much socializing.” Truthfully, Matt found it a bit overwhelming as well as far as socializing went. Sure, he could charm and take women home, but generally? Matt preferred time with Foggy and Karen.
“Because I’ve never invited trouble into my life. Ever,” he joked. “I’m a good Catholic boy.” While Matt might believe in Catholicism and God, he knew how not good a Catholic he was.
“And we both know I am as antisocial as they come.” Jessica preferred to be alone. If she took anyone home, it was never with the intent for it to be permanent. Somehow, she’d managed to have a relationship here and to actually have friends. But that did not mean she went out of her way to be social.
When he said he was a ‘good Catholic boy,’ Jessica started laughing. She managed to get out a ‘bullshit’ before she started chuckling again. Matt might have been that once, but not anymore. Shaking her head, Jessica finally stopped laughing and took another drink of her whiskey. “You invited trouble the moment you put that mask on, Matthew.”
“I do know, but it’s part of your charm, Jess.” Matt smirked. He might not know Jessica Jones from home yet, but he did know her from here and liked her. Even if she might be anti-social. The fact she was in a relationship surprised Matt, but he certainly felt happy for her.
He laughed along with her. “I found it hard to keep a straight face even saying so.” Matt grew up a good Catholic boy, but given his nightly escapades? He aligned more with the Devil than he cared to admit.
“I did. But I regret nothing.” Even if it hurt Foggy, at first.
“I’m pretty sure most people would disagree with you.” Which was Jessica’s goal all along. If people didn’t like her, they didn’t want to be around her. Hence, there would be no pointless socialization involved. It was a win-win situation.
Jessica smirked. “I’m surprised you managed to. You actually have a halfway decent poker face.” Even without a mask, Jessica couldn’t escape her own form of escapades. At least here, she didn’t have to be a hero. For someone like Matt that wanted to be a hero, it could be harder to adjust to life as a semi normal person. Even for Jessica it hadn’t been the easiest.
“I’m not surprised by that. You want to be a hero, Matt. No matter what it might cost you in the end.” Jessica polished off her second glass of whiskey and set it down on the bar top. “That’s the difference between the two of us. I never wanted to be a hero. Still don’t.” She waved the bartender over for a refill before turning to face Matt.
“You sick of that ale yet?”
Matt laughed. “As is your ultimate goal.” It didn’t take long for Matt Murdock to pick up on Jessica Jones’s cues. “Too bad you’re stuck with me.” He offered his gets away with murder smile.
“Well, I’m glad someone appreciates my somewhat good poker face,” he joked. Matt couldn’t stop his desire to help people in need. Of course, in this place, didn’t need him and the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen didn’t quite know what to do with himself. At least with Fight Club Matt could let out a little steam.
“I’m definitely moving on to something besides this ale.” Matt grew serious, a tautness taking over his body. “Sometimes I wish I cared less, but I don’t. Maybe my life would be easier, but someone built me to care when I hear someone in distress.
“As long as you don’t develop an unhealthy obsession with pink and talk a mile a minute, I think I can live with that.” Jessica was obviously referring to Enid. The girl loved pink and could talk your ear off. Thankfully Sherlock was around to take some of the heat off of Jessica. If it was just the two of them? It could very well get ugly.
Jessica shrugged. “I felt it was the least I could do.” No, she doubted Matt would stop helping people. Even here, he would find someone to save. People like him didn’t just hang up the mask and walk away. Nope. That kind of devotion to good was in his blood.
When the bartender came over to refill her glass, Jessica nodded toward Matt’s half-empty glass of ale. “Give him a beer and make it something good.” The bartender looked annoyed, but he refilled Jessica’s whiskey and brought Matt a beer. Jessica nodded to the bottle. “Try that.”
His words momentarily surprised Jessica, but the brunette had a stellar poker face of her own. “You can’t, Matt. It’s not in you not to care.” And deep down, Jessica knew it wasn’t in her not to care either. She just really liked to pretend it was.
A wrinkle of the nose. “I don’t think you have to worry about that, Jess. Although, with this place, I suppose nothing is impossible.” He took a sip of the new beer. Much better. “Good choice.” Matt did worry slightly about Jessica Jones having a pink obsessed and chatty ward. Neither of those things described Jessica Jones at all.
He couldn’t stop helping people. The need to help engrained itself so deeply in Matt’s soul that he didn’t think he could separate the two anymore, even if he wanted to do so.
“At least it’s part of my charm,” he quipped with a grin. Matt’s expression grew serious. “No, I can’t not care.” Truthfully, Matt thought the same could be said of his friend too, as much as she tried to pretend otherwise.
“I’m not. If you suddenly become a pink-obsessed chatty Cathy, I’ll just avoid you like the plague.” Jessica was joking. Mostly. “And you’re welcome.” The ale was gross and Jessica just saved him from ruining the rest of his night.
Jessica laughed. “You keep telling yourself that,” she replied sarcastically. She supposed someone found a man with a hero complex attractive, but it wasn’t Jessica. Probably because she’d never needed a hero to save her in the first place. The brunette reluctantly raised her glass towards him.
“To not being able to not care.”
Matt grinned. “If that happens, please put me out of my misery or wait a few days for the Dome to right itself.”
“To not being able to not care.” He clinked his glass against his friend’s glass.