Who: Karl, Hope, Matt, and Lydia What: At the fair, but Matt gets to be a hero When: Sept 19 Where: The Fair Rating: low
Hope was excited for an evening out with her husband. Nita was just a bit too young for the fair, though she did plan to bring her to the fair for the sights and sounds and maybe some cotton candy another day. Tonight she was going to have a nice night with her husband and Hope was deeply looking forward to it.
Holding Karl’s hand, she took in the lights and sounds of the fairground. “I haven’t been to one of these places in years. This looks like a big one too.” Hope was excited - maybe more than someone her age ‘should’ be, but she didn’t care. She enjoyed the fast rides, it was thrilling on its own, but also thrilling with the thoughts of some of the people on the ride at the same time.
“I hope you plan to win me some sort of oversized stuffed animal tonight.” She grinned, eyes playful.
Karl was rather happy that Nick agreed to babysit so he and Hope could enjoy a date night. While Karl didn’t particularly care for a fair, he wanted to go if said fair made his gorgeous wife happy. Besides, it would offer some chaos of the more innocent variety.
“So where do you want to go first?” Karl groaned, but added, “Without growling at the carny, you mean?” He mostly teased his wife.
The werewolf stopped and inhaled for a moment and his eyes glittered in a rare show of mischief when he looked back at Hope. “I might smell the man Eve’s been seeing. Should we go introduce ourselves?”
Matt didn’t know why he’d shown up at the fair, although the idea of bringing Eve on a date didn’t sound too bad to the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. He wanted to get a feel for it first, though, so he could figure out whether or not he could navigate it.
He felt a little out of sorts as of late. This new place offered a lot more sensory overload than the previous Madison.
“I don’t mind if there’s a growl or two.” Hope was biased, but Karl growling was hot nine times out of ten.
She looked over to where Karl indicated and her eyebrows shot up a little. They’d heard by now, but it was still interesting to see the man who has caught the eye of Eve Levine. Hope noticed the cane. “I didn’t know he was blind.” He was also handsome, but she suspected that to be the case if Eve was into him.
“As long as you promise not to threaten him before he at least introduces himself.” She teased, but this was a ‘yes’ from Hope.
Karl offered his wife his patented wolfish grin. “I know you don’t.” He definitely ensured he growled in the bedroom. Colour Karl curious who might grab Eve’s attention. Blind, though, hadn’t registered as a possibility, but objectively attractive? Definitely. Truthfully, though, the werewolf couldn’t picture her with anyone other than Kristof, not unlike him and Hope, but look at Elena. She’d fallen in love with a human.
“I promise to wait until we’re at least gotten through introductions.” Karl wrapped an arm around Hope’s waist as the pair made their way to the other man.
Matt hated when he pretended he couldn’t hear people…or see them, especially when he could tell they were talking about him. Obviously he knew quite a few people from Eve’s world ended up in Madison, including her daughter who still worked at the law office.
He decided to use the opportunity to sit at the bench he knew to be within five feet of him. Thankfully he could use his cane to ascertain nobody else sat there, even while he knew nobody had sat there yet. They could pass pleasantries while he sat, giving him time to adjust to all the sounds.
It was convenient that the man sat down, though she hoped now that he wasn’t going to feel ambushed or something. Still, they kept heading over, Hope’s fingers intertwined with Karl’s.
“Hi there.” She announced themselves as they approached as to not just ‘suddenly’ appear to the man. “Sorry to bother you, we just wanted to introduce ourselves. We’re friends of Eve.” That wasn’t too strange of an introduction, right?
Karl preferred if Hope took the lead in these situations. He could be charming when it suited him, of course, or Hope’s mom wouldn’t love him as much as she did. But, Hope still fared better at helping people feel at ease. “And my lovely wife is Hope. I’m Karl.” Karl didn’t hold out his hand, though, and watched the man instead.
Matt preferred that they finally approach rather than talking about him. He offered them his trademarked grin. “Hello. I’m Matt. Friends from here or friends from home?” At the moment, Matt couldn’t remember if Savannah or Eve mentioned them like they had Paige, Lucas, and Sean.
“Beautiful day. Are you two enjoying yourselves?”
Oops. She was so excited to meet Matt she forgot to introduce herself. At least she took a bit of solace in the fact he was blind so she could look a little sheepish and he wouldn’t know. “Both. We only just met her back home.” It was a bit complicated with Karl being from a bit later, but she thought that was an easier way to sum it up. She didn’t think Karl was having conversations with Eve Levine on his own when she was still stuck in the afterlife. She also knew Matt at least knew Eve was dead. “But we heard a lot about her and we’ve gotten to know her better here. I know Savannah more.” Hope saw no reason to lie.
Karl looked at his wife and shook his head at her sheepish expression, before he gently squeezed her fingers. “Sometimes she gets very excited meeting new people.” Which he loved about Hope.
“We are enjoying ourselves, thanks. How about you?” He nodded, although didn’t add anything to what Hope said about Eve, given he’d only found himself a few weeks ahead of his wife back home. She’d summed it up perfectly. Karl even managed not to roll his eyes about Savannah. “Eve and I might actually be friends,” he joked, more to his wife than to Matt.
Matt grinned. “Nice to meet you both.” He wished he still had coffee or something to drink. And, even with his ability to see he couldn’t make out the specific expression that Hope wore.
“I’m glad you’ve gotten a chance to know Eve more,” Matt responded honestly. “She’s wonderful. And Savannah kicks ass at work.” Honestly, the law firm probably wouldn’t run as well as it did without her. The sounds kept playing in his head and Matt would need to go home soon. The fair did not seem like a good date idea for him and Eve unless she wanted him distracted the whole time, which didn’t seem particularly fun.
Hope opened her mouth to ask Matt a question and she was suddenly flooded with images. She saw a man with a knife. He was approaching a red head she recognized as Lydia, Theo’s mate, and he was very intent on plunging that thing into her. The anger and resentment was strong. She reached out to Karl as she looked around with wide eyes, trying to pinpoint where it was. “Someone wants to kill Lydia.” She was speaking low so Karl could hear, not knowing that what they say about blind people and their other senses was true. “...blue hoodie.” She strained to remember details. “Headphones. He’s angry.”
Karl did not particularly care about Lydia, but Theo was Pack and so Karl didn’t want anything to happen to his mate, like he’d hope Theo would feel about Hope. He did not notice Matt standing as he’d closed his eyes, focusing his nose on what he could. While he’d never have the nose of his Alpha (nor did he want Elena’s nose), Karl still didn’t have the worst nose, If he didn’t mind the indignity, he’d probably use his nose more often.
He turned to excuse himself and said, “Where…did he go?”
Matt could have heard every word the pair spoke if they’d been on top of the Ferris Wheel. Usually he’d filter it out of his brain, to afford the pair privacy, but Matt could hear the man in the blue hoodie. While Eve’s friends spoke, Matt wasted no time and ducked through the crowds, intent on helping Lydia.
Hope wasn’t sure, but she was closing her eyes to try and see if she could feel the guy’s anger again. Sometimes she could feel their thoughts more than once and she was determined to help Lydia. Her expression soured with a frown as she tried to get an answer, but it was slow going.
For Lydia’s part, she was simply waiting in line for lemonade. However the guy spotted her and was coming toward her. He was a fellow grad student who had asked her out a few times and wasn’t good at taking no for an answer. Not that Lydia knew she was in trouble or anything.
Karl looked around and muttered, “Where the hell did the blind guy go?” He refocused his attention on his wife, though, while she tried to pick up chaos vibes. The werewolf could only be so much help in an area with this many people.
Matt moved rather well for a blind guy, but anyone who didn’t move out of his way fast enough apologized to him, although one definitely muttered, Maybe slow down if you can’t see. He made his way to the redhead, although he didn’t know her hair colour.
When the guy in the hoodie approached Lydia, Matt very succinctly said, “I don’t think you want to do that thing.” The guy in the hoodie stopped briefly, a look of confusion crossing his face. “No, it’s fine, she’s my girlfriend.” Unfortunately for the guy, Matt heard his conversations with Lydia.
“Her boyfriend isn’t you.”
Lydia turned around because while she’d been in her own head thinking about what she was going to do next, she wasn’t completely oblivious to the world around her. She saw the guy and looked surprised, but not in a good way. “Chad?” Then she processed what he said and she looked angry. “Are you kidding me? We’ve talked about this. And this?” She took a step forward, pointing at him in circle motion, completely unaware he had a weapon. “This is pathetic. Now you’re what? Going to go around and tell people we’re dating in some weird, twisted fantasy? No thank you.”
Chad did not seem to like the verbal beratement. Where Lydia went ‘wrong’ was she thought Chad was all talk, but whatever the reason, he’d been pushed into action. So he let out a frustrated sound and lunged at her.
If Matt could have face palmed he would have done so. However, given he could sense the weapon, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen did not have time. Without hesitating, Matt’s fist connected with Chad’s face as his leg slid under Chad’s so he lost his balance. Matt wasted no time and grabbed the weapon. “I’ll take that.” To Lydia he asked much more softly, “Are you okay? If you are, call the cops. If not, I can.” Chad groaned and Matt’s voice came out harsh. “When a woman says no that does not mean come at her with a weapon.”
Apparently he didn’t need to worry, because a security guard appeared, obviously near enough to hear the commotion.
Lydia was surprised, but the surprise quickly melted into annoyance. She was about to close the distance to where Chad was and really give him a piece of her mind, but suddenly Hope was there and she put a hand on Lydia’s shoulder. Hope didn’t know Lydia all that well, but she knew Lydia was fiercely independent - she knew a few people like that. “She’s fine.”
“She’s pissed.” Lydia said, but she stayed in one place. She wasn’t really registering how many people were here so coincidentally. At least, not yet.
Hope looked at the young man on the ground getting picked up by the security guard and then to her husband with an air of ‘well that is interesting’. “Looks like you showed up just in time.” She spoke to Matt, though she didn’t sound accusatory.
Karl could understand Lydia’s feelings, because he’d feel the same way. Personally, he really wanted to know how Matt beat them here. And disarmed Chad that well and that quickly. Looked like Eve’s tastes catered more towards vigilante, which honestly surprised him. Instead he nodded at Hope’s air of well that is interesting.
Matt, for his part, stood there and looked at Chad again. “Never draw a weapon again in this town and leave Lydia the hell alone. Her no should have been enough, but apparently it wasn’t.” Which, honestly, was annoying Matt more than anything.
“Sorry, Lydia.” To Hope, he shrugged, not quite ready to give up his secret, but not unwilling if the conversation continued. “It’s a talent.”
Hope had to smile wryly. It was definitely an interesting talent. Hope was impressed and she was definitely going to ask Eve about him now.
Lydia sighed as she watched Chad get pulled to his feet and dragged away with his head down like a hurt puppy. Seriously. He was lucky, too, considering Matt hadn’t hurt him too much. “Thank you.” She said to Matt. “I owe you a drink sometime.” She flashed him a smile, though it was in her voice too. Not flirty, but the sort of confidence that came with facing down death a lot and being determined not to let it get to you.
“Well now I want a lemonade too.” Hope looked at Karl with a smile. “Matt, did you want to join us, or do you have plans elsewhere?”
Karl didn’t much care if Matt joined them or not, although he certainly found himself with questions. He returned his wife’s smile.
Matt grinned. “No, you don’t owe me anything. It’s all part of the Matt Murdock experience,” he joked. Hell’s Devil could flirt with the best of them and never have it mean anything, like with Lydia.
“Sure, I could go for lemonade.” He didn’t know if he’d answer their questions, but Matt thought Eve might appreciate him getting to know her friends from home.