Entry tags:

!complete, matt murdock (daredevil), presto

Who: Matt Murdock daredevil & Presto callmepresto
What: Windows is Sponsored by Satan
When: Saturday, September 10
Where: Canyon Community Park
Rating: Audience Discretion is Advised
Warnings: Matt can have a foul mouth, discussion of violence against the Windows OS is highly likely, and Presto is an unknown to him.
Status: Complete Upon Posting

~*~

"You have got to be kidding me."

Matt literally thought he was going to tear his hair out. His computer ran off voice operations which he relied on to be able to use the internet as a sighted person would, but, currently, the machine was refusing to do anything except ask him if he wanted to upgrade to Windows 10 before the free upgrade expired. No. No, he did not want to upgrade. Upgrading meant a possible failure of his screen viewer. Not upgrading was supposed to avoid the problem of interfering with his screen viewer.

He'd run the pond loop at Canyon Community park before settling in at a picnic table off the side of the playground. The sounds of children playing were easier on his ears than the sounds of irritable shoppers at a shopping center or stressed out students at a library. Matt had internet access at all times courtesy of subscribing to three different carriers of varying provider types. It might never snow in space, but Matt Murdock was not losing a billion-dollar deal because his internet connection was interrupted on its way from space to him.

"No, I do not want to upgrade."

'Please click here to continue your upgrade to the Windows 10 Experience.'

Taking his shades off to lay them on the table, Matt ground his fists into his sightless eyes as he gritted out once again, "I do not want to upgrade. Do. Not. Upgrade."

What the Hell was he supposed to do if the thing didn't respond to him? Take it to a repair person who'd put on a patronizing tone for the poor blind guy who couldn't work his computer? Great. Fantastic even. Matt couldn't wait.

~*~

“Ah, sir. I know a fix for that.” Presto had been out jogging when he spotted and heard the poor man’s computer arguing with him. Presto had seen enough of that problem that he had developed several curve arounds, and blocks, and the amount of wrestling it had taken had forever increased his respect for those who had computer issues.

Presto’s voice was respectful, but not pitying. And truthfully, he hadn’t yet realized that the man was blind. Presto had a one track mind, and he had focused on what he knew. His hands had brought his computer bag around (Yes he ran with it, shhh, he needed it sometimes.) and had started to check to see if he had his tools with him (which he did), as he slowed and approached the man.

“I’m a computer engineer, working at UC: Irvine, and ah… I could stop the Windows beast for you.”

***

Dropping his hands to the table in front of him, Matt's eyes fixed on nothing ahead of him as he smiled. Kind voice. Smart. Sharp and young. His heartbeat put him in good physical condition and he smelled of the outdoors which Matt instantly felt better about. Lately it seemed as if he could count on someone saying some kind of hello on every run he took. This time, it seemed he was the one who needed saving whereas the last time it'd been him playing the hero for the breathless fellow getting beaten down by the trail.

"Windows is sponsored by Satan. I'm Catholic and I firmly believe this. If I had any holy water on me? I'd douse this thing in it to prove it."

Matt was only half joking.

Sliding the laptop over to his side where he could sense his knight of electronic disarmament, Matt asked, "Do you perform exorcisms for Windows users often?"

~*~

Presto snickered as he sat down and pulled out his tools, turning on his portable toolbox, and plugged it into the computer. He quickly ran up a program to suppress the update programs, and subjugate the underlying program that told the Windows servers it needed to analyze the computer.

“A lot more often lately. With the Windows 10 push to update all the computers they can, it’s become a pretty horrendous thing, lately.” Presto kept working as he glanced at the other, and almost missed keys as he realized the man was blind.

“Wow. Must be even more frustrating dealing with their interface software.”

***

"Because I'm blind? Yes. You could say it makes it considerably more challenging. I have to make certain it doesn't upgrade to the 10 until my screen reader comes out with a version compatible with the OS update. Otherwise? I can't work and when I can't work? Very rich people get very angry with me."

Matt didn't mention he got very angry with them in return. He had spent his entire life working on anger management issues. Lately, he'd been having Dreams where he was a man who channeled his rage at the world into violence; Matt Murdock did not want to wake up every morning feeling as if he were turning into The Devil of Hell's Kitchen. He wanted to remain the man he was here and now---even if he was grateful for the ability to "see" more of his environment than he ever had been able to before courtesy of his Dreams.

There weren't a lot of people who'd do what this man was doing for him for free. Matt wondered what motivated him. It could have been anything from passion for his work to an obsession with the dynamics of software repair. He'd spent the first few years of his life obsessing over how to blend in with a sighted world as a blind person. Blending in had become something Matt learned how to do before he learned how to tie his own shoes. His parents were to thank for that. They'd wanted him to feel normal because to them? He had been normal. He'd been their son. He'd been loved.

Now, Matt was alone with his work and his Dreams and if he let himself sink too deeply into either he knew it wouldn't be long before he became someone other than his parents' son.

"Thank you for helping me. I'm Matt Murdock. I'd offer to shake your hand, but I can hear you're working."

~*~

“In that case, I’ll be sure to reinforce the anti-update software. And set up a digital ping for when your software’s company does find a new update.” he smiled a little as he worked, fingers fairly flying across the keyboard.

Presto was normally a hardware man, but some things he understood so well, he crossed the aisle, so to speak, to help with. And Windows and its propensity for forced updating and adapting of individually owned hardware was one of those.

Presto believed people should control their own destinies. And if he couldn’t, because of the dreams, he could still try. And that was what he did. He did things because he believed in them.

“Not long now. And I’ll gladly shake your hand. Helping people is why I got into computers in the first place. There’s so much technology, rolling out faster than modern life lets us understand. So there is need for someone to be around and help when inevitably there is a problem caused by that breach of understanding.” Presto nodded.

***

Matt couldn't help raising his eyebrows in surprise and amusement as he listened to the computer engineer talk. The guy might consider a career in law with his vocabulary. He was really careful to use neutral words which didn't condemn or approve of the software in question. It was a tactic Matt had learned very quickly himself when dealing with cranky international clients. Sometimes an expression alone could be enough to upset a fragile merger which was why he tried to school his expression when he worked.

When he was on his own time, Matt didn't police himself nearly as well which was why he admitted, "I'm currently thinking you'd make an amazing lawyer. You've got the 'stay neutral at all times' rule down pat. Have you ever considered switching careers? I know I wouldn't mind having an apprentice around who could slay Microsoft dragons for me."

He was hoping to be more useful as a mentor to aspiring law students. Matt enjoyed the idea of passing on the positive things he'd learned over his career, especially with his nights being filled up with visions of himself breaking the law or subverting it in some way. It was a nice reminder he could still be a good man no matter what kind of man he was in his Dreams. Those Dreams could enhance his life without changing it for the worse. Matt was still in control of his own destiny.

"You make it sound so easy. Set up a ping for this or suppress that. It's all abstract to me," Matt offered his hand for a shake, "I was born blind though so unless you count what I 'see' in my Dreams? The whole world is a miracle of abstract art."

~*~

“Me, a lawyer?” Presto lifted his eyes to the other man, and stared. “I--- have never thought about it. My dad encouraged my engineering skills when I was a kid and… ever since, I’ve been doing that. I wouldn’t know what to do as a lawyer, or even how to start.” Which was not to say he wasn’t intrigued, not, not at all. He was very intrigued.

But... wow. A lawyer? Him?

He flushed as the other man said he made it sound so easy, and got back to work. He was nearly done, though, so he slowed as he thought. “Well, it’s not so much that it’s easy, as that I know this sort of thing well, now. Ever since Microsoft rolled out its advanced update and upgrade policy, it has been catching a lot of people off guard, including a lot of the companies responsible for creating new versions of software. They’re still scrambling, a lot of them, to catch up. Most of the time, an OS rollout takes from two to five years. Microsoft has rolled out Windows 10 from option to nearly mandatory in less than a year.”

Which was their business, really, but it seemed unfair to Presto.

“I’m just glad I know the stuff enough to help. Being an engineer, I never meant to learn this much about programming.”

***

"An application to law school is the first step," Matt offered with a wry grin, "In the event you're looking for a career change. I loved law school. It was a lot more intense than my undergrad experience, but it was something I was doing with a clear goal in mind. Purpose-driven, you know?"

That was what made all the difference in the world: having a purpose in mind or wandering aimlessly along. The difference between those two methods of making it through life were staggering. People were all different. Everyone had their own way to cope with the things flung at them by circumstance. Matt tended to work his issues out with bullet-point lists and a razor-sharp intellect which cut all the fat away from any issue until all that remained were the muscles and bones. He had to break things down to their simplest components in order to get the most out of life.

Come to think of it, Matt imagined he might have made a decent engineer.

"I might have made a decent engineer when I think about it. I like breaking things down to their simplest components and building up from there. The difference between being a blind attorney and a blind engineer is a long one though so I don't think I'd be making a wise decision to make a career change at this stage. It might be worth it just to hear the expression on the registrar's face if I went to UC Irvine to sign up for classes though. Believe it or not? We do have an appreciation for humor even if most people think all lawyers are in league with the devil."

~*~

Presto listened and hit a last key, then began to unhook his equipment. “Is it okay if I restart your computer? It needs a restart to lock in the changes.” He took out his phone and jotted a note to look into law school, and to send the man a copy of the application to computer engineering coursework… just because.

He grinned. “I would pay to see that, and hear that. The sheer sound and sight of their reaction would be legendary inside of the day.” Presto chuckled as he spoke.

“You know, meeting you, I can believe it. Most of the lawyers I’ve dealt with were either old fogeys with little humor, or young paralegals who were sent to deal with me because of my age.” Which had been annoying and somewhat insulting. Presto knew he was young, but he had never been a normal child.

***

Age was something Matt thought very little of as a result of never having anything other than voices to go on when interacting with others. His heightened senses allowed him more accuracy in doing a mock-up of the person he was speaking with at any given time, but Matt knew -now better than ever- he would never truly understand the power of 'first sight' with anyone. The first impression he'd gotten of Presto had been the guy was nice, honest, and thoughtful; Matt believed from his actions he was all of those things and his first impression had been right.

It usually was since he could tell a lot from a voice.

"Go ahead and do what you think needs to be done. I trust you. Incidentally, how old are you? Voices aren't the best indicator of age. You brought it up so I'm thinking you must be falling into one of two categories: child genius or late bloomer. I'm a run-of-the-mill guy. Average in every way. Well. Almost every way."

Matt waggled his eyebrows at the poor attempt at humor. His eyes didn't change position since he never really tried to use them to track anything. There were times when he'd been asked to move his eyes for an exam and it'd taken him twenty to thirty tries simply because the muscles were foreign to him. Why use something which didn't work? To Matt, it was as absurd as asking a paraplegic to wiggle their toes. He hoped it didn't bother his computer savior. There was an etiquette to taking his glasses off in front of someone. Matt usually asked first.

"I'm sorry for taking the glasses off, by the way. Usually I ask before I do it to see if it will bother the other person. I can put them back on if it makes you uncomfortable."

~*~

“I’m 18. Sadly, a child genius on one side, and an airplane crash survivor and a late bloomer on most others. But I’m enjoying college, and dreams aside, I’ve been enjoying this year so far.” He grinned at the man. “Also, you have wicked eyebrows. You should ask a stylist to put that to maximum effect. I imagine it could be made intimidating in court.” Presto always thought eyebrows could be interesting, but Presto was odd.

Presto was in most ways well-adjusted, besides being bitter about his parents’ deaths, his own bare levels of survival, and the red tape that claiming his independence and his parents’ holdings from holding companies had taken. That had all been a nightmare, and an exercise in not wanting to hit every person in sight. After that, he had been ready to just be a normal guy.

But maybe he wasn’t supposed to be one. Maybe dreams, and lawyers, and psychics, and wizards, well, maybe they were all right. Maybe he should just be Presto. A grin slowly spread across his face. He jotted words on the back of his card. ‘Let presto be presto’.

He pulled out a normal card to hand to put on Matt’s keyboard as he finished packing up.

“I’m all done. But no, leave the glasses off. Your eyes are nice eyes, whether or not you see out of them. And they don’t bother me at all.”

***

"It's been a long time since I was eighteen," Matt chuckled, shaking his head, "Long enough to where when I think of it? It's now an anniversary date instead of a birthday."

He was surprised the young man didn't mind his eyes. People were made uncomfortable by the disabled. Matt didn't consider himself disabled even as he knew his blindness was a disability which hampered his everyday actions. Life was hard for everyone in some way or another though so what did he really have to complain about? If he weren't blind, he could have been sent to a less loving home. Matt knew his life was a good one through more chance than anything else.

Matt knew better than to take anything for granted.

"Thank you for your kindness. If I ever need help with my computer again, I'll be in touch. You can guarantee I'm a repeat customer for life."

Matt offered a handshake to say goodbye and gathered up his laptop to head off back to his own place. He had to get his work done. Too many things had been taking his attention away from his clients. That couldn't happen. He would have to carry himself back to the beginning where he'd understood what the point was behind his work. In the Dreams, he fought for clients who were innocent only thought to be guilty. In the OC, Matt fought for clients to have the right to do what they needed in order to do the best thing for their companies. He was doing good in both lives. He had to focus on that.

He had to just---forget about the violence and people like his new computer technician could only help him remember to do that.