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[ The Hand caused more than enough issues in the past and he couldn't imagine the new things they had set into motion with Matt. The man before him had to be his Matt, then, the one he buried and mourned every day since? It gutted him, bled him out into a messy array of emotions he attempted to not feel in the first place. But nothing masked them well enough to start with and Matt being there only made everything worse, a more heady of s rush. It all crashed back into him and took all his self control to not crumble onto the ground and sob.

Hadn't he cried all his tears out? Screamed every frustrating and plea into the silent air? Because everything happened to be too silent, too still without Matt there. Without his comments and stupid charm that should have never made his heart flutter in the first place. ]

If they brought you back using some kind of sci fi weird - they might be able to do something else to you.

[ Losing Matt again, he wouldn't be able to withstand it, especially with the fragility surging over him at the moment. He had never seen Matt appear so lost and unsteady but it made sense with his ordeal.

He preferred thinking of that over death.

Looking down at his wrist, he tried to not let his breath catch in his throat. How did he wind up in these kind of situations? He really needed to find the how and why to fix his current life status. Sooner or later, it would become far more negative than it had already. ]

Okay, you were here to end me but decided not to. I feel much better now, Matt. Right as all damn rain.

[ Rubbing his free hand over his face, he gave a low groan. Nope, nope. Aw hell. ]

Are you still tired? You could take the bed. I need to - shower and change. Was kind of a long day here. Out doing things that put me on some hit list apparently.

[If they brought him back, they could do something else. It's a good point, and Matt hates that the Hand could still have a hold over him, somehow. He's not—he's not going back to that. Not when he knows where he should be, instead, not when it feels right being here despite the guilt clawing at his throat.

Reluctantly, slowly, he lets go and sits back down on the couch. The sword rests in easy reach, but he makes no effort to move towards it, instead just leaning forward and clasping his hands together on top of his knees. He breathes out.]

I can—I can stay on the couch. [He wants the bed. He wants the bed very badly. He adds, just as reluctantly as when he let go of Foggy's hand:] If you don't want me here, you can just say so. [Which begs the question; where else can he go, from here?] But they'll want to send more after you, if they aren't too busy with—whatever it is they've been doing, that involves the Black Sky and someone named Rand.

[They said something about a metal fist?? Weirdoes.]

You'd have to find a safer place to stay in than this. If I could find you here, they could send more this way.

[ Black Sky, Rand, the sword - all of it blurred in Foggy's mind as he tried to focus and make sense of things but in the end he realized he just couldn't. Matt returning to life tossed everything he ever knew out the window and there would be time for those other things later on. ]

I want you here. [ No nonsense because he wanted Matt to never doubt his commitment and ultimately his fondness. There were more things there as well but he decided to shove those thoughts away with the others. ] I mean it, take the bed. You look like shit.

[ Stopping short from going towards the lien closet, he cursed underneath his breath. Great. ]

Fantastic. I've always wanted murderous ninjas after me. A lifelong dream. Which way will they take me down! It's like a really messed up version of those choose your own adventure novels.

[ He might be panicking. Just maybe. ] What do you propose?

They might not find you, [he says, reluctantly, fingers twisting in the hem of the hoodie] if you left town.

[Judging from Matt's tone, he doesn't like this idea. It's a good one, don't get him wrong. The Hand is based in New York, and they're currently pretty busy with whatever it is they're planning to do under Midland Circle, Foggy slipping out of the city and past their net isn't impossible. But Matt wants him here, wants to hear his voice in the same room as he is, wants to reach out and touch him and feel his pulse under his fingers.]

I'm not going to let them kill you. [It's a simple statement. He refuses to even consider the possibility that they could—they won't, because Matt won't let them. He'll die first. (Again.)] I'll keep you safe.

[In any way he can.

He exhales.] And where're you sleeping? I'm not going to kick you out of your own bed. [Foggy has already done so much for him in the past few minutes alone than the Hand have in months, and Matt's not sure if he deserves any of this goodness from Foggy. He just knows he doesn't want the man to sleep on the floor while Matt's sleeping on his bed.]

[ While admittedly a smarter plan, Foggy clearly did not enjoy the suggestion either, frown pulling at his lips. The thought of leaving his home and friends unsettled him and with Matt back in the picture, he just couldn't. He found it unthinkable because what if he left and something happened? It would be on him. The blame falling like bricks onto his shoulders. ]

I can't leave. [ He began, with a shake of his head. ] I have cases and - [ Voice trailing off, he pointedly looked at Matt. ] See? How can I go with that kind of talk. You need someone looking after you.

[ Keeping him from unnecessary danger - Foggy could only really dream. No one actually kept Matt from anything, the man believing he deserved whatever punishment came his way. ]

[ The bed - right. ] We - could share if you don't find that - [ He waved a hand off as if it finished his thoughts for him. ] Do you want a change of clothes? Shower? Food?

I don't need you going gargoyle on me, Murdock. I'll be fine.

I can take care of myself, I don't need looking after.

[Says the zombie ninja whose life has been actual hell for these past few months. Second life? Whatever. But Matt's lips press together into a thin line, at the thought of Foggy still being in danger the longer he stays in New York. But he's got a point, damn it. He has cases and a life, and Matt can't ask him to uproot all of that because of the Hand.]

I'm not—There's a chance they'll come after you again. How can I keep you safe if I'm not "going gargoyle" on you? [And there's Matt again, always prioritizing the safety of others over his own. Even months under the Hand hasn't quite wiped that out of him.

At the mention of food, his stomach growls. Right. He—does have to eat. He hadn't really thought much about breaking in here and then staying around, beyond the bone-deep instinct of keeping Foggy safe and not dead. He sighs.]

Food would be good, yeah. Anything but rice. [He has no idea what kind of food he likes, just knows he's kind of sick of bland meals, at this point.]

[ Hands waving through the air, Foggy refrained from answering in favor of going into the kitchen to start making some food. Admittedly, he stocked his fridge with easy and very quick meals. Currently, plenty of frozen dinners and other don't need to think selections with all the late hours and when he didn't feel like ordering out. Sometimes, you just wanted to feel like 'home cooking.' ]

You're right, you don't need anyone looking out for you. You need someone to knock some sense into you. [ He finally voiced as be placed chicken nuggets on the pan and some fast fries. Something to remind Matt of their life before.

Placing it into the oven, he turned back to Matt. ]

How about this we can take care of each other. A compromise. You might be open to them more now.

[ He put some sandwich crackers on the counter, beckoning Matt forward. ] These were your favorite at one point.

[The chicken nuggets already smell good to him and he doesn't even think they're his favorite. He stands and follows Foggy into the kitchen, absently reaching a hand out to the counter to feel the shape of it, the texture. His fingers catch on the edges.]

And you need someone to watch out for you. [Somebody who's made enemies like the Hand definitely needs someone watching out for them in Matt's opinion, and clearly he's the best choice for it. He knows the Hand all too well by now. Probably better than he knows himself.

He drums his fingers against the counter, absently. Each sound seems to reverberate in the darkness, helps tame the fire around him into shapes he recognizes, even if dimly.] I'll—take the compromise. [There's a moment's hesitation before he says that, like he can't be certain he deserves that much. He's stayed too long, taken too much already.

Sandwich crackers. Those smell good. He reaches for one, takes a bite, and makes a face like he is seriously doubting the veracity of Foggy's claim here.]

Sure about that?

[ Having Matt in front of him made his head spin because the grief over the past few weeks especially had been too much, too heavy of a weight to try and cope with. Loss colored their life, of course, as lawyers and as citizens of a place like hell's kitchen where death seemed all too real of a possibility at any moment. Dangers lingered in the shadows and some never went away, only grew with time.

The Hand being a prime example but how could Matt believe he fit the category? Ever? ]

As long as you don't go full creeper on me. You're not as sneaky as you think. [ At least with him.

Frowning, he leaned forward to look at the package. ]

Look, Matt, coming back from the dead probably made a lot of changes. My sanity, your tastebuds. It's all doing something.

[ Don't even try, Murdock, he knows you better than yourself. ]

Follow your nose to something that tastes better in here if these offend you.

[hdu, he is very sneaky.

Matt's mouth twists into a frown, the space between his eyebrows creasing as he "looks" at Foggy. In truth he's looking at Foggy's silhouette in his world on fire, tracking where Foggy's voice is coming from. He looks—offended, kind of, like he honestly believes he is much sneakier than Foggy gives him credit for.]

Your sanity's fine. [He should probably be reassuring about that, right? This is him being reassuring. Granted, Matt is not exactly the model of mental health right now, but he tried.

He tilts his head up a little, sniffs the air like a bloodhound. He moves, feeling out the cupboards and the drawers, before he pulls a handle open and frowns at the packages and jars all stacked and sorted.. It's hard to tell which package is which even with his senses, so he sighs at last.]

Which one of these is—is the blueberry jam?

[ Even it being nearly a wasted effort, Foggy glared right back with an offended tilt of his head. He knew everything! About Matt, at least, with how often they were together growing up and how much they shared back and forth. It meant more to him than he'd ever admit aloud. Just add another secret to the pile, it grew steadily by the day and he worried when it might topple over and crush them all.

Sighing, he muttered under his breath about falling down rabbit holes. The blueberry jam paused any other retorts because since when? The whole back to life really did a number.

Grabbing it out, he placed it on the countertop. ]

Anything else with it?

[ Moving forward, he took the items out of the oven to let them cool down. ] We might have to relearn each other at this rate.

More and new ways to judge you.

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