fightlikehell | Hello, hello, hello.

[ She laughs but there's also a small moan there. She's going to be very sore tomorrow. ]

Aww, little Matty wasn't allowed at bingo.

Little Matty wouldn't stay still. There were too many focused on the game. Somehow the opposite at the boxing matches.

[That moan he hears. His heart clenches and restarts.]

...you okay?

[ She can't help smiling, trying to imagine Matt that small. She's not sure why she was doing that but it just seemed to make that much more endearing to her. ]

I bet. Too focused on the people duking it out in the big playpen.

[ She twists and pops her back before sitting on the bed, hand going to her stomach. ]

Yeah. I'm just sore.

And watching a fight you don't need your hands so someone always held me or at least made sure I stayed put.

[He laughs warmly at the distant memories.]

Did you already hit the showers Take your medicine or get yourself an icy-hot?

Aww, that's cute.

[ And it is. Certainly enough to make her smile even if it was a toddler watching adults beat each other up.

She then gives a tired if pained laugh at his questioning. ]

I took a shower, took some meds, but no icy-hot.

Kind of messed up too.

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Kind of messed up too.

<small[Just telling it like it is though his tone doesn't show he's troubled at all.]</small>

No? At least be sure to ice whatever's got you bad. Might keep you up.

I doubt anyone's childhood has been normal.

[ She says it lightly enough but her chest gets tighter at the thought of when she was a child. She lays down, voice growing tighter as she holds back a moan. ]

It's okay. I'm way too tired to be kept up by it. Just... need to not move. Even though I know that'll be the worse thing to do tomorrow.

Point made.

[Matt eases himself to lay back too.]

Of course you'd not be troubled by insomnia. [He clicks his tongue.] This means I gotta check up on you tomorrow. How do I know you're not concussed?

[ She grins up at her ceiling, ]

I think you just want a reason to come over.

Maybe.

[Oh no. He smiles too. It breaks away to a yawn.]

I'm genuinely concerned though. I mean, you obviously got punched in the head enough to leave a mark.

[ Oh no, his yawn is contagious! ]

The face, not the head. And there wasn't any blood. But I wouldn't mind you coming over if you're really that concerned.

[He did get in her in the face, didn't he? Matt is glad that he's alone so he can wince a little. It is what you do in a fight though.]

Tomorrow. What would you like me to bring? I don't think I should come empty handed.

[ It was her own fault, her own plan. She would now pay the price for it. ]

Just bring yourself. That's all that's needed.

[He fits the phone to his ear as he rolls onto his side.]

Not even coffee huh? Mmm.

[ She finally has him off speaker and against her ear. ]

Keep pushing and I'll make you get me breakfast.

[Oh there we go. It's like she's speaking right with him. Almost.]

Depending on when you wake up...maybe I will.

It's going to be late.

[ She warns -- before turning her head and yawning.

Then, after being quiet for a moment, ]

Is this what it's like? Having a normal life? You get up, go to your job, come home and do... whatever?

Then lunch.

[Matt smiles and pulls up the blankets.]

...mostly. I mean, the watered down version. There's more trouble, more noise...

I believe that's what we call "brunch", Mr. Murdock.

[ She stretches out her legs, one by one, ]

Well, to be fair, you do live in a place called "Hell's Kitchen"...

Ah. See I have so much to learn.

[As a born blue collar and emulating white collar.]

Uh huh. Had you ever been? Before everything I mean...

[Before the battle.]

[ She only knows about it because she needs to know about those sort of things. Pretending to be high class when she very much isn't. ]

Not that I can recall. I've been to a lot of big cities... If I was ever in New York, it was probably just in passing.

Well. I live on the top floor of a brownstone. Roof access. It's a spacious studio. [Matt sighs at the thought and turns in his silk sheets to the other side, shifting his phone.] The view, I'm told, is something to be desired. There's a great big mounted screen billboard in the building across the street. I got a screaming deal.

[He wonders for a moment if this is boring to her.]

It's two blocks from the apartment I grew up in. There's a bodega at the corner, it's run by an Indian gentlemen who always keeps fresh fruit. I go there first before I head to the farmer's market on some Saturdays.

[The lights are already out. He can't help it. He yawns again.]

[ She uses the time as she listens to scoot and lay out on her bed properly, still on top of the covers. She feels just fine like this.

She'll reach over and turn her lamp off before settling back onto the bed. She smiles as she imagines Matt going around getting fruit. ]

Sounds very nice. Except for the sign but if it doesn't bother you...

[ And then, ]

I have safe houses in different cities and a room at the Avengers' base but... I think this is really the first time I've had a single apartment to call "home".

[Sometimes at night it's disorienting to not hear the white buzz of the electricity in the screen but--] It doesn't bother me, no.

[Matt likes to sleep covered. Since he's on his own he's shirtless and in boxers. Minimal things touching his skin. It's just weird.]

How do you like it, Natasha? What are your plans for your place? A window box?

I like it. It's nice in a way I don't normally get to appreciate.

[ She rolls over onto her side, too, giving a sleepy, muffled laugh at the other question. ]

Not sure. It'll be weird to decorate according to my tastes and not someone I'm pretending to be.

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