Matt pushed open the door. Hurrying up the stairs, he almost stumbled. At the last moment he caught himself and avoided falling to Foggy’s feet.
“Ah, the much-heralded feline grace of our hero,” Foggy said with a grin in his voice.
“Ha, yeah, I do what I can to impress,” Matt gave back, smirking, as his cheeks grew warmer.
Awkward silence fell. Matt could not see Foggy, but he could feel his friend’s head turning, probably to avoid looking at Matt’s face. The whisper of fingers brushing against fabric let Matt know that Foggy kept putting his hand into his pockets and pulling them out again several times. Matt himself most likely did not make for a picture of confidence either, biting his lips and ruffling his own hair.
Simultaneously, they tried breaking the stillness.
“I went to your offi…” “About yesterd…”
Both their faces flushing, they laughed. Finally, Matt cleared his throat and pointed at the door.
“Shall we go in?”
“Yeah, sure.”
It took a few seconds for Matt to remember that this required action on his part.
“Right,” he chuckled, embarrassed.
After unlocking the door, he gestured Foggy inside. Matt cursed himself inwardly. This was Foggy for Heaven’s sake! Between them things should not be awkward or uncomfortable.
Accompanied by the rustle of fabric, Foggy ridded himself of his coat. For a moment, Matt waited. Before Foggy had found out his secret, he would have taken care of Matt’s jacket, too. However, now that he knew that Matt could perfectly well do almost everything on his own, he stopped doing it unless for show when strangers were around. Matt had never liked being treated like a child or an invalid, but he liked Foggy doing things for him.
So it was a little wistful that Matt pulled off his jacket and put it on the rack.
“Tea? Coffee?” he asked, walking to his kitchen counter.
“Coffee sounds good.” Foggy’ steps were slow, hesitant, an unsure tapping against the floorboards. But after a while the leather of the couch squeaked under his weight as he sat down. “You came to my workplace, you said?”
“Ah, yes,” Matt said, grateful for Foggy to start the conversation. “I thought you’d want to know what Stick found out about the frames or, more specific, the code on them.”
“Sure, what did he find?”
“It leads to a specific location, supposedly holding an ancient artifact.”
“So… those frames are two parts of a treasure map?” Foggy chuckled.
“Pretty much.”
Matt carried two cups of coffee over to the couch table. With a quiet thanks Foggy took one before Matt sat down next to him. After taking a sip, Foggy spoke again.
“Do you know what kind of artifact it is?” he asked.
“The ‘Broken Hourglass’.” Matt did no longer want to keep Foggy in the dark or hide anything from him. “The Hand - and others - believe it manipulates time. Speeds it up, slows it down, things like that.”
“Speed up time?” Foggy repeated, almost choking on his coffee.
“I don’t know if it’s real,” Matt hurried to say. “And apparently it would not be literally all of time, but a small, confined space or something.”
Foggy hummed thoughtfully. “Like a coffin or a lab table?”
“Yeah.”
Foggy scoffed before making a wide gesture with his arms.
“Broken Hourglass - raise your dead and produce your heroin in half the time,” he said in imitation of an overexcited promoter.
Laughing, Matt threw his head back. “Yeah, they would love that, but…” he smiled, “because of you, they won’t get it. Thank you.”
Again, the temperature on Foggy’s cheeks rose.
“You’re welcome,” he said quietly.
“Still, it was pretty reckless.”
“No, Matt,” Foggy insisted. “It may have been a risk, one I weighed against the possible good it could do. ‘Reckless’ is putting on a costume and jumping up and down buildings to beat up bad guys.” He paused, but Matt felt there was more. Sure enough, after a while Foggy spoke again, barely above a whisper now. “But… I will admit that I... understand the vigilante stuff, sort of.”
“Really?”
“Hmm, actually… After the explosion in Mrs Cardenas’ building… after she and Karen were safe, I rushed into the corridor, looking for more people who needed help,” Foggy said. “I attacked two dudes with a bat when Karen was in danger. And yesterday I went on a scavenger hunt to keep people safe from evil ninjas. Now, all that is nothing compared to what you do, but being honest, comparing our… erm… skill levels, it’s probably a similar risk-benefit-ratio.”
Foggy chuckled when he finished speaking. A fond smile crept on Matt’s face and it felt several degrees warmer all of the sudden. But then Foggy spoke again.
“It’s the lies, Matty, that get to me,” he said. “I understand that you didn’t know when to tell and maybe missed the appropriate… I don’t know… time window? In our friendship? But after I found out? When Frank Castle shot you, I searched all the roofs on a block for you and carried you home and still you don’t trust me. And when I complain about that, you… just discard me? Push me aside?”
Using all his self-control, Matt kept himself from grabbing Foggy’s hand. He was not sure if he still had the privilege of casual touch. But he could not keep the desperation out of his voice.
“I never meant to… push you away or get rid of you, Foggy,” he said, tone pleading.
“Sure felt like it,” Foggy said, subdued.
“I’m sorry, Foggy,” Matt said genuinely. “I know it’s a lot to ask to give me another chance, but maybe you can?”
Foggy did not answer. But his heart rate went up and Matt noticed the subtle scent of sweating hands. Clearly, Foggy was nervous and the question why raced through Matt’s head. Was it because Foggy was going to tell him no or yes? Was he afraid to hurt Matt or to get hurt again?
But instead of an answer, Matt got a question.
“Why did you say that yesterday?” Foggy asked. “About me being,” he swallowed, “yours to protect?”
Matt felt the unnecessary need to avert his gaze. Nervously, he licked his lips and opened his mouth, only for no tone to come out. Well, there was an answer. Several, actually.
Because the thought of anyone else keeping you safe would drive me up the wall in a jealous rage.
Because it should be law that you belong to me alone even though I, as a lawyer, should know that this law would be against The Thirteenth Amendment.
Because I’m a selfish possessive bastard who doesn’t deserve you but wants you anyway.
None of these answers, no matter how true, would go over too well.
“I’m sorry, Foggy,” Matt said lamely instead. “I just was scared you’d get hurt or worse so…” Instead of finishing the sentence, Matt just shrugged.
“You didn’t mean it then?” Foggy’s tone was hard to place, but there was something off. There was neither anger nor relief, but something lingering underneath the almost neutral voice. Disappointment?
“Uh, I… I don’t know, Foggy,” Matt said.
“Because while your behaviour was pretty invasive, encroaching even,” Foggy chuckled, but there was no joy in it, “For a moment there, it felt again like you cared.”
Now Matt could not stop himself. With one quick move, he grabbed both of Foggy’s hands and pulled them against his chest.
“I always care!” he insisted. “I care so much that I tried to move away so as not to endanger you and…” Matt hesitated.
“And?” Foggy prompted.
“And because if I let myself care in the way I want to… let’s say, you wouldn’t like it.”
“Try me.”
“Foggy.”
“Try me.”
“No, I…”
“Try. Me. Matt.”
“I want you locked up in my bedroom, preferably on the bed, waiting for me so I can have you in any way possible as soon as I’m home,” Matt all but yelled.
Dreadful silence fell. There was no movement, no squeaking of the leather coach, no sussurating clothes and for very long seconds not even breath. Only Foggy’s heart thundered in his chest.
“Wow,” he finally said.
“Foggy, I… I’m sorry, you know I would never...,” Matt stammered. “I admit, I always had possessive thoughts like this, but I could push them down as long as you were near, but after we parted ways - and I realise that this is my fault, of course - I have…”
“Well, we can’t do this,” Foggy said.
Matt sighed. Ashamed, he nodded and dug his nails into his thighs. If Foggy walked away forever now, Matt had nobody to blame but himself.
“I understand,” Matt nodded. “I’m sure you…”
“Seriously, there is no way Hogarth will give me permanent paid vacation so I can sit in your bedroom forever,” Foggy deadpanned. “And I really need the money.”
Despite himself, Matt smiled. At least, Foggy could still joke and did not run. Maybe they could somehow work it out. He needed Foggy back in his life, he needed his best friend, even if it still meant getting not all of him.
“Yeah, well,” Matt joked back. “I’m doing okay, but I can’t compete with Hogarth’s resources.”
“Not many people can, so don't beat yourself up.” The smile was audible in Foggy’s voice and Matt felt the icy feeling of fear that had gripped him minutes ago melt away.
“So,” he said quietly. “You’re not mad?”
Matt heard Foggy shake his head.
“No. Having possessive thoughts means you think of me as something worth having, right?”
Stunned into silence, Matt blinked. “Well, yes, of course I do,” he said after a moment. “Why… why would I not?”
A humourless laugh escaped Foggy.
“Yes, why would gorgeous, fascinating, charming superhero Matt Murdock not be interested in good ol’ chubby boring Foggy Nelson?” Foggy said sarcastically
With precise aim, Matt grabbed Foggy’s chin.
“Don’t talk about yourself like that,” he hissed.
Foggy froze for a second, then swallowed. “Okay,” he said. “But… why didn’t you ever… you know do something? I had my reasons to believe you’re not interested. But the other way around? I couldn’t hide from you, could I? My heart, my breath - they must have given me away. And my body odour, probably, too.”
In fond exasperation, Matt chuckled.
“Well, in law school we were two single men in a room, surrounded by rooms full of even more single men,” he said. “So body odour was really no distinguishing factor.”
“Fair.”
“As for the rest…,” Matt shrugged. “When we were in law school, young, dumb, many life changing crossroads ahead, exams, tests. There were many reasons for elated breath or a racing heart. I never was sure and while I’m not proud of it, I was afraid to ask. Because being with another man… I know it’s pathetic.”
“It’s not,” Foggy said. “You were raised that way and sometimes it takes a while for us to make our own rules. But later?”
“Later, I didn’t want to endanger you. I was scared I’d drag you into… into my personal darkness,” Matt said bitterly.
“You’re still scared of that?” Foggy asked in a soft whisper. Slowly, he moved closer, entangling their fingers again.
“Yes,” Matt muttered. “But these days I’m too selfish to let that stop me.”
To prevent himself from chickening out, Matt surged forward. Maybe through skill, maybe through luck, his lips landed perfectly on Foggy’s. Tenderly, he brushed them across Foggy’s mouth, giving his friend a choice. The tip of Matt’s tongue carefully joined the dance, inviting not demanding.
But Foggy accepted. Slowly, his lips parted, permitting Matt to slip his tongue in to seek out its counterpart. Ecstatic, Matt allowed himself to explore and claim. He coaxed Foggy into a pleasant rhythm, starting slow but increasing steadily.
Foggy made a sweet noise and Matt was unable to stop himself. Lightning fast, he pushed Foggy down on the couch and crawled on top of him. Their lips found each other again, two pairs of hands tangled in brown and blond hair while Matt’s muscled body kept Foggy’s soft form down.
“Foggy, I… I want… Can I…?” Matt had trouble forming coherent sentences.
Nevertheless, Foggy answered, “Yes.”
“You don’t even know the question,” Matt giggled.
Foggy freed one of his hands to cup Matt’s cheek. “I don’t need to,” he said. “You can have everything from me.”
Matt buried his face in Foggy’s neck and smiled against his skin. “Not the locking you in my room thing, though, huh?” he snickered.
Sighing, Foggy tilted his head to give Matt better access to his throat, “If you insisted, even that. I can’t deny you anything and don’t even pretend you don’t know it. I’m all yours.”
“God, Foggy,” Matt groaned, cock twitching at the displays of submission. “Anything, yes?”
“Hm-hm.”
“Bedroom. Now. And lose your clothes,” Matt growled before jumping to his feet.
As he hurried towards his bed, he just ripped off the pieces of his own wardrobe and dropped them where he walked.
“Matt!” Foggy admonished when he followed. “You’ll stumble.”
Matt heard Foggy gathering the clothes and turned back to grab his friend.
“Not now,” he hissed and dragged Foggy into the bedroom.
Forcefully, Matt pushed Foggy onto the mattress and joined him. With a frown, he started pulling on Foggy’s sweater.
“I think I told you to lose the clothes,” he said darkly.
“You hardly gave me a chance,” Foggy laughed. “Besides, I wanted to remove those tripping hazards you left.”
Impatient, Matt harrumphed. Foggy laughed, but obediently sat up to remove his sweater and undershirt. A content hum escaped Matt as Foggy’s individual scent became stronger. Before Foggy could react, Matt’s hands were on him, roaming the broad chest and the curve of his stomach.
“Jesus, you’re gorgeous,” Matt breathed out.
Possessively, he grabbed every inch of bare skin he could reach before covering Foggy’s body with his own and pulling him into another demanding kiss. Through Foggy’s trousers, their erections brushed, eliciting a duett of pleasant moans. But Matt wanted, no, needed to be closer.
So Matt sat up again. Foggy complained with a cute little noise about the loss of contact. But Matt only smiled.
“I’ll be right back, sweetheart,” he promised while he undid Foggy’s fly. “Just need to further decrease the amount of fabric between us.”
While Matt worked on Foggy’s trousers, he noticed how Foggy’s arms moved, apparently to cross in front of his stomach.
“Don’t you dare hiding,” Matt rumbled while he freed Foggy’s ass and legs.
At once, Foggy’s arms landed beside his body again.
Smirking, Matt nodded. “Good boy.”
With gentle pressure, Matt spread Foggy’s legs. He kissed and nipped along the soft skin on Foggy’s inner thighs while his hands held Foggy down by the knees. Foggy shivered in anticipation but held remarkably still. Continuing his mouth’s path, Matt deliberately left out Foggy’s erect penis, amused by the needy whine the decision earned him.
Gently, Matt shushed Foggy. He was busy exploring, taking in the sensation of touch and scent. Like a predator, Matt slowly crawled up Foggy’s body. He caressed chest and belly, leaving small marks with teeth and nails. His journey ended at Foggy’s throat, willfully presented to Matt, where he sucked in a dark red hickey.
“Was that necessary?” Foggy admonished, good-naturedly.
“Of course,” Matt answered. “We wouldn’t want any misunderstandings about who you belong to.”
“Oh no, can’t have that.”
“Exactly.” Matt stole another kiss while his right hand wandered low again.
He brushed over Foggy’s cock briefly and was rewarded with a long groan and a beautiful arc of Foggy’s back. Matt’s fingers neared the cleft between Foggy’s butt cheeks with clear intention. But he proceeded slowly to give Foggy a chance to stop him. Foggy did not speak up, just let out occasional sighs and encouraging moans.
To calm himself, Matt bit his lip. Enticing heat emanated from Foggy’s body, his ample form was trembling under Matt’s ministrations and the smell of arousal filled Matt’s nostrils. All the sensations made Matt dizzy with desire. His whole body sang in euphoria when he found the little pucker he was looking for.
“Can I have you?” Matt asked, head tilted as he waited for an answer.
“Yes! Please, Matt! Anything!”
Matt felt warm all over when he reached for the lube in his nightstand. The grin on his face was probably ridiculous and dopey, but he could not care less. Not if Foggy was underneath him, warm and willing.
While he placed the lube on the bed, a mischievous smile spread across Matt’s face. Without warning, he grabbed Foggy’s generous hips and used the hold to flip Foggy around. A surprised noise escaped Foggy, followed by an “oof” when Foggy fell into the mattress face first.
The sweetest sound yet echoed through the room when Matt held Foggy down with one hand while the other spread his ass cheeks.
“You really do like being manhandled,” Matt said smugly.
“I never denied it.”
“Not that you could,” Matt laughed. “Now hold still.”
Matt was thorough. Despite his burning need, proof curving up his abdomen, pulsating and dripping, Matt took his time. After all, he could not be sure how much of his self-control would be left once he was actually inside Foggy’s body. So he was going to make sure preparation was sufficient.
In addition, he very much enjoyed Foggy’s begging and pleading. It was cute to feel Foggy’s limbs twitching while he was trying to obey the command not to move. With practised ease and accurate aim, Matt found Foggy’s sweet spot. Randomly, he switched between directly hitting it and barely missing it. The brushes of Matt’s knuckles drove Foggy wild and left him a shaking and sobbing mess, ripe for the taking. So Matt took.
This time, he grabbed Foggy by the shoulders to maneuver him to his back again. Quickly, Matt pinned Foggy’s wrists on eye level before he tenderly brushed their noses together.
“Alright?” Matt asked.
He felt the nod and smiled.
“Verbal consent, please, counselor?” Matt chuckled.
“Yes, yes, Matt, I’m good. Consent granted, but please…” Foggy interrupted himself by drawing in a sharp breath when the tip of Matt’s cock left a wet trail on his butt. “Matty.”
“Shhh,” Matt soothed. “I got you.”
Brows furrowed in concentration, Matt lined himself up. Carefully, he pushed in. Inch by inch he claimed the yielding body, the channel wet but tight around him. When fully sheathed, he bottomed out and thrusted back in. Groaning, Matt repeated the movement. Each time, the urge to simply take grew stronger. But he forced himself to slow down, to listen to Foggy’s body, his heart, his breath.
But Foggy appeared to be in no pain. The little sighs he let out sounded like pleasure and he began rolling his hips, urging Matt on. Happy to oblige, Matt started to move and set a steady pace. In unison, they moaned, Matt’s pressure on Foggy’s wrist increasing. Of course, he’d let go if Foggy asked him to, but Matt hoped he wouldn’t and it would leave another mark.
His head thrown back in pleasure, he bit by bit sped up. He enjoyed the tight heat around his manhood, the lovely sounds, the give of the soft thighs underneath his own toned legs. It was bliss, but it could not last forever. Sound, smell and touch - the sensations danced around Matt. Together they brought him closer to the edge with every well-placed push.
“I can’t believe your mine,” Matt whispered as he lowered his head to kiss Foggy again.
“Matty,” Foggy breathed against Matt’s lips.
His hips were now wildly moving, meeting each of Matt’s thrust, accompanied by needy noises.
Wistfully, Matt let go of Foggy’s wrists. Braced on one arm, he circled his free hand around Foggy’s shaft. Angling his hips just so, Matt aimed at Foggy’s prostate while his fingers jerked Foggy off insync. Crying out, Foggy swayed into the touch. His body tensed and he clenched around Matt’s cock. His hands flew to Matt’s shoulders, blunt nails dugging into the flesh.
Matt panted as he picked up momentum. He brought his lips to Foggy’s ears. Matt wanted to tell him how good he felt, how perfect, but coherent thought and speech had left him. Fragments of sentences fell from Matt’s lips, a litany of “fuck”, “good”, “tight” and “Foggy”, always Foggy.
Foggy climaxed first. But the silken walls, tightening around Matt’s cock, combined with the cry of pleasure and the sensation of semen hitting his stomach, pulled Matt over the edge right after.
Lips pressed on Foggy’s, Matt rode out his orgasm. Moaning and grunting, he drove into his lover’s - God help him, Foggy was his lover - pliant body. Finally, he collapsed on top of Foggy with a pleasant but exhausted sigh.
“God, I love you,” Matt breathed out.
“Love you, too, Matty,” Foggy mumbled, nearer to sleep than to consciousness.
Luckily, Matt had the right mind pull out and roll off of Foggy before exhaustion could overcome him. Wordless, Matt pressed Foggy against his chest and kissed his hair. With a smile, he listened to Foggy's breath evening out as he fell asleep.
Relief spread in Matt's chest. He had not hurt, forced or coerced Foggy. Whatever dark fantasies lurked inside him, were just that: fantasies. And they would never be stronger than the urge to protect his best friend and... boyfriend? partner? lover? Matt grinned. It was a question for another day. Not every good thing needed a name.
Foggy was with him and he was safe.
The knowledge gifted Matt with a deep and dreamless sleep.
*
Foggy awoke to the sound of Matt’s phone. Instead of the usual repetition of the caller’s name, the automated voice kept saying “oh no, not him” until Matt picked up. Suppressing the urge to laugh, Foggy sat up. The sinking sun bathed the bedroom in red and gold. Around Foggy, the bed sheets were in disarray and his own clothes littered the floor. Heavy smells like sweat, semen and sex hung in the air.
It grew cold on Foggy’s side with Matt gone. His footsteps padded on the wooden floor as he walked over to the window, phone at his ear. Matt barely said a word. Most of his answers were one syllable words or just affirmative noises.
Trying to read Matt’s posture, Foggy found him to be a bit distant. Foggy told himself it was probably his relation to the caller that was projected in his demeanour. After all, the “name” under which they were saved in Matt’s contacts did not suggest a lot of love there.
Still, fear crept up in Foggy. His heart sank at the thought that all this had been a spur of the moment decision. Did Matt regret what had happened? Would he go out as Daredevil, punishing himself as soon as it was dark? Would he expect Foggy to be gone upon his return?
“Yes, thanks,” Matt said. “Talk to you later.”
He ended the call and turned to Foggy. An apologetic smile spread on his attractive features.
“Sorry that thing woke you up,” he said, placing his phone back on the nightstand.
Matt bent down and kissed Foggy’s nose. “Damn, too high,” he giggled before trying again, this time finding Foggy’s lips.
“I don’t mind practicing that,” Foggy grinned.
“Dinner first?” Matt suggested with a boyish smirk.
God, this man was unfairly handsome. Foggy took the offered hand and blushed as Matt pulled him right into his arms. When Matt let him go, Foggy started to get dressed. He was not going to eat naked on Matt’s leather couch.
“Oh, by the way,” Matt said. “That was Stick. They retrieved the artifact and so far it seems the Hand is none the wiser.”
“Good,” Foggy said while he pulled his sweater over his head. “Then you can scratch a wrong code into the frames, allow the Hand to steal them and send them on a fruitless scavenger hunt in the arctis. Have them waste some time and resources.”
Matt blinked. “Foggy, that’s brilliant,” he said.
“Well, it would be more of a compliment if you didn’t sound so surprised,” Foggy chuckled. “But I’ll take it.”
Smiling, Matt slung his arms around Foggy and brushed their noses together.
“Smart, beautiful and funny,” Matt said, his grip tightening. “I think I’ll keep you.”
“You will?” Foggy hated how needy he sounded, but the way Matt’s expression softened was worth it.
A large warm hand stroke along Foggy’s jaw and Matt kissed him again.
“I will,” Matt said, his voice heavy with promise. “I’ll keep you. Safe and mine.”
“Matty.” Foggy buried his face in Matt’s chest and sighed, happy and content.
After a while, Matt cleared his throat. “You are allowed to leave the house for work, though,” he said, voice dry and dead-serious. “And for getting drunk now and again.”
Foggy snorted against Matt’s torso. “So generous.”
“What can I say?” Matt grinned. “I love you and as long as there is a chaperone…”
Slapping Matt’s chest playfully, Foggy disentangled himself from the hold.
“Fun guy,” he grumbled, in vain trying to hide how much Matt’s possessiveness affected him. “I recall you promising dinner?”
“Oh, right. Take out? I have a pile of flyers.”
Matt laced their fingers together and wanted to pull Foggy out of the bedroom. But Foggy squeezed his hand and stopped him.
“Hey, Murdock,” he said. “I love you, too.”
Matt smiled. “I know and I’m ecstatic about it,” he said and added dryly, “You deserve a lot better though.”
“Ah, well.” Foggy faked a long suffering sigh. “Life is unfair.”
Grinning, Matt pulled Foggy into his arms before bending down for a kiss.
“It really is. Lucky me.”