Chapter Text
Matt didn't get a wink of sleep last night. His usual solutions to clearing his mind like meditation and working out didn't work. He hated to admit it but he was anxious about Marci. Sooner rather than later she would know the truth. He was having a hard time telling himself it was the right thing to do. Matt had already made too many bad decisions as of late that came to bite him in the ass later.
So why was Matt second guessing himself this time?
All he should need is Foggy’s reassurance that Marci was trustworthy and capable of handling such burdening information. Foggy had always had this sixth sense when it came to people. He was a people person and was friends with every soul he came across in Hell's Kitchen. His best friend and partner was soon to be married. Marci deserved to know, right? He wished it was dark already for an excuse to hit someone. Maybe he’d cut the day early and head to Fogwells but that would just be avoiding the risk at stake here and there was nothing he took more seriously than the safety of his friends.
Foggy looked brightfully cheery this morning and Matt knew he was about to bring down the whole mood into the negatives but he’d never forgive himself if he didn’t make sure Foggy wasn't about to make the biggest mistake of his life.
“Hey Foggy?”
“Yeah?”
“I was just thinking-”
“Of course you were.”
“About…if you’ve given any more thought on telling Marci about…you know.”
“I’m waiting for the right time. Why? Haven’t changed your mind, have you?” Foggy chuckled but when Matt stayed silent he looked up to see his guilty expression. “Oh shit. You changed your mind.”
Matt fidgeted where he stood. “I haven’t…changed my mind. It’s just…”
Foggy dropped his pen and shook his head in disbelief. “I knew it. You don’t trust her.”
“I do trust her but this is more than just trust. Telling her will put her in danger and liable if something ever happens. Are you sure you want that for her?”
“No, Matt. I don't want that for her but you haven’t left me any choice.”
“You do have a choice, Foggy.”
“That’s where you're wrong! I’m not going to lie to Marci for the rest of our lives, Matt! You’ve told me countless times I can’t convince you to stop and I’m done trying. So the only other option is to live with it and that includes telling the women I’m going to marry.”
“Sometimes we keep secrets to protect the people we love.”
“Right. Is that what you told yourself to feel better for lying to me and Karen’s faces?”
Matt didn’t snap back but thought about it for a second. His answer was honest. “Yes.”
Karen came in at that moment with coffee. “That coffee shop around the corner is a killer. The line went all the way out the door…anyways, I’ve got arabica for us all.” She came to a halt when she saw the death glares they were giving each other. “What's going on?”
Matt took a pause on their conversation and turned to Karen to give her an apologetic smile. He took the coffee she was struggling to carry from her. “Thanks for the coffee. Could you maybe give us a minute?”
Her eyes darted between them. “Sure.” There wasn’t anywhere for her to go. They didn’t have separate offices so she reluctantly went to the front of the store.
Foggy continued to glare at him, clearly hurt. “I’ve made up my mind.” He stood up, needing air and space from the tension filled room.
Matt stood his ground with his hands on his hips. “Don’t walk away from me, Foggy.”
“I’m going on a walk.”
“All I want is to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
Foggy spoke harshly and jammed his finger into Matt’s chest. “I do. I don’t like it but it’s better than lying to someone I love. God knows I've done enough of that for you.”
Foggy left Matt and the store. He’d blown right past Karen and Theo, who had no idea what was going on.
Karen walked back in already irritated. “What the hell happened?”
“We just had a disagreement.”
She knew she shouldn’t pry. Their own friendship was their business but it was a small office and she was their friend too. “Okay…am I not allowed to know?”
“I was just making sure he’s made the right decision about telling Marci.”
“Oh.” Her eyebrows raised in surprise.
“I wasn’t trying to pick a fight, I just can’t help second guessing.”
“Well, don't worry. He’ll be back.”
“I know, I just hate to get between him and Marci. He's happy with her.”
“Trust me, he’s not taking this lightly. He’d follow you anywhere and protect your secret but it's more than just him now.”
“Marci shouldn’t have to bear the burden.”
“They’re getting married, Matt. Sharing burdens is kind of the basis for marriage.”
She jokingly shoved his side and Matt laughed. “Fine I get it.”
“See? Everything will work out. Trust me.”
Matt nodded but there was still doubt in him. The small group of people that knew his secret were bound to him forever. Sharing the risk of him one day being caught, because if he did, they’d all burn with him.
That’s why he’d vowed never to let that happen.
_____
He’d been waiting for her to get home. He sat on the couch, his leg bouncing up and down nervously. Telling her would be easy. Yeah. Easy. The real concern was her reaction. Would she break up with him? Call the police? Break up with him and call the police?
He’d gone through it a thousand times in his head. He couldn’t drop it now. He needed to get it out now before Matt’s words got into his head.
All three deadbolts unlocked. “Hey baby. Sorry it’s so late. Hogarth was being a pain in the-” She stopped when she saw the look on Foggy’s face. “Foggy?”
“Hey.” Foggy jumped off the sofa and started to pace.
“hy are you acting so weird?”
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Okay…”
“I’ve been putting it off but I can’t anymore. The wedding plans and everything-I need you to know before we move any further. You deserve to know.”
“Foggy bear slow down, you’re scaring me.”
“It’s about Matt.”
“Matt? What does he have to do with this?”
“Okay. Before I tell you, you have to promise to never tell anyone. No one can know. Ever.”
Marci frowned with hesitancy. “What? Can I at least get a clue before I say yes?”
Foggy braced himself. “Well…it’s not entirely legal?”
Marci couldn’t believe her ears. “Foggy!”
“I know I sound crazy right now but I’m asking you to trust me.”
Marci hesitated but this was the man she loved. How bad could it be? “Okay…just tell me. It can’t be that bad, right?”
Foggy grimaced. “You should sit down.” It only made her more nervous. “In my defense I didn’t know about it until a few years ago and he didn’t even tell me. I found out on accident-”
“Oh my God! Just say it Foggy!”
Foggy panicked and shouted it out. “Matt’s Daredevil!”
Marcis face was blank for seconds but it felt like years to Foggy. He waited for her to process but when she burst out laughing he felt like throwing up.
“Jesus! What are you talking about? Is this some sort of joke? Like the pranks you and Matt would pull in college? Where is he?” She stood up and started looking around in the bedroom.
Foggy grabbed her by the arms and forced her to look at him. “Marci, I’m being completely serious. Matt is Daredevil.”
Marci stopped laughing. “You’re…you’re being serious. What..? That…that doesn’t make any sense.”
“The accident that blinded him gave me some sort of heightened senses. I still don't even completely understand it.”
Marci was starting to think Foggy was losing it. “Okay…what are you even saying?! This is insane!”
“I know. It’s a lot to take in.”
“A lot to take in?! You're telling me that this whole time Daredevil has been Matt? Your best friend who is blind? Are you sure you're okay? Are you having some kind of episode?”
“Marci…I have never been more serious. Please, I know it’s crazy but just think about it. Matt is Daredevil. How do you think we took Wilson Fisk down?”
Marci looked into Foggy’s eyes. The same eyes she loved and trusted. What he was saying was absolutely mad but he himself wasn’t. Then she decided that she believed him. Matt was Daredevil. She had no idea how or why or when but Foggy wasn’t lying. Feelings of shattering emotions almost knocked her off her feet.
“If you're telling the truth, which I’m seventy five percent sure you‘re not joking…he’s practicing vigilante justice! That makes him a criminal and you an accessory!”
“I know but what was I supposed to do?! He’s my best friend!”
“Foggy this is bad! You could get disbarred or go to jail!”
“He’s part of my family Marci. He’s just as much my brother as Theo.”
“I can’t believe you would keep something like this from me.”
“I hated it. Every second but Matt made me swear.”
“Does Karen know? Who else knows?”
“Karen knows. Besides her and me there's not many.”
Marci flopped down on the couch and buried her face in her hands. “Nothing ever made sense with Matt. I guess this is why.”
“Honestly you’re taking this better than I thought you would.”
“Oh, don’t worry Foggy Bear. I am so pissed at you right now. I also might be in shock.”
“You have every right to feel like that.”
She ignored him and tried to put the pieces together. “Jesus...so he’s like Jessica Jones and Luke Cage?”
“I mean...if you had to categorize them I guess he’d fall into that category.”
She kept staring off in the distance like she wasn’t completely there. “The category of superpowered vigilantes, you mean?”
“This is different. Jessica and Luke don’t hide their powers. No one can know about Matt.”
“If anyone found out you’d go to jail.”
“Yeah…”
“If I didn’t love you so much...”
“I love you too.”
Marci stood and grabbed her purse she'd left on the kitchen island. “Now where is that son of a bitch?”
Probably not the best time to tell her he and Matt were at odds with each other. “I don’t know. I thought it’d be best if I told you alone.”
“Well if you don’t mind, I’m going to go to his place to punch him in the face.” Foggy didn't move from his spot.
“The thing is…we sort of had a disagreement today. We’re not really talking.”
Marci rolled her eyes. When were they ever not fighting? “Well, that’s between you and him. This is between me and Matt. I need to see this for myself.” Foggy remained frozen where he stood. “This time this century Foggy!”
“Right. Okay.” He grabbed his keys and left the apartment with her.
“He has some serious explaining to do.”