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amberlynnmurdock · 4 months

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Neighbor Pt. 2

Matt Murdock x Reader

Summary: Matt makes sure she gets home safe after work, then officially introduces himself the next morning.

Words: about 1.6k

A/N: Trying out third person for fics, I kind of like it better than using "you" all the time... let me know what you guys think. Thanks for all the interest in being tagged!! <3 <3 <3

Part 1

Matt couldn’t stop thinking about her prayer the next day at work. He was anxious to get home from the office and immediately change into his Daredevil gear. Matt whispered a prayer holding his cross to his lips, and then stalked up his steps to the roof.

This wasn’t the norm for Matt’s nighttime activities. He usually stood on the corner of his rooftop and listened for any sound of trouble in the city. The sound could be anything: police sirens, a scream, the scratchy sound of a gun tucked in someone’s jacket, the soft friction of a knife in someone’s bag. This time, he knew what was out for.

He sat on his rooftop (their rooftop) and listened as she got ready. Not too closely, but enough to know that she was about to leave for work. She sprayed perfume on—warm vanilla—and closed her drawer. He heard her keys rattle and upon this, he crouched to listen as she walked down the apartment steps and outside.

She didn’t work far, about eight blocks downtown. But it didn’t matter if one worked a block away or ten blocks: Hell’s Kitchen wasn’t safe at night.

When she opened the door to her work, Matt heard bells jingling and an instant waft of coffee filled his senses. It wasn’t a coffee shop she worked at, though. From the smell of paper, leather, creaking wood, and suede couches, Matt surmised she worked at a bookstore.

“Hey!” he heard someone greet her at the counter, another young woman. “Thanks for closing tonight. I appreciate it.”

“No problem,” Matt could hear the smile in her voice. "Close at nine, right?”

“Right.”

9 PM.

This meant Matt had about four hours to kill elsewhere in the Kitchen before he’d come back to make sure she made it home safely.

———

The hours passed, and Matt was already waiting in the alleyway of the bookstore, listening to her close-up for the night. Closing up meant politely telling customers the store was about to close, and Matt could hear the anxiety in her voice—she was in a rush to get home, in a rush to not be walking home alone. Although she didn’t know it, she didn’t have to worry—Matt would ensure she was safe.

“Have a great night!” She told the last customer before shutting the large door and locking it. He heard her sigh as she began to quickly close up the front counter. And Matt waited. And waited. And waited.

Soon enough, she was walking out the front door and locking it behind her. Before she sauntered off in the direction of their apartment, she took a deep breath and looked both ways on the sidewalk. Matt presumed it was to see if there would be anyone walking behind her. There wasn’t. Using his senses, he quickly scanned the surrounding area and was relieved to find it relatively quiet with no disturbances.

“Please, God,” she prayed once more in a whisper. “Get me home safe.”

She began to walk, and Matt followed in the shadows. Her heart was pounding in her chest the faster she walked, anxious to get home sooner than later. She held her arms tight around her chest as she fought the wind blowing in her direction.

Finally, approaching their apartment building, Matt quickly crawled up the fire escape to the roof and listened as she opened the door with her keys, letting the heavy door shut behind her. She rushed up the steps and quickly unlocked the door to her apartment. Once inside, she locked it again.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

Matt breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you, God.”

Matt smiled softly. He quietly let himself in from the roof.

———

Matt was awoken by the sound of pots and pans clattering in an apartment below him. Groaning, he turned in bed, silk sheets sliding all across his chiseled body, and pressed a pillow to his ear. The pillow was even worse, though—he could hear his blood rushing tenfold. In frustration, he threw the pillow off the bed and retreated to the sounds of clattering pans.

His senseless eyes were open and remained on the ceiling. It had to be at least an hour earlier than when he was supposed to be awake. In another apartment, the TV played the news loudly, news he didn’t particularly want to hear this early. The static from the TV sounded like popcorn popping in a microwave.

“Crime is rising again in Hell’s Kitchen, but can Daredevil manage it all—“

Matt refrained from that apartment and moved on to the next one. He was greeted with a loud, vibrating snore.

Sigh.

There were so many sounds, none pleasant to the ear. He wished he could turn off his heightened senses, from time to time…

But then he remembered her.

Was she awake?

Matt tilted his head in bed, focusing on her apartment which was only across from his. Inside, he could smell fresh lavender and honey tea. Soft baroque music was playing and Matt could hear her shift on her couch, turning the page of a book. Not many sounds came from her apartment. The only thing he wanted to listen to, however, was her heart.

And so, he did. The gentle beating paired with the sound of paper being turned lulled him back to sleep.

After an extra hour of sleep, Matt got ready for work. He changed into his usual gray suit and black tie. As he was in the kitchen pouring himself a glass of orange juice, he was shocked to hear her getting ready for—something—as well. In a leap of curiosity and anticipation, Matt drank his OJ in one gulp and grabbed his suitcase just in time to “run into” her on his way out.

She sprayed her perfume and headed out the door, at the same time as Matt.

———

She was mildly curious about her neighbor, the one who lived across the hall from her. She only saw him occasionally. When she did see him, she made it a point to say hello, at the very least.

“Good morning,” she said softly. Good morning was all she ever said. Maybe she would say more if she weren’t so shy.

“Morning,” he replied with a smile. When she did run into him, she was always reminded of how handsome he was. Always donned in a well-pressed gray suit and a briefcase. Dark red glasses to hide whatever color his eyes were. Light stubble on a sharp jawline. Chocolate brown hair. She’d read enough books to know he had to be a businessman or lawyer.

“Early start to your day?” He asked while she still faced her door to lock it. She paused holding her keys in her hand.

She was caught off guard by the follow-up question—their interactions never lasted more than a greeting, but still, she was gladly roped into conversation. At least he was the one to initiate it.

“Yeah,” she said, “luckily I have the earlier shift today. Get to leave early and beat the dark.”

“I hear you,” he said softly. “I’m—I’m Matt, by the way. I don’t think I’ve ever introduced myself.” Matt held his hand out for her to shake, which she did. She quickly switched her keys into her other hand and took Matt’s, which felt soft and cold. She slowly pulled her hand back as she introduced herself, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. A moment of silence filled the space between them. He stood with one hand in his pocket, one hand holding his cane. He smiled in a friendly way.

“So uh, what do you do?” He asked.

“I work at a bookstore a few blocks down,” she nervously pushed a hair behind her ear and felt her cheeks heat in a blush. “What about you?”

“I’m a defense attorney,” he said sheepishly. “A bookstore?” He changed the subject off from himself. “What kind of books do you carry?”

She smiled at his question, resisting the urge to giggle. “A lot of books. Fiction, non-fiction, fantasy. What do you like?”

Matt huffed his chest, shrugged his shoulders, and spun his cane around as he thought about it. “Anything. It’s been a long time since I’ve read for pleasure. I think the past few years have been dedicated to my law books,” he laughed. She mirrored his reaction and laughed as well. “Do you—carry any books in braille?”

For some reason, his question made her demeanor soften a bit. She bit her lip, thinking if her store carried any. She had a feeling they might have a small section but wasn’t sure. She’d be glad to order something special—just for him, if not.

“I’ll check today. If we do, I’ll drop a book off for you. It’ll be a surprise.”

“I’d love that.”

“Great,” she smiled. “Well, I better get on my way so I’m not late.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Matt offered. She nodded her head, then quickly spoke again, realizing her mistake of nodding.

“Sure, that’d be nice.”

Just as they were about to walk down, Matt suddenly stopped in his steps. “Oh, I think you forgot to lock your door.”

“Oh!” She gasped nervously, not even realizing she walked away without locking it. She quickly slid the key in the lock and locked it, then met Matt again at the stairs.

He began to walk down them with his cane hitting each step in front of him. She watched as he carefully held onto the railing and slowly took each step. Normally, she zipped down the stairs, but today, she took her time to walk with him. She half wanted to offer her arm for him to hold onto but didn’t know if that was appropriate.

Outside was overcast, meaning the bookstore would be busier than usual. After a slightly awkward goodbye from Matt, and her promising him again about the book in braille, she walked in the direction of the bookstore, but not before glancing once more behind her to watch as Matt made his way down to his job.

TAGS: @mattmurdocksstarlight @yentroucnagol @danzer8705 @allllium @i-marvel-bitch @mattsgirlsworld

#neighbor #matt murdock x reader #matt murdock x you #charlie cox x reader #charlie cox x you #daredevil #daredevil x reader #daredevil x you #daredevil born again #mcu #marvel #the defenders

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amberlynnmurdock · 4 months

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Neighbor Pt. 3

Matt Murdock x Reader

Summary: Matt hears her come home from a date, and interrupts when he hears it go south.

Words: just above 2k

A/N: So this series is basically different excerpts, so the chapters may not fall right into each other if that makes sense... so here's another night of them being neighbors! Hope you enjoy :)

Genres: light angst, comfort, fluff

Part 2

Matt came home to a quiet and cold apartment. After jiggling his keys in the lock a few times, his musty old door finally opened, and he was met with the cool draft that came in from his even older windows. Pushing the door closed with his back, he sighed deeply and dropped his suitcase on the floor. He hung his head low.

Today was long. Too many papers at the office, too many people to talk to… or maybe, the night before, he spent too much time out as Daredevil and barely got any sleep. Or maybe he had trouble falling asleep. Matt wasn’t sure, but it didn’t matter. He was finally home.

It seemed like everyone else in the building had livelier apartments than he did—he could smell spaghetti from an apartment below him, with jazz music playing in the background. Another apartment had children laughing at a cartoon. Another one was having guests over for dinner. Even Fran, the apartment’s snoop, had brownies in the oven. Of course—it was Friday night, and people like them had plans.

Their apartments were all warm and inviting. But not his. It was cold and empty, and nothing played in the background—only these heightened sounds in his ears and his thoughts. His ever so dreadful thoughts.

But what about hers?

He cocked his head against the door to listen closely to her apartment. What was she doing? Nothing seemed to be going on. No tea was on the kettle. Not even the sound of pages being turned in a book. She wasn’t home.

Matt furrowed his brows at this—he knew she had the morning shift today because they had their usual morning greeting and walked each other out. Part of him was disappointed he couldn’t share his lonesome with her, but the other part felt guilty because, of course, she had plans. While Matt was reclusive and preferred the dark, she was friendly, inviting, and liked to be out. Why would she waste her radiance on being locked up in her apartment?

So, Matt did what he normally did. Instead of being at home alone with his thoughts, he changed into his Daredevil gear and waited on his rooftop for something, anything, to call for him. Eventually, it did, but something was missing tonight.

***

He wasn’t out for long.

He was missing punches, throwing them too soon, otherwise just overall thrown off. Something was off. After stopping a robbery, and nearly taking a bullet to his shoulder, Matt tapped out. He sulked in his gear all the way home and stomped down the steps from his roof, back to his cold and empty apartment.

It was nearly midnight. Some people in the building were awake, and others getting ready for bed. And still, she wasn’t home.

Is she okay?

Matt pushed any thought of worry away. Pushed any thought or feeling of attachment away. After all, she was just his neighbor. His neighbor who sometimes said hello to him, who sometimes dropped a book off in braille for him. Not his emotional support neighbor. Just a neighbor, whom Matt couldn’t keep himself from listening to her calming presence.

So what if he liked her anyway, just a little bit?

She would never get involved with a complicated man like him, who held so many secrets and even more baggage.

Plus, they were neighbors. It could neverwork out.

Matt immediately stripped himself of his Daredevil gear and stepped into a hot, steaming shower, to wash these thoughts of her away. Wash this awful night away. Wash the dried blood on his skin away.

He lay in his bed, silk sheets sprawled over his half-naked body. He had his hands behind his head on his pillow, senseless eyes staring up at the ceiling. The building was winding down, finally. No loud conversations, no ovens beeping. Just people getting into bed and soft snores.

And then, he heard it.

The front door of the building unlocked. Footsteps make their way up the stairs. That familiar and therapeutic scent of warm vanilla filled his senses. Finally, she was home.

But she wasn’t alone.

“I had a good time tonight,” he heard her say on her way up the stairs. Heavy footsteps followed closely behind her. Matt listened to her heartbeat and furrowed his brows—she wasn’t telling the truth.

“Me too,” a smooth, masculine voice said. “Are you sure you don’t want to have some coffee?”

“Oh yeah,” she said nervously, masked by a high-pitched tone. She was being overly nice. Cautious. “We had so much food at that restaurant. I’m stuffed. I’m honestly ready for bed,” she laughed, again, a quiver in her laugh. Matt sat up on his elbows as he listened closely.

“Me too,” the man repeated, in a tone Matt didn’t like. Conniving. Entitled. There was an underlying message.

“Well, here’s my place,” she announced, placing a hand on her door. Matt noticed she often forgot to grab her keys when she was nervous. Matt had made her nervous that one morning, but nothing like this. She was… uncomfortable now. She wanted this man to leave. “You didn’t have to walk me up.”

And there it is.

“I wanted to,” he said, leaning against her door, blocking her from the lock. “I thought maybe you could show me the inside.”

“I, uh,” she stammered, fidgeting for her keys unsuccessfully. “I don’t know, it’s late…”

In an instant, Matt throws on a shirt, gray sweatpants, and his dark glasses and hurriedly walks to his door to meet her and this stranger in the hallway. This stranger who won’t leave her alone, who takes the hint and ignores it, this stranger who’s making his neighbor uncomfortable.

Her heart leaps when she sees Matt suddenly coming outside his door, brown hair disheveled and a smile on his face.

“Matt!” She exclaimed. “I’m sorry, was I loud?”

“Not at all,” Matt smiled through gritted teeth. “Just thought I forgot my mail. That’s all. What are you up to?”

“Um…”

“We’re on a date,” the man states plainly. Matt pretends to be shocked, that he didn’t know someone else was there. He feigns surprise and lifts his eyebrows.

“Oh,” Matt said, “Sorry. I didn’t realize.”

“There’s no mail,” the man said curtly, clearly upset that Matt interrupted whatever it was he had planned. “You can go back into your apartment now.” An icy tone.

Matt took a step forward, eyebrows tightening, jaw clenched. He wants to tell this man that he can break every bone in his body. He wants to tell him that if he ever hears him in this building again, he’ll make him beg for mercy. He listens to the man's body muscles tightening, his heart rate is fast in anger. Whatever his plans with her were, they weren’t pure.

But Matt remembers she’s here, witnessing this, scared. He doesn’t want to be whatever that man is. He wants to show her he cares enough about her to walk out of his apartment at midnight and save her from whatever is happening.

So, instead of answering the man with a threat, he looks in her direction—concern etched in his expression, care in his voice.

“Is everything all right?” Matt asks her.

She shakes her head, mistakenly. She quivers a weak “no.”

The man stood menacingly over her. If she didn’t open her door for him, he’d manipulate her into doing it eventually. And Matt was interrupting his plan, he knew it. The man didn’t like that. Well, Matt wasn’t going anywhere until he left her alone.

He walks up to Matt, close enough so they’re standing face to face. Matt can smell the rum on his breath, which reeked with bad intentions. His hands turned to fists as the man began to speak whatever bullshit threat he tried to come up with. But Matt cuts him off.

“If you don’t leave this apartment in the next thirty seconds, I will have Detective Brett Mahoney and the entire 15th Precinct outside for your arrest for harassment and intimidation. Or worse—I’ll have the apartment snoop named Fran come out and scare you herself. Have I made myself clear?” Matt spoke through gritted teeth, keeping his voice calm and even.

The man was looking at Matt like he really had the nerve—and he did. She stood there, watching this all unfold, wanting nothing more than to lock herself in her apartment and shut her phone off for a week.

He stared Matt down, trying to find any glare behind his dark red glasses. All he saw was his angry expression in the reflection. How can he be intimidating to a blind man? Matt is blind to an extent, but he’s not blind to people with malicious intentions.

All he does is scoff at Matt. He turns on his heel and looks at her as she cowers into the corner of her door. Matt takes a step forward immediately to stand between him and her. He scoffs again.

“Didn’t know you were fucking your neighbor,” he spat before bounding down the stairs, slamming the door behind him.

Matt stood for a moment, listening to the man curse to himself outside, kick a random can on the ground, and walk himself down the street before entering a taxi and returning himself to whatever hell he came from. It wasn’t until Matt was sure he was gone from the vicinity that he heard a loud stomping again, booming in his ears, that he realized it was her scared, frantic heartbeat coming from behind him.

Matt turned around to face her, taking a step back to give her some space. “Hey,” he cooed. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she lied, placing a hand over her heart in an attempt to calm herself down. “Well, now I am. Goodness… he wouldn’t take a hint.”

Matt sighed. “I think he was ignoring them on purpose. Who was he, anyway?”

“Some guy I went on a first—and last—date with,” she answered sheepishly. “I didn’t even want to go. My friends encouraged me to get myself out there. Clearly, it was a mistake.”

“I’m sorry he treated you like that. You don’t deserve that,” Matt replied in a soft tone, your usual calm heart beating frantically still. “You should never do anything you’re uncomfortable with. Even if it’s as simple as a first date.”

“I know,” she said, defeated like she’d told herself this before. “I don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t come out. Thank you, Matt.”

“No need to thank me,” Matt said, shaking his head. “That’s what neighbors are for.”

She smiled softly. “You’ll save me from my next bad date?”

Matt laughed, glad that she seemed to calm down and was back to her friendly, unafraid self. “It’s late,” he said softly, deflecting from her joke. He didn’t want her to go on another bad date—she didn’t deserve that. But he also didn’t want her to go on a date with someone other than him. Which was why he was about to wish her goodnight.

“It is,” she yawned. “Well, maybe I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Matt whispered. “Don’t forget to lock your door.”

She giggled, already letting herself inside. “I won’t.”

“Hey,” she said suddenly, half inside her apartment, half out. From this alone, Matt was looped in her scent. “You don't think he will come back, do you? Now he knows where I live.”

“He won’t,” Matt shook his head, “and if he does, I will deal with it. Don’t worry. Get some sleep, okay?”

“Okay. Thank you again, Matt.”

She closed her door softly, and Matt waited until he heard the lock click before he went back inside his apartment.

Laying in his bed, he listened as she crawled into her bed in her apartment. Her heartbeat told him she was still awake. When he heard it slowed down, signaling she had fallen asleep, he closed his eyes and drifted into a slumber himself.

TAGS: @mattmurdocksstarlight @yentroucnagol @danzer8705 @allllium @i-marvel-bitch @mattsgirlsworld @babygrlmurdock @writtenbyred

#neighbor #matt murdock x reader #matt murdock x you #charlie cox #charlie cox x reader #daredevil #daredevil x reader #daredevil x you #marvel #daredevil born again #matt murdock #mcu #the defenders

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