indhamar
indhamar
everything is more beautiful because we're doomed
546 posts
so extremely normal about matt murdock and frank castle (no, i really am) ✿ Moony ✿ she/her ✿ over 18
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indhamar · 5 days ago
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Abdul Rahman Risks His Life for a Loaf of Bread
Every morning, *Abdul Rahman* leaves his home in Gaza, heading to *Netzarim*, not in search of a better life... but for *some flour* to feed his hungry brothers.
✦ He goes to where the *army that shoots without mercy* is.
✦ He faces *immediate danger of death*, just to return with enough to feed his family.
✦ He has no flour at home, no food, and no sure hope of survival every time he goes out.
*50 kg bag of flour = $1,500*
Where does a besieged young man get it from, who has lost everything, and is left with only his hungry little brothers?
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*Help Abdul Rahman's family survive.*
Every donation, no matter how small, is a life.
**↳ Don't ignore the sound of hunger, don't ignore the cry of danger.
Help Abdul Rahman before he returns home lifeless.**
Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is (#642)
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Only 10% of the €30k goal has been reached so far. Please do your best to donate and share.
Don't ignore, please donate!!!!
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indhamar · 10 days ago
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This fic altered my brain chemistry when I read it the very first time years ago. It is and always will be a fucking piece of art❤️❤️
Going Pro
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Pairing: College athlete!Bucky x Reader
Summary: Bucky’s a top contender for the major leagues—the best in the nation. That doesn’t seem to be on the forefront of his mind as he’s drafted across the country. 
Word count: 2.2k
Warnings: A bit angsty, Bucky in love as usual 
a/n: This is the third one-shot/drabble for my series ‘For the Love of the Game’! I now know a lot about how drafting works for baseball. 
Series Materlist // Main Masterlist
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Bucky had been fidgeting all day. 
If his knee wasn’t bouncing, his fingers were making patterns on your leg or messing with the ends of your hair. 
It made sense to you. It was draft day—the beginning of summer, just weeks after you’d both graduated. There had been scouts at just about every one of Bucky’s games last year, all scoping out talent for the major leagues. 
You weren’t worried in the slightest. Bucky was the best pitcher in the nation, and you knew every coach was just aching to get their hands on him. Bucky knew it too. So while it made sense that he would be a little nervous, he shouldn’t look like he was about to bolt out of his parent’s living room. 
Keep reading
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indhamar · 11 days ago
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Some Matt and Frank gifs for upcoming chapters of Judex, Judicum, Infantem
please do not post on pinterest or twitter! only use with the tumblr gif feature! do not repost without credit!
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indhamar · 11 days ago
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Can we discuss how 2026 will be the year of Frank castle!!!!
DAREDEVIL season 2
A punisher special
And now Spider-Man
Screaming crying and throwing up in a good way tho 😂
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indhamar · 11 days ago
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*bombs people* now is the time for peace
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indhamar · 12 days ago
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indhamar · 12 days ago
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indhamar · 12 days ago
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Today, I want to ask that you spare some time and attention for the Shamaly family @familymajed2. They have been fundraising to survive the ongoing genocide in Ghazzah for over a year now. Unfortunately, donations have been exceedingly slow, often stopping for days or even months on end. Because of this, they have yet to reach even 30% of their total goal.
The Shamaly family is large, and includes over 15 children. Some of these children are being taken care of by their aunts and uncles in the family, as their father was martyred, leaving them orphaned. These kids have had to grieve the loss of a parent while suffering through hunger and fear of bombing.
Necessities like food and shelter are extremely expensive in Ghazzah right now, and aid is very hard to come by. The Shamaly family needs your help to get necessities to stay alive. They deserve food, safety, life. I ask you to donate, help them to live and get what they need. Even a small donation can make a difference.
Vetted #227 on the list by nabulsi, el-shab-hussein, and Mohammed Ayesh
@stemmonade @weaverlings @deepseaphantom @lilliputian-thing @all-werk-and-no-play
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@kneesandeyes @junescapes2 @optimistic-ect0pl4sm @hecking-tired @ochrophyta
@cripsycremecuckery @mercurysreal @caffeinated-reverie@theultracharmingladynoire @bignightengineer
@deathlonging @sawasawako  @wellwaterhysteria  @kibumkim @irhabiya
@b1sexual @chemiosmotic @kashisun @jinnazah @lun4rc0w
@pomodoko @theygender @kagrenacs @professionalchaoticdumbass @jayaorgana
@imlizy @duncebento @littlestpersimmon @samuraisharkie @neechees
@bisexuel @trans-axolotl @britomartis @wrightfamily @6oys 
@wiremotherrrrr @nash13 @biterflies @artofenby @dykefagz
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indhamar · 12 days ago
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nothing scarier than being a fan of a fic and then becoming mutuals with the author. like hi shakespeare. big fan of your fake dating au
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indhamar · 12 days ago
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Today, I want to share with you what happened to my father just a few days ago.
Amid the deliberate starvation we’re enduring, the insane spike in prices, and our forced displacement from the Shuja'iyya neighborhood in eastern Gaza City, We had left behind a sack of flour and a few cans of beans.
But a few days ago, my father made a difficult and dangerous decision. He risked his life to go back and retrieve them.
Imagine that… My father nearly lost his life over a sack of flour and a few canned goods!
And yet, thank God, he returned to us like a hero .. like a triumphant figure straight out of a Hollywood scene.
His survival alone felt like a miracle.
Don't get used to this scene.
Don't let our suffering pass by like a fleeting moment.
We need your solidarity, your compassion, your human support.
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indhamar · 12 days ago
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I am Mahmoud Hamam. Most of those in this application have heard my name or know me because I frequently publish about my family in Gaza, but now I will explain to you completely who I am.
About Mahmoud: A 21-year-old engineering student from Gaza. I am ambitious and passionate. I love my education and my work. I have a beautiful, conservative, and friendly family.
I was working as a freelancer before October 7th, but with the war I lost my job and left my home heading to the southern Gaza Strip. I lived the worst months of my life searching for my life between transporting water, feeding my family and escaping death. I wasted two years of my life without a goal, just escaping death. I got my expenses and my family’s expenses from your donations, but now I am searching for my dream again in these circumstances.
I created the Isnad initiative, which aims to help students in Gaza who lost their dreams, just like me! Today I am proud to have helped more than 70 students complete their education!! But today! I work in the initiative for 6 hours a day, but I can't stand on my feet after 3 hours. Why? Because famine killed us in Gaza. I feel nauseous quickly and I can't complete my day unless I get the nutritional supplement designated for children!! Can you imagine that?
Famine has filled the sector and prices are very high. My campaign has $30,000. I have been collecting this amount for two years and only $5,000 is left to reach my goal. I am really exhausted and hungry. The only thing left for me is you guys. Please allocate $10 for me! To give up some sweets and cigarettes today in exchange for providing me with some bread, is that possible?
Fundraiser || PayPal || Vetting 1 || Vetting 2
This is the time to show your sympathy for Gaza. Famine is deadly.
@g0at0ad @gothhabiba @feluka @raangmanch @slydiddledeedee
@wherethatoldtraingoes2 @kiirodora @tiredguyswag @corpsenurse
@virovac @sayruq @irhabiya @sar-soor
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indhamar · 12 days ago
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Please don't ignore this. I'm just a girl trying to help my family survive.
We lost our home.
We don't have a safe place to sleep.
There's barely any food or clean water.
Every night, we sleep in fear — the bombings never stop.
My whole family suffers every day, crying from hunger and terrified by the constant bombings.
We need help.
Please donate, reblog, or leave a comment. Anything helps.
Vetted by @bilal-sala7
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@sar-soor @akajustmerry @annoyingloudmicrowavecultist @thatdiabolicalfeminist @tortiefrancis @gemevieve @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @vivisectionmoth @belleandsaintsebastian @kordeliiius @raelyn-dreams @troythecatfish @ot3
@4ft10tvlandfangirl @queerstudiesnatural @awetistic-things
@socalgal @buttercupagere @3000s @bilal-sala7 @virovac @postanagramgenerator @alivehouse @meshugener @mangocheesecakes @wizardarcher @rununcal @vampiricvenus @necronatural @sealsdaily @ringneckedpheasant @cantsayidont @ankle-beez @who-do-i-know-this-man-s4 @omegaversereloaded @magic-can @sporesgalaxy @justsomeantifas @amygdalae @fairuzstuff
@mar64ds @dirhwangdaseul @rickybabyboy @imlizy-blog-blog
@prisonhannibal @punkitt-is-here @cerastes @prokopetz
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indhamar · 13 days ago
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okay your description of matty's fond expression?? my heart just flung itself out of my chest
Falling For the Devil [Part three: "The Time Daredevil Saved You"]
Pairing: Matt Murdock x Fem!Reader
Summary: You're out for a few drinks with your friends at Josie's. On your walk home you're ambushed by a few men because of a story you've been digging into. Daredevil shows up to save you.
Or
You discover Daredevil's identity in minutes because you've spent an embarrassing amount of time staring at Matt Murdock's mouth over the past year. And you also manage to bring penis-shaped whistles into the conversation.
[Series of one-shots about Reader meeting, falling for, and dating Matt Murdock.]
Warnings: 18+ for this series; contains humor, fluff, romance, angst, smut (like...a lot of it later in the series), language, some violence
Word Count: 3.6k
a/n: Sharing part three of FFTD on tumblr! Trying to see how many I can get up today (there are a total of 74 parts currently on AO3). Find the full list of installments available on tumblr here or in my Masterlist!
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“Next time why don’t we find a different bar to drink at?” Marci suggested, eyeing the bottom of her drained glass with a raised brow and narrowed eyes.
“Blasphemy!” Foggy bellowed, playfully slamming a fist onto the table.
You and Karen giggled from your seats across the table from the couple as Marci shot Foggy an exaggerated eye roll. She often managed to bring up visiting a different bar almost every other time you had all met up at Josie’s. But this place had become a weekly spot for the five of you to often gather and blow off steam from your week at work.
Except tonight Matt was unavailable, which had been happening more frequently. Foggy only ever used the excuse that Matt was busy, but you could read between the lines. Matt was most likely on a date with someone stunning and probably just as outspoken as him and vastly more confident than you would ever be. Someone who didn’t fall apart and clam up when he gave them one measly little compliment.
“Well you do realize there are other bars where you don’t have to order your drinks neat because, gasp ,” Marci said, exaggerating a dramatic expression for a moment, “the water lines aren’t filled with questionable bacteria and mold.”
“But Josie’s is where this all began ,” Foggy shot back, his tone impassioned like he usually got on a long-winded spiel. “Where Nelson and Murdock started. I mean, you and I might not be engaged if we hadn’t started this firm because we wouldn’t have worked that Tully case against you.” His focus shifted to Karen as he waved a hand at her. “And then Matt and I wouldn’t have met Karen and taken her under our wing, molding her to be the badass lawyer she is now.” Karen rolled her eyes with a smile before taking a drink from her beer as Foggy shifted to you, saying your name and continuing. “She wouldn’t be here either if Nelson, Murdock, and Page hadn’t been celebrating a win that Monday evening a year ago! And Matt wouldn’t have introduced us to yet another integral member of our friend group!”
You sent him a tight smile, happy to be considered an integral member of the friend group, but upset at being reminded that you were only Matt’s friend. And then in turn you were reminded that he was probably out fucking some gorgeous woman senseless this evening. With an internal groan you took another pull of your beer. You desperately wished to be that woman he was fucking senseless.
“So when are we planning the bachelorette for party again?” Karen asked, her attention on Marci now.
Marci absently toyed with the beautiful engagement ring on her finger, a dreamy smile on her face as the diamond sparkled in the dim light of Josie’s bar. “In two months, and you bitches better be there.”
“We’re your bridesmaids,” you reminded her. “It’s like, literally our duty to be at the bachelorette party that we’re planning.”
“With phallic shaped objects,” Karen added.
Marci giggled as Foggy only rolled his eyes, clearly wishing Matt was here so he could tune out this conversation.
“I can’t believe you found dick-shaped lipstick,” Marci said.
“You can find almost anything in the shape of a dick,” you deadpanned.
“Confetti,” Karen threw out.
“Penis-shaped gummies,” you added.
“Straws.”
“Temporary tattoos,” you listed.
“Balloons.”
“Whistles, which we actually did get,” you told Marci.
“Crowns,” Karen continued.
“Sashes,” you told her. Marci opened her mouth and you quickly cut her off. “And yes, yours has a dick on it.”
Foggy held up a hand, shaking his head and interrupting the conversation. “Okay, can we save the penis talk for when I’m not here?” he asked.
Marci pouted at him while Karen laughed at his discomfort, taking another drink. You shot Foggy an exaggerated sympathetic look.
“Feeling left out?” you asked. “Want me to get you some tit-shaped objects for your party?”
Foggy chuckled, shaking his head. “No, and don’t give Matt that idea.”
“Oh, I’m definitely giving Matt that idea now,” you teased back, eyes narrowing dangerously. "You're getting a boobie beach ball, Fog."
You’d ended up spending the next couple of hours at Josie’s with Foggy, Marci, and Karen. The night had taken a turn more towards wedding planning since Matt was not around to help bring up anything else. Foggy had looked bored out of his mind, staring at his beer when he wasn’t checking his watch for the time. 
Eventually it had gotten late enough that you figured you’d need to head home. You were looking forward to that bit of pizza you had left in your fridge and to being able to sleep in tomorrow morning, so you’d said your goodbyes and headed out of Josie’s, choosing to walk the couple of blocks like you usually did. Though, Matt usually offered to walk you back home when he was out with you all since he didn’t live too far from you. 
Unfortunately tonight you would be walking alone. 
The night was a little chilly and you tugged your cardigan tighter around yourself, hugging your arms over your body as you made the journey back to your apartment. It was a walk that had become incredibly familiar over the last year. You’d spent almost every Friday night after meeting Matt at Josie’s throwing back at least one beer with the group before heading home. And you’d liked that your life had changed that way.
But you hated that you still thought about Matt as more than a friend. Hated that deep down you were still hoping and waiting for that phone call of him finally asking you on a date. It didn’t help that Karen and Marci shot you sympathetic looks every time someone flirted with him or gave him their number. It had happened so much this past year that you thought Foggy was even starting to notice at this point. 
“Hey!” someone called out.
Your heart rate quickened, your eyes darting to where the voice had come from. There were two men standing in the nearby alley looking directly at you. And then you heard one of them call out your name and you felt fear flood your veins like ice. And then you bolted.
You were running down the sidewalk, trying to escape the two men now chasing you, but after the few beers you’d just had and the fact that you weren’t the most athletic person, you weren’t very fast or very graceful. And as you neared the corner of the street, a third man appeared and you realized they were intentionally trying to trap you. The only place to run was down the alley to your right, which clearly was a deadend. When you glanced to your left, you saw one of the men behind you making his way into the street, blocking your path in that direction now, too. You were cornered.
“Figueroa doesn’t like that you’ve been digging into him,” one of the men called out.
You winced, recognizing the name immediately. It was the story Ellison warned you not to chase a year ago. One you’d still been trying to unravel, slowly picking away at.
“He sent us to teach you a lesson,” the man from behind said.
You spun, turning and walking backwards until your back hit the building behind you. And then you were really trapped as all three men advanced on you, your heart pounding thunderously in your chest.
“Nowhere to go now,” the first man taunted.
A figure to your left stepped out of the alley just beside you and you flinched back instinctively, assuming it was another man here to hurt you. But instead he stepped in front of you, putting himself between you and the three men. And that’s when you realized it was Daredevil, complete with his red suit and horned helmet. Your eyes widened in shock; in all your time here in Hell’s Kitchen you’d never seen him before.
“And I’m about to send Figueroa a message,” Daredevil growled back. “He doesn’t touch the journalist.”
He flew forward, simultaneously attacking the three men in a barrage of fists and kicks and impressive flips. Blood was spraying through the air in conjunction with the sound of bones breaking and men screaming. Daredevil was brutal in his attack and your wide eyes were glued in shock to the way he moved so gracefully despite the violence he was perpetrating. 
Nearly as quick as he’d appeared, the fight was over. The three men were unconscious on the sidewalk and Daredevil’s chest was heaving as he took a moment to recover from the fight. And then he turned, focusing on you.
“You should drop that story you’re working on for now,” he told you, his voice sounding oddly familiar. “It’s not safe for you to investigate this anymore.”
Your heart was still loudly pounding in your ears as your eyes left the sight of the unconscious men and focused on the infamous vigilante. Your eyes were scanning him over, your gaze lingering at his mouth and his jaw. They looked so very familiar…
“How do you know I’m a journalist?” you breathed out, eyes studying his face.
His jaw clenched, the muscles ticking in his cheeks. “I recognized the name they called out,” he answered quickly. “You work at The Bulletin.”
“How do you know I’m working on a story about Figueroa?” you asked him next.
He swallowed hard, head canting to the side as he studied you. And that’s when it hit you–you’d spent an embarrassing amount of time staring at that mouth, memorizing the exact shape of his plump lips because you’d so often imagined kissing them. And that jawline with that dark stubble–you’d often fought the urge to drag your fingers along it many a drunk night at Josie’s. His voice was slightly off as if he was intentionally pitching it lower, but the frame and build of his body was the same. You’d studied Matt far too closely this past year not to recognize the same way Matt canted his head to the side, too.
Your heart was racing even faster in your chest now and you saw Daredevil’s lips thin into a straight, disapproving line.
“Matt?” you asked hesitantly, voice barely above a whisper.
He blew out a sharp, surprised exhale from his mouth. “How did you–?”
Your eyes widened as you stared back at him, Daredevil’s voice shifting back to one that was so very obviously Matt’s. “Holy fucking hell–are you serious right now?”
“Your apartment,” he said firmly. “Not here.”
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You stared at him in shock for a long moment, mouth gaping like a damn fish as he stood in your living room, red helmet in one hand. He’d climbed in through your fire escape shortly after you’d gotten into your apartment. Your brain was still taking a moment to process everything that had just happened.
Matt was Daredevil. 
“So wait,” you began, a hand to your forehead as you tried to understand, “while we were at Josie’s discussing penis whistles just a bit ago, you were out running around as Daredevil ?” 
Matt’s head tilted to the side, his dark brows creasing together as he blinked hard a few times back at you. He shook his head a moment later, his sightless gaze landing at your chest as a look of confusion and disbelief washed over his features. “You find out I’m Daredevil and yet somehow you still manage to bring up…penis whistles in the same sentence?” he asked, the corner of his lips beginning to tug upwards.
“Well I mean,” you began, mind still reeling, “poor Foggy was left to listen to bachelorette party discussions because you were out doing all of that.” You waved a hand in his general direction for emphasis. “Which, by the way, he definitely needs tit-shaped decorations for the bachelor party. I'm buying him a boob shaped beach ball." You tilted your head to the side for a moment, vaguely aware of Matt lightly laughing as you added, "Come to think of it I think there's a sash that even says 'one clit that's it' and I think he needs that, too. You can tell him I said ‘you’re welcome’ for them. He’ll get it.”
Matt was smiling now, shaking his head yet again and chuckling to himself as he stared back at you in something akin to amused awe. “You’re…you’re telling me to buy Foggy tit-shaped decorations for his bachelor party about fifteen minutes after discovering this huge secret about me?”
“Well, you’re already attractive and successful, why not be a fucking superhero ninja, too?” you blurted.
Matt burst into a laugh, a hand running through his disheveled brown hair. You groaned and collapsed onto your couch, throwing your face in your hands. 
“I’ve reached the point of the evening with drinking where that filter between my brain and mouth,” you grumbled, voice muffled behind your hands, “has entirely disintegrated and that was not meant to be said aloud. I’m also going to blame that on shock from nearly being murdered a bit ago.” Your head darted up from your hands as you looked back up at Matt, who was gazing uncharacteristically fondly down at you with a soft expression on his face. You tried to ignore the way it made your heart flutter in your chest. “Which, thanks for the last minute save, by the way," you continued. "Don’t think I’d manage to take them out with second-hand embarrassment alone.”
“This is by far the most interesting way someone has discovered my secret,” he said, still very amused as he came to sit beside you on the couch.
“Wait, who the hell else knows?” you asked in shock.
“Karen and Foggy,” Matt answered. “They uh, didn’t take it quite as well as you seem to be taking it.”
"It's not like I really know much about all of this to form an opinion," you admitted. "It's shocking but also…" you shrugged a shoulder. "You could be doing worse things I suppose."
"Worse things?" he asked, brows raised. "What would you deem more upsetting than finding out I'm a vigilante?"
"I don't know," you shot back, your brain grasping for examples. "Selling drugs to children? Illegal sex trafficking? Eating dog meat?"
"Okay, well one of those is very clearly not on the same level as the others," Matt pointed out. 
"You asked what I deemed worse than being a vigilante," you countered. 
He laughed, his body shaking you on the couch along with him at the movement. His eyes creased at the corners as he turned his full attention on you. "And that's what you came up with?" he asked. “Eating dog meat?”
"You put me on the spot!" you shot back.
His laugh died out after a moment and then his expression turned serious. His sightless eyes studied you before he asked, "How'd you know it was me so easily?" 
You swallowed hard, hands fidgeting with the stitching in your cardigan. "Not many people know about the story I've been working on. And I…recognized your, uh, mouth."
You could feel his gaze boring a hole in the side of your face and you refused to look at him. Your cheeks were aflame after that admission. 
"You recognized my mouth?" he asked in surprise. 
You cleared your throat awkwardly, your gaze still intentionally avoiding his. "I plead the fifth," you muttered. You heard him open his mouth, about to speak, but then you quickly cut him off. "Are you hungry?" you blurted, finally looking at him and taking in his confused expression. "Because I had every intention of coming back home and reheating some leftover pizza. You want some?"
"I–yeah," he answered slowly, brows creased together as if he was trying to keep up with what was going on. "Uh, yeah, sure."
You rose from the couch, heading to the kitchen and pulling the pizza box from the fridge. Matt was leaning against your kitchen table, watching you with a bemused look on his face as you closed the fridge door. 
"I was going to toss it in the oven to heat it up," you told him. "Better than the microwave. Unless you have some sort of pizza-heating super power I am also unaware of?"
Another smile broke across his face, the lone dimple in his right cheek appearing. You always loved that dimple, it only ever showed up when he was really smiling. 
"No, no pizza heating abilities," he answered softly.
"Bummer," you commented, heading to the oven and setting the temperature. You turned back towards him, resting your back along the kitchen counter as you eyed him. "So what can you do? Do you have laser eyes? Can you lift cars? Read minds?" Your eyes immediately widened at that thought. "Please tell me you don't read minds," you added quickly. 
"No," he said, still smiling as he shook his head. "I don't read minds. Or have laser eyes or lift cars. I do have heightened senses though."
One of your brows rose curiously. "What's that mean?" you questioned.
"Means I can smell exactly what beer you had at Josie’s tonight," he told you, "and that you had four of them. I can also tell you had lunch at that sushi place you like." Your jaw dropped as he continued. "I can also tell you've been blushing since you said you recognized my mouth a minute ago," he continued, his mouth in question quirking up at the corner in amusement which only made you blush further. "And I can hear your heart racing. I’ve noticed it’s often racing around me."
"I'm a nervous person," you muttered awkwardly, crossing your arms over your chest. You did not want to give him the real reason he probably hears your heart racing around him frequently. "Pretty sure you knew that."
You watched as his head tilted to the side, his eyes scanning along your chest as if he was looking for something. 
"What're you doing?" you asked curiously. 
"I can tell if someone is lying by the sound of their heart," he answered.
One of your brows raised questioningly at him. "And you think I'm lying about being a nervous person?" you asked him suspiciously. 
He shook his head, the smile on his face looking almost sad unless you were imagining it. But why would he be sad?
"No," he answered slowly. "Was just checking something. You're uh, a little harder for me to read because of the nerves. Most people's bodies react a little more predictably and it's pretty straightforward for me to understand. You've always been a little more difficult."
You sighed heavily, turning and placing the rest of the pizza from the box on your pizza pan. "Of course I'm weird even to your abilities. Why wouldn't I be?" you mumbled, opening the oven and throwing the pizza in.
Matt snorted in amusement behind you. You turned back to him at the sound, noticing him grinning back at you as you frowned.
"I tell you I hear heartbeats," Matt points out, "and you think you're the weird one?"
"Fair point," you mused. "But at least you can hide your weirdness. Mine is perpetually on display and usually scaring people away."
"Didn't scare me away," he told you gently, his tone softer than usual. “I like your weirdness.”
Matt was staring back at you with that look again. It was that tender and almost affectionate look he'd had on his face a bit ago when he had first shown up and you'd been rambling on about the boob-shaped beach balls and penis whistles and had your heart momentarily skipping in your chest. 
Why was he looking at you like that?
You cleared your throat, glancing away. If you kept staring at that look on his face you might start foolishly giving yourself false hope for something more with him. And that would just be painful and stupid.
"So what, I'm supposed to drop the story on Figueroa that I've been working on for a year and let him keep trafficking women?" you questioned Matt.
Matt sighed softly at the change in topic, the sound almost too quiet to notice. And then he pulled out one of your kitchen chairs and sat down running a hand over his face. You watched him from your place against the counter.
"Drop it for now," he told you. "I'm looking into it. When I get the proof I need, you'll be the one I give the information to. You can publish it, expose him for what he's doing. It’ll help get him arrested. In the meantime I’ll just…keep an eye on your place when I’m out. Make sure he’s not sending more guys after you."
"Do you…want the notes I've gotten so far?" you asked him curiously. 
"Sure," he answered. "Maybe you have something I haven't found yet."
You pushed off the counter, heading past Matt towards your room and grabbing your laptop. You brought it back to the kitchen table and opened it, turning it on. And then a thought crossed your mind and you couldn’t resist the laugh that came out of your mouth. 
"What?" he asked, his sightless gaze warm as he stared at you.
"I feel like your oddball sidekick," you joked. 
Another large smile broke across his face as he chuckled. You couldn't help the matching smile that spread across your face in return.
"You'd need a name," Matt teasingly pointed out. “And a costume.”
You snorted in amusement, shaking your head as you pulled up your notes on the laptop. “Pretty sure I’m embarrassing enough on my own without a Halloween costume and another ridiculous name for people to call me,” you answered.
“As I said already,” Matt replied, that fond expression returning to his face as he gazed back at you, resting an elbow on the table and his chin in his hand. “I like your weirdness.”
566 notes · View notes
indhamar · 13 days ago
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Falling For the Devil [Part two: "The One-Sided Pining"]
Pairing: Matt Murdock x Fem!Reader
Summary: Your journalistic sleuthing skills helped you break a case for Nelson, Murdock, and Page. They meet you at a coffee shop so you can hand over the documents you uncovered.
Or
You internally pine over Matt while Karen and Marci pitiably watch you as a pretty blonde interrupts to give Matt her number.
[Series of one-shots about Reader meeting, falling for, and dating Matt Murdock.]
Warnings: 18+ for this series; contains humor, fluff, romance, angst, smut (like...a lot of it later in the series), language, some violence
Word Count: 2.3k
a/n: Once again, sharing a few of these installments from AO3 over on my tumblr now! Trying to get a few of them up today (there are 74 parts currently on my AO3). You can find the list of installments currently on tumblr for this series here or on my Masterlist!
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You took a sip of the warm coffee, letting it calm your nerves as you stared at the manilla folder in front of you. Thankfully the four of them were finally making their way towards your table near the window, their own coffees in hand. You had been here anxiously waiting for them to arrive for the last fifteen minutes, having only vaguely filled Karen in over the phone.
"Hey," you greeted the group as they reached the table. "So I think I found what you needed for that case you're working on."
Karen settled into a chair on your right, setting her coffee on the table so she could shrug out of her coat. Marci was taking the seat beside her, shooting you a friendly smile as Foggy seated himself next to her, clearly too nervous to take off his own coat as his fingers drummed on his coffee cup. Matt, who you had become all too aware of every time you were around him over these past three months, was setting his coffee and folded cane onto the table beside you. And then he was sliding out the chair next to you and settling into it, slipping out of his black winter coat. His arm bumped into yours and your cheeks instantly burned as they often did any time he touched you, accidental or otherwise. 
"Sorry," he muttered beside you. 
"It's fine," you answered quietly, eyes darting away.
Karen raised a brow in your direction, a knowing look on her face. She had already called you out on your ridiculous one-sided crush on Matt months ago. You'd been at her apartment for a girl's night with her and Marci and ever since that night when you’d accidentally word vomited how attracted you were to Matt they had kept trying to convince you it wasn't a one-sided thing at all. Apparently the pair of them saw something you didn't.
But Matt had never asked you on a date after that first night at Josie’s three months ago, even after asking for your number that evening. You assumed you were only friends. He did, after all, use your number to invite you out to Josie’s again four days later with Karen, Foggy, and Foggy’s girlfriend Marci. Clearly it had not been a date. He had even walked you home that night and told you he’d called because all three of them had enjoyed spending time with you that previous Monday night and wanted to see you again–not just him. You had somehow become the interesting and quirky new friend among the group with, as Matt called it, the ‘unique and charming ability to make a situation highly amusing and uncomfortable in seconds.’ And there was clearly nothing sexy about that.
"So what'd you find?" Karen pressed, leaning her elbows onto the table towards you, her eyes darting down to the folder in front of you.
"A name," you told them. "A company name, at least."
Karen’s eyes widened as she exchanged a look with Marci beside her. Foggy's fingers only drummed faster on his coffee cup. The five of you had been trying to dig into this for a couple of weeks now for one of the clients at Nelson, Murdock, and Page. Foggy had even brought Marci in on it for help because they’d been so desperate.
"And how did you get that?" Matt asked, leaning in towards you as well, a frown fixed to his mouth just under his dark glasses. 
You cleared your throat nervously, tapping your fingers along the manilla folder. "I uh, may have pretended to be an employee," you muttered, shrinking a little in your chair as you felt Matt's burning gaze on you behind the dark lenses. "At night. After–after swiping an ID card."
"That does not sound safe," Foggy called out. 
"No," Matt nearly growled beside you, jaw clenched, "it doesn't. The security guards could have caught you. Or worse."
You let out a nervous laugh, both of your hands rising to grip the warm coffee between your hands for comfort. "I actually got the information from the guard," you admitted sheepishly. 
Karen's brows shot up to her forehead as she leaned in further across the table. "How?" she asked.
Your eyes darted to your coffee as your cheeks reddened again. "I flirted with him?" you admitted nervously.
There was a brief pause before the table erupted in laughter. Even Matt's stern expression gave way to a faint upward curve on his lips. You rolled your eyes and slid further into your chair, burying your face in your hands.
"I'm sorry," Marci said behind a hand, trying to control the laughter, "I know this is serious but I just–I can't picture how that worked out."
"I've seen your flirting," Karen agreed, "it is…something, that's for sure."
"Well clearly it was successful enough since the guy told me what I needed to know!" you shot back, cheeks further reddening.
"Or he took pity," Marci teased lightly.
You swallowed hard, shaking your head and leaning forward, your focus on the manilla folder. "Okay, well, if we're all done laughing at my awkwardness as per usual," you grumbled, "I have proof of all of those shell companies linking back to a Pessel Corporation."
"Pessel?" Matt asked curiously, his tone and expression shifting back to serious. 
"Yeah," you answered, opening the folder. 
You passed a set of papers around to everyone at the table before sliding a couple of sheets towards Matt. His hand instinctively darted out, his lips parting no doubt about to tell you he couldn't read the paper, but his mouth abruptly closed, his head tilting to the side. You saw his mouth twitch at the corner as his fingertips brushed across the page again. A warmth filled you at the faint smile that grew on his lips.
"I had to go further to find a print shop that had a braille printer," you told him gently. And then you cleared your throat, your attention returning to the others who had already been reading the papers. "That should be everything you need to help your client prove that it was Pessel who was behind the thing of which I'm not supposed to know about," you told them. "All public knowledge just very well-hidden."
"Shit," Foggy breathed out, eyes wide as he skimmed the papers. "Yeah, this will do it. Matt, this is exactly what we needed!"
"Glad to be of help," you said, sitting back in your chair and taking a triumphant sip of your coffee. "If you have future need of my sleuthing skills and awkward flirting, don't hesitate to ask."
Matt's shoulder bumped yours and you bit your lip, basking in the satisfied grin on his face directed at you. "I might have future use for one of those," he teased you. 
You felt your heart flutter in your chest, sweat dampening your palms as they rested along the paper coffee cup. Turning your head away, unsure of how to respond to Matt's occasional flirtatious comments, you spotted Karen and Marci both shooting you very pointed looks. But a beautiful blonde approaching the table just behind them instantly caught your eye and you frowned, noticing her eyes glued to Matt directly beside you. You knew exactly what was coming next because it had happened often whenever you were out with Matt. Immediately your shoulders fell and you slumped over the table, chewing a thumbnail in frustration. You wished desperately that you could just turn and grab Matt and kiss him hard before she could even open her mouth so she would just turn back around and walk away. 
But Matt wasn't yours and jealousy didn't suit you. And now you were just thinking about kissing his flawless lips again.
"I'm so sorry to interrupt," the blonde said, wide smile on her face as everyone's attention landed on her. "I just–I've seen your friend here a few times and thought I'd actually come say hi today."
When her eyes landed on Matt, who was smiling as if he already knew it was him she was talking about, you rolled your eyes. Across the table Marci and Karen were shooting you matching pitying expressions. 
"You mean Matt?" Foggy asked her, entirely oblivious to what the other half of the table was picking up on with you.
The blonde’s smile somehow widened as she nodded at Foggy’s question, her eyes still on Matt. "Yeah, I uh, thought maybe this time I could give you my number?" she said to Matt.
She held up a piece of paper in her hands before sliding it across the table towards him. His hand fumbled briefly along the table until he found it, a charming smile spreading across his lips.
"I'm flattered," he said, raising the paper up before gesturing towards his glasses. "Unfortunately I uh, can't actually read it."
"Maybe your friend can help you put it into your phone?" she suggested, her eyes landing on you when she'd mentioned his friend and your stomach knotted uncomfortably. "My name is Samantha, by the way."
"Well it was lovely to meet you, Samantha," he told her, that little flirty smirk on his face. 
She blushed before turning and leaving and you felt your mood darken. Beautiful women were often approaching Matt and giving them their number, though this time was significantly tamer than what the last woman had propositioned him with. It never ceased to ruin your day though.
"How do you always manage to land pretty women just throwing their numbers at you?" Foggy asked Matt in astonishment. "You weren't even doing anything!"
Matt chuckled as he shrugged a shoulder, one hand twirling the paper with the beautiful blonde’s number on it. 
Mood officially soured and job already accomplished, you began slipping your arms back into your coat. As you were buttoning it up, Foggy noticed your abrupt decision to depart.
“Where are you going?” he asked, brows creasing together. “You just saved our client, you’re the woman of the hour right now! Stay and at least finish a celebratory coffee with us!”
Your gaze landed on Foggy across the table as you forced out a strained smile. “I actually have to finish up an article at the office,” you told him. “Deadline’s in a few hours and I’d rather not end up on Ellison’s shit list again . He’s still pissed at me for chasing that string of arsons last month–which totally ended up being worth it.” You sighed, sliding your chair back and grabbing your coffee in one hand and folder in the other, shooting your friends a smile. “I’ll see you all later this week at Josie’s?”
“Yeah,” Karen assured you with a soft smile, her eyes telling you that she knew exactly why you were leaving, “we’ll be at Josie’s Friday night, as usual.”
You rose to your feet, stepping around the chair and pushing it back into the table so Matt wouldn’t trip over it when he later got up. As you turned to leave, Matt’s hand flew out, somehow easily finding your wrist and pulling you to a stop. Your eyes snapped down to where his hand was holding onto you before shifting slowly to his face. He was staring hopefully back up at you behind the dark lenses.
“Let me at least walk you back to the office?” he offered.
Your heart fluttered in your chest at the proposal–you’d love nothing more than to have Matt walk you the four blocks back to The Bulletin. Four long blocks of having Matt’s undivided attention on you. Alone. Possibly flirting with you, though you never knew how to respond to the flirtatious remarks or even why he was making them in the first place. And he’d be holding onto the crook of your arm as you both walked, you guiding him like you’d often done. You enjoyed the feel of his hand there; it was always warm and comforting. 
Yeah, the idea of him walking you back to the office sounded nice– very nice.
But that was the thing–you had spent the past three months taking Matt up on his offers to walk you home from Josie’s or back to your office if you’d had lunch with him, Karen, and Foggy at their office. You’d spent the past three months blushing every time he flirted with you and dreaming about kissing his perfect mouth. Three months wishing that when he called it would be him finally asking you on a date. Three months picturing what a first date with him might be like. Or, shit, three months wondering what sleeping with him would be like no thanks to Katy constantly reminding you that he was rumored to be amazing in bed.
But in reality you’d spent three months pining over this wonderful, handsome, outspoken man who was constantly garnering the attention of beautiful women everywhere he went. And you’d spent months watching him accept phone numbers and flirt in return. You had spent three months wondering why he’d asked you to stay for a drink that night at Josie’s and asked for your number to only friend-zone you. Not that it surprised you; as you’d told Katy that very night, men like Matthew Murdock did not fall for women like you.
So even as it killed you, staring back at Matt’s hopeful expression, the slight upward curve of his mouth directed solely at you, you knew what you had to tell him this time.
“Don’t worry about it, Matt,” you answered, an ache forming in your chest as you spoke. “I can find my way back just fine.” You pulled your wrist from his grasp, your eyes returning to the rest of the table, a tight smile on your face. “I’ll see you all at Josie’s Friday night.”
With a quick wave you ducked out of the coffee shop, clutching the manilla folder tight to your chest like it would help keep your heart inside of your ribcage instead of trying to crawl back to fall at Matt’s feet.
519 notes · View notes
indhamar · 13 days ago
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am I reading this for the millionth time again? yes. yes I am because oh my goodness this is bloody PERFECTION 😭❤️❤️
Falling For the Devil [Part one: "The Night You Met"]
Pairing: Matt Murdock x Fem!Reader [Series Masterlist]
Summary: You have a bad Monday back at work and grab a few drinks at a nearby bar with a co-worker who takes the opportunity to have a certain attractive lawyer buy you a drink.
Or
How you meet Matthew Murdock and then repeatedly embarrass yourself.
[Series of one-shots about Reader meeting, falling for, and dating Matt Murdock.]
Warnings: 18+ for this series; contains humor, fluff, romance, angst, smut (like...a lot of it later in the series), language, some violence
Word Count: 4.2k
a/n: So I'm finally sharing a few of these installments on tumblr, but I've been posting them on AO3 since the beginning of the year. Currently there are 74 parts posted on AO3 (almost 300k words total) and still counting. I update this series a few times a week and I figured I'd finally share a few installments here and maybe, eventually, post them all on tumblr? Please heed the warnings--there is a ton of sex later in this series (y'all who've read it know what I'm talking about) and some hurt/no comfort for a bit later during what I deemed Big Angst. If you haven't heard of this series, I certainly hope you enjoy it!
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Tapping your fingers lightly against the cold bottle in your hands, your eyes fixed on your beer, you blew out a rough breath. Classic rock was playing in the dimly lit dive bar, a random one you and Katy had last minute ducked inside after work. Neither of you had been here before but after the rough Monday back at work, both of you were dying for a drink and it didn't really matter where.
"I feel like I'm chasing a goddamned dead-end," you complained, glaring at the half-finished beer. 
"Maybe you need a new angle?" Katy suggested. 
She threw back the rest of her beer from her place beside you before raising a hand, flagging down the surly bartender. The older woman behind the bar headed back towards you both and Katy ordered another drink. 
You were lost in thought for a moment, focusing on the story Ellison had been telling you to drop for over a week now. Running a hand through your hair exasperatedly, you picked up your beer in your other hand and took a long pull from the bottle. Your head was buzzing from more than just the alcohol in your system as you swallowed the drink down. 
"Didn't Ellison give you a new piece today?" Katy asked, her attention returning to you when the new beer was set in front of her.
"Yeah," you answered her with an eye roll. "Fluff piece on the local animal shelter. Which, don't get me wrong," you said, raising a hand, "I love dogs and all, but I'm not really in this to write about dogs. I didn't bust my ass to get onto The Bulletin to write fluff." You sighed, eyeing Katy beside you. "What's he got you working on now?"
"That warehouse murder last night," she answered.
"Fuck," you grumbled, slamming your head to the bar counter. Immediately you regretted the action, raising your head and pulling a face as you rubbed at the sticky dampness the bar counter had left behind. "Ugh," you grunted. "I'm on his shit list this month, aren't I?"
"Yup," Katy answered bluntly. "You know he doesn't like any of us chasing dangerous stories about mobsters after…everything that happened a little while back."
You groaned in frustration before picking up your beer and finishing the last dregs of it. Katy nudged you abruptly in the arm, just about causing you to spill the beer. You swallowed, turning to shoot her a pointed look. 
"Isn't that Karen Page?" she whispered, gesturing her head towards the blonde at the pool table. "The one everyone whispered about saying Ellison supposedly fired her because she might know Daredevil's identity?"
Your eyes turned to the pool table, examining the blonde who was laughing with two other gentlemen. "Yeah, looks like her," you answered. 
"Now she had some good shit she wrote," Katy said with a grin. "You know, before Ellison started doling out pieces on animal shelters."
Your eyes returned to your empty beer, but Katy continued to stare at the pool table, fingers drumming on the bar.
"Maybe we should stop talking about work," you said. "The point of grabbing a drink was to forget about this shitty Monday. I'm currently not forgetting."
"Mmm, I wouldn't mind forgetting about my Monday by getting underneath him," Katy replied, her eyes still on the pool table as she gestured her beer towards someone.
You glanced back over, your eyes landing on the man drinking back a beer with Karen Page. It was obvious Katy was drooling over the dark haired gentleman with the red glasses and cane. His jawline was perfect, his hair practically begging to have fingers run through it, his body clearly well-built under that tight dress shirt with buttons tempted to pop when he moved just right, and he had an absolutely breathtaking smile.
"Isn't that Murdock from Nelson, Murdock, and Page?" Katy said after a moment, her eyes narrowing. "They're the guys who took down Fisk. Shit, he's hotter in person." When you didn't respond, Katy glanced back at you, eyebrows shooting up on her forehead. "Is your silence you disagreeing about that man’s perfection?"
You shook your head, your eyes landing back on the man. It almost seemed like he was looking at you and Katy at the bar, but considering he was blind, that would have been impossible.
"He's attractive, yeah," you agreed with a shrug. 
Katy's eyes widened at you. "Really? That's it? That guy looks like sex on legs and I'm pretty sure I've heard rumors that he is amazing in bed and…that’s all you’ve got?"
"Your point?" you asked.
"Are you serious right now?" she asked in disbelief. "You wouldn't want a night with that guy?"
You let out a heavy breath, your eyes returning to the now empty bottle of beer as you debated on another or just going home and making dinner and writing that pointless article for Ellison.
"I wouldn’t know what to even say to a guy like that," you muttered. "You know outside of interviews I am shit with human interaction."
Katy chuckled lightly before shaking her head. "You do have a knack for being awkward. But you wouldn't need to say anything, just let him fuck you senseless as you're screaming his name on your back." 
Katy abruptly threw out some light, breathy fake moans that had you slapping her arm sharply and your face burning up. 
"Pretty sure you could handle that ," she teased you with a light laugh. 
"You're a fucking animal," you joked, burying your reddening face in your hands.
"You're thinking about it though," she shot back. 
You glanced at the man between your fingers, face still buried in your hands. He was holding a beer in one hand as something that looked like a smirk broke across his face. He was standing by the pool table, his gaze in your direction as his friends focused on the game they were playing. Your heart sped up at the thought of him throwing you onto your bed and you swore you saw his lips pull up even higher before you turned away. 
"Would literally never happen," you mumbled. "Guys who look like that don't talk to chicks like me." 
"Sexy and awkward?" Katy supplied. 
You snorted, rolling your eyes. "Only one of those is an accurate description," you replied. "Anyway, I should probably get back. Make dinner and slam my head into the wall repeatedly as I write that piece for the next issue."
"Or you could stay and see if you're awkward enough to scare away Hell’s Kitchen’s sexiest lawyer," Katy suggested with a playful grin. "Maybe end up finding God on your back."
She opened her mouth and got out one moan before you kicked her shin. 
She laughed, waving a hand at you. "Alright, fine. Let me chug this and I'll leave, too. I've got a lead I need to check out tonight anyway."
You watched her raise the beer to her lips and toss it back, downing the last half of the bottle before slamming it to the counter. You slid off the bar stool and turned to leave only to run head first into someone. You stumbled backwards muttering out an 'oh shit' as your back hit the bar counter, and then your eyes went wide when you saw it was the attractive lawyer you and Katy had just been talking about.
"Shit, sorry, I didn't see you there," you blurted out an apology. 
"Neither did I," he answered, a grin spreading across his mouth. 
"Right, because you're…" you trailed off quickly realizing how rude it would be to point out his disability. 
Katy appeared just beside him, her eyes going wide as she gawked at you, shaking her head sharply. 
"Blind?" the man finished for you. 
Your cheeks burned as you awkwardly tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. He was somehow even more attractive up close and he had a nice, deep voice. For a moment you couldn't help but imagine him on top of you in your bed again and your heart stuttered in your chest.
"And I'm tactless," you breathed out. "Sorry, I didn't mean to literally run into you and then be completely rude. I'm just going to go," you said quickly, trying to skirt around him.
"Or you could buy her a drink," Katy blurted.
Your eyes widened as you stared open-mouthed at her, entirely taken aback. Katy shot you a look, shrugging a shoulder. The man chuckled, the sound drawing your attention back to him beside you. He was grinning in your direction and you internally groaned.
"You want me to buy your friend a drink?" he asked curiously.
Your eyes narrowed to a glare at Katy as you quickly answered him. "She's kidding," you told him. "You know, just a bad joke ," you said, the last two words coming out at Katy between gritted teeth. 
"Well," the man mused, "I may not be opposed to the idea."
Your palms immediately began to sweat as Katy sent you a wicked grin. Your heart was thundering wildly in your chest as you chanced a glance back at him. He looked entirely calm and collected as he stood there with a charming smile on his face.
“That’s uh, that’s nice and all, but I actually have work to finish tonight–”
“No you don’t,” Katy cut in sharply, eyes narrowed. “You could write that article in thirty minutes with your hands tied behind your back using only your tongue. You don’t have work.”
The man whose first name you were still unaware of chuckled good-naturedly beside you at Katy’s words. “I have absolutely no idea what she’s talking about, but that sounds like quite the talent you have,” he teased.
Katy snickered loudly as you audibly groaned, shrinking back into yourself. This was easily the most humiliated you had felt in a long time. 
She turned towards the man next and pointedly told him, “She had a bad day, she’d love another drink.” And then her attention returned to you, a sly grin on her face as she said, “Now I actually have a lead to follow up with. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.” She proceeded to mouth ‘you’re welcome’ before she turned and left.
You were torn between trying to chase after her and feeling obligated to converse with this insanely attractive man who was for some reason giving you the time of day. You were tightly gripping the strap of your crossbody bag with indecision as you stood there uncomfortably. Thankfully he spoke and broke the awkward tension.
“Would you like another drink?” he asked, gesturing towards the bar beside you both. “You could maybe tell me your name?” he suggested. “And why you’re having such a bad Monday?”
“Look,” you began, “you really don’t have to. She was just being a pain in my ass thinking that she was–” You stopped short. You couldn’t exactly finish that thought and tell him she was trying to help you talk to him because you obviously thought he was attractive and you would never approach him on your own. That would have been even more embarrassing. “I just–you’re clearly here with your friends and I don’t want to pull you away,” you quickly shot out instead.
His dark brows rose up behind his glasses, a slight amused grin forming on his lips. “Oh? You were paying attention to who I was with before you even ran into me?”
Wincing, you wished a bus would just barrel through the bar and hit you, putting you out of your misery and ending this embarrassing conversation. How the fuck were you even supposed to deny that?
So you decided to do what you always did when things got too uncomfortable–run.
“You know what, I really do need to go,” you said, quickly turning and stepping away.
“Wait,” he called out.
And you did. For some unknown reason you actually paused, back still towards him. You could see his two friends at the pool table still enraptured in their game, currently either unaware or uninterested in the fact that he wasn’t back with them.
“Okay, I really am blind, so you’re going to have to actually, you know, acknowledge that you’re still here so I know I’m not just talking to myself right now,” he said.
You cleared your throat nervously, your eyes dropping to your scuffed up dress flats. “Wouldn’t exactly be too out of place in a bar, at least,” you muttered.
He laughed lightly, the sound causing you to glance back at him over your shoulder. He was smiling and the sight nearly gutted you. You wished he’d take off the glasses so you could see the entirety of his face–his eyes were probably as beautiful as the rest of him.
He slid onto the bar stool beside the one you’d just been on, folding up his cane as he patted the seat beside him. “Please, sit. Let me get you a drink,” he offered again.
The words flew out of your mouth before you could stop them. “Why, are you just that curious how far I can shove my foot into my mouth?”
Your mouth immediately clamped shut, one of your hands flying up to cover it as your eyes grew wide in horror at how your sarcastic comment actually came across. His eyebrows once again flew all the way up to his forehead, his lip twitching up at the corner in amusement. 
“Another one of your curious talents?” he asked with a slight laugh.
“Fucking hell,” you groaned, taking a step back. “This is the most embarrassed I’ve probably felt in years,” you blurted. “Which is saying something because I have a tendency to make things incredibly awkward and uncomfortable and I should just really go home now.”
He was fighting the grin on his face as he shook his head. “No, please, don’t be embarrassed. This conversation has honestly been the highlight of my day.”
“I’m glad my mortification brings you joy,” you said flatly, taking another step back, “but I’m pretty sure I’m teetering on the edge of being the first person to actually die of embarrassment. So I should probably really go now.”
“I’m Matthew,” he said, extending his hand out towards you. “Usually I just go by Matt.”
Your eyes dropped down to his extended hand, staring in silent confusion at it. Why the fuck was he offering his hand and introducing himself to you?
He cleared his throat, hand still outstretched. “I know you said you’re a bit awkward and all, so I’ll let you know this is usually the part where you shake my hand and introduce yourself, too.”
“I–” you began, hesitating as you continued eyeing his outstretched hand. “I just told you like five times that I should go…”
“I know, I’m blind, not deaf,” Matt said, grin still intact, causing you to flush further. “But yet you’re still standing here instead of actually leaving. So,” he continued, extending his hand out further towards you, “my name is Matt, and you are?”
“Dying of embarrassment,” you muttered, unable to resist the slight smile on your mouth when he chuckled again. 
And then you caved and against your better judgment you shook his hand, offering him your name as you sat on the bar stool beside him. 
“That’s a pretty name,” he told you.
“And that sounds like a line,” you quipped back.
He raised a single brow at you this time, the corner of his mouth quirking up. You watched as the bartender made her way over towards the pair of you, the surly expression on her face morphing into a large smile when she saw Matt.
“What can I get you, Murdock?” she asked.
Matt turned towards the woman, a charming smile on his face as he said, “Just another beer, Josie, and whatever this lovely lady is having.” His head tilted towards you and Josie’s eyes followed curiously.
“Uh, just a beer, thanks,” you muttered awkwardly.
She nodded, lightly tapping a hand to the counter before sauntering off to grab two beers. You took a moment to take a deep breath, not entirely sure what to make of the evening so far. Normally you’d have scared someone off by now, making them entirely too uncomfortable to try to endure conversation. But not Matt. He was still sitting beside you, clearly relaxed and comfortable.
“So why’re you having a bad day?” he asked.
You glanced over at him. He was studying you, head tilted to the side and one arm resting along the bar counter, the cane folded up on the surface beside him. With the way he was turned towards you in the bar stool, and you towards him, your knees were almost brushing.
“Just a bad day at work,” you mumbled. 
“Where do you work?” he asked curiously.
“The Bulletin,” you told him.
He appeared to perk up instantly, sitting up straighter in his chair as his head shifted further to the side. “You’re a journalist?”
“Uh, yeah,” you answered. “Or at least, I try to be when my boss isn’t throwing fluff pieces at me instead of letting me chase real stories.”
You briefly noticed the thinning of his lips at your words before Josie’s return with two beers caught your attention. You thanked her with a smile, surprised when she returned one, and watched as she disappeared. You took a deep drink from the beer, definitely feeling like you needed it to survive in Matt’s presence. When you set the beer back on the bar, your right hand absently playing with the condensation on the bottle, you turned your attention back to Matt and noticed the slight frown on his mouth.
“So you’re…chasing a dangerous story and your boss doesn’t want you to?” he asked curiously.
“Yeah,” you answered simply.
“Maybe you should listen to him,” Matt suggested.
Your eyes narrowed at him. “And what, write about the upcoming adoption event at the animal shelter forever?” You shook your head. “No, that’s not what I signed up for with this career. Your friend over there is Karen Page, right? She was the same way when she worked at The Bulletin, too.”
“Yeah, and you see how she no longer chases after the dangerous stories for a newspaper anymore, right?” he replied, his tone more serious than it had been.
“I’m sorry but, I just met you literally minutes ago and now you’re trying to dictate what I should be doing?” you asked skeptically.
Matt abruptly shook his head, his charming smile returning. “You know what? You’re right. I just remember Karen having some terrible situations arise because she was chasing a story. I shouldn’t project that onto you. I apologize.”
You continued to study him curiously as you raised your beer to your lips, taking a drink. You swallowed, voicing your thought aloud as you asked, “Why’d you want to have a drink with me so badly?”
“I liked the sound of your voice,” he answered easily. “You sounded nice and I thought I’d like to continue hearing you talk for a bit more tonight.”
You snorted loudly, shaking your head. “Okay, now that is a terrible line,” you said.
“Says the woman who wanted to show me how far she could shove her foot into her mouth before she even knew my name,” he countered.
You blushed furiously, shaking your head with a grin. “No, I said you wanted to see that, not that I wanted to show you,” you shot back.
“Well,” Matt said with a shrug of his shoulders as he brought his beer to his lips, “I’m blind anyway so I couldn’t actually see it one way or another.”
“How many blind jokes are you going to make tonight?” you asked him.
He grinned smoothly back at you, swallowing down his beer. “As many as you continue to easily drop into my lap,” he answered.
You laughed, your eyes darting to the beer beside you. Matt’s knee nudged yours and you glanced back at him.
“What’re you thinking about?” he asked softly.
You shrugged a shoulder, eyeing the beer again. “I can’t decide if I’m regretting staying for this drink or not yet."
"Oh, ouch," he said, feigning hurt. 
You laughed, rolling your eyes. "I mean I’m still debating whether or not you laughing at my intense embarrassment has been worth it or not yet for the current conversation."
"Uh huh," he replied. "So where are you landing with that? On a scale of one to ten?"
You pulled a face, head tilting to the side. "How would I even rate that on a scale?" you asked him curiously. 
"Well, one would be 'Oh shit I'll just stop talking and slip away since he can't see me’–'"
"Jeez, has that happened to you before?" you asked, cutting him off.
He shook his head, bringing his beer to his lips again as he answered. "No, but I get the feeling you might."
Your face reddened further as you watched him take a drink, eyes lingering on the way his throat bobbed as he swallowed. "No," you corrected, "I'd at least blurt out something weird and then sprint out of the room. You'd at least have some warning."
"Oh, well I appreciate that at least," he teased. "But really, scale of one to ten how much are you regretting staying for the drink?" 
You eyed him, bringing the bottle to your lips and thinking over your answer for a moment as you studied him and took a drink. He was charming, that was obvious, and he didn't seem even remotely put off or like he was struggling with conversation no matter how awkward you'd been so far. In fact, you'd go so far as to say that you were surprisingly having fun.
"Okay I'm pretty sure you just told me you'd at least blurt something awkward before you disappeared on me," Matt joked.
You grinned, unable to help it. "A seven," you answered. 
His eyebrows shot up onto his forehead again, an amused smile still on his lips. "A seven isn't bad but I was hoping for higher," he mused. "Why so low?"
"You could do with some better jokes and your lines are terrible," you told him.
"Duly noted," he answered quickly. 
"So what about you?" you asked somewhat nervously. "On a scale of one to ten, how much do you regret asking me to stay for this drink?"
You anxiously took a sip of your beer while he cocked his head to the side as if he was in thought for a moment. 
"An eight," he answered. "But only because I'm still waiting to find out how far you can shove your foot in your mouth."
You choked on the beer you were drinking, coughing lightly as Matt laughed and asked if you were alright. It was a moment before you recovered but his next question had you reeling again.
"You want to stay longer than that one drink? Meet my friends?" he asked when you'd recovered. 
Your cheeks flushed as you bit your lip, taking only a few seconds to think over your answer. "Yeah, sure," you said. "I've got time."
"Considering your friend said you could write your article in a half hour with your hands tied behind your back using only your tongue," he mused, "I imagine you do. You need any help with the restraints for that, by the way?"
You threw your face in your hands, groaning loudly as Matt let out another bark of laughter beside you. "I cannot believe you just said that," you mumbled.
"Really?" he asked curiously. "In the probably fifteen minutes you've been conversing with me you really can't believe I would say that?"
You began to laugh behind your own hands, turning your face to peek at him through your fingers. He was smiling wide, perfect teeth exposed, as he gazed in your direction. 
"Okay, yeah, maybe I can," you answered. 
"But you seem a little more relaxed now," he pointed out. 
He was right, too. Somehow after all the awkward tension and comments you'd found him funny and a little disarming. And he still hadn't run off, instead he seemed like he was also enjoying your company and he clearly didn't want you to leave yet. Which you certainly hadn't expected.
"Yes, maybe marginally less embarrassed," you agreed.
"Good," he responded. He slid off the bar stool, knees briefly grazing yours before he grabbed his cane and began to unfold it. "So, would you like to meet my friends? Stay a bit longer?"
You smiled, shrugging a shoulder. "Sure, let's give my anxiety a bigger audience," you joked, sliding off of your bar stool. 
"I have a feeling they're going to like you, too," he assured you.
You smiled nervously, feeling your palms sweating a bit again and trying to discreetly wipe them against your dress pants as he led you towards the pool table. He'd just said he liked you and you felt yourself becoming a bundle of nerves all over again.
But he couldn't possibly have meant it like that , right?
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indhamar · 13 days ago
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We are starving in Gaza.
There’s no flour, no food—only hunger, fear, and silence. My family sleep with empty stomachs. I wake up every day praying for a miracle: just bread, just safety, just a little kindness from the outside world.
I never imagined I’d have to beg, but today I am. Please, if you see this, don’t ignore it. If you can help us with even the smallest amount, it can mean food on our table or medicine for my loved ones.
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indhamar · 13 days ago
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