The Invisible String: Matt Murdock/ Daredevil

13

The city buzzed softly outside, a distant siren wailing its mournful song. Inside the apartment, the quiet stretched between Matt and Annalise, thick but comfortable, like the calm before a storm neither dared speak aloud.

Matt finally shifted, breaking the silence. "Coffee first. Then we figure out how to keep Karen from throwing herself into the lion's den."

Annalise smiled, that small curve that always reached her eyes. "Sounds like a plan. I'm all for caffeine-fueled heroics."

He pushed himself up from the couch, stretching out stiff limbs. "I'll grab my bag, you get dressed. We need to be ready before Karen leaves."

She nodded, standing and smoothing her shirt down. "Yeah. No surprises this time."

Matt's hand brushed lightly against the worn fabric of the couch as he rose, a grounding touch in the stillness. Annalise's eyes lingered on his profile, the soft line of his jaw, the way his blind eyes sometimes fluttered shut as if listening to something no one else could hear. She swallowed hard, suddenly aware of the steady beat of her own heart.

In the bathroom, Annalise ran cold water over her wrists, the chill anchoring her swirling thoughts. The weight of what lay ahead pressed down—the risk, the unknown, the possibility that none of them would walk away unscathed. But also, something steadied her. This was her choice, her fight, and she wasn't alone.

She caught her reflection in the mirror, a half-smile tugging at her lips. She thought about Matt. About the way he never needed to see her to know her, to feel her. There was something magnetic in that—something that made her pulse quicken.

Matt's footsteps echoed softly from the bedroom. When he spoke, his voice was quieter than before. "You think Felix Manning really trusts Karen?"

She considered the question, pressing her hands to the cool sink. "Trust isn't the word I'd use. More like... a means to an end. But if Karen's right, Felix isn't careless enough to underestimate her."

The lights flickered briefly, and for a moment the room plunged into darkness before the emergency bulbs kicked in, bathing everything in a dim, cold glow.

Matt appeared in the doorway, shirt changed, eyes steady. His scent, fresh, washed over her senses. It was subtle but undeniable. Her breath hitched slightly, a quickening pulse against her chest.

"We should move. Karen's already dangerous enough without us hovering. But we'll be close."

They stepped out into the hallway together, the apartment door clicking softly behind them. The building felt heavier now, like it was holding its breath along with them.

Outside, the night air was thick, city sounds vibrating through the pavement. The walk to the corner café was short but carried a tension that made every shadow seem deeper.

Matt walked with his cane tapping a steady rhythm, his other senses on high alert. His ears caught the slight hitch in Annalise's breath as they stepped into the cooler air, the subtle warmth radiating from her body in the chill night. He felt the nervous energy between them, something unspoken but electric.

Inside the café, the smell of roasted coffee beans and fresh pastries wrapped around them like a comfort blanket. Matt ordered two black coffees, while Annalise took a deep breath, letting the warmth of the cup seep into her palms.

She watched him carefully as he sat, noting the way his fingers curled around the mug, knuckles pale but steady. She imagined how his eyes would flicker closed, concentrating on the tastes and sounds, the way he made sense of the world differently, more intensely.

"Karen's brave," Matt said, voice low, almost hesitant. "Reckless too, but brave."

"She's not the only one," Annalise replied, meeting his gaze. Her eyes traced the soft line of his face, how his lips parted slightly when he spoke, the way his head tilted, searching for more than words. "We all have our battles. Maybe it's time we fight together."