Here's To Us *Damned Coda* Matt Murdock*

9) Perchance to dream

She breathed in shakily, exhaling slowly.

When Matt didn't say anything for a while, she carefully raised her gaze back to his face. His eyes were glassy. He looked like he had just gotten the biggest compliment ever. He was just a little frozen.

"You-- you believe that," he stuttered with disbelief and Vera realized he must have been listening to her heartbeat, checking if she meant it. Of course she was.

The uncertainty was killing her; he apparently wanted kids one day, he just confirmed her suspicion. But what exactly meant one day? One day when things are a little calmer? One day when I think I'm ready? One day when I meet the right girl?

Vera gulped at the last thought.

"Of course I do."

Of course he would be amazing. He would be the fun parent and mother hen in one person.

Matt pressed his lips together tightly, his chest shaking with silenced chuckle. He took few steps in her direction and she squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable line.

When I say 'one day', I mean when I find the right girl.

They had never talked about it together. Probably for a reason. Her heart began to break.

Matt wiped away few solitude tears from her cheek with what could be his thumb; Vera didn't look to make sure. She didn't even realize she had started crying. Of course she had.

"Why are you crying, sweetheart? You don't... you don't want kids? But I thought-- we'll figure it out. If you don't want your own, we can adopt or-- please, please, Vera, we'll figure it out. Together. I-" he spoke in tight voice and Vera let out a blend of sob and chuckle, colliding with his chest, silencing him effectively. Her heart just skipped a beat and she could feel that his own started racing after her attack.

'We'll figure it out. Together.'

He tentatively wrapped his arms around her, squeezing lightly, enough to make her feel safe, loved, not enough to make it painful.

"I know it's too soon. But I promise I'll try. We'll make it work. I know you'll probably just want to kill me most of the time, but I'll be doing my best. I'll be more careful when out. I'll be out less in the first place. I'll be there for you..."

"You really want? With me?" Vera mumbled to his jacket, barely comprehensible. She felt his lips in her hair.

"I just said that, didn't I?" he confirmed, sounding bewildered, his chest vibrating with the words. Vera swallowed against the lump in her throat, which was still growing, but now it the best way possible.

His body tensed all of sudden, his pulse doing funny things. "You-- you didn't think I would want this with anybody else, right?"

She let out a tiny startled sound, almost feeling guilty when hearing his tone. She felt his embrace loosening, so she tightened hers. Yet, his hands found her face, using maybe too much force to make her look up.

"Wow. Now I'm really offended. Do you think I would talk about that in front of you if I didn't? Do you really think I would be such an ass?" he demanded, indeed sounding offended. Oops.

There was not enough room for her to feel guilty though. She was on cloud nine and her chest was fucking heavy with something that wasn't quite unpleasant. He wanted kids with her. He expected them to stay together and have kids.

"Jesus, Vera."

"I'm sorry," she shrieked nonsensically and he faced the ceiling, probably pleading God to give him strength.