And on a Rainy Night (Daredevil)

[justaquirkygirl]

In which I spend way too much time finding various ways to torture Matt Murdock. This is a really long fic, so I'm breaking it into sections to post. Not a ton of sneezing in the beginning, but I promise to make up for that as the fic goes on.

Matt had been burning the candle at both ends for too long. Things had finally started picking up at the newly named Nelson, Murdock, and Page law office, and it looked like they would have the cash to move out of Theo’s way soon. This meant a lot of billable hours on top of his pro bono work, which meant a lot of time at the office, early mornings, late nights and all. 

At the same time, though, things in the darker sections of the Kitchen seemed worse than usual. As soon as Matt managed to stamp out one gang, a rival would rise to take their place. 

On top of all this, he was doing his best to get to know Maggie better, popping into the church a few times a week to help her with the kids there. He was also trying to be a better friend to Foggy and Karen, going out with them at least once a week as well. All in all, if he managed a few hours of sleep a night, it felt like a blessing.

 

Matt has begun to feel the strain of this in the last few days, his eyes feeling like they were full of sand and his limbs far too heavy. He didn’t see any way to stop and rest, though, so he just kept pushing forward. 

 

When the day came that the three avocados finally made the switch to their new office, Matt thought he was going to fall straight to the floor with fatigue and a headache that seemed to have taken up residence in his sinuses. His throat seemed dry, too, no matter how much water he tried to drink. 

 

He tried to beg off, therefore when Foggy and Karen insisted that the three of them go out to celebrate the new office. There was a freezing drizzle out, and it seemed to be keeping the worst of the criminal element off the streets for once; maybe he could get some sleep, shake this awful leaden feeling in his limbs. 

 

But Foggy and Karen wouldn’t take no for an answer, and soon the three of them were on their way out. There wasn’t a cab to be had it seemed that night, and the bar wasn’t far so they began to walk. Within a minute, though, Matt could hear Karen’s teeth chattering from the cold. It seemed she’d left her coat at home that morning. 

Matt immediately shrugged out of his, insisting she wear it, hunching his shoulders against the icy rain as it immediately soaked through his shirt. At least the cold would help keep him awake, he thought. By the time they reached the bar he was soaked through and shivering violently. 

 

Foggy and Karen pushed through the doors to the warmth inside and Matt started to follow them, only for the sudden shift in temperature to trigger a sharp sneeze, which he attempted to stifle into his upper arm, “Hgnxth!” 

“Bless you, buddy!” Foggy was suddenly right at his elbow. Matt blinked in confusion for a second; he hadn't noticed Foggy turning back for him. 

“Thanks,” he mumbled, trying to hold back a second sneeze from his now stuffed up sinuses. He suddenly wanted nothing more than to be warm in bed, sleeping for a week, but they were here, and Karen had snagged a booth at the back of the bar, so he knuckled away the itch in his nose, and headed back to celebrate with his partners. 

 

It was late before Karen and Foggy were ready to call it a night and Matt thought he was never going to make it home. The congestion that had taken up residence in his sinuses was making it hard for him to navigate as he normally would, making him actually feel blind. He was grateful that Foggy insisted on sharing a cab and dropping Matt off first; he was sure he never would have made it otherwise. He grinned to himself as he considered the dumpster he may have had to bed down in instead. 

 

“Get some rest, you Avocado!” Foggy called after Matt as he climbed from the cab, icy needles of rain immediately finding the gap between the back of his shirt and his neck. Matt raised a hand in reply, desperately reaching out with his diminished senses to find the way inside out of the rain. The itch in his nose had returned with a vengeance and he tried to hold it off as he made for the door, waiting to hear the cab pull away before he gave in.

 

“Heheshoo, eshoo, heh heh heeshoo, shoo, heheshoo!” Matt thought the sneezing fit would never stop. He finally reached his apartment, fumbling with his keys as he tried to hold back another sneeze. He got the door open just as it hit, bending him double, “Heh-reshoo!”

He sniffed, hoping it was done and made his way toward his bedroom where he remembered having a box of tissues on the dresser. He grabbed the whole thing as he made his way to his bed, fighting the urge to just collapse face down on it still in his wet clothes. 

After blowing his nose, he took the time to strip out of his soaked clothing and get into some sweats before he finally laid back with a groan of relief. 

 

Surely all he needed was a good night’s sleep to get rid of whatever cold was trying to take up residence. He could fight it off, he assured himself, just a full night’s sleep was all he needed. 

 

Unfortunately, though, life had other plans. As soon as Matt was comfortable and drifting off a shrill alarm cut through the night, jolting him back to consciousness. The building's fire alarm was going off. He groaned and sat up trying to smell any smoke that would indicate if this was a false alarm or not, but nothing was getting through the brick wall of his congestion.

 

TBC

[justaquirkygirl]

Part 2! In which I set the stage for all the torture that will follow in the next few parts.

Matt sat for a moment more until the sound of running feet made him get up and go investigate. He emerged from his apartment to chaos as the various residents were making their way outside. Sighing, he shuffled after them trying not to moan out loud at how awful he felt and how much he wanted to be back inside his bed. 

Downstairs he huddled into his sweatshirt, hunching his shoulders against the rain and tried his best to focus on what was going on and not his growing misery. Fighting back another sneeze he tried to listen to what his neighbors were saying. A fire had broken out in the basement of the building, and while it was out now, it looked like they weren’t going to let anyone back in until later the next day. 

Management was asking everyone to find other accommodations for the night. Matt seriously considered just scaling the walls up the roof and letting himself back into his apartment that way, but a fresh round of sneezes left him dizzy and disoriented and he knew that attempting any sort of parkour was not in the cards today. 

 

Sniffling heavily, he wondered where he would go for the rest of the night. His wallet and phone were upstairs and Foggy and Karen both lived too far for a walk in this weather. Finally he remembered that Maggie was nearby and turned in what he hoped was the direction of the church. His cold was making it increasingly hard to navigate, and stopping to sneeze every few minutes was not helping matters. "Heh-itsch, itsch, Heh, heh, ETSCH," Matt tried to continue walking without slowing down as the rain intensified, but the sneezing was causing him to stumble off the curb and into the water-filled gutter every few feet instead.

 

It felt like hours before he reached the doors of the church. He leaned against them for a moment gathering the strength to push them open and head inside. 

As soon as he made it in, the warmth and the smell of incense hit his already irritated sinuses and he was immediately bent double by an enormous sneeze. 

 

“Huh, hehreshoo!”

 

He straightened to a startled “Bless you!” And turned toward the speaker, embarrassment coloring his cheeks. “Thanks,” he rasped, wondering when his throat had gotten this sore.

He cleared it and tried again “Is Sister Maggie here?” He smiled and hoped he didn’t look as dreadful as he felt. 

 

He felt the stranger studying him for a moment before they answered, “Wait here, I’ll see if she’s available”. 

 

Matt thanked them and sank gratefully into the nearest pew. He must have dozed off because the next thing he knew, Maggie was shaking him awake. 

 

“Matthew! What are you doing here at this hour? Are you hurt?” Matt could sense the worry and irritation coming off Maggie’s small frame, and he attempted to smile at her, but cut himself off with a tired sneeze, “Ehshhoo!”

“Bless you. Matthew, are you alright?” Maggie’s tone was becoming more worried as she got a better look at him. He was pale and shivering and seemed unfocused. He was also soaking wet. 

Matt cleared his throat, “Thanks. I’m fine. Well actually maybe not fine. There was a fire in my apartment building; can’t sleep there tonight. I was hoping I could stay here. They said I should be able to go back tomorrow,” he trailed off into a cough that quickly took over, wracking his body. He gasped for air, then sneezed again, just managing to get his arm up just in time. "Eh-TSCH!"

“Bless you! Matthew you sound awful,” she reached out a hand toward his face, but he felt it at the last second and quickly brushed it away. Not to be deterred, Maggie grabbed his shoulder and pressed the palm of her other hand to his forehead. He tried to pull away again, but she simply tightened her grip and he found he didn’t have the strength to fight her. 

 

“You’re warm,” Maggie announced, looking down at him with concern. “And you’re soaked, which certainly isn’t doing that cold any favors. Let’s get you over to the orphanage and I’ll find you some dry clothes.”

 

Matt was too exhausted at this point to do anything but follow her out of the pew and toward the stairs. He had to pause to sneeze every few steps and Maggie’s “bless you’s” were becoming more worried by the minute. He wanted to tell her not to worry, that he would be fine once he got some sleep, but he was starting to have trouble convincing himself of that fact. 

 

Instead, he simply accepted the dry clothes she gave him and fell face first onto the cot she provided. A few seconds later he felt her shaking him awake once more and groaned in misery before he could stop himself. He didn’t have the strength to do more than open his eyes, but he quickly realized that Maggie was handing him aspirin and some water. He thought about arguing and decided it was too much trouble. He quickly accepted them, downed both as fast as he could and was asleep again before his head hit the pillow. He didn’t feel Maggie pull an extra blanket over him or press her palm to his forehead again, which she did with a worried frown. 

 

Maggie was thankful that he had thought of her when he needed a place to stay, but she wished he wasn’t so stoic about it. She sighed and placed her hand on his cheek, frowning at how warm he was before saying a quick prayer and heading to her own room for the night.

 

TBC...

[justaquirkygirl]

The torture continues...

The next morning Matt woke disoriented, trying to figure out where he was and why he felt like he’d been hit by a truck. A truck that had managed to fill his sinuses with cement. He sat up and the congestion shifted, triggering a seemingly endless round of sneezes, 

 

“Hubshoo, hehshoo, heh-ehshoo, huh-shoo, et-shoo, it-chew, HUH-shoo,” he was starting to think it was never going to stop when he felt someone press a box of tissues into his hands. He grasped them gratefully, grabbing a handful and blowing his nose hard, trying to rid it of the torturous itch. Finally with one more sneeze, he was done. He fell back against the pillow gasping, which quickly turned into a cough. How could he be feeling so much worse than last night?

 

“God bless you, Matthew,” he heard Maggie exclaim from what felt like a great distance. “That sounds like a terrible cold,” she continued, pulling the blankets back up over him and feeling his forehead. He tried to protest, pushing her hand away, but he was too slow, his reflexes dulled by fever. He shut his eyes hoping to slip back into oblivion, but within seconds Maggie was back, pushing a thermometer into his mouth and laying a cool cloth on his forehead. The thermometer was an unwelcome intrusion, but the cool cloth felt wonderful and he moaned in relief, closing his eyes and sinking back into the bed. He could put up with Maggie fussing for a bit, he decided. Maybe then she’d let him sleep until he could get back to his own place. 

 

He was on the edge of sleep when the thermometer beeped and he felt Maggie pulling it from his mouth. “101.2,” she read aloud before wiping it down and putting it away. 

“Well, you’re not going anywhere for a while,” she told him, straightening the blankets. That sounded fine to Matt. Never moving again sounded fine to Matt. 

“I hope I can trust you not to go sneaking out on the rooftops in this condition,” Maggie added wryly while she shook some aspirin into her hand. Matt simply moaned in response. It seemed the only answer he was capable of making. Suddenly he felt strong hands lifting him into a sitting position and Maggie was pushing the aspirin and a glass of juice into his hands. He tried to protest, but sneezed instead. He felt disgusting, germ ridden and coated in sweat. He wanted to pull away, but it seemed futile. Instead, he accepted the aspirin and juice, swallowing both with a grimace as they scraped against his throat. 

 

“Get some rest,” Maggie told him, helping him lay back down. “You’ll be lucky not to end up with pneumonia after walking here in the rain like that last night.” Matt moaned again in reply. Distantly, he realized that he should be answering in sentences and reassuring Maggie that he would be fine, but he was just too miserable to care. Thankfully she seemed to understand, because she patted his leg through the blanket and quietly left the room. Matt felt sleep take him, praying that he’d wake feeling better soon. 

 

Matt slept fitfully through the rest of the morning, waking to the sound of his own coughs from time to time. He was vaguely aware of Maggie and someone else coming and going, but as long as he could sleep, he was going to take advantage. 

 

Finally, he woke up enough to realize that he had no idea what time it was or how long he’d been at the church. They’d moved offices on Saturday, which meant, he realized with a guilty start that he’d been in the church most of Sunday, making more work for Maggie. Remembering that he could get back to his apartment today, he decided to head there now. He hoped that with another night’s sleep he’d be able to go into the office the next day. 

 

Moving quietly so that he wouldn’t disturb anyone nearby - his senses were still horribly dulled and he had no idea where anyone was - Matt attempted to stand. He swayed for a minute, dizzy, but quickly found his balance and began making his way out of the room when a sudden sneeze caught him off guard and he crashed into the doorway. The sound of running feet made him realize that he hadn’t been as quiet as he hoped. 

 

“Matthew!” It was Maggie, “Are you alright? What on earth are you doing?” She asked as he groped for the doorway and tried to stand up straight again, holding onto it. He attempted to explain, sneezing heavily every few words, 

“I appreciate you - hehshoo - letting me stay here last -ehshoo - night, but I can - ehSHOO - head back to my place now -heh-hehshoo- Sorry about the, the, hehEHSHOO, sniff, noise, I bumped into the door frame,” he finished sheepishly, rubbing his nose with the back of his hand. 

Maggie was silent for a moment and his congestion made it hard for him to find her in the room. Finally she asked him wryly, “Were you so desperate to get away from here? Honestly Matthew,” she took his arm and steered him back to bed, “You look awful, you sound worse, and it’s sleeting out. I’m not going to have you traipsing uptown in this condition. Bless you,” she added as he sneezed again. 

 

They reached the bed and Matt sank onto it gratefully. “I don’t want to bother you,” he began, but Maggie cut him off, “Enough. You’re here now and you’re clearly ill. I’m not going to send you out into the cold because you need to stay another night. Besides,” she reached out to brush the hair back from his forehead, lowering her voice as she spoke, “I’m your mother. Let me take care of you.”

 

Matt didn’t have an answer for that, so he simply nodded and lay back on the bed, coughing heavily. He pressed his hand to his chest wincing - he’d cracked a couple of ribs a few days earlier and while they had been healing all the coughing and sneezing he was doing was undoing any progress he’s made. Maggie watched him wince and reached over to feel his ribs. He hissed in pain then began coughing harder when she reached the cracked rib. He heard her huff then felt her leave. 

When the coughing stopped he lay panting for a moment, wondering if he’d finally pushed her too far and she’d left him again. He was starting to wonder if he should go after her when he heard her returning. 

 

“Right,” she said briskly, setting down the box she was carrying, “I suppose that rib just slipped your mind? Don’t answer that,” she told him as he opened his mouth to reply. “Let’s get you taped up so you don’t do any more damage to it, then I’ll get you something for that cough.” She helped him sit up and began wrapping his ribs tightly. “You know that broken ribs can lead to pneumonia if not treated properly, right? Honestly Matthew. I thought you had more sense than this.” She finished taping his ribs and helped him lay back down.

Matt sank into the mattress thankfully. He was sweating from the exertion of just being upright and he somehow felt even worse than he had before. How was that possible? Surely he’d hit the nadir of suffering from this cold by now?

 

He was jolted from his thoughts by Maggie returning and pushing the thermometer back under his tongue. She placed another cool cloth on his head and used a second one to wipe down his limbs, taking off the film of sweat, leaving him feeling cleaner if not better. He shivered in the sudden cold and noticing, Maggie drew the covers closer around him when she was done.  

 

The thermometer beeped and he heard Maggie sigh as she looked at it. He waited to hear what the number was, but she didn’t say, turning and leaving the room quickly instead. 

Too tired to try and figure out where she’d gone, Matt closed his eyes and began sliding back into sleep. He had just drifted off when Maggie was back, helping him back upright. 

 

“Here,” she said, attempting to hand him some aspirin. Matt was too confused to figure out what she wanted until she took his hand and placed the pills inside. “And here’s some juice.” She pressed a cold glass into his other hand. “Your temperature’s up. Take these and then I have something for your cough. It should help you sleep as well.”

 

Matt wanted to protest that he could sleep just fine, but the act of swallowing the pills and juice made him cough again, and now that he thought about it, something to stop the constant hacking might not be that bad. He wondered if she had anything for the sneezing as he finished his coughing fit with a pair of heavy, wet sneezes. “Huh-etschew! Heh, heh, HUH-etchSHEW!”

 

“God bless you, Matthew! Here,” Maggie handed him some tissues followed by a capful of what he assumed was the cough medicine she’d mentioned earlier. 

 

He mumbled his thanks, tossed the medicine back, grimacing at the cloying taste and the stickiness as it oozed down his throat, then fell backwards onto the pillow. His whole body ached at this point, his chest in particular. The tape helped, but it also made it harder to take a full breath. 

 

The last thing he felt before the cough medicine pulled him under was Maggie’s cool hand on his forehead. It felt wonderful. He wanted to ask her not to remove it, but sleep took him before he had a chance.

 

Few more parts to come.

[silentdreamer789]

This is awesome, can't wait for more!

[starpollen]

Aww stoic sick men and caretaking  🥰 my favorite!

[justaquirkygirl]

18 hours ago, silentdreamer789 said:

This is awesome, can't wait for more!

Thank you - next chapter is up, and more to follow!

13 hours ago, starpollen said:

Aww stoic sick men and caretaking  🥰 my favorite!

Mine, too! Which is why Matt is so fun to torture. 😈

 

Next part follows. Poor Matt just can't get a break, nor am I going to give him one for quite some time. 😁

 

Matt slept even more fitfully than the night before. Every time he woke, though, Maggie was there to reassure him. Through the haze of his fever he found himself comforted by her presence. He tried to convey just how much it meant to him that she was there, but he slipped back into sleep again before he had the chance. 

 

The next morning he woke feeling if not better, then certainly not worse, as well as in desperate need of a shower. Even through his congestion he could smell himself and it wasn’t good. Maggie was gone from the chair she had evidently slept in across the room, and he was alone.

He tried to remember where the shower was hoping he could locate it and suds himself up at least a little before Maggie returned. He hoped she was getting some sleep of her own. It gnawed at him that she was clearly sacrificing her own schedule and needs to care for him. 

 

Pushing himself upright, he sneezed once, “Huheshoo!”, then paused to assess how he was feeling. His chest ached, but not with the intensity it had before. He was still horribly congested and his throat was raw, but the nausea that had plagued him for days seemed to be gone. He took that as a good sign and stood tentatively, reaching out with his senses to try and feel his way to the bathroom. 

 

Confident that he had the direction right he set off slowly, trying to keep his bearings. It took him a few minutes, but he made it and was able to get the water started. It was after he had stripped himself of his damp, sweaty clothes that he realized that he didn’t have anything else to put on. Well, one thing at a time. 

 

The shower was a blend of heaven and torture. It felt great to get clean and let the water pummel his sore muscles. But the minute the water hit him he began to shiver uncontrollably, letting him know that his temperature was still up. 

 

He soaped and rinsed as quickly as he could, feeling his energy draining by the minute. When he was done, he toweled off quickly and not wanting to put his clothes back on, he simply wrapped the towel firmly around his waist and headed back for the bed, making it just before his energy gave out completely, sneezing heavily the whole way back. At this point, he was too tired even to bother covering them, particularly as he was sure he was still alone, “Huh-eshoo!  Heh-itschew! Heh-itsSCHEW!”

He collapsed sideways onto the bed with one more sneeze just as he heard Maggie returning. She sped up as she saw him and he tried to push himself back upright, tightening the towel around his hips. 

 

“I really needed a shower,” he rasped, trying to smile reassuringly at her. 

He heard her sigh before she answered him, “While I agree, don’t you think you could have at least waited until I could get you something clean to wear?” He heard her shake her head. “Never mind. I’ll get you something now. Climb back under the covers; I don’t want you getting chilled. 

 

Matt sheepishly climbed back under the blankets and waited for Maggie to return. Just those few minutes in the shower had exhausted him completely and he didn’t relish the idea of having to get up again soon. 

 

Maggie returned quickly and then left again while he dressed. While he was still miserable, being clean certainly helped. 

Unfortunately, even once he was dressed and back under the covers, Matt couldn’t get warm again. He shivered uncontrollably, sneezing heavily every few seconds. “Itchsew, itchshew, huh-shoo, heh, heh, heh SHOO!”

He groaned as the sneezes finally slowed, groping for the tissues nearby. It was Monday. He was supposed to head to work in the new office today, and right now he wasn’t sure he could find his way to the street. He groaned again realizing that he didn’t have his phone with him either, so calling Foggy or Karen wasn’t going to be something he could do that easily. He’d sworn that he wouldn’t vanish on them again and they would be - rightfully - angry if he simply failed to show up for work. 

 

Matt sighed. Why was his life so complicated? Despite not wanting to move ever again, he forced himself up and started across the room. This time Maggie was back before he got to the door. She was carrying a tray of food, and she frowned when she saw him. 

“Going somewhere?” she asked him. Matt grinned sheepishly, “I, uh, was hoping I could use your phone. I left mine behind when I had to evacuate because of the fire alarm and I need to let Foggy know I won’t be in today.” 

 

Maggie nodded, pleased for once that Matthew was both being realistic in what he was capable of and that he was reaching out to a friend, rather than isolating himself and causing others to worry. 

She told him as much as she led him to the nearest phone and looked up Foggy’s number for him. 

 

“Hey Foggy,” he rasped when he heard his friend answer the phone.

 

“Matt,” Foggy all but yelled into the phone. “Where the hell are you man? Are you alright? I heard about the fire in your building, but you haven’t been answering your phone. You ok? You sound like you inhaled a bunch of smoke. I suppose you played the hero, pulling little old ladies from the blaze?” 

 

Matt winced. “No, nothing like that. I’m at the church, I left my phone in the apartment when I evacuated.” He paused to sneeze then continued, “I’ve also got the cold from hell,” he winced again when Maggie huffed and swatted at him muttering about his language, “So I wanted you to know I won’t be in today. Sorry I didn’t call sooner; I didn’t realize word had gotten out about the fire and truthfully I’ve been too miserable to care.” He broke off in a cough that had him wrapping his arms around his ribs for added support. 

 

“Geez, you sound awful. Maggie taking care of you?” Foggy asked sympathetically. 

 

“She’s doing her best,” Matt responded, trying to smile in Maggie’s direction. 

 

Foggy snorted, “Yeah I’ve dealt with you when you’re sick and I don’t envy her at all right now. Alright man. I’ve got to head into the office. Someone’s gotta do some work, keep the lights on. You want me to stop by later? Bring you anything?” 

 

Matt started to say no, he’d be fine, but paused instead. “Actually if you can bring me some clothes and my phone and wallet I’d appreciate it. Left in the middle of the night in some old sweats and forgot to take anything else with me. After work is fine, though; there’s no rush.”

 

“Alright, you got it. Get some rest and don’t give Maggie a hard time.” 

 

Matt hung up quickly just as another sneezing fit overtook him, “Eh-tsch, heh-tsch, huh-tschoo, heh-tschoo, heh, heh, heh, heh-atcschoo!” This last one bent him double and made him start coughing. Was this cold ever going to end, he wondered as he felt Maggie’s hand on his back, rubbing in soothing circles. 

 

“God bless you! Let’s get you back to bed,” Maggie exclaimed, worry evident in her voice. It was becoming obvious to both of them that this was turning into more than a simple cold. Matt nodded wearily and took her arm, letting her lead him back to the infirmary. Despite the fact that he’d done nothing but sleep for the better part of the last day, he felt like he could sleep for another year. 

 

Matt once again collapsed onto the bed. It was only a thin cot, but it was starting to feel like home after the last two nights. He was ready to go back to sleep immediately, but Maggie forced him to eat some hot cereal and sip some tea first. She’d heavily laced the tea with lemon, honey, and what he was fairly sure was cheap whiskey. It tasted awful. It felt wonderful. It also knocked him straight back out again for another two hours.

 

More to come soon.

[justaquirkygirl]

Because Matt hasn't suffered enough yet, it's time to send him out into the sleet and inflict some allergies on him as well as. Sister Maggie, however, has had enough.

 

Instead of waking up feeling better, though, Matt woke up feeling even more congested with a pain behind his eyes. He groaned and tried to sit upright, but immediately regretted it as he began sneezing again, “Eh-tichew, eh-tschew, heh,heh,heh-ITSCHEW!” Was there no end to this misery? He lay back and swallowed thickly. His throat felt swollen, the glands in his neck ached, and his eyeballs felt hot. The rest of him was alternating between boiling and freezing and it was then that his stoicism finally cracked and he called out to Maggie, hoping she was nearby. 

 

She wasn’t, but a postulant was, and quickly went to fetch her. Maggie came running when she heard that Matthew had been calling for her, the fact that he had not asked for help once yet alarming her now that he had. 

 

She found him sweating and shivering, his face swollen and flushed. She laid her palm on his head and winced at the heat blazing there. She started to pull her hand away, but Matt stopped her, “Don’t,” he rasped, reaching for her hand before she could remove it. “Feels good.” This only alarmed her more and she reassured him that she would return quickly. 

 

Grabbing the thermometer and wringing out a cloth in cool water she returned as fast as she could Matt’s ears were fully clogged now as well and he didn’t notice her until she placed the cloth on his head, which made him jump. She placed a calming hand on his shoulder and slipped the thermometer into his mouth. 

 

When it beeped a minute later she looked at it and sighed. His temperature had risen nearly 2 degrees, and it had been high to begin with. She suspected the few cold soakings he’d had at the start of this cold was giving rise to a sinus or ear infection. And while she was fine with stitching wounds and treating fevers, she didn’t have any antibiotics on hand. 

 

Reluctantly, she considered her options. There was a clinic up the road that took walk-ins; it was where they brought any children that were too ill to be cared for at the orphanage. She was sure Matt was going to protest, though. Especially with his senses compromised. The other choice would be to sit tight and see if he improved by the next day. Of course taking that route might make him even worse off than he was now. She bit her lip, praying for a moment. 

 

At that moment Matt moaned and curled in on himself on the bed. She sighed; she would have to get him to the clinic. She decided to call a cab first and tell him after it was on its way. She suspected that if she presented the idea as less of an option he might not argue so much. 

 

Once the cab had been called, Maggie went to wake Matt. He was very adamant about not being woken at this point, since his entire face and head throbbed and his clogged ears made him feel like he was on a boat swaying in open water. Once he realized what it was Maggie wanted he tried hard to argue, but a series of harsh, loud sneezes left him panting and in even more pain than before. At this point he realized that she was right; he could practically taste the bacteria at the back of his throat and he knew that antibiotics were the only way he was going to kick this. 

 

Reluctantly, he got to his feet, trying desperately to get his balance. His ears were so clogged he couldn’t orient himself in the room, and the spins were setting in. Maggie noticed and quickly grabbed his arm, steering him to a nearby wheelchair. He collapsed into it gratefully. Part of him was humiliated to need it, but the rest of him was realistic to know that there was no other way he was getting to the cab. 

 

Outside, sleet was still sheeting down forcefully, and a fierce wind was blowing it right into the faces of anyone who dared go out in it. Matt leaned heavily on Maggie’s arm, cane in his other hand, and tried not to panic at the sensory distortion his condition combined with the freezing slush was creating. 

They were nearly at the curb when a large truck went by too quickly, spraying up a wall of slush and freezing water that drenched Matt as Maggie ducked down to speak to the cab driver. Could this day get any worse, Matt wondered, wiping his face and shivering hard from the recent freeze. 

He stifled a quick sneeze into his arm, hoping not to alert Maggie. She wasn’t fooled, but between the sleet and his condition, he didn’t notice the sharp glance she cut his way before taking his elbow and all but pushing him into the cab.

 

Unfortunately for Matt, the cab driver was a big fan of cheap cologne. The cab was permeated in it, and the chemicals began tickling his already irritated sinuses the minute he sat down. He began groping desperately in his pockets for a tissue, but realized quickly that he hadn’t actually brought any. 

 

“Hgithx,” Matt stifled the first of what was likely to be many sneezes into his arm. He wished that he could roll down a window to let in some fresh air, but that would also be letting in the sleet, which was probably just as bad.

 

“Hnngk, heh-itch, heh-ingxth, huh-itsh,” Matt continued to do his best to stifle the incredibly itchy sneezes. Maggie quietly blessed him each time, her hand on his shoulder, her tone growing more worried as the sneezes did not seem to stop. 

 

Matt tried to explain quietly between sneezes, “It’s, heh-eh -hightx - the cologne, huh-tich, it’s irritating my huh-itcsh nose,” he sniffled heavily, wishing to be anywhere else. Thankfully, the cab ride was short, and the second they pulled up to the clinic, Matt was fumbling for the door, practically diving out into the sleet to get away from the tortuous scent. 

 

He let out one more enormous sneeze as the cab pulled away, finally relieving the itch in his nose.

 

“God bless you!” Maggie exclaimed, hurrying to get him into the clinic and out of the sleet. Despite the freezing cold and the sensory confusion of the sleet, Matt was just so grateful to be out in the fresh air, he really didn’t care how long they stood out there and if it were up to him, he would have gladly hung out on the sidewalk for another few minutes before heading inside. 

 

Maggie had had enough after the last few days of taking care of him, though; Matt was her son, she loved him and would feel guilty forever for leaving him when he was so young, but the man was an idiot. So she ignored his protests, pushing him indoors and steering him straight to the receptionist counter.

 

Couple more to come.

[starpollen]

Poor guy! Love this.

[justaquirkygirl]

22 hours ago, starpollen said:

Poor guy! Love this.

Thank you! And I'm afraid his torture isn't over quite yet. 😁 Next chapter up - not as much sneezing in this one - more sensory hell.

It only took a minute for them to check in, and then came the part Matt had been dreading the most; the wait in a crowded, overheated room filled with noise. There was both a TV and a radio blaring, several babies crying, an old man coughing non-stop in a corner, and Matt was pretty sure he could also hear someone retching from the next room. He was in sensory hell, and his illness was only making it worse. 

 

The only thing keeping him in his seat was Maggie’s iron grip on his arm. Every time he fidgeted in his seat, she tightened her grip slightly until most of his focus was on this and not what was going on around him. 

 

When it was time for him to go back, though, he very firmly told her he was capable of getting there himself. Calling on every ounce of willpower he had, he navigated his way through the waiting room to the nurse at the door who was to escort him back. 

Unfortunately, the tickle in his nose returned the minute the door closed behind him and he was alone with the nurse. He tried to breathe deeply through his mouth, holding back what he felt sure was going to be an enormous sneeze that would surely knock him off balance once again. This only held it back for a minute before his breath began hitching, “Heh, huh, HUH,” he rubbed his knuckles hard against his nose, but the itch only intensified. He barely had time to turn away from the nurse, who was holding his elbow to guide him forward before the sneeze took over, “Huh-eshitcHEW!” he stumbled as he sneezed, bumping into a water cooler, which splashed down his legs. He was still wet from the sleet outside, but now his legs were soaked as well. 

 

The nurse fussed at him for a moment, blessing him and getting him a towel to try and get the worst of the water off. Matt’s nose was running freely at this point, and he had to ask for a tissue as well before it poured down his face. There seemed to be no end to this misery. How could a scratchy throat and a sinus headache just a few days ago lead to this?

 

The only good thing his obviously pathetic state did was seem to speed up the visit. Within minutes, the nurse had taken his vitals - he was dismayed to learn he’d clearly lost several pounds probably from not eating much in the days leading up to this misery, never mind the last few days, and that his temperature had risen to 103 degrees. No wonder he was so miserable.

 

It took the doctor all of five minutes once he entered to diagnose Matt with a sinus infection, double ear infection, and the beginnings of bronchitis. In fact, the doctor winced when he examined Matt’s sinuses, telling him that this was the worst sinus infection he’d seen in years. They gave him antibiotics and a powerful decongestant, along with a warning that sinus infections can take several days to clear up, but that if he wasn’t feeling significantly better in a week to ten days to come back in. 

 

Matt was stunned. A week to ten days? Of this? He would never survive. He had to hope that was a worst case scenario and that a few days of rest and antibiotics would clear up the worst. 

 

Gripping his bag of mediations, Matt stumbled back toward the waiting room. He had no energy left, and was ready to let Maggie take over getting them a cab and back to the church. 

 

Maggie looked up from the magazine she had been trying to read in the waiting room when she heard Matt sneezing as he entered the waiting room. Seeing him with fresh eyes, she felt renewed pity at just how miserable he looked. He was still pale, but with red cheeks and a chapped nose and upper lip. He was also sweating and shivering in his damp clothes and looked like he wanted to be anywhere else than where he was just then. When Maggie reached him and took his arm he let out an enormous sigh of relief, whispering, “Thanks, Mom,” and not noticing the heat rising to her face in return. 

 

“Right,” she said briskly, not wanting to let on how flustered that word had made her, Maggie immediately turned her attention to getting them another cab and back to the church.

 

They made it back without incident and Maggie made sure Matt took his pills along with another aspirin. She also made him another hot toddy, insisting that he drink it to help open up his sinuses and quiet his cough. He drank it without comment, and was asleep again before his head hit the pillow.

 

Maggie sighed, and went to try and get some of her other work done while he was resting. While she was happy he was here and not on his own right now, there was no denying that he was taking up a lot of her time.

[justaquirkygirl]

Next chapter - Karen visits, Matt still suffers.

 

Matt slept heavily for the next few hours. When he woke next, it was to quiet voices nearby. His ears were still so clogged he could barely make them out, but he recognized Maggie’s acerbic wit, followed by Karen’s laugh. 

 

At that, he pushed himself upright, triggering several harsh sneezes that ended in a wet cough. “Eh-tichew, eh-tschew, heh,heh,heh-ITSCHEW!” He fell back against the pillow panting, as he heard Maggie murmur something to Karen, followed by the sound of them both approaching. 

 

“Hey, Matt,” he heard Karen say almost timidly, like she was approaching a wild animal. “How are you feeling?”

 

He felt a cool hand on his forehead: Maggie. He tried smiling in Karen’s direction before responding, “I’ve been better.” He heard Maggie snort in response. 

 

“He has a sinus infection, a double ear infection, and bronchitis. But yes, he’s been better,” Maggie repeated sarcastically. Matt winced and heard Karen gasp slightly. 

 

“Matt! I had no idea! Foggy said you had a cold, and I knew you seemed a little under the weather Saturday night, but I didn’t know you were so sick!” Karen sounded slightly shocked and far too sympathetic. Matt struggled inwardly with an urge to kill his mother. 

 

“Really, Karen, I’ll be fine. I’m on antibiotics now, so it should just be a matter of time.” He tried smiling at her reassuringly, but he was having trouble locating her in the room. Damn clogged ears. 

 

He heard Karen take a deep breath, “Well, Foggy couldn’t get away; he was with a client so he asked me to bring your things. I have your wallet and phone, and a couple of changes of clothes.”

 

Gratitude filled Matt; he didn’t deserve such good friends. He tried to thank her, but cut himself off with another heavy sneeze, “Huh-eshitcHEW!” He sniffled, “You may want to get out of here,” he told her reluctantly, “I don’t want you to catch this. How Maggie hasn’t succumbed at this point, I don’t know,” He tried smiling at them both, guessing at where they were in the room. 

 

He heard Maggie snort again, “Bless you. And I work in an orphanage, Matthew. I’m exposed to children and their germs every day of the week. This is hardly going to bring me down.” She took the time to tidy away Matt’s things and straighten the blankets on his bed. He was sinking fast at this point, and judging from Maggie’s demeanor, it was likely obvious. 

 

To Karen, too, apparently, as she leaned down to give Matt a quick hug, telling him to rest and that she’d see him soon. Then she was gone and Matt was alone, Maggie having gone with Karen to show her out. He slipped back into sleep before he had a chance to start feeling sorry for himself again. 

[justaquirkygirl]

OK, here we have sort of the end - there is an epilogue. 🤦‍♀️ Which may have its own continuation. Anyway, Matt's torture isn't over yet, although this part of the fic will be.

The next day was somewhat better as the antibiotics were clearly starting to work, as was the decongestant. Unfortunately, breaking up the congestion in his sinuses meant that Matt seemed to be unable to stop sneezing. 

 

It started with a strong tickle as soon as he woke up, and led to an entire day of strong sneezes that were impossible to stifle and that destroyed tissues as fast as he could pull them from the box. Nothing seemed to help, not blowing his nose, not a steamy shower, not the hot toddy that Maggie pressed him to drink. 

While at first, Matt accepted that this was just the price to pay for getting better, by mid-afternoon, his nose was so raw from wiping and blowing that he was sure he could feel the tissue from two inches away and he’d completely lost his voice. His hearing was still compromised as well, and he was in his own personal hell that he couldn’t escape.

 

“Eh-tichew, eh-tschew, heh,heh,heh-ITSCHEW!” Matt grabbed yet another tissue, wincing as he tried to blow his nose yet again to get rid of the tickle. It was no use though, “Eh-tsch, heh-tsch, huh-tschoo, heh-tschoo, heh, heh, heh, heh-atchschoo!” Matt was starting to think that he was being punished for something. He wasn’t entirely sure what, yet, but the fact that this misery just kept going was surely proof that he had done something wrong. 

 

The worse part was that the antibiotics had knocked out his fever and he was starting to regain some energy. So the fact that he was still stuck here, unable to go anywhere or function at all was absolutely maddening. Every time he thought about heading back to his own apartment, a fresh round of sneezes would leave him off-balance again. He wasn’t sure he’d actually find his way back there at this point. All-in-all, it seemed simpler to stay where he was for another day and hope that his ears and equilibrium cleared up soon. 

 

It seemed fate wanted Matt stuck where he was for at least a few more days, though, as that’s how long it took for him to be able to get up and around without feeling like he was on the deck of a pitching boat. 

 

At this point, he no longer cared that he was still sneezing nearly constantly, or that the hacking cough was still hanging on, he was so relieved to be able to get back to his own apartment that he could have nearly flown there. 

 

The only problem was Maggie; she wasn’t convinced he should leave until he was completely well. And all of his arguments were unfortunately being undermined by his inability to go more than 10 minutes without coughing, sneezing, or both. 

 

“Really Mom, heh-itsch! I can make it back to my place,” Matt argued, trying his best to stare down his diminutive mother, although he knew his gaze was most likely fixed somewhere over her shoulder. 

 

“And while I’m sure you COULD, Matthew, I’m telling you don’t have to. You can stay here until you’re completely well.” Maggie argued right back. She was standing about 6-inches away from him, arms crossed over her chest and not giving him an inch. 

 

“Mom. Please. I really need to get back to work and resume my life. At this point - Huh’atsch! It’s nothing more than a cold. I can hear fine, make my way around fine. I really appreciate you letting me stay here and helping me out - ah’tsch! - but I need to go.” Matt was trying hard to keep from pleading with her. They’d gotten a lot closer over the last week that he’d been there, but he still had absolutely no idea how to navigate this relationship with the mother he barely knew. He definitely didn’t want to sound ungrateful for all the help she’d given him, but it was time to go and the sooner she realized that, the better for them both. 

Thankfully, Maggie seemed to be coming around to his point of view.

 

“Bless you.” She paused, looking him over. He did look much better than he had on the night he’d stumbled into the church, but his nose was still red and raw and his eyes watery. She realized that she was being selfish, wanting him to stay here with her, and that he was likely right that it was time he went home. “You’ll take it easy once you’re back? No going out as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen until you’re completely well?” 

 

Matt grinned his triumph at having worn her down, “I promise, - heh, heh- atcsch! - Not sure I’d be much use at this point anyway. I do need to get back to the law firm, though. It’s not fair to leave all the work to Foggy and Karen any longer.”

 

“Well, alright then,” Maggie conceded, reaching out to brush the hair off his forehead, checking his temperature one last time. She turned her attention quickly to straightening up Matt’s things, “I hope you’ll stay in touch, come visit me even when you aren’t on death’s door,” she said crisply, trying not to let her feelings show. Matt noticed anyway.

 

“I will. I promise. I really can’t thank you enough for your help the last week. It was nice - the help I mean, not the circumstances that brought me here!” Matt chuckled a little before breaking off in a cough. Maggie reached out to run her hand over his back. It seemed like she couldn’t stop reaching for him. 

 

“Well, your things are packed. Will you let me call you a cab before you go?” She was desperately trying to hold onto some sense of serenity, but Matt wasn’t fooled. He laughed and agreed, reaching down to give her a quick hug and thank her once more for her help before gathering his things and heading back to the world. 

[Dc1]

Thank you updating I really enjoyed this!

[justaquirkygirl]

22 hours ago, Dc1 said:

Thank you updating I really enjoyed this!

Thank YOU!

And now for the epilogue. I really thought I was done, and then had a terrible idea - what if, the tables were turned?

 

A few weeks after Matt had fully recovered, he decided that he need to go thank his mother in person for her care while he was so sick. Maybe bring her some flowers or a bottle of that whiskey she liked or something. What the hell did you purchase for your estranged mother, who was also a nun, anyway?

 

He settled on a box of bakery treats that she could share with the other nuns, put on his best suit, and headed over to the church Saturday afternoon. He thought briefly of giving her a head’s up phone call, but decided that he liked the idea of surprising her instead.

 

Once inside the church, it took him a few moments to locate her. She was in the basement laundry room - the same place that he’d spent recovering after Midland circle. It seemed fitting, somehow that they spend some time together down there. He headed down the stairs, tapping his cane as he went to alert her to his presence. 

 

She was sorting through piles of laundry when she heard him, and looked up slightly alarmed until she saw his smile - rare in her presence - and started to smile at him in return before she suddenly turned away, bobbing her head forward silently, followed by a sharp exhale of breath. He cocked his head, listening, unsure of what he had just heard, but Maggie was stepping toward him now and he let it go. 

 

“Matthew! I wasn’t expecting to see you, is everything alright?” She sounded slightly different to Matt - her voice huskier than normal, but his pang of guilt at the thought that he only came to see her when something was wrong quickly chased the other thought away. 

 

“Nothing’s wrong, Mom. I just wanted to see you, and bring you these,” he held out the bakery box. “And, I wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I seem to keep coming in here and disrupting things for you,” he finished sheepishly. 

 

Maggie accepted the box, then bobbed silently to the side again before exhaling. Matt cocked his head again. The motion sounded familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it yet. 

 

“Thank you,” Maggie told him, setting the box on a nearby table. “Why don’t you have a seat; there’s a chair over here to the right.” Matt passed by her, and as he did, he caught a whiff of menthol. He also felt the heat from her skin and things clicked into place in his brain. 

 

Instead of taking the chair himself, he turned and went back to Maggie, taking her arm. “You know,” he started as he lead to her the chair, “I’ve always assumed I got my stoicism from Dad - you know, boxer who can take a punch and all. But, now I’m wondering if maybe you had something to do with it,” he continued as he gently pushed her into the chair and raised a hand to her forehead. Maggie sighed, then produced a handkerchief before sneezing this time without stifling into it, “At-tsch!” 

 

“Bless you,” Matt told her, raising his eyebrows and waiting for a response.

 

“I suppose it’s pointless to try and keep anything from you,” Maggie grumbled, “Enhanced senses and all.” She was not pleased about her son seeing her in a moment of weakness, but Matt only chuckled in response, and she felt herself smiling at him anyway. “I suppose you do come by it honestly,” she finally told him before turning away to sneeze again, “Heh-tsch!”

 

“Bless you again. Should you be working?” He gestured to the pile of laundry behind him. 

 

Maggie sniffled, “It’s only sorting laundry, Matthew, and I came down to isolate myself from others.” She gave him a pointed look that was totally wasted on him. 

 

Matt raised his hand to her forehead again, “I’d say about 100.3. You should be resting. Or, you could let someone help you for a change,” he smiled at her, then took off his suit coat and draped it over a nearby table. 

 

Maggie sniffed and raised an eyebrow, “And what exactly are you doing - It-stsch!”

 

“Bless you. I’m going to sort the laundry while you rest, then I thought I’d make you some tea. Put some of that whiskey in it you were always pushing on me, so you can get some sleep.” He put his hands on the pile of laundry, then turned back to her with a grin.

 

“Unfortunately, while I can fold with the best of them, you will have to tell me the colors of what I’m sorting. Still, you can sit and relax for a few minutes and I’ll take care of this. Sound good?” 

 

Maggie sniffled again, then wiped her eyes. They were tearing, and it had nothing to do with her cold. “Alright,” she said quietly. It would be nice to sit down for a while. And if it was a little strange to have their roles reversed like this, she certainly couldn’t find fault in the kind man her son was showing himself to be.

 

Matt made quick work of the laundry, making Maggie laugh by taking guesses as to the colors. While it had been years since he’d seen anything, he did know the words for several outlandish shades, and it was amusing them both when he held up a white shirt and asked solemnly if it was chartreuse - a color he wasn’t even sure he’d even seen before he lost his sight. Maggie was feeling worse by the second; Matt could tell by the increase in sneezing and how 

tired she was beginning to sound. He wrapped up the laundry as fast as he could, then went to offer her his arm to go upstairs.

 

Maggie reached out to take his elbow, but a sudden sneeze caught her off guard, “Heh-itsch!” 

 

“Bless you, mom,” Matt said quietly, continuing to hold out his arm patiently. Maggie sighed, and took it, leaning on him more than she liked as they headed up the stairs. 

 

Once in the kitchen, Matt pushed her gently into another chair, then began rummaging through the cabinets for tea. While he could easily smell what was in most of the boxes, he still made a show of shaking some of them and making ridiculous guesses as to their contents to make his mother smile. He could see she was fading fast, though, so once he found the tea and honey, he quickly got to work fixing her a cup. 

 

He had no way of really measuring how much honey, lemon, or whiskey to put in, so he went by the smell. Apparently, this was not quite accurate given Maggie’s gasp, followed by a choking fit after she tried it. 

 

He tried to take it back, but she waved him away. “It’s fine,” she told him raspily, “I just wasn’t prepared.”

 

Matt offered to walk her to her room and she accepted, taking his arm. He was surprised, though, when after they were only half way there, she turned, shoving the cup of tea at him, and letting go of his arm. He quickly grabbed the tea to keep it from spilling as Maggie turned quickly away from him to sneeze several times into her handkerchief, “Et-tsch, it-tsch, heh-itstch, hehtshch, heh-ITSTCH!” She stumbled after the last one, and Matt reached out to steady her.

 

“Bless you, Mom!” He waited until she composed herself, then handed her the tea and took her arm like nothing had happened. He hated it when anyone fussed over him, and he had a feeling she would hate the same. Instead, he continued on down the hallway toward her door, only stopping when she indicated that they had arrived.

 

“Thank you, Matthew,” Maggie said quietly as she paused, one hand on the doorknob. Matt understood instantly that she was grateful for his being there, and yet did not want to acknowledge it any further, so he simply said, “You’re welcome,” gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, which was new and odd for them both, before telling her that he hoped she’d feel better soon, and turning to head back out again.

[Dc1]

Amazing! 😍

[SleepingPhlox]

I love Daredevil and I love this.  Your writing is so good.

[justaquirkygirl]

7 hours ago, Dc1 said:

Amazing! 😍

Thank you!

5 hours ago, SleepingPhlox said:

I love Daredevil and I love this.  Your writing is so good.

Thank you so much! I love Daredevil so much. And he’s just so easy to torture. 
 

and now I need to decide if this should keep going. I mean, Maggie didn’t exactly isolate like she intended. 😈

[SleepingPhlox]

14 hours ago, justaquirkygirl said:

and now I need to decide if this should keep going. I mean, Maggie didn’t exactly isolate like she intended. 😈

Well, I would totally read it if you did decide to keep it going!!!

[Yaolita]

What a great story! One of my favorite sickfics

[Sickficsinger]

I love seeing this!!! Matt and Maggie omg 😍

 

 I would love to see a continuation!! But either way what a gift