She-Hulk - Unnecessary Apologies (m, Matt Murdock)

[angora48]

I've been wanting to do something with Matt Murdock/Daredevil for a while, and the thought of doing it as a Matt/Jen story was too enticing to resist! I haven't quite finished writing this story yet, but I'm far enough along that I should be able to manage regular updates and still stay ahead. First up, pictures of our main characters:

Matt

Jen, in her human form and as She-Hulk

By the way, I wanted to incorporate Jen's fourth-wall breaking, so her "talking to the reader" moments are in italics.

Without further adieu, here's part 1! No sneezing yet, but I'll update tomorrow for the first bits of sneezy torture for our favorite devil!

 

Another day at court was through, and Jen shrugged out of She-Hulk’s body and back into her own, the same way she’d kick off a pair of uncomfortable shoes after a long night.

“We kicked ass today!” Nikki enthused, holding out her hand for a high five. “How should we celebrate?”

“With the mountain of files back on my desk?” Jen suggested, shaking out her dark curls. She-Hulk’s hair always looked flawless when she transformed, but it didn’t seem to work the other way around. “The Turner case is on track to start at the end of the month, and I have a ton of prep to do.”

Nikki groaned. “But there were gonna be margaritas in my future!” she said. “Does the work never stop?”

“Wrong profession, Nikki,” Jen replied. “But you can head out for the day. I just like to get some work done while the office is fairly quiet—it’s hard to focus when I’ve got people passing by and gawking at me all the time.”

Well, gawking at She-Hulk, anyway.

“You’re the best!” Nikki enthused, already pulling out her phone to call at Uber. “I’ll make it up to you next time.”

“See you tomorrow!” Jen called after her.

She was heading out to her car when her own phone started to ring. Jen felt a little jolt of hope; other than robocalls and relatives over 50, there was one other person who preferred calling her over texting. She pulled her phone out, glanced at the call ID, and smiled.

“How’s it going, Murdock?” she asked smoothly.

“Hey,” came Matt’s voice on the other side, low and warm.

While he used a voice program to handle texts, old-fashioned calls were more convenient for him, so that was usually how Matt got in touch with Jen.

I’m not saying I think that’s cute, it’s just a fact. So sue me! I’m not smitten. Stop looking at me like that.

“Hey,” Jen said. “What’s the latest in Hell’s Kitchen?”

“Work is good,” Matt replied. “We’ve been busy. But actually, I’m going to be off for a few days. One of my L.A. clients….”

Once they met and started “hanging out”—with the most suggestive of air quotes—Jen got Matt hooked up with a few other clients in L.A. While she didn’t have much of a problem with flying out to his coast whenever she could carve out room for it in her busy schedule, Matt’s rinky-dink New York practice wasn’t nearly as lucrative as working out GLK&H. As such, it was easier for him to make a trip when he could work too, make up the cost of it. During the Blip, regulations for getting licensed in different states had been relaxed, since lawyers were harder to come by back then, so Matt was already cleared to practice in California without any difficulty.

Jen grinned. “When are you coming out?” she asked. “The usual?” Externally, she was walking briskly to the parking garage, but internally, she felt dangerously close to a teenager lying on her bed and twirling the phone cord in her finger.

You shut up!

“Yep,” Matt told her. “Getting in late on Thursday.”

“Right,” Jen said. “In court on Friday?”

“Uh huh,” Matt replied. “Then free until I fly back on Monday afternoon.”

 “I can work with that,” Jen said. Their thing hadn’t started up that long ago, but she was already settling into a great routine in her long weekends with Matt Murdock.

“Glad to hear it,” Matt said, and Jen suddenly wondered if he could also hear her heartbeat through the phone. “I’m staying at a different place this time—Foggy found it—so I’ll send you the info. I think it’s a little closer to you than the last one.”

And then, Jen’s brain stuttered.

Here’s the thing. I’m not gonna say I rehearsed this, but I’ve definitely been, you know, considering it and workshopping some rough drafts. Not that there’s really anything to workshop. I mean, how many different ways are there to say, “If you want, you can skip the hotel and just stay with me”?

“Sounds good,” she said.

Okay, maybe I should’ve rehearsed.

There was a pause on the other line. “Jen?” Matt asked.

“Sounds great,” Jen said, more firmly. “Can’t wait to see your stupid pretty face.” This last part was 100% true, and she had no problem selling it with conviction.

Matt laughed. “Happy to oblige,” he said. “See you Friday.”

Jen closed her eyes for a moment, grimacing. “Friday,” she agreed.

As a phone conversation, it was a slight mixed bag, mainly due to Jen’s sudden onset Can’t Say What’s on My Mind-itis, but the rest of it? The rest of it was all kinds of perfect, and she felt noticeably lighter as she hopped into her car. Another hour or so of work back at the office didn’t feel as taxing now that she had something to look forward to on the horizon.

[webmeistro]

Hehe this looks fun. I personally didn't enjoy the fourth wall breaking in the series, but I bet you could but it to good use

[angora48]

Thanks, @webmeistro. I didn't think the fourth-wall breaking was used all that well on the show either, but it's such a hallmark of She-Hulk in the comics that I figured I'd better include it in my fic.

Part 2--a little short, but we're just getting started!

 

On Friday morning, Jen took that little bit of extra care in getting ready. It could be argued that there was no real need to make an effort—She-Hulk was effort enough for most guys—but she liked the routine of it.

Jen arrived at the courthouse with plenty of time to spare; she wasn’t expecting her client for another 10 minutes. You’d think by now heads would stop swiveling every time She-Hulk entered the place where she worked all the damn time, but people still looked her way.

She resisted the urge to hunch her shoulders, to badly attempt to take up less space.

A certain New York-based lawyer was already in the lobby, so Jen ignored the onlookers. She only had eyes for the guy sitting on a bench reviewing some notes in Braille.

Matt looked slightly rumpled but nice, in a gray suit and his usual red-tinted sunglasses. His white cane was folded up on the bench beside him.

Jen headed over to Matt. He must’ve been engrossed in preparing for his case, because he didn’t react to the heavy clack of She-Hulk’s heeled footsteps. “Morning, counselor,” she asked.

Matt started, turning his head a bit before setting it in Jen’s direction. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes; he was laying on the blind routine a little thick today.

“Ms. Walters,” he said, offering her a professional nod and a flirty smile. His voice was naturally low anyway, but it sounded deeper that morning.

I mean, can you blame me? I’m only human.

“Actually, I’be glad you caught be,” Matt went on. “Sorry, but—"

“Wow, apologizing straight out of the gate?” Jen asked. “You’ve really turned the whole ‘Catholic guilt’ thing into an art, haven’t you?”

Matt chuckled. “So I’ve bed told,” he said. Clearing his throat, he said, “But doh, I’be sorry, this is gudda have to be a ‘doh recreation’ trip.”

The first thought that popped into Jen’s head, without warning, was What did I do wrong?, and then she was angry with herself for thinking that. Blame it on Josh and Intelligencia; she’d assumed that spanking them in court would get them out of her head entirely, but apparently they still had their hooks in somewhere.

But with Matt, she played it cool, saying, “Seriously? You’re no fun.” She leaned in a bit closer. In a low voice, she asked, “What’s up? Are there bad guys?”

“No, duthing like that,” Matt replied. “But I, uh, I woke up with a cold.”

So that explained his rumpled look and rumbly voice. He sounded tired too. Jen wouldn’t have guessed it by looking at him, but she supposed that was an advantage to always wearing sunglasses; probably useful in covering up the odd black eye from his late-night superheroing as well.

“That sucks,” Jen said, and she really meant it.

“Sorry,” Matt repeated, sniffling lightly.

Jen couldn’t help but smile at that. “Sucks for you, dumbass,” she clarified. “You’re the one who’s sick on a work trip and doesn’t get to hook up with me. What do I need an apology for?”

“Well, like you said,” Matt replied, “Catholic. Huhhhh-ishhh-iuuhhhh!” He turned away, sneezing into his shoulder.

Even with a runny nose, still kinda sexy. How does he manage that?

“Okay,” Jen said as Matt pulled a tissue from his pocket. “Get better, then make it up to me next time.”

“Thadks,” Matt replied, gently wiping his nose.

Jen was about to turn away, but she pulled herself up short. “Hey,” she said, “if you’re up for it, would you want to grab a drink or dinner later? No saliva-swapping necessary.”

Matt gave her a tired but sincere-looking smile. “Sounds great. Let’s plad od drinks, add we’ll see if I have enough eddergy for didder.” He pressed his fist to his mouth, clearing his throat.

“Cool,” Jen replied. “Meet at Legal Ease around 5?”

Matt sniffed, grinning. “It’s a date. I bean—you doh what I bead.”

“Yeah,” Jen said. She turned, noticing Ms. Lewis entering the courthouse. “I’d better go. My client just got here.”

“Dock ‘em dead,” Matt called after her.

“Always do,” Jen answered.

As she headed off toward Ms. Lewis, she heard Matt sneeze again, a breathy “hiihhhhhhh-shiaaahhhhhhh!” She snuck one more glance back and saw him dabbing at his nose with a Kleenex.

Okay, so not quite what I had planned, but as a consolation prize, I can work with this. When life gives you lemons, make lemoncello, right?

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

Aw! Poor Matt! (Huh. Is the reason Jenn thought he was laying on the “blind routine a little thick” because his vision is actually his hearing, so stuffy ears = no sight?)

[angora48]

You're on the right track, @MyOwnPrivateSFC!

Part 3.

 

After a hearing in the morning and case prep back at the office for the rest of the day, Jen got to Legal Ease just a couple minutes before 5. She didn’t see Matt yet, so she grabbed a table in the corner and scrolled on her phone while she waited.

It always felt nice to go back to being Jen after a day of being She-Hulk. She was pretty good about not accidentally crushing things with She-Hulk’s strength, but it basically meant tiptoeing through the day, always paying attention to being gentle, and that got tiring.

A few minutes later, an incoming call from Matt popped up on Jen’s screen. She smiled. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Matt replied. “I just got here.” In addition to sounding deep and congested, his voice had gotten a little raspy too. Jen knew from firsthand experience that presenting in court when you had a sore throat sucked, and she felt for him.

“Okay, cool,” Jen said. “I’m over in the corner.” Leaning forward, she could see Matt near the door.

“Uh, right…” Matt mumbled, turning uncertainly from side to side. “Ub, whihh-which… hihhhh-uhhhh-chooooo-ehhh!” He’d dug a Kleenex out of his pocket just in time to cover his sneeze.

“On your right,” Jen said, frowning, “near the front. Can’t you find me?”

This wasn’t like Matt. Normally, he was so tuned into everything that he had to check himself and make sure he still looked blind.

It’s not just me. This is weird, right?

Matt turned in her general direction. She could hear him sniffling on the line. “Uh, I thidk I’ve got you,” he said. “Keep talking.”

“Okay,” Jen said, and she started ruminating on which Avenger she’d most want to be stuck in an elevator with. “Look, Thor might seem like the obvious first choice, but there are considerations. Lightning in an enclosed metal box? You’d have to be sure he had a handle on that shit….”

“Yeah, that’s good,” Matt said. He started making his way over to her, but he still looked unsure.

“Wait, hold on,” Jen told him. “Listen for my signal.” Quickly, she pulled up her Spotify and picked out a song.

Some people gave her an odd look as “Lady Marmalade” started blasting from her phone, but Jen didn’t care. Matt had a bead on her now. He found their table, although he bumped into somebody’s chair on the way.

“Thadks,” he told her as he sank into his chair, dabbing at his nose with the Kleenex.

Jen switched the song off. “What’s up with you?” she asked. “Echolocation on the fritz?”

“I told you, it’s dot eh-ehhh-cho…” Matt broke off, sneezing a rapid “hihhh-shioooo!” into his steepled hands.

“Whatever, you know what I mean,” Jen replied. “Super senses playing up?”

“It’s just—it’s by cold,” Matt explained. He stifled a cough. “By dose is stuffed up, add—” he sniffed, “—and by ears are plugged.”

A server interrupted them briefly to take their drink orders. When she headed back toward the bar, Jen said, “Damn, so you’re down two senses—and you only had four to start with.”

“Technically, dowd three,” Matt corrected. “Smell affects taste too.” He coughed again. “But they’re dot really dowd, just…kind of dulled.”

“Still,” Jen replied. “So are you like blind-blind now?”

Matt gave her a rueful smile. “Bore than I usually ab addyway.”

“Hey, you still managed to find your way around a city you don’t spend much time in,” Jen pointed out. “I’d say that’s a win.”

Matt chuckled, then cleared his throat. “Is that patrodizing?” he asked.

Jen considered this. “Maybe a little,” she conceded. “Okay, withdrawn.”

“Addyway,” Matt said, “what’s dew with you? Tell be what’s happening id the world of superhuban law.”

“Oh my god!” Jen enthused. “The debates right now over whether evidence overheard by telepaths is admissible.” Jen’s work was thorny and complicated, and she loved talking about the challenges of applying the law in a world that was increasingly outpacing it.

Once she got going on the subject, it could be hard to shut her up, but Matt didn’t seem to mind. He listened to Jen monologue, occasionally offering his input or asking questions.

Jen got the sense that Matt was fine with her doing the conversational heavy lifting. His cold wasn’t horrible or anything, but it was clear that the day had taken a lot out of him. He was sniffling and clearing his throat quite a bit, and he was sneezing more than he had that morning. But for all that, he still seemed content to be there with her.

There’s just something nice about being worth the effort it takes somebody to go out when they’re not feeling great.

“What’s the latest od idcarceration f-for ed… hahhhh…” Matt paused, sneezing a hard “ihhhhh-chiiuuhhhhh!” into a Kleenex. “…For edhanced people?” he repeated, sniffling. “That feels like ad area where things could get really dracodian really fast.”

“It’s not great,” Jen admitted. “There’s always been a higher priority on containment than civil liberties, and after Thanos, we lost some prominent voices who might’ve been advocating for a more humane approach. Like, Steve Rogers was someone who might’ve been able to move the needle. Congress is way less interested in what the former Winter Soldier has to say.”

Matt nodded. “Have you ever th—” he coughed into his fist, “thought about being that perso—persod?” He coughed again, a little harder this time, and took a careful sip of his drink.

“Noooooo!” Jen insisted. “That is not a conversation you want a Hulk to be involved in. We tend to bring out people’s Frankenstein mob response.”

“Eved She-Hulk?” Matt asked. “I b-be-eed… huhhhh-ehhhh-CHOOO! Mmb…” He sniffled, wiping his nose. “I bead, ared’t you on billboards?”

“Great for novelty and publicity,” Jen clarified. “Not so great when you’re trying to convince lawmakers that enhanced people should be treated like people.”

“Gotcha,” Matt said.

They moved onto other topics. Matt didn’t have too much to say about how things were in New York. He kept clearing his throat, and Jen suspected he was a little self-conscious about whether she could hear his raspy voice over the sounds of the bar ambiance. So Jen backed off and let him stick to asking questions about her.

When they’d been hanging out for an hour, through a couple of drinks, Matt cupped his hands over his mouth to cover a strong “huhhhh-SHUHHHHHH!” He sighed a little, sniffling wetly. “I bight have to call it,” he confessed. “I dod’t thidk I’be id restaurant condishud todight.”

“Would you want to grab something to take back to my place?” Jen asked. “You could stay over.”

Matt gave her a dubious look. “Like this?” he said, with a vague gesture toward the general state of himself.

“Would you get over yourself?” Jen teased. “It’s not like that.”

I mean, it’s not exactly not like that.

She continued, “I was thinking hang out, not hook up. Believe it or not, I have a Don’t Hook Up with Snotty Messes policy.”

A self-deprecating smile spread across Matt’s face. “Solid policy,” he agreed.

“I just thought you could use some company,” Jen explained. “Not to mention a homier spot to sleep in than some crappy hotel room.”

“What bakes y-y-oou… dabbit.” Matt turned away, burying his nose in a Kleenex. “hiiiiihhhh-shooooo! Uhhhh…hehhhh-CHIUHHHHH!” He gave a hard sniff. “What bake you assube by hotel roob is crappy?”

“Because I know how much you make,” Jen told him. She finished off her drink, then leaned back in her chair, arms folded. “What do you say, Murdock?”

Matt hedged. “I’ve bed told I’be dot a good patient,” he pointed out.

“Well, I’m a bad nurse, so it’s a good thing I didn’t offer to take care of you,” Jen countered. “A friendly face, good food, and a cozy bed. That’s my offer.”

Matt considered this. “…I’d like that,” he said finally.

Jen smiled but played it cool. “Well, duh!” she replied. “I’m a catch.”

“That you are,” Matt agreed. “hihhhhh…ehhhh-shooooo-uhhh! Mmb…” He sniffed, rubbing his nose. “I’ll head back to by hotel to get sobe stuff, thed get ad Uber to your place.”

“Cool,” Jen said. “I’ll pick up some dinner. Indian food okay?”

“Souds good,” Matt told her.

Once they settled up with the bar, Matt turned, a little uncertainly. “Give be a hand back to the door?” he asked.

“You got it,” Jen said, offering him her elbow.

As they navigated the crowded bar, Jen noticed Matt’s breath starting to hitch. With one hand on her arm and the other holding his cane, his options for covering his mouth were limited. “You need a sec?” she asked.

Matt let go of her elbow, barely managing a breathy, “Y-yeah…” before sneezing a loud “huhhhh-SHIOOOO!” into the crook of his arm.

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly, taking her arm again. He sniffed. “I was trying to hold it id udtil we got outside.”

“Just so you know,” Jen told him, “I’m gonna start flicking your cheek when you apologize for things that aren’t you fault.”

“You would flick a sick blide mad?” Matt replied, feigning incredulity.

“How else are you gonna learn?” Jen teased.

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

Awww! I am super-duper (no pun intended!) loving this!!! 😍

[angora48]

Thanks, @MyOwnPrivateSFC! These two are so much fun to play with!

Part 4.

 

By the time Matt got to her place, Jen had set out an array of takeout containers on the coffee table, along with plates, silverware, and a couple of beers. She’d also changed out of her work clothes into yoga pants and an oversized green sweater—good for a low-key night in.

“Hey,” she said, greeting Matt at the door. “Come on in.”

Matt stepped inside. He’d changed too: a black zip-up hoodie thrown over a T-shirt, with loose-fitting sweatpants. “Hey,” he echoed. “Thadks for—well, thadks.”

“You’re the one doing me the favor,” Jen joked. “When it’s just me, I get embarrassed about ordering three entrees from Star of India.”

“It’s like people doh duthing about Hulk betabolisms,” Matt replied, grinning. His expression turned hazy, and he buried a “hihhhh-shiiuuhhhh!” into his shoulder.

“Come on, we’re over here,” Jen said, bringing him over to the couch. Matt sat down, setting his bag by his feet and folding up his cane. He bent down and pulled a box of tissues out of his bag, then felt for the side table to set it on.

Jen ran down the list of dishes. “I figured spicier was better,” she explained, “since you said you can’t taste much.”

“It all souds great,” Matt told her. “Would you bide dishing it up? I dod’t wadt t—” he covered his mouth, coughing, “—to touch your food.”

“Sure,” Jen said, reaching forward to fill his plate with vegetable jalfrezi, shrimp tandoori, lamb korma, chicken pakora, and garlic naan. “This isn’t taking care of you, by the way.”

“Obviously dot,” Matt agreed, accepting the plate as she handed it to him.

“Wanna watch some TV?” Jen asked, loading up her own plate.

“Addything l-liight…” Matt said, trailing off into a hard “huhhhh-ihhhhh-CHIOOOOO!”

Jen grabbed the remote. “Parks and Rec?” she suggested.

Matt sniffed. “Souds good to be.”

“Season 3,” Jen said decisively. She and Matt had spent enough time together that she easily knew where to find the audio descriptions, so she switched them on, and they settled into nummy food and sitcom antics.

Star of India was good enough that neither of them did much talking. Jen wasn’t sure how hungry Matt would feel, especially with a sore throat, but he seemed to have a decent appetite.

“Mmb,” he murmured, trying the tandoori. “That’s really good.”

“You can taste it okay?” Jen asked.

“I coulded’t list every spice id it or addything,” Matt told her, “but I cad taste it. Haved’t bed able to say that about buch else today. Hehhhhhh-shuhhhhhh!” The sneeze snuck up on him, and he just had time to catch it in his hand.

One downside to spicy food was that it seemed to be making Matt’s runny nose worse; Jen hadn’t thought of that. Within 10 minutes, he was on his third Kleenex, sniffling hard as he wiped his nose. “You can blow it if you need to,” Jen told him. “I don’t mind.”

“Uh huh,” Matt mumbled, and he gave his nose a miserable-sounding blow. “Sorry about that.”

Jen leaned over and gave his cheek a flick. “Ow!” Matt protested.

“You were warned,” Jen pointed out.

“Fair eduff,” Matt replied. He chuckled a little, then coughed into the crook of his arm. “Do you have a wastebasket? I dod’t wadt to leave by sdotty tissues od your couch.”

Jen stood up, tsking in mock disappointment. “So demanding,” she joked.

“I doh,” Matt replied. “I’be a-aaa… ehhhh-SHOOOO-uhhhh! …I’be a dightmare.”

“Tell me about it!” Jen called back to him as she headed to the bathroom to grab the wastebasket.

“Your highness,” she teased, setting it on the floor beside Matt when she returned. Settling back onto the couch, she nudged him with her shoulder, and he gave her a sheepish smile.

“Thadks,” he said, ducking his head a little as he threw away his used tissues.

Between the takeout and the show—who doesn’t like Parks and Rec?—Matt seemed to be in decent spirits. Tired, and clearly a bit miserable and self-conscious, but Jen would bet he was in a much better mood than he would’ve been alone in his hotel.

After they ate, at Matt’s request, Jen showed him around her place. “You do remember that you’ve been here before, right?” she said.

“I doh by way aroud with four senses firing od all cylidders,” Matt clarified. “D-dahhhh…” He grabbed a Kleenex. “ehhhhh-CHIOOOO! Dot so buch with just wud.” He sniffled wiping his nose. “I mead, I doh the gederal layout, but dot eduff to avoid rudding into stuff. I dod’t wadt to dock over a fabbily heirloob trying to get to the bathroob.”

“I do keep most of my family heirlooms strewn around the hallway to the bathroom,” Jen reasoned.

Matt smiled. “You doh what I bead.”

“Some would call it a design flaw,” Jen went on, standing up. “I call it celebrating my heritage.” She took Matt’s arm. “All right, up and at ‘em. Tactile tour for one, starting now.”

“Sink first?” Matt suggested. “Probably a good idea to wash by hadds before—” he cleared his throat, “before touching all your stuff.”

So Jen showed him around. It was interesting when your only intimate blind acquaintance was Matt Murdock. As wild as it could be to see his super senses/echolocation in action, they compensated for so much that it threw Jen at first to realize there were some accommodations he genuinely needed, and not just for show—stuff like Braille and text-to-speech features. But she’d never had to do this with him before. Jen wondered what it was like for Matt, having to use more conventional methods when his super senses were mostly out of commission.

But even if he was a lot more blind than usual, he made it work. Once Jen gave him the tour, Matt seemed to know the ropes pretty well. No doubt he was getting around by recognizing the tiniest divots in the wall plaster or unevenness in the flooring.

Talk about the princess and the pea!

Not for the first time, Jen wondered what it was like to have sex when you have super senses.

Of course, the question was purely theoretical that night; it was clear that Matt wasn’t gonna be up for anything like that. Once they settled back onto the couch for more Parks and Rec, Jen could see that the day was catching up with him in a big way. He looked pretty wiped out, and between coughs and sneezes, he was starting to yawn.

“Huhhhh-CHOOOO-ehhhh!” he sneezed loudly, just alert enough to cup his hands over his mouth beforehand. He coughed a few times, sniffling, then said, “Sorry. This isid’t what I had id bide for this trip.”

He’d said “sorry” again, but he sounded so deflated that Jen didn’t have the heart to flick him. So she just nudged him with her shoulder, asking, “What did I say about apologizing for things you can’t help?”

This earned a tired smile from Matt, which made Jen happy. “I just bead, I’d pladd o-ohhhd…” He paused, taking in a sharp breath as he lifted a hand to his face. “ahhhhh….hihhhh-ehhhh-shuuuhhhhhh!” Mmb—od being a lot bore idteresting thad this.”

“I kinda figured,” Jen replied. “Let’s be real, it would’ve been kind of weird if this is what you had planned.”

She got a laugh from him this time, but it quickly turned into coughing. Matt bent forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he coughed into his hands. Jen rubbed his back, and the touch seemed to startle him a little.

“I’be o-okay,” he said, but it was obvious that his throat was still irritated. He pressed the back of his hand to his mouth and tried to stifle a few more coughs.

“I’ll grab you some water,” Jen told him. She hopped up from the couch and crossed to the kitchen, where she filled a glass from the tap. “Here you go,” she said, returning. She pressed the glass into Matt’s hand.

He took a few long, slow drinks, wincing a little as he swallowed. “Thadks,” he said finally. “I’be okay, really.”

Objection, your honor!

But there was a bit of a blush spreading up his neck, so Jen didn’t push it. “Sure you are,” she said as she sat back down. “Come here, tough guy.”

Matt balked at the idea of getting cuddly. “I dod’t wadt to get you sick,” he protested.

Jen rolled her eyes and shifted into She-Hulk (hence the yoga pants and oversized sweater—it was an outfit that worked on either body.) “How ‘bout now?” she asked. “She-Hulk has an invulnerable immune system.”

Matt looked dubious. “Are you sure about that?” he asked.

“Field tested and everything!” Jen told him. “I was the only person in the office who didn’t get the flu in February, and I had to sit through a lot of meetings with people who were dripping a lot of fluids. This is nothing.”

Rubbing his nose, Matt smiled sheepishly and put his arm around her. Jen settled in beside him and gave his chest a gentle rub. She’d bounce a little on his shoulder whenever he coughed or sneezed, but otherwise it was plenty comfortable.

They curled up on the couch like that through another two episodes, then Matt’s head started to loll a bit. Before long, he was snoring softly.

The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, folks. Can’t take him anywhere.

With a fond smile, Jen slipped out from under Matt’s arm, then scooped him up. He stirred a little but didn’t wake, mumbling a bit.

Jen carried him to the bedroom and laid him down on the bed, taking his sunglasses off and setting them on the nightstand. She debated about taking his hoodie off but decided to just unzip it, so he could easily get it off later if he needed to.

“hihhhh-SHIUUUUHHHH!” Matt sneezed into the pillow as Jen pulled the covers over him. He sniffled wetly, and she brushed his hair back from his forehead.

Jen headed back to the living room to retrieve the wastebasket and Matt’s tissues and water, then realized he’d probably want his cane close by too. She set the wastebasket by the bed and the rest of the stuff on the nightstand.

“Night,” she said softly. She snagged the extra pillow on her way out, quietly shutting the door behind her.

After cleaning up in the living room, Jen sat up for a while longer—it was barely 9 o’clock—scrolling on her phone until she was ready for bed. Then she grabbed a couple spare blankets from the linen closet and shifted back into Jen so she could fit on the couch.

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

I continue to adore this! Poor Matt!

[Lady Blessington]

This is so lovely 💞😁

[angora48]

Thanks for the comments! I'm glad you're liking it. 😊

Here's Part 5--just a quick one today.

 

The next morning, Jen got herself in lazy Saturday mode, getting ready for the day but mainly just lounging around. When your sick not-exclusive-but-still-kinda-serious long-distance boyfriend was staying over, you played it by ear.

She heard the tapping of Matt’s cane around 9:30, followed by the sound of coughing as he came down the hall from the bedroom.

“There he is,” Jen said as he came into view in his full bedhead glory.

He doesn’t have any right to still look this cute, right? How does he do it?

“Hey,” Matt said. His voice was low and strained, and his nostrils were a bit chapped. He sniffled. “Ub, where’s by bag?”

“Oh shit,” Jen replied. “Yeah, it’s still over here by the couch. Sorry, I didn’t think to move it to the bedroom last night.”

“Doh, it’s fide,” Matt said, making his way over to her. He crouched, just a bit unsteadily, and started rummaging through his bag. “I woulded’t have doad it was id the bedroob, so it wou-woouu…”

He paused, bringing his fingertips to the floor to steady himself as he sneezed an explosive “haaahhhhh-ihhhhh-CHOOOO!” into his shoulder. “It woulded’t have battered addyway,” he finished, sniffling hard.

He'd retrieved a toiletry bag and some fresh clothes, but he only rose far enough to sink down onto the couch beside Jen. Despite having slept in, he looked completely wiped out. “Speaking of booving things,” he went on, “I didded’t doh where the hell I was whed I woke up.” He cupped his hands over his mouth and coughed.

“Hey, I gave you the tactile tour,” Jen told him. “Besides, you already know the feel of those sheets—some might say intimately.”

“Yeah, I doh,” Matt replied, smiling. “But last I rebebbered, I was out here with you. Add I was kide of out of it, so….” He trailed off, and Jen wasn’t sure if he meant to or if it was because of the next sneeze that hit him. “hihhhh-SHIIUUHHHHH!”

“Okay, I’ll allow it,” Jen said. “How’d you sleep?”

Matt rubbed his nose, sniffling. “Okay,” he said, in a tone that didn’t inspire confidence. “I thidk I was kide of id add out a lot. By dose was bugging me.”

No shit. Even from the living room, Jen had been able to hear his persistent sneezes. And now, his nose sounded completely blocked up—he had to be uncomfortable as hell.

Yesterday, Matt had been in a definite first-day cold situation—not a good time by any means, but nothing dire. A second-day cold situation was a different rodeo, and Jen was willing to bet money that he felt awful.

“You hungry?” she asked, casting around for something nice to do for him. “I was gonna do eggs.”

“Yeah, I could eat,” Matt replied, although Jen noticed that wasn’t the same as saying he was hungry. “D-do-ooo—huhhhhhh-CHOOOOOO!” He caught the hard sneeze in his hand. Sheepishly wiping his nose, he said, “Do I have tibe for a shower first?”

“Knock yourself out,” Jen told him. “Lemme know if you need anything.”

“I’be good—I doh by way aroud your shower,” Matt told her, pushing himself to his feet. “Sobe bight say intibately.” His flirty smile faded as he breathily mumbled, “Dabbit,” turning away to sneeze again. “uhhhhhhh-SHIOOOOOO! …Mmb. Right, shower.”

A bit awkwardly, he rubbed his nose and headed back down the hall. While he definitely wasn’t up to his usual sense of direction, Matt was incredibly good with his cane and his sense of touch. He made it to the bathroom, and soon, Jen could hear the water running.

Since Jen and Matt had been hanging out, there had been plenty of late-night calls, interesting dates, and sexy times. But even though he was obviously sick and more than a little miserable, there was something Jen really liked about him being here now.

Seeing someone from the opposite coast meant that every time you got together, it was an “event.” That could be exciting, but it was also just a little artificial. They always packed so much into each short burst of time that it could be hard to just settle in and take the moments as they came.

This was different. It felt ordinary. It felt homey. And to be honest, Jen kind of loved that.

This is strictly between us, got it? If any of you tell my friends, or my family, or Matt, that I was being so sappy, someone’s getting smashed.

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

😍

[angora48]

😁 Here's Part 6!

 

Matt was grateful to be in the shower, for all kinds of reasons. He thought he played it off all right, but it was both embarrassing and frustrating to be snotty and sick around a smart, self-assured woman like Jen. While she was right—if he was going to be stuck with a cold in L.A., he’d rather be with her than in his crappy hotel room—it was nice to get a bit of a break from feeling self-conscious. Not to mention, with his nose all stuffed up, he had no idea if he smelled okay.

The warm water felt amazing on his skin. Matt was feeling a little achy, and each individual bead of water hitting him was soothing, like thousands of tiny massages. He cranked the dial further to the left, heating up the water to just under 106°, and drew in the deepest breath he could of steamy air.

“hehhhh-SHUHHHHHH!” The sneeze burst out of Matt without any warning, uncovered, and he was again thankful for the privacy of the bathroom. He could’ve hung out there for half the morning, just soaking up the comfort of the hot water on his skin and the steam filling his lungs and sinuses. But obviously, he couldn’t do that. He’d already put Jen out of her own bed; he wasn’t about to use up all her hot water too.

So he got himself cleaned up, hoping he’d look at least somewhat presentable when he was done. He suspected, though, that there was only so much he could do on that front. His nostrils felt sore, and he knew from experience that that was frustratingly visible. There had been days when Foggy could tell Matt was sick just by looking at him, before he’d heard a single cough or sniffle.

“Somebody’s not getting invited to any reindeer games!” Foggy joked one year when Matt caught a bad cold right before Christmas.

Foggy always noticed that kind of thing. He liked to pester—well, help, but it felt like pestering to Matt. Karen too. Matt knew they just did it because they cared, but as someone who was used to people offering “help” he didn’t ask for, it got grating. He didn’t need Foggy volunteering to run to the drugstore for him, or Karen tsking, “Poor Matt,” when she heard him sneezing from across the office.

In that sense, maybe it was better that he was here instead of back home. One of the (many) things Matt liked about Jen was that she didn’t default to babying him. Even before she knew him as Daredevil, she was giving him crap instead of coddling the blind lawyer. That felt good.

Matt stepped out of the shower and was instantly hit with a shiver. His nose started bugging him as he reached for a towel, and he clapped one hand over his mouth while awkwardly wrapping the towel around himself with the other. “hihhhhh-shhnnfffff! Ehhhhhh…huuhhhhh-SHUHHHHH!”

He sniffled, swallowing a groan; his nose was running freely. Matt hastily rinsed and dried his hands, sniffling the whole time, then tore off a strip of toilet paper to blow his nose.

A long, loud blow. With Matt’s ears plugged up from his cold, he couldn’t hear Jen through the door—he hoped to God she couldn’t hear him.

Coughing, Matt gave his nose a final wipe, feeling every fiber of the toilet paper scrape against his chapped nostrils. He threw it in the toilet, flushed, then toweled off as quickly as he could.

One slight silver lining as he hurriedly got dressed: even though Matt’s nose was already starting to run again, it wasn’t as completely stuffed up as before. It seemed like the steam had helped unblock his sinuses. He couldn’t smell much, and then only in his immediate surroundings, but it was better than nothing. The faint scents of Jen’s haircare products and toothpaste were grounding for Matt, just some slight context to hold onto, something to shade in the largely blank environment around him. He sniffled again, grateful for the temporary reprieve from his stuffiness.

Once he was presentable-ish, Matt unfolded his cane and made his way to the kitchen, where his plugged-up ears could make out the muted sounds of plates clinking on the counter and oil sizzling in a pan.

“Hey,” Jen said, and Matt thought she was smiling. Normally, he’d be able to hear the movement of her jaw, but today it was just something about her contented tone of voice.

“Hey,” Matt replied. He felt around the counter for one of the bar stools and sat down.

“Feeling more human?” she asked. She was turned away from him now, probably over by the stove.

“Sobething like that,” Matt said. His breath hitched, and he caught a wet “ahhhhh-hiihhhhh-CHIOOOOO!” in his hands, promptly stuffing up his nose again—crap.

His Kleenexes. He’d left them…? Matt’s head was pounding too much to think clearly; he resisted the urge to groan.

Suddenly, Jen’s hand was on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. When had she gotten behind him? “Gesundheit,” she said. Her footsteps moved away from him, but before long, she was back, setting something on the counter in front of him (the Kleenex box, he assumed) and what sounded like the wastebasket on the floor beside him.

“Blow your nose,” she advised. “I’ve got a bomb-ass eggs-and-bacon situation going on here, and you’re gonna wanna taste it.”

Matt smiled sheepishly. “I’ll try by best,” he said. His tissues were infused with lotion, so they weren’t quite as hard on his nostrils as the toilet paper, but his nose was still begging for a break.

After he blew his nose and pretended he didn’t feel weird about doing it in front of his girlfriend, Matt ventured, “Ub, Jed?”

“Yeah?” she said. She must’ve been back by the stove, and she sounded distracted. Matt supposed the eggs were ready.

“Would you bide being She-Hulk?” he asked. He hadn’t been able to tell from her footsteps—his damn ears—but when she touched his shoulder, he knew for sure that she was in her human form. “Just—I’ll feel less guilty about being a gerb-ridden bess at your place if I know you wod’t be able to catch it.”

Jen laughed, and when she spoke, it was with a grin in her voice again. “You and your guilt,” she mused. “Okay, Catholic boy, how’s this?” As she walked to the bar and set two plates down, her voice was now coming from over Matt’s head.

“Better—thadk you,” he replied, turning away to cough into his shoulder.

Jen pulled out the other bar stool and sat beside him. “But just so you know, you’re not beating the ‘demanding’ allegations anytime soon.”

“Yeah, dot wadting to give you by cold,” Matt said. “Real de-deba-aad….” He trailed off, cupping his hands over his mouth for a hard sneeze. “hehhhhhh-CHIUHHHHH! …Debanding,” he finished, sniffling.

“I just call ‘em like I see ‘em,” Jen told him playfully. “Food okay?”

“Yeah, great,” Matt replied. He couldn’t taste much, but the bacon was the right blend of chewy and crispy, and his eggs, just shy of over medium, were the perfect consistency.

Jen was a better sport about Matt being sick than some women would be, but he still felt awkward to be sneezing and sniffling so much. He decided that maybe he’d been better off when his nose was completely stuffed up—he couldn’t smell worth a damn that way, but at least it wasn’t running all the time.

“Sorry,” Matt mumbled as he grabbed yet another Kleenex. Jen flicked his cheek; she’d gotten good at using a light touch as She-Hulk, but it was still pretty hard. “Okay, I guess I eard that wud.”

“Damn straight,” Jen replied.

“ahhhhhh…hehhhhh-ihhhhh-SHOOOO!” he sneezed, burying his nose in the tissue. Gently dabbing at his sore nostrils, Matt said, “I cad head back to by hotel after breakfast. I dod’t wadt to trash your weekedd plads.”

Jen bumped him with her shoulder, and Matt had to grip the bar so he wouldn’t topple off the stool. “Oh shit!” Jen exclaimed. “I didn’t—”

“It’s fide,” Matt assured her. “I just wasd’t ready for it; I didded’t hear you cobing.” He rubbed his ear.

“Well, anyway,” Jen said. She sounded like she was a bit flustered but trying to get back on track. “I just meant that, you are my weekend plans, dumbass.”

Despite the insult, it was sweet, and more earnest than Jen usually was. She often liked to put up a front, and she sometimes got annoyed when Matt picked up her truer intentions in her heartbeat or the sound of her microexpressions. But this was unvarnished, unaffected.

Matt, to be fair, liked to put up fronts too, but he wanted to repay Jen’s honesty in kind. “I feel bad,” he admitted, clearing his throat. “I always look forward to seeing you, add—add I feel like I bessed it up this tibe.” He sniffed, rubbing his runny nose with his finger.

“Look,” Jen said, taking a long pause before she went any further. “If you’d rather go back to your hotel, just sleep it off by yourself, I get it. But I always look forward to seeing you too, and you can stay here all weekend if you want. Your cold doesn’t bother me, honestly.”

It wasn’t a great time for a sneeze, but Matt’s nose wasn’t being a team player. “ehhhhh-SHIUHHHHH!” he sneezed, covering his mouth as the force of it made him bend forward.

“Gesundheit?” Jen offered, but she sounded a little uncertain, no doubt waiting for Matt’s reply.

So as he sniffled, he flashed a self-deprecating smile, hoping to reassure her. “As log as I’be dot a paid id your ass…” he began.

“Please!” Jen replied. “It takes a lot more than the sniffles to annoy me.”

“…Thed staying here souds fadtastic,” he said.

“Great!” Jen blurted. Then, containing herself, “I mean, cool. That’s cool.”

Matt grinned. “Cool,” he agreed.

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

They are both so cute!

[Prongs]

I loooooveeee thissssss 🥹😍

His sneezes are so perfect. They're so cute. <3

[angora48]

Thanks for the comments! Most of this story is from Jen's POV, but I really enjoyed writing a few parts from Matt's perspective too, thinking about what his perceptions would be like with his cold. 😄

Part 7!

 

They set up camp on the couch, with Matt collecting the pillow and one of the blankets from the bedroom for maximum comfiness. He didn’t lie down, but he kept the blanket around him, and Jen wondered if he had chills. He was coughing a lot, sniffling more, and Jen would’ve bet money that his forceful sneezes were the kind that hurt his throat.

But for all that he was obviously miserable, Matt didn’t really complain about it. Still, Jen caught him wincing when he wiped or blew his nose, and he’d rub at his ears like he was trying to unclog them.

“ahhhhhh…ehhhhh-SHOOOO! Hehhhh-uhhhh-CHIUHHHHH! Ehhhh…ihhhh-SHUHHHHH!” Matt sniffled into a tissue, letting out a stuffed-up groan. They were almost through the first leg of their Back to the Future marathon—Marty had just taken the stage at the school dance—and it was only the second time he’d groaned aloud.

Look, I like me a strong and silent type, but this is ridiculous.

“It’s okay to feel shitty, you know,” Jen said.

Matt, tossing his Kleenex in the wastebasket, turned her way. “Huh?”

“You don’t have to do the whole stoic routine,” she elaborated.

The corner of Matt’s mouth twitched into a tired smile. “Is that what I’be doing?” he asked.

“You’re trying,” Jen told him. “But you’re also sneezing your head off, so it’s not really working for you. Why waste the effort?”

“I-I’be—” Matt broke off, coughing. “I’be dot doing a routide.”

“Sure, Jan,” Jen replied, rolling her eyes. She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised. According to Matt, he’d previously gone out to fight criminals with a fractured wrist, after getting shot, and after a building had fallen on him (Jen was still trying to work out that last one.) Soldiering On While Suffering was kind of his M.O.

She sat up, leaning forward to grab some more crackers from one of the numerous snack bowls she’d set out on the coffee table—lazy Saturdays with your sick boyfriend were not for cooking. “You need anything?”

“Daw,” Matt said. “I’be good f-for do-ow…huhhhhhh-CHOOOO-ehhhhh!” He bent forward, catching his sneeze in his hands.

When he settled back on the couch, coughing, he pulled the blanket around himself a little tighter and arranged the pillow behind his head. It was sort of a lying-down-while-sitting-up position, and there was something weirdly cute about it.

Matt sniffled, taking his sunglasses off. He let his eyes fall closed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Headache?” Jen asked.

He cleared his throat and shifted his position slightly. “A little,” he replied. “ehhhhhh…aaahhhhh-hehhhh-CHIOOOOO!”

“Gesundheit,” Jen said. “Aspirin?”

Matt sniffled again, rubbing his nose. “Sure.”

Jen hopped up to She-Hulk’s impressive full height, then went to grab her purse from its hook by the door. She returned to the couch and rummaged through her bag until she found the bottle she was looking for. Shaking two pills out into her palm, she nudged Matt with her elbow. “Here,” she said.

He accepted the pills, clearing his throat, and reached for the water glass on the side table. “Thadks,” he said once he’d swallowed them. “You doh, if you keep this up, you’re dot going to be able to beat the ‘taking care of be’ allegations.” He stifled a cough into the back of his hand.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jen replied.

“Oh yeah?” Matt asked, and his tired smile melted her a tiny bit.

No, you’re the sap! Shut up.

“No clue,” she reiterated, grinning.

“Dow Bz. Walters,” he said, his cold-deepened voice sounding congested but alluring, “you’re dot usually wud to get stumped.”

Jen reached over and flicked his cheek. “What was that for?” he exclaimed. “I didded’t apologize for addything.”

“No,” Jen agreed, “but unless you want to make out, I’m gonna need you to stop being sexy right now. I’m guessing you don’t want to make out?”

This got a chuckle out of Matt, and he coughed hard into his fist. “‘Dod’t wadt to’ is the wrong phrase,” he said. “I’be just dot fit for it right dow.”

He grabbed a Kleenex and blew his nose. “Is that better?” he asked, sniffling.

“For now,” Jen teased. “I think I can contain myself.”

About halfway through the second movie, Matt started yawning. “You quitting on me, Murdock?” Jen asked.

“Dot quitting,” Matt replied. “But baybe t-taa-aahhhh…” He lifted his hands to his face. “huhhhhhh-CHIOOOO-ehhhhh! Mmb…” Wet, miserable-sounding sniffles. “Tapping out baybe—tepporarily.”

“Gotcha,” Jen said. “All right, go get your beauty sleep. God knows you need it.”

Matt made a cheeky stabbed-in-the-heart gesture before rising to his feet. Stifling another yawn, he unfolded his cane, then hovered uncertainly by the side table.

It took Jen a second to realize the issue. Once she did, she asked, “Want me to grab your stuff?”

“Yeah,” Matt admitted. “I seeb to have a shortage of hadds.”

So Jen collected his water, his Kleenexes, and the wastebasket, carrying them over to the bedroom while Matt made a quick stop at the bathroom. When he came in, he looked dead on his feet and a little pale.

“Come here,” Jen said. “I wanna make sure you know where everything is.”

Matt rubbed at his ear and crossed the room, sniffling. Jen showed him his water and Kleenex box on the nightstand and the wastebasket on the floor.

“Got it?” she asked. “If you wake up and don’t know where you are again, it’s on you this time.”

Matt smiled. “Got it,” he echoed. He folded up his cane and set it beside his tissues.

He really has no right looking all rumpled and cute when he’s this sick. Who do I speak to about this?

As Matt got into bed, Jen asked, “Can I kiss you? On the cheek is fine, if you’re embarrassed.”

“I prefer ‘self codscious,’” Matt told her.

“Whatever,” Jen replied. “So can I?”

Matt deliberated for a moment, then got a fresh tissue to wipe his nose. “Cheek,” he said.

Jen leaned down to give him a soft kiss. Then she tapped his cheek smartly, just to show she wasn’t being too mushy about it; a woman has to maintain appearances, after all.

“Feel better,” she said as she headed for the door.

“I’ll try by best,” Matt replied, already sounding half asleep.

[angora48]

Here's Part 8.

 

Matt napped for a few hours; while he slept, Jen went for a run then did some more prep work for the Turner case. When he got up, he came into the living room sniffling and rubbing his ear.

“Jed?” he said, turning uncertainly.

“Over here,” Jen said, shutting her laptop. “Ready to go back to the future?”

“Su-sure,” Matt replied, turning away to catch a loud “haaaahhhhhh-CHUHHHHHH!” in his hands. He still seemed groggy and kind of muted, but he made his way over to the couch.

“Did I take by glasses off sobewhere?” he asked as he sat down. “I c—I couldn’t—” He broke off coughing.

“You left them on the end table,” Jen told him, “Right by your elbow. Get settled—I’ll grab your stuff.” She hopped up and went to the bathroom to collect Matt’s tissues and the wastebasket.

Matt pulled a couple Kleenexes from the box the instant Jen set it on the table beside him. “ehhhh-SHOOOOOO! Ihhhh-huhhhhh-CHIAAHHHHH! Unnhhh….”

Okay, that was definitely a groan.

Jen put her arm around Matt as she picked up the remote to resume the movie. “No offense, but you sound like shit,” she said.

Matt dabbed his nose a little with the Kleenex and let his head rest on her shoulder. “It’s okay—that seebs accurate,” he told her. He coughed into his hands. Jen gave him a sympathetic squeeze, and he pulled the blanket up to cover himself.

He kept rubbing at his ear. “Is that bothering you?” Jen asked. “Your ear?”

“I just wish I could hear better,” Matt explained. “I bead, I cad hear you okay, add the bovie, b-buhhhh…” Jen felt him tensing as he sneezed. “uhhhhh-SHOOOOO-ehhhhhhh!” He sniffed. “…But I dod’t do what’s happeding outside or dowd the block.”

“But right now, isn’t that a good thing?” Jen asked. “I mean, if you could hear everything, wouldn’t you feel like you have to go out and help people?”

And let’s face it, a sick Daredevil isn’t gonna be able to throw down as well as he normally does.

“I dod’t doh,” Matt mumbled, clearing his throat. “It’s kide of, I duddo, distracting.”

“I’m sorry, it’s distracting not hearing everything in the whole block?” Jen said. “Make that make sense.”

Matt covered his mouth, coughing. “Well, I doh the people who deed help are still out there,” he explained. “I-I just ca-aahhhh….” He paused. “hehhhh-uhhhh-CHIOOOO! I cad’t hear theb, so I dod’t doh where they are.”

“Like a Hitchcock movie,” Jen decided. “It’s scarier because of what they don’t show you onscreen.”

“Sobething like that,” Matt agreed. He steepled his hands over his nose and mouth. “aaaahhhhhh-SHIUHHHHHH!”

“Gesundheit,” Jen said. “That has to suck—I’m sorry.”

“Dow who’s apologizing?” Matt teased lightly.

“Oh god, you’re rubbing off on me!” Jen joked.

When dinnertime rolled around, Jen ordered a pizza, but Matt’s appetite seemed to be waning. He hadn’t done more than nibble at her previous freeform snack-based meal, and now he tapped out at barely two slices.

It was obvious that his nose and his cough were both bothering him, and his manner was starting to feel heavy with sick-day malaise. Resting his head on Jen’s shoulder, Matt coughed hard into his hands.

“You all right?” Jen asked. “If you want to get to bed, I’m sure Marty McFly will be cool with it.”

“Mmb,” Matt mumbled, sounding drowsy and woefully congested. “I’be okay to fidish the last boovie,” he told her. “ehhhhhhh… ihhhhh-hehhhhh-CHIUHHHHH! Unnhhhh….” He sniffed. “Thidk I’ll have to bow out after thaahhh....after that, tho-ough…huhhhhhh-CHIOOOOOO!”

“Gesundheit,” Jen said, brushing his hair back from his forehead. “You’re a lightweight, but you’re cute, so I’ll allow it.”

Matt chuckled a little. “Good to doh.”

By the time they reached the end of the trilogy, Matt was fading a bit, but he hadn’t nodded off. “Haaahhhhhh-SHOOOOOO! Hihhhhhh-ehhhhhh-CHUHHHHH!” he sneezed explosively, bending forward as he cupped his hands over his mouth. Reaching for a Kleenex, he sighed.

“So…bed?” Jen suggested once he finished blowing his nose.

Matt managed a tired smile. “Seebs logical,” he agreed.

He took a sip of his water, wincing as he swallowed. He moved to get up, then paused. At first Jen thought maybe he had to sneezed again, but instead he said, “Oh god—I’be so dubb.”

“I mean, not generally,” Jen replied. “There was that time we were sparring and you didn’t know when to stay down, but other than that….”

“You cad’t fit od the couch as She-Hulk, cad you?” Matt asked.

Jen frowned. “What do you call what I’m doing right now?”

“Doh,” Matt said, “I bead at dight. Y-you cad’t—” Sputtering into a cough, he buried his face in the crook of his arm. “You have to chadge forbs to sleep od the couch, right?”

“Gotcha—right,” Jen said.

Matt sighed heavily, rubbing his temple. “Where I’ve just spedt boste of the day, hanging out with by gerbs,” he said. “I should’ve thought of that, I’be sorry.” Before Jen could reply, he added, “Add you cad’t flick be for that wud, because it’s a geduwide screw-up.”

“Look, don’t worry about it,” Jen told him, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “It’s fine.”

“You should take the bed,” Matt said. “At least that way you c-caa-aaaahhhhhh-SHIUHHHHH!” He grabbed another tissue and dabbed carefully at his nose. “You cad chadge the sheets, at least. I’ll sleep out here.”

“Matt, I’m not having you sleep on my couch when you’re feeling like shit,” Jen replied.

“I’ve beed trying to dot get you sick,” Matt said. “hehhhhh-uhhhhhh-SHOOOOOO!” He rubbed his nose, sniffling wetly.

Okay, so he’s being over-the-top about it, but I can kinda see why he’s getting himself worked up. If I was staying at his place with a bad cold, I’d probably be hyperaware of Not Being a Bother too, and I’d hate it if I gave it to him.

Despite the differences in their personalities, Jen and Matt operated on a similar wavelength when it came to not wanting other people to have to deal with their problems. When she thought of it that way, she realized how vulnerable it was for Matt to be spending the weekend with her when he was this sick.

“Look,” Jen said, “if you’re worried about germs, there is a way around it—if you’d be comfortable with it.”

“What do you bead?” Matt asked, absentmindedly rubbing his throat.

“We could both sleep in the bed,” Jen offered.

“Heh—fuddy,” Matt said.

“Hey, the bed’s big enough for me to stay She-Hulk,” Jen pointed out. “So gerbs wouldn’t be an issue.”

“I’d just keep you up all dight wihh—with b-by co-oughiiiing…” Matt turned away, sneezing a hard “ihhhhhh-huhhhh-CHOOOOO-ehhhhh!” into his shoulder.

“I can wear ear plugs,” Jen told him. “If you’re not comfortable, we don’t have to. Obviously—affirmative consent and all that. It’s just an idea.”

For a long moment, Matt didn’t say anything, just sniffled and rubbed his nose. “I guess that bight work,” he mumbled, “if you’re sure I woulded’t drive you crazy.”

“Hey, if you do, I’ll just kick you onto the floor,” Jen said.

I mean, I kid, but it has actually happened before. I told the guy I didn’t mean to and that I was sorry, but let’s just say there was no date #2.

Matt sighed, but it wasn’t an I hate this or kill me now kind of sigh. More like an okay, not ideal, but we’ve got this sigh. “All right,” he said, clearing his throat. “It’s better thad baking you deal with by gerbs.”

“Okay, cool,” Jen said. Since he was understandably self-conscious, she figured it was best not to make a big thing of it.

So Jen arranged Matt’s supplies on the nightstand while he got ready for bed. When he came into the bedroom, she said, “Everything’s in the same spot as this afternoon. Want some more aspirin before you turn in?”

“I suppose I should,” Matt agreed, sniffling. Jen handed him a couple more pills, but before he had a chance to take them, he got a sneezy look on his face. Closing his fist around the aspirin so they wouldn’t go flying, he clamped his other hand over his mouth. “uhhhhhh-SHUHHHHHHH! Ehhhhhh-hihhhhhh-CHIAHHHHHH!”

Sniffling wearily, Matt swallowed the pills with a swig of water, then sank into bed. Jen turned to go but stopped when Matt said, “Jed?” softly.

Jen looked back. “Yeah?”

Matt winced, a very particular wince that Jen knew all too well on her own face. It was a wince of I really need to ask you this, but it might actually kill me to say the words out loud.

“Dever bide,” Matt mumbled. “It’s dub.”

“Well, we already established that you’re being dumb tonight,” Jen teased lightly. “You’re sick so I’m letting it slide. What’s up?”

Matt sighed. “Could you—” he cleared his throat, “—would you bide getting idto bed too? Dot to turd id yet—I doh it’s still earl-ee-eee… huhhhhh-CHIUHHHHHH!” He sneezed hard into his hands, then sniffed. “Just for, ub, for a little while.”

Jen wasn’t expecting that, but she supposed she could roll with it—it clearly mattered to Matt. “Sure,” she said.

“Sorry,” Matt mumbled, grimacing as Jen flicked his cheek before she crossed to the dresser for her pajamas.

“You’d think you’d learn at some point,” Jen remarked. “But like I said—dumb.”

Matt coughed into his fist. “I just—I wadda bake sure it’s really gudda work for both of us,” he explained. He coughed again, then took a drink of water. “You doh, that I wod’t keep you up, add….”

And you won’t collapse in on yourself in a black hole of self-consciousness?

“Sure,” Jen repeated. “I was serious about the ear plugs. Want me to grab a pair?”

“Yeah,” Matt said sheepishly.

One quick trip to the medicine cabinet later, Jen climbed into bed beside Matt. She didn’t have any cute She-Hulk-sized pajamas, but she supposed Matt wasn’t going to complain about her big boxy T-shirt and shorts.

“Thadks,” Matt said in a low voice.

“What?” Jen teased. The ear plugs didn’t block out all sound—everything just sounded muffled. Probably a bit like Matt’s hearing with his cold.

Matt didn’t reply, but he smiled, a very little, and lay down on his side, turned away from her. Jen did the same.

She could definitely hear him sneezing and coughing, though it wasn’t loud enough to bother her. More noticeable were the movements as he shifted in bed, probably reaching for water or a Kleenex, and the way she’d feel his body tense beside her when he sneezed. Still, Jen figured she wouldn’t have trouble falling asleep like this.

Just not, you know, now—it wasn’t even 8 o’clock. After about ten minutes, Jen took out one of her ear plugs, rolled over, and touched Matt’s shoulder. “Is this okay?” she asked softly.

“Yeah,” Matt said, sounding drowsy. “It’s dot as bad as I thought.”

Jen smirked. “I know what you meant, so I won’t take offense to that.”

“Hmmb?” Matt mumbled, sniffling wetly.

“Don’t worry about it,” Jen told him, squeezing his shoulder. “Get some rest. I’ll be back later.”

[angora48]

Here's Part 9.

 

Slowly, Matt came into a vague awareness of being awake. It was hard to say if he’d just woken up or if he’d been lying there fuzzy-headed for a while. Either way, he was now flooded with the sensations of his blocked nose and the sharp pain in his throat.

Through his pounding headache, he could remember being in Jen’s bed, but he felt marooned and out-of-context. He was lying on something, something warm and supple.

With a start, Matt realized it was Jen’s chest. Rolling over, he pushed himself halfway up and abashedly wiped his nose with his palm.

“Matt?” Jen asked with a breathy just-woke-up tone. “You okay?”

“Sorry about that,” Matt muttered. “Just tell be I wasd’t—wasd’t dripping sdot od you or addything.”

He dimly heard a rustling sound. “No snot,” Jen told him. “By the way, only you would apologize for something you did while you were literally asleep.”

“I-I juh-uhhhhh…” Matt began, but he was hit with a strong itch in his nose. “hihhhhhh-CHIUHHHHH!” He sniffed, groping on the nightstand for a tissue. I just beant I didded’t bead to drape by sick self ahhhhh…” Itching again. “haaahhhhh-ihhhhhh-SHOOOOO! Ehhhhh…hehhhhhh-CHUHHHHH! Mmb… All over you.”

“You make yourself sound like such an inconvenience,” Jen noted. “It’s really not a big deal.”

“I feel like ad idcodvedience.” The words were out of Matt’s mouth before he quite realized he’d said them.

Jen put a soft hand on his arm. “I keep telling you—”

“I doh,” Matt admitted quietly. “But, I dod’t doh, I cad’t help it. I feel…id the way, add udpleasant. Add—add like I’be baking byself your probleb. I—” He could feel a tickle building in his throat. He turned to the nightstand for his water, but in his haste, he knocked the glass over.

“Dabbit!” he muttered. He managed, barely, to catch the glass before it hit the floor, but he knew he’d spilled all the water. The tickle got the better of him, and he pressed the back of his hand to his mouth, coughing.

“It’s okay,” Jen said. The bed shifted, and soon she was on her feet, gently taking the glass from him and walking out of the room.

The tickle in Matt’s throat wouldn’t let up, and he kept coughing, grimacing as it made his sore throat even worse. Then Jen was back, handling him the refilled glass. Still sputtering with coughs, he managed a nod, then took slow sips until the cool water soothed the irritation.

“Thadks,” he finally said, in a croaky voice. He carefully set the glass back on the nightstand, then flopped back down on the pillow, rubbing his face with both hands.

“It’s okay,” Jen told him again. She was back on the bed now; it sounded like she was sitting up. “You’re feeling like shit. It’d be weird if you weren’t kind of a mess right now.”

But as Matt rubbed at his face, he was distracted from Jen’s words. He held the back of his wrist to his forehead, then sighed. “I thidk I’be getting a fever,” he said.

“Really?” Jen said, sounding disappointed for him.

“I-I thidk so-oh…” Matt said, trailing off into a loud sneeze. “haaaahhhhhh-uhhhhh-CHIUUHHHHH!”

“That sucks,” Jen said. “You want the thermometer?”

“Yeah,” Matt said with a sniff. He frowned, feeling his forehead again.

“Coming right up,” Jen replied.

There was another shift of the bed as she hopped up a second time, and she disappeared down the hall. Within a minute, she was back, placing the thermometer in Matt’s hand.

“Tha-aaa—” Matt tried to say, but he was cut off by another sneeze. Hastily turning away from Jen, he buried a “hihhhhh-CHIAHHHHH!” in his shoulder.

“Don’t mention it,” Jen replied, with a smirk in her voice.

Matt stuck the slender end of the thermometer in his mouth and sniffled, rubbing his nose. When the thermometer beeped, he removed it and held it out towards Jen.

She didn’t take the thermometer from him, just leaned over him and turned his hand slightly for a better look at the readout—there was something considered in that gesture, and Matt appreciated it. “100.7,” she told him.

Jen let go of Matt’s hand, and he reached over to set the thermometer on the nightstand, carefully noting its place beside the Kleenex box. He sighed.

“At least it’s not so bad,” Jen pointed out, climbing back into bed beside him.

“Yeah,” Matt said, without enthusiasm. “It’s just, whed you touch sobething, its temperature cad tell you a lot abo-about it—” He paused, coughing hard into the crook of his arm. “But whed by body’s temperature is higher thad it’s supposed to be, ih-it’s, it’s hard t-to teh-ell… hehhhhhh-SHOOOOOO!” He cupped his hands over his mouth to catch the sneeze.

Jen was quiet for a beat. “Are you telling me you have zero senses right now?” she asked. Matt could hear both sympathy and amusement in her voice.

Matt sniffled, reaching for a tissue. “Zero that are working at a huddred percedt,” he clarified, dabbing gently at his nose. The Kleenex felt like splinters of broken glass against his chapped nostrils.

“This is just not your week,” Jen remarked. From the way her weight was distributed on the mattress, she must have been propping herself up on her elbow.

She ran her fingers through Matt’s hair, and despite her immense strength, her touch was light. “Do you want to just stay here today?” she asked.

Matt stifled a cough. “Ared’t I already staying here?” he replied. “You—” he cleared his throat. “You said the weekedd, right?”

“Not ‘here at my place,’” Jen said, giving his cheek a little push. “‘Here in bed.’”

“Oh.” Matt coughed again into the back of his hand. He felt simultaneous flushed and chilled. “That’s probably a good idea.”

“Matt, please, I only have good ideas,” Jen replied. “You should know this about me.”

“I really should,” Matt agreed. “ehhhhh… ihhhhh-huhhhhh-CHOOOOO!”

Jen yawned. “Do you know what time it is?” she asked.

Sniffling, Matt felt his watch; he winced. “Four thirty-sevved.”

“Shit!” Jen exclaimed. “What are you doing, waking me up at this ungodly hour? I need more beauty sleep than that.”

Matt held back the urge to say sorry yet again. When, as he’d said, he felt like an inconvenience, his kneejerk reaction was to apologize for everything. But instead, he forced a smile and answered, “You add be both.”

“I’m good with the cuddling, by the way,” Jen told him. “No need to leap out of the way like you just gave me a shock.”

“I just—I didded’t wadt to drool od you,” Matt explained, “or sdeeze od you or addythi-ihhhhh…” His damn nose—he covered his mouth with both hands. “ehhhhh-CHIAHHHHH! Hihhhhh-SHUHHHHHH!”

“Gesundheit,” Jen told him. “How ‘bout some little spoon action? If you’ve got your back to me, I’m out of the spray zone.”

Matt’s nose was still feeling runny; he grabbed a fresh tissue. “You do bake a good big spood,” he admitted, touching it gently to his nostrils.

“I swear, this is She-Hulk’s true calling,” Jen said. “She’s like a giant serving spoon.”

“Okay,” Matt agreed, clearing his throat as he dropped the Kleenex in the wastebasket. Rolling back onto his side, he let himself sink into the feeling of Jen’s strong arms wrapping around him.

She kissed his neck. “All right?” she asked.

Matt sniffled, rubbing his nose. “Yeah.”

“Is the blanket situation good?”

“For dow,” he said. He coughed into his fist. “But I’be sure that’ll chadge. You doh how it goes—hot, thed cold, thed both.”

“Well, lucky for us, She-Hulk doesn’t really feel the cold or heat,” Jen said. “So you just do whatever you need to and I’ll roll with it.”

Matt, whose experience of the world relied so strongly on his sensations, couldn’t imagine what that would be like. It was the same with Luke Cage: if you touched something sharp but couldn’t get cut, did it even still feel sharp?

He sneezed, a strong “huhhhhhh-CHOOOO-ehhhhhh!” He sniffled, and Jen held him a little tighter. Her embrace was firm but gentle. There was a safe feeling to it.

And lying there, on the opposite coast with a fever, his surroundings blanked out from the usual sounds and scents that filled them in, Matt was grateful for a bit of safety.

[snowshie]

😍😍😍

[angora48]

Aww, thanks, @snowshie! I really appreciate it.

Here's Part 10!

 

When they woke up for real, considerably later than 4:37 a.m., Jen could tell Matt was still feeling feverish and out of it, but he didn’t seem as down as he’d been in the wee hours. They went for an easy breakfast—just cereal and some coffee, which they had in bed. Matt took some more aspirin, then rested his head on Jen’s shoulder as he picked at his cereal.

Matt pointed out, more than once, that Jen didn’t need to hang out in bed on his account. “Dod’t let be keep you,” he said, clearing his throat as he rubbed his ear. “You cad go ahead add do whateh-ehhhhh…” He paused, lifting his hands to his face. “huhhhhh-SHUHHHHH! Mmb—whatever you deed to. I dod’t bide.”

“And If I wanna just be lazy with you, what then?” Jen teased.

So they chilled, playing 20 Questions and watching some more Parks and Rec on Jen’s tablet. Matt’s fever was definitely bothering him, because he kept shoving the blankets aside and then pulling them back up as he felt alternately hot and cold. He napped on and off.

When lunch rolled around, it was delivery again, this time from a soup and sandwich place Jen liked. “Thadks,” Matt said, sitting up as Jen handed him his reuben.

“If you’re still not that hungry, we can save the rest for dinner,” she said, setting a Styrofoam container and plastic spoon on the nightstand. “Chicken corn chowder by your water glass.”

Matt nodded, his expression hazy. “hihhhhhh-CHIUHHHH!” he sneezed into the crook of his arm. “ehhhhh-SHOOOOO-uhhhhhh!”

“Gesundheit,” Jen said, climbing back into bed with her own lunch: smoked turkey on focaccia and a Greek salad.

“Uh huh,” Matt mumbled, sounding weary. He carefully set his sandwich on top of his soup container, then grabbed a Kleenex. Jen could tell how bad he was feeling by how unselfconsciously he blew his nose.

“Are you gonna be okay to fly tomorrow?” Jen asked, frowning.

Matt threw his Kleenex away and retrieved his sandwich, sighing. “I’ll have to be,” he said. “Foggy add Karedd are holding dowd the fort while I’be god. I-I dod’t—” he broke off, coughing. “I dod’t wadt to leave theb hanging.”

Of course he’s planning to jump right back into work the second he gets home, no matter how sick he is. Typical.

Jen rolled her eyes. “Fun for you then,” she drawled.

Matt sniffled, holding the sandwich with one hand so he could rub his nose with the other. “I bead, it’s a toss-up,” he said. “Flying is kide uhhv-aaahhhhhh-CHIOOOOO!” He grimaced, sniffling again. “It’s kide of a dightbare addyway, so being sick bight help? Sort of.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Jen asked.

Seriously, flying is ‘kind of a nightmare’? First I’ve heard about it. Is the big bad Daredevil scared of flying?

“Huhhhhhh-SHOOOOOO!” Matt sneezed again, into the crook of his arm. Sniffling, he felt on the nightstand for his soup, picking up the container and setting the rest of his sandwich in its place. “Well,” he said, “dorbally, I cad hear every bechadical bovebent, every shift of the wind outside, every creak add rattle.”

“Shit,” Jen said. “Yeah, that wouldn’t make for a good time.”

Matt swallowed a spoonful of his chowder. He stifled a cough into the back of his hand, then added, “Plus, id ad edclosed space like that, I cad sbell everwud’s, well, everything: their cologde, their sweat, everything they’ve eatted id the last twedty-four hours, all at—at wudce… hihhhhh-SHIUHHHHHH!” Clamping a hand over his mouth, he sneezed again, a rapid “haaahhhhh-SHOOOOO-ehhhh! Ihhhhh-CHIAHHHHH!”

“Oh god,” Jen replied. “In other words, not being able to hear or smell much might be all right.”

“Exactly,” Matt agreed, reaching for a Kleenex. “I didded’t evedd bedshud the bathroobs.” With one hand, he held out his soup container to Jen while bringing the Kleenex up to his nose with the other. “Ub, could you…?”

“Right,” Jen said. She grabbed the container so Matt could wipe his nose.

When he finished, Jen told him, “You know what? I need to appreciate you way more for flying out to L.A.”

Matt smiled a little, throwing away his Kleenex. “It’s worth it for your cobpaddy.”

Jen grinned. “Are you going soft on me, Murdock?” she teased. She handed him back his soup, nudging him with her shoulder.

“I wod’t tell if you wod’t,” Matt replied, sniffling.

Jen brushed her thumb lightly against his temple. “I’m gonna kiss you, okay?” she said. “Right here.”

Matt rubbed his nose. “Go for it,” he said, and Jen obliged, holding his cheek to plant a kiss on his temple.

“Just so you know,” Jen went on, “you might be ruining other men for me. Most guys wouldn’t have any game when they’re sick.”

This earned her a bashful smile from Matt. “I cad try to tode it dowd,” he offered, sipping his soup.

“No, it’s all right,” Jen replied playfully. “I’ll get through it somehow.”

“Very brave of you,” Matt said.

“I know, right?” Jen said. “So brave!”

She was proud of herself for being able to make Matt smile when he was feeling so crappy. Sure, She-Hulk could smash bad guys, and she could bring publicity to GLK&H and get way more Tinder matches than Jen. But making her sick boyfriend smile? Even when she was in She-Hulk’s body, that was pure Jen Walters talent.

 

[angora48]

Part 11--this is the end of "Unnecessary Apologies." Thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone who commented! 😊

 

Later in the afternoon, Matt was napping while Jen did a crossword on her phone—she’d made the executive decision that she didn’t need to do any work today. She had enough of a head start on the Turner case that she could afford to give into the lazy atmosphere.

She was filling in 14 Across when Matt stirred, coughing. Sometimes, he’d drop right back to sleep, but this time, his eyes slowly blinked open. He grimaced, stifling a groan as he shifted in bed.

“What’s wrong?” Jen asked.

“Huh?” Matt murmured in a sleepy tone of voice.

“Something’s the matter,” Jen told him. “I can see it on your face.”

“Oh,” Matt said. “I’be okay, juh-uhhhhh…” He sneezed a strong “hehhhhh-CHOOOO-uhhhh!” into his steepled hands. “Mmb, just a little udcobfortable.”

“Uncomfortable?” Jen asked. She brushed his hair back from his forehead.

“Kide of achy,” Matt admitted, sniffling.

Jen checked the time. “It’s too early for more aspirin,” she said. “Want a backrub?”

“That’s o—”Matt began, then cut himself off. When he spoke again, his jaw was more relaxed. “Actually, that souds great.”

“Cool—roll over,” Jen instructed.

“Uh huh,” Matt said. “Just let be blow by dose first.”

Once he’d seen to his nose and was lying on his stomach, Jen said, “Okay, if it’s too hard, you have to tell me, got it?”

“Got it,” Matt replied.

Carefully, Jen started to massage his shoulders, mindful of how She-Hulk could easily wring him out like a towel. “Good?” she asked.

“Mmb,” Matt breathed, letting out a quiet moan. “Yeah.”

“You sure?” Jen pressed. “I know you’re Mr. Suffering is God’s Way of Showing You He Cares, but I mean it.”

Matt chuckled a little, coughing. “I’ve devver said that.”

“No, but it sounds like you, doesn’t it?” Jen teased.

Matt sniffled. “It’s good,” he said. “Hard, but it’s a good hard. I like it.”

“All right, good,” Jen said. She rubbed circles into his back with her palm.

For a minute, they were quiet except for Matt’s sniffles. Then, “hihhhhhhh-CHIUHHHHHHH!” The sneeze burst out of Matt without any buildup; Jen felt his muscles tensing as it hit him.

“Gesundheit,” she said.

“Thadks,” Matt replied with a long sniffle.

Before they could lapse back into their comfortable quiet, Jen said, “Nightmarish flights aside, I’m really glad you’re here.”

“Mmb,” Matt murmured, clearing his throat. “Under better circubstadces dext tibe, right?”

“No—well, yeah,” Jen said.

I know, real smooth, right?

Matt sniffled again. “What? Unnnhh!”

The grunt came care of Jen, who suddenly realized she might’ve started massaging a little too hard. She winced. “Too much?”

“A-a little…” Matt said breathily. “aaaahhh-CHOOOOO!”

Stupid She-Hulk hands—Jen eased up. Trying to get back on her original point, she said, “I just meant, obviously yeah, it’s better when you’re not snotty and miserable. But this is—well, it’s good too.” She took a beat, then added, “I just like it when you’re here, even if you’re snotty.”

Matt chuckled, prompting a few hard coughs. “Be too,” he replied.

Jen took in a breath. “I was thinking,” she said. “Next time you come, you don’t have to get a hotel, if you don’t want to, I mean. You could just stay here.”

Right as she said “here,” Matt was hit with another strong sneeze. “hahhhhh-CHIOOOO-uhhhhh!” he sneezed, shifting in bed to cover his mouth with both hands.

This left Jen hanging, but she didn’t want to prod him. She waited as Matt reached for a tissue, as he stifled a cough and wiped his nose. But then he said, “I’d really like that.”

A warm feeling filled Jen’s stomach. “Yeah?” she said.

With Matt lying on his stomach, Jen couldn’t see his face, but she heard the smile in his voice as he replied, “Yeah.”

“And you’re not delirious or anything, right?” Jen clarified. “You’re not gonna, like, nod off and forget we talked about this? ‘Cause—”Ah screw it; she was just gonna say it. “‘Cause I’ve been psyching myself up for this conversation for a while, and I don’t want to have to do it again.”

“Cad you reach by phode?” Matt asked.

Okay, not what I asked, but whatever.

With a puzzled frown, Jen leaned over Matt to grab his phone off the nightstand. He unlocked it and then handed it back to her. “Could you opedd a dew voice bebbo?” he asked. “Siri cad’t udderstad be whed I’be stuffed up.”

“Yeah,” Jen replied, still waiting to see where he going with this. She did what he asked, then returned the phone to Matt, who’d propped himself up on his elbows. “Go ahead.”

“This is Batt Burdock,” Matt said, sniffling hard. He felt his watch. “It’s…three twedty-wud od Sudday aah-aahhhf… hihhh-SHOOOOO-uhhhhh!” He sneezed into his hand, but his breath kept hitching. “ehhhhh….hehhhhhh-SHIUHHHHH! Mmb—Sudday afterdood. Jed just told be I could stay with her the dext tibe I’be id towd,” he cleared his throat, “add I said I’d like that.”

He handed the phone back to Jen, and she hit the “end record” button. “There,” Matt told her. “Extra idsurance—fever proof.”

Jen grinned as she set the phone back on the nightstand. She leaned down and kissed Matt’s neck. “How are the aches?” she asked. “Any better?”

“Still a bit achy,” Matt admitted. “But yeah, a lot better.”

“Great,” Jen said, settling back down beside him. “Sleepy?”

 “uhhhhhh-CHUHHHHH!” Matt sneezed into his fist. Sniffling, he said, “A little.”

“Okay,” Jen replied. As Matt turned back onto his side, she sat beside him, softly playing with his hair. They chatted to each other in low voices until Matt’s eyelids started to get heavy and his congested breaths grew long and even.

It could be tricky to navigate sometimes, the whole not-exclusive-but-still-kinda-serious long-distance relationship thing. But Jen and Matt were two people who were well-acquainted with finding a way to make things work, and when they came together, last-minute pivots and unnecessary apologies aside, they made it work pretty damn well.

[snowshie]

Okay, but this is the cutest. I love it so much. ❤️

[Mygyn]

This was such a cute read 😓 low key want Jen to catch this now 😂 

[ichixshiro14]

Sameeee!! This was so well-written!!

[angora48]

Aww, thanks! I'm so glad people liked it. 🥰🤗 These two were a lot of fun to write!

[marzipan]

This is so lovely! You capture their dynamic so beautifully!