[ closed ] i can't shake this feeling i've got

[pyms]

WHO: HANK PYM + MATT MURDOCK
WHERE: Nonah
WHEN: 06/06
WHAT: Playing catch up during a baseball game.
WARNINGS: None


[ It was Friday and Hank was good on his promise. He took one Matt Murdock to Nonah and they were going to get a taste of what this universe's baseball league has to offer for them.

Baseball season had just started and everyone in the stadium are rustling with excitement. There were a lot of chatter, of who to root for, who'll actually win, what player will shine. The stadium wasn't crowded but it wasn't empty either; the seats beside theirs were empty but there were still a few people in their row. None of the other spectators asked for autographs and the like, only stared as they passed by. Thankfully, they were away from the core crowd of people in a spot where the sun directly beams down at them.

Hank hovers close to Matt as they got to their seats, lending a shoulder to Matt should he need it. His hot dog was in one hand, and two beers were in the other. And Hank, being that type of guy who would collect memories, has the baseball cap of the home team - Nonah Tiger-Cats. ]

...Well, these seats aren't that bad.

[ Said, grinning, with the ease of someone who doesn't get sunburned but rather collects farmer's tan during the summer months. ]

Comments

[notdaredevil]

That's a good rule. And that's also the most appropriate phrase to describe my blindness anyway, I think.

[Given the radar and all, Matt's probably safer driver than most people. But he's aware of the measure of trust conveyed. However it happened, Matt's glad of it, and he trusts Hank implicitly with almost anything. Enough to place his own life in Hank's hands. Foggy's life.]

He went to private school, right? I bet you he played something like cricket. Or whatever that one you play with sticks while on horseback. Polo? I never could understand what my classmates thought was appealing about that.

[Matt's joking; he doesn't really think that at all. Tony is not a sports guy. Tony is a mechanic, a scientist, a thinker. It would be nice if he could come joke WITH them about this instead of being such an ass, right now.]

...how's he doing, by the way?

[pyms]

I'm sure you hear that one a lot from the ones in the know. [ The corner of his lip curls up and he leans over to Matt for a moment. ] Hey, if you ever feel like you need another identity, the Bat is free, isn't it?

[ Joking aside, Matt's ability has been more than useful in the past. He doesn't doubt that'll be the case in the future. Being in this line of work though, it wears them out. They've had this conversation and Hank trust that Matt knows his limits. Still, he'll have to remember to get season pass for both of them. In true Hank nature, it would be a check-in poorly disguised as a gift.

There's an audible ping and a crescendo of cheers from the crowd. A ball comes flying up the sky and towards the stands. Hank peers at it, a hand sheltering his eyes from the sun. He waits until gravity to take hold before speaking. ]

He's Tony. Anything that comes out of his mouth seems like it is infallible. His ego is out of this world but that's not a real surprise. Not for who he is then, or should I say now? But anything that goes up must come down. [ A beat. ] You don't think it's going to hit us, do you?

[notdaredevil]

[Matt doesn't look up. Of course, he couldn't see it anyway, but he doesn't even bother to incline his face in the correct direction of the ball. There is beer to be sipped. And sun to endure.]

The trajectory's wrong. It's going to hit three rows back. The kid with the too much gel in his hair and the pretzel. I don't know how anyone can stand to use Axe, I could be on the field and still smell that.

[Another sip of beer. And then, back to regularly scheduled conversation:]

At this point, I don't think I could use another name. It'd feel wrong. For better or worse, I am who I am. It's out there, and I have to live with that. Trying to keep it secret ruined my life, Hank, more than once. I won't try to hide it any more. Not even behind another identity.

[pyms]

Well, it's that or human odor. I don't know which you prefer but I know what I only like smelling sweat on certain people.

[ Hank watches the ball fall, half-amused at the poor kid with the odor problem. He couldn't decide what was more amusing, that or Matt's glow. He follows suit and sips on his own beer. ]

You know it's odd. It never seemed like a big deal with me, identities and alter egos. I never felt like I had anything to hide. And bad things and people seems to find their way into my private life either way.

[notdaredevil]

Certain people and certain circumstances.

[That's not a dirty thing to say in the slightest, except for how it is. And how it is one hundred percent true. And he doesn't even feel weird admitting that to Hank, at all.]

They can't take away your degree for being a superhero. They can't stop you from doing science. [He presses his beer to his forehead, but it's not for the heat. Just to dull the momentary headache, the stress.] And no offense, Hank, but it's different, when you don't spend most of your time with other heroes. I never wanted that to be my entire life. I like being an attorney. I never wanted to be disbarred. I didn't want the people I loved to be so easily found that they'd be in danger all of the time just because they knew me.

[pyms]

[ He looks away from the game and turns to Matt. His brows knit together then he looks away, drinking from the bottle before speaking. ]

I'm not saying we're exactly the same. We are very different people and we definitely took different paths. But I think there's one thing we do have in common; we don't want people we love to be in harm's way because of what we do. And it happens, anyway. We try and try and it still happens. Who helps us when we're in a spot?

[ Laying on the cheese and ham so thick they won't need much of a lunch. ]

Our friends, Matt. Don't think you have to do everything yourself. If there's anyone here that you think I could help, I'm always happy to lend a hand.

[notdaredevil]

[Ah, Hank. It's cliche, but it's the sort of cliche Matt maybe needs to hear. He's always had a problem with solitude, with being alone. Matt's not a team player, and he doesn't really want to be. It drags other people into his messy baggage, and he knows (when he's being honest) that he can be difficult to work with. Territorial and judgmental and unyielding. But still, it's good to have friends. Good to have someone else's perspective at times.]

You've got a lot on your plate, Hank. You can't shoulder the burdens of the world all on your own either.