[ eren hadnāt expected giftsā valentineās day was strictly a day for couples to him, and his other half of the pair was on a mission just as he was, separated through kilometers of road, woods and mountains. he was making something during his spare moments in the cabin, and wouldnāt get it through in time anyway, so . . . guess valentineās day really would have to wait for when they got back. settling with facetime, it is.
he never really cared, interest hardly even a line over the years and only seeming to make a difference now, when he had actually found someone heād like to celebrate it with. wrenās surprised to have received little packages from known friends. still, when there was nothing from elliot, the little empty spot in his chest felt a bit bigger.
itās nothing to mope over though, erenās enough of an adult to get past those temporary woes and focus on whatās important at the time. gathering his gifts and finding a spot to work on his knots, he stops when he catches something drifting to the ground.
Matt
having remembered the conversation they had in the bathroom, eren slips the letter into his jacket pocket, and once he sees the masked daredevil: ]
āHey.
[ itās stern and firm, hardly talking to a friend, but he hopes matt gets the message and meets him halfway. ]
[ A number of the arrived gifts have been snatched up by enthusiastic hands and to his relief the one that he swear smelled like it had sat in his friend Tatsuo's apartment had been addressed to Cleo instead. Maybe he really did luck out and anything meant for him had ended up at the apartment where he was pretending to be. He had gone through that intense conversation with Zee about his secret identity concerns and maybe they didn't exactly agree but the man might have told Janet to see everything meant for Matt Murdock kept in Recolle.
Eren greets him with the stiffness of strangers. Matt laughs on the inside, impressed by the thought he's putting into the act. He turns to him and gives him a polite nod. ]
Hey. Are you expecting something?
[ He steps out of the way for the incoming crowd and someone starts reading off names and gifts get passed from hand to hand. As he goes to Eren's side he notices the gifts already in his arms. ]
Gifts from friends? Or someone special?
[ It sounds like a general question people who recently met might ask but for all Matt knows Eren has started dating and forgot to mention it. ]
[ had this actually been a stranger, eren wouldāve pulled a snappy response about being nosey. but, this is isnāt actually a stranger, and instead, gives a wrinkle of his nose and holds back a smirk. his things are being juggled in his arms, or at least heās making an effort to make it look as such. ]
Some friends. [ but he shrugs, soon simply forcing an arm full of goods onto matt. ] Help me out with these? Mājust going over there.
[ matt would notice something more than just the bag of jerky or the basket with a card and snacksā heās sure to fold the paper and press it into mattās arm with a nudge. like, hey, this. take this. but take the rest, too. ]
[ Matt follows along and takes the bag and basket for him, awkwardly gripping the folded paper between a pinkie and ring finger. Maybe Eren wants to talk? Unless... There's no reason a paper can't be shoved into the basket for easier handling. Was it something private or...? As he passes behind the excited crowd so they can get to a quieter area of the lodge he lifts the contents in his arms to avoid bumping anyone with them. Very quickly he turns his nose toward the letter and sniffs. Oh... Oh! The paper alone gives it away. Inside the envelope he recognizes the signature odor of paper meant for braille printers. That and some other signs of who had been handling the envelope's contents made him absolutely sure Eren had just bailed him out of trouble. ]
Thanks.
[ Once they're away from the others he gives him a more familiar smile and hands the basket and jerky bag back. ]
Jerky for Valentine's? Someone clearly has your back.
[ there you go, matt. eren only gives a curt nod of his head as he leads the way, setting his things down and taking what was in his arms. ]
Iāve known Kat since we were kids. [ they bicker a lot, and eren might call him an asshole a lot more than buddy, but they matched in personality fairly well, and they were good friends, since their kid days roaming around the woods for snakes and dead animals. ] Sly bastard.
[ as his corner seems complete, erenās about to sit down when something catches his eye. a little pack that says eren in handwriting he knew, separated from his initial bunch. surprisingly, he lights up like a holiday tree, much more than with the gifts heās already gotten and seems eager to go get it. ]
[ Matt stands by and debates what to do with the envelope. He double checks that nobody except Eren can see him then opens it and pulls out several folded papers, all indented with the message in braille. He runs his hand over the first page, confused to find it nearly entirely blank until he finds somewhere in the middle a short and simple message. He bursts into laughter as soon as he's read it. Checking the second page it seems to be filled with text, more of a proper letter. ]
[ eren returns half opening the gift heās foundā a hat and fingerless gloves that double as transforming mittens, with the air force emblem subtly attached to them. he canāt help the smile as he slips them on already, a warmth like no other radiating from his cheeks and his heart giving light, fluttery skips. jerky didnāt do that.
he did notice that matt was laughing though, and sitting down by his things, he examines the gloves heās wearing. a perfect fitā ]
[ eren chuckles. heād laugh too, rather, heād also probably make a joke like that. holding a hand up to show off fingerless fabric, he rubs them together to make up for the visual with the sound of it, holding his hand out and nudging matt if he wants to get a feel for it. ]
And a hat. They even got the Air Force on it. [ thereās a little emblem on each of the cuffs; wings! ]
[ another skip, another set of doki as eren just. smiles, warmly, rubbing his hands together. he hadnāt had the chance to tell matt, had he . . .
better late then never! but he does catch on to that smug smile, in which he playfully shoved at the other manās arm with a punch. ]
My boyfriend. [ he raises a half made braided rope in his hand, still weaving feathers into it and placing it in mattās hands so he could see. all things heās gotten from his little hunts. ] I didnāt even finish mine, yet.
[ Matt actually goes speechless for a few seconds that likely feel longer than they actually are. The top half of his face is covered leaving Eren to interpret what that reaction is from his tone and his mouth alone. He seems caught off guard. ]
I didn't realize you had a boyfriend. When did that- When did you two get together?
[ eren chuckles at the reaction, looking a tad sheepish, but, thatās normal. heāll get over the burn crawling up his ears. ]
Thatās ācause I never got the chance to tell you. [ ITāS BEEN A CRAZY FEW MONTHS and whenever he and matt got together, there was a lot of things to talk about. like getting kidnapped. ] But, sinceā September. [ thatās going to be nearly six months, strong and well. time flies. ] I worked up the guts after I talked to you and a few other people.
[ This "Oh" is in a more taken aback tone. September? When he first ended up with the app. Right. Eren misfired a comment and it lead to talk about dating and Matt's positive advice to "keep an open mind" and "It would be a shame if you missed an opportunity to experience something special." Advice he is not currently following himself. Great going Murdock. No reason Eren has to know that though. ]
In the moment I didn't realize you had someone specific on your mind. Who's the lucky young man?
I wouldnāt have said so then anywayā I was having problems with myself to start.
[ thatās why he was even asking for help in the first place. but, yeah, āohā. he gets it. he knows it been way too long without matt knowing, and he feels a little badā but itās not as if he was actively trying to hide it. he takes his little charm thing back once mattās done, beginning to braid the leather into each other and pick up where he left off. ]
Elliot? I've met him briefly. I'm a customer- [ Oh this is awkward. He clears his throat. ] Actually I've been ordering from him regularly. When I return from a night on the city I eat one of the snacks he baked to heal away any of the night's injuries so I don't show up to work with bruises on my face. Now I feel bad for claiming they were simply for headaches. I owe him my thanks, he just doesn't know how deeply.
So he's a childhood friend then? You two must be incredibly close. I hope whatever problems you were having back in September hadn't been eating at you for too long. [ What were those problems by the way? ]
[ oh, wow. eren would say āyou should tell himā, but he knows mattās situation already, and he wouldnāt go back on his word, either. a secret identity, for how long matt held it, was going to stay secret. he simply nods with a warmer smile, adding a small yeah sĆ³ matt can hear it. ]
Not that far backā itās been four years, but. [ he finishes a knot with a feather in it. ] We were still close. He was one of the few people I talked to.
[ not to mention missing prom just to play video games with him over the internet. eren rolls his shoulders. ]
And I solved them as soon as I made up my mind. [ he nudges mattās shoulder. ] I didnāt want to lose him as a friendā and I was confused at first, but it was a risk I had to take.
[ Matt might not object once he gets a better idea of what Elliot is like. Proper introductions are due. ]
Something worth the risk. [ Matt nods, passing the envelope between his hands like he desperately needs to set it down or read it. ]
I didn't know you were uh... I thought since you had a girlfriend at one point that... [ The fact he can't seem to say it makes this a million times more awkward. ]
[ eren quirks his brows in questionā matt looks like heās having a bit of difficulty, and he doesnāt quite get it until after a few moments, when it clicks. ]
That I what?
[ let him help with getting that out there matt, you can do it. thereās no awkward to be had, right. just two friends, dr, strangers chatting it up. ]
[ there you go, matt. good job. eren pauses himself, rocking backwards and taking the charm into his hand. ]
Honestly? Neither one. [ this is going to seem a little . . . weird, maybe, he knows. heās had his share of āwhat am i!!!ā but, enough was enough way back when for eren. his tone doesnāt seem upset, justā casual. ] I donāt like guys. I never really liked girls that way either.
[ the sound of his coat shifting against its own fabric zips shortly, as he shrugs and crosses his legs. heās never really. . . held much interest in anyone. no attraction to any worked out abdomen or curves, what have them. ]
I donāt care about labels, though. I just know I like him, before I even realized it.
[ That's a new one. He hasn't heard of that sort of attraction (or lack thereof) before but then again Matt hasn't talked much about this topic since college with anyone until recently when Derek pointed an accusatory finger at him. That and talks about sexuality have changed dramatically just in the time between his graduation from law school and the present. ]
It must have been confusing and frustrating at times. I'm glad you were able to accept yourself and that Elliot makes you happy.
Next time I meet with Elliot I'll have to tell him that we know each other.
[ eren smiles warmly at that, twirling a feather in his finger and feeling pretty . . . at ease. ]
Heāll like that as much as I do. [ his hand claps mattās shoulder, and he returns to his idle workā he doesnāt leave it at that, obviously. ]
āI told myself Iād never date again. I was better off alone, workingā or talking to him, ironically. [ he gives a quiet sigh through his nose. ] Until he moved here.
[ maybe he just had his interest taken for longer than he thought. ]
. . . I think the thing that freaked me out the most was scaring him off.
[ Scaring off the best friend he was speaking with everyday with something like that? ]
Really? It sounds like you two were so close it would have worked out either way. But I guess it is difficult not to worry when your heart is on the line.
Challenging to judge when you're in the middle of it.
[ Sigh. Can definitely relate to that. ]
So you're officially dating then. I hope all your friends and family have been supportive of you two.
I didnāt know he was gay, soā I still worried, how awkward would it be for a friend to know they like you more than that?
[ it was so obvious now that he looks back at it, and he clicks his tongue. he was blind. he just thought they were really good friends, even though they did things that were perhaps even too close for friends to do. the worst was that it was so natural of a feeling, it flew over erenās head. ]
And he never told me for the same reason. If Iād known sooner I wouldāve done something. [ he turns to matt, and while he says it fondly, itās quiet. ] I wouldnāt miss a chance like that. Iāve never been . . . Happy, like this.
[ and truth be told: eren was something of a troublemaker in the past. he got into plenty of fights and anger-induced mishaps, matt knows about those. itās true: eren has never been calmer, and never been happier in a daily basis. he has his bouts, but theyāre so . . . small, in comparison. ]
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he never really cared, interest hardly even a line over the years and only seeming to make a difference now, when he had actually found someone heād like to celebrate it with. wrenās surprised to have received little packages from known friends. still, when there was nothing from elliot, the little empty spot in his chest felt a bit bigger.
itās nothing to mope over though, erenās enough of an adult to get past those temporary woes and focus on whatās important at the time. gathering his gifts and finding a spot to work on his knots, he stops when he catches something drifting to the ground.
Matt
having remembered the conversation they had in the bathroom, eren slips the letter into his jacket pocket, and once he sees the masked daredevil: ]
āHey.
[ itās stern and firm, hardly talking to a friend, but he hopes matt gets the message and meets him halfway. ]
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Eren greets him with the stiffness of strangers. Matt laughs on the inside, impressed by the thought he's putting into the act. He turns to him and gives him a polite nod. ]
Hey. Are you expecting something?
[ He steps out of the way for the incoming crowd and someone starts reading off names and gifts get passed from hand to hand. As he goes to Eren's side he notices the gifts already in his arms. ]
Gifts from friends? Or someone special?
[ It sounds like a general question people who recently met might ask but for all Matt knows Eren has started dating and forgot to mention it. ]
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Some friends. [ but he shrugs, soon simply forcing an arm full of goods onto matt. ] Help me out with these? Mājust going over there.
[ matt would notice something more than just the bag of jerky or the basket with a card and snacksā heās sure to fold the paper and press it into mattās arm with a nudge. like, hey, this. take this. but take the rest, too. ]
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[ Matt follows along and takes the bag and basket for him, awkwardly gripping the folded paper between a pinkie and ring finger. Maybe Eren wants to talk? Unless... There's no reason a paper can't be shoved into the basket for easier handling. Was it something private or...? As he passes behind the excited crowd so they can get to a quieter area of the lodge he lifts the contents in his arms to avoid bumping anyone with them. Very quickly he turns his nose toward the letter and sniffs. Oh... Oh! The paper alone gives it away. Inside the envelope he recognizes the signature odor of paper meant for braille printers. That and some other signs of who had been handling the envelope's contents made him absolutely sure Eren had just bailed him out of trouble. ]
Thanks.
[ Once they're away from the others he gives him a more familiar smile and hands the basket and jerky bag back. ]
Jerky for Valentine's? Someone clearly has your back.
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Iāve known Kat since we were kids. [ they bicker a lot, and eren might call him an asshole a lot more than buddy, but they matched in personality fairly well, and they were good friends, since their kid days roaming around the woods for snakes and dead animals. ] Sly bastard.
[ as his corner seems complete, erenās about to sit down when something catches his eye. a little pack that says eren in handwriting he knew, separated from his initial bunch. surprisingly, he lights up like a holiday tree, much more than with the gifts heās already gotten and seems eager to go get it. ]
āHold on a sec.
[ so he can fetch it! ]
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he did notice that matt was laughing though, and sitting down by his things, he examines the gloves heās wearing. a perfect fitā ]
Someone sent you a joke?
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[ He nods in acknowledgement, noticing the sound of Eren's hands covered in warm material and the way his heart rate picked up. ]
New gloves?
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And a hat. They even got the Air Force on it. [ thereās a little emblem on each of the cuffs; wings! ]
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Nice quality! That's quite the gift, someone clearly put a great deal of thought into it. Who is this one from if I might ask?
[ His smile goes a bit smug. What's with the extra flutter to your heartbeat there Eren? ]
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better late then never! but he does catch on to that smug smile, in which he playfully shoved at the other manās arm with a punch. ]
My boyfriend. [ he raises a half made braided rope in his hand, still weaving feathers into it and placing it in mattās hands so he could see. all things heās gotten from his little hunts. ] I didnāt even finish mine, yet.
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[ Matt actually goes speechless for a few seconds that likely feel longer than they actually are. The top half of his face is covered leaving Eren to interpret what that reaction is from his tone and his mouth alone. He seems caught off guard. ]
I didn't realize you had a boyfriend. When did that- When did you two get together?
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Thatās ācause I never got the chance to tell you. [ ITāS BEEN A CRAZY FEW MONTHS and whenever he and matt got together, there was a lot of things to talk about. like getting kidnapped. ] But, sinceā September. [ thatās going to be nearly six months, strong and well. time flies. ] I worked up the guts after I talked to you and a few other people.
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[ This "Oh" is in a more taken aback tone. September? When he first ended up with the app. Right. Eren misfired a comment and it lead to talk about dating and Matt's positive advice to "keep an open mind" and "It would be a shame if you missed an opportunity to experience something special." Advice he is not currently following himself. Great going Murdock. No reason Eren has to know that though. ]
In the moment I didn't realize you had someone specific on your mind. Who's the lucky young man?
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[ thatās why he was even asking for help in the first place. but, yeah, āohā. he gets it. he knows it been way too long without matt knowing, and he feels a little badā but itās not as if he was actively trying to hide it. he takes his little charm thing back once mattās done, beginning to braid the leather into each other and pick up where he left off. ]
Elliot Craigā heās studying music, and he sells food on the network that heals . Red hair, green eyes . . . [ heās fluttering again. god. he hooked a magnificent ginger. ] We met at a camp and just kept in touch for years, before he moved over to RecollĆ© for college.
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So he's a childhood friend then? You two must be incredibly close. I hope whatever problems you were having back in September hadn't been eating at you for too long. [ What were those problems by the way? ]
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Not that far backā itās been four years, but. [ he finishes a knot with a feather in it. ] We were still close. He was one of the few people I talked to.
[ not to mention missing prom just to play video games with him over the internet. eren rolls his shoulders. ]
And I solved them as soon as I made up my mind. [ he nudges mattās shoulder. ] I didnāt want to lose him as a friendā and I was confused at first, but it was a risk I had to take.
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Something worth the risk. [ Matt nods, passing the envelope between his hands like he desperately needs to set it down or read it. ]
I didn't know you were uh... I thought since you had a girlfriend at one point that... [ The fact he can't seem to say it makes this a million times more awkward. ]
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That I what?
[ let him help with getting that out there matt, you can do it. thereās no awkward to be had, right. just two friends, dr, strangers chatting it up. ]
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That you were gay or bi. Whichever orientation you identify as.
[ Did that come out okay or...? ]
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Honestly? Neither one. [ this is going to seem a little . . . weird, maybe, he knows. heās had his share of āwhat am i!!!ā but, enough was enough way back when for eren. his tone doesnāt seem upset, justā casual. ] I donāt like guys. I never really liked girls that way either.
[ the sound of his coat shifting against its own fabric zips shortly, as he shrugs and crosses his legs. heās never really. . . held much interest in anyone. no attraction to any worked out abdomen or curves, what have them. ]
I donāt care about labels, though. I just know I like him, before I even realized it.
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It must have been confusing and frustrating at times. I'm glad you were able to accept yourself and that Elliot makes you happy.
Next time I meet with Elliot I'll have to tell him that we know each other.
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Heāll like that as much as I do. [ his hand claps mattās shoulder, and he returns to his idle workā he doesnāt leave it at that, obviously. ]
āI told myself Iād never date again. I was better off alone, workingā or talking to him, ironically. [ he gives a quiet sigh through his nose. ] Until he moved here.
[ maybe he just had his interest taken for longer than he thought. ]
. . . I think the thing that freaked me out the most was scaring him off.
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Really? It sounds like you two were so close it would have worked out either way. But I guess it is difficult not to worry when your heart is on the line.
Challenging to judge when you're in the middle of it.
[ Sigh. Can definitely relate to that. ]
So you're officially dating then. I hope all your friends and family have been supportive of you two.
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[ it was so obvious now that he looks back at it, and he clicks his tongue. he was blind. he just thought they were really good friends, even though they did things that were perhaps even too close for friends to do. the worst was that it was so natural of a feeling, it flew over erenās head. ]
And he never told me for the same reason. If Iād known sooner I wouldāve done something. [ he turns to matt, and while he says it fondly, itās quiet. ] I wouldnāt miss a chance like that. Iāve never been . . . Happy, like this.
[ and truth be told: eren was something of a troublemaker in the past. he got into plenty of fights and anger-induced mishaps, matt knows about those. itās true: eren has never been calmer, and never been happier in a daily basis. he has his bouts, but theyāre so . . . small, in comparison. ]
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