Strong-Willed (Matt Murdock x Reader)

Drinks

The next few days were just about the same. I wake up, play around on my phone for about half an hour, get dressed, and then head to work. On my way, I stop at the bakery to grab breakfast, and then catch the bus.

I don't love routines, but it's necessary at the moment so I can get the money I need. The more money you have, the easier you can get through life. I don't know about anyone else, but I really need that easiness.

"Hey, (Y/N)," Lucas leans against the frame of the door, "want to go out for drinks tonight? Celebrate you clearing out this disaster of a room." He and I both chuckle. "Not as a date, right?" I clarify. He shakes his head, smiling. "Not unless you want it to be." "Absolutely not."

It takes a while, but I finally place the last book where it needs to go and I am ready to clock out.

"You sure this bar is good?" I can't help but be skeptical, especially since the last place he took me to was a food truck that gave me food poisoning. Lucas blamed it on my stomach being weak and not on the food, which I disagree on. The time before that, it was a coffee place that kept their coffee beans in the freezer (don't do that). The easiest conclusion is that Lucas likes things that are poorly made.

Josie's appears to be a normal bar, but I know better than to trust it yet. Lucas and I take seats at the bar, him on my left side. "An-old fashioned, please," Lucas then looks to me to order. "I'll, um...just a water for me, please." "Nooo," Lucas swats the air in disapproval, "we're at a bar, you have to order a drink." "I don't like drinking," I really don't, especially when I'm around people. "I insist. Come on, I'll even pay," He urges me to order. Giving in, I order a sangria. It's a fruity drink, so it's a bit more pleasant on the tongue.

Another pair of people sit to my right. "Oh, yeah, this place is a shithole...but it's our shithole," The man declares. "The city's tried to shut it down half a dozen times, but I helped Josie with the liens, and as a result, we get to drink for free." Josie hands them a bottle, scoffing. "You absolutely do not get to drink for free." "Let's agree to disagree!"

I smile at their interaction, but then raise an eyebrow toward Lucas. "You have a knack for choosing interesting places." He laughs, taking a sip of the old-fashioned that Josie placed down in front of him. I go to take a sip of my own, quickly noticing the dirtiness of the glass. I give Lucas a look of disgust, to which he responds by taking another sip of his drink and keeping his eyes straightforward.

He and I talk a little bit, but it becomes difficult to engage in the conversation as the conversation to my right is intriguing. "If that guy in the mask hadn't been there..." The woman's voice trembles. Hadn't Lucas mentioned a man in a mask a little while back? "I look around this room and all that I see are threats." "This room? These guys are harmless," The man reassures her. He names each patron and their occupation. They all have respectable qualities. The man and I make eye contact for a split second before I shift my back more toward him and return my attention to Lucas.

The lighting in the bar makes Lucas' skin appear a bit darker than the warm brown it usually is. His lightly curled hair gets in his eyes when he tilts his head downwards. Lucas catches me observing his features and smiles. He's always such a positive and funny person, it's a surprise that I don't usually see women chasing after him.

"If I were you, I'd stare as well," He brushes his hair away from his eyes, "I know I'm pretty." I lightly shove his arm with my elbow and roll my eyes, "I was actually trying to figure out how many brain cells you have left, considering you've definitely been knocked upside the head before." "Hey, that's mean," He gives me a playful side-eye glance. He knows I'm just joking (which is nice, because I have a habit of getting carried away with jokes and sometimes coming off as insulting).

Lucas and I talk at the bar for about an hour before the pair to my right leave, completely wasted. Worried, I ask, "Are they going to be okay?" "I'm sure they'll be fine," Lucas is unfazed. "This clearly isn't their first time getting drunk and I'm sure it won't be their last."

Lucas pays for our drinks and he walks me home, as he now does every night. "The boss told me to tell you not to come into work tomorrow," He informs me. "What?" There's no way this is happening. "He told you to tell me that he's firing me??" Lucas lets out a hearty laugh, "No! He wants you to take the day off. You worked really hard on organizing that room, you deserve it." This would be relieving to many people, but not me. "Why?? I don't mind working, I need the money," My disappointment is not understood by Lucas, however. He watches as I open the door to my apartment, "Spend some time having fun tomorrow." "Sure thing, Dad," I close the door between us. I appreciate that he and our boss care about my well-being, but working is what will really make me feel better.