Just Breathe

Chapter 5

1 week ago. New York.

The sun was setting over the hills. There was a gentle breeze that swirled in the afternoon air taking with it the scents of bouquets that littered the cemetery grounds.

It was a small funeral. They were fortunate enough to gather something from where they left your ashes at the hidden HYDRA facility.

Stark had paid for the services and your niche at the columbarium. He donated a hefty sum to give you your own wall and a bench to sit with you. No one else was present but the team. Loki knew that Bruce had sent out an announcement to your former family.

Loki didn't bother to know whether their lack of attendance was because of not caring or because they were embarrassed. Either way, they weren't here.

"A shame. She was so young. So talented." A deep voice carried itself over to Loki's ear. "She had the whole world to breathe in and no one gave her a chance to exhale."

The man sat down next to Loki. He held his walking stick in between his legs as he looked straight ahead. "Except for when she was with you," the man continued.

"Is there someone else you could bother with your endless prattling?" Loki glowered.

"No. Not really. She asked me specifically to talk to you," the man answered in riddles. Loki lifted his head, finally settling his eyes on the man that dared speak with him.

The gentleman continued to look straight ahead. He had purple-tinted glasses with a bruise gracing his upper cheek. The knuckles on his hands that clutched his walking stick were bloodied and torn, almost healed. Loki couldn't shake the feeling that he had met this man before.

"Are you all right? Do you need someone to help with your..." Loki pointed towards his bruises.

"I'm blind. I get into accidents a lot," the man said as a way of explanation.

Loki narrowed his eyes and said, "We both know there's a hint of a lie in that statement. For example, how would you even know I was referring to your bruises if you were completely blind?"

The man chuckled. "You know, she asked me the very same question when she first met me on the rooftop those many months ago. Matt Murdock," the man said holding out his hand in greeting.

The pieces started to fit together as Loki remembered seeing you with the masked devil on one of your patrols. "Loki. Laufeyson. Prince of Asgard," he introduced himself, shaking his hand.

"She asked me to come meet you..." Matt started.

"Shh...shh..." Loki quieted him down, turning around to see if any of the others were watching or listening. No one was the wiser. Everyone milling about talking to themselves. Patting each other on the back for a job well done and quietly thanking their deities that it wasn't them. It wasn't their funeral the team was attending. Just like you had predicted.

Loki looked back at Matt, and a pang of jealousy struck his nerve. Of all the people you had decided to contact, he thought he would be your first. But instead, you chose to go to the devil himself.

"From my sources, I thought she had died in that unfortunate mission you guys went on," Murdock continued. "Imagine to my surprise, that a week later, I heard her familiar breathing, her recognizable heartbeat. I thought I was going crazy at first.

"She needed a place to stay. So, I let her stay with me until she could find her own. When she heard about this funeral taking place, she asked for a favor," he finished with a smile.

"A favor? So, what was in it for you?" Loki asked suspiciously.

"She helped me take down a few people. Accompanied me to some high-stakes brawls I needed help with," Murdock smiled. "Hence..." he lifted his hands and showcased his healing knuckles.