Matt Murdock Shorts

Matt Goes to the Hospital (For Once in His Goddamned Life)

Matt wakes with a start, immediately realizing he's not in his bed and assessing where he is. The first thing he notices are the shitty 2 ply cotton sheets he's laying on. Sterilizing chemicals do their best to cover the scent of blood, and food from the cafeteria. Patches of skin feel tight where stickers anchor him to various chords. There's a dull pressure on his index finger, and a needle shoved up a vein in his arm. Beeping surrounds him and he can hear a game show on two rooms over.

He figured out he was in a hospital a while ago, and now he can't seem to relax. How much do they know? Who brought him here? What time is it? Is Claire his nurse? In the midst of all the noises and questions he hears you calling his name.

"Y/n?"

"Yeah Matty. It's me."

"I'm in the hospital."

You've lost count of how many times he's said that in the last few hours, but that's normal after anesthesia. It should be starting to wear off anyway.

"How are you feeling?"

He groans. "I've had better days."

Well, he's feeling his injuries, so that's a sign of the anesthetic wearing off. "Yeah, you got shot. A few times."

He tries to move, but his wrist is bound to the rail on bed.

"You punched me in the jaw when I said the word hospital. Then you took a couple swings at the paramedics."

His stomach drops. "I'm so sorry, I didn't- did I hurt you?"

Just then the nurse walks in to check on him.

"Uh, you go to the gym to box regularly and you punched me in the face. Yeah, it hurt."

He furrows his brows before he realizes that that's your cover for why a blind guy has such a good punch. At least it's a half truth.

Then nurse needs his attention after that, so you sit and wait for her to leave.

"I'm sorry I hurt you." He tells you after she walks out.

"I know you wouldn't have done it in your right mind."

He shakes his head. "It's no excuse. There is no reason I should ever have done that."

"Okay Matt, I'm glad you know that. But do you know that you can't punch your way out of this situation now?"

He furrows his brows and nods.

"That extends to doctors and nurses too, right?"

He nods.

"Okay, good." You unbuckle his restraints.

"Are you allowed to do that?"

"Yeah, it's not like they're arresting you. I told them that you were still on the adrenaline from getting shot. Didn't know who you were hitting at."

"They believed that?" He asks.

"Yeah. You're blind, remember?"

He sighs. "Yeah, I need to get out of here." He goes to get up and you all but clothesline him.

"Uh-uh. No. You have three different holes in your body and a few nasty slashes. You aren't going anywhere for a while."

"Foggy and Karen will be worried."

"They'll be even more worried if you go home like this. At least here, they can help you if something goes wrong. Even if you have a perfect recovery, they'll know you're not hopping rooftops like a crazy person. You're not getting out of this."