The party was in full swing. Your friends were dancing with guys, drinks in their hands as they flirted. There was a part of you, a very small part, that wished you could be that carefree. Instead you were listening to your soulmate recite laws as he studied.
It's a Friday night; shouldn't you be out like most people our age?
There was a light laugh that came over the connection and you smiled into your disgusting beer.
Most people are age aren't on scholarship. I have to make the grades so I can go to law school.
Oh please Matt, you thought as you got up when two people landed next to you, making out so hard that you were about to offer them a condom, you're the smartest guy I know.
There was another gentle laugh and then the sound of laws coming back through, so you mentally tuned out. Instead you put your drink down on a table and snuck out onto the back porch. It was empty, probably the only place that was, and you took a deep breath.
It had been your roommate's idea to come out to this party. You would have preferred to stay in the city.
"Hey," a voice called from behind you. You turned around and saw one of the guys that lived in the house come outside, stumbling a bit as he looked you over. "Aren't you a pretty one?"
"Uh," you said as you eyed the doorway. It felt like it was miles away but you slowly moved to the side to try to get around him.
"Where are you going? The party is just getting started." You were about to dark around him but he grabbed your arm, pulling you close. His breath smelled of alcohol and his grip was starting to hurt. "Come on, maybe you should say thank you to your host."
The panic rose until you felt something calming against the back of your mind. The calming went away once Matt realized what was going on.
Rotate to the left and slam your elbow into his sternum. A beat where you shook before the voice was back, Do it now!
You did as you were told, slamming your elbow into the guy's chest. When he let go of you, Matt's voice was back.
Knee him in his stomach. You did. Slam your arms against his back when he doubles over. You did. Now run Y/N, run. Again, you did.
You took off into the house, pushing past people until you could see Casey. You grabbed her arm and yanked her away from the guy she was dancing with.
"What the hell Y/N?" Then she saw your face and she immediately went into worry mode. "What's going on, did something happen?"
"Some guy just... I want to leave."
Casey nodded, moving over to grab the other two girls and telling them that it was time to leave. They all said goodnight to their dance partners before the four of you headed out of the house. Once more in the night air, you took a shaking breath and leaned against Casey's shoulder.
"I wish I would have just stayed in the dorms," you complained as you let her lead you to the car. "I hate parties."
"I know," she said patiently as she unlocked the car doors, "but if you never leave the dorms, how will you ever meet your soulmate? The damn connection makes it so that you can't give out personal information so you don't know where he is. Don't you want to find him?"
"Yeah," you said quietly as you climbed into the backseat with one of the other girls.
You did want to find Matt. It wasn't fair that the connection worked the way it did, but it didn't allow more than names to be exchanged. You had had him in your head for most of your life and yet the only thing you knew was that his name was Matt and he was blind. Everything else slipped through the cracks of the connection.
Thanks for your help, you thought as Casey started to drive away from the house and back towards the city. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't helped me.
Wish I could have helped you in person. I could actually feel your fear.
You closed your eyes and, not for the first time, tried to imagine what your soulmate looked like. You wished you had met him already but apparently it wasn't time.
How did you know how to do all of that by the way? They teach self defense in pre-law these days?
My dad was a boxer in Hell's Kitchen, he joked back with a laugh.
The connection faded once more and you frowned as you thought about that. For some reason that felt familiar in a way you couldn't place. You knew he lived in New York like you, but you hadn't known that he was from Hell's Kitchen.
You might have to do some research when you got home.
——
Matt Murdock. You had to think there weren't many blind guys your age studying to be a lawyer that had been raised by a boxer, so you were pretty sure you'd found your soulmate. The knowledge that he wasn't that far away struck you as almost funny and you quickly got the directions to where he lived.
His roommate opened the door and smiled at you as he looked you over.
"You aren't pizza," he said with a grin. You laughed and shook your head, dancing up on your toes.
"No, uh, hi. My name is Y/N and..." The guy's eyes had grown wide when you said your name and you realized it must be because Matt had mentioned your name to him. "I'm right, aren't I? Matt's my soulmate."
"Holy shit, he's going to be pissed that he missed you. I'm Foggy, his best friend. He'll probably be back tonight. Do you want to stay and wait?" You nodded and Foggy gently pulled you into the room. "This is the best thing ever. Seriously. I wish I could meet my soulmate but I'm pretty sure she lives on the other side of the country."
Foggy put you at ease, talking as he packed a bag. When the pizza was delivered, he left half there with you but packed up the other half.
"You don't have to leave Foggy," you started but he shook his head, smiling wide as he slung his bag over his shoulder.
"You kidding me? I don't want to interrupt this meeting. I'll be back in the morning unless there's a sock on the door."
You felt your face heat up as he left but you shook your head and sat down on the edge of Matt's bed. There was an urge to look around his room and learn more about him that way, but you didn't want to be nosy. Besides, most of his things were in Braille and you didn't know how to read it.
The night stretched on and at some point you simply curled up in his bed, cuddling his pillow close, and fell asleep. Your dreams were filled with the scent of his pillow and thoughts of your first meeting.
Nowhere in your thoughts or dreams did you think your first meeting would involve you getting yanked off the bed and pinned to the wall.
"Who are you?" The voice was rough and you hesitated, struggling against the arm pinning your throat. Words wouldn't come out, which was counter productive when he was asking questions, but you quickly pushed your thoughts towards him.
It's me Matt, let me go, you thought hastily, tapping on his arm. The arm immediately dropped and then a pair of hands were there, feeling your neck and face softly
"Y/N?" At your nod, coughing as you sucked in air once more, he pulled away from you. "I'm sorry. I didn't... I couldn't tell it was you. I just thought..."
"That someone had fallen asleep in your bed while getting ready to rob you?" You groaned as you rubbed your throat and then looked up, catching a glimpse of busted lip on him. Immediately you were there to hold his face just like he had done for you. "Matt, what happened?"
"It's... nothing. Y/N, I'm really sorry." He grasped your wrists and pulled your hands away from his face. "I never meant to hurt you."
"I'm fine, you were startled. Are you sure you're okay?"
Matt nodded and then you watched as he seemed to realize that you were there, he was touching you. One of his hands went to your cheek and his fingers grazed your skin lightly.
"You're here."
You leaned in and pressed your forehead to his. Both of you breathed in for a long moment, both of you giddy as you held on to your soulmate for the first time. Then you pulled back, eyebrows furrowed.
"Wait. How," you began, grabbing his hands and waiting for him to pull his head back before you continued, "how did you know I was in your bed? You're blind."
Matt's mouth moved wordlessly for a moment and you started to think the worst, that he was faking, before he sighed.
"You're my soulmate. I know that I can trust you with anything. There's... there's something I need to tell you."
You grabbed his hands, holding him close for a moment before you kissed his knuckles.
"You can tell me anything Matt. I'm here for you."
He nodded and licked his lips, drawing your eyes there. He smirked and you leaned back, unsure what had caused that reaction.
And then he told you the truth.
