Third Person POV
In response to Ryan's succinct defense, all that Matt could offer was a wry, "Fair enough." The brief silence that followed was punctuated only by the distant city hum as they began to walk out of the grimy alley, leaving the crumpled figures behind.
"I am Ryan Angelo, nice to meet you," Ryan offered, extending a hand as they stepped into the brighter, if still shadowed, street. He observed Matt walking alongside him—his dark shades still covering his eyes, his trusty walking stick held loosely, and his suit remarkably uncreased despite the recent altercation. A man of quiet efficiency, it seemed.
"Matt Murdock, nice to meet you too, Ryan," Matt replied, his voice calm, a slight incline of his head acknowledging Ryan's introduction.
As they moved away from the scene, Ryan couldn't help but voice a thought that had been lingering. "You didn't really need my help back there, did you?" He watched Matt intently, trying to gauge the man's true capabilities.
Matt chuckled, a low, rumbling sound. "Not really." The admission was delivered without a hint of arrogance, just a simple statement of fact.
Ryan gave him another quick, assessing look. This man was truly an enigma. "Are you really blind," he pressed, a hint of genuine curiosity in his tone, "or is it just incredibly dedicated cosplay?"
Matt paused, a small smile playing on his lips. Without a word, he slowly pulled up his shades, revealing eyes that, even to Ryan's sharp gaze, appeared utterly devoid of light. Inside his brown irises, Matt's pupils seemed to blend seamlessly with the rest of their color, showing no response to the ambient light, no flicker, no dilation—a clear and stark demonstration of their inability to respond.
"Damn," Ryan breathed, genuinely impressed. "Must've taken a lot of effort."
"What?" Matt asked, a faint frown creasing his brow, not quite understanding Ryan's meaning.
"Getting skilled enough to take down those guys without relying on sight," Ryan clarified, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the alley, "only using your other senses. That's… incredible."
A shadow crossed Matt's face, his posture stiffening almost imperceptibly. "Yeah," he said, the word clipped, not sounding too keen on elaborating on the topic. The brief flash of pride had vanished, replaced by a guarded reserve.
Realizing that Matt clearly didn't want to talk about his unique abilities or how he'd acquired them, Ryan, with a surprising amount of social grace for his age, smoothly changed the topic. As they emerged onto a quieter side street, Ryan spotted an empty bench by the road. "Here," he said, gesturing. "Let's sit for a bit."
Once they were seated, Ryan leaned back, hands clasped behind his head. "So, what do you do for a living, Matt Murdock?"
"I was just coming back from a job interview, actually," Matt replied, adjusting his position slightly on the bench. "I just finished law school this year."
"Oh? Did you get the gig?" Ryan asked, a genuine interest in his voice.
"Nah," Matt replied, a note of dejection coloring the single syllable. He shifted, the slight rustle of his suit fabric audible.
"How were your grades?" Ryan continued, probing gently.
A flicker of pride, brief but undeniable, returned to Matt's voice. "Distinction, best in my year in the whole of Columbia University."
"And you were rejected?" Ryan questioned, genuine surprise evident in his tone. The thought seemed absurd; someone that academically brilliant being turned down.
"Yeah," Matt affirmed, the dejection settling heavier in his voice as he leaned back, seemingly deflating against the bench.
"For blindness?" Ryan asked, the obvious reason finally clicking into place, the injustice of it immediate.
"Yeah." Matt's confirmation was quiet but firm.
"Can you read normal documents?" Ryan pressed, fascinated despite himself. He knew about braille, but Matt hadn't seemed to be carrying any specialized equipment.
"Yes." Matt's response was simple.
"How?" Ryan leaned forward slightly, eager for an explanation.
"I can sense what's written on the paper by the feel of it on my fingers," Matt explained, his tone even, as if discussing something mundane. "The slightest variation in the ink's texture, the way the fibers of the paper react to the impression… it creates a subtle topography that I can interpret." He gestured vaguely with his hand, as if demonstrating the tactile process.
Ryan was genuinely surprised by his answer. The implications of such a heightened sense were astounding. A thought sparked in his mind, bold and impulsive. "Wanna work for me?" he asked, a grin forming.
Matt Murdock blinked behind his shades, his posture stiffening once more in surprise. "What do you do?" he asked, clearly caught off guard.
"I do nothing," Ryan said, trying to act cool, puffing out his chest slightly. "I only give orders and others do the work. I own an investment company."
Matt put his hands together, his expression thoughtful, a silent assessment taking place. "Why hire me?"
"Well, from what I can understand by looking at the whole incident back there," Ryan explained, leaning forward, his voice serious now, "you initially planned to avoid conflict. You were observing, waiting. But you attacked when you perceived I was in danger, to protect me from being hurt."
Despite being visibly surprised by Ryan's astute observation, Matt didn't react outwardly, his poker face impressive. "So?" he prompted, his voice flat.
"So you're a good guy," Ryan stated simply, a confident smile on his face.
"Thanks, but what does it have to do with me getting the job?" Matt asked, his brows furrowing slightly, still seeking the practical connection.
"Cuz, good guys gotta stick together," Ryan explained, trying to sound persuasive, though his underlying motivation was purely to help this incredibly skilled, incredibly smart, and incredibly underappreciated man. "Bad guys always form gangs. And since you passed with distinction at Columbia, you can't be that bad at the actual lawyering part, can you?"
Matt chuckled, a deeper, more genuine sound this time, at Ryan's unconventional reasoning. "Sounds fair. How's the pay?"
"For a lawyer? Good," Ryan stated. "For a lawyer plus a sparring partner? Better."