16054/Chinese food and self doubt

Chinese food and self doubt
Date of Scene:	10 October 2023
Location:	6C - Matt Murdock
Synopsis:	Matt and Daisy have chinese takeout and talk about their lives.
Cast of Characters:	Matthew Murdock, Daisy Johnson

---

Matthew Murdock has posed:
    "Move it, kitteh."
    There was the slightest sniff and affectation of annoyance as Director Furry was displaced from their place of rest upon the sofa, the slightest pat-pat of soft feet only heard by Matt as he settles in to take his seat upon the cushions. For him in his world he heard that faint patter of the rain upon the window, the rustle of the paper bags in his hands, the faintest clink of the glass surface on the coffee table as he set them down. He could also hear that pair of doves that had made a nest in the gutter upon the rooftop. Could hear that slight shuffling of Daisy's movements.
    And even the faint bubbling of his lightly flavored soda water.
    "Alright, got the fried rice here..." Matt's hand rests upon the bag as he considers the contents. "The Szechuan Crispy Chicken. General Tso's... and the egg rolls."
    She likely has the other bag across the way. But then he lifts his voice, "As my role of complete and total ruler of this household I am enacting the right of Prima Cibum, and helping myself to one of your egg rolls. Alright?"
    There's the rustle of waxy paper, "Alright."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
The kitty moves ..., but not too far. The smell of food is already doing work on the good Director's sensitive nose so it hovers close. Watching. From the Shadows. An apex predator ready to---

"I will give you a little later." That's Daisy, approaching with the other bag and spotting the furry one 'hiding' on a corner of the couch. The answer she gets is a 'Meow', which could just mean a lot. But the cat then disappears under the couch. As for Daisy? She smiles over at Matt no matter that he can't see her smile, padding over to settle down on the couch. Bare feet. T-shirt and shorts. Ultra casual because she is home. "Are you really going to steal my egg rolls?"

Pregnant tension in the air until there's a, "Alright." out of Daisy, the grin in her voice heard. "Well, I got us the Chikara Chow mein. I hope Colleen gets a percentage."

Matthew Murdock has posed:
    "Just one..." Matt says, his own smile a little off to the side, those glasses giving her back her own features as he settles into the seat. "A bite, really." He leans over and lowers his hand to the remote control of the television, casually sliding it across the table so it settles precisely in front of her. Challenge delivered, for now with that symbolic motion it becomes her job to find something for her to watch and him to listen to.
    There's the rustle of the wax paper as he holds up his purloined egg roll and true to his word just takes a small bite. He asks after he swallows, "What's the eymology of Chikara? Is it a family name or..." His brow furrows slightly as he sets the small bag of egg rolls in front of her. "Related to the kanji for Strength I think?"
    He continues the task of unloading the various food items onto the table, then takes up one of the pair of chopsticks in its paper sleeve, sliding them free and breaking them apart. Once they're settled, however, he tucks into his chicken.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"You never thought about asking her..?" That's Daisy arching an eyebrow as she snatches an egg roll for consumption, "You know you can take more than just a bite and ..." a pause and she hard rolls her eyes. "Oh, I know what this is..." she exhales, reaching over to that egg roll that has only ONE bite and picking it up with a pair of sticks. She holds it up to Matt's face, "You just want to be fed, that's what this is.."

Reading him like an open book!

As for the Kanji she considers, "I think it's her family name, but like most japanese names there's a meaning. Strength? It suits her." she smiles faintly, folding her legs under her now as she scoots closer to the food.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
    "Nooo," Matt answers, though he takes a second bite of the egg roll, since it's being offered after all. He chews for a time as he tilts his head slightly to the side, one of those brief moments when she knows he's... hearing something possibly distant. But this one brings no action with it, instead he turns his head slightly in her direction to 'look' at her as he murmurs, "But you're right it's a bit fitting."
    He doesn't just enjoy his illicit egg roll, however. He takes up a piece of the fried chicken from his Szechuan spicy version and sets it lightly on one of the small paper plates that comes with their food, rendering unto Caesar her due and letting her share of his dishes as well.
    It's only after the television is on and they've been indulging for a little bit that he says, "So today."
    He starts, "Not much going on to report. Foggy is still chasing down that schoolboard issue for the Swenson's. No foot traffic. Oh you'd have loved it, Girl Scouts came by."
    His eyebrows rise as he reflects as he updates her on his day, then asks her about hers. "You?"

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Food is made for sharing between two people so that's what Daisy does, getting Matt some chow mein and taking some of the chicken for herself with a little side of egg rolls from time to time. She's content to just /be/ for a few moments, away from all the stress that is their lives, just going through a little chit chat where they can vent out a little. Speak of nothing or everything. The talk about the girl scouts does have her chuckle.

"Oh yea, did you know I was refused from joining them?" Probably because she was a bit of a delinquent when she was younger, "The gall of those girls. And let me guess, they left some girl scout cookies. Which Foggy kept for himself." she waves her chopsticks in Matt's direction, "You need to fight for your right to the food, Matt!" even if it's a losing battle against Foggy.

The question about her day has her purse her lips thoughtfully. "I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you." Because she's a spy. But then she sighs, "Spent most of the day following some leads regarding a certain guest we have from the Greek pantheon." Yes, she means Ares. "It means scouring through a lot of security footage."

Matthew Murdock has posed:
    "Really?" Matt says as he chews, swallows, then he gestures at her with his chopsticks. "Was it because you showed up at the first meeting with a shiv and demanded they give you all the cookies?" Those words said so casually and off-handedly, no true sentiment to them.
    Then his eyebrows raise, "But nooo, they had no cookies on them. They were just taking orders. I agreed for one of each. Foggy..." Matt's lip curls up as he shakes his head a little, "I swear he had a list, it was like a deposition he was just... telling these kids his requirements and it was... elaborate."
    That said he nods slowly, chewing a bit more.
    When she starts about her day he follows along with her words, nodding his head. Smirking about the threat to kill him. At the mention of a 'god' his eyebrows rise with a slight exhaled chuff of breath that likely isn't a positive feeling given.
    "That doesn't sound like fun."
    Yet she can read him easily, can tell that his thoughts aren't entirely on that aspect of her job, or that particular case. Instead she can get that subtle hint that something had been brought into his thoughts that had been there before. And then finally given voice, "You ever... given thought to what you might want to do after SHIELD?"

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Look, I had a goth phase..." That's what Daisy defends herself with, stuffing some more food into her mouth, "I am sure Jemma was one. I will have to ask ..." another egg roll down the gullet before she listens to what Matt says next, "He had elaborate requests for the cookies?" typical Foggy.

But the conversation moves along easily, "It's not all glamour and spy missions at SHIELD. Lots of work behind a keyboard. But you know that already with being a lawyer." tv series have a way of making it a show of glamour too. Yet she knew Matt's head was somewhere else so she eats in silence for a bit, almost in invitation for him to bring up the subject that's been going through his head. The answer back is silence, at least a bit, as Daisy considers the question.

"I often try not to, but I have." She admits in a softer tone, "Maybe settle down somewhere nice and quiet. And no, I don't mean a farm." she looks at Matt and asks him, "Is that what's on your mind? What you will want to do after?"

Matthew Murdock has posed:
    A slight nod is given, "I could imagine Jemma having a Goth phase." Though how he perceives Goths might be a curious explanation to give. Yet he does not elaborate. Instead he adds a second nod when she asks about Foggy's requirements for his cookie order.
    Then as she spoke to him a bit it was his turn to focus a little more on eating as he adds some soy sauce to the fried rice and then proceeds to poke at it with his chopsticks. His head tilts to the side slightly as he listens to her, giving another small chuff at the mention of police and justice procedurals on television.
    There's that quiet between them for a bit, his eyebrows rising when she finally speaks about her thoughts toward the future. At the mention of a farm he lets his smile grow a little. When she asks her question? His answer is a quiet, "Sort of."
    Another piece of chicken is picked up with his chopsticks, but then he sets it down. Perhaps foregoing food for the moment and instead he murmurs, "Was thinking about it for myself. Sort of realizing that I don't have... an infinite amount of time to..."
    He shakes his head a little and turns it to the side, then turns back. "To make the difference I want to make in the world?"
    He lowers his head, working at the corner of his mouth thoughtfully before he says. "But you see yourself ending your career with SHIELD? Not going somewhere else?" Then his lip curls up slightly, "Not private sector?"

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"I meant her being a girl scout..." Daisy sounding absolutely aghast that Matt would think Jemma, the most british person she knew, could have been a Goth. But then she gets to pondering, "Though you might be right ..., now I will definitely have to ask her." about being a girl scout or a goth? Por que no los dos?

Daisy settles back against the couch, chopstick still holding a egg roll as she listens, "None of us have that infinite time to do it." she points out, even if those Inhuman genes do help in the longevity thing. To some. She has no idea how they might affect her. Still, she reaches over to brush her shoulder against his so he can feel her proximity. "Matt, you always think you aren't doing enough. But you are. Answer honestly, do you ever think you will get to a point where you feel you have done enough?"

As for leaving SHIELD? "The money doesn't really matter much to me so going private sector I don't see myself doing. It would have to be a pretty big cause for me to leave SHIELD." for some reason it seems she has a cause in mind but she doesn't voice it just now.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
    A small chuckle escapes him and he seems almost ready to defend his position. Likely already building up an argument of Jemma as Goth, citing possible similarities and connections... but he cedes the point with that wry small smile she usually sees at the corner of his mouth. "You should."
    Ask her he means.
    Then he feels that slight touch of her shoulder against his and his smile eases, head lowering slightly as he returns that small pressure. "Mmm. I just know that... there'll come a time when..."
    A pause and he lifts his chin a little, nibbling at his lower lip as he reforms those words he was about to say, "Jumping across rooftops is a game for the young. Right? There'll come a time when I just can't do it. When I hit that point... I want to be able to look at... _something_, I don't know what... but something. That lets me feel like it was a good thing that I did."
    He holds up a hand then as if to stay her argument, then he presses on. "Just I've seen some other people who have taken a similar path. Seen those sacrifices they made."
    As to what he thinks about those sacrifices, he doesn't elaborate. Instead he tries to shift direction as he asks with a quirked eyebrow. "What do you feel would be big enough to shift you away from SHIELD?"

Daisy Johnson has posed:
The food plate is carefully set aside as Daisy is pretty much stuffed by now. she considers Matt's worries, his doubts and words, "The people of Hell's Kitchen, and New York, already know the Daredevil did. And so did Matt Murdock. I see it every time I go to your office for a visit, how they smile hopefully that will help them. Or when we rush to save someone when in costume." and yes, she knows she can't see their smiles, "But more importantly, I can feel their happiness. You can too, I know it. Isn't that enough?" a pause before she continues, "You are right that we are not getting younger. Maybe we should make a deal, when one of us hangs the cape the other does too."

"And then we can figure out what we want to after." And no, she doesn't elaborate what she thinks would be big enough to move her away from SHIELD. That will be for another time!

Matthew Murdock has posed:
    "Maybe..." Matt says and she knows that tone of his words, that hint that there are other inhibitions that are passing through his thoughts, perhaps some unvoiced though it's clear he doesn't seem inclined to elaborate on them. He tilts his head to the side and meets her gaze, "Maybe I just need some sort of... capstone. Something for even when I get all..." His lip curls up, "All doddering and grumpy on that farm so I can remember it. Even while I'm shaking my cane at the neighbor's kids stomping so loudly through our pastures."
    He settles back on the seat, turning to the side, bringing his leg up to rest it across his knee. "But anyways, that's what's been preying on my thoughts lately." A beat then he adds. "A little."
    He lifts his chin, "So alright, back to it though. Greek Pantheon stuff." And with that he changes the topic.