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Foggy and Matt have been payed with various things. Pecan pies, oranges, unlimited tuxes from Tony's Tuxedo Shop, and sometimes, (on good days), money. Ballet tickets are a first.Mr. Hernandez had saved up money to buy said tickets for his wedding anniversary. Then he found his wife in bed with another man, and came to Nelson and Murdock for his divorce. He used the now worthless tickets to pay them.Karen's face light up when she saw the tickets, but insisted he go as well. Mr. Hernandez had bought four tickets, so his sister in law and her boyfriend could accompany him and his wife. Meaning all of Nelson and Murdock could enjoy the show.It took quiet a lot of persuasion to convince Matt to take the last ticket. It's not that he didn't like ballet, he did.Before his accident, he'd sometimes watch his neighbour, Kate, an aspiring ballerina, practice in her apartment. The fluidity with which she moved always fascinated him, and a part of him yearned to dance like her. To be that light on his feet. He never approached his father about lessons. They couldn't afford it, and even if they could, he could never see his father agreeing to putting him in ballet. Jack would've found it too girly and feminine.Matt did eventually learn to be like Kate. To be graceful on his feet, but he mastered it with mixed martial arts, not dance.Now, he doesn’t think he can appreciate the art like he did before. He can't see the dancers float their way across the stage. That's why he initially refused the tickets, but Foggy and Karen wore him down. Told him he would experience it in his own way, part of him believes them.It's a chilly evening, the night of the New York Ballet's performance of The Firebird. Karen, Matt, Foggy, and Marci sitting front row. Which, according to Marci, aren't the best seats. Matt can feel of the nerves of the dancers, taste the makeup coating their lips.Marci leans over to Karen from her seat. "This is Elektra Natchios's first performance in almost a year. She was dropped and her right leg was badly hurt. It took time for her to recover, this show is a big deal.""I've heard she's amazing!" Karen gushes, her excitement evident."I saw her as Odette and Odile when they did Swan Lake two years ago. She was magnificent." Marci lowers her voice. "The dancer who dropped her, Dex Pointdexter, was mugged and badly beaten up a few months ago. He won't ever dance again. They snapped his leg like a twig." Karen gasps in horror at Marci's words. "That's awful! Did they find the muggers?""No, not yet, and they probably never will. He doesn't remember anything about that night. The police are at a dead end." The curtains open, cueing the beginning of the ballet. Matt 'sees' the dancer rush onto the stage in his world on fire, and thinks of Kate.When Elektra comes on stage, the audience claps with vigour. There's even a cheer or two. She's obviously well loved. She gracefully jumps and spins, her blood humming with adrenaline. When the ballet sadly comes to an end, the audience erupts into a standing ovation. Elektra is gifted flowers by the head of the ballet company, Matt hearing her praises sung by several audience members.Matt curses inside his head, he didn’t want it to end. He's enjoyed it as much as Foggy and Karen said he would. Foggy leans over and raises his voice, making himself heard over the chatter. "I can tell by that look on your face you loved it." He fist bumps Karen in celebration. They shuffle out of the dance hall with Foggy leading the way. "Excuse me, blind Matt Murdock and friends coming through."Marci grabs Foggy's arm when they enter the lobby. "I have a surprise for you guys. Follow me."She guides them backstage, Matt hearing the hearts of the dancers beating in unison. They're all coming down from the high of the performance.Ballet slippers beat against the plush carpet as a woman smelling of jasmine and sandalwood walks down the hall. Beside her is a man who still has cinnamon coffee on his breath, quite heavy on his feet for a dancer."Everyone meet Elektra Natchios and Ray Nadeem." Marci's giddy, Karen is over the moon, Foggy and Matt are starstruck."A pleasure." Elektra's voice caresses his ear, and Matt's blood goes hot. Karen peppers them with questions on ballet, while Marci praises their performance. Foggy makes a few awkward jokes because Elektra is mildly intimidating. Matt, well, he says nothing. He's busy being transfixed by her accented voice, mentally trying to pinpoint its origin.When they go to leave, to let Ray and Elektra change, Elektra grabs Matt's arm. "Stay," she whispers and walks away. He gapes like a cod fish for a moment. "Foggy, I think I'll stay behind. You guys go ahead.""What? What are you going to do here?" Foggy asks confused. Matt makes a weak hand gesture. "Ohhh," Foggy upon realization. "You're going to try to get with one of the dancers. Good luck buddy." He pats him on the back, then leaves with Marci and Karen at his side.Elektra doesn't come out of her dressing room until an hour later. Matt's drunk two Macallans in that time. She's light on her feet (unsurprising), he doesn't hear her until she's behind him, (surprising). "Matthew." She rests a hand on his arm. "I know a place with good drinks that are better priced than the ones here." She doesn't apologize for keeping him waiting. He doesn't mind.He nods and downs the rest of his drink. He likes saving money, a by-product of an upbringing where money was always tight.She guides him out of the theatre and to a nearby bar. It's nicer than Josie's, but it's not ritzy either. She orders a Tequila and him another Macallan. "I heard you order it before," she says when she sees his look of surprise.Elektra's feet dangle from the barstool like a child’s, while she takes a sip of her drink. "I've never left with someone after a show before." She twirls a strand of hair around her finger."Guess that means I'm special." Matt grins lopsidedly. "You're very special," she says softly but suggestively, brushing a piece of hair away from his forehead. Her touch is like an electric shock against his skin. He instinctively leans over and kisses her gently. She returns the kiss, then pulls away. "Let's go, Matthew." Her apartment is not far from the theatre, sitting on the top floor of a glossy high rise. It's windows are long and large with no curtains, spacious luxury spilling from every corner. He's never been to a place this upscale in all his years.They keep their hands to themselves on the way over, but as soon as her front door shuts, clothes start to fly. Elektra grabs him by his belt, tugging him towards her room. She throws him on her bed and straddles him, then unfastens her bra, (her shirt was left behind in the entryway), and whips it across the room. She unfastens the buttons on Matt's shirt, while he pulls down her tights. He places a hot kiss to her toned stomach as she slips him out of his shirt, his hands travelling down her waist to cup her ass, will she tugs his pants and boxers to his ankles. Elektra grabs his cock and balls, then squeezes. He moans and grips her ass so tight it'll probably bruise. Her lacy underwear falls to the floor, before she climbs on his cock. She moans when he fills her, while Matt throws his head back. She starts riding him slowly, but quickly picks up her pace. He reaches for her headboard, but she springs forward and pins down his wrists.They both come seconds apart with shuddering sobs. She weakly pulls her body up the length of his chest, while he runs a hand down her back. They kiss, then she positions herself over his face. He licks her with long deep swipes, while she rests her head against her headboard. Elektra's hands travel down downwards, pushing his mouth and tongue deeper into her warmth as she grinds against him.He rubs his thumb across her clit and pinches, her breaths hitching while her chest heaves. She rolls her hips, one final lick from Matt sending her over the edge. She collapses and he pulls her onto his chest. Elektra tugs her sheets over their bodies, creating a silk cocoon. He wraps his arms around her, marvelling at how well their bodies fit together. When Matt awakens, her side of the bed is cold. He groggily rubs a hand across his face, as 'Waltz of The Flowers' from The Nutcracker ballet, floats up to the bedroom from downstairs. He can hear Elektra padding barefoot around the kitchen in his dress shirt, twirling on her toes every time the violin in the piece takes centerstage. Her hair swishes as she moves, signalling it's in a ponytail.Matt smiles to himself as he sits up, grabbing his pants and lazily fastening the belt. He heads downstairs, finding she's morphed her twirling into a mini performance.She does a traveling turn as she moves from one cupboard to the next, grabbing a few cereal boxes, then does a piqué as she places them on the island. Elektra moves into an Arabesque ans she opens the fridge, leaning forward to snag a milk carton, while never breaking position. She changes from Arabesque to Pirouette en dedans, then sets the milk beside the cereal boxes. She ends with a soutenu piqué, bowing when the musics stops.Matt claps and Elektra grins. "Did you like my little performance, Matthew?""It was very good. Have you ever thought of doing ballet professionally?" His tone is teasing. She shakes her head playfully. "No, never." She kisses his cheek and pours cereal into a bowl. "Fruit Loops on the left. Cheerios on the right." "Got it." He grabs the Fruit Loops, pouring in a hearty amount. She slides into the seat beside him, while he wraps his free hand around her waist. His thumb traces circles on her bare thigh, whike she sighs with contentment. It feels like they've been together for years, that their mornings are always like this. Matt needs every morning from now on to be the same, and he’s determined to make it happen.
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Elektra comes home one night with blood in her hair. She had a rehearsal in the evening, and as they tend to run late, she told him not to wait up. He wasn't planning too either. Over the time they've been together, Matt's gotten use to her coming home late. Normally he tries to go to bed at an reasonable hour, and when he wakes, she's at his side.This particular night, he's having a hard time falling sleep, tossing and turning. Eventually, he gives up and kicks the sheets off his body, frustrated. He walks down to her kitchen to get a class of whiskey, hoping it'll help calm him.The front door quietly opens, and Elektra daughters in, a silk scarf wrapped around her head, blood underneath it. He can smell it. It's old and crusty, coating the ends of her expensive hair extensions.When she spots him, her heart begins to pound. Another sign something is seriously wrong. It's rare for her heart to give anything away. Normally, Matt has to look for other cues to see what she's really feeling."Matthew, you're awake." She tries to keep her voice steady, but he can hear a slight tremor."I couldn't sleep.""Oh." She clears her throat. "I'm going to go shower, get this sweat off me.""Elektra," ge pauses. "Did something happen?" If someone hurt her, he's going to break them in half."Nothing out of the usual." Her heart says she's being honest, but that just gives him more reason to worry. If whatever happened is normal, then that means it's been going on for awhile."You know you can talk to me.""I know," she says softly, then heads to the shower.Matt returns to her bed, various scenarios racing through his mind.He hears her in the shower, she washes her hair three times to cleanse herself. Elektra steps out of the shower once she has run out of hot water, drying her hair and loosely wrapping a towel around her body. She picks up her favourite bottle of perfume, then dabs her pulse points. She runs the dropper between her breast, Matt's blood humming with excitement. She doesn't normally place perfume there, but when she does, he's in for a good time.She drops the towel that's wrapped around her body to the floor, then climbs into bed beside him. She latches her mouth at the base of his throat, licking it with a hint of teeth. Matt moans, then stretches out his neck to give her better access.He wants to ask again, push until she confesses whatever she's hiding, but he doesn't. He's too distracted by the feel of her naked body pressed against him.She places hot wet kisses down his neck, while he grabs her hair. She nips his chest in retaliation, then licks it with a smirk her hands trailing down to grab his cock.Elektra strokes him up and down, then buries her face in his neck. Matt wraps his arms around her, while hhis runs a finger across her hot wet folds. She lets out a shaky breath, then rears her head back like a snake and bites his shoulder.He yelps as droplets of blood trickle down his chest. She strokes him one last time, then he comes with a shuddering sob, body shaking. When he regains his strength, he pulls her up above his face. He slips his tongue inside of her as he grasps her waist, Elektra rolling her hips and grinding. Though it doesn't take long for him to make her come, he still licks her oversensitive flesh until she pushes him away. Elektra shimmies off him then crawls off the bed, makmh a beeline for a nearby dresser. Matt's ass aches when he hears what she's grabbed.She slips on the strap-on and he instinctively flips onto his belly. She positions the dildo, ("it's blood red," she had purred the first night it was used), theb slides inside him in a single fluid motion. He moans with pleasure and buries his face in her pillow, while she presses her breasts against him, trapping him in place with her arms. Matt's hands slide under the pillows, wrapping around the bottom of the headboard.Elektra suddenly pulls back and slaps his ass, his cry of pleasure is by the soft pillow. She doesn't like that. She leans forward and yanks his head up, fingers digging into his scalp."Elektra..." he gasps. "Never stop.""I wouldn't think of it, Matthew." She thrusts hard, and a powerful orgasm rips through him. After he has ridden out the aftershocks, she pulls out, then slides off the strap-on. She curls up beside Matt, rubbing a loving hand up and down his back as he falls asleep.The majority of the next day is normal. He goes to the office, does paperwork, then comes home to Elektra serving Japanese Wagyu Steaks."Smells expensive." He kisses her cheek."It is," She says cockily and pinches his ass, Matt squirming as he swats her hand away playfully.She laughs, pouring him a glass of scotch. "I have rehearsal in an hour." He freezes when he hears her heart. She's lying."Oh?" He tries to sound calm, hide the fact that she's sending him into a mild panic. "I thought Wednesday was your day off?""It is, but Madame Vulvokov decided she wanted to practice tonight, as yesterday's rehearsal wasn't up to par!" She mimics a Russian accent as her heart screams that she's still lying.Matt grabs the end of the table and tries to hide his misery. The blood in her hair and now this, point to her hiding something. But what? Get a hold of yourself Murdock. He slides into his seat, plastering on a fake smile. He manages to hold it together during dinner, her heartbeat telling him that she doesn't suspect a thing.Once she's out the door, he heads to their room. He pulls on a black shirt and pants, then grabs a black scarf Karen gave him for Christmas. He wraps the scarf around the upper part of his face, then slips out the bedroom window.He easily picks up her scent and begins to trail her, ignoring the voice inside screaming how wrong this is, as he leaps over a rooftop. Elektra makes her way from Midtown to Hell's Kitchen, Matt only a step behind. She winds her way through its streets, then suddenly stops. She runs to a fire escape, pulling herself onto it while Matt ducks out of view. She scales it, then stops at a third story window, which she knocks on three times before it creaks open."Name?" A man with a burly voice asks."Black Skye." The man steps back and she crawls in.Matt focuses all his senses on what's happening in the apartment. He smells metal, bleach, and old dried blood. He hears Elektra grab a pair of swords, the man talking quietly. "John Raymond. Architect. You know what to do."Then she's outside, climbing to the top of the building, then sprinting across it.Matt chases her, though he lags a bit to stay off her radar. She quietly perches herself on top of a brownstone, watching the pedestrians below like a hawk. A middle aged man climbs out from his vehicle, then she makes her move. She jumps down from the roof, landing in front of him. She slams a hand over his mouth as she drags him into an alleyway.Horror swims in Matt's belly as he realizes what's happening. John Raymond. The burly man's voice rings in his head. He jumps down from a nearby roof and lands behind them. "What are you doing?" He deepens his voice."None of your business. Now run along." Elektra places her weapon to the man's throat. One slice of her sword and he'll be dead. Matt doesn't move. "Well, if you're determined to stay, I'm sure my employer would be happy to pay you to forget this." She twirls the other sword."How about you let him go." He cautiously takes a step forward."No can do. Then I'll be dead." His stomach drops. She's telling the truth. He moves again, and Elektra whips the second sword at his head. He ducks, then lunges at her. Matt wrestles her away from John Raymond, while John runs as fast as his feet can take him.She growls, infuriated. She punches him in the mouth, then tries to cut off his head. He bends back and she misses, but still slices deep into his abdomen. He hisses in pain as he clutches the wound.She swipes her foot under him, sending him to the ground. She places her foot on his bleeding body, and rears her sword back, readying for the death strike."Elektra!" He chokes out through the blood coating his lips.She freezes. "....Matthew?" The swords clatter to the ground with a clang. Elektra drops to her knees beside him. "Oh God, Matthew!" She places a hand on his wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "Matthew, stay with me! We have to get you somewhere safe.""My... apartment." He clenches his teeth, trying to bite back the pain.Though Matt has been living with Elektra, he still has the lease on his place, and thankfully it's not far from here."Right." She spots a large blanket in the alleyway and grabs it. She lifts Matt's body, then lays him on it. She pulls him behind her on the ground, while he tries not to cry out in pain as he's moved.When they're outside of his place, she hooks her arms around him, then helps him up the backstairs, staying out of the nosy neighbours' sight.Elektra places him on his couch and runs to his kitchen. She grabs a few things, then gets to work. She cuts him out of his shirt, then wipes away the access blood. She pours a disinfectant into the wound and he screams. She squeezes his hand comfortingly, then adds a droplet of lemon juice. He cries out again, but after a few moments the pain begins to subside. She dabs around the wound with a dishcloth, then rips up a few old T-shirt's and wraps them around his torso.He fades out of consciousness as she places a kiss to his forehead.The next morning when he awakens, she's gone. His phone is beside him, buzzing near his head. She must've brought it here. It was still at her place when I left.Matt snatches his phone, an automated voice reading out Foggy's message. "Hey buddy, Elektra told us about the accident. We should definitely sue that cabbie lol. I'll stop by in a few days when they say you're up to visitors. 'Heart emoticon. Avocado emoticon'."She must've told them he had been hit by a car, and is in the hospital, but where is she? Her scent still lingers in his apartment, but she's left over an hour ago.Soon his phone buzzes again, this time it's from her. "Matthew, I'm sure you don't want to see me right now, but you still need help until you're fully healed. I've hired a nurse to take care of you. Do not fight her Matthew. You need her aid."There's a knock on his door as the message ends. "Who's there?" He croaks out."Claire Temple. Ms. Natchios hired me.""I can't get to the door," he begrudgingly admits."That's okay." Claire opens the door. "I had a key. I just thought it be more polite to knock. Now, let's get you in bed." She places a gentle hand on his back, then helps him off the couch and to his bedroom.Over the next two weeks, he doesn't see Elektra. Though he does regularly sense her on his roof, but she never comes down, him too weak to go up.Once his strength is back enough for him to travel, he heads to her place. The doorman lets him in with a nod, then he nabs the nearest elevator. It's a Wednesday, and if she's following her ballet schedule, she should be home.He knocks on the door and it quickly swings open. "Matthew." She sighs in relief as she takes in his appearance. "Come in." She steps back and he wobbles by, not all of his strength has returned, he's relying on his cane more then he'd like."Do you want a drink?" "No." He takes a seat at her table."I'm sure you have a lot of questions.""I do."Elektra takes a deep breath. "What you saw was a mission assigned to me by my former employers, The Hand. They're an assassin syndicate, and they raised me since I was a little girl. One of their leaders, Madame Gao, took an interest in me and treated me as a surrogate daughter." She picks at the edge of her silk robe."She's the one who put me in ballet lessons, and she's who helped me leave The Hand to pursue a career. The other leaders weren't very happy about it, but Gao managed to reach an agreement with them. I do a few missions for them a month, they leave me in peace." "How many people have you killed?" Tears sting his eyes at the thought of the women he loves being a murderer."I lost count years ago," her voice cracks."Elektra." He's at a lost for words."This is who I am, do you still want me?" He can taste the salt of the tears on her cheeks. "Can't you get out? Or give them up to police?""It would be pointless. They have all governments on their payroll. Gao would never forgive me, and would personally send assassins after me. I could flee the country, take on a new name, leave this life behind, but I don't want to. I love my life.""You'd rather stay a prima ballerina and assassin, then a normal woman who doesn't murder for money?""Yes." Matt stands up. "I can't be with you if you continue to do this, I'm sorry. Goodbye Elektra." She drops to her knees, and he leans down to a place a soft kiss on her lips, before he pulls away and steps back."Matthew," she cries with tears streaming down her face as he walks away. It takes everything in him not to look back at her, to not take her in his arms, but he can't knowingly lay in bed with a killer. If she had been willing to run away, he would've gone. He would've followed her to the ends of the Earth.He feels it in his soul, that he will mourn and be haunted by Elektra Natchios, and what they might've been, for the rest of his life.