#nyc dessert series

[whateuniceats]

Got around to visiting Cafe Two by Two which is an Asian-owned cafe that specializes in tiramisu! The first time I went, I got their black pepper beef spaghetti and the taro mochi tiramisu and the second time I went, I actually went for their grand opening weekend where they had a buy one, get one free deal for all of their tiramisu so I got the peach lychee, pistachio berry, mango, and original flavors!

[dear-ao3]

alright so

i am i nyc doing hot girl shit for the summer

despite me growing up 20 minutes from here i don’t know any good places to get food outside of maybe like 4 places so we’re going to start a new series

if you have relatively cheap (<15-20 USD) food recs in nyc in this general area:

as far north as W 51st street and as far south as W 27th street and between 5th and 8th avenue (if you give me anywhere in times square then it better be life changing)

send them in to the old ask box and i might go get something from there and post a funny little review. food of any sort as well as dessert is welcome as are coffee shops and non alcoholic drink places

[twstedstoryshop]

So ever since the NYC event, I really wanna make more buttons and merch and possible other things in the future. But I wanted to gauge interest in what others would like to see from me. So here are some ideas I possible had. Please help me out

[ladybuggirlxox]

6.1 ♡ finding my aesthetic pt 2

color: blue musician: lana del rey genre: alt rock/oldies art movement: impressionism - JMW turner, baroque - Bernini, realism - stephen sinding gemstone: pearl precious metal: gold time of day: dusk in summer, 11 am in winter alcoholic beverage: cosmopolitan, hugo spritz non-alcoholic beverage: green tea, hot chocolate fashion designer: Chloé, the row, luisa beccaria food: ham and cheese croissant dessert: vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate snack: apple and peanut butter article of clothing: jeans kind of technology: headphones style of undergarments: thong? place to hang out: my bedroom style of makeup: glowy, blushy, bright accessory: heart locket necklace perfume: YSL libre smell: vanilla+musk plant/flower: lily of the valley country in the world: italy city: NYC number: 16 movie: lost in translation tv series: sex and the city, parks and rec book: Inseperable object you own: elvis and marilyn lighter thing to do when youre by yourself: music + reading things to do with others: drive around listen to music actress: elle fanning, taylor russell actor: Bill Murray, Andrew Garfield time of year: summer, december time period: 1990s? climate: warm sunny southern architectural style: french country style? bar: no favorite restaurant: local italian restaurant

is this gonna be helpful? idk

Miss Ladybug ♡

[r-anela]

My Masterlist

Hello lovelies, here is my Masterlist.

I try to update this list as often as possible. (Last Update: March 15 2023)

My ask Box is open, if you have a request feel free to reach out.

Here you can find which characters i write for and what my rules for requests are.

My promt list is there to help you out.

^_^ Eddie Munson (Kinda from old to new)

Roadtrip with Eddie Munson !? (My first Eddie Munson fic, platonic pairing of Eddie and reader)

Eddie saves you from a spider (you are afraid of spiders and eddie eliminates one for you)

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!- YOU SMOKE?" ( Eddie Muson finds out you smoke and isn't really impressed)

Eddie comforts you after a stressful day (this is a little scenario of how Eddie's reaction would be after you had a long, hard day at work. Inspired by the post from @ghosttownwherenoonegoes)

Eddie finds you drunk, sitting on the sidewalk (Eddie finds you drunk on the curb and takes care of you)

The smell of campfire smoke in the air (A short story about reader and Eddie having a bonfire with the whole squad)

Trailer Next Door (This is the first part of a series I have started to write, but currently have no motivation to continue, if you have ideas or suggestions please comment)

The first frost of the season (Reader is smoking outside of Eddies Trailer in the morning)

Making your favorite apple-based dessert (the squad has arranged to bake Apple Pie and apple rolls and it ends up with a date with Eddie)

Raking up leaves and jumping into them (You rake up the leaves and it turns into a lot of fun)

The chilly bite in the morning air (Eddie being a cat person and taking care of the stray cats)

Decorating the front door with autumn wreaths (You craft door wreaths and autumn decorations together)

Old Picture of us (This is the series, why there is überhaut this blog, but at the moment I have not written further, if someone is interested in it I make evtl further. But the story would be a long one and not a love story.)

Way of Eternity (A little story about Rockstar Eddie Munson, inspired by @enam3l)

Gothic Girl _ E.M. ( With the boys coming home from college for the summer, a DnD session needs to happen. But Eddie's apartment is too small, so they all go to his best friend's house, however the boys did not expect such a home)

Falling in the dumpster_E.M. (My little take on one part of THIS amazing take on getting married to Eddie from @pullhisteeth)

A Ring for happiness and eternity

(>'-'<) Robin Buckley

Drowning in oversized sweaters ( You and Robin are dating, you bought each other sweaters)

“Everything is better when you are here” trip to NYC

(★‿★) Steve + Eddie (Steddie)

Be my Valentine?! (your at Steve's House, ready for a movie night and want Eddie and Steve to confess that they are dating)

-Headcanons-

Eddie Munson

When Eddie finds you sleeping on the sofa

Back Scratches

Eddie’s Love language

Steve Harrington

Steve's love language

[maddmuses]

about the mun

favorite time of year: Spring

comfort food: salsa (almost any kind)

favorite dessert: anything chocolate but in small doses

things you collect: Misery... jk I have a few funkos but I wanna get into more detailed figurines more

favorite drink: bepis, coors, bloody mary

favorite musical artist: I guess MGK these days

last song you listened to: It's hell

last movie you watched: I honestly cannot recall

last series you watched: I juggle ones but the last episode I watched was from new Beavis and Butthead

series you’re currently watching: Too many

current obsession: Sleeping

dream place to visit: NYC

a place you’ve been that you want to go back to: Oregon Coast

something you want: my paycheck

currently working on: replies mostly, trying to get homebrew for my DB D&D done

tagged by @symbioteburnout​

Tagging @pick-your-poison-please @gatheringstars @rukia-kuchiki-divided @badassbarmaid @shukuchiisms @rosavulpes @hainekc

[lovenee]

get to know me tag game :)

tagged by @ambivartence

favorite time of the year:

autumn! the summers here are so so hot and autumn is a nice and welcome change

comfort food: sliced apples

favorite dessert: cheesecake (ฅᵕ̳ᴗᵕ̳ฅ)｡◍♡

things you collect: cat stuff!

favorite drink(s): brown sugar boba

favorite musical artist: don't ask me this ill cry

last song you listened to: angels and devils by tøny

last movie you watched: ummmmm I don't remember the last movie I watched but the last show I watched was midnight mass

last series you watched: midnight mass aksjajjs

series you’re currently watching: rewatching queen of the south and skztalker episodes

current obsession: animal crossing pocket camp

dream place to visit: shenzen

a place you’ve been that you want to go back to: im going in a few days :) the girlies and I are meeting up in newark/nyc area

something you want: SIYUAN DID YOU SEE WAYV COMEBACK ON THE 9TH!!!! (ฅᵕ̳ᴗᵕ̳ฅ)｡◍♡ (relevant to prev answer) I am currently wanting....idk 🤔🤔 tattoo appt I reckon

currently working on: packing my suitcase<3333

tagging @essentiallychaotic @sinatserendipity @hosnack @butts-of-the-barricade @banderasmoothie @kihyunsgf @senor-hoberto @labradorite-princess @siltstone @drdissociation andddd anyone that would like to play <333

[wolfvirago]

dash game !! thank you for tagging me @marblewon <333 i'm tagging.... mmm... YOU.

favorite time of year: either spring when it finally starts getting warm or fall when it gets breezy and the leaves change colors comfort food: japanese curry, especially if it has some katsu with it favorite dessert: chocolate ice cream OR cinnamon rolls things you collect: mostly books and anime figures favorite drink: iced oatmilk mocha favorite musical artist: don't make me choose! i'm loving casiopea rn tho, mint jams is a great album last song you listened to: don't lose my number by phil collins last movie you watched: the super mario bros movie last series you watched: i started chainsaw man but idk if i'll continue it current obsession: i ping pong between the legend of zelda, the mandalorian, demon slayer and omori dream place to visit: japan (wow big surprise) a place you've been that you want to go back to: DC, i wanna do the smithsonian museums again. or NYC, i need to spend a weekend at the met museum pls something you want: to have a good rest in two weeks. and a real full time artist job. pls. currently working on: my demon slayer roleswap au fic (shameless plug here :3)

[givereadersahug]

Youtube Recs ❤️ 2023 Birthday Edition

Next up on my birthday lists extravaganza - food! Well, Youtube food channels, to be precise. (I am not steeped into YT culture, so idk if there's a proper terminology for this specific genre. 😅) One thing I love is food. Give me all the dishes!

Here are some YT channels and vids that I enjoyed in 2022 -

Claire Saffitz x Dessert Person

Claire!!!! I LOVE her. She's an amazing baker and seems to be a lovely person. I love her so much that I used some of her vids as inspiration for a drabble or two (or three 😄). After the implosion that was Bon Appetit, I'm glad to see some of my favs striking out on their own. And it's not all dessert recipes!

The Ultimate Dinner Platter - Grand Aioli with Claire Saffitz | Dessert Person Dinners How To Make Lemon Bars with Claire Saffitz | Dessert Person Claire Saffitz Makes Meyer Lemon Tart | Dessert Person Claire Saffitz Teaches Amateur How To Make Croquembouche | Dessert Person

Delish / junelikethemonth

I'm not sure how I stumbled upon June and her Budget Eats vids, but I'm glad I did! She utilizes *every single* thing in the kitchen and creates totally random and out there dishes that you think won't work, but they totally do. I'm sad that she and Delish parted ways, but hopefully she finds a place that treats her well and realizes what a gem she is.

I Made 11 Dinners For Two People On A $20 Budget (In NYC!) I Made A Thanksgiving Feast For 4 People On A $25 Budget I Lived On My Pantry Leftovers For A Week And Made 20+ Meals | Delish I Ate As Many Different Meals As I Could On A $50 Budget In Astoria, NYC | Budget Eats | Delish $150 HMart haul + everything I eat in 12 days (lol) + recipes (ish)!

NYT Cooking

Since the implosion of Bon Appetit, I was lost out in the open sea, trying to find an anchor. NYT Cooking came close in filling the hole, and for that I am grateful. Besides recipes, they also have a couple of series going -- Mystery Menu, On the Job, etc. The recipes seem easy to make and the way they talk about food --- YES. Some other things I love --- Sohla and Ham are GENIUSES in the kitchen, and I love Priya and her interview skills, her care and genuine human connections with her subjects. I also love their yearly Gingerbread Showdown. So much fun.

Why We Set Food on Fire: How to Flambé | Melissa Clark | NYT Cooking 'Home Alone' Gingerbread House (With Pranks!): Gingerbread Showdown 2022 | NYT Cooking Sohla and Ham Turn Halloween Candy Into Dinner | Mystery Menu | NYT Cooking How to Feed NYC's Largest Middle School | On The Job | Priya Krishna | NYT Cooking

King Kogi

Martina!!!!! Her channel is mostly a vlog channel of her living in Japan. However, she does do food videos and shares recipes from time to time. She's a breath of fresh air and such a lovely person. And watching her and her enthusiasm, esp since she lives with EDS and chronic pain --- such an inspiration, I think.

Bone Broth Recipe ★ Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Korea Town in Tokyo ★ King Kogi Quest Family Restaurants in Japan ★ Royal Host Osaka Tours 👑🐷 Street Food and Local Restaurant Guide

JunsKitchen 

Jun!!! This is his food channel and, man, can he cook! Professional level, right there. Also, cats. Sure, I'm there for Jun but his cats are such a huge factor in me re-watching his vids over and over again.

Japanese fermented beans (for brave eaters) Homemade Natto Picnic with my cat (shaved ice & lemonade) Japanese meal for cats I tried to make fried chicken fancy 🔪 Cooking vlog (a bonus rec from his other channel he shares with his wife)

[pulsdmedia]

The Week Ahead 9/23-9/29

What's that you say? It feels like fall? Don't break the sweaters out yet, because the last of summer is hanging on. This week, we're saying adieu to rooftop sunshine with the final weekend of the Simona rooftop series, breaking into the art game, and welcoming autumn with Oktoberfest feels. What's not to love about this city?

**THE LAST WEEKEND** $29 Summer Spritz Rooftop Series

Here we go! It's the last weekend for the Simona Summer Spritz Series! We're talking a 3 Hour Spritz Open Bar, as well as 1 Fritto Misto, and 1 Dessert - hello, pistachio gelato! Atop the Vogue & New York Times-praised Royalton Park Avenue, succumb to the temptation of sensational sips, crunching into calamari while you soak in the final sunshine of summer...

New York Climate Week 2024 Kickoff Party

Climate Week NYC, the biggest annual climate event of its kind, is back on September 22. Stop by the New York Climate Week 2024 Kickoff Party for cocktails, a climate tech showcase, DJs, and bars galore.

$59 Rooftop Oktoberfest: 3 Hour Open Bar + Delicious Buffet

Dance, drink, and delight in the social buzz! It's not a dream - it's BLU33! Take in jaw-dropping views and revel at their Rooftop Oktoberfest Celebration. They're ready to kick off fall in epic Bavarian style, transforming the aerie into a autumnal German paradise to celebrate the annual festival. Think beer steins, brats, photo opps, and so much more, all in store for you and your crew. Chomp into a buffet overflowing with eats and savor an open bar. All that drinking will lead to dancing, of course, so do your best polka as the DJ plays a mix of tunes sure to make you boogie...

Book Signing With Uzo Aduba

The award-winning actress launches her powerful and timely memoir—a unique coming-of-age story that chronicles her life from Nigeria to New York. The Road Is Good pieces together a life story imbued with guiding lessons that are both personal and profoundly universal. There will be a book signing at this event.

$12 For A GA Ticket For One To The Affordable Art Fair

Discover the joy of collecting art at Affordable Art Fair NYC! We’ll be back at the Metropolitan Pavilion in September 2024 for another fabulous Fall edition exploring a diverse and carefully curated selection of artworks ranging between $100 and $12,000. This year promises to enchant you with an extraordinary array of art, set against the sprawling backdrop of the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea. Over 400 artists are on deck, ranging from established names to emerging superstars, with prices spanning from $100 to $12,000...

Join the Seaport for a Free Yoga Class

Hot power vinyasa yoga. With the Brooklyn Bridge as your backdrop. Greet the weekend with the full Lyons Den experience on the Heineken Riverdeck on Saturday mornings this summer. Classes are free, but reservations are encouraged.

[whateuniceats]

Desserts I Ate This Month~~ :D

[greaterstokesawareness]

My RECAP: Brian Stokes Mitchell at 54 Below Diamond Series, June 25, 2022

Better late than never?

I never did a proper recap of this monumental show because does anyone else have reverse seasonal depression in the summer? lolsob. Now, it’s two years later. But let’s be real, I’m still thinking about this show and how magical that night was, and I have a ton of very cool pictures and videos that I want to share. So my friends, here’s an extremely late recap.

An embarrassment of riches

For us, this show came on the heels of seeing Stokes on April 4th at The Town Hall (x) and in our hometown on June 11th on the New Haven Green (x).

The tickets were quite expensive, at a little over $350 each, which included a four-course dinner and a complimentary glass of champagne. I want to use so many unhinged emojis right now, but I’ll just say, folks, it was a miracle I had enough available credit on my card to charge the full amount for these two tickets. I wish I was an actual rich person because then I would have gone to all the shows in Stokes’s 54 Below weeklong residency.

We started the day very glamorously by taking the metro north from CT to NYC too early and then standing under an air conditioner vent at Grand Central while we timed our Uber to the club, because it was way too hot to walk anywhere. We stay classy always. Anyway, we enjoyed a really fancy and delicious meal and by the time our dessert was delivered to the table Stokes had taken the stage and I let my ice cream melt completely. 54Below is a super tiny club and our table was just to the left of the stage. We were seated next to a couple folks we didn't know, but we got to have a lovely chat before the show started.

Some highlights

So first of all just to be clear, the whole night was one big highlight. You can’t sit that close to the stage in a small, intimate setting and look over at your favorite artist of all time and not be in awe the whole time. That being said these were my favorite moments:

Stokes taking our request of “Wizard Every Day” and just absolutely winning the room over a thousand times with the goofy sincerity that is his specialty. [Side note: when he asks who has the album and no one cheers but us every time, I am puzzled because how and also why].

The back and forth instrumental song-story with the saxophone player in “Love for Sale” #adorable.

“Waters of March” god I love this song when he sings it, that night it was the plink of the piano keys and the clink of the silverware, the moments in the song where Stokes lets his voice fly a bit, the stomp at “the foot the ground,” the melodica as instrument and prop “the range of the bow.”

"Pick Yourself Up" because that is a Fred Astaire song and I love it forever.

All the songs I heard live for the first time: "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Another Hundred People/Take the A Train," "Love for Sale," "Lush Life," "Pick Yourself Up," and "Satin Doll."

My videos from the show (x), full show audio (x)

Set list:

I’ve Got You Under My Skin

Another Hundred People/Take the A Train

Man of La Mancha

A Wizard Every Day

Love for Sale

Lush Life

This Nearly Was Mine

So In Love

Waters of March

Pick Yourself Up

Satin Doll

Wheels of a Dream

Impossible Dream

What a Wonderful World

More pics:

[thefinalsnart]

SNART SNART SNART ILY IM ALSO VERY AWARE OF ME NOT REPLYING ON DISCORD AND I WAIL ABOUT IT EVERY TIME IM ABOUT TO FALL ASLEEP im smooching u as an apology 3': miss u<3

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who liked or reblogged something from you! Get to know your mutuals and followers! - @alienaiver ✨

AW NOHR ITS OKAY 💕 I saw a while ago you mentioned you aren’t really on discord much, and I’ve been busy in my own little world lately and haven’t been on here much to say hi myself. 😔💕 Don’t worry about it mwah!

(@alienaiver — just tagging you so you can see this!)

Hhmmm 5 things that make me happy right now are:

1. My brother and my sister in law are visiting! I usually see them once a year, since they live in another part of the country, and that time for 2024 has come. My mom has also made some incredible baked goods for their visit, which I am also enjoying LMAO. Last night my brother, who has a fancy business boy job but is also in a couple bands, one of his friends who is also in those bands, and a family friend who is a folk musician played music together. It’s been lovely so far!

2. Makin’ stuff! I got some new brushes and textures to use in Procreate, and I’ve been having a lot of fun experimenting with them. I’ve also been working on the Dimension 20 Zine Jam again this July, and it’ll be coming out soon in early August! And in between all this, I’ve been making little sketches for AU ideas with friends. I was in a funk for a while, and everything I was making felt like torture. But I’m getting back into the swing of things! Here’s one of the things I drew last night. :3

3. Speaking of D20: I finished The Unsleeping City’s second season! If anyone is unfamiliar, it’s a D&D actual play on Dropout (and some seasons are free on YouTube!) TUC is about a magical, dream-fueled secret borough of New York City and the people who can see and interact with it. I think it’s my favourite D20 series. The first season (which is up on YouTube) had some elements I didn’t love, there was some Iron Fist stuff in there. But the second season rectifies some of that, which I appreciated. Really hoping they bring the second season to YouTube, too. Both seasons have some truly incredible improv in them. Lou and Brennan going at each other as a divorced couple, Brennan’s “You know that kindness is incredibly real. And the realness of that kindness makes it hurt even more that these people are not going to lie down in bed with you to keep you warm at night for the rest of your life.” KILLS MEEEE. It’s also so stupidly funny. In season 2 they get shrunk down so they can go to a monastery inside a hot dog cart that’s run by cockroach monks. They have to fight an army of centurion ants with ballista mustard and ketchup bottles. The absurd creativity of the seasons is so good, and being helmed by Brennan Lee Mulligan who was born and raised in NYC, it does make the place sound and feel magical.

4. Just good ol art in general! For one of the zines I worked on for the jam, I was looking into a bunch of different artists for inspiration. Here’s a little list of some of the artists I looked into: David Blackwood, Mary Pratt, Alex Coleville, Bo Bartlett, Edward Hopper, Maude Lewis, and Wayne Theibaud! Some of their works:

(Edward Hopper, Soir Bleu, 1914 / Mary Pratt, Cod Fillets on Tin Foil, 1974 / David Blackwood, Kean's Men Waiting for the S.S. Bellaventure, 1968 / Wayne Theibaud, Boston Cremes, 1962)

5. Dessert! I’m circling back around to my first point lmao, but my mom made a peanut butter cream cheese pie with Oreo crust… it’s one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. I love sweet treats and if you’re a fellow sweet treat enjoyer, go get yourself a sweet treat right now. I’m gonna go get a slice of that pie now myself, I think.

Thank you for the lovely ask Nohr! 💕 Sorry it took me a while to answer it 🙇 I hope you’re doing well! 💖

[thisislizheather]

February Feats 2023

Above Photo: Backyard snow, February 2023

Forgive the lateness, it will absolutely happen again. Here’s what went down last month!

The best tweets of February can be found over here. And my favourite Valentine’s Day ones can be found here.

Above Photo: Nathan at rehearsal for The Tonight Show, February 2023

Above Photo: The Tonight Show outfit #2

Okay, so two biggest things: Nathan did his second Tonight Show and his special GOT REVIEWED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES.

Above Photo: Nathan’s NEW YORK TIMES

The French baguette candle from Bath & Body Works? Whoa. I hate how much I love it.

Could not be more in love with this black sweater.

Had dinner at The Bar Room and the grilled chicken on top of their caesar salad was unparalleled. Another thing I love doing when I’m eating in midtown is going to JG Melon afterward for coffee or dessert. It’s the only move.

Speaking of good moves, have you ever sat out on a patio just as the weather’s starting to change and ordered a Peroni? Just one, for the whole afternoon? Might be the answer to everything.

I had a blister on my heel and these Band-Aid Hydro-Seal bandages worked perfectly. 

I got drinks at Nubeluz by Jose Andres at The Ritz-Carlton and it was so lovely. The service is great, the views are wild and the drinks and food were perfect. The only thing that made no sense was the waitress/hostess uniforms, but I’m picky as hell??

Above Photo: View from Nubeluz, NYC

Above Photo: Love when places care about wallpaper, at Nubeluz

I tried two products from Hero since I love their blemish patches - the lightening pads and the brightening stick and both were shit. Returned.

I made these Greek chicken meatballs and they were so bland, so I think I’ll stick with that sweet and spicy recipe I love.

I ate at Golden Unicorn in Chinatown and it was really nothing special. I did love the atmosphere, it was very 90s banquet hall-y. But the food was wildly underwhelming.

Above Photo: Pigs at Golden Unicorn, NYC

Above Photo: Chinatown, NYC

Also ate at Olio E Piu and wow was that bad. It was just insanely loud, had way too many 22 year olds with flashes going off, and the dessert was hard as a rock. Never again. Hate getting burned like this.

Went to The Guggenheim to see the Nick Cave exhibit and yes it was good/fine, but my dumbass thought it was the other Nick Cave. So that’s on me. I guess I’ll just always be disappointed by the exhibits here until they decide to make use of their central space again like they used to do years ago.

Above Photo: The Guggenheim, February 2023

Above Photo: The Guggenheim, February 2023

Some things I watched:

The Player: this started out as one of the coolest movies I’ve seen in such a long time (especially the opening twenty minutes) and then as it went on turned into one of the worst? That rarely happens, so that was confusing.

Pamela, A Love Story: so great. One thing I especially love about her? At the first sign of abuse in any of her relationships, she’s out the door. You don’t hear that a lot and it makes me love her even more. God, it’s still infuriating that Hulu made that series without her permission.

Split: okay, I may be the only person with this opinion (HOW?!). but holy hell did I hate this movie. It should be studied how polarizing  M. Night Shyamalan can be. I have absolutely loved some of his movies and I have wanted to vomit at others. How can this be possible? I don’t understand it.

I had this stupid little reaction video blow up on Instagram, which is wild. Stay out of the comments though, it’s crazy in there.

I was also in Canada for a little bit, so I went skating, ate that perfect caesar at Scaddabush, shoveled driveways and basked in numerous snowstorms.

Above Photo: Parent’s backyard, February 2023

Above Photo: Ice rink, Etobicoke

Above Photo: Caesar salad at Scaddabush, Mississauga

Above Photo: Baby Dog & Dad, February 2023

Above Photo: I took this while laying in the snow and it might be my favourite photo of all time.

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: so many birthday things, it’s almost aggressive.

If you have any interest in reading what went on in January, come on over here.

Above Photo: Winter sunsets, man.

[thepassionof-joanharrow]

This is How We Walk on the Moon ~Chapter 6: Breaking Down | Matt Murdock x OFC

Pairing: Matt Murdock x OFC

Summary: Sura Harmon works for a nonprofit foundation in NYC and goes to Nelson and Murdock to find some lawyers for the foundation’s clients. Upon meeting Matt, he seems strangely familiar. Matt instantly recognizes Sura as someone he attempted to help while in his Daredevil suit just a week ago. As they continue to work together, Sura and Matt are drawn to each other more and more.

But little does Matt Murdock know that his new colleague Sura Harmon has just as many secrets as he does.

Warnings: Eventual smut, (MINORS DO NOT INTERACT), swearing, discussion of trauma, death and mental illness, emotional angst, discussion of the blip/snap.  

Word Count for Chapter 6: 3,870

A/N: This is an ongoing series and will have many chapters! Mostly Sura’s POV but will probably have some chapters be in Matt’s POV.

Also, aside from the prologue, each chapter will have a song to go with it. I highly encourage you to listen to the song to give you the vibe for some of the scenes in that chapter!

Sura took the first sip of her coffee and let out a contented sigh. The sun was streaming in through the café’s tall windows, leaving large patches of sunlight on the tables and floor. The light was still weakened from the past winter but Sura could feel it’s increased warmth and knew it was more powerful than a month ago.

The world’s waking up again.

She smiled to herself. Spring in the city meant flowers everywhere. Buds on trees. Birds migrating and settling in parks.  She was not a fan of the cold and generally disliked winter. It was a season to get through, not enjoy. But when things started changing, that’s when magic seemed to happen. She had already been mentally planning the parks she wanted to hit up, the botanical gardens she wanted to see, the best streets for flowering trees. 

I wonder what season Matt likes best.

The thought came to her out of the blue. Ever since their meeting with Devin last Wednesday, Sura had tried to keep her thoughts occupied on other things.  Work, Luce, her family, whether she should switch up her cat’s food, anything besides Matt and their long conversation.  

So instead, the thoughts came to her all of a sudden, when she least expected them to. Random things brought them to mind.

Seeing sunglasses at the pharmacy: Where does Matt get his glasses?

Grabbing donuts with Luce on Friday: What is Matt’s favorite dessert?

Walking by a gym: Damn, I need to start going to the gym again. But also: Matt must work out. Surely that body does not come from just being a lawyer.

That last thought had made her blush and she pushed it away.  

As she sat in her favorite café that Saturday, reading, journaling, and reflecting, she could admit to herself that she was very, very attracted to Matt Murdock. And that she really, really wanted to know more about him.

Maybe I can ask him what season is his favorite next time I see him? That’s innocuous enough, right?

Sura was not sure how she wanted to proceed from here, or even where she wanted to proceed. Was getting involved with a lawyer she was working with even a good idea? Nevermind the fact that if she hit on him or even made it obvious that she was attracted to him, she could get in trouble for being unprofessional. Not that Matt seemed like the type to make a complaint to HR.

In fact, she felt like he had more than a professional interest in her as well. He seemed eager to ask her questions and get to know her. And after Devin had left and it was just the two of them, he had taken off his glasses, removed his tie and rolled up his sleeves. That felt like something he didn’t do at just any meeting, with just any client. It felt like he was getting comfortable.

But how do I know he’s really into me? What if I’m reading it wrong? What if he’s just being friendly? I don’t want to make him uncomfortable.

Sura had always been bad at this part. Making the first move. Figuring out if the attraction she was feeling was real. She was fairly adept at reading the emotions of others. But motives were harder.

Matt could be into her but not want anything to happen between them. He could have been interested in her but just as a friend.  

Her gut told her that she should just believe that he was into her. Men were rarely that complicated when it came to showing interest in women. It was usually pretty obvious.

But the analytical part of her; the part that wanted to protect herself from hurt and embarrassment, told her that Matt could be different. That she shouldn’t assume things. He didn’t necessarily have to fit into the mold that society put men in. And it was unfair of her to assume. But really, it was dangerous of her to assume. Make the wrong assumption and she could look like an idiot in front of this competent, sexy, funny lawyer.

I’ll go over this with Luce. Or maybe with Devin at brunch next week. Or maybe both of them. I don’t have to solve this now.   

She swept these thoughts into a dust-pan and deposited them in a file folder in her brain labeled “Later.” She locked the door to the files, promising the contents that she would revisit them later. Besides, she wanted to get back to her book.

For the longest time, Sura hadn’t wanted to engage with any media that dealt with the blip or the heros who had brought her back. But lately she had felt emotionally ready to learn more about them and get into the details of what happened. So she settled in to finish the last couple chapters of Scott Lang’s memoir.

 It was 11pm that night. In the absence of thoughts about a certain lawyer, Sura’s mind had readily supplied something else. And she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it since dinnertime.

It had started as a trickle of an idea. Then it had increased it’s presence.

I’m just going to try one more time. Just…I have to give it my all. No more after this.

She was furiously thinking to herself as she slipped off her comfortable sweatpants and swapped them for a pair of old hiking pants that she kept in the back of her closet. 

Maybe if I think about Lang’s book…the blip…what was sacrificed…maybe that will do the trick.

She eschewed her coat for a close-fitting hoodie with a front pocket.

Or maybe…hah, maybe my horniness for Matt will be able to get me there. Maybe that’s the emotion I need. Sexual frustration.

She smirked as she patted herself down to make sure she had everything. Keys in front pocket. A couple $20 bills in her back pocket. Cell phone. Gloves. Mace.

Sura hesitated by the door, one hand on the handle. She debated doing this at all.

No, she needed to. She needed to find out what she was capable of once and for all. She shut off her light and locked her apartment door behind her.

 It was chilly in Central Park as Sura slipped in. All the earlier warmth from the sun had dissipated, leaving behind a breeze.  The night felt thick too, like rain was going to come.

Hopefully I can get this done with, get some final answers for myself and get home before it rains.

Rain hadn’t really been in the forecast but Sura knew that spring brought infinite possibilities.

Hoodie up and head down, Sura walked a circle around a small pond, observing the area and seeing what she had to work with.

On the south side, a pair of lovestruck teens were huddled together on a bench.  A drunk was passed out a couple benches past them. Two women in glowing neon athleisure jogged past her.  No, no, no. Okay, maybe walk a bit farther in.

Sura started up a different path. It was darker here and the lights were spaced out farther apart. She’d had luck in this part of the park before and she hoped she would get lucky again.

She had only been walking two minutes when she saw him. The perfect target. He was headed towards her on the same path but hadn’t seemed to notice her yet. He was a bit smaller than the last guy, which was good.

Quickly shaking off her hoodie, she ruffled her hair, pulled out her wad of $20s and began giggling as she looked down at her phone. She swayed and let her steps become unsteady.

The man eyed her intensely as they passed each other. And then he stopped and turned around.

Sura took several ungraceful steps off the path to stand beneath a thicket of trees that stood by a couple boulders. She giggled some more and avoided looking up.

The man strode right up to her, confident and steady.

Okay, this one’s not drunk. Be careful.

The man had barely reached her when he raised his hand, about to strike her in the face.

In one swift movement, Sura flung her phone onto the grass and blocked his blow with her arm.

“Wha…..bitch!” He grunted at her, freeing his arm and swinging it back to try striking her again.

“Give me your cash and I’ll leave you alone!” 

“Nah, that’s not how this is going to work.”  Sura blocked him again, and as she held onto his shoulders, lifted her leg and swiftly kneed him in the gut.

He stumbled back, swearing.

Now, do it now now now.

Her brain was screaming at her. He started to get up and make his way back towards her. She had taken several steps back to give herself more time but she calculated that she would need to act soon.

She raised her right arm straight out in front of her. She turned her palm up towards the sky and closed her eyes.

She focused her mind on the anger she felt when the man called her “bitch”. In how sure he had been in attacking her. Her chest started to simmer, like a pot on low heat.

Not enough not enough!!

She thought about what she had read in Lang’s book. The deaths. How strong her anger at Thanos and fate had been in that first year back.

The simmer became a slow boil.

Almost there, maybe I have it this time!

Then unbidden, she thought of the heros who had saved the world. Brought her back. Lang, Rogers, Banner, Stark, Romanov. But the feeling that came up wasn’t anger at what they had gone through, who they had lost, what they had sacrificed. It was something else.

Bitterness. Envy. That’s what was rising up in her stomach right now. 

She tried to work with it, tried to get this new feeling to fuel her righteous anger. But instead, it started to all swirl together in a muddy clump in her chest.

FUCK. No!

She was going to have to dodge him now for more time. He was coming after her and she was only a couple feet away, moving around with her hand stretched out like a damn lunatic.  He was cursing and yelling, slightly confused but still determined to get at her.

“Now I don’t just want your cash bitch. I’m gonna beat the shit outta you.” He growled.

She had one last chance.  She took everything inside she could feel: the anger, envy, the frustration, and tried to bind it and light the match. She clenched her eyes shut. She screamed.

Nothing happened.

This made her even more infuriated. So right as he lunged at her she screamed again. Louder and more feral than she had ever screamed before. It surprised both of them, but it wasn’t enough.

He was on her and had tackled her to the ground before her scream stopped.

For a full two minutes, Sura’s world was a flurry of fists flying, arms colliding, feet scrambling for leverage. She had gotten a couple hits in while they were on the ground before he pushed her off him and leapt back up. She continued to go at him, summoning everything she remembered from her Jui-Jitsu and Krav Maga classes.

Fuck, this one is harder to put down. But I got this, I just need to keep going.

As she pulled back for another attack, an object came flying out of nowhere and hit the man on the head.

She stumbled back. The man swayed and then dropped to his knees. He clutched his head and sank all the way to the ground.

Another figure came walking up out of the darkness. As he came closer, he passed through the circle of light by the park bench below and Sura saw who it was.

“Shit.” Sura said to herself.

The Devil of Hell’s kitchen walked over to the prone man and picked up whatever had been flung at his head.

He stood over him. Legs slightly apart, fists clenched. The man was still conscious and was struggling to get up.

“What are you doing?”  the Devil asked the man. His tone was dark.

The man didn’t answer. He fumbled to his knees and then to his feet before charging at Daredevil. His attack was thwarted by a competent kick to his midsection. He doubled over but got back up.

Before he could do anything else though, Daredevil’s whole body came crashing down on him, pinning him to the ground.

“You have a broken nose and internal bleeding. I’m uninjured and I have weapons. You aren’t going to win this. I suggest you walk away now before things get worse for you.” Daredevil grunted as he kept him pinned to the ground.

The man grunted in pain. Daredevil got up and stood over him, waiting to see what he would do. After a couple moments, he started to crawl away. Eventually he picked himself up and stumbled down to the path, hurrying away from the both of them.

 The Devil and Sura both stared after him in silence. Then he walked over to Sura.

She had so many emotions and thoughts in her head, it was hard to think of what to say or do. She couldn’t even tell what she was feeling exactly. So she just looked at him right in the face, heart racing.

His gaze was steady, his mouth pressed together in a tight line.

Sura felt paralyzed.  Shame and embarrassment burned in her chest. But her head was reeling from the adrenaline of the fight and the shock of seeing Daredevil again. And underneath it all, at her core, was a deep well of disappointment in herself. The sense of losing something that you never really had in the first place.

The Devil was in front of her now, but he hadn’t uttered a word. Sura was panting and finally looked away from his face. She needed to catch her breath. She took a couple deep breaths.

She sensed vaguely that the Devil knew she was trying to calm down. He waited patiently for a moment.

He broke the silence. “What are you doing here? What happened?” 

“I was taking a late night walk. To…clear my head. The man attacked me.” Sura’s excuse was poor but it was the best she could come up with.

“Why is this the second time I find you fighting someone late at night? Within a month?” The Devil’s voice was firm. Like a scolding parent.

Sura scoffed. “Are you blaming me? Again? This dude attacked me!”

“Look, something isn’t right here.  By the time I got here, you had already beaten him up pretty good. And you were screaming bloody murder.”

“Oh, so I was in the wrong for defending myself?”

“Of course not. But why is this happening?”

“I don’t know, why don’t you ask the men who are attacking me?”

The Devil took a step back and lowered his head with an exasperated sigh.  

“Look…” He didn’t seem to know where to go with his sentence. Then he looked back up at her and softened his voice, trying another tactic.

“Do you need help with something? Is there something you are trying to…accomplish on these late-night walks?”

Sura looked past him, at the circle of light cast by the park lamp below. No one can help me with this. She took her head slowly, eyes welling up.

“Are you sure? I can help.” The Devil’s voice was the softest she had ever heard it. He had stepped closer to her. She looked up at his face and her chin quivered.

“It’s okay.” He said, almost a whisper.

That morsel of kindness, the tone of his voice, was all it took.  Her wall completely shattered, and a torrent of tears started pouring forth.

She broke down and sobbed, right in front of the Devil.

He came closer to her, slowly, sweet and mild.

Sura backed up until she was against a tree trunk. She wasn’t afraid of him. She was afraid of falling over. She slumped her body against the rough bark, sobs racketing her body. She covered her face in her hands as the tears streamed down her face.

A minute passed and her cries still rang out into the night. She brought her hands down and her face was completely wet with her tears and snot.

Daredevil was right in front of her now, just a foot or two away.  Suddenly all of the anger and frustration at herself, her embarrassment at being seen like this, rose to the surface.   How had this happened? How had she let this happen? I’m sobbing and totally losing it in front of Daredevil.

Fuck it then.

She let it loose. She screamed: “Fuck!” and charged into the Devil.

Sura expected him to back up or at least push her away, block her hands, something. But he stood still as she brought up her hands and started hitting his chest.

She channeled her anger into her fists and hit him while she cried and cursed.  She wasn’t hitting him that hard, she knew. She didn’t have that much strength left. And she seriously doubted she could do much damage to him in that suit.  

This was about hurting herself. Punishing herself for everything. Making her knuckles bleed because she needed to feel it all.

She screamed and sobbed until she couldn’t hit any more. Her cursing turned into phrases uttered desperately in between her crying. “I don’t understand.”

“I tried, I really tried.”

The Devil remained silent throughout it all. And he didn’t move a muscle. Just stared down at her.

 A clap of thunder and a bright flash of light made her suddenly stop. They both looked up to the sky. 

A low rumbling echoed all around the park. Sura noticed that the air had grown thicker and sweet. She heaved a giant sigh and thought there was nothing more perfect in this moment than for her to get absolutely soaked with rain.

A pair of hands gently rested on her arms. She turned her head back to the man she had just lost it on and realized that she still had his hands on his chest. But now they were flat up against him. Like she was holding onto him for balance.

“Shit.” Sura ducked her head down but didn’t move.

He smirked at her. “Did that help?”

Sura backed up now, removing her hands from him and leaving his hands empty. “Actually, yes.” She smiled weakly.

Suddenly everything was illuminated in another flash of light. A clap of thunder ricocheted off the trees, the boulders and then bounced into the darkness of the park.  

And then the sky opened and poured down on them. The rain was heavy and fast, quickly drenching them both.

Sura felt something bubble in her chest and decided to let it out. Her laughter started quiet and slow. Then a giant hiccup interrupted her and this made her laugh even harder.

The Devil was staring at her, but he was smiling now. He chuckled when her hiccup rang out over the sound of the rain.

She raised her head to face the sky and the downfall of rain and let it all wash over her as she laughed and hiccupped into the darkness.

She opened her arms and let everything get soaked. Every last inch of her.

After a moment, she felt like it had all left her body. The anger, the frustration. The envy, shame and disappointment. Even the absurd humor of being caught in a torrential downpour at a moment like this.  

She felt,….she didn’t know what she felt. She looked at the man in front of her.

She opened her mouth but closed it again.

What should I say? Sorry for hitting you and crying like a toddler throwing a tantrum?

“I…uh…” She started.

“Don’t.” The Devil cocked his head at her. The rain didn’t seem to be soaking into his suit, but it was slick and shining in the dim light. “You don’t need to apologize.”

The exposed part of his face was drenched though. Water streamed down his cheeks and dripped off his jaw. A little rivulet of water ran over his nose and fell over his lips before dropping off to the ground.

When Sura looked at him in surprise he chuckled. “I could tell you were going to say sorry or try to explain yourself. But you don’t need to. It’s okay.”

If this was someone else, maybe Sura would have persisted in apologizing. But he seemed unequivocally earnest. And it seemed pointless to protest.  A surge of endearing warmth entered her as she smiled at him.

“Okay.”

She sniffled, then shuddered as she suddenly realized she was cold.

“Let me walk you home.” The Devil was looked down at her and lifted a hand in defense. “I know you don’t need me to. I know you’d be fine without me. But I just want to make absolutely sure you get home safe. And are…generally okay. Considering.”

Sura huffed a laugh and crossed her arms, amused.

“Please? I won’t even talk to you. You don’t have to say anything to me. I just need to make sure. Do this as a favor to me.”

She laughed outright at this. The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen begging her for something?

He was right. Normally she would have outright refused. But she had just accosted him while screaming and cursing. Maybe she owed him. “Okay Mr. Devil. You can walk me home. But help me find my cell phone first.”

He smiled wide and pulled out a small flashlight from his suit and handed it to Sura.

 They walked back to Sura’s apartment in complete silence as the rain slowed down to a drizzle. She was incredibly tired now, and even if she had wanted to speak to him, she didn’t think she could carry on much of a conversation.  But she didn’t want to say anything.  Saying something could mean bringing back up all the emotions of the night. And she wanted to let it all go for now.

She didn’t even tell him where they were headed or when they needed to turn. But it didn’t seem to matter. He followed right beside her like he knew the route as well as she did.

When she stopped in front of her building, he stood beside her.

“Well, goodnight.” She looked up at him.

“Goodnight.” His voice was even but friendly.

She punched in the code to her building’s door and went in. But before the door closed, she turned around and said into the dark: “Thank you.”

He tipped his chin at her but didn’t say anything. She turned around and walked up the stairs to her apartment.