summary: you insist on pedro trying a matcha latte, but he is pretty reluctant
"oh, come on, it can't be that bad if this many people like it!" you told pedro, while making wild gestures with a to-go matcha latte in your hand.
"i'm convinced that at least half of them are just pretentious and lie about liking it."
"well, i'm not pretentious. neither is vanessa for that matter." you thought that by mentioning his co-star, vanessa kirby also liked it, you might be able to convince him to finally try it. the reason you wanted it so bad was simply the fact that you were 99% sure that he would end up liking it.
"ughhh, why is it so important?" he whined.
"'cause i know you'll like it. trust me." you countered, putting a hand on his shoulder. "plus this place is definitely one of the best ones to get matcha in new york."
"i heard it tested like grass." you were so tired of hearing that from so many people.
"not if it's high-quality. and this is." you said, pointing to your plastic cup. "look how green, look how beautiful." you took a sip. "yummy."
"jeez, you're down bad. should i be jealous?" he asked playfully, while grabbing your free hand.
"no need for that. just try. we can be obsessed together." you extended your matcha-wielding hand towards him and made puppy eyes.
"no, don't do that adorable face, it's not fair!" he groaned.
"pretty please." you pleased with your eyes. an old trick, but it worked.
"ugh, fine." he rolled his eyes and reluctantly took the drink from your extended hand. he eyed it suspiciously then took a sip. his eyes widened in surprise and took another, this time bigger sip.
"oh my god." he said looking at the drink as if it was something sacred.
"see? i told you!" you judged him with your shoulder. "yes! we can be matcha buddies!" you exclaimed.
"buddies? i'm literally your husband." he deadpanned.
"fine, then matcha....the matcha duo?"
"that's better. sounds like a superhero team though."
"you do one better then." you rolled your eyes.
"matcha couple?" he asked after a moment.
"hmm, okay." you nodded and pressed a kiss on his temple.
"okay, now let's get one for me too." he said, so you turned around and walked back towards the cafĂŠ.
a/n : a break from the angst of "sidelines", my slow-burn, friends to lover, currently 60k word fanfic T-T hope you enjoy reading !! wrote this while i was palpitating on my 3rd cup of matcha
crossposted on ao3
synopsis : Youâve always had a love-hate relationship with caffeine. Love, because you canât survive a day without it. Hate, because your intake borders on⌠alarming. Coffee, matcha, energy drinks... youâve tried them all, sometimes in the same day. Matt notices, of course. And heâs had enough. Maybe one cup, and one Matt Murdock is enough to get you through the day.
tags : fluff, domestic fluff, estbalished relationship, caffeine addiction, slice of life, ooc matt idk?
pairing : matt murdock/gn!reader
wc : 2,857
Youâd barely slept the night before. Briefing deadlines, paperwork spilling into your living room, and youâd powered through with the help of not one, not two, but four cups of coffee by midday.
By the time Matt came home from the office, you were jittery. Not the âoh Iâm alert and awakeâ kind of jittery, but the âmy heart feels like itâs trying to sprint out of my chestâ kind.
He didnât even take off his coat before his head tilted, his brows knitting together.
âSweetheart.â
You tried to play it off, curled up on the couch with your laptop. But of course, Matt didnât miss a thing. âYes?â
His lips pressed together, like he was deciding whether or not to say what you both knew he wanted to. He walked over, slipping his cane against the wall. âYour heartâs going a mile a minute. Again.â
You gave a nervous laugh. âJust⌠caffeine. Itâs not a big deal.â
âItâs a big deal when I can hear your heartbeat from the hallway before I even open the door.â He crouched beside you, one hand brushing over your wrist, checking the flutter there. âHow many cups?â
ââŚDefine cups.â
â(Y/N).â
âFour,â you admitted sheepishly. Then, under your breath: âFine. Five.â
He sighed, the sound equal parts fond and exasperated. âYou know this isnât sustainable.â
âI had deadlines! And caffeine helps me focus.â
Matt straightened, reaching to pluck the mug from your hands. âNot when it makes you feel like your ribcage is about to explode.â He poured the rest down the sink before you could protest.
âHey! Itâs really not that bad, I feel fine.â You tried to grin, but your hand trembled slightly as you reached for the empty mug. âSee? Totally fine.â
Matt simply raised his eyebrows and shaked his head in response.
The truth was, you were not totally fine . You had definitely noticed the side effects. Racing pulse, jitters, the occasional dizzy spell if you pushed too far. But caffeine had been your reliable crutch for so long that you didnât know what a normal day without it looked like.
But you promised him, begrudgingly that youâd cut back . Which, in your mind, meant âfind a loophole.â
The loophole came in the form of a bright green powder youâd ordered online the next day.
âMatcha,â you announced proudly as you whisked it in a bowl, trying not to look too smug. âItâs healthier. Antioxidants, less caffeine than coffee. So really, Iâm fixing the problem.â
Matt leaned against the counter, arms folded, listening to the soft froth-froth-froth of your whisk. His head tilted, skeptical. âHow much caffeine is in it?â
âLess,â you said, a little too quickly.
âLess is not none.â
You handed him the mug. âTaste it before you judge, Counselor.â
He humored you, sipping carefully. âNot bad,â he admitted. Then, quieter, âStill donât like what itâs doing to your heart right now.â
You pretended not to hear that last part, already whisking a second serving for yourself.
For a while, the matcha worked. At least until you started brewing it two, three, four times a day.
By the end of the week, Matt leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, listening to the delicate whisking of powder and water. âYou do realize,â he said, voice warm but teasing, âyouâre basically just drinking green coffee at this point.â
âStill healthier than coffee.â You said, lifting the cup for a cautious sip.
Matt smirked, leaning against the counter. âHealthier, sure. But youâre still vibrating enough to power the entire block.â
You rolled your eyes but couldnât help the grin tugging at your lips.
âThatâs your last matcha for today,â Matt declared, arms still crossed, eyes glinting with mischief.
âWhat? This is my first one,â you protested, setting the cup down.
Before you could say anything else, he leaned in, pressing a quick, warm kiss to your lips. The faint, earthy bitterness of matcha clung to your lips, mingling with the warmth of you and filling his senses. Pulling back just enough to smirk, he murmured, âLiar.â
You groaned, a mix of exasperation and amusement, but your cheeks warmed anyway. âYouâre impossible.â
The loopholes didnât stop at matcha.
Because when coffee was off-limits and matcha was âmonitored,â you got⌠creative. Which is how Matt came home one evening to the unmistakable pshh-click of a can opening.
His head immediately snapped toward the sound. ââŚWas thatââ
âNo,â you blurted, too fast.
He took a slow step forward. âSweetheart.â
You froze, mid-sip of neon-blue liquid, caught like a kid with her hand in the cookie jar. âItâs not coffee.â
Mattâs brows furrowed. âNo, itâs worse.â
âIt says zero sugar ,â you argued weakly, holding up the can.
âYour heart doesnât care about sugar content.â He sighed, running a hand down his face like he was physically restraining himself from lecturing. âHow many?â
ââŚOne.â
His head tilted.
ââŚFine. Two.â
â(Y/N).â
ââŚThree?â you squeaked, then winced.
Matt looked so utterly done, you almost laughed. Almost.
âYou drink coffee, then energy drinks?â he asked incredulously, crouching beside you like he expected you to keel over at any second. His hand pressed lightly against your chest, feeling the hummingbird flutter of your heartbeat. âI genuinely donât know how youâre not flatlining.â
You snorted. âDonât be dramatic.â
âIâm not. I can hear your heart racing. Itâs likeââ He gestured vaguely. âLike youâre sprinting and sitting down at the same time. Itâs awful.â
Your grin wavered, guilt slipping in. âOkay⌠maybe it was a bad idea.â
Matt stepped closer, plucking the can from your hand. âNot maybe. Definitely.â His tone softened. âYou donât need this much, sweetheart. You donât have to run yourself into the ground just to keep up. Just take a nap with me, and I promise youâll wake up feeling better than any caffeine could ever make you feel.â
The words sank in, warming you from the inside out more than any coffee or energy drink ever could.
The next morning, you woke to find the fridge mysteriously empty of all neon-colored cans. You figured that was fine, matcha it is. But when you went to look for that, it was gone too. Panic rising, you tore through every cupboard and drawer searching for your coffee stash. Nothing. It was nowhere to be found. The it clicked. Only one person could be responsible for this.Â
âMatt.â
âYes?â he answered innocently from the kitchen, where the smell of toast and eggs filled the air.
âYou confiscated my caffeine stash?â
âConfiscated,â he repeated, setting a plate on the table. âCorrect.â
You flopped into a chair dramatically. âYouâve gone full prohibition on me.â
âOn your heart, yes.â He set down a single steaming mug of coffee in front of you. âOne cup. Properly measured. And breakfast, so you donât run on caffeine fumes.â
You tilted your head up at him. âYouâre really gonna ration my drinks like Iâm on caffeine probation?â
âExactly.â
âDictator.â
âConcerned boyfriend,â he amended, lips quirking.
You rolled your eyes, but when he kissed you, slow and sweet, you figured maybe caffeine wasnât the only thing that kept your heart racing.
After the energy drink incident, heâs become even more of a tyrant about your so-called caffeine addiction. What started as a few gentle reminders has morphed into full-blown intervention. Matt has practically declared himself the authority on what goes into your system, especially if it has even a whisper of caffeine.
Now, heâs basically running his own personal caffeine rehab program. He checks the clock like a warden to make sure youâre in bed before midnight, nudges you toward naps when your eyelids get heavy, and hands you water bottles with the same kind of gravity other people reserve for holy relics. Also, herbal teas have invaded your cupboards like an army.
âMatt!â you call out. âWhy does this look like the stockroom of an apothecary?â
He appears in the doorway, a grin plastered on his face. âOptions. Chamomile, peppermint, ginger, hibiscusââ
You hold one up, laughing. âThis one literally says Sleepytime. â
âPerfect for you,â he says, lips twitching. âBecause Iâm not letting you stay up until two a.m. scrolling through case notes anymore.â
You roll your eyes, but when he brushes past to put the boxes away, his shoulder lingers against yours.
 âYou know this is bordering on obsession, right?â
âOnly with you,â he says smoothly, leaving you flustered with nothing but a tea bag in your hand.
Youâre still flustered when you retreat to the table and bury yourself in paperwork. A few minutes later, a cool glass of water slides into your field of vision.
âDrink,â Matt says, tone leaving no room for argument.
You arch a brow at him. âYou sound like my mom.â
âYour heart rate spikes every time you drink coffee,â he replies evenly. âWater evens it out. So yeah, Iâll take the title.â
You take the glass with a dramatic sigh. âFine. But Iâm not calling you Mom.â
His mouth quirks. âGood. I was hoping for something a little more flattering.â
You snort, taking a sip to hide your grin.
The next time you yawn, you donât even notice until his hand closes gently around your wrist, pulling the pen from your fingers.
âMattââ
âYou need a nap,â he says firmly.
âI do not.â
âYouâre cranky, rubbing your eyes, and yawning every thirty seconds. So yes, you do.â
âManipulative lawyer tactics,â you mutter, but you still let him guide you toward the couch.
âExactly,â he says, steering you down until youâre half-reclined. He drapes a blanket over your legs like itâs the most natural thing in the world.
You blink up at him. âWhat are you doing?â
âMaking sure you actually rest.â
âYou canât just babysit me while I nap.â
He settles onto the couch beside you, close enough that the heat from his body radiates through the blanket. His voice softens.
âSure I can. Besides, I read somewhere people sleep better next to their partner.â
Your face warms. âThatâs ridiculous.â
âMaybe. Want to test the theory?â His voice dips teasing, but thereâs a gentleness underneath.
You want to argue, but your eyelids betray you by slipping shut, and when you finally drift off, itâs to the faint, steady rhythm of his breathing beside you. The quiet weight of his presence blur the edges of your thoughts.
Ridiculous or not, youâre asleep within minutes.
Later that week, you tried to be sneaky.
You were practically giddy when you slipped into the cafĂŠ on your lunch break. Just one coffee. Just one. Youâd drink it all there, finish it before heading home, and Matt would never know. Well⌠probably he would , since he seemed capable of detecting caffeine from three blocks away, but whateverâyouâd deal with that later.
You stood at the counter, already imagining the first sip when the barista asked for your order.
 âVanilla latte. Extra shot,â you said, voice light with anticipation.
âThatâll beââ
âIâve got it,â came a familiar voice from just behind you.
You froze. Slowly, you turned, already knowing who it was. Matt stood there, cane in hand, that maddeningly calm little smile tugging at his lips.
âMatt,â you said, half-guilty, half-defensive. âWhat are you doing here?â
âI could ask you the same thing,â he teased. Then, turning slightly toward the barista: âAnd a chamomile tea, please.â
âChamomile? Really?â Of all the teas in the world, he picks the one youâve been chugging like water at home? You swear, if you have to drink another cup of this stuff, you might actually lose your mind.
Matt doesnât reply, but a smug expression is plastered on his face. The barista glanced between the two of you, clearly amused, but took the card Matt held out anyway.
Your rolled your eyes. âYouâre unbelievable.â
When the cups came out, he pressed the warm paper sleeve of the tea into your palm. You sighed dramatically but accepted it, sneaking a sip. It wasnât the creamy, sweet caffeine hit you craved, but the floral calm of it settled oddly well in your chest.
âSee?â Matt murmured, brushing his thumb over the back of your hand. âNot so bad. And maybe your heart will thank me later.â
Heart maybe? But your sanity? Thatâs another question. You tried to look annoyed, but the way he leaned down and kissed the corner of your mouth in front of the entire cafĂŠ made it hard to keep up the act.
It was well past midnight when you finally curled onto the couch, blanket draped over your shoulders and a steaming mug cradled in your hands. The glow of your laptop bathed the room in pale light as you scrolled half-heartedly through work emails youâd ignored all day.
A faint thump at the window made you startle. Before you could react, Matt swung gracefully through it, landing silently beside you, dressed in all black with the mask around his eyes from his patrol.
He tilted his head, nostrils flaring just slightly. He quirked his eyebrows. âTea?â
âChamomile. Proud of me?â
âAlways,â he said simply, settling beside you and pulling you close.Â
After a moment, he reached up and tugged the mask off, setting it gently on the coffee table. His hair fell slightly into place, and the tension in his shoulders eased.
You studied him carefully, scanning from head to toe for any signs of trouble. No major bleeding, no broken bones it seemed, and nothing was swollen. But a small cut on his cheek caught your eye, and you reached up to gently caress his face, letting your fingers trace the faint line.
âItâs just a small cut,â he reassured softly, but you didnât reply. Instead, you pressed a quick, tender kiss to his cheek.
Matt gave a quiet hum of amusement and leaned back slightly, taking the cup of tea from your hands. He took a slow sip and smirked. âItâs past midnight. Youâd normally be working through a pot of coffee by now.â
You glared at him over the steam. âWell, someone bullied me into quitting, remember?â
âSuggested,â he corrected smoothly. âThereâs a difference.â
âSuggested,â you echoed flatly. âLike a tyrant suggests things.â
That earned you a low chuckle, warm enough to break through your mock scowl. His head tilted toward you, and you could feel the weight of his focus even without his eyes on you.
âYou want coffee right now, donât you?â he asked, quiet but certain.
Your lips twitched against the rim of your mug. ââŚYes. Desperately. With every fiber of my soul.â
He smirked. âKnew it.â
âDonât sound so smug. Itâs not like you donât drink coffee too.â
âYeah,â he countered smoothly, leaning back against the couch like he had all the time in the world, âa normal amount of it.â
You shoved his shoulder lightly, nearly sloshing tea on your blanket. âYouâre insufferable.â
âAnd yet,â he murmured, catching your hand before it dropped away, thumb brushing your knuckles with easy familiarity,âyou still put up with me every night.â
You tipped your cup toward him with a sly smile. âWhat can I say? Besides caffeine, Iâm pretty sure Iâm addicted to you.â
He huffed a quiet laugh, the corner of his mouth tugging upward in a slow smirk. Before you could take another sip, he leaned in and pressed a quick, warm kiss to your lips.Â
âMm,â he murmured, still close enough for you to feel the curve of his smile. âYou sure you didnât sneak any coffee? âCause your heartâs beating fast.â
You gave him a flat look and a short laugh. âHa-ha. Very Funny.â
He smirked and pointed at your mug.âYou going to make it through the night without giving in?â
You sighed, sinking deeper into the couch cushions. âProbably not. I already promised myself if I dream about coffee one more time, Iâm giving up this whole tea experiment and going back to my one true love.â
His brows lifted, teasing. âDreaming about it?â
âYes. And donât you dare make that sound like I need a support group.â
âI wasnât going to,â he said innocently, though his smile gave him away. Then, with a tilt of his head, âAlso, I thought I was your one true love?â
You turned your face into his shoulder to hide your laugh, heat creeping up your neck. âDonât push it, Murdock.ââÂ
A smile ghosted over Mattâs lips. âYou really are trying, though.â
You leaned your head against his shoulder, grumbling half-heartedly. âTrying and failing.â
âTrying,â he repeated firmly, like he wanted the word to stick. âThatâs enough.â
The room settled quiet after that. The soft hum of your laptop fan, the warmth of his arm against yours, and the faint curl of chamomile steam drifted between you.Â
You leaned your head against him and closed your eyes. The craving for coffee and the exhaustion of the day faded. All that remained was him, the quiet of the night, and the comfort of being together. Matt shifted slightly and pressed a soft kiss to your temple. You let out a quiet sigh, savoring the moment. Being here with him was all you needed.
a/n : this is lowkey based on a true story ... i used to drink a energy drink in the morning, then maybe 2 glasses of coke during lunch and stop by my school's cafeteria to buy some coffee after.
bf bought me matcha but in a diff flavor from the place i always buy from and my heart started beating really fast.
bf was like âstop drinking??â i was like ânah itâs fine.â
lunch time i decide to buy matcha from the same place, i start palpitating again. bf again was like âdont drink it anymore ??? you had too much matchaâ
but of course i dont listen cause i didnt want to waste my âą180 matcha and it took me over 5 hours to finish the drink cause anytime i would take a sip my heart would like beat really fast đ§ââď¸
Some of my favourite sweets from our trip to Japan! These ones are from Yanagi Chaya Asakusa! The parfait was great but the tiramisu was the best outta these 3!! On this trip we went out of our way often to find cute desserts, I loved eating them but also getting to take my own reference photos to draw later! More to come soon!