So under my post about the definitely not TMNT 2 inspired abandoned subway tunnel I was going to have Jane use as a hideout eventually in TRT, @eclecticsoupmonster asked about any inspo I had for Jane's apartment, and I realized that this shit has mostly been in my head for ten years other than a diagram I made years back but lost in the move.
I tried to find an apartment for it originally years ago, some inspo photos that might work for me, especially the layout I had in mind. And people are still free to headcanon their own versions! But for me personally, I couldn't find any pics that fit my characterization or plot needs:
The fire escape window, with a straight shot across to the galley kitchen (where she would hide in an attempt not to see Matt's threads when Matt visits her after that first Stick incident)
The small simple bathroom off in the corner
An apartment that vaguely lacked a sense of specific aesthetic or any intent in decor beyond vaguely fitting in (since she never intended to stay here permanently)
Grey grey grey (morality symbolism) and cool tones (Hound/Ice symbolism to Matt's Devil/Fire and the warmer tones in his apartment) whenever she hasn't just prioritized whatever is cheapest
And so for years I just worked with this very very specific floorplan in my head that looked like this. This is my best recreation of the early diagram I drew while figuring out what I wanted her space to look like (and what I still use in my head mostly):
BUT I AM A SHIT ARCHITECTURAL DRAWER BABY.
Fortunately, Sims 4 let me design something that, while not a perfect match, is fairly close layout-wise to what I had in mind!
Little touches:
Plenty of knives in the kitchen
Journals on the little banquet area by the kitchen along with SHIELD files
Fake photos and landscape paintings somewhat haphazardly put up along the walls
The teddy bear Foggy stitched is over on the kitchen counter
Yes we do have the supermax security door here too, not just on Matt's apartment!
My best attempt at a fire escape that is Matt's entry point to the apartment
Most of the furniture is cheap and in cool tones
The different living areas are all designated by rugs, so she has at least some sense of different and dedicated zones in the apartment
The bottom drawer in her dresser/wardrobe is now dedicated to Matt's shirts that he can rotate through as needed
A small trunk covered in books by the wardrobe - her getaway bag that she's temporarily pulled out from under the floorboards to add some things.
Bed pushed up against the wall because she never actually expected to have another person join her in it
Not a lot of places to store things because, again, she wasn't actually planning to stay that long and has learned to live with fairly little, so why would she need a ton of storage?
That open half-wall in the kitchen, where Foggy and her have their fruit plate moment (complete with fruit bowl)
Anyway, that's what I see in my head for her apartment in TRT!
The Library of Pastaxandria has recorded for its archives: Chapter 164 of The Red Thread.
Ship: Matt Murdock x F!Reader
Chapter Summary:
"I mean, you can tell them who you are if you want everyone in a five-block radius to mob you for photos like a flock of seagulls going for a toddler's french fries." You peered at him over the top of your sunglasses. "And then I'd have to try to run away to avoid said photographers."
"With how you've been moving all morning, I'm not even sure you can run." He arched a brow. "You look more like someone I should carry off the battlefield while calling for a medic."
"Are you mocking me, flag man?"
"Only a little."
Or: In which you and Steve Rogers discuss a few things, and a deal is made that absolutely won't come up later.
Wordcount: 5.1k
Warnings for this chapter: Lack of Matt in this chapter, so sorry! But he'll be back in the next one!
Read me on AO3 where Steve is at the beach and wondering when corndogs became so expensive
The days following your birthday were as normal and peaceful as ever.
You went to school, studied, hung out with your friends, and returned home to your parents.
You had to go to dinner, so you left your room and went downstairs, walking towards the kitchen.
You paused for a moment, staring at the wall beside you. It was filled with family portraits. Some were from when you were younger, and others were more recent.
Your parents always enjoyed taking family portraits regularly, so there's at least one new one every year.
A smile spreads across your lips as you look at the portraits hanging on the wall.
Even if some are from several years ago and others are more recent, they're all similar; since in each one, the three of you are together, smiling happily, anyone who saw you would undoubtedly realize what a perfect happy family you are.
And you're glad, you're so glad that your home and your life with your parents has been as perfect as it has been up until now.
Finally, you tear your gaze away from the portraits and continue on your way, heading for the kitchen.
When you walk into the kitchen, you see that the food is ready and your parents are already sitting at the table.
You smile widely and walk over, sitting down in your seat as you grab a plate, ready to serve yourself and enjoy the delicious food your mom already has ready.
Dinner goes on normally, you enjoy the food, until you realize something is... Strange.
This dinner seems to be unusually quiet. And your parents are supposed to always like to talk at least a little at mealtimes, so why isn't that the case this time?
Besides the fact that they haven't said anything so far, the atmosphere also feels a little tense.
You stop eating, staring at your parents with a serious expression, hoping they'll finally be able to explain to you why they're acting this way and what's going on.
Your mother notices your expression instantly and realizes you want to know what's going on. So she agrees and finally starts talking.
"(y/n)... Your father and I have something important to tell you." He began, sighing lightly, his expression slightly worried as he looked at your father for a moment.
"The thing is... Your father lost his job."
Your eyes widen in surprise at the unexpected news.
Your father worked for a small company here in Metropolis. And his work had been going pretty well so far, but... From what your mother tells you, it seems the company had some major financial problems, and they'll have to close. And now, your father is out of a job.
"We... What will we do now?" You asked softly, your expression filled with concern. Your eyes shifted to your father, looking to him for an answer.
You know there are too many expenses, your father was the only one in charge of the money, so without your father's job, they would practically not be able to continue living the comfortable life they had until now.
"A friend recommended me for a good position at another company. The only problem is... We'll have to move."
You freeze for a moment. He said... Move? You'll have to leave the city? But your whole life was here in Metropolis. The house you grew up in is here, the place you know is here, your friends and loved ones are here. This is your home, you never thought you'd have to leave it.
You wanted to protest, but you stopped as soon as you saw your parents' expressions... You realized that obviously, this isn't easy for them either.
You don't want to leave here, but... It's best if your father can find a good job as soon as possible, so even if they have to move, there's no choice.
And honestly, you don't want to be selfish and complain, when you know that your parents have always tried to do the best for you and give you a good life.
"I... I understand." Your gaze lowers for a moment, trying to finish processing the fact that you really do have to leave the city you've grown up in your entire life up until now.
"I know it'll be difficult, but there's no other way. The job your father is being offered is a good opportunity, even if we have to leave," your mother said, reaching out to pat you comfortingly on the shoulder.
"We'll be fine... Moving to another city can be... refreshing." He added quietly, with a small laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
Hearing your mother's laugh makes you smile slightly. She's as positive as ever.
"I guess you're right... It might be interesting to get to know a new city," you stated, finally starting to feel a little more comfortable with the situation. Yeah, starting to live in a new city probably isn't so bad after all.
"So... which city are we going to?" you asked, looking at them curiously. You definitely wanted to know exactly which city your new home was supposed to be soon.
"Oh, the city we're going to is Gotham," your father replied, in a calm tone.
"Wait... We're going to Gotham?!" Your eyes widen in complete surprise once again, almost jumping a little in surprise.
You didn't expect it... The city you have to move to is Gotham? That dark city, full of criminals everywhere?
"I know it might not sound very good... But really, the job opportunity they're offering your father there is one he can't turn down. We... We'll be able to adapt to Gotham, we must."
Once again, you want to protest. Why does it have to be Gotham specifically out of all the other cities in existence?
You've never been to the city before, but there's enough on the internet about Gotham to know it's not exactly a peaceful or colorful place.
Not with villains as dangerous as the Joker, among many of the other villains in that city.
But before you can start complaining about why they have to go to Gotham specifically, your mother interrupts you.
"(y/n)... I understand that Gotham isn't exactly a city you'd like to go to, I understand that it's a bit difficult for you. But please... Your father can't let that job opportunity go, we need it, we can't refuse to go to Gotham just on a whim." She said, with a calm and understanding tone as she looked at you.
She understood that finding out you'd have to move to Gotham wasn't easy for you. As a mother, she definitely didn't want to make things complicated for you, but this time it was inevitable; it was the only option they had left.
Your eyes meet your mother's understanding gaze. You understand; you know they didn't choose this, and neither did you. You know that sometimes inevitable things happen that no one expects, and the only thing you can do is try to cope.
This is your home, it always has been. But really... Anywhere is your true home as long as your parents are there, isn't it?
You sigh softly, your expression one of resignation as you speak. "I understand... This is the only option we have. And... The most important thing above all else is that we stay together. It doesn't matter what city we're in, as long as we stay together as the family we are."
Both your father and mother smile with relief at seeing that you're finally accepting it. They both stand up and approach you, giving you a hug.
"Thank you for understanding, princess... I promise you that as soon as things get better, we can come back here. We'll only be in Gotham for a while; as soon as we have the chance, we'll come back here." Your father assured you, his tone calm but confident, promising that at some point they would return here to their life in Metropolis, to make you feel more at ease.
You can't help but smile slightly at your father's words; his calm, sincere tone gives you comfort. And of course, you believe his words. You'll always trust your precious father completely.
And so, the night ends. Although things were too surprising and unexpected at first, both your mother and father helped you feel better about the idea of moving away, convincing you that it would be the best thing for now and that their lives in Gotham wouldn't be bad.
So, trusting his words completely, you finally accepted it completely. You have to move to Gotham with your parents.
———
The following days, you and your parents began packing the most important things, preparing for the move that will be coming soon.
"Gosh... Are you really going to Gotham?" Emma asked softly, hardly believing that you were actually going, as she helped you pack some of your things from your room, putting them in boxes.
"Emma... (y/n) already made it clear, and we're literally just helping her pack right now, so it's obvious she's really leaving," Olivia stated, letting out a small, impatient snort.
"Don't scold her, I know it's hard to believe. After all, even I didn't expect to end up moving to Gotham at some point," you replied, letting out a small laugh as you continued packing some of your things into your suitcases.
"Well, it's not all bad..." Emma began, smiling widely as she tried to think of some positive aspects of moving to Gotham. "If you're lucky, you might meet Batman! Or some of the other vigilantes in Gotham. They're sure to be cute and cool!"
At Emma's words you couldn't help but shake your head slightly, those weren't things that interested you.
"No, thanks, but no. I don't need to meet some vigilante in a weird suit in the middle of the night in the city. My luck will be better if I don't run into any vigilantes or criminals. I don't need to get close to any other Gotham citizens."
Olivia laughs lightly, amused by your words.
"Oh, come on... You can't be so negative. You're going to a new city, you should take advantage of it and meet more people there."
Emma nods in agreement, quickly approaching you and giving you a small pat on the shoulder.
"Olivia is right. If you're going somewhere new, take the opportunity to meet new people too. Besides... Who knows, maybe in Gotham you might finally find your red thread, the person meant for you!"
As soon as Emma mentions the red string, you can't help but think for a moment.
Well, you haven't met your destined soulmate yet, so it's obvious that person isn't here. So... What if your soulmate is in Gotham? Could you finally meet him?
You shake your head for a moment, knowing this isn't the time to think about it too much. Instead, you focus on finishing packing your things with the help of your friends.
And finally... Moving day has arrived. You said goodbye early to your friends, and your parents said goodbye to their own friends and neighbors, and finally you all got in the car, headed for Gotham.
The drive was peaceful, although it seemed a bit long, almost eternal. It was probably because you were a little nervous. You'd never been to Gotham before, and going there for the first time in your life was a completely new experience.
With every passing minute, you feel further away from Metropolis but closer to Gotham.
It's amazing how the weather changes from one place to another, because while in Metropolis there were clear skies, with the bright sun high above, here in Gotham the sky was cloudy, and it was raining a little too.
Definitely... It's different.
You're well aware that Gotham isn't the same as Metropolis. But the real question is whether you'll actually be able to adapt to this new city.
Finally, the trip is over; you've arrived. As you step out of the car, your nerves return, reminding you that you're in a completely unfamiliar city.
All around you, you can hear the normal hustle and bustle of any city. You feel the small drops of cold water fall on you and your hair, almost as if welcoming you to this new beginning in a city like this.
You soon get to know your new home; it's a decent apartment, big enough for you and your parents to live in.
You're relieved to see that at least the new apartment they'll be living in isn't so bad, it's nice and comfortable enough, with enough space for you three.
It's been a few days since you arrived in Gotham, you still haven't managed to get into a school here, so for now you're just resting and spending time at home with your mother.
You don't like going out much right now because, first of all, Gotham is still completely unknown to you. And above all, you're afraid that going out on the street might end up getting you mugged or something, given the high crime rate here.
You sigh softly as you look out your bedroom window. It's still raining... It certainly seems to rain quite often here. The rain here seems almost eternal.
Since the day you arrived, the sun hasn't shone here for a second. It's always cloudy and rainy. The weather is too gray for a gray city like this... It was to be expected, to tell the truth.
But you can't help but feel increasingly bored here. Spending time alone in your room these days is becoming too much to bear.
You want to step outside for a moment... But at the same time, you don't want to.
So, you don't know what's stronger, your boredom or your fear of going out into the unknown streets of Gotham.
Finally, after a little more time, you realize it: the boredom is greater. This time, you can't stand it anymore.
You get out of bed and get ready to go outside. You also think about asking your mother to join you for a bit, but she can't because she's busy preparing dinner, so you'll really have to go out on your own this time.
There's a store a few blocks from where you live, so you decide to go there, buy some things, and then quickly return home to your mother.
"Don't forget to take an umbrella with you. It's raining outside, and I don't want you to get sick." Your mother reminded you from the kitchen, knowing full well that sometimes you're so forgetful or distracted that you forget important things, like an umbrella.
"Yeah, I know." You let out a small snort, grabbing an umbrella. You were really about to leave without it, but as always, your mom was there to remind you of the important things.
Once finally ready, you leave the apartment.
Stepping out onto the streets of Gotham, you are greeted by the crisp, cold air, and the rain-soaked ground as well.
You ignore the weather as you walk leisurely toward the store. Along the way, you see many people passing by, all immersed in their own worlds.
You hear the sirens of a police car on another street, and you can't help but wonder what just happened. But hey, this is probably common in Gotham; you should get used to the noise a little, too.
So, ignoring the hustle and bustle of the streets and everything else, you focus on continuing to walk calmly.
Once you finally arrive at the store, you smile slightly as you walk in, happy that you've successfully reached your goal without getting mugged by any robbers in the process.
When you enter the store, you walk down the aisles, looking at each shelf and choosing what you want to buy.
You end up choosing some drinks, and some candy too. So, you head to the register to pay for what you ordered.
Before you, at the checkout was a rather tall man who had bought a pack of cigarettes, so you waited for him to leave before finally walking over and paying for your own things.
Once you've paid, you pack your belongings into a bag and then calmly walk out of the store.
You hold up your umbrella again to protect yourself from the rain once you're back in the cold weather outside.
But, before you leave, you stop, noticing that the same man who was in the store earlier is now outside, smoking one of the cigarettes he bought.
You wonder why that guy decided to smoke right outside the store... You sneak a look at him for a moment, until he seems to notice and turns to you as well. As soon as that happens, you quickly look away, pretending you weren't looking at him.
You try to quickly think of what to do, you know the best option is to simply continue on your way and return to the department.
But... Before you can take a step, you remember that the man smoking doesn't seem to be carrying an umbrella either.
'Why didn't he bring an umbrella? He knows it's raining, he should have brought one. He could get sick from the rain...' you thought, with a look of doubt and worry.
You know you don't need to worry, but you can't help it. So, letting your worry get the better of you, you decide to be a little impulsive and finally approach him.
"Uh.. E-excuse me, don't you have an umbrella?" You asked, a small nervous giggle escaping your lips as your eyes met his.
He stares at you for a moment, raising an eyebrow at your question, as if he wasn't expecting it at all.
"No, I don't have one, but I don't need one." He replied, his tone cautious, though there was also a hint of curiosity about you; he'd never seen you around here before.
From his response, you instantly realize what kind of person this man is. He's probably a little bitter, right? Or maybe everyone in Gotham is like that.
You don't know... But what you know for sure is that he won't just accept your offer of your umbrella.
It's not that you're really keen to protect a stranger from the rain and hand them your own umbrella. But... You can't help but want to. Just out of kindness.
"Then... You can take mine, I'll be fine, I live very close by. Bye!" you said quickly, pushing your umbrella towards him and then turning around and running away, preventing him from being able to refuse your umbrella.
You run back to your apartment building, panting slightly once you finally arrive.
Gosh... It was really lucky that you didn't slip while running through the wet streets.
Your hair and clothes are now slightly soaked due to the rain, but you don't care.
Honestly, you don't even know why you felt the need to give your umbrella to a stranger smoking outside the store. Although, it doesn't really matter now; after all, you already did it.
Okay, this will be your act of kindness for the day. You sigh softly as you head back into the apartment, preparing to be scolded by your mother for losing your umbrella and getting soaked in the rain.
——————
Jason's eyes remain open almost in surprise for a moment longer, looking in the direction you ran.
Then his eyes wander to the umbrella in his hands that you gave him.
Of course, he doesn't need the umbrella or anyone's kindness, he was going to reject you and give you back the umbrella, but he couldn't do it as soon as you ran away.
Unable to help it, a small, amused smile spreads across his lips, making his expression no longer as serious or hard as it usually appears.
He's a little amused to remember the way you approached him, your quick, nervous words, and the way you ran away in the rain was even funnier.
"How unexpected..." Jason muttered to himself, putting out his cigarette and setting it aside.
It was extremely rare in Gotham for someone to be willing to care and make a kind gesture for someone as intimidating-looking as him.
No one in Gotham is too kind, because genuine kindness in a city like this is completely unnecessary to survive here.
Which makes him wonder if you're actually from Gotham, or if you actually come from somewhere else... Well, it's probably the latter.
Jason has lived long enough on the streets of Gotham to know that you should never be unnecessarily kind, especially to someone you don't know and who doesn't seem exactly trustworthy.
Yet you... You don't seem to know much about it.
If you're really new here, maybe I should look you up and check on you from time to time, just to make sure you don't get into trouble thanks to your naive kindness.
He can't help but feel a little more curious about you, so he'll definitely make sure to see you again soon.
Jason takes the umbrella, using it to cover himself from the rain as he turns and walks away from the store.
For now, he should focus on getting back to Crime Alley and solving some important issues. But as soon as he can... He'll definitely come back here, to try to meet you again.
❦:(Here's chapter two, I hope you liked it. It took me a little longer than I thought to publish it because I made it a little longer than I originally planned. // And now that Reader has arrived in Gotham, this is when her encounters with each member of the batfam begin. I chose Jason to start, but in the next chapters Reader will meet the other characters 😌.)
@alejandroxpadi on twitter just subtitled and uploaded to YouTube the short film "Le Fil Rouge"/"the red thread", the companion short Alice Rohrwacher created as a companion to La Chimera! I had been looking for it online for ages and couldn't find it so I am super happy, there u go in case you were interested as well :) https://youtu.be/4Akl0n4gXmA?si=DMYlyMK3Jk8tIw-B
wah this is so lovely thank you for sharing... love all the shadowplay
