Alex finished stitching the wound, swift and clean. The man flinched once but otherwise stayed quiet. A veteran of the streets, probably. The kind who'd seen enough pain to know when not to complain.
"Keep off it for at least two days. No running, no stairs, no fights," Alex said, removing the gloves and tossing them into the bio-bin. He handed the man a sealed pack of antibiotics. "Take one tonight. Then once a day for the next five days. Come back if you feel numbness or burning. Otherwise, you're good."
The man nodded, looking at him with something between respect and fear. "Thanks. I heard… if someone like me came in, I'd leave with more holes than I came in with."
Alex's eyes narrowed faintly. "Depends on the kind of 'someone' you are."
The man stood, wincing slightly as he adjusted his weight. "I'm not clean, doc… but I'm not the kind that hurts people for fun. This?" He gestured to his leg. "Was punishment. I broke an oath to a crew I should've never joined. I'm done with them now."
Alex watched him for a long moment. Then nodded. "Get out before they decide to finish the job. You've got a clean wound and a clean chance. Don't waste either."
"Yeah." The man turned toward the door, pausing at the threshold. "Thanks, doc. Really."
As he left, the bell rang softly again. Then silence.
Alex returned to his desk, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Another day, another life saved.
He continued to wait as more citizens came and went—some injured, some merely worn out by the streets—but all needing help in one way or another.
"You sure are limping a lot these days," Alex remarked as Daredevil stepped in, his gait uneven. The crimson suit was scuffed, and blood soaked one leg—clean shot, likely a bullet.
"Well, I've got a miracle doctor waiting to treat me, so I guess I got a little bolder," Daredevil replied with a quiet laugh.
Alex shook his head, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. For most patients, he stuck to real-world medicine—stitches, salves, and knowledge born of his Doctor studies. But for him? For Matt?
He used Chi.
Channeling it carefully, Alex could accelerate the healing process. What would've taken days melted into hours. That's why Daredevil could limp in like a wounded war veteran and walk out like nothing had ever touched him.
Not a bad arrangement for Hell's Kitchen's silent guardian.
As Alex gestured for him to sit, Daredevil slid onto the padded bench with a familiar grunt. The pain didn't faze him—it rarely did—but even enhanced senses couldn't will away a torn muscle or seared flesh.
"You're lucky it missed the artery," Alex said as he pulled on fresh gloves, inspecting the wound. "Another inch to the left and you'd be spending the night under someone else's care."
"I trust your hands more than theirs," Matt said, voice calm but tired. "Besides, no one's gonna ask questions here."
Alex snorted. "Damn right. But next time, try dodging before the bullet hits."
Matt cracked a faint smile. "You're starting to sound like Foggy."
Alex didn't respond. He was already drawing energy to his fingertips—Chi, warm and controlled. It flowed beneath the skin like living current, responding to the damage instinctively. His hand hovered above the wound for just a second, then pressed lightly.
Daredevil flinched—but not from pain. From the sensation. The heat. The way the torn muscle seemed to knit together almost instantly.
"I'll never get used to that," he muttered.
"You're not supposed to," Alex replied, focused. "If this ever feels normal, it means I've failed. Healing should never become a crutch."
Matt nodded quietly, letting the energy flow do its work.
For a few minutes, the room was silent—just the soft hum of Chi, the distant city noise bleeding through the clinic's reinforced windows, and the occasional flick of medical instruments being sorted.
Finally, Alex stepped back, pulling off his gloves. "All done."
Matt stood slowly, testing his leg. No pain. No weakness. He rolled his shoulder once, then looked at Alex with a raised brow. "You're too good to be doing this alone."
"I'm not," Alex replied, turning to tidy his instruments. "Maria's out, talking to the other two."
Matt tilted his head. "You mean those two?"
Alex smirked. "Yeah. It might end in a fight… or a family dinner. Either way, I'm not going to stop it."
"Sounds dangerous."
Alex shrugged. "So's falling in love with three women who could each tear my head off in different ways."
Matt chuckled. "Fair enough."
He grabbed his cane—more a tool of disguise than necessity—and turned toward the door.
"You should stay alert from now on," Matt said. "Kingpin isn't happy about your presence here. This area used to be under his thumb, but now that you're here, people no longer fear him. Sooner or later, some of his men might come to harass you."
Alex nodded calmly. "Let them come. They're just dinner for my pet."
He said it without hesitation, eyes gleaming faintly.
Cypher had already consumed plenty of humans—most of them criminals—and her power had grown significantly since. Not only that, she had taken on a more humanoid form now, sleek and lethal, and had become even better at killing.
Silently. Efficiently. Ruthlessly.
Hearing the word pet, Matt shook his head. Some might think Alex meant a normal animal—not something that could devour a full-grown human in one gulp. Though Matt couldn't see, his senses told him enough to know that whatever this Cypher was… it wasn't ordinary. Not by a long shot.
Thinking to himself, he turned slightly, listening to Alex's heartbeat—steady, calm, deadly. "Fortunately, he's got a good heart. Otherwise, who knows what might've happened to the rest of us humans?" he thought grimly.
He gave Alex a small nod. "Very well then. Still… take care of yourself."
And with that, he left.
Alex waved a hand lazily, as if to say, Don't worry about it.
Then he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head.
"Hmm… That fat bastard's taking his time," he muttered to himself. "If Kingpin really does send someone, shouldn't they be here by now? Or maybe they're planning a surprise street visit…"
Alex smirked darkly. "If he comes, Cypher will get a nice treat. She's been hungry."
He glanced at the wall clock, sighing.
Still waiting for his next customer.
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