Chapter Text
All that lives must die,
Passing through nature to eternity.
Objectively, it’s easy to understand that there are many ways to have relationships with the concept of death. To mourn, to wail, to scream in outrage – all of that makes perfect sense as a reaction. In the case of Matt Bluestone, there is an eerie calm that settles in. The pulse of his heart evens out, although he feels his eyes and mouth go dry, as if every part of him resists the idea of reacting further than is absolutely necessary.
“Detective.”
Captain Maria Chavez isn’t cold or cruel, but the tone is firm. It’s a lot of tough love, Elisa remarked once with her brand of smile. Usually in the past, Matt would find himself steeling himself, ready to make an argument for his line of thinking. Right now, he just finds himself looking up from his papers and notes.
The body language is obvious enough to him. Her stance is strong and she’s presenting that strength well, but there’s just the smallest hint of red in her eyes. Understandable, he thinks.
Matt nods. “Captain.”
“I understand you want on this case. Hell, every cop here does.” She leans against his desk, steady eyes gazing down at him. “You out of everyone especially.”
“I’m sensing a but.”
A hint of sympathy is on her face. “You’re too close to this.”
It’s not unexpected that she’d bring that up. Matt’s lips press into a flat line, and he links his fingers together. “I can work it, Captain.”
“Matt–”
“I can work it,” he repeats, careful in tempering his tone. “And if it turns out I can’t, then give me the boot.”
Maria’s eyes close, then she slowly nods. “Then I expect no complaints if it comes to that.”
There’s a pause, and Matt hesitates to bring up the next subject, but it is, regrettably, needed. “Did you… I mean, the family–”
“Yes,” she answers softly.
“Right.” Matt breathes in deep, then checks his watch. Almost sundown. “She has– there’s extended family I met recently. I’ll make sure they know, just in case.”
“I see.” Maria sighs softly. “You’re a good man doing that for them, but take a break when you do talk to them, Bluestone. I mean it.”
As Matt stands up, he pulls on his overcoat. “I hear you. I’ll be back, though.”
There isn’t any argument when he departs. As he walks away, he glances outside, feeling heavier as the sky starts to darken. It isn’t a task he favors doing, but there isn’t a way out of it even if he wanted to. There are so, so many worse ways they could find out, and it has to come from him.
Shutting the door behind him, Matt pulls down the wooden stairs. He told Elisa once that they should really replace them sometime – they creak, they’re old, long forgotten. Still, he tries to shake off the thought, compartmentalize any shred of memory that could compromise him. He can’t afford it, not now or tomorrow.
As he makes his way into the living space of the gargoyle clan, he hears them break free of stone, yawning and waking. They’re chattering – Broadway musing about breakfast, Hudson pondering what will be on TV tonight, and so on. Matt closes his eyes and braces himself as they walk in.
“Matt!” Broadway calls out, jovial and warm as ever. “What’s up?”
Matt’s mouth opens, then closes. Breathe in, get the words, just state the facts–
Goliath’s voice is absolutely unmistakable: “Bluestone. Where is Elisa? Is she not with you?”
Finally, he looks at them. Curious eyes, concerned eyes. These weren’t just Elisa’s friends, they were another part of her life. Her family.
“I have something to tell you all,” Matt says, his tone careful and practiced precise. “And I’ll do my best to answer your questions.”
It does not go well. There’s no reason it would. As he thought before, it is natural to react emotionally. Like Angela’s weeping as Hudson holds her, the tears clearly brimming in Broadway’s eyes. There’s uncertainty with Brooklyn and Lexington, as if they’re struggling to properly digest the news.
Matt had never been clueless about Goliath and Elisa, even if it was a bridge never quite crossed with them. Passing looks from each other, or the way Elisa would sometimes go on to describe an incredible feat from Goliath, be it in physical strength or his moral compass, how much admiration as well as adoration.
So, it does not surprise him to see the heartbreak on Goliath’s face, that look of devastation. A mix of fury, raw emotion as his eyes suddenly glow white. Matt bites his lower lip and lets him go, Goliath racing out of the Clocktower, roaring into the night. A whole symphony of anguish.
It leaves him feeling hollow.