Matt closes his eyes, but Tim continues to look at him, gaze tracing every inch of his face. Everything he's already memorized, and wants to rememorize, maybe for the rest of his life. The stubble on Matt's jaw, the shape of his mouth, the part in his hair. Tim's in love with all of it, every single aspect that makes up Matt Murdock. Even the fact that he's a vigilante by night.

He continues tracing Matt's mouth and jaw and cheek with the tips of his fingers, light and gentle and avoiding all bruises and gashes that are there. He's never been so in love. And he doesn't think he'll ever be in love like this again. Matt might very well be it for him.

"Yeah," he says quietly. "My ma did. Told me if I didn't come back alive, she'd never forgive me. I ain't ever seen that woman cry, but she did when I got back from my final deployment and told her I was stayin'."