The Three Words
“I don’t see my mom yet,” Kate looks around the lounge with keen eyes, scanning through the faces of the various partygoers.
“Why don’t you tell me what you do see?” Clint quickly scanned through the room, too, before settling on Kate, “What are our assets? What are our threats?”
“Mmm. Threats? That guy,” Kate’s eyes landed on a familiar man who was yelling at one of the waiters that was distributing drinks, “That’s Gary. He fired me from one of the only jobs I ever had.” Clint nodded his head slightly in acknowledgment.
“Assets? Well, we have those all over the party,” Kate smirks slightly as she spots their allies throughout the party. It is now that Kate realizes that the waiter Gary was yelling at was Wendy, her annoyance evident on her face as she rolls her eyes and unclenches her jaw. Orval was out front greeting guests and checking their coats, while Grills and Missy were offering appetizers to the guests. Lastly, her eyes settled on you, who was standing behind the bar, fixing drinks. She sees you laugh politely as you hand a drink to a guest. The sight of you brings a smile to her face, until the reality of the situation settled in.
You had fervently insisted on being a part of this mission, much to Kate’s distress. She tried to convince you to not come to no avail. Hell, she even asked Clint to see if he could convince you against joining, but he too was defeated.
She wanted– needed to keep you safe. She knows the risks that come along with the job, she knows what she is getting into. She has been training for this moment since she was a child, and the chance was finally here. She would not pass it up.
But she is not willing to put you in harm's way, and this is the definition of harm's way. She recalls the night she met Clint, how you told her that she would not be doing this alone. She did not think you meant it this way, of you insisting on being a part of this mission. She can not protect you here if things go sideways, and that scares her.
She wondered if this is what you felt, ever since learning about the Tracksuit mafia, the black widow assassin and now the Kingpin and her mother. Perhaps that’s why you joined, wanting to make sure she was safe firsthand. She did not have the answer yet, but maybe, once this was all over, you would tell her.
Perhaps it was selfish, to want to be a hero and to keep you in her life, all at the same time. Perhaps it was selfish of her to hope that you will stay. But, if you were willing to stay with her through it all, if you wanted to stay with her despite her career choice, then would it truly be selfish?
Your eyes meet hers and you give her a genuine smile. To finally spot Kate at the party after serving snobby guests all night was a sight for sore eyes. You force another laugh as a patron that trapped you in conversation makes a stupid joke. You could not wait for this guy to leave already.
His attempts at flirting were subpar, to put it lightly, and were not subtle. You were pretty sure he felt emboldened by the alcohol in his system. It was, quite frankly, pissing you off. The awful flirting went on for a few more minutes despite you trying to do your job. You quickly grew tired of listening to his voice and looked for a way to leave the one-sided conversation.
“Please excuse me, I have to get more champagne bottles from the back,” you lie and promptly head towards the kitchens, not allowing him time to respond. Once you were hidden away in the safety of the kitchens, you rub your eyes as you groan, “I hate people.”
You quickly regain your composure and go get at least two champagne bottles, so as to not arouse any suspicion. Gary was not a pleasant man, and you certainly did not want him yelling at you. You walked to the back and grabbed the bottles.
The sound of a breaking glass sets every muscle in your body on high alert. Far away screams fill your ears as people begin to panic. A second glass is broken, then a third. ‘Was someone shooting at the building?’
You walk out into the main kitchen, and you see Kate, along with her mother and her mother’s fiancé.
“Hey, were those gunshots?” you approach them quickly and put the two bottles you were carrying on the table beside you.
“I-I don’t know,” Kate furrowed her brow as she looked between everyone in the group. “What the hell was that?” Kate says into her comms device as the commotion outside grew louder.
“Shots fired. We’re workin’ on gettin’ these people outta here,” you hear the voice of an agitated Clint through your own comms device.
“Mom, Jack, stay here,” Kate says in a commanding voice as she begins to walk away.
“Kate, do not go out there, it’s too dangerous,” Eleanor says authoritatively.
“You’re the reason it’s dangerous out there, mom. Just stay put and stay out of this,” Kate responds defiantly. Her eyes held a simmering anger towards her mom. Her gaze then shifts to you, her eyes growing softer as she takes in a breath. “Please be careful,” she says in a gentler, quieter tone, her eyebrows being drawn together ever so slightly. “I will, you too,” you say quickly, wishing you could reach out and squeeze her hand. She gives you a nod, before running out to the main floor.
You take a quick glance back at Jack and Eleanor, only to see her retreating towards the emergency exit stairs. You stayed frozen in place for a few seconds, unsure of what to do, before deciding to go after her.
“Uh, Miss-Miss Bishop, you– Kate said to stay here,” you say dubiously as you catch up to her. She makes no effort to slow down, instead choosing to ignore your protests. “Miss Bishop, this-this is a bad idea, I really think–,” you continued but she interrupted.
“I understand you believe you are trying to help, but I have things under control,” she said sharply as she stopped going down the stairs and turned to look at you. You clench your jaw tightly, whatever doubt you had disappeared almost instantly.
“No, you aren’t listening,” you respond with the same type of fierceness she had met you with, “you are in genuine danger, the type of danger that could get you killed, all because you underestimated your partner. There are a whole bunch of people out there who are trying to keep you safe, including your daughter, yet here you are, not doing what you were told. You have two choices, trusting and listening to Kate or doing whatever it is you’re going to do.” You maintain eye contact and level a challenging glare to prove that you were not intimidated.
“You are kids who don’t know what you’re doing, and you will get hurt,” she insists, “you need to let the adults handle this situation.”
“You are the adult responsible for this mess in the first place! And you clearly can’t clean it up, not by yourself at least! And quite frankly, you should give your daughter a lot more credit for what she’s capable of,” you say coolly, “but you’re clearly not willing to stay still and do what you were told, so I can’t help you. I’m gonna go back to help those people get out of the building. Goodbye, Miss Bishop.”
It was clear your words had no impact on her. Instead, she sighed and continued her descent down the stairs.
Jack was gone by the time you got back to the kitchen. By the time you re-entered the main hall, the lights had been turned off while people continued to run towards the elevators, stumbling and pushing whoever was in their way. Others stayed behind, ducking behind walls, overturned tables, and couches. You spot Orval directing people out of the room.
Things seemed to be going according to plan.
Your eyes scan the room, and you see small groups of people hiding behind overturned couches, tables, and chairs. ‘Okay, let’s get these people out,’ you duck down and walk along the protection of the wall.
You made your way over to them, helping them reach the elevators. Two people were injured; one was suffering from a graze wound on her arm, while another had hurt his ankle. You told the man with the injured ankle to stay where he was and that you would return for him. In the meantime, you grabbed a clean piece of cloth and tied off the woman’s wound. After getting her out of harm’s way and close to the elevators, you returned for the man. By that point, the building was no longer being shot at, but it was still not safe.
You helped him up to his feet and got him to the elevators, too. The hall was brimming with panicked guests, all pushing and shoving each other in the attempt at getting out. Missy and Wendy were having a hard time directing the guests, as none of them would listen. Once you got there, two members of the injured man’s party, a lanky man and a tall woman, found him and they took over from then on. “Thank you for helping him,” the woman says gratefully before following the two men. “You’re welcome,” you say even though she had already left. You returned to the main lounge in search of any others who needed help.
“The main lounge has been cleared,” you said through comms after confirming no one was left on the main floor. “Everyone is almost out and down the elevators,” Missy says.
“Kate’s mom’s not here. She’s gone,” you hear Orval say through comms.
“She left as soon as Kate found her. I tried stopping her, but she wouldn’t listen. Last I saw her, she was going down the emergency stairs,” you responded as you made your way to the elevators once more. “There’s nothing we can do about it now, we gotta focus on getting these people out,” says Grills.
You met with Wendy and Missy, who were corralling the last few people nearby. Once they were all packed into one elevator, all three of you took the other one. Missy grabbed a black duffel bag before getting in. “Finally,” Missy sighed and laid back against the elevator wall.
“No time to relax, the hard part ain’t over yet,” Wendy said.
The building lobby was packed with panicked people pushing to get out the door. Grills was already waiting for you there. “Let’s go, we gotta get Kate her stuff,” he says and starts pushing through the sea of people. You all spot Kate near the main door.
“Guys! Guys, where’s my gear? I need my gear,” she says desperately. “Missy!” called Grills.
“I got it! I got it,” Missy pushed forwards and handed Kate the duffle bag. “Any eyes on my mom yet?” Kate asks.
“Not yet,” Grills responds quickly.
“No? Okay,” she says quietly, almost as if it were meant for herself, “Look, I gotta get Clint outta that tree. Clear the civilians for me.”
“What about that guy?” Wendy gestures to Jack, who was fighting off some of the bros with a sword, “He doesn’t seem to…”
“He’s on our side, but we should probably get him out of here, too.”
“All right,” Wendy responds.
“All right, good luck,” and with that, Kate was off.
The four of you begin trying to direct people out of the plaza to no avail. “These people are terrible at following directions,” Wendy says with annoyance ringing in her voice. “Hey guys, I think it’s time,” Grills says.
“Are you sure?” Missy asks dubiously.
“Yeah. I mean, we’re trained professionals, but that’s not enough right now.”
“Let’s go,” Wendy says without skipping a beat and the three of them run back inside.
‘What?’ you think as you stand in place, confused. There was no time though, so you spring into action, opting to convince Jack to get going.
You run towards him and start calling his name. He turns to you after deflecting an attack. He says your name happily, “So good to see you again! You wouldn’t happen to know where Eleanor went, would you?”
“No, I don’t, sorry.”
“Ah, no matter, I’m sure she’ll turn up soon,” he replies, letting down his blade, “She’s a very resourceful woman, you know.”
“Right,” you say slowly. For a small moment, you spotted none of the mafia bros nearby. “Listen Jack, Kate said to clear out all civilians from here–,” you begin to say before he interrupts. “Mm, yes, these people must be cleared out, who knows who will get injured with these goons running about,” he says while looking at the scattering people, “yes, I shall help in clearing them out.” He begins running off and yelling for people to follow him.
You stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds, once again not understanding what the hell just happened.
You don’t have much time to think about it when you feel a hand on your shoulder turn you around. In front of you stood a tracksuit bro about to throw a punch. You dodge out of the way just in time, “Woah!”
Behind him, you see at least half a dozen more tracksuits coming from further away. You back up as he throws another punch, “Chill, man!”
“No way bro, you’re with that guy, Kate Bishop,” he replies and tries to go for a low blow. You continued jumping out of the way, not knowing when to punch back. You have seen this in dozens of movies, but that does not compare to now.
After he threw another punch, you launched an attack of your own. You threw a kick, which he dodged easily. You ended up with your back turned to him, allowing him to get you from behind. He sends a blow against your shoulder, causing you to stumble forwards. You turn towards him quickly and try throwing a quick punch when he least expected it. You managed to hit him in the jaw, but it had little effect on him.
He threw another punch and this time, his fist connected with your brow, throwing you backwards a bit. For a good few seconds, all you could see were stars floating in your vision. He goes for another punch, and you just barely get out of the way.
You aim a punch to the throat in hopes in incapacitating him enough to beat him. He choked when your fist collided, and he staggered back a few steps. You kick him between the legs, sending him to his knees, before punching him in the face as hard as you could. Thankfully, he went down.
You close your eyes and press your hands against your temples, waves of pain running through your head. Your hand and shoulder throbbed painfully. You realized something wet running down your eye. You quickly dab your finger over it and see that it was blood, “Aw crap.” You begin to gently wipe away as much as you with your sleeves. You see as the white cuffs of your inner shirt were stained red, “Damn, I liked this shirt.”
How the hell you managed to take that guy down, you’ll never know. You were just glad that this one only came at you with fists. When looking for where the rest of them had gone, you see them lying on the ground with arrows sticking out of them. Seems like either Kate or Clint got to them first. You cringed, ‘That had to hurt.’
All four of the larpers finally come out of the building, sporting their new costumes. They immediately begin shouting directions. Only now did people begin to listen to them. It dawned on you that, in a world filled with superheroes, people will listen to anyone one in spandex or hero-looking attire.
“What happened to you?!” Wendy asks when you approached them. “I kicked some ass, is what happened,” you reply boastfully, despite knowing full well you got your ass handed to you, “Nice threads, by the way.”
“Right?” Missy says loudly, “at least someone appreciates the costumes!”
“I’m just saying I could have gone without the tight pants!” Grills yells, “This way people, come on, this way!”
“I was under a time constraint close to Christmas, it was either tight pants or no finished costume at all!”
The street was mostly cleared, but there were still a few people running about.
You see a few “Trust a Bro” moving vans barrel down the street and come to a screeching halt as close to the rink as possible. Dozens of men in red and green tracksuits jumped out of the back, all carrying large guns and getting closer to the rink.
“Hey guys,” you call out the larpers, your eyes never leaving the tracksuits, “tell people to go back inside.”
“What?” Oval yelled over the sound of shouting people. It quickly dawned on you just how many of them there were, and that they were surrounding the area.
“Go back inside!” you yell, running towards the building, “Go back inside now!”
The larpers began yelling for people to run inside and those who were close enough to the Comcast building did. A man near you tripped over his own feet trying to get to the door. You helped him up and you both managed to get to the safety of the building. Thankfully, the street seemed to be clear of civilians by the time the tracksuits flooded the plaza.
You spot the larpers huddled up off to the side and you quickly make your way over to them.
“What now?” you ask once you reach them.
“Cops and paramedics are already on their way,” Wendy stated.
“Do we know if anyone in here is injured?” you asked.
“Not yet, no.”
“Then we should do that, too, it’ll make the paramedics’ jobs easier.”
The sound of gunshots going off drew your eyes out the window. Even from this distance and angle, you could see bits of the ensuing fight.
“Should-shouldn’t we be helping them?” you asked looking back at the larpers, concern laced in your tone. “I… don’t know, they seem to be handling it well,” Missy says hesitantly. It wasn’t until there was a series of bright flashing lights and several pained screams that you all made up your mind.
“Yeah, we’re staying here,” Wendy said first.
“Ain’t no way I‘m getting hit with one of their arrows,” Grills followed up.
“We’re better off waiting for the cops and the paramedics to show up,” Missy continued.
“They’re probably fine without us,” Orval finished.
“Let’s get started on that list,” you say as you back away from the window, “there’s probably some notepads and pens at the lobby desk, let’s go.”
All of you made your way through the hall, identifying and helping injured civilians. Between the five of you, you found at least 10 people with minor injuries and about 3 with more serious wounds. After a few minutes, Grills and Wendy stepped outside, hoping to direct emergency personnel towards the building once they showed up.
“Kate, your mom just came out of the side door,” you hear Grills voice say through your comms device as you tightened a piece of cloth around a man’s arm. The comms went silent after that.
A few more minutes passed before the sound of sirens could be heard. Once the law enforcement cars and the ambulances were in sight, people began to go back outside. The paramedics came inside and started tending to the more seriously injured. The list with the essential information of the injured civilians that was made was passed on to them. You made your way outside, looking on as cops began arresting the tracksuit bros, and interviewing witnesses.
You took a mental tally of who you could see; you spotted Clint speaking with one of the cops and some of the larpers were helping the paramedics; you even spotted Jack attempting to convince the cops to not take away his sword. The only people you didn’t see were Kate and her mother, much to your dismay.
You hear someone stepping closer from behind you. You turn to face them and see Wendy, her arms crossed over her chest. “Hey,” you say, giving her a half smile. She returns your greeting. “Is there anything else to do?” you ask.
“No, not really,” she answers. This was the perfect time to go and find Kate.
“Okay, well, if that’s true, then I’m just gonna– I’ll go and–”
“Go find your girlfriend, everything is covered over here,” Wendy reassured you and gave you a soft smile. “Thank you,” you say, relieved, before running off to begin your search. You knew Kate must’ve gone after her mom, so you headed to where she was spotted last.
You made your way over to the side of the building. You were met with the sight of a car that had crashed into the side into the toy store. Rubble and debris covered the floor, and there were a few “Trust-a-Bro” vans and police cars surrounding the area.
The scene set you on edge, the very real possibility of Kate being hurt returning to you quickly. You hasten your pace as you feel the anxiety bubbling in your chest.
Then you finally spot her, the red and blue lights from the cop car illuminating her face.
“Oh, thank g– Kate!” She hears you call out to her and turns around. You run towards her, closing the distance between the both of you. She catches you with a hug and holds you tightly.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” you say as you let her go, placing your hand on either side of her face while inspecting for injuries. You look at the scattered cuts on her face and you could not help brushing your thumb against her cheek.
“I’m okay, I’m okay, I promise,” she says, nodding her head before placing her hands over yours. Her eyes flickered towards your forehead and noticed the gash you had obtained earlier in the night. “What happened to your head?” she asks worriedly, her thumb gently trying to wipe away some of the blood that had begun to trail down the side of your face again.
“Don’t worry about me, I’m fine,” you answer with a small smile in an attempt to reassure her, but it was clear she was unconvinced. “Hey, I promise I’m okay,” you repeat.
“Sir, the suspect is gone,” you hear a voice say over on your left. You both turn towards the voice, and you see an officer reporting to their superior. You take a quick glance at Kate, and you see her clench her jaw. “We need to set up a 5-mile perimeter, take any available officers to search it. He can’t have gotten that far,” the superior officer said with an exasperated tone, “tell Nuñez to get the Bishop woman to the precinct and begin processing her.”
You furrow your brow and take another glance at Kate. You follow her gaze and your eyes land on the cop car, where you finally notice her mother sitting in the back. She had been arrested.
“Oh shit, Kate, I’m so sorry,” you say in a gentle tone. She looks back at you, and you see her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
“It’s over,” she says quietly as she buries her face in the crook of your neck. You strengthen your grip around her, placing one of your hands against the base of her head. “It’s over,” you echo her words to reaffirm them, “it’s finally over.”
You glance towards the back of the cop car, and you notice her mother’s eyes lingering on both your figures. For a brief moment, you made eye contact. Her expression was defeated, but she did not seem to regret it. You believe that she truly thought her actions were the correct ones and nothing would convince her otherwise.
You tear your eyes away from her, choosing to focus on Kate and on whatever it was that she needed.
After Kate’s mother had been taken away, you both made your way back to the Rockefeller Center. Cop cars and ambulances littered the space. Small groups of people stuck around, trying to take pictures and see what was happening. You manage to spot Clint speaking with another cop on the scene, while the larpers all were sitting on the benches nearby.
You and Kate sat at the back of the ambulance after the paramedics treated your minor injuries. She laid her head on top of yours, your hands intertwined together. You gently ran your thumb over the back of her hand, listening to the pattern of her breathing. After a whole night of running and fighting, the moment of silence was greatly appreciated.
You shift your head slightly, which prompts her to raise her head and sit up straight. You turn towards her and give her a small pout. She places a soft kiss one your forehead in response.
You reach out to caress her cheek with your thumb and give her smile. You see the heaviness of the night weighing her down behind her eyes. You give her hand a squeeze, to remind her that you’re here for her. You feel your heart swell tightly in your chest. Those words. Was now a good time to say them? After everything that had happened tonight, should you? Or should you wait again?
Time ran out when you noticed Clint’s figure getting closer to you both through your peripheral vision. You look up at him and he gives you a smile, a real one this time.
“Hell of a night, huh?” he says humorously. “I’ll say. Don’t know how you do this all the time,” you respond, and become aware to the soreness of your body. “You get used to it,” he says as he takes a seat beside you with a groan.
“I don’t think I could ever get used to that,” you reply. “That reminds me, you’re teaching me how to fight,” you say to Kate, much to her surprise. “Oh, am I now?” she asks with a playful smirk. “Yes, yes you are. This is New York, I should at least know how to throw a punch,” you joke.
A few seconds passed before you let go of Kate’s hand and pushed off from where you sat with a grunt. “I’ll let you two talk,” you say softly before leaning and planting a kiss on Kate’s forehead. “I’ll be over there with them,” you say, gesturing towards the larpers with your head.
Your eyes remain on her for a few lingering seconds, and you brush your hand against her cheek. Perhaps you didn’t get to say the words, not yet, but you hope that every single touch, every single kiss, every single look lets her know. Just until you get to say the words.
Upon approaching the larpers, a cop swiftly swept you away to get your statement. After about ten minutes, you finished recounting everything that happened throughout the night.
The cop thanks you before walking away. You turn to look around the scene before you. The ambulance had not left yet, and you noticed that Clint was still sitting at the back. The larpers stood together in a huddle and you could hear the sounds of their laughter as they talked. Interestingly enough, Jack was laughing along with them. There were less cops around the area and the street had mostly cleared now. The only person you could not see was Kate.
Until a familiar pair of arms wrapped around your middle. “Hey, baby,” you say softly as you melt into her touch. “Hey, baby,” she mirrors your words with the same gentleness. You turn in her arms to face her, wrapping your own arms around her. “Guess what?” she asks after a few seconds of enjoying each other’s warmth.
“We just fought the mafia?” you answer jokingly. “Yes, but not that,” she gives you a fond smile, “Clint invited us both to spend Christmas day with his family.”
You raised eyebrows in surprise. “Wait, me too?” you ask incredulously. “Yes, you too,” she responds as she softly caresses your cheek. “Really? That’s really nice of him,” a smile began to form on your lips. Then you remembered something.
“Wait, he has kids, right? And a wife? Shouldn’t we bring something over, then? We don’t have presents to give them. Where the hell do you find a store open at this hour on Christmas Eve? I mean, that toy store you wrecked is there but–” you continued to ramble about finding presents, but all Kate could do was look at you with adoring eyes.
“Hey, hey, it’s fine,” she says while giggling, “maybe we can find something at the airport.”
“Airport? We’re going on a plane? To where?” you snap out of your ramblings and ask. Kate notices the bright shine in your eyes.
“Iowa.”
“Iowa?!” you say in surprise, but, after a few seconds of thinking about it, you follow up with, “Actually, Iowa isn’t that far away, never mind.” She could not help but laugh. You absolutely adore that sound.
“You’re adorable,” she says as she wraps her arms around your waist once again.
“No, I’m not,” you deny sheepishly, as you try to hide your face by looking down. Kate giggles again and she says, “yes, you are.”
You give her a beaming smile and the swell in your chest came back.
“Okay well, when do we leave?”
“Let’s find out,” Kate grabs your hand as you both go to find Clint.
~~~
You wake up when you feel your head bump against the glass window of the car after Clint accidentally drove into a pothole on a dirt road. “Sorry,” you hear Clint say.
You felt Lucky nudging and licking your hand. You were glad Kate had finally named him, and you no longer had to refer to him by a stupid acronym. You smile down at him and begin petting him. “Are we almost there yet?” you ask groggily.
“Yeah, actually, we’re here already,” he replies, and you finally look out the window to see the large farmhouse in front of you.
“Woah,” you say quietly as you pull into the property.
“Woah indeed.” You looked at him through the rear-view mirror and saw a faint, warm smile on his lips.
He parks his car alongside his home, right in front of a fire pit that was surrounded by wooden garden chairs. The front porch was decorated with garlands, two small Christmas trees on both sides of the door, and a small reef beside the door. There were bikes and toy trucks strewn around, as well as other miscellaneous items, such as bricks, lamps, a large sled, a broken speaker, and a lawnmower, among other things.
“Can you wake Kate up?” he asks as he gets out of the car. “Yep,” you rub the sleep out of your eyes as you sit up and lean forwards to the front of the car. You look down at Kate, who had found a way to curl up in the passenger seat. You watched her for a few seconds, seeing the way her chest rose and fell in an even pattern and how relaxed her features were. You almost felt bad for having to wake her.
“Hey baby,” you said gently as you shook her shoulder, “We’re here.” She stirred slightly but did not wake. “Kate, baby, it’s time to wake up,” you try again to no avail.
Lucky jumped forwards to the driver’s seat before beginning to incessantly lick Kate’s face. “Okay, I’m up, I’m up,” she says groggily as she bolts up in her seat.
“Hey, Lucky, come here,” you laugh while patting your lap in an attempt to divert his attention. He jumped to the back and began panting happily as you pet him.
“You guys coming?” Clint says from the back of the car.
“Yeah, yep, just a sec,” you say before you hear Clint close the back of the car. You opened the door and Lucky jumped out before you even took a step outside. He was leashed though, so he could not run off. You picked up the backpack you brought as well as Kate’s handbag and a small gift bag you got at the airport.
You didn’t find much for presents there, so you opted for getting holiday themed chocolates instead.
“Hey, are you sure this is okay?” Kate asks as you both follow Clint towards the front door. Kate helps you out by taking over Lucky’s leash. She motions to grab her bag, but you pull it away, insisting on carrying it yourself. She gives in, instead holding your hand and she gives it a soft squeeze. “I’m telling you, they’re very excited to meet you,” he replies, “the both of you.” You smile at him, appreciating the reassurance. You and Clint hadn’t gotten much time to know each other, and you somewhat felt more like an inconvenience.
“Daddy!” you watch as a young boy, probably no older than four, runs out and hugs Clint. Two older kids came out, excited to see their father. The oldest of the Barton kids helped Clint with the presents. The little boy approaches you both and asks, “What’re your names?”
Clint introduces the both of you before inviting everyone back in, “Come on in. Let’s go, it’s cold.”
You take in all the homey Christmas decorations scattered throughout the Barton’s living space as you step in. A Christmas tree decorated with red and blue lights stood in the living room, garlands and cloth ornaments with Christmas phrases etched into them decorated the walls. Soft music played throughout the living room. Family Christmas cards could be spotted throughout, as well as themed pillows, stuffed reindeers, Christmas stockings, small trees, various Santa Claus statues, among various other decorations. “Wow, they really go all out for the holidays,” you say quietly to Kate as she steps inside, Lucky immediately tugging forward, excited to meet Clint’s kids.
“The dog’s so cute, what’s his name?” the youngest of the Barton kids asked happily.
Lucky managed to get loose from Kate’s grip and rushed forwards to be petted by the kids. “That’s Lucky,” Kate replies as she tries to play off the fact that Lucky escaped her grip.
“Oh, right, yeah,” your attention is brought back to Clint. It was only now that you noticed the woman standing beside him, presumably his wife. “Brought home a couple strays.”
“Hi,” Kate says softly. “Merry Christmas,” you add. Clint introduced the both of you once more before his wife welcomed you with a hug.
After being introduced to Clint’s family, the rest of the morning passed by rather quickly, as the children opened presents while drinking warm beverages and eating leftover cookies. You and Kate handed out the chocolate bars you got, and the family seemed to appreciate the gesture.
You and Kate sat beside each other on the sofa, mugs filled with coffee and hot chocolate respectively in hand, as you watched the Barton kids open their presents. The Barton parents watched from afar in the dining room. Lila spoke to Kate about archery, having taken interest in her father’s abilities. You politely listened to the conversation, but once they got technical, you zoned out, not really having the knowledge to understand.
“Kate,” Clint suddenly calls out from his dining room table, “will you help me with somethin’ real quick?”
“Yeah, sure,” she pecks your cheek before standing up. “I’ll be back in a bit,” she says as she squeezes your hand softly before leaving. You continued a polite conversation with Lila about general interests and school.
“Is everyone done with their mugs?” you asked once the last of your coffee had run cold. “I am,” Nathaniel said cheerfully, and the older kids agreed. “Okay, let me get these washed up, then,” you say and begin to collect the dirty mugs. You take them to the kitchen and place them beside the sink.
“Can I wash these here?” you ask Laura, not wanting to come off as rude. “Oh, you don’t have to, I can get to those in a bit,” she answers as she stands up from her seat. “No, no, I insist. it’s the least I could do, after you’ve allowed us to spend Christmas with you,” you respond quickly. “You really don’t have to,” she insists. “Really, it’s no trouble,” you respond and begin to wash the mugs. “Thank you, that’s very kind of you,” Laura settled back down in her seat and began to turn a watch that you hadn’t noticed until now in her hands.
You think about the previous night’s events, of running from gunshots and dangerous men, attempting to keep people safe, of not knowing whether your newfound friends and girlfriend were safe.
It was exhausting, to say the least. You thought about Kate, how her dream of becoming a superhero was coming true. You felt the same fear that has plagued you the last couple of nights begin to rise in your chest. You were happy for her, but the thought of her facing the dangers you faced last night for the rest of her life terrified you to no end.
You cast a quick glance towards the dining room, seeing that Laura still sat at the table, the watch still in her hands. How did she do it? How does she handle having her husband go out and do dangerous things all the while maintaining a family? It seemed like it couldn’t be done.
“Hey, um, Mrs. Barton, could-could I ask you a question?” the words tumble out of your mouth before you could fully think about it. She seemed a bit startled, having been lost in thought, but still responded with, “Of course, what is it?”
“It’s just, um, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but, uh,” maybe you should not be asking. Maybe you should have just kept quiet and figured it out yourself, but it was too late now, you already began the conversation. “How-how do you do it? I mean, how do you deal with having to watch him go and save the world and not know if he’ll make it back?”
You winced as your voice got quieter and quieter as you finished your question. You should have kept quiet; this was probably not an appropriate question you should be asking. Her eyes softened and she gave you a small, understanding smile.
“Well, honestly, it’s… hard and kind of scary. It certainly has not been easy, but we make it work. He calls to let us know he’s safe, and he loops me in on what’s going on. He even asks for help sometimes. We have our system that works for us and our dynamic. It took some trial and error at the beginning, but we figured it out,” she answered with a smile. You were thankful that she did not seem put off by the question.
“But the reality is that there is no guarantee that he’ll make it back every time he goes out to save the world. There’s always a chance that he might not come back. The reality is that all you can do is wait and trust them to make it back safely every time. It takes a lot of hard work and communication to maintain a relationship like this.”
You remain silent for a few seconds, absorbing her words. “It’s not a great answer, but it’s how it is,” she says sympathetically.
“Oh no, no, I understand, it’s, uh– Thank you. For your honesty and the advice, I appreciate it, truly,” you say sincerely.
“You’re going to be okay. You’ll both be okay,” her kind smile was unwavering
Shrieking laughter suddenly comes from the living room as you catch a glimpse Cooper begins to mercilessly tickle Nathaniel from the dining room. “No, stop! Mommy, help!” Nathaniel cries in between his laughs. “Cooper, leave you brother alone!” Laura shouts back. The laughter does not stop, and Nathaniel calls for his mother again.
“Let me deal with this,” Laura rolls her eyes, but she wears a fond smile. “Of course,” you say as you let out a soft chuckle, “thank you, again.”
She walks away to deal with her boys. You finish washing the last of the mugs and some other dirty dishes that had been left in the sink. Not long after finishing, Kate and Clint both step inside, trying their best to warm themselves up. Kate approaches you and hugs you from behind.
“Can I talk to you outside for a sec?” she whispers softly in your ear. “Aren’t you cold?” you ask as you feel her freezing hands against your own. “No,” she lies, and you turn your head towards her, raising your eyebrows. “Okay, I am, but I do need to talk to you,” she responds as she lets go. ”Does it need to be now?” You ask as you turn towards her, not wanting her to be out in the cold for too long. New York nights were cold, but she should not be out if it is not necessary. “Yes, it’s important,” she insists. You notice her coat is open and begin to button it up, much to her amusement.
“Alright, now we can go,” you say calmly, but you felt anything but. What did she need to talk to you about? You follow her out the way you came in a few hours ago.
Only that she didn’t say anything once you were outside. You could see the wheel turning in her head, trying to find a way to say what she wanted to say.
“So, things have been kind of chaotic recently, huh?” you begin, the silence becoming unbearable. ‘What does she need to tell me?’
“Yeah,” she laughs ironically, “Met an Avenger, got a dog, infiltrated the mafia, partied with said avenger, fought said mafia, fought a kingpin, got my mom arrested, and now, we are spending Christmas day with said avenger.”
You let out a small laugh, “these have been some really interesting last few days.”
A small silence follows as you both stare out at the Bartons’ snow-covered farm. “Listen,” she turns to you suddenly, “I know everything that's happened the last few days has been… hard. I sprung a whole bunch of things on you without warning and that wasn't really fair to you. I had you worrying about if I was okay or not and when I’d come back bruised, you were there to help me get patched up again,” her eyes softened, and her lips quirk up into a half smile.
“Hell, you were there with me when my mom got arrested. You have been there for me this entire time, despite all the craziness. I really appreciate that.”
After a few seconds, her half smile drops slowly as she continues to speak, “But I understand if this isn’t what you signed up for and… I understand if you think that maybe… If you think it would be best if we…”
“What, break up?” a different type of fear rises in your chest. You can not lose her, not this way. You loved her. By all the gods across the universe, you loved her, and you would be damned if you let her go like this. “No! Absolutely not, are you nuts?”
She seemed taken aback at your outburst. “No, listen, I don’t wanna break up. I wanna be here with you. I know it’ll be hard, and it’ll be terrifying, not knowing if you’re okay. I know that things go wrong and that you can’t guarantee that-that you’ll be safe. I know all of that,” you reach out and hold her hands, giving them a soft squeeze. You made up your mind right then and there. You couldn’t--wouldn’t lose her this way. Your heart ached at the thought of it. No, not after everything that happened, not without telling her you loved her. After all, maintaining a relationship with a superhero has been done before, and you were certain you would be able to do so too.
“But I want to stay. I want to worry about your safety, and I’ll be here to heal your wounds. I just need you to come back. I trust you to come back. I can’t imagine my life without you. Because I love you, okay? I love you.”
The three words you had been agonizing over slipped out before you could stop yourself. It surprised you how easily they came.
“You love me?” she breaks out with a wide smile.
“Yes,” you feel heat creeping up on your cheeks as you match her smile, “I love you so damn much.”
“I love you, too,” she says as she presses her forehead against yours. She captures your lips in a sweet and passionate kiss. Her lips were cold, and she tasted like hot chocolate, but you didn’t mind it. Her arm wrapped around your waist, and you placed your hand against her cheek as you deepened the kiss. You reveled in her taste, in her touch, in her being. She was yours and you were hers.
“You have no idea how long I have been waiting to tell you that,” you say after you both break away. You tucked away a strand of hair that blocked her face. “Why didn’t you say it earlier?” she giggled. “I kept chickening out!” you feel your cheeks heating up again. Now that you had finally said it, you felt silly for not having said it before. She laughs softly before giving you a quick peck on the cheek.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” she asks.
“Yes, absolutely. I want you.”
Her grip around you tightens, “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Now that those three words had finally been said, you believed you would never, ever be able to stop saying them.