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[alsohawkeye]

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KATE BISHOP

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[axeyou]

Yeah.

[She twists a strand of Kate's hair around her index finger and loosens it. It's an idle enough gesture that it might be a mistake--like she thinks she has her own hair. Or maybe not.]

So why are we even talking about it? If it's all fucked up, and it's not normal--and it isn't--then we don't have to talk about it.

[alsohawkeye]

[ Whichever. Kate doesn't seem to mind the hand in her hair. ]

Sometimes it's fucked up but good, and sometimes it's just fucked up. It'd be nice if it was more of the but good.

[axeyou]

[She sighs, as she loops the strand of hair around her finger again.]

If you want more but good, I don't know what to tell you. You know what this is. [What we are goes unsaid.] So you know it doesn't work that way.

Unless this is all a big lead-up to you asking me to change. Know what I'd say then? No.

[alsohawkeye]

I'm not. [ Except for how she kind of is. But only kind of. ]

But isn't it more fun that way? Aren't you happier when it's good?

[axeyou]

[She huffs out a little breath--almost a laugh, but it lacks her usual condescending edge.]

Honestly? I don't think too much about it.

[alsohawkeye]

Really?

[ Kate is silent for a moment, a little stung by the ease of her brush off. (And a little baffled by the idea of not thinking about everything all the time ad nauseum.) ]

I guess when it's not working you have other options to distract you.

[axeyou]

[Her huff of breath this time is way closer to a laugh.]

Like what? Is this a jealousy thing, or are you trying to get into my treehouse?

[wink wink]

[alsohawkeye]

Hey, that is supposed to be our tree house.

[ It's maybe a little bit of a jealousy thing. ]

I'm not telling you any more stories if you start letting just anybody in there.

[axeyou]

You're not telling me any stories anyways. And who says that I haven't.

[Policy of general admission to the treehouse sorry not sorry]

[alsohawkeye]

If my head keeps feeling better maybe I'll tell you Treasure Island. If you stop being a jerk and agree the tree house is our thing.

[axeyou]

I built it. I get to decide who goes in it.

[But, after a beat:]

What's Treasure Island about.

[alsohawkeye]

I helped! [ Sort of. A little. ] And it was my idea.

It's about a bunch of people racing to find a lost pirate treasure.

[axeyou]

Yeah, you're right. You invented treehouses.

[She heaves a sigh, unimpressed with both Kate and that teaser of a summary.]

And?

[alsohawkeye]

I did. I was a member of the Swiss family Robinson and I designed the first ever treehouse. You should be paying me royalties every time you use it.

[ Try being unimpressed now. ]

And there are a bunch of pirates and lots of backstabbing and fighting and some alien and animal sidekicks and cannibals and more tigers, obviously.

[axeyou]

Don't hold your breath.

[Or do, and then die. She doesn't even know what royalties are--not that she's going to admit it. Royal, Kate being entitled to something that has nothing to do with her, blah blah; she gets the jist.

But, then again...]

Have you even seen the treehouse?

[alsohawkeye]

No.

[ And she's clearly disappointed about that. ]

Somebody hasn't invited me, so I didn't even know you'd actually finished it.

[axeyou]

You didn't ask.

[And it's not like they're going anywhere now. Idly, she coils a strand of Kate's hair around her finger again, and slowly lets it go.]

There was one good tree in the Gardens at least. Thank god. Looking got really depressing.

[alsohawkeye]

Good.

[ Kate's loose grip in Johanna's sweatshirt kneads and releases but doesn't really pull her closer, palm just carded across her back. ]

Let's go see it. Tomorrow. I bet it's awesome.

[axeyou]

[She laughs--a laugh that's far more real than any of the ones previous.]

Tomorrow. Wow, you really want to tell me that stupid story, huh.

[alsohawkeye]

[ She gets a shoulder nudged into her side for her trouble. ]

No, I really want to see the stupid tree house. And not be stuck here in the dark feeling like shit.

[axeyou]

[She tries to twist away without trying too hard to twist away, since excessive movement makes her brain feel like it's coming unstuck.]

Really, because I don't want to go anywhere. I didn't come all this way to climb out of your stupid bed and go down to the Gardens.

[alsohawkeye]

That's why I said tomorrow. When we feel better.

[ Which they totally will. By then. Whenever then is. ]

Hopefully.

[axeyou]

[time is just a construct Kate]

If I want to go tomorrow. Which I might not. If we feel better.

[alsohawkeye]

If we feel better.

[ Time is not a flat circle but Kate makes this concession easily anyway. She even rubs idly up and down her back again, idle but sort of soothing. ]

Right now we're not going anywhere except hopefully to sleep. I am so tired.

[axeyou]

You can sleep like this?

[Actually--]

Never mind. I'm not impressed or surprised. Just stop talking and go to sleep if you want to so bad.