Story A Christmas Surprise (Kate, Yelena, Barton family) Part 1 (humor, banter)

A Christmas Suprise
Part 1 of 2

Kate Bishop was thankful to be with Clint and his family for Christmas. After everything that happened in New York, she needed to get away, she needed distance from her mother, whose previous image, in Kate’s mind, had cracked and shattered. The Missouri homestead was the perfect place to wind down, and though, she didn’t know Clint, or his family particularly well, they had welcomed her with open arms.

While the boys, Nate and Cooper played video games and Clint and Laura shared a moment alone, Kate bonded with Lila over the love of archery, music, martial arts, and, believe it or not K-Pop. They weren’t tweens mad over cute Koreans, but they enjoyed the temp and a good show. And, yes, cute Korean musicians.

When Lila went to make hot chocolate, Kate took out her phone. Nothing there. Even mom hadn’t seen fit to text or email. Which hurt a little, but was understandable. As she was about the put it back in her pock it buzzed with an incoming message. The message was from hidden number but recognizable source. Kate had named it: Rooftop Ranger. It was lame, but oh well.

Rooftop Ranger: [image of giant Christmas tree in its side over a public ice skating rink]
Rooftop Ranger: Did you leave any gifts under the tree?

Kate smiled.

Kate Bishop: Clint was under the tree for a bit. Well, in the tree. Wasn’t he the gift you were expecting?

Rooftop Ranger: Clint Barton was gift I thought I wanted.

Kate Bishop: Not anymore?

Rooftop Ranger: Not anymore. I’m not sure about him, but he gives me things to think about.

Kate Bishop: Good.

Rooftop Ranger: Still thinking your slap was weak. And that thing with the elevator buttons. So childish.

Kate Bishop: Got the job done, didn’t it?

Rooftop Ranger: You are lucky I did not kill you.

Kate Bishop: You were never going to do that. You like me too much.

Rooftop Ranger: HA! You are so funny. Again. You like me too much. You are the one doing the...

Kate Bishop: Fawning? Thought I would you help you with the big words.

Rooftop Ranger: I appreciate. And, yes, you are faun. I am hunter.

Kate Bishop: That’s not what I meant.

*****

Lila approached with two mugs of hot cocoa, stream rising over the brims. She handed Kate a cup.

*****

“Do you need some time?” Lila asked, with a pleasant smile.

“May be a couple of minutes,” the brunette answered. “I’m arguing with my sister.”

“You have a sister?”

“She’s not really my sister,” Kate corrected. “More like an annoying friend that’s like a sister.”

“Oh,” Lila said, unsure how to respond. “Let me know when you’re done. I can give you a tour of the house.”

“That would be great,” Kate said, a little too enthusiastically.

*****

Rooftop Ranger: I am your sister now? Oh, Kate Bishop. You are silly girl. Annoying, too.

Kate Bishop: Wait. What? Are you listening through my phone?

Rooftop Ranger: I am a spy. Of course I listen.

Kate Bishop: It’s creepy as hell. We need to have a serious talk about boundaries. Turn off the listening, Yelena! NOW!

Rooftop Ranger: Very well, Kate Bishop. I will stop listening.

Kate Bishop: Good.

Rooftop Ranger: You still called me sister and friend, right next to each other. Are you so desperate?

*****

Kate looked up from her phone, taken aback. She was offended, but could not deny the cold, hard truth.

*****

Kate Bishop: Not desperate or needy, Yelena. Just someone who wants a friend. What are you doing for Christmas?

Rooftop Ranger: Desperate is not always a bad thing. I know desperate. I am hiking in the snow on Christmas.

Kate Bishop: I could ask Clint if you could join us for dinner.

Rooftop Ranger: Clint Barton does not want me for dinner.

Kate Bishop: You might be surprised. Natasha was his best friend. I think he would want you to come. I asked. He said it was okay. Do your spy skills include teleportation?

*****

There was a knock at the door. No, not a knock. A banging. Laura looked at Clint and Clint looked at Kate. Kate looked at the door.

Clint crossed from the kitchen to the door and looked through the window. It was not a scowl, nor was it a smile. The archer huffed knowingly and opened the door.
“Merry Christmas, Yelena,” he said, pulling her into an awkward hug.

Kate, however, grinned from ear to ear and stepped forward to give another awkward hug.

Clint turned to Laura and said: May be time to upgrade security measures.”

“I think they are fine for now,” replied with a wink.

When Kate let go of Yelena, she was still smiling. “We are going to have to have that talk about boundaries sooner than later. I’m so glad you’re here.”

“I am happy being here, too,” Yelena said.

 

A great conversation and surprise. Love those characters

 

@earlybird-obi-wan: I'm glad to hgear that you you love these two. They are fun to write and fun to watch interact on Hawkeye. I appreciate you continuing to stop in an see what I'm up to.

A Christmas Surprise Pt. 2

A Walk in the Snow

Kate woke early in the morning after Christmas. She had slept like the dead. Stretching her body out of a mold the she would much rather stay inside, she threw off the covers and stepped out onto the wood paneled floor. It was cool the touch, but not cold. Her next thought was of Yelena. Had she slept well? Was she even able to sleep in a strange environment? Was she warm enough? Did she bring a change of clothes? Stop it, Kate. She’s a trained assassin. She’s probably hard enough to sleep in the snow in jeans and a t-shirt. Which is more than you can say for your expensive flannel pajamas.

Kate left the guest room and padded down the hallway and down the stairs where she found Clint and Laura huddling at the table over cups of coffee. Checking the living room couch, she saw a couple of folded blankets where she knew the blonde had slept.

“Where is Yelena,” Kate asked, suddenly anxious.

“She’s outside,” Clint answered, matter of fact.

“Outside? This early? Why?”

“I guess you’ll have to ask her,” Clint said. “She’s been out there by the target tree for the last 30 minutes or so.”

“Did she eat breakfast?” Kate continued, rapid firing questions that definitely sounded obsessive. “Has she had any coffee?

“Not that I know of,” Laura said, patiently.

“I think she’s waiting,” Clint added, turning to Kate, who was looking out the window.

“Waiting?” Kate said, curiously. “For whom?”

Laura rose from the table and let her hand glide over Clint’s shoulders as she went to kitchen. “Maybe it’s you who needs some coffee, Kate. I’m not sure you’re fully awake. Go get dressed while I make some more coffee. You can take some to your friend when you get back.”

“Yeah,” Kate said, still looking out the window. “That sounds like a good idea.”

It took Kate no time at all to get dressed. She came down stairs wearing jeans and a hoody, a red scarf that Lila had given her then night before, and a beanie bearing the SHEILD logo.

“I didn’t know SHEILD had beanies,” Kate said, in jest.

“There’s a beanie for everything,” Clint replied, handing her two stainless steel coffee containers.

Kate took the containers into her gloved hands. “How did she seem when she went out?”

“You writing a book or something?” Clint deadpanned.

“What if I am?” Kate replied, sassily.

“Leave that chapter out,” Clint said, breaking a smile. “She seemed…Yelena.”

“You are such a dad,” Kate said, shaking her head. “I think that joke died in the 80s. May it rest in peace.”

Holding both handles in one hand, the young archer opened the door and trudge out to the target tree.

“You try too hard, Kate Bishop,” Yelena said, as the brunette approached her from behind. “Always wanting to be liked. Wanting approval. From Clint Barton. From Pizza Dog. From me.”

“Would it kill you to call me Kate?” the archer asked as she came to Yelena’s side.

“See what I am saying?” Yelena said, pointing at Kate, accusingly. “Let’s be friends. Be my Buddy. Sisters to the end.”

Kate stiffened at the rebuke. Like yesterday, in her text, she was calling Kate desperate. It was either mean spirited or a back-handed compliment. Sadly, with RooftopRanger one could never tell the difference.

“Are you being mean on purpose?” Kate shot back. “Or is this just Yelena Belova: tough as nails, tells it like it is, sad, prickly, defenses so high even she can’t get over them?”

Yelena stared at Kate, dispassionately, tilting her head as if examining a lesser life form. Then, she turned and walked into the open snow in front of them.

“Hey!” Kate called after her as she jogged a few steps to catch up. “That’s rude, you know. Just walking away in the middle of a conversation.”

“It wasn’t going anywhere,” Yelena replied, without looking at Kate.

“You might have started with something other than calling me desperate, again.”

“It is how you are acting,” Yelena said. “Like little rat-dog jumping around big bulldog from old cartoons. I don’t like it.”

“But you like showing up at my apartment unannounced and sending me anonymous texts?” Kate said, defensively. “Same dog. Same nuisance.”

“It is not same dog, Kate Bishop. It is whole other dog. I am big dog.”

“That’s the second time you’ve called me a lesser animal,” Kate said, frustration growing. “I’m getting tired of it.”

“What are you going to?” Yelena taunted. “Slap me-”

Kate’s punch to Yelena’s nose was quick and hard, but not full force. Kate stood her ground. Yelena not been knocked off balance, but raised a hand to her nose, to wiped away a trickle of blood.”

“Why do you idolize Clint Barton so much?” Yelena asked without skipping a beat from Kate’s punch. He is not super hero. He is just a man. Just a man with bow and arrows. He can fight, but he is not even good fighter.”

Kate eyed Yelena warily. “He is no Black Widow assassin, but he is former SHEILD.”

“So what is it about him that makes you love him like Papa?” Yelena asked again.

“Why haven’t you hit me back?” Kate answered with a question of her own.

“This game is my rules,” Yelena said. “Answer me.”

“I told you my story back at my apartment in New York. He saved my like without superpowers. He jumped-“

“Yes, yes, he jumped from tall building with no net. Very brave. Shot arrow to kill aliens. Blah. Blah. BLAH!”

Yelena began to walk away, again, and Kate grabbed for her arm, but Yelena knocked it away.

“You can trivialize my experience all you want Yelena, but it doesn’t make it any less true to ME,” Kate said. Clint told me that you two talked on the ice. That there was some understanding. He’s not the bad guy you think he is. He’s made bad choices. So have I. So have you!”

Yelena turned on Kate, tears welling in her eyes. “My sister is still DEAD! Where is the hero worship for her, Kate Bishop? Where is the monument to her sacrifice? Where is Museum dedicated to her? She gave and she gave and she GAVE and no one cares. Why don’t you care about her?”

Kate was at a loss for words. She had seen Yelena leave the scene at the ice rink downtown, but she had been too busy to see what had happened between she and Clint.

“Yelena, I care about her as much as I can for not knowing her,” Kate pleaded. “She saved the world. I love her for that. But I didn’t know her. I never met her. Clint knew her perhaps better than anyone other than you. And, if you think no one cares about her, you are wrong. I think you know you’re wrong. If you ask him, he will tell you everything.”

“I am not ready to ask him,” Yelena said, choking down the emotion. “I am still angry. Maybe not so much at Clint Barton. Angry at not having Natasha here with me.”

“And that’s okay, Yelena,” Kate said, smiling empathetically. Be angry. Be sad. Just don’t be mad at me for wanting to be here for you. We make a pretty good team.”
“Clint Barton is your partner. You never stop talking about it. How to we make good team?”

“You, me, and Clint!” Kate said, excitedly.

“Ahhh, you mean threesome!” the blonde said, smiling broadly and nodding her head.

“Ew! No, that’s not what I meant at all.”

“I got you, Kate Bishop,” Yelena said, laughing deeply like only she did. “Why so serious?”

“You are not actually quoting The Dark Knight to me, are you?”

“Yes, losing Heath Ledger is sad, but not like Natasha. Do me a favor, Kate Bishop. Punch me, again. But this time across jaw.”

“Why?” Kate asked.

“To see if first one was a fluke.”

Kate didn’t hesitate and hit the blonde across the jaw. She knew this one was coming and took it any way. When she turned back to the brunette, she punched her in the stomach and followed her down to a kneeling position in the snow.

“W-what was that f-for?” Kate wheezed.

“Now are even, Kate Bishop,” Yelena said.

“Would it seriously kill you to call me Kate, just once?”

“I think so,” the assassin replied, allowing her lip to quirk slightly. “You are Kate Bishop. I call you Kate Bishop.”

“Here, I brought you some coffee. I don’t know how you take it so it’s black same as mine. Laura made them.”

“Yes, I wondered when you were going to give it to me.”

“Does this mean we’re friends?” Kate said, grinning at the blonde.

“For the love of St. Basil’s Cathedral, Kate, you are relentless!”

“Aha!” Kate said, standing up and doing a dance. “You called me Kate!”

“Yes, you caught me, Kate Bishop,” Yelena said, with a knowing smile.

“Should we make snow angels?” Kate asked, pressing her advantage.

“Snow angels are nice,” Yelena replied. “I make them with Natasha in Ohio.”

“I think she would like it we made snow angels,” Kate said. “When we’re done, we can name one for Natasha and one for my dad.”

“You are not such a bad apple, Kate Bishop,” the blonde assassin said, laying on her back and swishing her arms and legs open and closed. Kate lay down next to her and did the same.

 

love the arguing between Kate and Yelena, bickering as sisters