➽ VIDEO

[ladybro]

Who: Kate Bishop + YOU
Broadcast: Fleetwide.
Action: Bishop, if you like. Sorry guys.
When: Valentine's Night

[ bless her, but she's figured out these devices pretty quickly. and why shouldn't she? they're only a bare step above her top-of-the-line smartphone. except that thing hasn't been getting service since before the marsiva. and now... ]

So. I've heard it's February 14th. And how good of the Atroma to get me my very own monogrammed ship. Apparently it's the perfect gift for the girl who so recently had everything. [ tacky, much? kate kinda cringes every time she sees her family name on her assigned ship -- regardless of how coincidental it might be. ] Kate Bishop, reporting for duty aboard the SS Bishop. I kid you not.

[ haha, tres funny. ]

Can we change? Ships, I mean. Not that this one isn't lovely, sure. But I'm getting flashbacks to summer camp at Interlochen and my mother writing my name on all my shirt tags.

[ speaking of shirts... ] Rogue? Can you hear me? [ she knows rogue taught her about the locked transmissions, but that still kinda evades her at the moment. ] I think it's time you showed me 'round this space station I keep hearing so much about.

Comments

[ladybro]

Not too complicated. [ clint's a human car crash and kate is a saint for putting up with him. ] Just -- ok, so it's a little complicated. But at least I haven't been recognized by anyone else, yet.

Mostly I've met people I know of but who don't know me. Like friends of friends of friends.

[takeabow]

[ hawkward ]

That seems interesting, at least.

I met someone here who knew me from another place she'd been kidnapped to. She dated my best friend, actually.

But it wasn't really me? I think? The different worlds thing is weird.

[ladybro]

Weird. And a pain in the ass. [ she has more experience than she cares to admit with alternate dimensions. ]

[takeabow]

[ ughhhh she debates for a moment, but decides to just come out with it ]

I guess... in the interest of full disclosure? I recognized you from Aather. Where me and Stiles came from.

But we didn't know each other very well at all. And I'm not wrapped up—I don't expect you to know stuff. About me. Or that. Honestly we just did archery practice together.

[ she feels... horrifically awkward. ]

1/2

[ladybro]

[ -- record scratch.

kate can be seen staring back at the device. chewing over this revelation as though she's shocked to find a bit of low-quality gristle in her michelin star steak. her expression kinds...crinkles: first with doubt, then with displeasure. the other woman is being plenty gentle in the way she explains how much of a difference it needn't make, but kate can't help but have a hard time swallowing this new information.

so she breathes in. she breathes out. and she tries to look for that dumb old silver lining she's already talked up to high heaven. ]

2/2

[ladybro]

[ her smile is uneasy. ]

You shoot, huh?

[takeabow]

Yeah, I do. My aim's not bad, either. [ understatement of the year ]

Sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up. I felt the same way when Ino told me. It's not really fair to you, so just forget it. It's not that big of a deal.

[ SHE HAS SOME REGRETS. she's not trying to make it into a pity-party—honestly she's just trying to awkwardly mollify Kate. She knows how uncomfortable it is. ]

[ladybro]

No, no. Please -- don't say sorry.

[ kate waves one hand. dismissive. ] I kinda brought it on myself, didn't I? Talking such big talk about not yet having experienced that particular kinda weirdness. I should've known better.

[takeabow]

I really don't know you. Just that you shoot, and you're good at it. Basically the same as a reputation.

[ shifts a bit, uncomfortable, and toys with her braid ]

There's a park on the station. Maybe we could set something up and have a contest.

[ladybro]

I'm kinda bowless. [ a soft sigh. ] And the, uh, guy? The one with the slight complication? He doesn't have one, either. So my usual back-up plan of nabbing his is off the table.

[ but now she's curious. ] Why? Do you have one?

[takeabow]

Not... exactly, but I could probably find one? Or find someone to make one.

He's an archer too?

[ladybro]

He's the archer. [ how else can she describe clint futzing barton? except she's probably already said too much. ]

[takeabow]

That sounds pretty important...

[ go on ]

[ladybro]

Mm. [ a soft hum. ] Hey, Silver Linings. [ nickname! ] You can make these things private, right? Just you and me?

[takeabow]

[ it doesn't register as a nickname but she just skips over that ]

Yeah, I think there's a button or something.

I can't guarantee it's not you, me and the audience. But it's definitely just you and me and not the other people here.

[ladybro]

Right. Our audience. [ her eyes dart around, as though she's looking for this button. ] Look, he's in the fleet. It's probably not my place to say...

Video >>—> Private Video

[takeabow]

Do you want me to do it?

[ she might not actually wait for an answer before switching the private line on ]

Private Video

[ladybro]

-- Thanks.

[ but where to begin? ] I know you said you didn't know much. About the other me. But -- and this is me laying my cards on the table, by the way -- does the name 'Hawkeye' mean anything to you?

[takeabow]

[ shakes her head ]

No.

[ladybro]

Did I ever mention a Clint Barton?

[takeabow]

[ that gets her attention ]

Clint? I know Clint. He's on my ship.

...Unless it's a different Clint?

1/2

[ladybro]

[ WELL THEN... ]

2/2

[ladybro]

He's the guy.

[takeabow]

The one you have a complicated relationship with? Really?

[ladybro]

The one and the same. [ ... ] Sorry.

[ because she can only imagine what sharing a ship with clint must be like. ]