➽ 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]

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. ]

[takeabow]

Sorry for what?

[ she's confused ]

[ladybro]

He can be a bit of a...

[ asshole. tire-fire. jerk. ]

Doof.

[takeabow]

[ shrugs ]

I mean, I guess I got some of that. I kind of feel bad for him though.

[ladybro]

Don't. That's how he sucks you in.

[ she's mostly teasing. because kate doesn't know what she'd do without him -- other than flourish, obviously. but she cares about clint! only...he's his own worst enemy. ]

[takeabow]

[ katniss has a terrible joke-dar ]

I'm confused.

[ladybro]

Okay. Alright. Here's Clint Barton 101. The guy's a certified mess. [ she sighs. ] But he's got just about the bravest and most impressive record of any Avenger. And he does it all without super-powers or futuristic tech.

Don't feel bad for him. He does enough of that for himself already.

[takeabow]

I guess. But it's not easy being here, and it's gotta be especially hard for him. At least the communicators allow for texting, too.

[ladybro]

[ jeez. what kind of a sob story has he been spinning? ]

Clint Barton can achieve more deaf than most do with their full hearing. He's -- [ this is awkward. not to mention personal. she feels dirty discussing her mentor-guy so cavalierly with a stranger. ] Trust me, nothing about this place is gonna be especially hard on him.

[ or any avenger, for that matter. this place might be uncomfortable, but they'd all tussled with worse. hadn't they?

or maybe she's just tired of that old moping clint. the one who drove her away from him with such force. the one who'd seemed incapable of being helped. ]

[takeabow]

[ Nova's feeling pretty rebuked, and also kind of guilty that pity was a thing that happened. it shows in her face ]


...Sorry.

[ladybro]

It's not your fault. It's...

[ kate shakes her head. ] Like I said. Complicated. Just -- don't let him sell you any sad tales, alright? He's amazing. Really really amazing. Except for when he's tearing himself down.

[takeabow]

I mean, I'll try. But I don't want to leave him out, either.

[ladybro]

[ -- this girl seems nice enough. well-intentioned. so kate bites back on her first response: a knee-jerk statement about how there is a damn lot of middle ground between pitying a man and leaving him out.

instead, she puffs her cheeks and brings a little levity back into the conversation: ] If you want to see some shooting, you should try and put a bow in his hands.

[takeabow]

[ Nova is so, so grateful for Kate putting the conversation back on course ]

Yeah? Really?

[ladybro]

Ask him to do the Robin Hood shot for you.

[takeabow]

What's that? What's a Robin Hood?