I'll Wait Here Forever

Tommy said he'd wait forever. And by the way Kate wouldn't give up Eli, it looks like he'd have to.

A/N: This is somewhere after the Young Avengers 2nd appearance in Mighty Avengers. It's mostly just dialogue though. Short and not making any sense.

Tommy stood arms crossed in front of Kate, stopping her from passing him in the hallway. Everyone else was out on a mission an Billy still wasn't sure if his brother and the archer were okay after Tommy practically been thrown at a wall, and Kate's arm was numb, rendering her kind of useless.

"You love me, don't you." he said sternly. "Say it."

"No." she tried to push her way through but the speedster was making it difficult. "Why are you bringing this up?"

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't. I can see it in your eyes when you kiss him. You want me."

She rolled her eyes. "And what makes you so sure, oh mighty mind reader."

"You're lying to him. He doesn't know that we've kissed does he? How much you liked but but you never came back for more?"

"And he never will."

"Why do you lie to him, why do you lie to yourself?" he sighed and ran a hand through her hair gently. "Tell me."

Sitting down on the floor, Kate shrugged. "Of course I have to lie, Tommy, if you knew the truth about how I feel about you, you'll only end up getting hurt." she admitted.

"Supposed to now? Every time I see you with him, I try so hard not to punch him in the face." he slid down the wall and sat next to her, her hand on his shoulder in a kind of comforting way. It didn't make a difference though. Nothing would.

"I'm...sorry." Kate tried to make it look like she meant it, but Tommy looked like he wasn't buying it.

"Do you really love Eli, Kate?" he pressed gently. "Or is he the guy you decided to have when you refuse to act on your feelings towards me?"

"It's not like that."

"Really? That's what it looks like to me, Hawks." he gave her a gentle push in the shoulder.

"I love you, you have to know that, Tommy. I just don't deserve you."

"And do you decided to make me feel like no one wants me? I don't think this exactly fair. And it's me who doesn't deserve you."

"No," she corrected. "You deserve some amazing girl, not me. Not someone who can't choose between two men because she knows she loves one more than the other, but he's the safer choice."

He snorted. "Eli's the safer choice? Oh come on, who are you kidding? He's a super soldier, Kate, he's gonna leave bruises all over you if you guys do anything more than kiss." he pointed out. "I won't."

"And you blow stuff up!" she yelled, her voice rising. Why were they fighting over this? "Tell me that's safer!"

"You can't not love me because of that! It's not fair! Eli's done way worse!"

"You're reckless, your hot-headed-" she carried on, ranting.

"Kate-"

"But god is turns me on, you have no idea how much I want to kiss you right now."

He paused and grinned. "Then do it." he put on a sulky face which Kate easily ignored.

"My dad is already skeptical of Eli, imagine what he'd think of you." Kate was wondering where the hell Eli was right now. It's all his fault that she and Tommy are even having this conversation. She couldn't hide from the truth after all, could she?

"You can't let your dad choose who you love! That is serious rich-girl cliche, honey." Tommy shook his head in a disapproving matter.

"Your dangerous." she said. "Eli's safe. He do anything to keep me. And you can run across the world to like...Italy and find someone-"

"Italy?" he repeated incredulous. "What the hell-"

"And you're so hot you can have-"

"I only want you." he stopped her mid-sentence. "You, Kate Bishop, Hawkeye, The Archer."

"I'm sorry, but Eli-"

"It's always going to be Eli, isn't it? Why do you put on the good girl act for Eli? You don't have to change for me. Badasses all the way."

"I don't-"

"Yes, you do. Okay, maybe you lose your temper and that's totally understandable, but seriously, you have to stop choosing the guy who's good for you, and go with the one you love."

"You think you're always right, don't you?" she groaned.

"I usually am."

"Then you'd understand why I have to stay with Eli. He's more self-doubting, cautious, more responsible, he tries so hard, he thinks too much so he can make sure he's doing everything right while-"

"While I just run off hoping for the best and end up getting myself killed because according to you, I'm so stupid, and you don't want Eli to feel like he's second choice to someone like me, so you pick him, the safe one."

"Oh, Tommy. I don't know whether to be disgusted that you thought that, or proud of myself that I knew you were going to say that."

Tommy froze and looked away from her. His hand reached up to his face where he felt wet streaks fall down his face. He never cried. And here is was, crying overher.

Kate realized he was crying and she immediately felt like a bitch. Biting her lip, she hugged him softly. "Please don't cry, Tommy. I really didn't mean to hurt you like this, honest."

"I'll stop hurting when you give him up, and I know now that you're never going to do it 'cause he's safe."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"Well, you're doing a shit job of it, aren't you. I'll wait here forever, Kate. Just tell me when."

End