"Billy, you'd best not tell anyone else about this," said Kate, standing from her position on the couch. She stretched. "Because I will beat the snot out of you."
"It's our little secret," said Billy, grinning. "Not even Teddy'll know. He's out with Eli at some concert."
"How is Eli?" asked Kate. "I haven't heard from him in a while."
"You've been on the West Coast for a while," said Billy. "He's been doing well. We've been trying to not embellish our escapades too much, not tease him. But yeah, he's been doing well. Looking at colleges."
"College?" said Kate. "Holy shit, I forgot people our age did that."
"You'd be surprised. Teddy and I have been looking at stuff. Online classes seem like the most viable course of action right now." Billy pulled himself up and walked to the DVD player, where he removed The Sound of Music and placed it into its case on the shelf.
"Between what we've been doing, and Clint's bullshit, I haven't even thought about school." Kate ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know if I could handle that with all of the rest of this..." she waved her hand around, looking for the right word. "...super stuff."
"Whatever works for you," said Billy. "We're young. We have time. And you're probably more put together than you think you are. You know how to run things."
"I won't remind you of what happened last time I was put in charge of the team."
"You're overthinking it, I promise. And I'm the king of overthinking." He put a hand on her shoulder. "You're in control of your life. And if stuff gets a little rough or whatever, you've got us. You've got Clint, and Lucky. But I doubt you'll need us." He withdrew his hand. "Because you've got it."
Kate smiled. "Thanks, Billy. And thanks for watching the movie with me again."
"It's a great time," said Billy. "And thanks for stopping by. I know you were busy and you..."
"Wait, Billy, what time is it?" asked Kate.
"Like, eight forty-five," replied Billy. "Why?"
Even before he asked, Kate was already speaking: "Shit shit shit shit shit." She ran both of her hands through her hair. "I was supposed to meet someone across town like fifteen minutes ago."
"Want me to fly you there?" asked Billy, his hands beginning to glow with blue magic.
"No, thanks," said Kate, pulling on a hoodie and grabbing her keys from the side table. "I'll drive. Sorry to rush out, I..."
"Go," said Billy, nudging her on. "I'll text you later."
Kate nodded toward him, and grinned as she dashed out through the Kaplans' front door.
Kate dashed up the street to the smallish restaurant, whose doors were open to the warm late summer evening. She recognized the figure tapping her foot under the awning immediately.
"Princess, this has to be some sort of new record," said America, glancing at her phone before sliding it into her back pocket. "It's a little over half and hour after we were supposed to meet, am I right?"
" I am so sorry," said Kate, still working on catching her breath. "I lost track if the time, and..."
"It's fine," said America, taking Kate by the arm. "It's just not very chivalrous to leave your date waiting for a half an hour, is it?"
"I'm so sorry."
"Whatever," said America. She pulled Kate toward the restaurant. "I have been waiting outside of this place for a while now and I'm so goddam hungry." She pulled Kate toward the door of the restaurant.
The interior wasn't much brighter than outside, dimly lit for the mood. Kate suddenly realized that most of the people who were there had dressed up a little, making her feel a little silly, showing up with her date in a sweatshirt and jeans. America didn't seem to notice this at all, instead walking right up to the waiter stand and almost startling the hostess with her abruptness.
"Table for two," she said. "We had a reservation under Bishop, but we ended up running late."
The hostess glanced down at the reservation book over the bridge of her nose and quickly located their reservation. "Yes," she said, "I'm sorry, but we had to give away your table. We can only hold them for so long, and you're too late."
"Do you have any tables open?" asked Kate.
"No, I'm sorry, we're full up right now," said the hostess, folding her hands on top of the book.
Kate fumbled in her pocket for a moment and produced a twenty dollar bill, which she then attempted to slyly slide across the stand to the hostess, who just stared back at her. "Are you sure you're full?"
"Yes," was the dry response from the hostess.
"Shit," said Kate, crumpling the bill back into her pocket. "Look, is there any way we can…"
"Don't worry about it," said America, pulling Kate away from the hostess stand. "It's fine." They ventured back toward the door without another word to or from the hostess, who watched them go, even after America stuck a foot out and knocked over a rather large coatrack by the door, sending expensive light jackets and hats to the floor.
Once they were outside, Kate spoke. "America," she said, "I'm so sorry, I thought that we could still make it, and I just wanted to make a nice night for you, and…"
"Princess," said America, "don't get so worked up about it." She moved her hand from Kate's arm to Kate's hand, and looked into her eyes. "It's okay. But I'm going to take charge from here." Kate nodded. "Give me your keys, then, I'm driving."
"Why are we parking here?" asked Kate. They pulled up at the curb and America shifted into park. "There's nothing here." To their side of the street was Central Park, and on the other side were some closed electronics stores and some apartments.
"There's plenty here," said America, getting out of the car and starting toward the park. Kate glanced back at the street for a moment, got out of her car, and locked it before closing the door and following America into the park.
"See, princess, I told you that this'd be great."
"Aren't you hungry, though?" asked Kate. "I mean, you've been waiting for a while, and I don't want to..."
"Kate, my favorite joint in the city is right around here..." She led Kate around a corner in the path to where, under a streetlight, there stood a hot dog stand.
"Seriously?" asked Kate, but America didn't hear her. She had already departed for the stand. Kate followed.
"Double dogs, loaded, for me, and—what did you want?" America looked to Kate.
"I don't know, um, order for me," she said. She could barely glance at the menu in the little time she was given to make a decision.
"Give her a single, and we'll work our way from there." America handed the man behind the booth a ten. "Keep it." They waited just a moment, and America exchanged some pleasantries with the vendor in Spanish while he readied their food. America thanked them as they recieved their hot dogs and began to walk away.
"He's great," said America, then taking a huge bite of her loaded hot dog.
"Do you know him?" asked Kate, trying to figure out how to even approach her own.
"That's Juan Carbòs," said America. "We met a while ago, through his job. He keeps his stand open letter than most others, and I find that very useful. He's a friendly guy, and is good for conversation." She shrugged. "Do you need some help with that?"
"Are you insinuating I don't know my way around a weiner?" asked Kate, putting a hand to her heart in feigned incredulity.
"If I'm going by this little display," said America, nodding toward the glob of chili that slipped off of Kate's hot dog, and, narrowly missing her sweatshirt, splattered onto the sidewalk. "I'm not sure I can make any assumptions."
Kate made eye contact with America as she opened her moth wide and chomped down on her hot dog, sending a small splash of condiments outward. She chewed vigirously before a gulping swallow.
"If I had a dick, I'd be terrified right now," said America. She leaned in and pecked Kate on the cheek. Kate blushed, and, in haste without knowing what to do next, took another bite of the hot dog.
America laughed and took a bit of one of her own hot dogs. They walked together, under streetlamps, in a comfortable silence for a ways. It was not long before America had finished her food, and she wrapped her arm around Kate's waist as they walked. She crumpled up the napkin she had been served the hot dogs in and tossed it into a trash can as they walked by, with perfect accuracy.
"Nice," said Kate, taking the last bite of her hot dog and licking her fingers clean of the condiments. She had made a bit more of a mess than America had, and America chuckled, handing her an extra napkin from her jacket pocket.
"I grabbed a few extra," she said. "I figured you'd need one." Kate raised an eyebrow, but took the napkin anyway, dabbing at the corners of her mouth. She then spotted the next trash can along the path, made sure that she was further away than when America had made her shot, and tossed her crumpled bunch of used napkins directly into the can. She looked to her date.
"It was a lucky shot," said America.
Kate jabbed her thumb at her own chest. "Greatest sharpshooter known to man, remember?"
"What about other Hawkeye?" asked America.
"He doesn't count," said Kate. "And also I am better. Just ask him." America guffawed and tightened her arm around Kate's waist. Kate leaned against America's shoulder, and they walked along the path for a little while longer.
Kate looked up through the trees at the sparkling lights of the city, surrounding the park. It filtered through the leaves like extra bright, twinkling stars, and she was reminded of the stars America made, the stars that allowed her to find her way through the multiverse. It reminded her of the stars running down the arms of America's jacket, of the star-shaped marks on the insides of her wrists. "You're my star," she murmured into America's arm.
"What's that?" asked America.
"I said something," said Kate, standing up a bit, "that I now realize was incredibly cheesy and I immediately regretted saying it."
"In which case, I have got to hear this."
"No way," said Kate.
"I have my ways," said America, raising her hand.
"What're you going to do, threaten to push me into another universe and leave me there?" asked Kate. "Because I have a feeling that's an empty threat."
"No," said America. "But I will do something much more evil. I will threaten to tickle you."
"What?" asked Kate, straightening up the rest of the way. "You wouldn't."
"Care to try me?" asked America, wiggling her fingers.
"Jesus Christ, America, we're in public," said Kate, dodging her date's first strike. "Seriously, this is the kind of shit Billy and Teddy would do—ahHAhAHH!" She couldn't dodge the next strike, and convulsed her way back from America.
"That's right, princess, I have my ways of getting information."
"Stop, please," said Kate, still half-laughing and clutching he sides where America had made contact. "It's not worth it."
"Then, out with it!" said America, bringing her fingers up at the ready again, causing Kate to take another step backward.
"There are people around here!" said Kate. "We're causing a scene."
"Tell me what you said, you big baby!"
"I would never!" She was barraged by another assault of wiggling fingers. After a squawk, and slight leap in the air, and a near-impalement on a fence around a playground, Kate, chest heaving, gave in.
"I said…" she said, trying to regain normality after her state of being tickled. "…that you were—my star."
"Oh my God, that's fucking cheesy," said America.
"Why do you think I was trying to avoid admitting it?"
"You're amazing," said America. "And I know you think that it's too cheesy, but I promise you, the sentiment was sweet."
"I can't believe you still like me," said Kate.
"Why the hell would you say that?" said America. She stopped and looked Kate right in the eye. "You are adorable. And you care so much about me. And your friends."
"Thank you America, I'm just—I've been thinking about where I am right now. Like, what am I doing? I haven't even gone to college yet!"
"So what?" asked America.
"I'm—I don't' know—I feel like I'm being left behind."
"By who?" asked America. "Didn't you leave Clint behind for a while?"
"I mean, other people my age—our age—are going to college, getting jobs, and what am I doing? I'm the oldest Young Avenger!"
"I think Noh-Varr is older than you," said America, "but I don't think that he counts because he's, you know, an alien, and time is weird in space."
"You're not as reassuring as you think you are," said Kate. She sighed. "I just feel like I'm not on the right track."
"Honestly, you need to quit with all of this self-pity," said America. "You've got me, right?"
"Yeah, but…"
"And you've got badass shooting-arrows-and-stuff skills?"
"Technically, yes, but I…"
"And you've gotten more done in your short lifetime than other people have in their whole careers," said America. "You think you're not ready for the real world, for responsibility. You think that you can't handle what life tosses at you. I'm sorry, but remind me who, without a college education, single-handedly took down Madame Masque?"
"That was me," said Kate, blushing.
"And who helped take down a multi-dimensional virus that was intent on tearing apart the multiverse?"
"Well, me, and all of us, and…"
"Kate Bishop, you need to understand that you're as together as you need to be. You don't need to get a certificate to say that—you don't need anyone's approval but your own. You saved the world. Multiple times. And that's about as much as you can ask for."
"I guess so."
"And hey, I didn't go to college. And look how great I am."
Kate couldn't help but laugh at this. America, her arms spread wide in an exposition of her glory, in the dark park, just the two of them.
"Thank you, America," said Kate. "I guess I—I was just freaking out a little bit."
"Well, you don't need to worry, is all I'm saying," said America. "You're a goddam superhero. You're practically an avenger. Hell, we both are. And there's no 'normal' path for us. We just do what we do, and kick ass at it."
Kate smiled. "I guess you're right."
"So let's get you out of this funk. Where can we get ice cream? Your treat."
"I think there's a place a few blocks from here," said Kate, leading America toward a gate out of the park.
"That's well and good," said America, with a mischievous grin, "but before we leave the park, where we're all alone in the starlight, I've got something to give to you."
"Really?" asked Kate. "You didn't need to get me anything. I've been so shitty all night. I mean, come on…"
Kate was cut off when America kissed her, wrapping her arms around Kate's body in a full embrace. Kate, shocked at first, let her arms wrap around the other woman, and she kissed America back, opening her mouth slightly and feeling America's hot breath on her face. America pulled back for a moment, brushed a tendril of hair out of her face, and went in for another kiss, this time with more vigor, and Kate tilted her head to kiss at a better angle.
America broke it off, and Kate leaned forward a bit, reaching to get the most of the kiss that she could, to keep America on her lips for as long as possible.
"Now," said America, grinning, "do you think you've got it together?"
"I think I do," said Kate. "If anything, I've got you. And the team."
"Hell yeah, you do!" said America. She pulled Kate in for another quick kiss. "And you know you have all of my love."
"Now who's being cheesy?"
"I regretted it the moment exited my mouth," said America. A blush started to rise to her face, and she looked away.
"Aw, but it was cute," said Kate. "Big bad America has a soft spot in her tough exterior."
"I will end you," said America.
"I love you, too," said Kate, and kissed America, taking her into a full-on lovers' embrace, and released her. "Now," she said, straightening out her hoodie like there was something to straighten out, "how about that ice cream?"