fortress | kate bishop

nineteen.

2024
Manhattan, New York

Anya and Kate returned to their apartment after dinner. The car ride home had been quiet, and Kate had finally had enough. As she turns to confront Anya, she sees her staring at her phone with a pensive expression.

"Anya," Kate says. Her girlfriend doesn't react to the sound of her name. She just stares at her phone screen. Kate's brows furrow, "Anya!"

"What?" Anya asks as she looks at Kate.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You've been acting weird since dinner!"

Anya simply grunts and walks by Kate as she heads into their bedroom. Kate frowns and follows her girlfriend. They had their fights, but Anya had never brushed her off like this. She always tried to communicate even when it was hard.

So, something had to be wrong. Kate just didn't know what. What could have happened that would upset Anya like this?

"Anya, what is going on?" Kate demands.

"Nothing," Anya mutters as she heads into the closet, "I'm just tired."

"I know what you're like tired and this isn't it," Kate responds as she follows Anya into the closet, watching as her girlfriend strips out of her clothes, "I mean it's almost Christmas! You were with your family, you love being with your family."

Anya freezes at the word family and Kate notices. Whatever was going on, it involved her family.

"Anya, baby, what happened?" Kate asks as she steps into the closet and reaches out to Anya. She doesn't pull away, she just looks over at Kate.

"Nothing happened," Anya responds again, "Just – just some stuff between Yelena and I."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Anya answers as she pulls a sweatshirt over her head.

"Any-"

"Kate Bishop!"

Anya and Kate both look into their bedroom at the sound. They both make their way to the living room and they have no time to react as a Molotov comes through the window, igniting the floor.

Anya runs over to the window, looking out of it to see the tracksuit guys standing there. She looks over at Kate who was looking at the flames with wide eyes. Anya moves from the window and grabs Kate's bow shoving it into her hands.

"Shoot them," Anya orders.

"What?" Kate asks.

"Shoot them," Anya says as she heads into the bedroom. Kate looks at her girlfriend bewildered by the order and looks toward the window to see that they were preparing to throw another Molotov into the apartment.

Kate grabs an arrow and wastes no time as she shoots the Molotov, causing it to nearly explode in one guy's hand.

"Nice," Anya orders and Kate looks over her shoulder at Anya who had a bag, and Lucky.

"Thanks," Kate responds. They head out of the burning apartment and Anya sighs wondering just how much worse her day could get.

"When I said we needed to burn the couch, this is not what I meant," Anya mutters as they make their way down the stairs, "Who were those guys? How the hell do you know them?"

"I don't know them!" Kate responds as they head out of the building. They reach the street and Anya aims a gun at where the men were just standing to find it empty. Anya lowers the gun to see a van driving off. She sighs as she pockets it and looks over at Kate who was staring at her with wide eyes.