ACHILLES COME DOWN ➸ kate bishop

iii. on the edge

Aurelia stood on the rooftop, the city sprawled beneath her like a sprawling tapestry of lights. The world seemed so distant from this vantage point, and she was teetering on the edge, both figuratively and literally. 

Her heart was heavy with the weight of her past, her mind clouded by the relentless nightmares that haunted her. She had come here, to this desolate rooftop, in search of an escape from the pain that seemed unending.

For a moment, she closed her eyes, the wind tugging at her clothes as if inviting her to surrender to the abyss below. Her thoughts spiralled, her resolve wavered, and she wondered if this was the way her story would end, just like Achilles, whose name she carried.

"I'm so tired," Aurelia kept mumbling to herself. "I just want it to end."

Her mind was at an internal war. Like two sides of her talking to one another.

Will it hurt?

I don't know. You've been hurt worse. But it'll all end in a second.

What will her friends think?

It doesn't matter. This will end all the pain.

But the universe had other plans that night. 

As her foot inched closer to the edge, someone grabbed onto her, pulling her away from the edge with surprising strength. Aurelia's eyes flew open, and she came face to face with the last person she expected to see.

Kate Bishop, her sky blue eyes filled with fear and determination, had saved her from the brink. Both women were surprised to find themselves on that rooftop, their worlds colliding once more.

Aurelia, disoriented and breathless from the adrenaline rush, let out a humourless laugh. 

"You know," she began, her voice trembling, "the Fates can't even let me end my pain in peace."

Kate didn't share Aurelia's dark humour. Her grip on Aurelia remained firm, and she looked deeply into her eyes. "Whatever you're going through, you don't have to go through it alone, Aurelia. Your life is worth living, even when it doesn't feel like it."

Aurelia's gaze turned distant, her exhaustion etched into every line on her face. 

"You don't understand, Kate," she whispered. "I've been through too much. I've lost too many. I can't keep pretending everything's fine."

Kate's voice was gentle but unwavering. "I'm not asking you to pretend, but I am asking you to give life another chance. To let me help you find the light that still shines within you."

Aurelia's skeptical gaze bore into Kate's earnest one. "Why do you even care?"

Kate took a deep breath, her words carrying the weight of her sincerity. "Because you matter, Aurelia. Because no one should ever feel like they have to face their demons alone. I want to be there for you, to prove to you that your life is worth it."

Aurelia hesitated, caught between the darkness that had consumed her and the flicker of hope that Kate's words ignited. 

She sighed, her resolve slowly crumbling. "You're too stubborn for your own good, Kate Bishop."

Kate grinned, her eyes dancing with determination. "I know."

With that, the dark-haired archer made a proposition. "I'll make you a deal. Give me a chance to show you that life can be beautiful, even in its darkest moments. And if, after that, you still want to leave, I won't stop you."

Aurelia felt a turmoil of emotions raging within her. The darkness and despair seemed so familiar, so comforting in its familiarity. But Kate's unwavering belief in her, her offer of a glimmer of hope, was a whisper of something she hadn't felt in a long time — faith.

She regarded Kate with a mix of skepticism and curiosity, tears glistening in her tired eyes. The offer was unexpected, and a tiny spark of hope kindled within her. She finally nodded, the weight of her decision sinking in. 

"Okay, Kate. Show me."

And since then, Kate was determined to be the beacon of light in Aurelia's darkness, to prove that even a tired hero could find a new beginning.