a little death ➴ ᵏᵃᵗᵉ ᵇⁱˢʰᵒᵖ

𝟶𝟹

➴

Remy walked alongside Kate through the New York streets. Kate's dog trotted ahead, stopping occasionally to sniff an intriguing scent or greet a person walking by.

Her thoughts drifted as she walked, trying to process previous events. She stole a glance at Kate, who was recounting her and Clint's earlier encounter with the Tracksuits.

"So there I was," Kate giggled, "on the roof, y'know, thinking I was about to make this grand entrance."

Remy chuckled to herself, shaking her head in disbelief. Kate's flair for getting herself into trouble was almost admirable. Almost.

"Anyway, Clint had this whole thing planned out— or at first, he did. He got himself captured on purpose."

Remy raised a brow. "And you decided to crash the party?"

"I thought," She reasoned, "he was in, like, a hostage situation! I just wanted to help!"

Remy could see the sincerity in Kate's eyes. Despite the humor, there was genuine concern there. She found herself laughing to herself.

Kate's expression softened, and she let out a small sigh. "He was less than impressed."

"I can imagine," Remy nodded, trying to suppress a smile. She could picture Clint's impatience all too well.

"Then we escaped. Well, more like fought our way out. Clint's pretty good at that. I held my own too."

"You make a good team, you and him," Remy remarked, her voice tinged with genuine admiration.

"Yeah," Kate agreed with a soft smile.

There was a moment of silence as they continued walking, the weight of their experiences hanging in the air. Remy felt an unspoken connection with Kate, one that only seemed to intensify.

"This little guy got a name yet?" Remy asked, motioning to the dog.

"His name's Lucky," she nodded.

Lucky wagged his tail as if acknowledging the conversation. Remy found herself smiling at the dog's enthusiasm. "Fitting."

Upon arriving at Kate's safe-house, Remy decided to take charge of the kitchen. Cooking was one of the most effective ways to anchor herself amidst the chaos. And it was the least she could do after everything they'd been through.

After having helped Clint with a rather personal phone call, Kate leaned against the counter next to Remy. "Is there anything you can't do?" She asked with a curious smile.

Remy smirked, "I make a mean pasta, I tell ya."

Kate laughed, the sound light and infectious. "Pasta sounds great."

The meal was ready soon enough, and they all sat to eat. As they shared the meal, Remy began to feel what she could only describe as contentment. Despite the danger and uncertainty, there was something quite comforting about that moment, a glimpse of normalcy in an otherwise chaotic situation.

➴

"We've linked ourselves to the Ronin. Those tracksuit guys, they aren't letting this go," said Kate, leaning over Remy.

Remy was seated between Clint and Kate in the backseat of an admittedly small cab, her legs and arms crossed in an effort to make more room for herself.

"They're up to some bad stuff, yeah?" She continued.

"Yeah, bad stuff." Replied Clint.

"Care to elaborate?" Remy chimed in.

"They started small, but grew. Or at least the guy at the top, he'll do anything to grow the operation."

"I thought Maya was the boss."

"No, there's somebody above Maya. Somebody we don't wanna fuck with."

"This is about the Ronin?" Remy asked.

"Ronin hit the supplier on the other side and then hit Tracksuit upper management."

"Lotta drama," Kate remarked.

"You think that the Tracksuits were after anything else at that auction?" Remy asked, turning to Kate.

"I don't know. I was pretty focused on Jack and Armand."

Remy earlier learned Kate's mother was recently engaged to the man Kate suspected to have murdered Armand III. Armand and Jack were both at the auction, which linked them to their Tracksuit situation.

"So, you still think Jack is involved somehow?" Clint asked.

"Yes. There's too many coincidences.
He was at the auction that night, and yesterday, he offered me a butterscotch."

Remy cocked a brow.

"Not exactly a crime," Clint remarked.

"Which is why we need more evidence," Kate replied. "We're gonna sneak into my mom's penthouse."

"What?"

"We can get into her company files. Bishop Security has a huge criminal database. There's gotta be info on the Tracksuits and Jack in there."

Remy had always felt an immense desire to protect the innocent, to use her skills for something greater than herself like the Avengers, who she'd always idolized. She grew excited at the thought of finally being of use to Clint and Kate.

After having survived the Snap, Remy knew all too well the helplessness of watching lives crumble under the weight of corruption. And being a vigilante wasn't about playing a hero for her— it was about justice. It was about using her abilities to protect the weak and defenseless. Helping Clint and Kate meant aligning herself with people who understood that.

"You're right."