We're Not Dead Yet (Split Souls part 2)

10: We Name Thee

Kat took a deep breath. She looked at her hair, her tattoo, her bracelet. She felt real. Katha, she thought, my name is Katha, and I am real.

She left the bathroom, and slowly walked down the stairs. She heard Natasha and Clint's voices quiet as they heard her. She wondered if they would freak out over her new look.

When she got off the last step, she finally looked up from her Vans clad feet and ripped skinny jeans. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Uh, hi." She said to her aunt and uncle who were staring.

"Hey." Clint replied just as softly.

She walked over to them. Considering her tank top left her arms bare, they saw the tattoo pretty quick.

"Tattoo?" Clint frowned. "Hair and a tattoo? When did that happen?"

"Aphrodite came over." Kat answered.

"That's who you were talking to?" Natasha asked.

"Yeah. She uh, she gave me this," Kat lifted her arm to show the bracelet. "It's magic. It um, does a thing. So that I don't always feel like, like that." Kat gestured toward the bathroom.

"She took away your emotions?" Natasha frowned.

"No." Kat said. "Just Percy's love for Annabeth. And it's only trapped in here, not gone. I'll have to face it again later."

Natasha nodded, and Clint wrapped her in a hug. "So what's with the look?" He asked lightly, changing the subject.

"I was too much like Percy. I needed to be different. I know that we'll always be similar, like, really similar, but we aren't the same person." Kat said firmly.

They both nodded. Natasha had a small smirk. "Do you like it?"

Kat glanced down at the tattoo. "Yeah. It's me."

Clint's head cocked to the side. "Is that Tony's flowers?"

Kat laughed. "Yup."

"Because that's going to help that ego of his." Natasha said sarcastically.

Clint's eyes widened, and he laughed. "Oh man, he's going to be a pain."

"He is." Natasha said, and her smirk grew slightly. "You should go check on Loki. He's been pacing out there for a while."

"Oh. Aphrodite said..." Kat trailed off.

"He'll probably like the look too." Natasha smirked fully.

Kat blinked. "Auntie-!" She blurted, but the woman in question laughed unrepentant.

Clint glared out the window, his thoughts a mess. He didn't trust Loki, but the god had helped Kat. And 'I might'? Clint had no idea what to think.

"Okay, bye before you can say more stuff like that." Kat quickly exited the house.

She was quick to find Loki. "Hey." She said.

Relief flashed in his eyes, and then curiosity. She saw him look over her new appearance, and then stop at the bracelet. "May I?" He asked.

She finished walking the space between them, and held out her wrist. "As long as you don't mess it up."

Loki gently held her wrist in one hand, and she could tell he was using his magic. There was always a slight tingle in the air when he did. "I see." He said, and let go of her wrist.

"So yeah. I'm okay, for now." Kat shuffled a shoe around the grass.

"Why would that be a concern of mine?" Loki said offhandedly.