⁺◟ THE ANTIDOTE! ⋆·˚ ❪ ✦♥ ❫
❛ chapter four ❜
⊹₊ ⋆"YOU SAID I WAS GONNA BE MINDBLOWN," Kate huffed as they walked into the grocery store.
"What, You're disappointed?" Kimberly teased as she picked up some bandages. "Not gonna lie to you. It's a bit of a letdown," Kate replied.
"Sorry to disappoint you," Clint spoke. "Wanna grab some of that rubbing alcohol over there? Lower shelf."
Kate passed Kimberly the dog's leash before walking over to the shelf, "So what's the plan now?" she asked as she walked back over with the bottles. "Let me guess. We're going to your safe house? Is it in Avengers Tower?"
"No," Clint replied before continuing. "Tony sold that. A few years ago."
"That is so sad on so many levels," Kate mumbled before turning to Kimberly and putting her hand out to take the leash back now that Clint had taken the rubbing alcohol. Kimberly shook her head with a small smile before following after Clint. Kate grinned before following after both Kim and the dog.
"What is it?" Clint questioned as the dog turned to look up at him. "What do you want with me?"
"He wants your attention," Kimberly huffed as she crouched down to be level with the dog before petting him. "It's okay, boy. This is why I'm gonna be your mommy and he's gonna be the cranky old grandparent."
Clint rolled his eyes before glancing at the person in front of them and the cashier. "Look, I gotta find a place to stash yous. Safe. So I can recliner the suit and clean your
mess."
"Stash us?" Kate repeated. "We're not a bag of money."
"No, you're not," Clint replied. "A bag of money'd be useful to me."
"Ouch," Kimberly said mockingly as she stood back up as the guy in front of them left, she pushed Clint forward gently towards the cashier.
"Hi, how are you? Merry Christmas."
"I actually do know a place about ten blocks away," Kate spoke up. "Would a bag of money know a place?"
Clint and Kimberly both followed Kate to some random apartment, both glancing around to make sure no one was following them before following her inside the building and up the stairs. "Okay, not exactly a fortress, but it'll do, right?" Clint spoke up.
"As long as it has something decently comfy for me to sleep on, I don't really care what it is," Kimberly spoke up.
"It's my aunt's place," Kate told. "She's in Florida for the winter," she continued before turning to Kim. "Can you, um, hold this for me?" she asked as she held out her bow towards the Barton girl who took it.
Kate grinned as she showed two bobby pins before turning towards the lock and began picking the lock. Kate pushed open the door and turned on the light, while Clint and Kimberly both looked around. "Is there cats in here?" Clint asked.
"Mm. Just cat hair."
"Okay," Clint mumbled as he set the bags down on the dining table. "Here I need you to clean your wounds. Use this. Use soap, this and disinfect it," he began telling Kate before yelling to Kimberly. "If she doesn't know how to, help her. All right. I'm going back to your apartment to get that suit."
"Wait, what?" Kimberly spoke up as she walked into the kitchen. "You're going yourself?"
"Yes," Clint nodded. "No, you're not," Kimberly spoke up. Clint took hold of Kim's arm and dragged her around the corner away from Kate. "Yes, I am. It's bad enough you're here and not in the hotel with your siblings. Now, stay here where you're safe and make sure she doesn't do anything she shouldn't."
Kimberly glared at her father before signing. "Fine, but only for the dog," she said before turning away and walking back into the kitchen.
"Oh, yes, Clint, you may enter my apartment," Kate mumbled as Clint walked past her and towards the door. "Don't you need my keys?"
"Nope," Clint replied. "Stay here. Lock this door," and with that, he was away.
Kimberly and Kate both glanced at each other, neither of them knowing what to say at that moment. Kimberly finally stood up, breaking the silence. "Yeah, um. It shouldn't be too hard, to clean your wound. If you need help shout on me," she said before walking out of the kitchen.
Kate looked down at the dog who was looking up at her and shrugged before sitting down at the dining table and began opening the things they had bought from the store.
⊹₊ ⋆WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" KATE ASKED AS
she walked into the living room where Kimberly was lying down on the couch.
"Sleeping, what are you doing?" Kim grumbled as she rubbed her eyes.
"Oh. I- I didn't mean to wake you, I didn't think you were asleep," Kate replied.
Kimberly sighed as she pushed herself up, tilting her neck to the side to crack it and rubbing her shoulder from the uncomfortable couch. "How long have I been asleep?" she questioned mostly to herself.
"Oh, I really don't know," Kate replied. "You came in here about an hour ago though."
Kimberly finally looked over at Kate who was standing awkwardly against the door frame. "So you just sat in the kitchen for an hour?"
"Y-Yes?" Kate replied in a questioning tone.
Kimberly let out a soft laugh as she looked over at the dog who was sleeping on the single couch. "You can sit down, you know," said Kimberly as she moved her legs so Kate could sit.
Kate smiled as she looked down at her feet, shuffling her way towards Kim, reaching the couch she sat down, stiffing for a moment when Kimberly lay her legs over Kate's before finally relaxing and bringing her pizza box up to her head.
Just when Kim was about to say something, Kate's phone rang and her father finally walked back in. "I was so scared, what happened to you?" a woman's voice came through the phone, Kimberly assumed it was Kate's mother.
"Nothing, I went out the back," Kate said into the phone, Kimberly looked over at her dad and finally stood from the couch, giving Kate some space to talk to her mom and also to find out what had happened with her dad.
"Since when did everybody start saying "I love you," to everybody all the time?" Clint questioned after Kate and her mom said their goodbyes.
"That was my mom," Kate replied. "Since when did your heart shrink three sizes?"
"It's always been three sizes," Kimberly chimed in.
Clint rolled his eyes at his daughter's remark. "When a little girl in a ninja costume stole my Christmas," he replied.
Kate cleared her throat awkwardly, walking over to Kimberly and Clint who were sitting down at the dining table. "What?" Clint questioned as Kate stood looking at them both.
"I'm multitasking," Kate shrugged. "Reducing swelling. Thawing out Pizza Dog's breakfast."
"Please, tell me you did not name him 'Pizza Dog?' That's child abuse," said Kimberly.
"He doesn't have a name," Kate replied as she pulled out a chair for herself. "It's more of a title of nobility. Like Earl of Sandwich."
"How's your wound?" Clint questioned after a moment of silence.
"Uh, all right," replied Kate. "It still hurts a little bit," she said as she took the pizza box away from her head.
Clint groaned as he looked at the wound. "Oh, shit. Did you clean it?" he questioned. "Yeah," Kate replies. "You did it all wrong, Kim, did I not say if she needed help to help?"
"I fell asleep, stop being so moody," Kim replied as she tilted her chair to face Kate, bringing her hand up to Kate's chin and tilting her face towards her own. "He's right," Kim whispered. "It looks like shit," she chuckled.
Kate gulped at the closeness between the two, not able to speak the word she wanted too so instead, she nodded in agreement.
After Kimberly finished cleaning Kate's wound, Clint had told them the suit was no longer in Kate's apartment and insisted they go and get some rest, when Kim was heading towards the couch again, Kate had stopped her. "You don't have to sleep on the couch again," she whispered, careful not to wake Clint.
"Oh, no it's fine," Kim insisted. "It's comfy," she lied.
"You might be a good liar," Kate started. "But I saw you massaging your own shoulder earlier, plus I was sitting on the couch earlier, it's not comfy."
Kim sighed, turning to fully face Kate. "Then what do you insist?"
"We can share my aunt's bed?" Kate suggested. "Don't worry, I don't take up the full bed."
Kim thought for a moment, looking over to the living area where her dad was laying asleep on the single couch. "Fine," Kim said. "Only because one, you're right, that couch is probably the least comfy seat ever. And, two, he snores like a maniac," she said as she nodded towards Clint who was snoring away.
Just as Kate was about to walk towards the room with a smile on her face Kim stopped her. "But if you end up on my side," she whispered. "I won't hesitate to push you off? got it?" Kate nodded in response. "Good, I want the window side."
"It's progress," Kate nodded, chasing after the Barton girl.