kate bishop đš the best hawkeye (kateaccompli) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2017-04-14 17:38:00 |
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Entry tags: | !closed, !completed gdoc, !log, [plot] future kids take 4, ~2017 april, ~25 points, ~~xavin (xavin), ~~~~~kate bishop (kateaccompli) |
Who: Kate Bishop, Xavin, and Caelen Eli
What: Kidplot Shenanigans, which is kind of sad for Xav and Kate.
Where: Xavinâs place
When: Friday Afternoon
Warnings: Sadness!
Status: Complete
âXavin!â
Kate was frantic. No, she was more than just frantic; Kate was in complete disarray. âXavin, itâs Kate! This is really important!â She was practically pounding on the door. Kate didnât mean to knock that hard, but she needed to be sure Xavin heard her. Perhaps she should have called first. Made sure Xavin was actually home. There were probably a lot of things Kate should have done when the dark-haired, blue-eyed Skrull kid came up to her, and called her âmotherâ. Perhaps she should have asked a few questions. Like how, why, when, and those other important questions one would ask in that situation.
Kate hadnât done that. Kate did what Kate normally did in situations that, by what she could see, were completely out of her control. She ran with the child in hand to the only other source who might have an understanding of what was happening.
Glancing over, and down just slightly, Kate continued her panicked knocking at the door.
***
Xavin had been having an odd day. Ze had been seeing many people on the network flailing about children appearing, and it had reminded her a little of the Runaways. Ze had spent most of it helping others try to find ways to accommodate their sudden kids.
Now, suddenly, when ze had managed to get home and rest, there was this? Argh! Xavin opened the door, and pulled it wide, starting to speak almost immediately. âWhat is it? why are you pounding on my---â
Xavinâs eyes took in the kid, and the coloration and zir mouth opened wide, and then closed, and ze nodded, stepping aside, waving them both inside.
âAh⌠come in.â
***
Ushering the kid inside, Kate hurried in behind them. Now that they were inside, behind the safety of walls, the pacing started. The wringing of hands. She finally paused, already looking worn for words.
âApparently, theyâre ours. You and me.â Kate gestured between her and Xavin before going back into pacing mode. That was just impossible. For one, Kate was meticulously cautious when it came to such things. Secondly, having a kid was no where on her current to-do list. She wasnât even sure if it would ever be on her to-do list. Kids were complicated and difficult. They required a lot that Kate, right now, could not provide to them.
They deserved better, too. Kate was not mother material. She was barely guardian material. For all the talk she gave about being a good role model, Kate Bishop didnât believe her own words. She never had.
She hadnât even asked for a name.
***
Xavin stared. âBut how? Thatâs not supposed to be possible. I meanâŚâ Ze stared down at the child, then sighed and sank to one knee.
âHello?â Zir voice was a little wavery, as ze was in shock, and ze blew out a long breath of air. âWhatâs your name?â
At the same time, Xavin slid out one hand and gripped one of Kateâs hands hard. This was scary and ze needed this friend to deal with it. Even if ze could see Kate was not really dealing with it herself.
***
Kateâs grip was weak, but she held on to her friend as tightly as she could at that moment. The child looked between the two before letting out a long sigh. Ze even rolled zir eyes at the two of them.
âCaelen Eli.â There was a pause, and Kate gave Xavinâs hand a sharp squeeze. âNamed after Karolina Dean and Elijah Bradley, two of our organizationâs co-leaders. I am a proud member of the Vindicators. In fact, I am the squadronâs leader.â Ze paused, brows furrowed. âYou two should know that already. Stop being stupid.â
Kate shook her head, releasing her hand from Xavinâs, and crossed her arms. âSorry, kid. But thatâs impossible. I canât be your Mom, or one of your mothers, or whatever the hell I would be right now. I canât.â
***
Xavin blinked as Kate backed away, still wide eyed at what was going on. Then ze swallowed and sighed. âI know this is weird, but I think youâve time traveled into the past. And I think I need to talk to your mom, for just a moment. Can you check the fridge and see if we have everything you like to eat? We can make a run to the store in a bit if not. Please?â
Xavin knew ze needed to talk to Kate, before something bad happened.
***
Caelen shrugged and made their exit. Kate watched them march off before turning to Xavin. She was already shaking her head, rubbing her temples, the back of her neck, anything to help her calm down. âNo. No, no, no. I am not a mother, Xav!â Attempting to keep her voice low, Kate had returned to her pacing.
âI canât be. I donât want to be! If I have anything to do with that kid in thereâŚâ Kate trailed off, her voice filled with genuine concern and her face was filled with dread. The last thing Kate wanted was to screw up some poor kidâs life. It was one of her greatest fears, and despite everything she may have accomplished, she was certain it was going to happen.
âI canât,â she said again, her pacing becoming slower with shorter strides.
***
Xavin winced. âKate⌠you are a mother, even if you cannot be, even if you do not want to be. You are a mother, and you will be a better one than you know.â Xavin paused, nibbling one lip, and nodded. âBut for now, if you can just⌠fake it a little. I will do my best to shoulder the weight, and shield you as much as I can.â
Xavin feared being a parent. Ze had been a soldier, and a weapon, and sometimes, ze felt ze would never be anything else. But here, now, ze could do this for their daughter and for Kate. Ze nodded, smiling warmly.
âIâve got this, Kate. Do what you need to do, okay?â
***
âI canât do it. I canât do that. Iâm sorry, Xavin, but I canât.â Denying this kid interaction with one half of their parents wasnât fair. Kate knew that deep down in the logical part of her brain. Kate wasnât thinking logically, though. Not right now. She couldnât. Losing her mother, being disowned by her father, watching people die, going through her own personal trials, watching children being experimented on, putting their lives on the line -- Kate didnât want to bring any child into this world because of all of that. Now she had, apparently, and it was killing her.
âIâm really sorry.â Kate couldnât apologize enough. She would never be able to really voice her sorrow and guilt to her friend or the kid in the other room. âI gotta go, okay? I just...I have to go. Iâm not going to screw this kidâs life up.â
Backing away for a few steps, Kate finally turned and made her swift exit. The further away she could get from the entire situation, the better it would be. Xavin would make an excellent parent, and Kate would continue telling herself it was better this way.
***
Xavin gently touched Kateâs shoulder, nodding as she spoke. Ze understood, a little, even if ze was not happy. But ze would do anything for Kate, and this was just another thing to help this woman who was important. Xavin spoke softly.
âItâs okay. Kate. Iâll handle this. Just⌠call me, let me know where you are? How you are? Please?â There was bare pleading in Xavinâs voice as Kate left, and ze sighed, watching her go.
Xavin closer zir eyes for a long moment, not quite crying. Not because of the child, for that was something else entirely. But for fear of not knowing if ze could help Kate.
Then ze squared zir shoulders and turned toward the kitchen. Time to take this bull by the horns. Time to talk to the child, and try not to freak out, at all.
Time to be a soldier again.