Chapter Text
Today, Kate decided, was an objectively good day. The sun was out enough to feel the heat creep up along her skin. And if the wind wasn’t present, it would’ve been unbearable. Fortunately for her, it was, and it kept her cool enough to starve off the sweat stains that always came with the job.
What made this subjectively a bad day, Kate decided, was the fact that she was stuck taking orders while she watched others have all the fun at the fair. For the past few weeks, Kate has been confined behind a counter, selling beads of cryogenically frozen ice cream to all sorts of people. Some days she didn’t mind it. She was a natural extrovert, albeit a little clumsy at it, so it was nice to meet new people. Getting to flirt with some of them was just a plus.
Really though, the type of day Kate had all depended on the interactions. And today…well today's interactions haven’t quite been the best. And the day isn’t even over yet.
Case One:
“Alrighty, five regular sizes will be 30 even.” Kate gave out a smile as she looked back up from the cash register. The married couple grimaced at the price. Their kids on the other hand couldn’t care less. They were just ecstatic to be loading up on sugar.
In Kate’s personal opinion, the prices were a bit chalked, but what else do you expect from the fair. Playing two games literally cost at least twenty bucks, but if you were smart you could stretch it to three. The major downside? Most of the games were rigged or required some sort of trick to have a shot at winning.
The married couple reluctantly handed Kate forty dollars and Kate was quick to exchange a ten in return.
“Have a good one!” She bid them farewell, ignoring the obnoxious complaining coming from the two adults. Instead, she watched their three kids walk away with smiles on their faces, sharing spoonfuls of one another's frozen ice cream balls.
“I can help whoever is next!” Kate yelled into the mob of customers. A woman was quick to approach and Kate gleamed at her in greeting.
“Hey, how are you doing today!” Kate said, glancing over at the woman across from her. She was much older, but Kate thought she made it work well for her. Her body was adorned in expensive looking jewelry and if that didn’t tell you anything, then her designer handbag did.
“I’m okay, better now that I’m talking to you.” Her voice was similar to honey. It flowed and dripped and it made something inside you involuntary heat up. And Kate was pretty sure if she continued speaking in that tone, something would end up sticky at the end of the day.
The lady leaned forward and Kate’s eyes struggled to stay connected to hers. But Kate was never a stickler for willpower, and so she shamelessly let her eyes drop. They followed the dipling neckline of her shirt, grazing past the diamond studded necklace and lingered at what was below there for a bit before returning up.
Kate had to admit, fake or not, her boobs were nice. Definitely something she would love to get her hands on.
Kate was quick to realize that this was the same woman who had been sending her looks the entire time she was in line. At first she tried not to feed into it, but she couldn’t help and send a quick wink her way- just to stir the waters a bit.
Kate wasn’t necessarily opposed to the attention, she got it a lot, but she never let it get too far. There was the occasional heated make out session behind the truck. Or even in some nook or cranny that only Kate knew about from working there. And yeah, there may have been some wandering hands and some faint pressure build up, but Kate always ended it there claiming she needed to get back to work.
And although the lady in front of her was a bit too old for her, (probably edging on the cusp of forty while Kate was a fresh 23 year old) Kate figured she could work with that. She already had once or twice. Enough times to figure out that these types of women loved to take charge, and Kate all too willingly gave it.
So Kate hunkered down, crossing her arms across the counter and also leaning forward. She let her gaze drop down to the strangers lips, and slowly climb their way back up. The stranger’s smile seemed to stretch even further, knowing that Kate was feeding into the attention she craved.
“Is there anything I could help you with today? I promise you, the pleasure would be all mine.” Kate hooded her eyes, knowing that her ocean blue orbs typically drove others insane. She tilted her head in the slightest, watching as the other lady seemed to follow the movement with her own head. Like a cobra and their snake charmer- although who was who has yet to be determined.
“I was actually wondering what you could offer me ?” The lady stretched out each word as she dragged her fingertips across Kate’s forearms that were laid across the counter. Kate glanced down at the fingertips as they played across her skin. A little cliché, but she could run with it.
“Well if you were looking for something sweet, you came to the right place. And if you were looking for something fruity, well you also came to the right place.” Kate smirked. She briefly gilded her fingertips across the other woman’s, grabbing hold of her pinky before standing up straight and effectively cutting off all skin contact with the lady.
“When can I have you?” The woman asked, all signs of flirtatiousness gone. It was replaced with a serious almost desperate expression as she clutched her handbag tighter. Her teeth were toying with her lip as she gave a quick glance around- almost like she was searching for something.
“I think the better term is how quick you can have me?” The woman’s eyes reconnected with Kate’s and the intensity of her actions only increased. Kate could basically feel the desperation dripping from her.
“Peter!” Kate yelled out, turning to glance inside the food truck. A boy with a mop of brown curls stuck his head out the small window. “I’m taking a ten. Send someone out to finish up here. Please.” Kate remembered to tack on her manners at the end. Yeah she’s about to get her kicks in, but it doesn’t mean she has to be rude about it.
Kate rounded the counter and grabbed the older lady’s hand, ignoring the groans of protest coming from the slowly growing mob of customers. The woman clutched onto Kate’s arms with both hands, basically pressing every inch of herself against Kate. And this time, Kate did feel something brewing in her stomach. At least she thinks it was her stomach.
She dragged the lady in the makeshift alleyway behind all the food trucks. It was a pretty good spot if you wanted to be secluded. Nobody really shows their face around there because of how loud all the trucks are and the occasional gust of hot air the trucks secreted. Kate voluntarily pressed herself up against the wall of the ice cream truck. She grabbed the woman’s hands and guided them to circle around her waist. Once she saw the woman make herself comfortable against her body, Kate drew her arms to hang loosely around the shoulders of the older woman in front of her.
She was quite attractive, not exactly Kate’s type per se, but she still found her immensely enticing. She was a petite thing, with strong looking arms. Arms that Kate wouldn’t mind being held down by. Her hair was set in loose brown curls that led to blonde tips. They bounced with every movement she made and Kate couldn’t wait to get her hand in there and just tug. The woman had sported soft brown eyes earlier, but now as Kate stared into them, she couldn’t help but feel like prey in a hunter's eye.
“So…you have me here.” Kate leaned in closer, passing the woman’s lips and going for her ear. “And the clock is ticking.” Kate whispered, making sure the older woman could feel the pressure of Kate’s lips against her. The woman responded by grabbing Kate’s waist tighter and pushing them impossibly closer. Kate smiled, knowing the effect she was leering out of the woman.
How quickly the roles can reverse. Right now she felt like the charmer and the woman was the snake. Slowly, Kate dragged her lips across the older woman’s jaw and pressed her head back against the truck once again.
Kate was waiting patiently for her to make the first move, but she didn’t need to wait long. She could see the exact moment the older woman allowed her wants and needs to take over. It showed in the way her pupils expanded, blown way out of proportion. It showed in the way her chest was heaving up and down, as if she couldn’t get a proper breath in. And it showed in the way her knuckles turned white from the amount of sheer force she was grabbing Kate.
It was quite cathartic if Kate really paid any attention to it. But all her attention was on her surroundings. She noticed the woman take another quick glance around them- again searching for something that was not there. Seemingly satisfied, she quickly closed the distance between them once and for all.
It was exactly what Kate imagined it to be- rough and rushed. A clashing of teeth that led to biting. It was bruising and bold in the way the woman immediately went to grab Kate’s ass- grabbing a handful and squeezing the ever loving life out of it.
Kate gasped, leaning her head back against the truck. She ran her hands into the other woman’s hair to scratch at her scalp and lightly grab her hair. The woman started to pepper sloppy kisses along Kate’s jaw, on a mission to find the spot that would make Kate a mess.
“Wh-What’s your name?” Kate asked, interrupted by a strained moan.
Mission accomplished.
The woman sucked harder, her hands moving to untuck Kate’s pinstripe shirt. She made quick work at unbuttoning the shirt, but Kate was able to stop her before she got to the button that would expose her breast. The woman went to grope at Kate’s stomach, taking great care in tracing the faint abdominal muscles that sat there and tensed with every hand movement. .
Kate’s hand went to tug lightly on the woman’s hair, attempting to grab her attention. “Hey, what’s- what’s your name?”
After a few seconds of no response, it was clear to Kate that the older woman was engrossed by her. This time, when Kate’s went to tug on her hair, it was harsher- a bit unforgiving if they weren’t in the heat of the moment. The woman pulled back, breaths coming out wildly uneven and her lipstick was smudged beyond repair. Kate didn’t even want to imagine how she looked right now.
Their eyes connected and Kate was struck by how much the woman across from her looked to be in a lustful drunken haze.
“What’s your name? I want to know whose name I’m going to be moaning.” Kate asked for the third time. If Kate was previously stirring the waters, then after that statement she was definitely causing a couple waves to rock back and forth.
The lady closed her eyes and Kate watched as she tried to restrain herself from jumping her bones right then and there. I mean, that was the woman’s goal right? Her endgame? To see just how quickly she could make Kate come undone. How fast she could make Kate forget the English language.
The older lady ran her hands back down Kate’s stomach and grabbed onto the waistline of her shorts. Her fingers dipped slightly into them, barely brushing against the band of Kate’s underwear. The woman opened her eyes, her pupils being somewhat tamed.
“Jane. My name is Jane.” She breathed out. Her voice no longer held that honey flow to it. Instead it was raspy and choppy, but it still made her insides jump.
“Jane.” Kate repeated slowly. “Mmm, It’s a pretty name…” Kate dragged the hand that was tugging on Jane’s hair and brought it to the front to play with the curls that sat on her shoulder. She bit her lip and dragged her piercing blue eyes back up to Jane. “Do your worst Jane.”
And with that, Jane went to push Kate back up against the truck. This time, Kate was the one to smash their lips together. It was still just as rough and bruising, but now it was also felt in the way they touched one another. Kate made a go to grab at the older woman’s boobs, taking great pleasure in just squeezing them. They were full, a bit too full for Kate’s liking but that didn’t stop her from worshiping them.
Jane dragged her hands down Kate’s thighs and hoisted her up, allowing Kate to wrap her legs around Jane’s waist. Their lips stayed connected, tongues meshing in the middle as moans were thrown out from each party. Kate once again pulled her head back to rest against the truck with a loud thump. She arched into Jane when she felt her nibble along her jaw. Kate closed her eyes, and barred her throat to her assailant, a few moans and hisses of pain escaping every once in a while.
“Jane.” Kate squeezed her legs tighter around Jane, effectively bringing each other closer. She let her name slip through her mouth after a particularly harsh bite against her neck. Kate knew she should probably put a stop to this soon, before things got out of hand.
“ Fuck. Jane.” Kate tried to squeeze out. She brought her hands to rest on Jane’s shoulders. She started to apply a bit of pressure. A futile attempt at pushing Jane away. She was really invested.
“Jane. Wait.” She once again tried to break them apart. Kate’s attempt at pushing her only turned into squeezing her shoulders, and Jane’s lips only wandered down, lower and lower.
“Jane.” Kate tilted her head slightly, eyebrow furrowed. She didn’t remember her voice coming out that deep.
“Jane!” Kate’s eyes shot open when she realized that that indeed was not her voice. It was deep. And manly. And angry. And very much not Kate’s voice.
“Jane! You can’t hide from me. I have your location on.” A man rounded the corner into the alleyway built up by trucks. He looked up from his phone, and stood still in shock. His eyes connected with Kate’s, being a witness to the state both girls were in. Kate’s hair was mostly intact, but what really stood out were the lipstick marks that covered her jaw, her neck, and one even managed to spawn on the top of her right boob.
Jane was currently still attacking Kate’s neck, and in the chaos of it all, Jane had somehow managed to slip her hand into Kate’s shorts. Kate finally gathered all her bearings and forcefully shoved Jane off of her. She brought her legs back down to the floor, standing up on her own. Jane held a confused look, until the man spoke up once again sounding absolutely livid.
“Jane! What the fuck are you doing?”
“Oh shit.” Jane breathed out. For some reason, her reaction was aloof. The exact opposite of how Kate assumed a person would react. Jane looked back down at herself and began to quickly fix her appearance, starting with the bra that Kate had snuck her hand under.
Meanwhile Kate was absolutely freaking out on the inside and on the outside.
“Who is that? Is that your brother? Ew- Wait, is that your boyfriend? Hold on, are you married?” Kate let out in a hushed whisper. She looked down at the older woman’s hands. Lo and behold, perfectly sat upon Jane’s hand was a diamond ring.
“You’re married?!” Kate was freaking out even more, clutching her hair in desperation. Of course Kate would miss the huge rock that sat upon the woman’s hand. Easy to skip over it with how much freaking jewelry the lady wore. Seriously, it probably added like two pounds to her.
She began pacing back and forth, trying to think of a way to get out of this situation. Could she say that she was practicing CPR? That she had a practical coming up and the best way to study was to use real participants?
Jane let out a sarcastic chuckle “I would hardly call it that.” The woman rolled her eyes, seeming unbothered by the whole ordeal. “He’s just too stubborn to realize that what we had is long gone.”
The man (or should Kate say Jane’s husband!) began marching towards the two. His hands were clenched at his sides, and if this were a cartoon, Kate was sure that steam would be coming out of his ears.
“Well his stubbornness looks like it's about to beat my ass.” Kate said, making her way behind Jane. She’s been in this situation before, although the other person was much younger than Jane. But it seemed like no matter the age, the boyfriend still remained just as livid.
“Are you kidding me? I thought we had a deal, Jane. I give you one free hall pass a month. Last time I checked, the guy from the dance studio already marked the box for June. And we aren't even halfway through the month yet.” The man threw his arms up in exasperation. He came closer until he was standing right in front of the two women, Kate still using Jane as cover. “You wanted a divorce and I didn’t, so we compromised. You can’t just ignore the rules, we agreed on this.”
Kate looked at the couple in pure aghast. What kind of people made a deal on that?!
“No Maverick.” Jane exclaimed. “You made a deal on that. I think I’ve made it clear time and time again that I want a divorce.” She made sure to emphasize both the you part and the divorce part.
The couple began to argue animatedly, Kate’s head following the speaker like a game of table tennis.
Maverick had declared that Jane was, and will forever be, the love of his life. That he would buy her whatever she wanted to make her happy.
Jane had argued that money wasn’t the problem. That she was tired of living in a house all alone. That the flame of passion between them was smothered out long ago because he was never around.
Maverick made an attempt at trying to renegotiate the terms of the deal. Jane disregarded him, saying once again that she wanted a divorce.
While all this was going on, Kate slowly began to button her shirt back up. Once that was all settled, she started to step away from the couple (if she could even call them that). She crept backwards, trying her best to not make a sound. She made it about six steps when she accidentally made eye contact with Maverick. At that moment, she knew she was a goner.
Maverick stormed past Jane and took a hold of Kate’s arm like she was a child. Kate struggled a bit to get free, even throwing out a small “let go of me,” but it was no use. The man dragged her back in front of Jane, all progress Kate made to escape lost.
“And out of all people, her?! I mean look at her! She’s like sixteen” He jerked Kate forward by the grip on her arm. Kate sneered at the guy, narrowing her eyes in offense.
“Actually, I’m twenty three.” Perhaps not the best time to be speaking, but Kate couldn’t help it. The way he was talking about her- like she was scum on the bottom of a shoe. Kate just had to stick up for herself. She made herself comfortable in the grip of his hands, no longer trying to escape but just going with the flow.
Maverick ignored her and continued on, “I just don’t get it Jane. Really, I don’t! I’m stronger than her.” He shook his head to and fro in utter disbelief. As if he couldn’t even begin to fathom a girl not wanting him.
Kate let out a quiet chuckle at that. Although, he was probably right. If they were to arm wrestle, he would win by a landslide. Kate just found it comical that he would choose something so superficial as his rebuttal.
“I bet I could take you.” Kate argued.
“I’m smarter than her.” He continued, brushing aside whatever Kate said.
“Yeah, okay pal.” Knowing for a fact that Kate could run laps around this guy, mentally and physically. I mean, she did get accepted to all the ivy league schools she applied for.
“I’m better looking than her.” Maverick pressed on, a slight twitch of the eye making itself known. Kate could tell she was getting under his skin, and she smirked out of pure pride in it.
“Dude, I’m not the one who has their mustache curling into their upper lip” Kate blurted out- Because really, eww.
“Oh my God, can you just keep your mouth shut!” Maverick finally had enough. He turned to face Kate, eyebrows furrowed in anger. Kate, on the other hand, held an unbothered expression all but slouching in his grip.
“At least I know how to use it. Why else would your wife come to me?” Kate jeered, effectively poking the bear. It went quiet for a second, Kate looking up from the floor to glance at the two. Jane’s face held an expression of shock and Maverick was fuming to the brim.
She realized her mistake a bit too late- the consequence coming in the form of a punch to the jaw. Kate was able to lessen the blow by moving with the flow of the punch. That didn’t stop the fact that it still hurt like shit and would probably show signs of bruising by the end of the day.
“Maverick!” Jane shrieked out.
Kate had fallen on to the floor, really for the dramatic flare of it all. This wasn’t the first time she’s been punched. She’s also pretty sure it won't be the last, seeing as she is currently an active participant in various martial arts. Kate really wasn’t lying when she said she could take him on.
Kate groaned around on the floor, holding the side of her jaw. She wiggled around in pain as Jane came to the rescue.
“Oh! My poor baby.” Jane bent down and went to cup Kate’s jaw. Kate held back the cringe that was just begging to come out. Jane was hotter when she had her tongue shoved down Kate’s throat. Not when she was treating her like her own child.
But Kate persevered and instead drew her lips into a frown. She casted her face downwards and peered up through her long lashes, really working the puppy dog eyes. Her blue orbs only served to intensify the whole kicked puppy vibe.
“It hurts.” Kate crooned, leaning her head further into Jane’s hand. She stuck out her bottom lip, hissing in pain every time Jane would rub her thumb soothingly across the imperfection.
Maverick was not having any of it though. He threw his hands in the air, yet again. “Are you kidding me? She’s obviously faking it, Jane. Look at her! She’s not even crying real tears!” He shoved his finger in front of Kate’s face, pointing at her.
Kate flinched at the motion. “He’s scaring me!” She cried out and went to cower behind Jane. “Please, don’t let him hit me again!”
Jane’s facial expressions turned from worried to enraged, and the latter was all directed at Maverick. She turned to face him and began dishing him out. “You leave this poor girl alone, Maverick! I can’t believe you would act so juvenile. We’re done! Do you hear me? We. Are. Done!”
Meanwhile, Kate just stared at Maverick, a smug smile spread across her face. She felt like she was playing with fire, like a snake charmer who is about to get bit. She mocked Maverick with a cry baby expression and silently chuckled to herself.
“You little-” Maverick went to lunge at Kate, but a firm arm wrapped around his waist and yanked him back.
It was Peter, Kate’s coworker and long time best friend. His natural demeanor was the exact opposite of hostile and talking to the guy would just solidify that fact. He sported soft brown curls that occasionally fell in front of his honey brown eyes. You could always catch him making others smile or laugh, even on days when he isn’t feeling so good himself. Peter was selfless to the core, a pure man at heart.
That also included sticking up for your best friend when she threw herself into sticky situations. He was pretty good at getting people out of trouble, especially Kate. He was a genuine guy- people felt obligated to work with him and if that failed… well he always had a mean right hook.
“Hey man, why don’t we just all calm down, alright? Look, I apologize for my friend, she meant no harm. Sometimes, she acts before she thinks… most of the time. Trust me it’s a lot more stressful than you think.” Peter’s boyish voice floated around the atmosphere. He rubbed the back of his neck in a show of nerves. Kate accepted the slight jab he threw, knowing that she’s dragged Peter through countless horror stories.
“Watch me knock some manners into her!” Maverick tried to have another go at Kate, but again Peter held his hands up to push against the man's chest, effectively blocking him from her.
Peter squared his shoulders and settled his jaw. All signs of a childish boy replaced by a cold hard demeanor. There were only a few times when Kate saw Peter this way. Once when he partook in a trial against the man who killed his uncle. That day was tough for Kate. To sit there and watch Peter testify, she swore she had never seen him look so cold.
Another time was at a party, when Kate was drunk on her father’s birthday. A group of guys had gotten too friendly with her and somewhere down the line, Peter showed up to take care of her. She remembered his cold demeanor but everything else was a blur past a certain point.
And oddly enough, he held the same expression when Kate had beat him at Super Smash Bros, claiming he had been undefeated up until that point. Kate didn’t have the heart to tell him that, really, she was just mashing buttons.
“How about the both of you just leave before security gets here?” He gestured at Jane and Maverick. “Our security’s no joke here. Something tells me they wouldn’t take too kindly to a man who hits girls.”
Maverick seemed to dwindle down at this statement. You could see him filing through the pros and cons of the situation before him. He tilted his head back and forth. Ultimately, it was Jane who took action. She stood up and grabbed Maverick’s arm tugging him away from the scene.
“C’mon Mav.” She let out a tiresome sigh. “I think we really need to have a talk.” Kate would’ve felt some type of remorse, if her jaw wasn’t currently aching.
Peter and Kate watched as the strained couple retreated out of the truck alleyway. Once they were out of sight, Peter slouched his shoulders and hung his head low. Kate could feel the disappointment exude out of his posture. Peter heaved out a sigh and turned around to offer Kate a hand. Now, Kate had a good reason to look like a kicked puppy. She hated making Peter disappointed, it was worse than failing an exam.
“Sorry Pete.” Kate meekly said, grabbing Peter’s hand. He hoisted her from the floor and waved off the apology.
“It’s okay, KB. I’m just worried that someday you're going to get yourself into trouble and I won’t be there to help you out.” He pushed his curls away from his face, tugging his hat back on.
“I know Pete and I promise I’ll start choosing my suitors more carefully from now on.” Kate threw up three fingers. “Scout’s honor.” She smiled, poking fun at the fact that Peter was once a boy scout. They started making their way back into the food truck, Peter grabbing a towel and wetting it. He threw it at Kate, who caught it effortlessly, but held a questionable gaze.
“You kind of have something right…” Peter trailed off using his finger to gesture in a big circle around Kate’s neck and face. “Right everywhere.” He finished off with a tight lipped smile. Peter's cheeks held a red tinge at the prospect of knowing Kate was ten steps away getting it on with a woman. He left her alone, giving Kate his back as he walked a bit further down the truck and rummaged through the freezer.
“Right, thanks.” Kate brought the rag up to wipe at her mouth, her jaw hanging open in shock when she pulled it back and it was covered in red lipstick.
“Jesus” she whispered to herself, rolling her eyes. The woman was a good kisser, but did she really have to use so much lipstick? Kate went back to wiping at her skin, managing to get pretty much everything off. Peter returned with a frozen bag of ice cream spheres. He handed her the bag, which Kate gratefully took with a thankful smile on her face.
She flipped it over in her hand, reading the label out loud. “Rainbow Ice… did you get this ‘cause I’m gay?” She squinted her eyes at him.
“I swear I didn’t. I just grabbed the first bag there was.” Peter held his hands up in a defensive manner. “Ironic though isn’t it- Eighteen different flavors. If that isn’t a sign from the universe, then I don’t know what is.” Peter chuckled.
Case Two:
Kate was perched on a chair behind the counter, a new unopened package of frozen beads on her jaw. This time she went for Lemon Ice. Her Rainbow Ice sat on the counter, its contents now a blend of liquids. She was pouting, her body slouched over while she wore a frown on her face.
Her boss seemingly appeared out of thin air, a clipboard in his hand. He set his eyes on Kate and made a beeline towards her.
“Kate! We need you for the dunk tank.” Oh no, not the dunk tank. That’s literally the worst job at the fair. The sweltering heat. The loneliness that accompanied the confines of the dunk tank. And don’t even get Kate started on the sticky carnival water.
“What I can’t- I can’t do that” Kate protested, holding her bag of frozen ice closer.
“Well, we went to draw names but yours was the only one left.” He threw her a sorrowful expression. Even he knew the pains of the dunk tank.
“Well I can’t do it. I’m sorry. I…I’m on my-” She was interrupted before she could even finish her thought.
“Don’t say you’re on your period. You used that excuse the last three times. Besides, I know you already had it ‘cause you wouldn’t stop talking about your cramps last week.” Clint began to walk through the fair grounds, weaving between all the different games and food tents.
“Oh come on Clint, can’t you give it to someone else?” Kate followed along, flinging the bag of frozen ice cream on some random counter. She watched as a bird flew down and began to peck on the bag.
“I’m sorry but I can’t kid. You know the agreement, we all take turns in the tank. I just went in last week.” He told her with an animated expression. Really it was a failed attempt at trying to get Kate to feel better.
“You didn’t even get dunked last week. You set the button sensitivity too low.” Kate followed him around like a little duckling.
“That was just pure luck.” Clint came to a stand still.
“Well then I…I” Kate struggled to think of something, anything that would translate into her gotcha moment. Something that would let her take the king and win the board. And then, as if a lightbulb went off, she tilted her chin up and announced:
“I quit.”
Check
With a subtle smirk and a firm head shake, “Yeah, I quit!” Kate beamed with smugness, body exuding confidence.
Clint stared at her for a second, seemingly unfazed, then a chuckle began to trickle its way out slowly through his mouth. “Alright kid. You can drop your stuff at your station.”
He began to walk away, mumbling to himself and looking back down at the clipboard in hand.
“Wait, what?” Kate stumbled, following Clint once again, weaving in between patrons.
“I said you can leave your stuff at your station.”
“No, I heard you the first time, but… well,that’s it?”
“Yeah Kate, that’s it. You quit so you leave your hat and apron. That’s technically company property. You would obviously have to come back to pick up your last check, but hey, at least don’t have to do the dunk tank. And more importantly” Clint paused, turning around to face Kate, “you’d have to tell your mother about all of it.”
Mate
Kate’s eyes widen at the prospect of it all. You see, Clint knew that Kate needed this job. How- you may ask. Well a month prior to, Kate and Peter both graduated from community college. Clint was there, along with Eleanor, Jack, and Aunt May, cheering the both of them on. Clint had been a longtime family friend of Kate’s father. He wasn’t the biggest fan of Eleanor, but recently he has noticed a change of heart with her. So he has been more receptive recently.
So there they were, four adults cheering on a twenty three year old Kate who just tripped on the way to receiving her diploma. And moments later cheering on a twenty year old Peter, who somehow managed to order his graduation gown a size too large.
After the theatrics were all said and done, Kate and Peter reunited with their family, getting squished in several hugs and even encountering some tears. They all caught up for a few minutes before the two graduates departed from their family. As they left, Clint overheard the pair talking animatedly about how they felt the need to celebrate this moment by doing something extraordinary. Something that was so out of character for the both of them. Something improbable.
Clint had to admit, he had his suspicions. He thought back to the time where he and his best friend graduated from college and were on that adrenaline high. That following week they were both on an international flight to Budapest, not even knowing a goddamn thing about it. (They got lost a lot of times.)
But, Clint had respect for these two kids, so he kept his nose out of it. They were adults. Whatever they decided to do as a celebration was none of his business.
Fast forward to the start of June, where Kate begged Clint to give her a job. It was out of the ordinary for Kate to be asking for a job, which caused Clint’s suspicions to flare back up again. Out of all the years he has known her, she has never taken up a job. That’s not to say she hasn’t worked a day in her life. Kate frequently volunteered in a plethora of things. Her reasoning- she didn’t need any more money. She just helped people because it made the world a better place that way.
But on the first of June, she turned to Clint, who seemed to always have a different job whenever you talked to him. She went on an entire monologue about how she desperately needed a job. It was no longer an option, but a necessity. In the heat of her speech, she spewed about all the mischievous shenanigans the two graduates got up to on graduation night- ending with Kate defacing (aka destroying) a historical structure within their recently graduated college campus.
As a lesson, her mother canceled her credit cards and told her she would need to get a job. Her hypothesis was that it would be a good lesson for Kate in being responsible and teaching her that she is not as invincible as she thinks she is.
Hence the need for this job. Hence the absolute terror that flooded Kate’s face when Clint told her she would need to tell her mom. Hence her quick redaction of her prior statement.
Clint watched as Kate moped around for a bit, eventually taking some form of pity on the young adult.
He placed his hand on Kate's shoulder, an act of comfort that didn’t do much for her. “Look, I’ve tried to postpone this for you as much as I could but I can’t anymore. Not without having the other employees start complaining that I’m picking favorites.”
“But I am your favorite.” Kate replied. They stared at one another, Kate questioning all her life choices that led up to this moment.
Clint squeezed her shoulder one more time. “It’s for a good cause.”
“Ugh.” Kate sighed. She couldn’t even argue with that if she wanted to, knowing that the money raised would be donated to the no kill shelter for animals.
“You get to have an extra day off next week.” Clint sang out, the part of the agreement that usually won the victims over for good.
“Alright, fine.” Kate rolled her eyes. Clint thanked her, shoving the swim wear in her hands and taking off in a hurry. Kate looked down at her hands which now held a pair of red shorts and a matching rash guard.
Kate sighed out a curse once again. “For the dogs.”
So there Kate sat, slouched over on the white seat, chin in the palm of her hand. Her eyes were squinted from the sunlight reflecting off the water and into her face. Kate’s cheeks were tinged red and her lips were a little chapped- also courtesy of the sun and heat. It was bearable earlier, but now that she was confined in a tank, she had no breeze to cool her down.
Kate had been sitting around for the past few minutes, watching as people passed her by. Should she be offended? No, especially because in this scenario, no business was good business. Was she a little bit offended? Yes, because all these people paid her no mind. She works hard for her body. If it’s going to be showcased, there better be a crowd.
Finally, after a few more minutes of picking on a loose thread on her shorts, Kate had a contender. It was a kid who looked to still be in elementary school. He walked up to the glass and peered up at Kate.
“What are you doing in there?” He asked innocently, looking unimpressed.
“Having tea with the queen.” Kate replied sarcastically. “What does it look like I'm doing here?”
“Geez, I was just asking. No need to be so mean.” The kid furrowed his eyebrows.
“Maybe next time don’t ask stupid questions.” She blew a strand of hair away from her face.
“That’s it. You’re going to pay for that.” The kid began stomping up to the attendant. He tried to look mean, but really any kid that size just comes off as goofy.
The kid bought one game and was given four balls. Four chances to hit the small white button that determined the fate of Kate’s body.
The kid stepped back behind the white line, chest puffed out. He grabbed his first ball and pulled his hat down. Winding up the shot, the kid threw with all the force he had, almost toppling over. The ball soared through the air and Kate watched on as it hit the backboard and bounced off the wall.
“Ha! All that suspense for this? Nice try kid!” Kate laughed, she went back to picking her nails, not even bothered to pay the kid any mind.
The kid sighed and threw another ball. His eyes were squinted from the sunlight that seemed to peer around his hat. His form was clumsy and his aim even clumsier, proven by the way the second ball missed its mark. But what did one expect from a child- that still didn’t stop Kate from teasing the kid.
“Come on, my grandma could throw better than that and she's dead!”
The kid growled at her. “I’m only ten!” He yelled back in his squeaky voice.
“Then what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be throwing a tea party instead?” Kate bit back. She was still a bit bitter from her previous fiasco. Her jaw still ached and she was hungry.
But hey, equality is in right now! And what type of person would Kate be if she picked and choosed who she made fun of.
The kid let out another frustrated huff at Kate’s remark and went to throw his second to last ball. But just like all the others, he missed.
“I think I’m starting to feel sorry for you.”
The kid ignored her, picking up his last ball. He drew his foot up and down in a line and went to tug on his hat again. He then drew the ball up to his lips and gave it a quick kiss for good luck. Kate grimaced not knowing where that ball had been.
Deep down, Kate was actually rooting for the kid. She was being a bit of an asshole, she knew that much. But, she felt like if the kid succeeded, it would balance out the negative karma she accumulated.
So she silently prayed as the kid threw his last ball. But her prayers weren’t answered as she watched the ball hit nowhere even near the target.
Well, might as well keep going right. Kate couldn’t help but throw in one last remark.
“You throw like my grandma…” Quickly realizing she already used that one she scrambled to get out another remark. “My other grandma. She’s still alive but has two fingers.” A lie, but the kid didn’t have to know that.
“At least I’m not old and sitting in a tank.” The little kid stomped off, and Kate began laughing quietly to herself. She leaned back onto the chair, satisfied with her teasing and watched as another person went up to throw.
A few more minutes passed, her time in the tank slowly coming to an end. She took another look around, paying no mind to the crowd until she saw a familiar face.
“Back for more, kid? I didn’t know you liked losing so much.” Her cocky demeanor returned, knowing the kid would strike out again.
The kid glared at Kate and said nothing. Kate smiled in satisfaction. It soon vanished though as what seemed to be the kids' father stepped up. The father paid the attendant, grabbed the four balls, and went to stand behind the white line.
He lined up his shot, his ritual looking similar to the kids. Kate felt her stomach drop a bit as she watched him yank his arm back and bring it forward. To Kate’s amazement, the guy missed.
“Ohh! I see where the kid gets it from!” The man said nothing, making no indication that he heard her. He kept his calm as he threw once again.
“Strike! I guess the apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Kate began to loosen up. The nerves that falsely accumulated, now dissipating. She swung her legs back and forth, toes barely skimming the water.
“Come on old man, I’m running out of ways to tease you!” The father threw his third ball, barely missing by a millimeter.
“Give the ball back to the kid! I think he was doing better. Not good, just better.”
The man took his last shot and Kate didn’t even have to look to know he missed. His form said it all.
“Well kid, not all dads can be heroes.” Kate looked at the kid and shrugged. A bit of harsh truth hidden behind her words.
The kid stuck his tongue out and mocked Kate. She just raised her hand up in an overly sarcastic wave. “Don’t think about the fact that neither of you could dunk me. It happens to the best of us.”
Then, in the blink of an eye, the kid ran up to the button and pushed it himself.
Hello Karma.
Kate felt the chair drop beneath her and her body collided with the water. She squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath. The buzzer rang and the animatronic voice went off chanting “You got dunked, you got dunked.”
Kate broke through to the surface, spitting out the water that gathered into her mouth. She gave the child the evil eye and watched as the father went up to throw his kid around his shoulder. He held his hand out for a high five and they both laughed as they walked away.
“Just so you know, that’s cheating!” Kate yelled in one more futile attempt at getting the last laugh. Whether the family heard her or not remained unknown.
Kate sighed as she stood up, ringing out her now drenched raven black hair. “Stupid kid with his stupid father. Pfft, Imagine needing your dad to help you do something. I never did.” Kate grumbled to herself.
It’s not like she had much choice in the matter though. Kate’s father died when she was only nine. Jumped from the roof of their penthouse, with no regards of who or what he left behind.
Just that he was leaving it all behind.
…
So now here was Kate, back at the counter where it all started. Selling over priced ice cream to people who insisted on having it. Just because it was fun shaped.
She went to tug her hat further down her head. Her hair had lost all its curls- The time Kate spent styling it, now obsolete. Kate didn’t really care too much about it, she just wanted the day to be done already.
Peter had teased her for a second when she came back, comparing her to a puffer fish before also taking pity and offering his condolences. He grabbed Kate another rag, this time dry as Kate used it to dry her semi wet hair even more.
Now, the fair was almost closed, which meant Kate was almost off. It was much colder now than it was in the morning, the sun having set about an hour ago. With Kate’s hair still being slightly damp, she was colder than usual. And like usual, she failed to bring a jacket. The only things offering heat were the blaring white headlamps that lit up the counter. Which you can imagine was not much.
There were a few brainless stragglers who decided to score on some frozen ice cream this late at night, but most people opted for heated desserts at other food trucks. The last customer Kate had was about twenty minutes ago, and now she had nothing else to do but bother Peter.
“So… you ready for our first part of orientation next week?” Kate asked. She had her head poking through the service window, resting her chin on the counter. Her fingers were playing with the cracked surface of the counter, chipping away the worn out paint.
“I’ve honestly had no time to even think about that. Too busy trying to help Aunt May at the homeless shelter. With summer here, we have lots of people trying to get out of the streets to hide from the sun.” He wheezed out a breath, dropping a box onto a push dolly. “That mixed with working this summer job to save up for our apartment, doesn’t really give me much time to think about things.” Peter replied, moving around heavy boxes of unopened ice cream to be stored again for the next day.
“You know, I already told you I don’t mind paying for the apartment. You could help out with groceries or other stuff.” Kate offered up once again. It was no secret that she stemmed from money. Her mother was the CEO of a security company that was pretty well established. It was originally directed by her father but…
Now her mothers in charge. And even if Eleanor put a hold on Kate’s credit cards, she still offered up to help pay for the apartment.
“You know I can’t do that, Kate. I’d feel guilty about it. Besides, I think if you paid for our apartment entirely, I would have to start calling you a sugar momma.” Peter shivered in fear. “I don’t think either of us would like that.”
Peter made his way towards Kate and stood in front of her. He had to stoop down a little bit, beads of sweat dripping from his brow as his breathing came out a little rough. Kate grabbed his hat and pulled it over his eyes, laughing. “Peter, if you ever call me that, two things are going to happen. One, I will baby barf in my mouth. And two, it’ll be the last day you walk this earth.”
“Duly noted.” Peter replied with a firm nod.
“I’m serious though.” Kate continued, returning to their previous topic. “If it ever gets too much, you tell me. Okay? ‘Cause we both know my mother has more money than she knows what to do with.”
“I promise KB, Scout’s honor.” Peter threw up three fingers.
Kate stared at him with a heartfelt gesture on her face. Just how Peter worried about Kate, Kate worried about him too.
“Incoming.” Peter said, glancing over Kate’s shoulder, and going back to finish stacking boxes.
Kate let out a quiet grumble. She checked the time on her phone, the screen indicating there was ten minutes till the fair was closed. There was also a message from her mother.
Kate pivoted to the incoming customer, not even bothering to look up from her phone. “Sorry, we’re closed already.”
Short, sweet, and to the point.
Kate briefly skimmed the message from her mother, rolling her eyes when she read the word gala and this weekend. She was tired of these elite socialite parties. They were always so tedious and boring. Just another way for the rich to flaunt their wealth.
She looked up from her phone when she noticed the figure was still standing before her. It was a woman, with intricate braids running through her hair. She was looking at the signs that were hung above Kate’s head that listed the different flavors. Kate shook her head at her. She was so done with people today.
“Excuse me, we’re still closed. We’re all sold out.” Kate lied through her teeth. Whatever it takes to get the customers to leave.
Grabbing the woman's attention, she looked down from the signs, Kate’s blue eyes colliding with hazel ones. She tilted her head as she stared at Kate, observing her. Kate felt her breath squeeze out of her lungs as she subconsciously straightened out her posture.
“That’s a shame.”
Kate’s eyes widened the slightest when hearing the woman speak. She spoke with a Russian lilt, deep and raspy, and it made Kate salivate. “My sister insisted I tried some. Bummer I’ll be going back unsatisfied.” She let out a small frown which made Kate involuntary frown as well. There was something about that frown that made Kate want to do just about anything to soothe it.
“Wait!” Kate shouted as the Russian woman turned to walk away. Kate couldn’t let her leave. Not yet. Grabbing her attention once again, the woman stared back at Kate.
“I can- I don’t mind-” Kate cleared her mysteriously dry throat. The next time she spoke, she made her voice an octave deeper, to appear nonchalant. “I can go see if we have some laying around in there.” Kate gave the truck a couple firm pats, leaning against it.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to cause any headaches.” The woman brought her hand up toying with a gold necklace splayed across her chest, fingers decorated with all types of rings.
It made Kate drool even more.
“Yeah, yeah.” Kate waved her off. “No worries! We haven’t even started closing up.” That was also a lie. Peter had pretty much packed everything away and Kate was about to ruin it. “I’ll just go back there and…” Kate threw her a sheepish smile before rounding the truck, disappearing from the woman's view.
Kate made it to the back of the truck, where Peter just finished stacking the boxes. She stood there awkwardly out of breath despite the short distance, fumbling with her words for a bit as she finally spoke up an actual sentence.
“We uh- we have a problem.” Guilt riddled her face as she looked at the neatly taped up boxes, then back up at Peter.
“What is it?”
Kate stood there in silence, wringing her hands around. She threw a quick glance towards the mystery woman, then back at Peter. She gave him a bashful grin and watched as the lightbulb went off in Peter’s head.
“No.” He shook his head, brown curls following suit. “No Kate.”
“But Peter-”
“No.” Peter stormed back into the truck, Kate following after. “You go back out there with your stupid, goofy, Kate Bishop trademark smile that always seems to charm the pants off of everyone,” Peter came to a sudden halt, Kate bumping into his back, “And you tell her we can’t do it.” He faced her as he whispered-yelled.
“Peter please. She is the hottest woman I have ever seen.” Kate begged, crouching down so she was on her knees. Her hands clutched into Peter’s jeans in desperation.
“You literally said the same thing about the girl at the pizzeria last week! And what about that married lady today?” Peter shoved Kate off of her, reminding her of the out of pocket encounter today.
“That married woman was a fluke in the matrix. And, that ‘pizzeria girl’ was slamming down pizzas like there was no tomorrow. Of course that would make me feel a little funny in the tummy.” Kate countered, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Getting back up on her two feet, she glanced to her left and realized they were standing in front of the service window. The same service window that was still open. The same service window that the mystery Russian woman was standing only mere inches from. The same service window that had now basically announced their whole conversation to the woman.
Their eyes met and Kate offered her an awkward smile. It was returned with a half strained smile from the girl as she rocked back and forth on her heels. She was messing with the rings on her fingers, waiting patiently for Kate to return.
“And how is this girl any different? You just promised me that you would start being careful from now on.” Peter folded his arms across his chest. He lowered his voice when he also noticed the stranger standing outside.
“She doesn’t just make me feel funny in the tummy.” Kate whispered. “She makes me feel funny… elsewhere.” Her voice lowering even more at the last word.
“Eww, Kate gross.”
“I’ll start listing all the places.”
“Please don’t-”
“My head was one of them. It got a little woozy. I think I started seeing stars for a bit. And the larynx started to malfunction. Can you believe it? The utter betrayal. Also, weirdly enough, my toes. They felt a little numb. Oh! But when she spoke…Oh Peter, when she spoke.” Kate drifted off dreamily, bringing her hand to her chest to clutch at her heart.
“Okay, okay! Stop!” Peter heaved out a sigh.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” He spoke to himself, rubbing his forehead “What flavor?”
Kate was going to answer when she realized she didn’t even know the answer. What flavor would a girl like her want? If Kate had to take a guess, she would keep it classic and say strawberry. But, what if she was like Kate and absolutely hated anything strawberry flavored? She stood there dumbfounded before telling Peter she would be right back.
She stepped out of the truck and rounded the corner coming face to face with the blonde russian.
“Everything okay in there? Not getting any more bruises are you?” She asked with a cheeky smile, referencing the bruise that just began to show on Kate’s jaw.
“Oh you know…” Kate gestured around with frantic hand waves and left it at that.
The woman’s smile only grew stronger. The Russian, in fact, did not know, but she found the girl across from her somewhat intriguing.
“I actually came back out here to ask you something.”
“Okay…” The girl cocked her head, waiting for Kate to ask what she needed. She began playing with her rings again, watching as Kate’s eyes flickered back and forth from her fingers to her eyes. She grew a little worried when Kate looked like her brain was short circuiting.
“Are you married?” Kate blurted out, having forgotten the real reason she came back out here. There was a silence that settled between the two of them before the noise of Peter’s hollering could be in the back of the truck.
“I’m sorry, what?” Confusion was written all over the blonde’s face.
Kate’s cheeks and ears tinged red as she realized what she said and began rambling to save face. “I uh- I mean are you married… to like one specific flavor. ‘Cause, you know, I’m a Cookie Dough kind of gal, but I’ll fight a kid for a Cherry N Blue Razz. I have actually fought a kid before. Not over ice cream, although maybe just as trivial-”
Kate was cut off by the girl's laughter, her heart warming at the sound. It was abrupt, the slightest bit wheezy, and if you weren’t paying attention, it would’ve caught you off guard. It was a symphony to her ears, a concoction produced by otherworldly orchestrators. Oddly enough, Kate felt proud she was able to produce it, showcased in the way she puffed out her chest.
“Whatever is fine, really. In fact, how about I try this Cherry N Blue Razz you speak of. It must be good if you are willing to fight a kid for it.” Her accent got a little tied up when she was pronouncing the name, but it made Kate swoop for her even more.
“Sure thing, yeah. Coming right up.” With Kate’s question answered, she returned to the truck to find Peter fighting back a face-eating grin.
“Awesome job KB, truly. You surprise me every time.” Peter clapped her on the back.
“Oh don’t even get me started.” Kate began moving the boxes around, lifting the ones needed to get to the correct flavor. Once she got to the correct box, she ripped it open taking out a single bag of the frozen flavored spheres.
She held it up to her face as if it was the cure to cancer, and she spoke in a hushed tone. “The things I do for love.” She stood back up, taking great care in protecting the bag from any harm.
“At least I have the balls to talk to the girls I like.” She said over her shoulder as she walked away from Peter. Leaving him to repack the box and stack them once again.
“Cherry N Blue Razz for m’lady.” Kate said upon return. Kate took it a step further and even kneeled before her. Not actually putting her knee on the floor because it was dirty, but she bowed her head and held up her hands, presenting the bag of cryogenically frozen ice cream to her rhetorical queen.
The woman watched Kate’s grand gesture, noticing the light sweat that gathered on her forehead. The uneasy intakes of oxygen and the packing tape that was stuck to Kate’s shoe. She concluded that this was no easy feat for Kate to get her this single bag of sweets.
“Oh.” She watched the woman’s cheeks flush in the slightest. “You really didn’t have to…Thank you. How much do I owe you?” She asked, already grabbing a twenty out of her wallet with the full intent of giving Kate the whole bill.
“No, it’s okay.” Kate kindly directed the woman’s hand away from her, Marveling in the slight touch of their hands. She stood back up, leaning against the counter and noticing the stark height difference between them. “Don’t worry about it. Just enjoy. This flavor actually does sell out pretty fast.” Kate insisted.
“Are you positive? I really don’t mind.”
“HIV.” Kate smiled then cringed. Maybe she shouldn’t say that to a pretty lady she likes. “I’m positive… I don’t have that by the way. It’s just a joke I like to make. I mean, I don’t even know where I heard it from really. Just that I did and now-”
She was cut off once again by her laugh, and Kate melted at the sound.
“Well if you’re sure. I really appreciate the gesture.” She invaded Kate’s personal space in order to grab a plastic spoon from the cup on the counter. Kate got a whiff of her perfume and her head got fuzzy again. Granting Kate one last look, she began to walk away for good this time. But before she got too far, she turned back around and yelled out.
“Nice shirt by the way! Love what you did with it.” She threw Kate a quick wink and stalked off into the busy fairgrounds.
After recuperating from blushing, Kate looked down at her shirt and her brows furrowed in confusion. Upon first glance, nothing stood out to Kate. She had buttoned it up correctly this time, both sides of the collar were down, and there were no grease stains on it. Tugging and prodding at the fabric for a bit, Kate quickly grew embarrassed at what she found.
Smack dab in the collar of her button up, blended in with the colors, was a red lipstick mark that managed to stain the fabric. It was closer to her neckline, so Kate really had to screw her neck at a particular angle to see it, but it was there. There for the whole world to see and more importantly for a pretty blonde to see.
So if you asked Kate how her whole day went, she would tell you on the surface it was good. The weather was great. She managed not to sweat through her shirt, although she now had to worry about getting another stain out. And, she made it out with all ten fingers still intact.
But if you asked Kate how her morning went, she would say it sucked. She got a temporary thrill ride from a steamy make out session, only to find out the girl was married. Then, she got punched in the face by the married woman's husband. She was confined to a small container filled with water, its only purpose to satisfy the masses when the victim was dunked. And dunked she was by a stinking little cheater.
Now, if you asked Kate how her night went, she would tell you it was the best one she has had in a while. An unexpected surprise showed up, in the form of blonde hair and green eyes. A mischievous smile and a heart breaking frown. Weilding a Russian accent that made Kate feel funny in the tummy, amongst other places. Someone who just wanted to try some ice cream made at sub-zero temperatures.
So yeah, to Kate- the morning was awful, but the night was pretty damn good.
…
Yelena made her way through the busy parking lot and only stopped once she made it back to her car. It was an old beat up truck- stick shift- and the paint job reminded her of the eyes belonging to the Dippin Dots vendor.
“Yelena! There you are. What took you so long?” It was her sister, Natasha. She was sitting on the bed of the trunk, next to her college dorm mate. They were suspiciously close. Yelena always thought they were dating, but her sister always denied having any type of feelings for the girl, despite what her actions said.
Yelena just held up her hand gesturing to the bag of red and blue Dippin Dots, having yet to try it out.
“Oh sweet. What flavor did you get?” Natasha was a bit too giddy in Yelena’s opinion, but she answered her anyway.
“Cherry N Blue Razz.”
“Funny, I figured you would’ve gotten strawberry. That’s always your go to, at least it used to be when we were kids.” Natasha shrugged her shoulders, accidentally bumping Wanda’s head that was resting on it. “Anyways, how’s it taste?”
Yelena ripped along the perforated edge to open up the package and used the plastic spoon to scoop up a full bite. She brought it to her lips, feeling the kiss of cold liquid nitrogen, and took her first bite. She kept it in her mouth a bit, allowing it to melt and expand across her taste buds before she started chewing the bits that didn’t melt yet. She gave a quick swallow, came to a decision, and nodded her head once.
“They…they taste like shit.” She flat out said. “Really, Americans think this is the future? If that’s the case, this country’s in trouble.”
Wanda chuckled, shaking her head. “With or without shit tasting Dippin Dots, this country is still in major trouble.” She saw Yelena take another bite and cringe. “You don’t have to finish them if you don’t like them, Lena.”
“Yeah, just hand it over, sestra” Natasha made a go at grabbing them, effectively cutting off all skin contact with Wanda.
Yelena was quick to knock her hand away. “No!” Her voice was firm and she went to block the ice cream from any more attacks from her sister.
Wanda and Natasha both looked at her a little surprise at the mini outburst. Yelena just cleared her throat, relaxed her shoulders, and went to brush a hand through her baby hairs.
“I mean, it’s okay.” She thought about the Dippin Dots girl. How her raven hair seemed to absorb the light coming from the lamp heads, and how her blue eyes seemed to exude it out. She had an effulgent smile that made you forget everything that was wrong for a moment. She thought about how she went through all the trouble of getting her a singular bag of frozen beaded ice, despite it being closing time. And when she went to present the bag to Yelena, she was goofy enough to treat her like royalty and kneel down before her.
“Really, it's okay.” Yelena took another bite, this time smiling rather than grimacing like before. She still thought it tasted awful, but all the effort it took to get it in her hands made it taste the slightest bit sweeter.
She climbed into her three seater truck. Reaching over Wanda (who sat in the middle, squished up more against Natasha’s side than Yelena’s) to hand her older sister the keys. Natasha was always neurotic when it came to driving. If she was in a vehicle, she had to be the one who was operating it. No exceptions.
Yelena rested her head against the window, the movement of the car on pavement causing it to rock back and forth occasionally. The bag of red and blue orbs were still clutched in her hand, slowly melting into a purple sugary mess. Yelena didn’t care about that though. Instead, she grabbed another spoonful to take a bite- somehow the taste getting sweeter and sweeter as time passed.