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“I told you it was in that room.” Kate smirked towards the girl walking beside her.
“Yeah, yeah. Still, there were far better ways to get it than walking in through the main door looking so conspicuous.” Your eyes roamed around the empty hallway you were quickly making your way through.
You had both just returned from the Christmas spent at the Barton family house and were currently attending a rather fancy party in the city, one that reminded you a lot of one organized by Kate’s mom.
Mostly attended by powerful people, the chatter and soft music from the event could be heard not very far now. The venue was beautiful, and you could see most of the city from up here.
However, you and Kate were not here to enjoy yourselves. Clint sent you on a mission, well, the closest thing to one anyway. It was simple, just retrieve a file from one of the few Tracksuit Mafia guys there was left, regarding the remains of their operations. And so far everything went smoothly, you managed to get in as guests and grab the file without alerting a single soul. Given that everyone was concentrated downstairs on the party, the office halls were empty.
“Come on, it’s not like anyone other than us will be lurking in these hallways. Besides, aren’t you excited? It’s the first time we’re doing this alone.” Kate bit her lower lip slightly out of nerves, took a side glance towards you with a fond look in her eyes, and bumped your shoulders.
You couldn’t help your little chuckle, Kate was the brightest human being you knew. “I am, but it’s for that exact reason that we can’t mess up.”
“Sometimes I forget you’re my age because you talk just like Clint.” Kate casually took a hold of your hand, it was shy and light, giving you total freedom to let go. It was one of those things you both knew that meant more, but none of you mentioned.
You didn’t miss how timid Kate’s hold was. You tightened your fingers around hers and smiled. “Someone needs to be the responsible one in this relationship.”
“Oh, so we’re in a-” Kate’s voice stopped as soon as you both saw the dark silhouette of a man coming towards you.
“Shit.” just a tint of fear was now laced through Kate’s whisper.
You looked around and cracked your brain trying to think of something, anything that could look like a way out for you. But there was nothing, just the small empty hallway you were in, and the door with the oncoming shadow.
Suddenly, a dangerous idea popped into your mind. Your eyes searched for Kate’s until they met, and you tried to look as reassuring as possible.
Kate looked beautiful, really, with her black suit and dark hair. You could lose yourself on her at any given moment.
“I need you to play along, okay?” Your quiet voice echoed through the hallway, and Kate knew her answer would always be yes.
All Kate had time to do was give a quick nod, before she felt the softest of hands on her cheeks and then her world became a blur, because you were kissing her. Gentle, tender, barely there. But a kiss nonetheless.
Kate lost herself in it, her lips took a second to start moving but once they did they fell into a natural pace, moving carefully and slowly against yours. All she could feel was you, your bodies impossibly closer. One of Kate’s hands found its way clutching your dark dress, begging you to never leave as goosebumps erupted on her skin.
For a while now, Kate had made her peace with the fact that she was utterly enamored with you. Ever since she met you the day after she met her favorite avenger, her heart seemed to want to jump out of her chest at the sight of you. And when her skin started to prickle whenever you touched, when she just longed to be held within your arms just a second longer, or see your adorable smile, Kate knew she was a goner.
It was her little secret, it felt weird to feel nervous. It felt weird for her, Kate, to feel nervous. Because she was usually pretty confident, but with you, if the butterflies on her stomach were any indicator, it was a completely different story. She had her hopes that you felt something similar, but couldn’t be sure yet.
“Hey, what are you two doing here?” The kiss was abruptly cut short by the gruff voice of a man and you pulling away to look at him.
“Oh I’m- I’m sorry, we were just looking for a more private place is all.” You, ever the actress, could convince anyone of anything.
Kate’s eyes took a second longer to blink open, she felt dazed. Her lips were parted, with very unsteady breaths coming out and what was left of the feeling of your own lips. She didn’t think she could speak even if she wanted to, not now. All she could focus on was how close you two were still standing, and the tiny smudge of dark red lipstick below your lips.
“Huh, guests are not allowed up here, please return to the party.” The huge man said, his tone slightly annoyed.
“I’m sorry sir.” You bowed your head and gave the man your best puppy eyes. You took a hold of Kate’s hand again and made a beeline back to the party.
The ride back to Kate’s renovated apartment was an awkwardly quiet one, no one mentioning the elephant in the room. Both of you got in, and after greeting Lucky, you started to remove the fancy clothes that were already starting to become a bother.
Kate took off her blazer and loosened her tie, she couldn’t bring herself to look you in the eye yet, who was just on the other side of her small living room. The only thing that Kate could think about was the quick kiss you shared, it made her stomach flip and her hands sweat. She knew it was just pretend, a means to an end to help you escape. But it still hurt to think that.
“You okay?” Your worried voice brought Kate back to the present, you had let your hair down and were working on removing your light makeup.
Her mouth opened and closed a few times before any words came out. “Yeah, I’m good.” Kate’s smile didn’t reach her eyes, and was that a blush on her cheeks?
You fidgeted with the cotton on your hands before deciding to throw caution out of the window. You took tentative steps towards Kate and raised your hands. “Here, let me..”
With a very unsteady heart, Kate gulped and closed the distance between you, her body seemed to long for the closeness anyway. Her eyes closed in bliss once she felt the same careful hands on her cheeks and you started to remove the little makeup she had on her eyelids.
Standing so close, you could count each of Kate’s freckles, her face finally looked somewhat calm ever since you left the party. As good and right as it felt, you wondered how much of a mistake the kiss was. You loved Kate, but the last thing you wanted was to ruin the relationship you already had.
With careful fingers, you removed a strand of hair from Kate’s face, and you couldn’t help yourself from lightly running your fingers over her jawline. Her soft skin felt warm on your fingertips, you committed every detail of her face to memory.
Kate shuddered under your touch, her lips parted, and as much as she wanted to remain in this dream forever, she opened her eyes. Her hands unconsciously found their way to your waist, doing everything in her power to keep you close.
For endless seconds you stared into each other’s eyes, trying to read your sea of emotions. Kate risked a glance down to your lips and gravitated towards you until your noses touched and she startled herself with the reality of it. Sucking in a sharp breath and looking away, Kate put some distance between you again.
“Kate…” Her name came out in a breathless whisper from you. You could feel the way Kate’s hands were clutching to your dress, could even feel her pounding heart. You carefully slid your hands into Kate’s dark hair, testing the waters.
“Did the…” Kate cleared her throat and tried to focus on the feeling of warmth seeping through her chest for how close you were to each other, instead of the nervous feeling in her gut.
“That kiss… did it mean something?” Her voice was so uncharacteristically shy that it made your heart melt. “Please tell me it wasn’t just pretending.” Kate’s voice became quieter with each word.
Her words left you speechless for a couple of seconds, it was a lot to process, the fact that the kiss hadn’t been a mistake at all. Kate wanted it to mean more. Your breathing became shakier the longer you looked into those beautiful eyes of your archer, and by the slight panic on them, your silence had lasted a bit too long.
“I… I was hoping it didn’t need to be.” Your equally quiet voice made a small and adorable smile grace Kate’s features. Her hands held your waist with a stronger grip. She bit her lip trying to contain her excitement, afraid that any sudden movements could break this precious moment.
Taking her time to bask in your proximity and the fact that what you had was real, Kate touched your foreheads, and then your noses, then finally your lips.
Her kiss was soft and full of love, engraving every feeling and sensation into her memory forever. The way your body fit perfectly in her arms, the way your hands caressed through her scalp and tangled in her hair, the way your lips moved together slowly and it felt so right. She wanted to remember it all.
The intimacy of the moment left you almost breathless, all you could feel was Kate. Her warm hands on your back, the soft hair between your fingers, the most gentle of lips on your own.
You two parted when Lucky started barking and jumping on your legs, probably saying ‘took you long enough’.
And when Kate started laughing, and pulled you even closer, burying her head on the crook of your neck. You thought that you couldn’t agree more.