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[fledges]

[A smile! Kate grins back.]

At least the drinks are cheap. So, what have you been up to?

[batricide]

I'll get into it after we get started. [ He'll just order a rum and coke - or like, the future equivalent of one. Not whatever Jason got him last itme that knocked him flat. He's not a big drinker but he knows that's a pretty safe bet. ]

[fledges]

Oh. This sounds like a story.

[Kate just gets a beer, because she'd rather drink from a bottle than a potentially gross glass. Once the bartender slides their drinks over and leaves, she spins her stool to face him.]

Spill.

[batricide]

My brother is an idiot.

[ He takes a drink - makes a face, because he always forgets the taste. ]

An enormous idiot.

[fledges]

[Kate laughs, both at his expression and his statement.]

Why? What did he do?

[batricide]

He came up with a harebrained scheme and I had to follow through with it to make sure he didn't go to someone else and get himself killed.

[fledges]

[Uh oh.]

What scheme?

[batricide]

He wanted to investigate the glow in our chest.

[ siiiiiiip. ]

So we did some minor exploratory surgery.

[fledges]

[Kate's eyes are locked on his as he speaks, and she makes the terrible mistake of taking a sip of her beer just as he says "exploratory surgery". She promptly chokes, spilling a bit of the beer and practically coughing up a lung. Thanks, Damian!]

[batricide]

[ That.

That actually gets a laugh. HE DIDN'T THINK PEOPLE DO THAT IN REAL LIFE. ]

[fledges]

[Holy shit he's actually laughing. Kate wrinkles her nose, swatting at his arm to try to retain some of her dignity. It doesn't really work.]

You what? Hafid.

[batricide]

Relax. He's fine. I knew what I was doing.

[ But suffice to say. ]

I didn't go past bone. Suffice to say there's nothing in there.

[fledges]

He said he had minor surgery and I thought he got stabbed again or something.

[Well... he sort of did.]

Why didn't you guys try to find a doctor?

[batricide]

I have the equivalent of a PHD in medical science and human anatomy. We didn't need one.

[fledges]

I...

[Sure. Okay.]

Of course you do. Did you even have any anesthetic?

[batricide]

Rudimentary ones. [ you know.

ice and booze. ]

[fledges]

[Kate just... covers her face.]

Oh my God, that sounds miserable.

[batricide]

He'll be fine.

[fledges]

[Kate sighs and lets her hands drop. Exploratory surgery! Why not!]

What do you mean, there was nothing there?

[batricide]

No machinery. No abnormal sigils. At least nothing I could see.

[fledges]

Wow. That's not what I was expecting.

[She touches her sternum absently.]

What could it even be, then?

[batricide]

Most likely some kind of magic.

[fledges]

[Kate sighs, tilting her head back.]

And of course Loki and Strange don't have their powers.

[Nothing can ever, ever be easy. She straightens again after a second to study him.]

You're acting flippant about this, but are you okay? Really okay?

[batricide]

There was little risk. I knew what I was doing.

[ but. ]

But I didn't want to end up an only child again because my brother is impatient.

[fledges]

No good choices, huh?

[Oh, Jason. Kate still thinks it's a crazy idea, but that ship has sailed.]

I'm glad he had you there to take care of him.