That One Time We Kissed // Bishova College AU

The Universal Agony of Group Projects

The only thing that stood between Kate Bishop and the sweet, gingerbread-scented, snow-covered, ugly-sweater-clad embrace of Christmas break was every college student's mortal enemy- a group project.

In all honesty, Kate had forgotten about the assignment the week it was handed out, as her partner, someone named Lassie (or was it Cassie?) was not present on that day or any subsequent day. Kate sent a handful emails the week of to try and meet up, but after literal months of no response, it simply slipped her mind.

At least, it slipped her mind until her professor issued a half-hearted reminder of the due date, which was a mortifying, mind boggling, unbelievable twelve days away. Upon realizing her months long mistake, Kate wanted to melt through her desk and trickle down a storm drain as a puddle of regret and self pity to never be seen again.

Alas, she was no shape shifter, so over the final week of the semester, Kate dejectedly sat in the Tri Delta kitchen, her dorm, the campus coffee shop, anywhere to try and break ground on the gargantuan task ahead of her. Unfortunately, the enormity of the assignment was not motivating, but daunting, making any effort seem futile. Any starting place seemed too small, any tiny chunk of progress felt wholly inadequate.

"We gotta brainstorm, Parker," Kate said one day, sitting with her legs pulled up in a library chair. "Thinking caps, man. No more games."

"Okay," Peter nodded, setting down the paper swan he had started to fold. "Brainstorming ideas for your project?"

"God, no. We're thinking of ways to get out of it."

"That feels counter-"

"I've already been hit by a car, so that's out. I could say Lucky bit me? Gave me rabies?"

"Lucky has rabies?"

"No, I have rabies."

"You have rabies?" Peter leaned forward, concerned. "Are you okay? Do you have symptoms yet?"

"Dude." Kate stared blankly at him, frowning. "I need to get drafted into the Space Force or something. That's such a good excuse."

"I don't think they draft women."

"Fuck, the patriarchy always wins."

"How many grandparents do you have left? Could always say one of them kicked the bucket."

"No, all of my unreasonably rich grandparents died before I was born and are completely useless to me. What a waste."

Peter laughed, retaking his swan and gently folding little paper wings. "Just start the project, man. The longer you wait, the worse it's gonna get."

"You sound like Yelena."

"In a good way?"

Kate sighed wistfully, wishing she were there. "Of course, in a good way."

"Where is she tonight? I figured she'd be doing the damn project herself."

"She probably would be if she knew about it." Hopeless, Kate tapped randomly on her keyboard as if a genius idea would serendipitously emerge from the chaos. "But she doesn't, and she won't. It's embarrassing."

"Right..." Peter mumbled, discreetly pulling out his phone under the table to send an SOS text Yelena's way. "What about your partner? Isn't this a group thing?"

"Allegedly. I haven't seen that woman for three months. I need proof of life at this point."

"Talk to your professor?"

"It's a little late in the game for that. The work has to be done either way, you know what I mean?" Her eyes narrowed, rolling up her hoodie sleeves and intending to finally get down to business. Still, though, the mental hurdle was so high. "Ugh. Fuck this."