Work Text:
i.
Kate's still reeling from, well, everything, the first time that Yelena shows up at her apartment after the entire Eleanor Bishop debacle.
Fighting with Lawyers, barely sleeping, eating very little other than pizza and Italian from that place on 65th street, she's barely remembered to take Lucky for a walk in the past 3 days. She blames this as the reasoning behind why she doesn't even notice that Yelena Belova has 'infiltrated' her apartment yet again, one evening in early January.
"Kate Bishop." Yelena sings, in her thick accent, that causes Kate to leap into the air with shock and fire an arrow on new instinct, barely missing the blonde as Yelena dodges with practiced ease.
Kate wonders if Yelena can teach her how to do this.
"Wow, Kate Bishop! You have gotten much better with this." Yelena comments, sliding in the window and clapping her hands at Lucky (the traitor, he barrels over, tail wagging, licking Yelena's face like crazy. It's....surprisingly soft, from a woman who'd tried to kill Clint not even 4 weeks earlier.)
"T-thank you?" Kate asks more than anything. "Um....just a quick question, what are you doing here?"
"I see you are still defensive." Yelena teases. She pets Lucky once more before she steps around him and in front of Kate, their height noticeable since Kate is wearing stilettos (she blames work, being a CEO is difficult) and even in her combat boots, Yelena is just meeting Kate's chin.
The Widow still looks up at her with a defiance in her sharp green eyes, and Kate knows for a fact that height will make no difference if Yelena is here to hurt her again.
"I...you tried to kill Clint a few weeks ago." Kate points out. She's still holding her bow and arrow, waiting.
"Well, this is true." Yelena hums. "But you were the one who asked me for drinks. And you are not busy now, right?"
"Wait, you're here for drinks?" Kate asks, sceptically.
"да." Yelena nods. She holds out a bag. "I bring Vodka."
"Yelena I don't understand." Kate admits. "I thought....you actually want to have a drink with me? Me?"
"да, Kate Bishop. Must you keep asking?" Yelena looks slightly annoyed now.
"Alright, sorry." Kate responds. She knows she should be scared of the Widow (Yelena could break every bone in her body without flinching, she's sure) but right now it's just a bit confusing, and she's tired and it's been a really long fucking year already. "Are you hungry? I can order us something."
"Oooh, yes. Good idea, Kate Bishop, thank you. What will we eat?" Yelena's eyes light up. She plods into the kitchen, and (this worries Kate just a bit, but it takes her a couple of minutes to register because Yelena is so happy) pulls out 2 glasses from the correct cupboard.
"Um, not sure. You want pizza? Chinese? I think we can get McDonalds if we Uber it." Kate responds, typing away on her phone.
"Oh, yes. McDonalds. You Americans love this big bike chain." Yelena comments, pouring two very large shots of straight vodka.
"Wait, what?" Kate asks. "Bike chain? What are you saying, bike chain?"
"You know, these big companies with the food. The bike chains." Yelena explains, brow furrowed.
Kate bites back a laugh. She's sure that Yelena won't appreciate it. "Sorry. It's uh, it's just a chain. As in a chain restaurant, not a bike chain. But I get it. Wait....are you going to drink that vodka straight?"
"You are not?" Yelena blinks.
"Well...I haven't really eaten anything and that's heavy alcohol." Kate offers. "I might add something to it."
"Bah." Yelena waves a hand. "This is like water, Kate Bishop. You will be fine."
Not one to back down, Kate agrees. "So...which food?"
"Perhaps the Chinese." Yelena says thoughtfully. "When was the last time you ate this one?"
Kate bites back an embarrassed blush. "Erm, 3 days ago. Oh! You have got to get the egg rolls. I'm ordering some, you'll love them."
"Do not go crazy, Kate Bishop." Yelena says with a soft laugh.
"Hey, I'm the heiress to billions. What else am I going to spend it on?" Kate asks with a grin. "Egg rolls.....you like rice or noodles better?"
"If I say both, Heiress Kate Bishop, will you order them?" Yelena looks entirely too hopeful, almost like a child.
Kate thinks it's cute. Yelena is just really cute, what with her little outfit (a black and yellow jacket that's oversized on her shorter frame, a white t-shirt tucked into these black cargo pants, combat boots, rings and a million piercings, like, 2 necklaces and light makeup, she looks like she belongs in a fashion magazine) and the way the light makes her eyes glint with flecks of gold, and her little nose scrunch when she's talking.
But there's a caution to every movement the widow makes, and Kate's reluctant to make things weird. She's still not entirely sure that she believes Yelena is just here for a drink, even though the Widow insisted.
"Sure, Yelena." Kate manages eventually. "Whatever you like."
"Yay!" Yelena claps her hands. "Do you hear Lucky? We will eat rice and noodles."
Lucky wags his tail, excited even though he probably doesn't know why. Kate just laughs at them both. "Alright, ordered."
"Then let us toast, да?" Yelena raises her glass. "Thank you, Kate Bishop."
"Any time, Yelena." Kate smiles.
By the time their food comes, she's a little embarrassed to say now that she was half drunk already, 3 shots taken, no food in her system, and a giggling Yelena to her right, talking about some stupid thing that their dogs did recently.
"My Fanny, she's so silly." Yelena comments. "This Tuesday, she bites the mail man because he came too close to the porch."
"Fat chance getting Lucky to bite anyone." Kate pouts. The doorbell rings, and to prove her point, Lucky doesn't move, settled comfortably at Yelena's feet and sound asleep. "Silly Pizza dog."
"You should answer the door, Kate Bishop." Yelena laughs. "Maybe you were right about this drinking thing. I do not think you are very good with shots."
"I'm great with shots, I've been to college." Kate protests, taking the bags from a confused kid at the door who gets a hundred dollar tip (Kate isn't looking, because she's busy being offended with Yelena) and thanks her profusely.
"Of course." Yelena says, like a person speaking to a child. "And....how many times do you return worse than this?"
"Most of them, but that's not the point." Kate responds. "Now come on. We've got way too much food to stuff ourselves with. Oh! We should watch something."
"да?" Yelena raises an eyebrow. "What will we watch?"
"Not sure. I like a lot of things!" Kate grins. "Harry Potter, Friends, Stranger things I guess but maybe not, Gilmore Girls, but Dean can fuck himself, or maybe-"
"Kate Bishop, slow down." Yelena advises. "You are like my sister. She likes many shows."
Kate blinks. Yelena rarely mentions her. "Well, come on. You gotta have a show you like."
"Sex in the city." Yelena responds. "It is cheesy, but...I like this one. Many Widows too."
"Okay, great! Any season preference?" Kate asks, grabbing their food and placing it on the table in front of the couch. She stumbles slightly and Yelena catches her. "Sorry."
"It is fine." Yelena says. "And....season 1. Please."
"Alright." Kate chirps. "Well, come on, sit over here."
Yelena looks blank, but slowly, she comes over and seats herself on the couch. Kate, being Kate, covers her with a blanket that she pulls over her own lap as well, and hastily divides food between two large plates.
"Here you go, tell me what you think of the egg rolls." Kate says. "They're the best in New York."
"I have never tried these before." Yelena says. "Can I put hot sauce?"
"Wha....yeah, I guess." Kate frowns.
"Yesss." Yelena beams, whipping out a bottle of hot sauce from her pocket.
"What the actual fuck." Kate splutters. "Has that been in there the whole time?"
"да." Yelena nods. "Well, come on Kate Bishop. Do not deprive me of my tv show."
Kate just laughs and presses play.
4 hours later, and several drinks too, they're most of the way through season 1 (Yelena has episodes she likes to skip a lot of parts for) and it's getting late. By late, it's nearly 2am, and Kate is beyond exhausted.
"It's getting late. We should turn in, yeah?" Kate slurs her words slightly.
Yelena yawns. "Yes. Let me collect me things."
"What? No, no, I mean.....you can't leave now. It's like, 2 o'clock in the morning." Kate splutters. "You can stay here. Look, we're already practically in bed."
She gestures between them rapidly. Yelena has a blanket pulled over her and she's snuggled into the couch. (Kate's tried to ignore the fact that the Widow shifts as soon as she starts to get too close to Kate.)
"You....you do not mind if I sleep here?" Yelena frowns.
"No, but you have to be honest. Why did you show up here tonight?" Kate asks, sleepily.
"You make hard deal." Yelena pretends to get annoyed. In her drunkenness, Kate nearly believes it.
"Fine. I come because....well. Last week I called my parents. They are proud of me, but they insisted Natasha would want me to apologise properly for taking the contract to kill Clint. And....I thought I would also see you while I have time." Yelena responds carefully.
"Because?" Kate prompts.
"You are nice. Foolish, but good at fighting. Brave. And you promised me a drink." Yelena smiled. She bit back a yawn.
"So....we're friends?" Kate asked.
"Do not push your luck, Kate Bishop." Yelena warns.
"Alright. Come on, you can sleep in my room." Kate offers. "I'll take the couch."
"No." Yelena says, simply. "I do not want to."
"Yelena you're my guest-"
"Then sleep near me." Yelena ordered. "You will fall asleep very soon anyway."
"Fine." Kate relents. "In that case, do you need another pillow or...."
"No." Yelena repeats. "Goodnight, Kate Bishop."
"Night 'Lena. Sleep well." Kate yawns, half asleep already.
Yelena sighs softly. Kate's out like a light, and she sleeps like the dead. The couch is extendable, which they'd done for the movie, which meant that both of them have a half to themselves.
At one point or another, Kate wakes up for water to find that Yelena has rolled closer to her side, blonde hair sprawled out like a halo around her. They're not touching, but they're close. It fills her with something she can't name, but it's not a feeling she's able to unpack. (it's 6am, and she's still a bit hungover. okay, a lot.)
When Kate wakes up properly the next morning, head pounding and Lucky licking at her toes, she immediately looks for Yelena. The side of the sofa that Yelena had been on is decidedly empty, and when Kate looks around, she sees no sign of the blonde anywhere.
It hurts a little bit.
Kate wobbles to her feet, hoping that maybe Yelena is in the bathroom, but there's a white note on her microwave that she spots before she can look. As much as it hurts her eyes, she quickly scans it's contents.
"Thank you for the drink and the girl's night, Kate Bishop. It was fun. I must leave for assignment, but will see you soon."
Below the neatly scrawled words is a phone number, and Kate's heart nearly bursts out of her chest. Hell yeah, she can cope with Yelena not being there if it means she gets to have a black widow's number.
She saves the contact info and immediately messages the blonde assassin. It makes the fact that Yelena wasn't here when she woke up hurt a lot less than it would've.
ii.
Kate doesn't shoot an arrow when Yelena shows up unannounced again, 2 weeks later.
She throws a fucking water bottle.
As always, Yelena catches it, laughing boisterously. "Kate Bishop, you must assess who you are throwing things at before you throw them."
"Yelena!" Kate whines a little bit. "What are you doing in my window? There's a door!"
"Doors are for boring people, and I am not boring." Yelena answers. "Now come on, get changed. We go out tonight."
"What?" Kate blinks, confused. "But....why?"
"You have not left the apartment in days, if the tracker I leave on you is anything to go by." Yelena says, unashamed. "You cannot spend all the time just training and working. So we will have fun."
"Yelena what are you-"
"Ah ah, Kate Bishop, I will not take arguing." Yelena interrupts. "You are doing hard work. You must also reward yourself. Besides, I can only be in New York for one night, and you are the only person who I know here."
"Seriously?" Kate asks. "How is that possible?"
"Actually. Sonya would try to kill me for saying this." Yelena mumbles under her breath. "Я бы выиграл. Но это слишком сложно. Never mind. I know another person, but she is busy. And I want to see you, not Sonya. She is boring."
"Okay." Kate breathes. "You're only here for tonight?"
"да." Yelena nods. "I must return to ohio. I stopped here to see you, so lets go!"
Kate decides that this is as much encouragement as she needs and makes an effort to run upstairs and change. She assesses Yelena's outfit mentally as she decides on her own. The blonde's white denim jeans and black leather jacket, coupled with slightly heavier (but no less stunning) makeup (with cat eye sharp enough to kill, not just one man, but several) and her hair falling out past her shoulders, she looks ready to party.
Kate quickly slips in some gold hoops, fixes her hair, and pulls on her favourite pair of ripped black jeans, then decides to stick with the black theme; pulling on a satin black crop top, black high heel boots, and hastily touching up her makeup before grabbing a black blazer and donning a simple gold chain that pulls it all together.
"Ok?" She asks Yelena.
The blond doesn't reply for a second. She just studies Kate, then slowly, nods approvingly. "Perfect. We go?"
"Yep. This time can we please start with something that's not straight vodka?" Kate asks as she follows Yelena outside. "Oh....do you want to drive?"
"As much as I would love to see how many fancy cars that you have, I will decline, Kate Bishop. It is not a good idea." Yelena says. "We will take a taxi."
Kate doesn't argue. (there's really no point.)
Yelena is so much fun to hang out with. She nearly breaks some guy's wrist because he tries to drug someone's drink, and Kate's usually the one who does shit like this where she starts brawls in a bar, but Yelena just about cripples him in one movement.
The guy leaves in complete shame and everyone around her looks a little terrified.
Kate orders them a round, because she's the one with all the money (you sound like such a rich princess, Kate) and Yelena challenges her to darts, and they talk and laugh and at another point Kate nearly breaks someone's nose because they tried to flirt with Yelena (but she's pretty sure that at this point, she might be in serious trouble because that's not a normal reaction) but somehow it's the best night out she's had in forever.
She really doesn't want it to end.
"I am sorry, Kate Bishop, but I have to leave tomorrow. It is out of my control." Yelena seems a little annoyed with it (or maybe she's mad at Kate for pushing, but Kate doesn't know how to not push) and Kate bites at her lip as she wracks her brain for a response.
"I mean...." She drawls, throwing an arm dramatically over Yelena's shoulder. "You can stay at my apartment tonight and avoid paying for the hotel."
"Kate Bishop." Yelena's tone is warning. "You will not be upset when you wake and I am not there?"
"Scouts honor." Kate promises.
"Very well." Yelena sighs. "To your apartment we go."
Kate lets them back in. "You want to shower? Feel free to borrow anything you need, I can grab you some clothes to sleep in if you need."
"Actually....this is a good idea." Yelena agrees.
"Perfect, let me grab them." Kate grins, darting into her room and rummaging around for a pair of boxers and one of her old archery club shirts. Yelena follows her up, much calmer, and accepts the clothing with a little smile. "Towels are in the cupboard in the hall, I'll be right back."
She skids out and returns with two. "Is green or white better?"
"It doesn't matter?" Yelena looks confused.
"Green it is. Here." Kate says, shoving the items into her arms. "I'll make the bed while you're in there."
"The....the bed?" Yelena asks, again appearing confused.
"Yeah. I'm not sleeping on the couch again." Kate doesn't notice Yelena's frown, too busy wiping her makeup off. "Plus, my bed is literally the best money can buy. You'll never sleep better."
"You want me to sleep next to you?" Yelena repeats.
"Um....yes?" Kate clues on now. "That's what friends do? If you're not comfortable I'll go sleep on the couch-"
"нет, Kate Bishop. It is fine. I will have a shower now, да?"
"Sure." Kate smiled. She continued cleaning her makeup, and when finished, she sets about making the bed, making sure Yelena isn't sleeping on the sheets she's had a nightmare on the day before. When Yelena is done in the shower, she quickly changes, brushes her teeth, and then returns to find Yelena already laying in bed.
Kind of like a little kid, all bundled up in the giant comforter, with the air conditioning blasted.
"You cosy there?" Kate giggles.
"Yes, do not judge me." Yelena says. "It's very comfortable."
"I told you." Kate grins proudly. She pulls the blanket up and slips into bed beside her, settling in and glancing at a suddenly tense Yelena. "You ok?"
"I...I'm not used to sleeping beside others." Yelena said, softly. "The red room, it...does not believe in physical contact."
"I'm sorry, 'Lena." Kate says, softly. "You sure you're comfortable with this? I'm seriously happy to sleep downstairs-"
"Stop suggesting this." Yelena cuts her off. "I am fine. Goodnight, Kate Bishop."
"Night, Yelena." Kate responds. She lays awake for longer than she means to. Yelena just looks so.....peaceful, and it's kind of cute to see her in Kate's clothes (that are several sizes too big) and she falls asleep really fast.
Kate watches her sleep for a while, (it's not weird, she's just a bit wired, ok) and it's almost startling when Yelena rolls a little, into Kate, face first coming into contact with Kate's neck before the rest of her body tucks up against the archer too.
Kate expects her to move, and resists the urge to cuddle her in response. Yelena is so warm, and gentle in ways she's never expected before. She smells incredible, like the whiskey they'd drunk that night and vanilla (it follows her everywhere) and sort of like mint too.
But Yelena never moves.
Her soft breaths brush Kate's throat with every exhale. Kate doesn't want to scare her, but Yelena isn't moving, and there's no way that she's going to wake up the blonde. So she settles. She drapes an arm over Yelena and carefully pulls her closer, tucking the assassin right into her chest.
Their legs tangle together as Yelena relaxes even further into Kate's neck.
And somehow, it's this, this tiny, half asleep movement, that lulls the archer into peaceful sleep.
What Kate doesn't know is that Yelena finds herself in this position the following morning. That it makes the assassin temporarily question if she needs to leave.
That Yelena struggles to pull away from the warmth and the safety that Kate oozes at every turn.
Because when Kate wakes up, she's alone. And she expected it, after all. Even though the bed is really cold, and she misses Yelena's cuddly form, she's okay, honestly. Is it weird that she's questioning whether it's bad if she's extremely excited for the next impromptu sleepover? Maybe. Kate doesn't really know. Does she see that her feelings for Yelena are dropping from platonic way quicker than they're supposed to?
That's a conversation to have when she's had a few drinks, at least.
iii.
Kate's never coped well with seeing people that she loves in danger or pain.
It's probably why she felt so strongly about martial arts as a kid. Losing your dad will do that to you; she's seen her mother cry herself to sleep enough times to know that physical pain can be just as harmful as emotional.
Today, it's the physical pain that scares her, and it's also the reason why Yelena stays at her apartment once again.
It's March. 3 months since she's been to see the Barton's, 2 months since she became CEO of Bishop securities, and 1 month since she last saw Yelena.
They've been texting, of course. (Mostly Kate asking how she is and Yelena saying 'fine' but they've been texting.) And Yelena keeps saying that she's on an assignment with Sonya. That they'll be home soon. That Kate shouldn't worry.
Kate knows that she's being lied to in some ways, or Yelena would be home Yelena would have visited by now. But there's nothing she can do and no one that she can ask about it.
So when she comes home with Lucky one night, in the second week of March, she's more than a little shocked, (and relieved, and terrified, and excited) to see Yelena, perched on her window like she's never left.
"Yelena!" Kate blurts. "You're back."
"да, маленький ястреб. It seems you were busy while I was away, no?" Yelena's voice doesn't betray an injury. Or pain of any kind, for that matter.
"You saw?" Kate asked eagerly. "Fisk is losing support left right and centre."
"I do not approve of your recklessness." Yelena said seriously. "But it is impressive, still. You work hard, Kate Bishop."
"Did you see my PYM arrow?" Kate asks. "It was so cool, right? So.....what are we going to do tonight? I was going to make burgers and binge watch a tv show. Sex in the city sound ok?"
"да." Yelena nods. She stands, and that's when Kate sees it; the ever so slight wobble in the movement, rectified within seconds, and the tiny grimace of pain.
"Lena." Kate says, slowly. "Are you injured?"
"Bah. Injured, me? I am way
too talented than that." Yelena waves a hand. "Do you have vodka?"
"Yelena." Kate says, seriously. "What happened?"
Yelena turns to look at her, hands stilling in the bottle cabinet. Kate switches on the lights and it's painful, for both of them; Yelena, because it's sudden and her eyes aren't adjusted, Kate, because now she can see cuts and a giant bruise and all sorts of grazes on the widow's face, forearms and hands.
"What happened?" Kate asks again.
"I was on assignment." Yelena says. "Good pay. Stupid client."
"Yelena you've got blood all over your back." Kate blurts, striding across the room and inspecting the bloodied suit. "You look like someone tried to choke you."
"They did. I killed them." Yelena says blankly. "Why are you still concerned?"
"Because....ok. That doesn't matter. Listen to me, you stubborn......aye aye aye. Lena aren't you in pain?" Kate asks.
"Well, duh." Yelena rolls her eyes, taking a swig of the vodka. "See?"
"Well then come on." Kate urges, ushering her out of the way gently. She pulls a bag of frozen peas from the freezer and reaches for her medical kit, before pulling one of Yelena's arms over her shoulder and guiding her towards the couch.
"What are you doing?" Yelena asks.
"Cleaning the wounds so they don't get infected. Here, put the ice on your cheek. It must hurt." Kate orders.
"I have vodka." Yelena points out.
"After that we'll grab my laptop and watch tv in bed." Kate continues. "And you can stop pretending like you're not in pain. That doesn't work around me."
She's not sure when it became okay to say that. When she started to see through Yelena's lies to the truth of why they were said, or when it mattered that Yelena was safe and okay and when Yelena became one of the people subjected to Kate's motherly care when they were in pain.
But she has and Kate's not about to argue with her brain or that stupid thing in her chest.
"Alright." Yelena relents. "But I am telling you, I am fine."
"Sure, Lena." Kate chuckles. She cleans each cut and bandages the ones that she can before she crouches down and picks Yelena up bridal style. Yelena squeals.
"Kate Bishop you are so lucky I did not attack you just now-"
"Oh hush." Kate waves her off. "I knew you wouldn't."
She carries her upstairs and tucks her into the giant bed in her room. "Watch some tv and I'll be right back with dinner. And keep ice on your face!"
"Such a mom." Yelena grumbles.
Kate laughs and turns to leave.
"Thank you, маленький ястреб." Yelena softly adds, "You are good friend."
"I got you, Lena." Kate assured. She goes downstairs and sets about putting together burgers and fries and 20 minutes later, she's back again to see Yelena, holding the ice dutifully to her cheek, giggling at something on her show.
"Kate Bishop, this smells good. You did not set your kitchen on fire." Yelena teases.
"Hey, I'm not that bad." Kate pouts. "I promise they're good."
"I believe you." Yelena winks.
Kate helps her to sit up and gives her a plate of food. "Here you go."
"Thank you, маленький ястреб." Yelena smiles. "You will sit beside me, no?"
"Sure." Kate nods. She slips in beside Yelena, carefully, not wanting to unneccesarily jostle the widow. Yelena is entirely engrossed in the episode she's watching, but she shoots a look at Kate and shifts over.
"You will not injure me, Kate Bishop." Yelena says, half serious, half teasing.
"Well, maybe not me, but someone has." Kate responds carefully. "And I don't want to make it worse."
"If you want to know what happened, you should just ask, Kate Bishop." Yelena chuckles dryly.
"Okay. What happened?" Kate asks, curiosity and concern taking over. Yelena nibbles on some fries as she responds.
"You are Avengers fan, yes?" Yelena asks quietly. "And Clint Barton's...protege. So you must know many things about Natasha."
"I know she was a spy slash avenger slash assassin. And that Nick Fury wanted her dead but Clint recruited her." Kate lists. "Plus, she's the black widow, which I didn't realise there was more of until I met you."
"There were many more widows than just Natasha." Yelena said, slowly. "And when she escaped, the red room, where we were taken and trained to be assassins, decided that they didn't want anyone else doing this too. So they chemically subjegated us."
"And...in English?" Kate asks, confused. "I'm sorry, Lena."
"It means that we were under mind control. It is....terrible. You cannot separate what you wish to do from what you are forced to do. You cannot breathe if they tell you not to." Yelena whispers. "I was freed by a widow who tasked me with then freeing others. Before I blipped, this was my assignment."
"I'm so sorry, Lena." Kate whispers, finding Yelena's hand under the blanket and entwining their fingers. Yelena squeezes Kate's hand like it's her tether to reality. "You are so fucking brave, you know that? I'm proud of you."
"Thank you, Kate Bishop." Yelena clears her throat. "To free a widow is not easy. They are trained to kill first and they are deadly. You could not injure me in this way, not yet. But a widow....we are evenly matched. This is why I am injured."
"You're still freeing them now?" Kate blinks. Yelena's grip on her hand tightens.
"да." Yelena says. "There are many."
"You're amazing, you know that?" Kate asks softly. "Natasha would be so proud of you."
"Thank you, Kate Bishop." Yelena says quietly. She clears her throat and gestures to the laptop with her other hand. "We should keep watching, yes?"
"Yeah." Kate snorts. "What episode are you on?"
"Season 3." Yelena chirps. "Episode 12. I love this season best."
"Wow." Kate laughs. "I'm impressed, Lena."
Yelena rolls her eyes but unpauses, eating and watching tv in comfortable silence. Once again, though, she's the first person to doze off, and Kate barely notices it at first, engrossed in the tv show, distracted, when she feels the weight of Yelena's head leaning against her shoulder.
Kate glances up to find Yelena's eyes closed, her breathing soft.
"Lena?" Kate calls quietly. "You asleep?"
When she gets no reply from the widow, Kate closes the laptop and places it under her bed, movements careful and precise so that she does not wake the blonde. She pulls her covers up over Yelena's shoulders, carefully shifting so that she's laid back against her pillows.
The widow's smaller frame follows the movement, slipping down from Kate's shoulder and leaving her tucked against Kate's chest. The archer curls her arm around Yelena once more, kisses her forehead, and allows herself to sleep.
She expects that with her injuries, Yelena might stay, this time.
When she wakes, Yelena is gone and there's no note; the only thing that has changed is the fact that their plates from dinner last night are clean and stacked in the cupboard.
Kate pushes down the feeling of loss. If Yelena isn't comfortable staying the night, she'll accept it, and hope that the widow will keep coming back instead.
iv.
The reason why Yelena doesn't leave a note is the same reason why Kate finds herself at the avengers compound, 3 weeks later, along side several other avengers; Clint, of course, being among them.
She's half asleep when she gets the call; fresh off a long day at work, (her mom's trial just passed, and she's been sentenced to 30 years with parole after 15) hasn't even eaten. She's just flopped into the couch and tried to fall asleep.
Clint calls her exactly 8 minutes later.
"Clint, I'm wiped out, please don't tell me something's happened." Kate grumbles.
"Nice to hear from you too, Hawkeye." Clint snorts. "You alright kid?"
"Trial. Work. Sleeping not happening." Kate manages, sitting up. "What's wrong?"
"I need you to meet me at times square in half an hour." Clint begins, slowly.
"What? You're in New York? Since when? Are you ok?" Kate blurts, sitting up.
"I'm fine, Kid. Slow down." Clint says calmly. "We're heading to the avengers compound."
"Really?" Kate splutters. "Is it my time? Is that young avengers thing really happening?"
"Yes....and no. Look don't freak out, but there's been something going on in space."
Her phone beeps and and pulls it away from her ear. Yelena's contact picture shows up and Kate nearly drops the phone in surprise. Yelena is calling her? Since when? Yelena never calls and suddenly, the excitement over Clint and the Avengers is shut down completely.
"Hang on, Clint, sorry. I got to take this call." Kate says. "I'll call you back in half a sec."
"What? Kate this is important-"
"I promise it'll be so fast, Clint." Kate says, and hangs up before accepting Yelena's call. "Lena? Are you ok? You never call."
"Kate." Yelena's voice is so, so soft. So calm, and yet she sounds terrified. Kate panics even more. She's never called Kate by her first name only, not once. "I need you to do something for me."
"Whatever you need, Lena, just tell me that you're safe." Kate insists.
"I'm fine." Yelena answers. "I will be arriving to your house in 5 minutes. I need you to come with me for important meeting at the avengers compound."
Kate manages to keep the surprise at bay. "What....what happened?"
"It is Natasha. She is alive." Yelena says. "And....I want.....no, I need you to be there."
"Anything you need." Kate promises. "Why me? I've never met Natasha."
"You are not there for Natasha, you are there for me." Yelena says quietly. "I do not know any avengers, but they all know моя сестра. I need you to come because of this."
Kate doesn't get it. Yelena doesn't elaborate, and Kate finds that she doesn't care. She cooperates, agrees immediately, regardless of the reasoning. "Okay, I'll be ready. Should I bring my bow and arrow?"
"Of course, маленький ястреб." Yelena agrees. "Be ready."
She hangs up and Kate immediately calls Clint back. "Kid! You can't hang up on me like that-"
"Natasha is alive?" Kate demands. "How? When?"
"I....how did you find that out?" Clint asks.
"Yelena, and that's not the point. Since when is Natasha Romanoff alive?" Kate repeats.
"Since when are you talking to Yelena?" Clint counters. "Look kid, Natasha's alive and I want you there. All the other young avengers are coming too and I want you to meet her. But if Yelena's already told you-"
"She told me just now. She's also at the door, so....I'll meet you at the compound." Kate says.
"Alright kid. Be careful." Clint says. "I expect an explanation when you're back."
"Back at you, Hawkeye." Kate snorts. She hangs up as Yelena knocks, and she realises that she hasn't gotten changed, but goes over to open the door anyway.
"You are not dressed, Kate." Yelena says.
"Sorry. Uh...what should I wear?" Kate asks awkwardly. "My archery suit? I don't know-"
"Just wear something comfortable." Yelena says. "You will not need to shoot today."
"Ok." Kate agrees. She darts upstairs to get changed as Yelena adds "and wear that checked long coat you have. It's nice."
Kate obliges, sliding into her favourite light blue ripped jeans, and her old college sweatshirt (she's not done a whole lot of laundry this week) before putting on some converse hi tops and finishing up with her jacket per Yelena's request.
"Okay?" Kate asks, coming back.
Yelena appraises her outfit and nods, slowly. "You look beautiful. Now let's go."
Kate blushes, fiery red. "I....I do?"
"This is not different from usual, why do you look like this?" Yelena frowns.
Kate has to remind herself that Yelena might be an extremely dangerous black widow, but she's not exactly well versed in many other normal things for a person her age. "Well.....usually friends don't tell their friends they look beautiful."
"But it is true." Yelena insists. "I should lie, instead?"
"No...I mean, don't worry about it. I understand your point." Kate shakes her head.
"I am sorry, Kate Bishop, to drag you into this mess." Yelena says. "It will be a shit show, I promise you this."
"I said I'd be there, Lena." Kate says gently, closing the space between them. "I'm here if you need me."
Yelena looks at Kate seriously as the archer opens her arms to offer her a hug. When she accepts, it's slow, and Kate does most of the work, wrapping her arms around Yelena and pulling her close, allowing the small assassin to bury her face in Kate's shoulder.
"I need you here because I trust you, Kate." Yelena says seriously. "Because you have nothing to gain from моя сестра."
"I don't." Kate nods. "I'm just emotional support, don't worry."
"You do not understand....I...." Yelena trails off. "блин. We must leave."
"Lena, don't worry ok? I promise this is all going to be fine." Kate assures. Yelena nods, but doesn't respond, and Kate breaks the hug despite the feeling that maybe it's too early, then entwines their fingers and kisses Yelena's hand. "Now let's do this."
"Very well, Kate Bishop."
The drive to the avengers compound is quiet. Kate insists on driving them, with Yelena giving some simple instructions but remaining silent mostly, their hands still clasped together and resting on Yelena's thigh. The assassin isn't ready to talk about how she's feeling, and Kate doesn't blame her; finding out that your sister is alive must be difficult, especially given their history.
Kate's imagined going into this building since she was a little girl.
When she drives inside, Yelena asks for a minute alone, and disappears, giving her a moment to meet up with Clint and Nick Fury (because that's what she does now, meets the Nick Fury) and Kamala, who's bouncing up and down with excitement, and Peter Parker, who looks a little nervous, and a bunch of others who's names she might take a while to remember.
But despite the excitement, Kate can't help but wait for Yelena to return anxiously, more caught up with keeping her promise to the widow than even trying to make sure that no one forgets her.
When Yelena does come back, her face is impassive. Nick Fury greets her; he receives nothing more than a sharp nod, before he introduces her to all the young avengers as "Yelena Belova, Nat's little sister, she's a black widow so let's give her some respect." and there's a chorus of surprise, a few who try to talk to her, Kamala even tries to shake her hand.
Yelena ignores all of them, every single one, and instead crosses the room with deliberate strides, placing herself beside Kate with folded arms. "I do not want to be here." She murmurs to the archer. "These people are all posers."
"Maybe not Fury though." Kate offers softly. She goes to place her arm around Yelena's shoulder but thinks better of it. Yelena clearly wants to maintain a certain appearance; and everyone is watching her like she's dangerous (because she is, guys, and Kate's just a little smug that Yelena only likes her company out of any of them) but Yelena doesn't do anything to change that opinion.
"If you touch me, моя сестра will interrogate you the moment she enters this room." Yelena advises. "For your sake, маленький ястреб, you should be careful around her."
"I said I was here for you, Lena. Not to worry about Natasha." Kate smiles softly. She feels Clint's gaze on her and glances up; he's curious, obviously wondering why Yelena is happy to stand beside her, but he doesn't ask because he doesn't get the opportunity.
Because right as Yelena goes to respond, the doors to the main entrance open. Kate, being taller than almost all the young avengers, sees those who enter first (she's also positioned by the door with Yelena, because in the car, the assassin claimed it's the safest place to be) and it's hard not to get excited because that's Captain freaking Marvel, and Wanda, and in the middle of both women is Natasha Romanoff, dressed in her black widow suit.
Shit unravels pretty quickly after that.
Clint crosses the room and hugs Natasha first. Kate can see him crying, and the second he lets her go, the kids rush over; Cooper and Lila don't seem to know what to do, but Natasha makes the move to bring them in for a tight hug.
Nate on the other hand, he barrels right over and excitedly climbs Natasha, explaining that he knows all about her and that magic is real and that his daddy can't wait to talk to her. Laura is all tears as she greets the widow.
After that, everyone takes their turn either meeting or reuniting with Natasha. There's a slight argument, Nick Fury getting angry that he wasn't informed sooner, some of the young avengers wanting Natasha to like them and shoving in a bit too early, and yet Yelena?
She never moves. Just watches, just observes, just stands there in a black t-shirt and green cargo pants, widow bites on her wrists, observing like she's waiting for someone to attack her.
Natasha finally makes eye contact with her baby sister and the entire room falls silent.
"Елена. Ты здесь." Natasha says, slowly, in Russian that Kate doesn't understand.
Yelena continues to watch, like she's frozen. Kate isn't sure what the assassin is going to do, and sees Natasha's shining green eyes dim slightly. Before she can stop herself, Kate places a hand on Yelena's back and leans towards her ear. "Lena. You ok?"
"да." Yelena says softly. She steps away from Kate slowly, arms folded as she walks towards her older sister and Kate sees Natasha's eyes light up once more. "Ты - идиот." Yelena says, sharply (again, Kate doesn't know what it means, but one of the words sounds like idiot and that's not what she's expecting) before punching her sister in the arm.
"I missed you too." Natasha laughs, wiping the tears from her face. She pulls Yelena into a hug and Kate just catches it; Yelena's back trembles and it's enough to show that the widow is fighting tears.
"You are to never do this again, do you hear me?" Yelena demands, punching Natasha's back. "I mean it. Never."
"I promise." Natasha says softly.
They break apart and instantly, Natasha's sharp green eyes meet Kate's. There's a slight curiosity, a slight confusion. A little bit of mischief. (Yelena's been teaching her to gauge people's reactions.)
"Кто это?" She asks in Russian.
"Kate Bishop." Yelena says. "Come here."
Kate obeys and walks over, careful not to drop the arrows that she sets down beside the wall (her bow is across her shoulders, but she's pretty sure that she's not going to be shooting them anytime soon) before she stands with confidence in front of Natasha.
Who's watching her like some kind of super spy, or something.
"Not many people would touch Yelena like that when she's zoned out in case of a lost limb." Natasha comments, and holy hell, Natasha Romanoff is talking to her and she's so close to squealing until she processes what was said.
It's a challenge, she thinks.
"I'm not most people." Kate responds calmly. "I'm Kate Bishop."
Natasha's serious face breaks out into a wide grin. "You've got guts kid."
"That's all she's got." Clint grumbles. "That and a bow, but don't you tell her that she's good at it, 'Tasha, or I'll never hear the end of it."
"Ah. She's your protégé, huh?" Natasha grins once more. "You're getting old, Hawkeye."
"Still haven't died and come back to life like you, old woman." Clint grunts.
"Touché." Natasha sighs. She glances between Kate and Yelena and then back to Clint, who shrugs (Kate hasn't really talked to him about all of this) and then at Yelena, who's eyes reflect a challenge for Natasha to hurry up and ask.
Natasha does not. She just smirks, and places an arm around her sister's shoulder. "Looks like we've got a story to tell you."
Several hours pass as Natasha, Wanda and Captain Marvel explain what happened. Captain Marvel disappears into one of the rooms to sleep (Kamala manages to convince her into doing her nails along with Cassie, though) Wanda does the same, and Nick Fury casually returns to fucking space.
Eventually, as everyone disperses and Natasha goes off to her old room here (Kate thinks she's looking for someone, but she's no Widow and she's probably wrong) Yelena says that she wants to rest.
"There's a spot for you anywhere you like, but the North Wing is probably your best bet." Someone named Sam tells her (she's forgotten everyone already) "Rooms are connected if you want them."
Yelena nods once and drags Kate out of the room, into their new one. "You want me to sleep in here?" Kate asks.
"Yes." Yelena nods. "Tomorrow I must bring my Mama and Daddy here. I cannot stay the night; not fully. And we have not spent nearly enough time together lately."
"Okay." Kate agrees. She lays down first, even though she wishes that just once, Yelena might stay, and that she might get to wake up with the widow beside her. Gets comfortable and pats the spot beside her. "Coming?"
Yelena nods. She doesn't climb in, she jumps, tucking herself into the sheets and getting comfortable. Yelena finds her spot before she rolls onto her side, looking up at Kate. "Thank you for being here today." She says softly.
"Any time, Lena." Kate assures.
Yelena smiles softly. "Natasha likes you."
"Sure." Kate snorts.
Yelena says nothing else. Kate gets that she's not ready to talk get and doesn't push. Instead, she wonders if Yelena will pretend like they're not cuddling every time they go to sleep, and her question gets answered fairly quickly.
Yelena curls up against Kate's side and throws an arm over her stomach.
"She thinks you are brave." Yelena says softly, but Kate can't focus on that because Yelena's leg is the next part of her body that meets Kate's; similar to the way that her arm is draped, Yelena's leg is thrown over her own.
It's so.....them, in every way, that Kate isn't sure if this is just Yelena seeking comfort, or if it means more, and she can't bring herself to ask.
"I hope so." Kate says. "Clint's probably told her about our first meeting."
"Probably." Yelena yawns, tiredly, and burrows her face in Kate's chest. "Good night, Kate."
"Night, Lena." Kate whispers. She dates to kiss the widows head, breathing in the vanilla scent that follows the blonde everywhere. Yelena lets her.
They fall asleep like this; tangled up and warm. As always, she wakes up alone; as always it hurts. Because at night, they're so different. And just once, Kate wishes she could figure out how Yelena feels about them, and everything they've been through together already.
v.
The Avengers complex is up and running in a big way now. Yelena has hung around (mostly for Kate, but Kate doesn't know this) and the older Avengers insist on training the younger ones for missions, which has ended being divided by days; not that Kate only trains when she's told.
Because even though Yelena is here often, she's also still in assignments elsewhere, and she's a hole that Kate doesn't know how to fill. Never does, even when she tries.
So she trains; arrow after arrow after obstacle course, until she can fight with everyone, even Eli, and she's sparred with Yelena enough times to know that she's improved. She misses everything about Yelena until she gets back, and she's never quite sure how Yelena will feel when she returns.
Today Kate is sparring in the fancy training room (and she'd know, she has her own archery range in one of her apartments, for God's sake) with Kamala, who's been receiving special training from Captain Marvel, when Natasha walks in with a request.
"Mini Hawkeye." Natasha calls. "I want to spar."
"W-with me?" Kate blinks. She's still fairly sure that Natasha doesn't like her. The widow is like that with everyone, is what Clint says, but Kate feels there's something more; she doesn't know what, and she can't prove why, so she leaves it.
"Yes, you're Hawkeye." Natasha smirks. "Well?"
"Sure." Kate reluctantly replies. "But I'm not keen to have my head bashed in, so take it easy."
"Brave as ever." Natasha laughs. "I'm not going to hurt you. Yelena would kill me."
Kate wonders at the calculating look in Natasha's gaze. "Ok." She manages.
Natasha is brutal as a sparring partner. She launches into the attack first, attempting to knock Kate on her feet within seconds, but Kate's expecting it; because when she's not in the training room, she's watching others do their own training, and this move is typical of both Natasha and Wanda.
"You've been paying attention." Natasha comments.
Kate grins. "I try."
They trade jabs for the next 10 minutes, no one really making a single move; and Kate's focused, to a fault, until she smells that scent of Vanilla and her head flies up, distractedly, because that means Yelena is home.
Finally.
Natasha uses the opportunity to catch Kate in an chokehold. On instinct, Kate uses her strength in an effort to pull the widow's entire body over her head and flip her on the floor.
"Do not try, Kate Bishop." Natasha teases. "I'm far stronger than you."
"Kate Bishop is my name for her." Yelena says, accusingly, stomping into the room.
"Ah, Елена, ты вернулась." Natasha smiles. "Her name is Kate Bishop, you do realise?"
"I call her this." Yelena scowls. "Kate I need to talk with you."
"Oh." Kate blinks. "Uh.....N-Natasha?"
"Right, sorry mini Hawk." Natasha offers, letting her go. She watches them knowingly, but Kate doesn't even notice. Her entire focus shifts to Yelena the moment she enters the room, and she's assessing the blonde's condition.
"How are you feeling, Lena?" Kate asks, gently.
"I'm exhausted." Yelena informs her. "I require naps. This is why I call for you."
"Plural?" Kate laughs. "I thought it was something important."
"The naps are very important." Yelena argues, with a slight grin, her eyes sparkling. Her cheeks are rosy and she looks tired but oh, so adorable, and Kate fights the impulsive urge to kiss her.
"Alright, Lena." Kate sighs. "Do you want me to nap with you?"
"Yes, of course. Duh! This is why I ask for you." Yelena says once more. She leans against Kate's side. "I feel like I may not ever wake up."
"Maybe you can ask your sister for some tips." Kate grimaces. "She tried to break my neck in 2 seconds of a fight."
"That is normal." Yelena rolls her eyes. "Ignore Natasha. She thinks she is the big bad widow, but she is softie. And she knows this, too. It is why Nate goes to her for all the snacks and movies his parents tell him he cannot have."
"Oh." Kate blinks. "Ok. I'm pretty sure she hates me though."
"Kate." Yelena pouts. "I want to take the nap, not talk about Natasha."
"Okay, sorry." Kate laughs. Yelena slides her hand into Kate's and guides her out of the hallway, down past the main living area and into the rooms, where they have connecting rooms.
Yelena hasn't napped with her for a while, but they always seem to end up in the same space anyways.
"I will use your clothes." Yelena informs her.
"Sure." Kate agrees. She rummages through her drawers and tosses Yelena a Bishop Securities jumper that she always steals and a pair of bed shorts. "These ok?"
"да." Yelena nods. "Thank you, Kate."
"You're welcome Lena." Kate smiles.
Yelena makes quick work of stripping down and then re-dressing. Kate has to look away the moment that she sees Yelena's bare back, because she's pretty sure that's not helping her impulsivity. When Yelena is finished, she dives into bed eagerly and waits for Kate to follow.
"You want to watch anything?" Kate asks.
"No." Yelena shakes her head. "I want to sleep with you."
Kate bites back the blush. She knows that is not what Yelena meant, but it sort of feels like it anyway, and her brain runs off before she can stop it. "R-right. Uh.....then sleep tight, Lena."
Yelena is on the outer side of the bed this time. It's not normal for them, but it's sort of amazing for Kate; she's given the unique opportunity to cuddle Yelena from behind, pulling the widow flush against her larger frame and entwining their hands. Her chin rests just over Yelena's head, and Yelena sighs contentedly.
"Thank you Kate." She says softly.
Kate isn't sure for how long they're asleep; but it wouldn't really matter. No matter how warm and cosy being in bed with Yelena feels, she's immediately awoken by the sound of a knock against the door, and Yelena too jolts awake.
"Глупая сестра." Yelena grumbles. "Go away, Natasha."
"I need to speak with you, младшая сестра." Natasha laughs. "Can't you come here for a sec?"
(How did Yelena know it was Natasha? )
Yelena curses in Russian (Kate knows some of those now) and leaves the room. Kate can't hear the following conversation. Even if she could, it's in Russian, and she has no way of gauging what is said.
That is, of course, until Yelena steps back inside with a glassy sheen to her eyes and reaches for her old clothes. "I...I'm sorry, Kate, I must go." Yelena says, sharply. "I cannot stay here."
"Lena?" Kate calls, leaping out of bed. She trips over herself despite the effort not to. Yelena looks like she's been punched in the face, and irrationally, Kate's about ready to attack Natasha. What the hell did the black widow say to her sister that made her look like.... this?
Kate knows that Natasha doesn't like her, but this is Yelena. And no one hurts Yelena.
"Kate, I-"
"Where are you going?" She tries not to allow the hurt in her voice to show.
"I'm sorry, Kate Bishop, but I cannot do this. Not now." Yelena says. "I'm not ready. Not yet."
"Lena-"
"Kate." Yelena's tone drops into pleasing. "I can't."
Kate drops her hand and Yelena steps away from her, then out the door. And suddenly it clicks, that maybe Yelena never really had to leave, but she does anyway, and maybe she really does need time. So she bites back the tears and sinks back into bed for a moment before she decides to return to training.
There's no point sleeping if Yelena isn't here anyway.
When she runs into Natasha in the hallway, she's a little too sharp in the way that she scowls and avoids her. If the widow notices, she chooses to ignore her.
i.
Yelena disappears from the compound for 5 days.
Kate goes on 2 missions and has to return to her apartment for a few days to bring Lucky, who's been staying with Jack, into the compound, as well as a day of work at Bishop Securities.
But the final day without her is harder than she'd been anticipating.
It's not easy to pretend like Yelena's actions don't hurt her. Clint notices her disappointment and when she tells him that Natasha said...well, something, to her sister, he offers to talk to Natasha about it. Somehow, Kate thinks it'll make the situation worse and declines.
After a few more days, Yelena pops back in like it never happened, and things return to a semi normal; they spar, they eat and watch movies together, they talk endlessly, and Kate is the only person in the compound (even over Natasha, but Kate avoids making that comparison for her own safety) that Yelena chooses to spend any time with.
To the point of threats and physical violence when people intrude on her space. The other day, Yelena had launched Cassie Lang into a wall when the younger girl had plonked herself into Kate's spot (Kate had been taking Lucky to pee) and she'd nearly bitten Peter's head off when he'd asked her to stop watching Friends with Yelena so that Sam could speak with her about a mission.
Kate distinctly remembers the "Get out or lose your life, spiderboy, either way you will leave me in peace." that Yelena had spat out. Peter had left, and Yelena had snuggled back against Kate's side like nothing had happened.
But sleeping, it seems, is something that they no longer do. Because no matter how many times Yelena dozes off against Kate when they're watching something, or she looks like she could use a nap, there's never a request to sleep in Kate's room, and she regularly declines Kate's offers when they come.
Natasha, it seems, has a hatred for Kate's sanity, because she cannot figure out why, on earth, Yelena would suddenly make this separation between them.
And then one day, it comes to a head after a particularly brutal mission that Natasha, Yelena and Wanda had gone on together.
Kate isn't allowed to join. She wants to, and she's ready, everyone says so. But Yelena says no, and no one will argue with her. Not if they value their lives, at least. So Kate is left behind, and she's annoyed at first, then even more so when the team returns.
Yelena is covered in blood, all over her white suit. Natasha doesn't look much better. Wanda is perhaps the best out of the 3, but she's also sporting blood and cuts that are visible to the naked eye.
"What the hell happened?" Kate immediately blurts, letting her arrow loose and throwing her bow somewhere in an effort to rush across the room and meet Yelena.
"Ambush." Yelena whispers. She falls into Kate and starts to sob. "We....we couldn't.....I couldn't save them."
"Save who?" Kate asks, pulling her close. "Lena talk to me, what happened?"
"The...the widows program, someone purchased 9 of them. Private buyer...and I killed 3, trying to stop them. The antidote it was not working." Yelena manages between tears. "It did not work, I killed them-"
"Hey, hey." Kate soothes. "It's okay. You did your best. Whose blood is this?"
"Not mine." Yelena says, face hidden.
"Come on. We should clean you up." Kate suggests. "Natasha too, though maybe I'm not...."
She trails off as Natasha meets her gaze and it clicks. Yelena had sought comfort from her, Yelena sleeps in the same bed as her, Yelena laughs and spends time with her and....that's not something that she does with anyone else. Natasha knows this. Knows that there's something else going on.
She's trying to protect her sister.
"Maybe Natasha and you should-"
"No." Yelena cuts her off. "I do not want."
"She's angry with me." Natasha says. "The delivery of the antidote was my fault."
"It was an accident." Wanda argues.
"An accident is not getting distracted by your girlfriend." Yelena snaps. Her head flies up and her eyes are bloodshot. "An accident is not leaving your baby sister to deal with the deadliest killers and no backup. You.....I could have saved them."
Natasha looks ashamed. "I know, Lena-"
"Do not call me that." Yelena snarls. "Do not."
"младшая сестра." Natasha tries. "I'm sorry, ok? I should've warned you, and that's on me. But Kate is right. We need to clean you up and your injuries, too."
"She's injured?" Kate splutters. "Where?"
"Just a few cuts and a possible concussion." Wanda says. "She needs to see Laura, but she wanted to see you first."
"Lena you're an idiot, you know that?" Kate reprimands. She places an arm on Yelena's waist and hoists her up, guiding her out of the training room and into the medical bay, where Laura is waiting for them.
"Hello girls." Laura smiles. "How are we doing, Yelena?"
"Fine, Mrs Barton." Yelena manages to respond.
"Laura is fine, darling." Laura says gently. "Now let's take a look."
Yelena nods and Kate helps her to sit on the bed. An inspection shows that Yelena does, in fact, have a minor concussion (she's thinking clearly, but there's a slight bleed in her brain, so she has to take the next few days easy, and absolutely no reading) as well as several shrapnel wounds and cuts.
It takes around an hour to patch and clean her up. Laura leaves them alone shortly after, and around 10, Kate makes to leave as well.
"Wait, Kate, where are you going?" Yelena asks.
"To bed." Kate blinks. "You...you haven't been wanting me around at night."
Yelena bites her lip. "Stay, please?"
"Lena, are you sure-"
"Kate I know that I do not deserve it, but it would mean so much to me if you would stay in here with me tonight." Yelena whispers imploringly.
Kate steps back into the room fully. "What do you mean you don't deserve it? You deserve the world, Lena."
"You look at me like this is true, but you do not know the blood that follows me." Yelena sounds crushed. "You do not know that I will never deserve someone like you."
"Lena." Kate reprimands softly. "I liked your company well after I found out that you were an assassin who could turn me inside out with her pinkie finger. There's so much more to you then just being a widow."
"I do not think so." Yelena argues. "It was being a widow that cost 3 people their lives tonight."
"If that means you come home, Lena, then maybe it's not such a bad thing." Kate offers. "It's selfish, but if it's you or them, I'm picking you. Every time."
"Will you stay?" Yelena asks.
"Until you fall asleep, Lena." Kate promises.
"Why?" Yelena demands. "You do not want to stay in here with me?"
"Lena-"
"No, Kate Bishop, do not try that puppy eyed look of please don't be mad at me. I want you stay, why do you not want to stay?" Yelena asks.
"Lena this isn't the time." Kate says gently. "You're injured-"
"I want it to be now." Yelena argues. "Why not?"
"What did Natasha say to you, last week?" Kate asks. "When we were napping?"
Yelena frowns. Looks up, then back down again, and slowly meets Kate's gaze. "She told me that I should have told her we were dating."
"She....she what?" Kate blinks.
"I also said this. But Natasha....she said that friends do not snuggle like we do." Yelena offers, quietly.
"And you pushed me away because....you didn't want to what, give me the wrong idea?" Kate asks, somewhat hurt. "Because that's fine, Lena, but that's even less of a reason to make me stay now."
"No, Kate, I left because I was not ready. I do not know if I am even ready now. I just....I cannot control my desire to be around you. It is why I stepped into your house the second time. Why I came to you when I was hurt. Why...why even though I felt like it was not a good idea, I wanted to stay. You feel things so openly, Kate, but me, I am not good at feelings. I have no idea what I am doing."
"Lena you don't have to-" Kate tries.
"Wait." Yelena says. "It is not that I don't want to feel things. It is that I am scared to allow myself to feel things. We were always taught that feeling things is dangerous. It is not easy to escape this."
"You don't have to change for me, Lena." Kate says, gently. She steps towards the bed that centres the room.
"I do not have to, I want to." Yelena responds carefully. "I like our movie nights and I like to spar with you and I like to snuggle with you and I like to have your attention when no one else can get it."
"You usually have that either way." Kate blushes.
"Exactly." Yelena grins. "I am sorry, that I pushed you away. It was not fair, but I was afraid, and if I am honest, that feeling is still there."
"Then why now, Lena? Why are we talking about this now?" Kate asks quietly.
Yelena reaches for her hand and pulls her into the bed beside her. Kate stumbles but manages to sit next to the blonde, who is now at eye level with her.
"Because I think maybe it seems like I regret it. And I do not. I never regret when I am with you. I do not...I do not want to be scared and lose you forever." Yelena responds softly.
"You'll never lose me, Lena." Kate promises gently. "I'm here for as long as you'll have me."
"It will take me time." Yelena says. "I....I need you to be patient with me."
"I'm not going anywhere, Lena." Kate assures. She squeezes Yelena's hand gently and the blonde tucks her head against Kate's chest for a moment.
"Then it's okay for you to stay the night? Please?" Yelena asks.
"You're the one who always leaves halfway." Kate teases. "You'd have to push me out of the room." She glances down slightly, noting that Yelena has leaned in just a little, and she bites her lip before asking, "C-can I kiss you?"
Yelena doesn't verbally respond. Her gaze softens slightly, and she hesitates for a second before she slowly leans forward and closes the gap between them, pressing her lips against Kate's.
It's soft and Kate's heart is thumping harshly, but Yelena just fits against her so perfectly, pulling Kate down to meet her a little easier, a lingering kiss pressed to her mouth, then another, and Kate smiles against Yelena's mouth, a goofy grin breaking out as Yelena repeats the motion, this time with slightly more insistence, prodding at her mouth urgently.
"Uh uh," Kate breathes, pulling away, "You're injured. None of that."
"Kate." Yelena whines, embarrassed, face bright red. She hides in Kate's side and the archer just chuckles softly as she grumbles under her breath.
"Later, Lena." Kate whispers, kissing her cheek gently. "We have time."
"You're going to stay?" Yelena asks.
Kate pulls the blanket over the both of them and reaches for the light switch. "I'm right here, Lena. Go to sleep, ok?"
"So bossy." Yelena grumbles, but she curls into Kate and obliges, breathing steady as Kate runs her fingers through the Yelena's golden locks repeatedly.
20 minutes later, they're both sound asleep. When Natasha pokes her head in to attempt another apology, she finds the girls curled up together and smiles to herself knowingly.
When Kate wakes up the next morning, it's to Yelena's lips against hers once more and she's never been quite so happy to see the assassin in all the time she's known her.
"You stayed." Kate murmurs.
"I wanted to." Yelena chuckles.
Kate pulls her impossibly closer and kisses her forehead. "Thank you, Yelena."
"No, thank you, моя любовь." Yelena whispers.
"Are we going to get food?" Kate asks.
"No, we should stay here a long time." Yelena grins mischievously.
Kate just laughs at the eager expression on her face. "If that's what you want, Lena."
They do, in fact, spend the next 2 hours snuggled up in bed. And Kate decides that this was exactly what she wanted; the chance to wake up beside Yelena, not just once, but for as long as the universe allows her to.
And if they spend the next 2 days, lounging in this bed, napping, kissing, and watching tv between food, well, that's between the two of them. It's entirely worth the teasing that she receives from Natasha and Clint for 3 whole days after Yelena is feeling better again.