Yelena
Their mission was straightforward: infiltrate a high society party in Philadelphia, hack the host’s computer, and copy his database to theirs. Yelena had done it hundreds of times. Even though Kate didn’t have experience with something like it, she did have experience schmoozing with the 1%. All it took was a wig, some good makeup and a dress, and the socialite and Avenger Kate Bishop became a cousin in a different old rich white family.
As Yelena subtly watched from the bar, Kate flirted with a group of men ranging from her age to old enough to be her grandfather. The string quartet at the end of the room started a new song and one of the men held out a hand to Kate. Her smile was dazzling as she let him take her out to the floor. Yelena took another sip from her gin and tonic and forced herself to scan the room. It was so rare that Kate wore a dress, let alone a short one, that Yelena found it hard not to look. In heels it seemed Kate’s legs went on forever.
She shook her head. Focus. Glancing around the room, she checked the ridiculous grandfather clock by the door. Quarter after nine. They had two hours before the last train left from 30th Street Station. When the song finished Kate laughed her way away from the man she’d been dancing with and casually made her way towards the bar, stopping to chat as she crossed the room. Yelena had always tried to be invisible, unmemorable, but Kate seemed to have the art of flattery and attention down to an art. All these people would remember a pretty woman who paid attention to everything they said, but in a world where they were so used to that, she wouldn’t be remembered as anything other than that.
When she got to the bar she ordered some provocatively named drink, shooting Yelena a wink while she waited for the bartender to mix it. Yelena rolled her eyes. She wasn’t sure where they stood, which made her cautious. They were definitely still partners, and as Kate healed it felt more like their old partnership every day, but Yelena wasn’t making assumptions even when it felt like Kate was flirting. Once Kate had gotten the drink she moved down the bar towards Yelena.
“What’s a pretty thing like you doing over here alone?” she asked, playing up their cover.
Refraining from rolling her eyes again, Yelena gave a vaguely flirty answer as she continued to scan the area behind Kate. Letting Kate carry the conversation, she looked for their opening. As the crowds shifted she realized that the host had stepped exactly where they needed him and she refocused on Kate. Kate tossed back the rest of her drink and said, “Want to find somewhere quieter?”
Yelena looked up at Kate and batted her eyelashes, forcing herself to blush. “Yes,” she said, putting her almost-empty glass on the bar and letting Kate lead her through the crowd, both projecting the image of two women sneaking off for some fun.
When they got to the target’s office Yelena immediately hurried to the desk and flipped open the laptop while Kate stood guard by the door. Breaking the encryption took a minute but wasn’t much of a challenge. She plugged the drive in, started transferring files, and quickly surveyed the room. It clearly wasn’t a main office, just something used occasionally when work called at home. A small balcony opened across from the desk; the escape route Yelena had scouted ahead of time.
“Someone’s coming,” hissed Kate. Yelena refocused on the computer. The transfer was still going. There were only seconds left, but they didn’t have time to make it to the balcony. Before she realized what was happening Kate was beside the desk, grabbing the drive from the computer as soon as it finished and slamming the computer closed. Using her height to her advantage she spun Yelena around and pushed her back until she hit the wall. And then before Yelena could think of anything else Kate’s lips were on hers. One of Kate’s hands pushed into Yelena’s hip, the other rucked up her dress. As Yelena listened to the footsteps just outside the door her body reacted to Kate’s of its own accord. Her hands yanked on Kate - careful not to disturb her disguise - and she choked on a moan.
The door opened and someone cleared their throat. Kate pulled back and blinked. To anyone else it probably looked lustful, but Yelena could tell it was an act. As Kate made their excuses and the target bought it with a chuckle, Yelena felt embarrassment flood through her. Kate took her hand and pulled her through the apartment to retrieve their coats. As they put them on Yelena finally looked up, only to realize that her lipstick was smeared across Kate’s lips, staining them plum. Kate wasn’t even looking at her, instead scanning the apartment. It was what Yelena would normally be doing. But she couldn’t. Her mind was still in the office at the moment Kate’s lips met hers.
Kate ushered her out and they headed for the train station. When they got there they retrieved their shared bag and bought tickets for the 11:11 to Penn Station. Kate disappeared to the bathroom and Yelena fell onto one of the benches and tried to calm herself down. The kiss had clearly meant nothing to Kate. She’d just done what she’d had to to protect the mission, and - Yelena had to admit - she’d done it well. They hadn’t been suspected at all, and there hadn’t been any way they would have made it out and over the balcony in time. But Yelena kept replaying the kiss. The way her skin had tingled. The way Kate’s hands felt against her body. The way her underwear were still uncomfortably damp.
Kate was standing in front of her before Yelena even realized someone nearby was moving. She’d pulled on boots and a pair of sweatpants under her dress, leaving her looking utterly ridiculous. It made Yelena feel fond. She bit back a smile and instead started silently berating herself. It wasn’t the time or the place to be lusting after Kate. In fact, there was never a time anymore to lust after Kate. Things between them were probably over.
Yelena realized with a start that Kate was speaking. She hadn’t heard any of it. “Sorry?” she asked, trying not to choke on her words.
“Did you hear anything I said?” asked Kate with what sounded like fond exasperation.
“No. I am sorry.”
“I said I talked to Lopez and uploaded the data. I told them we’d be by after we get back to fill out our reports. Is that okay?” Yelena nodded dumbly. “I mean, I know it’s late, but it shouldn’t take too long and then we can just get it over with and it’s not like you don’t normally stay up-”
“It is fine Kate Bi- Kate. Is there anything else?”
“Yeah, I got you some doughnut holes and a coffee.” She held out both. “I’m sorry they’re not real пончик.” Yelena almost laughed at Kate’s pronunciation, but also couldn’t believe that Kate still remembered the one time Yelena had talked about how much better the Russian version of a doughnut hole was compared to what was found even in New York City. Yelena thanked her and dug into the sugar and caffeine gratefully.
When they got back to the city they made their way to the crew’s headquarters to fill out their post-mission paperwork. Yelena’s mind kept straying to the kiss as she tried to type and before she knew it Kate was calling out a “goodnight” and heading for the door. It took Yelena another 15 minutes and three false starts, but she finally finished, too, and headed home to gear up to patrol the city.
After a few months of patrolling in Kate’s absence and recovery, Yelena could understand what Kate liked about it. She felt like a part of the city. It felt like helping in the everyday way that she was missing in between missions to rescue widows. And it was more fun to stay in shape by running across rooftops and battling muggers than it was to lift weights with Natasha and the trainees.
Just like Kate, she followed calls on the police scanner on occasion. After two calls came in for muggings a few blocks apart, Yelena made her way in that direction, hoping to catch whomever was causing the violence. It took her a little while, but eventually the sounds of a beating came from an alleyway and she jumped into the fray, standing between a victim and five assailants. They immediately turned on her and she fell into the rhythm of kicks and punches, making sure to never let them get to the person on the ground.
Suddenly an arrow sprouted out of one of their shoulders. Yelena didn’t even glance up, recognizing the purple fletching. Instead she took the opportunity to drag down one of the assailants and smash their head into the pavement, knocking them unconscious. As she spun another arrow struck. Yelena continued bringing them down until she was surrounded by unconscious bodies.
As she bent over the victim, Kate yelled down, “Police and EMS en route. ETA one minute.”
“Thanks Hawkeye,” she called up, hoping Kate would stay on the roof, out of the way.
“No problem, Widow.”
It seemed as though Yelena had gotten there just in time and - miraculously - the victim only had minor injuries. As soon as the EMTs came into the alley Yelena stood, backing out of the way. The victim called out their thanks, but Yelena just melted into the shadows, uncomfortable with any recognition or gratitude.
When she got to the other end of the alley a shadow silhouetted against the sky pulled her attention to the roof of the next building. As soon as she registered Kate’s presence, she was gone.
----
In the next week Yelena saw Kate frequently as she patrolled the city. She seemed to only stay high, either aiding Yelena with a well-placed shot or bringing down her own criminals with arrows only. When Yelena had a chance to examine one of the arrow wounds up close she could tell that Kate still didn’t have all of her strength back, the damage inflicted exponentially less than it would’ve been two months before, but it seemed like she knew her limits and Yelena tried to be better about trusting Kate’s judgment about what she could and couldn’t do.
Whenever Yelena encountered Kate at work, it was like her brain stopped working, going blank except for the vivid memory of Kate kissing her in Philadelphia. Even though it had been for a job, even though it didn't seem to mean anything to Kate, Yelena couldn’t wrench herself away. Her skin constantly tingled in all the places Kate had touched her, even days later. Their conversations became so awkward that she ultimately just started avoiding Kate, trying to finish her work earlier or later to have an excuse to linger behind or vanish. If Kate noticed, Yelena couldn’t tell.
After another night of protecting the city Yelena got back to her apartment after four. As soon as the apartment door swung open she could tell something was off. Slipping her phone back in her pocket she quietly unzipped her jacket enough to pull one of her Glocks free. She shut the door quickly and quietly, knowing the light from the hall put her at a disadvantage. A single lamp was on in the living room, just as she’d left it, but the rest of the apartment was dark. Silence greeted her. Nevertheless, something was wrong. As she steadied herself she caught a whiff of body wash- no, shampoo. Familiar shampoo. Knowing better than to let her guard completely drop, she made her way toward the living room, gun raised.
Kate was sitting on the couch, feet propped on the coffee table, scrolling on her phone. “Hiiiii,” she said, her faux-Russian accent thick.
Yelena winced and pulled her gun back, setting it on her dining table. “Why are you here?” she asked with a sigh.
“I have a problem. I thought maybe you could help me.”
Yelena pulled off her jacket and second gun, setting them next to the first. Her mask and phone were still in the jacket pockets, but she pulled out a few of her knives and dropped them, too, finally sitting in a chair to pull off her boots. As she untied the laces she said, “That is what I am here for, no? What is the problem?”
“Well, my partner won’t look at me.” Yelena’s head came up. She tried to look at Kate but couldn’t keep her eyes there, ending up looking just past her shoulder. “See, that’s what I’m talking about, right there.”
“I do not- I am not- I can look at you.”
“That sounded an awful lot like a Kate Bishop denial,” said Kate, smile in her voice.
That got Yelena’s attention and she was able to refocus on Kate for just a minute. “What does that mean?”
“It means it sounded like a rambling denial that’s so obviously a lie that your response would be, ‘Kate Bishop,’” said Kate, again adopting her atrocious accent.
“I do not sound like that!”
“Agree to disagree,” said Kate. Yelena grunted. After a pause she continued, “It was the kiss.”
“No-”
“Yes-”
“That was just for a job-”
“You think I can’t read you, Yelena?” Yelena scrambled, thinking of any denial she could possibly use. “I know it was the kiss.” Yelena closed her eyes. At least that way she wouldn’t have to try to avoid looking at Kate anymore. The couch shifted and Kate stood up. Her footsteps had gotten quieter in the last year, but she was clearly moving towards Yelena. The chair next to Yelena slid along the floor and Kate sat down. “Yelena…”
“When did you become so wise?” croaked out Yelena.
“When you let me,” said Kate. Yelena’s eyes flew open. Kate was leaning forward, elbows on knees, so close. “When you give me time and space and opportunity I learn and get better and analyze things and grow.”
“I am sorry I did not give you those chances before,” said Yelena, honestly remorseful.
“It doesn’t matter, you’re doing it now. I can see how hard you’re working on things.” She leaned forward and took one of Yelena’s hands, tracing around where the rings would be. Yelena fought back a shiver, but the tingling sensation that had been haunting for the whole week returned in full force. If Kate kept touching her she would never be able to move on. They would spend their entire partnership with Yelena unable to meet Kate’s eyes… “I’m sorry for leaving you. I just felt so alone. And angry. But I was-”
Shuddering, Yelena interrupted, “You were alone. I wish you had not done it, but no one understood you.”
“It wasn’t all wasted effort, you know,” said Kate, fingers still on Yelena’s. “I’ve got some leverage on Kingpin. I just need to figure out if or how I can use it. Daredevil keeps telling me that I have to be careful about which lines I cross or I won’t be able to go back. But-”
“I am in,” said Yelena, turning her hand over to grasp Kate’s, trying to convey her seriousness.
“Really? You don’t even know what I’m going to do. I don’t even know what I’m going to do.”
“If you were going to do something I did not condone, we would not be having this conversation, no?”
“No…” said Kate with a quiet chuckle. She finally let go of Yelena’s hand and leaned back. “So it turns out that Kingpin has a son. He’s seven. His name is Richard and he goes to a boarding school just outside Burlington, VT. I’ve seen him-”
Yelena shook her head. “I do not make war on children-”
“Will you let me finish?!” For the first time that night Yelena heard a trace of Kate’s former exasperation with her. She nodded and bit her tongue. “I talked to Daredevil and tried to figure out how to hold that over Fisk, but… I can’t. I’m not that person. I think to use that information I would need to take the kid or hurt him or… I just can’t do that. But I don’t know what else to do! Maybe we should all just come together and threaten him- Would that work? Like, all the Avengers? Or some of the Avengers. Since I don’t even know how many ‘all’ is, really- Or maybe just me and Daredevil. Or maybe we just watch him! That’s what Daredevil was already doing-”
“We will figure this out. Together. I am in,” said Yelena.
Kate let out a sigh of relief. Yelena expected her to get up and leave, but she didn’t. Instead she leaned forward in her chair again.
“It was the kiss,” whispered Kate.
“No,” protested Yelena feebly. She should have known better than to think Kate would let the subject drop.
“Fine, then look at me.” Yelena forced herself to meet Kate’s eyes. Calling on every bit of her Red Room training she forced a blush back, forced herself to maintain eye contact, forced her expression to remain neutral. “I love you,” whispered Kate.
Yelena blinked and felt everything crumble. It felt like her heart hijacked her training and she found herself whispering, “I love you, too.”
Kate reached out for Yelena and yanked. Yelena wasn’t braced and she stumbled off the chair, towards Kate. Kate buried one hand in Yelena’s hair and slipped the other around her waist, pulling down until Yelena was in her lap and their lips were meeting and it was all the fire and electricity Yelena had felt before. Their kiss deepend and Yelena brushed her hands along Kate’s cheeks, marveling at the woman beneath her.
When they finally broke apart, gasping for breath, Yelena’s mind started racing. “Kate-”
“It’s okay, Yelena-”
“It is not okay. How can this be any different than when we talked before Christmas or on Christmas or after Christmas or-”
“Yelena-”
“I am too controlling-”
“We both had things to work on, and we worked on them. If you act controlling I will call you on it-”
“People do not change, Kate-”
“That’s not true. You spent 20 years either under mind control or being brainwashed, your personality is still forming-”
Yelena fought back against Kate’s now-tight grip around her waist. “I am 32 fucking years old, Kate-”
“Tell me you don’t love me-” Yelena shook her head. “Tell me you don’t want to be with me-” Yelena shook her head again. “Tell me we aren’t different. Tell me we aren’t trying. Tell me we can’t communicate and be happy.”
Yelena stopped fighting, letting her head hang. Kate loosened her grip, but Yelena didn’t have the heart to pull free. Kate traced across Yelena’s jaw until she could grip under her chin and pull it up. Their eyes met again. Blinking, Yelena tried to fight the mixture of desire and pain she felt looking into Kate’s eyes. “Yelena, if you ask me to leave, I will. I will be your partner, and nothing else. We will always have each other’s backs. I will trust you and call you on your bullshit. But-”
“Stay,” whispered Yelena.
“What?”
“Stay,” said Yelena, trying to be bold about what she wanted. “With me,” she added at Kate’s confused look.
“Are you sure? Because I don’t mean to pressure you and you know that I want to be with you but I don’t want to make you feel like you have to-”
Yelena laughed and cut Kate off with a kiss. “What was that for?” asked Kate as they pulled apart.
“You were so serious I was worried that my Kate was gone.”
Kate raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? Who is this ‘my Kate’ you’re talking about?”
“My Kate rambles when she is nervous. Or excited. Or proud.” Kate smiled. “Or really in almost any situation at all. It is one of my favorite things about her.”
“What’s your absolute favorite thing about her?” asked Kate with a smirk.
Yelena pretended to think. “Well, I am pretty sure you want me to say that it is her smile, no?” Kate smiled even wider and Yelena had to shake herself to keep her train of thought. Kate shook her head. “No? What about the way she shivers when I speak Russian?” Kate’s eyes darkened. “Or when I say her whole name? What do you think, Kate Bishop?” Kate bit her lip and gripped Yelena’s thighs. Yelena shifted in her lap and Kate glanced down to where their bodies touched. “But the truth is… it is her heart. The way she protects those she loves. Fights for everything for them. And even beyond that, the way she defends her city - her world - from anything and everything. I just hope she realizes soon that she can share the load. Because she has a partner.”
“Yelena,” whispered Kate. She yanked Yelena down until their lips met again. Yelena could no longer ignore the desire running through her, and she melted into the kiss. When Kate pulled her shirt off, Yelena let it happen, struck dumb by Kate’s hands on her skin. Kate quickly retrieved the knife tucked in the back of Yelena’s bra and let it fall on the table as she trailed kisses across her chest. Yelena gripped Kate’s shoulders, holding on as the feeling of Kate swamped her, setting her ablaze. “Yelena,” said Kate, “is this okay?”
“I do not want to…” Yelena tried to find the words. She didn’t want to seem over-protective of Kate, but she also didn’t want to push her.
But Kate seemed to have taken that as a statement rather than the beginning of a thought and she scrambled to find Yelena’s shirt again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to- I don’t want to pressure you-” She was bending over, trying to grab the shirt just behind her chair without dropping Yelena from her lap. Her free hand hovered over Yelena’s waist, but wasn’t touching it, clearly respecting what she thought was Yelena’s request.
Yelena laughed. A few minutes in and they were already both treating each other like they were breakable again. Kate sat up abruptly, shirt clutched triumphantly in her hand. “What?”
“We said we would communicate and we already do not. I was going to say that I do not want to pressure you. But I realized that I also said I would not be over-protective…”
“I think it’s sweet that you’re checking,” said Kate. “But I will tell you if I want you to stop. So until I say otherwise, assume that everything you’re doing is good, all good.” She shook her head. “No bad things here. Because, you know, we’re-”
Yelena leaned down and cut her off with a kiss. Kate’s arms slid around her waist and pulled her closer. Yelena scrambled to pull off Kate’s shirt, barely pulling back enough to slip it between them. As Kate’s hands spread across Yelena’s back, anchoring her, Yelena let her hands roam, wanting to absorb every inch of Kate. When they brushed across a new scar she pulled back and looked down. None of the scars were large, but they were the first scars of Kate’s career as a superhero. Trying to fight back tears, Yelena closed her eyes, but as soon as she did the memory of Kate’s injuries assaulted her.
Kate shifted underneath her, leaning forwards to brush her lips across Yelena’s chest, up the column of her throat. “I’m okay, Yelena,” she whispered into Yelena’s skin, adding emphasis with another soft kiss. “I know it was scary. I know I scared you.” Her lips moved up to kiss away a tear. “I can’t promise it won’t happen again.” Another kiss to Yelena’s lips. “But I can promise I will never run away from you again.”
Leaning forward, eyes still closed, Yelena found Kate’s lips again. Their kiss deepend as she took comfort in Kate’s presence. Letting herself revel in that for just a minute, she finally pulled back. “I am sorry. I should not have left. I-” her eyes were pulled back to Kate’s new scars, “I was scared. I ran from you. I let you down-”
Kate pulled her in again, kissing the words from her lips before pushing her back again. “Yelena, we can’t keep apologizing. Either we move past this or we don’t. I forgive you and I think you forgive me. I understand who you are and why you did what you did. All of it. None of this is anyone’s fault, really-”
“Except for the Red Room-”
“Fine, we can blame the Red Room-”
“And Kingpin-”
Kate rolled her eyes. “Fine, we can blame Kingpin, too. Anybody else?” Yelena pursed her lips. Deep down she would always blame Eleanor Bishop for so much of what had happened, but she would never say that to Kate. “Thank you for not saying it out loud,” said Kate quietly.
“What?”
“That we should blame my mom, too.”
“I was not thinking that,” said Yelena indignantly.
“You can’t lie to me, Yelena Belova, I know you too well,” said Kate with a smirk.
“That is not true! I lie for a living. You do not know me as well as you think you do, Kate Bishop.” Kate raised an eyebrow. “Fine, if you know me so well, what am I thinking now?”
Kate tilted her head back, eyeing Yelena. “Boobies,” she finally said.
“What?!?!”
“Yep, you’re definitely thinking ‘boobies.’”
Yelena’s jaw dropped. “I have never thought ‘boobies’ in my life.”
Kate hummed before leaning forwards slightly so she could unhook her bra, letting it drop to the ground as she sat up again. Her smirk didn’t falter. Yelena’s gaze didn’t waver from Kate’s eyes. She knew her girlfriend’s game- wait, was Kate her girlfriend again? “Will you be my girlfriend?” whispered Yelena, fear sitting in her throat, making her quiet.
“What?” Kate’s smile finally dropped slightly. “Of course I’ll be your girlfriend! I thought- I mean- why wouldn’t I? I’ve been missing you forever.”
Kissing Kate, all Yelena felt was relief. Until she shifted forward and remembered that Kate had taken her bra off. Kate smirked into the kiss as Yelena faltered. “See? Boobies,” she whispered.
“Fine, take me to bed, then,” Yelena said in exasperation.