Kate Bishop sat at a table near the window of the upscale sky restaurant, the city sprawling beneath her like a sea of lights. She adjusted the sleek red pantsuit she had chosen for the evening, smooth fabric pulling tight around her chest as she drummed her fingers against the edge of her wine glass. The light of the candles flickered and cast shadows on her face, her eyes scanning the crowds for a familiar figure that hadn't graced her life in months.
Yelena Belova had been on a mission with The Thunderbolts, and though they'd kept in touch occasionally, it wasn’t the same. No long calls, no endless banter, no whispered secrets shared in the middle of the night. Just business. Kate had missed her. Missed the banter, the ease of being around her, the way her eyes always seemed to say more than words could. And now, after all that time, they were here. Together. For one night. A romantic dinner on Valentine’s Day.
The restaurant was filled with couples, each whispering sweet nothings and gazing into each other’s eyes like the night had been designed just for them. And Kate, despite her nerves, was almost certain she was the luckiest one here. But it wouldn’t be perfect until Yelena showed up.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft swish of a door opening. Kate's eyes snapped toward it, a wide smile spreading across her face. There, standing in the doorway, was Yelena.
She was wearing all black—head to toe, in her signature, almost criminally fashionable style. Leather jacket that hugged her frame just right, boots that clicked against the floor like she was on a mission, even a faint hint of red lipstick that was dangerously bold and out of character for the smaller woman. What really caught Kate’s attention was the bulge in Yelena’s pocket. Something was squirming inside, pressing against the fabric. Kate raised an eyebrow. Was she smuggling a weapon? Or perhaps... a kitten? No, definitely not a kitten.
Yelena caught her gaze from across the room, her lips quirking up into the mischievous smirk that had ensnared Kate from that very first apartment break-in, as she walked over to the table with that effortless, swaggering confidence of hers. She plopped down into the seat across from Kate, all nonchalance.
“Well,” Yelena’s voice was smooth, husky with an edge of humor, “I didn’t think the dress code was that strict.”
Kate chuckled, the tension of waiting vanishing instantly. “You look... like you’re about to rob the place.”
Yelena shrugged, tapping her pocket. “Well, if the night goes badly, I have options.”
Kate raised an eyebrow, a playful grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. “You planning on robbing me?”
Yelena leaned in, her eyes twinkling with the glint of a challenge. “Only if you ask me to.”
Kate couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up, the sound light and carefree. There was something magnetic about Yelena. Always had been. In that moment, as they bantered back and forth, she felt the distance of months melt away. She bit back the too cheesy desire to say that Yelena had already stolen her heart. Although, looking at those eyes twinkling brighter than the candle between them, maybe that would be the right thing to say.
They ordered food, teasing each other with every choice, making snarky comments and flirting like they hadn’t missed a beat. The laughter, the easy back-and-forth, felt like a balm to Kate’s soul. If Yelena’s voice seemed a little rougher, and her face a little more tired and worn than before, if wasn’t something to talk about now, in this perfect moment, but later in the dark of her bed. Their bed.
Mid-conversation, Yelena’s hand reached into her pocket, and without ceremony, she pulled out a small, squirming bundle. A guinea pig.
Kate blinked, speechless for a moment, as the small creature darted across the table and made a beeline for the nearest bread roll. The patrons of the restaurant gasped in horror, some jumping back, others letting out yelps of shock.
“Is that a—?” Kate began, eyes wide.
Yelena threw her head back and laughed, a rough, genuine laugh that filled the air and made Kate’s heart skip a beat. “Relax, it’s a guinea pig, Kate. Not a rat.”
The guinea pig, oblivious to the chaos it had unleashed, continued munching on the bread roll, completely unaware of the startled patrons around them. Kate could hardly breathe for laughing. She swiped at her eyes, trying to stop herself from bursting into uncontrollable laughter, but it was impossible.
Yelena wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, still grinning like a mischievous schoolgirl. “I thought it would be... a nice way to keep you company while I’m gone,” she said, her voice lowering just slightly, a soft edge creeping in. “Since I can’t always be here.”
Kate’s breath hitched. It wasn’t just a joke. There was sincerity there, something real beneath the chaos. She chose not to point out that she already had Lucky, it seemed like his little rodent was saying more about how Yelena was feeling than she could quite decipher yet.
"You're unbelievable," Kate said, her voice thick with affection. “But I think that’s why I love you so much.”
Yelena’s smile softened, and for a moment, the rest of the world seemed to disappear. But then, a loud voice interrupted them.
“What is that thing?!” someone shouted from across the room, pointing at the guinea pig, which was now trying to make its way up the edge of Kate’s water glass.
It was then that the chaos began to enter their perfect little bubble. People were panicking, some shrieking and trying to stand up without knocking their chairs over, while others grabbed napkins and tried to shoo the guinea pig away.
“GET IT OUT OF HERE!” A man yelled, jumping to his feet.
Kate and Yelena exchanged a look, bursting into laughter in unison. This was absurd. But Yelena? She just shrugged, her smile never fading. “They’ll get over it,” she said simply, her hand settling on Kate’s waist, as if to steady her through the laughter.
As the manager stormed over, shouting about animal policies and health regulations, Kate couldn’t help but fall even harder for the woman who was so effortlessly charming, even in the face of utter chaos.
“Come on,” Yelena said, slipping her arm around Kate’s waist. “Let’s go home. We’re banned from this place anyway.”
Kate’s laughter was still bubbling up as she walked beside Yelena, arm thrown over her shoulder and her fingers toying with ether short hair at the back of her neck, the guinea pig safely in Yelena’s hands, happily munching on a lettuce leaf. The cool night air kissed her skin as they strolled through the streets, their laughter ringing out in the quiet of the evening.
For the first time in months, Kate felt like everything was exactly as it should be. She wasn’t alone. She had Yelena. She had Lucky. And a guinea pig.
It was perfect.