My Goal to Make You Smile, I Vow
Five poems.
That’s how many poems Yelena has received since the first one. One for every single day of the school week and she would be lying if she said she didn’t feel the rush of eagerness as she stood in front of her locker.
While the inner turmoil that had been brewing in the blonde stayed in the back of her mind, it has been thrown in the back by the rush of excitement and warmth the letters have been providing. She found herself actually looking forward to receiving one, even getting up on this Monday morning with a small smile on her face.
Nothing much has happened last Thursday and Friday, she had received her poems that she wouldn’t dare admit had her giggling and blushing a bright red in the last stall of the girl’s restroom in the Mathematics building.
Besides the poems, she had hung out with Sonya last Thursday, helping her out with physics, and on Friday, she had stayed to wait for Kate to finish football practice. It was supposed to be the game, but it had been rescheduled at the last minute the night before, so Yelena had invited Kate over so they could finish the last few episodes of ‘The Last of Us’ .
Now it was a Monday and she was greeted with the familiar sight of the green wax seal before she tore it open to read the first poem of the week.
In the halls where books and games blend,
Monday drags on, the hours never end.
Tired minds and bodies that barely glean,
But there’s a silver lining in this weary scene.
Amidst the noise and the endless grind,
I find my respite in thoughts of you, everytime
Your laughter’s a melody that brightens my day,
It’s the reason why I wake and play
To make sure I get pass these last school years
Though after it ends, I hold way too many fears
But, my dear, let’s focus on the now
My goal to make you smile, I vow
- Yours
“Give me all your money.”
She had just barely finished reading the last line when her vision darkened. Warm, calloused hands covered her eyes as the person whispered in an odd low voice.
“Kate Bishop, you are rich.”
Those hands dropped to their owner’s side allowing Yelena one last peek at the poem before folding it away.
“You are no fun.” She turned around to be met with a pouty Kate who was holding a textbook, a rare sighting it was.
Yelena couldn’t help the cheshire grin that appeared on her face.
Kate was just too cute.
“So..what did your secret admirer have to say this time?” Kate teased as she watched Yelena fix her hair using the mirror in her locker. Yelena just handed the envelope for Kate to take who read it before whistling loudly.
“I’ve got to give it to them, they’ve got rizz.”
Yelena scrunched her nose in disgust.
“Never use the word rizz again, Kate Bishop.”
“Yeah I immediately regretted it as soon as it came out of my mouth,” Kate pursed her lips before changing the subject, “So what do you think about these things?”
“The poems?”
“Yeah.”
“They are cheesy.” Yelena automatically said.
“That..yeah they are. How do they make you feel, I mean?” Kate awkwardly scratched the back of her neck.
Yelena shot Kate a weird look.
The quarterback quickly explained with wild gestures, “I just–I’ll find out who is doing this and tell them to stop if needed, Yelena. If the letters are making you uncomfortable I need to know.”
“No, they are not making me uncomfortable, Kate Bishop. I appreciate the concern but do not worry.”
“Are you sure?”
“And why would I lie? I am telling the truth,” Yelena added, “I like them, Kate Bishop.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” pondering her next words carefully, “It is nice to know that someone out there sees me in this light that I would never have thought was possible. I find myself looking forward to reading them everyday.”
“You do?” Yelena looked at Kate strangely but shook it off as genuine curiosity.
“I do. They’re sweet.”
Kate was now the one sporting a cheshire grin that Yelena didn’t know what to make out of it. The football player shuffled in place as she nodded like a Shohei Ohtani bobblehead that was in the hands of a spoiled little kid.
“That’s good..super good! Fun even!”
Thankfully, Yelena saved her from embarrassing Kate any further as she pointed out the book in her hand.
“You know what else is fun? Exams. You have one for AP Lang?”
Kate groaned as she nodded in confirmation, “It’s so stupid that we have tests for an English class. Shouldn’t our version of tests just be essays?”
“That’s what your exam consists of though,” Yelena pointed out as she had taken the class last summer.
“Take home essays! That’s what I mean. Why are we being graded on an essay we are being timed on? That’s not how you measure learning, it's so stupid.” Kate expressed passionately as she leaned beside Yelena’s locker and hit her head on the back of the metal.
“What is Bishop’s problem?” MJ appeared out of nowhere as she tapped on the quarterback’s shoulder who was leaning on her locker.
“AP Lang,” Kate grumbled as MJ nodded though her expression appeared distant as if she didn’t really hear what she had said.
Yelena could sense something unfamiliar in MJ’s voice causing her to look intently at the girl to observe her carefully. Her eyes widened slightly as she noticed the dark eye bags paired with slightly puffy eyes that the girl’s makeup failed to hide, her lips curved downward as the girl went through her locker as normal.
Her mouth parted slightly as her eyes met Kate’s frown, the quarterback having just noticed their friend’s exhausted features as well. The two silently communicated before Yelena cleared her throat and allowed her shoulder to lean against her locker so she was facing the far-off girl.
“Rough weekend?”
MJ let out a weak chuckle.
“Something like that.”
“You want to talk about it?” Kate had placed her textbook into her bag and had crossed her arms in front of her chest.
MJ stayed silent for a moment before shaking her head, “Peter and I got into an argument last night.” Her movements are slightly sluggish indicating her slim to none hours of sleep. “I said some things. He said some things. And yeah. Didn’t end well.”
Kate’s eyes widened like saucers, “You guys ended-”
MJ quickly shook her head, “No no. We didn’t break up. Just another hill to drive over, you know?”’
“Well if you need anything, we’re here, okay?”
“Thanks guys but I’ll be fine.” MJ sent a small smile and Yelena knew not to push it. MJ was the type who needed space when similar events occurred, only seeking others if necessary. If anything, she always turned to Wanda for things like this—and everyone understood. I mean, it was Wanda. If anyone had a superpower, it was her ability to provide comfort and make you feel safe.
Before MJ left, she turned to the girls and softly asked, “Can you guys make sure Peter is okay?”
“Of course.” Kate sent MJ a firm nod before she walked away in satisfaction knowing that her boyfriend, despite the circumstances, would be fine.
Kate immediately pulled out her phone to text Peter who quickly responded, the two going back and forth before settling on meeting her and Yelena at a local ice cream shop a couple streets down.
➳ ⧗
“Thank you for driving us, Papa.” 15 year old Yelena pulled her best friend that was slumped against the backseat out of the vehicle. Kate squinted at the beaming sun, her mind clearly somewhere else as she waited for Yelena.
Rolling down the window, Alexei leaned across the console and gestured for his daughter to come closer. In a low voice, “Make her smile today, da? This is for you two.” Slipping a few bills into Yelena’s hand, the blonde only nodded seriously before reaching forward to kiss her father’s cheek.
“Have fun you two!”
Kate sent a weak wave towards Alexei before Yelena grasped her forearm and dragged her into the building.
“Are you ready, Kate Bishop?”
Kate blinked herself back into reality as her senses were overwhelmed with the new environment she had just been dragged into.
Flashing neon lights bathed the room in a rainbow of colors, bouncing off the shiny surfaces of the game cabinets and reflecting in the wide eyes of a small group of excited kids darting from one machine to the next. The air was thick with the buttery scent of popcorn and the faint hum of electronic soundtracks, punctuated by the rapid clatter of buttons and the occasional loud cheer. Rows of arcade games stretched out before them, from classic pinball machines to modern racing simulators, each one with its own glowing screen and enticing noises.
“Why are we here?” She followed Yelena up to a machine that transferred credits into a card the blonde owned from the many times they’ve been there.
“You are upset,” Yelena briefly looked up at Kate whose mouth opened in surprise but no words came out. “It’s okay you don’t need to tell me what happened.”
“How’d you know?” Kate shuffled in place as she fidgeted with her fingers.
“You came to lunch late, didn’t say anything when Sonya teased you about your mismatched socks, and didn’t comment when MJ stole a fry from you.” Yelena fed the machine half of the bills that her father had given her and turned to look at the dark haired teen whose lips were pressed in a thin line.
“I got into an argument with Anna,” Yelena tensed at the mention of Kate’s girlfriends name. She nodded and listened intently as the football player continued in a struggle, “She made an…accusation.”
“An accusation.”
“About?”
“Me.” Kate clarified as she took a deep breath, “And I tried..I tried to deny it but she’s making me choose.”
Yelena wetted her lips as she tried to take in the vague details her friend was willing to offer her, “Okay…Well, is the accusation true?”
Kate rubbed her eye as she looked away from the stain on the sleeve of her letterman jacket to look into Yelena’s green eyes.
“I don’t know.”
The two girls had been going around the whole arcade, taking advantage of the amount of units on the card. From Yelena winning all the gun games to Kate scoring the highest on all the aim-throw games, it was safe to say the two were racking up their tickets to buy the best prizes at the front.
(“I want the dog plushie, Kate Bishop.”
“The one that looks like Fanny?”
“Yes! Do you think they have one that looks like Lucky?”)
The two were currently side by side playing for the highest score on ‘Flappy Bird’, the girls nearing triple digits and concentrating so hard to beat the other. Kate was hunched over her button in contrast to Yelena’s perfect posture, the only sound being from them hitting the button and a couple kids that would stop briefly to watch the two before getting distracted and moving on.
“This is my win, Lena!” Kate declared as she waved her free hand blindly in front of Yelena’s direction. The blonde shouted indignantly as she extended her leg out trying to trip the girl back in retaliation.
“Aye aye!” The two bickered back and forth as they tried to distract the other before the two fell in tensed silence as the two reached closer to 200.
“YES!” The blonde jumped in the chair as she fist bumped the sky, turning to point at a pouty Kate who was staring at her sad score of 199 to Yelena’s 205 dejectedly.
“How does it feel to be a loser? A loser who tries to cheat!” Yelena danced around the quarterback who couldn’t keep up her pout at her best friend’s antic. Kate shook her head amusedly as she held her hands up in surrender.
“Alright, fine I wasn’t being fair. How about you take this sore loser to the front and get her that dragon sitting in the corner?”
And that’s how Alexei found Kate and Yelena waiting under the shade a tree had been providing near the front of the arcade building. Actually more like he found Kate holding a large lollipop while his daughter was being covered by a large dog plushie.
“Hi Papa Alexei!” Kate cheerfully greeted as she opened the door for Yelena to get in. The blonde placed the plushie that was as large as her beside her and sat in the middle, Kate following after as the two buckled in.
“Good day?” Alexei grinned at the change of mood from her daughter’s best friend.
“It was fun!” Kate wrapped her arms around the passenger seat’s headrest, “We got Fanny!”
“I can see that. Is it yours, Yelena?” Alexei looked through the mirror to see Yelena grab a small lollipop from the other girl.
Yelena nodded, “Kate Bishop wanted a dragon and I was going to give it to her–being the nice winner I am–but she told the guy at the front to grab this one.”
“Oh really?” Alexei looked into the mirror again but this time to catch Kate who was not looking back at him but at his daughter–who was smiling at the plushie–with that bright smile that was only reserved for her youngest daughter.
“I didn’t need the dragon. My day’s already a lot better.”
➳ ⧗
Yelena’s foot tapped impatiently on the cracked asphalt of the shady track field, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows over the bleachers. She stared at the weak stream of water sluggishly filling up the bottle, her eyes narrowing in frustration.
She had been lounging on the bleachers, waiting for Kate to finish football practice when Natasha called out to her, asking her to refill her water bottle. If Yelena had known how pitiful the water pressure was, she never would’ve agreed. The school might have impressive locker rooms and a meticulously maintained football field, but apparently, they didn’t prioritize keeping their athletes hydrated.
Finally, the bottle filled with a slow gurgle, and Yelena quickly screwed on the cap, eager to be done with the task. She made her way across the field toward the group of cheerleaders sprawled out on the shady side of the track. They were all taking advantage of the brief break Natasha had just called, some lying flat on the cool, gritty surface while others leaned against the worn bleachers, catching their breath.
“Here,” Yelena said, thrusting the bottle into Natasha’s hands with a bit more force than necessary, hoping to catch her off balance. But Natasha, steady as ever, didn’t even flinch. “You need to file a complaint about that water fountain.”
“We already did,” Natasha replied, as Yelena fell into step beside her, deciding to follow her back to the other girls.
“Yeah, like four months ago,” Dani chimed in, glancing over with a smirk as she sipped from her own water bottle, the same flimsy design as Natasha’s.
Yelena rolled her eyes. “Well, that’s ridiculous.”
Dani snorted, her smirk widening. “Yeah, it is, sweetheart.”
Yelena sighed, glancing around at the other cheerleaders who were now sprawled out across the track, looking thoroughly drained from the intense practice. A few of them had their heads resting on their arms, eyes closed against the bright sunlight that peeked through the gaps in the bleachers.
“I’m exhausted,” Natasha muttered, more to herself than anyone in particular.
“Same,” Laura groaned from where she was lying on her back, arms splayed out dramatically as if the mere act of moving was too much to bear. The sentiment was echoed by the rest of the team, a chorus of tired agreement rippling through the group.
“Can we please have tomorrow off, Nat?” Laura asked, propping herself up on one elbow, her eyes hopeful as they locked onto Natasha.
The other girls perked up, lifting their heads from their resting positions, eyes widening in collective anticipation.
“Yeah, please? Can we?”
“Oh, I love this idea!” Carol’s voice rising with excitement.
“One less practice isn’t going to end the world,” Jane added, tapping her chin thoughtfully as she looked pleadingly at Natasha, who was now surrounded by expectant faces.
Natasha, ever the responsible captain, scanned the faces of her teammates, seeing the exhaustion in their eyes, and let out a resigned sigh. “Alright, fine. We can skip practice tomorrow, but we’ll need a good excuse for Coach.”
“How about a social bonding night?” Darcy suggested, and Natasha nodded, her expression softening.
“Yeah? Why not? We haven’t had one of those in a while.”
“What should we do?” Laura asked, sparking a flurry of ideas and excited chatter that echoed across the shady field. The girls, momentarily energized by the prospect of a day off, huddled together, tossing out suggestions and planning their evening as Yelena listened in silently.
Some of the football players, noticing the chatter amongst the girls, jogged over from their side of the field, curious to see what the cheerleaders were plotting.
“What’s going on over here ladies?!” Sam shouted as Yelena felt an arm wrap around her shoulder, looking up to see Kate who was already looking at her with a grin. She brought her hand up to lightly push away Kate’s head before the droplets of sweat could land onto her, but did nothing about the arm around her.
“Girls’ night, meaning you’re not invited,” Darcy deadpanned, causing Sam to gasp in exaggerated shock.
“Damn, girl!” he replied, clutching his chest dramatically as if wounded.
“We’ve got a movie night, dinner, maybe check out the fair that’s happening, but that’s like half an hour away…,” Natasha drawled out, sounding less than enthusiastic as she listed off the options. None of them seemed to spark much excitement.
“You don’t want to go to the fair. Heard there was some violence going on a few days ago.” Steve commented with his arms crossed.
“I have an idea,” Kate suddenly spoke up, practically vibrating with excitement beside Yelena. “Though it kinda defeats the purpose of girls’ night.”
“Let’s hear your wise idea, quarterback,” Dani sing-songed, twirling a strand of her hair with a smirk.
“The floor’s all yours, Bishop,” Natasha nodded, giving Kate the go-ahead.
“So, Peter just got his new telescope, and he offered to let the boys try it out tomorrow night. I was actually going to invite the gang to come with us too. You guys can join us if you’d like,” Kate suggested, her eyes shining with anticipation.
Natasha exchanged a look with Jane, raising an eyebrow. “The boys said yes to that? Since when are you guys so into looking at stars?” she snorted.
“Hey, hey, planets too. It’s cool, okay?” Pietro defended, crossing his arms with a serious nod.
“And galaxies,” Sam added, while Steve and Bucky nodded along in agreement.
Natasha looked around at her fellow cheerleaders. “Well, girls, how do we feel about it?”
The group exchanged silent glances, weighing the option. Finally, one of the girls raised her hand, breaking the silence.
“Can I bring my vape?”
Sam cackled, “You can bring whatever you want, sweets.”
Their captain just shook her head with a chuckle, before nodding to Kate. “Why not?”
“Hell yeah! Okay, I’ll let Peter know and text you the spot, Nat. Lena, you want to go?” Kate asked, turning to Yelena with an expectant smile.
Yelena shrugged before nodding.
“Yeah sure.”
➳ ⧗
“Isn’t that just too much oreo?”
“You ask this every time and the answer will always be no,” Peter declared as he happily dug into his cookies and cream topped with a mountain of oreo bits.
“I respect it.” Kate commented across from him as she dug into hers as well.
“Of course you do, Kate Bishop. You can’t see your ice cream under all those sprinkles.” Yelena shook her head affectionately from beside the quarterback.
“I don’t judge you and your sorbet, Yelena Belova. Who doesn’t even get ice cream at an ice cream shop?” Kate bantered back as Yelena stuck her bright red tongue out. She loved this place’s raspberry sorbet and not even Kate’s teasing would stop her.
The trio was tucked away in a corner booth, the cushioned seats offering both comfort and a sense of privacy–not that it was completely necessary with there being only one other person in the shop.
The familiar scent of freshly made waffle cones and the hum of soft chatter brought back a flood of memories for Yelena. She and Kate had spent countless afternoons here as kids, laughing over double scoops of their favorite flavors and challenging each other to see who could eat the fastest without getting a brain freeze. Every corner of this shop seemed to echo with the sound of their childhood, from the worn booth where they used to sit to the chalkboard menu that still listed the same flavors they had always loved.
The ice cream shop had always been special to Yelena and Kate, but it became their trio's spot after they met the boy back in 7th grade.
The three remembered that day like it was yesterday.
➳ ⧗
Peter stood at the front of the classroom, nervously clutching the long-sleeve button-up shirt in his hands. It was a deep blue with a subtle purple floral pattern, soft to the touch, and clearly worn but well cared for.
It was his turn to share something to the class today, this week’s subject: something that means a lot to you.
The room was filled with the chatter of middle school students, but Peter’s focus was solely on the task at hand. He swallowed hard, his foot tapping repeatedly displaying his nervous energy.
“This… this shirt,” Peter began, his voice shaky, “is one of my favorites. The sleeves are long but I like it a lot. I wear it all the time.”
A few of the boys in the back snickered, and someone muttered, “Isn’t that a girl’s shirt?”
The remark was followed by more giggles and whispers, and Peter felt his face flush with embarrassment.
His foot started to tap faster as he continued,
“It was my Aunt May’s. She…,” Peter’s voice cracked, “she gave it to me before she… before she passed away last week.” His words hung in the air, heavy with emotion. “It’s… the only thing I have left from her, and it means a lot to me.”
“That is a girl’s shirt!” The group of boys bursted out in laughter, pointing at Peter as the sound grew louder. Peter’s cheeks grew redder as he clutched tighter on the shirt as if seeking safety into the piece of clothing, his bottom lip trembling as the boys didn’t seem to stop.
His heart started beating faster as his watery eyes darted towards the closest entrance but before he could start running out, a blue-eyed girl who was wearing a purple tie-dye shirt stood up from her chair. Peter watched as the girl with two braids glared at the boys in the back with her hands on her hips.
“Hey, shut up!”
A blonde girl with a singular braid who was sitting beside the girl nodded in agreement as she twisted in her seat to shoot a threatening glare, “We did not laugh at your stupid basketball cards, Frank.”
“My name’s Finn and they’re not stupid,” The boy who made the comment whined, sulking when his friends laughed at what the blonde said.
“Alright let’s settle down. Peter please continue,” Miss Alycia settled the situation (bit late for that).
Peter looked at the two girls who had defended him, their names he remembered, Kate and Yelena. They were like two peas in a pod, talking to no one as much as each other, Peter glanced at them.
With one look of their encouraging smiles, he continued, “This shirt… it’s not just a piece of clothing. It’s a reminder of her, of how much she cared about me. It’s the last thing she ever gave me, and I… I’ll never let it go.”
The room fell silent, the teasing boys now looking down at their desks, the teacher, who had been watching quietly, gave Peter a nod of approval, her eyes soft with understanding.
When he returned to his seat, Yelena gave him a nod and a thumbs up while Kate leaned in to whisper, “You did great, Peter.”
The day ended with the pair inviting Peter to the ice cream shop ordering the same oreo concoction that didn’t seem to change years later.
➳ ⧗
“Do you want to talk about it?” Kate inquired as she looked at Peter with patience.
Peter took a deep breath before placing his cup of ice cream down and laying his palms flat on the table, “I got the internship with Stark Industries.”
The two girls erupted in cheers as they congratulated their friend on the news.
“That’s amazing Peter!”
“Well deserved!”
Peter’s fingers had started to tap on the table repeatedly, a habit he and Kate actually had in common when he was nervous.
“It’s in California.”
The two looked at each other with a surprise expression as Kate reacted first, “Dude, that’s so cool. You need to try the Mexican food there, I’ve heard it’s delicious. Is it for summer?” Placing her cup down and sliding it in front of Yelena who she had noticed was eyeing her vanilla ice cream.
“I’ll be gone for our whole senior year.” Peter rubbed the back of his head as he leaned against it afterwards, bracing himself for the two girls' reaction.
“Oh.” Yelena reacted as the scoop of vanilla slipped off Kate's plastic spoon that she had been holding before it could enter her mouth.
“Yeah.”
Yelena slowly asked, “So..MJ doesn’t want you to go?”
Peter shook his head quickly.
“No, no. She wants me to. Encourages me to.”
Kate made an ‘ah’ sound before clarifying, “But you don’t?”
Peter exhaled deeply as he tucked his legs under and started to gesture widely, his frustration at himself clearly growing, “I do! But a year is a long time. And it’s our senior year.”
The two nodded understandingly before Kate spoke up with her thoughts.
“I understand that but it’s Stark Industries! That’s your dream! Who gets an internship like that in high school . This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Who knows you’ll probably be set with a job at the right college too.”
“But MJ,” Peter said weakly before mindlessly playing around with the melted ice cream at the bottom of his cup, “I wanted us to spend our senior year together. There’s prom, graduation…”
Yelena reached over to put her hand over Peters, “That girl would wait forever for you. Trust me. And we’ll take care of her so don’t worry about that.”
Peter seemed to be taking the time to think about it before eventually responding, “I have to think about it more. We were just going back and forth about it and we both said some not so nice stuff about the whole thing.”
Kate took back her ice cream, happy to see that Yelena had scraped off all the sprinkles leaving it all for the quarterback and suggested, “You guys should talk tomorrow. Everyone but Sonya is coming along as well so that’d be a perfect time to sneak off and talk.”
“Yeah you guys are right. Thanks guys.”
“Of course. Whatever you decide with the internship, we’re here for you okay?” Peter looked at Yelena with a grateful look before adjusting his posture and changing the subject, “Well enough about me, how’s the secret admirer?”
If Yelena was caught off guard at the attention moving to her, she didn’t show it. With an indifferent expression, she just shrugged.
“Can I read today’s poem?” Peter inquired excitedly as Yelena could only nod before taking it out from her backpack.
“You bring all the letters with you?” Kate asked, a note of surprise in her voice as she noticed more letters peeking out from the pocket of Yelena’s backpack.
The blonde’s attempt to maintain a neutral expression faltered, her cheeks flushing red as she was caught off guard. She wasn’t sure why she felt so flustered over something as simple as keeping the letters from her secret admirer close by. Maybe it was the meaning behind the act—proof that she liked receiving the poems, enough to carry them with her so she could read them whenever she wanted.
Fortunately for Yelena, she was saved by Peter who read the poem quickly in his hands.
“Well they’re succeeding. You’ve been smiling since I mentioned this guy.” Peter handed back the letter to a blushing Yelena who felt Kate hover over her shoulder to take a peek.
“Have not.”
“You have.” Kate disagreed loudly in her ear.
“Nope.” Yelena rejected as she backed away for the sake of her poor ear.
“Yes you have!” Kate sing-songed before covering her tongue with sprinkles, the sight so stupid and adorable that Yelena didn’t know why her cheeks were aching.
“You’re smiling now!” The quarterback pointed at her, the blonde still being able to spot the sprinkles that were on her tongue.
“Because of you dork!” Yelena shook her head exasperated before facepalming at the blue-eyed girl’s ridiculous antics.
(The reader also facepalming at just how right Yelena is)
Peter dropped his legs back down, sitting properly now, he directed the question to the blonde, “Would you ever go on a date with this person?”
Yelena hummed thoughtfully before slowly nodding.
“Sure. I don’t see why not,” Yelena slowly replied before adding, “I don’t believe it matters who it is anyways. A poet is as beautiful as the words they hide behind.”
Peter smiled at his friend’s words, “Maybe they’ll show themselves soon?”
Yelena shrugged once more before engaging in a topic regarding the latest pop culture drama.
Kate, however, gradually fell silent, her usual chatter replaced by quiet nods and the occasional hum of agreement. It wasn’t long before her attention on the conversation topic was practically nonexistent, her thoughts spiraling in every direction, racing at a hundred miles an hour.
➳ ⧗
“Kate Bishop! You’re going to burn your crepe, pay attention.” Yelena chastised as she hip bumped a distracted Kate out of the way to flip the thin pancake–cause that’s what it is okay?
A flurry of golden locks trotted back and forth around the blonde as a ball of black and white fur sat obediently beside Kate. Lucky barked happily when Yelena quickly bent down to leave a kiss on top of his head.
“Just mix the batter, yes?” Kate did as she was told and stirred the second batch Yelena had prepared to make a couple more so the blonde can bring home some for her family.
The two were enjoying each other’s presence chatting about random things from how excited they were for The Last of Us’s second season to Alexei’s loud snoring last night that kept Yelena up.
Yelena had ordered Kate to grab the nutella and whipped cream while she cut up the strawberries the quarterback had washed. Fanny who had been following Kate around the kitchen grew bored but didn’t seem to want to leave her side as she laid down by her feet.
Kate found herself repeating the last bits of the conversation back at the ice cream shop. Yelena had said that it didn’t matter who the person was and that she would give them a chance.
A date!
If Yelena truly meant that, then maybe Kate had a real shot.
She wondered at that moment at the ice cream shop if Yelena had an inkling that the admirer was actually Kate. Maybe this was the sign Kate had been waiting for to finally tell Yelena the truth.
Her previous responses to the back and forth conversations she has with Pietro suddenly having no meaning anymore, her mind override with the spark of hope that she had a chance. And maybe paired with the fact that, deep inside, she did want to tell Yelena.
The only thing that had been stopping her prior was the thought of losing her best friend, but if those feelings were reciprocated, there would be nothing to lose.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears as a surge of confidence washed over her.
She was going to rip the bandaid off and confess her feelings.
“Hey Yelena,” Kate turned so all of her attention was on the blonde who was focused on cutting the last strawberries, “Yelena?”
“Yes Kate Bishop?”
“What if I told you,” Kate took a deep breath,“That I know who your secret admirer was.”
You could drop an earring and would be able to hear it from how silent Yelena went from that confession.
“What?”
Kate took a deep breath as she straightened her posture.
It was now or never.
“I know who your secret admirer is.”
The quarterback took a step forward, closing the gap between them, the shorter girl stared at her best friend with an unreadable expression.
“Who?”
“Yelena,” Kate started before slowly reaching forward to cup Yelena’s chin, “Would you go on a date with me?”
The closeness of the two allowed Kate to hear the quiet breath hitch that escaped the blonde. She seemed to be trying to register what the quarterback had just said before she looked at her with wide eyes.
“It’s you?”
“Surprise?” Kate moved a loose strand behind Yelena’s ear as she waited nervously for the girl’s next move.
“Kate Bishop…”
“I hope it’s not a disappointing surprise,” Kate awkwardly laughed as she let go of the blonde and anxiously took a step back to give the girl some space.
“I can’t believe it’s you,” Yelena stared at her, still with a look that Kate didn’t know whether it was positive or not.
“Yeah well,” Kate cleared her throat, “I’ve been in love with you since forever. I just didn’t realize it myself until someone had to point it out to me.”
The blonde’s manic laughter was the last thing she expected, especially as she tried—and failed miserably—to pull herself together.
“Okay, so we’re laughing now—um, is that a good thing?” Kate stammered, surprised by the reaction. “I wasn’t really expecting this, and I definitely wasn’t planning on confessing anything, but…”
As Kate nervously rambled, Yelena’s laughter finally subsided. She took a deep breath and closed the distance between them.
“I’m sorry for laughing,” Yelena said, shaking her head in disbelief. “I just can’t believe it’s you.”
Kate’s heart skipped a beat as Yelena continued, “I’m in love with you too.”
Kate’s breath caught in her throat, and her heart pounded in her chest. Their faces were mere inches apart. She whispered, her lips almost brushing Yelena’s, “So, is that a yes to the date?”
Yelena’s gaze flickered from Kate’s lips to her eyes, and Kate fought the urge to close the gap and kiss her. “On one condition,” Yelena said.
“Anything,” Kate breathed out her voice barely a whisper.
“Can you grab the caramel also?”
Kate furrowed her eyebrows as repeated confusedly, “Grab the caramel?”
Yelena’s face mirrored Kate’s confusion as she furrowed her own brows and replied, “Kate Bishop, it’s behind the peanut butter.”
Kate could only gape in bewilderment as Yelena’s expression shifted to annoyance.
“Kate Bishop.”
“Kate Bishop.”
“Kate Bishop!”
Kate Bishop jumped, hitting her head on the kitchen cabinet, the door had been half opened revealing the caramel syrup that was indeed hidden behind the peanut butter jar. A series of barks at the sound filled the kitchen as Kate rubbed her head with a daze expression.
“You are so distracted.” Yelena shook her head as she repeated herself slowly, “Can you please grab the caramel?”
Feeling disoriented, Kate nodded and fetched the caramel. She watched as Yelena began preparing their first sweet treat, trying to shake off the distraction of her confession daydream.
Kate distracted herself by making her own crepe while attempting to grasp onto the last bit of confidence she had left.
“Extra whipped cream for you, Isa.” Yelena smiled as she handed her a plate to the girl who had just come in to make sure they weren’t burning the house down. The crepe was topped with dollops of ice cream and pieces of strawberry, looking delicious.
“Oh, thanks, Yelena! You didn’t have to,” Isabella said, admiring the crepe. Yelena just waved her off before turning her attention back to Kate, who was still spreading Nutella on her crepe.
“Add some fruit to yours, Kate Bishop. You need fruit,” Yelena instructed.
Kate grumbled but complied, dumping a generous amount of strawberries onto her crepe. Unlike Yelena, who had arranged her fruit neatly, Kate simply scattered hers before folding the crepe haphazardly.
Isabella had left a while ago with the dogs, and now the girls were finishing up a few more crepes in comfortable silence, with only the occasional sound of Kate’s focused concentration breaking it.
“Here you go!” Kate announced as she pushed a plate towards Yelena, who raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
“It’s for you!” Kate grinned,
Yelena glanced down at the plate and saw that Kate had attempted to create a drawing using only Nutella and a knife. It was a rough outline of what Yelena looked to be characters from Elemental, with a small piece of strawberry as the eye.
“What am I supposed to be looking at?” Yelena asked, trying to suppress her laughter.
“It’s the dogs! See, that’s Fanny and that’s Lucky,” Kate explained proudly.
Yelena couldn’t hold it in any longer; she burst into laughter, her ponytail coming loose as she clutched her knees, struggling to stay upright. As her laughter subsided, she continued to shake her head at Kate, her giggles still escaping intermittently.
Kate almost passed out at how identical this exact moment was from the daydream she had prior. As she watched Yelena calm down from her fit of laughter, Kate squared her shoulders and took a deliberate step closer to her friend.
“You are ridiculous, Kate Bishop.”
“You know who looks ridiculous right now?” Kate took another step until Yelena had no choice but to tilt her head up to meet her best friend’s eyes.
“Who?”
The quarterback didn’t respond, instead carefully bringing her hand forward to wipe the small smudge of nutella close to the corner of Yelena’s lips.
“Yelena Belova,” Kate whispered in a playful voice.
“Yes?” Yelena matched her tone as she tried her hardest not to go cross-eyed the closer Kate got to her.
“Were you just helping yourself to some nutella before we’ve even finished?”
Making it her mission to wipe the chocolate off the blonde’s face, Kate leaned in closer, the air filling itself with undeniable tension. The quarterback hadn’t realized just how close she was to the girl until her eyes flickered down.
Soft pillowy lips stared back at her, those same pairs of lips she’s been wondering what they taste, how they feel against her own–Kate had started leaning in.
This was it.
She was going to kiss Yelena and after she can tell her how much she was in lov-
-but millimeters before their lips could make contact, Yelena had let out a gasp before jolting away like she’s been electrocuted.
“Oh hello Yelena! You’re here mija And you made crepes! Do you have some left for me, honey?” Kate hadn’t even heard Alma coming in but Yelena did.
Clearing her throat, Yelena nodded with a strained smile, “Of course, Alma. This one’s for you. I made sure I gave you extra fruits unlike Kate Bishop here.”
Kate barely managed to smile at Alma, still dazed from the near-kiss. As the rush of confidence faded, a heavy sense of disappointment and hurt settled in.
Yelena had pulled away.
She didn’t want to kiss her.
She had been so excited at the revelation that Yelena had been loving the poems and at what she had said earlier at the shop, that she had really thought she had a chance.
Stupid , Kate thought to herself.
“Ah Yelena, you are very sweet. Such a lovely girl, feeding Kate’s sweet tooth. I hope you have been a good best friend back, Kate Bishop.” Alma commented as she kissed the girls’ cheek before digging in at the table.
The words “best friend” echoed painfully in Kate’s mind, and the only sound that could reach Kate’s ears was the sound of Kate’s heart breaking, the quarterback quickly getting a taste of reality.
Being best friends is enough. It has to be.
➳ ⧗
“Were you just helping yourself to some nutella before we’ve even finished?”
Yelena responded with a guilty look as she went to defend herself but all sound was gone for Kate who had made it her mission to wipe away the chocolate with her thumb. The gesture rendered Yelena speechless, her mouth opening in surprise, which caused the tip of Kate’s thumb to accidentally brush against her lips.
The closeness made Yelena hold her breath, her gaze lingering on Kate’s slightly chapped yet undeniably kissable lips. She flicked her eyes back up to Kate, who was entirely absorbed in her task.
Yelena closed her eyes briefly, savoring the warmth of Kate’s touch. The soft brush of Kate’s thumb sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. The sound of someone entering the room jolted Yelena back to reality.
Startled, she opened her eyes, before realizing she had been unconsciously leaning in, her lips just millimeters away from Kate’s. In a startle, she pulled back, avoiding eye contact as she flushed a deep red from embarrassment.
Yelena cleared her throat as she tried her best to remain calm.
“Of course, Alma. This one’s for you. I made sure I gave you extra fruits unlike Kate Bishop here.”
Inside a tornado was whirling inside of her.
What was she doing?
She doesn’t think Kate had noticed her leaning in and as long as she remains calm, she won’t think much about her sudden leapfrog away from her.
She’s completely blurred the lines between the quarterback and the poet now. Her mind is a whirlwind, where the beautiful words from the letters mingle with her feelings for Kate. Her emotions are tangled like a knotted skein of yarn, each strand intertwining and pulling her in different directions.
The confusion is overwhelming—her heart can't distinguish between the romance of the poetry and the reality of Kate’s presence. The once-clear distinction between admiration for the poet and affection for Kate has melted into a chaotic blend that she struggles to untangle.
Best friends.
The words spoken from Alma echoed ominously in her mind, as if it were a cruel reminder of the boundaries she was battling with. Yelena tried to redirect her focus to tidying up the kitchen, but the turmoil inside her made it nearly impossible to concentrate on anything but her swirling thoughts. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she was being pulled in two different directions.
It was until suddenly, clarity struck her.
She knew what she had to do now.
She had to forget about her feelings for Kate and how was she going to do that?
By finding her poet.