And Know, My Beau, As You Create
"Peter and I are good. Better than ever, actually." MJ reached over to adjust the AC, the cool air filling the car as she reclined her seat, settling in comfortably.
"Yeah? So what’s the plan?" Wanda asked from the middle of the backseat, her curiosity piqued as she leaned forward slightly.
"He’s heading to California for his internship and will finish his senior year out there," MJ explained, her voice steady but tinged with the weight of the coming changes. "But he doesn’t start until later in the year, so we still have some summer together before he leaves." She turned her head to look at the girls, her expression softening. "If everything goes well, I’ll try to get into a college out there, and we’ll figure things out from there."
"We’re going to miss you," Wanda said with a small pout, her usual cheerfulness dimmed by the thought of MJ leaving. But MJ shook her head, offering a reassuring smile.
"You guys still have me for a whole year. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon."
"Good," Yelena chimed in from the passenger seat, a grin spreading across her face as she dug through her bag, finally pulling out her eyeliner.
MJ let out a sigh, her eyes flickering to the rearview mirror. "So, how did last night go? Any top contenders?"
The excitement in her voice was palpable, curiosity dancing in her gaze as she looked at Yelena.
"Well, I can tell you it’s definitely not Steve." Wanda admitted with a sheepish smile, remembering the not-so-subtle snooping she and Yelena had done into Steve’s personal life.
"It can’t be anyone from the football team." Yelena added, her concentration momentarily diverted as she meticulously lined her right eye, her hand steady.
"Did you talk to everyone on the team?" MJ asked, leaning forward in her seat, eager to hear more.
"I think so," Yelena replied, carefully wiping away the excess eyeliner to perfect her wings. Satisfied, she snapped the compact mirror shut and turned in her seat to face the girls, her expression suddenly serious. "Actually, I don’t think it’s anyone from the football team."
MJ’s eyes narrowed slightly as she studied Yelena’s face, then widened in realization. "But you have someone in mind, don’t you?"
"Dani Carter," Yelena said, the name slipping from her lips like a confession.
"Danielle? From the cheer team?" Wanda’s voice was a high-pitched squeak, her and MJ’s eyebrows shooting up in unison, surprise etched on their faces.
"I saw you two talking by the telescope last night," MJ said, her tone shifting from curiosity to intrigue. "Did she say something that made you think it’s her?"
Yelena hesitated for a moment, her thoughts racing back to the previous night. "She said things… things from the poems that couldn’t just be a coincidence," she finally admitted, her voice thoughtful.
MJ tilted her head, curiosity turning into skepticism. "What exactly did she mention?"
"First off, she notices things about me that I didn’t think anyone paid attention to—like my headphones, my drawings…" Yelena started, her eyes drifting as she replayed the conversation in her mind, but MJ quickly interrupted.
"Okay, well, anyone with eyes can see you draw 24/7 and wear your headphones all the time," MJ pointed out, her tone dismissive, though not unkind. She folded her arms across her chest, leaning back as if to challenge Yelena’s conclusions.
"But she told me to ‘go easy on yourself,’ and that’s the exact phrase my secret admirer used in one of the letters," Yelena insisted, her voice more firm now, as if willing the words to hold more weight.
MJ’s skepticism remained, but there was a softness in her gaze as she looked at her friend. "Not to burst your bubble again, but that’s a pretty common phrase, Yel," she replied, trying to temper Yelena’s hopes without completely dismissing them.
Wanda, sensing the tension, spoke up, her voice gentle and understanding. "Yelena, you’re right. It’s a lot of coincidences, and it makes sense to consider her an option." She glanced at MJ, giving her a look before turning back to Yelena with a supportive smile. "We didn’t really think about the cheerleaders, but it fits. They’re always practicing during football, where you spend most of your time."
MJ opened her mouth, likely to make another skeptical remark, but Wanda shot her a warning look, silencing her before she could speak.
"Cheerleading is a sport, MJ," Wanda added, a hint of firmness in her voice. "You’re allowed to have your doubts, but let’s not dismiss cheerleading.”
MJ pouted, clearly not thrilled with the idea of Dani catching Yelena’s attention in this way, but she kept her thoughts to herself, her lips pressed into a thin line as she stared out the window. The car hummed softly as the AC ran keeping the girl’s nice and cool before MJ decided it was time to head inside. The three girls started to exit out of MJ’s as they made their way towards the doors.
“I still think it’s someone on the football team,” MJ insisted as they weaved through the crowded hallway, dodging groups of students clustered around lockers.
Yelena sighed, adjusting the headphones around her neck, the familiar weight a small comfort as they moved through the hall. A Freshman, oblivious to the flow of traffic, nearly collided with her, but she brushed past without a word, her mind elsewhere. They were just a few feet away from their lockers when Yelena spotted a familiar figure striding confidently down the hallway—a brunette in a cheerleading skirt that swished with each step.
Their eyes met before Dani winked at her, a playful glint in her eye, before brushing her shoulder briefly as she passed, the fleeting touch sending a shiver down Yelena’s spine.
“I didn’t like that,” MJ muttered under her breath, her tone dark with disapproval. But before she could say more, Wanda nudged her hard in the shoulder, a silent command to quiet down.
Yelena, however, was already lost in thought, her gaze locked on her locker, where she knew another poem awaited her. The possibility that Dani had just left it there filled her with a nervous energy, her fingers trembling slightly as she reached for the lock.
With a quick twist, she opened the door and was greeted by a sight that made her breath catch—a letter, just as she’d expected, but this time it was stuck to a basket overflowing with art supplies.
“Oh, that’s new. You’re getting presents now, Belova,” MJ remarked, her earlier irritation replaced by genuine surprise.
Yelena’s eyes widened as she took in the contents of the basket. “I was eyeing this set,” she murmured, more to herself than to her friends. “This is exactly what I wanted."
She looked up when she heard Wanda’s accent slip through as she read the poem out loud.
Your hands create such wondrous things,
With every line, your talent sings.
Your beauty’s like the art you make—
Soft and delicate, no mistake.
So here, I gift these tools to you,
To let your visions all come true.
Brushes, pencils, colors bright,
To match your soul’s artistic light.
For in your hands, art comes alive,
In every drawing, you revive
Your art, like you, is something more,
A sight that I’ll forever adore.
So, take these tools and let them be,
A canvas for your artistry.
And know, my beau, as you create,
Your beauty is the art I celebrate.
- Yours
Yelena grabbed one of the brushes and felt its bristles with the tip of her fingers. The basket had a variety of different brushes, tubes of paint, and several canvases. Her mind drifts off to her conversation with Dani the night before. She looked at the girls with a look of recognition.
“It’s her.”
➳⧗
“Um, not to alarm you Kate but Natasha is heading our way looking like she’s on a whole fucking mission.”
Pietro caught the sight of a red head first from the passenger seat, him and Kate eating their breakfast burritos in the school parking lot.
“Wut?” Kate said with her mouth chewing from a big bite, her eyes meeting Natasha’s who was closing the distance between her and her Lexus quickly. The quarterback sipped her iced coffee and swallowed just as the red head let herself into the backseat, the dark-haired girl blinking not realizing her car was unlocked this entire time.
“Bishop, I need to talk to you.”
Kate and Pietro made awkward eye contact as the wide receiver pointed to himself, “Does that mean you want me to leave?”
“Ding ding, bye Pietro.” Natasha smiled expectantly as she waved at Pietro before he even made a move to leave.
“If I don’t see you in first period, I’m calling the police!” Pietro whispered in a dramatic hiss, his voice carrying through the car despite his attempts at subtlety. Natasha rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed by his theatrics, as he grabbed his backpack and took off, still clutching a half-eaten burrito in one hand.
Kate turned her attention back to Natasha, who was maneuvering from the backseat to the passenger seat of Kate's car.
"Do you wanna sit here in the front—oh, yeah, perfect. Careful—alright, cool," Kate mumbled, mostly to herself, watching as Natasha climbed over the console with practiced ease. The redhead then snatched her burrito and took a big bite out of it. Kate pouted because that next bite was full of bacon, exactly what she was looking forward to.
“So… everything alright?” Kate asked, her voice laced with disappointment from the stolen burrito while Natasha’s expression remained unreadable.
“I know.”
Kate blinked, burrito disappearing from her thoughts, confusion now etching across her features. “Know what?”
“I know you’re Yelena’s secret admirer,” Natasha said, her tone flat and matter-of-fact.
“No! W-what gives you that idea? I’m not—”
Kate’s eyes widened in panic, and she sputtered, shaking her head furiously in denial.
Natasha sent her a piercing glare, “Katherine.”
At the use of her first name she sighed in defeat and slumped back in her seat, “Yeah, I am.”
A stinging sensation on her arm caused her to yelp and stare at the redhead with wide eyes.
“What was that for?!”
“Why haven’t you told her?” Natasha’s voice was sharp, laced with a mix of frustration and concern.
“Nat, are you serious? She’s my best friend. I practically grew up with you guys. I know she doesn’t like me like that, and I don’t want to ruin what we have.” Kate gestured with her arms wildly.
“You clearly don’t know shit!” Natasha threw her hands up in exasperation, her patience wearing thin.
“What?” Kate’s confusion deepened, her mind replaying every moment with Yelena. “I tried to kiss her! She pulled away—jumped away, actually. I… I’m only her best friend, Nat.”
Natasha frowned, her brows knitting together. “Then why are you giving her these poems?”
“They give me a way to tell her how I feel without actually telling her. It’s… it’s like an outlet. And I want her to know how much she means to someone,” Kate admitted, her voice barely above a whisper, vulnerability creeping into her tone.
“But you don’t plan on telling her it’s you,” Natasha said, her frustration simmering beneath the surface. “Don’t you know how cruel that is? You’re pouring your heart out to her, and yet nothing’s going to come of it if you don’t tell her.”
“I-I didn’t think about it like that,” Kate stammered, completely at loss of words.
“Kate, I get it. I understand why you’re scared to tell her, but you have to. Talk to her, please, or this is all going to blow up in your face.”
“Nat…”
“Please. At least think about it?” Natasha’s voice softened, a hint of pleading in her eyes.
“Okay. I’ll think about it,” Kate finally agreed, the weight of the conversation settling heavily on her shoulders.
➳⧗
“Are you sure about this?” Wanda said unsurely as she stood next to the blonde right outside the side gates of the football field. The two can spot the football team practicing from afar, their practice longer than usual due to their game with Kree High tomorrow.
“It has to be. It all points to her. Maybe if I just ask her, then I’ll really know. I need to know, Wanda.” Yelena said almost desperately. Wanda just hummed indicating her uncertainty but nevertheless stood beside her friend for support.
Luckily for the pair, they didn’t have to wait too long before Dani walked out with her cheer bag slung over her shoulder. She was chatting with Darcy, but as soon as she met Yelena’s eyes, she waved and made her way over.
“Waiting for your sister?” Dani asked, a playful smile tugging at her lips.
“No, actually. Can I talk to you?” Yelena’s voice was steady, but there was a hint of nervousness beneath the surface.
Dani gave a quick nod to Darcy, who caught the hint and walked off with Wanda, leaving the two alone.
“Well, you’ve got me alone, Belova. What’s up?” Dani leaned in slightly, her smirk growing.
“I, uh… I wanted to ask you something.” Yelena hesitated, trying to find the right words.
Before she could continue, Dani’s eyes zeroed in on a spot on Yelena’s neck. “Oh, you have paint on you.” Without waiting for permission, she reached out and gently wiped at the smudge, her fingers lingering a moment longer than necessary.
Yelena stiffened slightly at the contact but quickly refocused with a deep breath. “I couldn’t help myself—I opened your gift.”
Dani’s eyes widened briefly, betraying a flash of surprise, but she quickly covered it up with a smile. “Gift?”
“The art supplies,” Yelena clarified, searching Dani’s face for any signs of recognition. “Thank you for them. You didn’t have to.”
“Oh! Right, of course,” Dani recovered smoothly, her smile never faltering. “Did you, uh, enjoy the rest of the gift?”
“The poems?” Yelena could feel her heart racing as the other girl only confirms her suspicions, “I always enjoy them.”
Dani’s smile grew as she nodded. “Good, good. I was just wondering… which poem was your favorite? You know, to make sure I’m hitting the right notes.”
Yelena’s brows furrowed slightly. “I loved them all. I really liked yesterday. How did you know I liked ‘The Greatest Showman?”
“Doesn’t everyone?” Dani laughed as the blonde nodded slowly, smiling unsurely.
"So," Dani began, her tone smooth and confident, "you’ve been enjoying the letters, huh? How about we take things a step further?"
Yelena blinked, momentarily taken aback by Dani’s forwardness. She had just practically forced her secret admirer out of her corner and was struck by her reaction–or rather lack thereof.
"What do you mean?"
Dani took a step closer, her smile widening as she leaned in slightly. "I mean, we’ve been dancing around this long enough. You obviously like me, and I think it’s about time we make it official. Let’s go out."
Yelena’s heart raced, her mind spinning as she tried to process what was happening. Dani’s suggestion seemed to make sense on the surface—after all, if she had been the one writing the poems, this would be a natural progression.
"Official?" Yelena echoed, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
Dani nodded, her eyes glinting with self-assuredness. "Yeah. Like, let’s go on a date. I mean, you’ve been reading my poems for weeks now… don’t you think it’s time I do something about that?"
Yelena hesitated, the uncertainty growing in the pit of her stomach. The letters had made her feel so special, like someone really understood her. But now, standing in front of Dani, something didn’t feel right. Still, she couldn’t dismiss the possibility that Dani really was the one behind the letters. After all, she had no solid reason to doubt her—all the evidence points to her so far.
"Yeah…yeah I’d like that.”
Dani’s smirk widened, and she stepped back slightly, clearly pleased with herself. "Great. How about tomorrow night? After the game. "
After the game? There was always an afterparty at Kate’s place after their games.
Maybe they can go on one this weekend instead?
Before she could voice her suggestion, Dani was already moving forward, brushing off any doubts with a confident grin.
"Don’t overthink it, Belova," Dani murmured, her voice low as she scanned Yelena up and down. "You’ll have a good time. Trust me."
Yelena forced a smile, though the unease of missing the party made her feel guilty. She tried not to let it get to her, The team won’t notice and I’m sure her friends won’t mind missing one after party. This is what she’s been looking forward to, finally a date with her secret admirer.
Now with a more genuine smile, Yelena nodded.
"Yeah, okay.”
As Dani turned to leave, she shouted over her shoulder with a gleeful grin.
"See you later, Belova!”
➳⧗
“Set it down here.”
Holding a large vase, Pietro walked into a room already cluttered with fragile items, and carefully maneuvered through the room to place it down carefully where Kate had instructed him to do so.
“Fuck, please tell me that’s it.”
Pietro wheezed, doubling over as he tried to catch his breath from all the heavy lifting.
“You’re a football player. How are you struggling right now?”
“I’m about speed, Kate. Not strength. But don’t be fooled, these abs are real.” Pietro shot back and lifted his shirt, flexing his abdominal muscles.
Kate just rolled her eyes and slapped him in the chest, “Alright hot stuff, help me put on the table covers. Think you can handle that?”
“I can put on some damn table covers.” Pietro mumbled, following her to the kitchen with a mock scowl. As they began spreading out the covers over the tables, Pietro’s mind drifted back to the previous day.
“So what did Nat want to talk to you about yesterday?”
“Well,” Kate began, purposely avoiding eye contact with the boy.
“Well what?” Pietro repeated, pulling on his side of the cover.
“She knows I’m the secret admirer.” Kate replied quietly.
“Yelena’s?”
“No, your sisters.” Kate deadpanned as she shook her head, “Obviously!”
“Oh fuck,” Pietro’s eyes widened in shock. “So now what?”
“Well, she asked me why I haven’t confessed to her so I told her why. She brought up how cruel it was to string along Yelena like that if I don’t plan on ever telling her in the end.”
“She does have a point.” Pietro nodded, his expression serious.
“I know she has a point. I told her I’d think about it.” Kate sighed, smoothing out a wrinkle in the table cover.
“Well?” Pietro paused to look at her, “You’ve had time to think about it. What’s the plan now?”
“I’m scared,” Kate admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m scared to tell her and for everything to change.”
Pietro softened at the vulnerability of the quarterback, “I understand. I mean, I can’t but I get it. When Wanda and I met you guys, I told her that I’ve never met two people who are as close as you guys are. And we’re twins. I know you guys have a special bond. Hell you have a special bond with her family. I admire that.”
“Aww, Pietro,” Kate teased, but it was clear she was touched by his words.
“Shut up,” Pietro grinned, rolling his eyes. “What I’m trying to say is, your fear is valid. But I also know that even if Yel doesn’t feel the same, nothing would change between you two. You mean too much to each other for that to happen.”
The two stayed in silence as Kate took in his words, the two working quietly to cover the tables around the living room as well.
“She deserves to know.” Pietro repeated Natasha’s words, “But you also deserve to know. You’re a romantic dumbass but you are the first person in line that I know who deserves happiness.”
“Come here, you loser.” Kate wrapped Pietro in a tight embrace as the silver-haired boy hugged her just tightly, “Thank you.”
Pietro just patted Kate on the back in response, sending her a reassuring smile as he pulled away.
“I’ll tell her at the party.” Kate declared, the confidence and determination settling in.
“That’s my quarterback,” Pietro grinned, grabbing one of the table sheets and playfully tossing it over her head. “Now let’s finish this so we can plan out your whole confession speech.”
“There is going to be no speech.” Kate insisted, rolling her eyes as she pulled the sheet off her head.
“Yes there will be!”
➳⧗
“This makes it real.”
“That’s because it is real. You did it. You made this happen.” Yelena reminded Kate, who had just received her football uniform and letterman jacket. As Kate slipped on the jacket, she admired how it fit snugly over her broad shoulders, a symbol of all the hard work she had put in. Yelena watched her with a soft smile, her eyes lingering on the number stitched on the back.
“Why 9?” Yelena asked, tilting her head curiously.
“Take a guess,” Kate replied playfully, prompting a dramatic huff from Yelena as she pretended to ponder.
“It’s because you can eat 9 slices of pizza in one sitting,” Yelena said with mock seriousness, only to break into a grin when Kate burst out laughing.
“Not the reason, but true!”
“You have 9 toes.”
“Now you know that’s not true.”
“On a scale from 1-100, you are a 9 in football skills.”
“Now that’s just rude.” Kate gasped dramatically.
Yelena whined, “Just tell me.”
Kate sighed, a fond smile playing on her lips. “Okay, well, I was initially thinking of going with 11. You know I wouldn’t have found my love for football if it wasn’t for my dad. But since I lost him, I didn’t think I would ever give the sport another glance. Then your dad changed that. It was my 11th birthday when he gifted me a football and made it his mission to make me love it again.”
Yelena’s smile grew as she remembered how much Kate meant to her father, who had embraced her as his own. He loved Kate since he first met her best friend and it helped that he’s always wanted a daughter who was into sports, which Natasha and Yelena could care less about. She remembers going with her dad to buy that exact football Kate was talking about. She picked it herself actually.
“Then why didn’t you go with 11? Daddy would’ve loved that.”
“He would’ve.” Kate agreed with a soft laugh, “But none of this would’ve happened if I didn’t meet you. If I didn’t meet you, I wouldn’t have found love. Love for football.”
“Oh,” Yelena breathed, her heart swelling at the sentiment. “We were in 4th grade when we met.”
“We were 9 years old.” Kate said, her voice tender as she revealed the true meaning behind her chosen football number.
➳⧗
Yelena stared at herself in the mirror, her grip tightening on the tube of eyeliner as she tried to steady her hand. She was wearing a simple red jumpsuit with a white top under, sporting her school’s colors for the game. The blonde was on her third try reapplying her eyeliner wanting to perfect it for tonight’s events.
"Yelena! It is time to go. We will miss the game!" her father's voice boomed from downstairs, impatience evident in his tone.
“I’ll be there!” Yelena shouted back, finally capping the eyeliner, satisfied with the results. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a simple half-bun, with a white ribbon tied neatly around it, perfectly complementing her outfit.
She met her father by the front door who was flexing his muscles in the mirror, Melina stood nearby, watching with a bemused smile as Alexei admired himself.
“This jersey makes my muscles look good, yes? Ah, so good!” Alexei boomed, flexing one more time for Melina’s amusement before his eyes landed on Yelena. His expression shifted to one of disapproval.
“Yelena! Why are you not wearing your jersey?”
Melina and Alexei were both wearing matching ‘Bishop 9’ jerseys, something that both daughters also owned, the family always wearing it when attending a WestView game.
“I’m going somewhere after the game.” Yelena responded, Alexei not at all satisfied with that response.
“No, no. We are supporting Kate Bishop! It’s tradition Yelena. Go back upstairs. Bah! Just remove it afterwards.” Alexei shooed the blonde upstairs who gave little protest before grabbing the jersey from her dresser and leaving the household matching her parents.
With a resigned sigh and little protest, Yelena trudged back to her room to grab the jersey from her dresser, the three of them leaving the house with matching jerseys.
➳⧗
Alexei shamelessly bulldozed his way through the crowded benches, earning more than a few irritated glares from those he passed. Melina and Yelena trailed behind, offering quick apologies to everyone in their path. They finally found their seats beside Wanda, and Erik who was Wanda and Pietro’s father, and exchanged warm greetings before settling in.
Yelena’s eyes immediately darted to the field, where she quickly spotted Kate among the players. Across from them stood the Kree High team, both teams keeping to their respective sides of the field while the cheerleaders took center stage.
Yelena spotted her sister right in the front as Melina shouted at her eldest daughter and blew her a kiss. Natasha returned it before putting her captain's face on and saying something she couldn’t make out from the bleachers.
Her eyes wandered before it met brown ones, which were already looking her way. Dani winked at Yelena, making her blush before looking down at her freshly painted red nails. They were originally colored purple from when Kate had painted them messily on her and started to pick on them.
“KATE BISHOP!” The youngest daughter flinched at her father’s booming voice, being sandwiched between her parents was not fun, “YOU GOT THIS!”
Alexei waved his long arms in the air, easily catching Kate’s attention who sent him two thumbs up in response. Kate’s eyes shifted to meet hers, Yelena sending her a small smile before mouthing ‘good luck’.
She watches curiously as Kate, who had shown full confidence playing against Kree High, sends her a nervous smile. Her eyes narrowed to the quarterback’s fingers that were tapping restlessly on her side, something she does when she’s really nervous. Yelena furrowed her eyebrows in confusion before then mouthing, ‘You okay?’.
Kate nodded, seemingly shaking off any visible signs of unease. She sent Yelena a playful, excited smile, blowing her a playful kiss. Yelena’s cheeks burned with a blush against her will, and she coughed into her elbow, trying to hide the deepening redness.
“You okay, honey?” Melina asked, her voice tinged with concern. Yelena could only nod jerkily, trying to bring her heart rate back to normal.
As the football team huddled in a circle, the speakers blared with upbeat music, signaling the start of the cheerleading routine The crowd’s attention shifted to the cheerleaders at the center of the field. Yelena couldn’t help but bop her head to the rhythm as she watched. Natasha, a natural performer, took the spotlight, effortlessly proving why she was the team captain. Yelena had always admired her sister’s talents, from her early days in ballet to her transition to gymnastics, and now as a cheerleader.
Yelena stood up along with her parents, clapping at the end of the routine. Cupping her hands around her mouth she screamed Natasha’s name. She smiled at the happiness clearly written on her older sister’s face.
Not once did Yelena realize she hadn’t bothered to look at Dani during the entire routine.
➳⧗
They had won.
The stadium erupted in cheers as the final whistle blew, the scoreboard flashing their victory. Kate stood in the center of the field, breathless but exhilarated, her hands shooting up in the air in triumph.
In one hand, she clutched her helmet, raising it high as the team pulled her and Pietro up on their shoulders. The thrill of the game still coursed through her veins, every muscle in her body alive with adrenaline.
Kate’s heart raced as she relived the split-second decision that had sealed their victory. She had thrown a high, arcing pass, almost impossibly precise to Pietro, who had leaped into the air like a streak of silver lightning, catching the ball with flawless precision. The crowd had held its breath for what felt like an eternity, and when Pietro landed in the end zone, the stadium had exploded in cheers.
As Kate looked out over the sea of cheering fans, her eyes scanned the stands for familiar faces, the echoes of their chants and the dazzling lights merging into a blur.
It wasn’t hard to spot Alexei, who had shamelessly removed his jersey, revealing her name scrawled across his stomach in bold, messy letters. She couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of it, her finger pointing in his direction as she shook her head in disbelief. Beside him, Melina looked equally amused, clapping politely but just as proudly.
But then Kate’s gaze shifted, and she found Wanda and Yelena, standing next to them, clapping along with the crowd. Joy and warmth flooded her chest, but then she noticed who was standing beside Yelena—Dani.
The sight made Kate’s smile falter, her eyebrows knitting together in a brief frown.
The boys let them down as Kate turned around to look at Pietro who had tapped her shoulder.
“I’m going to go grab the flowers.” Pietro pointed to the locker room before Kate nodded nervously watching them make their way down the bleachers to the field. Her foot had started to tap restlessly as they got closer, only stopping when Alexei approached her first with wide arms.
“WESTVIEW’S BEST QUARTERBACK!”
Alexei bellowed, squeezing her with enthusiasm before draping his arm around her shoulder. Melina quickly intervened, pushing him aside gently so she could embrace Kate herself, the softness of her touch a stark contrast to Alexei’s exuberance.
“You did good, sweetie.” Melina softly said as Kate flushed red at the motherly affection she had yet to get used to from the woman.
Yelena stepped forward next, her teasing smile widening as she remarked, “You played well, Kate Bishop. I’m not embarrassed to wear your jersey.”
Kate grinned, “Whatever it takes to keep my jersey on you,” she shot back, her voice light. But the moment was abruptly interrupted by the sound of a throat clearing beside Yelena. Kate’s gaze flicked to Dani, who was watching the exchange intensely.
“Great routine, Dani. You did great,” Kate said, forcing a tight-lipped smile. Dani returned the smile, but there was a hint of something in her eyes that made Kate uneasy.
“Not too bad yourself, Bishop.”
Kate hesitated for a moment, her eyes drifting back to Yelena, who seemed oblivious to the undercurrents swirling between them. Gathering her courage, Kate finally spoke up, her voice a little shaky.
“Yelena, can I actually talk to you?” She paused, adding quickly, “Alone.”
Kate found herself standing alone with Yelena, tucked away in a quiet corner of the field. The entrance to the locker room was just within sight, a reminder of how close she was to her teammates, yet how far she felt from the words she needed to say. Her helmet lay discarded at her feet, but her heart was racing, her thoughts a whirlwind of hope and nerves.
“You were very good out there, Kate Bishop,” Yelena remarked, her voice warm as she crossed her arms, a playful smirk on her lips. “That was a good game.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” Kate grinned, feeling a surge of boldness she rarely allowed herself to indulge in. “It’s because I had you cheering for me.”
“Bold of you to think I was cheering you on,” Yelena teased, but the lightness in her tone was lost on Kate, who let out a laugh that was just a little too loud, betraying the nerves tangled up inside her.
Kate swallowed, her heart hammering in her chest as she finally found the courage to speak. “Well, I actually wanted to tell you something—”
But before she could continue, she spotted Pietro emerging from the locker room, making his way towards them. Yelena had her back to him, completely unaware.
“You’re going to the afterparty, right?” Kate asked, her voice more confident as pushed out the words she’s finally been wanting to say this time.
“I hope it’s okay that we don’t go to that actually. I’ve been wanting to tell you that I’m—”
“I’m actually not going to the afterparty,” Yelena interrupted, her tone hesitant.
“Oh.” The word slipped out of Kate’s mouth, deflated and mouth gaping in confusion. “Why not?”
Yelena hesitated, the silence stretching painfully between them before she finally spoke.
“I-I have a date.”
Kate felt the world tilt on its axis. Her heart plummeted, a sickening drop that left her breathless. The blood rushed in her ears, drowning out the sound of her own voice as she managed to repeat,
“A date?”
Yelena nodded in confirmation.
“With who?”
“With Dani.”
The words hit her like a punch to the gut. Kate’s mind scrambled to process what she was hearing.
What?
“Oh. How- How did that happen?” Kate forced the question out as casual as possible, trying to maintain her composure, but she could feel her world crashing down on her.
“I know it’s hard to imagine,” the blonde laughed lightly, only making Kate frown.
As Yelena looked down at her feet, Kate glanced up at Pietro, who had stopped in his tracks, confusion etched across his face. His eyes met Kate’s, a silent question hanging in the air as he held up the bouquet of flowers. Kate shook her head subtly, a silent plea for him to abort the plan.
“But she actually asked me out yesterday,” Yelena continued, her voice small, as if she was still processing the reality of it herself.
“Oh wow,” Kate managed to say in response, her teeth grinding as she lied through her teeth, “That’s great.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, I mean,” Kate cleared her throat as she rubbed the back of her neck and avoided Yelena’s eyes. ”I'm um, I’m really happy for you, Yelena. I’ll, uh, save you a slice of your favorite cake Alma baked for the party.”
“Thanks, Kate Bishop,” Yelena replied with a small smile, her eyes searching Kate’s face. “What was it that you wanted to ask me?”
Kate’s mind raced, grasping for an excuse that would cover the raw wound now bleeding in her chest.
“Oh, I just wanted to...ask if you wanted to ride back with me for the afterparty but yeah doesn’t matter anymore. It’s cool,” she lied, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
Yelena nodded, “Well, enjoy the party, okay? I’m proud of you, Kate Bishop.”
Kate could only watch Yelena walk off to meet Dani who was waiting at the exit of the football field. The sight of them together twisted something deep inside her, a sharp ache that made it hard to breathe, yet she couldn’t keep her eyes off of them even as they walked further away. It was only until Pietro walked up to her with the flowers still in his hand, that she took her eyes off the two figures.
“What happened?”
Pietro’s voice was gentle, but it cut through Kate’s numbness, bringing her back to the harsh reality.
Kate swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. The lump in her throat felt like a stone, heavy and unyielding.
“Looks like someone beat me to it,” she replied, her voice flat, stripped of the joy and excitement it had held just minutes before. She glanced at the flowers in Pietro’s hand, the bright green mixed with white mocking her in their vibrancy.
Peonies. They were Yelena’s favorite.
“Keep the flowers, Piet.”
Without waiting for a response, Kate turned and walked away, her steps heavy with the weight of unspoken feelings. The victory she had celebrated moments ago now felt hollow, her heart aching in a way she hadn’t expected. She ignored her teammates' questions, their congratulations sounding distant and meaningless, as she made her way into the locker room.
The door closed behind her with a dull thud, the team may have won today, but she felt far from a winner today.