Wedding plans

Kate woke up when she heard someone knocking at her door. Ugh. “I’m coming” She got up and went to open the door. There on the other side of the door were Clint, Laura and Nate. Little Nate waved at her smiling. “Hey, sorry guys, I didn’t know you were coming”

“Sorry sweetheart, Clint here couldn’t wait to see you” Laura said, rolling her eyes at her husband. She got into the apartment and hugged Kate. 

Kate picked up Nate and kissed him on the face. “You’re getting too heavy for this”. He chuckled. “What’s with the rush old man?”

“Nothing, just wanted to get you measures so I can give them to someone who’s fixing your wedding dress” Clint said. 

“My what? What?” Kate put Nate on the couch and looked between Laura and Clint. “Is he for real right now?” Laura lifted both hands up and sat next to Nate.

“I’ve tried talking to him but he is not listening,” Laura said.

“Clint…I am not getting married” Kate said slowly.

“What? I talked to Peter and he said you didn’t deny it” Clint shrugged. “I thought that meant you agreed”

“I did not, so please stop,” Kate pleaded. “And where did you get a wedding dress?” At that Laura took Kate’s hand.

“It’s your mother’s…” Kate froze. “We kept it in case you wanted to use it”

“I need you to stop Clint…right now with this…you’re hurting me” Kate’s eyes filled with tears and she sat down next to Laura.

“Kid…I’m not trying to hurt you” He got closer and kneeled in front of her. 

“Then why are you doing this? Why don’t you let me decide with whom and when to get married” Kate said, looking at Clint.

“Your dad was a great man, but your mom was my best friend in the whole world” Kate nodded. She knew her mom and Clint knew each other since they were kids and later on in high school her dad came into the picture. “She told me she wanted the best for you…and that doing the same thing she did…was not the best” Clint sighed.

“I don’t understand” Kate looked at Clint’s eyes. 

“Nate, why don’t we go for a walk with Lucky?” Laura took the dog and Nate and left the house.

“Your mom wanted you to have an arranged marriage” Clint sat next to her. “She fell in love with your dad the moment she lay her eyes on him. I remembered it perfectly because I was there” Clint chuckled. “Your dad entered our physics class and your mom dropped all her books on the floor” Kate gave him a watery laugh. She knew that story by heart… 

“Clint…I know how they met…it’s one of my favorite stories…” Kate sighed. “It’s what made me who I am…I used to play with my barbies to get them married…” Clint nodded.

“I know kid, I used to play with you too” He smiled at her. “The thing is…after a while your mom and your dad…they had problems…” Kate nodded. She knew that too. She remembered those nights where she eavesdropped on them. “Your mom didn’t fall in love with your dad…your mom fell in love with the idea of him…and she didn’t want you to do the same” Kate was silent. “After a while she started saying she didn’t believe in love, not the real one anyway…” Clint sighed. “She would tell me how Laura and I would end up like her and your dad…”

“You’re not like them” Kate said and Clint smiled. “I actually don’t know how you two met” Kate looked at Clint's eyes and she could only see love in there.

“Well…I was practicing with my arrow and I saw her coming in…I didn’t pay much attention at first…” Clint shrugged. “But then, one of the other guys shot an arrow and it went rogue,” Clint laughed. “Before I knew it I was on the floor with her on top of me..” Kate froze… “She saved me…and after that she was everything I could think about” Kate didn’t know what to say…how could it be?

“Anyway…answering your question…I’m doing what your mom wanted me to do, even tho, I don’t want to,” Clint said and looked down. Kate hugged him then. She understood why now…but it was still hard to process. She needed to think.

“I don’t like this place…what do you think honey?” Wanda asked Yelena.

“Same…too small” They looked around the park and then looked at Kate. 

“What do you think Kate?” But Kate couldn’t hear them. She was deep in her thoughts. Should I marry Peter? If that’s what my mother wanted…should I? “Kate?”

“Oh, sorry yeah, this park is great and you’d be the first ones to get married here” Kate said to them. Yelena looked at her but didn’t say anything.

“Your mom would love that”

“And what about you guys? Do you like it?” Kate asked them.

“Let’s take it”/”We should keep looking” Wanda and Yelena said at the same time. Kate nodded.

“I’ll leave you guys alone” She took some distance but she could still hear them.

“Wanda, if you want this place then we take it” Yelena said. 

“See Kate? That’s why I’m marrying this amazing woman, because she has one of the biggest hearts out there” Wanda hugged Yelena. “That’s why I feel completely comfortable letting you two plan this wedding together while I’m gone”

“Gone?” Yelena asked.

“It’s only for a week. I need to check something from someone who’s buying” Wanda said, and then added. “Nat is coming with me, she also needs to go there” Kate looked at Wanda and she could tell she was nervous. There was something there, something Wanda wasn’t telling them about Nat.

“Wanda…we are so close to the wedding…” Yelena sighed.

“I know, that’s why I trust you two” Kate and Yelena looked at each other and Yelena sighed.

Kate and Yelena looked around them. They were searching for statues for the entrance of the wedding. Something Kate thought looked weird but she promised herself she wouldn’t say anything else about this wedding.

“So..according to what Wanda told me…she is looking for something romantic” Kate pointed to one statue of two people kissing. “Like that for example” She looked at Yelena and saw her wrinkling her nose. 

“I think I am not good for this” Yelena said and chuckled. They kept walking and Kate couldn’t help but laugh every time Yelena wrinkled her nose. Too cute. No…not cute. Ugh.

“You know…I always thought that If I got married…it would be something small you know…” Yelena said, without looking at Kate. “Just family and close friends…but Wanda…she needs this” Kate didn’t know what to say so she kept the talk about statues. 

“I think the one with the two birds could fit perfectly for you” Yelena stopped walking and looked at the statue next to her. 

“What about this one?” Yelena pointed to a mostly naked man with a bow and arrow. Kate looked up and laughed. 

“You sure you want something so…hostile at your wedding” Kate said and Yelena smirked.

“Well…do you think this kind of sport is hostile, Kate Bishop?” Yelena said and touched the arrow. “That is a good statue” She pulled from the arrow and…”ебать” (Fuck). Kate looked at Yelena’s hands and saw the arrow there and the rest of the statue on the floor.

“What did you do?!” Kate looked back and saw the guard looking the other way.

“I did not do anything,” Yelena said, laughing. 

“Stop laughing and help me” They got the statue back to its place but the arrow was still in Yelena’s hands. Kate took glue out of her purse. “If you wanted an arrow I have a lot of them you know?” Kate chuckled. 

“Oh yeah…I forgot you do that” Yelena lied. “Why do you have glue on your purse?” Kate put some of it in the arrow and the rest in the statue’s hand. 

“It’s convenient as you can see” Yelena rolled her eyes but she was smiling. “Come on, stick it there and press it for a bit” Yelena did that and then they saw the guard coming their way. “Oh crap”

“Come on...come on…держись уже (stick already)” The guard arrived and Yelena looked at him smiling. “Hello sir”

“Miss…you can’t touch the statues” Kate was biting her lip trying not to laugh.

“Yeah yeah…I know…I was just…feeling the stone” Yelena tried not to laugh…she could feel that the arrow was not sticking.

“Please, I don’t want to have to say it again” Yelena looked at the guard and nodded. She pulled her hand off and the arrow was in her hand.

“Now…this is bad” Yelena said.

“I can fix it, sir, I promise,” Kate said. “You don’t want to be the guard who allowed someone to break a statue right? And we’re keeping it” Kate offered and the guard sighed but nodded.

“Ok but hurry up” He left them and closed the path so no one could enter.

They sat down on a bench and Kate took nail polish remover to get the arrow of Yelena’s hands. “I cannot believe I had to buy this,” Yelena said, laughing. “Wanda is going to hate it”

“Well, now you won’t have to ask me for arrows, you have your own” Kate snickered and started using the nail polish remover on Yelena’s hand.

“What else do you have in there?” Yelena asked, pointing to Kate’s purse.

“My whole life, except my bow,” Kate smiled. She could feel the heat coming off Yelena's hands where they were touching. Yelena cleared her throat and spoke.

“I spoke to Wanda about the cake…she said we should get the one you said…the chocolate with something?” Kate nodded, chuckling. 

“Ok, I’ll order it today so it’s ready for the wedding” Yelena nodded. “How is she?”

“She is ok I guess? When she is with Natasha she forgets I’m here” Yelena said and Kate bit her tongue. How could someone forget you… 

“How did you meet?” Kate asked. Why don’t I go and punch myself in the face while I’m at it. 

“Natasha introduced us,” Yelena smiled. “At first I thought they were together” Yelena shrugged and Kate kept working on taking the arrow off. “She was always around until one day she asked me out,” Kate nodded. “I was studying my last year in college and I said yes,” Kate smiled. “We were different people back then” Yelena looked down, but before Kate could say anything the arrow came off.

“Huh, you did it” Yelena opened and closed her fist. “Do you want to keep it?”

“Nuh, you keep it” Kate gave her the arrow. “One day you can tell the story to your kids”. Yelena looked down.

“Wanda does not want kids,” Kate nodded. 

“What about you?”  Yelena shrugged. She could feel that this was a difficult subject. “How’s Spiderman?” Yelena asked instead and Kate rolled her eyes. 

“He is fine, but we are not engaged anymore” Kate said. “We never were actually” Yelena raised an eyebrow.

“What? Really?”  

“Really. He…jumped to conclusions” Kate shrugged.

“Are you ok?” Yelena asked and Kate saw Yelena’s hand trying to get closer to hers but it stopped before touching her.

“Yeah, of course. It was something my mom wanted before she died and Clint…he’s trying to keep his word” Kate shrugged. 

“That is not right,” Yelena said. “You deserve so much more than…” They looked at each other and Kate had to look away…Yelena’s eyes spoke more than the blonde and she didn’t want to hear what those eyes had to say.

“She married for love and it didn’t end up well…I guess she didn’t want that for me” Kate continued as they walked to the exit of the place. “I agree with you by the way” Yelena looked at her. “About the small wedding…I’d do that too”.

Kate arrived at Clint’s house and opened it with her own key. “Hello? Anyone here?” Kate asked. She looked around and saw Peter there reading a book. Kate rolled her eyes. Of course he is here.

“Katy, what are you doing here?” He said, getting up from the couch.

“It’s my family house so…I should be asking that question” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Where are they?”

“They went out grocery shopping” Kate turned around and opened the door. “Please, don’t go”

“Tell them I was here” Peter grabbed her by her arm softly and she turned around.

“Are you mad at me?” She shrugged his arm from hers.

“Of course I’m mad genius” She rolled her eyes and he stepped back. “You told Clint we were getting married when I’ve told you a million times that we are not” He looked down. “He is trying to fix my moms wedding dress Peter” Kate raised her voice exasperated. 

“I’m sorry, I really am…I just thought…I thought you did want me but it seems that you really don’t” Kate sighed. Peter looked like someone had kicked his puppy. He sat down on the couch. “I won’t bother you again, I promise”

“Peter, listen to me” She sat next to him. “You’re an amazing guy who’ll make a girl really happy in the future, but that won’t be me” He nodded. “Even If I married you…I don’t think I could love you the way you want me to” 

“I understand and I really am sorry” Kate nodded. “How about friends?” Kate raised her eyebrow at him. “For real this time” Kate chuckled.

“Ok, we can be friends” He smiled again and Kate felt relieved. She didn’t want to hurt him…not the way she was.

“I was going to cook dinner for myself, do you want to stay?” Kate sent him a look and he raised his hands. “Friends have dinner too”

“Ok buddy, what are you making?” He got up, went to the kitchen and showed her a box of mac and cheese. She couldn’t help but think of Yelena then. You told me I smelled like cinnamon rolls and mac and cheese. 

“Do you like this?” Kate shook her head and tried to get her out of her head. 

“Yeah of course, who doesn’t?” He grinned and cooked them. Kate sat on the kitchen table and Peter gave her a bowl. “Smell delicious” He sat down too and they ate. 

“Do you want to share what’s on your mind?” Kate looked up from her bowl and frowned.

“No, thank you” She kept eating and Peter chuckled.

“Come on, friends talk to each other” He insisted.

“There’s…well…” Peter nodded.

“Do you love someone else?” He asked out of the blue and Kate opened and closed her mouth like a fish.

“I don’t, what’s that question anyway?” He shrugged.

“You remind me a lot of your mother,” He smiled.

“You don’t remember her” Kate looked at him and he nodded.

“I do, and her car” He chuckled. “I remember looking out my window and seeing her car arriving at the Barton’s house” Kate looked at him in silence. “You’d always run out of the car before she could turn off the engine” Kate chuckled, she did remember that. “She was a scary woman, but she was beautiful like you”

“Peter…” Kate warned him.

“Friends,” He repeated, smiling. “Those times when you arrived at the Barton’s…She was always sad…but when you left to go home…she always had a smile on her face…like she cured herself when she went to that house” Kate nodded. Most of the times they went to Clint’s house were after a big fight with her father.

Kate sighed and talked before her mind could tell her not to. “Have you ever got feelings for someone…but the timing was off? Like you shouldn’t feel the way you do…but still…you do” Kate looked at Peter’s eyes and saw hurt in them. Fuck, why I’m I such an idiot.

“You know I do,” He said, smiling. “I guess you feel the same way about them that I do about you”

“I’m an ass,” Kate said. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to..”

“It’s ok Katy, I’ll get over you” Kate bit her lip. “I’ll have to start talking to girls again,” She nodded.

“That would be a great start,” Kate smiled. “But don’t go asking for their hands on the first date,” she winked and he laughed.

“I’ll keep that in mind, there’s one girl…MJ…maybe I’ll ask her out” Kate smiled.

“It’s good to have you as a friend Peter” He grinned. 

“Let me tell you something…” He said and he took her hands in his. “Love is not always perfect, love is messy, love is something worth risking your heart for…and sometimes you just have to wait for it, so..be patient.” Kate smiled and nodded. 

“That’s what Laura always says” He nodded.

“She is an amazing woman,” Kate agreed. With that they finished their dinner and Kate left with her heart a little bit better.

Kate walked next to Yelena checking one of the last things on the wedding list. The flowers. This should be an easy task but Yelena was picking all the wrong ones.

“Yelena, those flowers are the ones you get to people who are in the hospital” Kate chuckled at Yelena’s face. “You should know that”

“I did not” Yelena smiled. “When I’m at the hospital, I’m working and spending my time with the kids” She shrugged. 

“Fair enough,” Kate pointed to another flower. “What about those?” Yelena shook her head no. 

“And what about that one?” Yelena pointed to a Lily flower. Kate cleared her throat.

“Oh…that’s…that one is good” Yelena looked at her.

“What does it mean?” Kate looked around and chuckled. Really? Of all the flowers she had to ask about that one?

“I dare you to love me” Kate said and saw the way Yelena’s eyes opened up in surprise. “That’s the meaning”  Yelena bit her lip and Kate decided to look away from that sight. As she looked around her heart stopped beating. No…no…no…not now. She tried to run for it.

“Kate?” Yelena asked following her. She hid behind Yelena.

“Hide me, please” But it didn’t work. Yelena was too short.

“What are you doing?” Yelena was amused. Kate saw the couple coming her way and she kneeled in front of Yelena pretending to look for a flower. “Did you lose something Kate Bishop?”

“Shh, don’t say my name” Yelena looked weirdly at her. 

“Get me out of here please” Kate pleaded with Yelena who nodded, but as she got up she tripped with one of the vases and broke it and Yelena grabbed her before she could fall. “Thanks” The other customers turned to look at them and she could feel the heat on her cheeks. Yelena was still holding onto her and she felt dizzy.

“Kate?” Fuck me. Kate turned around and Yelena let go of her. There they were.

“Hi” Just be cool, you know how to be cool. Yelena looked from the couple to Kate and decided to introduce herself.

“Hey, Yelena Belova” She offered her hand and the other two took it and shook it.

“Kazi Kazimierczak and this is my wife Maya Lopez” The man said and signed with her hands and Kate had to bite the inside of her cheek.

“Kate, it’s so good to see you…you look great” She signed with her hands. Kate looked at her.

“Maya…you look…pregnant” Kate answered in ASL and Yelena could feel the tension. 

“We were just picking some flowers…baby shower” He chuckled and shrugged.

“Congratulations, when is the baby coming?” Yelena signed too and Kate was surprised by it. “I have to work with a lot of kids, some of them are deaf” Kate nodded.

“Six to eight weeks, we are so nervous” The woman, Maya signed.

“Congrats again” Yelena said and signed, everyone looked at each other. This is not awkward. Kate thought. “So how do you know each other?”

“Well…” “It’s…” They both signed at the same time and Yelena arched her eyebrow.

They both started to say but Kate cut them off. “I’ll tell you” She smiled but it was fake. She signed so they knew what she was saying “This is really so funny, you’ll see…Maya was my fiancee” Yelena opened her eyes in surprise and looked at Maya who looked down. “And Kazi here was her high school sweetheart” They both looked uncomfortable. “I caught them on the night of our rehearsal dinner making out in my car” She looked at both of them. “Did I leave something out?” They shook their heads no and Kate nodded. “We can go now”

Yelena walked next to Kate holding her by her waist. “Come on drunky, let me take you to your house” Yelena said to Kate who looked at her and grinned. After their meeting with Kate’s ex, Yelena thought it would be a good idea to have a drink…but Kate decided to have more than one…”Kate…sit down there” She pointed to a step in front of Kate’s building and then looked inside Kate’s purse for the keys. She took out a bunch of them. “What the hell Kate? These are so many keys” Yelena sighed and started trying every key.

“You know…this is fair…I deserved that” Kate said. 

Yelena got down in front of Kate. “Hey, none of that…come on..now help me with the key” Yelena smiled but Kate looked up to the intercom. 

“Did you know that” hiccup. “I don’t know anyone from my building?” Yelena sighed. “I’m never here…so I didn’t bother…” Kate started crying then.

“Боже мой, почему (oh my God, why)” Yelena took Kate’s face with her hands. “Hey, hey, look at me, that is ok…I don’t know my neighbors either” 

Kate gave her a smile then. “I like it when you speak Russian”. Yelena didn’t expect that and cleared her throat. “It is very hot,” Kate said, imitating Yelena’s accent. Yelena couldn’t help but laugh. Just then someone opened the door of the building.

“Sorry, could you hold the door for us? She lives here” Yelena reassured the man who nodded. “Come on” With some effort Yelena picked up Kate, bridal style, who put her hands around Yelena’s neck. Yelena felt Kate smelling her just like the first time she had her like this and couldn’t help the smile on her face.

After some struggles to get the door open, they made it to Kate’s apartment where Lucky was looking at Yelena. “Hey buddy” Kate said grinning. “This is Yelena, or Bel, whatever you want to call her” Yelena left Kate on the couch and the dog got closer to her. “He usually doesn’t like strangers” Yelena waited for the dog to smell her and then he started moving his tail happily. “Huh…traitor”

“You’re such a cute boy” Yelena said, grinning and then looked at Kate who was lying on the couch, shrunken like a ball. “Are you ok?” Kate nodded but then her eyes filled with tears. Yelena didn’t think twice of it and held her hand. 

“She is married and they’re having a baby,” Kate said, trying her best not to cry. “She looked good, didn’t she?”

“Nah, she did not” Yelena said, and moved her hand to Kate’s face. “Coffee, Tea?”

“I think I don’t have any of that,” Yelena smiled. “I might have marshmallows?” Kate wrinkled her nose and Yelena nodded. She got up and searched for them. Kate really didn’t have anything around. She found the marshmallows and went back with Kate. She sat on the floor, looking at Kate. “You sure she didn’t look good?” Yelena nodded and ate one.

“She looked like an old lady, Kate Bishop” Kate gave Yelena a smile after that.

“Shut up” Kate said.

“What? You asked me…she is not even pretty” Yelena added and then they stood in silence for a while with Yelena eating marshmallows.

“She said…she said he was an old friend…” Kate couldn’t look at Yelena. “She did everything in her power so I didn’t find out about them…but well…caught them in the act…” Kate cried a little and Yelena’s hand flew to Kate’s face again. “I know I was lucky at the end…it would have been awful…but…I always end up thinking that…I’m just not enough for anyone…” 

“You are wrong,” Yelena said, looking at Kate’s eyes. “She did not deserve you…and you Kate Bishop are more than enough” Yelena took Kate’s hair out of her face and then she whispered. “So much more..” Yelena’s mind snapped to reality and she cleared her throat. “I should go” Kate nodded and walked Yelena to the door.

“Thanks…” Kate chuckled. “It seems as you’re always saving me”

“Well, I can’t help it” Yelena smirked and Kate chuckled. “Will you be ok?” Kate nodded.

“Yeah, I always am” They looked at each other and after a second Yelena nodded and left. Kate closed the door behind her and leaned on it. Not too long later, there was a knock. Kate opened the door again and there she was again.

“Do you think about that night in the park?” Yelena said out of breath.

“What?” Kate looked at Yelena.

“Because I do…all the freaking time…is pretty annoying” Kate cannot speak. What’s happening? “Look, I don’t know you…I don’t know your family, I don’t know if you like chocolate or vanilla ice cream” Yelena was speaking so fast…Kate was trying her best to keep up with everything the blonde was saying. “But I know your face…every freckle…every curve of your smile…” Yelena smiled at her. “That time in the park…that was the best time I’ve ever had…” Kate’s heart was beating too fast. Yelena was right there, telling her everything she wanted to hear…but she couldn’t…she couldn’t do that to Wanda…”Please say something”

“It’s been 4 years since Maya left me…and I’m still broken,” Kate looked down. “I like Wanda, I respect her. She is a good person and she wants to marry you Yelena” She looked then at Yelena. “The only thing I want to know from you is that the measurements of your tux are ok…now please go…” Kate could feel the wetness on her face. Yelena looked at her and her smile was gone…she looked as broken as Kate felt.

“Kate…” But Kate closed the door and went back to the couch with Lucky who curled with her there.