Yelena sat with her back pressed against the cold stone of Natasha’s grave, her head leaned back, and her eyes closed. It had been many months since she’d been brought back from the snap, but sometimes she’d still forget that Natasha was really gone.
The sun had begun setting quite a few minutes before, though Yelena had no intention to leave. Fanny had curled herself up in the side of Yelena’s knees, fast asleep where they sat. Sometimes, Yelena thinks that Fanny can feel Natasha here, that she knows how important it is here and why, but then she remembers that it is just a dog. Then, a sudden gust of wind flew against her, pushing her slightly towards the stone.
“I am not sleeping here with you; you snore when you are congested,” Yelena muttered, causing Fanny to pick up her head and stare in her direction. “And I’m sure your nose full of dirt by now, if not your whole body.”
You wouldn’t say that to her if she were alive.
“You know I would.”
She knew her body wasn’t below the grave, but she somehow felt better pretending it was. The thought of Natasha’s body rotting on a planet she didn’t even know the name of would eat her from the inside out, and she knew it. Eventually, Yelena knew she had to get up. If she didn’t leave now, she wouldn’t be home to give Fanny her dinner on time. So she took one last look at the grave, carefully picking up a photo that had fallen over in the wind and pulling out a single, dark flower from her pocket and placing it on top before taking her leave, back down the path.
She knew she’d come back the next day she had off, though somehow, she still always felt sad when she had to leave.
The next day was about the same as any other, though she was glad to receive a call from Valentina. Under normal circumstances, she would dread any second of the call, though this time, Valentina had called to inform her that the client had canceled. Without any obligations, Yelena was elated to visit Natasha once more.
Yelena parked her car about two miles from the private graveyard deep within the forest, knowing her first stop had to be somewhere else. It was unusual for her to visit this early in the morning, but Yelena had no complaints. She hooked Fanny to the leash and began walking down the sidewalk of the road she had parked on.
Her first stop was to a house she always passed before her visits; she had noticed it once when she had driven down the back wood’s road, noticed specifically the flowers in the front yard’s bed. Yelena had always been skilled at stealing things, able to snatch a flower out of the garden under the cover that her dog had been trying to run into their lawn, though this time may not have gone as planned.
“So, it’s been you!” A voice called from a now open front door. “You’ve been the one snatching flowers from my garden.”
“No ma’am, you see, my dog has a habit of using the bathroom on people’s lawns,” Yelena muttered in an attempt to look embarrassed, rubbing the back of her neck. “We’ve been working on it, but I’m sure you know how rescues are.”
“Every other evening?”
“Well, this is our normal route.”
“You may be good, but you can’t fool me just like that,” She laughed. “Who’s it for? A boy you like? A girl, maybe? I don’t judge.”
“May I continue walking?”
“You’re lucky I’m not calling the police.”
Yelena sighed in defeat. “It’s for a girl.”
“Well, if she’s pretty enough to steal flowers for, I want to see her,” She announced. “I’m going to have to make sure this lady’s pretty enough to be committing a crime for.”
“No, that’s alright. You can take it back.”
“Well, it’s too late now. You’ve already killed it, might as well use it.”
Yelena wasn’t sure if she should lead this woman where she had originally planned to go, though she wasn’t sure if she had another choice. She’d have to move if another person went missing in this town, and she wasn’t sure that was something she wanted to do again, considering she had already put up a dog yard for Fanny. Plus, her dog liked it there.
“Fine, you got a name?” Yelena asked as she turned to begin walking again.
“Hold on!” The girl rushed back inside with the click of a leash and returned to the sidewalk with a large golden retriever. “Kate Bishop, at your service. You?”
“Yelena.”
“Ooh, Ms. Mystery Last Name, I like it,” She teased. “Why these ones anyway? You can afford an expensive dog, so I’m sure you could visit a florist. Plus, they would give you a whole bouquet and not just one flower.”
“She never liked fancy flowers gifts like that. Roses were too cliché, and she didn’t like the smell of lilies, though the smell of chocolate’s always a favorite, or so I’m told.”
“Hence the chocolate cosmos.”
“I suppose,” Yelena mused, turning a corner down a dirt road and letting Fanny off-leash. “Why are you following me anyway? Lonely enough to annoy a stranger?”
“Hey, Lady, you’re the one who stole flowers from my garden. I’m just bored out of my mind in that house. My friend canceled on me. He told me he had errands to run on the other side of the city. Do you mind if I let Lucky go too? Also, where are we even going? I didn’t know this road existed.”
“Feel free. Shitty name, though.”
“Wasn’t my first choice, my friend actually adopted him, but I practically take care of him at this point. What’s yours?”
“Her names Fanny,” she said, before pausing, the pair standing in silence for a moment before the latter busted into laughter.
“And you were calling my dog's name bad, holy smokes.”
“She’s named after a family member, dickhead.”
“Yeah, sure.”
After the laughter had died down, they continued to walk down the path, Lucky and Fanny chasing each other around the two girls as they walked.
“What sort of girl lives down such a long dirt road, anyway?” Kate asked after a long period of walking in silence.
Yelena didn’t answer, keeping her eyes trained to her hands as they continued down the path. In front of them appeared a wood bridge, followed by large stone as the graveyard slowly came into view. As soon as they were close enough for recognition, Fanny began sprinting to the stones, circling them slightly before sitting next to the one her owner found special.
The place hadn’t changed much since Yelena had left the last night, spare a few candles on their side and just a few more fallen leaves than before. She stepped up to the stone, crouching down to pick up the fallen items, brushing away a bit of outdoor dust that had accumulated overnight. Though, after a moment, she realized the woman walking with her hadn’t continued her pursuit.
Kate stood a few feet behind Yelena, gaping, wide-eyed at the sight before her.
“The girl,” Kate said, her voice shaking. “She’s dead?”
Yelena turned her head to look at the girl with sad eyes but didn’t respond.
“I’m so sorry,” Kate continued. “I had no idea, I swear, I am so-”
“Stop, Kate Bishop,” Yelena smiled. “I miss her, but she saved the world, did she not? It has been all over the news.”
“What?”
“Natasha Romanoff. Sacrificed herself for all of us is what they have been saying, but I don’t believe it.”
Yelena moved to sit against the stone, resting her head against it once more as Kate quietly came closer.
“If I had known I’d meet a friend of the person who saved the world, I would’ve dressed nicer,” Kate tried to laugh, but it quickly died down into an empathetic sadness. “You’re the second one I’ve met so far. You know that? It’s not even shocking anymore.”
“Second of what?”
“Her friends. It’s different with you, though; you can feel the bond. I know Clint loved her. Of course, he did, but you come here almost every day,” she mused, coming to sit in front of Yelena.
“I loved her with everything I had, and so did she. That’s why I know that what the Avengers told the media isn’t true. She wouldn’t leave me again; I know she wouldn't. She wouldn't do that to me.” Yelena sighed, leaning further into the cold rock. “I just met you, but I feel like I could spill to you any secret you asked of me.”
“You know, I’ve been seeing that pattern. I think I just have that effect on people. Although, this time around needed a lot less force and persistence.”
“You said you knew Clint Barton?” Yelena asked, now making eye contact. She knew just as well as anyone the stories the Avenger told everyone. But, she also knew that she didn’t believe that with just the two of them, Natasha sacrificed herself so he could go home.
“Yeah. This is his dog, actually,” Kate replied, smiling as she looked over to Lucky as he played in the woods with his new friend. “Do you know him? Are you a secret Avenger or something?”
“I think this has been enough for today,” Yelena laughed slightly. “Kate Bishop, I don’t know what happened, but I will do everything in my power to make the person responsible pay.”
“Why are you telling me this? Do you think I did something? I just met you.”
“No, but even I’m questioning the company you keep. Loss follows that man, and it will to his grave.”
Yelena stood, placing the flower she had picked atop the grave before taking a few steps from the other woman, who had yet to stand.
“Goodbye, Kate Bishop.” Yelena whistled to her dog as she began to walk the path she had just come from. “For your sake, I hope we never have to meet again.”