Happiest memory
Kate and Yelena placed themselves at their positions. Yelena's hand fixed at the snipper while Kate looked for potential threats. Kate stopped her gaze at the blond near her. Six months earlier, they were at each other's throat. Yelena fighting to kill her mentor. And here they were now, placed at an arm's distance, fully armed. If Yelena wanted to kill her, she would have. But Kate now knows better, Yelena's weapons would never face Kate.
Six months. And it was already one of the most trusting bond Kate has ever had. When she was alone by herself in the apartment, crying silent tears, she never expected the russian who barged in unannounced to understand her feelings. Her emptiness. Turns out she did, better than anyone.
She had shared numerous anecdotes spanned through her life to Yelena but now she realized, in turn she knows very little about the assassin she refers to as her 'best friend'. She freed widows. That's what they were doing now. Saving widows from mind control. Even after devoting herself to such a noble cause, Yelena considered herself a monster. Kate didn't know her full well but she knew her enough to tell that she was not a monster, if only she could convince Yelena about the same.
"I told you to keep a watch on the road, not on me, Kate Bishop" Yelena said with a smirk.
Kate scoffed but didn't turn her gaze around.
"It's probably gonna take a while anyway. What do you say we exchange some stories, happiest day?" Kate encouraged. Yelena took her eyes of the sniper to look at the brunette with a confused expression.
"Ok, I'll go first, Kate added. She knew Yelena needed some time with opening up. "My dad took me to Disneyland for the summer. The whole day we just laughed, played and enjoyed. By the end, I fell asleep on his shoulder, carefree because I knew I was in my dad's arms and nothing could happen to me."
Yelena's lips were curled into a small genuine smile when she finished. She was always very patient with Kate even when she would go on and on about a nonsensical topic. And whenever Kate opened up about her emotions or her trauma she knew that with Yelena as her listener all her secrets were safe and would remain unjudged, even accepted.
"Your turn" Kate announced, not wanting to reminisce about her father again. That route always end up with tears in eyes and whiskey burning in her throat.
Yelena began to think. Innocence reflecting in her green eyes.
"Umm..she reluctantly began "My birthday, 2017. I was in a busy street in London. Saving another widow when I heard a door knock. The widows remained in contact but only for official matters so I wasn't really expecting anyone. I opened a door and there she was, world feared Black Widow, Natasha" she swallowed a lump at her name. However much, Yelena convinced herself she knew she wasn't over her sister's death. "She was dressed terribly with that abomination of blonde hair which she clearly copied from me." Yelena added smugly. Kate let out a small chuckle. "We stayed in, drank, ate pizza, binged watched game of thrones, cheering at all the death scenes."
"As one does." Kate had to add to which Yelena just shrugged.
Yelena starer from the roof at the bustling market.
She added after a long silence.
"It wasn't very extravagant but Natasha was criminal at that time. Wanted in every part of the world. She had her cool Avenger buds at her side but she chose to reveal herself in the most crowded part of London just so I wouldn't be alone." She fought back tears as she finished. She couldn't appear weak on a mission. She struggled keeping the tears in place. Damn Kate Bishop. So, she fixated her eyes once more at the sniper. Kate knew she shouldn't risk pushing Yelena any further for information. Yelena trusted her enough to share this. Kate won't be stupid to ruin the moment. So, the mission passed in silence.
Kate knew that with Natasha gone, Yelena felt alone. She felt the same at New Year's with her mom locked in prison. She had a friend then. Someone with whom she may have committed a few crimes. Someone who refused to let Kate be alone at her lowest. 'It was her turn now', she convinced herself as she knocked on the door. Before Yelena could even open it, Kate had begun her harmonious tune of "happy birthday". Yelena, earlier alarmed now looked completely dumbfounded, embarrassed and happy at the same time. When Kate ended what she considered the best version of the song, both of them fell into giggles and Yelena knew.
She probably won't be alone again.