useful
Yelena wakes up because her head hurts and her breathing feels wheezy.
She knows that being around all these stupid Americans was going to get her sick eventually.
Yelena sits up, pressure behind her eyes causing her to inhale sharply.
Natalia wakes up when Yelena shifts. Yelena tugs on her wrist that was secured to the bed with a handcuff. “Off…” Yelena’s vision is slightly blurry and she can’t spot the key.
Natalia slips out of her own pair before undoing Yelena’s, pausing when her hand touches Yelena’s warm skin. “You’re warm…” Natalia comments.
“So?” Yelena eyes her, blinking sluggishly.
Natalia frowns, pulling her head forward to press her lips to Yelena’s forehead. Yelena blinks sleepily up at her. “You’re got a fever.” Natalia looks down at her.
Yelena scrunches her nose up. “Do not…” She protests, pushing Natalia away. “I’m fine.”
Natalia shakes her head, staring at her. “You’re not.” She disagrees. “You’re sick.”
“No!” Yelena stands abruptly but black spots fill her vision and Natalia catches her. “I’m-- I’m useful…”
Natalia clenches her jaw, pulling Yelena close and settling her back onto the bed. She wets a washcloth from the bathroom and pats Yelena’s face with it. “You’ll be fine.” She comments.
Yelena can’t miss training with Bobbi. If anyone knows that she’s sick then she’ll go to medical and Yelena doesn’t want that. She doesn’t want to go there.
She’s fine.
Natalia grabs Yelena’s face between her hands and makes Yelena promise to come find her if she felt worse. To make excuses-- lie-- anything that she needed to. Natalia then runs the washcloth under cool water once again and pressed it against her neck and face.
Yelena shivers at the feeling, her head drops to rest against Natalia’s shoulder.
Natalia cups the back of her neck, nuzzling her nose against Yelena’s hair. “I won’t let them hurt you.” She whispers.
“I know.” Yelena murmurs before forcing herself to pull back. “Wait for me after?”
Natalia nods her head and walks with Yelena to drop her off with Bobbi.
Bobbi eyes her when Yelena enters. “Were you working out?” She questioned, reaching out and wiping her hand across Yelena’s collar.
“No.” Yelena shakes her head. “Nightmare.” The lie tumbles from her lips easily.
Bobbi frowns but nods her head. “Good. Come on, let’s do warmups.”
Yelena’s head is throbbing and her chest hurts but she slips her shoes off to step onto the map.
Just going through the motions she’s used to but she’s so cold.
“You’re acting weird,” Bobbi comments and Yelena clenches her jaw before focusing on going through the motions.
Then Bobbi has Yelena practice boxing sets and Yelena gets light-headed.
She stumbles forward and Bobbi catches her. Yelena flinches at the hands settling on her shoulders.
“Are you okay?” Concern is leaking into Bobbi’s voice. “You’re sweating a lot and we’re not even halfway done yet.”
“Fine.” Yelena straightens, blinking the dizziness away.
Bobbi eyes her with a frown, pulling her gloves off and reaching out. Yelena flinches at the sight of the hand coming toward her face but Bobbi rests a hand against her cheek. “You’re really warm.”
“We’re exercising,” Yelena grumbles, pushing Bobbi’s hand away.
Bobbi eyes her and Yelena ensures that her face betrays nothing. “Okay…” Bobbi finally said. “Hands up, let’s go again.”
Yelena’s knocked over by a wave of nausea not even ten minutes later, dizzy and disoriented. Bobbi grabs her before Yelena hits the ground, softening the blow.
“Yelena?” Bobbi cups Yelena’s face in her hands, tapping her cheeks. “Oh Jesus, you’re burning up--”
“I’m fine!” Yelena shoves at Bobbi’s hands but her chest is tight and the words come out with a sharp cough.
“Did you show up to training knowing you were sick?” Bobbi demands, her hands still firmly grasping Yelena’s face. “Look at me. Eyes, Yelena.”
Yelena peers up at Bobbi obediently and the tall woman sighs.
“Go back to bed,” Bobbi orders but Yelena shakes her head.
“No!” Yelena reaches out to grab Bobbi’s wrists. “I’m fine. I’m okay.” She pushes Bobbi’s hands away. “I can do this.”
“No-- Yelena…” Bobbi shakes her head. “Go back to bed, that’s an order.”
Yelena curls in on herself. “I’m fine!” She protests. “I can keep going, I promise!”
Bobbi raised an eyebrow. “You’re ready to keel over!” She argues, gesturing at Yelena. Yelena flinches slightly at the movement. “I’m calling it as your superior and your friend.”
“Bobbi--” Yelena starts but Bobbi holds up her hand.
“Yelena, stop!” Bobbi snaps and Yelena’s mouth clicks shut. “That’s enough.”
Yelena lets out a huff and twists on her foot to leave the room but black spots fill her vision and she stumbles forward before falling to her knees as she loses consciousness for a few moments.
She opens her eyes as arms wrap around her. She squirms slightly, a jolt of panic shooting through her.
“Shh, kid. It’s only me, it’s okay,” Bobbi said. “I’ve got you.”
Yelena relaxes a little at the sound of Bobbi’s voice but she’s still on guard. “I’m sorry, I’m fine--” Yelena wants to try and stand up but lets out a surprised yelp when Bobbi slides an arm under her knees and lifts her up into her arms. “Put me down!”
“Kid you are burning up,” Bobbi said and Yelena squirms slightly. “If you keep squirming then I’m gonna drop you. If you walk then you’re gonna pass out again. Settle down for the ride.”
Yelena clenches her jaw and squeezed her eyes shut but can’t deny that Bobbi’s warm and it feels nice because despite just working out she was freezing cold.
“I’ve got you, kid,” Bobbi continues, her voice much softer. “I need you to trust me.”
Yelena’s mind is a little fuzzy as she looks up at Bobbi in confusion. “I do.” She murmurs.
“Good,” Bobbi shifts her hold and Yelena watches the halls. “I know that you don’t like medical but--”
Yelena immediately starts to squirm again at the word. “No!” She falls into a coughing fit at the sudden movement. “No, I don’t--”
“Kid-- Yelena--” Bobbi pulls Yelena against her tightly. “Stop it. Listen to me.”
“No! You told me to go to my room! Take me to my room!” Yelena inhales sharply before coughing hard enough to gag. “Bobbi--”
“Had you not nearly kissed the floor with your face then you’d be able to go back to your room,” Bobbi said, pausing for a moment to set Yelena onto her feet and smack her back to loosen up the junk inside her chest. “You’re sick. Medical isn’t a bad place. You like Dr. Thomas Malley, right? And I’ll be there the whole time.”
“Natalia.” Yelena murmurs, vaguely remembering that she was supposed to meet her sister after training.
“Yeah. We’ll go get Natalia and then we’ll go to medical,” Bobbi tells Yelena. Yelena winces at the term.
“Don’t wanna…” Yelena whispers quietly before squeezing her eyes shut as her head pounds. “Don’t make me go, Bobbi.”
“I won’t let anything happen to you, kid,” Bobbi promised and Yelena resigns herself to letting Bobbi drag her to medical.
She was much too tired to argue against going but Natalia would put up a fight for her.
Natalia wouldn’t let Yelena get taken to medical, Yelena knew that. Medical hurt and Yelena wasn’t in the right headspace to even think about going. In her current state, Bobbi was stronger than her.
So Yelena lets Bobbi take her where Natalia is finishing up her own training, daring to rest her tired head against Bobbi’s warm shoulder that felt nice against her flushed face.