Chapter 31
Now that Yelena and MJ were speaking again, they were attached at the hip once again.
Yelena hadn’t seen Peter at all. She kept an eye on the news for Spider-Man sightings and went down to Tony’s lab to snoop for Peter’s suit that she had occasionally seen down there.
Tony seemed to keep an eye on her when she lurked around his lab. He looked like he kept wanting to speak with her but he never got the chance.
Yelena busies herself by planning out her first date with MJ. She’s a little unsure of where they currently stand in their relationship. They’ve kissed a few times, they sleep in the same bed, they hold hands, but they have yet to establish a label.
Are they girlfriends? Partners?
Yelena feels like she’s fumbling for things that would be very obvious to other people.
Did other people struggle to understand relationships like her?
With Tony’s help, Yelena sets up a date within the tower. She tells Natasha that she’ll be busy with MJ that night.
Neither MJ nor Yelena get dressed up. Yelena told MJ to dress like she always does.
Yelena doesn’t own any fancy clothes anyway. Not since leaving the Red Room. She’d have to fix that another time.
When MJ arrives, the sun was just starting to set. Yelena gives her a shy smile and takes her hand. MJ knows that she’s nervous and squeezed her hand.
“Whatever it is, I’ll love it. I just know it,” MJ reassures her softly.
The two step into the elevator and Yelena pushes the button for the roof.
MJ lets out a soft gasp when they exit out onto the roof.
Yelena had set up a few strings of fairy lights and spread out some blankets and pillows. She put some of their favorite snacks and a speaker playing music out.
Yelena shuffles in place slightly. “Surprise…”
MJ turns and wraps her arms around Yelena’s neck, kissing her cheek. “It’s beautiful, Yelena.” She said softly. “Perfect.”
Yelena’s heart swells with pride. “Really?” She had struggled with the list that Tony had helped her make but this was what she came up with.
“Really,” MJ said. “I love dancing with you.” MJ grabbed Yelena’s hands, tugging her toward the setup. “Come dance with me!”
Yelena grins. “Remember the dance I taught you?”
MJ nods her head, moving her hands into position as Yelena moves into place. Yelena counts them down before they start to move in the waltz Yelena had taught MJ.
MJ stumbles over her feet but she grins up at Yelena, trusting the blonde to catch her each time she tripped.
Yelena showed her different dances for the different songs that come on. They dance until the sun kisses the horizon and the two teenagers are getting thirsty.
MJ’s favorite drink was a fruit punch flavored sparkling water. Yelena ensured to chill them beforehand and they were set on ice and waiting for them.
MJ plops herself into Yelena’s lap when they sit on the blanket, flashing the blonde a cheeky grin as she eagerly accepts her favorite drink.
They nestle together in quiet as they listen to the music coming from the speaker and sipping on their drinks.
It’s nice.
By the time they’d finished their drinks and made their way through some of the snacks, the sky had darkened and stars had started to peek out.
MJ tilts her head back to rest on Yelena’s shoulder, staring up at the sky.
Yelena reaches a hand up to point at the sky. “There’s the North Star.”
MJ follows Yelena’s finger. “Yeah?”
“Yeah… do you know a lot about stars?” Yelena inquired, her other hand resting on MJ’s stomach from where she had wrapped around her.
“Not really. Just that they’re really pretty,” MJ lets out a snort. “Do you?”
“I learned some for a cover one time,” Yelena comments. “Do you wanna hear?”
MJ nods her head, glancing up at Yelena. “Tell me.” She demands with a pleading pout.
Yelena can’t help but chuckle, pressing her lips to MJ’s temple before pointing out a constellation.
Yelena recites each fact she can remember, MJ listening with rapt attention. Yelena uses her finger to draw the constellations on MJ’s stomach, grinning when the brunette huffs out a laugh.
“What are you laughing at?” Yelena pouts at her and MJ reaches up to poke Yelena’s nose.
“You know exactly what I’m laughing at,” MJ grins, squirming when Yelena pokes a ticklish spot. “Don’t start a game you won’t win, Belova.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Yelena comments innocently.
MJ twists in Yelena’s lap until she’s straddling her. “Think very hard about what you’re going to do next…” She warns with a grin.
Yelena paused, tilting her head to the side before grinning. “I’ve thought about it.” She said before digging her fingers against the ticklish spot.
MJ shrieks with laughter, shoving Yelena back as she tries to grab Yelena’s wrists. “No! Belova, ha! Stop it, it tickles!”
Yelena pauses. “Admit it, I’m the best.”
MJ takes a moment to catch her breath, pretending to think for a moment. “Nope. Clearly, I’m the best.”
Yelena resumes tickling her and MJ retorts by shoving her fingers where she knows Yelena is ticklish.
It takes a few minutes before MJ manages to gasp out. “Okay, mercy! You’re the best!”
Yelena stops tickling her, taking a moment to catch her own breath. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
MJ moves closer, kissing the tip of Yelena’s nose. “Nope.” She giggles. “Your hair is sticking up.”
Yelena reaches a hand up to touch her hair to find that it had indeed fallen from her ponytail and was sticking out in some places.
“Lemme fix it. Can I?” MJ’s fingers comb through the loose strands.
Yelena had only ever let other Widow’s braid her hair. Toni had sometimes sought her or Natasha out just to braid their hair. Braiding hair was a form of physical contact that wasn’t banned in the Red Room.
“Yeah.” Yelena pulls her hair free from the ponytail. “Go wild.”
MJ shifts to settle behind Yelena and she runs her fingers through Yelena’s hair gently, getting rid of knots.
Yelena allows her eyes to close. She’s safe here on the roof with just MJ. She trusts her. MJ’s fingers feel nice in her hair.
MJ starts to braid Yelena’s hair before undoing and rebraiding over and over, just wanting an excuse to play with her hair.
Yelena doesn’t mind it. She enjoys the sensation, humming quietly along to the music.
MJ finally finishes the braid and pressed a kiss to the nape of Yelena’s neck before shuffling around into view again. “Done.”
Yelena smiles. “Thank you.” Yelena said gratefully. “Do you want me to do yours?”
“Do that princess braid you do,” MJ said, plopping herself back into Yelena’s lap. Yelena grins, starting to section MJ’s hair out before braiding and pinning her hair up.
MJ practically melts against Yelena, closing her eyes and letting out a hum of content as Yelena braids her hair.
“There. You’re a motherfucking princess,” Yelena repeats MJ’s words from the first time she gave her this particular hairstyle. MJ lets out a laugh.
It doesn’t take long until Yelena finds herself laying back on the nest of blankets, MJ laying next to her, pressed against her side as they stare up at the sky.
“I’ve been on like two dates and both times I think they only wanted in my pants. This is the best date ever,” MJ comments. “I get to plan the next date though.”
“Sure…” Yelena draws random shapes on MJ’s side. “Are we officially girlfriends now? Or partners, or whatever you want to be called?”
“Is that what you want?” MJ twists her head to peer up at Yelena. “To be girlfriends? Because I wouldn’t mind that.”
A smile crosses Yelena’s face. ”Yeah?”
“Yeah,” MJ nods her head. “But if you don’t wanna put a label on it or anything then that’s cool too.”
“Hey MJ?” Yelena comments and MJ lets out a hum of acknowledgment. “Would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?”
MJ grins up at her. “Of course.” MJ snuggles closer to Yelena, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Best girlfriend ever.”
Yelena peers back up at the stars with a grin on her face, internally thanking Tony for the first perfect night in a long time.