IVANOV ~ yelena belova

𝟎𝟎𝟓

Do you ever have that feeling where your heart drops, like when you miss a step or when you wake up from a deep sleep?

That's how Karina felt as Yelena stood behind her, one hand on her arm and the other on her waist, assisting her in finding her fighting stance. She tried to focus as Yelena's hot breath fanned across her neck, but her thoughts were drawn to the girl behind her rather than the task at hand.

"You're not paying attention. If you want to survive here, you have to be a quick learner," she said harshly as she stepped back, creating space between them.

This would be the first time Dreykov and Madame B would see everyone train, and she knew they would be silently judging and analysing them to see who would be the ones to survive. So she thought that asking Yelena for guidance would be the best way for her to practise and learn. But she had no idea how difficult it would be to concentrate with Yelena as her teacher.

After Karina asked her about the girl she now knows as 'the favourite,' Yelena dropped the subject and moved to the punching bags, as if it pained her to even look at the redhead for too long. "Do you know how to fight?" Yelena asked once she tore her eyes away from Natasha. She took Karina's silence as a no and immediately began assisting her into a fighting position.

Her teaching style was, to say the least, unique. She was extremely impatient and aggressive, and she whisper-yelled at Karina whenever she made a mistake not to draw attention to themselves.

Yelena's brow was furrowed as she watched the other girl execute the kicks and punches she had taught her. Karina was self-conscious, but she tried not to show it as she felt Yelena watching her every move.

When she finished, she turned around and looked at Yelena expectantly, having thought that she had done pretty well. But the blonde girl rolled her eyes and told her to repeat the routine. Yelena returned to the gun she was assembling and reassembling, but Karina couldn't tear her eyes away from her as hands worked so efficiently. 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘷 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦! She mentally shouted at her self.

Yelena noticed Madame B walking around with her sharp eyes scanning each and every girl, her lip curled in disgust as she watched the supposed 'widows' throw pathetic punches. The blonde girl quickly shifted her attention away from Karina and back to her weapon, to avoid raising suspicion.

She was well aware that getting close to anyone in the Red Room was impossible. Natasha, who gradually distanced herself from her until they were strangers, was an example of this. She had become an emotionless weapon who stood by Dreykov's side like an accessory. Yelena never dared to ask why, too ashamed to ask, having thought she had done something to upset her sister. So Yelena grew to live without her sister's comfort.

She didn't want to repeat the same mistake again. As much as Yelena wished for someone close to her, she knew that it was impossible. Even if she was friends with Karina, Karina would come to her senses and realise she would only disappoint her anyway. Worse yet, Dreykov could find out and tear them apart. Yelena couldn't decide which was the worst.

So she made a promise to herself right then and there that she would keep to herself as she had done for the previous years she had been confined to the Red Room. Even if her roommate was a beautiful girl that needed her help in becoming a trained assassin.

Karina was completely unaware of Yelena's thoughts as she continued to train and push herself to the point where her knuckles were sore and bruised. She, too, had noticed Madame B and begged silently not to embarrass herself in front of the woman who held her life in her hands.

ⴵ

The young girls were currently making their way to the cafeteria which was the same time Karina found out that they actually fed them.

Her limbs were aching and sore as she waited in line for her food, with Yelena in front of her. This would be her first meal in nearly two days, and she was starving. She was surprised that Yelena hadn't mentioned how annoying her stomach rumbling was. Having said that, Yelena hadn't spoken a thing to her on the way there.

"I don't know why you look so excited, the food here is disgusting," Yelena said as she glanced behind her, noticing Karina staring longingly at the line in front of them.

"And I don't know why you complain all the time, but I don't say anything," she retorted. Yelena huffed and returned to the line; Karina was afraid she had stepped over a boundary, but despite Yelena's best efforts, Karina noticed her lips twitch.

The line moved quickly, and Karina was soon served her food. The cook spooned grey mush onto her tray, which landed with a splat. Karina's face blanched, and Yelena almost laughed at the sight of her horrified face. Karina knew the food would be terrible, but wishful thinking was the only thing keeping her going.

They walked over to a table in the corner and sat down silently, neither of them saying anything. Karina scanned each girl's glum expression in the cafeteria until her gaze landed on a particular redhead. Her eyes nearly widened at the sight of her nutritious meal, and she was overcome with jealousy when she saw her own bland and lumpy food.

"Apparently, the favourite deserves real food," she heard Yelena say, her voice irritated. "You should get used to it. Favouritism, I mean. It's everywhere here."

Karina nodded and continued to shove her food around her plate. All of the emotions she tried to suppress were resurfacing, but she would rather be numb and emotionless than feel the betrayal she still felt when her mother gave her away.

"You should eat, you'll need the energy."

Or maybe she'll find comfort in a certain blonde girl who's seemingly annoyed with her one moment but cares about her the next.