Dinner with Friends ¦ Kate x Yelena

Chapter 10: Dating with Friends, Part Two

Despite the innumerable times Yelena has come over since January, Kate spent the entire morning stressing out about making her place look especially inviting and clean. She felt ridiculous caring so much but she could not help it.

After Kate was discharged from the hospital last night, Yelena was waiting on her outside. She was feeling a lot better but seeing her friend look at her with such expectant eyes, it made her weak in her knees again. She wasn't quite prepared to talk sensibly to her yet and told her: 'Tomorrow-' She wanted to ask her to go on a date but suddenly felt shy but Yelena nodded understandingly.

'Tomorrow,' she smiled at her and without any verbal hint of a date, they had agreed to it and Kate couldn't think about anything else.

She's busy putting the last of her cushions in order when Yelena appears behind her, having come in through the window as usual. 'You look pretty.'

Kate nearly bites her tongue at her sudden appearance. Turning around, she smiles and says: 'So do you.' Yelena always looks pretty to her but seeing her now, in her fitted floral dress, with her hair braided around her head and a touch of gloss on her lips, she feels like her heart is about to stop. On top of that does her head feel lighter than ever before but that could have to do with the medication she still has to take for her shoulder.

She gestures at Yelena to sit down and offers her a drink. She prepared virgin mojitos and they'll have boxed macaroni for dinner. During the time she was hospitalised, she had thought long and hard about where to take Yelena for their second first date and eventually, she came to the conclusion that what they needed wasn't some exciting adventure or fancy dinner, but rather a comfortable moment between the two of them to learn more about each other and their feelings. Besides, as much as a foodie her friend may be, their fondest memories have been created over a plate of boxed macaroni.

This? This is perfect. More than enough.

'How are you, Kate Bishop?'

'Better now.' Her voice sounds way more unstable than the times she had practised how she would talk to Yelena in the mirror just a couple of hours earlier.

'Because you're no longer sick?' Kate's heart sinks a little, afraid that Yelena still doesn't understands the full extent of her feelings, that she is being completely friend-zoned. But then Yelena adds: 'Or ... because I'm here?' Her doe eyes grab Kate's sinking heart and hold it tight. Her face flushes and for once, there's no alcohol to blame for that.

Kate smiles and bites her lip. 'Make of that what you will.'

They sip their drinks. 'You know, Kate Bishop,' Yelena speaks, looking at the ceiling. 'Our fight- I'm glad you made it out safely. Not only because I did not want to lose you but also because that fight was the most fun I've had in a while. Fighting alongside you... it has magic to it. I felt free.'

'Well, I guess it probably seemed more fun without a bullet in you,' Kate starts but not wanting to minimize Yelena's positive memory, she adds: 'but I'm glad to have been fighting on the same side of you this time.'

'Oh, you would not have survived if we weren't on the same side.'

'No, I wouldn't have,' Kate smiles as if that threat is the most wonderful thing ever said to her. 'I think I could learn a thing or two from you, for-' She cuts herself off, lost in thought. She has no idea how her status as future Avenger will affect her relationship with Yelena. Secretly, she has been hoping her friend may have a spot there too. That way, they could fight alongside each other for the rest of their lives. It doesn't seem entirely impossible, seeing as Natasha had been on the team since the very beginning. Why not Yelena?