We Are Defined By What We Do

Five

Once on the chopper, Yelena hands over major controls to Kate, teaching her about taking off. They make their way back to Russia, Sonya finding her voice and asking questions. Yelena answers them calmly and efficiently, trying not to scare the woman with these new facts about her new life.

They drop her off at the apartment building Vic and Nat bought, a hostel and almost rehabilitation center for the widows. When Sonya's comfortable with the environment, Kate and Yelena make their way on foot to Yelena's apartment, Yelena wanting to swap out her clothes and letting Kate borrow some.

"Woah, this is your place?" Kate asks as Yelena unlocks her door, entering inside before Yelena can herself.

Kate takes it all in. The art and kid drawings from Yelena's nieces and nephews, dog toys and books in Russian littering the floor. Several spare photos float about the room -- the kids, Clint's and a trio of girls; Natasha Romanoff and Vic Bronson, in and out of their suits; Fanny as a puppy with a laughing Yelena as the dog licks her face. A bookcase full of plants, a kitchen full of every utensil imaginable. Copper pots and pans hang from the hood over the island, spice racks and air-tight containers of ingredients dot the countertops.

She could get used to this.

"Yes. Clothes are in the bedroom down the hall. Do not take my vest."

Kate skips off down the hall as Yelena checks her fridge for expired foods, clearing some of them out. Then she sits down at her kitchen table in front of the laptop there, looking at the newest hit off her widow database and finding one in Italy. The Stark tech Nat and Vic gifted her certainly sped things up.

Kate appears in the kitchen, arms full of clothes. "I want your wardrobe." She drops it all on the floor, Yelena opening her mouth to protest. "Literally everything." Kate squats and starts sifting through it, throwing scarves over her shoulders and coats on her back. "I mean, where do you find this stuff? Do you buy it or do you thrift?" She gasps, lifting a patterned blouse. "This is custom."

"Please put my clothes back. Only necessities, a few days worth."

"Okay, okay. Putting it back." Kate stands, swooping all of it into her arms. She walks off down the hall as Yelena tidies the living room, wiping and blowing the dust off a few surfaces with her hand. "Hey, so, do you live here alone?" Kate calls from her room.

"Just me and Fanny," Yelena tells.

"Does it ever get lonely?"

Yelena pauses, considering this. "I've never lived with anyone else. I can't imagine what living with another person would be like. So no, not lonely. Just logical."

"Well, I live by myself, and I still visit my mom all the time. Well, visited, now, I guess. 'Cause she's in jail. But when I go back I think I'll get lonely. I mean, I'll have Pizza Dog, but it's not the same as a human, you know? He can't hold a conversation. Or cook. Which is going to be a problem because I can't cook either. I literally only have one fork."

"You have one fork?" Yelena snorts.

"I'm one person," Kate retorts, coming into view in the living room. "Are you looking for a roommate? Because I think that would really work out for us, if we're going to do this for the long run. It's just logical."

Kate smiles, and Yelena hums, smirking at her.

"You want to be my roommate?"

"Yeah, why not? My place burned down anyway, so I'm kind of between housing. I think it could be fun! Us and the dogs. Like a married couple. Without the sex. Or the married. Or the couple."

And what Kate doesn't know, is that her proposal to Yelena is exactly what the Russian has been looking for. Yelena glances up at her, thinking it through. "I think I might say yes to you, Kate Bishop."