Here comes the bridesmaid (Kate x Yelena)

Three

Natasha finds them. They don't know how or why (Yelena doesn't think she wants to know) but she's standing there in her dazzling white dress looking far too frantic for a woman on what is supposed to be one of the best days of her life.

They're slumped together underneath a maple tree, giggling lazily.

"There you are, where have you be- oh." Natasha's eyes flicker down to Kate, sat closely, too closely to her sister's side. "Who's this?" She raises a suggestive eyebrow and Yelena's eyes bulge wide.

"Hi," her eyes are sparkling with life and she looks so genuinely happy that Natasha's stiff figure starts to relax, "this is Kate, Kate this is Natasha, my sister."

Kate beams up at her, waving softly. "Congratulations on the wedding by the way, it was a beautiful ceremony." Natasha sort of looks cluelessly at Kate until she catches on and decides to elaborate for her. "My cousin works with your friend, that's why I'm here."

Natasha smiles sincerely before turning to Yelena. "I was just coming to find you for photos but you're clearly busy so I'll..."

"No, no it's fine." Kate butts in and pushes herself up to her feet. "Don't mind me, you can go take some photos." Her eyes dart down to the blonde curled up on the floor and she reaches down to offer her hand. Yelena gratefully takes the extended hand, warm in her own, and Kate helps her up from the floor.

"You can come with us," Natasha perks up, clearing her throat. She catches Yelena's eye and her lips twist up into a subtle smirk. Yelena ducks her head, lamely dropping Kate's hand and letting her own hang by her side.

"I wouldn't want to intrude."

Guilt. That's what Kate feels. An unfriendly clench in her gut. This isn't her wedding, nor her cousins, or a friend's, heck she doesn't even know the brides, she's merely here because Peter needed someone to go with. Peter. Her cousin who she's barely spoken to the whole evening, not like he didn't have anyone to speak to; he has plenty of friends here. Kate can't help but feel like she's intruding. Yelena is the bride's sister and she's just stolen her away from the entire reception itself, even if it was Yelena's idea in the first place. Kate can't help but feel responsible for that.

"You wouldn't be." Natasha brushes it off with a genuine smile, and when her green eyes sparkle, Kate can definitely see the resemblance between the sisters.

For the third time this evening, Yelena tugs Kate along by her hand but this time, towards the wedding, Natasha following close in their wake.

***

"Shit."

Yelena groans awake, only to find a dull ache tearing through her skull. She scrubs a hand across her face, trying to ignore the throb making it's way behind her close eyelids.

Her eyes slip open and that's when she sees her: dark hair sprawled out across the pillow beside her, small soft breaths puffing out of a peaceful face.

Oh fuck.

Her instinct reaction is to look down at herself and- still fully clothed, thank god. The headache only seems to grow with each waking second, however Yelena's just glad she hasn't felt a wave of nausea... yet. Although, she remembers she hadn't indulged in enough alcohol for her to be hungover, only having a few early evening.