No Tears | NR

Chapter 44

Birnin Zana, Wakanda

Yara grabbed a suit that roughly resembled those of the Dora Milaje, although the colors were different. She also made sure that she had something that would cover her forearms. Then, she picked up a set of rifles and secured them on her back. She finally placed a dagger in a holster on her belt with more ammunition for the rifles and turned around to leave.

That's when she noticed that Natasha hadn't moved since the brunette had turned around.

"What are you still doing here?" Yara regretted wording her question the way she did as soon as the words left her mouth, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

"I wanted to let you get ready", Natasha replied, avoiding a straight answer.

"Well, I'm ready. Let's go", Yara announced with a little impatience that was a result of her anxiety.

Natasha still didn't move.

"We gotta go. The battle probably already started." Yara's impatience was growing and annoyance was seeping into her voice.

"I know that nothing will change your mind about this, but please be careful", Natasha finally spoke in a voice that was barely more than a whisper.

Yara looked at her with slight concern and surprise. This was nothing like the Natasha she had gotten to know in the past year and a half and it certainly wasn't anywhere close to the cold, focused person, the Avenger had been in the last two days. Even in her softer moments, she had never let herself be this vulnerable. There was only one time that came anywhere close to this, as far as Yara remembered, and that was in the UK right after Yara had escaped from Griebel.

Perhaps, that was the reason why Yara suddenly felt the full size of what she was about to walk into. It was as if the realization had only just hit her, even though she had known it before. It occurred to her that despite her preparation, both mental and physical, she wasn't really prepared for the battle of the scale that was ahead. She couldn't be prepared. Noone could. Not even Natasha.

"You too", Yara finally managed to get out quietly. "I know that we have to do everything in our power to win this", Yara took a short break to give her following words more meaning, "but please, be careful. Я не потеряю тебя сегодня. I won't lose you today." Her voice sounded much more confident than she actually felt. In fact, her mind was racing and doubts were filling her head and heart.

A sad smile found its way onto Natasha's face. She nodded in response to Yara's short speech and turned around to leave the room.

Yara followed her slowly. The look on Natasha's face had reminded her of the Avenger's sister. Yelena had a similar look on her face during one of the last times they had seen each other. Yara wondered what the younger, blonde woman was doing. Probably freeing a widow from Dreykov's mind control. The brunette smirked at the imagined image in her head and hoped that she was right. She knew from Natasha that Yelena had been busy doing exactly that since the fall of the Red Room. With that thought in mind, she ran to catch up with Natasha.

About 15 minutes after the first ship had hit the dome, Yara found herself standing next to Natasha and Bucky. She hadn't had time to talk to the man yet and they had more important things to worry about right now than introductions, so she just continued referring to him as Bucky. Steve was next to them and T'Challa was close by, talking to one of his men. Bruce was a little further away in a large metal suit, that was probably supposed to imitate the Hulk's stature and strength, Yara suspected. Wanda and Vision had stayed back at the laboratory with Shuri.

Wakandan troops were gathered in neat groups behind the row of Avengers. They had hurried to get here and get organized. By the time Yara and Natasha arrived, many of them were already prepared and ready for battle. That's at least, what it seemed like to Yara.