Quiver and Crown // KateLena

Lunar Liminality

Despite the comforting warmth Kate offered as the two once again shared a bed, nothing could calm Yelena's rapid thoughts. She had not slept in two nights and had remained in bed, motionless and wordless, the entirety of the previous day. The blonde laid facing the wall, stewing on her anger, sadness, and regret, and Kate let her be. At least, until the sun begin its descent and Kate quietly climbed under the thin blanket beside the blonde, gently tugging her over to rest on her, offering silent compassion and understanding.

Kate could not sleep either as she gazed out her window at the full moon. She had suffered a loss herself, as there was no world in which Clint would allow the Queen to perish if he himself were not already cut down. Though unconfirmed, Kate mourned as if he was gone, and at the thought of burying two fathers in her lifetime, Kate felt a hot tear roll down her cheek.

"I'm sorry, Yelena," Kate blurted, speaking as if only to think of something else.

Yelena sat up, consigned to her sleep deprivation. She turned to face the other woman, who sat up as well. The two sat cross legged, knees touching, only illuminated by the moon. Desperate for something to ground her, Yelena toyed with one of Kate's hands in both of her own, tracing patterns on various scars, running the soft pads of her fingertips over the ridges of Kate's knuckles.

"How did we even get here, Kate Bishop?"

"On a horse." Kate laughed shortly. "I'm sorry, wrong time."

Yelena's face hinted at a smile. "Perfect time, actually."

"I don't know what to say, Yelena, just... know that I understand."

The blonde nodded. Had the sentiment come from anyone else, she may have recoiled, spat a scathing response back. But unfortunately for Kate, she truly did understand. "I'm sorry about Clint, love," she said softly, eyes trained on Kate's hand.

"It's just so unfair, having people ripped from your life like this. One day, you're having dinner with them, telling jokes, and you say 'goodnight, see you in the morning', except morning never comes."

"We're stuck in the night, aren't we?"

"For now. Luckily, I think the moon is beautiful."

Yelena hummed. "I feel so terribly for Natasha. Surely she's realized mom is gone, and she's probably in the dungeon, all alone..."

"You heard Wanda, Steve is with her." Kate scooted closer, leaning against the clay wall of her quaint cottage bedroom. "Though it is sad."

"At least I'm free. At least I have you." She moved to sit in between Kate's outstretched legs, leaning back against her chest. "Not everyone has someone."

Kate wrapped her arms easily around Yelena. "You're about all I have now, my princess. And at the same time, you're everything I need right now."

For a little while, the two sat contentedly curled up, but it did not take long for Yelena's mind to run wild again, and it pained Kate to see the consternated look playing across the blonde's tired face. The dark circles under her eyes were only accentuated by her furrowed brows, and the hazel eyes themselves were clouded, looking off into another world.

"Yelena," Kate whispered.

"Hm?"

"We have a long journey ahead of us, my princess. I need you to rest, because when we meet King Thor, you're our delegate. You're the representative. We must be ready."

"Do you wish to stress me out?"

"No, no, that is not my intention. I just want you to rid yourself of every thought you're having right now. Put it into the world, so maybe we can rest and work on putting Pietro where he belongs."