Buzz Cuts and Coffee Cups // KateLena

one

"Lena?" Kate asked, expression puzzled as she rummaged through the kitchen cabinets, tossing Tupperware and casting aside cups. "Damn it..."

"What is it, love?" Yelena responded from the adjacent sunroom, sipping on her smooth black coffee as she thumbed lazily through a book. "Kate?"

"Where is my..." she trailed off again, frowning. She closed her eyes, tracing her steps from the previous days. "Not in my car, not in the living room..."

Having set her coffee down, Yelena padded into the kitchen, wrapping her arms around Kate's waist from behind. "Something wrong?"

Twisting, Kate pecked Yelena on each temple, eyebrows still furrowed. "Was gonna go on a run before it got too hot out, but I've lost my damn water bottle again. You haven't seen it, have you?"

"No, I'm sorry."

Sighing, Kate stepped away from the embrace, fruitlessly searching the cabinets up and down for the missing article. Frowning, Yelena ventured back to her coffee and novel, but stopped in the sunroom doorway. She leaned against it, arms crossed as she watched her wife mercilessly beat herself up over a simple mistake.

Kate had always been hard on herself, but recently her stress level had climbed higher, and although she always searched for the good in people, she never extended that kindness inward. Lately, Kate's mental lapses seemed more frequent and consequential, as she misplaced important work files, Lucky's favorite tennis ball, and now, her prized vibranium water bottle. It was just getting old to Kate. She wanted to be capable, trustworthy, responsible.

If only Kate could see herself the way Yelena did. No matter what, Yelena would always see her as endearingly ditzy and exceedingly kind. A little forgetful, a tad unorganized, but forgivable. It was a sweet character quirk, not a huge moral failing. Kate was her wife, and she vowed to love every part of her, especially the parts Kate despised.

Joining her in the kitchen, Yelena worked alongside Kate, rummaging through the last of the cabinets. Once it was clear to the blonde that the bottle was nowhere to be found, she switched gears, focusing on fixing lunch for the two to share. It was nothing extravagant, just some pasta and a garden salad, but every meal felt special to Yelena when spent with the woman she loved.

After a beat, Kate noticed her wife's shift in focus, and the way Yelena hummed while she stirred the pasta melted all of Kate's anxieties away. Stacking all the Tupperware and bowls back into the cupboard, Kate prepared her own contribution of piping hot tea made just the way her wife liked. With a small smile, Kate grabbed two white mugs, both printed with "I <3 NY".

"I remember when we bought those," Yelena said, starting on her sauce.

"Yeah?"

"Mhm." She boosted herself up onto the counter, looking at Kate with stars in her eyes. "It was our fifth date."

"The Statue of Liberty?"

"That's right."

"It was such a disaster," Kate chuckled, shaking her head. "It rained all day but I insisted we get on the ferry."

"Not your fault it rained." Yelena kicked gently at Kate. "You were so determined for me to see that view."

"And you liked it, right?"

"Of course I did. It was beautiful. You remember what happened when we reached the top?"

"Mhm..." Kate took her wife's hand, thumb tracing the golden wedding band engraved with KB. "The downpour stopped, and we saw a rainbow."

"There's a lesson in there somewhere..."

"You're not sneaky, Lena," Kate cracked a half smile, peppering little kisses on Yelena's hand, her cheeks, her forehead. She could kiss her for eternity and it wouldn't be long enough. "I'm okay, promise."