We pull into a motel and Yelena goes into the office to get a room. The second she's out of earshot, Kate freaks out. Suddenly, I'm done with all of this confusion and who likes who bullshit. I'm clearly into both of them, they can figure out the rest.
"Did she hear us?" she hisses.
"I don't know, and I don't care. We've all been together for what, a week? And the whole time, I've been confused as hell and constantly concerned about what she's feeling. I'd like either an answer or to be done with it." I grab my bag and get Fanny out of the car without waiting for a response. I'm taking her to relieve herself when Yelena gets back with a room key. I stay outside with Fanny for a few more minutes after the others go inside, wanting to have a second to myself. If there's any way for me to just be alone when we get to the Avengers facility in California, I'll take it. One mission back and I'm already over it. At least, I'm over working with these two emotionally inept yet insufferably gorgeous idiots. I can't focus on anything around them. I head inside with Fanny to find them sitting in uncomfortable silence, Lucky chomping on a chew toy on the floor. Kate's tapping her foot, perching on a decrepit armchair.
"Who's sleeping where?" Kate asks, bluntly, gesturing at the two twin beds, one of which is where Yelena is sitting. Rather than answer, I just grab a pillow and curl up on the floor with the dogs. Yelena promptly flops onto the bed she's occupying, and falls asleep. Kate, on the other hand, very reluctantly climbs into the other bed. She keeps checking on me, and after a few minutes, I start to get annoyed.
"Can I help you, Katie?" I whisper when I catch her peeking over the side of the bed again.
"Do you think it's safe for all of us to sleep at the same time? Shouldn't someone keep watch?" her voice is thin.
"Would it make you feel better if I tried to sense if the assassin from the party or Val is near?" I offer.
"Can you sense if we're being followed, or just if you think of a specific person?" She asks, and I realize I've never tried the former, always just used my powers to track people down specifically.
"I'm not sure. Never tried," I admit, and then reach my thoughts out, trying to sense for anyone following us. I don't feel anything threatening, but I double check with my regular process, and still nothing. I relay that to Kate, who visibly relaxes. After another roughly 10 minutes of silence, I catch her looking at me again. "Yes?" I say, making eye contact with her.
"I just. I'm still kind of nervous. Would you wanna sleep up here with me?" I quirk a brow at her question, vaguely amused.
"You sure you wouldn't be giving Yelena the wrong idea? It might look like I'm trying to get with you," I tease. "Wouldn't want her to think you're stealing her girl."
"I thought you could be into more than one person," she recalls my earlier remark. "Or was that all talk?" I chuckle at her.
"Am I still invited?" I ask her after a second, and she just lifts the covers up, inviting me in. I squeeze in beside her, and it's a pretty tight fit in the small bed. It's awkward, both of us on our sides, looking at each other, so I flip over, only a little bit hyper aware of the fact that if either of us closed the roughly four inch gap, we'd be spooning. I'm almost asleep when I feel her hand on my waist, tentatively reaching across my body. I turn my head just a little bit to look at her, and she freezes for a split second.
"Don't want you to fall on the floor," she breathes, and I pull her arm tighter around me in response. There goes the gap. I feel her smile into the back of my neck, and I relish in the feeling of being held by her. She's strong and solid against me, and I find myself feeling safer. I'm asleep before I know it. When I wake up, Kate's arm is still slung over me, her fingers threaded into mine. A soft smile spreads across my face before I hear Yelena mock retching at us. She takes the dogs outside before I can say anything. Kate stirs in her sleep at the sound of the door shutting, and pulls me closer to her. God, it is incredible to feel wanted. I turn in her embrace and nudge her awake.
"Katie, time to get up," I say softly, and remarkably, I don't succumb to the temptation to kiss her forehead.
"But you're so warm," she whines, burying her face in my neck.
"Seriously! Yelena's already up with the dogs. We gotta get our shit together," I giggle, and untangle myself from her. I get my bag packed before I feel something nagging at me. Just in case, I reach out, searching for nearby danger. When I actually feel something, my spine freezes. Woah. It's like a menacing presence, like when you're in a haunted house and you can feel the ghost, except I know that there's a team of agents about 5 miles from our location. I'm assuming CIA agents. I've barely realized what I'm feeling before Kate looks up at me and furrows her brow.
"Are you okay? You look white as a sheet."
"Get Yelena and the dogs. I'll get her stuff. We need to go. Now," I order her, and spring into action. Kate blanches, but she listens to me. I'm getting all of our belongings out of the room and meeting them in the car when Yelena runs out of the front office. She has determination written all over her face.
"Get in. I'm driving." She holds up her keys and I jump into the passenger seat. Kate is in the back, holding Fanny and Lucky by their collars, both dogs panting happily in the seats beside her. Yelena practically leaves skid marks getting out of the parking lot, and she starts barking instructions. "Y/N, tell me exactly where you feel the danger coming from. Kate, keep yourself and the dogs quiet." I close my eyes and focus.
"Two vehicles, a mile and a half away. Dead ahead. Turn!" Yelena speeds down a side street and then to a parallel street from the one we were on.
"How close are they now?"
"Probably half a mile. They're flying, Jesus," I shake my head. There's a parking lot coming up and I direct Yelena to it. She stops for a second and I tell her when the cars have passed before we get the hell out of dodge. Fuck, that was close.
