Yelena follows Kate into the room, not tied up or anything. She looks at me flatly. I sit up a little bit straighter. "Leave us," Kate commands the girls, and they join the boys in the other room. "You two are going to stay together. You're going to check in with me regularly, and you're going to start today." She sits down in another chair identical to the one I'm tied to, Yelena following suit. I laugh.
"For the millionth time, no." I level my gaze at her. "Fuck all the way off."
"You used to love her. Why won't you help her out now?" Kate returns my stare. I roll my eyes and lean back into the chair.
"Kate, please," Yelena says softly. "Y/n. I need to apologize to you. What I said that day was out of line," she meets my eyes sincerely. "I'm sorry, y/n."
"It's too little too late, Yelena," I tell her, gritting my teeth. "How many times do I have to tell you I'm not interested in reuniting our little throuple?" I ask them both. "Get it through your thick fucking skulls. I don't want you. I don't need you. Leave me alone." My anger is starting to betray me, I know. There are tears welling up in me that if spilled will ruin my argument.
"No. I didn't fight for you before, and I've regretted it every day since," Kate admits, crossing her arms. "We both do." Yelena nods in agreement.
"Get the fuck over yourselves! I'm over you. I'm done! You lost me!" I take a deep breath, trying to control my emotions. "Untie me from this ugly ass chair and let me go to Paris so I can decompress from this shit show with a good fuck." I'm being excessively crass, I know. I'm hoping it gets my point across.
"You can't honestly think I believe you?" Kate scoffs, "The second Johnny called me 'babe', your jealousy was palpable. When I mention Yelena, your whole body bristles. Now, with both of us in the room, you're peacocking so hard I'm surprised you haven't exploded from the effort." As she's talking, I look up at the ceiling, annoyed.
"I'm hardly peacocking, I'm tied to a fucking chair and I'm pissed off," I deadpan. "You're not going to win here."
"Says the woman who was kidnapped," Yelena mumbles, and I whip my gaze to her.
"And why the fuck are you free? You didn't seem very receptive to her help yesterday."
"I changed my mind," Yelena answers.
"As much as I would have loved to be in this position two years ago, I'm going to have to ask again. Let me go," I demand, and Kate chuckles.
"Help Yelena stay safe."
"No! Jesus Christ, why the fuck do you care, Kate? I haven't seen either of you for two years! Stop acting like no time has passed!"
"If you refuse to stay with her, I'm taking you with me," she threatens, and Yelena nods in assent. You have got to be kidding me.
"Who gave you authority over me? Huh? Honestly, you're wasting so much time here, I'm beginning to think Yelena isn't in danger at all," I spit it out, but then it clicks. Yelena would be long gone by now if she was really on the run. "You're not, are you?" I glare at her, and her gaze wavers enough that I know I'm right. "Holy shit. You're working together."
"Y/n-" Kate starts, but I don't let her make any excuses.
"When did you find me?" I look between them, and they try not to meet my eyes. I raise my voice. "When?"
"I found you a month ago. When you were in Germany. That's when I contacted Yelena," Kate admits haltingly.
"And what? You decided to lie to me and trick me back into your lives?" I tug on the restraints holding my wrists to the chair. "Fuck you. Both of you."
"We knew you wouldn't come willingly. I kept tabs on you for that month. I saw you, drinking, and getting high, and sleeping with any woman that looked at you for more than a second. You need help," Kate elaborates, and I'm surprised she can see me she's so far up on that high horse.
"I feel bad for you. Because based on that sentence, you think having fun constitutes a problem," I smirk, and she rolls her eyes. "You can't hold me against my will. That isn't very heroic." When I say that, Yelena actually laughs.
"Of course it is! You're an international assassin, y/n. Or did you forget what was paying for your 'fun'?" She bites out, bitter.
"Because you're so much better than me, aren't you?"
"Kate, she isn't going to cooperate. Just forget it," Yelena tells her, standing up and walking toward me. She leans down so her face is level with mine. "I can't believe I ever loved you." She starts to untie my restraints, but Kate jumps up.
"Yelena, don't." She joins her in front of me and gives me a once over. "I think you were right. We have ourselves a high profile criminal here. I'll take her to headquarters." She turns on her heel abruptly. "You're welcome to join us if you'd like." She exits the room, and I level my gaze at Yelena.
"Untie me."
"You're not my prisoner. You're property of the West Coast Avengers now," she mocks me, going back to sit in her chair. The restraint she already loosened is definitely still loose. I shift slightly, untying one hand while her back is turned. When she looks back at me, I'm untying my other hand. "Don't make me fight you."
"Then let me go," I say, freeing myself entirely from the chair. "Like you said, I'm not your prisoner. Therefore, I'm not your problem." I clock my bag in the corner of the room, and she doesn't stop me from going to get it. I'm almost to the door when she speaks up.
"Where are you going to go?"
"I don't know yet. Maybe Barcelona. I have a couple of, uh, 'contacts' there."
"Don't get yourself killed." She stands up and makes her way toward the other door.
"Like you'd care," I scoff, and slip out into the hallway.
