No More Excuses//Katelena

22: All's Well That Sleds Well

Did you say fun winter activities??
Are they gay???
YES
YES THEY ARE YOUR HONOR

Content warnings: minor injury

Kate trudges grumpily behind Yelena, Lucky whining and pulling at his leash to get to Fanny. The assassin and her akita were several yards ahead of them, both of them basically bred for the snow and completely accustomed to it, unlike the two behind them.

Lucky was still faring alright, Kate supposed, but she wasn't used to being in the snow all that much, and New York's five inches that floated down last night were becoming a bit of a bother.

"Are we almost there, Kate Bishop?" Yelena calls behind her, her cheeks rosy as she and Fanny bound along in the white powder.

"You're the one who's ahead of me!" Kate shouts back. She almost faceplants into the snow when Lucky gives a particularly hard tug, and she relents, unclipping his leash to let him run ahead and catch up with their friends. "Little psycho," she laughs.

"Kate Bishoooooop! Hurry uppppp!"

"Yelena Belovaaaaaa! Slow downnnnnn!"

The blonde cackles but does slow, waiting for Kate to catch up to her and the dogs. Lucky has sat himself next to Fanny rather dutifully, his feathery tail swishing with contentment.

"Simp," Kate says under her breath, patting his soft head. He barks and trots along. Yelena grabs Kate's hand to pull her faster as they continue to walk. "Remind me why we didn't just find a path that's been paved already?"

"Because you told me it would take longer, Kate Bishop."

"Not that much longer..."

Yelena hums and twines their fingers together, patting Kate's arm. "Poor Kate Bishop, walking in snow. Russia would eat you alive."

The archer grumbles. "I just don't like being cold."

"Neither do I, Kate Bishop!" The blonde throws her other hand out and gestures at the scenery around them, trees and rocks and a blanket of snow. "But it is beautiful out! And we are dressed warm, so as long as you don't throw a snowball at me, we will be fine."

Kate huffs, kicking at the powder as they walk. "What happens if I throw a snowball at you?"

Yelena's smile is terrifying. "It will make me grumpy. Also, I will take it as an open invitation to fight back."

"Ah, noted. Thanks."

They reach the hill that Kate has in mind a few minutes later, and she's both relieved and surprised to see that there are only a few teenagers and little ones sledding around; especially seeing as it's the weekend. "Huh. Though it'd be busier," she mutters.

"Kate Bishop, we did not bring any sleds," Yelena points out, tugging at the archer's sleeve and frowning. "Tell me you do not expect me to slide around on my ass."

"No no no," Kate laughs, leading her to a cluster of bushes and pulling two brightly colored disks out of the foliage. "Tada! Kids leave their sleds laying around all the time."

Yelena tilts her head. "Those are not sleds, Kate Bishop."

"What do you mean? Of course they are."

"Really, Kate Bishop? Those things?" She waves at the pieces of plastic in Kate's hands, which are neon pink and green and shaped like oversized dinner plates. "They look ready to snap in half at moment's notice."

"They slide real good though," Kate argues simply, shrugging. "We're not trying to surf on them, so who cares if they're flimsy?"

"What if I was planning on surfing on them?"