That One Time We Kissed // Bishova College AU

Yelena's Own Mount Everest

Still shaking her head with a disbelieving laugh, Kate skated to where she should have gone at the start of the night anyway- to the quad with her best friends. The November air was cool as she glided down the hill overlooking the massive expanse of green grass and smooth sidewalk that made up the plaza in the center of campus. She heard Peter and MJ before she saw them as she rounded a corner, and found the couple sharing a laugh as Peter sat sprawled on the cement, seemingly flung from his penny board.

"How are you so good at this?" He asked, standing up and brushing debris from his sweater.

"You'd be better if you weren't on that little-" MJ cut off as Kate rolled up. "Well, look who it is. Your party over already?"

"MJ..." Peter said, taking in Kate's dejected expression.

MJ softened, beckoning for Kate to come laze in the plush grass with them. "Something happen?"

"I'm sorry, guys," Kate started. "I've spent like, two straight weeks with Yelena. And I don't regret that, but I wish I would've seen you guys more too. Especially today."

"Nah, don't apologize about spending time with your girl." MJ nudged Peter. "We have the luxury of both being friends with you, so it hasn't been a problem. But maybe you could bring Yelena around sometime."

"Yeah..."

"Uh oh," Peter said, laying flat on the grass, hands behind his head. "Trouble in paradise?"

"I don't know," Kate sighed. "She's really great and I love spending time with her, I just wish she listened to me more."

"Have you told her that?"

"Well, that's the problem, she won't listen." Kate picked annoyedly at the grass. "And I'm tired of parties."

"You've only been to two," MJ said.

"Yep, and that's enough for me."

"So, what are you gonna do now? About your prom queen?"

Kate checked her phone, where she had two missed calls from her girlfriend. With a shake of her head, Kate said, "eh, I'll talk to her later tonight. I wanna know what's up with you guys."

Peter and MJ shared a look, and Peter mumbled, "well, I guess you got the news on the internships..."

Kate frowned. "Yeah. I'm sorry, MJ. If you want me to drop, I will. We can find something together, or-"

"Bishop, are you insane?" MJ asked. "I couldn't be happier for you two. Besides, that's a STEM internship, and I have something with the FBI anyway."

"I'm sorry, the FBI?" Kate said, eyebrows raised. "Like, Quantico?"

"No, the other FBI."

"Okay, Michelle, I'm sure the bureau will weaponize your sarcasm somehow."

The group laughed, and Kate sat back happily as MJ stood and guided Peter on her longboard, holding him steady. It was good, getting back to basics like this, but something felt off. Something was missing. Kate glanced at her phone again, and realized she wished the blonde could be here with her, skating and joking in the cool breeze of the evening.

-

"Yelena, you need to relax."

Yelena paced her bedroom floor, party still raging outside the door. "I can't, Nat. She left. She just left me here."

"Well, yeah, you've kind of been bossing her around all day. When Wanda does that to me, it's cute, but you're kind of intimidating."

"I haven't been bossing her around. Kate likes helping."

Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Did she tell you that?"

Yelena wrung her hands. "Well, no..."

"You gotta listen to her, Lena."

"I know, I know." Dejectedly, Yelena sat down next to Natasha with a huff. "Why is this so difficult?"

"Love?" Natasha shrugged. "The only stuff worth doing in life is hard. Is it easy to climb Mount Everest? Or run a marathon? No. But it is rewarding."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. God, I feel like an ass, though. How do you and Wanda make it work?"

"Like I said, listen to each other. Compromise. Kate's been over here constantly, but have you been to her dorm? Have you met her friends?"

"No..."

"See?" Natasha nudged Yelena gently. "Look, I'm not saying all of this to make you feel guilty. I just want you to see things from her perspective. How do you think she felt when she walked in and was immediately asked to prep for a party she probably didn't even want to be at?"

"Probably not very good. I know she's not great with crowds, I should have stuck by her..."

"You're getting it. Now you just have to tell her that. But maybe let her talk first, and really listen to what she says."

"Thanks, Nat. I knew I could count on you for a straight answer."

"Heh," Natasha chuckled, standing to head back out to the party. "A 'straight' answer, sure."

When Natasha shut the bedroom door, Yelena anxiously pulled out her phone again, bracing for any word from Kate. She half thought a breakup voice mail may await her and this would be the end, but instead, a text from the woman popped up.

Kate 💜: hey, sorry I missed your calls. Come over tonight? You know what they say about sleeping angry

Of course Kate would send something so level headed. With a sigh of relief, the blonde quickly replied she would be on her way soon, thankful her relationship had not ended as soon as it had begun. She slung on her black hoodie and braced for the cold as she fought through the crowd and ventured into the night.

The worst part, the not knowing, was over, but now, Yelena had to confront something almost as terrifying: an honest, vulnerable conversation. This is what flings didn't have, Yelena thought. So many strings, so much red tape and conflict. The initial spark of attraction, the aesthetic appeal of a beautiful person, that was the easy part, the fun part, but Yelena knew deep down there was never any real depth, never any stakes.

But now, as she trekked to Kate's dorm, Natasha's words echoed in her mind. The best things in life were difficult. The rewarding parts of relationships were also the most visceral, the riskiest. Being known, being seen, fully and completely, without reservation or inhibition. This was her Mount Everest, her marathon run.

Yelena took a deep breath. Despite twenty years of experience telling her to think otherwise, she trusted Kate enough to hear her out, to take her seriously, and to patch things up. She hoped.