That One Time We Kissed // Bishova College AU

Studious Students Studying

Kate tapped her pencil against her textbook, leg bouncing nervously. The chatter filling the library was far too distracting to get any work done, and even more captivating than the complex engineering jargon painting the pages was the woman across from her. Yelena studied dutifully for her French exam, one headphone in, her fingers toying with the other.

"What'd I tell you?" Yelena asked as she flipped the page, not looking up.

Kate groaned, fidgeting. "One chapter is one kiss..."

"And how many chapters have you gotten through?"

"None..."

"Kate..." Yelena glanced up to her restless girlfriend. "Why don't we take a break? It's been an hour."

"I've basically been on a break this entire time." Kate sighed. "Why is studying so hard?"

"Isn't your GPA really good? I mean, good enough to get an internship with Tony Stark, at least."

"Yeah, it's pretty okay. I don't really pay much attention to it, though. It stresses me out to think too much about it. About anything, really. I just wish I could focus. Imagine how smart I'd be."

Yelena shut her textbook, resting when chin on her propped up fist. "You're smarter than you think you are, Kate."

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't know. I feel like you see yourself as a slacker, but... you're kind of effortlessly intelligent. You're getting A's in college without studying."

Kate was dumbfounded. "I thought everyone did that. You know, getting good grades without trying. I don't know, maybe that's why I don't see myself as that smart, because I thought it came so easy to everyone else too."

Yelena leaned across the table, kissing one of Kate's cheeks. "My smart girl."

"Don't you sell yourself short either, Yelena."

"My GPA isn't anywhere near yours, I'm sure."

"Well, there's still different types of smart. Fish don't know how to ride bikes, but they're not dumb. I think you're people smart."

"People smart?"

"Mhm. Charisma and all. You don't become president of the biggest sorority on campus by accident, Lena."

"Hm." Yelena nodded. "You're right. But don't complement me any more, my ego doesn't need it."

"Don't complement you? Like don't tell you that you're beautiful? Or that it's really cute how concentrated you get when you study?"

"Yeah, don't say anything like that."

Kate looked back down to her textbook, but she knew any attempt at studying was fruitless. "What are you doing for Thanksgiving, Lena?"

With a good natured sigh, Yelena made her peace with the fact that not one more ounce of knowledge would be gained today. "I don't know, what are you doing?"

"Trying to decide which house to go to."

"Mom or dad?"

Kate nodded. "I really wanna go to my dad's place upstate, but I'd never hear the end of it from my mom. She wants me to meet her boyfriend."

Yelena cringed. "Oh, yikes."

"So... you don't have plans?"

"No."

"Wanna make Thanksgiving as awkward for my mom as it will be for me?"

"Absolutely."

"Thank God." Relieved, the brunette sat back. "And listen, love, I don't know what your home situation is, and you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to, but know I'm here. And I won't judge."

Yelena nodded sadly. "I know you'd never judge me. It's not you I'm worried about. I'm just never good at conversations like that."

"Take all the time you need." Kate brushed a reassuring hand over Yelena's, and as she did so noticed the blonde's textbook. "French? You're taking French? A language you already know?"

Yelena chuckled briefly, studying the cover. "Yeah. I needed a few foreign language credits, so I wanted to brush up on the language I'm shakiest on."

"What are the other two you know? English and..."

"Russian."

"Right. So how'd you learn French in the first place?"

"Just picked it up on my own along the way. Like I did with most things."

"French is a very useful thing to just pick up on."

"Not as much as you'd think, actually. I've never been to France, and very few people here speak it."

"I know some French, you know," Kate said, wiggling an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah? What?"

"Croissant," she said in an exaggerated accent, nearly causing Yelena to snort. "Um... oui oui baguette."

"Okay, that was..." Yelena nodded, stifling laughter, "that sure was something."

"I'm gonna learn Italian just so I can know a language you don't."

"Guess I'll just have to learn Italian first."

"Damn it."

Noticing the time, Yelena began stowing her highlighters and pens. "Where does you mom live, by the way?"

"Manhattan. Thanksgiving in the city, yippee."

"And you said your dad lives upstate?"

"Mhm."

"Why don't we visit him after? That Saturday, maybe? If you're down for that much driving."

Kate smiled, broad and toothy. "You'd come with me?"

"Of course."

"Thanks, baby. Really. It means a lot to me."

Yelena grinned, kissing Kate sweetly before standing and slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Well, you mean a lot to me. Like, the most."

"You big sap," Kate poked, taking Yelena's hand to exit the library.

"Yeah," the blonde confirmed, "you love it though."

"Yeah, I do."

________________________
I wrote half of this tipsy good luck