That One Time We Kissed // Bishova College AU

Senioritis

"I don't wanna go," Kate whined, clinging onto Yelena's bed frame desperately. "It's just syllabus day. I'm not gonna miss anything."

Yelena rolled her eyes playfully, turning away from the sad little display and dabbing on more bright red lipstick. "But, baby, if you don't go to class today, some other loner will claim the seat closest to the door."

Sitting up straight, Kate cringed. "God, you're right. What if I end up in the first row?"

"What horror."

Kate softened, anxieties slowly floating away as she tracked Yelena's morning routine. She had it memorized by now- hair first, then makeup, then jewelry. The way the gentle morning light caught in Yelena's golden accessories, the rings covering her fingers, her earrings, it was entrancing. Usually, the blonde was concise in her movements, decisive and assertive, but as she watched, Kate could not help but notice a certain timidness in her girlfriend.

"Are you alright?" Kate asked as Yelena studied the ring on her thumb for a beat too long.

"Hm?" Yelena glanced up, turning to face Kate. "Why?"

"You seem a little... I don't know. Not down, but hesitant, or something."

Chewing her lip, Yelena sank down into the mattress next to the brunette, sitting thigh to thigh. "Maybe I am."

"Nervous for school? That's not like you."

Yelena cracked a half smirk. "Yeah, I own this place. I'm excited to be back, really... it's just different now."

"With Pepper?"

"Yeah. What if she forgets about me?"

"How on earth could anyone forget you?"

"She's done it before."

"And I don't think that's a mistake she'll make twice," Kate consoled softly, bumping Yelena with her shoulder. "It is different now. But better."

"Thank you, love," Yelena whispered, kissing Kate's temple before she stood. "Okay, I'm done being sad. I'm the president of the biggest sorority on campus. I have a hot girlfriend. I have a millionaire mom now. It is absolutely my year."

-

Through the first few weeks of a school, it was absolutely Yelena Belova's year. A record number of parties had been planned through the end of September, as well as a record amount of money raised for the children's hospital partnered with Tri Delta. She was crushing her classes, running her sorority as efficiently as a navy ship, and she still had a hot girlfriend.

One of the best parts to the blonde, though, were her almost daily chats with Pepper. Yelena would call after class or on a walk and Pepper would always answer, no matter how busy, no matter what meeting she was rushing to, Pepper was there, whenever Yelena needed her.

Kate, on the other hand, found academic life difficult to return to. After a grueling, high stakes internship and a summer fraught with interpersonal conflict, another semester chock full of STEM courses was leading to a bit of burnout for Kate.

So, in lieu of keeping up with her studies, Kate let loose for a few weeks to recharge. Treading water in her classes, she folded nicely into the role of slacker. She would skip a class here and there to skate with MJ, game with Carol, go out for coffee with Yelena. Staying up later, sleeping in longer. When not out partaking in the joys of youth, Kate spent most of her time in the Tri Delta house, and one day found herself in the kitchen with Wanda.

"Katie," said Wanda, frowning up at the fridge. "Can you reach that?"

"Reach what?" Kate asked from the table, not looking up from her phone.

She stretched, straining to feel the top of the frigid black box. "I swear to God that Yelena hid a stash of Reese's up here last year, but I can't reach."

"Neither can Yelena, so it's probably not up there," Kate dismissed, eyes still on her screen.

With a huff, Wanda stalked over and snatched the device from Kate's hands, disapproving glare etched on her features. "Kate Bishop."

"Wanda Maxim..." she trailed off. "Maximus?"

Wanda's raised eyebrow reached new heights. "Really?"

"Why do I not know this? I feel like I should know this." Kate squinted in concentration. "Maxwell?"

"Maximoff." Tugging Kate to her feet, Wanda gently shoved her in the direction of the fridge. "Now you really have to help me."

"Fine." Reaching an arm up, Kate felt half heartedly around the dusty flat top. "Where's Nat?"

"Work, probably."

"Oh, yeah. New mechanic gig, right?"

"Yeah," Wanda sighed, leaning over the kitchen counter and running a hand through her long brown hair. "Damn mechanic."

"Do you... not like it?"

"No, it's good for her." She frowned, studying Kate's face as she continued to grope the poor refrigerator. "But she's getting a taste of real money and I feel like she wants to drop out."

"Me and her both."

"Yeah, I thought as much."

"How could you tell?"

"You've been over here more than when you broke your leg. And you're not stressed at all. It's like you haven't even been to class."

"I haven't, really."

"Come on, Kate..."

Confident that no chocolate existed, Kate brought her hand down, wiping dust and grime off on her jeans. "I'm just taking a bit of a break. I'll kick it back into gear after homecoming, promise."

"A break? We just got back to school."

"Summer wasn't really restful for me. I don't know what all Yelena told you, but from the internship and all the stuff with my mom and Pepper... I don't know. I wanted a few weeks."

"Okay, if you say so. Just promise me you won't let that big brain of yours get rusty." Wanda said, taking Kate by the shoulders.

The taller woman grinned, one eyebrow raised. "You worried about me or something?"

"Of course. I always worry about my friends."

The phrasing softened Kate, shoulders dropping slightly. "Friends, huh?"

"Well, yeah." She straightened, pulling her hands. "You've been there for Lena. And Nat, even. And me."

"I guess you're right. And, hey, if you want me to talk to Nat, I could."

"Oh, would you?" Wanda asked, eyes grateful. "Sometimes I feel like she doesn't tell me everything. Maybe she'll open up to you."

"I'll see what I can do. Do you want to... I don't know, double date sometime?"

"Oh my God, obviously. Why don't we do that more often?" Back to her perky self, Wanda pulled up her extremely organized Google calendar on her phone. "I was planning on dragging Natty to a corn maze in a few weeks. You two are welcome to tag along."

"Is it a haunted corn maze?"

"Aren't they all?"

"Yeah, alright. We'll be there."

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Hi holy shit. I wasn't planning on going MIA for two months but the holidays hit and so did the seasonal depression lmao.

Sorry for the delay. Here's this chapter. I'm just throwing words at the page.