That One Time We Kissed // Bishova College AU

Benign Misunderstandings and Other Happenings

"So... how's the mechanic business?" Kate asked, sitting stiffly on the edge of her elevated dorm bed and staring at a visibly bored Natasha.

The redhead, constantly checking her phone for a text from Wanda, replied, "It's fine."

"Been, um, changing carburetors? Calibrating the... sensors?"

"Yeah, Bishop."

"Can I ask you a question? Why do we rotate tires? They rotate every time I drive."

Natasha sighed loudly and heavily, slouching against the doorway. "Where the hell are they?"

"It's Sunday," Kate shrugged. "They have a chapter meeting."

"Yeah, doesn't that end at seven?"

"Starts at seven."

Natasha pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh my God."

"You're telling me you didn't get here an hour early just to hang out with me?"

"Um... well, I'm not not telling you that."

Kate nodded, dropping down from her twin bed to grab her two Xbox controllers, shoving one into Natasha's chest. Sitting atop her desk, the brunette booted up a game, clacks of joysticks and buttons thankfully filling the silence. Not that it was awkward, per se, but it was like being left with the friend of a mutual friend. You know of them, but you really don't know them all that well.

The distraction seemed to loosen Natasha up as she leaned against Kate's desk, eyes on the screen. "So, what's good with you these days, Bishop?"

"Most things, most of the time."

"Felt that."

"What about you?"

"Living the dream."

"Oh, no."

Natasha cracked a grin. "It's not all bad. Just a lot happening."

"Got anything to do with what I told you at the Halloween party?"

"Oh, so you remember?"

"Yeah... sorry if it like, stressed you out, or whatever."

"No, actually, it was a breath of fresh air."

"Really?" Kate said, eyes flitting to Natasha for a moment only to find her usual stoic mask.

"Yeah. Wanda is so... cryptic sometimes. She just skirts around things and won't tell you what she's thinking. Everyone thinks I'm the one who avoids my feelings, but she's a different beast."

Kate stilled, eyes widening. Was Natasha Romanoff actually, genuinely confiding in her? Had hell frozen over? Were pigs flying somewhere?

"So, she's been giving you mixed messages on proposing?" Kate asked gently, not wanting to push too far. She kept her attention on the game, remaining casual.

"Man, I don't even know. It's like we'll go shopping and she'll stare longingly at a jewelry store, so I ask her if she wants to look at a ring and she says no," Natasha said, words coming rapidly. "So I can't tell if she wants a ring, doesn't want a ring, wants me to think she wants a ring, or what. I don't know. She won't give me a straight answer."

"Well... do you want my advice?"

Natasha paused, controller loose in her grip as she eyed Kate. "Really?"

"Yeah. It's what... associate-acquaintance-pal-buddies are for."

"You can just say friend."

"Really? You think we're at that level?"